It all started as a normal, if somewhat embarrassing, day for Maddy Banks. Maddy was going to be late. She wove through pack of jocks loitering in front of their lockers as she made her way across the school, her eyes trained on her feet as she stepped quickly down the hall. Her tennis shoes smacked on the grimy tiles, audible even over the din of conversation around her.
It was May, and Maddy was enjoying the bittersweet last few weeks of high school. As a senior, she'd soon shake the dust of Millworth High off her shoes and graduate. Then she'd be free to move on with her life, to what she hoped would be bigger and better things. Millworth was a small town, so the high school loomed large in the minds of its citizens. Men at the grocery store talked about the football team's last performance against Evanston or Terrance Hills and speculated about the quarterback's college prospects; Women at the salon gossiped about the cheerleading squad's chances at the regional tournament and where they should take their daughters shopping for a prom dress. Maddy knew there was more to life than student council and Spanish finals, and she longed for the days when she'd finally be able to discover it. Until then, however, she was stuck at Millworth High.
For dreamers like Maddy, Millworth was an abysmal little place, a brick and mortar prison for wandering minds. Like many other schools like it, Millworth was a proving ground, a veritable Serengeti of raging hormones and endless drama. Maddy kept to herself. She was a plain girl, with frizzy brown hair and a slim figure. She possessed a clear, pale complexion with wide cheeks and dark brown eyes. She sometimes felt blessed because of her plain looks because it spared her the wrath of her peers, who were quick to judge to tiniest of imperfections. Other times, she wished she had the good looks that many of her female classmates flaunted. On days like today, when Maddy was tired and stressed, the school seemed like a killing floor. Maddy picked up the pace, eager to make it to her next class so she could finally sit down. Briefly, her thoughts drifted to her lunch and the leftover Chinese she had packed in her bag. It proved to be a fatal mistake.
Rounding the corner from the opposite direction came Jessica Hynes. In the tiny town of Millworth, Jessica Hynes may as well have been royalty, and she knew it. Her father was a big shot real estate developer, and had his hands in half the town, making her one of the richest girls in school. As if that wasn't enough, she was drop dead gorgeous in a way few girls her age could ever hope to be. At 18, Jessica was nearly six feet tall. Years of volleyball practice had given her a lean physique, and Mother Nature had done the rest. She had long, wavy blonde hair that fell nearly to the small of her back. Today, it was pulled back behind her ears, perfectly framing her heart-shaped face. She wore skinny jeans which accentuated her muscular thighs, and a tight vest over her blouse that drew the eye right toward her perky double Ds. Maddy turned her head up just in time to catch Jessica's icy blue eyes furiously drilling down into her before the two girls collided at full speed.
The force of the blow caused Jessica to stumble, and she took a step back before balancing on her back heel. Maddy, who was much smaller than Jessica, was knocked back onto her butt. She hit the floor hard, her book bag sliding off her shoulder onto the floor. Jessica was quick to reprimand her clumsy subject. She mustered all of the disdain she could, her lip curling into a sneer.
“Watch it, you dumb fucking virgin!”
Maddy closed her eyes, holding back tears. Whatever happened, she was not going to cry in front of the likes of Jessica Hynes. She knew without looking that the rest of the hall was looking at her, her ass on the floor in the middle of the hall. Her cheeks flushed red. She hoped desperately that the moment would simply end. And for some strange reason, it did.
When Maddy opened her eyes, she found that everything around her had completely disappeared, save for Jessica Hynes. Though she remained seated, the hallway, her classmates, the lockers, all of it had simply vanished. Maddy blinked. Inky blackness pressed in from all sides where her school had been only a moment before. For a moment, the two girls looked around, dumbfounded. Jessica took a few exploratory steps forward, wondering of she would fall right through whatever was holding them in position into the swirling nothingness below.
“Wh- what's happening?” She asked. Her voice wavered, all traces of anger disappearing. “What did you do?”
Maddy shook her head.
“I didn't do this. I didn't do anything, I swear!”
A third voice spoke only a few feet away, piercing the odd silence of the odd nowhere-place with low and melodious tones.
“That was me,” it said.
Maddy stood to face the sudden voice, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Jessica's eyes went wide with fright, and she clamped her jaw shut to stifle a scream. Just as quickly as the school had vanished there appeared a tall skinny man out of the nothingness. Wearing a crisp gray suit and a red tie, he looked as if he had stepped in from Barry's, the local used car dealership. His black hair was slicked back across his skull, and his beady green eyes darted between the two girls with reptilian hunger.
“What did you do to us you, you freak?” said Jessica. Her legs were shaking, but her voice betrayed none of her fear. The man took a step away from them, his palms turned upward.
“I assure you no harm will come to you here,” he said. “I've only briefly plucked you from your mortal realm so that we may speak more... intimately. I have a once-in-a-lifetime proposal for the two of you.”
The man hung on the last word for a moment, his thin lips widening into a predatory smile.
Maddy found her voice.
“What do you want? What is this place?”
The man walked slowly to the side, pacing a lazy circle around the two girls.
“What, this? It's difficult to explain. I suppose it's sort of like an envelope in time in space, just big enough for the three of us. I call it the Zone, and I am its Keeper. But to your first question, what I want is a little excitement. And I'm willing to pay you unimaginable rewards for it, I assure you.”
The two girls looked at each other uneasily. The man continued.
“I'm an observer, if you like. I watch your realm like the television that you mortals consume like oxygen. But my powers are limited. I can't... change the channel, if you will. I've watched your worthless little town for a long, long time, since it was just a speck of unassuming prairie. I've seen your many families rise and fall since then, generation after generation. Great monuments raised and ground to dust. And you are all terribly boring.”
Jessica had enough.
“Who cares, you slimy fuckwad? Let us go!” she yelled. The man raised his hand.
“In good time, my dear,” he said, raising his voice a little to silence her. “Indeed, why should you care? What are the troubles of an immortal, inter-dimensional being to the likes of the great Jessica Hynes?”
Jessica did a double take as the man said her name.
“Yes,” he said. “As I've said, I've been watching you for a long time. But now, I've finally hoarded enough power to make things... interesting. And that's where you come in. You're going to make things fun. And in return-”
Maddy shook her head.
“Not going to happen,” she said, imitating Jessica's commanding tone. “Fuckwad,” she added.
The man raised an eyebrow. Maddy continued.
“You kidnap us and want us to work for you? Dance like your little puppets? Screw you, let us go! We won't do anything for you.”
The Keeper's jaw tightened for a moment, but he let out a slow sigh.
“Please, let me finish,” he said. “I've given this a great deal of thought, and in any case, you have no choice in the matter. What I'm proposing is a sort of... game. Complete the challenges that I assign to you, and you will be rewarded in ways you never thought possible. Fail, and you will be humiliated and punished.”
“Why would I agree to that?” asked Jessica.
“Why wouldn't you?” asked the man, his voice booming. “I've seen how your life will end up. You'll get a cushy job working for your father, marry a rich investment type, have two bratty kids and a divorce. You'll die unfulfilled and unhappy. Terribly unoriginal. Don't you want more out of your life? Don't you want real thrills? Real power? And you, Maddy, I know you can relate to my problem. You hate your life as it is today. You hope for a more exciting future, but secretly you feel it isn't coming. You'll go to a state college and slave away at a desk job you hate, under-payed and under-appreciated, until you meet a nobody to settle down with. But isn't excitement what you've always craved? Don't you want to be envied? Desired? Surely you've always imagined better things for yourself. And I can give them to you! Both of you! This is an opportunity, you see? I have the ability to change your lives in ways you can faintly even imagine.”
Jessica and Maddy exchanged glances again. The were both still afraid of the way the man looked at them, but his words seemed to ring true. He had, after all, somehow transported them to the “envelope” in which they now found themselves.
“So... what?” said Jessica, still thinking. “You're like a genie, or something?”
The man chuckled.
“Hardly. But I do possess the same sort of... potential. Let me show you.”
The man reached out his hand. Between where he was standing and the two girls rose a marble pedestal, like a stone fish jumping from the depths to greet them. On top it sat a wide gold chalice, studded with rubies and emeralds. It glittered, casting lights all around them like stars. Gold coins filled it to the brim, ready to spill out at any moment. Jessica moved toward it, mystified. She reached out her hand. Just before she could touch it, it disappeared, evaporating into gray smoke.
“So what's the catch?” said Maddy. She was not as convinced by the man's display. “Why the two of us?”
“Ah yes,” the man said, drawing out the words for dramatic effect. “The 'catch'. You see, I brought the two of you because you represent an interesting potential for conflict. On one hand, the vicious but beautiful queen of Millworth, who wants to hold the world in her hand. On the other, the brainy but unassuming Maddy, who desperately wishes to one day best her. It's quite interesting, if you ask me. But as I said before, this is a game. Each challenge will have a winner, who will receive a wondrous reward. But each challenge will also have a loser. Succeed, and be rewarded. Fail, and be punished.”
“And if we refuse?” asked Maddy.
“So be it,” said the man. “Opt out. Go back to your 4th period class. Forget your supernatural encounter. Live boring lives. Maybe in a few years, I'll be able to choose others in your place. But you both are in this together, understand? If one of you plays, you both play.”
The man clapped his hands.
“Enough chatter!” he said. “I've waited too long for this! On to the first challenge!”
As if coming into focus, the scene of Maddy and Jessica's collision returned. The hallway sprang up around them, banishing the Zone in a flash of white light. The hall was completely deserted. The man still stood next to them, though he appeared hazy and translucent, like a ghost in a cheesy horror movie.
“It's nearly lunch time,” said the man. “Nobody has missed your sudden and unexplained absence here. Ugh. What color is that that wall, anyway? Puke green? It seems much worse in person, somehow. But what am I saying? The first challenge!”
The man clapped his hands again, which echoed in the empty hall.
“I call it, the Test of Love. In this very high school is a young man named Ryan Heron. Ryan is a senior, like you. Except he's invisible. Forgotten. Left alone on the dust heap of all the single men of Millworth. He's had awful last few years, and his desperate wish is that some girl, any girl at all, will finally notice him before the end of school. Tragic, truly. And highly unlikely. Well, at least until now. One of you will make Ryan's wish come true. Be the first to find Ryan and plant a kiss on his lips, and you will win the challenge.”
