Moonstone - Chapter 14
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Duncan was disappointed.  He'd come up with a really good change for the latest full Moon, giving himself tiger-stripe chromatophores so he could be stripy or not as he wished.  The Moon had seemed to approve of the idea too - possibly because it was a change that affected a fairly substantial amount of him.  But when he'd first tried to use the ability, he'd overdone it, and the Moonstone had changed him all the way into a tiger.  That part wasn't the disappointment, he wished he could have spent more time in that awesomely powerful body.  Sidney's allergies made that impossible, unfortunately.

So here he was, human again.  The Moonstone had done a comprehensive job of changing him to match his shirt, and the stripy chromatophores were gone.  They'd be back by mid-month, but for now he was stuck as a boring normal human.  The only bright spot was that the moon-shaped mark on his chest had stayed.  He guessed he'd had that long enough for his shirts to pick it up.

Duncan put a good face on it, and spent the next day preparing and hand-delivering two more job applications.  He'd really been looking forward to having stripes on under his new suit.  It would have given him a shot of confidence that he sorely needed after two and a half months of rejection.

He spent as much of the weekend as possible playing with the kids, even bringing out the bunny puppet again.  He loved the puppet even more than before - every time he used it he smiled as it brought back memories of playing with his kids as a big plush rabbit.

The following week was the usual grind - hunt for anything resembling a possible job opening, meticulously tailor cover letters and resumes, drop them off... and hear nothing.  Until Friday - for the first time, Duncan actually got a call-back and a preliminary interview over the phone.  It went fairly well, and he was asked to come in for an interview the following Monday.

To say that Duncan was excited over the weekend would be an understatement.  After almost three months, the prospect of a job - any job - was something to be celebrated.  Then again, the money was running a bit tight, so his celebration mostly consisted of playing with the kids some more, and taking them out to play in some nearby parks.  They did splurge on a couple of steaks to barbecue.  The weather would turn soon, and it was likely to be their last chance at one for the year.

On Monday Duncan dressed in his best suit, saying a brief thanks to the Moon for helping him create it.  He found his way to the office easily enough, and was asked to wait until his interviewer was ready.  As he waited, he looked out over the rows of cubicles.  There was dead silence, other than the clicking of keyboards.  He found it odd - there were plenty of people here, but the whole place seemed grey and oddly joyless.

The interview went well enough as far as skills and experience, but foundered a little when Duncan was asked how he'd deal with a manager asking him to do a job in a way he disagreed with.  This had, after all, been a sticking point at the old job.  While he claimed he'd briefly try to argue his point, but do the work as asked, his heart wasn't really in it.

He was almost relieved that he didn't get a call back, despite the usual reassurances that he'd be called either way once they'd decided.  It would not have been pleasant to work there.

The problem was, that still left him without a job, or prospects of one.  And as the weekend and the new Moon approached, Duncan was facing a self-imposed deadline of sorts.  The three months worth of severance pay ran out then.  Sure, there was employment insurance, and it would help, but... he really, really hadn't expected to ever need that.

Unsurprisingly, nothing else came up that week.  Duncan gave up even trying the last few days, and spent his time upstairs with the kids instead.

Friday night, Duncan remembered the chromatophores.  He knew without looking that the new Moon had set a few hours earlier.  Would they work without the Moon to power them?  There was only one way to find out.  He tiptoed off to the bedroom, stripped to the waist, and stared at himself in the mirror.

Visualizing the stripes didn't work, no matter how vivid the image he conjured in his mind was.  Duncan frowned in concentration.  It had worked on night of the full Moon, so why not now?  Of course, he'd also carried on to turn into a full tiger, so perhaps he'd done something wrong to start with...  After half an hour of straining his mind in various ways, Duncan wondered if the chromatophores were simply not there at all.  He knew he'd added them, and felt pretty sure that this should work... but how did one control a new ability like that?  He hadn't thought about it.  How would he go about learning to use a tail, if he'd added it?  It was just some new muscles... and with that thought he found that if he tensed up just so, a stripe started to appear.

