As always, any comments or criticism are welcome. My email is: DanielleJE@hotmail.com

The following story is co-dedicated to the Fictionmania author Steve Zink and the creator of the MAU universe, Elrod. First for Steve's invaluable time and help with this story. He edited it for publication and gave me many helpful pointers. His assistance was invaluable and I can't thank Steve enough. Secondly to Elrod the creator of the MAU universe. In my humble opinion, Elrod may be best TG author; I very much enjoy his stories.

 

MAU: Volunteers

by Danielle J

 

"Para Denhi," said Michael Andrews as he tapped a small coin on the roof. He wanted the Philippine jeepny to stop. Once the driver heard this, he slowed down and pulled to the side of the road. Before exiting, Mike paid the five Philippine peso fare for himself.

It was almost 4 a.m. by the time Mike got back to Alangalang. He had spent the night in the nearby capitol of Tacloban. While there, Mike had partied at one of the few night clubs in the city.

There were no signs of human life as Mike walked up the alleyway to the home he shared with another Peace Corps volunteer, Greg Peters. There were a few stray dogs running around and the occasional sound of a crowing rooster.

Once at his home, Mike opened the gate and entered the front yard. He found the front door was unlocked, and went inside. It was a small one-floor house with two bedrooms and a bath, plus a small combination kitchen-dining area-sitting area plus one restroom. In all it was pretty humble by US standards, but luxurious to many Filipinos.

Mike entered the bedroom, hearing the familiar light snoring of Greg. Not bothering to take his clothes off, he just fell into bed and went to sleep.

***********

"Wake up, Mike," said Greg, as he tried wake up a sleeping Mike.

"Alba, me tired, no want more, kido," said a groggy Mike. It was not quite 8:00 a.m.

"I'm not Alba, it's Greg," his roommate insisted. "We've got to get moving if we're going to make Sunday Mass."

Mass? It's Sunday? Ugh, thought Mike. All he wanted to do was sleep. Since Greg had met that girl Rosa, he had gotten so serious and religious.

"Screw you," Mike said. "Let me sleep!"

What a jerk, thought Greg to himself. He left Mike in bed and closed the bedroom door. Greg was hungry and needed to get dressed for Mass. His girlfriend Rosa would be arriving from nearby Santa Fe around 8:30 so they could go to 9 a.m. Mass in Alangalang.

***********

It was past 12 noon, and Mike was sitting at the dinner table sipping coffee and eating rolls. Then he heard the sound of the front gate open.

"Well, good morning or good afternoon," Greg said as he walked in the front door. Mike was barely dressed in his underwear. What a slob, Greg thought to himself.

"Where's Rosa? I thought you two had plans today?" Mike asked, though he really didn't care one way or the other. He found Greg to be a pain in the ass most of the time.

"She went home to get ready for the wedding this afternoon," Greg explained as he started picking up Mike's dirty clothes that were strewn on the floor. They had a cleaning woman come in two times a week, and another woman who cooked meals for them. Both were always off on Sundays.

"Wedding?" Mike asked, then realized it wasn't Greg who was getting married, but some friend of Rosa's. Who knows, Greg and Rosa would probably be getting married also soon, then he could have this place to his own. "Oh, Rosa's friend, Aida."

"Yes, Aida is a friend of Rosa, and she's getting married." Greg finished straightening up and went in the bedroom. He was really getting sick of Mike, and wished he could be rid of him. He laid down on the bed; he needed to take a rest before the wedding.

***********

It was nearly 3:30 when the put-put that Greg was riding in stopped in front of Rosa's home. Rosa was the oldest of the five Morales children; her parents were Leo and Conchita. He entered the courtyard and knocked on the front door.

"Hi, Greg." It was Leo, Rosa's oldest brother, who answered the door. He opened the door for Greg, allowing him into the house.

"Mana, Greg is here," Leo yelled. Rosa had a bedroom she shared with her sister Leah on the second floor. She was just completing getting ready to go to the wedding.

"Hello, Greg," Mr. and Mrs. Morales said as they came out of the kitchen area. Greg gave both Mr. and Mrs. Morales the traditional Filipino greeting for a mother or parent, raising his right hand and touching it to his forehead. It was meant as a blessing. Mr. and Mrs. Morales liked Greg very much, and hoped that Rosa and he would marry one day. They liked him for many reasons; he was a good man in particular who loved Rosa. He had also made an effort to learn the local Filipino dialect waray, and Filipino customs. Greg was also taking classes to convert to Roman Catholicism. This was all due to the influence of Rosa.

"Mahusay ka," Greg said as he saw Rosa come down the steps. She was dressed in a lovely green dress with black trim. Rosa blushed for a moment at being called beautiful by Greg in front of her parents. There was no denying she was an attractive twenty-three-year old Filipina, standing around 5'1 and weighing around 100 lbs. She had straight black hair that fell to her shoulders.

Greg and Rosa said good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Morales. Greg promised that Rosa would get home safely, and not too late. After leaving the house, Rosa and Greg started to climb into the 2 put-puts that were waiting for them. They would ride the put-puts out to the main road. There they would catch a jeepny ride to the church.

"Mana Rosa, wait!" yelled a thirteen or maybe fourteen-year old girl. She was running up the street in the direction of Greg and Rosa.

"Lucinda, what's wrong?" Rosa immediately recognized the girl as Lucinda Alfonzo.

"My sister's water broke," Lucinda said, referring to her older sister Maria who was twenty-three, pregnant and due in two days. "She needs you right away."

"Isn't anyone else available?" Rosa asked. Rosa was a registered nurse and midwife. She kept very busy delivering babies in the Santa Fe-Alangalang area. She worked at a understaffed clinic along with two doctors and four other nurses. There never was enough help, and Rosa's rare off days were frequently interupted.

"No, Mana Rosa, they are all busy," Lucinda told her.

Maria Ballesteros was one of Rosa's patients. She couldn't refuse Lucinda.

"Greg, I am so sorry, but I need to go," Rosa said, knowing that Greg was disappointed.

"No, you need to do what you have to do," Greg said, trying to conceal his disappointment. "You go."

"Thanks for being so understanding," Rosa said as she gave Greg a quick kiss. "You can still go to the wedding, my friends will understand." Rosa told Lucinda to wait while she ran inside and changed into some more appropriate clothing.

Once Rosa was in the house, Greg got in the waiting put-put that started down the street. With little else to do, he decided to attend the wedding alone.

***********

It was a hot, sweltering Philippine September day the following Monday. Mike was working with the locals as they were building an irrigation system that would help all farmers in the area.

Mike and Greg were both Peace Corps volunteers. They were both from the United States originally. Mike had grown up in Maryland, while Greg came from Iowa. They were both twenty-six years old, and had been working in Alangalang since the previous November.

The day was almost over when one of the workers started calling for Mike.

"Mike, come over here, I need to show you something." It was Pedro, a local farmer.

Mike walked down the path that paralleled the irrigation ditch to the spot where Pedro was standing.

"There's some strange box down in the rice paddy," Pedro explained. "I don't know what it is."

"Bring it up here, and let me see it," Mike told Pedro, wondering what it could possibly be. Pedro then waded about fifteen yards into the paddy and pulled a small oblong box out of the water. It was black and less than a foot long. He then walked out of the paddy bringing the box with him. He placed it on the ground in front of Mike.

Mike bent down to examine the box. There were no handles or obvious openings to the box. Just some unintelligible writing on the top. It was also incredibly light; a grown man could carry it under his arm.

