A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 1

Eric stepped out of the shower and began to dry off. It was going to be a quiet night - his little sister was spending a couple days at the house of one of her friends. He didn't have work tomorrow, but his friends did, or were out of town. His mother was home, as well, so he couldn't get too crazy.

At least she'd be doing one of her Wiccan rituals tonight - it was a full moon and all - so she'd be out of his hair. He was going to watch a movie, play some games on his console, and just plain chill. He wondered if maybe he should be more ambitious - there was only a month of vacation left - but heck, there'd be time to finish his summer reading later.

Wrapping his lower half in a towel, he padded to his room. He was about to get dressed when he found a note on his dresser. Slipping on his glasses and opening it up, he wasn't surprised to see it was in his mother's handwriting.

Eric -

I know you don't believe in my Magic, and I appreciate the respect you've shown me despite that. I've never forced my beliefs on you. But tonight, I have a very special 'initiation' planned.

I will give you the opportunity to find out what it means to be a Sister. Some of it, anyway. If you want more than that, it will be your choice, I promise.

I know this will be strange for you, but please don't be frightened. Try to look at it as an adventure. The changes you will soon experience don't have to be permanent. I'll tell you more once you've seen what I mean.

Love, Mom

Eric was nonplussed. He'd always humored his mother - and he had to admit her herbal remedies actually seemed to work more often than not - but real magic was not something he'd ever buy into. It looked like she might be trying to force a confrontation over that. Although he certainly didn't want to hurt her feelings, they'd always tried to be as honest as possible with each other.

Maybe he could pretend not to have seen the note? That wasn't honest, but it might give everyone a face-saving out... He continued musing as he pulled a t-shirt on. Be a "Sister"? That was a strange way to put it...

Then he stopped, puzzled. Something was weird - something was pulling at his hair. Was another shirt tangled in the one he'd just put on? He reached his hand back and got a fistful of hair.

What the fuck? he thought. He pulled, and it hurt. There were long tresses, lots of them, tucked under the shirt, and the other ends were in his head.

He raced to the bathroom and gazed searchingly into the mirror. His dark brown hair now ran down to the middle of his back and was not cut in a masculine style. He pulled again, and it hurt again. His blood ran cold. His mind raced, spinning out any number of wild theories - a super-glued wig, hallucinogens on the note - that he knew, just knew, were false.

It was fucking magic.

~~~~~

He meandered unsteadily back to his room, and re-read the note extremely carefully. Changes - more than one. That was terrifying, along with "what it means to be a Sister". The only reassuring thing was the "don't have to be permanent" - but that, of course, meant that they could be permanent. Which was terrifying.

Well, okay, the tone of the note was slightly comforting - he knew his mom loved him, and she did say he'd have a choice at some point. He trusted her - mostly. She could be astonishingly devious at times; the letter of what she said was always correct, but the spirit... Still, it didn't look like he had a choice, yet. Maybe he could - for now - treat what he suspected was happening as an 'adventure'.

His suspicions were confirmed in short order. There was no sensation he could concretely identify, but he knew something had changed. He looked at his hands - they were smaller, finer, and the nails were longer. Girl hands. She was turning him into a girl, gradually. The only question was how far, and when the choice would come.

He didn't bother putting more clothes on; he was pretty sure they wouldn't fit him, soon enough. He considered thoughtfully for a few seconds, then decided hell with it. His mom hadn't asked for permission, so he didn't need her permission to do what he wanted with what she'd 'provided'.

The feel of those small hands on his prick was bizarre but pleasant. It sort of felt like a girl was playing with him, but on the other... hand, it felt like his dick had gotten much bigger. He got hard very quickly. Indeed, he got into it fairly deeply, and only that not-quite-sensation of a change pulled him back out. It took a bit longer this time to pinpoint - most of his body hair had vanished.

This demanded a look-see. He took off the shirt, put on his seldom-used bathrobe, and strolled back down to the bathroom. Feeling a bit irrational, he locked the door. Then he dropped the robe and looked in the mirror again. No hair on his chest, a lot less on his legs. Quite a bit thinner under his arms, about the same at his crotch. And wait - his arms were slimmer, shorter now, matching the hands. He'd missed that. They looked pretty weird on his definitely male body.

He was kind of surprised at how easily he was adapting to this. If he hadn't been warned by the note - if he didn't know his mom wasn't intending any harm - he'd probably be a gibbering wreck by now. But though he felt some apprehension, he found he could look on the situation as a little exciting, too. Or at least, potentially informative.

He picked up one of Mom's hand mirrors before heading back to his room. He couldn't hear Mom chanting downstairs; it was like he had the house to himself. Once he made it back to his room, though, another note was on his bed.

Honey -

I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I will answer some of them. These alterations will take an hour to finish, and your genitals will be the last to change. You'll have a choice then - if you don't want that to happen, everything will go back to normal.

But if you decide to go on, you'll have an hour as a girl, the girl you might have been. Try to learn as much as you can - being a girl is rather nice. At the end of that hour, though, you'll have to decide if you want to go back. But even if you decide then to stay a young woman, once you've fully adjusted, you will be able to change back if you still want to.

Have fun,

Mom

~~~~~

Eric read the note again and again. By the time he was done, he realized some other changes had happened. A quick check in the hand mirror and he had a girl's face - a cute one. Though the masculine glasses didn't suit it well. He looked at the time - the whole outrageous situation had only been going on for about half an hour.

So, before long he could be a girl - if he chose. Half an hour ago, he would have refused out of hand... but seeing his new face in the mirror had sparked an intense curiosity. What would the final outcome look like? What would it feel like? He examined his arms, the smooth skin everywhere. What if he went and took another shower? He could shave his legs and the hair in his armpits, which would improve the aesthetics...

He popped in a pair of contacts; those glasses were just wrong. His walk back to the bathroom - man, he was running in circles - was disturbed by his hips realigning along the way.

He started the water. While it warmed up, he checked himself out in the mirror. He had a seriously attractive rump now. The surroundings didn't frame it well, but on its own it was very nice. His head, too, was cute. It looked like a sister might have. It didn't look much like Haylie, but his actual little sister was adopted.

He turned and checked the water; just right. At that point he realized his legs had changed. Apparently he wasn't going to be allowed to see the 'alterations' happening. They were nice legs. He stepped into the shower, marveling for a moment how much bigger it seemed; he'd lost a couple inches in height. Then he got to work - gingerly - with Mom's razor. He figured she wouldn't mind. For a brief moment he wondered if he'd still have shaved legs when he was male again - that could be kind of awkward - but if Mom could make him a girl, she could surely grow him some hair back, right?

His torso had changed in there somewhere. He looked like a girl now, all over... except for a flat chest and an erection that stood out even more from the contrast. Maybe it was weird to be turned on by the circumstances, but he hadn't had a chance to fondle too many girls before. He'd only actually had sex for the first time a couple months ago, at the beginning of summer. He was sure he hadn't been terribly good - but here he had an unparalleled opportunity for research.

There couldn't be more than ten minutes left, he thought - and with that thought came the penultimate change. He had breasts now. Decent ones, too. Not like half the girls in the porn he pulled off the net from time to time... but these were real. They sure felt real.

They felt good. He knew, now, that he was going to take that hour as a girl.

He rubbed his breasts and stroked his prick, as the warm water rained down. He moved his altered body gently as he did so, feeling the drops running in unfamiliar directions along unfamiliar curves. Almost everything was new, in some way. He nearly lost his balance, not used to his new shape, and put his hands out to catch himself. And then reaching back, he knew the final change had happened.

Reaching lower, he found the expected - the lips, the vagina. His new flesh was as turned on, as eager for release, as the prior. His hand played with the folds and involutions. In wonder, he ran his moistened finger along the crevice between inner and outer lips, down one side and up the other. The vulva were at least as sensitive as his shaft and scrotum had been. It was tempting just to stroke them, tease them a little... but time was short, there was business to take care of.

He probed inward, trying to remember landmarks hastily noted from fumbling sessions before. There was the vagina itself... so, a bit higher up... ah, yes, the clit. Very sensitive, indeed, but just how sensitive?

Yikes! Note to self: Watch out for those nails!

With a chastened appreciation for the need for gentleness, he resumed his efforts; by now he was almost frantically horny. But his skill was not up to the task for many minutes. Things were so tender, needed such diffident care! The hot water became lukewarm. But presently he came, and it went on so long...

Shuddering a little, he turned off the shower and reached out for a towel, taking his mom's since his was still wet. He got the bulk of the water off - it was so strange seeing nothing between his legs, drying off his new anatomy. Excited, he stepped out and wiped off the steam from the mirror.

So, this was 'Erica'. Definitely cute. Not in supermodel territory, but tasty. I wouldn't kick her out of bed, he thought. Or, well, technically 'she' thought, at this point, no?

...No. Despite the body, he was definitely still Eric, a boy, inside.

He liked the way he looked, fresh out of the shower - an hour ago, he would have killed for such a sight in the flesh - but long wet hair was not a whole lot of fun running down one's own back. He worked briskly with a towel, and then found his mom's hair dryer and a brush. It was a rush job but there were things to do. He went back to his room - determined to stay there this time - and checked the time. About forty minutes left on the clock; the tail end of the shower had been lengthy.

On the bed was a box and a note.

Erica -

A little present for you. Have fun!

