A whole three weeks!
With a smile of achievement she placed the yen notes in her purse, satisfied that there was enough for what she wanted and even a sundae on her way back home.
For once in her life, Hotaru could take control of her ailments. After all, the doctor said on the television that this whole process had been made for medical reason. And if this worked, Hotaru could be normal...
...Or, as normal as a kid with fur could be anyway...
But actually going through the splicing would probably make her more ‘normal’ to the other children’s eyes.
With her mind made up, Hotaru Tomoe had a determined look in her eyes. She was prepared to get the Splicing done!
Now all she had to do was get past Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama on the way out.
Setsuna, Hotaru didn’t care so much. She probably saw this one coming months ago anyway. But Michiru... She probably wouldn’t approve.
And so, with all the stealth she could muster, the little girl began bounding down the stairs; sounding like a heard of elephants on a peanut rampage.
“Hotaru? Is that you?” Came the voice of Michiru from the kitchen.
“It’s me, Michiru!” Setsuna saidm inches behind Hotaru, who jumped in surprise and would have almost cried out if it wasn’t for Setsuna’s hand covering her mouth.
“Oh!” Michiru’s voice could be heard. “Setsuna-san, if you see Hotaru, tell her to get washed up. Lunch is almost ready.”
Hotaru gave the green-haired woman a pleading look and a green eyebrow went up in response. “I seem to remember Hotaru-chan went out. There was something she wanted to buy.” Setsuna walked to the kitchen without looking back to see Hotaru rush to the door.
(------)
Hotaru stood in front of the storefront. The ‘Splicing Station’, as it had been christened by the media. Looking in through the glass windows, Hotaru was reminded more of a hair salon than anything else.
Firming her resolve, which was easier after the short walk had her breathless, she walked through the door.
The door chime ‘ding’ed, alerting the receptionist of a new customer. Looking up from her issue of Time Magazine with a picture of New York and the words “New York, MEW York?” The blonde-haired skunk-fur moved her long bangs out of the way of her eyes. “Oh, Hello little girl.”
“... Hi,” Hotaru hesitantly replied, feeling insecure.
Seeing the girl seemed rather uneasy, the Skunk-fur stood up, her long hair reminding Hotaru a little of Minkao. “The name’s Jen, I’m the receptionist here. Do you have an appointment?” She asked respectably.
“I... Yeah. I called in yesterday,” Hotaru said staring at Jen’s fur.
Noticing the girl’s appraising stare, Jen smiled. “Do you like it?” She held out her arm. "Go on. You can feel.”
Hotaru blushed at being caught staring, but either way reached out with her hand. “It’s so soft.”
Smiling, Jen nodded her head. “Glad you think so. The amount of money I have to spend on deep-cleanser shampoo is highway robbery, I tell you,” She said with a grin.
Hotaru smiled and retrieved her hand. “Will I look like that?”
“If you want to be a Skunk-Fur,” Jen told her. “There are so many possibilities and options open in Splicing.” She leaned forward, “You know, Dr. Mera spent over thirty years working on this before going public. You wouldn’t even think he was over fifty.”
“Really?” Hotaru asked. After all, she was familiar with pictures of the doctor, and he didn’t look a day over twenty.
Nodding her head, Jen said, “Yes...” She sat down and started typing on the computer to look at the schedule. “You’re Tomoe Hotaru, right?”
The girl nodded, still staring at Jen’s fur in wonder.
“This says here that you’re only 13-years old,” Jen said as she looked back at the girl. “Do you have your parent’s permission slip?”
Hotaru was taken aback by the question and stuttered. She didn’t know that was needed. “I... Sure...” She reached into her purse, thinking of making an excuse that she lost it, and then pulled out...
“What!?” It couldn’t be!!!
Raising an eyebrow, Jen asked, “Is something wrong?”
Hotaru was holding a piece of paper in her hand. A piece of paper she didn’t remember placing into her purse. It was the written permission to do the splicing process on herself, signed by her guardians. But how the hell could it...!?!?!?
...
......
...Setsuna...
It had to be... How else would the permit be here, especially with both Haruka and Michiru’s signatures!
