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On All Hallow's Eve strange forces sometimes come together and change people's lives forever. Sometimes the person is seeking change, sometimes they are forced, and sometimes it's just a trick of nature.
Chapter 1
Greg Jenkins was sitting in the break room of Bolton Incorporated, an international trade company. While he was one of the more junior executives at the firm, you would never know it from his demeanor or attitude. He was incredibly self-confident in all matters.
However, Greg wasn't disliked by the rest of the people at the firm. In fact, he was extremely popular with most of his fellow employees. There was one woman in the firm that Greg really wanted to know better, but so far she'd refused all his advances.
Chitra Jalgaonkar was the firm's stunningly beautiful new lawyer who handled the legal aspects of all their Asian trade accounts. She had been born in India, but her parents had moved to the United States when she was two.
Her father was a businessman, but despite his traditional beliefs, he never tried to hold back his daughter. Chitra had been raised in Orange County, attended USC, and later achieved her law degree from Stanford. As much as she considered herself an American, she still traveled back to India every year to visit her extended family.
As for Greg, it wasn't that she didn't like him; she actually thought he was okay; it was just that he wasn't her type. He was the same height as she was and almost the same size. She preferred her men to be bigger and more muscular, and she constantly turned down his requests to go out.
To Greg, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long black hair, which she usually kept in an updo. She had the body of a model, and she took great pride in dressing in tailored suits that showed off her curves.
She did most of her work over the phone, advising clients in the complex international trade laws, but she also had a reputation for being a real shark in the courtroom. The buzz in the firm was that she would be made a partner in the next few years.
None of this mattered to Greg, as he was deeply in love with her. He watched her walk into the break room in a grey suit that looked as if it was painted on her body. As she poured herself a cup of tea, she noticed Greg smiling at her.
"Good morning, Chitra," he said.
"Hi, Greg," she replied.
"Are you going to the big costume party tomorrow evening?" he asked hopefully.
Every year, the company had a huge costume party downtown in the ballroom of one of the major hotels. The firm always shut down the day of the party to give their staff time to dress.
"Of course," she replied.
"What are you going to wear? A sari?" he asked hopefully.
He constantly fantasized about her wearing traditional Indian clothing.
Chitra shook her head, as she sat down next to him. "I don't consider the sari a costume for Halloween."
"I know, but I guess I'm just curious about how you would look in one," he replied.
"I'll bring in a photo sometime. I wore one for my cousin's wedding last year," she replied.
"That would be cool," he replied.
"Do you have a costume yet?' she asked as a wild thought entered her head.
He shook his head. "I was going to stop by the costume shop on the way home," he replied.
"Well, I have something that might work for you, if you're up to it," she said with a smile.
Greg cocked his head. "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, since you seem rather anxious to see what I look like in a sari, I'd like to dress you up in one. We're about the same size, and I have one that would look so cute on you; what do you say?"
Greg was stunned, and all he could do was nod.
"Great," she replied as she wrote out directions to her condo. "Come by at two tomorrow, there's a lot I'll have to do, but you'll look fantastic." She glanced at her watch. "I better get going; I have to meet with Mr. Crick in ten minutes, and it's never good to keep the CEO waiting."
Chapter Two
On the second floor of the firm, Betty Powers sat at her desk working on her computer. She was twenty-eight and had been working at the firm for three years. She loved being a businesswoman and was on the fast track to management.
The problem was that she was deeply in love with her husband, Jerry. He was a freelance photographer and worked out of the studio they had built into their house.
Jerry was constantly bugging Betty about starting a family. Now, she had nothing against children, but she couldn't imagine taking time off from work to have any. It was true, the company had a generous family leave policy, and Jerry said that he was willing to be a stay-at-home dad; there was still the whole pregnancy thing to deal with.
They had discussed adoption a few times, but Jerry really wanted the baby to be theirs. It was becoming a real problem in their marriage.
Betty was also thinking about what their costumes would be for the big party. They had some items leftover from previous parties, but so far she wasn't happy with any of the ideas that they'd come up with.
On her break, she started to Google some ideas online, and then something caught her eye. She clicked on the link and smiled. It was too late to order it, but she found that the company had a local address. She called them up and was pleased to hear that they had what she wanted in stock.
Betty ordered everything right then and there and would pick it up on the way home from work.
Chapter Three
In the administration office, three women stood in front of the desk of the newest employee, admiring his work.
In front of them sat twenty-three-year-old Larry Hart. He had been hired two months earlier and had been assigned to the office.
Instead of his normal suit and tie, he was dressed in a white silk blouse, tan skirt, pantyhose, and three inch black pumps.
"Oh, Lian, you look fantastic," remarked Kelly Robbins.
"Lian?" he asked.
"It suits you better than Larry," she replied.
"I agree," added Kristin Williams.
"I feel like an idiot," said Larry as he adjusted his skirt.
"I disagree, Lian," said Nancy Norris, the woman whose idea it had been to dress up Larry.
The women were all in costume too. It was tradition to dress in costume on Halloween, but since the office would be closed that day, they'd moved it a day earlier.
Nancy was dressed as a witch, Kelly was wearing a cheerleader's uniform, and Kristen was dressed as a cowgirl.
It had been Kelly's idea to dress their new co-worker up as a woman; however, none of them ever imagined that "Lian" would turn out looking so feminine.
They had spared no expense in buying her outfit, from the high heels to the pageboy styled wig.
Larry was half Chinese, and with the wig, he looked very much like a woman. Kelly had done his makeup and took great effort to emphasize Larry's eyes.
"I wish you hadn't actually plucked my eyebrows," complained Larry.
Larry's eyebrows were now thin and arched.
"They'll grow back, Lian," replied Kelly. "Trust me, you look stunning. They really emphasize your eyes."
"I think the earrings really make the look," added Nancy.
Larry reached up and touched the dangling jade earring that hung from his left earlobe.
"It was pretty cool that you have pierced ears," she continued.
"Kelly, did you do her nails?" asked Kristen.
Kelly nodded and reached down and held out Larry's hand. There were long, bright red nails on each finger.
"I used to do this professionally," remarked Kelly.
"I can barely type with them," grumbled Larry.
"Now you know how we feel," said Kelly. "Seriously, Lian, you've been a great sport about this. After the big party tomorrow night, I'll take the tips off your nails."
"Do you have to call me Lian?"
"You don't look like a Larry right now," said Nancy.
"I think Lian is a very pretty name," added Kelly with a wink.
Larry knew that he was beat. "Okay, but just for today."
"You mean today and tomorrow," added Kristen. "You're going to the party as a girl too."
Lian accepted defeat, lowered her head, and nodded.
"Ohhhh, you look so demure and feminine when you do that!" stated Kelly with glee.
"Well, we still have a busy day ahead of us, so let's get back to work," stated Nancy.
Lian nodded again and turned around to work at "her" computer. She couldn't help but notice her long red nails as she worked. Hopefully, this would lead to a date with Kelly, Lian thought.
Chapter Four
Chitra called up a friend and told her what she had done.
"Greg? Isn't he that guy who keeps bugging you to go out?" asked Neela.
Neela had been Chitra's best friend since third grade.
"Yes, and do you think you can do what you said?' asked Chitra.
There was a long pause at the other end of the phone.
"You mean that, Chitra?"
"Yes. Look, Greg is okay, but he's a pest. I don't want to go out with him, and he hasn't done anything that I really complain about. I figure if you can do your magic, I will be free of him. What do you say?"
Neela thought about Chitra's offer for a moment. "I'd love to help you."
"Cool. Greg will be at my place tomorrow afternoon: does that give you enough time?"
"Yes, I'll have to go to the store for a few things, but it shouldn't be a problem."
Chapter Five
Betty touched the object with her fingers and was amazed at the way it felt.
"It feels just like flesh!" she remarked.
"I do my best," replied the woman sitting behind the counter.
Betty picked it up. "It's heavy."
"It's supposed to be," replied the woman. "To attach it, just soak it in hot water for two hours. You'll have a few minutes to adjust it before it will stick. It'll stay on for at least forty-eight hours."
"How does it come off?' asked Betty.
"Have him take a cold shower."
Betty laughed. "I'll take it."
"I thought you would. Here, I'm throwing these in for free," said the woman. "They work the same way."
"They're huge."
"Of course," replied the woman.
Chapter Six
Lian spent the morning working quietly at "her" desk. The other women in the office were too busy to bother her. Secretly, Lian was thrilled with the way she looked, but she did her best to hide her true feelings from her co-workers.
Growing up, she had always been fascinated with the idea of being a woman, and now she had her wish, even if it was for just one day.
She wondered what sort of outfit the others had planned for her to wear at the party the following night.
"Nancy, where are you?" announced Karla Robinson, their department head.
Lian looked over her shoulder at the large older woman walking into their office area. Not only did she run the administrative department of the company, she was also the most trusted assistant of Mr. Thomas Crick, the CEO.
"I'm over here," replied Nancy. "What's up?"
"Shit, I forgot that your office was in costume today," replied Karla. "Rosie's just gone into labor, and I need someone to step in for her immediately. I don't think that Mr. Crick would want a witch as his receptionist. Did you bring a change of clothes?"
Nancy shook her head.
"What about the others?" asked Karla. "Are they respectable?"
Nancy shook her head, and then cocked her head. "Well, there is one person who could stand in for Rosie." She then pointed in Lian's direction.
Karla turned around and looked at the pretty Asian girl staring back at them. It took her a second to recognize Larry.
"This is Lian," introduced Nancy.
Karla nodded. "She'll have to do. Ms. Hart, please follow me."
Lian stood up slowly and stared at the other women. "I can't do it...."
"Nonsense, you look perfect. Oh, don't forget your purse. Ms. Hart, this isn't a request" stated Karla.
Lian stood there staring back before following orders. This had just gone too far, but there was nothing she could do.
Karla led Lian to her new desk and explained her new duties.
"This won't be too bad. Mr. Crick will probably be leaving for the day around three today," said Karla.
"Ms. Robinson, there has to be someone else who can do this," begged Lian.
"Sorry, Lian, you're it. Trust me, no one will suspect a thing, you're a very pretty young woman," said Karla. "This could be a great opportunity for you."
Lian gave up, and soon she was sitting behind a large desk outside of the CEO's office. Karla explained a few more things and then left.
Lian looked at the clock and saw that it was just a few minutes past twelve. It would be a very long afternoon.
Chapter Seven
A little past one, a package was delivered to Lian's desk; it was addressed to her. She opened it up and found it contained a desk name plate for Lian Hart. She stared at the name plate for a few moments before setting it down in front of her. Why would they give her a name plate if she was only going to be there for an afternoon?
For the most part, she soon realized that she would have little to do, as Mr. Crick had a light day scheduled. Around one-thirty, Karla returned to see how she was doing.
"Would you like something to drink, tea, or coffee?" asked Karla.
"Tea would be nice, thank you," replied Lian.
Karla smiled and in few minutes handed her a mug of hot green tea.
"This is very good; Rosie shared it with me. I don't think she'll mind you having some," said Karla.
"Is she coming back?" asked Lian as she sipped the tea. It was strong and had a slightly strange aftertaste, but it wasn't bad, she thought.
"No. She said that she was going to take a few months, but I suspect she'll stay at home and raise her baby," said Karla.
"Oh," replied Lian.
"Would you like the job?' asked Karla as she leaned over.
Lian stared back, waiting for the punch line. "You're kidding, right?"
Karla shook her head. "No, you meet all the requirements for the job. I just read your record; you have all the skills to do the job."
Lian took another sip of her tea. "I'm a guy."
Karla didn't reply, instead she just smiled a wicked smile.
"This is just a costume," continued Lian.
"You don't have to make up your mind right now. I won't be able to get someone else up here for at least a few days, and we can't use a temp, Mr. Crick hates having someone who isn't a permanent employee as his receptionist. Drink your tea and think about it," said Karla.
Lian found herself taking another sip of the tea. "Okay."
"That's the spirit, Lian," replied Karla. "Oh, one more thing, the ladies room is just down the hall to the left."
Lian again nodded. Did Karla think she was really a woman?
Chapter Eight
Betty made a few more purchases before heading home. She wasn't worried about the office, as most departments were cutting their people out early that afternoon.
She couldn't wait to spring her idea on Jerry. Of course, he'd argue against it, but she knew that she could talk him into doing it. For the most part, they had a normal relationship, but there were times when her dominant nature took over. Jerry usually submitted and accepted that she was in charge.
He was out on a photo shoot when she got home, and this allowed her to unpack all her purchases. She then called his cell phone.
"When will you be home, dear?" she asked.
"In an hour, maybe slightly longer, why?"
"I have a costume for the big party for you to try on," she said.
"And you're not going to tell me what it is, right?"
"That's right, dear, but trust me, we'll be the hit of the party," she said.
"Okay, I'll be home soon."
Betty hung up the phone and carried the objects to the guest bathroom. She filled the bath with hot water and then placed the items in the hot water. She would keep an eye on the temperature and adjust it as necessary.
Chapter Nine
Around three, Mr. Crick walked out of his office and stopped at Lian's desk.
"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to come out here sooner, Lian," he said cheerfully. "Karla explained how you volunteered to fill in for Rosie."
Lian smiled nervously back. "I was glad to help."
"Karla feels that you would do an excellent job filling in fulltime if you're interested," he said. "I'd be very pleased if you accepted."
Lian suddenly got the feeling that he was checking her out, and she struggled to find an appropriate answer.
"I haven't really given it much thought, Mr. Crick. I'm rather fond of my current position," she replied.
"There are certain benefits to this position, Lian. Think about it before you make any quick decisions."
Another strange feeling suddenly swept through her body; it was almost as if she felt a desire to obey Mr. Crick.
"Karla said that I have a few days to think about it," she replied.
"Good. Well, I'm off for the day. I look forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow night."
Lian nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Crick. I can't wait."
After he left, she tried to rationalize what had just happened.