Love, Mom

Bemused, he noticed the name. He thought it had been a private joke, but his Mom seemed to have anticipated it. He picked up the box, and opened it.

Perfume, quick-dry nail polish, and an extremely feminine panty-and-teddy set of some kind. This whole night was deeply weird on so many levels, but getting a gift of lingerie from his mom somehow added a whole new dimension to the strangeness.

The clothes fit well. Perfume was easy, but the nail polish took a little work. He wouldn't have bothered, but... his Mom seemed to want him to try it, and he was more reluctant than ever to annoy her. Fortunately, he'd gotten pretty good at detailing from painting model cars.

Finally they were dry. A look at the clock: twenty-five minutes left. Screw the toenails, he thought. He dithered for just a moment, then did one last quick march to the bathroom. He beheld himself all girlied up.

The outfit was indeed sexy... but classy-sexy, not slutty-sexy. The appearance was spoiled by the expression, though: the girl in the mirror wasn't demure at all. She looked at least as horny as any porn star. More, really - she wasn't faking. Turning, inspecting from all angles, he was... enchanted. It was truly magical.

One last stare to burn the image into memory, then he dashed back to his room. He steeled himself not to be distracted by any more of Mother's surprises, but no new packages or notes turned up. He flopped into the middle of the bed, on his back, and got to feverish work.

His hand slipped under the waist of his panties and explored. It was still faintly bizarre, how far down the new equipment was; there was just that slight moment where his hand went right on past where he was still, subconsciously, expecting to find something. And then the sense of discovery an instant later...

In the shower, there had been nothing unusual about wetness. In bed, it was irrationally surprising. Those juices were coming from him... but they did make everything slide so easily.

Now fully caught up in a spirit of adventure, he pursued his experiments with less than scientific detachment. Rubbing the clitoris - carefully - got sparks flying, but the lips and canal were enjoyable to the touch as well. Before long he had discovered the erotic potentials of his breasts, too. These nipples provided sensations quite unlike the old ones had, and the mounds themselves filled the hand so well. His second orgasm of the evening arrived more rapidly than the first.

Gasping, shivering, he was inspired to try something. He'd read about the supposed 'G spot'. Was it really all it was cracked up to be? Allegedly you got your fingers a couple inches in... on the roof somewhere... Damn it, have to get these panties off... Hmmmm... No... Maybe... Hey, that was... Oh, wow, hey, that was different... Whoa, it felt good but kinda like he had to pee but still, it was good... and... and... a thumb rubbing his clit... the other almost clamped on a breast, nipple between two fingers... "Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

It just kept getting better.

He'd come three times already and he was still excited. There was hardly any of the lassitude, the exhaustion that followed climax as a male. He was well on the way to number four for the evening when a firm but polite knock came at the door.

"It's time, honey! You have to make your choice now!" He could picture the smug grin on his mom's face; she couldn't have missed the screams he'd been making. He felt mortified but at the same time he was still so worked up!

"Please, Mom! Just a few more minutes!" He could hear the husky passion in his own voice, and blushed, but his new anatomy just got more excited. Oh God, he was aching now...

"You need more time?" The voice was pure sweetness.

"Yes! Just a little!"

"Of course, dear."

~~~~~

Eric lay in a limp, satisfied heap on his bed. He wasn't really sure how many orgasms he'd had - under a dozen, probably, but not much under. He was nearly certain he was more familiar with these genitals than he'd been with the old set. Certainly he'd never explored his dick and balls with the same fervor. But even he'd had enough. Next time he was with a girl, he'd be a lot better. It was time to go back, now, and... what time was it, anyway?

The warm, relaxed haze lifted like fog in a stiff breeze as he stared at his alarm clock. It was after midnight. He'd been fully female for over three hours! He knew his Mom. She wouldn't consider that a 'little more time'...

He bolted out of bed and looked around frantically for something to wear. The teddy and panties lay on the floor, but he shied away from them like they might bite. He pulled on the bathrobe instead. Jeez, his chest stuck out that much?

The house was silent. Relief and trepidation filled him as he made his way downstairs and saw a light was on in the kitchen. Stepping in, he found his mother sitting at the table, paging through one of her scrapbooks, a dreamy smile on her face. She looked up and the smile widened. "There you are, honey!" A pause. "So, what do you think?"

This was going to take every shred of diplomacy he had. "Well, uh... I owe you an apology about your magic."

"Oh, honey, you don't have to apologize! You never had any reason to think otherwise, I made sure of that." A little mischief crept into her smile now. "I was referring to your new form. Personally, I think you look even more beautiful than I'd hoped."

"Uh, well, about that..." He was sweating. "It's, well, it's beautiful, yeah, but I don't think it's, um... me."

"Oh, it's very much you, now." A lot of mischief showed in the smile.

"I mean, uh... I'd like to go back. To being a boy, I mean." Silence greeted this. "Um, please?"

Mock-seriousness, now. "But... naturally, when you asked for more time, I assumed you knew what that meant. I was very clear in my note, I thought."

His fears crystallized, but he had to press on. "I didn't mean to stay like this! I figured, well... that if you couldn't give me just a little more time, you'd say so."

"Erica, at this point, how much or little time you spend as a girl is up to you. It's out of my hands." A helpless shrug, spoiled only by the slightly upturned corners of her mouth.

Ignoring the name she'd used, Eric pressed on. "What do you mean, it's up to me? I just told you, I want to be a boy again! I want my old body back!" He was getting upset. He didn't keep his voice as level as he'd hoped.

"Honey, I can't change you back now. Only you can do it."

A long pause. He felt like he was wading through mental syrup, slow and stupid. "What?" he finally asked.

"After that first hour, the Transformation becomes permanent. Only the Transformed One can reverse it." His Mom seemed very solemn.

"But... but you said even after that hour, I could change back!"

"Certainly... once you've fully adjusted, as I said." Her mirth was unmistakable. "Do you think you've fully adjusted to being a girl?"

Eric absorbed this in silence for a few seconds. "So... how long until I can change back?"

"As I said, it's up to you, how quickly you decide to acclimate." She looked thoughtful. "I think the current record is just under two years." She smiled, then. "It usually takes quite a bit longer."

"Two years?" His voice could not be described as 'level' by any stretch of the imagination. Indeed, it rose to a squeak.

"Give or take." His Mother's voice was calm. Happy, even. "It was almost five years before I was ready to learn the Transformation spell."

"But... but... I go back to school in, like, a month!" It came out in a wail.

"I know! We've got a lot to do, to get you ready," she replied in an excited tone, as if planning a vacation.

His jaw hung low for quite a while. "I think people are gonna notice I've suddenly got, like, breasts!"

His mother chortled. "Oh, I guarantee the boys will. You are stacked, my dear!" At her progeny's mortified glare, she sighed. "Punkin, if I can give you breasts, and everything that goes with them... don't you think I can handle a few records and memories?"

That brought him up short. He stared at his Mom with wide eyes. "You know I love you, don't you, honey?" she asked, finally, genuinely serious.

He nodded, eyes still wide.

"Do you imagine I would do something like this if I didn't think you could handle it? Even enjoy it?" She stared earnestly into his now-squinting eyes.

After a moment, Eric quietly shook his head.

"Honestly, you might be surprised by the things you learn about girls. And about yourself." He just sat there, absorbing it all.

"Sweetie, come look at this." She waved her new daughter over to look at the scrapbook. He approached cautiously, and at her insistent wave he began to flip through it. Photos and report cards and memorabilia of one Mark Jardin. There was Grandma, looking young, almost his Mom's age. But Mom didn't have a brother... his head snapped up.

She met his searching gaze unflinchingly, with a smile. "Like I said, Erica, you might be amazed at what you learn about yourself."

"You were... you..." He couldn't complete the thought.

"Yes, honey. I grew up as Mark. Grandma gave me the same initiation one night, and, well, I 'needed more time,' too." She winked. "I've been Miranda Jardin ever since."

Eric sat down heavily, shaking his head. "I... I don't..."

"Honey? Honey, look at me." He slowly met her gaze. "I know this is a lot to get used to. I was in the same boat. But honestly, the important things haven't changed. I'm still your Mother, and I love you. You're still my child, whatever you decide you want to be one day. Son or daughter." He twitched a little at that. "I did not, will not lie to you. You will have that choice one day, and it will be your choice. If you choose to Transform back into Eric, I won't interfere. I wouldn't be able to, even if I wanted to go against your wishes. Which I don't."

While he processed that, she kept going. "In the meantime, as I said, try to look at this as an adventure. For now, you are Erica, and you will get to experience things no boy ever does. You can learn many things that will benefit you even if you become Eric again." Then she winked. "I promise, it'll even be fun. Obviously it was for me."

Eric - Erica? - just slumped at the table, transfixed by the scrapbook. At long last, he sighed. "Okay, Mom. I'll try."

Miranda clapped her hands together. "That's my girl!" She stood up. "I suggest you get some rest. It'll be a big day tomorrow. I'm going to my room to get to work on those records and such." She leaned over and gave Erica a big hug. "I'm so proud of you, honey."

He... no, she watched her Mom walk away, feeling dazed. She looked down at the scrapbook, not sure what to think.

As soon as she was around the corner, Miranda allowed the triumphant smile to bloom on her face. It almost always worked this way. Miranda nearly laughed aloud, remembering her own tangled emotions once she'd realized her Transformation wasn't going to end as quickly as it had started. The situation was artfully contrived; the Sisterhood had a lot of experience. It hadn't entirely been Erica's choice - so she had an excuse to explore her new femininity without quite so much male anxiety and guilt. But it hadn't exactly not been her choice, either - which limited how upset she could be at her Mother.

In time, she'd even be grateful. Very few Sisters ever Transformed back into men. After all, once you'd birthed and suckled a child - the final steps in mastering the Transformation spell - how could you want to give up being a Mother?