"I haven't a clue to what this is," Mike said truthfully. "Maybe I'll take it back to town and examine it some more." He then told Pedro to walk it back to where they kept the supplies. Daylight was beginning to fade, and Mike was going to call it a day.

After walking back to the supply shed, Mike waited smoking a cigarette. Greg was supposed to be along with Andrew at any moment. Andrew was Australian, and worked with a relief organization called Labrador. Labrador was based out of Tacloban.

Ten minutes later, Greg and Andrew showed up in a old Toyota that Andrew owned.

"Hey, guys," Mike said as he climbed into the back seat with the box. After this Andrew started down the road again.

"What's that box?" Andrew asked.

"I don't know." Mike explained how Pedro found it in the rice paddy. "I thought we would bring it home and take a look."

"Well, I was invited to dinner at Rosa's place, so you can take it home," Greg said. Maria Ballesteros had a baby boy around 1 a.m. Monday morning. In an effort to make up for Sunday, Rosa had invited Greg over for dinner that night.

"Whatever," was all Mike said. Anything to get Greg out of the house. Unfortunately, Mike's girlfriend Alba was out of town till Tuesday. All Mike had planned for the evening was to have dinner and drink some beer.

Soon they were back at Greg and Mike's place. Mike got out.

"Thanks for the ride," Mike said, carrying the black box under his arm.

"No problem, mate," Andrew replied, and then drove off with Greg. Mike entered the empty house and placed the black box on a table in the sitting area.

***********

"Mike is driving you nuts, isn't he?" Andrew asked Greg, who was in the front seat next to him. Like Greg, Andrew was twenty-six years old. He had light brown, wavy hair. He was an athletic type who kept in condition. The local girls found him attractive; he had rugged good looks.

"Yeah, he sure does," Greg replied, then listed the litany of problems they had together.

"Well, you could always marry Rosa," Andrew said. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but she is one beautiful woman. And sweet, too."

"Thanks," Greg replied. Admittedly, the thought of marriage was coming more and more into Greg's mind. The only problem he had with Rosa was her work. Sometimes it seemed more important than Greg was to her.

"I just wished she had a sister. Leah is just too young," Andrew commented, and they both had a laugh. Leah was Rosa's baby sister, but she was only fourteen.

A couple of minutes later they pulled up outside Rosa's house. After thanking Andrew for the ride, Greg went and rang the front door bell.

***********

Mike had spent the evening first eating dinner. Then he began drinking San Miguel beer while listening to the radio. With little else to do, Mike decided to get drunk. His girlfriend Alba should be back from Ormoc the next evening.

By 9 p.m. Mike was totally bored. So he decided to examine the strange black box again. He inspected it from every side, tried to push it open, pry it, but nothing worked. After a hour of frustration he just dropped it on the floor.

"Worthless piece of shit," Mike said as he went to get another beer. But he quickly stopped in his tracks. The box was changing. It began to grow, not unfold or open, but grow. From a box that was less than a foot long and inches wide there soon stood an eight foot tall box. Three walls were blank, but on the fourth side of the box there was some kind of panel or door.

Mike just stared at the box and the empty beer bottle. Was his drunken stupor causing him to see things? He got up and staggered over to the box. To the right on the side of the box where the door appeared, there was some kind of display. He touched the purple crystal, and the door suddenly opened. Inside was a rectangular display. Part of it was a ruby colored panel. Mike touched it and some unreadable lettering appeared, like on the side on the display. He then touched the panel again, and the message went away. Mystified, he got back out of the box.

"What the fuck is this?" Mike said, staggering away from the box. Partially, he was afraid of what it was, but also too drunk to figure out what it was. He fell back onto the nearby couch and soon fell asleep.

***********

It was just past 10 p.m. when Greg arrived home. He'd had a pleasant dinner and night at the Morales house. Dinner consisted of pork adobo and bullad. Bullad was a spicy fish that Greg never really developed a taste for. After dinner Rosa and Greg spent the evening singing songs on the kereoke along with her family.

The night was enjoyable, maybe not too personal with Rosa, but a very enjoyable evening. Greg had forgotten the annoyance he had for what had happened Sunday with Rosa.

"What the...?" Greg started to say some familiar four-letter word, but remembered it wasn't something proper. He saw the tall box standing in the middle of the living area, and Mike spread out over the nearby couch. He bent over and felt his partner. He was immediately relieved that Mike was okay, just drunk.

"Mike, what is this thing?" Greg said, shaking Mike awake.

Mike woke up from his stupor, looking at Mike and then the machine. He then explained what happened that night, and how the box had mysteriously opened up on its own.

Greg looked at the machine, but swore he wouldn't touch the alien-looking contraption.

"We'll worry about it tomorrow," Greg said. "Let me get you up off this couch and into bed." Greg then helped Mike to the bedroom.

***********

It was the next morning, and Greg was drinking coffee and eating some breakfast. Their cook, Carla, was there to prepare breakfast for them.

"Good morning," Mike said as he emerged from the bedroom. He looked like hell, and had a massive hangover. He looked over at the box that was still in the center of the sitting area.

"I see it's still here," Mike said as he sat down. Carla came out of the kitchen with some coffee for him. In poor English she asked what he wanted for breakfast.

"Just rolls and coffee," Mike replied.

"So, what are we going to do with this thing?" Mike said as he drank some coffee.

"I don't know," was all Greg could say. "I told Carla not to touch it, and to let the cleaning girl Nellie know the same. I said it was a machine for our work."

"Good idea," Mike replied.

"I've got to go into Tacloban today," Greg said. "There's someone there I might ask to come and take a look at it. By the way, I don't know if I will be back home tonight."

"Okay," Mike replied. He couldn't care less, in any case.

***********

Mike got back to the house around 6 p.m. that evening. He was tired and looking forward to seeing Alba for the first time since the previous week.

"Good evening, Mano Mike," said the cleaning lady, Nellie.

"Hello, Nellie." He just walked past her into the living room and plopped himself onto the couch.

"I have two messages for you." Nellie then handed the messages to him. The house didn't have a telephone, but a neighbor did, and they took messages for Greg and Mike.

The first note was from Mike, saying he would not be home that night and would be staying at Andrew's. Mike just crumbled up the note and dropped it on the floor. He then read the second message.

"Shit!" It was from Alba. She was delayed in Ormoc, and wouldn't be back till tomorrow, the note read.

"I'm done, bye bye, Mano Mike," Nellie said to him, then let herself out of the house.

Mike looked around the empty house, wondering what he would do that night, and then went to the kitchen to get himself a beer.

***********

"Hey, mate, what's bugging you?" Andrew asked Greg, as they sat in the living area of the small home in which he resided. Andrew was drinking a beer while Greg had a Coke. Unlike Mike, Andrew had one beer every evening and didn't get drunk. Greg seldom drank, just on rare social occasions or occasionally with Mr. Morales.

"Oh, the usual with Mike," Greg replied. He thought about mentioning the strange box, but Andrew would probably never believe him.

"Well, I wish I could help out," Andrew said. "You're welcome to join me, if you don't mind sleeping on the couch." Andrew's place was a tiny one bedroom affair.

"I'll think about it," Greg said, staring at his Coke.

"Mate, is there anything wrong between you and Rosa?" Andrew asked. "Remember, I'm your friend, you can talk to me."

