Alan and Janine were best friends. As long as they could remember they had been together. They went to the same university, and when they graduated they shared a house in the city. Though Alan was out of work, Janine made enough at her new job to support them both. They shared everything, and considered themselves lucky to have such a wonderful friendship. Everything seemed perfect...

Except for one thing. Even though their relationship was purely platonic, it did cause problems for Janine when it came to meeting men. They often couldn't accept her having a male friend to whom she was so close. And Alan, well he just didn't date much. There was a short time in university where they had sort of blurred the line between friendship and lovers, and even though he wouldn't tell Janine, Alan held on to this. Janine sensed this, and though she loved Alan dearly, and was closer to him than anyone else in the world, that part of her life was over. She hated hurting him, and even though he would never say so, she knew she did. Her attempts to set him up with women had been received coldly, and she didn't know what to do...

Janine and her new boyfriend Kevin were sitting in the front room of her and Alan's place. Alan was out tonight with a friend from school, and she knew that he wouldn't be home until late. After their movie ended Janine and Kevin began to engage in some heavy petting. Soon they were on the couch, half in and half out of their clothes, and they didn't hear the back door unlock. Alan staggered in.

"Hello... oops", muttered Alan, who smelled quite like a brewery. He hadn't drank this much since college.

"What... Alan! I thought you were going out tonight!", Janine was visibly flustered as she pulled her clothes on.

"Alan... hey, who the hell is he?", Kevin did not seem very pleased.

Alan held out his hand, "Alan's my name... puleezed to meet you."

"Kevin, don't get the wrong idea... this is my roommate, Alan," Janine was trying to control the situation.

"Roommate? Oh, I get it..." Kevin rose, pulling up his jeans and grabbing his jacket. "Sorry, Janine... I'm not into that sorta stuff..."

"No, wait, you see... were only friends", Janine was close to sobbing.

"Sorry you've got to go, Kevin-boy, I was about to ask you for a drink..." Kevin was teetering back and forth dangerously.

"Good-bye Janine", said Kevin as he slammed the front door behind him.

"Damn!", screamed Janine, "You said you'd be out tonight!"

"Sorry", replied Alan, "I guess I had too much to drink and I came home. C'mon, you're better without that jerk anyway."

"I happen to like 'that jerk' very much... Damn it Alan, why won't you let me have a life?"

"Ohh... sorry... I didn't realize you were planning on fucking that steroid creep."

"I'll ignore that comment... No, I won't. Yes, maybe, I was planning to have sex with him..."

Alan looked suddenly very sad. "How the hell can you fuck these creeps? I thought we were close..."

"Alan, don't you see that we are? But I still need to be able to have relationships with other men. I'm sorry, I don't mean to hurt you, but I can't go on living this way. You have to accept us as friends and let me live my life. And you need to live yours..."

Alan was close to tears. "I just thought... aw fuck it." He staggered up to his room, and slammed the door.

"Alan... wait...", called Janine, but she thought the better of it. He was drunk. Probably best to let him sleep it off.

The next morning Alan was very cold. Janine tried to talk a number of times over breakfast, but Alan only muttered monosyllabic answers. He eventually picked up his coffee, took the paper, and sat in the front room. When Janine called 'goodbye' as she left for work she got no response.

Janine could not keep her mind on work that day. She sat at her desk, but her mind was elsewhere. She loved Alan so much... but that didn't seem enough for him. If only there was some way things could be okay. She knew in her heart that to be his girlfriend would be wrong... for she didn't feel that way for him, and would grow to resent him, destroying their friendship. Before she knew it, it was five o'clock, and she got up and left the office.

Instead of driving straight home (as she didn't really want to see Alan right now) she went to the market section of the city. She hoped that browsing through the small shops and stands would take her mind off the problem at hand. She was looking over some street vendor's jewlery when she noticed a new shop, 'The Occultist'. Piqueing her interest, she walked in.

The shop was very dark, and crammed to the point of overflowing with odd curios and books. She was browsing around, and didn't notice the old man behind the counter.

"Hello, mam, may I be of service?" cackled the white-haired old man.

Janine was startled, "What? Oh... no thanks, I'm just browsing."

"Very well. You seem to have something on your mind."

