Big Trouble!

-by Lynceus

Dr. Damon Zeul was only trying to create something that would benefit mankind. Little did he realize his work was really going to benefit Lex Luthor! Shot and left for dead, he recovers, only to discover his life would never be the same again.

Part of the Comics Retcon Universe: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/20577/comics-retcon-universe

Chapter One: The Good Doctor

I met Professor Amy Zhan at a scientific conference in Geneva. I'd heard of her, of course; her feminist ideas had made her more than a little controversial. I don't think it's fair to say Amy hates men, really. All her life, she had to work twice as hard to be recognized for her genius, all because she's a woman.

“Men,” she would say, “are used to getting their way because they are larger and stronger than women. The ideal woman is meek and supportive of a man, while a woman who stands up for herself is treated like some kind of social deviant.”

On some level, I could relate. You see, I was born with a curse. A congenital defect, if you will. Fully grown, I had the height and physique of an eleven year-old girl, despite being functionally male. All my life, I'd been bullied and underestimated because of my condition. I think that's how Amy and I were able to become friends.

Now granted, at 29 I no longer had that youthful glow to my features, so after their initial first impression, that I was a child, people assumed I was just a very petite woman. Maybe life would have been easier if I was a woman, but the thought of undergoing massive surgery just to become a facsimile of a female didn't appeal to me.

Certainly, my parents hadn't liked the idea very much, even though the doctors had often suggested it. Growth hormones and testosterone treatments hadn't done me very much good. Curiously enough, it was my desire to understand why I was different, that led me to become a scientist in the first place, earning a doctorate in both genetics and biochemistry.

Perhaps I couldn't undo my own genetic damage, but I could help others.

Amy had been asked to speak about her work on mitochondria and hormone therapy. She was convinced that any human could be granted superior strength, that the power was already inside us, we just needed the right key to unlock the door.

It sounded like something out of a comic book, but I remember a time in my life when I wished to be stronger. So, after her lecture, I went up to her and introduced myself. I remember her blinking at me with some confusion when I told her my name.

But then her eyes widened. “Of course, Dr. Zeul, my apologies, I was greatly impressed with your paper on endocrine therapy. I admit, you aren't how I imagined you.”

I smiled ruefully. “I get that a lot.”

“Well let me make it up to you, I'm tired of talking to these dried-up fossils and their inability to open their minds to anything new. Perhaps we could meet later and have our own conference?”

I jumped at the chance. I mean, this was someone I considered a genius in her field, and, even if she was a good eight years older than I was, Amy Zhan was a stunningly beautiful woman. For obvious reasons, women don't express much interest in me.

And it's not because I'm ugly. Quite the opposite. I'm cute. As a cruel joke during college, I remember how some other students passed around this edited photo of myself, wearing a pink dress. All the women on campus would go on about how adorable I was.

That was far from the worst moment of my life, however. I don't know how I consistently find the ability to move ahead, to survive what the world throws at me. Many times, I wished I could just give in, accept my fate. But no matter how many times I get knocked down, something inside me says 'get back up', and I do.

We ended up having dinner at Amy's hotel room. She seemed fascinated by my medical condition. It's often misdiagnosed, because it's very similar to other conditions. I was most likely the world's leading expert on it. The only other sufferer I knew of was a former child actress, Mary Louise Dahl. Previously, she'd been diagnosed with systemic hypoplasia, which occasionally had similar symptoms, but I digress.

“Damon, I think you're exactly the person I need to help me with my project. My previous assistant, Dr. Taylor, recently got married, the poor thing. I want you to replace her.”

Well, how could I turn down an offer like that? Dr. Zhan had her own lab not far from Phoenix, Arizona. It wasn't very large, about the size of a small warehouse, really, but she was well-funded. Of course, I was too foolish to ask how she was funded.

We got to be good friends, and we were making headway on the formula I called Herakles. You see, it wasn't enough to coax momentary strength out of the human body. What we intended to do was alter someone's biochemistry so that they would permanently gain enhanced strength. The benefits would be incredible. I imagined curing people with muscular dystrophy, or weak hearts.

And yes, I had fantasies about growing taller and stronger myself, but, back then, I was motivated more to help my fellow man. I was hopelessly naieve.

We'd done all the testing we could on animals, but let me tell you, getting approval for human testing is a bureaucratic nightmare. No wonder mad scientists always kidnap victims and experiment on them; it's cheaper and easier than doing things the legal way! It was around this time that Amy became very secretive. I'd find her working at odd hours, but she'd never tell me what she was up to. We had our final version of Herakles, so what could she be doing?

I prayed she wasn't using herself as a guinea pig.

-

Things came to a head late one night. There was something different about her. I couldn't put my finger on it at first. And then I noticed that she was wearing flats instead of heels. But she wasn't any shorter!

So I confronted her. “Amy, I'd like to think we're friends. You know I support this project 100%. But you've been testing it on yourself, haven't you?”

She tried to deny it, but I pointed out my evidence, and she broke down. “I'm sorry, Damon. I know it's wrong, and dangerous...but I've waited so long, to be able to feel powerful. And it's working! I've grown three inches in height!”

“Amy, you're 37. Think about this! You should have been done growing years ago!”

“I know! I haven't felt this good in years, it's like, hm, almost like going through puberty a second time!”

“Your body can't handle that kind of stress, we didn't design Herakles to do that!” I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

“It's not Herakles, Damon, but my own formula, based on the Herakles research. I call it Athena.”

I got angry, which I seldom do. I swore at her, I broke things, but she seemed more amused than anything. To her, I was a child throwing a tantrum. So I told her I was leaving.

But while I was packing my things, I heard the sound of voices coming from the lab. And equipment being broken! I slipped in, to find two armed individuals, a man and a woman, holding the Professor at gunpoint! I couldn't tell if they were government agents or not, but they were demanding she hand over Herakles.

And then it finally occurred to me what sort of deal with the Devil she must have made to afford all of this. They would use Herakles as a weapon, and I couldn't have that! I made my way to the vault. I'd rather destroy it than let it be misused.

I was almost done when they came in. Amy looked like Hell, they'd obviously beaten her. Bastards! I managed to start the fire that would destroy what they came to steal. Angry, they shot us both, and left us to die in the blaze.

“...damon...i'm sorry. Please...forgive...” Those were Amy Zhan's last words.

I lay there, in a pool of my own blood, a fire growing around me, and waited to die. The contents of a large beaker were spilling on my body. I wasn't sure what it was, but really, what was the worst thing it could do...

I passed out.

Chapter Two: Metamorphosis

I awoke in a hospital. That rather surprised me; I really should be dead. And, in fact, I was bandaged up like a small mummy, most of my body had been burned badly. Apparently, somehow, I'd managed to crawl out of the lab, and they'd found me outside. I didn't remember any of it.

Initially, the doctors thought I would need skin grafts, but as the days went on, they revised their opinions; I was recuperating at a miraculous rate. I had my suspicions, of course. I'd been exposed to God only knows what kind of chemicals, and there was a chance that even Herakles could stimulate the body's ability to heal. Let alone the mystery formula, Athena.

In the end, I forced them to release me, and I went home. Everything was a blur. Amy was dead, our research destroyed. And somewhere, there were people who considered me a loose end. I would have to leave, and soon.

But I was too weak to do more than rest. I spent the day on the couch, in front of the television, idly snacking on fruit and drinking a lot of juice. I'm not sure when I finally passed out, but I woke up later that night. There was a pressure in my bladder, and I felt very strange. I made my way to the bathroom, and relieved myself. And then I threw up.

Something was terribly wrong, I felt like my insides were being scrambled! I doubled over in pain, and lost my balance, cracking my head on the porcelain sink. And...blackness.