Greg thought for a moment. The only thing wrong between Rosa and him was her work sometimes. It would interfere with their relationship. He knew how much it meant to Rosa, but it still bothered him. He went ahead and confided this to Andrew.

"Well, this is just my take on the matter," Andrew stated. "They need nurses and midwives like your Rosa. Her work is important. People need her. But she also loves you. You love her. You've got a real pearl here, mate, don't lose her."

Greg just sat there. Andrew was the sensible type, and usually right. He did love Rosa, but could he accept her work requirements and love her?

***********

Mike had consumed his second beer already, and was starting to get curious about the box in the living room. Where did the thing come from, and what did it do? With little else to do he decided to examine it more closely.

By touching the outside panel the door opened again, and Mike stepped inside. The lettering on the inside panel was as unreadable as it had been the day before. He looked at the rectangular control display and then touched the ruby colored panel. Nothing happened at first.

"I wonder what this does?" Mike thought he wouldn't even be thinking about this damn machine if Alba were here. He thought about Alba for a few moments.

"That's interesting." An image of Alba appeared on the display. She was totally naked, just how Mike liked her. He touched the ruby display again.

For a moment the door disappeared and reappeared. Then Mike felt so weird. At first he thought it was that he'd had too many beers. Then he looked down.

"Holy shit, shit, shit!" What he saw was Alba. Or, he was now Alba! Mike stumbled out of the box in shock. She was now a woman was all she could think about.

"Oh, shit, what am I going to do?" Mike asked herself. She went to the nearby bathroom and looked in the mirror. She really was Alba.

"This machine must change things or people." Then Mike thought of her predicament, and ran back to the box and went inside. She touched the ruby control panel.

"The last thing I thought of was Alba." Mike finally noticed that her English was heavily Filipino accented, just like Alba. Then Mike concentrated on thinking of her own male body while touching the ruby plate. The familiar male image appeared again. She touched it again. The door vanished for a moment, and then reappeared.

"Thank you," Mike said, seeing that he was back to normal. He then left the box and walked to the kitchen area to get another beer. He needed one.

***********

For the second day in a row, Mike and Greg had little contact. By 5:30, work was over and Mike caught a tri-cycle. A tri-cycle was a motorcycle with an attached enclosed side car. He took it to Alba's home.

"Hey, babe, you home?" Mike said as he opened the front door. It was a small home, really a shack. All one room with an outhouse they used outside. Alba shared it with another young lady.

"Surprise!" Alba said, as she wrapped her arms around Mike from behind. They immediately embraced and began to kiss.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" she asked.

"I thought we would get something to eat," he replied. "After that I don't know." Alba was a nice girl, but could have a wild side. This was something Mike always liked about her.

They spent the evening talking and eating. They walked around town. Alangalang is a small rural town, night-life is non-existent. It was not quite 8:30 before they got back to his home.

After letting themselves in, Alba immediately noticed the machine in the middle of the room.

"What is this?" Alba asked as she walked around the box looking at it. Mike explained how he found it back on Monday, and how it suddenly opened up that same evening.

"I don't know who made it or where it's from, but it's some kind of magic," he said.

"Magic doesn't exist," Alba said in disbelief.

"Well, let me show you." Mike told Alba to stand outside the box. He stepped into the box. Five seconds later the door vanished for a moment, then reappeared.

"Holy Mary, mother of God," Alba said, crossing herself. She was looking at a twin of herself. She became faint for a moment, but Mike held her.

"It's me, Mike," her twin said. "Do you believe me now?"

"Yes, but how can this be?" Alba said in shock.

"I don't know, but don't worry, it isn't permanent," Mike replied. She went back to the booth and stepped inside. A few seconds later he reemerged as himself.

"Somehow, you can use this machine to change our bodies to anything we want," Mike tried to explain.

"Anything?" Alba said, and her wild side was starting to kick in.

"It could be fun," Mike said, already having ideas of his having a bigger dick, or Alba having giant breasts. There were hundreds of scenarios. Maybe even a girl-girl session.

"Okay, show me how it works," Alba said, almost able to read Mike's thoughts. He took her over to the booth and went inside with her, then showed her how the ruby panel worked.

"You think of the image you want till it appears on the display," Mike explained, then went on with how you touch the panel again and the person is then changed.

Alba thought of something and touched the panel. It was Mike totally naked, with a very dako lingoy. About twice it's normal size. Then she touched the panel again.

Alba immediately screamed in a much lower pitched voice when he saw he'd become a male that was an identical twin of Mike.

"Calm down, babe, I'll get outside and you do exactly as I showed you," Mike said to a frightened Alba. "Think of yourself."

A few moments later Alba reemerged from the box.

"Thank you," Alba said, crossing herself again.

"Well, why don't we try out my new equipment?" Mike said to Alba, who had a big grin on her face looking at it. "Oh, first I'd better move Greg's things, and leave him a note."

Mike removed a pillow, a blanket, and one floor mat from the bedroom he and Greg shared, and moved them to the second bedroom. The second bedroom wasn't so much a bedroom as a part office/storeroom. Once he placed Greg's things, Mike took a piece of paper and pen from the desk to write him a short note. He took the note and taped it to the main bedroom door so Greg couldn't miss it.

"You ready?" Mike asked Alba, and they hurried back to the bedroom.

For the next couple of hours Mike and Alba were constantly making love, and then coming back out to the booth making alterations in one another. Even bigger lingoys for Mike, or bigger breasts for Alba. Even him turning into a Filipino male one time, and Alba being a tall blonde another. Mike mentioned them doing a girl-girl session, but Alba refused, saying she wasn't like that. After about two hours they were both too worn out to continue any more and called it a night, falling to sleep together.

Shortly afterwards, Greg arrived home. He was thoroughly exhausted and in bad need of a shower. He walked toward the bedroom but stopped when he saw the short note.

"Couple of rabbits!" Greg said, referring to Mike and Alba. He went back to the other room, removed his clothes and went and took a shower before retiring for the night.

***********

"You're up early," Greg said as he came out of the second bedroom. Most of the time Mike was the last one to get up.

"Yeah, I got a good night's sleep," Mike replied.

'I'm sure you did,' Greg thought to himself.

The cook, Carla, asked what Greg wanted for breakfast; he asked for two fried eggs and coffee. Rolls were already out on the table.

"So, when did Alba go home?" Greg asked as he buttered a roll.

"Oh, she left just before 6," Mike replied. Greg nodded; so that's why Mike was up so early. It was just 6:45 now.

Carla brought Greg breakfast a few moments later, which he ate heartily while he and Mike continued to chat about nothing in particular. Just as Greg was almost finished eating, Mike mentioned something else.

"Me and Alba used that machine last night," he said.

"Used the machine? How?" Greg asked. Mike motioned for him to go into the nearby bedroom. They both then got up from the table and walked into the bedroom. Once in, Mike closed the door.

Mike then went on to describe how he discovered what the machine did and how it worked on the previous Tuesday. Then he told about how he and Alba had used it the night before. He didn't tell Greg everything; he knew Greg would never understand.

'What a sick mind,' Greg thought to himself. 'So that was what went on the previous evening. Just like Mike, too.'

"You'd better be careful," Greg warned. "Neither one of us knows where this thing came from, or how it really works."

"Yeah, yeah," was all Mike replied. He thought he knew quite well how the machine worked, so what was there to worry about?

"By the way, Alba will be coming over again tonight, and probably tomorrow and the weekend," he told Greg. "I hope you don't mind sleeping in the other room."

