TFOS: Freddy On The Loose, Part 9

by

Rodford Edmiston

Note: This story uses background and concepts from the Teenagers From Outer Space role-playing game, Copyright 2001 R. Talsorian Games, Inc. The characters and story are Copyright 2001 Rodford Edmiston Smith.

"Ah, lunchtime!" exclaimed Freddy, gleefully rubbing his hands together as he prepared to dig in. "My second favorite part of school!"

"With gym class being the most favorite, right?" snickered Karen, wrinkling her nose very cutely.

The meal went quietly, for the most part. This being a Monday, students were still a bit subdued. However, some were quieter than even that accounted for.

"Whatcha' doin'?" Freddy asked, noticing how Hub kept staring at the screen on his pocket computer.

"I'm supposed to get my first royalty payment for the Gender Guard today," the big alien replied. "I'm waiting for it to show up in my bank account."

"Any idea how much it will be?" asked Ramet.

"No. The sales figures aren't published until the end of the GREAT! GALLOPING! GHU!"

"Purple Be His Name!" several of the aliens (and, surprisingly, a few of the Earthlings) present chorused.

"Lemme see, lemme see," demanded Freddy, managing to be the closest of those crowding in.

The numbers didn't make sense. Until Freddy remembered his scientific notation.

"Heep!" was all the youngster could manage.

"I... I can get that fuel booster I've been wanting for my saucer," said Hub, numbly. "Forget that, I could buy a whole new saucer!"

"You could buy a whole dealership," squeaked Jim, looking faint.

"You could buy the whole school new saucers," Freddy finally managed.

Well, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but only a bit.

"No, no, first thing, I gotta put some away for college," said Hub, desperately.

"This is only the first payment?!" said Ramet.

"How often do they make those, anyway?" Freddy inquired.

"End of every business cycle," said Hub, still numb. He shook his head. "Uhm, about every three Earth months."

"I bet the next one will be even higher," said Ramet. "There's several trillion people out there who would potentially want to buy these things, and they're just getting started making them!"

"There must be a lot of sniping going on," said Jim, quietly.

"I feel kinda selfish, now, about patenting that new Boy/Girl/Whatever Gun," said Hub. "I mean, I know the plan was to see if whoever really built it will challenge the patent, so we can find out who they are, but..."

"Hub, my boy, you need a business manager," said Ramet, putting his arm around the rhino/whale guy's shoulders in a friendly, self-assured manner. (Well, as far around as he could reach without changing shape.) "I happen to be from a very old and respected family of wealthy people. I'm sure we can help each other."

"So you're gonna recommend a business manager for me?" Hub asked, confused.

"No, I mean I can be your business manager!" said Ramet, irritated. "I know all the basics. Diversify your portfolio! Buy low and sell high! Use inside info whenever you can! Tolger market! Spoogle market!"

"Uh, thanks, but I think I'll just use the same mutual fund agency my father uses," countered Hub.

The others gradually went back to their meals as Ramet continued to badger Hub.

"So, Freddy, you up for the big game this afternoon?" asked Jim.

"Not really a big game," Freddy said, shrugging. "Pretty minor one, in fact. They're a lot lower ranked than we are. Of course, there's always a chance of an upset."

"I'm still trying to figure out why Hrpblple is on the team and not the halftime show," snickered one of Jim's tablemates.

"It's only about as strong and fast as a human, so it doesn't have an unfair advantage," said Freddy, patiently, "and its shapeshifting is just something it does naturally. It doesn't work like the Shapechange power; it just moves its stuff around."

"Ewww," said Karen.

"About the only advantage it has over humans and most other aliens who are allowed to play is that it doesn't have to worry as much about getting hurt. If it's hit hard, it just spatters out, then pulls itself back together."

"Eewwww!" said Karen.

"Which, understandably," Freddy continued, grinning, "makes other players reluctant to tackle it."

*           *           *

The game that afternoon went about as expected. At one point Hrpblple did, indeed, get hit hard, and spattered. As the referee called a penalty, the various parts of the gooey alien began regrouping inside the regulation uniform. All except one blob which was trapped in the regulation helmet. That had been thrown almost to the bleachers. Freddy hustled over to retrieve the helmet and Hrpblple part, after seeing some kids poking stuff into the latter.

"Now, that's not nice," Freddy chastised, picking up the helmet.

He returned quickly to his dismembered teammate and plopped the helmet down against the neck of the uniform.

"Ritual thanks are presented," Hrpblple burbled.

"No prob," said Freddy, grinning.

Apparently unsettled by that event, the opposing quarterback lobbed his next pass too low. Freddy jumped into the air and intercepted. Only, when he hit the ground, he ran in three directions at once!

I thought that wore off! the three Freddys thought, as they ran toward the goal.

They spiked the 3 balls, did a little victory line dance, then merged. Oddly, there were still 3 balls on the ground.

Understandably, the opposing coach went ballistic. Because Freddy had used a power - even one he didn't know he had - the other coach claimed that Freddy's team had an illegal player, and must default. Coach reluctantly agreed. There was a distinct murmur of disgust among the home crowd over the announcement, many glaring at the hapless Freddy.

"Coach, I swear, I don't know how that happened!" Freddy protested, as the team headed sourly back to the lockers.

"It must be all that alien food you eat," said Karen, comforting him.

"We'll have the school nurse check him out," said Coach, face and tone neutral.

*           *           *

"It's permanent," sighed Freddy, at lunch the next day. "The nurse put me in the school's new alien Medical Analysis And Treatment Unit, and it sent the data off to a specialist. Unless they can figure out a cure or a way to suppress it, I've got a permanent power. Which means I'm off the regular team."

"What about the unlimited team?" asked Karen, arms consolingly around Freddy.

