The Disclaimer

Bikini Beach and its principle characters are copyright 1998 by Elrod W.

Any comments about Bikini Beach, how it works, what it does, by characters other than Anya or Grandmother are potentially non-canonical and wrong. As this story is told from a particular point of view by the protagonist, this includes comments by the narrator. The protagonist, and thus the narrative, are what the protagonist believes or interprets from what he is experiencing. Thus some of the mechanics of BB are biased by the protagonist's view and experiences. Furthermore, because of the particular viewpoint of the story, those errors often won't be corrected. When the errors are corrected, the correction will often be disbelieved and rejected.

Despite this I will admit to pushing the limits of Bikini-Beach canon, perhaps even going outside on occasion.

This post (https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog-entry/64659/muse-wrestli...) persuaded me that waiting to complete and revise my long stories before posting posting may have been an ungood idea. This sequel is finally finished, but chunks of it are still early draft. Consequently, there is NO WARRANTY that this won't be revised as part of the final story.

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog-entry/91306/heads-i-lose goes up ten-fold -- excuse me, an order of magnitude. Grrrrrrr.

        Tuesday, August 26 -- Second Day of School

I awoke with only fleeting images of the nightmare interrupted by my alarm clock -- images of memory, forgetting, mental malpractice, etc. I went to relieve myself and shower.

Daisy and Ruth were heading downstairs as I exited the bathroom to return to my bedroom and get dressed. They were already dressed, Ruth wearing a yellow dress and Daisy in t-shirt and -- what were they called? Gauchos? Loose shorts that went below the knees.

It went without saying that school wasn't going to get us off of the daily Mental Work and Lesson Sermon, as well as a full breakfast. Everyone simply had to get up all the earlier. The Mental Work was played during the breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage.

Ruth whispered in Daisy's ear at one point, when Great-Grandma was reading about the mental malpractioner. I think I heard her whisper, "Bikini Beach". If indeed Bikini Beach did make me completely forget everything that happened, as I'd read in Ruth's writing, that was mental malpractice *par excellence*.

Like yesterday, I walked partway to school with Ruth and Daisy, and then walked the rest of the way to high school. Just before we parted, Ruth said, "I'll be at Daisy's or with friends after school, if you want to go to the library or hang out with your friends at the mall."

Again, just as I arrived, I met up with my friends from Bikini Beach who attended the school as well as their friends. I turned in my algebra homework, and Ms. Aoki said, smiling in apparent surprise and happiness, "Why thank you, Luke!" She reminded me of my girlfriends at Bikini Beach, especially Carol and her smile.

I sat again with the girls from ballet, including Val and Annie. I kept silent mostly as usual. I overheard them talking about all-night rollerskating this Friday. Annie suddenly turned to me and asked, "You'll come, won't you?"

"Um," very much caught by surprise, I found myself quite inarticulate.

"Come on, you'll love it!" said one of the other girls.

"Monday's Labor Day," added another. "There's no school until Tuesday."

"Mmm, I don't know. I don't skate very well." Actually spending all night rollerskating?

"That doesn't matter. It's fun. We'll sleep part of the time anyway."

Eventually, lunch period was over, and we had to return to classes.

After school, I joined Tracy and Bruce on the bus downtown. We separated at the bus station, as I wanted to visit the library again. I hadn't visited it for too long. I had no after-school activities, and only one assignment, due Friday. Oh, I also had to read a story for language arts.

I was brousing through the science fiction section of the teen room, and "This is where we met that first time!" I jumped out of my skin. My hand developed toothmarks when I barely muffled my shriek. It was not good to shriek in a library, not even if startled.

Carol smiled her bright, shining, achingly attractive smile. "Boy, you must have really been caught up in things."

"I just didn't see you there." I gradually caught my breath again, realizing anew how attractive she was.

"This is so weird," she said. "I remember you in this room as both boy and girl. Lucy and -- yes, I remember now you introduced yourself as Luke. That time, here I was browsing for science fiction, and you came with that sexy book."

What could I say to that?

"This time," she continued, "you are browsing for science fiction. But I don't have a sexy novel. I came directly here. By the way, Vanessa and the twins have suggested a reunion Friday night, at the rollerskating all-nighter."

Whoa, that was the second time all-night rollerskating was mentioned. A reunion sounded wonderful. "I'd have to ask Ma and Pa."

I didn't that evening. I chickened out.

Again, Ma took Ruth to Bikini Beach. Apparently, Ruth was reconnecting with her own set of girlfriends her age, including Vanessa's younger sister Helen. Reconnecting from that time I'd completely forgotten, apparently reality-shifted away.

        Wednesday, August 27

There was more talk about the rollerskating all-nighter the up-coming Friday, especially during lunch. At one point, Annie of ballet said to me, "I really hope you come."

Pa picked me up this afternoon from school. We were going to get my new suit, and then I would go to TKD class. The new suit fit very well and looked nice on me; we had no problems there. Taekwondo went okay as well. June was here, and I managed to push aside my regrets and tend to the exercise at hand.

At dinner that evening, I tried to work up the courage to tell Ma and Pa about Friday's rollerskating all-nighter. I'd never attended one of those before, or anything like it.

The phone rang over dinner. "It's Vanessa King, a friend of yours," said Pa.

I took the phone. "Hey, Vanessa. What's up?"

"Hey, Luke. It's good to hear you. We're having a reunion at the rollerskating all-nighter Friday. We hope everyone comes."

"A couple friends were talking about it at lunch in school," I said. "I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask Ma and Pa."

"Ask us what?" asked Pa.

"Friday's rollerskating all-nighter." I handed him the phone, rather uncomfortable and embarrassed about wanting to do something all night with girls, even if it was rollerskating. I felt myself turning just a bit red.

Ruth said, "Daisy's going to the rollerskating all-nighter. I'd like to go as well."

Pa said, "Hmm... Monday is Labor Day. I can't see any reason why not."

After some talk, it was agreed that both Ruth and I could attend.

"You make sure to keep good watch on both girls, Luke," said Ma.

As usual, we had our Wednesday Evening meeting at Church. I wore my new suit. For once, I didn't feel tight and uncomfortable. Ma and Ruth both exclaimed over my appearance.

The Wednesday Evening meeting was boring except for the music. Actually, the first reader's choice of Bible readings was quite interesting. The most boring part came after the second hymn, when people were supposed to give testimonies of Christian Science healing.

After the meeting, a few paritioners complimented my new suit.

        Undated -- Pondering the Bad Guys

GLENN MATSUMOTO PONDERED the cases of Miss Alima and Wendy Levine. He'd forgotten about Miss Alima until he became Glinda that one earlier afternoon. His folder on her case was missing, and her case number had never been assigned. He berated himself now for choosing case numbers at random, rather than in order, although after a moment's thought, he realized that Wendy/James's case number, the only case he'd taken after Miss Alima's, would have shifted down.

Notably, the University had no record of either Miss Alima or Wendy Levine. They had been reality-shifted away, Glenn knew. Wendy Levine was was still around as James Steedman, as Glenn surreptitiously verified. Unfortunately, Glenn knew nothing about what happened to Miss Alima following her interview. He'd rewritten up Miss Alima's case the day after becoming Glinda.

Once magic and reality-shifting were involved, Glenn knew, the situation was beyond the law. Not for the first time, Glenn considered becoming Glinda permanently, and continuing his investigation of the Syndicate as her. But what kind of damage would that do? Ellen's life as Glinda and Daisy's single mother was hard, to say the least. Glenn could demand that Ellen and Daisy remember everything, and that Ellen retain her martial-arts skills. But what would happen with all of their friends? What would happen with Peter and Lucy? At least that scientist remained alive, Glenn himself having been ostensibly murdered in his stead.

The thought led to his wife Ellen. Glenn always tried to distract himself from thinking about her nighttime outings. Otherwise, he'd horrify himself endlessly thinking about the odds eventually catching up with her. Powerful and talented as she was notwithstanding, she needed only one night of bad luck.

        Friday, August 29 -- The Rollerskating All-Nighter

I AWOKE FROM a nightmare and dashed to the bathroom to relieve myself before returning to bed. I couldn't help both dreading and looking forward to the rollerskating all-nighter. I was zooming around the rink in my roller skates and bikini -- I'd gone directly to the skating rink from Bikini Beach. I skated to the applause of the entire entourage of rollerskaters -- wait a minute, I was a boy, so I was only wearing a string Speedo along with my rollerskates. And why the heck was I even showing off to everyone, with my junk poking out?

