A Spirited Emergence Episode 16: Surprises by D.L. Copyright  © 2010 D.L. All Rights Reserved. I am handed a new birth certificate and passport in the name Jennifer Alice Dalton.

With Mr Edwards’s permission, I remain in the cheerleaders’ outfit for the rest of the morning. I could have gone home for the remainder of the day, but declined the offer. I am given a note to explain my appearance to the teachers. It doesn’t take long for the grapevine to spread word of my attack through the school.

There are a number of students doing double takes when they see me in the common room at break. Instead of trying to hide, I deliberately sit myself in a prominent position, making sure to sweep my skirt under me and sit with my legs together.

At the beginning of the lunch period, I go to see Mr Edwards. Given the commotion caused by my outward change of gender presentation, I ask him if I can remain dressed as a girl. I use the argument that I might as well carry the momentum I have already generated in moving towards a female presentation. He states that he is not happy for me to continue without my father’s permission.

I return to Gloria’s with Susan. I explain to her my sudden adoption of another name. When we return to school for the afternoon I am again dressed in my usual attire. The rest of the afternoon runs smoothly. At the end of the school day, I decide I don’t want to run the risk of being followed or attacked outside school. I still need to get my schoolbooks home, so I can’t simply vanish.

I temporarily leave my bag in Susan’s care while I sneak into the boys’ bathroom and end my projection. I have been keeping an eye remotely so I know it’s currently empty. Susan enters the girls’ bathroom and places my bag in an empty cubicle while nobody is looking. I immediately appear in the stall, as Jennifer, and emerge. I head to the bike sheds leaving Susan behind. We act as if we are strangers in case Susan is being watched.

In case Susan is followed, she is going straight home instead of to my location. I watch her ride off safely then proceed to walk to Gloria’s house. As nobody knows who I am, I can safely proceed without fear of being attacked. I have left my bike at Gloria’s this morning and walked the rest of the way. By varying my normal routine, I hope to avoid attention. In addition, it simply allows me to vanish if the need arises and I won’t be stuck trying to collect my bike to get home.

That evening I relate the day’s events to my father. He isn’t pleased that I have been attacked again. On one hand, I simply want to give up being David and get on with my new life as Jennifer. On the other hand, I don’t want David to disappear suddenly, effectively letting them win by driving me out of school. Until my legal identity is sorted out, I can’t do much anyway.

The next day passes without incident. I cycle to Gloria’s in the morning, change into David and cycle to school. I disappear at break and lunch and then cycle back to Gloria’s after school. I am careful to make sure I’m not being followed by cycling round in circles a few times before heading to Gloria’s house. I don’t want to bring trouble back with me. I then cycle home and meet up with Susan to do homework.

There is a definite tension in the air. I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable attending school as David. While Mr Turner sorts out my legal identity I still have no option other than to continue. Given that three students have just been expelled from school, and the teachers are keeping a close eye on me, nobody wants to run the risk of being openly hostile to me in school.

On Thursday evening Mr Turner comes to visit. He has several surprises for us.

Firstly, the results are back from my DNA tests. My DNA has changed from XY to XX, but I am still identifiable as being a direct descendant of my father. I am effectively my own sister, genetically, even if I don’t look like anybody in my immediate family. Red hair has previously appeared in my ancestors. I know that one of my great grandfathers, Isaac, had been nicknamed ‘reddun’ after his fiery red beard.

The second surprise is that I now have an entirely new legal identity. I am handed a birth certificate and passport in the name of Jennifer Alice Dalton. Mr Turner has used my mother’s maiden name as my surname so that there is no connection with my former identity.

“I know we were going to try to get the courts to change your birth certificate,” Mr Turner explains, “However, I have found an alternative method that may work out better in the long run. I have a few connections with people in witness protection and the associated creation of new identities. The Department of Homeland Security has recently drafted a new classified procedure for fast-tracking replacement identities.”

“Is this legal and above board?” my father asks with concern, “We’re not going to get a visit from Federal Agents are we?”

