Muriel sighed. Where and how to begin?
"First of all" - She said, very tactfully - "Consider that lots of laws of nature go out the window when dealing with the changed. Right?"
Leslie nodded. "Yes... Why?"
"Okay. Suppose... Suppose there are fields of science that have yet to be understood, with their own laws and so on."
Leslie, again, nodded. "Quantum physics is a new field, for instance, and I am sure the Sun brought up lots of new things, Muriel. But I don't understand where you're getting at..."
"Well... When people looked at things they couldn't explain before, they'd 'explain' it with 'magic' or some such. Right?" - Said Muriel, carefully.
Abigail nodded. She was a bit better at reading people than her husband, and could almost tell where Muriel was headed with that train of thought. Almost.
"Magic is science that is not yet understood. I understand, Muriel, but what are you saying?"
"First of all" - Said Muriel very carefully, remembering Lilly's reaction to magic - "Magic has its own laws, and it, sadly, cannot yet change people back if they are hit by the sun..."
"You speak as if it were real." - Said Leslie.
"In the sense that there are... scientific fields and sciences we do not yet understand, it is, Leslie." - Said Muriel.
"Fair enough." - Said Leslie - "Continue." - He was now more curious than anything.
"Now comes the... hard part. Bear with me." - Said Muriel carefully.
Lucas landed by the school. As if on cue, Cass walked outside, her anime aura bathing things around her. Lucas smiled as she herself became animated.
"Hey, Cass. How was work?"
"Bit tiresome, but okay. I actually told my students about you!" - She giggled. She seemed... concentrated on something.
"You told them about me?" - Said Lucas, a bit taken aback.
"Not like that. One of my students asked if there were polls about the way people reacted to the changes. I told him there wasn't any, but used you as an example of someone happy with hers."
"You do realize that YOU are a good part of why I'm happy with mine." - Said Lucas, smiling - "I mean, I love my new body, but it had its drawbacks too. I do admit I'm happy about it even without taking you into account."
Cass smiled a bit. "Well, you'll take me to the Angel Café. But first I want you to do me a favor. Get out of my aura."
"Uhm, okay..." - Said Lucas, and she did so, becoming normal-textured.
"Now look down."
Lucas looked down and saw that her clothes remained animated.
"Caralho!"(1) - She smiled. - "Nice! So it worked?"
"Apparently so." - Cass smiled. - "Now come on. You're paying for it. You're the man of the date... After a fashion." - She giggled.
(1) - "Holy shit! (Lit.: "Cock!")"
"Wow." - Said Leslie - "So... Magical girls too..."
"Too?" - Said Muriel.
Abigail nodded. "We are not blind, Muriel." - She smiled a bit - "We saw that people were becoming myths too, and that they could do strange things. And Leslie formed a theory about it."
Leslie nodded. "At least part of these changes seem to deal with the collective unconscious and with myths, powers included. I'm not saying any humans became these... 'things' that threaten our universe. But Jenny's change follows that pattern, at least in part. I understand why you were so reluctant to tell us. In any other time, you'd sound ins- OW!" - Abigail had kicked his shin again. This time a bit more forcefully.
Muriel giggled. "It's okay. I know how it sounds."
Leslie nodded. "Sorry. It does explain something. I knew there was no way Tom would be so... incompetent."
Muriel nodded. "So. I trust no punishment will come to him?"
Leslie nodded. "Not only that, I'll see to it that he gets all the treatment he needs. That was my sample, after all..."
Abigail sighed. "Your sample, darling, not your fault. I appreciate you doing right by Tom, but do not get consumed with guilt over this."
Muriel nodded. "You might want to call those agents I told you about. Maybe they will have some interest in your research. Enough to help fund it, maybe. Here is their card."
Gordon smiled lightly. "Thanks, Muriel. You are being very understanding about this."
Muriel smiled. "One, I understand what you were trying to do. Two, we are friends. You screwed up, yes, but I forgive you. I'm sure Jenny would suffer much more if she knew her friend was in financial dire straits over her fight with these... beings."
Leslie smiled a bit. "Heh. I suppose magical girls have another, often overlooked, ability. One that has nothing to do whatsoever with magic."
"Oh?" - Said Muriel.
"They bring out the best in people." - Smiled Leslie. - "We'll call this agent Hawkins. Thanks for the help. Will you be here with Jenny later?"
"Sure thing." - Muriel said, smiling.
