Complaints - The Finale
Jun. 23rd, 2009 07:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
major_kerinaThis is it. It was hard road writing this. I feel like my creative spirit died (and resurrected) a few times trying to get through it. This was far more challenging than I expected. I hassled myself over so many word choices. I tried my best with it and here's the final result.
Previous Sections
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
(And also available on DeviantArt)
Korri’s eyes traveled over Dee’s eyes. She softly asked, “What?” Her mind ran over
Dee’s words, struggling to make sense of them.
Dee laid out a hand. “I was born female. My aunt is Cerys Newid. Our boss.”
Korri’s mouth dipped open. Confusion reigned in her thoughts. She slowly shook her head. “What…why…how?”
Dee shrugged. “I have a means of remaining male while I work which Cerys provided me.”
All the air seemed to have seeped out of Korri’s words. Softly, she asked, “Why…are you telling me all this?”
Dee lowered his hand. “Because of what you said…and what I said.”
Korri kept her eyes on Dee. “You lied.”
Dee’s body tensed. “I don’t lie. People just never ask the right questions.” She watched his eyes. They didn’t waver. They looked right back at her.
Korri dipped her head away. “Whatever. What now?”
Dee’s hands splayed out on his desk. “I don’t know. You okay?”
Korri clutched her hands. “I’m…I…I need a minute. Excuse me.”
She stood up from her chair and swiftly walked out of the room. She didn’t have a plan for how far she was going to go.
Korri made her way around the bend of the hallway and out. She stepped into the housewares and bedding section of the store. Korri leaned against a gigantic pillow on the end of an island and rested her head back.
She wanted to hide there. She wanted to stay there. She wanted to cry. But she couldn’t bring herself to cry. She couldn’t bring herself to do or feel anything as she leaned there and thought. There wasn’t anger. She wasn’t mad. But she didn’t feel right.
She felt like being jolted to find the ground had slipped underneath her and she couldn’t find her legs. All she could do was to hide from it.
As Dee’s words reflected back in her thoughts, Korri’s head drifted away from the pillow. She set her foot out and braced herself. She leaned away from the pillow. She looked back to the edge of the hallway leading to Dee.
She took a deep breath. Not knowing exactly how, she took a step followed by another. She walked back to the Returns & Complaints Department. She stood right in front of Dee and said, “I’m confused. But I trust you, Dee. And…what you said goes for you too. Boy or girl, you are you. Isn’t that right?”
Dee marveled at Korri curiously then slowly nodded as he said, “That can be assumed.”
“So…then I ask…you as a girl or as a boy…do you mean what you said?”
Dee relaxed his eyes. “I always mean what I say.”
Korri nodded. “I mean what I said too. I don’t know what to do about it, but I mean it.”
Calmly, Dee stood up from his chair and walked around. Korri looked at him approaching her. Her skin felt a flush flutter. The moment felt surreal for Korri as Dee wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. She couldn’t imagine being in her body at that moment. But the touch felt so very real.
It was a precise and practiced hug. It was friendly but still a little distant. It felt like a hand to help her up or a hand on her shoulder to protect her. But Korri felt relief in that embrace.
When it finally ended, Korri lingered till Dee drifted away. He turned and leaned against the counter. “How about we finish our closing papers first…”
Before long, and with few words, the two of them settled back into their seats. Korri looked at her paperwork but her attention kept diverting with so many questions. They kept nudging her to glance in Dee’s direction as he worked. She glanced quickly, almost out of the corner of her eye, before turning away.
She traced the memory of Dee facing her with his arms around her in those moments and wandered through the rest of her paperwork.
As the dimming lights and sounds of closing flowed in their direction, one last customer made his way through the bending hallway. Dee took care of it. The man’s face and questions washed over Korri’s thoughts as she drifted between feelings.
He had a book light. It highlighted opposite sex perspectives in a reading through gentle, mental nanites. It simply broke. No drama. No deductive skills required. Just a replacement. When the customer was gone, that was all.
Dee shuffled his papers together and said, “Done with your papers?”
Korri straightened. She glanced down and tried to clear her head as she looked over things. She nodded and said, “Yup.”
Dee stood from his chair with a creak. “Mind if I take yours to the shift manager?” With a little sigh, Korri tidied her papers and passed them to Dee.
She noticed how his fingers nearly touched hers as he took the papers from her. She noticed his soft but still strong smell as he passed behind her. It whispered over her. It seemed to draw her like a wake through the air.
When Dee left through the hallway, Korri pressed her hands to her face and muttered, “What the heck….” into her hands. She sighed and pushed away from her chair. Vainly, she tried to still the torrent of thoughts and confusion by retracing the lines of the ceiling. After fidgeting a bit, she walked over to the industrial fan and let it blow across her face until it felt numb. Before she could think of anything else, Dee stepped back into the room and smiled.
She tried to return the smile as naturally as possible, but it squirmed on her face between a wild smile and nothing. Dee’s look was inscrutable. He flipped his cap into his hands and glanced around the room. Korri followed his gaze. Eventually, it came to rest on her. She leaned back and asked, “Yes?”
Dee gestured towards the hallway and noted, “I figure the boss will let you change out of that uniform now.”
It took Korri a moment before she nodded and said, “Oh! Right. See…well. Since I might still be on her err…shitlist…might be best if I approach her before changing.”
