Trust Machines
Mean Girls
by JMD
(featuring concepts by dkfenger)


Toni Daniels paced back and forth in front of the Venn Machine, her stilettos clicking dangerously on the tile floor.  She stopped and looked at her watch for what seemed like the one hundredth time.  "Come on, you idiot," she said out loud to herself.  "I don't have all day."

"Mistress Toinette?" a quiet voice asked from behind her.

She turned to see a man wearing a loose-fitting suit standing at the front of the little alcove that housed the machine.  He was short.  She would have towered over him even if she hadn't been sporting four-inch heels.  "That's right," she answered.  "Are you Harold?"

"Yes," he answered shyly.  "Harold Harve..."

She threw up a hand, stopping him.  "I don't need to know your whole name," she stated.  "All I need to know is if you brought me my money."

The man's face brightened.  "Ah, yes," he said, reaching to his side.  For a second, he looked confused, as if something was missing.  Then, he smiled.  "Oh, yeah," he said to himself before reaching into his interior jacket pocket.  Pulling out a wallet, he said, "I believe we agreed on three hundred.  Correct?"

Toni eyed the man curiously, but took the offered bills.  After all, the guy was paying her to wear him as some form of lingerie for three days.  Surely, he had issues.  "Okay, let's do this," she told him.  "I've got things to do this afternoon."

"You're the boss, Mistress Toinette."

She smiled at the name.  Mistress Toinette indeed.  She still found it hard to believe that she was making so much money doing this.  A hundred dollars a day just to wear underwear.  Who'd have thought it could be so easy.  Someday, she was going to have to thank Janice for introducing her to the Venn Machine experience.

Of course, the way Janice had introduced her had been anything but pleasant.  Her friend had fallen in love with the machines when they first appeared on the scene.  It wasn't long before she'd gotten Toni into one of them.  Of course, Toni didn't know at the time what they could do, but she quickly learned.  She spent the evening as one of a pair of high heels for her old friend, who'd decided to go out dancing.

After she'd turned back, she swore that she'd get even.  So, she started reading up on the Venn Machine.  She found out all about them.  What they could do.  What they couldn't.  And how people were using them.  It seemed that whole industries had found ways to use the Venns somehow.  Everything from fashion design to security.

And prostitution.

Apparently, there was a whole subset of sexual fetishes that could, thanks to the Venn Machines, now be catered to.  People could finally live out they most outlandish fantasies.  Want to spent the weekend as a inflatable blow-up doll?  No problem.  Always wanted to know what it was like to be a woman?  Step in.  Most people just got a friend or a lover to change them.  But for people that still wanted to keep their sexual fantasies private, there were Venn Escorts.

Escorts were people that, for a fee, would change you into whatever you wanted to be.  Based on what she read, the vast majority of these people wanted to be some form of women's undergarments.  The most interesting thing about it was that the law was still trying to catch up with this new development.  As such, this type of thing was still perfectly legal.  When she read that, Toni had one thought.  "Hell, I can do that."

And so, Mistress Toinette was born.

It started out slowly at first.  A personal ad in the local paper had taken almost a week to garner any response.  Finally, a guy had contacted her and they'd met.  Money was exchanged and the guy spent a day as her bra.  After that, word of mouth brought her other customers.  Not a flood, but soon she was able to fill most of her weekends with a client or two.  Once or twice, she'd even managed to work in someone during the week, wearing them to her regular job.  The fact that she was wearing a person as her underwear without anyone knowing really helped her get through a boring day of punching in computer data.

"Mistress Toinette?" the short man said, bringing her out of her thoughts.  "I notice that you don't seem to have a second."

She looked at him in confusion.  "A second what?" she asked.

The man just stared at her a moment.  "Never mind," he said finally.  "Not important.  Shall we?"

He dropped a few coins into the slot and reached to set the duration, but Toni stopped him.  "I'll do that," she told him.  After setting the machine for three days, she turned back to him.  "Okay."  She touched the center of the display and the doors appeared.  They each went into one and they vanished.

"Okay," Toni said once they were inside.  "What did you want to be?"  She started to push the bubbles, bringing up the usual instructions.

"Oh," the man answered, "it doesn't really matter."

"No prefer..."  She stopped as she looked up.  The man on the other side of the interface appeared to be making his own settings.  "Hey!  What are you doing?  Leave those alone.  I'm the one that does that."

"Are you sure?" he asked, continuing to touch things on his side.

"Positive!" she answered back.  "Now, you just stop and let me do this.  Got it?"

The man dropped his hands and nodded.  "Of course, Mistress Toinette."

"Good," she said.  She watched him for a second more, then turned back to her own settings.  "This will just take a..."  She stopped again as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.  She looked up to see the man reaching to the side.  "Hey!  I said..."

She never finished her statement.  She just dropped to the floor of the machine.

As the doors reappeared, the man exited his side of the machine.  He reached into Toni's side and pulled out the black strapless bra she'd become.  He held it up and looked it over for a few seconds before slipping it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Really should have had a second," he said as he walked away.

              -----   -----   -----

"Laurie?"

Laurie Roberts sat her Starbucks cup down and turned, ready to give her friend a piece of her mind for leaving her waiting.  But it wasn't Toni.  Instead, it was a young woman she didn't recognize.

"You are Laurie Spencer, right?" the woman went on, coming closer.

Laurie gave her a nervous smile.  "Well," she said cautiously, "not anymore."

"Oh," the woman nodded.  "You're married?"  At Laurie's slow nod, she smiled.  "That's great."  The woman moved to the empty chair at the food court table.  "May I join you?"  She stopped as she seemed to notice Laurie's nervousness.  "Uh, is there a problem?"

