At Simon's home, Whitney awoke from a fairly restful sleep and one that also felt some degree of warmth and contentment with Zoe on one side of her and Grace on the other. It was something that was strange in a way, as her girls hadn't slept in the same bed as her since they were little, and now with the three of them as Slug Women, feeling the tips of their tails coil around the tip of Whitney's tail felt warm and comforting. There was some measure of relaxation that came as some means of recovering from all the stresses that had come from stresses of Edward Cupple's actions that had ultimately seen them all become Slug People. There was also some awareness on that they may expect the arrival of Simon's friend, who might get them answers on a way to take Cupple down essentially allow them to get control over their home again. She looked from one eye to see Zoe's eyes also blinking awake and then with another eye to see Grace's eyes doing the same.
"Good morning, girls," Whitney said to both of them, "sleep well?"
"I did," Grace spoke, "it felt good to have everyone here and with me."
"Same here," Zoe spoke, "though... I could stand to go to the bathroom..."
"Me to..." Grace agreed.
"I think there was one in the hallway," Whitney commented as the three of them climbed onto their tails, and she could feel that sort of urge as well.
They did make their way there and ended up taking turns handling their respective business. The bathroom wasn't super fancy, but it was fairly different, largely as the toilet was a large wide basin on the floor with an upper sidewall that was about two and a half feet tall with a cradle that would enable them to rest their tail on it so that they could assure that any and all waste went into the water filled basin. The back of the system rose up higher and functioned sort of like a urinal in a men's public restroom, and it served as a reminder that as Slug Women, some things were going to be different from before. Thankfully it was clean, and Simon had some specialized wipes that didn't disintegrate due to a Slug Person's slime and handled the cleaning up quite well. Once that was handled and everyone was clean, the three females of the Chapman family gathered in the hallway and caught the scent of food being cooked reaching their sensory stalks on their upper lips.
"Simon must be cooking breakfast," Grace commented, "that's quite generous... as it goes a bit beyond the basic help we've been looking for."
"If what he said yesterday was true, it's likely that wizards like Cupple are long enemies of Slug People because of their desire to abuse them," Zoe commented, "which would make helping us quite important."
"And I wouldn't complain, as defeating Cupple may not be the only thing we need help from him," Whitney spoke, "come on... let's get breakfast."
They made their way down to the first floor, and sure enough, found Simon preparing breakfast, and one that wasn't too different from what they would have when they had been human. The scent of bacon, eggs, and toast with butter and jam was very welcoming.
"That all smells good," Grace spoke as she entered with Whitney and Zoe behind her.
Simon gave a welcoming smile and turned to face his guests, "I would hope so. It'll help get things in order and allow you to be ready to meet with the colony's friend..."
"Can he help defeat Cupple?" Whitney asked.
"He is more familiar with the methods that may be needed to overcome his magic... and possibly free the two Slug People he may have enslaved," Simon assured her, "but the key thing will be more on whether or not there will be a way around human law... largely as the belief in "magic" has heavily dropped."
"Yes... one minister we talked to yesterday even said that "magic" wasn't real," Grace commented, "and if I'd talked to him before all this happened, I might have agreed with him... but it happened after we were transformed and found Cupple..."
Grace began to shudder a bit in frustration and fear. She didn't like rejection, and the behavior of that one minister came off as outright rejecting the Chapmans and what happened to them. It had felt like betrayal from someone, who in theory, was supposed to care for those around him. To a degree, a minister accepting science wasn't a bad thing, but Grace would have preferred that he'd at least have some care and sympathy for those who had been abused. Zoe and Whitney were quick to hug Grace and rub the dorsal side of Grace’s tail with their own as Grace seemed to vent her frustration and feelings into the hivemind to be picked up by the other Slug People present. Only Simon didn’t join in the hug, as he kept his focus on the cooking.
"These things are rough," Simon eventually spoke, "largely as we cannot change what the law is or what people believe. But I wouldn't give up hope. For to a great degree, while there are always men like those that abused Slug People in the past, and what Edward Cupple may be doing now... there are also those that do good, and which I have the feeling that the colony's friend would be among them."
There was some comfort at that. It wasn't completely what Grace wanted to hear, but in a strange way, the way Simon worded it was comforting and that was enough for the moment. Particularly as her stomach began to gurgle with Whitney's and Zoe's stomach's beginning to gurgle as well. That earned a fairly amused chuckle for Simon as he kept his focus on cooking. It wasn't too long after that breakfast was ready and the four of them settled into the dining room again, and as they ate the hope for help rose in all three of the Chapman women.
"I wonder how Jeff and Lucy are doing," Grace commented as she bit into some toast, "are they okay?"
"I'm sure they're fine," Whitney spoke, "Melody seemed polite enough, and I could accept her as a future in law... and hopefully, Jeff can keep Lucy on task with regard to defeating Cupple and Lucy can make sure that Jeff can control any protective instincts he may have."
"Hopefully... though, to a great extent, love and passion among Slug People can be easily triggered," Simon commented, "it could be quite possible that the signs of attraction between our daughters yesterday bloomed into something more."
"Well, hopefully, everyone was smart to wait on that until AFTER Cupple's attempt to enslave my family and take over the neighborhood is stopped," Whitney spoke, "and would require help from..."
Whitney was then cut off by the doorbell ringing and that turned all eyes in the direction of the sound.
"Is that your friend?" Zoe wondered as she looked to Simon.
"If it is... he's early," Simon spoke, "I'll go see..."
Simon slowly moved off and disappeared through another door in the dining room that seemed to head toward the living room and the front door. Things were quiet for a moment, though curiosity drew Whitney, Zoe, and Grace to that door, and they listened in on Simon as he answered the door. The first was the slight creak as the door opened and then Simon was speaking.
"Good morning, Reverand... I was glad you got my call, as it would appear that there have been some illicit actions that may require your help in dealing with," Simon spoke, "though... you're earlier than I expected."
It was the answer that made Whitney, Zoe, and Grace's eyes practically bulge in their eye stalks as it was someone they recognized.
"Well, Simon, I have some other things to work on today with Sunday coming up and everything," came the answer, and it was their Church's paster, "Reverend Jack." He then continued, "and I think we might finally be able to get a new agent who could handle some of the other bits of business that have been hurt when..."
That was enough to get the Chapmans to rush to the living room, which surprised Simon and startled the man who had just come in through the door. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a black hoodie, with a simple rope necklace holding a wooden cross around his neck.
"Reverand Jack!" Whitney, Zoe, and Grace all gasped.
"Missus Chapman!" Reverand Jack responded with open surprise and looking between them and Simon.
"Their family was transformed by the actions of a wizard that would appear to be trying to restart the old abuse of my people," Simon spoke, "and it is why I called you."