“What?!” yelled Jessica. “That's nuts, man. You want us to kiss Ryan Heron? He's a bigger virgin than Maddy!”
“Hey!” protested Maddy.
The Keeper shook his head.
“I'm afraid that's the challenge, my dear. Take it or leave it. Now listen up. There's some important things I should mention. First of all, nobody will notice you coming and going from the Zone. But that's the extend of my interference in your world on your behalf. If you break the rules of your school, I won't save you from the evil eye of Principal Miriam. Same if you break the law. Or your mother's prized vase! But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try these things, oh no! As long as you don't do anything to interfere with the progress of the other, er, contestant, then it's fair game! Oh, and happy hunting!”
With that, the Keeper disappeared in a puff of black smoke, leaving the two girls alone in the hallway. For a moment they said nothing, their minds racing with the bizarre turn of events that had just engulfed them both. They sat in complete silence, broken only by the rhythmic tick of the clock in the hall.
“That was... different,” managed Jessica. “And like, totally and completely crazy. Did all of that just happen?”
Maddy nodded her head slowly.
“I guess it did,” she said quietly.
“So... what the hell do we do?” Asked Jessica. “If it's all the same to you, I mean, screw it. I will never, ever speak of this again. Not ever. Is that good with you?”
Maddy nodded again, more vigorously this time.
“Oh God, yes,” she said. “I don't want anything to do with that Keeper's game or whatever. Hell no.”
“Then it's agreed,” Jessica said. “You and I shall never speak of this again.”
“Or ever again,” added Maddy.
“Great,” said Jessica, forcing a smile. “That's great then.”
Maddy walked to lunch, her head still swirling. She didn't know what to make of the Keeper and his little game. Were there really inter-dimensional creeps that made sport out of people like that? It seemed too outrageous to be true. But Jessica had been there too. It hadn't been a dream. Maddy reached the lunch room, a wide room with a low ceiling and a view of the school's athletic fields. Life at Millworth had continued at full speed without Maddy and Jessica, and the room was packed with students. Maddy made her way to her usual table at the back and sat down next to her friend Carly Hammond. Carly was Maddy's closest friend at Millworth. A tall and skinny track star, the two of them had met in first period English and became fast friends. Today, Maddy was just glad to see her.
“What happened to you?” asked Carly. “You look like 4th period was a tornado.”
Pulling out her lunch and setting it on the table, Maddy numbly ate her chow mein without answering.
“Um, hello? Maddy?” plied Carly. “You OK in there?”
Maddy snapped out of it.
“Yeah, sure,” she said. “I just had a run-in with Jessica Hynes. Last period. No biggie.”
Carly inhaled sharply.
“Yeah,” she said. “I heard. Sounded pret-ty bad the way Miles told it. Pret-ty awful.”
“It was no big deal,” repeated Maddy. “Let's not talk about it, alright?”
As she ate, Maddy kept thinking about what the Keeper had said about her. Had he been right about her? Did she really want to be like Jessica Hynes, and be queen of a dump like Millworth? It was true that she was a little jealous of her looks. But what girl at Millworth wasn't? Jessica was one of the hottest girls in school, which was the entire planet, as far as Millworth was concerned. And how did Ryan Heron fit into all of this?
Ryan was a lot like Maddy. They had both had Ms. Reamer for Spanish. He hadn't stuck out much to her. He was average height and average built, if a little on the chubby side. Maddy couldn't remember, but she thought he was in the band. Or was it hockey? They had only talked two or three times in their years at school. Maddy didn't think he was quite the charity case that they Keeper had described. She couldn't help but wonder if he was connected to the Keeper somehow. The Keeper had mentioned he had wished a girl would notice him. Was the Keeper trying to literally grant his wish by indirectly engaging her and Jessica in his game? Maddy turned to Carly.
“Hey,” she said. “Do you know Ryan Heron?”
“Sure,” replied Carly. “He's in my Calc class. Why? You got the hots for him or something?”
Maddy grinned sheepishly.
“No!” she said. “I just had to ask him about something for Spanish. Do you know who he eats with?”
“No. He probably sits outside on the steps with Reggie and them.”
Maddy stood up, finishing off the last bite of her noodles.
“Worth a try,” she said. Seeya.”
Maddy marched for the front doors of the school, her mind heavy with questions. She was nearly to the entrance when Todd Jones appeared out of nowhere. The tall football lineman sauntered over to her, his chest inflated with confidence as if he had just performed a sack to the adoration of hundreds of fans. Maddy tried to sidestep him, but he moved with her, blocking her path.
“Hey, Maddy!” he called. “Just the girl I was looking for. Uh. Do you have any gum?”
Maddy paused, surprised. Todd Jones had never spoken to her once in the last four years, let alone ask her for gum like he was her buddy.
“No, I don't,” she said. “Sorry.”
“Well, that's fine!” he said, his voice oddly strained. “I just really wanted to talk to you, any way. You're in Oliver's after school volunteer thing at the food shelf, right? Cause I'm thinking of getting into like, helping people, you know?”
Maddy put her hand to her face to conceal her exasperation.
“Yes, whatever. Fine,” she said. “Look, you can talk to Oliver in person yourself, OK? He has the sign up. I need to see Ryan Heron.”
Maddy tried to move past Todd again, but he moved in time with her, staying in front of her to block her way to the front entrance.
“Don't you want to talk a little?” he asked. “About it, I mean. The food shelf thing. You'll be there right? How about... that Evans kid? Drake? Or Sally Logarth?”
Maddy gave up trying to be polite.
“Will you just let me through? What's your deal, any way? Do you really want to help the Student Council with the food drive?”
Todd snorted.
“No,” he said. “But Jessica Hynes gave me this and told me to tell you all about it anyway.”
Todd reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. Maddy couldn't help but stare at it, confused.
“Wait,” she said. “Jessica Hynes. Paid you. Twenty dollars to talk to me?”
“Easy money,” he said. “Talk to you later.”
Todd finally moved his huge frame out of Maddy's path. She rushed past him, pushing open the front doors to the school. As the cool spring breeze hit her face, she surveyed the school grounds for Reggie Yates and his group of friends. She didn't have to look for long. On the grass in front of the school not 30 yards away stood Ryan Heron. Next to him stood Jessica Hynes. Without ceremony, she grabbed the side of his head and pulled him in for a long kiss on the lips.
The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
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The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Ravenwood » Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:57 pm
Last edited by Ravenwood on Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Ravenwood
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Ravenwood » Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:59 pm
CHAPTER II
Instantly, the sunny cement steps beneath Maddy's feat melted away into the blackness of the Zone. Next to her stood Jessica Hynes, who wiped her lips.
“What the hell, Jessica?” screamed Maddy. Her face was red with rage. She spit as she spoke, flecks of saliva flying off into the nothingness.
“Whatever happened to never speak of this again? Are you that much of a backstabbing- a backstabbing-”
Jessica finished her sentence.
“Bitch?” she said. “No. I was just curious to see what would happen. Weren't you? Isn't that why you were going to see him too?”
“NO!” screamed Maddy, even louder than before. “ I wasn't! Because I'm not a shitty person who breaks a promise that they literally just made like 5 minutes earlier. What the shit?”
Jessica shrugged, obviously unconcerned with Maddy's unbridled fury. Maddy could barely contain herself. She ran her hands through her hair to prevent them from wringing Jessica's neck. Jessica was a terrible person. But she had been that before. Now, however, her behavior had sent the two of them back to the Zone. In front of them stood the Keeper, who looked like he was about to burst with happiness. His reptilian eyes were full of glee.
“Amazing!” he said. “And so quickly, too! I was worried you'd be chasing him down for hours and tedious hours. Incredible! Ah, the look of surprise on his face when you kissed him was exquisite, I must say. Exquisite! I haven't had this much fun in millenia. And did you give him a bit of tongue as well?”
Jessica rolled her eyes.
“I wasn't sure how much I had to kiss him to win,” she explained. “You sort of left that part out.”
“I left it open to interpretation,” insisted the Keeper. He laughing quietly to himself. “And did you ever interpret. And now, your reward!”
With a grand flourish, the Keeper bowed to Jessica.
“To the winner of the Test of Love, I shall grant you a single enhancement.”
Jessica cocked her head to the side.
“Enhancement? What do you mean?”
“As I said before, my power to change your world is, shall we say, limited? I shall change you to give you what you desire, of course, just as I promised I would. But I can only alter you. Alter you, and I alter your life. What will it be then, dear?”
Jessica shifted from foot to foot, anxious. Maddy was pacing back and forth angrily, but she was too interested in what might happen next to interrupt.
“What is it you desire, dear Jessica? It is in my power to make you into a goddess among women, bit by precious bit.”
“I still want what you promised,” said Jessica. She paused a moment, looking down at her feet a moment. “I want... power. Influence. You were kinda right about me, I guess. Millworth is a crummy little town. I want it all.”
“And perhaps you shall have it,” said the Keeper. “For your first reward, I shall give you the power of the Hypnotic Gaze. People will bend to your will when they lock eyes with you, their own wills softened by the power of your eyes. They will drop gifts at your feet for even a a single moment of your time. Only Maddy here will be immune to your charms.”
Maddy watched as Jessica put her fingers to her face. She saw it changing shape, as if it were being molded by a sculptor. Her skin rose and fell in little ripples. First, her cheekbones came to the forefront, lifting higher and more prominent on her face. Her eyebrows became darker and more defined, slimming into an alluring solid line on her brow. Then her chin shrank slightly, pulling into a sharper point to further accent her face's natural heart shape. Her eyes changed most of all. They shifted from an icy blue to a shimmering sapphire, and became larger and more luminous. The changes were minor, but the effect was startling. Even Maddy, who was supposedly immune to the effect, felt herself drawn into Jessica's gaze. The twin pools of deep blue seemed to be full of endless depth and mystery. Jessica had been pretty before, but now she had an exotic air about her, something that was impossible to place by looking at her, and yet equally impossible to resist.
The Keeper produces a silver mirror, which he held in front of Jessica's face.
“Holy shit,” said Jessica, her voice catching in her throat. “I guess you're for real then, huh Keeper? I look hot.”
“Indeed I am,” he replied. “And indeed you do.”
Maddy finally found her voice, her rage boiling over her surprise at Jessica's transformation.
