(Page under constant update, see description)
In the Sisterly Love series, human bodies (both male and female) can be squished, flattened, and compressed without causing permanent damage. Below are the rules and characteristics governing these properties:
Squishing
The body can be flattened, compressed and deformed indefinitely, potentially to sizes as small as a few millimeters;
It is not possible to separate a body into multiple pieces or create holes in it without causing permanent damage;
The ease of squishing varies based on several factors:
Age: Younger individuals are more malleable;
Sex: Women are more malleable than men;
Training: Frequent squishing increases malleability, while long periods without being squished make deformation more difficult;
Personal predisposition: Some individuals are naturally more malleable then others.
The process is not painful. Depending on personal preferences or circumstances, it can be extremely unpleasant or annoying for some people, or enjoyable and relaxing for others;
The body can also be stretched and elongated under external forces, though not voluntarily (it's not possible extending an arm to grab a distant object);
Once a body is squished, compressed, flattened, or otherwise deformed, the person loses control over it. At most, they can wiggle slightly but cannot move coherently.
When a body is squished, its metabolism slows down, allowing the person to consume less energy and require fewer calories. This prevents serious harm or pain for someone who remains squished for up to two days: at most, they’ll have an intense hunger afterward, but nothing serious (from @PaleBandit's comment)
Restoration Mechanics
The squished body constantly and naturally strives to return to its original shape:
Initially, this happens weakly and almost imperceptibly, but over time, the force increases until the body forcibly restores itself to its original state, within a couple of days at most, no matter what;
Restoration can forcibly destroy obstacles restricting the body, such as bottles in which it was contained or even concrete walls;
The smaller the space a body is compressed into, the greater the restorative force and the shorter the maximum time it can remain compressed;
Talented individuals can accelerate the restoration process, sometimes instantly returning to normal (Carla and Layla, for example)
These talented people may also slow down the restoration if they so wish, but only up to two days (from @Killer205's comment)
Other types of Tfs
Certain conditions allow the shrinking of people, specifically through exposure to intense, dry heat (a dryer, for example):
Depending on exposure time, individuals can shrink to a minimum size of just a few millimeters: the smaller the size achieved, the shorter the duration the body can remain shrunk;
Shrinking acts as an additional "layer" over other squishings: for example, if a person is flattened while shrunk, when they recover from the flattening they will still remain at their reduced size;
Shrunk individuals can move their bodies normally;
Shrinking to sizes of just a few centimeters lasts a maximum of half a day before the body abruptly returns to its normal size;
Personal abilities can accelerate the restoration process, but it is more difficult than standard squishing: no one is able to restore themselves instantly after being shrunk through heat.
When a person shrinks, their clothes shrink with them (Note: This is a temporary rule. I’m not entirely fond of this overly convenient workaround, but I’m also not fully convinced that a person would end up naked every time they are shrunk. Additionally, in SL9, Sofia and Carla were shrunken while still wearing their usual outfits. This is something that needs to be defined).
Inflation is theoretically possible by filling a person’s body with air or liquids, causing their body to expand (Details Pending: This transformation hasn’t been explored in depth yet, due to my personal preferences);
When the body is exposed to intense heat, it melts into a semi-liquid substance with a slime-like consistency:
Despite its almost liquid consistency, the basic rule remains that the body cannot be separated into multiple pieces;
In this state, the body is extremely malleable;
Even in this state, the body naturally tends to return to its normal form, still adhering to the two-day rule;
If some substance is mixed with the melted body, said substance will be expelled by it when the body is restored (following the same principle that the body tends to return to its normal state)
If multiple people are melted together, they merge into a single slime substance that cannot be separated until they return to normal;
If a melted body is exposed to low temperatures, it solidifies while retaining its current shape: it remains extremely malleable but will tend to return to this shape. This particular property is especially useful for molding a melted body into a specific form using a mold.
Social Norms
In the society, squishing is viewed as a violation of personal privacy and dignity: it can be compared to public nudity, though to a lesser degree.
Since being squished leaves you completely defenseless and immobilized until you manage to restore yourself (if and when you manage), is not something most people would willingly endure in front of others.
While people squishing each other is not a common occurrence in the Sisterly Love universe, it’s also not rare enough to be seen as completely bizarre. Behavior like that of Sofia, Carla, and the other characters in the stories is considered unusual but still socially acceptable, particularly among young people, who may use it as a way to prank or compete with one another.
Seeing someone flatten a friend in public is an unusual sight that might turn a few heads, but it’s not something serious or outrageous that would require intervention.
The human body's malleability is common knowledge, but not all details about squishing are widely known, since many people may go their entire lives without ever experience it firsthand. For example, the fact that exposure to dry heat causes shrinking is not common knowledge even between many squishing enthusiasts.
When squishing another person, the basic rules of civil coexistence still apply, impacting both the level of familiarity with the squished person and the amount of time you are essentially immobilizing them:
Among Close Friends and Family: Flattening among close friends or family members is generally acceptable, especially in situations of reciprocal squishing (Sofia and Carla, or Sofia and Mia), with rules and limitations that vary depending on the relationship. However, most people would still prefer to avoid such situations, even with intimate friends (for example Jane, who dislikes being involved in these squishy shenanigans).
With Acquaintances: Squishing a casual acquaintance without permission is considered extremely rude (for example, Sofia flattening Jane in SL3); even asking for permission implies a certain level of familiarity that may not exist with a casual acquaintance.
With Strangers: Squishing a stranger is illegal and is treated as a serious offense. Similar to the real world laws, it could lead to charges such as assault or even kidnapping, despite the lack of permanent harm.
Practical Applications of Squishing
While human malleability could have practical uses in physical work, transportation (imagine fitting a crowd of people into a briefcase), and other fields, societal views on squishing prevent its widespread use.
As a result, these practices are not exploited (officially, at least) and for this reason, the Sisterly Love world remains structured identically to the real world.