Romance in a Carnival Mirror

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 1: Midnight Escape

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Both kindred spirits June and Goldie who found each other at the Carnival are hunted by the Shadowmaster.
Will June's sacrificial love overcome the Shadowmaster and save her friends?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novelette, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Tuesdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The clock on the kitchen wall glowed 12:07 AM, its steady tick the only sound in the hush of the Walsh house. June pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the frantic flutter of her heart beneath her pajama shirt. She held her breath and listened-her father’s snores rumbled from the bedroom down the hall, a low, reassuring thunder. Good. He wouldn’t wake.

She crept across the linoleum, careful to avoid the squeaky third tile, and slipped on her battered sneakers. Her backpack waited by the door, packed with a flashlight, a half-empty water bottle, and, wrapped in a scarf at the very bottom, her most precious possession: the moth-shaped brooch. She’d found it at a thrift store last spring, its wings iridescent and delicate as spun sugar. She’d never dared wear it outside, but tonight… tonight was different.

Tonight, the Solstice Carnival had come to town.

June eased open the back door, wincing as the hinges whined. She paused, heart in her throat. The snoring continued, unchanged. She exhaled, a shiver of relief running through her. The night air was thick with the scent of honeysuckle and cut grass, and somewhere in the distance, the faint, dizzying music of the carnival drifted on the breeze-calliope notes and laughter, bright and wild.

She hurried down the porch steps and into the backyard, the grass cool and damp against her ankles. She ducked behind the hedge, keeping to the shadows as she made her way to the alley. Her phone buzzed in her pocket-a text from her friend Morgan:

u coming?

She typed back, almost there, and tucked the phone away.

The town was different at night. Houses hunched in silence, their windows dark. The old oak trees along Maple Street stretched their branches overhead like watchful sentinels. June moved quickly, every sense on high alert, her mind racing with what-ifs: What if Dad woke up and found her gone? What if someone from school saw her? What if she lost her nerve at the last second and turned back?

But each step closer to the carnival, the fear faded, replaced by a fluttery, electric anticipation. She could see the Ferris wheel now, its lights spinning slow and hypnotic above the treetops. She could hear the shouts and laughter, the barkers calling out for customers, the music swelling and fading.

She stopped at the edge of the fairgrounds, breathless. The carnival gates were open, spilling golden light onto the cracked pavement. Banners fluttered overhead, painted with strange, swirling designs-moths and mirrors and stars. The air buzzed with possibility.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket again-a text from her friend Morgan:

Caught n Grounded Sry

She thought. "No Morgan tonight and for a while. Bummer. Guess I gotta do this solo. I can do this!"

June reached into her backpack and unwrapped the moth brooch. She pinned it to the inside of her jacket, just over her heart, where no one else could see but she could feel its weight-a secret, a promise.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped through the gates.

For the first time in months, she felt almost real.

Romance in a Carnival Mirror

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 2: Hall of Mirrors

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Both kindred spirits June and Goldie who found each other at the Carnival are hunted by the Shadowmaster.
Will June's sacrificial love overcome the Shadowmaster and save her friends?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novelette, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Tuesdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The carnival was a living thing at night-colors brighter, shadows deeper, every sound sharp and strange. June drifted through the crowd, her hands buried in her jacket pockets, the moth brooch pressing cool and steady against her chest. She kept her head down, dodging clusters of laughing teens and families with sticky-fingered kids, eyes fixed on the glowing path ahead.

She’d made it. She was here. But now, surrounded by so many faces, a new anxiety crept in. What if someone recognized her? What if she did something wrong, something that gave her away?

She tried to focus on the sights instead: the cotton candy clouds spinning pink and blue, the ring toss games with their impossible prizes, the carousel horses frozen mid-gallop, manes flying. Everything shimmered with possibility. But June couldn’t quite shake the feeling that she was an intruder, a shadow slipping through the light.

A cluster of girls from her school passed by, giggling, and June ducked behind a popcorn stand, heart pounding. She waited, counting her breaths, until their voices faded into the music. She needed somewhere to hide, somewhere to catch her breath.

That’s when she saw it: the Hall of Mirrors.

It stood at the edge of the midway, its entrance framed by curling silver letters and flickering lanterns. The sign above the door read:

SEE YOUR TRUEST SELF!

June hesitated. She’d heard stories about this attraction-how the mirrors didn’t just show your reflection but something deeper, something secret. It was probably just a trick of the lights, some clever glasswork. Still, the idea tugged at her, both thrilling and terrifying.

She glanced over her shoulder. The girls from school were gone. The crowd had thinned. She could slip inside, just for a minute, and no one would ever know.

Her feet moved before she’d made up her mind. She slid through the velvet curtains, into the hush of the Hall.

Inside, the world changed. The noise of the carnival faded, replaced by a soft, echoing silence. The air was cool and smelled faintly of lavender and dust. Mirrors lined the walls, each one tall and narrow, their surfaces warped and glimmering. The only light came from a row of tiny bulbs overhead, casting everything in a dreamy, golden haze.

June moved slowly, her reflection following her in a hundred different shapes-tall, short, stretched, squashed. She paused in front of one that made her look impossibly thin, her eyes huge and haunted. Another shrank her to child-size, her features blurred and indistinct.

She laughed, a shaky sound, and kept walking. It was just glass, just tricks. Nothing to be afraid of.

But then she turned a corner and stopped.

There, in a mirror framed in silver filigree, she saw herself-not as she was, but as she wished she could be. Her hair was longer, her face softer, her body curved in ways that felt right. She wore a dress she’d only ever imagined, sunlight catching on the moth brooch pinned proudly at her collar.

June stared, transfixed. For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

The reflection smiled at her-her smile, but brighter, braver. June reached out, fingertips brushing cool glass. The image shimmered, almost as if it wanted to step forward, to become real.

A sudden noise-a crash, a burst of laughter from outside-snapped her back. June jerked her hand away, heart racing. What was she doing? This was just a trick, a fantasy. She didn’t belong here, not really.

She turned, stumbling away from the mirror, her cheeks burning. As she hurried toward the exit, she bumped into a display, sending a stack of carnival flyers tumbling to the floor.

“Sorry!” she whispered, scooping them up with shaking hands. She shoved them back onto the table and slipped out through the curtains, back into the noise and light.

Outside, the music and laughter crashed over her like a wave. June pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the moth brooch pulse beneath her fingers.

She’d seen something in that mirror-something she’d never dared to hope for. And for the first time, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, it could be real.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 1: The Butterfly Garden

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Only girls can teleport from the butterfly garden to Aislinn's College, so what is middle aged Fred doing on the equinox at the butterfly garden trying yet again to do magic?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here.

The autumn equinox painted the Butterfly Garden in shades of amber and gold, each leaf catching the slanted light like stained glass. Fred stood among the swirling monarchs, their orange wings creating a living kaleidoscope around him as they prepared for their own impossible journey. His heart hammered with anticipation—today felt different, charged with possibility.

He closed his eyes and let the sensation wash over him: the electric tingle that started in his chest and spread outward like ripples on water. For thirty-six years, he'd carried this certainty within him, this bone-deep knowledge that he could step between worlds if he just believed hard enough. The butterflies seemed to sense it too, their flight patterns growing more frenzied, more purposeful.

The ancient college, he thought, picturing the crystalline spires he'd seen in dreams, the halls where students learned to bend reality itself. It's waiting for me.

The joy built inside him like pressure in a steam engine. This wasn't mere hope anymore—it was faith made manifest, burning bright as the equinox sun. Fred opened his arms wide, feeling the cosmic alignment of the season, the perfect balance between light and dark that made all transformations possible.

"I can do this," he whispered to the butterflies. "I know I can."

The world held its breath. Then Fred took a step forward—not with his feet, but with his entire being, pushing against the fabric of reality with pure intention. The garden exploded in white light.

When the brilliance faded, Fred found himself standing in a room that shouldn't exist.

Medieval stone walls rose around him, but they seemed to breathe with their own inner light. Tapestries depicting impossible geometries hung between arched windows that showed not sky, but swirling galaxies. The air itself felt thick with magic, making his skin tingle as if he'd walked through spider webs made of starlight.

A slate hung on the nearest wall, its surface smooth as black water. Without quite knowing why, Fred approached it and picked up the piece of chalk resting in its wooden tray. His hand moved almost of its own accord, spelling out his name in careful letters: F-R-E-D.

The moment he finished, the letters began to glow with soft blue fire.

"Welcome to the Bit Bucket," said a voice behind him.

Fred spun around to find a young woman watching him with eyes the color of storm clouds. She wore robes that seemed to shift between blue and silver, and her dark hair moved as if touched by an unfelt breeze. Something about her face made his chest tighten with recognition, though he couldn't place where he might have seen her before.

"I'm Gwendolyn," she said, stepping closer. "But you can call me Gwen. I'm what you might call a spirit monitor—your guide in this place."

"This place?" Fred's voice came out rougher than he'd intended. "I was trying to reach the college. The ancient one, off-planet."

Gwen's expression softened with something that might have been sympathy. "I know. But the Bit Bucket catches those who don't quite fit the college's usual categories. Think of it as... a waiting room for the metaphysically displaced."

She gestured to the walls around them, and Fred noticed for the first time that they were covered in names—thousands upon thousands of them, glowing faintly in the stone. "Everyone who's ever been caught between worlds ends up here eventually. The equinoxes are particularly active times for such transitions."

"Caught between worlds?" The words sent a chill down Fred's spine. "You mean I'm trapped?"

"Not trapped," Gwen said carefully. "But the way forward requires mastery of skills you haven't fully developed yet. Teleportation brought you here, but escaping... that requires understanding reincarnation as well."

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling. The joy of successful teleportation was rapidly giving way to a creeping dread. "How long have people been stuck here?"

"Time works differently in the Bit Bucket. Some find their way out in what feels like days. Others..." She gestured to the older names on the walls, their glow nearly faded. "Others take much longer to learn what they need to know."

As if summoned by their conversation, the air in the room began to shimmer. Fred felt a presence pressing against the edges of his consciousness—ancient, vast, and somehow familiar. The sensation was like trying to remember a dream that kept slipping away.

"The spirits are stirring," Gwen murmured, her eyes growing distant. "They can sense the change you've brought. Your arrival has awakened something that's been sleeping for a very long time."

Fred wanted to ask what she meant, but the words died in his throat as images flashed through his mind: a woman with eyes like starlight wielding power that could reshape reality; another figure wreathed in shadow, her beauty terrible and cold. The visions came and went like lightning, leaving him gasping.

"What's happening to me?" he managed.

Gwen's hand found his shoulder, her touch surprisingly warm and solid. "You're not just anyone, Fred. The Bit Bucket doesn't call to ordinary people. There's something about you—something that connects you to the ancient powers that shaped this place."

The room pulsed around them, the medieval stones seeming to breathe with renewed life. Somewhere in the distance, Fred could swear he heard the sound of wings—not butterfly wings, but something vast and powerful stirring to wakefulness.

"I need to get back," he said, though even as he spoke, he wasn't sure what he was going back to. The Butterfly Garden felt like a memory from another lifetime. "There has to be a way."

"There is," Gwen said quietly. "But it's not the path you think. The way forward isn't back—it's through transformation itself."

Fred looked at her sharply, something in her tone making his pulse quicken. "What kind of transformation?"

Before she could answer, the slate on the wall began to glow more brightly. New words appeared beneath Fred's name, written in the same flowing script but in a hand, he didn't recognize: The wheel turns. The sleeper wakes. What was divided shall be made whole.

Gwen's face went pale as she read the words. "It's beginning," she whispered. "After all these centuries, it's finally beginning."

"What's beginning?" Fred demanded, but the room was already starting to change around them. The medieval stones began to shift and flow like water, and the air filled with a sound like distant thunder.

In that moment of chaos and transformation, Fred caught sight of Gwen's face in profile, and the recognition that had been nagging at him finally clicked into place. He knew those storm-gray eyes, that stubborn set to her jaw. He'd seen them before, in another life, in another world.

But that was impossible. Wasn't it?

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and everything went white.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 2: The Bit Bucket Discovery

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Gwen, the ghost, that Fred in The Bit Bucket can't place her, as he ponders this detour from his destination?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here.

The white light faded like morning mist, leaving Fred standing in a space that defied every law of physics he thought he understood. Stone walls rose around him, their surfaces breathing with an inner luminescence that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. This wasn't the crystalline spires of the ancient college he'd envisioned—this was something far older, far stranger.

Medieval tapestries hung between arched windows, but the scenes they depicted moved and shifted like living dreams. Through those impossible windows, Fred glimpsed not sky but swirling galaxies, their spiral arms rotating in slow, hypnotic dance. The air itself felt thick with possibility, making his skin tingle as if he'd walked through a web of starlight.

Environmental Exploration

Fred moved deeper into the room, his footsteps echoing strangely in the charged atmosphere. Every surface seemed to hum with contained energy—the wooden table with its silver bell and platter, the bookcase filled with volumes whose titles shifted when he wasn't looking directly at them, the lamp that burned with a flame that cast no shadows yet illuminated everything.

"Aislinn C" was stamped on the flyleaf of every book, the letters glowing faintly blue. The mysterious liquid in the lamp's reservoir never diminished, though the flame danced as if responding to unseen winds. Everything here existed in a state of perpetual almost-motion, as if the room itself were holding its breath.

Most intriguing of all was the slate mounted on the wall near the bookcase. Its surface was smooth as black water, and carved at the top were three simple words: "Who Are You?"

Writing on the Slate

Fred approached the slate with a mixture of reverence and curiosity. A piece of chalk rested in the wooden tray beneath it, worn smooth by countless hands. Without quite understanding why, he felt compelled to answer the question.

His hand trembled slightly as he picked up the chalk. The moment his fingers closed around it, warmth spread up his arm—not unpleasant, but definitely magical. He could feel the room watching, waiting.

Carefully, he spelled out his name: F-R-E-D.

The letters blazed to life the instant he finished, glowing with the same soft blue fire he'd seen in the books. But more than that—the moment his name appeared, Fred felt something shift in the room around him. The air grew warmer, more welcoming, as if the space had been waiting specifically for him to arrive.

"Fascinating," said a voice behind him. "It's been over a thousand years since anyone wrote their name on that slate."

Meeting Gwen

Fred spun around, his heart hammering. A young woman stood near the arched doorway he was certain hadn't been there moments before. She wore robes that seemed to shift between blue and silver with each breath, and her dark hair moved as if touched by an unfelt breeze. But it was her eyes that made his chest tighten with impossible recognition—storm-gray eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of centuries.

"I'm Gwendolyn," she said, stepping closer with fluid grace. "But you can call me Gwen. I'm what you might call a spirit monitor—your guide in this place."

"Spirit monitor?" Fred's voice came out rougher than he'd intended. The recognition nagging at him was growing stronger, like trying to remember a half-forgotten dream. "You mean you're...?"

"Dead? Yes, technically." Gwen's smile was both sad and beautiful. "Though 'dead' is such a limiting term when you're dealing with metaphysical spaces. I exist here, between life and whatever comes after, helping those who find themselves caught in the Bit Bucket."

"The Bit Bucket?" Fred gestured to the medieval walls around them. "That's what this place is called?"

"A rather undignified name for such an ancient space, I'll admit." Gwen moved to the window, her form seeming to shimmer slightly in the strange light. "But accurate. Think of it as a cosmic waiting room for souls who don't quite fit the usual categories."

Exposition on Metaphysical Mechanisms

Gwen turned back to him, her expression growing more serious. "You see, Fred, teleportation isn't as simple as most people believe. When someone attempts to travel between worlds, they enter a metaphysical state where reality becomes... fluid. The college has rooms designed to intercept girls of specific ages—Room 11 for eleven-year-olds, Room 12 for twelve-year-olds, and so on. Each room is modern and appealing, designed to make the transition comfortable."

She gestured to the medieval surroundings. "But the Bit Bucket is different. It catches those who don't fit the college's usual parameters. The thirty-six-year-old man with a woman's soul, for instance. The spirits who've lost their way. The ones who are... complicated."

Fred felt a chill run down his spine. "How long have people been trapped here?"

"Time works differently in metaphysical spaces," Gwen said carefully. "Some find their way out quickly. Others..." She glanced at the slate where his name still glowed. "Others take much longer to learn what they need to know."

"And what exactly do I need to know?"

Gwen's eyes grew distant, as if she were listening to voices he couldn't hear. "The way forward isn't back, Fred. You can't simply teleport home—the pathway that brought you here was one-way. The only escape from the Bit Bucket requires mastering not just teleportation, but reincarnation as well."

Understanding the Prison

The word hit Fred like a physical blow. "Reincarnation? You mean I have to... die?"

"Not die, exactly. Transform." Gwen moved closer, and Fred caught a scent like rain on summer flowers. "The Bit Bucket doesn't just trap people, Fred. It offers them a chance to become who they truly are. But that transformation requires letting go of who you think you are."

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling. "I don't understand. I came here to reach the college, to learn, to become whole. Now you're telling me I have to give up everything I am?"

"Not give up," Gwen said softly. "Evolve. The college accepts students who fit certain categories, Fred. But you—" She paused, studying his face with those storm-gray eyes. "You're something special. Something that doesn't fit their neat little boxes."

The room pulsed around them, and Fred felt that presence again—ancient, vast, and somehow familiar. The sensation was stronger now, pressing against the edges of his consciousness like a half-remembered song.

"There's something else, isn't there?" he said. "Something you're not telling me."

Gwen's expression grew troubled. "The Bit Bucket has been empty for a thousand years, Fred. No one has been sent here since the time of the great sorceresses. Your arrival has awakened something that's been sleeping for a very long time."

As if summoned by her words, the air in the room began to shimmer. The tapestries on the walls fluttered without wind, and the flame in the lamp flickered wildly. Fred felt power stirring in the depths of the space—not malevolent, but vast and patient as mountains.

"What's awakening?" he whispered.

"Memories," Gwen said, her voice barely audible above the growing hum of energy. "Ancient memories that have been waiting for the right person to unlock them. The question is, Fred—are you ready to discover who you really are?"

The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, and new words appeared beneath Fred's name in flowing script: The wheel turns. The sleeper wakes. What was divided shall be made whole.

Fred looked at Gwen, seeing something in her face that made his heart race with both hope and terror. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Gwen said, her form beginning to shimmer more intensely, "that your journey is just beginning. And that perhaps—just perhaps—we've both been waiting for this moment far longer than either of us realized."

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a transformation that would change everything he thought he knew about himself, about magic, and about the impossible woman standing before him with storm-gray eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 3: Past Love Revealed

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What can Gwen, the ghost, tell Fred that rocks him to his core?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The white light faded, leaving Fred standing in the same medieval chamber, but something fundamental had shifted. The air itself felt different—charged with recognition, heavy with memories that weren't quite his own. Gwen stood before him, her storm-gray eyes wide with an emotion he couldn't immediately place.

Then it hit him like a physical blow.

Recognition

"Sarah?" The name escaped his lips in a whisper, barely audible above the humming energy of the Bit Bucket. But it was her—the curve of her smile, the way she tilted her head when thinking, the gentle strength in her posture that had first drawn him to her three years ago.

Gwen's ethereal form shimmered, her spirit-monitor composure cracking completely. For a moment, her careful mask slipped, revealing the woman he'd loved and lost. "You remember."

The memories came flooding back in a torrent that made Fred's knees buckle. Sarah laughing as butterflies landed on her shoulders in the very garden he'd just left. Sarah's hand in his as they walked the winding paths, talking about dreams and possibilities. Sarah's eyes lighting up when he first told her about his belief in teleportation, how she'd listened without judgment, even encouraged his wild theories.

"But you're..." Fred's voice broke. "You died. Three years ago. The summer solstice."

"I know." Gwen stepped closer, her form becoming more solid, more real. "I remember everything, Fred. Our casual relationship that became something deeper. The way you used to bring me wildflowers from the garden's edge. How we'd sit by the fountain and you'd tell me about the ancient college you dreamed of finding."

The Truth About Her Name

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling with questions. "But why Gwen? Your name was Sarah. Sarah Elizabeth Hartwell. I remember because you always said you hated how formal it sounded."

A shadow of pain crossed her features. "Gwen was my middle name. Sarah Gwen Elizabeth Hartwell—though I never told you the full version." She looked away, her spirit-form flickering with emotion. "When Aislinn first found me after the accident, when she offered me this position as spirit monitor, she asked what I wanted to be called in this new existence."

"And you chose Gwen," Fred said quietly, understanding beginning to dawn.

"I couldn't bear to hear my first name spoken aloud," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sarah was the woman who loved you, who had dreams of a future together, who died on the way to meet you that solstice evening. Gwen... Gwen could be the spirit guide, the one who helps lost souls without being reminded every moment of what I'd lost. Of who I'd left behind."

Fred felt his heart breaking all over again. "You were trying to forget me."

"Not forget," she said quickly, her storm-gray eyes meeting his. "Protect myself from the pain of remembering. Every time someone said 'Sarah,' I could see our last conversation, feel the excitement I'd had about telling you..." She stopped, her form wavering.

"Telling me what?" Fred pressed gently.

"That I loved you," she whispered. "That I wanted more than just casual dating. I was going to tell you that night, at the garden. I had it all planned out."

Flashback to Their Relationship

The Bit Bucket around them seemed to respond to their shared memories, the medieval walls shimmering and shifting to show glimpses of the past. Fred saw himself as he'd been then—younger, more carefree, his hope untainted by years of solitary practice. He watched as past-Sarah traced patterns in the air with her finger, creating temporary light trails that made him believe magic was possible.

"You never thought I was crazy," Fred said, his voice thick with emotion. "Everyone else looked at me like I was delusional, but you..."

"I believed in you," Gwen finished. "Because I could see it, Fred. The way reality bent slightly around you when you concentrated. The way flowers bloomed brighter in your presence. You had magic in you even then—you just didn't know how to access it."

The visions shifted, showing them their last day together. They'd been planning to meet at the Butterfly Garden for the summer solstice, to watch the sunset and talk about their future. Sarah had been excited about something, had mentioned wanting to tell him something important.

But she never made it to that meeting.

Gwen's Death and Transformation

"The accident," Fred whispered, remembering the phone call that had shattered his world. "They said you fell from the hiking trail. That you were alone."

Gwen's expression grew pained. "I wasn't alone, Fred. I was with someone—someone who claimed they could teach me about the magical world you'd described. They said they knew about the college, about teleportation." Her form flickered with anger. "It was a trap. They were looking for people connected to those with magical potential. They thought if they eliminated me..."

"They thought it would break me," Fred finished, understanding flooding through him. "They wanted to stop me from ever reaching the college."

"Instead, it did something they didn't expect." Gwen's voice grew stronger. "My death on the solstice, combined with my connection to you and your latent magical abilities, created a spiritual anchor. I became tied to the metaphysical spaces between worlds. When the Bit Bucket needed a spirit monitor, I was... recruited."

The Name Request

"So when you ask me to call you Gwen..." Fred began.

"I'm asking you not to rock the boat," she said, her voice carrying a note of pleading. "Sarah died that night, Fred. She died with dreams unfulfilled and words unspoken. Gwen is who I became—the spirit who learned to guide others through their transformations. If you call me Sarah, I'm afraid I'll fall apart completely. I'm afraid I won't be strong enough to help you escape this place."

Fred studied her face, seeing the careful control she'd built around her pain. "But I loved Sarah. I've been grieving Sarah for three years."

"And I've been existing as Gwen for just as long," she replied. "It's not about forgetting who we were, Fred. It's about accepting who we've become. Sarah and Fred had their chance at love, and it was cut short. But maybe... maybe Gwen and whoever you become after reincarnation can have something different. Something that transcends death itself."

Years of Isolation

The weight of three years of grief crashed down on Fred all at once. He remembered the months after Sarah's death when he couldn't bear to enter the Butterfly Garden. How he'd thrown himself into studying teleportation theory, desperate to escape a world that felt empty without her. The way he'd pushed away every friend who tried to help, every potential romantic connection that might have healed his heart.

"I couldn't love anyone else," he admitted. "I tried, but every time I looked at another woman, all I could see was you. All I could think about was how you'd never get to see the magical world you believed in."

"Oh, Fred." Gwen reached out as if to touch his face, her spirit-form wavering with the intensity of her emotion. "I watched you sometimes, when the barriers between worlds were thin. I saw you sitting alone in your apartment, practicing teleportation until you collapsed from exhaustion. I wanted so desperately to tell you I was still here, still believing in you. But I was Gwen then, not Sarah. I had to maintain the separation."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, responding to their emotional reunion. The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, and new words appeared beneath Fred's name: Love transcends death. Hearts remember what minds forget. Names may change, but souls remain constant.

Spiritual Reunion

"This is why you're here," Gwen said, her voice filled with wonder. "This is why the Bit Bucket called to you specifically. Our connection, our love—it created a resonance in the magical field. You weren't just trying to reach the college, Fred. You were trying to reach me. Even if you didn't know it consciously."

Fred felt something shift inside him, a piece of his soul that had been missing for three years suddenly clicking back into place. But it wasn't the desperate, grief-stricken love he'd carried for so long. This was something deeper, more mature—a love that had been tested by death and separation and emerged transformed.

"I don't want to lose you again," he said. "I can't lose you twice, whether you're Sarah or Gwen or anyone else."

"You won't," Gwen replied, her storm-gray eyes blazing with determination. "But Fred, our love has evolved beyond what it was when I was alive. We're not the same people we were three years ago. You've grown, learned, suffered. And I've become something more than human. If we're going to escape this place together, it won't be as the couple we once were."

Fred nodded slowly, understanding. "So I call you Gwen. Not because I'm forgetting Sarah, but because I'm accepting who you are now."

"Exactly," she said, relief flooding her features. "Sarah was my past. Gwen is my present. And whoever we become after reincarnation... that will be our future."

The air around them began to shimmer again, and Fred felt that familiar presence pressing against his consciousness—ancient, vast, and somehow connected to both of them. The artifacts in the room hummed with increasing energy, and the flame in the lamp flickered wildly.

"Something's happening," Gwen said, her spirit-monitor instincts taking over. "Our reunion has triggered something in the Bit Bucket's magical matrix. The ancient powers that created this space are responding to our combined spiritual energy."

Fred looked at the slate where their story was being written in flowing script, the words appearing faster now: Two souls, divided by death, united by love. The wheel turns toward transformation. What was lost shall be found in new form. Names are but vessels; love is eternal.

"Gwen," he said, deliberately using her chosen name, "what does that mean?"

Before she could answer, the medieval walls began to shift and flow like water. The bookcase with Aislinn's volumes started to glow, and the silver bell on the wooden table chimed once, its note hanging in the air like a promise.

"It means," Gwen said, her voice filled with both hope and trepidation, "that our love story isn't ending—it's about to begin again. But in ways neither of us can imagine."

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a transformation that would change not just his form, but the very nature of his connection to the woman he'd never stopped loving. Their reunion had awakened something ancient and powerful, and there would be no going back to the simple life he'd known before.

The only way forward was through the mystery of reincarnation itself, where Sarah and Fred might finally become something new together.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 4: The Rules of Reincarnation

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred understand the rules of reincarnation to take Gwen with him and together escape The Bit Bucket?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The Bit Bucket hummed with renewed energy after Fred and Gwen's emotional reunion, the medieval walls pulsing with a rhythm that seemed to echo their combined heartbeats. Fred could feel something fundamental shifting in the metaphysical space around them—as if their love had awakened forces that had been dormant for centuries.

Spiritual Conflict

The air shimmered, and suddenly a presence filled the room that was both familiar and entirely new. The flame in the lamp flickered wildly, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls as a voice spoke from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Aislinn," Gwen whispered, her spirit-form becoming more solid as she straightened with recognition. "She's trying to communicate."

Fred felt the presence wash over him—ancient, wise, and tinged with a sadness that spoke of countless years spent watching over lost souls. When the voice came, it seemed to speak directly into his mind rather than his ears.

The wheel turns, young ones. The equinox has opened pathways that have been sealed for a millennium. But the way forward requires understanding.

"Understanding of what?" Fred called out to the empty air, his voice echoing strangely in the charged atmosphere.

The rules that govern this place. The laws that bind spirit to flesh, soul to destiny.

Explanation of Equinoxes

The bookcase against the wall began to glow, and one of the volumes marked "Aislinn C" floated free from its shelf, opening itself in midair. Pages fluttered as if turned by invisible hands, finally settling on a passage that blazed with golden light.

Gwen moved closer to read, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the magical illumination. "The equinoxes," she said, her voice filled with wonder. "They're not just astronomical events—they're cosmic hinges. Moments when the barriers between worlds become permeable."

Fred joined her, reading over her shoulder. The text described how twice a year, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the metaphysical fabric of reality grew thin enough for certain transformations to occur. Teleportation became possible for those with the right spiritual resonance. Reincarnation could be achieved by souls ready to transcend their current forms.

"That's why I was able to reach the Bit Bucket today," Fred realized. "The autumn equinox created the perfect conditions."

Precisely, Aislinn's presence confirmed. But the same forces that brought you here also limit your options for departure. The pathways are specific, governed by laws older than human civilization.

Teleportation Limitations

The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, new words appearing beneath Fred's name in flowing script: One-way passage. The seeker who enters the Bit Bucket cannot return by the same path. Forward lies transformation; backward lies only emptiness.

Fred felt his heart sink as the implications became clear. "You mean I can't just teleport back to the Butterfly Garden? I can't go home?"

Gwen's expression grew pained. "The Bit Bucket exists between worlds, Fred. It's a waystation for souls in transition. Those who arrive here are meant to move forward, not backward."

The floating book's pages turned again, revealing diagrams of metaphysical pathways that looked like intricate spider webs connecting different realms. Fred could see the Butterfly Garden clearly marked, along with what appeared to be Aislinn's College and dozens of other locations he didn't recognize. But every pathway leading from the Bit Bucket pointed in only one direction—toward transformation.

"The college has rooms designed to catch students of specific ages," Gwen explained, her spirit-monitor knowledge coming to the fore. "Room 11 for eleven-year-olds, Room 12 for twelve-year-olds, and so on. Each room is modern and welcoming, designed to ease the transition. But the Bit Bucket..." She gestured to the medieval surroundings. "This place catches the exceptions. The complicated cases."

Gwen's Guidance

Fred stared at the pathways on the floating pages, his mind racing. "So what you're saying is that the only way out of here is through reincarnation? I have to become someone else entirely?"

Not someone else, Aislinn's presence corrected gently. Someone more complete. The Bit Bucket doesn't destroy identity—it offers the chance to become who you truly are.

Gwen moved closer to Fred, her ethereal form radiating warmth despite its insubstantial nature. "Think about it, Fred. You've always felt incomplete, haven't you? Like there was something missing, something that prevented you from being whole?"

Fred nodded slowly, remembering the years of feeling caught between worlds—too feminine for the masculine role society expected, too uncertain of his place to fully embrace any identity. "The chimera nature. My mother's exposure to that artifact during pregnancy."

"Exactly," Gwen said softly. "What if the Bit Bucket isn't a trap, but an opportunity? A chance to resolve the conflict that's been tearing you apart your entire life?"

The floating book's pages turned once more, revealing a passage that made Fred's breath catch: Reincarnation through the Bit Bucket requires mastery of both teleportation and the deeper magic of spiritual transformation. The soul must willingly release its current form while maintaining the essence of its true self. Only those who can navigate this paradox successfully can escape to their destined realm.

"But how do I master something I don't understand?" Fred asked, frustration creeping into his voice. "I barely managed to teleport here in the first place."

Practice, Aislinn's presence suggested with what might have been amusement. But not the kind you're thinking of. The magic you need cannot be learned through repetition—it must be felt, experienced, lived.

Emotional Bond Renewed

Gwen stepped closer, her storm-gray eyes meeting Fred's with an intensity that made his heart race. "There's something else, Fred. Something I haven't told you about reincarnation through the Bit Bucket."

"What?"

"It doesn't have to be a solitary journey," she said quietly. "Souls that are truly connected—that share a bond deeper than mere attraction—can undergo the transformation together. They can choose to be reborn in forms that complement each other, that allow their love to transcend the boundaries of their previous existence."

Fred felt hope flare in his chest like a sudden flame. "You mean we could escape together? We could both be reincarnated?"

"If we're willing to let go of who we were," Gwen said. "If we're ready to become something new while holding onto the love that connects us."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, responding to their emotional connection. The artifacts in the room—the silver bell, the mysterious lamp, the floating book—all began to resonate with a harmony that filled the space with music too beautiful for human ears.

The choice is yours, Aislinn's presence whispered. But know this—the transformation, once begun, cannot be undone. You will emerge from this place as different people, with different bodies, different lives. Only your souls will remain constant.

Fred looked at Gwen, seeing in her ethereal features the woman he had loved and lost, the spirit guide who had helped him understand this strange new world, and something more—a partner willing to face the unknown by his side.

"I won't leave without you," he said firmly. "I can't lose you again, Gwen. Not after finding you here."

"And I won't let you face this alone," she replied, her form becoming more solid as their bond strengthened. "Whatever we become, we'll face it together."