It took another half-hour of trial and error before Duncan could get the stripes to appear reliably, and the moment his attention turned away from them, they vanished.  He sighed.  With lots of practice, he was sure he could get the hang of keeping the stripes visible.  But for now...  "Note to self.  Next time - some kind of self-sustaining reflex would be in order."

"What was that?" Sidney called from the living room.

"Nothing dear, just talking to myself."

"Well, come out here and talk to me instead."

Duncan chuckled wryly, put on his shirt, and did just that.  He explained what he'd been up to, and even showed off a bit by pulling up his sleeve and making a few stripes appear on his arm.

Sidney sighed.  "You're still not done with that rock, are you?"

Duncan shook his head.  "I've got lots of ideas..."

"The three months is almost up, isn't it?"

Duncan took a moment to digest that.  "Oh, the job hunt.  Yeah, next Tuesday."

Sidney put her book down.  "Do we have any money left at all?"

Duncan sighed.  "I managed to pay off the credit card bill this month, but the account is pretty much empty.  Employment insurance kicks in soon, and... well, it covers the mortgage, that's about it.  There's a little bit left in the retirement fund, but that's not going to last more than a couple of months the way we're going."

"Oh.  I was hoping we could do something nice for Victor's birthday.  He turns one at the end of the month."

Duncan's expression brightened briefly.  "Oh!  That's right.  Wow, a year already..."  Then he sighed.  "We won't be able to do much for him.  On the plus side, he won't really remember this one anyway."

"I guess.  But I was thinking... couldn't we sell that rock?  You paid a lot for it, and we don't actually need it any more.  You weaned Victor and gave up your breasts months ago."

Duncan stared at Sidney for a long while, and tried not to let his disappointment show.  Eventually, he said, "I... don't think it quite works that way."

"Can you at least try?  Otherwise... well, skimping on V's birthday is one thing.  But Christmas is coming not long after."

Duncan sighed unhappily, and nodded.  "I know.  Believe me, I know.  We'll be flat broke and out of options by December.  Maybe something will come up, but... I can't say I'm all that hopeful.  I'll call Corrie's store tomorrow, and see if she'll buy it back.  She'll know what to do."

Duncan tried calling Corrie's Collectibles, where he'd bought the Moonstone, half a dozen times on Saturday, with no luck.  The same thing happened on Monday.  Tuesday, he actually went to the store, but it was closed.  He waited around for an hour, then came back again Wednesday afternoon.  Asking around at the nearby stores he found out that Corrie's had been open earlier, but nobody knew where she'd gone.

It was all very frustrating.  Duncan didn't really want to sell the Moonstone, but he at least wanted to talk about it and know what his options were.  After some thought, he decided to try calling the only other person he knew of that he could discuss magic with.  Pauline had helped him by making custom bras to use with the Moonstone, and had dealt with it before.  Perhaps she had some idea how this all worked.

To his relief, Pauline answered his call.  She wouldn't talk about magic over the phone, pointing out that anyone could be listening in.  So Wednesday night, Duncan drove over to visit with Pauline.  He brought the Moonstone along, just in case.

Pauline recognized the Moonstone's box the moment he walked in her door.  "Oh, you brought it along.  Can I see it?  It's been a few years since the last time."

Duncan chuckled, and opened the box.  "Careful, the Moon's up so it's live."

Pauline laughed.  "I only wear well-fitted clothes.  I'll be fine."  She stared at the Moonstone for a time.  "Ah, it's as pretty as I remembered.  Zo, what have you been up to?"

Duncan closed the box, and sat with Pauline in her fitting room for half an hour catching her up on his life over the past year.  He especially praised her custom nursing bras, and talked about how wonderful it had been to nurse his son.  He also talked about the loss of his job, and finished with the impending money crunch.  "So you see... it would really help if I could sell the Moonstone."

Pauline looked at Duncan appraisingly.  "You don't actually want to sell it.  You have a connection with it, one most people never build.  It's not done with you."

Duncan slumped back in his chair melodramatically.  "Great.  So what do I do now?"

Pauline pondered for a bit.  "Did you have fun with the pink bra?"

Duncan couldn't help but grin.  "Oh yeah.  Sidney even wore it once, but she wasn't so keen on turning into a different woman."

