“No!” cried Jean as she vaulted over the couch.  Leon’s head had dipped to Robin’s chest, nibbling her way down the curve of her sister’s breast.  A quick tug opened the collar’s buckle, and soon it was free.

It took several moments for Jean to pull Leon away from Robin.  Leon stared at her sister, then shook her head to clear it.  “Sorry.  I got a little carried away.”

“No fucking kidding.  Why didn’t you stop?” growled Jean.

Leon covered her breasts up with her arms, defensively.  “I...  Honestly, I thought she was you.”

Jean blinked, then looked down at the collar.  She had a death-grip on it with her left hand.   “Oh.”  She pried her fingers free, then with trembling hands offered it to Leon.  

Leon placed the collar around his wife’s neck tenderly.  When the buckle closed she melted against him and sighed.  “Sorry about that.  I got jealous and more than a little crazy.  Told you I needed the collar.”

Leon blinked.  “So... if I told you to to be happy that I was trying to make out with my sister...”

Jean grinned.  “You totally should hit that!  She’s cute!”

Robin’s jaw dropped.  “What?”

“Cancel all orders,” said Leon with a sigh.

“You still should do it.  She wants you so bad it hurts to see.  Look at her!”

Leon turned to her sister.  “Is it true?”

Robin squeaked an incomprehensible response, then nodded.  Her gaze dropped to her lap.

“Since when?”

“Since always,” she whispered.  “I just didn’t realize until I heard about you turning into a girl.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Leon.  She slipped the cats-eye ring off her finger, and was male again.  He tugged on his pants.  “Does this help?”

“A little,” admitted Robin.  “But I won’t be able to forget.”

“You won’t be able to forget trying to rape me?”

“That’s not what I...  Aw fuck.”  Robin started crying.

“The collar isn’t a toy, sis.  Despite how it gets used around here, it can really make a mess of people.  How do you think I’d have felt if Jean hadn’t stopped me?”

“You don’t...  When it came off, and you didn’t stop, I...”

“I’m sorry, sis.  If there was anything I could do, I would.  I’ve never felt the same about you.  I mean I love you, don’t get me wrong... but you said it yourself earlier.  You’ll always be my little sister to me.  I can’t.  I really can’t.”

Robin sniffed and nodded.  “I understand.  Besides, Carrie-Lee was the better kisser of the three.”

“Ha!” crowed Carrie-Lee.  “I win!”

Robin giggled through her tears.  “Yep.  You win... messed up little ol’ me.  Turn me into whatever you want.”

Carrie-Lee took Robin’s hands, and pulled her off of the couch and into a hug.  “You can be my tentacle-babe some other time.  And I’ll be your snaky-thing.”

“At the same time?” asked Robin hopefully.

Leon shook his head.  “Can’t.  The ring only changes one person at a time.”

Robin pouted her disappointment, while Jean looked thoughtful.

“And I think I’d prefer the collar stay on Jean’s neck tonight,” added Leon. “So no tentacle-snakes, or whatever it is you’re...”

Robin and Carrie-Lee were looking at each other and grinning.  “Tentacle snakes!  That’s it!”

“Oh God, what have I started...  Come one, we need to, uh...”  Leon looked around the room for inspiration, and saw the empty tub Jean had been standing in while she was a tree.  He tried very hard not to think about how her green tree-tentacles had looked a little like snakes.

“We should go get a Christmas tree while there’s still light out!” blurted Leon.

Jean clapped excitedly.  “Oh, can we?”

“Yep.  If we brought a live tree up here and put it in your tub, it should last nicely.”

“Where are you going to find a live tree?” asked Carrie-Lee.

“In our back yard.  Come on, get dressed.  It’s cold out there.”

Soon they were gathered at the door, dressed and putting on coats.  All save for Jean, who was grinning from ear to ear, and growing brown fur.  Her arms lengthened, and her hands hardened into black hooves.  When she dropped to all fours her torso lengthened and strengthened, and her face pushed out into a cervid muzzle.  Short antlers sprouted from her elongated head, and to top it all her nose began to glow bright red.

