Story - The Perfect Evolution

[BlazingBarrager]

Ditto.

[GearRyu]

We are nearing the end, folks! By the way, I am glad that you guys are enjoying the darker turn the story took with Chapter 8. That was a bit of a risk for me because darkness can be difficult to write about and I thought it might be a turn-off. I am gladly incorrect.

Chapter 9
?I keep hearing you?re concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you?re giving me is conscience, I guess?
~Statler Brothers, ?Flowers on the Wall?

The Road She Treads
?I?m sorry, but, well, I don?t think I have anything that is going to fit you. You?re like five meters tall? Can?t you, well, shrink??

?Shrink.? Cranberry looked slightly amused. She was sitting, cross-legged, on the cold and dirty metallic floor of Sandra?s shop. It was preferred against standing and bumping against everything. Her long legs, amazingly, did not feel cramped, but she knew that if she kicked out, she might crumple a generator with a single powerful stroke. ?It had not occurred to me that I may be able to control this??

?Well, it can?t hurt to try, right? I mean, why not? If it works, maybe you can fit back into your old clothes.?

Cranberry looked down ? at the swell of her breasts. Sigh. Could not hurt to try. She hoped. But how to go about it? Cranberry closed her eyes and ?wished? she was small again. And nothing happened. So she tried to just relax and think pleasant thoughts. Her stroll through the forest. Times she spent with Lola. Luk- that sonofabit- no, calm down? calm down? already tore him apart? oh god, this was not working! Cranberry?s thoughts drifted toward what she wanted to do: go to Prometheus Corp, find her father?. Get in the building first, practically impossible at her height? and Cranberry let out an agonized yelp! She trembled and held herself, clutching hard at herself, as though she were to suddenly break free of her skin otherwise. A flood of nausea washed across her brain, and a sensation like a strong electric current running through her entire body followed concurrently.

?Cranberry!?

**
When she woke up, Cranberry?s eyes focused on the ceiling. She was on her back.

?Oh, thank God, you?re awake. I thought you had a seizure. Whew. Uh, nice job, by the way??

Cranberry sat upright slowly. She looked at herself and smiled. ?It worked.? She had indeed managed to become smaller. She was not back to her original height or build, but she was no longer in danger of banging her head on the ceiling. She was perhaps 280 centimeters tall, a bit under half the height she had just been at. She was still curvy (even more so, but she pretended not to notice; at least there was an outside chance on finding an extant cup size ((okay, not really)) for her breasts again) and felt strong enough to spin Sandra?s motorcycle around on one finger (even if her body?s generous toning mostly disguised such superb musculature), but she was smaller, and that?s all that mattered! That and a strange pressure she began to feel welling up throughout her body. She ignored that for a moment. More importantly, ?How long was I out for??

?Just a couple minutes, thank God. Heh. You really had me worried when you began screaming. Guess I spoke too soon about the pain? but, well, you?re back to normal,? a hint of uncertainty, ?and can fit into some regular clothes again. And that?s what?s important, right??

?Right!? Cranberry felt delighted. She breathed a sigh of relief and her chest suddenly started swelling. Her eyes widened and she reflexively concentrated: think of what she was planning to do. Pain, bad? ouch? the swelling stopped. Did Sandra notice? No, okay, good? no, wait, bad, this meant she had to concentrate or she would just go back to her previous size (or even bigger)? What about when she went to sleep?

When Cranberry did not continue speaking, Sandra glanced back across her shoulder. ?Okay, so, now that you can fit into some clothes, maybe you want to put some on? I mean, freedom all the way, heh, but I?d rather not talk about something serious with you, um, undressed.?

?Er, right.? Cranberry stood up and reflexively stooped. Then she straightened to her full height, smiled, and walked back to the guest room. Her size shuddered and she gained five centimeters, but kept quiet so Sandra did not hear her when she accidentally banged her head against the door frame.

**
When Cranberry left the room, she was feeling relieved. Her clothing was now loose! The sleeves billowed and the neckline gave a swooping curve of her cleavage, while her jeans rested against the width of her hips and rear. Her shoes also felt a tad tight. So, ?loose? was a bit of a misnomer ? at least she could wear these things (though she still desired to do something about the curves; was this acceptable?). She was clutching her suitcase of clothing in her right hand.

Sandra smiled. ?You look better? By the way, I notice you kept your curves. Good choice. Really, if you can be comfortable with yourself, that is what ultimately matters most, don?t you think? Or, to put it another way, you?ll knock ?em dead, I?m sure. Heh. Oh, s?cuse me, this isn?t what we should be talking about?? Her smile began to fade. ?So, tell me, Cranberry, knowing what I told you about your father, do you still want to meet him??

