Tragic Couple
a
Fox Serum story
by
clancy688
"This seat isn't taken, I presume?"
Dale looked up from the stein he was sipping from as the man who'd voiced this question seated himself on the barstool next to him. Warily, Dale raised an eyebrow in speculation as he mustered his sudden and unwanted companion.
Damn, I just want to finish my beer and then go home to bed... what's Jensen doing here?
While his department head at work, the sales department at a large company which was developing, producing and selling Fox Serums, was a companionable and friendly fellow, he wasn't known for visiting bars late in the evening - even less at a workday. The probability of this being a chance encounter therefore tended to be virtually zero, which meant that Jensen wanted to talk to him about something. Since he hadn't summoned him to his office earlier, it most certainly was something unofficial.
Just great... only more headaches to come. Dale thought glumly. Lately, he hadn't been in that good a mood, and the prospect of conducting an unofficial conversation with his boss, in a tipsy and tired state, didn't do much to raise his spirits. On the other hand, since it was unofficial anyway, there was at least no danger of Jensen telling him that he'd just been fired... hopefully.
"Hey, Jensen." Dale said therefore with a slightly forced smile. "You here? What a coincidence!"
Jensen chuckled. "Yeah, that would really be a coincidence, wouldn't it?" he twinkled. "No, actually, your colleagues told me that I'd probably find you here. There's something I'd like to talk about with you..."
Straight to the point. Dale contemplated with reluctant admiration. He'd experienced sufficient other bosses who danced around the issue before getting to the core literally for hours, threatening theirs and their opposite's sanity in the process. Apparently, Jensen was different. Good news for his sanity then.
"I hope it's not about my work?" Dale asked therefore cautiously. The sooner he finished whatever Jensen wanted to talk about, the sooner he could go to bed. "There are no problems I'm aware of, and all my clients are totally satisfied with my performance."
His boss laughed. "Oh no!" he said, "I know that. Your clients speak highly of you. I'd expect nothing less from an employee who's pulling so much extra hours like you. In fact..." Jensen's eyes narrowed down, "...that's what's bothering me."
"My... extra-hours?" Dale shifted on his seat uncomfortably. He was fairly sure of what Jensen was driving at. "What's wrong with pulling a few extra-hours?" he asked defensively.
Jensen sighed. "Look, it's not about the fact that you're doing them." he said sympathetically. "But in your case, it's a bit different. Because it's not just a 'few' hours. I checked the attendance recorder. You have accumulated over forty extra hours this month alone - and we're not even in the third week yet! When do you come to work? At seven?" As Dale nodded, Jensen let loose a frustrated snort. "And when are you leaving? Seven, eight? That's over 12 hours a day! Look, you can't continue this way. You're ruining your health! Not to mention the fact that the workers' council will demand my head on a platter if you crash, so it's not just your ass which is on the line here!"
Dale didn't reply. There wasn't anything he could say, really. After all, Jensen was totally right. And therefore he simply stared down his stein gloomily. To his surprise, instead of throwing a fit, his boss put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it encouragingly.
Suddenly, Jensen's voice was soft. "And after work, you wander off into some bar, sip a beer and then probably wander off to bed. I've seen this before. Whenever there's something wrong at home, people tend to stay at work as long as possible..." He yanked his hands up in a soothing gesture as Dale shot him an accusing glance. "Look, you don't have to talk about your private problems to your boss. But trust me, it helps!" Jensen sounded completely sincere and Dale even found himself believing him. "So if you want to talk about it, here I am, I'll listen. And if you don't want to... that's fine as well. I just want to give you the chance."
For a few moments, Dale hovered on the brink of telling his boss to leave. Then he let loose a massive sigh, though. "It's alright..." he mumbled. "You can stay. It's good to have somebody to talk to, actually, the last few weeks have been a bit lonely, with Louise gone..."
Jensen cocked his eyebrow. "Louise is your...?"
"She's my wife." Dale offered, at which Jensen nodded.
"And you're having a falling out right now, or...?"
"What?" surprised, Dale looked at his boss. "No, everything's good between us two. I just... haven't seen her for weeks since she's started this work assignment. And I really, really miss her... at home it's so... empty without her, that's why I try to spend as much time at work as possible, to not be constantly reminded of her absence." He shrugged. "Or here."
Jensen smiled. "I guess you two are really close then. If you miss her so much, have you tried video-chatting with her?"
