Finn startled awake.  Sunlight was streaming through his bedroom window, suggesting he’d slept through at least part of the morning.  His hand opened and closed, reaching for a memory.  He looked at the ring on his finger, and his eyes widened. “Miriam!”

Finn dove into the ring to find her, only a diffuse sense of Miriam suggesting her presence.  He focussed, and Miriam appeared in front of him, dazed expression quickly turning to a brilliant smile as she saw him.  “Done in the bathroom?” she asked.

Finn looked away guiltily.  “I fell asleep after.  It’s morning.”

“Oh.  That explains why I’m so hungry.  Breakfast?”

Finn popped her out of the ring, to find her squirming in distress where she stood.  “What?”

“Gotta pee!”  Miriam grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the bathroom.  

Once the door closed behind them, Finn protested that he didn’t want to watch her at her business.  Miriam whimpered, and held out her hand for the ring.  A moment later, Finn was gone, and Miriam could take care of business.

Miriam slumped with relief on the toilet.  But when she tried to get up, she found she couldn’t.  She looked down to find porcelain tentacles holding her in place.  Her eyes widened as her butt slipped into the toilet and the water started to swirl around it.  A giant porcelain tongue poked up between her legs, twined around her waist, and pulled.  Miriam shuddered at the intimacy of the gesture, and the feel of cold water swirling against her privates.

The tongue pulled harder, and her body contorted uncomfortably to fit into the bowl of the toilet.  The suction grew painfully strong, and she felt her body creak and groan as it compressed further.  She lurched lower, and the porcelain of the toilet changed further, into a giant mouth closing over her.  In darkness she slipped, and fell, sliding faster, faster...

Miriam gasped, and tumbled to the floor.  Behind her, the toilet was perfectly normal, the tank hissing softly as it refilled.  Miriam pulled up her panties, smoothed out her dress, and summoned Finn out of the ring.

Finn wobbled on his feet, and Miriam clutched his hand to steady his balance, and her nerves.  His mouth worked for a few seconds before words came out.  “That was... weird.”

Miriam winced.  “Sorry.”

Finn managed a weak chuckle.  “I suppose eating you should feel familiar by now.  What was that all about?”

Miriam looked away.  “Still feeling...”

“Self destructive?”

Miriam nodded.  “What am I going to do?  It’s like there’s this dark void inside...”

“Give me the ring.  I’ll find ways to distract you that are less destructive.”

Miriam handed him the ring, but before Finn could think to pop her inside his stomach growled quite loudly, making them both giggle.  “Breakfast first?”

“Please.”

They worked together in the kitchen to put together a simple brunch.  Miriam sniffled a couple of times and outright burst into tears once, as she recalled cooking for her mother.  Finn hugged her to get her through it.  The eggs got a little singed as a result, but the distraction it provided was welcome.

Agnetha found them still at the table when she came in for lunch.  Miriam was softly crying on Finn’s shoulder.  “How’s she doing?” she asked gently.

Finn shrugged, and rubbed his sweetie’s shoulders.  “Better, I think.  She went half an hour without crying before this jag.”

Miriam sat up and sniffed, rubbing her nose with her free hand while the other tightened around Finn’s.  “Sorry.  It’s just...  Everything.  She’s gone, and nothing I do...”  Miriam frowned.  “Wait.  There was something.”

Finn looked at her expectantly.  “Yes?”

“As we were leaving the hospital, you remember?”

Finn frowned too.  “You were much more... aggressive.  But also happier.  Only as we left, though.”

“You turned me into a guy when you got me dressed.”

“I did?” asked Finn in confusion.  “I don’t remember that.”

Miriam smiled at him winningly, holding up their joined hands to show the ring.  “Please?  I’ll try anything that might help.”

Miriam disappeared into the ring.  Agnetha sighed to see her go.  “Is hiding in the ring really the answer?”

Finn shrugged.  “Not in the long term.  But from her point of view, she lost her mother a few hours ago.”

Agnetha couldn’t argue with that, and shooed Finn off.  He went to the living room, lay down on the couch, and dropped fully into the ring.  Miriam was pacing in front of the library, and hugged him tight when he appeared.  “You’re back!”

Finn chuckled.  “I wasn’t that far away.  Let’s see...”  The figure in his arms bulked up, ending up several inches taller than him, and stronger to boot.  “How’s that?”

Miriam stepped away from Finn, and flexed.  “Muscly.  But I don’t feel it up here.”  She tapped her head.  “I need the full deal.”

