"W-why is she so angry?" Asked Lilly as Jon made her wish.
All the gods were present... Every single one. Deities of the Greeks, the Romans, the Norse, even... other beings that barely had name or concept throughout the ages of man. Even the fey were observing Jon. There was not a single force in the universe, that did not observe... but just about every higher entity was taken aback by the sheer spite the slug girl had in her wish. Truly they had not witnessed anything like this, since the dawn of the first wish. That ancient new-man was so angry, they wished they could destroy the artefact... 'could' being the operative word. Thankfully, those present manage to dissuade the new Human...
but the artefact was as it was, and the rules were as they were. A wish was made, and so the new constant of existence was written in the fabric of the universe. Jon's anger notwithstanding, this was now done...
The Woman stood there quietly, holding the squirrel girl's hand. "Be brave my child... We are seeing the world change once more."
Lilly looked up at the star seeing it was turning back to its normal yellow colour. She tensed... as she realised she was turning back human again. Turning back male. "Oh... Oh no..." she whispered quietly.
Soon the young child was once again the teenage boy, staring... at the Woman. It wasn't as bad as when the Enemy did it... it was like a gentle brush upon the body, until it removed... who she was.
The Woman placed a hand around the elder boy's shoulders, as they took their leave from the circle silently. Billy could only wordlessly follow. He felt... shaken, and very unsure, as if waking from a strange dream. Maturity stared to flow back into him, and the knowledge of who he used to be... and now was. "I... really am better off this way?" he asked confused.
"It's not easy to say, one way or the other my child," said the Woman. "You have learned the best from being Lilly... you can now take those qualities and live your life. Perhaps that is all you needed."
Billy looked a bit angry for a moment.. just... why! Why was he 'better off' being- older, stronger, a male... his old self? But then he felt he had answered his own question. Of course he was better of being this way again! He was stronger! Had a better understanding of things! His mother would be happier, as would his father... that things were back to normal. people that were much closer to him would be happier...
... but others were not better off... he would have been a squirrel-girl to help other people like Jenny, but it would have been a 'sacrifice'? But no.. not all of it would have been a sacrifice. part of him... just...
God this was so confusing!
He didn't make enough of his life as Lilly, to make him 'better off', in comparison to his old life. He accepted the new life and was willing to... explore it... but... that just wasn't enough. It wasn't enough! With the Enemy gone, there was no reason to sacrifice one's self. Selflessness... was not enough! in fact it was the worst thing possible to have if you wanted to stay in a sun form- unless you were someone like... Jenny used to be. He wailed quietly in tears... just... wishing... this had never happened to him. That this was... just a horrible dream. part of him hated Jon for making such a wish!
...but then another part told him... what other wish, could he have possibly made?
The woman continued to hold Billy. "You are still my daughter, Billy... if you want to be," she said calmly. "You have her spirit... Jenny is quite correct. It does not matter what you look like."
Billy smiled just a little at that. "I... I guess I have a lot of magic to work on," he said quietly.
"Yes, get to it" smiled the woman with unreserved love in her eyes. She flashed a concerned look to Jon...
