The Conversion Booth... 2nd victim

[rododoro3]

Chapter 1

Seeing my first story post on these forums garner so much attention psyched my up so much I pumped out another chapter, in a day.
I did it for you guys. You're welcome.
About Texans... Chapter 4 will have one. (SPOILERS)
Also, don't expect this story to update so quickly.
Chapters are 2000ish words, and although I type pretty fast, that's still a good 2-3 hours of my time. So yeah, once per week is approximately the planned update schedule.
So without further blabbering about my non-majestically daily life, I present to you...

The Conversion Booth, chapter 2
Heheh, it rhymes

I'm about to get back into my truck when a booth near the side of the gas station catches my eye.
"The Conversion Booth." I murmur.
It only costs a quarter, so I fish one out of my wallet and slot it in.
The door slides open unexpectedly.
I step in, and it shuts with the slow hiss of escaping air.

"Welcome to the Conversion Booth V0.0.2!" says a female voice. "In here, you will be able to make yourself the person you've always wanted to be by converting traits you dislike into traits you prefer!"
4 buttons flash on the screen: Body, Head, Traits, and Quit.
"If this thing works, it would be the best ?25 that I ever spent." I murmur.

Ever since I finished university, I felt like my life was stuck in a rut. A degree in Psychology and a degree in Law weren't enough to be eligible for a good job, so I found myself working first as a waiter, then as a trucker.
"And it shows," I say aloud, patting my beer gut.
I'd always wanted to be a businessman, but my parents wouldn't pay for Yale until I agreed to become a doctor.

Maybe I can make that dream come true today.
I click on Traits, and suddenly, all of the traits perfect for a businessman appear. Aggressiveness, Public Speaking, Charm... The lot.
When I try to take Aggressiveness, a window pops up giving me options to pay for the trait, so I exchange my skill in Geology for it.
I feel a warmth flow through me, and I recall the arguments with my parents with disgust. How could I have been so weak?

This seems to be the real deal, though, so I exchange for most of the traits I want until something stands out.
Two things: A Bachelor's in Economics and a Master's in Law.
I click the Economics button, and the only payment option is my Psychology degree.
I hesitate, but then I remember my fantasy of being the CEO of a technological development company.
I click "Exchange."
A moment of confusion follows, when years of study disappear from my brain. Who was Fraid or whatever his name was again?

A flood of knowledge surges back in.
I revel in knowing why monetary exchange rates fluctuate and how you actually buy stock in a public company.
In my bliss, I hurriedly do the same for the Master's in Law.
When I can finally hold my own against a prosecuting attorney, I notice the last trait on the list, IQ.

It's currently set to 99, just a tad above average.
When I try to raise it, a message pops up: ERROR 52: No points left.
This reminds me of a line of text I saw at the beginning, so I switch back to the main menu and hurriedly read the small print.
"All traits except for IQ can be exchanged for other traits or knowledge. IQ needs points from the Body tab to be raised."
I forgot about the other two menus!

Leaving IQ for now, I click on Face.
The entire thing is grayed out, with a winking button obscuring the window:
"TODAY'S SPECIAL: Different Race, Handsome Face. Change your ethnicity for free and have your face changed to portray today's standard of beauty!"
I need to make a confession.

I have always envied the Asians that I studied with. It seemed like they were all terrifically smart, and I couldn't keep up with them.
I have always wanted to be Chinese.
This offer is just too good to resist.
I click Accept, and scroll down to change to Chinese.
I point my finger to Accept, and close my eyes.

I press.
My eyelids involuntarily flutter open when the sensation of being bathed hits my skin.
It starts with my scalp, as my curly black hair, normally cropped short, straightens out and grows to frame my face.
My ebony coloring slowly fades to a light yellow, as my brow becomes less pronounced and my laugh lines are smoothed over, my eyes narrowing.

My high cheekbones become less pronounced as my nose shrinks slightly, my entire face elongating slowly and becoming thinner.
My jaw strengthens and my lips deflate as my stubble shaves itself into a proper goatee, my chin squaring in the process.
As the golden yellow flows down my body, my neck elongates slightly, but that's it.
I take off my clothes to make sure.

Same broad shoulders, same lightly hairy chest, same beer belly, same 6' 4" frame.
I reach into my underwear to make sure.
Yup, still hung like a horse. That's a bonus, if the stereotypes are true.
I turn to the mirror on my right.
Below the neck, the body is mine, just colored differently. But my face is a different story altogether.

Even on this out of shape body, I'm so sexy I would bed myself if I could.
Sometimes it's great to be bi, to be able to appreciate your own newfound beauty.
I switch to the Body tab.
The first thing I do is click on Fat, drag the slider as far left as it can go, then click Accept.
"92 points will be granted, from 92 pounds of fat. Proceed?"
I click yes, and it's like a lead weight just dropped from me.

