-*- mode: text; fill-column: 79; -*-

	OK, this was inspired by `Galatea Syndrome,' but it is all my fault.

	Gathering my unusually large store of courage I let my hand brush
Lum's, then smile at her when she turns to look at me.  No zaps, no `stop
that,' just a faint smile.  My heart leaps and I turn away quickly, walk just a
little bit faster towards school.

	In class I watch her surreptitiously, awed and scared as always that
she desires me.  I don't really believe it, deep in my gut, all but sure that
it is another game, a long, tortuous, elaborate vengence.  Perhaps it isn't,
but I have no way of knowing, and normally lack the courage to attempt to find
out.

	The events of yesterday must be having an effect, is all I can figure.
I let them play through my head again, still wondering what I got myself in
for.

*-
	I stare at the girl unloading the truck.  Something about her bothers
me, and so I sit watching quietly instead of instantly asking for her name and
number.  It hits me as she brings the next pallet of boxes down; even a pallet
of toilet paper is too heavy for any human to carry without mechanical help,
but she's just sliding this thing that looks much like a cross between a
pitchfork and a forklift into each one, picks it up, and carries it out of the
truck.  I watch for another three pallet-loads, then finally get up the courage
to talk to her.

	`Um,'  She looks up, her short blue hair swinging against her chin,
`How do you do that?'

	`What?  I was born with the hair.'

	`The pallets.'

	`Oh.  Genetic modifications.  They're kinda contagious.'  She says this
like it's a bad thing.  I don't see why, she is very cute, slim, about 159cm
tall, soft-faced and small-breasted.

	`Really?' she nods at me like I'm an idiot, `If I caught them would I
be like you?' I nod a the pallets stacked by the truck.

	`Yeah, well not quite like me.  You're Moroboshi Ataru, the guy who had
that tag game with the oni, right?'

	`Yeah.' I reply cautiously, some people have a grudge about that or
something.

	`I've a special batch for you, designed to work properly with all the
aliens running around Nerima these days.  Lemme finish up here.'  She unloads
the final four pallets, closes up the back of the truck, then walks about to
the cab.  Digging through the glove box she pulls out a stack of papers as
thick as my hand and a bag with a syringe half full of yellow liquid.

	`OK, read the top sheet and sign at the bottom,' she hands me a pen,
and I sign it, hand it back, and recieve a yellow carbon back with the stack of
papers.  `You probably should read that, but if you want I can just stick you
and you can read it later.'

	`Please continue.' she shakes her head and opens the bag with the
syringe, holds out her hand for my arm, and lets it hang there while she plays
with the needle a bit.

	Resting the needle against my arm she continues, `The change will take
about three weeks, the first week the nanites just reproduce, building up to
a normal level; the second week you will be ravenously hungry and will pick up
a great deal of weight, while getting terribly skinny; the last week the
physical changes will take place.  There's a more detailed explanation
on the cover sheet you signed to say you read, and everything is covered fairly
well in the documentation packet there.

	`This is your last chance to back out, after I push this plunger you
will be changed.'  I have only a single question pop up, so I ask it,

	`How much do you weigh?'

	`Hundred fourty-three.'  I blink at her, nod dumbly, and feel the soft
prick of the needle in my arm.  `Have a nice time!'  she climbs into the cab of
the truck and starts the engine, and I force myself out of my shock.

	`What's your name?'

	`Dea.'  With that she puts the truck in gear and drives away.

-*

	This really could have been a stupid thing to do, but there isn't
anything I can do about it now.  I suppose I should read those papers, but I
don't really want to.  I resume watching Lum, less worried than I've been since
she first zapped me, stole my heart.

-*

	I almost kissed her today.  I must be getting braver, is all I can
think.  I stare at my hands, wondering if they are actually a little thinner.
After a week and a half I look almost like a walking skeleton, I've lost so
much flesh.  If I hadn't asked Dea her weight I'd be worried, for mine has
increased greatly since the change began.  I fight back the urge to pull the
fifth candy bar I brought today out, knowing both that it won't even dent the
empty feeling in my belly and that it would annoy the teacher no end.  I can't
afford that; I'm already starving, and if I have to stay after class it will
be far worse.

