Recently, I tried out using the ChatGPT AI generator, just to see what it could do. I fed it the beginning of a story concept that's reminiscent of some of the stuff I've done on this site, and came up with a story that I named "The Likeness Ring". I'm going to post the story here, as I think it would work well with the story branching on this site. The first part of this episode is written by me, since the AI generator ended up continuing what I wrote, instead of generating a storyline based on it, which is what it normally does. So anyway, here we go ...
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18-year old Tommy Vale, an effeminate swishy gay boy, was on his way home after school, when he was suddenly knocked into from behind. He almost lost his footing, being able to stay on his feet. But that wouldn't last long. He turned around just long enough to see Mike Thomas, the biggest jerk at the high school. On top of that, he was also homophobic. And because Tommy was the only gay boy at the school, he was always a target. Mike grabbed hold of him with his much larger hands, then shoved him into a grassy field nearby. This time, Tommy couldn't help but fall and hit the ground. Mike just snorted, then continued on his way, yelling back over his shoulder about how disgusting it was to have a queer weirdo like Tommy attending the same school as him.
Crying a little, Tommy tried his best to stand up, but just fell back down again. That was when something caught his eye, something sparkling in the tall grass. Crawling over towards it, he saw that it was a ring, with a small jewel that seemed to glow. It must have just been glinting in the sun, right? He grabbed it, then put it on. For a moment, he felt something like an electric shock go through him, but he must have been imagining it. Probably just him still recovering from Mike's assault on him. At least this time Mike didn't dump the contents of his school bag all over the sidewalk. Taking a deep breath, Tommy got to his feet, then started to make his way back home again. He turned a corner and nearly bumped into someone. Mike!
"Are you following me?" he asked, disgusted and angry. It looked like he was about to hit Tommy again, so naturally Tommy raised his hands in defense. But unlike so many other times before, something really strange happened. There was a bright light emanating from the ring. It seemed to immerse the space between Tommy and Mike with a nearly-blinding light. And when the light was gone, so was Mike. Though, that's not totally true. There was an 18-year old boy standing in front of Tommy, but it was another effeminate swishy gay boy just like him, but with Mike's face!
"Who ... who are you?" Tommy asked.
The new boy smiled, then said "I'm Mikey, silly. You know, your bestie?" He then giggled. Tommy just stared, then looked down at the ring, then back up at the boy that Mike had become, then smiled. Little did Tommy know, whoever wore the ring would have the ability to transform other people into someone like himself - so, an effeminate swishy gay boy. Of course, if anyone else used the ring, then they could use it make other people like them instead. Also, once a person was changed by the ring, they could never be changed again by it, not even if someone else used it. So Mikey would never be Mike again. That was great news for Tommy!
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Tommy and Mikey stood in stunned silence, the air still humming with the aftershock of whatever had just happened. The tall grass near them rustled gently in the afternoon breeze, as if nature itself were trying to pretend nothing extraordinary had just occurred. But extraordinary didn’t even begin to cover it.
Mikey tilted his head, brushing an auburn strand of hair away from his face with a flick that felt instinctual, like he’d done it a thousand times. He looked at Tommy with wide, sparkling eyes, the hostility from mere moments ago completely gone.
"You have the cutest shoes," Mikey said suddenly, bouncing slightly on his heels as he pointed at Tommy’s pink Converses. "I always wanted to wear something like that to school, but ..." He blinked, confused for a moment, a flicker of something in his expression, like a shadow of Mike’s former self, but it passed quickly. "But now I can! Isn’t that wild?"
Tommy didn’t know what to say. His mind was racing. That ring ... it changed him. And not just on the outside. Mikey wasn’t pretending. There was no trace of the homophobic, sneering bully who’d shoved him into the grass and spat on his very existence a few minutes ago. Mikey was happy. Playful. Soft. And free.
Was this ... right?
But then he remembered every cruel word Mike had thrown at him. Every time his locker had been slammed shut. Every lunch tray knocked out of his hands. Every bruise, every tear, every time he’d had to walk home humiliated and alone. And now? That same boy was beaming at him like he’d just discovered rainbows for the first time.
Maybe this was right.
"I, uh ... like your earrings," Tommy said, his voice still cautious, like he wasn’t quite sure if this was real. "They’re ... sparkly."
Mikey gasped. "You noticed!" He twirled in place and giggled, the hoops in his ears catching the sunlight. "You totally get me!"
Tommy laughed, a real one this time. Light. Unburdened. "Yeah. I think I do."
As they walked together, towards both of their houses, which were in the same direction, Mikey chattered about his favorite pop stars, shows that they both watched, and even linked pinkies with him as they crossed the street. It was surreal. Wonderful. A dream he hadn’t even dared to imagine.
But it wasn’t a dream. It was a ring. And it was real.
And that night, as Tommy lay in bed staring at the ring on his finger, his mind started to spin with possibilities. Because if it worked on Mike ...
What about Principal Ray Smith, who always turned a blind eye to the bullying?
Or that group of jocks who snickered every time Tommy walked past?
Or ...
Maybe, just maybe, Tommy didn’t have to be alone anymore.
Maybe the world could be kinder. Prettier. Swishier. One fabulous makeover at a time.
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The next day ...
Sat Jul 19 17:50:35 2025