"What? Oh, yeah... a friend and I had a fight."

"Oh... looking for something to help?"

"Not really, it's not like I could buy a magic potion and Poof! everything is better."

"You'd be surprised...", the old man said coyly.

"What do you mean?" asked Janine.

"There are things in this world that work beyond the realm of what we know. Do you want me to help you?"

What have I got to lose, thought Janine. "Sure... I guess"

"Tell me a little of the problem..."

Janine explained her and Alan's story. The old man listened intently, scratching his chin and nodding his head. When he finished his thought for a second, and went into the back room. He came back with a rather ugly little wood carving of a Leprauchan.

"How is that supposed to help?" asked Janine.

"I grants wishes... not big ones, of course. You won't get a million dollars out of this little fellow. But he can help the harmony of a situation... if you wish for it."

Janine felt rather stupid for being taken in by the old man. Expecting a ridiculous sum, she asked "How much?"

"Take it home, try it, and if it works pay me how much you think it is worth. Let me wrap it for you."

Before she knew it, Janine was driving home with this little Leprauchan, and, truth be known, feeling a little silly.

When she got home, Janine found Alan packing. "Alan, what are you doing?" she asked.

Alan stopped and looked at her. "Janine, I love you more than anything on this earth... but I feel we have an impossible situation. I've made arrangements to stay with someone else until I can get a place of my own. I'm sorry..."

Janine was crying now, "Alan, you're my best friend in the whole world. I don't want to lose you, please stay. Just a little while longer... we can try to work things through."

"I don't know", Alan looked at his friend, "I don't mean to make you cry, but it is very hard on me sometimes. Okay, I'll stay a while longer... I don't want to lose you either."

The two ate dinner, and joked around like old times. Even though they sat up and watched a movie and talked like they usually did, Janine could feel a distance between them. Alan excused himself for bed, and Janine sat and thought. The package from the old man's store was on the coffee table, she had forgotten about it. She opened it up and looked at the carving.

"Well, little guy, if you can help, please do. I do wish there was some way my friendship with Alan could survive..." She retired for the night. From her bedroom she did not notice the green glow coming from under Alan's door...

Alan woke up early, around seven, planning to go for a run. Never a great morning person, he fumbled around his room, pulled a pair of track shorts and a t-shirt out of his drawer. Man I feel odd, he thought, I must be coming down with something. He staggered into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower. He turned to look at himself in the mirror, but the steam had clouded it up. Just as well, thought Alan, If I look anything like I feel I probably don't want to see. He walked over to the toilet, flipped up the seat, and slipped down the boxer shorts that he had worn to bed...

Janine was awakened by a woman's scream. That came from the bathroom, she thought, and jumped up to see what was the matter. She was shocked by what she found.

Standing in the bathroom, wearing only a pair of men's boxer shorts, was a blond woman. She had the looks of a model, an hourglass figure Janine guessed at 36-24-35, C cup breasts, and stood about 5'9". She couldn't weigh more than 125 lbs., Janine thought. Long blond hair reached down her back, and framed her almost Nordic features. Wow, thought Janine, if Alan scored with this woman things might be getting better.

The mystery woman in the bathroom was close to hyperventilating, "Oh my god... oh my god... Janine! What the hell is happening?"

How does she know my name?, thought Janine. "Sit down... and relax" The girl did so. Janine saw a t-shirt of Alan's on the counter and gave it to the girl to put on. Janine got her a cup of water... and when she was calm asked her a question. "Okay, you're alright now... Now, where is Alan? And what is you're name?"

The blond girl stared at Janine for a moment, and then spoke... "Janine, don't you get it? It's me... I'M Alan..."

Janine stared at the girl for a second, thoughts racing, and then things got very confusing... Janine sat across the kitchen table from the beautiful blond girl. The clock said 9:00am. For the last two hours she had sat and listened to this stranger talk... telling her unbelievable things, things that only her best friend Alan could have known. The girl began to cry a couple of times, and Janine had comforted her with a tissue. She repeated her story again, but Janine could still not believe...

"...and when I dropped my shorts to pee, it was... gone. That's when I screamed. Then you came in and found me... God Janine, you've got to believe me. How else could I know all I know? I don't know what has happened, but I am Alan." said the girl again and stared at Janine pleadingly.

