《Tempest - A Kammi Kettu Story》


 Future Starts Slow

    I was sitting in a coffee shop in Darlinghurst. It wasn¡¯t my favourite, but the clean minimalist atmosphere appealed to me. Especially when I was here in the middle of the day. The barista was chatting happily to a stocky man in sandals who I assumed was a regular, but they were the only other people in the cafe. This was how I preferred it. I am chronically anxious, and particularly sensitive to whether I come across to others the way I see myself; a young woman. Today that young woman was wearing black leather ankle boots with a small heel which met long legs clad in black skinny jeans. The outfit was completed with a simple white blouse and a pale yellow cardigan, adding some very welcome colour to my fairly monochrome ensemble, though it was really too hot for a cardigan.


    Tucked in a corner, away from prying eyes, I was trying to figure out how on earth I was going to get enough money to move somewhere that I felt more comfortable. Sydney was a great city, for the rich and the privileged. And right now I was neither of those things. I was a broke trans girl trying to be a musician in a city with only the faintest glimpse of a music scene.


    I looked down at my phone again, a message from someone on Housemates. ¡®Hi Mia!¡¯ it began, and I smiled warmly. I had legally changed my name almost four months ago but seeing strangers address me that way still filled me with a warm fuzzy feeling of excitement.


    Hi Mia! I am looking for a housemate for a place in Brunswick, Melbourne. The previous tenant just moved out so the place would be available from the 29th November.


    Let me know if you have any questions!


    Jennifer ">


    I stared at the message, still smiling softly from having my name used. These kind of messages were always fairly brief, and usually I ignored them or sent a polite reply kindly thanking them and telling them I wasn¡¯t interested. This one was different however. I was really looking for a place to live, in Melbourne would be ideal for someone in Australia who aspired to perform their own music. I quickly responded that I would love to know more and then sat smiling into my latte for a little. My head was full of thoughts of moving, of being glamorously busy as a musician and being able to maybe even get by without having to work two jobs.


    Glancing at my phone again, checking the time and the date. It was nearly mid-afternoon and I had been lost in my thoughts for too long. It was also the 22nd of November. I sighed and pushed my chair back. Standing up, I strode purposefully out of the cafe, muttering soft thanks as I passed the barista. I had a busy week ahead of me.


    It was only once I got back to my tiny apartment, had a long, soothing shower, and made myself some tea, that I realised what I had decided to do. All afternoon I had been messaging this Jennifer person, seriously inquiring about the house and her standards. And now I was planning to jump into it. It was affordable, inner city, and she had seemed fairly accepting when I had mentioned that I¡¯m trans. It all sounded ideal. Except that it was in a completely different city where I knew no one and had nothing lined up. Nice one Mia, way to get over excited.


    I slumped over and kicked my legs over the side of the couch. I had a bit of money saved up, though I was reluctant to spend it. Years of compulsive spending had lifted when I started HRT and any move back into that worried me. Besides I still had two major and super expensive surgeries to pay for, all my dream gear for my music, and a shoe collection (dreams of which were my guilty pleasure).


    I rolled over and stuffed my face into the cushions, letting out a long groan. I always had a habit of worrying about too many things at once. Could I really afford to fly to Melbourne this week and investigate this place? Jennifer seemed blunt but nice enough, but you never know until you really see a person or place in person. I flicked through my phone and shot a message off to Nic explaining the situation.


    Of course, I already knew what he would say. Nic was a trans guy and a good friend of mine. He was also a serial enabler and always encouraged me to just do what I want. So of course he assured me that I should absolutely fly down to Melbourne.


    That was the push I needed, and though I cringed at the price of the flights (even the budget airlines seemed to be at maximum rip off price to punish me for deciding last minute) I had soon booked a flight down on the 26th. It would give me a few days to look around and try to make a proper informed decision about whether I liked this place. After spending money on flights, the price looked even more appealing to me than before.


    <hr>


    Even on a Monday evening, Sydney airport was still busy. It was always full of constant swarming masses of travelling suits with their quaint little carry on wheelie bags, as well as hordes of sweaty tourists of every shape and size. I had seen it worse than today but it never made me any more comfortable with the looming presence of so many people.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Even though it was late and I was indoors I was still wearing big dark sunglasses. They were basically a form of battle armour for me. Protection from the rest of the world. I finished up with security and strode purposefully onwards, putting in my earphones and pressing play on my favourite album ¡°Ash and Ice¡±. I was travelling light with a small overnight bag and my handbag. No checked baggage because they charge extra for it. If I really liked the place I would figure out how to get my stuff down to Melbourne too. I could feel a few grim stares coming my way from a few of the middle aged men in suits near my gate. I glared back at the closest one until he looked away. Fuck them, I don¡¯t need their judgement.


    I had been feeling cute and like I was passing fairly well, in my tan wedge boots and denim shorts. The bright crimson scarf draped over my black starry blouse probably didn¡¯t help with blending in. I kind of liked the attention honestly, just not when it accompanied those disapproving stares I had felt so many times throughout my transition. Eventually they called for my gate to board and I lined up with the rest of the miserable travellers. I was grumpy now. Stares had rubbed me the wrong way and my flight was about half an hour late.


    Fortunately the rest of my journey was uneventful. By the time I got to Southern Cross station I was exhausted and felt like the weight of my bag had tripled since I packed it. The night air was cooling down and felt pleasant against my skin and a soft breeze pushed my curly hair into my eyes.


