“What are you doing here?”

Donna chuckled at the young-looking researcher whose office she’d just appeared in.  “We see our reputation precedes us.”

“Yeah!  I saw that video a month ago, of everyone changing...  You can do anything, so why here?  Why me?”

“I’m here to help.”

He blinked at Donna uncertainly.  “Sorry?”

“Would it make it any better to say ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’?”

That got a chuckle.  “No.  Make that hell no.  We’re just some guys with a wild idea that might possibly turn into a viable fusion power plant.  You could just snap your fingers and...”

Donna shook their head.  “The laws of magic got rewritten to forbid direct interaction with high energy physics in general.  For the best, antimatter weapons are...”

“Scary as fuck, I get it.  But that doesn’t answer my question.”

“The most pressing need of the world right now is power.  We had a nice chat with the President earlier, and while the oil crisis has been resolved for now, there’s a lot of infrastructure out there with nobody to maintain it.  It won’t hold together for long.  What the world really needs is a better source of power.  You’re working on that, and we can help.  What do you need?”

“We have a quarter-scale prototype, and more than enough lead.  I don’t suppose you can get us some tritium?”

“No more easily than you can, I’m afraid,” Donna said regretfully.  “Too reactive.”

“We can test the theory with deuterium,” he mused.  “But... I get the impression you want me to think bigger.”

“What do you need to get a full scale demo going?”

“We have enough space...  Can you duplicate the pistons, enough for the big version?”

Donna nodded.  “Sure.  But think bigger.  I could rig up the whole thing if you’ve got the plans.”

“Bigger, huh?  Our next version needs twenty pistons, but in theory sixty should be better...”

That brought Duncan to the fore with a broad grin.  “You want sixty, we’ll make it happen.”

They discussed details of how to rig the device and where to put it.  Duncan used a shimmering illusion of the device to illustrate the structure and placement.  Once it was positioned properly the shimmer faded, leaving the real machine behind.

“Wooow.  I mean, I’d heard, but seeing it just... appear like that.  This is fantastic.  We’ll get to testing as soon as possible.”

“Hopefully by the next full Moon?  If we’re here for a test shot we can see what happens on the inside without the need for probes.”

The researcher nodded eagerly.  “That would be fantastic.  We’ll do our best to be ready.”

“If you run into any issues at all, contact us.”  Duncan materialized a business card with his new cell number and “Engineer-Mage” in fancy script.

“I will.  God, this is so incredible.  Is there anything I can do to thank you adequately?”

Duncan flashed him a gleeful smile.  “Work well.  And if you can tell others in the field about our offer, that would help.  Most of them are in the US, and crossing the border is... well, we’d prefer not to.”

“I’m sure they’d be thrilled to visit and see what you’ve done for us, and talk about options for helping them.  Next month?”

“Would be lovely.  Be good!”  They vanished in a swirl of sparkles.

The researcher flopped into a chair.  “Oh man.  Did that really just happen?”  His eyes sought the piston-decorated sphere of the new prototype.  “We have so much work to do...”

*** *** ***

Donna’s next stop was a domed stadium not far away.  It had seating for over fifty thousand, but more importantly it had a fabric roof that allowed the Moon’s power to pass easily.

They popped in next to Colin, as usual.  Less usually, he was standing at a podium addressing the crowd.  Donna took a moment to look over the sea of people.  Not only were all the seats full, people were standing in the aisles, and more had flooded out onto the field.  Directly in front of the podium was a roped-off area filled with people on gurneys. The screens were showing Colin at the podium, and Donna realized they were visible beside him about the time the crowd started to react.

“Hey.”

Colin turned and smiled at them.  “Good to see you, I was running out of embarrassing stories to tell.  Ready?”

Donna was already glowing.  “Oh, yes.”  The yearnings and faith of the attendees poured power into and through them, compounding the glow as more of the crowd noticed their presence.

They rose up over the field, glowing brighter and growing larger as they went.  Their aura transfixed the crowd, healing not only those present for major health issues, but all their family and friends accompanying them.  Every minor wound, every sore tooth, every twinge vanished.  “Thank you all for your faith,” their voice boomed over the field.  “Be kind to each other.”

They blinked away, unable to stand the awe and devotion for any longer.  It followed them, fading slowly as the focus of the crowd scattered back to the mundane.  The joy at discovering their loved ones were healed still followed, finding them unerringly.

“Sorry about bailing like that,” they whispered to Colin via a communication crystal.  “It was just... so much.  I don’t know what to do with this.”

“Ye’ve done a grand job already.  Don’t overthink it, take it for what it is.  Lord knows you deserve it.”

Dia chuckled softly.  “We keep telling them that...  And so does Gwen.  And Arwen.”

