Scott was on his way west to meet up with his friends to start a new life in L A. What he came across in the desert after his car broke down would change him forever. He wondered if his friends would recognise him once they finally met again. He didn’t think this was what his friend’s intended when they said, "start a new life."

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It was 4 am in the morning, when Kevin surprised her with a cup of hot chocolate. She hadn't heard his quiet movements in the back as she'd had the radio on low.

"I thought of coffee, but you won't sleep with just having had a stimulant, so I brought you this."

"Thanks, I was thinking of pulling over and getting something anyway. You have earned your brownie points today." Sara thanked him.

"What would I need brownie points for," winked Kevin. "I already have a point," he added, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Well I could easily change that, and give you two brownie points instead," grinned Sara, leaving the rest unsaid.

Kevin got the 'point,' and covered his groin protectively, as he whined his protest.

"Ah no, leave that stuff for Maggie, she'd make a great brownie."

"So would her twin sister," laughed Sara. "I can see you both skipping hand in hand in your cute uniforms."

Kevin blushed, knowing Sara wasn't above doing that just for a laugh. Using the age-old technique of distraction, he tickled her just as she was took a sip of her drink. She tried to not giggle with her mouth full of hot chocolate, and as it was still a bit hot to swallow in one gulp, she ended up snorting her mirth through her nose adding a little chocolate snot to the situation. Kevin laughed seeing her predicament and handed her some tissues to wipe her face. Swallowing at last, Sara turned to scold Kevin, but another tickle attack ended that idea. Kevin walked away to let Sara recover, content to have misdirected Sara from her previous thoughts.

Sara could hear the shower running, as Kevin washed himself, before getting dressed. She wondered if there was room for two in the shower, as she pictured running her hands over Kevin's naked steamy body. Damn, why doesn't this thing come with an autopilot, maybe she should trade it in for the next model. With a giggle, she tore her thoughts from having a hot and wet tryst with her lover, and turned her thoughts back to the task in hand.

"Where are we, exactly?" Kevin asked, smelling pleasantly of soap and skin, as he came forward half dressed.

"Well, I took the short cut past Salt Lake City an hour ago, so we should be arriving in Twin Falls soon. We can stop there and have breakfast, preferably after a hot shower." Sara answered.

"I might be dirty again by then," offered Kevin, with a grin.

Sara smiled, but shook her head regretfully. It would have to wait till later, besides, she didn't want to leave the RV without water.

"Sorry, you'll have reign in that parade, for now," she opologised, feeling Kevin's disappointment.

Maggie's catch phrase of "are we there yet?" came sleepily from the back, as Maggie heard them talking.

"Almost ready to stop for breakfast," Sara shouted back to her. "Do you want to eat out, or do we make something in here,"

"Eat out," Maggie called back, as she struggled to get dressed.

"Fine by me," Kevin agreed, glad to be able to get out of the RV and see someplace new.

Sara drove the RV to a park just north of the city centre. She stopped the RV and went and got a shower, while the others checked around outside. By the time she was finished her shower and had put on a new dress, the others were back.

"There's a nice place, within walking distant," announced Kevin, smiling as he gazed at Sara in her nice flowing sundress. "It has English style breakfasts, with crumpets and pancakes. Judging by the amount of 18 wheelers parked nearby, the truckers love the food."

"Sounds like a good recommendation to me," Sara agreed, as her mouth watered and her stomach made some very unladylike noises.

Maggie laughed, hearing that, as hers was agreeing in a similar fashion.

"Darn," wailed Kevin, hearing the belly thunder, "I was hoping to finish what you couldn't eat, but it doesn't seem like there'll be anything left on your plates."

"Oh dear, we can't have you starve," grinned Sara, winking at Maggie. "We might leave you some crumbs," she added with a deadpan face. Maggie held it for a good 5 seconds, before she burst out in a fit of giggles.

"Oh the pain, the pain." Kevin groaned, trying to look hurt and failing badly.

The three trooped off, after Sara had locked the RV. There was a beep, as she got about 10 yards away, indicating that the key ring had an auto arming system for the RV. Reaching the restaurant, they had to wait for a seat, as the place was packed. Fortunately for the three hungry travellers, a table came free in 5 minutes, allowing them to sit and peruse the menu.

All three opted for the English breakfast, which included bacon and eggs with a sausage and baked beans, with a choice of toast or crumpet. Kevin said he felt like a bit of crumpet, but had to settle for the ones you get toasted with butter on them. Both Sara and Maggie had the same, seeing they had never tried one before. They nearly ordered pancakes as well, but one look at the size of the serving at one of the other tables, decided reluctantly to pass this time. The meal was something to write home about. The pork sausage was excellent, having the claim to be made from an original recipe by the chef. Kevin even refrained from drowning everything in tomato ketchup, so he could actual taste the meal.