((---Last Night---))
Staring at the piece of paper held under her nose, Haruka raised an eyebrow. “What the hell is this?” Damn it, Haruka did NOT like being disturbed during NASCAR races on TV. Especially when she had Michiru practically glued to her side.
Setsuna raised an eyebrow. “What the hell is what?”
Haruka frowned. “I’m watching TV. That’s what!” She said. She looked at the blank paper. “What I want to know is, why do you need my signature?”
Pouting playfully, Michiru asked, “Are you trying to make us sign blank checks again, Setsuna-san?”
“Do I need to remind you those were for Hotaru-chan’s schooling, something that you forgot to pay?” Setsuna asked in her annoyingly serious manner.
Blushing, Haruka grumbled, “Yeah, yeah...” She then looked at the paper. “But what’s this blank sheet for?”
Setsuna gave both Michiru and Haruka one of her trademark ‘Do you really expect me to answer that?’ looks.
Haruka just groaned.
Whapping her lover’s shoulder a little, Michiru said, “Oh, let’s just sign it. It’ll be easier than arguing.”
“Fine, fine...” Haruka grumbled. She then pointedly looked at Setsuna. “But if this comes back to bite me in the ass, I am gonna be sooooo pissed.”
(---Present---)
“Ah, you have it?” Jen asked. She held out her hand towards Hotaru. “May I please have it now?”
Hotaru shakily handed it over, still wondering why Setsuna of all people would help her with this. “Here.”
“Thank you,” Jen sat back into her chair and started typing onto the screen. She then nodded her head firmly. “All right Tomoe-chan, you can head to the back. Dennis will be with you shortly.”
“Thank you...” Hotaru walked the way Jen pointed, doubts clouding her mind.
Making it to where Jen pointed, Hotaru found herself in a small room, with only a plastic computer desk, and a rather large flat-screen computer. The screensaver showered a Griffon in front of a Double Helix; the trademarked logo of Splicing Inc. Hotaru didn’t know what to do so she just stood there, waiting and tapping her foot on the floor.
After a few more minutes of waiting, the door opened again. A Raccoon-Fur wearing a pair of jeans and a dress-shirt with the collar open. “Hello, Tomoe-san?” He asked respectably.
Hotaru snapped to attention and nodded. “Yes.”
The Fur smiled. “Hi. I’m Dennis, I’ve been on with the company since it began; a computer specialist.” He held out his hand in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Hotaru shook the man’s hand hesitantly. She didn’t say anything, unsure of what to say.
Smiling, Dennis pulled his hand back and nodded his head. “Shy, huh?” He chuckled and pulled one of the two chairs back. “Have a seat.” He then took the other seat back for himself and sat down. He was already typing and turning on the computer.
Hotaru sat down and placed her hands over her lap. Once again she couldn’t keep her eyes off the fur, this time from a raccoon.
Smiling as the computer ringed, the Raccoon took hold of a digital eye device that was atop the computer monitor. He aimed it at Hotaru. “Smile.”
The smile on Hotaru’s face was a little strained, but it was a smile nonetheless.
“Thank you,” Dennis said as he pressed a button on the spherical digital camera. The Computer’s CPU whirred and made a few noises, and then Hotaru’s image soon appeared on the screen. And after a moment, that image that went from 2-D, to a full 3-D model.
The girl stared at the image in surprise. She didn’t know technology was that advanced on Earth. Then again she was just starting high-school and her technology knowledge came mostly from the Silver Millennium.
“Now then,” Dennis started, “This 3-D model is a tool to help give us an idea of what Splicing can attain depending on how much and what type of genetic cocktail is used,” He said. “Example, if you wanted a 100% Tiger dosage...”
Typing some buttons, Hotaru's image looked VERY much like a tiger-girl. “You would, approximately, come out looking like this. Give or take a three-percent chance of error.”
Hotaru scrunched up her nose as she saw the clashing colors or orange and her purple hair and eyes. “I don’t really like it.” Not that she disliked cats but the look just wasn’t for her.
“All right...” Dennis said as he started typing up some more buttons on the keyboard. Hotaru's image soon took another furry turn, one which just had the CUTEST tail! “How about a skunk-girl like Jen out there?”
