The Magic Revealed: A Gifted Saga Story

by

Rodford Edmiston

An excerpt from a novel in progress. I would love comments, especially on the medical matters discussed herein.

The Gifted Saga is a long-term project (stories here: http://www.dcr.net/~stickmak/Transformation/GIFTEDSA/index.htm(link is external) ). The idea is that unexpectedly several thousand people spread around the Earth have their secret wishes and desires fulfilled. Though some receive apparently random powers and transformations.

* * *

Alex was struggling, making various sounds of aggravation.

"You okay over there?" came an echoing voice from the next stall.

"Jeans are too tight," Alex grunted, yanking repeatedly at the waistband. "I swear, they shrank since this morning."

"Well, flying can do strange things to a gal's body."

Alex finally succeeded in getting her clothing in place and, with a sigh of relief, exited the stall. She was just finishing brushing her hair when her temporary neighbor came out. An attractive young black woman, she made a point of examining Alex's jeans.

"Those are tight," she agreed, nodding. "They look good on you, though. You have them custom altered?"

"No, they're off-the-shelf Levi's," said Alex.

The woman didn't quite seem to believe her, but Alex didn't have time for further discussion. She had to get to baggage claim before someone walked off with her stuff.

Bluegrass Field airport wasn't very crowded this late in the day. Well, night, really; early evening. Fortunately, Alex's flight had been mostly northward, so she was used to this time zone. She looked around expectantly as she left the security area, wondering if anyone would be there to meet her. She saw a woman who looked familiar, and who was waving. With a bit of a shock she realized that was Charles... or, rather, Carla.

Alex hurried over, towing her carry-on behind her. Their greeting hug was a bit awkward, but still warm. When they finished Alex held her friend at arms length to examine her.

"I'm glad there's someone here to meet me," said Alex, deciding any effort to compliment her friend would sound forced.

"Well, there were more, but when your flight was delayed the others left. Said they'd get together with you tomorrow. I mean, it is a work and school night. Since we knew you were renting a car I figured I'd help you get your stuff to your hotel. Theo said he'd pick me up there later."

"Sounds like a workable arrangement," said Alex, grinning.

The two turned and began walking towards baggage claim.

"Why'd you come here instead of going straight to your folks' place in Ashland?"

"I arranged with my boss to fly here for business, then take a vacation with my family," Alex explained, as they waited for the luggage to arrive. "That means taking care of the business part first, then going home. My folks are a little irritated about that, but if the business part is successful I may be moving back here to Lexington!"

"Oh, really!" said Carla, grinning. "That'd be great!"

"Yeah. We're trying to get a deal going with Lexmark, and if it goes through we'll need someone here who knows both our products and the area."

"I hope it does," said Carla, fervently. "Saturday night gaming just isn't the same without you."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty rusty," sighed Alex. "I was too busy the first few months after the move to do any gaming, and when I tried to get back into it later couldn't find a good group. Everybody either treated me like a girl, or a freak, or both."

"I know that feeling," sighed Carla. "However, anyone with functioning eyes can see that you're not a girl; you're a woman. Have been since the day of the Gifting, all those months ago. I'm surprised you aren't used to it by now."

Alex started to say something, but the bell rang and the light began flashing. In short order her two bags arrived and she and Carla wrestled them off the conveyor. Then they headed for the rental car counter.

"How long have we known each other?" Alex asked, abruptly, as they walked away with the keys and papers.

"What, five, six years?" replied Carla. "That's counting the time you've been gone."

"You know I can be pretty oblivious, sometimes," said Alex, quietly, as they walked through the lot towards her car. "Someone had to tell me you were gay. You had to tell me you were transgender. I'd like to think I never treated you any different because of that, but..."

"Well, a little," chuckled Carla, "but in a way which actually fit me better. Then, after you Unwrapped, you were a sister in the cause, so to speak."

"My new therapist had me join a support group," sighed Alex. "Didn't work too well. They'd never even considered the problems an involuntary transgender might have, before I joined. Still haven't, actually. Oh, they're friendly and sympathetic, but tended be puzzled about why I was there. I mean, I'd achieved something they could only dream about. Why wasn't I ecstatic?"

"I can see that, actually," said Carla, nodding. "I think I see why you said all that, too. You want to know if I've ever resented you. Well, no. You didn't choose to be Gifted, and I'm pretty sure you didn't choose to be stuck like that."

Carla sighed and glanced over at her friend.

"Though I admit I've often been envious. Wow."

Alex flushed, but was spared needing to comment by their arrival at the car. She unlocked the trunk and they loaded the three bags. Soon they were belted in and leaving the airport. As the approached the light at Man-O'-War Boulevard Carla shook her head at a thought.

"Three out of seven in our group were Gifted. I know they sometimes tended to happen in clusters, but that's still a pretty high concentration. Sometimes I really wish there'd been one more. Then I wouldn't have to deal with all this padding."

She tugged absently at her bra strap.

"I have a personal question, if you don't mind," said Alex, while they sat at the red light, waiting to turn left.

"Shoot."

"How much of that actually is you?" she asked, with a smirk.

"Not much," sighed Carla, her smile turning a bit sad. "The electrolysis made a lot more noticeable change than the hormones."

"Oh," said Alex, now at a loss.

The light changed, and Alex started the car moving again.

"It's all right," said Carla, smile returning. "I'm flattered you thought it's real. I should develop more, with time."

"Well, you look like a woman, talk like a woman and walk like a woman. Probably more than me."

"One of my therapist's better ideas. I took acting lessons from a woman who'd already had her surgery a few years ago. She's a beautiful, statuesque redhead who is completely convincing, largely because she was in theater already and both acts and teaches."

"Oh," said Alex, again, as they stopped in the right turn lane at US 60. "I never thought about that. I mean, nobody who doesn't know my story thinks I'm anything but a woman. Even though I don't act like one sometimes."

"Honey, I'll tell you something many have told me; no-one born female always acts like a lady."

Alex turned towards town when the light changed, making sure to stay out of the rightmost lane. That one was for turning onto New Circle Road only, and they were going straight through downtown. She also watched for visitors who didn't notice until too late, and then panicking and swerving back onto US60. A number of very bad accidents had happened that way.

"Did you ever find out if you got any powers?" Carla asked, perhaps to try and change the mood.

"Well, some Gifted just don't have any powers. Besides the usual healing and such."

"Which means you got something you're embarrassed about," snickered Carla.

Alex sighed. A strand of her hair to lifted away from the rest. It then curled in from the tip, held for a moment, uncurled, and resumed its inert position.

"That's it?!" said Carla, flabbergasted. "You got prehensile hair?!"

"It doesn't have much strength or control, either. I can barely lift a pencil and can't write with it."

Carla tried not to laugh, she really did, but soon broke down in a fit of giggling. Alex wanted to look hurt, but couldn't help joining in.

"You're terrible," she stated.

"Always was," Carla acknowledged.