“I don’t know,” she tells you. “Will it hurt?”
You chuckle. “It’s like going to sleep. And don’t worry. I’ll wake you up. I’ll keep you safe.”
She rubs her arm – a sign that she’s uncomfortable – but she nods. “Alright. Let’s do it.”
“I’ll need you to take off your clothes.”
That startles her. “Why?”
“It’s part of the process. Not the sleeping part, I mean. It’s necessary to make your replacement.”
“Oh...” Shrugging, you see her take off her clothes. You rub your legs as Jessica’s impromptu stripping makes your groin increasingly wet. You notice she’s comfortable with it, but not entirely at ease – perhaps, because she knows it’s you, but isn’t used to your new look.
“Alright.” You grab the green pen as you explain. “I’ll use this pen – don't worry, it’s not the one that puts people to sleep.” (You don’t know exactly what it happens, but it sounds better than ‘the pen that turns people into skins”.)
“Will it hurt?”
You grimace. “I can’t say. All I know is, if it works, you’ll have to feel it once.” You grab her hand, squeezing it tightly. “But I’ll be here with you at every step of the way.”
You step back, aiming the pen at her. As you click, you see nothing at first – no light, but also no deflation. It’s only a moment after that you notice Jessica feeling extremely uncomfortable, her body bloating. “Ugh! What’s happening!?”
“I...” You approach her, checking her back. “I don’t know!”
“Hold on.” You touch her back, and it feels very soft, but also very squishy. You push deeper, and you notice how it tears – and as you slide your finger downwards, you notice moist blonde hair and pink skin.
“What was that? I felt your finger pushing, then something tearing.”
“Close your eyes.” After tearing it wide enough, you slowly pull the upper layer of skin from her body. She pants as you remove the face, and in a flash she rips off her old skin from her torso and arms. As she opens her eyes, she stares in wonder.
“Is this...?”
“What a skin looks like, yeah.”
You help her strip off her old skin, and she examines it. “Is this how I look?”
“I think you’ve seen yourself in the mirror. Not deflated, though.”
“And if someone wore this...?”
“It’d be like they were that person.”
She snaps at you, furious. “Then why didn’t you do that with Katie!? Why did you have to--?”
“Think about it. She’d have freaked out. And how effective it would’ve been if the real one was--?” You grunt and huff. “Sorry about that. I know you’re still hurt about it, but--"
“Of course it hurts! Rachel, Katie’s my sister. What if I did the same thing with Claire?”
You take a deep breath, looking away. “That’s why I say I know it hurts. I wouldn’t want you to use Claire as a disguise.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“I thought it was a better way to talk to you than, well...”
“Than what?”
“Than using my replacement. I told you – Katie and Claire caught me when I was gonna wear him, and--”
“Why would you wear him? You could’ve just taken off Rachel's skin.”
“Jess, you need to understand. I don’t see David as myself anymore. If I had him – or my skin – hidden, and someone found them, I’d be in big trouble.” You grab her hands, staring at her. “Look - I was desperate, and I thought ‘I’ll be able to reach her immediately if I turn into her sister’. I promised I’d bring her back; I know how important she’s to you.”
“I’m worried...” She draws closer, hugging you. “I don’t want you treating people as... clothes. I want you to remember they’re people.”
“I do,” you tell her directly to her ear. “I was desperate, babe. If I had another way, I would’ve. And think about it – I could’ve gone for Claire, but I didn’t. I still care for her. Would you forgive me?”
She tightens her embrace, feeling her nod. “Of course. I’m just worried.”
“You don’t have to.” You reassure her with a single look. “I’m doing this so we can be together.”
“I know...” She smiles at you, rubbing your chin. “This is just... new to me. Knowing my boyfriend wants to be a woman, that he can turn people into skins and create skins out of them...”
“Once you start wearing them, you’ll start to like them.” You peck her at the cheek, winking. “Trust me.”
“I want to. I have no need to mistrust you, because I love you.” She looks at the skin she shed, grabbing it. “Now what?”
You suck a lungful of air through your teeth. “I guess we should check if she awakens. So you can see what happens.”
You take the black pen, aim it at the deflated skin, and click. Jessica shivers and shoves it aside as it starts trembling, and you can see how it starts reflating, almost immediately. However – and to your surprise – the reflated skin doesn’t react.
You touch the new body, and you notice something interesting. She’s breathing, but she’s not reacting. It’s almost as if she was deep asleep – comatose, perhaps.