    As I walked down the street, looking for the fairly average traveller¡¯s hotel I had decided to book for the night, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck start to raise with a pricking sensation. I paused my music, sorry Fugazi but I need to hear my surroundings right now, and kept walking at a brisk pace. Behind me there were heavy footfalls, their rhythm suggesting something ominous.


    Now maybe I was just paranoid, but those heavy footfalls kept following me down the street. Even when it got busier I thought I could sense them behind me. The dull stomp of heavy boots with a lot of weight behind them. Thud thud thud. The sound went round and round in my head as it started to ache.


    My breath was short and flustered as I finally came to the block where my hotel was. Never have I been so happy to see a dingy hotel before! I rushed inside and made my way across the lobby, lit like an old theatre with soft yellow light. I ducked inside the women¡¯s toilets and slammed the door to one of the stalls. It wasn¡¯t until the lock clicked into place that I realised I had forgotten to breathe. I let out a heavy, shaken sigh. My heart seemed like it was trying to break it¡¯s way out of my chest. I still had all my bags with me and I clutched them tightly as I sank down to sit down.


    I don¡¯t know how long I waited. It felt like a long time, but it could have been as short as fifteen minutes. I gathered my things, wiped away the tears that had started streaming down my face, and made my way out of the bathrooms. I¡¯m sure I looked like a complete mess with my wild brown curls and smudged mascara, but I didn¡¯t care. I peeked around the corner of the lobby to see if I had been followed in. The lobby was empty except for a bored looking young woman behind the reception desk. Her blonde hair was tied back messily. It seemed like she had had a tiring day.


    Not seeing anyone else, I stood up and made my way over to the desk.


    ¡°Hello¡± I said with as much of a smile as I could muster. The receptionist looked up with a slightly pitying look. ¡°Hi, welcome to Blaires. How can I help you?¡± She went through the line in such an automatic way that it was almost unnerving. Now I was feeling anxious again. I looking around once more and thought I noticed movement outside from the corner of my eye. I turned with a start but couldn¡¯t catch any more.


    ¡°Umm¡­ right. I have a reservation here. Mia Blake?¡± I leaned in and whispered my name, still feeling embarrassingly paranoid. I cringed at myself internally, feeling my cheeks burn red. The receptionist, who wore a badge that read ¡°Hi! My name is Tara¡±, smiled politely and tapped away at her keyboard. I stood there, wiggling my toes to a song that was only playing in my head while I waited.


    Soon enough I had my room card and I was letting myself in to the small corner room on the fourth storey. It was near the back of the building and I¡¯m sure if I had looked outside I would have been greeted with the concrete facade of the building behind this one, and a rather large collection of air conditioner units.


    Throwing down my bags next to the bed, I was completely exhausted and I let out a long tired sigh. I kicked off my boots, plugged in my phone, hastily wiped my face with a makeup wipe and then threw off all my clothes as I seemed to slowly descend into the stiff hotel bed that was calling to me. I was asleep before I hit the pillow.


    I awoke to sirens blaring loudly all around me. So loud and angry as they wailed their song of emergency. I hated it. Why couldn¡¯t they just shut up and let a girl sleep? I waved a hand angrily in the direction of where the window probably was and rolled over. The sirens kept going and I could hear the sound of some near deaf persons TV joining the cacophony.


    I groaned into my pillow and kicked my mattress, trying to sulk and pout about being woken up. Immediately I heard a woody clattering and a ¡°plonk¡± sound which seemed to be moving slowly around me. I threw my pillow weakly at the sound, but it didn¡¯t seem to land anywhere. I let out a frustrated huff and was greeted with my sheets flying off the bed, seemingly torn off by a powerful gust of wind.The wind was getting stronger and I could hear a low rumbling sound joining the melee along with the clatter and wail.


    I could feel my hair blowing around wildly as a hot spark shot through my body. It kept getting stronger and I felt like I was going to explode as bright blue light shone around me. I looked up at what could only be described as a hotel sized cyclone. I screamed as a chair came whizzing past my head, clattering into a wall. There were sparks flying around now, as debris and bedsheets circled around the ceiling. I was panicked. What the FUCK was going on?


    That heat inside was building up again. I was trembling as wild blue hair licked my face and seemed to produce even more sparks. Acting on instinct I threw out my hand towards the window, hoping the energy I felt would follow the path I set to leave my body. I felt a sharp jolt run through my body which threw me backwards into the wall. A bolt which almost seemed to snake around itself with bright blue energy shot through the window, shattering glass outwards onto the street below. Some of the debris followed, the fairly large TV ripped from it¡¯s wall mount tumbling out the window.


    The rest of the hotel furnishings fell to the floor around me. I was shaking and sore and bruised. Had I done that? How the fuck would that work? Beads of sweat stuck to my skin as I tried to pick myself up. I made my way slowly over to the window, gingerly brushing dust off myself and trying to tiptoe around debris.


    Outside was a catastrophe. The sirens which had woken me up still blared. Cars were piled up as far as I could see, quite literally in one place. I could see smoke rising around the city and huge black mountains seemed to loom in the distance. Whatever this was, it wasn¡¯t just me, and it didn¡¯t seem good either.

 Welcome to the Breakdown

    It wasn¡¯t a scene I would have believed really. At least not before I somehow trashed a hotel room. The sirens still seemed to be unending, now blending into the background noise of a city which should have been in the midst of just another dull Tuesday morning. Instead it was just chaos. Melbourne usually advertised itself as a ¡®cool¡¯ city, but it certainly wasn¡¯t keeping it¡¯s cool now.