Dee shrugged. “Your call.”
Korri took a few steps towards the hallway before adding, “I’m considering what I might say to her…about my experiences since earlier.”
Dee traced a hand on the counter. “As I said, whatever you say is your call.”
Korri’s eyes glanced down. “Can we talk afterward?”
Leaning back against the counter, Dee gave a single nod. Korri touched the back of her hair and asked, “Where will you be?”
Dee stretched his wrist. “Parking lot.”
“Okay.”
With that, she left and tried not to look back. Conflicting thoughts, like alcohol on her brain, merged and flowed. She had so many feelings towards Dee and towards this whole situation. Aisles and window curtains passed her by. She found and followed the red line. Despite the distractions of thoughts, she also found a sudden pounding of her bladder.
Korri darted over to the rear staff restrooms. She allowed herself only a momentary pause when she realized she’d automatically reached for the ladies’ room first.
Afterwards, Korri leaned over the sink and brushed water on her face. It relaxed her a little till the door swung open and a woman entered. Korri paused and regarded her out of the corner of her eye. It was just a customer.
She knew that some of those in housewares had witnessed when the boss made her put on this uniform. She didn’t relish the idea of running into them right now.
Korri darted out of the bathroom and weaved her way along the red line. It terminated at an oak door, which was only distinguished by the red line.
Softly, she turned the knob and walked in. The office was simple with a small, narrow desk. The walls were not so simple. There was the dreamcatcher on the far wall. A round, golden mirror with yin-yang symbols on the sides was one another wall.
Paintings each seemed to be precisely positioned. One in particular depicted a dense jungle in the hills. The rest was various metallic, foreign-looking decorations.
The boss looked up from a bit of paperwork and smiled at Korri as she walked closer. Her hair was short, almost the same length as Dee’s but soft gray. Despite her hair, her face looked youthful. She leaned forward. Korri watched her and tried to detect any since familiar features to Dee but, to her, they looked nothing alike.
Korri lowered her head in an intentionally-submissive gesture and said, “Hello, Ms. Newid. I’m done with my shift.”
Ms. Newid flicked a bit of her hair behind her ear and asked, “And?”
With a sigh, Korri continued, “I’m very sorry about what happened earlier. I promise you it will not ever happen again.”
Her eyes looked over Korri and she gave the smallest of nods. “I know. So how have you and Dee been getting along?”
Korri cleared her throat and glanced over at the nearby wicker chair. Ms. Newid gestured lightly with her hand. Korri sat and answered, “There’s been a couple of challenging customers but nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Ms. Newid gave no gesture. “There’s really no challenge in it for Dee. Oh and, by the way, did Dee send the one who visited me?”
Korri said, “He did.”
The slight presence of a smile slipped out of Ms. Newid’s features and she noted, “As I suspected. And it was dealt with. Now…did you and Dee talk much?”
Korri pursed her lips and folded her hands. “A little in the downtime between customers.”
Slowly, Ms. Newid posed her fingers over the side of her cheek. Her neck relaxed and she asked, “How do you find Dee?”
Korri straightened a bit and said, “A diligent and highly-capable employee, as you probably know.”
Ms. Newid gave a faint grunt and pushed aside a bit of paper from her desk. She rested her hands on her desk and asked, “How was your evening?”
Korri pulled her fingers together a little and said, “Done. May I be released from my obligation?”
Laying out a hand, Ms. Newid responded, “As I said when you put it on, you may just remove the uniform at any time and that will be it.”
Thinking quietly a moment, Korri asked, “And there’s nothing else to it?”
Ms. Newid’s hand rose a bit and curled in place. “Well, I wouldn’t say that. I’m not against mental transformations. I prefer not to use them personally. However, your uniform does have a little something extra.”
Korri’s attention sharpened but Ms. Newid’s hand brushed out before Korri spoke. “Not a mental transformation. Just self-suggestibility. It was there to help you cope. I didn’t want your time to be unpleasant.”
Quiet followed a rough swallow by Korri. After a moment, Korri nodded, “In that case, nothing I experienced this evening has any meaning.”
Ms. Newid scoffed, “Now you’re just being like Dee. He doesn’t even know how often I try it. And besides, I wear a bracelet with something like it all the time.” Her hand dove into a drawer and came out with a jeweled bracelet.
Nervously, Korri scratched at the collar of the uniform. She asked pointedly, “Why aren’t you wearing it?”
Ms. Newid set the bracelet aside and said, “Beside the point…”
Korri didn’t let it go. With far more force than she figured she could muster, she asked, “What do you want?”
The words froze Ms. Newid for a moment. She looked over Korri and said, “Maybe a little less sadness in the world. But who knows…”
Korri shook her head. “I want that but it’s gotta be true.”
Ms. Newid slowly whispered to herself. Korri leaned closed and Ms. Newid responded, “This is one of those moments where I wish I had an old proverb to prove a point…but I have none. I can only say that I wish I was at home in truth like Dee is. And…know that I deeply love my niece with all my heart and soul and I would do anything for him.” The texture of Newid’s words changed at she spoke, like some deep place inside her was speaking through her throat.
Korri relaxed her posture. Ms. Newid watched her face carefully and noted, “I guess you know as much as I suspected.”
