Subject: SRU-The Basketball Hustler - My First Post From: ranmafan@juno.com (Mathew O Pitts) Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 00:53:36 EDT I have been a new member of this list and have enjoyed all of the stories that have been running across my e-mail. I felt it was my turn to enter a story on the list. Since it has caused a stir on the list for the past many days, and that it is my favorite universe in the list, I wrote a Spells R Us story. Its my first attempt at a transformation story. I thought it up while playing the exact game of basketball mentioned. I hope you enjoy it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SRU- The Basketball Hustler by Mathew Pitts Dave was Belaire High School's best basketball player, as well as its best hustler. He made a hefty sum each week by beating kids in the game. He was so good at this he didn't even need a job. He took on anyone anytime. One Friday after school, he was at his normal business, playing b ball at the local court, and as usual beating every challengers. His opneant at the time was a middle schooler, who thought he was so good cause he could imitate Jordan, but just about every shot he tried missed the basket. In the end Dave won again and, as always, taunted his new victim, "Ha, that was just too easy. Maybe next time you can go play with the pre-schoolers. They can just about take you." The group around them laughed as the kid gave his money to Dave. But then the kid took Dave's ball and with a knife he had stored away in his pocket, stabbed the ball. As the air was rushing out he threw the ball at Dave, aiming for his face. Dave ducked from the ball just in time and it landed behind him. Dave angered by the boy ran up close to him with his fist clinched. "You punk, I should kick your ass for that." "Go ahead," replied the kid, "but I don't think you would wan't to bother me just now." The kid pushed the knife towards Dave's face. " You know what I mean?" Dave stepped away from him, not wanting to be hurt or killed. He had a good future ahead of him, and he did not want to ruin it by angering some punk 13 year old. "Ah the hell with this." Dave shouted, "I'll just use this money of yours for a new ball, since you cannot try to win it back." The kid then put his knife back in his pocket and left the court. Dave did have a problem. That was his only ball, in fact his lucky ball. He only played with a ball he owned. He did not trust someone else and he felt he could better hustle people with his own ball. He needed to find a new one fast for he had plans to hustle more kids that night at the midnight basketball session. --------------------------------- He drove to the local mall where he hoped he could find a store open. But he did not get there until eleven, and all of the sporting goods stores were closed. He gave up hope that he would find one in time. He was just about to leave when he noticed a store he had never saw before. The sign above it read "Spells R Us". Dave knew that there was just about no chance that he would find a ball here, but he was interested in the store, the word Spell had puzzled him. So he entered. "Hello Dave, how are you this evening.", an old man behind the counter said to him. "Wait a minute, how did you know my name?" "Hey in this town a man can learn many things.", said the old man. "It seems you are having some trouble. I believe in finding a basketball." Dave puzzled by this mans words. How did he know he needed a new ball? He replied,"Uh yeah, I came here for a new basketball, but I don't think you.." "On The contrarily," replied the old man, "I sell some special sporting equipment, and I happen to have what you are looking for. Just one moment." He ducked under the counter looking for the item, a few seconds later he came up with a brand new basketball. "This ball is special, as you might have guessed by the sign, I deal with magic, and this ball has a nice little spell that gives the owner the ability to play better than anyone. But I guess you really would not need it because, you are the best, aren't you?" Dave surprised by the mans comments replied, "We'll yes. I can take on anyone. How much does it cost. I'll pay anything." "I'll tell you what, I'll give it to you for a free trial tonight, if you like it you can pay me later." "Deal." replied Dave as he took the ball and after thanking the man left the store. The old man looked down under the counter again and noticed something, he gave him the wrong ball. He gave him the bad luck ball. He laughed and said, "I wonder if I put any other spell on that ball?" -------------------------------- Dave just made it in time for midnight basketball, a little thing the city did to keep kids off streets and let them have some fun. But as he entered the court, no one was there, not even the supervisors. Dave thought that the night had been canceled, and was about to leave when he heard a voice behind him, "Hey you wanna jam?" Dave turned around and noticed it was that middle schooler he had beating earlier. Dave replied abruptly, "What you want a fight, I