Rachel figured she needed to look for answers, and the first place to start would be these "Magia Rojo" products that had appeared. The backs of the bottles gave no useful information -- no company name, no address, not even a UPC code. But bottles aren't the only way to find information.
She went back into her transformed bedroom, sat down at the unfamiliar desk, opened the laptop that sat on it, and called up Google. "Magia Rojo," she typed, and got a full page worth of sites in Spanish. "Magia Rojo shampoo," she typed for her second try, and hit what seemed to be the right listing -- "Magia Rojo Beauty Products," said the title, and the description was "Now conducting limited marketing tests." She clicked on the link.
There wasn't much on the site but a picture of the two bottles, a notice that the products were expected to be available worldwide soon, and a link to a product support live chat. It said chat was currently available, so she clicked on that link. It asked for her name, and she typed "Rachel Clark." Words started to appear in the text box.
Jennifer: Hi Rachel. I'm Jennifer, and I'm a support supervisor for Magia Rojo Beauty Products. How can I help you?
Rachel: I'm not sure how exactly to put this. I'd never heard of your stuff before, but now I have some in my shower. That's all I have.
Jennifer: Congratulations on being randomly picked for our marketing test! Yes, we are not well known now, but we feel we're soon going to be the only beauty products the world's women will ever need.
Rachel: I've also changed physically. And mentally, I think. And some other weird stuff has happened.
Jennifer: Yes, Magia Rojo products are innovative because they beautify you in a whole new way. Using our "Red Magic" technology, we are able to completely transform your life, giving you things you've dreamed of but never thought would be literally possible.
Rachel: What do you mean? I never dreamed of being the way I am now!
Jennifer: Please wait. I am magically accessing your file.
Rachel waited for more text to appear. After 30 seconds, she realized she was unconsciously rubbing herself through the pink shorts she was wearing.
Jennifer: Last April 10, at 4:54 P.M.
A window popped up on Rachel's screen with the text "Loading video..." in it. When the video appeared, Rachel was startled to see herself -- her old self -- standing next to her friend Kate, who was holding a Hawaiian-print bikini top up to her fully clothed chest.
Rachel heard her own voice coming from her computer speakers. "Man, you're gonna look awesome in that. I wish I could pull something like that off." She realized the video was of the two of them at a mall clothing store, and the camera must have been hidden behind the mirror.
"Come on," said Kate on the video. "You'd look good in this."
"No, I wouldn't," said Rachel. "I'm a stick. I wish I had some actual curves, and big boobs. Then maybe the guys would pay attention to me."
Jennifer: Last March 29, at 11:37 P.M.
The video window changed, and Rachel recognized it immediately -- at prom with Scott Gerlach. Looking at herself in the formal dress that was just kind of draped over her, she realized she actually had been a stick. On the video, she said to Scott, "I need to sit down for a couple minutes."
"Again?" he asked, as the two of them walked to one of the tables in the middle of the hotel ballroom.
"It's these shoes," Rachel explained as she sat down and bent over to undo the straps on the high heels she was wearing. "They make my feet hurt so much. I wish that didn't happen." As she started rubbing her now-bare feet, the video went blank.
Jennifer: Last February 16, at 7:42 A.M.
Now the video showed Rachel and Kate, severely bundled up, walking through a wintry landscape. The wind whistled on the video soundtrack. "Jeez, I wish we lived in Florida or something," said Kate.
"But I like the snow," responded Rachel. "I just wish I didn't have to be cold."
Rachel quickly typed a new entry into the chat window.
Rachel: Okay, that's enough. But where did you get these videos?!
Jennifer: Through magic. Actually, I've found one more recent wish of yours, and I think it's such a good idea that we'll add it to the standard Magia Rojo package. Last February 3, at 8:22 P.M.
Another video started playing. Again, it was Rachel and Kate at the mall together. Standing in the main corridor, they were clearly looking at something or someone, and Rachel heard herself say to Kate...