    I stepped back, shaking my head to try to clear it. Inside was a jumble of questions mixed with panic and anxiety which bore a surprising resemblance to the state of my hotel room. What I needed right now was to have a shower and try to wash all the debris and sweat off of myself. I found that, once I moved the arm of a cheap armchair out of the way, the bathroom seemed relatively untouched. To my delight it seemed as though the water was still running too.


    It was only once I had shut the bathroom door and turned the squeaky taps of the shower that I stopped to process things. My body was different. Two things were immediately noticeable to me. One; my boobs were slightly larger (or at least less small) than they were yesterday. And two; the conspicuous bulge that had haunted my panties previously was gone. I gasped in surprise, but more in delight than shock. Nothing felt wrong, and I had been saving up for surgery anyway.


    I tentatively pulled my panties down and stood in front of the mirror. My jaw dropped and I gasped loudly. I definitely didn¡¯t have a dick anymore, instead I could feel the soft heat of my vulva. I smiled with that and let out a little vindictive giggle of celebration, admiring how smooth my pelvis appeared now. What surprised me though, was the other changes I could see. It appeared the blue that I had seen earlier hadn¡¯t just been some strange energy. The girl I looked at in the mirror had powder blue hair that waved softly down her back. It shimmered and almost glowed slightly.


    That wasn¡¯t all. My face (or at least the face of the girl I looked at in the mirror) had softened. My features seemed more delicate, with high cheekbones and a dainty chin. No longer did I have a bold straight nose. Instead it was smaller and had a soft curve to it. Most striking of all though were my eyes. I had always had strong blue eyes, they were the only thing I had been complimented on back when I so foolishly thought I was a boy. Now though, now they were deep and my irises seemed to swirl and move as though some great cyclone lay dormant in them.


    Hot water ran over my body. I stood like that for a long time, just letting it run all over me. Washing away the stress and anxiety the past 24 hours had brought me. I quickly discovered that my body had changed in other ways I hadn¡¯t noticed as much. My waist felt thinner and the skin on my legs didn¡¯t seem anywhere near as irritated as it usually got a day after shaving. A slow sigh of relief escaped my lips. My skin became red and splotchy from the heat but I relished it.


    My soothing shower was soon interrupted however. The hot water started to become cooler. In the space of seconds it felt as though I was being pelted with ice. I shivered and moved to turn the water off and get out of the shower, accompanied by a squealing chant of ¡°fuckfuckfuck thats COLD¡±. Breathless after my narrow escape, I wrapped myself in hotel towels and glared at the showerhead. When I turned back I noticed my eyes shining through the steam on the mirror. They seemed more alive now. They had a soft glow while those stormy colours swirled around as if awoken from some terrible slumber.


    I was transfixed for a moment and then burst out laughing. I could feel tears softly running down my face as I did. But I laughed on. It was a laugh of relief; a reaction to the absurd situation in which I found myself. At the terror I had faced this morning and knew I would have to face later, and the joy and euphoria I felt with my new body. I stayed like this for some time, slumping to the floor and continuing to giggle uncontrollably.


    It hadn¡¯t been hard to decide what to wear today. It seemed that my little incident this morning had sent most of my wardrobe out the window following the TV, most of what was left seemed to have been mercilessly snagged and torn against the broken furniture. Looking at the rags strewn around I really had to question myself. What were you planning to use this stuff for Mia? You came here for a house inspection. I managed to find my favourite bralette; a lacy black one that looked super cute. It needed some adjustment but I managed to fit into it pretty comfortably. I found some panties with ease, black of course. I smirked to myself confidently. Matching my underwear always gave me a sense of confidence, even when everything else had gone to shit.


    Fortunately my shorts from yesterday had survived, along with a white tank top. It was when it came to shoes that I had an issue. They were there alright, but when I slid my feet into my black canvas sneakers they felt larger than they used to. I only hoped I wouldn¡¯t slip out of them. It seemed like most of what I had brought was useless now, and I didn¡¯t really want to carry two bags, or stay here. I slung my handbag across my body and marched out of the room as confidently as I could, shutting the door quickly behind me.


    <hr>


    I must have spent ages showering in the remains of my room, because outside it seemed that things had calmed down a little bit. Entirely relative I know, but the sirens were only coming from one direction now. The cars that hadn¡¯t been completely wrecked seemed to be dispersing, in that very special way selfish drivers do where they end up blocking everything up later on to merge back from driving like a fucking idiot on the footpath.


    My phone had no service, clearly something had knocked out the internet and at least a few phone towers. I allowed myself a wry smile, It wouldn¡¯t really take much though. It certainly made things harder for me though, having no map. My phone had managed to charge overnight so I at least had power, and an address. I really only had the vaguest idea of where that was though. Would Jennifer even want to help me? Would she even recognise me as the girl she had contacted online? What if I was just walking into a trap? I was filled with anxiety and trepidation making my way down the road. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Melbourne was pretty similar to Sydney in a lot of ways. It still felt like a sprawling concrete jungle, it just had trams in it too. It was also heating up very quickly now. I hated the heat.


    Being near the city centre helped my sense of direction a little bit. I was fairly sure that if I kept walking up (apparently my mind works like a 2D map sometimes) then I would eventually get close to the suburb at least. The streets were fairly empty where I was. I assumed everyone had either tried to run home or were taking shelter in their offices. It was only when I got closer to Melbourne uni that I saw commotion starting.