I do have slight muscular definition, from playing basketball with my friends back at uni, almost 4 years ago, but overall, I'm bone thin.
If I didn't know better, I wouldn't believe I was the same man who walked into the booth only 10 minutes ago.
I go back and click on Muscle.

I love round numbers, so I drag the slider until it displays 50 pounds and press Accept.
"50 points will be used, for 50 pounds of muscle. Proceed?"
I click yes.
The resulting feeling is enough to knock me to the ground.
Perspiration trickles down my face as I writhe in agony, seeing my cords of muscle slowly swell and thicken.

When I still had my native African-American heritage, I used to sweat much more during physical activity, I reflect.
It takes an effort, but I start feeling my new muscles.
My calves slowly expanding, my thighs firming up, like someone who does a fair bit of running.
My waist slightly thickening, my abs tensing into a 6-pack, my pectorals slowly building. I caress the warm muscle, reveling in the feeling of being strong, feeling my own muscles when I move.
I hug my barrel chest, feeling the defined biceps and triceps I've never had until now.

When I catch my breath enough to stand, I see a muscular, hot, sweaty Asian man in the mirror, looking back at me with piercing hazel eyes.
I'm lost in a haze of pleasure for a few more moments.
I manage to regain control of myself, and, panting, go back to the traits menu, clicking on IQ. I'm about to add the rest when I feel a niggle at the back of my mind.
99 plus 42 isn't exactly a round number, and I do have a suspicion I'm slightly too tall for my new heritage, so I quickly shear two inches off my height, marveling at how the 50 pounds of muscle, which, before, had given me a swimmers build, seemed to be more concentrated on my slightly shorter frame.

I go back to IQ, and add my points, totaling 145 IQ. Perfect.
I press accept and click on yes, and it's like cotton has been lifted from my mind.
I easily reason how the booth is configured to react to the user's desires, encouraging them to create their ideal selves, to embody how they always wanted to be.
There has to be a catch, but I'm too engrossed in my own intellect to figure it out, preferring instead to solve mathematical equations from my childhood.

If a genius were ever aware of how his mind is superior to the common man, maybe he were to be happier with his share in life, I reflect.
When I finally decide to press Quit, a pop up window appears.
"Apply Changes to Reality?"
I'm embarrassed at the flow of expletives that erupts from my mouth.
When I finally manage to get a handle on the situation again, I press yes.
A new window, Payment Options, appears.

Feeling the weight of despair suddenly envelop my mind, falling down on my consciousness, gives me an insight to why intellectually gifted people are not happier than the average human. While positive emotions are amplified, so are the negative emotions.
I click the only button on the list...
Height.

"To authorize the transaction, you must first acquire 20 points. This will make you 10 inches shorter, ending up at 5' 4". Proceed or quit without altering reality?"
I click proceed, feeling my mouth dry.
"Processing..."

When the floor slowly rises to meet my gaze, I feel myself slowly getting compacted.
My muscular development, which was impressive, but not extraordinary, is compressed into my significantly smaller frame.
Where before my biceps were the size of cantaloupes, they're slowly swelling, approaching the size of my head.

My thicker waist, almost ridiculously thin on my once taller body, is suddenly much more bulky. Instead of a tapered V shape, my torso is more like a trapeze.
My thighs are so well developed, I can see I'll have difficulty fitting into any pair of store bought pants, and my calves are shapely diamonds.
When the floor finally appears stationary, I risk looking into the mirror again.
Where before was a model, now there is an extreme bodybuilder.
Where before was a V, now there is a fireplug.

My genitalia, which were proportionately quite small compared to my body, appear obscene, longer than 1/6 of my height... while flaccid.
When I finally manage to cheer up, I notice that, while the damage is done, I'm still an extraordinarily handsome bodybuilder.
Taking my correspondingly extraordinary intellect into account, I predict that I will adapt to this stronger body very quickly.

I face the screen.
"Transaction has been authorized. Proceed? Y/N."
I press Yes immediately.

I blink once, and notice my glasses aren't in their usual place. I give them a quick wipe, and readjust them.
When they're gently nestled on the bridge of my nose, I check the time.
"I've been in here for half an hour?!" I exclaim.
I take a quick look in the mirror.

My hazel eyes flash from behind my lenses.
My hair, neatly cut and styled professionally.
My suit is still unwrinkled, hugging my muscular frame in all the right places.
I flex for a few minutes, savoring the feel of the cloth straining to contain my body, until I get a hold of myself.
"Since everything seems in order, it's quite troubling that I've wasted nearly 40 minutes of my time here, in this booth." I murmur.