"Video-chatting?" Dale asked frustrated. "I haven't even heard her voice for weeks!"
Now his boss furrowed his brows. "Um, no phone? Where ever in the world is she assigned to that she has no phone at hand?"
Dale chuckled ruefully. "Here. To headquarters." He could almost see the question mark appearing over Jensen's head, therefore he added another statement. "She's working for the company as well, but she belongs to R&D. And currently, she's doing a sabbatical for her doctorate in biology."
"Aaahhhhh!" The truth dawned upon Jensen. 'Sabbatical' was the term they used internally for self-experimenting with new Fox Serums. Normally, they were paying students to test newly developed transformation potions, but especially for early alpha-stage tests, the researchers themselves took the stuff and tested the effects first-hand. "So she is transformed right now?"
Dale nodded. "Yeah, since five weeks. Thankfully, the test will be over in a week. I just can't wait to have my Louise again." he smiled wistfully. "These five weeks were the loneliest I ever had..."
"Um, why didn't you visit her?" Jensen interjected suddenly. "My daughter did some volunteer testing for the company during her semester break, but I could always visit her when I wanted." he chuckled. "I mean, it's a bit of a shock to see your loved one in such a radically changed shape, in my daughter's case a llama, a Canadian goose and even a caiman, but it was still her inside, no matter the fur, feathers or scales..."
"Oh, I did." Dale answered with a slight smile. "Every day. Before work, during break and then after work. But I couldn't communicate with her, not even one-way communication... it is like-" he searched for the right words, "-she has been frozen in time. She has already done some other testing before, so I know what you're talking of. When she tested a squirrel-serum, I didn't feel lonely at all because I could still play with her during my free time. Now, though..." he sighed again, shaking his head in frustration.
Puzzled, Jensen looked at him. "I fear I don't understand. How can you not interact with her? I mean, she's still a living, animate being, isn't she?"
Now Dale grinned for the first time during their entire conversation, but it was a lopsided grin. "Yeah, she's living, all right. But as for being animate... well, to a degree, but my jury is actually still out there." He chuckled as Jensen's puzzlement only seemed to deepen. Then he reached into his pocket and took his phone out. "I think I better show you what she has become. Here."
He held the phone in front of his boss's face. Jensen's eyes went as wide as saucers as he looked at the screen. "Wow..." he breathed dazed. "It's... she's beautiful. I didn't know that this was possible!"
Dale nodded. "Yeah... and if you see her in real, she's even more beautiful. Do you want to... see her?"
Mesmerized, Jensen nodded, only reluctantly willing to tear his eyes from the screen of the phone. "I'd love to! I'm head manager of sales, but that's the first time I'm hearing of such a serum. That's... more than interesting!" Slowly, a crooked grin crept on his face. "And now I'm even beginning to understand your frustration. Seeing your wife like this, but being unable to make her hear or see what you're doing..."
"Welcome to my world, boss." Dale responded morosely, then downed the last of his beer with a large sip. "Let's get going then. The sun will disappear soon, and at night she's usually hiding much of her beauty..."
*******************************************************
"Wow..." Jensen breathed impressed. "You didn't lie, she's even more beautiful than on the photos." Then he hesitated for a short moment. "Or rather... it...?" He looked questioningly at Dale who sighed now, although he'd visibly bristled with pride as Jensen had praised his wife's appearance. Here at the company, it was common use to address transformed humans according to their current shape. So a male who'd become a female would be 'she', and vice versa. In Louise's case that meant that the former woman was now officially an 'it'.
Slowly, Dale went forward and started brushed with a hand over some of Louise's leaves, then tenderly caressed a blood-red blossom. "I just don't know." he said as he knelt down in front of the large, blooming plant. "Sure, she's a rosebush now, but I just... can't address her as some 'it'." He shook his head. "That's not 'a rosebush', not a thing. That's still my wife, somewhere inside there!"
Jensen chuckled. "Yeah, I'm with you there. Still..." he walked around the plant, studying the magnificent bush from every angle. It was situated in a small greenhouse next to the research facilities. The building had been used to test insect serums before, and now it harbored the first human-turned plant. Louise made indeed a beautiful rosebush, with strong and healthy branches shrouded in luscious green leafs. Fiery thorns dotted its wood, and beautiful, red blossoms completed the breathtaking contrast of green, brown and red. It seemed like to come right out of fairy tale. Jensen even caught himself looking for a sleeping princess somewhere!
