Thank you so much for reading and commenting; begonia9508, Allie Xie, and 83AlienAngel. And welcome back, Buddha-boy...I'm happy that you'll now be able to read the entire thing.
PART 3
Alex was in a dream. He knew it, and he embraced it. Or rather, he embraced Isabel. It was prom, and they were there, slow dancing together to the song being played by the band.
Suddenly the band on the stage turned into *NSYNC, singing “Bye Bye Bye”. What the hell? *Why am I dreaming abut Justin and Joey?* Wondered Alex.
Rolling over, he slowly awoke and realized it was the radio alarm.
*Odd.* He thought. *When did they start playing boybands on the University’s alternative rock station?*
Sitting up and slowly wiping the sleep from his eyes, Alex leaned down and reached to pull on his slippers. Only after he had pulled on the second one did a certain thought occur to him. *Since when are my slippers furry?*
Opening his eyes, Alex looked down toward his feet. His head quickly shot back up and he rubbed his eyes again. He counted from one to ten and then looked back down towards his feet again. No change…still wearing Hello Kitty slippers. His eyes began to slowly travel up his legs. His very toned, very shaven, and, frighteningly, very feminine legs.
*I must still be dreaming.* He thought to himself.
He reached his one arm over across his chest to pinch himself on the other. *Owww. What the?*
Looking back down, he continued his upward appraisal, although his perusal stopped dead when his line of vision reached a pair of small white panties with little hearts all over them.
“Ahhhhhhhh!!!!” Alex’s scream could be heard down the block.
Almost tripping as he got up from the bed, Alex spun around in a circle and looked around. What the hell was he doing in Kyle’s room? What the hell was going on here?
Alex quickly tried to make his way to the door, but stopped short when he got a look in the dresser mirror. For some reason, one that Alex couldn’t fathom, Tess was staring back at him.
Screaming once more, Alex ran out of Kyle’s room into the living room to see Kyle sitting up on the sofa glaring at him.
“What the hell is the matter with you, Tess? He asked. Then he frowned. “Tess?” What are you doing here?” Looking around, he rephrased his questioned. “No, wait, what am I doing here? And what the hell is wrong with my voice?”
Standing up and putting his hands on his hips, Kyle started tapping his foot. “Tess, what’s going on? Why am I at your house?”
Alex just screamed again. “You…you aren’t Kyle are you? I’d know that look anywhere.” Face growing paler, if that was even possible, Alex whispered, “Isabel?”
“Tess, what’s the matter with you, of course it’s me. And I’m still waiting for an answer to my question. Why am I here? And why does my voice sound funny?”
Alex just stared some more. He slowly raised his hand and pointed at Kyle’s bare chest.
“Tess, what are you…” Looking down at the bare, obviously male chest, Isabel let out a scream herself. “Tess, this isn’t funny, you change me back right now.” Isabel was growing increasingly more agitated.
“I’m not Tess.” Came from the smaller blonde in a shaky, mere whisper. “It’s me, Alex.”
“Come on Tess, enough with the games.”
“Isabel, I’m not kidding. I’m Alex.” Trying to think of something that would convince her, he looked back up. “You dreamwalked me. During the heatwave last December. Remember? I told you how much I liked it when you wore red. And we danced. Isabel…..it’s me.” Alex was almost pleading with her.
A look of pure shock came over Kyle’s face and Alex had to jump back to keep from being caught under Kyle’s weight as Isabel fainted and landed on the floor.
“Great, just what I need.” Alex bent over to try to lift Isabel onto the sofa, but quickly realized he could barely move Kyle’s body, being stuck himself in Tess’s small form. He made one last attempt to move the body, when he decided he needed a new course of action.
Spotting a half empty glass of water on the coffee table, Alex picked it up in his hands. Knowing Isabel would kill him, but not knowing what else to do he emptied the glass of water over Kyle’s head.