	I realize that the teacher had asked me a question, so I scroll back a
little bit and answer off-handedly; my memory having improved somehow to the
point that I don't even have to struggle with it to regurgitate strange,
generally useless, facts.  Reading my texts this week has made more of an
impression on me than ever before; putting the effort into synthesizing
connections between the disperate facts has bound them all into a usable
knowledge base, something I'd never thought possible.  Contemplating the
different messes that could have become of Japan had the Meiji leaders been
less accurate in their predictions, had they tried to use traditional methods
to reform, and Japan had followed China's self-destructive path, makes an
interesting contrast to the pure beauty of Lum's face.

	I think about pulling my information packet out, I still need to read
the thing; I've read the cover sheet at least, so I know vaugely what to
expect.  I'm not so sure I should have had her inject me anymore, but it is
far too late for second thoughts.  If I was going to have issues with all of
my cells being replaced by partly inorganic biomechanical analogs I should
have read the disclosure first, as well as the info packet _that_ tells one to
read before signing.  Even so, the greater electrical resistance has already
begun to set in, and, if anything, it's actually made me less likely to annoy
her, for her `punishments' now feel far too good.  I used to be able to tell
myself that what I was doing was alright, because she'd punish me for it, but
rings even less true now than it used to, and it was kinda hollow to begin
with.

	I rest my head back on my hand, and go back to watching her.

-*

	It's gone.  I'd noticed that it was getting smaller the last couple
days, but it's gone today.  I suppose I really should be more upset, but right
now it seems far more important to find that bleeding documentation packet.

	After an upsettingly long time I finally find it.  I start at the
back, looking through the back for `sex.'  There isn't anything under that, so
I check `gender,' again finding nothing.  That failed I turn to the front and
start reading.

	The first chapter is just standard hype, `be stronger, tougher,
faster, smarter than ever before,' and is filled with pictures of cute girls,
with stats for each.  Their heights all cluster pretty closely about a
hundred and fifty cm tall, and their weights about a hundred and fifty kilos,
but they're all quite slim.  To be expected, considering that I'm now massing
almost a hundred and fifty myself.  The second chapter goes into details about
how to initiate the change, which set of nanites to use for different species,
and other such boring if useful data.  The third chapter is the beginning of
what I'm actually looking for, a detailed accounting of what is happening to
me.

	After the first week the nanites have multiplied to the point that
they can begin rebuilding one's body, and, unless one already has both the mass
and the trace elements needed, one's appetite is stimulated.  One eats,
feeding the nanites the raw materials needed to facilitate the change.

	The nanites, in turn, busily rebuild one from the ground up,
rebuilding bones from a tough carbon-carbon composite, muscles from a strange
polymer that I still wouldn't make any claim of understanding, nerves rebuilt
from a tougher, lower-consumption barely organic biological type of metacell,
allowing the support structures for one's brain to be reduced, and new
functionality added.

	I wonder for a moment about the new functionality, then turn the page
again.  After the initial change is effected the final form-tweaks are
implemented, and one enters a latent stage, where one is only contagious
through blood on blood contact.  I think I know now why Dea said that like
it's a bad thing.  I turn back to the book, but can't bring myself to
continue, because it is pretty obvious to me this is an underdocumented
feature, rather than a bug.  I stuff the book under the kotatsu.  Kotatsu-neko
looks at me funny, but I don't growl back at him since it doesn't seem worth
the effort right now.

	`Darling!  What's wrong?'  Her voice shows real concern, and she spins
around in front of me again, dropping to the floor with her hands on my
shoulders.

	`I did something stupid last week.  I saw this cute girl and didn't hit
on her.  I'm not exactly a normal human anymore.'

