"I'm sorry that your parents abandoned you honey" Alice said as she drove to Dr. Mezzner's office. "I guess you transforming yourself into a little girl was too much for them. Thank God that they're making sure that you're taken care of."
"I wouldn't change what happened for the world" Stephanie said. "They weren't great parents to me before. At least now I can have a loving family."
"Oh you'll have plenty of love alright" Alice said. "Daisy will be thrilled that you decided to stay a girl."
"She'll be happy for me to be part of the family" Stephanie said.
"An unexpected bonus" Alice said.
As they approached Dr. Mezzner's office Stephanie said "I found the medallion near here."
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me" Alice said. "I think that Dr. Mezzner didn't give the medallion back the last time I was here with Daisy."
"Will she keep the medallion again?" Stephanie asked.
"I'll make sure to keep my hands on it this time" Alice said.
Inside they were shown to an examination room immediately since the place was empty once again. Alice started to wonder if anybody else came here.
Once Stephanie was sitting on the examination table Dr. Mezzner came in. She took one look at Alice and said "Back again I see."
"I'd like to thank you for intervening with the police Friday night" Alice said.
"You're welcome" Dr. Mezzner said. "I normally don't do that but I like you. Though I caution you not to go telling people about Daisy's past again. I can't bail you out of trouble every time or I'll be in trouble."
"I'm sorry if you're in trouble over that" Alice said.
"Fortunately I'm not in trouble" Dr. Mezzner said. "Like I said, I don't normally do that. My predecessor did that sort of thing and she's a doll now, one that is aware."
"How did that happen?" Alice asked. "Surely the medallion can't do that."
"No it can't" Dr. Mezzner said. "There are other methods that can though." She saw the surprised look on Alice's face at this news and said "Yes, the medallion isn't the only thing that can transform a person. If you're lucky you'll never find them the hard way."
"I hope I don't find them the hard way" Alice said.
"I hope so too" Dr. Mezzner said. "Now, you want to adopt Steve Gunther and legally change his age, gender, and name. Is that right?"
"Yes it is" Alice said.
"Why didn't his parents come in?" Dr. Mezzner said.
"They abandoned him when they saw him transform" Alice said. "They decided that I should take care of him now that he's a girl."
"I take it that this is Steve" Dr. Mezzner said looking at Stephanie.
"It's Stephanie now" Stephanie said.
Dr. Mezzner giggled and said "Ok Stephanie. Do you know your Social Security number?"
"No I don't" Stephanie said.
"Well that will make it a bit more difficult but I can do it" Dr. Mezzner said. "Now, do you have what transformed him?"
"Right here but this time I'm holding on to it" Alice said as she took out the medallion.
Dr. Mezzner held a device over the medallion and then Stephanie. "Well it did transform her" she said. "Do you know about the Brotherhood of Zulo Miss Punnit?"
"I did some research on the medallion so I'm familiar with what they do" Alice said. "Are you telling me that you're part of it?"
"Yes I am" Dr. Mezzner said. "So you know that I'll eventually take the medallion from you. Just so you know, that's not the same medallion that transformed Daisy. That one is probably about a hundred miles from here by now."
"There's more than one?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes there is" Dr. Mezzner said. "There are fifty of them floating around the world. It's just by chance that two of them appeared here within months of each other."
"When will you take the medallion?" Alice asked.
"It won't be today" Dr. Mezzner said. "When it is taken it might not be me who takes it. There are other members here that will take it should they sense it."
"I'll make sure to keep an eye on it" Alice said.
"You'll be able to hold on to it for awhile then" Dr. Mezzner said. "Now Stephanie, I want you to take off your clothes and lay back on the table."
"Why?" Stephanie asked.
"It's just to make sure everything is ok" Dr. Mezzner said. "It really doesn't need to be done with the medallion since Zulo doesn't want harm to come to those transformed by it. That's why you have to wait twelve hours to use the medallion again. The other methods however, well sometimes the transformation has some unintended side effects."