"Another woman?" asked Pauline, curiously.

"Yeah, using that bra with the Moonstone turned me into a copy of the woman you made it for, Kimmy."

"Is that zo...  Could you show me?"

Duncan blushed a bit, and glanced at the Moonstone's box.  "I... yeah, I could, if you have another of those bras handy."

A few minutes later Duncan was standing nearly naked in the middle of Pauline's fitting room, wearing just a hot pink size 42J bra and the sexy blonde bombshell body that came with it.

Pauline studied Duncan's new form intently.  "The resemblance is uncanny.  But can you dance like her?"

Duncan tried, really he did.  Pauline just laughed and after a moment to catch his breath Duncan laughed along with her.  "I'd say... no.  It's different when I'm Donna, I can access her mind, swap with her.  But with Kimmy I can barely even sense her mind.  She's too different."

"Such a pity.  Are you sure?"

Duncan hesitated, then sighed.  "If I had a little silver to touch, I think she'd come to the fore.  I'm just worried she'd take over."

Pauline pulled off a ring.  "I can handle her."  She held the ring out to Duncan, than dropped it into his palm.  The sexy blonde looked from the ring to Pauline and frowned.  "Is this part of the fitting?"  Her voice was just the same as moments before, but there was a new confidence to it.

Pauline raised an eyebrow, then nodded briskly.  "Yes.  Yes it is.  Please hold on to the ring for a moment and try dancing in that bra.  I need to see that it moves with you properly."

The blonde laughed.  "Yes, it'd be *such* a problem if it fell off."  Still, she danced for Pauline, showing off her assets both expertly and shamelessly.  By the time she was done she was flushed and sweaty.  Pauline was a little warm under the collar herself.

"Can I have my ring back, please?"

"Oh, sure.  What was that for, any..."  The blonde's features went flat for a moment as she released the ring.  Duncan put her hands to her head.  "Oooh.  That was... wow.  She is something else."

Pauline chuckled softly.  "Oh yes.  Under it all zo, she really is a nice girl.  Did you learn anything about dancing?"

Duncan's eyes widened, and she nodded. "Did I ever!"

"Show me."

Duncan moved her body lithely, and certainly seemed to be enjoying herself, but...  "No, still not a dancer. Pity.  What if I made a dancer's outfit for your Donna, Donna as an experienced dancer?"

Duncan sat and panted.  "I... yeah, probably."

"Then I have a solution to your problems."

"Really?"  Duncan sat up abruptly, her breasts nearly bouncing into her face.

Pauline nodded.  "There will be a wet tee-shirt contest the night of the full moon..."

"Saturday after next," Duncan interjected.

"Yes, exactly.  With my help, I feel certain you can win it."

Duncan grinned toothily. "Between you and the Moonstone, I'm sure of it."

Pauline looked pleased with herself.  "Zo you will do it?  Let men stare at your breasts for money?"

Duncan nodded without hesitation.  "Sounds... interesting, to be honest.  It'll be weird, but I love new experiences.  I had green hair for a month, once.  Everyone stared at my hair, not at my face."

"That won't bother you?"

"Nah.  It amused me then, this'll be the same."  Duncan hefted her breasts and let them drop.  Bounce.  "These aren't really even mine, so I don't mind others looking."

Pauline grinned.  "Perfect.  You'll do well indeed.  Bring the Moonstone back with you Saturday for your fitting."

Duncan nodded, then changed out of the bra and put his 'normal' clothes on.  As his body reformed into familiar contours, he sighed.  "There's just one thing... I'm pretty broke right now..."

Pauline waved him off.  "Pay me out of your winnings."

Duncan smiled with relief.  "Thanks."

Pauline smiled back.  "You're welcome.  Trust me, this isn't nearly as altruistic as it seems."

Duncan raised an eyebrow, but didn't inquire further.  "Good."

Pauline tossed Duncan the 42J bra he'd been wearing earlier.  "Keep it.  Use it to practice, your dancing bra will be about the same size."

"So what size will the breasts I'll be flaunting be?"

"I was thinking double-H.  It has to be somewhat plausible."

