---

 

 

(April 2, 2018. Sacramento State)

 

"And so, thanks to cell reprogramming, we can turn a simple skin cell into ..."

 

The talk about iPSC cells was getting longer than Erika expected, forcing her to entertain herself with her phone trying not to disturb her wife or the rest of the audience. It's not that Erika didnt enjoy listening to science (being married to a biology teacher requires having a minimum interest in the subject), what caused the rejection was having to listen so long to a scientist too pedantic speaking in English too technical.

After almost 4 years living and working in the United States, Erika Holm had succeeded in replacing her usual Swedish for a more than decent and fluent English, one well adapted to her profession as a physical trainer mainly. Not that it was to her liking to speak so little in her native language, but it was something that Erika had decided to accept at the time she decided to marry the love of her life and move with her to North America.

 

"In this way, we went from a cell taken from something as simple as a piece of skin to-"

 

Professor Liam Cole, as Alanna had explained before entering the conference, was some kind of revolutionary scientist and famous in recent months for his results in some kind of test that Erika had failed to understand when her wife explained it (4 times) on the way to the university. Same conference that at the end would offer attendees the opportunity to sign up for some type of test ...

"Eri! Leave the phone and pay attention! It's super interesting!" Alanna stepped on the foot of her wife tried to get her attention, all in the most absolute silence to not miss even the least of the conference.

 

"Was not the conference supposed to be only 40 minutes? We've been here for an hour and a quarter!"

 

"Shhhh! Professor Cole is famous for lengthening his lectures to make his discoveries more understandable!" Alanna decided to tackle the issue in the bud and snatch the phone from her wife, putting it in her purse securely on the other side of her seat.

Without phone to play and entertain, Erika resigned herself throwing her back back in her chair (plastic and not the good thing), she crossing her arms over her generous breast and closing her eyes in an attempt to take a little nap before having to drive again the 50 minutes that separated them from their little love nest, one of the floors of Alanna's grandfather in downtown Brightside.

One of the multiple floors in the multiple buildings to his property, in addition to the several industrial ships, several parks and multiple businesses in which it appears as main investor. The family of Alanna could be considered as powerful in all the gossip magazines of the country.

 

Being the median of the three grandchildren of Velio Barlow, Alanna had opened a gap in the family sharing the passion of her grandfather for science, making sure in the process (Without really intending it) to become one of the personal advisors of this in all investment issues scientific, a position that next to that of professor of biology gave him a salary more than enough so that Erika didnt have to work.

And even so, Erika continued to do so because her passion was sport and helping people, so her job as a physical trainer was a dream come true.

"And with that, rhe conference is over! Thank you all, ladies and gentlemen!" Professor Cole bowed to the audience as they rose to applaud him back, an act that Erika took as a divine sign to wake up and prepare to return to her Dear apartment to enjoy the rest of Friday and the weekend.

 

Unfortunately, this dream was interrupted when a "young woman" (If the youth spectrum covered the 40-year-old) dressed who had previously been on stage with the scientist to approach the row where they were. At each step of this Erika prayed to as many gods as she knew to pass by or address another person ... and evidently, the physical trainer was not so lucky.

"Miss Barlow, isnt it?" The dressed woman approached Alanna with a firm step, a straight back and a friendly smile on her lips; what a good seller.

 

"Yes, do you want something?" And Alanna, as innocent as ever, took the hook and turned to her as she put her purse back in her seat. (Sign that they were not going to leave soon)

 

"My name is Meredith, and I'm the assistant to Professor Liam Cole for 20 years. I would like to invite you and your ..." The mature woman moved her right hand as if trying to dig a concrete word.

 

"Wife" Erika quickly jumped to the aid of this. (More by own honor than by desire to help the mature woman)

 

"Wife! That! Sorry, I had not had time to read the report in previous rest between conferences"

 

"Repo-" Erika tried to ask, only to be interrupted by Alanna, who was almost drooling when she heard that the scientist wanted to invite her to a private meeting.

"Nothing happens! And that it would be a great honor for us that an eminence like Professor Cole wants to meet in private!" Erika tried to protest, only to meet again with the heel of her wife stepping on her again. Bad day to wear sandals, no doubt. "Where would it be?"

 

"The dean of the university has given us an office for these two days of conferences, so if you wish you can follow me. I will guide" With that, Meredith turned around, beginning to walk to one of the less crowded exits of the assembly hall.

 

Alanna began to follow her almost immediately, until she found her hand grabbing her by the left wrist. "What happens now? The teacher isnt waiting!" Erika tried to convey the message to her wife without words, trying to communicate her shyness and discomfort in the whole matter so much previous during the long-awaited meeting. After 8 years of relationship, divided in 2 in Sweden as brides, 2 in Canada following the post-graduate university of Alanna and 4 as a marriage in the native city of Alanna in America; the two women had managed to develop a link beyond the words, one where only one glance was enough to talk to each other.

"Oh, come on! No need to fix yourself more! I'm sure the teacher didnt mind your Californian sports look!" Evidently, the link was being overshadowed by the call of science. Leaving her wife, Alanna began to run (with heels, an art that Erika could only admire) towards Meredith, who was holding the door to the marriage.

 

Between sighs, Erika began to follow her wife while she was almost jumping of illusion; looking from time to time his appearance reflected in the windows of the corridor. Although it is true that measuring 6 feet and three inches (1.90 meters) and spending 6 hours in the gym had given her body a number of muscles and definition above average ... and it was also true that only lightly sporting clothes managed to take their femininity forward ...

Even with all this, Erika couldnt help feeling a little offended, despite how much Alanna enjoyed the body of her wife. (Demonstrated especially in the clothes she bought for her, always adjusted to mark their muscles worked after a decade teaching and practiced weight lifting)

 

Meredith knocked twice on the door of the office, opening it immediately without waiting for an answer. Stepping aside, the assistant offered to enter the marriage with a formal and elegant bow. Blinded by the illusion, Alanna was the first to enter the office in twilight, only slightly illuminated by the small gap that was between blind and blind of the window.

"Welcome, Miss Barlow and Miss ... excuse my discourtesy, but I'm not sure if you keep Holm by last name or if you have adopted your wife's" Meredith said entering after them, closing the door and offering a chair to each.

 

"We have decided to combine the surnames to maintain the cultural heritage of both, so since the wedding we are Alanna Barlow Holm and Erika Barlow Holm" Alanna explained proudly as she sat, giving too much personal information for her wife's taste.

 

"A very smart decision, if you allow me the comment" Meredith added while lighting the laptop on the desk. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go prepare Professor Cole's next conference. Please wait here, I'll make sure it doesnt take too long" The marriage nodded at once, giving permission to the assistant to leave leaving them alone.

 

Alanna bit her lip, still too excited, refusing to get up and look at the computer in front of them. "Do you believe…-"

"Dont even think about it!" Erika quickly imposed herself by grabbing her wife's hand, holding her against the chair. People may see Alanna as the perfect, kind and educated young lady and teacher; but only Erika and the closest family of both knew the authentic Alanna, the nervous and restless girl with a strange sense of taste and without barriers when dealing with the privacy and privacy of other people.

 

"Pooper..." Alanna leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms with Erika still holding her. In an attempt to calm her beloved wife, Alanna slid the arm held by Erika slowly down, forcing her to hold a distance too close to her crotch. 

 

"Alanna! Come on! And what if your dear professor comes in?" Erika tried to regain control of her arm, but this time the tables had reversed. It was Alanna who now held her by the wrist, keeping her from running away.  (Although evidently Erika could have been released directly by the difference in strength between the two, although with her wife it was usual for Erika to forget about that factor outside the bed)

"Please honey! This is already too uncomfortable for me!"

 

"Silly stuff! You like science! And I am a biology teacher ... and we are in an office ... and you have been sent to the teacher's office, you know ..."

 

"But not now! I still have my head full of all the words I do not understand before! It's not the time to do that!"

 

"Ohh, but I thought you like to see me talk like the teacher that I am, bad girl ... prrrrr" Alanna purred on the last word, forcing as much as possible a sexy movement of lips while pronouncing it. It didnt take a scientist to notice how much Erika liked the situation ... and how much she hated to enjoy it.

 

"You're so-"

Three blows in a row at the door made the marriage cut the game from root, recomposing almost to the limit, because Professor Cole didnt wait to be given permission to enter his office. "Miss Barlow! A pleasure to meet you!" Liam quickly approached Alanna, who stood up just as quickly to shake the professor's hand.

 

"It's a great honor to know me, professor! I have to say that I am a great admirer of all your investigations!" Alanna waved the proffesor's hand up and down, ignoring things of her such as the excess of sweat or the brutality of the movement.

 

Discreetly, Liam released Alanna's sweaty hand, now turning to Erika. "Excuse my lack of manners, Miss Barlow. Considering how excited your wife was from the stage, it seemed more appropriate to greet her first so she could calm down" Erika nodded without liking the teacher's words too much, shaking her hand in a quick and professional greeting. (One that Liam greatly enjoyed for brevity

)With the presentation already made, Liam walked around the desk, sitting in his chair and typing what Erika assumed was his password."First of all, I'd like to thank you for coming to the conference today-"

 

"No no!" Alanna quickly cut off the teacher, trying to make her admiration clear once again. "Thank you for allowing us to attend with so little notice! I swear, if I got to know before your conference, I would have reserved seats much earlier!"

 

Ironing the issue to reassure the nervous and excited Alanna, Liam sat much more comfortable in his seat, with his arms crossed on the table and shoulders relaxed. "It's not a nuisance, rather the opposite. You cant even imagine the repercussion that Velio Barlow's granddaughter will bring to my conferences!" And there was what Erika was waiting for, the most to be expected mention of Alanna's grandfather.

"Now I would like to get to the point, I can understand that you want to enjoy the remaining Friday" Liam leaned back now, clasping his hands with both indexes up. "I know that you have been attentive to the conference, Miss Alanna; that's why I would like to ask your wife what she thought of the talk"

 

Erika was surprised (a little too much for her liking) of the question, looking quickly at Alanna for help. Illuminated as a child waiting to open the gifts, Alanna returned the look with a smile from side to side and eyes almost shining as in one of those children's series. Sighing with slight happiness infected by her wife, Erika was sincere with Liam. "Being totally honest, Professor Cole ... I havent heard much of what you has explained ... unfortunately my technical English isnt as good as I would like"

 

"Dont worry! I had already assumed that someone like you would not find the talk entertaining!" Erika felt genuinely offended for a moment, but the teacher continued to speak, incapacitating the ability to express it. "Broadly speaking, the talk has revolved around my research on 'induced' pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells, discovered by Kazutoshi Takahashi and Shinya Yamanaka back in 2006. So as not to confuse it, we could reduce everything to this type of cells can be converted into whatever we want-"

 

"Doc, my appearance may not be that of a scrawny library mouse like you, but I know very well the basis of your talk. I study Nutrition and Diet in Stockholm, so you can put that words when-" Erika replied visibly annoyed, causing Alanna to want and try to slap her.

 

"No no!" Liam stopped Alanna's arm just in time, stretched out on the table to accomplish such a feat. "I deserve it! I deserve it! My ways of referring to your wife have not been adequate to begin with! As scientists if there is any saying we should respect is not to judge a book by its cover" Alanna looked at him for a second, then turned to her wife to apologize with the look ... although Erika didnt return it.

A small but fair blow that Alanna accepted hurt for having offended her beloved wife even more.

 

"Let me get to the point again to take all the tension off, okay?" Liam offered to unlock the laptop screen again, making several clicks in a row. "The reason why I've called you here is to offer you something. For starters and I hope you are not offended by it, it has reached my ears that you were debating among yourselves about how to have children-"

 

"H ... how do you know that?" Alanna asked quickly and with some trepidation, because at the moment all they had done was talk to their families and learn about the process of adoption and insemination.

 

Liam remained silent for a few seconds, not waiting for Alanna's frightened response. "Let's say I have a friend in common-"

 

"No no. There are only two options, or the social worker who took care of us for the adoption consultation or the type of the fertility clinic" Erika quickly cut the professor's mystery, hitting the desk with her fist. "What has it been, professor?!"

 

"OK OK! Jesus, how tense you are... I know Emily, the owner of the fertility clinic you're consulting. It was she who told me about you and made me decide to offer you this" Moving his laptop until he had it in front of the couple, Liam used the mouse several times to open a presentation.

<< Project: Shared fertility treatment to all >>

"As Alanna will already know thanks to having read my research and previous results, in 2016 I managed to make the first pregnancy between a man and a woman both infertile. To summarize everything, basically I use a cell from a woman's skin to create an iPS cell, shaping it into an egg cell; and then do the same process with the man to get a sperm, fertilizing the egg and inserting it into an artificial womb designed by my colleague Charles Martin, the father of my assistant that you already know"

 

"And you want to offer us that?" Erika narrowed her eyes, remembering to see the news on the news a few years ago.

 

"To this day, April 2, I have made the same process with the same positive results a total of 3 times, once per year. Right now 3 miraculous children like the press call them happy and healthy scampering around" Moving on to the next slide, a diagram of two female bodies appeared on the screen. "In your case, the idea would be to insert the fertilized ovule inside one of you, making yours the first marriage of the same sex with a daughter 100% yours"

 

Erika and Alanna looked at each other for a few seconds, both coming to the same question. "Daughter?"

 

"Well ..." Liam scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "Neither would offer the Y chromosome, so the result would always be XX or what is the same, a daughter. Listen to me well, please; right now we are facing the doors of one of the greatest scientific milestones ever seen, the free conception without barriers. You want to have offspring, I want to being the one, No! I want to be able to offer gays, lesbians, transsexuals and the whole spectrum the possibility of being able to have children without any limitations ...

All that would be missing so that we could both achieve our dreams would be that you are willing and ... a small donation of Freotin by you-"

 

"AJA!" Erika suddenly stood up, pointing at the professor with her right index finger. "I KNEW IT! You dont offer us anything! You are looking for the same as the others!"

The fortune of Velio Barlow was born in the 20s following the opening of a mine in Brightside, thanks mainly to the discovery of a unique metal in the world, the Freotin. An extremely light and superconducting metal, with the unique property of accumulating electricity if the metal stayed away from other conductors. A unique metal in the world that helped Velio and his partners to win millions, selling it in small quantities. Of course, the money ran out sooner or later for most of the partners of the mine, except for Velio who knew how to invest it correctly; buying first the parts of the mine from its partners and converting 2 million into a fortune valued at hundreds of millions of dollars at present.

"Let's get out of here, Ala! Again we find ourselves with a little guy who just wants free stuff"Erika picked up her jacket, holding it while going to the door. "Honey, let's go-"

 

"Erika, wait a minute." Alanna looked back at Liam. "How much would my grandfather have to invest and what uses would he be given?"

 

As if it were a sunbeam, the question illuminated the professor's face completely. Moving quickly to the next slide, Liam showed the blueprints of a machine. "You see, this whole process happens thanks to the creation of my friend Charles Martin, which I mentioned earlier. I dont want to waste your time with explanations about nanobioengineering, but in summary the reason why we havent yet adapted the process for members of the same sex is because the conductive material that loads the laser is not efficient enough for the whole process, so we have only been able to risk making cell modifications at the same genetic level.

If your grandfather donated the piece made of Freotin for the MM, we would be able to start the process converting male to female cells and vice versa ... you will make happy billions of couples in your situation. You would open the way to a new tomorrow, where not even reproduction will serve as an excuse for the intolerant ... please, Alanna. Think about it" Rummaging in his pocket, Liam pulled out a white card with his name and a written phone number.

"This is my personal number. Whether you sign in or not, please get in touch; I can promise you that in less than a week I would have you one of you pregnant with your baby, I swear it"

 

"Before I will talk to my grandfather, he is the owner of the Freotin reservation after all. But I promise you will have an answer as soon as possible" Alanna extended her hands to the professor, who took them with pleasure almost to the edge of tears. After a handshake, Alanna rose from her chair bag in hand, saying goodbye to the teacher and leaving with his wife from the office. The marriage remained silent (But with their hands entwined) as they left the university campus towards the parking lot, where Erika's GLA awaited them.

Carefully, Erika opened the copilot's door to her beloved, closing it behind her gently ... which quickly disappeared as she sat behind the wheel. Putting the radio on his favorite station, Erika went out on the highway back to Brightside, indulging in a little whim by opening a bottle of coke that she carried in the travel fridge behind her seat.

(It wasnt uncommon for the couple to take the car and go out for a whole day to walk or explore, so buying a cooler to always have snacks in the car was the best decision of all 2017)

...

 

A small traffic jam kept them halfway, made up of all those who were heading to San Francisco to spend the weekend. Almost 30 kilometers of journey and 10 minutes of traffic jam later, Alanna still said nothing, just moving the fingers of her hands to pace as if it were a wave. (As she used to do every time she thought of something important)

Observing her wife from the corner of her eye, Erika sighed smiling. Counting to three, Erika maximized the volume of the radio, removing her wife ipso facto from her trance. "ERIKA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Alanna screamed as her beloved removed the radio altogether, leaning back on the steering wheel to see that there was not a single movement in the traffic.

 

"We're going to see your grandfather, right?" Knowing her wife, Erika decided to save all the previous conversation and jump straight to the denouement.

 

"..." Alanna said nothing, staring at Erika's face. After so many years of marriage and relationship, the physical trainer was still as beautiful as the first day. (Something Alanna loved to show off, just comparable to boasting about her wife's muscles) "Do you think Grandpa will get in?"

 

"Whatever his dear granddaughter asks of" Erika reached out, grabbing Alanna's chin and bringing her in a kiss too intense for both her wife and the car passengers on either side of them. "And more if you sell it as Professor Cole has sold it to you, with his great dream of breaking the limitations of reproduction and all that!"

 

"Idiot ... you have to recognize that it's a noble idea, no matter how obvious it is that the teacher really wants to record his name in the story. In addition ... it comes very well with the topic of  our conversations of the last months ..."

 

"If we finally agree, do you still want to be the one to get pregnant? I remind you that I would not mind"

 

"No no! My love, it takes a long time to recover the physical form after a birth! I couldnt have you without sports so long! ... And besides ... you're already over the head, if one of you needs bigger breasts, I must be me ..." Erika could not resist pricking her left breast, letting go a little giggle in the process. "Exactly! Miss G! Let your wife B cup be the carrier of your daughter!"

 

"I leave it to you! I know how much you've always wanted to give birth, and I can perfectly wait for our second child!" With another kiss, the couple sealed the pact, Erika preparing to take the new exit and Alanna sending a message to her grandfather.

 

 

---

 

 

Barlow Mansion, just outside of Sacramento.

 

For more times than Erika will visit the Barlow mansion, it was never enough to get used to the splendor and size of it. As much as Velio loved his hometown in northern California, living near Sacramento was much more efficient to run his business. And for that reason the Barlow mansion was built, with enough rooms for the great family that Velio hoped to have.

"Miss Alanna, welcome." Grandfather Velio's secretary, Ulyses, went out to meet them despite all the paperwork they sure still had to fill out.

 

"Ulyses! How are you?" Alanna got out of the car running, jumping into the arms of what had been like her third grandfather since childhood.

 

"My dear, my arms cant hold so much!" Releasing Alanna on the ground, Ulyses looked at Erika. "How about the conference, Erika? As boring as it seemed?"

 

"I wish ..." Erika sighed jokingly as she parked the car next to the entrance of the mansion, making sure to set it aside so as not to disturb. The truth is that seeing such a "simple" model along with two of the old cars in the collection of Velio was certainly shocking ... but over the years Erika had learned not to look beyond the account.

 

"I already see that the message was too urgent ... nothing will happens, okay? Everything can be solved, girls. Velio awaits you in his office, Do you want to have breakfast? I was preparing coffee for us-"

 

"Ulyses, you are 65 years old! You cant pretend to continue working so much! We can take care of things like coffee ourselves!" Alanna was determined to give the secretary a well-deserved rest.

 

But as always, Ulyses was against it. "Alanna, my dear ... I've been with your grandfather since he was 25 years old. 50 years by your side is more than a job, it's called being a family! So let me do what I like by making a coffee as well as you like, okay?" Too tense for what she had in mind, Alanna ended up agreeing kissing Ulyses cheek.

Without waiting for her wife, Alanna ran down the hallway upstairs, in the direction of her grandfather. Meanwhile Erika decided unilaterally (because asking was going to give her the second same answer anyway) helping the secretary with the late breakfast, giving Alanna time to explain the situation.

 

...

One of the whims that Velio had granted in his life was installing dozens of different door bells for the most important rooms in the house (Collecting old car models, bells and soda cans were just some of the eccentricities of one of the millionaires with less possessions), so when arriving at the double doors of the office it was no surprise to find a new doorbell.

"Grandpa ..." Alanna sighed as she pressed it, getting in response a beatbox version of Country Roads.

 

"Go ahead, Alanna!" Velio shouted beforehand knowing who would be on the other side. Alanna opened one of the doors, entering the office full of papers of newspapers stained with paint all over the floor. Dozens of plastic shelves were placed on either side of the office, holding a large collection of freshly painted Warhammer figures. "Be careful dear! Some are still fresh!"

 

"This is what you do right now, grandfather? Warhammer? Erika and I are more of Warcraft, but if you had asked us we would have helped you without problem!" Alanna was inspecting the figures as she went to the central desk, distinguishing without needing to ask which had been painted by her grandfather and which by Ulysses. On the large desk that filled the outer wall of the office he had displayed a large diorama of what appeared to be a battle between two fortresses.

 

"I'm not going to lie to you, dear. Until Monday I had no idea what this was! Pass in front of a modeling shop on the way to my favorite cafe and I was amazed! I didnt know that such beautiful and small things were made! I convinced your brother to help me bring two whole boxes of figures and paintings and later I convinced Ulyses to play a game with me, all you see is the preparation for that battle!"

 

"Space Marines?" Alanna asked looking at the collection of figures that her grandfather was placing on the diorama."These are those of Ulyses, I chose the Orks because ... well, I am very funny about Ork with K! Also, I've been reading a website about their history and I must admit they're great ... not like the orcs in the game that you taught me!"

 

"Well... we have different opinions" Alanna sat at the desk, fiddling with the diorama fascinated by its quality.

 

In the end it had to be Velio who brought up the subject of the visit, because as he well knew his granddaughter, Alanna preferred to be asked to start explaining. "What happened at the conference that made you come so fast, dear?"

 

"... thanks for starting, grandfather" Velio gave him a forced curtsy that brought a smile to his granddaughter. "The conference was about iPS cells, their application in the treatment of various diseases and their different uses. The guest of the conference is Professor Liam Cole, an eminence in the field of iPS cells for his achievements in the field of reproduction ... and you will see ... after the conference, his assistant has invited us to meet him, because Professor Cole had something to offer us"

 

"To you? Why and what?"

 

"Apparently, the owner of the fertility clinic we visited in Sacramento is her friend ... and told him about our plans to be mothers. What the professor wants to offer us is the possibility of being the first homosexual couple with children 100% ours in exchange for a piece for the machine that allows the whole process made of Freotin ..." As if it were a bomb, Velio released the glue pot instantly, dropping it directly to the ground. Getting up and walking to sit next to his granddaughter, Velio took her hands in his.

 

"Basically he wants a barter, right? A free piece of Freotin in exchange for giving you the possibility of being both biological mothers of your creature?" Alanna nodded without looking at her grandfather, embarrassed to bring up the subject. "And you want to accept it?"

 

"I dont know ... it would be a dream to have a daughter of both ... just look at Erika! A girl with her amazing Swedish genes and my head sounds like science fiction! But at the same time ... you are the owner of the Freotin reservation ... and it's too much that you dont sell it or give it away like that"

 

"My granddaughter ... the Freotin was what allowed me to promote in this world, but my businesses dont depend on it at all for at least 30 years! The reason why I dont sell what I have left is because I usually donate it to renewable energy projects and the like. Now let me ask you again. Would you want to accept that barter?"

 

Alanna tilted her head thoughtfully, seeking to open her heart. "As a biology teacher, nothing would make me more excited to see and be part of a process that would change the history of humanity like this. But at the same time ... wouldnt it be like I was buying my daughter in exchange for Freotin? I dont want the day when my daughter hates me for bringing her into the world as a barter!"

 

Velio sighed watching as once again Alanna was lost in her train of thought as so many times had happened and will happen in the future. "My dear granddaughter ... do you seriously believe that your daughter, who has not yet been conceived, hated you for something like open the way for everyone like their mothers? Do you really think that?"

In a first movement, Alanna nodded, followed by a denial and then a series of movements interspersed between them. "Good heavens!" Velio groaned as never before, the old man had missed so much having to deal with the super-confused and obtuse Alanna. "Has he given you a card, telephone number or fax address?"

 

Alanna nodded, taking Liam's card out of her pocket, handing it to her grandfather. "Grandpa ... nobody uses a fax machine today, you're thinking of an email address"

 

"My granddaughter, things change their name too much for my taste! Well, now if you'll excuse me for a moment I should solve a little thing" Velio apologized as he got up, leaving the office and crossing Erika and Ulyses along the way. With a glance and a little nod, Ulyses quickly apologized, giving control of the table with lunch to Erika and following Velio to another room.

 

"What's wrong?" Erika asked sitting down next to her wife, placing the table next to them.

 

"The grandfather has made the decision to accept Professor Cole's proposal, but it is giving him that air of mystery that he likes so much" From the neutrality of Alanna's face, Erika could see that it wasnt something that had convinced her too much.

 

"And that's not good news because ... what?"

 

"Because now I feel like I forced him! And I dont like it!"

 

"My love ... you get your head too hot, you know?" Erika rubbed her wife's hair, pulling her chair against her and Alanna herself against his chest. "If we are going to be mothers, you must learn to ... I was going to say to not suffer for small things, but evidently having a daughter implies suffering!"

 

"You're right in that ... you're usually right ..." Alanna rubbed against her wife's breasts. On the one hand, the feeling was too comforting to stop now; And on the other the possibility that her grandfather and Ulyses would catch them in that position was too risky.

And yet, Alanna went about her business, enjoying the hand of his wife rubbing her back. "My love"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Are my grandfather and Ulyses there?"

 

"Noooooo," Velio whispered, closing the door behind him. Alanna separated from her lightning-quick wife, straightening up in her chair with as much nobility as possible so as not to feel more uncomfortable than she already was. "Now that you've finished with the petting, it's time we talked seriously. As you have already imagined both, I went to call Professor Cole and listen well to what he wants to offer our family" Velio joined his hands on the table, resting his elbows without looking away from his granddaughter and his wife.

"Ulyses is forwarding the mail with the specifications of the piece you need, and we will send it to him tonight. According to Professor Cole it will take 2 days to finish adding everything in the piece and then 3 days to have everything prepared. That means that on the 8th you will have the two cells in the fertilization clinic that you visited the other day, preparing everything for the 10th day to place the ovum ready, Alanna"

Both wives nodded without saying a word, for three seconds both get up from the chair to run to hug Velio. "Go Go! What other option did he have? With this my first great-granddaughter is assured!" Completely ignoring him, Erika and Alanna continued to thank him until Ulyses entered the room with the good news ready, urging the trio to sit down for a quiet lunch.

A long 2018 awaited them in front, so the only viable option to start the trip was with a full stomach.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(April 7, 2018, 07:58 AM Good Present Fertility Clinic, Brightside)

 

Erika and Alanna strolled up and down the sidewalk slowly, counting the minutes until the fertility clinic opened its doors. The couple hadnt been able to sleep at all the night before, so in a start motivated by large doses of coffee, Erika and Alanna decided to stand in the clinic to wait to be the first. (All this knowing that his visit did not enter by the other visitors of the clinic)

"Come on! A whole minute has passed!" Alanna shouted in a low voice, not wanting to wake up any neighbor who still had an hour of dreams ahead. "It's ... eight and two minutes! Now two full minutes have passed!"

 

"Luckily now with pregnancy we will be able to control your coffee consumption ..." Erika said to herself, stopping walking and sitting on the hood of her car. With the hasty decision they had made, neither of them was in an unpolluted state.

Erika's blonde hair was late for her daily shower, which added to the poorly made pigtail the Swedish sit a little shame. For her part, Alanna had managed to fix more or less her typical double braids tied like mane .... but all the time that her hair took away was time that led her to only be able to wear one of the oldest tracksuit of Erika.

A thin woman of 5 feet and 3 inches (1.59 meters) with only remarkable rear sheathed in a tracksuit of when her wife (That by that time already doubled in chest to her) was six feet and 3 inches (1.91 meters) wasnt the most attractive image of the world.

 

"I know I'll need to get rid of the caffeine!" Alanna shouted again in a low voice, demonstrating once again to her wife that it does not matter how little she talks, she would always listen to her for good and bad. "And that scares me so much! Facing the end of the school year without caffeine is going to be an almost impossible task! They are too many teenagers against me! 26 against 1! If they wanted to, they could throw me through the window like Captain Hook's!"

 

"In what Peter Pan movie does that happen if I can known?"

 

"I dont know, maybe none or maybe any! That does not matter now! All that matters ... is that we are going to be mothers, after so many months planning it ... the moment has finally arrived- The day after tomorrow the moment will come, I mean. Your created sperm will join with my extracted egg, and when they join creating the beginning of a life, they will insert it again ... I am so eager to be explained how the process works in depth"

 

Fearful of her wife's overenthusiastic mood swings, which was very likely to be pre-pregnant, Erika grabbed Alanna's arm as she passed by her side, pulling her into another close hug. "You're too nervous, Ala. I understand you perfectly, I also am and that's why I can only ask you to relax as much as I do! Today we are only going to extract a cell ... that I sincerely imagine that it will be something kind of scratching our skin or something-"

 

"No no, nothing like that." Alanna frowned, offended by her wife's words. "According to everything I've been reporting, Professor Cole is going to cut a small section of skin off your arm to look for the least damaged cell possible. It isnt the usual method that I understand, but if everything that has been achieved has been achieved by doing that, I will not be the one who gets involved in his work"

 

"Maybe I should have studied biology instead of nutrition-"

"Dont say that! It's because you chose nutrition and that you were the only student with good English in the gym that we met!"

 

"We have to tell our little girl the story of how we met, okay?" Erika hugged even more her wife, ignoring the few people who ventured out into the street in the early hours of the morning.

 

The minutes passed, making even the smallest of the marriage even more nervous. The first sign that the time had come was when the blind that covered one of the windows of the clinic rose, forcing Alanna to release the tight grip of her wife to run to the window.

"Can I know what you're doing, Miss Barlow?" Liam asked opening the front door, blinking at the sight of Alanna glued to the glass making a kind of binoculars with both hands.

 

"YOU ARRIVE ... you're 7 minutes late! I have class at 11 in the morning, you know? "Alanna recriminated the professor, being trapped by her wife before she could stand in front of the professor. "You're lucky that my huge and muscular Swedish wife only uses her strength in the gym, cooking and cleaning the house!"

 

Liam said nothing, looking at Erika. "You smell like coffee, a lot of coffee"

 

"We've been awake all night waiting for this ... I hope it's not a problem," Erika said rubbing the back of her neck feeling a bit guilty.

 

"Nothing happens. Today we're just going to explain the process and extract the cells that will become your daughter" Opening the door for the ladies, Liam stepped out of his way just in time because Alanna didnt even wait for him to retire. Following the professor through one of the corridors, the group ended up coming to a door with a sign of forbidden passage. "This is where we'll do the magic, ladies." Liam tried to charm the whole thing by opening the door and turning on the lights. What used to be a room in the fertility clinic was now a sort of semi futuristic laboratory.

In one corner, a large capsule resembling an small  sauna lay covered with plastic to be unpacked; while on one of the marbles a machine similar to a bread basket full of screens, switches and two small joystick attracted the attention of the couple. "Let's go fast step by step, ok?" Liam placed 3 stools near another marble where 3 computers rested, full of wires attached to the different machines added to the clinic.

"The first thing is to introduce yourself to the MM or Miraculous Manipulator as my colleague likes to call it. It has a much more complex name, but MM is how we usually abbreviate it. In here the magic will happen, going from a simple cell extracted from Erika's arm to a sperm ready to inseminate the Alanna ovum. That process will also happen here inside, by the way"

 

"And this must be the camera where you tricks the body into starting the pregnancy, right?" Alanna said as she watched her closely, checking the small stretcher inside it.

 

"Said in a very simplified way, it's. When we insert the inseminated ovum back into the uterus of the mother, this heat chamber here helps us create the right environment for the body to believe that it has given rise to natural fertilization. We achieve this with changes in humidity and temperature mainly; so when your body is ready I will go with you to-"

 

"Is it basically a glorified in vitro fertilization?" Erika asked sitting on her stool, because unlike both scientists, she did remember the rules of good behavior.

 

Liam nodded smiling, sitting down again and taking one of the computers without any connected cables. "Well, it's time to go grit about the matter. I have been reviewing your clinical records, thank you for sending them in advance by the way, and I have not found anything strange that makes us postpone fertilization. Just a small detail ..." Liam rubbed his mustache as he went to the next page, looking up only to find the disfigured and terrified face of both women. "No no! Calm! Let me explain myself first! This process brings an advantage and that is that we can avoid negative genes for the creature; as in this case the recessive gene that you drag, Alanna"

 

Alanna remained silent, quickly realizing what the professor was talking about. "Do you mean the risk of myopia?"

 

"Exactly." Liam put the laptop back on the marble, activating one of the printers scattered throughout the room. "Your grandfather wears glasses, and your mother, brother and nephew also wear them, right?" Alanna nodded, confirming everything. "Do you want us to deal with that gene in the process? There is no risk in this, I have proof of this if you wish to see it" Alanna and Erika looked at each other, until Erika took the step. 

 

"I would not like to need glasses  by like them, but every year I see it clear like a glass..."

"Good joke"

"Thank you. Going back to the subject-" Liam blinked in astonishment at the synchronicity to enjoy a bad and ungraceful joke that the marriage showed. "Yes you can make sure my daughter doesnt get to suffer from myopia has all my approval, Professor Cole"

 

Cole nodded at his Iphone, rising from the stool and picking up the printed pages. "Then it's time to get down to work. This is all the relevant legal documents, you can read them without haste-" Accustomed to helping her grandfather with these kinds of issues, Alanna completely devoured both documents, stopping at the only point that makes her flinch a little.

 

"Here it says that we authorize you to present the pregnancy and birth data of our daughter as proof of her achievement before the scientific community. I have no problem with it, I just want to make sure of one thing" Liam shrugged, giving Alanna a walk to ask. "Does this mean that you intend to control the birth"

 

"Not at all" Liam said, showing on his Iphone a series of documents of previous births, which Alanna recognized as the other couples who had followed his method of fertilization. "All I'll want is a copy of every document from your gynecologist to present it as my final report. The whole subject of the guidelines that you should follow during pregnancy and birth, where to do it and with what professionals is everything at the hands of your personal gynecologist, Alanna"

Alanna nodded at her wife, who took a blue pen from the pocket of his tracksuit jacket. With the signing of both in the documents, Liam smiled guarding them in his own portfolio. "With this it's time to work magic, ladies. Erika, this will hurt a bit but you'll have to put up with it. I will put some local anesthesia to minimize  the sensation as much as possible. Now, if you do not mind, take off your jacket, shirt and raise your right arm, please"

Obeying without saying anything, Erika took her wife's hand while Liam sprayed a colorless spray on his forearm. Taking what appeared to be a punch with the hollow point and sharp edges and slightly shiny, Liam placed his stool next to Erika's. "I'm going to count to three, when I get to zero I'll puncture and this gadget will cut a circle of skin in about 5 seconds. When I finish I'll pull it out and I'll cure you with gauze and iodine, understood?"

 

"Professor, I'm not a kid ... let's go there, for Anne" Erika clenched her teeth, feeling like during the second that the device touched everything turned white.

 

"Anne?" Liam asked trying to distract his patient, counting the seconds to extract the sample.

 

"We decided to call Anne Barlow Holm, in honor of Erika's mother," Alanna explained as she picked up the head of her wife, burying it in his neck while Liam left the sample inside the MM and was preparing to heal the open incision of Erika

 

"A very nice name, without a doubt. Your daughter is lucky" Liam let Alanna comfort her wife, studying the skin sample under a microscope even surprised by Erika's reaction. For someone so intimidating, Erika had not reacted very much to what a small child would do ... something that makes her certainly more cute than her external appearance transmits.

"Okay ..." Liam took the sample from the microscope, placing it inside the MM. "You have a very good skin Erika, I congratulate you for it"

 

"That means ..." Both wives asked at once."It means that I have enough cells to repeat the process, so now Alanna comes out and tells Carol that it is time to extract one of your eggs. And once that's finished, I just have to congratulate you, on the 10th we will start the pregnancy"

 

"Yes!" Again both wives shouted at once, hugging and jumping up and down on the stools. A reaction that Liam was more than accustomed to hearing but that still touched his heart.

Once dismissed from the proffesor to let him work quietly, Alanna and Erika went out into the clinic lobby, fearing the moment of their separation.

 

"You'll be fine alone?" Erika asked as Alanna pushed her to the door, removing the car keys in the process.

 

"Yes Yes! I'm just going to have an ovary removed! Go to work without fear, my love!" Alanna insisted as she pushed, noticing how there was no movement for a few seconds. Looking down, Alanna sighed, seeing her wife's feet firmly planted on the ground. "You know? Sometimes I hate your big, strong feet ... it seems ridiculous to me that only by stomping can you equalize all my effort pushing you!"

 

"I've told you a thousand times to come to the gym with me to gain some muscle mass"

 

"And I've told you a thousand times that I'm a biology teacher lower than most of the teenagers whom I teach! It would be weird to be short and muscular!" Alanna maintained her posture trying to push her, noting that Erika was still thinking about something. "Shoot now or you're going to be late, you know?"

 

"How are we going to do it? Will we continue working both? Will we leave the work? I dont want to be like my father all day without seeing my daughter!"

 

"Now you're the one who's getting ahead of himself, my love." Surrendering, Alanna stood back to back with her wife, letting herself fall on her. "You can change to part-time, and I can take 3 sabbaticals until Anne is old enough to go to school. We have luck and money is not an impediment, so once I can point it to the school next to my highschool we just have to make the effort to put schedules and ready to go!"

 

"You always know what to say...-"

"We are a marriage! It is part of our job to know what to say to us when we need it! And now you need to hurry up, because your turn starts at 9 and they are less than quarter! Put those endless legs to work and run like never before, Erika!" Alanna turned around, slapping her wife's ass. Although a little embarrassed, Erika turned around raising her wife and burying her in a Kiss-Embrace for 30 seconds, saying goodbye to her and marching towards the gym.

 

 

---

 

(Same day, 1:00 pm at noon, Park Boulevard, Brightside)

 

"Come on ..." Erika said to herself as she looked for the keys in her backpack, not wanting to leave the bags of food on the floor. "I know you're there, somewhere!"

While Alanna enjoyed carrying everything she needed in her well-organized purse, Alanna had always been a backpack woman ... one that doesnt handle the organization too well in small spaces. "AHA! I have you!" With the keys in hand, Erika opened the door of her apartment holding one of the bags with her mouth. Although Velio advised them to choose one of the luxury apartments in the upper area, Erika and Alanna were completely in love with the small one-bedroom apartment (not counting the bathroom) that Alanna's mother had used in her youth.

 

A wide and open kitchen, with a table for four people and separated by an island table of the large dining room with 3 differentiated sections: Next to the balcony the L-shaped sofa with the TV cabinet, and a coffee table in front; on the farthest wall, a bookstore with an outgoing double desk with each one's computers on each side (and Alanna's books and magazines scattered on both desks); and on the wall opposite the balcony two large closets.

The first for clothes, several purchases, shoes and boxes of utensils of the couple, and in the other the double bed of the same so that with the closed closet everything was hidden from the indiscreet eye. A small but cozy home, perfect for a couple who does not understand the meaning of fighting ... and that is the problem that Erika was seeing.

Perfect for a couple of two ... something they would not be soon.Leaving the food on the table, Erika sat on the sofa, studying her own apartment. "In the middle there is plenty of room for a play space ... we could buy a soft and warm carpet for Anne to play with her toys ... and we could buy one of those doors that close the babies' way and put it between the wall and the island from the kitchen, preventing Anne from going to the kitchen where everything dangerous is ..."

And between her own thoughts, Erika started to see where the problem was. She wasnt considering Anne's crib. Erika had spent many nights sleeping with her mother as a child, but even she knew that it is recommended that a baby sleep in his crib until it is old enough to roll and crawl.

Sighing, Erika got up leaving the balcony with her secret vice under her arm. Sitting on her lounger, Erika opened the bag of chips, letting the salty taste calm her fears.

 

For her, who professed to take care of the body, who gave courses on proper nutrition in schools and homes for the elderly, who spent 6 to 8 hours depending on the day in a gym exercising; the mere fact of eating a bag of chips was equivalent to a normal person smoking a pack of cigarettes. "We have to buy so many things ..." Erika said chewing another potato, quickly moving from nervousness to an illusion that consumed her completely. The final hour had arrived, they were going to be moms and the whole world would see it.

 

 

---

 

(Same day and time, Geremia Wing Secondary School)

 

"So the year you're coming will not be with us?" Principal Jacob asked as he read over the letter that Alanna had given him. "Of course I cant say anything more than congratulations, I know you have been undecided for a few months with this topic"

 

"It has been like a miracle to find such a perfect solution to the problem, one that I hope many people can benefit from as we do. I'm sorry to leave you hanging ... -"

 

"Dont worry!" Jacob, ironed the matter, keeping the letter under the keyboard. "I appreciate that you let me know so well in advance, so I can look for a replacement for your position ... although I doubt that is possible. You are one of the most popular teachers, replacing yourself would be impossible!" Alanna rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment, thinking about what she would say to the class she was guarding. She had always chosen the same group since they entered secondary school, tutoring them personally to motivate them to continue studying ... and now she was going to leave them hanging up a year after finishing high school.

"And tell me, do you plan to teach again? I dont want to pressure you in any way, I just ask you to make sure you always have a place here, Alanna"

 

"Well ... technically until the day after tomorrow I will not be pregnant ... but my initial idea is to take 3 sabbaticals until our daughter enters school, and point her to Freewind"

 

"The one next door? Good idea, without a doubt! And since you're not pregnant yet ..." Jacob got up from his chair, opening one of his filing cabinets, taking out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses of a false bottom. "We're in time to celebrate, right?"

 

"Someday you'll get the hiding place, you know?" Jacob denied while rummaging through the collar of his shirt, pulling out a small key. "Ohh ... smart bastard!"

 

"I've been re-elected as a director for 3 cycles. Without a drink from time to time, I would have hung up before finishing the first one!" Jacob stuffed both glasses up, passing one to Alanna. "For your daughter! May the future shine like a star for her "

 

"Salud!" Alanna drank the whiskey in one gulp, promising to remember the taste of alcohol until the day she could become a mother who drinks a glass of wine with food.

 

 

---

 

(Same moment, fertility clinic)

 

The alarm on Liam's phone began to whistle, causing him to lose all concentration. "It's already so late ...?" The professor said as he turned off the alarm, all the while watching the MM. "That Erika is amazing, I havent seen skin so carefully or healthy cells for centuries ..." Spinning his neck to dislodge, Liam heard how the door of his makeshift private clinic would have. The smell of lemonade mixed with coffee was all he needed to know who it was.

 

"Professor, I'm here to cover you during lunch" Meredith left her drink next to her bag, picking up Liam's jacket and pulling it closer.

 

"I know I can trust you, Meredith, but I still have the obligation to remind you: We are facing our most important fertilization, we cant leave anything to chance. Continue modifying the skin sample to get the iPS cell and then let it stand; tonight I'll go with her"

 

"Come on, professor, I know how important this is! I dont need you to tute me like a girl!" Meredith defended herself by giving the jacket to her boss, grabbing him by the shoulders and leading him to the door. "You go to the hotel, eat and enjoy a well-deserved nap. I can take care of everything" Appreciating the well-deserved rest, Liam nodded, putting on his hat and leaving, leaving Meredith alone in the clinic.

The assistant sighed, counting the steps until the professor was far enough away, taking off his own jacket and leaving it on the stretcher. "I'm 42 fucking years old, I dont need you to treat me like a girl after losing the best of my life by following you, you know?"

Frustrated, Meredith sighed as she sat in front of the MM, starting the command console while with the other hand she searched for the usb her father had sent her. Liam Cole could be a genius, but his theories had taken a long time to bear fruit; much more than Meredith was willing to wait for.

 

If he had taken the best that she could offer discarded along with his erroneous theories, the most just thing would be for her to take over the logical generational changeover. For that reason, Meredith had asked her father to find a way to optimize the modification process without telling Liam. Instead of taking the two days that Liam used to need, Meredith planned to do it all in 6 hours.

"Come on, sweety dream machine... it's time to do magic! This planet deserves to remember my name!" Meredith started her father's program, slightly frightened when the MM made a noise similar to a small sizzle ... although the scare did not last long, because the console showed the warning that the program his father had installed correctly.

"All right! Now let's see, was there any specific request?" Meredith asked no one in particular as he lit the copy of Liam's phone, looking at the notes that morning. "Eliminate the recessive gene of myopia in the ovum? Only that? Do they give them the ability to optimize their daughter's genes and just want me that?" Meredith remained silent thoughtfully, swinging the stool back and forth.

"Removing a recessive gene wouldnt help much to sell the event ..." The assistant was fingering the history record, seeing what the other couples had requested. "You see? This has logic! Hair color concretized ... concrete sex ... not only myopia! You have to have very little imagination to stay alone in this! I guess you could not expect more than a little girl and gym matona" Meredith remained thoughtful, swaying with her eyes closed. How ethical would be to choose the best genes of both? And how famous it could be presented all this as the system of definitive fertilization.

 

Unfortunately for Meredith, the worst of luck had been fixed on her.

In one of the backward swings, Meredith lost control of the stool. In an attempt to stabilize herself, she swung her feet trying to catch the edge of the marble to avoid seeing the ground up close ... hitting the MM in the process and also falling helplessly.

"Ohhhh...!" The assistant groaned in pain as she tried to compose herself, pulling the stool to one side to make herself sit up. "This didnt happen to me since high school ..." Feeling hurt and ridiculous, Meredith looked up at the sound of the MM ... the noise that used to sound when the modification program had begun.

"No, NO NO!" The maid stood up quickly like a cougar, watching the scene. In one of the kicks to the air, Meredith had managed to hit both the keyboard of the command console and the pendrive of her father, splitting with the entrance still inserted. This fact, together with the kick, had caused his father's shortcuts system to begin a conversion to iPS and then to an automated chosen cell, one of the biggest new functions. (Designed to make mass MM)

"Duration ... 5 hours? Only? I know that dad is smart but I didnt expect him to optimize the system so much" Meredith kept looking at the MM, noticing how only half of the machine was working. Clicking on the screen, Meredith ended up arriving at a new option that the MM did not have available:

<< System of modification and multiple acceptance >>

"Seriously, dad? Now you can do the entire conversion process of both cells ... and the impregnation one at the same time?" Meredith blinked a couple of times, coming to the conclusion that there was only one option.

Go forward.

Without any fear, the assistant took the ovary from the clinic's refrigerator, depositing it in the MM and starting the program. "The sleeping pills that I put between the pills will keep you asleep until nine o'clock at night ..." Meredith smiled to herself as she lay on the stretcher of the fertilization capsule, oblivious to what was really happening in the MM and the sounds emits this. Closing her eyes, Meredith began to take a nap, dreaming of her speech when she accepted the Nobel Prize for medicine.

"I'm going to record my name in the annals of the story, long before Professor Cole" Meredith said to herself while she managed to fall asleep despite the various sounds coming from the MM nothing usual.

Of course, Meredith didnt know that although her words would come true, they wouldnt be the way she expected ... but not by a long shot.

 

 

---

 

(Even same day, 9:30 p.m.)

 

Erika and Alanna dined while commenting on a humorous video when Alanna's phone rang. Apologizing to her wife, Alanna ran up to find her phone, taking advantage of the ring tone to locate it among all the dirty clothes of the day.

"I have it!" Alanna yelled out from between a bra and Erika's pants. While her wife answered the phone, Erika decided to remove the table to go to the couch together ... and just when she had the plate with the salad, Alanna's scream of emotion was so strong that the scare dish fell into the abyss, breaking on one side when falling on the ground.

"ERIKA! WHO ALREADY HAVE THE OVUM READY?! YOU AND ME!" Alanna's emotion made it difficult for Erika to understand the message directly, but after 3 seconds of reasoning, Erika could only run over the broken plate, lifting her wife up and hugging her like never before.

 

"As soon?! Really?!" Erika asked for patience with her hand, trying to put the speaker of her mobile ... only to discover that they had accidentally hung up. "Shit!" They shouted both at the same time while Erika left her wife on the floor.

 

"Nothing happens! Nothing's wrong!" Alanna took a deep breath before climbing onto the couch to be taller than Erika, as she used to be when giving important news. "Meredith, Professor Cole's assistant-"

"I know who she is, I dont need a flashback about her!"

 

"Perfect then! Meredith says that the new program designed by his father for MM allows, thanks to the fact that the piece of Freotin allows to maintain a much greater flow of energy, prepare both your sperm cell and my egg at the same time, inseminating in the process!" Erika blinked more confused than ever, because although she knew well the utility and importance of the freotin, an effect like this was not within what she thought possible. "Dont give it more laps! We have to go to the clinic running, the owner is going to do us the favor of inserting my ovum tonight!"

 

"I cant believe it ... tonight we're going to be 3 already in bed?"

 

"Well ... not exactly, what they're going to insert is an inseminated ovule, it's still a long way from being a fetus-"

"Alanna, my love, I know how this works! I tried to make the moment more magical if possible! You know what? Let's get rid of nonsense and go to the clinic running-" Alanna's expression of disgust at the word run was too much for Erika's heart. "Okay, by car, we're going by car"

 

"Yes!" Alanna raised her arms in victory, proud that her first whim as pregnant (In a few moments) had been fulfilled.

Even though it was April, the night was quite cold and wet, so taking the car was a good decision.

 

 

---

 

(Fertilization clinic)

Andif it were a wild colt, Alanna ran away as soon as Erika parked the car on the sidewalk. Swaying through the clinic, ignoring that all the lights were off, Alanna reached the door of Liam's room frantically beating.

"Proffesor Cole! Meredith! Let me in! LET ME IN!" The knocking on the door continued until the Meredith opened the door slowly.

 

"Come alone?"

 

"Eh? Yes, why?" Meredith said nothing, closing the door and reopening it with less fear. "Go fast, we dont have much time"

"But Erika is parking-"

"No matter! Now I open again!" Meredith grabbed Alanna by the shoulder, pulling her toward the clinic and closing the door behind her. "Let's not waste time, lie naked on the stretcher while we wait for your wife to come, okay?"

 

"Why such a hurry?"

"As soon as your wife arrive-" Two knocks on the door that were like a breath of fresh air for Meredith. Opening the door, the maid also tried to pull her ... only Meredith didnt weigh as little as Alanna. "Dont resist! We dont have much time!"

Erika narrowed her eyes, watching as her wife undressed. Although the clinic was closed except for them, Erika's sense of modesty made her enter by closing the door behind her to avoid prying eyes. "All right! You are both here! We dont have much time before the professor wakes up from his drunkenness" Meredith brought a stool for Erika as she leaned against the marble, breathing deeply before explaining the situation. "I'm sorry to have called you with such urgency, but the situation required it. Professor Cole plans, or planned, to blackmail your grandfather with the inseminated ovum, Alanna"

 

"What?!" Erika shouted raising her voice much more than she considered correct. "I knew it was too nice to do all this for free considering that the other couples had been charged $ 10,000 ..."

 

Meredith nodded as she urged her to get up and look at the MM still on. Erika obeyed, seeing through the control console her newly developed sperm." It's amazing, right? You can check it, it's your genetic material one hundred percent. You just have to press the green button and the MM will insert it into the ovule" Meredith explained while making a hole to Alanna, who also wanted to see it with her own eyes.

 

The marriage was so close, so close to finally fulfilling their dream ... that Erika couldnt help but distrust. "And you why are you helping us? Are you your assistant, right?"

 

"I can be Liam's assistant..." Meredith hit her chest with her fist, keeping a determined and honest look at Erika. "But that doesnt mean that I approve of things like collecting so much in a process that became profitable after the first pregnancy! How could I look in the mirror if I now let Liam plan to blackmail Mr. Barlow?!"

 

"You're covering your backs, right?"

 

Meredith remained silent, lowering her head. "I cant deny that I dont want to be involved in this..."

 

Alanna holds her wife's hand, telling her without words that they should trust Meredith. "Okay ... you're too good, Ala..." Erika kissed her wife, pressing the green button on the command console. (All this accompanied by the applause of Meredith)

 

"Great! Alanna, to the stretcher!" Meredith rushed the couple while activating another button on the keyboard, inserting the fertilization cannula to transfer the embryo. "I will explain what will happen next: Alanna, once you enter the camera I will inject progesterone, which together with the climate inside the camera will allow us to ensure 100% pregnancy" Alanna nodded, sitting stiffly on the stretcher. "Go ahead, doctor! Put my daughter inside!"

 

The process was slow, and judging by how much her wife and Meredith were sweating, quite uncomfortable. Fearing for her wife, Erika had to hold on to not try to open the door of the chamber.

And thanks to that contention, Meredith started the final step. "Ay!" Alanna sighed when the assistant inserted the cannula, counting up to three to activate the pressure pump. "Erika, tell me what is written in the MM!" The assistant asked, holding the cannula high.

 

"Process ... process completed!" Erika shouted too nervous to see the rest of the words. Meredith sighed, pulling the cannula from inside Alanna, helping him to get up to get out of the chamber. "My love! Are you okay?" Erika couldnt notice how sweaty Alanna was, much more than Erika could remember ever seeing her ... not even that time they shared an intimate moment in the gym sauna. (With erotic and highly dangerous health results)

 

"I look like a chicken ... and it's normal because I have an egg inside!" Alanna jumped into her wife's arms, completely ignoring things like being naked and sweaty. "We're going to be moms, we're going to be moms!" The two sang while Meredith sat on one of the stools, fanning herself with some folios.

 

"Meredith ... I was wrong with you ..." Erika said leaving her wife on the floor, offering her hand to the assistant to get up. "If there is anything we can do to help..."

 

"The truth? Yes there is ... " Meredith pointed to one of the boxes under the marbles with the hand that didnt hold the pages. "The MM, apart from being partially water resistant, works without the need for an electric current in case of a blackout, so it is only necessary to charge it and clean it after each use. If you are so kind to unplug everything and store it in the box ..."

 

No more words were needed, for while Alanna dressed and she and Meredith recovered, Erika kept the MM fast and efficient ... as Meredith expected.

Offering to take her to the maid's car, Erika held the box with both arms opening wide enough for Meredith and Alanna to cling to her. The trio left the fertilization clinic, Meredith closing the door behind her with the keys that the owner had lent her. "Sure you dont need us to take you?" Erika asked as she left Alanna sitting in her car. "It's sparkling, and it doesnt bother me to drive where you need to after everything you've done for us"

 

"Calm down!" Meredith said as she closed the trunk of her car, with the MM well secured inside. "My father's house is not far from here, north across the river. You take your wife home, normally all pregnant women leave here at the edge of sleep..." A snore from Erika's car helped the explanation. "There you have it! Next morning make sure you take her to the gynecologist for you to give you all the rest of the information, this is now a normal pregnancy" Erika nodded, taking a goodbye hug to the assistant, before leaving for home.

 

"It was too easy ... better for me" Meredith smiled as she climbed into her own car and headed towards the place where she planned to hide the MM with her pendrive still inside, and then return to the clinic and pretend a robbery to give explanations to the disappearance of the machine. A perfect plan without fissures, Meredith thought as she walked away from the street, oblivious to the two hooded figures approaching the fertility clinic.

 

"There is nobody, boss" The shorter of both announced while looking through the glass of the door, waiting for his partner to take the copy of the keys.

"Remember, we have to take everything that belongs to Professor Cole and nothing else, I know you and I know you have a very long hand with safes"

"Who do you think I am?! I just said that as we entered- "The shorter one activated a Jammer before entering, unaware that Meredith had not activated the security alarm.

 

 

---

 

 

(2 hours later, Highway north of BrightSide)

 

Meredith drove slower than she would like, both from the rain that had gone from sparking to heavy rain accompanied by storm clouds in a matter of half an hour as well as from her own exhaustion from being in the camera. The only thing that consoled her was seeing the old bridge that was still to be crossed in the distance, the last bridge before reaching the old rural house of her mother.

"What a night ... and I still need the return trip to place the other MM" Meredith turned up the volume to the radio, trying to distract herself until arriving.Unfortunately, the last of the night's odds was still to come.

Crossing the bridge, Meredith found that a family car was crossing it in the opposite direction. What had to be just a normal crossing between both cars, became a tragedy when lightning struck the bridge.

The driver of the other car swerved through the scare, changing lanes and hitting in the process the meredith car that had also moved away from the lane trying to flee from a second beam. The impact, coupled with the wet roadway and Meredith's meager reaction capacity, was enough for the maid's car to hit the outside wall of the bridge with enough force to break it and rush into the river.

Thanks to Meredith how was driving without a belt and the quick reaction of the other driver calling emergency, the assistant was saved from certain death. The impact against the wall had been enough for the boot lid to open, falling into the river with the trunk open.

Thanks to this, the MM separated from the car, burying itself by the flow of water in the earth and thus avoiding that when they removed the car from the bottom of the lake the operators found the device. The river continued to flow with the MM running and releasing the Liam mixes into the waters that would eventually reach the water treatment and purification plants that supply Brightside drinking water.

 

On April 7, 2018, heaven and earth agreed to cause the smallest possible probabilities to take place.

Thanks to the lie of Meredith, when Professor Cole called Alanna and Erika to inform them that they had stolen the MM with all their equipment and that the pregnancy had to be delayed a few months since he had to return to New York to be able to manufacture everything again, the marriage was fast telling the teacher that they no longer needed him since they had decided to opt for a much simpler and easier in vitro fertilization.

No word from Cole served to convince them to wait, so the professor sighed cursing who had stolen his things, making him lose equipment worth several tens of thousands of dollars ... thieves who never showed up.

 

Thanks to the real robbery that had taken place at the fertility clinic and the car accident, Meredith escaped suspicion. Both the police and the teacher believed the story that he was going to the old house of his mother to relive memories after checking that there was no stolen material in the house or in the car of this, so resigned Cole gave the MM for lost, asking his colleague to start making a new one.

Due to the injuries and while Meredith passed unconscious, memories of the April 7 remained clouded in her mind, helping to declare without a hint of lies in her.

 

Thanks to the storm that night and its small size, the MM was completely hidden under the earth that the river dragged protecting it from divers and operators alike. And this hiding place was ideal so that the mysterious malfunction of the MM will continue to pour its liquids directly into the river, infecting all those who drank tap water or public sources.

A series of coincidences, wonderful or disastrous as they appear, so perfectly orchestrated that they gave rise to the birth not only of Anne Barlow Holm, but also to that of her faithful army.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

(May 14: Week 6 of pregnancy)

 

"And then it's Barlow's turn!" The nurse yelled back into the office.

The gynecology waiting room was half empty, so Erika and Alanna felt that screaming at the top of their lungs was a little exaggerated ... and even then, nothing could snatch the smile from their mouths. This visit to the gynecologist would be the first in which they would see Anne or the first form of what Anne would be ... something that neither of them could still believe.

Adapting to the pregnancy had been a hard task for both, since Erika decided to commit herself to her wife, also abandoning caffeine. And such a simple act had altered the rhythm of life of Alanna much more than she expected:

• Instead of coffee in the morning, Erika had started a dynamic breakfast and stretching to help her wife wake up properly.
• Instead of coffee at mid-morning, Alanna's fellow teachers encouraged her and accompanied her by asking for juices during lunch.
• Instead of coffee after lunch, Alanna's mother had advised her to go for a walk to clear up and start the afternoon with energy ...

In a small part of her heart (A too small and completely overshadowed by the feeling of taking her daughter inside), the lack of caffeine was killing her and that only took six weeks since Meredith ran the risk of helping them ...

 

"We should go see Meredith after this" Alanna suggested trying to separate Erika from her mobile game.

 

"Remember that she told us that while Professor Cole is visiting her, it would be a great risk to go through her room"

 

"I know ..." Alanna narrowed her eyes, taking the phone from her wife whimpering like a small child. "I know it would be risky, but after an accident like this it seems terrible to have to wait for her to come home ..."Erika couldnt help smiling, encircling her little wife with her arm.

 

"I also want to see her to thank her and the good news about our little one ... but for now we must be patient. Meredith has suffered a very serious accident and although she plans to stop working for Cole, her father and professor Cole are great friends so it will cost more to find holes to see her" Alanna huddled next to her wife, not letting the uncomfortable hospital seats prevent him from enjoying some physical contact.

Physical contact that had increased a lot in the couple since the insemination, to the point that Alanna began to notice that Erika had trouble keeping up with the rhythm of some nights. Hormonal changes are something that Alanna had well anticipated and assumed from before Cole offered them the deal, and even then they were much wilder than I expected. The greatest example was at the beginning of May, while celebrating Erika's birthday:

 

During the time of the cake, Alanna was responsible for keeping and remove the blindfold from her wife in the middle of the song ... but as soon as Alanna's little brother pronounced Bilday instead of Birthday, an anger that Alanna didnt feel for years invaded her insides. Rising up suddenly, the pregnant woman threw the cake to the ground while she began to scream like crazy incoherences about the need to master English to a Swedish boy of 12 years; to immediately begin to cry pleading with the families of both to learn the language of the other party in an attempt to break the normative barriers and fight against the dictatorship of isolationism.

All this for hours after being snoring like an old motorcycle hugging her wife next to the pool.

 

The most curious thing is that Alanna couldnt remember anything of that afternoon, only having the memories thanks to the recording of her grandfather. "Barlow's turn! Alanna Barlow, it's your turn!" The nurse shouted while the previous woman left the gynecologist.

 

"We're still not far away to be yelled at, dont we?" Alanna joked as wife kissed her forehead, entering both hands to the consultation.

 

 

---

 

(June 3, Week 9 of pregnancy)

 

"On the right! No no, wait! A little more to the left! ... It doesnt convince me, it doesnt convince me at all" Alanna sighed as she adjusted her posture for the fifth time since they sat down after eating. (towards 6 minutes of it)

Alanna's new belly full of love was a problem for the Indian posture she used to have on the couch, and finding a new position was difficult.

 

"My love ..." Erika begged while leaving the hammer next to the television. "I know you want it to be well centered ... but the TV has an even number, it is impossible to place a photograph with an odd width on a piece of furniture that fits perfectly-"

 

"It can! You listen to me and put it a little more to the right-left! ... I'm sure there was a word for what I mean" Alanna insisted, driving her wife crazy. As much as Erika adored and stared at the ultrasound of her daugther finally with a own heart, dealing with a pregnant woman and furniture at the same time was a titanic task.

"Center?"

"That! You put it in the center!" Erika's right eye blinked a couple of times alone while the patient wife tried to restrain her desire to scream that putting it in the center was the problem and not the solution.

According to Dr. Theo, the hormone levels of Alanna were skyrocketing, something worrisome if it werent for the fact that Anne was the largest fetus (No matter how ugly that sound) that the General Hospital Cruz de California had never seen ... and almost almost the largest in the whole country. Nor is it that Erika was surprised, her mother had already made it clear how big she was also both a fetus and at birth ... leading to an uncomfortable conversation between the mothers of both about the size and difficulty of giving birth to their children.

One that didnt marry anything with the food on the cowboy day that Velio had organized for both families.

 

"You know? When we start looking for a house, we have to make sure that the walls are odd so we can hang a lot of photos. I want pictures on the beach, pictures on the mountain, in the snow, at the amusement park, on the beach" Alanna continued listing places while Erika nailed the hook so that she couldnt make it move again, sitting next to her wife with her legs spread to place it in the middle of your lap.

 

"You have decided what want to look?" Her wife's question didnt catch Erika by accident, smiling as she stretches to grab both of their tablet from the dining table. "You see ... buying us a full apartment is an interesting idea at least ... but if I have learned something living with you is that you are very energetic, my love" Alanna took the hand of her wife, kissing the back as he went to the next image. "If Anne leaves with only 50% of your energy, living in a building with people up and down is discarded. Thus…"

 

"Urbanization Shady Sands?" Erika read while Alanna was taking pictures, showing a community that Erika had seen advertised on several posters throughout the city.

 

"Yep! 50 family homes on two floors and with 6 bedrooms, all with front and back garden! They will be finished by the summer of 2019, and my grandfather is an investor, so we can easily get a good house! I know we dont live near the beach, but Bright Hill Park is the largest and ideal place to take your children and the mall center would help us a lot with the shopping theme ... and living here we would be 15 minutes walk from the park and half mall time!"

 

Erika nodded slowly, enjoying the swollen cheeks of Alanna in an attempt to convince her. "You really want to live here, dont you?" Alanna nodded without releasing the air from her cheeks. "A typical American urbanization ... will I be your dazzling foreign blonde wife? I dont have so much meat to expose by your side, unfortunately ..."

 

"Come on!" Alanna quickly jumped up to cheer on her wife, turning around and hugging Erika's neck, throwing her on the couch. "You have big tits, big ass, scandal height, model face and some muscles that are the definition of sexuality! With someone like you next to me I will be the envy of the neighborhood!" Alanna took her wife's hands, placing them on her own belly causing Erika to notice the growing curvature. "You feel it? It's your daughter, my love. She and I love you more than anything in the world, and for us you will always be the most beautiful in the world ... and whoever thinks otherwise will find your big, soft and delicate hands and your big, feminine feet and ... and. ..."

 

Erika frowned, moving her slightly wetter against her wife. Why are you imagining me naked if I'm here in front, my love?" Erika whispered in her wife's ear, biting her earlobe gently.

 

"How can I imagine you naked? You're everything in my head all day, Erika" Alanna said as she knelt down to take off her shirt, beginning another intimate afternoon.

 

 

---

 

(July 23, week 12 of pregnancy)

 

"Ummm ..." Dr. Theo was passing the transducer all over Alanna's belly, leaving the marriage in constant tension. "No wonder you already have a remarkable belly"

 

"Eh, why? Is something wrong?!" Alanna asked as Erika urged her to take a deep breath and relax, no less scared than she was. The morning had been really terrible for Alanna, full of vomiting, dizziness and a time of tears (Joy and then sadness) to notice that the bra and favorite shirt of Alanna had been too small.

 

Theo kept the transducer on its pedestal, turning the screen toward marriage. "You'll see, normally for this date the fetus-" Theo circled the image of Anne with his finger. "Start measuring for the-"

"Head to buttocks" Erika and Alanna said at once, urging the teacher to hurry. "As I dont know if you use inches or centimeters usually, let me explain it to you both. For weeks 11 or 12, the fetus begins to grow skin and nails, to separate the fingers and toes, to appear the sexual organ that in this case doesnt matter because it can only be a girl; that by the way, you can see here a good plane of his groin" Theo pointed to the screen, typing with the other hand.

"And the most important part: The bones begin to harden and the fetus reaches an average LCC of between 2 inches or 6 centimeters to 3 inches or 7 centimeters and a half"

 

...

The couple looked at each other for a moment, Erika being the one to ask. "And where is the problem?"

 

"Well, you will see ... Anne is 3.8 inches or what is the same, 9 centimeters with about 6 millimeters ... much more than it should be for the date on which we are. In the previous measurement we already found that Anne was the 2th largest fetus in California ... but this time I wouldnt have any trouble placing it among the largest in the United States"

 

"There is some risk ..." Alanna couldnt finish the sentence, beginning to cry hugging her wife's arm. Theo quickly denied with hands and head, trying to calm the pregnant woman. "No way! Anne is growing properly! There's nothing weird in her development, not one single ... it's just ... it's bigger than average. If you allow me the advice, tell family and friends to not buy clothes ahead ... I can put your hand on the fire saying that Anne will break all the records of the hospital"

 

"So that's it?" Alanna asked sounding the snot, regaining her composure. (more or less)

 

"Yes, for today you can get dressed now. I'm going to ask you for a hormonal control study every 4 days to see how you are evolving until we meet again at the end of July; and dont be scared by what I just said, it's routine. Anne is bigger than the rest of the children in this state, so it is normal for your body to need more resources to feed it correctly, so keep the diet I gave you but increasing all values r03;r03;by 25%" Erika and Alanna nodded while Erika helped Alanna get dressed, saying goodbye to the doctor as they left the office ... only to find not one, but two surprises.

 

Alanna's grandfather, Velio and Erika's grandfather, Melker Holm, waiting for them in the waiting room. (Separated by a total of three chairs away: A completely empty central and one on each side with the jacket of each perfectly folded)

"Grandfather? What are you doing here?"

"Grandpa Melker ... when you have-" The couple asked, addressing their respective grandparents, who stood up at the same time keeping the mourning of fixed glances between them.

 

"I caught Ulyses leaving for the airport to pick up this old man, so I used my contacts to find out where they were going and I have stood here before to watch him"

"Hälsningen alltid på svenska, min blomma. Dina föräldrar har övertalat mig att komma till Amerika med sådan förskott, med ursäkt för att jag är pensionär, jag behöver inte gå runt fabriken" The grandparents answered at once, staring at each other all the time. (In a too shameful dispute for Erika and Alanna, who were trying to cover their faces with their hands)

 

"What did you say about me in that weird language?" Velio asked narrowing his eyes.

 

"Weird language? At least my language is mine, not like your English imported from England" Melker responded by imitating the gesture. "And what I say to my granddaughter and my granddaughter is not your business, Scrooge McDuck"

 

"Scrooge? Well look, I prefer it to be an old man who devotes himself to going to his old job every day to make sure everything is the same ... ALTHOUGH THE OWNERS OF THE FACTORY HAVE ASKED YOU STOP IT!"

 

"IT IS WHAT HAS TO HAVE APPRECIATION FOR THE MANUAL WORK! I KNOW THAT FOR A RICH OF LITTLE MOUNTS LIKE YOU MUST SOUND TO CHINESE STORY!"

 

"HANDWORK? SERIOUSLY DO YOU CALL A REVIEWER OF A TOYS FACTORY A MANUAL POST?!"

 

"BEFORE I BECOME THE REVIEWER I WAS A WORKER, AND THEN DESIGNER! I HAVE PASSED THROUGH ALL THE POSITIONS OF THAT FACTORY, SO I HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES GOOD!"

 

"GRANDPA, GRANDFATHER MELKER!" Alanna shouted, instantly removing both elders from their fight. "It's just that you dont understand ..." Her eyes began to glaze over. "How much it hurts to see you fight?! You are my family and I dont want nor can I stand to see you like that!"

 

"My granddaughter ... I ... I'm so sorry"

"Alanna, min nya blomma ... I ... I'm sorry" The elders apologized as they got up with their jackets in hand to attend to the pregnant woman.

 

"If you love me so much ... go to the cafeteria and go asking for an orange juice and a loin and cheese sandwich ... an entire one" Alanna pleaded with tears, seeing Velio and Melker running towards the ground floor.

 

"You're not crying, are you?" Erika asked quietly, wrapping her arms around her wife's shoulders.

 

"Not at all, but it was this or let them fight and mount a scene in the hospital"

 

 

---

 

(June 30, 2018. Week 13 of pregnancy)

 

Hundreds of people were protesting on Brightside's edge, shouting at the soldiers that they were only doing their job by placing a security perimeter around the city. Hundreds of journalists broadcast live the entire operation directed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

<< Filtration of chemical waste forces to isolate an entire city >>

<< Brightside or RacoonSide? A mysterious water sample alerts the authorities >>

<< Tens of thousands of people infected by an unknown pathogen, the government quarantines Brightside, California until they get answers >>

All the country's channels and hundreds of international reporters covered the news, filling out television and internet with the name of Brightside. "We are located on the outskirts of Brightside in California, where the government has declared total quarantine after the discovery of a strange virus or pathogen, the experts still do not know what to call it, in the water of the public system of the city. As preventive measures-"

 

Erika turned off the TV, holding her closer. "Who would do that? What do you gain by spreading a virus in the drinking water network?" Alanna sounded really nervous, even though she had received the confirmation that Anne was perfectly fine that morning.

 

"I dont know and honestly, you better not know it because I would personally break the bastard's face ..." Erika sighed, taking the bottle of bottled water and passing it to her wife. "Drink a little, Ala ... you're sweating a lot and I doubt that's good for Anne"

 

Alanna thanked as she uncorked the bottle, drinking almost half a liter of fresh water at once. "Better! Pregnancy, summer and now this news ... I guess this year the annual trip to Hawaii to visit Grandma Ke is canceled, right?" Erika nodded without much desire, annoyed that she could not take pictures of her pregnant wife on the beach.

 

"What a breeze ... at least we have redirected drinking water from Sacramento, so there is no excuse for not showering and those things ..."

 

"Do you imply that I stink?" Erika pricked her wife's cheek, making her meow softly.

 

"You know? A little. Now that I have a better sense of smell because of the amount of hormones that it is putting directly into my body-" Alanna patted her slightly more prominent belly. "I can practice my super smell to detect that you dont smell only your sweat when you come from the gym, if not the other athletes ... who dont smell half as good as you!"

 

"But I cant do anything to prevent it either! My job is to help train other people, I cant help not to smell the sweat of others if I have to be around all day with men and women working their bodies!" Alanna remained silent, taking another sip of the water without actually swallowing it. In a surprise attack, Alanna grabbed her wife by the neck, kissing her with tongue passing all the water from mouth to mouth.

 

"That my love-" Alanna licked her lips as sensually as heat and exhaustion allowed her. "It's my way of telling you a new rule of this house: Every time you come back from work you should go yes or yes to the shower"

 

 

---

 

(July 12, Week 15 of pregnancy)

 

"Cursed bastards av CIA, from har säkert varit de som har smittat stadens vatten ... Titta, låt oss inte gå!" Melker grunted as they watched the news, taking advantage of the ignorance of the rest of the family to curse the culprits of their conspiracy theories.

 

"I assume that with CIA you mean our CIA" Velio growled back, trying to take away the control of television without much effect. Thanks to coincidences of life the whole family of Alanna and Erika were in Brightside during the quarantine closure, so Alanna was going to celebrate her birthday with 99% of her family. (Only missing her maternal grandmother Ke'ala, who refused to take a plane under any circumstances)

The house of the parents of Alanna, Roland and Zara, welcomed both families divided by the different rooms:

• Velio and Melker arguing on the couch for control of television (And for whatever they could think of) while Alanna's younger brother, Fraje, play with his Switch.
• In the garden there were two clear groups: On the one hand the father of Alanna, Roland cooking accompanied by the father of Erika, Ravel. By the pool, the sunbathing of both the sons of Alanna's elder uncle, Callen and Sidney, and Alanna's other uncle, Declan, rested.
• A proud duel was taking place in the kitchen: Alanna's elder uncle, Louie and his wife Ely, against Roland's wife, Zara and Erika's grandmother, Maj. A culinary battle to see which couple took less time to prepare all the appetizers and dessert.

 

And finally Erika was in Alanna's old room, waiting for her wife to come out of her old bathroom.

"My love…"

 

"SHUT UP!" Alanna screamed, not caring that no one in her family listened to her. The whole argument had come from an innocent joke by Erika, who had compared Alanna's belly with her green bikini with a watermelon tied to cool in a river. An innocent joke that had pulled a smile from everyone in the garden ... except for Alanna, who ran out of the pool and wet the whole house along the way. "YOU HATE ME! YOU HATE EVERYTHING!"

 

Erika rolled her eyes, sighing and knocking again on the door. "You know that's not true ..."

 

"I AM A WATERMELON! YOU HAVE SAID IT!" According to the gynecologist's urgent review, (Ordered by the Department of Health for all Brightside pregnant women in an attempt to discover what it was the virus/pathogen that all Brightside's inhabitants had in the body without causing any effect negative) Anne had reached 6 inches (about 15 centimeters), a size that normally reached between weeks 17/18.

 

"I'm already ... I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry, Ala ..." Erika begged kneeling in front of the door, leaning her head against it. "If you're worth something ... you're a watermelon that puts me ..." Erika stopped immediately, realizing the idiocy she was going to say.

 

"Say it"

"No Please…"

"SAY IT! Say how horny I make you feel!"

 

"GOD! OKAY! HORNY LIKE A BIKE! YOU MAKE ME SO HORNEY, SWEETY!" The bathroom door burst open, causing Erika to lose consciousness until she fell against what looked like Alanna's legs.

 

And when Erika went to apologize, what she saw raising her sight silenced her completely. "Go ahead, show how horny you are..."

 

"B...but your family and mine are down there ..." Erika responded nervously, ignoring how Alanna lowered her hand until she grabbed her wife's chin, squeezing it and bringing it closer to her crotch.

 

"Did I tell you to talk?" Alanna answered firmly but without losing an erotic touch in her voice, something Erika had never seen before in her marriage. "Now get to work, you will need a lot of effort to have me deign to go down again ... and as you know, pregnancy makes it hard for me to settle" Erika mentally pointed out that they had to warn the gynecologist about her wife's excessive sexual desire, all while doing it enjoying what was coming. To be Alanna's birthday, both will be the ones who received a gift.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(August 9, Week 19 of pregnancy)

 

"22 centimeters?!" Erika and Alanna shouted at the same time, unable to believe the number that appears on the screen. Unable would not be the right word, because the belly was too prominent compared to the pictures of pregnant women in the same week that Alanna had put the marriage in perspective.

 

"I know that the number seems very big ... and it is ... but you shouldnt be scared" Theo was highlighting several parts of the ultrasound on the screen. "Your daughter is growing correctly, if no difference to other babies except on the issue of size ... I would normally offer to see some of my colleagues in Sacramento or San Francisco ... but you know we are the plague of America" r03;r03;Theo shrugged while looking for a wipe to clean the cream on Alanna's belly.

"It doesnt start to seem strange to you that this virus or pathogen ... I dont even know how they want us to call it. The virus didnt cause us anything but they dont want to risk leaving us leaving ... you only need to put on a dome like in the novel"

 

"Doctor ..." Erika said softly, approaching him. "Is excessive sexual desire normal?"

"Erika!"

"I'm sorry, Ala ..." Erika clasped her hands apologetically, though she didnt plan to stop. "But you've been insatiable for 3 days and I'm starting to worry ... I dont know how many hormones can cause pregnancy, but none of the pages we've seen suggests that this level of energy is normal!" Erika's concern was something Theo understood perfectly, and at the same time the revelation caused the gynecologist to meditate in silence. "Doctor, do you know something?"

 

Theo didnt answer, raising his finger to ask for silence as he headed to his desk, checking the computer. As the doctor recalled, 7 of the 10 pregnant women he was carrying shared similar observations, both in their hormonal levels through the clouds and by the comments of their partners ... something Theo was beginning to fear was related to the assumption virus that the government claimed had infected the entire city.

And that certainly couldnt mean anything good. "Alanna, Erika ..." Theo turned to them, waving them around. "I'm going to ask you to not share with anyone about this excessive sexual energy or excess hormones with anyone. This should be between us, but you arent the only couple that tells me something like that ... you are the only one with such a big daughter, but the rest of the couples also present the same symptoms and it cant be coincidental with the whole mysterious virus theme"

 

"Is it because of that virus? Seriously?" Erika and Alanna looked at each other for a moment, with more disbelief than fear. "Is it real? I mean the virus" Theo nodded without wishing, sighing as he searched for the hospital report to show to the couple.

 

"You see, it's true that there's something very strange about the entire Brightside population ... if not, keeping us in quarantine would be a federal crime. According to the scientists who came to the hospital to use our laboratory, it seems that it is some kind of inert virus of unknown origin that is spread by and exclusively fresh water, that is why we have redirected the water from Sacramento while they have closed the purifying plant to investigate it"

 

"How did the government learn about the virus if it is inert? According to what the authorities say and what you have explained to us, there should be no reason to find the virus without prior information" Alanna hugged her stomach with both hands, trying to keep quiet during the conversation.

 

"It seems that it was thanks to routine anti-doping tests that the city soccer team did. They found this virus in their blood and before the refusal of the team, and discover that the trainer also had it tied up and started the whole process ... honestly, quarantine seems a bit strange considering that it isnt transmitted in any way when entering in the body…-"

"Doctor! the people wait to enter!" The nurse yelled, banging on the door, causing the trio to startle.

"It seems that for today we must say goodbye, girls. I'm going to give you an appointment for the next ultrasound for Monday, two weeks from now and a review appointment for the beginning of September, plus I'm going to ask you for some blood tests, Alanna. I want to have more controlled your hormone levels in detail"

 

 

---

 

(August 24, Week 21 of pregnancy)

 

"26 centimeters? My granddaughter is already a quarter of a meter? Jesus!" Ravel twisted the fork, picking up another batch of spaghetti. The dinner with the parents of both had been animated and amusing, until the moment in which Alanna took the ultrasound of that week to teach it. What she hoped was a moment of joy and affection had become a silence between tense, cheerful and worried.

 

"Honey ..." Zara grabbed her daughter's hand, looking alternately between her eyes and her stomach for almost 24 weeks. "Are not you hiding something? Everything's fine, right?"

 

"Of course!" Alanna sank into her chair, staring at the ultrasound. "Anne has nothing different from other children other than her size! The rest is absolutely normal! WE KNOW HOW STRANGE IT IS ALL THIS, BUT IT DOES NOT MATTER! IT'S OUR DAUGHTER WHO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER! THE LIGHT OF OUR LIFE! WHAT MATTERS IF SHE IS A LITTLE BIGGER THAN THE AVERAGE?!"

 

"I think I can stop talking for everyone ..." Ravel got up from the table, picking up his plate and taking it to Roland and Alanna who were scrubbing all the dirty dishes of the dinner and preparing it. "When I say that Anne is a gift from heaven! She is our granddaughter! Everything that happens ... is that we are concerned about both her and your health, Alanna"

 

Alanna said nothing, getting up and going to the sofa, dropping between the cushions. They werent the first people to express their concern (Actually, the parents of both were the last of the family to express themselves) nor would they be the last ones, since Anne's rhythm of over-growth kept increasing exponentially. (Normal thing on the other hand, only starting from a much larger initial size)

In the end, the couple had accepted Theo's advice to be prepared in case a preventive caesarean section was necessary... although it didnt mean that they were too happy with the decision. Much less considering the great state of health of Alanna, ignoring nausea, vomiting and a vertigo attack a few days ago was carrying the pregnancy very calmly. (And with too much excitement, but while Erika could handle it that was not bad at all)

"Hey ..." Zara approached her daughter, grabbing her by the shoulder. "You know we love you, right?"

 

"Of course I do!" Alanna moved forward, letting Erika join her by sitting behind her as a spoon. "I dont doubt it for a second! And I love you all!" Erika hugged her wife, stroking her arms to calm her down. "I cant wait for Anne to be born ... to grow up and we can go to your restaurant, Mom ... to be able to go to Sweden so that Anne knows her other half ... to be able to take her on an excursion everywhere! And all that can be done no matter if her size is bigger than the others kids! ... I'm sorry, Mom ... I have hormone levels completely revolutionized and I have a hard time controlling emotions"

 

Zara knew that her daughter was sincere, too sincere compared to her usual attitude. Sitting next to the couple while Roland and Ravel brought the office chairs to sit with them. "If Anne is very tall and large, we can finally use my contacts in the textile company of Uncle Franz to make some very cute overnight bags" Ravel said to himself without bothering to lower his voice, bringing a smile to everyone present.

 

"Over...night bags?" Zara and Alanna asked at the same time, watching as Erika nodded.

 

"They are basically an extra for the pajamas. They are like warm and soft cotton sacks, with braces or arms on top so that the baby can hold and turn ... a nice and warm way to prevent newborns from catching a cold when they uncover during the night!" 

 

"I've seen them in the form of a star in some magazines," Zara explained, believing they were talking about the same as Ravel. "And now that you mention it, can we buy things like the cradle? To those things her size dont matter-"

 

"No." Roland said flatly, completely stopping the conversation and the insistence of de Zara and Ravel. "Purchases can wait until the end of pregnancy; so let's be patient, let's enjoy something as beautiful as it is to see our granddaughter grow up to the stage and let the pressures and purchases to the end" The owner of one of the best restaurants in Brightside, Roland the silent, was instrumental in helping Alanna and Erika with the necessary space.

 

 

---

 

(September 28, Week 26 of pregnancy)

 

Alanna hurried down the avenue, trying to combine her purse, the bag with the ultrasound, the bag with lunch for her and Erika and last but not least her own belly worthy of a 37-week pregnant. As Theo had said, to say that Anne was a little bigger was to lie ... Anne begins to be too big. Not that Alanna was worried, because her movement abilities had not been depleted as in other pregnant women with the same stomach size. (Something Theo considered a miracle if it werent because Erika had explained via telephone call that Alanna every day slept more and had more problems when getting up from a lying position)

Within it, Alanna was sure that Anne herself was doing everything she could to help her more swollen mother every day, giving less kicks and moving less abruptly.

 

As every Friday from the beginning of the quarantine blockade, the main shopping streets of Brightside were filled with anxious people waiting for the trucks that renewed the non-essential merchandise (clothes, electronic products and others), forming enormous traffic jams both of vehicles and pedestrians. Obviously this didnt help Alanna, who tried to make her way thanks to the kind people who realized her condition, moving away and helping him.

"We remember, dear customers-" The neighborhood's public address system began to sound, causing the traffic jams to stop for a few moments. "That from 12 in the morning all the streets will be cut to private vehicles to start the charity market ..."

 

Another flea market to raise funds against the X virus as they had called it, Alanna thought. Nor was it going to affect much of her journey, because Erika's gym was only a block and a half away from where she was.

Unfortunately for both of them, one of Erika's co-workers had suffered a heart attack the day before, so Erika had to take her emergency shift, leaving Alanna to go to the gynecologist alone. (Something that Erika accepted through tears, consoled by her wife promising that he would not see the ultrasound until they were together) 

"30 seconds for green" Announced the sound alarm of the traffic light making everyone prepare to cross, including Alanna. With so many people accumulated, the pregnant woman had difficulty holding all the bags, something that was joined by one of the strongest pains she had ever felt.

 

"AHHggg, FUCK YOUR MOTHER, ANNE!" Alanna yelled and cursed loudly, falling to the floor on her knees holding her stomach. Anne shouldnt be very happy with what she had heard in the gynecologist, so the prenatal had decided to give the strongest kick that Alanna had felt throughout her pregnancy.

The scream was enough for everyone to turn to her, approaching and helping her to recover ... until Anne decided to insist with another kick. "OK OK! I GET IT!" Alanna begged hugging her stomach harder.

"Are you okay?" "Do you need something?" "Did you want to call the ambulance?"

 

The crowd asked looking at each other, with two women kneeling next to Alanna to try to calm her down. The scene continued as the traffic light turned green-

CRASH !!!!!!

And with this back to the crowd, one of the cars that came in a straight line couldnt stop, losing control and crashing with another of the cars waiting in the crosswalk. The attention was redirected from Alanna to the West, with the same people with the phone outside calling for emergencies and the police.

 

The pregnant woman remained on her knees, too perplexed to say anything. The pain had vanished suddenly, although Anne gave a much softer kick to her mother's belly, as if to say "You're welcome"

 

 

---

 

(November 1, week 31 of pregnancy)

 

"Damn ..." Theo scratched the back of his neck, leaning back to let his companions see the ultrasound.

 

"It's too big, we cant take any more risks." Caroline, the anesthesiologist assigned to Alanna's delivery, sat on the table, glancing sideways at the frightened couple. Alanna was still lying on the stretcher, one hand on her giant stomach and the other holding Erika's hand. "19 inches is too big for this date, if she keeps growing at this rate I wouldnt be surprised we talk about 30 inches by December ... and honestly, I am opposed to risking so much"

 

"I know it's going to sound terrible especially for you, Alanna and Erika ..." Steve, the pediatrician for the birth, sighed while making some rough estimates. "But I dont know if we have an incubator large enough for the estimates we are dealing with. Our options are to expect the most even if we have to perform a premature delivery ... or we should ask the authorities- "

 

"No no!" Theo interrupted getting up from the table. "I cant let the government get into something like this after having a whole summer and autumn under quarantine! Just imagine all the paranoids that will get themselves while we are under a threat of an unknown virus we tell you that we have a baby of 48 centimeters that we hope will continue to grow!" 

 

The whole conversation between the doctors had Alanna and Erika too tense, both on the verge of crying. The shared need to protect Anne above all made them keep quiet (mainly because running away was not an option, Alanna had too many problems and weight to run as they wished), so the couple decided to wait until the doctors would talk before they left. "We may not like it, but we cant let ourselves fall into the error of wanting to risk a life to avoid putting the government in this! We need-"

 

"Please ..." Alanna requested the attention of the group of doctors, trying to sit on the stretcher as much as she could. "I know you are very worried, but as you said I feel good, my body isnt going through any side effects beyond the typical ones of this time! It's hard for me to walk, but for the rest I'm fine!" The trio of doctors looked at each other, unable to deny the inevitable. The health of Alanna corresponded to any pregnant woman on the same date, something that had to be repeated over and over again to understand it.

 

"I know you have different opinions," Erika continued, squeezing her hand. "But as long as my wife's health continues correctly, we wish we could continue the pregnancy as planned."

 

Caroline and Steve looked at each other as much as Theo, waiting for the pregnancy supervisor to make the right decision. And that's what Theo decided to do: "I'm going to get you a wheel chair, Alanna. I want you to try to move as much as possible and that the day you cant come to the hospital directly; We will wait you until the day of delivery or we will indicate if there is still too much. I will also visit you personally with the portable ultrasound equipment to be able to control you"

A clear message that Erika and Alanna accepted not very willingly.

 

 

---

 

 

(December 31, Week 39 of pregnancy)

 

And 10 days after the scheduled date, Alanna couldnt take it anymore. Admission to the hospital was covered by the general manager thanks to Theo's insistence on keeping the quarantine block out, something that everyone involved was very much in agreement with.

With a size of 31.4 inches (79.75 centimeters) Anne had completely immobilized her mother, but for some reason that no doctor could understand, except a waste of muscles, leg bones and hips and super stretched skin Alanna she was kept in great condition, being able to talk and move partially without problem. Unfortunately all this had to be solved at the same time as the delivery, since the caesarean was simply mandatory: The cervix of Alanna couldnt stretch a third of what was necessary.

 

"Come on, my daughter" Ravel stroked his daughter's back, trying to keep her up. "It's not fair, dad! They should let me be there! I am her wife and the mother of that girl, for the love of god!" Erika insisted in her spiral of constant rage. As the delivery was going to be long and the reconstruction of the lower half of Alanna was going to be straight ahead, Theo counseled (forced) Erika to wait in the waiting room despite her insistence.

 

And if that were not enough, the head nurse had quarreled with the family, forcing everyone to go outside leaving only the wife and the parents of both.

"Erika" Roland growled without opening his eyes or uncrossing his arms, a position maintained since the beginning of labor 4 hours before. "I dont want to be thrown into the hall like everyone else, so put your voice down" Erika looked up to say something, but there was no word to express just what she wanted so instead she just sighed and looked at the wall clock, not having the strength to play with the phone as Alanna had order.

 

"You have to look on the bright side" Zara tried to brighten the face of the concerned first-time mother, trying again to get Erika to take her phone. "Thanks to the director and at the discretion of all, we will not have the press talking about the birth of Anne as one of those curious events that sneak at the end of the newscast!"

 

"I dont understand how Americans like so much to enjoy seeing other people's things so personal-" Ravel ran his hand over his daughter's shoulders, squeezing them to calm her. "It seems morbid to be present in things such as births or birthdays and recording them on television"

 

"Papa ... in Sweden there are also the same curio programs, so do not start cursing the country of your now granddaughter! And now I am also, because having an American wife and now daughter I no longer need to take the citizenship test... I really dont care, they were going to test me now in January"

 

"My child, if I cant complain about the country that holds me back, I dont know that I can complain-"

"You cant! Now this country is for the good as for the bad part of your life in its entirety! Who knows, maybe Anne will be born with aspirations of greatness and rise to become president! Then maybe you could tell her what bothers you to do it to your liking, but until then dont complain-"

 

"Erika" Roland interrupted again, getting up from his seat and going to stand in front of Erika, holding her by both shoulders. "You have to calm down, please"

 

"I ... I ... ... Yes, sir." Erika sold herself, raising her head and taking a deep breath. As much as it hurt to think about it, Roland was the role model of a father Erika wanted to be.

 

"Perfect then," Roland dropped into the seat in front of her, looking at her with a half smile that filled Erika's heart with hope. "Let us hope that Anne is born safe and that my daughter is operated with alacrity and agility; there are still 10 hours until the new year and I have the grapes for the countdown in the trunk of my car"

 

"That custom isnt Spanish? Why do you follow it?" Ravel asked, turning on his daughter's phone and placing it in her hands, with her card game going.

 

"We lived the end of the year in Barcelona during our honeymoon, and this simple but precious custom permeated our body and gave us a happy and long marriage. Therefore, sharing this with my family is the only thing I can do to wish you the same happiness that we feel"

 

If Erika were heterosexual and Roland was single, the worried almost-mother would have thrown herself over him with her panties in the middle of her knees. But since that belongs to another alternative reality, all Erika could do was admire and wish she was half as a good father as the cook.

 

...

(10 Hours later: 00:02 night, January 1, 2019)

 

The doors of the operating room opened slowly, giving Erika half asleep time to get up and run towards them. "Miss Barlow Holm?" The nurse asked to confirm what was written on her tablet.

 

"It's me ... you were this morning? I dont recognize you" Erika narrowed her eyes, trying to remember the members of the team that had thrown her out of the delivery room that morning.

 

"No, ma'am, I'm on the night shift. I've taken care of your daughter since they've managed-"

 

"Occupied?! Is Anne born already?!?! Why havent you warned me before?!" Erika couldnt contain herself, grabbing the nurse by both shoulders on the verge of tears.

 

"Technically not!" The nurse tried to defend herself, being separated from Erika thanks to Roland and Ravel. "It has been a very difficult operation since Alanna's womb ... how to say ..." The nurse looked down, ignoring the total silence that the whole family was creating. "Alanna's uterus had become excessively hardened, according to Theo must be the reason that Alanna was correctly resisting the weight and excessive size of Anne; And besides that, the size of Anne has caused us to make an even bigger incision.

Like most children born by caesarean section, Anne has been around all the time since we took her out with enough breathing difficulty, so Theo wanted to have her a little longer in assisted breathing before giving you the good news!"

 

"And now...-"

"She's okay, she's fine and she's crying right now. Alanna will continue in the operating room with the reconstruction for at least 5 more hours ... and Anne doesnt want to wait! I swear, it's been a year since I heard so much crying!" The nurse moved to the side, grabbing Erika's hand to guide her into the operating room.

 

The nurses were slowly picking up, while Theo was leaning over a much larger crib than Erika expected. A cry that she could swear to know drew her more than any other sound in the world, standing next to Theo while the gynecologist stepped aside to make room for her.

 

"Waaa ... waaaa ..." Crying without trying too hard, Anne was waving in the crib everything her newborn body allowed. With 79 centimeters and 8 kilos and three quarters (according to what they put on a small sign on the crib) Anne was nothing like what Erika had expected.

When you are told that your daughter will be born being so big and heavy, the normal thing is to wait for a plump baby... instead Anne was a normal baby, without excess fat beyond normal.

 

"She opened her eyes for the first time while I was recording her birth. Thats mean I officially registered her birth 3 minutes ago now, so Anne was born on 00:00:02 of the year 2019; the first baby of the year. Incredible, right?" Theo commented quietly, letting Erika put on a better position. "Take her, come on ... dont be afraid"

 

Looking first at the gynecologist and then at her daughter, still crying, Erika took a deep breath with her tears as she left; but this time only of emotion. Very carefully, with one hand on the neck still not too formed and another on the buttocks, Erika raised her daughter, surprised by the weight and heat that the baby emits ."H ... hello ... hello, Anne ..." Erika said with trembling voice, trying to gently rock her daughter in a clumsy attempt to calm her down. "I'm ... I'm ... ma ... ma ... ma ..." Erika turned to Theo, looking at him with an expression of absolute terror. "We havent talked about what names we will use! No ... I need to talk about this with Alanna right now!"

 

More concerned about the baby than about Alanna, Theo approached her making the new mother hold the baby more firmly. "Alanna is currently under anesthesia, so you'll have to leave for later. For now tell her you're a her mom ... although now I'm sure she already knows" Theo pointed at Anne, causing Erika to turn her attention back to her.

Calming more and more, Anne buried her neck on her mother's shoulder while closing her eyes. The baby ended up asleep completely, something that amazed Erika like never before. A feeling too intense filled her completely while she left her daughter in the crib again.

 

For the second time in her entire life, Erika swore softly in eternal love to the creature in front of her.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

Alanna's mind was gradually clearing, letting the light that came through the window to unveil completely. The hospital bed was much more comfortable than Alanna expected (Or it could really be the excess of painkillers), so being careful to not move the tracks connected to her hand, Alanna sat up wide-eyed.

The memories of the previous day were returning little by little: The beginning of contractions breakfast, all the problems to find parking near the door of the hospital until neither short nor lazy Erika left the car in front of the door, down to catch her wife in arms while his grandfather got out of the car to sit in the driver's door ....

 

And all those memories led to a single concept, one so primary that Alanna couldnt contain adequately. Moving carefully to the side (That's when she noticed that the painkillers werent insufficient, Something strange because the last thing she could remember was Theo saying that the reconstruction operation would be directly after delivery), Alanna came across the most wonderful image in the world:

Beside her bed, Erika was lying in a recliner with one hand on the rail of Alanna and another on the rail of a cradle.

 

Cradle on which the most precious being of light that Alanna had ever seen was sleeping peacefully, so great that Alanna herself didnt understand how it could have come out of her. A thin layer of delicate and orange hair like Erika's own redhead (Although over the years the tone had become much lighter), thin as if it were a lint it brought color to a slightly pinky skin. "Erika ..." Alanna tried to wake up her wife, touching her gently with his free hand in an attempt not to disturb the dream of his new treasure. "Erika, my love ... please ..."

Stretching out lazily, Erika squeezed the grip of both hands as if wanting to keep everything close without waking. This bothered her wife a little, who decided that if she couldnt wake her up the other best option was to put the marriage years into practice.

"My love, another of your action figures has arrived-"

 

"I swear I have not asked for any more this month ..." Erika answered automatically, waking up seconds after avoiding the false bullet. "My love ..." The eyes of the sleepy wife were filled with tears of happiness, while both approached to share a kiss that tasted of blessed glory, their first kiss as mothers.

 

"We made it ... at last," Alanna whispered as they supported their foreheads against each other, rubbing their noses gently without opening their eyes. "Have you seen her cry? Tell me how it sounds ... "

 

"Like a celestial choir desiring attention" Erika replied giving one last chaste kiss to her wife before separating, getting up from the chair and bringing the cradle towards Alanna's bed. With the utmost care of the world, Erika picked up her still sleeping daughter, holding her in her arms for a few seconds before kissing her on the forehead and delivering her to the real winner of the nearly 10 months of endurance, the person who had carried her inside almost inexplicably.

"Be careful, she weighs almost 9 kilos of love"

 

"It's ..." Alanna couldnt understand what was happening when she took her daughter for the first time, leaning her against her chest. The creature in her hands was soft as the softest bed sheet in the world, and it smelled so deliciously that Alanna couldnt contain several aspirations in a row. "It's huge!" Is the only thing that Alanna could formulate, crying of emotion alternating the look between her wife and her daughter. "How could I hold her inside?"

 

"Because you're already the best mom, that's why" Erika said kissing the forehead of her wife while stroking the forehead of her daughter with two fingers, trying to not wake her up. After a day of labor, 2 night cries and an extremely difficult session of breast milk (Between Erika and two nurses had to prepare the unconscious Alanna to feed the newborn, with Erika sitting behind her wife holding her daughter while a nurse stimulated and held the breast of Alanna), Anne deserved at last to sleep with the rays of the sun welcoming her.

 

"She have your hair ..." Alanna rocked her daughter with care as she felt herself stirring, trying to imitate as best as possible all the YouTube tutorials that she and Erika had seen since the 5th month of pregnancy.

 

"And your nose, smile ... in general is identical to you when you were a baby, comparing her with the photo that Roland has give me. The only thing ..." Alanna turned to her wife, raising a confused eyebrow. "You will see it when she open her eyes. All that matters is that she is healthy as an oak, our little daughter of almost 80 centimeters ... "

 

"Are you telling me Theo was serious? I was carrying inside until yesterday a preciousness of 31 inches? ... we have to agree that the metric system to teach, it will be very messy to have a mother who first thinks in centimeters and another that first they are inches"

 

"Time to time, my life ..." Erika rubbed the back of her wife, staying both gawked to see how Anne began to stretch. Slowly the newborn was moving from side to side, moving her little arms in small uncoordinated spasms.

 

The moment they were both waiting had arrived, Anne opened her mouth several times before opening her eyes. In front of Alanna and Erika, bright eyes between turquoise and dark blue opened keeping their attention fixed on both. "What? But…"

 

"Dont ask" Erika saved her wife's job, smiling both like idiots while her daughter studied them with her eyes. "Theo has spent the night looking for information and I asked Meredith by text message when Anne finally fell asleep, thinking that it would be normal for children born through the MM ..."

"And?"

"And nothing. Our daughter has eyes that shine like a nightfall and orange hair that if she follows my path will become a deep red in the next months ... and I couldnt be more in love with her"

 

"Are you cheating me with another one girl?" Alanna said between smiles, unable to maintain the seriousness demanded by the joke because of the angel in her lap.

 

"And you're not doing the same thing?" Erika asked, dropping on her wife's shoulder. Anne finished her study, frowning and shaking her head up and down as if nodding before proceeding to snuggle in her mother's arms, her mouth half open waiting for breakfast.

 

"How could I not fall in love with her? My heart is now divided and you and Anne have split it up" Alanna crooned trying to understand what her daughter was doing, realizing too late for her taste of what was happening. "As soon as demanding? If you dont have a day!" Carefully, Erika helped her wife to get up the hospital shirt, revealing her swollen and full breasts of milk. (A strange sensation but that Alanna had been enjoying for weeks)

 

"Last night was a real problem, so I'm glad you're awake this time!" Erika joked as Alanna brought her daughter's head to her chest, placing the nipple carefully on her lips. As if born for it, Anne latched on to her mother's breast, beginning to suck without fear. (And with such force that Alanna was happy and afraid that she was toothless)

 

"You gave her my chest unconscious?" Alanna asked without knowing very well how to speak, too lost in the sensations to look for the words she wanted to express.

 

"Yes, and I ask heaven that the rest of the time be with you wake up! I had to put myself on the bed in a terrible posture to hold Anne and you upright!" Erika reached up to one of Anne's raised hands, dropping her index finger into her small palm so that her daughter could hold on to it. The simple gesture was enough to steal the hearts of both wives, who had no idea how they were going to stand if with such simple things they were already dumbfounded.

 

The minutes passed until one of the two dared to ask the question, which this time was Alanna. "How much ... How much should a baby drink??"

 

Erika shrugged, beginning to worry more about it. "I dont know! Last night she stopped alone and it took much less time! Can you let her go?"

 

"No idiot!And what happens if she misinterprets that we are taking her away from us and she begins to hate us?!"

 

"Anne was born last night, Ala! In less than 1 day of life I doubt very much that she will come to understand concepts beyond 'These are my mothers' and 'This is sweet, I must keep sucking!'"

 

"You dont know that! Babies are much more perceptive than they seem!" And while both mothers couldnt agree on how to act, Anne continued sucking until her hunger was satisfied, releasing her mother's breast and closing her eyes looking for a nap after the meal.

"Awwww ..." Both mothers sighed in love, ignoring the door of the room opening as they touched her daughter's cheeks.

 

"Good morning, family-" Theo stopped at the door, holding back the nurse with the breakfast cart. "Family ... girls? Alanna, Erika!" Theo ended up raising his voice, receiving a double SHHH from the marriage. "Dont send me to shut up, I only do my job ..." While the nurse left everything next to Alanna's bed, changing the soothing serum of Alanna in the process, Theo approached the bed on the other side preparing his stethoscope. "Do you allow me?" The gynecologist asked as Alanna placed her daughter, opening the simple pajamas and uncovering her chest. "Normal beats, normal breathing ... all right, as you would expect"

The news was similar to winning the lottery for the marriage, which both fists clenched as a sign of joy. "Alright girls, let me give you a summary of the situation. Alanna needs to start rehabilitation if she manages to move her legs toda-" The sentence was cut in half when Theo's eyes caught on as Alanna moved her feet and legs from right to left. "I swear that if this isnt the greatest medical miracle, I have no idea that you can overcome it. Literally 14 hours ago you had your womb open as if it were a turkey of thanksgiving, and you were less than 8 hours in the operating room, relocating all the lower half ..."

 

"I swear Theo, I dont feel bad ..." Alanna made a small gesture to her wife, helping her to pick up Anne while she stood on the edge of the bed. With less than a day of rest, Erika stood up without any tremor, no gesture of pain or difficulty.

 

"Blessed be the sky ... mother of beautiful love ... Are you aliens? It's the only explanation I can think of" Theo rubbed his forehead, drying a cold sweat with disguise.

 

"We are the Barlow Holm family" Erika replied smiling as Alanna turned around until she was with her wife and daughter, making faces at Anne while she gently caressed his hands. "Neither wind nor tide can stop us!Because neither wounded nor helpless we lose the way!"

 

Theo couldnt help but smile, not understanding what was in front of him. "That was something from megaman, right? I swear, doctor ... "Alanna sighed taking her daughter in her arms, hugging her carefully. "If we dont have 3 boxes full of megaman figures, we should have 4"

 

"I'm going to ignore that ... I have enough with this miraculous recovery in front of me" Theo scratched his chin, thinking it was the best then. "There really is no reason to be in the hospital any longer ... I havent seen any baby with as good health as Anne in my life and Alanna doesnt seem to need calming or serum. If I give you the discharge in exchange for me coming to your house to do daily check-ups, would you accept it?" The couple nodded at once, with Anne completely immobile, opening and closing her mouth little by little. Theo's plan to keep mother and daughter away from the hospital before the rumors of the intensification of quarantine was solid, so only the other part of it was missing.

"Even so, Alanna must leave in a wheelchair for reasons of keeping all this cover; so wait here while I'm going to inform all my colleagues and bring you a wheelchair, please"

 

But obviously it wasnt going to be so easy, because as soon as Theo explained the situation to the director of the hospital, not a few doctors went to the room in Alanna to perform different tests both mother and daughter. It took midday for Director Addams to be convinced to let them go, offering to take Erika's car personally to the underground employee parking lot to avoid prying eyes.

With Alanna sitting next to a baby chair not enough wide for Anne, the couple said goodbye to all the medical team that had made the miracle possible, driving back home where Erika expected their families to wait.

 

 

---

 

(11:30 a.m. on January 1, 2019, one hour later Park Boulevard, Brightside)

 

"I swear, I dont know if I'll be able to carry her when I grow up a little ..." Alanna lamented as she let Erika carry Anne, awake and as active as a newborn could be. "You're a lovely heavyweight, you know?" Pinching her little nose, Alanna touched the elevator button to send it down. At the foot of both lay the hospital bag that the couple had prepared for months, without using anything from the interior due to the very short stay ... but it's like Theo said, without both were in such good condition to have them occupying a room when the demand for beds is so high would be irresponsible.

 

"Dont worry! Now there's no excuse for not training those muscles, my love!" Erika was more than happy with the situation, since the need to move her daughter would force Alanna to get in shape whether she liked it or not. "Do you want Mommy to take to a wheelie everywhere, right Anne?" The baby didnt react the slightest, yawning even with the desire to sleep.

 

"You said mom without specifying which, so you're in that group!" Alanna responded with a smile, believing the battle won ... Until both of them had the same question. "Mom ... and mother?"

 

"What are we coming from, the twentieth century?"

 

"Mom and mommy?"

 

"Very similar, no?" The elevator opened its doors with no one inside, and as no one entered the parking lot of the building Alanna and Erika decided to enter and press the button on their floor. "Mom Erika and mama Alanna?"

 

"Mama Eri and Mama Ala"

"I love it" Alanna raised her head smiling with her arms crossed over her chest, enjoying the victory while her wife was inclined to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "You think they will be ..."

 

"To be honest? I hope there is no one- "The elevator reached its destination so Alanna went first while looking for the house keys in the bag. "I love our family, but right now all I need is to lie down and enjoy our little ray of sunshine; And then there's the fact that during the first 24 hours, more or less, Anne only focuses on what is 20 or 30 centimeters-" With a smile from ear to ear, Alanna pulled out the keys, preparing to open the door when the phone started to Sound.

"Uh ... how many numbers, do you expect a call?"  

 

"No-" And just before finishing the sentence, Alanna's cell phone and the landline of the apartment began to ring. "... I dont like it." Anne began to whimper, preparing herself for the crying while her mother Alanna answered the call with the speaker activated. "Hello?-"

 

"This is a call from the American emergency service. Citizen of Brightside, your presence at the entrance of the city at 12:00 is required; In case you cant attend all the television channels during the informative round will be intervened so that you can follow it live. Thank you for your attention"

 

The robotic voice hung up the call, leaving the marriage too confusing for the desired.