Brushing down the back of her hair, Korri shrugged. “I dunno what I know. Just enough to be confused, I guess.”
Ms. Newid slid her drawer open again and pulled out a little item that looked like a bent, mini-walnut. She gestured to her ear. “Dee wears something like this all the time. It’s hidden in the ear. It’s actually keyed to a little device like that illusion product I found you with.”
Korri stared at it and noted, “So Dee has nanites him on all the time?”
She set the item on her desk. “After a fashion. This is actually very passive and precise, much like your uniform. But it tends to lock up if it mingles with other types of nanites. Nothing serious…but enough to be a headache. That’s why I don’t sell it.”
Korri moistened her lips. “Would you be willing to loan one?” Korri bit on her words as soon as they came out.
Ms. Newid’s eyes widened a little. “Oh?...oh…hmm. That would depend on the circumstances.”
Korri’s lowered her head. “Forget it. It’s a stupid idea. I’m not thinking clearly…”
A cough cleared Ms. Newid’s throat and brushed aside Korri’s voice. Softly, Ms. Newid announced, “All I’m asking is…will this make Dee happy if I loan it to you?”
With her arms folded low, Korri said only, “That’s not for me to say. But I’d appreciate it.”
Ms. Newid replaced her fingers against her cheek and marveled at Korri. “To think how much you’ve changed in such a short time. And you still make me wonder. You may borrow this spare for as long as you see fit.” She passed the small device to Korri, followed by a larger unit with a small screen. Along with that, she passed a small booklet with directions.
She rose from her seat and Korri rose as well. She seized Korri’s hand before she could offer it. With a wry smile, she told Korri, “I hope you put it to go use. Good luck to you. Do take care of my niece. If you don’t, I’ll know.”
With that, Korri left and made her way back to the front of the store. She couldn’t see any customers anymore and the light was low. She made her way to the employee lockers at the front.
Doors were marked for men, women, and those who’d been transformed to either gender. She knew to take the door with a little male stick figure with an arrow towards a female stick figure. But first, she had to get her street clothes from the men’s locker room.
She knew it wasn’t a big deal but it made her fidget. Taking a deep breath, Korri walked, rounded the corner, and came right over to the lockers. Her joints froze up. She kept her eyes down. She tried to mentally place her locker in the room. It had to be three rows back on the top.
She turned and ran right into a half-naked man. She looked up at Max’s brown eyes and thick, black hair. Relief washed over Korri but she still curled her hands close.
Korri could see Max’s dense, firm musculature without his shirt on. He tapped Korri gently on the shoulder and asked softly, “Ma’am, you alright?”
Korri, trying a faint smile, nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Transformation.”
Max nodded immediately, released her, and said, “Don’t mind me then.”
Fortunately for Korri, Max was the only other person present. Korri went right to her locker but it wasn’t her locker. It had a pink lock on it. She looked back and counted the rows. Max moved over to her and cleared his throat.
Korri’s head turned. He held out the booklet and said, “You dropped this.”
She checked what she had in her hand. She was only holding the earpiece and controller. Korri accepted it with a “Thanks” before going back to looking over the lockers.
Max lingered and asked, “Doug Rivers?”
Korri gave a confused look. “Umm…huh?”
“Sorry, I was just kinda guessing…Korri.”
It took Korri a moment to remind herself that her name showed all the time on her chest. She told him, “Actually, it’s Jeff.”
Max made a little sound before saying, “Ooo…yeah. I heard something. You got reassigned. Is everything okay?”
Korri glanced out of the corner of her eye. Her locker was right there in front of her. Automatically, she turned the lock and opened it. Looking inside, she answered Max’s question, “I dunno. But I think it’ll be okay.”
Max gave a little puff of relief. “I hope so. Sounds like you had a rough one. It was quiet for me except for when my friend Norry called asking for something. I swear…that ‘girl’.” He finished with a little chuckle and slipped his shirt on.
Korri reached into the locker and fished out her possessions. It was a lot to carry but she managed her way out without anyone’s help, despite Max’s offer.
Once inside the vacant transformation locker room, Korri settled on a bench and set her items beside. Slowly, Korri unbuttoned the blazer, revealing her pale undershirt. The curve of her chest showed clearly.
Pausing just a moment, Korri pulled her undershirt off from the bottom and over her head. Standing there in her bra, Korri felt suddenly nervous. Not nervous at her breasts below in a pale blue bra. Instead, she felt nervous of the moment the last article of clothing would slip from her body.
After undoing her ponytail, she hiked the pants down her hips. A tingling memory from her dream touched her anew. She clutched her soft stomach and reached around to press the back of her bra. Without much trouble, she had it off and in a pile with the rest of her uniform.
Korri gulped, shut her eyes, and slipped off the last of her underwear. As soon as it passed her feet, she could feel a shiver and hear a faint sizzling in the air. Before she could take another breath, everything had changed.
As simple as changing a costume, Korri was Jeff again. He gave his hand a stretch and brushed his thin goatee but he didn’t dwell on his body. He just slipped on his clothes and made sure he didn’t leave anything behind. Then, he put the clothing into one of the lockers, knowing it would be taken care of by tomorrow.
Once outside, he made sure the controller, earpiece, and manual were all in his arms. He walked quickly. Turning down aisle and past a few employees, Jeff just gave a look at the hallway to the Returns and Complaints Department. It looked darkened. Dee had probably already left.