“Don’t worry, the only person who knows about the identity is the person who created it, and they are more likely to get a visit than us,” Mr Turner states. “The person in the Records Office is a friend of mine, and he owed me a few favours. He gave me the form to fill in. I only had to fill in the new identity information, not provide any detail about your current identity. He then took the form and slipped it in amongst a batch of others also being processed at the same time. Apparently, these are becoming quite frequent. Once created, he then intercepted the documents as they were being sent back out, removing your new credentials from the pile and giving them to me.”

“Sounds dodgy,” I reply.

“Yes and no. Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t know of the form’s existence. The form is submitted and then countersigned and approved by a senior figure. I submitted the request without that information being filled in. My contact then processed the form and somehow made it look like it had the correct approval, I didn’t ask how. He assures me that there will be no repercussions.”

The new Jennifer is currently an orphan and ward of state. The final pieces of paperwork are adoption papers to be signed by my father. Once filed, he will legally be my next of kin again.

Also included in the new identity is a blank school transcript that can be filled in to match my existing one, so that I can enrol at school again.

After much discussion, we come up with a workable plan.

As David, I will try to provoke another attack. Considering the number of incidents against me, I don’t think that will be hard. This will be the last straw and we can use it as an excuse to withdraw me from school on safety grounds. David will then be going to boarding school where he can make a fresh start as a girl.

Mr Turner has been working closely with the police as part of a task force dealing with bigotry and racism. There is a secret white supremacist cult operating in the area, a cross between the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazi party. They have been stirring up trouble in the area and there may be links with the hostility I have been experiencing. As I am relatively safe while projecting, I can possibly draw out those who are involved so that they can be brought to justice.

Jennifer, having recently been orphaned, will be adopted by my father as her closest living relative. We will soon have the paperwork to prove that. She will be arriving in a week’s time after the affairs of her parents are sorted out. Jennifer will have a double funeral to attend.

There is a slight risk of people correctly assuming David and Jennifer are the same person. Especially if one disappears and is immediately replaced by the other. Given the physical differences, this is unlikely. David was short, fat, and had black hair, where as Jenny is taller, thinner, and has red hair. As Jenny, I also have a paler skin tone and prominent freckles. I have a few ideas of how to have David and Jenny seen together. It will be tricky to stage, but potentially worth the effort.

The important thing will be to convince the school. The students should be convinced once I am seen naked in the showers after gym class. If my guess is correct about when my period is due then there might be the possibility of discovering menstrual blood while changing, an added bonus that would certainly convince them that I’m female. As I was still using the boys’ facilities until a few weeks ago, I think that there is no doubt that David is male. I have been seen naked often enough in the communal showers.

We put our plan into action Friday morning. My father phones the school as soon as the office opens and makes an appointment to see the Principal and Mr Francis during our lunchtime. I then proceed to school as normal, heading to Gloria’s and projecting myself the rest of the way.

I am changing the presentation of my male projection. Up until now, except for when forced into the cheerleaders outfit, I have stayed just on the masculine side of androgynous, but today I am crossing the line. Instead of my usual boy ponytail at the base of my neck, I have let my hair down and styled it in a girls bob cut. I have curled the ends inward and used a centre parting. I have combed my hair forward over my forehead so that I have a straight fringe half an inch above my eyebrows. Again, I have added a slight curl to give me the classic bangs look. I have once more applied makeup and nail polish, to give myself a feminine appearance.

This will be the second time I have appeared at school as a girl. The first time was against my will, having been forced to change clothes after being attacked. This time I am doing so by choice. I’m not dressed as a cheerleader. Instead, I am following the normal school dress code for girls. I am wearing a white blouse and navy blue skirt, the same as many of the girls, although a lot prefer to take the option of wearing blue or black pants instead.

I am deliberately provoking a reaction. The effect of my clothes, hair, feminine mannerisms, and speech inflection, is pushing the gender balance way over the line.

I time my entrance to perfection, arriving in my homeroom just as the bell rings for registration. Most of the people in the room are staring at me, but I simply ignore them as I take my seat next to Susan, sweeping my skirt under me, keeping my knees together, and crossing my legs at my ankles. There are one or two comments, but these are soon stopped by Mr Francis calling for silence.