"What do we do?" Alanna asked opening the front door while Anne burst into tears. Leaving Erika to enter the room directly, Alanna locked the door with the key to the sofa with her wife in an attempt to calm Anne. As Roland had agreed with them at Christmas, all of Anne's gifts were next to the closet, placed like a Christmas tree. And for gifts, we must understand everything. From a crib, through 3 bags of baby clothes as big as their family could find, a changing-tub and dozens of stuffed animals with labels of who had bought them.

It was on these occasions that Alanna loved having such a serious and organized father and such a large family. "Waaaaaa ...! Waaaaa! "Anne whimpered uncontrollably, her mother Erika rocking her from side to side in an attempt to understand what was happening.

 

"Alanna, time to go with the strategy!" Erika gave the signal, to which Alanna responded by preparing a towel on the sofa as they had rehearsed. Being a mother was their dream, so it was normal to have everything tied up before the time came:

"Hungry?" Erika handed the baby to her wife, Alanna already prepared with one breast exposed.

"Negative! Nappy?" Alanna left Anne in the towel, unbuttoning her pajamas too justito and the diaper- "Agggg ..."

 

Both mothers complained at the same time, not a thousand videos of youtube could prepare them for the first time. With resignation (but seeing some charm to the situation), the marriage was coordinated to change the diaper and discard the old, using the largest size that Roland had bought ... a little not too loose for the taste of marriage. "We consider this a victory, dont we?" Erika sat back down on the sofa, caressing her daughter's stomach without much success in making her laugh.

 

"I would give it as a victory, what really matters is that it is almost the time that the call has said ... the last time was the beginning of the quarantine, so the bar is too low ..."

 

"And even then they managed to disappoint us ..." Erika sighed taking her daughter in her arms, cradling her while Alanna leaned against her wife turning on the television.

 

 

---

 

(Brightside, Heritage Lane.12: 00 in the morning, January 1, 2019)

 

The crowd of Brightside gathered in front of the entrance to the quarantine block, where a stage was set up behind the security walls. The tension was breathed in the air, as the military presence had happened in one night of a patrol to have controlled the city to several coordinated teams, including an unknown team with black and gray uniforms.

The blockade of quarantine was the constant topic to talk about, with the entire Brightside municipality doing everything possible to keep it on the television as long as possible in an attempt to provoke a wave of solidarity that ended up forcing the state administration to undo the blockade giving them back their freedom ... Although until now no pressure, whether national or international, had managed to change anything.

The most that the Brightside City Council had achieved was to increase the amount of weekly entertainment product shipments and a free high-speed internet connection for the city. Shut up which animals without even the tourists being able to return to their homes, the inhabitants of Brightside completely distrusted the intention of the more and more soldiers. (They have just mounted a giant screen on the stage, decorating it with the flags of the country, state and city on both sides of the stage)

 

At 12:00 o'clock in the morning, a soldier in an unknown uniform took the stage, walking to the center and waiting with his arms crossed on his back for his companions to install the microphone in front of him. "Testing, one two three four. Testing, one two three four" The soldier said as openly and clearly as possible, receiving confirmation from his team by walkie talkie that both the entire BrightSide public warning system and all the channels had been properly interrupted.

"Good morning, compatriots. I am General William Black, son of Brightside and second in command of the Shepherds. Many of you will meet my father Alexeis Black, owner of one of Brightside's oldest coffee shops on the Park Boulevard; so first of all I would like to warn you that if you have any complaints direct it directly to me. I will not tolerate any kind of reprisal against my family because they have no influence on any of the decisions made last week" The general's tone was direct, making his message understood before squeezing his right fist, lighting the screen showing a military emblem composed of the head of a sheep superimposed on what appeared to be a castle.

"The Shepherds Division was born last night at 2 o'clock in the morning, as a measure of control before the last decision regarding the NEPFV. Let me put you first in a situation-" William stepped into the next phase, showing what appeared to be the excerpt from a telephone call narrated by a robotic voice.

 

(12/28/18 9:17)

Your stupid quarantine hasnt helped, the NEPFV has taken a deep hold on our blood! If you cant control it, you will be overwhelmed by the weight of a NEW AGE! NO GUN CAN OVERCOME THE POWER OF THE NEW GENERATIONS, BECAUSE IN THEM I WILL DEPOSIT ALL MY HOPE TO SEE HOW THE CORRUPT SYSTEMS OF THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BURN UNDER THE JUST FLAMES OF THE NEW ERA OF THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY, THE AGE OF DAWN !

 

"At this moment the government has only 2 things clear: The first is that the call was made from a prepaid phone found in a bin near the town hall of Brightside; And the second is that it is a direct threat not only to the United States of America, our home ... but to the entire Western society as such.

Since at the moment no one has attributed the utoria of the threat nor has been able to locate the culprit of the same or the virus NEPF as the author of the threat calls the strange virus that all of us who have drunk or have been impregnated by the water from our purification plant, the defense department has decided to activate the biological warning Defcon 3, starting from last night at 00:00 the operation NIGHTCATCHER"

 

The screen after Willian happened to show a map of the city and the surroundings, one that made people shout panic and terror. Two large walls were built around the Brightside grounds: Holder 1 (Directly around Brightside's territory) and Holder 2. (Separated by an extension of Holder space 1)

"As you can see, the government has decided that until we are able to decipher the origin, the function and a possible vaccine for the NPEF virus, whose initials we still do not know, the only logical and sensible decision is to stay away, contained and safe to avoid a possible activation of the virus. For this the defense department began at the end of last year the construction of a double security dome-"

From the moment that William said cupola and people understood what the map really meant the cries of indignation and supplication began immediately. Waiting between death threats, comparisons with Stephen Hawkins' book, cries for mercy and shouting for answers that William couldnt answer, the general counted to 20 before resuming his speech.

"You arent alone, Brightside! We will not let you face these in solitude, since we are all children of this country! All the soldiers and workers you see around me are volunteers who have come from all kinds of military groups, ready to carry this heavy burden with you! We lock ourselves with you for as long as necessary, living in the NightHold, which is the terrain between domes. We will personally take charge with the Brightside authorities to maintain order and ensure that all the time we are together is to everyone's liking" William step towards the penultimate photograph, taking a breath to bear the end of the speech. "As you can see, the government of the United States offers to take charge of your water, electricity and telephone bills during your entire stay under the dome, in addition to providing you with an economic compensation of $ 100,000 per person if the stay until neutralize the NPEF virus extends to more than 10 years"

 

As William had foreseen, the revelation of that possible was enough to raise more consternation. "Your lives are not going to change in the least thing, since the dome has a built-in ventilation system to protect us from the heat of summer and the cold of winter besides systems to be able to generate both natural breezes, like soft rains to snow! In addition, we will have entrances and exits by the four cardinal points, besides the installation of a direct highway controlled by the army to assure the constant shipment and exit of all the necessary goods, so much essential as secondary. The latest releases of billboard, high speed internet connection constant and free throughout the city, contracts with courier companies to meet your personal needs in technology, fashion, sport or whatever you want; with a big announcement and is that the government has designed the dome to be much larger than necessary, so that we will have space to build everything we need.

I know that our lives will not be ideal, but I can swear on my honor and that of our country that our best scientists will not stop looking for a cure for SFEF before they can even do something ... and for that I ask you all for patience and confidence in our government. The rail on which the dome will be placed will be ready by day 3 of this month to be installed, so my superior has activate an emergency system: If you have a family outside of Brightside, contact our agents who will be permanently during the remaining 48 hours at the town hall; they will they will provide all the necessary money in case your relatives wish to live with you.

Once the dome placed, all visits to the city will be handled personally by my employees... that's all. I am sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you understand the situation"

 

Turning off the screen, William got off the stage between screams like before, but much stronger. As a child born to Brightside, William had decided to personally be the public face of Operation NIGHTCATCHER in order to give his compatriots a familiar face to hate, fear or despise; what they decide to do was not William's business.

 

 

 

---

 

Anne slept peacefully, oblivious to the face full of tears of their mothers. Erika and Alanna stretched their hands at the same time, turning off the TV and looking at each other, only being able to hug as low as possible to include their daughter in the embrace. Without being aware, Anne had become one of the last babies to see the true blue sky directly on Brightside before the beginning of the time known as "Black's Guard". 

 

 

 

---

 

 

.........

Good morning, Brightside! Here is your favorite presenter, Mr. Sky whose name has become much less funny, giving the good news from the early morning of January 3! 7 o'clock on the morning of the final day before the dome descends on us! Remember to take many pictures of the sky as you can, since we will be missing for a few months!

Take out almost as many photos like our fans, how send us photos of our beloved dome from all over California, arriving riding a real ground-air convoy! According to our contacts, Black's beloved dome came out last night from the Barstow base, where it had been built in secret! One more of the many pleasant mysteries that our government hides us for our own good, without a doubt!

 

Well, now let's stop joking for a moment. As you will have read in the message sent to us last night at midnight and if I dont tell you, the dome will be officially installed at 8 o'clock this evening. That the president doesnt deign or come to give us his strength is one more of the shame we have to resist ... but dont worry! I swear we will!

Brightside radio will remain firm and independent, issuing until the day we see the sky again, that's for sure. We will continue fighting from wherever we can, denouncing the injustices that make us pass every day! That is why from this radio we want to invite everyone to a great party tonight at the headquarters of Brightside radio! They try to hide behind a dome because they are unable to understand a simple virus, so we will respond smiling as we always do, because if there is someone in California who knows how to see the bright side of each situation we will be-

......... 

 

"A party now? Idiots ..." Erika muttered under her breath, turning off the radio and leaning back in her seat behind the wheel to see how the jam was still in the same place for the last 7 minutes.

 

"I dont know, I think it's a great idea! I like this city more and more!" Fraje Holm, Erika's little brother, bounced in his seat too excited for his sister's taste. "Do you think we'll get to the airport soon? Nellie's flight has landed already"

 

Erika looked to the side, smiling at her brother as much as at the sight of Anne's baby chair, the largest her grandfather could buy online. "And tell me, how your girlfri-"

"Friend, Nellie is your little sister and my best friend and you know it!"

 

"Anyway" Erika stuck her tongue out at her little brother, watching him cross his arms in the passenger seat. "How has Nellie managed to convince the orphanage to come to Brightside?"

 

"According to what she has written to me, dad has managed to convince the owner of the orphanage to 'adopt' her without taking our last name ... I dont understand why, but if Nellie cares so much not to change her last name and that is the only price to bring her with us it seems absolutely great!" Erika chuckled, delighted by her brother's innocence. (Although a part of her wanted to reveal the reason for Nellie's decision)

Nellie Sköld had been Fraje's friend from the earliest childhood, since Fraje and Erika's mother had taken their children to the orphanage where she worked. Although the brothers (especially Fraje, who was only 5 years old at that time) had to say goodbye to his mother too little, Ravel decided to continue working side by side with the orphanage in which her wife had dedicated all his life; so the logical step if both Ravel and Fraje were locked in Brightside was to bring the "adoptive" daughter of the family.

(Although Nellie fought from small to not become Nellie Holm in an attempt to be able to get married without problems with Fraje when both were old enough)

 

"If she likes to come and live in a city that is going to be locked under a dome, I will not be the one to say no ... Nellie is like my little sister and her well-being is the most important thing" The traffic was merciful, making enough progress so that Erika could take the exit to the airport (which inside Erika began to miss), suffering to see how stupidly full the parking lot was. "Well ... this is going to be much worse than I thought. Let's see, Fraje-" Erika turned to her brother, putting both her best voice as an older sister and her best mother voice (in practice). "If I leave you at the door-"

 

"I'm going to find Nellie and bring her back to the car, I understand! I'm carrying my phone and I swear on my new US citizenship that I will not talk to any stranger!" In an almost parodic gesture without meaning to, Fraje raised his right hand placing it on his phone while putting the left over his heart.

 

"My little brother ... now the uncle of my baby and without even wanting to mature ..."

 

"Maturing is what fruits do! I will mature when I have to be a good uncle to Anne!" Fraje said as he opened the door without even waiting for his sister to park in front of the airport doors, leaving the terminal running inside.

 

Between sighs of mother (Or that Erika wanted to think), the novice mother advanced to get away from the taxi stand, stopping later next to a car "injured".

And by injured one should understand problems of rear wheels, one that two men (Both bald and physically similar except for the height, with one lower than Alanna and the other not much lower than Erika herself) couldnt solve. At the same time, the desire to be a good Samaritan and to make room to park comfortably to get the phone to play joined in a single decision: Get down to try to help.

"Something wrong, gentlemen?"

 

Both men turned at once, leaving the spare wheel on the floor while they wiped their hands discreetly. "Just a puncture, nothing more. Are we bothering you to park?" The shorter of both said as he handed the handkerchief to his partner, offering his hand to Erika. "Oliver Romero, and he's my cousin Carlos Romero"

 

"Erika Barlow Holm, delighted" Erika took the man's hand in a formal and quick grip, as she well liked. "I really have no problem parking, but I have seen you with a face of not knowing very well what to do, I beg you to excuse my expression, and I have not been able to resist offering you my help. It may not look like it, but I was working as a mechanic for a few years to get a career as a nutritionist"

 

As if she were a saint, the expression of both men became an infinite joy while they invited Erika to approach. "We were arriving at the airport to look for our boss when it happened, I wish I could give you more details" The greatest of men, Carlos, explained in a voice too deep. (Making Erika belly vibrate just by listening to her)

 

"Ummm ..." Erika inspected the broken wheel, taking very little time to see the problem. "This wheel and from what I see all are all very worn, so you have been lucky that only one of them has been broken at a time. I have a hydraulic jack in the trunk of the car, if you give me a moment we can change it quietly" The duo nodded to help Erika to get up gently, staying by the spare wheel commenting on the age of the car while Erika took out the necessary tools and began to change the wheel helped by the duo. The condition of the car was much worse than Erika expected, so for that need to be a good Samaritan to set an example for her daughter what started as a wheel change became as complete a revision as it could be without being able to lift the car completely.

"You are from Brightside?" The duo nodded, which made Erika pity them a bit and they sympathized with her. "This is the number of my trusted mechanic, call him and tell him that you are on my side. Minimum need a change of oil, full wheel and it would not hurt to check the engine"

 

"You're an angel, you know boss?" The duo said at once, inflating Erika's ego to the fullest in such a simple comment.

 

"I'm not an angel, I'm just a new mother who wants her daughter to grow up in a kind world, so I must also set an example with my actions-"

"Storasyster!" Nellie's voice snatched all of Erika's ego at once, spinning just in time to catch her in the air.

 

"Look Nellie! How you've grown!" Hugging her as hard as Erika could, the first-time mother could see how Fraje approached them accompanied by a man dressed and quite thin. Erika's instinct for protection shot up, grabbing Nellie unobtrusively with one arm while she waited for Fraje to be near to open the car with her remote control.

 

"Carlos, Oliver! You will not be bothering Miss Barlow Holm, will you?" The costumed skeleton tried to impose itself by leaving his briefcase on the floor and standing with his hands on his hips.

 

"Not at all, boss! Quite the opposite, since it was the young lady who helped us with the car!"Oliver defends himself by opening the back door with a small bow.

 

Ignoring it completely, the skeleton went to Erika offering her another reverence. "Miss Erika, your little sister has spoken very well of you on the trip! When the stewardess wanted me to sit with all those who came to Brightside taking me out of the first class I was expecting a boring trip, but Nellie has made it so much more enjoyable! Huy, wait, I have not submitted! My name is Cascadio Black, humble owner of the Torna movie theaters in Brightside"

 

"Are you the owner of Torna?" Erika opened her eyes wide, managing to place the man's face too thin in his memory. "I should then thank you for your international night sessions, I didnt think I could easily watch Swedish films when I moved here to the United States!"

 

"As my mother taught me, movies are much more enjoyable if you nourish yourself from all sources, learning and comparing how different film directors approach the same topics from their own personal and national perspectives! Since you have helped my assistants and Nellie has made my trip back a joy, let me reward your kindness!" Cascadio glanced at his suit, pulling out a checkbook with the logo of the movie theaters. "Here you are, a free year for you and your movie family!"

 

"Mr. Cascadio-"

"Please call me Black. My brother may have placed our last name a bit in the wrong direction, I am still one of those who trust that tomorrow will bring better moments!"

"Well Mr. Black ...  I accept your reward in good taste, but it seems excessive! I've only changed one wheel!" Erika laughed much more calmly, letting go of Nellie without fear.

 

"That wheel can make the difference! Do you believe in luck, Erika?"

 

"Of course! I have been blessed with the best of luck last year, if we ignore the whole issue of quarantine"

 

"I must say exactly the same! Last year one of my dreams was lost because of my two idiot assistants, but good luck blessed my determination making my mother's vision come true!" Erika could quickly relate Cascadio's words to the grand opening of Torna's newspaper archive last year, a place to see, enjoy and share movies of all times for a small price of $ 10 for 3 hours; and considering how much she and Alanna had enjoyed the movie library and the desire that both had to be able to begin to share the passion for cinema with their daughter, the feeling became mutual.

"Precisely because luck never stops blessing those who believe is why we should reward smaller actions! So that luck and good will dont stop flowing, so that the dreams of all those who wish to see a better world like that of the movies can come to pass"

 

"I see that General Black wasnt the only one with a good speech in the family!"

 

Cascadio hid a smile as best he could, pretending to be upset. "Who do you think taught him to speak in public?! We may be the little triplets, but when it comes to fighting for my dreams, nobody wins against me! I would love to continue chatting, but we must go through San Francisco before they close the dome" Returning to offer his hand to Erika, the first mother accepted her willingly. "I hope we have some time to chat more quietly, Erika! Give memories to your wife and family, tell them there are still good Blacks in Brightside!"

 

"I will, Mr. Black! See you soon!" Erika said goodbye as the trio drove away in her car, taking advantage of the fact that there was no one at the exit to skip a pass. "And now ..." Grabbing her little brothers by the neck, Erika turned to her car. "Do you want to meet the new addition to the family, Min varg?"

 

Taking a breath, Nellie prepared to surprise Erika. "Of... of course!" Listening to her speaking English was something that Erika did not expect, and that made her fall in love even more with her little sister.

 

 

 

---

 

"What a coincidence, right Boss?" Oliver took the detour to San Francisco while Cascadio was entertained watching the reports on his mobile. "Meet with an ex-mechanic who also came to pick up your flight partner!"

 

"A very grateful coincidence, without a doubt" Cascadio took a sip of the coffee Carlos had prepared for him, a loose cup of black coffee with half a glass of whiskey. "As long as things are going as well as they have been doing up to now, we can smile; but that doesnt mean that we should rest under our laurels. Without the MM to be able to alter the mutation and without being clear how my theory ended up becoming a infected reality to the whole city, the results will be much more unexpected ... in a good way, of course. I hope. I trust-"

Cascadio almost drowned taking another sip, filling the screen of his coffee cell phone. "Pair of idiots, do you remember what day you went to steal the data of Professor Cole and the MM?"

 

"Ummm, I think on April 7 or 8 of last year," Carlos said, stroking his beard that he did not have, as hairless on the top of his head as underneath. "Why are you asking, boss?"

 

"For nothing ... for nothing" Oliver opened the hidden files about the recent birth of Erika's partner, illuminating his face as he read. "It seems that the first daughter of dawn has already been born ... Barlow Holm, eh? Pair of idiots, remember that surnames, then I need you to pay a visit to my middle brother to look for some records"

 

"Visit at night?"

 

"Of course! I have no interest in paying you to be just my assistants, you know?" Cascadio stopped talking, taking another sip of coffee while blocking his phone. So that the luck does not stop flowing, one must be corresponding with the same gratitude, always said the mother of the triplets.And that's exactly what Cascadio always wanted to follow.

 

 

---

 

 

(Erika and Alanna's apartment, 13:15 noon, January 3, 2019) 

 

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"As if it were thunder shaking the apartment, Anne's cry pierced her mother's ears completely becoming a taciturn, dark being. Maybe her wife knew about babies thanks to having a little brother, but Alanna was 100% new to the matter and, as the first mother had found, understanding a baby wasnt something one could learn in a tutorial. (And as a member of the Millennial generation, that was something Alanna had trouble understanding)

After the preview visit of Theo and Amelia (the trusted pediatrician Theo had chosen) the medical duo had given Alanna the growth forecasts that Amelia had calculated for Anne, much larger than Alanna and certainly Erika expected. As Theo had been sincere, hiding Anne in a city closed by a dome and with a paramilitary team watching would be almost impossible; so the best solution was to wait a couple of months after the closing of the dome to begin to take Anne out to the street normally.

If the existence of such an incredible girl had to be revealed, the only correct way was to do it once everything was calmer.

"Waaaaaaahhh!" Anne was still crying, while her mother gently rocked her in an attempt to cut the crying at the root.

 

"Come on my life ... You dont want to eat, you arent sleepy and you havent pooped or pipped! Make it a little easier, please!" Alanna pleaded, sitting on the couch, once again checking her daughter's body for any anomaly. The tension of her daughter's crying (The noise that she and Erika had agreed to consider the most annoying ever created by the human being), the tension of having to start receiving her family in groups of 2 (as Theo had ordered ) to present Anne formally ... and evidently the tension that they were going to close all fucking Brightside under a dome was almost too much for the poor new mother, attacked by too many fronts at once.

But as always when Alanna looked too stressed, the guardian of her heart keys appeared to turn everything around. "Alanna! I left my house keys inside! Open Please!"

 

The return of Erika was a miracle, one that managed to silence Anne completely, leaving an expression of total innocence and motionless on the sofa with arms and legs extended. "You do it on purpose, dont you?" Alanna asked raising an eyebrow at her daughter, watching the baby stare at her with the drool falling from the corner of her lip and her cheeks still wet from the tears shed. "Silly ... you dont have to look at me like that, I'm your mother!"

Drying and getting her daughter ready, Alanna sat her down in one of the few things her family had hit with size, a highchair given by Alanna's younger uncle. "You behave well while moms prepare your uncles, okay?"

 

The baby seemed to nod, which Alanna took as a yes, giving her the stuffed toy that until now had been holding her hands the longest. (A Megaman.exe plush that Erika had secretly bought and sent to the house as if it were a distant relative present, an act that Alanna discovered within 13 seconds of seeing the stuffed plush doll among the other gifts)

"C'mon darling! I have all the food in my hands!" Erika insisted by knocking on the door, entering the moment that Alanna allowed her. "Thank God, I couldnt take it anymore!" 4 bags filled with a bunch of products that Alanna didnt think she needed to have ended up on the table while Erika went straight to her daughter, holding her in her arms and making her play with the stuffed animal.

 

The sight of Erika and Anne together brought a smile to Alanna's lips, growing when a voice called her from the door. "God morgon, äldre syster Alanna- I'm sorry ... Good morning, big sister Alanna" Nellie tried to speak as formally as she could in English, leaving a strange and too serious version.

 

"Nellie! Hello again, darling!" Alanna didnt stop to think, going to the door to hug the newcomer while blocking the path for Fraje. "I have not seen you since last year, how you've grown!"

 

"Nåväl ... Jag är på den tiden, vet du ... Jag hoppas det inte orsakar något problem mitt beslut att vilja komma till Amerika ... Jag tyckte inte om tanken att stanna ensam i en obestämd tid i Fraje, Ravel och Erika's hus. (Well ... I'm at that age, you know... I hope my decision to want to come to America doesnt cause any problems ... I didnt like the idea of r03;r03;staying alone for an indeterminate time in the house of Fraje, Ravel and Erika)" The newcomer rubbed the back of her neck without looking directly at Alanna, waiting (or rather wishing) for a positive response that would help her not to feel a burden.

 

"Of course not! What really worried me was that you felt comfortable! I know you dont have much trouble translating from English but talking is your weak point ... likewise you shouldnt worry about it either! My grandfather has hired an English teacher so you can defend yourself!"

 

"I've been practicing ... practicing a bit on my own ..." Nellie turned red as a tomato, embarrassed by her level of English and the work that he himself entailed to others ...

 

But as usual, embarrassing took too much time for the person crossed arms behind them. "Can we stop this already? I want to meet my niece now!" Fraje insisted, trying to get Alanna out of the door without much success. (Not that Alanna was too strong, is that Fraje has almost no muscle mass trained)

 

"What kind of uncle do you think you are if you start demanding in front of Anne, Fraje?" Alanna joked, planting herself on the floor, enjoying for once being stronger than someone. "How do you ask for things?"

 

"Dont make me-"

"Snälla, Fraje. Även om Anne är en baby, måste vi sätta ett bra exempel! (Please, Fraje, even though Anne is a baby we should set a good example!)"Nellie's request was something that Fraje himself could not deny however much he liked to stand firm.

 

"Please, sister ... can we get to know Anne already?" Alanna was silent for a few seconds, enjoying the expression of defeat of the teenager. Moving aside, Alanna opened the way for Fraje and Nellie to enter carefully and silently, remembering Erika's warning to not make any loud noise.

Being the first of the family to meet Anne was a great honor, so Fraje and Nellie enjoyed every second of approaching the sofa, meeting the little person in Erika's arms much bigger than they both imagined, with even fine orange hair and strangely hypnotizing eyes.

 

"Dont stay there, guys! Kom och hälsar din brorsdotter! (Come and say hello to your niece!)" Erika's order was absolute, causing both teenagers to kneel in front of mother and daughter. Anne remained in total silence, studying both young people with her eyes. Although Alanna and Erika were afraid of Theo's warning that newborns tend not to like crowds or unfamiliar faces, Anne seemed to be carrying it much better than expected, swaying from side to side in her mother's lap. (Although that was really because of not being able to keep the balance correctly)

"Hi guys!" Erika took one of Anne's little hands, raising her in a salute while using her talent for ventriloquism to falsify the baby's voice. "My name is Anne Barlow Holm and I am 2 days old, happy to meet you!"

 

"Jag ... talar till dig på engelska eller svenska, vilket språk vill du ha? (I ... I speak to you in English or in Swedish, in what language do you want?)" Nellie asked quietly, still marveling at Anne's size and eyes.

 

"You can talk to her as you want, honey. We plan to teach both languages r03;r03;to Anne little by little" Erika explained, grabbing both teenagers' pants with their feet, bringing them close enough so that they could touch Anne.

 

Nellie and Fraje looked at each other for a few seconds, talking to each other in the ear before looking back at Anne, who had stopped studying the couple to return to their usual behavior of drooling and waving their arms. "Hello Anne..." The duo said at the same time with a trembling voice, not wanting to make a bad first impression.

"I am Fraje, your uncle ..."

"And I'm Nellie, your aunt more or less ..."

 

"A little more robotic and look like something out of a scyfy movie from the 60s" Alanna jokingly slapped everyone on the back, leaving a cup of tea for everyone on the dining room table and sitting next to her wife. "You know that babies dont remember anything from the first months of life? This presentation doesnt have to be as if you were in a work meeting! It is more a first contact to integrate you in the life of Anne and that she has you located" The teenagers nodded as they watched Alanna take Anne and pull up her pajamas to breastfeed her. "For you to learn, babies usually eat every few hours during their first months of age and spend much of the day sleeping. Yesterday Anne was sleeping, not often, almost 16 hours!"

 

"16 hours?! That's almost more than you when you went out partying, Erika!" Her sister did not answer, just continuing to stroke her daughter's forehead while she was still focused on continuing to suck. "Ok ... it hasnt been funny. The truth is that I dont remember seeing you sleep more than 8 hours ..."

 

"Of course not! I had to make food, take care of you and help in the orphanage, and then later I had to make the food and go or with dad to the factory or to the car workshop! Do not try to leave me wrong in front of my daughter, you fool!" Erika responded by feigning indignation and changing the subject to something much more important.

"Are you going to want to go see the dome? It is an absolutely terrible event and I am sure that unconstitutional ... but at the same time as they have explained they are going to bring it divided in half and connect it with dozens of helicopters and transport planes. It will be terrible, but surely an incredible industrial engineering work"

 

"Ska du åka, äldre systrar? (Are you going to go, older sisters?)"

 

"Impossible ..." Erika said as she seated Anne in her lap, wiping her lips and giving her a chaste and loving kiss. "Anne is too small for the weather on the night of January. We will see it from the television"

 

"And we can go see him with dad, gramps and Mr. Velio? Since now we live here and we can spend time with someone as cool as Velio there is no reason not to do it, right?" Fraje's argument was logical with the attitude of the teenager in recent months, one that made his own grandfather rage constantly.

 

Erika sighed resigned, giving the teenagers what they wanted. "Ok ... but after lunch I'll take you-"

 

"DONT! NO NO!" Alanna interrupted her by plugging Anne's ears so that she could raise her voice, a gesture that the baby didnt enjoy judging by her facial expression with her forehead wrinkled and her arms suddenly moving trying to coordinate them to remove her mother's hands. "I take them, I need a little while for me ... only 30 minutes, please..."

 

"We only have 2 days of being mothers ... as soon as you have broken, my love?"

 

"No, of course not! But you have already left today, I also want to drive a little and see the sky before the fucking government snatches it!" Alanna's argument was logical, and considering they had a milk pump at home for occasions like this, Erika yielded to her wife's requests in exchange for bringing donuts back home.

 

 

---

 

 

And it was precisely on the path of leaving the teenagers on the floor that Velio had bought for Erika's family that Alanna ran into the crowd screaming on the street in her parents' restaurant.

"Done with the Dome! Done the Dome! Done with the Dome! Done the Dome!" The crowd chanted waving posters in front of the police station at the beginning of the street, preventing the cars from advancing or retreating. "Unite people, unite for our freedom!"

 

A nice but useless message, especially for Alanna who brought the hot coffee and the newly purchased donuts in the passenger seat. "Come on ... there was no other place to show up?" Alanna reclined the seat as far back as she could, stretching her arms and chest as far as she could. "Now I have to ask Erika if she cant stop thinking about Anne too..." Alanna pointed at her phone, leaving it on the other seat when one of the protesters started to approach the car.

 

"Compatriot, dont waste your time with nonsense, our rights and our liberties are at stake!" The protester shouted too loudly for the little separation between him and Alanna.

 

Hiding her frustration behind the best face she could put, Alanna rolled down the window, leaning on her. "Believe me, I'm with you that locking us under a dome is a direct affront to our rights ... But do you really think you can do something against it in front of the police station? You are too far from the edge where General Black has raised the Nighthold ..."

 

"It is precisely here where we should be! We want the policemen who swore to protect us to join us in this demonstration! There is not much time left, no more than 2 and a half hours! We will need all the possible firepower if we want to stop this!-"

"Firepower? Not even in dreams will the police give you weapons or accept help to attack the military! I know that you want to do all the good and I share that feeling, my newborn daughter is waiting at home to come back and to give her a free future I would be able to sacrifice everything! But that doesnt mean that using weapons to be right is acceptable! That's not the lesson I want to give her!" The protester looked her up and down, losing the urge to insist to a mother with a newborn girl. "So Done the Dome? It's a catchy name"

 

"Thank you, we have debated that if we want to achieve something we must first start by having a name that attracts the attention of the listener. Since your daughter is waiting for you, I do not want to hold you for longer than necessary, I'll tell the others to let you pass and you can take the roundabout back to the center-"

"I thank you very much, but I must also pick up my parents, they are the owners of Charming Afternoon cafeteria and restaurant. Do you mind if I park at the exit of the street and go for them?" The protester denied without saying words, gesturing to his companions to make way for the car.

Super happy to have met the group of kind young people, Alanna parked next to the roundabout, closing the car and running to the restaurant with the blinds down. Accustomed to the situation, Alanna used her copy of the main keys to open the employee door, screaming as she moved through the kitchen. "Daddy! Mom! Where are you?"

 

"At the bar, dear!" Zara shouted back as well as the family (And specifically the two of them) used to do, lowering the volume of the television to make themselves heard better. Her mother was not lying at all, both Zara and Roland were sitting at the bar as if they were two customers, drinking a coffee each with enough alcohol according to what the smell revealed to Alanna. On the flat television in the corner they were giving a live report about the dome, or rather the two half parts of it.

 

"Mom, dad ... what are you doing? So early? Have you forgotten that now it's your turn to meet Anne or what?!"Alanna chided her parents, turning to see what was making their expressions so grim.

Transported 100 feets above the ground by almost a five dozens of transport planes and the two largest aircraft that the defense department possesses, two halves of a completely opaque hemisphere were advancing slowly. According to the posters that were appearing at the bottom of the screen, the dome was designed to contain 77.2 square miles (200 square kilometres) and with a general height of 1115.49 feet... something that made Alanna even more frightened than the mere vision of the dome.

 

"You have missed it, but a while ago they said that the dome is much lighter than it seems, to the point that more than half of the planes are just to ensure that the structure does not move too much. If it werent for us, that dome would seem like the best American engineering work ever seen ..." Roland said sipping all that was left of coffee, not bothering to wipe his lips afterwards.

 

"It's much bigger than I thought it would be ..." Zara continued to drink her own coffee, getting up to offer a can of cocacola without caffeine to her daughter. "We are not such a big city, are we? 200 kilometers is too much for us ..."

 

"You and your kilometers ... Right now the land of the city of Brightside is 15,44 square miles if I understand correctly" Roland offered a seat to his daughter, moving one to the side so that Alanna would sit between them. "So even though General Black was going to build a military base next to the city, there is still too much space left and I dont like that at all ..."

 

Alanna took the can from her mother's hands, opening it and drinking half a can directly, hitting it against the bar while the first mother sighed. "If you dont like it, dad ... it's terribly bad"

 

"Now I think more for my granddaughter than for us, and I am sure that the government wouldnt give us so much ground if it were to be a short time under the leadership. If you girls wait a moment, I'll get my jacket to go, I cant wait to see Anne for the first time" Roland made the gesture of removing his hat, getting upstairs to look for his things.

 

"Your father has spent a very bad night, all the time looking for ways to give Anne the pleasures of the outside if the dome is more than a year ... I hope you dont mind, my love" Zara apologized on behalf of her husband, something that Alanna didnt consent for a second.

 

"Mom! Dont ask for forgiveness for something nice! To think that Dad is so involved with a little person he doesnt know yet ... is something my little heart cant stand! And I've already stolen it from two sides!" Alanna buried her head on the bar, letting her father come out of the corner of the stairs. "Are you ready to meet your granddaughter?"

 

 

---

 

(19:50 in the afternoon, 10 minutes for the closed dome, Park Boulevard)

 

"Dad, how long does the pizza have to be in the oven?"

 

"Who loves you, Anne? Who loves you? I, I love you"

 

"Dad Roland... this recipe says that pizza has to be between 25 and 30 minutes ... but you have made us put it at 30 degrees less..."

 

"Girls" Roland got up from the couch with Anne still in his arms, rocking her as he went to the kitchen where her daughters were beginning to despair. "I'm spoiling my granddaughter... cant you take care of the pizza alone?"

Alanna and Erika looked at each other, holding their tongues as much as possible so as not to raise their voices before the man who had just changed the recipe, not one or two, but four different times to the point of also changing the temperature of the oven. Not that it was the first time (having a father cook has those things), but it was the first time that the couple couldnt complain about having their daughter in front of them.

"Your mothers arent attentive, Anne. True, no? Of course not!" In a gesture that although tender did not help with what he was saying, Roland lifted Anne up to face her face, rubbing her tiny button nose with two fingers.

 

While the grandfather returned to the sofa with his granddaughter in arms leaving the young couple in silence (of their own accord), the sound of the cistern of the bathroom indicating that Zara had finished was the saving beacon for the wild sea of r03;r03;indignation. "Go to the sofa with your daughter, I take care of the pizza" Zara said grabbing her daughter and daughter-in-law by the shoulder, pushing them away from the kitchen.

 

Before sitting down, Erika and Alanna leaned out the window before lowering the shutter so that not even the slightest drop in temperature could be seen, seeing the gigantic dome that was already covering both sides of the Brightside sky. (Leaving only one slit between both sections that will close at eight o'clock)

The inner part of the dome was made with the most powerful holographic screen in the world, showing for the moment a message of gratitude for its understanding to the citizens of Brightside. "We're going to live under something so big?... It's pretty scary ..." Alanna approached her wife, positioning herself under Erika's arm to curl up against her. 

 

"That seems ... I recognize that it is much wilder seen close to what I expected" Erika decided it was better to stop looking at it, closing the blinds and sitting next to Roland and Erika on the sofa. Not a second later did Anne stir up to her mothers as soon as she had them in range of vision, forcing her grandfather to give her (quite annoyed by it) to their mothers, who seated her between them with a cushion to hold her back.

Maybe the baby didnt show many emotions (or rather, she still did not have the full range of expressions at her disposal), but Anne's smile was more than enough to know that at least she enjoyed being with her mothers during dinner.

 

"It's time, family..." Roland notified his family as he switched to the first television station to watch the terrible event live.

 

 

---

 

 

(Brightside, Heritage Lane: 20:00 in the afternoon, January 3)

 

"Brothers and compatriots! I thank all of you who are here today and those who see us from your homes-" William Black broke away from the rostrum, taking the microphone in his hands as he moved to the edge of the stage trying to keep his eyes from the two titanic structures that were closing slowly. "I wish it were in other circumstances, I hope the situation lends itself to more joy more typical of this beginning of the year; but we must all understand what we are facing! Our city has been attacked with an unknown virus, and although it hasnt caused changes in our lives we must be aware that everyone, including myself, are carriers of it.

For the sake of our health and our nation, today we must all make a great sacrifice to contain the virus before it can be activated! Trust me in the same way that I trust all of you, trust that our greatest minds will find the answer and cure us as soon as possible! Trust ... I can only ask you that, trust that soon we will see the sunrise again ... I promise you"

The general said in a voice lower and lower, kneeling in an apologetic gesture before the crowd that by the worried expressions of the soldiers the scenario was not planned. The hour had arrived, all technicians placed inside and outside the dome starting the closing. The rail that surrounded all the designated territory was closing around the dome, pressing until completely covering the city.

KLANK!!!!!!!!!

"Have faith ..." Brightside's temperature began to rise slowly, reaching 21 degrees to the surprise of everyone. The sky of the dome began to light up as if it were the night sky, creating even a spotlight to replace the moon from which people had just said goodbye. "Have faith in me, for I have sworn to protect you until the end"

People continued to look at the sky, some with fear and others fascinated by how full of stars was the projection. People went out to the balconies, looking out to see how a shower of stars illuminated the Brightside sky.

 

William sighed to himself, watching the sky in search of the energy to trust his own words. The resolution of the general was total, because these people were not only known from the same city.

They were from this same night his own family. And as a family they would take care of each other until the dawn came back to receive them. 

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

(Hospital Cruz de California Cruz de Brightside, 09:00 in the morning, January 10, 2019)

 

The door closed when the last one behind Director Addams, passing through the crowd of extra chairs brought to his office for the department heads. Addams said nothing, checking the sheet his assistant had given him until he came to sit at his table; silence dominated the room while Addams took a sip of his coffee cup, turning off the computer before beginning the fateful meeting scheduled.

"I'm glad to have seen that you all signed the privacy clause. I understand that everyone here is aware of the situation we are facing" The doctors nodded extremely seriously as Harald Addams expected of them given the situation. "Well, then we can start the conversation; know that I have disconnected all the cameras to be able to keep all this silent. The person who is going to enter through the door has come in strict professional silence, so I expect maximum cordiality back to him"

 

After writing a message on his phone, Addams turned to remain silent looking at the window, waiting for three knocks on the door in an annoyed expression. Without waiting for Addams to give permission, the less beloved person of Brightside entered the office removing a discreet hat and bowing to those present.

"Good morning to all, ladies and gentlemen" The surprise of the appearance of General William Black was greater among the attendees, who greeted him without raising their voice too loudly. "As you will know who I am, I will save that time so that you can return as soon as possible to your personal tasks. My brother Harald has already-"

 

"You call me brother, Black? You and Casc decided to stay with father, so legally you decided to separate yourself from mother and me" Director Addams turned his chair, getting up and walking to face the General. The resemblance between the director Addams and General Black had been commenting long and hard in the hospital since the first appearance of this on television, so having confirmation of the reason for the resemblance was appreciated for all present.

 

"Addams, please ..."

 

"You are right, today there is no reason to discuss decisions of the past and less with a war hero like you. Gentlemen, since we are going to live under this dome until the scientists from abroad discover what we already know, I have considered that the best option was to contact my little brother to be able to deal with this issue in the most discreet way without informing the authorities" Going back to sit in his chair, Addams moved to the side letting his brother take control of the table for a moment. "Gentlemen, as I swear on stage, my duty as the head of the dome is to protect the city of Brightside above all things. That includes about our own government as my superiors charged me with the fear that our inept president could unleash the collective hysteria with some of his statements or decisions.

That said, I know you've found out something about the NEPF virus ... or rather, its authentic nature" With a gesture from Addams the manager of Medical Management, Leo, stood up holding a report in his hands.

 

"Since the day the Department of Health asked us for the blood tests of the entire population, I prepared to secretly select a small group of doctors and pharmacologists to investigate on our own that mysterious virus. I dont think we've discovered anything that the scientists assigned by the Department havent already figured out ... but we've recorded everything in this report" Leo took a step forward, handing the report to General Black who began to read it over.

 

"Of course-" Addams pulled his brother out of his reading, forcing him to attend. "This would be until the beginning of the year ... precisely between day 31 and day 1, remember? It was the day of your great makeup speech enclosing us under a dome"

 

"Addams, please!-"

"OK, I'm going to stop once and for all. As you may have read, all this virus would be a mystery to us if it werent for ... you know what? We have invited the doctor who has documented everything and can explain it better. Go ahead, Dr. Theo"

 

Much more nervous than Theo had foreseen the previous night (completely awake in anticipation of the meeting), the gynecologist rose quickly as a flash in a position perhaps too military to be in front of a general. "Sir, yes ... sorry, I'm quite nervous. You will see ... on the 31st one of the pregnant women I am carrying gave birth to a rather peculiar baby girl"

 

"In what way, Dr. Theo?" General Black asked, leaning on the table with great curiosity.

 

"You see, although I have kept it a secret until now for fear that the government would try to do something ... the daughter of my patients isnt a normal girl. To begin with I have here all my report on childbirth ... if you want to take a look" Theo tried to move through the crowd of chairs without causing any ridicule, extending the report directly to General Black when the marabunta legs and legs of chairs made it impossible to continue with dignity. "As you can see-"

 

"Addams," Black interrupted the poor gynecologist, turning to his brother and forcing him out of the room. "Is this serious?"

 

"You arent seeing the photographs? This is totally true, brother. I've seen her with my own eyes" Staying in total silence, General Black took a deep breath and turned back to the doctors. "Gentlemen, if you can do me a favor, would you be so kind as to leave the office for a few minutes? I need to discuss something with my brother" The doctors obeyed at once, emptying the room with a speed that Black wanted for his platoon.Once the brothers were alone, the general closed the doors and took one of the chairs carrying it until he was in front of his brother's table, sitting with his arms crossed over it. "Addams, tell me this is a joke"

 

"Will, I wish I could ..." The general's expression was relaxed at each word of his brother, becoming for the first time in weeks one of concern. "But it's real. That girl is no longer a carrier of the virus, to the point that it can not be called a virus any more. Now it is part of her genetic code; and all newborns between her and today have the same condition"

 

"Are you telling me there are more 80-cm-tall babies out there in Brightside ?!" - Addams denied without saying a word, leaving his older brother even more confused while the director drew other identical reports from one of the furniture drawers behind him

 

"The condition of Anne Barlow Holm is unique to her, because while the rest of the babies also have the mutation inside, none presents any physical anomaly"

 

"What are you trying to tell me ...-"

 

"Exactly, the virus or rather the Anne mutation is the only one that has caused an effect since before birth ... so we must think that the rest of newborns have not yet activated"

 

"Mutation? This isnt X-men, Eddy! We cant-"

Addams hit the table with both hands, silencing his brother. "Will, you're a decorated war veteran. A hero for this nation to the point that they offered to act as a general in motherland even after returning from Iraq without one of your arms! You're better than this, brother, and I know you can see the situation as it is.

There is something within our children that, except in the case of Anne's unique condition, we cant detect until they are born! Something that if Anne has made her so charmingly big and with such an absurdly good health that we could send her and her mother home the day after the birth we must assume that it will cause similar effects in all children born after April last year ... that includes you and Evelyn"

 

"Are you telling me ... that the girl my wife carries inside, blood of my blood, can also suffer this mutation?"

 

"We have no way of knowing, because as we have seen in other cases after Anne, the mutation is only revealed once the baby breathes on its own. We also dont know if I can be only an effect on babies conceived on a specific date, because at the moment we only have the initial date with Anne Barlow Holm. You and your wife got pregnant in August, so there are still enough months to see how the situation goes" General Black said nothing, only thinking about his wife, his own daughter and the girl lying on a crib with respiratory support.

Anne seemed nothing more than an ordinary child, the only way to understand the magnitude of the situation was in the bottom photo where they had placed a crib with a normal baby next to her. "The boy in the photo was born 3 hours before Anne and it is totally normal, he is infected by the virus in the same way as you and me. According to the gynecology report Alex was conceived in early April, so thanks to Anne's pregnancy we can know that this only affects children born after April 7 ..."

 

"Which means that the virus started spreading that same day, I'm wrong?"

 

"Of course not, brother. I know you have orders from one of your superiors to keep everything that happens in this city a secret ... so now that we know what we have in hand, brother, we must decide. Do you want to become Charles Francis Xavier, Professor X of these children? Or will you be Senator Robert Kelly for them? Times change, brother ... and I think we are facing one of those changes"

 

Keeping silent, William got up from his chair and walked to the office window, opening slightly so that he could see the warm blue sky that the dome was projecting. The movement, so familiar to the brothers, almost caused Addams to fall out of the chair with laughter, being unable to not see his mother reflected in Will's gestures. "As you said, my superiors want me to hide the future of Brightside until there is a total change of government ... and for that reason they gave me total control of the mission to the point of being able to personally choose my men. I've sworn to protect this city with my life ... and that includes everyone, from you to Anne, brother"

 

"I expected you to say that, Will. If I remember correctly, you told us the same in the airport before you embarked until your first mission away from the United States, right?"

 

"I said that day, I'll say it today and I'll say it tomorrow. If I have to be someone, I choose to be the one who protects my countrymen. Who can assure to that kids that the sun will come out again ... and until that day, I will make sure that Anne and all the other children have a safe home where they can grow up happy until they can defend it on their own" Her brother's smile was enough to that General Black recovered the faith, returning to trust in his oath with all his strength.

"So ... X-men? You werent the one who laughed at us for reading comics?"

 

"Casc forces me and Lydia to go see all the possible movies in their movies, including that of superheroes. Have you been to see him at some point since you came back?"

 

"As much as I wish I had not time, it's been a busy day preparing everything ... it's true that-"

"Yep, Casc have two assistants taken directly from the prisoner reintegration service. Dont bother investigating them, the Romero brothers came out of prison after a 20-year sentence for multiple robberies with perfect behavior and several career learned under their arms. It still seems a bit strange to me that being the owner of a movie theater and owner of a medium-sized production company Casc thinks that he need assistants ... you know how our brother is, he always thinks he's going one foot ahead without realizing that he is going towards a wall"

 

Will let out a necessary giggle, not only for him but for everyone around him. Returning to let the doctors in, the general began to mentally prepare everything they needed for the following years ... much more interesting than Will himself expected when he agreed to become the commander (although his rank remained general for the public ) of the mission in his own city.

 

 

---

 

(Park boulevard, same day 13:00)

 

"Well Anne, say Ahhhh ..." Theo asked the baby, who remained impassive in her mother's arms. "I know she's not going to do it, but can you imagine her doing it? It would be incredible…"

 

"Please, Theo. Let me work" Amelia pushed her partner aside, opening Anne's mouth carefully to check her throat. "The small redness of the day before yesterday has already dropped properly, in addition the skin is already firm and has good color, the weight and size of Anne is already increasing adequately and the neck is strong enough to hold sitting is sufficient indications to be able say that your daughter has already entered the normal growth stage" The doctor knocked Anne back on the couch, taking off her stethoscope and leaving it on her briefcase.

"Alright girls-" Alanna and Erika nodded swiftly as well-trained soldiers, sitting on the dining table so as not to disturb the medical team. "Let's start talking about what I cant see. How is Anne with her family? Does she behave well with more people in the room?"

 

The two mothers nodded at the same time as they had well spoken, taking Alanna control of the conversation while Erika took out her mobile and looked for video evidence. "Anne is following us properly with the look, from time to time she imitates our gestures-" Enumerating while she was counting on the fingers of her hand, Erika put a video to Amelia where Anne was sitting on the sofa in front of a blanket with two people hidden under.

After both people said the name of the baby, Anne was able to recognize and try to turn to her mother. The same video was repeated several times with the same result. "As you can see Anne can already recognize us by voice, to the point of telling us Ahh while smiling when she recognizes us!"

 

"Have you recorded a video test? Why?"

 

The doctor's confusion was unknown to the couple, who thought that recording experiments with their daughter would be a good idea. "You'll see ..." Erika tried to get by, going on to the next 4 videos. "It's just that Anne is so adorable ... she has such a beautiful voice ..."

 

"This isnt the weirdest thing I've seen parents do ... but I still have to ask. Alanna, you cried while recording these videos, right? I can see how the camera trembles and you sipping tears. It's okay, postpartum melancholy isnt uncommon among first-time mothers" Alanna's relief exhalation was all Amelia needed, getting up and letting mothers take their daughters. "We are going to give the finalized review for today, so we are going to fix the next one for January 21, in a week and a day. Remember that today is the first day that you can take Anne to the street, so take advantage that we have 25 degrees of temperature until eight o'clock in the afternoon, understood?"

 

The mothers nodded at the same time, offering the right hand to the pediatrician and Theo, who said goodbye and marched leaving the mothers in silence in the apartment, watching both as Anne waved her arms to try to be taken. "84 centimeters, huh? You start to gain weight and grow properly, my precious little sweety baby!" Erika laughed as she sat on the couch next to her wife, taking Anne and sitting her on her legs facing them. "And you my beloved wife, enduring the desire to mourn the entire revision ..."

Alanna took a deep breath, letting all the feelings overwhelm her suddenly and bursting into tears, causing Anne to cry back (whether it was empathy with her mother or not liking the noise). With each of her favorite girls crying, one on her lap and the other resting on her right shoulder, Erika could feel at home in a way never before understood.

 

...

Two hours later, with lunchtime already over and Anne taking a nap, a new matter was presented urgently through Alanna's laptop and a phone call, forcing the couple to sit down at the dining room table to be able to see everything properly.

An issue received in the form of plans sent by Velio. "Grandpa, we need at least three-meter ceilings ... at least," Alanna explained without raising her voice too loud, trying to make her daughter have the rest that night cries had not left her the night before.

 

"Three meters isnt like 9 feet with something? What? That almost 10 feet?! Honey, Ulyses says three meters is almost 10 feet! That's a lot higher than it sounds, honey ... If we're talking about Anne coming to measure like NBA player-"

"Grandpa" Alanna interrupted again, bringing the phone to her mouth despite the speaker being activated. "Call it mother's intuition combined with Amelia's forecast ... but Anne is going to stay close to the world record if not overcome... A higher ceiling is just to ensure ..."

 

No one answered for a few seconds, the couple listening as Velio spoke with whom they both believed was the architect. It was not until the clock struck 16:05 that Velio answered the call again. "Erika, I want to ask you too before deciding anything. Do you really think that 3 meters isnt enough?"

 

Looking at her wife, Erika took a breath because what they were going to ask for was a big investment from Velio, a much bigger one than Erika could have thought to see the budget of what the reforms would cost. "If you allow me, Mr. Velio ... It's not just mother's intuition ... the height forecasts are just forecasts, but that doesnt mean we can deny the obvious-"

"Damn, Erika! You are my family! I dont need a speech as if I owned the bank! Tell me clearly: Do you think Anne is going to measure more than three meters?" Velio's anger brought even more shame to Erika, who tried to hide her redness from her cheeks. (Uselessly, because Alanna was already touching her wife's cheeks with a smile from ear to ear)

 

"I believe it, Grandpa Velio. I firmly believe it"

 

"You see? Just to call me grandfather instead of sir I am willing to pay roofs of 5 meters and more. I cannt hide how big my lovely ball of cuteness is, so the least I can do for her is to give her mothers the ideal home to take care of her as she deserves! I'm going to talk to the architects to reach an appropriate agreement, you can stop worrying ... the great-grandfather takes care of everything!" Without saying goodbye or anything, Velio hung up the call leaving the couple breathing in relief. More than by Velio, the reason for the relief is that Ulyses was there to control the over-excited grandfather.

 

"We made a deal with the devil?" Alanna asked as the teapot water began to boil, getting up to make tea for both.

 

Erika didnt dare to answer looking at the computer the initial plans, the only Velio was going to let them see until the house was complete. A house completely paid in exchange for Velio and Ulyses who took care of everything ... a terrible bet if it werent for the wife of Ulyses was the hired designer, and with almost 30 years of experience in the profession Alanna and Erika trusted her. (Not in vain, the idea of r03;r03;using one of the cabinets as for the double bed was hers)

 

"Deal with the devil? I dont know ..." Erika finished saying once she got enough confidence to close the pdf. "But I know that although we will not regret the deal, we will have to make a lot of changes, especially in terms of aesthetics. I dont want a house full of doorbells like your grandfather's mansion ... to all this, who is watching her?"

 

"The son of Ulyses, if I'm not mistaken. In the end, going to Los Angeles against his father's decision has freed him from all this ..." Alanna sat down again at the table, this time next to her wife's seat, leaving tea cups between them. (Changing coffee for tea was not the smartest decision, but since it had been authorized by Theo Alanna had decided to take advantage of it at all times) 

The heat of the afternoon came through the window while the couple enjoyed the tea in company with each other, a strange heat for January but to which the inhabitants of Brightside had to get used to. Every day every telephone in the city receives a message indicating the time of sunrise and sunset, the temperatures throughout the day and night, the speed and amount of wind and humidity throughout the day; allowing things like having windows open for the day in midwinter

 

 

---

 

What was before, the boulevard around the park or the park along the boulevard? A question quite done in Brightside, which unfortunately to this day remained unanswered. Anyway, Liberty Park was one of the 3 parks that until the arrival of the dome made Brightside stand out among the other cities of northern California.

The city was founded by three brothers architects in the early 1920s, who designed the skeleton of what today would be the center of the city, a first equilateral triangle with the town hall in the middle of everything. The three brothers were very fond of traveling, learning and adding what they saw and learned in their travels to their designs; all this ended up culminating in the magnum opus of each: Three parks in each corner of the city, three giant parks to replicate different architectural styles and around which later the city will continue to expand.

In the southwest we have the Bright Hill Park, inspired by the Chapultepec Forest (Mexico City); to the southeast the Crystal Cove Gardens, inspired by the Kamala Nehru park (Mumbai); and last but not least Liberty Park or Park Boulevard, unique in the city for being inspired by two different parks, the Tiergarten (Berlin) and Central Park (New York).

And what better place than the park near the couple's apartment to celebrate Anne's first street exit?

 

"It's time ..." Alanna stated while opening the text file on her mobile, reviewing the list of everything necessary. Anne's cart was filled to the brim with everything the couple thought necessary to carry two emergency jackets (a thin one and a fat one in case the dome's temperature regulator system broke down) even knowing exactly what was going on to make 23 degrees of temperature. "Erika, your work is the most important next to Anne's. Can I trust you, my love?"

 

"Dont hesitate for a moment, my beautiful," Erika confirmed with a smile on her side, firmly grasping both wheels of the cart. Anne looked from side to side, not getting to understand why her mother smiled so much but at the same time enjoying that her bed was placed to keep her mother always in the spotlight. "Let's not waste time, open the door!"

Alanna grabbed her bag and the extra backpack with possible useful objects for Anne, opening the door and hurrying out to press the elevator. 5 floors later, the couple stood in front of the door of the building with Anne still entertained with her stuffed animal (another one of megaman, one that Erika tried again to pass as a gift without any success), both mothers breathing deeply before opening the door of the building.

 

Slowly and with a combined maneuver so that the trolley didnt suffer any fright, Anne stopped all movement in dry. Suddenly something new behind her mother shine, something that the baby had never seen attracted her attention, something that Anne could not understand.Alanna and Erika looked at each other, enjoying the curious face of their daughter. "Do you think she understands that it's not really the true heaven?" Erika asked caressing her daughter's cheek, trying to keep the pacifier close to Anne's mouth in case it was necessary to use it.

 

"To begin with, I'm still not sure that she understand who her grandparents are and who her great grandparents... And besides, if I didnt know it was a dome, I would not know either that isnt heaven ... it is an absolutely amazing projection" Alanna stroked Anne's other cheek, enjoying how a pair of clouds crossed the projection of the sky giving a sense of depth. "We're going to be moving little by little, okay darling?"

 

Erika nodded, starting to walk as slowly as possible ... but meeting her daughter's whimpering instantly. "No no no!" The marriage jumped to the moment, rocking the cart as slowly as possible to try to calm Anne down again.

 

"Waaaa ..." The whining was constant, not ending in tears but staying in the doors.

 

"Come on Anne, let's smile..." Erika sang almost unconsciously, leaving the wheel of the cart to lean over her daughter and kiss her lips and forehead. "Come on, my life, let's smile ..." Erika's gesture was not enough to calm the baby, forcing Alanna to also lean over her daughter.

 

Two women completely leaning over a cart in the middle of the sidewalk, attracting the attention of all the customers in the cafeteria across the street.

In the middle of trying to calm her down, Erika leaned slightly more than adequately on the cart, moving the short distance of 1 inch forward. Of course that could only mean one thing.

"WAAAAA!!" Second to second, the crying intensified, making the mothers more nervous that in a desperate attempt they decided to combine their minds in a single plan. Keep pushing the cart until Anne gets used to it.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

 

"Dont stop!" Erika shouted nervously and scared, checking Anne's face for a possible allergic reaction. (Paranoia)

"Dont you dare to stop! At some point she will start to like it!" Alanna insisted by starting to hyperventilate, fearing for her daughter's mental integrity. (Paranoia +2)

 

The race continued until the end of the street (scarcely 30 meters traveled in 4 minutes), where blinded by Anne's fear and crying, the couple ended up crashing against a lamppost. The collision was extremely slight, since the marriage was going at walking speed ... but for them as if it were a multiple accident of formula 1.

Alanna and Erika watched in slow motion as the stroller Anne tapped softly, causing the baby to stop crying completely. Panicked, the couple took Anne in their arms, inspecting everywhere while the baby smiled with her mouth half open, staining her clothes with random drops of saliva.

"Is ... she okay?" Alanna asked, leaving Anne sitting in the cart. With just a second of sitting, the baby's expression creased again.

 

"No no! Take Anne out of the cart! We have to check her head, arms, legs ... everything!" Erika was quick, picking up Anne again and checking that the baby was back to smile again.

The couple looked at each other for a few seconds, going up and down Anne, checking how her expression was changing as her ass reached the cart. The confusion was evident, only stopping at the sound of something metallic hitting the ground followed by huge flash of purple light.

 

"Ahhh!" The couple began to scream in fright, protecting Anne as much as possible.

 

"OH GOD! There were people there! Sorry!" A voice that made them both tremble and that Erika thought she remembered began to scream, approaching marriage at full speed. "The idiot of my brother has dropped the floodlight without wanting to ... Miss Erika?"

 

Quickly (still slightly blinded) Erika turned to where the voice came from, remembering the owner of such a voice too grave for the world. "Carlos?" Erika looked up, seeing behind the assistant. The fence at the back entrance of the Torna cinemas was open, the trailer of a truck wide open with Oliver still on it.

 

"Yes! It's me, Carlos Romero! Are you OK? Can you see correctly? How many fingers ... oh my god, you where here with your daughter! Oh god, sorry! Let me call an ambulance!-"

"No need Carlos ..." Erika grabbed him by the wrist, preventing him from running away while Alanna made a quick check to see if Anne was following her properly with her eyes. After verifying that Alanna was also fine, Erika turned to Carlos again, trying to calm the big guy. "We're fine ... it hasnt been stronger than a flash from a camera ..."

 

"Even so, I feel guilty, I thought I could take the three boxes and the floodlight at the same time ... Allow me to offer you something as an apology-"

 

"CARLOS! how could you drop the BA Floodlig-" Cascadio started shouting as soon as he went out to the loading and unloading area and saw the scene, running to the spotlight to check that it was not broken. "How can you ... oh god ... Erika! Why do we always have to see ourselves in these circumstances?!" Cascadio ran as much as the suit allows, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and offering it to the couple to dry the tears caused by blinking so fast.

Accepting willingly, Erika wiped her wife's tears first before going with her own. "Are you OK? How unfortunate that the only floodlight that runs on batteries has fallen ..."

 

"Yeah... it's been bad luck, yes ..." Alanna confirmed while leaving Anne in the arms of her other mother, offering her hand to Cascadio. "You must be Cascadio Black, thanks for the free one-year pass"

 

"Dont say it, please. Every time I feel that I owe you more and more ... Is your daughter okay? I have the cell phone right here, I was dialing to call a provider, so I can quickly call the hospital if-" Alanna denied taking a load off Cascadio, showing her how smiling Anne was in her mother's arms. "I covered her quickly when I heard how that thing hit the ground ... can I ask what use a purple bulb has? It's the first time I see one so bright"

 

"It's for a concert that we're going to give in a couple of days in the underground multimedia room ... or at least pretend to give. With all this dome the Shepherd have chased away the singers I had hired ... I've already paid all the necessary material, so I'll keep it just in case" The anger in Cascadio's voice was as clear as Erika had explained, making Alanna smile. It was good to meet a businessman as sincere as his grandfather from time to time. "I am very sorry girls, it has been a pleasure to see you and I am sorry for the accident but we have to store all this in the basement. The truck is from the Travelers and we have to return it before nine ... I dont like to inspect my goods, but I guess that with so many jobs for young people generated to have the Travelers as intermediaries between shipments from abroad and Brightside is not at all wrong"

 

"Precisely Alanna's little cousin has started working with them!" Erika added as she returned to try to seat Anne in the cart without much success.

 

"Seriously? I'm glad, living under a dome will have to bring something good to the Brightside youth! If you excuse us, ladies ... remember that the next time you come I invite you to a good dinner as an excuse for today!" Cascadio said goodbye to the couple, joining Carlos and Oliver in the truck unloading.

 

"You see what a good person he is?" Erika smiled as she searched with one hand for Anne's pacifier, carefully wiping it against a wipe and giving herself to her beloved daughter to avoid more drooling than necessary.

 

"Yep! I'm glad to see that there are still good people in Brightside!" Alanna and Erika continued walking along the sidewalk, with Anne in her arms to save herself from crying. What had started as an exit to the park had become a return to the street without the need for the couple to talk about it beforehand. 

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

The days passed, and these turned into weeks. Life under the dome wasnt too different from the previous one, causing all the protests and riots that the Shepherds anticipated not to appear. Of course there were always protests from the group (newly political) Done the Dome, but they were always peaceful and never caused any problems. The voting system for days of rain and snow was a success, creating three beautiful snowy weekends and several evenings and nights throughout January of intense rain but without storm, fact that increased the productivity of the city thanks to that citizens could foresee and anticipate everything in advance.

If the rumors that the real goal of the dome was to conduct a social experiment were true ... one could say the city would pass it with honors

 

Of course not everything was going well, because all the unbuilt ground under the dome aroused many prying eyes that intensified when the mayor of Brightside received the permission to develop them at pleasure provided that the owners of the scattered houses received an economic compensation equal to double of your property. The news quickly became viral throughout the city, with hundreds of debates on how to make the most of the space.An amusement park, a skyscraper district, housing district ... artificial beach ... the ideas were many and they arise and disappear quickly between the two sides of the town hall.

 

Moving away from the general plan a bit and approaching the staff, we find a slow and quiet life in the home of the Barlow Holm family. Erika had finished her paternity leave (the only one she could really take in the gym) for 3 weeks, getting back to work again to at least feel like she was taking care of her family with her own hands. Meanwhile Alanna spent the days taking care of the "little" Anne, as long as small one understood 88 centimeters from the head to the heel. (2 feet 11 inches)

Life progressed as slowly as marriage could wait, completely in love with seeing their little one each day gained more and more control over herself; to the point that with 1 month of life Anne was already able to laugh and keep her head up for almost a full minute.

 

The clock read 12 o'clock on the morning of February 2, 2019, several hours after Erika left her favorite girls sleeping, when the first morning cries woke Alanna. "Wait... I'm going ... I'm going, my life ..." The still half-asleep mother stretched out on the bed, staring at the sleeping love ball covered by cushions at her side. (Something more normal than the couple wanted, because as Anne woke up when Erika went to the gym the crying was assured if Alanna did not take her to the double bed)

Sitting on the pillow and leaning her back against the wall of the closet, Alanna blindly pressed the buttons on the head, seeking to activate the automatic shutters installed by Melker a week before. The Swedish great-grandfather had seen how his land was taken by the dome, and how his own government refused to transfer his pension earned just to the United States; forcing him to accept the money of his archenemy Velio to disgust ... and of course that led to Melker spend the days doing renovations in the homes of the family. (Many times by force, nobody daring to stop him)

 

"Waaaaa!" Anne cried and waved in her mother's arms, making it difficult for her to take off her bra and get up in her pajamas more than desired.

 

"I'm going ... I'm coming ...!" To avoid screaming, Alanna and Erika had mastered the technique of the silent scream, drowning the words and raising a little dot of tone just at the end to emphasize what was said. A quick and effective technique that allows the marriage to talk, discuss and relate without problem in front of an Anne who also laughed and enjoyed those words so elongated.

With the breast already discovered, the baby didnt doubt for a second, throwing herself to suck with a force that made her mother more afraid every day. "But my daughter ...! Let me at least settle in!" Alanna begged while looking for a more comfortable position for her (Because Anne was clearly in glory, sucking with her eyes closed and one hand resting on Alanna's chest)

"You have to see ... my life, your mother also needs to find the position!" Anne's growing weight and size makes it more complicated than the tutorials and courses had taught the marriage, having to adapt each posture or action to the great size of your daughter.

 

Although if something was complicating the situation in recent days was the super swollen chest of Alanna. Amelia and Theo couldnt decide if the extreme increase in breast was due to how much Anne drank every time she went to breastfeed or if it was just the other way around, Anne drank more because she noticed that there was still milk left over.

The truth is that Alanna she wasnt interested in why her breasts grew, having the ability to change bras with her wife was a dream come true. (A quickly killed, Erika didnt enjoy wearing bras with the smell of milk too much, and Alanna didnt like the very stiffness and the faint smell of of the free gym soap impregnated in her wife's sports bras, ending only with the exchange of lace bras)

 

Finishing sucking, Anne leaned back burping herself without having to provoke her mother; a gesture somewhat rude but that the marriage enjoyed greatly. "Dont relax now, my life!" Alanna lifted her daughter, holding her face to face and tickling her nose. Anne's laughter was like the harps of the angels to them, a sound worthy of beauty as the baby was. "Now time for your morning exercises!"

Placing Anne on the mattress, Alanna began the basic baby exercise session just as Theo had taught them, replicating each movement perfectly without even having to look while Anne burst out laughing without holding back. Anne might not yet understand what they were doing, but she loved the movement and that's how she expressed it to her mother.

And no matter how quiet the morning was, a mother's job didnt end after the exercises.

Anne doesnt hesitate to fall asleep as she used to do after finishing the exercises, cuddling first in her mother and then in the cushions that replace her (Odd as it was, it didnt affect her too much to know that they were cushions whenever the awakening of any of his mothers were present). To take advantage of the morning, Alanna got up ready to pick up the apartment and leave everything clean by the time Erika arrived with the food purchased. (That as it used to be usual in the couple on Saturdays, it was fried chicken buying in the preferred store of both)

 

"Well ... now I am a mother and I must show it in style! Take care of the house, receive my wife with a smile on my face and dinner on the table ..." Alanna nodded to no one in particular, looking at the unpolluted state of the house cleaned by Erika before leaving for work. "Or so I would say if it werent 2019 and the household chores are evenly shared among us ... or rather if Erika didnt get up an hour and a half early to clean up. In what position does that leave me?"

 

Alanna looked toward the closet, watching Anne sleep peacefully with her pacifier lying on her chest. "Yep, that's my position ... I guess at least I can shower and do the laundry" Pulling off her pajamas and throwing it on one of the dining room chairs, Alanna did some slight stretching before going to the bathroom. As she had planned, Erika had left the pajamas of last night on the dryer; a gesture that although Alanna appreciated only made her fall deeper into her sinful depths. "Oh my..."

After 3 months without intimate relations with her wife (mainly because the large size of Alanna's belly with Anne inside did not help sex), Erika's only smell permeated on her clothes was enough to shake the needy mother. After quickly checking that Anne was still asleep, Alanna closed the bathroom door behind her and leaning against it, dropping to the floor with Erika's pajamas in her hands. "This is wrong ... very wrong..." Alanna said to herself, separating her pajamas from her wife's underwear in two piles in front of her.

Carefully as if she were afraid of someone discovering her, Alanna grabbed her wife's socks, inspecting them with her thumbs closer and closer to her face. "Dammit, Erika…"

 

From the moment of giving birth Alanna had spent many sleepless nights calming Anne (sometimes with Erika and other times alone), earning many extra hours to think about herself. In the past Alanna had never been ashamed of being a fetishist, always proudly saying how much she enjoyed the body of her wife without caring about the looks of others.

But now? Now Alanna was a mother, a mother who was hiding in the bathroom to dream of her wife's feet with their legs closer together and their hands more and more separated, bringing the sock up and the free hand down.

'This is wrong, sooo wrong!... but it smells so good ... it's not fair, it's not fair that Erika is so sexy ... she and her huge feet, her huge hands ... her HUGE ... her huge muscular body of Swedish goddess born for me and only for me and Anne! I will never understand that someone like her could feel self-conscious of having such a ... powerful body ... huge ... so fucking erotic ...'

Alanna's breathing was accelerating more every second, reaching the point where she was burying her nose in her wife's socks. Having so close the sock allowed Alanna to see it as closely as it was humanly possible, seeing how the seams were resentful in all directions for the size 44 and a half of her beloved Erika.

'Erika ... my love ... it's been so long that we did not play ... since I dont have you under me ... since I do not make you step on me ...... it's been so long since I put you on our beloved leash ... I need ... I ... need ...'

 

Alanna's other hand reached its destination, beginning to rub over the pajamas at a speed that even she couldnt understand. Biting her lip, Alanna began to moan, trying to control the volume while from the tension itself the first-time mother broke the crotch of her pajamas, giving her enough to be able to consume her pleasure.

'Erika ... Erika ... Erika ...!-' "ERIKA! ERIKA!" The excitement reached its peak, the floor getting wet under it. Drowning the cry of pure pleasure with her wife's sock, Alanna slumped backward on the bathroom floor unconscious of the huge amount of ejaculation between her legs, forming a large puddle like never before.

 

The pleasure was simply overwhelming, Alanna still rubbing her clit slowly while the orgasm left her more and more and more unconscious. "Erika ..." It was the last thing that came out of her lips before falling asleep in such an ungrateful position.

 

 

---

 

(Gym Gilded Ground. Same time in the morning of February 2)

 

"67, ... 68, ..."

 

"Come on Erika! You're going to break a record!" Akanni, the co-worker and new supervisor of Erika's gym, shouted out loud, attracting even more look if they changed. With almost 44 kilos in the weight, Erika's muscles were swollen and burning with desire to continue, vibrating every time the audience forming around her sing a new repetition with her.

 

"72, ... 73 ..." Erika growled as she reached the amount that Akanni had bet 10 minutes before that the first-time mother would never arrive. Three great feelings were piling up inside Erika: The anger to hit Akanni in his big mouth for not trusting her, the desire to beat her own record and run to tell Alanna and Anne; and the even greater desire to overcome her own limits. "And ... 75!" Erika shouted as she dropped the weight on the safety bar, jumping up and screaming with emotion while her audience shouted and cheered excitedly.

"Fuck you, new boss! 75 repetitions with 44 kilos! Where is the well-to-do mother you used to say, eh? Where is?!" Erika's pure and hard emotion was contagious, forcing Akanni to lean back with his hands up.

 

"OK OK! Jesus, have you come back from pater-maternity leave with an extra injection of strength or what?! Not only have you raised 9 kilos more than normally ... but you've done 25 repetitions more than usual! And that weight training isnt your strong point!"

 

"This is the power of being a mother, you know?" Erika took two steps forward, standing firm and defiant in front of Akanni (Although always as a joke between friends), the supervisor's head right in front of Erika's breasts. "Now I must not only be strong for my wife, now I must be strong for my daughter. It's that feeling of wanting to protect her that gives me ... gives me ..." Erika's face turned completely red, a small cold sweat running down her forehead full of previous sweat.

 

"Erika? Something wrong? Have you broken?" Akanni asked as Erika took a step back, her legs cradled with her knees drawn together. "You have not had a heat attack or something, have you? You are shaking ..." The trainer said nothing, taking a deep breath to try to calm the hotter feeling inside her. An internal heat that Erika had been resisting for several months for the sake of her wife. "I go to the bathroom a moment before I go home ... I am- I have to pee"

 

Akanni couldnt get to give her permission, Erika ran around the gym to the locker room workers. Pushing out her partners between apologies, Erika managed to reach the women's bathroom by opening and closing the door with all her might, slamming the door that was heard even in the gym lobby.

Erika's breathing was increasing every second, forcing her to kneel against the wall of the sink. "Why ... why? If I wasnt thinking about those things ..." She whispered to herself, beginning to hyperventilate. In a quick decision made by the excessive excitement, Erika took out her phone looking for the private folder in her gallery of images: A collection of photos of Alanna and herself too sensual to have available to children, prepared for moments like the present. (Although what Erika really needed right now was her wife's touch, feeling completely dominated by her to calm the fire inside her body)

 

Closing the lid of the toilet, Erika placed the phone on it resting on one of her shoes, opening her legs and starting to changing photos in search of a warm enough to remember the moment, faster and faster while with the other hand she was massaging her generous chest. "Alanna ... my love ..." Desperate to release her other hand, Erika put the gallery in presentation mode to be able to direct her left hand towards her crotch, rubbing in circles her little clit while with the other hand she took her nipple to her mouth, imagining the flow of milk that her wife could release in the same situation.

'My love ... please, I need you to let me cumming... I am all yours but I need to free myself ... my love, my miss... let me cumming...'

The presentation began to arrive at increasingly hot photos, surprising Erika herself by the follies and the eroticism detached by each image. "Cumming now? ..." Erika began to whisper, trying to imitate her wife's voice as best she could. "Do you want to stain your huge hands with my precious juice? Do you think you deserve it?" The role-playing game was absolutely terrible, but considering that Erika herself was making herself and her wife little more than she could ask herself. "Do it, if you think you can cum, my giantess, run ... bathe me in your love juices and make me pregnant again!"

'I will give you everything you ask me! Do you want me to make you more pregnant? Do you want to have more of my children?! I will do everything you ask, I just need ... I need ...-' "Alanna ... Alanna ... ALANNA!" In an impulse to cum, Erika ended up introducing a large part of her hand inside her, pressing her own g point with all her strength . "AaaAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhhh!"

 

The orgamum was simply wild, filling the entire distance between her legs to her knee with her love liquid. Today more than ever, Erika enjoyed having voted for the bathrooms to be individual without gaps for bystanders. If one of her companions caught her in that state, the shame would be enormous and more so now that the dome would not let her move. Erika's consciousness was fading as the gallery of erotic photos was finished, moving on to the next full of photos from the last month.

Seeing her daughter and wife, Erika ended up falling asleep after the longest solo orgasm of her life.

 

 

---

 

_____________________________

Dont be afraid of the ancient rites. Dont be afraid of the blood.

There is charm in the dark, a Charm name Skull!

Take a seat and come to the table the menu is about to end- End?

_______________________________

 

"What?! END?! Damn, END?! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT SHOUT END IN THE INITIAL SPEECH WOULD BE GOOD IDEA?!" Cascadio threw the script to the ground, descending from the stage and removing the plastic mask. "Oliver! What the hell is that?! What kind of villain would talk about ending up in his initial speech!?"

 

(Second Secret Basement of the Multiplexes and Cultural center Torna, 12:30 in the morning)

 

Oliver quickly got up from the mixer while watching his boss get up, turning the laptop towards him and marking the end of the speech. "Sorry boss, but I think that it ends up fitting well! The menu is about to end, the dessert will be your soul! It doesnt form an assonating rhyme, but it creates a beautiful alliteration with your name!-"

 

Closing the laptop with Oliver's hand still on the keyboard, Cascadio turned around again growling while his assistant blew his aching fingers. "First, what kind of villain have you seen revealing his greatness to the world while reciting verses!? That makes no sense! Hunger Skull cant start talking about desserts! Who the hell would take me seriously if I introduce myself while talking about taking the dessert as if I were some kind of big kid?" After jumping up, Cascadio began to wander around the stage tried to think.

"No no! It is not an option to talk about desserts! Do you know what we need, Oliver? A feminine point of view!" While Oliver muttered in silence, Cascadio looked for the app on his phone to turn on the communication system of the base. "Doctor Elizabeth, come here!"

 

After several long minutes, the doors that led to the laboratory too slowly for the taste of Cascadio, who mentally aimed to solve it later. Disheveled, with dark circles to her cheek and the lab coat as the only garment correctly in place, Elizabeth entered the main stage chewing what Cascadio thought were pork rinds. "You need me ..." Yawning in the middle of the sentence, Elizabeth wiped her stained hand on her robe before sitting in front of the stage. "-boss?"

 

"What are you eating? You know it's almost time to eat, right? If you eat junk now then you will not be hungry ..." Cascadio hit his face with both hands, rubbing up to his neck. "You know?! I am not your mother to tell you these things! Do your work and be presentable! You are the scientist who will make the great Hunger Skull come true!" Scratching the back of her neck, Elizabeth looked down at her hands, uncertain what to say.

 

"My job isnt to make your evil whims come true?"

 

"Of course! And be presentable! Legally, you're still the movie accountant and I your legal guardian, so I need you, Oliver and Carlos, to be clean in case my brothers come! ... And that's not the issue!"

 

"And which one is it? I'm still working on equipping your SkullLight System with the suit and I would also like to finish the auxiliary power supply today"

 

"Easy, it will only be a moment. I was here rehearsing my initial speech before this city when Oliver, our dear Oliver here, goes and writes to me on the teleprompter 'The menu is about to end, the dessert will be your soul!'... and I want you to tell me sincerely: Is the worst villain phrase you've ever heard?"

 

Elizabeth didnt say anything, turning first to Oliver and then closing her eyes and falling on the seat beside her. The position reminded Cascadio the first time he met the scientist at the juvenile correctional school in Riverside many years ago, when the scientist was only 14 years old and had been accused of wanting to buy plutonium and possessing materials with high biological risk. "It's not the worst phrase, but it doesnt stick with the rest of the script"

 

"How is not he going to stick?!" Oliver screamed extremely outraged as he walked towards the seats, ready to split the scientist's face. "Do you know what my script is so it doesnt stick good?!"

 

"Dont be afraid of the ancient rites. Dont be afraid of blood. There is charm in the dark. Take a seat and go to the table, the menu is about to end and the dessert will be your soul" Elizabeth recited in the delicious British accent that so much attracted Cascadio the first time he hear it. "I saw the script last week in the kitchen, and I was looking at it while the nachos cheese melted"

 

"And? Do you, genius girl, have a better ending for the speech?! Because everything I hear is critical and no one brings solutions!" Oliver dropped onto the other seat, crossing his arms extremely angrily as Elizabeth slowly got up, picked up the plastic mask and climbed onto the stage removing Cascadio's cloak.

 

"Ahem ..." Elizabeth cleared her voice a couple of times, covering herself completely with her cloak before putting on her best sinister voice and opening the cape dramatically.

"Can you feel the hunger? Dont be afraid…

Because only hunger will accompany you to the end.

Dont fear the ancient rites! Dont fear the unfaithful blood!

There is a special charm in the dark;

so take a seat and come closer, for the feast is about to begin!"

The two adults fell silent while Elizabeth devoted an exaggerated bow to no one in particular. "Well?" And without even waiting for them to answer, Elizabeth left the accessories on the floor starting to march back to the lab.

 

Cascadio and Oliver looked at each other, not knowing what to say. "I guess that's why she's the genius, boss ... If it's convinced you, me too" Oliver shrugged, thinking how he couldnt have thought of something as simple as begin.

 

"For me? I am delighted with the turn that she has given it. And I like the tone you've given it much more, Elizabeth ..." Cascadio turned around, taking the mask back as he began to practice the phrase.

 

And just before leaving, Elizabeth turned around, calling back her boss. "Sir, I forgot that we had the first activation ... or mutactivation... I still dont catch the name-"

 

"WHAT?! HOW?! WHEN?!" Cascadio dropped everything to the ground, jumping to the ground and running towards Elizabeth, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. "AND WHY YOU HAVENT SAID ANYTHING UNTIL NOW?! WHERE HAS THE ACTIVATION HAPPENED?! WHO?!"

 

"Precisely thats why I havent said anything ... in the last month we applied SkullLight to 68 newborns and their parents, then discretely placing the markers on their parents ... But of course, we havent marked the families with names, but with the number of the accident where we make the 'accident'... and at the same time the markers that I have modified only detect when the NEPF virus disappears from the organism as a virus and begins to appear as own cells, they dont send a signal of where it has happened"

 

"What you're trying to tell me is that we only have the numbers that have been activated, but we dont know who they are or where they have been activated?!" Elizabeth nodded slowly, while Cascadio wanted to cut his neck right there for having committed the most stupid mistake in the world and that could now cost them months or even years of delay. "DAMN IT!" Dropping all his frustration all at once, Cascadio kicked with all his strength into the row of seats, shattering his foot in the process.

"Goddamn it! How could we have been so clumsy?!" Falling defeated on the seat, Cascadio breathed as deep as he could, holding his chin thoughtfully. "The simulated accidents have taken place either in the cinema or in the hospital ... and we were crossing out the names of all registered newborns after each SkullLight flash ... it wouldnt be possible to find out who are the lucky winners using their numbers and looking for who corresponds? We still have control of the traffic cameras until day 6, which is when the passwords change ... how many recordings should we check?"

 

"We could, but they are many hours of video and you didnt mark the list when you faked accidents. Our best bet is to use the facial recognition program to search each family individually and once you have located them look for the exact moment when you three appear in the video-"

 

"No no, that would take a lot! Come on Cascadio ... think, do it for Mom's dream ..." Cascadio closed his eyes, crossing his arms behind the back of his neck and letting himself fall backwards. "We know that the virus of two subjects has been activated, beginning to mimic the mutant gene that they share between them with their baby, right?"

 

"According to the tests, yes, but we still dont know what or who created the NEPF virus before us, so all this is based on the tests that I performed with the virus in the laboratory afterwards with the information stolen from Professor Cole. At the moment all I can say for sure is that one of the second-generation rats has developed affinity or immunity to electric shocks ... but we cant turn that into a mutation worthy of his plan, sir."

 

"I dont need the mutation to directly grant superhuman abilities. What I want is for young people to take advantage, experience and play with the skills I have given them to turn them into worthy superpowers! A superhero is not born, it is done! ... Except cases like superman, but that is really because of the combination of his Kryptonian genes that act as solar batteries and the strength and intensity of our sun... FUCK, LETS RETURN TO THE INITIAL THEME! Elizabeth, let's assume, do you mind?"

The scientist nodded as Cascadio got up, beginning to walk around the seating area with his hands behind his back.

"If we assume that those two parents have activated their own NEPF viruses unconsciously, it means that their son or daughter must be developing their own mutation, right?" After confirming that Elizabeth nodded, Cascadio went back up the stairs backstage picking up her mask and layer. "For now we only know of an activated mutation, but taking into account that this activation has happened a month later and that the mutation can cause internal changes that do not cause any kind of scandal, we can only cling to those who cause scandals. That means that if those mutations cause any kind of incident or are detected in the hospital, we should be able to track it down at once, am I wrong?"

 

"Then we must take a hidden position in the world until they reveal themselves, right?"

 

"It's the only way I see, to stay hidden while Hunger Skull, me, finish his armor"

 

"We're too far from finishing your suit, boss! Many of the additions you want have not even gone through the alphas phases yet!" Oliver shouted as he finished writing the script, passing it to the telepronter.

 

"Time to time! I may not have everything I want yet, but human progress plays in favor of Hunger Skull! Your contacts will get us the plans to be able to manufacture everything necessary down here as the brazen people from outside are unwittingly creating the weapons of the first great supervillain of this world! Hunger Skull's time has not yet arrived, but humanity can be prepared! The feast will be unstoppable! And when those born to oppose me come to light, this world must stop living in ignorance! We will bring a new era to this world, an era blessed by darkness! ... See Oliver? This is a good speech! Yes, just like that! This was what i meant! This is the kind of material we need!"

 

"Then, sir ..." Elizabeth caught the attention of her boss, who had started to turn with her cape looking for a proper posture for the speech. "Should I go back to hacking the hospital communications?"

 

"No, that will raise suspicions ... instead, I want you to create some kind of program that allows us to monitor the social networks of all the inhabitants of this city, whether civilians or military. We live in a time that if the mutation causes some public incident any idiot will want to be the first to document it! Let's use those same social networks as our personal alarm system!" Nodding without saying anything else, Elizabeth went back to her lab leaving Oliver and Cascadio in the main room of the base. Turning on itself and wrapping itself in the cloak completely, Cascadio bent backwards with one hand on his forehead in an extremely exaggerated but very villainous manner. (Or at least that Cascadio wanted to believe)

"I hope you can see me, Mom ... your world where good can overcome evil is just around the corner ... just wait a little longer, your child will make everything you ever wanted come true ..."

 

...

"That was very nice, boss. Do you want me to write it in the script in case you forget?"

 

"Please"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(February 2, 2:00 pm Park Boulevard)

 

"Sigh ..." Leaning her forehead against the mirror, Erika sighed heavily for 5 times in a row. The shame, the fear of her wife's reaction, and the obvious inner hatred of doing something so intimate in a semi-public bathroom were being made safe by the strange itch on his back from falling asleep in such a terrible position of devouring her completely inside.

"Silly, stupid, silly ... Erika you're stupid and a pervert ... Sigh..."

With 6 sighs behind her, Erika finally decided to press the button on the fifth floor, dropping to the floor next to the bag of food while the elevator began the ascent to final shame.

 

The smell of the two extra fried chicken packages and the favorite sauce of Alanna filled her nose, constantly remembering the confrontation that awaited her at home. The first and most important step was to find a good excuse to why she had been delayed so much, almost an hour and a half longer than expected...-

"Aggg!" Erika shouted grabbing the head with both hands, looking for the least violent solution for both.

 

The elevator beeped twice indicating that it had reached its destination, causing Erika to get up to leave ... and meet with a big surprise.

"Hi, Mom Eri!" Alanna waved her daughter's hand, feigning a greeting while waving Anne up and down. The baby's face was red and wet, and with a frown it was an unequivocal sign that she had been crying until recently.

 

Of course that expression did not last long, because as soon as Anne saw her mother, her full smile invaded her face completely. "Hello my life ..." With the voice still a bit cut, Erika freed her wife from the weight of Anne (gesture that Alanna celebrated by stretching her back with a tired smile and taking the bag of food from the elevator floor). "But what happened to you? ... Have you been crying, my sun?"

 

"Yes ... you could say yes" Alanna explained much more nervously than Erika expected, moving out of the way so her wife could get out of the elevator. "Now I explain it to you at home while we eat ..." The look from side to side of her wife was a sign that something had happened with the neighbors, which forced Erika to act as the situation deserved. Grabbing Anne with one hand, Erika tugged on her free arm to throw her back against the wall. "What are you doing?..."

 

"Kabe-don"

 

"PFFFFFFFFFFF!" Alanna had to cover her mouth with both hands to hold the laughter, unable to look at the serious face of her wife and her daughter's silly smile without breaking out laughing. "Are you trying to make me a Kabe-don carrying your daughter, Miss Holm?"

 

"Baby, today I have broken a double record doing 75 repetitions of 40 kilo weights. I can do this and much more ..." Erika got even closer to her wife, whispering in her ear. (And while Anne did the same but spitting the pacifier on Alanna's other shoulder)

"And that you know that I think about doing to-do"

 

"Erika please!" Alanna had to push her wife, not holding the laugh for another second. "... thank you, really. I needed it"

 

Grasping it over her shoulders with her free hand, Erika guided her wife back into the house. "Today and always, my love"

 

......

The food passed slowly with both wives too tense, both with their embarrassment in their throats as they tried to silence her watching the news and attending to Anne, who spent all the food slapping her high chair in an attempt to convince her mothers to give her what they ate.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Of course eating spicy fried chicken with blue cheese sauce without teeth and with a month of life wasnt on the table, so taking turns between them to go chewing and attending to the indignant baby.

 

"But Anne, come on!" Erika finished her chicken's wings, getting up quickly and taking her daughter for a walk on the floor. "You cant eat that! You have no teeth!" The baby didnt listen to reasons, crying until her mother sat on the couch with the stuffed animals and the favorite rattle, using everything at full speed to try to calm her down.

 

"It works!... more or less" Alanna left her remains of food on the table, joining her on the couch after closing the blinds slightly, just enough for light to come in and enough so that no indiscreet bystander would see her breast-feeding. "Bring me, I'm going to finish the job"

Erika did not need to be told twice, giving the calm Anne to her mother who hooked directly to her breast without thinking twice.

 

"No wonder she's hungry! So much ask for chicken to order chicken ... We'll have to be careful with food in the future..." Waiting for a biting retort from her wife, Erika remained silent watching her breastfeed with a little of envy inside. And to her surprise, Alanna remained silent with an empty look without even looking at her wife or daughter

"Ala? Are you okay?"

 

"The reason that Anne wanted the chicken wasnt because of envy ... it was because I had not fed her before you arrived..." Erika said nothing, raising a confused eyebrow. "You see, my love ... the truth is that this morning after breastfeeding Anne ... I was going to take a shower ... and ..."

"And?"

"And I saw your clothes ... And ..."

 

"I had left them wrong?" Alanna refused to separate Anne from her chest, wiping her lips with her thumb. "So?"

 

"My love ... you know we've been a few month without getting close, no?"

 

"But I've hugged you before!"

 

"I didnt mean that ... I was referring to more ... FUCK! Erika! You know you make me really horny, dont you?!" Alanna screamed suddenly, leaving Anne lying on the couch satisfied with the food. Alanna needed to let her wife know how much she loved her and how much she lit her, so in a wild outburst without thinking that Anne was present, the needy mother got up from the sofa pulling down her pajama bottoms and leaving moist panties in the air with an intoxicating smell emanating from them. Completely confused by the change of pace, Erika grabbed her daughter by covering her ears and positioning herself so that Anne could only see the window in an attempt at nothing that was happening did not generate any kind of trauma. "It's your damn smell!"

 

"My ... my smell?!" Erika asked confused and scared. (And extremely excited)

 

"Yes! I've been so many months without having you in my hands that I dont know what happened to me ... it's been seeing your socks and suddenly I was on the floor snorting them as if I were again a college student robbing your gym's underwear! And before I could realize it, I was masturbating with them on my face! And then I've been unconscious for pleasure!" The story of Alanna was almost too much for poor Erika, who was resisting with all her might for her daughter. And of course the similarity to what she had done herself in the gym was too high to be missed.

"I woke up 45 minutes or so ago, just in time to see your message that you came with the chicken ... and I didnt wake up on my own ... it was because the neighbor started ringing the doorbell like crazy because Anne was crying ... I am a terrible mother, a monster that faints after running away leaving her little girl defenseless ..."

 

"My love ..." Erika quickly knew what to do, running across the floor to bring Anne's high chair to the window, seating her little one in a proper position so as not to have a direct view of the sofa and leaving all the toys on the table of the high chair. "You are not a bad mother ..."

 

"Of course I'm! I've fainted with all the floor stained with cum! That in my manual doesnt appear in the good mother acts section!"

 

"My love!" Erika interrupted her by raising and lowering her voice quickly, bringing Alanna to her in a hug with all her strength (As Alanna loved her most). "You're not a bad mother ... because that meant that I too ..."

 

"Eh? What do you mean?..."

 

Swallowing slowly and after checking that Anne was still entertained waving a stuffed animal, Erika spoke in the lowest voice that the human being could use. "You see ... today I havent been too sincere either. Dont get angry ... but when I've finished breaking my weight-lifting record ... I've felt something inside of me ..."

 

"SOMETHING LIKE AN IRREFRENABLE HEAT?!"

 

"Dont scream! But yes ... a too deep heat to placate it. In less than a minute I was already in the bathroom of our private dressing room looking for our secret gallery ... And from there I can imagine that it has been just like you ..." 

 

"You've been unconscious for the pleasure, right? Right?!" Erika nodded letting her wife comfort herself completely, Alanna rubbing her head on Erika's breasts without any prudence. "This shows once again that you and I are made for each other ... we are so connected that even orgasms go hand in hand without being even close!"

 

"Dont say it so loud, Anne is present!" Erika pointed to the baby who had stared at the window, looking at some bird that had perched on the balcony thought both wives.

 

"And? I want my daughter to know how much I love her mother ... and also, she only has one month! Anne may be very advanced in the issue of mobility and expression, but nothing that she now hear or see will be remembered ... And you know what that means?" Erika shook her head confused, watching how Alanna pushed her falling on her back. "That the heat that is rising through your crotch and mine must be calmed at once"

 

Without waiting for Erika to do anything, Alanna sat on her navel snatching shorts and panties almost flooded. "But ..." Erika tried to protest during the seconds that her vision was free, ending quickly when her wife's majestic ass fell on her face.

"But nothing. Remember who is in charge, big girl?" Alanna waited for a first lick as affirmation as agreed. Enjoying the feeling of the return of her wife's huge tongue, Alanna waved her ass as she slowly bent forward to begin returning what she had received to her needy wife. Anne's sudden laughter made them both stop for a moment, Alanna lifting her butt just enough so that Erika could see Anne give her first slaps (although the marriage was not very clear that they were volunteers) while laughing seeing whatever it was for the window.

"False alarm, go back to your job, big girl" Without letting her answer, Alanna dropped her butt again. So many months of contention for Anne were going to be paid and released in one fell swoop that day, or Alanna swore she would die trying.

Without knowing it, Alanna and Erika were marking one of the two most important events of that day; having the other place in the delivery room of the Brightside General Hospital.

 

 

---

 

 

- Hospital Cruz de Brightside: 15:02:20 02/02/19

 

"Get away, come on!" The soldiers tried to maintain order as controlled as they could, unfortunately for William's taste silence and discretion were not within their specialties. The pile of hospital workers, patients and relatives outside the maternity section kept increasing when General Black left the elevator, accompanied by his personal escort. (Unnecessary for his taste)

 

"Damn it ..." William cursed to himself, signaling to his escort that they would be left behind. Carefully and without causing too much fuss, William began to carve a niche in the crowd in an attempt not to provoke-

"General Black?!" An old man recognized the general, raising the alarm so that everyone turned to William, much more frightened than before to know that whatever was happening was serious enough to bring the great general Dome, (nickname by which they refer to him, as he himself could verify to see it in the newspaper)

"Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to remain calm-"

 

"My daughter is inside!"

"And my sister! She's alone and she only has me!"

"My wife is in there, what the hell is going on?!"

Those were just some of the shouts that Willam could distinguish among the crowd, forcing him to take the fast lane.

 

"Please, ladies and gentlemen! I know they are nervous and scared but I urge you to stay calm! Your relatives are in perfect condition, I can assure you! The situation that brings me here today is not due to any type of danger that could affect the women who are preparing the delivery, or those who are in process or who have finished! Please, I ask for a bit of calm and good faith while I look for ways to solve this as soon as possible so they can return to their normal lives!" Knowing perfectly what was coming next, General Black didnt give them time to answer. Approaching the security cord directly, the soldiers gave him a small bow before opening the way.

 

The light in the corridor was far lower than William expected, with several scientists from both Addams' men and Black's men turning around and talking among themselves at full speed, terms that the general only sounded faintly. At the end of the hallway next to the window that allowed him to see the incubator room Addams waited with an expression of neutrality impassive, with both hands crossed behind his back.

The street clothes that his brother wore was a sign of the urgency of the event, something that William decided not to take more than necessary. As the brothers knew, the events of the present day would sooner or later occur.

"Addams" The director didnt even look at his brother, keeping his eyes fixed on one of the few cots occupied behind the window, the only one with two nurses permanently on it.

 

Sleeping peacefully on the same lay a baby, or at least that is what William could deduce to see no trace of male genitals below the thin sheet.

What could be seen with the naked eye was a long, hairy tail from which rose a layer of light brown hair that covered the whole body of the girl saved the face, where a nose more similar to that of a dog rose slightly. Of course and to make it more complicated, the girl's ears were'nt in place, instead placed on top of her head with a clearly animal form.

"Her name is Lisa Fang, and I dont want any joke," Addams pleaded without even looking at his brother. "I have her mother and her father scared, with the mother half numbed by the epidural in the other room begging someone to explain what is happening ... and I have no way of doing it ..."

 

Lisa's hands were open on either side of her head, allowing William to see the inner pad and fingers ending in claws. "Addams ..."

 

"It's the second that has turned the virus into part of their genes after Anne Barlow Holm ... in the case of Lisa the process has been much more visual" Guiding his brother to a laptop on the nursing bar, Addams activated the video on pause.

The first minutes seemed like a normal delivery, with the gynecologist taking Lisa out, checking that she breathed properly, cutting the umbilical cord and handing it to the nurses to be cleaned ... until a scream of pure terror filled the video speakers and the ears of the brothers. The camera quickly focused on Lisa, which began to transform between tears.

First her whole body was filling with the thin layer of hair, her skin vibrating as the tips of her fingers were deformed, and the next thing is that her nose was shrinking and deforming while the human ears fusing with the sides of her head and her canine ears appeared above her head.

"Please brother. Tell me what the hell is happening ... It's a lycan! Anne's mutation took place inside the womb, but this has happened once Lisa was out!"

 

Taking a deep breath, William wrapped his brother's shoulders with his real arm, pulling him into a hug. "Addams, we knew we were facing something never seen before-"

"But not this! Anne is simply much bigger! Ok, in her case all the organs are rescaled to her size and that makes it a case almost as weird as this one ... but what do I say?! This is completely different! Lisa ... I dont know if we can even say it's human!"

 

"It's human! A Neohuman!" William declared instantly, running back to the window to see her. "Sleep like the other children, breathe like the other children ... that makes her human for me, and as you said if they are human then we must consider them a step above the limitations of our genes."

 

"And that's a completely logical point of view ... but I cant deny as a doctor what I've seen. Lisa's ear canals have been properly repositioned for the new position of her ears ... and that tail is perfectly connected to her waist by nerves, muscles and skin-"

 

"Sorry? Muscles? Bones?"

 

"Right. Lisa's tail has caudal vertebrae like those of the dogs ... what do I say?! Much of her extra appearance, both external and internal is identical to those of the dogs, specifically those of the family of the Canis Lupus ..."

 

"Wolves…"

 

"That's why I've called her a lycanthrope. It wouldnt be correct because Lisa does'nt seem to be untransformed ... but the rush does'nt let me think of a more correct name. I really doubt that Lisa can return to the way she was born ... You see, the whole internal structure of both the bone, and the muscle, as the neuronal and the blood of Lisa are already accommodated to her new body ... the extreme cry of the video must to be for the immense pain that she should have been feeling during the whole process ..."

 

"And the reason why she is sleeping so quietly now is because she is exhausted ... poor baby girl..." William put his hand on the glass, closing his eyes without being able to understand the pain for which such a small creature must have passed. "Medically speaking is everything all right?"

 

"What kind of expression is ..." Addams shook his head, trying to concentrate after his idiot comment. "Medically speaking as you say yes, there's nothing wrong with Lisa except ... well ... all of her... but the problem is that it's not bad either! The x-ray, the ultrasound, the scanners ... everything connects correctly!" Addams remained silent, studying his brother's expression to know what the general was thinking. "Follow me please"

 

Without saying anything else, the brothers came to a room in the section guarded by two security guards. Careful not to make too much noise, Williams took a deep breath before entering, listening to the silent crying of a frightened mother."Mr. Fang? Mrs. Fang?" The marriage turned instantly to the door when he heard the general, his expression going from anxiety to anger and pain in less than a second. Mr. Fang, a short and emaciated but somewhat attractive man, hurried to William, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket, being dragged back by his own gesture.

"First you bring us here without telling us anything ... then dont tell us where Lisa is ... and now you bring the great general Dome?! Please ... please ... we are tired and exhausted ... we just want to know where our daughter is ... I dont ask for anything else ..."

 

"Mr. Fang-"

 

"Dexter, and my wife name's Olivia. Dont you dare forget our names."

 

"Dexter, I hope you dont mind but I respect you too much to treat you so closely. I dont deserve the honor of calling you by your name yet, , not after the ordeal that I'm passing you" William helped him to put himself together, helping him to sit next to her wife while he decided to stand at the foot of the bed. "Mrs. Fang, first of all you should know that Lisa is fine, she is healthy and she is sleeping right now ... if I'm not mistaken and I remember prenatal classes well, she will soon wake up to eat for the first time"

 

"And then? ... what's the problem?" Olivia asked in a voice so tired and shattered that it was hard for William to hold his ground.

 

For every word that came out of William's mouth explaining the virus and what it caused, the expression of Mr. and Mrs. Fang was deforming more and more, to the point that William had to stop because the next step was the unconsciousness. "I know that Lisa may not be as they imagined ... but I can assure you that she is her daughter and that I am at her service to fight for Lisa to have no less opportunities for being the second ..."

 

"Wait, please." Olivia tried to sit on the bed, helped by her husband. "You also said before that Lisa is the second mutant, which means there must be a first, right?" William nodded, letting Mrs. Fang think for a few seconds. "Could we meet the first and her parents? I know that according to you said the first one is still a baby ... but being able to talk with her parents would help a lot ..."

 

William remained silent for a few seconds, realizing that he still didnt know the parents of the first child. "First of all, I would like to clarify that we dont want to use the term mutant to refer to these special children..."

 

Dexter and Olivia looked at each other, asking both at once. "Copyright?"

 

"No no, of course not ... the reason is that the term mutant can be understood as that these children are not human and that is simply wrong. As you can see once we bring Lisa, these children are still in their own human genetic code, simply that the NPEF virus has been added to their original genetic code ... also mutants could be confused as they have said with X-Men, and that can lead to confusion with what these children are or may be"

 

"And do you have any other words to call this?" Mr. Fang asked with narrowed eyes and sadder than before, detonating how much he was excited to say mutants.

 

"At the moment we refer to them as Homo neosapiens or Neohuman as a preliminary name ... but if you like they can call them mutants more closely ... although in my humble opinion-"

 

"Bring my daughter ..." Olivia growled tired of waiting, forcing William to make a gesture to the waiting nurses at the door.

 

After 3 long minutes where Mrs. Fang had not stopped murdering William with her eyes, the cradle entered the room. "Are you ready?" William asked one last time, only getting another growl from the furious and tired mother. With too much fear of the parents' reaction, William dragged the crib to the side of Mrs. Fang's bed, letting the parents know in silence his daughter, who was still sleeping peacefully.

The expression of Mr. and Mrs. Fang was changing every few seconds. First it was a look of fear and surprise, then Mr. Fang suffered a few seconds of almost repulsion and terror, quickly changing back to fear and suffering and turning back to her wife to one of love and affection. Without saying anything else, Mr. Fang took Lisa in his arms, giving himself to his mother so that both could examine their little she-wolf closely.

 

"I was going to say that she have your nose ..." Mr. Fang tried to joke without much success, totally ignored by her wife absorbed in her daughter. "It's beautiful ... god, now my last name is totally terrible"

 

"Dont say that ... I think it's perfect ..."

 

William decided to leave the marriage, leaving his contact details written on a sheet of paper next to the marriage bag and going back to his brother. "Addams ... it's going to be difficult, but it can be done"

 

"I'm not going to lie to you, brother ... I'm scared and a strange and guilty scientific curiosity to see what else can cause the mutation: At the moment I'm striking gigantism and lycanthropy of the list. I may be a doctor now, but all this awakens my blood! You know it, brother, my blood is the blood of an authentic geneticist like our grandfather!"

 

"And what do you mean by that? You want to join the research team directly?"

 

"Yes, I have the perfect idea of who can help us find out more about the NEPF, I just need to ask her ... But that will be tomorrow, today all my attention is on those parents having all the answers they need and that I can give them"

Giving two pats to his brother, Addams was ready to enter new in the room to be able to explain in more detail everything that Lisa entailed. (Something William appreciates not having to do, seeing himself unable to memorize so much information in such a tiny space of time)

 

 

---

 

"It's adorable! What a cutie little wolf!" Carlos stifled a little cry of emotion as he forced Elizabeth to zoom in. (Obliging unintentionally, since it was more about Elizabeth not planning to let the one who was eating chips until 5 minutes ago touch her valuable keyboard)

 

"Who would have thought that the spy program was going to be paid in less than a day, eh chief?" Oliver turned to see Cascadio's expression of joy ... only to find himself leaning against the wall. "Boss? Something wrong?"

 

The trio of minions turned towards Cascadio, listening to him grind his teeth while the boss repeated over and over. Concerned about his health, Carlos went to get up to see what happened when Cascadio was bent backwards so much that the minions feared for the health of his column.

 

"NO NO! This is not what I wanted! I wanted X-men, not lycanthropes! Mutants, not Spice and Wolf! It's not fair! I have work so hard to get this! And maybe more than half has happened without even being clear how ... but that doesnt mean I have not tried! I deserve my reward! My Wolwerine and not a Monster Musume! My beast boy and no ... no ... I already said Spice and Wolf?" The trio of henchmen nodded at once, causing Cascadio to take out his cell phone for a few seconds."Aha! My beast boy and not a Wolf children!"

 

"Chief ..." Elizabeth jumped out of her robotic chair, walking to Cascadio who had begun to bang against the wall. "Wolfsbane-"

 

"Wolfsbane transforms into a wolf and a hybrid because of the mutation ... wait ... THAT'S IT! You're right, Elizabeth! Lisa Fang is a lycanthrope mutant, which means that her mutation is scientific and not magical! I need weapons to face lycanthropes on my supersuit! Carlos, Oliver! I need you in the accounting room! We need to buy a hidden blade of pure silver!" Following his boss in a hurry, the brothers left Elizabeth behind, with the word still in her mouth.

 

"I was just going to say that Lisa's shape doesnt resemble a lycanthrope like Wolfsbane ... if not a softened wolfman..." Shrugging, Lisa climbed back to her chair to continue watching the lucky parents for a while, smiling to see how Lisa had not been rejected.

To create the world with which Cascadio's mother dreamed, the first step was for the mutants to be accepted and loved in their family... and if something Elizabeth could bet, it was that Lisa was not going to lack affection.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

Despite being on February 10, the heat of the love season (As the dome climate managers had called the week before and after Valentine's Day) was taking its toll on the city, causing a lot more people Choose to wear short sleeves and short pants and skirts.

That of course included the Barlow Holm couple, who had purchased urgently the larger baby clothes they found in the market to take to the tailor hired by Velio. One of the things that the marriage was learning is that the size of Anne forced that each day of purchase of new clothes always had to finish in the tailor liked them or not. Even so, all the extra work was worth it.

Anne every day smiled and laughed more, gaining more and more strength in her hands and beginning to be able to grab and pull with each individual hand; actions very very far ahead of Anne's age, something that Amelia attributed to the NeoHuman mutation ...

 

After an initial explanation by Amelia and the director of the Addams hospital, Erika and Alanna managed to keep two important pieces of information:

• The NEPF virus that both had had become part of Anne's DNA, causing her unusually large size, her high growth rate and her iron health.
• And as much as Anne was different on the outside, on the inside she was as human as the others. (Something that the marriage considered an offense that they had to stress so very much)

Although Alanna was really excited with all that this implied, to the point of visiting the NEPF research center twice a day in the Night Hold, Erika preferred to stay more defensive taking care of Anne without mixing it with dozens of scientists in a white coat and anxious eyes to experiment with her daughter. (Or at least that's how Erika saw them)

 

And it was precisely mother and daughter who returned home after a long walk in the park. Anne was waving in her carriage, eager to see that there was around to the point that no matter how many times Erika tried to cover her with her sheet, the baby always ended up uncovered by trying to turn on itself without even too much success.

From having a tremendous fear to the slightest movement of the baby cart to getting upset by swelling the cheeks every time their mothers tried to stop in less than 3 weeks. As much as it was slightly irritating, Erika couldnt stop smiling as she braked to rearrange the sheet. "Dont make me look like that!" Anne ignored her mother's complaint, waving her arms and legs with swollen cheeks. "25 degrees is not enough temperature not to be covered, my life!"

 

"Ahhh! Ahhh aaaa!" The baby grumbled as Erika crossed the sheet underneath her, trying without much success to coordinate her arms and her body to uncover.