Jeff continued to the front of the store, around the cash wrap area, and through a quick, stray nanite cleansing on his way out. A fellow employee gave him a wave, which he returned automatically.
The parking lot was full of cars worming their way past each other and people walking in all different directions. Jeff made his way against the current and over to his car, a small blue coupe with a sticker quoting Macbeth on the bumper. Jeff reminded himself, again, to read Macbeth some day.
He leaned on the bumper of the car and looked at the items Ms. Newid had given him. The font of the booklet was too small to read in the light of light poles and store signs. Newid’s Wares wasn’t the anchor of the shopping area but it did have a cozy corner at one end beside a glasses repair shop, a yogurt store, and a sushi place.
Jeff stretched his back and thought back over his day. He thought back over what he’d said and done. He didn’t feel any more or less sure of any of it.
He carefully cradled his items and scanned the parking lot for familiar faces. All of it was a blur.
Time passed.
The current of cars and walkers slowed. Quiet passed across the lot. The blue of the Newid’s Wares sign dimmed. Jeff stood up and scanned the area again. He used the instructions as a rolled tube to hold the other items and leaned against his car.
Slowly, he shut his eyes. In the darkness, a little shadow of himself imagined hours passing till his was the only car left in the lot. But before it could indulge the thought, a finger poked his shoulder and an unfamiliar voice said, “Hi, Cindi.”
Jeff opened his eyes and looked down at a girl in a blue windbreaker and black, denim jeans. She had Dee’s nose and a little of the curve of his lips. Her gaze was sharp with dark blue eyes. Her arms were smaller than he expected. Her chest showed only lightly through her loose windbreaker. She shifted on her feet, clapping a sandal, and brushed back a bit of hair. Her hair was the same length but felt longer.
With a feeling of relief, Jeff leaned forward from his car and asked, “Is that you?”
The girl shrugged one shoulder. “I’m Dee.”
They sat down together on the near curb. Jeff mentioned his experience with Ms. Newid. Dee sighed and said, “I really discount the idea she meant anything nefarious. She’s the kind of person who would open a store like this and just make it work any way she can.” She gestured towards the store for emphasis.
Jeff looked at Dee sitting to his right and nodded back. “And aside from all that, she gave me this thing here.” He passed the roll of directions, earpiece, and controller.
Shadows thick across her face, Dee accepted the items and smiled. “Yeah. I usually just leave it in all the time.” She turned around and moved her hair away. Faintly, Jeff could see a little sliver of something showing. From her pocket, she pulled out a similar controller. She noted, “Usually, I just keep this in a desk drawer.”
Jeff clutched his hands and said, “Even without those clothes, I still mean everything I said.”
Dee set the items in her lap. “I know. So do I.”
Dropping his hands to his lap, Jeff added, “But I still don’t know what that means.”
Dee leaned her head and laid out a hand. “Naturally, it means whatever we choose it to mean. Here.” She touched the controller in a few places and passed the earpiece to Jeff. “Just put this in your ear. I’ll show you.”
He gave a look down at the little item. He took it from Dee and slipped it into his nearest ear. The item slid in easily. Once inside, it almost seemed to vanish. Dee scooted over and showed the screen. “It has a lot of ability to be customized. I’m making Korri, only with a more merciful chest.”
Jeff looked at the screen. It looked like gibberish to him but he took Dee’s word.
She looked at him and asked, “You mind?”
Jeff shook his head. “I’ve been her for hours already. I don’t mind.”
With a press by Dee, Korri was sitting there on a curb. Her jeans were a closer cut than before and her top as well. Everything felt familiar to Korri
With another press from Dee, male Dee returned with a larger windbreaker. He looked over at Korri. Korri looked over at him.
Before Korri could comprehend her actions, she scooted the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Dee. Before Dee could say another word, she kissed him on the lips. A warm rush full of fear and joy flowed through Korri. Dee calmly accepted her lips till they parted.
Her heart racing, Korri looked at Dee’s face, not knowing what to expect. With a smirk, Dee pressed Korri’s controller and kissed back.
The kiss had the roughness of his goatee against Dee’s skin but the same warmth flowed again. A tickling nervousness filled Jeff at first, but the feeling of Dee’s embrace calmed his concerns.
When their lips parted, Dee pressed his controller again. With their third kiss, Jeff advanced. The softness of Dee’s lips against his felt instantly familiar but strange after their first two kisses.
For their fourth kiss, Dee pressed Jeff’s controller once more. Dee’s touch was easy, slow, and embracing. For Korri and Dee, each kiss was different but each kiss was the same. They were each a kiss shared between them.
Korri’s heart still raced after the fourth kiss, as Dee moved and put her little arm about Korri’s little shoulder and squeezed gently.
Korri lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know if that was the right thing to do.”
Dee gently leaned against Korri and said, “It was our decision and I liked it. Did you like it?”
Korri nodded. “I liked it. But I dunno…”
Dee rubbed Korri’s shoulder with her hand. “I must admit…me neither.”
Korri looked over and asked, “What now?”
After a searching glance of her eyes, Dee gestured with her head and asked, “Would you like to get some yogurt before they close? We can eat and talk.”
A slow, whispering wind traced the along Korri’s hair. She reached over and touched Dee’s hand on her shoulder. With a quiet nod, Korri answered, “Yeah. I’d like that.”