    One of the old buildings looked as though someone had blown a hole in the side. There was a crowd of rowdy people in their early twenties standing around and looking at some guy with no shirt on jumping all around the building like a kangaroo on a pogo stick. In fact he may have actually had a kangaroo¡¯s tail. It seemed as though half of them had already started drinking. They didn¡¯t seem to be causing trouble right now but I definitely didn¡¯t want to stick around to find out. At least it isn¡¯t just me who¡¯s changed, I mused to myself. Even so I could feel the eyes of several of them leering at me as I lingered. I moved hurriedly past them, my heart rate rising, determined just to keep walking.


    It was after I left the uni behind that I really started to get worried. I could still hear sirens in the distance, and though the cars had thinned out, everyone I passed still seemed incredibly shaken. Then I heard voices coming from the laneway to my left.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything! I just want to go home!¡± sobbed a small voice. Whoever they were, they were surrounded. Navy clad threatening looking people in body armour stood around whoever was crying. They had AFP in bright blue across their backs. Several of them had assault rifles trained at their target. I crept a little closer, hoping they were focused ahead. I was scared out of my wits but my curiosity was too strong. Standing with their backs against an old wooden fence were a small child, and a weedy man in a Pakistan Cricket jersey - who I assumed was their father - next to them, holding their hand tightly. They didn¡¯t look like an ordinary child though. Their arms seemed covered in black feathers, and it seemed like they had a red beak where their mouth should have been.


    ¡°PUT YOUR HANDS UP SLOWLY, TURN AROUND, AND FACE THE WALL!¡± yelled one of the men in blue. I could feel myself trembling, and choked back tears that wanted to mirror those running down the kid¡¯s cheeks. I wanted to do something, but all I could do was try to slip away unnoticed.


    I stormed forward, blindy pushing myself back to my initial goal. I was so upset. So scared and so angry. My tears came unbidden and I couldn¡¯t stop them. I was fucking helpless and I did nothing while the fucking riot squad seemed intent on terrorising some poor kid. Why couldn¡¯t I have helped? Why didn¡¯t I say something? I should have done something! Soon I felt rain hitting me and mixing with the salty tears from my eyes.


    My feet hurt. I felt like I had been walking all day, and I suppose that I had. The wind had picked up considerably and my hair whipped my cheeks and blew across my eyes. I was still seething. Just absolutely livid at myself for not being brave enough to stop and help. And at the Australian Federal Police for doing such a thing. Was a kid with feathers really that dangerous? Or had they taken their policing policies from the likes of One Nation?


    I could hear thunder beginning to roll in and hurried forward. I had to start checking street names now. I knew the house was around here somewhere. Along with my fury and my fear, my apprehension about what to do when I found the house had been slowly rising as I got closer. What would I do if she didn¡¯t let me in? I didn¡¯t really have anywhere else to go.


    I stumbled on. Up one street and down another. All the houses looked the same, seeming to blend into each other. My clothes were drenched and I was chilled to the bone. My fingers were ice, and stubbornly refused to respond to my directions. The miserable grey skies overhead rumbled and flashed hot with the occasional blink of lightning. Still I went on. I was sure I was close.


    Eventually I found the place, wiping the steady rain off of my phone to double check I had the right number. It was one of those fairly new apartment buildings where the architects decided that using several different colours of brick made their buildings look interesting or something. It ended up just looking odd, but I was relieved to see it this time.


    My stomach flipped and churned in response to all sorts of anxious thoughts that ran through my mind. Shutting my eyes tight, I tried to focus myself and eventually my short, staggered breathing became more steady. I swallowed hard and pressed the intercom by the door, hurriedly wiping away my hair and the mixture of tears and rain that clung to my skin.


    ¡°Ummm, Hi. This is Mia. I was supposed to come and inspect the house today. Is Jennifer there?¡± I was met with silence. I pressed the button again. My mind had run through so many different ways for this to go, silence hadn¡¯t been one of them. I was panicking, and the storm broke overhead. Lightning flickered and was immediately followed by a huge crack as thunder seemed to break the air. Fresh tears were running down my face, though I could barely feel them.


    ¡°Jennifer, please. I know you don¡¯t have to, but please let me in. The last day or so has been really fucked up and¡­¡± I choked on my words, sobbing. ¡°And I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go. Please!¡± My knees buckled and I gave into my weeping. The storm seemed to close in on me. It was so loud, and so close.


    ¡°Mia?¡± said a soft voice, from behind a crack in the door. I looked up at the soft brown eye that peeked out from behind it.


    ¡°Jennifer? I¡¯m sorry you have to see me like this, and that I don¡¯t look like I did when we talked online.¡± I lost myself again in the babbling, barely seeing through the tears that kept streaming from my eyes. ¡°I just woke up this morning. Like this. And then I like blew up my hotel room or something, and¡­¡± My tirade was cut short as a shadow seemed to engulf my sight. Jennifers¡¯s arms wrapped around me and she held me tight. Her warmth started to cut through the cold of the rain, and the numbness I felt from all my stress today.


    We stayed like that for a long time, I just sobbed into her shoulder until I felt faint. Jennifer held me and stroked the back of my head, making soft soothing noises. She smelled warm and cosy, maybe with a hint of cinnamon? It seemed as though the storm had cleared up while I sat crying, and when I looked up a gorgeous pink sunset framed the face of my comforter.