 

"Come on, let's go ..." Erika sighed, resuming her walk, watching Anne go from annoying to a super smiling just to see how the landscape moved again. The half-open mouth of the baby was the signal that Erika needed to sit in the first cafe with which they crossed to give her the snack. "I'm not going to lie to you, my life ... I wish you liked the car a little less ... or at least that your other mother was there to reveal me for a while .."

 

Erika grumbled slightly, imagining Alanna going around in a lab while Addams filled her head with weird fantasies. Although Erika wasnt usually jealous, finding that Alanna spent so much time with a man with whom she shared so many scientific interests left her almost as uneasy as the slight undue pressure of her bra, an unequivocal sign that Erika had relaxed too much with her diet.

In the middle of Park Boulevard, Erika stopped in front of Wake Up café, one of the few coffee shops that were built inside the park itself. What really surprised the hungry mother was how empty the cafeteria was. Not that Erika could be considered a regular customer, but the times she and Alanna had sat down the cafeteria used to be full of customers; which made the current image much less common.

Approaching the entrance to make sure the cafeteria was open, Erika found that the door was half open and the Open sign put on. "Hello? It's open?"

 

Mother and daughter found no response for long 50 seconds, not getting to leave when they saw that the door that led to the kitchen opened. "Forgives! Since we are empty, I had to clean the pantry!" The owner of the cafeteria came out wiping his hands and leaning on the bar. "Sit wherever you want! It's not like we're fair on chairs!" Erika took the word without hesitation, approaching the table further to the back of the cafeteria, which gave both more space for the cart and more privacy for Anne to snack. Anne had not waited a second to start whimpering when she saw herself standing, stopping instantly when her mother took her in his arms and sat her on her legs. "Can you put me a hot chocolate?"

 

"No problem! It's nice to turn on the machinery again!" Alexeis turned his back on his client, quickly preparing everything to fulfill the order while Erika was looking for Anne's milk bottle, letting the anxious baby satisfy her hunger.

 

"Wait Wait! You dont have to suck so fast! There's plenty of milk!" Erika wiggled her daughter in an attempt to make her relax, a failed attempt since Anne continued to suck with the same intensity.

 

"Yes, your daughter is hungry, right? Although it's no wonder, seeing how big she is! More or less how much, almost a meter?" Alexeis joked as he left the hot chocolate on Erika's table, accompanied by a croissant.

 

"My name is Anne, and although it doesnt look like it I have 1 month and a week! I measure 93 centimeters from head to toe!" Erika waved her daughter's hand pretending to show up, leaving while the empty bottle on the table.

 

"Only one month and you're already so big? But cutie pie, you have to sign up for the city basketball team right now!" Alexeis joked sitting on his haunches and taking the baby's free hand while Anne took out a second bottle. "Another one? They arent 500 centiliters? ..." Erika nodded without saying anything, accustomed to the look of surprise of all those who saw Anne eat. "Then I did well to put something extra to eat, mom! You need a lot of energy to be able to take care of such a huge cutie cutie pie!" Erika looked up for a few seconds, noticing the croissant without being able to say anything since Alexeis had already begun to respond.

"Dont look at it so much, it's on the house! Now all the children and parents are in the other cafeteria because they already have ice cream and slushies, so I have to do something with my fresh hot pastries!"

 

"Then thank you very much! It smells great!" Erika restrained her terror, suffering from how much the croissant was going to make her fat but at the same time making her mouth water for the good look and the smell that it gave off.

 

Focusing on Anne drinking everything to start her tea, Erika did not even turn to see who had entered the cafeteria. "I've talked to the border guys, dad. As soon as your order arrives they will bring it first" The voice sounded extremely familiar, forcing Erika to twist slightly so as not to look like she was spying.

 

And just as Erika had thought, the voice belonged to Mister Dome in person. "Goodness! What good is it to have as a child if you dont tell me about these things later to be prepared! I have the cafeteria empty because others already have ice cream and I dont!" Alexeis sounded really annoyed, something that the face that the general had was not unusual.

 

"Dad, everyone is notified at the same time, even I dont have information about the weather because-"

 

"Dont come to me with nonsense! It's your dome! If you impose the half- what do I say! A quarter of the respect of when you were young you could know everything with weeks of advance! You're softening me, William Black!"

 

William lowered his head as much as Erika, letting Alexeis snarl as he returned to the kitchen, hitting sacks of flour until he was comfortable. Precisely bowing his head was when William realized that they were not alone in the cafeteria, his sense of leader forcing him to apologize to the person who had had the bad luck to see his quiet coffee hour interrupted by the various grunts of his father. "Citizen, I'm sorry I had to see such a shameful scene-" William couldnt finish the sentence, instantly recognizing the baby in the arms of the young lady. (To call in some respectful way, since William could see from his position that the woman was much taller and more muscular than himself) 

 

"Dont worry, General Black-"

 

"Excuse me interrupting you ... But you are Anne Barlow Holm's mother, arent you?" The question suddenly caught Erika, who almost dropped the bottle from Anne's lips.

 

"Yes ... yes, I am. How do you know that?- Wait, I dont need to say it! All of NeoHuman has gone through you, right? Has it been your idea? As we already told the director of the hospital, Anne is too small to-"

 

Once again, the unannounced meeting of his brother with the Barlow Holm marriage took a toll on William, Erika becoming defensive too soon. "Please, Erika. I know that the director Addams spoke to you in a way too extreme ..." William sat down in front of Erika, something that I did not have any illusion. "But we dont want to do anything with your daughter. What matters most to me is the well-being of Anne and all the children like her ... I can assure you"

 

"Words are cool and light like a feather, Mr. Black, but you have already taken blood, a hair and fluid from my daughter's spinal cord. You may have caught my wife's scientific interest, but science matters much less to me! All I want is to protect my daughter, and you arent showing me anything that makes me trust you." With Anne's bottle empty, Erika left it on the table with more force than the general expected, sitting the baby with her back to her to be able to tap her gently to make her burp.

 

"I understand perfectly your point of view, Erika. I'm going to be a father myself in a few months, so the last thing I want is for you as parents to have the feeling that we're turning our backs on your children ... can I get along with you? Anne is the first Neohuman... and that terrifies me" Erika tried to contain herself with all her strength not to get up to hit the general, leaving him to finish before making any decision. "Anne is the first of a new generation that needs a different care and dont get to tell me that that is not true, I can see that her shirt has the label of tailors Edge. For now there are only two girls, but there are already hundreds of children who could become Neohumans at any time and I dont want to turn my back on any of them"

 

"You speak well like your brother, Black. But you need much more than that to convince me of something ... start by telling me about that other girl ..."

 

"Her name is Lisa Fang, and her mutation has taken the form of ... would it be correct to say that she has taken the form? I dont know, but it doesnt matter much either. Lisa has many characteristics of Canis lupus, specifically Canis lupus pambasileus or Alaskan wolf; including a coat of fur for 80% of the body, a nose and a canine tail, muscles much larger and firmer than usual and like Anne a amazing iron health" Erika remained completely silent, trying to imagine the poor girl. Compared to Lisa, Anne had made a much better stop at the subject of the mutation; although that did not reassure Erika that she could only think of Lisa's parents.

"If there is a lesson learned as a military with which I should stay, it is with that camaraderie is the best tool to be able to face any unusual situation. Erika, you are quietly taking your daughter out into the street without fear, but the Fang family is not so clear-"

 

"Say it clearly, Mr. Black. You wants us to meet with Lisa's parents, right?"

 

"Yes. Right now only you and Alanna can understand what Lisa's parents are going through ... you may not see much sense, but something as simple as making them see that they arent alone helps a lot more than it seems. It is undeniable that once the new generation of Brightside comes out of this dome they will have to face a world that does not understand them, what will laugh at their appearance and that will fear them for what they are ... I dont even ask you to fall for Lisa's parents-" William rose from his chair, pleading with both hands. "I only ask you to give them the peace of mind that Lisa will not be alone ..."

 

A part of Erika wanted to stay out of all the world craziness that General Black and Addams posed ... but of course the other part contained the maternal instinct, and that means that the balance was 25% against 75%. "Tomorrow would be a good idea? I just need to talk to my wife to confirm it, although knowing her I know that Alanna would be more than happy to help as we can"

 

"Of course! Wait, I give you my personal number so you dont have to go through any intermediary" Black smiled too innocently for the position he held, taking out his phone and connecting it to Erika's by bluetooth. "I'm going to let you enjoy your mid-afternoon snack, I have to go and see if my father is doing well or he has thrown the empty boxes over. Nice to meet you, Erika, I hope this is not our last meeting" With a formal and close farewell, General Black jumped the bar of the cafeteria, entering directly into the kitchen. Erika remained silent, thinking how much Cascadio and General Black looked like once they both spoke casually ... losing everything in their thoughts once Erika looked down to see that Anne had not fallen asleep.

 

Just seeing the croissant in pieces and Anne licking her hands was enough to make Erika's heart almost stop and her hair prickle. "Anne! But what have you done?!" Erika let out a small scream, causing Anne to look up and smile at her mother. Without understanding what was happening, Anne considered that the best option was to take one of the pieces of the croissant and raise it over her head to give it to her mother. "But my life ... you should eat nothing other than your mother's milk ... sigh ..."

 

Erika sighed opening her mouth and eating the piece of croissant as exaggeratedly as she could, causing the baby to burst out laughing. At least one of the two was enjoying.

 

 

---

 

(Back to the Barlow Holm family apartment, 6:45 PM, 02/10/19)

 

"Ahhh ahhh! Brrrrrhhhhh"

 

"Anne! Dont splatter so much!" Erika tried to hold her daughter's hands down, something that Anne quickly managed to avoid by how very soapy she was. The warm water and the amount of bubbles made Anne almost as crazy as the walks in the park, making Erika have to wonder where her daughter got so much energy from. (And at the same time pray that it was not for the small amount of sugar that Anne had consumed while Black spoke as a diplomat)

"My life ..." Erika sighed taking out her hat to wash the hair from underneath Anne's bathtub, making the baby tense up as soon as she saw it. "I know you dont like it, but washing your hair is an important part" Before the gestures of disgust and the attempts to avoid it, Erika managed to place the hat in its place.

 

Anne's hair had already taken the orange familiar from Erika's family, which helped her mother know exactly how to care for and treat her. Of course this didnt matter to Anne, who insisted on shaking and trying to get up from the reclined position that Erika was trying to impose. "AAaaahh!! Waaaaaaaaa!"

 

"Anne! Please! If I havent started yet!" Erika fought as much as her daughter, holding her with one hand while with the other she threw a small bucket of water over Anne's head. The gesture came first accompanied by an exhalation of relief and pleasure from the baby that lasted as the water took to return to the bathtub, followed by another crying like the previous one. "I already ... I know you dont like water in your head ..."

 

Anne's crying was heard all over the floor, even behind the door while Alanna looked for the key. "Come on ... finally!" Alanna went at full speed, venturing into the bathroom without caring if there was something behind the door. "Hello my love! My life, dont make me cry!" Seeing her other mother helped the tearful baby something, but not long enough for Erika to finish washing her head. "My life! My pretty little cutie thing! Come on, smile for mommy!" Alanna took off her jacket and rolled up her elbow, leaning over Anne's bathtub and taking the baby's hands.

With a meaningless little song, Alanna gained enough time for Erika to finish washing Anne's hair, pulling her out of the tub and beginning to dry between them. Tired of the bath and the walk, Anne fell asleep in Alanna's arms while Erika cleaned everything in the bathroom.

 

"Good job, honey!" Alanna greeted his wife with a hug when she left the bathroom in her pajamas, hanging from her wife's neck with a smile from ear to ear until she noticed that Erika was not hugging her as much as usual. "Something wrong, honey?"

 

"Nothing ... I'm just so tired!" Erika sighed carrying Alanna to the couch, dropping directly with her wife on top. "How was your day?"

 

"You cant imagine it! I have been accompanying Addams throught...-" Alanna continued explaining and explaining without silencing a single second, mixing words that sounded like invented for the increasingly exhausted mother. The only thing that really kept Erika awake was the usual mention of Addams, making her constantly on guard. "Tomorrow they are going to carry out the first internal experiment of the Brightside research team with cells infected by the NEPF and they have invited me to observe! The last time I had to put on a containment suit was in college!"

 

"And how long will the experiment last?"

 

"I have no idea, Addams says at least 15 hours-"

"You said 15 hours?! That means you will not be here in the morning ..." Erika's expression of surprise caught Alanna by (forgive the redundancy) surprise, losing self-confidence was a good idea. "Something happens? Dont you think ... I should go?"

 

Erika was silent, hugging her wife as she gained time for her brain to work. As much as asking Alanna to stay was an option, love for his wife made her enjoy her passion for science. "Of course you should go! Anne and I manage perfectly!" Without losing a second, Alanna scaled the body of his wife reaching the lips, giving him dozens of kisses while repeating thanks again and again.

 

 

---

 

 

The sun was pouring down the balcony of the apartment, lighting up so that Erika could finish sweeping. The whole floor shone like jets of gold and Anne was already fully dressed and dressed in her most elegant clothes; All done thanks to Erika's strict cleaning and work scheme for both the gym and the home.

"And now to wait ..." Erika said out loud as she was doing since the marriage noticed that Anne enjoyed hearing them talk even if it wasnt directly to her. Sitting on the sofa with Anne playing with her stuffed animals in her lap, Erika relaxed by placing her feet on the coffee table and turning on the television. "One o'clock in the afternoon ..." A quick glance at the wall clock allows Erika to calculate over how long Alanna had spent the experiment.

 

"Ahhh?" Anne bent her neck back, looking at her mother's face as if trying to ask something.

 

"Your mom has at least 4 hours of experiment if they really started it when the message arrived ..." Erika threw her head back, taking Anne in her arms and lifting her up into the air. (With a little more difficulty than she would like)

"Do you think Mommy could find out something? Or will all this day away from home be lost time?"

 

"Ahhh waaa aha!" Anne yelled as Erika returned her to sit on her knees, waving her hands trying to voice her complaint.

 

"Okay, it's been a trick question!" Noting Anne's punching force against her chest, Erika lifted her head without pretending to look at anything in particular. "It's not that I'm upset that Alanna is spending every day in a laboratory with a man who understands her better than me in the scientific topic and dealing with the virus that has made you as you are, my life ... and neither is that I'm upset because it's almost Valentine's Day and we have no make any plan ..." Lowering her head again, Erika found herself frowning at her daughter, who was also inflating her cheeks with her head resting against Erika's breasts. "Are you sure you're a baby? You understand a little too much to be so small" Anne kept waving her hands this time with a smile on her lips, something that her mother assumed as an attempt to cheer her up.

"I know I shouldnt worry, but Alanna is spending too much time with people who see you as a supposed 'evolution' instead of the adorable baby you are!"

 

Between pampering and the baby's laughter, the doorbell rang twice as General Black had known it would happen. (Oddly enough, Erika had decided to assume it was some kind of military ritual)

Checking that everything was fine for the last time, Erika stood in front of the door with Anne in her arms, checking through the peephole of the door that her guests were wanted. Apart from the general, a man and a woman not too tall were behind Black, the woman carrying a pretty old-looking baby carriage. (or retro, Erika could never understand where the line was)

Besides being quite short, the man and the woman shared the thinness, the whitish skin tone and the straight and black hair, being a little clearer in the man. "Let's go there, Anne ... Time to meet your first friend" Nerves poured into his throat, breathing deeply before daring to open the door.

"Hello! Welcome!"

 

"A pleasure to see you again, Erika. These are Dexter Fang and Olivia Fang" William introduced the couple, casting aside so that Erika and the Fang could exchange a handshake. (Although the look of the marriage was much more focused on the baby in Erika's arms) "And Alanna? Will not he be with us today?"

 

"Yesterday she said that they were going to perform a very important test in the NEPF laboratory all day, so I preferred not to tell her anything so she could concentrate on helping. Dont stay at the door, please enter!"

 

Erika let the trio enter the apartment, making her way to the living room while she left Anne in her high chair. William apologized for a few minutes to call the lab. (For the face of General Erika could assume that the test had not reached him), leaving Erika with the still too nervous Fangs.

 

--------------------------------

(Ring Ring)

 

"Seriously? Now?" Addams gestured to the technicians to stop the presentation, getting up to answer the phone ... and realizing he couldnt take off his biological protection helmet. "Is it my brother, does anyone have a problem with putting the speaker?"

Neither the observers nor the scientists said anything, so Addams took it as a clear path."William, I'm listening"

 

"Addams, you total fucking asshole!" The general shouted with all his strength, leaving almost everyone deaf.

 

"Brother, you should know that the speaker was on-"

"Do you think that matters to me?! I would have shouted the same with people ahead or not! What's more, it's perfect that the speaker is on. Alanna Barlow, are you out there?"

 

Alanna was confused, looking sideways to see how everyone nodded. Approaching the phone, Alanna asked in a tone too low for the fact that General Black had already asked about her. "Something happens, sir?"

 

"Alanna, I'm sorry this has to be the first time we've talked but it's important. I dont know what kind of experiment you are doing but I have to ask you to abandon it; your wife is receiving the parents of the second Neohuman alone and how nervous she seemed she isnt doing too well-" Alanna didnt answer, trying to remember at what moment they had been to receive anyone ... until the conversation of the previous night and the mention to the next morning made all the sense.

 

"Damn you big lovely idiot ... she and I ... can I go, not Addams? It's not like we're accomplishing anything either!"

 

Clinking his tongue and looking away, Addams leaned against one of the tables. "You didnt have to say it that way ... but yes, the experiment is not leading to any useful results. We need more than infested skin to achieve a result similar to the integration of the virus inside the body ... it is the only way to find a cure or something similar-"

 

"I'll be there in 30 minutes" Alanna hung up the call, running to the decontamination showers.

 

-------------------

 

"I suppose General Black will have already told you my name, but I'm Erika Barlow Holm and she's Anne Barlow Holm. Barlow is the surname of my wife Alanna, but we have both adopted it as the first surname"

 

"Anne is really 1 month old?!" Olivia was the first to continue the conversation with a question that if it werent for the almost palpable nervousness of both would have surprised Erika.

 

"Yes! She may not look like it, but just yesterday Anne was 6 weeks old!" Erika got up and took her daughter, sitting back on the couch and letting Anne squeeze her mother's hand to show her explanation. "Director Addams says that although Anne is having a much faster development, the process is being as normal as one would expect except in part of the size, growing 9% faster than the girls average"

 

Olivia and Dexter looked at each other for a few seconds after which Dexter got up and went to his cart to take little Lisa. "This is our second daughter, Lisa ... her older brother is now 5 years old"

Although physically Lisa was completely different from Anne, Erika could see in her the same energy that Anne had a week after birth. The baby was just as one might expect from a baby wolfman, highlighting above all its button nose and tail hanging in its father's arms.

 

"Lisa is a real beauty, isnt that my life?" Erika sat down to Anne so that her daughter had a better view of Lisa, the three adults breathing quietly when Anne started laughing and waving towards Lisa. "Not my sun! Lisa still needs to grow up a bit before you can play together! And how does Lisa's older brother carry the condition of his little sister?"

 

"Max is absolutely delighted that his sister is one ... still doesnt like to call her a werewolf ..."

 

"Dont call her like that then!" Erika interrupted with a smile, drawing the attention of the two parents. "You see, when Addams called us last week, the whole meeting he was calling Anne Giantess and Brobdingnagian! And I dont like that and I made it clear! I can accept that they want to create a denomination for our children so we can give them something to hold on to ... but I will not let anyone call my daughter named fantasy races without her consent! Anne is a beautiful girl, a human or Neo Human and nothing else!"

 

"That's it!" Olivia and Dexter got up at once, looking at each other. "Lisa is a human! A different human but a human after all! Already in the future she will decide if she wants to be an X-men or not!" Erika was silent, squinting to hide the expression of slight disgust that was growing in her. Precisely referring things as mutants in relation to children was within the things that Addams wanted to avoid at all costs.

 

"X-men, mutant or whatever ... our duty is to give you the life you deserve until you are old enough to be able to decide for yourself! At least, that's how Alanna and I want to raise Anne ..." Dexter and Olivia nodded at the same time with their eyes closed, convinced that Erika's point of view was correct. The conversation between the three was drifting to more and more common themes, becoming Erika who asked the questions taking advantage of the fact that the Fangs were veteran parents

....

 

"My love! Erika!" Alanna yelled as she opened the apartment door. "Sorry for the delay!" Alanna left her purse directly on the kitchen table, approaching the Fangs and hugging them both. "I'm sorry I wasnt there before! I'm Alanna Barlow Holm, Anne's other mother!"

 

"Dont feel anything! Erika has treated us great all this time!" Dexter explained while Alanna gave a kiss to her wife (accompanied by a pinch on the nape of the neck) and took her daughter in her arms, who didnt waste time to hang on her mother's neck in a hug. "Has that experiment gone well? Erika has explained to us that you are a biology teacher in the nearby highschool"

 

"I wish I could say yes, but science is the way it is! It takes a miracle to get the first thread to throw! The NEPF is an extremely curious virus, so until we figure out its function, to guess is pretty nonsense. My love, can you bring some cold drink? I come running from the corner of the cinema and the heat and running dont go hand in hand!" Erika nodded delightedly, getting up while Dexter crossed her arms and nodded. "I think I understand, until you find out how a virus the NEPF becomes part of the chromosomes in the same way that the X-gene cant begin to reveal their secrets"

 

"Not exactly ..." Alanna was silent for a few seconds, partly because of the defeated face Dexter was putting and partly thinking how to explain something that she herself didnt understand. "Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 23 being the sexual one. Well, in a similar way to the X-gene, the NEPF is introduced into the sex chromosome ... but it doesnt bind to it. Instead the NEPF duplicates that last pair of chromosomes by integrating with them and linking them to the original pair"

 

"That means ..." Olivia leaned back, holding onto the back of the sofa so she could pinch her nose. "That Lisa and Anne have 23 pairs of chromosomes ... and then a second pair of the couple number 23? I mean as if they had 24 pairs of chromosomes?"

 

"More or less that is the base. The clear problem is that Anne and Lisa have the same base of that pair number 24 ... only slightly varying between the two ... and as is evident, that doesnt make any sense if we see how different both babies are! I really am not any kind of scientist, not at least now. I'm only invited to supervise the experiments and tests with director Addams"

 

"Well forgive me for saying this but that makes you the most reliable person in all that environment, Alanna." Dexter got up from the sofa and bowed to Alanna. "I ask you please, explain your the truth ... we arent sure we can trust Addams director"

 

"Eh? Why?"

"From mother to mother ..." Olivia said as Lisa began to shake, something that at the same time made Anne whimper. "But I didnt like it much how Addams started talking about a new genetic dawn. I have two children and I know that I can trust my intuition, and my intuition tells me that you are much more trustworthy than the director"

 

"I ..." Alanna blushed more than she expected, feeling the pressure from both parents. "I'll try to help you as much as I can, I swear"

 

 

---

 

 

Hours later, the Fangs had to leave to pick up their eldest son from school, saying goodbye to the women, promising to maintain contact and exchange phone numbers. (Not a single minute passed after they walked out the door before the couple got the first message from Olivia thanking her for the nice morning) 

Erika and Alanna waited for the elevator to begin to leave to lock the door and lie on the floor behind her, leaving Anne to play quietly in the double bed with her stuffed animals. Neither of them said anything, just enjoying a silence just won after almost 2 hours of continuous talk explaining why the Fangs considered that girls should be considered the first real X-men.

 

And of course the silence was charged with a certain tension in the environment, visualized by how Erika was observed in silence by a smiling Alanna. "Come on, my love. Start to give out to me, I'm waiting for it"

 

Erika didnt say anything else, rolling on the floor and hugging her wife until her legs were entwined. "Row? You have tried to be able to attend the experiment without worrying about this event! I'm upset because you havent warned me, but happy because my wife is willing to face a challenge like this alone so that I can be in such a big experiment!" Alanna decided to half-reward her wife, undressing before the astonished look of Erika. Alone in her underwear, Alanna sat on her stomach, holding her by the arms.

"Dont touch"

 

"Dont do that to me ..."

 

"Of course I gonna do it! It is your punishment-reward! Relax and enjoy ... but do not touch or I'll make sure that the next thing you feel is your huge bubble ass are well flogged ..."

 

"I dont know if that's punishment ..."

 

"Of course not, that's why it's a half-reward... and now relax and take advantage of the fact that the handrail for the double bed prevents Anne from looking out"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

• First NEPF virus research journal by Eddie Addams, February 14, 2019:

 

Is this working? All right.

My name is Eddie Addams, general director of the Cruz de Brightside hospital and new manager of the NEPF B research team and today, February 14 San Valentin, I am in my brother's office at Night Hold so I can record this correctly without interruptions. First of all, I want to make it clear to my future self and those who see this newspaper that my relationship with my wife is perfectly healthy. The reason why on a day like today I'm recording this is because unfortunately my father-in-law died this very day years ago, so my wife usually spends all this day with her mother.

Thanks to this I have decided to start this diary in the wake of ... a private message that has reached my personal email account last night. I have already taken care of asking my brother to investigate the source, but I dont really care too much; The content of the message has certainly been revealing if what it says is real.

 

Going to the point, the message was signed by someone who calls himself Dr. Gyeseung. My knowledge of Korean is quite limited, but according to the translator the name would come to mean Succession; quite pretentious for my taste, but considering that he claims to be the original author of the NEPF... sorry, the original author of the NEP genome.

According to this Gyeseung, the NEPF... shit, this is going to be harder than I thought. The original NEP wasnt designed as an infectious virus and he never intended it to be, so in his first petition he urges us to find out who took his original formula and how he or she has managed to distribute it through the Brightside public water system.

There are quite a few interesting things about this message, so I decided to separate all into three sections:

 

The first and most interesting really comes a couple of lines down from his presentation, when Gyeseung begins to explain the operation of both pure NEP and Diluted NEPF, as it seems to refer to the NEPF that has infected the city:

Apparently, diluted NEPF is a virus that behaves like an extremely reduced version of the original NPE... And although I cant believe what I'm going to read, the original NPE is the next leap in human evolution, hence its acronym: Next Evolutionary Phase.

According to the tests that Dr. Gyeseung has done with laboratory mice, the NEPF acts as a brain capacity enhancer and that binds to all cell types in the human body. While the virus is inactive, the effects it causes are minimal, being reduced to a general increase of 0.25% of the brain capacity of the individual. The funny thing comes when this virus encounters a copy of it that has hosted another body.

With the correct temperature and humidity, the diluted NEPF joins with each other unlocking what Dr. Gyeseung calls "Authentic soul form" or "Bon-Yeo-Moyang"; a state of the NEPF that allows the bearer to unlock 100% of the human abilities ... even reaching in certain occasions to transform the own body to reach that 100%, although the Doctor has not found that concretely causes these transformations or as he calls them "Sidaeui byeonhwa jeog-eung"... "Adaptation of the change of an Era" ... I apologize for all these breaks, but this is being more difficult than it seems.

Of course this process is slow and requires between 1 and 8 months to complete, plus it can not happen without the body having all the control over it.

 

Obviously and as I believe, all this is his way of explaining very generically the process by which Anne, Lisa and the two new members of that list, Connor and Gideon, have taken such curious forms. Except for Anne, Lisa, Connor and Gideon agree that their bodies were transformed when they began to breathe on their own and in that way have total autonomy over their own bodies.

This makes me wonder why Anne agrees with them if she was born with that supposed transformation.

 

 

---

 

Very low music, the sound of falling water and the usual laughter of her two mothers.

 

Anne opened her eyes very slowly, yawning and stretching as much as her body allowed. Hunger was the first thing the baby noticed, making her lick her lips beforehand.

"Ahhhh? Ah wawa haaaa!" Anne called waiting to be picked up, turning her head to the sides to check that there was no one in the bed. The midday light came lazily through the opening of the closet doors, bathing her covered legs. "AbBrrrrrr ..." The baby groaned until it was uncovered, managing to roll on itself until she was face down.

 

"Stop, Ala!"

"No way! They'll be in the mash! You will not see them! They'll be in the mash! Also I am sure that if you tried only a little bit now that they are well cut, you will end up liking the carrots!"

"I'm allergic!"

"Yeah? Tell me more, my sweety big kid! Say Ahhhh!"

 

"Ahhhhh." Anne opened her mouth when she heard her mother, waiting for her mother's nipple to slip in by herself. Of course that didnt happen, bothering even more the newly awake baby. Concentrating with all her strength, Anne placed both palms on the mattress in the same way that the children of the park do, squeezing their no-teeth and managing to lift her body. "Waaa ... waa ..." Carefully Anne raised a hand to try to imitate the movements of her companions in childhood, only managing to fall on the mattress. "Brrrr ...."

'It cant be that hard! Everyone does it super fast and I dont see them more qualified than me!'

"Ahhh Waaa" Anne again managed to get on all fours, this time resting her ass on the mattress with her legs bent at the sides.

'That's it, it wasnt that hard either. Now I just need to do what they do and I'll be able to look out ... '

Anne was frozen to see that he was unable to raise his ass from that position, trying three times without success. Resigned, the baby dropped forward, returning to her upside down position.

'If only I could ...'

Anne sighed, rolling until she was back on her back, stopping any kind of thought when she noticed something strange. For some reason that the baby didnt quite understand, the ceiling lights dont match where they were when she woke up. Instead, Anne was slightly to the left of them.

 'Wait... when? Wait another time…'

 

Repeating the process of turning face down and then face up, Anne discovered that each time the lights were farther away and she was getting closer and closer to the door and the railing of the bed.

'I think I've found something ... if only ...'

Gathering momentum, Anne began to roll slowly but surely through the mattress, not realizing that when she reached the railing she was going to be facing away from her, hitting her head and shoulders in the process. "Waaaa ..." After a few seconds whimpering, the baby could not contain the tears, beginning to cry aloud.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

"My life!" The two mothers said at once, leaving the food on the table and running to the double bed. "Will she be hungry?" Erika took Anne in her arms, rocking her against her chest as she sat on the edge of the bed with Alanna beside her. "My love, but what happens? Have you awakened from a nightmare? Can ... can you dream already?"

 

"I have no idea, but seeing the time it is I bet more for ..." Alanna approached the baby's bottom, sniffing a little. "No, it's definitely hungry. Come here to give you some of your beloved milk! I need someone to empty my breasts completely after all the night recovering!"

 

"Waaa! Waa ahhha aaa!" 

'I'm not hungry! I cry because it hurts! That bed is a trap ... trap ... hungry ... '

Anne thought for a few moments until her mother's nipple was in front of her, the temptation too great to control herself.

 

 

---

 

After reading and rereading the message again and again I find more questions than answers.

Dr. Gyeseung seems to insist in a rather cryptic way that he isnt the original author of the first anonymous threat on the NEPF ... but at the same time he seems to share the opinion that this virus will be the proof of self-denial to adapt to the being modern human... Meaning what it means to him.

 

Going back to the points that I wanted to highlight in this journal entry is how Dr. Gyeseung describes these skills or "Bon-Yeo-Moyang"; In addition to highlighting 2 specific phrases.

Dont misunderstand me, as a scientist I cant stop laughing at all those movies and series that talk about superhumans who have unlocked 100% of their brain capacity in one way or another and that makes them create inventions worthy of cheap science fiction or stop bullets in the air ...

 

But is that Professor Gyeseung isnt mentioning at any time that 100% of the abilities of the human being means that they have something to do with cheap science fiction that means the typical "100% brain capacity!". He seem to refer in a more ... poetic way? That would be the word? I'm not sure, if I'm allowed to joke, 100% follow the teacher's thread of thought.

If that 100% of the skills isnt something purely cerebral if not something like the optimization of bodily processes, in which part of that happens to be developing lupine parts like Lisa? What hidden ability of the human being do you need those physical conditions?

 

I dont want to venture to make conjectures, but in this case I will give myself the luxury. Gideon Connor has become a ... cyclopean? We could say it, since his eyeballs have combined into a single huge one in the center of the face. All the scanners point out that all the optic nerves are working correctly and Gideon doesnt seem to have problems of spatial depth ...

In this case, what skill has given this transformation? Gideon's eye has no more optical nerves to the naked eye, so a skill that allows you to see other optical spectra is discarded. I honestly dont know what to think, I want to hold on to what Dr. Gyeseung has given me but I cant find the tools to do it.

 

This brings me to the second most interesting point of the message and that this time are two sentences of Gyeseung's message. The first one I think is talking about this same dilemma, and the second connects directly with the last point of this diary entry:

• At first it was hard for me to understand the world around me, it was hard for me to see it clearly. But every new face I see make everything clear. 

Every smile, every grimace of pain ... every tear and every heavy breath. The human being is too perfect to be a coincidence, Dr. Addams.

When our ancestors discovered fire, they felt one step closer to divinity. When our ancestors discovered gunpowder and how to handle it, they felt that God was one step closer ... When we invented the atomic bomb, we thought we had broken that barrier between man and God. No god would have let us have so much power in our hands, which meant that we had become master of our own destinies.

But I'm not so sure ... not when I see so many innocent children squandering their own perfection. That is why I designed a first interaction of the NEP while my companions looked for the way to approach even more to God by means of the genetic modification.

While they played to clone sheep ... I unlocked the ability to become masters of destiny, the ability to be able to look God directly face-to-face. Of course I have had many mistakes until I reach my current position, but I can say without fear of being wrong that my calculations are accurate and my theories are reality.

The success of my first experiment is proof of that. 

 

• I am a man who has already lived my life, Doctor Addams. 

I have raised my descendant, I have loved and I have lost. All I do now is reflect on my life and on what I have learned along the way ... and precisely because of this I believe that the NEP, and to some extent the NEPF, is the answer I was looking for!

I'm afraid of tomorrow, I'm afraid of dying, Doctor Addams. I am so afraid to see that my beloved is not on the other side ... that there is not even another side. I'm afraid to leave my descendant alone; and if you want to call me a coward, I'll accept it willingly.

I am a coward scared so much for dying and for the punishment of a god that I dont even know if he will be there.

 

As men of science, we share the duty to try to answer all those unexplained questions ... Therefore, I have decided that my last great work is to create a new future for humanity through unlocking what we hide from birth. I want to know who and how has managed to dilute my original NEP to create a version capable of extending by running water but no further, but for now I just need to know that somewhere in your city, away from sunlight, There is the person to whom I have left my legacy, my dreams and my vision ... and that this will be protected by their peers.

In a fully conscious and premeditated way, I have given a person the key to heaven ... and that key has given someone the definitive ability of humanity ... the definitive ability of the NEP Gene or Next Evolutionary Phase:

"Future Crafter: Reality Monarch"

The ability so that simply based on irreplicable mental processes by any computer can mix one's own conception of reality with reality to give way to it's dreams. The original patient of the NPE.

 

I havent even wanted to know who it is ... just knowing that it is there gives me a peace that I had not felt in years.

 

 

---

 

The clouds and the tops of the trees were passing slowly to the annoyance of Anne, who was agitated trying to make their mothers faster. Walking arm in arm, Erika and Alanna were slightly supported between them enjoying their mutual company on a special day as Valentine.

"AaaaAAaahhh ..." Anne yawned lazily, turning her head to the sides looking for her stuffed animal. The baby still didnt understand who was the blue stuffed man or why he is so liked by her mother Eri so much ... but the doll was soft, colorful and smelled like her two mothers, more than enough to make her happy.

 

"What time is the reservation, my love?" Alanna asked hugging her arm harder, extending her arm to tickle her daughter's tummy.

 

"Ummm ... at 8 o'clock in the afternoon I think. Really matters? We're already well dressed and we have diapers left over for Anne! Let's go quiet and enjoy our happy little family!"

 

"The best talker like always, my love. I wish my dress heels wouldnt squeeze so much..." Alanna confessed in a low voice to her wife, making a stop to rub the side of her foot.

 

"I agree with that, my love. Being mothers makes us spend a lot of time standing up and that's normal for us to have our feet so swollen ..."

 

The two mothers were still flirting, saying things in a beautiful voice to each other and fiddling with Anne from time to time. The baby enjoyed the good weather, the softness of the sheets and the constant attention of their mothers, using the time when they are distracted with their affairs to try to focus their thoughts.

'Lisa ... Lisa are you there'

In a way that neither of the two babies understand, the answer came to each other.

'I think I'm there, but I dont know where it is there'

'I dont know where it is there either, but you're there and that's what matters. I feel there is another one, they are your plus one plus another plus another plus me now'

'There should be a word that allows you to group amounts of things easly'

'No idea, all I learned today is that the carrot is bad'

'What is carrot?'

'Something my tall mother doesnt like'

'I like your tall mother, she smiles more than my low mother'

 

 

---

 

Sorry for the interruption, it was a call from the hospital to confirm that another Neohuman was born, this time ... I have to watch the video to understand it. I cant believe that she has spider characteristics ...

To finish this journal entry, I would like to highlight a number of points from the Gyeseung letter that I have called "Qualities of the NEP / F":

 

Beginning with the most important one to understand, Dr. Gyeseung insists several times that the NEPF carriers and the NEP carrier will tend to relate and understand each other unconsciously, as a kind of natural empathy between them.

This would be very interesting if it werent because much lower in the letter Gyeseung explains what he calls "System of compensation of qualities" or "jajil bosang jedo", which basically would be summarized in that the carriers of any of the two variants of the NEP / F would tend to suffer disorders of the personality by the overload to which their young brains are still too small are exposed. According to tests done with laboratory mice, the disorders that Dr. Gyeseung confirmed range from autism to hyperactivity through narcolepsy or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I dont even want to imagine what a mouse with OCD implies ...

In the same way, the tests conducted in recent months with the NEPF reveals that the nature of it is highly resistant, being able to stay in the genetic code up to 5 generations of mice after and still in process.

The implications of the latter are certainly alarming ... but nothing like the last data of this journal entry.

 

Before giving my final impressions, I want to quote one last sentence with which Dr. Gyeseung says goodbye in his message.

 

"You and I are alike, Doctor Addams. Our descendants are the same age and none of us is interested in having more children. My wife will not be able to see my work, but you havent yet closed your last job, so I only can urged you to go back to the laboratory and put in those two careers of general medicine and genetics to make sure that your beloved sees your great work!

The fact that you are inside the dome makes you the most important person to make sure that the NEP Gen bearer becomes a person capable of changing the world for the better ... because as you can imagine, when I said that the NEP will be what makes God have to face his creation I meant that I believe that the carrier of the NEP will become the greatest genocide in the history of this planet after falling prey to the painful reality, causing such amount of deaths and destruction that the same presence of God will be necessary to face it.

Of course, I invite you to take my work from here and show me that the God who frightens me so much doesnt exist and that the NEP bearer can become a force of good! I will keep my assistant aware of Brightside so I can keep in touch with you if it is necessary.

I have faith that I am the one who is wrong, so I can only ask you to have faith too, Doctor Addams. I wish you a happy investigation, friend.

Dr Gyeseung, 02/14/19

P.S. I do not know if your team has already found out, but NEP is the acronym for Next Evolutionary Phase and NEPF stands for Next Forced Evolutionary Phase"

 

I must say that my blood freezes to think that one of the babies born this year can be described as tthe greatest possible genocidal maniac in the history of this planet; and that's not counting the other skills that Dr. Gyeseung attributes to the NEPF: Electrokinesis, Pirokinesis ... many kinesis, clairvoyance, precognition ... and my favorite for now, hyper muscular potentiation.

I hate to admit this, but I cant wait to see what children develop what skills and how that affects their organism.

All this message reminds me of my younger years, when I finished my career as a geneticist and started looking for a laboratory. After many rejections, I found that I couldnt continue trying to live in the shadow of my grandfather ... and that was the reason why after genetics I went back and started studying general medicine. If there is something I love more than genetics, my wife and my son is able to help and make people happy.

For that reason I believe that the NEP bearer deserves the opportunity to smile and grow up to be a good person beyond what Gyeseung expects from him or her.

...

I'm sorry, I should not be the best interlocutor in history ... I dont know how to express myself better, I've never been a person to talk so much and much less to a video camera. The important thing is that this journal entry serves to immortalize the inauguration of the Handshake project, my response to Dr. Gyeseung's challenge.

Handshake will become the pillar of the Neohumans, we will protect them and we will give everything necessary so that they can grow and develop their potential without fear. We will become the largest institution in the world on the NEPF in order to protect them at all costs ... and not only do it for my possible Neohuman niece, I do it for everyone, one and each one of them.

I swear it.

 

 

---

 

"I know we usually toast for a new year of happiness ..." Alanna whispered bringing her glass of champagne to her wife's, moving with the other hand Anne's carriage to try to sleep her at all. "But this year I dont think I need it anymore"

 

"And then, my amazing wife and other half? What are goint to be toast? "Erika flirted with his wife, stroking her feet with her already slightly more drink than recommended. With the size of her body it was surprising how little alcohol resistance she had.

Thanks to how low the tablecloth was and that both were wearing sandals with heels, the couple had been able to take off their feet to give a rest to their swollen feet.

 

"This year ... I want to toast for our marriage" Erika raised her confused eyebrows, not seeing where her wife was going; something that Alanna really enjoyed while she fumbled in Anne's diaper bag and took out a small velvet box.

 

"Another ring?! This one is already the third, my lovely idiot!" Erika struggled to hold back the tears, opening the box and pulling out the larger of the two rings. Amazed by the bluish ring topped by a small emerald (Erika's favorite jewel), Erika was completely silent when she read the message recorded inside.

"Badge seal of the Barlow Holm family: Erika, Alanna, Anne, ----, ----, ----.

Our ties of love will never stop turning stronger and stronger every day"

"Three ... three blanks?" Erika asked confused, unable to hold back the tears of emotion.

 

"I remember that many years ago a certain mechanic that I was stealing underwear on campus told me that her dream was to have like four or five children ... to have a huge and pure family born of love. As soon as Anne turns 3, we'll go for the next one and this time it'll be your turn, okay?"

 

Burying her face in one of her hands and taking the other in her wife's hands, Erika nodded in tears. Wanting to seal her wife's shaked heart once again, Alanna tugged on her arm, connecting them both in a kiss that by the fact of having rings over the table many other clients confused with a request for marriage, rising to applaud the marriage without knowing that these were already married.

 

So much applause managed to wake up again Anne, who turned lazy in her bed to see what was happening. Her two mothers joined in a kiss on the mouth as they both did with her and a lot of people making noise with their hands ... something that the baby found especially curious.

'I want…. I want to do that!'

Anne thought to herself, beginning to wave her hands against each other only managing to hurt herself. At first the baby began to whimper, pausing briefly as tears fell from the eyes of her two mothers.

'They are already crying ... I guess I guess I must have really hurt myself'

Shrugging, Anne lay back on her back with her hands stretched out on either side of her head, letting the candle lights light up the restaurant to accompany her to sleep.

The last thoughts of the baby before falling asleep completely were for their mothers, Anne wishing to herself that her mothers continued to smile that way forever. A dream that would be fulfilled without doubt, well away from the sunlight in the predestined place.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

Even living under the dome, the days continued to progress normally without altering the lives of the Brightside dwellers. Those same days came loaded with important parties and events, going through the calendar one after another, becoming weeks, and weeks in months.

February ... March ... April and finally May, the months followed each other slowly until finishing in June, with the summer already peeping through the door. (Although for the inhabitants of Brightside that means much less, since they had been wearing T-shirts and short-sleeved pants in the closet since January)

 

With the arrival of June 3, Brightside residents or rather, residents who had the good or bad luck of being parents of a Neohuman gathered in UpperBright, the neighborhood under construction on the empty territory north of the dome, to celebrate and celebrate the opening of the Handshake headquarters.

Between fireworks and confetti, the more than 160 parents of Neohumans accompanied the staff celebrated as no one else that the initiative of the former director of the hospital Eddie Addams had gone ahead without problems, creating a large macro-center of research and attention for all those Neohumans still too young to understand what was happening and their families, who had had to adapt their lifestyles and homes to these increasingly varied children.

"People, people! Let's not forget that this center could have been built thanks to our beloved mayor and the Brightside council table!" Addams reminded the audience that between the music and the uproar they were not paying too much attention to his words.

 

It didnt matter where Addams looked, every different perspective revealed something new ... And although many children had not undergone physical changes at first sight, their abilities were easily recognizable under the proper scanner.

Properties of animals, children with aspects that were more reminiscent of fantasy beings such as demons or elves, children with human aspect but bodies modified as extra arms or similar ... But what really reassured Addams is that there were many of each type, allowing those same children couldnt feel alone and help them develop a correct sense of identity as what they really are...

Except of course the discordant note.

 

With one meter and 9 centimeters in height (3 feet and 7 inches) and almost 16 kilos of weight, Anne stood out among all her relatives without any need to focus her eyes. Sitting next to their mothers at one of the tables for lunch in the tents, standing holding the hands and knees of their mother Erika, the baby was waving super smiling and shouting "mamma mamma" without even specifying who she was referring to.

Of course, if for some reason it was not easy to see Anne, one only had to look for their mothers.

If something Addams still had trouble understanding was the fact that the two mothers were completely oblivious to the changes in their bodies. From 1.91 meters to 2.16 (6 feet and 3 inches to 7 feet and an inch) on the side of Erika and from 1.60 meters to 1.80 meters (5 feet and 3 inches to 5 feet and 11 inches) on the side of Alanna according to the last medical review of both one month ago, all without counting the generous increase in its three measures and in the musculature of both. Something that Addams saw impossible to avoid asking for the marriage that was a completely alien issue, to the point that doctors had to show them their latest revisions so that mothers could understand the consequences of their own sudden growth. It seemed almost a lie that neither of the women had noticed, especially seeing the pure physical power that Erika's huge defined muscles emitted or the proportions of the hourglass growing from both.

And obviously, Addams was sure that this could only be possible because Anne was the zero patient of the NEP gene, although at the moment it was impossible to prove it with anything but conjecture. While many children were already beginning to show the first fragments of their abilities or skills ESP NEP (as Addams intended to call them but no one wanted to accept so many acronyms in the same word) as Lisa and her first signs of telekinesis, Anne still didnt show anything weird in any field.

 

Of course, this was something only what the untrained eye saw. Someone who had been studying for months, learning and maintaining correspondence with the mysterious creator of the NEP as Addams could detect that under certain circumstances Anne was able to get out too well of them. The greatest example of the theory came directly from the accident on the main avenue on autumn, where although Anne was still inside her mother she was unconsciously able to warn both her mother and the other pedestrians not to cross the street at the fateful moment.

And yet, Addams' theory was just that, a theory that even Professor Gyeseung didnt know how to prove.

 

It was three in the afternoon and dozens of barbecues began to work at full throttle, the hundreds of kilos of meat in different forms beginning to be made to start the celebratory meal. Little by little the assistants were leaving to wander to meet all under the enormous tents placed on the ground even without building.

"Mammmamamamamamamma!" Anne stirred without even daring to take a step, having enough standing with her mother's legs.

 

"I'm coming, my life!" Alanna and Erika answered at once, looking each one in the different bags of Anne's custom carriage. "We should write sometime in which bag we keep the pap ..." Erika sighed as she stretched back while Anne looked for the easy way to get on her mother's legs, making the perpetual smile grow even more on her mother's faces.

 

"This time it wasnt my fault! I kept the bags in the car in order of diapers, clothes and food and water!" Alanna defended herself by removing one of the bags and leaving it on the floor to make out that it was not the correct one. "If someone had not bought all the bags identical to each other this wouldnt happen!"

 

"How bought them was your grandfather, my love ..."

 

The answer was like a shot for Alanna, who remained silent for a few seconds while opening the next pocket. "Touche"

 

From the outside the show was not only to see the two huge mothers searching through 4 identical bags taking out all kinds of objects from her, but the constant creaking of the chairs of Alanna and Erika served as musical accompaniment. In the words of their doctor, with the late growth streak, there had also been a strangely high increase in body mass, something that at first was taken as a "You are fat" directly.

 

While the couple was looking for Anne's pap, her friends the Fangs came back to join them at the table, Olivia touching Alanna's shoulder first so as not to scare her unnecessarily. "Good morning, girls-!"

"Hi my dear lesbis lesbians mothers! Oh, lesbis lesbians mothers... it's a good title for a song" Olivia and Dexter greeted the couple as they approached the table, Dexter carrying Lisa's cart and checking that his son Max didnt get too far away while Olivia took Lisa by her hands, the little wolf girl laughing alone at every step, still too clumsy to be able to go without help..

Trying to ignore Dexter's thankless comments as much as they could, Erika pushed her jackets off the free chairs at her sides and let her "friends" occupy them.

 

Of course the only people who enjoyed the situation more than Dexter were Anne and Lisa, that as soon as they recognized each other thrown herselfs to the ground to crawl to collide with each other, ending both parting with laughter after finishing anne lying on the floor with Lisa lying on her stomach.

"Hey dad, can I play with your phone for a while?" Max asked as soon as he sat down, making his parents squint their eyes not too happy.

 

"Cant you talk to us for a while? Why dot you tell Alanna and Erika what you are going to do for graduation?"

 

"I have nothing to talk about ... this is a party for Lisa and not for me." Max crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair until his own feet did not touch the floor.

 

Grumbling as she ended up yielding, Olivia pulled her phone out of her purse to give it to her. "I hope you forgive him, girls. It seems that my son has got up with his left foot today ..." Olivia tried to apologize without much success, since Max began to whisper under his breath.

 

"At least I wasnt born with my left foot like Lisa ..."

 

"Max!" The two parents shouted at the same time, forcing the 6-year-old to get up and take him to a more secluded area. Erika and Alanna looked at each other, not wanting to be in the skin of the Fangs for anything in the world.

 

"It should not be easy for him ... poor thing, there are many things to understand in only 5 months" Alanna felt sorry in a low voice, finally finding the tupper with Anne's pap. "Come on girls! Time to eat!"

The two girls looked confused while Erika picked them both up laughing while Erika sat each on her knees. Knowing that Olivia wouldnt mind, Alanna began giving a spoonful to Anne and a half to Lisa each time. (Since the spoons that the marriage was using to feed Anne were already adult spoons)

 

 

---

 

Hours later approaching seven o'clock in the afternoon, the celebrations began to slowly dissipate and the people returned to their homes after a final informative message from director Addams. Alanna and Erika did a great job of researching names of parents and children that the two mothers considered good ideas to try to be friends with Anne ... in a great effort that in many books of pediatrics would consider what not to do.

 

Knowing that the initial jam at the Upperbright exit would be of epic proportions, the couple decided to spend time more efficiently approaching the main center building in an attempt to locate General Black. "They're going to think we're a helicopter mothers too soon ..." Erika asked as she picked up the shoes that Anne had removed by shaking her feet in an attempt to get out of the carriage.

 

"First, I have told you a thousand times that the chapters of the simpsons are not a good way to learn terms thinking they are used throughout America-"

 

"And I told you I can not help it! Until I knew you, everything I knew about this country I knew thanks to the simpsons!"

 

""I'll let you pass because I love you, but let's go back to point number two: Silly stuff! Cascadio has told me that the daughter of his brother William has been born with qualities of Urocyon cinereoargenteus ... and sincerely, I want Anne to become friends with the general's daughter! He owes it to us after basically having built all this around what they discovered about Anne!" Alanna looked back, seeing her wife's completely neutral face. "Gray fox, look for it in the mobile. It's the biggest fox species there is"

Erika obeyed quickly, unlocking her phone and searching it in google, nodding as she looked at the images and showing them to her daughter, who nodded like her mother more by imitation than by knowing what she was seeing.

"Pair of idiots ..." Alanna muttered as she discreetly took a picture with her cell phone, ignoring the one who had just stepped behind her.

 

"I must admit ..." William whispered in Alanna's ear, who instantly turned around almost dropping her phone in fright. "-That I didnt know very well what animal Gabrielle had gotten her qualities from, so I dont think it is necessary to call your wife an idiot"

 

"Sir ..." Alanna's voice trembled like a pudding, feeling like a child being caught by her parents raising too late. The automatic doors of the headquarters opened again in an ultra-quiet way, with Addams, accompanied by two women, one of them pushing a carriage, leaving them.

 

"Dont be hard on her, Will." The woman with the carriage, who had to blink several times to understand the fantasy of colors that covered her waist-length hair, said while holding the general's hand, squeezing it discreetly. "She has not said anything that is not true, Handshake was born thanks to the fact that with Anne your brother could take the first steps to learn more about the NEPF!"

 

William nodded to his wife, holding her hand back while Erika joined her own wife. "Girls, I present Evelyn, my wife and one of the two loves of my life with my little Gabrielle." William bent down to pick up his daughter and present her correctly to the marriage, letting her huge hairy tail fall down.

While Erika and Alanna approached to greet the two-month-old, Evelyn did the same ducking and fiddling with Anne, who must have seen the woman innocent enough not to get tense in front of her.

 

Of course, none of the adults present had any idea that both girls were also talking, looking at each other from time to time.

---------------

Anne: "I like your tail"

Gabrielle: "What is tail?"

"That hairy thing that hangs on you, I think. My name is Anne and your name is something of Gabra"

"No ... I dont think so. They call me a lot Gabrielle so I guess that will be my name, although I dont understand what it means"

"That ... that's a lot of words. I'll call you Gab"

"Can I call you Gab too? I think it's one of the sounds I can make"

"That would be weird, I'm sure my name is Anne"

"That makes sense, Anne. You understand me, why?"

"I dont know, I guess it's because I dont know how to talk either. I'm older than you, so from now on I'm your senpai"

"What is senpai?"

"Something my mamma say to her friends and my other mamma, mamma calls it to mamma every time they are both naked bathing me in the bathtub"

"I dont like bathtubs"

"Me neither. I like that you dont like them"

"This will becomes easier? That they understand you, I ask"

"More or less I think so, although there are many times that they dont distinguish between my differents Mamma .."

"That's sad ... they only understand Ahhh when I accompanied it with pointing"

"It wil become easier, it costs you less to move your arms and you can crawl on the ground. I can teach you if you want, but we should go down to the ground, one day try to crawl from the sofa and fall, it hurt a lot"

"What is a couch?"

"Dont you know what a couch? It's something great! It's like a bed but where you can shake without there being sheets that hold you!"

"Now I want to shake and a couch ... Anne, I like you more than the other children that mom and dad have brought me together. You can at least understand me"

"I like you too, you use many words to be as smaller than my friend Lisa"

"I am little? Arent you big?"

"I'm not that big, I think I'm supposed to be half a year old or something like that"

"I have two months, but you are much bigger"

"I repeat, I only have-"

"Not big big, silly. Big big, you're big ... like my teddy bear"

"Ahhh, yes, I'm big. It's weird because kids that are supposed to be my age are much smaller ... although everyone is smaller than mamma, so that's fine"

"I like that its fine, mama says that my stuffed animal is big, soft and warm. Since you are also big you should also be soft and warm and that makes me like you as much as my teddy bear. We must be friends"

"I like to be Lisa's friend, so I also like to be your friend Gab"

--------------------

 

"it seems that they have liked each other very much!" Erika celebrated by watching along with the other three parents as Anne and Gabrielle looked at each other smiling and waving, avoided by Anne's safety belt and Evelyn's firm toned ballerina arms.

 

"I'm very happy." William nodded caressing his daughter's neck and making her laugh and purr. "I'm not going to lie, girls. I was also thinking of paying you a visit, my brother here was thinking about inviting you to a small party that we will have at my house for friends and family on Sunday 9. Do you have a free day for some casual?" Erika looked quickly at her wife, conveying a message that William and Evelyn could tell was of tension and begging. Of course, with a single glance from his wife Erika stopped completely, lowering her head while Alanna went towards the general nodding with a smile.

"Great! Then it is decided, I still have your number, Erika, so then I will send you the address"

 

"It will be a pleasure to receive you, girls." Evelyn followed her husband with a smile, waving her daughter's hand while putting the sharpest voice to make it go through Gabrielle's. "I hope to have a great time, Anne!"

 

"Ahh waa haaa mamamamama!" Anne waved her arms non-stop in an attempt at what the present adults thought was to respond with the same to Gabrielle.

 

...

After a quick farewell and a handshake, Addams' wife left with William and Evelyn, leaving the director with the couple. "You cant even imagine how funny it is to see my older brother, the super soldier, smile so nervous trying to get right" Addams covered his mouth with his fist, stifling a guilty giggle.

 

"Neither do I need to try so hard ..." Alanna replied leaning completely on the handlebar of the stroller, with her arms crossed under her head. "Technically we are the ones who wanted to like him ..."

 

Addams choked back another giggle as he bent down to play with Anne, spinning the rattle attached to the security bar of the stroller. "You? Alanna and Erika, you both are already liked well wherever you go. I havent met any marriage as kind and attentive as you ... to the point that you are holding the comments bordering on the limit of Dexter Fang!

Here who I really wanted to like is my brother ... after a lifetime as a soldier he and Evelyn met 3 years ago, they got married and now they have had their first daughter without having any social life in the process! My brother was sure that this city was going to hate him for having to be the government representative in here!"

 

"I can hardly believe it ... it's not that I'm calling you a liar or anything, Director Addams!" Erika apologized quickly after realizing the barbarity she had said, eliciting a laugh that the director could no longer bear.

 

"You can believe it, I swear it. If you can keep the secret ... it was precisely in you both are who was my brother looking at" The looks of confusion of marriage were understandable, but of course Anne's silly smirk was what attracted the attention of the director. "As I said, Will has no idea about making friends or taking care of a baby girl, even less than one like Gabrielle; so secretly he has been copying your doctor visits schelude and even buying the same hygiene products for Gabrielle ... except of course the body soap because like all Neohuman children who have a protective layer of hair, it is best to bathe them with a mild shampoo instead of traditional soap.

Of course that has only covered the part of Gabrielle's care, leaving as a pending subject his nonexistent social life"

 

"Now I even feel bad for thinking they might not want to see us ..." Alanna whispered a lot sadder than before.

 

"You dont have to worry about anything, Alanna! William has never been good at any non-military issue, quite the opposite of you. If you allow me the request even after everything I have already asked, give the opportunity to my brother and Evelyn ... And of course dont tell anyone that I said this! I dont want to run more rumors, people start to relate too much and not swallow the fact that our surnames are different"

 

"Dont worry, your secret is safe with us!" Alanna and Erika smiled as they made a kind of military salute badly done. (Alanna with the opposite hand and Erika with the hand completely horizontal)

 

"Thank you, girls... and since you are here, you want a checkup?" The marriage was really frowns, something that was not the first time for any of those present. "Dont look at me like this, we are really worried about your sudden growth and the implications that may have. You girls may be indirectly infected with the Anne's NEPF variant, but as long as we dont know how to stop the situation-"

 

"That ..." Erika interrupted the director, kneeling next to Addams not to be easily heard. (Although the increase in the volume of the voice of the marriage made it much more difficult) "If it really werent possible to find how to stop it ... it would not be a problem either. You know what they say! The family that grows together will never be defeated!"

 

Addams widened his eyes, not knowing what to say. Alanna knelt on the other side of him, both mothers playing with their daughter and making her not know to who to turn to. "You said it, remember? Anne is going to be bigger and bigger every day ... as her mothers, the least we can do is to stay by her side on this trip that when we have the opportunity. After all, for the moment all we have to do is buy clothes for Erika and Anne! I can wear the clothes that Erika outperforms"

 

Addams found himself at a crossroads, since the intention of the mothers was absolutely noble and ideal ... but as a leader of Handshake letting them go without investigating how Anne had been able to replicate its effect on their mothers was out of the question. Sighing, Addams took one of the baby's hands, kissing the back of it before getting up and stretching her back.

"Even so, doing a check once in a while will not hurt you. Being able to know at what rate you are growing will help us to learn more about the variant of the NEPF of Anne"

Knowing that it was the right thing to do, the couple nodded, following Addams into the barracks while Anne went more and more asleep. 

 

 

 

---

 

(Park Avenue, 10:15 PM at night)

 

The elevator closed its doors after several attempts, Erika having to hold Anne's baby carriage with the rear wheels raised to fit inside. Being just two adults and a "slightly larger" baby carriage (one that was originally designed to carry two children at a time), the Barlow Holm family filled the elevator designed for up to 6 people recommended.

And that wasnt strange, since only Erika was worth two adult women. The couple quietly enjoyed Anne's soft snoring, still sleeping in her almost vertical position, while each lost herself in her own worry:

For Erika, the news that her feet measured ... well, a foot long and almost an inch; what shook Alanna inside was thinking that she had broken the barrier of 6 feet tall, approaching the height of Erika the last winter. Being all her life the shortest of the class, moving to the exclusive group of 6 feet made Alanna in ecstasy with the news; and at the same time every time the mother thought seriously about the implications, her emotion was stopped short by remembering that she had not seen her parents for 2 weeks. If her memory did not fail her, her father was 6 feet 2 inches tall ... which reduced the distance of 4 inches from when they had dinner with them in May to a scant inch apart.

Alanna tried to come to herself, watching as Erika waved her feet up and down. "My love, does something happen? ..."

 

Erika couldnt answer, sighing as she looked at her wife as much as her reflections in the mirror, her head almost touching the ceiling of the elevator. "How do I go to the shoemaker or the sportswear store now? With what face I say ... I dont even know what size it is to have 32 cm feet!"

 

"With the proud face of the mother of Anne Barlow Holm and the wife of Alanna Barlow Holm!With that face! And if they tell you something? You will give them your best smile! And if they get rude? Well... If they get rude they will be my wife's giant muscles who have to clear things up! My beloved and huge wife isnt going to keep it quite!" Alanna tried to cheer her up, going with as much care as the little space allowed them to hug her hanging on Erika's shoulders.

"Eh ... up that face, my love. The head of the Barlow Holm family should not seem sad because a checkup" Erika took one of her wife's hands, placing it next to her cheek to rub it slowly.

 

"I'm the head of the family because I'm the tallest on the family for now?"

 

"The tallest and biggest wife that stole my heart-" The conversation was cut short when the elevator doors stopped on the third floor, with one of the neighbors in pajamas and holding a garbage bag in his hand. The situation was quite uncomfortable for both parties, especially for the innocent father who had agreed to throw away the trash only to find two real titanic women hugging in the elevator next to the largest baby cart he had ever seen. "Cares? I very much doubt that we all fit ... " Alanna said waving her hand in apology. "And we live in the fifth, we take nothing and less to send the elevator out"

The father nodded slowly, a cold sweat running down his forehead as he leaned back to let the elevator go on.

 

In complete silence, the elevator reached the fifth floor. Without making or speaking anything, Erika bent down to go under the frame of the elevator, taking the cart behind and opening the way for her wife to come out with the keys already prepared.

In complete silence, Erika ducked again to go through the door of the apartment while Alanna took Anne to the double bed, knocking her right in the middle.

Without saying anything or talking about anything, Erika and Alanna stripped down, throwing all their clothes into the corner of the apartment, both sitting on the couch in their birthday suit. Alanna leaned over her wife, using Erika's huge chest as a pillow as she pushed the coffee table farther away so she could place her feet on it comfortably.

 

And finally, the marriage exploded into laughter as low as possible. "Have you ... seen her face?!" Alanna managed to say between laughter and laughter, sliding down her wife's chest until she fell on her hard 8-pack. "God! It was as if he had seen a ghost!"

 

"A ghost? Two huge and sexy ghosts you want to say!" Erika put a hand over her mouth, fighting as much as possible so as not to wake her daughter up. "I must be scary, right? My huge arms ... my super wide-"

 

"If you continue, I fuck you. I just let you know" Alanna ruled as she leaned slightly to take command of the television from between the couch cushions.

 

"You would like that, right? I can perfectly remember how wet your sexy bunny panties were becoming while Addams was taking the measurements ..." Erika bit her lip, noticing how her wife was passing TV channels with one hand while the other rubbed her stomach in circles. Singing the voice for a moment, Erika reached for her phone and began to read in her most sensual voice.

"Two meters twenty. 185 kilos ..."

 

"Stop…"

 

"During the lifting test, I lifted 85 kilos cleanly and without sweating ..."

 

"Stop Please"

 

"My shoulders are 61 centimeters wide and my hip 53 cen-ti-me-ters"

 

"I'm warning you ..." Alanna's free hand was already beginning to haunt her groin.

 

"You want to know my measurements, my love? Do you want ... to listen to them again?" Erika asked in a low voice as she got up from the couch with a bang, dropping Alanna's head on the cushion. Before her wife could protest, Erika had managed to sit down (in a way that Alanna could not see possible) on her wife's groin, trapping both of her hands under Erika's full weight. With both genitals so close, the heat of Alanna did nothing but increase, something that Erika soon noticed and moan accordingly ... which in turn made Alanna hotter by forming a really vicious cycle. "Do you want to know them, my se-xy wi-fe?"

 

Nodding more excited than nervous, Alanna had to suppress a moan when she noticed that the tips of her trapped fingers were beginning to get wet without her being responsible. "These huge twins? They measure a fucking meter and fifty centimeters of diameters, almost as much as you last year ...  and are just for you and our daughter, open to the plural future, of course. Imagine the amount of milk that flows through them ... I will need and extra, kind and sensual lips to help me empty them..." Erika whispered as she lifted her weight just enough to take her wife's hands, holding them firmly by the wrist and guiding them to her titanic breasts. Sinking into them as if they were a cotton candy and feeling their enormous three and a half kilos of weight, Alanna began to massage them as Erika liked them.

"Dont miss out on them too much, my love ..." Erika purred as she began to guide Alanna's hands further down, leaving them on her 8-inch tablet. ""Would you tell me how much this muscled-and-chiseled waist measures, sculpted to consciousness only to fulfill the fetishes of my wife?

 

Swallowing with all her might, Alanna struggled to draw logical words from her too-wet mouth. "91 centimeters of pure female muscle ... sensual and god ... hard as a stone ..."

 

"And for whom are these hard abs?..."

 

"For me and only for me..." Erika had previously said the answer, but hearing it from her wife's lips was too much, almost enough to make her get out of her attempt to play Top.

 

"Of course for you ... I know how much you like my muscles ... I wouldnt love so much exercise if it werent because I have a pervert at home that will be thrown to my sweaty body immediately back from the gym..." Alanna nodded as if it was the greater truth never heard, feeling as Erika returned to move her hands this time stopping in her huge ass, to call it a bubble would be a lie, since there were no bubbles so defined in the world.

"It gives me a bit of shame to say that my ass measures one meter and 29 centimeters ... If I have to be honest..."

 

"And why would you be embarrassed?" Alanna took advantage of her wife's moment of weakness to lash each buttock with the strongest clap the position allowed her. "Your ass should be considered illegal in 5 different states for causing serious risks to public attention ... Dont try so hard to want to be so super dominant ..."

 

"Dont ask me that ..." Erika whispered softly, sounding indirectly much more tender than her body appeared. "I just want to make my beloved wife become like a damn dog in heat ... and I know that from time to time you like to be the submissive" Erika pursed her lips, turning into in the confident and smug smile that so much made Alanna lose her mind. "That's why ..." Erika took her wife's wrists again, bringing her hands to where they came from ... only this time, when she lifted her hips slightly, Alanna could swear as if fucking steam came out of the cave flooded by the juices of both genitals.

"I want you to do your best work ... dont make me wait, my love"

 

Alanna smiled noticing how Erika was losing seconds to the role of top, something that Alanna forgave him instantly. Feeling as lucky as the first day, all the thoughts of worry about their sudden growths disappeared while their huge bodies frolicked interlaced in the small sofa that the day of buying it seemed too big. (All this ignoring the cries of appeal of this)

The family that grows together will never be defeated, and although the sentence was not as Alanna expected years ago ... she would never exchange it for anything. 

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

"Rockman!"

"No, that's ..."

"It's Netto"

"Netto!?"

"The power of the-"

 

"Amammama?"

 

"I was going to say synchronizer, my life ... but I'll buy your version!"

 

The closet door was half open, the light filtering through the gap helping the sleepy Alanna remember where she was. The laughter of her wife and daughter filled the apartment, accompanied by the sound of energy shots, roars and and Erika reading the subtitles of people speaking in Japanese aloud.

"What time ..." Alanna asked herself as she stretched out her arm to reach her phone over the inside space of the closet. An explosion put an end to the scene, followed by a scream that Alanna had heard a thousand times ... and in turn accompanied by a shout of emotion from Erika and Anne. (Although the newly awake mother wasnt sure it was emotion for the scene)

Stretching out on the bed, Alanna looked down when she noticed that her feet had lightly brushed the back wall of the closet. And that was very serious because although Alanna was used to sleeping below the top edge (usually on Erika's left arm), it meant that her wife who was already sleeping with her head against the top wall felt like a canned sardine. At bedtime, Erika normally adopts the outside spoon pose for her wife and now her daughter, but as Alanna knew it was not unusual for her to end up stretching straight through the night until she instinctively returned to her posture. protection for your family.

 

"Good morning, my favorite girls!" Alanna greeted the couple sitting on the sofa, standing on the edge of the bed while her eyes were still half closed and yawning.

 

"Amamamamma!" Anne applauded happily when she saw her other mother, trying to lean on Erika's legs to get up. Erika was sitting on the couch with both legs on him, sitting in an Indian position with Anne in her lap.

A plate almost empty of pap and the largest bowl of cereal that the couple had were lying on the coffee table, with the gallon of milk with only a quarter of remaining capacity and the cereal box empty on the floor next to the legs of the table. "Who is it, my life? Is Mamma Ala? Say hello to mamma Ala!"

Erika waved her daughter's arms, trying to sit on her side so she could see her mother without having to shake.And of course, the baby intended to shake whatever the position. "Ahhahahahaha! Mammamamamamamma!"

 

"Hello hello my little lovely sweety buggsy!" Alanna took her daughter in her arms, giving her the little kiss and rubbing their noses like Anne liked so much. While Anne laughed like it was the first time, Alanna sat next to her wife watching as the 29-year-old adult cried with excitement watching for the fourteenth time Megaman.Exe. "We had not agreed that Anne would only see educational drawings in English, Swedish or Spanish?" Alanna scolded her wife in a joking tone, although the question was totally serious.

 

"It wasnt my fault! I couldnt find the position in the bed, all the time hitting one of the walls ... so I went out here to see something that would help me fall asleep ... and at 10 o'clock in the morning Anne has started to shake so to avoid you waking up for no reason I decided bring her with me ... and as the educational drawings didnt manage to reassure her, I decided that keep watching megaman was the right decision"

Alanna arched an eyebrow, not too convinced by the response of her wife. "Do nt look at me like that! Anne had a great time! She's my daughter, she has a love for megaman, capcom and nintendo in her blood! It's just natural for us to enjoy watching the greatest hero of all time!"

 

Erika raised her head with her eyes closed, a smile of confidence and pride too graceful for Alanna to contain herself. "Megaman.Exe? The greatest hero?"

 

"No, my dear idiot!" Leaping up, Erika put her arms in a jar with her fists clenched against her hip. (And almost hitting the roof in the jump when getting up, something that Alanna doesnt like ... at all)

"Megaman! It does not matter if it's classic, Rockman, X, legends, Exe, Starforce ... As long as he's a megaman, you can always trust him!"

 

Once again Erika was filling her incredibly generous chest with pride and passion giving the usual discourse on megaman, which, however childish and simple, Alanna couldnt help but love hearing. As Erika had and will tell a thousand times, the passion for megaman was what kept her strong after the loss of her mother too early; and although first Alanna and now Anne provoke much more passion for her, all those who had had the pleasure of knowing her and listening to any of her speeches knew perfectly well that Erika had become who she was based on that feeling of admiration for the figure of blue bomber.

With a forced sigh for Anne to raise a worried look, Alanna sank into the sofa completely, burying kisses and tickling her daughter while Erika joined them.

 

Between the laughter of the mothers, Anne's cries of happiness and the constant tumbling in the too-small sofa, the family enjoyed their mutual company ... but everything changed when-

CRAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!!!

 

In an attempt to protect her family, Erika grabbed her wife and daughter against her chest with all her strength, feeling like gravity towards her work pulling the sofa down....

 

"What happened?" Alanna asked confused as Anne began to cry, noticing the almost diagonal inclination of the sofa. With help from Erika, Alanna got up, taking Anne in her arms, rocking her to calm her agitated heart as she saw the accident on the front line.

The entire left side of the sofa had given way, the remains of the sofa's leg shattered all over the dining room floor while the cushion and internal structure had sunk so much that Erika's legs looked like a bridge over a well.

 

Her wife, white as snow, her daughter, crying inconsolably for all the noise. "Your 96 kilos ..." Erika began to count in a low voice, sounding as if she had just seen a ghost. "More my 185 kilos ... and almost 17 kilos of Anne ... My love ..."

 

"Yes?"

 

"You think ..." Anne's crying was beginning to calm down, the baby sucking her thumb now annoyed by all the fuss. "That the sofa is prepared to hold 300 kilos more or less on the side?"

 

Staring at the sofa while Erika started to get up, Anne bit her lip. "Call me smart if you want my love ... but I think its not prepared...  How was that what you said? Unexpected Illidan?" Erika nodded while still looking at the ceiling, still traumatized by what happened. "Good Good ... I like to remember the memes of the games we have played together"

Turning around the coffee table, Alanna sat on the other side of the sofa, leaving Anne still annoyed sitting against the back of the sofa. "The apartment is too small for us..."

 

"The apartment is too small for us..." Erika nodded to no one in particular, still too stunned by the situation.

 

"The apartment is too small for us..." The couple said at once, sighing as they looked in all directions. Blows and damage to the edges of the doors, piles of unusable clothes or with quick fixes to cope with the situation, drawers and cabinets with hinges resentful closed too hard and other fun (for anyone but the family Barlow Holm) consequences of the growth of the three women.

Alanna and Erika looked at each other for a few seconds, both knowing what they had to do. Before causing more disasters that devalued the floor more, the marriage had to move to a place more adapted to the new situation of the family.

 

 

---

 

"Double-pump Black, extra irish-whip, highmountain ice with room for extra sugar comin'right up!" Roland shouted leaving two cups of coffee on the bar, turning back to the coffee machine to prepare the next order. Having a cafe on the same street as the most important commissary meant that lunch time was the most important one of the day next to the time of the shift shift in the afternoon.

 

(Charming Afternoon Cafeteria, 30 minutes later)

 

Policemen entering and leaving with their beloved coffees and the newly bought newspaper under their arms, sugar sachets and breakfast pastries circulated in the cafeteria in the hands of Roland's nephew, Callen. "Uncle, agent Johnson wants the bill and order the coffee for later" Callen said taking the next cups and going back to the tables. Roland muttered under his breath, trying to keep calm.

That same morning, one of the ovens in the kitchen had stopped working leaving the couple in the lurch, slowing much more the output of donuts, croissants and pastries. With Zara having to work much harder to keep up with the demand, Roland had gone on to fulfill all the functions behind the counter.

 

The bustle of the cafeteria continued as usual while the coffees continued to come out, which caused Roland to be greatly surprised to hear how the cafeteria was completely silent with just a breath or a nervous swallow to interrupt it. "Callen, what's up ..." Roland asked as he pulled out the coffees and turned around to leave the next tray on the bar, remaining completely frozen to the point that the tray fell to the floor with the cups shattering from the impact.

 

Not even hot coffee managed to make Roland say or move in the least, having to leave Zara to hear the cups break on the floor. "Rorro, something happens ... oh god blessed ..." Zara also remained in complete silence when looking at the door of the cafeteria. Stops outside the cafeteria entrance as two if the towers were treated, the largest woman Zara had ever seen was standing with her hands held in a pose of slight shyness, and next to her was another woman absolutely huge pushing a Baby Cart.

 

Evidently Zara, Roland and Callen didnt need a second to know who were those women, meeting the three at the door of the cafeteria opening both the main door and the extra for when there were customers who needed the extra width.

"Alanna?" Roland and Zara asked at the same time, looking at their daughter as if it were the first time they had seen each other in years. (Even though the last time was weeks ago)

 

With half-tearful eyes Alanna nodded, leaving the stroller to Erika, opening her arms and hugging her parents. (A completely new experience for them, since the Zara had become the lowest of the three having to look up to comfort her daughter, while for Roland the fact that Alanna was leaning on her shoulder instead on his chest was something too strange at the time)

Seeing the scene, the policemen in the cafeteria decided to act as one, leaving the money from the cafes on the bar (Some even more than usual for not wanting to wait for Roland to return the change) and leaving the cafeteria en masse.

 

Moving quickly, Callen closed the blinds to avoid prying eyes while Roland locked the door of the cafeteria and Zara continued to comfort her daughter, letting Roland take care of Erika and Callen taking Anne in arms, lifting Anne with all her strength to make her laught, smiling to see to his cousin and grandparents.

Once everything was calmer, the family sat at the kitchen table inside, with the much larger marriage each holding a hot chocolate in the largest cup Zara could find. "Is this why you have not wanted visitors or stayed since the beginning of last month?" Callen asked as he entertained Anne, sitting on the edge of the table so that second cousin could blow raspberry on her belly.

 

Alanna nodded, accepting all the faults of the decision for herself. "First of all ..." Roland took the disturbingly larger hand of her daughter and political daughter, squeezing them to try to reassure both them and himself. "Are you okay now? Have you been to the hospital?"

 

"This isnt an issue that the hospital can do anything, dad ... it is not as if with an injection we could go back to being as before" Alanna rolled her head, watching how different her point of view was although she was sitting in the same chairs where she had spent so many hours doing homework. "Addams calls it 'soul shape filtering', which is basically a pretty way of calling the radiation emission that Anne's NEPF causes-"

 

"Wait, what? Its something born from Anne's NEPF?" Zara asked interrupting her daughter completely, turning to her granddaughter to look for something others couldnt understand. "Then we should take her to the hospital! They have to close what are doing that she emits that!"

 

Alanna refused, taking a breath and sipping chocolate. "It's not that Anne has a crack through which something is leaking, Mom ... Please guys, you all need to remember the Addams press conference explaining the NEPF and to listen carefully: Every child born with the NEPF has a certain ability, and although Anne has not shown anything for now, the effects of this are already visible. Erika and I ... " Alanna took her wife's hand, having a flashback to remember that she had done exactly the same action years ago in the same place when she introduced Erika to her parents. Although the content of the explanation was different, Alanna couldnt help drawing a small half-sided smile when she saw how much she had achieved since the night she had come out of the closet in front of her parents.

"We are experiencing a sudden growth for Anne, and like her mothers being able to accompany her in this even a little is a great honor. Addams doesnt know how long it will last, but we dont really care; As you sacrificed yourselves to be able to send me to study in Sweden, we are willing to be enormous in order to understand and make Anne dont feel different"

 

"You have a natural tendency to always end up talking as if you were going to ask for a loan, cousin ..." Callen mumbled as Alanna's parents nod, hitting Alanna where it hurt the most.

 

Alanna shrugged, looking at her hands and biting her lip. "You dont have to remind me ... I'm going to the point, okay? Dad, I know that the grandfather is taking care of our new house and that he has the work sealed so that we dont get close until we finish it ... but our apartment is getting too small."

 

Roland nodded at her daughters, imagining them in the apartment where he and Zara had spent such good times years ago was equally funny and sadly funny. "You want me to hurry your grandfather, dont you love?"

 

Alanna nodded trying not to feel bad about the request. "If you can try it, please ... Eri cant sleep straight in bed anymore" Alanna used her wife as emotional ammunition, something that surprised even Erika herself. "Dad ... please..."

 

"That's it" Roland nodded, getting up from the table, walking behind the chairs of her daughters. "I'll try to call, give me a moment"

 

"Perfect!" Callen said much happier than the scene required, standing with Anne in his arms and walking to be next to Erika. "Oh my lovely Super brawny cousin! I dont know how much you measure or if think I care ... but I must ask you something!" Leaving Anne on the table, Callen ran to one of the refrigerators, returning with a can of soda. "Do you think you could crush, not break, this can with one hand?... no no, that would be very easy, I remember you did something similar with both hands last year. With two fingers! Erika, do you think you could crush it with just two fingers? I let you choose which!"

 

"Callen!" Alanna and Zara shouted at once, both extremely offended by the question.

 

"OK OK! I got it!" Callen sighed as he opened the can and took out a glass from one of the cabinets, pouring all the contents of the can inside. "Now it's empty, do you think you can crush it?"

 

"That wasnt the problem!" Again mother and daughter shouted at once, this time both stopping to look at each other for a moment and laugh at the double coincidence.

 

"Then I dont know what it is! Do me the favor of looking at our dear Swedish for a moment, girls" Callen let go of the can in front of Erika as he placed herself on her left side, holding her forearm with one hand while placing the other arm next to the confused mother's. "You see the difference? Holy heaven on the other hand, Erika ... I know you're hard but so much? You are sure that you have grown and you have not become a metal android"

 

Erika said nothing, looking silently at the difference in their arms. Already months ago she took a clear advantage over the tall but not at all athlete Callen, but now? It was like putting the arm of a trained bodybuilder next to that of a 5 year old boy. Of course and as Alanna and Zara could see (both with an expression of defeat on their faces), the comments had aroused the lightly ego of the personal trainer, easily recognizable by the posture with the chin slightly raised and the half-closed eyes of Erika. "My love ... go ahead" Alanna sighed, leaning back, making sure she was ready to record the moment mentally.

 

"Can I really try?" Erika asked slightly excited, smiling from side to side as she watched Alanna give her permission. After making sure that Anne was safe with Callen, Erika began to study how to achieve the feat. Although in the past Alanna (usually during or before a drunkenness) had already made her wife crush things just to enjoy it, completely crushing a can with two fingers was something very different from crushing an apple or a plastic doll with her hands or the feet. "Ummm ..." Erika rubbed her chin, turning the can with the other hand in search of an ideal point to exert the pressure. (Taking the challenge more seriously than ever, since this time Anne was present looking at her with curious eyes and mouth half open with hanging saliva)

"Voucher…. I think I have it. Callen, stand next to Ala and Zara, I dont want Anne to be able to get hurted in the least" Erika stood up while Callen ran to cover himself after his cousin and aunt. Placing the can upside down, Erika made several attempts at preparation before taking a deep breath and clenching her teeth. "One ... Two ... and THREE!" Erika shouted as she squeezed with her forefinger and heart, exerting as much force as possible.

 

From the outside the scene was much more impressive, Zara, Callen and Alanna disengaging the jaw when seeing how the arm of Erika tensed, making so much force that the can simply sank completely. Flat completely with the shape of Erika's fingers engraved on it, the canister remained completely still when Erika raised her hand, sucking her fingers to soothe the heat a little.

"WOAHHH!" Callen shouted with joy, leaving Anne with her aunt while he went to get his phone. Zara and Alanna were silent, the grandmother taking care of her granddaughter who didnt stop applauding her cousin every time he laughed. "The goddess! Erika, you are the goddess of all female gim trainers! God, I need to put this everywhere! We need to record this!" Alanna said nothing, squeezing her legs in an attempt that no one could smell her embarrassment while Callen emptied another soda and placed another can in front of Erika. "Okay Erika, to the three ... two ... -"

 

"What are you supposed to be doing?" Roland asked in a low voice, raising an eyebrow as he saw Erika up from her chair with two cans in front, one completely crushed as if it had been through a mechanical press and the other about to be. Whistling with dissimulation, Callen and Erika sat down slowly at the table while Roland resumed his seat, leaving the phone in the middle of the table. "Dad, they're listening to you now"

 

"Alanna! Erika! What nonsense does Roland say that you are huge!? I know that Erika can be described as huge, but you? No intention to offend, darling" By the tone of his grandfather's voice, Alanna knew that the battle will be long and hard.

 

"It's a side effect of Anne's NEPF, grandfather-"

"It's supposed to have no side effects! That's what General Black said!-"

"I know what the general said, but Anne's case is different!" Erika interrupted her grandfather's interruption, taking out her phone and sending a photo. "Look at the messages, grandpa! That is the situation!"

 

After a few seconds without saying anything, Velio spoke again. "What happened to the sofa?"

 

Erika went completely red when she heard the question, knowing very well what kind of photo her wife had sent. Covering her face while Callen, Zara and Roland stared at Erika, Alanna took a breath and sent a second picture. "We need to left that apartment ... grandfather, I know that it is ugly to ask you more after all you have given us-"

 

"What is next to Erika is a traffic signal? One of those of two meters?"

 

"Yes, grandfather ..."

 

"Ok, now everything has context. I want to see you in person, but first I have to deal with this; the house is practically finished so now all you have to do is change your furniture for bigger ones as seen ... give me 4 days"

 

"4 days? Are you serious, Grandpa?" Alanna asked, meeting the silence. "Grandpa, dont nod on the phone, we cant know. You need to get rid of that hobby as it is"

 

"I'm old! Let me have my hobbies! And yes, it's serious. I'll hurry the carpenters and I'll make sure everything is ready so that Erika can see her videogame fair in her new home!"

 

"Grandpa ... thank you ..." Erika thanked in a low voice, eliciting a complicit giggle from Velio.

 

"Dont you dare, sweety! Since you cant attend as I normally will, I'll make sure everything is ready before it starts! In the meantime you can come already, I have enough of the house ready so you can live comfortably until they bring the new furniture"

 

"Really?!" Erika and Alanna jumped forward, leaning on the table as close to the phone as possible. "Grandpa, are you serious?"

 

"The truth is that tonight I was going to tell you what you started to do the move to the new house, so if the situation is this we can make a couple of quick fixes. Would it cost you a lot to close the cafeteria this afternoon, Roland? I was going to prepare a presentation party for tomorrow, but the rush is running out of time... no no! The rush is growing out of time!"

 

Nobody laughed or thought about doing it for a single moment. Not even Anne, who was sleeping peacefully on her grandmother's chest.

 

 

---

 

(Sandy Sands, Brightside. 4:40 pm)

 

If there was something that Erika wasnt yet ready to deal with, it was the looks. Being always a girl bigger than the average, Erika was accustomed to attract a slight attention wherever she went, either because of her musculature or because of her almost two meters of height ...

But now that light attention had become total and absolute attention. Even being Sandy Sands a neighborhood still in development, the amount of people walking along its sidewalks and gardens was already remarkable, and that in turn meant that the amount of people who turned to look with an open mouth at Erika and Anne was considerable.

"Go Go! Faster, Guys! I can already see the house!" Callen hurried the group, entertaining himself while taking pictures of the nearby gardens.

 

"And to think that he's already 30 years old ..." Alanna sighed as both her gaze and Erika's were focused on the huge canvas-covered structure that lay on the far edge of Sandy Sands, easily visible from ... almost all Sandy Sands. "Isnt it a little too big?" Alanna asked without waiting for an answer, taking her hand to calm herself.

 

"It's very big ... more than I thought" Erika replied squeezing while her wife's hand, also tried to calm down. The structure rose above all the houses and nearby buildings up over one of the few three-story buildings in the area, so Erika was beginning to sweat nervously thinking about the price of housing.

"Girls, girls ..." Roland tried to grab both women's shoulders, only to find the new difficulty added. When Erika was only a little taller than him, Roland could simply wait for the Swedish woman to take a step so that he could grab her shoulder easily and naturally. Now, almost 20 centimeters later, there was no step or gesture from Erika that would set her low enough so that Roland could grab her without looking like a child searching a top shelf. In an attempt not to be in a very strange position (And before the smile containing the laughter of her wife), Roland grabbed Erika by the forearm and her daughter by the shoulder. "Calm down. Your two grandparents have come together, two men who since the day they met have hated each other-loved with all their heart ... trust a little more in their decisions ... "

 

Seeing that neither of the women said anything, Zara pushed her husband aside and took her place in the same position. "Of course, Ulyses' wife is the one who has taken care of everything"

Erika and Alanna sighed at once, beginning again to walk towards their new home.

 

...

On the edge of the urbanization, just 500 meters from the fenced area without building under the dome, stood what Alanna and Erika believed was their home. Protected by security guards, a single entrance more similar to one of decontamination than that of a work served as the only link between inside and outside. (Since the rest of the structure covered by tarpaulins were completely nailed to the ground, with only 10 centimeters of separation between anchor and anchor)

The street was similar to the typical final roundabout surrounded by houses, something that Erika believed was something that only existed in series and movies. "Azure Moon Street ... I see many streets named after star bodies here ... It will be easy to remember" Alanna was memorizing for herself, all in an attempt to avoid looking at the monstrosity of almost 60 feet high (9 meters) and God knows how much wide.

Looking around the space of the other gardens, Alanna could deduce that the house was built in the space originally designed for 4 houses, making her new house dominate almost the entire rotunda.

 

"I hope the grandparents have made a good impression to the neighbours..." Erika told around her, seeing that they would share the street with 9 other houses. "Oh god and what if our new neighbors already hate us without having had time to do anything?!"

 

"Girls!" Roland patted their backs, leaning forward for the impact. (Although Erika had really been for the shock impression)

"Dont start so soon! You will have time for the neighbors to hate you for your...selves ..."

 

The face of terror of both women deserved to be framed in a painting, as Callen decided to do by taking a picture of them. "Very clever, Uncle Roland"

 

"Shut up!" Roland turned back to her daughters, trying to fix the situation. "Girls, calm down ... I did not say it as if it were something that would happen! It was ... I pretended ..."

 

"My love-" Zara sighed, throwing her husband back to the side, hugging Erika and Alanna; quickly wrapped up by their huge bodies in their fearful and frightened hugs. "Dont listen to Roland, girls. He is as nervous as you or more ... not in vain, her daughters and granddaughter are about to see their first home and as parents we are anxious to see you smile in it"

 

Alanna and Erika nodded feeling slightly smaller, feeling that it lasted just long enough for the decontamination hall doors to open. "Girls! What are you doing here?!" Velio shouted at his granddaughters, running as the doors reopened for Melker.

 

"Your damn old bastard! Dont you dare run away without leaving ... ERIKA?! ALANNA?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" Merkel shouted beginning to hyperventilate, which meant Velio had not shown her the pictures of Alanna. Beginning not to be so comfortable with their growths, Erika and Alanna held on to their hands even more strongly.

It was going to be a tough afternoon. 

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

"Fan, Alanna och Erika! Långsammare! Jag har tillräckligt med engelska för att använda så många ord så fort! (Damn it, Alanna and Erika! Slower! I have enough with English so now you use so many words so fast!)"

Melker growled rubbing his head, tried with all his strength to understand the situation.

 

"Lyssna farfar ... Annes NEPF- (Listen grandfather ... Anne's NEPF-)"

"It's not that hard, you stupid old man!" Velio also growled, adding a spit to emphasize his insult. "Anne's NEPF has some kind of external radiation effect that has affected the people who are most with her, their mothers!"

 

"Skurk! For you it is easy to understand! I have to first mentally translate each word while the time I see my granddaughters much larger than before! And all because you, gammal skurk, you didnt show me the picture before they arrived! You've had an unfair advantage!" Rising with great effort from the edge of the sidewalk, Merkel walked to face Velio. "You have cheated! You have had inside information even though this was a duel of gentlemen!"

 

"Inside information? Duel of gentlemen? How is it going to be decorating the house of our granddaughters a duel if I am the one who has paid for everything?!-"

 

"Fördömd! That isnt fair! I dont have money in this country! Do you think I like to depend on you for everything!?"

 

"You should not like it! What you dont owe is important, we are family! As long as your native government doesnt pay you your pension, I give you the support ... but recognize that there is no duel! Also, even if there were, you would not have anything to do! I have ten thousand times better taste!"

 

"Taste? Taste to choose the most tacky and old fashioned! You have not read one of the interior decoration magazines that I bought!"

 

...

Meanwhile on stage B (Literally 10 feet away, in front of decontamination doors):

 

"I'm glad to see you girls in such good shape!" Ulyses hugged the two women, taking a moment to pamper the smiling baby. "Are you ready to see your new home?" None of the women said anything, grateful that Ulyses did not comment on their current sizes while glancing sideways at the two elderly men still arguing with no signs of stopping. "You should not worry about anything, none of theirs ideas has been approved without first going through me or my wife"

 

"Thank you, Ulyses ..." Alanna sighed in relief, following the assistant as he gave a signal to the guards to keep the elders in check. "And why all this assembly? Was it necessary to have security guards watching? Our neighbors must believe that we are richy rich new rich seeing all this ... "

 

"First. What? What kind of expression is that ... it does not matter. It may seem that this was an eccentricity of your grandfather, Alanna ... and in part it is ... but I'm not going to lie to you or try to cheat. All this coverage has been much more useful than it seems" The group stopped inside the entrance tunnel, some steam emitters releasing water vapor over the group.

 

"Really?" Erika, Alanna, Callen, Roland and Zara asked at the same time while Ulyses bowed his head, giving the group all the necessary information.

 

"You see, when you told us in January that Anne needed particularly high ceilings, we decided that instead of reforming a house to raise the roofs, it was easier and simpler to build a house from scratch, always trying to fulfill the necessary conditions" With a beep, the The door leading to the interior opened. Leaving in silence, the jaws of Alanna and Erika (and of all the others except Ulyses) were disengaged.

A simple two-story family home occupied the interior of the structure ... a house that reached to the edge of the canvas. "We havent choose a name for now ... but before you our gift to us, girls! 60 feet tall or 18.3 meters for Erika, divided into two floors with the roof of each at 30 feet tall! A structure designed to hold up to 150 tons on the second floor! A truly masterpiece of engineering and modern architecture, designed, built, tested all far from the indiscreet eye.

Not to brag, but it's a great job, dont you think?" Ulyses rubbed his nose, starting to walk as he pulled out a small electronic control from his pocket. "I present the MasterKey! These small touchscreen controls with fingerprint and voice recognition are the keys to the house! Allow me to show you" The group stopped in front of the gigantic double doors of the house (each measuring almost 27 feet high according to the number pointed on them), which in turn contained double doors of a more reasonable 10 feet in height.

"To facilitate the movement around the house of any kind of person, all the doors, both large and normal, of the house are connected to the MasterKeys. MasterKey, open main doors B, please"

 

"Yes Ulyses, opening main doors B" The command answered in a melodious French accent, opening the normal doors quickly.

 

"You really dont have to say anything, you can just point to any door for the interact button to become the Open/Close button" Ulyses explained as they ventured into the house, followed closely by a amazed Callen who didnt stop to take pictures of everything around him.

 

"Do you think ... that Anne will grow so much? ..." Erika asked even completely stunned, the second time all day. Each place where the couple looked looked larger than the previous one, neither of the two women being able to imagine Anne being able to use anything naturally.

 

"Better to safe than sorry... I think ..." Alanna muttered under her breath, beginning to enter the house pushed by her parents.

The interior of the house was similar to the typical house of the suburbs, with the stairs to the upper floor directly opposite the entrance and the dining room and kitchen on each side of the house. Erika and Alanna carefully studied the surroundings, seeing as there was no door dividing the rooms directly.

Starting to walk around the house, the couple found that the living room was located to the left of the entrance, connected openly with a super spacious dining room behind the stairs and this in turn connected to the kitchen with an island countertop as divider; all perfectly furnished with two pairs of each piece of furniture: One as big as the house and another one of normal size near the big one.

 

"The biggest challenge of this house was to organize the family spaces so that both sides had their needs covered," Ulyses began explaining going up the ladder that led directly to the giant sofa. "To be able to overcome it easily, Mr. Melker suggested that the easiest thing was to duplicate all the furniture in the house, connecting all the giant furniture with stairs and elevators like this so that everyone could use them at will"

 

"You all have to climb here! God, it's like being in Alice in Wonderland!" Callen shouted from above the couch already, so excited that Alanna and Erika started thinking about eavesdropping so they could later throw him to his own home. The family decided not to waste time, gathering everything in the huge sofa. To the surprise of Alanna and Erika, one of the sofa cushions had a normal-sized family sofa sewn on top.

 

"If at some point Anne wants to lie down completely on the sofa, the cushion has its hole underneath to store the normal furniture ... and so with everything. The countertop, stove and the like and even the normal kitchen table are built on one of the giant countertops, the family dining table has one of the sides designed to be a normal family table; bathrooms exactly the same ... It has been difficult to find the easiest way to place both worlds at once, but we are quite proud of the result. MasterKey, turn on the television in the living room"

 

"Turning on the television, Ulyses" The screen taped to the opposite wall, more similar to that of a movie theater than a television one, was turned on in a news channel, the sound of it wrapping the family completely.

 

"As you can see, Velio has made sure to buy all the latest generation electronic devices, adapting them in turn to the size needs of Anne. In this case, the best television on the market has been connected to the largest and most advanced digital cinema screen on the market and to the most immersive and powerful sound system that currently exists ... the result is very rewarding, dont you think?"

 

"How much has it cost?" Erika and Alanna said at once, their faces completely white.

 

"Less than 15 percent of the fortune that your grandfather has accumulated over the years, although do not believe that I will give you more specific data than this .Girls, in the verbal contract you signed that you will not ask-"

 

"HOW MUCH HAS THIS HOUSE COST?!" On the verge of crying, the couple threw themselves on the cushion floor on their knees, clinging to Ulyses' shirt. "How do you think we can live here with so many luxuries without knowing how much it has cost our family?!"

The couple burst into tears between suffering and emotion, while Ulyses caressed their heads. As Melker had suggested weeks ago, Erika's lack of monetary confidence would eventually lead to an overwhelming emotional overload accompanied by crying, to which Alanna would join almost certainly.

 

After comforting the girls for three long minutes, the family followed the tour of the oversized housing. As Ulyses had explained, the whole house was adapted so that no matter what size you were, no part of the house was out of reach. After a long lap of almost 10 minutes watching and getting on, the family came back to the entrance. "And now is the key moment! The upper floor! The jewel in the crown of the house! If you notice me very excited, it is because this is where I have put my best efforts" Ulyses pressed the MasterKey pointing at the wall of the stairs, opening and revealing an elevator with a single wall and surrounded by a security fence that looked more like a forklift by the huge dimensions, with several seats similar to those of a car placed next to the wall. (To the point that everyone had their own seat belt) 

"Our bet for Anne height and the lack of land for sale to expand the house horizontally required making the house have a second floor, and that would make the steps too big to be uploaded by normal people comfortably. At first we were hesitant to build an elevator instead of stairs ... but seeing the amount of machinery we would need to lift the maximum weight for a 25-feet Anne we realized that the most effective idea was simply adding this forklift to climb comfortably up top effortlessly" Ulyses opened the elevator door to the others, letting them sit while he leaned against the security fence.

 

"We told you that maybe Anne would reach 10 feet, not 25" Alanna sighed as she buckled her belt, finding that the floor of the forklift had holes to fit the wheels of the carriage safely. Pressing a button on one of the corners, the forklift began to climb not too quickly or too slowly the huge stairs, giving the group time to rest from the visit and regain strength drinking from the bottle of water that Erika and Alanna kept in the cart.

 

"At first we followed that idea, but after seeing how quickly Anne was growing up for March we decided to investigate a little and ask for approximate measurements to General Black's team. As they gave us a height of between 8 feet and 25 feet- "Erika and Alanna nervously spat out the water that Roland had just returned. "They had not told you?"

 

Erika and Alanna remained silent, looking at both of them at the baby who looked back at them while still smiling. "We didnt plan to get approximate measurements... but I'm glad you did. I cant even imagine our little loving and squishy sunshinebeing able to use this house mastodon comfortably. "Alanna sighed again, this time being a hopeful and relieved sigh. If Anne had to live at that level, both mothers gave thanks to heaven for being able to grow a little more to help her.

 

"Sunshine, that nickname is new," Erika commented as she took Anne into her arms to give her a drink of her bottle of water. "I like ... little sunshine! I like it very much!"

 

"I regret having spoiled the surprise ..." The forklift reached the center of the upper floor, from where 4 aisles separated forming a cross. "But look at the good side! Having things ready for the worst possible scenario will save us headaches! Well, now let me introduce you to the upper floor.

As you can see, we decided that the easiest way to divide the space was a cross plan, with two giant rooms plus two normal rooms in each direction" Ulyses activated the floor lights with the MasterKey, automatically opening the windows and the blinds so that the air ran through the floor. As the assistant had said, each hall had 4 doors, with the sizes interspersed. "As we knew that you always talk about having more children, Velio has insisted that you have rooms to spare; and how at the same time the giant rooms arent going to have much use for now ..."

The group began to walk to one of them, Ulyses activating the door. "All sliding doors, easier to open and close at a distance and with the enormous weight of each" The huge room caused even a little fear on the family, looking even bigger than it should be all painted white and not having furniture beyond a huge single bed under the window, a cupboard in the left wall and another two sliding doors in the right wall, one giant and one normal. "As we dont know what tastes Anne will have or the rest of your children, we have decided to only build a first bed and wardrobe and leave the rest of the decoration for the future. As you can see, each pair of giant rooms are connected to each other by a fully equipped double bathroom ... since to build basic furniture like the shower or the toilet, you dont have to wait and see how they like them"

 

"Very good decision, Ulysses!" Callen congratulated the attendant with a pat on the shoulder, taking the lead and opening the normal door. (To each sample more of interest on the part of Callen harder it was made to the marriage to think about how to avoid that it is coupled of by life with them)

 

Behind the small door was a fully equipped bedroom that had little to envy the royal room of a luxury hotel. Cabinets, double bed, shelves, furniture, your own normal bathroom and even an acceptably wide table with your four chairs in one corner. "When we took the measures to install a bathtub in each bathroom, we found that there was still too much space, since a bathroom doesnt need to be as large as a bedroom! My wife had the great idea to take advantage of that space left over to build these guest rooms and connect them among the giants in the bathroom space that we had left over instead of filling the entire wall ... and if you allow me to say it, we have left the idea impeccable...

Oh god, today I'm showing off a lot. I apologize, family ... This house is in the top 5 of the things that I'm most proud of and I cant help it"

 

"Relax Ulyses! As a member of this family you have every right to want to show off! And now if you'll excuse the question ... How many rooms like this are we talking about?" Zara asked with something more than curiosity in her eyes, at least a little more disguised than Callen, who was already lying on the bed.

 

"2 giant bedrooms, a giant bathroom, two guest bedrooms and two normal bathrooms per hall except the main one, where Anne's future bedroom and Erika and Alanna's bedroom are, plus a couple of reserved surprises-"

"So 6 guest bedrooms ..." Zara nodded to no one in particular with a look that was already terrifying her daughter. Before her family continued to make plans in someone else's house, Alanna took Ulyses' hand and forced her out of the room, choosing between entreaties to take them to her own room at once. Seeing the interior of the guest room where Zara had joined her nephew in bed, Ulyses agreed to see the risk involved in the guest rooms.

 

"I hope you like it, We have put all our effort into this ..." Ulyses led the couple to the door of what would be their bedroom from now on. Engraved in wood, a sign with their names and two intertwined hearts crowned the door.

Taking a deep breath, Erika opened the door for both of them. The only valid way to describe the room was to compare it with an extended version and with a real king-size bed in his current apartment, only with a staircase to an upper floor. "We know how much you excited your first home ... so we wanted-" Ulyses could not say anything else, the air missing from his lungs while Erika and Alanna hugged him with all their strength and tears in his eyes. "Girls, girls ... I'm going to let you discover your room alone, okay? I worry about your parents and Callen ..."

 

Leaving a MasterKey to each, Ulyses closed the door behind him. The first thing both women did was stare at the ceiling. "Three meters with something?" Erika asked as she pulled Anne out of the cart, pacing the room until she came to a huge cradle by the bed. "You like my life? Do you like your new bed?"

 

While Erika was trying to knock Anne down in her new crib, Alanna was inspecting the shelves and cabinets, identical in design to those in the apartment but completely new. "I'm sorry that the grandfather is going to ask us to remake some of these things ... it's the furniture as we like it ... I still cant believe all this"

 

"We are the proud owners of a 19-meter-tall typical house of the American suburbs, darling." When Anne saw that she was sleeping in the crib with sleep and therefore resisted with all her strength, Erika decided to take her in her arms and continue exploring the room, noticing Attentively on the stairs that led to a second floor. "The other rooms dont have this ... do you mind if I go up and see, my love?"

 

"Go ahead!" Alanna shouted as she entered the closet, too much like the one in her grandfather's mansion. "I see you havent been able to resist, eh grandfather? As Grandma liked them ..." Alanna smiled as she sat down in front of the dresser, opening the drawers and finding a silver comb attached to a letter.

 

 

---

 

Consider this house as a last gift from both Sophia, Maj and Anne.

I am sure that they would love to know that their new great-granddaughter and granddaughter respectively will smile without worry wrapped up by two great mothers like you and Erika. This comb belonged to Anne (the mother of Erika) according to Melker, given by his wife for the wedding of her and Ravel.

Apparently she wore it at her wedding ... although we havent managed to find any picture where it is clearly seen.

Save it for when Anne and her brothers and/or sisters are older, tell them that it is a memory of those who couldnt be there to meet them.

P.S: If you are Erika who is reading, try to pretend that you have not seen it, Melker has written you a letter like this with a gift from my wife for you.

---

 

 

"Grandpa ...-" Of course, there was no time to cry and get sensitive with her family so close.

 

"OH MY GOD! YES  "Erika cried out in delight, forcing Alanna to run up the stairs. The second floor of his bedroom was divided into another corridor, with two doors on one side and an open door on the other. Following the applause of his wife, Alanna entered what from that moment would be his worst nightmare. "My love! Look!" Alanna remained silent, picking up Anne in the arms of the mats on which the baby was playing. Weights, torture machines gymnastics and everything a gym that takes pride in its name could ask for.

 

"Oh no ..." Alanna began to sweat a cold sweat to see how Erika easily lifted the dumbbell with double weights of 20 kilos.

 

"Now you cant refuse! There is no one who can make you embarrassed!" Erika shouted excitedly, kicking the air as if a girl with a new toy was about.

 

"I want the divorce" Alanna said trying to put the most monotonous voice and it would be possible.

 

"Nope and never! Remember? "Erika raised the hand that was wearing her wedding ring, now well above the desirable for simple logistics. The fingers of both women were beginning to be too big for the rings with which they were promised ... and the other rings of different events. "Until death do us paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaart!" 

 

"... One hour a week, take it or leave it"

"For now" Erika jumped up, running and lifting her wife and daughter up. Turning and laughing with emotion, Erika flopped down on the mats while filling her family with kisses.

 

"Enough! We still have more things to do!" Alanna tried to break free, making sure to put as little effort as possible so that happiness would never stop. Almost 20 minutes later watching and thinking about where and how to keep all their things, a huge noise similar to a bell first and then a crane made the mothers startled.

 

"What's going on?! You cant take this house away from us now! I love everything in this house!" Erika shouted out into the hall, followed by her wife and daughter. A lot of natural light (or as natural as the one generated by the dome could be) entered through the giant windows, a crane arm starting to remove the tarps and scaffolding.

 

"If you've hurried, grandpa..." Alanna sighed, staring at the wall under the window, specifically in a flickering light. "Wait here for a moment, my love" Delivering Anne to Erika, Alanna gave a little sprint to check what it was.

Under the window was a kind of frame like an elevator, with a light blinking on the frame. "Ummm ..." Alanna probed the MasterKey, pointing directly at the frame and activating it .And as Alanna expected, the interior was a wide elevator. "Eri! Come, we have two elevators!" Erika joined her wife quickly, entering both the elevator and discovering that there were only two buttons: Entrance and first floor. "To think that they have been so attentive as to put a second elevator near our room ... now I feel terrible for how little I trusted them" Alanna sighed leaning against the wall, letting Erika wrap her in one of her beloved kabe-don.

"You will be happy, will not you? Even the elevator is wide and tall!" Erika nodded stooping to kiss the neck of her wife, all before the watchful eye of Anne who was already used to witnessing signs of affection between their mothers. (Several months ago, whenever Erika or Alanna tried to kiss each other, Anne would always jump screaming and crying, something that no matter how much their mothers tried, they couldnt understand).

 

"It's an amazing house, even if it's something too big ... I dont think, or I dont want to think on my little Anne being that tall"

 

"Let's enjoy that Grandpa has been able to build something like that for his great-granddaughter, my love. Let's give Anne the home that deserves our little ray of sunshine"

 

"You dont have to tell me twice ... but it's going to be difficult to make such a gigantic house feel familiar enough!" Alanna grabbed her wife by the neck, pulling her down so she could kiss her this time on the lips.

 

"A house where we are three is already a family home for me, you know?"

 

"To…-"

 

The elevator whistled twice before opening the doors, Erika and Alanna discovering that they were in one of the corner of the door. "Goodness! I thought I was going to have to go up for you!" Ulyses walked towards marriage, activating the MasterKey again. "This is the doorbell of the house, we have placed it next to the mailbox for greater comfort. And I see that you have discovered the elevator B, it ended up becoming a necessity after two hours taking furniture up the main lift ... and now I'm glad to have chosen an elevator with the ceiling so high to carry all the boxes, but Erika would be in trouble!"

 

"We cant thank you enough in a million years, guys ..." Alanna approached the assistant, hugging him again. "I'm sorry to repeat myself so much ... but thank you ..."

 

Without saying anything Ulyses returned the hug to her almost granddaughter, leaving the minute that Velio had given him to pass in silence. "Let's not waste time, your grandfather wants to take us to dinner at a good restaurant to celebrate your new home"

 

"What?! But we dont have anything fancy!" Alanna yelled nervously, pointing at her and Erika without stopping. "We only have simple chandals and dresses for people of extra-large size!"

 

Erika grabbed her wife's hand, kissing the back affectionately. "And has that ever been a problem for us?"

