Sarah held the phone for just a moment before coming to her decision. "Sure, I'll go with you." she told Nicole over the phone. "I could use a break."
Of course, even as she said this, she knew that the shopping trip Nicole had invited her to was one that was happening under unusual circumstances. Nicole Tiller and Melissa Smith were taking Chris Morgan shopping.
The three of them had bonded during the previous day. All of them had been zapped by the Babe Gun. Nicole Tiller and Melissa Smith, who had been girls to start with, became even more attractive and radiant versions of their previous selves, and Chris Morgan (previously one of the school jocks on football and track and field) had been transformed into an attractive young woman.
Sarah wasn't around when most of this happened. She found out some of this when Karyn used the wishing stone to wish that Jon, Karyn, and Sarah knew what everyone else at school was thinking about what had happened that day. For a minute or two, they were brought up to date on everything that had happened at school while they were busy elsewhere, from the point of view of everyone else (with the exception of Athena, who had been wearing her anti-magic pendant).
With this in mind, Sarah knew she had to be careful what she said. Aside from Nicole (who already knew about the wishing stone), she could not mention anything about the wishing stone to any of them, or mention what that wish had told her unless she could have learned the same information elsewhere.
As far as the Transformation Guns went, she could tell them about her trip to McMillan Tech Industries last night, but she wasn't going to bring it up unless absolutely necessary.
In any case, Nicole replied "Good. We're on our way. We'll pick you up in six minutes."
Sarah quickly made her way outside to the front of the house. She didn't really want to talk with her mother now, not after their quarrel. She hoped that the next time she saw her mother, she would be in a more reasonable mood.
Not long after, Nicole arrived in her car. In the back seat of the car were Melissa Smith and the new Chris Morgan. Sarah only recognized the transformed Chris due to that wish she, Karyn, and Jon shared to know what everyone else at school was thinking. The girl looked like an attractive female version of the Chris Morgan Sarah knew, dressed in boy's clothing that seemed a bit awkward on her current form.
"Hi!" the girl said, smiling. "It's me! Chris Morgan!"
"I'd heard you were changed." Sarah said. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, thanks." Chris replied. "In fact, I feel better than fine."
Sarah knew that at least part of this was due to the Babe Gun affecting not only a person's outer beauty but their inner beauty as well, but she chose not to talk about it this point. She got in the passenger seat of the car, and Nicole began driving.
As they started on their way, Chris spoke again.
"I know what you're thinking. Why spend money on new clothes and makeup if there's Restoration Guns available in a day or two? But I've talked about it with Nicole and Melissa, and I really want to give this a chance. I feel I owe it to myself to really get the whole experience."
"What if you later decide to go back?" Sarah asked. Even as she asked this, she knew that this was unlikely. That wish had allowed her brief access to Chris' thoughts and feelings. She knew that the new girl was happy to be a girl regardless of what her gender identity may have been prior to the Babe Gun.
"We already talked about this." Chris replied. "I don't think I'm going back. I'm a girl, and I think I'm going to stay a girl. My parents think all the new feelings I have are going to go away or something within a week or two, but I don't think they are. But even if they did and I ended up changing my mind, we could always give away or donate the clothes."
"At least, that's the argument we made to Mr. and Mrs. Morgan." Nicole said with a smile.
Sarah had heard the stories from the people who had imagined the Transformation Guns in the first place. She had heard how Rachel McLewis (who came up with the idea of the Babe Gun in the first place) and Ryanne Leeson (who had been zapped by the Babe Gun) described its mental effects as well as its physical effects. She knew that the feelings of being a confident, capable and feminine woman were likely there to stay. And with feelings like that, why would anyone choose to go back?
"I'm guessing your parents only heard about the Transformation Guns on the news?" Sarah asked.
"Pretty much." Chris replied. "And what they've heard wasn't a lot. My dad saw a few mimes while driving home on a street that doesn't usually have mimes, but that's about it. They don't know as much as we do."
"Of course they don't." Melissa said. "They weren't in the middle of a situation where people were getting zapped by those things. Some of us by more than one."
"Just two days ago, these things were like something out of a Silver Age comic book or a 70s superhero cartoon, or a story people write on the Internet." Nicole added. "None of which I knew a lot about before the Geek Gun zapped me, by the way. Anyway, my point is that we still don't know just how these things work. I've been zapped by two other Transformations Guns since the Geek Gun, and I'm still making geeky references."
Sarah wondered if she should tell her friends what she had learned at MTI. Would they believe the whole story about a bunch of tech geeks' imaginations magically being made real? In any case, now wasn't the time.
"Anyway, enough about the Transformation Guns for now." Nicole said, as the car neared the mall. "Time for a good old fashioned shopping spree!"