I awoke again, in a cold sweat, and waited for my junk to soften before pushing it back under my sleepwear. I went to the bathroom again, this time meeting Ruth just coming out. "Nightmare?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"The rollerskating all-nighter?" she continued.

"Uh-huh, the usual." I shuddered as I entered the bathroom.

I woke up again Friday morning from a dream/nightmare involving Friday night's upcoming rollerskating all-nighter.

I was anxious/apprehensive/jittery all day at school. Would I even be able to stay awake while roller skating? Would I be dying to sleep? I'd heard of sleep deprivation as an interrogation tactic.

People were talking about it over lunch. I asked nobody in particular, "Will I be able to even stay awake?"

"Don't worry about it," said someone. "They have blankets for those of us who want to sleep. A lot of us do sleep part of the night."

Since Ruth wasn't going to Bikini Beach this afternoon, and we both wanted to nap in preparation for tonight, the plan was for me to pick Ruth up and take her home by bus.

After taekwondo ended this afternoon, several boys including June proposed that we hang out.

"Sorry," I answered. "I have to pick up my little sister from ballet."

I'm not sure if I heard "Henpecked Big Brother" under the laughter.

I couldn't help feeling agitated. "What's so hard to understand? I *want* to pick up Ruth and go home with her." Cue more laughter from the group.

Surprisingly, after a little more discussion, the boys agreed to join me meeting Ruth.

A crowd of kids exited the ballet studio just as we arrived. Ruth separated from the others and dashed over. "Hey, Luke!" she said, just as I lifted her up for a hug.

"Heh, I get what you meant about picking Ruth up," said June.

"Hey, June." Ruth turned her head toward him. "How's that turning sidekick coming?"
.
It was arranged that Ruth and I would walk to Daisy's house after dinner, and her mom and dad would take us to the rollerskating rink. When we rang their doorbell, the door opened promptly revealing Mr. Matsumoto. "Hey, come on in!"

As we slipped our shoes off, Mr. Matsumoto called out, "They're here!"

Daisy immediately dashed in to greet us, very pretty and attractive in a pink and green skirted leotard and white tights. "Mom's still upstairs changing." She hugged Ruth and jumped upward for a hug with me. I lifted her up. "You look wonderful," I said, feeling a little embarrassed.

Mr. Matsumoto sighed. "Women. Nothing ever changes."

Mrs. Matsumoto arrived a few minutes later, in jeans and a t-shirt. I still couldn't help ogling her.

"Wait a minute, Ellen," said Glenn. Weren't you and Daisy going to wear..."

"I'm sorry, dear. I'd forgotten that Luke was coming with us. That necessitated a change in plans."

"Daddy, you know I want Luke alive, unharmed, awake, and coherent," added Daisy.

"Oh," replied Mr. Matsumoto. "Right."

In short time, we were in their car, driving off to the rollerskating arena. Once we arrived, Mr. Matsumoto arranged for everything, including rollerskates for Ruth and me. Daisy and Mrs. Matsumoto had their own rollerskates. Looking around, I saw some people wearing rollerblades instead of rollerskates.

I had a little trouble putting the rollerskate boots, but I managed. I knew they had to be tight to avoid wobbling my ankles. While preparing myself, I watched everyone already in the rink, very glad Ma and Pa weren't with us. No way would I want them to see how I couldn't help checking out the girls out there skating around. Carol was already skating around as if she were born skating.

"Hey, Luke!" I jumped in startlement, and managed grab the bench before rolling to the floor. Several of my Bikini Beach friends were standing behind me: Vanessa who'd greeted me, Jen, Xena, and Faline.

I hugged them all, then asked, "Are the others coming?"

"Carol's already here," answered Xena, looking out at the skaters. I looked where she looked, and sure enough, there she was, skating around the rink as if she'd skated all her life.

The other Bikini-Beach girls looked at me strangely for a moment, as Vanessa said, "Bruce and Tracy should arrive any minute now."

"Hey, everyone!" said Bruce, with Tracy along side. "Indeed," said Jen, as we all laughed and greeted them and got into a group hug. I slipped and almost fell in my rollerskates. Both Tracy and Bruce wore shorts and t-shirts, Tracy's shorts much shorter and her t-shirt tied at the bottom.

"What's holding us up? Let's go skating!" said Xena, stepping into the rink and zooming off, followed by Jen. "Wait for me, Xena!"

Apparently, I was the only one not to know how to skate. I gingerly stepped down, feeling about to roll and fall at any moment. I kept hold of anything I could grab. I couldn't see Ruth or Daisy anywhere; they were probably out on the floor by now.

Once on the floor, I held the wooden railing that encircled the rink, and slowly skated around. At one point, I decided to let go of the railing and skate on my own. My feet rolled out from under me, and I fell. Someone braked to a stop behind me, I saw it was Carol, now standing tip-toe on the knob and front wheels and leaning over me.

"Luke, you really need to learn how to fall," she said as she helped me up, taking hold of my hand. That felt very nice. She led me off to a corner, and spent the next fifteen minutes showing me how to fall, demonstrating, explaining, and having me practice. At the end, off she skated. "Enjoy yourself, Luke."

I continued to skate, holding the wooden railing, until again, I worked up the nerve to let go and skate on my own. My first surprise was that I managed to stay up a while before I fell. My second surprise was that I automatically crouched and landed in the soft position, head tucked and arms crossed tight in front.

I saw a line of skaters forming, all children. A contest was starting on who could skate underneath a bar, without touching the floor or the bar. I returned to the seats to watch.

A boy squeezed through, with Daisy just behind. I had to push myself, but I managed to stand up and shout, "Yeah Daisy!" Ruth was next. "Yeah Ruth!" I was so unaccustomed to standing up and shouting like an avid fan, or standing up and shouting at all.

When the contest finished, I gingerly stood up to return to the skating floor when I almost bumped into someone. "Oh, excuse--" I froze, recognizing my algebra teacher, of all people!

"Hi there, Luke," she said.

"Oh hi, Ms. Aoki...?" I swallowed, almost choking it out. I could feel my eyes bulging and my face flaming. She wasn't in her teacher's outfit or anything resembling, and even when teaching, her skirt was a bit short for comfort. She was wearing hot-pink form-fitting short-shorts and a sky-blue sports bra.

Ms. Aoki laughed. "It's great to see you, too."

She spurted down to the rink, and I carefully followed.

Ruth and Daisy accosted me as soon as I entered the rink. "We saw you in the audience," said Ruth. "And heard you," added Daisy. "Thanks for the cheering!"

"Any time!" I answered.

There was more free random skating, but then a couples skate was announced. All single lone skaters had to leave the rink. I slowed down and continued skating around the rink toward the nearest exit, prepared to sit and relax and watch the couples.

Just as I was about to exit the skating rink, Daisy took my hand. She was holding Ruth with her other hand. "Let's skate!" she said.

I wondered if Daisy knew that she was helping to stablize my skating. I looked around as we slowly skated around. Many couples had hands on shoulders, hands on waist, with one person skating backwards. A number were outright embracing, and kissing. The music was soft and slow.

"Hey Luke," came Bruce's voice.

"Hi!" I replied, as he passed us holding hands with an older girl. I met both their eyes, and recognized Steph. She must have visited Bikini Beach recently, because her natural form was Stephen who I recalled was eighteen years old.

Bruce was staring at beyond me, on my other side. The girl whispered in his ear, something I just barely heard: "She's quite the hot teacher."

I looked, and sure enough, it was Ms. Aoki with a man who might have been a teacher at school. His hands were on her bare waist, her arms were on his shoulders, around his neck. They were looking in each other's eyes.

Was I jealous? No, not-at-all, I was thoroughly embarrassed. Teacher and hot just didn't go together.

Ruth interjected, "Look! There's Xena, Vanessa, and Jen!" I looked. Those three were skating in a circle, holding hands.

Bruce said, "So she still hasn't changed back to, what's his name? Vernon?"

"Nah, she's not due 'til mid-September," Ruth replied.

We continued slowly skating.

"There's Carol," said Ruth, with a hint of distress in her tone. I looked. Carol was pressed up against another boy, skating backwards and letting the boy skate forwards. I tried to push aside the jealousy I felt for both myself and on behalf of Ruth/Peter. I tried to console myself that things would change once Ruth reverted to Peter.

Someone took my hand, startling me. "Hi, Luke!" It was Annie, the girl from ballet. "May I join you? You look as if you have need of a little consolation."

"Thanks, that's nice." I smiled.

The four of us continued to skate slowly until the end of the couples skate was announced. "Later!" said Annie. "Have fun!"

