Jay stood on the peer waiting for the person she was to interview next. The three tailed fox-woman was starting to feel cold, as she clung her top a little tighter, despite the fur. She smiled a bit, thinking of the fun she has had so far in this form. She didn't know why she was 'okay' with it. Was that normal for a sane person to be like that?
Maybe it was just an adventuring spirit... though she wasn't sure quite how to react if a man became 'interested' in her. Was that even likely?
Whatever it was, the fox woman felt at peace with her form. It probably wasn't what she would have picked if given the choice, but it certainly made her popular among her audience. (Which was again... strange.)
Finally she heard a splash as a merman broke out of the surface of the water. The little fox-woman curiously poked her head out of the peer to see the figure. "Hi there," she smiled looking down at the merman.
"Hey, here's your camera. I took what pictures I could," he said grinning. "Though the light started to go out." He threw the boxed camera towards Jay. He was happy to see it was filled to capacity.
"That's okay. I was hoping you might do a video interview to go with it too?" Jay said hopefully.
The young merman nodded. "I don't mind... can I do it in the water?"
Jay somewhat awkwardly set up the video camera to her new subject. She then introduced herself to the camera as she had done a million times before. "Hello, Jay Warner reporting from the seaside. Rumours have been flying for a while now on a new town being built in the ocean safe for the aquatic transformed people. I have a young boy here, by name of Finn-" Jay tried not to smile at that name. It was... more then likely coincidence. Right?
"Oh yes, it's my name," The boy blushed a bit. "Finn." He knew he got a few people laughing at that but he didn't mind.
"Could you tell me about life under the ocean and in Atlantis?" Jay asked hopefully. She was actually very eager to know what it must be like.
"Well- It's not like the movies. A lot of us got together, and just.. started making things in the ocean. It's been made easier since a number of construction companies have joined us."
"What kind of things do you make down there? Tell us about a typical day."
Finn scratched his head, dripping a lot of water down. "Well- We create lures for fish, so that we get schools of them close by. That helps us eat without getting stretched too far. We like to stay in groups especially in the wide ocean."
"Why don't you just make a fish farm?" asked Jay curiously.
"We haven't got nets to do that yet, but it's something we might do. We're a bit more concerned about larger volumes of fish bringing predators."
Jay gasped. "Predators? Does.. that mean your in peril down there?" The fox girl looked quite worried.
"Oh- No... not really. Most of us can sense them a mile away. They tend to keep away from us for the most part."
"Why is that?"
"I'm... I'm not really sure. I guess because we do strange things down there, and they are very confused about us." Finn laughed a bit. "Some of us have built small structures, houses, even a large hall made from the bulk of a sunk ship. We've got a lot of resources down there. It's all virtually untapped."
Jay looked intrigued. "That is really amazing."
Finn nodded. "Yep. Some people are saying that right now, our population crisis was solved by the sunlight. There is enough resource for everyone since we all occupy different niches. The ocean is now home to quite a number of us."
"Do you miss land?" Jay asked carefully.
Finn looked a bit guilty at that. "Some of us... yeah. But maybe if we get a proper city down there, we can have both air breathers and water breathers living together."
"A project that could take years from what I understand?"
"Yes... but we're committed to it."
"I can see that. Do you have any other words for people on land?"
The young boy smiled. "If you're an aquatic transformed person... feel free to stop by and see if you like it. We're a friendly hard working community. Many of us have found a new family down here. I know we can't replace anything you have on the surface but... if you give it a chance, you might like it."
Jay nodded and shut off the recorder. This was in some ways, a little sad but she could understand why the aquatics would try to build a new community among themselves. Still, so many of them loved the families they had on the surface. They were just making do with what they could. Being in a pool could only be tolerated for so long. "Thanks for the interview Finn," Jay said with a nod.
"Thank you for coming by. Some of us are a bit worried the surface forgot about us," Finn sighed. How many had he encountered that were just... lost and missing their families. But couldn't exactly go easily back to land without specialised equipment.
"I don't think that's ever the case," smiled Jay. "We all look out for each other, no matter what we transformed into."
"Really?" asked Finn.
