Jason wasn’t too sure what was up with Steven with that message. It’s not like they were close or anything. They had gone to university together but after that they split off. That was pretty normal though for most people he had realized. Sure they exchanged an occasional ‘happy birthday’ but whatever the situation was, it sounded pretty serious.
He was also a man in his twenties, with short black hair. Fairly thin and lean he wasn’t what one might call physically strong. Still he was quick, which he attributed towards running for all the buses having never seen the need to own a car. He felt he was making a different to the environment. Sure some ridiculed this but.. it was his choice to make. He worked as an apprentice plumber but he was doing well.
Jason was currently dating though not having much success of late. Which is annoying as he had always been quite successful in the past. Everyone was preoccupied with work and ‘jobs’. Urgh. Sure there were ups and downs in his own job but he never wanted it to occupy his every moment of waking life. “Now which house was it- oh that was it.” It had been a while. He rang the door bell and waited.
There was some hesitancy as the door slowly opened. Instead of Steven he saw a young girl with brown hair, dressed in casual clothes. She seemed cute with some kind of… headband? It had a set of animal-like ears on it. “Oh- uh- is Steven here?”
“Good question.” Steven sighed. “Come in Jace.” the girl gestured as she closed the door.
Jason arched an eyebrow. “Are you.. his cousin? He sounded in trouble.” He walked inside towards the living room where the girl sat on the sofa. The man felt a little uncomfortable about all this. Who was this kid? Where was Steven?
“Well… I uh- I am Steven.” She said.
Jason arched his other eyebrow. Surprise face indeed. “Um… right” he said in response. ‘Well, I’ve walked into a weird game.’
“I am!” The girl insisted standing up suddenly. “Ask me anything. Anything!”.
“Alright,” Jason sighed. “What’s the name of our tutor?”
“Mr Warington.” The girl answered. “Go on ask me something else.”
“Eh, you probably have an earpiece to him. What is this some kind of weird prank?” He didn’ think Steven was the kind to do something like this and he couldn’t even see how it ‘would’ be funny. Suddenly there was a strike of lightning from outside- when before it seemed pretty normal weather. “Oh.. that’s weird. The weather sure turned bad.” Jason mused. That meant he was stuck here.”
“No its true!” Another lightning struck though the girl didn’t seem as fazed by it as she might have been. “I found this ring and- and I changed into this girl!” Steve insisted as the rain became heavier. “I can’t take it off. It won’t come off and I- I’m scared okay! You were the first person I could think of. My Mom and dad are in another town. How am I supposed to run to them with just … this?” she gestured to her body.
“What’s going on out there…” The wind looked… really hard. “Huh… that’s one hell of a storm.” Jason thought as things outside got blown. It was almost like a shimmering haze was going.
“Ah.. what’s happening to me now- aaah!” The girl gasped.
Jason watched as the girl’s clothes seem to poke outward in some.. weird ways behind her. A large bushy tail suddenly pushed itself out! She felt the odd weight and gasped. “I- I have a tail- oh crap I have a tail!”
“Wow- is that real?!” Jason asked.
“What the heck is going on here! Who broke reality!” A voice suddenly called out reverberating across the house. A teenage girl appeared. It was the same girl from the mall! She appeared to be ‘floating’ slightly which caused Jason to stare at her wide eyed. The teenage girl stared back at him. “Wait- you can see me? Oh no. This is bad.” She thought carefully. “I mean- this is all a dream. Woooo..” she waved her hands in front of Jason with a hopeful look.
The man stared. “You’re… floating. Steven is a little girl with a squirrel tail. I don’t dream stuff like this.”
Crash! Another flash of lightning filtered through the window making Steven jump. She started to huddle her tail almost instinctively. “Please rain stop…” She- she had no idea how scary lightning was!
The teenage girl looked deflated as she floated down to a sitting position on a table. “Well, can’t blame me for trying. This is… a pretty bad situation. Uh, tell me your name?”
“Jason.” The man said tilting his head.
“Jason! Nice to meet you… so... are you particularly attached to your life?”
“… what sort of question is that?”
“Just- just an honest answer would do. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. I mean- well- these things happen. Did happen, or going to happen. I just never know with these timelines.” She tapped her cheek. “I did tell you the rules didn’t I?” she asked glancing to Steven. “Oh wait no- wrong timeline. I messed up again.”
“I didn’t get any rules!” Steven gasped. “Why do I have a tail!”
“Well- I’m still trying to figure that part out-” Another crash of lightning. “… Though I guess there isn’t really any time left. Darn. Okay! Gonna have to fix this now! I’ll improvise something don’t worry.”
“Wait- what’s going on!” Jason called out as a flash of light enveloped them both.