Kevin and Sara got fresh filtered coffee, while Maggie chose a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The drinks came with something called pikelets, which looked like baby pancakes, about 2-3 inches across. They were buttered and had raspberry jam on top with a dab of whipped cream on top of that. They were delicious and Maggie wanted more, so several more were brought for them. Sara was so impressed; she asked the waitress if she could get a recipe. The waitress smiled, winked, and was soon back with a pre-printed card with both the pancake and the pikelet recipe on it. Obviously, they had been asked before and had some cards printed up for interested customers. When they had finished, they wandered back to the RV via a grocery store, to pick up some fresh bread and fruit, along with enough ingredients to make pikelets.

Suddenly, the key chain began beeping, or more correctly, the plastic fob on it was. Hurrying back, thinking someone was breaking into the RV, they saw a tow truck attempting to lift the front end of it.

"What's going on?" they asked, when they got nearer.

"City bylaw, no RV's allowed to camp here, said the over zealous towie.

"But we aren't camped here, we just stopped to get breakfast," explained Sara indignantly.

"Too bad," sneered the guy. "It's going, seeing I got it connected," the man said, ignoring the look of anger from Sara.

Sara rang Kim on her phone, to ask for advice. Kim asked how big a tow truck it was

"Just a normal sized one, why?"

Sara heard Kim laugh. "Remember those inertial dampers I told you about, well push the centre button the key fob. It will stop the RV from moving. It will anchor the vehicle to the ground and will withstand a hurricane or a tornado; I wish I were there to watch the guys face when he tries to lift it.

Sara pressed the button as the guy stated to lift the front wheels of the RV in readiness for towing. Instead of the RV lifting, the front of the tow truck began to lift off the ground, leaving the front wheels in mid air. The man shook his head and released the cable, then tried again, moving the lifting boom, to a more favourable position where it had more leverage. This time Sara turned the dampers off, allowing the RV to lift off the ground, satisfied that he could tow it, the man got in his cab and started it. With a grin, Sara activated the dampers. The RV came down to ground in a flash without even a bounce of its suspension. The sudden forces applied to the lift boom and cable and the inertia of the truck not allowing it to rise fast enough, snapped both the cable and the boom mounting.

While the man stumbled out cursing, to survey the damage, Sara climbed into the cab of the RV and started it. Kevin adroitly released the hook from the front and jumped in after Maggie had got aboard. Leaving the irate man screaming at them, they pulled away and headed back to the main highway towards Boise, where Kevin took over the driving.

They passed though Baker city and then Pendleton without stopping, while Sara was in the back talking with Maggie.

"Here is your bracelet; Kim loaded a program to the laptop last night while everyone was sleeping. I want you to pick out a picture of a child that you can use as your temporary body. They are all 6 years old and there are options for changing their appearance. Once you've chosen, we can load it into the bracelet and you can switch from your adult body to the child, whenever you want."

Maggie nodded and got to work. Sometime later, she had picked out a blonde curly headed 6 year old with blue eyes and dimples on her cheeks. Sara nodded with approval and loaded the image into the program. Maggie wanted to try it, but Sara said that Kim was having it created, along with clothes and a temporary identity. Kim had told her it would take an hour to create and get ready to be used.

Passing through Arlington, Maggie suggested they stop somewhere along the Hood River for lunch. Sara started mixing up a bowl of pikelet mix and had Maggie spoon it into the fry pan on the gas stove, soon the RV was filled with the aroma of fresh pikelets. Kevin found a nice place where they could walk to the river. Sara set aside the pikelets to cool, while she made lunch. Then she told Maggie that it had been an hour. Maggie knew what that meant, as she touched the Krin on her wrist. Maggie's transformation into a 6 year old was dramatic. She shrank, as the Shelke; formed body replaced her adult one. Dressed in a pink sundress, it set off her dimples and rosy complexion, even the few freckles seemed to enhance her childlike qualities. Maggie went immediately to the mirror on the cupboard where the clothes were stored. She stood there, looking at her new body, for what seemed forever, tears trickling down her cute cheeks, as she faced her dream. Sara went and hugged her, knowing that she didn't need to say a thing, as Maggie took in her new appearance.

Maggie's, "I love yous mommy," made Sara's eyes moisten as they hugged each other tight. Sara left Maggie twirling in front of the mirror, while she finished the lunch arrangements. Kevin parked the RV and got out. He walked outside to the back door to meet the others, and was surprised to see Maggie in her 6-year-old body, but took it in his stride as he piggybacked her giggling body down to the river.

Sara made Maggie eat two sandwiches before allowing her to have a pikelet. Maggie was having trouble buttering them herself, using the unaccustomed tiny fingers of her child's hand. Sara and Kevin laughed as she tried to squirt the canned whipped cream onto the jam topped snack. Her aim was off and cream sprayed everywhere but where she wanted. Maggie looked imploringly at Sara with her newly minted blue eyes, begging silently for some help. Sara buttered the rest of the pikelets, knowing they'd all disappear in minutes. Adding the jam, she then gave them a squirt with the cream. She gave Maggie's cute button nose a squirt too, which made Kevin and Sara laughed, as Maggie tried to look at the cream on her nose, going cross-eyed in the process.