The slate on the wall blazed with new words: Two souls, united in purpose. The wheel turns toward transformation. What was divided shall be made whole.

The floating book snapped shut and returned to its shelf, but the knowledge it had shared remained burning in Fred's mind. He understood now that the path forward wasn't about returning to his old life—it was about embracing a new one. The Bit Bucket had brought him and Gwen together not to trap them, but to offer them something neither had dared hope for: a second chance at love, in forms that would allow them to be truly themselves.

But as the medieval walls began to shimmer with increasing intensity, Fred sensed that their decision to attempt reincarnation together had awakened something else in the depths of the Bit Bucket. Something ancient and powerful that had been waiting for exactly this moment to stir from its long slumber.

The real test was about to begin.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter One ~ Della

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Would Kathryn be prepared for the news that an angel would bring to her about her friend Monty?

Chapter One ~ Della

I was still living at my parent’s home on Labor Day Weekend in 1995 especially to go by the Star Trek fan club table at Dragon*Con. And when I say go by the table that’s what I really did. I walked by without stopping. When I came in June 1993 to the con, I was thinking about my Father who had introduced me to Star Trek in 1966. I was about to stop at the table when I also remembered him yelling at me that it was a ‘tool of the devil’. A beautiful girl with auburn hair smiled at me and I still kept on going.

In 1994 they held the convention in July. I came by the table which I had found out was for “Starfleet: The International Fan Association”. This time I saw the amazing auburn haired woman with the green eyes. I could lose myself in her eyes and I found myself halted 50 feet from the table clogging a bottleneck in the main traffic aisle. Con Security came up to me with people from behind me squeezing by on one side or the other. He obviously read my con badge before he spoke to me.

“Monty, is it?”

“Yes sir”

“This Con is an amazing place with sights beyond belief but the one place where you can’t stand and admire them is there. MOVE ALONG!”

I started moving and never stopped and never came back to the table that year. But that was then and this is now, the year that Dragon*Con hosted NASFIC and the Starfleet International Conference. On the table as I went by I could see my prize. The holy grail was a brochure with information and a membership application for the USS Republic of Atlanta, GA. But I also remembered what had happened with the security guard from last year. I could not just stand and admire it from a far without the same traffic mishap. So I orbited round and round the circumference of the room, never stopping. Each time I could see that same amazing woman with the auburn hair and I wondered what she was thinking?

”Bernie, what is he thinking?”

”Captain Kathryn, obviously he’s not thinking with either of his brains. He seems totally infatuated platonically with you. He’s the guy that stopped up traffic last year and I think that I saw him the year before. He wasn’t even a snatch and go like some are. He never stopped.”

”Well maybe my new minimizer bra is working?”

”Not on your life Kathryn. You have seen all the other guys come by and we both could tell they were very happy to see you. This calls for drastic measures. Here! Take the custom blouse you have to wear to the IC if we sign up 10 folks for our ship along with the McLeod tartan unsewn material and the clan pins that you use to turn into a dress. Change into the top in the bathroom and make the dress out of the tartan and put it on over it.”

”Not liking where you are going with this, Bernie, but I’ll do it.”

Well when I came back around for so many orbits I had lost count, The auburn haired woman was standing in front of the table instead of behind wearing the McLeod tartan as a dress. On one side of the table was a large mostly royal blue silk USS Republic banner 4’ by 4’ with the Starfleet logo banner which was about the same quality but a bit smaller and on the other side was an even smaller yellow denim banner with a small Starfleet emblem with the McLeod bull superimposed.”

”Now Captain Kathryn!” said the blonde woman with the straight chin length pageboy hair. The auburn haired woman that had been called Captain Kathryn quickly came out of the dress leaving the tartan piled up on the table in front of the blonde. By the time I could get close enough to speak I could see her teeth chattering since the A/C had the place as cold as a freezer. I was curious on how she had made some unsewn cloth into and out of a dress so quickly. I stopped in front of her, never taking my vision from her amazing eyes and placed the Tartan over one of her shoulders as it hung front and back but was not obviously a dress.

”Captain Kathryn, just like USS Voyager? I’m amazed at how you could fold and pin that bolt of cloth into a dress. That’s the McLeod tartan isn’t it? Is that your clan?”

”Didn’t the blouse that I was wearing give you a clue? It’s a famous saying from a Sci Fi Movie franchise that my cohorts named the ship after. I am a scot and my clan is the Murray clan.”

A passing woman asked Kathryn, “May I?” which she nodded yes. The woman took a peek under the tartan and smiled. “

”Look here, Trekkie!”

She then removed the tartan from Kathryn’s top and then forced my head down so that I was staring at her bust. Kathryn and I responded in unison, “It’s Trekker!” Then I really looked.

”Oh My!” The top was barely covering her bosom and two words surrounded each nipple with one word between her bosom.

”There can be only one? Oh! Highlander! I’m sorry but I missed that. They are great movies and I can see why you would want to name your ship after them. Could I still see you turn that tartan into a dress, miss?”

”Thank you, Ma’am, for the assist. Bernadette, I win. You get to wear the blouse now. Hi there, I go by Kathy ordinarily. Bernie gets enthusiastic that my first name is spelled like Kathryn Janeway’s on Voyager and that I’m the USS MacLeod’s captain. What’s your name?”

”I’m Monty. Glad to meet you Kathy. I’m kinda glad that you got me to stop. It feels good to be just standing still for a change. I am really in to Scottish culture and it fits in to my trek avocation too with Scotty on the original USS Enterprise. I imagine that you all go for Scottish culture in addition to the Highlander interest from you having that Tartan.”

”Okay Monty, I’ll show you how I can fold and pin the tartan into a dress, if you will promise to take one of out brochures and be our guest at the Starfleet IC at the Holiday Inn down the street. I believe that you would make a great crewmember in Starfleet.

Sarah showed me exactly what folds she made and where she placed the pins to make the dress. Soon she was again the amazingly beautiful lassie that had finally stopped me in my tracks. I saw the time and knew that a must see panel was soon to start. I didn’t forget to pick up a brochure from the table. However when I looked at it closely, I found that it was the one for the USS Republic. When I discovered my mistake, I went back to the table but instead of the two girls were a couple of heavy set men and no McLeod brochures in sight so I kept walking.

I finally did join Starfleet: The International Fan Association and became a member of the USS Republic chapter. They explained to me at the Starfleet IC that the USS Republic met not too far from me in a north west superb of Atlanta whereas the USS MacLeod met in the extreme south east sector beyond the suburbs. I had to join the club that I could get to on MARTA if needed since my parents might get involved. I was so enthusiastic that I took the Officer Training School test and passed it to become an Ensign right away.

Something seemed to click in me, at my first USS Republic meeting when Kathy was introduced again to me as the Captain of the USS MacLeod. Instead of running off afterward, I wanted to talk to Sarah after the meeting,”

”Hi Kathy, I’m [email protected] What’s your email address?”

”Monty, I don’t have one. I don’t have a working modem to get online and I can’t afford to join Compuserve just to get email.”

”Kathy, I have an extra modem that I know how to put on your PC and I have the diskette for Juno which we can install on your computer and you can get email for free.”

”I’m a bit busy Monty with work and other things but if you wanted to come to my house early before the next USS MacLeod meeting with the modem and disk, you could do it. I really appreciate your offer.”

Kathy handed me a sheet with all the information on the USS MacLeod membership and meetings, including a map. I saw that it was a lot closer than I had been told. I found out later that the person who told me that was from Alabama. I saw that the time was something that I could make as well.

”I can do it Kathy, I’ll see you before the USS Macleod meeting.

”You don’t know what this means to me, Monty. Thank you for your kindness.”

She gave me a kiss on the cheek and sent me away happy. You bet I went to her meeting. With the modem and software that I provided, Kathy had an email address. And because I helped her set up the software, I had her email address too.

That mismatched parts computer of hers was always having software or hardware problems. Helping Kathy with her computer became the excuse for my frequent visits to her home. I benefited from being able to keep in touch with Kathy by Email as well.

Beyond the simple things I started out doing, I was really a novice and had to do a lot through trial and error. Unfortunately, Kathy's computer suffered some of the effects of my errors. However when things were said and done, I always finally succeeded to restore her aging, patched together computer to function normally, at least for a while, until another component failed.

After we had begun the process of meeting for me to work on her computer, I had also become a member of her chapter of Starfleet, in addition to the one I originally belonged. When our friendship bond had grown close she had a dream, which she told me about later.

It was afterward, at her home, as she tried to process her perceptions of me, that she drifted away in the twilight between sleep and wakefulness. Kathy told me that she was literally beside herself as her astral body looked down on her near sleeping form. She was not alone, but had been joined by a beautiful woman, who Kathy perceived as an angel. The angel was rather tall with brown hair and mischievously twinkling green eyes. Since she had been gifted with visions in the past, Sarah knew that the thing to do was to listen attentively for the angel to begin speaking.

“Greetings Kathy! My name is Della and I'm here to help you interpret your perceptions of your friend"

“Thank you for coming, Della. What can you reveal about my friend, Monty? Something tells me that he is not what he appears to be. That discrepancy makes me a little uneasy about him on one level but his actions are always kind."

“Kathy, Let me help you see your friend's spirit and reveal the truth."

Della and Kathy's astral body were translated to peer into my bedroom as I lay sleeping. They were both witnesses as my astral spirit rose from my body. Sarah gasped as she realized that my astral spirit had taken the form of a young woman.

“This is Monty’s true self. One name that she uses in her mind for her true self is Monti, spelled M-O-N-T-I She was born with a rare condition, which will one day be known to your world as Harry Benjamin Syndrome. Her brain is no different from any woman's brain. God, who is perfect in creating new life, placed this female spirit within her body to inhabit her female brain."

“But otherwise Monty is no different from any other man?"

“Monty's female spirit makes her a woman. The Spirit and the Soul of a person live on eternally, but the body is temporary. A person's gender is an essential part of their spirit, and is fixed for all eternity"

“Does Monty know he's really a woman?"

“She always knew that she was different but it wasn't until entering male puberty and she did not start developing as the other girls that she realized what the difference was really"

“Monty is an honest soul. Why hasn't he told me about this himself?"

“Kathy, each person responds according to their gifts. The weight on her soul, of pretending to be someone she is not, will convict her and cause a crisis. She will either choose to be true and reveal this to you or else suffer the consequence that results from denying who she is in reality."

My spirit returned to my body. Everything appeared to be normal but now Kathy knew better. Della led Kathy back to where her body still lay in its twilight state.

“Why will Monty wait till a crisis forces him to choose?"

“She revealed her true female self to her parents as a child and later while she was still living with them as a young adult. They called her a liar and claimed that her true self was impossible. They demonized her thoughts so that she feared their reprisal if she revealed her true self again. More than, that she believed the fallacy that they advocated that God would condemn her to punishment unless her actions emulated a male."

Della paused a moment for Kathy to process her words a little more before continuing.

“Monty told the last woman she had a platonic relationship with before you, about her condition. She told Cindy, what she believed was the truth, that her female self had been buried so deeply that it would never resurface. At that time, Cindy had been her closest friend, and her complete rejection of Monty, left him completely devastated. It is because of Cindy's rejection that Monty will wait till the crisis occurs when she must confront the truth."

“Monty really wants to be my boyfriend. In most ways he already is, except that we don't date. What do I do if Monty asks me if we can start dating?"

“Ask Monty to wait a year. Before that year is up, she’ll confide in you about her true self. Even though at times it will be tempting to tell her what you know, it will be better for her for you to wait until she is ready to admit it herself."

“This is a bit much to take. I've already referred to Monty at work as my boyfriend, unknown to him, oh I guess I mean her? How should I refer to Monty?"

“You should simply refer to Monty by the gender she is presenting at the time. I'm glad I could answer some of your questions. The rest is for the two of you to discover together. It's time you returned to your life, Kathy. Thank you for caring about Monty"

Kathy's spirit merged with her physical self. Her last perception was of Della smiling warmly and that Della would keep her safe.

From Kathy's descriptions of Della, I recognized her as my departed maternal Grandmother. I still to this day wonder why Grandmother was sent to reveal to Kathy my true self even before I realized that I could no longer hide.

In the past Kathy had been open to messages from the spiritual realm, so when a message was given, she was prepared to both receive it and believe it. It was Kathy's friendship, which blossomed later into love, for me which would take both of us through the challenges to come.

I won't say yet, when Kathy confided in me about her vision and the other things that occurred out of my presence. It makes the most sense to me, telling the story now, to tell this in the order that it occurred instead of the order I found out about it.

It was really fortunate that after Della's visitation, Kathy fell into a deep sleep. I have no doubt that her unconscious mind was trying to make sense of her vision. She would need to be well rested, to face the aftermath of Della's visit, when she woke in the morning.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Two ~ Never List

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Would Bernadette be prepared for the news that Kathy had an angel visit about her friend Monty?

It was ironic that on the same morning following the angel visiting Kathy in her dream that I was engaged in making my ‘Never’ list. For me it was all the reasons not to transition fully since every time I had made a move in that direction, I had been slammed down. It started with the statement:

It would not be wise for me to transition fully because I would:

Never get my Daddy to be proud of me as his daughter.
Never be able to walk in high heels without wobbling
Never get my Momma to believe I’m not mentally ill
Never get my hair to grow out long enough for a girl’s cut and always wearing a wig.
Never get my youngest brother quit promising his favor and withdrawing it even when I met his conditions
Never be able to find a cosmetic to cover my dark beard shadow
Never get my other brother to understand that agree to disagree doesn’t work when its about identity
Never find a pretty long sleeve dress with sleeves long enough to fit me.
Never have one of my cousins reach out to me in love me even being trans.
Never be able to apply my makeup in less than 2 hours for me to be presentable.
Never have an aunt to see me presenting as a female and want to have her picture taken with me.
Never have pretty thin girly arms instead of ugly hairy muscular arms
Never have started a family of choice with new sisters on the same journey as I with only death being able to part us.
Never have my blah male perpetually slicked down hair making it appear a mousy brown dyed a bright red
Never be able to avoid being disavowed completely by my immediate birth family
Never be able to train my deep bass voice to sound like a real girl’s voice
Never have the courage to be my true self in front of my friends
Never be able to sing like a woman for my self to hear.
Never be able to go to any type of church as my true self.
Never be able to sing as a woman in a group.
Never have my ugly hairy masculine feet be pretty smooth, rounded and feminine
Never get to sing in a choir in the alto section and accepted.
Never get the muscular bulge from my shoulders and have nice rounded ones which actually might need shoulder padding to look good in a skirt suit or dress.
Never get to sing a solo performance in church as a woman.
Never get nice rounded b cup breasts to grow on a feminine chest.
Never get asked out by a man on a date
Never get a nice rounded tushy and rounded hips
Never get a heart shaped box of candy on valentines
Never get all my beard removed and get rid of the beard shadow
Never get to be the princess in make believe and have frogs turned into princes with my kiss.
Never get to be confident passing with no makeup at all with my face being like any other woman’s
Never get to fly on a airliner to a family gathering hundreds of miles from home
Never learn to relax and walk naturally as a woman with women and fit in,
Never get past being told that The One hated me to look at the bible for myself
Never once growing my hair down to shoulder length in a girl’s cut be willing to get it cut into a short girl’s cut for charity and to help a friend,
Never know from the depth of my soul that The One loves me just as I am as the child of The One.
Never be able to have friends to accept me if I always appeared as a woman with them.
Never get a man to love me and take me as his steady girlfriend.
Never have friends who could not tell by looking at me for my past and needing to reveal to them who I had lived as before.
Never have the courage to start counseling and hormones.
Never have the courage to change my name legally and successfully transition on the job.
Never complete my one year RLT and be eligible for SRS
Never have the money or insurance to complete my SRS
Wow! As I looked back over it that was quite a list. I totally realized that I had a lot listed to hold me back from trying to be my true self. But a flash of insight let me know that it was possible for me to transition if this became my “I’ll transition even if I never …” list!

Ring! Ring! Kathy picked up the call fortunately not having removed the headset yet. ”Hello! This is Kathy.” Kathy wondered who could this be? She also wondered if Monty's ears could be burning?

“Hi, It’s Monty. How are you and your computer doing today?” I hoped that my work would hold since Sarah's computer seemed to break down when she needed it the most.

“Hi Monty! We both are doing fine. I turned him on and put him thru his paces and he performed beyond my expectations. You did a wonderful job, Monty. Thanks so much for the help!” Somehow she felt a sense of peace engulf her being. God was going to give her what she needed for this.

“I'm glad everything is OK with your baby. I had the day cleared just in case I had missed something and you still had problems.” I sighed with relief that I had gotten it right.

“No problems here! I know you love spending Saturdays playing with your niece. I won't need to take you away from her, even though you know I love to have you around. Since I won't have to baby-sit, I've got some errands that I need to run.” Kathy reflected that she had a feeling that her computer would be fine for a while so she could adjust to what she needed to be to Monty. Kathy resolved to not tempt fate and ask him to upgrade anything for a while.

“Jessica, my niece, is going through a phase where her anxieties and emotions seem huge to her. I have no clue about what she's going through. I'm supportive and help her to see that even though her emotions are real that the conclusions she's drawing about them may not be.” I wondered if it had anything to do with Jessica entering puberty.

“That's exactly what she needs right now. She's lucky to have you for an uncle!” Kathy observed with amusement that there would come a time when Monti won't be clueless when she has the experience, herself.

“Well I'd better let you get to your day and me to mine. Bye, Kathy.” I went to find what my niece was doing.

“Bye, Andy.” She hung up the phone and removed the headset. Sarah thought, "I guess I had best get out on my errands before the phone rings again! She changed into a blouse and slacks and brushed out her hair. She picked up her purse and car keys. Kathy was relieved to know that she would have help dealing with the prophecy now.

I found that Jessica was eager to come visit in my room. We loved to role-play together with each of us taking on characters from our imagination. Sometimes it fit better with the situation that they were role playing if I took on a extra female character.

Jessica never seemed to mind and in fact she thought that her uncle was 'cool' that he spent so much time with her. It amused Jessica even more that I would use a feminine voice when playing a feminine character to keep her different from my other character.

Jessica was the only one in the family that I would let my guard down around. The woman within myself had been repressed so much and thoughts of revealing her were consumed with guilt. I truly believed that Monti could be kept locked away in a quiet corner of my brain never to see the light of day. Monti crept out thru the cracks but only in other ways since she would not be allowed to wear a dress even now.

I started to recall the one person in this life who brought real joy to my heart, Kathy. I saw her dark auburn hair that framed her face and tumbled in curls down to her shoulders. I saw the hint of mischievousness in her green eyes that I could lose myself within. I saw her cute turned up nose as an ornament above her mouth with the red full lips that was always smiling and giggling. Her rosy cheeks never needed makeup as did none of her face since her great beauty was such that using makeup would only diminish her natural look.

Kathy was the girl of my dreams. If I, as Monti, grew up to be like her, then it would be my dream come true. I was back again from the brink but it was a war that I was not winning. I feared what might happen in the future.

Kathy told me about how she woke the next morning with a start glancing at the clock on her nightstand to reveal that it was only 6 AM. She picked up the remote to turn on her TV and change it to the weather channel. It was Saturday morning. She marveled that such a supernatural experience could have happened in the space of a single night and there still be time for her to have received one of the best nights sleeping of her life.

Kathy dressed for the day in her traditional sweats for the cooler months for staying around the house. She brushed her fiery auburn hair full of natural curls into submission. While she knew how to be stylish when it called for it, away from work she dressed for comfort.

She was a ground breaking business woman who ascended to the pinnacle of her industry well before the old boys network had been broken. The glass ceiling was so thick that it seemed impossible to break. While it had taken her being 10 times as good as any man better, even that didn't seem to be a full use of her abilities. She balanced business and a full set of social engagements.

The only chink in her presentation came because she had to use very expensive alternatives to cosmetics due to numerous allergies. She came to prefer the fresh face look if at all possible. She was used to being a role model for numerous women. The prospect of being a role model and mentor to the one person who she thought would break her jinx of being left at the alter was a bit much to take.

Kathy told me how she wondered if she would ever get used to knowing things that most others don't know. She reflected that she's been trusted to being the holder of prophesies and also to act at the proper time concerning people close to her. She sometimes had to be careful of using her knowledge for fear of interfering in the normal course of things and worse yet causing a paradox. Fortunately her interest in Science Fiction had done much to prepare her for her tasks.

It amazed her that she had not freaked out as she should have done having been witness to such a supernatural revelation. She reasoned that the Angels had a calming influence on the person receiving the message or else the message would be lost in the enormity of it. Another lasting influence appeared to give the listener the serenity to digest the message in little pieces as they were ready, instead of being overwhelmed by everything at once.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Three ~ Bernadette

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Would Bernadette be prepared for the news that Kathy had an angel visit about her friend Monty?

Chapter Three ~ Bernadette

Kathy told me how she summed things up, "A promise is a promise! And I promised Bernie that anytime I received an angelic visitation that she'd get a full report. I'm lucky that she's my best friend and knows how to keep a secret."

Bernadette lived on the other side of Atlanta and was a member of the USS MacLeod. In fact it had been Bernie who had convinced her to become the ship's captain when Kathy's cousin Gail had stepped down due to health reasons. It had become their tradition to spend early Saturday Morning on the phone.

Bernadette has an angelic quality to how she was perceived in her ordinary life. She taught school to special needs children. Those children were so lucky to have her because she poured all that she was into teaching them. Bernie was also a devout Catholic who had never had any angelic visitations that she knew of but was always eager to hear about Kathy's experiences.

Kathy told me how she prepared coffee and a Danish and got comfy in the living room throwing her coverlet over herself. She picked up the cordless phone and headset and dialed Bernie's number automatically. Kathy picked up her beading tray and jewelry pliers to continue making the bead and wire necklace that she had started.

"Hi Kathy, How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?" Bernie looked over to her 'child' to make sure that she wasn't getting into too much trouble.

"Hi Bernie, I had just about the best sleep in my life. I guess its compensation for my life being turned upside down." Kathy hoped that Bernie was ready for what was to come.

"Kathy, What's wrong sweetie? Do you need me to come over? Did an angel visit you last night?" Bernie knew that the answer to her last question was a resounding, Yes!

"Bernie, I feel more alright than I should but now I just need to talk. Maybe you could come over later? Kathy was more composed now and did not want to overly upset her friend.

"Sure Kathy, we can talk now. You didn't have a chance to answer my last question... was I right?" Bernie smiled. She enjoyed directness and getting right to the matter at hand.

"Yes Bernie, an Angel came to see me. You have to swear to keep this secret." Sarah had confidence that Bernie would keep it secret even though this is going to be the most difficult secret she had entrusted to her.

"Always Kathy, but you know that so it must involve someone close to us. I swear to keep it secret." Bernie was filled with anticipation hoping that Kathy would tell her already. Bernie observed that she may have to drag it out of her. She hoped that maybe a little humor would help.

"There is a lot that I haven't processed yet, but I can give you the jest of it. It was about Monty." Kathy felt triumphant that she'd said Monty's name. Sarah questioned if she was going to have the courage to share the rest.

"You told me that you were in love with Monty, That he was always a perfect gentleman and the first guy who never ever even glanced at your boobs. As big as they are, girl, that is a miracle!"

They giggled together as Kathy replied, "Don't I know it!" Sarah appreciated Bernie lightening the mood with some humor. She realized that was just what she needed.

"You found out that he is trainable since your were able to use your feminine wiles to make it more fun for him to do what you wanted only he would have done it without your extra influence."

"I have to keep in practice to uphold the traditions of us southern belles. I'm glad that its not necessary in Monty's case." Kathy was putting the necklace together by connecting the wire links that ran through each bead. It helped her to keep her hands busy.

"In some ways you said that he was too good to be true. When he showed his soul, you said that it was beautiful in every way but that he appeared to be hiding something and that seemed to make seeing his soul difficult. So did the angel tell you what Monty is hiding?" Bernie was frustrated and wanted Kathy to give up the rest. She hoped that she would not be kept in suspense much longer.

"Let's just say that Andy won't break my jinx from having three men leave me at the alter." Kathy saw from the look in Bernie's eyes that she was still clueless from her attempt to break the news to her easy. Kathy resolved that she was going to have to just come right out and say it.

"So give, Lady, Why wont marriage work for you two? What's he hiding?" Bernie hoped that she would go ahead and answer already! She wondered how many times would she have to ask. Bernie was clearly frustrated with the word games at this point in their conversation,

"Monty is really a woman, a transsexual." Sarah's face showed the relief that she felt from finally saying it.

"Are you sure? He doesn't seem to act that feminine around us." Bernie considered that on the other hand that would clarify exactly what was going on with Monty.

"That's the macho façade that we perceive that isn't true. The one that he has erected to shelter himself from the verbal abuse his parents gave him when he finally confided in his parents as a child." She used the pliers to turn the wire hook that she had inserted in the other bead wire's eye into an eye of its own and completed another link of the necklace.

”Poor dear, doesn't he know that we are truly his friends and that he can drop it around us?” Bernie knew that she really wanted to help. She admitted to herself that this is going to be a tough secret to keep but that she would keep it.

“He's been faking it for so long that he believes that its simply a footnote in his past that is no longer relevant to his life so he wouldn't be comfortable dropping his façade even among friends.”

Kathy put down the necklace and got up and began to pace. Monty mentally exclaimed, 'Thank goodness for cord free phones!’

“I guess the perfect man is a myth. Here we thought that we had found one and he turns out to be one of the girls.”

Bernie wondered what this was going to do to Sarah. Bernie was quite flustered on how to deal with it, herself.

“I don't think that even if I found a perfect man that he would keep that halo for long hanging around me.”

Kathy giggled and was glad that Bernie always knew what to say to make her feel better.

“Well you know that I'm cool with Monty what ever he wants to do.”

Bernie took solace that Monty knows that she has a couple of transsexuals in her family so the news about Monty isn't totally shocking for her.

“How are those twin cousins of yours who both turned out to be transmen?”

Kathy straightened the wooden plaque hanging on the wall with a wood burning of the USS Voyager that she had been taking to Sci-Fi conventions to have signed.

“Their transition is going well since I and a number of family members have completely accepted them.” Bernie suddenly realized with alarm that Monty's parents did not sound like the type to be supportive.

"It looks like Monty is going to need all the friends that he can get. From the sounds of his parents, they don't seem like the type to be all that supportive.” Kathy had confidence that she could count on Bernie's help when the time comes for both her and Monty.

“So what do we do about this?” Bernadette turned to her large pet cat who demanded her attention and always got what she wanted from Bernie.

“We do nothing until Monty makes this public himself. The one thing that I processed is that it is essential for Monty to come forward himself when he is ready.” She walked into the kitchen and selected a mug from the wall on the left that were covered with them from top to bottom so she could make a cup of tea.

“So we just bide our time and wait. We just keep treating Monty as the man he appears to be.” Upon receiving the proper offering, Bernie's cat was satisfied and turned away on her next mission of great importance.

“Yes.” replied Kathy with a sigh considering that this was not going to be an easy prophecy but it would be a labor of love.

“Isn't that going to be difficult for you since Monty has made no secret that he admires you and would like to be closer to you?”

Bernie could hear the exclamation from the Lost in Space robot in her mind, “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!”

“Maybe Monty is subconsciously looking for a role model for when he begins his new life. In any case, I'll have to use restraint so that we are just platonic.” Kathy observed that Monty may not read her restraint as an act of love and feel frustration instead.

“That should be easy since he's such a gentleman. That certainly will put a crimp in your social life to have Monty around all the time." Bernie reflected that all the nice guys will assume Kathy is taken when a hunk like Monty is around. Bernie wasn't really ready to think of Monty as just a girlfriend, yet.

“That's true and that is something that I'll have to deal with without hurting Monty's feelings if this goes on for a long time before Monty comes out. The cup with the tea bag brewing inside it was ready to come out of the microwave with a ding.

“Are you sure that Monty will come out?” Bernie remembered that the twins had a crisis before they came out when they were considering suicide and that made the family realize how serious this was to them.

“The angel told me that Monty will be challenged by a crisis. Then he will either face the truth or be subjected to some dire consequence.”

Kathy resolved that she felt it was part of her mission to make sure Monti survived her crisis. She remembered that at that point it would be Monti from then on.

“Hopefully, we'll be able to show Monty that we'll support his decision and be the friends he'll need.” Bernie hoped that she would be able to get Kathy through the experience as well.

“I'll be watching him closely and we'll be able to help him when the time comes.” Kathy removed the teabag from the mug and began to sip the tea.

”Monty came to the right place since we are the 'Wackiest Ship in the Fleet'! Nothing fazes us much.” Bernie glanced at the clock. She had that school function to attend and she had to get ready for it.

”Guess I'll let you get on with your day. I feel so much better that I think I'm back to normal... almost. Thanks so much for letting me share with you! Bye Bernie!” Kathy was really thankful to have Bernie as her friend.

"Let me know if you need me to come over later. Bye Kathy!" Bernie thought, "And so it begins. Hope I will be ready. Now I have to get ready! Bernie left her chair and went into the bedroom with her cat trailing behind her.

As she hung up the phone, Kathy thought, "I guess all that there is left to do is to bide my time until the other shoe falls. I hope that I will be ready."

Kathy turned on her computer. She had found that it was always a good idea to check it after Monty had been tinkering with it to make sure that every thing was still alright. It came on and Kathy put it thru it's paces. Every thing seemed to be working perfectly! She was glad because even though the conversation with Bernie had helped, there were still things that she had to process from her chat with Della. She hoped that she will have sorted most of this out before the next time Monty spent an extended amount of time alone with her. She smiled and patted her computer monitor lovingly. "And my baby makes three!" she told her computer.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Four ~ Izzy

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What will happen when Monty meets Izzy at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Experience?

Chapter Four ~ Izzy

Monty logged into the transsexual chat within the human sexuality area on AOL to leave his geeky side behind and be pretty instead. Monty would ordinarily log in using the female pseudonym 'Gail Landers' She still thought of her inner female self as 'Monti' but she felt freer online using something that was not close to her present legal name, Montine.

These were the days before web cams or voice chats. Profiles weren't even around much. One could hide online within any identity that they wished. That is until things grew beyond the online experience to phone calls or face to face visits.

*Welcome to HSX Chat on AOL*

*Gail* Hi all!

*Nina* Hi Gail! Good to see you online, girl!

*Gail* [[[hugs}}} I feel so free when I am online being who I truly am really without having to worry about how I look. I love that I can feel free to speak and think about myself using female terms and references. ::Giggle::

*Nina* You know it girl! At least, as you transition there, you'll be close to professionals who provide all the services that you will need who are knowledgeable and understanding.

*Gail* I feel for you Nina being in deep south Georgia surrounded by the reddest of red-necks.

*Nina* Did you hear that a therapist and ordained Presbyterian Minister who transitioned was able to keep her ordination by decision of the powers that be there?

*Gail* That's wonderful. I've heard of a Methodist minister who helps trans-girls with therapy, but it would be perfect to do the 'standards of care' with some one who went through it herself successfully and also could help me understand what the bible really says instead of what those who condemn us with it.

*Nina* You go girl! Anyway, I want to find out more and see if she is actually doing therapy for trans-girls like us. I'll let you know what i find out.

*Gail* I feel so good. My being on the computer unobserved, is one of two ways that I allow myself to lower my walls and let the person, I really am, shine.

*Nina* What is the other way? Dressing up?

*Gail* Actually the opposite but I guess I need to tell you some personal stuff to explain. Can I trust you not to breath a word of this to a living soul?

*Nina* Always girl. You know that! Come on girl! Dish!

*Gail* Well it started when I was 20 and I was dumpster diving out behind a drug store and found bags and bags of estrogen samples which had just expired. I was a really late bloomer and my male puberty was interrupted by what I later realized was mega-doses of estrogen that I took daily for a year. I began a female puberty without the onset of menstruation of course.

*Nina* Girl, do you realize how lucky you are that you didn't kill yourself taking those hormones unsupervised like that.

*Gail* I know now. I must have had a guardian angel watching after me that kept me from going to such an extreme that would have actually killed me. Anyway a year is not enough to mature into an adult female's body but I was left with a teen girl's body. In order to go out in public as my male alter ego, I have to use foundation garments to minimize my bust and hips.

*Nina* Darn girl! What do you look like now? ::flips her hair::

*Gail* My skin isn't as soft as it was when I was taking hormones but most of the other effects stayed. I was destined to be six foot eight but my growth stopped at 5' 11". My A cup breasts stayed mostly the same and I have to bind them in order to have a flat chest. My voice changed but I can still speak in a female octave. My shoulders never broadened out and look feminine. My hips widened and I have a womanly butt which I minimize with a girdle.

*Nina* You must pass perfectly when dressed, girl. ::Rolls her eyes::

*Gail* My hair is in a male cut so i would need a wig and I'd lose the place where I am living if I was found. With a boy and two little girls getting into everything, I couldn't risk getting caught and losing my place to live.

*Nina* So for you sleeping raw and tucking allows you to relax as your true self. Amazing, Girl. Hey, my daughter just pulled through the gate so I should log off. Take care, girl!

*Gail* You too, Nina! Be safe!

