Karen wondered why Josie's power would keep them from transforming again. It wasn't fair that they would be stuck like this. Denise had just graduated and now she would have to go through school again. Rick had switched gender again as well as regressed. He could no longer be her boyfriend. She wouldn't even be able to have a boyfriend for at least five more years.
And poor Josie. She was a boy and then her father transformed her to molest her. That was a disgusting thing to do. When the police came for her father he destroyed the medallion he had created. The thing that he didn't foresee ,as far as they know, was that the power of the medallion transferred to Josie. Now she had to be careful not to touch an article of clothing and someone else at the same time. It
just wasn't fair to any of them.
"Keep up Karen" Alice said.
"Sorry Mom" Karen said as she sped up a bit.
They came to a door and Alice opened it. Inside there were racks of different clothes. On one of the racks they spotted something familiar.
"Is that the Medallion of Zulo?" Denise asked as her mother picked it up.
"Yes it is" Alice said.
"Maybe it will transform us" Rick said. "I want to try."
"Alright" Alice said as she held out the medallion to Rick.
As Rick reached for the medallion it leaped from Alice's hand. When Denise went to pick it up it scooted along the floor away from her. Finally Alice picked it up and put it around her neck.
"Why couldn't we touch it?" Denise wondered.
"I don't know" Alice said. "But we won't be able to use the medallion to change you. Well you girls need to get some clothes on. Hurry up and pick some out."
Karen picked out a pair of pink panties, a pink sun dress, and pink sandals. Denise picked out a pair of light purple panties, a light purple tee shirt, a pleated denim skirt, and light purple sandals. Rick picked out a pair of plain white panties, a dark blue tee shirt, a pair of denim shorts, and brown leather sandals. After they were dressed they headed to Dr. Mezzner's office.
When they entered Dr. Mezzner's office Alice said "I have the medallion again."
"Where did you find it Alice?" Hanna asked.
"It was in the storage room Hanna" Alice said. "We have a question about it though. When I tried handing it to Rick it leaped out of my hand and it slid along the floor away from Denise when she tried to pick it up. Why is that?"
"I can only guess as to why" Hanna said. "It was probably being repelled by the residual energy from their recent transformation."
"So until that energy dissipates they won't be able to touch it" Alice said.
"That may be years down the road" Hanna said. "Also this is new and we don't know what the decay rate is. We'll know more as time goes on."
"I'm sorry" Josie said her lips trembling. "I didn't mean to transform them."
Alice knelt down and hugged Josie. She then said "I know you didn't. It was an accident. It wasn't your fault."
"But I transformed them" Josie said. "Now they're stuck like me. And I know that they're mad at me."
"It's ok Josie" Denise said. "I'm not mad at you. I'm sorry if what I said led you to believe that."
"I didn't mean to give you that impression" Rick said. "I'm sorry about that."
"None of us are mad at you Josie" Karen said. It was the truth as far as she was concerned. "We are mad but it's at your father. He's the one that made you this way. He's the one responsible for the accidental changes that happen."
"You're not mad at me?" Josie asked.
"No" Rick, Denise, and Karen said at the same time.
"They know that it was an accident" Alice said. "And I'm sorry I was a little short with you earlier. I was a little overwhelmed with what was happening as I'm sure you were. Also I was worried that something would go wrong with the transformation. Hanna, maybe we should examine Josie."
"Well that sounds like a good idea" Hanna said.
Dr. Mezzner re-examined Josie and found that she was still as healthy as before. She was still emitting the same level of energy as before.
Just as Josie had finished dressing Rick's parents came in. "We understand our son has been involved in an incident" his father said. "Is he alright?"
"He's fine Mr. Finch" Hanna said.
"Where is he?" Mrs. Finch asked. "I want to see him."
"Please sit down and we'll explain what happened" Hanna said.
"If Rick is ok then why were we called and told to come here?" Mr. Finch asked.
"This may be hard for you to understand but Rick's been transformed" Hanna said. "He has been transformed into a ten year old girl."
"That's preposterous" Mr. Finch said. "No one can be transformed."
"How was he transformed?" Mrs. Finch asked.
"Don't tell me that you believe this line of bull Janet" Mr. Finch said.
"I do Donald" Janet said. "I believe it because I once saw someone transform into a rabbit."
"You know that that was just a dream" Donald said. "There is no way that someone can transform."