~~~~~

Eric woke slowly. Getting to sleep had taken a while. At first all he could do was wonder where he was. Not in his bed... he opened his eyes and looked around. Even with his glasses off, he could see it wasn't his room. And as he tried to sit up, a whole flood of odd sensations finally reminded him it wasn't his body, either.

He looked wonderingly down at his... her own shape, back in the teddy and panties. So bizarre, seeing those breasts, those slim arms. Long hair, long nails... swinging out of bed, broad hips came to the fore of her attention as she nearly fell over. This body had a quite different set of balancing requirements from the old one.

Eric... Erica woke up a touch further, and put on the pair of glasses placed on the nightstand next to the bed. They weren't his - they were girlish, rectangular framed. Still, they made everything clear.

He... she finally understood where she was. It was his... her bedroom, but with a new decor. The view through the window hadn't changed; everything on this side of the glass was weirdly different. It wasn't that things had been replaced, so much as... translated from 'boy' to 'girl'. There were correspondences everywhere. Furniture was in the same positions, mostly, but...

The windowframe had curtains instead of blinds. The walls were a pale purple instead of the dark blue he'd picked a few years back. The plain white ceiling fan was now filigreed. The bed had a bedskirt at the bottom, and the covers were a frilly pattern dominated by pastel pink instead of the plain dark maroon they'd been the night before. A few throw pillows and even stuffed animals lay at the foot of the bed, again in pastel colors.

Instead of a bookshelf next to the bed, there was an ornate dresser and a small table. The simple, utilitarian alarm clock had been replaced with a larger model that apparently played CDs. The cell phone looked almost the same, except for the new tassel hanging off it.

Models and figurines painstakingly built over many years were gone; instead little, unfamiliar knick-knacks were scattered about. Statuettes, framed pictures, dried flowers. The posters on the wall had morphed - sports teams and girls had become landscapes and celebrities. Male celebrities.

The desk on the other side of the room was now an ivory color and sported rounded corners instead of square ones. Thankfully the computer still had the glowing blue running lights and chrome detailing from before. It looked out-of-place, but apparently Mom had hesitated to mess with it. Given her ignorance of electronics, that was probably a good thing. The TV and console were still in their former place; the games were all neatly shelved, however.

The previous dresser had become much larger, and as ornate as the rest of the furniture. Cosmetics were organized on one side, a modest array of jewelry was on the other, and a large mirror hung on the wall behind it. He... she stared at it, and the girl wearing the confused expression within, for almost a minute. Thinking about how much time could have been saved if it had been there last night. Maybe enough time to prevent her from winding up stuck as a her?

As she retrieved the robe from its hook, she discovered the closet was empty save for a pair of pink fuzzy slippers on the floor. Padding over to the dresser, she drew out a drawer, finding it similarly barren. Puzzled, she went downstairs.

Her Mom sat at the table, slowly eating some toast. Though she was clearly exhausted, she didn't have her usual morning cup of tea before her. She gave Erica a wan smile and a quiet, "Good morning, dear."

"I guess you were pretty busy last night." Erica said, getting down a bowl for cereal.

"You bet your cute butt I was," Miranda sighed. "You'll find a purse in the dining room. Your new driver's license and Social Security card are in it. No one around here remembers Eric, now. To the world, you've always been Erica Jardin."

"Thanks, I guess." She hesitated before sitting down. Part of him... her craved the reassurance of closeness with Mom. Part of her - the big part that was still him - thought it would be weak, would be admitting vulnerability. But she was supposed to be a girl, now... Ultimately she sat down next to her Mom, but left a little space. Frowning, she asked, "What about my friends?"

"There had to be some changes there, I'm afraid." She shrugged apologetically. "You'll be remembered as being one of the girls, not one of the boys, now. No close friendships among girls or boys. You'll have to start over a bit, I'm sorry to say, but you won't have to remember too many conversations you never had." She smiled a little at the question in her daughter's eyes. "No, you don't have a boyfriend, either - but I suspect they'll be trying soon enough. You really are gorgeous."

"Thanks... I think." Her face had fallen a little. "No friends?"

"It'll be all right. You're still in the computer club, they know you. You don't have your baseball history, I'm afraid. However, I found you a replacement that'll give you some status and friends. I signed you up for cheerleading."

Erica almost did a spit-take. She choked a little on her orange juice. "Cheerleading?" she managed to sputter. "Jumping around waving pom-poms?"

Her Mother just grinned tiredly. "There's a bit more to it than that. But yes, it'll help get you used to your new station quickly, and it's good exercise. Give it a try, but if you decide it's not for you... just don't make the team. I only signed you up, you'll still have to do the work and qualify." A wicked shade to her grin, now. "Besides, haven't you always wanted to get up close with the cheerleaders?"

Her new daughter ignored the jibe, the enormity of it all starting to hit home. "It's like moving to a new school," she lamented quietly. "Only I don't know how to make friends as a girl."

"The same way as a boy, punkin: by being a good friend." Erica's raised eyebrows and skeptical expression - which practically screamed 'I don't know how to do that as a girl either' - forced Miranda to be a little more serious. "I'm really sorry, honey, but it's the best way. You can decide who you are, find out as you make new friends. And it won't be so hard, everything's in flux at the start of a new school year. I promise, it'll work out, you'll see."

"Was it like that for you?" she asked, searching her Mother's tired face.

"Grandma Transformed me the summer after I graduated high school," she replied. Then she smiled a little, reminiscing. "I went off to college as a girl." Her attention returned to the present. "I felt you'd do better if you started your Transition in a somewhat more familiar environment."

"Couldn't you have waited a little?" She hadn't meant for it to sound quite as whiny as it came out.

"Every Transformation is different, honey. And so is every Transition, after." She smiled with a little more animation. "Some boys need 'training wheels', little mental Suggestions." A look of pride. "But you didn't."

Erica wasn't sure how to feel about that. "It's so strange. I mean, I only just started being a man. I only just..." she trailed off, not wanting to just up and tell his... her Mom about her... well, actually, his... sex life.

But her Mother had a wise smile on her face. "I know, punkin." It was still strange hearing that endearment applied to him. Her. "I wouldn't have done this while you were still a virgin."

Erica was mortified. "You knew?" Accusation filled her tone, safer than the terrible embarrassment.

"Dear, I did not invade your privacy. Well, not much. I didn't find out - or want - details." She shrugged. "It's just, we... well, we're careful about that now. We don't Transform anyone until they've 'gone all the way'." She grinned. "Boys can be very sensitive about that stuff."

"'We'?"

"There are other Sisters, dear." She yawned hugely. "But don't worry about that for now. You'll meet some later, in due course."

Erica cocked her head. "I think I've met some already, haven't I?" she asked, thinking of a handful of her Mom's friends.

"Never mind about that now," Miranda chided, mock-annoyed. "Finish your cereal."

Erica talked around a spoonful. "What happened to all my clothes? Why didn't you 'translate' them, too?"

"'Translate'," Miranda chuckled. "That's a good one." She stretched a little, yawning once more. She had expended a lot of power last night. "I banished them, instead of transforming them, for my own selfish reasons." A big grin appeared. "We're going shopping! I can't wait to dress you up!"

Erica's face fell again.

~~~~~

After breakfast, Miranda sent Erica up to get dressed, handing her a bag with an outfit inside. It took a while - just brushing out her hair was a chore - and felt incredibly strange. She wished she had a better idea how to manage a bra. Inspecting herself in the mirror, she decided she was presentable. A simple skirt and sweater, flat pumps, and hose. She finally placed what was wrong - no makeup, no jewelry. Few girls went out this unadorned. But she was too frightened to tackle the options on the dresser.

When she came down, her Mom was on the phone. "Honey, there's someone you need to talk to. It won't take too long, I promise." She passed the phone to Erica.

"Hi, I'm Jacqui," came the voice on the other end of the line. "This is Erica, right?"

"Um, yeah," she said shyly. Hearing someone else use that name, besides her Mom, made the whole thing feel more real.

"Welcome to the Sisterhood!" There seemed to be genuine warmth in the tone.

"Uh, thanks." A pause. "I'm sorry, it's just... a lot to get used to, y'know?"

"Okay, I know this is all really strange. But I promise, you're going to be fine." Erica could hear the smile in her voice. "I talked to your Mom a little. You're already doing way better than I did, I guarantee."

Erica wasn't quite as sure that was a positive as Jacqui seemed to be. "So, uh, my Mom said I need to talk with you?"

"I'm afraid so. Our tradition has always been to let new Sisters find their own way as much as possible, with their Moms, before we formally introduce anyone to the Sisterhood. But we've had to get with the times a little. I'm sort of 'Mistress of Internet Security' for the Sisterhood now. Your Mom took care of the local stuff, school records and classmate memories and such. The problem these days is, everybody leaves a lot more traces lying around. I'm going to need all your usernames and passwords for anything you've done on the net - gamertags, handles, whatever. What websites you go to, forums you're on, etc. etc."

"Wow." She looked at her Mom, asking with her eyes if Jacqui could be trusted. Miranda nodded. "That could take a bit. I'm gonna have to go back up to my room, get on my computer."

"No prob."

Erica noticed her Mom holding up a finger. "Just a sec, Jacqui." She put her palm over the receiver.

Miranda yawned. "While you're working with Jacqui, I'm going to take a nap. Last night did me in." She smiled. "We'll head out this afternoon." The smile became a smirk. "That'll give you time to get some jewelry and makeup on, anyway. Mind you don't get any on your clothes!"

As Erica was walking up the stairs, Jacqui made conversation. "Actually, I was glad to hear you're a programmer. I could use some help, one day when you're ready. Most Sisters..." A chuckle. "...well, let's just say they aren't technically-minded."

"Um, I'm not sure I'm staying... um, as a Sister." Erica said hesitantly, sitting in front of his... her computer.

"I understand. Believe me, I know where you're coming from." Erica could practically see the knowing smirk. "Just give it a fair try, okay? It will be up to you when the time comes. Honest." Now there was an audibly impudent grin; Jacqui had such an expressive voice. "For me, at least, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks."

"Well, it's sure been... eye-opening so far." She started typing. "Um, I'm logging on. My gamertag on XBox Live is Cyb0rg111..."