We skated some more, but then I returned to the seats to rest, beginning to feel quite sleepy. Daisy and Ruth shortly joined me. Ruth got a couple of blankets. We covered ourselves and I descended into a confused slumber.

I awoke noticing something different. I was alone. Looking around, I saw Ruth and Daisy skating together, so I decided to join hem -- after a trip to the bathroom.

We skated more, then returned to the blankets to sleep again.

        Saturday Morning, August 30

I awoke from an uncomfortable sleep, wondering where I was. Ruth and Daisy were still asleep, leaning against me, Daisy on my left side and Ruth on my right.

Some of the clique urged me to go to Bikini Beach. "Your three-day pass is perfect for this three-day weekend," said Vanessa.

"I'm very sorry, guys," I said. "I just don't feel like it." I yawned. Ruth wasn't interested in visiting Bikini Beach either. All three of us wanted sleep. And what kind of Lucy would I turn into, anyway?

We found Daisy's parents, and her mom drove us home. The rest of us dozed, even her dad, I think. When we drove up our driveway, all three of us kids stumbled out and went inside. I wasn't sure if Daisy even realized this was our home.

"Hi kids," Pa greeted us. "How was rollerskating?"

"Fun-fun-fun," I said, yawning and groaning. Ruth yawned and continued, "We're going to sleep now." All three of us scrambled upstairs, to my room and Ruth's room. Daisy almost followed me into my room before correcting course and following Ruth. I went straight to bed.

        The First Week of September

GLENN MATSUMOTO RETURNED to work Tuesday morning, and promptly got down to business. He had so much to catch up on. It took an hour to reply to an Office Action of a patent application. His next project, a litigation motion, took the rest of the morning. He had to be considerably more careful about his wording.

Glenn returned to his office after his lunch break to find a small thin envelope atop a stack of mail. He mentally thanked Darlene, who was still out on her lunch break, for recognizing the letter's importance. He sliced it open and perused the letter. It was a response to an inquiry he'd sent off about a person and a Syndicate event he'd discovered as Glinda. Not surprisingly, things were different.

Fortunately, Glenn could connect the two. He had serious work that afternoon.

        Back to Luke

MONDAY WAS LABOR DAY, giving us an extra free day. I did have piano lessons and Taekwondo, though.

Beginning with Tuesday, we settled into the routine centered around school. I spent a fair amount of time at the library or bookstore, also hanging out with friends. There were Sunday School and Wednesday-Evening meetings, of course, along with the daily Lesson-Sermon and Mental Work.

Ma took Ruth to Bikini Beach several times this week. This was Ruth's final week of membership, and she would become Peter again late Saturday night.

Thursday evening, Daisy's mom called Ma and Pa to ask if Daisy could sleep over Monday night, because they were attending a function Monday night. Daisy was always welcome, of course.

Peter arrived right on schedule, back as my 17-year-old big brother.

        Sunday, September 7

I awoke that morning feeling a certain rush of anticipation. It only took a moment to realize what that something was: Peter was back, if everything went as it was supposed to. Ruth's Bikini-Beach membership ended yesterday.

I was remembering confusing and contradictory things -- Carol and Peter skating close in together at the all-nighter -- but also Carol with another boy, and Ruth with me and Daisy. There was that massive quarrel -- no-no-no-no and no! That didn't happen. I was Lucy.

I took my shower, and dressed in a bathrobe and briefs, reserving for later the change into my suit. I checked; the new suit was still there, thank goodness.

I went downstairs to practice the piano for a while -- nice that a certain amount of Lucy still remained in me, making it easier to sit down and practice my instruments. On the other hand, Lucy's crush on Brandon was gone, thank goodness. Recalling my affectionate treatment of Brandon -- ick!

After I finished practicing, I returned upstairs and encountered Peter in the hallway. He'd already dressed.

As Lucy, I'd hugged Peter. As both Lucy and myself, I'd routinely hugged Ruth -- to the point of making Pa wonder what the heck was going on. Apparently Ruth and I -- Luke -- were supposed to be antsily annoyed with each other.

On the other hand, Peter and I never hugged. Well, time to rectify that. I went up and hugged him hard. Peter promptly hugged me as well.

"Did you enjoy it as Ruth?" I asked as we backed off.

"Yes, I did," answered Peter. "Once I pushed beyond the surprise and strangeness. If you read that thing I wrote, you know that I was Ruth before."

"Yes, of course," I answered.

"That's when I went through a weekend of panic, discomfort, fury, outrage at the injustice." Ah yes, Peter accused then... "But then, yeah. I enjoyed being Ruth. This is rather embarrassing to admit."

"Definitely. I enjoyed Lucy, too. Most of the time," I added, thinking of Fab and June and how they forgot me. "Sometimes, I'm embarrassed as what I was like as Lucy, then remember my vow never to be embarrassed again, and I applaud Lucy. I'm still trying to stick to that vow," I added.

"Hey, great for you," said Peter. "I'm all for that, just be careful about getting into serious trouble." Peter had said that to me as Lucy.

"Yes, I agree."

We talked some more, and he mentioned how I was three different Lucys.

"Oh?"

"You don't remember your first Lucy. I think your third Lucy--"

"When you became Ruth?" I interjected.

"Yeah, then. Your third Lucy wasn't too different from your first Lucy, but your second--"

"Hot and perpetually horny. Definitely with Fab and June. Pa, too. And you." Take that, embarrassment!

"I was about to say, `Sexually aggressive.'"

We talked futher. Peter had relatively little to say about being Ruth. I expressed my dismay at having been forgotten by June and Fab.

"I became Ruth," he replied, "uninvolved with Taekwondo. June no longer recognized your name that day at the transit center, and you no longer recognized June either."

Peter was still barred from church and Sunday School, and was obviously happy about it. As usual, I got into my suit -- still the good new one -- and went to the very boring and nonsensical Sunday School class, followed by the boring church service.

Ma did her usual socializing after church, but we finally went home.

Shortly after we entered from the garage door, the doorbell rang. I got there first. "Daisy!" It was wonderful to see her, and I picked her up for a hug and carried her in. I continued holding Daisy with her arms around me, and even kissed her cheek, with Ma, Pa, and Peter looking on. No, I told myself, I wasn't going to be embarrassed. I gave a defiant look at them all.

"You're so handsome in that suit!" said Daisy, as I let her down. "Hey, let's go down and find a board game! "You too, Peter."

"Go ahead," said Ma. "Dinner won't be ready for a little while. But be sure to come up when you're called. You're welcome to join us as well, Daisy."

As I picked out and removed Sorry from the shelf of games, Daisy said, "Ruth, you're Peter now."

I saw Peter's faint blush as I turned toward them with the game. "Peter, no need to be embarrassed. We both knew -- um, know."

"Yah, I know. It's not something I can control. Not fully, at least."

"I vowed I would never be embarrassed again," I said. "It's very hard, especially as Luke now. But I keep reminding myself of my vow. Daisy, you're not going to have any more nightmares, I hope, are you?" I shuddered.

"No, not any more. Before, when I was having those nightmares, Ruth was gone. She didn't exist. But now, Ruth's Peter, or Peter's Ruth, or Ruth is in Peter. I'm confused."

"All of the above," replied Peter, laughing. "What's not confusing about Bikini Beach?"

We all laughed.

After more talk about being Lucy and Ruth, Daisy asked Peter, "I wonder, did Ruth exist before this summer? I mean, I remember being best friends forever, and I remember you, Peter, my favorite babysitter. And now Luke." She turned toward me and smiled.

Peter froze a moment. "I couldn't say," he articulated slowly. "Ma had me changed because I was accused of a crime -- and then exonerated. That means that they showed that I didn't commit the crime. And then the crime didn't happen. Bikini Beach changed everything."

We never got to the game. Ma shortly called us up to dinner.

After dinner, we returned downstairs. Once Ma and Pa were out of hearing, Daisy told us, "I told Mom and Dad that I was going over to visit friends. That wasn't a lie, but Mom thinks I'm outside playing with friends my age. I really should go before Mom and Dad catch me."

"Your parents accept Luke and me as your favorite babysitters," said Peter. "They really won't mind."

"Hey, I'll join ya," I said. "Just let me change out of this suit." I dashed upstairs to my room and quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt.

"Have fun, both of you." Peter waved his hand.

We did, the whole rest of the afternoon.

"Seeya tomorrow at dinner!" shouted Daisy to me as we separated for supper, which consisted of snack for my family.

Oh-oh-oh, right. I realized that Daisy wasn't sleeping over with Ruth, but rather I would be babysitting her instead.