Sara wanted Maggie to resume her adult body for when they met TyrificGal. This was met with a few tears, but when Sara explained the need to demonstrate the power of the Krin, she switched back, after finding out she could change back later.

Lunch over; they drove the last 30 miles to Portland. They found the address for TyrificGal and parked outside. They climbed out and together walked to the front door and knocked on the door. They weren't sure what to expect, they knew TyrificGal was a guy with a sick wife, and that his name was really Tyrone, but how he'd look was anyone's guess. What they didn't expect, was a guy in a nurse's uniform that looked a size too small. He opened the door and waved them in, careful not to show much of himself to the outside world.

"Hello, I'm Maggie, and these are going to be my parent's." Maggie quickly introduced herself. She giggled as she went and hugged the stranger she'd only spoken to online through the limits of text on a screen.

"You look terrific gal, and I love the outfit," Maggie whispered in his ear.

Tears ran down Tyrone's face at the way he'd been unreservedly accepted and shown no ridicule, or laughter.

"I'm Sara and this is Kevin, my husband to be," Sara said, stepping forward to hug Tyrone.

"Hi, sorry, but I'm on nurse duty, Carolyn likes me to look the part when I have to give the meds." He said, blushing as he indicated his attire.

"Nice, she must be very lucky to have you see to her needs like that," Kevin stated pleasantly, as if seeing guys in nurse’s uniforms was an everyday event.

Seeing no derision or other negative looks from Kevin made him feel relieved. He showed them into the lounge where they all sat down.

"You look fabulous Maggie, but the photo you sent me, doesn't do you justice." Tyrone said, looking at her body in wonder.

Maggie giggled and said the face was hers, but the body was by others. Tyrone looked puzzled at that, so Sara began to tell him the story of the Shelke. While Sara gave Tyrone the pocket edition of their tale, the others watched his face change in expression as the tale unfolded. They could see doubt wage with hope, as the promise of his dream coming true seemed like coming true.

"So Maggie is fully female now?" Tyrone asked, his breathing seemed laboured as emotions choked his body.

Sara had Maggie stand up and spin round. She then nodded her approval of Maggie's next action.

"Yes, that and more," Sara confirmed, as Maggie touched her Krin and shrunk to her 6 years old form.

Tyrone gasped as the sight of Maggie the Kitten appeared, freckles and dimples included. Maggie did a pounce onto Tyrone's lap, giving him a hug as she spoke in her new voice.

"See, it's me da Kitten, all growed liddle," she spoke in her pidgin English style, that was so familiar to her online text way of conversing.

This more than anything convinced Tyrone, that this was indeed, the same person he knew as Maggie the Kitten. Tears trickled down Tyrone's cheeks, as the love from Maggie was finally expressed in an actual physical embrace, instead of the many previous cyber hugs.

Tyrone's first thought was for Carolyn his sick wife.

"Can the Krin help her get better?" he asked hopefully, raising himself in esteem in the eyes of the others, for thinking of someone else, other than trying to achieve his own dreams.

"The words he'd prayed he would hear, left him sobbing, as Sara said "yes." Maggie hugged him tighter, as Tyrone wept openly at the good news.

"What will happen, is that we will change her body into one we have stored in our Krin. This will place her body in non-space, where the Shelke can convert the body to her ideal form without any of the ravages her illness may have caused. The Shelke will alter her body on the inside to gain the same physical benefits that we have, which means good health, and much longer life, and slower aging effects."

"She will look like herself? I don't want her looking like a stranger," asked Tyrone, imagining the Shelke tinkering with his wife's body.

"Of course, she will. The main change will be the effects that aging has had. There'll be fewer lines and she'll look younger, as the Shelke improvements cause the body to resist the aging effects. She will have a choice of a second form, but that can be done later."

"Let's get Carolyn sorted before we do Tyrone. After all, she might want to have some input to his choice of body." Sara suggested, winking at Tyrone.

Tyrone grinned and led them into the bedroom where Carolyn was watching TV. Tyrone introduced everyone, before saying that they were here to cure her.

"Carolyn, you know when your car needs to go into the shop for a while, and you get a courtesy car to use while it gets fixed," Sara explained. "Well, we are going to put your body into the shop, and give you a courtesy body to use, while your own is getting fixed. This should take a couple of hours, okay?"

Carolyn looked at Tyrone, in askance; obviously thinking these people were crazy. However, when Tyrone nodded his reassurance that this was legit, her eyes opened wide as she reached out for his hand.

Sara took the Krin off her wrist and placed it on Carolyn's other wrist motioning to Tyrone to stand clear as she touched the setting that would give Carolyn, Margaret Ellery's form. Too late to stop Carolyn from grabbing Tyrone's hand again, as the change took effect, Sara grinned as Tyrone became Carolyn's twin, in form and attire.

The two Margaret's gasped, as they turned to look at each other, and then at themselves.

"Oops," Sara giggled seeing the surprised look as the former Tyrone felt the differences of his inadvertent change.

To be continued.

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 © 2005 by Prudence Walker. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of the copyright holder.