~~~~~

Jacqui was amazingly fast, yet thorough. Erica would log into a website for her, and almost before she could refresh the page "Eric's" data was gone or morphed. When in doubt, Jacqui erased. The Transformation in the real world forced an almost complete rebirth in the digital. At least her gaming Achievements made it across. A lot of forum posts and emails got scrapped.

After Jacqui said her goodbyes and hung up, Erica numbly perused "her" Facebook page. She'd gone from a hundred and eight friends to ten, and 'Liked' only a handful of pages. Most of the updates Eric had posted were gone; a few links and generic photos remained.

She stared for a long time at the profile picture. It looked so typical of a high-school-girl's headshot. A picture she'd never posed for, that had been constructed out of the bizarre blend of technology and Magic that Jacqui could apply.

But the face in the picture had some makeup on it. Remembering her Mother's admonition, she looked doubtfully over at the panoply of options on her new dresser.

~~~~~

Her Mom laughed out loud when she saw what Erica had wrought with the potions and creams and powders that had been provided. She helped the novice girl wipe it all off and start over; it was quite evident that model-painting skills only carried over so far.

Erica was dumbfounded when she beheld herself after her mother had finished applying just a few touches here and there. She was pretty, and the makeup definitely did something, but... she also looked so ordinary. 'Eric' would have given her an appreciative once-over... and moved on. At that moment she started to believe that this masquerade might actually be pulled off, though she was far from convinced.

Her Mom took her straight to a mall and Erica began her tutelage in the strange, mazelike world of women's clothing. There was so much more to it - more options, more fabrics, more styles and patterns, and far more subtle rules. Men's pants, to take just one example, were generally a solid color; they might have a stripe at most. Women's pants were cut multiple ways, had more patterns and color mixes and fabrics, and then you got to the ruffles or embroidery or piping or...

They didn't get anything like a complete wardrobe - that was flatly impossible for a girl in one day - focusing simply on getting enough outfits to make it through the first couple weeks of school.

Even within those limits, Erica was numbed by the totals on the receipts as they went from store to store. She realized her Mom must have been saving up for this for a while.

Miranda offered guidance and suggestions, but forced Erica to find her own style to a large extent. She ended up trying to remember outfits she'd seen girls wear, before, and attempting to describe them to her Mother with an inadequate vocabulary. For Erica it was laborious and draining, though it seemed to actually energize her Mom.

She still felt like an impostor, and made some silly mistakes - including almost walking into the Men's room - but it was by turns shocking and reassuring how little undue attention she drew. Undue for a pretty girl, at least. The way boys - and some men - looked at her... that was going to take getting used to. She felt like prey.

She even got her ears pierced, though the girl at the counter was rather surprised someone as old as Erica had never had it done before. She'd stared for the longest time into the mirror after, at the little dangling jewels hanging from her ears. She kept feeling them as she moved, continually reminding her of their presence.

They had dinner out, having shopped well into the evening. Even the way things tasted was slightly different - she ended up putting more butter on her roll than normal. "Do you really think I'll be ready for school?"

Her Mother swallowed quickly and said, "Punkin, you'll be fine. No need to fret."

"I don't even know how to dress myself!" Erica riposted.

"Oh, look! You're already getting the drama of a teenage girl down pat! But you really should have started with, 'Mo-ther," Miranda teased. Erica just glared. "It's not so complicated, you'll see. You did all right this morning."

Erica changed the subject slightly. "What you did with the makeup... I'll never learn that."

"Oh, honey, relax." She put her hand on her daughter's. "Surely, you know a few girls from school who are... less than geniuses?"

Erica's brow crinkled, not sure where her Mother was going with this. "Well, yeah." She hastily added, "I don't think all girls are dumb, Mom, but..."

"I never thought you did, dear. Some people - male or female - aren't very smart. But let me point out - they can handle clothes and makeup and jewelry, right?"

"Well, yeah..."

"You are still an intelligent and creative person, dear. That hasn't changed." Now talking like a sports coach, she asked, "Are you going to let them beat you?"

Both women chuckled, then. "I guess not."

They finished dinner and arrived home. After carrying many of the purchases upstairs, Erica received instructions on how to store and care for all her new things. Then she was brought down to the laundry room for further lessons. "There are more cycles than 'Regular' on the washing machine, my dear. You will definitely need to get acquainted with 'Delicate'," Miranda lectured.

Finally Miranda went to take a bath and Erica was released on her own recognizance. She went back to her room - still a little disturbed by its altered character - and sat on her bed, gazing about. It seemed like every time she turned around, some vast new unsuspected aspect or consequence of this change was in her face. Like bras, for example. She was, apparently, a smaller C cup, but that was still plenty of breast to get sweaty and itchy over the course of the day. She disrobed down to her panties and scratched where the straps had been. The sensation of her nipples hardening at the exposure to cool air sent her thoughts in a different direction.

Eric had never been a transvestite, or had any interest in girls clothes beyond how they looked on girls, and how to get girls out of them. But Erica had spent half the day in and out of changing rooms, and some of the outfits had been... interesting. Dressing up this body - that she still couldn't completely believe was hers - had an almost illicit feel. She went over to the closet and picked out a couple of items she'd noted before.

She hadn't bought any super-short skirts, but one of them could be rolled up at the waist to hike the hemline. Knee-high socks, a white blouse. Then, a couple of hairbands and a little experimentation resulted in some passable pigtails. She could only manage simple makeup - basic lipstick, a little eyeshadow - but that actually fit the image she was going for. Extracting her contacts and switching to glasses was the final touch.

A sexy schoolgirl looked back at her out of the mirror. She really was cute, Erica realized then. Again, not like a supermodel; more in a real, girl-next-door way. She did a few poses, becoming quite aroused. Enjoying this sort of thing too much was what had landed her in this situation, after all... but it couldn't do any more harm now, could it?

Miranda smiled gently as she eased herself into the warm water. Mothers of the newly Transformed had to peek occasionally at their daughters' thoughts during their Transition. Privacy was important... but the changes that Erica had to navigate over the coming weeks and months were profound, and could go wrong. Even many birth-girls managed the change into young women gracelessly, and Erica faced the challenges that were unique to new Sisters.

Let her daughter appreciate her newfound form on at least a physical, sexual level for now. That was certainly the easiest path, and anything that helped her see positives in the Transformation could be built on. Much more was involved in being a woman, needless to say, but she would have chances to learn that in time. The Sisterhood's leadership hadn't reported any dangers looming for at least the next few years, for which Miranda thanked the Goddess.

~~~~~

Erica made sure to take a shower before she came downstairs. She hoped her Mom hadn't heard the moans and cries she'd been making, but at the end she'd been so sweaty and disheveled that it would've been obvious what she'd been up to if she hadn't cleaned up.

Miranda was sipping some milk in the kitchen, reading a magazine; she gave no sign when her daughter appeared. The needs of Transformed women could be... acute, and if Erica felt too frightened or ashamed or embarrassed to express them, it would make many things much harder. "I think I'll turn in soon. I'm still a little tired from all those spells last night, and it was a long day."

"You can say that again," Erica replied, assembling the ingredients for a small sandwich. "What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" she asked, curious.

Miranda stood and stretched. "Deportment, my dear. You move with the grace of a linebacker, and talk like one too, half the time." She sighed. "If you don't want to be teased at school, you'll need to learn to behave in a more ladylike fashion."

Erica gulped. "I still have to do my summer reading."

"Well, young lady, perhaps you should start reading a little every night." She chuckled. "I doubt you'll get much chance tomorrow night, though."

"What do you mean?" Erica asked suspiciously.

"Have you forgotten your sister's coming home in the morning?" An evil smile blossomed on her face. "Wait until we tell Haylie!"

