It was necessary, wasn't it? They had to know. Muriel was a police officer, and believed strongly in the truth. However there would be no going back from this... once they knew, the secret would no longer be within close family. That was quite a daunting thought, and her main concern was to keep Jenny safe. Still that their daughter was now involved, had to involve her parents too.
It was quite a relief that they knew about magic girls.
"I still believe there is another explanation other then magic though," said Mr Gordon. "Magic is just another word for an unexplained science."
"You'll have to forgive Leslie," said Mrs Gordon. "He is quite the atheist. He does not believe in a religion, or magic."
"Do you?" asked Muriel.
"Well-" Mrs Gordon looked like she had been put on the spot. "I... think it can be fun to pretend it's real, now and then... people do say it's magic that changed the sun- much as you seem to think." It was certainly a very diplomatic way of saying she didn't believe in a force of magic..
"Nonsense," said Leslie. "Just because we don't understand the process, doesn't mean its magic. I'm not about to abandon thousands of years of intellectual heritage on the possibility of magic now in the world." The man actually looked a bit offended, like the very idea of magic, would belittle all he had worked for- all every scientist in the past, had ever worked for in trying to understand the universe around them.
Muriel wondered if she had to go about this another way. "Jenny's... abilities, for lack of a better word, can't be measured as a science. I don't really know how it works... all I know is, that her presence makes things better. "
"It seems... an unfair burden to place on a young child." She said shaking her head.
The police officer sighed. "She's a young child, with a certain sense of knowing where she has to be, and an ability to act as a positive force- in what ever situation she finds herself in. If nothing else, believe that," She said.
"This still doesn't explain cloning," said Leslie.
Melanie walked into the kitchen at that point. "Essence," she said. "Action, created Essence. An act within this world. The act concluded. Me." she said simply.
Muriel picked up the girl and placed her on her lap. Whatever Melanie was trying to say, didn't make sense to them...
"Hello there," said Mrs Gordon.
"Melanie," said the strange insect girl. "I- am Melanie. Lilly did it."
"It's a nice name," smiled Muriel.
Mr Gordon was finding things more difficult to believe. "So- you were around for your creation?" he asked. "If that's the case, where were you before?"
"Nowhere" she replied.
The scientist shook his head. There were so many holes in this fantasy he didn't know where to start or if to humour them.
"Why are you telling us this?" Asked Mrs Gordon.
"You had the right to know. If LIlly is to be Jenny's friend still after this."
"I don't understand..."
The police officer glanced at the two other children towards the living room. "Lilly was unconscious, because she was caught in a crossfire between Jenny and- someone she had to deal with," she said. She wasn't sure she wanted to say minus four was that person... the young girl glanced up at her unsaid words.
Mrs Gordon sighed. "I don't know if I like what I'm hearing. You are saying that your child is some kind of... magical person, who has to 'deal with'... what exactly?"
Muriel looked a bit tensely. "She helps where she can. That's all. She sends things away that are not supposed to be here..."
"I'm not sure I want Lilly around someone like that!" she said quite worried. Today her daughter was just rendered unconscious... what if worse happened next?
Muriel put down her coffee as she looked at them. Of course she understood that... but what could she say? What could she do?
"I'm inclined to agree," Said Mr Gordon. "Your daughter can defend herself from these things... LIlly is just... an ordinary person. A little girl now. She has no defence."
Melanie tilted her head a bit.
"Why don't you go outside and play a little Melanie?" asked Muriel. "I wont be long."
Melanie got up and walked outside- before wondering what exactly play was? The word she understood... oh well. It was quite obvious she wasn't to be around in whatever they discussed.
Muriel watched her go. "Is it really any different, from being friends with anyone else? There are so many transformed people... some would say Stacy could be someone not to be played with."
"That's different. Stacy doesn't draw things to her- er him," Said Mr Gordon. "Look- I am sorry about this whole thing with Jenny... I really am. But- you can't expect me to risk my daughter, just so she had a play mate if this is the kind of thing Jenny does," he said tensely. He never really watched 'magic girls' shows.. actually he found the whole idea quite weird. Was that really entertainment to some people? But applied in the real world... it was an absolutely crazy way to live.
Muriel got up. She sensed this was becoming a little too difficult. "I am... just going to check on Melanie... why don't you talk about it with Lilly?"
Lilly wondered if she was in trouble when both her parents rushed to her. They had a barrage of questions and she just didn't know quite where it all came from, or what to say. The questions seemed to be repeated every thirty seconds, and they were always dissatisfied with her answer. She was slowly starting to crack, but she stubbornly refused to give in. She loved her friend too much to give up the secret.
"Do you know anything unusual about Jenny?" Asked her father.
Lilly tensed. The secret! She had to keep it a secret! "N-No. I don't know anything," She said.
"You can tell us sweetie. Just tell us what really happened today. How did you get hurt?" Her mother pressed trying to goad her into telling them.
"I- I didn't get hurt," She lied again. She was feeling very uncomfortable doing this. She was lying to her parents... she had no choice. She had to!
"Does Jenny do magic?" Asked her mother.
"Magic- magic- i-isn't r-r-e-" she couldn't say it. She knew magic was real! "I- I dunno," She said in the end. She couldn't keep up with this! The young girl was imagining a wall, a huge wall around herself, trying to keep her parents away.
"You have to tell us Billy," said Mr Gordon.
He used her old name... a name she was slowly forgetting. "I- I don't know anything! Please...j-just lea' me alone," she said.
"You're lying to us," said Mr Gordon very concerned. Something did happen... it was plain on her daughters expression. "I don't want you to be friends with Jenny any more."
"NO!" Screamed the squirrel girl. Her heart looked like it shattered into a million pieces. "She's my friend! She's my friend! Don't! You can't!" She was going to make up with her today. She was... she was... going to be happy again. Why.. why couldn't anyone let her just find something to be happy in?
"I- I'm sorry. It's for your own good." Leslie swallowed a bit. He hugged his daughter, even as she cried. "You'll make new friends... I promise."
As much as this was hurting Lilly... her father was feeling it just as much.
