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After the white light fades I see everyone’s concerned faces.

“Hi?” Was all that I said.

“JOANNIE!!!” Jen yells, runs at me and give me an eye popping hug. “I was so worried.”

“What the heck just happened?” Josh asks.

“You don’t remember?” Rhea asked him

“Kind of, but it’s like a dream or something.” He says and I nod.

“How are you feeling now?” Diana asks us.

“Not much different than before.” I tell her.

“I feel the same way as Joan.” Josh says.

“But there is a difference?” Rhea asks.

“A little, I feel like the bond I have with Josh is stronger now, also I think Cybele left us a little something.”

“What is that?” Jen asks me.

“I feel like I’m more in control of my abilities, like I know how to use them better.” I said, and made a small ball of light appear right above my hand’s palm. “I also seem to be able to see auras and magical energy.”

“Wow, that is cool.” Jen said.

“What about you, Josh?” Diana asked.

“Pretty much the same as Joan, I think. I feel I can control my powers better and about the visual stuff not so much. I think our powers are slightly different in nature.” He said.

“It doesn’t mean I can’t do what Josh can and vice versa. It just takes more work.” I said.

“Is there anything you can tell us about Cybele?” Rhea asked us.

“Not much.” I said. “All I know is that she is old, very old. Also she was never named because when she was complete she never had a physical body, or was completely aware of her own existence. Her first vivid memory is the pain of being split apart. That single memory is very vivid in my mind and I think in Josh’s too.”

“It is.” Josh said. “I also think she had no gender.”

“But why she appeared as a female then?” Rhea asked.

“I think it’s because of the essence you gave us, filled with the essence of the goddess of earth and motherhood.” I said.

“That makes sense.” She said.

“Josh, how do you feel about this?” Jen asked.

“I think I should be freaking out or something knowing what will happen to me at the end of my life, but I’m not. I am a guy and I don’t want to be a girl, but when Joan and I were Cybele I felt complete and at peace, so I think it is something to look for.”

“And how are you feeling now?” Diana asked.

“I still feel complete. I think it’s because of the link Joan and I share.”

  

  

We talked for a little longer until mom called us for dinner.

The dinner was very nice and everyone talked about a myriad of subjects. Mom seemed to be very happy to find out that her 'cousins' were living right behind us and she talked to them for a long time.

After dinner I had a long relaxing bath. ‘What a crazy day. I hope tomorrow things stay normal.’ I thought to myself and sighed.

After the bath I decided to attack my homework and go to bed early. While I was working on my homework I had a silly thought and started laughing.

“Why are you laughing?” Jen asked me.

“Oh, I just noticed how absurd my current situation seems.”

“How so?”

“Let’s see, today I went to school and this afternoon I merged with my brother to become a bad ass goddess, then I changed a person’s gender and banished a demon, got unmerged and now I’m here working on my homework like nothing happened. Doesn’t it sound completely insane?”

“Yeah, no one would ever believe a story like that. It’s too crazy.” She said and started to giggle.

“I wish I could be a normal girl though.” I sighed.

“You are a normal girl, Joanie, but you are also special and today showed how much. It also explained why you and Josh were born as Johnny. Now you are the person you should always have been.” She told me.

“Am I? I think that maybe the person I should have been is Cybele.”

“No, that is the person one day you shall be, and hopefully that will be very far in the future.”

“I know. The day either mine or Josh’s life ends.”

“Sis, can’t you see how lucky you are?”

“What do you mean?”

“People keep wondering what will await them after their deaths, if there is life after death and all, what will happen to them. You know what will happen to you and it is something amazing.”

“Still I won’t be myself anymore, nor will Josh be himself.”

“Is that such a bad thing? Did you feel much different from your normal self while you were Cybele?”

“I guess not, and no I didn’t feel much difference.”

“I know you might find this a bit strange, but what do you know about yin yang?” Jen asked me.

“A little, why?”

“The way I see it, you and Josh are the embodiment of that.”

“Oh, I can see that. You think so?”

“Definitely.”

“We better get back to our homework or we will be in trouble tomorrow.” I said.

  

  

After we finished our homework we went through our nightly routine and got ready to bed. As I lay down on my bed I started to think about everything that happened today and thought a bit about Tom and what will happen tomorrow. I hope I did the right thing about him. I mean I hope Cybele did the right thing. Arrrgh this is so confusing. I guess Jen is right, I didn’t feel much difference when I was her, in a way she was still me.

  

  

I woke up early the next morning and after the morning routine I went downstairs and started to make breakfast for everyone. Jen was the first one to come downstairs.

“Sis, the breakfast smells great.” She told me.

“Thanks, sis.”

Mom arrived not long after Jen and said. “Good morning girls. Who made breakfast today?”

“I did, mom.” I told her.

