Jon felt himself struggle a bit with those.. weird feelings. He was trying his best to deny it but- there was just ‘something’ so very strong about the attraction to the sphinx-girl that Biff had become. On the one hand he knew he could never ever- under any circumstances, not even if it was the end of the entire universe such feelings could be spoken of. He tried to remind himself of just what Biff was. An arrogant jock who had in the past made a lot of people’s lives miserable. Yet- when he saw that girl, with her slightly lost look.. defiant attitude… and well- she was just this weird mix of vulnerability and incredible strength. There was just -something- about that and it seemed to translate Biff’s attitude into something… something feminine? Or was it just the way she acted just brought about an odd instinct in himself.
“I wonder where Mikey is,” he thought. He really needed to get that stone. He looked up, not even sure if a prayer would work at this point but.. he was feeling close to giving up. “Okay look.. I’m ready now. I promise I just want to make all this work out better. I’ll make a wish to fix things and carefully think it through. I’ll confess to Biff about the stone… can I have it back now?”
He reached out a hand…
.. nothing. He looked around the house, and still couldn’t find the stone. There was no trace of it. It was just.. gone. He growled a bit angrily until he heard a small rap on the door.
“Yeah- Oh- Mikey?” Jon looked down at his younger brother turned sister.
“Hi..” she whispered, rubbing a the red bangs of hair. “Can I come in?”
Jon blinked. “yes- sheesh Mikey it’s your house, you don’t have to ask permission.” He gestured her inside.
The young girl looked at Jon as she went into the kitchen. “I’m kind of hungry.. not sure what I can make though with my talons.”
“I’ll make you dinner. Mom and Dad seem to be working late,” Jon explained. “.. did Zoe walk you home? Where is she?”
Mikey looked down a bit as she sat on the chair. “… Jon, she acts weird around me now- cause I’m a girl.”
Jon blinked. He started to heat up some instant pasta, pouring the hot water into the stove. “Well- I don’t know Mikey, I mean she knows about the girl stuff better than I do-”
“You act weird too.” Mikey muttered rolling her eyes. “Why can’t you act normal!”
“I am acting normal,” Jon looked confused now. “What exactly is the problem?”
“I- I don’t know!” Mikey would have balled her fists in her face if she could, but all she had were these weird wings for hands. Slender, graceful.. but not very manipulable. “People look at me weird, and they talk to me like I’m someone else, or something else. The other changed kids are fine but the other boys don’t treat me like a boy any more!”
Jon sat down besides his sister. “I.. I don’t really know what to say Mikey,” He said. “I.. might have made a mistake.”
“Mistake?” Mikey blinked.
“Yes- look- Michael,” he spoke to her rather formally. “I’m here for you no matter what. I- I encouraged you to try and .. well..” It seemed reasonable at first. Mikey had to hold on and then Jon could get the stone then end this nightmare. With the stone gone though he was facing the possibility this was now permanent. “Mikey.. I love you, you know that?”
“Uh..huh..”
Jon felt the words evaporate. Mikey needed advice but Jon had not done very well for her. He wanted to make that up to her somehow. “People will.. act a certain way. The differences in how you are treated though isn’t mean you are being treated as anything less.”
“It sort of feels like it though,” Mikey explained. “Like when I left they baby me. Asking me if I remembered all pens and stuff. Zoe asked me if I had gone to the bathroom before walking with her!” she narrowed her eyes at that.
“Oh.. well-” Jon coughed slightly. “I- I am sure it wasn’t meant the way you think. I don’t think it’s what you think it is.” he set the bowl of pasta down. “Why don’t you eat your worms?” He tried to tease and get a bit of a laugh out of her.
Mikey frowned at Jon.. but maybe something about that did make her smile. “Heh… yeah.. thanks Jon. I didn’t mean to get angry. I know this Mist stuff is weird. I just can’t believe it got me. It even got Biff.”
Jon sighed. “Yeah.. maybe I’ll go see her. No idea what I would even say though.”
Mikey slurped at the bowl. She couldn’t really use any utensils but seemed to be doing okay. It probably helped that eating like this was quite natural to her -before- she changed too. “You think I should .. act like people want me to act?”
“Just be yourself Mikey,” Jon said. “It’s cliché, but… if you have to define every action on if it’s girly or not- well- come on, you know that’s stupid” he looked quietly to her. “You’re physically female and that.. is going to change things…” He felt his mouth turn dry. Maybe part of him was worried that Mikey would drift closer to Zoe now. They would hang out, and do.. whatever girls could do- Jon tried to remind himself that Mikey was more important then what he wanted for himself though. Of course relationships would change.. there was no way it couldn’t.