Together, they walked across the parking lot.
Previous Sections
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
(And also available on DeviantArt)
Korri’s eyes traveled over Dee’s eyes. She softly asked, “What?” Her mind ran over
Dee’s words, struggling to make sense of them.
Dee laid out a hand. “I was born female. My aunt is Cerys Newid. Our boss.”
Korri’s mouth dipped open. Confusion reigned in her thoughts. She slowly shook her head. “What…why…how?”
Dee shrugged. “I have a means of remaining male while I work which Cerys provided me.”
All the air seemed to have seeped out of Korri’s words. Softly, she asked, “Why…are you telling me all this?”
Dee lowered his hand. “Because of what you said…and what I said.”
Korri kept her eyes on Dee. “You lied.”
Dee’s body tensed. “I don’t lie. People just never ask the right questions.” She watched his eyes. They didn’t waver. They looked right back at her.
Korri dipped her head away. “Whatever. What now?”
Dee’s hands splayed out on his desk. “I don’t know. You okay?”
Korri clutched her hands. “I’m…I…I need a minute. Excuse me.”
She stood up from her chair and swiftly walked out of the room. She didn’t have a plan for how far she was going to go.
Korri made her way around the bend of the hallway and out. She stepped into the housewares and bedding section of the store. Korri leaned against a gigantic pillow on the end of an island and rested her head back.
She wanted to hide there. She wanted to stay there. She wanted to cry. But she couldn’t bring herself to cry. She couldn’t bring herself to do or feel anything as she leaned there and thought. There wasn’t anger. She wasn’t mad. But she didn’t feel right.
She felt like being jolted to find the ground had slipped underneath her and she couldn’t find her legs. All she could do was to hide from it.
As Dee’s words reflected back in her thoughts, Korri’s head drifted away from the pillow. She set her foot out and braced herself. She leaned away from the pillow. She looked back to the edge of the hallway leading to Dee.
She took a deep breath. Not knowing exactly how, she took a step followed by another. She walked back to the Returns & Complaints Department. She stood right in front of Dee and said, “I’m confused. But I trust you, Dee. And…what you said goes for you too. Boy or girl, you are you. Isn’t that right?”
Dee marveled at Korri curiously then slowly nodded as he said, “That can be assumed.”
“So…then I ask…you as a girl or as a boy…do you mean what you said?”
Dee relaxed his eyes. “I always mean what I say.”
Korri nodded. “I mean what I said too. I don’t know what to do about it, but I mean it.”
Calmly, Dee stood up from his chair and walked around. Korri looked at him approaching her. Her skin felt a flush flutter. The moment felt surreal for Korri as Dee wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. She couldn’t imagine being in her body at that moment. But the touch felt so very real.
It was a precise and practiced hug. It was friendly but still a little distant. It felt like a hand to help her up or a hand on her shoulder to protect her. But Korri felt relief in that embrace.
When it finally ended, Korri lingered till Dee drifted away. He turned and leaned against the counter. “How about we finish our closing papers first…”
Before long, and with few words, the two of them settled back into their seats. Korri looked at her paperwork but her attention kept diverting with so many questions. They kept nudging her to glance in Dee’s direction as he worked. She glanced quickly, almost out of the corner of her eye, before turning away.
She traced the memory of Dee facing her with his arms around her in those moments and wandered through the rest of her paperwork.
As the dimming lights and sounds of closing flowed in their direction, one last customer made his way through the bending hallway. Dee took care of it. The man’s face and questions washed over Korri’s thoughts as she drifted between feelings.
He had a book light. It highlighted opposite sex perspectives in a reading through gentle, mental nanites. It simply broke. No drama. No deductive skills required. Just a replacement. When the customer was gone, that was all.
Dee shuffled his papers together and said, “Done with your papers?”
Korri straightened. She glanced down and tried to clear her head as she looked over things. She nodded and said, “Yup.”
Dee stood from his chair with a creak. “Mind if I take yours to the shift manager?” With a little sigh, Korri tidied her papers and passed them to Dee.
She noticed how his fingers nearly touched hers as he took the papers from her. She noticed his soft but still strong smell as he passed behind her. It whispered over her. It seemed to draw her like a wake through the air.
When Dee left through the hallway, Korri pressed her hands to her face and muttered, “What the heck….” into her hands. She sighed and pushed away from her chair. Vainly, she tried to still the torrent of thoughts and confusion by retracing the lines of the ceiling. After fidgeting a bit, she walked over to the industrial fan and let it blow across her face until it felt numb. Before she could think of anything else, Dee stepped back into the room and smiled.
She tried to return the smile as naturally as possible, but it squirmed on her face between a wild smile and nothing. Dee’s look was inscrutable. He flipped his cap into his hands and glanced around the room. Korri followed his gaze. Eventually, it came to rest on her. She leaned back and asked, “Yes?”
Dee gestured towards the hallway and noted, “I figure the boss will let you change out of that uniform now.”
It took Korri a moment before she nodded and said, “Oh! Right. See…well. Since I might still be on her err…shitlist…might be best if I approach her before changing.”
Dee shrugged. “Your call.”
Korri took a few steps towards the hallway before adding, “I’m considering what I might say to her…about my experiences since earlier.”
