"It was right after I was born. It had to be. The stone has a range. If there were people outside the range that knew me there would be trouble. If I was changed when I was born, there wouldn't be any trouble unless they wonder why Mom suddenly got pregnant or something.
"So your life is real," said Karyn.
"Yes, I really did live as Jon and we really did meet each other the way we met... but I'm still really your twin sister. I've just been transformed for a long time. Maybe I could use the stone to become Jillian again, but I don't know if I want to.
"The sister I never knew..." said Karyn. "Maybe you should try it."
"I can't. I wished to be Jon and I can't reverse wishes."
"You wished that the you of that time would become Jon. It isn't that time any more. You're not reversing a wish."
"Maybe so. But I don't want to be a girl," said Jon, "even if I really am one. I've been a guy almost all my life except when I was born! I think of myself as a guy."
"So wish that you don't."
"No, Karyn. If I became your sister, the stone would invent a past. I'd have had a life as your sister and it would be fake."
"Oh, don't give me that," said Karyn. "My sister's been gone for 16 years. The least you could do is come back for a little while. If you're worried about having a fake past, just wish that you don't need one." She waited, and Jon didn't say anything. "Run out of excuses?" she asked.
"I suppose," said Jon. "If you weren't my friend... and my sister, I guess... I wouldn't do this. Here's my wish... I'm Jillian for the next week. It doesn't change the past. Everyone knows I'm Karyn's sister and I just arrived, but they don't question why I was missing, where I was for the last 16 years, or why Jon is missing or where he is."
"And you don't think of yourself as a guy."
Jon groaned. "Okay. As Jillian I think of myself as a girl. I wish for all of that."
Jon felt himself transform. His chest bulged out and long blonde hair fell from his head. Lifting his hand, he saw red nail polish. From what he could see, he was Karyn's twin--he was even wearing similar clothes to hers. And she didn't mind being transformed at all. "We'd better go over to your place," said Jillian. "I'll be staying with you for the next week. It's great to be your sister again."