Chapter Ten
Lian drove home thinking about her strange day. Was Mr. Crick serious about wanting her to be his receptionist?
Without really thinking about it, she pulled her car into the parking lot of a large shopping mall. As if she was drawn by some strange force, she decided to check out some of the stores.
At first, she thought she really didn't need anything, as her costume for the party would be provided by her co-workers. But soon she was checking out the women's department. She rationalized that she would need at least one or two more outfits for work. Then she saw some casual wear that would look great.
Over the next few hours, she ended up buying over a thousand dollars worth of clothes and shoes. Lian thought that even if she turned down Mr. Crick, she could still indulge herself every now and then. She then realized that she was actually considering taking the job; what was happening to her?
Chapter Eleven
"What is it?" asked Jerry as he stared into the bathtub.
"You mean, what are 'they?' They are attachments that will simulate a look of pregnancy. I want you to wear them for the party tomorrow night," explained Betty.
"You're kidding, right?"
She shook her head. "Look, you're the one who has been so anxious for me to get pregnant; so I want you to experience it, even if it's only the sensation of carrying around extra weight."
"If I'm going to the party as a pregnant woman, then what are you going as?"
"Your husband, silly!" she replied. "Now, before we put these on you, you need to go shave. Legs, chest, underarms, face... the works."
Jerry knew he couldn't win this argument, and if he went through with it, maybe she would consider starting a family.
"Okay, I'll be back in a while," he said.
"I love you, Jenny," said Betty with a wink.
Chapter Twelve
"Okay, let me take a look," said Betty as she examined her husband's nude body.
They were both about the same height, around 5-8. Both were athletic and in very good shape. Jerry was well built, but not muscle bound. He had shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Betty had plans for that too as part of his costume.
Her hair was auburn and styled short; she liked the neat look of it - with a little styling, she could make it look like a guy style.
"You did a great job, my dear," she noted. "Okay, let's put your belly on first. This is supposed to simulate a woman who is seven to eight months pregnant in both size and weight."
"And how do we attach it?" he asked.
"The woman said it will stick naturally," replied Betty as she lifted the object out of the tub. It was warm to the touch and felt as if it was almost a living thing.
Betty positioned the belly attachment on her husband. There were side flaps that wrapped around his sides to help hold it in place. She adjusted the location of the belly and held it in place.
After a few minutes, she let go of it and was amazed to see that it was holding in place.
"That's amazing!" she remarked. "It's almost as if it's part of you."
"I can't believe the weight," remarked Jerry as he cupped his extended tummy with his hand.
"Well, before you sit down, I have some more things to attach," said Betty as she reached into the tub.
The next two attachments went on his hips and butt, giving him curves. Just like the belly, they stayed in place once set.
"Now, for your boobs!" remarked Betty.
"My god, they're huge," stated Jerry.
"Of course, my dear, that's what happens," she replied as she set the two large breasts into place.
"The party isn't until tomorrow: why do I have to put them on now?" he asked.
"They'll stay on for two days. I thought it would be fun for us," replied Betty as she held the breasts in place.
"It's a good thing I don't have a shoot tomorrow morning," he said.
"Don't worry; I have clothes for you to wear. I stopped at a maternity shop on the way home," said Betty.
Jerry nodded.
"Okay, everything looks like it's working. How do you feel?" asked Betty.
Jerry ran his hands over the attachments. "It's weird. It's almost like I can feel through them. The weight will take some getting used to though." He then started to walk away.
"Hey, I'm not done with you!" stated Betty.
"I have to go; this belly is putting real pressure on my bladder."
Betty nodded. It was one of the side effects that the woman at the shop had mentioned.
Chapter Thirteen
"There, that looks much better," stated Betty as she stepped back to admire her work.
His hair was restyled so that it was spiked out. She had also bleached his hair to make him a real blonde. After trimming and styling his eyebrows and some makeup, Jerry looked several years younger and very feminine.
"You look great, Jenny," said Betty.
"I can't believe that's me in the mirror," he noted.
"Trust me, no one will recognize you. In fact, let's go out to dinner."
"No way," he replied shaking his head.
"Come on, it will be fun. I bought you some really nice outfits," stated Betty. "I think you look lovely, Jenny."
"Are you going to call me Jenny the rest of the weekend?"
"Why not? It fits you better," she replied.
A short time later, they were walking into a small restaurant in their neighborhood. Betty was wearing jeans and a sweater, while Jenny was dressed in a slate gray maternity dress with black tights underneath.
Betty made no effort to hide her affection for Jenny, and the waitress just seemed to assume they were a lesbian couple.
"So when is your baby due?" she asked sweetly.
Betty smiled back. "In six weeks."
"That's wonderful. So are you two new to the neighborhood? I haven't seen you in here before."
Betty smiled back. "Yes, we heard it's a great place to raise a family."
The waitress smiled. "Oh, it is. We have a great daycare center at the LGBT center. There's some information about it up front. You can pick it up on the way out."
She took their orders and left.
"You're having a grand time," noted Jenny.
"I'm just having fun. We do make a cute lesbian couple," she replied.
Jenny nodded.
It might have been just her imagination, but Jenny seemed softer, more subdued, thought Betty.
"I need to use the restroom," commented Jenny. "This is a real pain."
"Don't forget to use the ladies room."
Jenny nodded and walked slowly to the restrooms.
Betty watched Jenny and smiled. She suddenly wished that Jenny was really a woman and pregnant with their child.
After dinner, they walked back to their car. While they were only a mile form their home, it was too far to walk for the now very pregnant Jenny.
They stopped in front of a salon and, on a whim; Betty grabbed Jenny by the arm. "Come on, let's get our nails done."
"What?" asked Jenny.
"Come on, it'll be fun," replied Betty.
They walked in and were seen to immediately. Betty insisted that Jenny get long elegant nails, while she had hers done short. The woman who was doing their nails asked them about their baby. In spite of herself, Betty enjoyed the way Jenny squirmed under the questioning.
"You did great in there," stated Betty as they left the salon. She slipped her arm around Jenny's waist.
"I can't believe we just did that," commented Jenny, who cuddled close to Betty as they walked.
"I think we should go home now," said Betty. "I want to get you into bed."
Jenny looked up and smiled. "I'd like that."
"You've earned it, my dear."
Chapter Fourteen
Halloween morning, Lian was sitting in her living room reading the paper. She was dressed in a nightie and robe that she had bought the previous evening. She didn't have to meet with the women from her office until later in the afternoon, so she planned to relax around her home.
It was strange, she thought, the longer she spent time dressed in women's clothing, the more normal it felt. She didn't even mind her long nails and the way her eyebrows looked anymore.
As she browsed through the paper, she was caught off guard when the phone rang.
"Lian? This is Karla from work. Look, I know that it's a day off and everything, and I hate to bother you, but Mr. Crick needs you in this morning."
"Um... why?"
"There's a problem with one of the contracts. Can you be in the office by ten?"
Lian looked at her watch. "Okay, I'll be there."
"Good girl, I knew we could count on you."
Lian debated what to wear and decided on one of her new outfits. It was a black skirt, white silk blouse, and black heels. It took her a few attempts to get her makeup presentable, but soon she was heading to work.
Karla met her at her desk.
"You look very nice. Thank you for coming in. Now, Mr. Crick is on his way in. I need you to call up all files on the Baker contract," stated Karla.
Lian nodded and went to work.
"Do you want some tea?" asked Karla.
Lian didn't look up from her computer. "Yes, please."
Chapter Fifteen
Jenny struggled out of bed after a long and restless sleep. It had been very difficult for her to find a good sleep position.
Betty smiled to herself and helped Jenny get dressed. "I'll cook you breakfast."
Jenny nodded and decided not to bother changing from her nightgown until after breakfast.
As she scrambled some eggs, Betty glanced over at Jenny.
"You had a rough night last night," she said.
"It wasn't easy sleeping. Just when I got comfortable, I had to get up and go to the bathroom," replied Jenny.
"How are the attachments holding up?"
"No problems with them; in fact, they feel as if they are part of my body," replied Jenny.
"Well, I have some errands to run this morning before we start getting ready for the party; why don't you just hang around the house and relax?" suggested Betty.
"What do you have to do?' replied Jenny.
"Go to the grocery store, pick up our dry cleaning, stuff like that," replied Betty.
"I'll come along, if you don't mind," said Jenny.
This answer caught Betty slightly off guard. "You sure?"
Jenny nodded. "Yes, besides it's kinda boring just lying around."
"Okay, after breakfast I'll help you get dressed, and we'll head out."
For some reason, this really pleased Betty, and she tried to put a finger on it.
Chapter Sixteen
Lian was on her second mug of tea by the time Mr. Crick arrived in the office. He was dressed casually in jeans and a flannel shirt. His appearance was so different from the way he normally looked at work.
For the first time, Lian noticed that he was an attractive man in his late forties, with just a touch of gray in his dark brown hair.
"Good morning, Lian. Thank you so much for coming in," he stated cheerfully.
"I've already collated the files on the Baker contract going back six months. Do you want me to forward it to your account?' she asked.
Mr. Crick nodded in Karla's direction. "You were right, Karla; she's very sharp."
Lian suddenly felt a tingle of excitement as Mr. Crick's words of praise sunk in.
"Yes, Lian, send them to my account," he said as he walked into his office.
Karla followed him in and put her hand on Lian's shoulder. "Good job, Lian."
Lian smiled back and then took another sip of her tea. This might not be a bad career move, she thought.
Chapter Seventeen
"How're you holding up, Jenny?' asked Betty as they entered the parking lot near the shopping area of their neighborhood.
"I'm okay," she replied. "As we drove over here, it was like I was seeing our neighborhood for the first time. I just never noticed how tolerant our neighborhood was."
She was wearing a plum colored top, a black skirt and a long sweater jacket. Betty was again dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket.
"Well, it's nice to see that we're not the only lesbian couple here. It might be a bit different in the 'burbs," said Betty as they stepped out of their car.
Jenny laughed. "You know, it's strange, but part of me almost wishes that I was really a woman and that I was carrying our child."
Betty stopped and stared at Jenny. "You mean that?"
Jenny nodded.
"I feel the same way," replied Betty as she slipped her arm around Jenny's waist. "I woke up before you did and just stared at you lying in bed next to me this morning. You looked so beautiful."
"Really?"
Betty nodded. "You know that I'm bisexual and that I had a fling with another woman when I was in college; well, when I look at you I get those same feelings that I had back then."
"Do you feel... different right now?" asked Jenny.
"Yes, but I can't quite put my finger on it," she replied.
"It's not a bad feeling, but like something fantastic is about to happen, if you know what I mean," continued Jenny.
"I know what you mean," said Betty. She then leaned over and kissed Betty. "Hey, I have a wild idea; why don't we go over to that salon over there and see if they can do a better job on your hair?"
Betty pointed over to a salon that was flying a rainbow flag above its door.
Jenny ran her fingers through her hair. "Does it really look that bad?'
"It's not bad, but you could look better. I'm no hairdresser."
Jenny shrugged her shoulders. "Okay."
"You mean that?'
"It feels like it's the right idea," replied Jenny.
Chapter Eighteen
As Jenny got her hair styled, Betty walked next door to a jewelry/gift shop. She noticed that they had a large selection of LGBT jewelry. She ended up buying two necklaces, one for each of them. They were silver chains with glass beads forming a rainbow. Betty also noticed that they had a line of expensive but very nice commitment rings. She decided to wait until another time before buying those.
She returned just as Jenny was done. Jenny's hair was now styled much more femininely, and it really made her look like a woman.
"Oh, Jenny, you look stunning!" blurted out Betty.
"See, I told you she'd like it!" stated the stylist.
"I love it, thank you so much," replied Jenny as she paid her bill.
Betty waited until they stepped outside before she took out the necklaces. She carefully placed one around Jenny's neck and then slipped the other on herself.
"They're so cool," replied Jenny.
"It seemed appropriate," stated Betty. "Well, come on, we have some other things to do."
Chapter Nineteen
"Is everything ready?' asked Chitra.
She was watching her friend set up her things in the living room. A massage table was set up in the middle of the floor, and the coffee table was covered with various bottles.
Neela nodded as she finished unpacking the last of her supplies.
"When does Greg arrive?' asked Neela.
"He should be here soon," replied Chitra.
"Have you picked out a name for 'her' yet?" asked Neela.
"I was thinking of Lali; it means 'darling girl, which seems appropriate," replied Chitra. She began to giggle. "Poor Lali has no idea what 'she' is getting into!"
"Even if everything doesn't work, this will be pretty cool," stated Neela. "I doubt Greg will be a bother to you ever again."
"That's true. I have all the clothes in the master bedroom; it will easier dressing her there."
Chapter Twenty
Greg parked his car and checked the address again before getting out. He almost didn't go up to Chitra's door, but his urges were too strong.
Chitra greeted him and escorted him inside.
"Did you shave as I asked?"
Greg nodded. "That was a new experience."
"The first of many," replied Chitra. She then introduced him to Neela.
Neela was slightly heavier than Chitra, having been married for several years and having had two babies.
"What I'd like you to do is undress and put on his robe," said Neela. "You can go into the bathroom to undress."
Greg hesitated for a moment. "What are you going to do?"
"Trust us, Greg, nothing bad is going to happen to you," replied Chitra with a smile.
Greg shrugged his shoulders and changed. The robe was a woman's silk robe, and the sensation of the soft material against his hairless body was slightly erotic.
He came out of the bathroom and was directed to lie down on the massage table.
"Now, this isn't going to hurt, Greg. I just need a steady work area," stated Neela.
"What are you going to do?" he asked.
"I'm going to give you some henna tattoos. Now, before you say a word, I'm using a special mixture that will wash off," lied Neela. The henna she was using would be on Greg's body for weeks, but he didn't have to know that. Besides, in a few minutes he would be under their power.
"Okay," he replied.
Neela went right to work and began to draw a pattern around each of Greg's ankles. The more elaborate spells would be going on his hands, but those would have to wait. She was pleased to see Chitra taking notes on how the henna was applied.