Sputtering as she came to, Isabel looked up into Alex’s worried face. “Alex?” She whispered as she got up off the floor, pushing a lock of short, wet brown hair back from her forehead.
“Still me, although I wish it wasn’t”
“Okay, I don’t know who did this, but I think we’ve had enough “fun.” She emphasized the word with an icy tone.
Isabel waved her hand in front of Alex, intending on changing him back to his normal body, but when she moved her hand, nothing happened.
A look of confusion spread across Kyle’s face and Isabel waved her, well Kyle’s, hand in front of Alex again. Still nothing. “Oh my god.” She whispered. “My powers aren’t changing you back.”
She quickly looked around and noticed the wet spot on the carpet where Alex had spilled the water. Crouching down, she waved her hand over it, intending to dry it. Again, nothing happened. “I don’t even have my basic powers anymore.”
This set Alex off into another of his screaming sessions complete with flailing his arms around.
“Alex, would you knock it off? Look, you need to calm down. You’re acting like a girl.”
Pointing down to the frilly top and matching panties he was wearing, Alex practically screamed back. “Isabel, look at me. I’m wearing a nightie and Pink cartoon Slippers. I AM A GIRL!!!!! And THAT would be the problem.”
“Let’s just go find Max and figure this out.”
Alex still looked unhappy and distressed. “Actually, I think Max is the one who got us into this mess.”
“What are you talking about?” Asked Isabel. She had put on one of Kyle’s brown checkered shirts, and was snapping it up, a look of distaste evident on her face.
“That box thing….the blue lights shooting out….I told you not to do anything. I warned you something bad would happen, just like when you activated the stones.”
“You think that box had something to do with us changing like this?” Asked Isabel.
“Have you got a better solution?”
“I think we’d better try to find the others and see if anything else has happened, then get to the Museum and get us changed back” Isabel started walking around, a determined look on Kyle’s face.
Alex had a similar look spread over Tess’s face. “My sentiments exactly. I’m gonna go change.” He turned to leave the living room when all of a sudden he paused in his tracks. He slowly turned around. “Uh, Isabel?”
“Yeah?” She answered, still a bit unsteady.
“Well, seeing as how I don’t…..uh, what I mean is that I haven’t…well, you see.”
“Spit it out, Alex” Isabel was worried, and getting just a tad impatient to remedy the fix they had found themselves in.
“It’s just that…..I have no idea what to wear.” Alex blurted out.
**********************************************************
Max was on the verge of waking up when he stretched in his bed and the smell hit his nose. He breathed deeply and the aroma filled his nostrils. It was a sweet smell. Almost as if it were a mixture of aroma’s all blended together.
Max was still half asleep when his brain registered the fact that his bedroom did not smell like this. But, he knew the smell from somewhere. But where? He thought to himself.
The answer followed almost immediately. It was the sweet smell of all the oils that Maria always carried with her and tried to make him and all of his friends try at least once. And as Max opened his eyes for the first time that morning he wondered why his room smelt like Maria.
Max stared up at the ceiling and an uneasy feeling came over him. The light above his head was not on but Max could clearly see that that light was not a light from his room.
“What?!” He whispered and sat up. His mouth dropped open as he took in his surroundings.
It was Maria’s room. He knew this for sure because he had been here with Liz and the other’s to study on more than one occasion.
He looked around and saw her computer in the corner near her closet. The dresser was on the other side of the room. On it were Maria’s vials of oil some pictures and a vanity mirror. So, if this is Maria’s room, where is Maria? He wondered, confused. Max then realized that he was still in Maria’s bed. Maria’s bed! *What am I doing in Maria’s bed?* Max thought frantically and jumped out of the bed.
At that moment Amy DeLuca opened the bedroom door and came inside. Max stood frozen in the middle of Maria’s room with his eyes wide. *Oh God, Mrs. DeLuca is gonna kill me. I’m in her daughter’s bedroom and I just woke up and Maria is not even here.* Max thought frantically as he glanced around the room for some kind of escape.
