(bypassed E-enemy as I didn't like it. Might work on it another day)
Lilly woke up to the sunlight on her curtains. She glanced at the window, wishing she could open them... but then, she couldn't risk her parents changing into... whatever they would turn into. All the curtains had to be closed. It was.. a little sad, but something they all accepted. Lilly in particular being the youngest, was highly dependent on their parents. They just couldn't risk it.
The little squirrel then felt a lick from her pet cat as it rested on her. The rough tongue brushed against her lowest left nipple sending a really weird feeling she was unprepared for. She jumped so suddenly that the kitten was thrown off the bed and into the ground. She landed on her feet of course, but not before doing a very complaining 'meow' to her owner at the indignity.
Lilly huffed looking very cross, but the kitten didn't really know any better. It was just trying to get attention for food. "Yeah, 'kay Sakura I'll get you somethin'," she said rising from her bed. She was dressed in her pyjamas, and her twin tails trailed behind her on the ground making her shiver some more. She went into the kitchen, and tried to open up the tin food her mother had bought. However it was proving to be really hard. She kept trying until finally she got it right.
"Wasn't like this when I was older," she mused to herself. She placed the cat food down, as Sakura eagerly gobbled it up from the little red bowl in the corner. The animal-girl took a moment to pet the kitten, though it ignored the touch mostly as it ate breakfast. Still it gave a little flick of her tail to the child's hand as if to show some appreciation.
Lilly glanced down at her clothes as she straightened up pausing a little at her chest. It was starting to get obvious she was growing up. She poked at the lower nipples as they stood just a little proud. She cautiously tried to push them back in with her finger and was a little relieved to see them disappear at the push... only to return even more to attention. In fact it seemed to make the top ones also do the same. She tried to push them again but they didn't want to go in as much now.
The little squirrel girl was starting to feel squeamish. Maybe nobody would notice it.
Her mother had entered the kitchen, and still embarrassed Lilly tried not to turn towards her even if she knew about it. "M-Mornin' Mu-mmy," she stammered.
"Good Morning dear," she said patting her head. "What are you doing today?"
"I- I dunno. Dunno if Jenny's got anythin' to do." said the little squirrel, her twin tails straitening a little in agitation.
"Well, just be careful." Her mother was still so glad her daughter was doing so much better.
"Where's dad?" Asked Lilly nonchalantly.
"Up all night as usual. I've put him to rest."
Lilt sighed a little. Her father worked so hard, all for them... for everyone really. Tirelessly seeking out a cure that may never happen. She then caught her mother staring at her. "W-what is it?"
"Hm... I think you really should brush your tails," she said thoughtfully. "Your fur is all tangled. Didn't we go over this before?"
"Um- yeah" Lilly said embarrassed. "But- um... you know... tails..." Lilly said trailing a little.
"It's nothing to be embarrassed of sweety," she said. "Even if you have two of them."
"Why did I get two though... ain't it.. wrong?" she asked. She felt enough of a freak just being an animal.
"I really don't know Lilly. But I think it suits you just fine," she said. "Come on. I'll also brush your hair while we're at it. I used to do this for Stacy." Her mother was probably just a little too happy at the thought of doing this for her daughter. "A good girl always takes care of her appearance you know. You are lucky to be as gorgeous as you are."
Lilly blushed "'am not. 'am jus' a.. an an'mal" she said softly.
"Well, you make the best of what you have dear. I'm not sure what the standards of beauty are right now.. but you are my daughter, and none can be more beautiful then you."
"So very true, my daughter..." smiled the Woman.
Leslie was resting but even in his sleep he was still thinking on a cure. "The sun has to be the key," he kept on thinking. "Even if we don't understand how it changed everyone, if we changed the sun back it might cure everyone."
He was starting to get a little obsessive over it. The physicists have taken a central stage now with the loss of his biological lab. Despite his company forced to take a back seat though, the scientist persevered in learning all he could about how the physicists saw the situation. They basicly had this conclusion: fix the sun.
The scientist had to laugh a little at that. Still the results from the solar satellites suggested that their old sun was underneath the iridescent sphere. It was a question of dispersing this sphere in some way... but without knowing the physics, it was daunting to even try and suggest Solar-engineering. If such a thing could be done.
He tossed and turned in his half sleep and half cafinated state. He wanted to help his children... he wanted to help the world... yet could one man really do anything? He wanted to become a scientist not for the money, but a genuine concern to advance and help mankind. He was among the top of his field... but all of his expertise was as nothing. He thought he might one day deal with a plague- not this! It frustrated him to no end.
Still he would continue to think of ideas, for his children's sake.
Robert sighed a little.
She was back in the church, and things had become very silent. She was already missing the joyous laughter of the little girl she was taking care of. She was making sure all was set for Sunday prayers. The pew's were all clean and tidy, the floor was fine... everything was in place.
