Lucy glared back at Edward Cupple with rage filling just about every pore of her body. The man had admitted to being involved in her father's death in some way, and a part of her was certain that the warlock had made sure her father died. He'd also either enslaved and then transformed Megan and Jenny into Slug Women or enslaved them when they got far enough away from the colony for Slug People that was to the north of where they presently were and then sent them to the Chapman house and leading to the present confrontation. He was even openly bragging about being able to control them, even if the Chapman family had resisted his ability at mind control, and while her brother had become an impressive looking Slug Man, Lucy also knew that Jeff wasn't a "tough guy." He liked masculine things, but he wasn't the sort to go out and cause trouble or anything stupid, which gave her the sense that if Jeff didn't think he could protect his mother and siblings he might back down. Lucy also had the sense that Whitney and the others might back down for fear of losing Jeff, particularly as Cupple demonstrated his powers again. He might not be all powerful, but Lucy knew that Slug People weren't impervious to harm.
"We will never serve you!" Lucy vowed and slid up to stand close to Jeff, "what you're doing and wanting to do is WRONG!"
"Yeah!" Zoe came forward.
"Perhaps you missed the part where I said I CAN hurt you," Cupple frowned, "and where you have no choice but to be what I want you to be."
"We heard," Lucy answered with a growl, "but warlock or not... us being Slug People now, or not... there is a thing called freedom. The right for everyone to be who they are and choose to be who they are WITHOUT someone else's demands!"
"We may be linked together through the hive mind that links all Slug People," Grace added as she and Whitney brought up the rear, "but we still are who we were in spirit before our transformations. I'm still more interested in science... Lucy in art and being herself. And while I may not be the most forceful member of the family... that doesn't mean that I disagree with my older sister regarding what is important."
Lucy smiled at that and felt Jeff get some confidence back. Even Whitney and Grace stood ready for what would surely come next, for she also watched as Cupple frowned at them and seemed to ready himself for a fight. Whether or not they could win was a different issue, as Cupple had already displayed some powers that they couldn't easily counter. Even as Slug People they couldn't respond directly to someone that could throw lightning around on a whim. And while they could be strong, it wasn't likely that they could easily crush Cupple physically, as a locked door had been enough to keep Megan and Jenny out of the master bedroom for as long as it had. There was much they didn't know about Cupple's powers and that was enough to raise some fears, but Lucy remained determined to fight for her freedom and the freedom of her family. Defeating Cupple's powers would require help, which had been why they'd planned to get out and see what the various church officials might have to say about dealing with Cupple's powers, but for the moment, it looked like that would have to wait... Though another surprise came up that soon changed the situation.
"Hurting people doesn't solve anything or prove anyone right," came a male voice making all eyes or heads turn. It turned out to be male neighbor who lived to the west of the Chapman home. He'd come out and around the fence between the two houses and then approached calmly, "and while I've never given too much thought on the Slug People... the Chapmans have been good people, and as such, sir, if you're threatening them. I will report you to the police."
This made Cupple pause and back away. He didn't a see a phone in the man's hand, but he could also see the open defiance on the faces of the Chapmans, and while he had some sense that they had some fear of his powers, the fact that Jeff had retained his position to keep himself between Cupple and his family and now seemed to be getting help from a neighbor had complicated matters. From his position, Jeff also seemed to pick up on some of that indecision on Cupple's part, as did Lucy. It was something that showed that Cupple was powerful, but not so powerful that a large fight was something he'd want to avoid.
"This isn't your fight, sir," Cupple spoke as he backed away.
"If you are threatening my neighbors, it is," the new arrival spoke, "the Chapmans have been my neighbors for years and have been good people. Thus I will stand by them."
"As you wish..." Cupple spoke and moved away, "though, my purposes are not truly hostile and merely to set things as they SHOULD be. And as such, things are not over."
The group watched as Cupple walked away to the east and then vanished around the eastern end of the Chapman house. The group watched as he left, though once he was out of sight, the Chapmans turned back to their neighbor.
"Thanks, Paul," Whitney spoke with relief clear in her voice.
The man nodded, "It's no problem. As I said, you've been good people, and to a degree our neighborhood's been on the outer edge of town with little real development. So, standing up for good people is good in my book. Though... I get the sense that that guy should be more familiar..."
"His name is Edward Cupple," Whitney answered him, "his normal line of work is in real estate. And has likely been heavily involved in some of the building up of the neighborhood in the past few years."
"That'd make sense," Paul gave a shrug and then ran his hand to brush back his graying hair.
"Though he's more than just a real estate agent," Lucy added, "he's a warlock with some odd plan... that we can't say what that plan is."
"A warlock?" Paul asked, "is that why he's chased after you?"
"It's actually part of what's drawn him to us," Jeff spoke carefully and doing his best to gage the neighbor's reaction.
He'd remembered doing some yard work for the man in the past, which made some of the friendly response and help understandable. However, in his interactions with Cupple, Paul had essentially treated the Chapmans as though they'd ALWAYS been Slug People, which was part of the inherent magic that Slug People had as a defense mechanism. In this, it would be unlikely that they could truly convince Paul that they were humans turned into Slug People.
"Would you know what he wants?" Paul asked.
"Specifically... I'm afraid not," Whitney said slowly, "and at present there are some things about the man that would make us suspicious of some involvement in my husband's death..."
Paul blinked slowly, "I think I remember the news reports... dying in a fire at a real estate office... Tragic, given how rare Human, Slug Person pairings are. I'm still sorry you had to deal with all that, Mrs. Chapman."
"We think that Cupple might have used his magic to make that fire deliberate," Zoe spoke up pointedly, "and he pretty much admitted that to us... likely part of whatever plan he has."
"Can you prove that?" Paul asked back with some suspicion clear in his voice.
"Unfortunately not in anyway that the police would take as evidence to get an arrest warrant," Whitney spoke and turned one eye stalk to Zoe, "which limits what we can do. Though I would still prefer not to have some aggressive warlock targeting me and my family."
Paul nodded in a friendly way. It was a way that Jeff did recognize as something that had been there before everything had started, but still conditioned with the sense that Paul had felt they'd always been Slug People.
"It might stand to be careful if a pair of Slug Women named Megan and Jenny come to visit," Jeff spoke up, "as we think they might be in league with Cupple. In this... they may pull something that might not be considered truly criminal."
"So... they're not part of your hive then?" Paul asked.
"No," Whitney said firmly.
"I'll keep an eye out then," Paul nodded and then moved back toward his house.
This then left the Chapmans alone. Cupple had retreated and their neighbor had returned home. Now their mission was safe to return to what they'd discussed earlier, to find help that could provide a means to deal with Cupple's sorcery.