 

"Of course not ... Ulyses, how long will the crane operator take? Because ... there is an operator, right? None of the grandparents is driving that crane, right? DONT?!"

 

"Alanna! Who do you take me for?" Ulyses took off from Alanna, turning her back on them and acting offended. "Do you really think I would leave Melker or Velio a crane?! They are already an age! They can stay in top form, but their motor reflexes begin to suffer-"

 

"Ulyses" Callen opened the small front door, peeping out slightly while from the other side cries and complaints began to be heard that did not help those inside to calm down. "There are a lot of neighbors complaining to Grandpa and Mr. Melker ... and they are answering them"

 

"Not five minutes! I swear to God that we had finished this work much earlier if I didnt have to take care of these two!" Ulyses shouted, preparing to leave, turning to ask the couple for a few minutes. "I'm so sorry girls, give me ... girls?"

 

Erika and Alanna were already out, running away with such haste that they had left Anne's carriage ... and Anne inside with the assistant.....

"You take us hiding a house?!"

"That crane is going to damage the asphalt!"

"You have no right to make such a fuss! I'll call the police!"

"You cant leave the scaffolding on the road!"

 

"We have all the city council permits in order!" Velio shouted as Melker waved the papers, letting all the neighbors see them.

"It will not be long! They return to their homes!" Melker shouted trying to put some order, meeting with the still insistence of the neighbors. "That all this is legal! Stop complaining and get close! You can see it right here!-"

 

The neighbors continued to scream until a huge shadow was projected over Melker. Before anyone could say or do anything, Erika and Alanna threw themselves to the ground on their knees. "Please forgive them! They are very old gentlemen and with too much free time!" The couple begged their new neighbors while their respective grandparents were rebuking them.

 

Feeling the discomfort of having two strangers begging on their knees, the neighbors looked at each other before two of them took the lead by offering their hands to the women. "Neither do you need to ask for forgiveness like this ..."

 

"It's totally our fault! We are very sorry!" Alanna and Erika spoke perfectly synchronized as the marriage had already been rehearsing a long time ago. "We trusted that our grandparents could take care of building our house without causing problems to the neighbors and evidently it hasnt been like that!"

 

"They have not been so terrible either ..."

"Sometimes a little more noise than desirable but nothing unsustainable ..."

The neighbors began to cut to the gravity of the situation, moved by shame to make two women made and right (two extremely large women) were kneeling in that way. While neighbors continued to dismiss matters, a man's voice caught the attention of the entire group.

 

"I'm sorry for being late! The city council has confirmed that they have the permits for the crane-"

"Gene- William?" Alanna and Erika asked at once, looking up as the neighbors pulled away. William and the marriage exchange looks for a few seconds, Erika mentally swearing to have seen how William's face lit up slightly.

 

"Girls? You are the owners of the work ... But what the hell?" William finally complained that the work was finally uncovered after many months, under the canvas was the largest house that the general had ever seen. (And not for being a mansion, if not for the dimensions)

"It was a house? ..."

 

Helping to rise between them, Erika and Alanna stretched their backs briefly before bowing again in an apologetic gesture. "I´m sorry for the problems our grandparents have caused, General Black. As you will know Anne's condition requires that we have a house with the highest ceilings ... but our grandparents have taken the phrase higher ceilings to ... this "

 

"Did you two have all this rehearsed in advance? Because if it hasnt been impressive that you have coincided even in the breaks"

 

"We have been rehearsing since we asked for the favor in January ..." Erika explained in a low voice dead of shame, dissipating is quickly to hear how the neighbors began to laugh.

 

"If it's for your daughter, everything is fine, right?"

"It has been a few noisy months but for a good cause, park it there"

"It hasnt been worse than when the Walkers were installing the heating system so noisy!"

"That isnt fair, ours was as necessary as that huge house! Naseera needs an extremely advanced and sensitive heating system. Unlike your Estela, Naseera has been born with the whole NEPF pack"

"What do you mean, Logan, are you implying that our daughter is not as NEPF like yours? Are you trying to compete with that?"

"That hasnt gone down, Logan ... not at all, as you can tell Nathan is working"

"I agree with that, darling. Wanting to compete- "

"I havent tried to compete at any time! You have completely misinterpreted the intention of my sentence, friends. I just wanted to compare the installations of our heating with the works that we have lived these months ago with the construction works of Alanna-"

 

"Calm down, calm down please!" William tried to reassure the neighbors before they argued again. "I'm glad to know you're going to live here, girls. The entire Azure section of Sandy Sands is made up of families affected by the NEPF and knowing that we are going to live in the same street makes me very happy. Let me introduce you to the others"

William gestured to the couple to get straight, turning to the neighbors. "Guys, these are Alanna and Erika Barlow Holm. Your daughter Anne ... and where is Anne?" As if it were a great revelation, the couple looked at each other almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown, preparing to run back towards the house when Ulyses left the cart with Anne among them. Clearing the voice in the most accusatory way possible, the assistant took the two grandparents by the arm, dragging them to the garden where the crane had already removed the scaffolding from the front facade.

"Well, as I was saying-" William continued with his presentation, letting the neighbors come to see the baby playing and biting even without tooth one of the stuffed animals attached to the carriage. "These are Alanna and Erika Barlow Holm, Alanna is the short of both although short is a relative term. The proud mothers of Anne Barlow Holm, the first affected by the NEPF and the only carrier for now of the strain "Giant" as the director Addams likes to call her. Erika, Alanna, let me introduce you to the neighborhood ... clockwise? Yes, it will be easier ... Well, those to the right of your house"

 

"Wait" Erika raised her hands, looking at the houses on both sides. "Clock hands from our house or from the entrance to the street?"

 

William blinked a few seconds, staring at the huge mother. "Clock hands from the entrance of the street, understanding your home as twelve o'clock" Erika nodded allowing William to clear his voice and start presenting. "Well, to the right of your house is the Gray family: Matthew, Jaycee and their daughters, Lea and Sammy, the one affected by the NEPF." William gestured to a middle-aged man and woman, both dark and complex. achieved working outdoors for many years.

 

"A pleasure to meet you, girls" The marriage took a step forward, offering the hands to Alanna and Erika. "I work as an advisor and advisor for the special needs of the Neohumans, so even though I see how you have built your house in style..." Matthew choked back, making Erika and Alanna flashbacks of Dexter Fang. "Feel free to ask for help without problems! I specialize in meeting special textile needs for children like our Sammy"

 

"Sammy is our little daughter" Jaycee explained looking for a picture on her phone and showing it to women. "It's a little bird, with wings and claws! Handshake and director Addams have christened our species as body type NEPF: Harpy"

 

"Well ..." William took a step forward, discreetly trying to continue the round of introductions. "The following are Long Hai and Isabella Hai, the parents of one of the few Neohumanos Mouse-"

 

"General, allow me" While his wife was tall and with a clear Hispanic descent; Long Hai clearly had Asian descent and a body worked on the same level as William. "Lieutenant Long Hai, served under Colonel Black at that time in Afghanistan during the beginning of the campaign. I am currently in charge of internal operations and contact with the local police here at Night Hold ... and in turn I am sorry to ask you directly-"

 

"For the love of god, Longi!" Isabella growled grabbing her husband by the shoulders, shaking him a little.

 

"Isabella, maybe even the universe has tried to continue attacking me and my family with racism, but we live in 2019. If there is any time to clarify this it is now" Long sighed before looking directly at Alanna and Erika again. "I know my son may have rodent traits ... but I will not accept any joke or racist comment with it. Maybe-"

 

Isabella stood behind her husband, covering her mouth with both hands. "Enough, Longi! Please girls dont take him seriously, my little mouse loves his nickname and we dont have no problem with it ... Excuse us but I must speak this with my husband seriously" Isabella said goodbye with a small bow, dragging him back to his house.

 

"Excuse my man, girls." William sighed as the Hai entered his house. "Since I know him there is nothing that obsesses more to that man than to avoid a racism that sometimes there isnt ... leaving that aside, the following are the family daCruz, Diogo and Paola"

 

"And before you ask, we are both Brazilians by birth! We have been in this country for 15 years since our first child, Vitor, was born" Paola explained without letting go of her husband's arm, holding on to him as if her life depended on it. For two people who loved each other as much as Alanna and Erika and couldnt bear to be apart, the closeness in public of Paola and Diogo was almost cloying.

"As my little melon was saying, Vitor is our oldest son with fifteen years old, then there is Cassio with 3 and finally our Estela! She doesnt seem to have picked up any extra parts, but she is a powerful NEPF world-class girl like Ariah! General, we consider ourselves presented; can follow" Diogo and Paola made a gesture of Yes sir too exaggerated, throwing back without letting go for a second.

 

"I like it, good rhythm! The next ones in order are the Walkers, Logan and his-"

 

"They have already mentioned us before and Alanna already knows me, so let me introduce ourselves properly, William." The tall man took a step forward, so tall that it almost rivaled Erika. And Erika just stared at her wife, mentally asking her who was so handsome and well-liked gentleman. Alanna shrugged without knowing what to say, only with a slight memory of knowing him. "As you already know-" Alanna nodded praying because it seemed like she knew. "But I doubt you talked to your wife about me, I'm Logan Walker-"

 

"History professor Logan the long!" Alanna yelled hitting her right fist with her left palm. (Gesture that left Logan with his mouth open and his eyebrow raised)

 

"You had not ... recognized me? We had been in the same school group for years ..." Logan sighed softly, muttering words that would ruin his image said loudly. "My husband is named Nathan and my daughter Naseera. The reason they arent here is because my daughter was napping, something that is quite complicated these last days since the summer weather, and your crane has awakened her" Logan put special emphasis on the last sentence, trying to enjoy to see Alanna and Erika rubbing their necks with a feeling of guilt printed on their faces. "I hope we get along, new neighbors"

 

And without saying anything else, Logan turned around walking towards his house with the feeling of having won the match. "will we have offended him?" Erika asked softly, while Alanna shrugged again.

 

William sighed, grabbing both women by the shoulder, comforting as he could. "I would say you apologize to Logan ... but whatever. The next house is mine and my girls already know them. Then there are the Walls, but I dont see either Elliot or Bev around here ... so I guess we'll move on-"

 

"Byron-"

"And Kalea Howee!" Husband and wife introduced themselves to each other, with enough timing to have it ready (Something that Alanna and Erika couldnt put any complaint or comment). "I'm glad to have you in our street, neighbors. Our son also has a reptilian side like Logan's little one, but unlike her, our Reed has legs!" Byron explained while Kalea showed the couple a picture of a baby with reptile eyes and semi-scaly skin held by a girl of 6 years. "And those who live next to us are the cousins r03;r03;of the Wall, Finn and Veerle!"

 

"No need to introduce us, Byron" A bald, muscular man with a look of dangerous that Alanna couldnt believe that it was possible way to her wife, throwing her on a hug. "Trainer, the gym is too quiet without you"

 

"Finn, Veerle!" Erika smiled hugging the man, while the one Alanna hoped was his wife also approached Erika, hugging her. "I see that during your holidays you have also left free yourself a little ..." Erika whispered between laughs, making the afroa-merican woman hug her.

 

"I wish I could hurt you, coach ... but I dont see how" Erika slapped him on the back before grabbing them by the shoulders, turning to her wife. "Alanna, Finn and Veerle Pearson, members of my anaerobic exercise classes and my resistance training group!"

 

Knowing better the bond of Erika with the couple, Alanna sighed more calm offering the hand to the students of Erika. "A pleasure to meet you"

 

"Likewise, dynamite girl" Finn and Veerle whispered as Erika gritted her teeth furiously, a gesture too sweet for Alanna to resist.

 

"You'll tell me when and why you used that nick, my love ..." Alanna smiled as she turned to the last couple present, with very European features. (wishing finally to finish the presentations). "Nice to meet you, neighbors!"

 

"Vasnev Semyon" The man took Alanna's hand with both hands in a polite squeeze accompanied by an evidently Russian accent. (For what to call them European traits was one of the worst options that Alanna could think of)

"And I'm Emskaya Semyon, Alanna." The woman took the hand that her husband just released in a polite but softer grip than her husband's. "To celebrate that you have joined our small street and community, what would you think of holding a small barbecue tonight? My husband here is the owner of a butcher shop, so we invite us"

 

"Eh?" Alanna was speechless, the option of a dinner with her new neighbors was too interesting to begin to forge a relationship of friendship with them ... but at the same time her grandfather had already decided to invite them to dinner. Alanna looked back, watching as her whole family frantically nodded in an attempt to throw them into the fire that their new neighbors meant. "It's okay! We accept your offer!"

 

 

---

 

 

 

---

 

 

A new day opened for Brightside, the heat increasing to 27 degrees as programmed. The vacation days that Erika had went too fast for the mother's pleasure, who rolled on her new mattress enjoying being able to sleep with her legs fully extended.

"Amamamma?"

The sweetest voice Erika had ever heard made her half-open her eyes, just in time for a small hand to fall on her cheek. "Amamma!" Anne insisted hitting her mother's cheek, laughing as of something Erika wished she could understand.

 

"My life ... slapping isnt okay" Erika stifled a giggle so as not to let Anne know that what she was doing was fine, instead she grabbed her daughter's hand gently making caresses on the back of it. "You see? Soft and with love ... caresses yes, slaps not..."

 

"Amamammama ..." Anne began to replicate her mother's movements this time on her mother's cheek, leaving Erika to trust herself at the least expected moment to release another slap. "Hahahahahaha!" Anne rushed to the point of falling on her back on the mattress.

 

"Traitor ..." Erika growled, standing on all fours on Anne, coming closer until their noses were rubbing. "You think you're very smart, right?! Do you think you can laugh at your mother?" Anne kept laughing as she tried to raise her head to keep rubbing her nose against her mother's, finding that she still didnt have that much agility and strength on her elbows to achieve such an action. "You're stuck, huh? And now that? What do you plan to do?"

Anne began to whimper, the tear already peeking out of her tear. "OK OK! I've got it!" Erika resigned herself as she grabbed her daughter by the sides, raising her head while she lay on her back. "You're a cuddly girl, right? A huge mom's girl?" Erika asked as Anne climbed up her body, managing to come face to face with her mother to retake her round of cuddles.

There in the bed both were just a mother and her beloved daughter normal and current. Of course, that normality vanished when they looked at them from the outside. A 6-month-old baby girl who is already 1 meter and 10 centimeters tall on her mother's chest, a huge mother of 2 meters and 20 centimeters, all this while living in her as much as at their gigantic and brand new 60-foot-tall house. Behind every honest smile hid a little fear of the future, a fear of what tomorrow had prepared for them-

 

"What do I do thinking such depressing things in the good morning?!" Erika said to herself, sitting on the bed while throwing (with the greatest care of the world) Anne upwards, making her laugh as if there were no tomorrow. "Ala! Are you here?" Erika asked looking in all directions in the empty room, just the suitcase with the pajamas and the clean shed for today that Callen had brought filling the space. With a new house always came the worst part, the move ... and although Erika and Alanna didnt have a lot of accumulated things the work of organizing, saving, transporting and rearranging everything already made Erika was exhausted. (More for having to be bending over so many door frames and to get into the car as many times as I expected)

 

"Up in my new and brand new office! Did you know that Grandpa Melker has put a mini fridge under my desk? It's the the absolute bomb!" Alanna shouted from the top floor of the bedroom, helping Erika to remember that it was something that existed.

Not even bothering to put a sheet around, Erika got up, carrying Anne to a wheelie, hurrying up the stairs to meet her lover.

 

While on the right side was the personal gym, on the left side there were two rooms separated by a wall and a door: The first of both was for Erika, full with all the consoles, old games, school trophies and everything that her father and her grandfather had brought from Sweden; while the second was an office with all of the law for Alanna, crowned by its title of biologist on the desk.

Sitting around in her new office chair, Alanna stopped completely when she saw her wife and daughter enter. "My little sunshine, you've already woken up!" Alanna opened her arms giving kisses to the air, waiting for Erika to place her daughter in the middle. "Do you like the office of mamma Ala, my sweet sunshine?" Alanna threw herself on the armchair, taking a walk so that Alanna could enjoy herself.While both were playing, Erika studied what was on the desk. On the one hand there was a large sheet of paper with what appeared to be a hand-drawn street scheme, with the names of all the neighbors on their respective plots (marked in colors that Erika recognized as the usual good to bad pattern of Alanna); while covered by Alanna's laptop there were a lot of sheets that looked more like a computer report or contract. "My love, sit down," Alanna dictated as she slowed down completely, with Anne sitting on her legs and digging her elbows on the table, clasping her hands in a gesture that reminded Erika of Mr. Burns.

"It's time to get serious ... our lives can change, I think the better"

 

While Erika took a seat in front of her wife, Anne kept her gaze fixed on her mother's gesture, trying to reproduce it without much success because she didnt get right to the table. (taking out in the process a laugh and a sigh completely in love with their mothers)

"I'm fired, Mr. Burns?" Erika joked as she pulled the chair closer to the table, crossing her arms over it and dropping her head on them.

 

"If you want yes, you can say goodbye to work in the gym. Of course I'm just talking about paid work with schedule God forbid me to try to avoid you enjoy your daily exercises" Alanna said quickly and without a hint of a joke, making Erika quickly get up nervous. "Do you know what this is?" Alanna asked as she picked up her laptop and pulled out all the papers underneath, handing it to her wife.

Erika began to read them carefully, her mouth slowly opening. "Uncle Louie came this morning to bring us breakfast, see the house and give me that," Alanna explained as she pulled from her mini fridge a huge tupper of chocolate and cream pancakes, a bottle of milk and another tupper of baby pap. "If you want, my love ... it's time"

 

"But Ala!" Erika left the papers on the table, opening the pancake tupper at full speed. The tension was too much to face on an empty stomach. "Your work-"

 

"First swallow and then talk" Alanna demanded opening the bottle of milk and passing it to her wife, Erika hitting a huge drink to help lower the two pancakes that had just put in her mouth.

 

"Didnt you want to be a teacher again? I know we can just use your contacts to help Anne ... but I know you've enjoyed teaching for many years..." Erika asked as she tapped her chest to get the pancakes down completely, passing the bottle to Alanna who, without learning from her wife's mistake, had made the same mistake.

 

"Maybe that was the idea-" Alanna closed the milk bottle by briefly covering the pancake tupper and opening the pap, beginning to feed her daughter. "But when Uncle Louie has given me this and I've read it ... Callen wants to inherit the cafeteria and Sidney is collaborating with that fashion magazine while working in the customs. You and I knew that this day could arrive ... but now we have direct confirmation and in writing. The executive council trusts me to assume the position for my years as grandfather's advisor in investments in the scientific field ... and my decisions speak for themselves. The board sees how my movements have increased the monetary and social value of the firm, and since Uncle Louie is soon to assume the post of grandpa, they have considered that it was the right time to have an excuse to offer me the position".

 

"An excuse? What excuse were they looking for? I mean, they could have offered it to you long before" Erika asked as she stretched across the table to clean Anne's lip with her thumb, preventing the papilla drops from reaching the new chair.

 

"That is true, but the executive council is not only entrepreneurs and investors, they are also acquaintances and friends of grandpa. They know me well, and until now they knew that I was too comfortable as a teacher ... but this gorgeous big little sweet thing here change everything!" Alanna lifted Anne up, letting the baby stand on her mother's knees. "You want, I want and we both want to spend as much time as possible with her; and this is what will allow us to do it while at the same time we earn enough money for all the extra costs that we are going to have.

When Uncle Louie accepts the CEO and president position of the firm from grandpa, everyone wants me to take Uncle Louie's old position as vice president ..."

 

"You're asking me if you can do it or if I want you to do it? Because in the first case it is of course yes and in the second too" Erika smiled at her wife, taking her hand and snatching the spoon full of porridge. "I always go on your team, my love ... no matter what, it does not matter when and no matter how, you know"

 

"I may spend less time at home than now ..."

 

"There isnt one time I go to Uncle Louie's house and I dont see him there, we'll be fine! Besides ... it's not like you can get out of Brightside."

 

"This may affect our pace of life ..."

 

"Easy, my love! I will be your alarm clock, personal trainer and exotic foreign wife to wear to the finery! Although I repeat, it isnt as if we could leave Brightside. Isnt your grandfather celebrating shareholder council meetings and management at the central hotel?" Alanna nodded as she bit her lower lip, unable to search for more excuses. "Do you want to do it, my love?" Erika asked as she finished giving Anne the pap.

 

The baby belched loudly, stretching her arms and enjoying the warmth of her mother. "What kind of manners you have ... this is what you had because you're just a baby, you know?" Alanna hugged her daughter tighter, burying her nose in her orange hair. "I want to do it ... I know our businesses, I know the social value of our companies and I want them to continue to be an icon of the social struggle and of helping the needy. I want Anne to see her mothers as her heroines, you know?" Erika smiled rising from the chair, walking around the desk until she knelt next to her wife.

 

"Team Barlow Holm?" Erika placed her hand in front of Anne, making the baby curious and placing both hands on her mother's.

 

"Team Barlow Holm" Alanna laughed as she placed her own hand over her daughter's, squeezing them fondly. "Today together and forever ...-"

"-doing our best!" Erika yelled raising her hand with a bang, lifting her daughter's and wife's hands. Before Anne could understand what was going on, her two mothers wrapped her and began to do all kinds of tickling and cuddling.

"Amamamammama! Hahahahaha!"

 

Between the laughter of her daughter, Erika managed to get closer to her wife's ear. "Also, being a vice president is great ... with how much you like to dominate me"

 

"That's one thing and this is another! There's no..." Alanna's voice low, dead with shame at what she was going to say. "There is no other person who wants to dominate more than you ... it doesnt matter how many people I have in my charge, you are my wife, the object of my most perverse passions ... and you have never pushed them back"

 

"What can I say?" Erika shrugged, lifting Anne up while she herself was standing. "You have that dark side ... but I also hide my shadows! Right, right my little sunshine? What?! Of course mamma do it!"

 

"Jerk... Someday Anne will remember this and we will invoice..."

 

 

---

 

(Same day, 10:00 at noon, Park Boulevard)

 

When the elevator reached the fifth floor and Alanna, Erika and Anne got out of it, the family found that the apartment door was open and the sound of an argument was coming from within. "We deserve it! We have permission from Roland!" The first two voices shouted, one male and one female not fully developed.

 

"You are teenagers! Shouldnt you live with your father?! Besides, it doesnt matter if you have permission from Roland! I asked for this apartment at the wedding of Erika and Alanna! I took the lead time strip, kids!" Answered a third female voice, trying to imitate the accent of new york with very little precision. Sighing at the same time, Erika and Alanna looked at each other, tracing the plan of action.

Delivering control of Anne's stroller to her wife, Erika stretched as much as the ceiling of the corridor allowed her. After rolling up the sleeves, Erika looked back to see how Alanna raised 3 fingers.

 

The argument continued as Alanna slowly lowered her fingers, clenching her fist and throwing it towards the door when the three voices shouted at once, quickly ducking and covering Anne's ears while Erika took a breath.

Erika clenched her teeth, leaning against the doorframe, flexing her muscles as much as possible before entering. "Do you want to stop screaming?! You're going to bother the neighbors!" Erika came screaming, taking advantage of her size to make the most impression possible to her younger siblings and Sidney.

 

The trio turned instantly upon hearing Erika's voice, but of course ... what they didnt expect to see their beloved older sister/cousin through the door slightly crouched and side for being too big both in height and width. As if it were the most terrifying apparition, Sidney, Fraje and Nellie fell to the floor, dragging themselves back screaming in sheer terror. "Eh?" Erika quickly realized her mistake, relaxing as she entered the apartment altogether. "Guys, guys! Relax please! It's me ... Erika!"

 

The screams began to subside as the trio recognized the overgrown mother. "Erika?" Sidney was the first to ask and get up, shaking the back of her skirt discreetly. "Holy God! Is this what Callen was referring to last night's message?!"

 

"Big sister?!" Nellie and Fraje screamed at once, running to Erika who opened her arms to catch them. "What happened?! Youre-…"

 

"Huge? Yes ... you can say that if" Erika laughed (something that neither Sidney nor Nellie nor Fraje could understand at a time like that) while taking her little brothers to the sofa. (All without letting them touch the ground)

"Alanna, we have finished discussing, you can now enter with Anne"

 

The trio focused their attention on the door, watching as a much larger Alanna entered pushing the cart of Anne. "Who isnt going to be called dwarf anymore? This one!" Alanna smiled, pointing with her thumb as she left the cart in its usual place by the door and took out Anne.

 

Sidney took a deep breath for a few seconds, trying to understand everything that was happening. "You know what? Make a coffee while we play with Anne for a while and then you explain everything that is happening, okay? You cant deny it, I already have half of your clothes stored in boxes" Sidney pointed to a lot of boxes labeled "Old fashioned" to "Acceptable for short exits".

Looking at each other, the couple decided to accept the request while leaving Anne, who was hysterical to see her cousin and uncles, on the sofa between Nellie and Fraje.

 

(10 minutes of explanation about NEPF radiation and repeated questions about how later)

 

"Damn it ..." Sidney leaned back in his chair, balancing on both hind legs. "You have a body worthy of model and without having to do anything, Ala ... You cant even imagine how jealous I am right now... dude, look at that sexy giant booty. Erika, you have to be enjoying being able to ride that damn work of art"

 

"Dont even say it ... with one more inch it would not cost me so much to be chosen to play ..." Nellie stirred her decaffeinated coffee cup, dropping it on the table.

 

"Are you having problems? You're a great basketball player!" Erika tried to cheer her up as best she could, rubbing her back in circles at the same time that Fraje was doing the same.

 

"I'm good, but the American girls are also good and also taller ... I hope to start as a starter when you can come to watch the games ... but in my position there are two other girls who are also great and also take me 7 centimeters" Nellie sighed, joining Sidney's envious gaze.

 

"It'snt like we're looking for it either ..." Alanna pretended to ignore her cousin's envy, focusing on what really mattered. "With all this already spoken, can you explain what you three are discussing?" The trio started talking all at once, forcing Alanna to give a firm but gentle blow so as not to bother Anne at the table. "Dont tell me anymore, let me guess: You, Sidney, has heard that we are going to move to our new home and have decided to meet your past threats to stay the apartment when we had a more familiar place, no?"

 

"How do you know me, cousin! But for the record. "Sidney stretched out in the chair, looking as serious as he could. "They were never threats, always promises"

 

"Right..." Alanna narrowed her eyes, turning now to Fraje and Nellie. "What about you, kids? Why do you want to live alone? You know that's very hard, is not it?"

 

Fraje and Nellie left the table for a few seconds, talking to each other to decide who was going to be the communicator. After a game of stone paper scissors of 5 rounds, Fraje sat down again with a triumphant smile from ear to ear. "Older sisters, we request this apartment to be free teenagers as it is written in the constitution of this great country"

 

"Nowhere-" The three adults began to say, only to be interrupted by Fraje standing up suddenly, throwing her chair to the floor and raising her arms crosswise. (Acts that in combination made Anne start to laugh and applaud)

"CURRENTLY ... ahem ... we are both living together with dad at Uncle Declan's apartment. Dont misunderstand us, Uncle Declan is pretty cool... but it's with dad with whom he has a link as collectors of toys and figures. In addition as he works as a writer he spends all day at home, going around the floor and not letting us play without surveillance or just be quiet"

 

"It isnt to belittle your help ..." Nellie joined the indexes turning them in circles, looking down to give a little more pain while Fraje sat down correctly. "But they have a room with only the collections of both ... and we are living in a room much smaller than this apartment"

 

"THAT'S WHY!" Fraje suddenly got up again, getting the same reaction in Anne. "We need this apartment! We are two teenagers who want to live the American dream in its maximum splendor ... and dad is already a bad cook so that it is not justified to have a whole room full of figures! For that reason we request-"

"Denied," Erika said with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, feeling the chair as she tried to balance herself on two legs. (Something that Alanna tried to stop by all means, fearing that the chair could not support the weight of her wife)

 

"WHAT?! WHY?!" Fraje and Nellie shouted at the same time, running around the table until they dropped to their knees next to Erika, looking at her with the best face of sad puppies that the duo knew how to put. "It's not fair!" 

 

"What isnt fair is that you ask me to let my little brothers live alone without surveillance and security! Is it that you dont realize what you are asking me, guys!?" Erika whispered to keep Anne oblivious to the conversation, suitably entertained by her mother with a couple of stuffed animals.

 

"Big sister ..." Fraje and Nellie looked at each other for a moment, both lowering their heads and clutching Erika's thigh. "We are sorry…"

 

Erika decided not to say anything, sighing and getting up from her chair. With her brothers looking at her closely, Erika opened the door of the apartment, going out into the hallway and climbing into the elevator without saying anything.

The doors opened when the elevator reached the roof, thankfully empty Erika thought. Sitting by the door, the overgrown mother took out her phone and took a deep breath, activating the speed dial.

 

Ring ... Ring ... Ring ...

____________________

 

"Erika? You're going to tell me about your new-"

 

"Ett rum för din samling?! Du är värd det, pappa, du är värd det ... (A room for your collection?! Are you serious, dad?...)"

 

"Hur vet du det, sötnos? Och vad händer om vi har ett rum med våra samlingar? Declan ägde redan det med without samling, jag har bara lagt till min! (How do you know that, sweetie? And what happens if we have a room with our collections? Declan was already occupying it with his collection, I only added mine!)"

 

"Du har två barn under din omsorg, pappa! Medan du bor med farbror Declan måste du sätta dem- (You have two children in your care, dad! While you are living with uncle Declan you must put them-)"

 

"Jag kommer att berätta för dig samma sak som vi berättade för dem! Declan vax siffror kräver in konstant temperatur på 10 grader, så de måste vara med luftkonditionering hela dagen och kan inte lagras i lådor, (I'll tell you the same thing we said to them! Declan wax figures require a constant temperature of 10 degrees, so they need to be with the air conditioning all day and cant be stored in boxes)"

 

"PAPPA! Jag har båda be mig att stanna hos vår lägenhet för att bo ensam! From kommer att vara 13 år! From kan inte ... (DAD! I have both asking me to stay in our apartment to live alone! They will be 13 years old! They cant ..."

 

"Exakt är de där för att jag föreslog det för dig, vet du? (Precisely they are there because I suggested it to them, you know?)"

 

"... Jag kommer inte säga något, bara fråga dig in sista sak innan du hänger. Det här kommer att bli som när mamma... (... I'm not going to say anything, just ask you one last thing before hanging up, this is going to be like when mom ...)"

 

"Erika, för första gången i år har jag träffat någon med vilken jag delar hobbies och jag kan prata om mina lustar! Gör inte det här för mig ... det är inte rättvist ... gör mig inte inför detta igen... (Erika, for the first time in years I've met someone with whom to share hobbies and I can talk about my passions! Dont do this to me. .. it's not fair ... do not make me face this again ...)"

 

"... Jag älskar dig, pappa. Jag ses senare (... I love you, dad, see you later)"

____________________

 

Erika hung up the call before her father could say goodbye, throwing the phone between her legs. Grabbing the nape of her neck with both hands, Erika bent her knees until hitting them against her chest, proceeding to bury her head between her generous breasts.

Unpleasant memories invaded her mind, recognizing the same scene years ago. "Mom ..." Erika whispered softly, breathing slowly and deeply, trying to maintain a specific rhythm. "First I lost you with nine years, I tried to replace you... but thanks to heaven you managed to wake up and even give birth to Fraje ... and then I lost you again. I tried to replace you with Fraje ... but I couldnt. If it isnt because Alanna dragged me with her to Canada, I have no idea what would have happened to me... I know I have no right to be angry with Dad ... but I need to know what to do"

.........

 

"What would megaman do?" her wife's voice whispered from behind the roof door, intoning and hooting to look as much as possible a ghost.

 

"Megaman?" Erika smiled, drying her tears with her arm sleeve, getting up carefully not to put too much weight on the wall that was not too solid or too thick. "Megaman would always do the right thing, no matter where or when! Because that's megaman!" Breathing deeply with her arms wide open, Erika opened the roof door and caught her before she lost her balance. "I havent heard the elevator"

 

"I went up...-" Alanna took a slow breath, her face completely red and sweaty. "-The five floors that were missing on foot so as not to interrupt your conversation... this counts as the weekly gym hour ..." Holding her laughter, Erika took her wife as if it were a princess, kissing her chastely lips.

 

"Nope, my pretty and lazy wife!" Erika decided to enter the elevator, stopping at the last moment before they both hit the frame. The marriage clenched its teeth while Erika left her wife standing on the floor, both entering the elevator normal. "Too big ..." The two said at once, pressing the button back to the fifth floor

.....

 

The door of the apartment was half open, Fraje and Nellie waiting still sitting at the table while Sidney trains Anne with a water pistol that the young woman discovered in her bag. "Guys ..." Erika went back in, focusing on both of them, who got up quickly and ran towards their older sister. "Are those your backpacks? And the suitcases?" Erika pointed at the two backpacks lying on her old desk.

 

"They're still at Uncle Declan's house," Nellie explained, taking out her phone and showing Erika a picture of both suitcases made and surrounded by other boxes on a bed. "We had everything ready to move here ..."

 

"Perfect" Erika smiled as she looked in her backpack for the car keys and threw them to her brothers. "Lower the backpacks to the car, store them in the trunk in a corner so that the boxes fit and come back here, we need labor to start saving all this before the moving truck arrives at seven" Fraje and Nellie looked at each other for a few seconds, looking for what to do to beg their sister who did not take them back to Declan's house.

"Dont look at me like that, guys..." Erika squatted down on her haunches. "I dont intend to let you live alone with almost 13 years. You come to live with us and there is not more to talk"

 

"Seriously?!"

"Really, big sister?!" Fraje and Nellie started crying with joy, each one hugging Erika's leg.

 

"Of course! You are still under my responsibility and besides, being close means that I can control much better that you eat well-" Tears of happiness stopped suddenly. "You sleep your hours-" The smiles faded. "And do the necessary exercise for a correct development!"

 

Alanna knelt among her nephews, rubbing their backs as she whispered as quietly as possible. "If I have to succumb to the gates of hell-gym, I will not go alone. Keep it clear, dear ones"

 

 

---

 

Collecting all his things was much faster than the marriage expected, mainly thanks to the natural tendency of Alanna to save everything in boxes to take advantage of the space. The truck of the move arrived at its agreed time, and although the conduit almost suffered a heart attack when seeing Erika (Something not too good for its self-esteem), thanks to the increased strength of Erika and Alanna the task of loading the boxes was much faster than what the driver expected.

The hour had arrived, and while the truck left for their new home, Erika and Alanna went down for the last time to their parking space. (The only thing the couple had added to the apartment)

 

While the couple kept the last leftovers in their car (which, having to take Erika and it was enough to the poor and punished car), Sidney take Nellie and Fraje in her car and took them to have a snack at the hamburger. (According to Sidney it was a reward for the brave American non-conformist spirit that the Swedish teenagers had developed ... but in reality it was their way of apologizing to them for having stayed the apartment)

 

"God ... I hope they are well ..." Erika thought out loud as she sat on the backseat seating Anne in her car seat. (And trying to ignore the noises that her poor car made when she was riding inside)

 

"You're talking about your little brother and sister, arent you?" Alanna asked as she closed the trunk and stretched, preparing to sit in the driver's seat. (Wondering inside if that was what her wife felt before hitting the growth spurt)

 

"What?! Of course not! I'm thinking about my games boxes! Most of them are already digital ... but I cant stop thinking about my poor cartridges and CDs!" Erika choked the crying while placing her daughter's belt, entertaining with tickles. "Changing the subject-"

 

"As not ..." Alanna adjusted the driver's seat while she started the car, turning on the air conditioner before she even started. "You are going to ask me if we do well to welcome your little brothers, I am going to tell you that of course, that you are a good older sister who now has the opportunity to help your little brothers and have them at home will serve as training for when Anne reaches adolescence. You see? I've already solved the conversation that we had not even started! How good I am and what sexy ass I have!!" Giving herself a whip to accompany her statement, Alanna looked back only to find her wife frowning. "It was nothing like that, was it?"

 

"No, but I agree with your juicy ass. What I was going to say ... you dont feel weird? We've spent 4 years in this apartment ... our first years as newlyweds ... and now we're saying goodbye to all of that ... It feels weird, like we're missing something here" Erika sighed, shrugging as possible in her seat, looking out the window at the elevator that so many times the marriage used to the day.

 

"Are you afraid we're losing our newly married stage?" Alanna joined in the sigh, imitating her wife. "Erika ... we have known each other for 11 years now, and since 8 we have shared a life together ... today I dont know why we are reflecting and thinking so much about this ... but I suppose it is normal!

Own house, daughter, new neighbors ... the whole NEPF affair ... there is a whole huge new world in front of us ... and we are slowly approaching 30 years of age! Now our job is to be good mothers and make Anne, Fraje, Nellie and those who come smile with all our strength!" Turning back, Alanna caught her wife's hands in his. "The old Alanna would have taken out a ring to ask you to marry her again. The new one? I dont need it, I know I have you for and forever"

 

"For all eternity, it does not matter what or how ... but I still want my rings"

 

"Who was going to say that my future 20-feet-tall, muscular giantess, lover of megaman, videogames, gym and her wife, daughter, brother, sister and family would also be a submissive and coquettish girl?" Alanna stifled a laugh as she watched as her wife kicked the seat the softest possible (For fear of breaking it). "My wife, do you want your brave princess in a bright tracksuit because we dont have anything else to take you to our castle?"

 

"Only if you promise to do it until we have a bigger car and can go back to driving"

 

"Promised," Alanna swore kissing her engagement ring, turning on the engine and saying goodbye to the one that had been another one of her homes, which she wanted to become the home of her "little" family.

 

"And I hope that your joke of 20 feet tall doesnt reach more ... Our family measuring 8 feet is more than enough"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

(June 11, 6:38 pm. Azure Moon street, home of the Barlow Holm family)

 

"Come on, the second!"

Dozens of shouts of excitement and applause filled the immense living room of the Barlow Holm family, accompanied by pleasant conversations and laughter while the neighbors watched together the European women's football game where Sweden faced Chile.

And why so many shouts and applause even though the match was still 0-0? That answer has a name and surname:

Erika Barlow Holm.

 

The organizer of the party, cook of the barbecue and main reason why 28 adults were watching the game was sitting on the side of the group, watching with her mobile certain video game conference that unfortunately was happening at the same time."OH MY GOD! BANJO AND KAZOOIE! Åh jaaaaaaa!!" Erika shouted insane with emotion, accompanied by William Black who was the only other adult present accompanying her watching the conference. (Eager to please the giantess, the serious and elegant General William had spent the last few nights studying all the issues that could appear both during the football game and during the nintendo conference, learning and forming an opinion to be able to speak sincerely with Erika)

 

"The reason we're watching the game is that it's playing Sweden, right? Is not it supposed that Erika should be sitting in the front row watching the game? The first part is almost over and she keeps looking at her phone" Vasnev Semyon asked Alanna, trying to lower his voice, something not necessary due to the continuous cries of the amazon mother.

 

"Yeahhh.... I understand what you say ... but it's not that I can take away her phone. We had a terrible weekend precisely because my wife had a heart in a conflict about this ... so leave her a few more minutes. If there is someone who has enough energy to get excited about characters in a fight game and then come to get excited watching European football ... that's Erika" Alanna sighed filling the glass of margarita again, trying to control herself so as not to lose her composure in front of her neighbors.

 

And while the adults were watching the football game in the huge living room, the children enjoyed the summer hartificial heat and the freshness of the water in the brand new pool in the house. (Which was really just a prototype until Velio and Melker got the permits to build their DOUBLE Olympic pool, name registered by them)

Fraje and Nellie played in the pool with their new friends Vitor and Cassio daCruz, Eliab Wall, Lulia Howee and Lea Gray; sharing ideas for the summer while telling what their neo-brothers (as the children referred to the NEPF for short) did and what they planned to do with them.

And next to the pool protected by a fence of pillows and in the shadow of the house were all the neohuman children, in a playground equipped with all the safest children's toys on the market and supervised by the best babysitter Alanna knew.

Sidney.

 

"ZZZZZZZZZzzzzz ... no, please ... If you keep bringing me such delicious ice cream my hips will resign!...Zzzzzzz..." Sidney murmured in a dream, her drool hanging from both the edge of her lips and the edge of the hammock.

What do a group of babies do when they meet for the first time? Nothing, they are babies that some can only crawl and the most advanced only manage to take one or two steps without falling.

 

But ... and what do that group of babies do when they meet ... if the babies arent normal children, if not Neohumans?Although their parents had introduced them to each other before leaving them all together the babies looked at each other, still not too convinced of new children of similar size to them, distributing themselves throughout the playground while Anne finished the preparations.

Using her ability to make herself understood, Anne managed to communicate with all of them as well as with her two previous friends, giving them the ability to understand each other without the need to pass the conversation on their own. It's not that Anne had too much idea of how she managed to talk with other babies without being able to gather more than 3 syllables and some of them not a single coherent syllable, but as long as everything worked as she wanted the last thing Anne wanted was to find her complaints.

 

In the middle of the park, next to the mini-table that Erika and Alanna had bought for parents to leave their children's favorite toys, Anne, Lisa and Gabrielle finished preparing everything.

"Please pay attention, guys!" Anne thought clarifying her voice in reality, sitting from her position of dominance on the pile of cushions that she and Lisa had managed to accumulate (Gabrielle being too small had only helped to push them, so Lisa and Anne decided to just hand them over so Gabrielle would pile them up).

"I consider this first meeting as initiated, ... that's what Uncle William says, right?" Anne looked to her right, watching as Gabrielle nodded without stopping drinking from her breast milk bottle. "Yeah! then, it's begun!"

 

The babies were silent, looking at each other studying their different characteristics. "And now that? What do we have to do?" Naseera Walker, the daughter of Logan and Nathan Walker, asked, rolling her tail around her cushion. Seeing herself as the most different from the other babies, Naseera stayed in the last row studying her serpentine tail, asking inside why she didnt have legs like the others.

 

Anne was silent, looking at her sides both Lisa Fang and Gabrielle Black, who had decided to sit next to her to know beforehand. "I dont know, I just said what uncle William and my mamma Ala repeats in front of my stuffed animals. Enough that I have made you able to speak inside, dont come to me with complaints!"

 

"That makes no sense! You have started a meeting, now you have to fill it with things! On TV when they meet they say and do things!" Gideon Pearson shouted mentally as he babbled in reality, trying to formulate words like his parents without success.

 

"The big eye is right, we should think of something to fill the meeting ... I mean, it's the first time we see each other! Our parents have introduced us as friends, doesnt that mean we are friends? Friends do things, I see it in my older brother every time he brings friends home and I crawl around him until they include me" Lisa thought as she bit her lip and squeezed her tail, as the baby used to dont knowing what to do.

 

"Dont call me big eye! The weirds one are you all who have two! My mother says that my eye is very beautiful!" Gideon shouted mentally again, beginning to crawl to the floor and facing lisa, throwing himself on top of her and starting to fight. (as much as two babies without conscience of hurting can fight)

 

The babies struggled with each other while the group looked away, still thinking what to do. "Big eye ... nice eye ... I got it!" Anne exclaimed hitting one of her hands against the other as her mother Ala used to do, not understanding why. "To know ourselves better we should say what I saw our parents do! A round presentation!"

 

"Are...are you sure that's the name of what you've mean?!" Gabrielle turned to Anne, narrowing her eyes not too convinced while leaving her milk bottle on the floor next to the pile of cushions.

 

"At 9 percent, whatever that means!" Anne smiled while going down from the cushions and crawled to one of the plastic chairs, dragging it to the center of the meeting. "We will sit here and give our statements so that others can get to know you a little better! And since I am the one who proposed it-" Anne leaned against the chair, rising on two legs and plunging down on the plastic chair not designed for a girl of her size, as everyone else could understand when the chair creaked.

"I'll start! My name is Anne Barlow Holm and I'm a little older and I'm a little older than the others because I was born in January! I am up to what I know what my grandfather calls a 'girl', which is something different from a boy Although I really do not see how it differs from one thing to another... and... and they also says that I am a little giantess, which means that I am very big!-"

 

"We can see it ..." All the babies thought at once, not too excited about the girl who although seemed like them almost twice as big as the others except the tail of Naseera. 

 

"I suppose if you can see it ..." Anne lowered the volume of her thoughts, somewhat self-conscious by the neutrality and monotony of the mental tone of her friends. "I dont know why I'm big, but I like it because I can help you get to other places! My mothers are also like me, or at least they are bigger than the other parents ...-"

 

"We also know ..." They thought again as if they were one-mind.

 

"Ehh! Let me finish!" Anne puffed up her cheeks as much as she could, throwing her head back so she wouldnt see her friends. "I want to say that I am very big, and I like that because I can use it to help others! I hope we can be good friends!" Taking a deep breath, Anne lowered her head again as if nothing had happened, throwing herself to the ground and crawling until she was next to the chair. "See? It's easy, it's the next one that will be ... I dont know, we can do it clockwise?"

 

"Wait," Gideon interrupted Anne, grabbing her by the shoulder. (With a face full of bruises and scratches like Lisa's) "Clockwise from the entrance from the chair or from where you are looking?"

 

 Anne was silent for a few seconds, thoughtful. "I dont know what a clock is, but... from the chair. Which means it's your turn, Gideon!"

 

Gideon nodded, crawling to the chair, leaning on it to stand and find the obvious problem. Not being able to get on the chair was going to be complicated. "Anne, can you ..."

 

"On the way!" Anne thought with a smile, crawling to the chair and positioning herself as a step so that Gideon could climb the chair.

 

"Thanks ... Well, my name is Gideon and I'm a boy. I only have one eye unlike you, but as my eye is much bigger I think that makes me the winner ... I challenge all those present to prove otherwise" Even being babies, thanks to the influence of Anne and to the shared vocabulary between their minds, everyone present thought in unison that Gideon was a born braggart. (Making sure none of them thought too loudly)

"Nobody tries to say the opposite? Well, as the third Neohumano to be born, I call myself vice-captain-" Sammy Gray, the daughter of Matthew and Jaycee, raised her arm-wing, trying to get Gideon's attention. "What do you want, girl bird?"

 

"What is a vice-capitain?" The question hit as if from an anvil was treated the cyclops, which was left licking his thumb without knowing what to say. "And? What is a vice-captain? What is it is that it is what it is-"

 

"Enough! ... I dont know what a vice-captain is, I only said it because it sounded cool ... so as I dont know what to answer anymore I postpone my appointment until further notice! Come on, little bird, if you're smart enough to accuse me you should be up here!" Gideon threw himself to the ground, crawling away to sit under the slide, all with swollen cheeks and staring at the baby harpy climbing Anne to sit in the chair.

 

"Hello! My name is Sammy and I am a harpy even though my mom calls me little bird! My older sister says that I am very different from other children because I do not have hands! Instead-" Sammy lifted both arms forward, waving the claws at the end of them. "See? I have 4 claws and then an opposable lateral claw that works like my thumb!"

 

"And your legs they are also weird and cool. How do you know so many words, by the way? It's the first time I've heard of an opposable... thing." Anne grunted, trying to cope with the annoyance that Sammy's claws were causing in her back.

 

"It's because my older sister does her homework with me when it's time to watch over me! Older sister usually read aloud, and I hear it from her legs! Speaking of legs, it is true that my legs are normal, they are from a little cutie bird according to my mother! Although they are not as good as they seem, Mom has a lot of problems when it comes to buying clothes for my legs and wings!" Stepping down from the chair, Sammy dropped to the floor carefully, turning around and kissing Anne on the cheek. "Thanks for letting me go up, Anne"

 

"She has thanked me! You dont, Gideon! That makes her even better" Anne turned to Gideon just in time to see how the cyclops between closed his eye and stuck out her tongue, doing a raspberry to the giantess baby. "Silly ... next! Zho, it's your turn!" Anne lay down again to serve as a step to the smallest boy present, tied with gabrielle in size issue (Although Zhong was almost a month and a half older than the fox girl), raising her knees a little so that Zhong Hai could sit comfortably.

 

"Thanks, Anne, but it's Zhong. Like Sammy's mom, my mom calls me a mouse and according to my animal books, a mouse is a small animal with round ears and a tail as tiny as a thread ... and I guess that describes me correctly-"

"Dont be sad, Zhong!" Anne, Sammy and Lisa thought at the same time trying to cheer him up. "Your ears are very pretty!" Anne thought smiling.

"And appetizing!" Lisa, Sammy and Gabrielle thought at the same time with a bigger smile still.

 

"I dont know if that calms me ... You're licking your lips" Zhong pointed pointing at the Arpia and the wolf, who quickly rushed to deny it. "Dont look at me wanting to protect me for being small! My father is very strong and I will be too! I'll be someone you can look at as the same ... so please, give me time to train myself" Zhong bowed in a small bow, held the posture as he got off the chair leaning on Anne.

 

"It's starting to hurt my back ... Naseera, do you need help getting up? I ask because ... well, I dont know if that counts as legs" Anne shrugged her shoulders as she watched the lamia begin whimpering. "Oh no! I didnt want to make you feel bad!" Crawling at full speed, Anne launched herself at Naseera hugging her, rolling quickly to place the lamia on her body. "I'm Sorry! So sorry! Sorry!"

 

Drowning the tears, Naseera clung to Anne's sleeveless shirt, sucking tears over her. "I dont know why I dont have legs like the others ... I'm weird ..."

 

"I dont think so, I do not have legs like the others either and I'm not weird!" Sammy exclaimed throwing himself on top of Naseera, grabbing the tail of the lamia with her claws. "It is very hard! And it doesnt seem to be skin ... " Following her baby instincts, Sammy licked the scales trying to decipher what they were.

 

"Dont try to lick them... I try it the other day and I did not know how to find out what they are" Naseera tried to sit up, still embraced by Anne. "The good thing is that because they are hard it doesnt hurt to crawl on the ground..."

 

 Treating the information as a great revelation, Sammy threw himself to the ground sitting next to the others. "That's true! You are the most mobile of all of us! You could open the door of the fences!-"

"Nope. I cant keep up  and move at the same time... my father says I move like a shingles ... " Naseera explained feeling bad for not being able to meet Sammy's expectations. "Anne, why do you keep hugging me? I dont- "

 

"I am your chair! Your friend chair! Introduce yourself!" Anne commanded helping Naseera to sit on the stomach of the giantess, letting her long tail fall forward. (Thanks to her tail, Naseera was as long as Anne)

 

"Well ... I'm Naseera Walker, my parents adopted me a month ago ... before I was with the nurses who took care of me. As you can see I have a very long tail instead of legs, and then I have these hard things around my tail, waist and a little around my neck ... besides my pointy ears. I hope I can get along with you ... and I hope you dont mind my tail..."

 

"You need to smile more!" Anne growled as she gripped the corner of her mouth with both hands, forcing a silly smile. "You see? It hurts a bit but it's fun!" Feeling curious, Naseera imitated the giantess baby. "Yes! You have to smile always, that's what my mothers say!"

 

"Ok ... I'll try, Anne." Naseera continued to force her smile with her fingers as she descended from Anne, wrapping her tail around her as if it were a cushion.

 

"Well ... now it's up to Estela!" Anne screamed mentally as she crawled back to the chair, preparing to help the baby sit up. "You dont have anything weird, you're like Ariah!"

 

"Even so, I am neohuman! My mom always says that I shouldnt be envious! And I'm supposed to introduce myself, right? My name is Estela daCruz and I am almost 4 months old! I have two older brothers, a father and a mother ... and I dont know what else to tell. Can I change to count more by asking a question, Anne?"

"I guess so!"

"It happens to you that you notice something strange when someone have owie?" The babies denied looking at each other, not understanding what Estela was saying. "It's weird ... but when someone cries or owiee near me ... I notice something strange in my fingers. The other day my older brother Vitor fell to the floor of the park and hurt his knee and as my fingers felt strange so I put them on his knee ... and it stopped hurting him, although they still felt strange to me. I just wanted to share it, I hope we become good friends, guys!" While Estela got out of the chair, Anne used the new information about Estela to relate it to her own ability to talk with other babies.

 

"If your fingers bother you when others hurt things, my back hurts that you touch me. Can you try to do something?" Estela looked at her hands as she bit her tongue, touching Anne's back trying to reproduce the sensation in her fingers.

And after 60 seconds, the babies gave up. "I'm sorry, Anne ... I cant do it myself"

 

"Ummm, nothing's wrong. I guess we are still babies, these things are beyond our reach. If we continue with the presentations, it would be Reed ... hehehehe ... your name makes me laugh. Reeeeed"

 

"My sister makes the same joke!" Reed Howee, the reptilian son of the ex-Amish Byron and Bev howee, crawled up the chair like all his friends. And unlike these, Reed was careful enough not to thrust his claw feet or his scaly tail into the back of the giantess baby. "Well, let's go fast. I'm Reed Howee, a neohuman lizard; which means that I am similar to Naseera in that we both have scales and pointed ears ... but I have claws on my hands and feet and a tail as well as legs. I know we are saying a lot, but I also hope that we are good friends ... my sister does not have many and she spends a lot of time alone with me at home, so I think if we are friends you will also be friends of my sister" The babies looked at each other nodding convinced by Reed's reasoning. "Hey, Anne ... I dont have much more to say either. It'snt as if I had prepared something ... you know, until 40 minutes ago I could only communicate with grunts and single syllables"

 

"Oh... of course, I had not thought about that. But still you are doing very well! Lisa, Gabrielle and I have been speaking for longer without words ... so I had assumed it would be easy for everyone" Anne helped Reed off the chair, turning towards the group. "The twins are missing and Ariah, so I think that-"

 

"DONT! DONT DONT DONT DONT!" Selja Semyon, the little sister of the Semyon twins and neohuman chimpanzee (Something that destroyed the mind of Addams, all the technical team of Handshake and even of Dr. Gyeseung to be considered, in the words of Addams, a human regression-evolution), crawled at full speed climbing Anne without worrying the least of the giantess to sit on the chair. "MY TURN! I WAS WAITING! LET'S GO BOBR! I WANT TO TALK!"

 

"You're already screaming! No need to scream any more!" Bobr Semyon, the older brother of the Semyon twins and Neohumano weasel, crawled in the footsteps of his little sister, apologizing to Anne before climbing onto her back and sitting sitting in the hole that was left over to his sister. (Not as wide as Bobr would like, having to place his leg on his sister's knee). "Well ... I'm Bobr Semyon and this is-"

"SELJA! SEJA SEMYON! I'M SELJA SEMYON!"

"Stop screaming, you silly monkey!" Bobr held his sister's face, grabbing the corner of her mouth and stretching with all his might (which with the difference in size was not enough to cause pain), something that Selja found extremely funny. After seeing that his sister didnt surrender, Bobr released her again trying to look as dignified as possible despite being half sitting on the right leg of his twin sister. "Well ... This is my little twin sister, Selja. As you can see, it's a silly monkey said by my father! I am a neohuman weasel, my mother taught me in one of our books the animal from which I take my parts ... and as I see them equal, I infer that she wasnt lying to me. If you want to not be friends with my sister, I invite you- "

"NO!" Selja shouted again throwing herself out of the chair (also throwing her brother in the process), crawling at full speed until she grabbed and shook who was closest, which in this case was Naseera. "I WANT TO HAVE FRIENDS! AND PLAY AND LAUGH AND SMILE AND WALK WITH TWO LEGS AS MY DAD MAKES WITH MY FRIENDS AND MY BROTHER! I DONT WANT TO NOT HAVE FRIENDS ... "

"Silly monkey ..." Bobr wiped his face from the little grass that had become stuck, crawling to Anne. "I feel sorry for my sister's behavior, she has too much energy ..."

 

"Dont beg forgiveness, I like fun and how fast you think! We're going to be all great friends, I'm sure!" Anne smiled crawling to grab Selja's shoulder. "Do not worry! We will be friends and sure that in no time we can walk with our legs! If Gabrielle and Ariah are the youngest of us, with only a month and 2 weeks of Gabrielle and a short month Ariah can crawl for sure that we will not be long in finding the right place to go!"

 With red eyes and cheeks full of tears Selja turned to Anne, whimpering as she bit her upper lip. "You say ... you mean it?"

 

"Of course! Lisa, who has the most advantage in this matter, can walk if they hold her by the hands and push her ... as soon as she manages to discover the secret of walking the rest we just have to imitate her! So you dont have to worry, Selja! Working as a team we will overcome all the difficulties!" Anne's confident smile shone with her own light, helping Selja to calm down and stop crying. "Well, now all that's missing is Ariah for introducing himself to the new group! Give me a moment to put me-"

"No" Ariah crawled up to Anne, grabbing her by the sleeve of her shirt.

 

"No? Dont you want the chair?" Anne asked, not understanding what was wrong with the chair.

 

"Sit down"

"Eh?"

"Sit down, please" Anne was silent for a moment, obeying slowly until she was sitting with her legs stretched forward. Without waiting for permission, Ariah climbed up the legs of the giantess until she sat on her lap.

"Ariah, Ariah Wall. I dont need to say that we are friends or introduce myself, you can all see that I have nothing strange at first sight ... I am a case like Estela where my current appearance doesnt reflect my true darkness ... but all in time, there are still years left for us to worry about because!"

 

"No ... I dont understand what you're saying ..." Anne whispered as she fiddled with the little girl's hair, enjoying the soft touch of blue hair.

 

"Me neither! These are things that Yesterday has told me to remember and tell them to someone you trust ... and you seem trustworthy to me!" Ariah's smile was permanent, unlike the rest of the babies.

 

Seeing that the tension was increasing and not wanting to break into tears in front of her new friends, Anne swallowed hard deciding to be the one who had to ask the million dollar question. "Who is Yesterday?"

 

"Who is Yesterday? Yesterday is! She has always been with me ... and always will be.! I'm not sure where she is, but sometimes she talks to me after my parents put me to sleep or when we are alone! It was Yesterday who told me that today I didnt have to cry, that the biggest baby of the party would be called Anne and would shine with a calm and warm light ... a light that I must hold onto so as not to lose myself in the abyss that will devour and stir this world! And she was right! I like you very much and although you're a little sticky I want to hug you and make friends with everyone... And of course Yesterday also wants to hug you and be friends with everyone!"

 

"First, I'm sticky because I'm sweating from the heat ... we're all sweating. And second ... what a bad thing all of the abyss, although I'm not sure it's an abyss ... but I like you too, Ariah and Yesterday!"

 

"SERIOUSLY!?" Gideon shouted mentally as he crawled up to grab Anne's sleeve, shaking it with all his might. "Are we going to ignore what she just said that something is talking her and saying things!? REALLY WE ARE GOING TO IGNORE THAT ABOUT THE DARKNESS AND WHICH WILL OCCUR IN A FEW YEARS?! I'M SURE THAT YEARS MEANS TIME!"

 

"Yes?" Anne shrugged at Gideon's incredulous, gaping gaze. "Do you have any ideas we can do? Yesterday has said nice things about me, so she's a good girl for me. And then there's the fact that we're just babies, Gideon! Although we would like to do something, we are completely incapable of opening something as simple as the latch door that keeps us locked in the playground, I propose to let it go until we have to do something!"

 

"Yesterday says she completely agrees!" Ariah exclaimed with his permanent smile, further disturbing the group ... and pulling Gideon out even more.

 

"IF AN INVISIBLE VOICE TELLS YOU THAT IT IS GOOD THAT WE LET IT PASS MEANS IT IS NOT GOOD!-"

 

"Oh ... look at them! They're talking to each other, how cute all!" The babies turned at the same time to the children's playground doors, watching Anne's smaller mother and a gentleman who sounded all the babies take a picture with their phones. "As soon as you know how to talk, you're going to be a bunch of parrots, right?" Alanna smiled as the door would open, followed by the man.

 

"Hey little ones, do you remember me?" The man knelt by the group of children, smiling as he approached Gabrielle. "Because I know you all since you were born! You cant laugh because you dont understand any of this, right? At least you and Anne if you recognize me, Gabrielle"

 

"Addams, you're sounding a little too unsettling ... It doesnt really matter, they're still too small to understand how terrible that phrase is" Alanna laughed as she knelt next to her daughter, stroking Ariah's head captivated by her dark blue color.

 

"What can I say? Seeing them so smiling and happy fills me with a joy I didnt feel since I saw my own son when he was a baby. To keep this smile is why Handshake needs to keep working!"

 

"Is it for your next speech?" Addams chewed his annoyed tongue, looking away while still rubbing his niece's ears. "Dont put yourself in a worse mood than the kids! Well, children, the match is over, so your parents are going to come and look for you! Have you had a good time, my little angels?-"

 

"NO! WE ARE MISSING PRESENTATIONS! LISA QUICKLY, YOU LIVE TWO STREETS OF DISTANCE SO YOU NEED TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TODAY!"

"Amamammamama haaa appppbrrrrrrrr!" Anne shouted inside and out, waving her arms in what her mother considered a happiness dance.

 

"Is my sunshine happy to make so many friends? Right?!"

 

"NO TIME, MOM! WE NEED TO EVEN FINISH THE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE NEXT DAY BEGIN TO PLAN OUR THINGS! QUICK LISA! YOUR TURN!"

"Auauauau! Amma amamamama!"

 

Lisa began to tremble without knowing what to do, the pressure Anne was putting on her was too much for the baby wolf. "My name is Lisa Fang ... and I am a wolf girl ... I live as Anne has said on Crimson Moon Street, two streets from here ... I ... I ... friends ... please ..."

 "BUAAAAAAAAAA!"

 

"But Lisa! Dont start crying for no reason!"Alanna turned and took Lisa in her arms, rocking her as the crowd of mothers and fathers approached.

 

 

---

 

(Hours later, Alanna and Erika's bedroom personal bathroom)

 

"Come on Anne! Dont be in such a bad mood!" Nellie stuck her tongue out, trying to make a face that would amuse the baby while Fraje washed her hair with the greatest care in the world. After saying goodbye to all their friends and neighbors Alanna had decided that the children of the house needed a bath yes or yes, so the family had decided to use the huge bathroom that Ulyses had installed in the mother's bedroom. (To Erika's delight, it was a Japanese-style bathroom, her favorite)

"You cant be with swollen cheeks all day!"

 

"And why not? You have taken control of my round presentation! I had it planned well from this morning! And you'rent listening to me! I have the right to be angry!"

"ABRRRRRR" Glancing away abruptly, Anne crossed her arms and pressed her mouth even more ... something their mothers found extremely amusing.

 

"Come on my sunshine! Dont be angry! "Erika yelled peering at the edge of the huge tub, trying to catch her daughter's gaze. "I know you wanted to play more with your new friends, but there are many more days! ... Fraje, make sure it stays clean behind the ears, okay? The hair of a baby is very delicate"

 

"Older sister ..." Fraje stopped, raising his hands in one of the most presumptuous expressions the couple had ever seen in a teenager. "I have read all the books of baby care of your bookshelf to be a good big brother also for Anne! I think that with almost 13 years I can have a minimum of confidence placed on my shoulders"

 

"Brag..." Alanna whispered, squeezing her hands and shooting a stream of water directly onto the stool where Fraje is sitting. "You are 13 years old but you wanted us to go to the bathroom together ..."

 

"Dont say it that way, older sister-mother-legal guardian; There isnt even an interest in me in seeing your naked bodies!" Leaving his task completely, Fraje stood with his arms resting on his hip. "Now we live together and we are a family! And this is what American families do, share funny and homely moments!-"

"You looked very rushed so that you and Nellie washed Anne without help, right?"

 

"... UMMM!" Imitating Anne's previous gesture, Fraje looked away suddenly from the ceiling. Seeing that her uncle was imitating her, Anne began to shout, waving her hands to get the attention of her family, even getting out of her bath chair and stand holding her to imitate her uncle (all before the astonished look of their mothers and Nellie). 

"AUMMM!"

 

"Oh what?!" Fraje crouched until he was face to face with the baby (although Fraje had to bend down much less than he had first expected, forcing him to climb a little). "Well, look this sweets moves, mini-giantess!" Re-straightening in the most comical way possible to amuse his family, Fraje turned on his feet turning his back to his niece, beginning to walk with his back as straight as possible and his head so high that It was almost perpendicular to the ceiling. "It gives you envy? If you knew how to walk you could show your indignation in such a cool way as your uncle!"

 

"Abbrrrrrrrrrrrr ..." Anne swelled her cheeks even more, squeezing her eyes almost to the edge of tears.

 

And, without warning, the baby turned around, staring at the wall:

• When Anne raised her right leg, her moms were speechless.
• When Anne put her leg forward, Nellie stood up, covering her mouth.
• When Anne lowered her right leg and staggered, Erika and Alanna climbed to the edge of the huge tub, preparing to get out.

5 seconds in which Anne remained as motionless as she could, only a slight wobble stopping her.

• When Anne squeezed her right foot and let her weight fall, Fraje threw herself beside her on her knees, ready to grab her if the baby stumbled.
• When Anne lifted her left leg, Nellie placed herself on the other side of Anne to control her carefully.
• And when Anne took the second step, there were her mothers and uncles to catch her before the wet floor of the bathroom made her lose her balance.

The family cried with joy, screaming nonstop and congratulating the baby.

 

Everyone except Fraje, who later swore that Anne had stared at him smiling and raising her right eyebrow.

 

 

 

---

 

 

(June 24, 09:45 in the morning Handshake Headquarters, medical section)

 

"116 centimeters, a growth of 7 centimeters in 6 weeks. It's inside the middle, pulling over, for a normal baby ... but of course Anne is not a normal baby!" The doctor left Anne sitting on the stretcher, picking up her measuring tape and turning to Addams and the marriage. "Is Anne eating correctly? With its size it should weigh a little more"

 

The couple looked at each other, each mentally reviewing their time of day where they were in charge of the meals. "We are giving her as much pap as she wants and as she still has no teeth we are buying fruit and cookies pap for the afternoon snack ..." Alanna explained while she and Erika lowered their heads embarrassed by the comment (feeling furious at having failed Anne (Although not really...)).

 

"Girls, we're not scolding you!" Addams sighed smiling as he got up and walked to Anne, tickling her neck. "It is normal for a baby to be above or below the average weight during the first stages of life ... and more when we are talking about new mothers like you!"

While Addams's innocent comment shattered the marriage inside, Anne laughed turning to her mothers. "Amamma?" Anne asked tilting her head when she heard baby, beginning to relate the word to her. 

"Anne eats well and as much as she wants, she does not complain and she has good form. The fact that she is a little below her expected weight is just a trifle! Honestly and do not take it as something bad- " Taking Anne into her arms, Addams handed her to their mothers so they could start dressing her again. "What worries me most right now is that Anne has not yet shown her ESP NEP ski-"

 

"Sir!" The doctor grabbed Addams shoulder, looking at him with the greatest seriousness that Alanna and Erika had ever seen in such a simple matter. "Skill NEsPer has won the vote, I ask you please respect the decision of the whole team to change the name"

 

"Skill NEsPer? Why not NEsPer Skills? Skills NEsPer makes you sing the word too weird, it sounds really weird and it's even hard to say quickly ... but well, the vote was 61 against 2, so I cant deny that Handshake has spoken as one" Addams clearly annoyed by the result of the vote, turning towards the marriage trying to look like more serene as possible. "Well ... as Anne hasnt yet demonstrated any NEsPer skills we are going to be quite late in planning her neohuman education"

 

"There ... there are there many children who have already demonstrated or already know their abilities?" Erika asked visibly worried, grabbing her wife's hand with one hand and protecting the baby sitting in her lap with the other.

 

Addams scratched his head, gesturing to his partner to leave the room. "As always, I'm going to tell you this unofficially because you're the only family that has to go to review meetings ... And besides, Anne was the first, so I owe this to her.

Currently we have classified 14 different skills present in more than one child and a total of 5 individual skills for now, and although that is more than enough to create scales and educational plans ... as these children are the first to possess these skills what we want to teach them from very small is to be careful and not cause problems to others. So for you to see we now have 12 children, among whom is Lisa Fang, who have demonstrated principles of teleportation skills-"

 

"What?!" Both mothers asked at once, stunned as Addams nodded.

 

"Exactly what you have heard. It's extremely curious to see them do things like teleport distances that are far too short ... but enough so that we should be attentive. Precisely Lisa has for now the record of the longest teleportation, with 4 centimeters of distance"

 

"But how does this work ... Lisa is still and suddenly appears somewhere else?!" Alanna asked almost to the edge of the nervous attack, staring at Anne and trying to think of some situation where the little girl could have shown such behaviors.

 

Without saying anything, Addams gestured to the family to get up and accompany him to the clinic desk, writing 4 passwords and accessing what appeared to be a database. After a few seconds looking, Addams put a video where Lisa appeared sitting on a hospital stretcher with her brother and mother.

 

 

---

 

10:15 on June 14, 2019 - 2nd teleportation test of Lisa Fang, Neohuman type: Canadian wolf.

 

"Well ... everything ready" Addams appeared in the foreground, walking towards the stretcher where 3 of the 4 members of the Addams family were sitting (with Dexter leaning against the back wall) while he was reviewing several sheets of a scrapbook just taken from the nineties.

"Let's check again how the experiment will work: Max, you have to sit Indian style on the stretcher and your job will be to sit your little sister between your legs, holding her firmly but without hurting her. The goal is for Lisa to be in the situation of not being able to move towards her goal"

 

"It seems easy ..." Max stared at his sister, unable to hide a giggle when Lisa returned the look accompanied by a silly smile.

 

"In principle, it should be easy. Meanwhile, Olivia will be placed at an exact 5 centimeters from her son, should be in the same position but with her legs spread and shaking Lisa's favorite toy, trying to keep Lisa's attention as much as possible on you. The first tests with her husband have not been as good as we would like, so our last chance to determine Lisa's ESP NEP skills is that you can keep Lisa's attention longer"

 

"Dont worry, Mr. Addams. I'll put it all on the table to prove that my daughter didnt fall to the ground from the crib because I left it open..." Olivia turned her head slightly, giving her husband a murderous look.

 

"Well, I'll consider it as a statement. Participants of the experiment, prepare yourselves" Addams left the scene, the camera focusing just in the middle of the stretcher while mother and son are seated on it. Two huge light bulbs illuminated the room, slightly bothering Lisa who rubbed her eyes in disgust. "Family Fang, it's show time"

 

As agreed, Max brought Lisa to him, sitting her between his legs and leading her to his mother. Before the wolf girl could move, Max grabbed her gently by the waist, something that Lisa understood as a game. After a few seconds waving her arms to her older brother and seeing that he didnt react, Lisa turned her head bored, inspecting the room until her eyes fell on her mother. In Olivia's hands was Lisa's favorite stuffed bunny, waving up and down just like her parents used to do to distract her to eat.

Slowly the attention became interest, and the interest in wanting to own the stuffed animal.

Lisa stirred for the first time to try to crawl to her mother, but her brother's firm hands held her tight. Squinting, Lisa began to suspect that getting the now super necessary stuffed animal wasnt going to be so easy, repeating again and again her attempts to shake herself away from her brother without success.

Everything seemed a new test failed until Lisa stretched both hands forward, clinging to the mattress of the stretcher.

 

Without anyone present being able to understand what they were seeing, Lisa's body began to slowly become transparent while what seemed to be Lisa's own reflection appeared to rise to her mother's legs. Suddenly and accompanied by a slight flash of light coming from Lisa's fur, the Lisa that Max was holding disappeared leaving in its place a strange orange smoke and the image of Lisa became the baby itself, taking advantage of the confusion of his mother grabbed the stuffed animal and He snatched it away.

 

While lying on the stretcher and legs of her mother, Lisa played quietly with her stuffed toy while a more open-mouthed Addams than ever approached the stretcher. Pulling a measuring tape from the pocket of her robe, Addams placed it between her legs near the edge of the Max faint and the center of Lisa's body.

"4 ... centimeters ... distance traveled ... can this be considered traveled?" Addams whispered as Dexter Fang fell to the ground unconscious. 

 

 

---

 

 

"The next time you see Dexter look at the right side of his head, we need stitches to close the gap that was made falling to the ground ..." Addams laughed to himself as he turned to see the amazon family (Although Addams wanted to start calling them the Giantess family), waiting for the incredulous expression of disbelief of Erika and Alanna.

What Addams didnt expect is that Anne was clapping and laughing. "Sunshine, we need to see what special thing you do, too, you know?" Addams gently pinched the giant baby's nose, bringing out a laugh. "After Lisa's test, we call all the children who have the same group of NEP neurons and perform the same test with all of them confirming that group-" Addams looked up, seeing the confused look of Erika. "Erika ... do you want us to explain it to you? I dont mind stopping for a moment"

 

"Please…"

 

While Erika brought the two stools where she was sitting (because the chairs were too narrow for her), Addams gleaned in the drawers taking out a sheet of paper and two pens. Drawing between him and Alanna two brains (one in profile and one from above), Addams slumped back in the chair making the pen dance between his fingers while Alanna took her wife's hand. "You can ask at any time if you get lost, my love" Erika nodded as she took the other pen and pointed to the second brain."Let's see, now that the first neohumans have developed a little, we can begin to speak clearly. To begin with, you have to understand that the brains of ALL neohumans, including Anne and us but to a lesser extent, agree on two things: Their brain cells are much larger and numerous than that of a baby at the same stage of development"

 

"We assume that the reason for the accelerated growth of Anne and the other children has to do with this super-advanced brain capacity," Addams explained, while with his pen he drew a small group of hexagons in one of the brains. "And this leads us to the second coincidence, although I am forced to admit that we had never seen it without the help of Dr. Gyeseung. The human brain has three types of neurons if we divide them by the function they perform: Sensory, Motor and Interneurons.

The neohuman brain also has these types of neurons ... and a fourth type that Gyeseung calls the neurons 'Sindeul-ui dojeonja' or 'god-defying' ... this man is going to kill me with his names," Addams sighed trying to ignore the accusatory throat of Erika and Alanna. "These neurons are grouped in different sections of the brain ... and although we had found several children where the position of these were identical, many other children present these cells in different amounts, patterns and locations."

 

Erika raised her hands, crossing her arms and staggering, staring at the drawing. "Ok, I dont need more information. These different compositions of neurons Sindeul-ui are those that give Skill NEsPer to children, and when several children have the same composition means that these children share the same ability. I guess then those different amounts mean the magnitude of the skill? You said before that Lisa had the record"

 

Addams clapped his hands smiling, taking the sheet of paper and beginning to draw, covering the sheet with the opposite arm so that Erika could not see. "Correct!, Erika! You will not have had the best school results for your personal circumstances, but you're as smart like many college graduates I've had the pleasure of training!" Erika narrowed her eyes, deciding to take the comment as a compliment while her wife squeezed her hand to get attention.

"It's just as you said, Erika, although I must add that for now the divisions are first patterns of concrete neurons, then the one where that pattern is and then the number of neurons that are forming the pattern. The same pattern in different parts of the brain generates a different skill, and when more neurons are part of that pattern"

 

"Precisely because of all this is that we do not know what skill NEsP Anne can have ..." Alanna explained while Addams finished the drawing, placing it towards Erika. Both brain drawings were surrounded by painted hexagons, covering the surface of the brain in a fairly regular pattern. "This would be Anne's brain ...-"

"It's very full of neurons Sindeul-ui ... completely full..." Erika swallowed to herself, taking her wife's hand to her daughter's belly and covering it with her own hands, all in a reflex act to protect them.

 

"The girl with the most  neurons Sindeul-ui  of all the Neohumans ... and also by far," Addams turned the screen to the mothers, showing several lists full of names and organized by categories. "So far with the data we have we can risk saying that when the number of  neurons Sindeul-ui in each pattern determines the power of their NEsPer skill, being the example of this again Lisa Fang, who is the user of teleportation that more distance has traveled and the chance is that she is also the girl with the largest number of neurons Sindeul-ui forming this pattern of concrete neurons"

 

"And Anne has a lot more ..." Erika nodded to no one in particular, trying to memorize the avalanche of information.

 

Addams clicked a few seconds to get to Anne's medical record, showing the results of the last scan to the mothers. "It should be the neurologist who shows you this next week, but since we are taking the issue the ideal is to exemplify it. As you can see, we are not just talking about having many more neurons, it also has an extremely unique and complex pattern covering the entire surface of the brain evenly" Erika and Alanna exchanged glances between them, Anne's scanner and Anne herself, who was fascinated laughing with her own shoes.

 

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Erika asked as she got up from the stools and started preparing to leave."Be aware of any unusual behavior or strange, special or paranormal situation that could appear in a movie of the Russo brothers... really not even us in Handshake can do anything if we do not have a first thread to throw. I'm also going to ask you to keep control of your heights, Anne's and your weights, we want to try to make some approximations for when Anne starts the nursery here in the facilities"

 

 

---

 

After the departure of Erika and Alanna Addams he stayed collecting the query and transcribing everything to his personal notebook. (Having everything written physically gave a sense of control and tranquility to the director that was not intended to be lost for any reason)

"Anne's neurons are somewhat more complex than those of the other children, which would make sense if she is the Reality King... but the proportion of them doubled almost to the next on the lists. Interesting.... ummm" Addams thought aloud to herself, staring at the baby's size records.

 

Toc Toc- TOCTOCTOCTOC!

 

Someone started pounding on the door as if it were an emergency, taking the director out of his thoughts and making him run to the door. "What's wrong?!" Addams yelled open the door abruptly, meeting his little brother on the other side. "Casc? ..."

 

"Hello my favorite median brother! I was passing through the area and a little bird told me that you were about to take your breakfast break, so I thought of accompanying you!" Cascadio smiled while waving a bag from the facilities cafeteria. Without waiting for his brother to answer Cascadio entered the office, staring at everything around him. "One would think that being the director of this would have a better... a better clinic? Is that what we call it? But this is not so different from what you had in the hospital!"

 

"Why would I have unnecessary things here? The office is there for something ..." Not being able to ignore the good smell that came out of the bag, Addams resigned himself and brought a chair next to his chair, offering his brother to sit down. "What are you doing in the area? UpperBright is still under construction, so I dont think you have business in the area..."

 

"Before answering you, brother ... allow me a previous question, please!"

 

"Shoot ..." Addams narrowed his eyes, beginning to clean the table and set aside everything so that they could have breakfast in conditions.

 

"How is the daughter of Erika and Alanna? I crossed them in the parking lot and they were both with their mouths open... and it doesnt look like good news precisely"

 

Cascadio's concern was curious, but Addams decided to take it as a simple curiosity and concern for family friends. "Anne is perfectly ... much more playful than ever now that she lives with her uncles and they play with her all day long. The worried face was something other than Anne's, I think that because of something to visit a tailor who Alanna commented at the beginning of the medical examination"

 

"Oooh... seeing Erika and her width, height and figure I can understand that visiting the tailor isnt the most pleasant thing in the world, although for me it is one of my passions!" Cascadio smiled to himself. Making himself interesting, Cascadio deposited the contents of the bag on the table, two bacon sandwiches and two cans of orange juice, before sitting down next to his brother, trying to read what he was putting on his computer. "And to answer the question of what I am doing in the area if it is in works, let me tell you that precisely because of that I am in the area! The last films of our production have been a hit in theaters and we have enough money to spend, so I think it's time to reinvest the money in our city! And that's why I'm here today, I've been meeting and seeing the surrounding land to build a cultural center near Handshake!"

 

"Seri... seriously?!" Addams took a huge bite of his sandwich, enjoying the taste before refocusing on what his brother was saying.

 

"Of course! You are doing a great job with Handshake, Addams ... and for that I want to contribute to help you and our children! But as you know, I am one of those who believe that children should be raised having access to everything they need to develop their full potential ... and that's why I want to open this cultural community center! Movie theaters where we will broadcast great films of yesterday and today, our country and internationally ... multimedia libraries where neohumans can see all the art and milestones that we have achieved ... free rooms where educational and fun activities ... in short a community center to keep alive the spirit you tried to convey at the opening party.

You are about to build a school where you can teach them what makes them special and how to take advantage of them... I want to contribute my bit by giving them the tools and the freedom to find that they are passionate and able to develop it!"

 

Addams was completely silent, pinching his arm discreetly to make sure it was not a dream. "Casc ... I ... I do not know what to say"

 

"Now? nothing, my brother" Cascadio smiled, covering Addams' mouth with his forefinger. "First I have to see the most interesting terrain nearby and then buy it ... when that is done and we start the works you can thank me-"

Addams didnt wait another second, throwing himself at his brother's neck in a hug he was doing years that the brothers did not give themselves. "Cascadio ... thank you ... thank you for believing in these children ..."

 

"My brother ... I have already told you many times. I may not feel attracted to any gender, but I love children! I believe in the will to live, grow and learn from our youth, not in vain until they locked me in this dome I collaborated in person with dozens of correctors of minors from all over California and surroundings.  The children of this city deserve to fight for them, You taught me this with all this from Handshake"

Separating himself from his brother but keeping his hands on his shoulders, Addams smiled, nodding softly, a sign that he was planning something. "Shoot, Addams ... I dont like it when you smile for something that only you know"

 

"The city council gave us part of the property of the land near the facilities if we wanted to expand it ... dont move, I want to go ask the mayor something" Without giving him time to answer Addams ran out of the query at full speed, leaving his brother in complete solitude.

 

Nodding as he rose gracefully, Cascadio circled the desk until he was in front of the computer tower. After making sure that the consultation chamber was deactivated as Oliver had promised, Cascadio inserted an SD card into the computer.

As he sat back in his chair and opened his can of juice, keeping an eye on the computer and the hallway all the time, Cascadio put the collar of his shirt to his mouth. "Make sure we have access to the Handshake database before cutting the connection, Carlos. I want to be able to start reading the children's medical records as soon as I return home ... and do me the favor and find out what activities abroad Nellie and Erika's little brother do ... if they live with Anne we should take advantage of them as soon as possible! We have to devise a plan so that the SkullLight reflected in Anne affects them as Erika and Alanna ... more adult victims of the SkullLight more likely to be born my own Captain America, Spiderman or personal Daredevil! You imagine? It would be so great ... I could become the next green goblin! ... no no! Kingpin!"

 

Beginning to eat his own sandwich, Cascadio smiled to himself. Doing good for the neohuman children and at the same time making his brother smile so happy sat too well ... only being able to be improved thanks to the just point of evil that Hunger Skull should look after all good action.

"I will be like a Kingpin loved by your community like when he became mayor of new york. God, I love being good and bad at the same time!" 

 

 

---

 

 

 (Azure Moon Street, 1:50 PM Same day)

 

After a first medical examination and then a long and tedious visit to the tailor and the almost quarrel between the tailor and Erika, the Barlow Holm family finally entered his street, opening the garage door from afar. Alanna sighed as she looked back, seeing Anne and Erika grumbling with swollen cheeks. (gesture that on the other hand made them look identical, something that served as moral support to Alanna's fatigue)

"Come on girls ... you have to stop frowning!" Alanna tried to encourage her favorite girls, receiving in return a double snort. As Anne grew and gained more awareness of herself, her expressions and gestures became more animated, complex, expressive and similar to those of their mothers, to Alanna's half-hearted joy and sadness.

 

"It's not my fault weighing 187 kilos ... and he dares to call me fat? Have you seen me ?! I'm fucking muscle!" Erika growled looking out the window while Alanna began the maneuvers to save the car in the garage, counting the seconds left so he could get out of that cage that was his beloved car.

 

"That man called me chubby baby, and if chubby means what I think is a bad thing! I'm big, not chubby! It seems terrible to me that bad man!" 

 "Amammamamamma afrrrr..." Anne growled imitating her mother, only looking at her instead of at the window.

 

"Girls ..." For the vastness of the giant house of the Barlow Holm family, the slightly larger than normal garage was certainly comical, as all its neighbors had told the couple. Alanna turned off the engine, sighing and turning back prepared to comfort her wife and daughter ... Just to see how Erika was already getting out of the car with Anne in her arms, all the while grunting. Rising up as if it were a huge tower, Erika closed the door of the car with a bang so loud that when the mother and daughter left the garage, the door fell to the ground completely shattered.

 

"Jesus fucking Christ" Alanna fell to the ground on her knees, squeezing her legs trying to control the sudden orgasm she had just had. The strength, anger and power of her wife was too much for poor Alanna, who crawled slowly to the shattered car door, turning her around and almost cumming another time when she saw the impression of Erika's hand etched as if from the blow of a pneumatic hammer was treated in the body.

"My love ... my giantess beast-wife..."

Alanna's face began to writhe in a twisted, perverted grimace, blood flowing faster and faster down her cheeks as a small trickle of saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth. The excitement was taking full control of her, making Alanna begin to feel again as in her college days. "Eri ... my sweet and submissive unstoppable beast ..."

 

Take her, possess her ... dominate her ... make her feel like the titan she was destined to be...

The darkest thoughts began to fill Alanna's mind in a loop, images of Erika using her titanic strength to please the wishes of her mistress ... her beloved Erika destroying everything with her bare hands while nobody could stop her ...

 

And of course, those desires were lost when Erika re-entered the garage carrying Anne, both with long faces of guilt. "My love, I'm sorry, I should not have given that slam- AY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE!?" Erika screamed as she saw the remnants of her previous rage, running up to her wife and kneeling over the shattered door, leaving Anne to one side sitting on the floor. "It was me?! Our car! Oh god the car!"

 

"Erika! Eri! My love!" Alanna yelled grabbing Erika by the shoulders, shaking her to get her attention. "It's just a door! You said, your 190 kilos are pure and gigantic muscle ... except of course all the sexy fat of your big tits and your ass! It is normal that being pissed off things made for humans are too fragile! ..."

 

"Things made for humans? Damn it, my love ... it's not time to-"

"Yes it is! Precisely it's time!" Alanna stood up with all her glorious one meter and eighty-six centimeters. "I know it's still complicated, but you and I arent different from children! Thanks to this precious thing here" Alanna bent down to grab her daughter, throwing her into the air and catching her while Anne burst out laughing. "We are neohuman, and that means that certain things are more difficult for us ... if you think about it, we are the only adult neohuman, so it is our duty to protect children like Anne and us more than anyone else!"

Erika shook her head, still not very convinced. "Get up and hold Anne for a moment, please. I want to show you something" Erika nodded, taking Anne in her arms. After pushing her wife a little, Alanna took a deep breath looking down, focusing her eyes on the imprint of Erika's hand imprinted on the body of the door.

"I ... your beloved wife ... is going to prove ..." Alanna clenched her teeth, taking a breath through her nose. "THE STRENGTH WITH WHICH WE WILL PROTECT OUR FAMILY!"

 

Squeezing all her muscles, Alanna crouched down and gave her a strong punch of her life to Erika's handprint ... feeling the body bend under her hand.

Adrenaline flowed through her at full speed, the smile growing on her face as the whole scene returned to its normal rhythm. Alanna's fist was sunk into the body as much or more than her wife's footprint, to the point that the new double track was almost as flat as paper. "Ala ... alanna ..." Erika babbled without being able to say anything else, letting Anne's applause and laughter say it all."And that ..." Alanna breathed with difficulty, the overexertion of the action taking its toll immediately.

 

"It's what I ... this is what your wife, the short one who until 6 months ago measured a meter and sixty centimeters, can do with her new body... uffffff ..." Alanna dropped back, resting the hand she had just hit on her knee. "Imagine a blow ... from you ... you've been training for a li...li...life...time ... Okay ... I need a second ..." Alanna took a deep breath as Erika sat on her haunches next to her.

"This is our strength, born of our love for our family! We shouldnt-"

 

"Alanna ..." Erika whispered holding the laugh. "The shtick has been beautiful and absolutely dazzling, but I was worried about what the repairs would cost us, not accidentally breaking the door."

 

"Oh"

 

"Yep." Erika nodded as Alanna dropped back, spreading her arms across the garage floor.

 

"But my speech was cool?"

 

"So cool" Erika rubbed her wife's forehead, giving him a chaste kiss while placing Anne on Alanna. "My sunshine, entertain your mom a little while your other mom picks up the remains of the door, okay?" Anne nodded as she turned and put her hands on her mother Alanna's face, caressing her and giving her a little nose kiss how much the baby liked.

Erika started to pick up the car door, staring at the print of her wife's fist. Controlling how she could, Erika tried to put sinful thoughts aside until nightfall.

 

"NO! PLEASE WAIT BIG SISTER-FUTURE MOTHER!" Fraje and Nellie came screaming and running, both sweaty.

 

"No ... not what?"

 

"Dont pick up! Again! Do it again!" The two teenagers continued to scream, their eyes bright and excited as Erika had not seen them since Christmas where she and Alanna bought they the Xbox. "BOOM! PUNCH!"

 

"IT HAS BEEN AMAZING! As if you were All might!" Nellie screamed punching the air, making the marriage wrinkle her forehead in confusion.

 

"How do you know what just happened?!" Erika asked and fell instantly when the teenagers pointed to one of the corners of the garage roof, where a playful and unknown to wifes surveillance camera lay mocking them.

 

"They are all connected to the televisions of your room" Fraje explained smiling, without realizing the implications that this led. "We were in your game room playing Street fighter when a message appeared on TV that they were entering the garage and we decided to see if they were thieves"

 

"We're very sorry ..." Nellie apologized by clasping her hands and lowering her head ... "But can you do it again? Snälla! Snälla!" But the child's innocence made the apology fall on deaf ears.

 

Erika shrugged, deciding to give her little brothers what they wanted. "I'm going to change my clothes more comfortable, take the door to the garage so we can do a good job!" With a wink and taking Anne, Erika went to the top floor, leaving her little brothers and Alanna behind.

 

"How much have you seen?" Alanna asked without blundering, sitting on the floor.

 

"Enough so you can choose between or not send us assignments for a week-"

"Or let us invite the neighbors kids to pizza and pool"

 

The teenagers conditions were clear and concise, leaving Alanna to resign herself by rising up. "You will live with us, so sooner or later Anne will irradiate you as we do ... you have it clear?" The teenagers nodded without hesitation for a second, with a face that said 'We are waiting for you'. "Well ... you win ... I am a good mother/guardian so let's celebrate this party. It will be good for you to have friends and not always be alone you two here at home" Nellie and Fraje smiled raising their fists to the sky, demonstrating once again that spying without permission and then blackmailing always ends well.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

"Well, this is the document about Fraje Holm, and these are the ones related to the legal adoption of Nellie Sköld, which from today will become Nellie Barlow Holm. The Lugn äng orphanage has already sent all the relevant documents, so now it's time for both parties to sign the other documents, if you are so kind" The notary handed the pens to the family, sitting as straight and as calm as possible while in front of him the two largest women he had ever seen struggled to use the very small pens in their hands. While Ravel finished signing the transfer of Fraje's legal guardianship, Erika and Alanna fought internally to not seem ridiculous in their current situation.

July 11, 2019, one day before the birthday of Alanna.

That would be the date on which for the first time the marriage realized that they were no longer human and all thanks to the bruise on Alanna's forehead. When the couple had met with Ravel for breakfast in the courts cafeteria before attending the notary, Erika's father almost collapsed when he saw his daughter and a political daughter enter the door, specifically at the moment Alanna had to duck to go through the door of the cafeteria after a loud header against the old frame.

 

 

---

 

(1 hour before)

"PAPPA!" Erika shouted while holding her father, lying on the floor while two customers and Alanna made him air with newspapers and magazines, redoubts of that time where people didnt look at everything in the mobile. "Snälla pappa! Du kan inte dö så! (Please, dad! You cant die like that!)" The screams of the colossal women (confused by some in the room as basketball players) resounded through the cafeteria and the coming corridors, causing more and more people from the courts to come and see what was happening. Little by little, Ravel's conscience was returning to his body while the doctors of court emergencies took his pulse, helping him to get up slowly. His daughter's voice was slowly helping the poor Swede to rejoin, but of course the next vision of his overgrown Erika made him almost lose the battle again.

After a 10-minute internal fight, the emergency physicians considered that Ravel was in good enough condition to leave, leaving Erika and Alanna to take care of him.

 

"What do I ask, pappa? These eggs look good, they're the way you like them!" Erika asked without letting go of her father's hand, accompanying him on the padded bench instead of sitting in a chair like her wife. (Something that because of the immense size of Erika was not helping as much as she would expect, making Ravel feel slightly cornered to see how Erika occupied almost 3 of the 4 seats in the bank)

 

"Fresh water ... and grape juice if they have, I need something sweet to cope with this." Ravel wiped the sweat from his forehead, still pulled back on the sofa with his face toward the ceiling leaning against the back of the straight sofa.

 

Erika nodded preparing to write her breakfast on the tablet installed on the tabl... and after 4 unsuccessful attempts- "This is a joke! My finger isnt that big, I'm just pressing a square! There must be some error with the calibration or something. My love, please..." The Swedish decided to let Alanna make the order while turning towards her father, who stretched back unconsciously for the impression. "You scared me a lot, pappa! Just imagine that I could have lost you here... I dont even know what happened to you?! Have you done any medical check lately? Grandpa told me that Grandma's family was prone to heart attacks-"

 

"Erika ..." Ravel shook his head with his hands, sitting up on the bench. "Stop Please. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!" Instantly Erika and Alanna averted their eyes, feeling guilty for something uncontrollable. "You two werent so tall! Alanna ... well, first you hit with the door frame! And you. Erika... you were already tall but it starts to be-"

"2 meters and 33 centimeters, I'm officially higher than the highest player in the history of the NBA ... and yes, I know that the other day when we got together to watch the game of Sweden I was somewhat lower ..., but ..." Erika shrugged, not knowing what to say. "At least Anne's growth has stabilized, returning to the more or less normal ratio that a 7-month-old girl should have; hopefully this will also end soon for us"

 

Ravel said nothing, turning around and staring at Alanna. Sighing, Alanna rubbed her head almost feeling her hair brushing back against the door frame. "I'm 2 centimeters away from reaching 2 meters ... so that means that door is especially low!" Alanna tried to justify herself to Ravel, seeing her father-in-law saying nothing, just raising her right eyebrow was necessary to make her message understand . "We cant do anything else, Ravel ... there is no medication or operation that can stop this. Now we are neohuman like Anne, and being she who has 'irradiated us' we can only enjoy that my little girl is happy with her two monument-size mothers ... and hope that you, as a family, will also be happy with us despite our size"

Alanna didnt enjoy sounding so dry and raw with that last sentence, but the mother was beginning to hate having to justify her growth to everyone. (Unfortunately for them within their family there were those who also looked at them with concern and fear, specifically Melker himself, Uncle Declan and his new girlfriend and Alanna's maternal grandmother, Ke'ala ... who after her last skype call with her granddaughter had sworn to pray to the sea so that the malignant disease that Anne suffers because of continental selfishness would be cured before it was too late)

 

"You know well that I'm not saying it like that, Alanna ... I'm worried about your health and the health of my granddaughter! In a few hours you will be my daughters, the mothers of my granddaughter and Nellie and the legal tutors of my son. I'm putting everything on you and I dont want to think that something could happen to you ... God knows I couldnt stand it ..." Ravel sighed with a shrug, letting himself fall on his daughter's huge arm.

"You've always been a big girl, min blomma ... I think it was 11 years old when you surpassed me in height ... and God knows that you were much stronger than me before! I suppose you inherited all the genes from your maternal grandmother's family, I still remember the day you were born as your grandmother predicted that you were going to exceed six feet like her sisters, and today I still remember how she laughed at me on her deathbed remembering her words…""

 

I dont understand where you want to go, pappa- Thank you very much" Erika said goodbye to the waitress when she left the family breakfast at the table, handing it out quickly.

Ravel said nothing until the wives finished arranging everything:

• A grape juice, a medium water bottle and a chocolate waffle for him.
• Three large individual plates of eggs and bacon (the third one distributed by Alanna in the other two dishes at a ratio of u31; for her and u32; for Erika), two large orange juice jars and a tray of Hash browns that clearly was for more than 2 people ... and even for more than 4 people.

 

Alanna and Erika started having breakfast without any problem, devouring the huge rations without any problem while Erika's father watched them in silence.

"Something wrong, pappa? You always asked for chocolate waffles in the university cafeteria when you visited us" Erika spoke with her mouth full, snapping a hash brown without hesitation for a second.

 

"After this you will not be hungry, right? Holy shit like you Americans say" Ravel asked trying to make clear the irony and not watch as his daughter drank a large glass of orange juice in one gulp. "This is precisely what I was referring to! The woman ... the human being in general or is not prepared to be so big or to devour so much food for a simple breakfast! "

 

Erika and Alanna looked at each other, sharing a giggle before Alanna wiped her lips elegantly, rummaging through her phone and showing Ravel a list. "Addams orders. Handshake is observing that Neohumans need and eat a lot more than human counterparts of the same age, as well as ... even if it is indirectly Erika and I are the only adult Neohumans we have the obligation to collaborate as much as we can so that Handshake can prepare for educate neohumans like Anne in the future"

 

"And you do that ... eating like horses?-"

"PAPPA!" Erika raised her voice a little more than desired, hitting the table with both hands. "How can you say that?!"

 

"How?" Ravel pointed to both plates, trying to make his message clear. "It is impossible for this to be healthy! Alanna, who until a year ago could not even finish a whole dish is now eating as much or more than when she was pregnant with Anne!" Little by little Ravel was raising her voice, making Alanna more and more ashamed of the statements. "And you? Erika looks at that pile of food! I could have breakfast, eat and almost dine with all that! And it's less than half of what you've already eaten!"

 

Erika put her hands to her forehead, letting herself fall and pressing her shoulders on the table. "Does that bother you so much?!"

"Bother... me?!" Ravel shook his head beginning to breathe with difficulty. "Honey, I'm terribly worried! I say it again, the human body is not prepared for certain sizes that you are touching! I dont want to lose you like I lost your mother! Not now that your adult life and your family is beginning!" The arguments that her father was trying to give her senses resonated within Erika, but as much as Ravel was her own father, the sense of responsibility of her was what ended up being imposed.

 

The fact that her father started calling her nicknames in English instead of his typical 'min blomma' was a sign that he was starting to get really angry, because of something Erika couldnt (and frankly didnt want to) control. "Nothing's going to happen, pappa! Trust us! We are more than prepared to face this with the help of Handshake! You will not lose me like mom ... but I need you to trust us. Our bodies are no longer human, even if it seems strange ... as long as we are well and Addams sees that we are well, you have to trust us, pappa... please"

 

Ravel opened his mouth to answer back, holding back the moment he looked into his daughter's eyes. Before he could realize it, Anne had grown into a reflection of her mother (Or so he wanted to believe it), with the same smile of confidence and security that had enraptured Ravel so many years ago.

Not wanting to bring more bad blood between his daughter and him, Ravel decided to shut up and start eating breakfast while watching Erika and Alanna began to devour again, with a smile on their lips, the family-size breakfast reconverted into a couple's menu.

 

 

---

 

(Back to the present)

 

"Well, family, all the documents are in order and the judge has just sent us his signatures. Congratulations, Erika and Alanna-" The notary got up to shake hands with the women, so Erika and Alanna decided to do the same to look respectful. And as when the notary had entered the office the marriage and Ravel were already sitting at the table this was just the moment when the notary was able to see the magnitude of the women's in all their splendor.

"Now ....-Now ... now ... are ..."

 

"Sir please ... we are just a normal marriage just a little bigger!" Alanna tried to explain, going ahead and taking the notary's hand in her. (And even after so many days Alanna could not help but feel strange to see that everyone had become so small for her)

 

"I ... I beg your pardon, you arent my usual customers at all" Trying to calm the atmosphere with a quick joke, the notary offered Erika's hand in spite of the incredible chill when seeing how Erika's two hands could cover all the yours and even beyond the wrist .Wanting to end all this as soon as possible, the notary turned to Ravel to finally have a very quiet and usual handshake. "Mr. Ravel, if you have any doubts I invite you to consult with me when you need it, remember at all times that you are still the biological father and can intervene if you consider it necessary"

Realizing the desire for the meeting to end the notary, Ravel nodded as the notary directed them towards the door, closing it behind him when Erika managed to get through.

 

"We are not so terrifying, right? I mean, people do not get scared when they see michael jordan on the street!?" Erika asked softly, still hallucinating at the change in the notary's behavior. Alanna shrugged without knowing what to think while Ravel nodded, so Erika decided that it would be best to return home to enjoy a normal day with her family.

 

After the smashing of the back door of his old car and the subsequent almost multiple infarction to see what it cost to repair it, the couple decided very much in spite of Erika selling the car by pieces to buy the biggest camper van in the market, remodeling it to convert it in a family car the size the family needed. (Of course, Ravel was not too excited about the marriage having sold the car in which he put the first part of the entrance with his daughter, but seeing that the marriage was not too happy Ravel decided that it was safest to keep silence while Erika adjusted the driver's seat to get a decent position to drive)

 

...

A while later the three arrived at the home of Erika and Alanna, parking the van at the entrance and then later bringing Ravel back to Declan's house. The trio came through the door to find a congratulatory banner hanging from two chairs and one of the tablets of the family turned on with a video call in progress, being on the other side the image of the sofa where the children were playing. (Or at least Nellie was playing with Anne, since Fraje was sitting on the edge of the sofa with his arms crossed)

"What a bum they are ..." Erika sighed, rubbing her forehead. "At least they should have been vigilant by the time we got there-"

 

"FRAJE HOLM! Ser du inte fallet där det är upp till marken? (FRAJE HOLM, YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE FALL TO THE FLOOR?!)" Ravel hurried to the sofa, shouting and fearing for his son's safety.

 

"Pappa! Dont be silly! "Fraje struck the MasterKey inside her pocket, waiting a few seconds before dropping to the ground to her father's terror. The fall was four meters, and what Ravel expected to be a direct hit against the ground became a rebound accompanied by Fraje's laughter. "Security measure of the Giantess Mansion number 7: Elastic beds!" Fraje bounced a couple of times, slowing down until he could jump to the ground. "Incredible, isnt it pappa? Our house is full of all this kind of cool stuff!"

 

Fraje's sincere and relaxed smile was something that Ravel had not seen in many years, so his fears began to be replaced by the satisfying feeling that he had made the right decision. Not knowing yet what to say Ravel looked back to his daughter, watching as Erika nodded giving way. "Fraje, min kära are, kom med mig en stund. Vi måste prata om någonting viktigt ... (Fraje, my dear son, come with me for a moment, we have to talk about something important ..." Grabbing his son and wrapping his arms around his shoulders, Ravel began to walk guiding his son towards him. yard.

 

"It's surprising that you try to speak in Swedish so nobdy cant understand ... in a room where everyone except Anne understands it perfectly ..." Fraje whispered softly as they went out into the garden... not without first walking back to scream one last thing. "THINK ABOUT THE GIANTESS MANSION! I THINK IT'S A GREAT NAME FOR THE HOUSE!"

 

The dining room fell silent while Erika and Alanna climbed onto the couch, walking to where Nellie and Anne played. As soon as the baby saw her mother she let go of the stuffed animal in her hands, leaning against the padded floor to get up and beginning to take slow steps (but every day with more security).

With a heart full of pride and a happiness almost on the verge of tears, Erika knelt taking Anne in her arms. "Our little sunshine ... 4 steps in a row! In nothing you'll already be running out of control in the park ..."

 

While Erika took care of Anne, Alanna walked over to Nellie who stood with her hands to her chest. "How did it go?" The teenager asked trying to stifle her nerves while Alanna grabbed her by the shoulder and made her sit next to her against the back of the sofa.

 

Erika and Anne joined the other side of Nellie, sitting all four together while Anne buried her head in her mother's breasts. "You want to know how it went, right?" Alanna asked around Nellie's shoulders with her arm, pulling her until the teen had her head resting on Alanna's neck. "I hope you dont feel it's too late for that kind of relationship ..." Nellie blinked confused when Erika grabbed her from the other side, reaching up to her wife and pulling both of them against her shoulder. "But from now on, if you want, you can consider us your mothers..."

 

Nellie had no words, choosing to remain silent while Alanna and Erika pressed the peculiar hug. "We're not going to force you to-" Erika began to say, stopping when she noticed how Nellie was grabbing her pants.

 

"Enough ... moms ... How could I not want ..." Nellie choked back tears trying to swallow them several times without much success, the feelings overflowing her. "I will not be as good as Anne ... but I hope you can come to love me"

 

"Dummy..." The couple said at the same time whispering.

"At the beginning, when we started to investigate the processes of adoption and artificial insemination before the accident that gave rise to Anne ... we were clear that we wanted to have both" Alanna explained while wiping the tears of her new daughter.

 

"Mamma showed me the importance of adoption ... and you were always the one we had in mind to adopt, Nellie" Erika whispered, letting herself be carried away by the memories, seeing Nellie turn her head sharply to confirm that what she had said was true. "I am glad that in the end we have been able to give you the space in our family as I always wanted ... and you dont have to worry, when you are of legal age you can order or renounce your last names so that marrying Fraje isnt something strange"

Nellie refused as she crawled away from the embrace of her mothers, sitting face to face in front of them and taking Anne in her arms, who embraced the one who (without her knowing or understanding him) was now her new big sister. "Give up my last names?" Nellie questioned hugging Anne back against her chest. "I will never know who gave me the Sköld surname ... but I know who gave me the Barlow Holm surnames ... and they have been my beloved mothers, those who have welcomed me into their home without asking for anything in return"

Anne looked up to see drops fall into her hair, watching as Nellie cried in silence. Raising her hand, the baby patted her older sister's cheeks, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. "These last names ... are now my most precious treasure ... they are the proof that I have a place to belong. Anne ... do you like me to be your big sister? I promise that I will be a good sister for you ... "

 

"Amma? Amamammamamma!" Anne grinned at Nellie's neck, giving her older sister a little cramp from crawling on the floor of the sofa. Erika and Alanna looked at each other, smiling as they approached their daughters again, surrounding them in a full embrace. (The other great advantage of the new size of the couple)

 

"Oh, come on! Dont tell me I'm too late for the family hug!?"

Fraje shouted as he climbed the stairs of the sofa, taking a breath before going back to the group. "Before you ask, pappa has gone to order some pizzas to eat, he says that this will be the last time he invites us seeing how much you and Alanna eat" The marriage narrowed its eyes laughing inside to say nothing offensive in front of children. "And now well, it's my turn to make things clear!" Fraje stretched as straight as possible, beginning to point at Erika. "Older sister and occasionally mamma" Lowering his finger until pointing to Alanna, Fraje cleared his throat avoiding the look to the target of his finger, dead of shame inside. "You will be Mamma from now, Alanna ... that way I'll save myself a syllable every time I want to talk to you ... Anne will be from now on little sister and Nellie will remain like Nellie, I dont see myself capable of calling you something other than that"

Fraje crossed his arms without saying anything else, embarrassed by everything said. The teenager was so engrossed in trying not to die of shame that he did not notice how his 4 girls pounced on him. "AGGG! Release me!" Fraje shouted as his family laughed at his expense, ending up buried in his older sister's chest with Alanna, Nellie and Anne lying on top of him. "I dont like ... I feel devoured by the claws of-"

 

"You love it, little brother. You like almost as much as being from now on the man of the house" Erika interrupted him without any hesitation, rubbing her head in circles while the others kept hugging him. (Except for Anne, who after being seen sitting on the back of her uncle-older brother decided to imitate her mother, slapping Fraje's back)

 

"I hate you being right ... but I hope you know that I do not consider myself a man of the house, I intend to continue placing all the weight of my problems on you, big sister. Being the big brother for once is more than enough responsibility for me" Fraje growled trying to turn around, seeing the perfect opportunity. "And if instead of fondling me we took a picture to commemorate this?!"

The idea must have pleased his family, who turned away, letting Fraje take out his mobile phone by preparing the camera. "Big sister, you have the longest arm so do your photo- Dont squeeze the button too much! I dont want you to break the new mobile that Velio and farfar gave us!"

 

"But what do you think I am, hulk?!" Erika asked, making herself offended ... and meeting the silence of her family, much more accusatory than any comment. "Idiots ... have children for this. Okay, say all cheese to three ... two ... one ... CHEESE!"

 

"CHEES-" The purple flash blinded the whole family, forcing everyone to look away and even making Anne cry annoyed.

 

"Damn it, Fraje! What kind of flash have you?! "Alanna growled rubbing her eyes as she rocked Anne, trying to calm her down without much success.

 

"The Default that came with the phone! What would I know that was so powerful?! ..."

 

"That's it," Erika growled as she half-opened her eyes and started to handle the phone slightly too small. "We took it out without a flash and that's it"

 

 

---

 

 

(At present, five seconds ago)

...

Elizabeth remained silent, turning her head to the side so that Cascadio's dazzling imbecile pride smile kept her gaze fixed on the control room's screen. "I'm a fucking genius ... that's what I am"

 

 

---

 

 

(2 days before)

 

"You cant use phones into the room?!" Fraje and Nellie asked at the same time, clinging to the phone as if their lives depended on them.

 

"I'm so sorry guys ..." Cascadio apologized with a comical bow, grabbing the teenagers by the shoulder. "As the owner of a film producer and fan, the fight against spoilers is my main battle, and even more being Spiderman Homecoming a film that is reaping so good results! I promise you it will be worth it, you'll see!"

Looking at each other, the teenagers decided to give the phones to Cascadio before running to the movie theater. Since he was kind enough to open a movie theater after the closing so that Fraje, Nellie and their new neighborhood friends would see the movie the last thing they shouldnt do was complain.