Erica's face fell yet again.

~~~~~

"You mean Eric is my sister now?" Haylie wasn't nearly as stunned as many girls would be. She'd been raised in the religion of the Goddess, and had seen her mother do real Magic before. It had been kind of fun keeping it secret from Eric, just between her and Mom. Her Mom had even taken her flying once. So the Transformation itself was impressive but not a total shock. Getting used to having a big sister was... weird, though.

"Yes, dear. At least for a while. Her name is Erica now." Haylie stared at Erica, who was looking anywhere but into her eyes. She could see the resemblance, but it was hard to connect this girl with her goofy big brother.

"Won't people be kind of upset?"

"I've taken care of that, honey. No one remembers Eric anymore, everyone thinks she's always been Erica." Erica's lips tightened. She stared down at the table.

"Wow, you can do that?" Haylie was impressed again.

"It wasn't easy, but yes." Miranda smiled. "You'll help me make her comfortable, right? Teach her about being a girl?"

"Sure!" Haylie couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be a boy anyway. But that sparked a thought, which swiftly became a worry. "Are you gonna make me a boy someday?" Erica perked up at that, also curious.

Miranda felt the intensity of the stares of both of her daughters. "No, sweetie. Men can't do the work of the Goddess. In a year or two, you'll start your period," she said comfortingly, noticing the apprehensive shadow passing across Erica's face at the mention of menstruation. "Then you can begin becoming a full Sister."

She paused, then frowned theatrically as if something had occurred to her. "Of course, once you complete the training, you could become a boy then, if you wanted." Despite her attempt, she could not suppress the chuckle when she saw the look of horror that prospect brought forth from Haylie, and the glare that drew in turn from Erica.

But she felt a hint of disquiet herself. There'd be a lot more to explain, once the girl formally entered the Sisterhood. Miranda wasn't looking forward to that conversation.

Haylie had once been Harold Rothstein, a powerful dark sorcerer in a group called the Brotherhood. There had been a major battle between the Brotherhood and Sisterhood a decade ago, and the newest Sister, a novice of history-making talent and power - Jacqui Donovan, in fact - had applied the Transformation spell in an unprecedented way, turning a few dozen evil men into baby girls.

Sisters around the world had adopted the new infants. Haylie had been Miranda's ever since. The Sisterhood had never raised girls - since before recorded human history - but she felt she'd done a pretty good job. Haylie was a dear, and Miranda had even learned things about being female from seeing how Haylie grew up. She loved her as much as she loved Eric, her own flesh and blood. Besides, you could dress up little girls in the cutest outfits!

Haylie didn't remember her previous life, really. Miranda knew she had strange dreams sometimes, and feelings of déjà vu. She occasionally showed a wisdom beyond her years. But she was happy, too - Miranda had never spared any love, and Eric had been a doting big brother, despite the usual sibling bickering. Sometimes, when boys were Transformed too soon, when they became girls too young, the power of the Goddess didn't manifest. Thankfully, there were divinations that could at least roughly assess someone's Magical potential. The signs pointed to Haylie developing more-or-less normally - for a Sister, anyway - once she became sexually mature.

It made Erica's Transition a bit more difficult, of course. There were aspects of family life in the Sisterhood that would be hard to explain to both her daughters. That was for another time, though. "Breakfast is over, ladies! Erica, clean up and put on a nice dress - the teal one, I think, and don't forget the heels - and meet me in the living room."

Of course Erica was annoyed and embarrassed by Haylie's comments... but she was surprised at how little it ended up bothering her. Haylie insisted on being part of Erica's 'deportment' lessons, and even she had trouble with some of them, which helped defuse a lot of the older sister's own tension. Mom ran the whole affair like a grande dame in charge of a finishing school: if Haylie hadn't been there giggling Erica would have been much more intimidated.

Skirts were vastly more complicated to manage than pants, and high heels were precarious deathtraps. Such were Erica's conclusions when they wrapped up the 'class' to eat.

She helped make dinner, which was nothing unusual - everybody contributed in the Jardin home. But the dynamics were slightly off, everyone negotiating new mother-daughter and 'big sister'-'little sister' relationships. And yet, what her Mom had said rang true. They were still a family, and that love helped. A lot.

After dinner, Miranda began introducing Erica to the religion of the Goddess. It would be a while before she could start learning Magic proper, but given what had happened, Erica took Miranda's beliefs a lot more seriously now. It wasn't very structured as religions went, holding life sacred, advocating love and peace and nonviolence. It struck her as almost primitive - and she wondered just how old it was.

As Miranda had predicted, Haylie didn't allow Erica much time to herself that night. Only the knowledge that Haylie's incessant questioning came from genuine curiosity, and not an intent to irritate, let Erica bear it. She tried to honestly answer her sister's queries - at least, with answers appropriate for an eleven-year-old. (According to her Mom, sex was a sacred gift from the Goddess, not something to be ashamed of, and their upbringing had reflected that. But, because sex was sacred, it was not a casual thing and had to be treated with respect - nor was it something for children.)

They ended up having a family game night, something they hadn't done in months. Again, the dynamics were just that touch off, but the familiarity of the situation helped her relax further than she'd expected. She got to sleep more easily that night... though only after getting herself off. She'd always heard that girls didn't masturbate as much as boys, but she felt at least as horny as Eric ever had.

~~~~~

The next days were spent in much the same way. Femininity classes in the morning and afternoon, and 'rec time' in the evening. Movie nights were weird; she couldn't help looking at the situations from a different point of view. 'Chick flicks' weren't inherently more interesting, but she paid more attention to them for the educational opportunities. In some ways, it was nice; the family hadn't spent so much time together in years.

Still, the unanticipated ramifications of the Transformation kept cropping up. Erica was astounded at how much more complicated feminine hygiene was - and they hadn't even gotten to periods. Those lessons were excruciatingly embarrassing, almost humiliating, but her Mother handled them with sensitivity and humor, while at the same time emphasizing how necessary they were. "Take it from me, girl, you do not want to learn first-hand what a yeast infection feels like."

She got another surprise when she showed up for work. Pretty girls like Erica weren't busboys at restaurants - they were hostesses. Luckily one of the waitresses stopped her before she went inside wearing grubby clothes. She raced home before the manager spotted her, changed into a more suitable outfit, and got back only a few minutes late.

She'd - well, technically, he'd - worked there long enough to have soaked up the system by osmosis, so she managed the job reasonably well. It did make her reflect on the different trials men and women faced in the job market, though. One of the patrons tried to cop a feel, too, which was - to her - completely out of the blue.

The ways that boys and men reacted to her now were endlessly disconcerting. Holding doors open for her, letting her ahead in line. Once even whistles from a passing car. And - seemingly always - looking at her.

Women and girls, too, behaved differently toward her, as either a fellow-traveller or - even more weirdly - competitor. In many ways it wasn't any different than how other males had reacted when she'd been Eric... except that he hadn't felt attracted to other men. Despite being female now, she still stared at girls, not boys. Concealing that was sometimes a challenge.

And then, when she went to exercise, it was shocking how much strength she'd lost, at least in the upper body. Benches, curls, presses... it was like she was thirteen again. Fourteen, maybe. Her legs were stronger, maybe eighty percent of before. Her pain threshold might have been a little lower, it was hard to tell. Her overall endurance appeared to have been enhanced by the change, at least.

~~~~~

Erica lay in her bed, vaguely frustrated. Even as Eric, she... he hadn't masturbated every night. After her new nightly routine - which now included things like applying moisturizer and checking to see if her eyebrows needed to be plucked, how weird was that - she'd intended to just go to sleep tonight without frigging herself... mostly to prove that she could.

But apparently she couldn't.

Deciding that if she had to have an orgasm, it might as well be a good one, she climbed out of bed, slipped off her nightgown, and went over to her desk. Logging on, she opened the hidden directory and began to look around. Her Mother hadn't changed the computer at all; the pictures and videos were still there.

She opened a set of photos at random and beheld the naked beauty arrayed in various positions. She felt... not conflicted, exactly, but... different. Oh, she still got horny. It manifested in a strange way in this new body, of course, but she was almost becoming used to that. At the same time, though, other thoughts occurred to her. Ones she'd never had cause to entertain: What would she look like in that pose? Was she as sexy as this girl?

Did she want to be?

She clicked to another set. The huge breasts still looked attractive, lickable even, but she now felt a pang of sympathy for what it must be like to lug them around every day, even if they were fake. Which made her think about cosmetic surgery - not wanting it for herself, but being so consumed by image that someone would choose to do that. It had only been one week, but she'd begun to think more and more about how she looked. She couldn't imagine choosing surgery - and she realized with bemusement that she had started to take a modicum of pride in her appearance. Still, she could at least see the outlines of what might push girls in that direction.

Even as these thoughts percolated, she was shifting on her chair, feeling herself getting honestly wet. A different girl on the screen now, with an impossibly tiny waist. While she stroked herself gently through her panties, she found that she was examining the girl's makeup too, trying to figure out what had been done where. What would she look like all slutted up like that?

Outside wasn't enough now. Her fingers slid under the waistband and between her lips, gently teasing. A throaty whine escaped her. That first night, she'd thought she'd become an expert on pleasing girls, but she'd learned even more since then.

A series of pictures, a woman progressively removing lingerie. She hadn't bought any such frippery on their shopping trip, unable to bear the thought of trying such things on in front of her Mom. Now she wondered if she could manage a solo trip to the mall. It would be wild to put on an outfit like that...

Her fingers moved faster now, urged on by images both electronic and mental.

A woman playing with a dildo. Erica had tried out the shower massager a few days ago and wondered intensely what a more solid toy might be capable of.

She fingered her clit deftly, squeezing her mouth shut to keep the moans from carrying. And something new - kneading her breasts, rubbing her nipples. Masturbation as a boy focused on one area, but for a girl there were so many places to benefit from attention...

Two girls playing with each other, embracing, kissing, fingering, tonguing. Oh God... Goddess, she wanted to join them. It would feel so good...

She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, muffling the scream as she came explosively, body jerking, hips bucking.

Panting, she rested for a few moments. Then she shut off the monitor and fled to her nightgown, her bed, seeking sleep. If she'd looked at any more pictures, she'd have started up again...

