Brad quietly sat in his room, staring blankly at the television. It was almost like he was watching another one of the tapes, but nothing was on the TV. Instead, Brad was lost in his thoughts about what he had learned today. One voice, in particular, kept surfacing in his mind. "Not so that his girlfriend will continue to suck his dick." Could he have just sold his soul for just that?
No, no, now was not the time to question his relationship with Janet. He should focus on other things, like that shopkeeper. The teen tried his hardest to think back to that day. He recalled how the shopkeeper hid his face and body with baggy clothes and bandages. Must have been to hide his true nature. Then there was that man who attacked Janet. Looking back, Brad didn't think too much of it, but now he wondered if that man was part of the shopkeeper's plan. Finally, there were the tapes he gave to him themselves. They were sold as fitness videos, so did that mean they gave fitness-related transformations? Considering what happened to himself and his Father, that would make the most sense. There was also the fact Brad was given so many tapes, A set of 10 of them. There was no reason for that shopkeeper to give him so many tapes unless he wanted the tapes' power to be spread. But why?
That was the million-dollar question now, wasn't it? Why did that shopkeeper want a bunch of muscle men? Did he have a fetish? Probably not... Maybe. Ugh, there really wasn't going to be an answer unless Janet finds the shopkeeper... or asked Vertael about it.
Speaking of which, Brad heard footsteps coming from the hall and the door to his Father's room close. Maybe it would be a good idea to check up on him. Especially if he had a tape too.
----------------------------
"Alright, drive safe, sweetie." After their quicky, Dirk's wife had to run out to do some errands, including buying dinner. So that means that Dirk had about an hour and a half to do whatever he wanted to do.
First things first, he had to get the tape he stored in his room, but while he was there, Dirk got distracted by the reflection he saw in the mirror. Damn, who was that handsome stud? Oh wait, that was him. The newly muscular father approached the mirror and flexed his biceps. They seemed bigger than they were this morning. Lifting up his shirt, Dirk ran his hand over his tight abs. God, Drik never had muscles and abs like these before, and it felt so good having them.
He was looking good, feeling good, and his sex life was even better, and he wanted more. Dirk had no idea how a videotape could give him a better body, but maybe it was for the best not to question it. After all, something that made him look and feel this good couldn't be bad... right? No, it wasn't, this was a gift, and he should share it. Maybe next time he should let his wife watch this tape alongside him, or maybe he could let some of the guys at work watch it as well. He had work off tomorrow, so he had time to visit some of his friends and make it back in time to work out with his son.
Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Alright, time to do what he planned to do. Dirk headed over to the Den, popped the tape in, and entered Vertael Dream hall, once again.
----------------------------
Brad had waited for Dirk to leave the room and then snuck into his parent's room when the coast was clear. Brad carefully searched through the room for a tape, but he didn't find anything. Could it be in the Den?
Brad sneakily exited his parent's room and peeked into the den. It was just a peek, one glance, but that was enough for Brad to see the TV where the tape was playing which caused him to enter the Dream Halls, as well.
"Welcome back, Fitness Traveler, to the Dream Halls..." Oh no, Brad remembered that voice. Just one glance was enough to send him here?
"I am your lovely host, Vertael..."
"W-wait!" Brad managed to cry out, interrupting Vertael. This could be his chance to get some answers. "Why are you doing this to us? Why does the shopkeeper want to do this to people?"
"Why? Because this is what my Master wants." No! Brad didn't expect a nonanswer, or at least he was desperate not for Vertael to give him one. Could it be that the shopkeeper purposely ordered the demon not to reveal any of his plans?
"B-but..." Brad stammered, already feeling the effects of the dream hall cloud his mind. "Surely you don't have to do it. Surely there's a way to free you from these tapes."
"Oh, sweetie," Vertael replied, "I'm not trapped in these tapes. These tapes act as a conduit so that fitness travelers like you can reach me. I am somewhere else. And as for freeing me, why should I trust a human to do something like that?"
Brad's stomach dropped when he heard what the demon had said. She was right. If she herself couldn't do it, then how could a mere mortal like himself... no surely there was a way!
"Besides, it's not good to leave a job unfinished. You are quite the willful mortal, aren't you? Yes, a strong desire for you to reach your goals no matter what lies within you. Yes, let us continue your path down the one of Bob Paris, with all that...eventually brings~!"
Bob Paris? Brad needed to remember that name. It could have been an important clue. As his mind was slipping away as he once again entered the gym, Brad was concentrating to hold on to that name. He needed to remember it, he told himself as he was mindlessly lifting weights.
He needed to remember it... He needed to remember... He...
----------------------------
A little while later, Brad managed to wake up from his trance before his Father did. Good, that gave him some time to sneak away before Dirk woke up again.
Now the question was, was Brad able to remember? Was he able to remember the name of Bob Paris?