The Changeling Princess

by Jackie Shirley

“Don’t let this go to your head, but I thought you were terrific tonight. You handled that robber without anyone getting hurt and you made it look easy.”

  Wade looked pleased. “I guess we make a pretty good team.”

  “No, Wade, we make a fantastic team. Incidentally, I’ve been meaning to ask you about a park dance here next Saturday night. The Spunks, the hottest rock band in Charlotte have been hired for the dance.”

  “That’s interesting…are you going?”

  “I don’t know, no one’s asked me.”

  “I can’t believe it! A good-looking girl like you and you haven’t been asked.”

  “Wade Wilson, you’re the biggest tease I’ve ever met.”

  Wade turned serious. “Would you like to go to the dance with me next week?”

  “No.”

  Wade flinched. “Now I’m really confused.”

  “I’ll go with you, but not as Janis French. I’m in a fun mood and I want to be someone else. So take your pick—blonde, redhead, or brunette? 1t’s your choice.”

  “I feel like I just won the grand prize on the $64,000 Question show. You’re kidding me, right?”

  “Nope, I’m dead serious. So, what’ll it be?”

  “I’ll take the redhead. I’ll save the others for later.”

  “But I’m already a redhead. Don’t you want something different?”

  “No, I like redheads.”

  “Okay, I’ll sharpen up my dance steps.”

  “Now I’m really looking forward to Saturday night.”

  CHAPTER 15

  I was watching television on Friday afternoon when the doorbell rang. I opened the door to see Sherri wearing the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Get ready to rumble, Jan. I’ve got wheels.”

  I looked toward the street and saw a gorgeous convertible parked in the front of the house. “Is that yours?” I asked.

  “Yes, it’s a 1958 Ford Fairlane. It’s got the big engine and a three-speed stick shift.”

  “Impressive. Are we going for a ride?”

  “Of course, why do think I’m here?”

  We were both laughing as we walked to Sherri’s car. If my instincts were right, I was in for unusual experience. Sherri might have been a lot of things, but she was never boring.

  I expected Sherri to speed away from the curb, but she surprised me by creeping forward like a turtle. “I don’t want your parents to think I’m a hotrod,” Sherri said with a gleam in her eyes.

  As soon as we were out of the neighborhood, Sherri down shifted to second gear and floored the accelerator. When she finally backed off the accelerator, she shifted into third gear and slowed down to the speed limit. Sherri and I were both laughing.

  “That was a blast,” Sherri said with a wide grin. “Do you want to cruise Main Street?”

  “You’re driving. Maybe we’ll run into some guys who are looking for a good time, if you know what I mean.”

  Sherri stared at me. “You’re just teasing me because you know I wouldn’t cheat on Bruce.”

  “Of course I am, but you should have seen the look on your face.”

  We entered a freeway entrance with a long straightaway to the onramp. Sherri was wearing a mischievous grin when she came to a dead stop. “Watch me lay a strip.”

  Sherri revved the engine and popped the clutch, leaving a trail of burned rubber behind her as she picked up speed. She speed-shifted into second gear and we picked up speed. We were going close to seventy miles an hour when Sherri hit the brakes and slowed down. “How’s that for a kick in the pants?” Sherri said, trying to control her laughter.

  We drove around for another hour, talking about school and who was doing what. I knew that Sherri was very happy. She had a boyfriend she was crazy about and now she had her own car. For a sixteen year old, the term we used in the sixties was “made in the shade.”

  We stopped at Baker’s Dairy Bar for a cherry coke. We were sitting there watching the kids dance when Bruce walked in the door with a gorgeous blonde. They sat at a table near the back of room, unaware that we were sitting close by. Sherri had two options. She could either break out crying or she could walk over to their table and pull the girl’s hair out by the roots.

  Bruce stood up because he sensed he was in the presence of Changelings. When he saw us, he stood up and came toward us with the girl in tow. I sensed that Sherri’s emotions were running wild.

  “Sherri, I’d like you to meet my cousin Georgia from New York. Her parents are spending the week with us and I thought I’d treat her to the best chocolate milkshake in the entire state of North Carolina.”

