Episode 1: Hello, Neighbor!

>You wake up with a start, then glance at the clock. Who in the world could be knocking on the door at 2 AM?
>...hm. Must be something important, judging by how frantically they’re knocking.
>You hop out of bed and head downstairs to your front door, mind racing with possibilities.
>Through the wood, you hear… sobbing? Oh goodness, you hope that nobody is hurt or anything. That old dirt road outside is curvy… wouldn't be the first time someone had an accident, sadly.
>You throw open the door, then freeze reflexively at the sight that awaits.
>Standing on your porch, crouching slightly, is an extremely tall cat woman.
>Her body is covered in somewhat coarse-looking, mid-length white fur. Yellow eyes stare down at something clutched in her hands, and tears run down her cheeks as she sobs loudly.
>She seems to have a fairly robust build, with strong looking arms and legs, as well as somewhat broad shoulders and hips.
>Large claws tip her feet, and they extend and retract repeatedly as she frets.
>She doesn't seem to even notice you as she stares down at whatever it is she's cradling so close to her flat chest.
>Concerned, you step forward.
>”...miss? Are you okay, are you hurt? What's the matter?”
>She sniffles loudly, still fixated on the object. Then she speaks, with a pronounced stutter, in a soft, somewhat high-pitched voice.
>”M-m-mithter, it’th AWFUL! M-m-my f-friend… h-he won't wake up!”
>”Oh dear. Can I take a look? Maybe I can help.”
>You gently reach up, and she pulls her “friend” away, looking horrified.
>”N-no!  P-pleathe don't t-take him! I need him!”
>You gently take hold of one of her paws- hands? Either way, you take hold of one gently.
>”Miss. It's okay… I'm not going to take him away. May you please open your hand so I could look at your friend to see if he is okay?”
>The woman slowly opens her hands to reveal what appears to be a large, pink, plastic flashlight. There seems to be a numeric keypad on the side, rather than a power switch of any sorts. A cute little inscription of “Lucy” is drawn on the side in permanent marker. 
>You stretch, standing on your tiptoes, and hold her chin with one hand, wiping her tears away with the other. 
>”Is Lucy okay? Does Lucy need some help getting awake?”
>The large feline shakes her head slowly. 
>”N-n-no. Luthy ith okay… b-but Glowy…”
>”Ohh. Are YOU Lucy, then?”
>She nods gently.
>”Uh-huh….”
>”Okay then, Lucy, so your friend Glowy here is feeling bad?”
>”Y-yeth… h-he’th been athleep for d-d-dayth… I’m thcared without h-him.”
>The feline is visibly tense and shaking, with the fur on her long tail standing on end. She looks scared to death, the poor thing.
>”Okay, Lucy. How about you come on inside and let's see if we can help Glowy feel better. Here, take my hand. I promise I won't hurt you.”
>Still trembling, Lucy takes hold of your hand with one of her own. She's shaking like a leaf, but her grip is surprisingly strong.
>You quickly usher the cat inside and pull out a chair for her at your dining table. She awkwardly takes a seat, despite being big enough that she dwarfs the chair.
>”Maybe we need to see if anything is hurt on Glowy's insides. Can you open him up for me, sweetie?”
>Lucy nods once again and unscrews the bottom on the flashlight. Eight AA batteries spill out onto the wooden table. You quickly round them up before they roll all over the place and surmise that Glowy probably needs new batteries. 
>”Okay, Lucy. Do you trust me?”
>”Y-yeth….”
>”I think if we give Glowy here new batteries, he'll feel right as rain. I'll be right back. Just sit right here okay? I'm just going to go to the cupboard and get some new batteries.”
>She looks inquisitive as she wipes her eyes.
>”H-he needth n-n-new what…?”
>Judging by her tone, she doesn't seem to actually grasp what you're talking about…
>”...well… do you see these things that were inside Glowy? He needs them to stay awake, and these ones aren't working anymore. They only work for a little while before he needs new ones.”
>”O-o-oh… okay, mithter. That w-won't HURT Glowy, r-r-right?”
>”Not at all, sweetie.”
>She smiles slightly, showing off two little fangs that jut down over her bottom lip.
