The Only Real Magic

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The Only Real Magic

by shalimar

It was another Saturday night where John and I were hanging out together as usual. We have been best friends since elementary school when I moved into this suburban community from the city in the second grade. I was shy then and had difficulty getting to know anyone in my new school. John who lived a few houses away from me decided to get to know me better and we've been friends since.

Eventually I became more confident. I became the instigator of many, shall we say, "incidents." For example in 8th grade we set fire to a garbage can inside the school. He lit the match. It was a warm spring day and it enabled us to enjoy the sun for about an hour. We never got caught for that and most of the other incidents. Hey, we were only suspended once.

But at this time we were just out of high school and about to enter our freshman year at college and we were just hanging out not knowing where to go or what to do. The good news about college was that we were going to the same school and be roommates. We even had the same major, so eventually we would have some of the same classes. I know that the school will cost more than I can afford even with the loans and my parent's help, so I will be working part time to help pay for it. So will John.

At the time we were between girlfriends so dates were not options. But I did want to go see a movie in multiplex in the next town.

I thought I was finally convincing John for us to go when he said to me, "I learned some magic a few months ago and I want to try it out."

"I don't want to see a magic show," I told him. "I want to see a movie."

"No, Rob," he calmly told me. "This is real magic."

"There's no such thing as real magic. Everything is either slight of hand or tricks," I said.

Then the curiosity got to me.

"Johnny, what can you do?" I asked.

"I can change anything I want." he replied. "Any way I want."

"What are you going to do?" I asked. "Change a cat into a dog?"

"No," John replied. "I'm going to change a dog of a guy into a sleek feline of a girl."

"And who is that?" I asked.

"You, you nerd."

"Me?" I asked. "Why me?"

"Why not you?"

"Because I don't want to be a girl."

"But you want to be a girl," he replied. "You always wanted to be a girl."

"Of course I've always wanted to be a girl, John." I replied. "If only magic was real."

"Then let me show you," he told me.

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Listen, he said to me. "You think like a girl, because you are one."

"Of course I'm a girl," I told John.

"You are my girl, Rob."

"Of course I am your girl, John."

"Your hair is down to your nipples."

'Of course, my nearly crew cut hair is down to my nipples.' I said to myself. 'What kind of fool does he take me for?'

"It comes down in curls."

"I love my hair in curls." I told him.

"Your face is so smooth that you never had to shave," he told me.

"Why would I need to shave?" I asked John. Then to myself I said, ‘Except my legs.’

"Your face is shaped like a girl our age," John continued. "And you think it is pretty."

"Don't you think my face is pretty?"

"You are beautiful, Rob, especially with the makeup that you use to entice me. It is so subtle yet makes you look even lovelier."

"Thanks," I replied. "You say the nicest things about me, John."

"Your hands are so smooth," he told me. "I like to play with them."

"I like to play with your hands too, John" I replied as I put mine in his.

"And your nails are always polished and make those hands even prettier."

"All for you, John," I responded. "I try to please you."

"You do please me," he told me. "In fact you have nice breasts. Just enough for me to play with."

"I like it when you play with them," I said and smiled as my nipples got pointy and hard just thinking about what John can do to them.

"And bite," he added with a grin.

That brought a smile to my face.

"The main part of your body has no hair and is as smooth as your face as I have experienced touching before."

I smiled at his description of me. He makes me feel so good.

"And your belly is so smooth and taught and just the right size for a girl your age."

John always makes me feel wanted and warm inside, sometimes even hot.

"And your butt is nicely proportioned."

"You know I actually like my ass," I told John. "I'm glad you like it too."

"In fact I like your curves," John told me. "They actually make me horny."

I saw his prick making a tent in his pants. That only made me hotter.

"Your balls are really ovaries," he said to me as I felt a pop going into my body.

"In fact your prick is now a cunt," he said to me as I felt the wetness between my crotch as my girl juices began to flow because he made me feel even hotter.

"You are wearing an "A" line black dress with the skirt coming to about 2" above the knee with black pantyhose and black 3" pumps."

I had hoped when I put on this outfit that it would entice John tonight. I think it worked.

"Your name is Robyn, not Robert."

What a silly thing for John to say. Of course my name is Robyn. That's what it says on my driver's license.

"We are in love with each other," he said as he looked at me and gave me that loving smile.