“I’d...  Is it really wise to do that?”

“To hell with wisdom.  I just want the darkness to go away,” growled Miriam, grabbing Finn by the shoulders.  “Do it!”

“Already done,” said Finn with a crooked smile.  “How do you feel?”

Miriam let go of Finn, dusting his shoulders off where he’d grabbed them.  “I... uh...  Sorry about that.  It feels more subtle this time.”

“I think there’s an old punching bag in the store somewhere.  Want to work out some aggression on it?”

“Yeah!”

Punching bag drills moved on to some improvised boxing practice, then wrestling.  That ended up becoming something more than just wrestling.  After they broke apart, Finn teleported them next to the bed in the boutique.

“I could pop myself female...” Finn offered.

Miriam bit his lip, worrying at it far more cutely than should have been possible in his current body.  “I...  I would like that.  Are you sure?”

Finn answered by flickering out of existence for a moment, and returning as a girl.  “Very sure indeed.  Now, let’s...”

Miriam gasped softly as he felt his body and muscles expand further.  “What was that for?”

Finn slinked up against him and purred.  “Pick me up.”

Miriam scooped Finn up and spun her around.  “Oh wow, you’re so light.”  He squeezed her tight, inhaling her scent.  “And you smell divine.  I could eat you all up.”

Suddenly they were out in the field, and Miriam was growing even taller, muscles bulking up to ridiculous proportions.  Scales started to spread over his body.  “Finn!  I didn’t mean literally...”

“Oh.  Uh...”  Finn glanced downward, and her eyes widened.  “Oh my.  Is that for me?”

“Finn!  It’d split you in half.”

“You’re probably right.  I better grow you bigger, then.”

Miriam’s height surged.  The buildings in town only came up to her waist, now.  “Finn?”

“Not yet.”

Miriam’s height doubled again, scales thickening and hardening over much of his body.  “I’m a monster.  What are you doing?”

“Making myself bite-sized to you.  Or rather...”  Finn lay flat on Miriam’s palm, peering down below.  “Mmm.  Rub me on that...”

“It’s as big as you!” protested Miriam.  “I’d be afraid of breaking you.”

“Projection,” said Finn.  “Can’t hurt me, not really.  Be gentle.”

Miriam did his best, but Finn vanished after a few moments.  “Drat.”

Finn reappeared astride the monster.  “Sorry.  Mom woke me up.  Want lunch?”

Miriam tossed Finn into the air, then snapped his jaws shut around the little morsel.  He swallowed, and chuckled softly.  “I could eat.”

Miriam appeared beside the couch, and gave Finn a hug.  “Thanks.  I feel much better.”

Her good mood lasted through most of lunch, though her crying jag afterward made Finn and Agnetha fret.  Finn pulled her back into the ring, and into a beefy male body.  He left Miriam there for a few seconds, then popped her back out.  

Miriam sat quietly beside Finn, holding his hand.  “How odd.”

“What?”

“I remember crying, but it... feels kind of distant, now.  Neat trick.”

The trick continued to work through the afternoon.  Every time Miriam started crying, Finn tucked her in to the ring and a male body for long enough for the mindset to lock in, then brought her out again.

They spent the time talking about nothing of consequence.  Both were avoiding discussions of family and of the future.  Eventually Finn suggested they put on a romantic movie, and Miriam only cried twice during it.  Once was at an actual sad point in the film, but Finn reflexively turned her male for a bit anyway.  Miriam poked him when she emerged.  “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Really?”

Miriam pouted and paused the movie.  “Now the scene is nowhere near as romantic.  Pfah.  Let me turn you into a girl for a bit so someone appreciates it.”

Finn reluctantly gave over the ring.  Miriam was true to her word, and only popped Finn in for long enough for his mind to get all girly.  After he emerge, he snuggled up with Miriam for the remainder of the scene.  “Aww, she got the nice guy after all.”

Miriam smirked. “Still my girl?”

Finn shrugged.  “Sympathetic.  Guys are allowed to like romantic movies too, you know.”

Miriam pulled Finn into a hug.  “My mushy sweetie.”

As soon as Miriam got up, she headed straight for the washroom.  Finn tagged along behind until he realized where she was going.  “Not again...”

Miriam waved a hand and he was gone, vanished into the ring.  “Yes, again.”  She hugged the ring against her breast, then went about her business.

Once again, Miriam found herself in the wrong bathroom, wondering what was happening now.  She focussed carefully on making sure the toilet stayed a normal toilet, and then willed herself back out of the ring.  Once she’d cleaned up and left the washroom, she resummoned Finn.