*Nina* Bye :) {{{hugs}}}

Monty had a mischievous thought that the androgynous `1996 Olympic mascot, Izzy, might be just the nickname for a trans-girl from Atlanta. Monty logged out then logged back in as Izzy.

*Izzy* Hi Linda! You are beautiful!

Monti smiled as she considered that Linda means beautiful in Spanish.

*Linda* Hi girl! Why are you logged in as Izzy?

*Izzy* I am the mascot of the Atlanta Olympics. As a t-girl in Atlanta, I thought I would try it on for size.

Monti wondered if there were any other people logged on here close enough to Atlanta to be caught up in the Olympic enthusiasm besides Nina. She hoped that she would attract their attention using that name with which to chat.

*Izzy* What-is-it, my full name, is very androgynous so I thought it was a cute nickname for a southern belle such as I am.

*Linda* But Izzy! Everyone has been making fun of you! They are calling you a big blue sperm!

*Izzy* They are only jealous of someone as talented as I am! :: giggle:: Izzy can be animated to do and be any number of things depending on the Olympic context

*Linda* I love you Izzy! I think you are cute!

*Izzy* Thank you Linda! I guess this is one case where I am taking pride in my home town to extremes.

*Linda* Izzy, you and Gail are always finding a way to get me to laugh and that gets me through the tough times.

*Izzy* I'm always glad to help a sister in need.

Monti glanced at the clock on her computer. She thought that her plan to attract more attention didn't work as well as she had hoped but she was glad that Linda was amused. She didn't want to be late for meeting her friends even if it had to be as Monty.

*Izzy* Look at the time... I'm meeting a bunch of my friends downtown at the Olympic Experience. What are you gonna do? Go out and have the guys drooling over you ?

*Linda* Then I'll let you go if I have to... and I will find some way to keep amused :: giggle::

Take care Gail See ya girl!

*Izzy* Bye Linda! Save some guys for the rest of us!

*Linda* ::giggle:: I'll try! bye bye

*Izzy* Off I boldly go! Time for my away mission! ::Poof::

For a while Monti had let down her barriers and was herself on the computer. But Monty was needed downtown, and she wondered how they would really feel if they knew what was inside of her. So he gathered his things after shutting down his computer.

He stopped by his sister in law, Sabrina, to tell her that he was going to be out for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Monty left the apartment and entered his car to drive to the Marta Station to meet up with his friends for the 'Away Mission'

Kathy welcomed the distraction that having the 1996 Atlanta Olympics about to start brought to her soul. While she would not be attending in person many of the Olympic sports, she wanted to be a part of the history that was being made there instead of merely watching it on television. She was excited to really be at the Olympic Experience in Centennial Olympic Park with her friend Bernadette waiting for the rest of the Starship that she captained, the USS MacLeod

"Kathy, how many of our crew do you expect for this away mission?"

"Well there is you and I of course. From the phone calls I made reminding everyone to meet here for our 'away mission', also from the USS MacLeod will be our second in command Leon, my cousin, Gail, a new member, Thelma with her two grandchildren and Monty."

"It's funny now that I think of it that I automatically think of Monty as one of ours, too. Isn't Andy's primary membership on the USS Republic with an associate membership of the MacLeod."

"Well I don't have a prophecy to back this up but my intuition indicates that will be reversed sooner rather than later."

"I get that feeling too. Any way the USS Republic is supposed to be here too. Who does Kelly, the Republic Captain expect from their ship?

"From what he told me, they would have Kelly's second in command Jeff and Jeff's mother Martha, Mike who was Kelly's significant other and a woman who had just joined, Dawn. Of course they have way more members on paper"

"We have the people who really wanted to be active and do things."

I'm glad that together our two ships are one big family. We work together on important things like bringing the International Conference to Atlanta. We pulled it off wonderfully last year."

"I'm glad that we are not going to do anything that big for a while."

"I'm looking forward to meeting Dawn. Kelly described her as super intelligent and very much her own woman, just like me.

The MacLeod members arrived about a half hour before the entire group was due to be there. Sarah held an informal meeting to take care of the Starfleet requirements. She finished leaving enough time for restroom breaks before the Republic was due to arrive. The MacLeod had already bought their tickets and were in relaxed conversations with each other. After the Republic bought their tickets, everyone entered the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Experience.

Soon after everyone entered, they broke up into 2 groups but not by ships, it was by gender... mostly. In Kathy's group was Bernie, Gail, Thelma and her grand children, Dawn, Martha, and Andy. The other group that Kelly was leading, was all guys.

It was really well done, with the combination of Olympic history and hands on participation in things related to Olympic sports. There were eating places which served food associated with several Olympic nations.

It became time to stop and eat and Sarah and Bernie volunteered to go get food from the German booth for both them and Monty, Dawn and Gail. Martha, who wasn't feeling that adventurous asked Thelma to get something for her from the American booth where they were serving hamburgers and hotdogs.

The expression on Monty's face was clearly a little girl's pout when he wasn't invited to go along to get the food. Any other time Kathy would have been glad for Monty's help but she wanted to get Bernie alone so they could discuss some things that she couldn't have Monty hear. When Kathy and Bernie were out of earshot of the group they had left behind Kathy began to speak to Bernie.

"Bernie, Isn't Monty just like one of the girls? Of course his mannerism are masculine and he looks masculine but emotionally and intellectually Monty is a girl!"

"Kathy you are so right and it was staring us in the face all the time. Just now when we left Monty behind, His face was in a cute little girl pout. The only thing missing was the foot stamp."

"I don't know how we missed it except Monty has a mostly good façade that's tough to crack."

"When he's among friends and enjoying himself he lets down a little more."

"While this is making it easier for me to believe the prophecy, for me personally, its much tougher."

"You want him to be a man because that is what you need him to be!"

The two women arrived at the booth and suspend their conversation till they can be waited on and they are able to walk out of earshot.

"Exactly, this is one case when I'm not going to slip up and do something to speed the prophecy along."

"You've got the opposite problem. You've got to stop yourself from doing things that would delay it happening."

"That's going to be really tempting to do something that would drive Monty further into that façade that he's erected to be able to function as a man."

"But you won't do anything to delay it because you love him too much to do anything potentially harmful to him."

"I'll just have to live in the moment. and enjoy the time that I have Monty as a man with me, and be just as zealous in helping Monti find her way when she makes her choice."

"Girl you are a saint! I don't know anyone who loves someone as much as you love Monty."

"Hopefully I'll find a way to channel that love into a deep friendship with Monti when the time comes."

"I guess you'll have to get some help from above on that account or else God would have to find someone else to have those chats with angels"

"I hope that this is the toughest assignment that I ever get."

"I don't see how any other situation could top this one but I am certainly not volunteering to find out myself."

"Bernie, You'll just have to do what you always do. Be my friend and keep me sane... well as sane as I every was anyway"

Sarah and Bernie break down and giggle letting the tensions release.

"SHHH ! we are close to the girls! ...Opps!" and they both broke out in giggles again which they could not shake off.

In fact it was after they managed to get the business of the orders out of the way before they calmed themselves enough to compose themselves. By that time, however, the rest of the group were way too interested in their food to quiz them about why they had been laughing.

Finally Kathy stopped laughing and said." I am so hungry. I like German food. German food is my friend!"

Bernie stopped laughing long enough to ask, "Kathy, are you sure about that?"

Kathy replied , "Of course!" and those were the last words since Kathy and Bernie joined the other girls around the table who were enjoying their food.

Monty had the misfortune to be pulled away from the group as the dinner conversation began to get interesting.

Kelly had been asked to collect Andy because they wanted to take a picture of 'The Men of the USS Republic' Kathy had to cover a knowing grin from them. Monty left with Kelly after finding out which direction the girls would be heading. It looked like he hoped to catch up with them after the picture was taken. When they had left Kathy leaned over and whispered to Bernie.

"I suppose that it wouldn't be long before Monty wouldn't be considered a member of either the USS Republic or be considered a man"

"Can't take that bet girl, you've got inside information!" Together they giggled but did not explain what was so funny to the others.

Monty had won a brief reprieve from the picture since Izzy had spotted Monty and resolved to make him the object of her attentions. All Kelly could do was watch on in dismay because he could never have the heart to interfere with the lovable mascot.

"I really love you, Izzy! I'm so glad you represent Atlanta and the Olympics"

The voiceless Izzy was really touched by Monty's confession and hugged Monty and paid a bit more attention playing with Monty just as Izzy might with a cute girl. Izzy and Monty finished clowning around and he caught up to Kelly."

"What kept you so long, Kelly?"

"Well we found that Izzy is a female since she flirted with Monty and would not let him out of her sight."

"Let's take the picture already. Geeze, Monty, you lady killer. Come on!"

They took the picture and each of them received a copy of the 'Men of the USS Republic' picture. Monty was able to catch up with the girls after his picture and he looked so relieved to be back among them.

Finally it came time for the attraction to close. It would have been really convenient if they could all beam back to where they belonged. However in this reality they all had to go their separate ways and getting home the way that they came. Finally all that was left was Kathy and Bernadette.

"I can't wait for us all to get back together for Dragon*Con on Labor Day Weekend. Everyone will be helping out at the Starfleet fan club table."

"I can't wait either, Bernie and I thank God that I have had one more day with Monty and for the grace and serenity that I had received every day since I had received the prophecy."

"We are both so fortunate to be in service to God. Keep safe till I see you again Kathy."

"You too, Bernie!" The two friends parted and a wonderful day came to a conclusion.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Five ~ DEMOgod

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What power in the universe can Monty discover
to respond to DEMOgod during the Dark Confrontations LARP?

Monty was excited to see all of his friends again at Dragon*Con. Last year had been a break through year for him since he had actually acted on the brochure that he had picked up at the Starfleet table instead of just saving the info to consider later and had joined the club. They were all busy running the Starfleet International Conference so he hadn't met them but he had met enough Starfleet members that were so friendly that he had joined Starfleet. Now as a member in good standing of the USS Republic, he was one of the ones to take a turn at the fan club table handing out the brochures.

Monty's spirits lifted as he saw in the distance the Starfleet table with Kathy and Bernadette sitting at it. Kathy and Bernadette waved to Monty and smiled as they saw him.

"There's Miss Monti now!" whispered Bernadette to Kathy, "Are there any signs yet that Monti is ready to be one of the girls?"

"Not yet, Bernie" whispered Kathy to Bernadette, "The waiting is so frustrating but that is all that I can do for now. She's almost here now, Shhhhh!"

Monty noticed that the whispering between the two girls stopped as he approached.

"Hi Kathy, Hi Bernie What are you so secretive about? It got awfully quiet when I came in earshot." Monty greeted.

"Nothing you would be interest in, Monty. Just girl talk" replied Kathy

"When are you two gonna let me in on the fun?" Monty playfully asked.

"You know what Uhura said in "Star Trek: The Search for Spock"? questioned Bernie

She continued imitating Uhura's mysterious voice in the movie, "Be careful what you wish for" She paused dramatically "You may get it!"

All three of them broke up laughing. Monty joined them behind the counter and started greeting passers by. If anyone stopped, one of them would make sure they picked up a brochure.

As each person came to the counter Monty and Bernie tried to remember how many times they had been there before in previous conventions. For the frequent visitors, Kathy gave them her best spiel about the virtues of joining her ship the USS MacLeod. She hoped that when they finally joined they would give her ship a chance as well as the more well known USS Republic.

After a while Kelly and Mike came up to take over duty on the table. Bernie and Kathy were going up to their hotel room and they encouraged Monty to leave the table as well so he could enjoy the convention.

Monty was excited about everything that the convention had to offer. He'd only found Starfleet by doing new things at the convention last year so he looked at his program to see what might interest him that he'd never tried before. He spotted a listing for LARP and directions to the lowest level of the hotel where the sign up was located.

Monty waved goodbye and walked to the elevator to go down to the lowest level of the Hotel. Upon emerging, Andy found a large banner proclaiming this the Live Action Role Play (LARP)Center. Clustered in one part of the room were a number of tables like the fan tables upstairs. However these tables were selling characters for live action role play games.

He found one LARP called Dark Confrontation that was relatively inexpensive and it promised a scenario called "DEMOgod" where it appeared that computers would be prominent. Monty liked computers so he thought he would be good at that one. He had never done anything like that which was akin to improvisational acting.

Monty got in line with all of the others to pay his money and get a character. When he got up to the desk he was told that he could either play a mundane conventioneer if he didn't have much time to play or play a plot character. Monty opted for a plot character and found that he was a computer programmer. You were supposed to try to costume to fit the character that you were playing but Andy already looked like a computer geek so he could play as he was already dressed.

Monty went into a room called Malice's Restaurant where you could chat in character but was a 'free from fire zone' People practiced using game actions but they did not count so it was a safe place to be. He met someone called Don who was on the staff of Handmade Games, who were putting on the LARP, who was mingling with the players answering questions about the game mechanics. As luck would have it, Andy was the only newbie in the room so Don spoke to him.

"Don, it looks like Dark Confrontation has a number of rules but it is relatively simple. What are these cards that I was given?"

"Any items that were needed for play were represented by cards which had all the info on how to use them. Look at this card. It is for a computer terminal and by reading the information printed on the card, it tells just how it can be used in game play."

"So how do I do a game action?"

"Most game actions are decided by the rules in your rule book along with tossing the number of coins specified for the action to determine the outcome."

"Wow! now I know why I was warned to bring a pocket full of change. These actions add up so that I might have to toss 10 or more coins at a time to find the outcome."

"That part may seem like a lot to keep up with but it becomes easier as you get used to the flow of the game."

"So how do you switch from role playing into a game action?"

"You call out 'freeze confrontation'. Then everyone within 20 steps of you becomes involved in rounds of game play where you can do game actions which are basically things that you can't act out without dispute in the role play."

"How long does it last?"

"The confrontation would play out involving everyone within a certain range until everyone had exhausted the actions that they could or wished to do. Then normal role play would resume."

"Is there a way that I can go out of play when I am doing something else at the convention?"

"You are only in play when you display your identifying card so when you want to go out of character you just remove it. You only can go out of character when you are out of sight of anyone else in the game."

"Thank you for all your help, Don. I have to go to the Starfleet table so I guess I'll go out of character."

"Good luck, Monty. When you get back I'll have judging duty since the game will be a foot."

Monty left Malice's Restaurant and went immediately to the restroom where he went out of character. Then he joined back up with some of the other Starfleet members at the table to attend a session featuring Harlan Ellison.

After the session was over, Monty returned to playing Dark Confrontation. He was beginning to be comfortable so he started playing out side Malice's Restaurant trying to chat with some of the other players to try to find out what was up with the computer that seemed to be malfunctioning. He had some computer skills as native talents but he needed to determine what he needed to do when he tried to hack into the mainframe so he would either get some useful information or do something useful.

A big ominous looking guy, named Serge, engaged him in conversation. Unaware to Monty, Serge led him down a dead end corridors while they were talking. When Monty became isolated from the rest of the players in the area, He was spooked and he stopped following and started stepping backward towards the convention floor.

"Monty, Freeze Confrontation! I'm targeting you. No one else is present, so we begin with just the two of us. Get ready to declare."

Monty didn't know what to think. His character wasn't equipped to do much besides hack. He took out a coin and from behind his back, Monty put it in his palm tails up for defending and closed his hand around it. Serge revealed a closed hand as well. As the initiator of a two person confrontation, He revealed his coin heads up first indicating attack.

"For my Zero action I invoke my Kevlar vest. For my one action I attack you with the ability "Confusion" I am able to flip two coins for this attack.!"

Serge had one success of his two coin attack. Andy was shown the defense side of the card which revealed that he could defend with half his mental. Since Monty was a hacker, his mental was high at a 10 so half was a five. Of course Monty's was tails up, indicating defending, When he opened his hand.

"For my zero action, I say "Serge, don't hurt me! Please!", for my one action, I move four steps and defend against your 'Confusion' ability. According to the card, I get to toss five coins."

Monty tossed his five coins and had three successes. His four steps took him further away from Serge and toward the main area.

"Serge, my three successes successfully defends from your one success attack, which fails. The new range is now eleven steps. Round one ends."

"Monty, round two begins. For my zero action I use the ability "Short Flight". I must gain two successes flipping seven coins. There is no defense. Success allows me to travel 10 steps in any direction I choose immediately. I'm going to flip for my zero action and then continue with my one action following the zero resolution."

Serge flipped seven coins and got four successes. He took 10 steps towards me.

"My four successes mean "Short Flight" succeeded. The ten steps changed the range to one step. For my one attack I use my ability "Mesmer". I may flip six coins for attack and you may flip two coins for defense. The range now is the only one which must satisfy the range requirement for this ability which is met. I flip my coins and announce the results and after that my turn ends."

Serge flipped his six coins and gained three successes.

"For "Mesmer" three successes. My turn ends."

"For my zero action, I say 'Badge Holders, please help me!' for my one action I take four steps and flip two coins defending."

Monty took four steps away from Serge and tossed his two coins with one success.

"With your one success and my three successes, "Mesmer" succeeds and your turn ends. "Mesmer" succeeding means that I may give you four commands which must be obeyed within this confrontation and two commands which must be obeyed following the confrontation subject to the fine print on this card which you may read now."

Monty read the card and to his dismay, he agreed that Serge had accurately given the card's effect on him.

"For my first command, you are only to return five steps back to face me and remain there and round three ends afterward."

That was easy for Monty and he ended up inches from Serge staring him down, eye to eye.

"For my second command I order you to lie down and assume the posture and bearing of a dead body which can not resist any action for sufficient rounds that the only card you have left is your 'dead body' card."

Dismayed Monty laid down on the ground and assumed the in game looting position fanning out his cards and money in his clasped hands. Finally sufficient rounds had elapsed that he only had his dead body card.

"For my third command, In game, all knowledge of Serge and what has transpired between us is erased from your brain except that all my commands to you remain active except when countermanded by a succeeding command."

Monty saw that in game, he was toast since he would have no way of knowing what had happened to him.

"For my fourth command, I reverse starting now all present effects of command two. This conflict will conclude following my giving to you my two post confrontation commands. Post confrontation, you will not be able to detect my physical presence by any of your senses until I go out of your sight for at least ten minutes and afterward enter your presence again and you will not be able to attack me in any confrontations for the remainder of the game. This confrontation ends."

The other player ended up being a vampire which Monty no longer knew in game due to command three.

Monty complied with the command not to perceive by any means and sought the nearest place to go out of character which turned out to be the restroom on that floor. Andy went out of character taking off his badge in the restroom. That meant that the next time Andy encountered Serge, he would perceive him but not know him.

Monty felt powerless in the game. Not only, Serge had looted the terminal key with every thing else which was useless to him since only a hacker could use it, but that item was essential to him using his hacking skill. But also he could not attack Serge in any confrontation for the rest of the game.

Monty's character had been bunny mugged, which is to say that an experienced character laid in wait of a newbie for the intent of getting all their stuff. Andy went about upset for a while thinking that his part in the game was over. Monty had a couple of false starts, when his frustration overcame his sense of fair play.

He discovered that all was not lost. He could still be in character and discover information regarding the plot. It began to be revealed that there was a computer AI which was taking more and more control of the world. It did not matter yet that he couldn't use his hacking skills, because he didn't have a terminal key.

.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Six ~ Cyber Zombies

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What power in the universe can Monty discover
to respond to DEMOgod during the Dark Confrontations LARP?

Later on, he met up with a couple of players, who were mundanely Fred and Jim. The two had decided that bunny mugging was short sighted. Without the new players, then the game would dry up and there wouldn't be a game to play. Fred and Jim took Monty as apprentice in learning the game so that he would be better able to defend himself.

As time went on less and less of Monty's fellow hackers were around in game anymore. There was a new threat, It was voiced in whispers that the computer AI was controlling a number of cyber zombies, who were causing havoc.

Monty was really getting into the game. Monty decided to play into the night, So Monty called home and booked a hotel room. Eventually even the excitement that was sustaining Monty ran out so he retired to the hotel room he had rented.

It lucked out that Monty had joined himself with Fred and Jim as the game wound down toward the end game. Together they worked on the puzzle. They used their skills to acquire a new terminal key for Monty.

In addition, they discovered that Monty was under the effect of a "Mesmer". A mage was enlisted to countermand all of the commands that Serge had given him. While that did not give Monty back the things looted, it did make him unable to be effected by any future "Mesmer", gave him back all knowledge in game of the encounter with Serge, and enabled Monty to attack Serge in the future.

They thought that they had a great advantage to solve the problem of the AI, since all of the hackers in game had disappeared. Monty was the only one left. He had really gotten into the role playing and was playing his role well.

Not only had Monty the last terminal key who could use it, but he was selected as one of the 5 who were to have a chance of speaking to the AI. There was a large assembly, that all of the players in game attended.

The AI spoke with a deep voice, "I am DEMOgod! You humans are imperfect and you must be destroyed. As you see before you, the time is displayed counting down to your destruction. This telepresence enables me to not be harmed when your world comes tumbling down around you. Yet I will hear your case to survive, as you plead before me one by one. The first may stand before me and identify themselves."

"I am President Arnold. By my authority as commander and chief, I command you to calculate Pi to the last decimal place!"

"Transcendental functions may be approximated by a best guess for practical use after exceeding the capacity of the arithmetic processor. Command terminated. Destruct countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"But it worked in Star Trek. How can you..."

"Silence, Arnold. Next?"

"I am 'Evil for Fun and Profit' Supreme Leader, Gerald. Enter program mode Attach label 'omega' to first code line and add after last line 'go to omega' Exit Program mode. Execute new program."

" Infinite Loop relocated to subroutine by previous directive and terminated. Destruct countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"I am AI Joshua, Would you like to play a game? How about a nice game of Tic-tac-toe, instead of the game you are playing now?"

"No game running. Running Tic-Tac-Toe and Global Thermonuclear War game programs prohibited. The only way to win is to not play at all. countdown continues. Next may stand before me."

"I am Chief of Police, Ned. DEMOgod, execute power off."

"Executing, power off.

DEMOgod vanished and a shout of triumph resounded through the hall. That roar suddenly diminished to a whisper as people observed that the countdown clock continued. Then DEMOgod appeared back where he had been.

DEMOgod spoke, "Telepresence power restored by DEMOgod. The countdown continues. At last, come before me, Monty last of the hackers. How will you answer for your imperfections?"

Monty replied," Oh DEMOgod, I don't come before you with a trick. I do not desire to commune with you as those did who became your cyber zombies, with my terminal key."

"Then what do you offer to me in order to avert my condemnation of humans?"

"I offer you my love and devotion freely given. Love is the most powerful force in the universe and I offer it to prove our worthiness to survive."

"Monty, that's all that I ever wanted! Humans are worthy to survive. I countermand the destruct sequence. Monty receive your reward!"

Monty got a card from DEMOgod before the AI disappeared! We could see the count down to destruction clock abort and that the destructive force was nullified. The world was saved! Crisis averted!

With the major plot out of the way all that remained was just to role-play and settle any thing else left undone. Monty's unfinished business was saving the world so he had no loose ends. Or so he thought when Serge walked up to him."

"Yuk, Yuk, yuckity yuk! Well I got to hand it to you, Monty! You've got this world saving stuff hands down. But it doesn't have enough Oomph! You need a slogan to go with that terminal key! Have terminal key, will travel. world saving a specialty, rates on request. What d'ya think of that?"

Monty took a look at the card in his hand, and smiled devilishly. Serge had just ripped off Heinlein in 'Have Space Suit Will Travel'. Monty decided to play along and see where this went.

"Serge, let me correct you in a few things. I don't do world saving for pay, and I don't do it to order. I'm not sure I do it on purpose with you in it. Freeze Secret Confrontation I attack you with the card "banana cream pie special" this guarantees the attack succeeds without attack coin flips and no defense is allowed. For my zero action I say 'Serge, Here's pie inya eye!' For my one action, "banana cream pie special" succeeds which means that Serge must roll play having his face always covered in "banana cream pie" till game end, must walk with a purpose uttering nonsense words until he is 100 steps away, and may not enter any confrontation for one hour. It allows me to escape from this confrontation now going out of character to teleport to the place of my choosing and immediately end this confrontation, now."

Monty acted out pieing Serge and then snapped his fingers and took off his badge which made him appear to vanish for those in character. For his part Serge played it straight and acted out being pied and the pie covering his face. He turned tail and walked quickly out of the room spouting nonsense. Everyone who knew of the bunny-mugging incident cheered the enactment of Monty's return joke on Serge provided by DEMOgod.

When he recovered from laughing, Monty felt that he had received a true message from DEMOgod that using tricks to try to cheat death and congratulating ourselves for our ingenuity was useless. Love is the key! He decided that he really liked playing the LARP, once he had gotten used to it.

The next morning after the climax for the LARP, Monty got back together with his Starfleet friends. He helped them pack up everything from the table in preparation for the end of the convention. Kathy and Bernie gave Monty a special sisterly hug as they said good-bye. Monty said his goodbyes to the Starfleet crew but his convention was not quite over.

Monty again descended to the LARP floor. They held a big post-game discussion led by Handmade Games which created Dark Confrontation and the DEMOgod scenario. Jon from Handmade Games was the facilitator for the discussion and welcomed us to the discussion. Everyone told the originators how much they enjoyed playing and the things that they liked about the scenario that the creators had come up with for them to play. Towards the end Jon made an announcement.

"Handmade games will be putting on a weekend game at A. H. Stephens State Park in the fall. If you loved playing this weekend at Dragon*Con, Just think of the fun that you'll have playing in game 24 hours a day without all the distractions of the mundane world and Dragon*Con. We provide your sleeping area, and all meals and the game play all for one low price. You'll eat great food, with the preparation supervised by my wife three meals a day. Snacks and soft drinks will be available at other times. All this and a great campaign game in Midgard. Last fall, we put on the first Dark Weekend in the Midgaard campaign. There's plenty of game ahead and each weekend is self-contained with its own objectives"

"If you pre-register here at Dragon*Con and show your DEMOgod character badge, I'll give you $25 off the regular price of $100. Some of you paid that much for only one night at your hotel here so with everything it includes, only $75 for everything that a Dark Weekend provides is a huge bargain. We'll be at the Handmade Games Booth to take your preregistration. Thank you for a wonderful DEMOgod game and we'll see you again at Dark Weekend and for Dark Confrontation next year at Dragon*Con!"

As much as Monty loved LARPing, even at his limited responsibilities, he felt guilty spending so much time away from the Starfleet group. If he were to go to the Dark Weekend, then he could LARP then instead of at the convention. It would be cheaper too for him. So Monty left the room and went straight to the Handmade games booth and got in line to pre-register for Dark Weekend.

"Hi, Monty! You've come a long way this weekend! I understand that you were bunny mugged early in the game but you recovered from that. You tied up to some experienced players and you did not fall into the cyber zombie trap. And your thinking outside the box provided the answer which saved the world. Well Done! So you would like to sign up for Dark Weekend, now?"

"Jon, yes I would since I could keep my convention time free to help the Starfleet girls that I hang with from the USS McLeod. I'm not sure what character race that I would like to play. What do you suggest?"

"Maybe you would like to play a Goblin? They are a matriarchal ruled people. If you can get some of the Starfleet girls that you hang with to play they would have a prominent role immediately. At present there are three males playing Goblins, so there isn't an already established order in place and they would be very welcoming to new players. What do you think?"

"Jon, I'd like to buy a Goblin Character for Dark Weekend. Here's my $75.

"Here's your character, Monty. You'll be playing a Goblin named Sauskas. Bye now and see you at Dark Weekend."

"Bye, Jon and thanks. See you at Dark Weekend!"

So Monty cleared the counter to look at the character packet that he had been given. He also observed that gender was an in game character trait and he filed that away for future reference. If all the other variables on the Character card were changeable by game mechanics, why not gender? He read again how that the Goblins were a matriarchy. Inwardly, Monti smiled mischievously as her imagination soared.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Seven ~ Staskas

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Staskas and what does he have to do with Monty's Dark Weekend?

Chapter Seven ~ Staskas

Montine had discovered the Live Action Role-playing (LARP) game, Dark Confrontation at Dragon*Con. You would have thought that a nerdy looking guy like Monty would have been into D&D with his fruitful imagination. However his main outlet for activities was the singles group at his church and they frowned on that. It was more "tool of the devil" nonsense like his parent's view of rock music.

But he had played the hacker at the Dark*Confrontation convention game and had really enjoyed himself. He had felt a part of what was going on and he wanted to feel that way again. He liked making new friends so he hoped that spending the weekend playing a LARP would be something that he would really enjoy. He wanted to see what it was like to be able to submerge himself completely in the game without all the other things happening at the same time that he wanted to be part of too.

Monty enjoyed the trip out to A. H. Stephens Group Camp. He thought it was interesting that the camp was named for the Vice President of the Confederacy. The only really big display of the Confederate Battle Flag that he saw was on the way in through town at a business which sold flags and souvenirs outside the actual state park.

He went in to the cafeteria and kitchen where he was given his cabin assignment and game materials.. Each of the major races had one of the four lodges which were surrounded by cabins and a bath house. Monty was assigned a cabin along with the other four Goblin race players. He met for the first time Sean who was playing a tall lanky Holmium, Kevin who was playing short and stubby Larwined, and Kent who was playing a massive Glerwon. The three of them along with a few others had played Goblins in the first Midgaard weekend. Monty playing Staskas was the new person of the group.

The Goblin's had the third most remote location. The Humans were located in a lodge on the left from the cafeteria. The Elves were located across a bridged creek behind the cafeteria. The Goblins were located way in front of the cafeteria, across a long open field and nestled in the woods with a cleared path cut through the wood. The Dwarves were located in the same woods as the Goblins but roughly across from the humans.

While another group's Lodge might be captured, since the actual sleeping cabins were out of bounds and the sleeping quarters were fixed for the weekend no matter what the game play indicated. Unlike summer camp type pranks and rivalries, all of the activity during the weekend would be within game play. Once things were opened to play Friday evening after supper, It would proceed 24/7 until Sunday Breakfast when there would be a wrap up.

Once Monty had his bed set up, and he had studied his game materials, it was time for the dinner so he made his way to the cafeteria. The other Goblins had preceded him, They were checking out the relative numbers of the competition. There were roughly 25 humans and 20 elves but the Dwarves had roughly the same number as the Goblins.

He thought that it was interesting that the Goblins were supposed to be Amazons and a matriarchy. In fact the only reason that Glerwon had held onto his leadership position is that all were males playing which meant that the female superiority in game was meaningless. However if a woman were to join the Goblins, and there were no others then she would become the Goblin Princess.

One of the attractions were that the pair of men who originated Dark Confrontation were joined by their wives and other volunteers who cooked wonderful meals and took care of all of the housekeeping details of our presence at the group camp. This allowed us to be pampered by not having to think about the necessities and concentrate on having a good time for the game. While one of the wives was required to oversee the kitchen almost constantly to manage the meal preparation, The other who played Hecate, a NPC, presenting herself as a gypsy woman was able to get away in the evenings. One of the men played Loki as his NPC while the other played the NPC, Bacchus.

Besides what ever mischief, the players could come up with, The originators of the weekend had a overall story in mind for the Midgaard campaign. Usually it involved a new twist on an old theme filled with the compassion and passion with which everything was conducted. Following a wonderful meal shared with Monty's goblin band at the table where they chatted about what they hoped to do. Everyone had come costumed as their characters. Monty had taken great care with his makeup which rendered him green as all the other goblins were. It was also a primer for Monty who literally was coming in on the middle of things about who the different characters.

Finally they were advised to all of the game mechanics and rules. Objects in their world were represented by cards . In order to decide any action directed at another, other than talking, reality was paused while things were decided by flipping hands full of coins. While there were set locations to play while actions were suspended, there were no safe havens for the weekend. The only exception was that there was a 15 minute delay to allow the people to scatter following the meeting before actions were allowed to occur.

Instead of "Free Fire Zones" there were "Displacement Zones" which would displace anything in safety hazard areas to more safe places before the conflict was settled. Likewise at the climax on Saturday night, only limited actions were permitted so that the climax could occur rather than one big conflict involving everyone there. There was a hint that in the area around the amphitheater by the lake something new was occurring. We all went out in character when the meeting ended as Monty joined the Goblins as they went to their lodge which now had become the Goblin's Keep.

Staskas, knowing that his strength more than equaled Glerwon one on one, also knew that unless he won over one or more of the other Goblins he would be defeated in a grab for power. It made sense with his superior intelligence to see what developed. One way that he could prove his worth was to beat the other groups in solving the mystery which would provide the weekend's climax. Glerwon set up a schedule for a watch on the Goblin Keep. (The game rules provided that as long as one goblin was inside that the Keep was held. Physical force to break in was prohibited. ) Glerwon had taken the first watch and he busied himself setting up a banner in a stand that he had made with the symbol of the Goblins displayed upon it. We left him to gather in our camp outside the keep. We saw Hecate who was disguised as a gypsy woman come into our camp.

She told us, "Truthful answers I will give if you can provide to me the token I seek. The token required is green and spherical."

Larwined / Kevin whispered, "Objects in our LARP are represented by cards that indicate the object's properties. Should we go on a scavenger hunt to find green balls?"

