It was too late to turn back now, realised Adam. Maybe she could use the air-bubble to turn herself back to normal, but without understanding it's power it was far too dangerous. She certainly didn't want to end up in another world, alone.
She rushed back inside the house- well, hoping back given she was holding the air bubble clutched on her left talon. This was... bad! Losing hands in a transformation was not good, and while she acknowledged there was a chance of it happening, now that it had actually happened...
No! She won't regret it. She wanted to understand the situation and this was the only way. She wanted to call her mother to explain what happened but reaching out with her winged arm all she did was knock the phone off the hook. She dropped the air bubble, and used her right talon to try and replace the phone back.
This was... awkward. Not to mention constantly looking down at her legs to make sure she was doing this right, was giving her a very interesting perspective on her new form. She had to look at herself in the mirror.
Moving back to the bedroom, where there was a full length mirror, she took note of her changes. She was... petite, small. No question about that. She estimated maybe about four and a half feet. Fortunately, she still seemed to be in her mid twenties at least that's what she guessed looking at the stranger's face. The hair however, was long, and dark black. It had an unusual shine to it, as if well conditioned. She knew certain feathers had that same shine to them in birds and wondered if that same slickness had ended up in her hair as well. she reached up a winged arm to try and untangle some of it from her eyes, but without fingers it was very difficult to manipulate. Her talons also couldn't reach up there unless she was in a sitting position. Not that she felt brave enough to try that, those talons looked sharp! If she did it wrong she could poke her own eyes out.
She looked down at her breasts and her creamy skin. They were small, but definitely there. She was rather glad that they were not obtrusive, although the way they bounced when she was hoping around earlier was very awkward. She didn't have any feathers around there to hide them. Though she didn't start out with feminine modesty in her life, she still felt a little awkward about it and thought, she should at least try to wear something. Her old clothes however, were too big now even if she could put them on.
She tried to pull open a door to a closet. It was difficult, but with enough prying she managed to open the door, to see various articles of clothing. There had to be something. Even if she could just put on a vest over her human body would be a little comforting. Her talons were not very forgiving on clothing though, and she had torn through quite a few. Not to mention her sense of balance was yet to be squired.
She couldn't actually find anything useful, although a bathrobe presented itself with a possibility. It was still hanging on a hook, so if she did it right she should be able to put it on. She slid her winged arm through one sleeve, turning to catch the other. It was incredibly difficult, as her arms normal position didn't seem to like being extended that way. Still her body relented in the end to her desire. the robe was riding on her tail feathers though, and it was not possible to put on the belt. Still at least she was wearing something now. She pulled the robe closer, careful not to trip on the floor with it.
"What have I done," She asked herself. Was this punishment for her actions before? Was there a sense of karma in the universe dictating the changes? Whatever the reason, it was too late to do anything about it now.
NIkki finished crafting the rabbit trap and waited...
Normally she would be enjoying this kind of work. At the moment though, she was worried. She took out the paper that had her letter and quietly read those words...
... her mother told her not to worry. Though she was worried. She... she didn't know what to do. Her mother said it would be okay though? She would know right? She must know she would come back.. wouldn't she? But.. what if... what if...
The skunk-child looked at the trap, a rabbit was about to be caught. It was instantly snared. She quickly grabbed it, and carefully twisted it's neck as she was taught to put it out of further misery. It was a decently sized rabbit. Her mother would be so proud!
... but...
She walked down seeing Erica looking very anxious. She looked down a bit not really sure what to say. "Um... I got the rabbit," She said showing it.
Erica looked with some amazement, despite her distracted eyes. "You are quite amazing, kiddo" She said.
Nikki blushed. "I- um- glad I could help."
The two looked at each other awkwardly a moment as they walked back to their camp-site.
Nikki glanced back to Erica now and then. "Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"I... think you should do, whatever you want to do." Nikki said quickly swallowing even as the words came out. She was warned not to say anything! But... how could she not?
"Huh? What do you mean kid?" Erica asked with some suspicion.
"I... can't really say. But um... I trust you. Whatever you decide... I just.. want you to know, I'm okay?" She said very quickly but wasn't looking directly at her. If she could she would see the stress on the child's face.
"Decide on what exactly?" Erica asked getting a little annoyed now. It was maddening this child had some foreknowledge... but she was saying she actually had a choice? A choice in what exactly?
"I.. just don't want you upset. Cause... you're the nicest, most wonderful person I ever knew," She said sniffling in the end. "I- I gotta go gut the Rabbit. It- should be ready in an hour."
Erica watched the child run off, stunned and surprised. Whatever burden the child was carrying seemed heavy. That itch in her body started anew in the silence. This was horrible! She had hoped that changing back and forth last week would have reset the cycle. The fact that this time she knew what it was didn't make it any easier. In some ways, it was actually worse. Still, she had at least a while until...
until what? she became a rampaging animal in heat? It just didn't bare thinking about.
She sat back to the camp-fire crossing her legs, controlling her breathing. Sam smiled seeing her and sat next to her.
"You okay?"
"I'm... fine." She said. Gods! Why was she attracted to him? Was it just her hormones? Or was this real at all? Still... it didn't feel like just hormones. There was a certain respect and admiration she had and... oh.. was that even the right way to think about it? This was so complicated. Maybe if she held out for a while longer, it might get better...