Things were getting out of control, Greg thought to himself. He was now seriously thinking of taking up Andrew's offer. Anything to get away from this moron.

"No problem," he replied. He and Rosa had plans for the coming weekend, and weren't going to be in town, anyway. Maybe he could stop at Rosa's house tonight, too. He was always welcome.

***********

Mike and Alba got to the house around 6:00 that Thursday evening. Carla had prepared them a dinner. After they were finished eating, Carla cleaned up the dining table and kitchen before excusing herself for the night.

During dinner, Alba and Mike each had two beers. Mike was now working on his third while Alba was already somewhat intoxicated. After Carla left, Mike spoke up.

"Why don't we fool around again?" Mike said, as Alba nodded her head and giggled.

For the next two hours, Mike and Alba repeated many of the scenarios they did the night before. It was a wild night, a real sexual orgy. And the night was still young, being not quite 9 p.m.

"I'm glad Greg isn't home," Mike said in his most recent form, a tall blonde male with about a fifteen-inch lingoy.

"Me, too," Alba said, giggling.

Then an idea popped into Mike's head. "You just wait here. But close your eyes, and no peeking!" Mike headed out to the living room and back to the machine. He knew what he wanted to do next, but the best way was to surprise Alba. So into the machine he went, brought up the image he wanted, pressed the display again, then left the machine and went back to the bedroom.

"Now you can open your eyes," Mike said. Alba uncovered her eyes and shook her head.

"I'm not that type of girl," Alba said to Mike, who was also a Filipina now, and an absolute knockout. She had long black hair down to her butt, and the most perfect figure. Her breasts were very large for a Filipina, too; actually, they were lactating.

Mike just jumped into bed next to Alba and started kissing her. At first Alba resisted, but then relented. They kissed and fondled for the next few minutes before Mike insisted on Alba sucking on her breasts. This she did, and within thirty seconds, Mike climaxed, and climaxed again. The sucking was driving her crazy, but she didn't want Alba to stop. So this was what it was like to have tits, she thought. For thirty minutes they lost themselves in lesbian lovemaking, sucking, licking. Alba did the unthinkable, even licking Mike's totally shaven clit. It probably helped that they were both drunk. Then they finally stopped.

"Was it good?" Mike asked Alba as she laid with her head on her new breasts.

"Yes, and I even lost count," Alba said, and they both giggled. "Now, you close your eyes, and I have a surprise for you." Alba then climbed out of bed, and two minutes later, returned.

"Now it's time for my fantasy," Alba said in an unfamilar voice. Mike uncovered her eyes and looked at Alba. Well, Alba was now 6'4, blonde, and had her own lingoy. It was a monster.

"No, I don't want this," Mike started to protest, but Alba was quickly upon and on top of her. At first Mike tried to fight, but she hadn't a chance against Alba in this situation. He pried Mike's legs open and soon Alba had penetrated her with his lingoy. Mike winced in pain upon being penetrated.

"Please stop, Alba," Mike began to protest, as he started to thrust away, but it was an incredible sensation having it inside her. "Keep it going, don't stop..." Mike started saying, and Alba continued to thrust and push till suddenly his lingoy became very strong and began pressing inside Mike's vagina. At once Mike could feel the hot sperm spewing inside her.

"That was interesting, and so good," Alba said in a deep baritone.

"Yes...it was," Mike said, admitting she enjoyed it. "Let's do it again!" Mike giggled, and Alba ran outside to the machine to try a different body.

For another hour Mike continued to allow Alba to make love to her in various male forms, till they were too tired and fell asleep.

***********

Greg got back to the house around 11 p.m. As expected, he could tell that Alba was there, and he would be forced to use the spare room.

After taking a quick shower and changing into his pajamas, Greg walked back out into the living area. The machine had him curious. Did this really work like Mike said? He sat there staring at the machine for about five minutes. His curiousity was getting the better of him. So he got up and touched the outside panel, and after the door opened, he walked inside.

"So, Mike said you touch the ruby display thinking of some image till it appears..." Greg thought of Rosa in the dress she would have worn to the wedding last Sunday. Soon the image appeared. Then Greg closed his eyes and touched the display again.

A few moments later, Greg stumbled out of the box. "It really works!" She was now the splitting image of Rosa from the previous Sunday. It was so unreal, almost like an hallucination, that Greg went to the bathroom and checked the reflection in the mirror. The reflection confirmed it. She then went back out to the living room and sat on the couch for about five minutes. A lot of things went through her mind. She was feeling guilty about being in her girlfriend's body. It wasn't right.

"I'd better get back to myself." Greg walked back into the machine, and a few seconds later reemerged as himself. He felt a sigh of relief and decided to go to bed. At first he had problems sleeping, till he started to pray the rosary that Rosa had given him. He prayed the rosary every day now, often with Alma, sometimes more than once a day, particularly if things were bothering him. After completing the rosary, Greg fell sound asleep within a matter of minutes.

***********

The next morning Greg and Mike barely talked. They sat at the dinner table in silence. Greg mentioned his and Rosa's intentions for the weekend, but Mike's mind was elsewhere. Probably on the machine, Greg thought; he was thinking of the machine also by that time.

Greg and Rosa had made plans for the next three days. They would be spending most of the time in Tacloban. Rosa was almost definite there would be no interuptions; none of her expectant mothers were due for at least another eleven days. So they should have the weekend to themselves. While in Tacloban, they would visit some shops, and just spend some one-on-one time together. In Tacloban they would stay at the home of Rosa's Uncle Jess and Aunt Nene.

It was 3:00 when Greg showed up at the clinic where Rosa worked.

"Hello, Greg," said the girl at the front desk. Her name was Maria. "Rosa is seeing one of her last patients. She won't be long." He took a seat in the waiting area. There were four pregnant women waiting to be seen.

Twenty minutes later, Rosa appeared from the back office. "You're ready?"

"If you are," Greg replied, as he smiled at Rosa and she smiled back. They kissed briefly outside before they climbed into the tri-cycle and headed toward Greg's home.

"We're going to my house first," Greg said as they went down the road. Rosa had a small bag with her, already with a couple changes of clothes and personal things. Greg needed to pick up the same.

In five minutes they were at the house. Greg used a key to open the door and they went inside. He headed straight to the bedroom, walking past the booth, but Rosa stopped to look at it.

"Greg, what is this thing?" she said. She had never seen anything like it before.

Greg called out, "Sweetheart, I'll explain in a minute." Greg hurriedly filled his bag and came out of the bedroom. Rosa was closely examing the entrance panel.

"Don't touch that, please," Greg said. He was still scared of what the machine was capable of doing.

"Please tell me what this machine is," Rosa said in a commanding voice.

"I really don't know, but it changes people or objects," he stated. She asked for an explanation. Greg told her how Mike had found the machine back on Monday, and how he supposedly discovered how it worked. He knew some of the details about how Mike was using it, but decided to leave out that part.

"And you believe Mike?" Rosa said, still disbelieving the whole story.

Greg swallowed hard. "I used it, too," Greg said hesitantly. "Just once, and for just a couple of minutes."

"You did what?" Rosa said, as her disbelief grew. "What did you change, or change into?"

Greg really was in a spot. He'd felt so guilty afterwards. "I changed myself into you."

"Me?!?!" Rosa said, yelling. Greg rarely had seen Rosa angry, but when she got that way, watch out. "Please explain yourself!"

