"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.
"Focus Lilly," said the Woman. "Jon made the wish... and it must be so... but you are in control..."
It seemed as if time slowed down for the little squirrel girl, and she could see... dancing in her vision, the little pink cat Sakura. It made her smile... it was like a symbol to her, that there was always another way... there was always time... there was always a way to redo things...
Focus Lilly repeated The Woman, who seemed not to be affected by the strange slowed down of time.
Lilly closed her eyes. The wording of the wish meant Lilly had to do more then accept her new life... she had to find some way... some reason to say goodbye to her old one. Some way to say that all the benefits it offered, were offset by what was presented in this new life.
Excitement... adventure... potential...
"...all of which could easily be applied to Billy's life." She realised silently. There was no reason a teenage boy wouldn't have that. Jon certainly had a great adventure... Billy would also sleep in a bedroom, his mother and father would be happy, Julian wasn't around... Being a girl meant a lot of difficulties she would have to deal with eventually too right? And...even Hiro seemed like he would be good company again.
Quickly the spell was taking hold of her as the sunlight cascaded...
Focus Lilly, I know you can do it... it's all within you
But Billy was older... stronger... had more freedom! Lilly was younger... so much younger... and lost all the time! She had no power now... nothing that Billy couldn't one day learn too... nothing in her new life was any different to her old one now... and being older was a better thing...
Then Lilly realised her mistake. She was looking at this in completely the wrong way. Yes... Billy's life was indeed an okay life... and being older may provide more freedom...
... But Lilly's life... she enjoyed. Even if she wasn't 'better off' with it, in terms of ability or skill, or even with the same freedom. She wanted a life in which she was less better off, in all the ways most people would consider... most people...
... But the squirrel girl had a reason she was better off... One reason. One very simple reason...
"... my friends," she whispered. She had friends in Lilly's life who liked her for who she was... she didn't have to prove to them anything, even though she thought that once. Now she knew... and when Jenny hugged her looking for that support... the child quickly gave it. Jenny had proved that too, by asking her to still be friends... no matter what...
...even if she turned back into Billy?
"I know Jenny would still be my friend no matter what I was," said the child, opening her eyes. "But... I am better off, being her friend in this form... not her... 'I' am..."
And that was all she needed... like a powerful shield, the sunlight's magic bounced off her.
"...Friendship really is magic," said the squirrel girl staring at herself in relief.
"I too would have accepted you either way, Lilly," said the Woman... "This is just another step on your journey... you have chosen a very difficult path..."
"I know... but it is 'better' for me..." the child said looking outward.
