A lonely girl in the woods...
Kimi was starting to feel very worried as she wondered through the trees. She was trying to remember the path taken to where the skunk first sprayed her. However it was starting to get dark very quickly. The shade's of the trees gave everything a dusk like quality, so it was hard to know just what time it was.
She straightened her hood a little, feeling her hair bunched up inside it, tickling her back under the leather of her clothes. This was just so... so...
She was struggling to keep from crying. She had never felt so humiliated, and not only that. She was completely isolated and alone. She felt vulnerable in a way that could never have been possible as a man. She just wanted to get back to normal, and here she was a girl alone...
What if one of her bandit friends turned up?
It... just didn't bare thinking about. She knew what kind of people they were. She knew... what kind of man she used to be.
She was starting to wish Farin was here. He kept her safe, warm and happy. She smiled a little at those intimate moments they shared-
No! That- that isn't real. It isn't real! Farin was just some weird dream. "I'm going crazy," She said to herself. Of course considering the circumstances, sanity had gone out the window ages ago. She glanced down at her body, still not really able to believe the sight. The small breasts bounced with every foot, the way her hands were so soft and delicate lacking in the callous she had developed over years of hardships...
She lost her footing and tripped, falling into a small pond of mud. A bird that was drinking in it was startled by her. Kimi stared at the bird in shock as for some reason it decided to squawk like mad right in Kimi's face before flying off.
the young teen-girl shivered. "S-Stupid bird!" She said angrily. She tried to remove the mud, but the chill of the water was already starting to get into her. It was not helping the illness she had contracted. With raw determination she continued on...
Lilly glanced at the sun starting to wane... She had spent hours just playing with Jenny. Even Melanie joined in though her expression was always confused as if she didn't really understand why they were playing. Though it got interesting when they were playing 'monster'. The game seemed to have the two girls running around the garden, chasing some kind of imaginary beast.
"I am the monster?" Asked Melanie. Why didn't they just attack her then?
Jenny and Lilly glanced at each other. "O-Only if you want to be," Said Lilly. "We're only playing."
"If monsters are bad, why do you-" She paused at the next word finding it hard to process. "-Imagine them." that was such a strange word. To create something from nothing? Yet they employed this power to create 'monsters'. Those that would harm them...
"It's a game!" Smiled Jenny. "Come on you play with us. There's a monster behind that tree an' you have to beat it!"
Melanie reluctantly looked behind the tree, her strange insect legs a little wobbly on the grass. "I see no monster."
"You gotta imagine it," explained Lilly. "Jus' pretend."
Melanie raised her hand and gave a little swipe in the air. "Like... that?"
"Uh huh! Now watch me!" smiled the squirrel girl. She quickly went to where Melanie swiped and did a mid jump. She then took a few swipes into the air as fast as she could, then put her hands together as if she was doing some kind of 'magic spell'.
"You beat it!" giggled Jenny.
"I win!" giggled Lilly. "Thanks Melanie."
Melanie... looked at the two as if they were completely insane. There was no monster there... Lilly didn't do any magic, and nothing at all happened. So... what was the point of this activity?
"Some day I'm gonna help you Jenny," said Lilly. "I- I want to help you. Cause.. y'er.. my... best friend.. an.."
"Not possible." said Melanie glancing again. Did Lilly seriously believe she could be of any use in a magical fight?
"I'm gonna!" repeated Lilly. "An' I ain't scared o' nothin'."
Melanie glanced down at the grass. "Nothing..." This world was so... strange. Why... did things proceed to this state? Why were the numbers their enemy? Well- not hers any more.. she was cut off and alone. But she knew enough that they didn't feel things in the same way as these creatures did. They didn't have sense, or... anything... Lilly didn't fear the nothing? She should... if she understood what fear was.
Jenny wasn't sure what to say. She really liked Lilly but Melanie was technically right. There was little Lilly could do directly. It was a fight that was out of her range of abilities. But she didn't want to crush her hope either. "I'm sure you'll be really good some day Lilly," the white haired girl said with a genuine smile.
They continued to have fun playing. However as all days, even this day had to end...
They returned back inside the house to see their parents. Muriel smiled to Jenny. "Did you have fun?"
"Yes mom," Smiled the white haired girl. It was nice to let in her friend on the secret. She did still feel sorry that she couldn't actually help her friend though. But if she had to be a girl... she would help her, any way she could.
"It was lovely to have you over Muriel," said Abigail. She placed her arms over her Lily crossing them over her shoulders.
Lilly felt.. nice to be held by her like that.
"I'm glad. I hope we can see each other again" nodded the police officer.
"Of course any time." Abigail was just glad to see her daughter smiling for once. It was... just so distressing to see her child always upset over something she couldn't help her with. She wished with all her heart there was something she could do... though Leslie took it to trying to 'cure' her, Abigail was more content with just helping her adapt. keeping the door open for Jenny and her mother was certainly a way towards that goal.
Muriel felt that in a way the relationship was mutually beneficial. She didn't want her 'warrior' child to lose out on simply being a child too. It would be so easy for Jenny to isolate herself, and that just wouldn't do.
Melanie glanced around again, and wordlessly followed after Muriel and Jenny as they left the house. She looked at the band around her arm. A symbol of friendship?
Strange creatures indeed.
Kimi wasn't sure how she knew, but she could feel something watching her. Something was... hunting her? What was it? It could be an animal or a person and neither at the moment was a good idea! She ran as fast as she could, losing track of the path.
Deeper and deeper into the woods she ran, glancing behind...
... nothing there.
And She was lost.