The stunned look on Finn’s face made Miriam’s eyes go wide.  “What’s wrong?”

“You don’t know what you did?  Call it a ... reversal of this morning.”

Miriam covered her face with her hands.  “Aw, crap.”  She pulled off the ring and offered it to Finn

Finn took it, but didn’t put it on.  “Just so.  We have to fix this, Miriam.”

Miriam peeked from between her fingers.  “Was it really so bad?”

Finn moaned softly.  “No.  It felt disturbingly...  I really don’t want to acquire that as a kink.”

Miriam snickered softly.  “It’s the logical endpoint of being eaten.”

“Don’t,” moaned Finn.  “I’ll do it to you and see how you like it.”

Miriam made a face.  “Pass.”

After a moment, both of them realized what she’d said and started giggling.  Once they’d managed to stop, Finn summoned a serious face.  “We still have to fix this.  I could wait just outside...”

Miriam shook her head frantically, and grabbed his hand.  “No!  You promised!”

Finn winced.  “I know.  I ... if you had a concrete token of the second half of the promise, could you relax a little on the first?”

“A token...”  Miriam peered into Finn’s eyes.  “Was that some kind of clumsy proposal?”

Finn stammered a half-hearted denial, then sighed.  “I guess.  You started it with the promise.”  He looked down at the ring in his hand.  “I can’t give you this, it’s Mom’s.”

Miriam’s eyes lit up.  “We can go ring shopping!”

Finn protested that he didn’t have the money for a ring, and wouldn’t until he got paid for his summer job.  Miriam waved that off as irrelevant, the could at least look.  Finn couldn’t deny her enthusiasm, she seemed excited and giddy, a huge improvement on earlier.  “Okay.  We’ve got half the afternoon left.  Let’s go look at pretty things.”

“Yay!”

Finn had expected their first stop to be at the mall, but instead Miriam drove them to a small jewelry store in a little cluster of other equally exclusive single-proprietor shops.  She seemed to know the owner well enough, and there was one ring in particular she’d “always wanted to try on”.  Once it was on her finger, though, Miriam shook her head.  She tried on a few other rings, and even got Finn to try on one.  He had to admit that the sparkle was attractive.

While Finn was trying to wrap his head around the reality that wearing a ring made him feel giddy inside, Miriam got into a hushed conversation with the owner.  A little later they thanked him for his time, and he smiled at Miriam.  “Good luck.  And remember us on your anniversary.”

Finn blushed, and nodded, finding it only slightly odd that the owner seemed to be addressing Miriam more than him.

Miriam drove them to another store, a slightly larger in an otherwise residential block.  “Cathay Boutique?” asked Finn as they entered.  “This looks like an importer, not a jewelry store.”  

The store was full of various items.  It had ornate mirrors, a racks of dresses and scarves in a riot of colours, end tables, shelves of all descriptions. There were various sculptures and a bewildering array of polished crystal eggs crystals displayed on said tables and shelves, but no jewelry.

Miriam tugged Finn toward the back.  Hidden behind a display of rune-carved wardrobes was a section of wall lined with an eclectic array of jewelry display cases.  Before they could start browsing, one of the clerks came over to ask if they needed assistance.  All of the cases were locked, and she pulled out a large ring of keys, each key different in size and shape.

“I was told you had some Ovid jewelry?” asked Miriam.

“Oh!  Yes, over here.  I’m not allowed to unlock this case, though.”

Finn stared at the case.  It was less overwrought than the others, a simple square frame in obsidian black with silver hinges and lock.  The rest was glass, and frosted into the top of the door was the word ‘OVID’, with the O and the D done as a full and first quarter Moon respectively.

“Is there something special about these?” asked Finn.

The clerk nodded eagerly.  “They’re magic.  That’s why my boss is the only one with keys.  Don’t want any customers getting transformed before they can pay.”  She giggled.  “Whenever we do sell one everyone gathers around to watch.”

“Magic?” asked Finn in surprise.  “You sell magic?”

“A little, and not just the rings.  We also have a few things that were created via magic, if that appeals.”

Finn looked over at another display of dresses, then back at the clerk, suspiciously.  “Were they people?”

“Do we look like that sort of store?” asked the clerk, incredulously.

“A little, yeah.”

She giggled, and shook her head.  “We don’t put people on the rack.  We have... um, arranged for that sort of thing, between consenting parties.  All the stuff we sell is permanent, but also reversible.”