"But how? I want to believe you, trust me I do, but it's just so unbelieveable..."

The girl stared out into space. Then, overwhelmed with an idea she got up and ran to a kitchen drawer. Grabbing a pen she wrote something on a piece of paper, and shoved it in Janine's face, "Here."

"What?", asked Janine, but when she looked at the paper she didn't need an answer. It was Alan's signature, pure and simple. Only a master forger could create such a likeness. "Alan?"

"What do you think I've been trying to tell you... do you believe me now?"

"Yes... how did this happen?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be quite as panicky as I am right now."

"We need to talk to a doctor, or something. Could it have been something you ate?"

"Janine, look at me... I've got C-cup breasts, not hives."

"Yeah... fair enough. But there has to be a reason for this..."

Alan sunk his head in his hands. "I'm too exhausted to think right now... I need a bath and a nap."

"That's probably a good idea", said Janine, "I'm calling in sick to work. When you wake up we can talk."

"Okay", said Alan, and stifled a laugh, "well, look at it this way, I don't think your boyfriend Kevin would have too much of a problem with me living here if he saw me now..."

As Alan started up the stairs a thought entered Janine's head. At first she brushed it away as impossible, but as she thought more about the morning's incredible happenings it made more sense. She turned and ran into the front room, and to the figure on the coffee table...

Alan ran himself a warm bath, and stared at himself in the mirror. Wow, he thought, I'm a babe. He looked like a model, with long blond hair, deep blue eyes, Scandanavian good looks, a 36-24-35 figure with C-cup breasts, and stood at 5'9". He stepped on the scale, 124lbs. Hmmn, he thought, I've been meaning to drop some weight, but 76lbs. overnight!

He stepped slowly into the warm bath. He was still amazed to see the long sleek legs that were his own. As he soaked in the bath he thought over that morning's incredible experiences. There had to be some rational explanation. Still, as he relaxed in the tub, he was too confused to think of an explanation right then. He closed his eyes and felt the warm water all around him. He grabbed a bar of soap and began to lather himself.

Alan opened his eyes and looked at the delicate hands washing the firm breasts, and thought, Yeah, they're mine. The sight of a naked woman in a tub turned him on, even if he WAS the woman. He closed his eyes and began to gently massage his breasts, and playing with his nipples. Wow, Alan thought, this feels great. Slowly, without really being aware of it, his one hand slid down to his groin...

Wait, he thought, I can't do this. I have to find out what happened, not sit here and frig myself. But, damn, it feels good... hey, who'll ever know... and when I get changed back into a man I'll know how to please a woman so much more...

His hand touched the soft pubic mound, and one finger probed inside. His body tensed as he slowly began to massage his clit... he inserted another finger and began to slowly pump himself. As he sped up his sensations continued to build, eventually exploding in a crescendo of pleasure he'd never known before.

He got out of the tub, dried himself, and looked in the mirror. He then said "Wow" aloud to no one in particular as he walked into his bedroom and fell asleep on his bed...

Alan opened his eyes slightly. He had had a wonderful dream... he was laying on a bed of silk lace, and Harrison Ford, dressed as Indiana Jones, had come into the room and kissed him full on the mouth. They made wonderful love and...

Alan woke up with a start. He thought, What the hell? He reached up to his chest, and felt the firmness of his two breasts and it all came back to him. He looked at his clock -- 2pm. He had napped for only about three hours, but it had seemed much longer. He figured Janine was downstairs waiting for him so he decided to get out of bed. He looked around for something to wear, and decided on a pair of trackpants that had been too small for him for years (they still needed to be rolled up on his new body) and a tshirt. He threw on a baseball cap to keep his hair back, and when that failed, tied it back with an elastic.

As he started down the stairs he thought to himself, What was that dream all about? Just because I have a chick's body is no reason to go queer... In any case he had more pressing issues to discuss.

Janine sat on the couch in the front room with an ugly wood carving of a Leprauchan in front of her on the coffee table. Alan sat in a recliner, and looked at her in disbelief.

"So you're saying that is why I am now the way I am?" he asked incredulously.