Greg walked over to where the booth stood. He pressed the panel opening the machine up. Once inside he showed Rosa the panel, and he then touched it, thinking of Rosa wearing the same green dress.

"If I press this panel again, I will become exactly that image of you," Greg said in an effort to calm Rosa. "I was only testing the machine, I didn't think it really worked. I thought of you because I loved you and thought how beautiful you looked in that dress. Do you want me to demonstrate?"

Rosa just nodded her head. "Please step outside for a moment," Greg said, and Rosa left the booth. He then touched the panel.

A moment later she emerged from the booth to a shocked Rosa. Rosa became faint for a moment, and Greg helped her to the couch. Greg then went back into the booth and came out moments later as himself.

"I find this simply unbeliveable," Rosa said, getting over the shock. "You have never made me feel ashamed of you before till now."

"Rosa, I swear to you and God, I didn't plan this," Greg replied, trying to hold her hand, sitting alongside her on the couch. "I only stayed as you for a couple of minutes and then switched back. I felt so guilty afterwards that I prayed the rosary. Please believe me."

Rosa sat there and tears were flowing down her face. "I don't know what to say, Greg."

"I would never change into you again, please believe me," Greg said. He hated seeing Rosa cry.

"Are you telling me you want to use this machine again and change into something or someone else?" Rosa answered, as the tears were turning more into anger.

"Do you remember those feelings I confided to you once?" Greg asked in shame. He had attempted to bury those feelings for the longest time.

"Yes, I remember." Rosa knew one thing about Greg, he had never been known to lie to her. He had confided things to her, that only she knew. Like the feelings that he was a woman on the inside. She had read about transexualism when she studied to be a nurse. It was just something that conflicted with her religious beliefs. "So what do you want to use the machine for?"

"I thought I might..." Greg was so hesitant to say it. He loved Rosa. The fear of losing her was on his mind. "We could go to Tacloban as girlfriends."

"I'm not gay!" Rosa said in anger, which caused Greg to tremble for a moment.

"I didn't mean that, more like two best friends."

Rosa looked long and hard at Greg. She could tell that it was difficult for Greg to say these things.

"Greg, I want an honest answer. Are you gay?"

"No," Greg replied, looking directly in Rosa's eyes. She believed him.

"Why would you ever want to do this?"

"Maybe so I could just experience it once. To maybe better understand you," Greg said, confiding in Rosa.

Rosa could see that Greg was being totally sincere to her. She loved him, this was a part of him, but should she allow him this? Again, her religious convictions were coming up, but...

"For just the weekend?" Rosa asked, seeing Greg almost smile for a moment.

"Yes."

"Would you obey any rules I gave you?" Rosa asked, wondering if she was doing the right thing.

"Yes."

"Okay, here are the rules. If you break them or do anything I don't like, we are coming back here immediately," Rosa said. Greg smiled at her.

Rosa stated the rules. They would present Greg as her friend Cassandra from Cebu, she was in town visiting. They would do the same activities as they planned. As Cassandra, Greg would never kiss, hold hands with or do anything even the slightest bit sexual to Rosa. Nor would she do the same with any guys. This would also be the only time she wanted Greg to ever do this.

"Agreed."

"Okay, lets go to the box," Rosa said. Greg got up and took Rosa by the hand as they walked over to the box.

"I will never forget this," Greg said, and then he kissed and hugged Rosa. They both stepped inside the booth.

"Show me how you use this panel again," Rosa asked Greg. He told her to touch the ruby colored panel. She thought of a fellow nurse she had met when she took the licensing exam. The image then appeared.

"That will be me?" Greg asked. The woman looked to be around twenty years old, attractive, with a round face and black hair halfway down her back. She was wearing a blue stripped blouse and pants with matching handbag.

"Yes," Rosa said. She was starting to have second thoughts. Greg gave her one last kiss, and then edged her out of the box.

The door to the box vanished for a moment, and then reappeared. Out walked Greg, or rather, Cassandra.

"Thank you," Cassandra replied, in a soft and sexy voice. She knew how difficult this had been for both of them. They both then left the house, with Cassandra locking the door behind them.

The tri-cycle driver had long since stopped waiting, so Cassandra and Rosa walked out to the main road. The entire walk filled Rosa with second thoughts. She almost wanted to drag Cassandra back to house and get back Greg. Why did she ever let him talk her into this? No, she had made the decision, not Greg. But did she make the right one?

Once at the main road, Cassandra and Rosa stood there waiting for a passing jeepny to take them into Tacloban. They then heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Rosa." It was Andrew. "Who is your friend?"

"Hi, Andrew," replied Rosa. She could see the way Andrew looked at Cassandra. She had seen the this face on men's faces before. It was the look of being hit by a thunderbolt, which happened to some guys when they saw a pretty face. "This is my friend, Cassandra. She's from Cebu."

"Nice to meet you, Cassandra," Andrew said. Cassandra just muttered a weak shy hello. "Are you two ladies headed to Tacloban? I would like to offer you a ride. My car is parked nearby."

This put Rosa and Cassandra in an awkward situation for a few moments. Then, like a miracle, a solution arrived.

A young boy was running up the street toward Rosa, calling her name. Cassandra just about sunk; not again. Can we ever have privacy?

The young boy explained that a Rowena Peralta was in labor, and needed Rosa. Rowena was one of Rosa's patients; she lived alone just five minutes from where they were.

Andrew asked what the problem was. Rosa quickly explained, and he immediately offered to take her to the house. They all headed to where Andrew's car was parked, and he sped off following Rosa's directions.

Rosa filled Cassandra in on a few details. Rowena wasn't due for another two weeks. She was a single mother, which was frowned upon by the usually conservative Philippine society. Her parents had kicked her out, and left Rowena to live by herself in a small run-down shack.

Cassandra couldn't believe there were parents like that. Once at the house, Rosa went inside immediately, asking Andrew and Cassandra to wait outside. She was back out in five minutes.

"She is dilated to five centimeters, and the contractions are less than five minutes apart," Rosa said. There was a neighbor woman with Rowena.

"Do you want me to take you to the clinic?" Andrew offered his car.

"She doesn't want to go." Rosa also wondered if she might have to deliver the baby even before the short car ride back. "I've got to go back to her."

"I'll stay," Cassandra said. Rosa looked at Cassandra, stunned.

"You've never delivered a baby," Rosa said.

"Rowena needs help, you need help, I volunteer." Cassandra had seen farm animals born in Iowa, but not a human baby. "Andrew, go, we don't need you."

Andrew said a quick good-bye and left.

"Okay, do exactly what I tell you," Rosa told Cassandra. She could use the help, and decided not to tell Cassandra to go back home. The weirdest day of Rosa's life was about to get weirder. She started giving Cassandra instructions as they entered the home.

***********

Around 6 p.m. Alba and Mike got back to the house. They then sat down to a meal that Carla had prepared for them. They ate hurriedly in preperation for another evening using the machine.

***********

"You're doing just great, Rowena," said Rosa. By this time the contracions were less than two minutes apart, and dilated to seven centimeters.

Cassandra sat on the floor next to Rowena. The soon to be mother was on a floor mat; this was not unusual for Filipino women to have babies on the floor. She held Rowena's hand and tried to be comforting. It wasn't really working, but Rowena needed someone there to make the effort.

