As Mike perused the Chronivac’s extensive menu, he found himself captivated by an option listed under "Physical Transformations": Inflation. Each choice within the inflation menu was broken down into a sub-list of intriguing possibilities, arranged neatly in a visually engaging interface that would have been intuitive even for a first-time user. Mike's eyes darted across options marked by vibrant, attractive icons. Water—depicted with a glistening blue droplet; Sand—an icon of an amber grain; Air—a simple, white puff; and Helium—a light, buoyant balloon that seemed to quiver on the screen with the promise of ascension.
It was the allure of that balloon icon that captured Mike's imagination. The thought of being filled, lifted, defying gravity itself—it made his pulse quicken. He clicked on "Helium" with a mix of skepticism and eagerness, dismissing any sense of disbelief. As soon as the option was selected, a sleek, minimalistic interface appeared, displaying three prominently labeled buttons: "Inflate," "Stop," and "Deflate."
Unable to resist the temptation, Mike tentatively pressed "Inflate." A thrill raced through him as the change began subtly at first, a tingling sensation that escalated in earnest. His middle started to swell, the unique properties of helium rendering him increasingly buoyant with each passing moment. He could almost feel the gas rushing into him like a gentle, warm breeze filling a sail.
His skin had a curious elasticity, stretching with ease, a miraculous accommodation of his expanding form that was as delightful as it was surreal. Mike's eyes widened in pleasurable disbelief as his hands pressed against his burgeoning belly, which now had the give of an overinflated beach ball.
Glancing down, he watched with amused concern as his clothing—never engineered for such transformation—began to protest. Threads pulled tight, seams strained ominously, until at last, they surrendered with soft pops. Buttons ejected like small missiles, his shirt splitting dramatically down the center to reveal the smooth, taut skin beneath.
Despite the ruination of his wardrobe, the sensation overwhelmed any worry. As his limbs became more like gentle, round curves, and his torso hovered midway between floor and ceiling, a laugh—high-pitched and airy—bubbled from his lips. The buoyancy was liberating; he bounced lightly off the ground, giggling at the peculiar sensation of his feet gently brushing down again only to sway back up.
As Mike continued to inflate, he found himself drifting closer to the ceiling. His heart began to race with a mix of excitement and growing panic. The gentle pressure of helium within him became insistent, pushing him further upward until he was hovering just below the ceiling, fingertips brushing the white paint as he bobbed slightly, unable to push himself back down to the floor.
His shape had changed dramatically; the fullness of his belly dominated his form, rounding him out until he resembled a giant, flesh-toned balloon with smooth curves. His arms and legs had thickened but were mostly pressed snugly into his sides by the enormity of his inflated midsection. The skin that once had shown signs of human texture now gleamed with an unusual, rubbery sheen, similar to a latex balloon stretched to capacity. Completely exposed from head to toe, the remnants of his clothing lay scattered beneath him like discarded rags.
That's when the anxiety hit in full force. Unable to control his altitude, Mike called out loudly, his voice almost comically high-pitched due to the helium. "Jeff! Help! I'm stuck up here!"
The door burst open, and Jeff rushed into the room. His eyes widened with shock upon seeing his father, now occupying much of the upper half of the room. "Dad? What the—"
"Quick, Jeff!" Mike squeaked, now utterly at the mercy of his surroundings.
Acting swiftly, Jeff dashed across the room and reached the computer. With one deft motion, he slammed his finger onto the "Stop" button on the screen. Almost immediately, the inflation ceased, the steady feeling of fullness halted. Mike remained buoyant, still settled against the ceiling, but no longer expanding.
Jeff looked up with an expression that toggled between concern and disbelief. "How did this even happen, Dad?" he asked, unable to process the scene entirely.
Mike, now hovering stationary, let out a deep breath—a release of anxiety more than helium. At least he wasn't getting any rounder. "It's a long story," he said, still catching his breath, the tension slowly easing from his voice. He couldn't help but chuckle nervously, appreciating the absurdity of his predicament now that the immediate danger had passed.
Jeff couldn't help but grin as he looked up at his father, who was just below the ceiling in his new, round form. "So, did you just find out about a new hobby, Dad?" he joked, unable to resist teasing.
Mike tried to protest, his cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and a hint of humor. "I... I didn't mean for it to go this far!" he said, but his voice carried a funny, high pitch because of the helium. He wiggled a bit, trying to move, but he was firmly stuck against the ceiling.
Jeff chuckled, clearly enjoying the situation more than Mike did. "Alright, alright," Jeff said after a moment, trying to keep a straight face. "I'll help you out."
After some playful ribbing, Jeff agreed to hit the "Deflate" button. He moved over to the computer, ready to bring his dad back down to the ground.
