Biff was feeling more sour then usual (which was saying something.) She had questions that just didn’t … sit well with her. The kinds of questions that she didn’t think would be the kind of questions to even dwell on. She had never considered the fundamental changes to her biology. If a boy became a girl… that was easier perhaps for a man to become a woman. Perhaps she had cast the question aside given the … literal distance it was as her body was made. Conveniently another aspect that she could keep out of sight and mind. She Thought it could just be ignored but now that was utterly impossible. She had so many fears of the implications of what she just thought of doing with Jon. She felt a genuine attraction to him.
It was terrifying.
She looked at the front door of her only sanctuary.. and scratched at the door requesting entry. “Uh.. hey.” she pursed her lips as she sensed her … caretaker… friend… guardian...
Ms. Collins was there looking anxiously as she opened the door. “Biff!” She gasped as she gave the sphinx a hug.
Biff accepted the hug still feeling numb. “I- um- sorry.” She muttered. “You’ve been really kind to me. I.. I don’t .. deserve...” She felt her lips quaking. Quivering.
“Hush child,” Collins smiled not wanting to keep her outside. She brought the sphinx into the living room and closed the door. “Hungry? I’ve got some food made for you. I also managed to get a new coffee table to set you up a little better.”
Biff looked around. It seemed Collins had been busy making her home more.. sphinx-friendly. There were some plans on a handyman offering work on setting up an electronic lock for her door. Technology really could help but… but it wouldn’t help in- one thing. The one thing that was confounding her. Ms. Collins I um- I need.. to ask you something.”
“Sure hun, what is it?”
Biff huffed a little as she brought her sphinx body into the living room. She jumped onto the sofa as a lion in a den. “… I felt… weird… things.” She admitted. “Not exactly sphinx things just- um-”
“Girl things?” Collins asked with a smile.
Biff was taken aback by her bluntness. Though how else could one talk about such..things.“… yeah.” Biff clenched her paws causing the claws to come out in a display of agitation. She was tense.. upset.. angry… afraid... everything. “I felt like I… I wanted...” she couldn’t admit it…
Collins looked over her charge in concern and began to stroke her head softly. “Hey it’s okay.” She said. “Nothing between us goes anywhere.”
Biff relaxed somewhat at that. She had.. never had someone act so maternally for her before. Not since… well… many years ago. “… I was excited- over some guy!” She exclaimed with tears in her eyes. “I mean- my body was. Is that.. possible.. maybe my body is one way and my head is just thinking something else?”
“Oh Biff...” Collins sighed. “It’s okay...”
“But- I like girls! I always have-” and yet.. that feeling- yes she liked them but it always felt like something was missing now. No wonder… no wonder… Sarah… she said the same thing to him. She wanted things to be normal but they couldn’t be. Just as Sarah felt differently about her so did Biff feel different on a fundamental physical level. Was she really going to be a sphinx in love with.. guys?! Did it matter? However... “That’s not even the worse part!” Biff growled.
“It’s not really a bad thing hun, but go on.” Collins encouraged trying to listen.
Biff glanced towards her body turning her head around. “This… body- My body...” she turned back to Collins with tearful eyes. “I .. I realized that when I am with someone- I- I would- um- have to...” She again closed herself up. She didn’t know how to express it.
Collins gently coaxed Biff’s lion-like ears. “Well first of, you don’t have to do -anything- Biff,” Collins advised. “Though your body is not ‘quite’ made like a human’s its usually compatible given past experiences of the Mist. There are bound to be certain challenges though in that respect. I think... I do understand what you are afraid of. You have to... trust your partner more… right?”
Was that it? She thought about it carefully. “..Yeah.” Biff nodded. “I also feel like I can’t touch them while...” this was getting intense. Far too intense then she liked. To talk so openly about such a topic just felt wrong. She would be just an animal to a partner. Just.. nobody. Maybe she could stay celibate. It was something she had to work out on her own! “It.. doesn’t matter anyway. I got another bigger problem to deal with.” A problem that at least had a solution the more she thought about it.
Collins sensed this was as far as Biff wanted to talk. “As you wish Biff- I think you’re doing really well though. You know you can talk to me any time.”
Jon worried about Biff. It wasn’t that they did anything that night. He had hugged her and pet her head.. tried to assure her that she was going to be okay. Yet the sphinx had just upped and left so suddenly. He felt bad… he pushed her to hard- it was his fault wasn’t it? He was happy being friends with Biff but… he also couldn’t deny this strange attraction to her body. Was it wrong to love what she had become while Biff herself loathed and hated it?
She had noticed Mikey was up still- the young harpy working on some homework. It was interesting to see how his new sister adapted with turning the pages using her talons. He lamented for a moment the distance he felt to his own new sister… if he couldn’t work things out with her, how could he work it out with Biff?
“Jon?” The harpy asked.
“Hey Mikey,” Jon smiled. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” The harpy smiled. “Just finishing homework. I wish you had come to the cinema with me and Zoe.”
