by Saless
Chapter 11
Sean awoke with a groan. His whole body hurt, inside and out. Like every part of his body was bruised. "What happened?" he squeaked out. What happened to my voice?! he thought.
He was lying on Mike and Jill's couch. They'd brought chairs into the room from the kitchen table and were sitting in them next to the couch. "How do you feel Sean?" Jill asked worriedly. She looked sad.
"My whole body hurts, and my voice sounds weird." Sean replied.
"Do you notice anything else different?" Mike asked. Sean glanced at him and noticed a similar expression on his face.
"What are you getting at?" Sean asked worriedly.
"Maybe you'd better look for yourself." Jill suggested.
Sean frowned, but did as she suggested. It wasn't until that moment that he realized he was naked. He was covered with a blanket, so he pulled it up to get a look under it. His mind refused to take in what he was seeing at first. "That's me?!" he screeched.
Jill nodded. "Yes, you're a girl now." She answered sadly. Sean took another look under the blanket. His body looked tiny compared to what he was used to. There was no mistaking his new sex, even though his breasts looked rather small to him.
"This can't be real." Sean protested weakly.
"Sean, you open portals to story book worlds! Weird though this is, it's hardly unbelievable after what we've seen." Mike pointed out. He was looking away as Sean was still holding the blanket up and staring at his new body in shock.
Jill gently pulled the blanket back down. "Why don't I see if I have any clothes that will fit you." She suggested. Sean nodded numbly.
"What exactly happened?" Sean asked Mike while Jill was in their room looking through clothes.
Mike shrugged. "Venus tried to blast us, and you threw yourself in the way. Thanks for that, by the way." Mike said. He looked like he wanted to hug Sean, but wasn't sure if he should with Sean's current form and state of undress. Sean smiled weakly and waved him back. Mike went on gratefully, "You were knocked into me and we both fell through the portal. It closed up immediately after we fell through it. We think you held the book out between yourself and Venus, because it was turned to ash along with your clothes."
"So, uh, did you put me on the couch?" Sean asked. He hoped not, he was uncomfortable enough seeing his body himself, he didn't want Mike seeing it.
"Don't worry, I didn't see anything. I was knocked out when we landed. Jill put you there and covered you before I woke up." Mike reassured him. He was equally glad he hadn't seen anything as Sean.
"Here we are!" Jill called out as she walked in carrying a small pile of clothes. She put the clothes down on the chair she had been sitting on and looked thoughtfully at Mike. "Why don't you go wait in our room until I call for you." She suggested.
Mike hastily agreed and fled the room. "You didn't get me anything too girly, did you?" Sean asked, eyeing the pile of clothes wearily.
Jill laughed. "Don't worry, I picked out things that are as close to your normal clothes as I could manage." She assured him.
"Would you mind turning around?" Sean asked shyly. Jill laughed again, but agreed and turned away. Sean looked through the pile. There were several shirts and a couple of different pairs of pants, along with a pair of panties and three bras. "Why so much?" Sean asked.
"I picked things that fit differently so you'd have a better chance of finding something that fits. If everything's too small we'll have to go with a dress, though." Jill replied without turning around.
Sean shuddered at that idea and quickly pulled on the panties. They were very tight in the hips and didn't come up as far as he expected. The first bra he tried was painfully tight, even when he loosened it up. The second was okay, so he left it on. The jeans were too tight, he couldn't get them even halfway up his hips, but he was able to get the slacks on. They were also very tight and he worried about tearing them if he moved around too much. The first shirt he tried fit okay, though it was tight in the chest, so he left it on.
"Okay, you can turn around now." Sean said.
Jill turned and looked closely at the fit of her clothes. "You're bigger in the hips and chest than I am. I was afraid of that. At least you're able to get something on. Once we get you back to your place you can change. Your old clothes will probably not fit very well, but they won't be too small." Jill said.
"But they didn't look that big when I looked earlier." Sean protested, pointing at his chest.
"That's because you were lying down." Jill replied. "We'd better go get Mike now."
"Do we have to?" Sean whined. "These clothes fit rather tightly. Couldn't I get a robe or something?"
Jill rolled her eyes, "Okay, just a minute." She said and hurried out. A moment later she returned with a robe and handed it to Sean. He quickly threw it on and tied it off as loosely as he could. His body's shape was a lot less distinct, now.
"Happy?" Jill inquired.
"No, but it's better." Sean replied morosely.
Jill gave him a quick hug and started dragging him towards her room. "Come on, we need to talk to Mike."
"What's the big hurry?" Sean asked.
"You'll see." Jill replied mysteriously. She opened the bedroom door and beckoned for Mike to come out. "I need to show you two something." She said and pulled Sean along with her.
Jill dragged Sean over to a covered canvas in her studio and waited impatiently for Mike to catch up with them. "Is that the portrait you were working on the other day?" Mike asked curiously.
Jill nodded. "This image kept coming to me when I was around Sean. This is it." Jill said, and whipped the cover off the canvas.
"So what?" Sean asked perplexed. Mike gasped and kept looking between the portrait and Sean. "What?" Sean asked again, noting Mike's odd behavior.
"Just a second." Jill said and rushed over to a corner and retrieved a full length mirror. She carried it over and propped it up next to the portrait. Sean stared in shock at the mirror, seeing his new body for the first time. He was still tall and thin, but now he had feminine curves and his long brown hair had thickened and lengthened to the small of his back. Many of the changes were fairly subtle, but the net effect was a very pretty girl.
