Cecilia had to work quickly. She put up a search algorithm for any person with a similar transformation as this giant doll. She was surprised when it actually got a hit from a recent camera shot. She then analysed a recent purchase for clothes, and got an address from that.
"Rick Holden," she said to her partner bringing a photo of her previous and new state. "...and.. another, but I have no information on who she is. They both have similar transformations to this one. They are from a school nearby..." Even she had to blink at the improbability of that.
Agent Hawkins went over the options. Ordinary he would not rather involve others, but their expertise might be useful. "Call the school and get them here please," he said while he looked over the large clockwork girl. She was as still as a statue, but had now moved hunching herself forward like a puppet without any strings.
Cecilia tried to communicate to the school. It took only a few minutes to patch into the telephone system and call a teacher. There was a brief conversation with an electronic voice emulator within the gynoid's consciousness. "They are on their way," she said. "Should only be a few minutes."
Hawkins nodded. "That just leaves our decision on what to do with her," he said, gesturing to the slowly charging clockwork girl. His first duty was to protect the public... but of course, Cecilia said the transformee was not aware of her current actions, not until her brain 'rebooted', however that worked for this kind of transformation. Also, what kind of a mind existed in her? Was it one that would relish in unwarranted destruction? But looking at the innocent face, it was hard to imagine that was possible... Hawkins just didn't think it likely, if he went on his instinct. It was certainly one of the strangest transformations he had ever seen. "What do you make of her?" He asked Cecilia. "She's not.. invulnerable is she?" Maybe he had been watching too many shows about giant killer robots...
"Unknown," said Cecilia also just as curious, now that the girl was motionless. "Her mechanisms have the basic equivalent of flesh and blood in strength. I don't think she's an unstoppable robot If that's what you are concerned of. Potential energy readings are increasing... I think we could help her by winding her. It might even help her think again."
"That... could be tricky," said Hawkins. "Give me a leg up."
The agents quickly scrambled as best they could up to the cog as it rotated. Fortunately the girl's back was inclined, and her top was rough enough to get a solid grip. There was even a button foothold to latch onto. "Okay... let's push."
Slowly, the two agents rotated the spring, helping the girl charge up. They turned what seemed like forever, until finally they hit some kind of barrier and it became more free to push. They let go of it, and jumped down.
Cecilia stumbled slightly, and Hawkins caught her. "gotcha," he said with a grin.
"Thanks."
Jeff blinked her glass eyes as she felt herself move once more. Where... where was she? The last thing she remembered was looking at the mermaid, then everything got kind of bigger, and she thought she might have been changing back- and- why was everything so small still?
She felt herself tense as she looked down at the two government agents. Was she in trouble? "W-Who are you!" she said frowning at the high lilting voice she now possessed. It sounded... strange. A girl had a high pitched voice, but that just sounded too squeaky. Not even Belle was that bad!
"Can you understand us now?" asked Hawkins calmly.
"Y-yeah. How'd you get so small?" She asked still unable to grasp what had happened.
"We didn't you got big," said Cecilia gesturing to her.
Ricky looked at her hands. From her own perspective, her hands were smaller. Her body was smaller.. if she ignored the fact that everything else was smaller, it didn't at all seem that way at all. "Nuh- Nuh uh! I- I got s-smaller! She felt herself start to get upset for real now. "W-Why this? Why... this happen to me?"
"It's okay dear," said Cecilia calmly. "Can you tell us your name?"
"Name? J..." she paused. That name sounded wrong to her... but it was her name... right? "Jeff... Au..Aurelius... I.. think." It was so hard though to think like- like... why did she get the feeling she didn't even want to think like she used to?
"hoo boy," said Hawkins. Another one...
Just then Ricky arrived holding belle in her pocket. She looked up seeing the giant clockwork girl, and her mouth just... dropped. What in the world?
Jeff stared down at Ricky, and for some reason seeing her made her upset. "N-No, Not like that- that one!" she said quickly.
Ricky blinked. "What?" What did I do?"
"You hate me tha's why! Cause I jus' wanted to play an' you got mad an'... an'... I don't 'member!" Why couldn't she remember?
"Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Asked Agent Hawkins.
Ricky shook her head. "No... who is she?"
"As near as I can tell, That's Jeff Aurelius." Said Cecilia.
