Chapter 43

Daniel drove as casually as he could through the San Antonio roads. He and his passengers were shaking in their seats, completely traumatized by what they just went through.

"That was absolutely insane." Seladon gasped. "Are Earth roads always like that?"

"Not always." Daniel shook his head. "Only when some is running from the cops."

"I hope we never have to go through that again." Penelope sighed.

"Well, as soon as we get a new vehicle and some disguises, we should be fine." Dr. Milldred assured her. "The cops know our faces and what vehicle we're driving. If we can change that, they shouldn't be able to find us again."

"Emphasis on shouldn't, I'm guessing." Brea huffed.

"It's the best we can do."

"Ok, I'm guessing a disguise is first on the list." Rian assumed. "If you go get a new car without them, and the police come in and question the people who gave you the car using your pictures, they'll easily catch you."

"That's good observation Rian." Daniel nodded. "Disguises first, and then a new car."

"And the Gelflings may need disguises too." Dr. Milldred nodded. "We can't risk them being seen the way they are now. People will surely panic."

"But why would they?" Deet asked.

"No offence sweetie, but you're not the most normal looking creature on our planet." Dr. Milldred told her. "If somebody saw you, they'll surely come to the conclusion that you're not from our world."

"Then some new disguises we shall get." Rian nodded.

"Where do we go first?" Penelope asked.

"Hair salons." Daniel decided. "Get our hair done first, and just our luck, here's one now."

He turned the car and pulled into the Evolve Salon. He parked the car right in front of it, next to Today's Vision and The Heights Nail Spa. He pulled the key out of the ignition and turned back to the Gelflings, studying them curiously. He looked at Dr. Milldred. "They'll need to have their hair done as well, but how can we achieve that without someone noticing they're not from Earth?"

Dr. Milldred frowned and looked around the stores in their area. "We could go into Today's Vision and get some sunglasses to hide Deet's eyes. We'll need some makeup to cover her green skin as well. As for everybody else, we could say it's a birth defect. Stranger things have happened before."

"Ok, Today's Vision for Deet's sunglasses." Daniel nodded. "Now, what about the makeup. There's no stores in this area that sell any."

"There's a CVS over there!" Penelope pointed. "We could get some makeup from there!"

"Good eye, sis." Dr. Milldred smiled, turning to Daniel. "Take us to CVS and we'll do the Gelflings makeup there. Then we'll come back and do our hair and get Deet's glasses."

"Alright." Daniel shrugged and started the car again before driving out and taking them to CVS. He parked the car right in front of the building. "So, who's gonna get out and get it?"

"I will." Penelope offered. "Nobody knows that I'm with you guys, so nobody will suspect me."

"Good idea. Here," Her sister reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet, giving her some money. "We just need foundation to cover her skin, and a bit of blush. Nothing more. Nothing less. Got it?"

"Got it. I'll be right back!" Penelope nodded and took the money before opening the door and running inside.

It didn't take Penelope more than ten minutes to come running back out of the store with a small bag with a CVS logo on it. She opened the door and climbed inside. "I got the makeup! And here's your change, Millie."

"Wonderful." Dr. Milldred nodded as she took the change and put it back in her wallet. She then climbed over the seat to get to Deet. "Alright Ms. Deet. I'll be doing your makeup. This shouldn't take long."

"Ok," Deet nodded. "I trust you."

Dr. Milldred nodded and pulled out a bottle of liquid foundation from the bag, along with a makeup sponge. She worked delicately, applying the foundation onto Deet's face, neck, and arms. Daniel opened the glove compartment and pulled out a pair of black gloves to hide Deet's green hands. Dr. Milldred took them and pulled them over Deet's hands. She then took the pink blush and a makeup brush and started applying it onto Deet's cheeks, forehead, and nose. When she was done, Deet's skin looked like normal human skin. The only thing that threw it off were her ears and her eyes, and her slightly animalistic face shape.

"Wow." Rian breathed in astonishment. "She almost looks like a human."

"It's perfect." Brea blinked. "Nobody will know the difference."

"Once we get her glasses, perhaps." Dr. Milldred nodded as she climbed back over to her seat. "Alright Daniel. To Today's Vision, and then it's Evolve Salon."

Daniel nodded and quickly drove them back to the two stores mentioned. He got out and went into Today's Vision, quickly coming back out with a pair of sunglasses. He opened the door to Deet's side and gently placed them over her eyes. Now, nobody could really tell whether she was an alien, or someone with a birth defect. "Perfect. Let's get inside and get our hair done now. Leave Baffi and Fritz inside."

Everybody nodded and left the car, leaving the two animal canines in the car and heading inside the Evolve Salon.

The inside of the hair salon was beautiful, not like the little room the Gelflings had their hair trimmed by Sabrina back in California. The walls were white, and the lights shone brightly inside. The chairs were made of black leather with armrests. There were four sinks for washing hair, four dryers, and four stations. It was a bit empty at the moment, save for a couple of old ladies getting their hair done. At the reception desk, a woman sat at a computer, typing something in. She looked up when the rather large group came in and she smiled.