“You turned her into Rudolf?”

“She promised to bring the tree back to the house.  This was how.”

As it was now very crowded in the mud room, Leon opened the front door and Jean scrambled outside.  She stood there, panting in the cold wintry air, with a huge grin on her muzzle.

“Ready to go get a tree?”

Jean bellowed a cheerful reply.

“You can speak,” said Leon.

“I can?  Woah!  Cool!”  Jean’s new voice was a pleasant baritone.

“Come on, there’s not a lot of light left in the day.”

Leon led the way around the house and down a broad path through the trees.  Snow crunched underfoot as they walked.  Jean started singing ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ and everyone laughed, then joined in.

“She really needs some jingling bells on her harness,” said Robin after the song was done.

“Sweetie, grow some bells and a harness.”

They caroled their way to the field of trees.  Jean frolicked among them, jingling merrily.  “What about this one?”

“It’s twelve feet tall, love.  Most of the trees here are too big to use, I’m going to have to plant some seedlings in the spring.”

Robin found a section with smaller trees, and picked out a lovely one that stood only a couple of feet taller than they did.  “This one.”

Jean snuffled around the other trees near it, then nodded.  “Sure.  It’s a nice tree.  Now how are we going to dig it up?”  She looked over at Leon, who was grinning.  “You didn’t bring any tools down.  What are we going to use?”

Leon’s grin got bigger.

“Oh!” Jean exclaimed excitedly.  “You’re going to use me?”

“Yes indeed.  Transform into a giant badger, with huge, strong digging claws.  Keep the voice and nose.”

Jean pranced in place as her body shifted, becoming squat and sturdy.  Her stubby, muscular legs left her considerably shorter than the people around her, but her shoulders still came up higher than their waists.  “Woo.  I feel like a tank.  Or like I could lift one.  Let me at that tree.”

“Carefully now.  We don’t want too much damage to the roots.”

Jean plunged a clawed foreleg into the frozen soil around the base of the tree.  “It’s like slicing butter.  How strong am I?”

Leon shrugged.  “Strong enough to do the job.”

More strokes from Jean’s claws freed the tree in record time.  “Now what?”

“Lie beside the tree, and turn your limbs into big, strong tentacles.”

Carrie-Lee purred at the change.  “Oooh, this is nice.  Furry tentacles look like fun.”

“Play later.  For now, use those furry tentacles to lift the tree onto your big, strong back.”

Jean did so, and at Leon’s command grew more tentacles to secure the tree in place, before acquiring bear-like legs for the walk back up to the house.  The slope that had seemed so gentle on the way down proved more of a challenge on the return.  Leon tried a few different changes to Jean before settling on three pairs of bear-legs, but with broad feet almost like a rabbit’s.

The next challenge was the doors.  With the tree standing vertically on Jean’s back, there was no way it would fit.  So at Carrie-Lee’s suggestion and much to her delight, Jean became a roiling mass of tentacles.  She wrapped the tree up, tilted it base-first, and swarmed through the doorway.  Soon it was settled in the tub that had held Jean through the previous night.

Once the tree was standing tall and stable, Carrie-Lee asked, “Can we keep her like this a little longer?  She’ll be very handy decorating the tree.”

Leon laughed.  “That’s not why you want her like this.  Jean, tell me.  Are you OK staying like this for a while?”

Jean’s voice giggled from the middle of the tentacles.  “For as long as C-L wants me.”

With a dozen tentacles to assist them, the pile of discarded lights and ribbons was swiftly woven into the new tree.  Leon opened the one box they’d not used on Jean, and lifted out a large brass star.  “If you’d do the honors, love?”

Three tentacles gently took the star from Leon’s hands, then lofted it to the tip of the tree and secured it in place.  Jean brushed her tentacles against each other and declared in a satisfied voice, “Done.”  She wriggled back a few feet, ‘accidentally’ swarming over Carrie-Lee’s legs, and considered the tree.  “It’s beautiful.”

“So are you,” breathed Carrie-Lee, hands stroking along the tentacle at her waist.

Jean giggled.  “I bet you say that to all the tentacles you meet.”