-

When I finally came to, light was streaming through the bathroom window. I had the Mother of all headaches, and I felt ravenously hungry. I staggered to the kitchen, and gorged myself on anything I could find. I'd always been a finicky eater, but I felt like I couldn't get enough food! I took a shower and crawled into bed after my feast, feeling suddenly very tired.

When next my eyes opened, I knew immediately that something wasn't right. I sat up in bed, and a lock of henna red hair fell down over my eyes. The kind of red you only find in a bottle. Since my hair is a sort of mousy brown, which I keep neatly trimmed, this struck me as very odd.

My pajamas were torn, the arms and legs split along the seams. I had grown, and considerably. I'm a scientist, I don't deny facts, especially when they're right in front of me. Looking down at my chest, I saw the fabric of my shirt was straining to contain two well-formed globes of soft flesh.

I removed my shirt, and found that I now had a pair of unusually perky C-cup breasts. I touched them, and found they were quite sensitive; the nipples hardened at a touch, and I felt an alien pressure in my groin.

I got out of bed and tried to remove my pajama bottoms, which were very tight, uncomfortably so. They wouldn't budge, and I felt very annoyed. And then, without meaning to, I ripped them off my shapely legs.

Yes, shapely legs. And wide hips. A narrow waist. And between my legs, my genitals were conspicuously absent, instead, I had a vaginal-looking slit. I slid a hand down there, and probed the opening with my fingertips. The sensation was...incredible. I'd never felt anything like it.

I was a woman. A fully functional female. I tried to remain rational. I was a lot taller, and I went to the bathroom to get a good look at myself. I gasped. Simply put, I was a Goddess. Medium-length dark red hair, and a stunning figure. My blue eyes had turned an exotic shade of green, and my formerly cute features had become quite attractive. For a female, at least.

And I looked so young! I mean, yes, I'd always looked far younger than my actual age, but my skin was so soft and smooth, with that youthful glow about it that I'd lost years ago. I looked like a sixteen year-old girl!

A healthy one, at that. I could feel the muscles under the skin, they were quite firm, as if I'd traded bodies with a young woman who was serious about keeping herself fit, and yet still feminine. “So this is Athena. Amazing.”

I gaped. That was my voice? It sounded so mature, even...sexy! I giggled, despite myself. I started to say anything that came to mind, just to hear my new voice!

And did I mention I was tall? After finding my tape measure, I was quite astounded to find I'd grown well over a foot in height! I couldn't get enough of my new body, I kept looking at myself in the mirror. I was strong and beautiful!

Yes, granted, it had cost me my manhood, which I found I did miss. But everything else was like my wildest dreams come true! Of course, my logical mind eventually took over. I had no clothing that would fit me, and no way of proving my identity. I, simply put, didn't exist, from a legal standpoint. And there were people who would take advantage of that fact.

I considered my options, and packed the things I'd need if I was going to run. I'd have to steal clothing from somewhere; until then, I'd wait until nightfall and try to stick to the shadows to hide my nakedness. I didn't feel self-conscious in the least, but I needed to avoid attention.

Plus, the last thing I needed was to attract the attention of a rapist. I couldn't live through that again.

When I was in college, I'd been assaulted by someone who hadn't realized my actual gender. Of course, when he found out, he simply beat me into unconsciousness. I'd seriously considered suicide after that. I felt so ashamed, it was as if I couldn't get clean. And the feeling of total helplessness...I'd give anything to make it go away.

Even now, it haunted me. I couldn't, wouldn't, allow it to happen.

-

Of course, you know what they say about the best-laid plans. Mine went up in smoke when they kicked my door off it's hinges. On instinct, I hid behind my couch as a man forced his way into my home; I recognized him as being one of the two people who had shot both Amy and myself. He quickly moved from room to room, drawing his firearm.

I should have tried to run. But something inside me snapped. Whoever he was, he was responsible for killing my friend. Destroying my life. I felt a heat building up within me. It felt so amazingly good, I don't know how to describe it. I felt strong. Powerful. Invincible.

The floor creaked underneath me, and I realized the couch was no longer able to hide me, even though I was crouching behind it. I was...growing! I gasped, and the man came into the room, his eyes widening in surprise.

I threw the couch at him. I mean, I literally rose, grabbed it, and hurled it in his direction! It hit him dead on, and he went down. I stood to my full height, my head only a few inches from the ceiling, which meant I had to be close to 8' tall! I felt giddy, and a smile formed on my face. This...was...incredible!

I moved towards the man, feeling like a predatory cat stalking her prey. He was struggling to get out from under the couch. I put a foot on the couch and pressed down. The floor creaked under my weight, which was no doubt quite considerable. The man screamed. I was able to keep him pinned effortlessly; my strength had increased exponentially along with my growth spurt.

“Who are you?” My voice sounded deeper, stronger.

“Ah...I'll...never...” He gasped.

Angry, I pushed the couch aside and grabbed him by the neck, holding him off the floor with one arm. “Tell me! Who are you, who do you work for?!”

“I...Luthor..” And he passed out.

Luthor? As in Lex Luthor? I searched his body, taking his wallet before I tossed him aside. He hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. For all I know, I'd killed him. And I didn't care.

According to his driver's license, his name was Richard McGuire. He had a LexCorp keycard and several credit cards. I decided to keep the wallet. It was stuffed with bills, and I was going to need all the money I could get.

As I calmed down, I started to shrink. It was a fascinating process. Where did the extra mass come from? Where did it go? How large could I become? Could I shrink? But now wasn't the time to ask those questions.

Richard wasn't dead, but he wasn't going anywhere. I stripped him of this clothes; he was taller than I was now, so they hung on me loosely, but it was better than being naked! I took his shoes as well, and punched him in the jaw for good measure.

The last thing I did before leaving was to call the police. Maybe they'd arrest him. Would serve him right.

Chapter Three: Survival

Without the pin numbers, I wasn't sure what to do with the credit cards, so I ditched them. I had considered stealing Mr. McGuire's car, but in my old life, I was several inches below 5' in height; there hadn't been much point in learning to drive.

So I was stuck walking. Luckily, there was a K-Mart not far away from where I lived, and I was able to find clothing that fit me better, so I was able to discard Richard's clothing. I was no petite flower, being just shy of 5' 11”, but for the first time in my life, when people stared at me, I didn't feel freakish. Having men stare at me with lust in their eyes was a new, if not surprising thing. I actually found I liked the attention, even though I was far from comfortable with the idea of having sex with a man. What was surprising, however, was the lustful stares I got from women! Not all women, of course, but more than I would have expected.

I giggled thinking about it. Even the girls want me!

I was tempted to go without a bra; my breasts didn't seem to require any support, but then again, I hadn't been a woman for very long. I didn't know much about brassieres, really. I knew that getting one that fit correctly was important, so I tried several until I found one that felt right. I was only guessing as to my cup size, but I wasn't overly large.

I'm going to admit to something now. I love my breasts. I love having them. I love the way they feel, and I love touching them. As a former male, I probably shouldn't have these feelings, but I don't care. What I'd love most is to have another woman touch them. I caught myself fantasizing about lesbian sex more than once.

Amy hadn't lied about the 'second puberty'! Not that I'd really had much of a first one. I felt like I was making up for lost time; I literally had sex on the brain! I had to force myself to stay calm. This wasn't the time, nor the place.

I walked out of the store with several new sets of clothing that didn't look half bad, considering where I'd gotten them. Wearing panties for the first time felt decidedly odd, but in a good way. I liked the feel of them, even though I felt very naughty for some reason.

Of course, I was going to have to learn how my body's ability to grow in size worked; this isn't like the comic books, where even damaged clothing manages to cover the naughty bits. If I grew again, I'd tear anything I was wearing apart, rendering me into a giant nude girl!

I hired a cab to take me to the other side of town, where I got a hotel room. I felt exhausted. I took a shower, and fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I had some very erotic dreams, and I woke up with a burning need in my groin. And my feet hanging over the edge of the bed. I'd grown in my sleep! I knew, in theory, how a woman's body worked, so it wasn't long before I was teasing my breast with one hand, and pushing the fingers of my other hand into my pussy.