Of course I love John, my John. And I feel that he gives me so much love back.

"In fact," John told me. "We are getting married next weekend."

I looked at my engagement ring and thought about when he gave it to me. It was such a nice birthday present last year and showed his love for me. I accepted as soon as I stopped crying from the happiness. In a week we will officially belong to each other forever. I already know that he is mine and I am his. I can hardly wait for that ring to have its companion wedding band to cement our love for each other. But tonight we will relax as the last time we can go out together as just boyfriend and girlfriend. Eventually we would be setting up housekeeping at the college we are going to go to together. We will move into the married students housing provided by the school.

I looked at John again and smiled. We're so happy together. I remembered a shy boy back in second grade seeing me walking alone from school just after I moved into the neighborhood and him coming over to me. He continued to walk with me as we went to our homes. It took us both a few days to start to talk to each other as I was just as shy back then, but we became friends. By third grade we were inseparable. When I began to realize what sex was all about I knew I was in love with John. There was no one else for me or for him. There will never be.

I think I was also a good influence on him. I remembered a time that I stopped him from lighting a trashcan in the high school hall. I kept him out of trouble many times. Because of me, our grades were such that we both received academic scholarships to our first choice college.

And John is often a kidder. I can't believe that he would tell me he knows magic, real magic. So I sexually walk over to my soon to be husband and hug him as he hugs me back.

I whisper into his ear, "Are you going to show me that magic?"

"Well... ah."

He kissed me and I kissed back.

"I knew it," I whispered sexually to him. "Love is the only real magic."

Then I kissed him again.

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Comments

Okay, _that's_ scary.

Despite that effective short transition, the relationship has just been trashed beyond repair, effectively destroyed. He'll get tired of being alone in a room with his puppet(s), and take it out on her until the truth (that it's his fault) is too self-evident, then drop her, or demote her to pet-dog status and shape, to clear her role for another victim to occupy. Lather, rinse, repeat, until he grasps the lesson: power without principle corrupts all it touches. To me, this tale is codependency distilled into a tight little shocker.

John's "little magic" ...

... was strong enough to alter the very fabric of reality -- so he uses it to turn his best friend into his dream girl, and turn himself from a buddy into a jerk. Way to go, John! (NOTE: Turn sarcasm amplifier to maximum PLUS fifteen)

Nicely written overall, but that level of pure selfishness in a character overrides my ability to forgive -- no matter how happy "Robyn" is in her new life.

*hugs*

Randalynn

Assumptions can get us in trouble

I read this with a different twist than the other two people who commented. Often what we love the most is beyond having unless we work hard so we can have that which we really truly love. Perhaps John was closer to Rob then Rob was to John. John Learned magic so he could have his true love. Rob on the other hand had to have an affinity for John to be changed by John.
I believe magic as with hypnotism can only work if the subject is willing especailly in a romantic situation. This is a story of fiction. The author provided a situation between two friends and yet there were doubters.
Shalimar I like how it went. Magic put them together closer then they could ever have been and not received criticism. Friends compliment each other and thats what John and Rob did.
I don't see it as an abuse of power but as a sharing of a love that is now not forbidden. Love is the eternal magic and we see it take place.
Jill Micayla
May you have a wonderful today and a better tomorrow

Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.

re: Assumptions can get us in trouble

I agree with Jill although I think Mom could have made Rob a more willing and knowledgeable participant, none of the changes in the story seemed to be to harm or embarrass Rob nor did he seem to even attempt to fight his transformation. I usually run screaming from forced fem stories as I was forced to 'act' masculine to survive my childhood and find anyone being forced to be offensive, I did not get that queasy feeling from this story. I believe it would have read better if Rob had been a willing participant through either desire or dare however; I still thought the story a fair read.

Nothing in Life is Free, if the cost is not monitary it will be physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Rachel Anne

Nothing in Life is Free; if the cost is not monetary it will be physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Rachel Anne

"none of the changes in the story seemed to be to harm ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... or embarrass Rob." !??! Please tell me where ROB is at the end of the story. I don't see HIM anywhere; all I see is Robyn, a new person whose memories are very different then Rob's, who would probably laugh if you tried to tell her she was once a boy named Rob. He isn't embarrased, true, but only because HE is dead. Friends don't kill friends.

