Sabrina is panicked

"What's the matter babe?? I thought you went to change your clothes?"

"I DID!!! They turned into this! Another one of my favorite tops, RUINED!"

Looking his girlfriend up and down, Sam noticed that she wasn't wearing the exact same clothes as before. Still with the daisy dukes and green top, there were minor differences that made it stand out as a new outfit while closely resembling the old one.

"Damn, it really is a new one. So you what, can't wear anything but shorts and bikinis or whatever?"

"YES. SAM. We HAVE to fix this!"

Tension built up in the room. Eyes looking right to left, no one quite sure what to make of the situation. As it stood, only Sabrina had been affected by the game. With the potential face, body or even mind alterations, continuing seemed like a really bad idea with no upsides what-so-ever.

"How should we do that? The game is random. It might make it worse you know!"

"Worse than dressing up like a fucking whore every day? I think I'll take my chances, thank you!"

"Ok. Let's say you DO continue, what are the odds you get another clothes change right away, and what if it makes them even worse??"

"I'd rather try than live like this for the rest of my life."

Truth be told, Sam didn't recognize what the big issue was. Sure, he understood that the permanent change in style was sub optimal, but the clothes were truly not that bad. And to think there could be worse changes around the corner..

"..Actually. There is a way to fix it."

Caitlyn spoke the words which Sabrina desperately wanted to hear.

"Tell me!!"

"You have to finish the game, and you can't do it alone."

"What happens if I finish the game??"

Caitlyn paused for a moment, knowing full and well that the words she were about to voice would sound insane.

"The winner gets a wish.."

"Like a wish-wish? Wishing from a genie type of thing? Wishing well wishing? An actual magical wish?!?"

"That's what it says. But a winner has to be crowned. And for there to be a winner, there has to be losers."

"So what, you're saying we all have to continue playing?"

"Not necessarily. As long as one other player is active by the time you reach the end, the game should finish and crown you the victor. Though it certainly would help to have as many active players throughout the entire game as possible."

"What do you mean? You just said we only needed one winner and one loser."

"Well, yes. But think about it. With just a blue card, your clothes were completely and permanently altered to ..whatever that is. There are also body cards, even mind cards. Imagine if any of them renders anyone unfit to continue. There would be no opposition left before you hit the finish line, hence you wont actually "defeat" the game. You'll just beat the rest of us."

"That's actually ..very logical."

Troy added, being completely onboard with Caitlyn's logic. And who could blame him? It was difficult not to agree with her reasoning. The more players active, the more chances for two of them to make it to the end.

"Okay. So we all continue playing then. Whoever wins has to wish us back to normal."

Sabrina perked up a little due to the relief of seeing a way out of her predicament. It was however rather short lived, as the last person who she expected to let her down spoke up.

"Uhm. I don't think I wanna play this game, at all. I'm sorry Brina', but this just looks like a bad time.."

"A BAD TIME!? LOOK AT ME, Camila! I HAVE to turn back. You of all people should be backing me up here, PLEASE! We're in it together!"

"Yea, I don't know. It's not like you can't physically live like this. Sure, it might be bad, but we don't know how the game works. Things might get irreversibly worse. I have to look out for me, too."

Sabrina was fuming. Her BFF letting her down like this? Unacceptable. Fortunately for Camila, she didn't get the time to vent her frustration as the other people present announced their intent to continue with the game. As one would expect, Barbara would stand up for her daughter. The same went for Sam and Caitlyn. Even Troy remained adamant that he wanted to go on. Harry was the last to hop on board despite his fear, thinking it'd make things awkward down the line if he didn't.

"If no one minds, I'll go on with my turn now."

Everyone's eyes were glued to Troy's hand as he picked up the die, feeling it up before throwing it on to the coffee table. As it stopped, four eyes were reflected back at the crowd.

"A four, sweet!"

Not a terrible start, one more than that of Sabrina. Having learned from her, Troy knew not to move the game piece himself. Instead, he simply watched it slide autonomously towards the fourth, green tile.
The existing silence which had consumed the room apart from Troy's short statements felt even heavier. Green was for the body. What could possibly happen to Troy? Sabrina had her wardrobe altered, Troy would have his entire body change. It was both exciting and terrifying. There wasn't a lot of sympathy to go around however, as only Barbara and Caitlyn felt remotely sorry for the boy who was about to change, possibly forever.

A great deal of hardship, you did endure
Fear not, for this game will offer the cure
One need not vast amounts of power or wealth
What is truly important is, after all, one's own health

Do you continue or chicken out?

"Woah! Is this what I think it is? Only one way to find out, I guess. I continue!"

Troy was careful not to get his hopes too high, but the text alone seemed promising. Who knows? The instructions didn't specify that the changes were exclusively bad. Perhaps Sabrina just got unlucky.

"Wow."

Barbara looked at Troy in shock. His whole posture shifted, but that was far from the most significant change. His complexion perked up, leaving his skin with a much healthier glow. His previously unruly hair looking as though it was straight out of a men's shampoo commercial. Lastly, his frame buffed out, leaving his old, frail frame behind.

"I.. Quite like this change, actually."

"WHAT THE HELL!? THAT'S SO UNFAIR. How come the geek gets to be healed by GOD and I have to dress like some skeevy slut?!"

"You better watch the way you speak to people! Troy was the first one to stand up for you, and offer his help after all!"

Barbara was right. Sabrina's comment, though rooted in frustration towards the game, was mean and cruel.

"Seems like there are some good cards in there as well. That makes things a little easier. You mind if I go third?"

Caitlyn was sure she wanted to help her sister out, in spite of all her shortcomings. They were family after all. Seeing how Troy's medical issues had vanished by a single card, the fright of playing the game was somewhat conquered.

Ello!
Finally a good hearted change for once? Impossible.
Hope you're enjoying things this far! As usual, several chapters have already been published over on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/Felixfalck) for all subscribers!