?I must. I cannot rest knowing he is this close and?? Her tail lashed back and forth. Did she look good this way? Perhaps? ?You are right. I do not know what I am, not really? I want to, I need to know, to know why I exist. I am going to return to the city and confront my father.?

?Prometheus Corp doesn?t release its researchers? names to the public, or even other organizations.? Sandra had hopped onto a workbench and crossed her legs. Her knee-high boots rubbed against each other. ?And you won?t know their schedules. You?re going to have to show up at the front desk and ask to see your father by name. You?ll get their attention. They?ll want to see you. Not your father, maybe, but the company for sure. You?re probably going to be asked some uncomfortable questions if you do that. You might not get to see him at all. Things might go bad for you. Or worse, maybe you?ll see him and you won?t like what happens to you. Are you sure you can go through all that??

?Sandra, if I back out now, I may never do it at all. Beside, I? need to know if this ? if what has happened to my body is permanent and going to continue??

?But you managed to shrink-?

?I cannot keep it like this permanently. I am forced to concentrate or lose control of it? right now, the thought of going through with this is the only thing keeping me from bursting out of my clothing like last time.?

?I think I understand?? Sandra drummed her fingers on a wrench and cast a glance at the mocking symbol of the Scorching Eye. ?Cranberry, I don?t know what you?re going to do when you finally get there, and God knows I believe you will, but I want you to get the truth out of them. Why they? they?ve done these things. I don?t know if you?ll do what I?d do, and it?s not fair for me to ask this, but don?t let everything be all right for them.? She looked at Cranberry?s face, and saw a question forming. ?No, I won?t go with you.?

Cranberry looked a tad disappointed.

?Trust me, I?d love nothing more than to go up there and take those guys down and out. But I can?t. I can travel the world, utterly free, but I can?t get myself inside that building. I?ve tried it before. I was lucky to just get kicked out. And since then, well, I have a reputation that would get me into trouble if someone wanted to make a fuss about it. I?m afraid you?re going to have to solo this one. Sorry.?

?No,? Cranberry itched at her jeans. ?It might have been selfish of me to think of it. You are right. This is something I need to look into myself. I am going to get the answers, I promise you that, and I will not let them stop me at the door.? She walked up to Sandra, towering over her even at this reduced height. ?Thank you, Sandra. I appreciate everything you have done for me. And for,? she wrapped Sandra up into a hug, lifting the relatively tiny woman from the ground with a little yelp of surprise, ?understanding.? She blinked. ?Oh, my apologies.? She set Sandra back down.

Sandra was checking to make sure all of her ribs were still there. ?Understanding, huh? The only thing? She smiled, curious.

?Yes? And one way or the other, I am going to soon understand myself.? She smiled again and took her leave.

[wolfman-al]

Aw, its nearing the end...
At least Cran ist starting to get control over her power.
Oh, I do hope so much that there will be a good end for her!

[BlazingBarrager]

Walking into a company building through the front = trouble.

Ah well...more action for us.

[GearRyu]

Well, folks, here it is... Chapters 10, 11, and the Epilogue. This has been a long labor, and I have loved every minute of it. Enjoy and please tell me what you think. I will try to work up an afterthoughts sometime a little bit later on.

Chapter 10
?I see the bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way?
~Creedence Clearwater Revival, ?Bad Moon Rising?

Preview
On the mornings that Boris Schlauterhousen is called in by the security office for work, he gets up early, turns on his television and plays a movie. When he arrives at work, he meets up with Bruno, who would have also been called in. Bruno would have spent his morning jogging around the compound, whether or not he had work that day. The jog sweat is still on his body and he wears it like clothing until late night when he finally showers. Bruno says it is a turn on for the ladies and Boris has become accustomed to the scent. Together, Boris and Bruno walk into the security compound, where they are required to display their identification, press their thumbs into the DNA scanner and make idle conversation with Michael, the guard who mans the gate.

Boris and Bruno enjoy their work for Prometheus Corp?s security division. In the industry, there are always spies and others who take an unhealthy interest in one of the world?s largest corporations. People like Boris and Bruno get called in to handle problems like that when they occasionally come up. It doesn?t happen very often, but they love their work as much as life itself. When they have business, that is, debriefing reluctant guests, Boris unlocks the door that leads into the interrogation room and he enters the room first. This is because Boris likes to have the first look at the guy being interrogated and he likes the small look of relief on the person?s face when he sees the interrogator is a short, bald, stout, early middle-aged man wearing expensive sun glasses and an expensive suit. Boris likes it more when, after he grunts and adjusts his gold signet ring, he says to Bruno, ?Come, our guest is already here,? and Bruno, standing 230 centimeters and barely fitting his broad shoulders in the doorway, steps into the room, turns around and hooks his large fingers around the door handle, then closes it as he leans over.