“This isn't fair!” she said. “Jessica totally cheated. She lied to me!”
The Keeper shook his head slowly.
“I'm afraid lying is well within the boundaries of the game, dear Maddy. Jessica is the winner. Although she did put that lunk Todd into your path, didn't she? And for that, I shall assign a penalty.”
Jessica's jaw dropped.
“What?” she said. “C'mon, Keeper. I won that kissing thing fair and square.”
“No,” replied the Keeper. “Not quite. I was very clear on rules, if you recall. You were not allowed to interfere with the other contestant in this challenge. And interfere you did. You got Todd to stand in her way for a cheap bribe. And for that you will receive a penalty.”
“Like what?” she said dismissively. “You going to reduce my score?”
“No,” he said. “I'm simply going to even the playing field a little. Maddy, what is something that you admire about Jessica and why?”
“I'm sorry, what?” asked Maddy. “I have to compliment her?”
The Keeper nodded. Maddy waved her hand. What wasn't there to admire about little Miss Perfect, aside from her B grade point average? She was rich and stylish. She was hot. And she was a star volleyball player.
“Her athleticism,” said Maddy. “because it took hard work. I've seen her play a few times and she's good. Damn good. And not because she bought her skills or anything. She worked hard and is better than I could ever be. I heard she's got a scholarship, even.”
The Keeper closed his eyes, as if he was deep in thought about Maddy's comment. He nodded a few times to himself before speaking.
“I see,” he said finally. “I agree. She is a great volleyball player. A star. Such a shame. It is done. Maddy, I give you Jessica's athleticism, and all of her skill to come.”
It was Jessica's turn to be outraged.
“WHAT?” she screamed. “What the hell kind of penalty is that! I did your stupid little game, you can't take things from me!”
Maddy felt tingly all over. Her raced with new memories, scenes of Jessica's athletic career speeding through her mind's eye like a movie on fast forward. She saw Jessica as a girl, bumping a volleyball in her backyard. Then she saw her as a middle schooler, practicing drills with the JV team. There she was in after school, lifting weights in the gym, grunting with exertion. Each time a memory appeared, Jessica was erased. Instead, Maddy found herself standing in Jessica's place, watching herself practice volleyball. Now she was drilling in the gym instead of Jessica. Then she was lifting weights in the gym, sweating and breathing hard. As the hundreds of memories shot through her head, changes started to shoot through her body. In each memory, the image of Jessica was stripped away and Maddy found herself standing in her place.
Her arms thickened, bands of muscle forming on her shoulders, biceps, and triceps. She could feel a volleyball striking her forearms over and over and over again like a leather jack hammer. Her arms toughened, millions of strikes conditioning her arms in seconds. Maddy lifted her shirt as the thin layer of baby fat on her stomach melted like water in a hot pan, revealing washboard abs underneath. Her legs grew in leaps and bounds, pounds of muscle pouring in until they threatened to burst the seams on her shorts. Her flat ass grew outward, a hard seat of muscle forming from season after season of squatting and jumping. Years of hard work fell upon her in moments. She felt as if she may fall to the ground beneath the weight of all the changes. But her new body was strong enough to handle it. She felt fast and powerful like never before. She lifted a leg experimentally, throwing it into a karate kick. It responded effortlessly, her quads bulging with glorious effort.
“All right!” she said.
Jessica, meanwhile, seemed to shrink. Though she remained the same height, the collective effect on her body made her seem smaller, diminished. Her legs became skinny and weak, her piston-like thighs melting away until her previously tight jeans threatened to slip right off of her hips. Her arms whittled down to twigs. As the muscle drained from her back, her posture crumbled and her shoulders stooped slightly forward under the suddenly heavy weight of her tits. She retained her curves, which filled in as the percentage of fat in her body increased slightly. An extra layer of padding sprang onto her hips, and her breasts engorged slightly, causing her shoulders to stoop another centimeter further as they jiggled lower on her frame and added a cup size of flab.
Jessica huffed with what remained of her rage, tempered by her transformation. She felt tired, suddenly, as if simply standing around had become a chore. She tugged at the waist of her pants, which had become a little tight with her newly penalized figure.
“This is such bullshit!” she complained.
“And that concludes our first challenge, ladies,” said the Keeper. “A rather surprising outcome, I'd say. Are you prepared for Round Two?”
Instantly, the sunny cement steps beneath Maddy's feat melted away into the blackness of the Zone. Next to her stood Jessica Hynes, who wiped her lips.
“What the hell, Jessica?” screamed Maddy. Her face was red with rage. She spit as she spoke, flecks of saliva flying off into the nothingness.
“Whatever happened to never speak of this again? Are you that much of a backstabbing- a backstabbing-”
Jessica finished her sentence.
“Bitch?” she said. “No. I was just curious to see what would happen. Weren't you? Isn't that why you were going to see him too?”
“NO!” screamed Maddy, even louder than before. “ I wasn't! Because I'm not a shitty person who breaks a promise that they literally just made like 5 minutes earlier. What the shit?”
Jessica shrugged, obviously unconcerned with Maddy's unbridled fury. Maddy could barely contain herself. She ran her hands through her hair to prevent them from wringing Jessica's neck. Jessica was a terrible person. But she had been that before. Now, however, her behavior had sent the two of them back to the Zone. In front of them stood the Keeper, who looked like he was about to burst with happiness. His reptilian eyes were full of glee.
“Amazing!” he said. “And so quickly, too! I was worried you'd be chasing him down for hours and tedious hours. Incredible! Ah, the look of surprise on his face when you kissed him was exquisite, I must say. Exquisite! I haven't had this much fun in millenia. And did you give him a bit of tongue as well?”
Jessica rolled her eyes.
“I wasn't sure how much I had to kiss him to win,” she explained. “You sort of left that part out.”
“I left it open to interpretation,” insisted the Keeper. He laughing quietly to himself. “And did you ever interpret. And now, your reward!”
With a grand flourish, the Keeper bowed to Jessica.
“To the winner of the Test of Love, I shall grant you a single enhancement.”
Jessica cocked her head to the side.
“Enhancement? What do you mean?”
“As I said before, my power to change your world is, shall we say, limited? I shall change you to give you what you desire, of course, just as I promised I would. But I can only alter you. Alter you, and I alter your life. What will it be then, dear?”
Jessica shifted from foot to foot, anxious. Maddy was pacing back and forth angrily, but she was too interested in what might happen next to interrupt.
“What is it you desire, dear Jessica? It is in my power to make you into a goddess among women, bit by precious bit.”
“I still want what you promised,” said Jessica. She paused a moment, looking down at her feet a moment. “I want... power. Influence. You were kinda right about me, I guess. Millworth is a crummy little town. I want it all.”
“And perhaps you shall have it,” said the Keeper. “For your first reward, I shall give you the power of the Hypnotic Gaze. People will bend to your will when they lock eyes with you, their own wills softened by the power of your eyes. They will drop gifts at your feet for even a a single moment of your time. Only Maddy here will be immune to your charms.”
Maddy watched as Jessica put her fingers to her face. She saw it changing shape, as if it were being molded by a sculptor. Her skin rose and fell in little ripples. First, her cheekbones came to the forefront, lifting higher and more prominent on her face. Her eyebrows became darker and more defined, slimming into an alluring solid line on her brow. Then her chin shrank slightly, pulling into a sharper point to further accent her face's natural heart shape. Her eyes changed most of all. They shifted from an icy blue to a shimmering sapphire, and became larger and more luminous. The changes were minor, but the effect was startling. Even Maddy, who was supposedly immune to the effect, felt herself drawn into Jessica's gaze. The twin pools of deep blue seemed to be full of endless depth and mystery. Jessica had been pretty before, but now she had an exotic air about her, something that was impossible to place by looking at her, and yet equally impossible to resist.
The Keeper produces a silver mirror, which he held in front of Jessica's face.
“Holy shit,” said Jessica, her voice catching in her throat. “I guess you're for real then, huh Keeper? I look hot.”
“Indeed I am,” he replied. “And indeed you do.”
Maddy finally found her voice, her rage boiling over her surprise at Jessica's transformation.
“This isn't fair!” she said. “Jessica totally cheated. She lied to me!”
The Keeper shook his head slowly.
“I'm afraid lying is well within the boundaries of the game, dear Maddy. Jessica is the winner. Although she did put that lunk Todd into your path, didn't she? And for that, I shall assign a penalty.”
Jessica's jaw dropped.
“What?” she said. “C'mon, Keeper. I won that kissing thing fair and square.”
“No,” replied the Keeper. “Not quite. I was very clear on rules, if you recall. You were not allowed to interfere with the other contestant in this challenge. And interfere you did. You got Todd to stand in her way for a cheap bribe. And for that you will receive a penalty.”
“Like what?” she said dismissively. “You going to reduce my score?”
“No,” he said. “I'm simply going to even the playing field a little. Maddy, what is something that you admire about Jessica and why?”
“I'm sorry, what?” asked Maddy. “I have to compliment her?”
The Keeper nodded. Maddy waved her hand. What wasn't there to admire about little Miss Perfect, aside from her B grade point average? She was rich and stylish. She was hot. And she was a star volleyball player.
“Her athleticism,” said Maddy. “because it took hard work. I've seen her play a few times and she's good. Damn good. And not because she bought her skills or anything. She worked hard and is better than I could ever be. I heard she's got a scholarship, even.”
The Keeper closed his eyes, as if he was deep in thought about Maddy's comment. He nodded a few times to himself before speaking.
“I see,” he said finally. “I agree. She is a great volleyball player. A star. Such a shame. It is done. Maddy, I give you Jessica's athleticism, and all of her skill to come.”
It was Jessica's turn to be outraged.
“WHAT?” she screamed. “What the hell kind of penalty is that! I did your stupid little game, you can't take things from me!”
Maddy felt tingly all over. Her raced with new memories, scenes of Jessica's athletic career speeding through her mind's eye like a movie on fast forward. She saw Jessica as a girl, bumping a volleyball in her backyard. Then she saw her as a middle schooler, practicing drills with the JV team. There she was in after school, lifting weights in the gym, grunting with exertion. Each time a memory appeared, Jessica was erased. Instead, Maddy found herself standing in Jessica's place, watching herself practice volleyball. Now she was drilling in the gym instead of Jessica. Then she was lifting weights in the gym, sweating and breathing hard. As the hundreds of memories shot through her head, changes started to shoot through her body. In each memory, the image of Jessica was stripped away and Maddy found herself standing in her place.