Cautiously, under Dale's watchful eyes, he probed a leaf and then knocked against a branch, careful not to do any damage to the plant. Since there really was a human mind housed inside this beautiful rosebush, he didn't want to test if a plant could feel 'pain' if someone ripped off a leaf. "That's really unbelievable." he said finally with a wondrous smile. "If I didn't know better I'd say that this is a normal plant. Sure, we've managed to turn people into animals, even insects, but this... this is something entirely else!"
"Why?" Dale inquired with a smile of his own. "Plants have DNA as well, just as animals do. So if we can turn people into animals, why not into plants?" He shrugged. "It was the logical next step to do, and Louise volunteered to try it out first. Of course I supported her in her decision, but not being able to talk with her weeks..." longingly, he stared at his wife's peaceful, still shape.
His boss nodded sympathetically. "Yeah. That I can understand. But... can she at least see you? Hear you?"
Dale shook his head. "If someone transforms into an earthworm, he has the senses of an earthworm. That is, basically none. Louise tried it out before this transformation, to get a feeling for 'reduced' shapes. No eyes, no ears... it will probably be similar for plants. Louise is a rosebush now, and these don't have ears or eyes. She'll probably be able to feel me touching her-" he brushed over the bush's leaves with his hand once more "-but that's probably all. And I can't even properly hug her because of all her thorns!"
"You're really like a tragic couple out of a Shakespeare play then." Jensen said sympathetically. "You're both so close and yet you can't 'meet' each other..." The man squeezed Dale's shoulder in an encouraging gesture.
"Yeah..." Dale answered miserably. "I'd really love to speak with her, or at least accompany her for the duration of her experience. But all I can do is watch her, stroke her, pouring water on her and I still have no idea if she even realizes it's me doing all these things! He threw his hands in up in the air in frustration. "That's maddening!"
Jensen nodded somberly, but at the same moment, a thought entered his head. Hm... he contemplated. He wants to accompany her? I think I have just the right idea to free this poor man from his misery... Grinning, he looked at his subordinate. "You know, why don't you take the next week off? You've worked enough over-hours for that."
Dale looked back quizzically. "Taking the week off?" he asked. "Why? All I can do is watching this rosebush, my wife, and count the minutes until she changes back." He sighed. "No, I'd rather work."
"Not as a human of course." Jensen responded still grinning. "You said you wanted to accompany your wife, didn't you? So do this, accompany her! By changing as well!"
Dale snorted. "Into what? The plant serum was experimental stuff, there's nothing left. Do you want me to turn into a sparrow, building a nest inside her?" He shook his head. "No, that's just as bad as watching her as a human."
"Of course not." his boss twinkled. "I'd rather thought of something more... intimate."
Incomprehension spread on Dale's face. "Intimate?" he echoed. "What do you mean?"
And then, Jensen sketched out his idea.
"Wow..." Jensen breathed impressed. "You didn't lie, she's even more beautiful than on the photos." Then he hesitated for a short moment. "Or rather... it...?" He looked questioningly at Dale who sighed now, although he'd visibly bristled with pride as Jensen had praised his wife's appearance. Here at the company, it was common use to address transformed humans according to their current shape. So a male who'd become a female would be 'she', and vice versa. In Louise's case that meant that the former woman was now officially an 'it'.
Slowly, Dale went forward and started brushed with a hand over some of Louise's leaves, then tenderly caressed a blood-red blossom. "I just don't know." he said as he knelt down in front of the large, blooming plant. "Sure, she's a rosebush now, but I just... can't address her as some 'it'." He shook his head. "That's not 'a rosebush', not a thing. That's still my wife, somewhere inside there!"
Jensen chuckled. "Yeah, I'm with you there. Still..." he walked around the plant, studying the magnificent bush from every angle. It was situated in a small greenhouse next to the research facilities. The building had been used to test insect serums before, and now it harbored the first human-turned plant. Louise made indeed a beautiful rosebush, with strong and healthy branches shrouded in luscious green leafs. Fiery thorns dotted its wood, and beautiful, red blossoms completed the breathtaking contrast of green, brown and red. It seemed like to come right out of fairy tale. Jensen even caught himself looking for a sleeping princess somewhere!
