O’Melissokomos
The Bee Keeper

It Came From Outer Spice

by Texzilla

Part One

Yea, the look on my Dad’s face was classic. Happy to see me. Happy to see De’. Not sure what he was going to do about my having Rich and Tak and Stoney and Richardo with me. He knew we were coming and what we were like. Pumped up muscle guys in our prime. Sure I might be the biggest and he’s used to me, but the others don’t let up when it comes to hitting the gym either. Certainly my De’ needs to stay pumped to be in shape for his football scholarship. Even Ricardo being just over 4 feet tall, it’s mainly his arms and legs that didn’t grow proportionally. His chest, abs and ass will give just about any ‘average’ size person’s to shame. I just don’t think Dad was ready for 6 big boys coming at him all at the same time. With this much luggage.

“It’s like Ah’m car pooling your High School wrestling team again. Only more pumped up. Ya look pale.” Dad said grabbing me and going in for one of his patented bear hugs. He was pushing mid 60’s and some days looked it and other, well the other days were the days you didn’t want to get in his way. I think that he was proud of the fact that of all his children, his only son got the looks from his side of the family. Got that hawk of a nose from him like it was freakin’ cloned. Didn’t mind myself except for the male pattern baldness. Which I’ve begrudgingly come to accept. Guess you get a boyfriend who like it and then everything OK with everything. Dad’s hugs were classic. Bear like arms just wrapped around you, and the slight extra squeeze right before the break. This was home. This was safety.

“Dad come on. Ah haven’t lost that much of ma tan yet.”

“It’s that lousy Chicago weather. Even in the summer you’re too far from the sun. De’Andre son, you look well. Given any thought to dumping my son for a more stable guy? Wouldn’t blame you.” Mr. Funnyman says going in for a hung from De’

“Yea, fuck you Dad” I said starting to throw the luggage in the carrier on top of the SUV.

“Isn’t that’s what you brought De’Andre along for son? Doesn’t he get this whole gay concept yet?” One thing the guys kept asking me over and over again…. well they kept asking if there would be snakes all over the place but besides that, they were asking if I was sure my folks wouldn’t have any issues with our all being gay. And, you know, any trouble with us expressing that. My folks are more children of the 60’s than they are children of the reservations. They didn’t have 7 kids because they felt there was a need to restrain love making. I told Tak and Rich we better not all gather in the kitchen for breakfast to find them fucking on the counters, but it was OK to be gay around my folks. Besides, Dad loves De’. A football player for a son in law? Better than anything my sisters ever brought home.

“I’m sorry sir, I’m sticking with him, afraid its love.”

“That’s a shame. Still, good to have you in the family. Remember, you call me Clyde. And you…” Dad said grabbing Tak. “Still need to call me Mr. Talltrees.”

“Oh we’re going be to loving these southern boy accents all week. Am I ever going to get off your shit list sir?”

“None of the cows pass out when they realize your back… Ah’ll take it under consideration. And you must be Rich, and Stoney and Richardo. It’s so nice to finally meet you boys. Welcome.”

There was some general how do you dos then the march to the car. Thankfully Dad traded in his old pick up for a giant SUV about the time I left for school. Don’t tell me that wasn’t planned. 7 kids to take care of and all the man had was a pick-up. His last child, namely me, leaves for college and suddenly he splurges on a car that will seat 15. When he did car pool my high school wrestling team, most had to sit in the flat bed and hold on for dear life. Yet oddly, compared to my Mom, he’s subtle one. But even so, a two and a half hour drive in a cramped SUV started off with...

“So who does what?”

“Like what Dad, their Majors…?” I said not too sure what he was referring to.

“No, like your powers?”

“Oh, we thought you meant sexually. Cause Rich and I are pretty versatile so saying who does what is hard to pin down.” Tak said proving that if something shouldn’t be said, he can say it anyway.

“Thanks for the info Ito but Ah always figured you to have your ass in the air and your ankles pointed at the ceiling the second the door closed….if you even wait that long. Feel free to share other uncomfortable amounts of info during your stay. Getting back to polite talk, Ah know all about Spice’s Shaman powers, trust me ma Father would never let me forget, and because of what happened with the cows, Ah know about Takashi’s lighting. But what does everyone else do?”

“What happened with you and the cows?” Ricardo asked from the back of the SUV.

“Nothingshutup.” Tak mumbled.

“Well De’s still working on finding the depth of his powers. Which is why instead of heading back to school with us, he’ll be heading back to Africa to complete his training.”

“They’re based on animals and a connection to them, but it’s also deeper into nature itself. And I’m not ‘completing’ my training just getting a good understanding. I’ll have to go back several times and NO ONE will have a trouble with my leaving this time or again will he?”

“No sir.” I was sitting in the front with my Dad, De’ in the back behind me. While De’ was talking he reached forward and started stroking my neck and playing tenderly with my ear. Subtle way to let me know that while the voice said one thing, the soul felt deeper.

“That works? Did that when he was a kid and he just did the opposite of what I wanted you to do.”

“When he was a kid he didn’t have 6 friends who’d beat the crap out of him if he puts us, and himself, through what he did the last time De’ left for Africa.” Rich asked

“Nah that can’t be all of it, his sisters were tougher than any of you guys, and there were usually a couple of ranch hands waiting in line to get a kick too.”

“Rich have you ever been able to define your powers?”

“Good change of subjects there. Still trying to pin it all down. Might be some spell casting but haven’t found anything yet. I’m rather good at the use of knives and sharp objects. Comes naturally. And considering I’m a direct descendant of Sir William Gull, the prime suspect of being Jack the Ripper, kind of puts an interesting spin on it, don’t ya think?”

“Talk about sharing unexpected things.”

“That doesn’t put you off does it Luv?”

“Are you kidding, If you’re good with sharp objects, let’s start looking into getting piercings.”

“Strangely though, even with that information Ah’m still more concerned about Ito there. How about you Ricardo? Hey, you ever notice you got a Rich and a Ricardo in the group. How do you keep the names straight, if you don’t mind my using that term?”

“We add an ‘Ardo’ to Ricardo’s name Dad.”

“Oh, that would work.”

“I really have no idea sir. Not really that interested in finding out. I’ll get around to it one day.”

“You move really quick. You’re incredibly nimble. That’s got to be something connected to it.”

“Yea, but I’ve seen you in your wrestling matches Spice, you’re incredibly fast and flexible for someone your size so, it could just be… that I’m fast. I just try to stay limber due to it helps keep my joints and muscles from acting up. Hopefully stay off some of the health issues that hit dwarves later in life. I’m in the doctor’s offices enough now.”

“And Stonewall’s our resident weird shit expert, charm creator and all around Mother Earth.”

“I got you Mother Earth right here Tak. I’ve been working on this since I was a child sir. There’s a lot tied to classic voodoo but not the stuff that the movies and media always report about. No chicken killing or sticking pins in dolls.”

“Wow look at that!” Tak suddenly yelled.

“What!?”

“Nothing. There is absolutely nothing out there but miles and miles of nothing. Are we there yet?”

“Going to kill this kid before the week is up.” Dad muttered.

“Are we stopping for lunch?”

We arrived at the ranch in the middle of the afternoon. The sun was shining pretty hard and I’m afraid not all the guys were quite used to it yet. We’d have to take it easy the first few days. August in New Mexico is not for everyone. Our homestead was a mixture of the original house and additions made over the years. Certainly with as many children and Mom and Dad had, more bedrooms were a must. The focus of the ranch changed from cattle to pecans years ago, I think around the time Dad took over. Again, being the ex-hippy he couldn’t face putting so many animals to death, and growing pecans seemed more along his speed. Certainly more lucrative. We still had a few cows and a couple of horses, but not really as part of the ‘ranch’.

“By the way, as I was heading out this morning to pick you boys up, that showed up.” Dad said pointing to my casting stick which was hovering in the front yard area. Thankfully we’re far from the main road and no one would have seen it. Kind of looked like an ornamental piece for the garden, so they might not have even questioned it if they did. I reached my hand out and it flew over to get caught. It was warm from the sun, and whenever I’m home, it always feels like it’s vibrating a bit more. Closer to its source of origin.

It’s weird how uncomfortable around the casting stick my Father gets. It’s strange that it’s not that I get the feeling he’s jealous that I got the power from his Father, and he didn’t. Sometimes I get the feeling he’s glad he didn’t get the powers, and is worried that I did. Sometimes I don’t blame him. Then again, sometimes I wonder if he was worried about heredity, why didn’t he worry about my going bald so young.

We all got settled in. De’ and I took my old room. Tak and Rich took the guest room my Mom created years ago out of one of my sister’s bedrooms. And we found a way to subtlety, or not subtlety offer Stoney and Ricardo the old, rarely used servant’s quarters on the main floor. The important part being, the main floor. Ricardo does not handle stairs well and we didn’t want him having to climb up the flight and a half several times a day while he visited. So the folks made up these old servant’s quarters the original, original, original owners of the house had put it, which is almost like an apartment on its own. We used the excuses that it was the only room with two single beds, since Stoney and Ricardo were not a ‘couple’.

Not sure how what happened next got started. But the discussion turned to where to have dinner, and that Mom was going to be at the college a few hours more in meetings for the new year. She taught physics at the local community college and was gearing up for the fall semester. Yea, don’t know where that one came from either. Dad, ex-hippie grows tasty pecans. Mom ex-hippy, college level physics teacher. Anyway, it was decided that we would cook dinner for everyone, and surprise Mom. Yea I know. But come on, the kitchen’s gigantic, there’s always tons of food and you know, 6 queers in the kitchen, how could we come up with anything less than yummy. If not overly carb concuss. We were so into it we didn’t even hear her pull up a while later, not till she came in the back screen door with another armful of groceries.

“Oh my heavens what a sight. You boys are just adorable. Nothing can be sweeter than coming home and find my own personal army making dinner for us all. De’ dear how are you give me a kiss, sweet thing. And Tak nice to see you again, what is that cologne I must get some for Clyde, he needs some don’t you know. Let me see if I can guess, well, I’m sorry but I know who Ricardo is wonderful to meet you, you let us know if you need anything to feel more comfortable dear. And this HAS to be Stoney, what wonderful hair, oh dear how long did it take them to ‘locke this, it’s incredible, and so soft. Which leaves Rich, with a smile to light up the room, and a perfect match for our Tak with all those colorful tattoos, like a walking Monet. I declare. And Spice dear BETTER GET HIS ASS OUT SIDE THIS INSTANT!!!”

With that I was grabbed by the ear and thrown out the back kitchen door, moved across the patio and out its screen door. I thought that might be all I rated but when I turned around I saw that Ma had grabbed her broom. Shit, the broom. I did it this time. “Come on Ma let’s talk about this...”

“We’ll talk over by the barn, keep moving.”