Her arms thickened, bands of muscle forming on her shoulders, biceps, and triceps. She could feel a volleyball striking her forearms over and over and over again like a leather jack hammer. Her arms toughened, millions of strikes conditioning her arms in seconds. Maddy lifted her shirt as the thin layer of baby fat on her stomach melted like water in a hot pan, revealing washboard abs underneath. Her legs grew in leaps and bounds, pounds of muscle pouring in until they threatened to burst the seams on her shorts. Her flat ass grew outward, a hard seat of muscle forming from season after season of squatting and jumping. Years of hard work fell upon her in moments. She felt as if she may fall to the ground beneath the weight of all the changes. But her new body was strong enough to handle it. She felt fast and powerful like never before. She lifted a leg experimentally, throwing it into a karate kick. It responded effortlessly, her quads bulging with glorious effort.
“All right!” she said.
Jessica, meanwhile, seemed to shrink. Though she remained the same height, the collective effect on her body made her seem smaller, diminished. Her legs became skinny and weak, her piston-like thighs melting away until her previously tight jeans threatened to slip right off of her hips. Her arms whittled down to twigs. As the muscle drained from her back, her posture crumbled and her shoulders stooped slightly forward under the suddenly heavy weight of her tits. She retained her curves, which filled in as the percentage of fat in her body increased slightly. An extra layer of padding sprang onto her hips, and her breasts engorged slightly, causing her shoulders to stoop another centimeter further as they jiggled lower on her frame and added a cup size of flab.
Jessica huffed with what remained of her rage, tempered by her transformation. She felt tired, suddenly, as if simply standing around had become a chore. She tugged at the waist of her pants, which had become a little tight with her newly penalized figure.
“This is such bullshit!” she complained.
“And that concludes our first challenge, ladies,” said the Keeper. “A rather surprising outcome, I'd say. Are you prepared for Round Two?”
Last edited by Ravenwood on Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by deadite103 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:23 pm
this is great cant wait for more
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Anostus » Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:23 pm
This is off to a great start. Hope you decide to write more.
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by bazza170 » Fri Jul 07, 2017 5:54 am
Fantastic start, looking forward to this! 
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by tbt » Mon Jul 10, 2017 6:44 pm
Great Start. Looking forward to moar.
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Ravenwood » Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:35 pm
The Keeper turned his back to the two contestants for a moment, one hand rubbing his chin in thought. His normally hungry eyes faded to contemplative.
“I have to admit,” he said. “That challenge went a lot faster than I expected. Maybe too fast. I think the next challenge will have to be a little more difficult. Asking you to located and kiss someone in the same building as you? Too easy. Entertaining, yes. But not truly fulfilling...”
The Keeper continued to walk away from the two girls, puzzling away at the next task. Jessica leaned in toward Maddy and spoke in a sharp whisper.
“Don't think I'm going to let this stand, you worthless figure-stealing whore! I'm going to get my muscles back as soon as I win the next one.”
Maddy could only roll her eyes.
“Pretty sure you lost them for being a backstabbing little cheat! Screwing me over was the easiest way to end up with nothing. Especially since I'm on to you now- and I am going to play by the rules.”
“Oh, puh-lease. I'm sure to be the best at whatever perverted stunt this Keeper-thingie can come up with. Kissing Ryan Heron? That was nothing.”
The Keeper finished his reverie, and returned to face the girls.
“I call this next test... the Test of Mischief! This test will measure your talents for destruction of public property. In the center of your little village, in the midst of the Founder's Park, is a life-size statue of-”
“Mary Millworth,” interrupted Jessica. “Sure, yeah. I've seen it like a gazillion times. So?”
The Keeper's face darkened with anger, his grand introduction spoiled by Jessica's rudeness. He made a “shush” motion with his hand toward Jessica. Jessica shook her head, but kept silent. The Keeper continued.
“Yes, Mary Millworth, who first settled the town in in 1809. She was a great pioneer, rancher, hotelier, mother of 8, and the town's first mayor. She is remembered fondly with a statue of bronze, forever gazing upon the town. For your next task, you must deface this proud woman's monument by bringing me her arm. It doesn't matter how you do it, or which one you decide to cut off. As long as the it comes clean off, for all the townsfolk to look upon in abject horror and indignation. I want to savor their shock. Once again, for this challenge you may not interfere with the progress of the other contestant. I realize that may be complicated, since you will both be trying to break the same statue, but that rule remains firm. Did you get that, Jessica?”
Jessica nodded sheepishly. She cast a look down at her body. That had been a hard earned lesson. Maddy couldn't help but smirk at the rich girl's misfortune. Although her involvement hadn't caused it, she couldn't help but feel a little bit responsible for Jessica's humbler physique.
“I should add,” said the Keeper. “That school will be finished when I return you to your realm. Oh, and don't forget about what I said. If you land in jail, I won't spring you out simply for playing my game. Happy vandalism, girls!”
Once again, the strange nothingness of the Zone filled with the surroundings of Millworth High School. Maddy found herself standing right where she had been before, on the steps of the school facing the lawn. Now, the steps were filled with students filing past, making their way to the parking lot and the buses parked on the road leading away. Loud conversations bubbled around her as kids excitedly made their way home, sometimes jostling her as they moved past. Through the crowd, she could still see Jessica, who was also standing right where she had been before.
Maddy walked closer to Jessica. She wanted to talk to her about the challenge, but she before she could cross the cement walkway to meet her, Jessica's boyfriend Steven Hall hopped in front of her.
“Hey babe,” he said. Steven, like his female counterpart, was too good to be true. The tall, muscular product of three generations of Millworth Badger Football, Steven was a regular (wet) dreamboat. He had short, sandy blonde hair and bright green eyes, with a wide, square jaw. Today, he was wearing a tank top that exposed the muscles in his well-defined biceps and hinted at the large pectorals underneath. Jessica, who would normally greet her boyfriend with a passionate kiss, looked instead like she was about to be embraced by a grizzly bear. Maddy, who was partially obscured by the mass of students, watched the exchange with growing excitement.
“Hey... you,” replied Jessica. Steven was oblivious to his girlfriend's reluctance. He wrapped both arms around Jessica and drew her into a kiss. As he did, his left hand moved quickly to her backside and pinched her ass. What he found there evidently surprised him, as his brow furrowed mid-smooch. Jessica kept her eyes open, and quickly broke the embrace, pushing Steven away as quickly as she could.
“Is something wrong babe?” said Steven. “You seem different for some reason. Like, your ass is totally-”
“Stop right there,” commanded Jessica. Steven instantly complied, his hands falling to his side. Maddy couldn't help but snicker at Jessica's predicament. Luckily for her, Jessica didn't hear her over the sound of the crowd. Maddy moved along so as not to be noticed, making her way toward the sidewalk.
“Whoa!” came a voice behind her.
A tall girl stepped past Maddy, stepped back behind her, and then stepped in front of her. It was Maddy's friend Carly.
“Now I'm pretty sure those are the clothes you had on this morning when you came to school,” she said. “But I checked, and that is not the ass you had. What the actual Hell? Did you take fifty Zumba classes instead of your normal classes today?”
Maddy let out a long sigh.
“C'mon,” she said. “Give me a ride home and I'll explain everything.”
Carly and Maddy walked to the parking lot and got into Carly's car. After that, Maddy let out all of the strange things that had happened to her earlier that day, from being sucked away to the Zone all the way up to the Keeper's second challenge. Carly listened intently the whole time. Her face started out wide-eyed and skeptical, with an eyebrow cocked at each new detail, but gradually it changed as she accepted the unlikely turn of events that had befallen her friend.
“Well I gotta say,” Carly said, driving slowly through Maddy's neighborhood as they talked. “You're right. This is bona fide insanity. I mean, some kind of teleporty demon guy having you run around like some kind of twisted game show?”
The pair reached Maddy's home, a small two story house only a few blocks from school.
“But the results are pretty real,” Carly said. She proved her point by reaching over and poking Maddy in the arm. Carly's finger met nothing but hard muscle.
“And,” continued Carly. “You did all this and turned Jessica Hynes into a skinnyfat loser? Count me in.”
“I wouldn't say loser,” said Maddy. “I saw her before you showed up after school. It was kinda funny, yes, but her gaze power is for real. Scary real. She told Steven to stop touching her and he did what she said like a robot. Can you imagine what she'd be like if she wins?”
Carly shuddered at the thought. She parked the car, and turned off the engine.
“She's bad enough as it is,” Carly said. “It sounds like she wants this Keeper person to turn her into Cosmo's Darth Vader or something, and he is totally on board. Uh uh. That is not happening.”
“That's not how it works,” protested Maddy. “You can't interfere, remember? Jessica's muscles?”
“I won't. I'll just help you win before Jessica does. Simple as that.”
Maddy thought about it for a moment. The picture of Jessica Hynes putting her tongue down Ryan Heron's throat still burned in her mind. Anger rose in her cheeks.
“That might work,” she said. “But what about the actual challenge? Wrecking Mrs. Millworth?”
“That's the easy part,” said Carly. “You'll see. That statue is way overdue for it, any way. Don't you think?”
Now that she had time to think about it, this was another challenge that Maddy was decidedly ill-suited for. Jessica's family had influence all over town. If she got caught defacing the statue, she'd probably get off with community service or a slap on the wrist. Maddy didn't think she would be as fortunate. More importantly, Maddy had never vandalized anything in her life. She had never even doodled on the top of the desks at school. She was as straight-laced as could be.
“You know how to use a saw, right?” asked Carly.
“I guess,” said Maddy cautiously.
“Don't worry about it. I'll pick you up at like 7:30.”
“Why 7:30?” asked Maddy.
Carly tapped her forehead on the steering wheel in mock frustration before laughing quietly to herself.
“Must I teach you everything?” she said, giggling. “Today's Friday, which means at 7:30, everyone in Millworth will be...”
Carly's voice trailed off like an expectant elementary school teacher. Despite the dramatic buildup, it took a few moments for Carly's suggestion to dawn on Maddy.
“At the baseball game!” she cried.
