ã€ŠThe Will of Bastet -  A Kammi Kettu Storyã€‹


 Second Wave

    The day of the second wave of the Emergence started like any other. Well at least like any since the first wave anyways. This meaning I was in the lab studying a particularly interesting little cube found in the ruins of Seattle. We¡¯d found that the cube in question seemed to generate complex distortions in the usual laws of physics when handled. We were trying to get a sense for how to manipulate it at will and get an idea of its capabilities.

    Work had certainly been a lot more interesting in the days after the Emergence. I could remember the day it happened like it was yesterday. The surreal sky lit brilliantly with myriad colors. The dazzling light so bright that I could scarcely see after a mere moment. As the light overwhelmed me it was as though a wave came crashing down, though it seemed to be everywhere at once. Not so much like a wave of the ocean, but of reality itself, leaving a sense of overwhelming power and awe in its wake. Just like that it was over.

    Or should I say it had just begun. That event had left untold number of people irrevocably changed. These changes were as numerous as the people who were changed. Some with superficial changes and as many more gaining strange powers of varying scales. Some reminiscent of comic book heroes, others more like minor miracles or even parlor tricks.

    Not just people but places. A prime example being Seattle, which I could only describe as having been largely overwritten.. Ruins of an unknown civilization had simply appeared transposed over top of the city. Leaving a mish-mash of Ruins and the remaining portions of the city that had originally been in their place.

    The big movers in the tech world had wasted little time in trying to acquire as many relics as possible from any ruins they could. In most cases legally, but if need be illegally worked just as well for them. Sometimes the right pockets just needed to be lined because the dollar is king.

    I work at one of these companies, DRF International. I used to be an Electrical Engineer, designing circuit after circuit for one gizmo or another. It¡¯s seemed so much more interesting in college. Over the years it had gotten stale. Honestly there were so many other paths I¡¯d wished I¡¯d taken.

    Worldwide after the Emergence, tech conglomerates were quick to put their top talent to work, trying to uncover the mysteries of these baffling new relics. The uses of most were still a mystery, but what we¡¯ve found thus far varies as widely as those changed in the Emergence. Work has certainly been a lot more interesting of late.

    My reverie was broken by Matt snapping his fingers uncomfortably close to my face. ¡°Earth to Dave! Wake up DAAAAVE!¡± Ok, so Matt can be a little annoying at times, but he¡¯s really a good kid. One of the smartest people I ever met, just a little socially awkward. Definitely the ultra nerdy type, and he takes an undue amount of shit for it.

    ¡°Huh, what¡¯s up kid?¡±

    ¡°I was asking if you thought it might be picking on our nerve signals when we handle it.¡± Referring to the odd little cube in front of him.

    ¡°Might be, we can look into that, buuut how about after we grab something to eat?¡± I was starved and definitely ready for a break, I¡¯d been having a little trouble focusing today, and it was already getting a little late. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to work really late in a rush to be the first to market with the latest and greatest new discoveries.

    ¡°OK, I brought so I¡¯m headed to the break room.¡± With that Matt wanders off leaving me to head out on my own for lunch. He¡¯s not a fan of the cold and refuses to go out into it unless absolutely necessary. I grab my jacket and head for the stairs.

    After leaving the building, I start walking down the street. A fresh layer of snow was starting to build a brilliant white coat, over top of the pervasive grey slush. I¡¯m headed to a pizza place a couple blocks down the street. They¡¯re kind of a hole in the wall, and look like they might go out of business any day, but they¡¯ve got some killer pizza just the same.

    As I headed down the street I started to get this nagging unsettling feeling I¡¯d been having on and off for a couple days now. I look around and notice that there are two huge men behind me in black suits and even sunglasses despite the rapidly dwindling light. Clearly just some local muscle trying their best to play at being some kind of secret service agent. These guys are really committed to the bit. They seem to be matching pace with me. Ahhh, I¡¯m probably just paranoid¡­ Oh well, I¡¯m about to the pizza place anyways.

    Just as I arrive the two I¡¯d been worried about move to block my path into the pizza place. Great. Just what I need.

    ¡°You mind, guys? I just want to grab a couple slices and I don¡¯t need any trouble.¡± I say, not looking to rock the boat, I just want dinner.

    They don¡¯t say a word, just gesture for me to turn around. Reluctantly I do and I see a car pulling up to the curb. From the back seat another absurdly large man gets out, again dressed up like some cheap knock off agent of an agency that doesn¡¯t officially exist. Despite my disquiet I¡¯m just getting irritated.

    ¡°David L. Brooks, please come with us. I¡¯ll be frank with you, this is not optional.¡± He says with no preamble, breath visible in the cold winter air.

    I start laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Not two weeks ago there¡¯d been a staff meeting for a few of us who¡¯d begun to be well known in the industry. Those with the knack for making useful tech out of the mysterious relics were becoming a hot commodity. The contents of the meeting had been about abductions becoming a real possibility as the arms race between a few tech firms heats up. I had blown off that meeting, dismissing the idea that I needed to worry about such a thing as a 32 year old, 6¡¯ 3¡± guy. And yet, here I am.

    ¡°What might I ask is so funny Mr. Brooks?¡± He asks through gritted teeth. Short fuse on this one it seems.

    ¡°Oh, just that you said it with a straight face.¡± I pause to continue laughing, I don¡¯t really know why I feel the need to rile him up. I know it¡¯s stupid, but this whole situation is ridiculous. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not happening.¡±

    With that I bolt back towards work. Now, I¡¯m in good shape. I have an unhealthy number of hobbies, several serve to keep me fit. That said, running through the snow in shoes with practically no tread is a poor strategy. It quickly becomes evident that they will catch me if I don¡¯t do something quick.

    I duck down an alley in hopes that I can throw a few twists and turns in to hopefully lose them. Just as I turn a corner a shot rings out. Holy shit! They were shooting at me. What the ever loving fuck is going on? Here I thought they were going to try to get company secrets from me or something and now they are trying to kill me?

    Fueled by a huge surge of adrenaline from almost being shot, I redoubled my efforts to get away and found myself headed down a dead end.

    Shit! What the hell do I do now! I¡¯m gonna fucking die here? For what? Some company secrets? Some rich assholes bottom line? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever done anything to merit this. FUCK!

    One of the buildings in the alley way juts out a little more than the rest, but it isn¡¯t immediately evident how much of a blind spot there is. I nessle myself in as tight against the building as I can, pulling the pistol I bought years ago for self defence from it¡¯s holster. The gun, which had long been left in a safe at home, is the only concession I¡¯ve made to my company''s growing insistence about my security. I hold the gun tight to my chest trying to keep it aimed ahead of me, ready, but out of sight of the goons chasing me.

    When I first moved to Penrith, like many cities in the rust belt, I found the crime rates to be alarmingly high. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for the more affluent of Penrith to carry something for protection. Not trying to say I¡¯m rich or anything, but I do live a comfortable life.

    Shortly after I¡¯m in place, the three goons go barreling by. Just as I think it might be safe to try and run back out of the alley, the goon in the back turns around and spots me sliding to a stop. ¡°Got him!¡± He yells to his compatriots. He¡¯s already taking aim while the others are struggling to come to a halt. They hasten to get me in their sights while keeping their balance in the built up snow and slush of the unkept alley. Quickly they regain their bearings, guns trained on me. In their haste it seems they miss my gun pointed back at them.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Just when I¡¯m thinking of surrendering the lead goon from the car smirks at me. ¡°I told you just to get in the car... Fucking smartass. Light hi-¡±

    His command cutoff as I yank the trigger as fast as I can in a panic. I have no idea how many times I shot, I wasn¡¯t even conscious of the decision to shoot. It was just pure terror guiding me. As soon as I realized I wasn¡¯t going to make it out of this alive, it just happened.

    Completely deafened by the sound of the gun in the small alleyway, the only sound I can hear is a loud ringing in both ears. It was so loud I feel disoriented and sick. Adding that with the adrenaline and the panic, I was beyond any form of coherence.

    I stare in shock at the men who have collapse to the ground, their blood staining the dirty snow a dark red. As I look up from the bodies, Oh my god I killed people, holy fuck, holy fuck, I notice people looking out the back doors of a few of the businesses that backed up to the alley, trying to figure out what just happened. I feel a terrible sinking sensation in my gut as the reality of what just happened begins to sink in.

    Unable to hear anyone over the ringing in my ears, it becomes clear to me that these people see me as a murderer. I can see it in their eyes and reactions, phones coming out as they dial 911 in horror. My panic ratchets up to another level as the potential consequences of what I¡¯ve done start filtering to the forefront of my mind.

    Somewhere in the back of my head I know I should be calm. I should wait for the police and explain, but with everything that¡¯s happened I need to get out of there. I take off at a run and in my disorientation I clip the corner of the wall of the alley causing me to fumble the gun and drop it. I can¡¯t even imagine turning around to grab it, so I keep running at full tilt.

    I don¡¯t even know what direction I¡¯m headed at first. After a few blocks I slow my escape, starting to calm down and catch my breath a bit. I really shouldn¡¯t have run¡­ that just makes me look guilty, then again, I mean, there were three of them all with guns drawn. I¡¯m sure be able to explain it.

    My hearing is getting better although it still rings loudly. I notice that I can hear my phones notification sound going off in a series of cheery tunes. I pull it out and have a look, several texts from Matt.

    I¡¯m about to just shove it back in my pocket given the gravity of everything else going on right now. The fact that Matt never texts causes me to reconsider. I let my curiosity get the better of me and check anyways.

    [Matt]: Dave, what the hell is going on? There are police here asking about you.

    [Matt]: I overheard them talking with boss. They¡¯re saying you stole tech and sold it to Yelmorn.

    [Matt]: Look I know you didn¡¯t do it, but what the hell is happening?

    [Matt]: Shit looks like they¡¯re coming to talk to me¡­ I¡¯ve got your back.

    Staring at my phone I just stand there for a minute. Shit, I guess that smarmy mother fucker wasn¡¯t lieing about that whole ¡®not optional bit¡¯. Just how deep is the shit I¡¯m even in¡­?

    At this point I don¡¯t even know what the hell to do. I¡¯ve never pictured myself on the wrong side of the law, and I¡¯m getting the feeling that I am well and truly fucked. It looks like they were framing me to take away any hope of escape. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have antagonized them so much.

    Without and other ideas I figure I will head towards home. I really have no idea what else to do, I¡¯m probably still screwed but hopefully I can get in and grab some stuff before trying to make an escape or something and try to clear my name or whatever¡­ I don¡¯t even know anymore.

    Heading to the nearest station I hop on the T which will get me most of the way home. I make the long cold walk back to my house from the station. Like everything else today the weather is really turning to shit. Cold blizzardy shit. I wasn¡¯t a fan... of anything right this minute.

    Almost unsurprisingly at this point I arrive at the entrance to my neighborhood to the sound of sirens blaring. I can see fire a couple of blocks in, flashing lights and yelling firemen surrounding it. Right where my house used to be.

    What the fuck else. Of fucking course. Life was still mind numbingly normal just an hour ago! How can so much change so fast?

    As I¡¯m thinking things over and, yea, admittedly wallowing in self pity, I notice those same strange colors in the sky I¡¯d seen once before. Just as before I stood there briefly mesmerized. I¡¯m losing myself in the spectacle when realization washes over me. I can hear a distant thunder rapidly approaching and the lights in the sky become painfully intense. I never thought I¡®d experience this again. Like before an immense energy bears down from seemingly everywhere. Unlike before I¡¯m beset with pain. Intense pain, it feels like I¡¯m being crushed. My bones popping and cracking as though they are buckling under pressure. I can feel intense burning sensations all over. It seems localized in a few spots, but I¡¯m in so much pain I can¡¯t even focus on what¡¯s happening anymore.

    As the pain begins to recede I groan. It seems as though the thunder of the second wave of the emergence damaged my already beleaguered hearing. Nothing sounded right. Opening my eyes I froze for a hot second, nothing I see made sense anymore. I¡¯m sitting up against the fence next to the gate into my neighborhood. My clothes are practically puddled around me. The whole world suddenly looks... alien, surreal, as though the settings my brain had gone out of whack.

    It did not take a rocket scientist to work out the Emergence had come again and it had been my turn to experience changes. I started to take stock of myself. I could feel an odd, and seriously unpleasant sensation of something smushed behind me. In attempt to dislodge this nuisance I started to lean forward and in that small movement I was clued in on how profound the changes were.

    My hands fly to my chest. Yup, boobs. My hands hover there for a minute as I try to comprehend that this is real. I then double check the equipment below. Through my now super oversized pants I can¡¯t exactly feel every intricate detail, but I can quickly tell ol¡¯ trusty is gone.

    Strangely, I¡¯m not panicked about having Emerged and suddenly becoming female. Maybe it¡¯s just in the face of everything that happened today it¡¯s just not high enough up on my wierd shit¡¯o¡¯meter. Yeah no. That¡¯s a lie. I just realize that I¡¯m actually totally good with it. Or at least what I¡¯ve found so far. There¡¯s some trepidation about the exact details surrounding all these changes.

    Picking myself up off the ground I continue to take stock, trying to shake some of the snow and melting slush off of my pants as I do. I find the nuisance at my back is actually in my shirt. What the fuck happened here? As I¡¯m grabbing at it trying to figure out what the hell has gone down my shirt I realize I can feel myself touching it. An utterly odd sensation at first.

    ¡°Cute cat ears.¡± I hear from behind me. I turn to see a teenage boy looking at the top of my head.

    ¡°What? Huh ¡­¡± I ask and hearing my new voice for the first time my hands fly up to my mouth. The ¡®huh¡¯ comes out in a cute little burst. Causing further ¡­ embarrassment? Delight? I¡¯m honestly not sure. It was pretty cute. Maybe both?

    ¡°Just emerged huh?¡± He asks.

    ¡°I guess so!¡± I say a little giddy.

    ¡°Well good luck, my parents will lose it if they see me talking to you. They¡¯re probably freaking out anyways.¡± With a wink he heads off into the neighborhood.

    I doubled back to the comment about the cat ears before I got side tracked by the sound of my own voice. I reach up and sure enough I have a pair of cat ears perched atop my head. I mean, I can¡¯t see them but they feel the part. As I tickle the top of one, accidentally brushing the top, a shiver runs through me. My ear, almost as though it has a mind of its own, flips down and then back a couple times as though trying to shoo my hand away. This sensation just tickles more and I practically fall into a self induced giggle fit.

    What. The. Hell. Is up with me? I am acting and feeling quite incredibly strange, and I¡¯ve got more pressing matters to deal with. Holy shit, get your head on straight¡­ but wait¡­ I don¡¯t know what I look like, but I¡¯m guessing no one is going to see me as a ¡®Dave¡¯ anymore¡­.

    Soooooo, maybe problem solved, you know, aside from the place to live, career, contact with anyone I know, etc, etc, wow this is starting to sound really bleak!

    Even with the police trouble behind me, I have a lot to worry about. I have no idea what¡¯s going to happen at this point. I guess I really need to go sit down and figure some of this shit out. I¡¯m not about to try and unravel the mysteries of the universe and my new reality standing in the streets.

    Pulling the back of my shirt free of my pants I let loose what I correctly assumed is my tail. Holy shit, that thing is long. It reaches down just shy of the ground at its extent. A position it seems almost unwilling to maintain as though it has a mind of its own. I spin a circle or two trying to grab it to investigate further as it manages to escape my grasp. I can feel my ears rotating down and back. Frustrating!

    As I¡¯m making my third attempt to grab the thing I hear someone speak up next to me. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll need you to come with me.¡± He surprised the shit out of me and without thinking I find myself in the air. I land in exactly the same spot I had inadvertently vacated. OhMyGodHeScaredTheShitOutOfMe. Wait, did I really just jump like a scared cat...Oh¡­ Emm¡­ Gee. I finally calm down and have a good look, it¡¯s a patrol officer¡­ Great.

    The officer is standing next to his cruiser eying me as though I were a dangerous wild animal bound to attack at any moment.

    ¡°Huh, why, what do you need?¡± I ask calming down a bit, still sounding a little out of breath.

    ¡°Everyone saw and heard the show just now. We need to bring in any new Emerged to document, get prints, you know, the works.¡± He explains.

    Oh HELL no. I know what a shit show the last Emergence was and I am not about to be caught up in all of that!

    ¡°Huh, what, no, this is just a cosplay. Have a good one!¡± The words just tumble out of my mouth before I even realize what I¡¯m saying. I turn around quickly and do my best to hold my new tail and ears still as I walk away, trying to stifle a laugh.

    He¡¯s about to follow after when the world suddenly quakes with yet another deafening blast. We turn the direction it came from to see a towering flame a few blocks down. Even at this distance I could see debris raining down in the aftermath. The sounds of people screaming as they flee the conflagration.

    I¡¯m having none of that. Yeah, I¡¯m good on that mess! I may have Emerged, but I¡¯m no hero! I start to scurry away from anything and everything that might have been responsible for that sort of catastrophe. No thanks!

    ¡°Ohhh shit here we go again¡­¡± I hear the officer say as he starts yelling into his radio running back to his cruiser.

    Once I¡¯m away from any evident imminent threat I start to think about where to go. The thoughts of my new form buoying my mood as I wander down the snow swept streets. The city is as I¡¯ve never experienced before, surreally empty as though abandoned in a rush. The streets devoid of people who¡¯ve fled indoors from this latest iteration of the cataclysm known as the Emergence. Even the usual lights along the roads and buildings are muted under the heavy snowfall.

    ¡°Ahh, about that pizza!¡± I say to myself as I head out with a new purpose.

 Pizza...?