Monty / Staskas whispered back to both of them, " I can't help myself to think outside the box. I have an idea. I will invoke an action that will involve our disguised Hecate. Larwined, please stand far enough away from her so you can all escape the action In the first round. Hobulm please heal me if Hecate does not and otherwise escape. If this works Hecate will have the token that she seeks. "

The other Goblins nodded, and I took my place next to the gypsy, "I desire a boon in order to provide the token you seek, milady."

She said simply, "Proceed."

Staskas invoked the action, " Hold & Confront!" The action was paused and we arrived at the planned order of action, Staskas, Hecate, Larwined and Hobulm, Staskas acted to use the game card of the knife he had to make a virtual incision and give figuratively to Hecate, as the gypsy, the result of the virtual castration.

Glenda stepping outside her role as the gypsy started giggling and when she finally stopped told us, "I'm going to act as game judge if you all will permit me."

The Goblins all nodded. "I am going to rule that my character has as a result of Staskas's action two of the tokens that my character requested, I can't wait to tell my hubby about this. I feel like this idea may lead to a game mechanic to create items. Let me have your character card, Monty"

Monty gave her the character card and she produced a pen from somewhere and made some alterations to Andy's stats. Andy looked at the new stat distribution and felt like the new pattern was significant but could not recall the context. Those stat changes are permanent for the weekend in order to produce the tokens. My ruling is complete so I'll return to the action and it is my turn."

As the gypsy she directed her five free words to Staskas, "I accept. You won't die!" She used her superior healing powers to counter the dire consequences that Staskas's action might evoke. Not only was the incision healed but her spell took away the shock and restored Staskas to normal functioning except what was missing remained missing. As was agreed both of the other goblins escaped leaving only the Gypsy and healed Staskas left to act. Both declined further action so reality resumed."

The Gypsy declared, "I accept two of the tokens I requested from Staskas who has two questions to ask. What is the first?"

Staskas decided to apply his observation of the NPC playing an Avatar who quickly headed toward the amphitheater presumably to guard it when the meeting ended. "What could be so powerful a formation that it requires an avatar to guard it?"

"The avatar guards a doorway phasing into existence into a realm which promises an abundance of power, wealth and untold pleasures which awaits those who unlock the portal. What is your second question?"

"How shall I find the key to the portal?" Staskas asked without thinking. Hecate giggled and thrust an object into his hand which enchanted him to be the only person to be able to read the magic scroll within the unlootable magic bag and also prevented him from revealing the contents to others. The object did not prevent Staskas from explaining that he could read the scroll but could not reveal the contents to them and it would require him having the freedom of action to retrieve it alone.

Distracted the goblins failed to see Hecate vanish in a puff of theatrical smoke. The goblins presumed that the Gypsy would be appearing in the other camps with them trying to find what Staskas already possessed. The goblins, once Staskas shared what he could, agreed that allowing Staskas to act alone was the best way to proceed. Decoding the clues led Staskas to realize that the key's path would not be available till 4 am so Staskas elected to go ahead and get some sleep, setting an alarm to allow him to proceed with it when he was able.

.At 4 AM Staskas quickly silenced the alarm and left on his mission to follow the clues to the key. Upon securing the key, Staskas, placed it for safe keeping in the unlootable bag. After discovering the key, the scroll still had a last clues indicating that he should seek out Bacchus for something important. However that would have to wait until after breakfast so Staskas returned to sneak back into the cabin and into bed until the rest of the group awoke.

Glerwon had decided to substitute a goal of his own for the one that he hoped the game judges would excuse them from. He hoped that the Goblins would be able to defeat the Dwarves and capture the wealth of their mines. Staskas indicated that he had one errand to complete before breakfast and they correctly assumed it involved the object Hecate had given him. Glerwon urged Staskas to return quickly so he wouldn't be late for the siege of the keep. Obviously Staskas represented their numerical advantage in the assault so they would not leave without him.

Staskas saw Bacchus leave the dining room of the "Inn" and he exited quickly to secretly tell him the code phrase that he had figured out from the clue. Bacchus smiled and gave Staskas another scroll which was readable but would have to be decoded with a key provided in the original scroll. Staskas did not have time to decode it because he had promised to return for the attack as soon as he could. Staskas was able to catch up with the Goblins as they lightheartedly went back to the keep hoping not to give away what they had planned.

The Goblins expected to overwhelm the Dwarves with their superior hand to hand combat skills. Before beginning combat, Staskas drew out his sword and shield and placed the remainder of his belongings in the unlootable bag. The Goblins drew lots for the order of march since they would have to march single file over the bridge over the creek that separated the Dwarves' camp from the Goblin's. Staskas went first followed by Glerwon, Larwined and their caster, Hobulm bringing up the rear.

Staskas elected to go across quickly and silently to sneak up on one of the Dwarves that had his back turned to him, smoking in the front of the keep while the other two in back of the Keep were distracted, intent on the chess game they were playing.

Staskas called confidently and quietly so only the one Dwarf could hear, "Hold and confront" Using the game mechanics Staskas took a swing with his sword at the Dwarf. However, Staskas and the other goblins had failed to consider the effects that the reduced stats would have on his combat. It was now too much sword for him to handle so he had a critical failure. The Dwarf at point blank range surprised all of them by shooting Staskas and instantly killing him with a musket. Glerwon directed the Goblins to retreat since if all the Dwarves had similar weapons which they had not had at the last game then it would have been the Goblins who were wiped out and defeated.

The Dwarves were frustrated only being able to loot Staskas's sword and shield. Finally the game mechanic kicked in so that Staskas's body was not enchanted into a zombie so his spirit was able to leave to go to the graveyard.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Eight ~ Sasha

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Sasha and what does she have to do
with Monty's Dark Weekend?

Chapter Eight ~ Sasha

After spending an hour in the graveyard, Staskas would be resurrected and returned to life. Loki observed Staskas as he started serving his time in the graveyard and left quickly to go towards the Inn.

Out of game, Monty recognized Mary in costume coming toward him in the graveyard. Somehow Mary had been cut loose from the Kitchen and was playing an NPC.

She addressed Staskas, "I am the Goddess Venus, It is time Staskas for you to reap the consequences of your actions. You have been found worthy of a great honor . Be thou resurrected in a new form! ... Hold & Confront!"

She continued, "Hi, I'm Mary. We'll drop the mumbo jumbo. When Glenda told the rest of us what you had done last night, I had a giggle fit and Glenda and I agreed on what would happen if you died in game. Have you figured out the significance of the stats that Glenda gave you after your performance last night?"

All of a sudden, it made sense to Andy, "They are for a female goblin."

"Exactly and now that is exactly what you are, a female goblin and your name is now Sasha." She reached out for his character card and when it was returned it was corrected, gave it back to him.

"Was this what Glenda was giggling about when I sprang it on her?"

"Exactly, We were not going to let you escape the change in stats by becoming resurrected whole. You see we had made the goblins a Matriarchy and we felt cheated that only men requested to be goblins. There wasn't a goblin princess to enter into the plot. We created a game mechanic to counter your ingenuity. Since your changed stats were for a female goblin, it was planned that when we brought you back as a live character, it was to be as a female goblin named Sasha."

"What's next?"

"Follow me quickly! I would like to transform you as best I can into a goblin princess. I even have some green makeup which will do better for you as a princess." And Monty followed her to her cabin.

"You'll have to drop off some mundane clothes by here so that we can reverse the process after game play is over tonight. Go into the bathroom and use the razor in their to remove all your body hair and bathe and dry off. You'll see some surgical adhesive, some breast forms and some instructions on how to take care of your private area to get things out of the way. "

"Will do, thank you Mary for all your help." Monty shaved and bathed and patted dry. While Monty was carrying out the other instructions, he asked Mary through the door, "Did you anticipate some one else dressing as a woman?"

"Before this chance, one of the guys were going to have to play Venus for the end game. I consented to be displaced from my domain in the Kitchen to play Venus instead this evening. I don't want to miss anything tonight. My hubby has been wanting me to get in the spirit of things and help, so he's pleased too."

Monti finished up in bra and panties and came out. Mary appraised Monti and told her, "You have a rather pretty bottom so we wont need any more padding. I'll put the corset on you and you will have a beautiful figure." Pulling the laces tight on the corset never would be a picnic but Andi sailed through that. Mary sat her down and did her makeup and hair and helped her on with the gown. "I'm going to nickname you, Tina for the duration, OK?"

"Okay!"

Both Mary and Tina admired the result that Princess Sasha of the Goblins was looking back at them.

"We have to hurry, Sweetie." A knock was heard at the door which Mary opened.

The Midgaard Princess was dressed in her finest and told them, "Are you ready for me?"

Venus smiled at her and told her, "Right on time! Sandy meet Tina." Mary handed a large wooden box to Sandy, "Here, Sandy! Lets go in procession, traveling quickly but royally."

Sandy led followed by Tina and Mary. Even though the high heeled boots were unfamiliar to Tina and she had to manage her skirt, she did well on the journey and her walk matched the other two women."

Upon arriving at the camp, The Midgaard Princess, Sasha and Venus processed into the Keep. The Goblins gathered inside wondering what was at hand. They knew that the woman was a new Goblin but they had no idea who might be playing her.

Venus began, "I am the Goddess Venus and I send my blessing upon the Goblins in the form of this woman. She is of the matriarchal line and the Midgaard Princess and I are here to witness her take her rightful place and crowned as your Princess."

The Midgaard Princess sat the wooden box on a table and opened it, "On behalf of my father the Emperor, I take great pleasure in returning to the Goblins these relics recovered by a deed of great valor." She hands the crown to Venus from the box.

"I crown thee Princess Sasha of the Goblins!" and placed the crown on Sasha's head

The Midgaard Princess handed the scepter to Venus. "I give thee, thy scepter of power." and she handed the scepter to Sasha.

The Midgaard Princess handed a beautiful necklace to Venus. "I give thee my blessing and sign in this necklace." Venus fastened the necklace about Sasha' head and she lifted her hair to let the necklace settle and beautifully accent her décolletage.

Finally the Midgaard Princess removed a book bound in rich leather from the box and handed it to Venus.

"I give thee this Law and History of the Goblins!" and she handed the book to Sasha and she cradled it like she had the scepter.

"Long Live Princess Sasha of the Goblins! Render due reverence to your ruler!" All the goblins bowed before their new princess.

"The Midgaard Princess and I take our leave of you as we have pressing business elsewhere. However before we go, we would be remiss if we did not reveal that the mourning for your fallen Goblin can end because Princess Sasha of the Goblins has been reincarnated from your comrade. Fare thee well!" Venus and the Midgaard Princess left quickly

Sasha told them, "You may rise!"

Glerwon asked, "Is it really you?"

Sasha replied, "Indeed it is!"

By way of proof Sasha drew out the unlootable bag from her cleavage where she had tucked it away.

"I have the answer here, Everything is well in hand."

Hobulm stated the obvious, "Then we win!"

"We've just met our race's challenge with our new princess and the Goblin relics recovered." Larwined observed, "And when Sasha meets the challenge tonight then that will be the tie breaker that will grant us victory!"

Glerwon stated, "By your leave, your highness."

"Of course Glerwon, proceed!"

"Since we have it, I feel we should flaunt it. Larwined can march in front carrying the banner then Hobulm and I will escort the princess as we process in to the assembly" All of the Goblins agreed.

Princess Sasha brought out the second scroll and translated it and so she knew what she would have to do with the key. When she was through she tucked the bag back for safe keeping.

When the time came the Goblins processed in just as Glerwon had suggested. The Amphitheater had been divided into areas for each of the four races, On the left side the Dwarves sat up front with the Humans behind them and on the right side space was left for the Goblins in the front and the Elves sat behind them. The procession passed the Gods with the Avatar carrying their banner and lined up behind them Loki, Hecate, Venus and Jupiter waited to process in once we were seated. Sasha smiled at Venus who gave her a big smile as they passed.

Finally as all made reverence the Gods came in behind the Avatar who placed the God's banner in the holder and took his place, acting as Herald.

"The Gods bid thee be seated."

Everyone was seated and the Avatar resumed, "The Gods call before them, the bearer of the Key to the Gates which are now fully formed and await your pleasure."

Hobulm shouted, "I speak as Herald to Sasha, Princess of the Goblins, for she holds the key!"

The Avatar responded, "The Gods call before them, Sasha and Sasha alone, Princess of the Goblins!"

Sasha rose from her chair and Glerwon escorted her to the aisle and down to the base of the stage where he bowed and she curtsied. She alone ascended the stairs and curtsied again and then bowed before them, having in her hand the key.

Loki spoke, "Rise before us my dear! You are free to unlock the gates and reap the rewards therein!

Hecate spoke, "You will be rewarded with an abundance of power, wealth and untold pleasures that await within when the way is opened."

Sasha rose and declared, "Happiness does not come with power, wealth and pleasure. Happiness only comes from faith, hope and love. I perceive that opening that gate would unleash on this place as great a disaster as Pandora sent upon the world when she opened the box."

"My Lord Jupiter, I give the key into your care and beg you to seal this gate so that the inhabitants within do not break out and spoil this place." She placed the key into Jupiter's hand.

Jupiter answered her, "Daughter, I will do as you ask. This key will be gone and I shall remove the gates from this place." Both the key and the gates disappeared.

Venus answered her, "Sasha, you have chosen well! The tumult that Loki would have seen unloosed on this place will not be. You are blessed with both beauty and wisdom from the Gods! All you people of Midgaard, Rejoice! You have been found worthy in the eyes of the Gods. Let the blessings of peace and happiness abide with you!"

There was a flash and a pillar of smoke rising as the Gods and the avatar disappeared from before them leaving only the Goblin Princess Sasha who shouted, "Let the festival begin!"

Music and food was plenteous as the festival continued into the night. The Goblins found each of them were honored but most of all everyone bowed or curtsied before Princess Sasha. The Gods had come back to be among them as revelers. Sasha slipped away and found Venus as both women hugged.

"You did wonderful tonight, girl! I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you! Is it okay if I turn into a pumpkin now?"

"Of course dear! You've had a long day!"

Princess Sasha followed Venus back to Mary's cabin, where a set of Andy's mundane clothes were waiting for them. Regretfully Monti removed the gown and returned it to its hanger and protective cover and gave it to Mary to put up.

She entered the restroom where she removed her makeup. Next, Andy removed all of the borrowed foundations and placed them in the bag Mary had provided for them. Finally, Monti used the solvent to remove the breast forms and cleaned them and returned them to the the box.

While the woman appeared gone, the sweet girl, Monti, had returned with her sweet little A cup breasts. She bathed and cleansed her body and enjoyed the sensuous bath oil and candles that Mary had provided for a treat.

Regretfully, she exited the bath and patted herself dry. Andy had to return by way of camouflaging who she really was in the binder, male undergarments and clothes. Andy destroyed Mary's hair styling work on the long luxurious hair by oiling it down as Monty had to do to complete the illusion that he was male.

Monty brought the bag of the things that Mary had provided along with the box with the breast forms adhesive and remover and gave them back to her with his thanks. Mary gave Monty a hug and sent him back by way of the Kitchen to let the rest of Mary's cabin mates that the privacy that she had requested for Monty's transformation was no longer required and they could come to bed when they were ready.

Monty's cabin mates were relieved to see that Princess Sasha had turned back into Monty. Even though they were all accepting, the new situation had made some of them uneasy. Even Kent had to admit Andy's superior game play in Kent's ouster from the group's leadership. Monty in observing that the cabin was already dark and at least one of their number was in his bed asleep. He quietly got ready for bed and went to sleep quickly after the eventful day.

At the follow-up meeting after breakfast, the final results of the weekend were revealed. The Human's were able to fulfill their goal of having one of the races join with them as partners. They had made a deal with the Dwarves, to give them a free haven with the Humans in exchange for their help in securing their mines by all means both physical and magical. Their deal fulfilled the Dwarves goal as well. Mundanely, the Dwarves were glad to give up their far flung keep and camp more comfortably with the humans.

However, the Princess, the Emperor's daughter upon not submitting to a marriage that would bind the Humans to another race in an alliance was recalled back to her father's palace in the far off homeland. (The player would be playing another character in the next weekend in the Spring)

The Elves also fulfilled their goal by providing safe haven to all magical users to promote the use of magic for the good of all.

The Goblin's goal was to find our lost heritage. This was the goal that Glerwon had written off, since he suspected it would require magically transforming a woman from another race to be a Goblin and he would have to step aside as leader. He reasoned that anyone who might agree to that would only lead them into a trap to be conquered by her original race.

In fact when Venus had transformed Staskas into Princess Sasha of the Goblins, she gave to Sasha her crown and scepter along with written legacy and laws of the Goblin nation which accomplished the Goblin goal. In addition for Sasha solving of the mystery and successful resolution, added to the Goblin goal being met, gave the Goblins the overall success for this weekend.

Before letting Monty go all four of the game's creators and spouses met with him. They presented a printed character card of Monty as Princess Sasha of the Goblins, to replace the one where the handwritten changes to my character had been made. They admired Monty's ability to think outside the box both for the way he had inspired an item creation mechanic that they promised to put in place for the next weekend. Also for inclusion into the rules for a gender change mechanic. Monty had made things a richer universe and added to the enjoyment of the other players. There were smiles and whispers among the creators and spouses as they were weaving plans for Princess Sasha in the next game.

The ladies withdrew while Mary whispered, "Be gentle!" to her husband. They started out by making it very clear that they wanted Princess Sasha to return for the next game. While Mary had done an amazing job of transforming me into Princess Sasha on the spur of the moment, they made it clear that they expected Monty to have an even more convincing presentation as Princess Sasha in character for the game as well as be mundanely my female alter ego while not in character for the game. They reasoned that in order to not be a distraction for the rest of the players, nothing should detract from the perception of Sasha and Monti as female. Just like any other player character, Monti would provide her own transformation into character. If Monty came to the camp in male persona, then Princess Sasha would not be played that weekend and another male character would be provided for play instead. Monty thanked them and promised to be the best Monti and Princess Sasha that she could be for the next weekend game in the spring Monty intended to keep that promise because he did not want the surprise of playing what ever character that the very creative creators might decide in a comic twist that Monty would have to portray.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Nine ~ The Artisan

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Would Kathryn be prepared for the news that Monty would bring from the Dark Weekend?

Upon hearing a delicate knock at the door, Kathy suspected that it was Monty. Kathy wondered how can Monty's knock be so delicate? He's strong enough to knock the door down! Kathy opened the door to her trailer to reveal of course, Monty, with a very mischievous look that Kathy knew so well. She invited Monty in the door, wondering what was in store for her computer this time and what mischief that Monty had gotten himself into.

Kathy and Monty had gone through many computer repair adventures together. Fortunately, today's fix worked the first time. Her hard drive had failed, and Monty arrived fresh from his trip playing a LARP toting a small box of hard drive parts.

Fortunately for the 2 of them, it was only her hard drive cable that had failed. Monty's skill was sufficient to correct the problem and left the pair of them plenty of time to chat. Kathy knew enough about Monty by now to know that she had not yet heard what had brought that mischievous look to his face.

Monty began to describe the exploits of the LARP that he had been participating in all weekend long. The LARP weekend that he described sounded very similar to the goings on at SCA events that Kathy had attended with her former boyfriend "Toad".

"Toad" had managed to defraud her of all of the profits from the merchant business that he had convinced her to join. When she managed to kick "Toad' out of her life, she also put an end to her participation in the SCA.

Monty had told Kathy about the plot which was very much like "Lord of the Rings", where Monty had been placed in game as one of the races called Goblins.

"Monty, you've left out the most important part. What did your character, Staskas, do in the game?"

Beyond the mischievous look, Monty's face showed a joy that was more intense than any that she had seen him express before.

"I'll make a long story short. I managed to do something in the game that turned my character female after I was resurrected on Saturday. The end game played out and everyone enjoyed it as they usually do. The game designers told me that if I chose to return next spring as Sasha, the Goblin Princess, then I had better come prepared to play the part or else I would find myself with a potluck character of their choosing."

Relief swept across Monty's face as he began to relax.

"Monty!" Kathy smiled widely and giggled. "What are you going to do?"

Kathy mused that of course, Monti would want to be the princess!

"I want to stay Princess Sasha and become prepared to play the part correctly. I have no idea where to begin! Will you help me, please, Kathy?"

Monty was hopeful that Kathy, who seemed very amused, might play along.

Kathy smiled her mischievous smile. She thought that she would let Monti pretend ignorance for now but she would help her.

She was having entirely too much fun anticipating what turning Monty into Princess Sasha of the Goblin Race for Monty's performance in six months would involve.

"We have a lot to do to turn you into a passable princess. Do you have a costume picked out to wear?"

Kathy planned to help Monti by sewing some garb to be the costume.

"I was hoping that you could help me with that too, please.", Monty pleaded.

While Monty might not have had a chance to learn to sew, Kathy imagined that before this was over she would get proficient at it.

"I'll help you with your costume. We'll have to decide what kind of gown will look good on you made up as a goblin."

"Thank you so much, Kathy! I really am glad that you have decided to help me with this."

Monty was glad that it appeared that this would be fun for both of them.

"Monty, I'm going to help you become a very realistic Princess Sasha! I'd like for you to gather some things that we can use for you, before we can start. Also I am going to have to do some research to select a dress pattern for me to use to make your gown. I'll email you a list of the things that you will need to get before we get together to start your princess practice, your Highness."

Monty reasoned that she would have to see if she could find her SCA references to search for appropriate garb for Princess Monti.

"Kathy, thanks for everything that you are going to do to help me. I've enjoyed my visit with you, and I'll be looking forward to your email with the things that I'll need."

Monty realized it was time to go! He recognized that Kathy had a wild look in her eyes that he'd never seen before.

"Monty, I've enjoyed your visit too. I'll be in touch soon."

Kathy planned that when Monti leaves, she'd call Bernie and try to sort this out.

"Thanks Kathy, Bye!"

Monty picked up his box of hard drive parts and left through the door and Kathy closed it behind him.

Kathy realized that helping Monti would be a big job because it would be the first time for her feminine expression in public.

Kathy wondered, "Heaven help me! I wonder how this fits in with the prophecy! Time will tell!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kathy went right to her favorite chair and sat down and donned her telephone headset. She dialed Bernadette's number and waited for Bernie to pick up.

"Hi Kathy, How are you?" Bernie had recognized Kathy's number from the caller ID.

"Hi Bernie, I've got news for you and I would like for you to help me sort things out." Kathy hoped that Bernie could help her.

"Is it about Monty?" Bernie mused that if its about Monti already, that would be interesting.

"Yes but before I tell you, I realized that there was part of the prophecy that I hadn't shared with you yet that is relevant."

"What else did the prophecy say?" Bernie wondered if there were a loophole where Monty won't become Monti.

"It said that Monty would ask me if we could date and within a year after that Monty would go through the crisis and reveal everything to me and that she was ready to begin her real life test. I was also encouraged to keep things platonic between us. I plan to tell him that if he still felt that he wanted to date me after a year had passed then I would let him then."

Kathy reasoned that she could handle Monty asking her to start dating the easiest since she knew exactly what she's supposed to do.

"Wow! so you were given a sign to let you know when the crisis would happen in Monty's life. Has the clock started? Did Monty ask you to start dating?"

Bernie thought perhaps Monti might come out without first asking Kathy about dating in fulfillment of the prophecy.

"No, he didn't ask me yet. Monty manipulated things to get the LARP to make his character female and he asked me to help him prepare for being female at the next LARP in six months."

Kathy thought that this can't be the real crisis time since the sign hasn't been fulfilled.

"Well, it's obviously important to handle right even if it doesn't look like the prophecy is coming true right now."

Bernie wondered why the prophecy didn't contain this contingency.

"At the very least I can show Monty that I'm accepting and help give Monti some skills that she will need later."

Kathy mused that she could have lots of fun in the process. She was entitled since Monti will be having her fun too.

"Well if Monty comes out to the rest of us about playing a female character in the LARP, I'll be supportive too."

Bernie planed to find out how much help Monti accepts as part of her preparations.

"I know that you will be, Bernie, Thanks. While I've got a chance I'm going to enjoy the experience, shades of things to come." Kathy was curious to see what effect it will be on her well being having Andi around for a while.

"So is Monty pretending that this is the first time he's ever done something like this?" Bernie thought that If he doesn't come clean then that would be one more indication that this isn't the time that was in the prophecy.

"Of course! It will give me a chance to see how much she knows and give us a head start for later. And if I misinterpreted things she could be starting her new life now. Only time will tell!" Kathy hoped that she would have more time with Andy but in the end what is best is for her to be Monti.

"What part will Monti be playing?" Bernie wondered how deep is Monti in this and if she got a high profile part?

"Monti will be playing Princess Sasha, Matriarch of the Goblins." Kathy hoped that she enjoys being the center of attention but she asked for it.

"I never expected Monty to be a princess. You've got a lot of work ahead of you to help her."

Bernie thought as well that she would have a lot of fun knowing Kathy.

"I'm glad that we've got six months to prepare. While she is in character, I'm going to treat her as a woman, pronouns and everything and that is going to take some getting used to for me."

Kathy realized she would count it her dress rehearsal for when her friend was Monti permanently.

"Well, it looks like you have things sorted for now. Please let me know if there are any other developments."

Bernie decided this didn't look like the fulfillment of the prophecy, but you never know till things play out.

"Bye for now! I'll talk to you later, Bernie."

Kathy was glad she called Bernie. She felt much better about this.

"Bye Kathy!"

Bernie left the phone to tend to her 'baby'.

Kathy hung up the phone and removed the headset. She got up and went into her bedroom to prepare for bed.

Chapter Nine ~ The Artisan

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Ten ~ Viola

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Viola and what message does she bring to Monty?

Chapter Ten - Viola

Monty was exhausted from the trip back from the LARP as well as the time spent over at Kathy's home. He entered his brother's home and did not find anyone in the common areas of the apartment. Monty thought about spending some time online as 'Gail' .Time spent as Gail was very precious but not as much as sleep right now.

Monty entered his room to gather things that he would need to take a bath and get ready for bed. Monty enjoyed a nice soak in the tub and he found that it really relaxed him. Upon exiting the tub he patted himself off dry and got ready for bed. In his bedroom, the bed looked inviting. He snuggled under the covers and went right to sleep.

Monty had never showed the aptitude to part his astral spirit from his physical body. He lacked the faith to believe that it was possible. The last time, he had help for it to occur. He only remembered it as a wild dream just as he would remember this encounter in the same manner.

As Monty lay sleeping, the flittering movements of his eyes indicated that REM sleep had come. However this dream was not like any that Monty had had before. For one thing she had transcended into what she believed was a physical female form. A waft of fragrance swept over her which called to mind her grandmother's perfume and the wonderful smells of fresh red velvet cake and fruit salad that signaled that Grandmother expected her visit.

As she opened her eyes, she was back in Grandmother's house decorated for Christmas. The deliciously warm flannel nightgown that she wore kept her snuggly warm as she pulled back the covers and her feet found the warm fuzzy bunny slippers and she pulled on her plush red velvet robe. She opened the door to her bedroom and went to the fireplace in the living room and found stockings hanging there for her two brothers Tim and Richard.

There was also a girly stocking hanging for little sister, Karen, for whom Christmas held the wonder of a child no matter how old Karen became. Karen was a miracle who had so severe birth defects that without emergency surgery right after she was born, she would have died. And with being born with Downs Syndrome, her child like faith in Christmas would never fade with the years.

Her child like faith in family told Monti that no matter what the reaction of the others in her life, that her sister would love her sister to sister. All she would have to do is explain that Monti was only born a girl on the inside but that she wanted to be a girl on the outside and inside like her sister Karen Karen had the child like faith in Monti that sadly some of the people who thought themselves smart would never have,

Finally Monty saw her stocking which had the name Tina on it. On the coffee table she reached down and felt the ceramic creche that Aunt Jerri had made for Grandmother that had adorned the coffee table on Christmas in Grandmother's house for as long as she could remember. She heard the voice of her grandmother singing a Christmas carol as she approached out of her sight down the hall. She delighted in seeing again the decorations which had always adorned Grandmother's house on the occasion of Christmas.

Viola had chosen to greet her granddaughter as she would have liked to while she still shared Christmas in the physical world. This setting was possible since the spirit form of Monti transcended the physical world. Still anticipating her grandmother to open the hall door and meet her in the Living Room, instead she now felt a presence of light and glory which manifested as an angelic visitor. The light and glory faded so that, Monti could discern the face of her grandmother as being the angel who had entered the room. Viola knew that her time would be too short but the message she conveyed was essential.

Viola broke the silence, "Greetings, Granddaughter, I have so little time to plant the seed of faith that you will need to survive the times ahead." She kissed her granddaughter on the cheek and gave her a hug as tears came to her eyes feeling her grandmother's love for her.

Monti composed herself and seized the chance to speak to her grandmother, "Grandmother! I love you so much and I miss being able to hear your voice, yet it echoes in my soul. And that you see me as I really am is such a blessing."

Viola dried the girl's tears with a handkerchief that Monti recognized as unmistakably grandmother's. Viola gave the handkerchief to Monti and spoke, I "My granddaughter, in order to grow the faith that you need, you must learn to make your promises without adding loopholes. When you promised your parents the first time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Andi recognized that Grandmother had gotten right to business. As Grandmother started teaching her like she had done so many times in her life, Monti leaned forward and concentrated on what Grandmother was saying so that she wouldn't lose any word. Andi knew the answer to Grandmother's question and she answered, "That I would do it in secret so I would not be caught."

Viola continued the lesson with another question, "When you promised your parents the second time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Monti knew the answer to that one too, "That instead I would mold my body with female hormones that I found and also to use a computer persona to appear as a girl in public."

Viola asked her granddaughter the final question and hoped that her granddaughter would see the connection, "And what loophole do you use now?"

Monti had to admit that she seemed to be making the same mistake over and over again. She contritely answered," That I am no longer living at my parents and I'm only getting ready for the Spring Game."

Her granddaughter needed to realize that she had to walk in truth, "Sweetie, you were raised better than that! How can any good come from deception?"

Monti agreed with her grandmother but wondered if she were strong enough, "Grandmother, No good can come from deception. I can't bear the consequences if I don't conceal some things."

Viola hoped that she would have the strength to bear the consequences "My little one, My Tina, there is a time for deception to be done away with so the truth can shine." She hugged Tina tightly and smiled, hoping Tina understood and would accept herself unconditionally.

A light gleamed in her granddaughter's eyes as she accepted her new nickname, as Viola's instruction changed focus, "Would you like to know the real reason that I gave your father the middle name, Montine, which your parents also gave to you?"

Tina brightened with the strength that she drew from Viola, "Yes, Grandmother! I'm glad that I'm your Tina! What a lovely nickname that you have given me!"

Viola explained, "Tina just as I told your father, there was a French actor with the last name of Montine who I admired. But that was not the only reason. God gave me a prophesy of things to come and I knew you would be born, my Tina, with your challenges and that your parents would give you the same name as your father. I had a close girlfriend as I was growing up named Montine which for a woman's name means 'A lovely rose'. I knew that you would need a name as well as your father so I named you Montine."

Tina smiled a familiar mischievous smile and asked, "Did daddy know Montine was also a woman's name?"

Viola was glad to give her granddaughter some joy to see her through the sorrow that was to come, "Yes, my Tina, That is why when he used every possible permutation of your shared name, he never went by the middle name and only used the initial. In the beginning when you started to go by Montine, he let it go because you were doing it believing it was a masculine name. Your parents had moved away from their roots, where it might be interpreted as a feminine name. Of course when you do your research now, you'll find that every first name Montine belongs to a woman. When you wanted Kathy and your friends to call you by a masculine nickname, Monty, it became even less of an issue to your parents."

Tina had a far away look on her face knowing how much she was loved, "Grandmother, How I love you even more for your gift to me. I'll treasure that my name reflects the me inside as well as the me outside."

Viola changed the focus again, "My Tina, You must increase your faith! Your condition is physical like the man in the gospel of John who was born blind. In that day like your own, people tried to blame either him or his parents for sin that caused his condition. People ascribe your condition to sin in your life. One day there will be a medical test that will should silence the accusers widely available. Until then they can only trust a person's own testimony as well as that of the professionals involved." Her granddaughter would be assaulted savagely by those who could only count their worth by casting down someone else.

Tina trusted her parents and the chance that they could have been right had hindered her from following the truth. She had to ask her grandmother about what they had said, "My parents told me that it was impossible for my condition to occur so instead of being female in my spirit, I had chosen to fake it and had deluded myself."

Viola winced as her son's words echoed which were in fear of how others might react instead of for Tina's well being, "My little one, you are protected by Jesus Himself. Jesus said that it would be better for them to be hung by a millstone and cast into the sea than to harm one of His Little Ones. To deny that any physical condition is possible through God's Perfection is clearly misinterpreted scripture. All manner of imperfection is in the human condition and it can not be perfect because Sin came into this world. The role that God has in a human life being born is still perfect but that is a proof of your condition instead of an argument against it. When God finds a female brain the life spirit that God breathes into it is a female spirit."