~~~~~

She turned the mower around at the edge of their lawn and peered out of the corner of her eye. There was no doubt about it - Mr. Kryspecki was staring at her. She put her eyes on the grass in front of her and wondered what to do.

Eric had actually never minded lawnmowing much. A chance to zone out and listen to music, mostly. But the Transformation had changed that.

The first annoyance had been just finding something to wear. She didn't have any old, worn-out clothes! A nonessential t-shirt and some sacrificial socks didn't bother her much, but she was going to need another pair of sneakers; the grass stains would never come out of these. At the time she'd considered herself clever to put on the short-shorts; grass clippings wouldn't get that high. Mr. Kryspecki was making her rethink that.

Just getting the mower started had been annoying. Her slimmer arms couldn't generate the same force. She'd finally had to pop out the sparkplug and squirt starter fluid into the engine.

She came around again, stole a glance... and he was still looking. It was creepy. She felt guilty for all the times Eric had rolled his eyes at girls complaining about 'dirty old men'. She was almost certain he was just ogling, that he wasn't going to actually attack her or anything.

But only almost certain.

She knew the odds were overwhelmingly against there being any actual danger. So she told herself, repeatedly. But a little voice in the back of her mind wondered if she might have too little experience to judge a real threat. And if he did try... something... he was in his fifties, but he was a big guy. She was so much weaker now...

Moving to the backyard gave some relief. But eventually she turned off her mp3 player and took out her headphones. Just in case she might hear something over the roar of the engine.

Finally the job was done and she went indoors. Miranda found her curled up on the couch, staring out the window. "What's wrong, honey?" she asked. "You look a little down."

Erica shrugged. "It's nothing, Mom."

"Don't give me that, young lady," Miranda ordered sternly. "Something's bothering you." She didn't need to Magically probe to see that.

"I didn't think it showed that much," Erica said as her Mother sat beside her and wrapped her in a hug. Haltingly, confused and a little sheepish, she told her story.

"Oh, Goddess," Miranda sighed when she was done, "I'm so sorry you went through that. I should have remembered what an ass Bill is." Erica took heart in the glare Miranda threw toward the Kryspecki home. Enraged Mothers could be fearsome. She hadn't been comforted in quite that way by maternal protection since she'd been a little boy.

Miranda smiled ruefully. "I could have told you that he's a lech, but the main danger he poses is at the block parties. Don't turn your back on him unless you want to get pinched."

"Oh, I'm so stupid!" Erica grumbled, upset at her overreaction.

"No, dear, you are not. I'm actually glad you're aware that men will be paying different kinds of attention to you now. And you'll learn soon enough to better tell the difference between attention that's just annoying, and attention that's really cause for concern."

"I'll have to," Erica grumbled further. "Thanks, Mom."

"Enough of that, young lady," Miranda admonished. "It's something all women have to come to terms with. Haylie will." Erica's brow furrowed as she pondered that. "Do you think it'll make her wish she wasn't a girl? Or perhaps she'll just wish men were different?"

That was clearly a perspective Erica had never considered.

~~~~~

The family had gone out to dinner the next night. Ostensibly it had been something of a test, to see how her feminine behavior held up in public, but Erica knew it was also a semi-celebration of the two-week 'anniversary' of her Transformation. It had started out fun, and she'd almost felt comfortable, but she hadn't been very hungry. Then, to top it all off, one of her former friends had been a few tables over. She'd stared at him a little too long; she was pretty sure he'd thought she was flirting with him.

On the way home she'd been fairly subdued. As soon as they got in, she went and laid on the couch; what little she'd eaten was disagreeing with her. After twenty minutes of channel-surfing, she sought out Miranda. "Mom... I don't feel so hot." She winced, holding her belly. "I think I might have some food poisoning. Maybe the salad dressing was off?"

Her Mother looked at her sympathetically. "No, dear, Haylie and I had the same things and we're fine. This is something else." At Erica's blank look, she reached out to touch her daughter's arm. "I'm afraid you're starting your period, punkin."

A lot of women would have been amused or irritated by the look of dawning comprehension and horror that blossomed on Erica's face at that news. Miranda herself got annoyed by the overblown revulsion some men claimed at the very concept of menstruation. (Especially when they seemed to pride themselves on better handling 'gross' things in general.)

But she couldn't be upset at her daughter; Erica's reaction wasn't that hysterical, and she herself had felt the same way, once. Many, many birth-girls, knowing for years that it was coming, found the onset of menses troubling... and boys just didn't get any psychological preparation for it.

"This isn't anyone's favorite part of being female, sweetie, but it'll be okay," she said comfortingly. Standing, she pulled her daughter to bathroom and commenced giving Erica the necessary instructions for dealing with what she called her 'First Flow'. There wasn't an associated ritual, but it was a sacred thing to Sisters, she explained.

"Can't I use a tampon?" Erica asked, seeing her Mother draw out some pads from the cabinet.

"Perhaps someday, dear, if you choose. But for now, we don't know how heavy your flow will be, or how long it will last. Until you're more used to your body's reactions, more experienced with your own cycle, we'll stick to these." She headed off the stubborn frown gathering on her daughter's brow with a quick question: "Have you ever heard of toxic shock syndrome?"

Erica had not. After it had been explained, she paid very close attention to her Mother's instructions. Her apprehensions were eased by their easygoing, humorous delivery, but it was somewhat embarrassing having to expose herself so intimately to her Mother once again.

She spent a quiet evening, feeling increasingly ill. It wasn't arousal that gave Erica trouble falling asleep that night. Her cramps had started in earnest.

Lying in the dark, feeling sick and weak and pained, she fought back tears for a time. But she finally gave in and wept, telling herself that crying was part of becoming a girl, that it'd speed the time when she could become Eric again and put periods behind her. And it helped. Before long she fell into an uneasy slumber.

Down the hall, Miranda's eyes were wet, too. She had peeked at her elder daughter's thoughts and was coming to understand how much restraint her own Mother must have shown, once. Healing was not her talent, but she had the training and could ease Erica's pain handily, take much of it upon herself. All she had to do was walk down the hall, lay her hands on her daughter...

But Sisters never interfered with the First Flow of the Transformed. It was a rite of passage, important for reasons both sacred and practical. Unpleasant as it could be, it was a gift of the Goddess nonetheless, a true miracle.

And it worked to bring home the reality of the Transformation in an unavoidable way. Most new Sisters maintained a certain denial for a time, or at least tried to avoid confronting the full implications of the Transformation. After all, quite a few men dressed up as women, and some of them could be - externally - very convincing. Frequently the Transformed would believe, on some level, that the change was skin-deep; an excellent costume, no more.

But only women had to deal with menses. It was hard to pretend you didn't have a uterus when the cramps were insistently telling you exactly where it was. Using Magic to smooth that road the first time would only postpone the psychological adjustments needed to become a full Sister.

So Miranda also cried herself to sleep. But saddened as she was by her daughter's pain, she wept tears of love and pride as well.

~~~~~

Five days later, Erica was doubly grateful her First Flow was over. After the initial night, the cramps and nausea had significantly abated, but she'd still felt tired and generally crappy the entire time. She was well satisfied to be past that, though her relief was shadowed by the knowledge that its return was inevitable. The other reason for gratitude was more positive - Miranda said that she could now start teaching her Magic. It would be some time before Erica could actually perform any spells, but her mother began to impart a grounding in the theory.

It wasn't like Harry Potter. The power to change reality came from within - from the Goddess, she was taught. Spells acted to focus that power, direct it most efficiently. They were like recipes, though, in that the rules were flexible and could be modified and shifted for different effects and situations. Likewise, one couldn't become a mistress of Magic overnight any more than one could become a master chef in an instant.

Culinary metaphors, Erica understood. Miranda was employed as the main cookbook editor for an independent publisher, so her hours were flexible. She mostly worked from home. And her children had grown up soaking up her enthusiasm for adventurous, homemade cuisine.

The behavior lessons were bearing more fruit than she would have believed, before. It was almost disturbing how feminine her demeanor was now, even when she wasn't thinking about it. She kept her legs together when sitting in a skirt, and usually remembered not to bend over too far in them. Indeed, it only occasionally felt strange anymore that she was wearing women's clothes. She'd gotten used to caring for long hair. She could handle heels well, at least on level ground, and she wouldn't be wearing those to school anyway.

She was still frightened of going back to school as a girl. The heart-stopping terror was gone, though, and she was beginning to think it might - just conceivably - be managed. With luck. During her period, while laying around feeling ill, she'd even gotten her school reading done early.

So her mother had added new reading requirements - fashion magazines and a pair of romance novels. And then she'd quizzed her daughter on the contents. A few days later, Miranda dropped another surprise. She took both her daughters to a beauty parlor for full makeovers. That had been an experience, especially because it had turned into another kind of quiz, with her Mother and the stylist insisting on her input.

