Say it Aunt so!
Your head spinning from the drastic changes in your lifestyle, you stand quietly in the middle of the store with a small monkey on your arm, trying to figure things out. The more you look at the little one, the cuter she looks, and you realize you're starting to like her. She is after all (somehow) you niece, and you're her...
Wait a minute.
Despite your warm fur, you feel a chill runs down your spine as the full implication of your own words - or one word in particular - strikes you.
You are a girl, or at least you were until you rubbed the lamp. But now...?
Suddenly acutely aware of the weight in your groin, you look around, spot a mirror and lope over to confirm your suspicion.
The first thing you notice is that your clothes are history. Disintegrated or turned into fur - better find somewhere private to change back just in case!
Looking into the reflection of your eyes, you let them wander slowly downwards... across your muscular but still rather flat chest... past the place where you suppose your navel must be (it's hidden in the fur)... down to...
Wow. You never thought you would ever be that close to one of those! And whoever the little chimp girl's parents may be, you certainly aren't their sister.
"Are you finished back here?' We're closing in five..."
That's how far the shopkeeper, suddenly appearing behind you, gets before you drop everything you're holding, jump him and start screaming random monkey noises. Fortunately he seems to be used to that kind of thing.
"There, there, slow down," he says calmly. "I don't understand a word you're saying. Not that you understand it yourself, am I right?"
You calm down and realize he's right. Your throat may be built for speaking Monkey, but you have no idea if you're saying what you want to say.
The old man picks up the lamp and looks at it. "It's alright," he assures you. "It can be quite a shock the first time - lucky you chose a form so similar to human - but you'll get used to it, and tomorrow you will be yourself again. And in the meantime you have 23 opportunities to upgrade this form."
He turns to hand the lamp back to you, and notices the chimp girl in the corner. "Ah, the old monkey's uncle gambit. Hello, Cherie!"
"Ook?" It probably doesn't mean "You know each other?" but the shopkeeper realizes what you mean anyway.
"Yes, she's an old young friend of mine," he explains as she ambles over and starts climbing him like a tree. "Little Cherie here is the temporary niece of anyone who 'wishes' to be a monkey's uncle. And yes, I am aware that you didn't mean that as a wish. Call it a genie prank. The genies have a hard time telling if their masters made a wish or not, so they are training them to speak clearly. This is your first lesson."
After a short pause he continues: "I'm sorry but I have to close now. I suggest you take Cherie for a walk or something. And don't worry about the lamp, it has become attuned to you so it will always turn up somehow an hour after you lose or misplace it. See you tomorrow."
You take little Cherie by the hand and walk slowly out of the store as the shopkeeper starts closing it behind you. "By the way," he adds right before he shuts the door. "If you wonder about her name, it's from Mary Poppins."
You turn and look at him with a furrowed brow. You don't remember any chimpanzees in that movie...? With a smile and a wink he starts singing softly, "Chimp chimpanzee, chimp chimpanzee, chimp chimp Cherie..."
Great. A pun. You roll your eyes and slap your forehead. At least that gesture is universal!
As the building lights go out, you start walking down the path to the jungle (see chapter one) and notice that you are starting to get used to your new legs. Maybe this won't be so bad after all, and tomorrow...
Hang on. You can't just wait until tomorrow! You have a date with your boyfriend tonight, and after the last time you stood him up, he made it clear that if he doesn't see you tonight he doesn't want to see you ever again...
Written by Won-Tolla on 24 July 2007
The end (for now)