"You have to be at least sixteen for that, and that's with a waiver," sighed Freddy. "I may have to apply for team manager or something, to get my hours in."

"You could always join the cheerleading team," Karen teased.

"Oh, please..." groaned Freddy, rolling his eyes.

"You have a useful power," said Ramet, dead serious. "Why, using a Boy/Girl Gun, you could actually date yourself."

Bl'fff collapsed and rolled around on the floor, laughing. The others - even Ramet - just stared at the arachnoid.

"Seriously, there are ways to remove powers," said Ramet, casually spooning some Jell-O into his mouth. "It's done sometimes to criminals. Don't know how well it would work on an Earth human, though."

"Blue Flu," said Hub, snapping his fingers like a tree branch breaking in a wind storm.

"What?" asked Freddy, blankly.

"Blue flu. It's a pretty minor illness. One of the side effects is that it negates powers."

"Yes, but only while you're actually sick," said Ramet. "It's also highly contagious. I certainly don't want it going around."

"Why is it called..." queried Freddy.

"Oh, the main effect is that it turns you blue," said Hub, shrugging.

"While you're sick," guessed Karen.

"No, that's permanent."

"No way!" said Freddy. "Uh-uh."

"Well, maybe the doctors can figure out how to cure you," said Karen, rubbing his arm.

"The thing is," said Ramet, looking thoughtful for a change, "Earthlings aren't supposed to have powers..."

*           *           *

"Okay," Karen told Freddy, "take your clothes off."

"If you knew how many times I've dreamed of you saying that," sighed Freddy.

She unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it away. Next came her sport bra. She reached for her slacks zipper, but stopped as Karen gasped.

"What?"

"You're huge!" Karen exclaimed.

Freddy looked down at her breasts, frowned, and cupped them.

"They don't look or feel any bigger than before."

"Stop playing with yourself!" exclaimed Karen, disgusted.

"This is not playing with myself," said Freddy, with exaggerated patience. "This is playing with myself."

She gave an evil chuckle and mimed grabbing her breast and crotch.

"Very funny. Now hold still and raise your arms, so I can get your measurements."

"This is so sick," muttered Freddy, sourly. "I haaiieee! Great Ghu!"

There was a momentary pause as both unconsciously looked around for the chorus. Then, a bit embarrassed, they relaxed and got back to what they were doing.

"What?" said Karen, looking up innocently from where she had the tape wrapped around Freddy's breasts.

"Ah... ah... ah..." said Freddy, suddenly certain Karen would clobber her if she said what she really felt. "That tickles!"

"You are such a wimp as a girl!" Karen muttered in irritation, pulling the tape lose and turning to write down the number.

The sensation of the cloth tape sliding across sensitive skin made Freddy go up on her toes. She barely resisted making a strange sound, not of pleasure but of alarm. The feeling was so intense, it actually hurt. Fortunately, Karen was preoccupied and didn't notice any of this. Or maybe she just ignored it. Freddy had herself back under control by the time Karen turned around to take the next measurement.

"Wow," said Karen a few minutes later, as she contemplated the figure(s). "There are centerfolds who aren't built this well."

"Oh, joy," muttered Freddy.

"Now, listen, you agreed to this," snapped Karen, slapping the pad down on her desk. "When Coach told you he already had a team manager you said you'd do anything to get your football credits. Well, this counts as anything!"

"I know, I know," sighed Freddy. "I'm sorry. I'm not blaming you. I just... well, it's going to be really awkward. Why couldn't I just be a male cheerleader?"

"That's weird," snickered Karen.

"No, it's not! There were male cheerleaders at the school I would have attended if I hadn't come here."

"Well, you better be extra glad you came here, then," Karen replied, nodding.

She peered at the paper again, and frowned.

"Y'know, I bet we have trouble finding stuff to fit you. You're a bit short for someone with chest and hips like yours, and you're certainly more developed than most girls in your age group. Oh, and that reminds me; I need to teach you how to shave, too."

"I've been shaving since I was nine," growled Freddy.

"Your legs? Your armpits? No, this is something you need to be shown."

"It's going to be a long day," sighed Freddy.

"Just be glad my parents are out for dinner and a play," snickered Karen. "Can you imagine trying to explain this to them? Or getting their permission?"

"Easier than either with my uncle and his floozy wife," said Freddy. "Say, what did you tell your parents?"

"Just asked if I could have a female friend over for the afternoon, that we were going to work on homework and on some clothes, makeup and other girl stuff."

"Ain't that the truth," muttered Freddy.

"You brought your homework, right?"

"Yes, mother," Freddy sighed.

They had made the arrangements at school. Karen zapped Freddy, charging his Gender Guard. He went home, told his aunt he was going over to a friend's to work on their assignments for the next day. Once in his room he stripped and used the Gender Guard. Then Freddy dressed, grabbed her stuff and snuck out. The bicycle ride over had been... interesting.

"Say, where'd you get these panties?" Karen asked, frowning.

"School nurse, just like the sport bra."

"So you've never actually bought women's clothes."

"Well, I did buy my Mother a scarf, for her birthday, last year," said Freddy, innocently.

Karen glared at her.

"Look, I've never been a girl for more than nine hours at a stretch, and never had any reason to expect to need any more girl clothes than stuff for if I get sniped. Even with that, I thought I didn't need any more girl clothes, after Hub invented the Gender Guard."

"Okay, well, that's next," said Karen, decisively.

"What's next?" asked Freddy, feeling a sense of dread.

"After we get you cleaned up - and by that I mean shaved, your legs and pits are a disgrace - and some makeup on, we go shopping!"

Karen's mood by the end of that sentence was incredibly cheerful. Freddy's was incredibly gloomy.

"Calgon, take me away..."

End Part Nine