At first, Greg didn't notice anything besides the sensation of the henna being applied. He then felt a wave of weakness sweep through his body.
"Did you see that?' asked Chitra.
"Yes, it means that the spell is working. Greg, you will do everything I tell you; do you understand?" said Neela.
Without even thinking, Greg replied. 'Yes, I understand."
"Now, you cannot move unless I give you permission; do you understand?" asked Neela. "You will do whatever Chitra or I tell you to do without hesitation. You no longer have free will."
"Yes, I understand," he replied.
"Okay, you don't have my permission to sit up, but I want you to try; see if you can move without my permission," ordered Neela.
Chitra watched as Greg appeared to be trying to sit up. The look of panic in his eyes told her that he was really under their power.
"Does it always work that fast?" asked Chitra.
Neela nodded. "Why don't you take the next step?"
"Okay. Now, Greg, you will obey my words and what Neela says; do you understand? You are totally under our power."
"Yes," replied Greg in a flat monotone, unable to express the terror he was experiencing inside.
"Well said, Chitra. Now, Greg, my sweet, you are about to undergo a life changing experience. I want you to sit up and then follow us into the bathroom. You will make no efforts to escape," explained Neela.
He did as he was told and followed them meekly. He wondered what they meant by a life changing experience."
Neela ordered him to stand in the bathtub with his arms and legs extended. She poured some sweet smelling oil into a shower cap and then placed it on his head. She then massaged his scalp as he stood there.
"We'll leave that on for two hours," she said to Chitra. "Now, Greg, you will stand still and only move when told."
"I understand," he replied. Inside, he was terrified about what was happening, but he was powerless to do anything.
"Chitra, let me see the mixture?"
"Here it is; I followed your instructions exactly," replied Chitra.
"It looks perfect," replied Neela as she examined the liquid in a large bowl.
Neela and Chitra then put latex gloves on and began to apply a dark liquid to Greg's body.
"You don't have to worry about being neat; this won't leave streaks," explained Neela to Chitra.
"How long does it have to be on him?" asked Chitra.
"Two hours. When the time is up, we'll turn the shower on and pull off the cap," explained Neela.
Chapter Twenty-One
"Thank you again for coming in, Lian," said Karla. "Mr. Crick be staying for a few more minutes, but I have to go. He did ask me one more time if you wanted to be his receptionist full time. As you can see, the position entails more than just answering phones. I suspect that you'll be trained to be his executive secretary," explained Karla.
"Really?" asked Lian.
"Yes, my dear. Now isn't that a great opportunity?"
"It sounds like it, but... but I'm really a guy," said Lian.
"Are you?" asked Karla. "Think about it. Wouldn't you rather be a woman?"
Lian found herself nodding.
"That's what I thought," said Karla. "You know what today is don't you?"
Lian nodded. "It's Halloween."
"Yes, and it's my favorite day of the year. Tell me, Lian, you must have heard the other women refer to me as a witch, right?"
Lian nodded.
"They have no idea how right they are. I am a witch, and the tea you've been enjoying is a very special spell. It doesn't change men into women; rather, it makes you the person you were meant to be. Look down, my sweet."
Lian obeyed.
Karla reached down and unbuttoned Lian's blouse, reached into her bra, and pulled out the breast pad. To Lian's amazement, she now had breasts. They were small, but definitely larger than normal.
"Your body is changing, and by midnight you will be completely a woman. Your identity changes with you; it will be as if you were born a woman. If you don't want this to happen, just ask me," continued Karla as she reached into her purse. She pulled out a small vial with green liquid inside. "This will change you back."
Lian stared at the vial.
"Now, just so you know, I think that you'll be much happier as a woman, and if you play your cards right, you won't be sitting behind that desk for very long. Just follow your heart."
"What do you mean?" asked Lian.
"You'll find out. I'm here to help you, my sweet, and trust me, you won't be hurt."
With that, Karla left, leaving Lian to ponder what she had just been told.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Betty and Jenny returned to their home. Jenny immediately went to the bathroom. She returned to the kitchen and helped Betty put away the groceries.
"You really look cute," said Betty as she put the milk in the fridge.
"Thanks," replied Jenny who was handing her the items. "I have a question; do you really want to go to the party tonight?"
Betty turned and smiled. "What do you have on your mind?"
"I'd rather just be with you; let's go out to dinner tonight, somewhere really fancy," suggested Jenny.
"That would be fun, but the whole reason we did this was for the party," said Betty.
"It's well beyond that," said Jenny.
"What do you mean?" asked Betty.
"I think I better show you," said Jenny.
Chapter Twenty-Three
'Well, the two hours are up; let's wash him off," said Neela.
Greg had been standing in the shower like a statue. His eyes had been closed the whole time.
The water washed down over his body, and he could feel the two women rubbing him down. One of them pulled off the shower cap, and he felt his hair falling down. The strange thing was that it was now much longer.
"Oh, look at that; his hair is gorgeous!" exclaimed Chitra.
"I know, and notice the color," said Neela.
They assisted him out of the tub and dried him off. He could feel them brushing his hair, which had to be down to the small of his back now.
"Keep your eyes closed, and we'll lead you back into the living room," ordered Neela.
Greg obeyed and soon found himself lying on his back.
"This might sting a little, Greg," said Neela as she began to work on his eyebrows.
"Oh, very nice," stated Chitra as she watched Neela work.
""I think it's a big improvement," replied Neela. "Now, if you want to apply the makeup, I'll go to work on the rest of the henna tattoos.
Hearing this, Greg tried to move, but it was impossible.
"Oh, my dear, you can't escape, and soon you won't want to," said Neela.
"Do you think we should tell Greg what we're doing to him?" asked Chitra.
"Why not? There's nothing he can do about it anyway," said Neela as she went to work on Greg's hands.
Chitra was now totally caught up in the transformation of Greg, and all that mattered now was seeing it through to the end.
"Greg, this will be the last time you will ever hear this as your name. Your name is now Lali, and it means lovely girl, which you are on the road to becoming," explained Chitra.
"What I'm doing, Lali, is applying some very special henna tattoos that will start your transformation," interjected Neela. "The changes won't start for a while, but when they are done, you will be a woman... complete and, I dare say, functional in every way."
Chitra began to giggle as she imagined Lali pregnant.
"You've always seemed so interested in me dressing in a sari; well, I will dress in one for you tonight, as will Neela. You, too, will be in one as we introduce you to your new life. Tomorrow, after all the changes have taken place, we'll be going to a party, and there will be many handsome and very eligible bachelors looking for a woman like you, and by then, you'll love every bit of it."
Greg's mind tried to fight back, but it was becoming difficult. He suddenly began to think of himself as Lali, a woman. With each stroke of Neela's brush, his masculinity began to melt away.
"There will be other changes, Lali. You are going to become very submissive and obedient. You won't have to worry about complicated things like business and finance, because once the spells are fully applied, you'll mainly be interested in being a wife and mother," said Neela.
This can't be happening, Lali thought.
"Okay, that's all I want to do for now. I'll apply the rest after we have her dressed," said Neela. "You did a wonderful job on her makeup. She looks very feminine, even though she isn't, yet."
"I know," replied Chitra. "Let's get her dressed."
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mr. Crick called Lian into his office.
"Please sit down, Lian," he said, pointing to a leather chair in front of his large oak desk.
Lian did as he asked. She sat down and crossed her legs.
"I was delighted to hear that you're going to accept the position of being my receptionist," stated Mr. Crick. "Karla just phoned me and told me."
"Thank you, Mr. Crick," she replied.
He smiled and got up and walked around his desk, He sat down on the edge of the desk in front of Lian.
"You are not the first receptionist that Karla has recruited to work for me," he said softly. "You are, however, the most beautiful one."
Lian felt her heart skip a beat.
"I've been searching for someone special for what has seemed like eons," he continued. "When I saw you, I knew that my search was over."
Instead of being angry or afraid that her boss was coming onto her, Lian felt aroused. Her nipples on her now 34-C-cup sized breasts began to harden, and her breathing began to increase.
"I can see that you seem to feel the same for me," said Mr. Crick. "When we are alone, you may call me Tom, if you wish."
Lian fought to regain her composure. "Mr. Crick... I mean Tom, am I just getting this job to... pleasure you?"
He smiled as he shook his head. "It must be confusing for you, Lian. Yes, I would love to make love to you; I would love to start kissing you and feel your tender body in my arms, but there's more to it than that."
Lian couldn't help but notice that an erection was forming in Tom's pants. This only served to excite her more.
"I eventually want our relationship to grow, and hopefully move beyond the office. I need to get to know someone for a while before I start to date them."
"So, part of my job would be making love to you in this office?" she asked as she stood up.
Tom smiled and nodded as she moved closer to him.
"And if we hit it off, then I would be your girlfriend?' she asked.
Tom reached around with both arms and pulled her closer. He nodded as he licked his lips. "Is that acceptable?'
"And what happens if we don't get along?"
"I promise that you will be free to go. If you want to stay, I will ensure you have a great position."
"One more thing, what about Rosie?' asked Lian.
Tom began to unbutton her blouse. "Rosie was once male, and took the job much as you did. We, however, did not match, and she later met and married another man. He's a nice guy, and, yes, my dear Lian, he is the father."
Lian nodded. "Thank you for being honest with me."
Tom leaned over and kissed her deeply as he continued to undress her.
Lian was likewise caught up in the passion and offered no resistance. Soon, she was half naked, as he pulled off her blouse and top.
To her surprise, she still had a penis, although it was barely an inch long now. It was also much thinner in diameter.
Tom soon exposed it as he removed her skirt and panties. He left her in her stockings, garter belt and heels.
"That is so cute," he said as he stroked her small erect penis. "By tomorrow, you'll be a complete woman, and we can really make love."
"I can't wait," replied Lian breathlessly.
Tom also undressed, and his cock was large and erect. Lian couldn't resist and began to kiss and lick it. She was suddenly craving his cum, and she found herself on her knees in front of him, sucking his cock.
Even though she had always had feelings about women's clothing, she had never been attracted to men, but now it was different. She loved the sensation of his cock as it slid in and out of her eager lips, and she was soon rewarded with his cum.
When he came, she felt waves of sexual bliss sweep through her own body. It was as if she was in synch with him. It was by far the best orgasm that she had ever experienced.
Tom pulled her gently up and caressed her as they basked in the post sexual bliss.
"That was wonderful," she moaned softly as she cuddled into his arms.
"You are definitely the one," he replied.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Look," said Jenny, as she stripped off her skirt and panties to show her crotch to Betty.
"Your cock... it's so small!" exclaimed Betty.
Jenny's penis was barely an inch in length.
"I know, and that's not all," replied Jenny as she pulled off her top and then removed her bra.
"That can't be!" stated Betty as she stared at Jenny's chest.
"Trust me, they're real. I don't know how or why, but I'm changing."
Betty suddenly looked down at Jenny's large belly.
"Yes, that's becoming real too," said Jenny.
Betty sat down on the bed next to Jenny and put her arm around her.
"I should be freaking out, but I'm not. I feel wonderful, Betty," explained Jenny.
"Well, just so you know, you're not going through this alone!"
"I know that, Betty,' said Jenny as she rested her head on Betty's shoulder.
"This means we're going to be parents," said Betty.
"Do you mind?"
Betty shook her head. "I've always wanted a family; I just didn't want to be the one who got pregnant."
"Well, I love the idea of having a baby. I also don't mind being a stay-at-home mom. I mean, I can still work part-time as a photographer."
"You're really okay with this?" asked Betty.
Jenny broke out in a huge smile and kissed Betty. "Absolutely. I feel excited about this!"
"That's wonderful, Jenny; I'm happy too," replied Betty.
They fell back on their bed and began to kiss and cuddle.
"What about you? I mean, how do we explain this?" asked Betty.
"Later," replied Jenny as she yawned. "I'm suddenly too exhausted to care."
Betty also felt very sleepy and soon both were sound asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lali still had her eyes closed as she was dressed. Chitra and Neela explained what they were doing as they dressed her.
First, they put a tight fitting blouse on her. Neela explained that the blouse stopped just below the bust. Next came a pair of panties, and then a floor length petticoat. The petticoat was tightened with a drawstring.
Next, they tucked the end of the sari into the petticoat and made a complete turn. Neela explained that the end of the sari should touch the ground.
The women then began to make pleats in the sari, eventually tucking the pleats into the waist, just to the right of her navel.
They then draped the remaining fabric around her one more time. Next, they brought it up under her right arm and over her left shoulder. Neela explained that it should fall to about the level of the knees. The end was then draped to prevent it from slipping off the shoulder with a small safety pin.
They still wouldn't let Lali see herself as they adorned her with jewelry. Lali felt them put bracelets on both her writs, rings on her fingers, and rings on her toes. They slipped her feet into sandals.
Next came a necklace that felt like a collar being attached around her neck. She then felt dangling pierced earrings in each of her lobes.
"Now, this may sting a little," warned Neela as she pressed something against Lali's left nostril. There was a momentary sting, but it went away quickly.
"She's stunning don't you think?" said Neela.
"Amazing. I would never recognize her," added Chitra.
"Well, let's finish the rest of the spell, and then we'll let her see herself," said Neela. "I want you to do part of it."
"Am I ready?" asked Chitra.
Neela nodded. "Yes, you're more than ready, Chitra. It's actually pretty easy, you just follow the picture of the patterns."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lian finished dressing and smiled at Tom.
"I'd better go home to change for the party," she said.
"What are you going to wear?" he asked.
"I was going to be dressed by my old co-workers, but I suspect they have forgotten about that now, as Larry doesn't exist anymore," she said.
"I have just the thing," he said as he got up and opened up a closet. Inside, was a very short, silk Chinese dress. It was short and would look as if it was painted on her.
"Karla gave it to me, and she said that it would fit you like a glove."
Lian smiled. "Cool."