"What side effects?" Alice asked with a worried look on her face.
"The worst I've heard about is a little girl whose body degenerated into a pile of goo" Dr. Mezzner said. "The doctors were able to save her but she had to restart life over from conception. There are cases where organs didn't change right but were easily fixed."
"Oh my God" Alice said looking sick.
"Like I said, Zulo won't allow the medallions to harm someone" Dr. Mezzner said. "This exam is mandated for all transformations that come in."
"So there won't be anything wrong with Daisy or Stephanie?" Alice asked.
"No there won't be" Dr. Mezzner said. "But I have to run the exam anyway. If I don't I could get in trouble."
"Ok" Alice said the relief evident in her voice. "I'm curious about something though. It's been bothering me since I brought Daisy in. Why do they need to be naked?"
"Clothes throw off the readings" Dr. Mezzner said.
"Ok" Alice said. "Stephanie, please do as Dr. Mezzner says."
"Ok" Stephanie said as she started to take off her clothes. Once she had all her clothes off she laid back on the exam table.
After a few minutes during which Dr. Mezzner was watching a monitor she said "Ok you're all done. You can get dressed now."
As Stephanie was getting dressed Alice asked "Why do some people remember who Daisy was before and not others?"
"That's because it's difficult to change someone's memories when they believe or have witnessed the transformation" Dr. Mezzner said. "It's easier if they come in but that usually doesn't happen so we don't bother with trying to change the memories of those people. This exam also gathers data that helps us rewrite memories."
"What data is that?" Alice asked.
"Stuff like gender, age, height, eye color, and hair color to name just a few" Dr. Mezzner said.
"Ok" Alice said. "Now her parents will remember that she used to be Steve. Though they have set up a savings account to help me take care of her and a CD that she'll be able to use for college. Will that change?"
"We can make sure that it doesn't change" Dr. Mezzner said writing down instructions. She looked at Stephanie and noticed that she was dressed. "Ok Stephanie, since you were a good girl you can pick out something."
Dr. Mezzner opened a drawer and Stephanie picked out a pink plastic bracelet. Daisy had one and she wanted one too.
"The receptionist will hand you copies of the paperwork" Dr. Mezzner said. "Before you go, do you still have the medallion?"
"It's in my pocket" Alice said.
"No it isn't" Dr. Mezzner said as she dangled the medallion from her hand.
"How did you get it out of my pocket?" Alice asked with wide eyes.
"I can't tell you that" Dr. Mezzner said. "I will tell you that there are those in the brotherhood who are more skilled than I am. You won't have the medallion long if one of them senses it."
"Thanks for the warning" Alice said as she took the medallion from Dr. Mezzner. She then placed it over her head and tucked it away behind her shirt.
In the van Stephanie asked "Why are you wearing the medallion Mom?"
"You called me Mom" Alice said as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Well you are my mom now" Stephanie said.
"I guess I am" Alice said. "I'm wearing the medallion because I don't think they would take it while someone is wearing it."
"Oh ok" Stephanie said.
After Alice had started the van they heard that there was a blizzard headed their way and it would be here after midnight and would continue into tomorrow night.
"Well I guess you won't have school tomorrow either" Alice said. "We need to go to the store to stock up and perhaps go out to the mall to get some new games. First we'll stop home and get everyone."
Just then Alice's cell phone rang. "It's Denise" she said looking at the screen. "Hello" she answered. "Yes I heard about the blizzard. Get ready and we'll go to the store and then the mall. Don't tell Daisy but I have Stephanie with me. I'll tell you about it while we're driving to the store. Make sure you're ready when we get there so we can get to the store and mall. It's going to be a mad house... Ok we'll get something to eat at the mall. Bye."
At the mention of food Stephanie's tummy growled and she said "I'm hungry Mom."
"It's close to lunch time so of course you are" Alice said. "We'll eat at the mall."
With that Alice drove home.