The first two lessons of the day go smoothly. I’m given some nasty looks and there are some insults shouted at me while moving between classes. During lessons, the teachers keep the students under control, so nothing is said to me.

At break time, I don’t do my usual disappearing trick. I briefly take a break from projection while locked in the disabled loo so that I can use the toilet, but apart from that, I remain highly visible. My friends and I sit in the common room discussing makeup and fashion. Susan has quietly clued them in as to why I am acting overly girlish, to provoke a response. They help by keeping the discussion as girly as possible and calling me Daphne instead of David. I am making sure that my mannerisms and body language are exceedingly feminine, exaggerating my naturally effeminate behaviour.

I expect that by the end of the day my status as a transsexual will be common knowledge. There are already plenty of rumours circulating about me, and all I am doing is confirming them.

It would appear that nobody is going to challenge me while I’m in a crowd. I expect to be confronted later in the day.

The third lesson of the day goes as expected, the teacher making sure that there is no open abuse aimed in my direction.

At lunch, it is time to put my next bit of subterfuge in place. With Susan providing cover, I vanish back to Gloria’s, where my father is waiting for me to wake up. We drive to the school and report to reception. I take a seat and position myself so that I can project while still appearing to be awake and alert. I have been practicing body control while projecting. I still can’t move around, but I can maintain a pose. Instead of appearing asleep, I now appear to be in a trance.

I project myself back into the school as Daphne and find Mr Francis as he is heading to reception. I walk slightly ahead of him and disappear into the disabled bathroom. He passes me as I enter and he goes into the back of the school office, past where my father is sitting with my real self.

Mr Edwards then comes out to greet my father. I choose this moment to emerge from the toilet and interrupt them.

“Hi Daddy, hi Jenny,” I call as I pass.

“Don’t forget you have a dentist’s appointment after school,” my father replies.

“I haven’t forgotten,” I respond as I disappear down the corridor.

The waiting area for the school office is in full view of the canteen, through a set of glass doors. I know that the whole spectacle has been viewed by a number of opponents. In one stroke, I have just successfully appeared in two places at the same time while also revealing that I won’t be going straight home when school finishes.

Once I am out of sight, I quickly return to my body sitting in the reception. I move my head, indicating to my father that I have ended my projection.

“I would like to introduce you to my niece,” my father motions in my direction as I stand up. “This is Jennifer Dalton.”

I shake hands with Mr Edwards.

“She is the reason why I asked to see you,” my father tells the Principal. We then proceed into his office where Mr Francis is waiting. I am introduced to Mr Francis as well before we all take seats.

My father then explains further, “Jennifer has recently lost her parents, and as her nearest living relative, I am adopting her as my daughter. I would like her to attend this school with David and Susan. I have the paperwork here.”

My father presents them with the documentation, including a copy of the adoption certificate and my new school transcript. “We still have some matters to settle, but hopefully Jennifer will be available to return to school sometime next week, if you have a place for her?”

The Principal takes the records and looks through them.

“We can potentially fit Jennifer in. Do I take it your preference would be that she has a similar schedule to David and Susan?” he asks.

My father confirms that we are hoping this will be possible.

“They will be the only people here I know,” I add, “It would help me adjust for them to be close.” I dab my eyes with a tissue. I am acting upset at being an orphan.

“We will get back to you and let you know, may I take copies of this paperwork?” Mr Edwards asks.

My father agrees, and after clarifying some details, the meeting ends.

We leave the school and my father drops me at Gloria’s house. After grabbing a bite to eat I return to the school to stir up some more trouble. Stephanie and friends are still doing the blocking routine whenever I get near an entrance to a girl-only zone, such as the toilets or changing rooms. I deliberately walk close to the doors to provoke them, diverting in a different direction at the last minute and grinning inanely at them.

Nothing happens during the lunch break, but I can tell that there are a number of students unhappy with my presence. I make sure it’s overheard that I will be travelling home alone tonight, as I will be heading into town to the dentist rather than home with Susan or any of my friends. I am setting up a perfect opportunity to be attacked.

