|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- QUARREL ORCHARD--CUP 3--"ENEMY" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Quarrel Orchard  ||  -------> (Cup SRqo003, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Looking back to Thiffor, Quarrel Orchard saw a new form developing--a human one. In a strobed craziness, he saw Thiffor transforming all the way to human. Female, from the looks of it. He'd been wondering how she'd turn out. But now, the procedure was finished almost as soon as it had begun, and Thiffor began to fall forward from her former home in the trunk of the tree. Quarrel caught her and cradled her new, unconscious form in his arms. The special effects slowly receded, flashing and booming occasionally, as he laid the supine form of Thiffor down onto the outstretched robe, which he had set for her. He looked her over. Not bad. She didn't do that bad at all. Her new body was small and trim--and quite attractive. He imagined that standing, she might hit five feet, but maybe not. Long locks of wavy light brown hair fell from her head, partially covering her sweet new face. Her breasts were small and well-formed, and there was a slight tuft of hair on her pubis. Judging her age would have been difficult, Quarrel mused, seeking to block from view the helpless naked body with his own. She could have been in her twenties, but on the other hand, she could have been a lot younger. She began to stir, and Quarrel grasped her hand. Her skin seemed radiant, blooming. Such a beautiful sight, a newly humanized spirit. "I... I... is it done?" Thiffor asked in a soft, girlish voice, much different than the one she had as a tree spirit. "You made out well." Quarrel said, looking into her groggy eyes and smiling. "Hah! Nine months. You said you got here nine months ago. Very appropriate." "Yeah." Thiffor said, laughing a little. "It wasn't intentional, but I see the irony. Wow. This feels even better than I had imagined." She looked down at herself and ran her hand over chest, abdomen, and legs, marveling in the wave of new sensations it gave her. "Thank you." she said. "You have given me a gift greater than any I thought possible." "I've given an immortal the gift of death. And I'm still not sure I did the right thing." "You've given me LIFE. What good is it to be immortal when you exist in a half-conscious daze all the time, yearning to be involved in the affairs of the humans you constantly idolize. I did that for over four-thousand years. And I couldn't take it anymore!" "Okay... okay. It matters little, for there's no turning back now. Come on, get up and slip into the robe. You need a new wardrobe and luckily we're in a mall." Thiffor laughed and made her first attempt to stand. She wobbled a bit and used the wall for support, but otherwise she did pretty well. Quarrel felt good to be watching over such a precious little flower. Sensitivity and sentiment were ever his downfall. That is, whenever he wasn't busy being a total bastard. He helped Thiffor on with the robe, and regarded her. "Remarkable." he said. "You make a fine human." "Thanks." "Now let's get you dressed." "I know just the store!" "You do?" "I've been living here for nine months--I'd better have some familiarity with the place!" "Fair." "So come on. The store is called 'Enemy'--it's the coolest clothes store around!" Thiffor stumbled forward, but Quarrel caught her. "Whoah!" he said. "Take it easy on that new body of yours. You're gonna have it for quite a while, you know." "Yeah." Thiffor agreed, taking hold of Quarrel's arm. "Maybe I'll just lean on you." "Fine." It took them a little while to cross the mall and get to Enemy. They walked inside, and Thiffor broke free from Quarrel and rushed up to a glass counter, using it to help her keep her balance. She looked into the display and a look of pure joy crossed her face as Quarrel approached. "You have no idea what this means to me!" she said, turning to face the warrior. "I've tried to look around in here so many times, but because there's no vegetation, it was all hazy to me. But now--wow! Everything is so sharp and clear and focused and colorful!" Just then, a clerk came up to them behind the counter. She was a heavy girl with a lot of make-up and jewelry on. "May I help you?" "Oh yes!" Thiffor said with great enthusiasm. "I need clothes, and jewelry, and accessories, and all sorts of stuff!" The clerk looked at Quarrel, but he just smiled and shrugged. "Where do you want to begin?" the clerk asked. "Oh, I don't know! There's just so much to choose from!" The clerk wore a puzzled expression, and said, "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing in a robe with no clothes here at the mall!" "Oh..." Thiffor said, chuckling. "It's so embarrassing." "Hey no problem." the clerk said. "None of my business." "I may as well tell you." Thiffor said, and the clerk's eyes lit up. "I'm pledging a sorority, and one of the hazings I wasn't at all expecting was being left naked and blindfolded in the parking lot of this mall." -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----