"That was close," said Karyn as they were at lunch. "You almost lost those wishing panties. Imagine if Marie had wished for something."
"Yeah," replied Jon. "Hmm. You know, if she did, I'd never know. Oh, why not. I wish I knew if Marie made any wishes using my magic panties...." Jon listened to something unheard and then said "No, she didn't. I'm fine."
"Yeah. It always seemed weird to me that were only half a girl, but being a guy with a half girl body was certainly convenient when it came to getting those panties."
"Huh?" replied Jon.
"You're already part girl, so it didn't affect you."
"I'm a guy. Just not right now. You're not remembering that correctly... the magic panties did it."
"Wait a minute, so you're really a guy through and through? The panties really did affect you and nobody remembers? Were we, um, dating or anything like that?"
"No, we weren't."
"So you were a guy when you... Wait, this is confusing."
"I was a guy until I got the panties, then I was half and half until I gave them to you to try, which turned me back. Hmm. First of all, you must have remembered me as always being like this. Then I gave you the panties back and it changed me back, and it also changed your memory back. Then when I put them on today it changed me again and changed your memory again. Which means that every time I change, you remember me as what it would like if I was like that all along. Wait a minute...."
"I barely understand it but go ahead," said Karyn.
"It makes things be what it would be like if I was like that all along. Well, if I was like that all along, would I have told you I'm a guy? No I wouldn't. That means that if I tell you I'm a guy, then I give them to someone and get them back again, you forget what I just told you. The second transformation erases anything I would have said that told you about the transformation."
"Uh-huh..."
"Okay, now if that isn't weird enough, here's another scenario. Suppose I put on the panties and then I make some wishes. Then I give them to you. I change back. Well, if I change back, things become like they would be if I was a guy all along. What's it like if I was a guy all along? Well, the first thing it'd be like is that I couldn't have made any wishes. I'd have to be transformed to do so and it changes reality so I wasn't. I'm not sure if it means the wishes stick around or not, but nobody would remember making them."
"Are you sure?"
"No. I wish I knew if that's true..." Jon gave out a sign of relief. "It's not true. Basically, 'it's just as if it was if you were like that all along' is a simplification. There has to be some thing that doesn't work that way because working that way just doesn't make any sense...."
"So you did all that twisted reasoning, for... nothing."
"I suppose."
"But I can tell you I'm a guy."
"But we were in the Girl Scouts together! I mean, yeah, the top of you is a guy but they had to decide based on something."
"And I counted as a girl for that?"
"Yup."
"Anything else? Do I have a boyfriend?"
"There were some guys you think are cute but no."
"What? Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously, Jon."
"Okay... Karyn, just tell me. Tell me everything you remember about me that you think might be affected by my being like this...."