I had a pussy. Even as I fumbled at trying to give myself an orgasm, I couldn't stop giggling. It was so ludicrous! I don't even know how the gender change was achieved, since I'd been unconscious when it had occurred. My vagina was hairless, like a young girl's, so I somehow doubted that my sex organs had somehow retracted into my body. So what had happened?

I hadn't woken up with any extra bits of me laying around, that was certain. Not that I really understood how I'd gained the mass to grow in the first place. Yes, Herakles could stimulate muscle growth, but this was impossible!

I finally gave up trying to find release, as it was starting to hurt. I felt so frustrated! I assumed the lotus position, and calmed myself, trying to find my center. I imagined the entirety of my being collapsing into a ball, and the ball shrinking.

Slowly, I calmed down, and when I opened my eyes, I had shrunk to what passed for my default height. I wasn't convinced that I couldn't become smaller, but until it happened, I had no real evidence to indicate that I could shrink. Logic would say it was impossible, but my condition had long since passed beyond improbable.

I cleaned myself up and checked out of the hotel, and took the first bus out of town. I had no destination in mind. I just wanted to get far, far away.

Which is how I eventually ended up in St. Louis. I'd never been here before, and I could tell there were areas of the city I would want to avoid. I was able to get a decent hotel room, but my money wasn't going to last forever. And I wasn't sure how to get more. I had no identification, so getting a job would be hard.

The idea of selling my body crossed my mind, but I immediately squashed it. I wasn't that desperate! Plus, what was the point of having a second chance at life, if you get pregnant or infected with a disease or something in the first week?

That really only left one possibility; I was going to have to steal what I needed. I felt strangely comfortable with the idea, the question was, how?

I hit upon the solution quite by accident, as I walked around town. I noticed I was being followed by several men. I grinned, thinking that if they were going to try and mug me...or worse, they were in for a very big surprise.

I turned into an alley, and slowed my pace, so that they could easily catch up with me. I couldn't stop smiling as they spoke, trying to threaten me. One of them even got out a knife and cut my blouse open!

It was then that the sense of righteous anger welled up within me. And I didn't hold back. It felt great to really let loose!

Afterwards, I stood naked over their unconscious bodies. I'd gotten even bigger this time, somewhere close to 11' tall! Everything looked so tiny to me, I felt like some all-powerful deity. And I loved it!

Good thing that I had some spare clothing in my bag! I had to wait to calm down before I could fit in it, of course. I took the wallets of my attackers, and left the alley. I stopped at a diner up the street, and spread out my haul on the table. Not bad, I'd doubled my money!

So that was one way to make some quick cash. Still, next time, I'd remember to take off my shoes first.

-

Clothing was going to be a problem for me; every time I grew, I destroyed whatever I was wearing. And my powers were basically the only thing keeping me from starving or having to live on the street. I needed to start wearing as little as possible, and invest in clothing I could take off quickly. In the comics, there's always some genius who can make clothing that magically expands or contracts, and is practically indestructible.

Unfortunately, up until now, there likely wasn't a need. I was the first of my kind. And likely the last, but you never know. I no longer lifed in a rational world.

I came across some drug dealers, and decided to shake them down for some money. I hadn't really thought the plan through; I'd convinced myself that I was indestructible. I just got shot at for my trouble! But I did learn a something new. When I grow, my skin becomes much tougher; though it hurt like hell to be shot, the bullet failed to penetrate my skin!

The implications were quite clear; as I got larger, I became exponentially denser as well as stronger. I just hoped both traits followed the same curve, or I could potentially become so big I couldn't move!

I learned something else from this experience, however. Criminals are criminals because they don't have enough money. Crime, quite literally, wasn't paying a high enough dividend for the risks I was taking. I needed to find another way.

There are, I realized, super powers that are awesome, but at the same time, impractical. Mine was quickly looking that way. So I got on another bus, and put St. Louis behind me, while I tried to think.

The real problem with my powers is that they make me highly visible. I mean, let's say I could become big enough to walk off with an armored car. How could I hope to escape? The last thing I wanted was to become publicly known, or worse, captured.

I started staring out the window, hoping that something would inspire me. I got my wish, but not in the way I had expected.

Chapter Four: Love Changes Everything

“Excuse me.” I turned, and found myself facing a girl of perhaps 15. She was on the petite side, I guessed her height to be 5', 5' 1” tops (I later found out I was off by about half an inch). She had short black hair with long bangs, pale skin, and wore black. All black. Her ears were pierced multiple times, and she wore a lot of silver jewelry; ankhs, pentagrams, that sort of thing.

Basically, she was a Goth. And a hauntingly beautiful one, at that. “Oh...uh, hi.”

She smiled at me. “Is this seat taken? There's nobody else interesting to talk to, and it's going to be a long ride.”

“No, um, not at all, please.” I moved my things off of the seat and onto the floor. She sat down, and I marveled at the difference in our heights. Once upon a time, even this girl would have been considerably taller than myself; now, I felt like a giant next to her!

“I'm Eva.” She held out her hand. She had a ring on each finger, and multiple bracelets. I shook her hand in greeting.

“I'm Doris.” I know, it was lame, but I hadn't really thought of a better name.

“Good to meet you. So where are you going?”
“I really don't know. Just...as far as I can get.”

She nodded. “I thought so. I could tell just by looking at you that you were running away from something. Parents?”

“Ah...no, not like that. It's complicated.”

“Yeah, same here.”

We got to talking, and I found that I really enjoyed Eva's company. She was bright, witty, and charming, in her own unique way. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind at all. I think Dr. Zhan would have liked her a great deal.

At some point, she dozed off; the poor thing looked exhausted. I was very tempted to reach over and stroke her hair. Asleep, she looked like an angel. Then I considered the fact that she was likely half my age, and I forced myself to look away.

And that's when she leaned against me in her sleep. It was nothing more than simple physical contact, but it made me realize how long I'd been alone. I felt strangely protective towards her, and I tried not to disturb her rest. I just...watched her sleep. I know that sounds creepy, and perhaps it is.

But there was an innocent sort of intimacy to the whole experience, and I didn't want it to end. Of course, that wasn't going to happen; we pulled into the bus station in Springfield, and she woke instantly, and sat up straight. “Sorry! Why didn't you wake me?”

“I..I didn't mind.” I looked away so she wouldn't see my blush.

“Well, time to find someplace I can rest for a few hours. It was good meeting you, Doris.”

I didn't want her to go! “Uh..I was thinking to get a hotel room...you could stay with me?”

She frowned. I could tell she was debating it. “I'll pay half.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “You may have some cash now, but it goes quick. I won't mooch off of you.”

“Oh. Ok.”

We walked together towards a hotel in silence for a few minutes. “Ah, look, I'm sorry if I came off as a bitch. I'm just not used to people being nice. I do feel a lot safer with you though. Must be because you're so darned tall!”

“Ah, yeah. I wasn't always this tall, you know. It wasn't that long ago, I was shorter than you are.”

“Bullshit, you're putting me on!”

I shook my head. “Honest. I just started to spring up like a weed one day.” I grinned. I wasn't lying to her, that's pretty much how it had happened!

“I wish I had those genes. I'm going to be a shrimp the rest of my life. I hate the way people treat you when you're shorter!”

Could I relate! I started to talk about my experiences, and she knew exactly what I was talking about. It was good to talk with someone, I'd been keeping things bottled up inside me for far too long.

I snuck her in the room after I purchased it.

“Say, this isn't half bad. Are you sure you only paid for half the room?”

I sat on the edge of the bed, blushing. “Uh...sort of?”

She shook her head. “Doris...I appreciate it, but you can't be so generous! People are always going to take advantage of you.”