>You quickly grab a handful of batteries and load them up into the flashlight, then screw the base back on.
>”There! Now, ah… I don't recognize this kind of flashlight… could you show me how to wake Glowy up, Lucy?”
>She carefully takes the pink light from you, then punches in a 3-digit code with a clawed finger. Suddenly, a beam emits from the end of the flashlight, and Lucy lets out a cry of joy.
>”G-G-Glowy! You're okay!”
>She cuddles Glowy up to her cheeks, purring so deeply the old batteries resting on the table start rattling around. Her trembling stops almost immediately.
>”I-I-I wath tho th-thcared… Thank you mithter…mithter… You d-d-didn't tell me y-your name, thir!”
>A grin stretches across your face. Her happiness is very infectious. 
>”My name is Fred Rogers, little Lucy. But you can just call me Mister Rogers.”
>She smiles and nods enthusiastically.
>”Okay, Mithter R-R-Rogerth! Y-you can call me Luthy!”
>You chuckle and glance at the clock again. 2:20...
>”It must be way past your bedtime, Lucy! How about we both go to sleep? I have a spare bed in the other room you can use.”
>She looks thoughtful for a moment, then yawns.
>”...I-I am kinda thleepy… ith it really okay if I th-thleep here?”
>You take her hand and lead her into the guest bedroom. You take extra care to tuck her and Glowy snugly into the old quilted bed. 
>”Of course it's okay to sleep here. You and Glowy are my Neighbors, after all. We'll talk about where I can take you home in the morning, okay?”
>Lucy rubs her eyes drowsily and quickly drifts off into sleep, snuggling her flashlight close.
>You keep her bedroom door open just in case and quietly shuffle into your own bed. 
>As you lie down and start to nod off, you think about what just happened.
>Who is this Lucy? Is she someone's child, despite being so big? She certainly seems to have a youthful understanding of things… Does she even have a home?
>For now, you'll have to open your home up and see what you can do for her...
>With that, you doze off…
>...
>“...Mithter R-Rogerth? Hello?”
>You stretch and yawn as Lucy’s voice wakes you up. Despite having gotten up in the middle of the night, you feel pretty well rested. You smile at your houseguest, who smiles bashfully, holding Glowy tightly.
>”Good morning, Lucy. Glowy. Did you two sleep well?”
>She nods enthusiastically.
>”Uh-huh! D-d-did you?”
>”I sure did. Thanks for asking, sweetie. How's Glowy doing?”
>Her eyes practically light up.
>”He’th f-fine, watch!”
>She keys in another code, then the flashlight casts another beam, this time a somewhat pinkish one.
>”Very nice. I'm glad he's feeling better. I like the pink light too, that's pretty.”
>”Uh-huh! I-it’s thpecial too, w-watch!”
>The cat points Glowy at herself, sweeping the pink beam up and down her body.
>To your disbelief, her coarse fur seems to soften up greatly, and lengthen as well. By the time she's done, her body is covered in fluffy white fur, making her look like a huge cotton ball.
>She sticks her tongue out playfully.
>”T-t-t-ta-da! Ithn’t it neat?”
>Her yellow irises have taken on a light pink shade as well.
>You’re… not entirely sure WHAT to say, other than:
>”It… it sure is, Lucy! Thanks for showing me that.”
>...well, it seems that she's an even more interesting neighbor than you had anticipated...

Chapter 2: New Names, New Neighbors

>”Wow… Lucy, that's amazing! How did you do that?”
>Your now-fluffy feline friend holds her flashlight up triumphantly. 
>”Hehe! Glowy'th th-the reathon that I'm f-f-fluffy, Mithter Rogerth! He’th th-th-THPECIAL!”
>”I’d say so! You both seem to be very special people. I'm glad to have met you.”
>Lucy’s eyes practically light up with happiness.
>”Th-thankth! I'm happy t-too! You helped G-Glowy… you helped ME t-t-too!”
>While you both help yourselves to some cereal you try to figure out where she came from. If she's from a home a good ways away, you should try to return her to her family as soon as you can. They must be worried sick!
>”Miss Lucy, if I may ask: where exactly did you come from?”