Most guests have a priceless look on their faces as they watch Bruno stand to his full height and see his shaven head almost touch the claustrophobic 250 centimeter high ceiling. Boris always smiles politely at this point. He pulls back his chair with a slight scratchy noise of metal feet against tiled floor and pulls himself up into the chair. The chair readjusts for his height, making him relatively eye level with the guest. By now, Bruno is standing behind the guest, casting a long shadow over him. Bruno is very quiet and does not talk. Boris begins with idle conversation.

?How are you?? he usually begins, or, sometimes, with a favorable comment on his guest?s attire. Boris once admired a guest who wore a signet ring similar to his own. The conversation is mostly one-sided. The guests are usually too nervous to say much. It is just as well because Boris begins asking questions.

It is Boris? job to ask questions ? many questions, as many questions as Boris needs to ask to get as many answers as he needs. He does not write anything down. A device in the room records everything that can be seen and heard. The device is very obvious, erected on the ceiling ? a large black orb with an expensive set of cameras inside. It records everything that occurs in the interrogation room. The people entering the people leaving, the people speaking, and all in very clear, precise picture with beautiful sound. The interrogation room?s camera is a testament to the wonders of Prometheus? technological laboratories.

Boris always gets answers. Sometimes, he does not like the answer he gets. He is very nice, though. He politely insists that his guest change his tone, or use different words, or answer in a different manner, or sometimes, to just speak (some guests are rude and refuse to say anything at all). Inevitably, almost all of them speak. They speak because they can hear Bruno?s breathing growing louder behind them, and some can even feel the hot breath of his nostrils on the back of their necks.

Some guests are incredibly rude, which is why Bruno is there. Bruno is also very polite. He has a lot of patience and does not speak, and when Bruno grabs somebody?s head and forcefully slams the fellow, nose-first, into the polished steel table, he tries not to exert more force than is necessary to get his point across. Most of the incredibly rude people are slow learners, and sometimes, Bruno has discovered, they need more than one lesson to learn to be polite. In twelve years, Bruno has left only a couple indentations on the steel table. These indentations are clearly obvious to most guests, which is why many of them are more polite than they would normally be. And in all Bruno?s time, there have been very few guests who were truly incorrigible. The camera does record what happened to them and it is sometimes played back.

The discussion carries on until the guest has given all the answers Boris desires or the guest has passed out. Whether or not they have had guests in the morning, Boris and Bruno take a break to have lunch. Any morning guest morning guests are usually shuttled out by security guards and escorted somewhere else. Where else is the concern of neither Boris or Bruno. They are both hungry.

Boris likes a ham sandwich with deviled eggs. Bruno prefers chicken with spinach dip and celery. They have a meal together and shoot the bull, or read the newspaper, or watch some television in the cafeteria. Sometimes, Boris? mother calls during lunchtime to see how he is doing. Sometimes, Bruno?s girlfriend calls to chat. Usually, they both take their time, but sometimes, they have to work a guest in early. And it is rude to keep your guest waiting. Boris and Bruno clear up their meals and, if they have any more special business that day, head into the interrogation room for the afternoon interrogations.

The crankier guests always show up in the afternoons. They take more convincing, and by half way through, Boris is usually unamused. When Boris becomes bored, Boris drums his fingers on the table, takes long pauses, and in the case of foreigners, purposely strains his thick, German accent to the point of near indecipherability. Bruno gets creative with the afternoon guests, too. He was very bored with one guest until he began to crack the guest?s skull with his bare hands (the conversation, as Bruno recalls it, immediately became more interesting).

At the end of the day, Boris goes home. He grills up or microwaves some dinner and turns on the television. He eats, watches TV, and goes to bed with a smile on his face.

And the next morning, maybe he gets up to do it all again.


Chapter 11
?Too bad, but it?s the life you lead
You?re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you?re wrong, you know
You can?t always see when you?re right. You?re right.?
~Billy Joel, ?Vienna?

The World to You
Cranberry was faster than the wind, a fact she had amply demonstrated during her race against Sandra. Had it been only days ago? Arriving at the city border took her only a couple minutes. She had wanted to be there, so her body made it possible. Immediately, she dropped to her knees and hissed, feeling the now-familiar electrical ting scouring her body. She willed herself to not grow? and she grew only a single centimeter. Her clothing tightened. She would have perspired, but the mental strain refused to become so psychosomatic. She had to keep control. She could not lose it yet. Just a little longer? Cranberry stood up and walked into Mega Frankfurt, swinging her suitcase. Prometheus Corp. Not far.

**
?Welcome to Prometheus Corp. How may I help you?? asked a middle-aged woman in a blue suit, sitting behind a curved desk. She was smiling and seemingly calm, but her hands trembled a little bit at Cranberry?s intimidating height. Cranberry, for her part, was trying to resist the urge to simply tear through the building, calling out for her father and cutting down anyone who stood in the way. Security guards in the large entrance room were eying her with more than idle interest. Their guns were holstered, but their hands were not terribly far from them.