Finn blinked.  “Reversible?”

“Like the rings you’re looking at.”  She pointed at one on a lower shelf, it appeared to have fangs worked into the design.  “Put on the werewolf one, and you get all fuzzy.  Take it off, put it on again, and you change back to yourself.”

“That has to be crazy expensive,” sighed Finn.

The clerk nodded.  “Yeah, species changes are tricky to get right, and don’t sell all that fast.”  She pointed to the top half of the case, where there were a half dozen sparkling diamond rings.  “These ones just swap your gender, it’s much simpler magically.  They are our best sellers, we’ve sold more than a few to couples like yourselves.”

“As engagement rings?” asked Miriam.

“A few.  More often as anniversary rings.  Valentine’s Day tends to generate a few sales, too.”

Miriam inquired as to the cost, and the number the clerk named made Finn wince.  He protested that one could buy a new car for that.  Miriam seemed undaunted, but couldn’t provide proof of means so they were unable to see the rings in action.

“They’re limited use, only a few charges per day.  Boss doesn’t want people playing with them without buying first, sorry.”

Miriam sighed mournfully.  “I suppose that’s fair.”

“That suggests you have other things that one can play with,” mused Finn.

“Oh yes.  The wardrobes always work.  You look like you’d make a pretty scarf.”

Miriam’s eyes shone. “Ooooh.  Please, Finn?  Just for a bit?”

Finn hemmed and hawed.  Miriam pointed out she’d already worn him before, inside the ring.  Finn glanced at the ring on his hand, conceding the point but pointing out that they knew the ring was completely safe.

The clerk assured Finn that the wardrobe was just as safe, that people always changed back right as rain once they were put inside again.  Finn sighed, and handed the ring over to Miriam.  Before he knew it he was stepping into an ornate wardrobe.  A moment later, the door on the opposite side opened, and Miriam scooped out a long silvery scarf.

“Can he feel this?” she asked breathlessly.  “Oh please say he can.”  She wrapped it around her neck, and danced around the wardrobe.

“He can feel it, yes.  He can’t hear or see, though.  Was there anything you wanted to discuss while he’s in that state?”

Miriam bit her lip, and nodded.  “I can get the funds, I just need to deal with my father.  Finn won’t agree to me buying our engagement rings.”

“Rings?” asked the clerk, her ears practically perking at the plural.  “Do you want a matched set?”

That led into an extended discussion of the rings and their characteristics.  Miriam eventually settled on the ones she wanted.  The clerk reassured her that sizing wasn’t an issue, the rings would fit any finger perfectly.  Miriam hugged Nianzhen warmly in thanks for her help, and the girl reassured her that she was very happy to make the sale.

A little later the wardrobe opened on a restored Finn.  He patted himself down to make sure he was the right shape, then hopped out and hugged Miriam tight.  “Thanks for changing me back.”

Miriam giggled and blushed at that.  “I almost left with you around my neck.  Say thank you to Nianzhen for reminding me.”

Finn hugged the clerk, too, and mumbled something about maybe trying it again one day.

Miriam smiled.  “You didn’t hate it?”

“Being all soft and fluttery and next to your skin?  It was lovely.  I can see why some people might decide to stay longer.”

“We’ve had a few cases of unrequited love turning to the wardrobes,” said Nianzhen.  “Some people would do anything to stay close.”

Finn nodded slowly.  “I can well imagine.”

*** *** ***

Finn and Miriam got through the night without further bathroom-related incidents.  Finn did wake to find Miriam snuggled in bed beside him, despite her having started the night inside the ring.  He kissed her softly, and popped her sleeping form back inside so that he could have a little privacy.

Later, when Miriam asked the same courtesy in return, she vanished Finn inside the ring.  She didn’t bring him back out right away, and instead went to find Agnetha in her workshop behind the house.  “Can you keep an eye on me for a bit?”

Agnetha smiled at Miriam.  “Of course.  Why can’t Finn do it?”

“Because I don’t want him to interrupt me when I call Dad and tell him about everything.”

Agnetha set down her paint-stripper and gave Miriam a big hug.  “Do you want my moral support while you do it?”

“Please?” asked Miriam weakly.  “I need to ask him for something big.”

“He owes you more than you’re going to ask,” noted Agnetha with a sour expression.  “He’d better not say no.”

Miriam’s smiled her thanks.  “I have something to ask you, too.  I want to propose to Finn.  Would that be okay?”