“Oh- yeah. I was a little busy at the time-” A bit of distance was good though for him to think about everything. He still wanted to be there for Mikey. “I’m really happy you’re doing well. Is there… anything I can do?”
“Huh? Do?” Mikey tilted her head in confusion.
“Well- about you being a harpy and- a girl.. now.”
Mikey sighed feeling exasperated. “Just.. don’t change.” She asked. “Please Jon? You’re a good brother to me...”
Jon had to smile a bit at that and gave Mikey a hug. “Well, I can’t promise that if the Mist gets me too.” He thought quietly.
“Well if the Mist does get you to at least still be you okay?”
“I can promise that,” Jon nodded. “I’ll always be here for you.” He felt the harpy-girls feathers. It was a little alien and… strange. Though he thought Mikey would one day be a very beautiful harpy-woman. One of the special few that are changed in this world. Still she ‘could’ fix this with the stone. Once it returned to her and it… would return to her eventually right? At the right moment… whatever that was. He patted the harpy-girl’s head. “Want to play some video games?”
“With these Talons?” She asked looking down at her feet.
“Hey I might actually have a chance to win then,” Jon chuckled.
“Oh- sure!” Mikey felt a lot better all of a sudden. She still wanted to be Jon’s sister after all!
The dawn of a new day and the normal routine occupied Emit for a few hours. Money to make… people who tried to insist they didn’t need to pay… all of it quietly taken care of. His weakness- that being he couldn’t walk was perhaps the worst aspect of his existence and a constant reminder of why he did what he did. He retained as much autonomy as possible with technology and never let anyone see the indignity of it.
He was rarely surprised… until a sphinx suddenly flew through his window.
Of course his people were alerted the moment the intruder came into his office so unannounced. A press of a button and he quickly placed them on standby so as to not take any action. “Biff,” he said with a smile. “I thought the arrangement was for you to provide the winning scores for the next football game. I take it you have decided to forgo all that and simply join my… company?”
Biff was tense.. angry.. stared steely at Emit. “I’m changing the deal.”
“...oh?” Emit quietly started to play with a set of cards and laid them down… as if playing solitaire. Each card though being placed face down. “I don’t usually alter deals kid. I have laid my cards to you and my offer is very fair. The way I see it.. you gain everything, I can everything… we both have reason to gain much from your… unique gifts.”
Biff stepped up to his office. “My offer is this. What if you could walk again.”
At this Emit stopped playing the cards on the desk. He looked to Biff. “Such an offer has been made by others before… you would fix my body?”
Biff was still cautious. He now had Emit’s attention but… this was very dangerous. She knew this could go down very badly but she was sure this was the best way forward. “I … I don’t want to use my abilities in the way you suggest. I don’t know what gave me such powers- but- it doesn’t feel right to use them like that!” She approached to the side of the desk. “However- healing your legs.. fixing your body- yeah I can do that. I can take you to where I know the mist will take you. I can ensure that the Mist gives you a whole body.”
“...interesting.” Emit thought as he placed another card to the side. “What is my guarantee that I simply have my legs healed...”
Biff stretched a little. “I .. can’t offer a guarantee.”
“I need one kid. You make a deal with someone like me. There’s got to be… guarantees. Use your gift.. give me one.”
The sphinx sighed as she tried to call upon the various images of the future. She tried to find the one where Emit was whole and fixed without any further changes. She saw many strange images the man could become. A mermaid, a snail-like creature, a goblin, a serpent… male.. female… other? She tried to focus on that one single version where Emit stays as he was…
The sphinx’s eyes glowed as she saw the various futures and returned to normal. “… one future.” She grimaced. “… but you need to give up something. All your fortune.. all your wealth… give it away. Give it to charity and start from nothing.”
Emit looked wide eyed as if he had just been completely insulted. “You must be joking little sphinx...” He narrowed his eyes.
“That’s the only future I see where you can retain your body. Choose it! Your body or your fortune.” Biff held her ground.
Emit… had often thought if he would indeed -do- such a thing. He always insisted he would have if given this choice. The choice that the sphinx was demanding from him.. he would have to start with nothing? “You cut a most… interesting offer Biff,” he said thoughtfully as he took the last card from his deck and looked at it. “Unfortunately… you have a lot to learn on how deals are made.”
Suddenly there was a strange sound. Biff gasped as something pricked his skin. “Ah- what the-”
“Sleep dart. You’ll be fine. I was considerate to ensure I used the same one that the police used on you… as I do want you alive.”
Biff gasped and growled. “You said you wouldn’t- harm- ah-”
“… and I haven’t. You are the one trying to change the rules of this game kid… I don’t want to hurt you either. I just want to have it all… everything… and you are going to help me.”
Biff slumped suddenly as her four legs gave up. She found herself closing her eyes. “Why… couldn’t I.. see...”
“Why you didn’t see this happening?” The mob-boss asked with a sigh as he pressed a button to request some assistance. “I create the future...”