“Maria, I’m glad that you’re awake. I want to borrow your new cute little black skirt.” Amy said and Max spun around at the mention of Maria’s name.
She wasn’t behind him, so why was Amy talking to her?
When Max turned back around to face Mrs. DeLuca she was staring at him and looked very concerned.
“Honey, are you okay?” Amy said but her voice sounded very far away to Max because it was at that moment that he realized that Amy DeLuca was talking to HIM.
Max’s mind went blank.
“Why do you look so…guilty?” Amy said finding the right word and looking just as confused as Max, then her face lit up in realization.
“He’s here isn’t he?” Amy demanded.
But before Max could even ask who or what she was talking about anger spread across Amy’s face.
“Where is he? Where are you hiding him?” Amy nearly shouted and dropped down to the floor and looked under the bed. “Michael! I know you’re here!...Come out and show yourself!” Amy called and then stood up.
Max then realized that Amy must think that Michael was hiding in the room somewhere. He remembered Maria telling him how mad Amy had gotten when she caught Michael and Maria in bed together after Hank had hit Michael.
*But, why would Amy think that Michael was in here in the first place and more importantly why isn’t she mad that I'm here?* He watched in the utmost confusion as Amy made her way to the closet ranting and raving about how she would not let her daughter ruin her life by becoming a teenaged mother. Amy threw the closet door open with a triumphant “AH HA!” Max caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
Only it was Maria’s reflection staring back at him. It was the first time that morning that Max saw himself and he almost passed out.
“Wh-ha-at?!” Max exclaimed and made his way to the mirror.
He stopped in front of it and gingerly touched his face. *This is NOT happening.* He thought to himself as he watched ‘Maria’ touch ‘her’ face in the mirror.
He thought at first that he must be dreaming, but deep down he knew that it wasn’t true.
*It’s something alien.* He told himself. Hell, he should be used to strange stuff by now, after all he was an alien King, but this was down right creepy.
He convinced himself to calm down and act like the King he once was by remaining in control of the situation so he would not jeopardize his life or the life of his friends. You could never be too careful. He had to get Amy out of the room so he could figure this all out.
“Well, he’s not here.” Amy stated coming up behind him and making him jump. He spun around at a loss for words.
Amy studied him closely.
“Maria, are you on drugs?” Amy asked gently grabbing his hand.
“What?! NO!” He stated and felt a chill as he heard Maria’s voice some out of his body.
“Then what’s wrong honey?” Amy asked him.
Think fast. Don’t let her get suspicious.
“Um…It’s just that…” Max trailed off unable to think of what to say.
“The skirt!” HE nearly shouted and then regained control of himself. “The skirt, you wanted to borrow, I lent it to Liz.”
“Oh Honey! That’s okay.” Amy said and laughed. “I’ll just find something else.”
Max watched as she began to go through the drawers of the dresser to find something to wear. He glanced back at the mirror still in disbelief.
“Oh, these are cute.” He heard Amy say.
He turned to see Amy holding up a pair of Maria’s panties. Max blushed immediately and turned away.
“Oh, Maria, I don’t want to borrow them silly.” Amy stated laughing.
“Well, I think that I am just going to go out and maybe do a little shopping.” Amy declared after a moment and shut the drawers. “Do you want to come?”
“Uh, no thanks.” Max replied. Amy smiled and kissed his forehead. She made her way to the door and then turned back.
“Those pajamas are cute too.” Amy said and then left the room.
Max glanced down for the first time and saw what he was wearing. When Maria had gone to bed the night before she had put on a pair of short shorts and a small tank top that showed off a lot of skin. Max blushed deeply and looked away.
“This is bad.” He muttered to himself. He went to the dresser to look for something else to put on. Without realizing it, he opened the drawer that Maria kept all her panties and bras in. He slammed it shut immediately. He went through the rest of the drawers and pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweater.
*That’s better.* He thought.
He put them on over what he was already wearing and then sat on the bed. He had to call someone. His first instinct was to call Liz but he didn’t want to freak her out.