"Well," Laurie started, "it's just that..."

"You don't know me?" the woman asked with a slightly hurt expression.

"No," Laurie admitted.

The woman sighed, looking down at her own body.  Then, her face brightened into a wide smile.  "I don't suppose you do," she told Laurie, "considering."  She held her hands out to show off herself.  "Not bad, huh?"

Laurie looked confused for a second, then realized what the woman was trying to tell her.  "You've been in one of those machines."

"Yup," the woman said, sitting down.  "I swear those Venn people, whoever they are, have made my life a whole lot easier.  Oh, I'm Kathy, by the way."  At Laurie's still confused expression, she added, "Kathy Emerson.  From Whitburn High?"

"Ah," Laurie said, giving her a slight nod.  She thought for a bit, but still couldn't place the name with a face.  The young woman definitely seemed to know her though.  "So, how've you been?"

"You know," Kathy replied, "getting by.  Working days, sleeping nights."

Laurie nodded, trying to think of what the next question should be.  "So, where do you work?"

"At the other mall.  The one down on the bypass," the woman answered.  "In the bookstore.  You?"

"Oh, I don't work," Laurie said automatically.

"Ah," the woman nodded.  "Housewife, eh?"

"Something like that," Laurie said, using her coffee to hide her frown.

"Must be nice," the woman said with a smile.  Laurie just nodded.  "So, who's the lucky guy?"

Laurie hesitated slightly before answering.  "His name is Jordan.  We met in college."  

"Any kids?"

Laurie smiled for the first time.  "Two boys.  Four and two."

Kathy looked around.  "Ah.  So, where are they?"

"They're with my mom for the weekend.  Jordan's on another business trip, and I'm taking a little me time."

"I hear you there," Kathy smiled.

Laurie looked around, searching the crowd.  "I was supposed to meet Toni here," she explained.  "You remember Toni Daniels, right?"

"Of course," Kathy replied.  "How could I ever forget The Queen Bees?  You three ruled Whitburn High."

Laurie smiled at the memory.  "Yeah, we did, didn't we?"

"So, you all still hang out together?"

"Well, Toni and I do," Laurie answered.  "Me and Janice, not so much."  She seemed to consider something before going on.  "But we really were in charge in high school, weren't we?"

"You sure were," the woman said.  "No one would cross you.  Not if they knew what was good for them."

Laurie smiled again, but it didn't last.  "Well, that was then," she said with a sigh.

Kathy eyed her carefully.  "Something wrong?"

Laurie started to reply, but stopped.  Kathy sat quietly, waiting for her to go on.  Finally, she said, "Look, I'm sorry.  I don't mean to unload on you."

"Hey, I asked, right?" Kathy told her.  "What's up?"

"What isn't?" Laurie said softly to herself.  She considered the woman sitting across from her for a moment before deciding to open up.  "In school, did you ever imagine how you wanted your life to be?"

"Of course," the woman replied.  "Who didn't?"

"Well, with me," Laurie explained, "it was more than just imagination.  It was a plan.  A life's mission.  I was going to have that life no matter what."

"I see," Kathy nodded.  "So, what did you have in mind?"

"Everything," Laurie told her.  "I'd meet the perfect man.  He'd work at the perfect job and I'd stay home in our perfect house, and raise our two perfect children."

"Wow," Kathy said, sitting back in her chair.  "That's..."

"Perfect, right?"

Kathy nodded, but looked doubtful.  "I guess.  Sure."

"Well," Laurie went on, "I got the man with the job.  Even got the house and the two kids.  Somehow, though, I seemed to have missed the perfect."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Laurie explained, "Jordan works in sales at some techno firm.  He's in a perfect position to move up in the company.  But he seems happy to remain 'under the radar', as he puts it.  He figures if he doesn't call too much attention to himself, his bosses won't have any reason to get rid of him.  He's never going to advance with that attitude."

"Ah."

"And the house?" Laurie went on, really getting into it now.  "Perfect?  Hardly.  It's always needing something fixed.  And if that's not bad enough, the boys keep it in a mess.  I'm always having to pick up after them and whatnot.  And they fight constantly.  Over everything."

Kathy laughed softly.  "No wonder you dumped them on your mom."  Her smile fell as Laurie's eyes darkened at the comment.  "So, have you talked to your husband about all this?" she asked quickly to change the subject.

"Endlessly," Laurie answered, getting back on track.  "But he doesn't care about me enough to even consider it."  She changed her voice to imitate Jordan.  "Honey, the squeaky wheel gets replaced more often than it gets oiled."  She rolled her eyes at Kathy, who giggled at the impression.  "I swear," she told the other woman, "if I hear that one more time..."  She took a sip of coffee to get herself under control.  "And now, there's the 'business' trips," she said, making little quotation signs with her free hand.

"I'm sorry?" Kathy said, thrown by the sudden change in subject.

"Four in the last three months," Laurie explained.  "At first, I thought this was a good thing.  Maybe he was finally doing something to call attention to himself.  Then, I found out that he was taking his 'assistant'... Kerry... with him."  She said the name with enough venom to kill a cobra.

Kathy sat up.  "He's cheating on you?"  Laurie didn't answer.  "Have you confronted him about it?"  Laurie looked away.  "Laurie?"

"I've been afraid to," the other woman admitted.  She turned back to Kathy.  "Kerry is at least three years younger than me.  And she's built... well, like you.  I'm afraid if I confront Jordan he'll pick her over..."  She looked down at herself in disgust.  "...this."