"Are you really okay with all this? I mean, Karla has the spell to change you back; it would be as if nothing happened."
Lian shook her head and kissed him gently on the lips. "I couldn't be happier."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"Okay, open your eyes, Lali," ordered Neela.
Lali was now standing in front of a full-length mirror. She opened her eyes and gasped.
She couldn't believe her reflection, as she was now for all practical purposes a young Indian woman.
Looking down at her hands, she saw the intricate designs of the spell.
"The spell will eventually change you completely into a woman. By tomorrow, you will totally female, and you will have no resistance to your new life," explained Neela. "You will also be slightly younger."
"How much younger?" asked Chitra.
"It's hard to say, she might look as young as eighteen or even sixteen; we won't know until tomorrow," said Neela.
Lali heard their words but couldn't take her eyes off the woman that they had transformed her into.
Her skin was now darker, and she had long raven colored hair flowing down her back.
"The color is permanent, and as the spell takes hold, your face will change to look more Indian," said Neela.
Lali was dressed in a lime green silk sari, with an elaborate pattern woven into it. The blouse was black and only served to show off the sari.
"You may move, Lali," said Neela.
Lali reached up and touched the gold ring that was in her nose.
"In the old days, only married women wore them, but now single women do too," noted Neela. "You may speak, Lali."
"Why?" she asked in accented English. It was suddenly a struggle to speak English.
"It was something to do," replied Chitra with a smile as she glanced over at Neela.
The two women began to giggle like school girls.
"Lali, I always wanted to try the spells. My grandmother taught them to me. She used then to transform men into women back in India. She was very proud that she'd changed several British soldiers into women."
"And I've wanted to learn to how to do this," added Chitra.
"But what did I do to deserve this?" begged Lali.
"You seemed really interested in saris; so now you get to wear them all the time," said Chitra.
"But what will happen to me?"
"We will give you a few options. You can work for me as my servant. As the spell takes hold, you will become very subservient and eager to please. As for your identity, you will be an illegal immigrant. I can always send you back to India," explained Chitra.
"Or you can move in with me and take care of my children," interjected Neela.
"The changes will also affect you culturally. In all ways you will be Indian," added Chitra.
"That's right, thank you for reminding me, Chitra. You will know how to cook, clean, and maintain a proper home," said Neela.
"You'll also prefer dressing in traditional clothing," added Chitra. "Which is good, Lali, as you look darling in a sari."
"Please, change me back!" pleaded Lali as she struggled to speak English.
"The other option is to become a wife and mother for some eager man who seeks a submissive woman," suggested Chitra. "Oh, he wouldn't be Indian, just an American man who wants an exotic wife."
"I won't do either!" shouted Lali.
"You don't exactly have a choice, Lali," said Neela. "Even as we speak, you're slipping deeper and deeper under the power of the spell."
"Yes, you are becoming more and more submissive, very eager to please," continued Chitra.
Lali wiped away a tear as she realized that Chitra was telling the truth. Her anger was fading, being replaced with a sense of obedience.
"I hate both of you," stated Lali, struggling to show her dwindling resentment.
The two women laughed loudly.
"By tomorrow you won't," replied Neela with a laugh.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Betty and Jenny woke up in each other's arms on their bed. The changes to Jenny were complete, and she was now a woman.
"Well, that was interesting," said Betty. "I haven't felt this relaxed in years."
"I know; I feel the same way," said Jenny as she slowly sat up and stretched. "Whoa, that was difficult."
"You okay, my dear?' asked Betty as she helped her lover sit up.
Jenny nodded. "Yes, in fact I've never felt better," she then cupped her belly again, and a big smile broke out on her face. "I'm carrying our child, Betty, isn't that wonderful?"
Betty kissed Jenny. "There's still the small matter of how we'll explain all this."
Jenny slowly got off the bed, walked slowly across the room and opened up her purse. She pulled out her wallet and held out her driver's license. "Everything has changed. I'm now Jennifer Elizabeth Powers! It looks like I've taken your name."
Betty got up and confirmed that Jenny now had an identity to match her new body.
"It looks like everything has been thought of," said Jenny, as she sorted through her new identity. "Look, I even have new business cards!
Betty snapped her fingers as if she had just thought of something, and she reached for her purse. She pulled out the number for the woman who'd sold her the items in the first place. She dialed the number, but all she got was a recording that the number was disconnected.
"It doesn't matter, Betty," said Jenny. "I love who I am and wouldn't consider changing back."
Betty smiled and tossed the number in the trashcan. "I know, but it would be nice to thank her; she's given us everything we could ever wish for."
"We need to go out and celebrate!" said Jenny.
"Well, let's get dressed and go out to dinner. I doubt they'll miss us at the party anyway," said Betty.
Chapter Thirty
Lian enjoyed the party, and her dress got all kinds of compliments. No one remembered that she had once been a guy named Larry.
The hardest part of the night was not being with Tom, but Lian accepted the rules of their relationship.
Across town, two young women sat in small restaurant enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner. A few people were shocked to see that not only were the women deeply in love, but that one was very pregnant.
As the clock struck midnight, Lali felt the last of her old life and the last of her resistance slip away. She now looked about sixteen, maybe even younger, although her papers would say that she was older. She could only hope that her husband would be a loving man, as Neela had decided that it would be best if she got married.
Conclusion
A few days later, out in the forest, just outside the city, a large fire was blazing. Standing in a circle around the fire were hundreds of women.
"So, who wins the bet this year?' asked a woman dressed all in a black kimono. Her name was Hoshi.
"Yes, you've had enough time to decide!" pleaded a woman dressed in a dark purple gown.
"Please, Kendra, tell us who has won!" shouted one in a shimmering dress of green.
The other witches in the coven speculated quietly among themselves who would be this year's winner. All across the city, Halloween spells had been cast and submitted for the grand prize - a rare book of spells from the sixth century.
Finally, the woman named Kendra stood up and held out a list. She was over three thousand years old, and she was the daughter of a Druid priestess. She was the current head of the coven.
Like all women in her clan, Kendra had long curly dark red hair that flowed around her face. She was dressed in a maroon colored gown. In spite of her actual age, she was beautiful and looked thirty in human years.
"This year we have a tie, so the spell book will be shared. Karla, you are one of this year's winners. That was a wonderful spell you cast."
"Thank you," replied Karla.
"What we really admired was that you took a soul who was in conflict and gave your subject balance," continued Kendra.
"I just want to add that Thomas Crick will propose to Lian in the next six months," added Karla.
There was a round of applause from the women.
Kendra put her hands up to silence the crowd. "Next, Tizane, we all agree that your spell on Jerry and Betty was very well thought out. You are the other winner."
There was more applause.
"As with Karla's spell, you helped two people become closer," said Kendra. "They are both much happier now."
"Thank you. Their daughter will be born on the winter solstice," announced Tizane, a Gypsy with dark black hair.
"Very appropriate," said Karla as she hugged Tizane.
There was more applause.
Kendra then put up her hand. "I'm not done. Neela and Chitra, step forward."
Dressed in rich black silk saris, the two women walked slowly inside the center of the circle. They were surrounded by the other women.
"You used a punishment spell in a very irresponsible manner. The person you changed committed no crime. This is the type of action that has caused humans to hate and fear us," stated Kendra angrily.
"So what?" snapped Neela. "What is the sense in having powers if we can't use them?"
"Besides... he was just a man!" added Chitra.
"Silence!" ordered Kendra angrily. "Obviously, you don't understand. The contest rules strictly prohibit these types of spells."
"The person you changed has been permanently injured," stated Hoshi.
A tall muscular blonde woman stepped forward and spoke to Chitra and Neela. "Can you reverse the spell?" asked a woman named Asta, who was the daughter of a Viking warlord.
Neela looked at Chitra and shook her head.
"How irresponsible!" Asta snorted.
"It just isn't possible," replied Neela nervously.
"Not completely anyway," added Chitra as the gravity of the situation began to sink in.
There was a murmuring among the others.
"How old is the girl now?" demanded Kendra.
Neela sighed. "There must have been a miscalculation in the spell. It wasn't my fault."
"How old is she?" repeated Kendra. Her green eyes seemed to glow with fury.
"Twelve," said Chitra meekly. "We're sorry."
Again, the murmuring stared. Chitra and Neela could see the anger among their sisters in the coven. They moved closer to each other.
"I will see to it that the girl Lali is taken care of," stated Karla. "I'll see to it that she gets a better life than what these two planned for her. I will attempt to restore her intelligence, reduce her submissiveness, and see that she has a good life."
"I will help too," interjected Tizane as she looked at Chitra and Neela with scorn. "I have some experience in these sorts of spells, and while it will not be possible to restore the subject back to male, I believe we can undo much of the damage to her mind."
"We'll help her adjust to her new life and then assist her as she matures. She deserves to have a real life," continued Karla.
"With the coven's permission, we can train her in our ways," added Tizane looking over at Karla, who nodded in agreement.
"What a wonderful idea," stated Asta.
"Is that acceptable to the rest of the circle?" asked Kendra.
The others showed their concurrence.
"Then it shall be done. I will make the arrangements for you two to raise her as your niece," said Kendra. "All the legalities will be taken care of. The twenty-first century is so complicated."
There was some laughter from the others.
"Thank you both," said Kendra with a smile. Her demeanor changed dramatically as she turned and glared at Chitra and Neela. "Now, what am I to do with you two?"
The two women didn't speak; they knew how powerful Kendra was, and it was best not to anger her any more. They also could see that they had no allies among the rest of the coven.
"Strip them of their powers!" shouted out a dark skinned woman named Fola. She was originally from Great Zimbabwe.
Others began to shout out potential punishments.
Kendra put up her hands to silence the crowd. "Yes, Fola, their powers will be stripped, but they need additional punishment. Something that will allow them to contemplate the damage they have done."
"Kendra, may I offer a solution?" asked a woman named Alyce in a proper British accent. She was English and looked a little like Dame Judi Dench.
The members of the coven turned and listened to Alyce's plan.
*****
The Museum of Costume in Bath, England was pleased with their newest exhibit. An anonymous donor had loaned the museum their collection of Indian clothing from the 18th century.
The two most beautiful saris were on display in the main room. They were mounted on what guests called two of the most lifelike mannequins they had ever seen. Following a three-year display in Bath, the donor had stipulated that the items, with their mannequins, be sent on a round the world exhibit tour.
One of the first visitors was a distinguished looking woman with long red hair, who stopped in front of the display case and seemed to smile as if she knew something that no one else knew. If you didn't know better, you might have thought you saw the mannequins lower their eyes in shame.
"I know you two can hear me," whispered Kendra softly. "Just so you know, you will stay in this form until Lali graduates from college. She is just twelve now, so it will be a while. Tizane has informed me that Lali's a real prodigy, and that she should become a valued member of the coven when she reaches maturity. Luckily for you, she is also learning to use her powers responsibly, something you two never did. Now, use your time to contemplate your misdeeds, and I will see you again in ten years or so on Halloween night."
The End
Readers, Please Remember to Leave a Comment
Halloween Trilogy of Transformation
By
Julie O
Edited by Amelia R.
Note: This story was originally submitted to Sapphire's Halloween story contest in late September 2006. It still has not been posted at Sapphire's.
On All Hallow's Eve strange forces sometimes come together and change people's lives forever. Sometimes the person is seeking change, sometimes they are forced, and sometimes it's just a trick of nature.
Chapter 1
Greg Jenkins was sitting in the break room of Bolton Incorporated, an international trade company. While he was one of the more junior executives at the firm, you would never know it from his demeanor or attitude. He was incredibly self-confident in all matters.
However, Greg wasn't disliked by the rest of the people at the firm. In fact, he was extremely popular with most of his fellow employees. There was one woman in the firm that Greg really wanted to know better, but so far she'd refused all his advances.
Chitra Jalgaonkar was the firm's stunningly beautiful new lawyer who handled the legal aspects of all their Asian trade accounts. She had been born in India, but her parents had moved to the United States when she was two.
Her father was a businessman, but despite his traditional beliefs, he never tried to hold back his daughter. Chitra had been raised in Orange County, attended USC, and later achieved her law degree from Stanford. As much as she considered herself an American, she still traveled back to India every year to visit her extended family.
As for Greg, it wasn't that she didn't like him; she actually thought he was okay; it was just that he wasn't her type. He was the same height as she was and almost the same size. She preferred her men to be bigger and more muscular, and she constantly turned down his requests to go out.
To Greg, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long black hair, which she usually kept in an updo. She had the body of a model, and she took great pride in dressing in tailored suits that showed off her curves.
She did most of her work over the phone, advising clients in the complex international trade laws, but she also had a reputation for being a real shark in the courtroom. The buzz in the firm was that she would be made a partner in the next few years.
None of this mattered to Greg, as he was deeply in love with her. He watched her walk into the break room in a grey suit that looked as if it was painted on her body. As she poured herself a cup of tea, she noticed Greg smiling at her.
"Good morning, Chitra," he said.
"Hi, Greg," she replied.
"Are you going to the big costume party tomorrow evening?" he asked hopefully.
Every year, the company had a huge costume party downtown in the ballroom of one of the major hotels. The firm always shut down the day of the party to give their staff time to dress.
"Of course," she replied.
"What are you going to wear? A sari?" he asked hopefully.
He constantly fantasized about her wearing traditional Indian clothing.
Chitra shook her head, as she sat down next to him. "I don't consider the sari a costume for Halloween."
"I know, but I guess I'm just curious about how you would look in one," he replied.
"I'll bring in a photo sometime. I wore one for my cousin's wedding last year," she replied.
"That would be cool," he replied.
"Do you have a costume yet?' she asked as a wild thought entered her head.
He shook his head. "I was going to stop by the costume shop on the way home," he replied.
"Well, I have something that might work for you, if you're up to it," she said with a smile.
Greg cocked his head. "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, since you seem rather anxious to see what I look like in a sari, I'd like to dress you up in one. We're about the same size, and I have one that would look so cute on you; what do you say?"