know you do not want to be beat by me again at my game." "No fight, this time, lets just jam, but I pick the game." The kid replied. "O.K." said Dave, what is it. "Horse!" "Horse?", Dave asked. He had never heard of the game. "It's simple. First a person takes a shot, if he misses the other takes a shot, but if he makes it the other person must make the shot the same way it was just done. If you miss you get a letter. If you spell horse, or get five letters you lose. You wanna play? I'm willing to wager a hundred dollars on beating you." Dave could not believe the bet this kid was going to put up, especially on such a easy game. He could not lose. He would beat this kid and take his money again, and with the help of the new ball, it would be a sure thing. "O.K. I'm in," he replied "You can start off.". The kid took a shot from the three point lane and sunk it. Dave could not believe the kid made it. He could not make a shot earlier, and this one was perfect. "Beginners luck!", said Dave. Dave then took the ball where the kid shot it and threw it up, and it missed! It was an air ball. Dave could not believe it. He missed and with a magic ball. He had been tricked. At this time he started to feel a funny tingling sensation in his stomach. But he ignored it as he watched the kid sink the ball from the free throw line. Dave now concentrating more took the same shot, and it bounced off of the rim. He had made that shot a million times before, why did he miss it now!. His legs were now tingling a little. Dave was wondering what was going on. The kid then shot a shot from close to the basket in the paint. Dave knew he had to make this shot, he still felt he could not miss. But this time, even though he was two feet from the basket, he shot an air ball! What was going on? He had missed three in a row! He had never done that, especially with such easy shots! Two more and he would lose at basketball for the first time. It Was then that his back began itching a little. Dave noticed this and was becoming more concerned about it. The kid then took a shot from the free throw line again, this time using the "granny" style of shooting, and sunk it again. Dave wondered if he could make this shot. Not only was he worried about the game, but of his body too. He tried the same shot as the kid, and it rolled out. "Damn!", screamed Dave, after missing it. The kid was laughing now. Dave itching was now worse. It was so bad he had to take his jersey off. When he did he noticed that the hair on his body was thicker! He was worried about this. The kid then took another shot from the free throw line, and made it again. Dave knew then that if he missed this shot, he would lose. He did not care about the money, he just did not want to lose. One thing was for sure in his mind, when this was over, he was going to do more than return the ball to the old man. Dave then stepped up to the line. He could barely concentrate with all the itching on his body. He then set up, looked at the basket, and threw the ball up. It bounced on the rim three times, before it rolled out. The kid let out the loudest scream, "Yes! YES! I beat you! You have horse!" It was then that Dave felt a gigantic pain in his stomach. His whole body began to burn. Dave was screaming out cries of pain. The kid ran off worried about what was happening. Dave looked at his hands and noticed that his fingers were fusing together and becoming shorter. His feet we're growing larger as his thighs were growing shorter. A pain in his lower back drew Dave's attention as he saw a hairy black tail grow from just above his butt. Dave then felt the pain reach the upper part of his back as it made him lunch over on all fours. He saw that his hands were now hooves. His shoes had fallen off and he could see that the same thing had happened to his toes. His body had become larger, and was covered with a brown coat of hair. Dave then tried to yell out, "What is happening to..." then a sound of a horse came from his mouth. Dave felt his neck grow out father from his now incredibly large body, which was that of a horse. His head then felt the pain. His ears grew more above his head, and his hair was crawling down his neck making a mane. Then his mouth and nose began to elongate further from his face. He felt them rearrange to that a horse. He felt new teeth replacing his human ones, his nose becoming larger, and the final change his eyes, changing into one's of a horse. What was standing at the free throw line of the basketball court, was a complete adult horse and a basketball. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The old man sat looking at the Saturday mourning paper, reading the story on the strange horse in the local gym with a basketball. The old man then said, "It's too bad really, he did have great potential, but when you try to con a con man, things happen." The old man laughed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well how was it. I would like some feedback since it is my first try at a transformation story. ranmafan - Mathew Pitts ranmafan@Juno.com ranmafan@MSN.com