Cranberry looked up at the symbol emblazoned on the wall behind the receptionist. Would she find another one further within?

?Hello, yes,? replied Cranberry, using her sweetest, most eloquent and polite tone. Even as she spoke, she could swear to herself that she never sounded so? enchanting. ?My name is Julia Pawis. I have an appointment with Dr. Noh and Dr. L?mmle. They are expecting me.?

?Oh, certainly,? replied the receptionist. She felt more at ease despite herself. Glancing around, even the security guards did. ?Just give me a moment to look it up?? The receptionist began typing. After a moment, she frowned. ?Are you sure you have the right names, Miss Pawis??

?Oh, yes,? Cranberry could not resist a small smirk. Something was up. It was working. ?They work in the Scorched Eye division. Research. They really are expecting me.?

More typing.

?One moment, please?? The receptionist pressed another button. More typing. A pause. More typing. She looked up at Cranberry again. ?Miss Pawis, you?ll be seen shortly. Please follow your escort through that door over there.? One of the security guards approached Cranberry. He tried to put on an air of authority, but beside Cranberry, he looked absurdly weak. He was at least 80 centimeters shorter than her. Cranberry just smiled.

?Okay, then, let us be off.?

**
The most frustrating part about the waiting was not the excitement, but the building pressure within herself. It was like holding one?s breath to the point of panic, but without the ability to suffocate or breathe again. Or like trying to hold something closed, when it tried to spring back out. She already lost herself once in the peculiar room she was now inside of. As she contemplated the indentations on the long metal table before her, she curled her toes inside her socks and rubbed them together; the fabric was stretching really thin there; and at her bust now too. In fact, everything else was also at least just a tad tighter. She could fix this, a voice said; just let go, go wild right now, get really big and scary and show them all whose boss. Yeah, that?s right, tear ?em up and-

Click.

Cranberry suddenly realized she had been rising from her seat. She dropped back into it and wiggled her hips in an attempt to get comfortable. The metal was not meant to bend at the arms, but it did for her shape. Better that than just tearing the arms off.

A smallish middle-aged man dressed in a nice suit and carrying a manila envelope entered the room. His smile showed his yellow-stained teeth. He grabbed a chair opposite Cranberry and heaved his somewhat considerable weight into it with a little grunt. He nodded at Cranberry, still smiling, and then turned toward the door. ?Okay, come in. Our guest has arrived,? he called out.

The doorway was immediately filled by a hulking figure. His head was shaven, his shoulders were broad, and he was not smiling at all. He turned and closed the door, wrapping his thick fingers about the knob and pulling it shut. It clicked. He stood to his full height, his head nearly touching the ceiling, and walked past the smaller man, and beyond Cranberry, where he then moved to stand behind her. Large feet squared off on the tile and a set of large nostrils breathed in and out.

Were they trying to intimidate her? She should have felt scared, but instead, Cranberry felt a little excited.

?Frau Pawis,? said the little middle-aged man in a voice with an exceptionally deep and guttural German accent, ?I am Boris. This man standing behind you, his name is Bruno. He is my friend. And I think you will want to be my friend, too. Very wise of you if you do. Wiser than alternatives.? He chuckled.

?Excuse me, but I am not here to see either of you gentlemen.? Cranberry?s tail twitched and curled around the supports for the back of her chair. ?I think there has been a mistake?? She could not help but be amused by this. The alternative would have been anger, which she daren?t contemplate.

?Oh, no, no mistake, Frau Pawis. You are quite right. You are here to see, ah,? Boris opened up the manila envelope and put a stubby finger to a sheet of paper with what Cranberry could smell to be fresh-typed ink on it, ?A Dr. Noh and a Dr. L?mmle. These are two very busy people, Frau Pawis. Two very important people as well. Tell me, why do you want to see them??

?It really is not your business, now is it?? Cranberry leaned forward, smirking slightly. Bruno?s thick hand grabbed at her shoulder. She suddenly growled and the man?s hand hesitated.

?Please? sit back,? Boris quickly interjected. He had noticed the sudden sense of fear in his comrade?s expression. Probably better to not get violent with this one immediately. ?Sorry, it is policy, Frau Pawis? we are with security and, as I said, you wish to see important men. We are simply here to make sure you do not harbor any harmful intentions??

As the hand moved away, Cranberry reclined in her chair. She felt another growth spurt coming on and fell silent for a moment, trying to withstand it, but feeling it slowly take effect anyway. She just had to make it through this?

?Now, tell me, why do you want to see them, Frau Pawis??

?If you must know,? she eyed a black orb that clung to the ceiling like a bloated growth. She spied cameras inside of it. ?I am here about one of their experiments which I am involved with.? Her tail squeezed the supports of the back of her chair and actually bent them.