“And while everyone in town is there, we'll put poor Mary L. Millworth out of her misery and nobody will be the wiser.”
Maddy hurried inside, suddenly infected with Carly's enthusiasm. For a girl who had just discovered that crazy inter-dimensional beings existed, she had taken the news quite well. Maddy couldn't think about anything else. Home alone, she did her best to pass the time. She tried to do a bit of her homework, but her heart wasn't in it. Finally, she decided to get ready. She was too excited to do anything else. She quickly wolfed down a tuna sandwich and a glass of milk, and then ran back up to her room to change clothes. Opening her dresser drawers, Maddy pulled out a pair of black leggings and a tight black athletic top. She hadn't vandalized anything before, but she was pretty sure jeans and a pink T-shirt weren't the best choice for sneaking around.
As Maddy changed clothes, she took the time to slowly take stock of her new body. Each movement she made was electrifying. Maddy couldn't shake the feeling her movements were not her own. She felt like she was being pulled by marionette strings, and her smooth, strong movements were actually their work. Although she hadn't noticed it before, Maddy's posture had improved dramatically, and when she stood straight she could see a hint of her midriff underneath her shirt. She slowly pulled it off, revealing the neatly two-sectioned block of hard muscle beneath. She tossed her shirt on the floor, and ran a hand along the crease that now ran down the center of her stomach. Just watching her hand reach the little cleft were smooth flesh had been only hours before made her warm. Her breasts looked different now as well. With her reduced body fat and increased muscle tone, they were noticeably smaller. However, they also sat higher on her chest, and Maddy noticed that they had perked up as if she were a few years younger. Her shoulders were defined now, and she could see a clear line separating them from the curve of her bicep.
Her legs and ass were by far the biggest change. From the waist down, Maddy had once possessed no figure to speak of. Now, she had more there than anywhere else. As she pulled off her pants, she noticed that there was a swell that extended from the bottom of her back to the top of her thighs. She didn't have the biggest or meatiest of backsides, but it was a far more respectable butt than the flat, indented nothing that had been there before. Maddy gave it a slap, and was pleased to see that the tight muscle didn't even move beneath the force of the blow. Her thighs were also much more impressive to look at. Now, they each looked like thick pipes compared to the puny saplings she had stood on before.
Maddy was in love with Jessica's donated muscles. It wasn't just the way they looked, either. They felt incredible, like every cell in her arms and legs were ready to spring into action at any moment to jump, hit, and spike with precision and speed. Now half naked, Maddy struck a few poses in her bedroom mirror, watching the muscles in her body coil and uncoil, crunch and relax. She began to imagine just what her new body could do. Could she be a fitness model now? Maddy imagined posing in a bikini, guys (and girls) salivating over her online. She'd do it all. A shot of my flat stomach? Of course. A few stills of my legs on this treadmill over here? I'd love to. How about a pic of my ass as I bend over this bench? Say no more!
As she continued to pose her new physique, Maddy was growing more and more turned by the way her body moved. Her newly imagined life as a fitness model took over, filling her brain with more and more grandiose schemes. This physique had been wasted on the likes of Jessica Hynes, she decided. Sure, Jessica had done all the workouts and drills and practices. But had she really made the best use of it? Only a girl like Maddy could truly appreciated what a gift it was. Maddy slipped a hand under her panties, teasing her clit. She could be a fitness model. Hell, she could even steal Jessica's dream and go on to become a volleyball star now, too. Now that would be something. Could being a volleyball star lead into being a fitness model? She tried to imagine being a college volleyball player, zipping around the court in cute shorts and a jersey. She saw herself leaping to spike, diving to dig, and looking great doing it. Stealing Jessica's dreams of volleyball stardom drove her wild. Maddy's hand worked harder, and her free hand slid over back over her washboard stomach and its rigid terrain. Just then, her phone buzzed.
Shaken out of her fantasy, Maddy stumbled to one side, hand still down her underwear, and fell to the ground. The moment was ruined. Maddy dug into her jeans and pulled out her phone. She checked her messages. Was it 7:30 already? Carly said that she was outside. With a curse, Maddy quickly pulled on her leggings and the spandex top. She slid her shoes on as fast as they would go and hopped back onto her feet. She threw her phone into a handbag and rushed outside to meet Carly.
“Hey!” called Maddy as she reached the car. “Sorry, I guess I lost track of time.”
Carly was skeptical.
“Why?” she asked. “Got any other vandalism projects planned tonight?”
Not wanting to reveal the real reason for her tardiness, Maddy didn't give her friend a reply. Carly pointed to the backseat.
“I grabbed you a hack saw from the garage,” she said. “It has a brand new blade on it and everything.”
In her fitness model fantasy, Maddy had completely forgotten about her competitor, Jessica. What if she was already at the statue, cutting away as Carly drove? Maddy took a slow, deliberate breath. That was unlikely, she decided. Jessica wasn't stupid. Like her, Jessica would wait until it was dark before trying to do anything to the statue. With any luck, she would wait until midnight, and Maddy would win before Jessica even got there. Then again, she knew it was a race against time as well. Was she willing to risk getting caught to be the winner?
Maddy could barely keep herself in her seat. She strained against her seat belt as Carly drove, trying to see Founder's Park before they arrived. Like Carly had predicted, Millworth was dead. The baseball field was on the opposite end of the high school, and more than a mile from the park. Maddy didn't see anyone out and about, save for a lone man walking his dog. When they arrived at Founder's Park, however, Maddy's worst fears were confirmed. In the dying light, Maddy could clearly make out the figure of Jessica Hynes, perched atop the cement base of the statue.
“Shit!” cursed Maddy.
“Wow,” said Carly. “You were right. I didn't realize volleyball was part of what made Jessica so hot. I mean, look at her. It's like half of her body is missing.”
Maddy swiftly hit her friend in the shoulder.
“Dammit! She's already here, Carly!” she yelled. “If she beats me again, I'll lose twice in a row! I don't know if I can do this.”
Carly reassured her friend, despite her aching shoulder.
“It'll be a piece of cake. Just imagine every little kid who ever wanted to ruin that awful statue and get to it. You'll be done before you know it.”
Swallowing her fear, Maddy reached into the back and pulled out the saw. She opened the door, and was a few steps away before she thought to turn around and address Carly.
“Keep a look out,” she said. “Honk the horn if you see anything. Oh, and if I win? I'll probably just vanish. So don't freak out if I do, OK?”
Maddy set her jaw and began marching across Founder's Park, gripping the saw tightly in her right hand. The park itself wasn't much more than an undeveloped lot at the center of town. A few old ash trees shaded a handful of park benches. On one corner there was a small picnic area, a circle of sagging tables and a pair of grills that were only lit on the 4th of July. Mary Millworth's statue was the park's only real attraction, if you could call it that. It was a life-size replica of the woman, complete with long flowing skirt and bonnet, cast in bronze. Raised on a five foot cement platform, Mary looked out over the surrounding park, one arm raised as if she was admonishing the squirrels who normally played beneath her, and another extending toward the ground.
As she got closer, Maddy saw a glimmer of hope. Jessica was working away at the statue's raised arm with a hacksaw, trying to saw it off. She was dressed in work out clothes, a pair of small running shorts and a dark gray sports bra. Unfortunately for her, Jessica was simply not up the the task. Jessica was sawing and sawing with all her might, but she was not making much progress. Maddy watched for a moment, mildly amused, as Jessica grunted and snorted, putting all of her might into cutting. Her face was beet red, and beads of sweat tricked down the sides of her forehead. She had barely broken the top part of the statue's shoulder, and had most of the way to go.
“Don't smirk Maddy,” she said. “Or at least you won't be when I finish chopping off this arm.”
Maddy wasn't about to be cowed. Not this time.
“That's a bit Stone Age,” she said. “Even for you, Jessica. You must be nervous.”
“Hardly,” she admitted. “You took your sweet time, that's for sure. I'll be down before you are even through a shoulder. Let's see you get up here, for starters.”
Maddy eyed the base of the statue. It was a sheer five feet, and she didn't have Jessica's height. She placed her saw on the base and gripped the lip with both hands. She sucked in a breath. Silently, she counted to three, and then heaved with all of her strength. Her muscles obeyed, and she was able to quickly pull herself up onto the edge of the statue's base. Jessica tried to not look shocked, but Maddy saw her twitch out of the corner of her eye.
“Impressed?” she asked. “You shouldn't be. I did it with your body, after all.”
Jessica's jaw tightened. Maddy's smirk widened as she saw her remark had its intended effect.
“Not for much longer,” Jessica said, her voice hissing between her teeth. “Besides, even if you somehow win, it's not like someone like you will be able to keep it. Me, I can worth this body into something just as good. Do you even know what it takes? I work five days a week during the off season. I spent hours at the gym practicing during the season. I give you six weeks at college before you look like every other girl there.”
Maddy sputtered, unable to find a suitable retort. As angry as it made her feel, Jessica was sort of right. One of the reasons why fitness models took so many gym pictures was because they were there all the time. Was she destined to end up right back where she started? Or worse. Would she get fat? Maddy put the doubts out of her head. It was go time, and Jessica was only trying to psyche her out. She picked up the hacksaw and set the blade against the shoulder of Mary's lowered arm.
It was hard work. Despite the sharpness of the blade, it was difficult to get a cut started on the downward sloping arm. She tried several times without success, the blade slipping down each time she tried to cut into the bronze. Eventually, she managed to get a cut in between the folds of Mary's sleeve. Even then, it felt like she was cutting with a butter knife. The outermost part of the statue's arm refused to yield. Maddy soon found herself huffing and puffing, pulling as hard as she could to move the saw the tiniest bit farther down. Meanwhile, Jessica had redoubled her efforts, and had made some progress with the other arm.
Maddy changed her stance, rotating to the side so that she could get both hands on the hacksaw at the same time. That seemed to help. After she broke through the shoulder, the bulk of the statue was hollow, and cut much faster. Once she was comfortable, she increased her pace, sawing in an even rhythm. On the opposite end of the statue, Jessica had slowed down. Though she put on a brave face, Maddy could see that she was getting tired. Her strokes were slow and strong, but increasingly haphazard. Once, she pushed the saw forward and almost up and out of the hole. Another time, it clanged against the interior of the arm, pulling back without cutting. Jessica was nearly two thirds of the way finished, but the last third was getting harder by the stroke. Maddy saw her opening.