    As I walk down the the frigid streets with snow blowing in the howling winds, I rapidly found the adrenaline and excitement fading. Leaving in its place a rapidly descending sense of despair.

    Everything is changed. Nothing in my life can stay the same. I¡¯ve lost everything. I killed another person¡­ three other people. Their lives stopped in that alley when it could have just been me.

    These thoughts cycled endlessly, no matter how I tried to banish them. With each repetition I found myself falling deeper into their voracious and hateful depths. I had no idea how I would go on. How do you start over again? I keep feeling like I¡¯ve made a series of horrible decisions even though I know none of this was a choice, not any choice that I would have survived.

    Lost in the depths of my own personal hell, rehashing the day¡¯s events, I realise that I¡¯ve already made it close to Moretti¡¯s. It¡¯s nowhere near as good as the hole in the wall near work, but it¡¯s a whole lot closer and it¡¯s still pizza. That¡¯s the best I can do with my dwindling motivation.

    I turn the last corner and in the whirling clouds of snow it looks like a war had taken place. Buildings on both sides of the road are devastated. Small fires still burn in the rubble strewn street despite the cold''s best attempt to stifle their resistance. After looking on in despair for a moment, I can take no more.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± I say quietly to myself with a hitch in my voice. It seems like such a stupid thing after everything that¡¯s happened, but it¡¯s the last thing I can take.

    The spiraling thoughts I¡¯ve had since I started my mission for pizza come back full force. I can no longer shake the scene of my victims, lying dead at my own hands, from my head. The sounds, the blood staining the grimey gray snow of that back alley a deep dark and hellish red.

    I start to feel sick to my stomach, tears threatening at the corners of my eyes. My heart rate spikes in concert with my breathing until I am heaving deep breaths as though I were still sprinting to escape my earlier pursuers.

    I¡¯m fighting a losing battle as hard as I can to forcibly keep it together. Then it all came crashing down as I sink to my knees in the snow sobbing like I never have before. My head a swirling mess of grief, guilt and terror. As time goes on I try so hard to calm myself and nothing I try works. These thoughts aren¡¯t to be denied.

    In the end I don¡¯t even know how long I sat there on the sidewalk in abject misery. Eventually I¡¯ve cried myself out. I¡¯m shaking violently from both the cold and the remainder of my emotional turmoil. I know I¡¯ve got to get myself warm or all my troubles will come to an end in the worst way.

    Finally I manage to drag myself to my feet. It takes shockingly little thought to realize I don¡¯t have much in the way of options. I¡¯ve got some cash on me. One of the shitty little hotels that I vowed to never patron are about my only choice.

    I trudge off through the snow in search of somewhere to sleep. After what felt like hours of walking I¡¯m not shivering as much anymore and  I see a perfect candidate shithole of a hotel at the end of the street as though through a haze. As I close in I see something that against all odds elicits a mirthless chuckle.

    Next to the hotel, there¡¯s a pizza place. I¡¯m not even hungry anymore but I¡¯ll be damned if I can¡¯t have that one small thing.

    Wandering in the front door, I see the kid behind the counter is shocked to see me.

    ¡°What¡­?¡± I ask, my voice coming out horse and my speech slurring as though my mouth can¡¯t keep up with my thoughts.

    The kid behind the counter just shrugs. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see anyone tonight, nuttin¡¯ but freak shows and lunatics out tonight, haven¡¯t had a customer in ages, whad¡¯dya need?¡±

    Slowly narrowing my eyes at him for the implication, I realize this is the least of the bullshit I can expect and honestly it¡¯s a drop in the bucket right now. His eyes flick to the top of my head and his eyes widen briefly. A contrite looks flashes across his face, but he says nothing.

    I ask him for a slice and after a couple minutes to warm up in the oven he hands it over. Having some difficulty extracting a few bucks from my wallet I pay him. Taking my pizza to the corner as far from the counter as I can get, I dig in. Slowly eating the single slice with nothing but the hum of a failing fluorescent light to keep me company. The kid behind the counter had disappeared in the back after our transaction was complete..

    After a few minutes it was as though I feel colder and the shivers seem to get worse again. A door not far from my table opens and the kid from behind the counter heads towards the front to flip the sign to closed. I finish my last bite while he bustles about closing. On his way back he stops and looks me over. ¡°Wow, ya really look like shit, I take it ya¡¯ve had a real rough night¡­?¡± I slowly nod in response in the midst of the shivers. ¡°Where ya headed? Live near here?¡± I shake my head.

    ¡°N-N-No¡­ g-g-going to thhhhe ho-o-otel n-next d-door.¡± I say struggling through the now much more intense shakes.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help ya over there¡­ ya look like ya need it. Ya gotta warm up or yull be in trouble.¡± He responds helping me up. He helps me next door where I have a slightly easier time getting the room paid for and my key all sorted. Slowly I¡¯m starting to feel a little less like an icicle.

    He helps me to my room and double checks that I¡¯m ok before leaving, making sure that I lock the door behind him. He leaves muttering something about the Emerged. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good or bad, I¡¯m not even paying attention anymore.

    All I can think of now is bed. I climb in after ditching my wet clothes and gather all the blankets around me building a cocoon. I close my eyes with the impossible puzzle of what tomorrow would bring going through my head. Where the hell can I even go from here¡­ It¡¯s just hopeless. Despite my exhaustion, it¡¯s a long while before sleep takes me.

    Waking up to face the new day I¡¯m unsure what to feel. The remains of yesterday¡¯s breakdown are still lingering on my mind. While I¡¯m feeling kinda rough physically, emotionally I¡¯m feeling a lot better. Still lost, certainly, but things seems a little less bleak.

    I may not know exactly what I need to do today, but I know I need to get up and at it. The reality  of my new body sets in as I begin the process of extricating myself from the den of cozy blankets. It¡¯s not as though I forgot. It¡¯s a huge change, one that in retrospect I can see I always wanted. I was just too afraid to admit it to myself, preferring instead to try and bury it deep within myself.

    Finally managing an untidy egress from bed, I trail blankets, sheets, and pillows halfway across the room. Now out of bed and standing in the middle of the room naked I start to really look myself over. I know I¡¯ve lost a lot of height, although I¡¯m not sure how much. I feel like I would have been only up to the chest of my former self. My boobs are¡­ pretty big, or at least they seem big to me, and SO heavy! I¡¯m no expert on bra sizes, but I¡¯m guessing C cup. My waist is fairly narrow tapering out to well proportioned hips. My legs are long and well shaped. From what I can see I¡¯m exactly what I would have wished for, were I cognisant of the secret desire in the back of my head.

    I head towards the bathroom and have my first look at myself in the mirror. This is a lot to take in and a whole load of emotions flash through my head. Essentially, yes. I am cute. Yes, I am a complete and total trainwreck. My eyes are red and puffy, my hair¡¯s in total disarray. Speaking of hair, my previously wavy brown hair was now long straight black hair. Well, I was pretty sure it was straight, right now it was more like a rats nest hanging part way down my back. My eyes are a slightly deeper shade blue than they were previously. That was one of the few features that I actually liked about myself, so I¡¯m glad they were still there. My ears, well, yea, those are straight adorable. They are so expressive, which comes as a bit of a shock. I¡¯ve spent my whole life hiding my emotions because that¡¯s what guys do, right? Now they are seemingly on display without my consent or will even. I¡¯m not sure if this pisses me off, or if it¡¯s just embarrassing. My ears lower toward my head in response.

    Buuuut it really is pretty cute¡­. And that feels pretty good. I giggle a little to myself and decide it¡¯s time to quit ogling myself, and get on with it.

    After using the toilet real quick I start the shower. I hop in the shower and I will admit, washing myself in my new form is pretty awesome. I really love my new shape and I take delight in all the new sensation of water playing off my breasts and running down between my legs. My skin is so smooth and wonderful. Overall 10/10 would recommend to a friend. With the notable exception of accidentally blasting water into my ears several times. Yea that sensation can fuck right off. It¡¯s sorta like getting water stuck in normal human ears, but 1000x worse, thunderously loud and kind of shockingly painful. Each time it happens it causes me to shake my head violently. HUAAAH, not cool. Washing my tail is also¡­ really time consuming. It really doesn¡¯t want to cooperate. I¡¯ll need to work on that. I must be able to learn to control it. Probably the ears too while I¡¯m at it.

    Shower complete, I step out and start toweling off. Ok, this kinda sucks too. Will this fucking hair EVER dry?! Tail too! I feel like I could use like 3 towels to get the job done. Which is incidentally exactly what ends up happening as I use every towel I could find in the bathroom.

    Job done, or as close as I can get,  I head back out into the room. It was pretty old and decrepit but surprisingly well kept. Well, to my eye anyways. I shudder to think about that bed now that I¡¯m looking at it. It does however lack a hair dryer, which I¡¯m thinking might be the missing link in my hair/tail delema. I spend a couple minutes pulling my hands through my hair trying to sort it out a little. It¡¯s still a mess, but it¡¯s a damn sight better than it was.

    Now dry, sorta. I look at my clothes from yesterday. Not a great option but they¡¯re all I have. That will have to be my first order of business today. I¡¯m shocked both my shoes even made it because compared to my new smaller feet, it¡¯s a wonder they stayed on last night. My pants are still pretty wet at the bottom, gross, but my shirt, jacket and boxers aren¡¯t too bad.

    I start pulling the ridiculously oversized clothes on with a grimace. I¡¯m not going to lie. The prospect of buying some new clothes for myself as I am now is actually pretty exciting. I can now admit to myself that I used to look at women not just because I was attracted to them, but also because I was jealous. I¡¯ve always envied the varied choices women have. Especially in an office environment where men just have slacks, shirt, and tie. That¡¯s it. This just serves to heighten my displeasure with my old duds. It takes me some situating to get my tail into a ¡®comfortable¡¯ position. I¡¯ll need to take that into account shopping for new clothes.

    Pulling out my wallet to double check, I find about four hundred and some change dollars. That¡¯s not going to get me very far at all. It crosses my mind that there is a small chance the safe in the basement of my house survived. I have thousands in bitcoin connected to a hardware wallet in there. I¡¯ll have to see if I can sneak in and get it at some point. First clothes.

    After taking out my phone to figure out where I even ended up last night, I realize it¡¯s dead.  Hopefully it didn¡¯t get wet last night. I¡¯ll have to find a place to charge it at some point.

    I don¡¯t know what my next step beyond getting some clothes that fit will be but as I learned long ago: When presented with a seemingly insurmountable task there¡¯s only one way to get it done. One step at a time. Do the obvious first then move to the next bit. I check and make sure I have all of my belongings...Yea, a few hundred bucks, a dead phone, and clothes for someone like twice my size, wooo.

    I leave the room and head down the stairs. I remember very little of the rest of this building. If I¡¯d been alert last night when I came in, one look would have scared me out of here in a heartbeat. While my room wasn¡¯t that bad the rest of the place was grody as all hell.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    No one is at the front desk on my way out and I can hear angry voices elsewhere in the building so presumably they are involved in that. I drop my key in a little drop box for key returns and head out into another blustery day.

    There are fewer people on the streets than on a normal day and their demeanor seems subdued. The reality that the Emergence wasn¡¯t a one time event is clearly sinking in and taking a toll on the spirit of the people worldwide. Just as I myself feel lost, to a lesser degree so does everyone else. Uncertainty and anxiety over what¡¯s to come filling their thoughts.

    I look around to trying to orient myself and realize that I¡¯m not really that far from where I broke down in the snow last night. It had felt like several miles somehow, but it was closer to 6 blocks.

    Wanting to spend as little time in the frigid wind whipping off the lake as possible I got moving. I head to the nearest  ¡°T¡± station. Someone at the station might be able to give me an idea where to go for clothes. At this point I do the majority of my shopping online, and avoid shopping in real stores like the plague. A couple of malls closed years ago, so I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s open.

    Arriving at the platform it quickly dawns on me just how many people are prejudiced against the Emerged. My odd attire isn¡¯t helping, I know I probably look pretty crazy, but really. The number of glares I get is astonishing. All in all it¡¯s a minority of people, but I¡¯m completely unused to having this much attention. By equal measure some of the looks I get from some of the men on the platform makes my skin crawl. I guess I have a lot to get used to, although the idea that I need to get used to that shit pisses me off.

    I hear a loud guffaw from behind me and turn to see a teenage girl sitting on a bench behind me, she quickly gets herself under control and says ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just your ears! Their just like a real cat! There was just something about seeing your tail start lashing back and forth like that¡­ and the ears!¡± She dissolves into laughter.

    ¡°You better be careful talking to that, thing. You never know what could happen with these filthy Emerged, weren¡¯t you paying attention yesterday?! Another lot of these freaks showed up tearing down everything built by the good people of this city. Who knows what it¡¯ll do!¡± yells an older guy from a ways down the platform.

    ¡°Can it old timer.¡± The girl fires back.

    ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m a person not some wild fucking animal¡­ Dick¡± I yell back at him before turning back to the girl.

    He¡¯s still monologuing against the injustice of the ¡®damn freaks¡¯ trying to do whatever idiotic thing it is he¡¯s got in his head. I tune him out and get back to the task at hand.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m in some desperate need of some clothes an-¡± I don¡¯t get a chance to finish as she cuts me off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say. Damn gurl, what did you get up to last night?¡± She says with a smirk and a wink.

    I burn red in embarrassment at the implication. ¡°L-Look I don¡¯t have anything that fits OK? Last night a lot changed for me OK? OK?!¡± I stammer. Why did I keep repeating ¡®OK¡¯¡­ ¡°Any good recommendations to get something? I don¡¯t have a ton to spend right this second though so I need to stretch my dollar a little.¡±

    ¡°Oh, check out a good will or something. It won¡¯t be trendy but it won¡¯t break the bank either.¡±

    ¡°Uhhh, I gotta get some¡­ personal stuff too. Like I said, I don¡¯t have any clothes that are gonna work. Plus, I kinda want at least some options.¡±

    She quirks and eyebrow at me and says, ¡°I guess just hit a cheap big box?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to know of one close by? I kinda avoid those places like my life depends on it¡­ aaaand phone is kinda dead so I can¡¯t check myself.¡±

    ¡°Let me look real quick¡­¡± She says as she consults her phone. The train rolls in as she¡¯s looking and she absentmindedly gets up and ambles towards the yellow line. ¡°Looooks like there one a block away from the station four stops down, North exit from the station, hang a left.¡±

    ¡°Thanks sooooo much!¡± I say as we board the train.

    The conversation dies out as the train gets rolling. My mind starting to replay the events of yesterday again. I¡¯m still pretty anxious, but nothing like yesterday.

    As the train rolls along I try to come up with something else to think about and I start to reminisce about my past. I¡¯m remembering conversations with coworkers on the injustice of the dress code divide between men and women. All the times I saw some gorgeous skirt or top that just really worked, and the fact that it would never work for me. I just wasn¡¯t the right shape for such things. I always knew I shouldn¡¯t be having these thoughts, but they came to me unbidden. Now I realize that I no longer have to be ashamed of these thoughts. Then again, maybe I never did. These absorb my attention as I wait for my stop.

    Before I know it the train is pulling into my stop. I alight from the train giving the girl a happy wave and follow her directions to the store. Excitement bubbling underneath the surface even if this is just a budget, essentials shopping trip.

    I walked in through the automatic glass doors being eyed warily by the greeter. She doesn¡¯t seem to have the guts to say anything though. Fuck her though¡­ I focus for a second and manage to get my left ear to tilt sideways. It looks like I¡¯m confused, but it¡¯s the best I can do at the moment in my quest for an Emerged equivalent of sticking out my tongue. She takes an involuntary step back.

    Unbelievable, I look like a hot college girl with cat ears¡­ how the hell am I that scary¡­ I¡¯m cute dammit. Well, I think so anyways. I resist the sudden urge to stomp in irritation and start looking for the relevant section to get some basic clothes.

    Suddenly I realize again how much shorter I am¡­ I used to be able to easily see out across the racks and quickly locate what I¡¯m looking for. Now¡­ not so much. I feel like I¡¯m wandering through canyons constructed of clothing and home stuffs. It¡¯s sort of a small thing but it just adds to the general feeling of everything being so damn unreal.

    After a few minutes of searching I find myself in the right place. I start browsing and have to stop myself from grabbing cute things at random. I really can¡¯t afford  to go crazy right now. I estimate my size and do my best to grab what I need, some budget panties are easy enough. Then I start looking at the bras¡­ It¡¯s not as though I¡¯m clueless. Or at least that¡¯s what I thought before I started looking at them to purchase for myself. Now I feel like all there are a million different types and I have no idea where to start.  Again I estimate and grab a stack of different sizes and styles so long as they are fairly inexpensive. My walk over here has thoroughly convinced me of the need for support. Every step jostling my breasts about, rubbing uncomfortably on the shockingly rough material of my shirt. I grab a few sports bras of varying sizes too.

    Next I move over a few aisles and have a look to see what I¡¯ve got for options. The tail is going to complicate things. I¡¯m looking at some skirts wistfully for a moment before realizing they are actually probably my best option for dealing with the tail. I collect a few and then go out in search of some leggings cause it¡¯s WAY too cold out to go without something covering my legs. I realize I¡¯m going to have to open a hole in these for my tail, but my lack of sewing abilities shouldn¡¯t be too big of an issue I hope. The hole will be covered by the skirt. I also add some athletic yoga pants to my pile thinking I can modify them after practicing on the leggings¡­ maybe.

    Tops are the last thing on my list for this part of the trip. I¡¯ll go for a jacket, some shoes and a few other essentials after I settle on the clothes. I pick out a few shirts, nothing too fancy. Despite my previous interests in womens clothing, which I tried really hard to pretend didn¡¯t exist, I¡¯ve realized I have no idea what I¡¯m doing. I just hope I don¡¯t look like too much of a spaz.