Kathy looked at her with a shocked expression.  "What's wrong with... this?"  She used her hands to indicate Laurie's body.

"Are you blind?" Laurie said, unable to keep the scorn out of her voice.  "Look at me.  You knew me in school.  I was hot.  Guys followed me everywhere.  It's what got Jordan's attention to begin with."  Her voice softened.  "But now I've had two kids, and it shows.  I'm practically obese."

"You're hardly obese," Kathy scoffed.  "Trust me on that."

It was Laurie's turn to scoff.  "Easy for you to say with that figure."

"So why don't you do something about it?"

"Don't you think I've tried?" Laurie practically shouted.  "I've done all the latest exercise fads, and nothing's worked."

"Who said anything about exercise?"  When Laurie just stared at her, Kathy went on.  "When I came up to you earlier, you didn't recognize me, did you?"

"No," Laurie admitted.

"And really, you still don't remember me, do you?"

"I'm sorry, but no."

"That's because, in school, you didn't give me the time of day.  Do you remember the girls that always stayed up in the corner of the bleachers?  The ones that even the gym teachers didn't make do the exercises?"

"The fat chicks?" Laurie asked.

Kathy huffed at her.  "Yeah, the fat chicks," she repeated.

"You were..."

"I was," Kathy admitted.

Laurie looked embarrassed.  "I'm..."

"Don't sweat it," Kathy told her with a wave.  "No one paid us any attention.  It was actually a bit of a blessing.  You and your friends didn't bother us.  You were more interested in going after the geeky girls.  Especially that one..."

Laurie couldn't help but smile at the memory.  "Brainy Janey."

"That's the one, yeah."  Kathy sat forward.  "My point is that I know what it means to be obese.  And I know how hard it is to get rid of the weight.  Exercise.  Dieting.  The whole smear.  It's hard work.  So hard, that it's easier to just give up and live with it."  She paused for effect, before smiling.  "Luckily, we don't have to do that anymore."

Laurie looked at her in confusion.  Then, she got it.  "The Venn Machines."

"The answer to a fat girl's prayer," Kathy grinned.

Laurie looked doubtful.  "I don't know," she said.  "I had a bad experience with one of those things once."  She shuddered at the memory of being worn as a high heel on a dance floor.  She still couldn't believe that Toni would get back into the machines.

"Let me guess," Kathy nodded.  "Janice, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Let's just say that she has a reputation," Kathy told her.  "I know that I wouldn't get into a Venn with her."  She gave a little shudder of her own.  "But that shouldn't put you off going back into one.  With the right person, it can be a very rewarding experience."

Laurie thought about it.  More than once, she looked over at the woman sitting across from her.  Kathy really did have a nice figure.  The kind that she used to have.  The kind that Jordan had fallen in love with.  If the Venn Machine could give that back to her...

"How about Toni?" Kathy asked.  Laurie looked up, brought out of her internal struggle.  "You said you were meeting her here.  Would you trust her to do it for you?"

Laurie considered it.  "I don't know," she admitted.  "She's been doing some... strange things in them lately."

Kathy's eyes grew big.  "Really?"  Laurie just nodded without comment.  "Well, they do allow for some strange things."  She wiggled her eyebrows at Laurie.  "But that can be fun, too.  With the right person."

Laurie blushed at the comment.  She turned to look around the mall.  "I'm not sure what's keeping her," she said.  "I know she said she had to meet... uh, had something to do, but I figured she'd be here by now."

"Maybe she got hung up," Kathy suggested with a slight smile.

"I guess so," Laurie sighed.  She sat back in thought.

Kathy started to get up.  "Well, when she gets here, consider asking her to help you.  That's what friends are for, right?"

Laurie watched as she turned to go.  "Kathy, hold up," she said suddenly.  As the other girl looked back, she went on.  "You obviously know how to use the machines to..."  She just waved at the other woman's body.

"Well, someone else did this for me," Kathy explained, "but yeah.  I know how to do it."

Laurie took a breath.  "Would you be willing to do it for me?"

Kathy cocked an eyebrow at her.  "Are you sure?"

Laurie slowly nodded.  "You've been really open with me about your... situation.  And you were willing to listen to my problems.  That means a lot.  So, if you wouldn't mind..."

Kathy just smiled.  "So, when...?"

After another steadying breath, Laurie stood up.  "No time like the present... right?"  She tossed her cup into a trash can.  "Lead on," she instructed.

Less than a minute later, they were standing outside the machine.  "So, what?" Kathy asked as she dropped something into the slot, activating the control panel.  "Want to try it out for the weekend?"

Laurie looked at the panel in confusion.  "What's the maximum limit?"

Kathy looked at her nervously.  "Well, it can be set for up to three years, but..."

"That sounds good," Laurie said, cutting her off.  "Do that?"

"Are you sure?" Kathy cautioned.  "That's a really long time."

"So?" Laurie asked.  "If I understand correctly, I can change back at any time.  Isn't that right?"

"Well, yeah..."

"So, what's the problem?" Laurie told her.  "If I don't like the results, I'll just change back.  But if I do like them, I'd just as soon keep them as long as I can."

Kathy looked doubtful, but nodded.  "Well, if that's what you want..."  She confirmed the setting and the doors appeared immediately.  She indicated that Laurie should enter one of them.  After a slight hesitation, the woman did.  Kathy entered her side a moment later.

"So, what do I do?" Laurie asked from the other side of the interface.

"Nothing," Kathy explained.  "I've got this.  Just give me a few minutes to get it just right."

Laurie watched as the woman worked the machine.  She looked at the controls on her side, and wondered how the machine did the things that it did.  If she didn't know better, she'd believe that it was some kind of magic.  