        Monday, September 8

After returning home from TKD, I showered and changed out of my TKD uniform into clean clothes. It was close to dinner at Daisy's house, so I went over.

After a nice dinner, Mrs. Matsumoto -- Ellen -- asked Daisy and me to help her dress up for the night. "Um," I responded dumbly, trying to avoid looking Ellen up and down. "I-I-I-I th-think [breath] I'll pass [breath] on it." I remembered the previous times, manhandling Ellen in her bra and panties.

That first time, a month ago, was particularly distressing because I had run here after a blazing argument with Peter. I'd fallen for Carol, and he'd lured her away. No-no-no, that never happened. It was a lie! A false memory! A phony!

"Why not?" asked Ellen. "You've helped me before, twice! What's so disturbing now?" No, she did not just flutter her eyebrows! No, no, no, just my imagination.

"That was Lucy, both times!" Interjected Daisy.

"What are you talking about, Daisy?" asked Ellen.

"Luke went to Bikini Beach--"

"Oh, right."

"And I want Luke awake and fun this evening. Not conked out. He's going -- What's the word? Comotose? Even now!"

"Fine," said Mrs. Matsumoto. "Daddy's still home. He'll get to dress me up instead."

We went downstairs to play until we agreed it was time to go to bed. Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto had long previously left for their function. I went to the bathroom to change into my pajamas, and found a blanket.

I joined Daisy in her room and lay the blanket on the floor. Daisy was in bed and I was about to borrow one of her pillows when she said, "Luke, join me in bed. It's more comfortable than the floor."

"No, Daisy. That would be most inappropriate."

"Hey, you did it before when babysitting me."

"I was Lucy then."

"And that's different how?" asked Daisy with fake innocence.

I froze, tongue-tied, my mind betraying me. Daisy giggled. She knew perfectly well how different that was.

"Um, okay." I slipped under the covers next to her, lying on my back, trying to tell myself how so wrong this was, no matter how happy I felt.

We lay silently a few minutes until Daisy said, "Mom's trying to seduce you."

"Oh?" I twisted my legs and bent my knees to avoid tenting the covers. "Your dad would kill me."

"No, worse. I'd kill Mom." She slid closer and took my hand. We lay in silence for the moment. "I really must remember that you were Lucy those other times," she eventually said.

        Tuesday, September 9

I woke up in my bed the next morning -- wait, what? My bed in my bedroom at home? Wasn't I with Daisy at her house? I clambered out of bed, urgently wanting to check up on her.

Ruth was dashing out of her room, "Gotta call Grandmother," she wheezed as she passed me. Daisy came behind her slower, and stopped when she reached me. "Peter changed to Ruth last night."

"I kinda figured that out," I replied.

Ma appeared at the bottom of the stairs, just as Ruth bounded down the stairs, just managing to stop before colliding with Ma. "Bikini Beach's Anya wants to talk with you pronto."

"Thanks, Ma." Ruth ducked under Ma's arms, and next thing I heard, she was greeting Anya over the phone.

I decided against listening to Ruth's side of the conversation, and went to the bathroom instead. I still had school to attend; it was one of those days. I dressed quickly and went down for breakfast.

At the bottom of the stairs, Ruth accosted me. "Anya and Grandmother want me to meet them at Bikini Beach right after school. Apparently, changing to Ruth is a manifestation of something they worried over ever since the permanent membership was undone: wild magic has activated."

"I could meet you on the way home, where we usually separate when going to school. Fortunately, I have no activities today. We could take the bus."

"I'll pick her up at school," said Ma. "I still have that membership."

So that was decided. Nevertheless, after school, I stopped there hoping to meet Daisy. Sure enough, she was there with a dozen of her friends. "There's your big boy," shouted a boy in the distance, louder than necessary I was sure, intentionally loud enough for me to hear.

"Hi, Luke!" Daisy ran toward me, obviously unembarrassed, followed by her friends. I remembered my vow against embarrassment, and Daisy was beautiful. I lifted her up to greet her. "Hey, Daisy!"

"Your Ma came and picked Ruth up." She said softly, "They were going to Bikini Beach, to talk about Peter."

"Ma said that?" So Ma knew what was going on with Bikini Beach? Very interesting.

I let Daisy down, and we walked toward our houses, joined by a number of Daisy's friends. They decided to play outside in someone's yard, and I thought to myself, what the heck. Homework and clarinet and piano practice could come later; I joined them.

I went home in time for dinner, and even got in a little piano practice just beforehand. I was trying to keep Lucy in mind. Ma and Ruth got home while I was practicing.

I was itching with curiosity over dinner, but Pa was with us and I couldn't ask. But we got to talk after dinner. Mom got out "Science and Health" and sat in the living room to read, Ruth and I went upstairs and into her room. She closed the door and said, "Grandmother and Anya blame the wild magic. My return as Peter apparently aroused it. That's really all they could say, even though I kept asking questions. They just didn't know."

"So you're stuck as Ruth now?"

"We have no idea. None of us do. Grandmother said she would study the situation. I got the impression that, while Grandmother knows more about magic, Anya is the more powerful of them." Later, Ruth said, "On the way home, Ma told me that we could only pray and `Know the Truth.' That may be all we can do."

We wound up doing nothing, and Ruth stayed with us and attended fourth grade -- until I woke up Saturday morning to find Peter with us. What a relief! They'd apparently solved the problem.

Grandmother called us, and spoke with Peter. I sat in the kitchen, following Peter's side of the conversation. My initial optimism decayed to a depressed pessimism as the phone call progressed. Once Peter hung up, he said, "They're no closer to stopping or taming the wild magic than before. This change was part of it. They have no idea whether or how I'll change again, nor any idea if others have been affected."

Peter departed for places unknown, and returned for lunch with Carol in tow. I was in the living room practicing the piano, and when I finished my piece, I jumped when Carol said, "Hey, Luke!"

"Carol!" I turned and held my hand out for a handshake. She shook my hand, then put her arms around my shoulders and pressed against me. I let my arms encircle her waist, observing Peter out the corner of one eye. I thought back to that time I'd run off in fury and distress to my babysitting appointment at Daisy's, because Peter had taken Carol from me -- no, no, no-no-no, that never happened!

Life continued on, and Peter changed to Ruth Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. "I don't mind being Ruth," she said. "I just want to know what's going on! What will happen when I leave for Pacific Tech? Will I hop between here and California every few days?"

I shrugged; clearly she didn't expect an answer anyway.

        Friday Night, September 19

Daisy was sleeping over, and she was in bed with Ruth. I sat on the floor next to their bed, and was reading them a story, when Ma opened the door. "Luke, it's their bedtime now. Time to depart." I noticed it was almost midnight. Fortunately, it was a Friday night.

As I stood up to leave the room, Daisy requested, "Luke, kiss me goodnight." I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. I was about to kiss Ruth as well, when I noticed that we were in Daisy's bedroom. It was dark with a soft nightlight, along with streetlight through the window. Ruth was nowhere to be seen.

Apparently, I was babysitting Daisy that night.

"Did Ruth just become Peter again?" asked Daisy.

"Yeah," I said. This was getting quite annoying.

"Get in bed with me," said Daisy. "Keep me warm. Protect me from nightmares."

I was hiking in Rattlesnake Canyon with my cousin. I could hear their loud buzzing rattles all around, including one somewhere in the brush right next to me. Where could I step, to avoid treading on it. Wait a minute! I was informed that Rattlesnake Canyon didn't have rattlesnakes any more than anywhere else.

A piercing scream of pain coming from right next to me yanked me awake. Daisy was screaming, the rattler buzzing was continuing from my nightmare, and in the soft light, I noticed a third bedmate: a snake!

I whipped the sheet and blankets off, while yanking Daisy up and off the bed. I heard other buzzing outside the bedroom door; there was no escape that way. It had to be the window.

"Daisy, hold onto me. Hard. We have to climb out the window." Fortunately, both the window and the screen were easy to open. The snake bit my ankle, and I couldn't help screaming as I shoved the screen up. The security alarm sounded -- good, the police should come and do something about the rattlesnakes, was my thought as I slid through the window.

I managed to lower myself until I was hanging by my hands from the window sill. It was going to be a nasty fall, and my ankle hurt like blazes, but I had to do it. I let myself fall. Fortunately, I landed on my good leg, and fell to the ground, avoiding landing on Daisy.

I let go of Daisy for a moment, while I scrambled to stand up. Despite my hurt leg, I managed to pick her up. I made my way to the next-door house, and rang the bell. Fortunately, someone answered the door immediately.