She just stared in the mirror for the longest time when they were done, astonished. It looked like her, sort of... yet she didn't have cheekbones quite that high, did she? Or lips that full, or eyes so sultry... She was turning herself on, which was confusing enough, but imagining how the kids at school would react to someone like this... she felt a disconcerting flash of pride.

As they left, Haylie said, "Wow, sis, you look really pretty." Erica stared guardedly at her sister for a beat, and then felt guilty. So far as she could tell, Haylie's compliment had been just that - a genuine and honest compliment. Not even the 'sis' had been ironic.

"You look great, too, Haylie," she replied, smiling. And she did, with bright pink nails and a hint of glitter on her face. The very picture of a young girl, not quite ready to begin her journey into womanhood. Erica felt a connection to her sister on whole new level, a novel understanding of how she thought and felt.

Behind them, unseen, Miranda beamed.

~~~~~

The end of her first period brought one final consequence. Erica fidgeted in her waiting-room chair, unable to concentrate. "Mom, do I really have to do this?"

"Erica, we're done with this conversation." Miranda's voice bristled with annoyance. "Love of the Goddess, you didn't fuss this much about the Transformation!"

The door opened. A nurse called out, "Erica Jardin?" She nodded and stood and followed her back to a room, her Mother in tow. The nurse left, and Erica began to disrobe her lower half. "Why this one? Is she a Sister or something?" Anything to distract her from what awaited.

"No, Dr. Simmons isn't one of us. But although she doesn't know it, she has a talent for working with the newly Transformed." Erica peered narrowly at Miranda. "She's gentle and not at all condescending. Feel free to ask anything you want. She won't make you feel like your questions are strange or stupid."

Eyeing the stirrups with trepidation, Erica asked again, "Do I really have to do this?"

An exasperated sigh escaped her Mother. "You should thank the Goddess you're too young for mammograms," Miranda groused. But then the door opened and Dr. Simmons came in.

The gynecologist was indeed gentle. While the exam was uncomfortable nonetheless, it was nowhere near as bad as Erica had built up in her head. She managed to put Erica at ease almost at once with her unthreatening manner, and she took Erica's rather basic questions in stride. Upon finishing, Dr. Simmons gave suitable advice on hygiene, then discussed contraception and a course of HPV vaccine. Erica still judged it quite unlikely she'd ever do what it took to catch an STD from a boy... but after three weeks in this body, feeling its raging hormones, she couldn't deny the chances were greater than zero. She got the first round of shots and walked out clutching a prescription for birth control pills.

Afterward, her Mother took her out to lunch. As they ate, Miranda took the opportunity to discuss a consequence of Erica's Magical heritage. "Honey, before you go off to school, there's something you need to know." Her mouth twisted in wry amusement. "I know you don't intend to have anything to do with boys. That way, for now." Erica blushed a little. "But should you ever change your mind, you need to be aware. Sisters... well, birth control isn't terribly reliable for us."

"What do you mean, Mom?" Erica asked cautiously.

"If a Sister wants the baby of the man she's making love with - or even if she's not firmly opposed to the idea - she will get pregnant. No matter what chemicals or barriers or whatnot she uses." Miranda shrugged apologetically. "The heart of women's Magic is tied to giving and nurturing life."

Erica considered that for a moment, remembering her lessons in the religion of the Goddess. "And abortion's out, right?"

"Just so, honey. Anyone who deliberately ends another human life forfeits the Gift of the Goddess. Forever."

Erica was quiet for several seconds. "So, no messing around. Got it."

"Well, there are limits. Vaginal intercourse is still required." Her grin was impish. "I mean, I happen to know that sperm won't make it from your stomach to your womb," she said with a wink.

"Mo-oom!" Erica gasped, scandalized.

"Get used to it, dear. Women are much earthier among themselves than they are around men." Miranda looked smug.

Erica shivered and tried to change the subject. "So if I really don't want a baby? Can that, like, keep me from getting pregnant?"

"My, for a girl who doesn't like boys you're sure looking for loopholes," Miranda teased.

Erica glared ferociously. "I'm just... Control's a little difficult for me now, thanks to you. Once I get really turned on, I have to get off." She looked at her Mother, pleading, her expression serious. "If I get in over my head..."

Miranda relented. "It is possible to shield oneself to an extent. Enough to allow birth control to work, anyway." She shook her head sadly. "But that requires a great deal of discipline and self-knowledge. The kind that only comes from mastering the Transformation spell." Which you can't do until you've given birth, she left unspoken. "And not all Sisters can do it, even then."

Erica frowned. "So by the time I have a choice about it... I'll be Eric again."

"If that's your decision, punkin," Miranda replied gently. Erica looked away then, troubled.

Continued in Part 2

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Foreword:

There's an element of the original story that squicks me on not just an aesthetic but a moral level. I came that close to retconning it out. But ultimately I decided it had to be there. I still find it rather creepy, even in a fantasy, but if I'm willing to posit magic I guess other impossibilities aren't so much of a stretch.

Just don't imagine an author condones, or enjoys, everything that happens in their stories.

Part 2

The tenuous confidence she'd been feeling had nearly fled by the morning of the big day. Erica picked her way blearily through breakfast. Restful sleep had been in short supply last night, which only added to her anxiety. The low, dark clouds in the sky outside completed a portrait of foreboding.

"You look wonderful, punkin," Miranda said as she sat down at the table. "That's a beautiful outfit, good choice."

"Thanks," Erica growled, experiencing a flash of resentment at her Mother, who'd made going back to school excruciatingly tense instead of just annoyingly tedious.

"Erica. Look here." Her eyes slewed to her Mother's. "I know you're a little frightened. Anything new can be scary. But you can do this." She smiled. "It's not a crisis, just a new challenge. You've never shrunk from those, and I've always been proud of you for that."

"What's the big deal, anyway? What's wrong with being a girl?" Haylie piped in, unhelpfully trying to be helpful.

"It's not the same. You've always been a girl," Erica snapped. Haylie seemed on the verge of retorting, but quieted down with a thoughtful look instead.

Miranda broke in. "Truly, Erica, I think you'll be surprised. Not just by what's changed, but what hasn't."

Now Erica looked thoughtful, too.

~~~~~

By lunchtime, Erica had some idea what her Mom had been getting at. High school was still high school. The same people she knew were mostly doing the same things. To a very large extent, it was only her angle on it that had changed.

And yet, as with so much in life, the angle you viewed things from mattered. The same baseball game observed from the bleachers was a different experience than from behind home plate. You picked up on different things watching a play from the audience or backstage. She had a profoundly enhanced understanding of girl's behavior now, and saw many subtleties of manner she'd never noticed before. And boys... that was even stranger. She saw them from the vantage point of an outsider, now.

Much of their antics seemed somehow... immature. Big, boisterous, unrefined creatures, many of them. Swaggering, posturing, noisy. And, ultimately, simpler. Not stupid necessarily, but... more focused, less complex. As a boy, he'd considered that a mark of male superiority over the needless complications women seemed to manufacture. Erica now wondered - gingerly, tenderly - if, just perhaps, the male perspective could be... limiting.

Classes hadn't been too different so far. Maybe she wasn't called on as often as before, but since she was striving valiantly to be inconspicuous, that didn't necessarily mean anything.

Sitting herself at an unoccupied table, she got out her lunch. High school was still high school; it could be lonely at the best of times, and she didn't have any friends now. Everyone who'd known her as Eric seemed to know her still, but in an 'acquaintance' sort of way. No strong impressions for good or ill.

Many things had changed, of course. The bus ride in to school had been surreal. Boys had walked past the empty seat next to her, being polite except for the glances at her boobs, and then another girl had just nodded and sat next to her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Boys themselves might not have changed, but the way they responded to her had altered drastically. The glances and stares she'd begun to expect, but the occasional half-overheard remarks and snickers were disconcerting. And she didn't remember being 'accidentally' brushed against nearly as often when she'd been Eric.

Seeing the various public displays of affection by couples out in front of the school as she walked in produced a deeply bifurcated feeling. Eric had been single most of the time, and she still felt jealous of people with significant others. And she still checked out the girls for hotness, and tried to evaluate from their behavior how physical any relationship was. Yet she couldn't help wondering about the feelings and motivations of the girls. Eric had many times pondered those, too - but solely with an eye to manipulating them as best he could. Erica needed to comprehend their desires and thought processes for enormously more complicated reasons.

All these reflections and more whirled in her head as she ate. At least, she told herself, the day was half over. Hopefully the biggest surprises were past.

Once she'd finished eating, she threw out her trash and went to the bathroom - the correct one for her new gender, thankfully. She had to wait a moment, all the stalls were full. Girls talked more in the bathroom than boys, she'd learned. Eventually a place opened and she took care of things, making sure not to wrinkle her skirt. It was good to be shielded from view for a moment, to have a semblance of solitude... but other girls were waiting and she left the sanctuary of the stall to clean up.

Washing her hands, she checked her hair and clothes in the mirror, which was becoming a habit. Right or wrong, appearance was more important for a girl's social status than a boy's, and she needed to at least maintain what little standing she had. At first she barely noticed the girl who took the sink next to her, until recognition hit.

