It was a woman that none of them ever recognized. She was probably in her mid-30s.
"If you really can clone people," she said, "I want you to clone my dead daughter. She died in a car accident last year. She was nine."
Jon looked at Jonnie. "Can we do that?" he asked.
"I don't know," replied Jonnie. "You know as much about it as I do. Let me check... Hmm." She looked on a panel and tried bringing up a help screen. "That's strange," she said. "I don't see how it can do that but it can." She whispered to Jon, "Considering this whole thing is impossible by science anyway, I think there's some magic in it. It is supposed to have come from Grandpa, you know."
"Do I need a cell sample?" asked the woman. She pulled something from her pocketbook. "I have this comb she used... It has some of her hair in it."
"That'll help," said Jonnie. She took the comb and pulled off some strands of hair, which she opened the machine up just long enough to drop in. Having a part from someone's body, of course, was a way to make magic affect that person. Jonnie read the panel, which now displayed "Subject identity: Alice Franks. Maximum natural age 9."
She fiddled with a keyboard and pressed a button; there was an impressive hum and bubbling from the tube, and soon a clone was beginning to grow. The woman watched, fascinated and ten minutes later the liquid drained and the clone was free. "Mommy?" she said, approaching the woman. She was naked and shivering from being cold and wet.
"This is incredible," said the woman. "It's her. She's alive! Alice is alive! She took off her coat and draped it around the girl, and took the time to hug Jonnie. After that, she counted off the money and paid her. "We have to go home and get her some clothes," said the woman. "Thank you for all you've done!"
As the woman left, the next customer approached. Or more precisely, customers. There were two pretty teenage girls which Jonnie didn't recognize, one blonde, one brunette. The jackets they had on, however, showed they were from South Ridge High School, a school Jonnie had heard of but which was over in the next county.
"I saw what you did," said the blonde. "I'm Natalie and this is my best friend Paula. We want you to make us some boyfriends."
"Well, er..." said Jonnie. "Sure, we can do that. Did you want to clone someone?"
"Sort of," said Natalie. "I want you to make a boyfriend for me who's a clone of Paula. And then I want you to make a boyfriend for Paula who's a clone of me. They should be guy versions of us."
"All right," replied Jonnie. "Pay first. I let the first customer pay afterwards because nobody saw the machine work yet. Cash only."
Natalie and Paula each counted off the money and gave it to Jonnie, then said "Do you need some blood or something?"
"It didn't need any blood when we made me. It can read people who are nearby. We're not quite sure how it works, to tell the truth." Jonnie flipped a switch for voice activation and said "Machine..."
"Affirmative."
"Do you have a reading on nearby people named Natalie and Paula?"
"Affirmative.
"Okay, here's the instructions. Make one clone of Natalie, but change gender to male and make his name Nathan. Keep all memories and personality from Natalie, except that Nathan considers himself male, acts male, and is attracted to and in love with Paula. Then make one clone of Paula, but change gender to male and make his name Paul. Keep Paula's memories and personality, except that he considers himself male, acts male, and is attracted to and in love with Natalie."
When Jonnie stopped, the machine waited to see if she had anything more to say, and then said "Current qualities of clones determined." She pressed the button.
"Is that all?" asked Paula.
"Pretty much, except you need to consider what they're going to wear."
Fifteen minutes later, Nathan was ready. Jonnie opened the machine and the male clone coughed out fluid and said "I'm a guy!"
"You're her!" said Paula. "You're my best friend, but you're a guy now. Come on over here... And let me get you something to wear." She had brought some briefs and extra jackets, and gave one of each to Nathan, who quickly put them on.
After that, he looked at Natalie and then at himself. "It feels so strange," he said. "All of a sudden it's like I'm my own brother. I used to be a girl, but I'm a boy now." Then he went over to Paula and kissed her... after first saying "I want to try this."
The scene repeated itself with Paul, except that now Natalie, Nathan, and Paula were all watching. Then the two girls happily walked off hand in hand with their new boyfriends.
"Maybe we should have asked their parents for permission," said Jonnie.
"I don't know," said Jon. "We didn't ask anyone permission for you. We just used the machine."
"Yeah, but we have a magic stone. I guess it's okay. If they come complaining to us that they can't afford food and clothes for the clones we can wish up a fund or something."
The next customer was recognizeable. All too recognizeable. Because next in line after those two girls was Sarah McMillan.
"I take it you want to use our services," said Jonnie.
"You take it correctly," she replied. "I'm not trying to cause you any trouble." Jonnie noticed she wasn't trying to call her names, either, though Sarah's not dumb enough to insult someone she needs something from. Sarah handed Jonnie some money and explained, "I want you to make...."