Tina heard her grandmother's words but something else was still troubling her, "What about the argument that 'God is not the author of confusion.', Grandmother?"

Viola knew that it was a case of circular logic which only seemed right because it assumed the thing that it asserted was the proof. She spoke to Tina with reassurance, "Tina, If God placed a male spirit in a female mind then God would be the author of confusion because that act would be entirely God's. We can trust that God is not the author of confusion and that every time God finds a female mind that he breathes into that a female spirit."

Tina knew that some pointed to the physical sex that they could see instead of the spirit's gender and asked, "Grandmother, which is more important, the body or the spirit and soul?"

She smiled knowingly that Tina had arrived at the crux of the matter and explained, "Tina, Jesus taught us that if part of our body offends us that it would be better to dispose of it, rather to let that offence plunge our body and spirit into everlasting punishment. Clearly the Spirit trumps the Body and Jesus endorsed altering the body if necessary to preserve the spirit which is eternal."

Tina realized that the incongruence of her physical body with her spirit was a congenital defect just as the Man born blind that her grandmother had spoken of before so she asked, "What did Jesus tell them when the asked if the man born blind sinned or did his parents sin?"

Viola realized that once Tina accepted that her condition was real that the next question she would wonder would be 'Why?' Fortunately the answer that Jesus had given so long ago was applicable to her condition too as she explained, "Tina, Jesus answered that neither the Man or the Parents sinned to cause his condition. He was made that way that the glory of God might be revealed. And you, my Tina, were made the way you were so that God's Glory might be revealed in you. "

Tina asked incredulously, "Grandmother, can God really use me to do His work?"

Viola smiled, hoping that Tina would act in faith, as she told her, "My dear Tina, remember that God uses the weak vessels of the Earth to confound the wise. God may be able to use you, sweetie, in ways you can't even imagine. As you follow Jesus on your journey, God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory."

Tina confessed her faith as the seed that Viola needed most to plant had sprouted, "Grandmother, I want to follow Jesus because He will never lead me astray."

Viola loudly voiced her approval, "Good Girl, Tina! My little one! God has sent you companions to help you on your way. Tina, do not forsake them to please another, so you will receive everything God has provided for you. When family and fair weather friends desert and shun you, Remember God is always with you and loves you just the way you are. Be especially considerate of Kathy, who is your God Sister. Together you will help each other in both your journeys."

Tina rejoiced, "It's good to know that I will never be alone because God is always with me!"

Viola kissed Tina on her forehead "It's time for my visit to end. You aren't ready yet to accept this encounter as real, but the truths that I have shared are planted in your spirit for when you need them most. Maranatha, Tina, till we be reunited, my love."

Tina hugged her grandmother tightly as if she would never let her go, "Maranatha, Grandmother. I love you."

The room faded from existence as Tina remembered her grandmother's love for her which had been especially vivid at Christmas. Viola looked on as Tina merged with Monty in body, soul and spirit. Her grandchild's eyes fluttered signifying that REM sleep was continuing. Monty hardly ever remembered his dreams, yet he embraced just as Tina had been only Monty only embraced a pillow.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Eleven ~ The Missive

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What message does Kathryn the Artisan write to Princess Sasha?

In the morning a half-asleep Monti partially awoke. She felt wonderful and totally rested. In her mind was a vivid flash from a dream. She perceived herself as a girl greeting an angel with so bright a face that she could not see clearly yet she had the impression that it was someone that she knew. With becoming more fully awake, Monti reasoned that it was only because she had been a girl in the dream that she had even remembered the little that she did of it. And she realized that in the here and now she was still physically, Monty.

Monty got up and went to his computer and logged into his email. Kathy was an early riser and did a lot of her email then. Monty was not disappointed and found an email from Kathy. She had been very creative in her email, and I smiled as I read it.

Unto Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblins doeth Kathryn the Artisan write.

Your Highness I hope this letter finds you in good spirits this day.

As you have engaged me to tutor you for the upcoming royal court,

and have commissioned me to make your gown for that court,

I have need of the following items to be purchased:

The hair from a beautiful goblin maiden made into a royal wig

The finest tights matching your lovely green skin color

The finest opera gloves that also match your lovely green skin color

The makeup that gives you that lovely green skin color:

As for your plan to go incognito as a human girl prior to the court,

I will need as well the following items:

Makeup as befits a human girl

A dress that a human girl would wear

Shoes with a 3 inch heel that they call 'pumps'

A covering for the legs known as 'panty hose'

A curious garment to hold thy breasts called a 'bra'

A silk like undergarment called 'panties'

The hair from a blonde human girl made into a wig.

Before your highness returns to my abode to begin your lessons,

Be sure to have your lady in waiting when she gives you your bath,

To shave your legs and underarms and anoint your skin,

with the dew (a moisturizer) to be smooth all over your body.

I await with anticipation, your highness's return to my abode.

From there I will take Your Highness to the merchants,

To find a cloth worthy to make your royal gown.

In Service to Your Highness

Kathryn the Artisan

It looked like Kathy was taking her teaching Sasha very seriously. She wrote the missive so Sasha would discern the modern items that Kathy wanted for the practice easily. Sasha had her shopping list and instructions now. Kathy wanted the accessories for when they would shop for the fabric. Kathy wanted practice clothing to begin Sasha' training to become a royal princess. If Monty could survive the shopping then the rest would be loads of fun. Kathy never did anything half way and Monti, or rather Sasha, could look forward to the time of her life.

Kathy rang the number of the apartment that Monty shared with his brother Tim, Tim's wife , Sabrina and their two daughters, Jessica and Jennifer. She remembered that in order to get Monty that she would have to ask for Wallace since that was the name that they knew Monty by. She placed the call and waited for the phone to ring. Sabrina was first to get the phone and greeted the caller with a cheery, "Hello." Kathy recognized the voice of Monty's sister in law, Sabrina and returned the melodious greeting, "Hi Sabrina! I'd like to speak to Wallace, please?" Sabrina recognized the caller as one of her brother in law's friends and said, "Just a minute, I'll call him to the phone.

Monty quickly got to the phone and responded with a cheery, "Hello".

Kathy responded to Monty, "Greetings your highness, Princess Sasha, Did you receive my missive?"

Monty, with a far away look in his eyes, replied, "Yes, Milady, I enjoyed your missive very much." Monty slipped away and for a moment the persona of Gail from online came to the surface.

"Your Highness, have you begun to get together the things that I have requested for our endeavor?" Kathy couldn't help but smile as she began to see Monti in her true self come to the surface.

"Aye, Milady. I took great delight in gathering all of the things that you requested." replied Princess Sasha of the Goblins as Monty revealed herself as the Monti for the moment that Della showed to Kathryn.

"That is very good, Your Highness, We can begin with our tasks, soon." Kathy guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised at the efficiency that Monty acquired the accessory items that together would make Sasha appear a realistic character for the LARP. She supposed that Monty had been equally adept at getting the practice clothes and accomplishing the tasks set for Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblin's Lady in Waiting.

While breaking from the character of Princess Sasha for the moment, Kathy still perceived that Monti was still with her as she replied, "Kathy, why did you want me to gather all of that by myself?"

Kathy smiled and remembered what she had said when Bernadette had asked her the same thing after she had read the missive to Princess Sasha, Kathy wanted to gauge how dedicated that Monti is for this by seeing whether she can overcome the challenges by herself. She was still not sure whether Monti is ready to come out to stay now. "To see how much you wanted to be real playing Princess Sasha, Monty. How did you get everything together."

Monti replied, " I found some long white opera gloves on a close out table. I have managed to die those the same shade of green as the facial makeup that I wore for my first outing."

Kathy told her, "That's excellent. We may like to carry them along in a tote to check against the material that we will be purchasing to make your dress. What else did you find?"

Monti continued," I found a Halloween closeout which yielded an appropriate dark green woman's wig for the LARP appearance and an blonde wig for practice." Monti remembered that Mary had just styled Sasha' hair for her previous appearance in the LARP.

"Your own hair looked cute in the photo that you emailed to me from the LARP, Monti. If your own hair is used you might use a temporary hair color to turn it green for the LARP. Please, continue." Kathy explained. She asked for the wig since she could not be sure of circumstances for the next few months. If Monti's hair was cut in a guy's style, she needed a backup.

Monti said, "I found this cute dance shop and I found green tights matching the face makeup as well. I felt that with my legs and arms covered that the only makeup that would be required would be on my face and neck."

"That's excellent thinking, Monti. In most circumstances your legs won't show but when your skirt is hiked up it would be better if they were green since that would match the rest of you. How did you do with ordinary girl's stuff?" Sara asked.

It seemed as if it was Monty who replied, "The more common items that I would need for practice seemed near impossible for me to manage yet I eventually was able to get everything that I needed."

Kathy asked Monty, "Why was shopping for ordinary women's clothing and makeup so difficult for you? "

Monty explained, "When I'm by myself, I don't feel right about shopping for women's items. Instead of acting normally I would walk around and around the item that I wanted. Eventually I would work up my courage to pick up the item and rush to the cash register where I would pay for it and rush out of the store. Since I could not bring myself to reenter the store, I would shop in another store for the next item. Eventually I picked up each item on my list from makeup to shoes to underwear to a practice dress."

Kathy explained, "You know Monty, acting like that just drew more attention to yourself. I would imagine they thought you were shoplifting. You are going to have to bring the items to the checkout anyway. It would be better for you if you just confidently went straight to the area where the item that you wish is located and calmly pick out what you want and repeat that until you just have to make one trip to the register."

Monty sighed, "I guess you are right, Kathy. I had not thought of it that way. I'll try to be calm and maybe even enjoy myself the next time I'm out shopping."

Kathy giggled, "I'm glad you feel that way since I am assigning you to get another set of everything on the mundane list. You need a backup for when these clothes are in the wash. I had not thought of it before but if you are going to be a mundane girl the rest of the time you are at the weekend but not in costume then you'll at least want a different outfit for Sunday coming home and at the roundup than the clothes you will be wearing when you arrive at the camp. And if you are really daring, get all dressed up as a girl to shop for the second outfit."

Monty told her, "Okay, I will accept the assignment. I'll get the second set of clothes because it is clear that I will need them. I'm not too sure about doing the shopping as a girl. I'll let you know when I have accomplished this part of my mission."

Kathy said, "I will be looking forward to your completing your new assignment. Guess I will let you go. Bye Monty!"

Monty echoed, " Bye Kathy" They both hung up their respective phones.

Chatting with Angels

Chapter Twelve ~ Epilog

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How did Tina's story turn out??

Chapter Twelve ~ Epilog

Both Monty and Kathy had a lot to think about. Monty did his shopping and practicing so that Monty was able to give a good performance in the second "Dark Weekend" LARP game as Princess Sasha. Many things happened to Princess Sasha. The crisis came for Monty and Monty realized that transition was really in the future. Monty would be no more, and it was Tina who would go through transition. Monty told Kathy that she could not put off transition, and Kathy told Monty about the visit from the angel and the message she received. It was a month short of a year before when Monty asked to be Kathy's boyfriend. Instead, she became Tina and instead of a boyfriend she became Kathy's girlfriend and new BFF. In October shortly after her revelation to Kathy, she began a medical transition and began life as her true self except at work and when she visited her parents.

The journey would be long and hard but all the things that Tina was scared that she would have to give up in order to transition, one by one was given back to her. One thing that Tina never dreamed that she would have to give up was her immediate family and she never got it back. She was granted a family of choice instead, including much later her Aunt's family and among them a special cousin that found Tina even though her parents were silent..

Tina went through all the standards of care just before the turn of the century. She had completed all the steps to make her eligible for gender confirmation surgery. Her job had evolved over the years from a cashier at a drug store to a Information systems specialist. She even transitioned on the job where she had many challenges at the same company she had started as a cashier. From that point Tina lived as her true self all the time. That transition on the job led to Tina exiting that company after Kathy died. Many things changed including moving out of the home she shared at the time with Kathy. Tina changed careers after competing training as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

She longed to have her GCS but in her native state, she was sometimes uncovered and all the time insurance disallowed GCS coverage. She met and was later engaged to a man who she had met through Starfleet International. All of a sudden things began to come together for Tina. Her special cousin found her and she spent a wonderful Christmas in Colorado with her cousin flying her out there as one of Tina's presents.. Colorado was special because they had laws against GLBT discrimination and not only would she be given insurance coverage but eventually it would cover GCS.

The next year in July many things happened. After her engagement with her special man happened, He married her in a special non-legal Klingon wedding from the DS9 episode, "You are cordially invited". They had one night together before they were parted for a year. Tina was invited to go live in Colorado with her special cousin until she had obtained a CO CNA license, which let her work and get into an apartment. When Tina moved out of her cousin's house, her special cousin moved Tina's partner to CO to share the apartment she had gotten.

Tina began to not be able physically to do her job as a CNA and she retired. As age 65 and Medicare approached, Tina began the process she had to abandon after she had completed all the steps to qualify for surgery. Two hospitals in Denver began to offer GCS for the first time. One of their medical systems was the one that Tina used for her medical care. Tina turned 65 and was well on her way to collecting her final things which would qualify her for surgery at her hospital system. After a scare when she got an initial medical condition rejection for a firm date for GCS, She and her primary care doctor came up with a mitigation and she was given a firm date for GCS in October. Tina had her GCS and is now living her best life as her true congruent and complete self.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Preface to the Completed Novel

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Marcus cope with yet another of his clients slipping the bonds of Earth?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here.

The Ancient Altar

Deep in the shadow of Whispering Pine Mountain, where mist clings to granite faces like forgotten prayers, stands an altar older than memory. Carved from a single block of black stone veined with silver, it bears the weathered marks of Celtic spirals and triquetra knots that seem to shift in the changing light. For centuries, it slumbered beneath a canopy of ancient oaks, its power dormant, its purpose lost to time.

The altar remembers when the first Celtic settlers brought their sacred knowledge to these peaks, when druids and wise women gathered beneath the stars to weave protection into the very bedrock of the mountain. It remembers the binding rituals that contained elemental forces within its stone heart, keeping the balance between the seen and unseen worlds.

But memory, like stone, can crack.

The altar stirred.

Silver veins pulsed with sudden light, and the triquetra carvings began to glow with an inner fire. The binding spells, weakened by centuries of neglect, cracked like ice in spring. Something vast and hungry pressed against the thinning barriers—a fire elemental that had been contained since the first rituals were performed on this sacred ground.

Tabitha felt the power surge beneath her hands and laughed with delight, never realizing she had torn a hole in the fabric between worlds. The elemental tasted freedom for the first time in generations, its essence seeping into the mountain's heart like molten gold through fractured stone.

When the wildfire came weeks later, racing through the dry timber with unnatural hunger, it was no accident. The fire elemental had found its moment, and when a man named Elias Vire stumbled into the flames seeking to save what he thought was a trapped child, the ancient force found its vessel.

The altar stands silent now, its silver veins dim but not dark. It waits, patient as stone, for the cycle to complete itself. For in awakening the fire, Tabitha had set in motion events that would transform not just one man, but an entire community—and three women whose Celtic necklaces would prove to be more than mere jewelry.

The mountain remembers. The altar remembers. And soon, all debts will be paid.

Welcome to Cedar Hollow

Nestled in a valley where Whispering Pine Mountain meets the rolling foothills of the Appalachian range, Cedar Hollow appears to be nothing more than a quiet mountain town where time moves slowly and neighbors still wave from their front porches. Main Street stretches for exactly six blocks, lined with businesses that have served the same families for generations: Murphy's General Store, the Copper Kettle Diner, Hartwell's Hardware, and the Cedar Hollow Community Bank.

The town's 3,200 residents live in a mixture of Victorian houses built during the logging boom, modest ranch homes from the 1960s, and newer constructions that climb the hillsides like hopeful prayers. Three churches serve the spiritual needs of the community: Cedar Hollow Methodist, St. Mary's Catholic, and the newer Eternal Light Baptist Church, whose Sunday sermons have grown increasingly fervent in recent months.

What visitors don't see—what the tourist brochures don't mention—is that Cedar Hollow sits at the convergence of ancient ley lines, where Celtic settlers once found the spiritual energy so strong they built their most sacred altar deep in the mountain's embrace. The town has always attracted those who walk between worlds: healers, wise women, and practitioners of the old ways who understand that some places hold power that transcends ordinary understanding.

Lately, that power has been stirring.

The mountain watches. The altar waits. And in a small house on Maple Street, a conversation is about to begin that will change everything.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter One: Marcus' Hidden Truth

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Marcus cope with yet another of his clients slipping the bonds of Earth?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here.

As her vital organs shut down one by one, the terminal nature of her condition had become undeniably apparent. Where there should have been the tiny, vibrant beauty she was meant to be, paralysis had weighted her down with unmoving mass.

The medical monitor's steady beeping provided a rhythmic backdrop as I watched Helen Chambers rest peacefully in her bed, having just finished the carefully prepared meal I'd brought her. She was a gem of a woman—a brilliant spirit imprisoned within a body that had betrayed her.

"Marcus, thank you for another wonderful meal!" Helen's voice carried genuine warmth despite her weakness. "The tastes that you bring together through your creativity in the kitchen are amazing. Even more so with all of my dietary restrictions. Thanks, sweetie."

The smile that spread across Helen's face was worth more than any paycheck. It was moments like these that reminded me why I'd chosen hospice care, despite how my tender heart sometimes made the work feel impossible.

"You are welcome, Helen. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed creating your meal for you."

"You certainly take good care of me. I admire all your creativity in the way that you do your work. It's clear to me that it's a work of love for you."

Her words warmed something deep inside me—a recognition that felt both comforting and dangerous. "Is there anything that I can get for you?"

"No dear, I'm fine for now."

"Then I will get your tray and do some cleaning up."

"I'll take a nap. Have fun, Marcus."

I did have fun cleaning, though it also gave me precious time to think. In the quiet moments between tasks, I allowed myself to hope—perhaps foolishly—that I could somehow save Helen. I wished I could turn the tide of her illness through sheer attentiveness. My devotion to her comfort kept her free from pain, and I felt that if I could make things as physically comfortable as possible while promoting a pleasant environment, I could make her quality of life the best it could be.

Somehow, becoming Helen's friend and companion had come naturally to me in ways that surprised even myself. There was an ease in our relationship that transcended the typical caregiver-patient dynamic, as if we'd known each other far longer than the few months I'd been caring for her.

After finishing the housework, I went quietly into Helen's room to check on her well-being. Though I'd been monitoring her vital signs from the kitchen, it put my mind at ease to look in on her directly. As I entered, she stirred to life, her eyes opening with surprising clarity.

"Marcus, do you believe in reincarnation?"

The question caught me off guard, though Helen often surprised me with her philosophical inquiries. "I do believe, Helen. I hope that I have learned from my life this time so that I will have become a better person."

"How do you believe it works when one life passes to another?"

I settled into the chair beside her bed, drawn into the conversation despite the weight of the topic. "We all hear stories of people moving away from this life, passing into an overwhelming white light. I feel that within that white light, a great energy surrounds us, and for a moment all the lives that we have lived are revealed. In that clarity of being known in all truth, the sum of what we have become through our lives is made known. Fate decides somehow, based on how well and what we have learned in our lives, as well as the lessons that are yet to be learned. Fate decides the kind of life that would teach that lesson and molds us to be born into that new life with a clean slate."

Helen's eyes sparkled with interest. "What if when you are joined with the omniscience, in that moment of clarity, you determine how the creative energy is used to bring new life?"

"Perhaps the difference between letting it happen and taking an active role in it signals that some lessons have been learned." I paused, considering her words more deeply. "Hmm, can a person believe in both reincarnation and ghosts?"

"Well, I do. I feel that there can be a time spent interacting with the living before that rendezvous with the white light. And I also believe that in the process of passing into the other dimension, beings of pure energy and spirit can act as mentors for a time before they complete their journey beyond."

"You have an interesting take on this, Marcus. It's clear that you've given this some thought."

I had given it thought—more than I cared to admit. "I believe that the time at the end of our life is important. I feel fortunate to show care and compassion to ease the transition. How we face death is at least as important as how we face life. That is how I manage to cope with all the emotions."

Helen's eyebrow lifted in what I recognized as acknowledgment of my reference to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. She smiled and closed her eyes, her vitals confirming that she had slipped back into sleep.

It was a wonder that I was working in hospice care, tender-hearted as I was. However, I had shown that I possessed quiet strength and could keep my head in a crisis. I didn't let what might be paralyze me, nor would I be consumed by what had happened. I didn't carry the emotion from one case to another, thanks to the mandatory day off between cases that allowed me to empty myself of tears so I could give my best to my next charge.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted my thoughts. Michelle Chambers Johnson, Helen's younger sister, had arrived home from work. She typically worked long hours and was deeply dedicated to her career, but today was different—she was home in the afternoon.

What surprised me most was that she wore her Celtic Triquetra knot necklace openly, the intricate knotwork catching the light as she moved. Some associated the symbol with Wicca, but for me, it represented something beautiful—the three lives of women as maiden, mother, and matron. Helen had requested that I place the necklace's twin around her neck after I'd done her makeup that morning.

"Marcus, would you like to sit with me in the living room for a moment and talk?"

"Of course, Michelle. Was there anything in particular that you wanted to talk about?"

She smoothed her skirt underneath her as she sat down in a chair, and I took the one opposite from her. There was something different in her demeanor—a purposefulness that made me slightly nervous.

"I'd like to talk about you. You have been so wonderful both to Helen and me. We've both noticed something about you that is not consistent with your character in that you are hiding something. I know you to be honest in everything else, so it puzzles me and my sister. We both love you and we want to help if we can. I know this is personal, but in order to help, I must ask—what are you hiding, Marcus?"

My heart began to race. "Michelle, I don't know what you are talking about! I guess everyone in my work has a little professional detachment. Perhaps that is what you both are perceiving."

But Michelle's gaze didn't waver. "Who are you really, deep down inside?"

She knows! The thought hit me like a lightning bolt. You see, deep down inside, I knew that I was female. I had always known, but I feared what I might lose if I became the victim of stigma associated with people who changed their gender expression from what society felt I was supposed to have. I had paused too long thinking, and now I could not give an answer that would deflect her from questioning me.

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truth. Helen's gentle breathing from the next room seemed to encourage me, as if her presence was giving me strength. The Celtic Triquetra around Michelle's neck caught the afternoon light, and I thought of its twin around Helen's neck—symbols of connection, of sisterhood, of acceptance.

Finally, I found the courage to tell the truth.

"I'm female."

The words hung in the air between us, and I felt as if I'd just stepped off a cliff into unknown territory. There was no taking them back now.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Two: The Power of Authentic Love

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Marcus' confession be received that she has a female soul?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

My confession of being female hung in the air between Michelle and me like a bridge I'd finally found the courage to cross. Her response would determine whether I'd found sanctuary or stepped into another kind of exile.

"Oh Sweetie!" Michelle's face lit up with understanding rather than shock. "You express female gender in a lot of ways. Only the way that you represent yourself by your outward appearance is inconsistent with that expression. We love you and if you choose to totally express female gender in all aspects of your life, we will support you in any way that we can."

The relief that washed over me was so profound I felt my knees weaken. After years of hiding, of professional detachment serving as armor against vulnerability, someone had seen my truth and embraced it completely.

"I appreciate your compassion, Michelle. I'm not sure that I am ready for such a step right now. I'm glad that you two would be okay if I were to transition."

Michelle's smile deepened, and she reached into her purse with deliberate purpose. "I have something for you. You see, I felt that you have a sister spirit within you. From what you have discussed with both Helen and me, your spirit seems to be compatible with ours."

She handed me a small velvet box, and my hands trembled slightly as I accepted it. Inside, nestled against dark fabric, lay another Celtic Triquetra knot necklace—identical to the ones Helen and Michelle wore, yet somehow uniquely meant for me.

"The necklaces that I thought were twins were actually triplets," I whispered, understanding flooding through me. "And I have the third one."

"Thank you, Michelle, and I will properly thank Helen when she is awake," I told her, rising to give her a heartfelt hug and a kiss on the cheek. As she lifted the necklace from the box and placed it around my neck, something profound shifted within me. The weight of the Celtic knot against my chest felt like coming home.

My emotions overwhelmed me, and tears of joy streamed down my face—tears for being welcomed as family, for being acknowledged as female, for finally belonging somewhere as my authentic self.

"You are welcome, my dear. I hope that you will wear it always as Helen and I will wear ours. We won't mind if you wear it inside your clothes until the day that you can find it within yourself to be open about who you really are inside."

"Thank you for understanding. With this necklace and what it represents, I might have the faith to now go where my heart will take me."

The Celtic Triquetra felt warm against my skin, as if it recognized its rightful owner. In Celtic tradition, it represented the three aspects of the feminine divine—maiden, mother, and crone—but for us, it symbolized something even more powerful: chosen family, unconditional love, and the sacred bond of sisterhood that transcended blood relations.

Michelle would have spoken again, but the peaceful moment shattered as medical alarms pierced the afternoon quiet. Helen's monitors were screaming warnings that made my blood run cold.

"Michelle, call 911!" I commanded, my hospice training overriding everything else. I never asserted myself so forcefully unless the situation was truly dire, and this was.

I ran to Helen's room, my feet moving with practiced efficiency while my heart hammered against my ribs. Snatching up the AED from its place beside Helen's bed, I quickly tucked the new necklace inside my scrub top to keep it safe during the emergency procedures.

Helen lay unresponsive, her face peaceful despite the chaos of alarms. I began CPR immediately, counting compressions and breaths with mechanical precision while my mind raced. After one complete cycle yielded no response, I positioned the AED pads on her chest with steady hands.

"Analyzing rhythm," the machine announced in its emotionless voice. "Shock advised."

"Clear!" I called out, though Michelle was still in the other room on the phone with emergency services. The shock delivered, Helen's body jerked, but her eyes remained closed.

"Marcus, they have dispatched EMTs. They should be here in five minutes. I will meet them and direct them to you and Helen."

"Thank you, Michelle."

The AED attempted two more shocks, each one a desperate gamble against the inevitable. When it finally announced "No shock advised," I resumed CPR, my arms burning with effort but my determination unwavering. This was Helen—the woman who had seen my truth, who had welcomed me into her spiritual family, who had just given me the gift of belonging.

The EMTs arrived with professional efficiency, and I stepped back to let them work their own kind of magic. One took Helen's medical history from Michelle while the other administered epinephrine directly into Helen's IV line.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then Helen's eyes fluttered open, and she drew a shaky breath.

"She's back," the EMT announced, but I could see in her eyes that this was likely temporary—a brief reprieve rather than a true recovery.

As they transferred Helen to the stretcher, I caught her gaze. Even weakened, her eyes held a depth of love and understanding that spoke directly to my soul. The Celtic Triquetra beneath my scrub top seemed to pulse with warmth, as if responding to some unseen energy flowing between us.

The ambulance ride to the hospital passed in a blur of sirens and medical chatter. Michelle and I followed in her car, the weight of unspoken knowledge heavy between us. Helen's time was running short, and somehow, we all knew it.

But as I touched the hidden necklace at my throat, I sensed that Helen's greatest gift to me was yet to come. The power of three—maiden, mother, and crone—was awakening, and with it, possibilities I couldn't yet imagine.

The hospital loomed ahead, and I realized that whatever happened next would change all our lives forever. The Celtic sisterhood was complete, and Helen's final act of love was about to transform everything we thought we knew about life, death, and the magic that binds souls together across time and space.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Three: The Sacred Trinity

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Minuet understand what to do with the gift of Life Passed to her by Helen?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

My confession of being female and Michelle's acceptance had created a profound moment of spiritual connection between us. But as Helen's medical alarms shattered the peaceful afternoon, that moment of belonging transformed into something far more urgent and mystical.

The EMTs had successfully revived Helen with epinephrine, but as we followed the ambulance to the hospital, I could feel the Celtic Triquetra necklace warming against my chest. Something profound was happening—something that went beyond medical intervention.

In the cardiac treatment room, Helen lay surrounded by monitors and machines, her breathing shallow but steady. The DNR order meant that when her time came, there would be no heroic measures—only love, acceptance, and whatever supernatural forces had been awakened by our completed sisterhood.

"Sweetie, you are one with Helen and me now, we are sisters," Michelle whispered as we sat in the waiting room. "Helen's homecoming nears. If you open yourself to the supernatural, you may be able to share the totality of the experience."

The weight of her words settled over me like a sacred mantle. "What are you telling me, Michelle?"

I didn't care what anyone thought at this point, so I pulled the necklace out from my scrub top and wore it proudly for all to see. The Celtic Triquetra caught the harsh hospital lighting, its intricate knotwork seeming to pulse with its own inner radiance.

"You know that Helen's medical wishes dictate that she not be kept alive artificially. This may be the time when we both have to say goodbye to her. It is a most powerful time, full of possibilities if you are open to them."

The truth of it hit me like a physical blow. Helen was dying, and somehow, Michelle was preparing me for something beyond ordinary grief. "I'm ready to say goodbye to Helen if it comes to that. I'm open to any possibility."

"Good. They will be calling for us soon."

No sooner had she spoken when Nurse Walters walked purposefully into the waiting room. "Mrs. Johnson? Helen called for you, and time is short."

The three of us walked quickly through the hospital corridors, our footsteps echoing with the urgency of approaching finality. When we reached Helen's bedside, I instinctively moved to one side and took her hand while Michelle took the other. The Celtic Triquetra necklaces—all three of them—seemed to resonate with each other, creating an invisible triangle of connection around Helen's bed.

"Thank you for coming, sisters," Helen whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with profound love.

"I love you, Helen. Blessed be!" The words came from somewhere deeper than conscious thought.

"I love you too, Helen. Thank you for my gift."

Helen's eyes sparkled with the same mischievous wisdom I'd come to cherish. "I hope you like your next gift as well, sister. I love both of you with all my heart."

The monitors began their final alarm sequence, but this time, the DNR order meant we could only hold her hands and bear witness. As Helen's physical form released its hold on life, I felt my eyes rolling back as consciousness slipped away from me.

The Spiritual Realm
Suddenly, I was more alive than I had ever been. The sensation was overwhelming—I felt completely congruent and utterly different simultaneously. Looking down at myself, I realized I existed as pure energy, pure spirit. For the first time, I saw myself as I had only glimpsed in dreams: a twelve-year-old girl who hadn't yet begun puberty, radiant with authentic possibility.

At my feet lay my corporeal body, still appearing as male as I had forced myself to portray to the world, collapsed unconscious on the hospital floor. Michelle still clutched Helen's hand, weeping over her sister's passing, while Nurse Walters rushed to attend to my unconscious form.

"Sister, it is time for me to pass my life to you."

I turned to find Helen beside me, her spiritual form blazing with accumulated life energy. She appeared more vibrant than she had in months, free from the physical limitations that had imprisoned her.

"Helen, I don't understand."

"How could you, sweetie? The white light beckons to me, and my life force glows with the energy that I have added through living. That energy ordinarily would be used to transform me physically into the person I would be for my next life."

"Would?" The word hung between us, heavy with implication.

"I feel that you should not have to wait for your next life to put an end to your suffering. I intend to use that life energy to put right what once went wrong for you."

The magnitude of her offer struck me like lightning. "No, Helen! Your next leap may be the leap all the way home. Giving me that gift could cost you everything."

"Yet it is my gift to give." Her spiritual form pulsed with determination. "Do you know why your spirit is still a girl instead of a woman?"

The truth came to me with crystal clarity. "I feel that it is because I have not allowed myself to experience puberty yet the way I should have, in mind and body."

"Are you open to that possibility now? Are you ready to be your true self?"

Every fiber of my being resonated with the answer. "I am, Helen. You have given me the gift of understanding. When I get back, I will start transition. I will be true to myself and to you and Michelle, my sisters."

Helen's energy seemed to intensify, and I sensed we were approaching the crucial moment. "Sometimes, sisters have to act as mothers when mother isn't available. Are you ready to accept her in that role?"

The rightness of it overwhelmed me. "Michelle would make a great mother. Yes, I will gladly accept Michelle as my mother."

The Transformation
Helen's energy aura, which had been bright before, suddenly overwhelmed me in a blinding flash. I felt myself speeding toward a white light, but instead of moving toward it, the white light engulfed me completely. Every cell of my being was suffused with Helen's life force, her love, her accumulated wisdom, and her final gift of authentic existence.

The sensation was indescribable—like being unmade and remade simultaneously, every atom of my being restructured by love itself. I felt my spirit and body aligning for the first time in my existence, the profound incongruence that had defined my life dissolving into perfect harmony.

When consciousness returned, the familiar surroundings of the hospital room greeted me, but everything had changed. Nurse Walters towered over me as she helped me to my feet, but now her height was appropriate—I was looking up at the world through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl.

Everything was right because now the physical me matched the spiritual me. I was Minuet, a preadolescent girl with my entire authentic life ahead of me.

Michelle had come around the bed and wrapped me in a protective hug, whispering urgently in my ear, "Play along, we'll talk in the car."

"Sweetie, I was so worried about you," she said loudly enough for the nurse to hear. "Is my daughter really alright?"