You feel Jessica’s stare judging you. “What happened?”
“I...” You scratch your head. “I don’t know. I thought she’d awaken.”
“Then, it didn’t work?”
“Well, she’s alive. She’s just not reacting.” You look at the brown pen, which gives you an idea. “Maybe it’s because your mind’s not there.”
“What do you mean?”
As you show her the brown pen, you explain. “This helps you get everything you need to act like the person you’re wearing. It’s basically their voice telling you what to do.”
“And you think that’s what she needs?”
“Yeah.” You hand her the pen, which she receives timidly. “She needs that inner voice, I guess. Instructions on how to work.”
She hands it back. “Why don’t you do it?”
You push the pen back, grinning. “I want you to try it. I mean – I can’t let you try the other ones, of course, but this one should be safe enough.”
“Alright...” She points the pen at her clone – the only word that comes to your mind – and clicks. “Here goes nothing.”
You see her shiver, as if something shocked her, and soon enough, the body jolts into life. She wakes up, rubbing her head. “What happened...?”
“Oh my god...” Jessica looks at her clone in awe, while her clone shirks. “It worked!”
“What worked?” the clone says, backing off. “Rachel, who’s her?”
“She’s the real deal,” you tell her. “What do you remember?”
“I know you pointed a pen at me, but...” Her face blushes red. “You said you were going to put me to sleep, right? But then, that you’d make a replacement.”
“Exactly. Jess, what happened next?”
“I felt my skin bloating. Like if I had an allergy or something.”
“But that’s impossible! I...” She shakes her head, confused. “I remember our talk! I remember--”
“How did I prove to you that I was David?” you ask the clone as you look at Jessica. “I know she knows, but you?”
“Well, you told me... It was during the Harvest Festival. And I know, because you asked me under a tree. And I remember that an apple fell from that tree.”
“How did that apple look?”
She closes her eyes, then breaks into tears. “I... I should know – it's an Edgefield Delicious! Why can’t I remember it!?”
“The stripes were interesting,” the real Jessica says. “They said ‘yes’. You remember why that was interesting?”
“Yeah! Because David saw it, and then...” She shakes her head, grunting. “But why can’t I remember it!?”
“Because you’re the clone,” you tell her. “She’s the real Jessica.”
“No...” You slowly see how her will is crushed. There are no more tears – it's as if the shock of knowing the truth has killed her inside. “Then what? What will happen to me?”
“You’ll stay here,” you tell her. “I know your relationship with David has been shaky--”
“But you’re supposed to be the real David, no? I mean... you were.”
“Exactly.” You grab the clone’s hands, and so does Jessica. “I’m taking the real you away, so she doesn’t need to suffer. I know this’ll be hard for you, but... I’m leaving you here so your family doesn’t feel abandoned by you. And because David deserves someone just like him.”
“A replacement,” she says in a monotone. “Not the real thing.”
“You still love him, don’t you?”
She nods, and something resembling emotion overcomes her. “Yes. With all my life.”
“Then love him. Love him as you’d love me – as Jessica does. And keep an eye on missus Hunt and Katie, alright?”
“Alright...” Jessica’s clone looks at the real deal, distraught. “And what about her?”
“I’ll go with Rachel. Maybe one day, I’ll pay you two a visit. I know Rachel will be interested in doing so.”
“Yeah. Anyways... I need to stay inside Katie a little while, but I promise – I'll bring her back. Alright?”
“Yeah.”
“Now dress up. I’ll be at Katie’s room if you need me, but only until the afternoon.”
“I see. Um... rest well. You two.”
“You too.” You take Jessica away as her clone begins wearing her clothes. You notice she stares at her replacement, longingly, before following you.
“Now what?” she asks once you’re at Katie’s room.
“Well...” You grab the black pen, grimacing. “It’s time to go to sleep. I need to smuggle you out of the house, after all.”
“And then?”
“I’ll wake you up once we’re home.” You rub her head, smiling. “You’ll be safe with me, alright?”
With a click, you zap her, seeing her deflate. You close Katie’s door, readily undressing. It’s the first time you’ll wear your own girlfriend – a layer under your own skin and her sister’s. If you were aroused by her stripping, you’re in heat as you slip your old flesh inside hers, admiring her delightful figure.
You give yourself a good glimpse. Jessica is as beautiful as ever – and now, she’ll be yours. Forever.