Cautiously, under Dale's watchful eyes, he probed a leaf and then knocked against a branch, careful not to do any damage to the plant. Since there really was a human mind housed inside this beautiful rosebush, he didn't want to test if a plant could feel 'pain' if someone ripped off a leaf. "That's really unbelievable." he said finally with a wondrous smile. "If I didn't know better I'd say that this is a normal plant. Sure, we've managed to turn people into animals, even insects, but this... this is something entirely else!"
"Why?" Dale inquired with a smile of his own. "Plants have DNA as well, just as animals do. So if we can turn people into animals, why not into plants?" He shrugged. "It was the logical next step to do, and Louise volunteered to try it out first. Of course I supported her in her decision, but not being able to talk with her weeks..." longingly, he stared at his wife's peaceful, still shape.
His boss nodded sympathetically. "Yeah. That I can understand. But... can she at least see you? Hear you?"
Dale shook his head. "If someone transforms into an earthworm, he has the senses of an earthworm. That is, basically none. Louise tried it out before this transformation, to get a feeling for 'reduced' shapes. No eyes, no ears... it will probably be similar for plants. Louise is a rosebush now, and these don't have ears or eyes. She'll probably be able to feel me touching her-" he brushed over the bush's leaves with his hand once more "-but that's probably all. And I can't even properly hug her because of all her thorns!"
"You're really like a tragic couple out of a Shakespeare play then." Jensen said sympathetically. "You're both so close and yet you can't 'meet' each other..." The man squeezed Dale's shoulder in an encouraging gesture.
"Yeah..." Dale answered miserably. "I'd really love to speak with her, or at least accompany her for the duration of her experience. But all I can do is watch her, stroke her, pouring water on her and I still have no idea if she even realizes it's me doing all these things! He threw his hands in up in the air in frustration. "That's maddening!"
Jensen nodded somberly, but at the same moment, a thought entered his head. Hm... he contemplated. He wants to accompany her? I think I have just the right idea to free this poor man from his misery... Grinning, he looked at his subordinate. "You know, why don't you take the next week off? You've worked enough over-hours for that."
Dale looked back quizzically. "Taking the week off?" he asked. "Why? All I can do is watching this rosebush, my wife, and count the minutes until she changes back." He sighed. "No, I'd rather work."
"Not as a human of course." Jensen responded still grinning. "You said you wanted to accompany your wife, didn't you? So do this, accompany her! By changing as well!"
Dale snorted. "Into what? The plant serum was experimental stuff, there's nothing left. Do you want me to turn into a sparrow, building a nest inside her?" He shook his head. "No, that's just as bad as watching her as a human."
"Of course not." his boss twinkled. "I'd rather thought of something more... intimate."
Incomprehension spread on Dale's face. "Intimate?" he echoed. "What do you mean?"
And then, Jensen sketched out his idea.
*******************************************************
As the first rays of sunlight fell upon her leaves, Louise opened her blossoms to the cool morning air. It was her daily ritual to greet her warm friend, the sun, and after the long sleep of the night, it felt as invigorating to her as an extensive morning exercise. To an outside observer, it probably must have looked awfully slow, to the point of stagnation, but Louise could feel any of her many blooms stretching inch by inch. Let it be slow, she had time.
The sun rose, and Louise sensed how her life cycle started to move once more. Water rose through her many roots up into her leaves where it served as a catalyst for setting in photosynthesis. Light was absorbed, carbon dioxide was captured, oxygen was produced. Here and there new branches and blooms started to grow, while at the same time old and spent ones parted her body and fell to the ground.
She felt each and every part of her body, each tiny leaf, each miniscule root, and she wished farewell to all leavers, although she wasn't sad for the loss. These dead parts of her body would gently swirl down onto the ground, where earthworms and other dwellers in her shade would scavenge them for food. And in the end, they'd fertilize her soil, helping her to grow even further.
And growing and producing oxygen, that was her sense in life now. That was all she did when she was not sleeping at the night. Before she'd changed, she'd been worried about giving up all her senses, giving up all her freedom. She'd be blind and deaf as a plant, paralyzed and confined to a single place, locked-in and alone with her thoughts. Colleagues had argued against the experiment precisely because of these concerns, they'd feared that this state of mind may lead to insanity. But Louise had tried to evaluate these perils by using already existing serums to change into other 'confined' shapes for short times.