Hotaru tilted her head to the side and frowned slightly. “Isn’t it hard to keep your skirt down with that tail?”
Nodding his head, Dennis told Hotaru, “A lot of furry girls have had to get their clothes taken to tailors to have altered,” He said. “It’s very easy to put a hole in the back and a button clasp on the waist above the tail if the skirt is separate from the rest of the dress.” At least, that’s how Jen explained it o him when she told him the bitch of a time she had getting her clothing to fit right.
Hotaru shook her head. “I don’t think I want to go through that.”
“All right,” Dennis said. “Do YOU have anything in mind?”
Hotaru fidgeted. “Well... I... Do you have a bear in that?”
The Raccoon-guy’s eyes widened a bit, practically overshadowing the eye-mask patterned fur. A sweet little girl like this wanted to be “A Bear!?” He then sighed. “Okay...” Typing, he began putting in search sequence for a grizzly bear.
Hotaru nodded and turned to the 3-D image...
...Which looked more like a man with a woman’s face and fur, and had the overall build of Mr. Universe circa 1972.
Hotaru’s eyes widened in horror. She picked a bear because it was strong, but this... “I don’t think this is going to work.”
“No, I don’t think so either,” Dennis agreed. “So... Any specific trait you're hoping to attain? It’ll help narrow down our search.”
“Well, I tire easily,” Hotaru blushed. “The main reason I want to do this is because of that. But...” She trailed off, and it was easy for Dennis to see Hotaru watching his fur raptly.
Dennis smiled. “You want some fur of your own, huh?”
Hotaru blushed and nodded sheepishly.
Dennis’s smile widened. “Hmm... How about...” He started typing up and turned the screen to face at Hotaru. “What do you think?”
Hotaru looked at the image of herself and this time she smiled. “I like it!”
(------)
Looking at the clock, Michiru frowned a little. What was taking Hotaru so long? She had missed lunch and it was almost dinnertime now.
Setsuna sat by the table drinking her customary cup of tea and reading a book, seemingly not concerned at all.
Frowning, Michiru looked at Setsuna. “Setsuna, do you know what’s taking Hotaru so long?”
Setsuna looked up from her book to stare at Michiru calmly. “Should I know?”
Michiru frowned. “You always give that answer when you know something...”
“And every single time you pressure me to tell you. You get upset because I don’t and everything turns out all right.” Setsuna raised an eyebrow. “Do you think we could skip the upset part and just go to the happy ending?”
“Sounds good to me,” Haruka grumbled as she looked over the newspaper. “I mean it, Setsuna usually knows what she’s doing.”
Pouting, Michiru placed her hands on her hips. “Usually, not always.”
“Ain’t that what I said?” Haruka asked confused.
“I always know what I’m doing, Michiru,” Setsuna stated and returned her gaze to her reading. “It’s just that sometimes you don’t like the way I solve problems.”
“There’s a problem!?” Michiru gasped, automatically jumping to conclusions. “What kind of problem!?”
Setsuna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “The one dealing with Hotaru-chan’s physical weakness.”
Now this caught the attention of both parental guardians.
“What do you mean?” Haruka asked.
“Yes,” Michiru agreed. “She does have a problem with that.”
“You can fix that? I thought it was just how she was, physically,” Haruka said.
Setsuna fixed both girls with a stare. “Hotaru-chan’s body was weak because of the strain her power as Sailor Saturn puts on it.”
“Oh,” Haruka said. “So, what was done to make it so the Power of Saturn isn’t such a strain?”
Setsuna smiled mysteriously and returned to reading her book, ignoring Haruka’s question.
It was then that the sound of the door opening and closing went through the house, followed by a rather happy yet familiar voice. “I’m home!” Hotaru called out.
Michiru let out a breath of relief. “Young lady, wash up and then get in here. It’s time for dinner.”
Setsuna closed her book and placed it on the table so she could fully turn to see Michiru and Haruka’s reaction to Hotaru’s new look. “Five... Four... Three... Two... One... Tada!”
“Tada?” Haruka repeated as she looked towards the entrance to the kitchen.
