After “Lya” (actually Jess in a copy of Lya’s body) finished telling the tale of how she’d accidentally turned the bride into a balloon and taken her place at her own wedding, the emerald-eyed woman tutted softly.

“Well, this is a pickle.  Didn’t Lya tell you anything about magic?”

Jess shook her head.  “Just that she had it.  Then she gave it to me temporarily.  She just said she could change sizes and colours, not... turn people into balloons.  How was that even possible?”

The woman studied Jess, her eyes glittering as she did so.  “You don’t have nearly enough power.  But you do have some.  Ah, of course!  When Lya gave you her power, your strength would have combined.  No sane witch would dare such a thing with another of any power, but Lya didn’t know any better.  And even combined, you’re weak enough that you can’t make changes permanent.  So it’s passably safe.  Interesting.”

“If I didn’t make her a balloon permanently, when will she change back?” asked Jess worriedly.

“Oh, any time now she’ll be able to break the spell.  She just can’t while in public.  That’s why stage magicians use boxes, you see – can’t do real magic if more than three people can see it.”

Jess looked down at the limp balloon in her hands.  “Oh dear.  Wait, so if I left her somewhere that everyone could see, she’d never change back?”

“Well... it’d have to be somewhere brightly lit and always crowded.  The magic would fade and the change would eventually become permanent in about a month.  She’d still be a witch, though, and able to change herself back.”

Jess sighed with relief.  “Oh good.  Now we just have to find somewhere private to undo this mess.”

The emerald-eyed woman spotted Revan walking toward them.  “Nowhere more private than a honeymoon suite...  Revan, my boy!  Lovely wedding.  Time to take your new bride to your love-nest is it not?”

Revan smiled.  “Thanks Aunt Talia.  I hope you haven’t been telling Lya those embarrassing stories from when I would visit you as a kid.”

Talia smiled back at him brilliantly.  “Oh, I think you should tell her those yourself.  Tonight.  In private.”

“Oh?”

“Trust me.”

Jess followed Revan out of the hall, and up the grand staircase to the second floor.  He opened a door at the end of the hall with a flourish, then was about to scoop her up into the traditional bridal carry over the threshold.  Jess skittered back, and shoved the deflated balloon into his arms instead.

Revan peered at her in puzzlement.  “I don’t understand.  What’s wrong?”

“Everything.  Just... please carry her over the threshold, not me.”

Revan raised an eyebrow curiously, and peered at the lump of vinyl in his arms.  “I still don’t understand.”

“You will once we close the door.  Please?”

Revan bowed to her respectfully.  “You know I will always do as you ask.”  He draped the balloon over his shoulder, and strode into the room.  Jess closed the door behind them, and a moment later the balloon started to get much heavier than any balloon should ever be.

Revan held on to it as it stretched and grew into the delightful form of his beloved.  He hugged her tight, then set her naked body down beside Jess.  “Okay.  Now I’m even more confused.  Which of you is the real Lya?”

“She is!”  “I am!”  Both pointed at the naked women.

“Oh good.  We’re not doing a comedy routine where I have to...  Lya!  Were you a balloon for the whole wedding?  Oh my God, I’ve married the wrong woman.”

“I... signed the papers with Lya’s signature,” confessed Jess.  “So the paperwork has it right.”

Lya glared at her, and Jess raised her hands defensively.  “I am so, so sorry.  But I was you, and you were missing, and what else was I supposed to do?  I even crossed my fingers when I said the vows, so it doesn’t count.  Right?”

Jess offered her ring to Revan.  “Say it!”

“Lya, will you take me to be your husband, in sickness and in health?” asked Revan, sliding the ring onto Lya’s finger.

“I will!” promised Lya fervently.  “Will you take me to be your wife!”

“I will, gladly.”

They kissed resoundingly, but when Jess tried to sneak out the door, the doorknob melted away.  “No sneaking off, missy.  You still have a lot to answer for.  And you need to be yourself.”

Lya made a tugging motion with her hands, and the magic binding Jess into her copied body fell away.  The dress she was wearing was suddenly two sizes too small, so quick work was made of stripping her out of it, leaving her in an overflowing bra and slightly stretched lace panties.

“I can’t go out like this!” moaned Jess.  “What are we going to do?”

Lya studied her, eyes glittering even more brightly than Talia’s had.  “You owe me.”

“Yes, I’ll do anything...”

“Put your hands in mine, and imagine the power leaving you, flowing into me.”

Jess’ eyes went wide.  “Oh!  You’d be able to...”

“You ruined my bridal lingerie.  Seems only fair that you replace it.”

Jess licked her lips, then put her hands in Lya’s outstretched ones.  “I don’t really know what to do... oh!  It’s tingling.”

Lya purred, eyes slitting as she felt the power grow.  “The things I can do...”

Revan held up a hand.

“Yes?” asked his bride.

“Just wanting to clarify a point.  You’re a witch, like Aunt Talia?”

Lya hung her head.  “Guess it’s a bit late to try to deny it.  Wait, you know about witches?”

Revan nodded eagerly.  “I used to visit Aunt Talia during the summer when I was a kid.  She loved showing off her magic.  She never turned anyone into a balloon, though.  My favourite was being shrunk to about a foot tall.  She’d give me fairy wings and bright green skin, and...  Right, not the point.”

“I was so worried you’d hate me.”

“Hate you?” exclaimed Revan.  “Oh, love, never.  This is...”

“Amazing?” offered Jess.  “I told her that any man would jump at the opportunity.”

“Quiet you,” grumbled Lya.  Her hands flicked toward Jess, and the other woman started to dwindle.  As she shrunk her skin went pale, becoming soft and lacy.  Her head collapsed inward to become the plunging neckline of a pretty bra, as her arms became straps.  Legs collapsed into nylon stockings, and the remainder fluttered down as a pair of white satin panties.

Revan watched, eyes aglow with wonder and something more.  Lya licked her lips at what she saw there.   “Oh, you liked that show?  How about this one...”

Lya danced to her new outfit, and teasingly put it on, piece by piece.  When she was done, Revan fanned his face.  “That was the sexiest anti-strip-tease I’ve ever seen.”

Lya prowled toward her husband.  “And the fact I’m wearing Jess as my clothes?”

“Sexier still.”  Revan took her hands, and drew her toward the bedroom.