Thanks to Bernice’s goading, everyone got out of the townhouse on time to head to campus for the first day of classes.  While there was some muttering and grumbling, it was mostly playful.
Steven and Maggie headed toward her first class, holding hands firmly to keep Maggie secure against the wind.  Steve’s grip nearly crushed her hand, despite the fact that there was little more than a gentle breeze blowing.  Maggie’s hands were, to be fair, quite easy to crush.  Being a living skinsuit did have its downsides, but at least being crumpled didn’t hurt.
Tanya held Bernice’s hand as they walked toward their inevitable parting for the day.  In their case it was because Tanya wasn’t used to walking on two legs, as she’d spent most of the summer with a tail instead.  Bernice gave her sweetie a long and lingering kiss when they had to part, and giggled at how Tanya wobbled away afterward.
Bernice made her way to the engine

Jem burst into Maggie’s apartment with all the vigour that her brilliant colours and eye-searing dress suggested.  “Hey everyone!  Thanks for the invite,” she said, with a perkiness that didn’t reach her eyes.
Bernice grinned, and gave the neon-coloured catgirl a hug.  “Thanks for coming over.  We’ve had a heck of a day, and were hoping...”
“Hoping what?” asked Jem cautiously when Bernice’s hesitation went on too long.
Bernice stepped back to study Jem.  The catgirl’s tail wasn’t swishing, and her ears drooped.  “You seemed so cheerful at the mall, and friendly.  I... guess I hoped you’d liven the place up a bit.”
Jem looked around at the others.  “Did something bad happen?”
“We told you about Maggie yesterday, right?  The whole skin-suit thing?”
Jem nodded.  “Yeah, but you were hoping she’d... she didn’t c

“Stupid, stupid sister-creature,” groused Kara as she slammed the door behind herself.
The guy sitting in the living room unfolded from the couch to stand and face Kara.  “You found her?”
Kara sighed and nodded.  She dumped her keys into a bowl by the door, then pulled a crystal out of her jacket pocket.  “The tracer worked, once I was close.  Thanks for the lead on that.  Stupid girl had gotten herself transformed, just like I thought.”
Peter strode over to Kara to wrap her in a hug, resting his chin atop her head like usual.  “Is she stuck?”
Kara shook her head.  “They changed her back.  Freed her.  Then she turned around and went right back to them.  Something about too much fun to stop.”
“That’s not quite so bad.  And you can always find her again, right?”
“Meh.  I don’t wanna think about her.”  Kara struggled to get her co

Bernice took a moment to boggle at the appearance of Maggie, standing within her own skin.  “Maggie?  Are you okay?”
“I’m not Maggie...  Um, I think I’m not,” said what looked and sounded very much like Maggie indeed.  “I was, though.”  She reached down to touch the skin pooled at her three feet, then stepped out of it and gathered it carefully into her arms.
“Then who are you?”
“Steve.  Just... I sound like her?”
Bernice pointed to the mirror.  “You are her.  Physically anyway.  Just like the mannequin, before.”
Steve carried the skin to the mirror, then held it up beside himself.  “Twins.”  She chuckled.  “Or not.  C’mon, let’s zip you up.”
As soon as Maggie had inflated, she hugged Steve tight.  “Thanks.”
“Any time, love.”   Hugging her back made Maggie squish, but th

Maggie yawned and stretched to get the crick out of her back.  The couch was comfortable, but she was looking forward to returning to her proper bed.  She patted her boyfriend on the hip, giggling at the hollow ‘thump’ the mannequin made.  He’d added more and more mannequin parts as the night progressed.  In the end, it had been just his head on an immobile mannequin body.  Maggie had impishly put the head on as well, after kissing him goodnight.
Bernice had just started some coffee brewing as Maggie padded into the kitchen.  She looked mostly normal, except for the eight tentacles that were helping her fetch cooking utensils.  “Hey Mags.  Early riser?”
Maggie nodded and reached for an orange from the fruit bowl on the counter.  “Always have been.  Steve calls it my least endearing quality.”
“Did you manage to keep Steve out of trouble, then?”
Maggie pointed at where the mannequin wa