Getting away from the Chapman house and particularly Cupple was a victory, though the Chapman's moved rather nervously. Relations between humans and Slug People had generally been "tolerant," and by the twentieth century, most countries had at least put laws on the books that would grant Slug People equal protection under the law and civil rights, but that didn't necessarily mean there wasn't some underlying tensions between both groups. Many humans tended to be fairly suspicious at times of Slug People because of their high libido, inability to wear clothing because their slime seemed to dissolve all known cloth fibers, and the fact that their origins went back to the medieval period and involved witches and warlocks like Cupple. There was also some of the inherent magic that Slug People also carried that even after "magic" wasn't believed in could make people nervous.
That had Grace the most nervous as they slid away from their family home and reaching the sidewalk. The concrete felt rough under her tail, but yet at the same time the trail of slime that helped her slide on it prevented it from hurting her and that in turn let her mind worry on what to do and how to do it. For they hadn't chosen to become Slug People, that had been forced on them thanks to Edward Cupple's scheme. They had discussed some things on how to stop Cupple, but that didn't necessarily mean they would avoid some of those other worries, particularly if their neighbors responded in a way that was quite possible given the tensions that were there between Slug People and humans. Paul had been friendly and helpful, but a part of Grace's mind figured that was more in relation to the inherent magic that Slug People had to prevent fights or attacks, and a lot of that and their present mission also challenged Grace's more scientific mind. She could recognize it, particularly after becoming a Slug Woman, but that didn't mean she fully understood the how and why. For someone might recognize they weren't supposed to be Slug People or might respond out of those tensions and then defeat their primary purpose in dealing with the threat Cupple posed.
"So where do we go first?" Zoe asked as they moved along, drawing Grace away from her thoughts and worries for a moment, "I mean, I know we all agreed to see if the churches had some idea on how to counter Cupple's magic, but which one do we go to?"
That was a big part of the plan. Cupple had either enslaved and then transformed two women, Megan and Jenny, or caught the two of them when they were far enough away from the rest of the local Slug People colony that the hive mind couldn't fully protect them from his magic. That then set in motion the base plan to contact the local churches first, as they would likely be more open accept or believe their claim that magic had been used to turn the Chapman family into Slug People and thus might have something that could better defend them from Cupple's magic. The only question now was on which church to go to and that was the question that Zoe had raised.
"We'd agreed to go to the churches first," Jeff spoke up bringing the base agreement they'd reached on what to do earlier.
"Yes, but which church?" Zoe spoke, "there are a bunch of different churches in town and at the time we were also still trying to figure out on what to do you had not transformed yet and the rest of us still trying to figure out just trying to figure out how to get out of the house."
Grace moved her eye stalks along as the others looked along as others recognized the point that Zoe raised as they moved along and thought over things. For the moment, though, finding out what to do was critical, and while there was the risk of Cupple coming back and jumping them once far enough away from the Chapman home, or Megan and Jenny chasing after them trying to seduce Jeff now that he was a Slug Man, the family settled down at a street corner and with their tails sort of curling back over one of the others. Grace felt the tip of Jeff's touch hers while her tail touched Whitney's, Whitney's touched Zoe's, Zoe's touched Lucy's, and Lucy's ultimately touched Jeff's. It was like they all stopped in a circle to look over things. Every one also kept one eye stalk moving in all directions to keep an eye out for anyone coming up behind them or for traffic on the street.
"I mean, I know we agreed to go to all of them, but which one to go to first?" Zoe then asked.
This soon brought an eye toward Grace from all of the others, making Grace blink in some surprise. That was something she really didn't expect and she soon moved her eyes around the others.
"What... what are you looking at me for?" Grace asked.
"You're the smartest of us," Lucy commented, "you knew more about what we've become than any of us."
"And were the first to become a Slug Person that Megan and Jenny didn't influence," Zoe added with a nod of agreement.