"Alone again," She mused to herself. It was true she did tend to spend a lot of time alone. It was a normal thing, embraced even in the service before God. She reminded herself she was never really alone... but still, after taking care of the little girl for the last few weeks, things did feel a little more quiet then normal. She had even found a little toy she had for the girl on the ground, and with a little sadness put it away.
She glanced about her church. There was not even a single blemish in the building. It looked perfect. The damage she had caused by such... insanity, was gone. "Lord, Thank you," she whispered. She went to the church tower, to where the angel-girl had gone to 'their' place. Whatever that strange place was. She was curious about it. What was there? Were there different kinds of angels, like there were different kinds of devils? Was there a smaller number? Larger? Did their change have any... relevance?
Glancing at the door, she tried to open it... only to see it go into a simple storage area. She sighed a little. It... was maybe just a little too much to hope she could access that place without Lucas. The devil priestess descended down the stairs, her thoughts still musing on what to do with her life now that she was... this.
"Is this going to be permanent, Lord," she asked. This body had started to grow on her- Kind of. It wasn't quite so difficult to walk in. Though the extra breasts she realised, she would never get used to. It just didn't feel normal. Not- completely normal anyway. God couldn't give her any answer though. Not in the bible. But then, did the bible offer any guidance for a situation like this? It reminded her of why she went to the church in the first place... to seek an answer to a question she wasn't completely sure of. She never got the answer, or question right...
... and she was starting to feel, she never will.
There was a knock on the church door. The priestess sighed breaking out of her melancholy thoughts, and opened it. "Oh? Hello?" She had to smile a little at the strange animal woman. a... skunk? Goodness! That was...certainly awkward.
"Hello," said Erica. "I was wondering if you could help. You see I'm getting married," she said nervously.
"Oh really? Who is the groom- or er-" She wasn't sure how things worked out any more for this, and was certainly trying to keep an open mind. Cassandra had certainly made... a bit of an impression. Though there was still a long way from making such things official.
"Er- Groom actually," smiled Erica.
The priestess smiled a touch relieved. That was easy to do. Though there was still another issue. "Well... I... I have to find a priest to perform the service," she said.
Erica looked at her oddly. "Aren't you a priest?"
Robert glanced down at her robes. "Somewhat- sort of- urgh... it's complicated." How could the priestess convey just how difficult it was, to perform a service to the Lord in this body? Especially the sanctity of marriage? She was a female, and a demoness. Technically she shouldn't be anywhere near a holy union. Reading and praying for sin was one thing... but marrying someone before the Lord?
"I- I really want to get married in this church," said Erica. "My parents married here... and well, my husband to be doesn't have any family in the area. Samuel is from... far away." she said biting her lip a bit. Trying to sort papers for him is difficult. But a marriage certificate would help.
Robert nodded. "I- let me think about it child," she said softly. "I'm sorry I can not give you an answer right now. This is just... very complicated. Marriage is taken with an utmost respect and tradition in the church... and my body... just does not... qualify," she said gently.
Erica looked a bit disappointed. "Well... I guess I can try elsewhere. Maybe I can come back later?"
"Of course child," said the priestess quietly.
Erica went inside the car, careful with her tail. Samuel was in the passenger seat.
"So what do you think?" Asked Samuel. "I'm glad this church is still here... always hoped I'd marry in it," he said grinning.
"The priest isn't sure she can do the ceremony." said Erica sighing a bit. "She said she needs to check on a few things."
"Huh? She? You have female priests? God, you are advanced in this time" laughed Samuel. "What else you got aside from Radio? Television? Horseless carriages... Next thing I know, you can make it rain whenever you want." he said glancing up.
Erica just smiled with a faint giggle. "I like showing you the things in our time. But... is being a woman and a priest like-really that big a deal?" asked the skunk-girl curiously. She didn't really have much knowledge of the church. It didn't seem like such a big deal to her.
"In my time, yeah," said Samual with a shrug. "It just didn't happen. But hey, we're in your time an' I ain't got a problem with it." Actually the whole idea was a little intriguing to him. He glanced at the skunk girl with some concern on something.
"You sure you want to marry Erica?" Asked Samuel. "Cause... you know we ain't got any idea how long these bodies are gonna last. Nikki didn't tell us anything."
"I- I know," said Erica. "But... I don't care. I love you. I... I want us to be together." Maybe it was the hormones but she really didn't want anything more then this. She was like a lovestruck teenager.
"But... what if you turn back to normal?" asked Samuel concerned.
Erica sighed. "Right now... this is 'normal'. I have to accept it might be like this... forever. If I turn back... we'll deal with it somehow. But until then... I... I love you Sam. Please... believe me on that." The idea of him leaving was just chilling.
Samuel gave the young girl a kiss. "'course I believe you sweetheart," he said smiling. "And no matter what happens, I love you too. So... let get this marriage done."