"Please, call 911," I pleaded. "Both Daisy and I are hurt."

He glanced at my ankle. "Snakebite, fangs. I'm calling now. He stepped to a phone and dialed."

"Please hurry! I think Daisy got it worse," I begged.

The man returned. "Lay on the sofa, both of you. They're coming; just relax." I made my way to the sofa, and Daisy kept holding me even after I lay down. I was half awake, and sort-of noticed being tied to a stretcher.

        Saturday, September 20

I awoke from a nightmare of being surrounded by gargantuan crocodiles and poisonous snakes, to noise of people talking softly around me. Where was I? I was lying on a long chair in a waiting room, and people were crying around me. It came back to me: our snakebites, our escape from the house to the neighbor's house, a bit of the ambulance trip to the hospital.

"The boy's awake now," someone said.

Mr. Matsumoto approached tearfully.

"How's Daisy?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"The snake was an eastern diamondback rattler. Daisy didn't make it, I'm sorry."

I collapsed and couldn't help bawling. I never realized one could feel such horrid grief. Someone tried to wrap his or her arms around me, but I twisted away. I didn't want to be consoled; I wanted Daisy alive!

"Luke, you did more than anyone could expect," Mr. Matsumoto tearfully said.

"I should have died and she should have lived!" I bawled. "I should have babysat her at our house instead! If Ruth were here, Daisy would have lived!"

"Ruth?" asked Mr. Matsumoto.

"Never mind," I said, seeing a ray of hope. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Down that hallway," answered one of the nurses. I made my way to the bathroom and took a leak, then turned and continued down the hall until I found an exit sign.

The elevators drove me crazy with waiting, but I finally caught one. I reached the ground floor, and eventually found my way out of the hospital.

Then I ran, even limping. I spotted a major street, and ran toward it, hoping to find a bus stop. I checked -- oh, good, I had my wallet with my bus card, along with my babysitting money. I did find a bus stop, and waited anxiously, clinging to the hope that Bikini Beach would save Daisy. I kept fearing that someone might stop me, or that Bikini Beach might not do it.

An empty cab drove by. Not sure if it would work, I hailed it like in the stories. He stopped for me. "What's the fare to Bikini Beach?"

The driver quoted a number. Fortunately, I had over twice that in my wallet. I checked, just to be sure, and handed that amount over. "It may be somewhat more or less. You do know, I hope, that Bikini Beach is for women only."

"Please hurry. It's an emergency!"

The cab shot off.

We arrived at the Bikini Beach drop-off area. Anya was waiting. I hoped, boy I hoped, she would help. The fare turned out a bit less than what I'd paid, but I added twenty dollars for good luck.

"Please, Anya!" I couldn't help bawling again, and could hardly speak. "Daisy dead. Ruth. Lifetime memb- memb- Realkahrihghs," I degenerated into incoherence.

I was suddenly calmer. "Luke, things aren't as immediately urgent as they seem, I promise you. I've picked the problem from your mind, but I would like you to state it yourself."

"Okay." I breathed heavily and tried to collect my thoughts. "Last-- yesterday evening, Daisy was at our house, planning to sleep over with Ruth. Ruth shifted to Peter, and I shifted to babysitting Daisy at her house."

"Early this morning, Daisy got bit by a snake." I couldn't help crying again. "A rattlesnake -- diamondback, very poisonous. She screamed and woke me up. One was in her room, another outside in the hallway, others in the house." I was bawling again, and I had trouble continuing. "We escaped out the window, and went home. We called 911 and went to the hospital. Daisy..." I couldn't continue, bursting anew into tears.

I felt calm again.

"You were bit as well," commented Anya. "You're still limping."

"That doesn't matter. I have to become Ruth, with the full reality-shift. If Ruth had existed, Daisy would have slept over, and been safe. It doesn't even have to be a pass or membership. Just the change and reality shift." I looked down.

Anya raised my chin with one finger, and looked squarely in my eyes with a piercing intensity. "You do realize the implications, Luke?"

"Yes. Daisy's dead. If Ruth were there, she'd be alive. That's all that matters." I briefly thought of Ruth and Peter shifting back and forth -- would Daisy shift between alive and dead? I had no idea. I didn't want that. Anya looked down at me. Was I missing something?

I got out the rest of my money. "I'm very sorry, it's all I have. I know it isn't enough." Anya kept looking blinkless at me, and I still felt as if I were missing something. "It's forever," I finally said. "But that doesn't matter. Only Daisy."

Anya relaxed and smiled. "You are right; Daisy would be alive." Anya led me inside to one of the booths, did something with a computer, and gave me a card. "The only reason I'm accepting your money as payment is that your money will be reality-shifted out of existence anyway."

I ran to the men's changing room, stripped down -- I didn't bring a swimsuit, of course -- and showered. I shrank down, and felt my body shift. Ruth was now in the mirror. I returned to my locker, and found Ruth's clothes in place of mine: tee-shirt, shorts, panties, socks, and sneakers.

A very tall Anya entered as soon as I was dressed. "Anya!" Oh God, I hoped this worked.

"Luke, Ruth," said Anya. "The first good news is that Daisy is now alive and well, staying at your house."

"Oh, thank God!" I whispered.

"The second good news is that the wild magic has settled down into your transformation, and won't be shifting Peter and Ruth repeatedly any more, and the rest of us are out of its danger.

"The third good news is that Beth is still healthy, living with her twin sister in New York City, and her change is sticking."

I vaguely remembered what must have been a memory of Ruth's, pressing everyone I thought of to fix Beth.

"The unpleasant news is that Peter, Carol, and Daisy's parents are confronting Grandmother in her office. We should meet them there."

I followed Anya out of the men's changing room to the office.

On the way, I asked, "How much will I remember of myself as Luke?"

"Pretty much everything. Sometime's you'll have to push to remember something, but you will remember when you want to. However you have to enter Ruth's life as smoothly as possible."

        After Luke's Departure

GLENN AND ELLEN were sobbing in each other's arms. Of all the things that could have happened, why Daisy? Glenn had momentarily gained control of himself when he called Peter to give him the bad news, and again when Luke finally woke up.

Luke had bawled his eyes out, and had babbled incoherently -- and then gone to the restroom. Glenn and Ellen had gone back to their own crying, and only noticed the world around him when Peter appeared, accompanied by Carol.

"Sorry I took so long. I thought Luke might need Carol at this time, and I thought she should know. And I need her too." Peter was trying to hold in his crying, and Carol was sobbing. "Where is Luke, anyway?"

"He went to the restroom -- about twenty minutes ago. I guess he hasn't come out yet, he might just want to be alone."

"Where? I'll go check on him."

"That way," answered Glenn.

Peter left, only to return about a minute later. "He isn't there."

"What do you think he might have done?"

"I hope he didn't go and do something stupid or rash," said Peter. "Did he say anything?"

"He yelled incoherently while crying when we first told him the bad news," said Glenn.

"It wasn't incoherent," said Ellen. "What he said was quite natural. Only that last bit, `If Ruth were here, Daisy would have lived,' was in any way incomprehensible."

"Oh crap, he's probably on his way to Bikini Beach," said Peter. "We have to get there before him, before he ruins his life. I'll explain along the way." Peter looked around, lowered his head to them, and spoke in a hushed tone. "Daisy may yet survive this."

"Nurse?" called out Glenn. "Something's come up and we have to go. We'll be back though. If Luke's still here and comes looking for us, have him wait here, please." Glenn was hoping against hope that he was lying about returning. Would Bikini Beach be able to change something so that Daisy was never killed? Would they be willing to? He thought back to his time as Glinda and his murdered client.

Glenn, Ellen, Carol, and Peter all went out to Glenn's car. On the way, Glenn left another message for Luke with the front desk.

"Luke has to take the bus, and change downtown. We'll probably make it there before him," Peter said as the four of them got in the car.

Once they got on the freeway, Peter explained: "All of you know about Bikini Beach transformations -- and about their reality shifts, including reality shifts that change whether someone lives or dies." He paused an instant while everyone nodded. "Thanks to Bikini Beach, I've been sporadically Ruth half the time and Peter half the time. Luke's probably going to try to become Ruth permanently. If we get there before Luke, I'll become Ruth instead."

"What difference will that make?" asked Glenn.

"When I'm Ruth, I'm Daisy's age and we're best friends. Daisy always sleeps over whenever you're out. She won't be in the house with the snakes and won't get bitten. I'm proud of Luke for realizing that, even though I wish he'd waited for me. Ruth is me, not Luke."