Greg was stunned, and all he could do was nod.
"Great," she replied as she wrote out directions to her condo. "Come by at two tomorrow, there's a lot I'll have to do, but you'll look fantastic." She glanced at her watch. "I better get going; I have to meet with Mr. Crick in ten minutes, and it's never good to keep the CEO waiting."
Chapter Two
On the second floor of the firm, Betty Powers sat at her desk working on her computer. She was twenty-eight and had been working at the firm for three years. She loved being a businesswoman and was on the fast track to management.
The problem was that she was deeply in love with her husband, Jerry. He was a freelance photographer and worked out of the studio they had built into their house.
Jerry was constantly bugging Betty about starting a family. Now, she had nothing against children, but she couldn't imagine taking time off from work to have any. It was true, the company had a generous family leave policy, and Jerry said that he was willing to be a stay-at-home dad; there was still the whole pregnancy thing to deal with.
They had discussed adoption a few times, but Jerry really wanted the baby to be theirs. It was becoming a real problem in their marriage.
Betty was also thinking about what their costumes would be for the big party. They had some items leftover from previous parties, but so far she wasn't happy with any of the ideas that they'd come up with.
On her break, she started to Google some ideas online, and then something caught her eye. She clicked on the link and smiled. It was too late to order it, but she found that the company had a local address. She called them up and was pleased to hear that they had what she wanted in stock.
Betty ordered everything right then and there and would pick it up on the way home from work.
Chapter Three
In the administration office, three women stood in front of the desk of the newest employee, admiring his work.
In front of them sat twenty-three-year-old Larry Hart. He had been hired two months earlier and had been assigned to the office.
Instead of his normal suit and tie, he was dressed in a white silk blouse, tan skirt, pantyhose, and three inch black pumps.
"Oh, Lian, you look fantastic," remarked Kelly Robbins.
"Lian?" he asked.
"It suits you better than Larry," she replied.
"I agree," added Kristin Williams.
"I feel like an idiot," said Larry as he adjusted his skirt.
"I disagree, Lian," said Nancy Norris, the woman whose idea it had been to dress up Larry.
The women were all in costume too. It was tradition to dress in costume on Halloween, but since the office would be closed that day, they'd moved it a day earlier.
Nancy was dressed as a witch, Kelly was wearing a cheerleader's uniform, and Kristen was dressed as a cowgirl.
It had been Kelly's idea to dress their new co-worker up as a woman; however, none of them ever imagined that "Lian" would turn out looking so feminine.
They had spared no expense in buying her outfit, from the high heels to the pageboy styled wig.
Larry was half Chinese, and with the wig, he looked very much like a woman. Kelly had done his makeup and took great effort to emphasize Larry's eyes.
"I wish you hadn't actually plucked my eyebrows," complained Larry.
Larry's eyebrows were now thin and arched.
"They'll grow back, Lian," replied Kelly. "Trust me, you look stunning. They really emphasize your eyes."
"I think the earrings really make the look," added Nancy.
Larry reached up and touched the dangling jade earring that hung from his left earlobe.
"It was pretty cool that you have pierced ears," she continued.
"Kelly, did you do her nails?" asked Kristen.
Kelly nodded and reached down and held out Larry's hand. There were long, bright red nails on each finger.
"I used to do this professionally," remarked Kelly.
"I can barely type with them," grumbled Larry.
"Now you know how we feel," said Kelly. "Seriously, Lian, you've been a great sport about this. After the big party tomorrow night, I'll take the tips off your nails."
"Do you have to call me Lian?"
"You don't look like a Larry right now," said Nancy.
"I think Lian is a very pretty name," added Kelly with a wink.
Larry knew that he was beat. "Okay, but just for today."
"You mean today and tomorrow," added Kristen. "You're going to the party as a girl too."
Lian accepted defeat, lowered her head, and nodded.
"Ohhhh, you look so demure and feminine when you do that!" stated Kelly with glee.
"Well, we still have a busy day ahead of us, so let's get back to work," stated Nancy.
Lian nodded again and turned around to work at "her" computer. She couldn't help but notice her long red nails as she worked. Hopefully, this would lead to a date with Kelly, Lian thought.
Chapter Four
Chitra called up a friend and told her what she had done.
"Greg? Isn't he that guy who keeps bugging you to go out?" asked Neela.
Neela had been Chitra's best friend since third grade.
"Yes, and do you think you can do what you said?' asked Chitra.
There was a long pause at the other end of the phone.
"You mean that, Chitra?"
"Yes. Look, Greg is okay, but he's a pest. I don't want to go out with him, and he hasn't done anything that I really complain about. I figure if you can do your magic, I will be free of him. What do you say?"
Neela thought about Chitra's offer for a moment. "I'd love to help you."
"Cool. Greg will be at my place tomorrow afternoon: does that give you enough time?"
"Yes, I'll have to go to the store for a few things, but it shouldn't be a problem."
Chapter Five
Betty touched the object with her fingers and was amazed at the way it felt.
"It feels just like flesh!" she remarked.
"I do my best," replied the woman sitting behind the counter.
Betty picked it up. "It's heavy."
"It's supposed to be," replied the woman. "To attach it, just soak it in hot water for two hours. You'll have a few minutes to adjust it before it will stick. It'll stay on for at least forty-eight hours."
"How does it come off?' asked Betty.
"Have him take a cold shower."
Betty laughed. "I'll take it."
"I thought you would. Here, I'm throwing these in for free," said the woman. "They work the same way."
"They're huge."
"Of course," replied the woman.
Chapter Six
Lian spent the morning working quietly at "her" desk. The other women in the office were too busy to bother her. Secretly, Lian was thrilled with the way she looked, but she did her best to hide her true feelings from her co-workers.
Growing up, she had always been fascinated with the idea of being a woman, and now she had her wish, even if it was for just one day.
She wondered what sort of outfit the others had planned for her to wear at the party the following night.
"Nancy, where are you?" announced Karla Robinson, their department head.
Lian looked over her shoulder at the large older woman walking into their office area. Not only did she run the administrative department of the company, she was also the most trusted assistant of Mr. Thomas Crick, the CEO.
"I'm over here," replied Nancy. "What's up?"
"Shit, I forgot that your office was in costume today," replied Karla. "Rosie's just gone into labor, and I need someone to step in for her immediately. I don't think that Mr. Crick would want a witch as his receptionist. Did you bring a change of clothes?"
Nancy shook her head.
"What about the others?" asked Karla. "Are they respectable?"
Nancy shook her head, and then cocked her head. "Well, there is one person who could stand in for Rosie." She then pointed in Lian's direction.
Karla turned around and looked at the pretty Asian girl staring back at them. It took her a second to recognize Larry.
"This is Lian," introduced Nancy.
Karla nodded. "She'll have to do. Ms. Hart, please follow me."
Lian stood up slowly and stared at the other women. "I can't do it...."
"Nonsense, you look perfect. Oh, don't forget your purse. Ms. Hart, this isn't a request" stated Karla.
Lian stood there staring back before following orders. This had just gone too far, but there was nothing she could do.
Karla led Lian to her new desk and explained her new duties.
"This won't be too bad. Mr. Crick will probably be leaving for the day around three today," said Karla.
"Ms. Robinson, there has to be someone else who can do this," begged Lian.
"Sorry, Lian, you're it. Trust me, no one will suspect a thing, you're a very pretty young woman," said Karla. "This could be a great opportunity for you."
Lian gave up, and soon she was sitting behind a large desk outside of the CEO's office. Karla explained a few more things and then left.
Lian looked at the clock and saw that it was just a few minutes past twelve. It would be a very long afternoon.
Chapter Seven
A little past one, a package was delivered to Lian's desk; it was addressed to her. She opened it up and found it contained a desk name plate for Lian Hart. She stared at the name plate for a few moments before setting it down in front of her. Why would they give her a name plate if she was only going to be there for an afternoon?
For the most part, she soon realized that she would have little to do, as Mr. Crick had a light day scheduled. Around one-thirty, Karla returned to see how she was doing.
"Would you like something to drink, tea, or coffee?" asked Karla.
"Tea would be nice, thank you," replied Lian.
Karla smiled and in few minutes handed her a mug of hot green tea.
"This is very good; Rosie shared it with me. I don't think she'll mind you having some," said Karla.
"Is she coming back?" asked Lian as she sipped the tea. It was strong and had a slightly strange aftertaste, but it wasn't bad, she thought.
"No. She said that she was going to take a few months, but I suspect she'll stay at home and raise her baby," said Karla.
"Oh," replied Lian.
"Would you like the job?' asked Karla as she leaned over.
Lian stared back, waiting for the punch line. "You're kidding, right?"
Karla shook her head. "No, you meet all the requirements for the job. I just read your record; you have all the skills to do the job."
Lian took another sip of her tea. "I'm a guy."
Karla didn't reply, instead she just smiled a wicked smile.
"This is just a costume," continued Lian.
"You don't have to make up your mind right now. I won't be able to get someone else up here for at least a few days, and we can't use a temp, Mr. Crick hates having someone who isn't a permanent employee as his receptionist. Drink your tea and think about it," said Karla.
Lian found herself taking another sip of the tea. "Okay."
"That's the spirit, Lian," replied Karla. "Oh, one more thing, the ladies room is just down the hall to the left."
Lian again nodded. Did Karla think she was really a woman?
Chapter Eight
Betty made a few more purchases before heading home. She wasn't worried about the office, as most departments were cutting their people out early that afternoon.
She couldn't wait to spring her idea on Jerry. Of course, he'd argue against it, but she knew that she could talk him into doing it. For the most part, they had a normal relationship, but there were times when her dominant nature took over. Jerry usually submitted and accepted that she was in charge.
He was out on a photo shoot when she got home, and this allowed her to unpack all her purchases. She then called his cell phone.
"When will you be home, dear?" she asked.
"In an hour, maybe slightly longer, why?"
"I have a costume for the big party for you to try on," she said.
"And you're not going to tell me what it is, right?"
"That's right, dear, but trust me, we'll be the hit of the party," she said.
"Okay, I'll be home soon."
Betty hung up the phone and carried the objects to the guest bathroom. She filled the bath with hot water and then placed the items in the hot water. She would keep an eye on the temperature and adjust it as necessary.
Chapter Nine
Around three, Mr. Crick walked out of his office and stopped at Lian's desk.
"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to come out here sooner, Lian," he said cheerfully. "Karla explained how you volunteered to fill in for Rosie."
Lian smiled nervously back. "I was glad to help."
"Karla feels that you would do an excellent job filling in fulltime if you're interested," he said. "I'd be very pleased if you accepted."
Lian suddenly got the feeling that he was checking her out, and she struggled to find an appropriate answer.
"I haven't really given it much thought, Mr. Crick. I'm rather fond of my current position," she replied.
"There are certain benefits to this position, Lian. Think about it before you make any quick decisions."
Another strange feeling suddenly swept through her body; it was almost as if she felt a desire to obey Mr. Crick.
"Karla said that I have a few days to think about it," she replied.
"Good. Well, I'm off for the day. I look forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow night."
Lian nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Crick. I can't wait."
After he left, she tried to rationalize what had just happened.
Chapter Ten
Lian drove home thinking about her strange day. Was Mr. Crick serious about wanting her to be his receptionist?
Without really thinking about it, she pulled her car into the parking lot of a large shopping mall. As if she was drawn by some strange force, she decided to check out some of the stores.
At first, she thought she really didn't need anything, as her costume for the party would be provided by her co-workers. But soon she was checking out the women's department. She rationalized that she would need at least one or two more outfits for work. Then she saw some casual wear that would look great.
Over the next few hours, she ended up buying over a thousand dollars worth of clothes and shoes. Lian thought that even if she turned down Mr. Crick, she could still indulge herself every now and then. She then realized that she was actually considering taking the job; what was happening to her?
Chapter Eleven
"What is it?" asked Jerry as he stared into the bathtub.
"You mean, what are 'they?' They are attachments that will simulate a look of pregnancy. I want you to wear them for the party tomorrow night," explained Betty.
"You're kidding, right?"
She shook her head. "Look, you're the one who has been so anxious for me to get pregnant; so I want you to experience it, even if it's only the sensation of carrying around extra weight."
"If I'm going to the party as a pregnant woman, then what are you going as?"
"Your husband, silly!" she replied. "Now, before we put these on you, you need to go shave. Legs, chest, underarms, face... the works."
Jerry knew he couldn't win this argument, and if he went through with it, maybe she would consider starting a family.
"Okay, I'll be back in a while," he said.
"I love you, Jenny," said Betty with a wink.
Chapter Twelve
"Okay, let me take a look," said Betty as she examined her husband's nude body.
They were both about the same height, around 5-8. Both were athletic and in very good shape. Jerry was well built, but not muscle bound. He had shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Betty had plans for that too as part of his costume.
Her hair was auburn and styled short; she liked the neat look of it - with a little styling, she could make it look like a guy style.
"You did a great job, my dear," she noted. "Okay, let's put your belly on first. This is supposed to simulate a woman who is seven to eight months pregnant in both size and weight."
"And how do we attach it?" he asked.
"The woman said it will stick naturally," replied Betty as she lifted the object out of the tub. It was warm to the touch and felt as if it was almost a living thing.
Betty positioned the belly attachment on her husband. There were side flaps that wrapped around his sides to help hold it in place. She adjusted the location of the belly and held it in place.
After a few minutes, she let go of it and was amazed to see that it was holding in place.
"That's amazing!" she remarked. "It's almost as if it's part of you."
"I can't believe the weight," remarked Jerry as he cupped his extended tummy with his hand.
"Well, before you sit down, I have some more things to attach," said Betty as she reached into the tub.
The next two attachments went on his hips and butt, giving him curves. Just like the belly, they stayed in place once set.
"Now, for your boobs!" remarked Betty.
"My god, they're huge," stated Jerry.
"Of course, my dear, that's what happens," she replied as she set the two large breasts into place.