 

With the teenagers already entertained watching the advertisements Cascadio walked towards the ticket office room, where Carlos and Oliver were already waiting with everything prepared on the table. "Listen, gentlemen!" Cascadio gave himself the air of grandiloquence while leaving the telephones on the table, separating the identical pair (Only differentiated by the different cover) from the rest. "These are the key-phones of Nellie and Fraje, the movie will last 2 hours and something like that-"

 

"Boss boss!" Oliver smiled turning the screwdriver. "We know that too well! Open the phones, change the camera and flash for the TecnoSkull versions of Elizabeth, check that the SkullLight is working correctly, install the remote control and spyware applications and make sure both have become invisible!"

"As Americans usually say ... Easy peasy!" Carlos made the OK gesture with one hand while starting with the other to open Fraje's phone. "Creating the two possible future heroes members of the Barlow family will be easy and simple! As easy as removing a child's candy or changing the flash of a phone!"

 

Cascadio remained silent, smiling foolishly. "You are the best henchmen a villain can ask for ... I love you too much guys..." Changing the subject quickly, Cascadio straightened his shirt to return with the children. "I'm going to insist on taking a commemorative photo so Nellie or Fraje has it in their moldable and impressionable teenage brains! Wish me luck bastards!"

 

 

---

 

(At present, another time)

 

"Dont squeeze the button too much! I do not want you to break the new mobile that Velio and farfar gave us!"

 

Cascadio's smile reached critical mass when he saw how the camera turned to point to the Barlow Holm family, making him jump with happiness by throwing his chair to the ground. "Look at it! It will work! So much to insist with the importance of immortalizing moments to those teenagers has worked! God Elizabeth! I'm great! Faster Faster! Prepare the Skull Flash!" Elizabeth nodded without saying anything, preparing the button for Cascadio to activate it.

A part of her worried that Erika and Alanna would think if they knew that their boss was manipulating everything in their lives, complicating the ones for no reason ... but at the same time Elizabeth was well aware of Nellie's desire to excel in the basketball team ... and for that the NEPF of Anne was ideal.

 

The family was blinded by Cascadio's Skull Flash, so before Cascadio could start screaming, Elizabeth turned off the camera. "Nellie ... Fraje ..." Cascadio stood up behind Elizabeth's chair, hugging her from behind. "I have high hopes, I am sure that they will be able to take advantage of their new selves thanks to their new family, dont you think, my dear?"

 

"I hope so…"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

One of the things about living in a family is that many times the activities, obligations or events of the members end up overlapping each other, forcing their members to separate.

July 19 was one of those days, coinciding at the same time the weekly review of Anne, the signing of the succession of Alanna and the medical tests of Fraje and Nellie.

 

This is the story of that same morning, which started with a suit too small for a woman too big and ended with a slap in the name of the purest love

 

 

---

 

 

July 19, 2019, 09:15 in the morning. Perspective of Alanna

 

The phone's alarm clock rang a second time, forcing Alanna to finally yield. Wandering in her giantess-queen (size created exclusively for her and her wife, something she loved very much) size bed, Alanna managed to stay on her back feeling the weight of her new and generous breasts. 6 months of growth followed had given Alanna a good perspective of her new body, but if there was something that the mother was not yet used to and marveled each time it was the weight of her beloved tits weighing 4 kilos each.

"Good morning, my other precious girls..." Alanna slowly rubbed her nipples, enjoying the embrace of loneliness for the first time in weeks. Rising like the two towers of pleasure that her poor and still sore nipples were (In the last weeks before Anne began to eat porridge the baby gained so much suction power that every time that Alanna had to breastfeed was something more painful than pleasant), Alanna began to pinch them slowly allowing a few drops of milk to fall on her fingers.

No need for any kind of internal stimulation, all Alanna needed to know is that her current self was, at last, taller than her original wife. The simple act of imagining Erika a year ago kneeling in front of the new Alanna of almost 2 meters (6.4 ft.) was more than enough to take almost to orgasm, with only a little more external play to end up surrendering to pleasure. "Erika ... your huge wife ... needs you ..." Alanna muttered to herself, biting her lip and going directly with both hands to her crotch. "I know you've taken the children to have breakfast ...... but still ... I want to see you flex your titanic arms for me ..."

 

The orgasm came along with the third repetition of the alarm, Alanna letting herself be carried away with a cry of pure pleasure. Breathing slowly and with a dumb smile and tired, Alanna reached for the phone ... hitting the table.

"Damm ..." Folding the arm in a not too pleasant way Alanna ended up getting her phone, reading on the screen 'Good morning, my love' accompanied with a picture of Erika posing sexy in front of the mirror.

With a yawn Alanna stood up, stretching with her eyes closed. Something she and Erika had noticed was that they were becoming extremely good at instantly recognizing changes of any kind both in their bodies and in others, from the smallest shin and make-up to a slight change in stature ... strange but useful, and being a gift from Anne, the two mothers could never see anything wrong with her.

"I'm still six feet four, huh? Well, it could be worse..." Alanna said to herself, dropping her pajamas on the floor and heading towards the bathroom.

 

While the bathtub warmed (although the heat of the artificial summer was present, Alanna was of the opinion that a hot bath gave the strength to face a new day), Alanna stopped in front of the mirror in silence. Posing for herself, Alanna was studying what the 6 months as neohuman had done in her body: Clear skin and without a hair or imperfection, face that could happen again for that of a girl of 20 years, bright hair and smooth ... not to mention her infatuated ass and her breasts able to cover Sidney's head completely ...

Stop being human was a little scary, but seeing what the NEPF was bringing in return Alanna was more than happyto accompany her daughter on this trip was the best thing that had ever happened to the wives. (Anne, Erija and Nellie continued to occupy the first positions)

....

(25 minutes later)

 

In front of the mirror this time her room, Alanna sighed looking at her own reflection. The new suit she had commissioned for her appointment as vice president wrapped her embracing each and every one of her curves as a result of the extra inches gained between last month and the present. "This ... this isnt decent ..." Alanna muttered as she took a deep breath and stuck in her stomach, trying to fasten her suit jacket to the top ... failing completely when a light breeze released the top button of the suit went flying leaving all the flesh down the belly button uncovered.

With the jacket buttoned under her breasts and these protruding almost 6 inches forward and 7 sides, Alanna reminded herself as one of those teachers of porn movies ... only with a body that would put the biggest porn stars in absolute shame.

"For a bit of marital roleplay this is great ... but to work ..." Alanna tried to pull the jacket down, trying unsuccessfully to get down past her navel.

 

Jacket clearly too small ... pants that stayed too high above the ankles and that hugged her ass without any qualms ... and all the neck meat protruding above the shirt and jacket ... A look that made what was making her extremely horny but that was absolutely unacceptable for a work environment.

Alanna sighed, preparing herself to undress, stopping when she heard the main bell. "Oh no ..." The mother shouted knowing beforehand who she was, forcing herself to put on her heels so tight that they threatened to leave a good blister the next day in a hurry and run to the elevator, taking advantage of the 40 seconds of descent to comb her hair quickly.

Breathing in rhythm a few seconds before opening the door, Alanna calmed down with her best smile. "Good morning, Uncle Declan-"

 

"Seriously ..." Declan looked up and down without saying anything, nodding. "I interrupt something between you or Erika?"

 

Alanna laughed guiltily tilting her head, throwing herself aside so that Declan could pass. "I'm so sorry, Uncle Declan ... but you know ..." Once Declan was inside Alanna hugged him from behind, burying her uncle's head between her breasts. (Something more than simple considering that there were 25 centimeters difference between her and Declan)

"I am a growing girl ... for the good and the bad"

 

Declan sighed nudging his niece, causing her to fall back. "You know perfectly well that I dont really care, but I doubt our international investors are as understanding as I am or those of the board of directors. You need to get yourself another bigger suit ... are you going to grow much more?"

 

Alanna bowed her shoulders as they walked to the kitchen, controlling the rhythm of her steps as Erika had taught her not to leave people behind. "I wish I knew the answer, but being neohuman means not knowing what the future will hold, uncle. I just hope we stop growing soon and that Anne dont exceed our height too much... I prefer to waste this house to the situation reaches those extremes"

The couple climbed the stairs to the kitchen marble where they split up, with Alanna starting to make a coffee pot and cubes for two iced coffees while Declan pulled out the contents of his briefcase and left it on the table.

 

After 3 minutes uncle and niece were together again sitting facing each other on the normal table, with all the documents and Declan's laptop ready. "Well Alanna ... I want to clear two things before"

 

"Shoot, uncle! I'm all ears!" Alanna smiled, wiping her lips, making Declan smile at the proximity.

 

"The fact that you are going to assume the position of vice president of the brand corresponds to 3 main factors that you must understand and accept: Your decisions and financial advice have greatly increased the value of our firm ... and most importantly, you have won us even more the name of "Defenders of the people".

Your unique position as a mother of two daughters, a natural and another adopted, a university graduate with honors, a married lesbian in a long-term relationship and charisma and a natural leading image has made you very popular with investors, who see you as a substitute natural for family values r03;r03;that Dad has always wanted to keep as a badge in our company.

My job during my cycle as Velio's successor is to consolidate our international business and start directing our firm towards more social and technological areas ..."

 

"And mine?" Alanna asked flatly.

 

"You will be the image of the new stage of our company as the main manufacturer of the needs of the neohumans" The answer caught Alanna by surprise, who almost dropped her coffee cup to the ground. "I know you're surprised or you should, I've taken care to keep it as secret as possible. Industries Bright Side plans to take on all the needs of neohumans and you will be the future neo-human president of the company! Of course we dont do it just for being good people, the neohumanity and the NEPF is one of the topics of the most discussed international talk and being the main supports will win us an exceptional image in front of the public"

 

"I'm going to be your icon, right? Do you want me to be the flag that marks the new social direction of our company?"

 

Declan nodded, sipping his coffee cup, sucking on one of the cubes and playing with it in his mouth. "Your abilities already make you an exceptional candidate, but this? It doesnt matter if you are an indirect neohuman thanks to Anne, the simple fact that you are already makes you a symbol of what you and yours can offer the world!"

 

Alanna laughed softly, staring at her uncle. "Mine? Except my wife mine are just babies!"

 

"Now? Yeah. But everything will come!" Declan searched through the sheets of paper, showing his niece a sketch. "I have a 10 year plan to become the next Google ... and while I build the path you will dedicate yourself along with those of Handshake to turn the neohumans into the image of the new era! We have a golden opportunity as a species to be able to return to live with our successors! Homo sapiens sapiens and Homo neosapiens together hand in hand, always looking at the positive side of life ... you cant deny that such an opportunity does not occur every day!" Declan's ambition didnt take Alanna by surprise, or at least not as much as the talk about the successors of humanity.

 

And even with all the exaggeration that sounded, Alanna could not imagine for a second wasting the opportunity. "You can count on me, uncle Declan ... let me become the one who forms the path of my daughters and other neohuman babies"

 

"I already counted on it." Declan smiled as he turned on the computer, moving closer to Alanna. "Try to keep in the frame, this will be your first meeting where you will be presented as vice president"

 

 

---

 

July 19, 2019, 09:15 in the morning.   Erika's perspective

The artificial sun warmed the terrace of the cafeteria, the temperature rising slowly up to 37 degrees warning. And even with 34 degrees, the hunger of Nellie and Fraje didnt slow down a bit, something that Zara enjoyed in a very good way.

"There are more pancakes, grandma?" Fraje asked after licking the chocolate from his hands without caring how uneducated the action was.

"And if it were possible I could repeat another glass of milk, Grandma Zara?" Nellie tried to keep the forms as much as possible even though she had eaten as much as Fraje or more.

 

"Growing teenagers! ... they are like a bottomless pit!" Zara laughed loudly as she left another plate full of pancakes in the middle of the table. "Between you two and Erika you have already eaten almost 30 pancakes! It's nice to be able to cook freely knowing that there's nothing left over!" Zara sat next to Erika, waiting for her political daughter to start eating again to have a look at her notebook. "Erika, is this okay? Last night you ate ... 13 full hamburgers?! If they were my recipe, each burger had lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, two cheeses ... "

 

Erika nodded as she ate half a pancake in one sitting, helping to swallow by drinking almost the entire glass of milk. "Yep, I ate five of the hamburgers and Alanna could with three and a half ... then these two ate two and a half each and the last half we shared! I know it's a lot, but this kind of hunger is strange ... we spend all day well until the hours of eating arrive ... and it's like there's no bottom inside of us"

 

"Believe me dear ..." Zara smiled as she got up and brought another gallon of milk, filling her family's glasses. "As long as you have full stomachs, it's enough for me! Knowing that I have so many stomachs to feed makes me so happy, and more knowing that soon I will also have to fill Anne's stomach!" Zara waved Anne's cart to check that she was still asleep, and after a snoring the baby decided to turn to her new grandchildren. "So ... neohumans, eh? Are you excited? Now you can call yourself neohuman brother and neohuman sister of Anne!"

 

Fraje nodded without stopping completely overshadowing Nellie, swallowing what was already in her mouth with a shot of milk. "Of course! It was quite simple to discover it! Comparing how much we were eating Nellie and our usual menus..."

"Stop freaking so much" Nellie fell to her brother directly, snatching one of the three pancakes that Fraje had piled on his plate. "Although I love being able to accompany my little sister and the extra inches we can win ... in fact I'm a little afraid that this means I cant play basketball with the team, I'm not sure how they plan to affote the issue of neohumans in official competitions ... although all this really only matters if I'm really a neohuman..."

 

Zara smiled at the worry of her new granddaughter, surrounding her with her arms from behind. "You dont have to worry so much, Nellie ... Handshake will take care of all that, nobody will stop you from playing what you like" Nellie nodded taking the hands of her grandmother, feeling completely overwhelmed inside to almost the edge of tears of happiness and concern equally.

And who began to mourn but not for happiness was Anne, who began to shake in her troller. "Speaking of neohumans and bottomless wells! I'm going to prepare your porridge, cutie pie!" Zara playful with the nose of her 'little one' while Erika pulled her out and sat on her legs, trying to cheer up the hungry baby that wrinkled her forehead and lips.

...

(40 minutes later)

 

After thanking for the breakfast and saying goodbye to the grandmother, Erika and the children climbed back to the family van prepared for the next stop of their morning, the Handshake barracks. Alanna needed the house in complete solitude for her meeting with Declan, so Erika had prepared a planning to entertain the children all day ... and of course the plan began with a visit to Handshake to confirm the suspicions of the family.

While Erika entered the parking lot she found a sign with her name indicating the employee area, so without knowing very well what to do the mother decided to follow them until they left her next to Addams and a huge empty parking space. "Good morning, family!" Addams greeted while Erika finished parking and removed the keys from the contact, lowering and stretching while Nellie and Fraje took care of Anne. "Do you like it? I have transmitted your complaint the other day about the size of the parking spaces and the board has decided that the easiest thing was to give you a special place!"

 

"This is a little too much, dont you think?" Erika really appreciated not having to do maneuvers with the van, but preferential treatment (despite being usual for the side of the family of Alanna) was something that even after so many years still bothered her slightly.

 

"Erika ..." Addams smiled, denying and throwing himself aside so that the teenagers could walk with Anne's stroller. "You and your family are the other founding members of all of this! Anne is especially loved by everyone on the team, so we want to take good care of you!" Addams gave Erika a settled call, taking Fraje and Nellie by the shoulder.

"But today the focus is not on Anne, no sir ... Be sincere, guys. Do you really believe that you can be affected by the indirect NEPF as your mothers?"

 

With a smile from ear to ear, Fraje took out his mobile phone, showing the director a text file. "You can see it yourself, Mr. Addams! I have collected everything we have eaten since I began to notice our increased appetite as big sister and mamma do! I know it's wrong to say it, but I think I've done a better job than the two of them pointing everything"

 

Addams silently read all of Fraje's notes, smiling and nodding slowly. "Not bad, Fraje ... it is true that you have increased the amount of your meals enough. Yep, I think it's a good idea to do the tests to make sure if Anne has also 'irradiated' you both"

Addams turned to Erika, gesturing for them to separate from the group. "I'm going to take Fraje and Nellie to the tests while Anne passes the routine exams, William waits for you in my office when you finish, okay?"

 

"Wait, why can not I accompany my children to the tests? I was with Alanna, why cant go with them now?" Erika's frustration was understandable, which didnt mean that with the volume of her voice increased and her physical presence until Addams knew her well enough, he felt slightly overwhelmed.

 

"You already know the answer, my huge friend... The machines that Dr. Gyeseung sent us are not a gift but a loan, one that he will rescind us if we dont fulfill the demands that only I and the patient are present"

 

Erika crossed her arms, remembering how the last time Anne had to wait outside the room to the displeasure of their mothers. "I guess it's okay ... Be careful and pay attention to everything that Addams says, mina små" Erika pleaded while Nellie and Fraje raised their hands making the sign of victory.

 

---

 

July 19, 2019, 10:00 in the morning. Perspective of Fraje and Nellie

Although it was true that the brothers had been in the headquarters of Handshake several times (accompanying their mothers to Anne's reviews mainly), it was also true that this was the first time that both of them had been alone following Addams through the facilities. Although the ground floor and the upper floors of the barracks were quite typical of offices and hospitals, as one descended towards the lower floors, the more futuristic the corridors and surroundings became.

While the group went down the stairs to the floor -3 Fraje could read a sign that read:

"Basement -3: Research Department of the NEPF"

 

"Is this where you are going to investigate us?"

 

The question of the teenager caught Addams by surprise, who choked to the point of having to stop going down the steps. "Fraje!" Addams scolded him, leaning on one of the railings. "We arent going to investigate you as if you were animals!"

 

Crossing his arms behind the back of his neck, Fraje pretended to whistle, not giving importance to Addams' anger. "Call it experiment call it what you want, the important thing is that it is what it is! Tell me, Mr. Addams ... is it true that neohumanity represents the future? Because if that's the case, we would become part of that future, right?"

 

"First of all ..." Once in the main hallway of the research basement Addams stopped in front of a tablet hanging on the wall, writing something with his finger before gesturing to the teenagers to follow him. "Until I do the tests, we dont know if you are-"

Seeing out of the corner of his eye how Fraje pretended to make his hand speak, Addams decided that the best thing was to go towards Nellie who was listening attentively and politely. "-Neohumans, but in case you are and the Sindeul neurons have appeared correctly you both would be within what we consider the definition of neohumanity"

 

"Those new neurons would change how we are ...?" Nellie asked with some doubts in her voice as the group entered a large circular room, where in the center of the room was the most anime-ly machine that the teenagers had ever seen, a luck spherical capsule filled with a transparent blue liquid and surrounded by metal structures that reminded teenagers of the petals of a flower bud. 3 diamond-shaped platforms surrounded the base of the capsule forming a triangle, each filled with what appeared to be the same serum.

 

"At first, no, it should not cause any change in your psyche. You can see it in that Alanna and Erika are still the same as always... although there is something that you might notice "Glancing back Addams saw how the teenagers were completely immobile, begging the live one to keep talking." Your mothers can tell you better about this, but it is true that the mental agility increases slightly, nothing very excessive nor impressive but surely it will help you in the exams"

Addams sat in a chair next to a computer that jutted out of the machine, starting to press buttons that the teenagers did not understand. "Alright guys, the process is very simple" Addams stood up after pressing a button that caused the floor on the side of the capsule to rise in a stairway while the top of the sphere opened and an oxygen mask fell from the ceiling.

"You have to get undressed and get in here. What is inside is the water of life or 'salm-ui mul' as Professor Gyeseung called it, a sort of synthetic serum that serves to stimulate the Sindeul neurons and allow the scanner of the 'uli milaeui gyesi ja' to prove that they are present in your brain"

 

The teenagers stared silently at the capsule with an expression of neutrality that Addams could not help but find adorable. "And would not it be enough to just head in?" Fraje asked without changing the expression on his face.

 

"Nope. The first to try it was Erika and I can confirm that the process takes a scant 10 minutes if you get inside the whole, otherwise it will happen to you as your older sister-mother and you will be with your head upside down for almost 40 minutes"

 

"It's safe, isnt it?" Nellie wanted to confirm before she even raised it.

 

"It is so safe that all neohuman babies have passed the test without problem. And before you asked it so that Anne and the other children could do it correctly one of their parents got inside with them, submerging the baby with the breathing mask while they stayed afloat" Crossing his arms, Addams turned the chair until he was face to face with Nellie and Fraje. "I know it's a bit scary, but I can assure you that if there was a minimum of danger I would not have let anyone try it. Relax and decide who will go first"

 

Nellie turned to her 'brother' prepared to play it all on stone paper scissors, only to find Fraje protecting her with his arm. "I will go first! I have to make sure everything works well"

 

"Fraje ..." Nellie mumbled while Fraje took off his shirt and threw it to the ground.

 

"Dont worry! If one of you has to suffer a terrible accident with a capsule full of a strange liquid I prefer to be me!" With a smile from ear to ear, Fraje grabbed her by the shoulders. "Not in vain, you're the one who gets good grades and has a future in basketball! I am ... less priority!"

 

"That's not true!" Nellie screamed, preparing to stop him when a pair of boxers fell on her head. "Eh ... aggg ..."

 

With a smile and his arms on his hip, Fraje climbed the steps until he was at the edge of the capsule. "And now, Doc?"

 

"Put on the mask, check that you breathe well and sit with your legs inside the Salm-ui, dont jump until I give you the signal, understood?" Fraje nodded, putting on the mask. After three breaths without difficulty the teenager sat on the edge putting his feet in the serum, shaking them as if it were a pool.

 

"It's pretty thick! As if it were honey!" Fraje's voice echoed through the computer speakers, giving the signal to Fraje to submerge.

 

The immersion was quick and simple, Fraje sinking without problem until touching the floor of the capsule with the feet while the cover of this was beginning to close. "If you feel sleepy or tired you dont have to worry at all, Fraje. You can close your eyes and lie on the ground if you need it" Addams explained while pressing a button to close the microphone. "He cant see us from the inside, the crystal is completely opaque so that the brain disconnects everything possible"

Nellie nodded silently by sticking to the glass, resting her hands on it as she watched Fraje take Addams' word without hesitation, lying on the floor with her eyes closed. "That he has tired so fast is a good sign, only those affected by the NEPF manage to feel calm in the Salm-ui." Seeing that the teenager was still nervous Addams decided to give her a little surprise. "Nellie, do you want to see something really cool?" The teenager nodded away from the window and joining the director at the computer, seeing the 3D image of the brain of what Nellie expected to be Fraje.

 

"It's his brain, right?" Addams nodded offering the teenager to sit on his knee to see him better. "It's a lot bigger than I expected ..."

 

"You're mean, you know?" Addams joked caressing Nellie's head, typing with her other hand and making black rhombuses appear in Fraje's brain. "That is the Sindeul neurons, confirming that Fraje is now a neohuman ... and since the pattern is the same as your mothers and Anne, we can confirm that he has also been affected by your little sister"

Nellie sighed in relief, studying Fraje's brain attentively. "The increase in brain size is also the cause of Sindeul neurons, which generate more secondary neurons to supply the new mental capacities. If you are also infected you will surely notice an increase in mental agility and memory as I mentioned before... but there isnt so much I can tell you about it, we are still too early in the study of NEPF and the functioning of the neo-human body-"

 

"Be honest, Mr. Addams ..." Nellie changed the topic of conversation completely, standing up and looking Addams in the eye. "I dont have any genetic relationship with my mothers or my sister ... are there any chances I'm affected or all this isnt worth anything?"

 

Addams remained silent, turning to the computer while the scanner finished calculating the number of Fraje neurons. "You have asked me to be honest, so that will be it. I'm not sure about how the NEPF works, so I can only guess based on what I know about genetics ... and no, you shouldnt have been infected in any way" The response was direct and as devastating as both expected, the silence devouring the room completely. "Of course ..." Addams interrupted Nellie's mental self-destruction circle by grabbing her by the shoulder. "The NEPF is still a mystery to us, the simple fact that the NEPF has altered the genes in ascending order from Anne to your mothers and now Fraje demonstrates that the rules of current physics and genetics dont work here.

Trust your little sister, Nellie" Addams smiled at the teenager who stopped all her thoughts to dedicate 100% of her head to Anne. "Erika told me the other day about how much Anne loves you and how loving she has become with you in just this month living together; to the point that if I remember correctly you're the third person to whom Anne has walked, right?" Nellie nodded smiling, remembering all the emotion of the moment as if it had been yesterday.

"Then simply trust Anne, for her you are her older sister without any doubt, and if there is someone who can bring light to our dark world... it must be her "A kitchen doorbell interrupted the conversation, causing Nellie to stare at the director with half-closed eyes. "What? The capsule looks like an egg! I thought it was funny that the alarm sound was ... bah, what's the matter?"

Without wanting to fight anymore, Addams sat back in the command chair activating the microphone. "It's been 10 minutes, Fraje, dont wander anymore and get out here!"

 

The cap of the capsule opened allowing Fraje to climb over the edge, removing the mask and shaking to remove the serum from it. "And good?! Am I or am I not great?! Wait, of course I am! Now all you have to do is tell me I'm a neohuman!"

 

"I'm not going to tell you until Erika is present" Fraje's face turned into a visual poem of terror, the teenager rushing down the steps without bothering in the least to cover himself in a desperate attempt to see the screen of the computer.

Screen that otherwise was already off. "Do you need a bit of privacy to get naked, Nellie? I can get out-" Nellie refused while throwing Fraje's underpants back to his owner in an attempt to make her 'brother' want to cover his shame instead of waving it around the room. While Fraje discarded his underpants and tried by all means to light the screen of the capsule, Nellie left her clothes perfectly placed on one of the plates of the floor and climbed the stairs until being in front of what to her eyes was the most terrifying well of all her life.

Sitting on the edge as Addams had previously explained, Nellie put on the mask slowly while still shaking, breathing slowly to make sure the oxygen was coming through correctly. "Look Fraje, that's being efficient! If it's all right, Nellie, you can immerse yourself in the capsule now!" Addams ordered as the teenager submerged.

 

The floor was strangely warm and thick as Fraje had said before, hugging every inch of Nellie's body. The lid of the capsule closed in the most absolute darkness around her ... something that did not help the anxiety building up in her throat.

"Nellie, can you hear me?" Addams' voice echoed inside the capsule as if it were a distant echo.

 

"Yes ... yes, yes I can. I have ... do I have to do something?" The words choked the teenager, who slowly began to calm down. The serum around her became more liquid and soft, almost embracing her with a heat unknown to Nellie.

 

"Dont worry, just relax..." Addams continued speaking, but the teenager no longer paid attention to the director's words. There was something hypnotic, something that made her be calm surrounded by serum ... to the point that Nellie decided to sit on the floor, not noticing how her eyes closed.

 

...

"She has fallen asleep" Fraje confirmed through the glass, seeing how Nellie placed herself in her usual sleeping position with her arms and legs stretched out forming a sort of star. "You know? Seeing now the capsule I'm realizing something" Addams nodded as he looked at the first images of Nellie's brain, smiling foolishly until Fraje slapped his arm. "Are you listening to me!?"

 

"Excuse me, sorry ... you were saying- Fraje, please, get dressed"

 

"Yes, yes, I could dress ... although I dont want to smear my clothes" Fraje began to walk until he was a little away from the capsule, joining his fingers in a triangle and beginning to study it from different angles. "Seeing the capsule, that guy, Gyeseung, should be a member or organization XIII or fan of Kingdom hearts because this is practically a memory pod! Later I have to take a picture with Nellie to commemorate this" Fraje laughed to himself, enjoying the soft snoring of his" sister "over the speakers.

 

"What ..." Addams stopped dead in his tracks, wondering if the question was going to be better than ignorance ... and of course, Fraje's puppy-like gaze ended up forcing the director to swallow his words and ask. "What is that?"

 

"The memory pod? It's where Sora- "

"No no, from the beginning. What is that about a kingdom ...of hearts?"

 

Fraje's expression went from quiet to terrified, surprised and indignant, ending up walking slowly to Addams holding him by the arm. "How could it be that you dont know what kingdom hearts is!? Do you live in a cave?!"

"Fraje ..." Addams waved his arm so that the teenager would let go, ducking and pulling his underpants again. "I am almost 46 years old ... everything that I consume from the current multimedia world are the films that Casc makes me see. That kingdom hearts ... is it some kind of musical group? A series of netflix?"

 

Fraje stroked his chin, staring at the timer. "We have 6 minutes, will give me time to explain the whole story of kingdom hearts?!-"

"-I doubt it"

"Of course I can!" With a smile on his lips, Fraje sat on one of the panels next to Addams' chair. "All right! It all started with the keyblades...-"

 

 

---

 

July 19, 2019, 10:30 in the morning. Back to Erika's perspective 

"Amamma?" Anne was walking around Addams' office, taking everything that was not attached to the floor and taking it to her mother. "Amma!"

With a smile from ear to ear Erika picked up the watch her daughter was giving her, leaving it carefully on the table. "You know what this is, my sunshine? Know what it is?"

 

Anne refused to cling to her mother's leg, letting herself fall to the ground to try to reach the clock again. "It's a Clock, Cloooock. Can you say Clock?" Taking her by the waist, Erika next to her legs to sit Anne in the middle. "Come on my sunshine, repeat with me: Clooock"

"Amamma?" Anne bit her tongue, cocking her head and staring at the clock.

"Clooock, it's a Clooock"

"Ooooo?" Anne repeated shaking to get off her mother, getting it after two attempts. The baby lost all attention on the clock deciding instead to walk around the office to the toy box that Addams had next the door, a box that for other children would be impossible to open, but with the size of Anne the box it came right up to the baby's chest. "Amma Amma!" Anne screamed happily as she leaned into the box, pulling out stuffed animals and showing them to her mother before proceeding to throw them into the air.

 

Little by little, by the time William opened the door to his brother's office, the floor was already full of stuffed animals. "Good day…-"

"Miauuuu" William floor one of the stuffed animals that Anne had thrown on entering, causing such a shock that the general had to grab one hand to the door frame while the other held Gabrielle as if his life depended on it.

"Good heavens ... Anne honey!" William smiled as he stepped away from the door, letting Nathan Walker and Naseera enter the office. "You have fun with my brother's stuffed animals, eh?" Anne smiled and applauded as Gabrielle and Naseera joined her on the floor, parents coming to the table to greet Erika. "I see you've been quite entertained" William commented removing all the objects that Anne had been taking while taking the seat of his brother and Nathan sat next to Erika.

 

With a smile of pride Erika pulled her phone from her cleavage in a masterful move that Nathan and William could only applaud, showing their friends dozens of photos of Anne in that same office, receiving a double 'Ohhhh' in return. "Thank you so much, pocket-boobs is the best kept secret among women with an incredible rack like me! And now I want to add in my defense that if I havent picked-up everything it's because I've been taking dozens of photos, Anne is the most adorable in the world grabbing things!"

 

"The most adorable in the world?" Nathan smiled in a grimace, pulling out his own phone and leaving it on the table. "I see Anne taking things and I go up to Naseera wrapped around her pillow!" Naseera's photo was supremely adorable, forcing Erika and William to smile like fools.

 

"I dont understand why we're competing ..." William pulled out his own phone, trying to hide how much he was enjoying the exchange of photos. "But I see both pictures and I go up one of my Gabby in the bathtub trying to break a soap bubble with her tongue!"

The three parents reached a mental agreement to declare the battle as a draw, deciding to stay with how adorable their daughters were. Clearing his voice, William turned on his brother's computer, trusting that Addams had finished the reports the general needed. "Well, now let's stop playing and lets that talk about important things"

 

Erika shrugged without knowing what William was talking about. "I missed something? I mean ... Addams told me to wait for you here, but I thought it was just for Anne to play with Gabrielle while I waited for my prepubes to come back with good news!"

 

Nathan and William looked at each other, making it clear to each other that something was going wrong. "Erika ... the director hasnt offered to help us with our project?" Seeing how the Amazon shrugged was enough for Nathan to decide to start from the beginning. "Well, since you're here, let me make sure of one thing. Have you left your job to act as a full-time mother? I dont pretend to-"

 

"No offense, Nathan. And yes, Alanna and I have decided that this would be the best thing to be able to take care of our family properly"

 

With a quick glance at General Nathan he could see that William was more than willing and saw value in inviting Erika to the personal mission they had assumed. "You'll see Erika, before I decided to do like you and quit my job to dedicate myself full-time to Naseera, I worked as-"

 

"You were representative of actors" Erika said with a half-sided smile, leaving ice cream to the other two parents. "And you and William have a plan to take care of all those ugly conversations that I've been seeing on twitter about the neohumans and the rumors about the government experiment with a campaign to make the neohumans known to the world and show that they are just innocent children, true?"

 

......... "How?!" William broke the silence by banging the table with both hands, an expression of permanent confusion on his face. Erika smiled closing her eyes and hitting her forehead with her right forefinger while crossing one leg over the other (unconsciously pushing Nathan's chair in the process), greatly enjoying the power that the situation gave her. "Cascadio" William didnt bother to ask back, affirming directly while rubbing his forehead with both hands, fed up with his little brother.

 

"Yeeep. Listen guys ... I agree with your plan and I want to help as much as possible ... but this isnt something that can be done like that!" Erika decided that her message was important enough to stand firm and straight, something that made even the babies playing will be turned towards the amazon. "I know that we must start as soon as possible to build a suitable future for our children, I know it to the point that I am also now a neohuman! But maybe ... just maybe we're going a little too fast? Anne who is the first neohuman to be born has now served 7 months, and your daughters are much younger than that! Handshake is the first appropriate movement since we need to know how and what the neohumanity consists of while planning the changes in the way we raise our children that we should do ... but publicity and awareness campaigns? reports on neohumanity when we are still less of ... 700?"

 

"541 children born with the NEPF" Addams interrupted the conversation of the trio by opening the door, stepping back on the same cat as his brother. "It is a high number of births in such a short period of time, but we must count all the residents affected by the NEPF who had to move to Brightside through quarantine. If I remember correctly, Brightside registered an increase of almost 75% residents when the dome closed, counting all the inhabitants of nearby towns, foreigners on vacation or for work and so on"

With a wave of his hand, William rose from his brother's chair ... all to make Addams smile and not sit down. "I agree with Erika on this, guys. We are getting ahead a bit too much ... there is no such hurry, not in vain they will not let us out of the dome for now, right?" William looked away pretending not to be able to answer, although the reality is that there was no response from the government about raising the dome.

 

"Well... I respect your opinion and I guess it's true that I'm wanting to go too fast. The fear that Gabrielle will live a world that hates her without doing anything is devouring me..."

 

"No one can blame you for being afraid, brother. Come on, I invite you all to breakfast ... but first" Addams stared at Erika, gesturing for her to remain seated. "Tell Fraje and Nellie to come, it's time to face the truth"

 

Taking each one of their respective daughters, Nathan and William left the office letting the teenagers in. "How's it been?" Erika got up quickly, hugging her little brother and daughter without letting them almost respond, noticing the tension inside Nellie and the innate tranquility of Fraje. The teenagers tried to speak without success, the amount of Erika's flesh forced in their faces too much for the sound to pass through.

 

"I preferred to keep it a secret until we're all together," Addams explained as he connected his computer to the Handshake network, downloading the results of the scanner.

 

Erika nodded taking a seat again, this time taking Anne in her arms and placing the two remaining chairs on either side so that Fraje and Nellie would sit next to her, not letting go of her hands for a second while Anne was firmly trapped by her legs and Erika's breasts. "Go ahead, doc ... do not go around with rodeo"

 

Addams bit his lip, deciding later to look for the joke that brother and sister had used without speaking it previously. "Well ... let's go in order. Fraje- "Addams took a breath to see how the teenager clung to the big hand of his older sister.

"Do not make me beg, please Mr. Addams ..." Fraje pleaded on the verge of tears.

 

"You'll have to find a new wardrobe a couple of sizes-"

"YES!" Fraje screamed with all his strength, letting go of his sister's hand and jumping with arms raised. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I am a genius! Wait, I'm much more than a genius! I'm a supergenius!"

 

Smiling for the contagious happiness of the adolescent, Addams clarified the voice to continue with his speech. "As I was going to say, the results of the scan are positive. Fraje, you are infected by the NEPF with the same pattern as Anne, although in your case it is the pattern with less neurons sindeul of your family-"

"Wait, what?" Fraje's happiness turned into tension, sitting up immediately and looking at his older sister as he took her hand again. Erika tried to reassure him by stroking the back of his hand with his thumb, something that Fraje appreciated even if it did not have much effect.

 

"What you hear. Maybe we still dont know what kind of skill NEsPer Anne has, but I can tell you that if you have it too, which for the case of your mothers I'm not sure, it will be of a lesser power " Addams proceeded to turn the screen of his computer teaching the whole family the image of Fraje's brain.

 

"But ... but I'm going to grow, right?"

 

Seeing that what mattered most to the teenager was the physical part of the neohumanity Addams decided to give him the answer that the teenager was waiting for. "Of course. The rest of the neurons have increased in the same proportion as the rest of the neohumans; although as your sister could explain the growth is inhumanly fast but at the same time much slower than you are thinking ... if my calculations are correct for when you start again the classes in September you should measure about 5 feet and 2 inches tall" Fraje blinked a couple of times confused, helping Addams understand his mistake. "Now you live in the United States, you should be learning our metric system ... the approximations say that you will measure more or less 1 meter and 58 centimeters, about twelve centimeters more than now"

 

"That's pretty little, it will be impossible for me to reach my sister at that rate!" Fraje crossed his arms frustrated, wrinkling his lips and forehead. "I suppose to have inherited the genes of Dad's family it's not bad to grow 6 centimeters per month ..."

 

Covering Fraje's mouth for a moment, Erika decided to focus her attention on the girl who was clinging to her arm at the edge of fainting under pressure. "And Nellie's tests? What are the results?"

 

Addams was silent turning the chair to give the back to the family, forcing a sigh. "As I've told Nellie before ... as long as we dont know everything about the NEPF we should assume it as a genetic mutation ... and as Nellie is adopted-"

"To hell" Erika was not willing to wait long speeches. Placing Anne in the arms of her older brother the Swedish shot all the contents of the table to the floor with one arm while with the other stretched to get to turn the computer screen. "YOU HAVE NEURONS SINDEUL! YOU ARE A NEOHUMAN, NELLIE!" Erika shouted making Addams turn around, seeing how the Amazon had turned the keyboard and had gone to Nellie's scanners. "Look min varg, your brain! It's our pattern!"

 

The feelings inside Nellie surpassed her, throwing herself crying to her mother's neck and thanking anyone in particular while Fraje was shaking Anne's fist. "How could you do that to us, Addams director?!" Fraje asked trampling the ground to show his anger. "I already knew that Nellie was in the club because of how much she was eating, but it's not right to make us think otherwise!"

 

This time Addams if that really sigh, watching as the whole emotional scene broke into pieces. "Excuse me ... I just wanted to make the news more beautiful-"

"Wait," Fraje interrupted the director, leaving Anne sitting on the chair and beginning to count with her fingers. "As Nellie is also affected, it means that she will also grow, right?" Addams nodded. "And will she grow at the same pace as me?" Addams nodded again, staring as Fraje still counted on his fingers. "Damn, that's going to leave her in 1 meter and 65 centimeters by September ... goodbye to my dream of being the taller of the two ..."

 

"You dont need to be taller than me!" Nellie jumped quickly, separating herself from her mother and getting up to take the hands of her 'brother'. "I like you the way you are-"

"And what does that have to do?!" Fraje replied suddenly, leaving the whole room silent. "I didnt want to be taller for you! I wanted to be tall to have a slender and elegant foreign figure to be the cool of the high school! We have to take advantage of our-"

 

SLAP!

 

"IDIOT! FRAJE YOU ARE AN IDIOT!" Nellie cried, crying, taking Anne in her arms and running away from the office leaving behind a confused Fraje who could only repeat 'Why?' in loop.

 

Erika and Addams watched the scene in silence, squinting and sighing.

"The girls mature before the children ..." Addams affirmed without saying another word, the two adults sighing at the same time.

 

 

---

 

 July 19, 2019, 11:05 in the morning.   Perspective of Alanna, again

 

"I swear to you, Alanna ..." Declan stared at the immense remodeled caravan. "I love you both a lot, but you have a big tacky taste ... although we live locked up under the dome you shouldnt belittle the reporters of our city, the new vice president of industries Bright Side cant be driving something that however new it seems to be taken from an excursion family"

While her niece was trying to get out of the car Declan decided to use the extra time (which was as much as when Alanna had enter into the car it would be good 2 minutes of the clock) to inspect the van. "Tinted windows? Good idea to install them in advance so that the paparazzi dont harass you in the car"

 

"They werent... ughh-" Grabbing the door frame and yanking her way out of her uncle's car, finally breathing quietly without crushing her breasts against her knees. Alanna stretched backwards leaning on the car (how moaned as Declan had never heard him moan ever), finally feeling the blood running down her spine. "We didnt make them tinted by the paparazzi. It was because people often have the bad habit of staring at us when we get in the car-"

"Caravan-"

"CAR or when we stop at a traffic light; it was precisely the other day that a child said that Erika getting out of the car was like a clown getting out of a clown car" Alanna's tone of voice was sufficient signal that the marriage was having enough of that kind of comments.

 

Trying to cheer her up, Declan grabbed her by the shoulder trying to show her support without being like a child hanging from her mother's shoulder. "If you want, I can get you an escort-"

"LOL…"

 

"Did you say ... lol? Alanna ... "Declan rubbed his forehead, sighing and laughing at his niece's at the same time.

 

"It was your fault! Your offer has been so shocking that you've fried my brain for a second! Seriously, Uncle Declan? Escort? Escort for the woman of 2 meters and 3 centimeters with these heels and with a wife wide like a closet and that makes the whole nba cry in height issue?!"

 

"We are talking about the same girl who 30 centimeters before had to call you in the middle of a dinner so you can take care of a cockroach in the bathroom? And that only 11 days before had to do the same?!" Declan raised his right eyebrow, cocking his head to make it clear to his niece that Erika was still the sweetest muscled woman in the world no matter how big she was.

 

"Yeah..." Alanna rubbed her head, starting to walk towards the main entrance of Handshake. "In defense of my wife, the woman I love the most in the world ... the issue of cockroaches is something we continue to work on. I think that by the time she's big enough to step on them accidentally we'll be fine"

Declan was not so convinced that Alanna was right, but wanting to trust his new vice president and niece decided to let her be and enjoy explanations of her about the different facilities of Handshake, making a mental note that it would be appropriate to donate.

 

And it was while they were walking that they found a certain scene at the end of the stairs at the entrance of the main building, a scene formed by Nellie crying sitting on the first step while Anne tried to climb on her back.

"Girls!" Alanna screamed as soon as she saw her, running without waiting for her uncle and throwing herself on her knees next to Nellie. "My darling, min varg ... what happened? Why are you crying? Anne, dont try to climb on your older sister's back while she cries, please... "While Alanna was holding the baby who smiled innocently as if nothing bad had happened ... in general never, Nellie clung to her mother's pants trying not to stain her with tears. "Min söta varg .. tell me this isnt for the tests"

 

"No! I am affected and I am a neohuman and Fraje too!" Nellie shouted without ceasing to cry, confusing her mother even more.

 

"And so?-"

"IT'S BECAUSE FRAJE IS AN IDIOT!" Nellie shouted even louder, crying inconsolably while Declan and Alanna wrinkled their foreheads and eyes, both thinking of the same phrase. "It's not fair, it's not fair! I love him and he just wants to be taller to flirt using our exotic looks! And I dont want him to hook up with other girls!" In less than a second the mind of Alanna began to travel thousands of answers, thousands of scenarios and thousands of possible results in search of a single one where Nellie will not end up hating her lover-'Brother'.

 

Thanks to the sky she didnt need to continue thinking since the very cause of all the mess left the main building accompanied by Erika, Addams and the surprise that were William and Gabrielle and Nathan and Naseera. "Goodness! My love, I'm-" Alanna tried to ask, meeting the four adults making the gesture of silence.

 

Fraje took a deep breath, jumping to the floor, kissing her mother and pushing her aside to face Nellie. Taking a deep breath as Erika had taught her, Fraje stood firm as William had taught him, with his hands on his hips and the determined eyes Nathan had given him. (3 adults teaching three different ways to apologize had created a chimera of apologies)

"Nellie!" Fraje yelled trying to sound firm, freezing instantly when he saw Nellie's cold, furious look. "I...I-..."

 

Nellie didnt say a word, rising slowly with her eyes filled with a hatred and coldness worthy of the Barlow family, something that made Alanna smile when she saw them. Fraje's will was visibly fading from the body, leaving an empty and trembling shell.One that adults were not willing to abandon in battle.

 

"LET'S GO SOLDIER! WHERE YOUR HONOR IS!? A MAN MUST ALWAYS KEEP HIMSELF UP TO BE ABLE TO AMEND THEIR ERRORS!"

"Trust yourself, Fraje! If once you're wrong, all you can do is go back up and keep trying! Dont let them speak your fears, now is the time to open your heart!"

"Om du ger dig nu kommer jag aldrig att förlåta dig, lillebror! Nellie är den person som kommer att älska dig mest i ditt liv och du måste kunna matcha henne! In kvinnas hjärta är något känsligt och dyrbart som kan hålla ett våld för all evighet om det behövs! (If you surrender now I will never forgive you, little brother! Nellie is the person who will love you most in your life and you must be able to reciprocate her! The heart of a woman is something sensitive and precious that is capable of holding a grudge for all eternity if it was necessary!)"

The words of support from Mr. William, Mr. Nathan and his older sister filled Fraje's heart with confidence (despite being three almost contradictory messages), making the teenager decide to stand firm again in front of his 'sister'.

 

"Nellie!-"

"I've already heard you the first time ..." Nellie growled wiping her tears with the palm of her hand, rising slowly. (Provoking that with the step of separation between both the height difference was even more evident despite only having 3 weeks difference between them) "What do you want, Fraje?"

 

"Listen to me!" Fraje answered even shouting, this time pulling Nellie in a hug that left her speechless and completely disarranged and flushed to her. "I'm sorry, I dont understand why you got angry, and I swear I've tried! But although I dont understand it, there is something I do understand, and that is that I dont want you to hate me! You and I are two halves of the same coin!-"

Nellie's heart stopped for a second.

"We are two souls united from the beginning, from the first day we met!"

Nellie's heartbeat was accelerating and increasing in strength.

"We were born the same month, that's that even our futures are connected!... that's why I dont want you to be angry with me! I couldnt stand living in a world where you hate me, Nellie! We are a team, the best duo in the world! Nellie and Fraje, Fraje and Nellie! The proud elder brothers of the Barlow Holm family!" The adults smiled foolishly as Nellie cried out in suppressed emotion and hugged Fraje with all her might, letting him rub her back slowly.

And then, it happened.

"You're the person I love the most, Nellie ... just imagine ourselves super tall and handsome, being the coolest and attracting the eyes of everyone! Will be great! We will get all the girls and guys from the high school-"

 

"YOU DAMN ASSHOLE"

 

SLAAAAAPPPP!!!!

 

The legends would speak of Nellie's slap, whose power, elegance, speed and precision would go down in history as the perfect slap. Fraje didnt have the slightest chance.

Taking Anne back in her arms, Nellie came out crying again and running to the parking lot this time.

 

Erika and Alanna with 29 years, Addams and William with 45, Nathan with 35 and Declan with 54 years; a group of grown-up adults, a group in which all the members squint and wrinkle their brows, down the stairs and around a confused Fraje who just repeated 'Why?' again and again.

 

"The girls mature before the boys..." Addams declared folding her arms while Erika helped Fraje to get up.

"Yeeep" The adults nodded in unison, everyone sighing.

 

Adolescence, the best-worst period.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

........

________

 

Today is August 8, 2019, Meredith... although I doubt that the date is close to you when you hear this.

If who is reading this is you, Liam ... I hope you understand why I have cut off all communication with you. You have a future that isnt this, you are a good man who will undoubtedly know how to use the last MM that I have sent you ... if someone can win the Nobel, that is you. I dont care who among you is the one who finds this recording, but I hope that this last wish is respected.Take it to a news source, I dont care if it's radio, newspaper or television.

Take it and get it retransmitted, I want that by the time my storm has arrived this world can know a little more about its author. Well, now I must present myself as it deserves.

 

My new name, the one I have adopted, is Gyeseung. Professor or doctor Gyeseung, I'll leave the title to your decision. I am the author of the NEP and the potential author of the NEPF, a more diluted and basic version of my NEP.

With my NEP I have created who I hope that just by hearing her name makes the masses tremble, and with the NEPF the extension of its power to bring terror to this entire planet.Humans so powerful and different from you that you will refuse to admit that you are members of the same species.

Now, this shouldnt be understood as an apology or a sign of repentance, it is too late for both concepts. I am fully aware of the risks I have taken and the fate I have built for this country ... and I hope for this world. Take these last words as my way of admitting my crimes and my great work, my total and absolute recognition of my sacred mission as a scientist.

 

Now allow me to tell you a little about my story, the one that took me along such dark roads only to be able to challenge God.

When my daughter Meredith was born, the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. The doctors began to despair, and although the gynecologist tried to calm the room, the tears of my wife and the nurses will never be forgotten.

It was almost 30 minutes of resuscitation, 30 minutes in which the midwife asked me to pray for the life of my first-born... but I couldn't; I cling to my knowledge and trust in medical science and put aside my wife's desperate prayers. She never resented me for my decision, not when our little one managed to survive and not in her last moments, where she was the one who had to comfort me by not being able to pray for her soul. I still remember how she stroked my head, telling me softly that nothing was happening, that there was something on the other side or she would not be waiting for me with a smile.

 

Since that day I have stopped asking myself again and again the same question, ask what I started doing to everyone around me: Meredith, Liam, our friends in the scientific community and even some of Liam's patients.

God exists? Is there the beyond? Is God compassionate or vengeful to those who went astray from his flock?

It didnt matter who I was trying to ask, nobody could give me the answer I was looking for. Once I built and designed the Liam MM, I decided to take a trip around the world, using our contacts to meet with different religious personalities all over the world.

Christianity ... Islam ... Hinduism ... Buddhism ... Shintoism ... Judaism ... Jainism ...

To know the unknown, I embarked on a journey seeking the answer to my fears ... but no one could please my quest for knowledge, no one could tell me for sure if Martha would be on the other side.

 

Therefore, I decided to do the only thing I knew: Science.

Design the NEP in complete silence so as not to attract the attention of even my dear friend and test it on thousands of animals, hundreds of different species in clandestine laboratories that later burned to destroy the evidence. I didnt allow myself to rest for a single day, because if God was always vigilant and had to be one step ahead of him ... to make him go down he had to create something that gave new meaning to his greatest creation, something that turned the product of his blood into my own creation.

Working the NEP until you find the most perfect shape, until it becomes the answer to the biggest question ... and I turned it into the seed that it would throw into the wind.

 

Of course the NEP is not my last bullet, who would load the revolver with only one bullet before his last instance?

That's why today I am here, in a forest near Brightside, observing the gigantic dome that serves as a cradle while I wait for my other bullet. My two faithful assistants work relentlessly to find the way to where our new home will be, one close enough to her but not so close to being discovered.

 

Addams looks like a great man and a better scientist, and the data he collects about the NEPF helps me in my retro investigation to find out the origin of such a curious sub-cap of my NEP.

According to him, my King of Reality is called Anne Barlow Holm and he is currently 8 months ... and seeing the pictures he has sent me and the weekly analyzes ... it's bad to say it, but that girl is extremely adorable-

......

______

 

"Professor!" Alexander screamed as he ran to the rock where he was sitting, climbing on Professor Gyeseung's leg to get him out of the state of concentration he was in. "Professor, please ..."

 

"Alexander" Gyeseung blinked a couple of times, trying to distinguish his assistant in the darkness of the night. With one hand the professor rubbed the bridge of his nose while with the other he stroked the head of his assistant, using the light that the security controls emit around the dome to distinguish it. "Something wrong? I was recording a new message for my daughter, one less personal and more autobiographical than the previous"

 

"Will you decide to send them sometime?"

 

Gyeseung closed his mouth, rubbing his beard as he thought. "I dont know ... Meredith is safe in Brightside, she doesnt need to know what her father has done... She will have time to discover it"

 

Alexander decided to respect the decision of his teacher, clearing his throat to recover the theme begins. "I have good news, professor. The first is that my cousins r03;r03;have found what we were looking for several kilometers deep under Brightside; they say it is close to an underground river"

 

The news was received as water for mayor by Gyeseung, who applauded happily knowing that he was one step closer. "When do you think we can move?"

 

Alexander crossed his arms thoughtfully, waving his tail from side to side meanwhile. "Bartolomeo says that he will have the road open in a day or so, and then we only need to acclimatize the cavern and seal the entrance. If everything goes well we should be able to move to the depths in a few weeks once we bring all the necessary equipment"

 

"That's good news, but I hope that before I have time to prepare the rain ..." Gyeseung stroked his beard as he began to listen to the footsteps in the distance, slow but sure and firm without stopping for a second. "The other news is what I think it is?"

 

"Indeed, Doctor-" Alexander bowed slightly as the lantern light bathed their bodies. "Our guest has finally arrived"

 

 

...

Gasping for the walk the colossus had to lean on one of the nearby trees to help catch his breath, leaving the lantern hanging from a branch as an environmental lamp. "I am glad to see that you have kept your word, Dr. Mo Bae ... although I would prefer that you have chosen a less hot place. I'm not already young enough to run so many kilometers in the middle of the night with these temperatures" With a smile Gyeseung got up from his rock, taking his backpack and offering his canteen. "I thank you Doctor ... although I do not understand why we should meet without Professor Cole present ... you have been lucky that I have agreed that-"

 

"There has been no coincidence, Sergeant Kayden Jackson. And call me Gyeseung ... I decided to abandon the name of Mo Bae" The professor's words confused his client, who sat on the stone near where he was sitting. "and although it's wrong to talk about Liam on his back, he's too far away to clean up the darkness that ravages your family, sergeant."

 

"What are you-"

"Listen to me, sergeant" Gyeseung decided to interrupt even if it was improper in him. "I am the creator of the NEPF" The professor's words fell between the two men as if it were a bomb, destroying any type of joint ground between them. Jackson breathed a couple of times deciding internally what was the appropriate course of action. "You have been called to Brightside at the request of General Black to become the Education Counselor of Handshake for your years and experience in the different educational cycles"

 

Gritting his teeth, the sergeant squeezed his knuckles and his teeth succumbing to the provocations. "It's true that William has offered me the position, but what I dont remember ... is having told you that, Gyeseung ..." Jackson stood up getting ready to take out his gun and stop the scientist in front of him ... when Gyeseung took out his phone, showing him to the general the photo of a couple. "..."

 

"Only I can cleanse the darkness that ravages your own blood, Jackson. Brightside, the Neohumans and I need you and your knowledge, they need a good man who knows how to educate them. Become my eyes on Brightside, the guardian of my children's future ... and I will be the one to return the future to yours-"

 

"Bastard! Dont drag them in this! I have sworn-"

"Your flag isnt helping your family, am I wrong? ..." The question fell like another bomb, this time directly on Jackson. "Jackson, you're a good man who loves children more than anything ... your years of teaching and the fact that you're one of the few professors to come to General Black's call speak for themselves. A serious and strict teacher who never abandons his students, be they children, teenagers or cadets. You must tell me if you are really hesitating in my words, since I need full confidence in my work. Liam is a good man and a good scientist, but neither he can nor this country is willing to spend so much in saving Julia ... only I can give you that. My conditions are simple and simple to comply with:

• Dont tell anyone what has happened here.
• Cut off communications with Liam Cole.
• Make sure that William Black selects you to be the Handshake education counselor and always have an eye on your phone"

 

Silence covered the forest again, interrupted only by Jackson's gnashing of teeth. "If I accept ... can you really save her? If I help you and I dont stop you right here ... can you really give her smile back to my daughter and her husband?" Gyeseung nodded slowly, fumbling in the inside pockets of his robe until he pulled out a bottle full of blue liquid. "What is that?..."

 

"I call it 'huimang-ui bi' ... you know him as NEPF." The mere mention made Jackson stand guard as Gyeseung approached and placed the flask in the sergeant's hands. "You only need to give it to your granddaughter ... its effects will be almost immediate, although the results will take time to become visible."

 

"Will it make her a neo-human?" Gyeseung nodded without saying anything else, seeing how Jackson protected the jar with both hands as if it were the most delicate work of art. "I guess ... it's a better future than not being able to get to wear her first school uniform ..."

 

Stroking the sergeant's cheek, Gyeseung rose on tiptoe to reach her ear. "Her smile will make it worth it ... you're a good man, Jackson, dont ever forget it"

 

The doctor began to leave quietly among the trees, leaving Jackson alone in the forest clearing. The lights of the security control returned to illuminate in the direction where the meeting had taken place, making shine the bottle that would turn to his granddaughter in one more of the children that already he wished to help. As if it were a deal with the devil, Jackson kept the bottle in the safest pocket of his vest.

No. Jackson was quite sure that he had accepted a deal with the devil himself.

But as long as it served to return the smile to his family, the sergeant would be a man of his word and honor his part of the bargain ... no matter what it cost.

 

 

---

 

Jackson left after 3 minutes in silence, running again towards the outer quarters of the dome. "Professor ..." Alexander climbed the trunk of the tree where Gyeseung was silently hiding, landing on his shoulder. "Has it been giving you the second version of the NEPF so ... nonchalantly, has it been a good idea?"

 

Nodding with closed eyes, Gyeseung dropped to the grassy ground. "Jackson needs to help his family, you can trust that there will not be a drop left to trace from that bottle. Alexander, meet with Bartolomeo and confirm that I look forward to moving to our new home as soon as possible ... and remind him not to close the cavern ... we will need all the space we can take advantage of"

 

"As you wish, Professor" Alexander said goodbye with a bow before jumping into the grass, running between her and losing himself in the darkness of the night.

 

With a smile from ear to ear, Gyeseung looked up at the sky, enjoying the stars for a few seconds before turning the recorder back on.

 

......

______

 

I have deposited all the ingredients in the city where my daughter was born.

The seed that contains my dreams and desires, the strongest flowerpot and the most perfect soil where to take root, solid nutrients that strengthen the seed, a calm and friendly environment, the expert hands of the best gardeners to take care of it and, although not I had planned them from the beginning ... hundreds of seeds that will test her determination and the integrity of the roots in the face of adversity when they seek desperate shelter from the storm.

 

Storm… Yes ... my storm. With which I have been dreaming for years.

 

I wonder if the sky will remain the same when that day arrives? Will they come to see the beauty in the stars that we once dreamed of?

The NEPF and NEP will set a new course ... but will this be the course that others want? Will they allow fears of the unknown to overcome the feeling of family that unites us as humans? If history has taught us something ... it is of course that they let themselves be carried away by fear and ignorance. That was our sin, the same one that God refuses to liberate us.

 

My whole plan revolves around that, so I dont think I could be wrong.

2024 is just around the corner ... I cat wait to see how this world reacts to Yong-ui gagseong! To see the ashes awakening and the earth crying out to its killers.

 

It will be a amazing show, one that I hope nobody cant forget again ...

So close, I can almost see it ... Although seeing it behind the scenes is not enough. When the day comes I will be over the top, sitting on my golden throne to see him in the face.

Even if it's a few seconds, I want to be able to see him with my own eyes ... I want to see him face his creation and see him suffer for abandoning us to our fate.

 

All this, of course, counting on my fears to be real. Or at least as real as my King and my NEPF children ...

...

_____

 

 

---

 

(August 8, 10:15 in the morning inside the dome)

 

The last thing the Brightside dwellers expected from living under a dome was to suffer a heat wave, so when the news that the outside heat had partially broken down the cooling systems and the climate processing unit could not go any further than 30 degrees Celsius people took it slightly wrong.

And we are talking lightly about riots in the town hall, the C.O.L.D ritos as the young people called them.

 

A week later, at the beginning of August, the cooling system began to work again, lowering the temperatures even partially but enough to go out into the street ... and just in the street is where our protagonists were right now, specifically in the Bright Hill park, on the Rivera de los Reyes as neighbors knew the banks of the main lake converted into a public beach behind the dome.

To cope with the heat wave the adults who stayed at home had decided to hold a refreshing breakfast on the lake shore to give rise to the energy accumulated inside of their children by the days living in the shadow. As soon as the group arrived, they separated into two other groups, leaving the teenagers on one side and the adults and babies on the other, on the condition that they leave the entire park clean after having lunch.

 

Without hesitation for a second the teenagers accepted taking the baskets that Erika had prepared and moving to one of the areas with picnic tables.

"I cant... believe it!" Vitor deCruz yelled, letting go of the measuring tape, clenching his teeth furiously while Fraje kept smiling with a disgusting grimace. "Leave me the tape, Max! You must have been wrong!"

 

"I told you or not?! 3 centimeters! Say hello to the 1.49 Fraje!" Picking up the tape measure, Fraje held it to Vitor like a bomb, causing it to move backwards until it hit the tree where a few seconds ago it had been measured. "Come on Vitor! We are going to measure you! Let's see who is still a European dwarf!"

 

"Dont believe the big thing, Fraje! I'm still pulling you 11 centimeters!" Vitor tried to defend himself, removing the tape measure and preparing to be measured. (wishing inside that his height had increased even minimally)

 

"We'll see how long! I also do not believe myself- Ah, it's true, exactly 11 centimeters ..."

 

While Fraje and Vitor had their absurd competitions animated by Max Fang, a more elegant group formed by the rest of the teenagers (Nellie, Cassio deCruz, Eliab Wall, Lulia Howee) and the much younger Lea Gray (who even having 6 years adored follow the elders everywhere and the girls in the group loved having her around) enjoyed the feast that Erika had prepared the teenagers for breakfast. (3 baskets full of all kinds of pastas and breakfasts that had taken several hours to cook)

"I dont understand what kind of fight they're having ... sincerely." Eliab poured her smoothie cup, tasting it with great pleasure. "You weren't lying about your mother's ability to cook, Nellie, this chocolate shake is absolutely incredible"

 

Nellie was clear that the claim was true seeing how the picnic table had already been almost emptied of the first batch of food. (Although she didnt want to admit that a lot was in her stomach)

"I guess thank you ... although I still think there was too much food-"

 

"Not with you!" The other 4 friends shouted at the same time, laughing at each other about something Nellie was not understanding.

 

"We're going to get to the level of those three idiots for a moment, okay?" Lulia pointed out to the trio that she was now preparing to measure Max. "If your brother has grown 3 centimeters ... that means you too, Nellie?"

 

"Yes, it's true that she seems taller ..." Cassio rubbed his chin slightly as he studied Nellie, smiling when he saw her turn redder.

 

"If you've grown up taller you've gotten fat, too?" Lulia thought out loud without cutting herself for a second, forcing the Swedish woman next to her to turn around and start joking. "That in feminine language is a yes!"

 

"Lu! It's not fair! Not that I can control my weight right now! ..." Nellie opened her eyes watching the whole table watching her with the same look of cockiness, forcing herself to shrink in her bench seat and play with her indexes to pass the shame. "Yes, it's true that I've grown ... 4 centimeters ..."

 

"Before all of you continue to bug Nellie, can you answer me a question?!" Lea shouted, waving her corn dog like a baton. "If Nellie and Fraje have grown up because Anne is a giantess ... I'm going to end up being a little bird like my little sister?"

 

The question broke the schemes of the group, giving an involuntary laugh to all. "I dont think it works like that, Lea ..." Eliab smiled as she rubbed the head of the future first-year student. "I think it's more something exclusive to Anne for closeness if my father understood it well ... if it really was something general, my destiny would be terrible"

 

"Dont get too excited, dude, your sister is like mine!" Cassio finished her own shake, beginning to suck Lulia's without even giving Nellie time to get the next thermos. "She doesnt have anything of neohuman, something that sincerely gives me some pity ... when I show Estela's photos people think she isn't a neohuman... something that makes it a real pain in the neck to explain why she is a truly neohuman"

 

Surrounding her eyes as if she were keeping quiet, Eliab sighed, picking up another of Erika's homemade cookies and giving her a bite. "I'm not talking about Ariah ..."

 

The tone of voice of Eliab invited to ask ... but nothing, of course that the adolescents pretended to ask and the small Lea was the winner of the race. "So, who are you talking about? You ... you only have one sister, right? When you moved to our street I remember that you were only you and Ariah with your parents ... "

 

Sighing and looking around to make sure his mother was not present, Eliab motioned the boys to come over. "You have to promise me that you will keep the secret ... the director Addams made us promise that we wouldnt say anything until we know what is happening"

Once everyone nodded and Eliab found in her heart to trust them, the teenager began to explain. "You see ... Ariah ... this is quite difficult to explain and even more to understand ... but Ariah has a twin sister ... who is there ... and isn't..." The confused look of his friends reminded Eliab himself of the face he put on when his twin pregnant mother had only one inside.

"It's frankly weird, but that's the way it is. Ariah has a twin sister ... but you can only see her with a pair of heat vision glasses, and she isn't tangible too... we cant hear her either but Ariah laughs sometimes alone so mama wants to assume that Yesterday is with her"

 

"..."

"If she's not tangible, visible or audible ... you know ..." Nellie rubbed the back of her neck looking how not to make the question sound weird. "Sorry to say it like that ... but how do you know she's ... alive? I mean .. how do you feed her?"

 

"I understand the question perfectly ... and sincerely I can only ask you to believe me, I still have a hard time understanding it. To answer the question Yesterday is always with Ariah and is only visible through heat vision, so Addams gave some special glasses to my parents and me to be able to monitor that Ariah is there ... and the question of how she eats... I have no answer. Ariah is a glutton and dad says she eats like two babies, so Addams prefers to think that... what Ariah eats somehow comes to Yesterday-"

 

"Wait a moment ..." Lulia hit the table with both hands confused and angry, making Eliab prepare for whatever came. "Her name is... Yesterday?! Yesterday?! Seriously?!"

 

Eliab couldnt help laughing, surprised by what Lulia had preferred to stay with. "Yes ... it's kind of weird. Tthe logic of my mother comes from a symbolic meaning: Ariah comes from the Italian word Aria and basically would mean a solo composition with musical accompaniment that is usually part of a larger composition.

Ariah was part of the larger composition that my little sisters would be, but since she apparently came alone, she is the soloist accompanied by Yesterday, who being there butnt being able to see her would be the musical part"

 

"And Yesterday?"

 

"Oh, right. Yesterday is for the song of the Beatles "And the silence consumed everything, even the soul and the words of everyone present. "Something wrong?"

 

Biting his lips, tilting his head, wrinkling his forehead, rubbing the back of his neck ... the amount and variety of gestures of his friends spoke for themselves. In the end, Nellie decided to take over again. "Only that? Your mother ... has named her daugther Yesterday just for a song? You know ... I mean ... I've had little in America, but I'm pretty sure Yesterday is not a name"

 

"Now it is. It's the name of my little sister ... that I havent even seen clearly ... it's weird but I guess there are weirder things-"

"Eliab, my friend ..." Grabbing him by the shoulder, Cassio sighed. "I dont think there is a weirder neohuman than one who ... physically is not there. I'm sorry dude ... I dont even know how to refer to this" Without saying anything Eliab crossed his hands on the table, lowering his head defeated by the situation. The other teenagers looked at each other without knowing what to do, arriving at a silent gentlemen's agreement for everyone to take Eliab's hands as a sign of support.

 

 

---

 

(Hours later, 13:00 noon in the garden of the Giantess Mansion (Name still tried to set))

 

Plock!

The pacifier fell on the rubber-padded floor, landing a short distance from the baby's hand.

 

"Grrrr ..." Anne roared in a primitive rage, watching intently as her older brother stood at the opposite corner of the enclosure of happiness and love now broken, a sort of wasteland drooling and shattered by the predator more dangerous than humanity confronted. A wall of cushions thrown from a safe distance separated the baby from the rest of the playground, which with all the changes in the last few hours looked similar to how the dinosaurs were separated from the public in Jurasic World

 

"Anne ... I'm going to put my hand here... and pick up my phone, okay? Slowly ... I'm going to do it slowly and carefully. You... take your pacifier ... and please, stay there" Fraje's voice indicated a fear similar to that of the Neanderthals of yesteryear in front of ... a saber-toothed tiger? The teenager was not clear if both species came to live together ... and frankly the situation wasnt to investigate.

Slow and precise movements in total silence, Fraje's arm slowly descending to the floor of the playground.He was so close, his fingers could almost touch the screen of the smartphone ... when ...

 

"ABRRRRR GRRRRRRRRRRR"

As if it were a lioness jumping towards its prey, the baby rushed towards the arm of her older brother pushing aside the phone. Fraje couldnt react, there was no physical time to even try it.

 

"Arrrrrrrggggggg! Damn, Anne!" Fraje waved his arm up and down, trying to get the baby to let go of his wrist before Anne's two teeth could cause him some kind of too serious injury. "How can such a small thing...- How can such a small girl...- How can a baby girl cling so tightly to the bone!? Your teeth came out yesterday!"

Giving the phone for lost, Fraje kicked the ground frustrated as he decided to join his sister in preparing the meal. "We have to find a more attractive pacifier, one dipped in whiskey or something ... Anne is insufferable"

 

"Look on the bright side, lilla bror!" Erika snatched the sausages from her little brother, rubbing his head and throwing them into the barbecue. The sound of the barbecue filled the garden, partially overshadowing the more worrying sound of Anne nibbling on the phone's casing. "Anne is only big, imagine if you were in the skin of Max Fang ... Dexter had this morning the whole hand full of bandages for the number of times Lisa had bitten him" 

 

"I was like this? a fierce and bloodthirsty monster?"

 

"You bite the cables that were within your reach"

 

"..."

 

"Dont look at me like that, it's true. Pappa was extremely worried about the bad mood and how much you cried that time ... but luckily you were just a quick phase. Anne is getting two teeth up and two down at the same time so the pain and rage is double! Right, my sunshine?" Approaching the playground Erika bent down to take her little girl. Fraje closed his eyes preparing for a scream of pain that never came; instead, when she opened her eyes, the teenager found that her Erika was using the kitchen glove to protect herself from Anne's constant nibbling.

"Dont take to long, our little girl doesnt seem to plan to stop biting until she gets to meat ... damn, with 4 half teeth and already pressing her jaw like that..." Erika pleaded while taking Anne to the table where the family planned to eat that day, taking advantage of the good weather and the cool shade that the huge house projected.

 

Already with his phone in his hand (wiping the slightly disgusted slime) Fraje sat down at the table next to Anne's high chair, trying to control her so that she stopped shaking. "Will this improve in the future? I mean ... I dont think a baby can be so angry for too long ... this phase will end soon, right?"

 

Erika could only smile and laugh to herself, throwing the sausages well done on a plate and preparing for the next round of meat.

"This phase will end soon, and the next one will start even sooner ... so yes, we can say that the future looks bright once all the baby teeth have come out!"

 

Fraje didnt understand (or didnt want to understand) what her older sister was laughing at, but seeing that Anne seemed to calm down and smile when she heard her mother laugh was enough for the teenager to let his guard down just long enough, stretching his arm in an attempt to take one of the pieces of toast from the center of the table.

 

"AGRRRRRRRR" It was all that Erika and Fraje heard before he cried out in pain again.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(08:20 of September 3, 2019. Geremia Wing High school)

 

For a teenager to make the first impression the first day of class is the most important, since that first image would easily mark the first weeks of the course and how the other students see and treat you. The first day of high school is a pitched battle to show the superiority and mark the attention you want to get ... and thats why Fraje and Nellie were trying to cover themselves with their jackets as much as possible.

If your intention is to make a good impression to your classmates, the last thing you would want is to enter the institute accompanied by your mother to the principal's office on the other side of the school. And if your mother is an Amazon who is literally one jump away from touching the roof of the corridors with her head ... that accompanying you is the closest thing to hell on earth that the teenagers had experienced.

"Big sister, please!" Fraje moaned trying to cover his head even more, beginning to notice the lack of air (not that that worried him more than the huge presence of Erika in the corridors)

 

"I cant hear you, you know?" The sound of my footsteps is too loud to be able to walk discreetly or listen to those around me" Erika replied even dragging her anger. 

 

The trio came to the end of the main building, where the administration section was. "Erika!" Director Jacob shouted quietly as he saw the Amazon appear at the corner of the corridor, attracting even more the eyes of students and close staff. "What a joy to see that you could come despite urgent warning! God, you are huge! And you have also hit a good stretch, Fraje and Nellie!"

 

"Good morning too, Jacob!" Erika smiled offering her hand in a cordial and close greeting. (In addition to being a new way that the amazon had to check who was afraid of her or not, glad to see that the director returned the greeting so naturally) "Guys, are you going to say something? Or is the volume of my voice too loud for your liking?" Erika looked back as she let out her most guilty sigh.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Director ..." The teenagers repeated among themselves in their most monotonous tone possible, surrendering to the eyes of the two adults and resigned to remove their jacket from their heads.

 

Knowing well the shame that the teenagers were suffering (deserved or not), Jacob approached them to grab them by the shoulders. (A rare feeling to not have to bend over to deal with eighth graders)

"Guys, I know you must be quite nervous and ashamed that your mother has accompanied you on your first day in the main building. Accept my apologies, please ... I take it very seriously that the first day of the eighth grade in the main building is as friendly as possible"

 

"Dont try to reason with them, Jacob. We almost had to stop the car in the middle of the street because they didnt want me to get off with them ... their idea was to park 3 streets away and wait 20 minutes before entering" Erika's accusatory and annoying tone highlighted the anger of both sides, teenagers looking each way in the direction of hearing their mother speak. (Fraje still furious, while Nellie was already in the phase of repentance)

"Can I know it was so necessary to get me in? Are all the documents in order? Alanna insisted on signing them, so with all the work and paperwork she is having these days it would not surprise me if she had forgotten to fill in some space"

 

Jacob refused, approaching the door of his office and holding the knob. "You see, Erika ... do you know the new counselor of education in the city?"

 

"Of course, Alanna was in the voting as a representative of Bright Side industries!"

 

Jacob rubbed the back of his head nervously, taking a breath before opening the door. "I hate having to do this in my office ... but Mr. Jackson wanted to talk to you about Fraje and Nellie-" The surprised look of the three of them was within what Jacob expected, imagining the three of them thinking that they had not yet given time to cause trouble. "It's not what you think, I've previously taken care to make sure." Today's theme is the neohuman challenge ... in a moment you will understand it easier, I think "

Jacob opened the door to the family, hoping that Erika and the children would come in (with much more difficulty on Erika's part than the people expected) to close behind her. The man the family expected him to be Jackson stood up smiling from Jacob's chair, reaching out to Erika as he flipped the muffled cigarette in his mouth.

 

A rather older and muscular man, just as Alanna had described them, the description so precise that he had even made it in the military attire (Strangely like Guile from street fighter, all three thought at once) and the shaved head complemented by square sunglasses. "Miss Erika, Nellie and Fraje! A pleasure to finally meet you all, family!" Jackson smiled as Erika returned her hand, both squeezing lightly to check each other's strength. "First of all, let me give you my thanks even if your wife is not present. The vote of confidence from your mother and wife was quite key to my election as an education counselor"

 

Erika smiled denying, taking a seat in the structure formed by 3 stools (brought from the art room) covered like a sheet to pretend that it was a normal chair (A detail that Erika thanked)

"Thank you for volunteering for the position, Sergeant Kayden Jackson. Alanna told me that they had not found many educators willing to face the challenge that the neohumanity presents... as you call it" Erika's words and tone were especially careful, representing the opinion that she and her wife had about all the stupidities of the Neohuman challenge like the news, the politicians and also Sergeant Jackson were referring to Brightside's situation. (A name that because of the implications, everyone involved with the neohumans hated)

 

"When I came back from Vietnam, I told myself that the only possible option to amend our mistakes as a country was to educate the little ones in peace from the beginning ... I may be old, but I cant and I dont want to believe that the Neohumans are different from the others sweet babies that were born this year. If with this position I can help a good friend to defend the children of this country who have just been born something different, my duty is to do it" Jackson smiled putting the cigar inside his mouth and swallowing, something that left in shock those present until the sergeant took a packet of chocolate cigarettes from his pocket.

"My son is forbidden to see my granddaughter if I smell tobacco, this is my way of fighting the craving And speaking of children ... that's why I called you today before the course starts as such, Erika, Fraje and Nellie Barlow Holm. The neohuman challenge as all those cubes-head calls it not only affects babies ... you two, young people, you are part of this"

 

Erika didnt allow herself to be bamboozled by the sergeant's words, protecting her daughter and her little brother by discretely holding them by the shoulders. "And what is the plan, General Jackson? Addams has no proof that the NEPF affects the brain capacity of us neohumans, so it doesnt make sense to want to do something to my children-"

 

With a mocking grimace Jackson stood up, waiting a few seconds before climbing on Jacob's table (to the terror of this) to be able to prevail over the Amazon. "The duty of a mother is to take care of her family ... that is one of the principles that I respect the most. But even so, Erika ... wanting to face this world as if nothing happened will not do you any good"

 

"I'm not going to pretend something isnt happening to us, general." Erika puffed out her lungs, puffing out her chest to face the general. (that thanks to the table it took 5 centimeters of height to the amazon)

"But I'm not going to let you or nobody take our normal life away from us as if we were monsters, I'm not going to take away their right to be silly and smiling teenagers just like me and you were them. Put this in your head and record it with fire, Sergeant Jackson: The neohuman challenge is rubbish, a stupid way of calling and bleaching with beautiful words the beginning of a racism that I didnt think was possible and that I am a lesbian, Sergeant Jackson. I have already swallowed my good dose of bleached discrimination"

 

The look duel lasted for a few seconds, Jackson not losing his smile and Erika not taking a step back. Jacob, Fraje and Nellie moved elegantly and discreetly to the wall, fearing at any moment that the situation would get to them. "You're as fierce as Black describes you, Erika ..." Jackson swallowed his chocolate cigarette in one bite, taking out his pack again and offering one to the Amazon. "A proud and loving fierce lioness, one that would fight any battle for its litter ... and seeing as you speak, I am sure that you are not referring only to your direct children"

 

"Alanna and Bright Side Industries can build what neohumans will need; Addams and Handshake can study and find out more about the NEPF in order to be better prepared ... And all that I and William can do for my children and to all the other neohumans like us is this:

Fight our battles against the shoddy bureaucrats on duty like you until they are able to fight them for themselves"

 

"Shoddy bureaucrat, eh? I guess now that I'm not in the front row I can be described as such ... " Jackson stifled a sad laugh, getting off the table and sitting back in the chair, resting his feet on the table and crossing his arms behind the neck. "You said before that neohumans dont change their brain capacity, but you are the living image of the opposite, Erika ... you have taken a position of yours against us absoluty extreme!"

 

"From the day of the press conference where they announced the change of president of Bright side industries and the presentation of my wife as the new vice president and first adult neohumans I had to privatize my facebook account, twitter, youtube, playstation and more because of of the idiots who spend the day calling us monsters and spamming our social networks... and not only have they harassed me, I also know that they have gone to our old house in Sweden, to the orphanage where my mother worked and to the house of the maternal grandmother of Alanna.

I know that this attitude is wrong and I am aware that we also received many messages of support ... but when they spend the day calling me atrocities and insults against my family by all the means they have found to the point of forcing us to block our social networks, one ends quite burned"

 

Jackson nodded slowly in silence, staring at the Amazon. "Well, let me tell you something, Erika. I am not in the us of us against you. Did you know that it has been discovered that a certain type of blood infected with NEPF has contagious properties?" The question caused a total silence in the office, to the point that for a few seconds you couldnt hear a breath. "My granddaughter was born premature and since then suffers from acute anemia. During the first blood transfusion session of my granddaughter here in Brightside they used blood 0 negative- "

Erika didnt hesitate for a second to nod decisively, knowing perfectly. "Since your father and your brother here havent donated blood in the last 6 months and Anne is too small to donate blood ... and you did one in May, Erika ... I'm going to say that the blood transfusion came from you"

 

"You cant blame me-"

"I'm not going to blame you! I have told you! I am here to fight the good fight for the neohumans!" Jackson quickly interrupted the Amazon. "My granddaughter is getting better since the transfusion, so I am in debt with you. Do you want to fight for your children? Then let's start all at once with our first objective: Calling Black and preparing our assault, our first opponents in the ring are the California Department of Education" The smile returned to the general's face, who rummaged in his pockets until he pulled out his phone. "You two can go now, guys. I just wanted you to remenber my face in case you needed me for something ... it's time for adults to start planning our next conquests"

 

The teenagers looked at each other, interrupted by Erika hugging them both. "Go to class, guys ... I love you both, okay?" After a kiss on both their foreheads (they didnt hesitate to clean it for a second) Erika joined them, whispering in their ear. "But dont think I've stopped being angry for a second ... we'll talk at home"

 

 

---

 

1:00 in the morning Nellie's point of view

 

After 4 hours of hard work (not really) and Fraje introducing her to everyone as if she were new to high school (although Nellie had 6 months in the support classroom and 5 months in the basketball team), the time of separation by clubs had arrived.

One of the changes that Jacob had introduced and liked most and worked was the mandatory club hour, an hour at the end of each day where the students would attend a special class chosen by themselves beyond their parents' electives. (Something that motivated them much more than an hour of more normal and ordinary class)

 

Nellie stopped behind the dressing room door, leaning her head against the door without actually opening it. The youth basketball team gathered students from age 11 to 15, which meant that the difference in height between the girls was huge. And although Nellie was tall for her age (At least in her previous school), the difference in age and height was the reason why she had gone from playing as a starting forward in Stockholm to playing reserve center ... something that the Swedish hated with all her strength and the reason for the that becoming infected with Anne's NEPF was so ideal for her.

 

Ideal... if only she had only grown 3 or 5 centimeters more, not an absurd 13 centimeters (5 extra inches) that placed her above almost all the students of her grade and high school, only tied and exceeded in height of some with some of the highest teachers as her coach. The height for an eave like her was absolutely ideal, but the excess of this was what really worried Nellie, who kept wondering over and over again how could it be that she had not noticed until the present day. (The answer was obvious, with her whole family growing slowly at the same time that she and with such an absolutely huge house the perception of the Barlow Holm's perspective had slightly deformed)

Breathing slowly, Nellie sought the strength inside her to open the door and join the laughter of the locker room ... and although for a few seconds the teenager had found them they vanished as if they were mounted on a particularly fast carousel. "Come on, Nellie ..." The teenager said to herself, grabbing the doorknob. "Now you're a Barlow Holm ... you cant make this last name belong to a coward!" Taking a breath to fill her lungs, the teenager began counting slowly up to ten-

 

"Is there someone there?!" The door of the dressing room was opened inward, two of the players preparing to lean out when they heard voices ... watching as a huge human tower slowly fell towards them.

CRASH!

Although Nellie dropped her backpack and tried to stand up with her hands, the loss of balance was too sudden and the two girls below her too frightened to get out of the way, landing them first on the ground and then Nellie on them.

"Help!" The two girls shouted under her, with one of the voices being recognized by Nellie as Sandra, Nellie's bench mate and English tutor in the support classroom. (Other decisions that Jacob had put on the table is that the best students of each grade level voluntarily help the reinforcement course, and as the case of Nellie was special since she only needed to learn the language Sandra herself, the best spelling student, offered to help her)

 

"OH MY GOD! I'm sorry!-" Nellie shouted, leaning to roll to the side before the attentive look and murmurs of the rest of the wardrobe. Two other players approached the newly crushed, helping her get up while one of the seniors helped Nellie.

Nobody said a word for a long 6 seconds, all present staring at Nellie while doing everything possible to feign normality despite being cornered against the wall ... and that the tallest girl until then only arrived up to the Swedish's shoulders. And in the haze of discomfort, a liberating voice rose to unclog the situation. "Jesus, if we dont win with Nellie now, we're doing something wrong"

 

Nobody paid attention to who had said it, but everyone was slowly nodding as they walked so that Nellie could advance to her locker; path that the teenager accepted willingly but with some degree of discomfort to see that all the other players were still watching. "Good morning, all..." Nellie tried to break the tension by waving, leaving her backpack on the floor next to the bench and sitting down. Slowly and even under the gaze of the other 18 girls Nellie took off her shoes to replace them with their sneakers, although before the teenager could realize their shoes were already in the hands of the girls. "Eh!-" Nellie tried to complain unsuccessfully, watching the girls turn their shoes in astonishment at something Nellie could not understand.

 

"9 and a half!" One of the compañeras shouted when she saw the label of the shoe.

"It's super big! My mother has an 8 and a half!" Other of the girls screamed with laughter, which spread quickly to everyone while they let the shoe fall on the ground and began to try it on.

 

Nellie did not know what to do, defrosting when she noticed a hand on her shoulder. "You've become a celebrity, eh?" Sandra smiled holding onto Nellie's shoulders, leaning her chin on the teen's crown.

 

"I dont know how to feel about it-"

"To begin with, nobody is messing with you! It would be stupid to mess with someone as big as you ... and more after seeing how big is your ... mother? I heard that you have been adopted!I hope that so much emotion did not prevent you from going through the vocabulary sheets that I left you before the holidays! Girl, we should have exchanged phones before summer, you cant even imagine how boring it has been without being able to leave the city-"

Nellie really wanted to hear Sandra's complaints, as odd as the teenager really wanted to hear them ... but all that her ears played in a loop was "Mother", leading Nellie to remember the previous fight and how terrible it was now to have behaved so badly. This sudden depression was not ignored by Sandra, who began to prick her friend's chubby model-sized model runway. "Come on... tell me why are you worried. We're in a girls' locker room, this is the place to talk about these things"

 

"Today I had the first big fight with my mother ..." Nellie sighed leaving the uniform shirt on the bench, sharing the same fate of being admired and celebrated among the other players as previously her shoes and socks. "I've said something very ugly ... and now I know they're going to be mad at me ..." Sandra stared at her without saying anything, waving her hand for more information.

"I told my mother, the one who later entered with us to the institute, that I was a little ashamed about she accompanied us through the corridors of the highschool as if we were small children ..."

 

Sandra said nothing, staying silent until she realized there was no more. "Wait, that's it? I'm going to try to ignore for a moment how very convoluted you said that phrase ..." Nellie nodded confused, watching as Sandra sighed looking away. "Europeans ... Nellie, darling ... what you have said is a trifle compared to what I expected"

 

"I really only said that ... it was the idiot of Fraje who has begun to raise the tone of the discussion" Nellie sighed, ducking her head, letting Sandra comfort her. "I dont know what I'm going to say to my mother when she comes to pick us up ... I have no idea even with what face I'm going to look at her"

 

"Nellie! You dont have to think about that!" Sandra began to shake her furious at the attitude of her friend. "Focus on what really matters! Now you are our walking tower! God this year we do have opportunities!" Smiling to herself, Nellie quickly turned to look directly at her friend (despite Sandra standing and she sitting). "Are they going to let us play? We cant leave the dome"

 

"I cant say anything else, that I have this information ...-" Sandra turned her head away from her friend, making sure the other players were still playing with Nellie's clothes. "It's because coach Charlie is also my physical education teacher-"

The trainer's whistle interrupted all conversations and games, making the girls smile while going out to the gym. Nellie was the last to get up from the bench, finishing dressing quickly and getting ready to pick up the clothes the other girls had been playing with ... finding her shirt, pants and shoes well placed and folded on the bench.

 

Smiling surprised by the care of her companions, Nellie left her clothes and backpack in her locker (fighting a little so that everything would fit correctly) and went to the gym.

 

...

"Good morning, ladies!" The titanic coach Charlie applauded while her players were standing in the middle of the field, smiling at seeing them with so much energy. Charlie Levin, professional former wnba player reconverted after an injury in physical education teacher, stood over all other teachers and students thanks to its 1.99 meters high. (6.7 feet)

"Good morning, coaches!" The players finished sitting in a circle in the middle of the field as Charlie had taught them.

 

"I hope you've had a good summer, ladies ... because this year is going to be hard!" Charlie smiled as he began to walk slowly around his circle of players, stroking her hair as she passed behind her. "No one has wanted to join the team, so in addition to not having new players McMillan and Cassey have passed to the pre-university team, which means that we stayed in 19 players. This would of course be a problem ... if it werent for-" Standing just behind Nellie, Charlie grabbed her by the shoulders forcing the teen to get up. "This dear cute European here! Girls, today in the early hours you have been given a quick summary about the situation of the NEPF and your beloved Neohuman brothers and sisters; and I know that you are going to visit Handshake so you can learn all this in depth ... meanwhile, greet our neohuman star! Of all the variants, we were lucky to be touched by a giantess!"

The other players began to cheer Nellie without her knowing very well because, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with such admiration without having done anything yet. "I'm not going to lie to you, ladies ... last year we werent very effective and we stayed on half board. The extra height and power of Nellie will help us a lot as our star center, but it will not make us win alone! We have to fight and improve as a team! And to achieve this we have to start your lazy asses after all the summer roaming. Let's start with something soft ... 20 laps to the field!" The girls began to complain, horrified by such a high number. "Go Go! Without wasting time!"

Even complaining from time to time, the players began to run around the field ... all but the highest of them, stopped next to Charlie. "Nellie honey, does something happen? If you are worried about the extra power you dont have to! I have said that to motivate them, Addams already explained that you are only higher than normal, you dont have super skills!"

 

Nellie negotiated slowly, lowering her voice and approaching her trainer. "I dont play as a center, coach Charlie ..."

 

"Ah! You were worried about that? That's cute!" Charlie smiled caressing Nellie's hair. "You dont have to worry, honey. You have the height and agility to dominate the entire competition, we just need to practice your skills a bit and we will be unbeatable!"

 

"Y...you didnt understand me, coach ..." Nellie swallowed slowly, looking away. "It's not that I dont know how to play as a center... it's that where I feel comfortable and where I've always played is the forward-"

"Nellie" Charlie radically changed his kind tone for a more serious one, the same one that Nellie recognized as his tone for quarrels. "I know that until now you were playing as forward, but we have that position covered enough. You now have the height, size and weight to literally knock down anyone in a fight per basket; we cant waste if we want to have a chance to win!"

 

"..." Nellie was not too convinced, but her trainer's smile was so full of confidence that he could not say anything.

 

"Trust me, learn a new position where your size will give you so much advantage will be great! I promise, Nellie, you will enjoy a lot of being the star that won the matches. Learn a new position where your size is going to give you so much advantage will be great! I promise, Nellie, you will enjoy a lot of being the star that won the matches" Charlie crouched to hug her, caressing her back slowly. "You just need to prepare physically a bit, gain some muscle as your mother and you will be an unstoppable machine!

You have, we have, we are going to take advantage of your abilities as a neohuman to take you to the top of the championship!"

 

"Okay ... I'll do it" Nellie nodded beginning to feel more convinced. "If this is what the team needs-" Charlie nodded in agreement, turning the teenager and placing her in the direction of the group of her teammates. "Then I will, Coach Charlie!"

"That's how I like it, honey! We'll be invincible!"

 

 

---

 

 Same hour Fraje's point of view

 

"Guys, guys! Relax! It's just me, a little taller ... girls, please! I'm still me!"

Fraje looked at himself in the mirror, arranging his hair for the fourth time. "Yeah, that's a good entrance!" The teenager smiled at his own reflection, taking a deep breath before heading out into the hallway. While his sister had signed up again to the women's basketball team, Fraje preferred to go by free guided by where the wind took him.

A poetic way of saying that the teenager was too undecided to choose a free class previously. For his own luck, the corridors were full of students in their same situation.

 

"I wonder what club will be the ideal for a future giant neohuman like me? I have to make sure the class has high ceilings, I do not want to feel too tight!" Fraje began to daydream while he walked the corridors without paying attention to the different offers of the highschool.

There, wherever Fraje could see the image of her older sister, came constantly to her mind, visualizing the struggle with a world too small for her. As strange as the teenager felt with those illusions, the longing to see himself and Nellie in the same situation was too strong to let go. Fraje imagined him and Nellie going down the stairs of 3 on 3 steps, these too small to even put the foot straight. Having to bend over to use the handrail, having to squat almost squat to use the water source attracting the envious looks of his male companions and the looks of desire of his female companions ... something inside Fraje burned to see himself in those situations, a fire that he himself couldnt understand.

"These doors are quite thin ... big sister couldnt enter without bending or standing on her side" Fraje said to himself, enjoying how each word sounded in silence while was looking to the sides, trying to memorize the dimensions of the different classrooms. "I have to choose carefully, I do not want to get stuck in a club where tomorrow I can not get in the door! Hahaha!"

Laughing alone (And pushing everyone else out of the hallway because that), Fraje ended up stopping in front of the cafeteria.

 

Deciding that a small pause would not alter the course of his search, Fraje sat at one of the tables next to the windows after selecting three different tetrabricks of juice.

Opening them all at once, Fraje put the three straws at once in his mouth, enjoying the mixture of flavors until he was interrupted by a hand grabbing the shoulder. "Three at a time? That cant be good" Eliab didnt wait for Fraje to invite him to sit down, going around the table until he took the seat in front of the teenager.

 

"Orange juice, apple juice and 100% natural pear juice, my special growth hormone-stimulating mixture." Fraje began to point at them, pulling out more tetrabrick from his backpack leaving them in front of Eliab. "I'm still behind the average of my family, so I have to force the machinery a bit if I want to fulfill one of my dreams!"

Eliab inclined his curious head, surrendering to the teenager who celebrated him spitting the three straws. "I want to be  10 feet tall. Dont ask me why, I do not know either ... but since childhood that has been my most private and hidden dream"

 

"Then I suppose that this opportunity is simply irreplaceable, right?" Fraje nodded with determination, beginning again to sober the straws. "I guess you're not in the cafeteria club, right? I say it because I see you something alone ... where is Nellie?"

 

"Training with the basketball team, I intended to aim but apparently only female means no men! I dont know what basketball team would prefer not to have a future giant like me in their squad ... but there they are" Fraje sipped the straws, squinting, angry.

 

"And dont you have other friends? Apart from us on the street, I say, do not get me wrong or think I'm making fun of you ... I ask because I always saw you only at the beginning of the course and then with Nellie through the corridors ... only with Nellie" Eliab did not like to admit that he was somewhat worried about his junior, but still that desire did not stop him from asking.

 

"Of course yes!" Fraje exclaimed right away, getting in return a cold and doubtful look from Eliab. "I have you all after class and Nellie in class, I dont need more! I dont understand what you are trying to imply, I would like at least Max to come to this highschool? Yeah, of course! Does it really affect me? Of course not! I have to focus much more on my growth, my stimulating diet or my spinal release exercises if I want to catch up with my family... I already have friends in you all, and I am of the opinion that having friends of the same age is an exclusivist nonsense! AND I DONT UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION!"

 

The drift of Fraje had completely snatched Eliab's intelligence, making him not sure what to say (or how to say it without calling him an idiot in the face), so the fifteen-year-old decided to use one of the tetrabricks. "Have you thought about joining a scientific club? It will help you cover the hours you are not with Nellie-"

 

"Yeah, but that means another 3 hours of science a week. You'll have to sell it better, Eliab ..."

 

Eliab had no choice but to roll his eyes with a sigh. "I dont have to sell you anything ... it's your decision. If you want I can show you the class that I have chosen, it is open to all students from the eighth grade and it is about biology-"

 

"NEPF ..."

 

"Sorry?"

 

"That's it!" Fraje stood up suddenly, leaving his friend even more confused. "Nellie has sports, I'll have science! And biology will have to end up playing with the NEPF! The NEPF that will make me a giant! I want, I need to learn more about the NEPF and a biology class is the ideal place for it! Eliab please, I need to sign up for that club before it's too high to fit through the door!"

 

Eliab shook his head, thinking if sitting with him had been the right choice. "You're only a hair taller than the average 13-year-old, Fraje ... you're not going to stop fitting in the doors ... soon at least. But if you really are interested, I can take you to class, we start on Friday at Club time and we stay 2 hours straight-"

 

Fraje instantly wrinkled his forehead, defeated by the idea of r03;r03;adding 6 hours of science per week. Even so, the idea of r03;r03;taking the scientific branch as his to combine better with Nellie was too attractive to back out.Returning to take the three straws in his mouth, Fraje smiled visualizing himself too big to pass through the doors straight like his sister, a dream that the teenager could not wait to see fulfilled.

"Being a giant scientist would be so amazing... Big science man making the world a better place" Fraje muttered to himself, daydreaming.

 

"..." Eliab finished drinking his tetrabrick, nodding unconsciously to Fraje's murmurs. "I can ... I can see why you dont have any more friends ..."

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

And the weeks continued, the school year of Fraje and Nellie, Alanna's work and Anne's bad mood filling all the family's concerns on a day-to-day basis. To the comfort of the family, Anne's bad mood wasnt something alien, all the neohumans whose teeth were showing showed such extreme changes in behavior.

A calm environment where all problems were solved as a family or wearing kitchen gloves when handling Anne. Life was simple and happy in Brightside.

 

Of course, this atmosphere of relative tranquility wasnt going to last long, And it was the first week of October when the problems really started for Brightside.

20 days were more than enough to split a city in half.

 

It all started with a special netflix program about Handshake and the NEPF. Interviews with General Black, Addams and the Mayor of Brightside; a guided tour of the Handshake facilities. anonymous interviews with different members of the community and for the grand finale of the program, a double interview with the president and vice president of Bright Side Industries to talk about the needs of neohumans.

The reception was incredible, the popularity of Alanna growing more and more as Declan had foreseen and the support received served as another reason for Handshake to have to warm theirs heads to understand more about the neohumans and continue to invest all the money they were receiving, more than Addams had ever expected. And of course the support didnt come alone, when something arouses great support and solidarity, there are always dissenting voices, sometimes for other reasons and sometimes without reason.

The attacks on neohumans in different social networks and televisions went from being something punctual to becoming the international talk again, greatly expanding the problem when the progrma was released on YouTube. The messages served so much for people who craved something to hate to hate, spreading quickly through social networks. What hitherto only affected Alanna and her family now affected all Handshake members and neohuman families.

 

All this atmosphere of tension was also beginning to affect the situation inside the dome, it was attracting too much attention for the government's taste. As it was, the inhabitants of Brightside were divided among those who were joining the crowd to hate the neohumans (even being infected with the NEPF) and the rest, the riots becoming common among the few but noisy and aggressive Anti-EF as They called themselves.

First was the blockade of the main avenue of the city, something that was resolved after bringing a crane and 5 arrests.

Then it was an attempt to protest in the three parks of the city at the same time, scattering themselves after a serious arrest for threatening a mother her neo-human son with a knife. The Anti-EF platform made sure to make clear to all the media that came to ask them about the facts that did not approve any direct attack, their protests were focused on having to live locked up with the neohumans despite not wanting to relate or have anything to See with them.

Once a wise man said:

"Give voice to those who dont want to accept and will attract those who dont know how to think"

 

At the same time that the Anti-EF platform appeared on television those who craved something to hate got what they needed most, a face to support. Overnight, the Anti-EF platform began to appear more and more on television, supported by more and more twisted groups each time.

With the speech that their rights were being violated by being held under the dome although the NEPF wasnt infectious backed by Handshake and government scientists; their complaints began to become more and more heard. Only one spark needed to jump to make Anti-EF dreams come true.And that spark came on October 8.

In a completely literal sense.

 

During the early hours of October 8, the fire at  one of the Brightside center housing block was declared, next to the Crystal cove gardens. Firefighters arrived 7 minutes after the first call, and thanks to a rapid citizen collaboration the fire went out without regretting deaths and with a single serious burn injury.

What would have been a simple incident due to bad function became the perfect excuse for Anti-EF, after the anonymous leak of a Handshake member that a neo-human living with pyrokinesis NEsPer skills lived in the building.

It didn't matter what Handshake or Brightside's emergency team did to attribute the incident to a power failure, for Anti-EF and all their supporters that girl (which Anti-EF's own asked not to reveal their identity) was the guilty absolute, giving voice to their fears and terrors and forcing the authorities to intervene.

 

The decision was hard, and it went through many hands until he reached the president himself. The neohuman challenge took a much more literal new form when the voices of the Anti-EF managed to make it understood (based on false accusations) that the danger was much more real than it has been until now. Finally, on October 17, the California executive received notice from the government to execute the UNRAVEL countermeasure.

All the inhabitants of Brightside were asked personally, one by one and without forgetting anyone. All those who feared for their lives and didnt want to participate in any way with Handshake were given the possibility of leaving the city as long as they were permanently locating and not leaving the state.

By October 19, Brightside had lost 47% of its population.

 

 

---

 

Brightside City Hall, October 20, 2019. 09:15 in the morning

 

Toc, Toc, Toc, Toc...-

The continuous trampling of Mayor Thomas Bishop and his whispers between his teeth dominated the huge desk. The tension was evident, and the temperature drop scheduled for that week did not help cool the mood.

6 people had been called by the mayor to the council table that morning: Declan and Alanna Barlow as representatives of Bright Side Industries and major investors in the city's stores; William Black as commanding general of the dome and contact with the armed forces; Kaylen Jackson and Cascadio Black as seconds in command of Handshake's education and cultural divisions and of course Addams as the leader of Handshake... if only he had appeared

 

"Melissa, has Addams sent a message or something?" Thomas murmured, turning his coffee around, paying more attention to the hands of the clock than to his own secretary. “How dare he to be late on an occasion like this? We are risking our necks! I cant go down in history as the mayor who lost half of his population!”

None of the attendees wanted to continue the conversation with the mayor, preferring each one to remain involved in their own personal issues. "Black, Cascadio ... don't you have your brother's personal number? Can you either tell him to hurry up?!”

 

Black sighed taking out his phone and showing the screen to the mayor. “I have already tried, but something must have happened at the headquarters of Handshake, something really serious if if he has not even checked the messages on his phone. I don't like to be the one to propose this but we should start the meeting without him; I know my brother well and I know he won't care”

 

"Besides ..." Cascadio shrugged without getting his hands out of his jacket pockets, still typing on his own phone. “Now that I have an important position with my good friend Guile, I think we can take charge of  Handshake in good place! Right Guile?” Jackson smiled without wanting to say anything for fear of not holding his tongue, just pouring himself another cup of coffee. "We must start the meeting without a doubt, we cant wait for our personal Days of the future past to come true"

 

Thomas nodded slowly, opening his notebook and rereading the grim first page. “Well gentlemen and lady… the situation doesnt look good for us. I dont know what is that of Days of the future past, but ast night, Black can confirm it, I got the new deal that the government offers us-”

 

"They will allow us to preserve the dome to be able to create a suitable climate for the needs of the little ones and the extra lands under the dome to be able to modify them and build them at pleasure-" William interrupted, standing completely firm, with his hands clasped on his back. "But they ask us in return to notify any kind of dangerous ability and keep them under constant surveillance"

 

"Simply amazing! We are so close, so close to starting our own superhero franchise ... We have the background literally already done thanks to our ineffable government!" Cascadio jumped directly clapping. “This is our own Mutant / Superhuman Registration Act! We have passed directly to the end of the civil war without even going through all the plot! How could it happen? How can Anti-EF have won our civil civil war without even us having done anything?”

 

"Advertising campaign supported by radical and conservative groups, simple and simple" Declan nodded slowly, grabbing his niece's knee to try to contain her. “They have been lucky to rely on an accident, they have managed to capture the attention of super noisy groups and from there they have built a whole argument always staying away from the arguments of their main support so as not to be accused of radicals.

Those who support us do so from solidarity and understanding… And I'm so sorry to have to be the one to say it, solidarity and understanding makes less noise than rights and a supposed threat to national security” Declan's words were much more real than others liked to admit. , all eyes fixed on the huge woman crossed arms and with her eyes closed. "Honestly and although I hate to bring up the subject, I am much more concerned about abandoned neohuman children ...

 

"And again Declan's words were again keys for the group, forcing everyone to remain silent. Thomas sighed, turning pages in his blog, reaching Declan's terrible point. “The government doesnt want to force any parent to raise a child who has a Skill NEsPer categorized as dangerous, so they has granted them to expressly give them for adoption.

In what world do we live that I have to say this? My god... how categorized as dangerous depends on the point of view of those buds, now we find 34 babies abandoned by their parents ... 78 parents who have turned their backs completely to their children... Don't take it badly, but I never thought that during my tenure I would have to open an orphanage”

 

“Why is this happening to us? How can there be people who abandon their children just like that?! ”Jackson growled, leaning back in his chair. "Dammit! My squad did not abandon anyone when they cornered us in Vietnam!! How can the link between a father and his son be more fragile than that?! The good side is that there are already many people willing to adopt them, but that doesnt mean that their own blood is so afraid of them as to flee”

 

"It's human nature, Sergeant Guile ..." Removing his coffee, Cascadio dropped forward to finally attend the meeting seriously. “Fear what goes beyond your limits until what you fear saves your life. When those children mark the new future, their biological parents will see how wrong they were!”

 

"How can you be so sure, Cascadio?" Declan asked quietly, not understanding where he was getting so much optimism. “And please, dont give me an answer based on one of your comics. I hate that you send me your scripts after every minimal change you make ... ”

 

Drowning a laugh, Cascadio rose slowly walking around the table. “Bright Side Industries gave me the money to set up our film producer, so my honor prevents me from taking any steps without our benefactor knowing. And if you want to know why I'm so sure, it's because I'm a dreamer, boss!” Without saying anything, Alanna got up leaving for the first time the position she had taken since she had arrived an hour earlier. Slowly, the huge 6 feet 10 inch (2 meters 8) vice president walked up to join Cascadio, both looking through the slits in the curtain that covered the main window.

"We have a good hand, the deck smile to us tonight! Now we just have to wait for the moment and wait for our miracle, which if I'm not mistaken, will come soon" Cascadio smiled, leaning on Alanna. “They may only be fantasy, but dozens of authors have already reflected on paper, drawing or animation the problem we face. Learn from history even if it is fictional”

 

"And ..." Thomas rubbed the back of his neck, wiping the sweat of his already extremely bright bald head. "I'm not very put in all that you're talking about ... hell, I think the last comic I read was Asterix and Obelix ... but what should we learn?"

 

“That times change. We are here to stay ...-” Alanna practically roared, turning towards the others at the table, beating it with both hands with such force that the huge meeting table was tilted until when the vice president withdrew her hands.“They cannot remove the NEPF as if it were a tumor, not without getting the entire planet to go against them. This dome must become more than a dome… it must become our strength against adversity. A home for the neohumans, for all those who look beyond their own learn! A sanctuary for science, technology, progress! A home for all those who wish for it!”

No one wanted to say anything else, the attention of everyone present, looking over Alanna's eyes. Bright eyes between turquoise and dark blue, eyes dyed with the dusk.

 

 

---

 

____

.....

And first came the dusk, and with it the sky was filled with stars.

Each shining with the intensity of ten thousand worlds, each full of hope. Unfortunately the stars were too bright, so much that they attracted clouds that completely covered them, obscuring land and sea alike.

And under the dark mantle a single light rose above those who cried heartily.

A warm and dark light, a light that doesnt distinguish between good and evil, a light that inspired to follow it wherever it was ... Will that light be a sweeping light that has no mercy on those who want to turn it off? Will it be a protective light that will serve as a pillar on which to build something much larger, something that they may not be able to understand?

......

_______

 

"... Damn Gyeseung ... I don't know how you expect me to understand these messages!" Addams growled parking in front of the huge house of the Barlow Holm family, looking at the phone in his hands that Cascadio had give him that morning, a phone without any information as Professor Gyeseung had asked. As the director had planned, Velio Barlow's assistant car parked in front of the garage. "...Dammit…"

 

(09:15 in the morning)

 

Addams hated having to act like a slum criminal, but the situation was certainly necessary. Without wanting to attract more glances than necessary, the director got out of his car and undertook a race to the main entrance, using the Master Key that the marriage had given him with complete confidence to enter the house.

The television was playing in the background, accompanied by Velio's quiet snoring from the main sofa. As Addams had found out beforehand, the family's grandfather was going to watch over little Anne while Fraje and Nellie were in high school and Erika was arguing with her father about the possibility of leaving the city. The director could swear to hear the cries of the furious Amazon from the same hall, not wanting to imagine how threatening would be someone the size of Erika angry.

Without making any more noise than necessary, Addams deactivate the surveillance cameras with its MasterKey temporarily, going up the elevator to Erika and Alanna's bedroom.

 

There was Anne sleeping peacefully in her crib, drooling and nibbling on her pillow in dreams. The baby's first 4 teeth had been especially hard, but the fangs were being somewhat softer judging the less aggressive attitude of the baby. "Please, Anne ..." Addams whispered bringing the crib to her mothers' bed and sitting on the edge. "Forgive me for this... but I need to succeed with this"

Without saying anything else, Addams slowly took the index finger of the baby's right hand, placing it on the glucometer-like device. Holding his breath for a few seconds, Addams ended up closing his eyes while pressing the button, a small needle sticking into Anne's finger and drawing a drop of blood.

 

The baby stirred annoyingly in her crib, threatening to wake up. Withdrawing the device quickly, Addams took her in his arms ignoring the difficulty of the act, slowly waving the baby up and down to keep her asleep as many years ago the director did with his own son.