Dee traced a hand on the counter. “As I said, whatever you say is your call.”
Korri’s eyes glanced down. “Can we talk afterward?”
Leaning back against the counter, Dee gave a single nod. Korri touched the back of her hair and asked, “Where will you be?”
Dee stretched his wrist. “Parking lot.”
“Okay.”
With that, she left and tried not to look back. Conflicting thoughts, like alcohol on her brain, merged and flowed. She had so many feelings towards Dee and towards this whole situation. Aisles and window curtains passed her by. She found and followed the red line. Despite the distractions of thoughts, she also found a sudden pounding of her bladder.
Korri darted over to the rear staff restrooms. She allowed herself only a momentary pause when she realized she’d automatically reached for the ladies’ room first.
Afterwards, Korri leaned over the sink and brushed water on her face. It relaxed her a little till the door swung open and a woman entered. Korri paused and regarded her out of the corner of her eye. It was just a customer.
She knew that some of those in housewares had witnessed when the boss made her put on this uniform. She didn’t relish the idea of running into them right now.
Korri darted out of the bathroom and weaved her way along the red line. It terminated at an oak door, which was only distinguished by the red line.
Softly, she turned the knob and walked in. The office was simple with a small, narrow desk. The walls were not so simple. There was the dreamcatcher on the far wall. A round, golden mirror with yin-yang symbols on the sides was one another wall.
Paintings each seemed to be precisely positioned. One in particular depicted a dense jungle in the hills. The rest was various metallic, foreign-looking decorations.
The boss looked up from a bit of paperwork and smiled at Korri as she walked closer. Her hair was short, almost the same length as Dee’s but soft gray. Despite her hair, her face looked youthful. She leaned forward. Korri watched her and tried to detect any since familiar features to Dee but, to her, they looked nothing alike.
Korri lowered her head in an intentionally-submissive gesture and said, “Hello, Ms. Newid. I’m done with my shift.”
Ms. Newid flicked a bit of her hair behind her ear and asked, “And?”
With a sigh, Korri continued, “I’m very sorry about what happened earlier. I promise you it will not ever happen again.”
Her eyes looked over Korri and she gave the smallest of nods. “I know. So how have you and Dee been getting along?”
Korri cleared her throat and glanced over at the nearby wicker chair. Ms. Newid gestured lightly with her hand. Korri sat and answered, “There’s been a couple of challenging customers but nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Ms. Newid gave no gesture. “There’s really no challenge in it for Dee. Oh and, by the way, did Dee send the one who visited me?”
Korri said, “He did.”
The slight presence of a smile slipped out of Ms. Newid’s features and she noted, “As I suspected. And it was dealt with. Now…did you and Dee talk much?”
Korri pursed her lips and folded her hands. “A little in the downtime between customers.”
Slowly, Ms. Newid posed her fingers over the side of her cheek. Her neck relaxed and she asked, “How do you find Dee?”
Korri straightened a bit and said, “A diligent and highly-capable employee, as you probably know.”
Ms. Newid gave a faint grunt and pushed aside a bit of paper from her desk. She rested her hands on her desk and asked, “How was your evening?”
Korri pulled her fingers together a little and said, “Done. May I be released from my obligation?”
Laying out a hand, Ms. Newid responded, “As I said when you put it on, you may just remove the uniform at any time and that will be it.”
Thinking quietly a moment, Korri asked, “And there’s nothing else to it?”
Ms. Newid’s hand rose a bit and curled in place. “Well, I wouldn’t say that. I’m not against mental transformations. I prefer not to use them personally. However, your uniform does have a little something extra.”
Korri’s attention sharpened but Ms. Newid’s hand brushed out before Korri spoke. “Not a mental transformation. Just self-suggestibility. It was there to help you cope. I didn’t want your time to be unpleasant.”
Quiet followed a rough swallow by Korri. After a moment, Korri nodded, “In that case, nothing I experienced this evening has any meaning.”
Ms. Newid scoffed, “Now you’re just being like Dee. He doesn’t even know how often I try it. And besides, I wear a bracelet with something like it all the time.” Her hand dove into a drawer and came out with a jeweled bracelet.
Nervously, Korri scratched at the collar of the uniform. She asked pointedly, “Why aren’t you wearing it?”
Ms. Newid set the bracelet aside and said, “Beside the point…”
Korri didn’t let it go. With far more force than she figured she could muster, she asked, “What do you want?”
The words froze Ms. Newid for a moment. She looked over Korri and said, “Maybe a little less sadness in the world. But who knows…”
Korri shook her head. “I want that but it’s gotta be true.”
Ms. Newid slowly whispered to herself. Korri leaned closed and Ms. Newid responded, “This is one of those moments where I wish I had an old proverb to prove a point…but I have none. I can only say that I wish I was at home in truth like Dee is. And…know that I deeply love my niece with all my heart and soul and I would do anything for him.” The texture of Newid’s words changed at she spoke, like some deep place inside her was speaking through her throat.
Korri relaxed her posture. Ms. Newid watched her face carefully and noted, “I guess you know as much as I suspected.”
Brushing down the back of her hair, Korri shrugged. “I dunno what I know. Just enough to be confused, I guess.”