"The party isn't until tomorrow: why do I have to put them on now?" he asked.
"They'll stay on for two days. I thought it would be fun for us," replied Betty as she held the breasts in place.
"It's a good thing I don't have a shoot tomorrow morning," he said.
"Don't worry; I have clothes for you to wear. I stopped at a maternity shop on the way home," said Betty.
Jerry nodded.
"Okay, everything looks like it's working. How do you feel?" asked Betty.
Jerry ran his hands over the attachments. "It's weird. It's almost like I can feel through them. The weight will take some getting used to though." He then started to walk away.
"Hey, I'm not done with you!" stated Betty.
"I have to go; this belly is putting real pressure on my bladder."
Betty nodded. It was one of the side effects that the woman at the shop had mentioned.
Chapter Thirteen
"There, that looks much better," stated Betty as she stepped back to admire her work.
His hair was restyled so that it was spiked out. She had also bleached his hair to make him a real blonde. After trimming and styling his eyebrows and some makeup, Jerry looked several years younger and very feminine.
"You look great, Jenny," said Betty.
"I can't believe that's me in the mirror," he noted.
"Trust me, no one will recognize you. In fact, let's go out to dinner."
"No way," he replied shaking his head.
"Come on, it will be fun. I bought you some really nice outfits," stated Betty. "I think you look lovely, Jenny."
"Are you going to call me Jenny the rest of the weekend?"
"Why not? It fits you better," she replied.
A short time later, they were walking into a small restaurant in their neighborhood. Betty was wearing jeans and a sweater, while Jenny was dressed in a slate gray maternity dress with black tights underneath.
Betty made no effort to hide her affection for Jenny, and the waitress just seemed to assume they were a lesbian couple.
"So when is your baby due?" she asked sweetly.
Betty smiled back. "In six weeks."
"That's wonderful. So are you two new to the neighborhood? I haven't seen you in here before."
Betty smiled back. "Yes, we heard it's a great place to raise a family."
The waitress smiled. "Oh, it is. We have a great daycare center at the LGBT center. There's some information about it up front. You can pick it up on the way out."
She took their orders and left.
"You're having a grand time," noted Jenny.
"I'm just having fun. We do make a cute lesbian couple," she replied.
Jenny nodded.
It might have been just her imagination, but Jenny seemed softer, more subdued, thought Betty.
"I need to use the restroom," commented Jenny. "This is a real pain."
"Don't forget to use the ladies room."
Jenny nodded and walked slowly to the restrooms.
Betty watched Jenny and smiled. She suddenly wished that Jenny was really a woman and pregnant with their child.
After dinner, they walked back to their car. While they were only a mile form their home, it was too far to walk for the now very pregnant Jenny.
They stopped in front of a salon and, on a whim; Betty grabbed Jenny by the arm. "Come on, let's get our nails done."
"What?" asked Jenny.
"Come on, it'll be fun," replied Betty.
They walked in and were seen to immediately. Betty insisted that Jenny get long elegant nails, while she had hers done short. The woman who was doing their nails asked them about their baby. In spite of herself, Betty enjoyed the way Jenny squirmed under the questioning.
"You did great in there," stated Betty as they left the salon. She slipped her arm around Jenny's waist.
"I can't believe we just did that," commented Jenny, who cuddled close to Betty as they walked.
"I think we should go home now," said Betty. "I want to get you into bed."
Jenny looked up and smiled. "I'd like that."
"You've earned it, my dear."
Chapter Fourteen
Halloween morning, Lian was sitting in her living room reading the paper. She was dressed in a nightie and robe that she had bought the previous evening. She didn't have to meet with the women from her office until later in the afternoon, so she planned to relax around her home.
It was strange, she thought, the longer she spent time dressed in women's clothing, the more normal it felt. She didn't even mind her long nails and the way her eyebrows looked anymore.
As she browsed through the paper, she was caught off guard when the phone rang.
"Lian? This is Karla from work. Look, I know that it's a day off and everything, and I hate to bother you, but Mr. Crick needs you in this morning."
"Um... why?"
"There's a problem with one of the contracts. Can you be in the office by ten?"
Lian looked at her watch. "Okay, I'll be there."
"Good girl, I knew we could count on you."
Lian debated what to wear and decided on one of her new outfits. It was a black skirt, white silk blouse, and black heels. It took her a few attempts to get her makeup presentable, but soon she was heading to work.
Karla met her at her desk.
"You look very nice. Thank you for coming in. Now, Mr. Crick is on his way in. I need you to call up all files on the Baker contract," stated Karla.
Lian nodded and went to work.
"Do you want some tea?" asked Karla.
Lian didn't look up from her computer. "Yes, please."
Chapter Fifteen
Jenny struggled out of bed after a long and restless sleep. It had been very difficult for her to find a good sleep position.
Betty smiled to herself and helped Jenny get dressed. "I'll cook you breakfast."
Jenny nodded and decided not to bother changing from her nightgown until after breakfast.
As she scrambled some eggs, Betty glanced over at Jenny.
"You had a rough night last night," she said.
"It wasn't easy sleeping. Just when I got comfortable, I had to get up and go to the bathroom," replied Jenny.
"How are the attachments holding up?"
"No problems with them; in fact, they feel as if they are part of my body," replied Jenny.
"Well, I have some errands to run this morning before we start getting ready for the party; why don't you just hang around the house and relax?" suggested Betty.
"What do you have to do?' replied Jenny.
"Go to the grocery store, pick up our dry cleaning, stuff like that," replied Betty.
"I'll come along, if you don't mind," said Jenny.
This answer caught Betty slightly off guard. "You sure?"
Jenny nodded. "Yes, besides it's kinda boring just lying around."
"Okay, after breakfast I'll help you get dressed, and we'll head out."
For some reason, this really pleased Betty, and she tried to put a finger on it.
Chapter Sixteen
Lian was on her second mug of tea by the time Mr. Crick arrived in the office. He was dressed casually in jeans and a flannel shirt. His appearance was so different from the way he normally looked at work.
For the first time, Lian noticed that he was an attractive man in his late forties, with just a touch of gray in his dark brown hair.
"Good morning, Lian. Thank you so much for coming in," he stated cheerfully.
"I've already collated the files on the Baker contract going back six months. Do you want me to forward it to your account?' she asked.
Mr. Crick nodded in Karla's direction. "You were right, Karla; she's very sharp."
Lian suddenly felt a tingle of excitement as Mr. Crick's words of praise sunk in.
"Yes, Lian, send them to my account," he said as he walked into his office.
Karla followed him in and put her hand on Lian's shoulder. "Good job, Lian."
Lian smiled back and then took another sip of her tea. This might not be a bad career move, she thought.
Chapter Seventeen
"How're you holding up, Jenny?' asked Betty as they entered the parking lot near the shopping area of their neighborhood.
"I'm okay," she replied. "As we drove over here, it was like I was seeing our neighborhood for the first time. I just never noticed how tolerant our neighborhood was."
She was wearing a plum colored top, a black skirt and a long sweater jacket. Betty was again dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket.
"Well, it's nice to see that we're not the only lesbian couple here. It might be a bit different in the 'burbs," said Betty as they stepped out of their car.
Jenny laughed. "You know, it's strange, but part of me almost wishes that I was really a woman and that I was carrying our child."
Betty stopped and stared at Jenny. "You mean that?"
Jenny nodded.
"I feel the same way," replied Betty as she slipped her arm around Jenny's waist. "I woke up before you did and just stared at you lying in bed next to me this morning. You looked so beautiful."
"Really?"
Betty nodded. "You know that I'm bisexual and that I had a fling with another woman when I was in college; well, when I look at you I get those same feelings that I had back then."
"Do you feel... different right now?" asked Jenny.
"Yes, but I can't quite put my finger on it," she replied.
"It's not a bad feeling, but like something fantastic is about to happen, if you know what I mean," continued Jenny.
"I know what you mean," said Betty. She then leaned over and kissed Betty. "Hey, I have a wild idea; why don't we go over to that salon over there and see if they can do a better job on your hair?"
Betty pointed over to a salon that was flying a rainbow flag above its door.
Jenny ran her fingers through her hair. "Does it really look that bad?'
"It's not bad, but you could look better. I'm no hairdresser."
Jenny shrugged her shoulders. "Okay."
"You mean that?'
"It feels like it's the right idea," replied Jenny.
Chapter Eighteen
As Jenny got her hair styled, Betty walked next door to a jewelry/gift shop. She noticed that they had a large selection of LGBT jewelry. She ended up buying two necklaces, one for each of them. They were silver chains with glass beads forming a rainbow. Betty also noticed that they had a line of expensive but very nice commitment rings. She decided to wait until another time before buying those.
She returned just as Jenny was done. Jenny's hair was now styled much more femininely, and it really made her look like a woman.
"Oh, Jenny, you look stunning!" blurted out Betty.
"See, I told you she'd like it!" stated the stylist.
"I love it, thank you so much," replied Jenny as she paid her bill.
Betty waited until they stepped outside before she took out the necklaces. She carefully placed one around Jenny's neck and then slipped the other on herself.
"They're so cool," replied Jenny.
"It seemed appropriate," stated Betty. "Well, come on, we have some other things to do."
Chapter Nineteen
"Is everything ready?' asked Chitra.
She was watching her friend set up her things in the living room. A massage table was set up in the middle of the floor, and the coffee table was covered with various bottles.
Neela nodded as she finished unpacking the last of her supplies.
"When does Greg arrive?' asked Neela.
"He should be here soon," replied Chitra.
"Have you picked out a name for 'her' yet?" asked Neela.
"I was thinking of Lali; it means 'darling girl, which seems appropriate," replied Chitra. She began to giggle. "Poor Lali has no idea what 'she' is getting into!"
"Even if everything doesn't work, this will be pretty cool," stated Neela. "I doubt Greg will be a bother to you ever again."
"That's true. I have all the clothes in the master bedroom; it will easier dressing her there."
Chapter Twenty
Greg parked his car and checked the address again before getting out. He almost didn't go up to Chitra's door, but his urges were too strong.
Chitra greeted him and escorted him inside.
"Did you shave as I asked?"
Greg nodded. "That was a new experience."
"The first of many," replied Chitra. She then introduced him to Neela.
Neela was slightly heavier than Chitra, having been married for several years and having had two babies.
"What I'd like you to do is undress and put on his robe," said Neela. "You can go into the bathroom to undress."
Greg hesitated for a moment. "What are you going to do?"
"Trust us, Greg, nothing bad is going to happen to you," replied Chitra with a smile.
Greg shrugged his shoulders and changed. The robe was a woman's silk robe, and the sensation of the soft material against his hairless body was slightly erotic.
He came out of the bathroom and was directed to lie down on the massage table.
"Now, this isn't going to hurt, Greg. I just need a steady work area," stated Neela.
"What are you going to do?" he asked.
"I'm going to give you some henna tattoos. Now, before you say a word, I'm using a special mixture that will wash off," lied Neela. The henna she was using would be on Greg's body for weeks, but he didn't have to know that. Besides, in a few minutes he would be under their power.
"Okay," he replied.
Neela went right to work and began to draw a pattern around each of Greg's ankles. The more elaborate spells would be going on his hands, but those would have to wait. She was pleased to see Chitra taking notes on how the henna was applied.
At first, Greg didn't notice anything besides the sensation of the henna being applied. He then felt a wave of weakness sweep through his body.
"Did you see that?' asked Chitra.
"Yes, it means that the spell is working. Greg, you will do everything I tell you; do you understand?" said Neela.
Without even thinking, Greg replied. 'Yes, I understand."
"Now, you cannot move unless I give you permission; do you understand?" asked Neela. "You will do whatever Chitra or I tell you to do without hesitation. You no longer have free will."
"Yes, I understand," he replied.
"Okay, you don't have my permission to sit up, but I want you to try; see if you can move without my permission," ordered Neela.
Chitra watched as Greg appeared to be trying to sit up. The look of panic in his eyes told her that he was really under their power.
"Does it always work that fast?" asked Chitra.
Neela nodded. "Why don't you take the next step?"
"Okay. Now, Greg, you will obey my words and what Neela says; do you understand? You are totally under our power."
"Yes," replied Greg in a flat monotone, unable to express the terror he was experiencing inside.
"Well said, Chitra. Now, Greg, my sweet, you are about to undergo a life changing experience. I want you to sit up and then follow us into the bathroom. You will make no efforts to escape," explained Neela.
He did as he was told and followed them meekly. He wondered what they meant by a life changing experience."
Neela ordered him to stand in the bathtub with his arms and legs extended. She poured some sweet smelling oil into a shower cap and then placed it on his head. She then massaged his scalp as he stood there.
"We'll leave that on for two hours," she said to Chitra. "Now, Greg, you will stand still and only move when told."
"I understand," he replied. Inside, he was terrified about what was happening, but he was powerless to do anything.
"Chitra, let me see the mixture?"
"Here it is; I followed your instructions exactly," replied Chitra.
"It looks perfect," replied Neela as she examined the liquid in a large bowl.
Neela and Chitra then put latex gloves on and began to apply a dark liquid to Greg's body.
"You don't have to worry about being neat; this won't leave streaks," explained Neela to Chitra.
"How long does it have to be on him?" asked Chitra.
"Two hours. When the time is up, we'll turn the shower on and pull off the cap," explained Neela.
Chapter Twenty-One
"Thank you again for coming in, Lian," said Karla. "Mr. Crick be staying for a few more minutes, but I have to go. He did ask me one more time if you wanted to be his receptionist full time. As you can see, the position entails more than just answering phones. I suspect that you'll be trained to be his executive secretary," explained Karla.
"Really?" asked Lian.
"Yes, my dear. Now isn't that a great opportunity?"
"It sounds like it, but... but I'm really a guy," said Lian.
"Are you?" asked Karla. "Think about it. Wouldn't you rather be a woman?"
Lian found herself nodding.
"That's what I thought," said Karla. "You know what today is don't you?"
Lian nodded. "It's Halloween."