	`How do you mean, Darling?'  I smile at her, step back, then lightly
bounce up and down twice.  Parameters set, I bounce again, twisting in mid-air
to touch my feet to the ceiling, then drop lightly to my feet again.

	`And this is only half-done.'

	`Wow.  And this is because you didn't hit on a girl?'

	`Yeah, I asked her how she was managing . . . '  I watch my hands as I
tell her of my foolish enthusisasm.

	`What's wrong?'

	`Um,' I contemplate trying to tell her, then just, `Feel.'

	`What's wro,' she blinks, `Oh.  Wow.'  She looks into my face, then
retrieves her hand, wrapping both around my face.

	`What?'  I blink at her, a little scared.

	`Love you.' she kisses me soundly.  I open my mouth to complain,
startled to find her tongue slipping between my lips, and my complaints die,
washed away by the sudden rush of joy swelling through me.  I press against her
firmly, my arms wrapping around her back of their own accord.

	`Are you sure you,'

	She cuts me off, `Right, too many people around here.  Come along.'
She gathers me up against her, pulling me out the window and up to her UFO.
Moments later we are laying on her bed, orange and black fakefur sheets under
my back, and she is carefully unbuttonning my shirt.

	Her fingers stroke soft over my nipples, and I wonder at the soft moan
I hear for a moment, then realize I'd made it.  I bend, trying to catch those
wonderful fingers, wanting to taste them, suckle at them.

	Ghu, that is too embarassing to talk about.  No, personal would be a
better way of putting it perhaps.  Mayhap if we were closer, dear reader, but
you would have to pass Lum-chan's muster then.

	I'll save your blushing, and simply allow that it is most enjoyable.
Nearly as nice is the sensation of waking with her pressed firmly against my
back, her fingers loose-curled about my belly.

-*

	Arriving in my room to get dressed for school we notice someone very
large taking up most of the floor.  We somehow manage to avoid waking him
despite breaking into fits of delighted giggles at least a half-dozen times.
The world, strangely, seems such a wonderful place this morning, even if my
lover's, and the thought made me stumble that morning, almost falling on my
face, father is sleeping in my room.

	`Any idea why he's here?'

	`Probably he ticked mom off again, and she threw him out of the house.'

	`Does he do that often?'  I reach out and stroke her ankle as she
floats next to me on the way to school.

	`Every couple years.'  She drops lower, strokes my cheek, and I lean
into the carress with what I'm sure is the silliest look on my face, a surity
that is proven when I finally get to see a picture of it several months later.

-*

	`Hey, Lum-chan, want to go girl-hunting?'  Her father left, after that
horribly strange speech in class today.

	`I,' she suddenly blinks, looks down at me, blinks again, then presses
her hand against my forehead, `You're not running a fever.'

	`Nope.'  I smile at the still blank look on her face, `If the
unthinkable happens and I actually catch someone, I want you there to keep me
safe.'

	`Unthinkable?'

	She's so cute like this, `More likely now, I think.  You noticed the
girls I went after this afternoon?'

	That was quite weird, the way they'd responded like it was quite
reasonable to give me their names, telephone numbers, and then, when,
emboldened by their easy answers, I'd asked, their three sizes.  That was a
little scary, actually; there is a sense of safty in the familiar, and the
familiar was girls running screaming when I asked things like that.

	`They just gave,' she looks at me, the information sinking in, `they
didn't scream, or run, or hit you.'

	`Right.  I'd like to know why, too.  Anyway, want to come girl-hunting?
The way my lucks been recently, we should be able to get ourselves a nice large
harem with a few nights work . . . '  I trail off, looking up at her through my
lashes.

	Lum-chan chuckles and ruffles my hair, `We might at that.  What'll we
do with one, though?'  She looks thoughtful a moment, then answers her own
question, `I'm sure we'll think of _something_.'  She smiles a strange smile.

	`So you'll come with me?' I smile up at her.

	She ruffles my hair, her touch firm, possessive, `Sure.'

-*

	`Hora, ojouchan, namae to denwa bangou o kure,' the girl turns to look
at me and smiles.  In the distance I can hear Lum-chan asking another girl.