    I let out a little ¡°eek!¡± in excitement. Jennifer was even prettier than her picture had suggested to me, but what really stood out was her dark little nose and the small, elliptical furry ears. They were the same colour as the rest of her smooth dark skin, but they just made her look so much cuter. I knew exactly who she reminded me of.


    ¡°Umm¡­ you have really cute ears¡± she blushed and I bit my lip, hoping I hadn¡¯t hit a sore spot. I wondered how else she had changed. It can¡¯t have been easy on her, she was doing her best to hide it but I could see her eyes were still puffy and red.


    ¡°You have a storm on your head¡± she retorted, causing me to panic in confusion. I tried to reach up and touch it and though I could feel some kind of energy around my head, I had no idea what it was.


    Jennifer laughed, stood up, and then helped me off the ground. I gave her a thankful smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jennifer Tiggy, nice to meet you¡± She grinned at me and then grabbed me by the hand. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you around. Don¡¯t worry, you can stay tonight. My housemate fucked off this morning when she saw that I had become some kind of¡­ well I changed a bit.¡± I tilted my head in confusion and she gave a shrug.


    ¡°It¡¯s a whole thing¡± She replied simply, and lead me inside.

 Crush Crush Crush

    <h1>Chapter 3: Crush crush crush</h1>


    Jennifer¡¯s apartment was a small two bedroom place, but in person it was much cosier than it had seemed in the sterile online photos I had seen so far. As she took me around, bouncing from room to room, she held my hand. It reassured me, and I was grateful. I still felt like a mess from the turmoil of my day so far. Despite its small size, it was still a lot larger than my place in Sydney which was a glorified storage cupboard. Every room felt homely and lived in, and Jennifer had even tried to give the room that I hoped would be mine a touch of cute decoration after her former flatmate¡¯s speedy departure.


    After the little tour ended I became hyper-aware of Jennifer¡¯s hand still holding mine. I know it was supposed to be comforting but she was just so pretty and so sweet that I couldn¡¯t help but blush and turn my gaze away from hers.


    ¡°Hey Mia, you can stay here for now. Okay? Don¡¯t worry about rent yet, we can sort it out later.¡± She smiled at me, with a gaze that seemed to pierce my heart. I just nodded and mumbled something incoherent in thanks, feeling my face grow more red. She let out a little giggle.


    ¡°Your little storm is back.¡± I heard a little crackle from the energy that pulsed around my head and I let out a little yelp in embarrassment.


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re still soaked. Go take a hot bath and I¡¯ll get you some fresh clothes. Judging by what you told me was going on outside I think staying in tonight is a good idea.¡±


    Once the bathroom door was shut behind me I let out a huge slow sigh of relief. I hadn¡¯t expected to be so taken by my prospective new housemate. I hadn¡¯t expected her to be a hedgehog girl either, but after what I had seen and experienced myself today, that part didn¡¯t feel so strange. She was so warm, and she smelled so nice that I just immediately felt comfortable with her. It wasn¡¯t something that really happened easily or often to me. Usually I was fairly standoffish with new people.


    The bathtub was filling with steamy hot water and I added a few drops of a bath oil that Jennifer had suggested. Soon the room was engulfed in a soft aromatic scent that I wasn¡¯t really familiar with. Vaguely floral but with some kind of smooth undertone. I wriggled out of my wet tank top and dropped it on the floor with a soft *splat*. The rest of my waterlogged clothes followed suit. I could feel goosebumps over my cold skin and shivered.


    With my bath now full I slipped slowly into it and felt myself sink down into the hot water with a satisfied sigh. I didn¡¯t take baths very often at all, but it felt perfect at that moment. I closed my eyes and enjoyed soaking in the warmth. It felt so healing after the day I had. Everything seemed so far away here, like a dream that disappears once you wake up. But my body had definitely changed.


    I ran my fingers over my soft skin in the bath, feeling all soft curves and changes I had undergone. My fingers found their way between my legs and I couldn¡¯t help but giggle again. Of all the changes I had experienced, that one was the one I was most ecstatic about. I was over the moon, in fact. I shut my eyes again and gave myself a bit of time just to explore everything briefly, feeling a hot tingling rising through my body, revelling in the touch. I resisted the urge to explore further though, I would wait until I was more settled. I soaped and washed everything, the warmth of self care doing wonders for me. As I rinsed my hair I was reminded that the texture was completely different now. Damn, it took me like four months to figure out a good hair care routine.


    Feeling sufficiently soaked, I left the bath. I felt another burst of happiness flush through my body upon seeing my blurry reflection in the mirror. This was me now! I feel so much more confident! I resisted the urge to stay and pose, saving that for a more distinct mirror. Wrapping myself in a huge fluffy towel, and bundling my hair up in another, I opened the bathroom door and was immediately greeted with the cooler air in the rest of the house. I strode over to my new room, and saw that Jennifer had very thoughtfully left a set of pyjamas (along with some spare underwear fortunately) for me to change into.


    Jennifer was in the kitchen when I emerged, now dressed snuggly in black and pink pyjamas, from my room. The sweet scent of onions intermingled with the sizzling sounds of meat frying, and I could feel myself start to salivate. I was about to say something when my stomach decided to speak first, letting out a loud growl that caught Jennifer¡¯s attention and caused us both to burst out laughing.