"Think about it, Alan, despite how ridiculous it sounds it is the only thing that makes sense."

"I don't know..."

"Listen... the old man told me it could grant wishes to create harmony in a situation. I wished for our friendship to be saved somehow..."

"I still don't get it..."

"Think. Our problems don't come from our closesness, Hell, you're my best friend in the world. Our problems are the complications that, well, our sexes create. How can we be a problem for each other if we are the same sex. No guy I would go out with would care if I have a female roommate. A male one, however..."

"So you think Mr. Leprauchan there did some plumbing adjustments on me with some sort of magic to make me into a woman, thereby saving our friendship? Janine, what if I don't want to be a woman? I have twenty four years experience at being a guy, and I don't think I'm quite ready to give that up. So just rub his belly, or whatever you do, and wish me back to being a man."

"I can't. I've tried already... it won't work."

"What? Does it come with a one wish limit? Or did you waste the remaining wishes on a new car or some money?"

"No, it doesn't work that way. I don't know if there is a limit, but I tried wishing you back while you slept, and, well, no change."

"Where is the shop where you bought this thing, I'm going down there right now..." Alan was cut short by the doorbell ringing. "Oh good God, now what?"

Janine looked out the window, "Oh God, it's Kevin."

"I'm outta here..." said Alan as he started to get up.

"No wait," implored Janine, "He would have seen someone in here with me through the window. He and I don't need any more problems, Alan. Please, just pretend to be my cousin or something. There's no way he could ever tell. Please..."

Alan looked at his friend, "Okay, I guess a lot of your problems are because of me anyway. Just make it short."

Janine answered the door, "Hello, Kevin. Would you like to come in?"

He was carrying a single rose and a letter, "Hi Janine. I'm sorry about the other night... I wrote some things down that I hope will make it better. I can't stay long, but I hope you'll read the letter, and maybe go out with me again...", he noticed the blond girl on the couch, "Oh, hello, I'm sorry... I didn't know you had company."

Janine, who was taken in by her ex's sentiments, had almost forgotten Alan was still there. "Oh, yeah... Kevin, this is Al... er, Anna, my cousin. Anna, this is Kevin."

"Hello, Anna," said Kevin.

"Oh, yes, hello," replied Alan without much enthusiasm, "Janine, Cous, I'm going into the kitchen to start dinner. Nice to meet you, Calvin."

"Kevin"

"Yeah, whatever." Janine shot Alan a cold glance as he left the room.

"Janine, you mean more to me than anything. I was thinking, I guess I reacted badly the other night. I hope you can find it in your heart to see me again. Hey, maybe we could double-date with your cousin. My buddy Paul is single..." Kevin smiled sheepishly.

"We'll see", said Janine, "Thanks for the rose. I'll talk to you later..."

"Bye" said Kevin as he walked out to the car.

Janine was smelling the rose he brought as Alan came back into the room. "Lover boy gone? Good... now back to the problem at hand. Where is this shop?" Janine turned to look at Alan with a look he knew all too well, the 'please do me a favour' look. "What... oh no... I know what you're thinking... no, you are not going to set me up with some friend of his..."

"Please... only one date, we need to get back on a firm footing. Then, I promise, we will go to the shop and straighten this all out..."

Alan ran a hand through his long hair. "I am going to regret this..." Alan sat up in bed. He stared out into space, focusing on nothing in particular as he thought over the events of the previous few days. Since he woke up and found himself in the body of a beautiful woman his life had taken a number of bizzare turns. He had spent countless hours examining the Leprauchan carving which he and his best friend Janine had assumed was the cause of his change, only to find nothing beyond a simple statue. He had tried a number of times to wish himself back to his old body with no results. And now, here he was, waiting to get ready for a double-date with Janine, her boyfriend Kevin, and his friend Paul.

Alan (or Anna, as he was referred to in the presence of Kevin) was not convinced that the date was a good idea, but Janine had asked and he had said yes. He did feel responsible for her troubles with Kevin, and though he was willing to do whatever necessary to help his friend, he couldn't see how the date would help.

"Kevin has a lot of insecurity about our relationship," Janine had told him, "By going on a date with another couple we will be able to slowly ease back into things. If we rush, I'm afraid he'll get scared and go away."