“Good.”

Arwen’s office was, in fact, their next stop.  They’d managed to absorb and channel much of the new power, and were only glowing softly when they blinked into the circle.  “We’re not late, are we?”

Arwen smiled.  “A goddess is never late, or early.  She arrives when she means to.  But no, we were just getting to introductions.  Since you’re here...”

Dia smiled at the gathering.  Much smaller, not quite a dozen.  More curious than awed.  “This is nice... sorry.  We are Dia.  And Donna.  And Duncan.  We are not a hero, or a goddess...”  At Arwen’s raised eyebrow they glanced down at their glowing body in its crystalline garb.  “Okay, we do look and sometimes act the part.  And just healed tens of thousands of people.”  Dia sighed softly.  “Our life is far stranger than we imagined it a few years ago.  So many blessings, that the sorrows should seem small in comparison...  And yet...  They never really do.”

“What sorrows do you bring to this circle?” asked Arwen.

Dia shook her head.  “We shouldn’t.”

“They are not your burden to bear alone.”

Dia shattered into shards of crystal, collapsing into a small pile of pale dust on the carpet.  “Half the world is dead because of us.”

“Oh, Dia.  You know that was not truly your fault.  You saved the world, you did not destroy it.”

There were murmurings of assent from around the circle.

“There are so, so many people who love you.  Many do not know you well, but love you nonetheless.  You of all people know without possibility of doubt that this is true.  You can feel it, and are empowered by it.”

The glow that had suffused Dia as they arrived grew once more, drawing the pile of crystals back into an amorphous blob.  After it churned there for a while, they sighed and materialized as a human woman.  After a few giggles from the crowd, Dia summoned up a very mundane set of comfortable clothes and sat at the remaining chair at the circle.  “So.  That is what you have welcomed into your midst.”

“Hello Dia,” said Arwen, echoed a half-breath later by the others.  “We hear you, and welcome you.”

Dia sat and listened to the others.  They recognized several of them from other sessions, notably Helena, who they’d crafted a spare kitsune body for.  A moment’s study showed that the kitsune body she was wearing was now her only body.  The suicidal patient from the previous month’s visit to the hospital was also there, and introduced herself as Tina.  She was staring at Dia in something akin to awe, and running her fingertips over her golden armbands continually, as if it had become a nervous habit.

“So that’s our little crew.  For all that none of them mentioned it in their introduction, they all want to be something other than human.”

Dia nodded at Helena’s furry form. “We see that.  We can make your dreams into reality... but half of you seem unsure about what you truly want to be.”

Helena stood and pirouetted.  “Don’t hold back.  I’ve spent the last month like this, and while I have gotten some odd looks and a few snarky comments, most everyone else has been lovely about it.  I’ve even started dating again.  Yes, okay, he’s at least as enamoured of my shape as my personality, but... hell, that’s hardly a new thing.”

There was some general chuckling from the group at that.

“Do you want any tweaks to your shape?” asked Dia.  “Anything but more tails, we already have a deal for that, hm?”

Helena grinned toothily.  “I’m good.  More here for moral support and to show that it is possible to live out your dream.  It does help that I don’t make people sneeze.”

“What if you want kids?” asked one of the others.

Helena shrugged.  “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.  Kids, kits, or some of each.”

“Does he want to be a kitsune, too?”

“More than anything, but he’s worried about letting that get out.  I wish... oop, sorry, I know that’s not a good word for you.  It would be nice if he could borrow my body.  He’d love it.”

“He’d love to be a female kitsune?” asked Arwen.  “Should he be here?”

“Probably,” agreed Helena with a giggle.  “I’ll talk him into visiting the Crimson Kitten later tonight.”

Dia smiled at Helena warmly.  “We will do our best for you two, whatever you ask.  Most people don’t seem to really know what they want until they can try it out.”

Arwen chuckled at that and nodded.  “Which is one part of why you’re here.  Everyone here has ideas, but the chance to feel the weight of reality applied to dreams... well.  Some are more eager than others.”

A few hands shot up, and Arwen nodded to one.  “Tim wants to be a werewolf.”

“Turning into a wolf every full moon, or something more flexible?” asked Dia.

“I’d rather not do the whole rampaging beast thing but...  Yes.  Full wolf.”

Dia snapped her fingers and Tim started to change.  He frowned around his growing muzzle.  “I... thought it would hurrt morre.”  He wiggled his lips, tried to speak again, but couldn’t manage much more than a guttural growl.

“We can make it painful if you like.  Duncan has concerns, and Donna is insisting we do nothing of the sort.  But they are not in charge just now.  How much pain?”

Tim tilted his head, ears canted as he considered it.  Then he shook his head.

