"Wait," Hannah asked. "If there was a Catalyst BEFORE Darren, why aren't we all chicken opera singers or something... or is us being paranoid naked apes their idea of an ideal world?" Hannah added the last part shuddering a bit.
"The... previous Catalyst wasn't able to finish their work... Now Darren will have to come up with his own vision. And to that end, Darren, I'd like you to use the rings on Steven."
"WHAT?!" Steven gasped, Darren took a step back.
"Since it was Steven's idea that brought you here, he can be your test subject for your powers here. So you can figure out your vision more easily, and understand your power better... and perhaps, appreciate that you'll be REMAKING THE LIVES of those you change. Giving up what they are, for what you decide they'll have always been instead. That's easier to do with a stranger, than it is with a friend, someone you know."
+++
"Mom, dad, why are you all talking so weird?" Sachiko asked.
The couple startled. They'd... they'd forgotten Sachiko was standing right next to them. By Yuriko giving them memories of the original timeline... it had muddled their memories of THIS timeline... and muddled their memories of their own child. Both Akira and Ayami appreciate what Darren had done for them, more than Darren could possibly imagine... but it also meant being denied clear memories of their lifetime with Sachiko and dulling the experience and adjustment they'd had as parents. Ayami knew why Yuriko had done this. She wanted them in the know, and to appreciate what Darren had done for them... but it had come at a cost.
"They're just being weird Sachiko, wanna convince some surly teens the camp grounds are haunted again?" Rexie quickly asked.
"Okay auntie!" Sachiko said distracted for the moment. Rexie herself felt her memories of Sachiko muddled, when before they'd been a natural part of her before Darren had made them aware of the changes... Sachiko blissfully unaware her parents and auntie weren't quiet the people she remembered them being all her life.
Ayami also remembered she'd been a demoness turned by Jack rather than becoming an angel thanks to his ex-wife (in a former life)... it felt odd, since her other memories had her friendship with Rexie has part of the reason why the two sides had ceased fighting... But that was nothing. Maybe she should ask Yuriko to make her memories with Sachiko dominant.
+++
Steven sighed. "Fine! It's not like I can say no. I'd say 'don't turn me into anything unnatural' but I know that's a lost cause since anything you turn me into will BE what's natural." Steven straightened up, showing stunning courage, even if inside he was screaming a little. He was proud for not peeing his pants. He cursed making that stupid dare! ... Lesson learned? He guessed. Darren wasn't the only kid who want to be popular with their peers. "Come on! Give me your WORST! Go all out! Go wild! I know you wanna! I double dog dare ya!"
Yuriko coughed. "Normally the changes wrought by the Catalyst are irreversible, even by other magic users, since what is changed never was, and is, has always been. But as the owner of Spells R Us, I hold a special imprint of what came before. As a law, I am not to judge any transformation you do, unless the result is a soulless shell or a form that is obviously suffering. So unlike most, I can reverse any changes you make to Steven's existence."
Darren meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, how many of Steven's stupid dares had Darren gone along for? Nearly being bitten by an angry dog when dared to get a ball back. Needing help out of a sand pit after falling off a plank of wood he'd been dared to talk across... Steven had been the one to introduce him some of the crazier things he'd seen on the internet. Steven double dog dared him to do his worst? Fine! He'd give him his worst!
Steven stood at attention. He grew larger and taller, but even as he did, his chest ballooned out, and his hips widened, his figure becoming obviously female. But the changes were far from done. Steven's skin turning smooth and shinny like plastic, her eyes became large and doll like. Her hair turned shiny silver. Her ears became obviously plastic,purposely made to not look real, and moved to the top of her head as little triangles. Then her clothes vanished, but her body was covered in bright silver fur that gave the illusion of long gloves and shocks and a one piece swimsuit. Her hands and feet resembled paws (complete with plastic claws), and a wolf's tail emerging from her rear. Yuriko noted the droid had no nipples or belly button, and was completely smooth between her legs.
"So are you going to change Stephanie?" Hannah asked.
"Patience Hannah," Stephanie. "He can take however much time he wants!"
Darren realized looking at his hand he'd lost a scar he'd gotten from one of Steven's more risky 'tests of manhood' involving a chain link fence.
Yuriko checked, Steven, or rather now, Stephanie's soul was still fully intact in spite of now having always been custom made and ordered in a maid-droid factory workshop.
Darren breathed in and out. "Steph', let me check your memories. how did I get you? And how did I get the rings?"
"Oh, I was ordered custom built by a Gary Loyds, the comic shop owner. Nice guy, but he needs to exercise me. He eventually offered to 'free' me!" The droid wolf laughed. "He'd seen to many animes! Free? Ha! Serving humans is what I exist for! You eventually offered to buy me for pocket change when Gary eventually ordered a more advanced bubbly red-head fox droid instead!" A flash of jealous was clear on Steph's face. "We had to explain to your parents I am NOT a, well, not built that way! Thankfully your parents let me help around the house now. They could appreciate more how I'm programmed with an encyclopedia's worth of comic books info! I still think the Superhero League silver age comics are fun to read unironically. As for the rings... Crystal battered her eyes at you... after I finally convinced you to, ya know, TALK TO HER, (and maybe pushed you a little) and wanted you to see if there was any magic in the witch's house... guess she was right if you teacher really wasn't always a kid like you, but I really can't see it. She seems happy enough to me."
Yuriko said, "Yes, to prevent a paradox, no matter what changes are made, you'll have always found the rings."
"Wait wait wait, you've already made changes?" Steph asked, obviously confused.
Hannah herself was confused, but then asked, "So who was Steph before and how did she get you inside the house instead of Crystal?"
Darren said, "... A few seconds ago, her name was Steven, she was a human our age, and he dared me to go in there in front of Crystal... I hadn't spoken to her."
"Sounds like a dumbbell," Hannah said.
"Well," Steph said, "I'm sure happy I don't remember being that person then! I LIKE who I am!" Then her doll eyes widened. And felt an emotion in her circuits she hadn't since Darren's father had suggested giving her away to the old folk's home. She remembered Yuriko's speech about 'undoing' things. She quickly turned towards the elderly supreme sorceress and waved her arms frantically. "WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! I! I can calculate what you're thinking!" She laughed a bit nervously. "Ya said Darren's supposed to turn people into other things that are happier right? I'm super duper happy! And I'm fine not having old-me's memories! So uh... can you PLEASE not um, 'undo' me?"
Yuriko was silent for several minutes. If Steph had sweat glands she'd be sweating bullets.
"Lesson learned Darren? Those you create are as real as those you transformed them from. I can't be expected to clean up every mistake you make. But as the Catalyst, it'll be your job to call if the lives of those you change, and those connected to them, are happier in their new existence."
Step got on knees in front of Darren. "You... you like me right Darren? We're like family. You said we were. You won't just... unmake me to bring back the me who was here before right?"
Darren looked into Steph's eyes. And shuddered. "I won't."
Steph fell back on her tail. "Thank the Creator!"
Yuriko admitted this was unexpected, she wondered if Steph having a soul was the reason she valued her own existence so much, or if it was normal for maid-droids (with magic, she'd never had a reason to buy one). Steph's fear of being unmade did indeed suggest her existence was a happy one.