It was a bright Saturday afternoon, and Melanie Kelos felt like doing some exploring. The rambunctious 12-year-old was unlike most children her age. Melanie had very few friends, and on the weekends, she didn't go to the movies or hang out at other people's houses. Melanie's main hobby was rocks. She loved rocks. Collecting them, studying them, and scavenging for them. Melanie knew she was going to be a geologist one day.
Equipped with her backpack and magnifying glass, Melanie made another trek into the woods near her house. The time spent away from her house did Melanie a lot of good. Melanie had a loving mother and father, but she's always felt distant from them. For reasons she could never explain, Melanie always felt unease with herself, as if some part of her was just...off.
Melanie was running through the forest, her long, blonde ponytail bouncing up and down. She had a goal of finding at least one new rock today, but Melanie was okay with appreciating the scenery around her. As she looked up at the giant fir tree next to her, Melanie noticed a shining blue object on one of the lower branches. She didn't know what it was, but she sure was going to find out.
Using every bit of her 4"9, 92-pound frame, Melanie managed to climb ten feet up the tree, until she found the branch with the object. Trying to preserve her balance, Melanie tried to stretch her arm as out as far as possible to reach it. With a slight lean to the left, Melanie was able to grasp the object and carefully make her way back down the tree.
"You are a beauty" Melanie exclaimed to herself.
"Hello my child"
"WHO SAID THAT!" Melanie blurted out. She looked around nervously.
"Don't worry young one, I am emanating from the jewel you found. My consciousness resides in there."
"Wha...what? You're INSIDE the jewel?" Melanie asked. She was very confused.
"No, no, no...I am a spirit of enchantment. I have no corporeal form, I exist for only one purpose....to help out those in need, and I sense you're in need child."
"What do you mean?:
"I feel a deep, deep sadness within you....I don't what I can do....wait...wait...yes..I see. Child, I am going to grant you a gift."
"A gift?!!??" Melanie perked up. "Can I pick what it is?"
"No...it is granting your subconscious desires...it will change your life as you know it forever."
Melanie paused. She wasn't so sure about this.
"That seems pretty vague." Melanie stated. "Can you tell me what it is?"
"No...the magic is rendered null and void if I state the purpose of the gift before you receive it."
Melanie took all of that in. Only 12, she still had a lifetime of possibilities ahead of her. Yet...would her life be truly enjoyable if she passed on this opportunity? Not many people have the ability to have their deepest inner desires to be fulfilled, and Melanie felt like she couldn't pass that up, even without knowing what the gift was. Of course, part of her was afraid that the gift would make her even less happy.
After a good 10 minute of thinking, Melanie came to a decision: she would accept the jewel's gift.
"I want it, whatever it is." Melanie said out loud for some reason.
"I am glad my young one....now in order to receive the gift, you must grasp me firmly in your hand and recite the following chant: Tethers of time and physics, break the chains and grant me that which I deserve."
Melanie picked the jewel out of her jean pocket and gripped it as hard as she could. "Tethers of time and physics........break the chains....and grant me...." Melanie stopped. For a moment, she felt frightened and unsure. However, she managed to convince herself that it was the right move. She deserved genuine happiness.
"....that which I deserve."
As soon as the words left her lips, Melanie felt changes. Green pixels of energy started to come towards her and encircle her body. They started with her boots, worked up through her jeans, and then through her sweater. Soon, Melanie was completely covered in the energy. Suddenly, her body started rumbling.
"What's happening to me?!!?" Melanie shrieked.
"Don't worry child...just relax."
After a minute , the rumbling stopped. And then, the changes came. Her tiny hands started to enlargen greatly, as did her feet. Melanie felt her skeleton growing and stretching; she was getting taller. She started to feel heavier as a significant amount of body mass was added to her frame. Her tiny breasts disappeared. Her legs and arms widened and lengthened. Soon, the body mass tightened, into what Melanie believed were muscles.
"This is weird." Melanie exclaimed, her voice getting progressively deeper.
The changes then went to her privates, reshaping into male equipment. Finally, her face was affected. Melanie felt her skull and the body mass on it rearranging. Her nose changed shape and her lips got bigger. An Adam's apple developed in her throat. The last change came as hair developed all over her new body. Oddly enough, the hair on her head did not change. Her clothes grew in size to accommodate her new frame.
The energy on Melanie dissipated. Disoriented and not very aware of her surroundings, she heard the voice speak again.
"If you like, you can go look in the stream to see the fruits of your gift."
Melanie got up gingerly and walked to wards the stream. She felt off, but couldn't put why. As she reached the stream, Melanie bent down and looked at her reflection. She gasped. Starting back at her was not a 12-year-old girl, but rather a large 30-year-old male version of herself.
She started examining herself. Melanie looked quite handsome. The transformation sent the former child to a massive 6"3, 196 pounds. Melanie started touching her body. She felt all the new muscles on her body. She felt...strong. Despite the dramatic physical change, Melanie felt unusually comfortable.
"I....why this?" Melanie covered her mouth, startled by how much deeper her new voice was.
"Chil...sir, I am able to see a person's soul for what it really is. I could see that you felt burdened by what you were, or rather what you were forced into. You may have been presented to the world as a female child, but you desperately wanted to be a boy, a man. You learned for the freedom to express yourself as you truly are and you wanted to be able to take control of your life and chase your dreams, only as an adult could. You were just never able to actualize these yearnings into cognitive thought."
Melanie took all of this in. At first, she totally rejected it. What would this thing know about me, she/he thought. But then she thought about it more. Ever since she could form thoughts, happiness had always been brief for Melanie. All the nights spent up crying, failing to understand why. The inability to connect with or express herself to other people. The constant, negative personal thoughts about her appearance. It all made sense now.
For the first time in her entire life, Melanie was in her right body, able to show the world who she/he truly is. As Melanie gathered her thoughts, she came to a realization: she was genuinely happy. So happy, she burst into tears.
"Thank you....thank you, so much."
Melanie got up and started walking. As a new person, she had to take care of some things.
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