?That is so?? Boris flipped over the first sheet, then a second. He began looking down a list of names that Cranberry did not recognize, but immediately committed to memory. ?That is strange, very strange, you see, because, Frau Pawis, neither of the doctors? admittance sheets shows any record of a Julia Pawis. Yes. You are a student, yes? Perhaps you should be minding your own studies, yes? Perhaps you should not have begun looking into Prometheus Corp personnel??

?I am here to see them and I am not going to leave until I do.? Her tone became decisive and her eyes narrowed at the man. His heart skipped a beat and he began to sweat.

?No,? he replied, growing a bit angry, ?Instead, I think, you will be so nice as to tell us how you really know their names.? Boris looked over Cranberry?s shoulder, up at Bruno. A heavy hand clamped onto Cranberry?s shoulder. It did not yet squeeze.

?Please take your hand off my shoulder.? She was starting to see the red again. ?Now.?

?Frau Pawis-?

The hand squeezed. Cranberry?s eyes widened and she grabbed the hand, breaking the bones inside it. Bruno yowled in pain, slammed his left hand forward to push her head to the table, and felt his left arm get dislocated at the shoulder as Cranberry grabbed the man, who weighed a great deal, and slung him over her shoulder, onto the table. The metal legs gave way, the table screeched and pounded, echoing throughout the small room, as it collapsed beneath the force. Boris stood up and began backing away toward the door, but Cranberry locked eyes with him and he felt paralyzed on the spot. ?Where ? are ? they?? she demanded. The little man pissed himself. Bruno groaned, dizzied, the wind knocked out of his lungs. ?Th-they- they are-?

?There won?t be any need for that,? came a pleasant voice. The door was opening. A man stepped in. ?I am Dr. L?mmle. Welcome to Prometheus Corp, Miss Pawis.? He smiled. ?We?ve been expecting you.?

**
Dr. L?mmle was not the sinister-looking demon that Cranberry had expected. He was young, perhaps in his late 30?s at oldest, too young for the scientist she had expected. His skin was unduly pale from lack of sun and his hair was a shoulder-length black. He wore black slacks with a blue button-up shirt, cleanly pressed, and a white lab coat, which was most remarkable because it seemed to have customized power shoulders built into it. Even more peculiar was the man?s scent: he smelled of soaps and anti-bacterials.


Cranberry watched the doctor pull a set of marbles out of his right pocket. He began to roll them around in his hand.

?You are Dr. L?mmle? Then you must know where Dr. Noh is.? Cranberry crossed her arms beneath her bust. She felt a strain and her shirt rip in the back. She was beginning to grow again! Her jeans felt exceedingly tight. She had to hold on just a moment longer. ?I want to see him, now.?

?Yes? Dr. Noh told me about you? He and I are close associates? would you please follow me? I don?t want to talk in this filthy room.? He looked at Boris. ?Mister Schlauterhousen, thank you for interviewing our guest, but that will be all. She is my guest. Please make a note of it and, mm, clean up this place, would you? Germs everywhere?? He reflexively clutched the marbles, turned, and led Cranberry out of the room.

**
?Tell me how you found us,? Dr. L?mmle asked as they walked toward the research center. ?Tell me, why are you here?? He sounded a tad impatient.

?I know who you are and I know what you and Dr. Noh do. I need you to answer my questions.?

?Questions? Hah?? Dr. L?mmle pushed open the doors into the research center, turned around and smiled at Cranberry. ?Questions, wonderful, everybody has questions. And you, Miss Pawis, think you deserve them? You think mighty highly of yourself.? He had a manic grin on his face, ear to ear, white teeth glimmering. ?Tell me, what do you want to know? I could use a little laugh.?

?I do not think you can answer my questions. I will thank you to take me to Dr. Noh.?

?Really,? he sounded sad, ?I can?t help you at all??

?Frankly, you disgust me. And so does he, from what little I know of him, but I still need to talk to him.?

?Of course, right this way? right this way??

**
They were standing in what could have been an auditorium. The doorway they passed through led into a small open-topped hallway that resolved into a large circular room framed by walls and fencing that rose somewhat higher than Cranberry?s head. Above this retaining wall were rows of seats encircling the entire chamber, rising higher and receding further back, with staircases splitting them apart. There are doors at the top level, leading into some other part of the facility. Hologram devices were seat up around the room, which would project whatever was occurring in the large central area. As for that area itself, it was currently empty, but Cranberry could imagine people giving lectures or demonstrations to a large audience here. When nobody was speaking, the air was oppressively thick with the noise of particles passing against each other. When somebody spoke, it took a moment for the echoes to die.