"Like- Oh my Gawd!" said Belle as she stared at what had become of him. This was.. crazy!
Jeff looked at Bell and crouched lower. If A normal human was like a doll to her, Belle was like a micro doll to the much larger clockwork. "Y-you? I remember you." she said. "I... like... you."
"What's wrong with him? Er- Her?" asked Ricky. Jeff seemed to be acting rather... slow?
Cecilia ran a few scans. "It's the transformation. It's messed up her head a bit. She'll probably need a few days to adjust. Think of it like a small brain trying to get inside a large one. Can't always happen in a few minutes."
"So.. she's like us?" asked Belle curious.
Cecilia continued to scan her. "In comparison to you Ricky, Her 'systems' are not as mature, nor are they actually enlarged. Well- not all of them. There exists a number of 'extra' gears of increased complexity for her size. She's made up of the same essential parts as you though," she said curiously. "Though obviously her weight factor seems less..."
Jeff was now staring at the A-cup breasts she possessed as part of her torso. "Um- I- I look-" she asked worried not even able to say it. "Not wanted to be a girl."
Belle looked sympathetically. "It's okay Jeff, Ricky here will help you. You can trust her, she's really very nice!"
"B-But..." Jeff felt like she shouldn't... but... something deep down was saying she aught to. The body's instincts wanted someone she could trust.
Belle smiled. "We'll take care of you. Cause you took care of me once too you know."
"I... did? But I remember bein' so mean..." She did remember that. She didn't want to but the memory of certain things were starting to pour into her mind. So many things, it was just horrible! She wanted it to end... she didn't want to remember any of it any more.
"We need to find her control key," said Ricky. There was no telling what someone could do with a clockwork of this size.
"Control key?" asked Agent Hawkins.
Ricky sighed. She didn't want to tell the agents... but maybe if anyone, they had to know. Could she trust them to keep it secret?
"We'll keep it secret," said Cecilia as if she could read her mind.
Rickey sighed. "Okay... well I'll explain on the way. It will probably be at her house." Said Ricky thoughtfully. "It's the first place I would look anyway. Whoever has one of these keys can control us."
Hawkins tensed at that. Even if Jeff was no threat, there was still... this.
Mr Aurelius opened the door to see the FBI agents, and the two clockworks.. followed by a very large clockwork, just behind them. "... Can I help you?" he asked neutrally.
"We need to search the premises for this girl's control key. We think it might be in here. I could get a warrant, but I am sure you would be willing to co-operate." said Agent Hawkins.
Mr Aurelius brushed down his evening suit, looking quite amicable. "Oh... not a bother. Pray tell, why do you think it would be here? Am I entitled to know that before this harassment into my property?"
Cecilia glanced behind at the giant clockwork. "Because... she's your son," said the gynoid.
Mr Aurelius looked at the young girl, the one that seemed so big compared to the rest of them. His expression for just the briefest of a second, showed impalpable anger. So quickly it disappeared, only Cecilia registered it. "Oh..." was all he said at that point. So, Jeff went into the sunlight, and became a circus freak. He lost the heir to his company, and got this instead. "What does this key do?"
"That's not any of your business," said Ricky. "Give it to us." She hated the idea of this... person having any control over Jeff, as much as she hated it when Jeff controlled her!
Mr Aurelius looked completely nonplussed by Ricky's expression. "Well if it's here, it is my property... is it not? I don't believe you have the right to seize it. Am I right?"
Hawkins frowned. "If it's a matter of security-"
"Is it a matter of security?" Asked Mr Aurelius calmly.
"... No. But that key is part of this clockwork girl... your son. We need to keep it in a secure location. For her sake."
"Well, what could be more secure, then entrusting it to her own father? Given that she is my responsibility now..."
Hawkins frowned as he went over the options. He could arrest him, but he had not committed any crime. The clockwork was a minor now, which meant she could not technically object unless social services got involved... and at this point in time, there was absolutely no evidence that they had to. Legally, their hands were completely tied up. "I am going to put you on watch, Mr Aurelius," said Hawkins. "One step out of line, involving her, or anything, and I will confiscate that key from you even if I have to claim tax avoidance to do it."
"And I'll have a hundred lawyers on you, just for wasting my time, Agent. Now if you don't mind, it seems I have to get to know my son all over again. You have no idea just how... 'difficult', this is for me."