  Georgia’s smile was extremely friendly. “Bruce has told me all about you, Sherri, but you’re even prettier than I imagined.”

  Sherri was so relieved I thought she was going to jump up and hug Georgia. Sherri stood up. “Won’t you join us?”

  Georgia replied before Bruce could say anything. “We’d love to.”

  What looked like a tragedy was turning into an enjoyable afternoon. Sherri and Georgia got along famously and everyone had a good time. Developing my powers was extremely important, but sometimes it was nice to be able to sit back and enjoy being a sixteen-year-old.

  * * *

  Saturday was a lazy day. I spent some time in my bedroom, morphing into a lot of new characters. I especially liked Connie Francis and Brenda Lee because they had such great voices. Janis French couldn’t carry a tune in a bushel basket.

  I invented a new game for the kitties by morphing into a very speedy little mouse. When they thought they had me cornered, I made myself invisible and escaped. It was a fun game and it was good exercise for the kitties. Playtime always ended with a flying session because that was the Missy and Izzy’s favorite game.

  I still wasn’t sure how my powers worked when I morphed into an animal. If I morphed into something like a bird or a tiger I had their powers, but I wasn’t able to turn invisible or morph into a Mist. All I could do was morph back into Janis French. That wasn’t the case when I morphed into a mouse and played with the kitties. I didn’t have the slightest idea why this was true. Maybe it was because I was bringing someone pleasure. I decided it wasn’t worth thinking about.

  I hadn’t revealed my new morphing skills to my parents, but tonight was going to be an exception. I wanted them to know that I wasn’t going to the dance tonight as plain old Janis French.

  “I have a surprise for everyone,” I announced at the supper table.

  “I love surprises,” my dad said.

  I morphed into an exact likeness of Grandma Pauline. “That’s incredible!” said my mother. “Your skills have really improved.”

  I morphed back to myself and made the announcement. “I want everyone to know that I’m changing my appearance tonight. I won’t be going to the street dance as Janis French.”

  My father chuckled. “That sounds like fun. No one at the dance will know who you are.”

  My mother looked suspicious. “Is there a special reason why you want to be different?”

  “I have two reasons. First, I want Wade to have a gorgeous date so the other guys will be envious. My second reason is I’d like to feel really special for a change. I know it sounds vain, but what’s the fun of being a Changeling if you can’t show off once in a while? No one’s going to get hurt.”

  “You’ve convinced me,” said my dad.

  Mom smiled. “You’ve convinced me too. I can’t wait to see the new you. I bet you’ll be a knockout.”

  * * *

  I slipped into my new navy blue sundress with white polka dots. I wore my navy blue sandals and my favorite silver charm bracelet. When I twirled around in front of my mirror, I thought I looked pretty good.

  The next thing on my agenda was to acquire the skills of a great dancer. I thought about all the great dancers in Hollywood. I could choose from Ginger Rogers, Ann Miller, Mitzi Gaynor, Eleanor Powell and Rita Hayworth. There were others, but those were the ones I liked best.

  I finally de
cided on Rita Hayworth because she danced like she had a wild streak that couldn’t be tamed. I saw her dance in the 1947 film, “Down to Earth” and I never forgot it. Not only that, Rita Hayworth was the only redhead in the group and Wade liked redheads. Actually, Rita Hayworth wasn’t a real redhead, but that wasn’t important. Most movie stars wouldn’t be recognizable if you saw them on the street with no makeup.

  I morphed into Rita Hayworth and checked myself in front of the mirror. I had acquired the dancing skills I wanted, so the next phase was to change my height and age.

  I increased my height to six feet tall. Then I gradually regressed my age until I looked sixteen. As I had done with the Egyptian Princess, I made my neck a tad longer and raised my cheekbones.

  Rita Hayworth had a good figure, but I decided to improve on it because my new body was a lot taller. I made my legs shapelier and made my waist thinner. Then I finished up by making my bust a tiny bit fuller. When I was finished, I think I resembled a gorgeous Barbie doll. I was positive Wade was really going to be impressed with his date tonight.