I suddenly think of an unfamiliar African American.
He's smiling.
I feel a pang of longing, a flicker of recognition, a spark of hope... and then it's gone.
Since I'm already running late, I dismiss it as a stress-wrought hallucination, and, exiting the booth, make my way to my car.
My phone rings.

"Hello, is this... Mr. Yuan?" says a voice I place immediately. The handsome man I encountered at the patisserie earlier, the man who chatted me up, and made me smile.
In return, I had given him my number, but I didn't expect him to call so quickly.
"You've reached me, kind sir. What business do you enquire about?" I reply, letting a hint of teasing slip into my tone.

"I would like to arrange a meeting to enquire about your services, preferably tonight."
The new advertisement concept can wait a few more hours.
"Very well then. Is the Genevieve Restaurant a suitable place for this enquiry?"
He laughs, but manages to confirm it seriously.
"Delightful. I will meet you there in an hour." I struggle not to laugh as well.

The genie watches Michael Yuan fondly.
"A man who can brave my price and still have a fulfilling life, without falling into my trap, deserves a gift..." she remarks.
She blows a goodbye kiss.
"May you enjoy the rendezvous with your future loving, smart, kind, submissive, muscular, wonderful, and, above all, horny as hell husband, Mr. Yuan."
The Conversion Booth flickers out of existence, waiting for yet another victim.


Chapter 3

[darkluster4]

This is actually very entertaining. I would personally see it as a challenge to figure out how the thing worked, and then find a way to maximize the return. Is there any way to see what all the general options are, and their various point values/ratios? (If anything I would like to try to make this a kind of game like dungeons and dragons where you can spend points to buy stats. )

[rododoro3]

Originally Posted by darkluster4

This is actually very entertaining. I would personally see it as a challenge to figure out how the thing worked, and then find a way to maximize the return. Is there any way to see what all the general options are, and their various point values/ratios? (If anything I would like to try to make this a kind of game like dungeons and dragons where you can spend points to buy stats. )

Ooh, entertaining. That's my goal, so I guess I've succeeded.
So you accept the challenge of the booth?

-/start of rambling
Jeannie the Genie (SPOILER: you'll learn her name in the next chapter) is too clever. Eons of granting wishes have given her a wonderful education in loopholes.
About the return. Say that somehow, for whatever reason, not only have you managed to give yourself the body of your dreams, you have so many points left you buy out the special, secret hidden traits of inbuilt sexiness and hypnotism... to alter reality, you must pay the price she chooses (she can choose to royally screw you over, for example, dropping your libido until you don't get hard at all. Ever) OR decline and become a/n illegal immigrant/criminal/suspect in kidnapping or murder of your former self. So maximizing return works in theory, but Jeannie can be a bitch sometimes.
But say you manage to give yourself a good bod, and don't alter reality, and get a fake passport and everything you need to prevent from being deported or imprisoned. You remember that Jeannie operates with points.
Say that in your case, you exchanged fat for points and used those to build muscles. You decide to get fat, and somehow acquire the funds to track down the Conversion Booth. So you step inside.
And get a surprise.
Jeannie changes the prices. And the deals. And the traits.
Every new chapter involves a new version of the booth, so if, by any chance, you do manage to outsmart her reality change safety net, she can still screw you over by making you pay to remove less desirable qualities (I say less desirable, because some people are turned on by being overweight or overweight people).
And yeah, about the game...
This is Jeannie's game.
In the next chapter (hint hint) she has some say in the traits and upgrades the victim chooses.
Of course, it would be fun to see how people outsmart her, and she may eventually be kind and let someone get away with a mind-blowingly amazing body and/or a mind, but I set the story to my own format, playing on tales of the Genie. They'll give you whatever you ask for, but will ALWAYS find a way to fuck you up, simply because they're bored and have more experience.
-/end of rambling

Thank you for the criticism and praise
If you want to write a spin-off and have it as a game, sure! I don't mind if people parody/rip off my story as long as they give credit and don't repost it on sites I haven't authorized. So yeah, go for it.

[DSGBaug]

Great stories and I agree it would be cool to see someone try to out smart the machine and get either this jaw dropping body everybody drools over or intellect and better yet if someone decided not to alter reality but step out the booth and shock like an old bully or friend or girlfriend something like that. My 2 cents

[rododoro3]

Originally Posted by DSGBaug

Great stories and I agree it would be cool to see someone try to out smart the machine and get either this jaw dropping body everybody drools over or intellect and better yet if someone decided not to alter reality but step out the booth and shock like an old bully or friend or girlfriend something like that. My 2 cents

Good point.
Maybe instead of physical changes, have them boost their metabolism, their intellect, and some other things, and have then achieve their desired size over time.
Hmm.

