Lampwick took a slow sigh, nodding, realizing that the bastard would have done a quicker job than the Coachman if he had come to Pleasure Island a week earlier, becoming a donkey…At least a woman has some rights, if not sold or something in the black market…
She whispered, "Mama, you're not tarnished or an old spinster to me…And I miss Pops too, but he would have wanted us to get better, to move on, and you know that Pops was a great husband and dad to us…We just had bad luck in that bastard…And now that I'm a woman, I know the rules and laws better…You are free of that village telling you to try again and have a child and such, here…nobody knows you, so you are a single woman just trying to have a living, and…we can have good luck again…I know you need time to get better after searching for me and all, and don't worry, we have a way to check that whoever catches your eye, they're good and kind…Pops would want you to be happy, Mama…".
Leila gave a small smile. The last thing she really wanted to do at the moment was go out looking for love again; at least for quite some time as the scars of her previous relationship with hell was just too fresh. "Thank you, Romeo…", Leila whispered as she buried her head in Lampwick's neck and started to sob a bit more. Lampwick gently rubbed her back, wanting to let her mother get it all out.
They slowly strolled through the depths of the forest, still deep, and thankfully, Leila got it all out for the time being by the time they reached the road leading back to the village, and Lampwick looked at the village in the distance before exhaling deeply as she remembered something else…"Mama, I know you're all wrought out from getting it all out and happily accepting me for what I am currently, but there's…there's something I have to tell you before we go into the village…It…it's dangerous to say it around people in there…Only Geppetto knows as the one human in the family I am staying with…It's…I know I have my decision tonight, but it's something that affects me right now…".
Lelia looked at her baby, whispering, "Juliet or Romeo, I'll always love you, and besides, after facing a monster in my ex and meeting a real-life fairy, and finding you as a beautiful woman of 16, I came a long way, and that counts for something, isn't it? You can tell me anything, my baby.".
Lampwick closed her eyes. This was something she really had been thinking hard about for quite some time. Perla had made her decision with things, but it had been easier for her due to just how short her life span had been up to that point: consciousness for only a few days.
Meanwhile Lampwick had several years of being a young boy before thrusted into the world of adult womanhood.
Lampwick took a deep breath, opening her eyes to look at her mother, "I'm best friends with Perla, Geppetto's daughter, but also romantically involved with her…We're…in this arrangement where we are happy with, but we have different paths, significant others out there. I'm taking my time to think about settling in life somewhere else, but I don't know if I'd be attracted to men after I become a real woman tonight, or attracted to women still, like similar with Perla…I understand if that is not right to you…I know the laws was also in that village…I…I don't want to lose you again…".
"Rome-", Leila paused. "Juliet.", she said as she tried to quickly get used to the change; after all, Lampwick just admitted right there that she was going to be a true woman herself after tonight.
"Mama, please…", Lampwick was worried about what she was going to say. Nothing was said as Leila took her into another hug that felt warm and loving.
Lampw-..No, Juliet gave a sob as she realized the meaning of the hug, and the look of pure acceptance and love on her mother's face, "I love you, Mama…", and Leila whispered, "I love you, Juliet…I'm right here, my sweet girl…".
"Mama…", Juliet whispered as the two of them said nothing more for a few minutes as the hug said more than enough for the both of them.
Leila's belly grumbled hungrily, and both women laughed softly, and Juliet smiled widely, and then heard the sound of the wheelbarrow coming up behind them and glanced over to see Geppetto.
He smiled at them, "Let's go home. My daughter must be nearly done with cooking lunch. You good, Lampwick?", and Juliet smiled, "Actually, call me Juliet from now on…", with a warm chuckle.
"So, you've made your decision?", Geppetto asked as Juliet nodded, "Yeah… and I know it's not something I'll regret. I thought about it long and hard, but… I guess I just feel more right as a woman than a boy… just took a horrible curse and nearly sold myself into sex slavery to realize that.".
