Well, it all seemed like a great opportunity at first. I guess it still is, but I'm not sure this is exactly what I had in mind. Anyway, don't let me get ahead of myself. Well, my name is Joesphine Johnson, but I prefer people call me JoJo. I'm 23 and a sort of aspiring model. My career wasn't as prolific as I would have wanted, I've appeared in some catalogues and local retail ads. I'd work as an admin assistant during the day and hope to be a model at night. Really, who was I kidding myself. I was over the hill in model years. But anywho, my headshots were still floating out there somewhere.
Finally, it did happen, my big break. When I got home from work, there had been a message waiting for me. Before I pressed the play button I disticntly remember a feeling of excitiment. Like I knew what this message wouldn't be the student loan people saying I was late and my records were about to be sent to the credit beureau. 'Beep' I pressed the button and out came the good news.
"This message is for Joesphine Johnson. I represent Thadius Byson, we're interested in recruiting you for our in house models. Please call me back at 555-6378."
My heart let out a giant pump that shook my whole body and then I went numb. Thadius Byson! There are so many stories surrounding this man. He's widely known as an elite fashion designer, but also as an acomplished painter. He reportedly has a staff of in house models who live on this funky tropical island. They stay there until their contracts are up, but I've heard rumors that every model who's been hired by Mr. Byson has never left the island. They always renew their contracts, and they're never seen. Apparantly Mr. Byson doesn't want their faces to be viewed by the public often, so he can sort of have a trademark on his models.
But why me of all models? I called the number and the gentleman on the line quickly made an appointment for me for the next day. I hung up the phone and got my outfit ready for the next day, took a nice long bath, and went to bed a little early.
The next morning I called in sick. I went to meet them at some little coffee house. It was one guy in the whole place, dressed in a black blazer, black slacks, a very interesting antiqued looking dress shirt, and a pair of sneakers. "Quite odd," I thought and then walked inside.
"JoJo isn't it, I'm Quint Apollo, Mr. Byson's representative."
He stuck his hand out, so I shook it and sat down a little nervously. I hardly was able to say anything before he started talking.
"Well as you know, Mr. Byson likes to keep a staff of in house models on his estate on the Yuliman Islands. Every 5 years he conducts a search to find new talent to add to his collection. You are one of 20 women selected from around the world to join Mr. Byson. The contract is for 5 years, and you will have to live on the island. You will be compensated $2.5 million a year and must comply with everything stated in your contract."
Now, I'm not one to keep close ties, so I'm not worried about leaving my family or friends behind. So once I heard $2.5 million a year, for 5 years...my mind shut down and went into happy mode.
"WHERE DO I SIGN!!," I yelled.
"Heh, well I can understand your enthusiasm. Just take this contract, read it carefully and sign it. Then tomorrow night at 9pm there's a boat leaving from the Squall Dock's, Dock #8 to be exact. This will take you to the islands. If you're on it with a signed contract, then you're accepted. If not, then good luck to you."
With that said he took one giant gulp of coffee, wiped his mouth, dropped 2 dollars on the table, nodded to me and left. I didn't have anything to say. I was in shock, so I went shopping.
It was around 3pm when I got home, with 15 bags of shoes, jeans, skirts, blouses, t-shirts, underwear and bags too. I went to the bathroom and checked myself out in the mirror. The whole time I was shopping I kept on seeing how this and that looked on me, but I suddenly was thinking, how does me look on me. I saw me, good ol' Jojo. Not too short, not too tall. I have 5ft 7 listed on my stats, but I'm really 5ft 5. I haven't gained much weight in the past years. The butt was still standing at attention, and the girls still pointed north. I was happy...but part of me wondered if I was good enough to be on this island full of models and beautiful women. My eyes got watery and I looked into them, giant blue eyes, glistening from the strong bathroom lightbulbs. Then I said..."Hey, at least I got really nice eyes."
Well, the next day I quit my job and read the contract. Pretty long read, I began to think I should have hired a lawyer. But it was all in simple language, and it didn't seem too bad. Execpt for a couple of points, one was I was allowed to write and call friends and family but I couldn't leave the island. Again, I'm not that close, so hey that didn't matter too much. But the second point made me scratch my head a little. Apparantly Mr. Byson controls what we wear, and how we look. I guess he has us models roaming around the mansion so he can paint us at will. I have no idea. But what the heck, $2.5 mil a year for five years.