Great, BY the barn. I might survive this after all. If I was going inside the barn, I’d be done for. Outside at least there’d be witnesses so she couldn’t off me and hide the body without the guys seeing it for the kitchen window. I turned around to see if she was calming down any only to catch glimpse De’ heading out the screen door after us, only to be pulled back by my Dad. Got to love a man for thinking he could save my ass but I’m on my own out here.

“Do you mind telling me what went on in Chicago? What happened and WHY?”

“Ah don’t know what to tell you. It was….like an accident. Ma stop it with the broom.”

“An accident had you seeking out sex with other men and living in the sewers for a week or more!!”

“YEA AND AH ATE SOME CATS WHILE AH WAS DOWN THERE TOO!!”

“HOW IT THAT???”

“Ah just…ah just had a bad reaction to De’ leaving all of a sudden. Ah love him Ma. Ah don’t know what was going through my head. Ah was afraid of losing him and being alone again.”

“But Spice, really. How did you become so dependant on one person for your own self worth? Is that how we raised you?”

“Ah don’t know Ma. Is it? Or is that how you raised Henry? Which is the real one? It’s been a tough year Ma. Gone from being a 35 year old straight lawyer to a 19 year old gay Shaman/Student. Ah have memories of Henry and how desperately lonely he was and I have memories of Spice and how closeted he was. Either way, De’s been my life line and with him gone, maybe Ah didn’t have a good enough hold on being Spice yet and Ah can’t go back to being Henry so….Ah searched out others to tell me who Ah should be.”

We talked for a long time. I got her point right away but, even though I think everything of my Mom, sometimes words are words. I know to be proud of myself and to be happy with who I am. That what others think does not define me. But I don’t think what happened in Chicago a few weeks ago would have if I truly believed all of it. The sky was a deep purple and a few stars were bringing to come out when she made her wrapping it up move by asking me to show her the infamous tattoo. I turned around and lifted my shirt.

“Do you own any shorts that your ass doesn’t fall half way out of?”

“Had Ah gotten real boy shorts as a kid and not hand-me-downs form ma sisters, I might not have even learned about these. So, whose fault is that Ms. Pennypincher?”

“Mrs. Talltrees!” De’ screamed from the back porch. “Tak won’t let anyone use the toaster and he’s making the toast too dark!!”

“Going out to a restaurant really would have been fine with me.”

“We meant well.”

I got up early the next morning, after carefully making sure not to wake De’ but leaving him a note as to where I’d be. I had to head off to my space, my refuge. What’s commonly called, The Old Barn, but was converted years ago into my work out space and art studio. It was the original barn built when the ranch was first built, but is now far too small for a modern use. What’s called the ‘New’ barn is more than twice its size and holds the few animals we have along with a lot of the pecan gathering equipment. In my ‘old’ barn though, half of it’s taken up by my weights and the other by any ceramic and clay work. I even had an ancient clay wheel to make pots. Not motor, no metal, just gears, strings and rope tied together with a foot pedal to spin the base. It’s what I learned on, and I wouldn’t trade it for a million bucks. This was where I went to get away from my sisters and the world. And it’s still the one place I feel more at home than any other. In the cool of the morning I could get some painting on a few old pots done. If I was going to be here longer I might go into town and pick up some clay but, it would just dry out before I could use it all. But I always had some of my older work that needed some paint and glaze.

“Can I come in?” I heard from behind me, as De’ quietly opened the large barn door.

“Oh sure. You found my note?”

“Didn’t have to leave one. I would know you were out here no matter what. Working on something?”

“Just an old bowl that needed some paint and love. Might do some of these older bowls up and give them to Stoney for all his herbs. Trying to match the glaze to the color scheme of is apartment. Ah can place them in the kiln before we leave today and they should be done when we get back.”

“I think he’d like that. So. Your Mom really tore into you yesterday. Do I need to guess why?”

“No”

“Anything you want to talk about?” De’ grabbed one of work out benches I had and moved it over to sit across from me.

“No, well……, no...” I couldn’t really even make eye contact with him just now. Too embarrassed. Kept concentrating on my stupid bowl painting.

“Did it include something about me or us?”

“Not exactly. It’s more….she thinks Ah rely on the approval of others to approve of myself. That Ah think that because Ah have a relationship with you, or that because Ah have the Shaman power, it’s what makes me who I am and a good person, not that Ah’m a good person AND Ah just happen to have a relationship with you and can do all this weird shit too.”

“Umm, I see what you mean. Well, I see her point too. I don’t think you’re that bad though but I think it’s a natural thing. This doesn’t go for you or the guys but there are people on campus who I know only like me because I’m on the football team. Which, admittedly, isn’t as deep as what you’re talking about. But sometimes I think if I stopped being on the football team, would they give me the time of day? Do you think if you didn’t have the Shaman powers we all wouldn’t be your friends?”

“No, that’s not what’s going on in ma empty head. We were friends before everyone’s powers came out. And there’s this whole Spice/Henry – Henry/Spice thing. Don’t know if Ah can listen to someone who tells me Ah should just be myself when she was partly responsible for me being someone else for most of ma life. Not to forget the fact that they’re making me feel that to make them happy Ah need to be happy with myself…. but would Ah be really happy with myself for myself or to make them happy… head starts to hurt again. ”

“Ok ok, slow down, big guy.”

“At least Henry didn’t get headaches every time he tried to think beyond what color grass is and counting higher than 10.”

“Try not to be hard on her and don’t let her be that hard on you. Right here, right now, we’re teenagers. Almost in our 20’s but still teens. And trying to find out who we really are is what being a teenager is all about. We’re not the only ones with all these questions, we just have extra questions to work with. With some weird ass answers sometimes. But more importantly, right here, right now and forever more, I will always love you.”

“And I love you. You want to stop all this stupid second guessing what we’re doing and make out for a while?”

“Put the bowl on the table.”

A split second after I placed the bowl I was working on safely on the table next to me De’ launched himself off the bench and tackled me, throwing me back so I hit the ground with him on top of me. He leaned in and gave me a fairly rough kiss for this hour in the morning, but instead of pulling away he gently but firmly bit my lower lip and pulled on it slightly. Sometimes this whole Hyena Warrior Magician came in handy.

“So we’re showing off the skills are we, Mister Football Player.” With that I wrapped my legs around is waist, gave a twist and sent him flying backwards till we were in the opposite positions, De’ on his back and me sitting on his stomach.

“Ow, this floor it hard.”

“And dirty.” I said pulling the zipper down on his Northwestern hoody sweat, exposing his bare chest. “But we like hard and dirty.”

“We’re to Princes of Hard and Dirty.”

“Princes. I like that.”

There’s not a lot of light in the barn and the sun was still a ways off from rising, so De’ chocolate brown skin was all the darker in the dim light. Shadow’s played off the muscles and danced as he breathed. Even if I was blindfolded I could find his nipples in an instant. Big round half dollars that gave some when my mouth reached them. Slight sweat and soap taste from his shower the night before. And a few stray hairs around the rim. Returning the favor I flicked the nip a couple of times with my tongue before biting down slightly and pulling back. De’ gritted his teeth slightly and gave a hiss of breath. I bit harder than he had bit me. I had meant to.

Not the best time to think of it, or maybe the perfect time, but we had to remember that while my first test came back negative, it was going to be a while till I was in the as safe as could be determined. This meant we had to play it safe. But there’s plenty of things to do while playing safe.

“That shower still on the side of the barn?”

“It’s going to be cold.”

“We’ll heat it up.”

Getting off the floor but not out of each other’s arms we left the barn and made our way over to the far side, facing away from the house. A shower had been installed years ago when there were more workers. One of those classic outdoor deals, with only a midriff fence of planks between who ever was inside the shower and the entire outdoors on the outside. There wasn’t even a drain for the water to go down, it just ran off into the grass around the barn. Main drawback was the shower was meant for people to use near the end of the day’s work, when the water in the tank could heat up in the sun all day. Even with our massive privates, there was going to be some shrinkage.

“Shit that is cold.” I said after I’d shucked my clothes and ran my hand under the water. De’ piled his clothes on top of mine and joined me with a bottle of liquid soap and a rag. “Why did you ask if the shower was still here if you came prepared?”

“Stop thinking so much.” He said pushing me under the water. I grabbed his hand so he could join me in the cool spray. But he was right. After a few moments and after we started making out again, the cold no longer mattered. Given our background and our power base, doing it outside only added to our heighten senses. He poured some, well a lot, of the liquid body soap all over me and started in with the wash cloth.

“You are the most incredible man on the face of the Earth. Fuck, I forget how big you really are sometimes. Has the underside hang of these pecs even see the sunlight in the last year? And these guns. Got guys on the team who would kill for these. All as smooth as silk. Not a blemish or hair to be found. But shit, man, this cock.” De’ quickly wrung out the cloth before wrapping it around my dick. Gave it a little more traction for his strokes up and down. “How I take this up my ass is beyond me. But trust me babe, once things are set with your health, this hose will be fucking me again, won’t it.”

With that I shot my load like I hadn’t in a while. All the tension all the stress just left me. I think De’ tried to say something like “That’s my Baby...” but I was on him in a shot. Pushed him against the barn wall and started grinding myself into him as our lips met. There was no room left between our bodies so his cock was burning hot even under the cold water. Tight against my groin I could feel its muscles shift as De’ shot his load between us. Mixed with the soap and water it soon washed away. Across the ranch at the ‘new’ barn, one of the cows gave a ‘Moo’ and the rooster crowed at the site of the morning sun.

“There’s a milking and rooster/cock joke in here somewhere.” I said as we stopped making out and started washing each other.

“Next time you have any doubt who you really are down deep? Just look in the mirror and think ‘I’m the best lay in the world’. That’s a perfect starting point.”

The sun hadn’t fully come up but even with our eyes being adjusted to the low light, it was pretty bright out by the time we toweled ourselves off, got dressed and made our way back to the house, arms wrapped around each other. When we got to the kitchen we found a couple of the guys had already gotten up.

“I don’t fuckin’ care how you made this with your Barbie Easy Bake Oven, you don’t need toast to make French Toast.”

“So you’re saying there’s NO toast involved?”

“I’m saying it’s not even French” Stoney said yanking the loaf of bread out of Tak’s hands.

“Does your obsession with toast have anything to do with what happened with the cows?” Ricardo asked from his place at the kitchen table where he was flipping through the morning paper.

“Shut up. Going to go wake Rich up. He’ll back me up that you need toast to make French Toast, if he knows what’s good for him.”

Hours later, after the comedy of breakfast and the comedy of Mom finding we made breakfast died down, I had gotten the horses ready for today’s trip while De’ loaded up my old Jeep. I love that old piece of junk but a car without a top in Chicago, not a good idea, so she stayed home. But more than riding around in that Jeep I loved to saddle up Silver and ride him out into the desert. He and I spent a lot of time out there. Pretty easy horse to talk to. I was tying him and his lady, Mary, to the back of the Jeep when Dad came out of the house.

