Eric wasn't sure what to think as she drifted in sleep.
She didn't think of anything much. There was something about being in this den that felt... right? Not that she was about to abandon living in a real house. She wasn't an animal... but in this body and the instincts it had, being here felt... normal.
It wasn't just that. Having Nikki near her also felt comforting. She wasn't really sure why. She really hoped she could get this child back to her mother. the poor thing was as lost as she was. The teenager was feeling guilty for thinking so much of herself lately. It was normal for everyone her age to be a little selfish... but she still had memories of being older.
The whole situation seemed ludicrous. Would she even yesterday have thought, she would travel through time? But then, did she think two months ago, she would turn into a female teenage skunk? The whole world had gone mad...
... but right now, they were in the normal world. A world with a normal sun. The only thing unusual here, was them. They didn't belong here. It felt so isolating... frightening. Humans were intolerant in any age, but the further back one went it seemed the worse it got. What if they ended up in an even worse time?
She heard the various noises of the forest... and really missed her house now. Light... internet...
She had to get this letter... somehow. Even if she was a monster in this time, she had to somehow...
"Time to sleep you two" Smiled Mikey as she went into offline mode.
The two digital fairies looked up at their host. Effie and Dennis seemed to have become closer over the weekend. It was quite noticeable.
Dennis was concerned though. "Did he hurt you?" He had not forgotten Effie encountered the cyborg that kept him.
Effie shook her head. "He was a dick," she said sharply. "But trust me, I think my words hurt him enough." Obviously it must have.. considering he brought down the entire arcade. Was that the digital equivalent of sending a nuke? She kind of felt it was. If he wanted to play that roughly...
"I just don't want him coming after you," He said with concern. Dennis gave her a hug as they sat down on the edge of Mikey's desk.
"Let him try. With our editors, and the programs Amy gave us, he wouldn't stand a chance."
Dennis sighed but nodded. "I think... I just want to just forgive him," He said in the end.
"What?!" Effie bolted upright. She moved so fast her inertia actually made her bosom jiggle. A feeling she was still not very comfortable with. She paused for a moment and smoothed her dress. "why!"
"Don't you want... the same forgiveness too?" Dennis asked simply. His tone was even, and very gentle.
Effie paused. "T-That's different..." She said quietly. "I'm not that person...any more. That person is dead." At least, that's how it should be.. right?
"You have your own family still... somewhere."
"I'm not their daughter, okay?" The windows ME fairy said quickly. That was.. terribly obvious. After all, they did not have a daughter full stop. She knew that...
Dennis sighed. "You have to learn to forgive yourself... I can forgive you. One day... we may even find the one that took your memories away. What will you do then?"
Effie had not really thought of that. Was Dennis really willing to let it go? Pretend it never happened? But it did happen! He was kept a prisoner... used... made a slave. Effie on the other hand, had lost practically all her memories. The AI... killed whoever she used to be. Even if she did find this AI... what then?
A terrible thought came to her. If who she was... really was dead, then the person she is now is only due to the AI removing everything from before she had this form.
Her new life... was all due to that AI.
Effie suddenly looked very sick.
Dennis held her tightly. "Hey- it's okay..." he whispered to her ear.
"I- I don't know what I would do... if I saw him.. it.. whoever it was.." she said crying.
"I-I'm sorry Effie. I didn't mean to bring it up. I didn't want you upset."
"No.. you're right. This is a complicated situation. I'm.. I'm not whole. I was a bad person before. I'm not that person now... I don't want to be. I just want to forget that life! And.. that AI.. has... has... done that for me."
Dennis patted effie on the shoulder, looking really guilty. "You were never a bad person.. come on.. rest here.. with me..."
"A-Are you sure?"
"I'm sure..." The Dos fairy said with a sincere smile. "Cry as much as you want... I'll still be here."
Effie could not object...
Sarah was feeling peaceful in her nest... this was perhaps the fight night she actually felt good in a long time. She was clean, thanks to her Aunt.. and she felt... well... not 'okay' completely.. but it was like things were at least manageable.
She glanced down, seeing her parents. Her father was now sleeping, the petals covering her completely. She assumed all the pieces of her mother had also gone into their honeycomb... She had found Iris had also set herself comfortably in the house.
She was still amazed at how easily her aunt adapted to all this. How in the world did she do that? It was almost as if, she was no stranger to magic. But that was impossible... right? She should probably ask her some day.
She missed her hands... that was unquestionable. So much of the human world relied on at least a finger and thumb. She lacked them all. She seemed able to get by... but something as simple as opening a bottle was embarrassingly difficult.
she squatted down in her nest, closing her eyes, to drift off into sleep.
"I don't want to go to school!" Squeaked Lilly. "Please.. don't send me..."
Her mother shook her head. "Billy, you have to..."
"N-No.. No...'m sick... can't go t'school" she wailed again.
Mrs Gordon sighed. She wasn't sure how to coerce her child that she had to go to school. "Come on Billy... please?"
"N-Nobody I knows m'there". She said wiping her eyes.
"You can make new friends."
"Don't wan' new fr'ends! Don't wanna be a- a la-lady" she said as another torrent of tears.
The dinosaur boy Stacy looked a little sadly. "Mom? The only friend she ever made so far since she changed... was Jenny." None of the other kids wanted to play with her. He didn't know why... though maybe he was partially to blame. If Billy ever snapped he would come running along and.. scare them away. He thought he was helping her..
"What school does Jenny go to?"
"It's a private school," said Stacy.
Hm... it might be very tricky to arrange... but... they did have the money.
"Billy? Would you like to go to the same school as Jenny?"
The squirrel girl looked unsure. "M-Maybe..." She said in the end. "J-Jenny's nice."
"Okay... I will talk to that school, and see if we can arrange a place for you there..."
"B-But.. J-enny.. she.. might-" Lilly looked down. "-Might not want to be friends.. with me." The squirrel girl said looking down still. She liked Jenny... but that was no reason the girl would like her back. She made her feel.. happy. Nice to be around. She even forgot she was just a.. dumb animal with her. But what if... Jenny... didn't like her any more?
"I can only give you a chance with her Billy... the rest is up to you."
Who was Billy? Oh- right.. that was her. Why was it so hard to remember that, Lilly wondered. "I-I-I'll go..." she said in the end.
"Wonderful." Mrs Gordon smiled, pausing a moment as she felt her baby kick. "Now please get some sleep sweetie. I will sort this out in the morning for you."