[Aardvark2]

Just wanted to say that I'm enjoying reading your work, and it's always fun to have a new muscle growth writer on these boards - way to go and keep it up! I'm honored to have inspired you. If you want to ask any questions about Boothing (heh, is that a real phrase?) and whatnot, feel free to PM me.

[tekuno]

Just a quick quibble: by definition, an IQ of 99 is actually just slightly LESS than average, not above it. (The average is 100; that's how the scale is set.)

[rododoro3]

Originally Posted by tekuno

Just a quick quibble: by definition, an IQ of 99 is actually just slightly LESS than average, not above it. (The average is 100; that's how the scale is set.)

Thank you, point taken . For some reason, I remembered the global average being set at 96.
Do note that in the USA, the average IQ is actually 97, so I could argue that, since the story was set in the US, the victim was speaking about the average US citizen's IQ. And I will use that argument xD.
I'll keep it in mind for future reference, though.

Source

[tekuno]

Whoa, you mean that the U.S., the country where people think tax cuts for the rich will balance the budget, political pundits seriously use the descriptor "Communist Nazi", creationism and global warming denialism are both practically government-protected positions, gun control is basically forbidden as a topic for serious conversation even though the death rate by gun violence is something like 20 to 30 times that of countries with gun control, and a religion which has more than 70% of the population as its devotees regularly announces that it is "persecuted" has, on average, low intelligence? You shock me, sir.

[darkluster4]

Originally Posted by tekuno

Whoa, you mean that the U.S., the country where people think tax cuts for the rich will balance the budget, political pundits seriously use the descriptor "Communist Nazi", creationism and global warming denialism are both practically government-protected positions, gun control is basically forbidden as a topic for serious conversation even though the death rate by gun violence is something like 20 to 30 times that of countries with gun control, and a religion which has more than 70% of the population as its devotees regularly announces that it is "persecuted" has, on average, low intelligence? You shock me, sir.

I am not going to get into a political and philosophical debate on this page. I will simply state that I disagree with some of your statement, and would like to point out that this is probably not the place to try and incite a flame war. Though I doubt that was your intent.

[rododoro3]

Originally Posted by tekuno

Whoa, you mean that the U.S., the country where people think tax cuts for the rich will balance the budget, political pundits seriously use the descriptor "Communist Nazi", creationism and global warming denialism are both practically government-protected positions, gun control is basically forbidden as a topic for serious conversation even though the death rate by gun violence is something like 20 to 30 times that of countries with gun control, and a religion which has more than 70% of the population as its devotees regularly announces that it is "persecuted" has, on average, low intelligence? You shock me, sir.

I'd like to point out that although all the issues you raised are very valid (I take the issues of religion, taxation cuts and gun control most seriously), none of them are actually representative of IQ, which is not a measure of how "smart" you can be, but rather of your ability to process things.
Of course, as with most things, it can be argued both ways; that the government won't agree to changes because its officials cannot process the information and benefits properly, but...
I'd rather not have controversy in my thread, so, if that wasn't a one-shot, want to PM me? I'm always interested in hearing another persin's views, especially one who isn't afraid to speak of relevant and important issues, such as you.
(And, just saying, the US doesn't place that low if you compare its average IQ to other countries')

[tekuno]

Originally Posted by rododoro3

I'd like to point out that although all the issues you raised are very valid (I take the issues of religion, taxation cuts and gun control most seriously), none of them are actually representative of IQ, which is not a measure of how "smart" you can be, but rather of your ability to process things.
Of course, as with most things, it can be argued both ways; that the government won't agree to changes because its officials cannot process the information and benefits properly, but...
I'd rather not have controversy in my thread, so, if that wasn't a one-shot, want to PM me? I'm always interested in hearing another persin's views, especially one who isn't afraid to speak of relevant and important issues, such as you.
(And, just saying, the US doesn't place that low if you compare its average IQ to other countries')

Just one last one, citing no examples to keep controversy out of it, and then I'll stop: the U.S. is a representative democracy. That means that if the government is dysfunctional in the same way over the long term -- and it is; most of the solvable problems have been there since at least Reagan; some very much longer -- it means that a majority of the population either (A) can't spot patterns well enough to stop voting for the sort of politician who makes these problems worse or (B) can't spot patterns well enough to vote in order to prevent other people from voting in politicians who make these problems worse. (That is, both the people who vote for fools and the people who don't vote at all -- who outnumber the ones who vote for fools and could easily make them irrelevant -- necessarily are displaying the kind of behavior which suggests a low IQ.)