Not What We Expected by Tiffany B. Quinn A few weeks later I received my new birth certificate. It was a bittersweet experience. The date hadn't changed, just the gender and name. Other changed documents were also trickling in. The legal process had run its course, and, by the coloring of the crystal, my physical changes would soon be completed.

Chapter 12

Author's Note: The Title Page has a note or two from me, and also the prologue. Please read both before you continue.

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Chapter 01
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Ohm Wire stuck the landing after hopping a stone wall with an iron gate at the top. She made it. It was damn near a shame there was no audience present to congratulate her on the performance, but that came with the territory of scouting the outskirts of town at night, even somewhere as lively as Paragon.

“I’m not prepared to wait weeks, but I’ll come to your house and cook dinner for six if you like?”

Christian's mom opened the bedroom door. "Oh, you are home," she said. "How was swim practice?"

Christian looked at her mom like she was crazy. "I-I mean, it was fine, but..."

"What's wrong?"

Christian was apalled at her mom's lunacy. "I just turned into a girl!" she exclaimed. "Aren't you-"

"Christina, you've always been a girl," her mom said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Christian opened her mouth, but realized that there was no point arguing with her mom. "Yes," she said.

Memory and Memories - Part 2 

Ashe awakes to a new body, in a faraway land, and under the care of an honest-to-gods giant and a mysterious elven woman. What would you do? Ashe's first reaction -after screaming- is to try to make sense of it fast, because her mission to save the Seven Kingdoms from a life annihilating plague is more critical than ever. Isaura says she wants to help, but can Ashe trust her?

“You look awesome!” the sisters chorused at each other after their initial heartfelt hug.

“Seriously, you do! I see all that stomping through the ‘glades is doing you well huh?” Catherine examined her sister critically, noting the medium tan and the sun bleached hair and most striking, the loss of 30 pounds.

“I wish… I have to do the gym thing mostly. I’m either stuck in a classroom or a meeting or something other than getting to do field work. Price of getting to do the research or so it seems.” Lori grumbled.

Ikaika was driving as they left the second house they had looked at. The one near Cheshire’s house was looking more and more like their best bet. The house was going to need some major work done to it. Tizzy knew her mother would want her to put a safe room and an armory in the house as well.

“So, where to now Tizzy?” Ikaika looks at his wife.

Tizzy looks in the back towards Lien “are you hungry, sweetie?”

Lien was quietly watching and listening to Tizzy and Ikaika as they were talking and driving. She looks at Tizzy as she spoke to her “I’m fine mom.”

Call Of The Light (Part 6 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter 23 - Sacrifices

The California sun had hours ago slipped below the evergreen-lined mountain peaks to the west. Leftovers from his lunchtime foray into the local town still sat mostly uneaten on the square patio table, sandwich and partially consumed plum resting on a plate. The porch-light remained off as stars twinkled into view between the wispy clouds hanging in the sky, leaving him as a motionless dark shadow resting on the wooden bench before the cabin.

Teaching Kelly to ride a horse was not proving easy. Sure, she could sit on the horse but controlling it was another problem entirely. She lacked whatever it was that allowed people to ride horses as we have done for millennia. Still, she tried her best and was able to laugh at her feeble attempts at riding.

Ginger, the gelding that I’d bought her for her birthday sensed this and took off wherever he thought fit as soon as he knew it was her on his back. To give her credit, she did try to control the beast but she could never get the hang of it even if she was on my horse Jake, who was very docile indeed.

 
Chapter 14 - The Secret Spreads

By the time Polly and Sheila reached Rosemary's door, Polly was getting nervous. Very nervous. The day had gone surprisingly well. As one more anonymous girl wandering the aisles of the thrift shops, Polly was taken for just what she wanted to be: a teenage girl. Sheila's comment about people seeing what they wanted to see was very true. But now she was going to meet someone who knew Sheila well, and actually talk to her. If things went as planned she was going to change back to being Pete in this girl's house, there would be no secrets between them.

Memory and Memories - Part 1
by Armond

Pestilence and shadows stalk the Seven Kingdoms - mysterious plagues have swept the nations, a renegade mad alchemista seeks to develop a doomsday weapon, and the Alarians – the Elves - have sent out their best spies to track him down. Yet Aesh, the young alchemista student, knows none of this – all he wants is to pass his final exam and become a Master. A vengeful goddess has a different journey in mind for him, and being swept away by the greatest sorceress in the lands and a honest to gods giant, turns out to be the least strange thing that happens to him.

(Author’s note -well, notes - I will be posting this story in three parts, all of which are already written. Also, an amazing editor helped me with the rewrites, and I wish I could name him so you could know who he is, but he wishes to remain anonymous. So, to my unnamed editor, thank you from the bottom of my heart)