Spells R Us- Tailhook: Wings of Gold   by: Joan Banks

 

"Clear Deck!" Tool called out. The hallway of the Hilton was his responsibility. He had to look for anyone who might actually get them in trouble. Coughler wasn’t any trouble, she was kind of hot really. Just so long as her boss didn’t go by.

"Foul Deck." He called. The Gauntlet cleared and everyone milled about smartly. Nothing suspicious here. The Gauntlet was an open secret. There were actually women who came year after year just to get groped by some aviators.

"Clear Deck." The group converged on LT Coughler. She tried to kid her way out of it and then got a little more forceful.

"Come on, Pam, you know you want it." Meat grabbed at her roughly, scoring her underwear.

She kicked and screamed.

"Get off of me!" she yelled. She spied a younger guy in a doorway, an Ensign probably.

"Help me, get some help." She begged.

"They took the phone." Reggie said, he was too new for a callsign yet. They always took the phones out of these suites, to stop rampant long distance charges.

"Help me…" she reached towards him. He went back into the room getting ready to run through the patio, by the pool and get security. One of the gropers saw him.

"You go anywhere, Worm, and you are dead meat. Tool!"

"Yeah?"

"I thought you were supposed to be watching the passage. It is your responsibility, get to it."

"Sure. Clear Deck!"

  

"Still, I would like an overview. What exactly do you want?" the young woman asked.

"Justice, plain and simple." The Senator replied "These men are guilty of crimes against women.

Through their sneakiness and conniving, they have escaped punishment. There is nothing more we can do….officially. That is where all of you come in."

Having missed out on a wonderful opportunity, the senator would make those tight lipped aviators pay. They won’t testify against each other, was not a satisfactory answer. She knew, regardless of the evidence, that they were guilty. They would pay.

Having heard enough, the Wizard grabbed up the book containing all of the supposed ‘evidence’ and teleported back to his shop.

 

"Payment will be given after the punishment is complete. If you need support then you need to work through my associate, Ms. Coughler, here." She gestured to the angry looking woman on her right "Her number is written on the assignment sheet. Please commit it to memory, take as long as you need. I

have to ask that , for security reasons, nothing of this material leave the room, including the binder…" she looked around.

"Now where did that old man go…."

 

The Wizard reappeared in the shop moments later, clutching the evidence from the Senator.

"Dannie, we’re moving!" he called out.

"Sure Boss, say what’cha got there, new spell book?"

"Just a little pleasure reading, Dannie, Just a little light read."

"Where to this time? I hope there are some cute guys there."

"Some place new, and I guarantee your hope will be fulfilled." He engaged the spell

 

A military exchange is a strange place. Like any mall each one is different, but most are instantly recognizable. Vendors all come from the same parent groups so the originality quotient of each one is null, zero.

When the new door appeared between the Eyeglass Shop and the Barber Shop, everyone should have taken notice.

Nobody did.

 

Tool, Meat and Worm were at the exchange that day to buy uniform supplies. The big inspection was coming up and they wanted to look their best. New ribbons, rank insignia, and wings were at the top of all of their lists.

Callsigns are a strange thing; they have to be given. Sometimes they would be given as a pun on a name (ie ‘Tool’ was the callsign for LT Craftsman). Occasionally they were given to commemorate a physical trait (‘Meat’ – you do the math). But woe to the person who tries to assign their own callsign.

Worm was what was called a ‘Nugget’ or new guy. He joined the Navy because he saw Top Gun at least ten times. When he arrived at the squadron he announced:

"Call me Snake." The ready room laughed.

"Gentlemen, I give you LTJG Worm."

A callsign is also like the visitor who won’t go home. Everytime ‘Worm’ referred to himself, he called himself ‘Snake’, which only served to reinforce the callsign he didn’t want. The more you fight it, the more it sticks.

‘Worm’ wasn’t too bright, he still fought it.

 

"I can’t believe that the luck, they don’t have ANY wings!" said Meat as they were leaving the store. They were looking to kill a little time, if they hung around the squadron at this time of day, they would only be given more work to do.