    Moments later I find myself standing in front of the changing rooms, the lady in charge of them giving me a serious look. ¡°Look girlie, if you try to sneak out of here with any of that jammed in you shirt or something I WILL catch you. And you know the police aren¡¯t particularly nice to your kind. Now I¡¯ll give you the benefit of the doubt because you look a little like my niece who is also Emerged and I know how hard it is for you¡­ Don¡¯t make me regret it.¡± She tells me as she unlocks one of the fitting rooms.

    ¡°I was wondering actually, if maybe I could wear some of them out. This look isn¡¯t exactly doing it for me¡­¡± I reply gesturing to myself.

    She lets out a little bark of laughter. ¡°Sure thing sweetie.¡±

    Once inside the fitting room I strip quickly and tear open the package of panties. I actually have this whole thing about people who open packaging in stores. It drives me crazy, but I¡¯m buying these. They are mine, and I am sooooo done running around in boxers. I slip them on and am thankful I got some that sit pretty low on the hip. They aren¡¯t quite perfect, but they don¡¯t interfere with the junction between my tail and spine too badly. I groan with the thought of how difficult it¡¯ll be to get good fitting clothes from now on, maybe I¡¯ll need to actually learn to sew or something.

    Moving on to the bras, it¡¯s just as big of a clusterfuck as I¡¯d feared. I find a couple that fit¡­ I think. I know I¡¯ve heard women talk about them being uncomfortable¡­ and well, none of them seem super pleasant. I leave on the least offensive of the bunch pulling it¡¯s tag off. It does offer some support and keeps them from being quite so mobile. Most go into the reject stack but I keep one other, and one of the sports bras in the good stack.

    I move on to the leggings which I manage by folding the top a few times. Again, not perfect, a little irritating to the tail, but it¡¯ll work for now. I realize I could probably get away using the same maneuver on the yoga pants.

    The rest of the stack goes much faster as this bit is a whole lot less alien to me. I settle on a fluffy white sweater with a really wide neck. It keeps sliding down one shoulder and I think it looks really cute. Most importantly it¡¯s fluffy, and warm. Next is a pleated grey skirt. It¡¯s pretty short making it maybe not quite to my mid thigh. That worries me for a couple seconds until I look in the mirror. I realize I don¡¯t have the most discerning eye, but I think I look pretty cute and I¡¯m a lot more comfortable. The length of the skirt doesn¡¯t even bother me because I like the way it looks over my black leggings.

    Back outside the fitting room the woman looks me over and gives me a thumbs up. ¡°Put what you aren¡¯t going to buy on the rack to your left hun.¡± I do, keeping a couple changes of clothes with me and grab a cheap pair of sweats and a hoodie while I¡¯m at it.

    In the shoe section I have to tear myself away from the heels and such. I¡¯m sure I¡¯d make a mess of trying to walk in them but I can¡¯t help picturing myself in several of them just the same. I figured I could use a cheap pair of running shoes and maybe some of those boots I see so many girls wearing. I honestly kinda hate those things, but I¡¯m a little more concerned with functionality and they seem warm as hell. It takes me a couple minutes to find some that fit. Again, I¡¯m wearing the boots out of here. I¡¯m done clomping around in my still wet shoes from yesterday.

    With that all sorted I figure I¡¯ll grab a couple other essentials, a brush, a few hair ties, and I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t grab a scrunchie while I¡¯m at it. I try to keep it to a minimum for the most part, but there¡¯s a lot of stuff you need when everything in the world has been ripped away from you. Despite everything that¡¯s happened in the last 24 hours, I¡¯ve enjoyed this shopping trip. I find that it¡¯s a lot more fun buying clothes for a version of myself that I actually like.

    I make it to the cash register where a middle age woman starts ringing up my stuff. She clearly hates her job and doesn¡¯t want to be there. After she rings everything else up I hand her the tags for what I¡¯m wearing.

    She raises her eyebrow and sighs as though I¡¯m an idiot or something, then scans the tags. Right before she reads the total I snatch a phone charger from next to the register and hand it to her. She rings that too. ¡°Two hundred sixty-three dollars and forty-seven cents.¡±

    Ouch. It¡¯s not like it was all that expensive, but it really does eat into what little I have.

    Leaving the store I spot a coffee shop nearby and figure that will be a good next stop. I can get some caffeine and a breakfast sandwich or something. Maybe find a plug to charge my phone some.

    A few minutes later I¡¯m sitting at a table near an outlet, licking the crumbs of my croissant sandwich thing off my fingers waiting for my phone to finally boot up. It was so dead it refused to even try at first just displaying the charging icon in the center of the screen instead. I¡¯m just glad it seems to be working.

    You¡¯d think I¡¯d be worried about being tracked with it, but again, I¡¯m not who I was yesterday. If push comes to shove I¡¯ll just ditch it. Right now I¡¯m dangerously short on options and it¡¯s pretty much the only way I have to contact one of the only people I know who might be able to help me out.

    As the phone finally finishes booting I was hoping to see a message or two from Matt, but I only see a notification of an update to one of the code repositories as work. I¡¯m no coder, but Matt gave me access ages ago, because I do like to tinker and sometimes it helps us coordinate. The change is marked visible only to Matt and I. It¡¯s a single text file containing a URL.

    I copy the URL into my phones browser and after a couple security warnings it downloads a pretty shady looking chat app.

    There are no names in the app but almost immediately a little anime catgirl pops up with ellipsis next to it. For a second I¡¯m shocked, vaguely aware of my tail going straight up behind me. HOW DOES IT KNOW!

    Oh wait¡­ I¡¯m an idiot. I deflate a little in self inflicted embarrassment. That¡¯s Matt¡¯s avatar. I have no idea how I could have lapsed and forgot that. He has pictures of that same catgirl as his background on like every piece of electronics he owns¡­ This could get a little awkward, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m still just in to girls.

    [ :3 ] holy shit dude!

    [ :3 ] where have u been

    [ :3 ] ?

    [  * ] uhhh, alot has happened

    [ :3 ] look, I can help u get out of town if you arent already

    [ :3 ] ur the only person who didn¡¯t treat me like shit at work

    [ :3 ] I know u didnt kill those guys or steal anything for ylmrn

    ¡­

    [ :3 ] r u still there?

    [ :3 ] it¡¯s ok, this app in encrypted, no 1 else can see this

    ¡­

    [ :3 ] please let me help u

    At the mention of the men I DID kill, it feels like the floor drops out from under me again. In an instant I¡¯m standing there deafened in the alley watching them bleed out. I start to feel ill, my stomach threatening to rebel against the meal it had just received. I take a moment to marshall my thoughts.

    With my hands covering my face I concentrate and breath in, then breath out, breath in, and breath out. In contrast with yesterday I manage to get control of myself before I lose it. I wipe tears away from the corners of my eyes, and resume my chat with Matt.

    [  * ] ¡­ those guys

    [  * ] I did shoot them

    [  * ] it was me or them

    [  * ] i didn¡¯t have a choice

    ¡­

    [ :3 ] i beleive u

    [  * ] sooo I don¡¯t actually need to leave

    [  * ] I got caught up in the second wave

    [  * ] no one will know me any more

    [ :3 ] oh!

    [ :3 ] anything fun?!

    [  * ] I¡¯ll let you be the judge, but stay calm

    [  * ] I¡¯m going to head to your place ok?

    [ :3 ] sure, if ur still using ur old phone ditch it before you come here

    [  * ] sure thing, I¡¯ll be there in about 45 mins or so.

    [ :3 ] cool. well get u sorted out bro.

    [  * ] ...sure

    With that I finish my coffee. I realize he¡¯s probably right about ditching the phone now. If I bring it to his house it might be harder to deny that I have anything to do with it.

    I get up and leave the coffee place with a plan to dump my phone over the side of a bridge on the way to the T station. Once outside I take a calm breath and look around before heading to Mat¡¯s.

    The sun shines weakly down on the troubled city as some few plows trundle down the street cleaning up only the smallest fraction of the previous nights disaster. The sounds of several construction crews echoing in the distance in a despondent bid to restore the city to its rapidly dwindling sense of normalcy. The bracing wind, occasionally whipping snow into small glittering flurries which quickly disappear in the distance.

    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in store now, but I set out with a mixture of trepidation and hope for the future.

 Too Much to Hope For

    I find myself hesitating in front of the door to Matt¡¯s apartment. Despite how comfortable I¡¯ve felt with all the changes to my body, this is the first time someone I know will have the chance to judge me. He feels like a younger brother to me, and I¡¯m not sure if that should be making it easier, or maybe the reason I¡¯m having trouble in the first place.

    I raise my hand to knock and let it drift down several times before I work up the courage to knock. After the sound of some things being moved around on the other side of the door, it opens.

    As soon as Matt sees me his eyes open wide in shock, his mouth dropping briefly open into a surprised ¡®O¡¯. Uh¡­ Ummm¡­ yea, uh, shit.¡± He stammers before blurting as fast as he can, ¡°Can I help you?!¡±

    I don¡¯t really want to have this chat out in the corridor and I¡¯m already freaking out as it is. ¡°You could let me in¡­ soooo we can talk?¡±

    He gapes at me for a moment before starting in surprise realizing he needed to move. He backs out of the doorway and I follow him in.

    Never actually been here before, I start looking around as I make my way to a couch visible from the door. I knew he had some random anime paraphernalia, but holy shit. There were figurines everywhere. I spot one that looks a LOT like me and pick it up. Unbeknownst to me my tail makes a question mark shape behind me as I cock my head at Matt.

    He lets out a strangled groan, and I just laugh. ¡°Matt calm down, it¡¯s me¡­ hmmm, but who is ¡®me¡¯ now really? Definitely not¡­ him¡­¡± I realize that I have somehow not considered my name in any real sense.

    Matt is still trying to recover from his shock. Trying to speak, but his mouth just opens and closes like he¡¯s stuck in a never ending boot loop. After a minute he says ¡°Yea, I don¡¯t think Dave¡¯s gonna work anymore.¡±

    I wince thinking about my former self, a complex and unquantifiable mixture of emotions swirling through my head. Everything from yesterday, the knowledge of what lay in the back of my head for so long denied, and even the feeling of loss at my former sense of complacency. I snap myself back to the now and think for a moment.

    ¡°Call me Maya, Yea, that works.¡± I say with a bright smile. Matt¡¯s brain looks like it¡¯s melting down.

    A few minutes later Matt has calmed down and we¡¯re sitting on his couch while I answer questions about yesterday. I painfully avoid my episode, glossing that part over just saying, ¡®emotions happened,¡¯ in place of what really happened.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Is all he can manage after I finish. After a moment he follows with ¡°What are you going to do now then?¡±

    I really wish I could say that I stopped myself from cringing, but that sort of is a lot of what¡¯s worrying me at the moment.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­ How the hell do you just start over with nothing? I mean, my identity is gone, I¡¯m not even legal at the moment. It¡¯s not like I can fire up my old resume and get a new job either. So what DO I do? Go get a job flipping burgers again? Try to figure out how to go back to college or something¡­ GAHHH¡± I can¡¯t help but vent a little. I just feel so damn lost.

    Matt laughs a little and when I look in his direction he stops like a kid caught doing what they had JUST been told not to do. ¡°Sorry, that little growl at the end¡­ I know you¡¯re mad, but it was adorable.¡±

    Huh. What¡­ I know I¡¯m cute. I have seen myself in the mirror and acknowledge this. It is however entirely different to be called adorable by someone else. My heart gets all fluttery and I feel a blush on my cheeks. It¡¯s nothing sexual, just a genuinely nice feeling.

    ¡°O - Oh.¡± I¡¯ll admit. I¡¯m a little flustered. As a guy I was really only complimented on my work or something like that. It¡¯s just that, I mostly didn¡¯t care about my work. Not in that sense anyways. Getting compliments is just really outside of the norm for me, and I just don¡¯t know how to react.

    ¡°So, do you have any powers?¡± He asks with clear enthusiasm, changing the subject.

    ¡°None that I know of, I mean nothing crazy has happened¡­ well, you know¡­ other than pretty much everything¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to try something.¡± He says his hand dipping behind the edge of the couch.

    Before I know what¡¯s happening something large is flying directly at my face. Just after I know what¡¯s happening, that large something is hitting my face. It bounces off with a soft ¡®bomf¡¯ noise.

    I just sit there motionless, eyes wide, tail straight up and puffed out, ears twisted towards either side of my head for a moment. Yup¡­ That¡¯s Matt alright. I¡¯m trying not to be too mad, but I¡¯m sure I look like I¡¯m pouting. I look down at the large cat plushie in my lap and I want to hug it. As a guy, no way would I have. Now though, to hell with it, it¡¯s adorable and I¡¯m hugging it. Oh my¡­ That¡¯s very different.

    Matt bursts into laughter while trying to splutter out an apology. ¡°Oh my god¡­ I wish I could have had that as a picture, HAHAHA, so fucking cute.¡±

    My face goes scarlett, but I¡¯m still pouting, trying not to acknowledge him.

    ¡°Okay,¡± He says, finally mastering himself out of his fit of laughter, ¡°sorry again. I just thought if you had a power of some sort you might do it instinctually, like if you sensed a threat or something.¡± I just sigh in response. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you have super strength or something!¡±

    A few minutes later we have determined that I don¡¯t have ¡®super¡¯ strength per se. I am however very strong. Like, I can¡¯t lift a car, but I probably wouldn¡¯t have much trouble carrying a refrigerator up a flight of stairs. Well, were it not like many times larger than me and cumbersome as hell.

    We suspect I¡¯m probably now a really fast runner, and we think at the very least, I can dunk. When testing, I almost clocked my head on the ceiling without really trying to hard. We tried to see if I could do anything else, but that seemed to be about it. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    After that I mentioned the issue with my tail and most clothes not being a good match. That¡¯s when I learned that Matt was into cosplay. Apparently he did it with a group and he had learned a lot from other members. He seemed confident he could alter what I had. He said something about stretchy fabrics being a pain, but took the bags of clothing and other paraphernalia I¡¯d left by the door and socked them away into one of the other rooms of the apartment.

    It turned out his apartment was pretty spacious. It was a 3 bedroom where he¡¯d used the other rooms for alternative purposes. One room he used as his office. I use the word ¡®office¡¯ lightly. It was more of a gaming den.

    The other was his ¡®hobby¡¯ room. A table with a bunch of cosplay related stuff and assorted piles of other things that I didn¡¯t take the time to investigate.

    A while later we are back on the couch. Matt had just ordered us a late lunch as I was starting to fret about my future again.

    ¡°Look, I meant what I said on the chat. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s made my life any easier at work. I will help you get on your feet again. You can stay as long as you need. It¡¯s like you always tell me, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. One step at a time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks a ton Matt.¡±

    ¡°Hey, how about some games after food to take your mind off it?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Honestly, I¡¯m not really in the mood, but I realize it is a pretty good idea.

    Hours later Matt¡¯s setup an air mattress in the ¡®hobby¡¯ room. Apparently he has friends stay over like this relatively often. I never would have guessed. He doesn¡¯t seem that outgoing at work, but I guess everyone has things going on behind the curtains. At this point I can hardly claim to be different in that respect.

    I take another shower before bed, this morning''s a distant memory. This time I do have a hair dryer available. Still time consuming to get my hair and tail sorted. At least this time I have a brush. It takes forever, but I get my hair looking all shiny and nice. I¡¯m not sure if this was a waste right before bed but it had to happen at some point, and I didn¡¯t want it to get worse. I slip on the sweats and a hoodie from my bag of clothes. Being less concerned with how these looked we¡¯d just snipped a hole for my tail in these.

    Soon after I found myself cozy on the air mattress curled up in a ball. It might be the most comfortable I¡¯ve ever been.

    The next morning I had zero interest in getting up. I resisted morning with every ounce of my will. Wanting to stay in my happy little ball underneath the blankets forever.

    I finally got out of bed a little after 11 am, blinking sleep from my dazed eyes. Wandering out to find an empty apartment, I see a note on the table. Apparently Matt had called in sick yesterday trying to avoid going out after the second wave of the Emergence. Now they¡¯ve called him in on a Saturday to make up the hours. I don¡¯t know why he let¡¯s them walk all over him. I¡¯d have told them to shove it. I had my sick time and I¡¯d use it. Well, did¡­ used to.

    I snoop around his cupboards for a few minutes and find a granola bar that I figure will work just fine for breakfast. After that I decide I kind of want to see what I can do. How fast can I actually run? How high can I actually jump? I know it¡¯s really tame compared the much vaunted heroes and villains of Penrith, but it¡¯s still exciting to me.

    Apparently while I¡¯d been in the shower the previous night Matt had put a tail hole in the yoga pants I bought. I changed to those, and completed the outfit with the sports bra, the sportier top I bought to go with the ensemble, and grabbed my jacket. Next I put my running shoes on by the door. That done, I lock up and head out.

    Once outside I¡¯m happy to see that while it¡¯s still cold the roads are at least pretty dry, covered in a dirty white dusting of salt. I warm up a little with some quick stretches. AAAAND WOW am I flexible!  It¡¯s not as though I couldn¡¯t touch my toes or something as a guy, but now I¡¯m so limber it¡¯s a joke. Stretching actually feels good, rather than like I¡¯m trying to pick a fight with my muscles, and losing. Once I¡¯m done stretching, I start to jog down the street and find maintaining the pace of my sprint a couple of days prior effortless.

    I keep running along increasing my pace as I go. Soon I find myself outrunning the cars next to me. There¡¯s little girl in the car next to me and give her an exuberant wave as I pour on yet more speed.

