"I'll have a steam-driven body." Bridgett said.
"Having to wind myself up with a key might get annoying after a while!"
"That's exactly what I told Miss Weaver 80 years ago," Miss Ricketts said "but she loves clockwork to much to have been anything else!"
"Wait - back up," Bridgett said in shock "did you just say 80 years ago?! No one should be able to live that long!"
"It's one of the many bennifits of these bodies," Miss Ricketts said cheerfully "and since you're considerably fresher than me or any of the other enginiers here, you won't need patching up quite so often!
What weapons would you like?"
"A drill in my right arm, heat-seeking missiles in my left arm, roller wheels in my feet, and boosters in my heels" Bridget said.
"I'll also have to operate on your brain." Ms Ricketts said.
"Why?" Bridgett asked.
"It's the only way to fix your being a slob!" she explained. "Don't worry though, you'll still have your original pesonality, and here's the best part - once the operation is complete, those magic ointments won't work on you anymore!"
"Really?" Bridgett said.
"Yes," Ms Ricketts said "otherwise Miss Weaver would have no need for that project she's been working on for the past 80 years!"
"What project?" Bridgett asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry my dear Bridgett," Ms Ricketts said "but I'm afraid I've said too much already! Miss Weaver would be so cross with me if I told you anymore! So are you ready?"
"Yes," Bridgett said "do it!!!"
So Bridett was put out, and once she was asleep, Miss Ricketts got out her surgical tools.
What happened next is to ghastly to repeat, but the sounds of the machinery could be heard outside.
After 4 hours, the dark deed was done, Bridgett's body was now back to normal proportions, but her hair was long and black, her skin was an unhealthy green, and her eyes were now red balls like all the enginiers at Hollow Fields. She now wore a tatterd black dress with white trim, she had no nose, a steam vent in her back, and all her weapons were hidden. She was starting to wake up.
Ricketts: Bridgett.
Bridget: Yes Miss Ricketts?
R: Rise.
She did so.
R: I am happy to say that your operation was a complete success!
B: What about my other clothes? Are they ... safe?
R: Oh, you wanted those? I'm sorry, but I thought you wanted to look scary, so I fed them to Stinch.
B: Noooooooooooooooo!!!!
(Author's note: sorry about the Star Wars ref - I couldn't resist!)
R: Are you done?
B: Yes.
R: Good - I don't want you waking up the students!
B: Thank you, Miss Rickett.
R: You're welcome, and please keep the money - knowing that you'll use your new body for revenge against your boyfriend and the others you mentioned is reward enough for me - you should talk to Miss Weaver sometime - has SHE got stories! Now what's the first thing you're going to do?
B: It's just like you said, Miss Ricketts, I want ... REVENGE!!!!!
With that, she stormed out of the room, and went on her way.
Now what?