  To my delight, my dress fit perfectly and my sandals were a perfect fit for dancing. It never ceased to amaze me how I could physically change my size and my clothes adjusted right along with the transformation. If that isn’t pure magic, nothing is.

  I stood back and twirled around in front of the mirror. I couldn’t wait to put my new dancing skills to the test on the dance floor. I was ready to party.

  I wish I’d had a camera to capture the expression on my parents’ faces when I walked into the living room. I twirled around in a circle. “How do I look?”

  “Breathtaking,” my mother said, “but I don’t know who’s the prettiest—Janis French or the new you?”

  “Now you’re flattering me, Mom.”

  My father approved, too. “Your morphing skills are beyond phenomenal. I’m really proud of my little girl.”

  “Janis is exceptional,” my mother said. “She’ll set new standards for morphing in our Clan. Bill, do you think Janis’ new personality looks slightly familiar?”

  My dad stared at me. “Yeah, but I don’t know who.”

  “I think she looks like a six foot teenage Rita Hayworth.”

  My dad didn’t agree. “I think Janis looks more like a six foot Rhonda Fleming.”

  “Keep guessing guys, but I’m not going to tell you. I just hope Wade likes it.”

  “Don’t be surprised if Wade doesn’t want to bring you home tonight,” my father joked.

  “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be a good girl.”

  CHAPTER 16

  I had goose bumps as I walked the short distance to Wade’s house. He was waiting on his front porch, but it took a second for him to realize who I was. He walked slowly down the steps, his smile widening as we came face to face. “I don’t believe this. Jeez, Jan, you take my breath away.”

  “I’m glad you’re pleased. Just remember, I’m all yours tonight and we should concentrate on having a good time.”

  “That was a nice thing to say, but if anyone asks, I’m going to introduce you as my cousin Darcy from Florida.”

  “Good idea. If Sherri and Bruce are at the dance, their senses will tell them I’m not an ordinary human.”

  We headed toward the park holding hands and laughing. When we reached the park entrance, we paid the dollar admission price and went inside. Everyone was gathered around the pavilion because the band was set up and about to play. Suddenly, the band blasted away with its version of “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” The dance floor filled up like a colony of ants that just discovered spilled sugar.

  “Shall we?” I asked.

  Wade grabbed my hand and we hurried onto the dance floor. I felt my new dancing skills taking over because I was using moves that I’d never used before. I think Wade was surprised that I was such a good dancer.

  “You weren’t kidding, Janis when you said you were going to sharpen up on your dance steps. You’re going to put everyone here to shame tonight.”

  “Practice makes perfect, isn’t that what they say?” I noticed several guys pointing me out to their buddies, but I just ignored them. Wade was the only boy at the dance I cared about.

  We were both laughing when the dance ended. We held hands and waited until “Harlem Nocturne” filled the evening air with its beautiful melody. I melted into Wade’s arms and we twirled around the dance floor.

  “You do realize everyone’s watching you,” said Wade. “They’ve never seen a girl as beautiful as you.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere,” I joked. “What they’re seeing isn’t real, but who cares? We’re here to have fun.”

  We were only half way through “Harlem Nocturne” when someone tapped Wade on the shoulder. “I’m cutting in,” the big guy said, pushing Wade to one side.

  I didn’t wait for Wade to react. I focused my heat beam on the guy’s right shoe and gave him a hot foot he wasn’t likely to forget. The big guy hopped up and down like a rabbit being chased out of the carrot patch.

  “That was pretty cool,” said Wade, “but I probably would have aimed for his crotch.”

  I slapped Wade on the arm. “Now you’re being nasty.” The song ended and we walked off the dance floor.

  The band played a small fanfare and the leader made an announcement. “It’s time to line up for ‘The Stroll.’” The kids clapped their hands and cheered.

  “Do you do The Stroll?” I asked.

  “Yes, but I’d rather sit this one out.”