“So.  You’re a werewolf now.  This will happen every full Moon, and you will revert a little before it sets.  No infecting others, save by bringing them to us for a similar gift should they want it.  Is it all you wanted?”

A joyful bark seemed answer enough.  Tim snuffled around the room as the others watched in awe.

“I didn’t really think...  Anything we want?” asked one of the women.  “What if it’s... really weird?”

Arwen chuckled softly.  “Anne, what you want isn’t all that weird by their standard.  Heck, they’ve turned me into stranger things, and I had great fun with it.”

Dia did her best to smile at that, all the while wondering just what they’d done for Arwen.  The psychologist had been cagy about it when they asked to refresh those memories.  Arwen had only said that both her and her sweetie had really enjoyed it.

“I want to be a helpless toy for my boyfriend,” said Anna firmly.  Then she ducked her head.  “If that’s okay.”

“Delivered to his doorstep, with a pretty bow around your package?  We can certainly arrange for that.  How long do you want to be stuck?”

“I...”  Anne licked her lips uncertainly.  “As long as he wants me.”

“Anne,” cautioned Arwen.

“No.  I want this.  I want it so, so badly.  To be his completely.”

“And have you told him to expect a surprise package tonight?” asked Arwen.

“Well...”

“We’ll put a little note in with it, telling him what and who he has, and directing him to the Blue Vixen when he wants his sweetie back.”  Dia glanced to Arwen.  “If that’s okay with you.  We have been told not to do something this dramatic without checking.”

“And a wolf wasn’t dramatic?” asked one of the others.

“A wolf can make its opinion known, and the change has a limited duration.  If you want something for just tonight, have at it.  Something potentially permanent?  Arwen has to sign off.”

Arwen studied Anne for a little longer.  “You’re very sure about this.  What if the fantasy goes awry, and he sets you aside for a real woman?”

Anne looked momentarily taken aback, but a smile started to creep across her face.  “He’ll come back to me.  I know it.  God, that’d be so hot, to beat another woman like that...”

Dia chuckled warmly.  “You seem very enamoured of this fantasy.  Arwen?”

“Go ahead.”

Anne cheered as she dwindled, arms and legs melting away into nubs as she shrank and her body became translucent purple plastic.  A box formed around her, tied with a matching purple bow, then box and toy flickered and vanished.

“Did you just... disintegrate her?” asked a wary voice.

Dia smiled at the man who’d questioned them.  “No.  Shrunk her to a point, sent her to her destination and grew her... or perhaps more appropriately it... to a suitable size.  Her... its boyfriend is already opening the package and seems... quite appreciative.  We do hope they have fun.”

“You’ll check on her next month, right?” asked Arwen.

“If you remind us to do so.”

Arwen studied Dia.  “No qualms about what could prove a permanent reduction of a person to a toy?”

“None whatsoever.  Donna’s giggling like a little schoolgirl over it, too.  Anne’s is so very happy, we can feel it from here without trying.”  They glanced around the room at the concerned looks.  “We would not do such things unless you ask very clearly and are given the chance to reconsider.”

“That’s not... exactly...”

“Do you have a question, Horace?”

“Tim’s not human, nor is Helena, and Anne’s pretty far from it.  And you seem almost happy to end their humanity.  Why?”

Dia’s human guise vanished, leaving a glowing crystal floating above a collapsing pile of clothes.  “We were never human, born of magic and desperation.  Our other parts, Donna and Duncan, were human once, but have not returned to that form in a long time.  More importantly, while fighting off The Invasion we lost our memories of being human.  They are striving for it...”

Dia’s hesitation left the whole room waiting.  Arwen eventually prompted, “Dia?  If they are striving for it, are you... not?”

“No.  We are not.  We thought that we should, but...  No.  We are the crystallized core of magic at the heart of a triune goddess, and there is nothing wrong with that.  We can still grow and learn and improve... but humanity is not the goal.”

The crystal glowed, bathing all present in the warmth of its regard.  “Hello.  I am Dia.  We love to change people in ways that make them happy.  You all want that, and tonight you can be anything you want.  If you don’t like one shape you can try another, and go home as you were or as anything you like.”

“Anything?” asked Horace.  “So if I wanted to be a pretty scarf for Helena?”

“Anything,” repeated Dia.  “Would you like to try that?  Being inanimate can be very relaxing, and I know Helena will take good care of you.”

Horace nodded.  “Just for a little bit, right?”

“However long you want to stay, be that minutes, hours, days, what have you.”

“I was planning to go out for coffee with some friends after this.  You’re welcome to tag along as my scarf... or a cute catgirl.”

Horace chuckled.  “Of the two... scarf, please.  Just for a couple hours.”  He immediately started to dwindle.

