Ernestine was in school...
She loved school, mainly because she got to see all the interesting and different species. It was just so exciting! Bird-folk flew in, some even dug their way in from new underground passages. people walked in, crawled in, or occasionally had to be carried in due to the fact they had roots embedded in soil... it didn't matter how but they all got to school somehow. She loved how everyone was all together, despite all their different forms. Forms that might have seemed odd a decade ago, but were the norm to her. It brought a curious sense of community spirit, that no matter how one was born, there was always someone to help out.
Their teacher, Mr Denson was in full swing on his lesson. He was giving a brief outline of the situation on Earth now.
After a decade since the first transformation (and consequently the first children being born), families had started to merge more towards a symbiotic relationship. Certain groups needed the aid of others more and exchanged this service for help in kind. Though one could argue this has always been so in an 'economic' sense, this was more a 'bio-conomy' system. The concept was the subject of many university lecturers and still debated. Essentially however this was where now a person's biology could provide a service that no other could provide. In turn others could pay back with their own unique circumstances and abilities. Those that gained the most in this kind of system tended to be those that could fly. It was still a rarity, only about one in a thousand of the average population had the ability to fly (though this varied hugely) and even fewer then that could actually carry a passenger. Payment in money, while not turned down, was rarely the only means of exchange.
Though of course, there were the more 'ordinary' changed people. People who, despite maybe having a bit more fur feathers or scales, were essentially human still.
Ernestine didn't like it when she heard humans were occasionally looked down upon in the 'bio-conomy'. "I don't get it," She said to the teacher suddenly. "My mother said she used to be human, an' a lot of others were human in the old days right? Why is it that people don't like them?" her slug tail foot pressed under her desk, pointed at the teacher.
The teacher, Mr Denson looked somewhat taken aback. He was himself a changed. A male wolf, with the most curious shade of black and brown fur. He looked... well... fluffy. It certainly gave him a less threatening look to the children he taught, and his fur was likely intentionally made that way. He also wore clothes, a simple cloak that gave him a rather 'old fashioned look' as well as smart trousers.
"Oh goodness me Ernestine, no." He corrected quickly. "I did not mean to give that impression at all. Humans are not looked down upon. In the old days, 'everyone' was human. it is just that they do have some significant challenges when it comes to working in the new world. Humans excel in a great many things, but tend not to be a master of any particular one. for instance, a human with their two legs and two hands are very dexterous. In today's world they are the masters of machine manipulation- besides the artificial gynoids and androids of course. They can drive cars better, planes, boats... there are very few machines that a human can not use to some degree. Indeed, we are still building machines that we can use as easily."
Abigail was sitting next to her. The deer-girl had a somewhat forlorn and distracted expression. There was an awful lot on her mind, but this lesson was a chance to ask her own question. "Sir..." She raised her 'hoof-like' hand. Like most 'thumb-less', Abigail had some trouble using a pencil in the 'human way'.. but there were other implements for those like her.
"Yes Abigail?" Asked the wolf. He hoped she was not too worried of his appearance. He knew it was a bit of an adjustment to know a 'predator' as him was teaching the class. Still she seemed to have adapted to that.. it was good to see.
"... um... what are we?" She glanced down shyly. The question made a lot of the children laugh, before the teacher quietened them down.
Mr Denson tilted his head. He looked at the students he had been teaching, and this was perhaps the first time anyone asked that question. He wasn't really sure he could provide an answer either. It was easier when humans asked it since evolution actually made sense... but now? "Well... you are aware of the events that transpired before you were born? Of when the sun suddenly changed, and those exposed to it were transformed?"
Abigail nodded. "Yeah..." The young deer girl glanced to Ernestine. "They say it's because magic was let into the world?"
"That is... one interpretation, and is the belief of the Church of Selene." Mr Denson nodded. "The truth is, nobody is really sure what happened... except that humans one day became all manner of different species. Then one day, the sun turned back... some humans returned to normal, while others did not. You are the children of that generation, some human.. others not..." he smiled quite happily to explain it as simply as that. "The sun could still turn humans into a 'changed' once in a blue moon or so. It's somewhat unpredictable. Some people don't even like the word changed. Others have used Gifted, Normal, Enhanced... well, it's complicated to tell the truth."
At the mention of the church of Selene, Abigail grew quiet for a moment. The deer girl looked lost in thought, and it concerned Mr Denson. He wished he could get into that girl's mind and understand what was troubling her.
The conversation was interrupted by a boisterous voice. "I was the first born in an egg!" said a young harpy behind the class suddenly. Kaze was a young harpie-girl and quite 'loud' at times and slacked a lot in class. "I was on Television an' everything." She was quite proud of that. Like her mother, she was a 'parrot' type harpy. She had lovely feathers of red, green and blue. People were sure she would grow up to be very beautiful indeed.
"Alright students," said the teacher settling them. "The events from a decade ago are very important to know. You are all going to be in this new world... I myself was a human once, so I know full well how tricky life might be for you young ones. I would like you to do an assignment on the bio-conomy and see if you can work out what your special gift to the world is, and how you might help your community with it. Those who are human, are not exempt.. you will have to tell me your own special gift, and how you will achieve it- and no, you can not say 'become a wizard'... I'll expect it in a week."
Abigail quietly picked up her books and met up with Ernestine after class.
The slug-girl looked at her friend sadly. "You gonna be okay Abbey?" she asked her concerned.
The deer-girl looked down. "Yeah.. I.. just wish I could see my mom," she admitted.
"Why can't you see her?" Abigail asked. "Seems so easy to me. You know who she is. You saw her once, right?"
"Yeah, an' so does the church of Selene. She's a devil to them-"
The slug girl groaned. "There's lot's of Devil changed," Ernestine said rolling her eyes. "People have to get over that-"
"No- I mean- she's a real devil. An' they have this whole prophecy about me," she looked almost tearful. "They- they think I'm gonna hurt everyone." Sometimes Abbey wished she never found out. "They say I have no dad, an' I was born of the Enemy an- an-" it was too much for Abigail as she cried her eyes out onto the slug-girl.
"Abigail please calm down- uh-" Ernestine was just not good at dealing with this. She tried to look at the situation practically. "It's just a weird story alright? I'm sure your mother isn't anything like that. They got it all wrong."
The young deer-girl still looked upset as her wet tears fell on her fur. "What am I gonna do Abbey? I don't want to hurt anyone... I want to find out more 'bout my dad though now. I know my mother was Julia, but I want to find out who my dad was."
Whenever a problem like this occurred, Ernestine as ever thought about her own mother... and the special stone. A stone she was supposed to keep secret. "... well... I know a way... but... you gotta not tell anyone."
maybe one tiny wish on the stone wouldn't hurt.