And during her time as a blind snake, an earthworm and a starfish, she'd noticed that her body had always made her mind to feel at ease with the reduced shape and especially the absence of familiar senses. So she'd decided to go through with the experiment. Nonetheless, directly after her change, after the pleasure of the transformation had subsided and she'd realized that she'd really become a plant for the next few weeks now, she'd felt incredibly disoriented at first. Sight, sound, smell - all gone. Movement only at a slow, almost non-existant level. And then her new body, incomparably stranger than even a jellyfish's, with an almost uncountable supply of limbs and skin.
But soon, her fears had been forgotten. Basking in the sun felt glorious, and while she couldn't see the light, she could still feel it, almost like a gentle, warm blanket hugging most of her body. She'd changed into many shapes, but this was the by far most relaxed one of all. Just waiting and taking in energy and unclean air purifying it. Simple bliss and peace.
Her only regret was that she couldn't tell Dale how much she loved her transformation. Each morning, there was someone watering her, and she could feel this person stroking her leaves and blossoms. Louise was sure that this was her husband, but there was no way for her to make sure. Oh, how she'd have loved to give him a sign when he stroked her, but she was a plant, a rosebush, she couldn't move, at least not at a speed which would make the motion noticeable to a human. She'd tried closing her blossoms as a sign when he'd watered her the second day, but he'd been long gone before her blossoms had even been halfway finished. Since then, she'd given up trying. It was sad, but there was nothing she could do.
Hm, I'm wondering what's keeping him today? Louise wondered now. Her blossoms were already fully opened, her whole body already fully in the sun. Normally, her water-bearer came before, shortly after dawn. Perhaps he had to go on a sale trip...? He'd mentioned that something like this could happen before she'd changed, and so she wasn't alarmed. She wasn't in any danger of drying up either, there was still more than enough water stored in the soil. And therefore she simply did what this body excelled at - waiting patiently.
Shortly thereafter, she suddenly felt fresh, cool water dropping down on her and thirstily her roots sucked the liquid essence out of the soil. It probably wasn't Dale, though, for this person didn't give her leaves a stroking as tenderly as the other. He or she still brushed against her body, even sniffed at one of her blossoms - she could feel the slight wisp of breath - but the usual tenderness was missing.
Louise felt a pang of regret at this realization. She already missed Dale, his face, his voice, his jokes... his presence had been there, but it had been frustrating not to be able to see or hear him. She didn't even know when he came or how long he stayed - the only evidence of a human being near to her was the sensation of water dripping down on her or a hand stroking her leaves. For all she knew he could be right next to her all the time, observing her without touching! Like an invisible shadow, almost a ghost. Always there, but unreachable. And even that was gone now. Her gloomy thoughts didn't dwell for long, though.
Huh? What's that? she thought surprised as she suddenly felt a curious, new sensation. It was confined to a single blossom, an almost imperceptible weight on a leaf which started moving inwards. It was almost like a pleasant tingle, and Louise was even a bit disappointed as whatever that had been disappeared from her blossom again. But not for long, and barely a few seconds later, the tingle reappeared at another blossom.
It took her almost the entire morning to figure out the obvious explanation for this strange feeling. It must be a bee or something similar... Louise thought while she enjoyed the tingling sensation in yet another of her blossoms. Somehow it must have entered the greenhouse when whoever watered me earlier stepped in.
Because the greenhouse had been used as a testbed for insect serums before, it had been devoid of most natural life which could pose a threat to transformed humans, including and especially state-building insects. But now, apparently one had found its way inside the greenhouse and reaped her nectar. Louise couldn't really say that she was disappointed by this development. It felt good and she was a plant, after all. Insects were essential for a plant's survival and procreation.
Hm, I'm wondering... the woman-turned plant thought amused while she enjoyed the sensation of the insect gathering pollen in her body. I'm a plant now, and plants rely on insects to spread their seed and to procreate. Does this mean that I'm having... sex right now? She had to giggle mentally at the thought. The prospect was alien and familiar at the same time. Alien because plants were different from humans on so many levels. To rely on tiny insects for procreation really boggled the mind. And familiar because... well, because she was a plant right now and because of this it would be perfectly normal for her.
The sun rose, and Louise sensed how her life cycle started to move once more. Water rose through her many roots up into her leaves where it served as a catalyst for setting in photosynthesis. Light was absorbed, carbon dioxide was captured, oxygen was produced. Here and there new branches and blooms started to grow, while at the same time old and spent ones parted her body and fell to the ground.