"Okay," Kathy announced, getting her attention.  "I think I've got this right."  She smiled at Laurie.  "Ready to be thin?"

"You know it," Laurie grinned back.

"Then here you go."

Laurie smiled as she watched her new friend reach for the green button.  She was still smiling when her world went black a moment later.  She felt herself falling to the floor of the machine, and then nothing for almost a full minute.  Then, though she couldn't see a thing, she felt herself being picked up.

Stepping out of Laurie's side of the machine, Kathy held up the black pair of nylon pantyhose she had turned the woman into.  "Well," she taunted, "happy now?  You can't get much thinner than that, now can ya?"  Slipping the hose into her purse, she headed off, whistling softly to herself.

              -----   -----   -----

"Come on!" Janice Adams shouted out from the bar.  "No one wants to challenge me?  No one?"

She scanned around the room, looking for someone willing to take up her invitation.  But, mostly, all she got was dropped heads and turned bodies in return.  The few that didn't turn away just shook their heads in reply.  Janice tried to look disappointed, but she had to admit that seeing the reactions gave her a feeling of satisfaction.

Looking around some more, she spotted her intern from the station sitting with some friends in the corner.  "Tina!," she shouted.  "What about it?  Want a chance to even the score?"  She cocked her head at the girl, who just stared back at her for a few minutes.  "Well?"  For a second, she thought she'd gotten her wish, as the girl stood up.  But without a word, Tina reached down and picked up her purse.  With narrowed eyes, she held Janice's look for a second, before turning and walking to the door.  "Well, that was just rude," Janice said to her back.

"Maybe she's still angry about you using her as a panty liner."

Janice turned to the man that was sitting a couple of seats down the bar from her.  She blew a raspberry at the station's sportscaster.  "She knew the risk going in," she told him, sliding down to sit next to him.  "She should be glad it wasn't my time when I wore her."

Dirk just shook his head.  "You're all heart," he said, finishing his drink.  He signaled the bartender for another.  "You're wasting your time, you know?  No one's going into that damn machine with you tonight... or any other night, for that matter.  You've poisoned the waters with this crowd.  You'll have to find a new source of victims for your fun."

Janice sipped her own drink.  "Bunch of wusses," she spat out.  "Can't take the pressure."

"Maybe if you lost from time to time," Dirk suggested.

"I've lost," she protested.

"How many times?"

She thought about it.  "Twice... No!  Three times."

"And what did you end up as?"

"Let's see..."  She counted off on her fingers.  "A hat.  A belt.  And a trophy."

"Right," Dirk nodded.  "And meanwhile, the people that lose to you end up as panty liners, or tennis balls, or jogging shoes..."  He paused.  "Or butt plugs."

She smiled into her drink.  "Are you suggesting you didn't enjoy it?"

"Oh, yeah," he said sarcastically.  "Highlight of my week.  Being shoved up your ass.  Oh wait...  That's right.  It wasn't your ass, was it?"  She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.  "Face it, Janice, you're mean.  And everyone here knows it.  So, give it up.  No one in this bar is going to accept your challenge."

"I might."

Together they turned.  Standing behind them was a woman about Janice's age.  She had short brown hair that was in serious need of a stylist.  The woman had a figure that was more angles and straight lines than curves.  Not that her choice of clothing helped in that regard.  She wore a simple pair of gray slacks with a matching button up blouse.

Janice looked the woman over carefully.  There was something familiar about her.  Then, she grinned from ear to ear.  "Holy crap!" she said.  "If it isn't Brainy Janey Hunter."

The woman's eyes darkened at the name.  "It's Thomas now," she stated, holding out her left hand to show off her wedding ring.

"Really?" Janice said checking out the simple band.  "You actually found someone to marry you?  Man or woman?"

The eyes grew darker.  "Man."

Janice's own eyes grew wider.  "Wow.  The surprises just keep coming.  But then, I guess even nerdy guys need love too."

Dirk just looked between the two women quietly.  "I'm sensing that you two have met before," he said, trying to relieve some of the obvious tension between them.

"You could say that," the woman called Janey said.

"Dirk Martino," Janice said, indicating him with a wave, "say hello to Janey ... Thomas?"  She waited for Janey to acknowledge that she got it right.  "We went to school together."

Dirk held out his hand, and the woman took it.  "Nice to meet you, Janey."

"It's just Jane," she replied.  "It's always has been," she added with another dark look in Janice's direction.

Dirk looked unsure how to respond, but Janice saved him the trouble.  "Dirk and I work together at Channel 12.  He does the sports.  And I'm..."

"I know what you do," Jane said, cutting her off.  "You read the weather reports that someone else obviously writes for you."

"True," Janice admitted, apparently not bothered by the accusation.  "But believe me, it's better for everyone that I'm the one on camera and not him.  Most people watch the news while they're eating, after all."

"Janice..." Dirk started to scold.

"Don't bother," Jane told him.  "You're just giving her what she wants."

Janice grinned at her.  "You know me too well, Janey."

"I should."

"Yes, you should," Janice nodded.  "Which begs the question:  Are you sure you want to challenge me to a Venn quick draw duel?  Do you even know what one is?"

"I don't live in a cave," Jane answered.

"Another surprise," Janice slipped in quickly.

"I've seen the shows," Jane went on, ignoring her.  "And I've read up on the machines.  I think I have the gist of how it works."

"The gist?" Janice repeated.  "From a book.  Have you ever been in a Venn?"

Jane blushed.  "Yes.  My husband...  He...  Well..."