“Well, there was this octopus at the aquarium that I had such a crush on...”  Carrie-Lee laughed.  “It never would have worked.  She breathes water, I breathe air... that’s kind of a show stopper.”

Jean’s tentacles worked their way up under Carrie-Lee’s dress, making her squirm and moan.

Robin blushed, but didn’t look away.  Leon chuckled softly beside her.  “Jealous?”

“Aren’t you?  That’s your wife there.”

“Making out with a fine looking woman while I get to watch.  Not seeing a problem, myself.  Especially once they’re done with the ring and I get to be Leona again.”

“I still haven’t seen this ‘Leona’,” noted Robin.

“Oooh, we have to show her,” said Carrie-Lee.  “Besides, it’s almost dinnertime.”

“And I need a pretty kittygirl maid to clean up after me in the kitchen,” said the tentacles.  “C’mon, Leon.”

The tentacles swept Carrie-Lee toward the master bedroom, with Leon following behind.  Robin watched them go, shaking her head with amusement.  When they returned, Jean was wearing an apron and little else.  Robin looked around.  “Where’s my brother?”

Carrie-Lee nodded to Jean, and they stepped apart to reveal the diminutive figure that had followed them up the hallway.  Wearing the simple black slip of her “uniform”, Leona curtsied neatly to Robin, fuzzy tail swishing behind her and making a lie of her composed expression.  Two cute ears perked toward Robin, waiting for her reaction.

Robin rushed up and hugged Leona tight.  “Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!  You’re so CUTE!  I can’t believe it’s really my big brother in there.”

Leona giggled.  “I have trouble believing it myself.  I don’t feel like a ‘Leon’ in this body.”

Once Robin let her go, Leona scampered off to the kitchen to help Jean with dinner.  Robin and Carrie-Lee waited by the fire, warming their toes as they chatted.  Leona watched from the kitchen, grinning.  Jean shared the grin.  “I think that crush on you might just be redirecting itself.”

Leona nodded.  “Looks that way.  C-L seems like a good person.”

“The best.”

Leona approached the two women snuggled together on the loveseat, and demurely invited them to dinner.  Robin giggled.  “Are you sure Jean’s the one who has the collar?”

Leona laughed.  “Yes.  Mistress Jean is still collared.”

“Mistress?  Well, now.  I suppose we should accept Mistress Jean’s kind invitation.  C-L?”

“Of course.”

Dinner was excellent, and led Robin to stare in wonder at Jean yet again.  “If you could always cook like this, why didn’t you?”

Jean laughed, and touched her collar.  “I was confused without this.  Fighting about things that didn’t matter.  Hell, fighting over cooking was extra stupid, because I’ve always loved to cook.”

“Can... can you teach me?” asked Robin softly.  “Mom and I don’t get along too well, so I kinda never learned from her.”

Jean smiled graciously.  “Of course.  You’re welcome here any time.  Isn’t that right, dear?”

Leona giggled.  “As long as she doesn’t mind little sis being underfoot for those lessons.”

“Little sis, huh?  What are you, twelve?”

Leona’s ears flattened.  “No.  If I had to pick an age, I’d go with nineteen or so.”

“Works for me.  Still my little sis, but not too young... if you know what I mean.”

Leona blushed.  “So you like kittygirls, too?”

Robin glanced over at Carrie-Lee, who nodded her approval.  “I... like this, you don’t do anything for me.  For which I am profoundly relieved.”

Leona’s ears perked up.  “I’m so glad to hear that.”

Carrie-Lee grinned at Robin.  “Can’t say that I’m sad about it either...”

Robin blushed, and picked at what was left of her food.

After dinner, Leona returned to the kitchen to clean up.  Robin cleared the table, and helped with what little washing up was left to do.

“Been a while since we worked together in a kitchen,” said Robin once the dishwasher was running.

“Heh, yeah.  Not since I left for Uni, right?”

“Yeah.  All the cleaning up fell to me after that.  I learned how good I’d had it with a big brother around shortly after that.”

Leona laughed.  “I can imagine.  You never said that before.”