... maybe.
Father Roberts finished tidying up the various parts of the church. She was making a list of the various things that needing work, as well as a quote for repairing the bell tower. She was saddened to see, the cast iron bell was cracked now. There was something very sad about a cracked bell, and she wasn't quite sure why that was. It was almost representing a lost voice of the church. It's clanging had sounded for over a hundred years... stopped by her.
She wanted to get this bell repaired. Fortunately there were a few contractors that believed they could repair it. There were even others that offered to replace the bell entirely... but she didn't want to do that. This bell was as old as the building, and it had to be repaired. That's what they did with broken things... mend them. Not replace them.
Her devilish tail swayed back and forth on the floor, as her hooves clicked with each step. She felt she was glad that... one person shook her hand. Her previous sermons were militant and aggressive against the aspects of sin, she had forgotten the virtues of humanity. It was... nice actually, and it eased her burdens some.
"I once was lost... but now I see," She sang softly. Well, she still felt lost if truth was told. But maybe she could at least see a little?
The doors to the church opened. the devil woman turned and gasped, as four hooded men approached. They wore markings of an angel on their front. What was this!
"W-Who are you?" Father Robert asked. "Get out of my church!"
"Get out of our church," one of them said. "Heathen!"
"You commited blasphemy by daring to speak the words of Satan claiming them to be the word of God!" the other said sneering.
"We are the Purifiers. This place will be sanctified. Purge her!"
They grabbed the devil woman by her robes. "No! Please don't!" Robert screamed.
Hiro waited anxiously. He heard from the wifi signal, that the plane carnying their parents had now landed. It would only be an hour now until they arrived.
The place was reasonably spotless. Suddenly, Hitomi hugged the cyborg and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad you're not fighting any more big brother."
"So am I," he smiled a bit. Though he couldn't help but wonder what happened to his ex-friend. The way he was going, that wolf was probably going to end up in jail. He wondered idly what he could do being such a .. useless machine.
Hitomi looked at him again. "You still feel sad about your change... don't you," She said. She was always able to sense something about her brother... it was strange. But nice too.
"Yeah sis.. I'll be fine." He said with a sigh. People never understood him before, and now they never will. That was life. People thought he was such a bad guy, only Hitomi these days ever saw the good in him. But then, they were family. It wasn't as if Hiro intentionally set out to do anything bad. Things... just tended to happen around him. If a window got broken, he would be blamed. He learned quickly to run when that kind of stuff was going on. (which unfortunately, made him look more guilty to the law)
"I think... you are amazing big brother," She said. "You're strong... smart... if anyone can find a way to make this work it's you."
"Thanks sister. But... I don't know if I can. I think I'm a mistake." It was certainly possible wasn't it? Could a transformation go 'wrong'? In the same way that there might be congenital birth defects on a person, it's possible that a transformation could simply go the wrong way. Not quite work out the way intended... but life being adaptable, made do with whatever it had.
"But brother... there's nobody else like you." Hitomi said her fairy wings fluttering.
Hiro sighed. It was true. in looking vaguely through that (arrogant) emergence website, cyborgs were incredibly rare as far as they knew. Then again, it could be simply because of the animosity that came from being a very different kind of digital life, hovering between their former existence and new one. He had a difficult enough time trying to browse the 'digital life form only section, given he had to 'emulate' an artificial human environment. Essentially tricking the system into thinking he was an android. It wasn't a security feature, it was just that they processed information better between themselves. They had a section for normal humans, but it didn't have all the information he needed. (not to mention it felt very condescending)
That and being a cyborg, creeped out practically every other digital life form he met. "Nobody else like me sister... is not necessarily a good thing." He said sadly.
"Keep trying? For me?" She asked.
Hiro nodded. "For you."
"What do you think mom and dad are?" She asked quickly.
"I don't know. But whatever they are, they are still are mom and dad," He reminded. "Just... don't tell them about my... problems."
"But they could help you," Hitomi said confused.
"They are my problems. I'll deal with it myself."
"Welcome to our school Lilly," Said Miss Violet.
"Thank you..." She said softly.
"Now... we are a little different here then in other schools. We actually do have a uniform policy. But have learned to be quite flexible with it." She said with a smile.
Billy looked up a bit shocked. She had not thought quite about that. Did that mean she had to wear a dress? What did they mean but a flexible uniform? Didn't that kind of go against the idea of a uniform at all?
"Essentially, we have a few different styles that is adaptable to work with practically any kind of transformation. We only ask you wear the colours of the school somewhere on you."
"D-do I have to wear a dress?" the squirrel girl asked meekly.
"Well... it is accepted if you desire it. As long as it's the right colour. There was one student that insisted on going naked... so she simply wears a head band. We are that flexible about it"
Billy thought she understood. She wondered what kind of clothes Jenny wore.
Violet smiled gently. "Do not fret about it too much Billy. We just find that wearing such things even symbolically helps our school. It distinguishes us from the others. When people see you, they will know you are our student."
"I.. guess I understand Miss Violet," She said shyly, her twin tails moving briskly behind her.
"Let me show you some things that should work well for you. Fortunately, we have in stock a large selection."