“Even you?”

“Ah...no. I wouldn't do that to you. But not everyone is as nice as me, got it?”

It was a strange sight, being lectured by someone you had a good eight inches of height on. But I was touched by her concern.

“Anyways, you take the bed, I'll crash on the floor.”

“I know I'm big, but I'm sure we could share the bed.”

She looked at me. “Huh...well, if you don't mind the idea of waking up practically spooning with another girl.”

I so did not mind! “I could think of worse fates.”

She nodded. “True that. Like, I could wake up in the middle of the night, and find out you're a guy, trying to force yourself on me.”

I blinked, and looked down at my breasts. “A guy?”

She laughed. “Hey, they could be fake!” She walked up to me. “Gonna let me check?”

I bit my lower lip. I so wanted her to! Just the thought of her touching my breasts sent a chill down my spine. “Uh...”

“I'm just playing, hon. I can tell they're real. You're lucky, really. You could be stuck with my tiny ass boobs. Hey, I'm going to take a shower, be right back.”

Once she left the room, I lay back on the bed. Oh man, what was I going to do? I was getting more attracted to her by the minute. This had been a bad idea.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, there was a freshly showered girl laying next to me. “Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.”

“It's ok, I should probably undress, if that's ok.” I avoided looking at her.

“Uh. Hon, look at me.”

I did, and I should have regretted it. I didn't. Eva was completely naked! She was a small girl, but she had a very trim figure that I found captivating. I so wanted to run my fingers along her body, feel the muscles under her skin. Her breasts were small, but I wanted to hold them...she had a piercing in her belly button, and she had a tattoo of a black butterfly just above her pubic area, which immediately drew my attention to that region.

I gulped. Oh wow, she was so beautiful!

She raised one eyebrow. “Now either you've never seen a naked girl up close before, or I think you like what you see.”

I turned around, blushing furiously. “I'm sorry!”

“Hon...” She sighed. “Come on, it's just a body. You got one that's way better than mine, there's no reason to freak out.”

“I...it's just...”

“Hey, come on, look at me.”

I turned, and found her kneeling on the bed, facing me. “You're attracted to me, aren't you?”

I slowly nodded. This was it, the moment where she'd call me a freak, and leave, wanting nothing to do with me. I couldn't bear it!

“There's nothing wrong with that. Really, there isn't. I think you're the hottest girl I've ever seen. I mean, as tall as you are, and you're just fucking adorable! I just wanted to give you a hug the minute I saw you on the bus.”

I blinked. “Wait...you think I'm beautiful?”

“Duh! Girl, it blows my mind, how fine you are.” She grinned.

“Oh.” I didn't trust myself to say anything more.

“Let me guess...you've never been with a girl before.”

Well, that wasn't actually true, I wasn't a virgin. Technically, at least, since that was from before I'd become a girl myself! “I...well....”

“Do you want to be with one?”

My jaw dropped. “You...I mean...?”

She laughed. “Oh hon, you're too damn cute! Yes, ok? I want to fuck your damn brains out! We both need it, but you're really bad off. I promise, I'll be gentle.”

“Oh. Ok. Thank you.”

She smirked. “Don't thank me yet.”

-

I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be doing this! But I was. I was laying naked on the bed, with another girl. Who was currently doing things with her tongue to my nipple that made me cry out with need. I'd heard that some girls can be aroused to the point that they beg for sex, but I'd never believed it. Until now.

Because I was begging for it! “Please...I can't take it...”

She reached down and stroked my pubic area with her fingertips. “Aw baby, the foreplay is where it's at! But...this is your first time.”

I shivered, and when she pressed her fingers inside of me, I gasped.

“Jeez, I never figured you'd be so tight! Don't you do this to yourself?

“I..ah..I tried...but...”

“Oh baby...you're a total innocent, aren't you? You mean you don't even know how to jill off right?” She sighed. “I'm going to have to teach you everything.”

Then she grinned down at me. “Don't ask why I'm complaining, this is going to be fun!”

She straddled my waist, her arm behind her, as she thrust in and out, her fingertips curling, finding an area so sensitive that I whimpered when she touched it! How had I missed that?!

“You must have been sheltered. Poor thing. Hell, when I turned 12, my older sister did all of this for me.”

“You...you're sister?” Woah.

She chuckled. “I don't know why people get so uptight about things like that. I mean, the whole reason you want to avoid incest is in case there's kids, right? But come on, we were girls, that wasn't an issue at all. I guess it sounds weird, and I admit, I felt kind of strange about it. Not for long though, that first time you have an orgasm, it changes everything. You'll see.”

I didn't have much to say; I never met a woman who was so chatty during sex. Of course, she was doing all the work at the moment. “Sorry...if this is boring..”

“Boring? Oh hon, I'm far from bored. I have you completely under my control, you have no idea what that's like. To have power over someone bigger than you.”

She took her hands out of my pussy, and I groaned in protest.

“Have some faith, hon, I'm not going to leave you unsatisfied.” She slid down, and pushed my legs apart. Then, she opened me with her fingers and leaned in close. I could feel her hot breath on my skin, inside me.

“Still can't get over how you don't have any hair down here. You don't even have to shave! Lucky bitch...” Her breath as she spoke was doing things to me I couldn't describe. And then, I could feel the tip of her tongue, tracing circles around my opening.

-

I apologize if this is getting explicit. You have to understand, though. This was a whole new world to me! If I had any doubts about whether I was completely female now, they were dispelled in this moment. I guess it's a cliché that women get a lot more enjoyment out of sex. But if you have the right lover, it's all true!

And she was right. My first orgasm as a female did change everything. I lay there, waves of pleasure radiating throughout my body as she held me. But then she gasped. “What the hell...what's happening to you?”

I wanted to cry. I was helpless, my body wracked with pleasure. I was growing, and somehow, that brought about a second orgasm! I felt Eva move away, getting off the bed as I grew in size. I managed to sit up, grabbing the blanket and covering myself with it.

“Go on. Run! Scream...call me a freak, a monster, I don't care!” I shuddered, my emotions so raw I felt physically hurt, even as the pleasure began to fade.

“I...but how...”

I wrapped the blanket around me as best I could, curling up into a ball. As if, by force of will, I could shrink myself. But it didn't work like that. I needed to be calm, and I was anything but.

“Hey. Hey!” I felt her had touch my body. “Hon, you gotta talk to me, what's going on?”

“I'm a freak! I've always been one, I'm one now, I always will be one! Just..go away...”

Her fingers twined in my hair, and she pulled. Ow shit, that hurt!

“Stop being emo and get over yourself! I don't know what the hell is going on, but you are not a freak. You're a fucking Goddess!”

She relented, and I turned to face her. “You..aren't afraid?”

“Only that you're going to fucking cut yourself! I mean, ok, this is weird, I mean, you're huge! And I'm dying to know what the fuck is going on. But no, I'm not afraid.” She leaned in and kissed me. I felt her tongue forcing my lips apart, and I opened my mouth. She ran her tongue along mine, and it was amazing. I was far from calm, but I felt my body start to contract. Soon, I was back to normal, or, what passed for normal.

“Ok. Now. You're going to tell me everything. Or I won't finish what I started.”

Finish? There was more?!

I told her the whole story.

-

“If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. So you...you're really a guy?”

I couldn't look her in the eyes. “Yes...I mean...I was...”

“Hey...” She put her hand on my chin, turning me to face her. “It's ok. I don't think you're perverted. I'm the perverted one here, trust me. You didn't ask for this, it must be Hell for you.”

“I...sometimes. It's not always bad. Like now.”

She punched my chin lightly. “I bet! So how big can you get?”

“I don't know, I haven't had a chance to find out.”

“Fuck. You're like a superhero or something. Weird accident gives you powers and all.”

“I...I'm no hero. I just want to get by.”