 

"Guys, check this place out."

"Spells R Us, what is it, a joke shop?" Tool quipped. The store front had a large wooden door and a small window case. In the window there was a sign.

‘Dip your wings in gold’

"That might just do the trick. Let’s go." Meat led the way into the shop. Inside was a beautiful girl, standing behind the counter.

"Fox 2." Said Worm, meaning he meant to make a score with this one.

"Hi Stan, Reggie" She sidled up to them "Hi Bobby. Or if you prefer, Tool, Worm and Meat."

"Maybe later." Dannie whispered to Worm "If you’re still up for it."

"How did you know who we are?"

"Written on your Flight Jackets, duh! Oh, and I am an apprentice wizard. I can read your thoughts, especially yours Reggie." She tapped him on the nose "The boss will be right out. Boss!" she shouted to the curtain behind her.

"Dannie, a lady does not shout." An old man in a tattered blue bathrobe pushed his way through the curtain.

"Sorry I didn’t great you myself, you have no idea what kind of paperwork you have to go through to get a place in this mall…I mean Exchange." He shuffled under the counter for a moment and returned with a wood box. He opened the lid towards the trio.

"I believe you will find these acceptable?" he presented them with Pilot wings. The aviators inspected the wings.

"Kinda crappy if you ask me." Meat said.

"Lieutenant, if you ask me, you are certainly right. On the surface these are not superior quality wings that I would normally supply such fine Aviators such as yourselves."

"But…" Tool had heard this type of sale before. The Wizard chuckled.

"But, these wings have special properties. If you are touching these wings and touch someone else who owns wings, yours will become identical to theirs."

"Yeah, right. Like we could have the XO’s gold covered platinum wings." Worm snorted.

"Yes, Reginald, that is right. And to answer your next question, I am giving them to you for a 48 hour trial. After that time, pay me what you think they are worth. In the meantime, simply leave me your old wings as a deposit."

Cautiously, each one complied, replacing the wings on their uniforms

"Shit, look at the time, we’re going to be late!" Each Friday, at the end of the day, it was customary to hold a squadron meeting, give information and give out awards.

By the time they arrived at the squadron, it was already too late. Nearly everyone had left for the weekend.

"Now we’ll never get to copy the XO’s wings!" Meat whined.

"CO’s gonna be pissed."

"Guys, I’ll catch you later." Worm announced "My folks are coming in on a flight tonight. I have to pick them up at the airport."

"Later, Worm."

"Can you give me lift to the airport? My girlfriends’ flight is coming in a seven."

"Fine, rub it in Meat, you have a hot stewardess girlfriend. Anyway, no room for you on the return leg."

"Don’t need one, girl’s got a car."

"Cool, we can use the carpool."

The matter of the ‘magic’ wings was forgotten. These loner wings didn’t look so bad. Within an hour, they had made it to the airport. Worm parked in the short term parking lot and they split up once they were inside. Their plane was just taxiing up to the gate when he arrived. Slowly, the people filed off the plane.

Why is it that whomever you wait for always comes off the plane last?

"Reggie!" a little girl tore through the crowd, cutting a path to Worm.

"Hi there Mattie." He went down to one knee and hugged his 8 year old sister.

"Pretty uniform." She said, opening his jacket.

"Want to see MY wings?"

"Did you fly that big jet all by yourself."

"No….see, the stewardess lady gave them to me." She held up the childrens’ wings that she was wearing proudly. Reggie inspected them carefully, like a big brother should and held up his own.

"See, just like mine." Click! Suddenly his wings felt a lot lighter, like they were made of cheap plastic. He looked down and sure enough, his Pilot wings were replaced by a pair of wings exactly like those of his sister.

"Son." His Dad clapped a hand to his shoulder "Good to see you."

"Oh dear," his mother looked worried "You aren’t eating at all, are you?"

"I’m eating fine Ma. Let’s go get your luggage."

