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Episode 1: Changes

Gessy stood at the toaster, looking at her reflection in the shiny metal. She twisted her hair back and forth, around and down. "What would I look like with an Earther haircut?" she pondered.

Now that she was safely at home she'd mostly forgotten the fear of being kidnapped by the Little People and was thinking more about the fun right up until then.

She smiled in memory. Her owner referred to the Earthers as Little People, so Gessy did too. Valerie had always rolled her eyes at the comment and pointed out that she was taller than Gessy.

So, visiting the OTHER Little People had some fun points. It'd been years since she'd spent any time around humans, other than nursing Valerie back to health and visiting the Spindrift.

Deckett liked her current hairstyle, she knew, but she was thinking of trying something like Betty's look. She was wondering how her giant would respond. He had chosen her current look and enjoyed tying the ribbons in place.

She could ask him, but the Earther Fitzhugh had taught her that being forgiven was more important than having permission. Or something like that... Whatever, it meant that she might be better to just do it than to ask-

Then the door opened. Deckett walked into the apartment to find Gessy at the edge of the counter attempting to look innocent.

"What did you do?" he asked, tossing his satchel onto the sofa.

"Nothing," she said, twisting one hair ribbon around and around. He decided not to press it. She fell back into his hand as he offered it and he swept her up to his face for their usual hug. "Didja have a nice day?" she asked.

"Yep. Hired a new camera operator. A good one. He can get right down in a tree root and find a nest of spiders without having to tear up the undergrowth." He turned to the fridge to start warming up one of Mrs. Aggrat's casseroles.

"But..." Gessy stared up at her owner. "I find you the little bugs and flowers, for you to sketch and paint. And take reference pics for. Me. It's what I do."

"Oh, that's right," he said as if just remembering the fact. "Well, this cameraman can find the insects, plants and so on without disturbing them. So I guess I won't need you to come along, too."

She stared up at him with her mouth open. He was just going to leave her behind. After years of training, of tramping around in brush, of wrestling grabber plants...and he found some new guy with a camera to take her place?! She wiggled and kicked in his grip and he automatically placed her down on the counter.

Gessy stamped a few steps away from him and crossed her arms, back towards the giant. He seemed oblivious to her tantrum.

"After dinner, we'll go meet this guy. You'll love him. Wait'll you see what he can do." She gave him the silent treatment during dinner but he just kept talking about either the cameraman or plans for their next trip out into the wild.

"Meany..." she muttered. She also sulked on the car drive to the building Deckett's office was in. When he reached for the after-hours log he placed her on the counter. She stood there, back to her giant, arms crossed, a perfect picture of scorned woman. The guards at reception knew her on sight and teased her a bit.

"What are you doing dragging this old guy out past his bedtime?" Tannded asked. "Don't you know he should be tucked in at sundown?" His partner Puddit laughed.

"It's not MY idea," she said frostily. It was such an un-Gessy tone that they both looked from her to Deckett in concern.

"Haven't the foggiest," he shrugged. "Maybe it's her time of the month?" All three men made the 'ward off evilness' gesture and returned to business. Deckett signed the log and swept Gessy off the counter. She sank down in his pocket and tried not to cry.

Were the Earthers right? Had she never been more than a pet to Deckett? They'd said he was exploiting her, demeaning her, a dozen other things she didn't quite recall.

But Valerie had defended their relationship, she did remember that. And Valerie had actually seen them together. Who to believe? Especially when the meany-faced Earthers were turning out to be right?

Thick fingers dipped into her pocket and she mechanically rolled into his grip. He set her down gently on his desk, beside her sofa. "I'll go find the cameraman," he said, already turned around and two steps away.

Gessy stuck her tongue out at the retreating giant. Then she flopped onto the sofa and tried to remember which finger Fitzhugh had said was the bad one.




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