"Yes, and it's my favorite day of the year. Tell me, Lian, you must have heard the other women refer to me as a witch, right?"
Lian nodded.
"They have no idea how right they are. I am a witch, and the tea you've been enjoying is a very special spell. It doesn't change men into women; rather, it makes you the person you were meant to be. Look down, my sweet."
Lian obeyed.
Karla reached down and unbuttoned Lian's blouse, reached into her bra, and pulled out the breast pad. To Lian's amazement, she now had breasts. They were small, but definitely larger than normal.
"Your body is changing, and by midnight you will be completely a woman. Your identity changes with you; it will be as if you were born a woman. If you don't want this to happen, just ask me," continued Karla as she reached into her purse. She pulled out a small vial with green liquid inside. "This will change you back."
Lian stared at the vial.
"Now, just so you know, I think that you'll be much happier as a woman, and if you play your cards right, you won't be sitting behind that desk for very long. Just follow your heart."
"What do you mean?" asked Lian.
"You'll find out. I'm here to help you, my sweet, and trust me, you won't be hurt."
With that, Karla left, leaving Lian to ponder what she had just been told.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Betty and Jenny returned to their home. Jenny immediately went to the bathroom. She returned to the kitchen and helped Betty put away the groceries.
"You really look cute," said Betty as she put the milk in the fridge.
"Thanks," replied Jenny who was handing her the items. "I have a question; do you really want to go to the party tonight?"
Betty turned and smiled. "What do you have on your mind?"
"I'd rather just be with you; let's go out to dinner tonight, somewhere really fancy," suggested Jenny.
"That would be fun, but the whole reason we did this was for the party," said Betty.
"It's well beyond that," said Jenny.
"What do you mean?" asked Betty.
"I think I better show you," said Jenny.
Chapter Twenty-Three
'Well, the two hours are up; let's wash him off," said Neela.
Greg had been standing in the shower like a statue. His eyes had been closed the whole time.
The water washed down over his body, and he could feel the two women rubbing him down. One of them pulled off the shower cap, and he felt his hair falling down. The strange thing was that it was now much longer.
"Oh, look at that; his hair is gorgeous!" exclaimed Chitra.
"I know, and notice the color," said Neela.
They assisted him out of the tub and dried him off. He could feel them brushing his hair, which had to be down to the small of his back now.
"Keep your eyes closed, and we'll lead you back into the living room," ordered Neela.
Greg obeyed and soon found himself lying on his back.
"This might sting a little, Greg," said Neela as she began to work on his eyebrows.
"Oh, very nice," stated Chitra as she watched Neela work.
""I think it's a big improvement," replied Neela. "Now, if you want to apply the makeup, I'll go to work on the rest of the henna tattoos.
Hearing this, Greg tried to move, but it was impossible.
"Oh, my dear, you can't escape, and soon you won't want to," said Neela.
"Do you think we should tell Greg what we're doing to him?" asked Chitra.
"Why not? There's nothing he can do about it anyway," said Neela as she went to work on Greg's hands.
Chitra was now totally caught up in the transformation of Greg, and all that mattered now was seeing it through to the end.
"Greg, this will be the last time you will ever hear this as your name. Your name is now Lali, and it means lovely girl, which you are on the road to becoming," explained Chitra.
"What I'm doing, Lali, is applying some very special henna tattoos that will start your transformation," interjected Neela. "The changes won't start for a while, but when they are done, you will be a woman... complete and, I dare say, functional in every way."
Chitra began to giggle as she imagined Lali pregnant.
"You've always seemed so interested in me dressing in a sari; well, I will dress in one for you tonight, as will Neela. You, too, will be in one as we introduce you to your new life. Tomorrow, after all the changes have taken place, we'll be going to a party, and there will be many handsome and very eligible bachelors looking for a woman like you, and by then, you'll love every bit of it."
Greg's mind tried to fight back, but it was becoming difficult. He suddenly began to think of himself as Lali, a woman. With each stroke of Neela's brush, his masculinity began to melt away.
"There will be other changes, Lali. You are going to become very submissive and obedient. You won't have to worry about complicated things like business and finance, because once the spells are fully applied, you'll mainly be interested in being a wife and mother," said Neela.
This can't be happening, Lali thought.
"Okay, that's all I want to do for now. I'll apply the rest after we have her dressed," said Neela. "You did a wonderful job on her makeup. She looks very feminine, even though she isn't, yet."
"I know," replied Chitra. "Let's get her dressed."
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mr. Crick called Lian into his office.
"Please sit down, Lian," he said, pointing to a leather chair in front of his large oak desk.
Lian did as he asked. She sat down and crossed her legs.
"I was delighted to hear that you're going to accept the position of being my receptionist," stated Mr. Crick. "Karla just phoned me and told me."
"Thank you, Mr. Crick," she replied.
He smiled and got up and walked around his desk, He sat down on the edge of the desk in front of Lian.
"You are not the first receptionist that Karla has recruited to work for me," he said softly. "You are, however, the most beautiful one."
Lian felt her heart skip a beat.
"I've been searching for someone special for what has seemed like eons," he continued. "When I saw you, I knew that my search was over."
Instead of being angry or afraid that her boss was coming onto her, Lian felt aroused. Her nipples on her now 34-C-cup sized breasts began to harden, and her breathing began to increase.
"I can see that you seem to feel the same for me," said Mr. Crick. "When we are alone, you may call me Tom, if you wish."
Lian fought to regain her composure. "Mr. Crick... I mean Tom, am I just getting this job to... pleasure you?"
He smiled as he shook his head. "It must be confusing for you, Lian. Yes, I would love to make love to you; I would love to start kissing you and feel your tender body in my arms, but there's more to it than that."
Lian couldn't help but notice that an erection was forming in Tom's pants. This only served to excite her more.
"I eventually want our relationship to grow, and hopefully move beyond the office. I need to get to know someone for a while before I start to date them."
"So, part of my job would be making love to you in this office?" she asked as she stood up.
Tom smiled and nodded as she moved closer to him.
"And if we hit it off, then I would be your girlfriend?' she asked.
Tom reached around with both arms and pulled her closer. He nodded as he licked his lips. "Is that acceptable?'
"And what happens if we don't get along?"
"I promise that you will be free to go. If you want to stay, I will ensure you have a great position."
"One more thing, what about Rosie?' asked Lian.
Tom began to unbutton her blouse. "Rosie was once male, and took the job much as you did. We, however, did not match, and she later met and married another man. He's a nice guy, and, yes, my dear Lian, he is the father."
Lian nodded. "Thank you for being honest with me."
Tom leaned over and kissed her deeply as he continued to undress her.
Lian was likewise caught up in the passion and offered no resistance. Soon, she was half naked, as he pulled off her blouse and top.
To her surprise, she still had a penis, although it was barely an inch long now. It was also much thinner in diameter.
Tom soon exposed it as he removed her skirt and panties. He left her in her stockings, garter belt and heels.
"That is so cute," he said as he stroked her small erect penis. "By tomorrow, you'll be a complete woman, and we can really make love."
"I can't wait," replied Lian breathlessly.
Tom also undressed, and his cock was large and erect. Lian couldn't resist and began to kiss and lick it. She was suddenly craving his cum, and she found herself on her knees in front of him, sucking his cock.
Even though she had always had feelings about women's clothing, she had never been attracted to men, but now it was different. She loved the sensation of his cock as it slid in and out of her eager lips, and she was soon rewarded with his cum.
When he came, she felt waves of sexual bliss sweep through her own body. It was as if she was in synch with him. It was by far the best orgasm that she had ever experienced.
Tom pulled her gently up and caressed her as they basked in the post sexual bliss.
"That was wonderful," she moaned softly as she cuddled into his arms.
"You are definitely the one," he replied.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Look," said Jenny, as she stripped off her skirt and panties to show her crotch to Betty.
"Your cock... it's so small!" exclaimed Betty.
Jenny's penis was barely an inch in length.
"I know, and that's not all," replied Jenny as she pulled off her top and then removed her bra.
"That can't be!" stated Betty as she stared at Jenny's chest.
"Trust me, they're real. I don't know how or why, but I'm changing."
Betty suddenly looked down at Jenny's large belly.
"Yes, that's becoming real too," said Jenny.
Betty sat down on the bed next to Jenny and put her arm around her.
"I should be freaking out, but I'm not. I feel wonderful, Betty," explained Jenny.
"Well, just so you know, you're not going through this alone!"
"I know that, Betty,' said Jenny as she rested her head on Betty's shoulder.
"This means we're going to be parents," said Betty.
"Do you mind?"
Betty shook her head. "I've always wanted a family; I just didn't want to be the one who got pregnant."
"Well, I love the idea of having a baby. I also don't mind being a stay-at-home mom. I mean, I can still work part-time as a photographer."
"You're really okay with this?" asked Betty.
Jenny broke out in a huge smile and kissed Betty. "Absolutely. I feel excited about this!"
"That's wonderful, Jenny; I'm happy too," replied Betty.
They fell back on their bed and began to kiss and cuddle.
"What about you? I mean, how do we explain this?" asked Betty.
"Later," replied Jenny as she yawned. "I'm suddenly too exhausted to care."
Betty also felt very sleepy and soon both were sound asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lali still had her eyes closed as she was dressed. Chitra and Neela explained what they were doing as they dressed her.
First, they put a tight fitting blouse on her. Neela explained that the blouse stopped just below the bust. Next came a pair of panties, and then a floor length petticoat. The petticoat was tightened with a drawstring.
Next, they tucked the end of the sari into the petticoat and made a complete turn. Neela explained that the end of the sari should touch the ground.
The women then began to make pleats in the sari, eventually tucking the pleats into the waist, just to the right of her navel.
They then draped the remaining fabric around her one more time. Next, they brought it up under her right arm and over her left shoulder. Neela explained that it should fall to about the level of the knees. The end was then draped to prevent it from slipping off the shoulder with a small safety pin.
They still wouldn't let Lali see herself as they adorned her with jewelry. Lali felt them put bracelets on both her writs, rings on her fingers, and rings on her toes. They slipped her feet into sandals.
Next came a necklace that felt like a collar being attached around her neck. She then felt dangling pierced earrings in each of her lobes.
"Now, this may sting a little," warned Neela as she pressed something against Lali's left nostril. There was a momentary sting, but it went away quickly.
"She's stunning don't you think?" said Neela.
"Amazing. I would never recognize her," added Chitra.
"Well, let's finish the rest of the spell, and then we'll let her see herself," said Neela. "I want you to do part of it."
"Am I ready?" asked Chitra.
Neela nodded. "Yes, you're more than ready, Chitra. It's actually pretty easy, you just follow the picture of the patterns."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lian finished dressing and smiled at Tom.
"I'd better go home to change for the party," she said.
"What are you going to wear?" he asked.
"I was going to be dressed by my old co-workers, but I suspect they have forgotten about that now, as Larry doesn't exist anymore," she said.
"I have just the thing," he said as he got up and opened up a closet. Inside, was a very short, silk Chinese dress. It was short and would look as if it was painted on her.
"Karla gave it to me, and she said that it would fit you like a glove."
Lian smiled. "Cool."
"Are you really okay with all this? I mean, Karla has the spell to change you back; it would be as if nothing happened."
Lian shook her head and kissed him gently on the lips. "I couldn't be happier."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"Okay, open your eyes, Lali," ordered Neela.
Lali was now standing in front of a full-length mirror. She opened her eyes and gasped.
She couldn't believe her reflection, as she was now for all practical purposes a young Indian woman.
Looking down at her hands, she saw the intricate designs of the spell.
"The spell will eventually change you completely into a woman. By tomorrow, you will totally female, and you will have no resistance to your new life," explained Neela. "You will also be slightly younger."
"How much younger?" asked Chitra.
"It's hard to say, she might look as young as eighteen or even sixteen; we won't know until tomorrow," said Neela.
Lali heard their words but couldn't take her eyes off the woman that they had transformed her into.
Her skin was now darker, and she had long raven colored hair flowing down her back.
"The color is permanent, and as the spell takes hold, your face will change to look more Indian," said Neela.
Lali was dressed in a lime green silk sari, with an elaborate pattern woven into it. The blouse was black and only served to show off the sari.
"You may move, Lali," said Neela.
Lali reached up and touched the gold ring that was in her nose.
"In the old days, only married women wore them, but now single women do too," noted Neela. "You may speak, Lali."
"Why?" she asked in accented English. It was suddenly a struggle to speak English.
"It was something to do," replied Chitra with a smile as she glanced over at Neela.
The two women began to giggle like school girls.
"Lali, I always wanted to try the spells. My grandmother taught them to me. She used then to transform men into women back in India. She was very proud that she'd changed several British soldiers into women."
"And I've wanted to learn to how to do this," added Chitra.
"But what did I do to deserve this?" begged Lali.
"You seemed really interested in saris; so now you get to wear them all the time," said Chitra.
"But what will happen to me?"
"We will give you a few options. You can work for me as my servant. As the spell takes hold, you will become very subservient and eager to please. As for your identity, you will be an illegal immigrant. I can always send you back to India," explained Chitra.
"Or you can move in with me and take care of my children," interjected Neela.
"The changes will also affect you culturally. In all ways you will be Indian," added Chitra.
"That's right, thank you for reminding me, Chitra. You will know how to cook, clean, and maintain a proper home," said Neela.
"You'll also prefer dressing in traditional clothing," added Chitra. "Which is good, Lali, as you look darling in a sari."
"Please, change me back!" pleaded Lali as she struggled to speak English.
"The other option is to become a wife and mother for some eager man who seeks a submissive woman," suggested Chitra. "Oh, he wouldn't be Indian, just an American man who wants an exotic wife."
"I won't do either!" shouted Lali.
"You don't exactly have a choice, Lali," said Neela. "Even as we speak, you're slipping deeper and deeper under the power of the spell."
"Yes, you are becoming more and more submissive, very eager to please," continued Chitra.
