Plotting a Comeback

“Got any plans tonight?” AJ had asked Hannah as they’d gathered their packages by the pool.

“I suppose the next step is finding my room. And I need to come up with some sort of battle plan for this challenge.”

That was Hannah. She was a practical, next step type of woman. The type that Jake needed in his life. Hell, the type that she did, come to that. AJ wondered how inclined Hannah might be to bat for her team now that she’d been transformed. Although she didn’t much care for the way Hannah was looking at her long new hair and her smooth and unblemished skin.

“Well, I’m going to throw my shit in my room,” AJ said, then pointed to the tiki bar that was set up by the pool, “Then I’m gonna come back here, and knock back drinks until I stop worrying about it. You in?”

Hannah had considered, then nodded.

“Sure. But help me think of my next move here. I am at a complete loss on my next step.”

AJ had promised she would, then departed for her own room. And it turned out to be damnably hard to find. After about 20 minutes of aimlessly wandering, she finally stopped, consulted the map, and headed off to her room.

What had tripped her up was as obvious as it was understandable; she’d expected her room to be inside the complex. Instead, the little sign posts, once she stopped second guessing herself, led out from the complex and down a sidewalk that ended in a long wooden walkway that jutted out into the water. From there, it was no mystery where she was headed, as the path only went one way.

“Holy shit!” She exclaimed aloud.

Her new home away from home for the foreseeable future was a thatch roof bungalow that stood above the sea on stilts. If she had to guess, it probably only had 3 interior rooms at most, but that barely mattered. The bulk of its real estate was in its beautiful, expansive deck that edged right down to the coral lined seafloor. For some inexplicable reason, it sported a pool in spite of this, though the fact that it had an upper and lower pool with a waterfall cascading between the two was pretty sweet.

Feeling something other than contempt for the first time since she was sucked in here, she ran up to inspect her new living space.

There were, indeed, three rooms inside the bungalow; a bathroom, a living room and a bedroom. This last had two beds, and on one, she found something curious. Her raggedy old suitcase rested atop it. She opened it, finding some of the things she’d have definitely wanted to have on a vacation. Her laptop, her Switch, some electronics of a more intimate nature, and a handful of casual clothes. Checking her closet nearest the bed, she found her meager collection of dress clothes hung up.

Well, at least she had most of the comforts of home here. Strike that worry off the list.

She was examining this collection when she heard a noise coming from the deck. Sniffling, punctuated by a few outright sobs.

Ah, shit. That’s the roommate, I bet.

She stepped out onto the deck, fully prepared to find the beautiful blonde that Ryan had turned into. Instead, it was the curvy girl that…what was her name? Emily’s friend had turned into.

AJ had met her once before, at a party Jake threw, hadn’t thought much of her. She’d clung to Emily like her life had depended on it, being generally bitchy and standoffish with everyone else. Still, it was clear how much she’d loved and worked on her body, and what they’d done to it had pissed AJ off in spite of it not happening to her.

Plus, if she was going to live with the girl, they needed to get on good terms.

“Uh…hey,” She greeted.

The puffy eyed Asian girl turned to her.

“Go away!” She snapped, before sniffling again.

AJ didn’t have the years of experience with Rachel that Emily did, but she recognized wallowing when she saw it. Not that she wasn’t sympathetic, but if you were wallowing, you usually needed someone to pull you out. Besides, hadn’t she been going through exactly what she was.

She strode up anyway and sat herself on the chair opposite her. Rachel eyed her resentfully, but AJ could see the fight going out of her.

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” She asked again. “I hate crying in front of people.”

AJ gave a nod, looking out toward the sea.

“Yeah. But I think you need to talk anyway. At least to hear some stuff I’ve got to say,” She said. “So I’ll tell you what; I’ll enjoy the scenery here, and you get whatever you’ve gotta get off your chest.”

She felt Rachel staring at her.

“Why do you care?” She sniffed. “You don’t even know me.”

“Who says I have to? I know what you’re going through at any rate.”

AJ slapped her arm for emphasis, never taking her eyes off her horizon.

“It’s not quite the same, but I get having your identity fucked over by these people,” She said. “You got any idea how long I spent adding those tattoos? How much they meant to me?”

AJ had surprised herself with the real anger that had crept into her voice. The wound was still fresh, and she’d only meant to poke it as a way of comforting this tearful new roommate of hers. But now that she had, she’d found it was still very raw. Her hand, resting on her lap, had curled into a fist.

“Yeah, you said that earlier,” Rachel said. “But I can’t bank on someone honest winning this thing. Didn’t whatsherface say we couldn’t undo what the game did to us anyway?”

AJ frowned at that. She had said that, hadn’t she? When she’d nearly lunged at Leah, Hannah had dangled this carrot in front of her as a means of settling her down and she’d grasped the straw eagerly. But it did contradict what Leah had told them. And come to think of it, was Hannah really the type to overlook something like that? Had she known the hope she’d offered was false.

Troubling thought. Not a dismissable one.

“Besides, you’re way better off than me,” Rachel continued, snapping her out of it. “You’re still a badass even if you don’t look like one. I’m just…weak now.”

AJ nodded.

“You’re not wrong. But the same goes for you too. And I don’t just mean in GI Joe, ‘the real power is in your heart’ bullshitty way either,” She said. “You can get all that back pretty easily.”