    ¡°Hi¡± I began with a shy smile. ¡°Thanks for the clothes, they¡¯re really cosy¡±


    ¡°No worries, couldn¡¯t have you putting wet shit back on, could we?¡± She grinned back at me warmly. ¡°I¡¯m making burgers. I figured they were a safe bet comfort food, okay?¡±


    I nodded back eagerly, and was reminded once again by my stomach that I hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day. Now that I was aware of it I could feel myself getting weak and shaky.


    Before long the burgers were ready. We ate in front of the tv, though I couldn¡¯t tell you what we were supposed to be watching. My attention was entirely taken up by the warm, savoury food in front of me and I devoured it rapidly. My first bite was followed by a high pitched squeal of delight, that was just as quickly silenced again as I ate more. It was completely delicious, and the perfect comfort food.


    ¡°That was really delicious¡± I thanked her appreciatively after we finished eating. Her ears wiggled happily and I giggled again, though she didn¡¯t seem aware of it.


    ¡°Thanks, it¡¯s about the only thing I can cook well.¡±


    She stretched her slender arms above her head. It was a beautiful sight, she looked so strong and lean. It was all I could do to keep my jaw from dropping and I blushed furiously and looked away. Calm down Mia! You don¡¯t even know whether she¡¯s into girls yet.


    After everything was cleared away from dinner, Jennifer made hot chocolates for us both, and directed me to a well stocked closet full of blankets to help us feel cosy on the couch together. I sat curled up in one corner, my knees up close to my chest, and a huge blanket covering my body. Jennifer lounged easily on the other side of the couch, happy to spread out and take up space.


    Neither of us really knew what had happened this morning, and while the news on the TV had explained some things, it basically ignored a whole lot more. People had changed, in an event being called ¡®The Emergence¡¯, and we knew that. Some people had powers, we had sort of figured that out, what with me managing to trash a hotel room. There had been a dragon in New York, and strange ruins appearing in Seattle. Closer to home, the Great Dividing Range had been replaced with real mountains. Tall and seemingly impenetrable peaks that shot up into the clouds. No one had been able to cross them yet, and all flights were cancelled until they figured out new flight paths.


    Federal Police were reported to be working to maintain the situation, and I scoffed loudly at the report. I had seen first hand just how well they were handling things. The internet was still down, which meant that it worked marginally less than usual, and there were still significant fires and people panicked. It seemed like the army had been deployed too and I couldn¡¯t help but shudder in terror at the possibility of what might happen. Gladys Berejiklian had declared a state of emergency in Sydney and was using every riot squad they had to crack down on emerged there. Scott Morrison was encouraging all emerged to turn themselves over to the police for ¡®processing¡¯. I hoped all my friends were safe.


    We switched off the TV and the rest of the night seemed to fade away as we talked. Neither of us wanted to discuss current events anymore, so instead we talked about ourselves and I got to discover more about my new housemate. Jennifer was a 2nd grade hockey player for Essendon, and worked at a tea shop in the mall near the airport. I had already been in awe of her before, but hearing she played hockey cemented my admiration for her firmly in my heart. In turn, I talked a little about what it had been like growing up trans, and what I was hoping to do in Melbourne. In truth I had no idea what would happen from here on in. I felt so lucky that Jennifer had taken pity on me in the rain and that I had a place to stay, at least for now. It felt a bit silly to focus on aspirations of stardom and songwriting when the world had just changed so drastically.


    Eventually, when I was beginning to nod off with my head falling down onto the arm of the couch, we decided it was time to say goodnight. Jennifer gave me another warm and reassuring hug, I could feel tears of affection and happiness welling up in my eyes. I could have stayed in that embrace forever and fallen asleep again, but she pulled back, still holding me.


    ¡°Tomorrow, lets go to the mall where I work. I think we need to get you some clothes.¡± She flashed me a smile that lit up her dark brown eyes, and I nodded and giggled happily. I was a complete mess around her.


    The first night in a new place was usually a little strange, because everything was new. But I was so exhausted and so happy that I slept like a baby. My sleep was peaceful and dreamless, possibly the best sleep I had gotten in months.


    The next morning, the internet was finally back. I awoke to my phone buzzing with a mixture of government emergency alerts and texts from Nic asking if I was okay. There was also one from my landlord in Sydney, Stefanos. He was angry and claimed that I owed him money. I had paid off last month''s rent like two weeks ago, but he was never really trustworthy. I shot off a message to Nic letting him know I was okay, and to my surprise he messaged me back straight away.


    Nic: Hey Mia, guess what!


    Mia: Hey Nic, did you get me a vanilla slice?This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Nic: No lol. But you know all the emergence stuff? I¡¯m emerged now, and it¡¯s AWESOME


    Mia: Oh? What happened to you? Stay safe btw, I heard Gladys the Fascist is going a bit crazy <3


    Nic: Yeah no worries. I mean I think I still look more human than some people. I¡¯m just a bit hairy. But I¡¯m so fucking jacked now! It¡¯s awesome. I can basically lift anything </img>


    Mia: Woah! That¡¯s awesome! Nice one dude </img> Hey can I ask you a huge favour? Can you rescue my guitar and my amp from my apartment in Sydney? Should be no problem for a strong guy like you, right? DON¡¯T LET THAT CREEP TOUCH MY STUFF!


    Nic: Sure sure, I¡¯ll save the damsel in distress. Seriously though Mia, check out this pic, how awesome am I now?