"Yes there is Dad" Rick said.
"I'm not your father young lady" Donald said. "I don't have a daughter."
"It is me Dad" Rick said. He started to give them information that only Rick should know.
"Enough young lady" Donald interrupted Rick. "You can not be Rick since Rick is a fifteen year old boy. You are a ten year old girl. Now, where is my son?"
"You've been talking to him" Hanna said.
"No I haven't" Donald said getting angry. "I've been listening to a ten year old girl who says she's Rick. That can not be."
"I assure you that it is" Hanna said. "This girl is your son. Or rather your son since spring."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Donald asked.
"He and Karen Punnit switched bodies this spring" Hanna said.
"That is impossible" Donald said. "Now tell me where my son is."
"I have told you" Hanna said.
"He's dead isn't he?" Donald asked. "And you lost his body so you came up with this bull shit story to try and cover your asses. Well I'm not buying it. Tell me the truth now or I'll sue."
"I have been telling you the truth" Hanna said.
"She could be telling the truth" Janet said. "Rick could have been transformed."
"That is not possible" Donald said gently. "Please accept that. The reality is unpleasant but it's reality. Our son is dead and they lost his body."
"What if she's telling us the truth though?" Janet asked.
"She can't be telling us the truth" Donald said.
"I can show you that it's the truth" Alice said. "I'll transform in front of you."
"I'm not interested in seeing your magic trick" Donald said. "There is no way for someone to transform. Now me and Janet are leaving. You'll be hearing from our lawyers."
"I want to have a quick word with the doctor" Janet said. "You go ahead and wait in the car."
"Alright" Donald said and he left.
"I'm sorry for his demeanor" Janet said. "Please tell me the truth. Did Rick die or did he get transformed?"
"I have told you the truth" Hanna said. "Rick has been transformed into a ten year old girl."
"I don't know whether to believe you or not" Janet said.
"I need to ask you something" Hanna said. "We need to know what to do. I could arrange it so that Rick is your daughter now."
"Will he have the same birthday?" Janet asked.
"Yes" Hanna said.
"Then that won't work" Janet said. "Rick has a ten year old brother and their birthdays are a month apart."
"Rick could be adopted" Alice suggested.
"That won't be possible either" Janet said. "We tried to adopt before Rick was born but we were denied."
"That won't matter" Hanna said. "You have to decide though."
"Donald didn't want a girl at any time" Janet said. "In fact he had told me that if either of our children were girls that I would be getting an abortion."
"So he doesn't want a daughter" Hanna said. "Well then we only have one recourse left. I'm sorry Rick but we have to make it so you weren't born to Mr. and Mrs. Finch."
"Can't you reverse his transformation?" Janet asked.
"Unfortunately we can't" Hanna said. "He's stuck as a girl for the foreseeable future."
"So I'm losing my son" Janet said with her head in her hands.
"I'm afraid so" Hanna said. "If you want we can alter your memories here so you don't even remember Rick. I must warn you though that it may not be complete and it may drive you crazy. It's up to you."
"I want to remember Rick" Janet said.
"Ok but I will warn you not to talk about him" Hanna said. "People will think that you're crazy."
"I know" Janet said.
"Ok Rick" Hanna said. "What do you want your new name to be?"
"How about Rachael" Janet suggested before Rick could answer. "I had picked that for you if you had turned out to be a girl."
"That sounds good to me" Rick said.
"Alright" Hanna said. "Now we don't have a place for you yet so Miss Punnit will be taking care of you. Is that ok for now?"
"Yes it is" Rachael said.
"Ok" Hanna said. "Alice, what are the birthdays of your daughters?"
"Well by some odd coincidence my daughters share the same birthday" Alice said. "Except for Stephanie and Josie of course."
"Katie is nine now isn't she?" Hanna asked.
"Yes she is" Alice said. "I think I know where you're going with this. Denise and Karen are physically ten now and so will be eleven in a couple of months. Like Katie will be ten and Daisy will be eight in a couple of months."
"That is good to hear" Hanna said. "I won't have to make either of them adopted. Now to put everything in the system so we can move on. Mrs. Finch, would you please leave."
Janet gave Rachael a long hug and then left.
"I think I'll make myself younger now that Denise and Karen are ten again" Alice said.
"Sounds like a good idea" Hanna said. She started to enter data into the system to change memories once again.