Rachel gave out a laugh that was half a sob.

“Easily?” She said. “You have any idea how full of shit you are? It took me years to-”

But she cut off when she saw AJ shaking her head.

“Not what I meant,” She said. “I mean, yeah you probably can exercise and shit, but I was thinking something a bit more immediate.”

Rachel drew her legs up to her big new breasts. She was pretty like this, AJ decided, but her fit and well muscled prior self was moreso.

“I’m listening,” Rachel said.

“So we’ve got this challenge coming up,” She said. “You remember what Leah actually said about it? We can go out and change anyone we want, as long as it wasn’t another contestant.”

“Yeah…What about it?” Rachel asked, clearly missing her point, “God that whole thing is such a mess. Isn’t this bad enough without me having to go out and do it to someone else?”

AJ shook her head again.

“No, listen. As long as it’s not another contestant,” She tried again.

Now understanding dawned. Rachel’s puffy red eyes grew a little winder.

“You’re talking about changing ourselves, aren’t you?” She said. “You think they’d allow that?”

AJ shrugged.

“Only one way to find out, right?”

She pantomimed pointing a gun at herself and pulling the trigger.

“Worst thing is, nothing happens. You’re right where you started.” She said, “But if it works, well…you can make yourself into anything.”

“But the audience hated keeping my fitness,” She said, “Won’t they kinda fuck me over if I take it back?”

AJ shrugged.

“Fuck em. Take it back anyway,” She said. “I dunno about you, but if I’m gonna go out, I’ll do it on my own fucking terms.”

Rachel considered. Whatever else, AJ noted, she’d at least put herself back together.

“Well…It’s a decent idea,” She admitted. “I certainly wouldn’t mind demanding my dignity back. But it might be a disaster, too.”

She stood up, wiping her eyes.

“I don’t know if I can commit to it. And I do have a backup plan. Some douchey gym guys who could use a chance to learn how it feels to get ogled when you’re trying to improve yourself,” She shook her head. “I’ll need to think it over, but…thank you. That’s twice you’ve comforted me now and you didn’t even have to do it once.”

AJ dismissed that with a hand wave.

“Fuck that. We’re in this together. I don’t buy this ‘we’re all competitors’ bullshit,” She said.

“Whatever. I owe you one.” Rachel insisted. “If you need a favor or anything…”

AJ considered that.

“You really don’t. But if you wanna owe me, I defer my favor to Jake.”

She turned her light blue eyes to meet Rachel’s bloodshot brown ones.

“You should give him a chance. I don’t mean like, fuck him or whatever these people want us to do. But he’s not a bad guy.”

Rachel’s face contorted as though she’d just smelled something unpleasant.

“I’m still not convinced he didn’t bring all this on. He strikes me as a guy wants to have his cake and eat it, too.”

AJ shook her head vigorously.

“I won’t believe that. Men’ll surprise you and he can certainly be a bit of a fuckup, but he’s not a bad guy. Shit, he’s not even an unfaithful guy, come to that.”

“He’s taking advantage of Emily,” Rachel said. She didn’t offer it as an opinion, just a cold, certain statement of fact. “She’s just his rebound while he figures things out after his ex.”

AJ opened her mouth to argue with that but…well…hadn't she been saying the exact same thing to Hannah just a few hours ago? She didn’t think it was so deliberate, but the sentiment was more or less her own.

Still…

“Look, he doesn’t wanna be here anymore than the rest of us,” She said, bypassing the Emily issue for now, “And he really is trying. Just…work with him. I know he’s gonna work with us.”

Rachel considered that, then nodded.

“Okay. But only because I owe you. I really don’t like him.” She said.

She yawned.

“I think I’m gonna get some rest. Today’s been…a lot.”

AJ nodded, standing herself.

“And I’m going to make my way to that bar setup poolside back at the hotel,” She said, “I need a goddamn drink.”

Rachel watched her stretch, and before AJ could lower her arms, threw her own around her and hugged her fiercely.

“Thank you,” She said, before taking a step back. “You really pulled me out of a bad place.”

“Seriously, don’t worry about it,” AJ said, “Just let me know what you decide with the Challenge.”

“Oh? You thinking about doing the same thing?” Rachel asked. “Zapping your tats back?”

AJ shrugged.

“Maybe. Kinda depends. We only get three shots, after all.”

A grin formed on her face. Whatever Rachel saw on it made her take an uncertain step back.

“And I’ve got a much, much better target in mind first, though.”

Rachel stared at her uneasily, and an awkward silence fell between them.

“You don’t worry about me,” AJ said finally. “And hey, if you decide you want a drink, you know where I’ll be. I mix a mean cocktail.”

“I’ll think about that. I def need to find Ems and see how she’s doing. Maybe I’ll bring her along.”

AJ wondered if getting Emily and Hannah together, especially drunk, was a good idea. The mischievous part of her decided that it would suit her fine.

“You do that. I’ll see you around, one way or the other,” She said. “Don’t mind me if I stumble my way back in later.”

“By all means,” Rachel agreed. “Just promise me you’ll carry me back if I am too.”

“No doubt!” AJ agreed with a wink.

And as she left, she wondered if maybe this one wasn’t worth getting to know a bit better after all.