He led the family to the baggage claim.

"Stand up straight, son. You aren’t looking your full height."

"I don’t think I could stand up any straighter."

Worm started carrying the luggage toward the car.

"What did you pack, bricks?" he deployed the wheels and rolled it the rest of the way.

"How about some dinner?" he asked "I know a great place."

"You are just wasting away, Reginald. Of course we’ll get something to eat."

He had to adjust the seat in his car forward, that was strange. All his normal settings seem to have shifted upward and back. He took a moment and readjusted the car.

He took them to a local steak restaurant. To his Mother’s great distress, he wasn’t hungry enough to eat his whole serving.

"Since when do they let you get by with such long hair?" his father asked "Didn’t allow that in my day, even among the officers."

"What are you talking about Dad? I got a hair cut yesterday." He reached up and felt his head.

Instead of the ultra short soft bristles of his normal haircut, there was the long hair of a civilian.

"I’d get your money back."

He drove them back to his place. He had enough spare beds for the entire family. After waiting forever to get into his one bathroom, he finally got in. He was shocked by what he saw. Actually he was shocked by what he didn’t see. He could barely see into the mirror, he was so short. When he brought the kitchen chair into the bathroom, he got his second shock. As he watched himself naked in the mirror, he recoiled in horror. What he saw was a small child, couldn’t be more than 8. What was worse is that he watched as his genitals retracted into his body. He was a girl. He fainted.

He awoke in a strange bed next to his little sister. She didn’t look so little anymore.

"Morning Mary." His mother came into the room.

"Mary?"

"I told you she needed a CAT scan. She doesn’t even remember who she is." His mother was near hysterics.

"I’m okay Mom. Really I am." He got out of bed and went over to hug his distraught Mother. It was weird to only be as tall as her belly.

"Did you wear those wings to bed?" his mother asked.

The Wings, that Wizard was real. I can use the wings to get back to my old body back.

"Come on, off with those PJ’s and into that shower!" He suddenly noticed he was in a hotel suite.

I just need to see Daddy for a minute. His father had been an aircrewman in the navy. At least he could be a man again, although not at his proper rank. He ran to where he heard his fathers voice. He touched the wings with his left hand and his fathers’ arm with his right.

"Hey, those are my wings," came the voice from the other room "You broke yours!"

"What?"

"It’s okay dear, we’ll get you another pair on the way back home."

"Back home?"

"You have school Monday, we were just here for a day a SeaWorld, remember?"

"Oh yeah, Sea World." Worm decided to bide his time, he had to get back to the base and to the wizard.

"Can we see the Navy base, Daddy?"

"I’d love to, honey. Maybe we’ll try later."

As the day wore on, Reggie remembered less and less of his former life. He knew who he was, what he was, he just was getting fuzzy on the details. It was easier to act like 8 year old Mary, Mattie’s twin sister. Throughout the day, he knew one thing, he had to get to the exchange before this would be permanent.

 

Meat bought flowers for his girlfriend a while he waited. She will be impressed, that’s for sure.

Chicks love this mushy stuff. The plane unloaded normally, it was a pretty full flight and it took some time before she came off.

"Bobby!" she ran at him and jumped into his arms into a wild kissing hug.

"Ow!" he pushed her back.

"What’s wrong?"

"I think the back fell off these wings, they just stabbed me."

She giggled "Why in the world are you wearing MY wings?"

He looked down, those cheap wings the wizard had given him now looked like a perfect replica of Cindy’s. Those of a stewardess.

"What the…" he decided not to tell her the story right then. "Let’s go home."

They lived in a two bedroom apartment halfway between the airport and the base. They, of course, lived in the master bedroom while the second room was a den/guestroom.

"I am so horny." She said stripping off pieces of her uniform "I have to do one of those party flights tomorrow. You know, college students getting drunk and fucking each others’ brains out?"

"Oh, I know the ones you’re talking about." He thought abut all those wet t-shirt contests that always accompanied such trips. The flight was sometimes the best part with the stewardesses…

"Wait a minute. I don’t want all those guys groping you."