Robin grinned.  “It’s way easier to talk to little sis the kittygirl maid, than my imposing lawyer big brother.”

“Cool.  I like seeing you as a big sister, too.”

“Though... I kinda need a favour from big brother soon.”

“You only have to ask, sis.  I’ll be disappointed to go back to Leon so soon, but it’s hardly tragic.”

Robin clapped her hands.  “Great!  It’ll be just like old times.  I need you to drive me to the mall.”

“The mall?  But it’s closed this time of night.”

“The convenience store on the corner isn’t.  I work graveyard.”

Leona made a screwed-up face of disgust that drew a giggle.  “That’s terrible!  Why would you do that to yourself?”

Robin snorted.  “You know Dad.  ‘When you live under my roof...’”

“‘You live by my rules’,” Leona finished.  “Is he making you pay rent?”

“Kind of.  Combination of that and guilt over how much they paid for my unfinished degree.  I’ve paid enough in rent the last few years to cover a good part of it.  Thank God it was only the local college.”

“Awww.”  Leona hugged her big sister.  “How soon do you need to go?”

“My shift starts in an hour, but you know how the roads get.  Can we leave soon?” asked Robin, apologetically.

“Sure.”  Leona darted off to the bedroom, and Leon returned soon after, fully dressed.  He told Jean he was taking Robin to work, which got sympathy from both women.  And a request for the ring from Carrie-Lee.

“I suppose you’d like control of my wife’s form, too?” asked Leon.

“Pretty please?”

Leon sighed mock-sufferingly.  “Fine.  But save the good stuff for when I get back.  Jean, whenever Carrie-Lee says ‘pretty please become’, you will change to what she tells you to.”

Jean clapped her hands and accepted the ring greedily.  “Don’t rush home.”

Leon laughed, and pulled his coat on.

Once they were on the road, Robin asked, “Are you really OK with them like that?  Who knows what they’re getting up to.”

“Jealous?”

Robin crossed her arms defiantly.  “A little.”

“Sis, they’ve known each other for years.  And I owe my marriage to Carrie-Lee, in a roundabout way.  So yeah.  They can do what they want, as long as I get to watch for the good stuff.  That, or participate, but C-L doesn’t care for Leon.”

Robin whined.  “I feel like I’m getting left out by you and your amazing friends once again.”

“I’m pretty sure C-L wants very, very badly to play snakes and tentacles with you.  So you’ll have your fun.  You might want to give the collar a try...”

“I’ll think about it.  It’s kind of scary, hearing what Jean did to you.  I’d have no say.”

Leon shrugged.  “Not really, no.  Unless C-L asks.  Even then, orders can mess up what you can say.  It’s slippery.  Still... with Jean and me around, there are limits to what she could do.”

Robin brightened.  “Oh!  You’d do that?  Despite me being your baby sister and all?”

“I saw how you two got along.  Yeah, I’d spot for you.  Though I’d rather not see what you’re up to, so I’d prefer to just enforce a time limit.”

“Like... make sure I’m free by morning, kind of time limit?”

Leon made a face.  “Yeah.  I’m going to need good earplugs.”

“Yep!”

When they pulled up at the mall, Leon got out with Robin to walk her to the store.  As they crunched through the snow, Robin said, “About that discussion earlier.  The rules under your roof, and all that?  I got to thinking when you said it...  What would the rules under your roof be?”

“I hadn’t thought it through.  I’d want help around the house, and you’d need to at least cover your share of the food.”

“No mandatory church, or ‘you must have a job, no matter how crappy’?”

Leon shrugged.  “I’d rather you weren’t streetwalking to raise the money, but piecework or casual whatever...  Heck, if you wanted to try selling your sculptures online to raise the cash, I’m sure Jean would help.  She’s good with computers, and has some spare time these days.”

“Can I move in now?” laughed Robin.

“Is it really that bad at home?”

Robin sighed.  “I guess not.  Anyways, thanks for the ride.  I’ll hang out at the mall until the buses start, and get home that way.”

“You’ll be safe?”

“Yes, big brother.  I do it all the time.  Have fun at work tomorrow!”