Agnetha pulled Miriam into an even tighter hug.  “Yes!  Of course sweetie.  Then you’d really be my daughter.  Have you asked him yet?”

Miriam blushed.  “There was a sort of sideways mutual proposal earlier.  So... kind of.  I want to do it right, and that’s why I need to call Dad to get him to buy the rings.”

“Oooh!  You’ve already picked out engagement rings?” gushed Agnetha.

Miriam nodded eagerly, but wouldn’t say a thing more about them.

The phone call didn’t go as badly as Miriam had worried, especially after she told her father that Finn had saved her life.  Explaining herself made her sniffle again, and Agnetha held her hand until the call was complete.

“Are you going to be okay?”

Miriam nodded, and glanced down at the ring.  “I...”

“You need Finn, not me.  I’ll promise to keep quiet.”

Miriam handed Finn the ring the moment he appeared.  “Guy me.”

“Yes’m.  Shall I join you as a girl and watch another romantic movie?”

“Please.”

Miriam and Finn both sniffled through the ending of the movie, and giggled a little to realize they were reacting almost in sync.  “I’m glad you’re not the sort of boyfriend that refuses to cry.”

Miriam stuck his tongue out at her.  “I can too be tough.  You set me off.”

“My fluffy marshmallow,” sighed Finn.  Then she sighed again at the enormous marshmallow sitting beside her where Miriam had been.  “Drat.”

They both emerged from the ring full of giggles and shared looks.  Agnetha rolled her eyes at them, and asked their help to make lunch.  The three of them were eating the results of their labours when there was a knock at the door.

Finn answered it, and his eyes widened when he saw the clerk from the previous day.  “Nianzhen!  What a pleasant surprise.  What brings you here?”

“An even more pleasant surprise.  Is Miriam here?”

Miriam popped out from behind Finn.  “I didn’t know you delivered.”

“Special order, and I really wanted to see...”  Nianzhen stopped talking when Miriam held up a finger.  She handed over a small Cathay Boutique bag, and Miriam peered inside.  “The one is labelled.”

Miriam pulled a small box out of the bag, and looked around to make sure Agnetha was near.  She then went down to one knee and held up the box.   “Finn Engstrom, will you marry me?”

Finn’s eyes went wide as Miriam opened the box.  Inside was a white gold band with four inset diamonds.  Three small ones, and one slightly larger one that glowed faintly even in the light of day.  “For me?” he gasped.  Squealed, really.

“Say yes,” prompted his mother.

“YES!”

Miriam grinned hugely, and pulled the ring from its box.  As she slipped it onto Finn’s finger, the larger diamond’s glow flared brighter, engulfing his body.  His hair flowed longer as his face softened, and as his body flowed into her new curves, her height dropped by just enough to put Finn at exactly Miriam’s height.

Finn spun in place.  “Oh!  Oh my goodness!  Thank you so much!”  She hugged Miriam hard enough to drive the breath out of her.  Once they’d recovered from the kiss, Miriam asked if Nianzhen could wait a few minutes.

Nianzhen grinned.  “I can guess what’s next.  I’ll wait all day if I have to.”

Miriam dragged Finn off to the guest room, and offered up her wardrobe.  Finn was almost exactly her size, though Miriam’s bras proved a bit on the tight side.  Miriam snickered when she noticed it, and claimed the overflowing look was very hot.  Soon Finn was wearing the mostly-finished sundress they’d found when clearing the room for Miriam’s use.

They emerged hand in hand, to cheers from their audience of two.

“Oh, Finn, you look so beautiful!” gushed Agnetha.  “And you brushed your hair!  I could never get you to do that before.”

“I never loved my hair before,” whispered Finn.  “Are you... okay with this?”

Agnetha laughed warmly.  “Are you happy this way?  Nianzhen told me that you can change back if you want.”

Finn beamed at Miriam.  “I am.  I... might find myself changing back and forth some, but this feels...”  She pulled her sweetie in for a kiss.  “Almost perfect.”

Miriam smiled at Finn.  “I know what it’s missing.”  She nodded to Nianzhen, who brought the gift bag to Finn.

“You know what to do, right?”

Finn stared down at the box for a long time, then beamed.  “Oh!  Yes.”  She went to one knee and offered up the box to her love.  “Miriam Holloway, will you marry me?”

“Yes love, oh yes.”

Finn slipped the ring onto Miriam’s finger, and was not at all surprised when she started to glow.  Finn threw herself into Miriam’s muscular arms when the glow finally faded.  “Oh, love.  Now it’s perfect.”