    Nic sent through a pretty generic looking topless mirror selfie, making muscles at himself. I rolled my eyes and let it slide though. He definitely looked different. Formerly a tiny korean trans-guy he now looked like was two metres or something super tall. He also was definitely really muscular. Good for him I thought to myself with a wry smile. It was cute that my trans-masc friend enjoyed things like enjoying being big and hairy. He was welcome to all the muscles and hair and smells of masculinity and I wished him the best. I was far far happier as I was now.


    I flicked through my phone a little more. The damage from the Emergence seemed even crazier and more widespread than I had thought. Basically, everything was fucked right now. I shivered, just hoping that everyone would be okay. I was sure that many emerged had just been in a similar situation to me; scared and freaking out, either unaware or simply bewildered by their changes and powers.


    My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at my door.


    ¡°Hey Mia, you up yet? I¡¯m making breakfast so we can head off. I figure the morning will be less busy at the mall after all the shit yesterday.¡± Gosh Jennifer was just the sweetest. I could almost feel myself melting into a puddle at the mere thought of her making me breakfast.


    Eventually I managed to respond. ¡°Yep, thanks Jennifer! I¡¯ll be out in a sec.¡±


    When I saw Jennifer in the kitchen I gasped. She was wearing these soft pink low rise shorts and a tank top that showed off her perfect arms and collarbone. But what really caught my attention was the bushy little tail poking out above her waistband, which seemed to wiggle along with her butt as she moved around getting breakfast together. It was possibly the most adorable thing I had ever seen, and my attempts to stop myself squeal in excitement failed. The reaction caused Jennifer to blush a deep red, despite her attempts to brush it off.


    ¡°Can I¡­ touch it?¡± I asked, my eyes wide, fixating on Jennifers furry little tail.


    ¡°Ummm no?¡± Jennifer responded, she was firm, but seemed surprised that I was so eager.


    ¡°I really want to know what it feels like. It¡¯s so cute!¡± I stepped forward, biting my lower lip and reaching out for her tail.


    ¡°No, Mia no!¡± She said, jumping back. Her face was bright red but she shot me a withering glance, which shut me down. I lowered my gaze, blushing hard. You really lost control there Mia.


    Once we had eaten, and gotten dressed, we headed out. I was wearing basically the same thing as yesterday, except with a borrowed top from Jennifer. Now that I had calmed down I was even more aware of my feet slipping around in my shoes. Jennifer had opted for some more low rise shorts, but modified to more comfortably accommodate her tail. She had hidden it with an oversized t shirt, but it was still a little noticeable. There was also no covering up her furry ears. The sun was already rising high in the sky by the time we left the house and we could feel the heat beating down on us mercilessly. I was immediately grumpy, but walking with Jennifer next to me calmed me down significantly.


    The mall that we were going to, and which Jennifer worked at, was right next to the airport. With the appearance of those ominous black mountains towering in the distance though, all the air traffic had been cancelled and it was remarkably quiet. The mall itself was a large and fairly modern concrete building with lots of tall glass windows filled with mannequins of uniform size, all wearing the latest bland seasonal fashion offering.


    We shared a look that seemed to agree about what was in the windows, and then proceeded purposefully inside the mall. Neither of us really had much money, and I had no idea how long my savings would need to last now that everything was in chaos. There were a lot of outlet boutiques that we probably couldn¡¯t really afford, and so we settled on going to one of the more affordable chains that seemed to at least have decent basics.


    Shopping for summer clothes was always a struggle for me, with my lack of confidence, showing skin was never something I was very eager to do. Fortunately it seemed like Jennifer was having a field day picking out things for me to try on. She had a mischievous grin on her face as she bounced around the store, picking out several skirts and a large pile of tops. It seemed as though I wasn¡¯t allowed to assist so instead I picked out a few things for her. Some yoga pants and a crop top that I knew would look incredible on her. Unfortunately all her clothes would probably need tailoring now that she had that cute little tail.


    ¡°Okay¡± Jennifer bounced up to me, her hands completely concealed behind all the coat hangers she had with her. ¡°Come and try these on. I¡¯m pretty sure I have great taste.¡±


    She smirked and pushed me towards the changing rooms.


    ¡°Alright, I have some stuff for you to try too. And I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll look great.¡± Along with the more athletic clothes I had picked up a midi skirt that I thought would look gorgeous on her. Well really I imagined anything would; she was so hot.


    I was ushered into a changeroom and Jennifer handed over the first outfit she had picked out for me. It was a tank top, some little shorts (not as torn or ragged as the ones I was wearing) and an oversized blazer. I thought it looked a little silly, but I stepped out to show Jennifer anyway.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, performing a little twirl for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s cute, I knew I had good taste¡± I blushed and looked away from her. It was so hard to meet her gaze properly.


    ¡°Okay, maybe not for you right now. It does look good though. Here, try this on next.¡± She handed me a black pleated skirt and a burgundy raglan top with black sleeves.


    When I put it on, I knew it was a winner. I absolutely adore pleated skirts. I imagined pairing it with some cool stockings and grinned excitedly. I pulled back the curtain and stepped forward with a floaty stride. Jennifer smirked proudly, seeing the excitement on my face. I twirled around some more and nearly lost my balance, only regaining it when Jennifer grabbed me to keep me from falling. I ended up being pulled in close to her and again I could smell that cosy smell that seemed to have vanilla mixed with cinnamon. My heart was racing like a Nate Smith track and my body felt flushed and hot. I let out a shaky breath and looked up to meet her eyes; the edges were a bright amber with little dark flecks that I found myself following their swirling lines, leading my gaze to her pupils. I hadn¡¯t noticed that before.