Ms. Newid slid her drawer open again and pulled out a little item that looked like a bent, mini-walnut. She gestured to her ear. “Dee wears something like this all the time. It’s hidden in the ear. It’s actually keyed to a little device like that illusion product I found you with.”
Korri stared at it and noted, “So Dee has nanites him on all the time?”
She set the item on her desk. “After a fashion. This is actually very passive and precise, much like your uniform. But it tends to lock up if it mingles with other types of nanites. Nothing serious…but enough to be a headache. That’s why I don’t sell it.”
Korri moistened her lips. “Would you be willing to loan one?” Korri bit on her words as soon as they came out.
Ms. Newid’s eyes widened a little. “Oh?...oh…hmm. That would depend on the circumstances.”
Korri’s lowered her head. “Forget it. It’s a stupid idea. I’m not thinking clearly…”
A cough cleared Ms. Newid’s throat and brushed aside Korri’s voice. Softly, Ms. Newid announced, “All I’m asking is…will this make Dee happy if I loan it to you?”
With her arms folded low, Korri said only, “That’s not for me to say. But I’d appreciate it.”
Ms. Newid replaced her fingers against her cheek and marveled at Korri. “To think how much you’ve changed in such a short time. And you still make me wonder. You may borrow this spare for as long as you see fit.” She passed the small device to Korri, followed by a larger unit with a small screen. Along with that, she passed a small booklet with directions.
She rose from her seat and Korri rose as well. She seized Korri’s hand before she could offer it. With a wry smile, she told Korri, “I hope you put it to go use. Good luck to you. Do take care of my niece. If you don’t, I’ll know.”
With that, Korri left and made her way back to the front of the store. She couldn’t see any customers anymore and the light was low. She made her way to the employee lockers at the front.
Doors were marked for men, women, and those who’d been transformed to either gender. She knew to take the door with a little male stick figure with an arrow towards a female stick figure. But first, she had to get her street clothes from the men’s locker room.
She knew it wasn’t a big deal but it made her fidget. Taking a deep breath, Korri walked, rounded the corner, and came right over to the lockers. Her joints froze up. She kept her eyes down. She tried to mentally place her locker in the room. It had to be three rows back on the top.
She turned and ran right into a half-naked man. She looked up at Max’s brown eyes and thick, black hair. Relief washed over Korri but she still curled her hands close.
Korri could see Max’s dense, firm musculature without his shirt on. He tapped Korri gently on the shoulder and asked softly, “Ma’am, you alright?”
Korri, trying a faint smile, nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Transformation.”
Max nodded immediately, released her, and said, “Don’t mind me then.”
Fortunately for Korri, Max was the only other person present. Korri went right to her locker but it wasn’t her locker. It had a pink lock on it. She looked back and counted the rows. Max moved over to her and cleared his throat.
Korri’s head turned. He held out the booklet and said, “You dropped this.”
She checked what she had in her hand. She was only holding the earpiece and controller. Korri accepted it with a “Thanks” before going back to looking over the lockers.
Max lingered and asked, “Doug Rivers?”
Korri gave a confused look. “Umm…huh?”
“Sorry, I was just kinda guessing…Korri.”
It took Korri a moment to remind herself that her name showed all the time on her chest. She told him, “Actually, it’s Jeff.”
Max made a little sound before saying, “Ooo…yeah. I heard something. You got reassigned. Is everything okay?”
Korri glanced out of the corner of her eye. Her locker was right there in front of her. Automatically, she turned the lock and opened it. Looking inside, she answered Max’s question, “I dunno. But I think it’ll be okay.”
Max gave a little puff of relief. “I hope so. Sounds like you had a rough one. It was quiet for me except for when my friend Norry called asking for something. I swear…that ‘girl’.” He finished with a little chuckle and slipped his shirt on.
Korri reached into the locker and fished out her possessions. It was a lot to carry but she managed her way out without anyone’s help, despite Max’s offer.
Once inside the vacant transformation locker room, Korri settled on a bench and set her items beside. Slowly, Korri unbuttoned the blazer, revealing her pale undershirt. The curve of her chest showed clearly.
Pausing just a moment, Korri pulled her undershirt off from the bottom and over her head. Standing there in her bra, Korri felt suddenly nervous. Not nervous at her breasts below in a pale blue bra. Instead, she felt nervous of the moment the last article of clothing would slip from her body.
After undoing her ponytail, she hiked the pants down her hips. A tingling memory from her dream touched her anew. She clutched her soft stomach and reached around to press the back of her bra. Without much trouble, she had it off and in a pile with the rest of her uniform.
Korri gulped, shut her eyes, and slipped off the last of her underwear. As soon as it passed her feet, she could feel a shiver and hear a faint sizzling in the air. Before she could take another breath, everything had changed.
As simple as changing a costume, Korri was Jeff again. He gave his hand a stretch and brushed his thin goatee but he didn’t dwell on his body. He just slipped on his clothes and made sure he didn’t leave anything behind. Then, he put the clothing into one of the lockers, knowing it would be taken care of by tomorrow.
Once outside, he made sure the controller, earpiece, and manual were all in his arms. He walked quickly. Turning down aisle and past a few employees, Jeff just gave a look at the hallway to the Returns and Complaints Department. It looked darkened. Dee had probably already left.
Jeff continued to the front of the store, around the cash wrap area, and through a quick, stray nanite cleansing on his way out. A fellow employee gave him a wave, which he returned automatically.