“Son, those friends of yours…..”

“Are they being too annoying Dad? Should I get them to tone it down?”

“No, no. House hasn’t been this alive in years. Not since all you kids were around. Ah miss it. It’s just that…Ah mean this nicely….there’s not a normal one of you in the bunch is there?”

“No sir there isn’t.”

“De’s fairly normal and Ricardo seems quite, but normal...”

“Ricardo is dating twins who couldn’t join us. They’re on the wrestling team with me. As for De’ do you want details?”

“Lordy no. So anyway. You boys heading out to Crying Woman today? Going to be pretty hot so make sure you’ve got water for the horses as well as the guys. Cell phones don’t work too well out that far so make sure no one gets dehydrated or hurt because getting help will be tough.”

“Ah won’t Dad. We won’t spend that long. Just want to show the guys and let them use the waters for a while. Got a couple of shade tents in here for us to use too.”

“And they’ll be respectful, right?”

“Yea. They understand it’s not orgy at the baths time. That it’s a tribal hot springs we can use but not abuse.”

“ ‘Orgy at the baths’ what does that mean?”

“Well….Dad there are these places…”

“Didn’t grow up under a rock, Son. You boys have a good time.” Dad said chuckling and walking off to start his day’s work.

The guys finally wandered out of the house and we got going. Stoney had surprised me that he too wanted to ride one of the horses out to the hot springs we were visiting today. Figured we’d just cram everyone else into the Jeep, but he was eager to do it. Seemed a natural and Mary accepted him so that was the main battle.

“OK, everyone set? Everyone got a hat to shield the sun? Not leaving till Ah sees a hat on each head.”

“Did you pack the snake bite kits?”

“No Ah packed extra snakes incase there weren’t enough poisonous ones out there.”

“Before we leave may I comment you make the sluttiest cowboy I’ve even seen?” Rich asked digging into a bag and pulling out his hat. Not going to have blondie here get heat stoke on me.

“Because Ah’m only wearing my cowboy hat, Daisy Dukes and ma boots…and that’s ALL Ah’m wearing Bitch. Everyone else bring their swim suits?”

“How come we have to wear suits and you can go buck naked?”

“Because Ah’ve been coming out there since Ah was a child and Ah’m used to it. But there are far too many hot spots that will burn if you’re not careful, and the suit will help protect you. Ah think Rich would like to do more on the trip than continually kiss the boo-boos on your burnt ass to make them better. And we’d all like to do more than watch him do it. We’re here in my territory so, Ah have to lay some ground rules.”

“I thought De’ was here for you to lay?”

“Joke never gets old. OK, let’s head out.”

We headed out the back way from the ranch. I rode over quickly to say Howdy to some of the guys but was able to join up with the group before they got too far away. De’ was driving my Jeep and we’d been out here before, so he sort of knew the way. Out our back fence it was a 20 minute ride out of the grasses, into the desert and into the mountains to Crying Woman. It’s a series of hot spring my people have used for years. Not on Talltress land but the former land of our tribe so, there’s some give and take with the government on its use. Legend has it that on still days and nights you can hear a woman crying, and the hot springs are the pools of her tears.

Why they’re hot, not covered in the legend. But they’re refreshing and relaxing.

The area was beautiful too. Set in the bottom of a narrow valley that once had a river flowing through it. Now all that was left was the hot springs. It wasn’t more than a five minute walk to either side of the mountain walls. Great rock formations and various varieties of cactus. Long shadows soon passed though, and at noon it could get pretty hot.

“Now, you should know, the smaller the pool the hotter it’s going to be. Let’s head back to the larger pool. There’s plenty of room back there and the water’s just hot enough to notice but not burn.”

“Is this place sacred enough that you need to say a prayer before we jump in?” Tak asked while lifting his shirt off over his head, exposing the maze of black tribal tattoos that covered his pumped up upper body.

“Ah just pray you don’t pee in the pond.”

“Is there anything alive down in there?” Ricardo asked leaning over and running his hand through the water.

“No, no. Once in a while you’ll see a tiny little fish, about the size of an eyelash, maybe. But nothing else. No snakes.”

“How’d you know we’d ask?”

“Please.”

“Is your obsession with snakes connected to what I did to the cows?” Tak said in a jokingly mocking voice.

“What happened with the cows already?!?!” Ricardo yelled.

“Nothing.”

The guys being THESE guys, no one bothered to wear their swim suits under their shorts for the trip. So for a few minutes the semi sacred hot springs had 5 naked teen guys hanging around them.

“Tell you want” Rich said giving me a look that I knew meant trouble. “I think we need to experience this in its truest fashion.”

“Seriously man, some of the areas near where the water flows in get REALLY hot, you need those shorts...”

“No, I think we should be members of the tribe.”

“ACES. Do it! Indianize us.” Tak said stretching his arms out like I was going to hit him with a ray or something.

“What, no seriously, no way.”

“I don’t know Spice. You’ve become a member of my African ancestry enough times. And we have talked about my trying out your side of the hereditary pond. I think it would be fun. No one will see us and if they do, we’ll be who we should be to enjoy these pools” De’ said freaking me out by going along with these goofs.

“OK, to start with A) Ah get enough shit from the afterlife already. Don’t know how this will play with the not too quite dead. And 2) Ah’ve taken a lot of shit, justifiably so, for using my transformation powers on you guys lately. Ah know you’re asking for this and agreeing on it, but maybe you can see where my tiny little psyche might take this as a mixed message.”

“Then 1) SPICE’S GRANDFATHER IS IT OK IF HE TURNS US INTO INDIANS!!!” Tak yelled into the open air. After waiting a beat. “There you see no…”

“Like he said, don’t pee in the pools ya’ Yutz. Anything else is OK by me.” Grandpa’s voice echoed back.

“If I was wearing pants, I would have wet them just now.” Rich said continuing Tak’s response. “Well then, and B) we’re asking you to do this. Things are OK when we ask. That’s one of those things your subconscious needs to learn.”

“You’re still going to have to wear the suits guys. I can change your asses but I can’t make then heat proof. Then you’re all agreed? Oh wait, Ricardo...”

“Yea, count me out but, go right ahead. Should be fun to watch.” Ricardo and I had a long talk a while back, him asking me never to use my transformation powers on him. As tough as it’s on some of us, like myself, to remember who we were in the illusion of life we live for so many years, apparently Ricardo remember what it’s like to be a ‘normal’ sized person haunted him some time. He’s happy being who he is, and proud to be a dwarf, but does not want to ever again experience being someone else, or going back to ‘full’ size, only to return to his normal state again, and having something vivid to compare it to.

“Stoney?”

“Sounds like fun. Do it man.”

I put my hand out, there was a rattle from the back of the Jeep and my casting stick flipped out and flew into my hand. A little concentration and the spell was triggered. Skin tone was first since I knew it was going to be what they were looking for. Thought the guy’s tattoos would mask the change to those quickly faded into nothing, leaving just beautiful satin smooth shin. Stoney and De’s dark brown/black skin started getting lighter and Rich and Tak’s lighter skin started getting darker. Various variations on my own honey brown skin washed over the guys. Not everyone the same shade but now from the same people. Didn’t want to play into too many stereotypes so I left everyone’s hair the same length but more what you’re find from my people, black and straight. Tak’s hair changed very little, Rich’s almost white blonde became black with red highlights from the sun and Stoney’s dreads stayed in place. De’ though, he was still my shaved smooth stud. OK, maybe a little stereotype thrown in. De’ hair started growing out, and out, till it was half way down his back. Almost blue it was so black. The smile on his face showed me he liked the change.

Didn’t do too much to the guy’s builds but shit, if I’m playing around, let’s get a bit more muscle in the gang. Legs filled in some and pecs rounded off nicely. Also didn’t want to totally redo everyone’s features but a bit more in the jaw, a lot more in the cheekbones and noses that got a lot larger in some cases and a little wider in others. Lips fuller where it was needed. Body hair withdrew till, like me, everyone was smooth from the neck down. Rich seemed to like this the most. Asses swelled just enough to make a difference and stretch the fabric of the suits they all were going to have a bit more trouble pulling on.

De’ though. He’s my guy, like I said. I’ve become black several times, and a big black muther at that. Time to return the favor. De’ shot up till he was looking me in the eye. His football player build filled out and out till he rivaled me in the beefcake department. I let his shoulders round off and his guns blast even bigger than mine. Might have gone a bit too wild on the calves but, something had to hold the rest of those legs up now. One last trick. His dick got just long enough and thick enough to make everyone think that was where I was going, then I let his balls drop and swell into tennis balls. Oh yea.

“Ya’ll being a little naughty.” The new De’ said with a smile. “Oh I like this voice. How am Ah suppose to fit into this swim suit? Gave me the accent too huh?”

“Do Ah sound like that, that’s adorable? Ya’ll said it was OK. And the suit’ll fit. ” I said kissing my man. For the first time we had to movie our heads a bit to the side to avoid bumping our noses together.

“From where I’m sitting, more than OK.” Ricardo said from the pool where he was trying to hide his obvious pleasure in watching the transformation.

Wasn’t the only member of the group popping a dark uncut boner. For the first time in generations the Crying Woman hot springs was visited by a tribe of buff natives Americans. Probably never had this many guys looking like this, but who knows how previous Shaman entertained their friends out here. After some respectful making out we were ready for some relaxing in the pools.

“This place is amazing Spice. I see why you come here to meditate and get in touch with your roots.” Stoeny said, lying back so his head wad resting on the edge, sunglasses on his eye looking up at the sky.

“And the Crying woman name is apt. Anyone ever find out what the noise is.” De’ asked bringing me a cold soda from the cooler and slipping in next to me.

“What noise?”

“You don’t her that? Do any of you?”

A general round of Nopes followed, then we were all quite to listen closely, then more Nopes.

“It’s not crying or the wind but….it’s like a moderately high pitched buzz?”

“You turning on the Hyena doggy ears there De?” Tak asked getting out of the water and heading under one of the shade tents we set up for when the sun got too much.

“Very funny. Which makes it awkward that Ah have to pee and Ah’m guessing the only way to do that is doggy style?”

“You can lift your leg against any old cactus. # 1 is fine but if anyone has to do #2, take the shovel and bury it or it’ll attract coyotes. Ah don’t want to start anything but, De’ take a long stick along in case you come across some snake...”

“I TOLD YOU” Ricardo yelled.

“Oh my god.”

“Will do.” De’ said picking up a piece of dried up old branch and heading off for some privacy. I tried to relax some but, I couldn’t help but notice he sure was heading off farther than I thought he would. And wasn’t coming back too quickly.