Duncan nodded.  "That makes sense.  See you Saturday!"

For the next two days, Duncan spent as much time as he could in Kimmy's J-cup form, changing into her the moment the Moon rose, and staying in that form until as close to moonset as he dared.  He had developed a good sense of just how much time he had left - it was like he could feel it when the Moon touched the horizon.  Sidney was a little disturbed by how much time Duncan was spending female, and confronted him about it.

Duncan showed her the online ad for the contest.  Sidney's eyes widened at the prize amount.  "That's..."

"Enough money to get us through Christmas, yes."

"That's why you're doing it?"  Sidney asked.

Duncan nodded.  "Yeah.  Well, mostly.  Plus, of the two of us, I'm likely to be the least offended by strangers staring at my breasts."

Sidney chuckled.  "I suppose you're right at that."

"So you're going to be OK with this?  The Blue Vixen's a topless club."

"And you'll be female while there."

"True..."

"It's not like you're planning to take up exotic dancing as a job, right?"

"It's not high on my list of careers, no."

Late Saturday afternoon, shortly after moonrise, Duncan arrived once again at Pauline's, Moonstone in tow.  As he was shown into the fitting room, he noticed a slight change from his last visit.

"Where did the pole come from?"

Pauline grinned.  "Perceptive, too.  I teach private dance classes from time to time."

Duncan looked at the base and top of the pole.  "Oh, I see the brackets, now.  Looks pretty easy to remove."

"Never mind about that.  Here."  Pauline handed Duncan a bra and panties set in an earthy brown tone.

Duncan looked them over, and ran his fingers over the bra-cups appreciatively.  "They feel very nice.  This is for... the contest?"

Pauline nodded.  "Put them on, I want to see how you turn out."

Duncan ducked behind the changing screen with the Moonstone.  When he emerged, both fit his reshaped body beautifully.  He twirled once, twice, then stood in front of the full length mirror to examine his new body.  "Very nice.  It's very much me, yet..."  He jumped in place, leaping high enough that his head nearly brushed the ceiling.  "Wow.  A lot stronger, and more graceful."

Pauline nodded.  "I tried to contemplate those aspects while making it.  It seems to have worked."

Duncan nodded.  "In spades.  I feel amazing, like I could dance all night."

"Show me."

Duncan had practiced diligently in Kimmy's body, but this one was something else again.  His center of balance was different, and the strength and limberness of the body messed up everything he'd learned.  

Pauline shook her head, ruefully.  "This is no good.  Why are you smiling?"

"Because I'm not left-handed, either."

Pauline looked confused.  "I don't see why that matters."

Duncan closed his eyes for a few moments, concentrating.  Donna opened them, and strode to the pole.  "Duncan might not be able to dance.  But I can."  She proceeded to gyrate around the pole, dancing as provocatively as she knew how.

Pauline applauded lightly once Donna had stopped and curtsied.  "You do know how to dance at a pole, good, good.  But you are still missing something, the spark of true passion."

Donna nodded.  "I... yes.  The difference between a student and a performer.  I feel like I've taken classes at this, but never actually danced for a crowd."

"This I expected as well.  It is good.  If you enter the contest and dance like Kimmy did, nobody will believe you an amateur.  If you even dance like you did just now, same.  Just... be natural."

Donna eyed the pole, reaching out for it then letting her hand drop.  "But..."

"No.  Spend the next week getting comfortable in this body.  I will teach you, but not yet.  See me the day before the show."

The week passed in something of a blur.  Duncan tried to pay attention to the job boards and the resumes and such, but he was always counting the minutes until moonrise and becoming Donna once again.  As the Moon rose later and later each day, that left him less and less time to practice.  

Then there was Victor's party on Wednesday to interfere with it all, and Duncan had to miss a night.  He didn't mind, it was fun to see his son try eating birthday cake for the first time.  Many pictures were taken that would be a source of much embarrassment once Victor was a teen.  There were gifts, and Duncan tried not to note how few of them were from him and Sidney, and how many were from the grandparents.  It's not like Victor cared - he had more fun tearing the paper and playing with the boxes in any case.