Alan still wasn't sold, but he had agreed to do it and he was a man of his word. Janine had promised to go search out the shop where she had bought the mysterious carving the very next day, anyway. What the hell, thought Alan, one night out as a woman won't kill me, it might be fun.

Though it was only 5, and the guys weren't coming until 8, Janine was in the shower. Alan heard the water stop, and after a few minutes Janine stepped into his bedroom. "Ready to get dressed, Anna?..." she asked with a devillish grin.

Alan and Janine were standing in her bedroom. He had been in here before, but this time felt different. Why shouldn't it, he thought, Janine and I are getting ready to go on a date with some guys... God this is weird. Janine had laid out some clothes for him... a pair of faded jeans, a loose fitting silk blouse, panties, a bra, and a camisole. Alan stared at the clothes like some newly discovered relics of a lost civilization.

"Are the panties and bra necessary?" he asked.

"C'mon silly, what are you going to wear... boxers?" Janine replied as she picked up the clothing and handed it to him. "Go on and put these on, and call me if you have any problems..."

Alan walked back to his room, put the clothes on his bed, and stared at them. Well, he thought, might as well just dive in.

He took off the track pants and t-shirt he had been wearing, and picked up the panties, inspecting them. The were lacy, silky things, unlike anything he had ever worn. He took a breath, and pulled them up his long legs.

Wow, he thought, these things don't feel half bad... hold on, remember, you are a guy, and this is a favour for Janine. He still couldn't help enjoying the feel of the silky fabric against his soft skin. Next came the bra, again all lace and silk, and after a few tries he was amazed that he got it on. Despite the fact he had been in this body for a few days now, this was the first experience he had with a bra. At least it keeps them from bouncing around so much, he thought. He then pulled on the camisole ('So no one can see your bra', Janine had told him, like no one knew he would be wearing one anyway) and smoothed it out over his bra. Looking in his mirror he was amazed, yet again, at his image. The girl before him looked like a Victoria's Secret model.

The jeans fit well, if a bit snugly, and the blouse was a bit filly, but managable. Alan walked back over to Janine's room and knocked on the open door. Janine was dressed in a tan skirt, and a sleeveless blue denim top. She looked up at him, "Let's get a look at our party girl. Anna, you are beautiful... I am jealous."

"Remember it's only temporary," Alan reminded her, "And do you have to keep calling me Anna?"

"You don't look much like an Alan to me, and anyway, get used to it so we don't slip up tonight. Sit down, I'll put some makeup on you."

Janine set Alan, or rather Anna, down at her dressing table and began to work on his face. After a few minutes she stepped back and said, "Perfect!" She sprayed Anna with a small amount of perfume and twirled the chair around for Anna to see.

Alan stared blankly at the reflection. Since his change he knew he was good looking, but the girl in the mirror was unbelievably beautiful. The small amount of makeup Janine had used had accented his features perfectly, and made his blue eyes piercing. "How do you like?" asked Janine.

"Wow," was all he could reply.

"You go downstairs and wait, I've still got to do a few things."

"Yeah," said Alan, half in a daze.

As he walked down to the front room he caught his reflection in the hall mirror and stopped. The girl in the mirror was unquestioningly beautiful. 36-24-35, C-cup breasts, 5'9", 124lbs., long blond hair framing exqusite features. I could have fallen in love with this girl, Alan thought, but now I am her. A thought entered his head, but he quickly pushed it away...

"There here" called Janine. Alan was in the kitchen, and quickly felt his stomach coil up. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Janine came into the kitchen, "C'mon!", she whispered.

They walked into the front room, where Kevin and his friend Paul were waiting. "Hello Kevin", muttered Alan.

"Oh, hi... Anna this is my friend Paul."

Paul, looking nervous, extended his hand, "Hello..."

Alan took it, and smiled, "Hello Paul." Gee, Alan thought, he's a pretty good looking guy, in an objective way. Hey, I'm secure in my sexuality, I can say when a guy is good looking... Alan realized he was arguing with his brain.

"Well, shall we go?" asked Janine. The four put on their coats and walked to the car...