“Everyone stay here. Ah’m heading after De’” I said getting out of the water and heading off in the direction he left.

“Spice! Shorts!”

I put my shorts and boots back on and headed off in the direction he left. Guess I was so concerned as to what was up with De’ I dropped the spell drop. Everyone turned back into themselves. Maybe that would be a clue to De’ that something’s up and he needs to head back. Luckily I saw him after a minute of running. His famous chocolate brown skin has returned and blended in with the valley walls well, but those bright red boardie swim shorts were a beacon at a distance.

“De’Andre Hardy!!” I yelled, my voice echoing off the walls. Even with him still being a distance away I could see him jump at the sudden sound of my voice. He turned around, saw me and waved me over. “Ah see you, you idiot, what are you doing.”

“Man, the spell stopped and my shorts almost fell man.”

“Well my boyfriend wandered off into the dessert to pee and didn’t come back quick enough so… kind of panicked.”

“Oh, yea, guess I could see that. Sorry. Spice I swear to you I hear something. It’s along here.”

“De’ it’s an echo or something bouncing off these wall. They’re not suppose to, but the local Army base uses the area for drills sometimes. You’re hearing a ‘copter or even a jet...”

“Don’t think so.”

“Hey” I heard from in back of us as the guys came running over.

“So when Ah say, ‘Everyone stay here’, that means…”

“Till we felt like following. What’s up?”

“De’ thinks he’s following that noise only he hears…where the fuck did he go?” I said turning my back on the goof for a second and losing sight of him. We ran along the wall and caught up to him as he stood facing what looked like a deep opening in the valley wall. The sides of the valley were cracked over just enough that a small path went deep into the side of the mountain. With the light overhead we could see that the path was even, but slopped down, but we couldn’t see how far back it went.

“AWH HELL NO!” Tak yelled. “Last time we did this, need I remind you, 10 foot tall vigina!!!”

“It was only 8 feet tall.” De’ said looking seriously into the path.

“THE DIFF BEING??!!!”

“Rich and I didn’t get to see the vigina.” Ricardo said joining De’ in his stare down the path.

“And you’re not going to see it this time, CAUSE WE AIN’T DOIN’ THIS!! Let’s go.” Tak said turning around and heading back to the springs.

“Spice, I’m telling you, there’s a noise coming from down there. It’s not human, but it’s not natural.”

“De’ there ARE going to be animals down there. There WILL be snakes who don’t want company getting out of the midday sun. And…….spiders!!!” I know my audience. This will end the search right then and there.

“I don’t think so. It’s coming in pretty damn high pitched in my ears. Any animal would be put off by the frequency. Even a snake would be put off by the vibrations. Just a little ways?” And he gave me that look. The look of someone who needed to do this. From the man who’s been more than understanding of the issues with my own powers of late.

“AH MEAN it this time. Everyone WAIT HERE. Ah’m going back to the jeep for a couple of things, like the flashlight and the rope. NOONE GOES IN.”

“We won’t” De’ said giving me a peck on the cheek.

Shit, shit, shit. Made it back to the Jeep and dug around in back while Tak fumed at me. I got the flashlights and a rope we could tie outside the cave and use as a guide to get back.

“Spice!!! It could be anything. LITTERALLY. From some long lost cousin of Cthulhu to a hiker’s IPOD that fell into a crack and the batteries haven’t run out yet. Meanwhile, people die every year by doing shit like this. I love De’ and I respect his use of his powers, but fuck man!!! Can’t we just tell him we’ll do it later, then when we’re back in town we’ll take him to the Vet so he can get fixed and spend his days sleeping on the couch like all good Hyenas do?”

“We’ll go slowly, just enough to show there’s no way in, and I appreciate the visual image of having my boyfriend’s balls cut off. Like I don’t have enough on my mind. ”

“This is crazy. I’m going back with you but I’m waiting at the entrance for 20 minutes then I’m calling your Father.”

“Ok, ok. But Ah need just one more thing for protection.” I said digging deep in the back where I didn’t want the guys to know I had this hidden.

“What are you digging for? Your casting stick is still out here.”

“Not what Ah need.” I said taking out my old shot gun and its extra shells.

“Holy crap when’d you get that?”

“For ma 8th birthday.”

“That’s when I got my Barbie Easy Bake oven.”

Thankfully the guys waited for us before going in and thankfully I only had to spend a limited amount of time explaining the shot gun. We tied off the end of the rope to a large rock just outside the entrance and, leaving Tak as a watchdog, headed in. I lead the way since I was not only the largest, but you know, I had the shot gun.

At first it looked like we’d head back home quickly as the passage got very thin about 40 feet in, but once past that squeeze, it opened up quite a bit. After a hundred more yards it opened up completely to an inner cave, complete with stalactites and a running brook. The flashlights worked well, lighting the place up. The temperature had dropped quite a bit. And as De’ said, no animals to be found. Which was strange given a cave like this would have been perfect for bats. Very odd.

We were able to chirp Tak on our cell phone and let him know we were OK. Left the line open so he could hear us and calm him down about all this. De’ got his bearing again and we headed off another path, trailing the rope behind us.

“OK, OK, we’re getting close.” De’ suddenly announced like a child finding where his parents stashed the Christmas presents. Hate to admit but I heard the noise now too. Kind of faint but there was definitely something there. De’ said trying to push past me, but I moved him back and still took the lead. Well, Mr. Shotgun took the lead but I was the first person. After a tight squeeze we found ourselves in a larger cave, and a much hotter one. There was no deigning that this is where the sound was coming from. It echoed off the walls so much you could feel the vibrations. We carefully entered and started moving around. It was when we turned the corner around a partially large stalagmite that we saw it.

Most of it was still exposed but it was clear that it had been there long enough that the mountain has grown up around it. Silt and mud covered most of the exterior so details weren’t clear, but with that shape it couldn’t have been anything else.

“Ya’ll thinking what Ah’m thinking? Were you thinking flying saucer, ‘cause that’s what Ah’m thinking. Like a giant clay covered flying saucer.”

Part 2

“Go back and get Tak he’s GOT to see this.” De’ said to Rich while starting to move closer to the long buried flying saucer we just found hidden deep within the mountains near my home in New Mexico. “Look at it!! That’s where the noise is coming from. Shit now that I see this it almost sounds like an engine.”

“Then we really need to get away from it till we know…” I said pulling him back.

“There’s no vibration coming from the hull” Stoney said as I turned around to find him placing his hand on an uncovered section.

“Don’t touch it!!” I yelled, the echo making me sound even more like a panicking den mother. “Cause it’s…..a flying saucer…. we don’t know if it can hurt us yet. It’s not like it’s a puppy!!!!”

“Come on, look how long it’s been here. Since the world was Pangaea. There can’t be anything in there alive still.”

“If there’s an engine going there’s some power. Something with the power to run since creation might still be able to blow up real good. We’re deep in a cave deep in a cavern deep in a mountain. NOT a lot of places for the blast to go except…. In here!!! WHERE’S RICARDO!!!”

“Under here. Figured I could look under it easier than you guys. Is that a button?”

“How often do Ah need to yell don’t touch it!!!!” Click “Well obviously not enough times.”

“It’s just a shell that was stuck underneath it. This thing must have been under water back when that valley out there was a river.” Ricardo said coming out from under the ship and flicking the shell away. “Besides, now that I think about it, why would a spaceship have a button on its hull?”

“And here’s another question. Listen closely guys. Why am AH, who has more than earned the pet name of ‘Silly Shit’, being the cautious one in all this? NOT a good sign when AH’M trying to be the SANE ONE.”

“He’s got a point.”

“BITCHIN’!!!!!!” We heard from the far end of the cave as Rich returned with Tak. Who started run none stop at the ship. The idiot bitches like a….bitch for us not to come in here, but gets a glimpse of a flying saucer and he’s running for it like an all you can eat cock buffet just opened up.

“TAK don’t, we’re not sure…”

But there was no stopping him. As if the sheer idiotic momentum wasn’t enough, the slippery floor guaranteed he’s skin to space ship in no time. And he was. Which is when we learned what happens when a man who can create lightning bolts out of his fingers comes into physical contact with a space ship in need of an energy boost for a millennium. Sparks fly, spaceships turn grey to blue to a glowing red, and a buff tattooed Asian gay man screams in fear like the little nelly princess we all knew he was down deep inside. Well, maybe not that deep.

“At least this time someone else gets to hear ‘THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!” I yelled at Tak as we ran for protection behind some of the larger stalagmite outcroppings.

“Don’t forget YOU SUCK!” De’ added.

“Oh yea, YOU SUCK!! Thanks hun’.”

“Spice can you do that golden eagle protection spell you did that time?” Rich asked

“Need the casting stick. Ah’m calling for it but don’t know if it’ll get here on time.” My hand was reached out summoning the stick, and I could feel it responding, but it had its travel limits and a good amount of area to move.

“Hey wait” Tak said looking around the edge of our protection. “Cool, check this out!!”

5 pairs of eyes peeked over the edge of the rocks at what Tak was referring to. The ship had stopped glowing, thankfully, and the outer hull was moving. Not rotating or adjusting to open a door but, almost like a muscle when it flexes. Suddenly the main area facing us convulsed and spun open, like a flower opening into the sun. Leaving us with a clear view of the insides of the ship.

“Bitchin’” Tak said moving again towards the ship. And they say I have a limited vocab. “It opened up just like...”

“A cow’s ass?” I said moving past him.

“Hey! You said you’d never tell for fear of death!!”

“More with the cow.” Ricardo mumbled.

“Since we’re all going to die they might as well know about how you were milkin’ the cow, it stepped on your foot, you shocked it and for some reason this triggered the cow to shoot shit all over Dad. And continued to shoot shit all over the barn for two days. Vet ain’t never seen anything like it.”

“Surprised your Dad let him back on the farm.”

"We're a forgiving people."

Guess he was trying to get away from us in a little snit but Tak decided to make another move at getting into the ship.

“Was nothing learned from before Sparky?” I said pushing Tak to the back of the group. “Make sure he doesn’t touch anything, OK?”

We got up to the edge of the entrance and, trust me, everyone stopped. Inside there was no noise but certainly plenty of light. The inside of the ship looked like large round glass room, pure, smooth and shiny. The area was certainly bigger than my apartment, big enough that all of us could stand inside and have plenty of elbow and head room. Light from underneath or behind, but without any exact light source you could tell. There were no chairs or instruments, and, thankfully, no drooling creature making its way towards us smacking its lips. Really, the only thing that looked like something else than a back lit glass wall was what really seemed to be a large widescreen HDTV set off along one of the sides.

“Do we go in?” Rich asked.