Rosa had little time to pay attention to Cassandra, but did. She just continued to amaze her. She was her boyfriend here, doing what would normally be done by a mother or sister. And Cassandra was doing it perfectly. Childbirth was not a pleasent experience, and a mother needed someone there for her. Somehow, Cassandra was doing the job, and it seemed natural for her.

Cassandra continued to hold Rowena's hand. She was happy to be there. The sacrifice of time and effort she was making was worth it, Cassandra thought. She was almost bonding with this mother to be.

***********

Back at the house, Alba had just stepped out of the booth. For the past two hours plus, she and Mike had been having a wild time using the machine. First with Mike in various male forms, and Alba in various female forms. Then there was some girl-girl fun. Now Alba was playing the male with Mike the female. Alba had just stepped out of the booth as a Filipino male with a impossibley large lingoy. It was just after 9 p.m., and the night was still young. Alba went back into the bedroom, closing the door behind himself.

Ten minutes later, a message started flashing on the control panel. It was in Fwirthian, and translated to English meant the following:

We are sorry, but your four-day evaluation license has expired. To continue using the Mark 5 Morphic Adaptation Unit, please remit 52,495 Fwirthi Rakburs to the Gemalfi Corporation within eight Febulons. Thank you for trying the Mark 5 Morphic Adaptation Unit.

***********

"You're doing great, Rowena, one more time, push!" Rosa said.

"We're almost there, Rowena," Cassandra said softly, holding her hand. "Take another breath, and push."

Rowena was in tremendous pain, but push she did.

"I see the head!" Rosa remarked. "One more time. Push!"

Rowena caught her breath again and pushed. The sound of a baby crying could be heard almost immediately.

"It's a boy," Rosa said as she held the baby up. She then asked Cassandra to hold the baby while she cut the umbilical cord. Once this was done, Cassandra handed the boy to his momma.

"He is beautiful," Cassandra said with a big smile.

"Yes, he is," Rowena said, smiling back. "Thank you."

Two simple words, and almost seven hours helping bring a child into the world made Cassandra feel exhilirated like nothing she had ever experienced in her life.

"Rowena, we need to get you to the clinic," Rosa said, as she started to clean things up. Rowena nodded. "Cassandra, can I have the baby?"

Cassandra picked up the boy and handed him to Rosa. She just looked at Cassandra in further amazement, trying to avoid crying.

"Thank you," Rosa said. "You were wonderful."

"It was nothing," Cassandra said, smiling back.

"We need to get transport to the clinic," Rosa said. "Can you go out to the main road and wave down a jeepny?"

"Sure, no problem." Cassandra left Rosa, who was now examining the baby and cleaning him up. She went out the front door, and to her surprise, Andrew was sitting on the hood of his car talking to Raul.

"It's over?" Andrew asked.

"Yes, we'll need a ride to the clinic, if you don't mind." Andrew said he didn't mind at all, and asked if everything went well. Cassandra gave him a brief summary, and said the mother and child appeared fine.

Fifteen minutes later, Andrew was summoned into the house where they helped Rowena up, and then Andrew gently carried her to his car. There he placed Rowena length-wise on the back seat, and Cassandra handed her the baby to hold. Immediately the mother started breast feeding the boy. Andrew, Rosa and Cassandra all climbed into the front seat, and they made the drive to the clinic.

Once at the clinic a wheelchair was found for Rowena, and she was wheeled inside by Rosa. That left just Cassandra and Andrew in the lobby. It was just past midnight.

"Do you need a lift home?" Andrew asked.

"No, I'm going to stay till Rosa is ready to go," Cassandra replied. She could tell that Andrew was attracted to her.

"Hope to see you again," Andrew said, and went out the clinic doors. Cassandra just took a seat in the lobby.

About ten minutes later, Rosa came out front. She was fighting back tears. "I've never been prouder of you than I was tonight."

"I feel just as proud of you," Cassandra replied. Tears were forming in her own eyes.

"Rowena was asking to see you. Do you mind?" Rosa asked.

 

"Not at all," Cassandra replied, then she and Rosa went to the back of the clinic to the exam room where Rowena was.

"I've got some things to take care of, if you don't mind," Rosa said, and left Cassandra with Rowena.

"Hi," Rowena said. "Thank you for tonight."

"It was the least I could do," Cassandra replied.

Cassandra and Rowena started talking. At first they talked about Cassandra; Cassandra tried to be vague, but said she was from Cebu and was Rosa's friend. The subject soon turned to Rowena and the situation she had with her parents. The young filipina described how she and her boyfriend had relations, and then her parent's finding out. Rowena was only nineteen, her parents were ashamed and embarassed by what she had done, and had thrown her out of the house. For the last five months she had lived alone in that small shack, struggling to feed herself and her developing baby.

Cassandra listened to Rowena's story with compassion and understanding. She could really see the pain that this had caused in Rowena's life. "I think maybe you should go home, with your baby, to your parents," she said. "Ask for forgiveness."

"I don't know if they would even see me." Rowena was crying.

"Remember the Bible story of the prodigal son?" Cassandra asked, and Rowena nodded her head. "I think if you ask forgiveness, your parents will see you and your child and change their minds."

"I don't know," Rowena told her. "I'm afraid of doing it alone."

"I'd come with you," Cassandra said.

"You would?" Rowena asked. The tears began to flow even more.

 

"Yes, I would," Cassandra said, unable to control her own tears. Rowena and Cassandra went on to talk more till Rowena was tired and finally fell asleep. Cassandra quietly let herself out of the room.

Outside the room was Rosa. She had tears in her eyes.

"What you did in there was the most wonderful thing I've ever seen," Rosa said. She had overheard some of the conversation between Cassandra and Rowena. She was speechless at her boyfriend's entire conduct that evening. She loved this person more than anyone on this Earth, and was so proud of her, also.

"I may be here a few hours yet," Rosa said; it was 2 a.m. by this time.

"I've got nowhere to go," Cassandra replied. Rosa went to another area of the clinic, while Cassandra took a seat in the waiting room.

Later on, Cassandra felt someone touching her. She opened her eyes to see Rosa. Cassandra had fallen asleep in the waiting room chair.

"Hey, we can go now," Rosa said. Cassandra asked what time it was, and Rosa told her it was just past 4 a.m. Cassandra wondered where they would go at this hour, then figured there was always her house.

Once at the road there were no jeepnys in sight, so Cassandra and Rosa started down the road on foot. To Cassandra's surprise, Rosa was holding her hand.

"I learned a great many things tonight," Cassandra said.

"Me, too."

"Like how important your work is, and how much it means to you," Cassandra added, and confided to Rosa how bad she sometimes felt about her work distractions. "I found tonight to be an incredible experience, and I think I learned more from it than anything in my life."

Rosa felt the same. She had seen a side of her boyfriend that she had never seen before. A loving, compassionate person, who wanted to help others.

"I also learned how much I love you," Cassandra said.

"I love you, too," Rosa said with tears reappearing for the countless time that evening.

"By the way, mid-wives are legal in Iowa," Cassandra mentioned.

'Iowa?' Rosa thought, and then realized what Cassandra may be alluding to. "Greg Peters, are you trying to ask me something?" she said as they stopped for a moment.

"Rosa, I love you. I..." Cassandra started to say, till Rosa cut her off.

"No, not here or like this."

"What do you mean, like this?" Cassandra asked.

"Look at yourself," Rosa said, and it finally sunk into Cassandra. "I want to be proposed to properly, and by a MAN!"

