So, Veronica has found a box she wants to get into, but will she get out?
Chapter Eight: Pancakes and inflating balloons
Chapter Seven: But wait, there's more!
Chapter Four: One becomes two, two become one
Chapter Three: Restoration of a Lady
Daniel flipped to the relevant page in the book as Veronica cautiously stepped inside.
Daniel flipped through the pages of the book, his brow furrowing as he skimmed over the dense, handwritten text. "Alright, let's see what we’ve got here… Something about compartments, alignment… Hmm."
Meanwhile, Veronica, with an exasperated sigh, stepped into the cabinet. The interior was tight, far more restrictive than she had expected. As she shifted into position, she pushed her head through the circular opening at the top, letting her dark hair fall over her shoulders. Her hands slid into the side openings, fingers flexing slightly as if testing the space, and finally, she pushed her feet through the bottom slots.
She frowned. “Yeah, this is way less roomy than last time.”
Elizabeth grinned as she shut the cabinet door, sealing Veronica inside. “Maybe it’s just a cozy fit?”
Veronica rolled her eyes. “Or maybe it’s designed to squish me into something ridiculous like it did to you last time.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Would that be so bad?”
Daniel, still buried in the book, muttered, “Okay, so this one’s called The Folded Woman—”
Veronica’s eyes narrowed instantly. “The what now?”
Elizabeth practically lit up with excitement. “Oh, that sounds fun.”
Daniel continued, oblivious to Veronica’s growing concern. “It says here that once activated, the cabinet will—”
He paused, then winced. “Oh.”
Veronica groaned. “Oh? Oh what?”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Uh… Let’s just say, you might end up a little more… compact.”
Elizabeth clapped her hands together. “I love it already.”
Veronica let out a long breath, giving Elizabeth a look. “I swear if I end up fitting inside a shoebox, we’re having words.”
Daniel hesitated before resting a hand on the side of the cabinet. “Alright… here goes.”
With that, he pressed the hidden latch, and the cabinet hummed to life.
The moment Daniel pressed the hidden latch, the cabinet let out a soft click—then, with a smooth, mechanical whir, the sides of the box began to fold inward.
Veronica stiffened immediately. "Uh, guys—?"
Elizabeth clapped excitedly. "Oh, this is amazing! Look at it go!"
The walls of the cabinet steadily crept closer, compressing Veronica’s space bit by bit. The openings for her hands, head, and feet shifted with the frame, keeping her perfectly in place. As the box shrank, Veronica felt her arms being drawn inward, her shoulders pressing slightly forward.
"Okay, I knew this was a bad idea," Veronica muttered, shifting uncomfortably.
Daniel skimmed the book, following the instructions carefully. "It says it's a precise, controlled fold. You’ll be fine!"
"Fine is a strong word, Daniel!" Veronica shot back.
The cabinet continued its methodical transformation, its wooden panels slotting together seamlessly. Veronica’s entire frame was being tucked into a compact shape, her limbs folding in unexpected yet effortless ways. It was strangely smooth—no pain, no real discomfort—just an odd, impossible sensation of being neatly packed away.
The process slowed as the cabinet reached half its original size, then continued shrinking further. Veronica’s feet, still poking out of the bottom, wiggled slightly. "I don’t even know how my knees work right now," she grumbled.
Elizabeth giggled. "You look adorable all scrunched up like that!"
Veronica shot her a glare, though from her increasingly boxed-in position, it wasn’t particularly intimidating. "I swear if you take a picture—"
Daniel, meanwhile, looked back at the book, his brow furrowing. "Okay… so apparently, this isn’t even the final stage yet."
Veronica groaned. "Oh, for—what happens next?"
As the cabinet continued to shrink, Veronica let out a sharp breath. The sensation was unlike anything she had ever experienced—her limbs folding effortlessly, vanishing into the confines of the steadily compacting box.
Her feet were the first to disappear, the slots at the bottom of the cabinet sealing shut as the walls continued to press inward.
“Uh, guys—" Veronica's voice wavered slightly. “My feet just—what the hell?"
Elizabeth leaned in, eyes wide with delight. “Oh, this is so weird! How does it feel?”
“Like I’m being turned into a damn travel-sized version of myself,” Veronica snapped.
The compression continued, and soon her arms were drawn in as well. The hand slots sealed shut with a quiet click, leaving only her head exposed at the top of the cabinet.
Daniel flipped through the book with increasing fascination. "It’s definitely still working as intended. Says here it's a ‘Perfectly Compact Transportation Box.’" He paused, adjusting his glasses. "Huh. Looks like the magician designed it to make assistants more portable."
Elizabeth grinned. "Oh, so you’re a carry-on now, Veronica!"
Veronica shot her a deadly glare, but the effect was somewhat diminished by her current state. The cabinet was now no larger than a shoebox, yet somehow, impossibly, her head remained at the top, her expression a mix of disbelief and simmering frustration.
“I hate this,” she muttered.
Elizabeth, unable to help herself, gave the sides of the tiny box a gentle pat. “You are so cute right now.”
Daniel chuckled. "At least we know it works. Now, let’s see how we get you back to normal."
Veronica groaned. "Yes, let’s—before one of you gets any ideas about carrying me around like a damn handbag."
As Daniel read aloud from the book, the cabinet gave a quiet click, and a hinged lid unfolded from within, moving toward Veronica’s exposed face.
"Wait, what’s this part—" Veronica began, but before she could finish, the lid gently sealed shut over her head.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then, in an instant, the outfit Veronica had been wearing—her jacket, blouse, jeans, and boots—fluttered to the floor in a neat pile, as if she had simply vanished.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. "Oh. Oh—that’s new."
Daniel, equally surprised, quickly scanned the notes. “It says here that this trick ‘prepares the assistant for the stage.’”
He paused. "Uh... meaning?"
Elizabeth was already circling around the back of the cabinet, where another compartment had quietly unlocked itself. She pulled it open and found a neatly arranged selection of costumes inside, ranging from classic magician’s assistant attire to more extravagant stage outfits.
“This is amazing,” she breathed, running her hands over the fabric. “Veronica, you’re basically a dress-up doll now!"
From within the sealed box, Veronica’s muffled voice could be heard. “I swear to god, if you pick something ridiculous—”
Elizabeth grinned mischievously. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll find just the thing.”
After a brief search, she pulled out a dazzling showgirl-style outfit: a sequined corset with intricate beadwork, fishnet stockings, and a matching feathered headpiece. With a laugh, she placed the costume into a drawer labelled Assistant Wardrobe inside the cabinet.
The book's notes confirmed what Elizabeth suspected: once an outfit was placed inside, it would be automatically ‘prepared’ onto the assistant.
“Alright, Veronica," Elizabeth called, shutting the drawer. "Let’s see how fabulous you look now!”