When Duncan finally had the time to practice some more he found that he was becoming quite good at flipping into the Donna mindset.  It took little more than a momentary act of will.  He also found that the longer he spent as Donna, the more comfortable he became in her body.  After a couple of hours, she felt perfectly at home in her new form, with reflexes and mannerisms to match.  The problem was, each time he returned to being Duncan, he undid all that work.  By Friday the acclimatisation had become slightly faster, but not by much.

So Friday night, Donna got into bed beside Sidney, instead of Duncan.  Sidney frowned at the 'intruder'.  "Aren't you going to change back?"

Donna shook her head.  "The Moon rises less than an hour before I have to be at the Blue Vixen.  There isn't enough time to change, get down there, and get into the right mindset."

Sidney sighed resignedly.  She'd been doing that a lot of late.  "Fine.  I really hope all this is worth it."

Donna waggled her chest at her wife.  "I'm sure these babies will win me the prize.  Which means we get to give the kids a proper Christmas."

Sidney laughed, and nodded.  "Stop that.  You're right, I know, it just seems really wrong.  Selling your body."

Donna shrugged.  "I'll be fine.  It's just a little ogling.  I get that from you every night."

The next day, Saturday, Donna made her way a bit nervously to Pauline's.  She knew she really shouldn't be driving without a 'proper' license - it's not like she matched the one in her borrowed purse.  But Sidney had to watch the kids, and so Donna had to drive herself around.  

Donna found it surprisingly normal to be out and about in female form.  Sure, she was wearing slightly ill-fitting clothes cobbled together from Duncan and Sidney's cast-offs, but otherwise... nothing.  People would look at her briefly, and carry on.  Well, guys tended to look a little longer, more so when they didn't think she could see.  A part of her had expected this to feel somehow strange and wrong, and she was pleased that it was so comfortable.

Pauline answered her door and looked Donna up and down, then gestured her to spin around.  "Well.  Other than looking like you dressed yourself at a thrift store, you look good."

Donna entered, laughing.  "I didn't think about it until today.  I've just been throwing on a light robe at home, or turning up the heat and just wearing the bra and panties.  This is the first time I've spent a whole day as Donna."

"Now let's see you walk.  Just move around the room naturally."

Donna walked slowly around the fitting room, taking a moment to pause in front of one of the dummies and appreciate the design of the dress there.  She stopped in front of Pauline.  "What am I trying to do?"

Pauline grinned.  "Exactly what you did.  You look very natural.  A bit demure.  Try doing the zame, but there's a crowd out there watching your every move.  Show off a little."

Donna tried to strut a little, and even blew a kiss at a couple of the dummies.  She blushed slightly as she imagined a roomful of guys looking back at her.

"Not bad... Don't overdo it.  Now take your bra off, and try it again."

Donna hesitated.  "My bra?"

Pauline nodded.  "Wet shirt plus no bra gives them a show, is the point."

"Oh."  Donna's blush got a little brighter.  "I knew that.  I just... yeah."  She hadn't yet mastered the trick of taking off her bra from under her shirt, so she pulled off the loose T-shirt she was wearing, then unclasped the bra.  "Do we need to supply our own T-shirt for the contest?"

Pauline nodded.  "Yes.  Bring a spare T-shirt for the encore, and a dry shirt to go home in.  Get some on your way home, stretchy is best."

Donna put the shirt back on, and started another prowl around the fitting room.  Her flush was back with a vengeance - every time she moved her nipples rubbed against the fabric of the shirt.  It felt surprisingly rough on her tender skin, but that was just making her nipples tent the fabric even more.  When she'd finished two turns around the room, she was panting softly, and felt as if she was glowing.

Pauline patted Donna's cheek gently.  "You'll do fine.  Love the attention, love your body.  Show them this, and they love you."

"Thanks."

"Now go.  Get your shirts - something a bit more comfortable, ya?"

Donna chuckled all the way to the car.  Until she realized she had her bra in her hands.

That evening Donna was a nervous wreck.  She picked at her dinner, then gave up.  "I... The Moon is up.  I should probably go get ready."

Sidney sighed, and nodded.  The kids were still eating, of course.  "We'll be here."

