Alex Monroe, 24, male

You stare at a the machine, the buttons glowing softly in the dark alley. They seem to stretch upwards endlessly, far beyond the bounds of the machine's shell.

The machine itself resembles any other generic vending machine, but with a dispenser more similar to a soda fountain or one of those fancy boba vending machines. The dark metal is unblemished, a stark contrast to the graffiti and general grime of the city.

"RealityMix, huh?" You examine the machine further. "Any three flavors, first taste is free. Wonder how they enforce that..." You mutter, working through the the written information until it becomes too hard to read in the darkness.

Transformation. The word sticks out to you. You could definitely use a change from your recent life. Your girlfriend left two weeks ago, and you've been listless ever since. Work has been suffering, your direct supervisor has been accommodating but is reaching the end of his patience with your drop in productivity.

The flavors are strange, and whenever you focus on a new part of the grid they shift, thousands of buttons all somehow within reach.

The flavors span the range of typical syrups— Kitten Cola, Hyper Honey, Cutesy Cherry— but there are also liquors like Gator Gin, and even flavors of cocktails like Diapered Daiquiri that you can't imagine tasting good mixed with these other flavors.

You hear laughing from the street, people bar-hopping on a chilly night. Carefree, casual, normal while you're standing here in front of this impossible machine.

... because it should be impossible, right? It's offering transformations for God's sake.

But if it's real...

You reach out towards a button despite yourself.