They went to a pub by the university that Alan had frequented in his old body. He chuckled to himself when Larry, the bartender, eyed him as he walked to the booth they had selected. Larry, old boy, he thought, if you only knew...

The four sat and talked about their jobs, school, hobbies, etc. with Janine and Kevin carrying the bulk of the conversation. Alan/Anna carefully avoided most personal questions, and altered stories from his own life when necessary. Paul didn't talk much, and was painfully obvious in his attempts to make eye contact with Anna. Honestly, Alan found it cute.

"I need to go to the ladies' room", Janine announced, and looked at Anna. Oh yeah, he thought, women do this in pairs... "Me, too"

The two got up and went to the ladies' room, new territory for Alan. Sitting down to do #1 was something he had become used to, and then he and Janine stood fixing their makeup.

"I think he really likes you..." said Janine.

"Well... that's nice," said Alan as he touched up his lipstick, "I hope he doesn't become to attached though, because I do believe Anna has a date with destiny tommorow."

"Yeah... I know. This is just fun, I mean I've never had a girlfriend to whom I was so close... Oh, well. You know, Paul could really have his pick of women, though, and he seems to have taken a real shine to you..."

Alan didn't respond, but he did find it hard to supress a smile as the two walked back to the table.

The couples continued there evening out with more small talk, Paul trying to talk a bit more, and as Alan became more relaxed he too opened up. Both Kevin and Paul seemed a bit surprised when the conversation turned to baseball and Anna seemed to know more about the game than the two of them put together. Alan was having a really good time when a song that Janine really liked came on and she suggested that they all dance.

Alan wasn't quite confident enough to get up, and Kevin was sore from working out the day before, so Paul and Janine went up to dance. Alan felt a bit uncomfortable sitting alone at the table with Janine's beau, and the conversation was quite strained.

"So, you and Janine are cousins?" asked Kevin, searching for something to talk about.

"Yep," was Alan's only reply.

"Hmmn..." said Kevin, to fill in the empty space, "Your cousin is a really special girl. I don't quite think I've ever met someone like her before... I guess she has told you about our problems."

"A bit..." said Alan, intrigued.

"I feel like a real jerk, honestly. From what she's told me her friend Alan is a really great guy... I guess I was just being a possesive goof, you know how guys can be..."

More than you'd ever imagine, Kevin-boy, Alan thought. He wondered if he had been at all fair to Kevin, he did seem like a nice guy after all.

"I just hope I haven't hurt her friendship with Alan," he continued, "I don't think it's fair for me to demand so much of her. Who knows, maybe he and I could become friends... where has been recently, anyway?"

"Oh... he is visiting some relatives for a few days..."

"I think when he gets back I'll take him out for a beer and try and smooth things over... do you think he'd be okay with that?"

"I think he might..." said Alan. Gee, who feels like the jerk now, he thought...

Janine and Paul came back to the table. "So what have you two been talking about?" asked Janine.

"Oh, not much," said Alan as he gave a wink to Kevin.

The event went off wonderfully, and soon the four were piled back into Kevin's car for the ride home. When they pulled into the driveway Alan could see that Janine and Kevin would want some time alone. "Why don't I take Paul inside for a quick coffee and you two can... make sure the car is running properly?" asked Alan with a wink. The two blushed, but readily agreed.

Alan fixed two coffees and sat in the front room. He and Paul talked some more, and when it looked like Janine and Kevin were finished talking in the car Paul stood up to go.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more fun tonight..." he said.

"Oh, you were fine," replied Alan with a smile.

"Really? Oh, great... You know, I was thinking... I don't know... um, would you like, or be interested rather... on going out on another date, maybe... you know, just the two of us... if not that's okay... I understand... I just..."

Alan cut him off, "I think that'd be okay." Why did I say that? He thought. Oh well... I'll figure something out.

"Really? Super... I can reach you here I guess..." Paul stopped talking and looked into Anna's eyes. Oh no, thought Alan, I know what's coming next. Well, he was a nice guy all night...

Paul slowly, akwardly, moved closer to Anna. Their lips touched briefly, pulled apart, then met in a kiss. Alan, unconsciously, wrapped his arms around Paul's neck. They pulled apart and looked at each other for a moment. "I'll call, then..." Paul said.