    I can¡¯t believe this! This is crazy! I let out a giggle as I begin speeding past traffic. I figure I¡¯m running about forty-fiveish mph. In my excitement I fail to see the cars around my slowing to a halt at the red light in front of me.

    Before I know it there¡¯s a truck right in my path. I panic for a split second before jumping with all my might. To my relief I sail over the truck, feeling the wind whipped by its passage buffet me. I land on the far side in a roll and slow down as the adrenaline and fright catches up with me. On the side of the road I come to a stop breathing hard and trying to stifle some nervous laughter. Holy hell, that could have been bad!

    For some reason rather than proceeding with more caution as would make sense I let me excitement and adrenaline carry me away. Moments later I¡¯m racing across rooftops leaping from one to the next whooping like a madwoman.

    I know it¡¯s stupid but it¡¯s one of the most exhilarating things I¡¯ve ever experienced! I actually start to lose track of how long I¡¯ve been scampering around the rooftops. The view of the street 50 ft below, jumping from one block to the next, is positively addictive. This is FUCKING AWESOME!!! It¡¯s an experience that I never even dreamed of having. I simply can¡¯t get enough.

    Eventually I find myself looking out over the city from a building 3 stories up. Observing the skyline with the lake in the background. I reflect on myself, feeling a lot better. By no means am I ¡®fine¡¯, but in this moment the world doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s falling down on me.

    In the end, I guess that was too much to ask for.

    Footsteps sound behind me along with panting. I turn around seeing a guy in his early 20s. He¡¯s pretty buff, wearing black jeans, boots, and a red leather jacket. His jacket is open, exposing his chest.

    I¡¯m completely dumbfounded, it¡¯s below freezing. Is this guy a complete and total freaking idiot? After a moment I realize the rooftop is smouldering where he stands and there is steam visibly rolling off of him. Looking him in the eyes is difficult because they shimmer as though seen through a heat haze. Ok, maybe not stupid, just really hot. NO, not that kinda hot dammit. Just because I¡¯m a girl now doesn¡¯t mean that after a lifetime of being attracted to women I¡¯m suddenly mesmerized by some dude without the forethought to put on a damn shirt.

    ¡°I finally caught you. Stupid bitch you shouldn¡¯t have stopped.¡±

    ¡°What, why, and¡­ well fuck you too!¡± I¡¯m confused¡­ and freaking pissed too. What the hell did I do?!

    ¡°I¡¯ve been chasing the two of you villains for over an hour. Now it¡¯s time to pay.¡±

    ¡°For what?! I haven¡¯t done anything! I just changed a couple days ago! All I can do is run anyways, just leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°Yea sure¡­ I totally believe you and all, but I¡¯ve got more of you filthy fiends to catch today.¡±

    With that he jolts forward leaving flames rolling in the air where his hands and feet had just been. I don¡¯t even have time to react before a boot shaped fireball smashes into my gut knocking the wind out of me. Suddenly I realize I¡¯m falling as I shriek out in pain. His roiling visage disguised by the flames wreathing his form receding in my view.

    In horror I watch the edge of the roof pass by me as I realize I¡¯m falling off the building. I have time to gather my breath and let out a full lunged scream as I fall. The air whipping my hair in front of my face and my tail rapidly windmilling in an insticutal effort to right me as I fall. The world seems to slow and I just hope and pray that the powers Matt was convinced I had would save me now.

    It was with a shock, that I hit the ground landing on my back. It didn¡¯t even hurt right away. At first it was just pressure and a sense that something was seriously wrong. That wasn¡¯t to last though as within moments I was screaming in pain.

    An unrelenting agony in my lower back and the base of my tail. I¡¯d never experienced anything like it. I had no control over myself. I couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. It had to be a dream or something.

    Over a few minutes the pain fades to a dull but severe ache that just won¡¯t give me a moment to breath. Where is everyone¡­? Why won¡¯t anyone help. My eyes are streaming in tears, as I mewl in pain.

    I¡¯m laying there on my side, and every time I try to shift even a little the pain crescendos to new heights causing me to cry out once again in pain. Passerby are averting their eyes, or looking on as though some justice has been served. What the fuck is wrong with these people, please!

    After what feels like an eternity an ambulance arrives. The paramedics get out and by and large, they just look disgusted.

    ¡°Pleeease heeelp me¡± I whimper¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, oh god why. Why me?!¡±

    None of them seem to give a shit about me in the least. They unpack the stretcher and in short order grab me roughly to transfer me to it.

    I scream out it the worst pain I have ever felt. ¡°OH GOD, PLEASE STOP, WAIT!¡±

    Then my tail and everything below it goes numb. I can¡¯t feel anything but a dull ache. ¡°Oh please, oh please, oh god no, no no no no, I can¡¯t feel it anymore, I can¡¯t feel anything anymore!¡±

    ¡°Could you sedate her, I¡¯m sick of listening to this shit.¡± The paramedic says before facing me, ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to get hurt you shouldn''t have acted like the world was yours for the taking honey.¡± He says in a faux-sweet tone.

    Just then I feel a stab in my arm. Then the lights go dark.

 Fresh Start

    My return to consciousness is slow and uncomfortable. Everything is slow to respond, and it takes me a while to manage opening my eyes. When I do I¡¯m greeted by the sight of a hospital room.

    It doesn¡¯t take long before I¡¯m replaying the fall in my head. I¡¯m trying to think of something else, but it just won¡¯t work. I¡¯m feeling numb. As numb as my lower half. I already know I¡¯ll never walk again. I just can¡¯t catch a break.

    Tears occasionally stream down my face as I contemplate yet another irrevocable change to my life. Just when I thought maybe things could be alright it all falls apart again.

    I know people come in and out and try to talk to me, but for the most part I ignore them. At one point a doctor with random scales dotting his skin stops by and confirms my permanent paralysis to me. I¡¯m hardly listening.

    Food is brought in but I can¡¯t bring myself to eat. So it sits on the tray untouched.

    It¡¯s evening when I discover that not all emotions are barred from me. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a red leather jacket I¡¯ve seen before.

    I gasp and would have curled up into a ball as far from him as I could, were I still in control of my legs. The best I can do is cringe away from him with my arms over my face, quivering.

    From behind my arms I can see him wince. At least he¡¯s wearing a damn shirt this time. Maybe he only skips it on days he¡¯s going to maim random bystanders. To my surprise I see his eyes are red as though he¡¯d been crying¡­ Fat chance.

    ¡°I know there¡¯s nothing I can say to make it better¡­ but I¡¯m so, so, sorry.¡± He says with a shaky voice. ¡°I just started¡­ and I¡­ I thought I caught a murderer¡­ I just.. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He finishes quietly.

    ¡°Just please go, please don¡¯t hurt me anymore. I¡¯m done. I¡¯ve got nothing left, so just please¡­¡± I plead with a hysterical edge on my voice. I¡¯m starting to panic as he doesn¡¯t immediately leave.

    Without another word, tears in his eyes, he turns and leaves. With him gone, I begin to calm down and in the absence of the adrenaline and fear from his presence I find myself growing extremely tired. My eyes drift closed and only moments later, I¡¯m asleep.

    I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m out, or even how long I was out the first time. They probably said it at me yesterday, but I wasn¡¯t exactly a participant in those ¡®conversations¡¯. It seems like the sun has just come up.

    Not long after I wake the door to my room opens. In walks a suit complete with briefcase. He¡¯s looks to be in his mid 50s and at first glance he seems normal enough, but there is just something off about him. He looks sorta like he¡¯d sell you a bucket of fried chicken. You know, if you lived in hell. Clearly he¡¯s a very important individual. He doesn¡¯t even have the time to greet me, or ask how I feel, before he dives into business.

    ¡°Miss, it has come to our attention that you were the victim of a most unfortunate accident-¡± He¡¯s cut off as I snort in irritation.

    ¡°Yea¡­ I was accidentally  KICKED off of a FUCKING ROOF!¡±

    ¡°I understand your frustration, I really do¡­¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t. Are you fucking high? Oh whatever, what the hell do you want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the point then. If your willing to work with us, we have a treatment we think can not only restore use of your legs, but maybe even more. Just some paperwork to sign, all boilerplate stuff really. Why, we could take you into surgery within the hour! Just think, you could be good as new within the week!¡± He says with slimy smile.

    Based on his spiel I should really read the shit out of that contract if I¡¯m going to even consider it. I gesture for him to hand it over, and start to try reading through it. People who write these things must be sure that the activity ¡®watching paint dry¡¯ is just far too thrilling to for daily entertainment. It¡¯s almost impossible to focus on it for too long.

    It¡¯s not long before I¡¯m skimming through it. I don¡¯t see anything overtly wrong and with hope overriding my trepidation I¡¯m starting to consider it. I do however realize I have a problem. ¡°Ummm, I think I want to do it, but I sorta don¡¯t have an identity at the moment? Not a legal one anyways?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. We can get that taken care of for you sweetheart.¡± The way he says sweetheart creeps me right the fuck out. I could swear if I could get a look at him when he wasn¡¯t paying attention his eyes would probably glow red and he¡¯d be wringing his hands in anticipation. ¡°What name would you like then?

    ¡°Maya.¡±

    ¡°Last name?¡±

    ¡°Last name¡­ Ummmm¡± I hesitate trying to think of what to use, and for some reason all I can think of are the last names of all my friends. None of that will work!

    ¡°You can use whatever you name was before, we¡¯ll ensure everything is fine regardless of any¡­ problems, you may have had before.¡±

    As good as that sounds I still really don¡¯t want it to be connected to my former self. Maybe it¡¯s on account of how much this guy skeeves me out. ¡°Hayes.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, Maya Hayes. I¡¯ll have it all taken care of before you wake from surgery, if you¡¯d just be so kind as to sign.¡±

    Skimming through the rest, it really is just authorization to transfer me and perform the specified surgery. It goes into some specifics about some responsibilities I¡¯ll have with ¡®the company¡¯ as it was herein referred to, but it basically reads like I¡¯ll have a job for a while afterwards. I¡¯ll admit that I probably wasn¡¯t giving due diligence, but between the hope and the sense that I¡¯m already at rock bottom, why not? It¡¯s not as though I feel like I have a choice.

    I pick up the pen and sign my new name¡­ well, I make a squiggle on the page at any rate. I¡¯ve never been big on cursive, and I don¡¯t even remember half the letters for my new name.

    With that he thanks me with a slight bow of his head and departs. True to his word some nurses show up not 20 minutes later.

    In short order I¡¯m being transferred to a stretcher for transport. They are unhooking things, and moving IVs and other assorted medical equipment around in a flurry of activity. In no time flay I¡¯m rolling down the hallways before being loaded into an ambulance for transport.

    My apprehension grows as the trip wears on. I¡¯m hopeful, but having difficulty shaking the nerves and bad thoughts, with everything that¡¯s happened. It¡¯s almost as though the hope I have is, in itself, the cause of my worry. What if this is just one last tease at hope, before it gets worse again? Then again, have I had bad, luck, yes. But it¡¯s separate incidences. They all added up to the perfect shitstorm of pain. It has to be over now. At this point my life is all I have left to give.

    Lost in my thoughts, we arrive and park in and underground garage. Moments later we are headed into surgery. A mask is placed over my face and they ask me to count down from one hundred. I¡¯m so amped up and nervous by this point I feel like they are going to have a hell of a time knocking me out.

    ¡°One hundred, Ninety-nine, Ninety-eighhhhhh¡­¡± Just like that, I¡¯m out.

    In what has become a regular occurance I wake up groggy with no idea how long I¡¯ve been asleep. I feel like puking and there¡¯s a horrifying taste in the back of my mouth. It takes me a minute to work up the courage to find out how the surgery went.

    Just before I do that I need to move my damn tail. I¡¯m crushing it by laying on my back. The pins and needles sensation is unbearable. Since the change, laying on my side, preferably in a ball, is the most comfortable.

    Wait¡­ My tail! I can feel my tail again! In my excitement I start to fidget and move about confirming that I can feel again. I can move again! I can¡¯t believe it! Something feels a little different but I can¡¯t put my finger on it. In my elation I don¡¯t even care about whatever that might be.

    Looking around the room it¡¯s a lot like a hospital room, however it¡¯s a lot nicer. The room is sort of what you¡¯d expect if you were going to a hospital that only let the top one percent in. Everything is clean and new. Sleek and modern.

    Without any further thought on the matter I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. Something seems to be amiss, but I¡¯m excited to be on my feet again so without a second thought I push myself off the bed. For about a millisecond things were going well. I mean, I assume they were, it¡¯s sorta hard to quantify that amount of time, but for the sake of my ego we¡¯re going to say it went well, for at least a millisecond. After that fateful and most wondrous millisecond I found myself falling into a heap on the ground.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Really, I probably should have seen this coming. Now, it¡¯s not as though I¡¯m still paralyzed. It¡¯s just that my legs aren¡¯t really cooperating. Now that I think of it, while I can feel my legs, things seem jumbled up. The sensation is really too much to even process. Clearly this is going to take a little time.

    With what I¡¯ve been through, I¡¯m not going to let something like this hold me back. Although it¡¯d be really cool if someone would come help me get up off the floor. I notice some monitor cables are still attached to me and figure detaching a couple ought to get someone''s attention. Then again I also thought people would help you if you were laying seriously injured on the street too, and I was wrong there.

    Upscale as this place was though, sure enough only a few seconds after I tear the sensors off of myself a nurse shows up. She looks at me and just sighs. ¡°Young lady, I have to think you knew better¡­ Let¡¯s get you up.¡±

    Young lady¡­ Sometimes life is just truly bizarre. I can¡¯t help but wonder how long it will take to really get used to who I am now. As I¡¯m mulling over the complexities of my emergence, the nurse helps me back onto the bed with a stern warning to stay put and hit the call button when I needed something. Embarrassingly the call button could not be more obvious, and yet I had managed to completely overlook the entire possibility such a thing might exist in my excitement to get moving again. Before she leaves she tells me that I have a visitor on the way.

    A few minutes later the door opens again and in walks a woman dressed in a sharp business suit. Looks to be in her late thirties to early forties. Her blonde hair gathered in a bun. I realize I¡¯m probably a bit of a mess right now as I scrutinize her.

    ¡°Hello Maya, I¡¯m Janet Hughes, CEO of DRF International. I¡¯ll bet you have some questions for me, but please allow me to explain a lot of the pertinent details first.¡± I nod and she continues. ¡°Four days ago, you agreed to allow DRF International to perform an experimental operation to cure your paralysis. You remember this right?¡± I nod again, but four days?!

    ¡°We implanted a small piece of tech found in the ruins of Seattle in your lower back. Based on our research we were confident it could merge with the nervous system of one of the emerged. Furthermore we expect other abilities to manifest as a result of it¡¯s fusion. Now before you ask, no, no batteries or anything like that. It¡¯s fused itself with your spinal column. It is now part of you. We don¡¯t know the full extent of what you¡¯ll be able to do, but in the coming days we¡¯ll need your cooperation with some testing to determine just that.¡±

    ¡°To that end a couple members of our team that headlined research on this artifact will be by later to discuss some of the specifics with you in hopes that it will aid your understanding and control of your new abilities. Regrettably the researcher we had running point vanished the night of the second wave, but rest assured, the rest of the team is very capable.¡±

    ¡°Now, on to your side of the bargain. Beyond testing and categorization of your abilities, you will be expected to aid research staff should your unique circumstances lend you any special insight into any and all artifacts under study. Provided you are able to perform as we believe you should be able, you will be asked to occasionally accompany surveying teams into the ruins in search of new relics. Finally, and most importantly you will become a hero with the backing of DRF Industries, you will both fight crime and stand as a spokesperson for DRF. We expect the PR you raise to be unlike any campaign ever undertaken.¡±

    By the end of her explanation my eyes are boggling. Me, a hero¡­ nonono! No way! After what I¡¯ve been through I¡¯m really not interested in putting my body on the line. I can¡¯t even imagine wanting to put myself in harms way like that. Shit! I can¡¯t even walk again yet! Clearly it¡¯s a job for someone else. I don¡¯t even realize that I¡¯m shaking my head ¡®no¡¯ as I¡¯m lost in thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t put you in a situation you can¡¯t handle. Don¡¯t forget, your real job is, put bluntly, to make us look good. We can¡¯t do that if you fail. Now do you have any questions?¡±

    I know I should have questions. Lots of questions, but I¡¯m trying to take in everything she just said and my mind sorta blanks for a second before I can come up with a relevant question. ¡°You mentioned that the surgery was four days ago?¡±

    ¡°Ah yes. You were held unconscious as the medical and research team monitored the cubes fusion with your nervous system. They concluded that during the initial integration that would safest for you and most likely to yield a positive result. Now, the research team will be here in a few hours, before that though some of the medical team will be by to assess you and begin you physical therapy to get you on your feet again. Having said that, I¡¯ll take my leave. I¡¯m expecting great things. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± With that she sweeps back out the door leaving me to try and make heads or tails of any of what she just said.

    I¡¯m still baffled by the whole situation when a couple doctors show up. They begin a battery of tests designed to identify exactly how well my nerves are working. Their conclusion is that everything is scrambled. The nerves are connected, but not necessarily to the right thing. This worries me greatly. I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s going to take me years to start walking again. I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m still thrilled not to be paralyzed forever, but in this crazy age where technology is moving forward leaps and bounds seemingly overnight I¡¯m still hoping for a much faster recovery.

    ¡°How long do you think it will be before I can walk again?¡± I ask finally giving in to my worry.