And the sequence of dialog has rob saying, "I don't want to be a girl." Then John saying, "You've always wanted to be a girl." Only then does Rob say, "Of course I've always wanted to be a girl." and the rest of the dialog sequence then goes on to back up the fact that changes occur after John speaks of them. Rob's denial comes first; John starts the changes. With "friends" like John, who needs enemies. I see nothing romantic, sweet, or sentimental in this story; if not for those terms in the header, I would think the author attempted (and succeeded) writing a horror story.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

re: none of the changes in the story seemed to be to harm ...

Sorry Jezzi,
I guess I totally missed that on my first read through, and you are right about the sequence of events. Yes that does put a much darker outlook on the entire story.

Nothing in Life is Free, if the cost is not monitary it will be physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Rachel Anne

Nothing in Life is Free; if the cost is not monetary it will be physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Rachel Anne

Changes have consequences

Jezzie,

I know character death irks you, it always has and most likely always will. However; in this particular story I see the emergence of Robyn as a plus.I remember reading where they were in trouble together as boys, but Robyn remembers keeping John from setting a fire.
I would not mind if my memories changed from boyhood to girlhood memories. I as a girl would not want to remember I was a boy. I speak as an intersexed child growing up and being forced to be a boy by my parents and those around me.
I also remember my girl times, those are the times I like to think as being a special part of my life. I detest being reminded I was once required to be in dull rough clothes and expected to be aggressive.
I truly believe that Shalimar did not assassinate the character identity of Robyn but readjusted it to fit who she is.
Maybe I just see it different because I was pressured to be something I wasn't as I grew up. If someone were to offer to me the abiity to only recall being a girl as I grew up I'd accept it wholeheartedly.
I don't see Robyns past histoy as not existing its a recollection of her childhood as a girl.
Thank you Sephrena.
Jill Micayla
May you have a wonderful today and a better tomorrow

Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.

Nice Fluff

I read the story the same way Jill did. I believe everyone go what they truly wanted.

To me the ease with which Rob became Robyn was less magic than fate.

IF -- if I have a problem with this story it is the lack of back story to support's John's "magic" as fulfilling Robert's dreams.

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

I re-read....

Not my thing on the 2nd read.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely? Seems that way in this.

Oh and it was the fifth book of the Belgariad IIRC with the comment from Polgara.

The Legendary Lost Ninja

You would choose to have ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... your memories of boyhood eradicated. "If someone were to offer to me the abiity to only recall being a girl as I grew up I'd accept it wholeheartedly." I would wholeheartedly support your decision. But what if you didn't want it and it was forced upon you? Had Rob been given the choice and done the same, I would have no problem with that either. That would be suicide, and I believe that that is within the scope of a person's rights; it's his life, just as yours is yours. Rob was not given a choice - As has been noted, and not just by me, the dialog sequence is very strong evidence that Rob's last unifluenced choice was "I don't want to be a girl." There is nothing prior to that comment to indicate that Rob was anything other than a normal heterosexual male, nothing to indicate that he was TG or loved John in any kind of romantic way, nothing to indicate in any way that he WOULD have chosen to become a girl and john's lover - in fact it IS stated that he was "between girlfriends" - that he had had them and intended to have at least one more.

You see the emergence of Robyn as a plus - for whom? Rob can't tell us if he feels it's a plus for him because he doesn't exist anymore. Of course it's a plus for John and Robyn, as Robyn was created by John to his specifications to be his happy girlfriend; read the dialog. He gets what he wants, and she can't help but be happy being what he wants. Whether Robyn is a better person than Rob is not the issue (Although I don't think Rob was that bad) It's whether John has a right to eradicate him without his consent to create her. What happened to Rob's rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? They are taken away without his consent by the whim of one person, no charges, no indictment, no trial. It's good to be the king.

I agree that Shalimar did not assasinate the character identity of Robyn; after all, she had John create it by assassinating Rob's character identity; if he didn't, where's Rob? If you asked Robyn if she was or ever had been Rob, she'd say, "No." Read the dialog. Does she have the same character as Rob? No; he got John into trouble, but she remembers keeping him out of trouble. Again, who's the better person is not the issue. BTW, I wonder if john remembers both realities.

