Maya has run up a bill at Tres Bien.

(Originally written by Cardio at Writing.com)

"Well you see Nick. I'm at Tres Bien." Maya said meekly causing Phoenix to sigh, "You mean the way to expensive and frilly French restaurant with the crummy and overpriced food?"

"Yes." Maya said sadly, "Well Nick, I got this thing in the mail saying I should come back to Tres Bien and try out their new menu so I thought it would be a good idea to do it and support Mr. Armstrong's restaurant!"

"But Maya, I know you, there's no way you could afford that."

"Well, the thing in the mail said try the new food. It didn't say I had to pay for it. I blame the mailman for bringing bad mail to the village."

"Maya..." That was all Phoenix could say, any more and he feels like he'd be scolding a child and that wasn't going to help. "Maya what do you need."

"Well, I need $200 or else I have to work here until I pay it off! Help me Nick!"

"$200! I don't have that much Maya!" But after taking a second to calm down he said, "Listen Maya, I don't have a case now, I'll just go down and help you work off the debt. Ok?"

"Yay!" Maya and cheered into the phone, "See you soon Nick!" And with that the spirit channeler hung up. Sighing and figuring maybe he'd be able to eat some untouched leftovers for his supper, Phoenix made his way to Tres Bien and approached the owner/chef Jean Armstrong. "Hi again Jean, I'm here to help out with working off Maya's debt. Do you want me to wash the dishes in the back or something?"

With a sparkle in his eye and a voice that was trying to be youthful and feminine, the large man said, "Oh no no non, I can not allow anyone to see the kitchens for my secret recipes! You will work here in the front as a waitress!"

"Um, you mean a waiter." Phoenix said feeling his temple throb a little bit. "Vetever!" Jean said with a flourish as he skipped back into the kitchen. Phoenix saw that Maya was already in the orange maid like uniform that brought in a number of customers on it's own. "Nick. You came!" Maya seemed to have tears in her eyes as she hugged Phoenix. "Yeah, it's no problem. It's a slow day at the office anyways. So, I don't suppose I have an appropriate uniform or something?"

Maya led Phoenix into a changing room that had a free locker with a female uniform inside. Phoenix grimaced at it. There was no way he'd be caught dead in such a thing. But he wasn't going to serve food in his suit so he took off his signature blue jacket and defense attorney pin. As he hung it up a small gold coin fell out it's pocket. "Oh yeah, forgot about this." Phoenix looked at the coin and saw that there was some words engraved on it but he could worry about that later, he had work to do. So he pocketed the gold coin and took the frilly apron off the female uniform and put it on to protect the rest of his clothes from whatever came out of the kitchen and got to work.

The first few customers went poorly as Phoenix almost spilled the...food(?) onto customers. But he tried his hardest and almost by magic he began to get better. He was balancing treys with ease after a few minutes and even was going the extra mile by refilling drinks without even being asked and checking in with customers. He wasn't sure what was coming over him, it was like something inside him was leading him to be a better waiter. But something inside him was making him feeling queasy. Maybe he was breathing in too many fumes from the kitchen. And after about an hour of serving Phoenix felt that something building up in him getting strong. Feeling like he was about to burst Phoenix ran back to the changing area and sure enough Phoenix began to change.

It started with his pants oddly enough, they began to turn from their signature blue to a bright orange color and what's more they began to fuse together and shorten until they became like a skirt that went above his knees. Then his white button up shirt began to change until it too was orange and fusing with the skirt to become one dress that with he frilly apron looked quite fetching if it were on a woman. And soon it would be as Phoenix felt a build up in his chest, he tried to will it to stop but it finally burst out until he had a pair of breasts that might C cup. Phoenix's spike hair began to soften and started to grow and grow until it flowed down to below his shoulders. Phoenix looked on in confusion as his arms, legs, and face began to soften and shrink becoming more feminine. And finally as if everything else wasn't enough he felt a something change around his pelvis as though something was being absorbed into a new form.

Phoenix felt a relief as the energy he felt like he'd been carrying for an hour finished it's work, but this wasn't right. He was no longer himself. Sure with a form like this he could be a better waitress and make more tips, but he couldn't, or at least shouldn't be thinking like this now. As Phoenix tried to comprehend what had happened to him he heard something behind him.