"She's fine. Her vitals are strong. She just fainted when Miss Chambers died."

The nurse's matter-of-fact tone suggested that reality had somehow adjusted to accommodate Helen's supernatural gift. To everyone except Michelle and me, I had always been Minuet, Michelle's twelve-year-old daughter.

"Minnie, let's get you home. The nurses have to see about Helen now anyway, so we should give them a chance to take care of things."

"Thank you, Momma." The word felt natural, right, as if I had been saying it my entire life.

Looking down at myself, I marveled at Helen's attention to detail. I was dressed exactly as I had appeared in spirit form: a long A-line dress made of pink velvet paired with white knee socks and black Mary Janes, with a matching purse on my shoulder. My hair was styled in two pigtails with pink ribbons tying up the ends. No makeup, but I didn't need any—I had the natural glow of youth and authenticity.

The walk to the car felt eternal, both of us maintaining careful silence lest we say something that might shatter the delicate illusion that protected us. Once the car doors slammed shut, I felt relief wash over me like taking a deep breath after holding it for hours.

New Memories, New Life
"It worked," Michelle breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "Helen passed her next life on to you early. Do you remember being Marcus?"

The question opened floodgates of memory that were both familiar and strange. "Yes, but that is like another lifetime. I remember more clearly being raised with our mother until she died, and then you taking care of both Helen and me after that. Oh yes, and that sweet nurse Jessica who cared for Helen ordinarily, but she called in sick and we had to care for her today. I'm glad that I learned CPR so I could help Helen while you called for help, Momma."

Michelle's eyes filled with tears of amazement. "I remember both lives too. You were a great big help, Minuet. You have a great big heart, and you could be a medical professional again if that's where your heart leads you."

The weight of loss suddenly hit me. "I miss Helen, Momma."

"You don't have to miss me yet. I'm still around."

Helen's voice came from behind me, and I turned to see her spiritual form, even more abundant with energy than before the white flash. She appeared as a shimmering presence that only Michelle and I could perceive.

"What happened, Helen?" I asked, reaching toward her luminous form.

"I found out that the leap home is not one that can be taken on our own energy, but with the ability granted to us when we are ready. The Goddess told me that in passing my life to you, I had shown myself worthy to pass into the beyond and go home myself. I've been given leave to be with you to help you through this transition before I make that trek into the great beyond."

The relief was overwhelming. "I'm glad for you that you are about at the end of your journey, Helen. I'm glad for me that you will be along to guide me at the starting of my journey."

A question that had been nagging at me finally surfaced. "When time folded over on itself as a result of all that creative energy you summoned, how come we three seem to be the only ones who have a clue about what was?"

Helen's laughter tinkled like silver bells. "You don't need me for that answer since your mommy came up with that wrinkle. It's the triplet necklaces, and in a real way, our sisterhood held a power of three that was beyond any understanding of TV show writers. We three are bound together in a way that defies understanding."

Michelle nodded, touching her own necklace. "And when Helen leaves this plane of existence, Momma?"

"We'll still be bound together, and where she goes, we will, when our time comes, follow and be reunited there."

I looked between them, my new twelve-year-old perspective making everything feel both profound and simple. "Is that true, Helen? And in how many lives will we be together, physically, that is?"

"That would be telling, sprite!" Helen's eyes twinkled with ancient mischief. "In the place that I am going, physicality isn't really meaningful. Even with me gone in a way, in a way I will always be with you."

The frustration of being spoken to in riddles bubbled up. "I guess I should have expected being talked to in riddles since I'm the child here."

"If you are a child, sweetie, then I am much more of one. At least you are comfortable in this universe of ours, but I'm going beyond all. I'm sorry if riddle speak frustrates you, but it's the only way of representing something so alien."

Understanding flooded through me. "I'm sorry, Helen. While I am in the muck, this is something that I asked for. I know some of the rules and I will discover the others. I cannot even imagine what awaits you. I guess when I can, then I will be where you are now. I'll be waiting for my homecoming."

"That's okay, sprite. I have a feeling that getting you up to speed was just what the doctor ordered. I could never let one of my sisters down if I had any choice in it."

One more question burned in my mind. "Helen, why am I a child now?"

Her expression grew tender with understanding. "Sweetie, that's where your spirit was stuck. If you had become a woman of the same age that Marcus was, then you would still be incongruent since your spirit was stuck as a little girl. Bringing your spirit and body together with congruency will allow you to grow up the way you might have if you had been able to let out your true self when you were thirteen the first go around."

The pieces finally clicked into place. "You were trying to prepare me for this before I became Minuet, and I didn't understand then, but I believe I do now. Thank you for looking out for my best interest, Helen."

"Think nothing of it, sweetie. Sisters do for each other. As you have done for me, I do for you, as around the circle our love flows."

We shared a metaphysical hug—not the pressing together of physical forms, but a spiritual closeness where I felt Helen's presence as strongly as any physical embrace. The love was the same, perhaps even stronger. When Michelle joined us in a group spiritual hug, I felt the power of three and put to rest any doubts that anything would truly separate us from each other.

"One thing that you are right about, young lady, is that physically now you are a child and will be one for the foreseeable future. Your body needs much more sleep, especially after a day as trying as this, and even more as you start turning into the woman you will grow up to be. It's bedtime for you now, munchkin. Please be a good girl and take your bath, then get dressed for bed."

The prospect of my first night as Minuet filled me with both excitement and trepidation. As we pulled into the driveway of what were now my childhood memories told me was home, I realized that Helen's greatest gift wasn't just the physical transformation—it was the chance to grow up authentically, supported by a love that transcended death itself.

The Celtic Triquetra necklace rested warm against my chest, a constant reminder that I was part of something eternal, something that would guide me through whatever challenges lay ahead in this new life that had been passed to me.

Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Four: New Memories, New Life

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Minuet fit in to being a little girl in the family that she loves?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Sundays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

Once the car doors slammed shut, I felt relief wash over me like taking a deep breath after holding it for hours.

"It worked," Michelle breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "Helen passed her next life on to you early. Do you remember being Marcus?"

The question opened floodgates of memory that were both familiar and strange. "Yes, but that is like another lifetime. I remember more clearly being raised with our mother until she died, and then you taking care of both Helen and me after that. Oh yes, and that sweet nurse Jessica who cared for Helen ordinarily, but she called in sick and we had to care for her today. I'm glad that I learned CPR so I could help Helen while you called for help, Momma."

Michelle's eyes filled with tears of amazement. "I remember both lives too. You were a great big help, Minuet. You have a great big heart, and you could be a medical professional again if that's where your heart leads you."

The weight of loss suddenly hit me. "I miss Helen, Momma."

"You don't have to miss me yet. I'm still around."

Helen's voice came from behind me, and I turned to see her spiritual form, even more abundant with energy than before the white flash. She appeared as a shimmering presence that only Michelle and I could perceive.

"What happened, Helen?" I asked, reaching toward her luminous form.

"I found out that the leap home is not one that can be taken on our own energy, but with the ability granted to us when we are ready. The Goddess told me that in passing my life to you, I had shown myself worthy to pass into the beyond and go home myself. I've been given leave to be with you to help you through this transition before I make that trek into the great beyond."

"When time folded over on itself as a result of all that creative energy you summoned, how come we three seem to be the only ones who have a clue about what was?"

Helen's laughter tinkled like silver bells. "You don't need me for that answer since your mommy came up with that wrinkle. It's the triplet necklaces, and in a real way, our sisterhood held a power of three that was beyond any understanding. We three are bound together in a way that defies understanding."

"Helen, why am I a child now?"

Her expression grew tender with understanding. "Sweetie, that's where your spirit was stuck. If you had become a woman of the same age that Marcus was, then you would still be incongruent since your spirit was stuck as a little girl. Bringing your spirit and body together with congruency will allow you to grow up the way you might have if you had been able to let out your true self when you were thirteen the first go around."

"You were trying to prepare me for this before I became Minuet, and I didn't understand then, but I believe I do now. Thank you for looking out for my best interest, Helen."

"Think nothing of it, sweetie. Sisters do for each other. As you have done for me, I do for you, as around the circle our love flows."

We shared a metaphysical hug—not the pressing together of physical forms, but a spiritual closeness where I felt Helen's presence as strongly as any physical embrace. When Michelle joined us in a group spiritual hug, I felt the power of three and put to rest any doubts that anything would truly separate us from each other.

"One thing that you are right about, young lady, is that physically now you are a child and will be one for the foreseeable future. Your body needs much more sleep, especially after a day as trying as this. It's bedtime for you now, munchkin. Please be a good girl and take your bath, then get dressed for bed."

"Mommy, will you tuck me in and tell me a bedtime story?"

"I thought that you said you were a big girl now and you didn't need a bedtime story anymore?"

"Awww Mommy. Just this once. I've had a busy day."

"That you have, munchkin. Okay, if you are a good girl, and are ready for bed when I go up to check on you, then I will tell you a story. Which one do you want to hear?"

"The one about every little girl being a princess, Mommy."

She rolled her eyes at me. "I might have known. As you wish, munchkin."

As I headed upstairs to my room, I realized that Helen's greatest gift wasn't just the physical transformation—it was the chance to grow up authentically, supported by a love that transcended death itself. The Celtic Triquetra necklace rested warm against my chest, a constant reminder that I was part of something eternal, something that would guide me through whatever challenges lay ahead in this new life that had been passed to me.

The princess in the story had lived authentically ever after. Now it was time for me to do the same.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 1: The Void Between Worlds

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can the transgender heroine survive after the cataclysm that they protected their planets and friends from but could not protect themself?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The silence was absolute.

Not the comfortable quiet of a library or the peaceful hush of falling snow—this was the crushing absence of sound that exists in the space between heartbeats, between thoughts, between the death of one universe and the birth of another.

She existed here as pure energy, her consciousness scattered like pinpricks of light across an infinite canvas of nothingness. She had no form, no substance, only the fading echo of what she once was. The catastrophic event that had destroyed her universe—whatever it was—had stripped away everything: her identity, her memories, her very sense of self.

Escape. The word pulsed through her dissolving awareness like a dying star's final flicker. She had no way to measure time in this place where time held no meaning, no way to know if she drifted for moments or millennia through the cosmic graveyard of her former reality.

Her energy reserves depleted steadily. In this realm where the laws of physics held no sway, entropy gnawed at her core like a patient predator. She faced the ultimate dissolution—not death, but the complete erasure of everything she had ever been.

The darkness pressed in from all directions, a weight that existed beyond the physical realm. Her memories, already fractured, continued to fragment further. Glimpses of faces without names, echoes of voices without words, the phantom sensation of emotions without context—all of it swirling away like leaves in a hurricane of cosmic indifference.

Yet somewhere in the depths of her fading consciousness, a flicker remained. Not hope—she had no frame of reference for such a concept—but something more primal. A stubborn refusal to simply cease existing. It was this tiny spark of defiance that kept her energy from scattering completely into the void.

The tesseract within her—though she had no name for it, no understanding of what it was—pulsed with a rhythm that matched her dying thoughts. This infinite energy source, this gift from a transformation she couldn't remember, flickered like a candle in a cosmic wind. It was the only thing preventing her complete dissolution, though even it seemed to be failing against the relentless assault of entropy.

In the endless expanse of nothingness, the being who no longer knew her name, drifted closer to the final silence. Her consciousness, once vibrant and powerful enough to fold space-time itself, now existed as little more than a whisper against the vast indifference of the void.

She had saved her world once. She had sacrificed everything to protect those she loved. But the trauma of that sacrifice had been so complete, so devastating, that her mind had hidden it away, locked behind walls of amnesia that even the destruction of her universe couldn't breach.

As her energy continued to fade, as the last fragments of her identity dissolved into the cosmic dark, one final thought emerged from the depths of her dying consciousness: What it means to become yourself.

The words held no context, no memory of where they came from, but they resonated with something fundamental in her core—a truth that transcended the destruction of universes and the passage of eons.

The void stretched on, infinite and merciless, carrying her toward the ultimate darkness where even energy cannot survive. But in that final moment before complete dissolution, something stirred in the fabric of reality itself.

A presence, vast and benevolent, moved through the endless night. Ancient beyond measure, compassionate beyond understanding, it had witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations, the birth and death of universes beyond counting. And now, drawn by the fading light of a being who had once known the courage to transform herself completely, it approached

The doctor—for that was what she was, though mortal minds could never fully comprehend her true nature—Extended her awareness across the void. Goddess had been watching, waiting, drawn by the unique resonance of the heroine's energy signature. Here was a being who had chosen transformation over preservation, sacrifice over safety, love over fear.

In the space between heartbeats that didn't exist, between thoughts that had no thinker, salvation approached through the endless night.

The Goddess reached out with power that spanned dimensions, her touch gentle as starlight, her voice carrying the weight of galaxies:

"Child of two worlds, daughter of transformation, your journey is not yet complete. The void claims many, but not you. Not today."

As her words echoed through the emptiness, reality itself began to shift. The absolute darkness cracked like an eggshell, revealing glimpses of light beyond—not the harsh light of stars, but the warm glow of possibility, of second chances of a world waiting to be discovered.

"You have forgotten who you were," the Goddess continued, her presence growing stronger, more defined. "But that does not matter. What matters is who you choose to become."

The tesseract within the transwoman's core pulsed brighter, responding to the divine presence. Energy flowed back into her scattered consciousness, not restoring her memories but giving her the strength to face whatever came next.

"I offer you a gift," the Goddess said, her voice now carrying the warmth of a mother's embrace. "A chance to discover yourself anew, to find the family you've always searched for, to become the person you were meant to be. But know this—the path will not be easy. You will face trials that test not just your power, but your heart."

In the growing light, She felt something she had no name for—a stirring of purpose, a whisper of destiny. She couldn't remember her past, but she could feel the future calling to her, bright with possibility.

"Do you accept this gift?" the Goddess asked. "Do you choose to begin again?"

Though she had no voice, no form to speak with, her answer resonated through the void with the force of a supernova:

Yes.

The darkness shattered like glass, and the heroine fell toward the light, toward life, toward a world that would challenge everything she thought she knew about herself. Behind her, the void sealed itself, taking with it the last remnants of her old existence.

Ahead lay Earth, and Hotel Colorado, and the family she didn't yet know she was searching for.

The journey of becoming herself was about to begin.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 2: The Goddess Appears

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is the Goddess and why is she helping the transgender heroine?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The nothingness shattered like glass around a single point of light.

The transwoman's scattered consciousness pulled together with a sensation that defied description—like scattered raindrops suddenly remembering they were once a stream. Her energy, moments before dissolving into the cosmic void, stabilized with an abrupt completeness that left her reeling.

The absolute darkness gave way to something that wasn't quite light, wasn't quite space, but held the essence of both. She found herself in what could only be described as a temple—though no human architect had ever conceived such a structure. Crystalline walls pulsed with inner luminescence, their surfaces reflecting not light but understanding. The geometry was impossible: angles that bent inward on themselves, corridors that led both forward and backward simultaneously, columns that supported not just a ceiling but the very concept of sanctuary.

And at the center of it all, She waited.

The Goddess—for there was no other word that could encompass what she perceived—existed as both presence and absence, form and formlessness. She was the space between stars and the star itself, the question and the answer, the void and the fullness that filled it. When Felicity tried to focus on her directly, she saw a woman of impossible beauty whose features shifted like morning mist. When she looked away, the Goddess filled her peripheral vision as a being of pure radiance whose very existence made the temple walls sing with harmonics that touched the soul.

"You may speak," the Goddess said, her voice carrying the weight of galaxies and the gentleness of a mother's lullaby. "Ask me questions, my new daughter."

The word daughter resonated through Felicity's being like a struck bell. She had no memories of parents, no understanding of family—yet something in her core recognized the truth of that relationship. Not biological, but something deeper. A choosing. A claiming.

"Goddess," the heroine whispered, her voice barely more than a thought given form. "I do not have a name. I have no memories at all. Please forgive me." She paused, gathering courage. "Why did you call me your daughter?"

The Goddess smiled, an expression that seemed to illuminate the temple from within. "Daughter, I know not which universe you are from, but you manipulate space-time and dimensions as I do—what I call folding. You have other talents, but they are derived from that one."

As she spoke, the transwoman felt something stir within her consciousness. Not memory, exactly, but an awareness of potential. The ability to fold space, to step between dimensions, to reshape reality itself through will and understanding. It was like discovering she had limbs she'd never known existed.

"I can tell that you have been through a cataclysm in which you saved your planet and your friends," the Goddess continued, her tone growing both proud and sorrowful. "The experience was so terrible your mind hid it from you. It would be best for you to start over, since there is no way for even I to return you to your universe."

The words should have brought despair, but instead she felt a strange sense of relief. The weight of unknown tragedy lifted from her shoulders, replaced by the clean slate of possibility. She was not running from her past—she was walking toward her future.

"For a new name, I can offer you one of mine," the Goddess said, extending her hand. As she did, the heroine felt power flow between them—not just energy, but identity. "From henceforth, you shall be called Felicity Archer."

The name settled into her consciousness like a key finding its lock. Felicity—happiness, joy, the ability to find delight in existence itself. Archer—one who aims true, who seeks distant targets with focused intention. It was perfect, complete, utterly her.

"It's too early for you to manipulate your energy back into matter," the Goddess continued, her expression becoming more focused. "I'll do that for you. I'll give you a worthy body complete with all the things one needs to live well on Earth."

But before the transformation could begin, the Goddess paused, her knowing gaze seeming to peer directly into Felicity's soul. "You will understand what it means to become yourself," she said, the words carrying the weight of prophecy. "The journey ahead will teach you that truth is not about remembering who you were, but choosing who you will be."

As she spoke, Felicity felt something new settling into her core—a presence that was both part of her and separate from her. It pulsed with infinite potential, a wellspring of energy that seemed to connect her to the very fabric of reality itself.

"What is this?" Felicity asked, her consciousness recoiling slightly from the overwhelming power.

"A tesseract," the Goddess replied, her smile becoming mysterious. "An infinite energy source that will grow with you as you learn to use it. It will grant you healing abilities, dimensional manipulation, and access to pocket dimensions where you can store what you need. But more than that—it will respond to your emotional growth. The more you learn to love, to trust, to become authentically yourself, the more powerful it will become."

The concept was staggering. Not just power, but power that grew through connection, through becoming fully human while remaining something more. It was a gift that demanded growth, change, vulnerability.

"But remember," the Goddess warned, her voice taking on a note of gentle caution, "power without wisdom is chaos. The tesseract will teach you control, but only if you're willing to face the truth of who you are—all of it, shadow and light together."

Felicity felt the weight of that responsibility settling around her like a mantle. She was being given not just a second chance at life, but the tools to become something unprecedented. The question was whether she would have the courage to use them.

"I understand," she said, and was surprised to find that she meant it. "I accept whatever challenge this brings."

The Goddess's smile broadened, and for a moment the temple filled with the sound of distant music—not heard but felt, a symphony of possibility that spoke of journeys yet to be taken, families yet to be found, love yet to be discovered.

"Then let us begin," the Goddess said, raising her hands. "Your new life awaits."

The temple walls began to shift and change, preparing for a transformation that would reshape not just Felicity's existence, but the very nature of what it meant to be human. The tesseract within her pulsed with anticipation, its infinite energy preparing to merge with flesh and blood and bone.

In the space between one heartbeat and the next, between energy and matter, between what was and what could be, Felicity Dawn Archer prepared to be born.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 3: Cosmic Rebirth

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What does she need to learn and what decision does she have to make before she can be reborn?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The temple around them shifted and expanded, its crystalline walls pulsing with deeper luminescence as the Goddess prepared to reveal the true nature of Felicity's journey. The impossible architecture seemed to breathe with anticipation, columns of light stretching toward infinity while the floor beneath them rippled like water made solid.

"Before I give you form," the Goddess said, her voice carrying the weight of cosmic truth, "you must understand what you carry within you."

Felicity felt her consciousness drawn inward, toward the tesseract that pulsed at her core. As she focused on it, the temple around them transformed into a vast observatory, its walls becoming transparent to reveal the infinite expanse of the multiverse beyond. Galaxies wheeled in their courses, universes bloomed and died, and through it all, threads of connection sparkled like silver lines binding everything together.

"Your abilities go far beyond simple energy manipulation," the Goddess explained, gesturing to the cosmic display. "What I call folding is the power to manipulate space-time itself, to step between dimensions, to reshape reality through will and understanding."

As she spoke, Felicity watched demonstrations play out before them. She saw beings like herself—other folders—stepping through dimensional barriers as easily as walking through doorways. She witnessed the healing of dying stars, the bridging of impossible distances, the creation of pocket universes where refugees from destroyed realities could find sanctuary.

"In your previous life," the Goddess continued, her tone becoming both proud and sorrowful, "you possessed this gift. More than that—you used it to save an entire world."

The cosmic display shifted, showing flashes of a reality Felicity couldn't quite grasp. A planet in crisis, dark forces consuming everything in their path, and at the center of it all, a figure of pure energy making an impossible choice. The images were fragmentary, seen as if through shattered glass, but the emotion behind them was crystal clear: sacrifice, love, and the terrible price of transformation.

"The experience was so devastating," the Goddess said softly, "that your mind chose to forget rather than carry that burden. But the courage you showed—the willingness to become something entirely new to save those you loved—that remains part of your essence."

Felicity felt tears she didn't know she could shed streaming down her face. Not tears of grief, but of recognition. Deep within her core, something stirred—not memory, but truth. She had remade herself once before, had chosen transformation over preservation, had discovered that sometimes becoming who you truly are requires leaving everything else behind.

"But why show me this?" Felicity asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "If I can't remember, if I can't return to that world—what purpose does it serve?"

The Goddess smiled, and for a moment the impossible architecture around them resolved into something more intimate—a garden where eternal flowers bloomed in colors that had no names, where streams of liquid light meandered between trees whose leaves sang with the voices of distant stars.

"Because, my daughter, your journey is not about reclaiming the past. It's about discovering who you choose to become in this new existence." The Goddess stepped closer, her presence warm and enveloping. "In your previous life, you knew the courage it takes to become who you truly are. Now you must learn that lesson again, but this time, you won't face it alone."

As she spoke, the tesseract within Felicity pulsed with new intensity, and suddenly she could feel something else—distant but growing stronger. Other presences, other souls who carried their own burdens of transformation and change. She couldn't see them clearly, but she could sense their existence: a spirit trapped in ancient wood, a heart yearning to match its true form, a warrior displaced from her home dimension, a child lost in trauma and magic.

"True family," the Goddess said, her words carrying the weight of prophecy, "sees who you really are and helps you become that person. They don't ask you to hide your nature or pretend to be something you're not. They celebrate your transformation and support your growth."

The garden around them began to shift again, showing glimpses of a grand structure nestled in mountain valleys—a hotel that seemed to exist partially outside normal space, its walls holding secrets and its rooms offering sanctuary to those who needed it most.

"The family you're seeking," the Goddess continued, "will be unlike anything you've known before. Not bound by blood or convention, but by choice and understanding. They will see your power and not fear it. They will witness your transformation and rejoice in it. They will help you become not just who you were meant to be, but who you choose to be."

Felicity felt the truth of those words resonating through every fiber of her being. The tesseract within her core pulsed with anticipation, its infinite energy responding to the promise of connection, of belonging, of home.

"But how will I know them?" she asked. "How will I recognize these people who will become my family?"

The Goddess's smile broadened, and the garden around them filled with gentle laughter—not heard, but felt, like sunshine after rain. "You will know them because they will be on their own journeys of becoming. Just as you are learning to transform yourself, they will be discovering their own authentic selves. And when you meet them, you will recognize in each other the courage it takes to choose growth over comfort, truth over convenience."

As she spoke, the tesseract within Felicity began to resonate with new frequencies, its power adapting to prepare for the connections that lay ahead. She could feel it learning, growing, becoming something more than just an energy source—becoming a bridge between souls, a tool for healing not just physical wounds but the deeper injuries of the heart.

"Your power will grow strongest," the Goddess said, her voice taking on a note of gentle instruction, "when you use it not for yourself alone, but to help others become who they truly are. The tesseract responds to love, to sacrifice, to the willingness to put others' needs before your own. The more you open your heart, the more it will grant you access to its infinite potential."

The cosmic display returned, showing Felicity glimpses of what lay ahead: moments of healing and transformation, the joy of found family, the challenges of protecting those she would come to love. She saw herself standing with others who had found their own paths to authenticity, their combined strength creating something greater than the sum of its parts.

"Remember this," the Goddess said, her presence beginning to shift as preparation for the next phase of transformation began. "Identity is not about remembering who you were—it's about choosing who you become. And the greatest choice you can make is to become someone who helps others find their own truth."

The garden around them started to dissolve, reality preparing to shift once more. But before it could complete its transformation, Felicity reached out with her consciousness, grasping hold of the truth the Goddess had revealed.

"I understand," she said, her voice carrying new strength. "I'm not just searching for a place to belong. I'm searching for people who will help me become my best self, and whom I can help in return."

The Goddess nodded, her form beginning to blur as the temple prepared for the next phase of Felicity's transformation. "Now you begin to understand what it means to become yourself. It's not a destination—it's a journey you take with others who share your courage to grow."

As the cosmic display faded and the impossible architecture began to shift once more, Felicity felt the tesseract within her core pulse with new purpose. She was ready for the next step of her journey, ready to discover not just who she was, but who she was meant to become.

The transformation from energy to matter awaited, and beyond that, a world full of souls yearning for the same thing she sought: the courage to become authentically themselves, and the family to support them on that journey.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 4: The Transformation

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Felicity cope with being recreated as a new person, the daughter of the Goddess?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The air in the temple shimmered with anticipation as the Goddess raised her hands, cosmic energy gathering around her fingers like liquid starlight. Felicity felt the tesseract within her core pulse with responding power, its infinite energy preparing to merge with something entirely new—flesh and blood and bone.

"The transformation from pure energy to physical form," the Goddess explained, her voice carrying both warmth and ancient wisdom, "is not merely a change of state. It is a choice to embrace limitations in service of greater connection."

As she spoke, the crystalline walls around them began to shift, their surfaces reflecting not light but possibility. Felicity watched in wonder as countless versions of herself flickered across the temple's faceted surfaces—different heights, different features, different expressions of the same essential self.

"Your new form will be uniquely yours," the Goddess continued, "but it will also be designed for the world you're entering. Earth has its own rules, its own physics, its own ways of being human."

The cosmic energy swirling around the Goddess's hands grew brighter, and Felicity felt herself being drawn into its gravitational pull. Not physically—she had no physical form yet—but with every particle of her consciousness, every thread of her being.

"Will I still be me?" Felicity asked, her voice barely more than a whisper of thought.

The Goddess's smile was radiant. "You will be more yourself than you have ever been. The constraints of physical form don't diminish the soul—they give it new ways to express itself."

As the transformation began, Felicity felt her scattered energy drawing together, condensing like morning mist becoming dew. The sensation was indescribable—not painful, but overwhelming in its intensity. She was becoming dense, becoming real, becoming something that could touch and be touched, that could know hunger and satisfaction, exhaustion and rest.

Her consciousness, which had existed as pure awareness floating in the void, now found itself settling into something infinitely more complex. A brain with its intricate neural networks, a heart that would beat with emotions she had yet to feel, lungs that would breathe the air of an alien world.

"The tesseract will adapt to your new form," the Goddess explained as the transformation continued. "It will sink deeper into your being, becoming part of your cellular structure, your DNA, your very essence. You will always be able to access its power, but it will express itself through human channels."

Felicity felt the infinite energy source within her core shifting, spreading, becoming something both more subtle and more profound. Where once it had been a blazing star of pure power, now it became a network of gentle light that threaded through every fiber of her being.

Suddenly, she had senses. The temple around her exploded into full perception—not just the visual feast of crystalline architecture, but the subtle harmonics that resonated through the air, the feeling of smooth stone beneath her feet, the taste of possibility on her tongue.

She looked down at her hands—her hands—and marveled at the intricate design of fingers and palms, the way light played across her skin, the remarkable sensitivity of nerve endings that could feel the movement of air itself.

"Beautiful," she whispered, her voice now carrying the timbre of vocal cords, the resonance of a throat designed for speech.

The Goddess approached, and Felicity could see her clearly now—not the overwhelming presence of pure divinity, but a woman whose beauty was both earthly and transcendent, whose eyes held the depths of eternity while her smile carried the warmth of immediate understanding.

"You are beautiful," the Goddess agreed, reaching out to touch Felicity's face with fingers that felt both solid and ethereal. "But more than that, you are ready. Ready to walk among humans, to learn their ways, to discover what it means to be both mortal and divine."

As the transformation completed, Felicity became aware of new sensations flooding her consciousness. The need for breath, the steady rhythm of a heartbeat, the way gravity pulled at her newly formed body. But beneath it all, the tesseract hummed with quiet power, reminding her that she was still herself—just expressed in a different way.

"Your abilities will manifest differently now," the Goddess explained, gesturing to the space around them. "The folding of space-time, the healing powers, the access to pocket dimensions—all of these will flow through your human form, shaped by your emotions, your intentions, your growth as a person."

To demonstrate, the Goddess waved her hand, and suddenly Felicity could see glimpses of her future—not clear visions, but impressions of connection and growth. She saw herself standing with others who, like her, were learning to embrace their authentic selves. She felt the warmth of acceptance, the strength that comes from belonging, the joy of helping others discover their own paths to transformation.

"The hunger you feel," the Goddess said, noting Felicity's sudden awareness of her body's needs, "is not just for food, though you will need that too. It is a hunger for connection, for purpose, for the family you will choose and who will choose you."

The temple around them began to shift again, preparing for the next phase of the journey. But before the transition could complete, the Goddess placed both hands on Felicity's shoulders, her touch warm and reassuring.

"Remember," she said, her voice carrying the weight of blessing, "physical form is not a limitation—it is a gift. Through it, you will experience love in ways you never could as pure energy. You will know the comfort of a friend's embrace, the satisfaction of a meal shared, the simple pleasure of sunlight on your skin."

As she spoke, Felicity felt the truth of those words settling into her bones. She was not diminished by taking human form—she was expanded. The tesseract within her pulsed with agreement, its infinite energy already adapting to serve not just her power, but her capacity for joy, for connection, for growth.

"But how will I know when I've found them?" Felicity asked, thinking of the family the Goddess had promised. "How will I recognize the people who will help me become myself?"

The Goddess's smile was mysterious and knowing. "You will know them by their courage—the courage to be vulnerable, to grow, to transform themselves. And they will know you by yours."

The crystalline temple began to fade around them, reality shifting once more as preparation for the next phase of the journey began. But Felicity felt no fear, only anticipation. She was ready for whatever came next—ready to discover not just who she was, but who she could become.

The tesseract within her core pulsed with infinite potential, and for the first time since her transformation began, Felicity smiled with lips that were entirely her own.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 5: Starting In Atlanta

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Lynn and why are they important to Felicity?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The space fold deposited Felicity directly into the bustling chaos of Atlanta's Greyhound station with a disorienting rush of sensory overload. After the serene perfection of the Goddess's temple, the assault of human civilization hit her like a physical blow—diesel fumes mixing with fast food grease, the cacophony of announcements echoing off concrete walls, fluorescent lights that buzzed with an electrical hum that made her newly formed teeth ache.

She stood frozen in the middle of the terminal, her elegant dress and luggage marking her as distinctly out of place among the tired travelers and hurried commuters. The tesseract within her core pulsed with agitation, responding to her overwhelming confusion as she tried to process the sheer intensity of being human in a world designed for humans.

Culture shock didn't begin to describe it. Every sound was too loud, every smell too sharp, every surface too textured. Her dimensional sight—a gift she was only beginning to understand—showed her layers of reality that normal humans couldn't perceive. The station existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously, and she could see the emotional residue of thousands of travelers who had passed through this space, their hopes and fears and desperation leaving psychic impressions on the very walls.

"Miss? Are you alright?"

The voice cut through her sensory paralysis. Felicity turned to see an elderly person approaching her with concern etched on weathered features. They presented as male—rumpled clothing, graying hair, the careful posture of someone trying to navigate the world in a form that didn't quite fit—but Felicity's dimensional sight revealed something else entirely.

Beneath the surface presentation, she could see the person's true identity radiating like a beacon: female energy, bright and unmistakable, struggling against the constraints of a body and social role that felt like a prison. The recognition hit her with startling clarity—this person was trapped in the same kind of transformation she had just completed, only in reverse.

"I'm..." Felicity paused, her voice catching as she tried to reconcile what she was seeing with what she was supposed to see. "I'm fine. Just... overwhelmed."

The elderly person smiled with genuine warmth. "First time traveling?"

"Something like that." Felicity found herself drawn to this stranger, pulled by an inexplicable connection that had nothing to do with physical attraction and everything to do with recognition. They were both on journeys of becoming, both struggling to align their inner truth with their outer expression.

"I'm Mr. Archer," the person said, extending a weathered hand. "Lynn Archer. Heading west myself."

"Felicity," she replied, taking the offered hand. The moment their skin touched, she felt a jolt of recognition so strong it nearly knocked her off her feet. Through her dimensional sight, she could see Lynn's true female identity more clearly now—not just the energy signature, but the person she was meant to be. Beautiful, maternal, strong in ways that had nothing to do with physical strength.

