As Jay experimentally rubbed his stubble, another bleep came from the Chronivac. Jay peered at the main screen.
RECOMMENDED CHANGES AVAILABLE. APPLY?
Jay searched the screen for more in the way of explanation. All he saw was the text box and a button confirming with another denying the change. There was something vaguely familiar about this situation. He thought of the "dream" he had the previous night, but he wasn't sure why...
Finally, he shrugged and tapped the confirmation button.
INITIATING RIPPLE EFFECT. STAND BY...
Jay barely had time to wonder what it meant before the emitter erupted with some sort of energy wave that swept over the room and through the walls, sending a shudder through just about everything.
Jay gasped as the waist to his pants suddenly constricted, becoming the appropriate size for him. His shirt did the same, refitting itself to show off his muscular build. The tattered remains of his boyhood clothes on the floor whirled around for a second before collapsing into a single point and vanishing.
"Whoah..." the teen muttered. He then noticed that various objects around the room began to alter. The family picture on the desk began to shift as the people in it began to age.
Jay stepped out of the room, looking as various objects disappeared, only to be replaced by entirely different things. He noticed that most of his grade school toys on the floor changed into objects more befitting a teen such as himself. Toy robots became basketballs as a plastic dinosaur became a skateboard.
Jay opened to door to his own room, seeing his new life unfold before him. His shelves now held various trophies and sporting equipment. His walls had many posters of different sporting figures. He found he know knew most of them on sight.
In fact, new memories flashed into of his head. Memories of grade school, middle school, and even high school. Of girls he'd loved, sports he'd played, friends he'd had. Even memories of helping his father and grandfather in their shop.
Jay, in a daze, flopped down onto his bed.
"Wow..." he said. "That's some nutty stuff. Why in the world does my dad have one of these in his room?!"
______________________________
Meanwhile, at Bry and Sy Autobody...
Simon closed the hood of the automobile he'd been working on.
"There!" he said, turning to the customer. "All set!"
The woman smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Simon. You're so helpful." She suddenly looked a little nervous.
"Is there something wrong?" Simon asked, picking up on her apprehension. "It was just low on oil. That's not really a big-"
"No, no," she said quickly. "That's not it at all! It's just... As you know, I work at the school, and I couldn't help noticing that little Jay has been looking absolutely dour recently, and I was wondering... How do I want to put this? Is everything alright at home righ-"
Just then, a gust of wind blew by, kicking up dust and howling loud enough to drown out whatever the woman was saying.
"What was that?" Simon wondered out loud. "Sorry, miss. Go on. What about Jay?"
However, the woman merely stood there with a mildly confused look on her face.
"Oh... What now? Jay? Oh, he's such a fine young man. Growing up to look just like his father. He single-handedly won the game for us last night, you now." She looked down at her watch. "Well, look at that! I must be going. Tah!" She waved cheerily before stepping into her vehicle and driving off.
Now it was Simon's turn to stand there looking confused. "What just happened?" he muttered to himself.
Suddenly, he felt a feeling of warmth wash over him, not unlike when he was struck by the Chronivac's emitter beam. He could feel a prickling sensation engulf him.
"Dad!" He yelled, making his way to the main shop. "Bryan!"
As Simon attempted to hustle, he felt his stomach expand, pushing against the fabric of his jumpsuit. Fortunately, the jumpsuit seemed to expand, making itself the appropriate size for him. He suddenly felt out of breath, as he became increasingly out of shape. He could feel his hair thinning and vanishing, exposing his scalp to the breeze. Under the jumpsuit, his gut grew to a size where it began to hang over his waistband.
Simon pushed open the shop door and made his way as quickly as he could to the bathroom. He flicked on the switch and gasped as he saw his reflection. He was definitely older. He was now almost completely bald on top, save for a few hairs bridging the gap across and top and a few on his forehead. He had thick stubble around his goatee, which soon shaped itself into a close-cropped beard, which did little to hid his second chin. There was some grew on his chin and in his temples. That didn't last long as all the hair on his head (save for his facial hair) suddenly shaved itself off, so he was left with a shiny dome. The changes then stopped.
Simon knew he should be panicking, but he couldn't help but see this as normal. As new memories flooded his mind, he knew he hadn't aged well the past few years, but his high testosterone always made him look older than he really was. Which was... 37. 37!? Nine years!?
"Hey, son. What was wrong with the lady's car?"
Simon suddenly turned around to see Bryan, who had fared no better. He had been pretty big before, but now he was absolutely rotound. He remembered they'd had extensive conversations about Bryan losing weight, but he would refuse. Due to that, he'd begun to develop some cardiac issues. Simon himself had been attempting to lose weight, but he was genetically built to be large. Anyway, Bryan's once salt-and pepper goatee and become an all-gray beard, which now connected to the all gray fringe around his head. He now had thick glasses which he needed to do just about everything with. He looked every bit of his 57 years.
"Uh, nothing," replied Simon. "Just low on oil. Uh, listen, I'm going to go home and check on Jay. Y'know, just in case."
Bryan smiled fondly. "Alright. I'll hold the fort here. It's always slow around this time, anyway. Just remember, Jay's a big boy now, and I doubt he appreciates how you baby him sometimes. Heh, he's just like you were at that age..."
Simon nodded slowly. "Riiiight... I'mma go now."
Maybe this immersion thing hadn't been such a good idea...