"Don’t worry about it, I can take care of myself. All I want now is my Meat." She fumbled with his pants and led him into the bedroom.

"Now is my jealous guy ready to get some?" she looked down his undershorts.

"Oh God, what happened?"

"What, what?" he looked down as well. His genitals looked like they belonged on a two year old.

"Oh god oh god oh god! I am going to KILL that wizard!" he threw some clothes on, took Cindy’s car and sped to the base. The guard stopped him at the gate.

"The visitor pass office is closed for the evening."

"I am Lieutenant Peterson and I need to get back to my squadron, now."

"Yes Ma’am, may I see your ID?" he handed the ID over.

"Using your boyfriends ID is not a good idea, Miss. In fact, you could be arrested for it. Why don’t you turn around and go wait for him at home?"

"Miss, MA’AM? Are you nuts? I’ll have you brought in for insubordination, what is your Division Officers name?"

"Denkins Ma’am. You need to turn around now, before this gets ugly."

Distraught, he turned around. He did not go home. Most bases have multiple entrances. He simply drove to another one. This gate guard was not really on the ball, so a story about delivering a friends ID card got him through. He drove to the exchange.

When he got there he was in for a surprise. The shop wasn’t there. There wasn’t even a door where it was. Just the eyeglass shop on the left and the barbershop on the right, both closed. He got out of the car and went to where the shop was. And he had a new surprise.

With his first step his chest bounced strangely. Dreading what he was going to see, he looked down. Breasts, large ones strained his T-Shirt to almost the breaking point. Reaching down he couldn’t feel his penis. It might still be there, in its smaller state, but dropping your pants in the middle of a parking lot on a military base is not a good idea.

Not knowing what else to do, he drove home. Cindy was waiting for him when he got there.

"Bobbi Jo, I have been worried sick. Look at you, not even a bra. Do you want to get raped out there? We need to get some sleep, we have an early flight tomorrow. He walked into the bedroom.

"I like to cuddle and all, but I really don’t swing that way, Bobbi. Why don’t you sleep in your room?" Bobby went into the guest room, which now had a real air of femininity. Unbidden, he collapsed in sleep on the bed.

"Wake up, time to get ready!" Cindy bounced on the bed "We’ve got a wild party flight today and 2 days in Cancun!"

"Huh?" Bobbi was completely disoriented. Hair fell in his face and he was surprised by the soft weight on his chest and the hugeness of the bed.

"Don’t huh me. You promised you would lighten up a little. Besides, since you volunteered, if you don’t go, so does your job. Bobbi knew she had to do something that day, and she didn’t think this was it.

"And no bra! I’m betting on you for the wet T-shirt contest!"

Groggily and disoriented she got up and got ready. The makeup felt strange in her hand, like she never touched it before. Still she put it on expertly. She put on her uniform, a throwback stewardess outfit with a miniskirt and jacket.

"Let’s go." Bobbi said, and proceeded out the door.

 

Tony (aka Tool) decided to test out the wings right away. He truly coveted those that the XO owned, vowing to one day own a pair just like them. He changed to his civilian clothes so as not to be conspicuous and drove to the XO’s house. He held the wings in his left hand, hoping to just shake XO’s hand. That should go by the letter of the rules, he thought.

He knew he was in for a lecture, having missed Quarters (the end of the week meeting), but he thought it would be worth it. He was surprised when a girl answered the door.

"Can I help you?" she asked. She was strikingly beautiful, wearing a light blue short sleeve sweater and jeans.

"I was trying to find Commander Simmons?"

"Oh, Daddy’s not home, he’s over at the reception hall, getting ready for my wedding. I’m Norma"

"Nice to meet you, I’m Tony. Congratulations."

"Thank you." She blushed "Listen, if you want to talk to Daddy, the hall is right down the street."

She grabbed his arm and pointed down the road. Click! The wings in his hand disappeared. He staggered at the shock.