Leon laughed.  “I hope Dad’s not as bad at work as he is at home.”

“He’s probably worse.”

* * *

Leon returned from his first day at his father’s office quite pleased with himself.  His father had made it clear there would be no favouritism, and that he expected Leon to work like anyone else at the firm.  He’d also said that Leon’s old boss was a good friend of his, and had also been pushing for Leon to head to a lower-pressure practice.  Leon agreed that he’d never been as happy in court as he had been doing research or writing contracts, and was happy to hear that much more of his father’s business was contract law.  He’d even helped a new client with a basic real estate transfer, and been praised for it.  Praised!

When he entered the house, the smell of fresh bread made him smile.  “Baking again?”

Jean rushed up to him, wiping hands on her apron.  “Robin wanted lessons, and I figured you wouldn’t complain about fresh bread.”

“Robin’s here?”

Robin emerged from the pantry and waved uncertainly.  Leon gestured her over, and gave her a hug.  “So what’s my little sis doing here, really?”

“About those ‘under your roof rules’... were you serious?”

Jean spoke up, “Please say yes.”

“Of course.  What happened?”

“Stupid job scheduled me for Christmas Day.  Christmas Day!  Not even the late shift, but right smack dab in the middle of dinner and everything.  I asked what it would take to get the day off, and the manager said ‘quitting’.  So I did.”

“Oh, Robin.  Not that I blame you, but...”  He turned to Jean.  “Can I borrow the ring?  I’d like to give big sis a hug.”

Robin clutched him tighter.  “I kinda need big brother more right now.  Because that’s not the worst of it.”

“Mom?”

“Yeah.  I told her I’d quit, she went ballistic.  I’ve kind of burned bridges here already, that was pretty much my last-chance job.  So... threats, rants, recrimination. You know the drill.”

Leon winced and patted her back comfortingly.  “Been there.  You seem to get the worst of it, though.”

“I’m not the golden son, no.  That’s still not the ugly part.  I...”  Robin looked away.

“Tell him,” said Jean, firmly.

“I told Mom I was gay.  She was surprisingly calm about that, though more in the ‘eye of the storm’ sense.  She started talking about phases and it ticked me off so I kind of mentioned the magic ring.  I didn’t even get to tell her about the tentacles before she started screaming.  So... that’s about when I left.  I walked over here, and... well.  Here I am.  Can I stay?”

Leon winced.  “Assuming I have a job tomorrow.  Look, let me call Dad and see where things stand.”

One very terse call later, Leon sighed.  “Mom’s still on the warpath.  Dad is ticked at you for setting her off, but not for the rest.  I think he’d figured out the gay thing anyway.”

“Oh.  Good.”

“He also insisted that if you can’t find work, you had to move out.  You knew the rules, etcetera, etcetera.  So yes.  You may stay here.  And yes, I expect you to help around the house.  I sure hope that bread is edible, or you get to be the broom tomorrow.”

Robin stared at him in shock.  “The... broom?  You’d turn me into a...”  Then she saw the look on his face and started giggling.  “You were joking.”

“I have been known to, from time to time.  Besides, I think you’d make a better pet than a broom.  Maybe one of those shaggy perambulating footstool type dogs, so we get the best of both worlds.”

“Now I know you’re joking.”

Leon looked over at his wife and spotted the ring on her hand.  “Jean, you’re a dog.”

“Woof!”

Robin spun around and stared at the dog standing where Jean had been, still tangled in her clothes.  It grinned up at her.

“Oh.  My.  God.  Um... does this mean I have to finish making dinner?  Jean showed me most of it, but...”

“Very well, in the interests of a lovely dinner...  Cancel all orders.  Jean, you may change back should you wish.”

“Woof!”  Jean continued to grin, and stayed persistently canine.

“I’d get cooking if I were you,” said Leon with a twinkle in his eye.

“Yessir!  Slave driver.”

Leon laughed and crouched down to skritch Jean between her fuzzy ears.  “Still better than Mom and Dad’s?”

Robin grinned.  “Miles.  And maybe I’ll take you up on that pet thing tomorrow.”