Helena watched in wonder.  “I didn’t actually think you’d go for it.”  She picked up the white silk scarf and fluttered it through the air like a flag, then wrapped it around her neck..  “I’ll try to make this fun.”

Dia studied the effect, how the ends of the scarf draped over the kitsune’s chest.  “We do not doubt he’ll enjoy it.  Is this what he wanted, Arwen?”

Arwen shrugged.  “Not as such.  Still, trying ideas out like this should help, right?”

“Our experience suggests so,” replied Dia.  “Especially women asking for bigger chests.  They always go bigger once they’ve had time to get used to their new toys.”

That got some giggles and three raised hands.  Two women and one man ended up with significantly larger breasts.  “Anyone else?”

The rest clamoured for various changes, and Dia granted each desire.  Two catgirls, one fennec, a half-hippo and a mannequin soon graced the room.  One of the catgirls tried out a variety of shapes, species changes, size changes, even going full cat for a time before settling on something mostly human but with ears, a tail, and slitted eyes.

They sat for a time and talked about the experience, their desires, and why they didn’t want to be what they were born as.  Even the mannequin and the scarf joined in the conversation thanks to clever crystalline voiceboxes Duncan crafted for them.

As the meeting wound down, most of them asked to be changed back, all but one catgirl, Helena and her scarf.  One of the men approached Dia as the others were filing out, and asked for some concealable breasts that would last a few days.  Dia granted the request with a broad, welcoming smile.  “Whatever will make you happy.”

Tina did not leave with the others.  “I’m sorry I didn’t share,” she said softly.  “I just...”

Dia nodded.  “You’ve had a hard time.  They seem like good folks, you’d probably feel better if you talked to them.”

“Can’t.  It’s too...”  Tina shot a pleading look at Arwen.

“It’d be better if you tell them.”

Tina ducked her head.  “But I don’t understaaaand.  The very thought of sex with a guy fills me with revulsion.  I used to be fine with it, but a few months back it started to feel really icky.  I felt icky and wrong too, but the clinic took some blood-work and said I was fine.  I’m not fine.  My brain is fucking with me and I don’t know why.”

“But you have sex with guys all the time,” protested Dia.

“What?” exclaimed Tina. “I never!  I’m still a virgin!”

“What makes you say that?” added Arwen.

“Her body shows clear signs of recent and regular sexual intercourse.”

“WHAT?”

Dia took a moment to scan Tina more deeply.  “I’d guess a dozen times in the past week alone.  Mostly one person.”

“Who?” asked Arwen.

An image formed in front of them.  “Projecting from the DNA residue.”

“That’s my step-brother!  What the hell?” protested Tina.  “I know he’s creepy as fuck, but... I literally don’t remember any... any...”  Tina’s eyes went very wide.  “Oh god.  I’ve been blacking out some nights.  I lose hours at a time.  And it’s always when the two of us are alone.  Oh god.  Did he really...”  Her whispers turned into a scream.  “What did he do to me?”

Arwen bundled the shaking girl up in a hug.  “Well?”

Dia found the person in question.  “He has an odd little crystal.  Moonstone?  It’s not of the Moon, but it can still channel the same power, if weakly.  Did he... did he offer to hypnotise you?”

Tina sniffed and nodded.  “That thing?  He got it in the mail a few months ago.  I laughed at how gullible he was, and when he tried to hypnotise me nothing... nothing... nothing...”

“Tina?” asked Arwen as Tina kept repeating the same word over and over, twitching at each repetition.

Dia tore the compulsion away with a flick of power.  Tina collapsed against Arwen, sobbing openly.  “He ordered me not to tell anyone it worked, made me forget.”

“And then?” asked Arwen.

Tina shook her head.  “I don’t know.”

Dia’s crystal floated closer to her, bobbing in front of her face.  “We have learned much about assembling memories.  But we will not touch you without your permission, not after this.  Do you consent?”

Tina took a shuddery breath, then nodded.  “Yes.  Anything to understand.”

Dia was silent for a moment in puzzlement.  “Your memories aren’t there.  It’s as if... ah.  Subtle little fucker.”  Their voice took on a different tone.  “Tina is my bimbo.”

Tina’s posture immediately changed to a playful one, and she thrust her chest out.  “Oooh, goodie, is it time to play?”

“Tina is not my bimbo.”

Tina blinked, and pulled herself against Arwen again.  “What just happened?”

“He embedded a trigger phrase.  When it trips, you become an eager lover and at the same time can’t form any memories.”

“So there’s nothing to forget,” said Arwen, shaking her head.  “Diabolical.  Can you remove the trigger?”

“Already done.”

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” growled Tina.