    My cheeks burned red as the moment lingered. Jennifer¡¯s hands were gentle but she held me firmly.


    ¡°Umm thanks¡± I managed at last, stepping back. I retreated quickly to the changing room, my ears burning. I didn¡¯t feel like I could even process what had just happened. I sat there for a while, feeling too shy and embarrassed to respond. Jennifer told me she was going to try on the things I picked out for her. Uh oh, I was sure she would look amazing in them all. That I would be able to handle it, I was less sure.


    I peaked around the heavy blue curtain to be greeted with jennifer sitting across from me on her phone with her legs crossed. She was wearing the yellow crop top and black midi skirt that I had picked out for her.


    ¡°Feeling okay?¡± She enquired, her voice soft and earnest.


    All I could do was nod affirmatively. She stood up and struck a pose that showed off her subtly athletic form, before doing her own spin. It was a lot more graceful than mine. The cute action made me giggle. You can handle this Mia, it will be okay¡­ probably. She laughed with me and it calmed my nerves.


    We each paid for the things we liked, and then for good measure I insisted on going to a shoe shop. It wasn¡¯t just my love of shoes, or my excitement at finding more gender affirming stuff to wear. I really did need some better fitting footwear. I managed to find a pair of sneakers nearly identical to the black canvas ones I was wearing, and happily grabbed them. For a time I became transfixed looking at all the cute and cool shoes and boots. I was sorely tempted by some gorgeous black heels with an elegant ankle strap, but I managed to resist. I wasn¡¯t as strong when it came to the boots, and Jennifer raised a questioning eyebrow when I walked out with three shoe boxes rather cumbersomely stuffed into an oversized paper bag and a significantly lighter purse.


    Having tired ourselves out with shopping, we picked up some lunch from the bakery and sat in silence to eat it. It wasn¡¯t exactly an uncomfortable silence, but I could feel the tension between us. My mind was giddy with questions. Why did Jennifer hold me for so long? Did she feel the same way I did? What would it mean if she did? What would it mean if she didn¡¯t?


    It was a strong poke from Jennifer that brought me back to reality.


    ¡°Your storm is showing again.¡± She said with a slight smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s go home¡±


    ¡°Your tail is wiggling¡± I responded with a cheeky grin, gathering up my things.


    <hr>


    It was only once we got back to Jennifer¡¯s apartment (I was still not comfortable thinking of it as my apartment) that we realised that there was no food left to make dinner. Jennifer signed and let out a tsk of annoyance. We took a little bit of time to sort through what we had bought. I took the opportunity to start hanging things up in the closet that lined one wall of my room. It made it feel a little more homely. I still didn¡¯t have any skincare or toiletries, but I had my little makeup bag which I placed on the vanity that was opposite my bed. I decided that our trip to the shops to get dinner was a good time to wear in one of my new pairs of boots, and so I slipped on my new combat boots and laced them up. I was very happy with the look, and they weren¡¯t too bulky either, a look which I wasn¡¯t a fan of.


    We headed out again as the sun was low in the sky. To the south east there were still towers of smoke which rose up into the golden sky. We walked in a comfortable silence now, Jennifer¡¯s presence was too calming for me to stay on edge despite how flustered she could make me. The shops weren¡¯t as far as the mall and we soon reached them. It was a small strip of shops with a local supermarket and a chemist. We agreed to split up and meet outside after we had what we needed. Jennifer went to get groceries and I made my way to the chemist to find my necessities.


    I was very fussy about what I used, but I knew exactly what I wanted. It didn¡¯t take me long to pick out two moisturisers and a cleanser. Hair products took a little longer. I didn¡¯t know exactly how my new hair would react, but hazarded a guess on some products that smelled nice. I picked up some other things I thought that I would need right away and resisted everything else, though I glanced at a few different shades of black nailpolish on my way out.


    Outside the chemist, Jennifer was nowhere to be found. I waited around, pacing back and forth for a few minutes before I decided to check inside the supermarket. She wasn¡¯t there. I couldn¡¯t see her anywhere. I tried calling her phone but it just rang out. I could feel tension nagging at me and my stomach churning. I shouldn¡¯t have been worried yet. But my anxiety was starting to run wild. There were strangers casting strange and suspicious glances at me from across the street. Overhead dark clouds began to form. Where was Jennifer?


    I paced off, trying to check the surrounding blocks for any sign of jennifer. Breaking into a run I circled around several times. The brick and concrete walls around me felt like they were closing in behind me, but I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. I ran down another street, and another alley. Soon I was nearly back at the shops. I had just made a winding circle and found no trace of her. I tried to tell myself I was overreacting. That Jennifer was just waiting for me. But she still wasn¡¯t outside the supermarket. I set off again, this time in the other direction, towards the small neighbourhood park with broken swings we had passed on the way here.


    Something was happening there. There were a dozen or so large and burly men, crowded in a circle and yelling. Some were still holding signs, with slogans like Freaks Fuck Off. Quite a few seemed to have southern cross tattoos on their biceps, and one was wearing a Young Liberals shirt. On the ground between them was a dark huddled shape. It was curled in a ball with spines sticking out in all directions. The shape also had a small, bushy tail. Jennifer. It was her. It had to be. And these psychotic fucks were trying to attack her.


    Thunder cracked and rumbled in the sky, but I barely noticed. I was overflowing with white hot fury and I ran towards the helpless girl on the ground.


    ¡°Jennifer!¡± I screamed, my voice cracking and tears welling up in my eyes.