“Let’s try a few things first.” I said taking the shot gun and placing it on the floor inside the ship. No sparks. Good sign we won’t get electrocuted. I carefully placed my hand of the floor, for a split second. Again, no electricity, no pain, very cold though. “Let’s give it a shot. But someone stays outside for a bit until we know it won’t close up on us again.”

Needless to say, our living battery waited at the entrance as the rest of us crawled up into the ship. Awesome. While minutes before I was telling everyone not to touch a thing, it was seconds before we were all feeling the walls, looking for joints or creases in the…well glass, it really felt like very thick glass. We were still trying to find something that would indicate how the ship worked or where the crew sat, if there ever had been a crew, when suddenly something came on the TV.

“Holy shit look at that.” Ricardo said bringing our attention to it. On the screen appeared to be, well the room we were in, but instead of us being in it, a lone figure was walking up to the front. The figure looked like it was made of some kind of liquid or you know what, a corona. Like the light that surrounds things made visible through certain photographic methods, but not actually the thing itself. Not really human shaped but, then again, those could be arms at its side and something seemed to move where the legs would be. As it got closer there was defiantly a head at the top where a human’s would be. Like a person being blocked by a rich blue light. If it wasn’t so obviously a TV type screen it would almost look like someone walking up to a window.

“What do you think it’s going to show?” De’ asked as we all started. “Could the crew have left a message?”

“What’s going on?” Tak yelled

“Something’s coming on the screen. Look come in but do your best to hold back any power spikes, OK?”

Tak pulled himself up into the ship and carefully walked over to us. Thing is, as he did that, the being on TV seemed to look away from us, and turn to look at Tak.

“Did it just look at Tak?” De’ asked.

“You saw that too? Ah was going with this being some type of prerecorded message but…. could that be someone in there?”

“I don’t think there’s really an ‘in there’ to be ‘in there’.” Stoeny said placing his hand on the rim of the screen. “This isn’t a window, it’s a…”

“A virtual room for a virtual person?” Tak asked. “Or an electric aquarium?”

“Do you think it’s alive?” Rich asked.

“Yea, look.” De’ said placing his hand on the glass. The Being on the other side looked at the hand and placed what appeared to be the closest thing he had to a hand on the other side. “It appears like a projection but the way it looked at my hand then followed through, I think it’s alive.”

“How could he be alive this long? This ship has been here… forever.”

“If he is energy of some kind, and the ships able to regenerate its power, he just might have been able to survive. Shit, do you think it feels loneliness? To be alone all this time.” Ricardo asked.

“Maybe being energy time doesn’t pass for him. Light bulbs don’t get lonely, they just stay on. He’s either on or off.”

“He looks like he’s more than just a light bulb. I think he can hear us. His head moves to look at who’s talking when we speak. Hi! Can you hear us? Do you understand?” De’ said, and sure enough, the blue guy turned away from looking at Stoney and looked at him.

“He’s mimicking our waves but not responding. Ah don’t think he can hear us anymore than a TV hears us when we scream at it. What about…” I dug out my cell phone and showed it to him. Moved it around some, opened it up, played put it to my ear like I was using it…. and then it rang.

“Uhhhh, hello?”

There was a thick buzz of static and then…..“Hello.” Its voice was male and pretty deep with a slight echo.

“Shit it’s him. Uhhhhh, hello. Hi. Uhhhhh my name is Spice…. Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“Hello Spice. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Blue with Yellow but not Green. I think that is how it can be translated.”

“THIS IS SO COOL!! Guys get out your phones. Can you talk to everyone?”

“Oh yes.” Everyone’s phones started ringing. There was some rustling to get them out and flipped open. Blue with Yellow but not Green seemed to smile.

“How do you speak English?”

“I know all languages that have been transmitted over broadcast airwaves such as cell phones, television signals, radio, and wireless internet. I have monitored signals since you started sending them a short time ago. I have monitored them all.”

“You’ve monitored every TV signal, radios broadcast…cell phone call…and you can use wireless internet access to monitor…..all of them or just one after another?”

“All of them, at the same time if needed. And recorded. But, some have dropped off. Power is not sufficient to retain all.”

“Are you being projected to us right now? Where are you? Somewhere else in the ship?”

“No I am here. I exist in this unit.”

“Where are you from? What are you doing here on Earth?”

“I am from….space. That is the only translation I can find. I think I am missing some of my memory. I should know what planet but I do not have access to that. We crashed on Earth long ago. We had the ability to become corporal…solid. We travel in this energy form for the journey and become whole once the….trip is the word… is over. That is what the others did. Others left after the crash but never returned. I don’t think they could survive on the Earth at that time without any access to energy. I remain here to monitor signals. It was my job….no….duty. When I felt the surge of power from the outside, I concluded it was the team returning. But you are not them.”

“Shit. Electrical beings walking around pre-prehistoric Earth. There would be nothing they could have used as power at that time. Even the sun would have been blocked by fog, vapors, and cloud cover.”

We talked for quite a while. He had few questions for us since, as his job was to monitor, he knew more about us than we did. The guys got into an argument between themselves as to whether he was anything more than a sentient TiVo but it was Ricardo, being a Library Science major who called him the Ship’s Librarian. Sounded a bit more respectful. We also discovered that their original mission certainly wasn’t to land on Earth or monitor our signals. One happened because of an accident, the other because he didn’t have anything else to do. It was odd though. On one hand, we were talking to an almost ancient alien being, on the other he talked like a regular person, and on the third hand, it was kind of like watching TV at the same time.

“Blue with Yellow but not Green, if they were able to leave, can you leave? Can you come with us?” De’ surprised me by asking

“If there was enough power I could generate a body and leave for several days before having to return. Like the crew should have. Not enough power for that at this time. The ship is able to regenerate enough to survive and monitor but nothing else.”

Tak politely raised his hand to speak like he was still in grade school. “I was the one who generated the power from before. I can do that. If you need power to leave this place, perhaps I could generate enough for you. Then you could hang out with us till you needed to return.”

“How is it possible that you generated the power? I was not aware that humans had that ability.”

“Well…..we’re not your usual humans.” Which got a laugh from the group.

Off to our side there was a soft hum and a square panel appeared on the smooth wall surface.

“Can you place your…hand on the panel? I can check if the….current is that the word…current is correct.”

“Oh hold on” came from more than just one of our mouths. “Give us a minute Blue.”

After making sure we closed all our phones since he didn’t seem to be able to ear us in his ‘room’ without them. He had a pretty detailed discussion about this. Tak didn’t seem that concerned, being sure he could break the charge if it hurt or things went bad. But it was the talk of letting loose an alien being on Earth that we had the biggest discussion about. One point was that, he was only a sentient answering machine, recording incoming calls that technically he shouldn’t even be listening to. On the other hand, Hitler painted apartments before lighting the ovens. Could he become dangerous if given the opportunity to do more than record endless showing of the Brady Bunch? In the end, I think the Star Wars – ET – Star Trek geeks in us overcame any worries. And for the lack of any other way of putting it, I still had my shotgun.

After making sure that Blue was set, Tak carefully placed his hand of the small panel. As he slowly started increasing the power, Blue’s color started to change and cycles though it’s various patterns

“Yes, this is good. Can you do more? Almost at the right charge.”

Tak increased some, didn’t look too uncomfortable, but did look like he was sweating some.

“Yes, yes……please stand away from the middle of the room.”

I actually pushed everyone but Tak how needed to leave his hand on the panel out of the ship. I stayed behind with the shotgun maybe a bit too ready for something negative to happen. From the ceiling a large section of the glass started dipping down, looking a bit like the end of an eye dropper. I checked Tak and he seemed to still be doing OK.

Maybe it was all the years of clubbing and all the nights spent on the dance floor, but I couldn’t help but thing the following light show would have been awesome set to music. As the lights flashed and circled something started taking form in the middle of the room. It wasn’t so much as if the figure was suddenly appearing, but almost like something caught in a telescope that came in and out of focus. One second solid, then blurry, then solid again. The lights intensified culminating in a bright burst.

“I think the ship just orgasmed.” Whispered Tak as he removed his hand from the panel.

“You OK? Not too much?”

“Nah dude, it’s good. Little strain since I’ve never held a charge that long but it wasn’t a drain.”

Standing in the middle of the ship was now a 3D version of Blue with Yellow but not Green. Incredible. He looked around and moved a bit, then his body started to shift more. Slowly a head appears on what used to be the shoulder area, arms pulled away from the sides and a waist pinched in the middle. By the time we reached him his legs were fairly well formed and ummm, we he did say he was male.

“How do I look” he said for the first time with a mouth instead of through our cell phones.

“That’s amazing. Is this how your race really looks?”

“No, I am trying to mimic your builds. I will try to do a composite of all of you combined in order to get an average. Please stand still so I can get more details.”

Not sure 6 muscle bound teens were the most average examples he could use but, shit, why not go for the gold. If everything else this day had not been incredibly strange, it still would have been odd to see Blue attempt to mimic our bodies and builds. He shrank down some to around 5’7 or 8, I’m guessing Ricardo’s height had something to do with that. The chest filled in, pecs formed and hung down some over a very nice recreation of an 8 pak. His arms which hung at his side filled in to the point they didn’t a quite hang as just as before, he had to hold the out a little due to the new mass. Legs he got real good, the upper legs much or muscular than anything we really had. Solid and well defined with calves that swelled almost as big as the upper legs did. Who knew an alien could have a fetish? And with legs that gorgeous could it have anything else but an ass with its own zip code to match? Last was the dick which, thankfully he didn’t let get too big, but he did leave it uncut.

“Wait we’re wearing shorts. Do you have x-ray vision? How do you know what out penises look like?” I had to ask.

“I think the best way to respond is that… even while you’re wearing clothes how could anyone not know what your penis looked like Spice?” Blue said with a smile.

“Oh Mr. Big Dick SLAMMED by an alien.” Tak yelled and the room fell apart. Great another smart ass to deal with.

When he was done he looked awesome but, still looked like a bodybuilder made of glass filled with swirling blue liquid.

“That is the most I am able to do.”

“Would more power help you become more human looking?”

“No. Usually we do not adapt ourselves this close to the planet’s inhabitants since we do not usually land on heavily inhabited worlds.”

“Well that’s what we got outside that cave now. Let me see what I can do.” My casting stick flew into the room and landed in my hand.

“You’ve not going to turn him human are you?”

“Don’t know if I can. But I should be able to pull an illusion over him to make him look human to everyone.” I held out my casting stick and really concentrated on this one. Never really tried anything like this. Couldn’t tap into the life force or any mental wish and desire since he really didn’t have any. I think I sense some fear though, but not the kind I can use. Well, I’d have to work from scratch. A basic illusion of skin was easy enough to do, even though it had no real tones to it yet. Those came next as I also darkened him down some. I let is nipples and cock darken a bit more, as well as the lips. He didn’t do much with the face so I started sculpting a bit. I figured if he was going to be around us for a while, we’d better make him a member of my people to fit in more. Less obvious around here than if I went for a white guy or a black dude. And shit, sure he was an alien but why go for thin and wiry Mr. Spock when Vin Diesel proved that in space you can still get pumped. The eyes thought were tough though. I could get the white of the eyes but not the pupils. Well we’re going to have a Native American with the most incredible blue eyes then.