“If it tastes as good as it smells I’m going to be very happy.” She said. “Maybe even make it your job from now on.”

“Mom!!”

“Just kidding, Joan. Not that I would mind you making breakfast once in a while though.”

“Of course I will make it sometimes, I do enjoy cooking.” I told her.

“Where did you learn how to cook?” Jen asked me.

“I always wanted to cook so I always watched you and mom. I guess I learned that way.”

Soon everyone was downstairs and enjoying my breakfast. Dad was really impressed with my pancakes.

“Princess, this is the best pancake I ever had, after your moms of course.”

“Thanks daddy.” I said and gave him a peck on his cheek.

“I agree with dad, sis. They are wonderful.” Josh said.

  

  

After breakfast we got ready to school and soon we were picking up Mindy.

“Hi Mindy.” We all said.

“Hi everyone. How did yesterday go at Rhea’s?” She said while entering the car.

“A lot happened yesterday.” I said.

“Good things or bad things?” She asked.

“I’m not really sure yet.” I told her truthfully. I then told her everything that happened the day before.

“Wow! That is wild.” She said. “How did she look?”

“I don’t know, I… she never looked in the mirror.” I said.

“Don’t ask me either.” Josh said. “But I think Jen can tell you.”

“She looked a lot like Joan, but she was older, I think around twenty five or so. She was so pretty that is scary.”

“How pretty?” Mindy asked.

“Goddess pretty, literally, and I think Joan won’t look much different when she reaches that age. ”

“Ohhhh. Lucky me then.” Mindy said and giggled.

“You naughty girl.” I said and gave her a light kiss.

  

  

It didn’t take long for us to reach the school and we noticed some kind of ruckus happening at the main entrance.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe something happened?” Jen asked.

We parked the car and walked towards the front of the school. A lot of reporters were around, they soon saw us and before we noticed they were all around us.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“We are looking for a boy named Joan Heart, do you know him?” A reporter asked.

“What?” I asked shocked.

“Is it true that he came back yesterday wearing a skirt and saying he is a girl and got the principal’s secretary fired?” Another one asked.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked again feeling enraged.

“Calm down sis.” Josh whispered at me. “They are not worth it.”

“There must be a mistake there.” I told them.

“A mistake? What kind of mistake?” A reporter asked me.

“First of all, it seems that none of you made your homework. You just took the word of someone and smelled a story where there isn’t one.” I said calmly.

“How can you say that it isn’t a story when a perverted boy thinking he is a girl comes to school wearing skirts and gets someone fired not a story?”

“Perverted? Perverted? Are you guys out of your mind?” I asked them.

“Why are you protecting that freak?” Someone yelled from the back.

“Freak? I AM NOT A FREAK!” I yelled.

The ruckus around me got even worse then. Everyone started to answer questions or insult me at the same time.

“QUIET!!!” I hear Josh yells. “You are scaring her. You guys are a bunch of vultures, she was in the hospital last week where they found out she IS genetically 100% female, and had just a bunch of skin that resembled a penis that made the doctors misidentify her as a boy at birth.” He said firmly. “What happened yesterday is that Joan went to the principal’s office to make sure her paperwork showed her true gender. Arriving there she was mistreated and insulted by Miss Jenkins the same way some of you are doing right now and Miss Jenkins also tried to attack my sister in front of the principal and only failed because I stopped her. That is why she got fired, for attacking a student. Joan is one of the best people I know and she suffered a lot. She is a normal teenage girl like any other. Now excuse us because we need to go to class.”

The reporters kept trying to ask more questions but we refused to answer them. Once inside the school building we could finally relax a little.

“I’m going to the principal’s office.”

“We are going with you.” Mindy said.

  

  

Arriving at the principal’s office I see a new face at the secretary desk.

“Hello, what can I do for you today?” She asked us.

“Hi, I’m Joan Heart. I’d like to speak with Principal Addams please.”

“He is unavailable right now, miss heart. He just went outside to deal with some reporters.” She told us.

“Oh, that is exactly what I wanted to talk to him about.” I said.

“Yes, it seems the previous secretary is spreading some lies about a student here and why she got fired.” She said.

“I know. I am the student she tried to attack.” I told her.

“Oh my. Yes you are, now I remember your name. I’m Megan Wells, it’s nice to meet you Joan.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too. You seem to be a lot nicer than Miss Jenkins.”

“Thanks Joan. If you have any trouble, you can always come to me, okay?”

“Thanks, Miss Wells, I will. I better go to class now or I’ll be late.”

“See you soon, Joan.”

“Bye.” I said and left the room.

“She seems very nice.” Mindy said.

“I agree.” Jen said and Josh nodded.

“Let’s go to our classes, we don’t want to be late.” I said and we went our way.

  

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To be continued....