Waiting in silence until Anne fell asleep deeply again, the director stood up staring at his phone until it began to ring. Counting up to 5 as the message said, Addams pick up the call. "That's ..." The voice on the other side of the phone whispered through a voice changer. “My original NEP… congratulations Addams, you are a great scientist”

 

“Don't thank me, Professor Gyeseung… I only joined the points you gave me and used the simplest logic. May I ask why you dont speak to me directly? I think it's weird to use a modulator when I know it's you.”

 

"Jojojojo ... I trust you, Addams, but now that you have confirmed to me that my Reality King is safe and so healthy...  I only think that an invisible call with a voice modulator is the safe option. Dont get me wrong, I thank you, but this is all there is for now. Where will our relationship go if we get too far ahead?"

 

"Then the next time we only have to see each other in person, right?"

 

"Nice try, Addams ..." Several applause rang through the modulator, producing a sound so intense and annoying that Anne began to stir again. "Nice try. You have before the most powerful being that has ever existed, how do you feel? How does it feel to see in person the most dangerous predator that has ever seen the face of this planet?”

 

"Sincerely?" Addams whispered stroking Anne's forehead, smiling as she watched her baby resume her dream, beginning to nibble on the shirt collar. “I am unable to see her as anything more than the adorable and heavy baby she is… is her size normal? Is it something from the NEP?”

 

“I don't think so. Yes, my tests with the NEP achieved slightly larger than average species… but nothing so exaggerated. I would need you to send her to me for-”

"Don't even dream it, professor"

 

"I had to try it. As I was saying, if the Reality King is so big it must be for an exceptional combination of genes amplified by the NEP. Although it is also possible that its size is a way that nature uses to contain such gigantic power ... in which case, with all the power I have given to my Reality King, I am looking forward to seeing her use the dome as a breakfast bowl!”

 

"And her mothers and now brother and sister?" Addams tried to change the subject quickly, terrified by the idea alone that Anne reached such extremes

 

“Jojojojo! Addams, my colleague! That is the work of the Reality King!” More applause forced Addams himself to lower the volume of the conversation. "If her family is growing up with her, it is because the Reality King has made it possible ... and dont ask me why or how, she is a baby. I have no idea that she can think of it" The answer didnt like nothing to Addams, who simply kept cradling Anne in silence.

“Since you arent asking any more questions, I will assume that you want to finally talk about my part of the deal”

 

“I've helped you confirm who exactly your 'Reality King’ is, as much as I hate to call her with that name. Now help me back, professor. Give me what I need to be able to protect these children and prevent them from ending up classifying them as monsters.”

 

“A noble dream, I wonder if it will take you on the right track or not…-”

"Professor!"

"Okay okay ... Do you want to protect them? Very simple, very simple! Wake up my Reality King, it is time for you to see the true form of power, the authentic face of the one who, for better or worse, will change this world! Jojojo! I cant wait!”

 

Addams wasnt proud of anything he was doing, but the director could not afford to stop. Not when so many children and even Anne herself would benefit from this. Shaking her slowly, Addams circled the baby's back until she woke her up. "Ammammama ..." Anne groaned annoyed to leave the dream, staring at who was holding her. "Ata ..."

 

"Uncle Addams, Uncle Addams ..." Addams repeated trying to correct the baby without any hope that she would learn her name correctly. "Well, professor... she's already awake"

 

“Excellent. Now please, don't say anything or do anything. I need a few seconds to triangulate your position. Don't move ... don't move ... perfect! Addams, I want this thing that I am going to reveal to you to take it as a direct threat, please”

 

"I don't know how you could even try, but how do you do something to this girl, professor ... I swear I'm going to remove earth and sky until I find you"

 

“Jojojo! Brave threat, no doubt! But you don't have to worry, I don't need to do anything directly, as long as I can use my machinery here! Behold the work of one who defies God and will make his golden cities tremble!” Addams decided not to say anything else, fiddling with Anne quietly ... or at least until the girl's eyes began to glow with an increasingly intense dark blue, darkening to almost being black.

 

"Professor ..." Addams murmured extremely frightened, only contained by the baby's quiet giggles.

 

"You should notify the rest of the family altered by the will of my Reality King that the activation of phase 1 can also occur in them physically! The expected side effects are: Change of pupils imitating those stained by the night of my Reality King, slight mood swings caused by a momentary release of hormones, an improvement of their physical capacities equivalent to 15% of the physical abilities of my Reality King, blocked by her own security until Phase 2... and finally ... Wait, this last one I keep it. I want it to be a surprise"

 

"PHASE1?! Side effects?! What are you talking about!? I dont know what you are talking about, but Erika is already touching the physical limits of the human body! If she becomes stronger we are already talking about superhero level no matter how ridiculous that sounds! Gyeseung, that huge Amazon is lifting almost 400 pounds Without even trying or sweating!"

 

“Addams, Addams… Addams! Are you afraid? You didn't want to protect your children? Then let me do this for you! Please, Addams, put on the speaker, I need my Reality King to hear me clearly. It sounds weird, but one of the things that I developed in my NEP was a small system that recognizes very specific vocal commands, both words and voice. All my experiments are able to recognize them, and I am sure that my dear Reality King too”

Addams hesitated a few seconds, unconsciously activating the speaker without realizing it. (Or so he meant himself)

"Oh my little ... the whole sky belongs to you, you know?" Anne kept completely frozen, scared of the unknown voice that was ringing on the phone. “You were born of love, and that love will be your test and my reward… work your miracle, my little one, make this world meet its greatest enemy for the first time:

그들의 마음을 들여다 보아라. 당신을 귀한 작은 것들로, 괴물로 분류하도록 이끌고 자하는 아이디어를 파괴하라.나라 전역에 이것을 넓혀서 무의식적으로 두려워하게 만들지 만 폭력적인 충동으로 그들을 이끌기에는 충분하지 않습니다. 가능하게하십시오, My Twilight.

(Look into their hearts and destroy the ideas that want to lead you to classify you, my dear little ones, as monsters.Extend this throughout the country, make them unknowingly fear you, but not enough to lead them to a violent impulse. Make it possible, My Twilight.)”

 

Gyeseung's words had a strange effect on Anne, causing the brightness of her eyes to blink intermittently a few seconds before beginning to shrink. “Its... its over? What have you done, professor?!”

 

“How many miles from here is the capital, Addams? I suppose that now that 19 seconds have passed the reality distortion will have arrived! It may not look directly, but my part of the deal has been successful” Gyeseung began to laugh alone, puzzling even more if possible. "Dear Addams, it has been a pleasure this deal with you-"

“Dont dare to hang me, professor! Tell me what you have done?!” 

 

"I? Do? Addams, please ... Attribute the merit to those who really deserve it. Be sure to buy a good birthday gift from her, please. Today's results are absolutely incredible. Good morning, Addams and my sweet Reality King”

 

Without saying anything else, not even saying goodbye, Gyeseung hung up the call. Addams hurried into the call log, finding that the call had been completely deleted. "Damn it ..." Addams muttered to himself, staring at the entertaining baby, checking how far she could lick her face with the tongue. "Hey little one... you're really dangerous, right?" Addams asked quietly, not knowing if what just happened was correct.

 

"Amammamma!" Anne shouted smiling, saliva falling from the corner of her mouth to Addams shirt.

 

"I thought so ... we have to show that old man how wrong he is, okay? I just hope you dont get to remember this"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

The history of the conversion of a city from a small working city to an international research and development center is not easy, no matter how much international publicity one has, there are many external and internal impediments to face: Available housing, public works, conditioning of the new sectors of the city...

All this was speeded up much more than expected thanks to an unexpected friendly voice in the government that convinced the president to grant full control of the investigations (finally in a completely official and public way) to Handshake. Dozens of voices rose questioning the decision, but as usual, none managed to change his mind.

 

And so Brightside began to rebuild to a new level, focusing the entire city on neohumans. Thousands of scientists (many more than at first Addams could accept) from all imaginable branches asked for the transfer to Handshake, eager to investigate with the NEPF; hundreds of parents awaiting adoption volunteered to adopt those neohumans abandoned by their parents, hundreds of companies tried to open businesses in Brightside backed by Bright Side Industries.

The small city of Northren California went from being the headquarters of some old mining operations and the secondary headquarters of a large multinational to being a nerve center of science and progress, to the point that there werent a few who called Brightside "The NewSperValley" (Only Addams really calls it that, and as much as the director is trying, the name is not viral at all), an ideal environment full of love and fascination for the NEPF, a place to raise your children without the worries of the outside world.

And from this place our four little stories are born today, each following one of the four members of the Barlow Holm family, the growing (in size) family of the first and biggest (in every sense of the word) neohuman.

 

 

---

 

1st Story: Apologies in advance

 

(Wednesday, October 31, 2019, 17:15. Home of the Barlow Holm family)

 

"Anne! Please! Look here!"

"Anne, my foxy sunshine! Looks at the camera!"

Alanna and Erika repeated the two sentences over and over again, desperately trying to have their little daughter turn to them to get a good picture. Anne waved smiling, held by the hands of her older sister, trying to find the tail of her fox costume. (Costume modified from a costume for 4-year-olds, but that kind of detail was not too important... Or at least the marriage didn't want to make it important)

The dark music filled the ground floor of the house, making Anne want to play more and more and therefore remain less and less still. "Anne! Please!" Alanna shouted, grabbing her wife's shoulder, penetrating her ear so hard that Erika took the picture more in fright than having heard what was being said.

 

“Aggg, dammit. The camera flash does weird things with our eyes ... and look, it was a good picture” Erika showed the phone to her wife, who nodded sadly. 

Eyes dyed with the color of the night, that way so poetic and far-fetched Addams had decided to baptize such a curious phenomenon. Handshake scientists were quite perpetuated by such biological changes (or at least pretend to be, not in vain was the same family that was going through an almost miraculous streak of growth that was also growing organs, muscles and bones without major internal implications beyond muscle aches), which had not only caused an alteration of the eyeball of each family member externally but also internally. Greater ease to see long and short distances, less vision loss in dark environments, greater resistance to intense light flashes ...

Eyes worthy of study if it wasn't because Alanna and Erika had completely opposed any type of surgical intervention not necessary.

 

"I don't think you're going to get a lot of better photos, moms ..." Nellie groaned, fighting to keep the baby from letting go, the force and the jerkiness of the pulls, turning something simple into a real challenge.

 

Erika and Alanna nodded thoughtfully, looking around for something that would help take the picture more easily. "Fraje, honey-" Alanna called to the solution to keep Anne's attention fixed, if not on them, behind them. "Can you turn down the intensity of the entrance lights and put you with the car keys behind us? If you shake them maybe Anne happens to want to catch them"

The teenager did not answer not because of rudeness or an entry too early to the phase of rebellion, but because he was too absorbed looking at his reflection in the mirror. "Fraje ... Fraje ... FRAJE!" The three women screamed at the same time, making the teenager startle so much that in a step back, Fraje laid down his own cloak, falling to the ground wrapped in it.

 

"No! You monsters!” The teenager shouted, jumping up, tearfully checking the integrity of his cloak. “My first adult costume! Ruined! There is a stain of footprint on my coat! THE WORST HALLOWEEN OF HISTORY!” Screams of pain without any foundation, screams that would undoubtedly make anyone who listened to them think badly.

“Finally… my first adult Halloween costume specially modified for me… my first celebration after fulfilling my most coveted ambition that is to be taller than pappa… ruined! WHERE TO FIND ANOTHER COSTUME FROM MY SIZE NOW!?”

 

"You are one meter sixty-six, Fraje ..." Erika remembered the teenager.

 

“BUT MY BODY ISNT STILL ADULT! I CAN'T GET AN ADULT COSTUME BECAUSE MY BODY STILL DOESN'T HAVE THE CURVES NEEDED...! And I need those curves! Just imagine how cool and sexy I will be when in addition to my enormous superhuman size I have the curvature with which my puberty will reward me! This hairless and childish face becoming a masculine, adult face with a well-groomed and well-shaped beard ...... What was I saying?” His whole family (even Anne, according to Fraje) shrugged in unison.

As Fraje had mentioned, even though it was only five in the afternoon, most of the non-essential stores were already closing the doors. Halloween night had been proposed by the city council as the first major event of the new Brightside, designating an absolutely abysmal amount of resources. Concerts, plays, movie marathons, ornaments and special markets in the three main parks of the city ... and even a special schedule with a premature night from 5 in the afternoon in order to generate the ideal Halloween atmosphere. A Halloween so definitive that a single day isnt enough, as Thomas had promoted it by opening the entrance of the dome to everyone freely during the three days of the event.

 

"Let me see it, my sweety idiot..." Nellie sighed and couldn't help smiling while Fraje desperately rubbed his cloak. "This takes off in a moment, go out and right now I'm going-"

“Can you really clean up, mamma? Really?” Fraje clung to his mother's costume pants, wiping his tears with such extreme care that it seemed that his own face was going to break with touch.

 

"Honey ... of course I can! I've been with my sister all my adult life, like it or not one ends up learning one or two cleaning tricks of Miss 'The dishes must be washed cold if they are nt going to go through the dishwasher'!" Alanna looked back winking at her beloved wife, who returned a mockery. Alanna again couldn't help rubbing her son's head, urging him to get up. “Let's not waste more time here, go walking to the park and I will reach you! I'm going to take the opportunity to put on my special costume… one needs to be well camouflaged so as not to be recognized in public!” Alanna's half-sided smile didn't help to convince her family, but watching her run to the stairs elevator helped Erika decide to give the order to leave.

 

...

And so, the remaining four members of the Barlow Holm family left home armed with their costumes and Anne's stroller filled with three pumpkin baskets's: Fraje, the vampire without coat; Anne, the damned stuffed fox; Nellie, the undead servant; and Erika, the guardian golem of the castle's doors. A group that followed a complicated plot of terror that didnt care who they try to explained it, nobody could understand.

"Halloween, Halloween!" Fraje was singing leading the group with Anne holding hands, the little girl pulling even more excited to approach each orange spotlight they crossed. “Our first American Halloween, Nellie! For you it is the first true Halloween but hey… you don't know this party at its best if you don't live it in the country where it reached its zenith!”

 

"Look at him, so excited ..." Erika laughed, pushing Anne's stroller with Nellie beside her, focused on taking lots of pictures of everything and everyone (as her friends at the orphanage had asked). "Last year he couldn't go out because he was with the flu, but now I see that he really has taken it seriously!"

 

"I remember perfectly ... he spent the night calling me crying" Nellie tried to laugh with her own anecdote, but the memories of crying between snot and sore throat on the phone were too unpleasant to find the slightest sense of humor. The group advanced slowly (by the steps contained in Anne mainly, since if by the baby it had already passed to the park from afar) first greeting the neighbors, and then even strangers who approached as if the family were a light insect catcher.

Of course this was logical, seeing Erika in the crowd was simple with the Amazon having reached two meters and fifty centimeters in height. So much was the crowd that formed around Erika that it didnt matter that most only reached her navel, the group grew and grew by the many who wanted to thank the Amazon for the work that her wife was doing.

Erika herself didnt give enough to so many conversations, her words beginning to be automatic while the overwhelm did not stop growing, her head began to spin unconsciously due to the rising dizziness.

 

And with Erika distracted ahead of time and Alanna still at home as planned, the family schemer Fraje had a free way to start her final Halloween plan. In the second that Erika turned around to attend to another person, Fraje took Anne in her arms (Something extremely difficult considering the size of the baby and the null physical strength of the teenager) and ran out into the park, confident of that Nellie would follow him scared for Anne.

“Fraje! Come back!” The teenage girl shouted storing her phone in her purse before running to Bright Hill Park. "Fraje, release Anne, please!"

 

The shouts out of place of his sister began to attract more looks than Fraje would like, that he stopped running so that Nellie could reach him (totally not because he couldn't carry Anne more ... no, of course not). "Nellie, please stop try messing up my vibe and stick to the plan!" Once the three were at a relative distance from Erika, safe in the crowd, Fraje again left Anne on the ground holding her hand to hold all the accumulated energy for 20 seconds of being taken.

 

“Your… plan? Your problem with the coat was a lie!”

 

"No, that was true ... but yeah! Bingo! And now the vampire's servant...” Offering his arm (Something that Fraje knew that Nellie wouldn't deny), Fraje began leading Anne to the coveted Plaza de la Calavera where the biggest event was taking place. "It's time to take advantage of our sister!" Nellie blinked confused as Fraje approached one of the booths around the square, where a man made up like a skeleton handed him a pumpkin basket.

Fraje wasted no time, placing the basket in Anne's hands. Directly the baby remembered what she had to do, raising the basket to her older sister. "Tri or thre!" Anne exclaimed waving her basket up and down.

 

"Have you ... taught Anne to say Trick or treat?!"

 

"Yep! My secret weapon, the biggest cute disguised baby or BCDB! Come on Anne!” Fraje began to guide the baby through all the stalls in the square. Every time the duo stood in front of a shopkeeper Anne raised her arms repeating her sentence, causing a silly smile in the adults who threw a good amount of candy in her basket. The process continued until the basket was full, at which time Fraje and Anne returned to the man who had handed them the basket, changing it for some golden fair tickets.

And this second process lasted until the duo had passed through the 70 booths in the square, constantly followed by Nellie who kept hallucinating. “And 300 tickets! Good job, Anne!” Fraje knelt and placed his palm in front of the baby, a gesture that Anne quickly understood and collided her own palm with that of her beloved older brother. “Before you ask, all this is legal. Earl changes the sweets you don't like for raffle tickes”

 

"And why do you need so many? ..." Alanna asked while the trio began to walk to the center of the park where the booth was.

 

"Isn't it obvious?! Nellie, please ... our height leads to greater maturity, dear" Fraje asked, making himself offended as much as possible while handing the tickets to the shopkeeper without saying anything, the shopkeeper taking out a photo camera and gesturing to the teenager. Without letting Nellie say anything, Fraje pulled her until they were both kneeling beside Anne. The shopkeeper counted to three to take the picture, then directly into the back room. “Today I am going to consolidate my position in the family, getting in the process what I call a Ticket for a future I'm sorry”

 

"A ... what?" Nellie asked as the shopkeeper came out with two skull-shaped pendants, delivering them to Fraje. Without saying anything again, the teenager opened them showing his sister how the picture they had just taken was inside them.Nellie had no words to describe it, mainly because as nice as the gesture was, something was hiding behind him. While Fraje finished hanging both pendants from chains pulled from the tail of Nellie's disguise (Explaining this way because before the girl seemed so excited to grab the tail), Alanna already disguised as monstrous dracula and Erika came to the square, both furious and willing to punish Fraje on the spot.

 

In a masterful wrist movement, the teenager made both necklaces hang, thus stopping the fury of their mothers as if it were a lion tamer. "Happy Halloween to you both ... I hope you like my gift!"

 

Final score?

Punished 4 days without going outside or computers or consoles. Apparently disappearing with Anne on one of the few nights with free entry to Brightside wasnt the best of ideas, no matter how beautiful the detail. (Today it is still possible to find Fraje walking alone and wondering what could have gone wrong) 

 

 

---

 

 

2nd story: Expectations

 

(November 9, 2019, 6:50 p.m. Changing rooms of the Geremia Wing High School)

 

The time had come. The first game of the season.

Geremia Wing High School vs. Flying Squirrel Women's Academy.

The ninths of last year's table against the thirds of last year's table and previous year champions.

 

"Are you seeing that?" "We have a lot of fans!" "I thought only our parents would come!"

Some of the players laughed watching through the breathing windows of the locker room the huge crowd that was forming just outside the gym where the game was going to be played.As legally only adults could qualify for a validation of the exit of the dome, (all matches against Geremia Wing became like the locals), and now it was possible to enter the dome with special permits, all families of both Teams and student audiences from both institutes had come together.

And yet the families of the players and students of both highschool only reached 85% of the attendees, but only Nellie knew the reality of why.

 

------------------

(Hours before)

 

"Scouts?" Nellie asked confused, not knowing if she had heard her coach's words well. "Why are there ... scouts? It is my first game in the country as a starter!"

 

“That's right, Nellie. They are here because I've called them” Charlie nodded (not to Nellie, but a nod to no one in particular) while spinning a pen between her fingers. “You shouldn't surprise. At the beginning of the pre-season and the middle course you measured ... much less than now, I don't remember how much concretely. And now look at you! Five feet and ten inches at age 13 is barbaric ... and you're only going to keep growing. We cannot call it exactly natural growth by the nature of the NEPF, but almost”

 

The papers that were on the coach's table seemed to be letters, letters with logos of several teams that Nellie recognized instantly. 6 of the 8 cards were marked with green pen by Charlie herself. "I'm too young for scouts to come-"

 

“I don't believe that's true, honey. You are skilled for your age and have adapted to your new position even if you insist on not enjoying it so much; you are also flexible and agile and all that without losing your enormous size and weight! It will seem silly to you, but weighing so much compared to the other players being as agile as you are is valued very much in the fastest American basketball” Charlie's words went without any malice, and even then hearing the word weight a thorn stuck in Nellie's heart. "If you keep growing up to measure like your mother Erika ... and I know that it is not something clear because you aren't being related by blood ... if you keep growing even if it is up to a fraction of Erika's height you will become the golden girl of the Wnba by which all teams will want to pay for anything”

 

"But I can't get out of the dome ...-"

 

“My sweet big girl... That doesn't mean they can't sign and start training you! You really need to trust me, honey. I have lived all this, I have played in those fields and I know how they are handled up there ... if a high-class team would like to sign they will get you out of the dome even if it is only for the matches. What do you say, Nellie? Are we going to give 200% in today's game to impress them? You don't need to meet their expectations today. Most scouts who are coming today are known to me, they will keep you under surveillance for a season.”

The teenager looked down, nodding not very convinced.

"That's how I like it, Nellie! Pay attention to me, big girl, you're on your way to being the biggest star in women's basketball in this country!"

 

--------------

(Present)

 

Nellie kept thinking again and again about the scouts hidden in the crowd, devouring herself with terrible thoughts of possible future. So much that the teenager did not notice that her friend was hitting her shoulder until Sandra got tired of waiting and decided to hit her directly with a punch. "Nellie!"

 

“Auuuhhh! My arm!” Nellie complained, releasing the sneakers and rubbing her beaten arm.

 

"Dont try to blame me, if someone here is guilty is you for not paying attention to my 6 previous attemps" Sandra defended herself crossing her arms and sitting next to the teenager. "And now if you'll excuse me, you were trying to put my sneakers on your huge and sexy foot... Damn it, girl ... to be so big your feet are still super feminine and not like those of my great-aunt, who could be mistaken for those of a Canadian lumberjack" Nellie looked quickly like lightning to the ground, checking how Sandra was right. There, between her two feet, were a sneakers much smaller than she needed. "I know, I know ... I'm talking weird ... things about being nervous and that. Don't bother asking me for forgiveness, okay? An oversight can happen to anyone" Sandra hurried to cut off Nellie's feelings of apology, crouching down and taking the swabs herself.

"Are you okay? I understand that you have butterflies in your stomach because this is your first game as a starter, but it's still weird not to listen directly when they talk to you”

 

"I'm sorry ..." Nellie didn't know if she should tell the truth or not, rubbing the back of her neck looking in the direction of the coach's office. "I was thinking if my mother Alanna was going to arrive in time for the game or not ..." And although Nellie knew perfectly well that it was a lie, that Alanna had taken all day free expressly for her, the excuse sounded perfectly credible in her head.

 

"Ahhh ... Alanna ..." Sandra sighed like a schoolgirl in love, pretending to fan herself with one of the sneakers. "You know? When I grow up I want to be like her. So pretty, so sexy ... so powerful and so brave ... you're lucky to have such an amazing mother, a mother willing to worry so much about all Brightside! It has been for her that my parents have been able to maintain the store even though the owner has left the city!” Nellie nodded red in shame, enjoying the compliments to her mother indirectly.

The first siren of the institute rang giving the signal to both the parents to start filling the stands of the gym and the players to go out to their respective benches.

 

Nellie's nerves extended to all the players when the coach left her office, carrying her notebook. "Well ladies, it's time for the show!" Charlie smiled as his players lined up filling the gym. “As you know, in the teen league teams have no limits. Even so, I want to treat you as adults, so as usual we will designate the headlines and reservs of the party as always in order of positions, something that I hope you have well memorized!” The players stood firm waiting for the coach to begin listing, even though they all knew the game plan to spare. "Sienna Hart, Gracie Moreno, Jess Ellis, Sally Island and Nellie Barlow Holm as headlines-"

And although Charlie kept naming players, Nellie had stopped listening as soon as she heard her name. Her teammates were the best team players on the team ... or in other words, Charlie's plan was for the four of them to play just for her. Each ball, each play would end in some way or another in the hands of Nellie to finish off the play.

 

Something that terrified every second more and more the teenager. “And… 12! Remember girls, in the major league there can only be 12 players on the team, which means you will need to be very good to have a place in a team!-”

"Or be as big as Nellie so they have to let you in!" One of the players who had been left off the bench shouted causing a wave of laughter even in the coach.

 

"Come on, let's go girls!" Charlie saw the opportunity to teach his players a valuable lesson. “Not everything is size in basketball! The story of the Nba and Wnba is full of players of medium sizes imposing themselves on human towers!....-” Grabbing Nellie by the arm in a gesture that the teenager did not expect, Charlie made her get up and look at the team. “Of course, that won't happen today! If you all play as you know, our personal titan will finish everything!”

The players dont need more motivation to take the field, taking all their positions. Nellie was the last to arrive just at the end of the greetings between the two teams. After apologizing and checking how the highest player of the other team only reached her shoulders, Nellie prepared herself by placing herself in the center of the field for the initial whistle.

 

The game could be described in one word (as the institute newspaper later did):

Easy.

 

Nellie had no rival in the whole game. If they went up to attack, any pass meant that the teenager could score without fear of trying to defend her (only three times the rivals tried to stop her with a foul ... all three times Nellie accidentally knocked them down). If they went down to defend the play it only reached the moment when Nellie took the position, hunting any ball didnt matter if they were high, low or lateral.

For the final whistle, Nellie didn't even want to play anymore ... neither the position nor the facility managed to keep the teenager's attention. The victory was sweet for the whole team except for her.

 

 

---

 

3rd story: A little Concerns

 

(November 28, 2019, 8:30 p.m.)

 

For the Barlow family, Thanksgiving was always celebrated with a dinner instead of a special meal. The tradition came from many years ago, from the days where Velio and her wife were parents of three children of 5, 4 and 1 years and with Velio traveling from here to get home soon it was almost impossible. The rules of the tradition were simple:

Full dinner (Appetizers, 1st dish, 2nd dish with turkey and dessert), prohibited from getting up from the table from the previous 15 minutes to 30 minutes after serving dessert and no phones or distractions.

With these simple rules, the Barlow family had maintained a strong bond between them no matter what happened. And for all this it was so important for Alanna to keep up the tradition, even more so being the host of dinner for the second time. (Another of Velio's traditions said that the family with new members or new house must be the hostess of that year)

 

"Amamma, watttttar ..." Anne complained holding on to her mother's pants, using her growing vocabulary to attract attention as well as the baby had learned. (Although the mess of words and pronunciations between Swedish and English was causing authentic chimeric words)

 

"It's right there on your little table!" Alanna pointed with one hand while stirring the mash with the other, trying to get Anne to look in the right direction. The vice president was originally very convinced that she could manage her daughter and the thanksgiving menu at the same time, giving Erika, Fraje and Nellie time to fight with Declan and Ravel and bring them back to the dome from their modeling convention in Sacramento.

After an enormous joint effort to combine table and marbles in one to be able to handle kitchen and table at the same time, Alanna had fenced everything and each one of the edges to be able to protect her curious little daughter from an inevitable fall of 4 meters. Between the fences and a table for young children with each toy that Alanna had found to arouse the least interest in Anne, Alanna managed to concentrate fully on her recipes. “Ammama! Watttttar!”

 

Or it would be because Anne seemed determined not to recognize her water bottle for children, asking her mother instead incessantly. Not even the relaxing music that the mother had put on spotify was working to keep her nerves at bay. "Anne, my love, my sunshine ..." Alanna began to accelerate her speech, taking Anne, carrying her manually to her little table and even putting the water bottle in her hands. "You already have water, what do you say?"

 

"Tans!" Anne smiled, beginning to drink out of control, water drips dripping down her shirt. Listening to her daughter remember to say thank you served to calm the mother for a few seconds, until the beep of one of the pots returned her to her world of tension. The cranberry sauce was ready, freeing Alanna from one more responsibility. Since she accepted the position of vice president and began working harder than in her entire life, Alanna had not had many occasions to make food for her family. The obsession of organizing everything from Erika had been much more effective than she ever expected, the house always perfect when she returned or left her office.

In a way, she longed for something as simple as cleaning the dust with her wife… but the responsibility on her shoulders served to remind him of how important his work was. “Mammamma! Hungy!” Anne pulled her mother's pants again, this time she was pointing at the ears of corn on the main table. "Ann ... Ann ... Anne hungy!"

 

"I'm surprised you learned to say Hungry before your own name ..." Alanna smiled making sure nothing started to burn, kneeling beside her daughter and gently pinching her nose. “Cobs, huh? You shouldn't have problems eating them watching how you eat the grapes and the meats… even so, let Mamma prepare it for you, okay?” Anne nodded obediently, running to sit at her table while Alanna looked for the smallest cob of all (not wanting Anne to swell to eat before the big dinner) and beginning to shed it on one of Anne's plates. After making sure that only tender grains were left, Alanna left Anne's plate next to her spoon on the children's table, making sure the baby grabs the spoon to eat instead of using her hands.

“...Do you know, Anne? I'm going to take advantage of the fact that you're still my baby to confess one thing…” Crossing her arms on the table while her little girl devoured the corn kernels, Alanna snorted as she saw more and more food stuck around Anne's lip than in her mouth or plate. “I want to have a fourth child… but I don't want to overload your mamma Erika with more things and I can't miss this opportunity to build a better city for you and the other neohumans… what would you want, treasure? A little sister or a little brother or be you the little one of your brothers?”

Anne inclined her head in confusion, licking her face while looking for more corn kernels. "If we have more children for sure they will be as big as we are ... and we have enough giant rooms to give you enough little brothers or sister... at least 4 more without sharing rooms! Meredith says that her father has give her another MM, so we could have children whenever we want as long as we give her all the credit... even so, don't you think that 4 little brothers or little sisters are too many?”

 

"Amamma!" Anne exclaimed happily, a flash going through her eyes.

 

“You have been saying mamma and its variants for almost 6 months… but I don't want to lie to you, my Sunshine. I'm not sure when you use mamma as a wild card or use it to call us!” Alanna laughed, spitting in her thumb and cleaning her daughter's face. (Realizing in the act of the unconscious action he has just done and hating himself for ending up doing it as his own mother)

"It's a bit silly ..." Alanna stifled a sigh not to worry her little girl, convinced that Anne was mature enough to fully empathize. "But even being silly I can't help wondering if I'm putting too much work on your mamma Erika's shoulders"

 

"Ammama tong ... toonnng!" Anne humming raising her arms imitating her mother pointing at her biceps.

"...That's true!" Unable to contain the laughter, Alanna took her daughter's face to rub their noses together. "Mamma Erika is strong ... so I'm going to have to work hard to get her pregnant! Oh god ... that has sounded awfully bad ... can you forget this?" Anne tilted her head in confusion, approaching again to rub her nose with her mother. "As I like that you are still too small to understand things like this!"

The phone's chronometer began to beep, indicating that it was time to take out the turkey and that his family began to arrive. And just at the moment when Alanna had placed the turkey on the counter, the main bell began to ring. “Here they are, Anne! Time to fight, my sunshine! Let's make this a memorable thanksgiving!”

 

---

4th Story: And they looked at us

 

(December 23, 2019)

 

And with Christmas just around the corner, the Barlow Holm family was preparing for a quiet Christmas dinner all five. The year had been tough, and both Alanna, Fraje, Nellie and Erika herself deserved a quiet Christmas. Hell, even Anne deserved some peace of mind before her first birthday! The little girl (Little ... measuring 4 feet 7 inches (1 meter and 39 centimeters) before the end of the year ... she wasnt small) Anne spent the days playing at home with her older sister, something that helped Nellie much more than the teenager wanted to admit after her disenchantment with the basketball team.

Coach Charlie imposes a style of play more and more focused on Nellie, something the teenager was beginning to hate as she expressed to her mothers. (The fact of having reached six feet tall (1 meter and 82 centimeters) beating many other trainers didnt help to present a challenge that felt fun and not almost a robbery)

 

Fraje, on the other hand, was spending more and more overtime in the biology club while Nellie trained with her team, and according to what the teenager told her mothers, they were hours until studying and participating instead of showing off his height of five feet and nine inches (1 meter and 75 centimeters). Causing some other messes with his friends around the neighborhood like any normal teenager and being pissed off about not having started his puberty yet, Fraje was certainly further down the list of marriage concerns. (Except for the puberty part, that Erika was relatively worried)

 

Her family deserved a perfect Christmas, and that is why Erika threw herself into the crowded streets of Brightside to pick up the latest preparations for the big day, which included picking up her wife starting her winter break. Moving fast through Brightside after the huge number of people who had requested and received residence in the city was somewhat difficult, much more for someone of Erika's size. Standing at 8 feet 6 inches (2 meters and 58 centimeters) Erika was officially recognized as the tallest woman in history and the fourth tallest person in general, something that the televisions had not taken to echo after the leaders of the Guinnes records got the information from Handshake. 

The Guinness record was debating whether to include her or not, and after a long talk with private scientists and with Handshake it was decided to count the modification of the NEPF as a natural mutation as it is a 100% organic part of the Amazon. (Although Erika herself was against being given the prize, the Swedish honor making her not feel at ease)

 

Being the tallest woman in the world had not changed the amount of people turning when they saw her passing or moving away, the majority of adult men and women not wanting to hit Erika's stomach directly. A couple of autographs over there, a couple of pictures over here, nothing beyond what Erika herself was used to seeing her wife do.

In a way, with both become celebrities, marriage was expected many more complications in their daily lives than they ended up arriving. For alleged complications they appeared everywhere, only that they were related to the enormous height of the couple. (Since Alanna had not been left behind with respect to her family, rising at an incredible 7 feet 1 inch tall (2 meter and 15 centimeters))

A marriage large as towers and strong as trucks, the exact words with which they had been described in the Sacramento Bee.

 

After walking half Brightside on foot (something easy when each of your steps cover a full meter away), Erika ended up arriving at the town hall where the crowd was piling up.

Luckily for the Amazon, her calculations of spending time shopping had worked and the mayor had already stepped off the stage, leaving Alanna in front of the crowd behind her huge custom lectern, so large that the mayor's looked like a toy by her side.

 

"Good morning everyone and thanks for coming" Alanna greeted with a well-trained smile from ear to ear, proud of what she was going to announce to her community.

Standing out and feeling like the only adult in a children's concert, Erika tried to hide in a bad way behind a relic phone booth from another era, trying not to distract her wife. “I am very happy that you have all been able to make a place in your agendas for such an important day as today despite being so close to Christmas, and I am even more happy to see that everyone has come with a jacket respecting our particular winter!"

The jocular comment was well accepted among the crowd, formed by all the neo-human families, international press and curious who had wanted to approach as a rest from their pre-Christmas shopping. Thousands of people gathered, thousands of people who watched attentively all the movements of the greatest vice president of history as people liked to call her. “Today, December 23, we celebrate our first victory as a species! The first step to breaking the stupid barrier that some want to form between us and them! We don't need more barriers, we already live under a dome!”

The crowd shouted supporting the vice president, clapping and cheering. “Today we welcome our first brand of clothing for neohumans! A brand designed to cover all the special textile needs of our children, however strange they may seem! Tails? Wings? Claws? We have worked hard with Handshake so that not a single child runs out of clothes designed for them!” With a nod, the head of the projector gave rise to the following image, a huge corporate logo with the word "Shapes" while the trucks next to the stage opened the doors of their trailers full of boxes of all kinds of sizes.

“Seeing that so many of you were voting Shapes as a name, I decided not to waste time and take it to the board of directors. As everyone liked it, today I have the pleasure of welcoming our specialized suppliers, Shapes! I wish I could promise you that this will always be free like today, but the suppliers would kill me for it. Even so, I want you to always keep in mind that from Bright Side and Handshake Industries we will always cover 80% of the cost of all our necessary clothes and accessories! We will always be on the side of neohumanity, both of the little ones and of you, parents! Because neohumanity we are all! Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles and aunts… each and every one of us is part of this! Now a representative of Shapes will go on stage and will start calling you by the name of your sons and daughters, please approach the trucks in order and push to receive your Christmas gift from us! Merry Christmas to all!"

 

The public burst into shouts of happiness and applause while Alanna got off saluting the stage from the back, entering the town hall back. Erika decided to seize the opportunity to sneak (With her size? Sneaking was too generous) towards the entrance to the underground parking lot of the town hall, stopping to laugh when she saw that the maximum ceiling height was 8 feet two inches. Bending slightly as it was more than a customary shadow, Erika began to navigate between the different music groups that were going to play after the gifts were delivered.

Sitting on one of the chairs brought directly from home, Alanna fanned herself with half-wrinkled folios. "Luckily the cameras were far away ..." Erika joked surprising her wife from behind, thanks mainly to the noise of the different sound tests had covered her footsteps.

 

"You cant imagine how bad it is with so many lights illuminating and having to wear so many clothes because of the cold ... the combination of cold and heat is terrible for the skin" Alanna faked a sigh as she stood up, placed the shopping bags on the floor and hung on her wife's neck.

 

"I see that your skin is as perfect as ever ..." Erika whispered taking her with one hand and taking one of her wife's hands, slowly stroking her fingers.

 

"Silly ... don't fool around here, there are people present" Alanna discreetly pointed to the musicians who had stopped all sound tests to see the marriage scene. Tipping her head as much as the ceiling allowed, Erika shrugged, planting one of the most intense kisses that Alanna (and the musicians and technicians of sounds and lights present) will remember all her life. "At our size and with our family and popularity, my love ... the strange thing would be that there were no people present!"

 

"What the hell-..." Alanna had to stop breathing, unable to keep talking because of all the sudden heat inside her. "Is this?..."

 

“It comes to me that sometimes I like to play the role of your huge heroine in a bright tracksuit that comes to pick you up after your speech to the kingdom! Do you have anything else to do here?” Alanna denied more and more red as her wife carried her like a princess, leaving the two shopping bags delicately in her lap. "Dont let go, they're gifts for your mother and Fraje"

Dedicating her best smile to everyone present, Erika nodded giving them permission to start taking pictures with their phones already drawn while the marriage left the garage.

 

"And where ... is the car?" Alanna whispered grabbing with one hand the top of her wife's abs.

 

"I've come walking!"

 

"... just kidding?" Alanna finally asked in understanding her wife's plan.

 

"Merry Christmas, my love ..." Erika whispered, stopping for a second to lift and kiss her beloved wife again.Resigned, Alanna decided to enjoy the kiss and the walk. "Merry Christmas, my huge heroine... smile as long as you can, I think of putting on a hype that won't let you walk ..."

 

"I'm waiting for you, whatever that is!" Erika humming happily as everyone turned around as they watched them go by, the 8-foot, 6-inch Amazon carrying her 7-foot-2-inch wife as if it wasn't the big deal. The glances will follow them wherever they were, but their love will help them to lose themselves in their small personal world where size was directly influenced by their love.

 

 

---

 

4 stories, 4 moments that a priori did not seem important but that would mark the coming of his family for years to come. Of course, these stories only tell 4 of its members ... the last member of the family is still missing (the last member for now) to tell their own story.

 

And that story that came with the night will progress along with the false dawn of a new year. After all, ours is a story to be told in the dark, far from the sun.

 

The story of the one who will reign over land, sky and sea.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

"Ahhhh ... Ahhhh ..."

Her own breathing was all she could afford to hear, the icy air entering her lungs heavily with each inspiration. The wind ran against her, dragging the drops of water that continued to fall and turning them into small needles that crashed constantly against her entire body. The words of her mother and sister echoed in her head, the comments for her choice of costumes reminding her that she owed they an apology.

 

The stopwatch of the big results screen kept going down slowly, the five minutes ending for both opponents, forcing them to decide their last moves. "Are you really trying? You need much more for someone as big as me!" She screamed, swelling her lungs with the icy air, using the cold to calm her nerves.

 

"GRRRR!" The frustration of seeing his cyclone have no effect was accumulating like a bad cold (something that surely both would catch after the training match). Clenching his teeth and putting his baseball cap backward, he stopped the rotation of his bat, hitting it against the ground. The seconds continued to end, forcing him to take the lead and jump towards his opponent by shaking his bat in an attempt to recover the projectiles scattered across the terrain of his eternal rival. “End of the road for you! It's time for this ridiculous show to end! Today you will learn not to belittle me!” His screams were wild, accompanied by wild-like grunts as he tried to push her back enough to see an opening.

 

Blood flowed through their bodies at full speed, burning them inside. The adrenaline was not going to let them stop until the horn will sound ... and frankly, both were delighted by it. A false step back, a step that landed on one of the baseballs. Taking advantage of the unique opportunity, he threw two quick blows upwards with his bat forcing her to withdraw, throwing the ball directly towards his feet. “You who have taught me that screaming your attacks give you the air of epicity to change the tables… it's time for you to fall at once! Your throne cannot last forever!”

 

"Hohohoho! So you want my throne ?! Well come for him with everything you have! You run out of time!" The provocation worked as she had planned, forcing him to attack her with a kick ... or so it was she expected, seeing that the leg was heading towards the ground.

 

With a quick touch of his foot he threw the ball directly to his free hand, catching it in the air and preparing to bat. “Take that! My ultimate technique! Redirection: Flourish!” He shouted with all his might, hitting the ball with an inhuman force, one that prevented him from legally competing in the school baseball league.

 

But the ball didnt move away from the baseball, staying fixed and continuously spinning in the air thanks to his ability. The strength of the batting was kept pressing the ball with such force that it was beginning to deform and flatten. His hands ached like never before, the muscles of his arms and spine begging him to shoot once and for all. Of course, listening to his body wasnt an option, not for someone who wanted to break his own limits and earn the position of leader he deserved.

Sparks began to leave the point where bat and ball were contacting, the white color of the ball beginning to dye a black calcined while the smell of burnt leather replaced the smell of fresh rain. Finally, the ball broke as he wanted. “Taaaaaaake this!” The ball was fragmented into 8 pieces equal in size, similar to the segments of a tangerine. Finally releasing their power, the fragments flew towards their adversary at a speed of 340 m / s, a speed similar to the bullets of a revolver but with enough power to pierce of a antimaterial rifle. The distance between them was less than 5 meters, so the fragments would take less than a fraction of a second to reach their target:

The power, speed, dispersion and closeness of the attack covered all possible angles; the battlefield was wet and the wind made treading or dodging unreliable; the bat and the inside of the ball reinforced with BrightSteel to achieve maximum power and security that the attack was going to work as he had theorized.

All the pieces to win were present on the table, his statement of intentions clear and absolute. It was impossible to fail or dodge such an attack.

 

But, as you they both knew ... the impossible is only impossible until someone makes it possible.

 

“I am not tied to any throne! And if I was, you would need much more than this!” It was all she needed to think when she saw the first sparks jumping from the bat, a safety field spreading around her in a few millionths of a second.

The projectiles hit the force field, stopping as if they were mere balls of paper hitting a wall. Stretching her right hand forward, the field began to twist and deform until it took a conical shape around her arm, spinning the ball fragments on himself as a deadly drill prepared for the counterattack.

 

"What the hell... are you telling me ... I made sure I was as close as possible so that you didn't have time to form a spiral barrier..." He fell to the ground on his knees desolate, releasing the baseball bat in the process while the horn marked the end of the match and his opponent unmade her rotary defense fade with a slight enchanted breeze. "It's not fair! How am I supposed to attack you, shitty goddess?! You're a monster, Ann -...”

 

 

---

 

 

"..Anne!"

"Anne!, good morning my sunshine" Erika and Alanna whispered at once, pulling her out of her dreams.

Anne slowly opened her eyes, the baby wrinkling her forehead at the amount of light coming through the bedroom door. Their mothers lay down each occupying a side of the double bed where Anne had spent the night with them, the result of crying disconsolate because of the unexpected fireworks. "Look at her ..." Alanna whispered sweetly stroking her daughter's belly with a finger. “A year ago you were leaving me, you know? Although really by this time you had been out for a long time ... I still don't know how it was possible, no matter how much I watch the video ... "

 

"A whole year ... 365 days and it seems to me that we have been with you for a lifetime ..." Erika continued whispering this time stroking the baby's cheek, forcing her to shake and almost completely awake. "I can't believe you're finally celebrating your birthday, my sunshine ..." Both mothers continued with their caresses until the baby couldn't stand it anymore, yawning and opening her eyes.

 

(11:00 am on January 1, 2020. Alanna, Erika and Anne's bedroom)

 

"Afffffu ..." The baby snorted as she sat on the spot, looking at her mothers and rubbing her lazy eyes. "Ammammas... Anne seep ... seep ..." Anne yawned swaying to fall on her mother Erika's breasts, where the toddler found comfort to try to sleep again. The two mothers couldn't help sharing a chuckle as Erika grabbed her daughter by the waist and sat down again, receiving two grunts from the birthday girl in return.

 

"I know you want to sleep, my sunshine ..." Alanna shortened the distance between her and her wife, getting close enough to share her daughter's grip. “But it's your birthday and the first day of the year! The whole family has come to celebrate with you and this afternoon your friends will come, it's not time to sleep!”

"Seeep ..."

What they shared this time was a look of slight frustration mixed with happiness, deciding without saying anything to get up carrying Anne to the bathroom while the baby growled frustrated, beginning grooming preparations for the big day.

 

 

---

 

(Meanwhile)

 

Alexander crossed his arms when mothers and daughter entered the bathroom, walking slowly through the ventilation duct thinking about what to do next. His honor prevented him from spying on a family at a time as intimate as in the bathroom, but the doctor's orders were absolute ... Anne had to be watched for the entire duration of the anniversary of her birth.

The spy mini-camera that Gyeseung had ordered to be built to help him with surveillance hung from his neck swaying through the hot air that began to rise from the vent, accompanied by the toddler's first laughs as she began to play with the water of the bathtub. "What kind of ... human would I be if I started to be a damn voyeur? It may be physically impossible, but I feel and believe in my ability to be a decent human!" Alexander whispered to himself, taking off the camera and throwing it into the ventilation duct. “Spying already seems reprehensible… but this? I don't think I deserve to have this in my memory!”

The frustration was almost as painful as knowing that he was disobeying the orders of his master and creator ... and of course, the vibration of his watch-communicator only made things worse when he saw who was calling him. "It's not the best moment, Bartolomeo-"

 

“Come on, Stuart! Don't say that!” The thunderous gorilla's voice, capable of irritating even the calmest of Gyeseung's assistants, resonated strongly as a result of the boredom that the professor was subjecting him to. “How is the mission going? Are you tired yet? I know the cycles of small animals are much more… how should I say it?”

 

"I catch Bartolomeo ... you're a gorilla and I'm a simple mouse, jokes about my size, very funny. You know? At least I'm glad to see that you continue to spread your vocabulary and popular culture. Calling me Stuart has been partially fun"

 

The gorilla growled at Alexander's refusal to play, the mouse could hear Bartolomeo's office chair spinning at full speed. “It's just jokes to break the ice, you know? It would cost you nothing to pretend and go into my game for a while ... Even so, the question was completely serious, I was worried about you”

 

“And I thank you for being worried, Bartolomeo, but you don't need to worry. I am perfectly capable of staying awake for as many hours as the Professor needs” Alexander explained as guilt devoured him inside, peeking lightly into the bathroom to make sure the family was following correctly. "In addition, for now it has been a fairly quiet surveillance, almost 12 hours have passed and there is no sign of the storm"

 

“Good news, no doubt. That confirms the Professor's suspicions that the NEP overclock cycle in humans is 5 and not 1 year. Are you staying the rest of the day?”

 

"What kind of question is that?! Of course I'm gonna stay here! My task is to monitor during all 24 hours of the anniversary of Anne's birth! What kind of irresponsible would think of abandoning the…-” Alexander didnt continue talking, stopping to listen to Bartolomeo's sad sigh. "You are getting bored waiting, right?" Bartolomeo didn't answer, Alexander assuming that the gorilla was nodding alone in the entrance room. "Have you tried to spend time on internet as I taught you?"

 

"Yes, I have been watching a few forums and commenting on a site called youtube where there are many videos ... but I don't see it as entertaining as chess against you or the Proffesor" Alexander smiled dumbly, enjoying not wanting to admit it. In the same way that Anne was the first human affected by the final version of the NEP, Alexander and Bartolomeo were the first animals to survive the first version of the mutation (or at least, the first to survive showing advances in their respective brains). Although neither of them were able to use even 5% of the abilities that the toddler possessed, the NEP had helped them break the limits of their own natures as animals and the limitations of their own brain, developing to the human level.

 

Curiosity and devotion to Professor Gyeseung filled their minds, all together with a sense of fraternity and affection between them. “I promise you that when I finish here and have a good nap we can resume our little competition, okay? Now hang up, please, I must focus on my vigilance” Bartolomeo didn't reply or resist a second, leaving the mouse alone in the darkness of the ventilation duct, only accompanied by the unstoppable laughter of Anne playing with her mothers.

It was curious, the mouse thought to himself. The nature of the NEP that Gyeseung had tested on them had made them the beings (apart from their own mothers) closest to Anne ... and yet, their lives were so different that it was almost impossible that one day the three would get to know each other.

 

 

---

 

But Alexander was not the only one who had plans for the day. On the other side of the spectrum and thanks to the "stolen" emails between Gyeseung and Addams, a man determined to change the course of the city and the world stopped his brand new vehicle at the entrance of the street, looking for a parking space.

 

---

 

 

The music was heard from the sidewalk in front of the gigantic house. Laughs, conversations and so on leaving the inner garden with such power that one wondered if the neighbors would agree... Of course, all the neighbors were also at the party and none intended to end it too soon.

The clock on the screen of his new convertible was six o'clock when Cascadio turned off the engine, starting to fix his hair to get completely flawless. At his side his young companion played with her new ring, designed to function as an external scanner in combination with her phone.

 

Of course, Cascadio knew well that she wasn't playing with the ring just to make sure it worked. "Don't be so nervous, Eli" Cascadio spoke without even turning to look at her, placing his hand on the girl's knee while with the other he was looking for one of his good combs in the glove compartment. "I've already talked to Erika and Alanna quite a lot about you, you're no stranger"

 

Elizabeth took a breath as deep as her lungs allowed, unconsciously making sure she carried her asthma device in her new designer purse, bought completely without warning by Cascadio. "Even so…"

 

"Even nothing, cute" Cascadio cut off his goddaughter's root, tightening her knee just enough to not wrinkle the new evening dress he had bought (after many negotiations until Elizabeth had to reluctantly accept it) days ago for the big moment. “You are beautiful and my goddaughter deserves and needs to leave our den from time to time! Girl, even for us to be living in a dome you are too white- And don't start with you're a science girl and not a social interactions girl! I will not let you escape this afternoon!”

 

"Yes, Cascadio ..." Elizabeth sighed opening the car door ... and slamming it shut when Cascadio pulled his arm back to the car. "If you're going to shake me like that ..." Elizabeth prepared to protest when Cascadio pulled out her phone, activating automatic dialing reminding her goddaughter of her other goals. "Carlos, Oliver, is my computer running?"

 

“Bzzzzzzzzzzz…- Yes, Elizabeth! Working- Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…- Perfectly!” Oliver shouted as loudly as he could, trying to overcome interference with the system. Silently while Cascadio and Oliver both argue raising their voices louder and louder, Elizabeth pulled out her own phone starting to load her own-crafted app. Professor Gyeseung was a fascinating man (not that Elizabeth knew him beyond the emails that Addams and him) and his technology even more, the machine that Carlos had stolen from Handshake's facilities and the times Cascadio had taken her as a companion on the recommendation of Addams (who was especially concerned that his brother was a good legal guardian) to visit the facilities were absolute proof that Gyeseung was a man ahead of his time, a kind of 21st century Da vinci who unfortunately isn't trying to share his genius with the world.

Elizabeth had also been called a genius by hundreds of social workers both before and within the reformatory, each proposing different methods to stimulate their intelligence or as they liked to call it "The spark of all genius". Of course Elizabeth knew well that behind each proposal there were much darker intentions, ready to take her away from her beloved hometown where the last ties with her family were still. Cascadio instead proposed to live with him, act as his caregiver and godfather until she was old enough to live by herself. 

And although Elizabeth was especially grateful to her godfather, what most filled the young woman's mind was a new desire, one born of seeing all the wonders Professor Gyeseung was achieving:

Overcome Professor Gyeseung.

 

The Awaker mini portable scanner was one of the first tests of this new mentality and new objective of Elizabeth, a miniature version of the scanners of the "Uli milaeui gyesi ja". Although not a quarter of the power of the original Uli Milaeui, the Awaker was able to react to the NEPF activations of small neohumans, an easy way to detect that neohuman children were more adept at using their abilities naturally and mark them to track them for the future Hunger Skull franchise.

Coming out slowly to keep track of her heels, Elizabeth locked her phone after making sure the Awaker was working. Even having parked at the beginning of the street, the Barlow family's house was so immense that it looked like the absolute crown of the neighborhood.Cascadio did not delay even a second, leaving the car as if it were a rock star.

“Let's have a good time and get what we need, honey! The future of our personal superhero franchise depends on how we play our cards today!” Cascadio's haunted smile covered his face, tapping the trunk to open it and take out the bag with Anne's gift. "Let's go there, Eli, I have a good feeling about today!" Offering his arm to his goddaughter, the two slowly headed toward the gigantic house.

 

 

---

 

A lot of noise, a lot of people for Anne's taste. The toddler was biting her lips while her mothers were carrying her for all the people they knew, even for people who only sounded to Anne remotely.

After too much time of people congratulating her on things that Anne didnt quite understand, her mothers finally returned her to the playground, where all her friends played with rubber balls (The idea of r03;r03;a playground filled with balloons was quickly dismissed after giving notice that 6 of Anne's friends had sufficiently sharp claws and/or fangs) distributed throughout the place.

“Rest a while with your friends, okay my sunshine? You've earned it!” Alanna kissed her daughter's forehead before turning around and leaving to continue attending the birthday party (now more converted into an elegant party, at least until the time of the cake). Anne sighed pulling her ass directly on the padded floor, quietly enjoying her ass finally being larger than the squares with letters that formed the padded floor. Everyone had spent the party telling her that she was becoming a real big girl, and if this was what they was referring to, Anne was more than happy to turn years.

 

“Anneeeeeeee!” Lisa shouted, throwing herself on her best friend's back, hooking herself with her claws covered (One of Shapes' most demanded accessories, super-discreet and comfortable silicone cover for the claws of your little neohuman) to her shirt. "Haaaa ... haaa ... -" "Agg, this is very hard! ... Happy birthday!" 

 

"Yeah ... I also have a hard time with the P ... but look what I can say!" Anne cleared her throat smiling, staring at her wolf. "Li ... sa. Lisa!”

 

“How cool! I can say my name too” Lisa shouted mentally, letting go of Anne and grabbing the hand of the the huge toddler twice as high, trying to drag her to the little house under the slide where everyone had gathered.

One of the strangest things that Addams had found in neohumans were the strange growth cycles (for the moment only in their first year), these being much earlier than in human children of the same age. An initial phase of a much shorter tit baby followed by a much longer learning and discovery stage. For things like these, parents were used to that even though they were still a large part of them, they were much more awake and exhibited behaviors such as playing with each other without wanting to be seen or interrupted.

And precisely for that reason no adult was surprised that the children will sit under the slide after having all the toys not anchored to the ground nearby.

 

Anne bent down to enter the interior of the house, where the group had grown strong covering the windows with cushions. "Hap ... py ..." Everyone tries to say at the same time, each one encountering different difficulties.

 

“It's okay, guys! I also find it difficult to say birthday with words” Anne smiled, sitting in the middle of the pile of cushions, where the birthday crown the toddler had previously thrown was placed as if it were her throne. 

 

"Happy birthday, Anne!"

"Happy birthday ... your mothers have your gift ..."

Gabrielle and Naseera were the first to get hooked on Anne, each holding on to a giant's (for their perspective, above all) arm. This was something that Anne didn't care about, it didn't matter if they got together in a park, at the Handshake facility or at one of their homes or gardens; She was always the center of the group as the other children had made sure to make it clear, each affirming it for different reasons.

For Gabrielle? Anne was big, warm, always smelled good and was kind to everyone, things that the little fox appreciated more than anything.

For Naseera? Anne was the one who played with her the most and defended her from other curious children with her hands too free in Handshake's facilities, always saying that she did not see the lamia differently for not having legs like other children had told her.

The giantess toddler was more than happy to help her friends, always letting them get on without complaint. Embracing little fox and lamia alike, Anne smiled happily as the rest of her friends approached.

“We need to meet more! With so many adults around we can't play or talk about our things”

 

“I totally agree!” Gideon mentally shouted, discreetly placing himself on Anne's right, holding on to the giant's arm after previously pushing Naseera back. “Now that you turn your birthday and I will turn them a month later we must start using our new age to better organize this team! You have all heard that neohumans should be an example of good behavior-” The cyclops changed position quickly, placing a raised leg on Anne's knee and right fist raised. "And we, the Gideon's men must be that example for our brothers!"

 

“Gideon’s… men?” The kids thought looking at each other, completely ignoring the rest of what Gideon had said. Without saying anything, the children began to gather around Anne while Gideon was slowly moved to the center of the playhouse, the cyclops meeting all eyes on him.

 

"Yes! My mom says I'm good at helping her choose names for her novel, so since she says I'm good at it, I must also be good at deciding our team name!” Raising a finger asking for time, Gideon cleared his throat before taking a deep breath. The toddler searched within himself for the words he had rehearsed so much.

“Gideon’s… men! The na...me oss those who will tate cae of our neohuman boters!” Gideons shouted with all his might, praying internally not to be wrong. After a few seconds of silence, the Cyclops opened his eyes to hear the applause of his friends. "That means-"

 

"No" Ariah instantly cut the applause. Having taken over the space between Anne's legs, her straight and serious posture was more than enough to freezing the cyclops on the site. "Yesterday says that Anne is the leader we need" And the statement was so concise that the other children simply nodded trusting the decision of the mysterious Yesterday. (And for not wanting Gideon to take control of decisions after the last time he had fought without reason with Lisa)

 

Blinking confused and furious, Gideon clenched his teeth as he trampled the ground. "It's not fair! It's my idea! I have named it so it means that it is my idea! If we live in a world where putting the name does not give you absolute control then we have failed as a species!” Looking around, the Cyclops found one of the rubber balls near his feet, picking her up looking at Anne with all the malice that an 11-month-old boy could have. Squeezing the ball in his hand, Gideon threw it with all his might towards Ariah ... only that by the time Selja and Reed stood in front to protect it the ball stopped in the air, changing the direction with the same force and hitting in the middle of the Anne's front, pulling her back on the cushions.

 

"What was that?! What kind of magic trick has that been ?! Our father doesn't know how to do such good tricks!" Bobr shouted while between him and Gabrielle helped Anne get up.

 

“Many of you already know that, don't you? Uncle Addams has told you about the NEsPer skills” Gideon smiled mischievously while picking up another ball, throwing it into the air and stopping in the middle of the fall to head for the other hand of the Cyclops. “This is what they have decided to call Vector Redirection, a skill that only I have! I can redirect the direction of any object not anchored to the ground that I have touched in a margin of 5 seconds, preserving things like projectile speed in the process!” The Cyclops proudly explained after hearing Addams explain it to his mother he would have ended up understanding and memorizing each word. And that same pride vanished when he saw the face of absolute confusion of each and every one of his friends. "Guys, please ... we already have an age ..."

 

"The one with an age is Anne and you have attacked her!" Selja shouted preparing to jump on the cyclops, stopped by her brother Bobr holding her by the tail. "That is not right! Hit people isn't right! Say sorry to Anne....-” Selja stopped screaming when she saw Anne get up and walk slowly to Gideon.

The giantess toddler and the Cyclops held their eyes for a few seconds before saying anything to each other, they both left the house after the slide. Looking at each other, the other children left behind them to the center of the playground where the couple was.

 

Not a word was needed, Anne and Gideon separated 10 squares of distance between them (Although neither of them was very clear yet how to count) before turning and holding their eyes again, Anne standing with her arms crossed while that Gideon left at his feet the 4 balls he had been able to drag on his way there. The children's scene didnt go unnoticed among adults because Anne Roland's grandfather was filling his glass of champagne while looking at the children.

Roland called her wife, who in turn called Alanna. Mouth to mouth, and after 25 seconds all the adults and teenagers of the party left the conversations they were having to turn towards the playground, with both Erika and Gideon's father, Finn, deciding to enter to try to calm the situation between both children.

At the exact moment when Erika and Finn set foot inside the playground, the battle broke out.

 

"Anneeeee!" Gideon shouted in his baby voice still too small, grabbing two balls to throw them into the air. Both children, adults and teenagers watched as the balls stopped in the air while the Cyclops crouched down to pick up a third ball, throwing directly towards Anne. "Receive this and give me the leadership!" The Cyclops mentally shouted as the first two balls shot towards the giant in a triple attack.

Anne didnt say or do anything, clenching her baby teeth while receiving the three balls in the chest. Although the first moment had completely misplaced all those present (Above all Gideon's parents, that all they had seen was his son redirecting a ball to score a goal to his father), Finn and Erika soon reacted throwing himself to stop his children ... only to fully meet little Ariah in the middle of his path. Not knowing when the little girl had settled there, the bodybuilder and the Amazon looked at each other deciding simply to dodge her. Or at least that was the plan.

A shiver went through both of their spines, a sensation as if something held them back preventing them from moving forward.

 

While her parents surrender to the smiling Ariah, Anne had decided to stop waiting for Gideon to continue throwing balls at her. The giantess toddler took a first step with all her strength, scaring the cyclops and making him drop all the collected balls. "Gi ... deo ... Gideo ... n" Anne said loudly, looking for the most comfortable way to say the word.

 

“Anne! Dum!” The Cyclops replied trying to pick up the balls and prepare a new attack.

 

"Gideo ... n ... Gide ... on" Anne kept repeating, ignoring the avalanche of balls that the Cyclops was throwing from every angle she could think of. Gideon's childish mind came to the conclusion that the same in the toons he saw with his father, Anne had to have some weak point, intending to look for it hitting all the different points that his ability allowed him to reach.

Of course none of those blows seemed to be effective on the giantess, which continued advancing by pushing back more and more to the cyclops. (The scene reaching bizarre points that no father knew what to do, only Addams, Cascadio and strangely Fraje enjoying it)

 

When the Cyclops finished picking up another of the stuffed animals that he was already being forced to use for lack of real ammunition (balls) and looked up, all he found was with Anne surpassing him at all possible levels: Height, size and anger. Frightened and desperate, Gideon ended up throwing the stuffed animal directly at the giantess toddler's, who stopped him without any problem. “Anne! Dum! Dum! Dum Dum Dum!” Gideon began to cry furiously, hitting Anne's stomach with his fists at the impassive gaze of his rival.

Anne kept her eyes on Gideon, waiting for the ideal moment when the Cyclops raised both hands to grab him and lift him in a hug, something that brought a sigh of group relief to the adults who found the scene endearing. 

 

What could have been an ideal scene of offering love to those who make war completely changed when Erika, Nellie and Fraje instantly recognized what Anne was doing.

While Erika regretted more than ever playing video games with Anne in front, Fraje climbed on the fence of the playground to shout with all her might. "Do it, Anne! Half-circle-Kick, Siberian express!"

 

While Alanna shouted furiously at her wife reprimanding without having any idea what was going on, Anne lifted Gideon to face him, the 73 centimeters (2 feet 5 inches) of the cyclops against the 145 centimeters (4 feet and 9 inches tall) of the giantesst. Anne smiled at Gideon's face of fury that kept stirring, preventing her from having time to remember how she do what the funny guy on the game her mother controlled did. Taking advantage of Anne's confusion,  Gideon saw the opportunity to kick her opponent's knees to get loose ... not realizing that instead they had caused Anne to lose her strength and balance momentarily.

The next few seconds passed in slow motion for everyone present, Anne and Gideon looking at each other while frame by frame both fell forward ... from Anne's perspective.

 

On January 1, 2020 Gideon learned two lessons: First, that Anne's weak point was very well hidden.

The second? That the giantess toddler weighed a lot.

 

Anne, at the last moments, had the instinct to throw her head forward above Gideon trying to stop the fall with her head instead of with the body of the cyclops. Of course this was no use but for her to hurt herself too.

The world circled around both children after the fall, separated and cradled by their parents of both. Frightened that Anne had her entire red forehead and Gideon her nose and face, Erika shouted to the heavens a phrase she never expected to say. "FOR GOD, IS THERE ANY DOCTOR IN THE ROOM ?!"Evidently before the Amazon could stop screaming, Addams was already kneeling between her and Finn, checking the integrity of both toddlers. To everyone's relief, Anne and Gideon had nothing but a slight bruise on the nose and back by the cyclops and on the front and chest (where Gideon had hit with his nose) by the giant.

All staying in just a scare moment, the party resumed after Alanna and Veerle make sure that her children were in perfect condition ignoring the diagnosis of the qualified doctor in the room.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

"Have you seen that?!"

 

A simple phrase that kept repeating itself among the guests of the party, some saying surprised, others saying them slightly scared. So far, except for Addams and Gideon's parents, no other adult had seen the NEsPer skills of what Handshake considered the upper ranks ... and of course what no one else knew at the party is that Gideon stood out even in those upper ranks. (After fully avolirndo the system of confusing and little intuitive of Addams, the board of Handshake decided by a simpler potential system based on the English deck of cards, advised by the newest member of the board Cascadio:

 Null - Lvl 2 - Lvl 3 - Lvl 4 - Lvl 5 - Lvl Queen - Lvl King - Lvl Ace

Some felt that considering young Gideon such a level above the rest of his fellow Neohumans was certainly risky and exaggerated. For those people, Addams was happy today to be able to put the facts where the sun does not shine)

Seeing in person what the maximum level of the NEPF could do was a unique unforeseen opportunity, one that would serve as an anecdote to tell and spread through the city and, hopefully, would help eliminate the cracks of those who still believed that the fire of the last October was the work of a neohuman baby.

 

Going back to the present, many of these conversations came to nothing more than a memory, so today we will be left with 3 conversations that ended the events of January 1, 2020, thus opening a year full of emotion, excitement and a lot of movement. 

 

 

---

 

"Have you seen that?!"

The first of these was Alexander the Laboratory mouse, who had forced himself to "steal" the password of the house's wifi to send the video in a hurry to his master and creator. “Look at that mastery, that domain! According to my notes, Gideon Pearson is only 10 months and 3 weeks old. They shouldn't… they shouldn't be able to use NEP skills so easily!”

 

"Certainly impressive, without a doubt ..." For years that the mouse did not listen to Professor Gyeseung so excited, specifically a year and a half since the professor managed to complete the final NEP formula. "It is so natural with his skill, that little miracle exercises its dominion over reality as easy as breathing!"

So far, all videos about NEsPer skills (name the Professor loved on the other hand) were all controlled and forced medical tests, which didnt take away the incredible results. This instead? It was too perfect, a neohuman using his skills for pleasure and with an agility and naturalness worthy of a baby foal galloping for the first time. “The NEPF is even more wonderful than we thought in the first instance! Imagine the possibilities of a child who, even if he has only a rough 0.75% of my Reality King's abilities, can train, master and expand that skill from his early childhood!”

 

The mouse understood his master's emotion perfectly ... although if someone bothered to ask him, Alexander wasn't sharing Gyeseung's joy so much. It was completely true that the mouse was a product of the NEP, and that is why Alexander considered himself more than adequate to warn of the risks of so much power in minds too young. (Not surprisingly, his brother and partner Bartolomeo had broken huge laboratory materials because the fact that his brain wasn't able to reason his beastly strength)

Alexander looked back into the garden from his hiding place in the windows of the second floor, studying the situation at the party from his position in the heights. Most of the attendees had returned to their previous conversations, only the two affected families who continued talking with Addams about the battle between the children remained on the subject. "Professor, why hasn't Anne used the Reality king to defend herself?"

 

“Very good question, my dear assistant! The NEsPer skills-”

"Have we finally adopted that name? Are we really going to use Handshake terminology? Are we so sad that we depend on them for names?" 

 

"Do you have a better one?" Gyeseung asked in his most irritating tone possible. Given the refusal to answer of the mouse, the Professor decided to continue. “As I was saying, the NEsPer abilities of the neohumans are chunks of the original code of the NEP mutation. For Anne, who has all that complete genetic information, it must be completely natural to know if she is going to take damage or not from her neohuman rivals.

In addition ... the Reality king is a skill born from the absolute control of personal perception and the ability to extend it to reality. It isnt as if something like that could be activated, deactivated or simply choose when to use it! Certainly, all that limits my greatest treasure right now is her own knowledge of the world around”

 

"I am not relieved that what you are telling me is that all that prevents Anne from being ... what you want her to be is that she is still a baby"

 

“You don't have to be! We live on borrowed time until this world faces the most powerful genocidal that has ever existed or will exist! You only need to focus on your task of watching for the rest of the day, it isnt much but I want to make sure that my calculations about the beginning of the storm are correct” Without letting his assistant answer, Gyeseung cut the call.

Alexander didn't find the strength to sigh, just pouring another drink of the beer can that the mouse had managed to take away from the kitchen. Was it wrong to drink at work? Of course.

Could Alexander face such terrible fates that awaited them without at least drinking a little? No way.

 

 

 

---

 

"Have you seen that?!"

 

Cascadio's levels of excitement were through the clouds, reaching levels so critical that Elizabeth had to take her godfather and discreetly take him to the bathroom before his lips could go and tell some of his terrible dark plans. “It has been amazing! He has taken the ball ... and ... and threw it ... and the ball has stopped in the air! No threads or light tricks! Stops in the air, held in space and time! ... Well, not time because the balls kept spinning ... but you understand me, Eli! It has been… FUCKING AMAZING! I knew that Gideon was powerful when he was instantly included in my Lvl Ace ... but I had no idea how much so far! Now I can't wait to see the ones on the other two superhuman levels!”

 

Elizabeth tried to hold his godfather as much as possible, trying to sit him on the edge of the bathroom next to the towels. "Please, Cascadio ... don't scream so much. The volume of the music is slightly loud, but I doubt it can cover us if you scream so much"

 

"Think about it, Eli!" Cascadio ignored her completely, too lost in her own thoughts. The only thing that was reassuring her was that her godfather's voice was getting drier and drier from screaming so much, so he had to lower the intensity so as not to hurt himself. "We have real super powers! Until now the most interesting were sparks or teleports at close range without being able to cross surfaces ... this is on another level! I wonder if it's about telekinesis or something else… Damn it, I should have paid more attention to the board meeting! Where better to learn from these things than in the largest Handshake brainstorming meeting?” Cascadio's breathing was every second faster, his cheeks reaching extremely reddish tones.

 

“I'm going to get you a glass of water, okay? You... stay here and try to calm yourself down, please… ” Cascadio didn't answer anything logical, muttering something about the future color of Gideon's super suit should match the color of his eye. Elizabeth ventured the party alone, something that was not at all in the plans she was doing last night as a psychological preparation. Although Cascadio was previously presenting her to everyone until he reached Addams (the only other person the girl knew before) and although Elizabeth was proud to have a great eidetic memory, extreme nervousness was playing against blocking much of the use of her brain.

 

Repeating the same whispered apologies to everyone with whom Elizabeth was stumbling (for looking at the ground), she used the small part of her head still quiet to draw a mental map of the house and a path that led her to the kitchen and back in the safest way. "Cascadio... why you do this to me..." Elizabeth muttered to herself not even striving to create cohesive phrases, trying to give herself strength to continue.

The kitchen was practically empty, something that reassured her greatly, the table with drinks was still full indicating that the party had not yet moved into the house.

 

Believing that she was safe and sound, Elizabeth hurried to find one of the water bottles among the multitude of drinks the hostesses had prepared ... all without hearing how the sliding garden door opened silently behind her. "Elizabeth, right? I finally find you alone!"

 

The sudden voice (soft but masculine) calling her made her startle completely, turning around with her heart in her throat. Fear completely dominated her, lowering her head and leaning back against the table abruptly, almost throwing several of the bottles of drinks to the floor. One of the bottles found no stability, falling into the abyss of the ground. 

Elizabeth hurried to try to catch before causing a stropt, finding that her nerves made her touch the neck of the bottle without grasping it at all. The disaster was imminent, Elizabeth preparing for the noise of the bottle of cava breaking by closing her eyes and partially covering her ears ... although the noise never came.

 

What came in its place was they were a few steps at full speed (strong and certainly heavy by the intensity of the sound they produced), a chuckle and a nervous but undoubtedly masculine giggle, coming from the same voice that had put her in that situation. “Miss Elizabeth! You almost causes a great disaster! It's not like I complain, never in front of a girl as pretty as you” The same voice as before sounded this time behind Elizabeth, a rather large and soft hand (no doubt suitable for the voice) grabbing her by the shoulder. "Luckily I was ... or has it been my fault that you were scared?"

Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly, regaining normal breathing. Turning to her savior, Elizabeth found herself face to face (or rather face to chest) with the only boy in the Barlow Holm family, the young man known as Fraje.

 

The huge teenager, almost a head and a quarter taller than her, fiddled with the bottle of champagne before realizing that Elizabeth was looking at him. “I'm sorry I scared you, I just wanted to greet you properly! Before when Uncle Casc introduced us, everything has been so sudden that I have not even been able to speak! And I swear I really wanted to talk to you! You caught my attention ... at the first sigh” Fraje was well dressed (almost more than his mothers) with his new custom-made suit to complement his body not yet completely adult in shape but in size. And even having a slightly sharp voice and lack of stylization, the exuberant charisma and the enormous size for his age made him stand out from the crowd.

 

"Just ... that? Speak? Attention?" Elizabeth asked almost biting her tongue, not wanting her message to be treated as rudeness or disrespect to the party's hosts.

 

The 13-year-old teenager 1,80 meters tall (5 feet 11 inches) laughed elegantly, covering half of his smile and perfect dentures with the back of his hand. (Thing Elizabeth had stopped to look without knowing very well why)

“If you're in a hurry, it would be just that! Of course I intend if you have time to have a pleasant conversation! I've been thinking about you since before Cascadio has mentioned that you are a kind of science genius!”

 

Thinking about you.

Three simple words that completely displaced Elizabeth to a level that only three other words had come to achieve. Her cheeks turned a lively and wild reddish tone tried to remember the exact words with which Cascadio had been presented and their own actions meanwhile in an attempt to find that he could have been ridiculed. (Since that was the only thing that had made her remember her so far)

The reddish tone of Elizabeth's face was not overlooked by the huge teenager, who (after mentally deciding that it was impossible for her to blame her) again grabbed the older girl by the shoulders, leading her to one of the chairs that between him and his sister had been placing for the guests. Serving her a glass of water without saying a word, Fraje brushed between his pockets until he found his handkerchief, using it to fan her.

 

"It is not necessary ..." Elizabeth whispered looking in the opposite direction from where the wind was coming.

 

“You have become very red and that can only mean one thing: Heat stroke. Fan, cold water and a place to sit, the three rules of proper heat stroke treatment!” Fraje explained proudly, smiling openly. "I guess now we can talk, right?" Elizabeth said nothing (or found no words), just nodding to joy (excessive in Elizabeth's most honest opinion) of the teenager. "All right! Then Miss Elizabeth, tell me a little more about yourself! The typical question in these cases is about your studies, isn't it? For example ... where did you study? Because I don't think Uncle Casc introduced you as a genius without having anything to back up the claim"

 

"Study? I spend the day studying and learning in our apartment. I haven't stopped… ” Elizabeth whispered again, cutting the sentence in half so as not to seem presumptuous. "If you ask more where I study when I was in your school position, the answer is in Geremia Wing until I was 9 years old, when they gave me my university scholarship-"

 

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Fraje asked suddenly, not worrying about looking rude or ignorant.

 

Elizabeth negotiated with a quick and efficient nod, one that left her again looking in another direction at the teenager's. “As you said, I am a kind of genius. I was studying at Caltech for a season until age 11, jumping from subject to subject until I stop”

 

"What? And then? Why do you stop?"

 

“My mother abandoned my father and fled the country, my father committed suicide and I was completely alone. I ran away from Pasadena and went back to here, where I was living in our old apartment for a few months, taking advantage of my father's life insurance and jumping from small work to arranging computers in small work until I was hired for a relatively murky business. I didn't have much money left and I didn't see myself going outside, so I accepted after meditating for a few days. They werent great jobs beyond counterfeiting and cyber espionage, but it served to pay my bills with my mother's abandoned bill.

In the end, when I was 13 years old, the police found the one who had hired me and offered him a sentence reduction deal in exchange for names and addresses of his partners ... and that's how they found me ”

 

...

Fraje nodded silently. "I swear, Elizabeth ... that's not the story i was waiting for" Fraje stifled a laugh out of respect for his hard life.

 

“You asked me and I didn't want to save you any details. I know you're talking to me because you're in the biology club-” Fraje tried to say something, but Elizabeth (in a safety boot she didn't even expect) stretched out her hand until she silenced the teenager's lips. “And my name is along with a copy of my diploma on the walls. Cascadio hasnt presented me as a genius, I remember his words perfectly; so the only possibility is that Professor Will has told you about me as an example of what kind of students he likes, and when you see me you have linked the names”

 

Fraje shrugged, sitting on the table and crossing one leg over the other. "You caught me, Elizabeth ... you are really a genius!" Fraje applauded the even more flushed Elizabeth, who rubbed her nose slightly proud of having exposed the enormous teenager's trick. "Then you will know my intentions, right?"

 

"I'm smart, not a fortune teller, Fraje" Elizabeth couldn't help finding her own funny comment, taking off her glasses to wipe a tear for holding back the laughter.

 

“You are smart… and attractive” The comment left her completely out of place, moment that Fraje took advantage of to use his new rediscovered strength (As Addams had noticed, the strength that members of the Barlow Holm family could exert was much greater than what the dimensions of their bodies should have) to lift her in a hug and draw her against her chest, taking advantage of every little detail (such as discreetly but firmly stroking her hair) possible in his favor

"I've always considered myself a man who loves intellect more than a woman's exterior ..."

 

“You are not looking at me with love, Fraje. At most with a slight typical adolescent lust thanks to the fact that from your highest point of view you have a full view of my cleavage when looking at me” Elizabeth cut him off immediately, letting go and pinching the teenager's cheek with all the force that her thin and pale body I granted him. “Don't be offended, but since I don't like leaving home, as an exercise to mentalize myself I investigated the people who live where I'm going. I have read your messages on your Facebook account that you hide from your family, about how much it excites you to see you and Nellie Barlow Holm getting bigger…

You are a 13-year-old macrophile fetishist with a sexuality yet to discover which varies between masochism and sadomasochism, between excitement by the male and female body. Your perversions and your fascination with oversized male genitals and gigantic women are all wrapped in an aura of innocence of which you take pride and that allows you to get in and out of the shower or walk practically naked where Nellie is hoping that either you see her or she sees you”

 

“How can you be shy and yet so crudely direct!? I am not a masochist!” Fraje tried to defend himself, noting that the conversation had taken other unexpected reins. (Although what surprised Elizabeth the most was that only the accusation about masochism was the only thing worth denying to him)

“Ok, you are beautiful and you have really nice tits… and yes, I may have tried to play the courtier card. But I have a good reason! I would like to become your apprentice... No, no ... apprentice is not the word ... student! Your student” And again Elizabeth had to remain silent to understand what (this time much more logical) Fraje has just said. “Let me explain before you reject me, okay? I signed up for the extra biology classes, because I refuse to call that club, hoping to learn more about the NEPF and about… well… you know, everything about biology”

 

"Everything about biology?" Elizabeth asked in a much more ironic tone than she expected. "Fraje ... everything about biology is much more than you probably are-"

 

"I already know that! It was a way of speaking! Please, Eli, you're 20 years old! You should understand our jargon and phrases! Anyway… ” And the third surprise of the evening came when the teenager knelt on the floor, clasping his hands in a totally childish plea. "Please! I know you are in the tutors program of the institute, Professor Will told me after conquering him with my exuberant charisma!”

Since the charisma part was something that evidently only came from Fraje's side, Elizabeth decided to keep the other words that really terrified her: The tutors program, Elizabeth's penance.

As part of the treatment Cascadio got, Elizabeth would spend the remaining hours of her sentence in the reformatory doing social work; and while this was initially something she was willing to understand and accept, when social work became being a tutor for students who requested it. (Not matter if it were already of their own volition, by decision of the parents or the teachers in charge)

"You'll see ..." Scratching the back of his neck and approaching Elizabeth to shorten any kind of personal space, Fraje grabbed the bottom of the evening dress. “I like biology a lot and I stay in my dream of learning more about NEPF! If Nellie takes the physical branch of life, it is my duty to take the mental branch to balance ourselves, you know? There cannot be a muscular and fierce Ying without a wise and incredibly attractive and charismatic Yang on which to lean!

It's just ... Biology is much harder than I thought at first glance... and I'm not the best student. Professor Will has recommended me to find a tutor if I want to stay in the overtime hours of biology-”

"B… but… me?"

 

“Now you are shy again? I can keep begging until you accept, I even know where you live! Please, Elizabeth… don't abandon a future science partner…” Seeing the puppy face that the teenager was struggling to put on his huge body formed a strange but curious contrast at the same time.

 

Elizabeth didnt want to accept at first, but every second that passed Fraje was getting closer and closer. (His knees starting to touch Elizabeth's toes)

"I have to ask my godfather first..."

 

"That is a yes?! Cool! I'm running to tell my mother that I have already found a top-notch tutor! I put all my hopes and youthful dreams on your shoulders, Elizabeth-sensei! Because it is clear that if I fail ... I will go into a terrible depression! See you later!” The teenager jumped up, hugging and kissing the cheek of the dislocated Elizabeth before running off full of renewed youth energy.

 

Elizabeth was completely silent, feeling used, defeated and even dirty after losing with a teenager that the only thing that was bigger than his body was his ego. "Have you seen that? Young people today have so much energy! It reminds me of me with your age! Except for the height and width of shoulders, signs that Fraje will be a very attractive young man! I wonder if I should include you in the energy part, Miss change from shyness to extreme sincerity and back as much as who changes underwear!”

Cascadio shouted approaching his goddaughter, having left the bathroom tired of waiting for his glass of water. “It really suits you, right? You have only 45 hours of community service left and this can take 30 or more perfectly!”

 

Elizabeth nodded without saying anything, ignoring even the beeps of her Awaker. For things like this it was that she hated leaving home... and for things like that, Elizabeth directly took the bottle of wine behind her. It was wrong, but surely she needed it.

 

 

---

 

"Please, girls ... you can't pretend not to have seen that"

 

The time to end the party was approaching and like every good birthday party worth the event will end with the birthday cake, cake in which Alanna had spent almost $ 400. (Becoming the biggest whim since the 3 videogames that Erika bought at the end of November without cause for any date or special offer)

Instead of opting for a single 4-story cake, the couple had decided to take the advice of Alanna's grandmother (who was still clinging to her distrust of the planes to their dismay) to buy 4 different full-sized cakes of different qualities: 2 cakes specially worked with top quality ingredients and with an adult and simple decoration, a cake decorated to place birthday candles and a fourth cake designed for younger children to eat or destroy playing with it without fear of wasting it.

As hosts of the party, Erika and Alanna had gone to the kitchen to prepare everything leaving Velio and Melker in charge of the guests. The couple was confident that their own parents would take care of watching the two grandparents ... confidence that vanished when they saw how even the firm and imposing Roland was dragged by Zara and Ravel to the elevator that climbed the kitchen marble. “You arent worried? It could have ended much worse… ” Ravel insisted visibly worried (both he and Zara) about the events 40 minutes ago, balancing his glass almost as much as its own swaying fruit of slightly overdoing it with the drink

 

"Please, pappa ... That was only two children playing! Neohumans, dad! We are not called with a special denomination for pleasure!" Erika took the matter off while she and Alanna tried to place all the cakes on the table with wheels that the marriage was using to move and transport food through the garden.

 

While the marriage tried to place everything and that nothing could fall and Roland helped them decorate the candle cake with all the ornaments purchased, Zara and Ravel sat next to the kitchen drinking from their cocktails and worrying excessively. "Two children playing does not include one throwing balls at the other with amazing psychic powers-"

"Honey, I don't think Gideon's are psychic powers" Roland tried to discreetly take the glass from his wife, an act that Zara took as a great offense by grabbing the glass with both hands. "This kind of skills has a name, remember? Why don't you leave that glass and try to remember the talks in Handshake?

 

"How silly you are, silly! Luckily you are such a good cook and you have that cute little and firm booty that I like so much ..." Zara shouted, waving her cocktail forward as if it were a judge's hammer (Spilling much of the cocktail in the process). "I've seen enough movies to know when they are psychic powers or not! We are lucky that Anne is so great that the amazing psychic powers of the mini-Cyclops have not been able to harm her…-”

"Exactly!" And like a spring, Ravel joined the conversation seeking to contribute his own point of view affected by alcohol. "Handshake can give many talks but what this country needs are facts! Physical facts! They should invent some kind of receiver of psychic powers to avoid these things! Imagine that a ball badly hits Anne and makes a bruise or even-”

 

Eating each other's words like who eats cheese sticks and nodding to each other, Ravel and Zara entered into a continuous drunken cycle. (And although Alanna and Erika loved seeing them so involved with their granddaughter, everything has a limit)

"Are you going to say any more nonsense? drunk grandparents duo at his granddaughter's birthday party? God, how could I leave bottles of alcohol at your fingertips after what you did at our wedding party?" Alanna interrupted and cut the cycle in the most elegant way possible, hitting the non-sharpened back of the cake cutter against the table with such force that even without being sharp it was possible to nail completely into table. "What if you stop doing and saying idiocy and start helping us a little? Go find Nellie and Anne and take her where the balloons are for the photos, we will be there in a moment. And you better calm down a bit! I don't want Anne to remember her first birthday ruined by her grandparents! Soak a little before, take off the heat and ingest keep away from alcohol ... and none of this are advice, if you understand me"

What seemed terrifying from the outside because of the intensity of the coup was jokingly taken by the two drunks, who left laughing down the marble stairs. "They have taken my threats as a joke" The Amazonian mother lamented, biting her lip.

 

“I don't think they took it as a joke, honey. I know your mother and I know that your show of strength has been effective ... it's just that we are your family, honey. You could measure 50 feet and we wouldn't have any fear of you even if you try” Roland joined Erika rubbing his daughter's back, big enough for them not to clash their hands. While Erika was officially the second tallest person in history, Alanna had just finally entered the tall tops with her 7 feet 3 inches (2 meters and 21 centimeters).

Being named as the tallest influential woman in the world had increased her ego relatively, enough to slightly enjoy the intimidation her presence caused in the distrustful ones who were waiting for a tall, thin woman and ended up encountering an Amazon with wild curves and an ass capable of crushing apples without problem. (How the marriage knew this fact is another story)

 

“I don't want to scare my family, dad… But I don't want to be joked either. They are making a mountain of a grain of sand and I don't like them talking like that about one of little one's friends... All that without counting that this is the third party that have had too much alcohol! I dont understand them, I am unable to know when they will drink responsibly or when they dont”

 

"Seeing how you have shouted before I am surprised that you are now so calm, really"

 

“Keep the composure, dad! You can ask Uncle Declan, I'm an expert on this! Also, if I didn't know how to keep the image in front of my guests right now I would be pulling my great wife's ears-" Alanna's razor-sharp look passed from his father to his wife, who quickly tried to hide behind the refrigerator door. (With such a curved posture to fit behind that 75 of Erika's breasts were outside the door's limits)

"For playing a damn fighting video game with our daughter in front"

 

The tension was as evident as the lack of integrity of the refrigerator door with Erika leaning against it. Roland wrinkled his forehead, not wanting to deal with his angry daughter and his drunk wife on such an important day as her granddaughter's birthday. "Are you going to fight now? Honey, you have to relax"

 

“Fight? You mean it, dad? Of course we arent going to fight! I'm just a little upset that our daughter tried to make the move of ... I don't even care what character is! I don't want Anne to grow up thinking that violence is fun! And now we are late for my schedule! The cake should have been cut 7 minutes ago and the candles blown!” Alanna raised her voice over the bill, amplified by its size to sound almost like a shout from the old Alanna. "And now, if you'll excuse me both, I'm going to make sure everything is fine by the time you arrive with the table!" The furious Alanna jumped straight up the stairs halfway, landing elegantly and running with the greatest possible dignity towards her yard.

"And let you know that I am not angry! I love my wife, my children and my family too much! All this is concern! God, I need a drink too! It is not fair to see so many people drink and I can not taste or drop! I curse whoever thought of buying alcohol!" 

 

Roland and Erika looked at each other, not needing words so that he could express empathy with his huge political daughter and the ruction that awaited her later that night. Only one question remained in the air between father and political daughter. "It was her idea, right?"

"I had to remind her when she came home with the drinks that we were the hosts and that this was a birthday. From our daughter"

 

"Life is hard for us who ride the path of responsible consumption"

 

 

---

 

The star moment had arrived.

"Please everyone, come here!" Alanna shouted through the mike, gathering all her family and friends. Anne was sitting on her mother Erika's knees while Alanna was next to both of them, with Nellie and Fraje on each side as they had rehearsed. A beautiful family print decorated with a balloon garland and a birthday cake decorated by the family's favorite baker, Grandpa Roland.

“As you will all remember the invitation that we send you, I want the cake served at 20:00 o'clock. Well, maybe with the small incident of our children before we have delayed 10 minutes but everything ends up coming! It's time for our birthday girl to blow her candles!”

 

Everyone started clapping while Roland began lighting the candles one by one, candles that captivated Anne's attention much more than in previous tests. The toddler watched fascinated the dance of the flames, which shone even more intensely when the garden lights went out. Under the brightness of the false stars projected in the dome and the ephemeral glow of the candles, everyone at the party began to sing the same song that their mothers used to repeat the last days over and over again.

The little girl smiled innocently without understanding very well what they were talking about, becoming infected with the happiness of the moment.

 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNE!" The previous days of practice were fully paid for both mothers when they saw how Anne remembered to blow the cake. All the worries, all the fears and all the darkness of the whole world present vanished with the last flame.

Without a doubt, this was going to be a great year for them.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(January 14, 3:00 p.m. Outside of Geremia Wing High School)

 

 

The siren to mark the end of the school day rang loudly throughout the area of r03;r03;the institute, the janitor opening the doors so that students who were waiting anxiously to return home would run full of that precious and terrifying youth energy. Chatting with each other, making the idiot and especially taking advantage of taking pictures in front of the renewed vehicle of the giantess. (Calling it a vehicle was the only thing that sounded right, since it was not a car and only part of its former nature as a caravan was preserved)

An expanded reconversion of the largest caravan on the market in a vehicle for the daily life, a difficult process that requires both a fairly high investment of money (Although surprisingly it was still cheaper than Uncle Declan's Ferrari) and Alanna and Erika to take the driver's license of large vehicles. Inside, shelters from the january cold, were mother and little daughter of the family watching one of Erika's animated series sitting on the sofa. (As Erika herself defended with the mechanic, there was no reason to remove the kitchen, bathroom, table and sofas if they could be used)

 

"Railgun is so hype!" Erika shouted excitedly as Anne clapped laughing. “Do you see that, my sunshine? That is style! I didn't have much faith in To aru majutsu no railgun… but I have to admit that I was wrong!”

 

“Ragun! Mamma! I wan ragun too!” Anne shouted completely excited despite having no idea what was going on. The toddler was waving on her mother's legs, stretching toward the table in an attempt to reach the screen to see the scene again.

 

"You? My sunshine wants to be an electromaster, uh?” Anne asked in her most playful voice, raising her daughter until she was able to blowing raspberries in her stomach. “Do you remember what Uncle Addams said? As long as they don't know what you can do, you can be whatever you want, my sweet, sweet sunshine! You just need to prove to Uncle Addams that your NEsPer skills are not any of those premonition nonsense as he is implying!” The answer seemed to please little Anne, who clung to her mother's hair still laughing while the ending of the series sounded.

"My children will be what they want to be, you can be sure of that! ... Although for now what they are is latecomers"

 

As Erika was noticing, the last students began to leave the school grounds. Leaving Anne on the floor, Erika looked out the large window that surrounded the sofa to see where her children were ... just in time to hear several knocks on the double doors. “Erika! Or Alanna if it's you today, open! We need to talk” Jackson shouted, knocking on the door even more.

 

“Coming! One second” Erika answered trying to leave the table, looking for her shoes and trying to leave without wrinkling her clothes too much, regretting having decided to come for her children in her “old” sneakers (old in many quotes, the key word for to describe it would be rather super-stretched and shattered).

And among all those regrets, Anne had already reached the door of the vehicle. It wasnt too difficult for the little girl to reach the door handle thanks to her 4 feet and eleven inches high, opening it without any problem or repair. “Äldre syster!” Anne shouted smiling at her older sister, jumping forward to hug her without even checking if Nellie was in front to receive her.

 

The disaster was imminent, and although the baby didnt stop smiling for a second the face of the other 3 adults passed from tranquility to anguish in less than a second. "Whoa!" To Erika's relief, Jackson was right where he was needed, catching the little big girl right in the air. "How brave we are to jump, huh little Wildcard?"

Anne laughed in the arms of the almost-old man before looking back and seeing her older sister, moving to shake with all her strength to reach her. "Hey hey! Take it easy! These bones of mine are no longer what they were for someone as big as you to shake so wildly!”

 

“Äldre syster! Äldre syster!” Anne repeated again and again when Nellie took her in her arms. It had cost, but the little girl was beginning to pronounce correctly and even memorize certain words in Swedish.

 

"These children ... havent missed a second to throw herself to the abyss, huh? Don't be offended, but I hope my granddaughter is not so willing to jump without looking from almost 5 feet of stairs" Jackson had to laugh at the runaway emotion of the little girl, leaning on the wall of the converted giant caravan while Erika joined him sitting on the top of the stairs. I like your new vehicle, you can't imagine how I envy you! My dream has always been to drive a caravan as if it were a normal car! Confessions aside, today I come for two reasons, one neutral and one bad”

 

Erika was silent, worrying to see how Nellie reacted to the bad word with a little tremor. "Start with the news of Fraje ... I imagine it will have to do with his absence"

 

 

Pretending to take off his hat, Jackson pulled out his phone offering the Amazon. “First of all I must apologize, this is my fault after all. All parents are sorted in alphabetical order, so when the science club talk with the Handshake representative had been delayed until 2:15 pm, I have notified the concierge to notify the parents ... and as Alanna begins for A, it is she who has received the message. Fraje will leave in 15 minutes or so”

 

Erika nodded silently, understanding then that her wife's own meeting was getting longer than expected. While she was thinking of some plan for dinner, Erika's attention went directly to Nellie. (Mainly for seeing a fairly suspicious bruise on the back of his left arm)

"Nellie, do you want to tell me what happened?"

 

The huge teenager was silent, so tense that even Anne stopped fiddling. Erika knew her daughter well, understanding the lack of words like that it had been something really serious that was devouring her inside. "Nellie has had a fight today on the team ..." Jackson explained in a much lower tone of voice after the conversation stayed between them.

“The coach notified me a while ago when both Nellie and the other player have left the infirmary. I'm going to let you solve this among your family, Erika. No matter how much Nellie counts as a neohuman, I don't see the matter so serious as to notify Handshake”

Putting the imaginary hat back on, Jackson began to walk back to the institute. “All I need is for Nellie to write a 10-page reflection on what has happened! See you soon, family”

 

"Jackson" Erika shouted rising from the caravan, she is still big enough to have the Amazon in the shade. “From me to you, thanks” With a nod, Jackson returned Erika's gratitude.Silence dominated the street once the education counselor returned to the building, only interrupted by the occasional barking of neighborhood dogs. Leaving Anne on the floor and holding her hand, Nellie entered the caravan followed by her mother who locked the door behind her.

 

One of the advantages of being too large for conventional vehicles is that the interior space was much more similar to that of a room than that of a car, allowing them to hold important conversations without having to return home before. Nellie sat at the bottom of the sofa, raising her legs and hugging them while she waited for her mother to fill the gap beside her.

And that was what Erika planned to do, leaving Anne already on the couch while preparing a quick snack with the little food left in the fridge. "Äldre syster ..." Anne whispered crawling on the cushions until she clung to her sister's legs, hugging them in an attempt to confront her as she liked to be done.

 

"Jag är ledsen, min lilla syster (I'm sorry, my little sister) ... making you worry about nothing" Nellie whispered rubbing Anne's orange hair.

 

Taking advantage of the distraction, Erika left the soft drinks, the juice of Anne and toast spread with the remaining roquefort on the table, sitting next to her daughter. “Du behöver inte be om ursäkt, vet du? Din familj kommer att vara här för alltid, för det goda och det dåliga (You don't have to apologize, you know? Your family will be here forever, for the good and the bad things)"

Without saying anything else, Nellie dropped on his mother's arm hugging him. "I know that you wouldn't get into a fight for yourself, Mim varg ... so you can tell me what happened without worrying"

 

While Anne took the opportunity to move from leg to leg until she could sit on her mother's knees to reach her juice, Nellie sipped the last of her tears freeing herself to speak. "I don't want to, but they're making me hate basketball ..."

Nellie's words were terribly painful to hear for Erika, who had seen how since her childhood Nellie had loved that sport over everything. If they were so painful for her, Erika thought, for Nellie to say they must be absolutely devastating "They use me to solve any situation, they try nothing more than to pass the ball to me to solve ... no longer try to throw for themselves ..."

 

"Hence the fight, right?" Erika rubbed her elder daughter's cheek gently with one hand, using the other to handle the television remote and put Anne on the next chapter of the series they were watching.

 

Nellie nodded without leaving her mother's arm. “We were playing a training match against the men's team when I had to stop to tie the cords of my sneakers. The play was following normally ... when Isla, without even waiting for me to get up, has throw me the ball"

Erika didnt interrupt her daughter, slowly running her hand over her crown finding a rather large bump. “When the game is over we have entered the locker room and I have gone to ask why she passed me the ball when I was crouched on my back busy with my cords. And it turns out that Isla was furious because I had lost the ball and the play had ended in the men's team getting 2 points! I told her that it wasnt so bad and she started shouting very closely that we had lost our 300-minute streak without receiving any points because of me ...”

 

"Push? Because I don't think you went straight with a punch!" Erika asked quickly, stroking her daughter's hair. Unfortunately the question got the opposite effect, to silence Nellie. “Min varg… I am more than proud that you havent stood still in front of someone who is clearly not right. Don't be ashamed to admit that you have taken action to prevent them from using you!”

 

...

"I just wanted to push her a little so she stopped yelling at me so closely-"

“And you didn't know you were so strong right? Min lilla varg… I know that story perfectly! If only they would give me one dollar for every time that happened to me in the last year ... maybe I could pay the weights of 100 kilos that I broke the other day without telling your mother about them” Erika laughed bringing two of the roquefort toast to them, almost putting one directly into her daughter's mouth. “The world is running small for the Barlow Holm family! In a completely literal sense too! Do you know that they are asking me to let me know in advance when I go to my old gym?”

 

The news caught Nellie by surprise, who after a few seconds snuggled slightly more apart from her mother so she could eat her toast. "Is that why you now train in the home gym?"

“It's the reason, yes. Who does Akanni think he is to tell me that I am dangerous because of the intensity I exercise while training?! I'm already careful enough with my size not to cause any disaster! And you also have no right to tell me that I am a walking show that relantizes the exercise tables of others because they stop to look at me! I got him the job! That ungrateful son of ...” Anne's intense stare completely stopped her mother's speech. "Witch. Son of a witch"

The complaints of his mother who was not even stopping to swallow before continuing to speak brought a smile to Nellie's face. Nor is it as if it affects me a lot, the gym machines we have at home are much larger and more comfortable to use. Besides not having to worry about too low ceilings helps! At least, not having to worry about roofs for now! At the rate we are growing we may have to use the large rooms!”

 

“Can I confess one thing, mamma? I have already had my first problem with a door”

 

"Really ?!" Erika missed a silly giggle, opening the two sodas and starting to drink. "Tell me tell me! I want to know my daughter's first time! .... that has sounded terrible. The first battle with her amazing height of my daughter! Yes, that sounds… not too worse”

 

“It was this morning ... after the break. Professor Logan the long has asked Fraje and me to go for some blank pages for a surprise test-”

"Punctuation?"

“85/100” Without needing another word, mother and daughter raised and clashed their fists, first between them and then with Anne. “As I was saying, the professor had sent us for a few blank pages to the teacher's classroom… with the bad luck that they had none! We have been given two options from the teachers' lounge, going to the secretary or to the warehouse of the old building. As Fraje was too excited, they gave me the key to the store while the teacher took Fraje to the secretary”

 

“The old building… Did you know that this is where your mother studied when she was young? Until about two years ago they were still teaching preschool there”

 

"Seriously? I can hardly believe it with how small the doors are! Or rather, now I understand why the doors are so small ... I thought that as the door frame climbed much more could enter without problems, but as I was distracted with my phone I havent seen that the top of the door was stuck and it was just decorative… it hurt a lot… hehehe”

 

"The first time it always hurts, the doors and frames are much heavier than they seem! And if you think that has hurt wait for the day where you try to stand straight and hit your crown against the ceiling! I spent a week with a sore neck"

Now that Nellie's return to good humor was complete, Erika and even Anne relaxed completely, the little girl going from her mother's legs back to her sister's neck. "Mina döttrar, I know that from the outside it may seem that our life seems to be more and more difficult as we grow .., But I don't want there to be a doubt in your hearts!" Erika smiled hugging both of them. “Being bigger will make us stronger in the face of adversity and help us build a better Brightside! And it will be our strength that will unite us much more than any other family or city will ever be! United for something stronger than blood or destiny!” Erika's words were simple and not too well thought out, but for Anne (who only understood her mother's tone) and Nellie harbored a feeling too warm to be overlooked.

"Min varg ... I can't promise you that your teammates will change their gameplay ... nor can I promise you that basketball will continue to be a challenge when you grow up a little more" Swallowing worried about her mother's words, Nellie under her head ... to instantly have her raised again thanks to Anne's abnormal force holding her older sister's chin."But there is something I can promise you!"

 

"What, mamma?" Nellie asked as Erika got up from the couch, running until she was at the door.

 

"And that a new day always dawns" Opening the door slamming and turning to her daughters, Erika placed her hands on her hip radiating confidence and hope. “A new day full of opportu-”

CRASH!

 

The sound of something hitting the sidewalk completely stopped the entire scene, and the ensuing murmur of pain killed her completely. Slowly Erika looked out, with Nellie and Anne peeking out from under her. There, lying on the sidewalk on his backpack and with a completely red face, lay the teenager formerly known as Fraje.

The 45 students and teachers leaving the highschool after the Handshake talk were frozen on the site, their faces in total disbelief adding the icing on the cake. No one said anything while Erika slowly left the caravan, and no one thought to interrupt when the mother took Fraje in her arms, entering the caravan again and closing the door behind her. A silence born of the shock that did not fade until, skipping virtually all traffic laws affecting the street, the Barlow Holm family vehicle left the scene exceeding the speed limit by almost double.

 

 

---

 

(5 Hours later. 20:30 p.m.)

 

"I'm back, family!" Alanna shouted, smiling like a fool, feeling fulfilled having won an important contract for Bright Side Industries. “God, how good it feels to do things right! Where are my favorite boy and girls and my beloved wife?!”

 

"Having dinner on the couch!" Erika shouted with all her boredom might, indirectly confusing her wife.

 

"Having dinner on the couch?" Alanna asked herself as she took off her suit jacket and left it next to her briefcase in the elevator. Just as Erika had shouted, she and the children were having dinner for what the smell seemed to be pizza while watching what at first glance was a chapter of Good Girls. "Aren't we supposed to eat spaghetti on Tuesdays? And why are we on the sofa? Dinner with a movie / series is Friday, Saturday and Sunday?" As nobody seemed to listen to her because of the volume of the television, Alanna decided to go directly to the sofa. “What's why change in the menu- MY GOD! What happened to you Fraje?! Your face!”

 

The teenager finished his piece of pizza to not be rude talking with his mouth full, taking advantage of the seconds of chewing to pause the series (Since apparently he was the one who had the command). Careful that the ice pack that covered his nose didnt fall to the ground, Fraje got up offering his mother the place next to Erika.

“Nothing important, mamma! Relax and come to eat pizza and see one of the great fiction works of current television, starring the most perfect woman in the world of acting! Your options are my favorite 6 cheese pizza recipe, handmade by our dear mom Erika, or Giannino's barbecue pizza! But make sure you don't fill your stomach too much, because we have stracciatella ice cream for dessert!”

 

Slowly nodding Alanna stepped behind her two daughters, each with a more boring face than the previous one, sitting between Erika's legs. "Should I ask?" Alanna whispered as she kissed her wife, receiving a guilty denial in return.

The magic of the Barlow Holm family was such that there was no need to say a single word, Alanna accepting the situation and getting comfortable on her wife's stomach. While she was grabbing one of the barbecue pieces, Alanna's eyes quickly went to the corner of the screen of the huge movie crew that served them as television.

 

Chapter 3 of 10. The night was going to be long.

 

 

---

 

And of course it was a long night.

(01:00 at night)

 

"How much does Fraje have to wear those bandages?" Alanna asked as he finished taking off his suit, joining his wife in bed. Each one lying on its respective side, faces crossed while the two stared at the ceiling exhausted.

On the other side of the room, Anne slept peacefully, the only one who managed to get rid of the Bad girls marathon thanks to falling asleep in the middle of the fifth chapter. Her daughter's sweet snoring helped both mothers stay awake, enjoying their respective companies for the first time throughout the day. "At least 3 days according to the doctor, the inflammation of the nose is the only thing relatively large... beyond himself. I took advantage of the fact that we were at the doctor to ask them to measure Nellie and Fraje: 6 feet 6 inches (1 meter and 99 centimeters) for our brave wolf and 6 feet 3 inches (1 meter and 90 centimeters) for our future scientist"

Two sighs later, the two wives looked at each other. "Am I a bad mother and older sister?" Erika asked without knowing whether to cry or not.

"What? No! It was an accident! Not even Fraje blames you! It has been something irresponsible to open the door so suddenly knowing that the doors of our caravan are especially large and heavy? Yeah. Can I blame you after the other day I caught my father's hands with that same door? That would make me a hypocrite and that is the last thing our children should learn" Extending her hand to take her wife's, Alanna squeezed and pulled her to get her favorite Amazon seated.

"We are taking the never traveled path of life, my love. These things happen even in the best families! The most important thing now is to think about what to do with the Nellie affair ... I would hate if because of growing up she misses the opportunity to practice her favorite sport ... but we are walking on a thin line"

 

"Jackson and I have been talking with the organizers of the league and have already warned us that when they pass the 2 meters and 5 centimeters they won't let her play, at least in the junior categories" And two other sighs to release the pressure that filled the room.

"I understand perfectly that they don't want the other players to be discouraged ... and seeing what coach Charlie is doing I don't like anything either. That woman thinks I don't recognize the representatives of the teams in the area ... I really don't I recognize them, but Jackson has shown me his photos and I have memorized their faces!" Although both originally believed they were going to snuggle and sleep peacefully until the next day, the reality was being very different for both mothers. Too many doubts and fears in their heads, a somewhat remarkable fear of what they would have to do if they kept growing ...

And then came the salvation accompanied by three knocks on the door that served to spare to identify the kind person behind.

"Go ahead, Mim varg" Erika and Alanna whispered at the same time, sitting on their bed.

 

Slowly so as not to wake her little sister, Nellie tiptoed to her mothers bed. "I don't interrupt anything, right?" With a smile from ear to ear his two enormous mothers denied at the same time. "I came to ask ... if it would be good if tomorrow came out early- and it isn't because I don't want to face the coach! I know that around 1 in the afternoon is when Jackson, Mr. Hai and General Black usually come to train with you, mamma Eri ... and I was wondering if I could join you! To test if I like all that you four do! And it's not like I'm giving up on basketball! I plan to keep fighting! I plan to try to recover my original position! Surrendering is not a word that our family knows how to use ""

 

It was more than obvious that Nellie was also preparing for a possible dark future, and the marriage doubted for a second if her eldest daughter had heard the rest of the previous conversation or if the dialogues with the organizers of the league had arrived, from some way, up to your ears. Alanna and Erika looked at each other for a second too much in love with their daughter's determination, until Erika began to move to the edge of the bed opening her arms, directly receiving Nellie who did not lose a second to imitate her little sister jumping into the abyss

"I would love you to join us, min stora och söta varg"

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

---

 

(January 28, 2020. 08:15 in the morning)

 

"Good Morning!"

"Good monin!"