“How is this possible?” He asked in a low deep voice, also part of my spell thank you.

“You’ve going to see us do a lot of things you haven’t picked up in your monitoring” Stoney said “but just like you being an alien, it’s something that we’re going to have to keep secret from anyone other than ourselves. Does that make sense?”

“Oh yea. It is incredible.”

Flesh tones filled out. Instead on one all over color like a mannequin he had shade and a few blemishes. Toe nails and fingernails a little clearer than the skin. Lips full and dark, but not as dark as the nipples.

“What are you doing about the hair?” Rich asked.

“Still trying.” Shit this wasn’t working. Couldn’t even give an illusion of a shadow. Maybe there was too much work done from scratch? Didn’t think the powers had that kind of a limit. “Nah, that’s the best. Going to have to be a smoothie from head to foot.”

“Incredible.” Blue said holding his hands up in front of his face. A quick look off to the side and he realized he could see his reflection in the glass walls. Our new human looking buddy ran over to the walls and continued to stare and pose, twist and turn to see all of himself. He was a buff little stud on a guy now. Great body, perfect ass and pretty darn pretty if I say so. Enough rugged guys in the group already, went for a more lean, angled and maybe even graceful look while keeping within the parameters of my ancestry.

“I think we can scrounge up some cloths for you back at the camp site. We’ll come up with some story to tell Mom and Dad.”

“You ready to head out into the world now?”

“Very much so.” Blue pulled away from the sides of his ship and tentatively took a step outside. After many thousands of years cooped up in the TV set, to say this was something new to hi was the understatement of all time. As soon as he, and the rest of us, were fully out of the ship, the opening folded back in on itself. Then, a second or two later, the engine stopped. Its hull got a bit darker than before, not a polished and clear looking, but it didn’t seem to disturb Blue, he continued out into the world without looking back.

We made our way along the path that took out of the cavern and into the blinding sunlight of noon. This hit Blue more than anyone else as we had to help him along till his eye sight came back. He wanted to do things like touch the cactuses and pick up rocks, but this wasn’t really the time.

When we got back to the springs things looked a bit off. The horses were OK but a little skitterish. Things seemed to have been blown around some, like a wind has picked up. There was dust and sand all over the Jeep. Stoney kept his swim shorts on and let Blue use his jeans, and Ricardo stayed shirtless so Blue could have his shirt. It was a pretty good fit, if not a bit too tight, which I think might have been the plan. I let I use my boots, although those were way too big for him, but I was used to going around barefoot in this area. While we were picking up the camp to return one of the local Army helicopters fly by way above the valley walls. The pattern of what happened to the camp would certainly be in keeping with one of the choppers coming in close for a look. Should have really gotten the clue at that point.

About an hour later, pulling into the homestead I have to say we were all feeling pretty high. We had a nice day out. Had a cool adventure. Actually met someone from another planet. Wasn’t killed by the person for another planet. Even got to bring the person from another planet home with us for a visit. And got back home without any trouble. Pretty unique for this group.

Stoney and I rode the horses into the barn and got them settled from the ride while De’ parked the Jeep and the guys unpacked it. Blue seemed to be catching on pretty quick. Not really mimicking what we were doing but adapting and fitting in. But he wasn’t the person I was really wondering about “You doing OK there Stoney?”

“Going to be walking a little tenderly the next few days.” He said stroking his inner thighs. “You hear some groans coming from the bedroom, don’t get any ideas anything is happening between Ricardo and myself.”

“But think how popular you’d be walking around home with these bow legs.” Tak said grabbing Stoney’s leg and making him cringe.

“You’re just jealous because you’re not going to be the only one walking funny around here.”

We were still in pretty good sprits when we headed in the back way through the kitchen. Mom was off by the stove getting things ready for her massive fried chicken cooking session for dinner for tonight. And Dad….well Dad was sitting at the kitchen table with a Major from the local Army base. Oh crap, this isn’t good.

“Son, boys come in” Dad said motioning us over. “This is Major Clarke from the base. He’s the liaison with tribes in the area. Major, this is my son Spice and some of his buddies from college. And someone new?”

“Yea Dad this is Blue….. Blue Redbull.” Yea, I can create the illusion of a human being over an alien but the most creative name I can come up with is the stuff we all chug to get though finals. Most of my thinking was being taken over by trying to figure out what the Army guy was doing here. Ok, trying to convince myself that I didn’t already know what the Army guy was doing here. “Another college guy who was hanging out at the springs. Do you mind if he bunks here for a few days? You know college guys and our need to save money when parents don’t give us enough allowance.”

‘Yea, screw you boy, you’re not getting an extra penny out of us. But certainly he can stay. Nice to meet you Blue, is it? Looks like you’ll fit in fine here.” Dad shook Blue’s hand and gave no reaction that there was anything different about him. Other than appearing to be yet one more buff queer college teen who’ll eat his food and drive him crazy for a few days. Like the rest of us.

“Boys? Pretty impressive group here. Maybe I should send a recruiting officer by the house for a visit. Could certainly use men of your caliber in the services. And you could earn money for college while you serve your country.”

Unfortunately there was a round of laughter from the crowd. Made even slightly more unfortunate by my father joining in slightly. “Major problems with that Major is that for most of us, this isn’t officially our country and even if it was, no one would have to ask because we’d be telling everyone we knew.” Tak said taking a seat at the table.

“Ah, I see. Well. The Don’t ask/Don’t tell rules are there for valid reasons...” He said taking TOTALLY the wrong path to get out of this.

“Ohh, did it ever get cold in here. Look at these nipples.” Lifting is damn shirt up and running a finger around and around one of his nipples.

I grabbed Tak by the ear and lifted him out of the chair. “Go get Blue settled in and get cleaned up guys.” Good eye contact let the guys know that now wasn’t the time to fool around. We also had to get Blue out of the room and away from parental/military scrutiny. While everyone else left, albeit hesitant, De’ still stuck around and talked to my Mother off in the corner. “Mind if Ah join in?” I asked spinning a chair around and taking a seat. “If it’s tribal business.”

“The Major here is letting me know that they’re going to be sending a few people out into the Crying Woman area. Seems they picked up some interesting…was is signals or sounds out there today?”

“Some odd reading on some of the instruments. Hard to figure out what it was. Just like to look around.”

“Wow. That’s weird, we just came from Crying Woman. Must have been having too much fun and making too much noise? We tend to do that.”

“Yours must have been the camp sight my guys came across. While the signals had disappeared by the time the choppers got there, the original reading seemed to be tracking from right there. You boys, you didn’t see anything? Hear anything?”

“Not even the Crying Woman.”

“So you see why Ah’m hesitant to think this is a good idea Major. It’s such a sacred area and a delicate terrain. We’d really rather not have the area disturbed my military vehicles and…” Dad was particular to Crying Woman. For all the changes and all the loses our tribe had to deal with over the years, it was the one place left we wanted to try to preserve as much of as we could.

“But it’s OK for a batch of party boys to hang out there? This is appropriate use in the eyes of tribal leaders? Or more so, your tribe’s Shaman?” Once again he was really taking the wrong path to resolve this.

“Oh trust me, it was OK with him.” I said leaning forward and giving him my best shit eating grin. Which was lost on him completely.

“Spice.” My father said warning me. Again, the Major took it the wrong way, as if it was a chance to get the upper hand here.’

“Well maybe I should speak to your tribe’s Shaman. I think he’d be interested in what I heard here today. And I think I can convince him to allow us to do the investigation we require. When it comes to matters of sacred land and traditions, the Shaman usually has as much pull as the full council?”

“Yes he does, if not more.” My father said knowing a train wreck when he sees one.

“Well then.”

“Yes well then.” De’ said joining us. He placed tall glasses of iced tea on table for the two of us and sat down besides me, putting his arm around my neck. “Everyone’s who lucky day it is today stand up…Not so fast GI Joe.”

“De’Andre.” My Dad said. Boy, he must consider De’ family to use that tone with him. That was a tone usually reserved for the kids.

“Mr. Talltrees, have you been made your tribe’s Shaman?”

“Wrong Mr. Talltrees.” Dad said taking a sip of his coffee and nodding his head in my direction. My shit eating grin was still in effect with the Major finished doing the math in his head.

“You’re the...aren’t you a bit young to be a tribe’s Shaman?”

“If the local military’s liaison would have attended our last Powwow he would have seen my credentials being accepted unanimously by the council elders and all members of the tribal in attendance. Perhaps the local papers have the report still. I can ask them for copies when I call them about the military trying to disrespect their way onto our land instead of working with…”

“All right, all right. I apologize if I came off too strong. Let’s start over. Please, let me be brutally honest with you. What we picked up… was nothing. It’s going to be nothing. But it would be excellent training for some of our men who have almost nothing to do at the base. Might not have noticed but New Mexico isn’t a hot bed of military excitement. Please excuse my eagerness to have some busywork for my men that takes us off the base.”

“All rightie”

“Since there hasn’t been another reading for a while, I have been made aware of reports from people at the location at the time that nothing out of the ordinary was seen, and more importantly, it’s getting hot out there. Tomorrow morning?”

“We could meet you there at 10? After Sunday services?”

“It’s a deal.” The Major said standing up and shaking my hand. Which I gave him more than a squeeze just to know how much a party boy can bench press.

There was some more small talk. De’ kept trying to make out with me in front of the Major. And after just enough time had passes, he left back to the base. Dad walked him out to his Jeep, not as cool as mine, and then came back in the house to prove he had lost none of his awareness of knowing when his children were trying to pull a fast one on him.

“BOYS!!” His voice thundered though the house.

“Dad what??”

“Don’t ‘what’ me Boy. Innocent hasn’t worked since 4th grade. What happened, what were you doing, and who is this guy?!!”

Mom came in to quite him down and shit, did we ever have a talk. It moved from the living room, to the kitchen out to the back where we took over the picnic tables the family used for years. Blue acting more human all the tie really helped. Almost forgot myself that he hadn’t become a real solid being till several hours before.

“Oh my god does this shit always have to happen when you get together?”

“Dad you can’t blame us on this. It’s not supernatural, but science fiction. A totally different genre than what we’re responsible for.”

“You’re an alien?” Dad said turning to Blue.

“Yes sir.”

“And you’re not going to eat us while we sleep.”

“No sir. Can I eat some of the chicken your wife is cooking? I’ve heard a lot about it and I am able to consume.”

