"Zach was there when I got back and I convinced him to help me put the costume on and off. I put it on in weekends and as part of the deal, Zach joined in the fun, though more in using me as his display mannequin or figuring out how the magic works." Manuel explained as his plastic body wobbled on the pole. "Which is how I learned how stiff and almost inanimate I could be if I'm on a pole. Then again, it is basically a dildo shoved into me like this." he moaned out a bit near the end.
"Nothing weird happened to you before tonight?" Nick asked. "Like, increasingly turning more like a mannequin even when the costume's off or something?"
"I don't think so? Then again, we tested it out a lot. Zach was really helpful there, listing out ideas to try out and test. My mind doesn't seem to be connected to my head in this form. It's my torso, apparently. Zach managed to borrow some mannequins to do the tests during my weekend mannequin fun. It has to be white mannequin parts or the costume won't take off. The feeling of my body being disassembled and reassembled was pleasurable... like an orgasm with each pop..." the mannequin slightly shuddered on the pole. "Got my head switched for a smooth featureless egghead one then took the costume off. I came out bald and super generic looking, almost forgettable. Zach said he had a hard time recalling what my head looked like because of how generic I looked. Thankfully it was reversible, just putting my old head back on in mannequin form."
Nick recalled how identical the animated suits of armor were and wondered what would happen if his parts got mixed up. If his helmet head were switched with a different one, would a different head pop out when he removes the costume or lift up the visor?
"Wait..." Nick started, "Your mind is in your torso piece?"
"Mind, self, soul or whatever, it's in the torso. Zach guessed it might be due to where the zipper is."
"That might apply to me too then." Nick said. "So, you stayed here to pass the time in the weekends?"
"Oh no, one weekend I went to be a display mannequin in the fashion store Zach works part-time in. I convinced Zach to disassemble me on the second day. To prevent losing my parts, he wrote on my plastic pieces with that fantasy writing symbols he worked on for his table top game sessions. My butt was in the underwear section, with a tasteful bulge of course... my head was showing off hats... my torso was wearing tight sports wear... and man, getting undressed and redressed by someone was such a pleasure. I think my plastic skin is much more sensitive to touch in this form."
Nick tried to stop himself from wondering what being polished to a shine would feel like.
"Then Zach brought me back and he eventually wanted to make his costume for Halloween. I did suggested the Second Skin, cause, hello, actual magic, but Zach went on a meandering rant about how tricky it might be or some extra secret payment or some fae trick or a twisted wish thing. I sort of tuned him out. Though he did convince me to be his mannequin to test out his costume and props. Foam weapons and armor for larping, the outfits he designed and all that. We sort of brainstormed what costume he would wear for tonight. Fantasy or sci-fi was the final choices and he made both costumes. A fantasy minotaur with a bit of a barbarian look and a sci-fi looking android one sort of based on that android video game, that cyberspace movie sequel with the laser bikes and that cyberpunk anime. I wasn't able to see him in the party tonight though so I can't say which one he went with."
Nick tried to recall what costume Zach was wearing when he spotted him in the party.
"I went with my mannequin costume, of course, with the stiff member on..." Manuel continued, "Then I put on something that would looked like a black bodybuilder poser and went around to have some fun..."
Nick then looked at the subtle turns on the mannequin's smooth featureless head.
"It was relatively normal at the start. I knew the rules of the costume by now so I managed to walk around, flex and pose my plastic muscles, and enjoy myself. Then something weird started happening. Not the satyrs, that one's obvious. I was heading to the frat's trophy room, or the hall of achievements or whatever it's called, to get the costume off so I could go eat when I enter the armory instead, an armory that's also a walk in closet or something. We have an armory now, though given your state, that's not a surprise to you. Inside was a bunch of other white plastic mannequins like me and noticed that I got the wrong parts on. There was a satyr there filming the whole scene of me being tackled down and get disassembled and reassembled, mostly replacing my hands and head." Manuel said, slightly raising his arms to show his smooth white plastic hands, each finger now separate from each other. "Then again, I'm pretty sure that satyr got my dildo dick and is enjoying himself somewhere with it. I can feel it."
"I would say too much info but we're dealing with satyrs here." Nick commented.
"Yeah. The mannequins then brought me up here, telling me about my apparent role as some sort of ambient magic condenser and extractor for the smith-enchanter, unless I want to switch parts and roles with a different mannequin and end up in training dummy duty for the armor knights or the like."
Nick's glowing eyes faded for a moment, wincing at the idea of him attacking Manuel like a tackle dummy. He stopped himself from wondering if the armor knights were also the football team or the like now, or if jousting was a professional sport in this weird reality they're in.
"I'm told that training dummy duty is really good, like, even more pleasurable that what I got from the tackle."
"Now you're making me wonder if I feel nothing but pleasure in being bashed around in battle or something." Nick deadpanned, hard to do in his deep echoing voice.
"You probably do. Might make it easier to defend your wearer if you go out of your way to get as much of the impact onto you for the resulting pleasure." Manuel countered. "Then again, the armor knights think that sword and shield is yours. Maybe the sword is now your dick, though that begs the question on what the shield represent."
"My costume didn't came with a sword and shield. It's suppose to be a haunted suit of armor." Nick then groaned. "Oh man... would it be considered broken if it somehow got fully repaired? This is a rental."
"No idea, though you're definitely gonna lose your deposit in my opinion. Should have bought it."
Nick just groaned as he tried to look around the room for anything that could help them. He's pretty sure this is Zach and Manuel's room at least though Zach's stuff has definitely went from fake to real. The foam armor for larping was now actual metal. The work in progress foam weapon was now a work in progress metal weapon left on an anvil. The various books on the shelves went from nerdy interests to actual magical tomes, like one book filled with monster stats for gaming sessions was now a manual on actual monsters. The desk was full of paper filled with symbols Zach made up for a fictional language he was making. Now the symbols were glowing.
"Hey Manny... did Zach came in here after you were brought here?"
"No, not yet. Why?"
"I just hope he wasn't changed as deeply as the rest. If he remembers the previous reality, then we got a wizard to help us. If he thinks we're broken and in need of fixing..."
"Yeah... I know..."
The door handle began to shake and turn as the two went still and silent, looking at the door as it slowly opens.