	`Shidou Makiko desu.  03-3457-034,' she smiles at me again.

	I smile back, writing quickly, `Three size wa nan deshou ka?'

	She blushes and rattles off the numbers, then looks at the ground,
`Kimi wa?' she asks, looking up at me, her face even redder.

	I blink and gulp, stare at the ground, `Moroboshi Ataru.'

	The girl, Makiko, gasps, `Sonna!' then gropes me, thouroughly.  I press
back against her hands, surprised.

[]

	I finish the test, set it face down on my desk, and set my head on top
of it, looking at Lum-chan.  After a bit Onsen Mark asks for the tests to be
collected, and I peel mine off and hand it to Mendou as he walks to the front.

	Onsen Mark blusters for a moment about people who do badly and make up
classes, pausing when he gets to mine, then tamping them together and leaving
the room.  He doesn't know what to make of my transformation.  Of course, no
one but Lum-chan really does.  The rest of us are either completely confuzzled,
or met me after the change was mostly complete.

	`Darling?'  Lum-chan floats over next to my chair.

	`Naani?'  I stretch the question in a femme manner, and Lum-chan giggles.

	`I've got something for you.'  I perk up at the perceived innuendo.

	`Not like that,' she giggles again.

	`What, then.'  I smile at her, and she grips my hand firmly.

	`I'm going to buy you a snack,' she smiles, `then I'll tell you.'

	`Softening me up, hmm?'  I follow quite willingly, and don't let her
have her hand back as we start into the hall.

-

	`I haven't had okonomiyaki in a long while!  Thanks.'

	`Oh, I'm glad you like it,' Lum-chan's smile. . .

	I've mostly finished my food when she brings out a whole number of
pamphlets, `We're going skiing.'

	`Skiing?  I think of sitting under the kotatsu and eating mikan when I
think of winter.'  I snag another piece of okonomiyaki, wondering when the meat
alergy will kick in.

	`We're going skiing.  Choose where, please,' she holds up a bunch of
pamphlets, and I look them over, quickly recognizing which one she wants.

	I pull it out, `If we go to this one I'm willing.'  A noise from above
prompts me to look up, and I notice whatsisname, the short one of Lum's fans,
and Shinobu.  I don't think she's forgiven us for propositioning her in
concert last week.  I can guess who pounded on the little guy's face, too.

	`Then we'll go.'  I wait 'til the two peepers have scuttled off, then
ask, `All of us?  Or just us two, or just the first four?'

	`I was thinking all of us who want to go along,'  She smiles, that
happy smile I've come to see of late.

	`Sounds fun,' I smile back, then lean forward over the table, and raise
my face just a little bit.

	She takes the hint, leaning forward herself, and kisses me hard, her
tongue forcing its way between my lips, then pressing my tongue up against her
long sharp canines when I try to reciprocate.  The table between us helps keep
us from going too far, but I'm still gasping and shaking when she breaks it
off.

-

	`So, it's just me, you, Makiko-chan, and Sumie-chan?'  I ask Lum-chan,
packing my bag.

	`Hai.  Sounds fun, doesn't it.'

	`Yep.  Done,' I shoulder my bag.

-

	`Makiko-chan!'  I bounce up on my tiptoes to kiss the tall girl.

	`Ataru-chan,' Sumie-chan gushes from off to one side, then grabs all
three of us into a hug.  I squeeze the small woman carefully, 'cause her bones
are a little fragile.  I was surprised when Lum-chan introduced us; she's
almost old enough to be my grandmother, but she's such a lovely person, and
so . . . enthusiastic.  I can feel the reshaping already beginning in her,
though, and I wonder for a moment what she'll look like when it is complete.

	`We should get on board.'  Lum-chan murmors, steering us carefully
towards the train.

-

	`Is that?' I ask myself, looking at what seems to be Lum's fan club.  I
continue looking around the hotel lobby, and watch Shinobu walk past with
Mendou.  `Probably,' I mutter.

