All for good luck - Part 2 (Patreon)

Sharon and Izzy were spending the day together, meandering through the bustling food court after a morning of shopping. As they shared lunch, Sharon couldn't help but notice a change in Izzy. The usually quiet and reserved friend was now animated, her words flowing freely while they never broke their chatter. They had visited numerous stores, and with each passing hour, Izzy seemed to grow more talkative. Sharon knew that her friend had gone and received a good luck charm from the now retired Penelope Smith, but she didn’t realize that such a charm could change her overall personality.

“It can’t just be that,” Sharon kept thinking. “There’s got to be more.” Regardless, the transformation in Izzy filled Sharon with joy. Throughout their high school years, Izzy had been the quintessential introvert, often lost in her books and personal projects. Her geeky nature, while endearing, had often made social interactions a challenge for her.

That’s when Sharon finally made the connection. She knew that much of this change had coincided with Izzy starting to date Tom, a bodybuilder who every girl fawned over. Tom seemed to have a significant impact on her too. Sharon was genuinely happy for her friend. She had always harbored concerns about Izzy's social struggles, often worrying that her introversion might hold her back.

Seeing Izzy now, chatting away with a sparkle in her eyes, Sharon wished that she had a chance to visit Penelope Smith’s Magic Shop for her own good luck charm. Izzy exuded a sense of comfort in her skin, a readiness to engage with the world around her. As they finished their lunch and prepared to continue their day of shopping, Sharon looked at Izzy with a sense of pride. Her friend, who once seemed to shrink from social interactions, was now embracing them with open arms. It was a transformation that went beyond the surface, a deep-seated change that spoke of personal growth and maturity.

Sharon realized that the most significant aspect of this change was seeing Izzy happy. The joy that radiated from her was infectious, and it filled Sharon with a sense of fulfillment. She had always hoped to see Izzy break out of her shell, to find her place in the social tapestry of life. Now, witnessing this transformation, Sharon felt a warm satisfaction, knowing that her friend was not just coping but thriving.

As they left the food court, laughter and chatter filled the air around them. Sadly, Sharon would never know the truth behind Izzy’s actual transformation. She would never see the evil lurking behind her eyes, or the foreign cackling that now inhabited her young body. The real Izzy was trapped in Penelope’s withered body and trapped in a retirement home.

While Penelope had placed a hex on her body before the swap, she knew that hexes could inevitably fail, so she did the unthinkable. She altered Izzy’s brain and made her incapable of using magic. With nobody to stand in her way, Penelope was able to officially start her stolen life without having to worry about looking over her shoulder. She was the new Izzy, and the world was loving her.