Her height stuttered up. There would be no way of removing her clothes now without literally tearing them off, so tightly did they cling to the contours of her body. The pressure; the size of the room; she could not keep herself contained. The back of her shirt unstitched itself and the seat of her jeans ripped open. Even this sound echoed.

?Tell me what we are doing in this room. If you try anything, I swear I will-?

Dr. L?mmle pulled forth a small remote control from his left pocket. He was still rolling those marbles in his right hand and Cranberry realized they were making a pleasant humming noise that carried throughout the room. ?Oh, yes, your father, allow me to do the introductions?? Dr. L?mmle giggled in a strange way and stepped back toward the center of the room, looping about once, and aiming the device upward. He pressed a button and, immediately, Dr. Noh was standing there before them, a figure from on high, a withered angel dressed in white. He was no older than the image that Cranberry had seen on the personalized hologram she had with her. He looked exactly the same, indeed.

?What is this?? She demanded. Cranberry stepped back and Dr. L?mmle just chuckled.

?Why, this is Dr. Noh. I?m sure you recognize him, Miss Pawis? didn?t you receive a hologram just like this??

?Yes, I- I-? Her eyes narrowed and she looked at him. The hologram just sat there, Dr. Noh?s arms crossed over his belly, his head down. ?How do you know about that hologram? Were you- you sent it?!?

Dr. L?mmle began rolling the marbles more quickly. The hum became a little louder. He pointed the remote at Cranberry. ?Bingo. You really are intelligent, aren?t you? I suppose I should give hybrids a little more credit, mm? Yes, I took over the tracking duties for your ?father? some time ago. Hah!? The hologram began to come alive, the head moving upward. Before it spoke, Dr. L?mmle waved a hand, ?May I introduce Dr. Noh!?

The hologram spoke to Cranberry. ?My dear, sweet Julia?? It grinned at her. ?You have come at last. I knew I would see you one day.?

?You are a hologram,? she narrowed her eyes. ?Where is my real father?? She glanced at Dr. L?mmle accusingly.

?Please, please, listen to his words,? said the very-real doctor.

?Yes, Julia, it is I, your father. My body may be gone, but my mind lives on. Thanks to the wonders of science, I was able to exchange my brain for a mechanical wonder. You could consider it an experimental AI system. And behold, do I not thrive on in this form? A hologram, an eternal projected body that I could not have possessed had Dr. L?mmle not assisted me? it is only because of his help that I live like this, Julia? you should thank him for bringing us together.?

?You-? She stammered. ?You ? you have waited for me all this time, father?? Why did her stomach churn? Something about all this was very wrong. And in the background, the hum of the marbles rubbing against each other became a bit louder.

?Yes, indeed. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of the fine woman you have grown up to be. Very studious, very smart, and now? so very strong. You are fulfilling your purpose most admirably,? the hologram said with glee.

?I do not want to be like this.? Cranberry clasped her shirt. Even as she did so, it tore down the back and across the bust. ?I want to be normal, like everybody else.? Her tail slapped against her jeans, and where it touched, they split. ?And if you have not figured it out, this is not normal. I do not want to be an experiment.?

The hologram and the flesh doctor looked at each other for a moment. Then Dr. L?mmle said, ?Julia? I can call you Julia, right?? Cranberry growled. ?Sorry, Miss Pawis, but you are anything but normal. Why can?t you simply accept your good fortune? You?re better than any of your race? you are perfection.?

?He speaks the truth, Julia,? the hologram added. ?I would not change you for the world. As far as I see it, you are perfect as you now are? in all my years, could I have imagined the ultimate weapon could become so powerful? Yes, I think I could? Julia, think of what a wonderful future lies ahead of you. You can show the world your father wasn?t insane. You can have a new life, a better life, here. Think of it, think of the science!?

?But I-? It was getting a little hard to think. ?Tell me?? She rubbed her head. Did her legs just rip free from her pants? She shook her head. Yes. Was this stress? ?Tell me? why did you do this to me? Do you even really care for me? I thought? I thought I might be different? that I might be special??

?But you are special, my dear?? Dr. Noh walked toward Cranberry. His feet, phantom as they were, did not make any noise on the ground. ?Very special. You are unlike any else of your kind. You are beautiful in a way that none could have comprehended. Think of it, my dear. Look around you. What do you see? Your cousins, the rest of your kind, they have no purpose in this world. They are weak weapons, and they now live like common humans. They do nothing but add to a bloated populace??

?A germ-laden, disease-spreading populace,? Dr. L?mmle added. He flicked one of the little metal marbles over the other two.

?But not you! You don?t have to be like them!? Dr. Noh clenched his right hand into a fist. ?You can be different, my daughter. You can be perfect, you must be perfect! Thrive??

?Disease-free??