Alanna and Anne shouted into the waiting room for families. The hours too early and the warning of the previous day of rain meant that not many parents had dared to make the journey to the headquarters of Handshake, which led to the room was virtually empty except for 4 adults and 3 children, almost all familiar faces except for a father waiting in a corner of the room. “Good morning, early birds! Although that would be more appropriate to call it at this preciousness, right?" Alanna laughed melodiously as she crouched down to kiss Sammy's forehead, then repeat the process with Zhong and Estela. "Although I do not know if to call it day considering that there is not a sunbeam in the sky!! How do you think they can get such realistic storm clouds?” Alanna smiled kindly as she released Anne, who left in a hurry to join her friends, and sat next to her neighbors.

 

Stopping their current conversations Jaycee Gray, Isabella Hai and Paola daCruz greeted the president back with cautious respect, offering Alanna the seat next to her where the three had accumulated their respective bags. “How strange to see you here, Miss Vice President! It's usually Big Eri who usually comes!” Isabella commented as Alanna finished placing her jacket completely soaked properly.

 

“I need my big girl tonight for a gala at our headquarters, so I left her in the tailor on the way here! With how big she is and how badly my lover takes the visits to the tailor, I thought I had plenty of time to disconnect the phone and bring Anne to the weekly  check myself!” Alanna explained smiling. (Although somewhat annoying to see that Erika already had a nickname and she is referred to by her position)

 

The three looked at each other in silence, deciding that Jaycee was the drummer of the assault that was the question of the three. "Yesterday Big Eri a photo to the whatsapp parent group... it is true that ..."

 

"Yep" Alanna interrupted instantly, biting her lower lip when she remembered that she still had the group in silence on her own cell phone. The Amazon Vice President began to lament how many funny pictures of the children she would have missed for having done as she did with the group of teachers. “9 feet and an inch tall (2 meters and 75 centimeters)! My lovely wife has officially become the tallest human being in history! But please, Don't make it public yet! We are trying to avoid the representatives of the Guinness Award as much as we can ... you know my wife, she is not the best dealing with the cameras!" Accompanying everything with a giggle, Alanna couldn't help noticing how the other three wives only laughed once she finished laughing, staring at her again and then looking away.

Terrified of what was going on, Alanna decided to do one more little check. “And what were you talking about, girls? Something cool that happened in the neighborhood?...” Alanna herself was disgusted when she heard what had just come out of her mouth.

 

"Not really" Paola was the one who continued the conversation while the other two mothers kept silent with an elegant and clearly forced smile. "We were talking about the start of the construction of the new section of the city-"

Paola was still speaking with a very forced formal accent that nothing stuck with her Brazilian accent, dozens of words that Alanna wasn't listening to.

 

Her greatest fear had come true: Her work had affected her social position and as others saw her... 

Was it because of the times they had brought her home in a limousine? For the appearances on television, newspaper or radios? For the events? Because of her enormous height and huge super-erotic curves combined with its more straight and elegant posture plus the use of heels (useful for getting contracts or imposing itself in a negotiation) it created a sense of superiority without pretending it generated a false social step between normal women like them three and her!? For having relaxed in her occupations as a mother having left all daily but pleasant tasks in the hands of her beloved wife!? It was all the fault of having mentioned that of the gala dinner giving the impression that she was trying to show off even though there was not an iota of intention in it!? 

If there was something that Alanna did not want to happen, it was precisely to create gaps between her community and herself ... and the last months may not have been the best example of this day with so many meetings and negotiations...

But that was no reason for the Little but flourishing friendship she had would have become more a formal relationship with a degree of separation! Or at least that was what her mind was telling her, throwing conflicting messages at each other as if it were a machine gun.

 

Of course none of this was real.

If there was a reason why there was so much tension, it was because Alanna's wet shirt was doing nothing to hide the two gigantic mountains beneath her, whose peaks were completely stiff and pointing directly at her three neighbors.

The sum of those two nipples of an inch and a half each (3 centimeters and 25 millimeters) completely visible plus the combination of Alanna's enormity and the suit clearly too small (With Alanna's flesh showing discretely between the cracks that formed between the buttons necessarily buckled) provoked an erotic show difficult to ignore. Discreetly while they were keeping the conversation in a calm tone so as not to attract the attention of the father who lazily fiddled with his cell phone in the other corner of the room, the trio of neighbors tried (through discrete gestures and actions that were undoubtedly forced and with a hidden meaning behind) to make the Amazon vice president see her unseemly appearance.

A show that wasnt coming to anything, stuck between three women too ashamed to point out and a real Amazon too mired in their worries.

 

So submerged, so submerged that no one noticed as 4 adventurous toddlers began to move forward through the corridor of the medical wing.

 

 

---

 

Leading the company was Anne, who used her abnormal height (almost as tall as some of the scientists and employees) and strength to open and hold the doors to her friends and fellow runners. Behind her were the harpy Sammy and Estela, who were laughing happily singing one of the songs Estela had taught her friends.

Finally, there was Zhong the mouse, the most serious of the four who was making sure that nobody followed them and that all doors were closed properly. (Something that was certainly difficult considering that the mouse was one of the smallest neohumans of all)

 

The objective of the quartet? Find the office of "Uncle" Addams to pick up the candies that the director kept on his table.

 

“Can-dies! Can-dies! Can-dies!”

The three girls hummed as they climbed the stairs, guided by the memories of the four that Addams' office was high up in the building. “Girls! Please!” Zhong pleaded mentally, watching every corner where the group was going. “Don't make so much noise! We are in enemy territory and as far as I understand my father that is bad!”

 

The three toddlers stood at the same time, looking at each other. “What is the worst that can happen to us? We're just going to get some candy!” Sammy kept chanting, this time by telepathy to cover the syllables the harpy didn't even know.

 

“Well... if they capture us they could ... I don't know ... torture us in search of information about our country? Or that is what my father says his nightmares are. Don't ask me what it means to torture but because of how sweating and scared my father gets up, it doesn't seem like a good thing” The three girls looked at each other again, doubting whether to say anything on the subject of Zhong's father.

 

"If we don't know something, it means it doesn't affect us!" Estela explained to the others. “Whenever my father asks my mother where her happy candy can come from, mom says she doesn't know and my father doesn't quarrel! So since we don't know what capturing and torturing means, I think we can go without fear”

 

Convinced of Estela's logic, the children's quartet continued advancing through the facilities without being very clear about the final destination, guided only by what each child remembered from Addams's office. Of course, Anne's size made her take a lot of advantage to the rest of her friends, who had to ask the giantess toddler to stop many times.

Although none of the three dared to say anything about it, the truth is that following Anne was sometimes incredibly difficult, the giantess toddler maintaining a rhythm of walking fruit of her gigantic legs (taller than Zhong or Sammy) and an energy that only Lisa Fang and Selja Senyor could maintain. (One thanks to the ability to run on all fours inherited from her wolf characteristics and the other thanks to the excess energy that hyperactivity gave her)

"Ummm ..." Anne stopped after climbing the third straight staircase. The other three children, much more tired, dropped to the ground around her legs. "In that poster there is a drawing that I don't have seen when I get on with Mamma" Anne pointed to the poster on the fifth floor, hoping that one of her friends would recognize it.

 

Anne's doubt discouraged the group much more than they dare to admit, their own basic instincts making them trust Anne almost as much as her parents and siblings. "Do you know what?" Estela asked without looking at anyone in particular, panting exhausted from the effort involved in climbing so many stairs with such a small body. "I don't know if candy is worth it if we then have to go down so many steps again...-"

 

The comment without malice or offense personally hurt her harpy friend, who jumped up, grabbing Estela's shirt with both claws. “Don't even think about saying that! We have climbed almost 100 floors for this! We arent going to give up now, not being so close! Toddlers like us from the series that my sister show me never give up and we won't do it either!”

 

“What series are you talking about? I would also like to see that series if it is about children like us" Zhong asked with his partially recovered energy and interest aroused.

 

"Rugrats!" With a determined smile from side to side Sammy stretched her wings, taking momentum and flying (for the first time without her parents' help) until she climbed on Anne's shoulders. “We will not give up! Not having chocolate as a reward at the end of the road!” The word chocolate woke up and erased any doubt or fatigue in their bodies. "I have an idea ... an idea that will take us directly to Uncle Addams' room! My sister taught me a secret spell to use my storm magic the other day during the visit to Uncle Addams! A spell to mix magic and love and make our dreams come true! I'm going to use it and as we want chocolate the spell will take us to it!"

 

"If you knew something like that because you haven't said it until now?!" Anne, Zhong and Estela yelled at the same time while Sammy bit her tongue and gave herself a little capon like her sister and the series she watched.

 

“Because I didn't remember the chocolate candies! I was here 3 days ago, I think, and Uncle Addams gave me a chocolate candy after doing a discharge test!” Without having time to ask what it was a discharge test, the harpy took the flight again until it was floating in the middle of the hallway . (something that of course she had never done before her parents, Addams or someone who could document and verify the act)

Closing her eyes and clenching her teeth as Addams had told her, the little harpy began to accumulate the energy inside her body, something so natural to her that no one could explain. (Something very common dealing with the NEPF)

The electric current inside her began to travel throughout his body, feeding back in the process generating even more static electricity. The heat inside her grew without stopping, fruit of all the energy looking for freedom. Sammy's plan was very simple, to release an electric shock strong enough to make the device that Uncle Addams used to measure her electric current beep again, leading them to the office.

 

Of course, what her childish mind never stopped to think is that the reason the device whistled was that Addams had previously stuck the measuring needle in her claw. While the test discharge only reached a mere 30 volts, the energy driven by the desire to eat chocolate was reaching 10,000 volts intensity ... many more than Sammy knew how to control.

Unable to continue the cycle of energy production or to release it the harpy began to wobble in the air until, with all the bad luck in the world, in an attempt to keep flying she beat her wings with too much force sending her against the ceiling.

More specifically against one of the lights that lit the hall on such a dark day.

 

The electricity inside her finally found that something to be transmitted through, that something being the building's own electrical network. While Anne was throwing herself to catch the semi-unconscious harpy in free fall, one by one all the light bulbs in the hall began to burst from the huge sudden surge in tension. And this process went through the lower corridors and all the rooms in the east wing of the building.

"Sammy! Sammy wake... up!" The giantess toddler shouted, waving her friend, to whom the world kept circling around her.

 

Noting that her own body wanted to help, Estela joined the harpy and giantess in the middle of the hall. "It's time to show that I don't lie about removing the ouchy ouch from others! Anne, I usually get dizzy when I do this ... take me if I don't stand" The neohuman growled placing her hands on Sammy's forehead, letting an energy with a strange but pleasant sea-green glow flow through the harpy.

While this was happening Zhong joined the trio while rubbing his hands to generate sparks, his pyrokinetic abilities helping him turn his right hand thumb into an improvised candle. (Action that the small neohuman mouse performed for the second time, being the first at his grandparents' house on the other side of the city)

 

"I don't know how the spell had to help us find chocolate ... but I don't see that he has achieved anything besides booming all those lamps. We are going to get into a good mess if this is something as big as when my grandfather and I broke that glass"

 

"No ..." Full of determination for the (useless) courage that Sammy had shown, Anne knelt down and took Zhong in her hands, lifting him (despite all the protests from this one) until she sat him on her shoulders. “I will not leave things like that! Zhong, light me the way! I need to look at the door... sign!” Anne ordered as she took Sammy and Estela, each under one arm. “I will take us to Addams office! I swear on the sacrifice-”

"She is alive-"

"The sacrifice of our friend and sister Sammy!"

 

Zhong didnt know what to do, just knowing the trick of creating a small flame in his hand, something not viable because the fear of being so tall without Anne holding him was too strong. Clinging to the giantess toddler's hair with all the strength his little arms have, Zhong decided to try something new. Concentrating to generate the necessary spark for a flame, the neohuman mouse was transmitting energy throughout its body to its tail, creating the flame at the tip.

"I hope this works for you ..." Zhong doubted himself after repositioning and putting his tail above Anne's head, creating a kind of lantern that barely illuminated the corridor partially dark.

 

"Perfect! Hold on tight! I will not stop until I find Uncle Addams office!”

Gaining momentum, Anne started running at full speed down the hall. Just in time also, seeing that the light did not return many of the Handshake employees were starting to leave their offices to find out what was happening.

Despite being as tall as some adults, Anne's body was still that of a 1 year/1 and a half year old girl, with all the lack of mobility that she carried. And yet the desire for chocolate was making her run so fast that some employees took refuge scared in their offices. "It's not here!" Anne shouted as she turned around the end of the hall, running back to the stairs.

 

"What are you-" Zhong stopped talking instantly when he saw that Anne didn't stop when she reached the stairs. Closing both he and Estela their eyes, Anne again took impulse to jump all the steps to the change of direction, landing with a loud rumble. "Searching?! We haven't found it before! We have to accept- AHHHH!" Estela and Zhong yelled at the same time when Anne jumped down the stairs again.

 

"Uncle Addams' office...-" Calling a moment to try to recognize the drawing of the sign next to the stairs, Anne skipped the next section again until she reached the second floor that the children had previously chosen to ignore. (Since Sammy was convinced that Addams office was not on the floor with the drawing of the duck on the sign). “Had a symbol at the beginning of the sign that made me laugh a lot! A kind of triangle with the bottom tucked in! That is our goal!”

 

"Triangle with the bottom tucked in, understood!" Zhong shouted as the giant moved into the hallway, starting to travel at full speed.

Circles, sticks, sticks with circles, raised stripes crossed by another line ... The number of rare drawings was enormous, but none like the one Anne described. After reaching the end of the hall, the giantess prepared to turn around ... when leaving the stairs the children saw something that terrified them more than anything in their short life.

Their mothers, breathing at full speed and with the completely white face of fright.

 

"Anne!"

"Little mouse!"

"Sammy!"

"Estela daCruz!" The four mothers called their children at the same time, restraining themselves so as not to burst into tears from the tension experienced.

 

"They are angry ..." Anne mentally transmitted to her friends, making a complete mistake in identifying the emotions of the mothers.

 

"A lot ... If they catch us there will be no chocolate ... and I don't want to go to sleep now ..." Zhong trembled just thinking about it, staring at his mother who was still still catching her breath.

 

"We can't let that happen!" Estela stirred, feeling too close to the chocolate to stop now. "Anne, with a triangle with the bottom part inserted ... you won't refer to the letter A, right?"

 

“A… as in my name? Anne?” The giantess toddler asked slowly, remembering that at her birthday party there were several balloons with her name written. Estela nodded, pointing to the third door to their right. "YES! A from Addams! That is!"

 

The mothers began to walk slowly towards the children, even though they were unable to control their own fright nerves very well. Nerves that went back to their throats when they saw Anne throw one leg back as if she were preparing to run.

"What are they doing-" Paola tried to ask before a scream with the most perfect pronunciation interrupted her.

 

"CHOCOLATE!" The four shouted at the same time (Even Sammy, who was only conscious for 40 seconds), giving the signal to Anne to start running. The scream of the children was so intense and unexpected that the door of Addams' office swung open, director Addams and his two patients of the moment, Finn and Gideon, went out to see what was happening.

Before the Cyclops could think to ask his friends what was going on, the four children shouted again (Although this time everyone pronouncing it as they could). “Out of the way, Gideon!”

Showing an agility, coordination and athletic power never seen before in a 1-year-and-3-week-old girl, Anne jumped over the cyclops and through the door dodging both the bodybuilder and the director without any problem. Before the astonished glance with the jaws disengaged of the 6 adults and Gideon, the four toddlers separated again, throwing themselves at the same time on the box of candies for babies that was on the ground.

Looking as if they were living in it, none of the four found their coveted prize ... until Sammy saw one of the chocolate candy papers lying on the floor. Instantly the four turned to the cyclops, carefully watching his chocolate-stained lips.

No one understood (or was able to cool their minds enough to think) what was going on, so when Anne, Sammy, Estela and Zhong burst into tears, their mothers had to run into the office to comfort them.

 

Operation Chocolate Treasure

Result: Failed

 

 

---

 

(An hour and a half later)

 

“Get ready Anne Barlow Holm and parents! Addams will receive you in his office in 4 minutes!”

 

The nurse called screaming despite the fact that the room was still empty except for some parents who had dared to drive to the UpperBright raining. After the chocolate incident (As Addams and the mothers had agreed to call it), the visit shifts had been reactivated normally ... which was good for the parents but not for Anne, who was watching as her friends were entering with Addams and leaving with candies.

After Estela (who had the previous turn to Anne) enter with Addams, the giantess toddler had chosen to sit with her mother instead of playing with the other children in the room. Although Anne was very active with her friends, Alanna knew well that her little girl was not the biggest social butterfly becoming more shy as she grew older. (Something Grandpa Roland said was the same thing that had happened to Alanna herself).

"Come on, my sunshine, it's almost our turn!" Alanna tried to cheer up her daughter, taking her little hands. (small only for her and her wife)

 

Nodding without raising her head, Anne glanced sideways at the two feline neohumans who played on the plastic slide. It was precisely at times like that that Anne's shyness and shame came to light, and although Alanna did find adorable on the one hand, as a mother the Amazon Vice President kept asking herself if she should try to force her daughter to establish conversation with other outside children.

To the little girl's joy, Estela and her mother re-entered the waiting room, the little neo-human holding her pockets full of candies as if her life were in it. "Anne!" Estela called her friend, who, like a spring, got out of the seat, running and even throwing herself on her knees sliding down the last feets to her. “Take! Appe candy!”

 

“Thans Estela!” Anne thanked the moment opening her hands to pick up the 3 candies her friend gave her, putting one in her mouth so fast that both her own mother and Estela's believed that she had also put the plastic in her mouth.

 

Sharing a guilty mother's smile, Paola grabbed her huge friend by the shoulder (After Alanna had crouched quickly as a courtesy). “Good luck with both Addams! And if you then have time before the gala dinner, come to my house this afternoon! My aunt sent me a box of cachaça! I'm going to let you find out what it is!” With a movement of mother and daughter hands, they left Handshake's headquarters, leaving Anne and Alanna up to Addams office.

 

...

Knock Knock knock…

“Go ahead!” Addams shouted without getting up from his chair, more worried about finding Anne's file among the rest than of greeting mother and daughter again. "I see this time our little big wild card is calmer!" Addams smiled as Anne silently went straight to the candy box, grabbing her and waving her unsuccessfully. “I will give you your reward after the check, ok? I promise you will have your precious candies! For now, sit down and let Uncle Addams give you some educational drawings, okay?”

 

Nodding completely convinced Anne sat down (candy box still in hand) in the chair next to her mother, who could only laugh and look away. "Tell me please that this passion for sweets is not the result of having given too many baby candies while she was younger" Alanna begged to try to get comfortable, her butt too big to even fit between the armrests, and in case she succeeded to force oneself would be impossible for the chair not to feel like a torture device. "It has finally happened ..."

 

With Anne's folder already on the table and the giant Gigante entertained with the drawings that Addams had put on her computer, the director got up to offer the Amazonian mother the same bank for 3 people that Erika used to use, bank that creaked under the weight of Alanna only of the overexertion that the Swedish submits it at each visit. “It was something that was going to happen sooner or later, rather early at the rate you are growing! And speaking of that… at the rate that you are going to grow for at least a couple more months”

Seeing Alanna's worried face, Addams dropped the results of the latest family analysis on the table. “Gyeseung has called this last of the special growth‘ Olola ’or Northen ligh in Korea. Don't even think about asking what you are thinking, I would also like to understand the meaning of each name. The only one I understand is Wild card for neohuman children with enough neurons to be able to have NEsPer skills but we still don't know them ... and I understand it precisely because it was a really logical name with the theme we had chosen”

 

Taking first a look at the results of medical tests of her children, Alanna's face slowly softened when she saw nothing especially strange (mainly to keep her daughter calm). "The percentages in blood are quite high ... but this Olola seems nothing more than a superefective growth hormone"

 

“I'm glad you came today, Alanna. Erika usually jumps much more worried every time I let her read the reports! As you said, the hormone Olola seems to ignore the growth limits of the body itself while stimulating muscle and bone structure, which explains how Erika is even stronger than it should. Honestly, I'm glad to finally find the one that is making you so big. Knowing and identifying the hormone will help us if we find another child who has it we can react as necessary”

 

“When the other day I caught her doing weights with 260 kilos spread in two, it almost stop my hearth… but seeing her handle with such ease and agility regarding her size calmed me down much more than any report can do! The Olola will be making us bigger but we are not suffering any of the negative aspects of gigantism such as the loss of muscle mass or coordination ... are we going to continue using gigantism to describe this process of ours? I feel that I am missing my criteria as a scientist using a completely wrong term!” Taking advantage of the fact that they were talking about her wife and that Fraje, Nellie and Anne's analyzes were relatively normal (as much as they could be normal), Alanna passed directly to Erika and his report. "I have a little iron deficiency, but that is something usual ... wait-"

The director was silent while Alanna began to reread one of the reports over and over again, regretting on the inside that he did not look at them first before passing them on. "Addams, you made a mistake here"

 

"Where?" The director rose from his chair, circling the table until he was behind Alanna's bench.“In Erika's report. Here they say they have detected Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in her blood… when that is virtually impossible, you know" Alanna replied quietly, even with a small apex of trembling as the director could tell.

 

“Yes… that is impossible. Give me a second, I'm going to call the lab” Taking out his personal phone, Addams dialed one of the numbers written on a sticker on his computer. "Addams ... I want to ask one thing about the patient's 0068 last blood test... Yes, Erika Barlow ... Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ..."

 

...

...

... ...

Holding back so as not to get up and bang the director against the wall for answers, Alanna pressed one hand against the other with all her strength. "Addams, is something wrong?"

 

...

The director did not answer the question either, just listening carefully to what they were saying on the phone. After another long 20 seconds the call ended. “They say… that is the fifth version of the analyzes they do based on the blood that we extracted Erika last week. The 5 tests gave the same result so they had no choice but-”

 

"Put an error in my wife's analysis?!" Alanna raised her voice without being able to control herself, scaring both Addams and her own daughter. “Because it's a damn mistake, Addams! It is virtually impossible!”

 

"Alanna ... calm down ..." Addams pleaded without much effect, just managing to silence the Amazonian mother enough for Anne to cry again for the second time that day.

 

"CALM DOWN?! NOT AFTER YOU SAY THAT IT IS NOT A MISTAKE WHEN IT IS CLEARLY A MISTAKE!” Rising suddenly, Alanna pushed the director aside and move to the door.

 

"Alanna ?! What are you doing?!” Addams begged as Anne cried louder.

 

"I WILL BRING YOU MY WIFE TO DO ANOTHER ANALYSIS, ULTRASOUND OR WHATEVER IT TAKES UNTIL YOU UNDO THIS MESS! ONLY I HAVE FUCKED THAT HUGE BEAUTY THAT STOLE MY HEART! ONLY I BROKE HER HYMEN ON OUR FIRST NIGHT TOGETHER! NOT A SINGLE MAN HAS PROFANED THE SACRED TEMPLE TO EROTICISM THAT ARE HER BREASTS, SO I DONT INTEND TO HOLD EVEN FOR A SECOND THAT SHE HAS THE HORMONE OF PREGNANT WOMEN RUNNING THROUGH HER VEINS! AND AS YOU DARE TO LIE TO MY FACE AGAIN, I INTEND TO BURY YOU AND ANYONE WHO HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS SITE IN COMPLAINTS AND LAWSUITS!”

 

Slamming the door so hard that the door gave way falling to the ground behind her, Alanna began running through the building so strongly that for the second time that day the employees believed that the artificial storm was upon them. With Anne crying inconsolably and calling her mother, Addams only managed to approach her to hug and comfort the desolate toddler while dialing another number on his personal phone. "Code 2109 ... I need to talk to Gyeseung. Now"

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

(2:30 pm of the same day, exterior of High School Geremia Wing)

 

And with the siren playing in the middle of the rain, a new school day ended.

Students, teachers and workers left highschool facilities at the same time, seeking refuge under the umbrellas that all had brought thanks to the warning of the previous day. To rehydrate the lands inside the dome and clean the climate simulation system (CSS) at the same time, 3 days of heavy rain had been scheduled, the closest thing to a storm that the inhabitants of Brightside had had the opportunity to experience in almost a year and 1 month already.

Among all the groups of students who left there was one that especially called attention, both for its members and for how colorful the central member was. "Thank you very much for agreeing to come home to help us-"

 

Nellie tried to hold the door for Elizabeth and her brother, being interrupted by the ninth student in the Tall ranking of the entire highschool and the first on the ranks of idiots. "Tell me, my sister ... how does it feel that the best and most smartest tutor of the future best scientist at Brightside has agreed to waste time helping you on your exam?" Fraje struggled to bother his sister as much as possible, hitting her shoulder although it was Nellie who held the huge umbrella for all three. “You must consider this an honor, you know? You don't always have the opportunity to study with the greatest genius of the city as I do every afternoon! Or at least until it's too big to enter Cascadio's apartment, hohohohoho!" And although Fraje was a real asshole, the reality is that everything he was saying was completely true. To get the best possible grades on the first major exam of the semester, Nellie had asked Elizabeth to be her tutor for a day. 

 

While Nellie endured Fraje's bully comments, Elizabeth walked slowly between them literally, each of her shoulders bumping into one of the two tallest teenagers in the school. The excess hormones of Elizabeth's mind played against her this time, feeling totally self-conscious that an old woman (or so she looked herself) was the target of the attention of two of the most attractive people she had ever seen. (To lament and envy of his godfather)

"F ... fraje ... please ..." Elizabeth begged, looking around as the discussion of such colossal brothers for her was attracting the attention of students who had not yet run home. Was it the lack of having lived a normal student era that was devouring her mind? Or was her overflowing sexuality making her shrink and tremble (first metaphorically, second literally) before two huge and incredible specimens fighting for her attention?

Elizabeth's scientific curiosity was trying to figure out what was going on inside her, her decency was trying to hold her firm and act like the adult she was supposed to be.

 

“Don't worry, Miss Elizabeth! I will not fall for the game that my stupid brother proposes” Nellie shouted, gripping her hand tightly (To joy/shame/despair). "I know it is an honor that you have choose to lost the day helping me with genetics ... but I will not fall into the game that I owe my brother something in return"

 

Looking quickly from Nellie to Fraje and vice versa as if it were a tennis match, Elizabeth began to tremble when Fraje stopped dead, forcing her sister to stop and not wet her. “Game, Nellie? Open your eyes! We are 13 years old! We are not children, it is not a time for games!” The teenager shouted even more loudly, gesturing his body expression too much for his tutor's taste. “You don't owe me anything in return… but you've and are going to lost the valuable time of the greatest genius that this city has seen! You will understand that this is not something that can be ignored, right?”

 

“I...It's no bother for me.., helping N...Nellie with her studies-”

"Since when is studying a waste of time?!" Nellie defended herself ignoring (or rather not hearing) Elizabeth's whispers. "Besides, you also needed help with the test!"

 

"You don't understand anything, do you?!" Fraje growled, stepping forward to face his sister ... and in the process further locking Elizabeth between them, her face buried in Fraje's chest and her neck between the rising upper curves. from Nellie. “You took advantage of me asking Elizabeth to be my tutor and now I want you to recognize that my idea was great and that I am greatest for it!”

 

“And now who is the children?! The only thing you want is to be complimented for no reason to feed the only big thing you have, your ego!”

 

“8 inches is big for my size and you know it, you bastard! And of course I want my great idea to be recognized! It's not as if you asked Elizabeth to also act as your tutor!”

 

So red that her skin could not be distinguished from the Chinese flag, Elizabeth felt herself faint when Elizabeth snapped away, letting her brother get wet. Holding the handle of the umbrella with the armpit, the huge teenage girl grabs the less conscious guardian by the shoulders. “Miss Elizabeth, could you tutor me too? I am passing the exams more or less, but I could use better grades for my future”

 

"I ... I ...-"

"Don't listen to her, Elizabeth!" Fraje shouted, getting under the umbrella again and turning Elizabeth toward him. “She who has chosen the physical side of life is enough to pass with 60 or 70 points! It's me who needs to get better grades to get into Caltech like you!”

 

"What the hell is even the physical side of life?!" Nellie yelled pulling Elizabeth toward her to prevent Fraje from wetting her. “I have not chosen anything and I surely deserve help to improve my grades as much as you! I didn't know anything about entering Caltech but that-”

"ERROR!" Fraje ended up screaming at all while running outside the umbrella in the rain until he stopped at one of the curbs that surrounded the front garden of the institute and where hundreds of students had breakfast with their friends every morning. Climbing the curb in one jump, Fraje turned his back on his sister, guardian and all the students who had come to hear so much fuss. "Listen to me well, sportsman...sportswoman!" Fraje shouted as if he were some kind of insult, raising his right hand as he pointed to the sky. (Rather the dome)

“To get from Stone age to Modern civilization, it took humanity 2 million years! I'm going to take everything we learned in that period of time and take it to a new level! Me and my tutor, a high school student and an unparalleled genius, are going to shake civilization to bring Brightside or the world to a new future that only the most open minds have ever dreamed of! So don't even think about trying to think about wasting our time! I need to be a genius before being too big to be able to justify labs for the huge size that I will be! This isn't for you or for me, it is for Brightside, for our future and the future of the humanity!”

 

The speech was first received with silence and the face of disbelief of Nellie ... but that was not for a long time, since when one of the students of the class of the brothers started in applause dozens of students joined him to the surprise of Nellie. (Inflating Fraje's ego even further if possible, who hoped someone had recorded or photographed him to later convert that image into a pretty picture)

“Dont applaud him! He has taken a speech from Doctor Stone and has modified it slightly to serve as his narrative! He is a fraud!” But the attempts to get her classmates into reason had no effect, even causing more students to applaud and even start cheering. Seeing that nothing could be done, Nellie chose to turn to Elizabeth and duck to try to be closer to the tutor. "Please, Miss Elizabeth ... I could use these extra tutorship after basketball or training with Mamma and Mr. Black and Jackson for my grades"

 

The situation was too out of control for Elizabeth's liking, which also had no reason to deny that to the huge teenager who looked at her with puppy eyes that could make her ignore that they were coming from a "wolf" (Nickname that as much as Elizabeth tried, she couldn't figure out where it came from) twice as large as normal. (An innate ability of the Barlow Holm family, as Elizabeth was noticing)

“The the school board forces me to go to your home for tutoring, Nellie… it's not like I care if you were present as long as that helps you improve in studies-”

"Thanks thanks! I can't wait to see the faces of my mothers when they see that I have started to get 80/90 scores on my exams!” Nellie shouted excitedly, hugging her new tutor until she was almost breathless. (Without Nellie herself noticing)

 

"Ehhhh ... my speech!" Fraje growled as he stepped off the curb and approached the now tutor and student couple. “When I give a speech like that, I hope it works for something! Not for you to make deals behind my back! I don't know what she offered you, Elizabeth, but I can double it! Nellie has always had a bad habit of wanting to share the attention I get! One day Pappa and I brought Santa Claus to the orphanage and Nellie goes and instead of standing in line for his gift with the others, she tried to strips to disguise himself as an elf like me!”

 

"Don't start telling embarrassing things in high school, you idiot!" And instead of punching him again, Nellie chose to hit him with the umbrella even finishing wetting herself and Elizabeth partially. “You're an idiot, Fraje! I plan on telling Mamma that you are trying to humiliate me in front of everyone!” The huge teenage girl took her tutor's hand and ran to the street laughing, with Fraje screaming and also screaming behind her. Elizabeth could not understand that Nellie was funny or because Fraje was also laughing, the lack of social knowledge taking its toll more than ever.

Even so, Elizabeth couldn't help getting the silly joy of the teenagers, laughing as they reached the street...

 

Where the family caravan wasnt as the three expected. In the parking lot reserved for the caravan, dressed in a t-shirt and golf pants, leaning on the hood of his Ferrari GT4 already covered under a 90-cent umbrella (Image that many teenagers and teachers were photographing) was instead the owner of a International film producer and owner of the most beloved movie theaters in the city. "You have taken too long, do you have to build the road before?" Cascadio complained as he sat up, slapping to the students who were taking pictures on the other side of the Ferrari to go put.

 

“Mr. Cascadio, what are you doing here? And our mothers?” Nellie asked as she handed the umbrella to her brother and ran to take refuge under Cascadio's.

 

"My dear Nellie ... I wish I could give you a better explanation instead of what they gave me" Cascadio growled, pressing the remote control of his car, opening it. “But your mother Erika has asked me to pick you up and take you to Handshake before I had to hang up in a hurry. "I am glad that I am finally considered a responsible person to be considered the seventh number of emergencies on someone's list ... but it has spoiled an excellent morning at the arcade”

 

"Since when do we have a Ferrari?" Elizabeth asked extremely confused as Cascadio opened the trunk so that the teenagers, now more worried than anything, left their backpacks.

 

"Please, Elizabeth! It's not just any Ferrari! It's a 2017 Ferrari GTC4LussoT! Ferrari F154 3.855 cc double turbocharged V8 engine! A truly beauty!” Fraje basically drooling while surrounding the car ignoring rain and wind, completely fascinated. "God, when we're big enough, Nellie, we need to buy a Ferrari like this even if it's to have it on a shelf like a miniature car collection ... but without being miniatures"

 

"Since when do you like cars?" Nellie asked with a frown while Fraje and Cascadio bumped the five.

 

"Hey! A new age gentleman as we should know a little of everything!" Cascadio explained as he lowered the window next to the steering wheel, letting the huge teenager look out to see the front inside. "Answering your question, Elizabeth, this gorgeous is my early birthday gift! I was fed up that we couldn't travel all 4 at the same time in the other car, so I bought this semi-new gorgeous from a Hollywood friend! It has been a real bargain! Discounting the money they gave me for the other car has been only $ 27,000-”

 

"Can we go now? ..." Nellie asked interrupting Cascadio's speech, opening the back door for her brother. Fraje soon reacted and realized that it was not the time, so the two teenagers began trying to fit in the rear seats.

Cascadio's smile and his speech about the performance of the vehicle did not stop for a second while his three companions tried to accommodate inside the vehicle (with serious difficulty the two great members from behind) and the same producer tuned the local radio station while heading to Handshake headquarters.

 

 

---

 

 

(Gyeseung underground facilities, same time)

 

Mouse and Gorilla, Gorilla and mouse. Two brothers united by the NEP staring at their creator.

 

Attempts to poetry aside, the situation in the main laboratory of the facilities was the most tense since the breakdown of the pipes in mid-November that left the installation without hot water. The rest of Gyeseung's “employees” were waiting to try to look inside the laboratory, where the three most important members of their small society were completely silent.

On one side of the laboratory were Alexander and Bartolomeo, each sitting in their respective armchairs.

On the other side Professor Gyeseung, resting in his custom-made hammock with his eyes closed. All portable laboratory screens were forming a complete circle around them, each showing one of the machines that Addams had given remote access to.

 

"Should we..." Bartolomeo approached slowly, bouncing (with his chair and everything) to Alexander's chair on his desk. "Do something? Call me a sharp-eye-gorilla if you want ... but I think the master is certainly ... suffocated? Drowned? Pressed by the situation? I am not sure what the appropriate term is”

Alexander didnt answer his brother, just continuing to study his own tablet in silence. The assurance that even Addams himself couldnt interpret the information as Gyeseung or he reassured him enough to concentrate but not enough to attend to his brother. "Alexander ... uh, uh ... Alexander ..." Bartolomeo tapped the side of the mouse several times in a row, believing that his brother wasn't ignoring him, but that he was too deep in thought.

 

"Bartolomeo, please ..." Alexander growled slowly, resting his tablet on the side of the huge coffee. "I hear you perfectly but you must understand that right now we are not ... too sure how to proceed- Eh!" This time it was the gorilla who ignored the reason, taking the tablet of this in his hands and starting to read it. "Bartolomeo ..."

 

"The are the medical datas of Alanna Barlow Holm, right?" The gorilla asked as he climbed up the pipes that covered the roof of the laboratory, creating a phisical barrier so that the mouse could not snatch the tablet in any way.

 

Alexander sighed, walking across the table until he reached his laptop and synchronized it with the tablet. "Correct, what you are reading specifically are the analyzes and tests that we have asked Addams to perform today after the return of the Barlow Holm marriage. Addams is a good man, leader and extremely cautious, so although they have taken longer than expected these medical results are reliable without a doubt"

 

Hanging from his seesaw in the center of the lab face down (Very improper gesture of a gorilla on the other hand), Bartolomeo began to read up and down all the information received from Handshake. “What are these… these things around the Sinde-ul? Page 73, scan with ‘uli milaeui gyesi ja’”

 

"That, my dear Bartolomeo-" Gyesung spoke suddenly, getting up (or rather, sitting properly) in his hammock. "It's the excited look of a child who has won his father playing trivial!"

Quickly Bartolomeo and Alexander (one advancing between the pipes and the other running through the corridors made with rules between table and table for him) arrived at the teacher's side, both relieved to see how Gyeseung smiled. "My own NEP ... beating its creator in its own game ..."

 

"What do you mean, professor?" Alexander asked as Gyeseung turned in the hammock until he turned his back, turning away all the screens until he was just in front of the biggest of them all.

 

“Enjoy this moment, my children. We are the first living beings to see the birth of a new era in genetic mutations!”

After stopping to drink water quickly, Gyeseung was changing the image with his portable control until he reached the same resonance of the brain that Bartolomeo had seen .“What has caught your attention, Bartolomeo, is nothing more and nothing less than… the Reality king's work at a level that was impossible for me to foresee! Our dear Anne, to extend her growth to her family, has ... built? Generated? These neurons similar to Sindeul in appearance ... but very different in function.

To think that if it weren't for today's events, maybe I would have known my end without realizing that not all of Sindeul of Anne's mothers and brothers were my work. Aahhhh... science”

 

“Can you give us some more information, Professor? It hurts me to admit that I don't follow the thread to what you're trying to tell us” Alexander lamented, jumping up to his master's shoulder.

 

“Nothing happens for not understanding something, Alexander. Frankly, I only managed to understand what I see! So that you both can understand me… those Sindeul aren't fruits of the NEPF but of the NEP of Anne. They are ... her unconscious work to free and take care of her family even without knowing that she is doing it! And that is frankly fascinating! 

I designed the NEP to have a little ... artificial intelligence so that you understand me, bartolomeo. Giving it the ability to survive, multiply and improve bodily functions to create a superior being in every way was the priority.
The key is that now the NEP no longer seeks to survive, no ... now it seems to be reasoning and handling the NEPF variant at a genetic level and without direct contact! And that, that my dear apprentices, is the proof of that the potential of my Reality King is much much greater than I ever thought.

We need to do something. Bartolomeo, go find your team and prepare the GyBox 0.3, today is not a drill! Alexander, you meanwhile prepare the TpSystem and set the coordinates on the surface within the city. I will also need you to look presentable today, you will be our contact”

Mouse and Gorilla looked confused as Gyeseung pulled his dress shoes from under the hammock, changing them for the slippers he usually wore at the base. "We have ... a visit to do"

 

 

---

 

(Handshake, secret underground floor: Authentic NEPF research center. 15:40 in the afternoon)

 

“Where are the girls… Here you are!"

“Hahahahahahaha!” “Hahahahahahaha!”

“Where are the girls… HERE YOU ARE!"

 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Anne and Gabrielle burst out laughing with the old game of hiding behind a rag (or jacket, in this case). To everyone's surprise, Carlos Romero was surprisingly good with the children.

The little neohuman fox rubbed her runny nose while laughing, a gesture her mother quickly interpreted blowing the boogers to the little girl sitting on Anne's legs. "Thanks for entertaining them, Carlos- I don't know if I could- ACHOO! ... put up with this cold"

 

“No problem, Mrs. B!" Carlos smiled as he turned to rummage through his bag, taking out puppets that looked not exactly cheap. Puppets that did not take a second to amaze the little ones, who began to stir in the armchair (and Gabrielle on Anne's legs) of emotion. "Don't tell my boss but I've always had a sensitive fiber with cute kids like Anne and Gabrielle! If it weren't for all the robberies I would have liked to finish the pedagogical career”

A revelation undoubtedly fascinating, Evangeline thought as she looked at the bald muscular assistant of her husband's brother. The minutes passed even slower than both adults expected, the monotony of the corridor didnt help to make the situation more enjoyable for anyone, especially for the two wives inside the secret floor clinic.

 

When Alanna and Addams called her husband on his day off, Evangeline assumed that something was happening.

When William told him that it hurt him to not give her the rest that she and Gabrielle both deserve and have to run away, Evangeline assumed it was something serious.

When the Blacks met Jackson, Cascadio and their assistants in the Handshake parking lot, Evangeline understood that the situation was extremely serious.

 

And of course seeing Alanna and Erika crying in that way and that they both begged her and her husband to take care of Anne while Addams took them inside the laboratory she had only heard of, Evangeline decided to do her best to take care of Anne.

While Carlos was still entertaining the little ones, the elevator that connected with behind the closet of Addams' office opened after those inside were entering 3 security passwords. “And… open! Hehehe… Cl4ptr4p… " Cascadio laughed to himself as he entered the hall, followed by Elizabeth and the Barlow Holm brothers. “Hello again, sister-in-law and my dear Carlos! How are you-"

 

Without letting the producer finish and while Carlos was going to pick up the wet jackets of the four that Cascadio was carrying, Nellie and Fraje ran by his side to Evangeline. Anne soon cheered up again when she saw her brothers, leaving Gabrielle in the seat beside her before jumping off the seat and hugging each other's legs. “Äldre syster! Storebror! Äldre syster! Storebror!” Anne shouted happier than all day, jumping up and down while Nellie and Fraje knelt to hug her back.

 

"Miss Evangeline, what's going on?" Nellie tried to ask between the kisses Anne was giving them, keeping her smile as much as possible despite the growing concern in both.

 

Evangeline crossed her arms, taking her daughter and taking the opportunity to clean both of their noses. “I'm so sorry guys… but as soon as we arrived, Addams has blocked the building of internet data from the building and has told us to wait here. Dont worry! I've seen your mothers and both are fine! And don't worry about the internet either! You can use everything on the internet except to send messages and that ... is for security Addams said"

 

Evangeline's words were kind but they were not helping the brothers to calm down. None of the three adults knew what to say, taking Nellie's sudden stomach roar as a godsend to change the conversation. “Poor things, all day in high school and now he brings you here without eating!” Carlos lamented, crouching between the brothers and hugging each other by the shoulders. “I hope you like hamburgers, my brother and Mr. Jackson have asked  the cafeteria of the building to prepare us a lot of hamburgers and good dessert for this dark day. In a moment the two will come with a couple of tables and we can eat and then you do your homework”

 

"Carlos ..." Fraje sighed as he left his backpack next to the chair he was already wearing 8 jackets and rising. “You are the last person who expected you to worry that in a situation like this we will do our homework…”

 

 

---

 

(10 minutes later while the aisle group eat. Interior of the secret floor clinic)

 

If each group contained and was handled with acceptable amounts of tension, the 4 inside the clinic were handling critical amounts not acceptable to humans.

Erika was lying on a homemade combination of stretchers to hold her. The Amazon had not stopped crying for a second since her wife had brought her, obsessed with making it clear to Alanna that she had always been faithful to her and to the holy institution of marriage. The largest Amazon had gone through every test that Professor Gyeseung had asked Addams, no matter how strange it was, without getting in return any answer to what was going on.

 

Alanna instead sits next to William Black on a stool across the room with her arms crossed, trying to stay calm as much as possible. The Amazon vice president had also gone through her good amount of medical tests without results, which together with her wife's cry was destroying her heart. Alanna had full confidence in her wife ... so confident that she wasn't even thinking about checking the security cameras in her house.

Two halves of the same coin, united by destiny and for all eternity.

For some reason Alanna didn't understand why her wedding vows constantly echoed in her head.

 

On the other hand was William, who had changed his job as head of Brightside temporarily to the point of support for the Amazons to hold them. Just as Erika had explained to the general (badly and in tears and tears) Alanna's parents had taken a 20-hour permit to help find an apartment for Erika's father in Los Angeles. Until knowing if it was a mistake or something similar marriage preferred not to let them know, relying instead on their acquaintances to help them.

Black's honor and his desire to protect all the inhabitants of Brightside made him remain impassive in the face of the situation, serving as a point of support for his friends while Erika's pregnancy uncertainty continued.

 

And finally there was Addams, who had stopped feeling like a scientist responsible for Handshake to become a puppet ... or rather, the physical extension of Gyeseung's hands. As much as I hated to admit it, the director didn't even know where to start looking.

"Well ... Gyeseung says he will evaluate the latest results and let me know when he find out something ... while, he has asked me to tell you what we are clear about" Addams explained getting up from the clinic desk and closing the laptop he had been using for Communicate with the Professor. Slowly the director walked until he was in the middle of both wives, who looked at him begging for some kind of light over so much darkness.

“The ultrasound we have taken from your belly with the help of the modified scanner doesn't lie… Erika, you are 2 weeks pregnant-”

 

"THAT ISN'T POSSIBLE!" Alanna immediately jumped to scream while his wife broke down again to cry. “WE ARE TWO WOMEN! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! THE REASON WHY WE USE THE MM IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE PREGNANT DIRECTLY! TWO USB PORTS CANNOT PASS INFORMATION NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRIED TO HIT THEM AGAINST BETWEEN THEM!"

 

The comment brought silence and a choked laugh from William, which became a scared swallow when Alanna turned her head toward him, giving her a look that would not have killed him. It would have erased him from the same story. “ALANNA! You have gone from measuring just 5 feet 3 inches to measuring 7 feet 7 inches and almost tripling your body mass over the course of 8 fucking months! That is impossible at your age! And what do I need to say?! LOOK AROUND! Neohumanity was impossible until it became possible!” Addams replied, waving his arms trying to emphasize his words, throwing all the sheets of paper in his hands in the air. "You want to know more?! The samples we have taken according to the procedure of any of the 4 ovules dont lie! They are your genes! You're the… father/mother and that shouldn't be physically possible!”

 

The news was received with the intensity of a car against an iron pole at 150 kilometers per hour by Alanna, who bent back so much screaming that her wife thought Alanna herself had completely broken her back. "That's impossible! How will I be the father if I am a woman!? I don't have sperm nor have I been able to penetrate it- Wait like any of the 4 ovules?!”

 

Sighing frustrated, Addams bent down to find a specific sheet of paper. “What you have heard… 4 fertilized eggs. Quadtrigotic multiple pregnancy.

Erika… to be both women Alanna has left you completely pregnant, you're pregnant with quadruplets”

 

...

... ...

The next thing that was heard in the clinic was how Alanna fell to the ground unconscious and how Erika knocked down her dropper when her arms fell down, also being unconscious from the shock. Addams and Black were completely overcome for a moment by having to deal with a double unconsciousness of the two tallest women in North America and the world, being forced to shout for help.

Thank heaven, Fraje was already trying to hear at the door stuck. As soon as the teenager turned to shout, Carlos had already jumped out of his puppet theater knocking down the door. 

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

Quadruplets

Quadruplets Multiple pregnancy

Quadruplets Multiple pregnancy Surprise pregnancy

Quadruplets  Multiple pregnancy  Surprise pregnancy NEPF

Quadruplets   Multiple pregnancy   Surprise pregnancy NEPF       Usb ports

 

5 simple concepts a number that resonated in Alanna's unconscious mind as if they were a macabre echo. Words that (except USB ports) brought wonderful heat to her heart and a cold sweat to her mind.

Accept that your family was growing in size? Accept the neohumanity? Accept the NEPF? Of course! All the times it needed!

Accept that she had somehow left the love of her life pregnant without the need for any intermediary or device? For some reason that was much harder to reason for her.

 

Something inside Alanna tried to make her see that she could only rejoice at the 4 new smiles that were coming to her family ... but at the same time the Amazon vice president could not stop thinking (as strange as it was) of Professor Cole and his quest to free human reproduction. Was this what Cole was looking for? It wasn't exacttly possible, since what Cole expected was to be the one to open those limits with the Miracle machine. Did that mean that somehow she and her wife had managed to overcome Cole's plans? Alanna didn't really know ... there really was nothing that at that time could be considered clear. And that was nothing compared to the real concerns that were beginning to surface in her_

At the moment and in the planned future, Erika only had 2 breasts and four girls who would cling hungry to them ... that without counting things like synchronized crying, dirty synchronized diapers, synchronized tantrum... In general many synchronized things, which should be solved at the same time as the problems of Anne, Nellie and Fraje.

Two adults cannot deal with two teenagers and 4 young children ... virtually both wives didn't have enough hands To control everyone! And in the same way that increasing the amount of breasts of her wife wasn't an option, implanting extra arms was out of the question.

While slowly a warm glow was lighting the abyss where she lay motionless, the vice president kept thinking if the pregnancy was the result of the night of passion that she and Erika had shared weeks ago; a heated night where Alanna herself had done so many things that could not be spoken out loud that made her blush. One of the things that could be mentioned was a bit of good old genital rubbing against genital, the classic scissoring for the most purists of depravity.

Strange as those memories were and the excitement of reviving them were what managed to wake Alanna from her comatose and unconscious state.

 

Her eyes were slowly getting used to the light again, and when she managed to turn her head enough it wasn't difficult to see that she was in the clinic on the secret floor where they had done an ultrasound of Erika hours before. With the fresh air of the ventilation refreshing her tired mind, Alanna turned her head to the right meeting the beautiful face of her sleeping wife. Despite disheveled hair, dry sweat on her forehead and dark circles of concern around her eyes, for her Erika was the most beautiful in the world.

"When my father finds out that his warnings of getting pregnant for not wearing protection would be just the other way around ..." Alanna let out a small chuckle, stretching her hand as much as the serum tube until she could caress her wife's free hand. "Lesbians getting pregnant among us... the world is becoming crazy crazy crazy ... hehehe"

 

Getting up was being much harder than she expected, erasing the little laugh she had left while all the bones in the body hurting wildly. Guilt of fainting standing and falling to the ground, Alanna assumed as she turned on himself looking for Addams or Black.

Instead, what the Amazon vice president didn't expect is for the vision to be much more wonderful. Sitting badly in three armchairs brought from the hallway, Fraje, Nellie and Anne were sleeping peacefully, Nellie and Fraje sleeping sideways in a rather awkward posture so that Anne could snuggle between them. The single vision of her children energized Alanna's aching body, while bringing a thought to it.

"7 ... that's 3 more than I expected to have for this year of marriage ... that we have a good dream of forming an Erika European football team! I suppose that by the time they get older that will have some value here in the United States, because otherwise we only have my mother's idea of forming a choir" Trying to comfort himself with something that was supposed to be good news was a certainly strange sensation, Alanna thought as she managed to make her body function enough to sit on the double couch that held her. (Between her and Erika were occupying 5 hospital bed at a time)

 

Her mother's footsteps were heavy, clumsy and loud (much more than she wanted to admit), which she caused as she tried to get close Anne opened her lazy eyes. “Mamma… " The little girl whispered as she returned from the dream world. And although her mother was urging to whisper, the little girl chose a much more direct approach. “Mamma! Mamma Ala!” Anne shouted, jumping out of the chair so fast that Nellie and Fraje fell toward the center of it crashing their heads between them.

 

"Hello my sunshine" Seeing that there was no reason to whisper Alanna chose to kneel to catch her little girl before she jumped into her neck, rubbing her cheek up and down cheek while continuing to repeat mamma. "I'm so sorry to have worried you today ... And that goes for all three, my childrens... I'm so sorry" Alanna lamented while Nellie and Fraje knelt at the sides of their mother, opting to imitate Anne and hug her mother.

 

"I swear to God, mamma, that as you do something like that again I become an anti-system punk..."

“You don't have to apologize mamma… vi älskar dig för mycket för att bry dig om sådant nonsens (we love you too much to bother you about such nonsense)”

“Anne lovve mamma Ala an mamma Eri…”

 

Each of the three expressed his love to his mother in a different way, something that made him smile while hugging his children even more strongly. "I love you too ... and I swear that as you become an antisystem, Fraje, I plan to throw one and every one of your games, comics and subscriptions away. All of them"

While the only boy of the three clenched his teeth, lamenting his threat, Alanna released her children by taking Anne in her arms and sitting in the chair where her little daughter used to sleep. As soon as Nellie and Fraje sat down to each other Alanna grabbed their hands while staring at her wife. “Have they told you what happened? Why did your mother Erika and I faint?"

 

"Nope"

"We haven't been told a word, mamma"

"Mamma Eri is sleepin... shhhh"

 

"That means that all the weight falls on my shoulders, aaaahhhh ... I guess I deserve it for being so bad this morning" Alanna sighed as she pulled the hands of her eldest children, placing them on Anne's legs to give them maternal love to all. (Action that Anne took as a game, beginning to slap the backs of her older brothers and sister hands)

"Well guys ... I hope you're prepared for what you're going to hear ... but Erika is pregnant-"

 

"That is impossible!" Fraje interrupted completely furious as his mother expected. “Now I don't talk like your son but like his little brother and I swear mamma that my older sister would never do something like that to you! She has been faithful to you to the point of not touch… touch musical instruments until you both shared a night together!” The way to skip the ugly words for Anne to remain ignorant and the defense of her older sister of Fraje were something her sister and mother found extremely adorable.

 

Unfortunately, Alanna was forced to pretend to maintain control of the situation and understand what was happening. "Fraje ... Nellie ... it's me who has made her pregnant"

 

Silence.

More silence. Slow transformation towards a gesture of confusion on the faces of their older children. More silence yet. Nellie looking up confusedly waiting for her mother to correct her words. Fraje opening his mouth to close it again while playing with his left hand. Even more silence even more awkward.

And finally:

"What ?!"

"What did you say? ..."

"Pre... nat. Prenat?”

 

“Do you know, Anne? In these moments I am glad that you are small- young. As you have heard guys. I don't know how or when ... when maybe I know... But it has happened. Honestly, thinking about it in retrospect doesn't seem so strange to me ... but knowing that Anne would have had something to do with it”

 

"And HOW?! That doesn't work like that! Mamma... are you a futanari? Fraje explained that term to me a few days ago and I'm afraid it was like a forecast of the future" Nellie was this time who lost her composure, much later than her mother expected.

 

"Fu...ta na-"

"DON'T LEARN THAT, ANNE! Damn it, Nellie! How do you think of saying something like that?!" Apparently Nellie herself had not thought what she was saying, remaining silent until she realized what had happened, covering her horrified mouth. Alanna sighed as she kept her daughter's mouth covered, trying to ignore how Anne was devoting herself to licking her mother's palm. "Ahhh... Call it mother's intuition or pure logic, but considering that our little sunshine somehow managed to alter our organisms to produce a hormone never seen before ... something tells me that the fact that being two women could have pregnant your mother means that I am not so far from reality with my predictions and what Addams should start thinking about moving Anne from Wild Card to another range ... or at least categorize her!”

Laughing at something that her older children found nothing fun, Alanna took her little daughter in her arms again, getting up and walking until she was next to the stretchers where Erika was resting. Anne did not wait for a second when her mother left her on the stretchers, crawling at full speed until she threw herself on her mother. “You are terrible pretending to sleep, you know? You get nervous too fast and start to inflate and deflate the belly too much... Your pretty 8 tablet that contains our precious 4 future daughters ... when was the last time your stomach was rounded, honey?”

 

Erika didn't answer, putting her hands to her face to pinch both cheeks at the same time. "How am I going to look my father's face?" Erika asked quietly as she attended all the affectionate samples of her little daughter. "He has repeated to me throughout my adolescence so many times the dangers of getting pregnant for not wearing protection that this only seems like a kind of joke of destiny ..."

Slowly Nellie and Fraje joined their mother, each leaning on one side of her on the empty stretcher. “I know that just now Alanna has already apologized too much… but I also feel like I should do it, guys. I feel so bad for all the bad time that you have been through for our fault ... that adults like us have lost the forms so quickly ... it's too sad”

 

“The only sad thing here is that you have fainted from something as simple as a pregnancy! For God's sake, girls!” Fraje complained, raising his voice a little too much for the taste of his mothers. "You have already gone through a pregnancy so that you behave- Auuuuu au au au!!!"

With each of his cheeks trapped by the pinch of one of his mothers, Fraje finally fell silent to everyone's surprise.

 

Taking advantage of his brother's moment of silence, Nellie leaned forward to take her mother's hand Erika. "Now that you are pregnant again...- AUUUUU AU AU AU!!!" Was it wrong for Fraje to enjoy seeing how he also pinched his sister? Yes and what?. "But why me?!"

 

"In case you were going to say some nonsense like if we wanted to give you back with pappa!" Erika and Alanna shouted at the same time as Anne learned the bad example of what was happening, trying to pull her mother's cheeks laughing. "Now you both have to become the the leader and the role model to 5 little sisters if the fact that we are only two women still means that there is no one to put the Y-"

Again the sound of a body falling unconscious travels through the secret underground floor of Handshake. But this time they were the two bodies of the eldest children of the Barlow Holm family, who had not been able to reason the phrase "5 little sisters" without their teenage minds breaking.

 

 

---

 

(15 minutes later. 22:40 at night)

 

The looks of Elizabeth, Cascadio, Jackson, William and Evangeline were absolutely devastating, blaming and even a little ashamed (at least in the part of Cascadio). The two mothers of the family sat together on a lowered hospital bed to serve as an improvised bench for their rear with special needs. (Each tiny movement of them causes a groan of the structure, which was hyper forced by the combined weight of both half-ton wives)

"You know what? You shouldn't be ashamed of something like multiple fainting. Instead of seeing the bad side ..." Cascadio pointed out as he took one of the chicken nuggets from the fast-food dinner that the cafeteria chefs had kindly cooked for the group. “You should look at it on the bright side! You are so united as a family that your reaction to the news is the same! Will they refer to this with which children resemble parents?”

 

"I would not say it that way ... Above all, I wouldn't say it with such unnecessary jokes... but I agree with what Cascadio is trying to say that fainting together is something very tender as a family" Jackson tried to offer his support to the two mothers (and at the same time tried to annoy the two teenagers they ate dinner in silence without raising their heads) placing their hand on Erika's shoulder while with the other she took a couple of chips. “And if you allow me, as an instructor and head of education of this site I think that the biggest concern -apart from your growing size, of course- that you should have is for Anne… who knows what else this little miracle girl could do?”

Jackson turned to the chair where Anne and Gabrielle played with the stuffed animals that Cascadio's assistants had brought from the homes of both families, playing and tickling the two little ones who burst out laughing uncontrollably. “In part I am glad that my granddaughter is only an NEsPer levitor of lvl 2. Categorize your child as a WildCard it is terrible for mental health, creating unnecessary worries when what matters most to parents is to raise their children correctly and smile with them"

As if from an invisible bond they were joined, Erika and Alanna on one side and William and Evangeline on the other sighed at the same time, confirming just as Jackson believed the mental fatigue that their current situations entailed. “I know I am talking a lot, but I honestly believe that Addams should approve my group therapy plan for parents like you… if there is something that I have been taught all my decades as an educator is that the feeling that there are people in your same situation helps much more than it seems"

 

“Have you told my brother and he has said no? It isn't the kind of thing that Addams would deny… ” William asked confusedly how his lugalterno (technically indirectly even though his relationship still had a military tone) had formulated the phrase, wanting to trust his brother.

 

"Budget it isn't the reason, that's for sure; with all the new employees who have hired there is still a budget to spare. I believe that the reason for postponing my plan is to reserve the time of our psychologists to deal with the families of neohuman children with especially complicated needs... 

 

"Please! Let's not talk about politics or work this rainy night!” Cascadio quickly interrupted Jackson and William before they degenerated into work. "Let's talk about something fun, something like Erika is pregnant with quadruplets! God, Alanna ... to not have a cannon you have great precision!"

 

“I agree a lot with Cascadio! Except in unnecessarily graphic rhyme ... with that I agree to disagree” Evangeline applauded to prevent her husband from answering his brother. “It's wonderful and fun that you're so pregnant, honey! If twins is already a very small probability, I don't even want to think about the probability of quadruplets! You have thought ... I imagine not, of course. You passed out after hearing the word quadruplets-”

 

To stop hearing the word of the day, Alanna got up from her armchair around the entire table until she could hug ... or rather bury the ex-dancer's face between her gigantic breasts. "Evangeline ... I love you so much but let's stop saying quadruplets for today, okay?"

"Ummmm! Ummm- Ummm!”

“That's right… much better. I thank you so much that you stayed with us, boys ... it was not our best day-”

 

"And it won't get better for now," Addams spoke as the elevator to the secret floor opened, taking off the wet jacket with which the director had left hours earlier. “I'm sorry to interrupt dinner, but there is someone who needs to talk to you and has made a long journey here. Come to the clinic alone. Now. Please”

And as if he was a soul in sorrow, Addams entered the clinic leaving the door half open. The night was going to be long once again.

 

 

---

 

 

After assuring their children that it was going to be fast and that Evangeline and William promised to take them home to rest and that Cascadio and Elizabeth promised to wait for them to help them with whatever was necessary, the marriage entered the clinic in perpetual darkness, only lit by the embers that fell from the cigarette that Addams was smoking.

"Don't tell my wife, please ... the last one I smoked was last year, after the birth of Lisa Fang..."

 

"I guess it was a very stressful situation, Addams ..." Erika replied as she and her wife again occupied the stretchers prepared as long benches. “So seeing you smoking means you're going through a lot of stress… please don't make us wait. If I'm pregnant, it means you can't make me suffer too much-” A mischievous look from her wife (Wanting to enjoy Erika already taking advantage of the “lives” inside her) and a slight punch to the forearm later, the couple held their hands together while Addams put out the cigarette and turned on the air purifier.

 

“I've talked to you about Professor Gyeseung, right? Right now… My mind ins't here to remember or go for my notes about your family”

 

Nodding both at once, Alanna began counting her fingers. “You have mentioned it to us together about 11 times and 17 to me alone, about what he is the ‘inventor’ of NEPF and that Anne was accidentally the first because we drank water from the fertility clinic that was right in the pipes from where the virus spread. I also remember that you explained to us that the reason why children born in January of last year aren't neohumans like our Anne and Lisa is because they became infected after their mother did, becoming partial carriers of the NEPF like the rest of the city"

 

"Anne was the first because we were right at the source and Lisa was the second because her parents were the first to conceive after both of them had been infected" Erika finished pointing while the marriage saw Addams smile for the first time since the outburst of rage that same morning.

 

“This saves us a lot of time for explanations. As you know, I have contacted Professor Gyeseung this morning to assist me with all this mess ... not in vain, he is the man who knows most about the NEPF, or at least in his first form. After studying all the tests this afternoon he told me that he was going to meditate on them, and a couple of hours after you had passed out he called me saying that he was going to send us his assistant Alexander to help us and clear the clouds of doubts that cover us, if you girls allow me to get poetic”

 

“That's the way I like it, Addams! Direct and to the point! God knows that today is one of the days I least want to be distracted by technical terms. I need to know everything, especially how my wife could fertilize 4 different eggs at once... I didn't know that in my fertile days I have so many eggs available and waiting for my wife's non-existent sperm to penetrate them.” Alanna laughed sarcastically as he looked around. “And where is he? I have enough questions to ask him”

 

The director kept quiet for a long 15 seconds, biting his lip while quickly looking in all directions. “You have to promise me… that you aren't going to say, comment or share this with anyone. God knows well that I am doing my part to make this as simple as possible ... I have accepted the NEPF, neohumanity and all that entails ... this isn't like any of that... I better shut up"

 

The marriage nodded confused by the monologue of Addams, who left the table resting both arms crossed behind his neck. The director took his best breath as he closed his eyes, slowly sitting back down properly.

Faced with the confusion of both wives, Addams opened the drawer of the desk under where the computer was, pulling from inside ... a mouse. And not a normal mouse, the couple quickly observed: Snow white, the mouse stood on its two hind legs keeping its back especially straight.

The mouse remained motionless (almost looking like a cartoon mouse) staring at the marriage, which happened to look at each other and then Addams. The director looked back at them with a shrug, all without saying or giving any explanation about what he just did.

 

And out of nowhere, the mouse raised its right front leg to the mouth, making a small sound like clearing its throat. "Nice to-"

"THE FUCKING MOUSE HAS TALKED!" Erika shouted as if she had just glimpsed the most terrifying vision of her life, hitting the poor mouse with a side punch. A punch with such power and intensity that the mouse could do nothing but fly away until it crashed against the wall.

 

Surprisingly for Erika and Alanna, the mouse resisted the blow by bouncing and falling forward, just in the bin that hours earlier Fraje had moved from place to put the three chairs. "ALEXANDER!" Addams shouted, rising from his chair as if it were a cougar, throwing himself on the floor next to the bin while Erika and Alanna looked even more confused if it fit.

 

...

... ...

... ... ... 

(5 minutes later)

 

"Uhum ... as I was going to say: Nice to meet you, Erika and Alanna” Alexander repeated the greeting he had planned before the unfortunate accident, extending his leg full of bandages (like the rest of his body) towards marriage. Slowly and even without reasoning what the marriage was going on, Alanna was taking the mouse's paw between the index and the thumb in the strangest handshake she had ever lived. “I know that my appearance can lead to confusion, but I am the greatest NEPF expert behind my creator, Professor Gyeseung”

While Addams was muttering expletives between his teeth towards the mouse that had stolen his position, Alexander walked across the table to the coffee cup Alanna had prepared while the director bandaged the extremely damaged mouse bones. "The professor is very sorry he isn't here today, but his identity must be kept secret-"

 

“Professor Gyesung is Meredith's father, right? Professor Mo bae I mean” Erika and Alanna asked at the same time calmly as if their words were not of great importance.

 

Instantly upon hearing the words of the marriage, two different answers occurred: On the one hand Alexander began to spit all the coffee he had in his mouth, beginning to drown after coffee going through the breathing duct; while Addams remained silent until he saw the reaction of the mouse, a sign that helped him to get up so intensely that his armchair with wheels shot back, bouncing off the wall and returning to the director knocking him down.

 

"HOW!? I MEAN... NO!" Alexander shouted between trying to cool his lungs and answer of anguish, the poor mouse feeling like another 5 months of life left that night.

 

"Pure logic, really" Erika said smiling as she took her wife's hands in a most flirtatious and innocent gesture, giving way to Alanna to explain the theory of both.

“We were thinking about it after Addams told us that the NEPF infection began with us and Anne. It is very easy to see if you follow the logical steps: The NEPF needs to come from a mother and father to combine and shape the neohumans, which means that if it started for us the only possible answer is the fertility clinic where Meredith fertilized me with the sperm transformed from an Erika cell.

That whole process was possible thanks to the Miracle Machine built by Meredith's father, who had casually told Meredith that the MM needed to recharge both its batteries and its chemical components that same night.”

“While helping to take the MM to Meredith's car some of the inner liquid splashed on my hand, which Meredith advised me to take it out as soon as possible so that no stain could happen or anything dangerous could happen to me… and the water with which I washed it passed to the pipes from the city"

“We don't know if this is true, but Meredith didn't know anything about what happened to the MM after the Meredith accident and Cole was just trying to get international fame and money to couples like us ... which leaves us as the only possibility for man who built the MM in the first place and, as a few weeks later I discovered by researching, the creator of the chemical formula of the MM!”

It was evident from the smiles of Alanna and Erika that the marriage was especially proud of their theory, the result of one of the nights that the rabid Anne for the teeth pain didn't let them sleep.

 

The mouse remained, once again, in sepulchral silence to the point of not breathing. "It'sn't Mo Bae ..."

The marriage ignored his words, clashing the fives proud of having succeeded. (in a way much farther from reality even if they didn't know that)

 

"Mo Bae ... I remind him of many published scientific studies from when I was a student ..." Addams thought out loud, stroking his chin. "I remember that the West Coast scientific community regretted a lot when he moved away from the cameras in pursuit of its companion and apprentice Liam Cole ... to think that he and Gyeseung are the same person ..."

 

"Stop getting confused unnecessarily!" Alexander shouted, jumping and trying to get the attention of the three humans in the room (1 human and 2 neohumans specifically). "It isnt-" The mouse tried to keep screaming until the collar around his neck blinked twice. "I can't believe it…-"

The clinic door slammed open, Cascadio, Elizabeth, William, Evangeline, Jackson and the three children of the marriage rushed in with expressions of pure terror that those who were already inside the clinic soon understood.

 

What was more unexpected than a talking mouse capable of staying upright as a person? A gorilla, a huge eastern adult gorilla walking upright while waving a kind of electric baton with a trigger on the handle.

The marriage didn't hesitate for a second to run to protect their children, joining them in the wall farthest from the beast with Addams and the others.

 

Beast that on the other hand seemed to smile happy to cause such impressions. (Put in the same way that Alexander's face seemed to have been anthropomorphized to be more human, the gorilla's face was also much more caricatured and humanized than one would expect from a wild animal)

"You've bundled them well, Little Alexander!" The gorilla smiled as he extended the baton to the table, letting the mouse walk through it without any fear of electricity.

 

"I?! Why am I to blame ?! Besides what are you doing here ?! It is impossible that the Master has left you-” 

Alexander gasped when the gorilla threw him up, trapping him in the air with his other hand and sitting him on his head. "It is an opportunity like any other to recover the loan, do not you think? And you know that of course it was the Master who has decided to come!"

 

"Co...come? Don't! We can't do this! This is not OK! This isn't-"

And the mouse's trouble turned to fear, and fear expression of disbelief while through the door an intense source of light came illuminating the entire clinic to the last inch. (So r03;r03;intense that none of those present could avoid covering their eyes)

Of course the spotlights (that blinded even the mouse, who apparently was not notified) weren't the only thing, that would be too easy. Sounding like with a power similar to as if orchestra was playing on the same floor, an ominous military melody accompanied by a Latin choir filled the ears of those present as much as the spotlights were filling their eyes.

Spotlights? Checked. Accompaniment music? Working out. While the mouse was crying not for the light but for the monetary waste that the entrance was costing the light went from being bright white to a beautiful mosaic of bright colors as if they were passing a stained glass window in front of the spotlight. Of course this only served to look away from the 8 chimpanzees who entered the clinic by dragging what looked like a mechanical tape.

 

And of course it was a mechanical tape. With a turning point of the music a figure was placed in the middle of the light bulb, a figure that slowly entered (or being entered) to the clinic without moving an inch of its body, maintaining perfectly a firm posture with the hands crossed behind back, chin raised in an expression of superiority and legs perfectly perpendicular.

No one said a word, all staring at the man who just entered while rubbing their eyes, slowly getting used to the chosen lighting. Bald from above but with a careful and worked side curtain raised giving him an air of children's supervillain, wearing a sleeveless and open lab coat, without any shirt underneath to show an old but well worked body that also caused a certain synergy with the pants and military boots that finished off the job.

His eyes were undoubtedly Asian, combined with a prominent sharp nose and a wrinkled but bright forehead formed the most picturesque old man that no one had ever seen.

 

The choir of the orchestra made an inflection in the melody, while all the instruments except a piano stopped playing.

"I am Gyeseung" He began to speak with a deep tired and aged voice that Addams knew so well. "The father of-"

 

Anne and Gabrielle began to applaud directly (not by the Professor, no no, of course not. The little ones instead were applauding the two chimpanzees after Gyeseung who were making him air so that the lab coat waved towards the assistants) interrupting directly speech and even music.

"Anne!" "Gabrielle!" The four parents tried to gossip at the little ones, who clapped more and more laughing and pointing at the chimpanzees.

 

“Leave them!” Gyeseung raised his voice, beginning the melody again, to which several percussion instruments and even an electric guitar had been attached for emphasis. “It is normal for they to feel joy at seeing who has made all this possible… and that is nothing more or nothing less than me, Gyeseung! The father of neohumanity and the one who will kill God himself!” The professor shouted proud to be able to finish his long-awaited presentation, standing still with his arms extended as if waiting for applause.

 

Applause that nobody in his right mind intended to give him ... except for the only two people in the room who were enjoying the show. Cascadio and Fraje stepped forward, applauding excitedly. “This is what I call an introduction in capital letters and with exclamations! Yes sir! What an attention to detail, what a choreography!” As he walked forward, stopping in front of Gyeseung offering his hand. "Sir, you have-"

"Do you expect me to hold your hand? Do you expect that the one on top of human evolution will reach out to his ancestor? You may be infected with the NEPF, but you are still really a simple Homo sapiens sapiens ..."

 

Nodding and raising his eyebrows pissed off, Cascadio removed his hand, keeping it in his pocket and turning around to sit on the desk. "You're an unpleasant one, but I keep saying it. A 10/10 entry.

 

“I agree completely! This is what I tell you that you need, mamma!” Fraje turned to look at his mother Alanna, pointing to the entire scenery of Gyeseung. “The greatest and biggest vice president in history should leave a mark wherever it goes! The detail of the mechanical tape to enter while maintaining the expression of superiority and pride and at the same time maintain that distance between us and him thanks to the extra height of the tape is so exquisite that I have no words to describe it!”

Although it was evident that the huge teenager did have words to spare.

 

“Jojojo! I see that finally there are people in this damned world who understand that a good presentation is the most important thing together with having the strength to support your words! Not bad to be behind in human evolution, if you let me say it” Laughing all three at once, the rest of those present glimpsed as a strange friendship born between the three men, each of a different age but united by the same passion for the obvious excess. "Which saddens me knowing that nothing can get rid of my heir ... I wish we had met in another life, young Fraje and Cascadio"

 

"Hey!" Cascadio growled, getting up fixing his tie to express his disgust. "I'm still young-"

"No! Not even from afar!” His brothers shouted at once, spoiling Cascadio's attempt to falsify his age.

 

"Cascadio Black: Son of Alexeis Black and Melanna Addams, triplet brother of William Black and Adam Black" The gorilla thought out loud, snapping his fingers trying to stimulate his mind to dislike the movie product. “41 years old, asexual. Producer and president of Torna Productions. He considers himself a philanthropist of the new era and-”

“What's your name, gorilla? Or should I call you by another name? Do you try Donkey Kong? Or Winston? You have Winston's face…” Cascadio growled, directing his growing annoyance towards the gorilla who couldn't help laughing.

 

“Donkey Kong and Winston, great examples without a doubt! But you will not have the opportunity to name me, friend.

My name is Bartolomeo, second subject to survive the NEP tests behind my older brother alexander” The revelation was received with silence and a look of fear, respect or who knows that directed towards the Professor even in the same position as before, as if waiting for the reaction before re-straightening in, once again, a posture with the chin raised while looking at the group.

 

“Design and create the Next Evolutionary Phase virus or NEP with the aim of starting a new era with an event that changed the course of the history of our species, that's how I am. As you have guessed right, Erika and Alanna, I am the creator of the first form of the virus ... but although it hurts to disappoint you, I have nothing to do with the NEPF or Next Evolutionary Phase: Forced. The reasons for its existence are a mystery to me, a pleasant one but a mystery after all”

Again silence was the response to Professor Gyeseung's revelations, just as he and Bartolomeo expected when they wrote the script hours before. "You even got my identity right, that says a lot about you both, wife and wife. Your genes have created one of the best versions of the Reality King ... so you have my thanks for that"

 

The presence of the teacher benefited from the prophetic aesthetic, making him the leading figure in the room ... or at least that Gyeseung wanted to see. The reality is that another imposing presence didn't sit idly by giving the Professor a white letter to handle the situation to his liking.

 

Turning to his wife and surrendering to his beloved daughter, William took a breath before taking a firm step forward until he faced Gyeseung directly. (That although he had the firmness of height could not avoid shrinking before the firmness and temperance of the general)

“William Black, general of the United States of America and responsible for the security of this city that your hand has broken forever-"

”I know who you are General Black. A selfmade and just man who has been able to fight for what it is worth, and if you allow me to say it, that is something I admire-”

 

Gyeseung began to speak only to be interrupted. “I don't admire anything about you, Professor Gyeseung. I despise you as I have never despised anyone before” The professor himself bit his lips so as not to lose his composure at the general's verbal attack. “From what I know of you through the messages you have exchanged with my brother and your presentation today, I can see that you are a despicable man, a kind of cartoon of a martyr who believes so much in a divine rebuke that you have forced and destroyed the life of currently 1271 children like my daughter and Anne, children who had nothing to do with you or your paranoia and delusions”

 

"Forced? Destroyed? Empty words compared to my achievements, general” Gyeseung replied while gesturing to his assistants and the two little neohumans. “I am not a martyr, general, I don't wish or plan to die for my cause until the very end, after see it completed. I never lost sight of my path, no matter how dark, and every act performed was a necessary act… I don't expect you to understand-”

“I'm glad, because I don't understand it. Nobody asked you to do this, nobody asked you to create the NEP-”

“Sometimes things don't happen because there is a demand, general. Sometimes, they just have to happen ... and you should be glad for it! Your daughter, Anne and even all of you will live a long, long life without pain or suffering thanks to my NEPF.

Not only does the organism change, but it updates it: You may feel as you wish, General ... My dear Alexander is nothing more than a common laboratory mouse ... and he has been with me for 9 years”

 

“That mouse could now lift the building with its tail while doing a backflip and I would continue to maintain my opinion professor. You had no right to alter the lives of this city, and because of your actions now these children will grow into the new focus of contempt and fear of this country and our neighbors”

 

Snorting at the general's inflexibility, Gyesung shrugged in a grimace of mockery who did nothing to try to solve the mess. "Foolish words don't change the progress of men like I'm doing. More sincerely, Williams, I respect you too much to bother me because you don't want to understand the aspect of progress ... so if you do me a favor, today I didn't come to listen to you” With a quick snap of his fingers Gyeseung looked away from the general, who instinctively tried to pull the concealed gun on his back ... only to meet Bartolomeo who caught it without any difficulty immobilizing it against the ground.

Evangeline's cries of terror filled the room almost as much as Gyeseung's ominous music while surrounding the downed general stopping in front of the Barlow Holm marriage. Erika instinctively tried to protect her daughters, finding that instead Alanna, Nellie and Fraje were placed in front of her and Anne, the three prepared for whatever was necessary.

“Alanna and Erika, both with 29 years in yours backs. Nellie and Fraje, the two 13 years pld... and finally Anne, with 1 years lived. Do you know, family? I had many plans for my Reality King ... and I still have them! Simply ... I have realized that circumstances have changed and that enables so many paths for neohumanity... that I am frankly overwhelmed! To think that my own NEP was going to beat me and find a way to live beyond my expectations!

Reality King is a name that stays small ... and you are the opposite of small" Gyeseung began to laugh alone, and after a few seconds Bartolomeo followed. A laugh full of contempt and pride ... one that overwhelms the soul.

"You cannot take advantage of all the possibilities of the NEP ... so don't feel bad and settle for the 4 new lives within Erika. I will take care of realizing the potential that the Reality King really has..."

 

Time slowed for everyone present, the clock hands moving so slowly that everyone felt helpless.With another snap of fingers, Bartolomeo released the general whose immobilization quickly passed to the two closest chimpanzees. The gorilla jumped over the desk, his eyes bloodshot and his tongue hanging and drooling with excitement: His goal? The little girl in Erika's arms.

Neither Alanna nor her two children were rivals for the gorilla, who simply pushed them away with three quick swipes while Erika backed at full speed until she hit the wall. Her maternal instincts made her turn her back on the gorilla to protect Anne above all, not seeing how Jackson was armed with courage and threw himself on the gorilla to try to stop him.

“Don't be wild, please! Don't forget what you owe me! There is no reason to get hurt tonight If you move away peacefully and give me my subject” Gyesung shouted laughing and clapping while the rest of the chimpanzees left their checkpoints to immobilize Elizabeth, Cascadio and Addams, just leaving Evangeline and Gabrielle in a corner cornered. "We are civilized people, let's solve it as such!" Cascadio laughed while the chimpanzees ripped off some of their prey's clothes to use as improvised muzzles.

 

In the end the age didnt forgive, Jackson couldn't do anything when the gorilla managed to dodged and hit his stomach with his electrified baton. “Sorry, professor! This bastard knows how to make good grabs! At least he will have studied 3 years of Judo and/or taekwondo to judge his movements and his intentions”

 

"Don't worry, Bartolomeo ... that baton is simply deterrent, it shouldn't cause any internal damage ... We can take care later, I'm in no hurry" Gyeseung sighed as Erika continued to wrap Anne in full force. "The duty of a mother is to protect her children until the end, no matter what species we are talking about, right? It is terrible that I have to say it, but sometimes I am surprised that the maternal instinct overcomes the survival" With a sigh the professor turned to one of the chimpanzees that immobilized Williams. A simple gesture was enough for ape to take Williams' gun by throwing it.

“A Beretta 92, huh? Typical of a military like you. Custom leather handle ... these are names and dates, right? They are the names of the men who served under your command in Iraq and who didn't return, I deduce ... and then I am the bad one for wanting to destroy a system that sends good people who just want to protect their country from war without need? That may be a byproduct of my war against God in itself, but the benefits to humanity ... whatever, you dont even deserve the opportunity to repent for forcing me to use force"

Aiming at the ceiling Gyeseung pulled the trigger twice, leaving two bullet holes in the ceiling. “Loaded, perfect. Let's do this fast, Erika… I don't want to leave you any unnecessary scars… nor of course shoot in front of your own daughter ”

 

"You have no right, you bastard! IT'S OUR DAUGHTER! HOW DARE YOU?!" The distraught mother shouted without opening her eyes, pressing the terrified little girl between her breasts even more in an attempt to save her from hearing more than necessary.

 

“It may not seem like it from the outside, Erika… but I have all the reasons in the world. Don't blame yourself for not being able to unleash your daughter's potential ... it's not like you can-”

"Who cares about your shits?! This isn't about potential or your paranoia, bastard! You are a psychopath who is trying to kidnap an innocent girl in the arms of her family! What would Meredith say if she saw you do this?!”

 

Gyeseung was silent for a few seconds, staring at mother and daughter while thinking about her own offspring. After 5 seconds the teacher raised the hand that held the gun firing at the ceiling over Erika. “I've already thought what my daughter would say… and frankly, I don't care. This isn't for her, it is for me and the love of my life taken away by that great bastard who enjoys watching us suffer”

With another nod, Gyeseung he gave the order to Bartolomeo to take the little girl. “You're big and heavy, Erika… the shock will hurt you less than Jackson… if that's worth anything to you. If you want to think about something while you're unconscious, think that there are still 6 children left to raise and see smile before the bitter end-”

 

A single sound stopped Gyesung's speech, one that was not in his plans to listen. The arrival whistle of the elevator.

The time for Gyesung to throw his head back to see what was happening was enough for a new sound to fill the room, one far from the music or the cries of the little ones. Instead, what he got to hear was the crack of a gun firing nearby, one that didn't come from his own borrowed gun.

 

The second to reason what was happening happened to be a second so that the immense pain coming from the arm that held the weapon was transmitted to the whole body, the proffesor emitting a huge howl of pain that forced Bartolomeo to turn around, moment that Erika took the opportunity to release Anne on the ground and charge against the gorilla, throwing both against the desk that didn't have the slightest chance against both weights combined.

Salvation had come between s different bodies, one huge muscular, one medium and firm and one short and plump. "Raise your hands, you bastard!" Long Hai shouted as Carlos and Oliver fired on the ground around the chimpanzees to scare them away, although instead the chimpanzees took the mouse and climbed around Gyeseung as a kind of safety vest  “I have the whole building surrounded by Brightside police and the sheperds! You won't get out of here alive if you try the least suspicious movement”

 

"...How? Just answer me that… I have cut the surveillance and audio cameras before going down here” Gyeseung pleaded as he grabbed his bloody arm with the other hand, crying forcelessly.

 

"Do you really expect-"

“Do you feel that, Gyeseung?” Cascadio interrupted his savior without thinking twice, ignoring any kind of security as he walked towards Gyeseung trying to ignore the 2vs1 fight between Bartolomeo against Erika and Jackson. "Do you feel that hunger to know what's going on, you bastard with style?" The film producer kept smiling as he pulled his work phone from his back pocket, turning the screen towards Gyeseung so he could see the call that had been 15 minutes in Call.

 

The word Minions shone in white, mocking the teacher. "Wi-Fi call ... before when you have walked towards me not to witness my scenery if not to get a better reception ..."

 

"I'm so sorry, my brother ..." Cascadio turned to Addams, who was being helped up by the Romero brothers. "But before, I had only given you my personal phone number to block the sending of data ... I was waiting for an important call about the rights of a franchise"

 

Addams could not help laughing while, finally with the help of Carlos, Jackson and Erika managed to snatch the electric baton from the gorilla forcing him to raise his hands in surrender. “You have always been lucky, Cascadio… but this? Today I think you have exhausted the luck of the whole year”

 

"Luck? ... that's not luck, Addams. It's called having style, betting everything on red even if the bets are 1vs100!" Gyesung tried to correct the principal while Alexander took advantage that no one was looking at him to sneak into his teacher's pants (with some disgust on the other hand). "Consider our little relationship ... over. But calm down, you can keep my tools, I would not like to deprive you of what is necessary to take care of my neohumans" And before the eyes of all those present Gyeseung, Alexander, Bartolomeo and chimpanzees vanished in the same way that Lisa Fang used to do.

"Cascadio, I will not forget this ... Today you win. Today the goddess fortune has been on your side ... but I will not give up; I will let you stay with my Reality King at least until the storm come… see you soon, my friends... enjoy your days to the last of them”

The echo of Gyeseung's voice continued for a few more seconds until it vanished ... No one was really calm, but at least something was clear.

 

Today, January 28, 2020, Gyeseung had lost his first attack.

 

 

 

---

 

 

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(February 9, 2020, 12:00 AM. Home of the Barlow Holm family. Fourth week of pregnancy)

 

1 month.

4 weeks pregnant, just thinking about it was still weird for Erika. The Amazonian mother (although Addams was considering starting to use the term mini-giantess due to an "investigation" that the director had done on the internet and of which he has no interest in speaking) rested in her custom hammock while Anne played with her friends Reed, Naseera and Ariah in the playground designed for her size that Alanna had built with her own hands.

(Her hands... and Erika, Roland and great grandfather Melker hands)

 

The day was especially busy for the family, extending even to the whole neighborhood. That afternoon was the moment where the marriage would meet with the gynecologist who would take the situation of the quadruplets, but to arrive at that moment in the afternoon Alanna before had to attend a massive meeting of owners in the park. When hours earlier Erika had risen more or less lively, the idea of r03;r03;offering to take care of Reed, Naseera and Ariah while their non-working parents attended the meeting seemed fun and simple at first sight.

 

...

What she didn't know is that just 15 minutes after Alanna went to the meeting and Nellie and Fraje to study with Elizabeth came the terrible well-known "Morning sickness" a few hours later. After having lived it from outside year and a half before, Erika didn't expect at all how terrible nausea and dizziness were, just holding on to her willpower and not wanting to scare children unnecessarily. (Although it was more than possible that the mild depression that Handshake's psychologist had diagnosed had something to do with her condition)

 

The laughter of the four children (Rather two, since Naseera was still as shy as ever and Ariah rarely laughed) served as a temporary relief for her, stroking her stomach while thinking about that afternoon's visit. Being in the fourth week of pregnancy it wasn't possible that that her belly was prominent, no matter how many daughters she had inside... and yet Erika was really obsessed that something felt weird inside:

Normally they were simple things, such as a small heat stroke or a sudden shock when touching someone else ... The strangest thing had been a few days before, a sudden drop in sugar that had forced her to sit down and make Jackson go buy her something sweet before she kept running.

 

It was quite possible that everything was her imaginations, enhanced by the fears of being pregnant with quadruplets ... but the something inside Erika was trying to tell her that they were extremely real. Almost as real as the screams of her little ones.

“Mine! My doll! Anne doll!” Anne shouted raising as much as she could the stuffed animal she was playing with, trying to push it as far as possible from Reed's reach. Unexpected pregnancies, quadruplets ... and to all that was added something else in case it was insufficient:

Anne had begun to enter the “It’s mine!” Phase… with all that that entailed. The idea of r03;r03;giving Anne a room for herself was hanging around her mothers' head quite often, an idea that she used to return to the trunk after every attempt for the little girl to sleep alone and the resulting 5 hours of constant crying.

 

“But I wan! I wan tha doll!” Reed began to cry by clinging and tried to climb Anne's legs, really obstinate in taking the old stuffed animal that Erika had taken out of one of the old boxes with childhood memories still piled up in the garage. “My doll! MY DOLL!” The little lizard (as his mother liked to call him) was much more direct and aggressive than the rest of Anne's friends, acting in a way much more childish and capricious than the others.

 

The fight between Reed and Anne didn't leave the other two girls indifferent, who took different ways of approaching the situation: To the surprise of no one Ariah kept smiling as Anne and Reed struggled, opting to drag one of the children's chairs that Erika had given them taken out and sit in the front row of the fight.

Naseera, on the other hand, couldn't bear the idea that her two friends would fight in front of her, opting instead for full speed respect until she reached Erika's hammock. “Aunt Eri! Aunt Eri!” The little lamia pleaded practically crying, clinging and pulling Erika's arm to get her attention.

 

"I know, my little orm... fight isn't good, right?" Erika smiled tenderly at the little girl who didn't lose a second that the Amazon sat down to take the hole in her lap. “Fighting is bad… but arguing serves to be more friends as long as you don't hurt the other person. What are Anne and Reed doing? That's not fighting or arguing… it's being sweety dummies!”

 

"Dumy? ... Anne no dumy! Anne is… is…” The little lamia began to scrub her head for some word that would serve to finish the sentence, becoming frustrated with herself.

 

"Eh eh!" Erika let out a melodious laugh as she gently grabbed Naseera's wrists, preventing the little girl from ruffling even more. “Nothing happens for being once in a while a little dummy! What matters is be good and nice and apologize to the people you care about!”

 

"Anne no dumy ... I l...love Anne ..." Naseera whispered as the Amazon hugged her even harder, giggling at the little lamia. It was kind of silly (in a good way) to be touched by how much the little girl loved her friend, and yet Erika couldn't stop smiling like a fool ignoring her nausea as she stood up with Naseera in her arms. (the lamia wrapping her tail around Erika's arm instinctively)"

 

Both of you! What's going on here?” Erika pretended to be angry to get the attention of her daughter and Reed, who turned to listen to her. The two children looked at each other, teeth clenched with even the bad blood between them.

"Mamma!" "Aunt Eri!"

Reed and Anne shouted, throwing themselves on the floor in Erika's legs, each hugging one.

“MY DOLL!”  “I WAN THA DOLL!”

The two cried as if they were living in it, wiping snot and tears on Erika's too small tracksuit. The Amazonian mother sighed as Naseera clung tighter to her neck, a sense of victory flooding her for her decision not to want to dress and choose instead to wear the oldest and smallest clothes in her closet. The bad luck came from that, with Anne's enormous size (only a few centimeters smaller than her mother Alanna originally was), her nose reached just her mother's knee, the most stretched and forced part of the tracksuit so tears and boogers directly touched the skin.

 

"Come on, come on ..." Erika knelt while Naseera climbed up to her until she hooked her neck. With free hands Erika took a small one on each arm. "You have to share, guys ... you can't fight for a stuffed animal-"

"DOLL!" "I WANN!"

And back to scream, crying this time wiping on Erika's shoulders. The most curious thing about the situation came that hours before both children had rejected the same stuffed animal in favor of playing with a ball.

 

It is said that the crying of a child has a special effect on the brain of his parents, stimulating him to stop that crying above all in the world. With a 1-year-old daughter Erika could confirm that theory, but with dozens of possible examples. "Ok ... you both want the doll but we can't split it in two ... what do you think if instead we share it-"

The Amazonian mother fell when she noticed a small hand that was pulling on the waist of the sweatpants, a hand belonging to the little girl who was smiling silently in a slightly (quite) disturbing way. "What's up, my sonat?"

Pointing at the doll, Ariah opened his hands without even opening his mouth. The curiosity was too much to resist until Anne, who gladly handed the doll to her friend.

 

Before the watchful eye of the mother and her three friends, Ariah walked away from the group, walking without any hurry until she reached the slide for Anne's friends (Since, as little Anne had checked and ending crying, the slide was completely unable to keep herself from foot if she tried to climb; not to mention that Anne couldn't sit in any way), climbing on it and holding the stuffed animal with both hands towards the abyss.

"What is Ariah diong, aunt Eri?" Reed asked, still staring at his friend, who started shaking her wrist up and down.

 

“I would love to know, my ödla… I would really love to know. And it's doing” Ariah continued with her strange ritual of waving her wrist, faster and faster, to the point that Erika was beginning to fear for her safety, seeing how much the slide also stirred. "My sonat ... you shouldn't ..."

 

"AHHA!" Ariah shouted out of nowhere and for no apparent reason, scaring everyone present equally. “No more fihts! Nothin to Nothin!” The little girl kept screaming as she lifted her wrist above her head, throwing her with all her strength to the ground.

But that doll never arrived. Faded as if it had never been there, not a trace to cling to. "Aye, no more fihts ..." Ariah nodded proudly of what had just happened, pulling down the slide without giving much importance to her actions.

 

Slowly and without saying a word, Anne and Reed separated from Erika, the two crawling to where the doll should have fallen. Looking at each other as Ariah arrived and occupied the hollow space in Erika's arms, the two little neohumans began to feel the ground slowly until their hands clashed. What Ariah thought was a good way to end the one-time dispute became just the opposite, since as soon as Anne and Reed saw that the doll was really not the immediate response of both of them, it was to burst into tears, disconsolate.

“MY DOLL!” “I WAN THE DOLL!”

Confused and losing her smile for the first time all day, Ariah turned confused towards her "aunt" shrugging her shoulders not knowing what could have gone wrong. "My sonat ... where is the stuffed animal?" Erika asked slowly, picking up Naseera who couldn't help crying again just to see her best friend and friend do it. (Empathy, Erika cursed silently)

 

“Yesteday want it too, so I gave her to stop the fiht…” Ariah whispered biting her lip, mentally pointing out the result of her actions.

 

"Yesterday ... ok ..." Elliot and Bev had been quite careful and attentive to the other parents, explaining the peculiar situation of their twins as many times as necessary. Erika had never distrusted them ... but one thing was to hear that Yesterday existed and another was to see how a stuffed animal simply disappeared as if it had been cut with photoshop of reality.

Finally Naseera burst into tears, snuggling in the hollow of Erika's neck ... and that caused Ariah to look around the air as if he was seeing something sad enough to also make her cry. With 4 children crying (plus a possible fifth girl that Erika couldn't see), the nausea coming back and the dizziness rising, Erika dropped from her ass to the floor doing her best to comfort the little ones.

If with 4 children and only one of them her the situation was already overwhelming and impossible to control, Erika thought without even daring to verbalize, with another 4 more the chaos was more than assured.

 

For the first time in months, Erika also burst into tears while Anne and Reed joined Ariah and Naseera in their arms, her heart sinking further into darkness.

 

 

---

 

 

While Erika lost control of the situation in the huge garden of her house, Alanna and the other street parents attended the special neighborhood meeting to face all the festivities scheduled for 2020 in the neighborhood.

 

Except that such a meeting didn't exist.

 

Lying to Erika was one of the things Alanna most despised doing, and unfortunately this was one of those situations where that was really necessary. Gyeseung's attack at Handshake's facilities had been an event that, although kept silent by all those involved, had served for the Amazon vice president to see how little she could get to protect her family in a similar situation.

Now it was Erika who was pregnant (and the fact that she was somehow the father had affected Alanna much more than she would like to admit), so even though her wife was a damn mass of muscles and sexuality capable of fighting face-to-face with a super smart gorilla and lifting the equivalent in weights to 180 kilos that wouldn't last much longer. Alanna herself knew how much the body altered and weakened during the pregnancy, and after 18 talks with different women who had spent multiple pregnancies, she now know how hard it would be for Erika to cope with it was extremely internalized within her.

 

Nellie and Fraje having to face their adolescence and be neohumans at the same time, Anne being a pure neohuman and all that that entailed and now Erika being basically a goddess of fertility ... too many precious things she now had to protect.

To begin to protect them, the first thing was to deal with the  issue of Gyeseung and his ability to appear out of nowhere, so although the goal of the infamous professor was Anne, the neighbors and family friends had been kind enough to allow the two military and Alanna will design a protection plan for the street, one that needs the collaboration of certain of their neighbors. For that same reason Alanna, William and Long had dragged Elliot Wall and Byron Howee to the Sheperds' facilities at the edge of the dome.

 

 

"Are you sure you want to stay? I know that Erika is not spending her best days and that depression, however slight, it is important to treat her with the respect she deserves" Williams asked as her guests finished passing the last security barrier , looking at her amazon friend who played with her phone.

Alanna didn't hesitate to nod, keeping her phone when Long and the rest said goodbye to the security guards. "You need my electronic fingerprint to open the boxes, and I have also prepared Ulyses to let me know if there is an incident at home. The important thing now is to prepare it as soon as possible so that I have time to go to solve a couple of things company and pick up my wife to take her to Handshake"

 

William shrugged, accepting Alanna's decision before starting to walk the halls again.

"Gentlemen, Alanna ..." William spoke after the group walked silently for 15 minutes through the premises to one of the hangars. “With permission from the rest of the community, today we meet here for our families” With a wrist gesture Williams ordered Long to turn on the lights while the group continued walking to a fenced section of the hangar, surrounded by signs that said: "Property of Bright Side Industries"

 

None of those present were caught by chance because they were here, which allowed the highest of all to step forward and scan their fingerprint to open the double doors of the fences. “I have contacted all the providers that Nathan recommended, and although this has been expensive here, it is the highest technology in security, privacy protection and surveillance. There aren't many spare parts but the board of directors has been kind enough to create a small budget for the costs of ... ” The Amazon vice president clenched her teeth, still remembering too clearly every second of the Professor's attack.

 

Without wanting to lose a second or make her friend (more indirectly for Ariah than for having forged a direct relationship) relive a situation as dramatic as bizarre, Elliot Wall approached the box that Alanna held in her arms, waiting for her friend to open the fingerprint lock. “Good heavens… I haven't seen material like this since collaborating with the CIA! When you told me you had a job for me, I didn't think I was going to have such good tools!”

 

His partner and friend Byron approached to look through the content, taking out one of the high-tech security cameras, slowly probing from side to side as if it were a good steak of the highest quality. “I have worked with high quality material before, especially with the town hall surveillance circuit… but this is another completely different level! It scares me to ask you how much this has cost, hehehehe…-”

 

"Elliot, Byron. This is an extremely important job” Long interrupted the marveling security expert, joining the group after closing the double fences. "That madman Gyeseung ... is extremely dangerous ... it's like a supervillain in real life, with intelligent animals like minions and everything. I don't wish I had been there, but I still dream of that damn gorilla once in a while and I wasn't even close to it."

 

“You stayed in your position, Long. You cornered Gyeseung and forced him to retire ... your shot was accurate knowing that we need the professor alive as long as he is our greatest source of NEPF information. If you don't mind, let's go back to the topic that concerns us today.

If you accept this work today, Elliot, Byron, you will be considered agents of the Shepherds immediately” Williams explained while sending the contracts of both of them. “Both of you must leave your current jobs, going to collect your salaries and respond directly to and from me” While both parents looked at their respective contracts Alanna began to explain while she was passing images and videos through the private chat of those present.

 

“Judging from the safety recordings we get from Handshake, Gyeseung previously needs his chimpanzees to carry a kind of detachable mechanical platform and connect it to a power source to later be able to 'teleport', while to return he apparently doesn't need anything. For that same reason we need to monitor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all the surroundings to detect any suspicious movements"

 

"Thanks for explaining, Alanna" William recovered the speech while Elliot and Byron kept their phones. “Maximum diligence will be expected in your positions as chief of security and expert in electronics/mechanics respectively, not in vain we are putting the safety of our families in your hands. At the moment Gyeseung was specifically looking at Anne, but that can change at any time and our search objectives are as elusive as chimpanzees, we will need the best security tools in the hands of the best possible security system and we will need these tools to be all the time in the best possible conditions. It is a difficult task-”

“Will, please! More salary working literally at home?” Elliot smiled as he remained entertained in opening boxes, marveling at all his new toys. “I know that the situation that has caused this offer is terrible, but you can be clear that I am 100% with you. Nothing scares me more than that Gyeseung is present in our small community…”

 

"I share everything my partner has said, Williams," Byron confirmed to the joy of the Amazon vice president and the two military. "Also and that is between us ... since we can take permits to leave the dome my company reopened business throughout California ... and I have become too accustomed to work without leaving the city"

 

The first part of the strategy to protect her family had been a much faster success than expected, Alanna thought while Williams was dedicated to finalizing the contract details. The second part ... was certainly going to be more difficult to prepare.

But there would be time to worry about it, the most important thing now for Alanna was to eat fast, solve everything that was necessary in his office and pick up his beloved wife to take her to the gynecologist.

 

 

---

 

 

(13:40 noon)

 

From crying, nausea and missing dolls in the fourth dimension to absolute tranquility to the point that the four children were singing happily while watching one of the educational series approved by the 8 parents of it as if nothing bad had ever happened.

Erika looked perplexed from the kitchen marble, having to stop cooking to make sure they hadn't fallen asleep. In her place Anne as always dominated the situation, with Reed sitting beside her leaning on the arm of the giantess toddler and Ariah and Naseera sitting each on one leg of Anne, pushing slowly to try to take the lap of the best friend of both. It was at times like that that Erika wondered how she could see Anne's other friends so charismatic that, at least most of them, always tried to win her daughter's attention.

As her father constantly made it clear, Anne was growing more and more like herself… and Erika didn't remember precisely being a girl too social or with many friends. (Ironically, as Ravel always liked to stand out, Erika's passion for sports grew as her friendships or her desire to socialize diminished)

 

The sound of the microwave interrupted the thoughts of the Amazonian mother, who ran up from the table to remove the frozen meat package as soon as possible, changing it for the mashed potato mixture that Erika planned to prepare for lunchtime. Now that Reed and Naseera finally had teeth, their parents had given Anne permission to prepare their super soft battered chicken wings, a dish suitable for younger teeth and palates than the Swede took great pride in.

Cooking when your hands were as large as most normal silverware and each wing fully fit in your palm was at least an interesting experience (not to mention extremely annoying). And for better and worse it was one of those things that wasn't going to improve over time, since although it would be possible to buy larger cutlery the size of the ingredients wasn't going to magically increase in order to continue consuming the usual rations.

Precisely while brewing the last of the breasts for the children Erika looked at the fridge, finding the Addams report attached with three magnet:

+0.2 mm Written in large and clear letters so that there was no possibility of doubt.

That was the amount that her family was growing on average every day, an amount that although it seemed small (except in Anne who was obviously older because of the fact… well… being a 1 year old girl and still having to grow all the way to the maturity) was constant, a reality that they had to face without an end date at the moment.

 

According to Addams' forecasts, by the approximate date of the birth of the quadruplets her height would be, inch up inch inch below, about 10 feet 3 inches ... height that until they weren't translated into the metric system she couldn't understand it.

3 meters and 10 centimeters ... or as Erika liked to think about it, ¾ from the height of an elephant.

She was going to be so tall that they would start not comparing her to humans, if not to elephants... and that isn't to mention the approximate weight that Addams had given him, more than anything because the Amazonian mother had decided to voluntarily forget it. Again, it was more than possible that all the negativity she was feeling was the fault of the slight depression because of so much mental burden in recent weeks ... And just Erika herself realized that she had already thought about that just hours before, which gave rise to a loop.

 

For her luck five ringing beeps in a row, each almost 4 seconds long just in case. The Amazonian mother hurried to pick up the telephone fearing that it was something really serious ... that of course it wasn't.

“MAMMA! OPEN THE DOOR!” “ MAMMA! THE DOOR!” “ERIKA! OPEN US!”

Three shouts at a time and no time between them, sounding terribly through the microphone of the kitchen phone.

 

"I don't know why they have their master keys if they never take them ... these children" Erika muttered slightly angrily, hurrying down the marble stairs. (Since she herself had also left the masterkey on the table with the four children)

 

“Äldre syster! storebror!” Anne and the three toddlers shouted at once, running down the carpet to join Erika as soon as possible. (The surprising thing was that although Reed, Naseera and Ariah only heard those words of Anne the three had memorized and internalized their meaning so quickly)

Struggling to open the door with the 4 little ones waving between her legs, Erika managed to remove the latches and locks (new after the events of Professor's disastrous night) and open the door. As if it were a race the four toddlers threw themselves on Nellie and Fraje, who were already kneeling to receive them ... the three girls on Nellie and only Reed preferring to celebrate the arrival of Fraje, as the huge 6-foot-four-inch tall teenager could notice. (Without belittling all the love that the neo-human lizard was giving him)

 

"Guys, please!" Cascadio growled trying to dodge the tangle of bodies, arms, tails and legs alike until he entered the house without even waiting for an invitation. "Playing at the entrance, which disrespects those who come loaded later!" Cascadio smiled while giving no explanation left two bags full in the hands of Erika, bags that gave off a delicious smell of roasted food. “Two little birds of the size of an ostrich that enjoy eating my fries imported from Spain have told me that you were a little depressed, so I took the trouble to buy food for a small wedding to feed the combination of our stomachs, which I have calculated that we will eat for 14 people and my favorite collection of superheroes and Sentai movies to keep you entertained and with a clear mind until your sweet and not at all intimidating wife come back from the town hall meeting! The rest is in my Ferrari, have I told you that I have a Ferrari? Just in case I repeat it:

The rest of the purchase is in my Ferrari, that until Elizabeth fails to park it, we won't be able to get it out of the trunk... don't tell her, wait better, you can tell her too and this way between you, me, Oliver and Carlos maybe we can get her to taken out the driving license exam at once!”

Without having been invited yet Cascadio made all his way to the kitchen, climbing the stairs and starting to place the tablecloth on the table, all while Erika nodded annoyed at the sudden appearance of guests in her house ... while admiring the lack of delicacy and touch of the producer.

 

The Amazonian mother bit her lip looking down the street, where Elizabeth was slowly trying to park as close as possible to the sidewalk without success ... which was frankly surprising, since there was literally nothing nearby that could complicate the task. "I hope you like the idea, sister!" Fraje shouted as he stood up carrying Reed on his shoulders, jumping up and down constantly so that the neo-human lizard wouldn't stop laughing. "We couldn't concentrate knowing that you were dizzy today, so when Cascadio has scolded us for taking a single bag of fries from the 7 that was stored in the pantry I had the idea of r03;r03;bringing food home!"

 

"With what money?"

 

“With the emergency credit card, silly! Although Cascadio has offered to pay for ice cream and drinks in the supermarket, so that must be recognized...” The huge teenager looked discreetly down, seeing how Nellie was still caught with the attention of the three girls ... something that actually if it caused a small amount of envy that was quickly replaced by the hair pulling Reed was giving him.

Not wanting to disappoint the little boy who had chosen him by instinct (Geniuses recognize geniuses, as... nobody say it) Fraje grabbed his ankles starting to run through the hall. “Come on, ödla! The Fraje plane is going to take off with destination the sofa!”

 

"Off Off!" Reed celebrated as if it were the funniest thing in the world, both of them making airplane noises while Fraje ran off. Erika remained without knowing what to do, nodding this time with a small smile while Elizabeth managed to raise the rear wheels to the sidewalk for 4 consecutive time and Nellie was again knocked down after trying to get rid of the three toddlers tickling her (difficult task, put that between the size of Anne and the force that Naseera's tail could exert, not even all of Nellie's training could help.)

"It isn't going to be an uncontrollable chaos ..." Erika thought to herself, stroking her belly slowly ... until the sound of a breaking glass forced her to turn immediately toward the kitchen.

 

“My fault, my fault! I was trying to juggle the glasses like in that movie… damn, Cascadio… you live from the cinema, it can't be that you are the one who doesn't remember the titles of the movies” The producer said to himself aloud while he kept putting the cutlery on the table.

 

Not wanting to let Cascadio place his claws on the expensive cutlery, Erika began to run trotting lightly toward the marble stairs. "It'sn't going to be chaos ... no more than right now at least" A heavy sigh filled his body, hoping the day would improve in the visit to Handshake.

 

 

---

 

 

"And then it is Barlow Holm Erika's turn!"

The nurse's voice echoed all over Handshake's medical wing, serving as much as those who waited patiently to prepare themselves to chase away the pigeons that were perched on the top of the dome.

And yet Theo couldn't help but rejoice as he never heard her even though the elevator was just approaching.

 

“I'm glad you accepted the offer, Theo. I'm sure Alanna and Erika will be happy to work with you again in this pregnanc... I hope you understand that it isn't an easy time for them” Addams commented kindly while pressing the elevator switch that would take them to the third floor, where Addams had installed the gynecology clinics after checking that (not counting to his favorite lesbians) with 18 possible cases of pregnancy of neohumans it was impossible to handle it all himself.

 

“Thank you for offering me this opportunity, Director Addams! I swear I will leave this institution in a good place!” Theo was trembling slightly not of concern (since knowing most of his patients previously that was impossible) if not respect for now work again with a genius like Addams in one of the world's most advanced scientific organizations such as Handshake had consolidated after hiring their third novel prize ready to work at the NEPF.

 

Addams smiled (and tried to ignore that the gynecologist had an almost prefabricated answer), sipping his cup of coffee and slapping his eared colleague on the back. Bringing Theo from the central hospital and offering him a position as a doctor in Handshake was nothing more than a courtesy that the director wanted to have with the Barlow Holm marriage, giving them a friendly face that would help them cope with something as terrifying as a quadruplet pregnancy ... one nothing like any other and that was already beginning to take its toll on Erika's psyche.