	`What?' Makiko-chan asks me.

	`Oh, Lum-chan's fan club, Mendou, and Shinobu.'

	`That would be a little much, probably,' Sumie-chan mutters, looking
down for a moment, `But it should be fun anyway, right, Ataru-chan?'

	`Maybe.  Are you sure you're up to this?' I smile down at the tiny
woman, who nods.

	`Yep.  This'll be fun.  I haven't been skiing since, my, since before
Mariko got ill,' she blinks back tears, and I quickly gather her into my arms,
upset at having triggered painful memories again.

	`I'm,'

	`Don't.  We had a lot of fun, but she's been gone a long while, and I
can't live in the past all my life.'

	Makiko-chan hugs us both, then Lum-chan comes back from making
arrangements.

	`You three look happy.  Got room for one more?'

	`'Course.  Come 'ere.'  Sumie-chan says, grabbing Lum-chan's hand.

	After a moment the hug breaks up, and we gather our bags.  One of them
makes a grumbling noise, and a familiar head pops out.

	`What're you doing here?'  Makiko-chan growls.

	`I got lost?'  Jariten manages.  He's honestly scared of Makiko-chan, I
don't know why, since he was never scared of me.  Maybe he thinks Makiko-chan
would really hurt him.

-

	`The second prize is dinner for two at the hotel restraunt!'  sounds
good.  I shift position, trying to see around the great lump standing in my
way.  `The grand prize, however, is a kiss from our Snow Queen!'  Everyone
yells enthusiasticly, and I look over at Sumie-chan's face, and she's smiling.

	`Please, I want to see a good show!'  The snow queen calls from in
front of us, and I shift again, trying to see around the big oaf without
hurting him.  The crowd roars, and, I glance both ways, both Sumie-chan and
Makiko-chan are waving.

	`Registration is over there!' everyone starts off to the left, and I
glance up at the stage, but only the announcer is still there.

-

	`I'm not that old, Ataru-chan.  I'll be fine, really,' Sumie-chan grins
indulgently at me.

	`I just worry about you.  If we hadn't had Lum-chan's UFO on hand when
we broke your wrist like that, I don't want to think about it,' I shake my
head, still appalled at how careless I was.

	`Hey, I was the one trying to kiss you on the lips with my hand still
there,' only the tips of her ears color, and I wonder again how she manages to
be so calm about it.  I'm sure I'm blushing, and Makiko-chan is red as a beet.

	`Yeah, but,'

	She cuts me off, pulling my head down and kissing me firmly, `Don't.  I
wasn't careful enough, and I paid for it.  OK?'

	I nod, a little weak from the kiss, and she stands upright again, then
skis back and around so that she's standing next to us, all of us facing down
the obstical course.

-

	Mendou and Shinobu stop ahead of us, and I prepare for trouble as I
shoot past them, after the screams of Lum's fan club.

	The drop isn't quite sheer, and I manage to keep my footing when I
land, almost half the way down.  An exaultant scream from behind me makes me
look up, carefully setting my hips so I won't drift to either side, and watch
in awe as Sumie-chan flies past, a little to one side, her skis still in the
air.  Makiko-chan is behind us, cutting down the hill in long switchbacks,
rather than the insane downward rush Sumie-chan and I are taking.  I look
forward again, notice the angle between the bottom of the slope and the next
level, and watch as Sumie-chan somehow picks her skis off the ground and lands
flat against the new, shallower, slope.  I leap up as well, the impact shocking
against the soles of my feet, and follow after her.

	Glancing back, Makiko-chan is just getting to the bottom of the hill,
but it's easy to see that we're the first three.  I wonder for a moment where
Jariten is, then put the matter from my mind.

[grrr, need money so I can afford to get my own tapes --S]

---
log:
1998 sometime:		started writing
1999 June 7:		log added
1999 July 5:		added a whole three paragraphs.
1999 July 24/25:	Added a whole lot
2001 January 7:		tiny edit