    ¡°That¡¯s hard to gauge. Based purely on where you are at right now we would say months to years. However the researchers are confident that the device that was implanted in your back will start correcting things quickly as you attend PT. Now, this whole surgery is unprecedented so there really is no telling. Could be days, could be months. Try not to get too far ahead of yourself. The important part is that you will walk again. Just give it time. Be patient.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Doc.¡±

    After that, there¡¯s a quick meal before it¡¯s on to physical therapy. It¡¯s nice to get out of the room but it¡¯s fairly uneventful just the same. They have me run through an exhaustive number of ¡®exercises¡¯ that amount to me attempting to do a thing. And failing miserably. What the doctors said is reiterated. Supposedly I will regain control of myself a lot faster than normal, but really only time will tell. Still, I¡¯m not in a position to complain.

    In fact, from where I am now, I actually might have a future. Suddenly, despite the task I have ahead of me things seem a lot less uncertain. It gives me a little bit of a chance to really reflect on where I am and where I¡¯m going. I can¡¯t help but feel like I have a new lease on life, and for the first time in days I¡¯m not actively fretting about my destiny.

    After the never ending failure of trying to control anything beneath my waist I¡¯m taken back to my room. Once back in the room the nurse helps me back into bed and then checks my chart.

    ¡°Oh...OH.. So your physical therapist is actually going to be Michelle. She was out today but will be in tomorrow. I think you¡¯ll like her. Just don¡¯t eat her!¡± By her tone I know she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m going to eat this Michelle person¡­ On the other hand I know I¡¯m missing a joke.

    ¡°Uhhhh, well I don¡¯t make a habit of eating anyone, so I think we¡¯ll be alright¡­¡± I say uncertainty. To which she nods and leaves with a wink. Oooooook.

    The day was turning out to be pretty busy. Not long after the nurse left someone else was coming in. It¡¯s with a shock that I see Matt rounding the corner. He doesn¡¯t react, and I try my best not to either. I realize my past should be behind me, but I really don¡¯t feel the need to take chances.

    Following Matt is a girl who looks to be about twenty-five. She¡¯s about my height with dark hair and glasses. She¡¯s nerdy, but really cute with it. As she comes in it becomes apparent that she¡¯s extremely bubbly, as she looks around excitedly before studying me intently. ¡°OH MY GOD, you are SOOOO CUTE! MATT LOOK AT HER. Jeeze, it¡¯s almost too much, OHMYGOD, can we adopt her?!¡±

    At her outburst I am positively glowing red, finding myself no longer able to look her in the eye. My tail is twitching back and forth as I try to get a handle on myself. That¡¯s the closest I¡¯ve seen to coherent movement all day from it, as it tries to swish back and forth.

    ¡°Jess, calm down¡­¡± Matt begins.

    ¡°How can I? How can you? I know you have a thing for cat girls!¡± She says bouncing on her toes, mimicking little cat ears with her hands.

    It¡¯s really hard to imagine her working quietly analysing an artifact. I really kinda want to see the havoc she must cause in the lab. Maybe she¡¯s not always this bubbly. Having said that, I might be misreading it, but it looks like she might be into Matt. He is definitely into her though, that much I¡¯m sure of.

    As Jess is calming herself I raise an eyebrow at Matt. He blushes a little and Jess leans forward looking between the two of us a couple times.

    ¡°WAIT, wait, wait. Do you two know each other?!¡± she exclaims.

    Matt nods but puts a shushing finger to his lips. She seems to take the hint but she doesn¡¯t want to let it go. ¡°Ohhhh! Come on! Tell me!¡± I realize that I¡¯m going to have to think on my feet here. Well, on my ass in this case, but what can you do?

    ¡°We met over the weekend before this all happened. Like you said, he¡¯s got a thing for these.¡± I say and wiggle my ears for emphasis. ¡°As you can imagine he had questions. You should ask him all about it later.¡±

    The look on her face tells me she will definitely be asking more questions. She clearly doesn¡¯t want to drop it now, but between the two of us she lets it go for now.

    ¡°Right, so down to business¡­ An artifact known as Control Cube C-00039275 was implanted in your lower back in order to restore nerve function. We believe it should also give you something akin to telekinetic power.¡± Matt says. I rapidly realize the cube in question is the same cube that I was working on before my life was derailed. It hasn¡¯t even been that long but it already seems like ages ago. He must be worried about someone listening, because he then goes on to explain the cube in detail the vast majority of which I already know.

    ¡°And, that leads me to our first test.¡± Matt says before pulling out a familiar cat plushie. This is the very same cat plushie that creamed me in the face a few days ago. I gasp.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡± At this point I¡¯m starting to gain some self awareness of what I look like, and decide it¡¯s about time I start acting on it. At least when there¡¯s good reason, and I can¡¯t think of a better time than now, with the perfect target to give it a try. I lower my face and look up at him with wide eyes, allowing my ears to wilt a little.

    ¡°Awwwwwww, noooo you can¡¯t!¡± Jess says, seeming almost heartbroken.

    ¡°Ugh, OK, that¡¯s not even fair Maya! I was just joking anyways. We¡¯ll start testing when your a little further along with your PT. Meanwhile why don¡¯t you hang on to Mr. Snugglekitty.¡± Mr. Snugglekitty¡­ Really? It¡¯s cute though. I want it.

    Matt hands me the plushie and I hang onto it protectively patting it as though to reassure it that it¡¯ll never be used as a projectile again.

    Now done with Mr. Snugglekitty¡¯s interruption, we move back to the discussion at hand. Apparently DRF already has a pretty full agenda for what it wants from me in the next couple months. They seem to expect that getting back on my feet should take weeks at worst. Next up I¡¯m supposed to master these new powers that I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m convinced I have.  Following that I¡¯ll be doing a mixture of publicity events, research with excavation teams, and ¡®Hero Stuff¡¯, yes, that¡¯s what he actually said.

    By the time Matt¡¯s done with explanation my head is spinning. I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t really nervous about this whole me being a superhero business. On the other hand I was definitely excited by the prospect of a job that isn¡¯t necessarily the same thing day in, and day out. Maybe all the bad luck is behind me.

    With our conversation complete, they bid me farewell and turn to leave. I signal to Matt before he leaves. I Just have to know what¡¯s up between them.

    ¡°Sooooo, what¡¯s up with you two?¡± I ask, prompting him to immediately look away from me.

    ¡°Uhhhh, well, we hung out after work a couple times. It turns out we have a lot in common, and we kinda became friends. She¡¯s really smart, and really helped me out when I was worrying about you.¡± He says quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad she was there for you¡­ and sorry about the worry I caused you¡­ if I¡¯d been more careful¡­ Ah, hell, no point in worrying about it now. I guess I¡¯ll see ya in a few days.¡± I do feel kind of bad for him. Where the roles reversed I¡¯d have been beside myself.

    He gives me a wave, salute thing and heads out the door. With company now gone, I¡¯m back to introspection mode. I¡¯m really actually feeling pretty decent at this point, and because I have nothing better to do I start repeating the exercises I was doing in physical therapy.

    They¡¯d explained earlier that they were hopeful that the implant would do most of the work. In order to let it ¡®learn¡¯ what¡¯s supposed to be happening they told me to try to move my legs, or tail, or whatever and move it as it should with my hands.  According to them everything will come with time, but this should speed it up a lot. It seems that they didn¡¯t plan to go to a more traditional method, such as there is in my case, unless this process didn¡¯t work.

    With all the activity it¡¯s already closing in on dinner time and another meal is delivered to me. I really don¡¯t expect much, but as with the meal earlier, I¡¯m actually impressed. This is not your usual hospital fare. Then again, this place is pretty upscale. Nothing but the best for the ruling class¡­ Not that I¡¯m complaining right this second.

    When they come to take the tray, I make a request for a tablet, and/or any other sort of entertainment. I¡¯m told that they¡¯ll bring me a tablet in the morning. Evidently Ms. Hughes told them to keep me comfortable. They do however point out there is a remote attached to the the handrails of the bed.

    I don¡¯t actually see a TV anywhere, but when I hit the ¡®on¡¯ button the damn thing descends out of the ceiling¡­ It¡¯s cool, but seems just a smidge unnecessary. After this discovery I begin to remember why I¡¯m not much of a TV person. It¡¯s better than twiddling my thumbs for a few hours before sleep though.

    I¡¯m almost relieved when I start to get tired enough to sleep though. I¡¯m honestly starting to feel impatient to get on with it. There¡¯s so much in store for me and here I am just sitting here. GAH! Apparently patience is not my strong suit. I feel like I used to be more patient before, but now¡­ Not so much.

    Finally the lights are out, and I¡¯m trying to get to sleep. It takes some time as I¡¯m so ready to get on with things it¡¯s hard to really shut it down. Right before I drift off to sleep I¡¯m suddenly awoken by an errant thought. Why the HELL would I EAT someone anyways?!

 Recovery

    It¡¯s mid morning and I¡¯m being rolled along in a wheelchair on the way to physical therapy. The nurse who¡¯d told me not to eat the illustrious Michelle, is the one doing the pushing. It turns out her name is Carolyn. She¡¯s actually got a pretty good sense of humor, although I still haven¡¯t been let in the joke just yet.

    Moments later we arrive in the physical therapy room and I can¡¯t believe what my eyes. Now, scrubs aren¡¯t the most flattering on even the most beautiful people. I know some people dig the look, but I¡¯m not one of them. That said Michelle is absolutely stunning. She also happens to have rabbit ears and an adorable little cottontail. Her hair at first glance I assume has to be platinum blonde, but I quickly realize that it¡¯s actually stark white, curling down her back.

    ¡°Hi Michelle, this is Maya. Take good care of her. I already warned her not to give in to instinct and try to eat you.¡± She says with a laugh. Michelle looks me over quickly before responding.

    ¡°Yes, that would be a CATastrophe.¡±

    ¡°Uuuugh¡± I groan. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m exasperated that she actually said that, or just pissed I don¡¯t have a rabbit pun to fire back. Even if it is a terrible one.

    Carolyn rolls her eyes with a chuckle. She waves as she heads out the door leaving me with Michelle. I realize I¡¯m actually sort of glad that she made that pun. She¡¯s so damn beautiful that I feel like I would have had trouble talking to her without that icebreaker.

    Any doubt as to whether I¡¯m still into women is gone from my mind as I watch her carefully. This makes me a little anxious though. First, I¡¯ve always had about as much game as an amish at a rave. Second, she might not, strike that, probably isn¡¯t into women. Either way I need to try and focus on what I¡¯m here to do. I want to be on my feet again as soon as I can be.

    In short order she¡¯s running me through the exercises from yesterday. Things are going much better. Shockingly so. Not like I¡¯m going to pop up and start doing jumping jacks or anything, but at least the appropriate muscles are beginning to respond. Unlike the mishmash of yesterday, where it seemed like the muscles were all interconnected and mixed up.

    As she¡¯s kneeling next to me I get a closer look at her face. She has gorgeous green eyes. Her lips are plump and I can¡¯t help but imagining what it would be like to kiss. Before I can stop myself from staring at her she notices, causing me to look away quickly blushing.

    ¡°You¡¯re not really going to eat me right¡­?¡± She says half joking. Great. She thinks I¡¯m a weirdo. So much for staying cool.

    ¡°Noooo.¡± I say to my lap, unable to meet her gaze. She falls into a fit of laughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you, don¡¯t worry little cat girl.¡± Michelle says ruffling my hair.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m older than you think!¡± I say, with my face absolutely glowing red.

    ¡°Is that so? I guess the emergence can change a lot.¡±

    ¡°No kidding! You¡¯d never believe what I was like before. What about you, how was it, changing?¡±

    ¡°Hah, to be honest, I was here at work. I changed in the first wave, and it caused quite the commotion here. They did hundreds of tests before deciding everything was fine. Well, I say fine but I was fortunate. I was surrounded by friends and coworkers who are more tolerant than a lot of people. Even still there was a bit of an argument between the higher ups and my direct manager as to whether an emerged would be allowed to continue working here. In the end they decided to keep me on a trial basis, given my work history. As time went on it became less of an issue. There still are patients that have to be referred to someone else though.¡±

    ¡°As for the physical end of things. It was bizarre getting used to being so much taller. I was actually 5¡¯ 2¡±, a couple inches shy of you even, beforehand. Now I¡¯m 5¡¯ 8¡±. Not much else changed for me though. No crazy powers or anything. Well, I¡¯m a little more athletic that I used to be. I can also hear sneaky predators a mile away.¡± She says this last with a sly wink.

    This woman is turning me into a hot mess. I struggle for a moment with my composure, honestly I have no idea what my ears were doing, so I¡¯ve probably already failed anyways. After a moment I calm myself and continue my side of the conversation.

    ¡°It was sorta similar for me. Well, not really, but I don¡¯t want to go into all the details. For me though I became shorter. By quite a bit. I couldn¡¯t look much more different from who I used to be. It¡¯s still a shock to see myself in the mirror when I¡¯m not paying attention.¡±

    ¡°Ohh? How so? Are you not happy with how you look?¡± She asks with a little concern.

    ¡°Uhhh, well, like I said, a lot happened so I don¡¯t really want to talk about before. But, no, I am happy. When I say it¡¯s a shock I meant a happy one. Like, I can¡¯t believe this is me. How about you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I always had a complex about being short. I did track in high school and everything, but I was never as competitive as I would have liked. Essentially there were a lot of things I wished I could change, but just were out of reach. Then, poof. So, short answer, yes. I¡¯m still pretty thrilled even with the extra hate from some people.¡±

    Conversation then stalls for a while as we go through my exercises. It¡¯s not long before I¡¯m totally focused on my exercises. At some point I realize that we hadn¡¯t really spent much time working with my tail the previous day and I add that to the mix. As I¡¯m absorbed in what I¡¯m doing Michelle stands back to watch and offers instruction here or there to keep me on the right track.

    Eventually I look up and notice her studying me intently, her cheeks a rosey shade. She jumps a little and looks away quickly, as she realizes I¡¯m now looking back at her.

    ¡°Oh, keep at it! You¡¯re doing purrr-fect. Ahaha¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Is it just me, or was that a nervous laugh?

    Not long after I¡¯ve finished therapy for the day and Carolyn has returned to bring me back to my room.

    ¡°Good job today Maya. Try and keep working on those exercises and if you have any questions or anything make sure to ask me tomorrow OK?¡±

    ¡°Thanks Michelle. It¡¯s good to know you¡¯re all ears.¡± I say with a saucy wink. Yes, yes I did spend quite a while during our session trying to think of bunny related puns. I¡¯m not proud of it, but it had to be done. She does go bright red in response, causing Carolyn to crack up.

    ¡°Oh! I just remembered. Did you see the interview with Nightbinder yet?¡± She asks.

    ¡°I did!¡± She squeaks, causing Carolyn to fall into another round of laughter as she wheels me out.

    Just when I figured out one joke I miss the next. I¡¯m vaguely familiar with the name Nightbinder. I know she¡¯s a hero, but nothing else. To hell with it.

    ¡°Sooo, what about this Nightbinder interview?¡± I ask as I¡¯m being pushed back to my room.

    ¡°Oh, there was video captured of her with a villain by the name of Vulptrix the other night. They asked Nightbinder during an interview if she was into women, and she got all flustered. You really have to see it.¡±

    A few minutes later, see it, I do. Carolyn didn¡¯t even remotely do it justice. The anchor had taken the opportunity to get Nightbinder, who is incredibly hot, by the way, to admit that she was flirting with Vulptrix. Then during the viewer question segment Vulptrix had written in to tease Nightbinder further heightening her embarrassment! It was pure gold!

    I couldn¡¯t help but spend a few more minutes searching around a little more for the security footage that they referenced in the interview. Yup, definitely flirting. Definitely ear scratches¡­ Oh my god, Vulptrix is soo damn cute. I can¡¯t even blame Nightbinder! Watching this segment I raise a hand to my ear. I can¡¯t help but wonder if it really feels that good. I give myself a little scratch, and oh my. That is positively wonderful. I close my eyes, and unbidden an image of Michelle scratching my ears just like Nightbinder did for Vulptrix pops up. Oh my¡­ I feel myself growing warm and my eyes pop open as I realize what¡¯s happening.

    OK, enough of that! Jeeze girl, you¡¯re in a hospital room. I pick my tablet back up and then scroll along a little more. Almost instantly I see fanart pairings of Nightbinder and Vulptrix. Aaaand WOW! That is SOOOO not helping! This is going to be a long couple weeks if I¡¯m going to keep lusting after my physical therapist. Well, at least I hope it¡¯s only a couple weeks at this rate. Lest I make a complete and total fool of myself.

    The week goes on and aside from the physical therapy sessions, everything else is kind of a bore. After only 3 days I¡¯m walking between parallel bars unsteadily. By the end of the week I can walk on my own, although I need to concentrate and I¡¯m not exactly graceful about it. Regrettably I¡¯m still stuck in my bed or a wheelchair most of the time. They don¡¯t want me falling and getting hurt. The way I see it, if thirty some odd feet doesn¡¯t kill me, I should be good to go considering my short stature.

    While it¡¯s been difficult, I manage to keep my cool with Michelle. She really is a sweetheart, even if she does have a habit of randomly dropping puns. Over time, I¡¯m beginning to think it might actually be a nervous habit. Somehow the concept of the cute bunny getting nervous and impulsively punning was even more endearing. Yea, I¡¯m definitely falling for her. I¡¯m not about to deny that. Having said that, nothing happens between us, she is a professional and all. Ethics are a thing, regrettably. Well, that and I don¡¯t have the guts to make anything of it. I just figure it would make things awkward and I¡¯m not sure I can handle that right now.