Still, Sidney stopped Donna before she went out the door, and gave her a loving kiss.  "Good luck."

Donna smiled, and gave her wife a good squeeze.  "Thanks."

The drive to the club just increased Donna's jitters.  She had been hoping for a glimpse of the Moon on the way, figuring it would help reassure her.  The sky had been overcast all day, and it didn't seem likely to change.

Donna parked as close to the club as she could manage, not wanting to walk very far afterward in the dark.  Just before she got to the club she looked up one last time.  She could see the glow where the moon should be, and for just a moment a tiny gap in the clouds scudded by.  The omen filled her with energy, and she nearly skipped through the door.

An older woman greeted her just inside.  "Here for the contest?"

Donna nodded.  "Yes."

"Name?"

"Donna."

The woman smiled at that.  "Oh, you're Pauline's protege.  I'm Rowan.  Sign the form, and I'll get one of the girls to show you to the green room.  The contest starts in an hour."

Donna scribbled an abbreviated version of her usual signature, and followed a leggy woman with dirty blonde hair through a side door and down a narrow corridor.

"Here's where you'll wait," the blonde said, brusquely.

"Thanks.  I'm Donna, by the way."

"Ana.  Don't worry, I'm not competing with you, I work here."  She looked Donna over.  "Not that you'd have much to worry about."

"Um, thanks, I think."  Donna smiled timidly.

Ana shrugged.  "Hey, it's not all about looks."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

Ana laughed, her voice rough.  "I'm not.  Just honest.  I'm glad you're only here for the contest.  You're not thinking about..."

Donna shook her head.  "I'm only here because I need the money."

Ana smiled sympathetically.  "So are we all, sister.  So are we all.  I'm going to go grab a smoke while we wait for the crowd.  You wait in there.  Size up the competition, you'll be able to tell...  but given your rack, I don't think you'll have any trouble at all."

Donna blushed, and went through the indicated door.  It was obviously both a communal changing room and a place to wait before going out onto stage.  There was a small knot of girls in white T-shirts.  The other women in the room were obviously performers, given how comfortable they seemed to be walking around half-dressed.

Donna thanked her foresight in spending a full day female before entering here.  She was sure that Duncan would have embarrassed her by staring.  One of the less-dressed woman had enormous breasts, bigger even than the ones the 42L bra could give her.  Everyone else seemed to be deferring to her, and before long she disappeared behind one of the two doors to private changing rooms.

As she surveyed the rest of the room Donna realized that only one other performer had breasts comparable to the HH breasts Pauline's bra had given her.  None of the girls in T-shirts were even close.  They'd noticed her entrance, and were unified in their glares.  Donna decided that trying to socialize with them would be hopeless, so she settled in to wait.

As the hour crawled past, a few more girls in T-shirts trickled in, gathering with the others and occasionally staring in Donna's direction.  One of the later arrivals was a gorgeous blonde with curves that put the others to shame.  She was ostracized as well, and wandered over to where Donna was sitting.

"Hi, I'm Kate."

Donna smiled, and offered a hand.  "I'm Donna.  The harpies didn't like me much when I showed up either."

Kate laughed.  "And then I arrived.  One of us might trip and fall on her face, but both?"

"I'm hoping for neither."

"Me too.  Well, maybe a teensy part of me hopes you'll stumble."

They chatted for a while, until Rowan entered and called the room to order.  Kate was selected to go first, and as she was heading to the door Donna called out, "break a leg!"

Kate looked startled for a moment, then grinned.  "You too!"

After that, it was more waiting as the girls disappeared out to the stage one by one.  Apparently Rowan had decided Donna should go last.

Finally, it was her turn.  Donna nervously walked out the door marked 'stage', and up a short flight of steps.  She waited just out of sight while her eyes adapted to the bright lights, then Rowan nudged her out on the stage.

Donna looked out over the crowd, and saw... just guys.  Most of them were young, about the same age as her body now looked.  Somehow as an abstract it had been nerve-wracking, but these were just... normal people.  She smiled, and recited Pauline's exhortation to herself one last time.  "Love the attention, love your body."  Something inside her clicked, and she strutted onto the stage as if she owned it.