“You sure he’s not human?”

“Ah’d remove the spell that’s making him look human Dad but it was a bitch to create.”

“And you’re heading back in a few days?”

“I can last around 80 hours in this form. Then I will need to return to the ship. I will not need Takashi’s help to return into the ship, it can reabsorb me without the need of extra power. And I can only do this one time.”

“Didn’t now that?” I asked. “We can’t just keep recharging you out into this?”

“I kept it from you. I did not want you to know in case you changed your mind and wanted to bring others into this. I only want to experience life outside the ship. Real life, not under a microscope. Not become a test subject. I can then return to monitoring.”

“You couldn’t just bring home a puppy?”

“Ah already used the puppy analogy Dad.”

Things kind of deteriorated fro there, then got better, then got worse, then Mom got involved asking Blue physics questions, which he had no answer for. Kind of like asking the Flight Attendant how the engines worked on an airplane, not exactly their job to know. This was also when we found out that Blue was not in contact to all the info he down loaded over the centuries. It was all back on the ship and he had no connection to it. Which was a shame since I was going to get him aside to see if he could do a search on the internet to make sure Tak never did post the sex film he secretly made of De’ and myself, but maybe we could do that when he returned to the ship.

But things did eventually calm down and was back to as normal as we all get by dinner. Mom’s classic fried chicken was enjoyed by all and afterwards, the evening turned into a lazy night of just hanging out. It’s not that the uniqueness of having an alien amongst us wore off, it’s that we stopped trying to show hi new things and just let him…live.

It was around 2 in the morning that the knocking started on my bedroom door waking De’ and myself up.

“What’s…Ricardo what’s going on? Everything OK?”

“I’m sorry but Stoney and Blue left a while ago and I can’t find them. Not sure what’s…” He was out of breath not only from being stressed but from running up all those stairs.

“Ok, yea, give us a second to throw on some pants.”

I woke De’, explained what was going on and we shot out of the house to look around. Ricardo mentioned that first Blue had left the room, followed afterwards by Stoney and he thought they went out the front door. Nothing was going on, everything was OK, the guys just forgot that the doors are locked and couldn’t get back into the house. That was going to be it. But there were no signs of them out front or by the cars.

“De’ do you think you can...”

“Just thinking about that myself. Let’s see if my training has paid off.” De’ face narrowed some, ear pointed up some, eyes turned yellow and those canines grew till the longer ones pointed out of his mouth. “Need more” The changes continued till fur spouted form his ear and on parts of his face that didn’t usually grow hair. His nails grew out as pads appeared on the palms of his hands. Yea it was cooler when I thought it was a loin and not a hyena, but I’ll get used to it. “This way.” De’ said taking off across the parking area around the side of the house. He soon had us heading out into the pecan trees.

“Both of them met up in the front and headed out this way. Sorry but I have to follow their path, don’t know how to track just by smelling the air for the scents I’m picking up now.” My boyfriend said through long teeth and lips that usually are thick and soft, not the muzzle he sports now.

He led us out into the trees, around a bit, stopping now and then, and then headed us back towards the back of the house. Where we found Stoney and Blue on the picnic table we had all used hours before. Making out like crazy.

“Holy shit.” De’ said quickly reverting back some but not fully human.

“Do you think we should..?”

“Ah think we can stay back here to make sure everything is OK but, shit, Stoney’s got lucky for once.”

“They’re really going at it.” De’ said moving his head so he could hear them better. “And that’s a sex scent I’m picking up big time.”

I might have the eyesight of a blind rock even with my glasses in the dark, but I know an instructional make out session when I see one. Stoney would show Blue a move, like going in and sucking on one of his nipples for a while, then Blue would return the favor. Slow kisses along the shoulder up the neck and onto the mouth was next. Blue started playing with Stoney’s hair. Not someonthing he could have learned from Stoney so it looked like he was doing some extra credit learning.

“By the way, we’re watching to make sure nothing happens and everything is OK, right?”

“Ah’m going with we’re watching because we hang out with Tak and Rich and their dirty little minds have rubbed off on us.”

“Oh that’s better, let’s go with that.”

Pants came off and general ass grabbing followed. Slowly Stoney leaned back on the picnic table, which really wasn’t there for people to have sex on but anyway, he leaned back and started showing Blue how to jerk someone off. Still being that quick learner Blue took over, wrapping his hand around Stoney’s large black cock and started stroking it up and down. Some times quickly but slowing once in a while. Blue also went in for some more nipple sucking and kissing, earning an A for this class right there.

“Someone’s breathing real deeply.” De’ said turning his head to catch more.

Almost on queue Stoney shot his load over the both of them. Get the feeling it’s been a while since he’s done that with someone else around. Blue turned around and leaned into Stoney, letting his reach round and start stroking our new alien buddies cock from behind. For someone who was just made solid hours before an not really human, he sure did a great job of looking like a gay guy getting the best hand job of is life. His dick grew not that much larger but more than enough for Stoney to get a handful off. It wasn’t long before he shot his load, which sort of made Stoney jump. It was hard to see what happened fro where we were but the white cum that was so obvious coming from Stoney did not shoot out of Blue.

“Wait, wait.” De’ said holding us back and we made a move to run over to them. “Listen.”

A healthy outbreak of laughing filled the air from the guys and more kissing took over.

“Blue doesn’t have any cum to shoot, so he used some of the Pepsi he had with dinner instead. He thought it would be the same.”

We tried not to laugh too because we till didn’t want them to know we were out here in the back yard watching them.

“Oh shit. Got to get inside to unlock the back door or everyone will know…” I said making a break for it as quickly and as quietly as I could. I was hoping the two of them would continue to make out and clean up some before heading to the kitchen entrance. They’d have to wake someone up to let them in and I don’t think we wanted this adventure to get out right away.

I made it to the front door, Ok there’s nothing else to call it but I pranced thought the house, into the kitchen and unlocked the back just as they tried it. Couldn’t get myself out of the kitchen fast enough not to get caught so I headed to the sink with a glass.

“Hey guys. Just came down for a glass of water. What’s up?”

“Ummmmm…” was all Blue could get out. Stymied the alien, pretty good.

“Blue wanted to see if he could find his home system in the stars. But nothing. Nothing looked familiar out there.”

“Ahhh. Well, space is a big place. And Ah’m sure there are lots of new territories to discover out there. So to speak.”

“Yea so we’re going to head back to bed. I mean the bed room.” Blue said. Did I give him the power to blush?

I let them have their privacy as they headed down the hall to the room. De’ soon followed in the back door.

“Where’s Ricardo?”

“I lifted him in through the bedroom window so they wouldn’t know he went out.”

"Was that more of a Lucy and Ethel move, or a Laverne and Shirley?"

“Hey” we heard from across the kitchen. Tak came in with his DVD camera. “Do you think the guys are going out there again? I didn’t have my infra red lens set so I don’t know what I got.”

Well the morning was pretty busy. Getting the disc away from Tak. Getting up early after the night’s adventure. Getting breakfast and then getting ready for church. It was an open option for the guys. My folks would not force them into going. Me and De’, yes but they guys were off the hook. Ricardo came along being the good guy he is, leaving the other four at home. Which kind of made me nervous. Till Rich and Tak asked to become Native Americans again so they could head into town with Blue so they could all blend in more. But what REALLY got me nervous was that my Mom wanted to see me turn Tak and Rich into these other people. You know there’s a certain amount of ‘getting off on this’ that goes into the spells that I’m not sure I wanted to experience in front of my Mother while wearing my Sunday best. Had my nice turquoise bolo tie on and everything. But everyone was freaking insistent so we went for it.

Since they wanted to fit in more I didn’t go for the buff lads they were the day before. Actually I took quite a few pounds off the guys while still leaving the appearing their age. They’d have to notch their belts a few extra loops to hold their pants up due to their much thinner waists. And the tight t-shirts they brought were no so tight anymore. Muscles became long and lean, hair straight and black, and I’m tired of having the biggest nose of the group. Let the give me some competition.

When all was done, two new fit but thin Indian boys were complaining they weren’t hunks any longer. And my response of Tough Shit got me a smack in the back of the head for swearing on the Sabbath. But Mom was impressed.

We left them that way, and left them my Jeep to ride into town. Carefully in to town, I made sure I noted. Services were good and it was nice to see people I hadn’t in a while. Still kind of hard to figure out if I knew some of these people better at Henry or as Spice but it was all worked out. Everyone was respectful of De’ and Ricardo, which I knew they would be. Some of the younger guys even knew who De’ was and gushed over his playing ability. Which made my man’s day.

Back at the house my Jeep still wasn’t in the drive way so I had to saddle up Silver and head over to Crying Lady on my own to meet the Major. Dad was too old to handle riding Mary for that long and there was no way that De’ was going to be able to. Mr. Hyena Warrior Magician is still far too much a city boy for horse riding.

The cloud of smoke or dust I saw at a distance made me worried about what had been going on at the hot springs as I was riding up. And how the Major started off his first sentence to me made me worry all the more.

“Mr. Talltress I assure you we just got here.” He said coming over to me from one to the two army Jeeps parked by the springs.

“MISTER Talltrees is it now. Something must have happened to up my status from ‘Boy”.”

“Over here.” He led me down a far too familiar path, long the trail to the area of the valley where we had found the opening in the wall into Blue’s ship. Except there wasn’t an opening any longer. Smoke and dust still filled the air from where a large amount of the valley wall had caved in, totally closing off the former entrance. There had to be 30 feet of rock and rubble to where the opening used to be. The area of rock that had fallen down almost reached the top of the valley.

“Ah’m not a military expert but these sure look like tank track in the sand.” I said bending down and feeling the track the covered the general area. The ground in the deepest part of the track was hard and solid, so something incredibly heavy had to make them.

“That’s what they looked like to us too.”

“Ah thought you said you just got here!”

“We did!! Our two Jeep couldn’t leave marks like that and we didn’t bring hardly any fire power. Certainly not enough to do this. We saw this as we rode in and arrived at the hot springs just as you rode up”

“And ya’ll know nothing about this?!”

“No sir we don’t”

Shit. Why did I believe him? And why did my cell phone have to start ringing now.

“What! Busy!” I yelled into it.

“SPICE” a voice that had to be Rich’s in his new form yelled into my ear. The remnants of a British accent giving the owner’s ID away. “What the fuck man!! They got him. Army caravan came down the road, grab him, threw him into the back and drove off!! I thought they were going to be with you!!!”

As Rich was yelling and his signal was breaking up I moved away to talk where the Major couldn’t hear me “Calm down, calm down. Ah am with the military. But what are you saying? Someone grabbed Blue?”

“No!! They got TAK!!!!!”

Aw shit.