Janice grinned at her embarrassment.  "Ooh," she taunted.  "Janey's been getting her groove on, has she?  Let me guess, your poindexter hubby gets off on turning you into Star Wars action figures.  Especially that one with the bikini."

"What me and my husband do isn't any of your business," Jane said.  "Do you accept the challenge or not?"

"Oh, I accept," Janice said, downing the rest of her drink.  "I totally accept."

"Janice," Dirk put in, taking her arm.  "Don't..."

The woman stopped, looking from the hand on her arm to the face of her co-worker.  Silently, she mouthed the word 'pictures' to him.  As he removed his hand and turned away, she slid off her bar stool with a smile.  "Come on, Janey.  Let's get over to the machine before someone else tries to interfere with our fun."

Dirk watched the two women go out the doors before turning back to his drink.  "Sorry, Janey," he muttered to himself.  "I tried."

              -----   -----   -----

"So, how do I look?"

Grant Thomas turned to see his wife standing outside their bedroom door.  She was stunning in a little black dress with spaghetti shoulder straps.  Her normally flowing hair was done up in a french braid on her head.  "You're absolutely beautiful," he told her, pulling her into a deep kiss.  As they pulled apart, he stepped back for another look.  "And Janice looks amazing, as well," he added.

Jane grinned at the comment.  "And how about Laurie?" she asked, bending her knees to show off her black nylons.  "And Toni?" she added, pulling the top of the dress down to reveal the strapless black bra beneath it.

Grant returned the grin.  "They all look great.  But they're only as beautiful as the woman wearing them.  Without her, they're just shapeless fabric."

"Ooh," she said, moving back into his arms.  "You really know how to get a girl's motor running, don't ya?"  This time, she initiated the kiss.

"Whoa," he breathed as they separated.  "Careful there, lady.  Or you're going to mess up your new outfit."

"Can't have that," Jane agreed, moving away.  An evil glint came to her eye.  "Not yet anyway," she grinned.  "But you're right.  First, I have to show them off."  She moved to a side table and picked up her purse.  "I have you to thank for all this, you know," she said, turning back to face him.  "I'd never have managed this on my own."

He scoffed at the comment.  "Jane, you're a MIT graduate, who turned a small software firm into something the big boys were willing to pay millions for.  I don't think you needed me for this."

"I've got plenty of book learning, true," Jane admitted.  "And lots of technical know-how.'  She nodded at him.  "But you...  You're the Venn expert."

He smiled.  "Well, not all of us went to school to learn stuff, you know."

She came back over.  "You might not have gotten a degree," she smiled, "but you still learned stuff."  Her smile grew wider.  "Some pretty good stuff, actually."

"I knew it," he scoffed.  "You just want me for sex."  He seemed to think about it.  "I can live with that."

She leaned into his chest and laughed.  "God, you're nuts.  You know that?"

"Says the woman that's wearing her high school tormentors to dinner," he pointed out.

"Well," she said, pulling away with a smile, "I had to keep my promise, didn't I?"

"Of course you did," he agreed, returning the smile.  He still remembered when she'd told him about her history with the Queen Bees, and the "solemn promise" she'd made because of it.

With the exception of most of her senior year, when her dad got a job that required them to move, the Bees had made her school life a living hell.  Of course, Jane hadn't been their only victim.  But Janice and her two followers seemed to take particular pleasure in picking on their little "Brainy Janey".  That was probably because, unlike most of the others, Jane never completely gave in.  If anything, their mistreatment of her made her more determined to succeed.  So determined, in fact, that she'd promised herself that when she "made it", the Bees would be there to see it.

And that day had finally come.  

After high school, Jane had been accepted to MIT, where she worked hard and earned her degree in computer programming.  From there, she started writing software, forming her own business to sell it.  And sell it she did.  It didn't take long for the major software companies to notice.  After much competitive bidding, Jane had finally decided which of them would get to make her a very rich woman.  The dinner they were getting ready for was to celebrate the signing of the papers.

"You know, I was being serious," Jane said, stepping back to look him in the eye.  "I really couldn't have pulled this off without you.  Your ability in the Venn is nothing short of perfect.  I can see why your clients keep coming back."

"I do alright," he said modestly.

"Quit it," she said, slapping him on the chest.  "You're an artist.  Without you, I don't think my disguises would have been nearly as convincing.  You even managed to put me back into that gawky body I had through most of my teens."

"Well," he told her with false frustration, "it wasn't easy.  I had to contact your folks to find any pictures of you from back then."

"Sorry about that," Jane said softly.  "I just don't like looking at myself like that.  I looked awful."  She smiled.  "Still, it's a good thing that I waited till after we moved away to blossom.  Janice never got the chance to see me all filled out."  She struck a pose to show off her body.

"Her loss," he joked, taking in the view.

She smiled as she moved into his arms again.  "It couldn't have been easy for you," she teased.  "Turning me into that geeky kid again."

"Honestly," he frowned, "I had a harder time turning you into a middle aged pervert."  He shuddered at the image.

Jane laughed.  "God," she said, "I thought I'd blew that one.  Reaching for my purse like that."

"You recovered quickly enough," he said.  "I don't think Toni noticed at all."

"She doesn't notice much," Jane said with a soft laugh.  "I wasn't worried about her.  Or Laurie, for that matter.  Janice was the real threat."

Grant nodded.  "I still think you should have found another way to go after her.  Facing her head on that way was too risky."

Jane nodded.  "I know.  But I had to do it that way.  I had to beat her on her own terms.  Sure, I misled her with the Janey disguise.  But inside that machine, it was still just her and me."

"Still risky," he told her.