It seemed as if Mikey sensed what Jon was thinking. “.. I don’t want some stuff to change.” She stated emphatically. “I was always your brother… are you saying I can’t be your little brother...” She shuddered feeling sickened that it was even suggested.
Jon felt part of his psyche just collapse at that question. “Mikey… I am going to hurt you either way in this. I can only .. be very honest. Physically you are a girl.. I now have two sisters and things between us.. are… they just are going to be different.”
“How… different.” Mikey ventured.
Jon blinked.. and suddenly the words came crystal clear. “If I had my way.. they will be even better.”
James was at football practice. It seemed to be going pretty well and he needed to burn off some steam after that… attack from that stupid animal. He was angry and he translated that anger by kicking the ball as hard as he could.
“Foul!” someone said.
James blinked. A tackle had gone badly.. Dean from the other side of the team was on the ground.
“What’s wrong with you! You kicked me leg- you were nowhere near the freakin’ ball! You trying to make up for losing your best player?
James rolled his eyes. “if you mean that freaky girly girl, the mist got her for a reason. She’s clearly a deranged sick cat.” He looked to the side. In truth without Biff- the.. real Biff, their team was probably going to lose unless they could somehow find a better player.
“I heard Todd is filling in for him,” Dean snickered wincing as he tested the weight on his leg. “Good luck. He’s the worst player in history. Face it, without Biff you guys are toast.”
“Just take your stupid penalty,” James gestured as he stepped back. The ast thing he wanted to be reminded of was that Biff was ever on the team. If he could get even with him somehow, he would.
Dean was about to take his free kick when.. he saw.. something. “Hey- your girlfriend’s here.” He pointed to the stand.
There was Biff… quietly watching. Her wing was now bound in some kind of cast as she seemed to be quietly taking in the football practice.
James frowned. “Screw you- and her. I’ll get rid of that freak.”
Dean glanced awkwardly. “Hey come on man- just let it be. She’s only watching.”
James was ready this time for an encounter with her. “Hey freak! Can’t you count? Two legs only on the field!”
Biff snorted. “You want another go ‘human’” she seemed to sneer that word…
“Oh look at that, the big cat thinks she’s better than humans now,” James smirked. “You can’t even keep your own balls let alone the football! But you could probably be a cute mascot when we score the goals.”
Biff felt a bit of the wooden stand crunch between her huge paws, “You really aren’t worth it.” She slowly turned around.
Then Biff suddenly saw a strange flash. A small butterfly seemed to go past her. She felt her gaze drawn towards it as she felt an intense pain. She was hit on the sore wing by the football! She fell to the ground on all fours. It felt like something had broken. She felt the pain in an oddly disconnected way and somehow knew permanent damage had just been done. Time seemed to slow... then reverse...
Once again Biff saw the butterfly go past her.. and this time ducked.
A football sailed passed her head, and hit someone else instead.
Jon had heard Biff usually went here to practice. He wasn’t sure if she would be there. After all, she couldn’t really play football fairly any more. Maybe she could be the goal keeper? Though what he didn’t expect was to suddenly get a football to the head. “AH!” he wined as it hit him right on the nose.
Jon fell to the ground.
“Oh- Sorry man. Accidents happen...” James glanced to Dean. “Come on, this place is getting too crowded for my taste.”
Biff blinked as she watched Jon. She felt a bit bad… somehow she… kind of knew that football was coming? How! That.. that was just weird. What was Jon even doing here?
“Your nose is bleeding,” Biff gestured. “Here- you can use some of the bandage from my wing.”
Jon rubbed his nose, feeling the warm blood. It certainly looked more gruesome than it was. “I- probably shouldn’t. It’s okay,” he started to lift his shirt to use it as a cloth.
Biff.. stared at Jon- weird. If Jon had put a bit more effort into athletics he could have a nice body- wait what?! He then quickly looked away. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“I dunno.. just thought I could come by. They were being jerks.”
“Yeah they were. What would you do about it? Fight them for me?” Biff smirked a bit at the panicked look at Jon’s face. What, did this guy -really- think he could protect her? Why in the world would he be that stupid? “I was just kidding,” He said. “You couldn’t take em.”
Jon managed a half smile. “Well, I could try.”
“Great, then he’ll say I bet you up or something. Look just forget it. James is.. just angry. I can handle him. I just don’t want to handle him by killing him.” She looked down at her huge claws. It really would be that easy.
“Biff- look- can I..” Jon glanced around. “Do you have any other hobbies other then football? Maybe we can go somewhere. I’ll take you anywhere, my treat.”
“...bowling.” Biff shrugged. “I used to do that too. There’s a bowling alley I know.”
“Oh-” Jon gulped.
“… they make nice hot dogs there too. Might be.. somewhere nice to be, even if I can’t play any more.”
