"When you give a witch a magic potion," said Nikki, "it can have interesting results."
The four transformed women turned and saw their roommate standing in the doorway to the bathroom, wearing a witch's hat.
"You're a witch?" asked Terri.
Nikki didn't directly respond, but said, "Come on, let's talk in the living room. I called Mark and told him to come by a little bit later."
The transformees sat on the two sofas, with Nikki in the recliner facing them. "Must have been a pretty powerful potion."
"I'll go get the book," said Jessi. She got up and went to her room.
"This is a little bit ironic," Nikki said. "For our one-year anniversary living together in a couple weeks, I was going to reveal myself to you and grant you some wishes, improve your looks -- more like me, you know, not like...what just happened."
"More like you?" asked Mary.
Nikki chortled. "You think I look like this naturally? I couldn't wait to turn 18 to get my full powers so I could upgrade myself. You should see my high school yearbook -- actually, because of the reality shift, never mind. But, uh, I was a total nerd, pretty unpopular -- I was overweight and had a flat chest, if you can believe that."
Kim, Mary, and Terri all found it hard to picture their roommate, with the model's face and the porn star body, as a nerd in high school.
Jessi returned with the book, a volume bound in old, cracked leather, which she handed to Nikki. As she sat back down, she reported, "My bedroom has changed. I've got a bigger bed with satin sheets, my bookshelf is gone, my clothes and shoes are all like this..." She waved her hands at herself, indicating her cleavage- and midriff-baring top, tiny pleated skirt, and platform heels.
Already perusing the book, Nikki said, "Ah, sounds like you've all gone through a reality shift."
"Is that bad?" asked Kim.
"In some ways, it's good," replied Nikki. "As far as the world in general is concerned, this is the way you've always looked, so you don't have to worry about people not recognizing you -- or getting a new ID photo taken."
"But if this is the way I've always looked," pointed out Kim, "I don't think I'd have my job at the bank looking like this."
"Yeah, that's one of the downsides -- having to go back and reconstruct your life, and there being some weird surprises. After I changed myself, I got a phone call a couple hours later wondering why I wasn't at my job -- I suddenly had a summer job at a clothing store." Nikki shook her head at the book. "Some of these potions are really powerful. I can't believe this was in the regular library. I may have to 'lose' it."
"But..." asked Mary timidly, "can you fix us?"
Nikki looked up from the book. "Oh, honey..."