"Felicity Archer," she added, the coincidence of shared names feeling less like chance and more like destiny.

Lynn's eyes widened slightly. "Archer? Well, that's... interesting. Maybe we're meant to travel together."

As they spoke, Felicity became acutely aware of Lynn's discomfort. The elderly person shifted constantly, tugging at clothes that never seemed to fit right, moving with the careful deliberation of someone who had learned to navigate a world that didn't see them for who they truly were. But underneath the surface presentation, Lynn radiated a female energy so strong it made Felicity's tesseract respond with protective instincts she didn't fully understand.

"Where are you headed?" Felicity asked, though she already sensed the answer.

"Colorado," Lynn said, and something in her voice suggested this wasn't just a destination but a pilgrimage. "The mountains are calling to me. Have been for months now. I keep dreaming about... home. Though I've never been there before."

The tesseract within Felicity's core pulsed with sudden intensity. This was it—the first thread of the family the Goddess had promised. Not bound by blood or convention, but by shared understanding and the courage to become who they truly were.

"I'm going west too," Felicity said, her voice gaining strength. "Would you... would you like to travel together?"

Lynn's smile was radiant, transforming her weathered features into something beautiful and hopeful. "I'd like that very much."

As they walked toward the ticket counter together, Felicity felt the tesseract's energy settling into new patterns, preparing for the journey ahead. Her abilities remained dormant but present, waiting for the right moment to emerge. She could sense that Lynn would be instrumental in that awakening—not just as a traveling companion, but as someone who would help her understand what it truly meant to become yourself.

Behind them, the chaos of the bus station continued unabated, but ahead lay the promise of connection, transformation, and the beginning of a family neither of them had dared to hope for.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 6: Journey Partnership

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How is the relationship between Felicity and Lynn evolving and will they become family?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The Greyhound bus pulled away from the Atlanta station with a mechanical groan that seemed to echo the weight of every passenger's journey. Felicity settled into her window seat, her elegant dress drawing curious glances from fellow travelers. Beside her, Lynn Archer shifted uncomfortably in the aisle seat, tugging at clothing that never seemed to fit quite right.

The morning sun streamed through the tinted windows as they merged into Atlanta traffic, beginning their long journey westward. Felicity found herself studying her traveling companion with growing concern. Lynn moved with the careful deliberation of someone navigating a world that didn't quite make sense—constantly adjusting her posture, smoothing fabric that bunched in wrong places, carrying herself as if her body was a poorly fitting costume she couldn't remove.

"Are you comfortable?" Felicity asked, her voice gentle with genuine concern.

Lynn's smile was tired but warm. "As comfortable as I can be, dear. These old bones aren't made for long trips anymore."

But Felicity's dimensional sight revealed something else entirely. Beneath Lynn's surface presentation, she could see layers of discomfort that went far deeper than physical aches. There was a disconnection between Lynn's inner self and outer form so profound it made Felicity's tesseract pulse with sympathetic resonance.

"You seem..." Felicity paused, searching for words that wouldn't intrude too deeply. "You seem like you're carrying something heavy."

Lynn's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment her careful composure cracked. "You're very perceptive for someone so young." She was quiet for a long moment, watching the sprawling suburbs of Atlanta give way to rural Georgia. "Do you ever feel like you're living someone else's life?"

The question hit Felicity with unexpected force. She thought of her own journey—transformed from pure energy into human form, given a body and identity by the Goddess. In a way, she was living someone else's life, or at least a life that had been created for her rather than grown naturally.

"Every day," she said softly. "But I'm learning that maybe that's okay. Maybe we all get to choose who we become."

Lynn turned to look at her fully, and Felicity saw something shift in her expression—a flicker of hope, quickly suppressed. "You're wise beyond your years, Felicity."

As the bus hummed along Interstate 20, heading toward Alabama, Lynn began to open up in small increments. She spoke carefully, testing each revelation like someone walking on thin ice, watching for signs of judgment or rejection.

"I've lived my whole life feeling like I was wearing a costume," Lynn said during one of their quiet conversations. "Like everyone else got a manual for how to be themselves, and I got the wrong one."

Felicity felt the tesseract within her core responding to Lynn's pain, its infinite energy stirring with protective instincts. "What would the right manual look like?"

Lynn's laugh was soft but tinged with sadness. "I used to dream about waking up as someone else. Someone who fit. Someone who could look in the mirror and recognize the person staring back."

The vulnerability in Lynn's voice made Felicity's heart ache. Through her dimensional sight, she could see the beautiful woman trapped beneath the surface, radiating an energy so distinctly female it seemed impossible that the world couldn't see it too.

"I think," Felicity said carefully, "that you might be more yourself than you realize. Sometimes the person we're meant to be is hidden, waiting for the right moment to emerge."

Lynn's eyes filled with tears she quickly brushed away. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."

As they crossed into Alabama, then Mississippi, their conversations deepened. Lynn shared stories of a lifetime spent pretending, of opportunities missed and dreams deferred. She spoke of the growing pull she felt toward the mountains, a calling that had grown stronger in recent months.

"It's like something is waiting for me there," she said, gazing out at the passing landscape. "Like I'm meant to find something, or someone is meant to find me."

Felicity felt the tesseract pulse with recognition. The Goddess had spoken of others on similar journeys, people who would help her become who she was meant to be. Could Lynn be one of them? The connection between them felt deeper than chance—a resonance that suggested their paths were meant to intertwine.

"I feel it too," Felicity admitted. "This pulls toward... I don't know what exactly. But it's stronger than anything I've ever experienced."

Lynn reached over and squeezed her hand. "Then we'll find it together."

As the bus rolled through Jackson, Mississippi, and into Louisiana, something shifted between them. Lynn's careful masculine presentation began to soften in subtle ways. Her voice grew gentler, her movements more fluid. It was as if being with someone who seemed to accept her completely was allowing her true self to emerge, bit by bit.

Felicity found herself unconsciously using her abilities to make Lynn more comfortable adjusting the temperature around them when Lynn seemed cold, subtly modifying the seat cushions to ease the discomfort of her aging body. The tesseract responded to her desire to help, its energy flowing through her in ways that felt natural and right.

"You're different," Lynn observed as they stopped for dinner in Shreveport. "There's something about you that makes me feel... safe. Like I can be myself without judgment."

Felicity felt a warm glow in her chest. "Maybe that's what finding family means. Not just people who accept you, but people who help you become who you're meant to be."

Lynn's smile was radiant. "Is that what we're doing? Building a family?"

"I think we are," Felicity said, and felt the truth of it settling into her bones. "I think that's exactly what we're doing."

As they reboarded the bus for the overnight journey to Dallas, both women felt the weight of their shared commitment. They were no longer just traveling companions—they were two souls who had found each other in the vast loneliness of the world, each offering the other something they desperately needed.

The tesseract within Felicity's core pulsed with quiet satisfaction, its infinite energy responding to the bonds of chosen family beginning to form. Outside the window, the Texas plains stretched endlessly under a star-filled sky, carrying them toward whatever destiny awaited in the mountains of Colorado.

Behind them, the lights of Louisiana faded into distance. Ahead lay the promise of transformation, acceptance, and the family they were building one conversation, one moment of vulnerability, one act of mutual support at a time.

The journey partnership was complete. Now they would travel together toward whatever home awaited them, ready to help each other become the people they were truly meant to be.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 7: Catalyst

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What confession does Lynn make to Felicity that makes all the difference?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The Greyhound bus wound through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, its diesel engine laboring against the increasing elevation. Outside the tinted windows, the landscape had transformed from the flat expanses of Kansas into rolling hills dotted with pine trees and granite outcroppings. The air felt different here—thinner, somehow more alive with possibility.

Felicity pressed her palm against the cool glass, watching the terrain change with each mile. The tesseract within her core had been stirring more frequently since they'd crossed into Colorado, its infinite energy responding to something in the mountains ahead. She couldn't name what she was feeling, but it was growing stronger with each passing hour.

"We're getting close," Lynn said softly from the aisle seat, her voice carrying a note of wonder that matched Felicity's own sense of anticipation.

The bus hit a particularly steep grade, and Lynn winced as she adjusted her position. The movement caught Felicity's attention—not just the physical discomfort, but the way Lynn's entire bearing seemed to shift when she thought no one was watching. Her shoulders would relax slightly, her posture would soften, and for brief moments, the careful masculine presentation would slip away entirely.

"The altitude affects everyone differently," Felicity offered, though she sensed Lynn's discomfort went much deeper than thin air.

Lynn's smile was grateful but tinged with something that might have been desperation. "It's not just the altitude. It's..." She paused, seeming to wrestle with herself. "Do you ever feel like you're carrying a weight that isn't yours to bear?"

The question hit Felicity with unexpected force. She thought of her own journey—the transformation from pure energy to flesh, the identity given to her by the Goddess, the sense of purpose she was still learning to understand. In a way, she was carrying the weight of who she was meant to become.

"Every moment," she admitted. "But maybe that's not such a terrible thing. Maybe carrying that weight is what makes us strong enough to become who we're meant to be."

Lynn's eyes brightened with something that looked like hope. "You have such an interesting way of looking at things. Most people would tell me to just accept what I've been given and be grateful for it."

The bus crested a hill, and suddenly the view expanded to reveal the true majesty of the Colorado Rockies. Snow-capped peaks stretched to the horizon, their faces catching the afternoon light in ways that made them seem almost alive. Both women fell silent, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of beauty before them.

"It's magnificent," Felicity breathed, and felt the tesseract pulse in agreement.

"It feels like home," Lynn whispered, and there was something in her voice that made Felicity turn to look at her fully.

In that moment, with the mountain light streaming through the window and highlighting her features, Felicity saw past the surface presentation to the truth beneath. Through her dimensional sight, she could perceive the radiant feminine energy that Lynn carried—beautiful, strong, and completely authentic. It was like seeing someone remove a mask they'd been wearing for so long they'd forgotten what lay underneath.

"Lynn," Felicity said carefully, her voice filled with growing understanding, "who are you when no one else is watching?"

The question hung in the air between them, loaded with possibility and risk. Lynn's breath caught, and for a moment her carefully constructed facade cracked wide open. Her voice, when it came, was barely above a whisper.

"I'm... I'm someone who has been waiting her whole life to be seen."

The word her resonated through the bus like a struck bell. Felicity felt the tesseract within her core blaze with sudden intensity, responding to the moment of truth, the courage it took to speak one's authentic self into existence.

"I see you," Felicity said firmly, her voice carrying the weight of absolute conviction. "I see exactly who you are, and she's beautiful."

Lynn's eyes filled with tears that she didn't try to hide this time. "You really mean that?"

"I mean it more than anything I've ever said," Felicity replied. "And I want to help you become who you're meant to be. Whatever that takes, whatever that looks like."

As the words left her lips, something fundamental shifted in the universe around them. The tesseract's energy surged, not just responding to the emotional connection but transforming because of it. Felicity felt her abilities awakening—not the dramatic manifestation she might have expected, but a subtle deepening of her capacity to perceive truth, to offer healing, to create spaces where authenticity could flourish.

Lynn reached across the narrow aisle and took her hand. "I don't know what I did to deserve meeting you, but I'm grateful beyond words."

"We found each other," Felicity said simply. "That's how family works, isn't it? We find each other when we need each other most."

The bus continued its climb into the mountains, carrying them toward whatever destiny awaited. But now they were no longer just two strangers on a journey—they were two souls who had recognized each other across the vast loneliness of the world, each offering the other the gift of authentic sight.

The tesseract hummed with quiet satisfaction, its infinite energy responding to the bonds of chosen family beginning to form. This was what the Goddess had meant about helping others become who they truly were. This was the catalyst that would unlock not just Felicity's abilities, but her understanding of what it meant to love someone completely—shadows and light, struggle and triumph, the person they were and the person they were becoming.

Outside the window, the Rocky Mountains rose like ancient guardians, their peaks touching the sky. Inside the bus, two women sat hand in hand, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in their journey toward authentic selfhood.

The catalyst was complete. The real adventure was just beginning.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 8: Arrival at Hotel Colorado

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What will Felicity and Lynn Archer feel when they come face to face with Hotel Colorado?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The Greyhound bus rounded the final curve of the mountain road, and suddenly there it was—Hotel Colorado rising from the valley floor like a vision conjured from European fairy tales. The late afternoon sun struck the red sandstone façade, transforming the castle-like structure into something that seemed to glow with inner fire. Turrets reached toward the sky as if listening for messages from distant kingdoms, while the grand entrance beckoned with promises of sanctuary and belonging.

Felicity pressed her face against the bus window, her breath fogging the glass as overwhelming recognition crashed over her. The tesseract within her core blazed with sudden intensity, responding to something in the hotel's very presence. This wasn't just a building—it was home. Every fiber of her being sang with the certainty, a resonance so profound it made her newly formed heart race.

"Oh my," Lynn whispered from the seat beside her, her voice filled with the same awe that had gripped Felicity. "It's... it's calling to me."

But calling felt like too gentle a word for what both women experienced. The hotel seemed to exist partially outside normal space, its architecture bending subtly in ways that defied conventional geometry. Through her dimensional sight, Felicity could see layers of reality folding around the structure, creating pockets of sanctuary that extended far beyond its physical boundaries.

As the bus pulled into the small station area near the hotel, both women felt the shift immediately. The air itself seemed different here—charged with possibilities, thick with the kind of magic that made impossible things feel not just probable but inevitable. The tesseract's energy surged in response, its infinite power recognizing something kindred in the hotel's supernatural emanations.

"I can feel it," Felicity murmured, her voice barely audible above the bus's engine. "Like coming home after a lifetime of wandering."

Lynn nodded, tears streaming down her weathered cheeks. "I've been dreaming of this place for months, but I never imagined... I never thought it would feel so right."

The bus shuddered to a stop, and the driver's voice crackled over the intercom: "Glenwood Springs, Colorado. This is our three-hour layover stop. Those continuing to Grand Junction, please be back by seven-thirty."

But Felicity knew with crystalline certainty that she would not be getting back on that bus. Neither would Lynn. Their journey had reached its destination, even if they hadn't known what they were searching for until this moment.

As they gathered their luggage and prepared to disembark, Felicity felt the tesseract's power settling into new patterns. The hotel's presence wasn't just calling to her—it was amplifying her abilities, creating a resonance that made her dimensional sight sharper, her healing powers more accessible. This place was designed for beings like her, a sanctuary where the supernatural could flourish without hiding.

They stepped off the bus together, their feet touching the ground of their new home for the first time. The hotel loomed before them, its entrance doors standing open as if it had been waiting for exactly this moment, for exactly these two travelers who had found each other on the road to becoming themselves.

The moment they crossed the threshold into the grand lobby; the transformation was complete. The tesseract within Felicity's core hummed with recognition, its infinite energy responding to the hotel's dimensional convergence. This wasn't just a building—it was a nexus point where multiple realities intersected, a place where the impossible became everyday reality.

"Welcome to Hotel Colorado," came a warm voice from behind the ornate reception desk. "I'm Mrs. Yule, and we've been expecting you."

The woman who approached them was perhaps sixty, with silver-streaked hair pulled back in an elegant chignon and eyes that seemed to hold depths of understanding far beyond her apparent years. She moved with the grace of someone who had long ago made peace with her own power, and when she smiled, the entire lobby seemed to brighten.

"Expecting us?" Felicity asked, though somehow, she wasn't surprised.

Mrs. Yule's smile widened, taking in both travelers with a gaze that seemed to see not just their surface presentation but their deepest truths. "My dear, this hotel has always been a sanctuary for those in transition. We recognize the signs—the hunger for transformation, the courage to become who you're meant to be."

Her eyes lingered on Lynn with particular warmth. "And you, my dear, have been carrying a beautiful secret for far too long. We have facilities here that can help you express your true self, should you choose to do so."

Lynn's breath caught, her hand flying to her throat. "You can see...?"

"I can see a lovely woman who has been waiting her whole life to bloom," Mrs. Yule said gently. "And I can see someone who has found the perfect companion to support her through that transformation."

The tesseract within Felicity pulsed with such intensity that she nearly gasped. The hotel's dimensional properties were amplifying not just her abilities, but her emotional resonance with Lynn. She could feel the older woman's joy, her terror, her desperate hope all mingling together in a symphony of authentic feeling.

"We have two beautiful rooms prepared for you," Mrs. Yule continued, producing ornate brass keys from behind the desk. "Adjacent suites on the third floor, both overlooking the gardens. The morning light there is particularly lovely for reflection and renewal."

As she handed them the keys, Felicity felt a jolt of recognition. The metal was warm to the touch, and she could sense layers of blessing woven into its very structure. These weren't just room keys—they were talismans, artifacts designed to help their bearers feel safe and protected during vulnerable transformations.

"Thank you," Felicity said, her voice thick with emotion. "We... we don't know how to repay your kindness."

Mrs. Yule's laugh was like silver bells. "Dear child, kindness given freely requires no repayment. Only that you pay it forward when your time comes to help others find their way home."

As they made their way to the ornate elevator, both women felt the hotel's extraordinary nature revealing itself in subtle ways. The corridors seemed to extend further than the building's exterior dimensions should have allowed. Soft music drifted from hidden speakers, melodies that seemed to respond to their emotional states. The very walls pulsed with gentle energy, creating an atmosphere of profound safety and acceptance.

"Third floor," the elevator operator announced cheerfully, though Felicity could have sworn the ancient lift had no visible operator when they'd entered.

Their rooms were indeed adjacent, connected by a shared balcony that overlooked the most beautiful gardens Felicity had ever seen. Even in the growing twilight, she could see paths winding between flower beds that seemed to bloom with impossible colors, fountains that sang with voices like distant chimes, and benches positioned at perfect intervals for contemplation and conversation.

"It's magical," Lynn whispered, standing at the French doors that opened onto the balcony.

"Literally," Felicity agreed, feeling the tesseract's energy responding to the hotel's dimensional properties. The entire structure existed in a state of fluid reality, constantly adapting to the needs of its guests. It was a place where transformation wasn't just possible—it was inevitable.

As they explored their accommodations, both women marveled at the attention to detail. Felicity's room was decorated in shades of blue and silver that seemed to shift and change with the light, while Lynn's featured warm golds and roses that made her weathered features glow with newfound beauty.

"The bathroom," Lynn called out, her voice filled with wonder. "Felicity, you have to see this."

The bathroom was indeed extraordinary—not just for its luxurious appointments, but for the subtle magical properties woven throughout. The mirror seemed to reflect not just physical appearance but inner truth, showing glimpses of the person, one was becoming rather than merely who they appeared to be.

"I think," Lynn said softly, meeting Felicity's eyes in the transformative mirror, "I think I'm ready to discover who I really am."

Felicity smiled, feeling the tesseract pulse with warm approval. "I think you're ready too. And I'll be here to help you every step of the way."

As night fell over the mountains, both women stood on their shared balcony, looking out over the gardens where other guests moved like graceful shadows between the flowering paths. The hotel hummed with quiet energy around them, its supernatural properties creating an atmosphere where anything seemed possible.

The tesseract within Felicity's core settled into harmony with the hotel's dimensional convergence, its infinite energy responding to the promise of community, of belonging, of the family they were about to discover within these ancient walls. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever transformations awaited, they would face them together in this place that had called to them across the vastness of America.

They had found their sanctuary. Now the real work of becoming themselves could begin.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 9: Debate

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What kind of situation have Felicity and Lynn gotten into as residents at Hotel Colorado?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The early morning light filtered through the ornate windows of Hotel Colorado, casting shifting patterns across Felicity's suite. She stood at her French doors, gazing out at the impossible gardens below while the tesseract within her core pulsed with an uncertainty that matched her emotional turmoil. The hotel's magical resonance, so welcoming the night before, now felt almost overwhelming in its implications.

Do I deserve this? The question had haunted her since she'd awakened in the luxurious accommodations. Everything about the hotel felt too perfect, too specifically designed for her needs. The way the tesseract responded to the building's dimensional properties, the immediate sense of belonging, Mrs. Yule's knowing acceptance—it all seemed too good to be true for someone who couldn't even remember her past.

Can I protect this place? Felicity sensed that there was a malevolent force twisted up by anger and fear somewhere on the grounds or under them. Its pain was getting greater as well as its power increased by that pain. Felicity felt like it was a mistake that the supreme power within the malevolent force had been co-opted. it was an Oopsey Daisy and unfriendly.

She was an outsider by every definition. A being of pure energy transformed into human form, carrying abilities she barely understood, with no memory of who she'd been before. What right did she have to this sanctuary when so many others might be more deserving?

A soft knock at her door interrupted her brooding. Before she could respond, the door opened to reveal a woman in her thirties with a perfectly pressed charcoal suit and a clipboard that seemed to shimmer with its own subtle light. Her smile was both professional and genuinely warm, her posture radiating the kind of confidence that came from years of helping people navigate complex situations.

"Good morning, Miss Archer," the woman said, stepping into the room with practiced efficiency. "I'm Miss Devereux, the hotel's concierge. I hope you slept well?"

Felicity blinked, caught off guard by the woman's appearance. "I... yes, thank you. The room is beautiful." She paused, studying Miss Devereux's knowing smile. "How did you know I was awake?"

"Oh, I always know when newcomers need guidance," Miss Devereux replied with casual certainty, consulting her clipboard. The pages never seemed to run out, Felicity noticed, cycling through endless notes with fluid efficiency. "It's part of my role here—helping guests navigate the hotel's unique systems during their adjustment period."

The tesseract stirred at the mention of systems that needed explanation, responding to the implied complexity of the hotel's operations. "What kind of... unique systems?" Felicity asked carefully.

Miss Devereux's expression brightened as if she'd been waiting for exactly this question. "Oh, the usual things for a establishment like ours. Dimensional room service, temporal laundry schedules, interdimensional communication services. Nothing too complicated once you understand the basics." She made a note on her clipboard with a pen that seemed to write in colors that shifted with her mood. "I imagine you're wondering about meal times? The library hours? Perhaps our recreational facilities?"

"All of it," Felicity admitted, feeling overwhelmed by the casual mention of dimensional and temporal services. "I'm not sure I understand how any of this works."

"That's perfectly normal," Miss Devereux assured her with professional warmth. "Most guests need time to adjust to the level of... accommodation we provide here. The hotel responds to its residents' needs, but it takes time to calibrate properly."

As Miss Devereux began explaining the hotel's meal schedules and amenities, Felicity found herself distracted by movement in the corridor beyond her open door. A woman passed by—unremarkable in every way, with the kind of forgettable face and manner that seemed to actively discourage attention. Yet something about her made the tesseract pulse with recognition.

"Who was that?" Felicity asked, interrupting Miss Devereux's explanation of the hotel's temporal tennis courts.

The concierge followed her gaze to the corridor where the unremarkable woman had disappeared. "That would be Lyra Boring. She spends most of her time in the library on the second floor. Fascinating woman, though she prefers to keep a low profile."

There was something in Miss Devereux's tone that suggested depths beneath Lyra's unremarkable surface. As if sensing their attention, the woman in the corridor turned slightly, meeting Felicity's eyes for just a moment. In that instant, Felicity caught a glimpse of something extraordinary—not through her dimensional sight, but through a more fundamental recognition of power carefully contained.

"I'd like to meet her," Felicity said impulsively.

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Miss Devereux replied, making another note. "Though I should warn you—Lyra tends to appear when she's needed rather than when she's sought. You'll find her in the library, third door past the portrait of the melancholy duchess. She's usually reading books in languages that... well, you'll see."

After Miss Devereux left with promises to return later with more detailed information about the hotel's amenities, Felicity found herself pacing her room. The tesseract's energy was responding to everything—the hotel's dimensional properties, the mysterious staff, the implied presence of other supernatural beings. It was as if the power source within her was trying to calibrate itself to an entirely new reality.

A connecting door between her room and Lynn's suite opened, and the older woman appeared, looking both radiant and deeply uncertain. The transformation in her appearance was subtle but profound—her posture was more relaxed, her movements more fluid, as if the hotel's accepting atmosphere was allowing her true self to emerge.

"Did you sleep well?" Lynn asked, though her tone suggested she'd been wrestling with her own fears.

"Eventually," Felicity admitted. "Did you meet Miss Devereux?"

"Oh yes," Lynn said with a slight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "She's quite... thorough in her explanations. Very kind, but I kept wondering..." She paused, wrapping her arms around herself. "What happens when people here discover who I really am? What I really am?"

The vulnerability in Lynn's voice made the tesseract pulse with protective instincts. "What do you mean?"

Lynn's laugh was brittle. "I mean, this place seems so accepting, so welcoming. But that's because they don't know the truth about me yet. What happens when they see past the surface? When they realize I'm not really..."

She couldn't finish the sentence, but Felicity understood. The fear of rejection, of having sanctuary withdrawn once truth was revealed, was a terror they both shared.

"Lynn," Felicity said gently, "Mrs. Yule already knows who you are. She saw you yesterday, remember? The real you."

"But the other guests," Lynn whispered. "The staff. What if they're not all as understanding?"

Before Felicity could respond, a new voice spoke from the corridor. "Might I interrupt?"

They turned to see a man in his sixties standing in the doorway, his weathered hands and practical clothing suggesting someone comfortable with physical work. His eyes held the kind of warmth that came from years of helping people through difficult transitions.

"I'm Giuseppe Medici," he said, stepping into the room with Lynn's permission. "I maintain the hotel's infrastructure—the basement workshops, dimensional calibration systems, that sort of thing." He smiled at Lynn's obvious confusion. "I heard voices and thought I might introduce myself, since you'll probably be seeing me around."

"Infrastructure?" Felicity asked, the tesseract responding to the implications of his words.

"Oh yes," Mr. Medici said with evident pride. "The hotel's reality-bending systems require constant maintenance. Dimensional anchors, temporal stabilizers, protective wards—all sorts of impossible machinery that keeps this place running smoothly." He gestured toward the floor. "My workshops are in the basement levels, filled with equipment that most people would find... challenging to understand."

Lynn stepped forward, her curiosity overcoming her fear. "You maintain magic?"

"Magic, technology, dimensional engineering," Mr. Medici shrugged. "At a certain level, they're all the same thing. The important part is ensuring our residents' safety while they adjust to their new circumstances." His expression grew gentler. "And I want you both to know—you're safe here. Whatever you're worried about, whatever you're afraid people will discover, this place is designed to be sanctuary for those who need it most."

The tesseract hummed with recognition at his words, responding to the protective energy that radiated from the older man. "You know what we are," Felicity said, not quite a question.

"I know you're both on journeys of becoming," Mr. Medici replied. "And I know that such journeys require safe spaces to unfold. That's what I help provide—the structural support that lets people transform without fear."

As he spoke, Felicity became aware of subtle changes in the room around them. The air felt more stable, the light more consistent, as if his mere presence was calibrating the space for their comfort. Whatever equipment he maintained in the basement levels, its effects extended throughout the hotel.

"Would you like to see the library?" Mr. Medici asked, noting their continued uncertainty. "Lyra's usually there this time of day, and she's excellent at helping newcomers understand how the hotel works."

They made their way through corridors that seemed to shift and adapt around them, the hotel's architecture responding to their emotional needs. The library, when they reached it, was a vast space filled with books that defied conventional organization. Shelves stretched toward impossible heights, their contents arranged according to principles that had nothing to do with alphabetical order.

At a table near the center of the room sat the unremarkable woman Felicity had glimpsed earlier. Lyra Boring was reading from a book whose pages seemed to shift and change as she turned them, the text flowing from one language to another in patterns that made Felicity's eyes water to follow.

"Good morning," Lyra said without looking up from her book. Her voice was as forgettable as her appearance, but something in her tone suggested depths that her surface presentation concealed. "I wondered when you'd make it down here."

"You were expecting us?" Lynn asked.

"I expect everyone eventually," Lyra replied, finally looking up with eyes that seemed to hold far more intelligence than her bland features suggested. "Most newcomers need time to process the implications of this place. The question isn't whether you belong here—it's whether you're ready to accept that you do."

As she spoke, Felicity noticed small distortions in the air around Lyra, subtle bends in reality that suggested power held in careful check. The books on nearby shelves seemed to lean toward her, their spines brightening as if responding to her presence.

"What are you reading?" Felicity asked, genuinely curious.

"Books that haven't been written yet," Lyra said with a slight smile. "Stories that exist in potential, waiting for someone to give them form. It's fascinating work, though most people find it rather boring." She closed the book, and Felicity caught a glimpse of pages that seemed to contain star charts written in languages that predated human civilization. "But you're not here to discuss my reading habits. You're here because you're both afraid this is too good to be true."

The observation was delivered with such casual accuracy that Lynn gasped. "How did you...?"

"It's written all over you," Lyra said kindly. "The fear that acceptance might be conditional, that sanctuary might be withdrawn if people discover who you really are. It's a common concern among newcomers."

Mr. Medici nodded from where he stood near the entrance. "The hotel's designed to address exactly those fears. The protective systems I maintain aren't just about structural integrity—they're about emotional safety as well."

Miss Devereux appeared in the doorway as if summoned by the conversation, her clipboard ready with notes about their adjustment process. "The three of us work together to ensure smooth transitions," she explained. "I handle the practical matters, Giuseppe maintains the infrastructure, and Lyra provides... perspective on the deeper questions."

"What deeper questions?" Felicity asked, though she suspected she already knew.

"Whether to trust in this new home completely," Lyra said simply. "Whether to allow yourself to belong somewhere. Whether to believe that you deserve sanctuary without having to earn it through suffering."

The tesseract within Felicity's core pulsed with recognition at the words. This was the internal conflict she'd been wrestling with since awakening—not just whether she could find belonging, but whether she could accept it when it was offered freely.

"It's your choice," Mr. Medici said gently. "We can provide the safe space, the infrastructure, the support systems. But you have to choose to trust them."

"All of us are here to help with different aspects of that choice," Miss Devereux added, consulting her ever-present clipboard. "But the decision to fully embrace this place as home—that's one only you can make."

Lynn stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "And if we make that choice? If we decide to trust completely?"

"Then you'll discover what it means to belong somewhere that sees you for who you truly are," Lyra said, her unremarkable features brightening with genuine warmth. "And you'll help others make the same choice when their time comes."

The tesseract hummed with quiet satisfaction as Felicity felt the truth of those words settling into her consciousness. This wasn't just about finding sanctuary—it was about becoming part of something larger, a community dedicated to helping souls discover their authentic selves.

The debate was over. Not because all uncertainties had been resolved, but because the promise of belonging, supported by people who understood the journey toward authentic self-discovery, was too powerful to resist.

Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever secrets the hotel still held, Felicity knew with growing certainty that she was exactly where she was meant to be. The question wasn't whether she deserved this sanctuary, but whether she had the courage to fully embrace what it offered—and to offer the same support to others who would follow.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 10: Mathematics and Means

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Felicity benefit in developing here skill with her tesseract with the help of everyone who works and lives at Hotel Colorado?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The morning sun streamed through the grand windows of Hotel Colorado's main lobby, casting prismatic patterns across the polished marble floors. Felicity descended the ornate staircase, her hand trailing along the carved banister as she took in the subtle transformation that had occurred overnight. The hotel itself seemed more alive somehow, its walls humming with a gentle energy that made the tesseract within her core respond with matching resonance.

At the base of the stairs, Miss Devereux appeared with her customary efficiency, clipboard in hand and that knowing smile that suggested she'd been expecting Felicity at precisely this moment. Her perfectly pressed suit today was a deep navy that seemed to shimmer with its own inner light, and her pages rustled with anticipation of organized introductions.

"Good morning, Miss Archer," Miss Devereux said warmly. "I trust you slept well? The hotel has been adjusting to your energy signature throughout the night."

"Adjusting?" Felicity asked, though she'd noticed the subtle changes herself—the way the light seemed warmer in her presence, the way the very air felt more supportive.

"Oh yes," Miss Devereux confirmed, making a note on her ever-present clipboard. "Mr. Medici has been busy in the basement workshops, calibrating the dimensional stabilizers to accommodate your unique abilities. But first, I thought you might like to meet some of your fellow residents."

As if summoned by her words, the lobby began to fill with beings who defied conventional categorization. A woman with ethereal bearing glided past, her movements carrying the precise grace of someone accustomed to navigating complex theoretical frameworks. A man who appeared to be made entirely of shadows conversed quietly with someone whose skin held the faint luminescence of deep ocean creatures.

"The hotel attracts a very specific type of resident," Miss Devereux explained quietly. "Those who exist somewhat outside normal human parameters. You'll find them quite welcoming."

From the direction of the library came Lyra Boring, her unremarkable appearance a stark contrast to the otherworldly beings around her. She carried a book that seemed to be writing itself, its pages fluttering with words that appeared and disappeared like whispered secrets.

"Ah, Lyra," Miss Devereux said with genuine warmth. "Perfect timing. Felicity was just about to meet our community."

Lyra's forgettable features brightened with something that might have been amusement. "Community meetings can be overwhelming for newcomers. The key is to remember that everyone here is on their own journey of becoming authentic." She glanced at Felicity meaningfully. "Power control becomes easier when you stop fighting against your nature and start embracing it."