Michael! He thought and picked up the phone and dialed the number.
-----------------------------------------------
Liz woke up to the sound of her phone ringing.
After leaving the UFO Centre the night before Liz had stayed up late working on her science project. She groggily reached for the phone still half-asleep. She put the phone to her ear and heard Maria’s voice.
“Michael? Hello?”
Michael? Liz thought confused.
“Wrong number Maria. It’s me Liz.” Liz told her and then cleared her throat because it was all deep and throaty for some reason.
“Michael! It’s not funny.” Liz heard Maria say angrily.
“Something happened. I know that I may sound like Maria, but it’s me. Max!”
“Quit it Maria, it’s too early.” Liz complained and cleared her throat again.
Still holding the phone to her ear she sat up in her bed an opened her eyes.
“What?” Liz exclaimed as her eyes took in her surroundings. She was not in her bed. In fact she was in Michael’s apartment on his couch.
“Michael are you there?” Liz heard Maria demand.
“I’m not Michael.” Liz told her and then for the first time realized that she sounded like Michael. A lot like Michael.
Liz jumped up off the couch so fast she fell onto the floor and dropped the phone. She stood back up immediately and looked down. What she saw made her cry out. She was only wearing jeans and her chest was bare.
But, that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was she was looking down at a male chest.
“Oh my God.” She whispered and ran down the hall to Michael’s bathroom. She flicked the light switch and screamed when she saw Michael staring back at her.
“M-M-ichael?” She choked out and took a step back when she saw Michael’s lips move in the reflection.
She looked down at her hands. Manly hands.
*Calm down Liz.* She scolded herself. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. “But there can’t be. It’s not possible.” She said aloud to herself.
She brushed back Michael’s hair which was hanging in her face.
“This is alien.” She declared knowing that there was no other explanation and then she remembered the person on the phone. She knew that she had to remain calm and in control. But what if the person on the phone was a shape shifter or something? *It’s not like weird things had never happened to her before.* She thought back to when Future Max had visited her.
She took a tentative step back towards the phone that was still lying on the floor. She had to be cautious.
“Hello?” She said into the mouth piece wondering if the person was still there.
“What happened?” Liz heard Maria’s voice ask.
“Who is this?” Liz demanded.
“Look Michael. Something weird is going on. It’s Max. I know that I sound like Maria, but it’s me…Max. Somehow I woke up in Maria’s body.”
Liz’s hand tightened on the phone as she listened.
“How am I supposed to believe you?” Liz demanded again in Michael’s gruff voice.
“Is this you Liz?” She head Maria ask. “You said that you were Liz before.”
“Look, I don’t know who you are, or what you’re trying to pull but you better leave me alone. What is wrong with you? This isn’t normal.” Liz shouted. She didn’t know what to say to this person and she didn’t know if she could believe them.
“Liz…” She heard Maria say quietly.
Liz remained silent.
“Liz, what’s so great about normal?”
Liz felt her heart skip a beat.
“Max? It’s really you?” She nearly cried into the phone.
“Yes. It’s me.”
“Max, what is going on?” Liz asked and sat back down on Michael’s couch.
“I don’t know but we have to find out. I’m going to come and pick you up and we are going to go to the UFO Centre.”
“Okay.” She said.
“I love you Liz.”
Liz began to laugh.
“What?”
“It just sounds so weird. You say it with so much feeling, but you sound just like Maria.”
Max was silent for a moment.
“Tell me that you love me.” He finally said to her.
“I love you Max.” She said meaning it with all her heart.
“I think it’s weirder for me.” He said and began to laugh as well.
“I can imagine.” Liz replied.
“Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“All right.” Liz said and hung up.
She looked down at her bare chest and made her way into Michael’s bedroom. She grabbed a Metallica shirt off his bed and threw it on.
*Now I know why Maria always wants to take Michael shopping.* She thought to herself as she made her way outside to wait for Max.