?? and share your wonder with the world. Here, in this research center, you can be so much more than anything you could have dreamed of. Give your body and mind to the greater good, my dear? imagine what we could do if we simply studied you, harvested some parts of you? imagine hundreds, thousands of sisters? imagine better bodies for the world??

?You are- you are crazy?? She felt a swoon coming on. Could not focus.

?Crazy? No? never call me crazy? that is what they always called me, back when I was working on you. I, my daughter, I was the one who had the right answer all along! When those fools were making simple hybrids, I knew to make something better! You are that something better, Julia! You are! Listen to my voice, Julia? obey your father? obey me??

?Yes?? Cranberry felt herself saying. Her heart was pounding faster. ?Listen?? Something? listen?? Listen? the marbles! That weird noise! She turned her eyes toward them. Dr. L?mmle was standing there, smiling at her, cooing and encouraging her just as her father was. Together, their voices, the marbles; some kind of hypnosis? ?No!? She reached out, a single large hand grabbing Dr. L?mmle. He yelled and dropped the marbles to the floor as the behemoth-sized Cranberry picked him up. The humming stopped. The hologram began pleading.

?Julia! Don?t kill him!? The hologram disappeared and reappeared in mid-air, before Cranberry?s hulking figure, at eye level. It sounded desperate.

?Father?? Cranberry turned and looked at the hologram. Tears welled in her eyes. ?Is this what you are really like? Is this what you really want from me? You only care about me serving one purpose? Some weapon? Some harvest machine?? She squeezed Dr. L?mmle. He cried out in agony, but he was still alive. It caught her attention. ?And you? you are insane. You tried to ? to hypnotize me.?

?We just want to help you!? Dr. L?mmle insisted.

?Help me?! Help me like you helped my friend?s brother? Do you remember a man named Thomas? A man you drove insane! How could you be so sick? How does it feel to be powerless for once? Now tell me, tell me the truth! All of it! How do I stop this growing? And what are you really doing here?? She glared at the hologram. ?Tell me or I swear to God I?ll crush him.? It was a desperate gambit. Could she bring herself to do it? She was scared she could. And what then? Knowing that she consciously committed an evil act, would she lose herself to the red haze? Her head suddenly bumped the ceiling. Growing, and losing control fast.

?Fine then!? the hologram shouted. ?Just put him down.?

Cranberry lightly tossed Dr. L?mmle across the room. His body slammed against a wall and he fell to the ground, the wind knocked from his lungs. She looked back at the hologram and it began to explain.

?As I explained, you were originally designed to be a weapon. Against my government?s wishes, I modified you from the original designs for the sphinx hybrid. You were meant to be capable of sustaining your rage and adapting your body to any situation. Unfortunately, science is a work in progress. I did not have time to test your capabilities and, even if I had discovered this unexpected side-effect, I hadn?t the funds or resources to abort and do it again, even if I had harvested from you. I was already under pursuit for my admittedly illegal activities. Pah, illegal? as if the search for truth could know laws. Well, so this is what became of you, Julia. You grow, and you clearly become stronger and lovelier as you do so. Dr. L?mmle suggested, and could tell you himself if you hadn?t knocked the wind from him, that it is psychosomatic in a fashion. You are this way because you want to be this way? although, I admit, I doubt you wanted to be around this size.?

?You mean I can reverse it then?? A look of calm crossed her face.

?But you?d need some sort of strong justification??

?How does he figure into all of this?? She pointed at the fallen doctor.

?Dr. L?mmle is? my son; my biological child. In a sense, then, he is your half-brother. When Prometheus Corp found me and rescued me from being harried by the government, we were reunited and began working on projects together. To make the world better, of course.?

?I do not believe I am hearing this.? Cranberry loomed toward the hologram. She was a little hunched forward now. ?Is that what this is all about? You have a twisted family, ?father???

?Twisted?! Why, how dare you?? the hologram sputtered, like it itself would grow, but it remained the same. ?You are a purposeless creation, Julia, an experiment that is failing! Look at yourself! You don?t know what to do? Can you really turn your back on me?! Where will you go? Who can understand you like we can?! Disagree though you may like, there are no alternatives, Julia! We ? are ? your ? family!?

Cranberry shivered and clenched her teeth. Lola. Sandra. ?No,? she said at last, her eyes still shut. ?You are not! You are NOT my family! Neither of you are!?

Dr. L?mmle was on the ground, crawling toward the marbles. He huffed and grunted, wheezing as he felt his cracked ribs sting him.

?I want nothing to do with either of you! I may not have a true father, and you,? she looked down at Dr. L?mmle, bringing down a large hand to crush the marbles, ?are NOT my brother!? Something seemed wrong suddenly. ?I have friends, and they are better family than either of you could be. And this body will not be a weapon. I will use it as I see fit! I want both of you out of my lives, now and forever!?

Dr. L?mmle screamed.