"Hello and welcome to the Evolve Salon." She greeted them. "How can we help you today?"

"We need a whole new look." Dr. Milldred answered. "All of us."

"Well, we can certainly do that." The receptionist nodded, pulling out a clipboard and handing it to her. "Just put your names down in here and we'll be right with you."

"Thank you." Dr. Milldred nodded and huddled with her group. "We need fake names." She whispered to them. "The Gelflings should be fine, but the three of us, Daniel, Penelope, and I, we can't give them our real names."

"I think I got it." Penelope nodded and took the clipboard. "I'll be Elizabeth Hernandez. Milldred, you'll be Sarah Rodriguez. And Daniel, you'll be Derik Manwell."

"If you guys have last names, shouldn't we have last names as well?" Brea frowned.

"That's a good point." Dr. Milldred nodded.

"Easy. Mr. Rian's last name will be Stonewood. Ms. Brea and Ms. Seladon's last names will be Vapra. And Ms. Deet's last name will be Grotton." Penelope easily decided.

"That's perfect." Seladon gasped. "Nobody will be able to guess that those are the names of our clans."

"Smart thinking Penelope." Rian agreed.

Penelope giggled and gave Dr. Milldred the clipboard, who then gave it back to the receptionist.

"Thank you." She said with a smile as she took the clipboard back. "If you just have a seat, we'll be right with you."

The group nodded and went to sit or stand by the chairs, waiting for their names to be called, as well as keeping their eyes out for the police. They couldn't let their guard down yet.

At last, a different woman came up and called a name. "Ryan Stonewood?"

Rian gulped and went up to her. "It's actually pronounced Rian."

The woman smiled down at him, only frowning a bit at his appearance. "Oh, sorry about that. Are you ready to have your hair done?"

Rian gulped again and nodded.

"Excellent, right this way."

As Rian followed his hair stylist, a man came up. "Sarah Rodriguez?"

"That's me." Dr. Milldred stood up and followed him.

The woman led Rian to her station and had him sit down on the chair. She then picked up a book and handed it to him. "This book is full of the different hairstyles I can give you. What would you like?"

Rian took the book and started looking through it. He'll need something that will completely transform him, which meant, he'll need a boy cut. He looked through the different styles, and found a nice hair style that was cut short, just above the shoulders, and would frame his face nicely, and it was a nice blondish-brown color. He showed it to the woman. "I'll get this one, and I'd like to have it colored the same way too, if you can do that."

"Absolutely." The woman smiled and took the book, putting it back. "Let's get to work."

With Dr. Milldred, she looked through the different styles herself and found one she liked. "I'll get this short, wavy style, and could you dye it black too, please."

"Certainly."

As Rian and Dr. Milldred were being worked on, another man came up to the group, still waiting for their turns. "Bree Vapra?"

"That's me!" The younger Vapra sister stood up and walked up to him. "And it's Brea."

"Follow me, please."

Brea followed him to his station and sat on the chair. She looked up and before the man could give her the book, she pointed to a picture on the wall. It was of a woman with white hair cut in a wispy bob cut. "I'd like that, please."

"Can do." The man nodded and got to work.

With Rian, the woman working on his hair had just finished washing it and was now working the dye into it. The dye burned and itched his scalp, but he tried to hold still and not mess with it. 'Why would anyone do this to themselves?' He wondered. The woman finished putting the dye into his hair and wrapped it up in plastic before guiding him over to one of the hair dryers.

"Just sit right here for about a half hour, and I'll come get you when you're done." She said to him with a smile as she lowered the dryer over his head and turned it on. The hot air blowing onto his head soothed his scalp a bit so it wasn't so itchy. "I'll you're doing that, I'll get to work on one of your other friends." She went back to the group and looked at the next name on her list. "Derik Manwell?"

"Right here." Daniel stood up. "Just a black dye for me, please."

"Can do. Right this way."

At the same time, Dr. Milldred was led over to the dryer next to Rian's and was sat down, the black in her hair settling as the dryer was put over her head. The stylist working on her gave her the same instructions before calling for Seladon.

"I'll have my hair cut to a shoulder length and straightened please." She said to him. "And I'll have it colored to a blonde, please."

"Sure thing." The man nodded and led her to his station.

Dr. Milldred sighed and looked at Rian. "How are you doing so far?"

"I'm doing fine. The dye itches a bit, but it's not too bad." The Stonewood shrugged. "What's next after this?"

"I'm thinking we should get you guys some new clothes. I don't know if you've noticed, but some of the people in here have already been giving you guys some odd looks due to your appearances."

"I had a feeling." Rian nodded. "Where will we go for that?"

"There should be a clothing store not too far from here." Dr. Milldred nodded. "We'll go there after this. And then we'll go get a new car."

"Hopefully we're not caught too soon."

"We'll be fine, as long as we stay low and not cause any trouble."

Rian nodded. "Right."