Firing up the machine, Marcoh decides to change Mike into Jeff.
As Mike was standing there, watching Marcoh type on some odd looking computer, suddenly the room started growing larger.
"What's going on?" asked Mike.
"Oh, don't worry. You're going to become a kid again," said Marcoh.
"Huh? hehe, what are you talking about?"
"See? You;re already getting shorter. And your five o'clock shadow is now gone. Here, look in the, mirror!"
Turning around, Mike notices his clothes are feeling a bit larger. He looks in the mirror, and sees a strange person, perhaps 20 years old, looking straight back. Suddenly, the room seems to spin around, as he shrinks even further. The boy's hair gets darker, almost jet black, as it gets shorter. Suddenly, the eyes turn a bright blue color, the face rounds out a bit more, and the nose slightly turns up as the cheeks become as smooth as a baby's bottom.
Then, the clothes begin to change as well. Going from wearing kakhi pants that are far too large for him, the boy is suddenly wearing blue jeans that are just the right size. The shoes change from a god business casual brown shoes, to a pair of chuck taylor's....typical for a kid that age. The shirt goes form an overly large polo shirt that also looked eerily like his own shirt, to a plain white tee covered over with a red white and black plaid button-down shirt that was unbuttoned.
Finding it a bit fascinating, he sort of chuckles, and says;
"That's a neat trick! how'd you do it...." cutting himself off as he turns towards his new neighbor.
He sees the man is now towering over him, and noticed his own voice was much higher-pitched. Looking down, he noticed he was wearing the same clothes as the young teenager in the mirror: a white, red, and black plaid shirt, with a white tee underneath, blue jeans, and a pair of Chuck's on his feet.
Raising his hands in front of him, they are much smaller, and much smoother. He then uses those hands to feel his chest and all over his upper torso. There are no muscles anywhere! Only the smooth body of a young teenaged boy, who also happens to be quite short and small for his age.
Bringing his hands back up in front of his face, he turns and looks in the mirror once again. Staring back at him was that same young teenaged boy with jet black hair that was really really short (almost a buzz-cut), and bright blue eyes. Wearing the clothes HE was wearing!
His jaw dropping, he brings his hands up to his face, and begins to feel his cheeks. The boy in the mirror did the same.
"You like?" asked Marcoh, breaking Mike's reverie.
"Huh? Oh, uh, what the hell happened!?" demanded Mike.
"Young boys shouldn't be swearing at their elders, Jeff."
"Jeff? Who's Jeff!?" Mike asked, once again in a high-pitched, demanding voice.
"You are Mike! Now, anyway. In fact, come to think of it, it probably would have been better to have Jeff's twin brother become the donkey, and turn you into Mike. That way, you could keep the same name, and have less adjusting in your life to do. Ah well."
"Jeff? You turned me into some kids named Jeff? How do I change back!? Can you change me back?"
"Well, sure. If you cut me a check for $3,000," replied Marcoh.
"Three grand!? You're crazy! You turned me into this....this....boy. You need to change me back!"
"Well, the problem is, you see, I programmed this machine to work with your DNA after this latest use. I can't just hand over the computer without some sort of compensation," said Marcoh.
Thinking about his situation, there wasn't much he could do in such a small body against a larger, fully grown man. Thinking he could beat the guy's ass and tear up the check once he is able to get his hands on the machine, the former Mike consents, and writes the check.
Writing the check, he notices it isn't his normal handwriting. It's much sloppier, and he couldn't sign his name in the usual manner. But none of that matters right now. All that matters, is getting his hands on that machine, and bringing himself back to normal.
Tearing out the check from his checkbook, and handing it over to Marcoh, the mad doctor said;
"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Callahan," as he hands over the chronivac.
"Great! Now, how does this thing work? Show me how to bring myself back to normal."
"It would be my pleasure to give you a quick run-down of the machine," said Marcoh.
"Here's your profile. Jeffery James Palermo," said Marcoh.
"But, that's not me!" protested Mike.
"Ah, but that is you, currently. You are Jeffery James Palermo, and you are age 14, with black hair, blue eyes, 5 foot 1, and weigh 95 pounds."
"Jeez, that's tiny!" said Mike.
"Yeah, well. You wanted a demonstration. What better way then to have a six and a half foot tall man with blond hair, brown eyes, and huge muscles, becoming a small teenaged boy with blakc hair, blue eyes, fivefoot nothing?"
"Heh, true. This is pretty damned cool though, I must say!"
"Glad you approve," said Marcoh. "Now, here are all of your options that you can change yourself into, with the corresponding numbers:"
1. Animal.
2. Age.
3. Sex.
"You have the low-grade version of my software, so those are the three main options you may choose from here. If you wanted to change yourself into an animal, it will present more options for you, for instance."
"Yeah, but how do I change back into my old body, if those are the three main options?" asked Mike.
"You mean, change you into a completely different person? Well, that's gonna cost ya," as an evil smile runs across his face.