?? what the hell is wrong with you?? Cranberry looked down at the man. He was beginning to gurgle in pain and stagger in a daze.

The hologram replied, ?Not quite dying? but the hypno-marbles are an experiment. They?re connected to his brain. You crushed several of them, causing feedback. I imagine he is suffering a minor stroke or heart attack right now. Fascinating, really, the mind??

?Is that so?? Cranberry gathered up the rest of the marbles. Something was still wrong. What was it? She held them in one paw, then grabbed Dr. L?mmle and scooped him up into the other. ?Then maybe you should tell me where you conduct your business in these offices??

?Don?t tell her! She?ll ruin everything! She?s gone mad!?

?Damn you, old man! It?s failed! Your goddamn plan failed,? Dr. L?mmle shouted and then yowled in pain. ?Fine, I?ll show you!?

**
That is when it hit Cranberry. She could shrink. The pressure, the stress, that she had been feeling, had disappeared? when? When she denied her father and half-brother? When she admitted how she felt about her friends? ? Cranberry closed her eyes and a wave of calm and relaxation fell over her. The ceiling drew away, the walls receded, and a moment later, she was only a couple heads above eye level with Dr. L?mmle; and still curvy as hell. She was still holding the man. There was no way he could just break her grip.

?Wow?? She looked herself over. Then she grinned at the doctor toothily. ?It looks like I fixed my problem, mm?? She was psyched. She actually just fixed her condition! But she needed to focus. She grabbed the doctor by the shoulder and, ignoring the silent hologram, led him out.

**
Dr. L?mmle whimpered all the while that he downloaded the data from his computer database and gave it to Cranberry, including several important and incriminating agreements and video files. He begged her, pleaded with her, in the name of all that is science, that she not do these things. And Cranberry told him how she could smell the blood and tissue in his chambers, even see the faint maroon stains of his more recent victims, and she crushed several of his devices for good measure. The hypno-marbles, these she took. As for her false father, she found the records of his hiring amongst Dr. L?mmle?s possessions. It seemed that, a hologram being unable to manipulate things with any ease, he had divested most of his property to Dr. L?mmle. And as Cranberry prepared to leave, the hypno-marbles in hand, Dr. L?mmle called once more out to her.

?What are you going to do?!? he shouted vehemently. ?What will you do with your life?! JULIA PAWIS!?

Cranberry looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.


Epilogue
?I?mma do the things
That I wanna do
I ain?t got a thing
To prove to you
I?ll eat my candy
With the pork and beans
Excuse my manners
If I make a scene
I ain?t gonna wear
The clothes that you like
I?m fine and dandy
With the me inside
One look in the mirror
And I?m tickled pink
I don?t give a hoot
About what you think?
~Weezer, ?Pork and Beans?


?So, journalism, huh?? Lola was dancing a couple of sugar cubes over her knuckles. She flicked them and they popped into her mouth. ?Finally settling on that? Good to know. I think you?ll do well.?

?Mm-hmm.? Cranberry was sitting across from Lola at the coffee shop. For today, she was dressed in a green shirt and blue jeans, with her accustomed fedora and army jacket accessorizing as usual. She was stirring her 15th sugar cube into her coffee.

?I?d still like to know how you got all that information from Prometheus Corp. I mean, hehe, it?s checking out, and they?re actually starting up an investigation. I?ve heard they?re tracing a number of missing people back to this Dr. L?mmle guy. But how?d you get it??

?I have got my sources? it was not easy, but I got what I needed?? Cranberry picked up her coffee and leaned back in her seat. She was still tall, but she kept herself at a manageable height. She was still curvy, but she could actually find things to fit her measurements. She was pretty and she was strong. Very strong, but it was not obvious just by looking at her that she could flip a truck on whim. She did not mind standing out. She actually enjoyed the attention and the puzzled looks of her peers. She could not quit her eccentric streak, nor did she want to. If somebody was really interested in her, she figured they would appreciate her unusual sensibilities. And if they didn?t, well, she had more important things to worry about than what they thought.

?You look good, by the way,? Lola commented. ?Is your transformation another little secret?? She leaned forward with a toothy smile.

?Maybe it is,? Cranberry reflected. Sandra had been delighted to know what Cranberry had done. Cranberry herself had been able to resume her studies and was going to be taking a Journalism internship soon. She finally had some peace over her past and, well, a good body to boot. ?And in a way, it might have been the best little secret of my life??

And so continued another day in the increasingly unusual life of Julia ?Cranberry? Pawis.

The End

[wolfman-al]

Wonderfull.
I love it and I thank you very much for it.
This exactly is what I meant when I talked about an "extendet universe", similar to the one in Star Wars for Airpatrol. You introduced new characters and events to a world I created and I thank you for that.
Kudos, my friend!

[BlazingBarrager]

Agreed. Very nice.