"I think we overdid it," remarked Athena. "I mean, I truly believe she looks wonderful, but maybe we could've been a little less enthusiastic."
Silently, Zoe gazed at Jon's classroom for a moment before moving on towards her own class. The other two fell in alongside her. Athena shared her fourth period class while Zelda had hers next door.
When they reached their destination, they still had a couple of minutes to talk, so they remained outside. Finally, Zoe sighed. "You're right. I did kind of overdo it. It's just that I wanted to give Jon some confidence. She's gonna need it now that she can't fade into the background like she used to."
Zelda put her hands in the pockets of her long black jacket and stared down at her neon green boots. "Well, I don't think she's feeling any more confident right now. In fact, she looked downright pissed. We should've just left her alone. That's what I'd want in her situation."
"And why do you suddenly care how Jon feels?" Athena added. "She's always been an annoyance to you before. In fact, I distinctly remember you commenting that it wouldn't bother you one bit if Jon died in a-"
Zelda's hand on her arm interrupted her. "Athena. Don't."
Athena blanched. "Oh, Zoe! I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned...I mean, not when your family "
"No, I understand," said Zoe. "It's okay. I wasn't that close to my grandfather. The others are having a harder time, though. That's why Jon needs to embrace her new life. She's got enough problems right now, and I don't want to see her get hurt." The image of Jon's crumpled body in the arms of her mother flashed through her mind, and she shuddered.
Her two friends nodded their assent. "Very well," Athena stated. "Just keep in mind we'll be here for you. You're one of us, and whether or not Jon knows it, she's one of us now, too. It's only right that we do what we can for her."
Meanwhile, at the support center for post-virus transormees, Laura scanned over the assortment of clothing spread out on the table. Leg bands, belts, even a few collars of various colors all had been laid out by the volunteer.
"So, these are all the options for quadrupeds?"
The volunteer, an attractive harpy, nodded. "Yes, at least for identification purposes. They allow for full mobility, and the one-touch fasten and release mechanism allows them to be put on or taken off without thumbs."
Picking up one of the leg bands with her clawed foot, she turned it over to reveal its distinctive features. "The flap in front can be turned up to display your daughter's ID, and the second pocket can be used to hold any medical information in case of emergency. This is especially handy if there are any unique or unusual procedures that must be taken into account for her particular health needs."
Laura eyed the collars with some discomfort. One of them looked disturbingly similar to the one worn by the neighbor's dog. Could she really put something like that on her daughter?
The harpy grinned knowingly. "Are the collars bothering you?"
Caught off-guard, Laura blinked. "Um well, I "
"Let me guess. Collars are for pets, not people, right?" The volunteer asked. Seeing the woman's face redden with embarrassment, she gave her a kind smile. "Don't feel bad. It's entirely natural to make that association. However, you mustn't let that interfere with your daughter's well-being. Some quadrupeds need to use the collar format because it's the most practical setup for them. It doesn't diminish their humanity in any way. In fact, it is meant to confirm it."
"I'll try to keep that in mind."
"In the meantime, I suggest you start with this one." She held out the leg band. "It's great for new transformees, and it's comfortable." When Laura took the offered item, the harpy shifted her body to hold up the other leg. There on her ankle, a similar leg band could be seen. "I can vouch for that, myself."
Laura accepted the offered band. "Thank you. How much is it?"
"Oh, it's free. The Chimeratech company generously donates these and various other items every year."
"Chimeratech?" Laura found the name familiar. "Aren't they the ones who invented the pedal-less bicycle for nagas?"
"The one and the same."
"How wonderful! Well, I'd better go get this home. I need to get my daughter's room prepared."
"Have a good day, Mrs. Madison."
"You, too."