She nodded. “You will. You so will baby. Eva's here for you now, and I'm not going anywhere.”

I started crying again, but I wasn't sad, not at all.

-

She made love to me again, and this time, it was even better. I woke up in her arms, her fingertips stroking my hair. Wait...she was bigger than I was? “Holy shit, I shrank?!”

“Yeah, you're totally adorable, too.”

“I didn't know I could!” I sat up. Eva was easily a head taller than I was now, even compared to my old self, I was tiny as Hell!

“Yeah, you passed out on me, during. I didn't stop though, your brain might have turned off, but your body still knew what it wanted. And then you started shrinking, it was amazing to watch. How does it work?”

“I...I don't know. I mean, it has to do with my emotional state. When I'm angry or upset, I grow. I don't know why I grew after...”

“Because your emotions were bouncing around like a damn yo-yo, that's why. Do not underestimate the power our hormones have over us. This is going to make sex interesting, that's for damn sure.”

She pulled me into her lap, and I was just the right height to put my arms around her neck. We kissed again.

“Eva...I don't understand...all my life I've been so lonely...and then...here you are, and it's all so...”

“Shh. Hey. I like you too. But it's a little early to call this love. I mean...” She ran her fingers through my hair. “I want it to be, but what you're feeling now, it's normal. You're thinking I'm the most beautiful, special person in the world for making you feel this way. I'm not. So don't say anything right now.”

I wanted to tell her she was wrong. That I wouldn't feel different later. But, I didn't feel like arguing with her. I lay my head on her chest and closed my eyes. For the first time since this happened to me, I felt like things were going to be better.

Chapter Five: A Heroine Emerges!

I woke up, still safe in Eva's arms. “Well look who's awake?”

I smiled, and she let me sit up. “I still can't believe this isn't a dream.”

“What, being a girl?”

“No..I mean...” I was about to say 'us'. But I didn't know anything about Eva. I felt some rising panic. What if she didn't want a relationship? What if I'd just creep her out?

She kissed me then, and my fears melted away. Pulling away, she shook her head. “You're an idiot, you know that?”

“I..um..yeah.”

She laughed and hugged me. “Poor baby, you're in way over your head, aren't you?”

“I am. You're totally out of my league.”

“Hon, you got that backwards. I'm just some wannabe Goth girl who couldn't handle shit at home. You're an honest-to-God metahuman superbabe on the run from LexCorp.”

“When you say it like...wait. Metahuman. I'm an idiot! That's it! It has to be!”

“Uh. Whenever you feel like translating, Dora.”

I made a face. “Doris. Not Dora. That little girl annoys the hell out of me.”

“Me too, I just wanted to yank your chain. Say, are you going to stay that small or what?”

“Oh!” I'd totally forgotten about my stature. Strange that I hadn't resumed my default height while I slept. Although...maybe it wasn't so strange. I found that I had liked being tiny, cuddling with Eva. In fact, I think I'd gotten a little smaller!

I slid out of bed. “Jeez, I'm really damned short.”

“Yep. I'm guessing 4' 5”. You kept shrinking, but really slowly.”

“I think it's because I liked how you were holding me. I mean, it's not just emotions, my power responds to my desires. It's empathic in nature. Which would be impossible, of course, except...some combination of Dr. Zhan's formula, and the stress I was under, activated the metagene inside me. It all makes sense now. I mean, all my life, I labored under a genetic curse, one so rare that no one could begin to comprehend it. Because I was a mutant, all along. I just needed a jump start.”

“Infodump, honey, please, I'm not as smart as you are.”

“I think you're a lot smarter than you think.” I grinned at her. “Amazing. To think I was one of the new medical marvels all along.”

“So I guess you can't give me super powers after all.” Her tone said she was joking, but I saw something in Eva's eyes.

“Eva. This isn't all fun and games you know.”

“I...fuck. Look, we don't have to talk about this.”

I willed myself taller. Four simple words, but it demonstrated the change in my thinking. I was no longer a victim, at the mercy of my gift. I was in control. I saw her eyes widen as I transformed. Apparently, it was an impressive sight!

I sat back down on the bed and put my arms around her. “Eva. Listen to me. I don't know who poisoned your mind, but you are special. You don't need powers to prove that.”

“That's easy for you to say.”

I gently stroked her hair. “Maybe. I don't know. Before you came into my life, I was lost. Confused. Afraid. But you've changed me. You made me believe in myself. That makes you my superhero.”

She blinked away tears. “Fuck. That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard.”

“A little cheesy though.”

“I like cheesecake! Why do you think you're my girlfriend?”

I kissed her lips softly. “Am I?”

“My girlfriend? You better believe it! You're mine, Dorie. All mine. Nobody else can have you.”

“I think I can live with that.”

“Good. Now, enough with the hugging. I need sex, badly.”

I laughed. “Ok, but just remember, I'm not as good as you are.”

“Don't worry, I'll tell you what to do.”

God did she ever! We were both exhausted afterwards, but sleep wasn't an option. I was famished, and I knew she had to be hungry as well. We took a shower together, which was interesting in of itself, as we really couldn't keep our hands off of each other.

What can I say, I was a teenager again, after all.

-

Now this is where my life took a sharp turn. Maybe for the better, although it's hard to be sure. We'd taken the bus to the local mall, and, despite the fact we really couldn't spare the money, I splurged on some shopping. I noticed Eva was lightening up on her Goth look; she even selected a few things I thought looked cute on her.

I resolved that when she finally told me who had hurt her, I was going to make them sorry. Very sorry.

We were eating in the food court when it happened. There was an explosion not far away, and cries of pain! We exchanged a glance, and then raced each other to find out what was going on.

I saw this teenaged boy, he was slender and wore glasses. I swear, it was like looking into a time portal; other than the fact he was taller, he could have been my past self! Except, I don't recall a time when I could surround my hands in raw kinetic energy.

Well, it looked like some kind of yellow flame at the time, I didn't know what his power was. The storefront next to him had been reduced to concrete rubble and shattered glass, and there were two jock-looking guys laying on the ground in pain.

And, cowering against the wall, a pretty teenaged girl, her eyes wide as saucers.

“You led me on! You made me think someone cared! And it was all a joke! A cruel game! Well now you'll see! You'll all see!”

And, I swear to God, he started levitating slowly off the ground!

“I'm not some geek you can push around any longer! I'm a God!” He glared at the girl. “And from up here, you look like a damn bug.” He aimed his fist at her, and the energy surrounding his hand flared up.

I heard a gasp behind me, and the sound of cloth ripping. Huh, I wonder what was going on? It wasn't until I grabbed the kid and threw him to the ground that I realized what I was doing. I'd reacted on instinct to protect the girl, and grew right out of my clothes, baring all to the world!

The high ceiling of the mall was easily 40' up, and I was about halfway there. Wow. I'd never gotten this big before! The guy snarled, getting up, and I stepped on him, pinning him under my foot. “Not so fast, hotshot!”

“You...let me go! I'm a God! A God, you hear me!?”

“Take a good look then, 'God'. Because this is what a Goddess looks like!”

He slammed his fist against the ground, and the explosion lifted my foot off the floor. He rolled to the side. “Think you can step on me! Take this!”

He fired a blast of...whatever, towards me. I raised an arm to protect myself. God, it hurt like you wouldn't believe! My forearm was badly bruised from the blast, which, given my theories about my density, meant that the boy was too dangerous to take lightly.

“You sure like attacking girls, don't you? Well this girl fights back!” Amy would have been proud, I think. I grew even taller, until my head was dangerously close to the metal supports of the ceiling, and slammed my foot down on the ground. The floor cracked, and the shockwave knocked the guy on his ass.

I scooped him up in one hand before he could recover. “Whose the bug now? Go on, tempt me. I'll crush you like a damn pop can!”

The fire in his hands died out. “Ok. You win.”