    The boredom left me a lot more time to reflect on everything and come to terms with it. There are still things that bother me. I do wake up with nightmares from having fallen off the roof relatively frequently. That¡¯s never a good time and it always takes me ages to get back to sleep. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m over it all. I¡¯m just beginning to move on. The men I killed, it¡¯s still horrifying and easy to get caught in a loop thinking about their families. I try to avoid thinking about it too much, and I remind myself that if not them, it was me.

    Even with all the introspection, it isn¡¯t long before I¡¯m running out of things to do. The internet lost its appeal only a couple days in. You¡¯d think you could just spend eons browsing reddit or whatever, but when you¡¯re stuck with absolutely nothing else as an option, all you can think about is doing literally anything else.

    This is what leads me to exploring the hospital, well, what little I can. Most of it is off limits and they seem to take it all pretty seriously. Can¡¯t blame me for trying. I really want to know what¡¯s going on behind all those locked doors.

    This is how I find myself rolling down one of the same few hallways for the umpteenth time. I decide I need to try some new form of entertainment. Having seen people balance wheelchairs on two wheels before I can¡¯t help but give it a try. I mean, I should be a natural at this right? What self respecting cat doesn¡¯t have a great sense of balance.

    I lean back and give the wheels a hard shove forwards to pop the front of the chair up. The chair almost goes over backwards before I can catch myself. After bobbing back and forth a couple of times I manage to get the chair under control. HAH, easy, nothing to it!

    ¡°MAYA!¡± shouts a voice from behind me.

    Letting out a yipe of surprise I immediately go over backwards. When the back of the chair hits the ground I roll over, landing in a squat as though I expected it to happen. Very slick. Minus the falling over in the first place bit.

    Standing slowly, my tail and ears drooping, I turn to see who spotted me and of course it¡¯s Michelle. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I say in a small voice.

    ¡°Maya, what were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have an excuse¡­ I was bored¡­ and yes, before you ask, doing stunts in the hall seemed like a great idea at the time¡­¡± I explain. Michelle sighs before responding.

    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be too much longer now. You¡¯re doing unbelievably well. Even knowing what they did it¡¯s hard to believe. Just try and stay out of trouble for a few more days, OK?¡± She looks at her watch and gives a start. ¡°I have my next patient now. Gotta go!¡±

    ¡°OK, better hop to it then.¡± I say with a saucy wink. Sue me. I¡¯ve spent a lot of time with her this week. I can¡¯t help it. Her blush in response is worth it.

    ¡°Ah-haha. Yea¡­ Don¡¯t let me CATch you doing that again, haha.¡± She says, before scurrying down the hall.

    Once I¡¯ve righted the upended wheelchair I suddenly realize that I¡¯ve felt almost completely normal, like better than in physical therapy earlier today even. As soon as I have this realization, things snap back, suddenly I¡¯m less stable again. It must be because I wasn¡¯t focused on it? Maybe when I¡¯m not as conscious of it it comes more natural? I continue to ponder this conundrum as I hop back in the wheelchair and roll myself back to my room.

    It¡¯s not long before I¡¯m pacing back in forth in my room trying figure out if I¡¯m overthinking things or something. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t go well. In fact, in my unstable state, when I¡¯m not focused, it¡¯s hard to even stay on my feet. On lap 14 I make a critical error by thinking about Michelle. Yea, yea, I know. I¡¯m enamoured with her. I can¡¯t help it. I know it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve known her long enough to be properly in love with her or anything, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I can¡¯t stop thinking about her.

    In my lapse I find myself falling. I reach out to try and grab the rail of the bed to catch myself. Were I still my old height, with my old reach, it would have been an easy grab. At my current stature however, no chance. Imagine then, my surprise as I manage to halt my face first plummet to the floor. I¡¯m wincing so hard expecting the impact that I¡¯m just confused for a second.

    When I open my eyes, I find myself at an angle, my head about 2 feet from the ground. To my utmost consternation I find both of my arms thrown over my face bracing for impact. Huh¡­ What?! I should be on the floor. Clearly I hadn¡¯t managed to grab onto anything. I guess this must be the telekinetic power they were talking about?! Now that I realize what might be happening, I try to figure out what I¡¯ve done. As soon as my thoughts are diverted, I immediately conclude my plunge to the floor.

    Fortunately, I was already pretty close to the ground and I stop myself from actually getting hurt. I turn over and sit there cross-legged for a couple minutes to try and figure this all out. I feel like I¡¯m going to lose credibility as a cat girl if I don¡¯t get my shit together! With that thought my cheeks burn a little bit, before I move on to more pertinent issues. So I guess the telekinesis thing is real¡­

    Given, I know a lot about the cube that was implanted in my back. To be honest, I still had my doubts about the telekinesis thing though. The cube is certainly capable of it. The reason I had doubted it is because I didn¡¯t really see how you would control it. Since it¡¯s implanted in my lower back, I just don¡¯t see how it works.

    Thinking about it, it¡¯s actually kind of creepy. Presumably this thing would have had to modify my spinal column or something. Maybe even reach all the way up into the motor control area of my brain. By no means am I an expert on any of the biology side of things. I was more of an everything else sort of person¡­ before. I know just enough that it skeeves me out a little.

    Well, what¡¯s done is done. Next I guess I need to figure out how to control it. Hmmmm¡­ This should be fun!

 Training

    Staring out the window, I watch the buildings slide past. This is my first time out of the hospital since that day. We¡¯re on the way to my first day of training for my telekinesis. Little do they know, I¡¯ve done quite a bit during the hours of boredom in my room. I spent so much time staring at random objects willing them to move that I was genuinely beginning to question my sanity. Eventually I started to get the hang of it, sort of. I can move things around like a drunk poltergeist, but I still have no idea how much weight I can lift, how many things I can move. Really I have more questions than answers. So I¡¯m mostly looking forward for the chance to see what I can actually do.

    Initially I was worried I¡¯d lost my chance with Michelle when they came to get me, but I have a couple more outpatient sessions with her. Hopefully I can manage to work up the nerve to ask her out or something. Just thinking about it gets me all flustered. Maybe I¡¯ll wimp out and just ask to be friends or something.

    It isn¡¯t long before we pull up to what I can only describe as a warehouse that had been renovated into some futuristic industrial monstrosity. I hop out of the car and am lead by a non-descript man through the front door.

    Inside there is a long corridor with a glass wall on one side. Peering through the glass I find myself looking down into a large open area. I¡¯m confused for a split second because we just came in at the ground level. I just didn¡¯t expect this place to be quite as big as it is, nor did I imagine it continued underground.

    Before I move on I notice some movement and look a little closer. I see people in bulky black armor with odd pulsing blue lines running around in mock buildings. I can see odd blue weapon fire being exchanged between a couple of teams. Apparently I¡¯m not the only one being trained at this facility. I¡¯m a little curious about these people though. They¡¯ve got a sort of a creepy shock trooper vibe that I¡¯m just not loving going on.

    Behind me I hear an agitated clearing of a throat and see the man who I¡¯m supposed to be following tapping his foot impatiently. Apparently he¡¯s got better things to do. Without a second thought I follow him. Slowly. Playing up my balance issues. He gets a couple steps ahead before realizing I¡¯m not moving that fast, before slowing down with a sigh.

    I have no idea why I feel the need to mess with this guy. Well, no I guess I do. He could talk like a human being instead of being a dick. Whatever. I think briefly about trying to use my telekinesis to trip him but decide that would be a bit too much.

    He leads me on a long circuitous route through the building. I could swear with all the random turns we¡¯ve made we should have been back out the front door by now. It really probably wasn¡¯t half as far as I figure though, it probably just seems that way because I¡¯m a little nervous. After all, I have no idea what they are actually expecting from me.

    Just as soon as I start getting anxious about the whole thing we enter a large room with a table holding some random objects on it. I guess the testing will start with this stuff.

    ¡°Please wait here. Staff will be along shortly to begin your training.¡± The man who lead me here says, before turning and walking back out quickly. Good riddance.

    A couple minutes pass as I examine the items on the table. There are things of all shapes, sizes and weights. I pass the time picking up each object with my TK. I¡¯ve already gone through all the items on the table and am attempting to hold as many in the air as I can. I¡¯m up to 14 of them when I hear an excited squeal behind me.

    In my shock I spin around quickly. Tail straight up and fluffed, ears back. I can hear everything rain down on the table since I lost track of it all in my surprise. Standing there with their mouths agape in shock are Matt and Jess. As soon as I realize it¡¯s them I bound over in excitement wrapping them in a hug.

    ¡°I¡¯m sooo happy to see you! Why didn¡¯t you visit me again?!¡± I say squeezing them to within an inch of their lives.

    ¡°Nice to see you too!¡± They say in unison before Matt continues. ¡°DRF wouldn¡¯t let us. They said they didn¡¯t want your treatment affected.¡± Odd, considering how much time I spent sitting around doing not much of anything.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    As I watch them I notice that Jess is really subdued compared to last time. Maybe she just is more professional at work, I must have misjudged her. Matt seems to have slipped into his usual subdued work demeanor as well.

    ¡°OK, Maya. It looks like you¡¯ve already been doing a fair amount of practicing. So let¡¯s get to it and see what you can do. We¡¯ll have time to catch up a little this afternoon¡­¡± Matt says, glancing around pointedly. I can¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯s being paranoid. By no means is he a conspiracy theorist, but he has had his fair share of weird ideas as to what DRF is up to behind the scenes. Then again¡­ from where I¡¯m standing nothing seems impossible anymore. From big guy, to little catgirl, to paralyzed, and finally to walking again, let alone the new powers.

    With that we get down to proper testing. I¡¯m hopeful that because I know them and that they just saw me holding a pile of items in the air we could have skipped ahead a bit. On the other hand, I know Matt, and should have realized that wouldn¡¯t be the case. They have me pick up each item with my TK in turn. They have me move each item around, rotate it, set it down gently, pick it back up, and then drop it. Then they ask me some basic questions about how much I think each thing weighs, any properties it may have had.

    I honestly had not even thought to try to feel properties of things with the TK. It turns out, that¡¯s because I can¡¯t. I can feel the shape of an object, but everything else is a blank. Imagine my shock when they tell me that a metal looking ball about a foot in diameter is actually made of tungsten and is about 300 pounds.

    Eventually we move back to holding multiple items. They have me start with two and swirl them about in patterns. As we add items it gets harder and harder to keep track of them all. The more items and the more complex the patterns the harder it gets to keep from dropping things. At one point during this mental gymnastics exercise I do the TK equivalent of dumping a pile of things in one ¡°hand.¡± Everything clumps together and it my mind becomes one object. This makes it easier to focus on what I¡¯m moving. I find that I can take stuff out of the clump, and if I let go of it everything just falls apart.

    Ok, it definitely started out boring but now it¡¯s getting pretty interesting. I¡¯m having a hard time staying on track because I just want to keep experimenting with this whole clumping thing. I feel like I can probably do some really neat stuff with it. It looks like that will have to be another day though.

    ¡°Alright Maya. We are about ready to move to the next phase of your testing. Just one more thing to do here before we head to another room. We got a lot farther than we expected already.¡± Says Jess, still the consummate professional.

    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s next then?¡± I ask. Jess looks over my shoulder and points.

    I turn around and sure enough, there¡¯s something flying at my face. I have no idea how I didn¡¯t see this coming. For someone who has a thing for Catgirls Matt sure has no hesitation throwing stuff at me. With a wince I start to duck, ears flattening against my head. I try to grab it with my TK, but it¡¯s moving too fast and I miss it. Braced for whatever it is to hit me, I freeze for what seems like way too long.

    Opening my eyes I peek around my arms. It turns out to be a large soft foam ball, which is hovering about 3 feet away from my face. What the hell is going on? I¡¯m not holding that thing up, or at least I¡¯m not conscious of it. I just really didn¡¯t want to get hit.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± I begin as I straighten up. The ball follows me up, staying in its exact position in relation to my field of view, which surprises the hell out of me. I let out a surprised squeak and take a step back, the ball promptly follows, which freaks me out even more. How do I put this thing down!? My ears are low and pointed to either side, my tail stock still up behind me. I must look completely panicked as Matt and Jess can¡¯t hold in their laughter at this point.

    ¡°Oh sure, yuck it up. I don¡¯t know how to get rid of it!¡± It¡¯s too far to reach out and grab and for some reason I can¡¯t even sense it, let alone grab it with my TK. At first it was just a shock, now I¡¯m flustered about it. I feel like such a spaz! My tail begins to lash back and forth agitatedly.

    ¡°Calm down Maya. You¡¯ll figure it out. Just take a deep breath.¡± Matt says sagely. It¡¯s good advice. Specifically it¡¯s the advice I always used to give him when he was wound up at work. After a small chuckle at the irony I do exactly that. My eyes still closed I hear the ball hit the ground.

    Clearly there are some abilities, or maybe modes of operation would be a better way of putting it that I still haven¡¯t begun figuring out yet. For that matter it¡¯s not as if we had an exhaustive list of exactly what the cube in my back could even do in the first place.

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s move on to the next series of tests. For the record, it doesn¡¯t seem as though you caught that the same way you pick up other objects?¡± Says Jess.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not really sure what that was. I just really didn¡¯t want to get hit.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm, alright. Let¡¯s move on for now. We¡¯ll circle back to that another day. We thought you might just catch it.¡±

    They lead me into a much larger area with an assortment of larger stuff from small boulders to some wrecked cars. There are also some smaller metal spheres lined up on a table, from the size of a marble all the way up to a basketball.

    The room feels more like a hanger. Just how big IS this place?! The room is about 60 feet wide and must be a couple hundred yards long. At varying distances there are targets scattered about. It doesn¡¯t take much to get an idea for what they have in mind here.

    We begin by trying to find out how far my TK extends. After a few tests we find that I can work with small things, or at least things smaller than myself all the way to the back, although it¡¯s really hard to sense them at that range. So it would be really hard for me to grab something at that distance and bring it back to myself. It¡¯s more that if I¡¯m already holding something I won¡¯t drop it.

    Before we can continue with that test we switch over to weight. This rapidly becomes my favorite part of the testing. Starting with the smaller boulders I still don¡¯t have any concept of weight, and can easily lift hundreds of pounds. It¡¯s not long before I have one of the cars set in my sights. I lift it without any perceptible effort. Even though I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m exerting myself, my heart rate increases, and I start panting as though I am expending a great deal of energy. It¡¯s a lot like when you sprint a short distance and then start breathing hard after you¡¯re done. Except in this case it just keeps getting worse. Clearly there¡¯s something at work here that I just can¡¯t sense.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    After a short discussion about the fatigue from lifting what turns out to be a four thousand pound car we resume the distance testing. Four thousand pounds!!! After trying things of varying weights at varying distances we find that my maximum distance is an inverse square relationship with the weight of the object. In short, the bigger it is, the shorter the distance at which I can manipulate it.

    ¡°Before we continue¡­ I have something I want you to try. It¡¯s not on the list today¡­ but it would be so cool¡­ I want you to try and pick yourself up. I want to know if you can fly!¡± Says Matt in a sudden burst of enthusiasm. Jess¡¯s professional facade cracks as she breaks into a smile too, nodding exuberantly.

    At first I figure it¡¯s absurd, but then again I did keep myself from falling¡­ well, almost. I guess it¡¯s worth a shot. I shrug and think back on what exactly happened then. I don¡¯t think I was holding myself, but the rail of the bed. Maybe if I try to push the floor down?

    At first it¡¯s difficult to even sense the floor. That seems ridiculous, but it¡¯s like things that are big enough to be essentially static just don¡¯t seem to exist. More accurately, I¡¯m so aware of every little thing on and around the floor it¡¯s hard to sense it through all the mental chaff created by everything else. After a couple minutes of focus I can sense the ground I¡¯m standing on.

    With that I begin to push. I don¡¯t feel anything happening, and I realize that I¡¯ve closed my eyes in concentration. I can still sense the floor, although something is really odd, it no longer feels like it¡¯s in a sensible orientation Clearly, I¡¯ve messed something up and must be focused on the walls, or the ceiling or something

    Opening my eyes I¡¯m immediately confused. The view makes no sense. The world is upside down and the ground is about fifteen feet above my head. Matt and Jess, are once again standing there, mouths agape. Oh¡­ I see. It worked¡­ OOOOHHHH MY WHAT DO I DO NOW?! Yes, naturally I panic. It¡¯s not exactly an everyday thing for me, finding myself floating about randomly. Naturally my concentration breaks and gravity reinforces its relentless tyranny.

    Dammit. I am NOT falling again! I begin to ineffectively windmill my arms and tail trying to right myself when suddenly the world tilts violently and find myself landing softly on my feet. A sudden blast of wind whips every which way. I have no idea what I just did, but I am not getting hurt falling again. Been there, done that, got the hospital gown to go with it. I¡¯m done with that.

    ¡°Ah-hahaa.¡± I let out a nervous laugh. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll need to practice that too¡­¡±

    ¡°Haaa! That was SOOO cool!¡± Jess squeaks out, bouncing on her toes a little with what I assume is her normal enthusiasm. Matt has a big smile on his face too.

    ¡°You looked like you were floating off as though you were in space! That was really cool!¡± Matt exclaims. It looks like the professionalism they¡¯ve been working to maintain has fallen by the wayside. ¡°OK, let¡¯s continue then. Next¡­ Let¡¯s see you break some shit!¡±

    ¡°Is that the official name of this test?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I have on my checklist!¡± Matt responds.

    I can¡¯t help but giggle at this. Yup, that¡¯s Matt alright. Well, this is a test I can get behind!

    In short order we start try to figure out what I can do in terms of destruction. How fast can I move things? How far can I throw them? Enquiring minds want to know! Regrettably, this is where things start getting difficult.