"Do you need to sit down?" she led him into the house and got him a glass of water.

"Those are nice wings." He pointed to her necklace. Suspended on a thin chain was a miniature version of Naval Aviator Wings.

"They were a birthday gift from my fiancé. All the husbands buy them for their wives."

Tony finished the water and excused himself.

He was curious as to where the magic wings went. When he took off his shirt that night, he found out. Around his neck was the very same charm that Norma had been wearing. His body felt strange but for some reason exhaustion overtook him. He fell asleep.

 

"It looks like we pulled the Frat plane. Three women on a plane of men." Cindy’s mouth was watering.

"I don’t feel so good about this. I don’t think I can go through with it."

"Should have said something before."

"I did say something before."

"Oh well, too late now. Let’s get everyone on board." They took their places at the plane’s entrance.

"Hello, Thank you for coming. Hey!" one of the frat boys grabbed Bobbi’s breast.

"She’s got some nice ones." Bobbi wanted to hit them.

"Boys will be boys." Cindy said "Just go with the flow."

"But he…he. I didn’t give permission to let…"

"Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy. You are really going to bring this flight down."

About a million lewd comments and the occasional groping later, everyone was onboard.

"I need everyone to check their seatbelts." Karen, the head stewardess announced. It was now crews job to check every single person’s seatbelt.

"I don’t know how to do this." One guy said.

"Yeah right." Bobbi leaned over him and fastened his belt. While leaning over the men in the aisle behind Bobbi decided they wanted to play with her ass. When she shot around to confront them, they acted innocent. Seatbelt boy copped a quick feel of tit. Rather than cause a scene, Bobbi continued on with the assignment. She retreated to the back of the plane.

"I’m a man. I’m a man." She repeated to herself. "I can kick any of their asses any time I want."

If she lost her job here, would she also lose her job when things got back to normal?

After the jet was airborne, drinks were distributed. After that humiliating run through the aisle, Bobbi decided to stay in the back. Within ten minutes, the chanting began.

"Bobbi, Bobbi." She just shook her head, obviously not going anywhere. A few minutes later an announcement came over the loudspeaker.

"Bobbi, will you come up to the cockpit please?" she didn’t move. She was terrified of this wild crowd.

"Bobbi come to the cockpit now!" the angry voice of the Captain boomed. Bobbi complied.

It wasn’t just friendly groping this time; it was a mauling. Bobbi felt her underwear being torn off. Her jacket was missing, leaving only her white blouse. She was not wearing a bra. Somebody threw a pitcher of cold water on her. Her nipples ached from the shock and stood at attention. She cried for them to stop, but they wouldn’t. Her friends stood helplessly by while she tried to get through.

Eventually, beaten, soaked and utterly humiliated, Bobbi made it to the cockpit.

"Yes, Captain."

"I had a request that you walk to the front of the plane, that’s all."

"Are you kidding? I was mauled out there."

"Don’t be so melodramatic will you?" the Captain told her.

"Boys will be boys." Cindy came up to her.

"I’ll bet that was worse than that Tailhook Gauntlet that we heard about."

Bobbi thought about it.

"No, this group was nicer."

 

Mary steadied herself for a day at school. She had begged not to go, but her parents weren’t listening. Still intent on finding the Wizard and that stupid shop, she wanted to spend a day on the internet and do some research. Eight year old girls weren’t supposed to surf on the internet alone, though. The research avenue was cut off.

School was bearable, Mary already knew all the information. She was first to raise her hand with the correct answer every time. She thought everything was going fine, until recess.

"Mary thinks she’s so smart." The group of boys surrounded her. They pushed her to the ground and kicked at her.

"Stop! stop! Why won’t you stop? Somebody help me!"

"Smarty pants wants help. No one can hear you, smartie." The beating lasted the entire recess.

She entered the class bruised and beaten.

"Mary, what did you get into."

"The boys beat me up."

"No we didn’t. She fell."

"Yeah, she fell." All the boys got behind the story.