Geppetto smiled softly, "Well, I know someone who'd be happy for you, Juliet.", as he pushed the wheelbarrow, and the two women walked alongside him, and Juliet blushed with a wide smile.
Leila chuckled, "I'd love to meet this wonderful girl who changed your life for good. I never saw you truly happy before, and I will treasure my new memories with you, my daughter, as much as I treasured my memories with your past self…Was being abused by the bastard alluding to your decision, Juliet?".
Juliet had a look on her face as she really thought about that question, "You know, I suppose deep down, it probably did. I mean, part of me really did think, especially when I left, that no matter what I could do, there would be no pleasing him… that no matter what I could do, it still wouldn't be good enough for him.".
"Well, he's gone now, and besides, look at you now…he wouldn't even be able to recognize you now…You're a stranger to him, and that'd be the end of him. But a mother never forgets their baby, and I'm so proud of you…Of course, you'd still have to tell me how you managed to survive this far north, but we have time for those stories, for I'm just happy, tired, yes, and hungry, but very happy, and strangely, at peace now that I know that you're alive, happy, and mainly learning to live in a woman's world, but you're free all the same.", Leila replied proudly and warmly.
Juliet nodded, "You really need some rest and a good soak, you're just…", motioning to her mama's body. "Ragged, I know… I've managed to survive though, same as yourself.", Leila smiled as the group continued their walk home.
Geppetto smiled, "Well, you have a story to tell over lunch, and then all the rest you need including a good bath in the girls' bathroom.", and Leila chuckled, "True.", and so, the trio made it home safely, with Leila introduced to Perla, Jiminy, Figaro, and Cleo.
Leila told her story over the table, with everybody reacting and asking questions, and after a long, good soak, Leila then went to sleep, all out as she was exhausted.
It was usually around sunset for supper, but seeing that Leila was exhausted, they let her sleep the entire afternoon to early evening before she finally woke up, refreshed, clean, and hungry once more.
Juliet was over the moon to have her mother back in her life, and even if surviving on the streets for a long time, and worrying about her, Leila aged a bit more than she should have, but she was all too happy to not care about that as she felt so much better while she ate supper with the family.
Then upon the completion of dessert, Miss Evangeline announced her arrival, and a moment later, she came into the living room, smiling at Leila, "Good evening, Miss Leila, I am glad that my gift of an extra compass helped you come home to your daughter. Even if you may have not seen my star during the day, I heard your decision, Juliet. Are you absolutely sure that you want to be a true woman?".
Juliet took a deep breath, "Well, you said it yourself that you heard, but yeah... my reasonings that I said... my thoughts... it just feels more right being like this than being a boy looking back at it all. Plus... I've come to really learn loving this new body after a few weeks.".
Miss Evangeline smiled warmly, "Well then, come forward, Juliet.", and Juliet kissed her mama on the forehead, and Perla kissed her on the cheek before she walked forward, and stood in front of Miss Evangeline, the Blue Fairy.
She kissed her wand, and laid it against Juliet's forehead, "Juliet, daughter of Leila, let thyself be real through and through, with a soul of pure innocence, a body of mortal humanity, and a mind of strong faith and imagination, and so let it mote be.", as her wand glowed brighter and brighter, with Juliet closing her eyes.
As with Perla before, Juliet herself would be engulfed in a blinding wave of light that forced the other witnesses to the event to avert their eyes as the Blue Fairy's magic did its work.
After a few minutes of the bright glow, it vanished, leaving Juliet standing, looking just the same as before, with a bit more mature glint to her eyes, and her inner body system entirely feminine. Perla cautiously stepped forward, "Juliet?".
Juliet looked at her, remembering the last few nights including the half passionate, half blurry first night together, and she hugged Perla, kissing her softly on the lips, "It's still me, Slats...", with a smile, as she glanced around, looking at her mama with a reassuring nod, at Geppetto, with a tiny bit of thought that if she was any older, she would definitely be attracted to Geppetto, or vice versa, if Geppetto wasn't Perla's father, and younger.