    As I try to move things faster and faster I have trouble keeping my sense of the item and where I want it to be synchronized in my mind. When I desync the object just drops to the ground ineffectually. Sometimes I¡¯m quick enough to catch it and try again, but most of the time I miss it like a klutz. Attempting to throw things doesn¡¯t go much better. If anything it¡¯s worse. It¡¯s hard enough to get things moving fast enough in the first place, then somehow when I try to release it, it doesn¡¯t seem to want to keep going. Instead everytime I try, the thing I¡¯m trying to throw pretty much tops dead before dropping to the ground.

    I don¡¯t actually know how long I practiced for. It seemed like at least a couple hours. After having failed to destroy any of the targets, I decide to take a quick break. As I do I realize that I¡¯m incredibly fatigued. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m tired, per se. It¡¯s more like being drunk, were it can feel similar to tired, but not. Along those lines I realize the world is spinning a little.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Asks Matt.

    ¡°Yeah, I think I just need to rest. I just feel kinda out of it.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re all done with testing for today. Jess and I have to go back to the office and document everything. You have an appointment with a tailor? I guess. Supposedly someone will be here soon to pick you up. After that I think they said something about a meeting with you at DRF. In any event once your done for the day they¡¯ll be showing you to an apartment that they have set up for you. We¡¯ll meet you there so we can catch up.¡± With that they leave the room.

    I decide to have a seat while I wait and rest. Within moments I¡¯m nodding off. I could have sworn I wasn¡¯t actually tired¡­ but I guess I was wrong. It¡¯s not long however before I¡¯m being nudged awake by the same impatient guy that led me in earlier.

    This time I don¡¯t have to play up my issues. I genuinely am having more trouble walking than I¡¯ve had in days. Next time I¡¯ll have to pay more attention to how I feel, and try to get a sense for how much I can do and what tires me out. If they want me out there fighting baddies, I really don¡¯t want to need to settle down for a catnap in the middle of a fight.

    After leaving the building I hop into the waiting car and it¡¯s not long before we pull up in front of a place called Custom Fine Tailors. With a name like Custom Fine Tailors, you¡¯d expect the place to be sorta swanky, but it looked like the last time it¡¯d seen any sort of an update must have been in the 90s. The driver sees the skeptical look on my face and chuckles briefly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the outside fool you. Anybody who¡¯s anybody among the emerged wears Tinker Tailor.¡±

    ¡°Uhhh, Oh.¡± I say uncertainty.

    We walk in and the driver informs a woman behind the counter that we are here for an appointment. I look around at all the suits for a couple minutes while we wait before I hear a voice from behind me.

    ¡°Maya, I presume? I¡¯m Tinker Tailor.¡±

    At first I don¡¯t even notice the person as I turn around, mistaking them for a particularly immaculate suit paradoxically dressed on a scarecrow for display. With a little start I realize my error. This is Tinker Tailor.

    ¡°Oh, ah, yes. Nice to meet you.¡± I stammer.

    ¡°Please follow me back. we¡¯ll get you measured and go through some of your preferences.¡±

    We go through a doorway I hadn¡¯t previously noticed into a backroom so packed with drawers and supplies that I briefly wonder if I¡¯m picking out a wand rather than discussing clothing.

    ¡°OK. Let¡¯s take some quick measurements before we get to our discussion. Your backers are paying handsomely for this and have nearly given me carte blanche with only a few guidelines. I¡¯m genuinely looking forward to this one. Now! Please stay still.¡±

    After removing their gloves what appear to be a writhing mass of threads come from the tips of their fingers. The threads snapping from one pattern to the next to mesmerizing effect. Moments later they are vibrating through the air briefly brushing me all over and before I even react it¡¯s already over.

    What follows is a somewhat lengthy discussion about my tastes in casual clothing. I sort of thought that DRF would only be concerned with my super suit and some nice clothing for whatever marketing stuff they had planned, but I guess I¡¯ll be getting some casual clothes too. I¡¯m not about to complain. Towards the end of the conversation I give in to my curiosityand ask what they had in mind.

    ¡°Ohhh, I think I¡¯ll keep it a surprise, but I¡¯ll tell you one thing. You will look exquisite, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± With that I am swept out of the room, and before I know it I¡¯m back in the car on the way to yet another appointment I¡¯m in the dark about.

    Before long we are headed down a street I know well. After pulling up at the front entrance of the main DRF office I hop out and am escorted in to a large meeting room. It¡¯s hard to even count how many hours I must have spent in this room, for various staff meetings and presentations. It¡¯s so familiar, and yet so different given my new perspective, being shorter, smaller, and being treated as a guest rather than just another tech with a deadline to meet

    I¡¯m introduced to a plethora of people so quickly it¡¯s beyond me to even try to remember their names. The one I do catch is Anthony Sartori. Apparently he¡¯s in charge of the DRF Hero project. Within moments of my arrival he launches into a presentation that is mostly not even directed at me. The one bit that actually matters is that apparently they¡¯ve already decided on my super hero identity.

    Evidently some of the marketing team spent all of 12 minutes googling before they found an egyptian cat goddess called Bastet. They seemed to be fairly lacking in the details department which left me with an awkward feeling. I feel like if you are going to take the name of a god you should probably know more about them than, they help the good and punish the evil.  I¡¯ll have to do some more research on my own. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a believer of any sort, but still, it just feels weird.

    It does however reveal what little direction they had given Tinker Tailor. Apparently my super suit was to be egyptian themed to match my name. I have a brief burst of anxiety about what the suit would look like before I realized I¡¯m still terrified of the idea of being a hero in the first place. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I think it was a fine trade to be able to walk again, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m more than a little freaked out about the idea of putting myself in harms way.

    As I sit considering my future as a hero the meeting comes to an end. I¡¯m assured that once I¡¯m further along in my training we¡¯ll reconvene to strategize. I¡¯m thankful that this is the last thing they had scheduled for the day as after my days lazing away at the hospital I¡¯m beat.

    After a short trip in the car I¡¯m shown to a penthouse apartment in a swanky section of town that is apparently mine. Well, I guess I could get used to this. It doesn¡¯t take long before I spot a couch in the living area and plop down to rest for a bit. I haven¡¯t even looked around the whole apartment yet, but this couch seems so cozy. Within minutes I find my eyes drifting closed. I don¡¯t even fight it. It¡¯s been a long day and I could use a little catnap.

    Unfortunately a catnap is all I get before I hear what I presume is the the bell for the door. Groggily I get up and retrace my steps to the front door. Answering it I find the smiling faces of Matt and Jess. Gone is the stoicism they tried so hard to project this afternoon as they are now all giggles and excitement.

    After greeting them I prepare to give a tour, but I really don¡¯t know much more about this place than they do at this point so we explore the apartment together. The place is well equipped with everything I would need but not much in the way of decoration. I¡¯ll have to spruce the place up a bit. We do find Mr. Snugglekitty has made it from the hospital and currently has the entire bed to himself. I feel like maybe he¡¯s a little lonely. I might need to expand my scant plushie collection. Hell, I¡¯d even had a couple when I was a guy. Now I don¡¯t need to pretend they aren¡¯t adorable¡­ nothing will stand in my way, I will have them ALL!

    Once we¡¯d completed the short tour, we head back to the living area which was a large open plan space with the kitchen and dining area. Well stocked though it was, it didn¡¯t have much in the way of food. We quickly ordered pizza and then sat down to have a real chat. I started with what had been on my mind all afternoon.

    ¡°Alright, so spill it. You¡¯ve been all spooked about DRF listening in for a while. So what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°OK, well¡­ To be honest I don¡¯t have anything solid. It¡¯s just that there have been people coming and going who aren¡¯t part of DRF and they aren¡¯t the sort we would usually do business with either.  A lot of these people have connections with some really shady groups. Now before you ask I¡¯m still digging. I don¡¯t have a lot of details.¡± Matt says pausing a second before continuing.

    ¡°Also is the way they are dealing with you. They seem bound and determined to hide as much from you as they can. This I can give you an example on. They didn¡¯t tell you at the time, but the agreement you signed was actually a settlement. They presented it the way they did to make you think you owe them. Part of that settlement is a large sum of money paid by Flashpoint, the dick who kicked you off a roof, to you. They neatly buried that whole situation in the paperwork. The money is there, but they are trying to keep that hidden from you so they have more leverage to try and get you to do what they want. Honestly the whole thing is insane, and waaaay not legal.¡±

    ¡°So, how do you know all of this exactly?¡± I ask prompting a laugh from Matt.

    ¡°Remember when you told me not to tell you what I did with that virus I wrote a couple years ago?¡±

    ¡°Yeeeaaaaah¡­¡± At this point I have a pretty distinct impression where this is going.

    ¡°Well, I sat on it for a while, then after a particularly shitty day about 6 months ago I unleashed it in the work network. It didn¡¯t make it everywhere, but even still I get a peek at some of what goes on behind the curtains.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯s a lot to process¡­ Well, I guess keep digging, but be safe?¡± At this last Jess nods emphatically. It looks like they¡¯ve gotten closer since I last saw them. They¡¯d make a cute couple so I hope it works out. Before I get a chance to start asking some questions along those lines Jess practically explodes with a question of her own.

    ¡°So¡­ Matt said before the emergence you used to be a guy after we first talked?! So what¡¯s it been like? Adjusting to being a girl and all? Do you miss being a guy? Tell me everything!¡±

    ¡°Ohh, well that¡¯s a whole can of worms right there. It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t thought about it, I certainly have. It¡¯s just sorta hard to put into words. Hmmm. I guess, hard as it is to ignore all the crazy shit that has happened to me, being a girl is the realization of a dream I never knew I had. Or maybe more accurately would be that it¡¯s a dream I never wanted to admit. It¡¯s not that I wasn¡¯t aware, it¡¯s that I refused to connect the dots in my own head. As if I didn¡¯t acknowledge it, it wouldn¡¯t be real.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s still really hard to wrap my head around. To have gone so long ignoring something that in retrospect is painfully obvious. I can¡¯t help but wonder what it would have taken for me to really get it had I not Emerged. Ugghh. It¡¯s so complicated but at the same time it¡¯s the simplest thing in the world.¡±

    ¡°So, to get back to your questions. I was a guy, biologically, but in my head I always knew deep down I was supposed to be a girl. As far as adjusting goes it¡¯s been more about the fact that I keep realizing that I don¡¯t have to suppress all these parts of myself. I feel like I was always wearing a mask. Faking it. Now¡­ I just react. I¡¯m just myself. And to your last question? Not even a little. Even with all the bad shit. I wouldn¡¯t want to go back to living in the dark. Feeling like a passenger in my own life.¡±

    Before I even look up having finished what I had to say Jess is giving me a hug.

    ¡°Awwwwww, sweetheart. It¡¯ll be OK now¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you Maya. I¡¯m really glad that something good has come of all this¡­ I¡¯ve been really worried about you, you¡¯re one of my few friends, and the thought of everything you¡¯ve been through lately¡­¡±

    ¡°Thanks, the both of you. I¡¯m really happy that I have the two of you as friends.¡±

    Discussion moves on to lighter topics and shortly after that the pizza arrives. Before I take my first bite I can¡¯t help but think of the last slice I had, not that long ago. I was hypothermic and devastated, the world seemingly falling apart around me. To think that it got even worse from there.

    Now though? Now I¡¯m relaxing in a nice apartment sharing some pizza with friends. Sometimes, I guess life is sort of crazy. Now I can¡¯t help but wonder what tomorrow will bring.

 Hero?

    Training has been relentless for the past couple of weeks and I have to take whatever breaks I can. Every day, I practice from the time I wake up to the point where I¡¯m too tired to continue. As it is I¡¯m not taking a proper break now either. Technically I¡¯m still training as I sit meditating and feeling the world around me. Inevitably my thoughts drift and I find myself beginning to reflect on my life in the recent past. I occasionally come close to losing my concentration, but my efforts are starting to pay off, little by little.

    No matter what I try, I still can¡¯t stop thinking about Michelle. I think I spend more time thinking about the fact that I couldn¡¯t work myself up to asking her out properly than I do falling off a building now. At least I got her number¡­ Hopefully I didn¡¯t friendzone myself¡­ right? I totally friendzoned myself didn¡¯t I? GAAAHH, why?! My tail coils around my waist, as has become my custom recently when I¡¯m feeling insecure about something. I really need to stop thinking about it! Nothing I can do until I have time to get in touch anyways. Think about something else!

    Instead I focus on the results of my training. The first few days had gone much like the first, only less exciting. Every day I hoped for some groundbreaking new skill, or sudden mastery to occur. It didn¡¯t. Regrettably it was terribly normal, well, you know, from a learning sense. Less so from the hurling cars with your mind perspective. Just a little better every day. On balance, looking back I¡¯ve made heaps of progress, but I can¡¯t say it hasn¡¯t felt like a bit of a slog despite how novel it all is.

    At this point I have a lot more control. It¡¯s still difficult to hold any more than 10 things. I can do it, but it requires a ton of focus. My record now is 18. More importantly though, as I¡¯ve practiced my ability doesn¡¯t tire me quite as much. It¡¯s really hard to gauge while I use it though, so exhaustion still creeps up on me out of nowhere.

    As for throwing things? That¡¯s the bit of training that did get fun once I started to get it. After a lot of experimentation, I figured out that no matter what, if I just let go of something it just stops. As though it never actually gained momentum when I moved it. As someone fairly educated in the area of physics this was exceedingly baffling. What I eventually figured out was that if I held the object in place, I could sort of push on it. When I let go of it while holding that force it would rocket off.

    The first time I was successful at throwing something was a steel ball about the size of a large marble. In all honesty I¡¯d just been really frustrated at the time and more or less did it without thinking. It just took off with a brilliant flash of light and  a peel of thunder. We have no idea how fast I launched it, but we think it may have been fast enough that it essentially disintegrated in the air. It had left a path of wreckage in its wake. Larger objects I can¡¯t throw nearly so fast, but still terrifyingly quick just the same. They¡¯d begun trying to measure what sort of energy I can generate throwing things, but as a general rule I¡¯ve destroyed most apparatus they put together to attempt the feat.

    Even with that success, it still took me days to figure out exactly what I did, how to aim it, adjust power, and all the other little details to make it a useful skill. All said and done, you could say I¡¯m eager to do literally anything other than spend more time in this damn warehouse repeating the same day over and over.

    ¡°Maya! Maya! Where the hell did she go¡­?¡± Opening an eye and looking ¡°above¡± myself I saw Matt looking around for me. I stood up, or is it down? I¡¯m not really sure about the nomenclature for standing inverted on a ceiling. Doesn¡¯t matter! Time for a little payback for all the times recently when he¡¯s thrown stuff at me!

    Adjusting my focus I begin to float free of the ceiling and maneuver myself right behind Matt as close as I can get.

    ¡°Behind you,¡± I whisper. As he turns his head to and fro I stay out of his field of view before zipping around in front of him and glomping on for a big hug. He jumps in surprise before hugging back.

    ¡°Gotchu, you''re dead.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you are getting really good at flying. I guess you really are ready¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe, I don¡¯t know. Still freaks meowt though¡­¡± I¡¯d become OK with the idea of being a spokesperson, maybe doing a few tricks. Undeniably I have powers that could do the whole hero thing, but still. That didn¡¯t make the concept less terrifying.

    ¡°Well, looks like you¡¯ve got a meeting on the topic..¡± They told me to have you head over.¡±

    ¡°Uhh OK, is there a car out front, orrrr?¡± I ask, promoting Matt to break into a smile.

    ¡°They said, you might as well fly. You¡¯re wearing your Tinker Tailor super suit prototype right?¡±

    ¡°Uhh, yeah, I guess that will work¡­ Off I go then. Talk to you later,¡± I give him another quick hug and head out of the building.

    It turns out that Tinker Tailor is well beyond a genius. They¡¯d delivered a trove of clothes for me in varying styles. The clothes were all top notch and I¡¯d gotten practically a whole wardrobe of them. Needless to say, I¡¯d been having a blast trying everything on and playing about with various combinations. On top of that they¡¯d even talked Tinker Tailor into letting me be one of the early adopters of a transforming super suit.  I can¡¯t imagine how much that had cost DRF.

    In it¡¯s transformed state my super suit is a mostly black spandex catsuit with a lot of gold accents along with some blue and white. The gold is all in complex patterns on the outsides of my legs, the backs of my arms, and across by chest. The blue and white form a triangle one inside the other beneath my breasts. The suit does leave my face uncovered, as apparently DRF has some other solution in store. When it¡¯s not in hero mode it shrinks down to become a cami. This does mean it transforms underneath most of my normal clothes, so I still need to deal with them, but I am ready at a moments notice.

    ¡°Hero mode activate,¡± I mutter quietly cheeks burning red. Those are the words to trigger my clothes to transform into hero configuration. This whole being a hero thing is so crazy, and I can¡¯t help but be a little sheepish about announcing my status like that. With my super suit now deployed I take off everything else and I don¡¯t really have anywhere to put them. I guess I¡¯ll need to think about this a little more. With my clothes folded in my arms I¡¯m ready to go.

    I¡¯m not about to lie. This is more than a little exciting. I still don¡¯t really know how fast or how high I can fly yet. Looks like it¡¯s time to learn. I don¡¯t do anything as cliche as striking a pose or launching myself. Like in my practice, I just float away. It¡¯s not long before I float way higher than I have been so far. I¡¯ve had some time figuring this out inside, but it¡¯s still a little terrifying to be this high off the ground with nothing between me and the ground. Last time I was this high up it didn¡¯t end well.

