Author's note: Not my chars, just my imaginings.
This takes place in 1976 and has moderate AU where the "Crimebusters" is actually a semi-functional group.
While I've made my own comics for years this is my first time WRITING a story, rather than scripting and drawing it. I enjoy reading watchmen fanfiction so much I thought it'd be fun to try to contribute some myself. Please let me know what I can do to improve! I'll never be a master of prose, but I still aim to entertain to the best of my abilities.
Dan huddled miserably in his (HIS damn it) bedroom, buried under layers of clothing.
It was early fall and things were starting to get cool, but he'd (HE'D!!) still turned up the air conditioning as far as it would go so that he could swath himself as much as possible. Cover himself, to hide... hide... it.
The accident.
The strange, unfamiliar shapes his body now sported. The embarrassing, f...f...
Dan couldn't even get his (HIS!) brain around the concept. Instead HIS thoughts drifted back...
It had been an accident. Sort of. Ozymandias --
Dan's stomach churned. Ozymandias hadn't asked WHY Dan had tried it. Why Dan stepped into a machine in one of Veidt's experimental research and development laboratories and activated it. For that Dan was grateful. Ozymandias was probably a total bastard -- Dan couldn't shake the hateful feeling of mirth he'd (HE!!!) had felt emanating from the suave entrepreneur -- but at least Ozymandias hadn't asked.
Instead, Ozymandias promised Veidt Industries would figure out how to fix it. Assured him it could be fixed, fixed soon, just not right now. They were working on the prototype, he said, it just wasn't as ready as the one Dan had tried.
It was all so freaking humiliating.
Dan had spotted the equipment on one of Ozymandias's excuses to drag the "Crimebusters" through Veidt's labs (Lord why couldn't they think of better name?! No one in the group used it except Nelly, but no one had come up with an alternative, either). Dan was almost sure Ozymandias purposefully took long, convoluted routes to show off the facilities but hey, Dan couldn't deny finding the technology interesting. New tracking and communicator devices for the group, that's what it was Ozymandias had brought them to Veidt industries for.
But it was something else entirely that had perked Dan's interest. Passing a lab that appeared more biologically oriented than most, he'd inquired as to the purpose of the apparatus sitting at its heart. The summary that casually escaped Ozymandias's lips had interested Dan far too much. "Oh, that. Current trends indicate an obesity epidemic is in the making, what with an increasingly white collar job sector, a culture of instant gratification, and calorically rich foods being an easy commodity leading to aggressive marketing. The media of course is trending in the opposite direction, encouraging an increasingly lean standard of beauty as clothing becomes more revealing and photography favors hard, lean lines over soft curves... well we predict an explosion in the diet and exercise market. -- that's not why we're doing this of course, not for money, but to help combat the public health crisis that will surely arise. But the funds have to come from somewhere. This prototype will take a subject's body, analyze it, then rebuild it to programmed specifications by moving around cells and biomass. It can also build muscle and potentially has many promising medical uses as well as cosmetic."
"Amazing!" exclaimed Dan, surreptitiously eying his own growing paunch and dwindling muscles. He'd really been spending too much time at the drafting table the past year or so, not enough at the gym. His inventions and constructs seemed superior to raw muscle, and besides fighting crime was kind of miserable these days. He never felt like he was really helping anyone anymore. People more often seemed resentful than grateful for his presence. Rorschach was no encouragement either, the man was starting to make horned owls seem cheerful by comparison. About the only spark in the night lately was something he knew he really shouldn't be pursuing, but all the more enticing for it!. It'd also made Dan aware that he'd let his physique slide…
"Does it work?" Dan had asked. "Oh, beautifully!" Ozymandias had replied and breezed on to the next lab and an opportunity to grill Dr. Manhattan on tachyons. Dan now wanted to kick himself for asking, and kick Ozymandias for not elaborating. Dan almost wondered if Ozymandias had done it on purpose. Was I some kind of guinea pig???
Later that day, after they'd regrouped at the meeting center, Dan had tried not to stare at Laurie, as usual. And failed to not stare at Laurie, as usual. At least the goggles made it hard to tell, or so he hoped. It was very hard not to look. Her seat was directly across from his and her outfit was designed to distract, to stun men into staring at her beautiful body and not focus on her devastating legs and fists. Rorschach grumbled about her costume in private sometimes but there was no denying it was effective and Dan thought it was a clever way to turn her lack of testosterone into an advantage. And it certainly made meetings more pleasant, though Dan tried not to be creepy about it.
"Why can't I find a lady like that?" Dan had wondered. He surreptitiously eyed Dr. Manhattan's perfect, chiseled physique. Dan couldn't blame the only female heroine around for going with that. How could anyone compete with Dr. Manhattan's godlike form and amazing powers? Just think of all the things he would do in Dr. Manhattan's place... fly Laurie through the clouds at sunset, teleport them to Alaska to watch the aurora borealis, maybe some zero g -- Dan decided not to think about what other superhuman things he, er, Jon could do for Laurie. Instead, Dan yanked his gaze away and let his eyes wander around the room. Hell, the Comedian - a guy over 10 years his senior for crying out loud - was amazingly lean and muscular. The only other flabby adventurer in the room was Nelly, and no one took him seriously.
Even in some crazy scenario where Dr. Manhattan vanished from earth and the Comedian turned out to be Laurie's father (or something equally unsexy but more plausible - gotta lay off the Star Wars, Dan chided himself) there was still Ozymandias. Richer and fitter and more charming than Dan by far. He'd totally get Laurie. UHG!!!
At least I wouldn't have to compete with Rorschach. It was supposed to be funny, but the thought felt strange and hung awkwardly in his mind.
Dr. Manhattan gets Laurie, I get Rorschach. Uhg.
His partner hadn't gone on this trip to Veidt's laboratories, of course. Rorschach had never quite taken to Ozymandias and only trusted things Dan built. He would have hated the idea of the billionaire being able to track his movements had he been invited. But Rorschach hadn't been to a group meeting in nearly a year, and even his visits to the Owlsnest were dwindling notably…
Jerk! Dan thought bitterly. A wave of resentment against his partner rose up. Of course, even if he had been there Rorschach wouldn't have touched Veidt's equipment. Besides his dislike of Veidt and general paranoia, Rorschach wouldn't have needed it. It was obvious the quixotic vigilante was sleek and trim even through all the layers of clothing he wore. Yet so powerful… And Rorschach didn't seem to be interested in impressing wom -- Dan's train of thought teetered on its rails for a moment, then chugged on -- in impressing women, either. Bastard.
Dan allowed himself to wallow in the anger for a moment, then quashed it. He was perfectly aware it was misdirected, but figured he was entitled to indulge a little, considering the circumstances. But it really wasn't right to be pissed at Rorschach for not being a goddamned idiot like Dan was. And because I'm jealous of his body Dan thought with a strange twinge.
Anyway.
Later that week, Dan had snuck back in to Veidt industries and tried out the machine. And it had worked beautifully, just as Ozymandias had said. Mostly. Dan was now wonderfully proportioned, lithe and toned. Even healed some old injuries that had been niggling at "him" lately. "He" looked and felt great.
Except "he" was now a woman.
End note: Dun dun DUUUUUN!
Much thanks to Skull Squid for the chapter review - I've taken out the $# cursing, which was, in retrospect, out of place