She felt each and every part of her body, each tiny leaf, each miniscule root, and she wished farewell to all leavers, although she wasn't sad for the loss. These dead parts of her body would gently swirl down onto the ground, where earthworms and other dwellers in her shade would scavenge them for food. And in the end, they'd fertilize her soil, helping her to grow even further.
And growing and producing oxygen, that was her sense in life now. That was all she did when she was not sleeping at the night. Before she'd changed, she'd been worried about giving up all her senses, giving up all her freedom. She'd be blind and deaf as a plant, paralyzed and confined to a single place, locked-in and alone with her thoughts. Colleagues had argued against the experiment precisely because of these concerns, they'd feared that this state of mind may lead to insanity. But Louise had tried to evaluate these perils by using already existing serums to change into other 'confined' shapes for short times.
And during her time as a blind snake, an earthworm and a starfish, she'd noticed that her body had always made her mind to feel at ease with the reduced shape and especially the absence of familiar senses. So she'd decided to go through with the experiment. Nonetheless, directly after her change, after the pleasure of the transformation had subsided and she'd realized that she'd really become a plant for the next few weeks now, she'd felt incredibly disoriented at first. Sight, sound, smell - all gone. Movement only at a slow, almost non-existant level. And then her new body, incomparably stranger than even a jellyfish's, with an almost uncountable supply of limbs and skin.
But soon, her fears had been forgotten. Basking in the sun felt glorious, and while she couldn't see the light, she could still feel it, almost like a gentle, warm blanket hugging most of her body. She'd changed into many shapes, but this was the by far most relaxed one of all. Just waiting and taking in energy and unclean air purifying it. Simple bliss and peace.
Her only regret was that she couldn't tell Dale how much she loved her transformation. Each morning, there was someone watering her, and she could feel this person stroking her leaves and blossoms. Louise was sure that this was her husband, but there was no way for her to make sure. Oh, how she'd have loved to give him a sign when he stroked her, but she was a plant, a rosebush, she couldn't move, at least not at a speed which would make the motion noticeable to a human. She'd tried closing her blossoms as a sign when he'd watered her the second day, but he'd been long gone before her blossoms had even been halfway finished. Since then, she'd given up trying. It was sad, but there was nothing she could do.
Hm, I'm wondering what's keeping him today? Louise wondered now. Her blossoms were already fully opened, her whole body already fully in the sun. Normally, her water-bearer came before, shortly after dawn. Perhaps he had to go on a sale trip...? He'd mentioned that something like this could happen before she'd changed, and so she wasn't alarmed. She wasn't in any danger of drying up either, there was still more than enough water stored in the soil. And therefore she simply did what this body excelled at - waiting patiently.
Shortly thereafter, she suddenly felt fresh, cool water dropping down on her and thirstily her roots sucked the liquid essence out of the soil. It probably wasn't Dale, though, for this person didn't give her leaves a stroking as tenderly as the other. He or she still brushed against her body, even sniffed at one of her blossoms - she could feel the slight wisp of breath - but the usual tenderness was missing.
Louise felt a pang of regret at this realization. She already missed Dale, his face, his voice, his jokes... his presence had been there, but it had been frustrating not to be able to see or hear him. She didn't even know when he came or how long he stayed - the only evidence of a human being near to her was the sensation of water dripping down on her or a hand stroking her leaves. For all she knew he could be right next to her all the time, observing her without touching! Like an invisible shadow, almost a ghost. Always there, but unreachable. And even that was gone now. Her gloomy thoughts didn't dwell for long, though.
Huh? What's that? she thought surprised as she suddenly felt a curious, new sensation. It was confined to a single blossom, an almost imperceptible weight on a leaf which started moving inwards. It was almost like a pleasant tingle, and Louise was even a bit disappointed as whatever that had been disappeared from her blossom again. But not for long, and barely a few seconds later, the tingle reappeared at another blossom.
It took her almost the entire morning to figure out the obvious explanation for this strange feeling. It must be a bee or something similar... Louise thought while she enjoyed the tingling sensation in yet another of her blossoms. Somehow it must have entered the greenhouse when whoever watered me earlier stepped in.
Because the greenhouse had been used as a testbed for insect serums before, it had been devoid of most natural life which could pose a threat to transformed humans, including and especially state-building insects. But now, apparently one had found its way inside the greenhouse and reaped her nectar. Louise couldn't really say that she was disappointed by this development. It felt good and she was a plant, after all. Insects were essential for a plant's survival and procreation.