Lali wiped away a tear as she realized that Chitra was telling the truth. Her anger was fading, being replaced with a sense of obedience.
"I hate both of you," stated Lali, struggling to show her dwindling resentment.
The two women laughed loudly.
"By tomorrow you won't," replied Neela with a laugh.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Betty and Jenny woke up in each other's arms on their bed. The changes to Jenny were complete, and she was now a woman.
"Well, that was interesting," said Betty. "I haven't felt this relaxed in years."
"I know; I feel the same way," said Jenny as she slowly sat up and stretched. "Whoa, that was difficult."
"You okay, my dear?' asked Betty as she helped her lover sit up.
Jenny nodded. "Yes, in fact I've never felt better," she then cupped her belly again, and a big smile broke out on her face. "I'm carrying our child, Betty, isn't that wonderful?"
Betty kissed Jenny. "There's still the small matter of how we'll explain all this."
Jenny slowly got off the bed, walked slowly across the room and opened up her purse. She pulled out her wallet and held out her driver's license. "Everything has changed. I'm now Jennifer Elizabeth Powers! It looks like I've taken your name."
Betty got up and confirmed that Jenny now had an identity to match her new body.
"It looks like everything has been thought of," said Jenny, as she sorted through her new identity. "Look, I even have new business cards!
Betty snapped her fingers as if she had just thought of something, and she reached for her purse. She pulled out the number for the woman who'd sold her the items in the first place. She dialed the number, but all she got was a recording that the number was disconnected.
"It doesn't matter, Betty," said Jenny. "I love who I am and wouldn't consider changing back."
Betty smiled and tossed the number in the trashcan. "I know, but it would be nice to thank her; she's given us everything we could ever wish for."
"We need to go out and celebrate!" said Jenny.
"Well, let's get dressed and go out to dinner. I doubt they'll miss us at the party anyway," said Betty.
Chapter Thirty
Lian enjoyed the party, and her dress got all kinds of compliments. No one remembered that she had once been a guy named Larry.
The hardest part of the night was not being with Tom, but Lian accepted the rules of their relationship.
Across town, two young women sat in small restaurant enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner. A few people were shocked to see that not only were the women deeply in love, but that one was very pregnant.
As the clock struck midnight, Lali felt the last of her old life and the last of her resistance slip away. She now looked about sixteen, maybe even younger, although her papers would say that she was older. She could only hope that her husband would be a loving man, as Neela had decided that it would be best if she got married.
Conclusion
A few days later, out in the forest, just outside the city, a large fire was blazing. Standing in a circle around the fire were hundreds of women.
"So, who wins the bet this year?' asked a woman dressed all in a black kimono. Her name was Hoshi.
"Yes, you've had enough time to decide!" pleaded a woman dressed in a dark purple gown.
"Please, Kendra, tell us who has won!" shouted one in a shimmering dress of green.
The other witches in the coven speculated quietly among themselves who would be this year's winner. All across the city, Halloween spells had been cast and submitted for the grand prize - a rare book of spells from the sixth century.
Finally, the woman named Kendra stood up and held out a list. She was over three thousand years old, and she was the daughter of a Druid priestess. She was the current head of the coven.
Like all women in her clan, Kendra had long curly dark red hair that flowed around her face. She was dressed in a maroon colored gown. In spite of her actual age, she was beautiful and looked thirty in human years.
"This year we have a tie, so the spell book will be shared. Karla, you are one of this year's winners. That was a wonderful spell you cast."
"Thank you," replied Karla.
"What we really admired was that you took a soul who was in conflict and gave your subject balance," continued Kendra.
"I just want to add that Thomas Crick will propose to Lian in the next six months," added Karla.
There was a round of applause from the women.
Kendra put her hands up to silence the crowd. "Next, Tizane, we all agree that your spell on Jerry and Betty was very well thought out. You are the other winner."
There was more applause.
"As with Karla's spell, you helped two people become closer," said Kendra. "They are both much happier now."
"Thank you. Their daughter will be born on the winter solstice," announced Tizane, a Gypsy with dark black hair.
"Very appropriate," said Karla as she hugged Tizane.
There was more applause.
Kendra then put up her hand. "I'm not done. Neela and Chitra, step forward."
Dressed in rich black silk saris, the two women walked slowly inside the center of the circle. They were surrounded by the other women.
"You used a punishment spell in a very irresponsible manner. The person you changed committed no crime. This is the type of action that has caused humans to hate and fear us," stated Kendra angrily.
"So what?" snapped Neela. "What is the sense in having powers if we can't use them?"
"Besides... he was just a man!" added Chitra.
"Silence!" ordered Kendra angrily. "Obviously, you don't understand. The contest rules strictly prohibit these types of spells."
"The person you changed has been permanently injured," stated Hoshi.
A tall muscular blonde woman stepped forward and spoke to Chitra and Neela. "Can you reverse the spell?" asked a woman named Asta, who was the daughter of a Viking warlord.
Neela looked at Chitra and shook her head.
"How irresponsible!" Asta snorted.
"It just isn't possible," replied Neela nervously.
"Not completely anyway," added Chitra as the gravity of the situation began to sink in.
There was a murmuring among the others.
"How old is the girl now?" demanded Kendra.
Neela sighed. "There must have been a miscalculation in the spell. It wasn't my fault."
"How old is she?" repeated Kendra. Her green eyes seemed to glow with fury.
"Twelve," said Chitra meekly. "We're sorry."
Again, the murmuring stared. Chitra and Neela could see the anger among their sisters in the coven. They moved closer to each other.
"I will see to it that the girl Lali is taken care of," stated Karla. "I'll see to it that she gets a better life than what these two planned for her. I will attempt to restore her intelligence, reduce her submissiveness, and see that she has a good life."
"I will help too," interjected Tizane as she looked at Chitra and Neela with scorn. "I have some experience in these sorts of spells, and while it will not be possible to restore the subject back to male, I believe we can undo much of the damage to her mind."
"We'll help her adjust to her new life and then assist her as she matures. She deserves to have a real life," continued Karla.
"With the coven's permission, we can train her in our ways," added Tizane looking over at Karla, who nodded in agreement.
"What a wonderful idea," stated Asta.
"Is that acceptable to the rest of the circle?" asked Kendra.
The others showed their concurrence.
"Then it shall be done. I will make the arrangements for you two to raise her as your niece," said Kendra. "All the legalities will be taken care of. The twenty-first century is so complicated."
There was some laughter from the others.
"Thank you both," said Kendra with a smile. Her demeanor changed dramatically as she turned and glared at Chitra and Neela. "Now, what am I to do with you two?"
The two women didn't speak; they knew how powerful Kendra was, and it was best not to anger her any more. They also could see that they had no allies among the rest of the coven.
"Strip them of their powers!" shouted out a dark skinned woman named Fola. She was originally from Great Zimbabwe.
Others began to shout out potential punishments.
Kendra put up her hands to silence the crowd. "Yes, Fola, their powers will be stripped, but they need additional punishment. Something that will allow them to contemplate the damage they have done."
"Kendra, may I offer a solution?" asked a woman named Alyce in a proper British accent. She was English and looked a little like Dame Judi Dench.
The members of the coven turned and listened to Alyce's plan.
*****
The Museum of Costume in Bath, England was pleased with their newest exhibit. An anonymous donor had loaned the museum their collection of Indian clothing from the 18th century.
The two most beautiful saris were on display in the main room. They were mounted on what guests called two of the most lifelike mannequins they had ever seen. Following a three-year display in Bath, the donor had stipulated that the items, with their mannequins, be sent on a round the world exhibit tour.
One of the first visitors was a distinguished looking woman with long red hair, who stopped in front of the display case and seemed to smile as if she knew something that no one else knew. If you didn't know better, you might have thought you saw the mannequins lower their eyes in shame.
"I know you two can hear me," whispered Kendra softly. "Just so you know, you will stay in this form until Lali graduates from college. She is just twelve now, so it will be a while. Tizane has informed me that Lali's a real prodigy, and that she should become a valued member of the coven when she reaches maturity. Luckily for you, she is also learning to use her powers responsibly, something you two never did. Now, use your time to contemplate your misdeeds, and I will see you again in ten years or so on Halloween night."
The End
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Comments
justice in the end
Hm... I guess Lian wasn't altered too much... She got some help, but she probably was female in her soul anyway. She got a way to change back. It did work out for Jenny and Betty too. They're a cute couple and it didn't seem to do some harm.
But what they did to Greg... I guess this is a classical case of absolute power corrupts absolutely. He was just a man and couldn't do magic, who should concern with him.
This is the indifferent cruelty of true evil. He did nothing but ask her for a date and she turned him in a child whore bimbo. Well at least there was some justice. I hope at least some of Greg survived. The new girl will need really much love though, to get over this mind rape.
Thank you for writing this captivating story, I'm göad that there was justice in the end.
Beyogi
THANK YOU!
I love it when justice is served! That's what those creeps GET! I'm so happy for the others though, their story was so beautiful :D
--------------------------------------------
I just got to be me :D
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D
Someone should have listened to Uncle Ben
Well I guess maybe they didn't watch Spiderman. I have to admit, you really had me worried with the Greg plotline of this story. I should have known there would be justice in the end.
Wow, three totally different transformations, all seemingly unconnected until the end. This was a complex plot for a short piece like this, and it flowed very well.
A very nice tale. Thanks Julie!
Scott
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of--but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.
Lazarus Long
Robert A. Heinlein's 'Time Enoough for Love'
Bree
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
-- Tom Clancy
http://genomorph.tglibrary.com/ (Currently broken)
http://bree-ramsey314.livejournal.com/
Twitter: @genomorph
Nice!
Enjoyable story, thank you.
Hugs, Fran
Hugs, Fran
Julie O
As always you presented a very good story. I've always enjoyed your story telling.
For this story, you should make a sequel about the former Greg/Lali. I would love to know what he thought about everything. for all the people that didn't deserve what happened, it was him, and he was right to ask WHY?
It would be nice to see what happens with him as Lali and what the witches do to help him, and will he ever accept what was done to him. Will he ever look for revenge on the two indian women. they truely were terrible. Please write a followup about Greg. It would make a wonderful story and complete what all happened.
I would love to see Greg finally accept his fate, and see to what greatness he rises too. I guess she, but just the same It too would make a great story.
Hugs
Joni W
I, too, would like to see a follow up on Greg/Lali, but ...
... I envision a rather darker scnario that the one the witches anticipate. From this ...
** As the clock struck midnight, Lali felt the last of her old life and the last of her resistance slip away. ... She could only hope that her husband would be a loving man, as Neela had decided that it would be best if she got married. **
... I gather that identity death took place.
When Tizane says ...
** while it will not be possible to restore the subject back to male, I believe we can undo much of the damage to her mind." **
does that mean that it will be Greg's mind back in Lali's body? If so, just adjustment to being a girl may be difficult - he will after all be going through puberty as a she and will be that tricky breed, a teenager, shortly. Male mind and female body at war with one another on top of all the normal teen angst!! Also, I would imagine, since two witches killed him, he will have a massive distrust of witches in general so getting "her" to follow their scenario of the good little witch trainee on top of that would be very difficult. Lagregli may become the anti-witch witch.
I thought the story as written was EXCELLENT, and the above is just a vision from my dark side.
"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show
BE a lady!
What of Neela's children?
That was the one significant unanswered question, for me at least. The coven believes in do no harm -- Julie's stories about magic usually show there is a legal system within the magic comunity -- but what of Neela's children who have no mother? Will they be raised with Lali by the coven and what of their magical heritage or did mom forfit that?
A great little unrelated yet related trilogy. It stands as it is or could be continued.
Given what I know of the Julieverse, when the ten or so years are up the women on restoration to their humanity will quickly age those years, I'm guessing. They will have no magic, the lawyer's carreer will be gone, Neela's children will likely be grown or teenaged and her husband? That's if an uncaring person like her has a husband. Will Lali show them the compasion thsese overaged *children*( failed to show him?
I am pleased the coven will do -- and the ending sugests they are suceeding beyond their expections in some areas, such as her inteligence and magical talents -- to restore most of Greg's mind. Will she be able to choose her ethnicity though stuck as a woman and her name or is that something permanent? To attempt steal her sex, life, inteligence, will and name for fun was worthy of the coven's punishment. Will she always have an accent, will she be excessively obedient thought not so much as the two women intended? What of his family if she had any still alive?
Ack? You have me thinking, no fair.
As for Ms Pun-o-matic Amelia_R, I'm working on it. I never pun late at night, it's dangerous.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Enjoyed
I had an enjoyable time reading these. I must admit that the Chita story bugged me a bit but justice was done in the end. Good job tying everything together at end.
Hugs!
grover
Bravo Julie O
Very nicely done it is good to see that justice survives in the end.
Love,
Paula
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune
Paula
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune
I did enjoy reading the sexytary, the
I did enjoy reading the sexytary, the parents and, the horror.
Has me thinking...if these three were the best and worst what were the others in between? *shivers* However, all were forced, all the minds altered and the coven is sort of twisted. The story plots required actions in a short time so the witch characters did act as necessary, can't fault them for their shortcommings.
The sexytary had pierced ears so I would guess that the witch knew something about he/r to begin the change but the offer of a reversal just didn't seem truthful since Karla is the boss's magic matchmaker.
Just what does a service like that cost anyway? I wonder if Karla won a prize for the last victim?
The parents is a mix of sweet and horror. The TG theme demanded that someone change and I'm glad that it was written with a happy ending.
The horror plot was enough to give me pause, as it should. I wondered what other vile actions these two had done to consider this abomination of their powers on "just a man". The two mannequins will come out as drooling lunatics, justifiable since that is the horror story end. But a mixed message for what evil really means.
I know tis stories, well written indeed.
Thank you for the view from your mind's eye.
2 out of 3 aint..
Happy endings are fun
When you revealed her name was "Lian Hart," I was expecting this trilogy would reveal itself as a Wizard of Oz parallel.
I was delightfully mistaken.