>”Huh? Oh, uh… w-when Glowy fell athleep, I-I walked through the w-w-woodth until I f-found your houthe…”
>”Oh, alright then; where were you BEFORE that happened? Do you know where you live, sweetie?”
>”...y-yeth… but… d-d-don't tell anyone, pleathe?”
>Concern washes over you.
>”...you have my word, but… can you tell me why you want it to be a secret?”
>”I-I’m not thuppothed to l-live there…”
>”...”
>”...G-Glowy and me live in a-a-a little houthe in the woodth… I-it’th dark and thcary, but…”
>”Oh… you live alone?”
>”Uh-huh… b-but big thcary p-p-politheman told me onthe I couldn't l-l-l-live thomewhere like that… th-th-tho it’th a thecret… P-PLEATHE DON’T TELL ANYONE!”
>Lucy looks absolutely terrified at the possibility of someone learning that she's a squatter… clearly she's had bad experiences with the authorities finding out in the past.
>You reach up and place a hand on her broad, strong shoulder, patting her gently.
>”Don’t worry, little Lucy. I won't tell anybody. You can trust me.”
>She stares down at you, then takes a deep breath, calming down slowly.
>”...I-I trutht you, Mithter. Thank you.”
>”Thank you for trusting me. Now, ah, do you have a family?”
>”...I-I have Glowy!”
>”Well yes, but… what about your mom and dad?”
>”Ummmm… I-I can't remember…”
>”That's okay, I'm sure we can figure something out… How old are you, sweetie?”
>”Oh! Oh! I kn-know thith one! I'm th-thirty-three and a h-half yearth old!”
>...that's… a bit older than you were guessing.
>”33 and a half? Wow…”
>Hm. If she's not a child, and she's living alone… there may not be anyone looking for her. 
>Well that won't do. You'll just have to give her somewhere to stay for a while longer yet.
>”Say, Lucy, since you might be staying with me for a while, how about we go grocery shopping later today? We can get some more special things for Glowy to stay awake. ”
>Lucy's eyes widen with excitement. 
>”Th-tho like a trip?”
>”Yeah! Like a little trip! We'll just be gone for a few hours, but it will be a nice way to get some fresh air and get out of the house.”
>Lucy seems pretty excited for such a simple trip to the grocery store. She must have been by herself for a while. 
>You excuse yourself from the table and head to your room to dress yourself for your outing. Some simple slacks and a button-up shirt will be fine. You make sure to grab one of your knitted sweaters from your closet before you return to your houseguest. 
>”All ready to go and have some fun?”
>”A-a-abtholutely!”
>You hold the front door open for Lucy and follow her outside. It’s a delightfully cool January day. 
>The breeze gently blows through your new friend’s long fur, and she smiles happily.
>”Ooh! I-it’th nithe today!”
>”It sure is. Come on, we'll take my car to the grocery store.”
>Lucy nods, but freezes up when she sees your rather compact car.
>”Uh-oh. I-I’m too tall for th-thith… one thec!”
>She carefully enters another code into Glowy, quietly muttering the numbers under her breath, then smiles as the flashlight glows a pale blue color.
>She shines the beam up and down herself and, before your eyes, shrinks down by several feet, soon ending up a tad shorter than you. Her fur returns to its shorter, coarse form, and her eyes become the same pale blue as the flashlight beam.
>”Okay! All th-th-thet!”
>...that really is an amazing trick.
>Shrunken down, Lucy has absolutely no issues fitting into your vehicle. She immediately makes a point of buckling up when she sits down, nodding and watching to make sure you do the same. You also notice that she's got Glowy buckled in next to her. Awww.
>With that, the two of you head off to town. You tune the radio to a family-friendly station, and Lucy happily hums along to the music, occasionally fiddling with Glowy.
>”You and Glowy have been best friends for a long time, huh Lucy?”
>She continues to play with the plastic flashlight and doesn't even look up as she responds. 
>”Oh yeth. Ath long a-a-ath I can remember, Mithter Rogerth. I've a-alwayth had Glowy with me.”
>She runs a finger along the circumference of the flashlight’s lens.
>”Alwayth.”
