Simon held his hands up. "Alright, alright. I've made my decision."
"And...?" Bryan and Jay said in unison.
Simon began typing on the computer. "I'm not going to mess with my dad. Not now, anyway. Not until I know more about this thing."
"Aww," said Jay. "You're never any fun, Simon."
"I told you, no younger than sixteen," said Bryan.
"Yeah, I heard you," replied Simon. "Alright. I've input the settings. It should be ready to make the changes to us. Initializing... now."
Simon tapped the button and hopped out of the computer chair away from the Chronivac. It was only just now that he realized that he had yet to be altered by the strange device. Well, now was just a good a time as any.
INITIALIZING SYSTEM. 3 SUBJECTS TO ALTER. COMMENCING TRANSFORMATION: SUBJECT 1 OF 3 ...
The emitter hummed and a barely perceivable ray shot out at Bryan.
"Oh, I guess I'm first," he said. "Wow, it tingles. Just like last time."
He pulled up his shirt and stepped in front of the mirror to better see the changes as he regressed the four years from twenty to sixteen. Firstly, his receded hairline and bald spot began to fill back in with hair. His small protrusion of a stomach began to shrink, giving his abs better definition. The hair on his body thinned somewhat, but not entirely so. He also shrank a bit, both in height and muscularity.
Eventually, the changes slowed, then came to a stop. All-in-all, he didn't look too much different. He definitely looked younger, but still older than the Chronivac said he was. He went from looking like a smooth-skinned 40, to being looking like a fit college student. His hair had grown back for the most part, but was still noticeably receded at the front. His full beard had thinned a little, but was still thicker than most sixteen-year-old's. His body hair was also thicker than any teen's had any right to be. He also looked like he could wrestle the star quarterback into submission.
"Not half bad," Bryan said as he admired himself. The clothes he had on weren't nearly as tight as before, but still fit him quite well. "I make a good-looking teenager, that's for sure."
"Once again," said Simon. "Testosterone. Upgrade."
"Your point?" replied Bryan.
SUBJECT 1 TRANSFORMATION (AGE REDUCTION: 4 YRS) COMPLETE. COMMENCING TRANSFORMATION: SUBJECT 2 OF 3 ...
Once again, the nearly imperceptible ray shot out, this time at Jay.
"Hey, wait!" said Jay. "I thought you said I was already sixteen."
SUBJECT 2 TRANSFORMATION (AWARENESS LEVEL ADJUSTMENT) COMPLETE.
"Oh, right..."
COMMENCING TRANSFORMATION: SUBJECT 3 OF 3 ...
Simon gasped as a tingling sensation, followed by a wave of warmth washed over him.
"I know, right?" said Bryan.
At first there was nothing. But then, Simon could feel a dull pressure pushing inside him. He could feel his bones themselves elongating! He looked down and saw his feet, slowly but surely, growing larger.
Simon stepped up to the mirror so he could watch the changes more clearly. Judging by the fact that his head's reflection was closer to the top of the frame, he had grown quite a bit taller. He felt an itching sensation gradually cross over his face as a pair of sideburns slowly grew in, followed by a thin patch of chin scruff. Simon lifted up his shirt to see a trail form below his belly button, and a patch of hair form in the middle of his chest. It was then he noticed that his muscles had become quite a bit more defined. They were nothing like Jay's (which, were nothing like Bryan's, but Bryan was cheating,so it wasn't a fair comparison), but they were still there, nonetheless.
Then the changes ground to a halt.
SUBJECT 3 TRANSFORMATION (AGE PROGRESSION: 3 YRS) COMPLETE.
Simon gave his new self a look over. His pajamas were noticeable tighter. He had grown at least a few feet during the change. He could no longer pull his shirt down past his belly button and his pant legs no longer reached his feet. He didn't look a physically impressive as Jay had turned out, but it really could have turned out a lot worse.
"Hmmm... s'okay, I guess," said Bryan.
"He looks fine, Bryan," said Jay. "Not everyone can be a hirsute he-man."
"Well," said Simon experimentally. Though he was expecting it, he couldn't help but be a little surprised by his new voice. "Now that that's over with..." Simon stepped over to the computer to press the button to release his father. However, when he reached to computer he saw a little window and popped up.
TRANSFORMATION RECOMMENDED
"What's up?" asked Jay.
After clicking around for a bit, Simon replied "It says here that in order for our awareness settings to have full effect, it can run a couple more alterations."
"Like what?"
"It doesn't really say..."
"Go for it," said Bryan. "Couldn't hurt anything."
"I suppose..." said Simon, clicking the apply button.
Another ray shot out, this time at Simon's father. Simon watched as his father's hairline slowly receded back some more. Some grey appeared at his temples while his waistline expanded slightly.
RECOMMENDED TRANSFORMATION(S) (AGE PROGRESSION: 3 YRS) COMPLETE. THANK YOU FOR USING CHRONIVAC 4.0!
Suddenly, Simon's father began to move again.
"I-" he began. "I... Uh..." he looked momentarily dazed before finding his bearings and looking up at the boys-now-teens. "Oh, uh, yes. Whatever you boys are doing down here you need to knock it off. Now get some sleep." He turned around and walked back down the hall.
"Huh... I was not expecting that," said Bryan.