I agree with your last two sentences. It's Rob's past history that doesn't exist anymore, not Robyn's, and I, too, say, "Thanks Sephrena ... for writing a story that generates such spirited comments. I imagine it was fun to write and certainly it was fun to read and comment on.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Give it a rest, Jezzi ::smile::

You've made your views on this clear many times. You don't want anyone to enjoy a story that you don't enjoy because of your hang up on identity death. We got that. I even wrote a story about it. ::grin::

-- Donna Lamb, Flack

-- Donna Lamb, ex-Flack

Some of my books and stories are sold through DopplerPress to help support BigCloset. -- Donna

Where did you get the idea ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... that I didn't enjoy the story ??? I did. immensley. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have put so much effort in to commenting on it. I certainly hope others enjoyed the story whether they agree with my view of it or not.

My contention is that the only way that this could be considred a sweet, sentimental, or romantic story is if Rob wanted to sacrifice himself in order for John to have the female lover of his desire - if it was an act of free choice and love on his part.

I didn't write the story, I just provided from it evidence that 1) Rob didn't choose to do so and most likely wouldn't have done so if he had been given the choice 2) John did cease to exist as a unique individual, replaced by john's dream lover, a unique individual herself but tailored mentally and physically to John's specifications, as a result of magic done to him by John without his consent. In other words:

John murdered Rob for his own selfish pleasure.

I was not the only one to make these points.

BUT, If you think I, and the others, are wrong, and you care to, show us from the story why we're wrong. I, for one, am certainly willing to be corrected. If Rob had had a choice and chose to submit to John's magic, I would have had no problem with it. SO:

Show me, from the story, where he chose to become any part of Robyn before being told or prompted by John to do so.

Show me from the story any evidence that he might have chosen to become Robyn if he had been given the choice.

Show me from the story any evidence that Rob is not dead, that he continues to exist as a unique individual.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Could have fooled me ::smile::

I guess I got the idea that you disliked the story from your very negative ranting on the story logic, category rating and other people's opinions of why they liked it. ::grin::

Donna Lamb, Flack

-- Donna Lamb, ex-Flack

Some of my books and stories are sold through DopplerPress to help support BigCloset. -- Donna

Back Story

Jezzie,

Look at this story in another perspective. We get a skimming of history of the two boys. We don't know the conversations the two boys had growing up. I for one would not impose a change on my friend unless there had been an inkling of desire spoke of many times before.
How many guys when faced with the question by their buddies "Would you like to be female?" Actually say sure thing?
I was so far into denial growing up, not because I did not want to be feminine, but because of the time and views of my parents, aunts uncles and other adults in my life (1950"s and 60"s). since we do not know the events of the past we are assuming John just arbitrarily decided Rob should be female to satisy his own needs. I think not. Something had to lead John to approaching his best friend and changing him into a female.
Jill Micayla
May you have a wonderful today and a better tomorrow

Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.

Nothing?????

Nothing?

There is that line that says Rob was the "instigator." That tells me everything I need to know about whose idea this "magic" was.

It could be shalimar clumsily put in that line and it means nothing, but why else tell us that information about their past?

I believe you can read the story your way -- or, obviously, it can be read the other way.

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

I think the line ...

... about Rob being the "instigator" of their pranks in the past was only there to show that there was a general benefit to Rob's transformation, in that the pranks they both had done were wiped clean after the transformation, and (supposedly) John became a better person. Of course, no one had been hurt by their pranks, so how much of a benefit to society was Rob's "death," really?

The dialog clearly shows that John originally had the magic, that Rob knew nothing about it before their conversation took place and didn't even believe it was real. It also shows that John was clearly responsible for EVERY transformation -- including changing Rob's mind about wanting to be a girl in the first place. Rob had no say in the woman he became -- all the "specs" were Johnny's.

If shalimar wanted "Sweet/Sentimental" to rank higher in the mind than "Hypnosis / Mind-Control / Brainwashed" and "Tricked / Outsmarted," Rob should have been giving the chance to choose to be John's girlfriend -- not tricked, outsmarted or brainwashed into it.

Take another look, Jill, and you'll see what I mean.

*hugs*

Randa

There Is No Argument

It doesn't matter how many times I read it. As I've said, there are two ways of reading this story. It seems if your name is Jill you read it as a extended metaphor for one friend helping another through transition.

I have already stated it is just as valid to read it as a cruel, magical transformation foisted on an non-consenting victim.