Rosa and Cassandra giggled together for a moment, then suddenly a jeepny came down the road. They climbed in the back for the short ride home.

***********

Rosa and Cassandra walked into the dimly lit house. The box was still there, but both noticed a strange woman laying totally naked on the nearby couch.

Cassandra shook the woman, who then sat up. She was a filipina, but like none either Cassandra or Rosa had ever seen before. Cassandra had obviously never seen her before. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Michael Andrews," the woman replied. "And who the fuck are you?"

"It's me, Greg," Cassandra replied, looking into Michael's face. It was very Filipino except for one undeniable thing, the very blue eyes.

By this time Rosa had taken a seat in a nearby chair. The look of shock on her face was indescribable. Mike instantly believed the woman, once he saw Rosa there, also.

"So you used the machine, too," the transformed Mike said in an absolutely sultry, seductive voice with a tinge of a Filipino accent. She then started laughing her head off. Cassandra ignored the laughter; Mike was just an idiot.

"Greg, let's use the machine and get out of here," Rosa said, speaking up. She thought as little or less of Mike as Greg did.

Mike laughed even harder. "It don't work anymore!"

"What?" Cassandra and Rosa said almost at once, and in absolute shock.

"Let me show you." Mike got up off the couch. This gave Cassandra and Rosa an even better view of her. She was towering, had to be at least 6'5 in height, her head was almost scraping the ceiling which stood at seven feet. Cassandra was the same height as Rosa, and Mike dwarfed her. And that luxurious black hair! It came down to maybe six inches off the floor. Her skin was a dark golden brown, and she had an incredibley round if not exaggerated buttocks. Her waist was very narrow for her size, with hips that were very wide. Her breasts, too, were impossibly large, even for a woman this size, and were lactating.

By all accounts, Mike looked like a walking Filipina freak. She walked over to the machine with Cassandra, while Rosa sat on the couch in shock.

"Take a look for yourself." Cassandra did, first opening the door and walking inside. While Cassandra was inside, Mike described what happened earlier that evening, and how she and Alba had been using the machine. Around 11 p.m., Alba, who was then a Filipino male, tried to use the machine again and it wouldn't work. Mike tried it, too, with the same result. Immediately a shocked Alba ran from the house stark naked.

Inside, Cassandra attempted to use the ruby panel like before, but nothing appeared. She attempted pushing it repeatedly in panic, but no images, just some foreign lettering or words.

"See, I told you so." Mike started laughing again in that high pitched twitter she now had. "So we're stuck this way!"

Cassandra walked over to Rosa. Both were uncontrollabley crying by now.

"You're cute!" Mike said. She felt incredibley horny in this body. "You and Rosa wouldn't want to join me for a threesome..." she said in a voice that just dripped sexuality and seductiveness.

 

This proved too much for Rosa, and she got up. "Oh, God, please help me." She ran to the front door and left the house. Cassandra immediately ran after her.

***********

Ten minutes later a dejected Cassandra returned to the house by herself. She'd tried to stop Rosa, but had failed. She couldn't blame her, either; what had happened was her fault.

"So, she's gone," Mike said from the dining table. "Good riddance, she's a stuck up broad, anyway."

"Mike, you are one incredible schmuck!" Cassandra said in anger.

"Who's calling who a schmuck?" Mike got up from the table. Cassandra immediately sensed danger, and darted for the second bedroom. She beat Mike there easily, and locked the door behind her.

Immediately Mike started pounding on the door, while Cassandra huddled in the corner. She picked up a nearby shovel for protection.

"You worthless bitch, let me in!" Mike screamed. Fortunately, the door was sturdy. After about five minutes, the pounding ceased.

Cassandra sat in the corner crying, with the shovel beside her. She grabbed the rosary from the table, made the sign of the cross, and started praying the first mystery.

***********

The next day, Cassandra finally came out of the room. By that time Mike had calmed down some, and had sobered up. Still, Cassandra never let the shovel out of her sight.

For the next four days Cassandra mostly sat in the second bedroom either praying, reading the bible or thinking. Early Saturday evening, the booth had shrunk back to its original size. No matter what was tried, it would not reopen.

 

While thinking, Cassandra pondered her present predicament. Not as much being stuck as a woman, but what she would have to do next. She knew she couldn't stay at the house forever. Sooner or later authorities would start investigating the disapearance of the two Peace Corps workers. The first place they would come would be their home. Neither Cassandra nor Mike would ever be able to convince them of their story.

So what to do, and where to go? Rosa was out, their relationship destroyed. Andrew? How would she explain this?

Also, Cassandra had no identity, no past, nothing.

What was Cassandra to do? She just prayed to God for a solution, not knowing where one would come from otherwise.

On the fifth day, Cassandra noticed Mike packing a bag. She was leaving. "Where are you going?" she asked.

'Do you really care?' Mike thought to himself. "To Cebu, to the US consulate there," Mike explained, saying he also knew that authorities would soon be looking for the missing Peace Corps workers. "I'll try to make them believe this story." Mike was planning on taking the box along.

"They'll never believe you," Cassandra said. "And in case you haven't noticed, you've barely got that filipina Amazon body dressed!"

Mike had taken some of her old clothes and redid them to try to cover her immense frame. It did, but only partially. For one thing, her breasts were ready to fall out at the slightest misstep. Not to mention their nonstop lactation made any top, shirt or blouse wet constantly.

Cassandra honestly felt sorry for Mike. She could blend in with any crowd of Filipinos. That would never happen with Mike.

"I've got to try," was all Mike would say. It was that or become some farmer's wife and have ten kids. That was if Mike was lucky. By her own admittance, she was a walking freak. "Do you want to come along?" she asked.

"I'm staying," Cassandra replied.

"Well, good luck," Mike said. They said a final good-bye, then Mike left the house with the bag and the black box.

***********

Postscript-

It was early in the evening that same day that the miracle Cassandra had been praying for occured. After going to her front door to answer a light and hesitant knock, she opened it find Rosa standing there with a sheepish look on her face and a small bag in her left hand.

"I'm sorry, Cassandra. Will you forgive me and let me be your friend?"

Cassandra took the bag from her hand and wrapped her arms around Rosa in a warm and passionate hug, which in no way was a one-way hug.

"Did Mike leave?" Rosa asked after they came unglued, seeing no sign of her. She also saw the signs of Cassandra praying.

"Yes, she left this morning." Cassandra explained what happened earlier that day, and Mike’s plan.

"I hope she succeeds, for her sake," Rosa commented, still with a look of disdain on her face thinking of Mike.

Cassandra didn’t know why Rosa had come over, and just sat down on the couch. Rosa sat beside her. "I came to help you," she said.

"How?" Cassandra asked glumly. She thought there was no hope. Only her devotion to God was keeping her going at the time.

Early Saturday morning after getting home, Rosa had cried almost nonstop for the longest time. Her despair was that deep, but she was also angry at Greg for using the machine. Her parents asked what was wrong, but she wouldn’t answer. Mr. and Mrs. Morales knew their daughter too well not to know something had happened between her and Greg.

Late Sunday night Rosa had a change in her thinking. She realized she was also partially responsible for what had happened. She also realized that she loved Greg so very much, even if she was now female, and also that Cassandra would soon be in dire need of care and help. Like the care Cassandra had shown to Rowena. But Rowena had been a total stranger before that day to Cassandra. She wasn’t to Rosa. Rosa couldn’t turn her back on her.