It was finally 9pm and I had my signed contract in hand. I saw Quint standing next to the dock and I knew this WAS it. I'm on my way. No looking back. Here I go. Why am I so nervous?! Well, I climbed aboard. It was such a fancy boat, but kind of small. It was just 3 people, me, the boat driver dude and Quint. They left me alone, and I had this cozy room to myself. It was all nice polished wood, carpeting, comfy bed, and food too. Lots of it too, and not health food either, greasy foods, comfort foods, sugary foods...REAL FOOD. What the hell, I thought they must have some kick ass gym at this island, so I pigged out.
The trip was uneventful, nobody talked to me, and I was sleepy anyway. We arrived by morning and I saw a whole bunch of other boats like the one I was on. Then I saw all these women pouring out of them, 19 others to be exact.
We were all rushed to an orientation room and given a breif history of Mr. Byson and his designs and we were also given a chance to talk to eachother.
This extremely tall asian model was next to me, her name was Aura she was 18 and from New York. We began to talk about our interests and the surprises about being called over here. Aura wasn't too surprised, and I didn't blame her for not being surprised. She was 6ft 3inches tall, very thin, leggy. Her skin was so soft and white, and she also had a innocent face.
My second friend was a 38 yearold hispanic woman. She was around 5ft tall, very skinny too. I was curious why she was chose, so was she. She modeled before, years ago, and she has since had children and now they're all grown. So she decided to take this opportunity. Her name was Luz.
My third buddy was an interesting pick, she was only 14 yearsold. She was an Italian girl named Florencia. She was pretty tall for a 14 yearold, with a pretty face. She had such an innocence about her. I wondered why she would leave her family for 5 years. I guess they needed the money. She didn't want to talk about it.
Well I had my little crew of friends, just enough to have some company while being here. Later that day, after breakfast and another presentation, we were led into a room. The groups of 20 were divded into 5 groups of 4. Me, Aura, Luz and Florencia (I nicked name here Flo) managed to stick together. Then each group was taken into a small room, and inside these rooms was this strange chamber. Like the kind in The Fly movie, except there was just one. We were alone, and this giant voice boomed over the PA.
"Welcome to Byson Models. This is the tuning room. You all were chosen based on the characteristics found in your faces. Mr. Byson has carefully sculpted the look for each invididual to maximize those characteristics found in your faces."
The floor glowed and an arrow led to the chamber. "Please choose the first model to enter"
Aura said she'd go first, she walked inside and the chamber seemed to swollow her up. There were monitors around us, so we can see her inside. We really thought it'd be some sort of state of the art make up or fashion computer.
"Tuning Process for Aura Hwang, beginning in 4...3...2...1..."
Right then the light inside the chamber began to glow and we looked at Aura.
She began to move around a lot, like she was uncomfortable. Suddenly, her clothing seemed odd, too big for her. A puff of smoke prevented us for seeing anything for awhile and then the door opened. I looked and I saw Aura's face, I thought she was kneeling in pain or something. Her face looked fine but when I got closer...her body...She hadn't been kneeling, she was standing! The computer then said "Tuning complete, Age: 18, Height, 4ft11 inches"
When the smoke cleared Aura was in shock, she removed her clothing to see her new body. She was still 18, but much shorter, and not as skinny as she once was. Her hips were wider and her butt was much rounder than before, but still rather pert. She looked like she was going to cry, then the computer stated. "Please note that all changes aren't permanent and you will be required to change depending on Mr. Byson's mood and the season"
We were in shock, we had no idea what we signed up for. Florencia was shivering, but Luz seemed calm. Luz then said "It's only for a little while, who knows..we might end up liking what we change into"
I guess I felt fine, since I had millions in the bank, but that sounds greedy huh. Maybe part of me didn't like my body, but I also think part of it was that Aura...looked pretty. The body brought out the innocence in her face. So Luz hopped inside.
The computer said the same things and Luz's changes were beginning.
Aura walked towards us, still in a daze, with all her loose clothing still on her.
Luz's changes were done, and she walked out of the chamber. We all were shocked.
Before us stood a 5ft 5 tall woman, no, girl. She must have been 20.
"Tuning Complete, Age: 17" Okay so she's 17. She also wasn't as skinny as she was before, well she was fit, but her butt filled out tremendously, it was so round and full, Jennifer Lopez would have to bow to the new ass queen. Her breasts too, which were non existent in her previous form, were now two enormous globes stretching her blouse. I guessed a pair of 36 D's. She walked towards us, all of her jigglying in her enhanced places. She then said, in a very youthful voice,"C'mon guys, the water is fine"
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end of part 1