Summon Lyght(46)

"Ummm, no, you can't. At least not away from the compound. No powers, remember?" Francis frowned and Tyler imagined it was from the effort to keep his voice stern.

Her pretty blue eyes widened. "Oh right." Then she smiled and Tyler was sure it was the prettiest smile he'd ever seen. "I'll just have to change before I leave." She turned her gaze directly to him and his breath caught in his throat. "What do you think? Do you think I'm pretty?"

The shameless question brought flames to his cheeks. Were his thoughts that plain? "I…" He didn't dare want to offend her. His pride would have to suffer. "You're um… beautiful… actually."

She gasped and clapped as though she'd won the Miss America contest. In Tyler's mind, she had. More like the Miss Universe.

"There, it's gone." Maxwell turned, presenting his backside. He was dressed like that guy in that movie…what was his name? Sherlock Holmes. Oh yeah, Dr. Watson. Even had his accent.

Peggy covered her mouth and looked at Francis. "Does Kassern know?"

Francis gave a tiny wince, so that was a negative.

Maxwell walked around like his legs felt funny, mumbling about strange fashions all while inspecting and straightening his clothes. "What is this made out of, anyway?" He sniffed and raised his brows. "Well that's a plus. My aquamarine properties are imbedded in the threads."

"When do you plan to tell Kassern?" Peggy asked.

"Well…I was hoping we might all…announce it together?"

"I don't know what the big secret is," Maxwell mumbled. "We're in human form. Why would either of you suspect that is forbidden or sacrilegious? We change forms all the time." Maxwell perched carefully on the couch arm and met first Peggy's gaze then Francis'. "Well we are. This is a war. There is nothing to feel guilty about." He glanced at them back and forth. "Right?"

"Right, right," they both answered quickly.

"Unless…" Peggy fidgeted with her nails while rocking on her bare heels.

Maxwell snorted. "I don't think you wanting to be a woman will be held against you."

"But don't you wonder?" Francis sounded curious.

"Wonder what?" Maxwell stood and leaned against the couch as though he couldn't seem to find a comfortable way to sit.

"Why it's so easy. To change into this form, I mean."

"Oh." Peggy's tone said that was on the bottom of her need to know list. She held up her hand and admired her nails that turned different colors all by themselves. "I didn't really think about it."

"Of course you didn't." Maxwell curled his lip a little then turned away to clear his expression.

She dropped her hand. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Maxwell raised both hands. "Now don't take that tone. I don't want to fight."

"Sure you do."

"Surely I don't."

She let both hands flop down to her side. "You know I hate when you call me stupid."

Maxwell gasped and looked at Francis. "Did I call her stupid?"

"Don't drag me into this." Francis paled a little, as if he dreaded listening to something they'd been through a thousand times.

Maxwell turned to Tyler. But all Tyler saw was the pain behind Peggy's anger. "You didn't say it outright but…I heard it."

Peggy gave a loud ha and pointed at Maxwell. "Finally, somebody who isn't afraid to stand up to the great and powerful dog-eared baboon dragon!"

Ouch.

"Well thank you for that, young man." Maxwell crossed his arms and glared at Tyler.

Tyler didn't appreciate the young reference. "You're quite welcome, mister." Smarty-pants, he wanted to add, but then a weird clickety clack out in the hall caught his attention.

"Lyght said I'd…"

All eyes turned to the door where a giant scorpion maneuvered massive pincers through the door one at a time before following with the rest of its body.

"Sorry, I thought I heard…"

Tyler couldn't decide whether the giant talking scorpion was terrifying or hilarious. And the thing was clear! Well, not totally, but it was made of something whitish that was darn near clear—stone? He literally looked like a giant diamond scorpion. No other way to describe him. Which was In. Sane.

"It's us, Robert." Maxwell gave a little finger waggling wave.

Peggy returned to her original metal form and ran to the scorpion's side and hugged it. Maxwell changed as well, only his dragon was half the size he had been before. "Greetings Robert. How goes your journey thus far on this strange planet?"

"Just like the human weather man predicted. Cloudy with a chance of freak thunderstorms. All in the span of a few hours." The scorpion nodded at Tyler. "Hello again."