(This chapter is identical to the previous branch, with the tiny difference at the end where Jon does not see the dark moon as requested. Feel free to skip to some new material if you wish!)
(I wanted to expand a little on Anneza before she ran off, I hope it is okay)
Anneza woke up, floating above the coach.
'Another day', she mused. It was... so hard to get up. Just so hard. In the past she would be excited about the latest reports, look into how a few stocks were doing, review the business... decide where she would need to take a more 'personal' approach... make those people dance the tune she wanted. (fire those that did not...)
She was unemployed now. She didn't even exist. Well- the space girl, the creature she was outside, she existed... but inside, the person she was, that person did not. She had... nothing. Nothing to do, nowhere to go, just an empty shell of a life. No- just an echo of her former life. The songs from the planets offered little comfort, but the little they gave she accepted now.
She wanted to go back to sleep. Being unconscious offered a lot of spiritual comfort. In her dreams, she could understand everyone. People could talk to her there, and she would talk back, though the nature of the conversations were usually not to her liking. When her dreams ended and she became aware of her place the the waking world... and the reality of her situation crashed into her mind, she felt so much anger, and most of all, sadness until it witted away into just a sullen, grudging acceptance.
This young body was too healthy and energetic to want any more sleep though. She half wondered if she could get drunk, and what that might be like. But the very idea of being a girl and drunk filled her with dread.
"Anneza?" called her mother.
Anneza gently floated around, a simple half turn she barely needed to think about. She was horizontal but at a slight angle. Gently she rotated to a more 'normal' orientation, as her hair fell into her face. She gently pushed the sea of green from her eyes with a little annoyance as she brushed her antenna giving her a little wobble in the process. She tried to commit to her first task: Understanding. Maybe her mother was asking if she wanted breakfast? That would the usual at this time.
"I have some bad news. Someone... Someone stole your dress. I- I put it on the washing line. I didn't think anyone would take it. I'm so sorry." Her mother looked was absolutely heart broken. They lived in such a nice neighbourhood. Why would anyone take Anneza's dress?
The space girl tried to piece what her mother was saying. She seemed very distressed about something. Was her father okay? No... it couldn't be that. Eventually, her mother took to gesturing. She couldn't show her the empty line outside as the sun was now up. It took a good half hour but Anneza finally got the message.
Anneza went through every emotion possible. Anger that someone stole from her, Happiness that someone took something she hated, fear that they took something she actually needed, and a strange kind of hollow pain as if someone had thrown a punch at her for what had to be the hundredth time since she went into the sunlight.
"Ma.." said the space girl in the end, floating downward. If it was an expression calling for her mother, or just a new alien word, or even the alien equivalent of 'meh' it could not be discerned.
They had told the cops, and Anneza had made her choice. She decided she might as well try and look for it. She had those other clothes made, and they should suffice even if the material wasn't completely perfect. The human-made ones worked fairly well for earth-bound flying, but for space... they disintegrated in the extreme cold and heat. Something about the original material was resistant to that and couldn't be duplicated yet. Anneza didn't go up very high before she saw the clothes just crack around her. It was a very important lesson... and all the more pressing, that she find her dress.
A new emotion was rising inside her as she flew outside, hunting.
Jeff continued playing a few games- until his playstation 3 suddenly just died. "Crud!" He cried. Looking at the console his worse fears were confirmed: The dreaded yellow light of death. He tried it a few more times but to no avail. The PS3, like so many others before it, had reached the end of its life time and he made no back up. What was even worse, unlike most, he didn't actually buy any games from the store. It was all digital downloads, of mostly retro games. His entire collection... was gone.
Worse he had nothing to do now!
The Razor contemplated his next move. It would be a while before his girlfriend came. He found his thoughts drifting to Ricky. He was still unsure quite what to do with the new 'minion'. he went back up to his room, to see her still in the same position, her arms vertical and her back craned just slightly. Didn't she suffer being locked up like that?
Seeing her motionless though, he thought this was an opportunity to have just a little 'fun'.
