"Hey sis, I'll be right back okay?" Katie said.
Kelly nodded. "Okay, I'm going to go to the arcade."
Katie moved away and down the mall concourse, down to the piercing place where her desire to grow up had really begun. Standing outside it she stared up at the sign. Here she'd stood with her mother, here she'd passed through and gotten her ears pierced. Reaching up, she touched her ears, the clasps within them. It was that little girl inside who had wanted pierced ears that started all this. But now the growing curious side wanted something more...unique.
Stepping inside she approached the desk. To her surprise Tiffany was still there. "Can I help you?" The young girl asked. Katie giggled to remember growing this little sprig up just so that her mom would be comfortable. Of course, she wouldn't remember that or recognize her now..
"Yes, I think I want another piercing, something...descreet."
"Ah, well we have any number of them, please step back here."
Katie followed her to the back, away from the public area. There were pictures of piercings all over the body. Some upon areas that made katie cringe to think about, despite all her desire. She at last settled on one picture. It seemed to speak to her. "There, that one. I want my belly button pierced."
"Alright. Do you have a fitting?"
Katie pondered a moment. In all honesty, she wanted the ring to be there. It was thin enough after all, and it would be much harder to lose or be removed than it was on her finger. The question was would it still work. "Well even if it doesn't I can always still put it on my finger." She reasoned in her mind.
She took her fingers, and as the ring slid away, she felt the tingle. The ring reached out to her, sensing that it was all right, that she was safe. There was a moment's hesitation in giving it to a perfect stranger, such an awesome power. But she was feeling daring. "This please, but be very careful, Its .... something very precious to me."
"All right, have a seat and we'll get started."
Katie's heart was beating past over the next many minutes. She wondered if the girl would discover the ring, if something would go wrong. Even as there was a pinch of pain, her thought only was on the ring...and as she felt the cool metal slip upon this intimate place she could feel the ring's only thought was of her. The ring was essential now....to her, and she to it. It wasn't totally aware, not a living being, not yet...but with each wish, it was becoming moreso and a more a part of her.
As the ring settled she looked down. The gold clasp was firm in her belly button now, and could be easily removed once it healed, or worn again.
"That should do it," Tiffany said. "Why don't I take you up and get you paid out."
"Oh of course." Katie said almost absentmindedly. Her thoughts raced as she forked over the cash and hurried outside. She felt a need, a yearning to try it out. "Something definitive."