Hm, I'm wondering... the woman-turned plant thought amused while she enjoyed the sensation of the insect gathering pollen in her body. I'm a plant now, and plants rely on insects to spread their seed and to procreate. Does this mean that I'm having... sex right now? She had to giggle mentally at the thought. The prospect was alien and familiar at the same time. Alien because plants were different from humans on so many levels. To rely on tiny insects for procreation really boggled the mind. And familiar because... well, because she was a plant right now and because of this it would be perfectly normal for her.
*******************************************************
Over the rest of the week, the insect became her constant companion. She didn't have to wait for long each morning until she felt the now familiar tingle, her bustling friend buzzing in to harvest her pollen. Louise was just wondering how it would feel if dozens of bees would be crawling into her blossoms at the same time when she suddenly felt almost all of her branches and roots receding, while only a few stayed in place and became bigger and fleshier at the same time.
It's over... I'm changing back... the woman thought with just the tiniest part of sadness as her body transformed back into her human shape once. The first few seconds were more than disorienting. She was assaulted by pictures and sounds and smells, almost forgotten concepts. Having a body which would actually move to her commands felt weird - and limited at the same time. She only had five branches and a trunk, nothing compared to the hundreds of artful and intertwined branches she'd possessed as a rosebush.
Slowly, Louise rose up, pulling her feet out of the hole in the soil where her roots had rested. There in front of her lay a lab overcoat, and next to the door...
"Welcome back!"
Startled, she looked at the stranger who had awaited her. Since he'd had the decency to not look at her nude body, she could only see his back, but he obviously wasn't Dale. Has he really been gone on a sales trip...? she thought a bit miffed. She'd looked forward to telling her husband of her experiences, and as much as she'd loved being a plant, she longed for an embrace, a kiss...
Swiftly, Louise donned the lab coat. "Um, I've covered myself, you can look now!" she said cautiously.
The stranger chuckled, then turned and walked towards her, his hand outstretched. "Hello Louise. I hope I can call you Louise, can I?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I'm Jensen, I'm chief of your husband's department. Did you have an enjoyable time?"
Louise nodded. "Yeah, it was really an adventure being a plant. But..." she furrowed her brows. "Where's Dale? And why are you here? His department isn't involved in this experiment."
A mysterious smile appeared on Jensen's face. "Yes, your husband. He asked me to greet you when you would change back. Because you would change back before him."
"Dale... transformed as well?" Louise made big eyes. "Why? And into what...?"
Jensen chuckled again. "He wanted to be close to you, and since you were a rosebush, he couldn't. That's why he almost worked himself to death, so I had to intervene. And I think I just had the perfect idea... why don't you stretch out your hand?"
Perplexed, Louise did as she had been told. What was this guy going at...? A faint buzzing sounded, and her eyes flew wide open as it became more and more pronounced until a black-and-yellow bumblebee appeared, flying a joyful circle around her head before settling down on her hand. She gasped as she stared at the small insect on her palm.
"Is that...?" she gaped and Jensen nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, that's Dale. I proposed that he become intimate with you even in your plant-form, and to become intimate with a plant..." he winked "...you have to harvest its pollen."
Mesmerized, Louise stared at the beautiful bumblebee. Suddenly, everything made sense. "So you've been the insect which always flew into my blossoms!" she exclaimed. The insect nodded, basically bobbing up and down its body, an almost invisible motion, but Louise spotted it nonetheless. "You have no idea how good that felt..." Slowly, she stretched out a finger and very cautiously stroked her transformed husband's silky fur. The bumblebee didn't move, even rubbed its comparably tiny body against her finger. "You're so soft!" She offered a finger and without hesitation, Dale crawled onto it, so that Louise could bring him in front of her eyes.
"Just beautiful..." she whispered as she studied the insect closely. "How... how long is he gonna stay this way?" she asked Jensen.
The man smiled. "Oh, only until tomorrow evening. Then he'll be back. But I'm sure that won't be a problem."
With a loud buzz, Dale launched again, flying some artistic maneuvers, each one bringing him a bit further away from Louise.
"Um... what does he want me to do?" The wife asked, following the aerial acrobatics of her husband-turned insect with wonder in her eyes.
Jensen chuckled. "Oh, remember, he's harvested your body for almost a week. From dusk till dawn. I'm sure he wants to show you the fruits of his labors..."