  The Stroll is a completely different kind of dance that features couples strolling down the dance floor. To start the dance, the couples are separated from each other and lined up about ten feet apart, facing each other. When the music starts, everyone remains in their position and does the basic dance step. The actual Stroll begins when the person at the front of each line steps forward and joins up with their partner. The couple then strolls forward in between the two lines, doing the basic dance steps. When the first couple reaches the end of the line, the next couple steps forward to begin the process all over again. It was a fun dance to watch because everyone gets a chance to show their stuff.

  The Stroll lasted for half an hour and then the band took a break. We headed for the concession stand and ordered cokes. We were standing around making small talk when Sherri and Bruce walked up to us. “Hi, Wade,” Sherri said. “Who’s your beautiful date?”

  This is what I liked about Sherri, no messing around and straight to the point. Wade introduced me. “This is my cousin Darcy from Florida. She’s spending the weekend with us.”

  After the introductions, Sherri chimed in again. “I’ll be honest with you, Darcy. You’re so darn attractive; you’d have every stud in town beating your door down if you moved to Charlotte.”

  Bruce looked at Sherri as he spoke. “Sherri’s vocabulary may not be eloquent, but she certainly knows how to make a point. I couldn’t help noticing how sharp you two were on the dance floor. Are you guys going to enter the dance contest tonight?”

  “What dance contest?” I asked.

  “The swing dance contest,” Bruce replied. “We’ve got couples from all over competing for the $100 first prize. The dance contest is the reason why the park’s so crowded tonight.”

  Wade spoke up. “I don’t think so, Bruce. Are you and Sherri going to enter?”

  “No way,” said Sherri. “A lot of these couples are expert jitterbuggers and I couldn’t begin to compete with them.”

  “I love the jitterbug,” said Wade. “My aunt taught it to me when I was a kid.”

  “You’ve got twenty minutes left to sign up if you change your mind,” said Bruce.”

  We both said goodbye and then wandered around the park sipping on our cokes. Wade was still talking about the dance contest. “I bet you’re good at the jitterbug, Janis.”

  “I was never much of a dancer until I got my powers. When we were on the dance floor, I felt like I was dancing on air.”

  “Would you
like to enter the contest?”

  “Are you kidding? 1 can’t wait to get out there and do my stuff.” It suddenly dawned on me that I might have inherited some of Rita Hayworth’s outgoing personality. I figured that wasn’t all bad.

  “Okay, let’s head back to the pavilion.”

  We paid our five-dollar entry fee and entered the dance contest. We were given a set of numbers that slipped over our shoulders with a string to keep them in place. There were about fifty couples entered in the contest and we were number twenty-six.

  Swing dancing, jitterbug, and boogie woogie all had one thing in common—the music had a lot of rhythm and it required a lot of fast foot work. I thought they were a dancer’s dream.

  When the music started, my new personality was in complete control and I was raring to go. Taking on someone else’s personality had never happened to me before. I blamed it on my mischievous mood.

  The band started off with “Rock Around the Clock” and followed with a series of Bill Haley tunes. There were four judges roaming around the dance floor. If you were tapped on the shoulder, you were eliminated and you dropped out of the competition.

  I loved being able to assimilate other people’s abilities, but I don’t think I’d ever had as much fun as I was having right now. My feet never stopped moving and I’d done more spins in the last twenty minutes than I’d done in the last five years.

  We were down to the last five couples when the band played “Johnny B Goode,” an upbeat rock and roll tune that got my blood boiling and made my feet itch to get moving. “Let’s put it into overdrive,” I yelled to Wade.

  Wade and I flew around the dance floor. My feet felt like they were on fire and we were burning up the floor. What really surprised me was what a good dancer Wade was. I had no doubt that he could be a professional dancer if he wanted to be.

  When the song ended, Wade and I were one of the two remaining couples. The winner would be decided by the audience.

  The judge held his hand over the other couple and they received a thunderous applause. When the judge held his hand over Wade and me, the applause was so loud it could probably be heard clear across Charlotte. I squealed and then I threw my arms around Wade and kissed him.