We'll just see about that, Glenn thought to himself, even as hope surged. If he had anything to say about it, neither Luke nor Peter would ruin their lives to save Daisy. Glenn would demand to be transformed himself. It was his responsibility; he was Daisy's father.

He drove up to the drop-off area in front of the entrance ticket booths and the office building. As they got out, Glenn said, "Ellen, I'm needed. Could you park the car? You might sneak a bit."

Ellen drove off, and Glenn, Peter, and Carol went to the office building. Grandmother came out before they reached the entrance, sporting a sober expression. "Please come in, Mr. Matsumoto, Peter, Carol." Grandmother escorted them into her office.

"I'm so very sorry about what happened to Daisy," she said. "But rest assured, she's alive and fully well now, although in serious horror, at your house, Peter, away from the snakes. I'm sorry, but Luke already arrived, and we gave him the lifetime change to Ruth. She will be here shortly."

All three of them, Glenn, Peter, and Carol froze silent in horror at Luke's sacrifice, even as Glenn was elated and relieved to hear that Daisy was now fine.

Carol burst into tears and buried her face in Peter. Peter looked about ready to cry, but instead he said angrily, "Couldn't you have waited, instead of going along with his impulse, and ruining his life? I am fundamentally Ruth, and I should have become Ruth instead to save Daisy's life."

        ******************************

AS ANYA AND I approached the office, I saw Mrs. Matsumoto standing against the wall next to the open door, absolutely still and silent, listening to the argument inside.

Peter was saying angrily, "... along with his impulse, and ruining his life? I am fundamentally Ruth, and I should have become Ruth instead to save Daisy's life."

Mr. Matsumoto replied, "I'm responsible for Daisy's care and welfare. If anyone had to change to save Daisy's life, it should have been me. Both Luke and Peter are young men with their entire futures in front of them."

Grandmother said in a projected tone, "Welcome, Luke and Anya. Come in! You too, Mrs. Matsumoto. Have a seat, all of you."

We followed Mrs. Matsumoto in. Carol was crying, her face buried in Peter. Peter's fury was plain on his face, and he looked as if he were trying hard to avoid crying.

Grandmother continued, "Luke has a lifetime membership, and is now Ruth. I would normally tell you that the change was irreversible, but Peter would lay into me--"

"That's for sure," interrupted Peter. "You changed Tracy Miura to eliminate Jill's murder and revert me to Peter, despite my own lifetime pass as Ruth. I thank you for that. I really hope you can find a way to reverse Luke's change. I should be Ruth instead."

Carol leaned away from Peter, and looked at him, apparently aghastly curious.

Mr. Matsumoto said, "As I said earlier, I'm her father, responsible for her welfare. I should make the sacrifice." Mr. Matsumoto pulled out his wallet and extracted a credit card. "Name your price. I'm even willing to pay for Luke's original transformation, so that you don't lose anything."

"The price would be in magic, not in money," replied Grandmother. "Please listen to everything I have to say, before interrupting. We don't know what the consequences would be, but they're potentially severe enough that no amount of money would undo them. The reality-shift associated with Tracy's transformation did not simply eliminate the magic of Peter's transformation and lifetime pass. Instead, it remained hidden until triggered by Peter's change again at Bikini Beach. Peter's inadvertent transformation to Ruth again that time was the magic returning to him. After his guest membership ended, Peter reverted as scheduled, but then every two or three days, he shifted to and from Ruth. You don't remember this, Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto, because they were accompanied by reality-shifts. However, Luke and Carol both remember, because they accompanied Peter in his original change."

Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto's expressions changed to surprise. Apparently, they just remembered now. I continued to listen with avid interest.

"Luke's change to Ruth has absorbed and settled the magic."

"You know what this means?" said Peter. "We could have simply waited until I became Ruth again. Luke and I would have discovered Daisy now alive, and I could have come demanding to be Ruth permanently. The magic then settles, perhaps even more reliably than with Luke becoming Ruth."

Would I have been as horrified at Peter being Ruth forever, as Peter seemed to be at my becoming Ruth?

Grandmother asked Peter, "Are you sure you really would have come and demanded to be Ruth forever, to save Daisy?"

Peter didn't answer.

"Peter, I don't know about you, but I would have gone through two horrible days," I said.

Grandmother continued, "Luke was the right person for the sacrifice, despite his impulsive decision -- indeed, because of his impulsive decision. In principle, we could take several months to decide who might change to prevent Daisy's death. The problem is that we become accustomed to Daisy's absence, and the sense of urgency and importance disappears.

"Even more to the point, if one thinks about it and tries to go about it rationally, the negative implications become paramount and nobody would actually do it. With Luke, Daisy was uppermost in his mind, the only thing of importance at this point.

"Peter, you have finished high school, and are just about to begin college. Shifting you back to Ruth would have lost that, although you might have been able to find an early high-school or college program. Nevertheless, had you come first instead of Luke, mad with grief but following a beacon of hope, we probably would have changed you."

"I admit," said Peter, "that the idea didn't occur to me until Luke disappeared. I'm proud of him for thinking of it, even though I wish he had let me do it instead."

"A-hem, that should have been me," growled Mr. Matsumoto.

"Mr. Matsumoto," asked Peter. "Did you even know about Bikini-Beach reality shifts undoing deaths?"

"Actually, yes. I found out that afternoon as Glinda. I -- Glenn -- was murdered instead of someone else."

"What?!" I exclaimed, along with almost everyone else. Then I remembered suggesting Bikini Beach about that boy in his office.

"Mr. Matsumoto," said Grandmother. "It's quite possible that changing you to Glinda might have been the best option. Only a minimal amount of that reality's history need change. Unlike that afternoon before, Mrs. Matsumoto would remember this, and retain her talents and and physique. Both you and Mrs. Matsumoto would have to trust me, though.

"In any case, it's too late now, because Luke is now Ruth, and I wish to avoid the wild magic acting up again and getting even worse, posing a serious danger to everything -- reality as a whole, even.

"Those with further complaints: what's done is done; live with it. Be happy that Daisy is now alive and fully well at the Cuttingtons' house.

"Peter, your Ma and Pa are furious and terrified, about Ruth running off early in the morning," Grandmother continued. "They'll want to thrash her within an inch of her life when she gets home. Peter, you must call and tell them that you're with Ruth." She handed Peter a cordless phone.

"Excuse me, everyone," he said, leaving the room. "I wish to call in private."

I tried to shut down my curiosity about their conversation, and mostly succeeded. A few minutes later, Peter returned and handed the phone to Mr. Matsumoto. "Pa wants to talk with you. You as well, Mrs. Matsumoto. Pa knows about the rattlesnakes at your house."

Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto both followed Peter's example and left the room.

"Daisy remembers Luke carrying her out the window, escaping the rattlesnakes. Mrs. Cuttington thinks it was a nightmare, and Daisy isn't sure."

Mrs. Matsumoto faced Peter and then me. "Both of your parents suffer from a lack of curiosity about how Daisy would have a nightmare of rattlesnakes just when they appeared at our house."

I didn't know what to say. Peter said nothing as well.

"One last thing. I wish to discuss the case with Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto privately. Carol, Peter, Ruth-Luke, don't eavesdrop on us. Anya has summoned Luke's Bikini Beach friends, and is waiting outside with them. They've just learned of Luke's sacrifice and why, and Anya's making sure they all remember Luke.

"Good-bye, Grandmother," said Carol as she stood up.

"I'm sorry about my rudeness," said Peter.

"I fully understand," said Grandmother. "You had good reason." They shook hands. "Good-bye." She turned to me. "Young Luke, Ruth, I'm very proud of you for doing what you had to do, to save Daisy. I'm also very sorry that you had to do it. Good-bye."

I was blushing hard. We shook hands, and I said, "Good-bye, Grandmother."

We went out the front and saw Anya with--

"Oh my, is that really you in there, Luke? And Lucy?" asked Vernon, formerly Vanessa. I'd never seen him as Vernon before. The whole gang was there! Vernon, Bruce, Tracy, Faline, Xena, and Jen!

        ******************************

ONCE GLENN, ELLEN, and Grandmother were alone, Grandmother said, "Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto, a mage teleported the rattlesnakes into your house. I'm not certain, but I think it was the same mage who originally gave us James Steedman, the boy whom you consulted me about, Mr. Matsumoto. I don't think that Daisy was targeted. I think that if she had been, the snakes in this reality would have been teleported to the Cuttington's house. Also, that night until around midnight, Peter was Ruth and Daisy was sleeping over.