It was then that a little gray-furred wolf-girl with patches of baby fur on either cheek and dark violet hair and eyes walked into the room. Her tail wagged back and forth happily behind her. “Hi!” A very perky Hotaru greeted.
Michiru was flabbergasted. She stared wide eyes, her jaw flapping as she pointed at her little girl.
Haruka slammed her newspaper down. “Hotaru!?”
“So you went for the wolf look. I had my money on the foxy girl one,” Setsuna commented casually, still staring in amusement at the older girls.
“Y-you got spliced!?” Michiru asked, having to hold onto a counter-top to keep her balance. She felt faint.
Hotaru nodded happily and stretched. She felt wonderful, no sign of the usual weakness in her. She actually ran the entire distance back to her house and found it hardly a warm-up.
Standing up from her seat, Haruka shouted, “Young lady, what the hell were you thinking!?”
Hotaru cringed. “Haruka-papa?”
Stepping over to her ward, Haruka glared down at the young Fur. “Hotaru, just tell me WHAT the FUCK was going on in your goddamn head!?” She demanded. “Don’t you think the kids make fun of you enough!?” She shouted out angrily. After all, she knew Hotaru was having trouble adjusting to school already. The girl was practically digging her own grave with this stunt!
Hotaru was about to retort, and hotly at that, when an unexpected voice was heard. “Give her a break, Haruka. Hotaru-chan gave this a lot of thought.” While Setsuna knew Haruka and Michiru were going to be really upset about this regardless of the reasons it was done, she was trying to get the women’s attention on her rather than Hotaru. While she could handle the angry women Hotaru could not.
Hotaru just stared at Setsuna, trying to comprehend just how much Setsuna knew about this.
“But, but this is completely wrong!” Michiru managed to say to Setsuna, after the initial shock had worn off. “Hotaru is a sweet little girl, not something that should look like a monster of the week on Power Rangers!”
“Or a ‘youma of the week’ we have to deal with,” Haruka added irritably. Just thinking of that made Haruka make up her mind. “HOTRAU!”
Hotaru snapped to attention and regarded Haruka fearfully. She’d never seen the blonde this upset before. “Yes?”
“You are going to take me to where you had this done right this instant!” Haruka demanded. “We are going to get this reversed, pronto!”
“No.” The negation didn’t come from Hotaru, but rather from someone still calmly sitting down.
“What do you mean ‘NO’!?” Haruka demanded of the green-haired woman. “I am NOT going to have Hotaru parading around as some freak of nature!”
Setsuna did roll her eyes this time. “Open your eyes, Haruka. A lot of kids Hotaru’s age are doing this.”
“I haven’t seen any!!!” Haruka shouted. “And those I have seen it were at LEAST five years older than Hotaru, at least!!!”
“I must agree with Haruka on this,” Michiru said, albeit not as hotly as Haruka. “This just isn’t right. Hotaru is a sweet little girl, not some monster.”
Setsuna stood up and stared hard at Haruka and Michiru, act that made the other three females in the room take in a breath. Setsuna being stern was very intimidating with those red eyes of hers. “And what do you suggest, then? That Hotaru-chan spend the rest of her life a weak girl because her ‘parents’ were too narrow-minded to accept her attempt at correcting that?” She knew the accusation was hard and would hurt, but it was either hurt Michiru and Haruka slightly today or have Hotaru suffer even more insecurities because of the experience.
Wincing, that WAS a wound to Haruka’s pride. And while Michiru may have become coy to the Senshi of Time’s words, Haruka wouldn’t. “I don’t care. There HAS to be a better way, than... Than... THIS!” She pointed a shaking finger at Hotaru.
As if to prove Setsuna’s previous words right, Hotaru teared up and rushed off. The things they said about her...
Calling her monster...
It was too much for the girl that just minutes ago felt so good with herself.
She heard them call after her, but Hotaru didn’t care. She needed to get away from them, from the hurtful, HURTFUL words.
Setsuna shook her head and opened her book again. Just because she knew what was going to happen it didn't make it any easier.
“So you can make her run to someplace Else further away? No thank you...”
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(Posted Tue, 31 Aug 2004 22:58)
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