I realized that there was scattered clapping, wolf whistles, and the flash of cameras. I turned around to meet my adoring public. Something told me that boys would be masturbating to pictures of me for a long time to come.

And, given the looks on their faces, maybe a few girls, too. Eva was just shaking her head at me, but she gave me a thumbs up. I hadn't meant to become a hero, but there I was.

I smiled and posed for my fans, and they ate it up. When the police came, I shrank and handed them the kid, who'd been really quiet. Eva handed me a bathrobe she'd gotten from somewhere, and I put it on gratefully.

The head cop took in the scene. “Jeez. Uh, I don't suppose you'd feel like answering some questions, Miss?”

He actually looked nervous! “Relax officer, you don't have to be afraid of little ol' me.”

Eva giggled, taking my hand and squeezing it. Then she turned to the onlookers. “Back off, she's MINE, I saw her first!”

I planted a kiss on the top of her head. She was so cute when she acted jealous!
The cop scratched the back of his head. “Miss, I have eyes. If I tried to take you in by force, people would get hurt. And seeing as how you're the hero and all, I'd hate to cause a scene.”

I shook my head. “I understand. Just...there are some questions I can't answer. Can you accept that?”

“I think we'll manage.”

-

I told the police all about the encounter, but refused to tell them anything more about myself than my name, Doris. Even though I knew I'd just fucked up big time. MacGuire knew what I looked like. Pictures of me were already plastered all over the internet.

If Lex Luthor was my enemy, he knew where I was. Not many sexy redheads around who can become giant-sized, I bet.

Still, I had to give the officers credit, they smuggled Eva and I out of the station, and even got us a hotel room for free. The officer who I'd met at the mall, Nathan, escorted us there. They'd even found something more for me to wear than a bathrobe, which I was grateful for.

“You're doing a lot to help a couple of minors.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I know. I got a couple daughters just a little younger than you two. And if I knew they were out roaming around, getting into trouble...I'd go crazy. But I'm guessing you're on the run from something bad. The last thing I want to do is let whatever it is catch you.”

I smiled. “Thanks, but I think it's too late. I really screwed up.”

He shrugged. “You tried to help people. That's never screwing up, in my book.” He handed me a pair of bus tickets then. “First thing in the morning, you get out of town. And cover that damn hair, you might as well put a sign on your head saying 'Giant Girl here!'.”

I kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for everything.”

He blushed and stammered a bit before leaving.

-

“Huh, now you're kissing guys?” Eva was perched on the bed, her legs dangling off the side.

“Eva, don't tease me. Isn't that what girls do, to show affection?”

She grinned. “Yep. And you're becoming more of a girl all of the time.”

I sat down on the floor at her feet with a sigh. “That was a dumb thing of me to do.”

She ran her fingers through my hair, which felt really nice. “Yep. But I'm really proud of you.”

“I don't want to be a hero.”

“Then maybe you shouldn't look so good doing it, then.”

I gently stroked her leg with my fingertips. “I wouldn't be this person without you.”

“Yes you would. Hon, you're not a selfish person. I mean, that's how you got into this mess, you wanted to help people. It's your nature.”

“Can I afford to help people?”

“I don't now, but I do know I love the person you are.”

“And I know that I want to make love to you.”

She lay back on the bed. “Oh good, I was afraid you were gonna make me beg!”

I stood, looking down at her. “I don't have that much self-restraint.”

I joined her on the bed, and she gave me a few more lessons on what it means to be a woman.

-

Eva had covered my hair with a shawl, and gotten me a pair of cheap, dark glasses. She said I looked like an old-time movie star. I thought I looked ridiculous. She'd totally abandoned her Goth clothing, and washed the dye out of her hair; it turns out her natural color is a dark brown. The jewelry and the piercings were gone, and her face was freshly scrubbed, which I swear, took years off of her appearance.

“Eva...what's with the cute look?”

She laughed. “What, you don't like it?”

“You know I do, but it's not for my benefit, is it?”

“Well, a little bit. I mean, someone took pictures of me too, I'll bet. So it's all part of the disguise.”

“Wait, you're using your natural appearance as a disguise?”

She nodded. “I know, maybe you were right about me being smart. But there's more to it than that. I felt like a total hypocrite, asking you to be yourself, when I was hiding behind makeup and jewelry. Trying to look tough, when I'm really not.”

“But you are tough, Eva. Toughest girl I know.” I cupped her cheek with my hand, and she leaned into my touch.

“Yeah, but only because I had to be. But I'm not alone anymore! And I have someone who can protect me, and keep the bad stuff away.”

I held her close to me. “Honey. Who hurt you? What are you running from?”

She bit her lower lip. “I'm not ready. Not yet. I'm sorry.”

I kissed her hair gently. “Ok. But I'm here when you are. No matter what it is, you know I won't push you away.”

“What if you should? What if being with me makes things harder for you?” She looked up at me, and I was struck again by how young and vulnerable she looked. She'd taken off her armor, because of me.

“Eva...I'd do anything to protect you. Anything. If someone wants to hurt you, they'll wish they'd never been born.”

“...not Eva.”

“What?”

She looked like she was going to cry. “My name isn't Eva. I want you to call me by my real name.”

I waited, but she remained quiet. “Um...what is it?”

She did cry then. “Lena. Lena Thorul.”

“Lena. That's a pretty name.”

“...you don't get it. Thorul is an anagram. My Mom changed her name, to distance herself from my Dad.”

Thorul? An anagram of...

I looked at Lena in shock. “No...it can't be...”

“I'm so sorry! I didn't know! I just..I just thought you were this really beautiful girl! I didn't mean to choose you. I didn't mean to!”

I hugged her tight. “Lena. Shh. Don't cry, please, don't. Don't you see? This is fate, it has to be.”

She clung to me, then, and I held her for a long time. It had to be fate. There was no other explanation, the odds against my transformation, us finding each other...

God truly had a sense of the ironic.

My young lover was none other than Lex Luthor's daughter.

My enemy.

Oh yes, he was going to pay.

Interlude: All The King's Men

Lex Luthor watched the YouTube footage, his face as impassive as stone. His technicians had done all they could to clean up the quality, but it was still hard to follow. A young metahuman on a rampage, halted by a stunning red-haired girl, who had grown out of her clothes to become a superstrong giantess.

He turned to face McGuire. “So it's definitely the same girl?”

“Yeah, she's the one I found in Zeul's apartment.”

“Hm. I wonder...well, either way, she's a loose end that has to be dealt with.”

“I'm on it.”

“No failures, this time, Richard. Do we understand each other?”

Richard McGuire felt a cold sweat break out on his brow. He'd seen what happened to people who failed Lex Luthor one time too many. Hell, he'd killed a few of them himself! “Perfectly. Sir.”

“Good.”

As Richard left, Lex looked at the footage again. The young girl was certainly quite the looker, and he admired how unashamed she was to bare all, so to speak. Too bad she was going to have to die...

And then he noticed someone in the background. A small, dark-haired girl. The spitting image of Lori.

His daughter. After all these years. Lena.

“McGuire! Wait.”

Richard spun. “What's wrong?”

“Belay that order. Find the girl, but she isn't to be harmed. I'm going to deal with this matter personally.”

Richard gulped. Oh shit. He actually felt sort for this 'Doris'. Somehow, she'd gotten the attention of the most dangerous man in the world. “You got it.”

“Go! Now!” Luthor barked.

He watched the video to the end, right up to where Lena walked to the side of the tall redhead and took her hand. This couldn't be a coincidence. 'Doris' was his enemy. She knew his secrets. And she had his daughter.

He backed up the video until he could see Lena's face clearly, and froze the image. And he watched it for a long time.

Chapter Six: The Green Light of Dawn

I'd never been to Chicago before, and I was immediately struck by it's dichotomy; shining towers of glass that rise to the heavens within walking distance of low-rent neighborhoods. Lena seemed excited, however, she couldn't stop talking about all the wonderful things to see and do.