"But all of you are smart in different ways," Grace countered, sending her puzzlement into the hive-mind for the others to feel.
"Different ways," Jeff said slowly, "but not in ways that help us figure out what may do the best to defeat Cupple's magic or Megan and Jenny's own abilities. I'm good with video games and the computer science that goes into them... and that can help us come up with some strategic ideas..."
"But THAT only works with the knowledge on "the game" that you're playing," Lucy looked to Jeff and then to Grace, "I'm good with art, but the thing that's helped us the most here has been my own will. My drive for individuality, and all of you know that. As through the hive-mind that's linked us... I know it's helped all of you gain the strength to push on against Megan and Jenny's lusts and Cupple's power. To fight the fear that might otherwise weaken all of us."
"It's what gave me the confidence to take the chance that we could rescue Jeff when they tried to take advantage of us going to get food," Whitney said to Lucy, "and thank you."
Lucy smiled and nodded.
"And I've been good enough with athletics to know how to physically push them out and I might be able to help you guys with all that kind of stuff," Zoe then said, "and all of that helped us save Jeff from Megan and Jenny trying to lure Jeff to them while we apart. And all of that helps. Bult all of your science knowhow helped us learn more about what we've gained as Slug People. All that hive-mind knowledge. Some reasoning on everything that's related to what might know about what to do about all this magic stuff. Stuff that none of us would have believed in before... before we started losing our humanity, one by one."
"But science and magic are not the same thing," Grace pointed out.
Feeling Grace's nervousness, Whitney slid closer to her youngest daughter and gently began to pat Grace's back. Grace felt that assurance in return and felt a bit better, even if she couldn't read her mother's thoughts. She could at least feel the support from her mother, and to a degree she felt some measure of confidence and assurance coming from her siblings as well.
"They aren't the same," Whitney said to her, "but it wouldn't surprise me if magic has different but similar rules."
"And so far, sis," Jeff gave a friendly smile, "you're probably the only one that could at least give us a guess on what those rules could be and how they might work. Which would then help us figure out as to which church to go to first."
"I might be able to help guess on the rules that govern magic, but that'd only be a guess," Grace warned, "which is why we'd need to talk with the churches as they'd not only believe us when we say that magic was used to transform us and that the one behind it all is a human wizard. But without knowledge of those rules and how they work... I can't counter Cupple's magic. The churches would have more knowledge, and really, just about any church would have some knowledge on this."
"Yes, but there are still many different churches, even here in town," Jeff answered, "and I'm not a religious guy... but wouldn't there be differences between them?"
"There can be," Grace answered, "though I'm not much of an expert there either. I mean... we've all gone to our local church, but none of us have looked into any specific details within it. So, how well it may know or work with "magic" would be a guess at best."
"What would you think would work the best, then?" Lucy asked, "our normal church? One of the other Protestant churches here in town? Or the Catholic Church?"
"My only best guess would be the Catholic Church," Grace commented, "as the first Slug People were reported to appear BEFORE the Protestant Reformation and in this, the Catholics might have more experience or records with these things."
"Like the Spanish Inquisition and all that?" Jeff wondered.
"In theory... but that's also just a guess," Grace spoke, "and holds no guarantee. The Catholic Church might have records that could help... but that wouldn't mean that the local church/monastery would have those records and skills here. Though, I'd still think they're the best chance out of them."
"But the Catholic Church in town is the farthest away!" Zoe protested.
"Then we'd best get going," Jeff commented, "it's going to be a long day anyway... and we have no idea what Cupple will do while we're away."
Lucy agreed to that, "So, I think we have an answer as to which church might be able to help us. Let's go."
Grace was surprised by how much difference she'd been given. She was the youngest and often in the past ended up on the bottom of the family totem pole as Jeff or Lucy had often dominated things growing up, being twins and the eldest in the family. But her siblings and her mother gave her the role on providing advice on where to go first. Grace could only hope they'd have something that could help them.