“That won’t be necessary.  He is currently a small pile of ash.”

“DIA!” exclaimed Arwen.

“Oh, he’s not dead.  He’s trapped in a loop, experiencing his immolation in excruciating detail.”

“Jesus, that’s actually worse!  Stop it!”

Dia made a finger-snapping noise despite their lack of limbs.  “Fine.  He’s now being restored.  Mostly.  He’s curled up in a ball and whimpering.  He has been informed that you were an unwilling participant, and that if he ever touches you again the pain will never end.”

“Dia!”

“Good,” muttered Tina.  “Serves the fucker right.”

“He... ah... says he thought you were willing.  Hypnosis can’t make you do anything you’d truly hate.  Do you think he might not have known?  That he thought you were just playing along?”

“I don’t fucking care.  He can’t not have known.”

“He suspected.  He... rationalized the decision to keep going because he thought you wanted it too.”

“With him?”  Disdain dripped from Tina’s voice like venom.  “Never ever ever.”

“So.  What shall I do to him on your behalf?”

“Dia, we’ve talked about this.  No using magic on people against their will.  I thought that was a rule of magic or something.”

“You’d be surprised what people will accept when the alternative is agony.  He made that offer.”

“I... I want both of us to be sexless.  No genitals, no way to have sex, none of that.”

“It is done,” said Dia with another superfluous finger-snap.  “Hopefully this will soothe your nightmares.”

Tina sniffed and nodded.  “I hope so too.  Can I... can I lose the armbands?”

“Do you feel suicidal?”

Tina shook her head vigorously.  “More like homicidal.  But I’ll be good.  Sounds like you got him good.  Thanks.”  She gave Arwen another hug, then uncertainly approached Dia with her arms out for a hug.  The armbands had already faded away.

Dia formed a human body as sexless as Tina’s and accepted the hug.  “Come back to us when you’re ready to be what you should be.  This shape is for convalescing, not for living in.”

“I will.  Thank you.  Goddess.”

Dia smiled at her.  “You are always welcome.”

After Tina had left, Arwen let out a long sigh.  “What a mess.  Should we tell the police?  Should she press charges?”

“Imagine their reaction to being told he used magic to hypnotise her.  I took the crystal away, and erased the spells.”

“A rape kit...”

“She has no genitals to be examined, nor need of reminder of her trauma.”

“Oh.”  Arwen sighed.  “I think you meted out more than enough punishment.  The ethics of that are another nightmare.”

Dia winced.  “Too dramatic without checking first?”

“Yes!  How can I work with you if this is going to happen?”

“Work with us?”

Arwen waved her hands to indicate the room generally.  “I’d like to do more of this, if you promise not to take justice into your own hands like that ever again.”

“We so promise, but only within the context of working with you.”

Arwen stared at Dia.  “You seriously intend to do that again.”

“If it is justified.  We will be more careful in our judgement.”

Arwen’s chuckle was weak.  “I suppose that’s the best I can expect from a goddess who has no interest in being human.”

Dia smiled in reply, letting her simulated organic body become a crystalline sculpture of a woman instead.  “We are glad that you see us so.”

“I’ll take the breakthroughs wherever I can get them, especially with you.  You really seemed to open up tonight, this was good for you.  Pity it’s only once a month.”

“For trifles like this, we have more power than we need any time of the day or month.  The love and faith of nations flows through us, and we can use but a fraction of it.  Opportunity to use it more often would be welcome.”

“So... we could make this weekly?”  At the eager look on Dia’s face, Arwen smiled.  “More often?  I’d be happy to have you here as often as you can spare the time.  Maybe you’ll learn how to help people by talking them through things, rather than transforming them.”

“We would like that very much.  We have little enough to do when the Moon is not riding us, so we accept your kind offer.”

Arwen chuckled.  “This is going to be an interesting association.”

*** *** ***

The crowd outside the Blue Vixen wasn’t quite as big as last month, but it more than made up for it in avid interest as Donna appeared before them in her crystalline avatar.  “Hey folks.  It’s that time of month again.  What do you want to be?”

There were no rockets this time to provide smoke cover.  However, many of the simpler desires of the crowd – larger breasts, various other minor improvements – could be done easily enough under their clothes.  Once Donna had taken care of those, they summoned a large circle of fabric out of hammerspace, and tossed it into the air.  The cover it provided allowed them to build a large circus-style tent.  A large sign over it read “Donna’s Carnival of Transformation”.  Below that a smaller sign claimed “Guaranteed to wear off by Midnight”, and even smaller text added “unless you ask nicely”.

