"He looks so peaceful floating in there."
"I do don't I?"
Sophia Ridge frowns a Young James Ian Pryce as they observe the body of James the Elder from his own future. Floating in his preservation tube he at least would not decay. Being deceased does that to a person. Sophia was tired of being duped and used. Her Great Grandfather Orin Ridge had switched his mind over to that body and fooled everyone into believing James the Elder came back from his spiritual journey with amnesia. Everyone bought into the ruse but James himself. This particular James just so happened to steal Sophia's heart. Leaving the sixteen year old version of the man feeling smitten but neglected. She had no interest in the younger James. This was tough on both of them.
"It's good that you're getting a better handle over your Tyrant Tears. It's kind of nice to see you wearing clothes." He fidgets, "Not that..."
"Stop." She holds a hand to his mouth preventing him mentioning her nudity on most days.
"Sorry." He offers through telepathy. She merely rolled her eyes at his entering her mind.
"That is the closest you will ever get to entering me James. Unless you magically age into that man in the tank. With his grown up attitude."
"I recall acting just like I do now at 33. Weird that you say that."
"Whatever."
"Look Sophia even if I never become the man of your dreams I just need to get this off of my chest. I don't know how we survived the coming apocalypse for that Man in there to ever grow up to begin with. He said he saved everyone and got them back to the future. I've been thinking hard about this...what if this guy really isn't me? I mean obviously he is but with all of the other Earths and Moons I'm beginning to think he could be from one of those somehow crossing into ours. It sort of makes sense. Add in the paradox theory that things change with one tiny miscalculation and well...maybe he got his set of friends home...just not this home. What if they're...?" He points outward and dots the air five times before fanning his fingers.
"Out there? On one of the other Earths?"
"Exactly."
She ponders his theory and smiles, "That means I can have five adult James Ian's to choose from." He rolls his eyes until she slugs his chest with her knuckles. Not enough to hurt him just knock some shock into him. "Just kidding...loosen up Jameson."
"Jameson?"
"Figure of speech. You might be on to something. That could be why I find this James different than you."
"Which also means there may be another Sophia out there for me." He chuckles and starts to hit her chest like she had his She narrows her eyes and he reels back nervously.
"Keep dreaming. In no world out there does a Sophia Ridge remotely like a James Ian Pryce."
"Gee thanks. Love you too."
Hearing this she switches her gaze and brightens her eyes. For a guy with telepathy he should have caught on. He was still so used to being normal it flew right over his head. Sophia Ridge had been lying to him. She really did have feelings but knew he was just too young at the moment. The lie would remain.
To help the sudden tenseness the door to the lab opened up and two Ganthorians entered to perform other tasks. That led Sophia and James to leave the Elder to his rest. If a shell could smile he would. Was that a twitch at the corner of his mouth?
Outside in the hallway the kids heard the crying of a baby. Sophia smirking looks back at the lab then to James. "Oh, I thought I left you back there crying."
"Ha! God must be needing a diaper change. Hungry?" He sticks his tongue out at her.
"I'm not eating that diaper."
"Come on the garbage disposal is broken."
"Fuck you." She points with a stern look, "Don't even think about that."
Greta Winston with her Stetson tilted trudges through the hall around them, "Why do I get Deity duty?"
They follow her inside the room and observe the active kicking and whining baby. Sophia sneered at the infant knowing that the baby itself, the shell that is..was that of her Great Grandfather Orin Ridge. Recalling all the damage he had done to her psyche she could just as easily snuff the bastard out. Then there was God supposedly inside his body now. That changed everything. She was raised to be a good Christian girl but we all know that went out the baptismal. Watching Greta clean him up, powder his bottom and put him in another diaper he suddenly sparkled. Not just in persona. Greta held him up to literally witness a golden hue about his body.
"Now ain't that a kicker. Wonder what this here golden thing is about? Maybe ole God here is claiming this body and doing some tinkerin'."
"Wow!" Sophia was drawn to the glow. Looking at her hands they too began glowing.
"Don't let the Tyrants..." Too late her life fiber uniform is eaten away and absorbed into Sophia leaving her nude once again. James never finished his sentence.
"They're singing up a storm James. Like baby Angels. I think they're reacting to God there glistening."
Holding baby God Greta observes the child turn at an angle to face Sophia. Pointing at her awkwardly they observe another change in Sophia. Shocked by the Tyrants relocation she smiles brightly. "They moved into my bones. Every single bone. My outer skin, muscles, and organs are normal. Wow. This feels entirely different." Her own skin pigment changing to pink and perky James drools. Staring at her until she scowls covering her chest with her arms, then one hand moving South to her vagina while following his eyes. "Seriously?"
"I'll just find you another life fiber suit." James took off like a bat out of Hell.
"Kids I swear." She winks at Greta.
"Mmmmhmmm!" Greta knew the girl had feelings. Modesty certainly wasn't part of them. She was merely sending off signals to keep her attitude from being noticed.
"Do you think God had my Tyrants move elsewhere?"
"I think God wants you to start wearing dresses and being a real woman again."
"You think so?"
"Look at our Little Messiah. He's approving of my idea. Aren't you Rascal?" She tweaks his nose getting a round of giggles and bubbles.
"It's hard for me not to think that he's inside the man I hate most in the world. Love inside hatred is such a contrast."
"I don't think God had much choice in the body thievery stuff Sophia. Let's just be happy he's here with us."
"Right. Thank you God." Sophia fidgets a bit then leans up on her toes to kiss the golden baby's cheek. He cooed and actually seemed to blush. His buried face in Greta's neckline was so cute that Greta had her own vision. Keeping it to herself that she wouldn't mind being a mother someday.
James returns with another uniform for Sophia but this time holds it out at arms length avoiding a direct contact with her. She smiled at his attempt at respect as she slipped the suit on. Becoming skin tight it was as if she were still nude. Just the way she liked it. Marching past him James had to look. She didn't have to be a telepath to read his mind. Poor guy.
On the Bridge of the X'Orr as it hovered over the coldest climates on Pangaea. It hadn't moved at this point as they attempted to ascertain the coordinates to Celestial City. With the assist of SeVen the Ganthorians wanted to learn more before charging in to any situation that might cause them harm.
"Milo Greyson used his satellite MEMO to keep a close eye on events in Pangaea clear through the end of time on this world. Near the year 3333." SeVen reports.