Maddy pressed down harder on the saw, pulling the handle with all of her strength until her arms started to burn. Back and forth she went, stopping only to wipe the perspiration beading on her brow with her forearm. She didn't dare look over again at Jessica's progress. She saw only her own. She focused on crack she was making with each pull of the saw, going deeper and deeper. She could tell her saw was getting dull, but the statue seemed weaker in the middle. She kept up her pace, pressing even harder to account for the weakening saw. There was only a tiny sliver left. While her right hand worked, she grabbed Mary's arm and pressed down with all of her might. The arm gave way.
“Finished!” Maddy said.
Maddy and Jessica looked at one another, leaning to one side of the statue to lock eyes. Just then, there was a loud bang as the raised arm of the statue fell to the ground, narrowly missing Maddy as it fell. The sound echoed through the park. Then silence reigned for several seconds.
“You've got to be kidding,” said Jessica, between ragged breaths. “You mean-”
She didn't get to finish. At that moment, the two girls were whisked back into the Zone.
“I have to admit,” he said. “That challenge went a lot faster than I expected. Maybe too fast. I think the next challenge will have to be a little more difficult. Asking you to located and kiss someone in the same building as you? Too easy. Entertaining, yes. But not truly fulfilling...”
The Keeper continued to walk away from the two girls, puzzling away at the next task. Jessica leaned in toward Maddy and spoke in a sharp whisper.
“Don't think I'm going to let this stand, you worthless figure-stealing whore! I'm going to get my muscles back as soon as I win the next one.”
Maddy could only roll her eyes.
“Pretty sure you lost them for being a backstabbing little cheat! Screwing me over was the easiest way to end up with nothing. Especially since I'm on to you now- and I am going to play by the rules.”
“Oh, puh-lease. I'm sure to be the best at whatever perverted stunt this Keeper-thingie can come up with. Kissing Ryan Heron? That was nothing.”
The Keeper finished his reverie, and returned to face the girls.
“I call this next test... the Test of Mischief! This test will measure your talents for destruction of public property. In the center of your little village, in the midst of the Founder's Park, is a life-size statue of-”
“Mary Millworth,” interrupted Jessica. “Sure, yeah. I've seen it like a gazillion times. So?”
The Keeper's face darkened with anger, his grand introduction spoiled by Jessica's rudeness. He made a “shush” motion with his hand toward Jessica. Jessica shook her head, but kept silent. The Keeper continued.
“Yes, Mary Millworth, who first settled the town in in 1809. She was a great pioneer, rancher, hotelier, mother of 8, and the town's first mayor. She is remembered fondly with a statue of bronze, forever gazing upon the town. For your next task, you must deface this proud woman's monument by bringing me her arm. It doesn't matter how you do it, or which one you decide to cut off. As long as the it comes clean off, for all the townsfolk to look upon in abject horror and indignation. I want to savor their shock. Once again, for this challenge you may not interfere with the progress of the other contestant. I realize that may be complicated, since you will both be trying to break the same statue, but that rule remains firm. Did you get that, Jessica?”
Jessica nodded sheepishly. She cast a look down at her body. That had been a hard earned lesson. Maddy couldn't help but smirk at the rich girl's misfortune. Although her involvement hadn't caused it, she couldn't help but feel a little bit responsible for Jessica's humbler physique.
“I should add,” said the Keeper. “That school will be finished when I return you to your realm. Oh, and don't forget about what I said. If you land in jail, I won't spring you out simply for playing my game. Happy vandalism, girls!”
Once again, the strange nothingness of the Zone filled with the surroundings of Millworth High School. Maddy found herself standing right where she had been before, on the steps of the school facing the lawn. Now, the steps were filled with students filing past, making their way to the parking lot and the buses parked on the road leading away. Loud conversations bubbled around her as kids excitedly made their way home, sometimes jostling her as they moved past. Through the crowd, she could still see Jessica, who was also standing right where she had been before.
Maddy walked closer to Jessica. She wanted to talk to her about the challenge, but she before she could cross the cement walkway to meet her, Jessica's boyfriend Steven Hall hopped in front of her.
“Hey babe,” he said. Steven, like his female counterpart, was too good to be true. The tall, muscular product of three generations of Millworth Badger Football, Steven was a regular (wet) dreamboat. He had short, sandy blonde hair and bright green eyes, with a wide, square jaw. Today, he was wearing a tank top that exposed the muscles in his well-defined biceps and hinted at the large pectorals underneath. Jessica, who would normally greet her boyfriend with a passionate kiss, looked instead like she was about to be embraced by a grizzly bear. Maddy, who was partially obscured by the mass of students, watched the exchange with growing excitement.
“Hey... you,” replied Jessica. Steven was oblivious to his girlfriend's reluctance. He wrapped both arms around Jessica and drew her into a kiss. As he did, his left hand moved quickly to her backside and pinched her ass. What he found there evidently surprised him, as his brow furrowed mid-smooch. Jessica kept her eyes open, and quickly broke the embrace, pushing Steven away as quickly as she could.
“Is something wrong babe?” said Steven. “You seem different for some reason. Like, your ass is totally-”
“Stop right there,” commanded Jessica. Steven instantly complied, his hands falling to his side. Maddy couldn't help but snicker at Jessica's predicament. Luckily for her, Jessica didn't hear her over the sound of the crowd. Maddy moved along so as not to be noticed, making her way toward the sidewalk.
“Whoa!” came a voice behind her.
A tall girl stepped past Maddy, stepped back behind her, and then stepped in front of her. It was Maddy's friend Carly.
“Now I'm pretty sure those are the clothes you had on this morning when you came to school,” she said. “But I checked, and that is not the ass you had. What the actual Hell? Did you take fifty Zumba classes instead of your normal classes today?”
Maddy let out a long sigh.
“C'mon,” she said. “Give me a ride home and I'll explain everything.”
Carly and Maddy walked to the parking lot and got into Carly's car. After that, Maddy let out all of the strange things that had happened to her earlier that day, from being sucked away to the Zone all the way up to the Keeper's second challenge. Carly listened intently the whole time. Her face started out wide-eyed and skeptical, with an eyebrow cocked at each new detail, but gradually it changed as she accepted the unlikely turn of events that had befallen her friend.
“Well I gotta say,” Carly said, driving slowly through Maddy's neighborhood as they talked. “You're right. This is bona fide insanity. I mean, some kind of teleporty demon guy having you run around like some kind of twisted game show?”
The pair reached Maddy's home, a small two story house only a few blocks from school.
“But the results are pretty real,” Carly said. She proved her point by reaching over and poking Maddy in the arm. Carly's finger met nothing but hard muscle.
“And,” continued Carly. “You did all this and turned Jessica Hynes into a skinnyfat loser? Count me in.”
“I wouldn't say loser,” said Maddy. “I saw her before you showed up after school. It was kinda funny, yes, but her gaze power is for real. Scary real. She told Steven to stop touching her and he did what she said like a robot. Can you imagine what she'd be like if she wins?”
Carly shuddered at the thought. She parked the car, and turned off the engine.
“She's bad enough as it is,” Carly said. “It sounds like she wants this Keeper person to turn her into Cosmo's Darth Vader or something, and he is totally on board. Uh uh. That is not happening.”
“That's not how it works,” protested Maddy. “You can't interfere, remember? Jessica's muscles?”
“I won't. I'll just help you win before Jessica does. Simple as that.”
Maddy thought about it for a moment. The picture of Jessica Hynes putting her tongue down Ryan Heron's throat still burned in her mind. Anger rose in her cheeks.
“That might work,” she said. “But what about the actual challenge? Wrecking Mrs. Millworth?”
“That's the easy part,” said Carly. “You'll see. That statue is way overdue for it, any way. Don't you think?”
Now that she had time to think about it, this was another challenge that Maddy was decidedly ill-suited for. Jessica's family had influence all over town. If she got caught defacing the statue, she'd probably get off with community service or a slap on the wrist. Maddy didn't think she would be as fortunate. More importantly, Maddy had never vandalized anything in her life. She had never even doodled on the top of the desks at school. She was as straight-laced as could be.
“You know how to use a saw, right?” asked Carly.
“I guess,” said Maddy cautiously.
“Don't worry about it. I'll pick you up at like 7:30.”
“Why 7:30?” asked Maddy.
Carly tapped her forehead on the steering wheel in mock frustration before laughing quietly to herself.
“Must I teach you everything?” she said, giggling. “Today's Friday, which means at 7:30, everyone in Millworth will be...”
Carly's voice trailed off like an expectant elementary school teacher. Despite the dramatic buildup, it took a few moments for Carly's suggestion to dawn on Maddy.
“At the baseball game!” she cried.
“And while everyone in town is there, we'll put poor Mary L. Millworth out of her misery and nobody will be the wiser.”
Maddy hurried inside, suddenly infected with Carly's enthusiasm. For a girl who had just discovered that crazy inter-dimensional beings existed, she had taken the news quite well. Maddy couldn't think about anything else. Home alone, she did her best to pass the time. She tried to do a bit of her homework, but her heart wasn't in it. Finally, she decided to get ready. She was too excited to do anything else. She quickly wolfed down a tuna sandwich and a glass of milk, and then ran back up to her room to change clothes. Opening her dresser drawers, Maddy pulled out a pair of black leggings and a tight black athletic top. She hadn't vandalized anything before, but she was pretty sure jeans and a pink T-shirt weren't the best choice for sneaking around.
As Maddy changed clothes, she took the time to slowly take stock of her new body. Each movement she made was electrifying. Maddy couldn't shake the feeling her movements were not her own. She felt like she was being pulled by marionette strings, and her smooth, strong movements were actually their work. Although she hadn't noticed it before, Maddy's posture had improved dramatically, and when she stood straight she could see a hint of her midriff underneath her shirt. She slowly pulled it off, revealing the neatly two-sectioned block of hard muscle beneath. She tossed her shirt on the floor, and ran a hand along the crease that now ran down the center of her stomach. Just watching her hand reach the little cleft were smooth flesh had been only hours before made her warm. Her breasts looked different now as well. With her reduced body fat and increased muscle tone, they were noticeably smaller. However, they also sat higher on her chest, and Maddy noticed that they had perked up as if she were a few years younger. Her shoulders were defined now, and she could see a clear line separating them from the curve of her bicep.