Those that wanted bigger changes were encouraged to line up at the tent.  Anyone who wanted something more intimate, more complex or that would last longer than a week was encouraged to head into the Blue Vixen or Crimson Kitten instead.  The line was orderly and convivial as it snaked into the tent.  People were chatting with each other about what they wanted to become, and several groups formed up to get changed together.  A trio of catgirls, four that wanted scales though they varied in the other features they wanted.  Donna persuaded one of them to go full naga, showing off their favourite form as part of the spiel.  The other three hesitated, then decided that for the night it could be fun, so the four slithered out of the tent arm in arm.

The couple that had gone home with permanent deer-legs showed up part-way through, and decided to spend the next month as deertaurs, with a full deer body below their waist.  They looked cute gamboling about after their transformation, and it made Donna smile.

One woman arrived with five friends in tow, and asked to turn them all into a new outfit.  The others readily agreed and were soon melting into a bikini, a flowing white beach-dress, a sun-hat and some sandals.  Once they were changed the woman told them about her upcoming vacation, and asked if any wanted to stay on through it.  Donna chuckled at her antics and the clothings’ thoughts in reply.  “You have some eager friends.  I have arranged it so they can change back whenever they want, so long as the Moon is in the sky.  Show them a good time if you want them to stay, and who knows?  You might end up with a very interesting wardrobe.”

“Oooh, I’ll do that.  Time to go dancing!”

The last person in the line wanted tentacles like a certain supervillain, sprouting from his back.  Donna granted the request, then fixed him with a steely gaze.  “No threatening the world, now.  You wouldn’t want to have us... intervene.”

He laughed.  “No worries.  My girlfriend’s a huge fan of the look, and it’s her birthday in a couple days.  They should prove useful at work, too – I bet I can stock shelves twice as fast.”

“If you decide you want to keep them, you know where to find us.”

He bowed to Donna, incorporating the back tentacles smoothly.  “I shall indeed, my Lady of Transformation.”

“Mmm.  We like that mode of address, and look forward to seeing you and your girlfriend in the future.”

He smiled up at them.  “We’ll be here.”

*** *** ***

Gwen hugged Donna tight the moment she appeared in the green room.  “Ready to dance?”

“Yeah!  Can we do the whole street clothes thing like we used to, though?  Starting human... but skip the whole angel business from last month?”

“You got it, love.”  Gwen twirled a finger and dressed Donna in a very mundane coat and blouse, though Donna could feel silks shifting under it.  “This will be fun.”

Donna thrilled at the feeling of Gwen’s hand in hers, tugging her up onto the stage to the opening bars of “Wild Boys”.  Memories and fragments started to coalesce.  They had been here before, felt this before, done this before.  At least, until the silks came out and started to flutter around them.  Gwen spun them into a flying cocoon, concealing them briefly from the crowd.  “You back with me?  You spaced out there.”

“I remember...  We remembered, for a moment, another dance, another time.”

Gwen grinned broadly.  “Good.  Now let’s go make some new ones.”

The cocoon of silks spun away from them, revealing both in shimmering rainbow bras and panties.  “True Colors” start to spin up, and Donna smiled at Leo, the club’s DJ.  They were pleased to see him smile back.

Gwen and Donna danced slowly to the song, mostly in each other’s arms.  At about the halfway point, Donna started to change under Gwen’s touch, acquiring golden scales.  A second pair of arms grew in, along with a modest, scale-covered pair of breasts.  Once Gwen’s touches had spread the scales all the way down Donna’s legs, they swiftly fused and stretched into a long, sinuous tail.  Donna slithered and swayed with Gwen through the rest of the dance, turning slow circles to show off their new home for the month.

When the song ended, the two bowed to the hushed audience, and then descended from the stage.  The crowd pressed around them, and Donna waved for silence.  “Tonight is for fantasies, for making dreams come to life.  Your dream body can be real.  If you want a fantasy involving transforming others... see the slips at the bar.”

The first to approach was the woman from the past month, who still had her pretty red bra.  “He seems happy, but... am I doing the right thing?  I wear him about one day in three, I don’t have enough outfits that match.  We traded spots a few times, which was fun, but the last time I did that he changed me right back without saying anything.  I miss my friend.”

“Your friend likes being your bra, enough to want to stay.  We should prefer not to force their hand.  Perhaps if you two could communicate better, it would help you understand their desires.”

She nodded.  “That would be nice.  I miss talking to him the most.”

“Your orb’s enchantment has changed.  When you both touch it, you can talk mind to mind.”

That got a slightly worried look.  “Everything I think, or just...”

“Just what you try to say.  But... tell him about that fantasy that just flitted behind your eyes.  You don’t need us for it, do you?”

A blush and a grin were Donna’s answer, and the woman moved away to let the next person in line come forward.

