That night was different. It was the weekend, so they stayed up. And they talked, laughed, played video games (after wishing up a controller designed for Karyn's hands), watched movies. For a time, Jon forgot, and he hoped Karyn did too.
"Jon, can I take a bath?" Karyn's face had taken on a determined look. "I stink. Don't think I can't smell it."
"Of course, but, you'll probably have to use the stone. I don't know how my parents would react to you using the bathroom. The way you are now, I mean."
"Well, we've already wished that I can use the toilet without being noticed. Shouldn't be a problem. Only...I don't like going out there. Whenever I'm around them, the way they treat me. Look at me..." She grimaced, removing the stone from its box again. "I wish that Jon's room had its own adjoining bathroom, complete with bathtub." And then there was another door out of Jon's room. Karyn walked towards it as if marching to a battlefield. Or waddling to a battlefield.
Jon had a bad feeling about this. This would be the most Karyn had seen of her new body in days, and he wasn't sure how she'd react. Her apparent recovery was simply too fast to believe, and Jon was worried that it might also prove fragile.
She was in the bathroom nearly an hour. When she emerged, he found she'd had to wrap two towels around her to cover herself, though he wasn't quite sure how she'd pulled it off. Without a word to Jon, she again took the stone in her hand. "I wish that Jon's room had an extra closet, with a copy of every article of clothing I used to own fit for my new body." She glanced at Jon. "Sorry to keep altering your room. Just wasn't much point in changing back into those filthy clothes. And I miss my sweater." She glanced at him a moment. "Well? What are you waiting for? Not putting on a show for you, Jon-boy."
"Oh. Right. Sorry!" Jon blushed and fled into the bathroom. A few moments later Karyn knocked on the door and quietly told him she was finished. She was indeed wearing her favorite green sweater, which did an admirable job of hiding her extra breasts, though nothing seemed capable of concealing her massive hips and thighs.
Jon plopped down on his bed, picking up his controller. "Want to go another round?" Karyn had her eyes closed, a pained expression on her face.
"Mmm...not right now." She gave him a sad, tired look. "I'm sorry, Jon. I'm trying. I really am. It's just every time I see myself. Really see myself. In a mirror, or taking a bath, or anything...it all comes back. Not just what I look like, but what I am. I can never go home. I'll probably never see my parents again. And If I do...they'll think I'm an animal. When I'm around other people I even feel like an animal." She snorted back an oink. "I want to cry. But there's no tears left. And there's times when I can't stand for you to see me. Especially like that. I feel so weak and girly and stupid. So I run away. I'm a coward. I-"
"Karyn, stop. You've gone through so much. But look at you. Most people in your position would be catatonic. Hell, I'd probably be catatonic. Or completely insane. Or a crying, gibbering wreck. You're strong, Karyn. You've always been strong."
"It's just so hard. If I were really strong, I'd keep trying instead of blubbering to you like a stupid damsel in distress."
"Maybe you don't have to try. Maybe you shouldn't try. People cry, Karyn. They get scared and sad and they don't have any idea what to do, and they cry. It doesn't mean you're weak. Just human." Karyn gave him another of those looks, and he wondered if he'd made the wrong choice of words. But instead, she came to him. Reaching a hand down, she gently cupped the side of his face.
"Ok. Maybe I'll be weak then. Just this once." She lowered herself into his lap.
Jon didn't have any words anymore. His face burned almost as fiercely as his hand had a week ago. "Karyn-I, are you sure you want to-"
"Just shut up and hold me." She leaned back against him.
He did.