Once they had arrived at the parking lot and stepped out of the car, Melissa turned to Chris. "Okay, it's time to introduce you to a new world! Are you ready?"
The new girl nodded. "I'm ready!" she said, eagerly.
And so it went. Melissa Smith, the fashionista of the cheerleading squad, was in her element as she led Chris to several clothing outlets. The new girl eagerly tried on a number of outfits: Sundresses, evening gowns, silk dresses, shirt dresses, slip dresses, halter dresses, and some more casual girl's shirts, skirts, and pants. She also was a natural wearing hosiery and high heels, as well as more athletic footwear and dancing shoes.
After Chris picked a few favorite outfits and they purchased them, (Melissa, Nicole, and Sarah also purchased a few items while they were there), the girls then headed to the hair and nail salon. Chris smiled as her long hair was given a nice layered hairstyle. She also picked out some lipstick, makeup, and nail polish.
Melissa noted how natural the new girl was behaving, and how comfortable she was in her femininity. There was nothing that would indicate to anyone who didn't know that she hadn't been a girl two days ago. The way she tried on each new outfit, one would think she had been doing it for much of her life. Whether the clothes were casual or formal or anywhere in between, tomboyish or girly-girlish or anywhere in between, she had tried them on with great confidence.
The new Chris was, Melissa thought, a girl who could probably pull off just about any style with confidence. Of course, Melissa herself was feeling a similar sort of confidence, and she knew Nicole was as well. The Babe Gun had done wonders not just for their outer appearances, but for their self-esteem as well.
Melissa's attention turned to Sarah. Sarah seemed more relaxed and composed than she had when they picked her up. She didn't know what sort of drama had taken place between Sarah and her mother, but it seemed Sarah was feeling a lot better now.
Lastly on the spree, Melissa directed Chris and the others to picking up the latest designer women's handbags. "Thank you, Melissa!" Chris said, joyfully, as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was now dressed in a short skirted casual dress, brown hosiery and heels, with earrings.
"I'm glad I could help, Chris." Melissa said, smiling with satisfaction. Once again, she had come to the rescue in a fashion emergency.
"Call me Chrissy." the new girl said. "Chrissy Morgan. I like the sound of it."
"Chrissy it is, then." Melissa said. Nicole smiled, and Sarah nodded.
Lake Point Mall, food court
The four girls sat at a table at the food court, relaxing after a few hours of shopping. Nicole turned to Sarah. "I'm glad that you're feeling better. I guess retail therapy really works sometimes."
"I guess so." Sarah said. In truth, she was enjoying herself, not just watching her friends try and buy new outfits, but doing so herself. She didn't exactly forget about the recent crazy events - the fact that her friends Nicole and Melissa were now physically even more attractive versions of their prior selves was a reminder, as was Chrissy, but going out on girl's shopping trips with her friends was something she did often. Even under these circumstances, there was a comforting air of familiarity to their activities.
"It always works for me," Melissa said, somewhat boastfully. Sarah wasn't entirely sure how true that was, but she guessed it worked for Melissa more often than it didn't.
"So, Chrissy. I guess that seals it, and you're not going back?" Sarah asked.
"I guess so," Chrissy said with a smile. "You don't seem all that surprised."
"After everything I heard about what happened, I kind of guessed you were going to stay a girl." Sarah said. "I bet Biff and some of the others will be disappointed, though."
"Randy was having trouble adjusting to the new me." Chrissy said. "I hope he'll come around."
"Is that game against Forestville High even going to happen?" Melissa asked. "I mean, so many of the team got changed and we don't know if they're going to change back."
"Biff's going to change back. He said he would if he got the chance." Chrissy said. "When are the people from MTI going to come visit the school, anyway?"
"Tomorrow at the earliest, last I heard." Sarah said.
"I'd still like to be there to give the team my support, if the game actually happens." Chrissy said. "I wish there was time to try out for the cheer squad. I know many of the cheers already, but there's no time to practice all the moves."
"Well, there's the Cheerleader Gun." Nicole said. "From what I heard, it can give anyone everything they need to be a cheerleader. Maybe the principal and the MTI people will let us use it if we ask nicely enough."
At the mention of the Cheerleader Gun, Sarah froze. Memories of last night, in particular her father's transformation into Ricki the cheerleader, came into her head.
"Sarah? Are you all right?" Melissa asked.
Sarah realized that Nicole, Melissa, and Chrissy were looking at her with concerned expressions.
"It's okay," Sarah said, although she knew herself she didn't sound okay. "I had a tough night last night, that's all."
Nicole spoke up next. "Do you want to tell us about it?" she asked.
Sarah paused, wondering if she should tell her friends about what happened last night at McMillan Tech Industries, and if so, how much she should tell.