She exhaled deeply, glancing at Miss Evangeline, "I feel like femininely wonderful, yet I am a tomboy...I think I might be attracted to both genders...", and Miss Evangeline smiled gently, "I'm not like the Coachman, Juliet, and besides, your past is part of you always, and besides, if it wasn't for the past, involving Leila's ex abusive husband, you wouldn't have found yourself up near Pleasure Island and such, and you would have grown up with your identity of being a man who loves women. And the Coachman, if he was successful, you would have been a woman who loves men. And you're not the only one. There are other people who are secret lovers or something in kingdoms, and they are in love with both men and women.".
Perla widened her eyes, "So, that's why I...I acted the same too! There were cute men in the marketplace and pretty women, but not as pretty like Juliet.", and Jiminy replied, "Is there a word for that?".
Miss Evangeline smiled softly, "In a future vision I had, the words for attracted to both genders, sexually or romantically is 'bisexual' or 'ambisexual'.".
"Future vision?", Leila asked as Evangeline nodded, "Yes... I can see glimpses of the future, sometimes very far into it at times... it certainly helps with granting some wishes during this day and age.".
Perla and Juliet glanced at each other, smiling as they were definitely very attracted to each other, yet they are able to be attracted to men as well since the compass proved that Perla's significant other is a male.
Perla commented, "I like the sound of ambisexual...It fits well enough.", and Juliet nodded, "It sure does...", as she knew that she's deeply involved in a loving way towards Perla, yet it's a mix of sexual love for her and Perla, yes, it makes so much sense.
Miss Evangeline smiled warmly, "Good. And don't worry, you two will be safe together with the compass, and Miss Leila, you can keep the copy as well, for if something happens, the two compasses can link to each other, and find the lost person without asking too many questions.", as her wand subtly checked on Perla's womb, inwardly smiling as the wand told her that the fetus in question is growing well.
Leila smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Miss Evangeline.", and Miss Evangeline nodded warmly before giving a bit of realization as she remembered something, "And oh, you don't have to worry about your ex-husband. Your injuries on him that night you got out, they brought him a great deal of pain and fever, and despite a few women he attempted to woo into healing him, it was too late for him to recover. And I might have slipped a bit of truth serum into one of his drinks to confess everything he did to you and Juliet before he passed away. Your old village is slowly changing their ways with more vigilance into reports of abuse.".
Leila took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you...", she said once more. "It is better though despite your efforts for me to not return to my village... too many terrible recent memories and that they, in part, were somewhat responsible for the pressure placed on me to be with my ex.".
Miss Evangeline smiled warmly, "Well, you have a family here who cares for you and knows what you've been through. They will make sure within their hearts to tell this one village to back off if they are pressuring you again.".
Geppetto nodded, "She's right, Leila. I'm a very respected woodcarver and toymaker, and in the town hall or such, I will tell some of the truth, but like just enough for them to back off.", and Perla narrowed her eyes, "You're Juliet's mama, and I ain't going to let any man look at you, let alone inquire after you!".
Juliet chuckled, "See, mama, I told you that I got a special family...You deserve some alone time, and besides, we could always say that you're a governess, to teach me and Perla stuff about socializing and stuff.".
"That or maybe we can play the sisters act.", Leila smiled. "Or that I'm your mother, but younger than I look.".
"That could also work...", Geppetto said. "No shortage of young widows either with the recent wars that ripped apart the continent. The Italian kingdoms had no shortage of blood spilled...". He sighed, "I still remember almost three decades now when the French under a young General named Napoleon marched through the town on their way towards Vienna.".
Leilia nodded, "I remember what my mother told me about that. Still, those recent wars are finished...Many lessons learned, and no, I don't hate France for the actions of a man either...".
Geppetto nodded, "Me either. After all, it wasn't just France in the recent wars after Napoleon, it was almost the entire continent of Europe. And war is aimless...It only hurts families beyond belief.".