While Al's dad and Becca were in the machines, he waited patiently next to Vicky. She in turn read the pamphlet detailing people who chose to stay as their new selves after their vacation.
"Are you planning on staying as a guy?" Al asked casually.
"What?" Vicky wrinkled her nose. "No, of course not."
"Then why are you so interested in it?" He continued.
Vicky looked up from the pamphlet. "Have you ever swapped sexes?" She asked. Al shook his head. "Neither have I. Yet both of our parents work for a company that mass produces the parts that make this possible." She looked at her little sister Justine who was running around a jungle gym that was prepared for younger kids. "My sister is going to grow up in a very different world than us. Did you know it's projected that the by the time she is my age, everyone in her age group will have swapped once? Meanwhile,statistics says that only 20% of your grade has used it. The world is changing, how am I not supposed to find it intriguing?"
She held up the pamphlet for Al to see. "Do you know how many people in this pamphlet was Trans? Zero, because everyone who was changed before without going on a vacation. Why change permanently if gender identity wasn't a factor? There are many reports of people who tried out the other sex as a lark and their mind changing to identify with their new bodies. What is gender identity in a world where we can switch as we please? Why can some people adapt and others were formerly trapped in the wrong body? Both our parents work for this company and you never questioned it?"
Al looked at her. "I'm 16. I'm mostly too tired of questions from school to ask my own."
Vicky rolled her eyes. "So boring. I'm looking forward to this as an eye opening experience. Personally, I'm curious if I'm one of the ones who can adapt or if it will just feel wrong to me. Which do you think you are?"
Al thought about it. "Its probably going to feel wrong. I've been dreading it since my parents forst mentioned it so, yeah. The fact I have to go to school as a girl makes it all the worse but dad was so excited by the idea that I couldn't say no."
There was a ding announcing that their parents were finished. "I think you mean mom now." Vicky said cheerily. "Don't over think it." She paused for a moment. "Also let me know of anyone at school gives you crap about it and I'll handle it."
Al looked at her. "Really."
"Sure." She smiled. "Isn't it a big brother's job to protect his little sister?" With that she stood up and went towards the machine.
As his mom Laura and his step-dad Bob exited the machine, Al took his place in the second machine. Despite any misgivings he wanted the new marriage to work and apparently there have been success in this method of introducing kids together so he would give it a try. Al took a deep breath as the door closed knowing he would be Allie when they opened.
A new world and a big adventure sailing the world awaited him when she awoke.