    Pushing through my reservations I allow myself to float ever higher until I¡¯m well over most buildings. I don¡¯t really know how much higher I can go, but I¡¯m not going to find out today. My stomach is already roiling a little at the view. With that I get moving and start to accelerate towards the main DRF office. Despite my misgivings about adopting some sort of superhero pose aerodynamics has something to say about it and it¡¯s not long before I¡¯m flying like basically every other superhero.

    During the flight I tried to gauge my speed but it turns out that¡¯s really difficult when you have no frame of reference. I don¡¯t actually even know how high I¡¯m flying. Looks like I have more testing to do. I don¡¯t seem to be anywhere near any sort of limit, but given how quickly I get tired I don¡¯t want to push it too far my first go.

    Regrettably the flight doesn¡¯t actually last all that long as it¡¯s not all that far as the cat flies, and before I know it I¡¯m hovering over DRF. The next question is do I land and go in the front door? Nope. I¡¯m flying, it¡¯s the helipad for me. If they don¡¯t like it, they¡¯ll just have to deal with it. Too bad open windows high up on building aren¡¯t a thing. That would be the way to go.

    Realizing I shouldn¡¯t be delaying I set myself down gently on the helipad and head for the door. It¡¯s locked¡­ I guess maybe I should have expected that, but I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m not going through that door. I don¡¯t really know why¡­ I¡¯ve never been through it maybe? Doesn¡¯t matter, I need to.

    With a little concentration I move the pins in the lock, setting them to the shear line and opening the lock with ease. It turns out that telekinesis is the ultimate lock pick if you know what¡¯s going on in there. Neat.

    That accomplished I stroll through the door and only a moment later run into a security guard. Needless to say he¡¯s more than a little shocked to see me.

    ¡°Uhhhh, how did you¡­ wait, what?¡± He stammers. In the age of heroes and villains we find ourselves in it¡¯s a little surprising that he¡¯s so confused. Clearly not the sharpest crayon in the box.

    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t supposed to be here I wouldn¡¯t have come from the helipad. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I say in my best officious tone before sweeping by him like I have every right to be there. He¡¯s clearly still confused but doesn¡¯t want to question me. Before I head down to the meeting I have a quick look around where the royalty rules the poor peons from. It¡¯s definitely nicer than everywhere else and I can tell some of the offices are absolutely enormous. All and all there¡¯s nothing too special going on. No gateway to hell or anything like that.

    Moments later I wander into the meeting room still in my super suit. As soon as I walk in the atmosphere of your typical corporate meeting washes over me. Maybe being a hero won¡¯t be so bad. At least I don¡¯t have to sit through too many of these anymore. As usual it goes on way too long because there¡¯s always one person who just doesn¡¯t get it. Or anything really. Naturally they need to ask a million questions about something that all said and done could have been an email. Hell, even a text!

    It all boils down to the fact that I¡¯ll have some publicity shoots soon and they think I¡¯m ready to make my heroic entrance. Apparently they¡¯ll be looking for a low risk opportunity for me, and letting me know via my company provided cell phone. Turns out that yes, there is an app for that. Isn¡¯t there always?

    The most important bit is a headband they give me. Evidently it alters the look of my face subtly and applies a facefull of makeup in an ancient egyptian style. Or at least the typical stuff we think of when we think ancient egyptian anyways. That was really pretty cool. This was the one bit that I actually did have a few questions about. It turns out the be based on some of the more well understood emergence tech and DRF thinks they can replicate it. I can only imagine how much cosmetics companies would go through to get their hands on this. They¡¯ll probably pay whatever DRF asks when the time comes. For now though I have the only working prototype they are letting out of the building.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    I also get some weapons which consist mostly of things to throw at villains. They range from steel ball bearings to something like a futuristic bolo. There¡¯s also a range of less lethal options like little rubber balls that apparently have something like a taser embedded. Even that seems like a pretty brutal thing to launch at a human being.

    With that out of the way I have the rest of the afternoon to myself. Time has been a precious commodity lately so it doesn¡¯t hurt my feelings that I¡¯ll be able to spend some time relaxing in my apartment. Or maybe a trip to the mall¡­ My plushie collection could use expanding on. What to do¡­? A conundrum for all time.

    Evening is falling and I¡¯m back at my apartment. Having unloaded my haul of a few plushies, some accessories, and yes, more clothes. I¡¯m getting ready to relax when I hear a sound I don¡¯t recognize from my phone.

    Checking it I see a map with a pin in it and a description. Apparently some villain is attacking a DRF convoy and they want me to stop them. I feel a little conflicted that the first thing I¡¯m supposed to save is a company asset. What am I, some corporate guard dog? Er, guard cat? I guess it doesn¡¯t matter all that much though.

    Moments later I¡¯m hovering over the convoy. Making a quick circuit I note the guards are all unconscious. One of the van¡¯s back doors are open so I hover over to it and see a big fluffy orange tail sticking out the back. No way! Is it Vulptrix? I mean, there probably aren¡¯t that many villainous foxes around right?

    She must have sensed my presence, because she turns around and looks up at me, her eyes momentarily going wide.

    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s a cool outfit you got there, what¡¯s your name?¡± asks Vulptrix, a small smile playing across her lips.

    ¡°Huh, wait, me? Uhh, I¡¯m M- errr, Bastet. Oh my god, you¡¯re really Vulptrix! Oh wow. I can¡¯t believe it. Can I get your autograph!? Umm, but wait, could you¡­ ummm, maybe not rob these vans? Please?¡± I stammer. This can¡¯t be real. Why does this have to be my first job as a hero? She¡¯s infamous, and so adorable!

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re only the second hero to be polite and just ask me to stop,¡± she laughs, ¡°I¡¯m dating the first one.¡±

    ¡°Damn, too bad I didn¡¯t get into this game a little earlier¡­ OHMYGOD I SAID THAT OUT LOUD!¡± I can¡¯t believe I said that, no this isn¡¯t real. That didn¡¯t happen. Let¡¯s pretend it didn¡¯t happen. ¡°Sooo, ummm, you¡¯ll stop then?¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m flattered. Maybe in another time,¡± she giggles, before shaking her head, ¡°And nope, sorry, I¡¯m not going to stop. This time I¡¯m actually trying to do good, believe it or not,¡± she says, glancing awkwardly at the unconscious bodies littering the street.

    At this point I don¡¯t know what I look like because of the headband, but I know my face is bright red. I can¡¯t even remotely focus on the whole stop the villain thing. To say I¡¯m mortified might be the biggest understatement of the year. If she¡¯d let it go without comment that would have been one thing, but no. Okay, focus. You have a job to do. What does she mean about doing good. Ahhh, don¡¯t overthink it. She¡¯s probably just messing with you.

    ¡°Uh, oh, shoot. Haha. I guess that means I have to stop you?¡± What do I even do now? Just start throwing stuff at her, that seems pretty awful. I want to stop her not hurt her. I¡¯ll just wait and see what her next move is, and go from there.

    ¡°Then I guess I have to not get stopped,¡± she winked, then disappeared in a puff of crackling energy.

    Oh no¡­ I guess that was a mistake. I should have known better! In a panic I start to look around, and I don¡¯t see her anywhere. I hope she¡¯s not gone to far. To broaden my search I fly a little higher up and keep looking around. No matter how frantic I looks there are no cute fox girls to be found.

    With the search yielding nothing I fear that I¡¯ve already failed. She must be gone already. In defeat I descend towards the ground, tail wrapping around my waist. Landing next to one of the other vans, I realize it¡¯s moving a little. Maybe she¡¯s not gone yet after all. This could be a really lucky break and I want to make sure I don¡¯t squander it

    As sneaky as I can, I walk around behind the van readying the bolo thing to see if I can catch her before she gets away again. Although, she might just teleport out of the bolo, or take it with her. Really what am I supposed to do, all that training and I¡¯ve got nothing.

    I guess I could try hitting her with one of the little tazer ball things, but I played around with them in my apartment earlier and managed to shock myself with one. I ended up a writhing drooling mess on the floor for at least twenty minutes. I mean, I know she pretty much did exactly that to all the guards of this convoy, but having been zapped by one of those things it¡¯s hard to convince myself that it would be ok to do to another human being.

    Nope, the bolo it is. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll fight people in the future that I¡¯d be more OK with hurting. Vulptrix just isn¡¯t on that list. To be honest I¡¯d followed some of her exploits online and for the most part didn¡¯t personally have a problem with a lot of what she¡¯s done. She did say she was trying to do good right now¡­ Maybe Matt was right¡­ Maybe DRF is doing something wrong, well more than the typical lack of ethics and such¡­ No, stop, just catch her. That¡¯s your job.

    Ready as I¡¯m going to get I swing the doors at the back of the van open. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would see inside. The vision seared into my mind. The sight would return in my dreams for weeks to come. I couldn¡¯t help the involuntary gasp which escaped my lips. This couldn¡¯t be real!

    There was Vulptrix, half undressed with her back to me. She looked over her shoulder biting her lip, before saying only, ¡°Oh my!¡±

    Not so long ago, I thought there was no possible way my face could get any redder. Turns out I was wrong. Very wrong. As if she was cute enough, and there she was, and that lip bite! OH MY GOD.

    Before I could even collect myself Vulptrix burst into a multitude of scantily clad fox girls. Each taking off out of the van in different directions, leaving me there stock still with my mind in a melted puddle.

    Shaking myself out of my shock, yes, shock. That¡¯s it, certainly I wasn¡¯t mesmerized by what I¡¯d just seen! I really need to start making an attempt to capture the naughty fox, or foxes. There is an actual crowd here! How am I going to find the real one with so many. Maybe if I could see them all I could spot a difference or something? Right! I can fly, maybe a birds eye view will help.

    Launching myself straight up I gain enough altitude so that I can see all of them. Spotting one that looks a little different from the rest, I send the bolo down after her and it zips right through. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to catch the real one at this rate. Maybe I¡¯ll try as many as I can as fast as I can and maybe get lucky?

    Swinging the bolo around with my TK through as many of them as I can, it seems hopeless. They are just all illusions. She¡¯s probably standing somewhere just out of sight laughing at me or something. That gives me an idea. Maybe I can sense her if I concentrate.

    Closing my eyes I focus on the world around me in more detail. Like when I was first starting to learn to fly. Sure enough, none of the Vulptrixes. Vulptrixi? Vulptrixtopetes? Add that to the list of things I don¡¯t know, the plural of Vulptrix. Anyway, none of the exhibitionist fox girls below were the real deal.

    With a little more focus I expand my search further and sure enough, there¡¯s someone watching from seventy yards or so away. It takes all my willpower not to snap open my eyes and look right at her. I bet she¡¯d be shocked but I need to maintain what little element of surprise I can get. I guess it¡¯s time to figure out exactly how fast I can fly. I need to try and get to her before she knows I¡¯m not distracted by the illusions anymore.

    My hope is that she can¡¯t see me all that well against the twilight sky. If I fly straight at her as fast as I can maybe I can get to her quick enough. First I need to get the bolo behind her if this has any chance of working. While still watching the illusions I whip the bolo in a wide arc out behind Vulptrix. Once it¡¯s already part way there I make my move.

    With as much speed as I can muster I charge straight at her arriving at the same time the bolo wraps around her pinning her arms to her waist. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s more shocked when I land, me or her. Before I lose my chance I grab hold of the bolo. My hope is that maybe if I¡¯m holding onto it she might take me with her if she teleports. Or maybe she won¡¯t be able to? I don¡¯t know how this teleporting shenaniganry works. I honestly didn¡¯t think I had a chance at capturing her, but I might have just done it.

    ¡°So, find yourself in this situation often?¡± I ask, feeling a little a little pumped that maybe I didn¡¯t screw everything up. I mean, I might have just caught Vulptrix! How many heroes has she made fools of? Maybe I can do this after all!

    ¡°Oh, far more than you might think actually,¡± she laughed.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Oh. OH¡± I stammered thinking of some of the footage I¡¯d seen on the internet not that long ago.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m wondering, just how far does the cat thing go eh?¡± she asks, a sly smirk spreading over her face.

    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± I ask. She seems really confident despite the situation, which gets me instantly nervous again. She can¡¯t escape right now, right? She already would have if she could, right? Oh no¡­ what¡¯s she going to do?!

    Just then something drifts down in front of me tickling my nose as it falls past. It smelled like mint, but different. I couldn¡¯t really put my finger on it. It was the most amazing thing I¡¯d ever smelt, whatever it was. I need to know what that was, so I quickly snatch it out of the air with my TK, bringing it back up to my face to get a look. I couldn¡¯t help taking a deep breath. It was intoxicating, and I couldn¡¯t get enough.

    Suddenly the world is spinning a little and my mind is filled with a euphoria that I can¡¯t explain. I feel¡­ AMAZING! I have no idea what¡¯s in that little bag, and yet it seems it¡¯s the answer to any and all problems in life. Suddenly I realize that quite possibly the greatest thing in the world would be curling up in bed with this little bag in a pile of all my plushies.

    OH WAIT! Wasn¡¯t there a cute fox girl here? Maybe she¡¯ll give me a hug. That would be awesome. What was I doing anyways. I couldn¡¯t help the goofy giggles from escaping my lips. Where even am I?

    Hearing some laughter I attempt to focus on the source but it¡¯s difficult. Not only is it actually difficult to physically focus my eyes, but does it matter?

    Somewhere in my mind, I feel my ears report someone speaking, ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t that just flippin¡¯ adorable.¡±

    Not long after Vulptrix left, my precious little bag had disappeared. I¡¯d been heartbroken at first, looking around for the treasure which had abandoned me. As time wore on I started to regain my wits. I still have no idea what it was she¡¯d drugged me with though. I¡¯m not sure if I even want to know. Really, I wasn¡¯t even aware something like that existed. How are people just not high on whatever that was all the time?

    While I was still coming down from the high some of DRF¡¯s security showed up to secure everything and read me the riot act. I couldn¡¯t stay serious at the time though so I don¡¯t think whatever-his-name-was is going to be generous in his report. It took an absurd amount of time for me to collect my thoughts and stop giggling for long enough to actually tell them what happened.

    I¡¯m probably in for a really unpleasant meeting tomorrow. Ugh. Now that the high is gone reality is starting to sink back in¡­ Yup, I blew it.

    Normally I¡¯m not one to drown my sorrows, but I could definitely go for a drink tonight. I¡¯d heard of a place with only emerged clientele. It was across town though, so I figured I start with something closer, and see where the night takes me.

    A couple moments later I walk into a bar and at this point I¡¯m getting used to all the glances. Some of it because I¡¯m a girl now, the rest is because of the ears and tail. Fortunately people are wary enough of my expression and emerged status to leave me alone, at first.

    It¡¯s not long before some guy thinks I need company though. Apparently because I just want to drink in peace that makes me a ¡°fucking dumb slut.¡± I knew this was a thing, but at the same time, what the actual fuck? Shortly after that I got a few comments from some shitheads about my tail. That place for emerged is sounding better and better by the minute.

    To hell with it. I can fly, what¡¯s it matter if it¡¯s across town. In moments I¡¯m zipping along over traffic. I didn¡¯t really have a chance to pay any attention to how fast I could fly in the heat of the fight, and I¡¯m not going anything like that fast now, but at this height it¡¯s easier to get a feel for how fast I can fly. Turns out I¡¯m fast, really fast. Watching the cars getting dusted in my wake is more than a little fun even after my trainwreck attempt at being a ¡®hero¡¯.

    Lost in my thoughts I look up just as I¡¯m about to smash into a red light. Hooooooly SHIT! I make a quick correction to dip beneath it and but I overreacted and nearly run into a truck. Without a moment to spare I manage another emergency maneuver to dodge the truck as well. No new world to explore today truck-kun. Thank you very much.

    Well, let this be a lesson to you kids. Do not fly while drunk. It turns out that¡¯s a bad call. In my newfound wisdom, rather than landing I decide to just fly higher. Less stuff to hit up here. Should be fine. Fortunately the rest of the trip is uneventful, no more rogue stop lights attempting to murder me.

    I¡¯d been told that the entrance was hidden behind an electric panel, and even knowing that it was a surprise when it swung open revealing stairs. I couldn¡¯t help a giggle at a proper speakeasy in 2019. This is actually pretty awesome. It took a moment to realize I was just standing at the bottom of the stairs geeking out. I shake myself out of it and decide to head into the bar properly.

    Reaching the top of the stairs there¡¯s a mish mash of furniture, lights hanging from the ceiling. Oh my god, this just keeps getting better! Behind the counter is a woman in her fifties. She¡¯s not even quite as tall as I am, but has a formidable aura about her. Not someone you want to cross.

    Not wanting to waste anymore time I head to a corner of the bar and plunk down on a stool. After she finished with a couple other customers the bartender heads to my corner of the bar.

    ¡°You¡¯re a new face here. Looks like you¡¯ve had a rough day. The name¡¯s Barb. What can I get you?¡± She asks.

    ¡°Yes and no.¡± I say before breaking into a giggle fit thinking about all the Vulptrixeses bursting out of the van. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about how much tomorrow is going to suck though to be honest.¡±

    ¡°Hah, aren¡¯t we all.¡±

    With that I order a line of shots to reclaim what little drunkenness I¡¯d lost in the flight over. They hit fast!

    The rest of the night begins to pass in a blur. During one of my more lucid moments I find myself playing a drinking game with a hot wolf girl, much to the amusement of a few other patrons. She seemed like an absolute blast, and she was witty as all hell. It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t catch her name.

    That reminds me though. I really gotta call Michelle. I mean really. I know I totally botched my attempt being a hero, but calling Michelle can¡¯t be scarier than that! Maybe I should do it. No, that¡¯s a terrible idea as drunk as I am right now...