"Let's choose something unique," said Mike enthusiastically, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "how about a... powerful armor? The kind you'd find in a high-tech future world?"
Jeff was confused, "Are you suggesting that...you want to actually become a suit of armor?"
"Exactly!" Mike exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement. "Think about it! The strength, the power, the endless capabilities... I could not only protect you, but I could join you in your adventures... as a partner, not just your father."
"But...wouldn't that mean you'd have to...well, be worn by me?" Jeff blurted out, the idea sounding strange even to him.
Mike laughed heartily, "Well, that is usually what one does with a suit of armor!"
After ascertaining some specific design preferences from Mike—and promising not to go too extreme—Jeff began to program the transformation into the Chronivac system. As Jeff finished, he turned back towards his father.
"Are you sure about this?” Jeff asked again, the concern clearly written on his face.
"Absolutely," Mike replied with a firm nod.
As Jeff pressed the "apply" button, he watched as the transformation began at his father’s feet. They bulked up, changing into armored boots that expanded and stiffened. The jeans Mike was wearing split under the pressure of the expanding armor and fell away.
Next, the changes spread towards his father's legs which grew larger and bulkier, reshaping into the armored legs of a suit of power, the mechanical joints hissing and whirring into place at his knees.
His jeans torn, Mike’s pelvis and waistline morphed into a protective shell, his midsection encased in a thick armored casing. Halfway into his transformation, Mike laughed, "Maybe I should have undressed before we got started?"
Ignoring his partial state of undress, the transformation proceeded to his chest. It swelled and grew until it had the width and depth of a male bodybuilder's torso. Each muscle turned into metal, hard and unyielding, bursting through his shirt in the process.
The transforming energy then branched out to Mike's arms, bulking them up and encasing them in armor as well. Like his torso, they expanded in size and each arm was replaced by a strong, armored counterpart, his hands now ending in fingered gauntlets.
Finally, the last of Mike's human form, his face, distorted and reshaped itself into the formidable visor-ed helmet, effectively concealing his humanity underneath. As the final piece of transformation clicked into place, Mike's speech became more static, his voice lost its familiar warmth and gained the loud, flat tone of a mechanical being.
"Trans-Dem mission: Complete," he intoned, his voice rippling with deep, mechanical undertones. "Armor: Fully functional."
As he spoke, Mike glanced down at himself. What remained of his clothing were torn and barely hanging on his metal frame. The last shreds soon fell to the ground, leaving the magnificent suit of armor that was now Mike.
His transformation complete, Mike stood at his full height, the perfect image of formidable, mechanized power. His gleaming metallic surface was intricately woven with thick layers of armor. He looked nothing like the man who had been standing there just a few moments ago. He had become an intimidating, futuristic suit of armor, ready to take on whatever challenges lied ahead.
"Jeff, it is time to don the armor." Mike stated, his voice still resonated with the metallic tones of his transformation.
His armored form bent forward and split along his back, revealing a hollow interior just large enough for a human to fit. His helmet tilted so that any human could slide their own head in comfortably.
Jeff hesitated, "I... Are you sure about this, I mean, it feels wrong somehow."
"Affirmative, Jeff. This interface is essential for the armor's - for my - full range of capabilities. Please proceed."
With a deep breath, Jeff stepped forward and gingerly placed his foot inside the opening of Mike’s armor. As his other foot followed, he bent forward, carefully threading his head and arms inside. The suit felt strangely warm and comforting, like stepping into a well-fitted glove.
As Jeff fully nested inside, the armor—his father—closed up around him, the metallic pieces clicking into place. He was now completely enclosed in the suit of armor, yet he did not feel claustrophobic. Instead, he noticed a peculiar sensation, as if the suit had become a seamless extension of his physical self.
His thoughts seemed to connect to the armor, allowing him control over its movements and functions. As Jeff flexed the armored fingers, they responded effortlessly, as if they were his own. The armor's strength pulsated through him with every movement, making him feel powerful beyond comparison.
“Whoa…” Jeff mouthed, finding his own voice to be amplified and modified, emerging from the suit with a mechanical sound akin to his father’s. He lifted an armored foot and took a step, then another. Though they were much heavier than his usual limbs, he moved as easily as he always did. He flexed his arms, balled his fists, turned his head - every action executed with a sense of swift precision he had never experienced before.
“This is incredible!” Jeff's voice echoed from within the armor, full of awe and amazement. His movements gained confidence, a soft metallic hum accompanying his every motion. Through Mike, Jeff was now powerful, protected. Together, they had become something more - a symbiotic entity of machine and man, father and son, now sharing a single unified existence.