It all depends on the paradigm under which you are reading the story. It's like the picture of the two profiles -- or the chalice. Or to be more graphic, the O.J. trial.

You don't have to convince me of your viewpoint, I saw that possible interpretation as I read it the first time, but elected to insert in my imagination the back story needed to make the story one of love -- which is, after all, the subject of the title.

By the way -- I often only attach one or two of the descriptors to my stories because I find them disturbing. The story should stand by itself.

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

No assumptions needed

No assumptions are needed, the author says it all in the keyworks/category selections: mind control/tricked/memory loss. Also, I totally agree that the sweet|sentimental selection was a total non-sequitur, nothing sweet or sentimental about this story. I could even go so far as to use the "R" word to describe this story.

Cindy

Don't assume, I agree ...

... but based on the evidence, it still looks like a selfish abuse of power from the cheap seats. If John had talked with Rob about it first, and gotten him to see that the best girlfriend either of them could ever have would be the other as a woman -- THEN asked Rob to try it on, just to see, without the mind control, I could see it being a joint decision and eventually becoming a loving relationship. If both entered into it as willing participants, I could see it the way you do, Jill.

But based on the dialogue itself, does this sound like love to you?

"I can change anything I want." he replied. "Any way I want."
"What are going to do?" I asked. "Change a cat into a dog?"
"No," John replied. "I'm going to change a dog of a guy into a sleek feline of a girl."
"And who is that?" I asked.
"You, you nerd."
"Me?" I asked. "Why me?"
"Why not you?"
"Because I don't want to be a girl."
"But you want to be a girl," he replied. "You always wanted to be a girl."
"Of course I've always wanted to be a girl, John." I replied. "If only magic was real."

John calls him a "dog" and a "nerd" then ignores Rob's wishes, changes his mind, and then transforms Rob into John's idea of a perfect girlfriend, body and soul -- and rewrites their personal history to match.

Rob clearly said he didn't want to be a girl. If John truly cared about Rob as a person, he wouldn't change him against his wishes. In fact, John shows he has no regard for his best friend at all. He turns Rob into someone else, and thanks to his magic, she's happy to be whatever he wants. He's shown that he can do what he likes with the "wee little puppet girl" and she'll happily agree. if John decides one day that he wants Robyn to dress as an Orion slave girl and clean the kitchen floor with her tongue, Robyn would think it was the greatest idea ever -- "isn't her Johnny SO clever?" -- and do it gladly, completely ignoring the waxy buildup on her teeth.

She lives at his whim and becomes whatever he wishes. That's not love. That's slavery -- no matter how pleasant it is for the slave. But I'll gladly see it your way, if you can show me any love in this tale that isn't whipped up by Johnny's magic -- other than the shared history they had that Johnny so carelessly destroyed when he rewrote his best friend into his best girl.

Randalynn

My Goodness!

I think the critical part about this tale is just where the magic begins. Does John make Robert want to be a girl and makes it so with magic or forces Robert to be Robyn with his magic. John's magic is obviously very powerful since it change reality to fit his wishes so did it corrupt him? I don't know and I think I like to think of him as a friend rather than a corrupter.
nice Shelly!
Hugs!
grover

I'd like to repeat a comment

I'd like to repeat a comment that was said earlier. With a friend like that, who needs enemies? And this use of mind control - to wipe someone's existence from the world, merely to recreate them as a girlfriend for one's own personal benefit - is without a doubt an evil action.

I'd like to quote from one of David Eddings' books; can't remember which one it's from, but it's with regards to the god Torak's desire to force an immortal woman named Polgara to love him: "He could force me to come to him, and could even make me believe that I wanted to go to him, but a small part of myself would be screaming for the rest of my life."

Of course, if we never had "bad" things happen in a story, then the "good" things would become meaningless. So there's no harm in doing something like this in a story. And it's not a bad story, even though one of the characters does something nasty and evil to the other.

Interesting view of magic,

Interesting view of magic, it is this sort of view that gets them burned at the stake.

A rather short horror story, a view of twisted logic and ultimate power may bring ultimate betrayal.

Well done for the horror it has brought to the minds of most that have rendered comment.

It's Just a Piece of Fluff

These are interesting and valid comments for something I consider a piece of fluff.

shalimar

A few thoughts ...

... about this story.

The first three paragraphs switched back and forth between past tense and present tense. It was noticeable enough to make me frown.