"Let's see here..." he thought. He took out a feather duster from the cupboard, and slowly opened up Ricky's hand. It made gentle ticks as he pried open her palm, and for a moment Jeff found himself intrigued by the sound. He placed the feather duster in her hand, and closed the hand around it, seeing that she was now holding it.
"Cool!" He said laughing a bit. Still... it was a mediocre trick. A cheap laugh. There had to be something more funny to do to her. He rotated her arms and positions into one or two amusing gestures, but quickly got bored of that.
"Okay. let's see. As soon as you take the garbage out, start dusting!" he commanded. Would she comply when she woke up? "Oh yeah- can you fix a PS3?" He asked a little sarcastic.
Jeff though... was starting to have second thoughts about this. Sure this was... well... it was just so hard to describe. He had someone that was essentially a... a servent? Is that what he wanted?
He looked at Ricky with a little pitiable look. "Ricky... can you hear me? Or are you just goofing with me?"
"..." Ricky stood still in the pose Jeff had placed her in. Standing on foot, with her leg outstretched quite high.
The lack of any response was making Jeff a little agitated. He looked at the strange key in his hand, then at Ricky. This... this was just too dangerous. He wanted to have a little fun with her, not hurt her. Yet he also wanted to use her for a few errands. Errands he couldn't do because of the sunlight. But if she kept on needing charging like this it wouldn't be of any use either. What would he do when her family came looking for her? Was he really willing to hide her from everyone?
This... was more then dangerous. If the law found out, he would be in big trouble. There might be ways around it. Nobody else knew about the key... he could use it to make Ricky sound as if she was 'willingly' with him.... but dare he?
"Okay Ricky you are now forbidden from telling anyone about-" He stopped... dare he... dare he really do this? "Eh... actually... never mind." Jeff sat down on the chair, studying Ricky. having her stand like this, ticking away, was beyond creepy now.
Carefully he tried to move Ricky a little more, and placed her on his bed. The strange creature was a little awkward to move, but very light and he eventually managed it. He wasn't sure if that would be more comfortable for her, but it certainly eased him a little. "Okay- sleep here while..." while what? What could he do next?
"You're lucky you ain't a real girl, Belle would get kinda jealous with me," He said laughing at that thought.
The Enemy observed Julian with strange fascination and curiosity. From their disjointed reality, they could see more then the visual. They saw the ambition, the desire, the hatred... the more they watched, the more they became that. Much like how humans who observed uncertainty would suddenly define it- now they were observing, as Julian attempted to define what was to be.
What does it wish to happen?
It seeks to be a force
That was understood. Julian wished to be a force against an object. What object was that though?
The world
A curious situation indeed. The garment was an unknown to the beings of this world. It's structure beyond their understanding, and therefore, definition. It was a place they could exist in far greater numbers, more so then an empty unknown box.
An opportunity exists
It was... an audacious plan indeed.
Julian struggled as the mass of the robe started to lighten. He quickly pulled it off gasping. That- that was so dangerous.
We can help you
"Who's there?"
Ones who can help you
"Oh yeah? Just where are you?" The voice... that voice just seemed to be inside his head.
We have duplicated the 'robe'... and made a modification to it. It will allow you to orbit the Earth.
Julian looked intrigued at this, as suddenly, a dark shadowy robe just melted off the silvery one. It looked identical in every way, but was jet black. He touched it. It was real... "So... what's the catch?"
Catch? This was a concept they did not understand.
"Yeah. Why would you give me this?"
We have an enemy... you will be our eyes in the sky for them
Julian considered that prospect... "Okay... yeah, I think that's fine." The wolf put on the robe, as he felt something... something strange. He was as light as a feather, and even lighter. He was flying high above the ground. Buildings became tiny and eventually, gone. He grinned... "Oh... Oh... yes!" He laughed. Then he felt something strange. The dark robe was almost skin tight against him. Not only that, he was getting a little larger. But with no context of of anything around him, he just didn't see it. There was no way to know just how large.
He tried to move his arms, but he could not. He didn't have arms any more. He tried to scream but he could not. All he could do was gaze, gaze on the Earth... all the way from the depths of space.
Jon was in the park with Karyn and Johanna.
