Mystery Lake

  [53] First Date

  Watching the transformation in Eugene was fascinating. Miranda and Alyssa had gone in willingly, but it was like a magic trick where they plunged beneath the surface and two new people came up. Chiara's change was an awkward dunk transition, and Joel hadn't really witnessed it well because he was playing to his own ego at the time.

  Eugene shrank, but nowhere near as much as Joel. It was a relatively subtle reshuffling of form. His facial hair was the first part to be clearly annihilated beneath the mask. His broad, puffy swath of gray hair actually receded into a face-tracing, drenched bob cut. His jeans slipped slightly, and his already loose and billowing hippie tie-dye top swarmed in all directions around his slimming form. His broad, simple, manly shape dipped and crested at new points of softness and protrusion.

  She had boobs, which probably should've gone without saying, although Roxy, with her underplayed features, wasn't going to say that that was a given. Her face retained clear traces of inspiration from the man she had once been. And she was clearly her mother's daughter, from her presence to her overall look. All that was needed was for Eugene to see Riley. The new girl pulled her mask off and plucked the plugs from her ears.

  Riley opened her silver eyes and skeptically fluttered her peepers around the room. Her mouth dipped a little bit, then more and more as she gazed down at her form, nervously standing in the foot bath. The shaking had calmed down, but she still looked unsteady and like someone receiving dental treatment and trying to remember how to exist in newly unfamiliar ways. She softly burped and apologized in a voice carrying the shape and cadence of Eugene's familiar format, but soft and light while remaining in the same range. Eugene's words, but naturally twisted into a girl's presence.

  She seemed so young, even with metal-toned hair. Her mood was sharply rejuvenated and as airy as her voice. Shifting slowly, she gripped the nearest table and lifted her legs out of the containment area. Some of the water remained, but it was sublimating the same as in other instances. Where it clung to her skin and clothes, all that remained as saturated as they had been with their encounters. Another little tidbit of evidence to add to their observations.

  The old lady offered up tie-dyed clothes similar to what Eugene wore but in her size and style. Mother and daughter were now similar in height and shape, with Riley maybe having a little more bust than her mom. The energy and animation in Eugene's presence were like flipping on a switch that had been long neglected in his soul. The new girl moved, shifted, stood, and presented herself as if she would never get enough of just standing there and existing with quiet delight. She didn't even mind how much she accidentally flashed the rest of them. Her mom provided a buffer as she absent-mindedly changed. At this point, everyone had seen, known, and understood plenty of bodies and shapes.

  Riley shifted, darted, and wobbled with Layla-like ambitions. She desperately needed a restroom break and wanted to ask for a chaperone. Roxy volunteered because she felt like she had been the one to push her the most on this journey. Riley practically became like Roxy's second, oversized daughter as she clung to her protectively along the way. The gurgles murmured on and had plenty more to say, even though it sounded like their voices had also been altered.

  Roxy led her to the door, but the girl had to go in by herself. That should've been plenty, but she snuck inside briefly before swinging around and pleading with Roxy to come with her.

  Oh, for fucks sake. She wasn't even a natural girl. Her experience level amounted to just these last 24 hours of fumbling around and not knowing anything. Riley's actual biological mom should be here. She was nearby but standing around as a backup or a supplement. What was Roxy supposed to do? If it was a case of finding someone with recent experience, then Miranda should've been picked. She and Eugene seemed to have a similar mindset about all this. They would probably gel together so much better. But Roxy got picked for this. Somehow.

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  She wasn't just gonna wuss out, though. She persisted through her life, getting splashed away, facing off against unknown creatures, and all sorts of strange situations. Doing the deed was a relatively simple matter for Riley. She shivered as though the seat were a glacier, and all the clothes around her weren't nearly enough to combat the icebox. Roxy looked around the bathroom and snagged the biggest, heaviest, fluffiest-looking towel to wrap Riley in.

  The girl pulled it close and then unleashed a second round, which persisted like she had eaten something wrong even though she clearly just had the best creations from Maggie. Was there really something in the water that made her sick? Maybe it was a protection granted to them, but not anyone else exposed to it… At least with humans exposed to it. She was careful that she didn't get any in her openings, but then maybe it was more of a pore thing. Roxy lamented the fact that the poor guy had been trying to put together the courage to do this one thing, and he immediately got punished for it. It wasn't fair. That pissed her off.

  Riley's soft cheek felt flush when Roxy checked it. The girl practically creaked as she slowly positioned herself to wipe her new nether regions. Roxy summoned whatever she could wield to strengthen the shaky girl. It didn't matter if she caught this damn fairy plague herself; she was going to make sure Riley was taken care of.

  Maybe it wasn't even caused by the water across her body, despite how soon this arose after splashing herself. This could've come from those unknown gifts. Overt monsters weren't working, so they could have gone for insidious ones, like tainted blankets or whatever real historical cruelty was. Human beings had plenty of time to concoct the darkest punishments, and who's to say their fantastical kin weren't taking notes? It could also be a normal stomach bug caused by something Eugene ate before they all partook in dinner.

  Roxy pitched the idea of it being something relatively benign like that, although still quite crummy. Riley cracked her neck as she finished with the toilet and gave a sloth-like shrug. At least her breathing seemed normal, despite some sniffling and sinus congestion. Roxy also had to remember that there were random illnesses out there without any supernatural cause. Eugene supported her wrists in the bowl while letting warm, comforting water rush over her. Poor girl, and she was so excited for all this.

  Lending Riley all the strength that she could spare, Roxy supported the new girl in the same way that Jake supported her after their crazy shower. They found their way back toward the kitchen, with everyone looking to check in on them. Riley gathered up her clear, strong breath and expressed in a cute girl croak that she was all right, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to make lunch.

  She had to contact Rydia and try to reschedule. She peered around for her phone before realizing it was wedged deep in her old pants. Roxy retrieved it for her, and Riley dragged her finger across it, not sure why it wasn't waking up. She eventually realized that her face and fingers were different, so she had to go with the password option instead. Once she was through that, the main page of the phone felt like an inscrutable mystery she couldn't quite decode. Her eyes drifted closed, and Roxy had to take the phone back before it fell on the floor.

  "My boobs hurt, but I'm happy they're here. Maybe I just need to work through a special penalty to be a good girl. Once I'm through it, then I'll be able to enjoy everything properly." Her words bordered on sleep-talking. Roxy wanted to fully support her, but the absolute weight of everything was too much and too awkward. Fortunately, Jake was right there to provide backup. Maggie lingered nearby and checked on her daughter as she was lifted by Jake like a princess and taken to the family bedroom area. The new girl groaned and strained for the pillow. Maggie took over and made sure she was positioned comfortably.

  Before she drifted off to sleep, Roxy explained, "I'll take care of everything with Rydia." Riley just gave a few faint nods before she started snoring.