Jay suddenly thought of Anderson... the helpless, terrified space-girl, Who could never speak in anything other then gibberish.
"... Really."
Lilly started to go through various cabinets in the house. The squirrel inside her loved this. Opening things, peering in them, taking the pieces she wanted... but she had a very specific thing she was looking for.
A photo album. She opened it up, flicking through it. She wanted to find a picture of herself... finally she stumbled onto a picture of a human boy and girl. The boy was on a bike, and the girl in the background chasing after him. That scene was familiar... she was that boy once, right?
She stared for a while at the picture, placing her paw onto his face. He was grinning and was happy, going as fast as he could. She then glanced down at her own body still wearing the dress. How long had she been this way? It has been well over a month. She didn't want to be miserable forever... but honestly, what could she do? Her father did everything he could to change her back, but it sounded like he got into trouble for it.
Should she forget about the boy in the picture?
She couldn't... she was still him in every way. He was underneath, inside. She took off her dress, and stared at herself in her bedroom mirror. What if she... tried dressing in her old clothes? She felt a little guilty but tried to do that. She put on a shirt, that was just... too big for her. It almost looked like a dress itself, and the way her twin tails caught on them was just... weird. She completed the set by putting on her old jeans. Or at least, tried to. But they kept on slipping off, and she couldn't tighten the belt any more.
She looked at the mirror... that had to be the strangest sight ever. A squirrel girl, dressed in boy clothes too big for her. Fur... so much fur, made her feel a little warm with all these layers. At least she had human like hair on her head, even if it was a touch too long. Her mother insisted though it made her look better now. What if she cut off her fur? Would she... look more human? Isn't that what she saw on the television?
She anxiously moved some of the soft fur, to inspect the skin underneath, much as she had when she first discovered the extra additions on her torso. It wasn't easy but she saw pasty white skin underneath. What.. would it look like shaven? Still, something made her hesitate. Maybe it would look worse. Her 'big brother' Stacy did warn her about that. He would know right?
Her pants slid off, and she was once again just wearing her old T-shirt. She stared for quite a while in the mirror, with a look of confusion. Her eyes were large, and almond shaped, with the curious shade of green. It had a.. cuteness quality to it. The orange fur with slightly darker orange hair... it was just so weird. But looking at the creature she was, she didn't look that girly... did she? She didn't have those funny curves other girls did. She couldn't even think about the equipment she had being far too grossed out by it. In a way she was thankful the fur covered everything.
She took off her shirt standing naked. The mirror showed an animal in front of her... an animal with human- if juvenile intelligence.
"Hey sis!" the door opened with Stacy coming in.
"Ah!" Lilly jumped behind her bed.
Stacy blinked. "Er- why are you naked?" he asked.
"N-Nothin'! I was- I was jus' changing." she said looking a bit guilty.
"You're weird little sis," Stacy said with a grin.
"I'm yo'r br'ther not your siste'!" Said Lilly a bit defensively. She started to put on her old shirt again, as it trailed down her little legs. She stepped forward and looked up at Stacy. Why did he have to get the better transformation? Stacy would be happier being a squirrel girl then a dinosaur. Lilly felt she could be a better dinosaur boy too... why couldn't they just... swap places?
"Aww... I thought you didn't mind me calling you that." Stacy said confused.
"I don't- I mean- I- I jus' think someday I'm gonna change back. It might happen tomorrow!"
The dinosaur boy looked sadly. "But what if you don't?"
Lilly glanced around then down. "I.. dunno... I'm not gonna be a l-lady. Never." The very idea made her feel weird.
"Then why do you wear dresses an' stuff?" Asked Stacy innocently.
"I- I jus'- um-" Lilly blushed. She couldn't say it felt 'comfortable' could she? Didn't that make it wrong? It was like she was losing the battle! Besides... Jenny... did?
... she really missed her. It's only been a few hours now, would she really come by? the policewoman said she would bring her.
Stacy giggled, a very strange noise for a dinosaur boy. He patted the little squirrel on the head. "If you want we can find some jeans and shirts your own size. We'll go together!" he said.
"O-Okay sis..."