The first lesson after lunch is gym. The rest of my class heads off to get changed. I joke with the girls that I should perhaps come with them, but I don’t actually try. Instead, I head off to the Library to study.

Nobody disturbs me in the library this week. I take the opportunity to wire myself up with a small hidden camera and microphone, which Mr Turner has provided. The idea is that these will collect evidence. I am to stay in sight of the town’s CCTV system. Mr Turner is arranging for me to be monitored. I have a panic button that will summon the police, who have promised to be waiting nearby.

After the final lesson of the day, I deliberately hang around the bike sheds while my friends reluctantly leave. Susan leaves by bicycle, Mary on a bus, and Tracy by car. Tracy is again collected by her brother, much to her annoyance. I then slowly ride out of the school grounds and to the nearby park. There I sit in full view in the entrance and wait to see if anything happens.

There are a number of students hanging around, but they are all avoiding me for the moment. I decide to walk through the park with my bike. This should make me an easier target. It’s not long before I realise I am being followed. I can see behind me with my remote vision, so know what is going on. Terry, Mike and Ben who I humiliated last week, and Stephanie with two of her friends, Cherry and Britney, are following at a distance. I am impressed. If all six are working together then this must be a major achievement in teamwork. I find a secluded park bench and sit down. I wait for them to try to sneak round the back of me and surround me.

“I know you’re there, why don’t you simply come out and face me,” I call out, “It’s time to put up or shut up. I am a girl now, if you have issues with that then this is your opportunity to do something about it, otherwise leave me alone.” I lie down on the bench with my hands behind my head, looking directly upwards.

Mike comes at me with a baseball bat, swinging it for my stomach and shouting insults. I see it coming and catch the bat in my hands, and then shove it sideways so that its handle connects with his stomach. He lets go of the bat, staggering backwards, winded.

I spring to my feet as Ben and Terry come at me from opposite directions. I jump over Mike, who is now curled up in a ball in front of me. I let the other two collide with one another and fall to the ground.

Stephanie now comes at me. However, she tries to employ brains rather than brawn, and deploys her pepper spray against me. While it has no effect on me, Stephanie isn’t as lucky and is incapacitated when she accidentally gets some in her own face.

Britney comes from my side and tries to land a punch on my face, thinking I’m blinded. Instead, I grab her fist and deflect it, while at the same time twisting her arm, so that it spins her round and she ends up with her arm behind her back, her wrist touching her neck. I shove her forwards and she falls to the ground. As I do so, Cherry comes at me from behind and attempts to punch me in the back. I see this coming and brace for the impact. Instead of hitting the soft skin of my back, Cherry’s fist strikes the hard steel plate of the body armour I have projected under my clothes, hidden from view.

Cherry stumbles away with a badly damaged hand, crying out in pain from her injury.

It’s only taken a few seconds, but I have successfully disarmed and disabled six opponents. I run forwards a couple of feet and turn back towards my attackers. Cherry and Stephanie are still incapacitated, however the other four are returning to their feet.

“You lot are going to have to do better than that to intimidate me,” I shout at them as they start to lunge towards me. I sprint to the side and wall-run up a tree trunk, grabbing a branch about seven feet in the air, and pulling myself up into the canopy.

While not physically impossible, the manoeuvre I have just performed is highly improbable and would take the skills of an advanced parkour practitioner to pull off.

“How did he do that?” Terry asks.

“Come on down Daisy, you can’t stay up there forever,” Mike calls.

Ben picks my bike up. It still has my school bag on it. I will need to retrieve my belongings in a minute.

“You lot couldn’t catch a cold in the Arctic,” I call out to them, “and my name is Daphne, not Daisy. I gave you a prime opportunity, and you still failed. Ben, get off my bike. Now do I have to come down there and kick your asses a second time, or are you going to accept my choice of living as a girl and leave me alone?”

I jump down out of the tree and land in front of them as Mike retrieves his bat from where it was dropped earlier. They spread out in a semi-circle a few feet in front of me. This time they wait for me to make the first move.

Suddenly I feel something hit me just above my collar on my right side. I touch the area with my hand and find something sticking out. I use my remote vision to examine the object. A knife is embedded in my neck.