"Yeah," she admitted.  She ran a finger along his chin.  "Good thing I had a veteran quick draw champion to help with my training."

He pulled away to bow.  "Happy to be of service."  He straightened.  "And happy to have such an eager pupil."

"Eager, maybe," she said.  "But slow.  That was the most intense three weeks of my life.  We were at it night and day.  And I think I spent more time as something else than I did me for most it."  Her eyes turned playful.  "Not that that wasn't fun, too."

He returned her smile.  "It did have its moments," he agreed.  "And you did get it eventually.  The proof is in the wearing."

She adjusted the hem on the dress playfully.  "It is indeed," she said.  "Though, I doubt that Janice was planning to wear me if she'd won."

"Good thing she didn't then."

"True," Jane admitted with a nod and a slight shudder.

Grant looked at his watch.  "Well, unless you want to be late for your own victory party, I think we need to get going."  He held out his arm.  "So, ladies, shall we?"

Slipping her arm through his, Jane smiled.  "Speaking for all of us... because I'm the only one that can... I say we shall.  Come on, girls.  Let's party."  

              -----   -----   -----

Early the following afternoon, Jane put her ensemble into a shopping bag and, with Grant tagging along, headed down to the mall.  As they got to the Venn Machine, a young couple was using it.  They waited patiently for them to finish, sharing a smile as the girl left with a significantly larger bust line and a new bra to support it.  Once they were gone, Jane went to the machine.  She dropped in a couple of quarters, then set it for eight hours.  When the door appeared, she placed the shopping bag inside, then stepped back to wait.

She wasn't surprised when it was Janice that exited the machine first.  Toni and Laurie slowly came out behind her.  They all stood quietly facing each other until Janice gestured that Jane had the floor.  And triumphantly, Jane told them everything.  What she had done, how she had done it and why.  She finished by sharing a clipping from the morning paper's society page showing her wearing them.  She just wished it had been in color.

For a bit, they were all silent.  It was obvious that everyone, including Jane, was waiting for Janice to say something.  But the woman remained quiet.  She just nodded with a slight smile and stepped over to the side.  She leaned back against the Venn, crossed her arms and, without a word, she waited.

It was Toni that broke the silence.  She walked up to Jane, reaching into her purse.  For a second, Jane was nervous, but relaxed as Toni pulled out the money she had paid her.  "I'm keeping this," she told Jane.  "I don't think you can deny that I granted your fantasy this weekend."

Jane couldn't help but smile.  "No," she admitted.  "I can't."

"Damned right," Toni said, shoving the money back into her purse.  She turned to leave.

"Toni," Jane called after her.  The other woman turned to look back at her.  "Look," Jane went on, "if you're going to keep doing this, you need to get a second."

Toni shook her hands in frustration.  "A second what?"

Jane looked at her with an astonished expression.  "You don't know what a second is?"

Toni rolled her eyes at her.  "Obviously not."

"A second," Jane explained, "is someone who stays outside the machine while you go in with a client.  You know, someone to watch out for you.  To make sure no one does... well, what I did."

"Ah."  Toni considered it for a second, then just shook her head.  "Well, I don't need anyone like that," she said.

"You don't?" Jane questioned.

"Of course not," Toni told her.  "Look, Janey.  These guys are paying me to wear them.  I make their fantasies come true.  Why would they do anything to me that would prevent that?"

"Men can have more than one kind of fantasy, you know?"

"Maybe," Toni admitted.  "But I only grant the one kind.  If they want something else, I don't get into the machine with them."

"And you don't think they'd lie about it?" Jane asked her.

Toni shook her head, laughing at the idea.  "Men can't lie to me.  Oh, they try.  But I can always tell."

"I lied to you," Jane stated simply.

"Yeah," Toni agreed.  She leaned in to make a point.  "But you weren't really a guy were you?"

Jane just stared back at her in disbelief.  "No," she finally admitted.  "No, I wasn't."

Toni pointed at her, convinced that she had won the argument.  Without another word, she turned and walked away.

Grant came over and stood beside Jane.  Together, they watched the woman exit the mall doors.  "That girl's going to end up in someone's personal toy collection," Grant said.  His wife just nodded in agreement.

"Well," a voice said from behind them.  Jane turned to see Laurie standing there.  She had one hand on her hip and a demanding expression on her face.  "You kept your deal with her.  What about mine?"

"Your what?" Jane asked.

"My deal," Laurie explained.  "You were supposed to make me thin.  Remember?"

Jane started to reply, but Grant stepped in.  "Maybe I can help with that."  He took a card from his wallet and handed it to Laurie.

The woman read it carefully.  "Venn Cosmetology?" she said, reading it again.  "What is that?"

"It's what you wanted 'Kathy' to do for you," Jane told her proudly.  "Grant is an artist with the Venn.  People hire him to make them look younger, or whatever."

"Is that legal?"

"For now," Grant answered.  "Don't know how long I'll be able to keep doing it.  But until they stop me, I'm going to help as many people as I can."

"I see," Laurie said with a nod.  She looked over at Jane.  "Well, that explains that."

"What?" Jane asked, confused.

"Come on, Janey," Laurie scoffed.  "You were a stick in school.  You really expect us to believe that that grew into this?"  She waved her hand to indicate Jane's body.

Jane couldn't hide her shock.  "You think I used..."

Laurie ignored her and turned back to Grant, handing him the card back.  "Thanks for the offer," she told him.  "But no.  Your wife owes me.  She should keep her promises."

Grant took the card.  "Really, it's no..."