"In that case, changing Luke wouldn't have worked, and honestly, I don't know what we might have done.

"Nevertheless, your syndicate went too far, with Daisy's death. I promise my help and Bikini Beach's help and resources in going after that syndicate. We will go after them in any case, and we should coordinate our acts. I hope that you realize that with their use of magic, you need a magic user to fight them."

"Thank you," said Glenn. "I accept your help." He stood up and reached out to shake Grandmother's hand, and they shook hands. "There is one, perhaps hypothetical, issue. We may be able to win a legal case, or get a settlement that results in a major legal fee for me -- or perhaps even a minor fee that helps offset expenses. We should discuss and settle now how to divide any such gain with Bikini Beach, even if simply to offset expenses.

"If you won't let me pay for Luke's lifetime membership, at the very least, please include that in your expenses for this case. I'm going to include any expense remotely connected to the case, such as any support I provide for Ruth's education, health, and maintanance. I urge you to as well."

"Of course. I understand," said Grandmother.

It took only a few minutes to write up an agreement.

"I owe Luke/Ruth more than anything I could do. A co-worker once advised me that it could come to no good for Daisy's favorite babysitter to be a young teenage boy. I sorely regret being unable to tell him how wrong he was. It was probably too much to say that I could trust Luke with Daisy's life, but when it came to that, Luke came through."

Glenn found himself remembering things that hadn't occurred to him: the widely-publicized rape/murder of popular high-school student Jill Denison, Peter's charge with the murder, Peter's exoneration followed by Bikini Beach's transformation of him to Ruth, his own complete forgetting of Peter, Timothy Anderson as the suspect, Glenn's own challenge of Grandmother with Peter/Ruth's family, Anderson's release on bail, his murder, and the arrest of the actual murderer -- followed by everything changing. More recent memories included Peter as Ruth for a few weeks, followed by Peter and Ruth switching back and forth.

Ellen's head was in her arms on the desk. She was weeping. "Oh, Ellen!" said Glenn, all distressed now. Glenn put his arms around her, and she rose to cry on his shoulder.

"That day you went to Bikini Beach... and Glinda returned home that night. I discovered that my entire life was all a lie. Just before we went to bed, I was terrified that Glinda would disappear from my life, and I would completely forget her. And sure enough, she disappeared, and I forgot her." She bawled out some more. "You have no idea what it is for a woman to raise a child from birth, only to have that child disappear on you forever -- and to realize that you'd completely forgotten her."

Glenn patted her shoulder. "At least you remember now. And Glinda never disappeared. I was her, at least that afternoon and evening. And I still have some memories of Glinda's life before."

Grandmother said, "I think that both of you need the full summer's events, to understand Ruth and her significance -- and to remember how we met and interacted earlier. Peter remembers it all because the magic went wrong when he returned here and became Ruth again. Luke's Ruth remembers nothing before Tracy Miura's change. Daisy has hints of the memories. Nobody else does outside of Bikini Beach.

"It was a dark time in general, but for Peter's Ruth in particular, as well as the victims and their relatives and friends. As you probably remember now, Peter suffered pretty much every sin you associate with me and my practice at Bikini Beach, and I'm very sorry for it. That time has been shifted away, and I wish it to remain so."

"That means that Jill Denison is alive now? And Timothy Anderson?" asked Glenn.

"Yes, they're both alive and well now," answered Grandmother. "However, Tim has been transformed. As far as most are concerned, Tim doesn't exist and has never existed."

"One last thing," she continued. "Mrs. Matsumoto, you'll be able to say your former male name."

"Thank you very much," said Ellen. "Grandmother, it's confession time. Shortly after I gave birth to Daisy, I began a program of martial arts training. I'd done martial arts while growing up as Alan, and even managed to get a black belt in karate. Thankfully, as Ellen, I'd gone to a girls boarding high-school, and earned my black belt there.

"My reason for restarting martial arts? Well, getting my figure back was the excuse I initially gave, but some time later, I started another level of training involving speed, stealth, invisibility at night, and avoiding notice in general, and even a certain type of hypnotism. Dark stuff, although completely non-magical -- similar to the popular perception of the ninja. From Bikini Beach, I knew that magic existed, so I thought to learn to cover my secret thoughts with surface thoughts. I also trained as a private investigator.

"My reason? My long-term goal was to take revenge on you by the time I turned thirty. I dropped that goal several years back, when I found myself fighting more immediate crime. Now, when you saved my daughter's life, I'm so sorry for thinking bad about you and plotting revenge." Ellen started crying again.

"I'm ... speechless," said Grandmother.

A moment later she said, "You still have your jobs to do. Ruth and Daisy need both of you, as well as Peter, and Carol. Daisy is still highly frightened at her own brush with death, Ruth and Peter's Ma can't console her, hard as she tries; she thinks it was only a nightmare.

"Ruth will also need you and her friends. The enormity and irrevocability of what she did is going to hit her hard, and Daisy won't be able to console her. And her Ma in particular's going to want to kill her for causing her so much worry in disappearing. We may have to restore both parents' memories of Luke, Peter, and the old Ruth.

"One last thing about Daisy. I think you know that she resists reality shifts. She is a latent mage, and her abilities have been appearing and growing rather fast over the summer, because of the magic surrounding her and influencing her. She needs training, and she may attract mages of all sorts, including evil ones who would control her or train her in the dark arts. It would be best if you found a trustworthy mage to apprentice her to."

Grandmother turned to Ellen. "This may be your department, Mrs. Matsumoto. You may be able to search out and investigate mages." She turned back to both. "Now off, both of you, and do your duty."

Both Ellen and Glenn said their good-byes and departed.

"Anya, please come in," said Grandmother.

"Grandmother," said Anya. "I'm not certain the wild magic is settled. It may simply be that in this new reality, Luke never visited Bikini Beach, so Peter never came and changed to Ruth, and the magic is still out there to be triggered."

Grandmother said, "Confound-it, Anya, I hope you're wrong." A moment's pause, and she continued, "Poor Daisy... poor Luke... poor Ruth." After another pause, "Hold me, Anya; I need a good cry." Tears began flowing.

Outside, Ellen tiptoed away from the door.

        Returning Home After Luke's Change

Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto drove Peter, Carol, and me home. Despite the phone-call home, I was dreading more and more Ma and Pa's reaction to my running off. Peter could tell..

"Don't worry, Luke, Ruth," he said. "We'll all back you up when we get home. Right, Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto?"

"Right," answered Mr. Matsumoto.

Peter continued, "Ma and Pa won't lay a finger on you -- if they know what's good for them."

We sat in silence for a while, as Mr. Matsumoto continued the drive home. Then Mr. Matsumoto said, "Whenever I thought of it, I always told myself, I'd do anything to keep Daisy safe. I never thought in terms of sacrificing someone else for Daisy, and I hope I wouldn't have sacrificed you, Luke. But you faced the situation, and you simply did it, what I'd always vowed to do. First, you work and endanger yourself, to take Daisy with you to escape the snakes, when you could have escaped and left her to them. Then, you went and changed yourself so that Daisy would live."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto were openly crying again, and Mr. Matsumoto had to pull over to the side and stop the car for a few minutes.

We continued in more silence for a few minutes. Peter eventually broke the silence: "You've come a long way, Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto."

"In what way, may I ask?" said Mrs. Matsumoto.

"You started out loathing and hating Bikini Beach and Grandmother, and now you've reached at least some kind of truce with Grandmother, if not a sort of friendship."

We drove past Daisy's house. Several police cars and pest removal vans were there, and yellow tape surrounded the entire house, including the front yard and the backyard fence, labeling that a crime scene. Several police officers were there, along with pest-removal workers dressed in full-body suits.

I freaked out and nearly threw up when I saw the remains of two rattlesnakes being carried out. I had to lower the window and stick my head out, before I managed to hold back the vomit.

Mr. Matsumoto continued to our house. We all got out and walked up to the door. I stayed behind Peter, afraid of encountering Ma and Pa. I was amazed, thinking back to my time as Lucy, at how I became totally unscared of the wrath or punishment of Ma and Pa.

Peter rang the doorbell and opened the door. As we all entered, he shouted, "Ma, Pa, we're home!"

Pa stood up, an astonishingly huge, tall, monstrous, menacing Pa -- pretty much as I'd forgotten from my childhood as Luke. And he was approaching, the fury plain in his eyes. "Ruth, do you know how--"

"Ruth!" Daisy appeared at the top of the stairs, and dashed down, almost tripping, and ran to me. No longer did she appear a little girl. She was now my size. I realized that I was a little girl now. She glommed tightly onto me, and I held her hard as well. She was truly alive!