Louise made a big 'O' with her mouth. "You mean... my... honey? Ohhh... honey, I can't wait! Show me...!"
Smiling, Jensen watched the oddly matched pair, buzzing bumblebee and overcoat-covered woman, running off to the spot in a corner where he'd seen Dale making a nest over the week. "I love it when managing my duties as a department head and helping my subordinates goes hand in hand..." he mused satisfied. Then he turned and silently exited the greenhouse, leaving the reunited pair inside to their long desired private time.
It's over... I'm changing back... the woman thought with just the tiniest part of sadness as her body transformed back into her human shape once. The first few seconds were more than disorienting. She was assaulted by pictures and sounds and smells, almost forgotten concepts. Having a body which would actually move to her commands felt weird - and limited at the same time. She only had five branches and a trunk, nothing compared to the hundreds of artful and intertwined branches she'd possessed as a rosebush.
Slowly, Louise rose up, pulling her feet out of the hole in the soil where her roots had rested. There in front of her lay a lab overcoat, and next to the door...
"Welcome back!"
Startled, she looked at the stranger who had awaited her. Since he'd had the decency to not look at her nude body, she could only see his back, but he obviously wasn't Dale. Has he really been gone on a sales trip...? she thought a bit miffed. She'd looked forward to telling her husband of her experiences, and as much as she'd loved being a plant, she longed for an embrace, a kiss...
Swiftly, Louise donned the lab coat. "Um, I've covered myself, you can look now!" she said cautiously.
The stranger chuckled, then turned and walked towards her, his hand outstretched. "Hello Louise. I hope I can call you Louise, can I?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I'm Jensen, I'm chief of your husband's department. Did you have an enjoyable time?"
Louise nodded. "Yeah, it was really an adventure being a plant. But..." she furrowed her brows. "Where's Dale? And why are you here? His department isn't involved in this experiment."
A mysterious smile appeared on Jensen's face. "Yes, your husband. He asked me to greet you when you would change back. Because you would change back before him."
"Dale... transformed as well?" Louise made big eyes. "Why? And into what...?"
Jensen chuckled again. "He wanted to be close to you, and since you were a rosebush, he couldn't. That's why he almost worked himself to death, so I had to intervene. And I think I just had the perfect idea... why don't you stretch out your hand?"
Perplexed, Louise did as she had been told. What was this guy going at...? A faint buzzing sounded, and her eyes flew wide open as it became more and more pronounced until a black-and-yellow bumblebee appeared, flying a joyful circle around her head before settling down on her hand. She gasped as she stared at the small insect on her palm.
"Is that...?" she gaped and Jensen nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, that's Dale. I proposed that he become intimate with you even in your plant-form, and to become intimate with a plant..." he winked "...you have to harvest its pollen."
Mesmerized, Louise stared at the beautiful bumblebee. Suddenly, everything made sense. "So you've been the insect which always flew into my blossoms!" she exclaimed. The insect nodded, basically bobbing up and down its body, an almost invisible motion, but Louise spotted it nonetheless. "You have no idea how good that felt..." Slowly, she stretched out a finger and very cautiously stroked her transformed husband's silky fur. The bumblebee didn't move, even rubbed its comparably tiny body against her finger. "You're so soft!" She offered a finger and without hesitation, Dale crawled onto it, so that Louise could bring him in front of her eyes.
"Just beautiful..." she whispered as she studied the insect closely. "How... how long is he gonna stay this way?" she asked Jensen.
The man smiled. "Oh, only until tomorrow evening. Then he'll be back. But I'm sure that won't be a problem."
With a loud buzz, Dale launched again, flying some artistic maneuvers, each one bringing him a bit further away from Louise.
"Um... what does he want me to do?" The wife asked, following the aerial acrobatics of her husband-turned insect with wonder in her eyes.
Jensen chuckled. "Oh, remember, he's harvested your body for almost a week. From dusk till dawn. I'm sure he wants to show you the fruits of his labors..."
Louise made a big 'O' with her mouth. "You mean... my... honey? Ohhh... honey, I can't wait! Show me...!"
Smiling, Jensen watched the oddly matched pair, buzzing bumblebee and overcoat-covered woman, running off to the spot in a corner where he'd seen Dale making a nest over the week. "I love it when managing my duties as a department head and helping my subordinates goes hand in hand..." he mused satisfied. Then he turned and silently exited the greenhouse, leaving the reunited pair inside to their long desired private time.