Her legs and ass were by far the biggest change. From the waist down, Maddy had once possessed no figure to speak of. Now, she had more there than anywhere else. As she pulled off her pants, she noticed that there was a swell that extended from the bottom of her back to the top of her thighs. She didn't have the biggest or meatiest of backsides, but it was a far more respectable butt than the flat, indented nothing that had been there before. Maddy gave it a slap, and was pleased to see that the tight muscle didn't even move beneath the force of the blow. Her thighs were also much more impressive to look at. Now, they each looked like thick pipes compared to the puny saplings she had stood on before.
Maddy was in love with Jessica's donated muscles. It wasn't just the way they looked, either. They felt incredible, like every cell in her arms and legs were ready to spring into action at any moment to jump, hit, and spike with precision and speed. Now half naked, Maddy struck a few poses in her bedroom mirror, watching the muscles in her body coil and uncoil, crunch and relax. She began to imagine just what her new body could do. Could she be a fitness model now? Maddy imagined posing in a bikini, guys (and girls) salivating over her online. She'd do it all. A shot of my flat stomach? Of course. A few stills of my legs on this treadmill over here? I'd love to. How about a pic of my ass as I bend over this bench? Say no more!
As she continued to pose her new physique, Maddy was growing more and more turned by the way her body moved. Her newly imagined life as a fitness model took over, filling her brain with more and more grandiose schemes. This physique had been wasted on the likes of Jessica Hynes, she decided. Sure, Jessica had done all the workouts and drills and practices. But had she really made the best use of it? Only a girl like Maddy could truly appreciated what a gift it was. Maddy slipped a hand under her panties, teasing her clit. She could be a fitness model. Hell, she could even steal Jessica's dream and go on to become a volleyball star now, too. Now that would be something. Could being a volleyball star lead into being a fitness model? She tried to imagine being a college volleyball player, zipping around the court in cute shorts and a jersey. She saw herself leaping to spike, diving to dig, and looking great doing it. Stealing Jessica's dreams of volleyball stardom drove her wild. Maddy's hand worked harder, and her free hand slid over back over her washboard stomach and its rigid terrain. Just then, her phone buzzed.
Shaken out of her fantasy, Maddy stumbled to one side, hand still down her underwear, and fell to the ground. The moment was ruined. Maddy dug into her jeans and pulled out her phone. She checked her messages. Was it 7:30 already? Carly said that she was outside. With a curse, Maddy quickly pulled on her leggings and the spandex top. She slid her shoes on as fast as they would go and hopped back onto her feet. She threw her phone into a handbag and rushed outside to meet Carly.
“Hey!” called Maddy as she reached the car. “Sorry, I guess I lost track of time.”
Carly was skeptical.
“Why?” she asked. “Got any other vandalism projects planned tonight?”
Not wanting to reveal the real reason for her tardiness, Maddy didn't give her friend a reply. Carly pointed to the backseat.
“I grabbed you a hack saw from the garage,” she said. “It has a brand new blade on it and everything.”
In her fitness model fantasy, Maddy had completely forgotten about her competitor, Jessica. What if she was already at the statue, cutting away as Carly drove? Maddy took a slow, deliberate breath. That was unlikely, she decided. Jessica wasn't stupid. Like her, Jessica would wait until it was dark before trying to do anything to the statue. With any luck, she would wait until midnight, and Maddy would win before Jessica even got there. Then again, she knew it was a race against time as well. Was she willing to risk getting caught to be the winner?
Maddy could barely keep herself in her seat. She strained against her seat belt as Carly drove, trying to see Founder's Park before they arrived. Like Carly had predicted, Millworth was dead. The baseball field was on the opposite end of the high school, and more than a mile from the park. Maddy didn't see anyone out and about, save for a lone man walking his dog. When they arrived at Founder's Park, however, Maddy's worst fears were confirmed. In the dying light, Maddy could clearly make out the figure of Jessica Hynes, perched atop the cement base of the statue.
“Shit!” cursed Maddy.
“Wow,” said Carly. “You were right. I didn't realize volleyball was part of what made Jessica so hot. I mean, look at her. It's like half of her body is missing.”
Maddy swiftly hit her friend in the shoulder.
“Dammit! She's already here, Carly!” she yelled. “If she beats me again, I'll lose twice in a row! I don't know if I can do this.”
Carly reassured her friend, despite her aching shoulder.
“It'll be a piece of cake. Just imagine every little kid who ever wanted to ruin that awful statue and get to it. You'll be done before you know it.”
Swallowing her fear, Maddy reached into the back and pulled out the saw. She opened the door, and was a few steps away before she thought to turn around and address Carly.
“Keep a look out,” she said. “Honk the horn if you see anything. Oh, and if I win? I'll probably just vanish. So don't freak out if I do, OK?”
Maddy set her jaw and began marching across Founder's Park, gripping the saw tightly in her right hand. The park itself wasn't much more than an undeveloped lot at the center of town. A few old ash trees shaded a handful of park benches. On one corner there was a small picnic area, a circle of sagging tables and a pair of grills that were only lit on the 4th of July. Mary Millworth's statue was the park's only real attraction, if you could call it that. It was a life-size replica of the woman, complete with long flowing skirt and bonnet, cast in bronze. Raised on a five foot cement platform, Mary looked out over the surrounding park, one arm raised as if she was admonishing the squirrels who normally played beneath her, and another extending toward the ground.
As she got closer, Maddy saw a glimmer of hope. Jessica was working away at the statue's raised arm with a hacksaw, trying to saw it off. She was dressed in work out clothes, a pair of small running shorts and a dark gray sports bra. Unfortunately for her, Jessica was simply not up the the task. Jessica was sawing and sawing with all her might, but she was not making much progress. Maddy watched for a moment, mildly amused, as Jessica grunted and snorted, putting all of her might into cutting. Her face was beet red, and beads of sweat tricked down the sides of her forehead. She had barely broken the top part of the statue's shoulder, and had most of the way to go.
“Don't smirk Maddy,” she said. “Or at least you won't be when I finish chopping off this arm.”
Maddy wasn't about to be cowed. Not this time.
“That's a bit Stone Age,” she said. “Even for you, Jessica. You must be nervous.”
“Hardly,” she admitted. “You took your sweet time, that's for sure. I'll be down before you are even through a shoulder. Let's see you get up here, for starters.”
Maddy eyed the base of the statue. It was a sheer five feet, and she didn't have Jessica's height. She placed her saw on the base and gripped the lip with both hands. She sucked in a breath. Silently, she counted to three, and then heaved with all of her strength. Her muscles obeyed, and she was able to quickly pull herself up onto the edge of the statue's base. Jessica tried to not look shocked, but Maddy saw her twitch out of the corner of her eye.
“Impressed?” she asked. “You shouldn't be. I did it with your body, after all.”
Jessica's jaw tightened. Maddy's smirk widened as she saw her remark had its intended effect.
“Not for much longer,” Jessica said, her voice hissing between her teeth. “Besides, even if you somehow win, it's not like someone like you will be able to keep it. Me, I can worth this body into something just as good. Do you even know what it takes? I work five days a week during the off season. I spent hours at the gym practicing during the season. I give you six weeks at college before you look like every other girl there.”
Maddy sputtered, unable to find a suitable retort. As angry as it made her feel, Jessica was sort of right. One of the reasons why fitness models took so many gym pictures was because they were there all the time. Was she destined to end up right back where she started? Or worse. Would she get fat? Maddy put the doubts out of her head. It was go time, and Jessica was only trying to psyche her out. She picked up the hacksaw and set the blade against the shoulder of Mary's lowered arm.
It was hard work. Despite the sharpness of the blade, it was difficult to get a cut started on the downward sloping arm. She tried several times without success, the blade slipping down each time she tried to cut into the bronze. Eventually, she managed to get a cut in between the folds of Mary's sleeve. Even then, it felt like she was cutting with a butter knife. The outermost part of the statue's arm refused to yield. Maddy soon found herself huffing and puffing, pulling as hard as she could to move the saw the tiniest bit farther down. Meanwhile, Jessica had redoubled her efforts, and had made some progress with the other arm.
Maddy changed her stance, rotating to the side so that she could get both hands on the hacksaw at the same time. That seemed to help. After she broke through the shoulder, the bulk of the statue was hollow, and cut much faster. Once she was comfortable, she increased her pace, sawing in an even rhythm. On the opposite end of the statue, Jessica had slowed down. Though she put on a brave face, Maddy could see that she was getting tired. Her strokes were slow and strong, but increasingly haphazard. Once, she pushed the saw forward and almost up and out of the hole. Another time, it clanged against the interior of the arm, pulling back without cutting. Jessica was nearly two thirds of the way finished, but the last third was getting harder by the stroke. Maddy saw her opening.
Maddy pressed down harder on the saw, pulling the handle with all of her strength until her arms started to burn. Back and forth she went, stopping only to wipe the perspiration beading on her brow with her forearm. She didn't dare look over again at Jessica's progress. She saw only her own. She focused on crack she was making with each pull of the saw, going deeper and deeper. She could tell her saw was getting dull, but the statue seemed weaker in the middle. She kept up her pace, pressing even harder to account for the weakening saw. There was only a tiny sliver left. While her right hand worked, she grabbed Mary's arm and pressed down with all of her might. The arm gave way.
“Finished!” Maddy said.
Maddy and Jessica looked at one another, leaning to one side of the statue to lock eyes. Just then, there was a loud bang as the raised arm of the statue fell to the ground, narrowly missing Maddy as it fell. The sound echoed through the park. Then silence reigned for several seconds.
“You've got to be kidding,” said Jessica, between ragged breaths. “You mean-”
She didn't get to finish. At that moment, the two girls were whisked back into the Zone.
Last edited by Ravenwood on Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Ravenwood
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Ravenwood » Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:37 pm
CHAPTER III
Maddy and Jessica arrived to find the Keeper laughing. He was practically howling, his booming laugh echoing in the emptiness of the Zone. He pointed at both the girls.
“How marvelously absurd! I must say, Mary looks lovely staring down at her missing arm. I am almost sad that Jessica didn't get to finish her work as well. What would she look like without both of them? I suppose I can savor just the one.”
