Angel

            After taking my measurements, Eva disappeared upstairs. Everyone else found a place to sit as we waited. You could still feel the tension between mom and dad. I know that dad wanted to be protective of me, but I could not watch that cop die.

            It was a while before anyone said anything. If you have ever been in one of those awkward moments where no one knew what to say, this was one of them.

            “It was amazing what you did back their Angel,” dad said, though you could tell that it was only half right. He may have found what I did terrifically, but he was not happy to put myself in danger.

            “Yeah, you were amazing, Angel. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Well, except in comic books.” Taylor said as she played with her tail. She was adorable, like a kid with a new toy. I guess, in a sense, it was a new toy to her. I chuckled at her, only as before it came out as a giggle. That was going to take some getting used to.

            I was about to get up and go to the bathroom when what sounded like a tiny explosion caught my attention. As I turned around, there was a vast black hole floating in the middle of the room. Instinctively I prepared to defend everyone in the place. The next thing I knew, someone came through the hole. It was a girl with the body of a spider. She looked frightened. Seconds after, something else came through. It looked like one of those fairies from Tinkerbelle.

            “TAYLOR, OH MY GOD, YOUR ALIVE.” The little fairy said before flying towards Taylor. In a flash, I was standing between her and Taylor. “I don’t know what you are, but get out of my way. I want to see my sister.” She said.

            “Wait, Ashley. Is that you?” I asked, getting a closer look. She seemed a little confused as to how I knew her. “It’s me, Michael. Although now I go by Angel.” I said

            “Wait, you mean to tell me that you’re that nerd that Erin is always hanging out with?” she said. A flash of heat coursed down my spine. Calling me a nerd like she was above me. “Wait, I’m sorry, that wasn’t nice of me. Who am I to judge, given my own predicament?” She said apologizing. This was something I never expected.

            Moving out of the way, I watched as Ashley flew over to her sister. Then hearing a sniffle, I turned my attention back to the girl with the spider body. “Who are you?” I asked, still ready for anything to happen.

            “Angel, don’t. She is a friend of mine. We were captured by some strange scientist going by Doc. She and I were able to escape, but her brother is still in there.” Ashley said as she flew back in front of the girl.

            “Wait, you were captured? Why did they capture you? Most are trying to kill emerged.” My mom said. A little to brass, but this was not the time to correct her.

             “He wanted to experiment on us, see what made us change, and try to “cure” us. He even offered to keep us alive if we proved useful to help him catch others.” Ashley said shuddering. I could only imagine how she felt. I have been lucky because I was with my parents, but she and Taylor were thrown out by theirs.

            “Alright, I think I have some outfits that will help you when you are in your true...Oh, hello, more customers? How did you get in here without me knowing?” Eva said as she walked into the room.

            “We came through a wormhole that I think I created. All I know is I was thinking about my sister as we were about to be captured by this mad scientists’ guards, and the next thing I know, there it was. And it brought us here.” Ashley said.

            “Well, it looks like I have more work to do. Karen, are you going to be taking care of them too?” Eva asked as she snaked her way over to me.

            “Well, I guess, for now, we don’t really have a choice. It is not like people are voluntarily opening their doors for those who are emerged.” Mom said before looking at dad, who did not say anything. It was her way of daring him to argue with her. He did not have any choice in the matter. That was just who mom was.

            “Well, I will get the little fairy’s measurements, but the spider girl should be all set, being that all she needs are shirts.” She laughed as she handed me a handful of clothes. “I will explain these to you after I am done with our new guest.” She said as she went to work measuring Ashley. She did not even ask.

            After another hour, Eva came back downstairs with a small bag. It was not surprising considering Ashley was like a barbie doll; you do not need a big load for that. It was kind of funny.

            As Eva explained some of Ashley’s clothes, I decided to go to the bathroom. I was dying to see what the necklace was going to make me look like. Turning on the bathroom's light, I went to the mirror, which surprisingly was a full body mirror. I guess it makes sense since she makes clothes for people.

            Hesitantly I pulled the necklace out of my pocket. Slowly I began to draw the chain over my head, and a weird feeling of my body shifting. When I looked up at the mirror, a sense of shock washed over me. Looking back at me in the mirror was a beautiful girl with luscious black hair, brown eyes, and a slender body. My boobs did not change much, but that was to be expected. My face resembled my mom.

            The absence of my tail made me feel off-balance and the change in the shape of my legs. As I touched my skin, there was a sense of familiarity in touch. I did not feel fur like I thought I would. Instead, I felt skin. Then a realization hit. There was a draft coming from where my tail had been. Great, now I was going to be walking around with my ass showing.

            As I left the bathroom and walked into the living room, I felt the burning of people’s eyes staring at me. It was the look you would expect if you saw a celebrity walk by.

            “Angel, you look gorgeous.” Mom said with tears in her eyes. She walked over to me, cupping my face in her hands as she examined me. “You look like me when I was about your age.” She said.

            “Erm…. You… look amazing, Angel,” Taylor said, blushing. This was the first time that she stammered with her words since we met. Was it that she was into girls? We never really talked about our love life, so I had no way of knowing. I guess she realized my thoughts because she hid her face.

            “It is nice to see you in the skin, Angel, though, I know that this isn’t your true form,” Dad said. He was never really one for many words. Mom said that when they got together that it took her prying to get him to talk.  Holly, the Esme, and Eva also complimented me on my look.

            Eva explained that the clothes that she had made for my actual form could detect when my wings were out and when they were not. Something about a material that acted like nanotech. She also explained that it was impervious to most elements. As she explained, dad sat there on the couch and sulked. It was not like I was going to go looking for trouble.

            It was about 4 when everyone was feeling ready to leave. As we said our thanks and was about to head out, there was a look at the door.

            “Eva, were you expecting anyone?” Mom asked as she looked at the door.

            “No one other than you. and anyone who knows me knows that I close shop at 3:30 when the shops open.” Eva said. Slowly she slithered to the door and grabbed the doorknob as she looked at us. I removed my necklace, preparing for anything as she slowly turned the knob.