The plot progresses.  For better or worse I have pretty ambitious plans for this series of captions.  Because of this the captions are not going to be a self contained story wise like a lot of my other works is.  I tried to take multiple images and make it like a comic book page of them but....

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Sorry I'm not getting these out faster.  I've been working extra hours to pay off the new debt I have because I had to replace my roof.
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Here is the text from the caption, enjoy!  Please give me any feedback you might have on how the series is going.  Please be constructive!


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The Stand:  Origins 4

“Good evening Deana!  Thanks for coming in tonight.  I enjoyed our conversation on the phone today, I’m glad you agreed to talk more about my idea.”  Vivian said sincerely while shaking Deana’s hand.

“Well, your idea has me intrigued so here I am.  Is this the mannequin you were talking about earlier?”  Deana asked.

“Yep!  Now that I’ve told you about the compulsion spell can you sense it?”  Vivian asked curiously.

“I can.  It really is very subtle.  I didn’t even realize I was under it’s influence when I was shopping here last month.  What really gets my interest is your idea to create more of these.”  Deana said as she rapped a knuckle on the shoulder of the mannequin she was standing next to.  “This was really a person?”  She finished in a tone of wonder.

“Sure was!  He’s been like this for the last three months.”  Vivian said with an mischievous grin.

“Wait, he?  This used to be a man?”  Deana asked.

“My husband even!  He was going to help me out in the store and I wound up deciding he would be the most help like this.”  Vivian replied.

“Well then!  That is certainly impressive.”  she said with a chuckle, “Did you do it all at once or did you change his gender first then turn him in to a display figure?”  She asked Vivian.

“I changed his gender then made him inanimate.”  Vivian answered.

“So what is your plan then?”  Deana asked.

“Since I learned you are a technomancer when we talked over the phone today I was thinking we could create a device that could be used to make the transformations.  I was thinking we could make a gun or maybe make a display stand to do the transformations.”  Vivian explained.

“Hmm.”  Deana started, deep in thought, “I think I like the stand idea better.  I think I can make that more versatile that a gun would be.  Especially since we would be having it cast multiple spells.  I should be able to take the spells you cast and ‘save’ it to the device and I can make a matrix that can create the options we would want for the spells.  This way we can change the gender, appearance, height, weight, pose and what the target is made of.  The only problem would be there are no batteries for magical energy.  All of my device draw their power from my magic reserves.  The stand would have to draw its power from the innate magic in the area, or draw it’s energy from an active magic user like us.”  Deana explained.

“That sounds pretty cool!”  Vivian said excitedly, “I was hoping that non-magic users could use it too though.”  She finished with some disappointment.

“They can, but they would have to wait between uses for the device to gather energy.”  Was the reply.

“Wait, I thought you said there was no such thing as a magic energy battery?”  Was Vivian’s confused response.

“True but magic energy capacitors do.  the capacitor will absorb the ambient magical energy from the area and people around it to power the spells when a magic user isn’t near it.  it would take a day or two between uses in that situation.”  Deana clarified.

“Ooooo, nice!”  Vivian exclaimed, “I can tell the idea of doing this excites you Deana.  Shall we join forces to make this happen?”  Vivian asked hopefully.

“Oh, I am.  the whole idea intrigues me.  I’ve never been able to even think about doing something like this by myself.  Why don’t we go somewhere where we can discuss the details of this little project of ours?”  Deana asked.

“Sounds good!  Let me grab my purse and lock the store up.  There’s a great little pub around the corner we can go to!  Vivian said.

“Lead the way!”  Deana said as she snuck a quick, longing look at the mannequin, wondering what it felt like to be turned in to an inanimate object.