"No," Jane said from beside him.  "She's right."  She turned to look at her husband, who looked back with a cocked eyebrow.  "I lived up to my agreement with Toni.  I should do the same with her."

Grant looked dubious.  "Jane..."

"You mean that?" Laurie asked, cutting him off.

"I do," Jane nodded.

Laurie's face brightened.  "Fantastic.  When?"

"How did you put it?" Jane asked.  "No time like the present?"

"Works for me."

"Okay," Jane replied, waving her over.  "Let's go."

Beside her, Grant started to say something, but a touch of her hand on his arm stopped him.  She handed him her purse with a smile before turning to follow the other woman over to the Venn Machine.  Grant watched her go with a sigh.

Jane motioned for Janice to move aside as she approached the control panel.  She turned and looked back at Laurie.  "The least you could do is pay for this," she said.

"Sure," Laurie agreed. opening her purse.  "How much?" she asked as she took out her wallet.

"Whatever," Jane answered.  "A penny would do it."  She wasn't surprised when Laurie pulled out a single copper coin to drop into the slot.  "How long?" she asked as she called up the settings.

Laurie thought for a moment.  "You said three years was the max?"

"I did," Jane nodded, "and it is."

"Then that's still what I want," Laurie told her.

"Then that's what you've got."  Jane made the necessary settings, then stepped back.  As the doors appeared, she held her hand out, instructing Laurie to enter her side.  "Shall we?"

Laurie hesitated.  "Wait," she said.  "I want to be perfectly clear here."

"Sure," Jane agreed.  

"No tricks this time," Laurie instructed.  "No turning me into underwear or anything like that.  When I come back out of this thing, I expect to be nothing else but a thinner version of myself.  You got that?"

"Absolutely," Jane told her.  "You have my word."

"If it helps," Janice put in, "I'll make sure she sticks to it."

Laurie turned on her.  "Like I'd trust you after what you did to me."

"What?" Janice said.  "You're still mad about that?"

Laurie just shook her head in frustration.  "Come on, Janey," she said, pushing past her former friend.  "Let's do this."  She went into her side of the machine.

Before entering her side, Jane looked back to her husband with a smile.  Grant looked like he wanted to say something.  But before he could, she turned and entered.  The doors vanished a second later.

It was several minutes before the doors reappeared.  Jane calmly stepped out of her side.  Without giving Janice even a glance, she walked over to stand next to her husband.  She turned and looked back at machine, but didn't say a word.  Grant eyed her carefully, before also turning to wait.

Janice was watching the door expectantly as well.  But after a full minute, Laurie still hadn't come out.  Finally, her curiosity getting the better of her, Janice moved over to look into the machine.  Her eyes grew wide and a grin spread across her face.  "Sweet," she said before stepping inside.  

A moment later, she came back out carrying Laurie.  Moving to the side, she set the woman upright on the floor and stood back to admire Jane's handiwork.  Laurie had gotten her wish.  She was indeed a thinner version of herself.  She was also made out of hard pressed cardboard.  Only a cross piece at her feet kept her from falling over.  

"Really, Jane?" Grant asked his wife, staring at the woman his wife had trapped.

"Hey," Jane said calmly without looking at him, "just giving her what she wanted."

"Right," Grant agreed sarcastically.  He watched as Janice used a finger to thump on Laurie's once-impressive chest.  "Are you really planning to leave her like that for three years?" he inquired.

"Of course not," Jane answered, turning to him.  "She's got kids to pick up from her mom tonight.  No, I'll just let her stew for an hour or so, then pop her back into the machine."

"Okay," Grant nodded.  "I guess that'll be alright."  He pointed back toward the machine.  "Incoming."

Jane turned to see Janice walking over, leaving Laurie to stand quietly alone.  "Nice one, Janey," the woman praised.  She turned to look back at the cardboard woman.  "She can't say you didn't stick to her instructions.  That's for sure."

"So, if she'd accepted you as her second...?" Jane asked her.

Janice just smiled before turning to blow Laurie a kiss.  Then, she turned back to Jane.  "So, are we ready?"

The question caught Jane completely off guard.  "Ready?  For what?"

"For round two, of course," the other woman answered.

"What?"

"You know," Janice went on, "I have to admit it.  That little trick of turning yourself back into the mousy little geek you were in high school was inspired.  It really made me underestimate you."  She stopped to look Jane directly in the eyes with a wicked smile.  "But I've seen how you play now.  And I know I can take you this time."

"Look, Janice..."

"Come on, Brainy," Janice cut her off.  She smiled when she saw Jane's eyes narrow at the use of her high school nickname.  She turned and headed back to the machine.  "You beat me once already," she continued to taunt.  "Surely, you're not afraid of me now."  She stopped at the control panel and turned back to face her new rival.

Jane just watched her for a moment, before turning to her husband.  He just gave her a shrug, which was his way of saying "up to you".  She turned back to face Janice, who stood by the machine with a cocky grin on her face.  Finally, Jane nodded.  "Okay," she said.

With a sigh, Grant said, "I'll make sure Laurie's taken care of."  When Jane turned to him with a questioning expression, he added, "You know, just in case."

"I doubt that will be necessary," she told him, patting his arm.  "I'll take care of it myself later.  But first..."  She turned back and headed for the machine.  "Okay, Janice," she challenged as the other woman dropped something into the coin slot.  "What do you say we make this interesting?  How about setting that thing for a month?"

Janice hesitated at the control.  "A month?" she asked.

Jane smiled, enjoying the woman's unease.  "Problem?"

Janice looked up, about to say something.  But at the sight of Jane's smug expression, her face hardened.  "Not at all," she said, making the necessary settings.  As the doors appeared, she looked up at Jane.  "Ready?"  There was a little hitch in her voice.