Jessica threw up her arms in disgust. The Keeper collected himself, and turned a hand to Maddy.
“Maddy,” he said, his voice clear and booming once again. “Congratulations! A wonderful victory. You showed up after your rival but managed to finish well before her. An inspired effort, I say. Now I shall offer you the same reward that I offered Jessica for the first round- a single enhancement. Choose wisely, my dear.”
Maddy was already thinking about what she ask for. The list of things she still envied about other girls was still a mile long. The fantasy she had enjoyed earlier that night was still fresh in her mind, but she wasn't sure how to make it happen. It frustrated her. Getting Jessica's muscles had been a complete fluke, but it was better than any gift she would have picked for herself. What did she want the most to make her dreams come true? How could she know until she had it?
“I guess there are a lot of things that I want,” announced Maddy. “But Jessica was right about one thing. Left to my own devices, I'd probably lose the body she's given me. So I want to keep it. I want all of the benefits of eating right and exercise for life, without having to keep up with it. Is that allowed?
The Keeper raised an eyebrow, nodding in assent.
“A much wiser choice than I was expecting. And yes, that is a gift I can grant. For your victory in the second round, I give you the Gift of Eternal Perseverance! You shall no longer be bound by your own choice of food and activity. You shall bask forever in the light of a focused athlete. Granted!”
Jessica snorted.
“Really?” she said. “That's the best you could come up with? You could have picked anything! You wasted your choice, believe me.”
The effect of the gift was minor compared to receiving the athletic skill in the first round. There was no tingling, and no muscles suddenly growing across her body. The effect was subtle, barely even perceptible. She felt invigorated and content, like she had just returned from a relaxing vacation. She felt more self-assured, uplifted by the effects of rigorous routine exercise and a healthy diet. Was this how Maddy felt all of the time? It was almost intoxicating. She swelled with new-found confidence. She straightened her back a little, standing the tiniest hair taller.
“That gives me an idea for your Curse,” said the Keeper, turning his attention to Jessica. “Jessica, for your failure in the second round, I bestow upon you the Curse of the Couch Potato! Your wealth has soured within you, and given way to a diet of junk food. From now on, you shall crave sugary drinks and fried food, forever!”
The effect on Jessica, by comparison, was impossible to miss. Jessica's body filled like frosting in a pastry bag, moving from her legs to her head. Her calves puffed outward, losing all traces of definition as they melded into her thighs, which added milky white flesh until the gap between them disappeared. Her stomach grew and grew, pounds settling around her middle until her belly hung over the waistband of her shorts. Seams snapped in her overburdened shorts as her hips and ass flared outward, soft fat pressing them upward and outward. The fat moved upward, pushing into her tits, which inflated like water balloons. They swelled outward, forming almost perfect spheres before gravity caught up with them, dragging them downward until they sagged against her belly. Her breasts pressed against the sports bra, spilling out of the top and the sides under her arm. Finally, her perfectly proportioned face plumped up, ripening like a peach. Her high cheeks widened, and a double chin dropped from beneath her jaw. In her left hand, a half-eaten bag of Cheetos materialized with a crunching sound. Orange dust appeared on her lips, showering her fat, heaving tits in crumbs. Maddy couldn't help but grin in triumph.
Jessica was aghast. She groped the swollen belly that was where her previously flat stomach had been.
“What the Hell is this supposed to be?” she asked. “Are you kidding me with this shit?”
“I couldn't help myself,” said the Keeper, who seemed uncharacteristically sheepish. He pointed at the snack bag. “You looked hungry. And think about it, Jessica. You live in the lap of luxury, so without your drive to succeed in sports taking you to the gym every day, you'd likely be a bit of a glutton. It is a just and fitting curse.”
Jessica tossed aside the bag of Cheetos, disgusted with herself and her body. Truthfully, Maddy thought she was overreacting. She was a little chubby, sure, but a lot of the weight had filled out her already ample curves. Her breasts looked to be another size larger (or two, if she ditched the sports bra), and her ass had a somewhat inviting thickness to it that had been missing without her muscles. But Jessica's reaction was priceless. She waved her arms wildly, which caused her whole body to jiggle.
“Don't think I will stand for this!” she said, wagging her finger at the Keeper. The exertion quickly wore her out, and Maddy stifled a laugh as the former volleyball protege found herself winded from complaining. The Keeper, apparently unaware of Jessica's complaining, resumed speaking.
“And that brings us to Round 3. From here on out, the rewards become greater and the penalties steeper. In this next round, I will lift the old restrictions, and allow you to choose enhancements that effect the world around you beyond yourselves, should you choose. Your dreams will draw ever closer with each round you win. Will you rise to become a goddess, or crumble to become a forgotten soul? Time will tell. For now, I shall return you to your homes to rest up and prepare. I shall summon you tomorrow.”
The Keeper snapped his fingers, and Maddy drifted off at once into a deep sleep.
Maddy and Jessica arrived to find the Keeper laughing. He was practically howling, his booming laugh echoing in the emptiness of the Zone. He pointed at both the girls.
“How marvelously absurd! I must say, Mary looks lovely staring down at her missing arm. I am almost sad that Jessica didn't get to finish her work as well. What would she look like without both of them? I suppose I can savor just the one.”
Jessica threw up her arms in disgust. The Keeper collected himself, and turned a hand to Maddy.
“Maddy,” he said, his voice clear and booming once again. “Congratulations! A wonderful victory. You showed up after your rival but managed to finish well before her. An inspired effort, I say. Now I shall offer you the same reward that I offered Jessica for the first round- a single enhancement. Choose wisely, my dear.”
Maddy was already thinking about what she ask for. The list of things she still envied about other girls was still a mile long. The fantasy she had enjoyed earlier that night was still fresh in her mind, but she wasn't sure how to make it happen. It frustrated her. Getting Jessica's muscles had been a complete fluke, but it was better than any gift she would have picked for herself. What did she want the most to make her dreams come true? How could she know until she had it?
“I guess there are a lot of things that I want,” announced Maddy. “But Jessica was right about one thing. Left to my own devices, I'd probably lose the body she's given me. So I want to keep it. I want all of the benefits of eating right and exercise for life, without having to keep up with it. Is that allowed?
The Keeper raised an eyebrow, nodding in assent.
“A much wiser choice than I was expecting. And yes, that is a gift I can grant. For your victory in the second round, I give you the Gift of Eternal Perseverance! You shall no longer be bound by your own choice of food and activity. You shall bask forever in the light of a focused athlete. Granted!”
Jessica snorted.
“Really?” she said. “That's the best you could come up with? You could have picked anything! You wasted your choice, believe me.”
The effect of the gift was minor compared to receiving the athletic skill in the first round. There was no tingling, and no muscles suddenly growing across her body. The effect was subtle, barely even perceptible. She felt invigorated and content, like she had just returned from a relaxing vacation. She felt more self-assured, uplifted by the effects of rigorous routine exercise and a healthy diet. Was this how Maddy felt all of the time? It was almost intoxicating. She swelled with new-found confidence. She straightened her back a little, standing the tiniest hair taller.
“That gives me an idea for your Curse,” said the Keeper, turning his attention to Jessica. “Jessica, for your failure in the second round, I bestow upon you the Curse of the Couch Potato! Your wealth has soured within you, and given way to a diet of junk food. From now on, you shall crave sugary drinks and fried food, forever!”
The effect on Jessica, by comparison, was impossible to miss. Jessica's body filled like frosting in a pastry bag, moving from her legs to her head. Her calves puffed outward, losing all traces of definition as they melded into her thighs, which added milky white flesh until the gap between them disappeared. Her stomach grew and grew, pounds settling around her middle until her belly hung over the waistband of her shorts. Seams snapped in her overburdened shorts as her hips and ass flared outward, soft fat pressing them upward and outward. The fat moved upward, pushing into her tits, which inflated like water balloons. They swelled outward, forming almost perfect spheres before gravity caught up with them, dragging them downward until they sagged against her belly. Her breasts pressed against the sports bra, spilling out of the top and the sides under her arm. Finally, her perfectly proportioned face plumped up, ripening like a peach. Her high cheeks widened, and a double chin dropped from beneath her jaw. In her left hand, a half-eaten bag of Cheetos materialized with a crunching sound. Orange dust appeared on her lips, showering her fat, heaving tits in crumbs. Maddy couldn't help but grin in triumph.
Jessica was aghast. She groped the swollen belly that was where her previously flat stomach had been.
“What the Hell is this supposed to be?” she asked. “Are you kidding me with this shit?”
“I couldn't help myself,” said the Keeper, who seemed uncharacteristically sheepish. He pointed at the snack bag. “You looked hungry. And think about it, Jessica. You live in the lap of luxury, so without your drive to succeed in sports taking you to the gym every day, you'd likely be a bit of a glutton. It is a just and fitting curse.”
Jessica tossed aside the bag of Cheetos, disgusted with herself and her body. Truthfully, Maddy thought she was overreacting. She was a little chubby, sure, but a lot of the weight had filled out her already ample curves. Her breasts looked to be another size larger (or two, if she ditched the sports bra), and her ass had a somewhat inviting thickness to it that had been missing without her muscles. But Jessica's reaction was priceless. She waved her arms wildly, which caused her whole body to jiggle.
“Don't think I will stand for this!” she said, wagging her finger at the Keeper. The exertion quickly wore her out, and Maddy stifled a laugh as the former volleyball protege found herself winded from complaining. The Keeper, apparently unaware of Jessica's complaining, resumed speaking.
“And that brings us to Round 3. From here on out, the rewards become greater and the penalties steeper. In this next round, I will lift the old restrictions, and allow you to choose enhancements that effect the world around you beyond yourselves, should you choose. Your dreams will draw ever closer with each round you win. Will you rise to become a goddess, or crumble to become a forgotten soul? Time will tell. For now, I shall return you to your homes to rest up and prepare. I shall summon you tomorrow.”
The Keeper snapped his fingers, and Maddy drifted off at once into a deep sleep.
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by Anostus » Tue Jul 25, 2017 1:30 am
Glad to see this continued. I am interested in seeing where this is going.
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Re: The Keeper's Challenge (many changes)
by JShepp » Wed Jul 26, 2017 3:48 am
Very enjoyable - thank you. I hope you continue.
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