Emily mulled over which mode and setting to choose, but ultimately couldn’t decide. For simplicity’s sake she selected the first mode ‘Blend In’ with the first setting so that the subject would blend into the environment. “Whatever that meant.” The brunette thought to herself.
“Alright, who are we changing first!?” Rick asked, a little too excited to completely change a stranger’s life.
“Hold on, I’m still looking.” Replied Emily as she scanned the mall for a potential victim. She eventually spotted a middle-aged businessman walking down the main part of the mall. He was carrying he briefcase in one hand while talking on the phone in his other.
“I’m telling you Sean, you need to get those documents done now or it’ll be too late.” She overheard him saying. Emily readied the camera and took the photo.
*FLASH*
Emily lowered the camera to inspect the man’s transformation, but was a little perplexed as to what he became. In his place was now a gorgeous, young woman clearly on a shopping day out. She wore a designer dress in place of the man’s suit and the briefcase was replaced by bags of purchased clothing items. It was almost as if the man transformed into the exact type of person the mall catered towards.
“I’m telling you Sarah, you need to get shopping while the sale’s still on or it’ll be too late.” Even the man’s conversation had changed to something a typical mall-goer would talk about.
“Rick… did you see that?” Emily queried.
“...Yeah,” He replied, sharing his girlfriend’s confusion. “That seemed strangely more controlled than the last few transformations.”
Intrigued, Emily searched again for another target. This time settling on two 10 year old boys walking past a book store, one was caucasian while the other was clearly ethnic.
*FLASH*
Again, Emily was fascinated by what the camera had transformed them into. The young boys were now teenage girls, both nerdy enough that you could tell they were into books. The caucasian boy was now a petite girl wearing a nice dress while the dark skinned boy was now a curvy, if not a little chubby teenager in a nice blouse and skirt. Emily now watched the two girls stop and enter the store instead of walking by, browsing the selection and gushing with each other about their favourite ones. Eventually, the two left and began walking past another store, this time; a sports store. Emily decided on one more test photo.
*FLASH*
One more time, the camera dished out another pre arranged transformation to the targets. The petite girl was now back to being a man, albeit now older and significantly more fit. The black girl was still a woman but now had a toned, fit body, having lost the weight from her previous transformation. She too had aged up into an adult and was now clinging tightly to the man beside her. The two were clearly now a couple.
As the newly minted fit, athletic couple walked past the store, it all clicked for Emily. The camera BLENDS IN the subjects by transforming them into what best fits the surrounding area.
“That’s so COOL how it does that!” Rick exclaimed. “Now that it’s not random anymore, imagine the fun we can have now!”
Now that she knew the power of the camera could be controlled to a degree, Emily felt less uncomfortable about using the artifact and came up with an idea for some fun.
“Hey Rick…” She started.
“Yeah babe?” His attention was still on the fit couple who were now making out as if nothing changed.
“I’ve got an idea for some fun, you in?”
“Uh huh, yeah.”
“Great. How about we go to some stores… and take some photos of ourselves!”
“Sounds- Wait what!?” Hearing that last bit snapped Rick back to his senses. “W-why would we ever do that!?”
“You’ve seen what this function does, it can transform people in a more methodical, less chaotic way. I thought why not use it on us outside of a storefront and see how it thinks it’ll change us to better fit the store!” Emily explained with enthusiasm.
“But what if it changes into something bad!? Or worse, we can’t change back! I know you changed me back earlier, but that was more of a fluke.”
“Settle down big guy, I’ve thought this through! If we want to change back, we can just go back home, take a photo of ourselves there and BAM! Back to good ol’ Emily and Rick!”
Rick was relieved hearing that last part, but still felt uneasy about the plan. “Alright babe, I’ll do it, but only for you.” He decided.
“Thanks Ricky! You won’t regret it.” Emily said as she gave Rick a little “thank you” kiss. “And who knows, we might even come out better because of it!”
“So, what store did you have in mind?” Rick queried.