I wanted nothing more than to give her the whole experience, but we definitely needed a new source of income. And since I was apparently a hero now, that just made things harder. “Things were easier when I was a bad guy.”

Lena kissed me on the cheek. “You weren't very good at being a bad guy, though.”

“I guess you have a point. Sorry, I don't want to be a downer, but...”

She nodded. “We don't have enough money to do half of what I want to do. I know, baby, I know.”

I sighed. I couldn't even get a job because I lacked any form of identification. “This sucks.”

Lena giggled. “You've been hanging around with me too long.”

I kissed her forehead. “More like, not long enough, beautiful.”

She leaned against me. “I love it when you call me beautiful.”

“I don't know why, I mean, you know that. In fact, when we first met, you said you were fucking adorable.”

“Well duh, I am! But I just like hearing you say it. I'm a girl, do I have to make sense?”

I grinned. “I'm so going to use that line against you sometime.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “You haven't been a girl long enough.”

“What, do I have to earn my official girl license or something?”

Lena giggled. “Yes, but don't worry. You're a fast learner.”

I put my hand on her thigh. “I have a good teacher.”

She put her hand on top of mine, and moved it a little higher up her leg. “Do you?”

“The best.”

“Oh man, I want you so bad. Like right now.”

I laughed. “Are all teenaged girls as horny as you?”

She seemed to consider that. “Well, probably. But I'm not horny. I'm in love.”

It still seems so amazing to me, that we could be so deeply in love. There was still so much we didn't know about each other, and Lena was still so young! But she was a very bright girl; her father was one of the smartest people on the planet, after all. And one of the most ruthless.

It wouldn't surprise me if she was smarter than I was, and I had an IQ of 150! Lex himself was said to be around 210, however, and that scared me a little. How on Earth could I hope to contend with someone with his intellect and resources?

When it came to enemies, I sure can pick 'em, let me tell you!

We weren't in our hotel room for more than five minutes when Lena came up behind me, her hands reaching up under my shirt, running her fingers along my back muscles. I made a soft purring sound in response to her touch.

“You're so tense, let's give you a massage, baby.”

A few minutes later, I was naked from the waist up, laying on my belly on the bed. Lena straddled my waist, and was kneading my muscles like an expert masseuse. It felt so good! I couldn't help myself; I started to moan as she massaged muscles I didn't even know I had!

It was so relaxing, in fact, that I closed my eyes and was soon fast asleep.

-

Someone was shaking me. “Baby? Honey, wake up, please.”

Ugh, I still felt tired. I rolled onto my side. “What time is it?”

A hollow-sounding female voice answered my question. The local time is currently 4:37 PM.

I sat up fast, and found that someone else was in the room with us. She was about my height, and looked to be just out of High School. She was wearing a black-and-green bodysuit, and had rich black hair. Her eyes were an odd shade of green, and that's when I realized they were glowing.

Of course, even I recognized her. She was, after all, the most popular young woman on the planet. “You're Jade, aren't you?”

The young woman nodded. “I am, and you, Dr. Zeul, are a very hard person to find.”

I blinked. “How do you know who I am?”

She held up her ring. “Alien technology, the AI of the ring can do all sorts of neat things. Complete with a very obnoxious personality.”

I noticed her gaze drifted downwards. Looking down as well, I realized I still wasn't wearing a top! Lena giggled nervously, and handed me my shirt, which I put on gratefully.

“Interesting, you didn't seem so ashamed of your body on the YouTube videos.” Jade winked.

“Well, when you turn into a naked 30' tall woman, you really can't do anything else but flaunt it.”

She chuckled and nodded. “I think I can help with that. It's part of why I'm here, in fact. I was chosen to protect not just the Earth, but an entire sector of space, and I'm just one person. Now that metahumans like yourself are popping out of the woodwork, I've been trying to contact the ones who seem to want to help people, and get them semi-organized.”

I frowned. “I don't think I can help you.”

“Doris?” Lena sounded confused.

I shook my head. “What happened at the mall...I won't lie, I probably would do it again. But it was risky, not just for myself, but for Lena. There is someone powerful who'd likely stop at nothing to capture us...or kill me.”

Jade frowned. “I'm not following your logic. Wouldn't it make more sense then, to be in contact with people who can help you?”

“I don't know that you can. Look, being a superhero is all fine and well if you're going after bank robbers or something. People who break the law. But what about people who can't be fought directly? Who are above the law?”

The ring (at least, I presumed the other voice was the ring's AI) decided to chime in at this point. A Green Lantern is expected to uphold certain principles of her duty. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

The protection of life and liberty within the assigned sector.

Acting within local laws and obeying the local authority within reason.

While it may be that the authorities of this world are unable to prosecute some individuals, no one is above the law.

“Yeah, what it said.” Jade smiled sheepishly.

“Dorie, this may be our best chance.”

I turned to look at Lena. “You really think so?”

She nodded. “I know you're trying to protect me. And I love you for it, so very much. But we both know we can't do this alone.”

I sighed. “Well, it won't pay the bills, but I guess you have a point.”

Jade closed her eyes, and a glowing green object appeared in the air; it looked very much like the ring she wore on her finger! “Here. Take this. It has limited powers compared to my own ring, but it can let you communicate with anyone else who wears one, and vice versa. It also has another feature you might be interested in.”

I took the ring and put it on. “Oh? And what's that?”

Jade grinned. “The rings can create light-based constructs. In your ring's case, it can create a sort of hologram around yourself that feels solid to the touch. In addition to offering you some limited protection from harm, it can create a disguise for you...or in this case..”

“Prevent me from violating decency statutes when I grow.” I marveled at the wonder of alien technology on my finger. Oh I was going to have fun with this!

“Now, even though it will protect you from the elements, it won't protect any real clothing you happen to be wearing at the time.” Her eyes twinkled. “So you may want to consider using the ring exclusively rather than go through outfit after outfit.”

I chuckled. “So basically, run around naked all the time.”

“I support this idea 100%!” Lena piped up.

“If it works as you say, that likely would be a good idea. I just have two questions. The first being, how does it work?”

“The Guardians' tech is based on willpower. The lesser rings don't take a lot to activate, however.”

I considered this and held the ring up, looking at it. Likely, it could handle any color, but green would probably be easier, followed by red and yellow. For now, I focused on a green sundress.

Sparks rose from the ring as the garment I'd imagined appeared over my clothing!

“Woah! Hey, don't overdo it now, I told you it didn't need that much to activate!”

Individual designated Doris Zeul appears to possess a high degree of innate willpower. She meets the requirements for becoming a Corps member. Updating reserve list.

I blinked. “Uh...what did it say, exactly?”

“Basically? If something happens to me, you're now on the short list of potential replacements.”

“Oh, um. I”m not sure what to say to that. Other than...you should try not to get hurt.”

Jade laughed. “Definitely a high priority! Mm, this is normally where I'd invite you to visit my starship for the guided tour. Both of you, of course, I doubt you'd want to leave Miss Luthor alone.”

Lena gasped, and I admit, my jaw dropped as well. “You...you knew?”

Jade nodded. “And you're right to be wary of him. In my short time as a Green Lantern, I've come into conflict with him, indirectly, of course. Luthor rarely gets his hands dirty.”

“Jeez, you could have told us.” Lena groused.

I took her hand and squeezed it. “I would like to see your ship sometime. I imagine it would have the facilities I need to figure out exactly how my powers work.”

There is a high probability that Dr. Zeul would be an invaluable asset in solving the riddle of the metagene; not only how her abilities function, but others as well.

I raised an eyebrow. “Awfully handy, that gadget.”

Jade rolled her eyes. “You have no idea. So, either of you afraid of heights?”

