FLASH
“Sorry Em. I know I said I didn’t wanna take any more pictures, but I really just wanted to use the camera.” Rachel apologised to her friend.
“It’s alright, Rach.” Emiko responded, readjusting her glasses. “I’d just like a warning next time if you’re gonna take a photo with me in it.”
Rachel put the camera down on the table and the two continued eating their meals; a simple salad for Rachel and some sushi for Emiko. While they did, the camera whirred and hummed as it finished making it’s change to reality. Rachel and Emiko were now recognised as the default forms of the camera’s latest victims, effectively erasing their chances of returning to any of their previous forms.
Emiko herself was beginning to question reality as well. Why were they at the food court? She couldn’t remember walking here with Rachel at all! Emiko remembered she had been staying up late recently to get some exam study in, so she chalked up her brain fade to tiredness.
Half an hour later, the girls had returned to shopping... at least Rachel had. As she shopped for some new running shoes, Emiko began inspecting the old polaroid they had in their possession. Having used one before, Emiko knew the features a normal polaroid would have, but this one had some weird additions. Awareness? Reality Change? The teen was smart enough to deduce that this camera was no ordinary one.
Emiko toggled the Awareness setting to ‘User Only’ and moved the camera up to her face to see if the picture would come out differently. She aimed it at a blond, muscular man and pressed the button.
FLASH
She inspected the freshly produced photo, only to find no blond man! In his place, Emiko was surprised to find a busty latina instead, acting as if nothing ever happened. This camera could change reality!
“Rach! Rach! Did you see that guy by the treadmills get transformed?” Emiko pestered her friend.
Rachel stopped what she was doing and looked over. Nothing seemed amiss, just the same latina as when they walked in.
“Em, what are you talking about? That latina has been there since we walked in. I haven’t seen a guy walk by the treadmills at all.”
“I used the camera to change him into a latina. It’s magic! How about you try it and take a picture of her yourself?” Emiko asked, handing her the camera.
Rachel took the camera. She thought Emiko was trying to imitate one of her anime shows she likes to watch. She then took a picture of the latina.
FLASH
Instead of seeing the latina in the photo, like she expected, she saw a balding old guy in her place.
“Oh my God! Emiko, that latina turned into an old guy!” Rachel exclaimed.
Emiko looked over to the treadmills. Try as she might, she couldn’t remember anyone else being there other than the old guy. She did remember the camera could change people and thought it might have something to do with that.
“See Rachel? What’d I tell you.” Affirmed Emiko.
Rachel’s mind was racing with the possibilities of the camera. Then she thought about Emiko. She adored her friendship with the asian but she always wondered what it would be like if Emiko loved sports like she did. She always wanted a training partner like that and this camera could finally give her that. It’d also be easier finding a boyfriend without a nerd cramping her space.
Emiko was also thinking along the same lines. She was glad to have Rachel as a friend but she would much rather prefer her to have similar interests like anime and other pop culture hobbies. That and it would be much simpler if Rachel would do her homework herself rather than give it to Emiko to polish it up.