"Oh, Luke! You changed yourself to save me from the rattlesnakes!" She burst out crying, and I held her hard, unable to help crying myself.

"Luke-- Ruth, let us have our turn with Daisy, please," said Mr. Matsumoto. Mrs. Matsumoto was crying as she picked up Daisy and held her hard to her shoulder. "Oh Daisy, you're alive!" Mr. Matsumoto crowded in front of Mrs. Matsumoto, trying to hold her as well.

Meanwhile, Peter, also a giant, stepped in front of me, shielding me from the furious giants Ma and Pa. "Ma, Pa, we already told you, Ruth and I left because of an emergency. You'll never believe what happened -- it sounds crazy -- but Pa, you'd better believe what I told you over the phone."

Ma closed in on both of us. "Pa doesn't know, but remember that I went to Bikini Beach several times, including the photoshoot. And Pa does know about Daisy's nightmares and the snakes at your house." She looked up at the Matsumotos. "Dan, there's a good reason why both you and Daisy called Ruth, Luke. And why Daisy said Ruth or Luke changed herself -- himself? -- to save Daisy. You all went to Bikini Beach and got Luke a lifetime membership."

I worked up the nerve, and moved out from behind Peter. "Ma, I ran off by myself from the hospital to Bikini Beach, because I knew with Ruth here, she'd be away from the rattlesnakes."

"And--" began both Mr. Matsumoto and Peter. "Go ahead, Peter," said Mr. Matsumoto.

"I figured out what Luke was up to, and the rest of us left for Bikini Beach in a vain effort to get there before he could ruin his life."

"And you would have quarreled and fought over who would change," I said to both of them.

Daisy let out a whimper, and Mrs. Matsumoto took her in her arms. "You're safe now, thanks to Bikini Beach and Luke's self-sacrifice." She was weeping softly.

Carol actually did cry. I stepped over to hug her, and she lifted me up and held me tight. "Carol, I'm still Luke in here... and Lucy... I think." I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her cheek.

Daisy scrambled down from Mrs. Matsumoto's arms. "Let's go downstairs!" She grabbed Peter's hand. "You too, Carol and Luke-Ruth." Carol appeared about to carry me down, when I decided I could walk as well and slid down. Peter and I both took her hand. Ma began following us, when Mr. Matsumoto said, "Let them talk and play by themselves, Erin."

Downstairs, Carol said, "It will sound weird if you accidentally call her Luke-Ruth, Daisy."

Daisy giggled. "She's right, Ruth." She turned serious. "Ruth is still in you, Peter, but now you're Ruth too, Luke, a different Ruth. Luke is still in you. We'll still be best friends, right? Like before when you were Luke."

"Best friends forever!" I couldn't help giggling.

We talked some more, and at one point I said, "Really hope that I never lose my Bikini-Beach friends. They're still Carol's age, but five years older than me."

I also learned that I was in Daisy's fourth-grade class. That would be nice.

That evening, we found out that Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto found an motel with an inexpensive weekly rate, and Daisy would stay with us, until their house was cleaned out and freed by the police.

        Monday, September 22

This was my first day in fourth grade as Ruth.

Daisy and I were dressed for school and had just finished eating breakfast, when the front door opened and both Carol and Peter entered. "We're going to walk with you to school, partway, the way you did with Daisy and me," said Peter. "If you don't mind, that is."

"Great, great!"

So Peter and Carol walked with us until the turn-off point, where Daisy and I went on to the elementary school and Peter and Carol continued to high school.

I wasn't too surprised to find school harder than I expected.

Carol joined us for dinner that night as well. Peter was preparing to depart for Pacific Tech the next day, and we wouldn't be able to see him again until Christmas.

        Tuesday, September 23

Carol and Peter again walked with us partway to school. This was going to be the last we saw of Peter.

On the way, Peter had some serious things to say. "Primarily you, Ruth, because Daisy knows a bit of it. But Daisy should hear, too. And Carol."

Peter paused before continuing. "There's hope for you yet, Luke. Not only a hope but also a danger. Someone, somewhere -- may be Bikini Beach, may be someone else -- may perform a reality-shift that prevents the snake attack. You remain Luke. The danger is that it might occur after you've made many new friends, and done many new things -- and then lose it all. You forget everything, including all your new friends."

"That's such a sad thing," I said, even as hope arose that I might become Luke again.

Peter paused, then continued, "Sometimes I wonder. The Universe is a big place, with possibly hundreds of billions of stars in our own galaxy, and billions of galaxies. Perhaps every few seconds, a mage somewhere in the Universe causes a reality-shift that changes everything we're doing and everything we've done. We only remember the current reality, which shifts every few seconds."

That was a sobering, scary thought. We walked in silence for a little. Then Peter said, "I'm sorry I can't be the kind of big brother for you that you were for me when I was Ruth."

"Aww, that's okay," I said. "I have Daisy with me."

"I had Daisy, too. And you and Carol. You won't remember, although Daisy might. As Ruth the first time, I almost ruined my friendship with Daisy. You saved it."

I didn't remember, of course, but they'd mentioned it before.

Daisy said, "I think that's when I began to fall in love with Luke. Before, he was just there -- Peter's kid brother and Ruth's big brother." I couldn't help blushing at that point. "He comforted my crying, and then played with me."

"As I've always said as Ruth, you're the best big brother in the world," Peter said. "And I'm sure, if there's any need for it, you'll become the best baby sister in the world."

Baby sister? Is that how Peter thinks of me now? I couldn't help fuming for the moment.

"Still the best friend in the world," said Daisy.

"I most sincerely hope that it won't be necessary, but if push ever comes to shove, you'll come through. And I'm sure Carol will be there for you as well."

We stopped at the turn-off point. "I guess this is good-bye. I'll see you both at Christmas Vacation. We leave for the airport in about two hours." Peter lifted both of us up, one in each arm. We hugged him hard, and Daisy kissed Peter's cheek. All three of us had tears in our eyes, as Peter let us down and Carol looked on.

"Good-bye both of you," said Peter.

"Good-by, Peter," said both of us. Peter turned, and the last I saw of him was walking off with Carol and holding her hand.

"At least we have each other, and other nice friends," said Daisy. "Peter won't have anyone until he makes new friends." We took each other's hand and turned and entered the schoolgrounds.

        Seeing Peter off to College

PETER HAD SAID his good-byes earlier to Carol, Luke-Ruth, and Daisy, who were now at school. Now he was at the airport saying good-bye to Ma and Pa, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto.

Even as he was shaking Peter's hand and wishing him the best for college, Glenn was considering his family's living options in the longer run. Currently, he and Ellen were staying in the hotel room he'd rented for the week after the rattlesnake attack.

Should they move back into their house after the police release it as a crime scene, with all the rattlesnakes removed and the place sanitized? Should they move to another house or condominium or apartment? Or should they leave the city, flee, and go into hiding?

Bikini Beach's Grandmother said that the rattlesnakes were teleported into the house. That being the case, Glenn had no way of independently investigating the attack, and he didn't see how Ellen could either. Glenn would have to leave it up to Grandmother to discover the mage who'd done it, unless he could find and hire another mage. Maybe the mage would take Daisy as apprentice as well.

Peter's Ma and Pa both shook Peter's hand, and Ellen shook his hand too, and then surprised Peter by reaching up and kissing Peter's cheek. Peter went wide-eyed and blushed, his jaw dropped for just a moment; then he got himself back under control.

"I'll call when I arrive," said Peter, as he entered the line for security.

The four adults stayed and watched him as he progressed through the line. They continued to watch until Peter made it through security, and then turned to depart.

Two men in police uniforms approached. One opened his wallet, showing his identification as a police officer. The officer also pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "Glenn and Ellen Matsumoto?"

"Yes?" answered Glenn and Ellen simultaneously.

The officer handed Glenn the sheet of paper, saying, "This is a warrant for the arrest of both of you." Glenn skimmed over it; it looked correct, and it had the signature of a judge whom he recognized. He passed the sheet to Ellen. "It's for the rattlesnake attack."

"Very well, officer," Glenn said. "Dan, Erin, please contact Darline and inform her of our arrest. Have her retain a defense attorney, preferably Jonathon Smith."

The officers handcuffed both Ellen and Glenn, and led them to a police wagon waiting outside.

Dan and Erin watched in shocked silence as their friends, Daisy's parents, were led away in handcuffs. Dan was thankful that Peter, having passed through security, was oblivious to this latest turn of events.