"See?" Jill asked impatiently. Sean was startled out of his contemplation of his own reflection and looked at the portrait. He looked back and forth several times, his jaw dropping open farther with every moment.
"When did you paint this?" Sean whispered.
"I started it yesterday and finished it this morning." Jill replied. Sean shook his head in wonder. The portrait was so perfect it could be another mirror, showing Sean's new face.
To Be Continued…
Comments
What is she, esper?
There is more to Jill than meets the eye, that is pretty clear. However, the question arises as to what the exact effect of Venus Blast was supposed to be? After all, it was aimed at Jill and not on the boys, so I don't suppose it was a simple ka-girl. Unless Venus changed its properties on the fly, that is.
Is it possible that Sean, Jill, Erica and Mike are all parts of a greater whole, with capabilities untold? That is, if Mike shows himself as special, and Erica arrives with an obligatory unexpected visit.
"Sur...", started Erica cheerfully but stopped short at the sight in front of her,"...prise." she finished on inertia.
Faraway
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Do you read The Wotch, by
Do you read The Wotch, by any chance? That's the only other place I can remember seeing 'ka-girl'. It's a fun webcomic, with lots of ka-girling going on! ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Why yes, yes I do.
And other webcomics like El Goonish Shive, Misfile, and about a few dozen more. And there were more ka-changes than simple ka-girl!
Faraway
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Those are good ones, too! I
Those are good ones, too! I probably read a few dozen webomics regularly, too.
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Esper?
Or, maybe the lot of them are being set up.
She gets an image of girl-Sean in her head at about the same time she comes up with the scheme of asking Venus for help.
It could be that he is hatching an evil plan, but I think it's more likely that the whole crew is being maneuvered by someone/something.
It might even be that Venus is involved, and only pretended to be pissed.
Ray
Paranoid much?
Paranoid much? ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Always
Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean that the evil author isn't out to get the protagonist. ;-)
Ray
Oh no!
You're on to me! ^_~
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
I hope...
I hope Sean's girlfriend is bi. I hate to see a loving couple broken up by something like this.
Of course, someone could write a story that involves a kindly mad scientist's basement that contains a transmorgification machine that can turn Sean back into his old body (with some improvements, like the strength to beat the snot out of certain bullies.)
Sean reads the short story and... you know the rest.
Then, he can open a portal to a universe where gold is about as valuable as dirt, and is just laying around. He can then collect a bunch and quit his job.
But then, that would be too quick of an end to the story, wouldn't it? ;-)
Ray
Wouldn't that be cruel?
Wouldn't that be cruel? Eleven chapters of build up, only to end it all suddenly on the twelfth? Good thing I'm not quite that evil! ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
moooa ha ha!
Yes, it would be cruel.
On the other hand, now you're going to have to come up with a plausible reason for them to not do that. heh heh
Of course, they could try it and end up in even more trouble.
But you wouldn't be that cruel, would you?
Ray Drouillard
{ducking and running}
No book left now !
So it will be a trip to the local bookstore if Sean wants to attempt to reverse the change...Or is he/she more happy as she is now?
Other commentors have made the point during previous chapters that they thought maybe Sean was giving off the wrong signals for a man whilst he was at work.... Which given Jill's painting does seem to be quite close to the truth.
Then of course there is the added problem of Erica what will she make to Seans change?... Or is she more a part of the story than she has been so far?
Kirri
Yep, they need a new book if
Yep, they need a new book if they want to talk to Venus again. Then again, they might not want to try that anytime soon... ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Depends...
...as I think someone else commented, on what the new book might say. (And of course books can be printed to order these days. And the one they'd probably need would have the very same title as this story.)
But that's sort of beside the point until someone figures out what's going on, and I'd take a wild guess that there's somebody who's currently on their own world who could provide some answers.
Eric
The book printed to order
The book printed to order idea reminds me of the genie wish phenomenon. You think you'll get what you want, and then get something totally different! ;) Even if you were very very careful in what you printed, could you really predict what you would get? ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Could Jill Be
An acolyte of Apollo? He also hs temples where attendants give advice and predict the future
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Pythia?
Jill? Interesting idea... ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
These Gods are safe ?
I think they'd have been better off going to Jurasic park. So somewhere along the line, I missed why Jill needs help. Very nice writing, so what is Shawna going to do about her girlfriend?
Khadija
Oh, I don't know, I think
Oh, I don't know, I think being turned into a girl is infinitely preferable to being eaten! ;) Thanks Khadija!
Saless
P.S. What did you mean about Jill needing help?
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Another experimental idea...
OK, so they've probably got other things on their mind at the moment (including, in a few plot timeline days time, what to do about Sean's college courses and job - explaining the sudden disappearance of Sean and the sudden appearance of this mysterious brunette...)
We've already seen that you don't need a physical dead tree book to open a portal...
If one of them could write the transmogrification machine story, or perhaps write a return to Venus - this time with a thick glass wall between them and her to stop her having any more mischief with them.
Another idea: if Sean can open and close portals by concentrating, then just maybe he could attempt other forms of telekinesis in these alternate dimensions... could certainly get him out of some scrapes :)
(Just thought, I suppose as Sean now has a female body, sooner or later we'll have to start describing him using female pronouns...)
Of course, any/all of these points may have already been addressed (and possibly dismissed!) in the plot to come, but given the randomness of the plot to date, who knows...(well, apart from Saless and anyone else reading this who's read beyond here!)...
--Ben
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!