Amy and Al exchanged stern glances. Al, looking approvingly at this lovely young woman with many fine qualities others might at first fail to appreciate, and Amy with the look of one trying to get the best deal. She could feel the magic in the place, that this was no ordinary store and he was no ordinary man. Slowly, Amy shook her head in agreement.
"Mr. . . . Al, I've told you what I have to offer and I think it's a pretty good deal."
"That it is, that it is," Al said. He glanced over to Mark and Lilly, "Your friend wouldn't want to be in on this give and take, would she?"
Lilly giggled nervously, "No thanks, I think I'm fine as I am."
Al laughed heartily at that.
"Wait here, my dear, I'll be right back."
Al went to the back room of the store. Amy turned to her friends.
"So, he's pretty cool, right?" Mark said. "And he can totally help you. You're already the smartest person I know, this will just make it even easier for you."
"It's never been easy," Amy said with some pride that she made school seem so, "But you're right. I wasn't sure, but I'm really getting excited about this. I mean, imagine what I can learn with super learning abilities? And all the time I'll save!"
Amy was giddy with the idea and could barely hide her grin when Al returned with a long parchment.
"It's a contract," he said, laying it on the table and sitting down, "It says I'll give you the power of understanding, or intelligence as it is, in exchange for five gifts of yours that will not prevent you from using what you're receiving."
Amy sat down with a studious air once more.
"How will the exchange work?" she asked.
"Well, once you sign it might take a few hours for you to adjust, but by tonight or tomorrow at the latest you'll be absorbing information like a sponge."
"And when you, uh, take the price from me?"
"Mm, well, that will be about the same. Of course it won't be all at once. We will exchange one thing tonight, and the rest within the next few weeks."
"Ah," Amy said nodding, "So if somebody comes in and wants, say, the ability to play the violin, you'll know that I have that and you can use it in the exchange?"
"Precisely, dear. Not sure why you need to be any smarter," Al chuckled. He took out an quill and ink well from a drawer nearby. Lilly laughed despite herself.
"Looks like a deal with the devil," she said.
Al laughed a bit too much at that. Amy waited patiently. She was ready, willing, eager to sign. Just the confidence that this was going to work was such a weight off her shoulder. With a flourish, Al signed his name. He pointed to the line next to it. Amy took the quill and signed as well.
"So, when do I start, you know, feeling it?"
"Soon," he said, "A subtle gift like this can't-"
"Oh, uh, wow," Amy suddenly pressed her hand to her head, her expression changing to surprise. "I-I think . . . something . . . just clicked."
Al chuckled, Mark looked pleased, and Lilly looked concerned.
"That'll be it starting. Now," he stood up, the others following suit. He took Amy's small hand in both of his and looked her deep in her eyes. "Use this gift well. And use it for good."
"I always have," she said. Al chuckled. He sure did like chuckling, Amy thought.
The three left the shop. It was completely dark now, the street lights illuminating some older folks walking about the town square. Few people their age hung around here, especially on a Saturday night. Amy looked up in the sky and sighed. Mark gazed at her longingly.
"Sooo, Amy, are you a genius yet?" Lilly asked cautiously.
"Yeah, what's it feel like?" Mark asked.
"It's hard to explain. One minute I was sitting there, thinking about what was around me, paying attention, and then suddenly everything felt so . . . clear, yeah, that's what it felt like. It like suddenly everything was clear and all I had to do was focus and put my mind to it and it wouldn't be a mystery anymore," to their relief she still sounded exactly like the same old Amy, so hopefully no horrible personality change would come of this.
"Oh, this boxes are where he keeps the 'gifts' he sells. I don't think he needs them right there to commit the transfers, though, but they are probably required to keep them. Intelligence is such a valuable commodity that I imagine he had it locked up in the back with some other high priced goods," Amy said. Mark and Lilly didn't think it was a particularly useful or clever observation, but neither of them had even wondered how all this mysterious magic business worked. Amy had that look that they had often see her when she was figuring things out. After a moment of walking down the street, she gave a quiet. "Mmm."
"Would you really give up your violining skills?" Mark asked. He had no doubt that his Uncle Al would only do right by her, but he was worried that Amy might lose some talent or knowledge she valued. Also, that she could play the violin was one of the many things he found irresistibly attractive about her.
"Sure I would. Mark, I have fast learning abilities now, I can probably learn anything I forget again in, like, hours. Who knows how fast I'll learn things? All I know is even thinking about my physics homework right now I already have it worked out and just have to write it. See? I didn't even have to go and read it again. I remembered our classes without any effort and it all just clicked together."
"We should call you the Clicker," Lilly suggested.
"Not a bad nickname as far as nicknames go," Amy said. A small rumble came from her stomach, which she patted softly. "Huh, I could use some food. You guys hungry again yet?"
"I can always eat," Lilly said.
"To the food emporium!" Mark said.
As Amy walked on a few steps ahead, Mark couldn't resist turning to Amy and whispering.
"Is it just me or does her just knowing she's suddenly that much smarter make her that much hotter?"
Lilly rolled her eyes and shoved him forward playfully.
So, the full change won't go into full effect until the morning. Does Uncle Al-
Option 1: take her bird-like appetite, causing her loose the ability to know when she's full, when she's had enough, and even what she should eat?
Option 2: takes something more immediately noticeable, say her flat stomach, tiny butt, or small but youthful and firm breasts?
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