-

I was astonished that Jade had no problems flying the three of us into space. I felt a little light-headed, but then again, that might have been due to the rather frightening experience of leaving Earth's atmosphere protected by a tiny bubble of light!

Lena, of course, enjoyed the ride immensely, while I couldn't wait for it to be over. I know, it seems strange for a woman who can become a giant to be afraid of heights, but a few stories is one thing; LEO is a completely different story!

It was incredible to see the stars in their natural glory, undimmed by Earth's atmosphere, or to be close enough to the moon that it looked like I could reach out and touch it. Still, I was quite happy when we entered the ship, and my feet touched the ship's deck.

The illusion provided by my ring simulated clothing rather well, but shoes were a little odd. They felt too thick, and didn't provide enough traction. So I decided to dispense with them, and simply go barefoot. The ship's deck felt cool under my bare feet, and I felt a rythmic vibration coming from deeper in the bowels of the ship.

And then Jade gave us the guided tour. She seemed genuinely happy to have someone to show off to, and pretty soon her and Lena were chatting like old friends. I had other things on my mind. Like I said, I may not be a genius, but I am highly intelligent.

The technology of the starship was so advanced, so far beyond anything I could even use as a frame of reference. It was, quite simply, the most valuable object known to man. Even worse, Jade had told the world about it's existence. The governments of Earth no doubt recognized it's threat.

And people like Lex Luthor certainly recognized it's value. I looked at the ring. I was associated with the world's new heroes. Which meant I was associate with Green Lantern. Who had technology Luthor wanted. It was only a matter of time before he found out I was with Lena. Who, I suspected, Luthor also wanted.

I was going to have to talk to Jade when Lena wasn't present.

-

It wasn't long before I had that chance. Lena had been up longer than I had, and eventually it was necessary for me to tuck her in; the starship had rather nice living quarters. Which left Jade and I alone. She handed me a glass of what proved to be Old Coke, which I hadn't had in years.

“Good stuff.”

“Huh. It's kind of an acquired taste for me.”

I shrugged. “I got ten years on you, so...yeah. Look, Jade, I was thinking. You made a big mistake letting the world know this ship exists.”

Jade nodded. “I know. The U.S. Government has already complicated things; have you heard of American Dream?”

I nodded. “Yes, I recall an article talking about her.”

“She used to be a man as well, they activated his metagene, and it changed his gender.”

I frowned. “In the small handful of metahuman activations to date, two of us changing gender is suspicious...”

“Three. Terra was a boy before as well.”

“Three. So the government has already figured out how to jump start the metagene?”

Jade nodded. “But they don't know how it works. Anyways, they tried to make Courtney into a mole, to gather intelligence, and possibly even to acquire Guardian tech.”

“Of course, it's the way of things. It didn't occur to me at the time, but what I was working on with Dr. Zhan, it was the first step towards a metagene activator. I was only working on half of it, of course. Herakles, which can grant increased strength. It itself doesn't interact with the gene, since we tested it on animals. But it was the basis for what Dr. Zhan called Athena, which does interact with the gene; I'm living proof.”

“Huh. But wait a second, you said the project was funded by Luthor?”

“Yes. Which means Luthor knew about the metagene before you told the world.”

Jade's eyes widened. “That's...how could he?”

“I don't know, but it shows the kind of threat he is. He wants this ship, that's a given. I'm certain he wants Lena, and he likely wants me. Originally, he wanted Dr. Zeul eliminated. But capturing me would be quite the coup, especially if I can lead him to you.”

“Fuck. This is getting out of hand.”

I nodded. “Can the ring be self-destructed?”

Jade blinked. “Uh...let's find out. Ring?”

Affirmative. The ring only exists because of your will, it has a much more temporary existence than a true Power Ring. If you are killed, or will the ring to self-destruct, it will cease to be.

I nodded. “That helps a little. I assume, then, if the ring is misused, it will do this on it's own?”

Correct. In the past, Power Rings were used against the Guardians. As a result, they have subsequently been upgraded with security protocols. Even a lesser ring, will not allow itself to be used in a manner that violates the protocols of the Corps.

Jade grumbled. “All this stuff I find out now. Wish I'd met you awhile ago, Doris.”

“Don't beat yourself up. You've been busy saving the world, after all.”

“I guess so...”

“Luthor will eventually see me as a way to get everything he wants, you, the Ring, this ship, and his daughter. It's not a matter of if, but of when. And I'd rather die than let him have any of these things.” I paused for a moment to let that sink in. “I don't think we should come here often, Lena or myself. It's simply too big of a risk.”

“I wonder if you shouldn't be the Green Lantern, you're actually planning ahead.”

Dr. Zeul, as stated, is a potential candidate. However, although she possesses willpower in abundance, it is not focused, as evident in the power surges you experienced while travelling here. Given the alternatives, you, Jade, are still the best possible choice. Even considering your negative traits.

I laughed. “Which I'm sure it will be happy to share with us, if we asked.”

“Too right, there.” Jade sighed. “Still, it's nice to know it thinks I'm doing a good job.”

“I really wish I had whatever data the government has on how to activate the gene. It, and the powers it grants, seem to be somewhat empathic in nature. These transformations are not random.”

“You wanted to be a girl?”

“Well, no, not really. However I did suffer from a genetic condition that left me looking mostly like an underage female. And I have no doubt that Dr. Zhan intended Athena to be used by women. She was something of a feminist.”

“Huh. Terra is pretty much a carbon copy of a comic book character; she was actually dressed as the comic book Terra.”

“I wonder how DC feels about one of their characters coming to life. Do you think they could give Terra a cease-and-desist order for infringing on their copyright?”

Jade blinked at me. “You're not serious. Oh my God, you are serious. Uh...now that you bring it up...yes?”

“Let's hope that the next metahuman hero you find is a lawyer.”

Jade's eye twitched. “I don't know whether to hurt you for that comment or not.”

“I have a possible solution, although you might want to smack yourself in the head for not thinking of it first.”

“Huh?”

“Well, the ring mentioned you are supposed to follow the local laws, right?”

“Yeah, it's kind of annoying....” Jade trailed off as she followed my line of logic. “Wait a second! It has to know what those laws are!”

I grinned. “And, presumably, since it is a very advanced AI, how they work in interaction with one another. Well that solves that problem.”

“You heard her, ring, figure out how we can prevent Terra from being slapped with a copyright suit.”

Working...

Jade then looked at me. “I think I just thought of something you haven't, however.”

“What's that?”

“Well, if Luthor knew about the metagene, and had you working on it, why would he want to kill you?”

“Huh, well I suppose if he already had the activator he wouldn't....” It was my turn to trail off. “Oh no.”

“Congratulations Doc, looks like our lives are about to get a lot more complicated.”

-

I did have a chance to study the metagene in the ship's medical lab, Jade was able to provide me with some of Terra's blood to examine. It's not really a gene, per se. I'm not sure what it is, exactly. It's a recessive factor that can not only re-write someone's DNA, but it then causes the body to 'reboot', rebuilding itself from the ground up according to the new blueprint. The renewed youth some of the older metas (such as myself) acquire seems to be a side effect of this, as our bodies are set to factory conditions, so to speak.

And I was convinced it was somehow empathic. When it triggers, it reacts to it's environment, and presumably the mental state of the the person. If I could figure this out, of course, so could Luthor. Which meant he could be creating metas with specific powers as we speak...or trying to.

Finding the metagene before it manifests seemed almost impossible, but since apparently the U.S. Government had already done it, that meant there had to be a way. Even the Power Ring couldn't identify someone before they manifested, however. So...how?

The only solution I could come up with was, they cheated. They must have used their activation process on tissue samples, to see if there was a reaction. Which would be a slow and laborious process. Which meant that they too, had known about the metagene long before Jade revealed it's existence to the world.

The implications were frightening. Jade was right. Things were about to get very complicated.