Ana grinned at Donna. “Hey.”  She was wearing a special cobalt-blue bra.  “Kinda the same problem as her.  Ray won’t change back.  I’ve been trying and trying, but I can’t get through to him.”

“How’d he get stuck anyway?  I only changed him for a week.”

“Silver.”

Donna glowered at Ana.  “Seriously?  No wonder she’s stuck...  Cobalt, it’s time to let Ray out again.”  A moment later, the bra started to wriggle on Ana’s chest.  She gasped and grinned.

“Of course!  I kept asking for Ray, I’d forgotten it was Cobalt.  Um... gonna go have some fun with my sweetie, thanks!”

Donna grinned.  “Ray can change back any time, now.  Make it fun enough, and that might not be tonight.”

Ana smirked.  “Oh, I have different kinds of fun in mind.  Rrowr.”  She pounced away toward the stairs to Ray’s office.

The next few requests seemed mundane in comparison, youthening and larger bits of anatomy seemed routine by now, they’d only showed up inside the Blue Vixen to get the changes made permanent.  One couple asked for a body-swap gem, and because they asked nicely Donna empowered it a little extra so they could bring a few friends in on the fun.

Two cloaked figures approached and slipped their hoods off in unison.  Both were liberally coated in black latex, and wearing the collars Donna had given out the previous month.  “Back to see us as requested.  Very good.  What can we do for you?”

“The not knowing which was which was fun at first, but... we’re good at sharing and maybe a little less good at surprises.  Sometimes I want to be the squishy little stress toy, not the dominatrix, you know?”

Donna nodded.  “Say ‘I am your toy’.”

The woman repeated the phrase then her eyes went wide as both collars glowed, and a golden M appeared on the collar of her husband.  “Oh!  So the master can voluntarily give it away?  This will help so much.”

“Show us.”

The woman dwindled swiftly into a featureless black sphere, about the size of a basketball.  Her husband scooped it up and started kneading it.  “She loves this so much, especially after a stressful day at work.  So many of them have been stressful of late.  If only the collars worked every night, she’d be happier.  I’d be happier.”

Donna studied him with a teasing smile.  “Oh really?  Why would you be happier?”

“Because she gets cranky when she’s stressed, and half an hour as a... well, her being like this can be as fun for me as her, right?  If I shape her just so...”

“Ask.”

“May I please be granted the ability to do this to... I mean for her every night.”

“Which is it in truth?  To or for?”

He ducked his head.  “To.”  The sphere in his hands twitched and squirmed.

“Objection?” Donna asked the sphere.  “Be honest, we felt that pulse of lust.”

The sphere squirmed more, then pulsed with warmth as it settled.  “Very good.  Now, you need a way to interact with the world, so...”  A body built up around the sphere, forming into a copy of the woman.  A pair of panties appeared before she ended up exposed to the club.  A bra was not necessary - where her breasts would be was a featureless mass of black latex.

“What have you done?” she asked, breathless and eager.

“You are still the stress blob,” replied Donna, grinning ear to ear.  “That body is merely a semi-autonomous carrier for it.  Pull you out of your niche, and you’re just a blob.  Squirm your way back into it, and you can pass for human.”

“So I can come home, ditch the top and bra, and wriggle out to be my husband’s fucktoy?  Oh, wow.  Thank you.  Will the collars still work?  He does like to be the toy once in a while.”

“Of course.”

They both bowed to Donna then, and headed off for home.  Their giddy whispers carried easily to Donna’s ears, drawing out yet another satisfied smile.  Then the next supplicant approached, and Donna turned their attention to him.  A remote control that let him change size was an easy gift to grant.

Several others in line asked after similar things, and a short run on magical remote controls ensued.  Some controlled size, others controlled shape.  One let a woman turn herself into a mannequin, and she ended up on display at the end of the bar, wearing a Blue Vixen shirt.

As the line dwindled, two people ghosted about as if uncertain about approaching.  One was wearing a hooded cloak, but was recognized despite it.  The other moved first once the last supplicant had gushed her gratitude and bounced away.

“What... what did it feel like, to have all those lives slip through your fingers?”

“WHAT?”  Donna rose up on her coils to tower over the weedy little man.

Gwen grew taller to put a placating hand on Donna’s arm.  “Hear him out.”  In mind-to-mind she added, “And pay attention to what he really wants.”

Donna’s eyes slitted dangerously, and the subject of her ire hesitated, then haltingly restarted his diatribe about the state they’d left the world in.  He had some genuine grievances, half his family was dead and the store he worked at ran on importing goods from the Middle East.  It had been forced to close due to lack of supplies, so he was at the end of his rope, with nothing left to live for.

