Liz sparked again and she winced.
"Can't someone make this stop? Seriously!" she wailed.
Healers everywhere were perplexed. Only the best were sought for the Sem Queen (although Liz felt uncomfortable with the title, not even being a Sem), and none of them had any idea what was going on. Amongst the theories was that Liz was developing powers, but it was a little late chronologically speaking for Liz to mutate, even if she had what was affectionally called the X gene.
Max kissed Liz's forehead.
"They're doing everything they can," he assured her.
"I know! But I... I hate this sparking business. It's driving me crazy!"
"I know."
"And all these healers coming in, touching me all the time. It's frustrating!"
"I know."
Liz railed a while longer before subsiding again.
"C'mon," Max said coaxingly, "we don't need to be here all the time. You wanna go onto the commercial level? We can get you that fuzzle you always wanted?"
Liz gave him a long look, then smiled.
"Okay," she agreed.
The two departed and made their way to the nearest pet shop.
"Good afternoon," Mitchel greeted. "What can I do for you?"
"We're interested in the fuzzles, thanks," Max said.
"Sure, sure," Mitchel nodded. "Right over here."
"Oh!" Liz exclaimed. "What an amazing assortment of colours you have... I never knew."
Mitchel grinned.
"Well, I breed 'em as well as sell them," he said. "DNA is my speciality."
"I don't know how I'll ever pick one," Liz shook her head.
"Take your time," Mitchel smiled.
Mitchel went back to some other work, while the couple looked over the fuzzles. Finally, Max looked over to Mitched and gestured to him to rejoin them.
"Decided?" Mitchel inquired.
"Oh, yes," Liz nodded. "I'd like that bright pink one, right there."
"Ahh," Mitchel nodded.
He opened up the display and picked up the pink fuzzle that was actually the daughter of Rosa - the fuzzle he had traded with Rogue.
"This one?"
"Yep," Liz nodded, reaching out for her.
Mitchel put the little fuzzle into Liz's hand - their skin made contact and in that moment, Mitchel stared at Liz with an incredulous frown on his face.
"What?" Liz asked, noticing the change of expression.
"Are you a Sem/Human hybrid?" he asked, feeling like he was intruding by asking. "I don't mean to intrude - "
"No."
"What would you ask a thing like that?" Max asked.
"Uhh, sorry," Mitchel replied, the frown deepening at Liz's negative answer. "I mentioned before that my speciality is DNA? To be more specific, it's microkinesis, but I can use it to read DNA... and there is - please excuse me if you think I'm being rude - something very odd about yours."
"Why? What are you reading?" Max pressed.
"Well," Mitchel swallowed. "There is definitely both human and Sem DNA there, but it's fluctuating, like one is fighting the other."
"But I'm human! Completely human!" Liz exclaimed.
Mitchel shrugged.
"Be that as it may," he said politely, "I know Sem DNA when I read it, and you've got it."
"But that's impossible!"
"It would explain a few things..." Max commented. "But... how?"
Liz gave Max an alarmed look. There was a tense silence.
"Ahh, umm, how about I ring this up for you?" Mitchel said tentatively. "And how about I throw in a carry bag? They're designed for travelling with your fuzzle, providing your pet with ample protection, entertainment, and facilities for providing food, water and uhh, waste disposal."
As they approched the counter, Mitchel pulled out a mini one to show them, and demonstrated how it worked, and pulled out some intructions on the care of fuzzles.
"Looks good," Max said slowly.
He passed over the money for the exchange, Liz's mind still reeling with Mitchel's claim. Then Mitchel and Max's hand touched, and what Mitchel read through that contact made him stare at Max.
"Me too?" Max asked, also noting the look on Mitchel's face.
"Sorry," Mitchel shrugged. "I'm reading you as a full Sem, but there appear to be something... something extra?"
"Well, I suppose being the Sem king might have something to do with that. There's supposed to be some sort of chemical alteration that's done to the royal family to you can always identify the heir."
"Oh!" Mitchel exclaimed. "Sorry, I didn't recognise you. I..."
"Relax, it's cool," Max grinned. "Thanks for the fuzzle."
As they exited the shop, Liz whirled on Max.
"Max... if you've been... could I have... could..."
"I don't know. But I'm going to find out."