As Jeff pressed the "Deflate" button, Mike felt the gentle release of pressure almost immediately. The sensation was akin to air softly escaping a balloon, and he began to slowly drift downward, away from the ceiling's confines.
Bit by bit, the roundness that had defined his form started to diminish. His enormous, protruding belly gradually shrank, bringing his limbs into more natural proportion. The strange, rubbery sheen his skin had taken on began to fade, replaced once again by the familiar texture of human skin.
Mike's arms and legs, previously stubby and pressed to his sides, extended back into their normal lengths as he returned to a more typical shape. The buoyancy that had kept him aloft lessened with each passing moment, allowing gravity to gently guide him to the floor.
By the time his feet touched the ground, Mike's body was nearly back to its original form, the leftover helium making his movements a bit unsteady, yet undeniably human once more.
As Mike continued to deflate, he watched with a mix of relief and something else he couldn't quite place. His body returned to its original state, the roundness disappearing altogether. Once he felt back to normal proportions, he glanced over himself, noticing that his little adventure hadn't caused any lasting damage.
Jeff, still at the computer, offered to press "Stop" and stabilize things. "Want me to halt it here?" he asked, ready to keep everything as is.
But Mike felt a spark of curiosity and a thrill he couldn't easily ignore. There was something about the sensation—the transformation itself—that intrigued him. The idea of deflating further, exploring this newfound aspect, gave him an unexpected sense of excitement.
"No," Mike said, a hint of exhilaration edging his voice. "I want to see what happens if I keep going, just to try it 'all the way'." The thought stirred something within him, a strange arousal for the experience ahead.
Jeff watched, intrigued, as he decided not to stop the process. Mike began to notice the changes almost immediately. A peculiar sensation of weakness settled over him, his muscles feeling less substantial, almost as if the energy was slowly draining out.
Compelled by the sensation, Mike moved gingerly towards a chair for support as his legs grew unsteady and wobbly. Settling there, he felt his body continue to change. It was subtle at first, but he realized he was becoming flatter, his form gradually compressing.
It felt like being a pool toy losing air, his body slowly sinking into itself. His skin smoothed out even further, taking on an odd pliability. As he grew thinner, he felt as if he were being pressed gently down into a two-dimensional plane.
As his form continued to press against the chair, he marveled at the transformation, curiously aware of how light he felt, as if the very essence of what made him solid was slipping away.
The Chronivac stopped automatically when Mike reached the point of being fully deflated. In his current state, Mike couldn't speak or move at all. Seeing this, Jeff came over to check on him.
Mike was now completely flat, with almost no depth left to his form. He lay there, like a pool toy left out in the sun. His whole body seemed to be made up of thin layers, similar to a rubber sheet. The usual shape and firmness that had defined him were gone, leaving him smooth and pliable.
His arms and legs, once strong and supportive, lay limp and helpless at his sides. His features were visible but pressed down, their usual contours flattened. Without the usual structure to hold him upright, Mike was just a flexible, flat version of himself, spread out across the chair.
Curious about the transformation, Jeff gently picked up Mike from the chair. In his flat state, Mike was light and flexible, easy to handle. Jeff laid him out on the bed and began to roll him up, much like folding an air mattress. Mike's flat body rolled smoothly into a tight cylinder, layer upon layer stacking neatly.
Once Mike was rolled up, Jeff left him there and returned to the computer. With a sense of anticipation, he pressed the "Inflate" button once more. Watching closely, Jeff observed as Mike slowly began to unroll on the bed. The layers of Mike's flattened form started to loosen and separate, rubbing gently against each other as he began to inflate again.
As air flowed back into him, Mike's body unfurled smoothly, regaining volume and shape with every moment, gradually transforming from a flattened roll back into the familiar human form.
Gradually, Mike unfurled completely, the air filling him out so that he gained some thickness and form again. As soon as he could manage to speak, he looked at Jeff with a weak smile. "Thanks, Jeff," he said, his voice still a bit airy. "Being rolled up like that... it actually felt great in a weird way."
Jeff chuckled, watching as Mike continued to return to his normal shape. Bit by bit, Mike's body regained its familiar form and thickness until he was fully back to size. Jeff leaned over and pressed "Stop," halting the inflation with a satisfied nod.
As they both took a moment to process what happened next, Jeff glanced at Mike and couldn't help but smirk. "You know, Dad, you're, uh, pretty much naked right now," he noted with amusement. "But I think I can fix that with the Chronivac."
Mike looked down at himself, realizing the lack of clothes, and shrugged with a grin. "Yeah, I suppose you could. This thing is pretty crazy... what should we try next?"