What was the solution? Rosa thought of two possibilities before going to see Cassandra that evening. Both involved big changes for Cassandra. The first also involved big sacrifices from Rosa. The first was simpler, the second more complicated. There were advantages and disadvantages to both.

Cassandra could see the conflict in Rosa. She could sense that Rosa still deeply cared for her.

"Greg," Rosa said. She would always be Greg to her in her heart. "I love you very much."

"But you can’t love a woman?" Cassandra replied. Rosa’s religious beliefs and upbringing all mitigated against her ever loving Cassandra. Not to mention that a person couldn't just change their orientation like flipping a light switch.

"I think I can learn to," Rosa replied with the greatest hesitancy. She had thought long and deep on this. She was willing to make a big sacrifice for Cassandra. Philippine society frowned heavially on gays and lesbians. If Rosa was to change her life like this, she would face ostracism, and hatred from many filipinos. Rosa and Cassandra would have to surely leave where they lived now. They would have no chance in a small town. Cebu or Manila, maybe. It would mean Rosa leaving behind her family and friends just for Cassandra. Basically, they would be outcasts.

"Rosa, I know what you're thinking." Cassandra was starting to cry. "You can’t do that just for me."

"I can," Rosa said, holding Cassandra’s hand. "I love who is inside of you. We can adjust together."

"No you can’t, Rosa, I wouldn’t allow it!" Cassandra meant it. She would never let Rosa make such selfless sacrifices just for her.

"There is one other possibility," Rosa said. She was in tears now, too. "You could come and live with my family."

"Your family?" Cassandra asked, stunned. "How about your parents, how would you explain me?"

"I would tell them the truth." And she would. Her parents had never known Rosa to be deceitful. It would just be a lot for her parents to swallow. Would they ever believe the story?

There were problems with this. Like, how would they explain the disappearance of Mike and Greg? The authorities would surely launch an investigation.

Rosa and Cassandra just sat there for the longest time.

"We need to go," Rosa said finally. She sugested that Cassandra should first take a shower and change her clothes. It was patently obvious to them both that while she had been showering, Cassandra was still wearing the same outfit she had worn the week before, and every day since. Rosa had brought some of her own clothes in the small bag; she figured they should fit her friend.

"Yes, it’s time to get out of here," Cassandra replied as she and Rosa went to the bedroom. First they packed some things that Cassandra wanted to take. She would leave her male clothes, she had no use for them.

 

"I brought some clothes for you, a couple of blouses, pants, one dress, bras and underwear." Rosa took the bag and showed Cassandra its contents. "You can have them."

"You don’t have to," Cassandra replied.

"It's the least I can do."

"Do you mind stepping out?" Cassandra said. She wanted to undress for the shower.

"Can you indulge me?" Rosa asked, and then explained why. She still couldn’t believe her boyfriend was now a woman.

"Okay," Cassandra replied, blushing slightly. She then took the shirt top off, followed by her slacks. This displayed a lightly tanned body with small firm breasts and a round buttocks. Between Cassandra’s thighs was a triangular patch of black hair. Rosa knew what would be there. There was no doubt, Cassandra was a woman.

"Now, if you'll excuse me." Cassandra stepped past Rosa and headed for the bathroom.

While she was showering, Rosa finished packing Cassandra’s things. After this, she took a seat at the dining table. Cassandra soon emerged from the shower and headed back to the bedroom.

"If you need help, just say so," Rosa said as Cassandra walked by. She couldn’t stop thinking about the dilemma Cassandra was in.

It was five minutes later when Cassandra emerged. She was wearing a t-shirt with teddy bears on it and a pair of blue jeans. "I’m ready."

Rosa got up from the table, which put them only inches apart. She started to reach out with her lips.

"Don’t," Cassandra warned.

"Why?"

"It’s a sin," Cassandra said, and Rosa thought she had a point. Rosa instead exchanged a sisterly kiss with Cassandra. They checked the house one last time, and left together.

They made their way to the Morales home. After much persuasion, Mr. and Mrs. Morales accepted Cassandra into their home and treated her like their own. As strange as Cassandra's story seemed to them, their trust in their daughter brought them to accept her word and then Cassandra herself.

The very next thing Cassandra did was to help her newfound friend Rowena. The next day she accompanied Rowena to her parents' home. The young mother was soon stunned when her parents told her she was forgiven and fully accepted back into their household. Her parents treasured her and their newborn grandson from that day on.

Less than a week later, the disappearance of the two Peace Corps volunteers broke. It was big international news. It was even the leading story on the CBS evening news for two nights. Investigators and police combed the area for clues, and interviewed Rosa after seeing Carla and Nellie. Neither the cook nor the cleaning lady had been into the house since seeing the note Mike had left that fateful Friday evening. While Rosa knew infinitely more, her lips were sealed. The police were baffled.

Then, just as suddenly, the story died for no apparent reason.

A few days later, two mysterious government agents paid Cassandra a visit. They wanted to know about her and her use of the black alien box. It seems Mike had made it to Cebu, and someone filed a report of her incredible story. These agents were here to verify it.

For Cassandra's cooperation, she was given a new identity, Cassandra Ramos. She was given dual Philippine and US citizenship and passports. She was also given a sum of 50,000 US dollars to help pay for any "adjustment" expenses.

Cassandra asked about what happened or would happen to Mike. The agents were evasive. She sensed that Mike must have disturbed these men in either her appearance or conduct or both. The sexual taunting by Mike of her was still fresh in Cassandra's mind, and she wondered if Mike had done the same to these agents. They refused to tell her anything.

Less than a week after the agents left, a story was released. It was said that authorities feared that the two Peace Corps volunteers had died in some traffic accident somewhere along the mountainous roads of nearby Talosa. There were many deep ravines in the area, and authorities said the bodies may never be recovered.

Cassandra put her money to good use. She went to university, eventually becoming a licensed nurse and mid-wife like Rosa. She put her skills and compassion to work helping the many needy mothers to be in the Tacloban-Alangalang area.

Eventually, Cassandra settled down as a wife and mother of three children. After a two year courtship, she married Andrew. But first she made Andrew convert to Catholicism, which he happily did. The wedding was at Ste. Nino Catholic Church, with Rosa as her maid of honor and Rowena as a bridesmaid. Cassandra learned to successfully balance her family and mid-wife responsibilities. Andrew and Cassandra settled down in Tacloban, using the rest of her money to buy themselves a home.

Rosa eventually married, also, having four children of her own, all of them delivered by Cassandra. Rosa also delivered Cassandra's three children.

Rowena married also, having one more child. The baby was delivered by Rosa with Cassandra in attendance.

Nothing was heard about Mike again but rumors. Some said she worked as an exotic dancer in Manila or the continental US. Another was that she was pregnant with Alba's child, and eventually gave birth to a baby matching her own size, weighing sixteen pounds. None of this was ever confirmed.

About a year after that fateful September night, a legend started to form, about an incredibly virile man with a oversized lingoy. The man lived with his wife somewhere in the jungles of nearby Samar. Supposedly his "magic" mix could make the most infertile of women pregnant. The legend grew to say that the man was father to over a thousand children by many different mothers. His own wife was supposed to have had twelve children in twelve years, also. It was only a legend, and never proved. But the description of the man matched the one Cassandra heard of Alba just before he ran from the home stark naked. Maybe the rumor of Mike having a sizteen pound child from Alba was true, after all.

The end

 

 

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