“Just calm yourself down and focus on doing your job well, you have the best professionals in the world to help you and advise you whenever you need it. Alanna and Erika are going through a somewhat tense era, so these months you will be both gynecologist and psychologists for them... ... of course being a psychologist is merely indicative. I already have our best psychologist working with them”

 

Theo smiled self-assured, waving the psychology books he had under his right arm, all received from Addams a week ago with the job offer. The couple walked through the halls of the third floor quietly while Addams was explaining the ins and outs of Handshake, showing him his new workplace while introducing the rookie to his co-workers (all big names that caused Theo's mind to spin ), stopping to reach the waiting room on the third floor ... not precisely for pleasure.

“This is the last time I let you know, you bastards! Tell your vultures that as they try to continue harassing my wife, I will sink you personally into the utmost misery! We don't want any prizes, HAVE YOU HEARD IT?! It cannot be that a moderately rigorous institution like yours is unable to understand a NO by answer!-” From what she was screaming, how the people in the room had gone slightly away leaving empty the seats around the window that overlooked the patio and as seeing how Erika was burying her face in her hands, the telephone quarrel of the Amazon Vice President had been running for several minutes.

 

"Alanna, what's up?!" Addams asked, speeding up to his huge friend, grabbing her by the arm to get her attention.

Alanna's screams stopped a few seconds, trying to convince Addams to help her using Handshake's institutional power. Their conversations were ignored by Theo, who kept silent admiring the two wives. A year and a half before they were both normal women scared with the awkward situations of their first pregnancy ... Now only Erika's arm was as big as Theo's head. (Which was, by pure definition of the word, quite emasculating)

“You will hear from our lawyers if you continue to force the goodwill of this family. This city has the right to privacy for all its citizens, which means that if they don't want you have no right to press them” Addams explained calmly, hanging up Alanna's huge personalized telephone. (Even something too big for her already big enough hand, made too big for future family growth)

“These Guinness people don't understand reasons, I swear… I don't know if they are doing it on purpose or not but they are trying to give a fantasy or science fiction tone to all this that I don't like… they are trying to treat the children like damn mutants inventing all those stupid records” Addams growled while he and Alanna shared the tedium.

 

“It is completely frustrating to deal with them, like talking to a wall that not only doesn't listen to you, but continues to sneak into your house. Install so many surveillance systems to prove that it was not Gyeseung who we should be sure of… ” Alanna added sighing and putting the phone in the back pocket of the suit pants. The Amazon vice president turned her head to see where the smell of coffee and alcohol from the Addams cup came from, coinciding with seeing an old acquaintance in the hallway who helped them so much a year ago. "Doctor Theo! Hello!"

 

Alanna made a minisprint to narrow the distance between her and Theo, her already considerable weight making the steps resonate loud enough to generate an imposition in contrast to the steps of himself or Addams. Ignoring the thoughts and the slight helplessness that her former gynecologist was feeling, the Amazonian vice president leaned forward slightly to offer her hand in an affectionate grip, which seen from Theo's point of view was like taking the his teacher's hand again from his school in his primary education graduation.

Not to return the situation something strange seen from outside Theo swallowed all her discomfort, taking Alanna's hand and tried to squeeze back as much as she was doing. “Nice to see you again, Alanna! God knows it's almost impossible to recognize you after everything you've changed since the last time!”

 

"Hehehe ..." Alanna smiled innocently, withdrawing her hand and proceeding to grab her huge breasts like a child who wanted to show off her new toy. “I suppose that with these twins I no longer will lack milk for everything Anne drank like the last time, do you remember all that doctor Theo? A shame not to generate milk again in these, I am really curious to see how much they would be filled”

 

Theo sighed calmly when he saw that Alanna had not changed at all except the physicist, something that would make it much simpler to get used to the size of the marriage. “It's weird to hear the powerful vice president of industries Bright Side talking about breast milk after seeing you in so many press conferences and such serious interviews everywhere!”

 

“And soon in a political debate! The mayor has asked me to act as a Brightside representative with him in a debate about the dome and the future of the region, he basically wants me by his side to have a smiling and familiar face for the public while using my size to bother/ ntimidate the other participants in the debate. A job not very pleasant, but it isn't we who have organized a debate on how neohumans will affect the region!”

 

“The work you are doing is very commendable, Alanna… personally I can only thank you and return your efforts helping the best possible during your second pregnancy! A second pregnancy that is technically also a first pregnancy for Erika… what a way to get out, really” Alanna nodded, rubbing the back of her neck somewhat worried, trying to keep her smile as good as possible. “Should we enter the clinic? My wife is not spending her best day and I am sure that having you here will cheer her up!”

The idea was not necessary or repeated twice, Addams saying goodbye to the couple to go on with their own work and Theo and Alanna walking to where the biggest cloudy cloud in the place was shrugged and with a sunken head, occupying two seats for meet her special needs. 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

(February 17, 2020: Week 6 of the pregnancy of the quadruplets)

 

 

 

---

In multiple births, it is usually the case that an egg has been divided into multiple or different eggs have been fertilized, and this is usually possible until the third child. In the case of the quadruplets, there are usually different combinations of fraternal and identical brothers, whether three identical and one fraternal, two identical and two fraternal or two identical pairs.Your case, Erika ... is especially rare in something especially rare, such as being pregnant with quadruplets. All your daughters are fraternal or twin sisters if you prefer, each fetus growing in its own amniotic bag, with all the risks that it carries.

---

 

Alanna's alarm rang at its own time like every day, 07:30 in the morning.

"Good morning, my love ..." She whispered waking up instantly, more than willing to carry the whole weight of the house with fierceness and determination, taking advantage of Anne's snoring softly to crawl on the bed until she kissed me on the lips. (discreetly grabbing my generous, if not my giants, boobs in an attempt to endure the lack of physical contact that I am forcing her to go through)

"How are you today?"An innocent question, more for courtesy and affection for me than for really waiting for an answer.

 

"As always ..." It's all I can answer, hating myself (deeply also) for not being able to raise my voice more or give it a more lively tone. A sad smile crosses her lips, kissing me gently again as if he were going to break me before getting up. I don't usually say it, but my wife's curves were getting more and more erotic, her previously butt had become a damn work of art (not that it wasn't before, but now that she had reassessed her tenfold original value), the top of juicy, huge and bulging asses with forgiveness of my own ass. (Of which after so many hours of gym throughout my life I feel especially proud)

People often say that we are becoming goddesses of fertility with our huge breasts, generous hips and buttocks just as huge ... if it were only true it would be all that easy. "I don't know if I'm going ..."

 

"Don't worry, my love" My wife answers me quickly as she crawls through the bed, running over me to take the box with my pills and my water bottle, placing them directly almost in my mouth (Specifically the pills on my lower lip and the bottle of water in my hand). "The protocol Overcome the darkness is for these days, nobody is going to tell you or throw anything in your face"

Alanna gets out of bed with agility and ease by putting on her robe, picking up her work and personal phones and putting on her slippers all in the blink of an eye (My blinks may not be especially fast lately, but I surely it's easy to understand what I mean). As usual, Anne ends up waking up after 5 minutes after the alarm sounded, sitting on the edge of her bed and opening her hands until Alanna came to pick her up. Cuddly girl ...

"Good morning my sunshine, let's say hello to Mamma Erika too, okay?" My wife whispers while Anne yawns and rubs her eyes, bringing her to bed and sitting both next to me.

 

"Good mornin, mamma Eri ..." My little girl still says between yawns, dropping on my chest in an attempt to keep sleeping. I don't know who has gotten out of being so lazy in the mornings, but for now I will let it go by being so adorable.

 

"Good morning to you too, my lazy sunshine… don't fall asleep!” I have to raise my voice to wake her up as soon as I see her begin to close her eyes, shaking her gently until she shakes her head when she realizes there were no options for keep sleeping. "What do you do now when you get up, Anne?"

 

“Washwash…” My little girl explains by simulating the gesture of rubbing her face with a towel, turning to her mother and opening her arms again to be picked up. My wife can't help a little giggle at the lazy behavior of our daughter, taking Anne in her arms and going both to the bathroom to prepare for a new day. I really want to follow them, I want to go with them, get out of bed and put my 2 meters and 80 centimeters high in operation. There are so many things to do ... clean the kitchen, fix the garden hedges, make a general scrubbing of all the bathrooms in the house, prepare the meals of the weeks, make inventory and prepare the shopping list ... besides I have too many days without training late and too many unfinished games that accumulate. I want to follow them so much ... if only ... I could get up ...

I'm not like this, I'm not the one who stays in bed defeated by the invisible enemy ... but I can't stop hearing him, thinking again and again.

 

 

---

 

You are a big woman, Erika. Bigger than any other quadruplet pregnant ... hell you're the tallest human in history! Hopefully that would help us to create tranquility on the issue of childbirth. The quadruplets usually weigh considerably less than a normal baby, and a quadruplet pregnancy usually lasts about 30 or 31 weeks for the safety of the mother and children. Your case is more extreme, since as you can see on ultrasound the 4 fetuses are larger than normal following a simple table of equivalence between a normal mother and you, Erika. They are bigger because you are bigger, so even though they weigh more than their human equivalents we have to be aware at all times of the present and possible risks that may exist.

Yes. Risks.

It is better that you go to the idea, you need to have all the data in your head to be able to decide correctly: First and most obvious all the risks of a premature pregnancy as much as for the mother as for the baby ... which I suppose you will have in head after we review them so much during Anne's pregnancy. Then there is the risk of cerebral palsy, exponentially higher in multiple pregnancies as more children are. In the case of quadruplets like yours we are talking about 45 out of every 1000 babies according to the study that the other gynecologists have passed me ... it is a low percentage but you have to be prepared for everything.

As for the worst of possibilities.

 

---

 

 

...

Alanna and the children have already left, it may even have been several hours since each one left for their daily tasks. I think it is half a day to judge why the stomach roars ... a strange sensation feeling hungry and hearing my stomach roar like a dark monster.

Nellie and Fraje have brought me breakfast to our bed before going to school, it is too easy to read the concern for me on their very expressive faces. Fraje hates so much when I treats him as a child, and strives to highlight things likes and his first hair on his beard (which wasn't so much, since he shaved it at the moment so as not to seem "idiot") or that his stomach is slowly losing baby fat.

... And of course I can't help seeing him as what he is, my little brother and now my son. I don't care that his body is finally entering adolescence, for me he, Nellie, Anne and the quadruplets will always be my little ones...

 

Williams has taken Anne to the weekly review for the second week in a row, and then Evangeline will stay with her until Alanna doesn't return from work. Nellie and Fraje while they will stay at Cascadio's house studying with Elizabeth until six in the afternoon, that Roland has offered to pick them up and bring them home. All because of my current state ... I can't blame her either. I am very ashamed to say this ... but I understand them perfectly... Especially after the last afternoon.

Without a telephone, without a clock ... I don't know what happened to me the other day ... I don't know how I could walk to the border of the dome without realizing ... that the soldiers themselves had to approach me to get me out of the trance I was going on.

The worried faces of Alanna and the children ... another one of the things that I keep seeing every time I close my eyes. I don't usually be like that ... I'm not like that! I don't know what's wrong with me ... every time I close my eyes ... over and over again ...

 

 

---

 

"Mortality ...?" Alanna and Erika asked at the same time, all glimpses of love and affection fading instantly to hear those 4 syllables.

Theo sighed slowly, nodding without pleasure or pleasure. “It is… one of the biggest and at the same time less likely risks. But a possibility after all for which we have to be prepared. There are no reliable studies that show a higher probability of mortality in multiple pregnancies than in single pregnancies ... but at the same time they are 4 times more likely. Four fetuses growing in four amniotic bags in the same space is extremely dangerous, Erika ... for you and for them. I doubt that there is physically space for a correct development of all them in your body ... and if we let time pass the thing can get seriously worse ..."

 

"W...what d...do you mean?..." Alanna asked trying to contain the tears and anxiety of his wife, who was tensing more and more every second.

 

"...Selective reduction..." Two simple words that fell like a bomb on marriage. "Yes ... if one of the fetuses is making the growth of the others too difficult ... t...the most correct and least dangerous as much for the mother as for the others is... to reduce the number" 

 

---

 

 

Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ... Selective reduction ...

How...how can they... even ... It's not f...fair ... it's not fair... n... it's not ...

 

 

---

 

(February 17, 2020: Week 6 of the pregnancy of the quadruplets)

 

"It's not ... NOT FAIR!-"

"And then the elephant goes and sits on the car!-"

"H...how ... can ...-"

"And of course, the elephant weighs much more than the flimsy structure of the car can withstand and gradually destroys everything!-"

"They can't ... they can't do this to me ... I can't do that to them ...-"

“And the human in the car keeps recording it! These videos of humans receiving their deserved are simply great ... you should see some of the ones I've sent you, Alexander!-”

“SCREW YOU, GYESEUNG! SCREW YOU! IT IS ALL YOUR GUILT! YOURS AND YOUR DAMM NEPF!... It's not fair ... simply ... it's not fair to do this to us ... I have not done anything to you..."

“They would help you a lot to hang out between surveillance and surveillance! God knows that humans are really bored with all their daily tasks that are only repetition after repetition… how could they be placed on top of the evolutionary chain…?”

 

One laughing at the misfortunes of others, the other plunging into absolute misery. Was this part of his Master's punishment for not following the established script? Alexander could only imagine that it was.

“Watch them day and night, always keep an eye on my King and do what you have to do to protect them. Jackson has received and I hope he understands that his role as an infiltrator in Handshake has to continue working, so you will become my guard dog, my dear Alexander. My Reality King has to arrive in perfect condition to the storm, at any cost. The weight of the world falls on your shoulders, Alexander. Make me proud”

Gyeseung's words before giving him all the necessary equipment to set up an outpost between the walls of the Barlow Holm marriage house resonated even in his mind from time to time... although not as much as Theo's words did in Erika's mind, Alexander thought to himself as he chewed one of the pipes he had stolen from the kitchen. They weren't an especially nutritious food and the mouse could perfectly leave a few minutes to prepare something that really effective in the task of filling his stomach ... literally 2 minutes to reach his temporary base.

 

And even then, the mouse didn't find the courage to move beyond the vent duct. It was strange ... but something inside him told him that he couldn't leave the bereaved and depressed mother. Although she never knew, she deserved to have someone by her side to hear the pain in her heart.

That position was completely for Alanna, but as Alexander well understood the vice president was an essential piece for his workers and departments at the same level or more than his uncle ... and although she could reduce her day to only 6 hours it was still 6 hours that he should spend working to the fullest... so why did the mouse feel so compelled to hear her cry? It isn't as if he had something to do with the goal of all of Erika's rage, since although Gyeseung was its creator and master, the mouse was another product of his ambition as Anne and the other neohumans could be.

 

"Alexander, are you still there?" Bartolomeo asked for the communicator once again, trying to get his dear brother's attention. “If you have gone to the bathroom then you will hear this, I will send you the link to the playlist that I have made with my favorite videos. I hope they make your work more enjoyable! Good luck watching the Reality King!”

Anne... the mouse thought as Bartolomeo hung up the call. For his safety and privacy, the mouse had allowed himself to turn off and start all the Gyeseung locators of his tools ... since work wasn't an option, the minimum was to do it as he saw necessary. That same excuse was to which Alexander clung not to watch over Anne, telling himself that a girl needed to learn and explore the world for herself without her shadow keeping her in control.

 

"Carry the weight of the world... Rather the weight of his ambitions" The mouse told himself speaking for the first time all day. “In my case, what I assume is that means to protect Gyeseung's investment… for a mother, the weight of the world is to protect her family, a weight that doesn't carry by obligation but by own decision whatever the origin…

Does that mean that one's perspective is what decides how we perceive our duty? Is that what we carry with us that decides the fate of the world? Can a person carry that weight?”

 

Erika continued to curse and shout, crying and blaming, drowning in a sea that was born from a river that Gyeseung redirected. Every scream, every cry... so deep that the Amazonian mother herself forgot to eat and drink... None of the information the mouse had gotten about Anne's pregnancy suggests such behavior of any of the mothers. So what was that thing is now drowning her so much? That question, like Bartolomeo's previous one, didn't expect any direct answer.

The laboratory mouse knew well that it was an emotional response caused by the anxiety of the risks of a quadruplet pregnancy along with the responses born of the lack of his mother, all combined with the traumatic attack of Gyeseung last January and his own Theo's traumatic episode telling them about the option of selective reduction if the situation got too bad.

Everything he had read about psychology in recent weeks led to the same outcome based on the personality of Erika herself: A slow recovery of self-esteem and safety throughout pregnancy if nothing went off the rails... that in which case it would be an extension of the depressive episode capable of becoming a chronic depression. Again another beep of his communicator interrupted his thoughts, only this time the light on the screen indicated that it was not Bartolomeo who was calling."Master, is something wrong?" Alexander asked as soon as he picked up the call, running on all fours as deep as possible in the duct so there was no chance Erika would listen to him.

"Routine call, Alexander," Gyeseung whispered quietly, allowing the mouse to know that his master was in his relaxation room. “I have been investigating a bit the family trees of both mothers of my Reality King and I have found some things that you should be aware of and solve if they even occur, especially a more than likely allergy to pollen from her maternal family… Of course, both are maternal in this case. The Barlow branch of her family”

 

The mouse nodded silently, mentally pointing everything his Master was listing. The vast majority were just allergies or small things like a propensity for migraine, nothing that was really a matter of concern to anyone except Gyeseung himself. "Master-" Alexander ventured to interrupt him. "May I ask you something?"

 

"Of course, my Alexander ... shoots"

 

“Erika's four daughters ... potentially the 4 can be carriers of the NEP due to inheriting it from the remains left in Alanna. We shouldn't keep them safe even if it's substitutes-”

 

"You don't need to say anything else, Alexander." Gyeseung interrupted him back, changing his tone to a much more serious and severe one. "I know perfectly what you are thinking"

The mouse swallowed to himself, keeping silent while the sound of holographic screens opening and closing sounded on the other side of the communicator. “I have thought and thought about that possibility myself, so I am glad to see that you have followed me on this path. It is more than likely that any of the 4 fetuses have traces of the original NEP-” Alexander's heart beat a thousand a second, forcing him to sit against the duct wall. "But I don't see any use in allocating resources in keeping them as reserves"

 

"...What? Why?! More NEP carriers means less chance of error in our plans!”

 

"Alexander. There is no likelihood of error” The sound of a stomp through the communicator helped the mouse understand how much his master wanted to emphasize that. “Now we know that my Reality King can create her own Sindeul neurons in anyone… which means that by waiting for the storm we can already have as many reserves as necessary. I can't create more like you or Bartolomeo, so I have to manage it as I can: Which means that you should focus all your attention and efforts on what really matters. Do you remember what it is?”

 

The mouse bit its tongue for a few seconds in empty protest. "I remember-"

"I want to hear you say it. Now. Please, Alexander, say it"

 

"... Protect and keep the Reality King safe, no matter what you have to do for it"

 

"Exactly. Don't worry about anything, my dear Alexander... we will have so many NEP reserve carriers as you need so that you feel that our plans are safe. All in due time, okay?” Gyeseung whispered trying to put his voice more reassuring, really trying to calm any fear that his apprentice had internalized. "I know it hurts now, but you must feel your mission. No one but the Reality King is really important to the destiny of this world, not even myself. That's why you need to focus on watching and protecting my Reality King, the weight of this corrupted world is on your shoulders , my son. Make me proud"

Gyeseung hung up the call convinced that the mouse had internalized his mission to the point that he did not find it necessary to ask for explanations about deactivated location chips. Gyeseung's confidence was dazzling and guilting, a skill that the mouse had accepted that his master had from his first hours of consciousness. 9 years had passed since the last time his master called him son. 9 years working tirelessly side by side in the NEP, thousands and thousands of animals like him that had given their lives during the tests.

 

"Given? ... They gave their lives..." The mouse repeated itself loudly, returning to its lookout in the duct rack. Erika's cry had not stopped or lost any intensity in the entire time he and his master had been talking. "Their lives for a corrupt world ... none of them are worth more than the Reality King. It has ... it has to be true"

 

"Hali ..." Erika whispered, pressing her head against the pillow. A simple word that the mouse wasn't expecting, two syllables that made him approach until slightly open the grid and peek directly. "Anju ..." Another totally new word, a word that the mouse had not heard once in all the time he had been listening her laments. Slowly and without a sound Alexander searched through his work bag. "Makenna ..." Three syllables this time, spoken by a voice so broken and dry that the mouse was too clear that the Amazonian mother had not drunk water since breakfast. Without wasting time Alexander withdrew a little more from the rack, digging his retractable hook into the floor of the duct. "Elysia ..."

After ensuring a third time that the hook was correctly connected to his backpack the mouse clenched his teeth, jumping into the void. The fall was gigantic for him, the noise of the pulley sliding down the cable deafened his poor ears, the sparks that jumped burning his back slightly. The intelligent system of the gyocha teduli activated correctly, the fall slowing down just before the mouse got close to the other end of the cable. "I can't ... they can't ..." Erika continued to whisper more than ever in a continuous loop, much more serious than the mouse had seen in the previous days.

 

With the press of the button that hung from one of the straps of his backpack, Gyeseung's device was quickly picked up, allowing the mouse to walk along the bedside table next to the Amazonian mother. Memories of his last meeting came to mind of mouse, his bones and muscles hurting only to remember the brutality of the punch. Every memory of both it and his master was set aside in his mind as Alexander approached the edge.

"You shouldn't choose names so soon ... and less in your case..."

 

Words that wouldn't help, but that the mouse was forced to remember her for pure scientific and medical ethics.

 

"I can't ... leave them in the dark... I can't do that to them, I don't ..." Erika replied without raising her head from the pillow, coughing from the dryness of her throat. The mouse clenched his teeth again with such force that he was afraid of sanding them from friction. “They deserve to smile… they deserve to meet their mother, meet their brothers and grandparents… I want to teach them so many things… I can't even think of having to part with one of them”

 

""That's a selfish thought, you know? Even if you risk your own life?... you can't carry that weight, I know you didn't want to say goodbye too soon to your family...-"

"It's not about saying goodbye ... my family needs me here.."

"Then?! You may be depressed but you must remember what really matters! A life ... the weight of a life that isn't yet a person ... damn it. You cannot put the most absolute risk ahead of those who are here already!"

 

"My mother ... my mother ... knew the risks that Fraje's pregnancy would pose to someone with such fragile health like her..." Alexander was starting to bleed his teeth by putting them under too much pressure. “My mother could choose… and chose to trust her heart and bring Fraje to our world. There was no need, it wasn't advisable ... and the doctors were so furious that my father had to prevent one of them from reaching the hands of so much contained anger. It was… it was stupid…”

 

“And then why do you risk doing the same to your family!? Look at your father! Today he is still devoured by your mother's bad decision! A child must learn from his parents and not make his own mistakes!-”

"If you think my father hates my mother's decision ... you just don't know him..." Erika snorted, turning around until she lay on her back (with the pillow still on her face), not being able to avoid containing a small meaningless laugh. “My father misses her more than anyone in this world… not a single day he has left or will stop thinking about her… and that is why he has not lost his smile. You know why?"

 

"Sorry to say no ..."

 

"Because my mother hasn't abandoned us ... has never done it" Another second laugh without reason, breaking all the mouse schemes. “As long as we keep smiling she will take care of us… and that's why I will bring them into the world, so they can smile and that their grandmother will smile for them-"

"There is no logic in your argument, there is no logic in saying no so soon. You put your life before hers without knowing them ... they may hate you! Maybe they are real demons! Psychopaths, abusers ... there are too many factors that say that you are making a bad decision that I don't know how you can name them. Risk everything for one person ... so many lost lives. So much risk, so much pain just to fulfill a dream A dream so terrible ... that has not even taken into account who wore such a black crown. I can't understand that you give so much value to an immaterial fantasy"

 

"There isn't just one person in here" Erika replied drowning the tears on the pillow, returning to reality the mouse that had just realized that he was speaking in the singular. "Hali is the one in the right-hand anmiotic bag... she is a good girl. Makkena is next to her sister's right ... she is very naughty and gives me terrible heat strokes to be winter, but I know he doesn't do it with bad intentions. On the other side are Elysia to the left at all ... I am sure that she provokes the shocks, dreaming that she plays with her older brothers and sisters. And then there is Anju in the center next to Makkena ... she is the most shy and silent of all, although my mother's instinct tells me that she has something to do with the sugar crash of the last days "

 

"... You're the biggest idiot I've ever met ... Not only have you done the least recommended thing possible, but you feel proud. Do you simply plan to protect them based on willpower?"

 

"Willpower, mother's love and trust in Addams and Handshake. Can you think of anything better?"

 

"... I can think of much better things, yes. You are ... a huge idiot ... who gladly carries the weight of your whole world. You only plan to bring love to this world, and only love moves you. I cant understand you..." The mouse lamented deeply, jumping to the ground while Erika burst out laughing.

 

"I don't know who you are ... but thanks for reminding me how idiot I am..." The Amazonian mother whispered as she removed the pillow from her face, looking down at where the voice had come from and where there was no one. "H...Hello? ..."

Erika asked confusedly about what had just happened while Alexander made his way to the vent under the bed. "...Thank you... really..." Erika shouted feeling more liberated from the chains that bound her. Unfortunately, a mysterious words that made her remember happy moments were not enough to get her out of depression so easily, even while sitting in bed with no strength at all.

And it was precisely because she did not see herself with strength that the Amazonian mother forced herself a little more to sit on the edge of the bed, taking the bottle of water that Nellie had left hours before and drinking suddenly. The darkness was still there ... but the actions to fight are what would bring about a change back to the light.

 

...

The darkness of the conduit was so deep that the mouse needed to walk close to the wall to guide itself on the way back to its base, stopping and looking back when listening to Erika thanking for the third time. "You are a good person, mister ghost... thank you..."

 

"Good person?..." Alexander said to himself silently, looking around as if looking for something he could not find. “I am not a good person… not even I know I am a person… Besides, she is just saying it because she has left the drowning loop she was in! She isn't thinking logically or with a correct perception... Willpower and trust won't help you ... and Gyeseung won't either”

The mouse looked back, grabbing its tail in its hands and squeezing it doubtfully. Something inside him was trying to tell him something, his instinct telling him that he needed to keep looking... something he didn't even understand.

 

For the first time in a long time Alexander began to run, first on all fours as he was used to until his instinct made him accelerate and run on all fours as his kind used to. Erika's footsteps made him run faster, but Alexander himself knew it wasn't because he was afraid that the Amazon would find him. No ... it was for another reason. Duct in twilight after duct, leaving behind fluorescent markings that the mouse had left to guide itself in the dark.

And finally the mouse found the light at the end of the road ... in a completely literal sense as well, since it was the entrance of the air conditioner. Slowly and carefully the mouse went through bars and the blades now turned off until they were on the outer edge, from easily climbed up to climb on top of the device.

His heart was still revolutionized while the mouse saw all the surroundings of the Barlow Holm family house. "...I am not a good person... I work for the man who destroyed the normal lives of this city and wants to bring a genocide to the righteous and innocent alike" Alexander said to himself as his communicator bracelet shone again, this time in the color of Bartolomeo. The connection within him was speaking directly, a connection that the creator of the NEP himself could not understand. Would neohuman children feel this way in the future? Will they feel the need to take the hand that asks for help at any cost? He and Erika were nothing alike, neither in kind nor in age nor in tastes. Only the NEP connected them both.
And yet someone had to take her hand even from the shadows.

 

Grabbing both straps of his work bag, Alexander stared at the houses 40 feet below, discerning the house where his instinct guided him. "I've helped my master too much to even dream of being a good person. And yet I don't think I need to be to do the right thing"

By pressing the second button on the strap, Gyeseung's mobile device is activated by opening the wings correctly. 3 seconds of waiting for the mouse to take the opportunity to calculate the force of the wind that day had been programmed, the device whistled again giving the mouse a green light to launch.

 

 

---

 

(Same moment)

 

“Goal! I win! Win Win Win!” Gideon shouted, jumping and waving his hands as Reed and Estela surrounded him celebrating.

The Gideon team celebrated the third consecutive goal of the cyclops marking the 4 to 0 in the makeshift marker that Gabrielle had assembled with toy blocks, marker that Ariah took the liberty of decorating with stuffed animals simulating the audience. Gideon as captain, Estela, Reed, Zhong and Sammy in a team against Lisa, Gabrielle, Naseera, Bobr, Selja and Anne as captain of the other in a game duel that Estela had explained to her friends as her brothers and mother's favorite.

At first, none of the children understood that he had fun kicking a ball and putting it between some cubes ... but after a first attempt the game that seemed so silly had become the most important thing in their lives.

 

"There must be something ... that we are doing wrong ..." Bobr said as his team gathered around Anne, the goalkeeper designated by Estela. "We aren't coordinating..."

 

“I don't understand the game… you only have to boot? Why when they kick they take the ball among them? Is that legal?” Lisa asked furiously to see what they were losing, the wolf's competitiveness shooting at record highs.

 

Bobr shrugged while Naseera apologized again and again to Anne for not being able to kick the ball. The neo-human weasel was especially awake and intelligent for his young age of 10 months ... which didn't help him especially at times like this, where the unbridled energy and coordination of his sister were what really stood out... if only Selja were taking advantage of her excess energy.

Instead the neo-human monkey had internalized the "words" that the supposed "Yesterday" had said through Ariah, staying on the right of the makeshift field and playing alone there. For once Bobr wanted her sister to do all the work she went and suddenly became obedient ... the neo-human weasel thought as he dedicated one of his first offensive words learned from his mother to his sister. "I doubt that the distribution of players has been fair!" Gabrielle growled stomping furiously for losing in her own garden. “They have Estela and Gideon who have long legs and know how to run… we are me, Bobr and Seera that we can't keep up! And besides Gideon is cheating! It isn't worth doing tricks if Lisa cannot teleport! And they have more people with tricks! Gideon's redirect ... Sammy's sparks ... and Zhong's sparks! We only have Lisa! I demand a… what is supposed to be said in this nonsense?!-”

 

"Gabrielle! That is why we are supposed to be one more!" Anne interrupted her friend who was starting to hyperventilate and get too red for her own good.

 

“But it's not fair, Anne! It's ... it's my ball! I want to win!” Gabrielle shouted, throwing herself in the lap of the giant giant crying, an act that triggered Naseera to start moaning enviously and to throw herself on Anne.

Cries aside Bobr knew that everything his friend had said was true. Estela had made the rules to benefit the team where she was.

The child's first option was to let theirs mothers know that Estela was cheating ... an option that vanished when he turned to look inside the living room through the garden door. Their mothers smiled and laughed shaking glasses of mom's special drink, so like the little good had learned when mom had a glass of juice it wasn't too useful to go to her with serious arguments.

The second option was that Anne, as leader of the group, declared a ceasefire and expose Estela's traps to others ... but Anne wasn't too lively since a few days ago and the last thing Bobr wanted was to make her best friend even sadder of what she already was.

The third and last option was to keep playing and beat them in their own game ... something extremely unlikely. As Gabby had stated, the Gideon team had three players who were directly using their skills ... while their team only had two options. His own redirection of the wind (nothing useful but to direct a bit of a shot) and Lisa's teleportation, slow, predictable and she didn't even take the ball with her.

 

The little boy sometimes wondered why his sister and other children like Anne or Gabrielle weren't able to use the skills that Uncle Addams taught them ... but at the end of the day that didn't matter. If they didn't have them for the game, it didn't matter to have them later.

The dead time was over when Ariah blew his whistle with a passion and love for the same that few of his friends had come to see. "Second half, Yesterday will kick off!" Ariah shouted as she kicked the ball to throw it halfway down the field, stopping right in the center.

 

“Aggg! There is no time! Lisa, with me up! Selja and Gabrielle, cover the sides! Naseera, stop those who come through the middle so that they don't reach the captain” Bobr shouted as he ran as much as his legs left him, waving his tail to keep his balance as much as possible.

Gideon did the same from his side running alongside Estela towards the ball, taking advantage of its larger size to get ahead faster than Bobr could run.

 

Cyclops against weasel, weasel against cyclops. The two boys advanced at full speed towards the ball, one regaining their honor and another increasing their advantage and ego.

 

What neither of the two boys seemed to care about was the object that fell from the sky on the ball, moving a few centimeters towards Ariah. The object, or rather being, bounced on it falling to the ground. "Damn it ... The descent system needs some adjustments ..." Alexander told himself as he rubbed his sore back without noticing the situation he was in.

What made him notice it? The kick with all his strength that Gideon gave him thinking that it was the ball, all due to being so attentive to Bobr and not having a great sense of depth for having only one eye.

 

The Cyclops launched his plan, shooting towards the goal directly. As soon as the "ball" moved far enough, the Cyclops used his ability to redirect it to the left and turn it into a curved ball to dodge Bobr. "Selja!" Ariah shouted, rising suddenly, a sign that the little neo-human monkey instantly understood. As Ariah had explained, Selja released all her energy to give one of the greatest sprints of her short life, jumping and catching the mouse in the air.

 

"Hand! She has touched it with her hand! Estela, that i ...” Gideon shouted happy to be able to boot again, looking down at the ground when all his friends pointed out that the ball was still by his side. "Wait ... what have I hit?" The Cyclops asked confused while Selja jumped up and down uncontrollably, screaming with joy for having done what Yesterday had asked.

 

"What have I done ... so that they always treat me like this ..." The mouse whispered in the hands of the hyperactive little girl, who, as soon as she heard him speak, stopped jumping, placing the mouse in her open palm. "... Thank you, Selja S-"

Before the mouse could finish the sentence Selja opened her mouth, putting the entire upper body of the mouse in her mouth, feeling with her tongue while the mouse was shaking scared and the other children surrounded the neo-human monkey. After a few seconds of licking it, Selja ended up spitting it back into her palm, grabbing it with one hand and waving it up and down. “It's real! It's a mini-Zhong!” The children approached the mouse curiously when Selja stopped shaking it, closely studying the animal with eyes full of curiosity.

 

"I don't like it ..." Zhong declared almost instantly, crossing his arms and sweeping the ground with his tail.

 

“You don't like it because it's also a mouse! But smaller and more adorable!” Sammy shouted pricking her friend's cheek with her two claws as Zhong tried to push them away.

 

Crashed on the ground, kicked, trapped and tight like a rubber toy ... almost devoured ... and again pressed with a force that little Semyon twin was evidently not aware of. Alexander felt dirty and beaten, reminding him of those same feelings as when Bartolomeo played with him before developing a complete conscience.

One part of him felt that what he was doing was a big mistake ... (And that he was kicked which ball didn't help to think otherwise), the other part was still relying on his decision. "I regret not being to your liking, Zhong Hai..." The mouse said among even a few groans, his words causing the children to open their mouths surprised (even Zhong himself) bringing their heads even closer to the mouse, to the point that Alexander could tell his warm breaths and the smell of orange juice from the food. "Please ... some space-"

 

"Lille mouse speak!" Sammy shouted clapping her hands (as much as her claws left her).

"Mouse! Lille mouse! Hello!” Selja shouted, squeezing even louder.

"Mouse! I have a mouse pupet lille mouse!” Reed screamed so loud and in a voice so loud that Alexander had to cover his ears.

 

Dealing with very young children, as difficult as Alexander hoped it would be. Their voices were so innocent and strident that with a little shout they became authentic fairground pitos. "I'm glad, Reed Howee ... I'm glad for your mouse puppet, it's a great honor" Flattering them wasn't something that Alexander was too clear would work, but the proximity of their mouths open and full of drool urged the mouse to think fast and worry after his words.

 

"How do you know our names?" Bobr asked innocently, taking his sister's mouse away. (Made the mouse greatly appreciated)

 

“That is a fairly simple answer, Bobr Semyon. I am…” The mouse fell silent, realizing that he had no simple answer to that question. The children were very young and innocent ... but if something stood out a child was to repeat words like parrots. Any misplaced word was a word that any of the 13 children (14 counting the curious Yesterday) could repeat to their parents. “I am… an invisible friend! Yes! An invisible friend who takes care of you! That's why I know your names!” The children looked full of confusion and curiosity at the mouse, looks that were terrifying the mouse. After a few seconds, the children began to nod among themselves, recovering the smile, a fact that the mouse took as if his plan had worked. "And as I want to take care of you! I need your help to take care of your families!"

 

"I wanna help!" Gideon and Lisa shouted full of motivation, followed by all the other children nodding ... except for, as Alexander could see, Anne and Gabrielle, who bit their lips thoughtfully.

It was at the moment of seeing that the mouse understood that both girls were loosely related to the night of the incident, which if either of them could clearly remember their cover was finished. Cursing his Master and Bartolomeo silently for his little number Alexander began to squeeze his brains thinking of another solution to get out of the problem about problem.

 

“I appreciate you want to help me children! We have a lot of work to do, so let's start by finding out who needs more help from your families, okay?” The children nodded again while Alexander jumped to the ground, opening his backpack and searching until he found his holographic projector. After a few quick adjustments the mouse climbed on top of the ball, projecting a roulette on the ground. "Well children, do you know what this is?-"

 

"To Loulete" Zhong shouted quickly, giving an answer that Alexander himself was not expected to have. “Mommy see a lot of loulete on her phone”

 

Temporarily removing the worries of such innocent words that began to germinate in his mind, the mouse continued to work on his projector. At first he made the names of each child appear in a different box ... but after checking that it was as if nothing had changed for them because they couldn't read, he decided to approach the matter from a different angle, projecting photographs of their faces on the roulette. (Silently Alexander signed up to ask his Master where he had taken such images of the children's, like police records)

“Well children, we will help all of you and your families. To do this today we will choose who to help first with this... ... loulete’”

 

“Yess!” The children (again except Anne and Gabrielle) screamed so happy without knowing most how the process would work, now surrounding the projected roulette. (And tried to touch it unsuccessfully, fascinated to see that part of the colors remained in their hands while they were on the ground)

Although Alexander's words of wanting to help children were (in large part) true, the mouse didn't enjoy tricking them into believing that the decision wasn't made beforehand. Many of them will surely need help more than insurance in the future, the decision that day was already decided.

 

"Let's go kids! Get away and let's get started!” The mouse shouted and clapped, his cheerful tone making the children take their words seriously away. By spinning the wheel, Alexander waited a moment so it wouldn't be noticed that the projection stopped spinning. (Made useless for the simple reason that none of the children understood how to win at roulette)

"And Anne Barlow Holm has won!" Alexander began clapping again, all the children following his example and clapping. "Tell me little ... who should we-"

 

"Mamma Eri!" Anne shouted after a few seconds of understanding why she had won. The giantess toddler didn't hesitate a second to throw hermself on the floor on her knees on the roulette wheel, gently grabbing the mouse in both hands. “Mamma Eri is sad an thad make me so sad… she cry a lot and I dont like that! Please, mouse! I like mamma Eri smile...”

 

The mouse smiled forcefully to try to maintain control, gripping the thumb of the giant's toddler in an attempt to comfort her. “I can see how much you want to help her, little Anne Barlow Holm… so it's time to do it! Little ones, it's time to demonstrate the power within us! I need you all to come here and grab Anne-” It wasn't necessary or finish the sentence, since all the children threw themselves on Anne to grab any free part of her friend. "...Perfect! Now Anne, I have to ask you a question before you start… you have dreams from time to time in which you see your friends and family… but are they different?” The giantess toddler nodded quickly as Alexander expected, since what the mouse was trying to confirm is that the NEP “Futures Simulations” were as real as his Master believed in them. (And as the mouse could see, Gyeseung was right again that simulations will only occur when the subconscious of the Reality King enters the REM sleep phase)

“Perfect once again! Anne, I'm going to need you to close your eyes and put on this-” The mouse explained as he pulled out a small headset too small for Anne but the perfect size for him. "In the ear. When you start listening to music you will have to close your eyes and try to sleep-”

 

"But ... I don't wanna sleep now..." The little girl complained as she took the cable between her fingers, obeying the mouse reluctantly.

 

“It will be just a moment, I promise you. Guys, in the meantime I need you to do the same, okay? I need you to be touching Anne and close your eyes in silence...” With all the children obeying without giving too much fight back the work of the mouse became much simpler. “Ready? Already!" Everyone closed their eyes, most of them sitting around Anne while still holding her. The improvised soundboard of the Reality King's energy was working as well as the mouse expected, its scanners all demonstrating a much higher level of efficiency than expected. "11 bearers of the NEPF ... 12 telling me as a bearer of the NEP... The idea of sound boxes to accumulate NEP energy is perfect."

After 120 seconds of preparation (although the mouse would have liked to try up to 360 seconds the threat that some of the mothers went out to the garden was too real) subtly without removing the children from their concentration Alexander passed to phase 2 of his plan, adding Erika's recorded audio tracks in recent days to soothing music (an act that necessarily disgusted him greatly). Anne's expression changed to one of sadness until she ended up on the verge of crying, at which point the mouse decided to turn off the music and slap.

“Good job everyone! You can now release and open your eyes! Anne, you've seen something sad, right?”

 

"Mamma Eri ... mamma Ala ... Äldre syster ... storebror ... they are so sad ... crying a lot ..." Anne lamented, still hugging herself on the edge of tears, receiving Naseera and Gabrielle's quick hug each for one arm.

 

“And… were they very different? Was it them here?” The mouse couldn't hate having to take the situation to such extremes, but unfortunately Anne was his best event simulator available outside the laboratory.

 

The giantess toddler nodded, touching her chin. “Storebror have hair here… a lot… mamma Ala have a crying things in her arms” With the revelations that Alanna had only something crying and that Fraje had had time to be beard, being currently with the first hairs of the same, the mouse ventured to assume that what the simulation had calculated was a moment postpartum ... much worse than he expected. "Mouse ... I don't like that ... I don't want that ..." Anne groaned again absorbing the few tears that fell.

 

“Cheer up that face, Anne! Of course we aren't going to let that happen!! We can avoid it… yes… of course we can!”

Was self-conviction before the dire future? Or was it genuine trust? Only time would tell.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(February 28, 2020: 7 week of pregnancy. Barlow Holm family house)

“And then Nellie goes and raises her hand super embarrassed!! And the whole class turns to look at her and she goes and gets up so fast that she ends up throwing her desk!” Fraje burst into tears of laughter, throwing herself on the bed. Her easily influenced little sister decided to imitate her older brother and catch her laugh, throwing herself on her mother Erika's legs ... only instead of pretending to cry like Fraje Anne was really crying with laughter.

 

“Damn it, Fraje! It's not fair!” Nellie shouted, throwing herself on her back on the bed, kicking and covering her face with her mother's pillow to try to hide her red face like a tomato. It has been a terrible moment for me! You are my brother, you should be on my side!

 

“It's too much fun not to tell! Attention students-” Fraje rose from the bed placing his hands on his hip, trying to imitate a monotonous voice and lack of life that Erika assumed was a member of the technical staff of the institute. “We have found some size 15 women's sports shoes in the women's locker room. The person responsible for this joke should immediately go to the assistant principal's office. We repeat-”

"Please, Fraje ... stop it!" Nellie pleaded as her little sister threw herself on top of her, dragging laughter with her. "God... what a shame... I don't know how I'm going to look at the deputy director anymore...-"

 

"That bitch deserves every scream and more, Ramirez is the only person I can't stand for all my former workmates" Alanna added to the conversation, giving a big blow to her dresser, taking advantage of leaving her comb so that it didn't look like a blow because it did. The Amazonian vice president got up slowly trying not to undo the bun that had cost her so much time (trusting that for the next day's international meeting her hair was straight and shiny), walking to her side of the bed and placing her older daughter's head on her juicy thighs. "It had been so long since I had enjoyed keeping that fool's mouth shut... you should have seen her face when I entered the door... or when I dropped my size 21 heel on her stupid desk. It was so cool to see how her jaw dropped when she saw that my shoes were not only more expensive but also longer than her laptop! It was worth every second..."

Her whole family around her, smiling and laughing. The familiar warmth made Erika feel much calmer, the fears relaxing (either because of the calm she was breathing or the antidepressant that Handshake's psychologist had prescribed) enough for the dream to be taking her slowly, a fact that wasn't left in ignorance for her family.

"Have you taken the pill and the vitamin supplement?, my love?" Alanna asked, stretching out on the bed, stroking her wife's cheek.

 

“Of course, you don't have to ask. I'm doing everything Theo and the psychologist tell me to try to get out of this sh... crap that is depression...” Erika whispered as her wife took her hand. With her older children remembering what time the family was, Barlow Holm went to sleep hoping that the next day would be better than the last but worse than the next. (Something not too difficult both Erika and Nellie on the other hand)

 

...

The hours passed until both Alanna and Erika ended up sleeping soundly, the clock showing two in the morning when the sixth secret member of the house left their hiding place.With absolute ease as a result of daily practice Alexander threw himself down, stopping his descent 30 centimeters from touching the nightstand. With mastery while still hanging the mouse, he took his hand scanner from the backpack that suspended him in the air, pointing towards the Amazonian mother.

“Stable growth… Left, center left and right are a little more advanced than center right. It is a little worrying that left hasn't yet begun to separate her legs but there is still time. I will need x-014, c-75 and folic acid to adjust the blood level,... sight... complicated night” The mouse growled as he watched inside the belly with his scanner, recording the growth of each individual baby for future reference. (Attempted in the process not to read the names that Erika had said and that constantly reminded him of what he risked if his treatment failed)

Once all the necessary data were correctly archived, the mouse began the second part of the night. Slowly without making any noise, the mouse jumped to the floor and climbed to Anne's bed, running down the soft sheets until she reached her pillow. "Anne ... little one ... come on, it's time ..." The mouse whispered as she gave small pinches to the bridge of the giant's toddler's nose, tried to help wake her "accomplice"... buddy?... The mouse wasn't yet clear on how to define his relationship with her and the other children.

 

"Ales mouse ..." Anne whispered, slowly opening her eyes, rubbing with the back of her hand not caring that the mouse was in the middle.

 

"Come on, baby, it's time" Alexander repeated ignoring (and a little enjoying) the name the children had given him. Careful not to wake up their mothers, the giantess toddler got out of her bed, walking on tiptoe to the bathroom mouse in hand. After closing the door securely as her older brother had taught her Anne left her mouse on the toilet cistern, watching in silence (and still half asleep) as the mouse lifted one of its front legs up and made it glow colored orange.

 

After a few seconds of waiting Alexander's message was received, and appearing accompanied by a flash of light and sparks running through his body until it unloaded on the marble floor, little Lisa appeared, jumping with her hands wide open. “Ta-da! And this time I am not upside down! ”Lisa whispered proudly of herself, Alexander's teachings (and the NEP battery that the mouse had turned into a transmitter bracelet like his) had greatly advanced in his ability to teleport.A ll the hair of the little girl, whether arms, legs, tail or head was completely bristled by static electricity, giving an appearance that Anne found especially funny.

 

"I am very happy for you, Lisa Fang! You are the engine of the plane of our operation!" Alexander said as he pulled out his projector, really proud that after several nights of appearing both lying down and face down (with the consequent fall) the little neohuman wolf was finally taking real advantage of his gift.

The little neohuman wolf smiled proudly despite not understanding what the mouse was saying, all while Anne helped comb her hair by imitating what her mother did to her (Without any use because in the following teleportation she would end up the same). The mouse while managed to find the right image of her personal folder: Little Sammy's bedroom.

"Tonight we're going to need Sammy, Gideon and Bobr, girls ... let's start with Sammy, okay?"

 

"Ok!" The two shouted innocently, so loud that Alexander feared the two wives in the next room would wake up.

After 5 seconds of courtesy the mouse jumped to the ground, running and climbing through Lisa's pajama pants until it reached the head of the wolf. With Anne in position grabbing her friend's shoulders, the wolf gathered enough NEP energy (for lack of a better name, Alexander thought) to use her NEsPer ability to the next level.

With another flash of light and a slight whitish smoke the three disappeared, thus giving rise to the next part of the mission.

 

---

 

 

(Handshake underground facilities, floor -2: Laboratories. 02:45 in the morning)

 

“Ta-da!” The five children repeated for the fifth time that night to Alexander's disgust, getting quickly out of the formation to check that there was no guard in the hallway near his hiding place. Lisa's young age not only influenced her teleportation ability, needing an external battery to make use of her NEsPer skill (and not counting that using these skills consumes as many body resources as high intensity exercise). Without enough memory (or ability to memorize, both are very possible options) to remember the places where teleporting skills like Lisa's were simply unhelpful.

Luckily for the little ones Alexander had already worked on that, going through Brightside by foot photographing all the places within the maximum range of Lisa's ability and which were useful for working. "Children! Shhh” The mouse tried to calm their incessant laughter, the result of seeing how their hair had been lifted behind the multiple teleports.

 

"Shhh" Everyone answered the mouse in unison, the gesture of joking had become almost a way of greeting children for how much the mouse was forced to repeat it.

Once the children understood that it was time for the new game the situation was much faster, the 5 accompanying the mouse peeking around the corner of the server cabinet that Alexander had decided to use as an access point to Handshake." What's next, Ales mouse?" Gideon asked whispering as low as possible, the five children forming a curious totem with their heads that Alexander used to move up and down between them.

 

"Sammy, Gideon, do you see the camera?" Alexander whispered, pointing to the upper corner of the hall. After seeing that his children nodded, the mouse jumped to the ground, beginning to search his backpack. “Sammy, flash of light. Gideon, throw me up to leave me on top of the camera. Anne, get the snack backpack. Lisa, you can choose a cereal bar but only one to recharge your stomach. Bobr, keep an eye on the other side of the hall”

After their fifth assault on Handshake the children had internalized the mouse instructions much better, taking the "game" (at least for them) much more seriously than ever. The orders of the mouse were fulfilled quickly, Anne carrying the bag full of energy bars (all healthy and without sugar, the mouse could be using the children's skills but it wasn't a monster destroying their diets) that Alexander had hidden days ago between two servers. "Ready? ...-" Alexander raised his hand while Gideon grabbed him like a baseball. "NOW!"

 

The mouse shouted loudly beginning the maneuver. Without waiting for a second Sammy concentrated all energy inside her between her claws, the electric current leaping from one to another nail causing a small but effective flash of light that Gideon used to go out into the hall and throw the mouse. Redirecting with a mastery that the mouse could never understand, Gideon managed to leave it on the camera before its limit reached.

To spoil the work of his children wasn't an option that Alexander thought to accept, quickly opening the upper panel of the camera with his tools and causing an image loop. "Ufff ... ready guys!" The mouse shouted as the five of them went out into the hall, Bobr using his abilities to create small bursts and streams of wind to carefully close the door to the server room from inside.

Anne was placed just below the camera with the backpack open above her head, the target on which Alexander landed to rejoin his makeshift toddlers team. “We need to get to the lab, so today there will be 4 cameras more. Ready guys?”

 

"Yes!" Everyone yelled at the same time, forcing the mouse to come back to gossip.

 

(4 cameras, two corridors and a staircase later)

 Seeing young children work with such mastery and innocence was a spectacle that Alexander couldn't get tired of. Their innocence combined with the exploits they managed to accomplish, their coordination beyond needing words, their determination that prevented them from accepting something that wasn't a good result.

Gyeseung only saw in them soldiers for his Reality King, soldiers who launched against humanity in order to bring out a god that more than possible wouldn't exist. Not even Anne herself acted as what Gyeseung wanted! The giantess toddler was the sweetest thing that Alexander had had the honor of knowing, a combination of shyness with strangers and total confidence in her family and friends both realized by the girl's own unusual size. As much as he didn't like having to even think about it, Alexander was getting more and more away from his Master's ideas, either by the influence of his own NEP resonating with Anne's or simply by enjoying being able to talk to children with such a brilliant vision of everything around him.

"Way open, ales mouse!" Bobr and Anne shouted as they rejoined the group, proud to have hidden well.

 

"Perfect, I just need one more moment..." Alexander whispered as he fiddled with the wires under the quadruple electronic lock in the lab's warehouse. “Children, you have to remember not to touch anything in here, okay? Stay by the door while I collect our treasure and prepare to leave”

 

"Yes, Ales mouse!" The five shouted at the same time, just as Alexander manages to disconnect the last of the closures.

 

"Ooooopen!" Anne humming as she grabbed the mouse and pushed the door too heavy for the rest of her friends. Of course, on the exact second that Anne started to open the door Alexander noticed something was wrong. The mouse had already taken the team to the laboratory several times in search of components for its treatment (although the team had varied between each occasion, Naseera and Zhong being part of it in the first interactions) in no time had so much light come out of the interior of the laboratory.

The mouse tried to tell Anne to close the door quickly, although to his misfortune it was too late. The little girl had already opened the door completely, her smile instantly fading like her friends' eyes when they saw they weren't alone.

 

Of course the most broken expression was that of Alexander, since whoever was inside the laboratory wasn't a scientist or part of the staff.

That would have been too simple for Alexander's life.

And if the mouse was only able to slightly tolerate the eccentricity of his Master, the universe would of course throw him a kind of ... man (?) In a sort of crossing between Doctor Doom's armor and a kind of Kamen Rider storing in a leather shoulder bag that nothing stuck with its appearance what were obvious vials of the NEPF. The children stared at the masked man, the masked man looked back at the children, alternating between them and the mouse on Anne's arm. Absolute silence for the perplexity of both sides of the room.

 

Until everything exploded: "Rabbitan!" Anne shouted full of happiness that confused everyone present, releasing the mouse in Gideon's hands and running to the masked. Before he could defend himself, the “little one” of 5 feet 4 inches tall threw himself on him, clutching his legs without stopping to laugh and repeat Rabbitan again and again. The other children didn't sit still, deciding that if Anne liked him so much, the man couldn't be bad. “Rabbitan?” The other children asked, approaching the masked man after leaving Alexander on the nearest table.

 

"I'm not ... Ahem ..." The masked man cleared his voice, clearly not happy with the tone his voice modulator had chosen. After a few seconds in silence the masked man gestured to clear his throat (stupid when he was completely covered), speaking again this time with a sharper and more elegant tone. "I'm not Rabbit Tank children ... although I have no idea how you can know something like that..."

 

"And how are you? Don't come to me with any excuse, please…” Alexander asked as he managed to jump from table to table, reaching as far as the masked bandolier was.

 

"I? I am…-” The masked man fell silent again, banging his fist against his palm as he tried to gesture that he had a revelation. Releasing Anne carefully from his leg, the masked man made an exaggerated leap back. Exaggerated by both the choreography of the jump and the distance traveled. (Alexander thought he had seen a kind of propeller on the feet of the masked suit)

“Can you feel the hunger? Don't be afraid because only hunger accompanied you from the beginning! Hunger for the truth, hunger for justice! Don't fear the ancient rites! Don't fear unfaithful blood! There is a special charm in the dark, so take a seat and get closer, as the feast is about to begin! My name is Hunger Skull, the one who will change this world and devour his ugly masks to expose their authentic faces!”

The masked song while he was doing poses worthy of Jojo bizarre adventure, a catchy rock melody coming out of his suit as accompaniment. To his delight, the children seemed to enjoy the show very much, clapping and laughing nonstop. (Alexander was clear that they were the only ones who were going to enjoy such a show. Without a doubt, too)

“Well, and now the presentations are made… Give me a reason not to Llik right now, Gyeseung's minion. And please, let's be adults made and rights and not say those concrete words in front of such small and influential children, you gnikcuf reppandik”

 

“Ugly words for someone who is stealing in a laboratory, also especially ugly words coming from an adult disguised for the next anime expo… And for your information I don't know where you got it, although seeing that you have been able to sneak in at least here it shows that you have at least access to the computers in the building, I am not ... I am not working with my Master right now-” Alexander tried to defend himself from the masked man, who without cutting a hair passed by the children to grab the mouse with both hands.

The children were scared to see that their friend and protector (as they had accepted) was caught, tears falling from their eyes as they threw themselves at Hunger Skull's legs. “Look masked… you go to yours things and we go to ours. These children are helping me protect the pregnancy of Anne's mother, the biggest of the five. If you have something to solve with me I am willing to give myself to you once I have managed to ensure that this mother can give birth to her children without problems...”

 

The masked man kept silent while looking and pressing the mouse in his hands, all without the children stop crying at their feet. The situation was especially uncomfortable for him, who had only come to look for samples of NEPF for the investigation of Elizabeth for the first time premiering his combat suit.

Mafia, corrupt employees, international spies... so many possibilities of people who could have crossed the door and allowed him to act as the temporary antihero/villain he so wanted to be. Of course fighting in front of children was out of the question... and so the producer had been investigating quadruplet pregnancies are extremely risky. "Are you going to surrender?" Hunger Skull decided to ask just to make sure he heard correctly. (and that Elizabeth was listening correctly)

 

"Voluntarily too" Alexander said without believing very well what he was saying. “The same day that the delivery arrives I will be waiting for you on the roof of this building, Hunger Skull. You have my word-"

“Your word is worth as little as your master's, elohssa the mouse. I want one… a way to enforce your word”

 

The mouse growled looking away, the masked man just out of the geek pride parade was no an idiot. "Okay, okay ... do you want a way to keep my word?" Alexander growled as he pulled his hand from the masked's grip, partially removing his transmitter bracelet. “Take this, it is my method of contact with you… I will use the one I have in reserve at my base and so you can contact me when whoever made the suit manages to implant it inside. All I ask is that you let me prepare before giving you the image so that Lisa, the neo-human wolf of your left leg, can teleport us home”

 

“Image, huh? Can you teleport wherever you see? And why didn't you teleport here directly then?” The mouse sighed as the masked man released him next to his shoulder strap.

 

“I wish it were that easy, but the limit of the NEsPer teleport comes when traveling inland like this basement. The first day I tried to bring us here without success, so instead I went looking for the deepest place of the facilities where Lisa could reach”

 

"It makes sense ... at least as much sense as the NEPF can make it" The masked man nodded as the mouse prepared the image projected on the floor, an image that Hunger Skull instantly recognized as the bathroom of Erika and Alanna's bedroom. The mouse rushed through the refrigerators where the Handshake scientists stored all their components and materials, keeping them all in Anne's backpack. (who had already stopped crying once the mouse was already safe)

Alexander didn't enjoy the attentive and fixed gaze on that of the masked man, studying every movement of the mouse and not letting him do anything suspicious. A real shame, the mouse thought since the masked armor looked like the best toy in the world in his eyes.

 

"Well Mr. Skull ... I have everything I need tonight" Alexander sighed as he closed Anne's backpack, getting on his head while the girl joined her friends. (still looking suspicious of the masked). "If you allow me the suggestion, if you call yourself Hunger Skull one would expect you to wear skulls as motif... I don't know if you understand what I mean" The mouse tried to make fun of the masked man, projecting the image of the bathroom Anne's on the ground.

 

"I know I'm missing skulls, this suit is still just a functional prototype, thank you very much" Hunger Skull growled as the children disappeared by Lisa, a truly incredible show and that he thanks to have engraved with the cameras in his eyes . "Elizabeth, have you recorded all that?" Cascadio asked as he took off his helmet, wiping away the sweat caused by such tension. “We need… to control the children anyway without revealing how the information has been obtained. I don't want to let a Gyeseung puppet play with them-”

"Have you tried offering to work with him instead of children?" Elizabeth asked without any irony or sarcasm in her voice, something that bothered her godfather very much.

 

“Work with that bastard!? I am a hero on my way to antihero when Anne and the other children can take their role! He is my enemy-”

“Doom working with the fantastic four” 

 

"I hate you"

 

 

---

 

(20 minutes later, home of the Barlow Holm family)

 

Anne had already gone to bed, sleeping soundly while the mouse finished administering Erika's "treatment."

Using the children wasn't to his liking, but now more than ever the mouse needed spare hands to handle all the work. The Amazonian mother turned on her back, turning around until she looked at her beloved. Her belly had not yet begun to stand out but little would be missing by the time the mouse's work became much simpler. Looking with his hand scanner Erika's belly one last time Alexander said goodbye to the 4 small ones, using his zip line to return to the ventilation duct.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

(March 16, 2020, week 10 of pregnancy. Handshake Clinic)

 

4 people in absolute silence, 4 people studying 4 ultrasound in absolute silence.

Tension? Discomfort? Nerves? Bewilderment?

Words unable to even express what was being lived in the gynecology clinic number 2 of the medical wing of the main Handshake building. Slowly and without bothering to ask even the other,Addams was moving between ultrasound with the mouse, sometimes stopping at one and sometimes placing the 4 images one after the other.

 

While looking at ultrasound after ultrasound, the director of Handshake got up from his chair, walking around the room until he was in front of the huge digital screen that was reproducing the images. Taking a deep breath, the director took out his cigarette pocket from his back pocket, which quickly generated multiple reproach from Alanna and Theo. “They are dark chocolate! Jackson has given them to me to help me try to quit... jesus" The director growled as he unwrapped the tip of one, holding it in his mouth and even pretending to give it a drag.

“With Anne we let it go because she was simply much bigger than normal… but this? What we are seeing has to be the equivalent in biology when Bill Anders put a roll of film on his camera and began to take the first snapshots of our planet”

 

“It's… it's beautiful in a way. We are the first people to see something like this and I don't know how to take it” Theo added as he imitated his boss, standing by his side.

 

Alanna felt as overwhelmed as her two friends, clutching her huge wife's hands firmly to help her breathe. Each squeeze was followed by an inspiration, each caress of an exhalation. The Amazon- No. The vice president mini-giantess (as well as Addams had officially updated her medical record) was proud of her beloved, who cried in pure joy watching ultrasound. She herself also wanted to cry, enduring simply for not letting tears blur or prevent her from seeing the four wonders before her eyes.

“If there were only one way for all neohumans to grow up transformed inside her mothers instead of going through the terrible, and judging by all the fainting and tearing tears, extremely painful transformation once their lungs begin to receive oxygen directly would be all so easy” The director said to himself aloud, an act that made him turn and see the terrified faces of both mothers for hearing things as painful and terrible. To comfort them as he could, the director continued to pass ultrasound until the best four were placed one after another. “You said you had names, right?” Addams asked as he walked around the room until he lowered the blind, letting only the light from the screen illuminate the darkness. “We have passed the most dangerous part, so I think you deserve to introduce the little ones properly”

 

A smile from ear to ear crossed Alanna's face, which rose quickly trying to get Erika to follow her. Unfortunately, her wife's legs were still shaking too much for it, so neither short nor lazy Alanna used her enormous force to perform an act of power by pushing the bank without wheels that held her wife's 399 kilos (879,644 pounds) to take her to the center of the room facing the screen. "The names come from the list we agreed to when we chose Anne's, with the respective second, third, fourth and fifth options we had agreed upon" Alanna explained as she stood behind her wife's bench, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Come on honey, you choose who the second and fourth go to and I'll choose who owns the third and fifth names, okay?"

 

Erika nodded while still crying, staring at the ultrasounds. "Hali is a name that comes from the Greek and means 'From the sea'... we choose it if I remember correctly at the request of your grandmother, my love" Erika explained as she smiled remembering the Skype conversation with her political grandmother, who insisted hard until the moment of hanging that the name was of Hawaiian origin. "For that meaning the name can only be for her" Erika pointed to the second ultrasound, corresponding to her daughter more to the left. Little Hali was surely the least developed of the four, as long as her development was taken as it should be.

Addams had seen each and every one of the births and transformations of the neohuman children who had gone through them, so the director was not surprised that Hali's legs were combined in one. Of course one thing was to see the combination of both legs in a single tail and fin and another was to see it forming from the first moment.

 

"It's my turn to assign the name Anju to one of these three lucky ones, isn't it?" Alanna asked her wife jokingly, letting go and walking until she was right in front of the screen, one arm crossed under her gigantic chest and the other going through the neckline to bite the thumbnail. “Anju is the only one of the names on the list that doesn't come from a family member, coming instead from your brother Cascadio, Addams” The statement caught Addams by surprise, who quickly took it for granted knowing the passion for the rare names of his little brother (inherited directly from his mother).

 

"Really? ... I'm so sorry, girls"

"Don't worry! We really liked the name ... but I think that was because of the story of how he explained it. I remember how much Cascadio insisted that Anju comes from Japanese and literally means 'apricot tree' ... and Cascadio was super convinced of that until Elizabeth, who we still didn't know at that time, approached behind and whispered to Cascadio that the name comes of the Hindu and means 'One who lives in hearth' ... they were arguing for a while"

 

"And what was the right origin?" Theo asked taking advantage of the empty space next to Erika to sit.

 

“Both! Or at least that we investigate in the wikipedia!” Alanna exclaimed as she leaned forward with her hands resting on her hip, staring at the ultrasound below to the left, corresponding to the most normal of her daughters. (Which in a way was very similar to Anne's ultrasound with 9 weeks, only a smaller hair) “You, my little one, are the only one who is turning our back on us… it is making us look at what your ass will be. A cute ass like an apricot ... You are Anju, no doubt” Alanna took the trouble to take Addams' touch pen and separate the ultrasounds between them enough to be able to write the names under each one.

Director and employee looked at each other, perplexed by the logic and the mental path that Alanna's brain had to have followed until reaching that conclusion. They stared at each other without knowing what to say until Erika burst into laughter and laughter, crying even more with joy and laughter.

 

A laugh that her wife wanted to hear more than ever in the world. “I can't… I can't wait to see that red and cute little ass!” Erika shouted as she rubbed her face with both hands, so loud that everyone in the waiting room heard the phrase out of context. "Hali and Anju, we can't leave you waiting much longer to meet your sisters, right?" With the help of her wife to get up without the hospital gown (rather, the two hospital gowns sewn to make the dress) unveiled nothing but her finally prominent belly, Erika took the touch pen and placed herself next to the screen. “Hali, Anju… Now, if I'm not mistaken, it's Elysia's turn. I remember that name came from my father-in-law Roland, and I would swear that its origins are from Latin...-”

“Elysia comes from Elysium which is the name of the home of the blessed in mythology. In the West we know it more commonly as Elysian Fields, which is also the name of the main avenue in Paris” Addams explained quickly, receiving in return surprised looks that bothered him much more than he would like to admit. "Popular culture, guys ... Alanna, you are European, you should know those things"

 

“Sweden, Canada, Spain and the United States, that's all the places I've been for more than 2 days. Assume that because I am European I must know the main avenue of the capital of a country where I have only been transhipment is to be a little ... better shut up" The mini-giantess mother bit her lips returning to what really mattered, that they were the two ultrasounds of her remaining little ones. Curiously, even when they were on opposite sides of the belly, they were the ones that most resemble each other, both presenting the formation of the ears at the top of the head and the tail that grew just in what would be its coccyx.

The only differences in the moment between them were the thickness of the tail, hands and feet, slightly larger in the one in the center left of her belly. "How big is the avenue is that you mentioned, Addams?"

 

"What a question ..." Addams growled as he finished chewing the cigarette, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I was there on my honeymoon and I think there were 8 lanes, but that was more than twenty years ago. Wait, are you asking about the lanes or the length of the avenue-"

“It isn't on the top of the longest avenues in the world. Can you believe that living in California I have never been to Sunset Boulevard?” Alanna said quickly, keeping her phone between her breasts so she won't be looking for her jacket.

 

"Perfect" Erika smiled as she wrote Elysia under the ultrasound corresponding to the little one to the right of her belly. "You my dear will be Elysia"

And with three of the names awarded, only one option and one possible name remained. Turning behind her wife, Alanna took the digital pen from her hands after a courtesy kiss on the back of her hand. “My precious Makenna, your name comes from the Hawaiian and comes from the word Mak’ke which means all gathered… I think. I know that the gathered part is true, but my knowledge of Hawaiian is limited to what your great grandmother yells at me and to Hawaii 5.0. Anyway Makenna has always been a name that has been in my mother's family, your great-great grandmother was also called Makenna... and now it is yours, as are each name of you 4.

If you want them you should leave well healthy and strong!” Alanna laughed as she leaned down to hug and place her ear on her wife's belly, disappointing a little when she noticed nothing but Erika's stomach movements.

 

"I am glad to see that you are more motivated and that you are regaining your spirits, Erika and Alanna" Addams said as he rose from the bench, returning to the window to raise the blind. “We shouldn't overconfident now that we are on the right track. We have passed the first great risk barrier, but the one of 15 weeks and 25 weeks is still missing”

 

"Exact" Theo continued to leave the bench back to the marriage, sitting on the armchair at his table. “On the one hand I want you to continue taking the antidepressant treatment and go every 3 days to the psychologist here, Erika. On the other hand we will continue to maintain the medication and the current diet, which although your body has managed to cope with this entire phase, now the fetal phase begins and all that entails multiplied by 4” The two wives nodded very concentrated, holding hands while Alanna was taking notes quickly with her phone. “This week we were able to hear for the first time the beat of their little hearts and catch some of their movements, so hopefully the next one we might be able to see their stretching. It's now more than ever that you should try to sleep well and as much as you need, Erika. The last thing we need is that with the work overload that comes to your kidneys you are also in need of rest”

 

Slapping when all the medical documents were finished, Addams ended the visit, a gesture that Erika and Alanna understood instantly, getting up while Addams put everything in Erika's folder except for an envelope he left on the table. “You will remember it perfectly from Anne's pregnancy, girls, but now in the fetal stage comes one of the moments in which Erika's body will feel more uncomfortable than ever, and knowing how I know you the lack of being able to exercise is killing you, right?” Embarrassed for no reason Erika nodded looking at her feet, stretching her fingers through the flipflops clearly too small bought last September that the marriage had taken out of the closet for as long as the Amazonian mother was testing after trial. "Seeing that the medication we send you is being especially effective and that you are recovering your mind correctly, I think we can let you jog at least a few weeks before they grow-" The director didn't give him time to say anything else since Erika had started to hug him, raising him like a child being hugged by his mother. “Light jog and always with enough water on top to rest periodically! Light jog I said!”

 

“I'll go walking if necessary! I need some excuse to leave the house anyway, since you won't let me take the car!”

 

"That's for your own good, my love ..." Alanna looked aside remembering the episode a few days ago, where a pretty sleepy Erika had tried to leave the garage without opening the door. Thank heaven that she hadn't gotten to push the throttle too much, because everything could have been much worse.

 

"I already know it! That's why I didn't complain! But if in a few months I will have to make absolute rest I need at least to move something now” Erika defended herself while Addams and Theo stood laughing, the image of the huge Erika swelling the skunk in a hospital gown was as bizarre as it was fun. The Amazonian mother said nothing, laughing at her own appearance before turning back to her gynecologist and her friend. “Can you go outside? I would like to recover my dignity by dressing as much as possible… sometimes I feel that I have a lot more belly than it really is”

 

Theo and Addams nodded collecting their things, Theo leaving the room to his adjoining office while Addams went straight to the waiting room, where Roland and the children waited patiently. (In a no less funny scene, since Alanna's father was folded with his eyes closed waiting in silence, with Anne sitting on the floor imitating her grandfather)

"It's over?!" Fraje jumped up, throwing his phone to the floor of the reaction so exaggerated to see the director and scaring his grandfather and sisters in the process. "You have taken too long!-"

"Mr. Addams, please" Roland pleaded, losing all his serenity of serenity, to the point of sweating slightly as his bright bald spot indicated. "Tell me everything went well"

 

Addams smiled as he opened the envelope in his arm, crouching down so that Anne could see as well. Roland, Nellie and Fraje followed the example of Addams, squatting around Anne who applauded and laughed happily that so many people surrounded her. “Don't tell Alanna and Erika until you're in the car, okay? I haven't told them yet that I have printed this for you” The director asked while grandfather and grandchildren nodded completely serious.

"I introduce you to Anju, Hali, Elysia and Makenna ... your little sisters," Addams whispered as he turned the ultrasound out.

The reactions were completely different from one end of the group to the other, with Nellie and Roland crying with happiness, Fraje enduring the urge to scream hitting the ground and with Anne looking confused at the images. The director gently took the five-foot-five-inch-tall toddler's hand, placing it on the ultrasound.

“Anju, Hali, Elysia and Makenna. Anne, these are your little sisters, who are super healthy and eager to meet you”

 

The word little sister slowly began to click on the brain of the 3-year-old girl, who looked up at her brothers. "Lilla... syster?" Anne asked thinking she understood what Uncle Addams was saying, pointing to herself to try to clarify her message.

 

"Exactly, little sunshine" Roland smiled taking her granddaughter by the shoulders and kissing her forehead. “They are your four-” The grandfather was silent for a second, shaking his head at his two older grandchildren. Quickly and easily Nellie and Fraje whispered the right word to their grandfather, who pretended to continue the sentence as if nothing happened. "They are your Små systrar... your little sisters"

If there was something Anne knew, it is that little brothers are loved very much and should be taken care of because they are small, so the toddler told herself that she now had to take care of her friends and her Små systrar.

Not surprisingly, that is the duty of an older sister.

 

 

---

 

(Same time, roof of the main Handshake building)

 

"Your treatment works, you bastard"

It is often said that to foolish words sticks and stones, a popular saying that as much as Alexander would like to apply it was impossible to have such words literally on him. The mouse nodded proudly of hearing the good condition of the quadruplets, turning off the holographic screen connected to the building's surveillance circuit. “It's what you have to work hard, Iron-fail. That with effort and perseverance even a pregnancy of such risk can be overlooked”

 

Cascadio wished with all his strength to be able to deny and bother him a little more, but for misfortune and joy, his friend's good state of health made him too happy to bother the moment. Instead he decided to opt for a much more direct conversation about goals. "What are you going to do now, bastard?-"

"What kind of question is that?! Keep working on my treatment! I can't give girls more space, so I have to make sure Erika's body can provide them with all the necessary nutrients before the inevitable premature birth! How can you handle so much technology asking such idiotic questions?”

 

"As I told you, Bastarderry-" Cascadio growled, punching him right in front of the mouse with too much anger, which caused him to end up using too much force from his suit causing superficial damage to the air outlet where they were supported. “I am muscles and determination and decision making. Technology and control of the suit is the job of my assistant Shy Skull”

 

The mouse chisto the lips frustrated of not being able to move away from the imbecile of the day, whether Bartolomeo or now The Painted Tin Man, opting to ignore the screams so loud that they could be heard from inside the hull of the Hunger Skull, making him fall to the floor of his ass and writhe in pain. Deciding to take the pain of his despicable known as a small victory, the mouse put the holographic projector in his backpack, jumping and climbing until he was on top of the duct.

"I am a little worried about the lack of vitamin D but I suppose the dome isn't so advanced to be able to project sunlight... I will have to vary a little the treatment a couple of days to alleviate that" Cascadio got up slowly still holding his ears, trying to hold on without taking off his helmet in the presence of the mouse.

 

"More components in the treatment? Would it not be possible to alleviate that lack of vitamin in a way that does not involve increasing the amount of medicines that you will administer to her body? I thank you for your effort to help the person who, a few months ago, you and your bastard Master tried to kidnap her daughter, but I don't know to what extent so much daily treatment can be not harmful to her body ... and it is clear that I have no idea what I mean. I'm just transmitting to you what my assistant is asking"

 

“This lack of vitamin is not something that I can solve more, no more than what the city council is already doing. The entire city has prescriptions for vitamin D supplements due to the lack of direct sunlight that the dome causes, including Iron-idiot yourself. Unfortunately the dome also plays an essential role in maintaining stable temperatures so that all species of neohumans can live peacefully so saying of removing it isn't an option either” The mouse whispered looking down at his hated colleague, trying not to burst out laughing with the three ornaments Skull badly placed on shoulders and breasts. “Aren't you supposed to be a real comic book hero? Do something for your city! Give them sunrays!”

 

"Of course, and you and your Master could be real scientists and stop playing an imaginary crusade" Cascadio growled annoyed, taking a small chuckle at the mouse.

 

“Okay okay… that has been a cruel thing. I don't know where you got the material for that suit or the technology, but I shouldn't laugh at one's dreams as fanciful as they may seem to me-”

“Are you looking for a fight?! I've done a great favor by bringing you here, you know!?”

 

"I could go back alone without a problem, I have technology and a body small enough not to be seen ... of course the problem would be the whole new surveillance system ... even so I didn't want to look for any kind of fight, I can assure you. I'm really sorry about that, I didn't want to make fun of you more than necessary, marked skull”

 

"First is Hunger Skull, not Marked Skull. And don't worry!" Cascadio shouted, turning around and shrugging, walking until he was some distance from the mouse. “I understand that a sad and lonely mouse like you can only laugh at the dreams of others to try to cope with being a simple experiment with no purpose other than helping an aspiring genocidal! I can't even imagine how much time you have to invent insulting motives between depressive thinking for being an abomination of nature and a thought of hate and envy to all those who cling to dreams that for you are just fantasy impossible to achieve!”

Alexander didn't answer by giving the victory to Cascadio, who celebrated it by bumping the five with himself while arguing with his assistant to have him do it too. The reality is that more than giving him the victory of the small verbal encounter, the mouse couldn't answer because he was really hurt by the words of the masked man.

The emotional stab attempt had hit the spot that had been around the mouse's mind for weeks, his words had hit just the same issues that terrified him so much. "Well, I really have work to do so if everything is ready we should go back" Cascadio announces approaching the mouse again, who nodded without looking at him while the masked man grabbed him with both hands, covering him completely.

With a quick command of Elizabeth, the suit activated its optical camouflage and its thrusters, allowing Cascadio to head to the roof of the Barlow Holm family home without being seen.

 

 

---

 

 

Erika's stomach was growing and the days passed quietly, neither a sign of Gyeseung nor a bad ultrasound in sight that clouded the good recovery and pregnancy of the mini-giantess mother. Of course depression isn't something that heals overnight, Erika still suffering from depressive episodes from time to time. Luckily her friends and families turned to help her every step of the way.

The rest of the Barlow Holm family enjoyed the preparations for the quadruplets while the calendar continued to advance until the fateful visit in the 30th week of pregnancy, where it would be decided whether it was necessary to force the birth or not. The growth didn't stop for them, so Alanna decided to put the weight on her back and begin to prepare everything necessary for the day of birth... including the greatest difficulty that the family had given itself to face:

Outgrow the furniture

 

(April 10, week 13 of pregnancy. Bright Side Industries)

"Good morning, Mrs. Barlow Holm!" The reception staff shouted politely, rising to dedicate a small bow (completely voluntary) to the company's vice president.Alanna smiled taking off her sunglasses and keeping them in her cleavage, walking as elegantly as a natural 8.1-foot-tall (2 meters and 46 centimeters) woman and almost 2 feet from hips could walk. Her new suit dazzled while surprising that hse was able to contain the entire body of the mini giantess, her 5-inch heels totally unnecessary helping to incentivize her size even more than it should be legally possible. Behind her were her two oldest children, the brothers Fraje and Nellie, each following what their heart dictated to them:

While Nellie was maintaining her composure in an attempt to do nothing that could embarrass her mother, Fraje opted for a much more direct approach approaching everyone to greet them personally.

Of course the first impressions were somewhat hard, meeting a boy of 2 meters and 5 centimeters (6 feet 9 inches) and a girl of 2 meters and 12 centimeters (6 feet 11 inches) with bodies not yet too adult was something shocking. (Although for Fraje's misfortune and envy Nellie'was beginning to form more curves every day, curves combined with her growing muscles as a result of investing all the free time she had achieved after being expelled from the basketball team to train at her mother's orders and Williams)

And of course the building employees had quickly become accustomed to the two Amazonian teenagers, fiddling with them if time and their jobs allowed.

 

Today wasn't one of those days, because as the employees quickly read through the young elegant custom clothes the family had an especially important meeting. The three climbed into Alanna's special elevator without wasting any time, going straight up to the 19th floor where her office was. (Private elevator not for pleasure but for necessity, since both the elevator and the loading system had to be reinforced to cope with the growing size of the vice president)

Alanna's secretary was nowhere in sight, so the trio entered the office directly without waiting to see if there was an important call or message. The first part of Alanna's office could go through a typical office simply scaled to the size of her, shelves full of decoration books and photographs and a large desk with two computers, one laptop and one desktop, full of end-to-end papers. And of course, none of the three paid even the slightest attention to paperwork, opting to directly push the false bookcase that led to the other part of the office:

A living room with a bed for the nights when mini-giantess  vice-president couldn't go home, a huge smart tv occupying almost a whole wall and a dining table surrounded by the largest and most comfortable couchs (besides being all covered with photographs of her family) that Alanna had personally found, all focused on disconnecting as much as possible before returning to work. The trio sat on the biggest couch of all, Alanna taking out the wireless keyboard and mouse that controlled the smart tv.

 

"Let's continue where we left yesterday, my children" The mother said in her most serious and stoic tone as she started the digital presentation. “We cannot stay 3 days in a row without deciding the least”

 

"It's your fault, mamma!" Fraje growled as he pulled a bottle of water from the fridge under the table, taking the mouse from his mother to start selecting colors. “I jade green, Nellie azure blue, Anne cyber yellow, my older sister's and you room honey orange and the quadruple room combining imperial red, bumblebee yellow, jungle green and baby blue! Easy, simple and clean for the whole family!” the amazon teenager (who didn't enjoy too much use an adjective from a word of such intrinsic feminine origins) was looking for the samples of the furniture selected by his mother and sister, coloring them with his color scheme in an attempt to convince them.

 

Unfortunately for him neither of the two women seemed too convinced. "Following a scheme based on the same color for each room is a bit..." Nellie tried to explain herself without much success, winding with her hand looking for a word that would serve what she wanted to express.

 

“But what are you saying?! Is a great idea! More and more designers are betting on decorations based on a specific tone and their closest variants to generate a sense of cohesion and union! Our case is especially ideal since all our furniture will be handmade! We must take this opportunity to put our house at the head of the world of interior design!” Fraje shouted, jumping up and waving his arms trying to emphasize his words.

 

"I begin to think that Cascadio may not be such a good influence for you ..." Alanna said quietly, checking how her son's expression went from absolute joy to absolute pain.

 

"What?! Don't you dare! Cascadio is the best, you can't get me away from him! You can't, mamma!-” The amazon teenager threw himself to the ground clutching at his mother's legs pretending to cry.

 

"I have never said anything about going away from Cascadio. Jesus, Fraje... don't be so exaggerated, you're in my office. Imagine if someone entered right now...-  No this! If we start to get distracted again we will end up like yesterday! Concentrate guys, we need to decide if the decorating idea we have in hand is viable! Do you see yourself using furniture of similar colors at least until we return to outgrow it?”

 

“How long would that be? It's not like we're going to grow much more, right?” Nellie asked, clutching her mother's arm, a part of her already knowing the question.

 

Alanna sighed, searching her phone for Addams forecasts. “The production team that I have hired-”

“Ikea, mamma. You can say it without problem. That Swedes turn to Ikea to decorate their house is no cliché that bothers us” Her two children said at the same time, bringing her another reason to sigh.

 

“Bright Side Industries doesn't have its own furniture subdivision as such and the fact that they have offered to collaborate with us because your mother and you are swedish is a detail that they will take advantage of perfectly as advertising… whatever. We are going to order furniture built for people fromt 10 feet to 13 feet tall using the 'Barlow Holm growth formula', which is how Addams has called the equation that they have been using to measure predict our weight and height and that for now has 87% success in height and 79% in weight.

We don't have to think about things like this, but if everything goes on long enough -which may not- by 2022/23 we will have to renew all the furniture...”

 

The three sighed again, none of them wanting to get to the point that furniture for 10-foot people is too small for them. This synchrony between mother and children was interrupted when the thought of growing brought all three to the same point, which Nellie decided to express out loud. “One month left for Mamma Eri's birthday”

 

As if it were a bomb, Alanna leaned forward, gripping her forehead with both hands. "Don't remind me that! Do you know how hard it is to deal with a pregnant woman and get her birthday present right? I do because I was one of them and almost ruined the whole party! And Erika isn't just any pregnant, no sir, she is a quadruple pregnant!”

 

"It shouldn't be too difficult, shouldn't it?" Fraje asked as he continued to fiddle with the wireless controller. “My older sister likes sports, healthy living and order on the one hand and video games, megaman and anime on the other. It's the perfect combination between runner and indoor! With appealing to one of both-”

"You're a good little brother, my son." Alanna sighed, grabbing her son's head by the neck. “You really know your sister. But it is not your sister who we are talking about! She is your sister PREGNANT WITH QUADRUPLETS! You will have already noticed that her mood is beginning to change ... more. And God knows that I remember that phase of pregnancy well: Anne altered my mood so much that I ended up one day screaming at a woman in the street for throwing a paper on the floor.

Pregnancy transform innocent women like us in monsters… I know because I was one of them”

 

The two children swallowed at the same time, not wanting to even imagine what a quadruplely pregnant Erika would end up becoming. Nor is it necessary to imagine it much ... because that transformation was going to arrive sooner than later.

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

And with the passing of the months the long-awaited September returned, full of rains after once again the dome air conditioning systems failing due to the extreme summer heat. Thursday, September 3 was the day decided to enter the pregnant mini-giantess after finishing the preparations that a person of 10 feet and 3 inches (3 meters and 22 centimeters) tall and 1272 pounds (577 kilos) in weight needs… They aren't few precisely.

 

And although the Barlow Holm marriage had risen well motivated that day with everything ready already in the caravan, the magic of chance hit them again. An inopportune puncture of a wheel forced them to lie on the side of the road to the UpperBright, and by chance he wanted that same road was the one that all the journalists who were going to attend a press conference of the mayor of Brightside that night decided to travel.

Just enough that one of them recognized the family caravan so that everyone stopped around them asking for an interview and statements for the last actions that the beloved president of the country had taken before the elections. The girls didn't think under any circumstances to open the caravan door since doing so would confirm to journalists that this was their vehicle and that was not considered reasonable for any of them.

The two options taken were to call Addams on the one hand and the mayor on the other, trusting that either of them would do something.

 

One did not answer the call, too busy preparing for the night. The other tried to use their contacts, but since the marriage had a flat tire halfway to their Handshake grounds, there was not much I could do to help them without admitting that they were them.

Once again Addams was challenged and confronted in his own land (rather at the gates of the same) and not even all calls to news agencies was enough to stop everyone who wanted to cover the biggest birth in history and that was also the birth of the wife of the most favorite vice president of the democratic and republican sectors of the country who launched themselves to publicly support the neohumans.

 

In the first instance, Alanna decided to wait patiently for the crane service to arrive to pick them up, both for not having any hurry and for not wanting to make any numbers before the press after so many hours invested in earning a kind and affectionate image.

And she waited.

And wait.

And at 2 hours of waiting Alanna's patience began to fade.

 

Her wife was beginning to be exhausted from lying on the caravan sofa, her huge belly protruding so much that getting up alone or even walking was not a viable option. "Please ..." Erika sighed, releasing the adapted switch (That really was nothing more than a version with larger controls made to measure for someone 10 feet) that her wife had given her for her anniversary. "Keep calm while you are still in you four little... babies!"

 

Alanna snorted, rising and stretching as much as the ceiling gave her, barefoot to rest her feet as she reached her wife's side, placing her hands on hers. Even with Erika's hands between her belly and her hands, noticing the extreme agitation of her unborn daughters was extremely simple. “They are very playful, huh?” Alanna asked trying to get a smile from her wife, sitting on the side of the mattress so she could stick her ear over her belly.

 

"You don't know. Makkena especially passes day and night kicking, many more than I tell you to notice ... and as soon as Makkena starts Elysia automatically seems to respond wanting to play, and for them that is kicking ... Anne didn't stir so much, right?” A melodious and tired giggle was born from her wife's lips, a tired smile as he dropped his head on the cushions. The moments where there was an opportunity to force labor were scarce, the greatest possible comfort was to be able to know well the forms of her daughters, something that greatly helped the pregnant woman to memorize and notice who was doing everything inside her.

To the left of everything was Hali, the most different of the four with differences. The little girl was going to be the first neohuman fish (or mermaid, as all parents of the same type of neohuman insist on calling their daughters) born from her mother's womb, her skin somewhat more gray than her sisters'. Two small fins each born from a forearm, elongated ears folded down on the sides of her face and a tail large enough for its size (almost 60% of the body of the small one according to Theo) born from the waist and replacing her legs completely. Its tail was full of all types of fins even undeveloped at all (from a large caudal fin at the tip of it, through two pectoral fins on each side of the hip to a dorsal fin smaller than the rest at half tail behind) something that worried mothers a lot despite the fact that Addams had insisted that most of the neohuman fish children needed a few months to live so that their fins were fully developed.

 

Continuing from the left was Makkena, who shared many features with her sister Elysia, both physical and personality since both were the most active in the quartet. While Elysia was somewhat smaller than her sister Makkena was the winner in size of the four, being automatically designated to be born the first for simple safety during childbirth. Makkena seemed to have many qualities of canine neohuman, from a narrow tail at birth and especially wide at its tip, clearly canine ears at the tip of her head, arms and legs (rather hands and feet) large and strong and with terminations midway between paws, claw and human hand/feet, a fur coat surrounded all the extremities of the little one, that except for the greater size of the limbs brought many memories to Addams of the small Lisa Fang in her first hours of life. (evidently saving distances)

 

The next one on the other side of the belly was about Anju, who had nothing weird at first. Unlike her sisters, Anju had 100% humanoid characteristics without any extra, something that calmed and brought certain concerns to the minds of both wives. And even being the most normal in appearance, the little girl was the one who had the most headaches with the entire medical team, since for some reason they were unaware of Anju, she was consuming much more than the rest of her sisters, being the smallest of them all.

Anju had been identified as the cause of the dips in sugar and tension that had chased Erika throughout the pregnancy, which couldn't make any sense no matter what point of view they tried to use. In the end, Addams himself had to intervene among the doctors and scientists that why Anju was consuming so much would be easier to see after birth.

 

And finally but without diminishing importance was Elysia on the right end of the belly. As playful as her sister Makkena, Elysia especially enjoyed stirring at untimely hours to her mother's disgust, waving her long, slender tail (as opposed to the thicker tail on her Makkena limb) as far as it came, which most of the time It was one of the belly walls. The right distance so that depending on the moment, she would tickle her mother even if she was sleeping soundly.

Upper ears longer than that of her sister Makkena, hands and feet more human but still being covered by a thin layer of fur and a size that placed it in the third of the category completed the last of the quadruplets.

 

4 new lives, which by simple logistics should be born a few weeks in advance. Addams had decided to listen to the pleas of the two mothers, trying to endure the delivery as much as possible to give the quadruplets enough time to develop as much as possible. Unfortunately, Erika's belly had limited space and the limits to which the mini giantess mother was being forced were becoming too much.

"You 4 ... don't give your mother so much work, please," Alanna said without taking off her wife's belly. Recognizing the voice that called them achieved the opposite effect to what Alanna expected, noticing how this time kicks and agitations came from the 4 separate points of the belly. "Ehh ..." Alanna quickly backed away, turning to her wife to see her with her head bent back biting her lips. "It hurt, right?"

 

"I remember that Anne was doing something similar whenever I called her ... but as much as Anne was very big these are 4 and not exactly small ... So there is your question of whether it hurt, I only have one possible answer: Like hell" Erika sighed again and giggling, just in time for her wife's lips to catch her.

 

"Just a little more, hold on ..." Alanna whispered, bringing her lips together again in a kiss of love and support that Erika needed so much. "If they gave me a coin for every time I've whispered this in recent months-"

“You would have 2, remember? You said it while we set up our room” Erika interrupted her wife, clutching her belly and stroking it in an attempt to get one of the four to understand the message.

 

 

---

 

"Just a little more, hold on ..." Alanna growled trying to support the weight of her side so that it was all a bit straighter.

 

"I don't know how much I'm going to endure, but I didn't give up in Vietnam and I won't ... grrrr ... now!" Jackson shouted, grabbing his side of the frame even harder, lifting it enough for Roland to drill both sides and check with his level. Once everything was correct Roland launched himself to screw the four screws, giving his daughter and Jackson a green light to finally release the bed frame.

"Jesus Christ... What the hell have they built this thing on?! How can a simple piece of wood weigh so much!?”

 

Alanna raised a finger asking for a few seconds to breathe, drinking almost a liter of water in the interim time. “According to the specifications that arrived yesterday next to the first boxes, everything is built with snakewood with an internal structure reinforced with metal. Between the mattress and this we are talking about that they should hold 3 and a half tons of weight ... I'm so scared to think that Erika and I get to weigh so much together"

 

Jackson and Roland couldn't but whistle in surprise, knowing that the number would be high but not so much. Thanks to the sky between the forklift of the main stairs and the two forklifts that Alanna had rented the transportation of everything had been simple, what was no longer so simple was the final assembly inside the room, where Erika had been given an attack of extreme shame that had forced Alanna to assume manual labor. Luckily, not a few people came to their aid when the vice president began to ask, enough to mount three different assembly teams: Alanna, her father and Jackson in the master bedroom; Fraje and Nellie, Addams, Cascadio and their assistants in the dormitories of the teenagers and Erika (Just watching), Williams, Evangeline (caring for the pregnant woman and the girls) and Alanna's cousins r03;r03;in Anne's new bedroom across the hall.

The monumental task had already been a previous afternoon and much of the morning in just taking each box to its place, so everyone had decided after eating intensify the pace to finish it all that afternoon. "Hopefully we have this beauty to push the couch and glue it to the frame" Roland said as he gave two affectionate lashes to the truck that was helping them so much. "God knows that if the bed frame weighs so much I don't even want to imagine the couch”

 

"Honestly, what scares me the most right now is like building the mattress ..." Jackson point with his thumb the huge 5x6 meter mattress that was lying in the middle of the hallway, so large that the trio doubted that even after expanding the frame of the door to the maximun was possible to put it inside the bedroom. A problem they had encountered while riding precisely the bed couch, Roland being the first to mention it when he saw how large the fully assembled structure was.

 

Alanna nodded to nothing in particular as she sat in one of the largest chairs in the room, one that had had to break the palm rest to be able to use them comfortably. "We are very big ..." Alanna said aloud to herself, revelation bringing a laugh to her friend and father for how silly it sounded. "Wait here for a moment ..." Alanna got up running between the tools and the wooden boxes that had transported everything to the hall, sprinting this time around her mattress until she reached the door of Anne's new room, whose name was engraved with a wooden letter chosen by the girl AND PLACED by her, which meant that there were no two letters straight one after the other.

 

Inside the thing was going well, Anne was already jumping on her mattress next to Gabrielle while Williams and Callen struggled to finish assembling one of the drawers that would surround the wall of the bed. Across the room in the already finished playground was her beloved and very pregnant wife accompanied by Evangeline and Sidney, sitting on the old mattress in Anne's crib and still looking directly at the face of her two friends. "My love-" Alanna called to get them out of the conversation, running to them and being greeted by a chocolate and raisin cookie offered by her wife. "No thanks, raisins is something that only Europeans can enjoy"

 

“I don't remember that it was we who put the raisins on the cookies… or yes, I don't know. The point is that they are delicious-”

"That isn't the question or the point..." Alanna answered giving and accepting the cookie, taking a bite without wanting to admit that this time her wife's craving had ended in something delicious. "The point is that ... we have to change rooms"

 

The news fell like a bomb on Erika, perhaps a little too exaggerated considering the disheveled expression, the drowned scream and the opening of the hand releasing the cookie directly to the ground with which her beloved wife had accompanied it all. "I get it. The mattress, right?” Erika asked, recovering her composure as if nothing ever happened, picking up and eating the cookie without even bothering to clean it. "I said last night that I don't know if it would fit through the door"

 

"Not at all" Alanna wrinkled her eyes, her motherly instinct snatching the cookie from her wife and cleaning her with a napkin before returning it.

 

"If I didn't say it, I should have thought about it ... or not, I don't know, Makkena spent the night kicking... and God only knows what Anju will be doing inside, but getting up hungry every 40 minutes isn't normal" Erika continued to eat quietly without giving much importance to the state of permanent stunning in which she lived the last days while behind her Evangeline and Sidney were trying to get Alanna that both were handling her wife's confusion as best as possible.

 

Alanna nodded doing the good work gesture with her thumb, returning to her wife. “We are going to take everything to one of the giant rooms… and we will place it as best as possible in a corner. If then you see it too open and it gives you some bad vibes we can always buy a fabric roof-”

 

"Alanna, I'm fine, trust me! God, how good are these cookies!" Erika said giving her most reassuring smile to her wife. “Go there and make me a room that I feel proud of in the same way that you have made me four daughters, by surprise and against all the laws of nature”

 

Not understanding (or not wanting to understand) her wife's simile led Alanna to decide to say goodbye with a kiss, running back to the door where her father and Roland were waiting with some of the most impressive expressions of terror and pain that the mini giantess vice president had never seen. "If we get right now, we will be done in a couple of hours" Alanna tried to cheer both men, pushing them thanks to her impressive strength and her huge hands to drag them back to the bedroom.

 

 

---

 

"Yes ... I think I only said it at that- Wait a moment, you weren't there when I said it!" Alanna suddenly exclaimed in a voice perhaps too high, the concern of how far away the journalists were respecting by returning again.

 

"I was not here? Are you sure? I remember it too well ... or it can be the result of fatigue and and those safe painkillers for pregnant women. God knows that I don't remember anything that happened when I was so bad this past July”

 

Alanna smiled trying to clear the discomfort of her wife's heart, slowly stroking her forehead while gently combing her hair with the other hand. “You spent the nights without sleep and the days awake, my love… nobody is going to blame you for not remembering such an empty month for our family that the most exciting thing was to change some furniture”

 

“And the first day of Anne's daycare? That happened in ... July, right? Wait wait! It was in August! I'm sure because it was a day after I changed the painkiller to a weaker one! Oh God..." Just remembering it was enough for both mothers to sigh at the same time bumping their heads, each scream remembering as if it were yesterday.

 

 

---

 

(4 days before)

 

"NOOOOOOO!" Anne screamed with all the force that her lungs allowed her, clinging desperately to the mattress of her bed while her two mothers rubbed her back in circles. "No nononononono no!" The little girl crying as if they were killing her, giving so many heads to her pillow that her mothers began to worry about the integrity of her neck.

Alanna and Erika thought they had everything ready, a whole week before telling wonders of the nursery to convince their daughter, driving in front of it up to 2 times a day trying to get the 6-foot-7-inch-old girl to get used to -and hopefully- to see her.

 

Now that the day had come the two saw how wrong they were when they woke up 2 hours earlier just to make sure Anne had time to mentalize. 2 hours were too few.

"Come on, my sunshine ... a good äldre syster has to-"

"NO NO NO NO NO NO! HOME!” Anne shouted rolling down her bed until she hit the wall, where she continued crying this time towards her. The process of slowly making Anne independent of her mothers was resulting much more difficult task than planned, since although Anne had agreed to sleep alone first she had to sleep previously with her mother present and that meant that Alanna had to make a minimum half an hour empty everyday until Anne managed to reconcile the dream. (Since for Erika lying down and getting up minimum would be 2 hours minimun)

 

It was more than possible that mothers should have begun to make their daughter independent sooner, but as Erika had made it known to the last unfortunate soul that had suggested it (in this case her own grandfather) Anne had become much more shy and dependent as she grew and gained knowledge, a totally unpredictable development. (Unpredictable even though her father had warned that Erika herself had done the same as a child)

Alanna and Erika looked at each other for a few seconds, Alanna deciding to walk the huge 3x3.5m bed (larger than a double bed but considering that Anne had arrived a few days ago to reach two meters high) until arrive next to her daughter, who had become strong wrapped between the sheets. “Mitt solsken, there dina vänner kommer att vara där och du kommer att ha in fantastisk tid! (My sunshine, all your friends are going to be there and you're going to have a great time!)" Alanna whispered softly, stroking her daughter's ears behind her in an attempt to get her out.

 

"Do you know that your friends trust you to be there? Gabrielle and Naseera depend on you, you will not want to abandon them to their fate, right my sunshine?" Erika whispered trying to move around the bed without much success, her stomach just letting her advance on her back and the loss of muscle mass in recent months by so much rest had reduced the strength of her dorsals.

 

The combination of both mothers managed to get Anne out of her hiding place, crawling on the bed until she reached her mother Erika. "Små systrar ..." Anne whispered, hugging her mother's womb, filling her with kisses for her little sisters.

 

The two mothers died of love with the scene, Alanna taking her wife's head in her lap so as not to interrupt her daughter. “Your sisters need you, Nellie and Fraje to teach them everything, and for that you must learn everything, right?”

 

Anne nodded without raising her head from her mother's womb. "Ales mouse says that I have to be their hero ..." Anne said with a fully recovered smile, jumping out of bed to jump for her costume. The two wives looked at each other smiling, not knowing how long it was good to let the little girl believe in her imaginary friend.

In the end the two decided that with only a year and a half behind them Anne still had plenty of time to play with as many imaginary friends as she wanted. “Rabittan! Anne rabittan will come the night!” Anne shouted running around with her mask and red and blue cape, an unequivocal sign that seeing so much kamen rider had really impressed her.

 

"We're going to have to take her like this to daycare, aren't we?" Alanna sighed helping her wife to sit down.

 

"Our little hero knows the hero's maxim well, always wear your costume and your symbol as a flag!... I should limit how much kamen rider we see, right?" Alanna nodded to her wife, who could only sigh and laugh.

 

 

---

 

 “Do you think Anne would be upset if I see the next chapter of Kamen Rider Build without her?” Erika asked as she swapped her back cushion for a pillow to get a better grip.

 

“Have you run out of the switch's battery yet? I put it to charge last night” Alanna growled jokingly while leaving her wife's cup of hot milk for a snack at the table.

 

“No, but I'm already tired of continuing to fight against the same journalist, that although it is a surprise that some of those vultures are playing pokemon right now and again, fighting all the time against the same Stall team gets too tired… Damn the time gamefreak thinks that Slowbro must have a regenerator…” Erika spit falsely trying to emphasize her displeasure, taking the cup of milk and taking a big sip. "We are rich, we have money, how can we not have a wifi device installed here?!"

 

Alanna shrugged as she sat back with her wife on the bed, pushing her coffee as far as possible so that the smell did not make Erika jealous. "We had never thought of using this as a real... you know, caravan, so I guess a wifi device has always been something we have missed" The two wives looked at the screen that showed the cameras that surrounded the caravan, all showing the improvised family vehicle still surrounded by journalists jumping God knows how many laws but clinging to a simple legal vacuum to circle the vehicle if there was no emergency. Bored of waiting for to the crane, Alanna decided to give in to the whims of her soulmate turning on the laptop and preparing the next chapter of its series.

She might not understand anything and where so much emotion came from, but while Alanna enjoyed it and made it more bearable, the wait was all worth it. And hopefully this time she does manage to keep something from the series, not as her last attempt.

 

 

---

 

"A best match!" Erika, Nellie and Anne yelled at the same time, their two daughters getting out of bed while Erika kept straightening them. “Are you ready ?! Build up, henshin!” A completely excessive emotion and that Fraje and Alanna could only observe with a poker face from the table of the mothers bedroom, a bedroom that really was a room in the gigantic room covered with walls and blue fabric ceiling.

“Mamma! Rabittan! It's Rabittan!” Anne shouted, pointing at the screen completely in ecstasy, trying to make her mother Alanna share the emotion as well.

 

Alanna smiled innocently trying to hide her confusion that the Japanese power rangers were so attractive that the three girls in her family were so absorbed. “The mouth, mamma. Your expression betrays you” Fraje scolds his mother while showing his hand. "By the way, trio of 7 that wins your double pair, you are making it very easy for me, mamma" The amazon teenager smiled proudly while collecting his prize consisting of chocolate coins, no monetary value but a lot of free sugar.

“Mamma, is something wrong with you? You aren't taking cards or... you know, playing”

 

"Do you understand ... do you understand that?" Alanna asked pointing discreetly to the television without much sense, since Anne was bouncing on the bed so excited that it clouded any attempt to talk to her, her sister or her superpregnant mother.

 

“Kamen rider? Cascadio was explaining to me a little the other day when he brought my older sister and Anne the following season, which was also the day Nellie got hooked on the series. Apparently they are the original power rangers to the point that power ranger came from a ... spin off? I believe-"

“No no… I wasn't talking about the origin. I love your sister and all of you madly, and God knows that I have endeavored to learn from everything that she likes in the same way that she forces herself to watch documentaries and scientific conferences with me ... but this is the only thing of all her hobbies that I fail to understand the appeal. And now, more than ever, I must understand it. Anne is enjoying this a lot and I don't want to be left behind in my little daughter's first pleasure, I don't know if you understand me. With Nellie I can share the passion with basketball, with you for poker ... but-”

Fraje covered her mouth hiding a godly giggle for his mother. “Oh mamma, you are so adorable. I don't think you'll ever be left behind for not sharing their strange hobbies! Let's focus on something really important, like our mother-son poker game or how broken the dealer was yesterday when Anne opened the door!”

 

The memory of the delivery man falling on his ass brought an instant laugh to the mini-giantess vice president, who had to approach her son's chair to be able to comment without Anne getting to remember the moment, which would certainly start to cry again. “Don't be mean, Fraje! We continue to see Anne as a normal toddler, but for a normal person… it must be a great impact”

 

“I was thinking the same day the other day when I was elected to the basketball team-”

"You're on vacation"

 

“The other day in the park. Nellie tried to let us play with some university students and in the end they just wanted me… a bad decision in retrospect, since as I warned them my coordination is nuññ. Returning to the main topic I was saying, and that I had the pleasure of checking on our growth is that it is constant and perfectly proportional, that's why Nellie and I are having problems with the shoes you gave us! The number 21 sports you gave to Nellie are a 21-foot adult woman, while what Nellie would need would be a 21-foot youth!”

 

"No ... well, if what you're saying makes sense ...-" Alanna leaned back in her new chair, even something too big for her, rubbing her temples with both hands. “But I have two questions first: The first, why do you always use Nellie as an example? And the second isn't a question but I don't care. What you mean is your foot has not finished growing by puberty ... and technically it is correct but it isn't the cause”

 

"Oh, no?! And what is it if I can know, mamma?”

 

“That Nellie has a proportionally thinner foot than Erika.. You should know, Fraje, your older sister has big, wide feet no matter how much she hates to admit it” Her son was silent, nodding in a gesture more than typical already in her family. “In the rest of your argument you are absolutely right, if this suits you. Anne has ... has a good big head, hehehehehe... isn't different from that of her friends in proportion, but from the point of view of a normal person it's absolutely huge! Last week Addams was completely frozen to see that Anne had eaten half an apple in one bite, and God knows that if someone should know Anne as much as we do it's him”

 

The news didn't surprise Fraje in the least, who could only accept the information trying to redirect the concern to another point. Bringing his mouth to his mother's ear, Fraje whispered as low as possible. “I know it's a stupid question right now, mamma… but will the food be an issue for us? The other day I had the big mistake of seeing the shopping list before they sent it to the supermarket and it almost gives me a hearthattack thinking that we eat all that in just a week”

 

One more person who brought up the subject and whom Alanna could only reassure by rubbing her hair and hugging him. “Trust your mothers, honey. Let's keep things good and ignore things like I have been banned from entering the supermarket after the last incident in the aisles” 

 

"If they can't handle a fertility goddess with divine hips like you, mamma, I don't know if they deserve even to go there," Fraje whispered in a tone that Alanna couldn't understand her meaning.

"I don't know if I should feel flattered or offended that you basically called me a fatass" Alanna laughed while taking the deck of cards too small for her, a fact that hurt her in the soul since the tricks of shuffling that she had learned in college to impress Erika were already impossible for her hands.

 

 

---

 

"I can't help thinking how very worried Nellie and Fraje are and they don't tell us..." Alanna whispered at the end of the chapter, snuggling closer even to her wife's armpit. Putting the series from the beginning had been a detail on Erika's part, which had helped especially to keep her wife even more attention in the series. “You are now the only one who has exceeded ten feet… but in a few months I will arrive that mark, and a few months later they will both. Life is proving difficult now and I wouldn't like them to start feeling discriminated against”

 

Knowing well what her wife was talking about, Erika fought for a few seconds against her belly, straightening herself so she could comfortably surround her shoulders with her arm. "We are very big and that isn't going to change anymore ... or we continue up or we stay as we are, but we will not go back down from this point" Alanna nodded knowing even better what Erika was trying to say. “Let's trust our city, I know that no matter how big we are, they won't turn their backs on us. These four will grow only knowing the love of their family and friends and the freedom to become whatever they want! That, I can promise you- AGgggggg ... damn it! I was saying nice things about you four, little scoundrels” Erika growled writhing in pain as she hugged her belly.

 

"Spark?!" Alanna asked quickly preparing to get up and call Addams if necessary.

 

Erika nodded, slowly catching her breath, lying back on the cushions, still clenching her teeth. "Elysia is going to leave all the other electromasters in utter shame ... at least we can comfort ourselves with that."

That her unborn daughters will already demonstrate the NEsPer skills inside the womb is something that fascinated Addams and all the scientists and researchers at Handshake, of course this was only because they saw it from outside. Each spark of Elysia or Makkena's heat load was directly directed against the walls of the belly, causing a pain that Erika herself had difficulty explaining.

 

"They will be the best ... all our children will be the best, you'll see my love" Alanna kissed her wife's forehead to try to comfort her, both ignoring all the noise that was forming outside the caravan.

 

And after almost half a day of waiting, the rescue came in the form of a truck crane, which quickly honked all journalists demonstrating a bad attitude that was received by the marriage as if he were their guardian archangel.

7 hours of waiting later, the marriage Barlow Holm was able to enter Handshake to begin the long process of childbirth.

 

 

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