"I think you should go to the nurse." The nurse cleaned her up and listened to her story. She sent her to the principal.

"I understand you have something to say." The principal asked "Spit it out."

The entire story spilled out, tearfully.

"I’ve had quite enough of that, young lady. You are impugning every boy who is in your class.

They told me what happened, how you teased them and hit at them. You are lucky I don’t call your parents. Not very lady like. I am very disappointed in you."

"But…"

"Lies do not become you. Remember that boys act in certain ways when they like a girl, as well.

I don’t know what your problem with them is, but it is clearly something you asked for."

"But Principal…"

"Another word and you will be suspended. Back to class with you."

Thoroughly beaten, she went back to class.

No matter how she told her story, nobody believed her, not even her parents. The stigma of being beaten up fell on her, not those who did it.

One simple phrase went though everyone’s explanation:

"Boys will be boys."

 

Tony woke up at his parents house. The room was the same size and shape of his old room, yet it wasn’t his room. It obviously belonged to a girl, a girl who was about 16 or so, by the looks of it. Looking into the open closet was an ornate wedding dress.

"Are you still asleep? Tammy you are getting married today. Get a move on."

Tony looked around to find out who his mother was talking to. He was alone in the room.

"Mom, who are…" his voice was a rich, melodic soprano.

"Take your shower, young lady. You will not be late for your wedding day!" his mother stayed in the room as he got out of bed. Only he was definitely not a he anymore. From what he could tell, he was a gorgeous woman in her early twenties. He went into the shower, fighting the sick feeling in his stomach.

His mother sat on the toilet and talked.

"Dear, this won’t be an easy life, the wife of an aviator. You will definitely learn some responsibility. Soon it will be babies…"

"Babies?" he stuck his head out of the shower.

"Yes babies. Don’t worry, you’ll want them. You will be the most responsible woman on the planet, don’t worry. Oh, there’s your sister, time to get you ready."

It actually was his sister, surprisingly enough. She sat him down and proceeded to style his hair in an intricate pattern.

"Time to get you dressed."

By now there were five women in the room all helping. Tiny white panties and a green garter and a corset made the bottom layer. The women had to help with stockings because Tony could not bend to roll them up his legs.

All this time he wanted to scream ‘No, No, I am a man. I have no place here." Yet he seemed to be running on auto pilot. After the dress (impossible to take off on your own, he mused), his sister worked on his makeup. He just smiled and chattered inanely through the whole process. Still he only had minor control over his reactions.

The ceremony went off without a hitch. He was amused to find it was a military wedding. The man she was marrying, Tony didn’t know. There was no love for this man, at least she didn’t think so, she mused as she walked steadily down the aisle. Yet, she could feel something growing in her for this man.

The minister spoke in the middle of the sermon he said:

"…..Life is full of give and take. The trick is to give more than you take. Life is full of responsibility; it is something you must assume cheerfully. Remember, through life’s checks and balances all works to the greater good….." he went on.

When the time came to get to the vows, Tony was guilt-ridden. He realized the errors of his previous actions, his lack of responsibility he had taken in the past. He was being given a new chance. A new opportunity to do everything right this time. When his time came to speak, for the first time in the day it was with his own voice.

"I do."

"Stop your blubbering, Dannie." The wizard said from the organ loft. He was wearing his best dress-robe (which wasn’t really saying much)

"I always cry at weddings…"

"No you don’t" he handed her a rag out of his pocket.

"Well I do now, so shut up Boss!" she blew her nose in the rag and handed it back. He held it at arms length and caused it to disappear. He wiped his hands on the robe.

"Come on, we have to go before she sees us."

"Okay, Boss. By the way, thank you, I don’t often get to see the happy endings."

"You need to see why we’re doing this."

"What about the other two?"

"Bobbi’s airline is going to become a permanent partyliner. And little Mary will learn how important it is to give help when asked. Not as fun as our normal work, but rewarding in its own way."

"Where to next, boss?"

"Ever see the movie ‘Top Gun’?"

 

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