There was a, in my opinion, lack of clarity at the end.

To me, this was a horror story. Switch it around: make the the two characters girls who temporarily lack boyfriends where one forces the other to be a guy in love with her. Or a guy meets a girl he loves and forces her to love him. Nice? Not to this termite eater.

Now, short stories can be anything, and horror stories are certainly legitimate and fine. I have no quibble with the subject matter or your choice as an author to write this the way you did; however, the best short stories, in my opinion, make a point and/or a message at the end. This one was mushy. I have the impression that you intended to say that the ends justify the means, as long as the end is love. If that is the case then I think you could have done more at the end to persuade the reader. John's last line, "Well... ah," tell us that John knows what he's done, Robyn doesn't, and John is apparently just fine with that. Is this highly unequal situation love? Methinks not. To my mind, bad guy wins; the other guy never had a chance; game over.

On the other hand, I think that this could well be a personal fantasy instead of a "classic" short story, which has roped many people, me included, into evaluating that which need not be evaluated. :)

That dredges up a thought: whether or not this story is a fantasy, I wonder if those authors who
do write personal fantasies might think about making a "personal fantasy" keyword so that readers would know how to read the story.

Regards,

Aardvark

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Mahatma Gandhi

Real Magic

Here's some real magic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrTvNzGCZE

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Mahatma Gandhi

Maybe I'm confused, but then again I'm on prozac

I read that rob is the instigator in all of their actions while in school. Rob was a loner. John is the one who go Robto come out of his shell. Its sort of like one leads the other follows. John was the original leader, but Rob took over as the mind of the two. If John had the magic when they were younger but he did not he acquired it a few short months ago, it was then he shoud have made Rob become Robyn. We as readers make an assumption that John wanted Rob as a lover. This in the only time John instigates his ideas. I still say unless you want to be hypnotized you cannot be. Rob catagorically accepts his wanting to be a girl. He so stated and added if only magic were real.

So Rob was the willing soul for John to test his magic out on. John just fashioned Robyn as he thought would be appealing to both of them.
Do Like I did go back and re-read and do it slowly.

Jill Micayla
May you have a wonderful today and a better tomorrow

Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.

I did go back.

Jezzi Stewart's picture

Of course Rob accepts his wanting to be a girl. The magic had already been done; John spoke first. As to hypnosis, where is there any mention of hypnosis? Where do we read anything about John putting Rob into a hypnotic trance/state? None of the elements of practicing hypnosis are present. Besides, there no the time to hypnotize Rob. If not hypnosis, then magic, and why would you assume magic has the same limitations as hypnosis? Here is the opening dialog sequence:

** "Johnny, what can you do?" I asked.
"I can change anything I want." he replied. "Any way I want." **

It's all about what John wants; he says so. Twice.

** "What are you going to do?" I asked. "Change a cat into a dog?"
"No," John replied. "I'm going to change a dog of a guy into a sleek feline of a girl."
"And who is that?" I asked.
"You, you nerd."
"Me?" I asked. "Why me?"
"Why not you?"
"Because I don't want to be a girl."
"But you want to be a girl," he replied. "You always wanted to be a girl."
"Of course I've always wanted to be a girl, John." I replied. "If only magic was real." **

Rob answers John's "Why not you?" with "Because I don't want to be a girl" After that, Rob basically repeats what john tells him almost word for word. As far as the "If only magic were real." wish, the magic worked when John finished his statement/command so of course Rob didn't realize it as he was already affected by it.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Much Ado About Nothing

The Shakespeare's play comments are amazing considering this is a piece of fluff. I'll add to the controversy. Is Rob now Robyn or does he think he's Robyn because he's hypnotized? This is ala the story, "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale." The movie was "Total Recal."

I don't think it makes any ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... difference. Rob is still gone unless something happens to reverse whatever was done. John instigated the relationship with Rob in the first place all those years ago, so maybe he's had a crush on him all these years. And now he's going to get what he wants and to hell with Rob because he finally realizes that Rob has been using him all these years. John either has a gay relationship with a male hypnotized into being mentally a new person, a girl named Robyn or a straight relationship with a magically produced new female person, Robyn. No Rob in the picture at all either way.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Give it a rest

erin's picture

Please Jezzi.

We all know your feelings on this subject by now.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.