Chapter 590: Only the Important Questions come to Mind

This chapter is from Lily's Perspective

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Eventually Lily crumbled under the unimpressed stare. "Ok fine. So… I'm not just picking Memphis, I'm picking a Memphis beast person."

"What's the difference?" asked Evaline instantly.

Lily gave her mother a wry grin. *I'm surprised she's suddenly taking such an interest. I was about to explain that but… well at least she's listening. Though is interrupting to ask for information you were going to hand out anyway listening? Aw well. I'll deal with it.* "So, a beast person is a catch all term for humanoids with some animal heritage.

"They're either born a beast person, or they start out as an animal, reach a high enough level of power to take a humanoid shape and then have kids. Normally with humans but sometimes with other races. Human is just the most standard because they are one of the most compatible of the humanoid races. Elves for example are really finicky. You can have half elves, but the other half is practically always human. It's too hard for the child otherwise.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter because the beast half is more than just a cosmetic difference and it digs into the other half pretty heavily. Genetically they're barely the same species as whatever they started out as. Anyway, a Memphis is a kind of feline that looks like a housecat with horns and wings. They're quite cute and they stay that way. By picking that as my beast half, I get most of the advantages from the species… along with their drawbacks as well, and the ability to switch between a humanoid form and a Memphis form."

Evaline nodded along with her daughter's explanation. She didn't know how scientific it all was but considering magic was real perhaps that threw a wrench into everything. Crossbreeding certainly had mana aid it, because she knew enough about crossbreed offspring to know it shouldn't work as well as Lily was suggesting. In fact, Evaline knew her daughter well enough to know Lily should also be aware of that fact. Still, that wasn't all that was bothering her. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Er…" Lily stumbled slightly at the direct question. "Well… I guess the big note is that I'll be pretty much stuck as a cat for a while… maybe a few weeks… or months… oryearsmaybeIdon'tknow"

Evaline sighed and ran a hand down her face as she tried very hard not to berate her daughter for that answer. Clearly Lily was interested in this and she'd thought it through considerably. However now that she'd made her choice she'd stopped considering the issues. "Lily… how… I feel like that's a fairly big drawback."

"Not really" said Lily easily, "Compared to a lifespan of forever" because of the connection to Kat of course, "even if it takes a decade it really won't be too bad."

Evaline let out a longer sigh as she held back the myriad issues that her daughter was 'conveniently' ignoring. Internally she debated if it was worth bringing them up. Lily WOULD need to deal with at least some of them, and while she knew her daughter had thought about the pros and cons of the decision compared to other races, it was likely she hadn't considered the ways she would always be affected. Especially burocratic things. 

Eventually, the decision came down to dealing with it now or later, and this would be a much easier conversation to have with her human daughter then a cat one. "Now darling, I'm not trying to dissuade you," Evaline pointedly ignored Lily's pout and eye roll "but have you thought about how this will effect your future here?" Evaline watched Lily's eyes narrow, "I'm not just talking about university, which I imagine you'll not be interested in anymore, but also getting a license and ID. How different will you look afterwards? Will anyone recognise you? What about your cousins?"

*Huh… I never thought about that. I just assumed that I'd look mostly the same. Will I still have glasses? I doubt it. With a whole new body my eyes will be fine… but what about everything else? I might not think I'm terribly beautiful but I've never had body image issues like some girls Stella was friends with… and I know Kat certainly doesn't.

Actually, does Kat like how I look? Is it even important to her? She's asexual sure but I imagine she can still appreciate beauty, right? I know she finds Sylvie adorable… so there's that at least. Does she think of me the same way? No? Yes? Maybe? Ok it can't be exactly the same way because Sylvie is firmly in the 'little sister' camp and I doubt I'd have been able to convince her to date me if she thought of my as a family member. 

She's asexual so dating someone was probably a tough decision… though…* Lily licked her lips slightly as she thought back to Kat admitting she wouldn't be happy if Lily was dating someone else and revelled in that. Evaline gave her daughter a weird look that went unnoticed. Clearly Lily, in Evaline's mind at least, had managed to go from thinking about productive things to something inappropriate. Unaware that her thoughts didn't really go anywhere Evaline would consider appropriate at all.

*What does that mean though? It can't be that she finds me sexually attractive. Romantically attractive is a possibility though… then again, I'm really not sure how that works. I can't imagine being with a man. Heck I can hardly picture being with anyone other than Kat. Then again… why would I?* Evaline watched her daughter's eyes glaze over again and sighed.

"What is going on in that head of yours Lily" whispered Evaline. It was loud enough that Lily could have heard it if she was paying attention. So she heard nothing.

*No wait. Get back on track Lily. You were trying to work out what Kat thinks about how you look. Now, she obviously doesn't think I'm hot or sexy. Her mind just doesn't work like that… though I wonder if she can still make educated guesses? Wait. Lily stop. It is not the time for rabbit holes. Maybe you can ask Kat about it later. 

Let's just say she can't. Sexy and hot are things that only apply to people… or cartoons… but let's not think about that right now. Anyway, it's a very sexual response so Kat probably doesn't or at least not in the same way. Then again it's not like I'd call myself sexy anyway unless dorky bookworm is a fetish. Oh god it's probably a fetish. Why do I find this disturbing all of a sudden?*

Lily tried very hard not to think about all the books she'd read where a dorkish bookworm like her was the main love interest. Books she'd read before. Books she'd very much enjoyed. Books that were not necessarily acceptable for a girl her age. So she pushed them very far out of her mind.

*At least I don't have to worry about Kat having weird fetishes because… well they're always weird things that get people off. So… let's just not think about that. What does Kat think of my appearance? She does burry her face in my hair a lot. Is that just so she can burry it in my neck though… maybe? She doesn't play with my hair all that much… but that's pretty intimate for friends and I was never overly touchy feely so maybe that's the cause of it.* 

Evaline waved a hand in front of Lily and got exactly nothing as a reaction before sighing. Getting up she went over to the coffee maker and paused. "Now, do I want coffee to chase away the headache that's building and risk Lily snapping out of whatever batch of… thoughts… she's ended up in and noticing me gone… or should I say this is fine and get coffee anyway. Hmm… I've had a lot of coffee today already though… nah." Evaline turned on the machine and let it run, watching as Lily still didn't react at all. "Wow she's in deep. I'll probably finish the whole pot before she wakes up…"

*What about my eyes? I'll have to ask about the hair. But what about eyes? Kat's always staring at my face… but then again, she doesn't have distractions like I do. Seriously, why did I think it was a good idea to encourage using that kimono as demonic attire. It is SO HARD not to stare at her chest when I'm looking at her face, and even harder not to stare at her legs when I'm not talking to her. Does that mean she likes my eyes though…?

Actually, will I end up with Kat eyes? I think I will. Shit, will Kat find that creepy? What about the colour? Will that change along with my eyes? Hang on, going back to my hair, I'll definitely have cat ears. Maybe horns as well? Oh, I hope not or at it will be out of the way. Kat's are mostly out of the way but I do have to be careful kissing her that my forehead isn't too high up. I wonder if this is something I can ask about when the time comes. Damn I say that like I'm not planning to go in for this tomorrow or the next day if I can.* 

Evaline took a long swig of coffee before looking at the pot and taking a second, larger swig, from the coffee pot. "This is going to take a while isn't it."