9 The Self-Made Fran

CHAPTER NINE THE SELF-MADE FRAN Franny walked into the classroom confidently. She was wearing the Frandidate skin, and since the Frandidate was sensing only what Franny wanted it to be, it looked a lot like Franny, although maybe a little taller, and a little less mad- scientist-y.

Before class started, Franny decided to go around the room and talk to kids one by one. She started with Mary.

The Frandidate immediately sensed that Mary was a little afraid of Franny, and it transformed itself into a bunny wearing a dress. It could tell that Mary liked penguins, too, and so a penguin pattern suddenly emerged on the Frandidate's dress.

Franny listened from inside as the Frandidate sensed other things that were important to Mary. Franny shared some sort of strange connection with the skin, and she could tell exactly what Mary wanted to hear. "Vote for Franny, and there will be more time devoted to dolls every day," Franny said through the Frandidate's mouth.

Mary clapped and smiled. Franny made a note to herself that if elected, she'd need to keep that promise.

Franny navigated the Frandidate skin around the room. It grew taller for the kid who liked basketball, and even looked like it was wearing a uniform. Then it looked like a chef, a grandma, a superhero, and an elf. It changed its voice, its size, and even how it walked, to suit each individual kid. The skin gave Franny the ability to sense what each kid wanted to hear, and so she talked about the things each kid liked.