Part Three

Chaos wasn’t the word for it. Rich screaming on the phone about Tak. Hanging up and then calling back 2 minutes later saying that Blue started passing out on him. Meanwhile the Major and his men started acting like someone lit a fire under them too. All their communication stuff went off like a siren. Not hard to figure out why. Let’s try some bluffing……

“MAJOR!!! I have just been told that a member of my tribe, a US citizen has all but been kidnapped off the streets of the town by military personnel!!! First you destroy our landmark and now you’re kidnapping our people.”

“Mr. Talltrees….yes….yes….you can’t……no…..” The Major was talking into a walkie talkie, they still use those, and trying to talk to me while members of his group tried to hand him their walkie talkies to take up other conversations. “Mr. Talltrees I still swear to you I have no idea what is going on. We have been recalled to the base. And there is talk of a person of interest being taken into custody.”

“Person of interest!!!???!”

“That’s all I have now sir. I will contact you once there is more information. I apologize but I must leave. Look, give me an hour, if I can I’ll call you with what I find out.”

And with that they were gone. Shit, shit and have I mentioned shit? OK first, I have to get home. As much as I love this horse, he’s going too slow. Needed to be there 5 minutes before I even left.

As crazy as the situation was in theory, it was even more so in reality once I got home. Rich was uncontrollable. Completely freaked out by Tak being snatched off the street. Blue was in more than bad shape. The look of confusion in his eyes was undeniable.

“Blue, do you want me to remove the spell? Is that hurting you?”

“No, don’t. I think. I think it’s what holding me together. A place to hold the energy. Without the shell it would dissipate quicker. Must get back to the ship. Something is very wrong.”

“Yea, OK, just a minute. Sit still. De’, Stoney in the kitchen please.”

“What about TAK!!! They could be dissecting him right now!!” Rich started screaming. “If you’re not going to do something...”

Stoney reached into a bag he had off to the side, brought out a handful of powered and blew it into Rich’s face before he could do anything about it. In an instant Rich collapsed on the floor asleep.

“Sorry, he needed to be stopped.” Stoney said returning the rest of his power to the bag.

“No, good move. We need to talk though. Ricardo keep an eye on them OK? We’ll be right back.”

“Sure I’ll move him to the couch.”

Once in the kitchen I filled the guys in on what I found out at Crying Woman. Not a happy response.

“Holy crap how are we suppose to take care of all this? No way can we break into a military base….well and not get either captured or shot ourselves.” De said as the reality of the situation sunk in all the more.

“And Ah’ll tell you. Blue was doing OK being apart from the ship. Ah don’t think bringing the walls down around it would break the connection. Ah think he’s in this shape because the ship got destroyed. There’s nothing for him to go back to even if he can make it back to where the ship was.”

“This is just a nightmare.”

“Look…..what if….what if you turned up into soldiers of some kind. We could wait till tonight and get over the fence somehow….then you could track….why don’t I just give up now, that’s not going to work.” Stoney said giving it his best.

“We have other witnesses to Tak’s abduction so Dad and the council might be able to bring up a big enough stink but, shit, Ah’m having enough trouble keeping the spell Ah’ve got on him going, can’t keep it up forever.”

“And you know once he gets a chance Tak’s going to be trying to blast his way out of there.”

“If he hasn’t already.”

“Shit, shit and shit.”

A commotion from down the hall into the living room turned out to be Ricardo trying to keep Blue still, but he wasn’t having anything to do with standing still.

“Have to get back. It’s all going. Can’t connect…..” he kept mumbling as he headed to the back door.

“Blue stop.” De’ tried but was thrown across the room.

“I thank you for your hospitality but I must leave.” He continued out the back and across the porch to the back steps into the yard. Stoney and Ricardo were taking care of De’ so I figured I had nothing to lose but catch up and tell him the truth.

“Blue, please stop. It’s…it’s gone. The military brought the side of the cliff down before Ah got there this morning. There’s no way back into the mountain and Ah’m pretty sure you’re ship couldn’t have survived the implosion.”

“Oh.” Blue said suddenly stopping in his tracks. “That would explain the loss of…..files.” He turned, looked around and went over to sit on the end of our picnic table. “If you don’t mind. Please remove this covering. It is keeping me alive.”

“We have to think of something, we’re not just going to let you...”

“Spice. The human life is made up of its experiences. Our people only experience what we can monitor. That is why I wanted to experience…life as this. But without a link to the information I’ve gathered, I am nothing. I do not want to die slowly…..”

“No, no we…” But I had nothing.

“There is an answer to all this.” I heard from behind me.

“Like I need this now. No time for cryptic shit Gramps, what do you have?”

My Grandfather’s spirit came across the yard, thankfully not with his usual Cheshire Cat grin that he wore when he was pulling one of his bits. “What is keeping you from using your gift to bring him fully into the human world?”

“If anyone knows how this shit works you should. He looks human now but he’s not. I can’t just create out of nothing.”

“He has a spirit, and he wants to live, despite his wishes not to go on as he currently is.”

“Yes but he has no flesh. It was different with the Coyote spirit, he had to turn partially human for the spell to work. I could build from that. Even if I started him as a baby I can’t even warp reality enough to back that up. I can’t just create an entire life, all the memor…. and for him to have….”

My hand shot up in the air calling my casting stick. Now Gramps had his grin. I’ll pay my folks to fix the window the stick broke flying out of the house. In an instant it was in my hands.

“Blue, hold on. This’ll work.”

I took the end of the staff and as my Grandfather had done to me months ago, inserted the end into Blue’s head.

The power flowed like never before. A release that I would never be able to capture again but DAMN was it something while it happened. Complete and total release, no holds barred use of my powers.

Blue did not get much taller, only up to 5’8”. His Native American features evened out some, the nose was not quite as prominent, and the cheekbones not as strong, but very familiar. Finally got to get his hair to grow in, think and black the bastard. Got kind of long, which was odd. Just like his build. I thought it would go down some, but it went up, like someone who had been hitting the gym a lot more than ever before. The shoulders got rounder and the pecs a bit heavier. A good dusting of hair started spreading across his chest and arms. It flowed down his stomach, which had a better 6 pack than before, and then to his dick. Which, THANKFULLY shrank down some. Yea buddy, you got the hair, I got the dick. The legs filled out some, but not much. Yea, this was a gym body. No one ever does the legs unless they’re obsessive like I am. I’ll help him with that if I ever see him again after this. Last to go on the physical side was the age. Up from late teens to, well by now, it would be 36. A few familiar lines in the face adding needed character, but better than most other guys his age.

Now that the body was set, time for the download. All of it went. All the baggage. All the memories. Right into his head. If he needed a life, I had an extra one in my head not doing me any good. He can have it all. He can free me. I can download it all into him. Almost crying at the thought of being released. Of being myself and myself alone for the first time.

And letting Blue with Yerllow but not Green live the life of Henry Talltrees.

The shock wave when we were done was expected. Landing on my ass again wasn’t. Buthaving Tak be the person who helped me to my feet was more than unexpected.

“Geez can’t you go a week without passing out?”

“Tak what are you doing here?”

“….helping your sorry ass to his feet AGAIN.”

“But you were taken into custody by the military after we… stop lookin’ at me that way.”

“Yea, now who’s not been wearing his hat in the sun.”

Off to the side Gramps was still hanging around looking his evil self.

“You got an explanation for him?” I asked him. “And you better let them all see you cause they’re thinking ah’m crazy again, and maybe ah am too.”

“He’s your friend, if you don’t know why the kid’s a train wreck by now I can’t help. By the way, Good job.”

“Thanks for the idea. You know what I mean about Tak not being in custody.”

“The idea would have come to you. All the dominoes that were knocked over when you discovered the ship have now never been set back up. And because the alien has taken Henry’s vacated place, there was nothing there for you to find. In the new reality, you didn’t even try. Which means nothing for the military to track. No reason for them to go looking for Sparky here.”

“Hey.”

“Like I have time to learn your name cow killer.”

“I only made the cow shit old man.”

“Yea, that’s a distinction.”

“So Blue is now Henry living in LA. And...not in my head!!! Grandpa Henry's not in my head any longer. Instead of my being my own older brother...I now HAVE an older brother. But wait. Isn’t this close to the whole ‘It was a dream Dorothy’ bit?”

“Eh, it’s a happy ending, let’s go with that. And it’s about to get happier.” Gramps said fading away. Past him, in the background where I could see the extension of the drive way, a very familiar car pulled up.

“Not that we don’t ask this a lot already Spice but what the hell is going on?”

“Ah’ll explain some other day. Right now go get everyone. There’s someone Ah want ya’ll to meet.”

Walking across the grass to the SUV that just pulled up, I think that was the first time I noticed it. Or didn’t notice it. I was free of everything that had been Henry. No more memories. No more conflicts in my head. To a certain extent even the memory of my ever being Henry was fading. Because there he was getting out of his car. My 36 year old brother Henry Talltrees.

“What the fuck? Ah can’t believe this. Did Mom and Dad know you were coming out here? They didn't say anything. Look at you little big brother, been working out!!” I grabbed Henry in a bear hug that rivaled anything my father could ever do.

“Can’t let you be the only Talltrees boy how hit the gym. Christ look at you big little brother. Nah, no one knew, big suprse...one of many I've got for you all. How’s the great Shaman?!?!”

“You know about that?”

“Haven’t been cut off from the family completely. As a matter of fact, well, that’s going to change.” Henry said giving me a hug back. “Came to my senses. Quit my job. Sold my shit and I’m moving back here. Going to take Dad up on his long time offer of being the lawyer for the tribe.”

“No shit!!! Ah man!!”

“Tired of being alone in the world man. Being the only one out there. Got a family, going to sponge off of them for a while.”

We were still laughing when the ground found us. Introductions were made all around and Mom was crying when she heard the news. Dad too, but we expect that from Dad. Might have been a bit overwhelming but, hey, I never thought I’d ever be able to introduce them to Henry.

“And Henry, this is De’”

“Oh so this is DeAndre. Well Mister I’m So Hot That My Teenage Brother Turned Queer For You….tell me about yourself. Just kidding man, nice to meet you.” De’ was still a bit in shock from the joke when they broke their hug. Henry pulled me aside to whisper in my ear. “Something else you should know. Also been coming to terms with my needing my own football player too, if you know what I mean.”

“Really? Ok. Umm, that’s cool. Have you met Stoney?”

“Yea you introduced us.”

“Yea well, go introduce yourself again.”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute… one thing I’ve always wanted to know.” Tak said jumping into the middle of our conversation. “Nothing personal Mrs. Talltrees but with ALL these names for your kids, Spice, Petal, Cinnamon, Daisy… why did you name the first one Henry?”

“Tell him your full name Bro.”

“Henry Blue Spaceman Talltrees.”

END

So whaddya think? Type in the code
Reset code