“Uhh, we need better soundproofing on these things.” I tried to ignore the noises coming from the cabin next to me but it was difficult when it was this late. Rein and Liz had been busy since they had gotten back, apparently Liz was Rein’s perfect woman, and Rein was Liz’s comforting boy toy. I was, however, sick of listening to them, it was annoying at first but now it was becoming irritating. The noise would have been bad enough, but being connected to both of them meant that it was pretty obvious no matter where they did it.

“Fuck this.” I got up from my ever increasing stack of sheets that made by bed. It was starting to be nearly as comfortable as my old bed, especially now that I was sleeping on a wooden floor rather than the cold ground. I walked out the door to head over to the lake, sitting in his usual spot was John. Staring at the reflection of the moon with his feet barely touching the water.

I watched as he just sat there, John was a strange man when you thought about him. No matter how many weird things that Nate did to his body, it was always so human-like. Sure wings and scales were not human, but it was more like he wore a costume rather than became something else.

John however, was less human than any of us. He didn’t sleep anymore, he barely ate or drank, even now he had his feet in the water to absorb it. A small vine ran around his back like a belt, taking in the extra hydrogen and letting John use the oxygen to breathe. He sat there motionless, I knew he heard me or at least felt my presence. But he didn’t move, standing there like a tree, just letting the night pass by.

I sat next to him, putting my feet in the water. Granted I did it to feel the cool liquid on my feet, I still breathed and ate and drank like a human. It made me question why I was so reluctant to let Myc make the changes.

Even Nate didn’t like the thought of essentially becoming a plant, he said it was because he liked eating but the thought scared him. It scared all of us, we knew Myc had no ill intentions and John was still himself, but the thought of being stuck in that form. Barely able to move or breathe, Tony’s presence here kind of pushed us back a couple of steps from truly accepting the changes.

I wanted to let Myc do his thing, he already had several basic changes that would be the new normal. I wanted to understand why John let the changes occur, I also wanted to be the one that helped create something more. To stop letting my stupid human brain from making choices for no logical sense. But I couldn’t make those changes until I changed my brain, so I suppose I was stuck in a catch 22.

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“You know that you don’t have to change. Although Myc wants people to accept that we are not human anymore. There is also the understanding that until a new generation is born, the human side will always be there.”

“Even in you?” I asked, he looked at me with the same bright teal eyes, and kind smile that adorned his face whenever someone needed to talk. It was nice to see, although it also felt lacking. I knew that it was genuine and it was the same look that he gave to everyone. But I still wanted to be special, still tried to stand out from the rest.

“That is the problem.”

“What, trying to stand out.” I was confused, how was I supposed to let him see me for who I truly was if I didn’t show him.

“You are not a single person trying to stand above the rest. You are part of the collective and all you can do is try to better the whole, no matter how smart or beautiful you are. It is meaningless if you do not raise up the rest to be just as good as you.” It hurt to hear the truth from him. We weren’t a species like the humans anymore, we were something more, something better.

However, we were made by humans. We had to leave that part of us behind and think about the whole before the individual. I had to be better, not to make myself stand out. I had to be better because it was good for the whole, so that the collective would expand and grow. I took a deep breath, I knew that it would take time to truly understand and accept that. I exhaled and let my worries and selfish impulses go by the wayside, I was ready.

“Myc, you can make the changes. I am done holding back everyone else out of simple human fears. I am ready.”

Very well, I am glad to see that you are better understanding us. I questioned whether someone who was fully human could truly let go of their own sense of self. You and John have made me realize that there is hope for your species yet.

I smiled at the thought that I was truly working for the collective now, I knew that in some ways I was still holding back. It would take time, but soon I would let those go and truly become part of the collective.

I leaned my head on John’s shoulder and closed my eyes as the changes slowly took place. I could feel the prickling as my skin cells grew chlorophyll, I heard the slow churning as my body morphed and evolved. As the feeling of water washed over my toes, it became more like the water was flowing through me. I felt my muscles turn heavy and my bones push more blood through my system.

It was both relaxing and invigorating, that I didn’t even notice when John leaned his head on mine. I looked over at him and stared into his eyes, they glowed with our connection so strong that it felt like we were dancing. Then he leaned down and kissed my lips, it was strong and passionate. However, I felt it as he thought of how soft and warm my lips felt. I wrapped my hands around his shoulders and we laid on the ground through the night. Letting our connection grow as both pleasure and pain resonated between us, our minds and bodies became one as the sun rose in the sky.