Things seemed... normal enough. Aside from the fact that there were so many changed beings of every shape and size. Every so often Jon would stare at the result of her wish. It was hard to decide exactly what interesting meant... was this what she would find interesting? She had to admit, she found every shape more curious then a normal human, but she would never actually wish for someone to be changed in such a fundamental, even possibly debilitating way.
"What kind of wish are you thinking of making?" Asked Karyn. "We are almost out of time."
"A wish?" Asked Johanna curious. "You seek to undo these actions?" This concerned her a little.
"There is still a lot of time left," said Jon as she laid back on the grass. A lot of time... kind of. It all seemed so far away, yet it was ever closer. Things were drawing to a close. He glanced about the strange rainbow sunlight, just looking at people. Curious about how they adapted to being different, and if... maybe they liked it? Or did most of them hate it? Dealing with the inconveniences of being something inhuman, just for the sake of his wish.
Karyn studied her friend. "I know that look. You already know the wish you're gonna make to fix this?"
Johanna looked even more curious now. She tilted her head a little, to gaze into Jon's eyes.
Jon bit her lip. "I-I can't tell you. It's... important you not know. Trust me Karyn," the slug girl said placing her hands upon the cecelia-girls strange appendages.
"Not even a hint? Please? I would like to know something" said Karyn hopefully.
Johanna for the moment, was cautious as she listened. It was perhaps part of her old culture, not to interfere in the decisions of another made. Until a new council of some kind could be formed anyway. But something like that only ever happened in one age, and then only with two elements. Typically, each of the elements worked alone.
"I... I've had to think of something that's going to be fair for everyone. Regardless of if they like their new bodies or hate them... Or if they regressed to a younger form then before... I- I don't know if it will work for absolutely everyone, but its the best shot I got."
Johanna was looking incredibility curious still at what it might be. Already she was imagining how such a wish would take form. "It sounds to me like your wish is going to be one of those 'reflective ones', thought the woman.
"Please- let's talk about something else," said Jon feeling a little agitated now.
"Sorry," Karyn said biting her lip.
If I may... said Johanna carefully. "...Just one 'tiny' thought?" She asked cautiously.
Jon looked reluctant but nodded.
"What about yourself? Will you be fair... to yourself? Given you know what you will wish for, you'll know exactly how its going to work..."
Jon thought about it then nodded. "Well- the wish will apply to everyone. Including me" she explained. Of course the difference here was that Jon knew exactly what her wish would be... or at least, the general idea. Though she could wish to forget her wish afterwards? That... might be a possibility. But then, maybe that would be even worse. It was something she had to think on more.
Karyn tried to look supportive. "well... I wouldn't feel so bad Jon. Whatever you wish...I trust you. We had a few laughs at least."
"Though so many others did not," Thought Jon a little bitterly. "We made the most of what happened... why can't everyone else? It's not as if I wished for this directly. I just wanted something interesting to happen. The stone interpreted it like that!" Jon was feeling a little angry about it now, but... was the stone malicious in what it did? Was this a punishment for her own desire, and now was everyone else being punished for their own wishes in life? Is that really what magic was about?
For all Jon knew about magic, her instinct told her no. It was not like that. Maybe sometimes it was just that, people were challenged, more then just being punished. That sort of thing did make life interesting. Success or failure was the same in any shape.
Karyn placed a tentacle around Jon's shoulder. "Come on. It isn't your fault. Not really. Your grandfather wouldn't have left you something so destructive if he didn't trust you with it. Besides, the world isn't that different. People are just different to look at now. That's all. It's still the same world. People are still people."
Jon glanced around. She had to admit Karyn did have a point. Everyone had a different kind of biology, some of which stretched the laws of physics (or broke them completely) But yeah, people were still people. Jon had to smile a bit at that. "I guess the world isn't quite so interesting after all then," thought Jon a little sarcastic. If nothing really changed, then technically her wish was never fulfilled.
Karyn tensed a bit at that. "Oh Jon, you just had to say that. Now something really weird is gonna happen..."
They glanced around, but everything certainly seemed as normal as it was before.