Once he ran down, Donna rose above him once more.  “You pathetic little worm.  You dare come here to accuse us?  We are the reason you are alive.”  She grinned viciously down at him.  “Perhaps we should rescind that gift.”

The man quivered and dwindled under her gaze, until a colourful red cockroach scuttled out from his crumpled pantleg.  Donna dropped her full weight on the bug, and it was crushed flat.  They slithered back, leaned down to examin their handiwork, and lifted up the cockroach by a single leg.  As she watched, it sprung back into shape.  “Enjoy the rest of your life, being crushed underfoot repeatedly.”  A flick sent him into the crowd and scurrying away from shuffling feet.

The last figure stomped forward.  “What did you do that for?”

“Hey Sidney.  Glad you could make it,” replied Donna.

Sidney sighed and lowered her hood.  “No fooling you, I suppose.  Why’d you crush him?”

“Because he very very badly wanted to be crushed.  Some peoples fantasies are very peculiar.  Some, perhaps, should stay fantasies.  Though he seems to be enjoying himself so far.”

Sidney frowned then.  “So he insulted you to... goad you into this?  Bastard.  You should leave him like that.”

“He’ll be human again in a week or so.”

“Hmf.  Hardly seems like enough.  Can you leave him... half cockroach when he changes back?  So everyone sees?”

Donna’s eyes lit up with glee.  “Done.  He will change back to a human-sized cockrach with his face but otherwise an insect body.  And that way he will stay until he apologizes.  Better?”

Sidney nodded slowly, sharing a look with Gwen.  “Once you added the apology bit, yeah.  It did sound like his life sucked pretty bad.”

“I know,” replied Donna with a sigh.  “There are so many who still need help.  But enough of them.  I suppose you’d like to talk to Duncan?”

“Please.”

Duncan smiled down at Sidney and lowered themselves on their coils to put their head at the same height as hers.  “I am here.”

“Singular Duncan, not plural?” asked Sidney, raising her eyebrows slightly.

“We have... been working on it.  It’s something of a work in progress.  Each of us has found our niche, and that will help.  Donna’s is here, as we’re sure you saw.  Dia will study humanity at one remove, while helping Doctor Arwen.”

Sidney nodded along with the litany.  “Good, good.  And Duncan?  Still that stupid job?”

“No.  I spent a few minutes at work earlier tonight, and solved all their most pressing bugs.  On these nights, the work is trivial... in several senses.  I shan’t return, except perhaps in the same way once in a while.  We’ve found something new to play with.”

Sidney chuckled at that characterization.  “Always about the new toys.  What is it this time?”

“A fusion power startup.  We’ll be doing some rapid prototyping and analysis for them.  They were very grateful for their new machine, and if it works it will solve so many problems.”

“I see how your eyes shine at a new problem to tear into.  Good.  That’s the Duncan I remember.”  Sidney licked her lips.  “And that has to do with my request.  You granted others their heart’s desire.”

“Ask, love.  We’ll do our best.”

“I want to be husband and wife once again.  Properly.  Human to human.”

Duncan settled back on their coils, considering the problem.  They started to chuckle after a moment.  “We lost so much in the fight.  So many memories.  We had not realized... the memory that was holding us back was one.  We know, intellectually, that we nearly got killed by a bomb, and that it hurt.  But we have no memory of that, and... new context for pain, beside.  We can grant your boon, and create an almost human body for ourselves.”

“Almost human?”

“A little crystal in the brainstem, like others here with headband bodies, save that the crystal will still be... well, the true core.  Is that close enough?”

“I didn’t much care for it when you did that to me, because my senses were grainy.  Did you fix that problem?” asked Sidney.

“To our satisfaction, yes.  The dancers here have been quite appreciative of that upgrade, by the by.  They hadn’t fussed about it before, few even noticed, but to feel fully at home in the headband bodies has been a boon to all.”

“Oh goodie.  Are you going to force me into that sort of thing?”

“Not unless you ask nicely to become the couch for real.”

Sidney giggled at the idea.  “I... might yet take you up on that.  But the important thing is... husband and wife?  For real?”

“Yes.  But we... I would ask a boon.”

Sidney’s eyebrows rose into her hairline.  “You are asking me for something?”

“To be husband and wife... the other way around.  You said when Victor was born, the only way we are having more children is if I bear them.  We want this.  To bring new life into the world...”  A glittering tear escaped one eye.  “Please?”

“Anything.”

“I love you so, so much.”

“I love you too.  Can we go home now, and get started?”

Duncan looked around at the club, a pained look crossing his face.  “And miss all this?  Stay a time, come play Crazy Eights with us and maybe get stuck as a boob jellyfish for half an hour.”

Sidney giggled.  “I suppose we do have time, now.”

“Time for everything.”

THE END