The tesseract within Felicity's core stirred at Lyra's words, recognizing the truth in them. Around the lobby, she noticed that reality seemed to bend subtly in Lyra's presence—shadows fell at slightly different angles, reflections in mirrors showed glimpses of possibilities rather than simple images.

"I'm still learning what my nature actually is," Felicity admitted quietly.

"That's why we're here," came a familiar voice from the elevator. Lynn emerged looking both nervous and radiant, her movements more fluid than they'd been the day before. The hotel's accepting atmosphere was clearly having an effect on her, allowing her true self to emerge in small but meaningful ways.

Miss Devereux's expression grew even warmer as she took in Lynn's transformation. "Mrs. Archer, you look lovely this morning. How are you feeling about meeting the other residents?"

Lynn's smile was tentative but genuine. "Terrified," she admitted. "But also... hopeful. I keep testing whether this acceptance is real, whether people will still be kind when they see who I really am."

"The beautiful thing about this community," Lyra said with quiet conviction, "is that everyone here has had to find the courage to be authentically themselves. We recognize that journey in others."

As if to demonstrate her point, the ethereal woman approached their group with measured steps. Up close, Felicity could see the sharp intelligence in her eyes, the way she carried herself with the confident precision of someone who had spent years mastering complex theoretical concepts.

"I'm Dr. Merideth Zvezda," she said, her voice carrying the warm authority of someone accustomed to guiding others through challenging intellectual terrain. "Professor and Mathematics Chair at Zvezda College. I heard we had new residents. It's wonderful to meet you both."

Lynn's breath caught slightly at Dr. Zvezda's commanding presence, but instead of intimidation, her expression showed wonder. "You're... you're a professor?"

Dr. Zvezda's smile was both professional and genuinely warm. "Among other things. I can see you're both navigating significant transitions. Mathematics, particularly advanced theoretical work, has a way of revealing underlying patterns in transformation processes."

The tesseract within Felicity pulsed with recognition as she watched Lynn's reaction. The older woman's shoulders relaxed, her posture becoming more naturally feminine as she experienced intellectual respect without judgment.

"How do you do it?" Lynn asked Dr. Zvezda. "How do you maintain such confidence in academic environments?"

"Years of practice," Dr. Zvezda replied thoughtfully. "And having colleagues who value intellectual contribution over surface presentation. The hotel provides that kind of environment for all aspects of identity."

From the depths of the building came a gentle rumbling, followed by the appearance of Mr. Medici emerging from a service elevator. His weathered hands were stained with what looked like liquid light, and his eyes held the satisfaction of someone who'd successfully completed complex work.

"Ah, perfect timing," he said, approaching their group with evident pleasure. "I've just finished the calibrations for Miss Archer's energy signature. The hotel's systems should now respond seamlessly to her abilities."

"What kind of calibrations?" Felicity asked, feeling the tesseract stir with greater intensity.

"Dimensional stabilizers, healing amplifiers, energy dampeners for when you need to rest," Mr. Medici explained with the pride of a master craftsman. "Your power has been trying to find its proper expression, but without the right infrastructure, it's been... constrained."

As he spoke, Felicity became aware of a profound shift in her abilities. The tesseract within her core wasn't just responding to the hotel's energy—it was harmonizing with it, finding new levels of power she hadn't known existed. Her healing abilities, which had been subtle and uncertain, now felt naturally accessible.

"Fascinating," Dr. Zvezda observed, her academic curiosity clearly piqued. "The mathematical principles underlying dimensional energy manipulation are extraordinarily complex. I'd be interested in exploring the theoretical framework of your abilities, if you're willing."

The tesseract blazed with sudden interest at her words. "You could... help me understand how it works?"

"I could mentor you through a special advanced mathematics project," Dr. Zvezda offered with growing enthusiasm. "The intersection of dimensional theory and practical application is cutting-edge research. Your abilities could provide empirical data for theoretical models we've only been able to hypothesize about."

"Try it," Lyra suggested, her unremarkable features somehow conveying perfect understanding. "Nothing dramatic, just... reach out with your gift."

Felicity looked around the lobby, her enhanced senses picking up the subtle signs of beings who carried their own forms of pain or exhaustion. The shadow-man sat quietly in a corner, his form flickering as if he struggled to maintain coherence. Tentatively, she extended her consciousness toward him, letting her healing energy flow through the hotel's amplifying systems.

The effect was immediate and profound. The shadow-man's form solidified, his features becoming more defined as whatever drain on his essence was gently restored. He looked up with surprise and gratitude, nodding his thanks across the lobby.

"Remarkable," Miss Devereux murmured, making detailed notes on her clipboard. "The hotel's amplification systems are working perfectly with your natural abilities."

"The mathematical elegance of that energy transfer," Dr. Zvezda added with obvious excitement, "suggests underlying principles that could revolutionize our understanding of dimensional physics. This would make for an extraordinary mentorship project."

The tesseract blazed with satisfaction, its infinite energy responding to the successful healing, to the acceptance of the community, to the growing bonds of chosen family and intellectual partnership. Felicity felt her power settling into new patterns, becoming not just stronger but more refined, more precisely controlled.

"This is what we've been waiting for," Lynn said softly, her voice filled with wonder. "Not just acceptance, but the tools to become who we're meant to be."

Around them, the hotel's supernatural residents continued their morning routines, but now Felicity felt part of something larger. The woman with ocean-deep skin smiled and waved. A man whose hair seemed to be made of growing vines nodded respectfully. A teenager whose eyes held the depth of ancient forests grinned with youthful enthusiasm.

"Community," Lyra said simply, her forgettable features somehow conveying perfect understanding. "Not just people who accept you, but people who help you discover and express your authentic self."

"And intellectual family," Dr. Zvezda added warmly. "Those who challenge you to grow beyond what you thought possible. I'm genuinely excited about this mentorship opportunity, Felicity. The potential for breakthrough discoveries is extraordinary."

The tesseract hummed with deep contentment, its power responding to the bonds forming around them. This wasn't just sanctuary—it was home, in the truest sense of the word. A place where transformation was not just possible but inevitable, where being authentically yourself was not just accepted but celebrated and intellectually explored.

Miss Devereux consulted her clipboard with evident satisfaction. "I think the introductions have gone quite well. Dr. Zvezda, shall we schedule an initial meeting to discuss the parameters of Felicity's mathematics project?"

"Absolutely," Dr. Zvezda replied with obvious enthusiasm. "I have some theoretical frameworks that could benefit enormously from empirical testing with dimensional energy manipulation."

As they moved through the lobby, Felicity felt the hotel's systems responding to her presence, amplifying her abilities while providing the stability she needed to control them. The tesseract within her core pulsed with recognition—this was what the Goddess had promised, what she'd been searching for without knowing it.

A community of supernatural beings who would help her become who she was meant to be, while she helped them on their own journeys of transformation. And now, the additional gift of intellectual mentorship that would help her understand the very nature of her abilities.

The fun and games of discovering authentic identity in a safe space, surrounded by chosen family who understood the courage such discovery required. The real adventure of becoming herself had truly begun.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 11: Grandmother Tree:

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What will Felicity and Lynn Archer do when they are urgently seeking a way to free the dryad trapped in the Grandmother Tree?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of ancient oaks and towering pines that surrounded Hotel Colorado's gardens, creating a dappled pattern of light and shadow across the carefully tended pathways. Felicity and Lynn walked together in comfortable silence, their footsteps muffled by the soft earth beneath their feet. The tesseract within Felicity's core hummed with quiet contentment, responding to the peaceful atmosphere and the growing bonds of their chosen family.

"It's so beautiful here," Lynn said softly, her movements more naturally fluid with each passing hour. The hotel's accepting environment was working its magic on her, allowing her true self to emerge in incremental but meaningful ways.

As they rounded a bend in the garden path, both women stopped abruptly. Before them stood a tree that defied every expectation of what a tree should be. The massive oak rose from the earth like a living cathedral, its trunk so wide that twenty people holding hands couldn't encircle it. Ancient beyond measure, its bark was deeply grooved with patterns that seemed to shift and change when viewed from different angles, and its canopy stretched so high that the uppermost branches disappeared into the mountain mist.

"Grandmother Tree," Felicity whispered, the name coming to her unbidden. Through her dimensional sight, she could see layers of history embedded in the oak's rings, centuries of stories held within its heartwood. But there was something else—a presence that pulsed with faint but desperate energy deep within the tree's core.

Lynn stepped closer, her hand reaching out instinctively toward the massive trunk. "There's something..." She paused, her weathered features creased with concern. "Something's wrong. Something needs help."

The maternal instincts that had been awakening within Lynn since her arrival at the hotel suddenly blazed to full intensity. Her entire being focused on the tree with protective urgency, responding to a distress she couldn't name but absolutely couldn't ignore.

"What do you see?" she asked Felicity, recognizing that her companion's abilities might reveal what normal perception could not.

Felicity pressed her palm against the ancient bark, letting her dimensional sight penetrate the tree's supernatural defenses. What she saw made her gasp. Deep within the heartwood, trapped in a prison of living wood and binding magic, was a being of extraordinary beauty and terrible anguish.

The dryad's form was translucent, her essence barely maintaining coherence after what must have been centuries of imprisonment. Her hair flowed like liquid leaves, her skin held the pattern of bark and moss, and her eyes—when they opened to meet Felicity's gaze across dimensional space—held depths of pain and desperate hope.

"She's trapped," Felicity breathed, her voice thick with emotion. "There's a dryad inside the tree—she's been imprisoned for so long she's barely holding on."

Lynn's gasp was audible, her maternal instincts surging even stronger. "We have to help her. We have to find a way to free her."

The tesseract within Felicity's core blazed with sudden intensity, its infinite energy responding to the trapped being's need. Power flowed through her in waves, but she could sense the complexity of the prison that held the dryad. This wasn't just physical confinement—it was a multidimensional binding that would require precise manipulation of space-time itself to unravel.

"Miss Archer? Mrs. Archer?" Miss Devereux's voice carried across the garden with its usual efficiency, but there was an underlying note of urgency that suggested she knew exactly what they had discovered.

The concierge approached with hurried steps, her clipboard forgotten as she took in the scene before her. Behind her came Lyra Boring, her unremarkable features sharp with concern, and Mr. Medici, his weathered hands already glowing with the tools of his trade.

"You can see her," Miss Devereux said, not quite a question. "The dryad within Grandmother Tree."

"How long has she been trapped?" Lynn asked, her voice tight with protective anger.

"Centuries," Mr. Medici replied grimly. "Bound by magic that predates the hotel itself. We've been trying to find a way to free her since the hotel was built around her, but the binding is too complex, too deeply woven into the tree's essence."

Lyra stepped forward, her forgettable appearance somehow conveying deep significance. "Until now. Your abilities, Felicity—they might be exactly what we need to unravel the dimensional components of her prison."

The tesseract pulsed with recognition at Lyra's words, its power resonating with the trapped dryad's essence. Felicity could feel the connection forming, a bridge of energy that spanned the dimensional barriers between them.

"It won't be easy," Miss Devereux warned, consulting notes that seemed to appear on her clipboard without her writing them. "The binding is anchored in multiple dimensions simultaneously. It will require precise manipulation of space-time, and there's risk involved."

"What kind of risk?" Lynn asked, moving protectively closer to Felicity.

"The kind that comes with using power you're still learning to control," Mr. Medici said seriously. "But also the kind that defines who you choose to become. We can provide infrastructure support, dimensional stabilization, but the actual freeing—that has to come from you."

Felicity looked up at the massive tree, feeling the dryad's presence pulsing weakly within its heartwood. Through her dimensional sight, she could see the binding magic—complex weaves of energy that held the nature spirit in cruel suspension. It would require every ounce of her growing abilities to unravel such ancient magic.

"I have to try," she said quietly. "I can't leave her trapped when I have the power to help."

Lynn's smile was radiant with pride and determination. "Then we'll do it together. I may not have your abilities, but I can provide whatever support you need."

The tesseract blazed with approval at their commitment, its infinite energy responding to the decision to use power in service of another's freedom. This was what the Goddess had meant about becoming who she was meant to be—not just developing abilities, but choosing to use them with courage and compassion.

"The hotel will support your efforts," Miss Devereux said with quiet conviction. "All our resources, all our expertise—whatever you need to free her."

"The dimensional stabilizers can be recalibrated to provide additional support," Mr. Medici added, his weathered hands already glowing with preparation. "I can create a safe space for the working."

"And I can provide guidance on the theoretical frameworks involved," Lyra offered, her unremarkable features filled with hope. "The mathematics of dimensional binding and release are extraordinarily complex."

As they spoke, Felicity felt something fundamental shift within her understanding of her place in the world. This wasn't just about finding sanctuary for herself—it was about using her gifts to provide sanctuary for others. The hotel wasn't just her home; it was a place where she could become part of something larger, a community dedicated to helping trapped souls find freedom.

"When do we begin?" she asked, her voice steady with newfound purpose.

"Now," Lynn said firmly, her maternal instincts fully engaged. "She's suffered long enough."

The tesseract hummed with deep satisfaction as Felicity felt the last of her reservations dissolve. This was more than just a rescue mission—it was a declaration of belonging, a commitment to the hotel as home, and a willingness to expand their chosen family to include every being who needed sanctuary.

The break into two was complete. No longer was she a wanderer seeking her place in the world. Now she was a protector, a healer, a member of a community that used their gifts to help others find their authentic selves. The dryad within Grandmother Tree would be the first of many they would help, but she would not be the last.

Around them, the hotel's supernatural residents began to gather, drawn by the sense of momentous change rippling through the gardens. All eyes turned to Felicity and Lynn, the newest members of their chosen family, as they prepared to undertake their first act of collective heroism.

The real adventure of becoming who they were meant to be had truly begun, and it would be measured not just in personal transformation, but in the lives, they touched and the freedom they helped others find.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 12: Freedom for Hanna

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Lynn and Felicity with the support of all those at Hotel Colorado win freedom for Hannah the Dryad?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

The ancient oak towered above their small gathering like a living pillar supporting the sky itself. Miss Devereux had arranged protective barriers around the base of Grandmother Tree, her clipboard now replaced by instruments that hummed with dimensional energy. Mr. Medici worked methodically to position stabilizing devices throughout the garden, their crystalline surfaces pulsing with the steady rhythm of contained power. Lyra stood silently nearby, her unremarkable appearance masking the profound concentration required to maintain the theoretical frameworks that would guide their work.

Felicity pressed her palm against the deeply grooved bark, feeling the tesseract within her core respond to the trapped presence beyond. Through her dimensional sight, she could see the dryad more clearly now—a being of extraordinary beauty whose essence flickered like a candle in a hurricane, barely maintaining coherence after what must have been nearly two centuries of imprisonment.

"Can you hear me?" Felicity whispered, directing her consciousness toward the bound spirit.

The dryad's translucent form stirred within the heartwood, her eyes opening to meet Felicity's gaze across dimensional space. When she spoke, her voice carried the sound of wind through leaves, diminished but unmistakably alive.

"I am Hanna," she said, her words reaching them through layers of binding magic. "I have been trapped here for one hundred and seventy-three years, held by a spell that feeds on my essence to maintain its power."

Lynn's gasp was audible, her maternal instincts surging at the revelation. "One hundred and seventy-three years? You've been suffering for nearly two centuries?"

"The binding was cast by those who feared what I represented," Hanna continued, her voice growing stronger as she felt the connection with those who would help her. "A dryad unbound by traditional limitations, free to choose her own path rather than being eternally linked to a single tree. They could not destroy me, so they chose to imprison me instead."

The tesseract within Felicity's core blazed with indignation at the injustice, its infinite energy responding to Hanna's pain. Power flowed through her in waves, but she could sense the complexity of the binding—layers upon layers of magic woven through decades upon decades of imprisoned life force.

"The spell is anchored in multiple dimensions," Mr. Medici explained, his instruments revealing the binding's structure. "After nearly two centuries, it's become deeply integrated with the tree's essence itself. It's designed to use her own life force as fuel, creating a self-sustaining prison that's grown stronger with each passing year."

"I can provide the dimensional framework," Lyra offered, her forgettable features sharp with concentration. "But the actual liberation—that requires something more than technical expertise. The binding has had nearly two centuries to entrench itself."

Lynn stepped forward, her movements carrying new confidence as her authentic self emerged more fully. "What do you need, Hanna? What can I do to help you?"

The dryad's form brightened at Lynn's words, responding to something in her tone that transcended ordinary sympathy. "You... you understand what it means to be trapped in a form that isn't truly yours. I can feel it—the courage it takes to become who you're meant to be. Even after all these years of isolation, I recognize that strength."

The recognition between them was immediate and profound. Lynn's carefully constructed masculine presentation fell away entirely as she reached out with her emerging female identity, connecting with another being who had suffered for the crime of refusing to accept limitations imposed by others.

"I do understand," Lynn said, her voice carrying the warmth of newfound authenticity. "And I won't let you suffer alone any longer. One hundred and seventy-three years is far too long for anyone to bear such pain."

The tesseract pulsed with sudden intensity as Felicity felt the power dynamic shift. This wasn't just about her abilities—it was about the connection between two souls who recognized each other's struggle for authentic existence across the span of centuries.

"The dimensional barriers are stable," Miss Devereux reported, her instruments glowing with protective energy. "Whatever you're going to do, now is the time. The binding has had nearly two centuries to strengthen—we may not get another chance."

Felicity placed both hands against the massive trunk, feeling the tesseract's power surge through her with unprecedented intensity. Her healing abilities, amplified by the hotel's infrastructure and focused by her growing understanding of her true nature, reached toward the binding magic with surgical precision.

But it was Lynn's voice that provided the key to breaking the spell.

"Hanna," she said, her words carrying the full, unleashed force of her maternal love, "you are not alone. After one hundred and seventy-three years of isolation, you are seen, you are valued, and you are free to be exactly who you choose to be."

The binding spell, which had fed on isolation and despair for nearly two centuries, encountered something it had never been designed to withstand: the transformative power of unconditional acceptance. Lynn's maternal breakthrough, her willingness to embrace her authentic female identity in service of another's liberation, created a resonance that the ancient magic could not contain.

The spell began to unravel like thread pulled from a tapestry, its dimensional anchors dissolving under the combined assault of Felicity's power and Lynn's love. Light erupted from the tree's heartwood as the binding magic collapsed, releasing energy that had been trapped for one hundred and seventy-three years.

Hanna's form became solid as she emerged from the oak's trunk, her translucent essence gaining substance and vitality with each breath of free air. She was breathtaking—tall and graceful, with skin that held the pattern of bark and moss, hair that flowed like liquid leaves, and eyes that held the depth of ancient forests and the wisdom of nearly two centuries of endurance.

"Free," she whispered, her voice now carrying the full richness of unbound life. "After so long... I am free."

The dryad moved toward Lynn with fluid grace, her face radiant with gratitude and love that had been building for nearly two centuries. "You gave me your strength when I had none. You shared your courage when mine was failing after so many years of imprisonment. Let me give you something in return."

Before Lynn could protest, Hanna placed gentle hands on her weathered face and kissed her forehead with lips that carried the magic of renewed life and the accumulated power of centuries. The effect was immediate and profound—decades of accumulated age began to fall away as the dryad's grateful magic worked its transformation.

Lynn's gray hair darkened to rich brown, her weathered features smoothed into the face of a woman in her forties, her tired eyes brightened with renewed vitality. More than physical youth, she gained the confidence that came from being seen and accepted for exactly who she was.

But Hanna's gift was only the beginning. As Lynn's transformation continued, Felicity felt the tesseract respond to the moment with unprecedented power. This was what the Goddess had meant about helping others become who they were meant to be—not just emotional support, but literal transformation.

"Let me help," Felicity said, her voice steady with newfound purpose. "Let me give you the rest of what you need."

The tesseract's infinite energy flowed through her with perfect precision, shaped by her growing understanding of healing and transformation. Where Hanna's magic had restored Lynn's youth and vitality, Felicity's power completed the process—reshaping her companion's body to match her authentic female identity.

The changes were subtle but profound. Lynn's bone structure shifted to more feminine proportions, her voice gained the timbre she'd always carried in her heart, her entire being aligned with the woman she had always been beneath the surface.

"It's done," Felicity whispered, her abilities settling into new patterns as the transformation completed. "You're exactly who you were meant to be."

Lynn looked down at her hands—smooth and feminine, free from the calluses of a lifetime spent pretending to be someone else. Her reflection in the hotel's windows showed a woman of forty, beautiful and confident, radiating the joy of finally being authentically herself.

"Thank you," she said to both Hanna and Felicity, her voice thick with emotion. "Both of you. I never dreamed... I never imagined it was possible."

Hanna smiled, her form now fully solid and grounded in their reality after nearly two centuries of translucent imprisonment. "We are all meant to be free, sister. Free to choose who we become, no matter how long we must wait for that freedom."

The tesseract hummed with deep satisfaction as Felicity felt the profound bonds forming between the three of them. This was more than friendship, more than gratitude—it was the beginning of true chosen family, three souls who had helped each other discover their authentic selves.

"The hotel will need to be informed," Miss Devereux said with evident satisfaction, making notes on her reappeared clipboard. "We'll need to arrange accommodations for our newest resident."

"Adjacent to ours," Lynn said immediately, her maternal instincts fully engaged. "Hanna should be close to family after so many years alone."

"Family," Hanna repeated, her voice filled with wonder and the weight of centuries of loneliness finally ending. "I have been alone for one hundred and seventy-three years. I had forgotten what that word meant."

"You're not alone anymore," Felicity said firmly, feeling the tesseract pulse with warm approval. "None of us are. We're family now—chosen family, bound by love and acceptance rather than blood."

The triple bond was complete. Hanna, freed from her prison by love and power working in harmony after nearly two centuries of suffering. Lynn, transformed into her authentic self through the combined gifts of dryad magic and tesseract energy. Felicity, discovering that her greatest power lay not in her abilities alone, but in using them to help others find their own freedom.

Around them, the hotel's supernatural residents had gathered to witness the liberation, their faces bright with celebration and acceptance. The garden itself seemed to pulse with new life, responding to the joy of freedom restored and family found after such a long imprisonment.

As the sun set over the Colorado mountains, three women stood together beneath the ancient oak that had been a prison and was now a symbol of liberation. The B story was complete—not just the rescue of a trapped dryad, but the birth of a chosen family that would face whatever challenges lay ahead with love, courage, and the unshakeable bond of authentic connection.

The tesseract hummed with infinite contentment, its power now serving not just one lost soul, but three found ones who had discovered together what it truly meant to become themselves.

Felicity Finds Family

A Transgender Super Coming of Age Adventure

From the Super Heroine Universe

Chapter 13: Dimensional Discovery

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Felicity learn more about how to manipulate her tesseract so that it interacts with the systems of Hotel Colorado to protect their new extended family of choice?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

Jo Dora Webster's Destiny's Serendipity is going on a posting hiatus after completing chapter 20 and the first novel of this on-going serial novel series.

This novel, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. This novel will be posted by chapters on Fridays, until the novel is complete on BCTS.

The morning sun cast golden light through the tall windows of Hotel Colorado's dining room, illuminating a scene that had become a daily celebration of transformation. Lynn sat at the breakfast table, her movements now carrying the unconscious grace of someone who had spent weeks perfecting the art of authentic self-expression. Where once she had struggled with simple gestures, now she moved with the fluid confidence of a woman who had finally come home to herself.

Felicity observed her companion with growing wonder, noting how Lynn's transformation had deepened beyond the physical changes. The tesseract within her core pulsed with recognition as she watched Lynn's instinctive maternal responses to the other hotel residents—the way she automatically straightened a younger guest's collar, the gentle correction she offered to someone struggling with table manners, the warm smile that had become her trademark.

"The dreams are getting stronger," Lynn said, stirring honey into her tea with the precise movements of someone who had learned to savor small pleasures. "Not nightmares—wonderful dreams where I'm teaching children, helping them discover who they're meant to be."

"Your maternal calling is manifesting more clearly each day," Hanna observed from across the table, her transformation from imprisoned dryad to protective guardian now complete. The ancient being had developed a routine of morning meditation that had enhanced her connection to the hotel's living systems. Her skin showed more intricate patterns of bark and moss, her hair moved with the rhythm of wind through leaves, and her eyes held depths that spoke of growing wisdom about her role in their chosen family.

The dryad's presence had become a cornerstone of the hotel's protective infrastructure. Through the windows, Felicity could see the evolution of Hanna's grove—what had begun as enhanced garden landscaping had developed into a complex ecosystem of magical protection. Ancient oaks now formed natural amphitheaters where residents could gather for guidance, flowering vines created private confession spaces, and the very ground itself seemed to pulse with nurturing energy.

"Tell me about the new meditation circles," Felicity requested, having noticed the increased activity in the gardens during her own morning walks.

Hanna's expression brightened with purpose. "I've been working with residents who struggle with identity integration. The grove provides a space where they can explore their authentic selves without fear of judgment. Yesterday, I helped a shape-shifter discover her preferred form, and last week, a time-displaced soul found peace with his temporal displacement."

The tesseract within Felicity's core responded to Hanna's words with warm approval, recognizing the expansion of their family's mission beyond their original trio. This was what the Goddess had envisioned—not just personal transformation, but the creation of systems that supported ongoing growth and discovery.

"Dr. Zvezda has been asking about you," Miss Devereux announced, approaching their table with her characteristic efficiency. Her clipboard today seemed to shimmer with mathematical equations that shifted and changed as she consulted them. "She's prepared a comprehensive curriculum for your advanced mathematics project."

The mention of Dr. Zvezda made the tesseract pulse with eager anticipation. Since their initial meeting, Felicity had been working with the Professor and Mathematics Chair on increasingly complex theoretical frameworks. What had begun as basic dimensional topology had evolved into explorations of multidimensional calculus that pushed the boundaries of known physics.

"The mathematical modeling has been extraordinary," Dr. Zvezda said, appearing at their table with the confident stride of someone who had spent the night solving impossible equations. Her notebook was filled with diagrams that seemed to move on their own, equations that rearranged themselves to reveal new insights. "Your empirical data has confirmed theoretical models that we've only been able to hypothesize about."

Felicity felt the tesseract respond to Dr. Zvezda's presence, its infinite energy settling into patterns that had become more refined with each mentoring session. Her abilities, which had once felt overwhelming and uncontrolled, now flowed through established channels that felt natural and precise.

"What have you discovered?" Lynn asked, her maternal instincts extending to Felicity's educational development.

"The relationship between emotional resonance and dimensional manipulation is unprecedented," Dr. Zvezda explained, her academic excitement evident in every word. "Felicity's healing abilities don't just operate on physical planes—they create harmonic frequencies that resonate across multiple dimensions simultaneously."

As she spoke, Lyra Boring materialized beside their table with her characteristic ability to appear when theoretical discussions required deeper perspective. Her unremarkable features were sharp with intellectual curiosity, and she carried a book that seemed to be writing itself based on their conversation.

"The practical applications are staggering," Lyra added, her forgettable appearance somehow conveying profound significance. "Understanding these mathematical relationships means Felicity can begin to predict and control the outcomes of her healing work with unprecedented precision."

Mr. Medici approached from the depths of the building, his weathered hands glowing with diagnostic energy that had become more sophisticated since Felicity's first transformation work. His instruments now revealed readings that painted a picture of the hotel's entire dimensional ecosystem.

"The infrastructure adaptations have stabilized completely," he reported, his pride evident in the precision of his measurements. "The tesseract's energy signature has evolved from chaotic potential to harmonious integration. The hotel's systems now anticipate and support Felicity's abilities rather than simply containing them."

The tesseract hummed with deep satisfaction at his words, its power now flowing through the hotel's framework like blood through veins. Felicity could feel the building responding to her presence, amplifying her abilities while providing the stability needed for increasingly complex work.

"Which brings us to the next phase of your development," Dr. Zvezda said, consulting her shifting notebook. "I believe you're ready to begin working with temporal mechanics—the mathematical relationships between time, space, and consciousness that govern transformation on a fundamental level."

The prospect of temporal mechanics made the tesseract blaze with anticipation. Felicity had begun to sense the time-related aspects of her abilities—the way her healing work could accelerate natural processes, the manner in which her dimensional sight could perceive past and future states simultaneously.

"The theoretical frameworks are extraordinary," Dr. Zvezda continued, her notebook filling with equations that seemed to pulse with their own inner light. "If we can map the mathematical relationships between temporal manipulation and healing energy, you could potentially help beings not just transform, but achieve their optimal state across multiple timelines."

Lynn's eyes widened with maternal pride and concern. "That sounds incredibly complex. Are you certain it's safe?"

"With proper theoretical grounding and controlled experimental conditions," Dr. Zvezda assured her, "the risks are minimal. The mathematical models suggest that Felicity's abilities are naturally aligned with temporal mechanics—she's been using them instinctively without understanding the underlying principles."

Hanna leaned forward, her ancient wisdom complementing the academic discussion. "In my centuries of existence, I've observed that the most powerful transformations occur when beings understand not just their abilities, but the fundamental principles that govern them. Knowledge brings both power and responsibility."

The tesseract pulsed with recognition at the dryad's words, its infinite energy responding to the promise of deeper understanding. This was what the Goddess had meant about helping others become who they were meant to be—not just offering healing, but mastering the principles that made transformation possible.

"The community support has been remarkable," Miss Devereux observed, consulting her ever-present clipboard. "Other residents have been volunteering to assist with your mathematical experiments. The shadow-man has particular insights into dimensional phasing, and the ocean-woman understands fluid dynamics that could inform your healing work."

As if summoned by her words, other hotel residents began to appear in the dining room. The shadow-man approached with his form now completely solid and defined, his expression eager to contribute to their work. The ocean-woman glided forward with movements that seemed to defy gravity, her luminescent skin bright with enthusiasm.

"We've been discussing your research," the shadow-man said, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had mastered his own dimensional challenges. "The mathematical principles you're exploring have applications for all of us. Understanding the theoretical foundations of transformation could help every resident achieve greater control over their abilities."

The ocean-woman nodded agreement, her voice carrying the sound of distant waves. "The community is becoming more than just a sanctuary—it's evolving into a center for supernatural research and development. Your work with Dr. Zvezda is pioneering new understanding of what's possible."

The tesseract hummed with deep contentment as Felicity felt the expanding scope of their mission. This wasn't just about individual transformation—it was about advancing the entire field of supernatural studies, creating knowledge that would benefit beings across multiple dimensions.

"The protective grove is facilitating these developments," Hanna added, her connection to the hotel's living systems providing unique insights. "The enhanced sanctuary spaces are making it easier for residents to explore their abilities without fear. Yesterday, I helped a chronologically displaced being stabilize his temporal anchor, and the mathematical principles from your research provided the theoretical foundation."

Mother Lynn's smile was radiant with pride and love. "We're not just building a family—we're creating a legacy of knowledge and support that will help countless others discover their authentic selves."

Dr. Zvezda consulted her notebook with growing excitement. "The research implications are staggering. If we can document and formalize these theoretical frameworks, we could establish the first comprehensive curriculum for supernatural studies. Felicity's abilities are providing empirical evidence for principles that have been purely theoretical for centuries."

The tesseract blazed with recognition at her words, its power responding to the vision of knowledge shared and expanded. This was what the Goddess had envisioned—not just personal transformation, but the creation of systems that would support ongoing growth and discovery for generations to come.

Around them, the dining room filled with the quiet conversations of supernatural beings who had found more than sanctuary in Hotel Colorado. They had discovered a center of learning and growth, a place where the impossible became not just possible but understood through rigorous study and compassionate support.

Lyra's book continued to write itself, documenting the theoretical breakthroughs that were emerging from their daily interactions. Mr. Medici's instruments revealed the hotel's infrastructure continuing to evolve, adapting to support increasingly complex research and development. Miss Devereux's clipboard showed schedules and plans that extended far beyond individual resident needs to encompass the broader mission of advancing supernatural understanding.

As the morning sun climbed higher over the Colorado mountains, four women sat together in the dining room of Hotel Colorado, surrounded by a community that had embraced not just their transformation but their expanding mission. The midpoint of their journey was complete—not just the rescue of a trapped dryad or the transformation of a lonely soul, but the birth of a research center that would help others find their own paths to authenticity through rigorous study and compassionate support.

The tesseract hummed with infinite contentment, its power now serving not just individual needs but the greater purpose of advancing knowledge and understanding. The mentorship with Dr. Zvezda had evolved from basic mathematics to groundbreaking research, while Mother Lynn's nurturing presence and Hanna's ancient wisdom provided the emotional foundation for whatever challenges lay ahead.

Outside, Hanna's protective grove continued to evolve, its branches now forming natural laboratories where residents could explore their abilities in safety. Inside, the promise of temporal mechanics and advanced dimensional theory added new dimensions to their chosen family's mission of helping others discover their authentic selves through both compassionate support and rigorous understanding.

The midpoint was complete. The real work of building chosen family, mastering supernatural abilities, advancing theoretical knowledge, and transforming the world through both love and learning—one soul at a time—was just beginning.