>It doesn't take you any time at all to traverse the dirt road to the tiny grocery store you typically visit. The faded white brick still stands the test of time. A faint black-painted “Smith's Grocery” is barely legible on the sides and front. 
>The only other car in the parking lot is one of the local police cars. You pull up next to it and walk inside the store. Lucy makes sure to keep a solid hold on your hand from the minute she gets out of the car. With the other hand, she keeps a firm grip on Glowy.
[https://youtu.be/bybgAnhv2dg]
>The bells tied to the top of the door ring an all too familiar tune as you both step inside. An older couple staff the checkout counter while a small boy sweeps the floors. 
>This old store has been here as long as you can recall, and it's always looked the same. Plain brown tile floors, white walls, nice, wide aisles, old fluorescent lights humming overhead, and some old-fashioned “shopping music” playing.
>You wave to the older woman at the counter and give her a friendly smile. 
>”Good morning, Mamie. Just here for some quick shopping.”
>You grab a small basket and fill it up with some basic foodstuffs and toiletries. Thanks to your familiarity with the store’s layout, it only takes you a few minutes to gather everything you need to buy. 
>As you round the corner to head to the counter, you see the officer who was driving the car: it's Officer Crosby. Looks like he's getting his usual box of cigarettes. 
>Crosby’s a fairly imposing fellow; you've heard he's a big fitness buff along with being one of the most respected officers in the county.
>Lucy's grip on your hand tightens a considerable degree as you approach the counter and officer. Her eyes focus on the policeman, and you feel her tremble slightly.
>”It's okay, Lucy. I personally know Officer Crosby, myself. He is a nice man.”
>She swallows nervously and nods. Maybe it'd be best to SHOW her he's harmless. You greet the man, keeping a hold on Lucy’s hand.
>”Good morning! Didn't expect to see you here, Officer Crosby!”
>The officer turns around and greets you. His thick southern accent is a dead giveaway that he was born and raised here. 
>”Howdy there, sir! Didn't see ya come in, mistuh Rogers!” 
>You shake his hand enthusiastically. Despite his young age, his hands are calloused with years of blue-collar working. He immediately notices Lucy's discomfort and puts on a big smile.
>”Howdy there, little lady. An’ who might you be?”
>You can barely hear her whisper. 
>”M-m-my name'th L-Luthy…”
>Her eyes dart nervously from his face to his service weapon. Officer Crosby picks up on it immediately and shifts himself so that it's not in her view. 
>”Lucy’s a beautiful name. I'm Officer Crosby. Now, now. Don't worry about my little ol’ gun on my hip. That's for bad guys. And I KNOW that you're not a bad guy, ain't that right?”
>The officer sticks out his hand, and Lucy slowly clutches it. Her arm visibly shakes as she reaches out.
>”N-n-nithe to meet you…”
>The officer smiles warmly as Lucy squeezes his hand tightly.
>”Ha, you've got a pretty strong grip, little lady!”
>She doesn't seem sure how to respond, so she just nods bashfully.
>Officer Crosby sees that she's still nervous, so he looks your way and nods in understanding, releasing the feline’s hand.
>”Welp, I better get back to work. Y'all have a good day, alright? Take care!”
>You bid the man farewell as he leaves. Lucy breathes a sigh of relief when he walks away, but clams up again when Mamie motions for the two of you to step up to the counter.
>As you both step up, Lucy shyly shuffles behind you, blushing. Miss Mamie adjusts her glasses and waves.
>”Hello, Fred! How are you doing today?”
>”I'm alright, Miss Mamie. How about yourself?”
>”I'm fine, thank you. Who’s your little friend? She looks precious.”
>Lucy lets off a shy little squeak, getting a chuckle from Mamie.
>”This is Lucy, she's my houseguest for the time being.”
>”Awww. Hi, Lucy! You can call me Miss Mamie, dear.”
>”H-h-h-hi…”
>”Awww, don't be shy, little one! I just love meeting sweet new people like you. Why don't you come a little closer so I can see you better, dear? My old eyes aren't what they used to be.”
>Lucy gently steps forward, smiling, and Mamie gasps.
