Tiffany was trying to keep her wits together as she almost slept walked into the bathroom. She was in the rather unique position of having to face this uncertainty twice. How many people in this new world could say that?
The strange robes were very light on her frame, and oddly comfortable. That didn't mean she would keep them of course, Tiffany always maintained her right to choose. She forced her gaze onto the mirror with trepidation.
She saw a body not unlike how she used to be. Her perfect form was gone. There was nothing left of it. She felt.. smaller. Exposed. Humiliated. She took a closer look at the mirror, at the large strange horn on her forehead. It was at an unusual upwards angle when her face was in profile.
She then cast her attention to the strange skin. She didn't even realise at first, that there was an unknown light source emanating from her. A little shakily she turned off the lights in the room, to see the effect better.
It was... strange.
With the bathroom in inky darkness, she was visible. Sharp and distinct, and while the light diffused through her robes, they did not seem to shine much beyond her skin. She noticed that her horn also had a very similar light, gleaming a slight silver to the off-white colour of the rest of her body.
What was she!
Nothing... nothing known to human legends. At least, none that she had read. Perhaps it was something alien and unknown... but then, isn't that exactly why they feared her in the beginning? Because she was alien and unknown?
How long before they feared this body... and attempted to excise her once more? Would they just kill her next time? She tried to shut away the morbid thoughts, succeeding for the moment. Why did they not understand her? Perhaps the fault was her own. She did not make them understand. If she had, then the situation would have been different...
... wouldn't it?
She turned the lights back on in the bathroom, shuddering very slightly. The light on her body was still there... just not as obvious, but still giving its gentle glow, in contrast to the dark shadows that protected her. Weakened and alone... she felt the muscles in her legs start to weaken. "No..." She whispered.
Could she... should she.. hide this change? She winced at herself even considering such a prospect. Tiffany never hid from anyone! Who did they think she was? She was still better then the others... she was still... yet now she was crying. She didn't cry when she last changed. Why did this transformation bring her emotions to the surface? Or was it that woman? This was an assault! But what could she do? Even if she told the police, that teacher was too powerful. She was above the law... she knew that. Some forces were just too powerful to meddle with.. just as she used to be. Now she was brought down to earth... under that teacher's heal. Under her fathers foot.
Her hand formed a fist at the injustice of it all. They took away... herself. They made her weak.. Tiffany was not weak... therefore, she was not Tiffany any more.
Realising this and angry, she returned back to her room, to find her father and the teacher still there. "Get... out." she said tensely.
"Tiffany..." Mr Saunders tried to approach her but found himself unable to. By his own will or another, he wasn't completely sure. He felt a hand on his shoulder, as the teacher entered his field of vision.
"Let us talk downstairs..." She said to Mr Saunders, then turned to Tiffany. "I will remain for a time... then depart."
How wonderfully vague, Tiffany thought rolling her eyes. "Out..." she said steeling her eyes. She was not in the mood for another confrontation... and to be honest, a kitten could overpower her right now. But she would retain at least some shred of dignity in all this. They won't take away everything.
Mr Saunders and the teacher left down the hallway, as Tiffany slammed the door hard. Alone... and isolated once more, it didn't seem to make her feel any better. But right now she wanted to be alone.
She supposed she should be glad she was able to keep what she could of her form.. She was still female, and at least she wasn't a slug. Or... Or a harpy...
"A dream... this has to be a dream... a nightmare..." She said looking at her dresser mirror. What happened to her beautiful hair? White... she at first feared grey as if old and withered, but it wasn't quite that. If she looked closely at the hair, she could see the strange inner light seemed even to be within the locks of her hair.
She slowly assessed the damage, not sure quite where to start. Hair could be dyed back... but the rest of her... how could she ever regain all she lost? It wasn't possible. This body was small, weak, and... nothing. The horn seemed too large to actually hide without making it obvious she was hiding something.
She went through her dresser, at least adamant she wasn't going to glow like some kind of cheap Halloween costume. She removed the strange robes from her body, to look at herself completely naked....
... and gasped.
Jon had to call Karyn. This was important! She waited with baited breath at each ring hoping she would pick up soon.
"Jon?" she asked surprised to get a call from her.
Jon couldn't hold it all in. "Karyn! The stone- The book! It opens the book! I think. I mean it's the same sha-"
"Whoa!" Karyn interrupted. "Slow down. Is the stone safe?" that was the first priority.
Jon took a breath. "Yes. It's safe. I still have it don't worry. It's the book though."
"The one you are supposed to give to Brittany?" Asked Karyn.
"Yes! It has a strange lock on it. I thought it was for some key... but now I think the stone actually opens it. it's the same shape."
Karyn had to think about this. "So... you have a book, to give to Brittany... that is opened by your stone."
"Yes!"
There was a pause on the phone. "Jon... that can't be possible."
"I know! I just don't know. I mean... I know I'm supposed to give it to Brittany. But... should I open it? It might have a clue. Brittany might not even know about the stone." If it's one thing Jon knew, it's that they had to guard the secret of the stone at all costs. The only person she could trust was Karyn. If another knew, and the secret got out... what would happen? It could be an absolute disaster!
"We don't know what that book is. If it's related to the stone... you must consider it just as dangerous." Karyn advised in the end.
"Yeah... you're right."
"Don't open the book... find out first from Brittany what it is. Whatever you do, Don't bring in the stone to school as well. We don't need more problems..."
"Yeah... I think you're right. I'll ask Brittany first... maybe I can be vague about the key to it." It should be possible to work out how much Brittany was involved in this. There was an equal chance she knew more about the stone... if that was the case, maybe she knew a way to charge it up faster? "Thanks Karyn."
"Any time.. how's your family coping?" She asked curiously.
"Okay... I think. Mikey was playing football with her friends. I haven't seen much of Zoe. But.. she always did her own thing. Even before she changed."
"Glad to hear it," Said Karyn. "We'll work this out. Just a little longer, okay?"
Jon nodded. "Yeah... take care."
The slug girl put the phone down, as she secured the stone back into its drawer. Looking at the book, she decided to do the same and secure it there as well. Now she had two potentially dangerous objects in her room.
Steven stepped up to the gaming machine, a little tensely. She just realised she didn't have much skill with her body yet in moving... a key skill to the dance game. "What song?"
Hiro grinned and put his hand onto the machine. The machine seemed to glitch briefly, as it then displayed... 100 credits? He gave a look as if expecting Steven to be really impressed. "My treat princess. Choose a song."
Steven looked annoyed... but if anyone caught them, she could just say Hiro paid right? She didn't want to back down either. She tried to select an average difficulty routine. She didn't really know this game that well but saw a song she knew.
Hiro was grinning. He was going to record the pretty girl's motions to memory. He thought she was... interesting.