The parking lot was full of cars worming their way past each other and people walking in all different directions. Jeff made his way against the current and over to his car, a small blue coupe with a sticker quoting Macbeth on the bumper. Jeff reminded himself, again, to read Macbeth some day.
He leaned on the bumper of the car and looked at the items Ms. Newid had given him. The font of the booklet was too small to read in the light of light poles and store signs. Newid’s Wares wasn’t the anchor of the shopping area but it did have a cozy corner at one end beside a glasses repair shop, a yogurt store, and a sushi place.
Jeff stretched his back and thought back over his day. He thought back over what he’d said and done. He didn’t feel any more or less sure of any of it.
He carefully cradled his items and scanned the parking lot for familiar faces. All of it was a blur.
Time passed.
The current of cars and walkers slowed. Quiet passed across the lot. The blue of the Newid’s Wares sign dimmed. Jeff stood up and scanned the area again. He used the instructions as a rolled tube to hold the other items and leaned against his car.
Slowly, he shut his eyes. In the darkness, a little shadow of himself imagined hours passing till his was the only car left in the lot. But before it could indulge the thought, a finger poked his shoulder and an unfamiliar voice said, “Hi, Cindi.”
Jeff opened his eyes and looked down at a girl in a blue windbreaker and black, denim jeans. She had Dee’s nose and a little of the curve of his lips. Her gaze was sharp with dark blue eyes. Her arms were smaller than he expected. Her chest showed only lightly through her loose windbreaker. She shifted on her feet, clapping a sandal, and brushed back a bit of hair. Her hair was the same length but felt longer.
With a feeling of relief, Jeff leaned forward from his car and asked, “Is that you?”
The girl shrugged one shoulder. “I’m Dee.”
They sat down together on the near curb. Jeff mentioned his experience with Ms. Newid. Dee sighed and said, “I really discount the idea she meant anything nefarious. She’s the kind of person who would open a store like this and just make it work any way she can.” She gestured towards the store for emphasis.
Jeff looked at Dee sitting to his right and nodded back. “And aside from all that, she gave me this thing here.” He passed the roll of directions, earpiece, and controller.
Shadows thick across her face, Dee accepted the items and smiled. “Yeah. I usually just leave it in all the time.” She turned around and moved her hair away. Faintly, Jeff could see a little sliver of something showing. From her pocket, she pulled out a similar controller. She noted, “Usually, I just keep this in a desk drawer.”
Jeff clutched his hands and said, “Even without those clothes, I still mean everything I said.”
Dee set the items in her lap. “I know. So do I.”
Dropping his hands to his lap, Jeff added, “But I still don’t know what that means.”
Dee leaned her head and laid out a hand. “Naturally, it means whatever we choose it to mean. Here.” She touched the controller in a few places and passed the earpiece to Jeff. “Just put this in your ear. I’ll show you.”
He gave a look down at the little item. He took it from Dee and slipped it into his nearest ear. The item slid in easily. Once inside, it almost seemed to vanish. Dee scooted over and showed the screen. “It has a lot of ability to be customized. I’m making Korri, only with a more merciful chest.”
Jeff looked at the screen. It looked like gibberish to him but he took Dee’s word.
She looked at him and asked, “You mind?”
Jeff shook his head. “I’ve been her for hours already. I don’t mind.”
With a press by Dee, Korri was sitting there on a curb. Her jeans were a closer cut than before and her top as well. Everything felt familiar to Korri
With another press from Dee, male Dee returned with a larger windbreaker. He looked over at Korri. Korri looked over at him.
Before Korri could comprehend her actions, she scooted the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Dee. Before Dee could say another word, she kissed him on the lips. A warm rush full of fear and joy flowed through Korri. Dee calmly accepted her lips till they parted.
Her heart racing, Korri looked at Dee’s face, not knowing what to expect. With a smirk, Dee pressed Korri’s controller and kissed back.
The kiss had the roughness of his goatee against Dee’s skin but the same warmth flowed again. A tickling nervousness filled Jeff at first, but the feeling of Dee’s embrace calmed his concerns.
When their lips parted, Dee pressed his controller again. With their third kiss, Jeff advanced. The softness of Dee’s lips against his felt instantly familiar but strange after their first two kisses.
For their fourth kiss, Dee pressed Jeff’s controller once more. Dee’s touch was easy, slow, and embracing. For Korri and Dee, each kiss was different but each kiss was the same. They were each a kiss shared between them.
Korri’s heart still raced after the fourth kiss, as Dee moved and put her little arm about Korri’s little shoulder and squeezed gently.
Korri lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know if that was the right thing to do.”
Dee gently leaned against Korri and said, “It was our decision and I liked it. Did you like it?”
Korri nodded. “I liked it. But I dunno…”
Dee rubbed Korri’s shoulder with her hand. “I must admit…me neither.”
Korri looked over and asked, “What now?”
After a searching glance of her eyes, Dee gestured with her head and asked, “Would you like to get some yogurt before they close? We can eat and talk.”
A slow, whispering wind traced the along Korri’s hair. She reached over and touched Dee’s hand on her shoulder. With a quiet nod, Korri answered, “Yeah. I’d like that.”
Together, they walked across the parking lot.
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Date: 2009-06-27 03:04 pm (UTC)