"Oh, yeah," Jane said confidently.  She waited for Janice to get into her side of the machine.  As she entered hers, the door disappeared.  She immediately started to work the controls.

"I have to say, Janey," Janice said from the other side of the interface, "I'm really proud of you."

The comment caused Jane to stop.  She looked up, realizing that all the hesitation had disappeared from her opponent's tone.  The woman stood with her arms crossed, smiling at her through the interface.  "Proud?" Jane repeated.

"Oh, yes," Janice praised.  "All this time I thought you were just a wimpy little geek.  But the way you set us all up..."  She gave Jane the "ok" symbol with her fingers.  "Magnificent."

"Uh, thanks," Jane said, suspiciously.  From what she could tell, Janice hadn't made a move since they'd enter the machine.  What was she up to?  Cautiously, she went back to the controls.

"Of course," Janice went on as if she had all the time in the world, "all you had to do was throw money at Toni.  And you knew I wouldn't be able to resist a chance to get you into a Venn.  But Laurie...  What you did to her was...  It was inspiring."

Jane stopped again to look at the woman standing still on the other side.  "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Janey," Janice grinned.  "I've been trying to get her back into one of these machines for months.  But she wouldn't have anything to do with me.  But you...  You got her in.  Not once, but twice.  I'm telling you.  If I'd have known that her insecurity about her weight would have done the trick, I'd have use it a long time ago."

Jane stared at her with a blank expression.  "Wait a second.  What are you implying?  That I'm somehow like you?"

Janice cocked an eyebrow at her.  "Aren't you?"

"Of course not," Jane said defiantly.

Janice pointed at her through the barrier.  "Tell that to Laurie,"

Jane tried to stare her down, but found herself looking away.  Could Janice be right?  In getting even for the way she had been treated, had she let herself become just like the people she was paying back.  She had used Laurie's weight against her.  But how else would she have...

"Gotcha," Janice said from the other side.

Jane looked up to see Janice with her hand poised on the green button.  "Aw, sh...," she said softly just before she changed.

Outside, Grant saw the two doors reappear on the machine.  His face fell as he saw Janice step out of her side.  Without a word, she moved to Jane's door and went inside.  A moment later, she was back, casually slipping something into the open cleavage of her blouse.  Giving her chest a victory pat, she walked up to Grant with a smile.  "Just remember," she told him, a finger pointed for emphasis, "the month was her idea."  With a final wink, she turned and headed for the exit.

Still in shock at how quickly the situation had changed, Grant just watched as she walked away.  But a moment later, he shook himself out of his stupor.  He started after her, but stopped after only a few steps.  

He looked back over his shoulder to where the helpless Laurie stood.  He couldn't just leave her there.  If someone made off with her while he was gone, the woman could end up stuck as a cardboard cutout for three years.  With a grunt of frustration, he rushed back and grabbed her up.  

By the time he had, Janice was out of the mall.  Rushing to the doors with Laurie in tow, he pushed through and looked around desperately.  Janice was nowhere to be seen.  In one direction, he saw a cab heading out of the mall parking lot.  In another, a city bus was pulling away from the curb.  It was pretty obvious that the woman had gotten away with his wife.

"Shit!" he shouted, getting several disapproving looks from the people around.  Ignoring them, he turned Laurie around so he could see her face.  The woman's expression showed that she had just realized something was wrong as Jane had trapped her.  He took one more desperate look around.  Seeing no evidence of Janice anywhere, he headed back into the mall.  "Come on," he said to the flattened woman.  "Let's go get you straightened out."

A couple of minutes later, Laurie stepped out of the machine.  "Your wife is a real bitch," she told Grant.

"Yeah?" he questioned her.  "Well, guess who helped make her that way."

Laurie was obviously taken back by the statement.  But after a second, her face softened.  "True," she admitted, "I guess we had it coming.  Still..."

"She went too far," Grant agreed.  "I know."  He sank down to the bench by the machine.  "If it makes you feel any better, she's paying the price for it now."

"What do you mean?" Laurie asked, noting his concern.  "Where is she?"

"Far as I know, she's still stuffed in Janice's bra," he told her.

"I'm sorry?"

"Janice challenged her to another duel," he explained.  "She lost this time."

"Ouch," she said.  "What did Janice do to her?"

"No idea," he admitted.  "I didn't get to see her before Janice tucked her away.  But whatever she is, she's stuck for a month."

Laurie's eyes shot open.  "A month?"

"Yeah."

"And you're okay with that?" she asked him.

"Of course not," he said angrily.  "But Janice got away before I could stop her."

"So, what are you doing here?"  He just looked at her with raised eyebrow.  "Oh.  Well, thanks."

"No problem," he said, getting up.  "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Sure."  As he started to leave, she grabbed his arm.  She looked embarrassed, but said, "Before you go, could I...  Could I have that card back?"

He sighed, reaching into his pocket.  As she went to take it, he pulled back.  "One condition," he told her.

"Okay."

"Talk to your husband," he ordered.  As she started to protest, he cut her off.  "Just do it.  You could be right.  He might be cheating on you.  But he might not be either.  You owe it to yourself, and to him, to find out.  Who knows?  Maybe he'd be willing to do this for you and you won't need to pay me to do it."

She thought for a moment, before nodding.  "Okay.  I promise."

He gave her the card.  "Now, if there's nothing else..."  She shook her head.  "Good," he said, turning to leave.  "Because I need to rescue my wife from Janice."  And maybe from herself, he added silently as he went out the door.