>”My goodness, you're ADORABLE. Look at those pretty blue eyes! And that clean white fur!  You're a beautiful young lady, Lucy.”
>The insides of Lucy's ears flush red as she looks down and starts fiddling with Glowy. 
>”Th-thankth.”
>You'd rather not stress out the girl too much, so you quickly pay for your stuff and head out. The drive back is uneventful, so you fill the silence by chatting with Lucy.
>”You did good at the store, Lucy.”
>”Th-thankth…”
>”Were you afraid?”
>”...th-that man wath big… and he h-h-had a gun…”
>”Ha, yeah, he did. That's just part of his job, though. He's a really nice man. No need to be afraid of him.”
>”...M-Mith Mamie wath n-nithe.”
>”Mhm, she's sweet. I've known her a long time.”
>”Are you f-friendth with her?”
>”Yep, I would say so. I'm friends with Officer Crosby too.”
>”Oh.”
>The cat looks thoughtful, fiddling with Glowy, then speaks up, still looking down.
>”A-are we friendth…?”
>”Why, of course we are.”
>A huge smile crosses her face.
>”R-r-really? Thankth!”
>”Of course, Lucy. You're my friend and my Neighbor. I wouldn't have it any other way.”
>You come to the road you live on, and turn in, only to stop.
>Someone’s standing in the middle of the dirt road.
>You roll down the window and call out to them, and the figure shuffles over to your car.
>A tall, thin Otherworld woman hunkers down to be at eye level with you. You can't quite put a finger on what species she is…
>Her eyes are mismatched in color, one green, one the kind of icy white you usually see on huskies. Both have unusually narrow pupils.
>She has a very neutral expression, with maybe the slightest hint of a smile.
>She adjusts the hideous, yellow plaid tie she's wearing with her dark green suit, then tips the matching green bowler hat resting between her ears… which are, ah, also mismatched…?
>The woman speaks in a flat, pleasant monotone.
>”Good afternoon sir and madam.”
>”Oh, hello. Are you lost, miss? I don't believe I've seen you around here before.”
>She leans a bit farther into the car.
>”Pardon me. I am a little hard of hearing. Could you repeat that.”
>Lucy shrinks into her seat, protectively yanking Glowy closer to her as she stares at the woman with evident terror.
>You yourself aren't really afraid… but something seems a bit off about this woman.
>”Err… I just asked if you were lost.”
>”Ah. Yes. Ha. Lost. I was hoping I could find a local to give me directions.”
>”Well, okay then. Where do you need to go?”
>”I am looking for a gentleman by the name of LeFleur. Justin. LeFleur.”
>Something about her tone… chills you. Lucy is shaking at this point. You just want to help this stranger if you can and get your new friend home.
>”I don't know that name, ma'am. Sorry. You may have some luck asking around at the police station back in town, though.”
>”Very well. Thank you for your time. Have a. Nice night. Day. My apologies. Ha.”
>With that, she stands up, dusts off her suit, and walks away. You notice she has an odd gait, as if there's something the matter with one of her legs.
>You hope she finds whoever she's looking for.
>In the meantime, you quickly drive to your house. Lucy has her eyes closed, cuddling Glowy close to her cheek and quietly whispering to him.
>You reach over and place a hand on her head, gently petting her until you make it home. She reaches up and takes hold of your hand.
>As you pull into the driveway, Lucy lets go of your hand. 
>”I know we met some new faces, today, some of which were a little scary, but that doesn't mean that they can't be your friends, right?”
>”...I-I gueth.”
>”I want you to know that you're safe with me. Even if people like Officer Crosby, or that lady we just met, scare you, I'm here for you.”
>”...”
>Lucy suddenly hugs you tightly, squeezing a lot harder than you'd expect considering she's still shrunken down from her normal height.
>”Th-th-thank you, Mithter R-Rogerth.”
>You wrap your arms around her and pull her tight. 
>”You're welcome, Lucy!”
>Such a sweet lady. You're thankful to have met such a unique person.
>But, some part of you still lingers on that strange woman who asked for directions…
>...oh well. The world is full of people, and maybe you were strange to her. Everybody is strange to somebody else, after all...