by Saless
Chapter 93

“So how is it a bad thing for two people to marry who can't have children when we already have too many?” Erica pressed.

Kelly was flustered and couldn't think of anything to answer Erica with. Seeing this, Erica continued, “Let me give you a few more things to think about. The only place where same sex relationships is mentioned in the bible it specifies two men, there's nothing in the bible about lesbians. Also, there's nothing in the bible that says you can't change your body. In fact, we do it all the time. Tattoos, piercings, removing tonsils or appendix, and so on. And one more thing. If you thought Sarah was such a coward, presumably just because she wanted to be a girl and didn't fight back against her own father despite being very small when you started beating her, then you really don't know your daughter at all. And that's your loss.” With that Erica stood and walked into the kitchen.

“Is everything okay?” Sarah asked when she saw Erica walk in.

Erica leaned against the counter and sighed. “I don't know. I hope I gave her something to think about. Most of the time she just reacts without thinking.” she replied wearily.

“Well Mike and Jill will be here in a minute; they can keep Kelly occupied.” Sarah said. With that they all got back to work. A few minutes later Tiffany came out to tell the others that dinner was ready. When she walked into the living room she found Mike pacing angrily behind the couch while Jill glared at Kelly.

“What's going on?” she asked.

Mike started to say something, but Jill cut him off before he could get a sound out, “We're just frustrated with Kelly. Nothing we say is getting through to her!”

“We can't get through to Dad, he has to get through to himself.” Sarah said sadly as she walked in. She walked up to Kelly and reached out to touch her shoulder. Kelly flinched, but all Sarah did was tap her shoulder with one finger, and she was George again. “I'm sorry I left you like that for so long Dad, but I had to make sure you weren't a danger to Mom. I was just talking to her, and she's learned a little about her own powers and she's convinced me that she can defend herself if need be. After dinner we'll get your clothes from Tiffany's place and you can go. But Mom doesn't want you staying at the house. She'll let you get your stuff, but she wants you to get a hotel room or something.”

George looked down at himself in shock. His clothes, which had been quite loose a moment ago, were now straining at the seams. “Why?!” he whispered.

Sarah looked confused at that, “I just said. I know I hated being in a wrong gendered body, so I never wanted to leave you like that in the first place. If I had been sure Mom was safe sooner, I would have changed you back then.”

“But...don't you...hate me?” George asked.

Shaking her head, Sarah said, “No! You're my father, I could never hate you! I hated what you did, but not you.”

“I told you, you don't know your daughter at all. Now maybe you're seeing why it's a shame that you don't.” Erica said and smiled at Sarah. Sarah seemed confused at that, but shrugged it off and hugged Erica.

“Uh, are we going to eat, or what?” Tiffany asked uncertainly.

Mike laughed and said, “Eat!” With that he strode into the kitchen and the others slowly followed him. There wasn't enough room at the table for all of them, so Sarah and Erica sat on the couch. They caught each other up on their day silently while they ate. The others were nearly as quiet in the kitchen, but that was due mostly to George's presence. For his part he seemed confused and uncertain and ate slowly as he thought something over.

When they were through Mike started cleaning up while Sarah opened a portal for Tiffany to retrieve George's clothes. A few minutes later she returned and George carried them into the bathroom to change. Sarah looked curiously at him when he came out. Is it just me, or does he seem different? she sent to Erica.

Yes, I see what you mean. He does seem different somehow, but I can't figure out how. Erica replied.

“Would you like me to drive you back to your house?” Tiffany asked him. He nodded and she said goodbye before leading him out to her car.

It would take at least a couple of hours for Tiffany to get back, so they decided to watch a movie. After that she still wasn't back, so they took turns trying to beat Mike at tennis. All three of them did better against Mike than usual, but only Erica was able to give him a real challenge.

They wore themselves out on tennis after a while and started talking about Sarah's father again.

“He seemed strangely subdued, didn't he?” Jill said.

“We were just thinking he seemed different somehow. I wonder what's going through his head?” Erica said.

“I don't know, his thoughts are jumbled up and hard to sort out. Did you have any better luck Vash?” Jill replied.

No, I didn't. But I got the impression that some of what he was told might have gotten through. Vash sent.

“I hope so. It would be nice if he actually learned something from all of this.” Mike said.

“By the way, when did you talk to your mother, Sarah?” Jill asked.

“While we were making dinner. I was just wondering if Mom would be safe if I changed Dad back, and I suddenly could feel her mind. I don't know how I did it, but it was natural after that to talk to her. She was surprised at first, but then we had a nice talk and she told me that she's been experimenting a bit with her own powers.” Sarah replied.

“What did she find out?” Jill asked curiously.

“Well, when she tried to repeat what she did with Dad, she couldn't seem to call up any strength like before. But when she thought about Dad beating me she got really angry and suddenly she felt as light as a feather and full of energy. She'd set up some old fence boards and bricks and she pulverized them without much effort. After a little while the effect wore off and she was back to normal.” Sarah said.

Interesting. Based on the episode with you as a child, and later with your father, I was worried that she was some kind of berserker. They are often impossible to control and cause a lot of damage whenever they go berserk. But it sounds like your mother's version is much more controllable. Did she feel any more aggressive after her powers activated then she did before? Vash said.

“No, she said she felt totally normal, except that she felt lighter and full of energy. And she could pulverize concrete bricks with ease.” Sarah replied.

Completely controlled, then. I've never heard of a berserker that doesn't go berserk. Vash sent thoughtfully.

“What exactly does a berserker do?” Mike asked.

It varies depending on the cause. Curses can cause a person to go berserk and attack their comrades. Other spells can cause one to go berserk, but they become more like guided weapons. You point them in the direction of your enemy, and they attack. In that case they are usually stronger, tougher, and don't feel pain so long as the spell is in effect. When it wears off they're usually exhausted, assuming they survive their injuries at all. Then there's the mundane variety. Some people train themselves to go berserk in battle. There are advantages and disadvantages, but basically they are able to ignore pain for the most part. It tends to hit them pretty hard when they come out of it, though. This sounds like the second kind, only with even less perception altering effects than the mundane version. If anger didn't trigger it, I wouldn't want to call it a berserker ability at all. Vash replied

“Do you think she'll be able to learn to use it without getting angry?” Erica asked.

Maybe, it's hard to say. This is different to anything I've heard of before. But even if she needs to get angry, I think her husband has supplied all the fuel she'll need for that. Vash said.

“That's for sure! That was the hardest part about being around Sarah's Dad, especially before stashing my knives in the empty world. Every time I thought about what he did I'd end up with one of them in my hand!” Tiffany said as she walked in and plonked down on the couch.

“Oh, you did? Can you call your knives from there?” Jill asked curiously.

“I assume not, I haven't yet. But I haven't really tried, either.” Tiffany replied.

“Well, try! Let's see if they can cross dimensions on their own or not. Better to find out now than later, right?” Jill said.

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