Erica finally caught herself staring at Ashley and jerked her eyes back to her own reflection. She'd been Eric's first, and only. It had been a weird and wonderful night, and Erica found she still felt something. A boy never forgets his first girl, they said, and apparently that held even if he became a girl later. What did Ashley remember doing that summer night? Certainly not anything to do with Erica; she had no sense that Ashley had any of that kind of interest in girls.

Would Ashley miss the memory? Eric had felt a little guilty about it, even at the time. She'd been pretty tipsy, and after... Erica cut her thoughts short.

She wrapped up swiftly and hurried away, tangled in a knot of unfathomable emotions. Making her way through the crowd to her locker she worked to calm down. The breathing exercises her Mother had begun to teach in the 'intro to Magic' lessons helped her to center a little.

As the afternoon wore on she discovered that there were advantages to lacking a penis. She wasn't glad it was gone, but in the locker room before phys ed, she found herself extremely grateful that it was no longer quite so obvious when she was turned on. All those girls, naked or half-naked... The shower after was worse. Sweaty wet girlflesh everywhere, hands sliding all over... She had to constantly rein in her wandering eyes.

Computer class was a welcome respite. Her school had an Advanced Placement programming track and she'd lapped it up. Or Eric had... Leaving that aside, it was organized into different projects, with extra-credit options and challenges, and the students formed small teams to work on them. She'd... he'd... well, whatever... been part of a tight-knit group with three other classmates, and they'd stuck together because they collaborated well.

Although Josh Wright and Scott Charboneau mostly liked graphics and sound programming, they were quite happy to do whatever plumbing was required for a project. Erica... well, Eric... and Cory Ellsworth had been more the 'architects' of the group, usually designing and planning the overall approach, and writing the more complex stretches of code. Cory had also acted as 'project manager' of sorts, being a more organized type.

She sat down next to the boys as they were talking. Immediately they dropped their conversation and turned to her. "Hey, Erica," Josh said, rather eagerly. He'd always been a big guy, but now he dwarfed her. "How was your summer? Do anything chill?" His eyes roamed as he asked, moving lower.

"Not really," she replied, wondering what they'd think of the truth. "Just, y'know, hung out at home, mostly. You guys?"

Scotty spoke up. "Did you see my Facebook album? We went to Yosemite for a week, did some rock climbing. It was tight, we saw a van that got ripped open by a bear."

"Yeah, that was sick." She turned to Cory. "How 'bout you?"

He took just a beat too long to answer her. He'd been looking at her funny since she walked in the door. "Nothing much. Couple trips with the fam, but no bears." His eyes wrinkled just a bit as he regarded her.

Erica was a little disappointed. Cory had been a friend since grade school. He'd lived one street over from her back then. They'd drifted apart when his parents moved across town, but reconnected somewhat upon meeting again in high school. They'd never been as close as when they were kids, or really bonded over much beyond their shared passion for programming, but he seemed much more distant now. Was her being a girl that unbridgeable a gulf to him?

Class began then, putting her concerns on the back burner. She was somehow gratified to confirm that she still liked computers, that there were still parts of herself that hadn't changed.

~~~~~

The wave of relief that rocked her as she stepped off the bus was frankly unbelievable. She just stood there as it pulled away, hardly able to breathe. Only when the bus had turned the corner did she find the will to move.

Walking home, the thought came that this was the first time she'd been really alone since the Transformation. Her Mother had been no more than a few rooms away since that night - usually closer - and then at school she'd been immersed in people. She took her time, sauntering, just trying to digest the whole portentous day.

All in all, it hadn't gone badly. Despite the countless worst-case scenarios she'd spun in her head, the only real mistake she could think of had been turning the wrong way to go to the showers; the layout of the girl's locker room was the reverse of the boy's. She was fairly confident nobody would deduce that she was a boy Magically Transformed into a girl from that. As if in affirmation, the overcast had gradually dissolved over the course of the day and she now walked in bright, cheery sunlight.

In a reflective mood, she pondered the Transformation itself. It really had turned out to be an adventure. And if it had been nerve-wracking at times, it had also come with upsides. The orgasms by themselves were nearly worth the price of admission. She looked forward to tonight in bed, when she'd be able to properly meditate on what she'd observed in that shower.

There were other good points, too. Fashion and makeup and jewelry were fiendishly complex. Sleeves alone had endless variants; ruffle caps, pleated caps, smooth caps... short, half-length, three-quarter length, full length... and at least a dozen different types of neckline... Still, when you found a good look, it was even more satisfying in some ways than solving a tricky math problem, and it usually had more practical effect in day-to-day life. The new closeness she'd felt to her Mother and sister of late was something to be cherished, as well; she hoped it wouldn't go away entirely when Eric walked the Earth once more.

Of course there were plenty of annoying social restrictions on dress and behavior that came with being a girl... but there were certain kinds of freedom, too. Guys weren't allowed be too outwardly emotional, except about being aggressive. Anything else was taboo; at best, you'd be called mushy. At worst, you'd get your ass kicked. She wondered if her feelings were closer to the surface these days because of female hormones... or if it were just that she felt allowed to express a wider range of them. And were they more intense because of that? Had Eric simply felt less, or was it impossible to regulate and hide emotion without deadening it to a degree?

Miranda peeked out from the curtains, watching Erica's dawdling approach. Sending her new daughter off to school that morning had probably been more nerve-wracking than when she'd sent toddler Eric off to preschool. She felt so proud as she snooped into Erica's emotions a bit, and saw that the girl was holding up well.

At last she made it through the front door. Miranda couldn't help pouncing. "So, how'd it go, honey? Everything okay?"

Erica sighed. Not sad; more amused. Miranda cheered inside. "It went okay, Mom. I don't think I did anything too stupid, and it was mostly the same. Just like you said."

"Oh, sweetie, that's great!" She swept up her daughter in a big hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

Haylie was already home from school and came to the door. "So how was it, big sis?" she teased. But it was gentle teasing. "Got a boyfriend yet?"

Erica raised her arm as if to backhand her little sister, but she was smiling. "Why, I oughta..." Though her Brooklyn accent was muddled, they'd watched enough Three Stooges as a family that the reference was conveyed.

Erica was warmly but extensively debriefed as they made dinner. She left out the part about Ashley, of course... but it really did help to talk things over with her family.

While they were setting the table, she got to computer class, and Cory's behavior. "He was so... distant. Like he didn't want anything to do with me."

"Boys hate it when you're better'n them. Or even as good as them," Haylie pronounced with authority.

Erica squinted dubiously. "I dunno. He wasn't like that before, with Mindy or Sunny. The other geek girls." At Miranda's raised eyebrow, she paused to consider. "Well, not that I ever noticed..."

Miranda just shrugged. "Would Eric have noticed?"

She was quiet for a few moments, arranging napkins. "Maybe not," she admitted. Eric had been blind to so much...

Over dinner, Haylie reported on her first day back. Erica listened to tales of grade-school alliances and intrigue sprinkled with fashion critiques, trying to put aside her own issues for a while.

Miranda seemed content to let her be with her thoughts. Not that her Mother ignored her completely. "Uh oh, our little piggie here is trying to sneak a third helping!"

Erica ignored the teasing, and focused on savoring the meal. According to Mom, most Sisters tended to put on weight in the first months of a Transition, used to feeding a teenage male appetite. Women's bodies were much more aggressive about storing away fat. Oh, well, she'd run a few more laps tomorrow in penance.

~~~~~

Cheerleading proved to be much more challenging than Erica had ever imagined. It wasn't just 'jumping around waving pom-poms'. It involved rigid timing and precise choreography, balance, and endurance - all while looking and sounding excited and enthusiastic.

At that, the standards weren't even as high as they might have been. Eavesdropping, she learned that many schools took cheerleading far more seriously, with tryouts in the spring and training camps in the summer. She would have had no chance at all in such a program.

She still wasn't sure if she wanted to be on the team... but Erica had decided it would be her choice. She'd be damned if she wasn't on the squad because she couldn't hack it.

Two different guys had already asked her out, and it'd only been a week. Flustered, she'd turned them away as gently as she could. She knew how hard it had been for Eric to approach girls, and how it felt to be rejected. It made her wonder how many girls realized the power they had in that respect. Of course, that power depended a lot on the willingness of boys to accept 'No'...

Academically, there were no real revelations. She was a good student and she could discern no changes in her native capacities on an intellectual level. The social milieu of school took up more of her attention than before, of course, but not to the point of interfering with her studies. In some ways it was even easier to be a 'brainy' girl than a boy - especially if you wanted to scare away the less ambitious boys.

In science class, she got paired with Linda Fletcher, mostly by default - they each lacked friends in class. Linda was shy, somewhat overweight and acne-ridden, and frankly didn't dress as well as Erica already did. Eric had overlooked her as much as everyone else. But Erica quickly learned she wasn't at all stupid, and she had a quirky sense of humor once you got to know her a little. They didn't have any other classes in common, but they ended up sitting together at lunch most days.

It was nice to have a friend, or at least a potential one.

~~~~~

Even just watching TV brought near-constant reminders of her new situation. It was amazing how many commercials were gender-specific. Eric had completely tuned out the pitches for cosmetics and maxi-pads, and never noticed how virtually every single household cleaning and laundry ad showed actresses using the products, not actors. Same with groceries. In commercial-land, girls never did lawn care or ran a barbecue or did auto maintenance - or anything technical, really.

The magazines at the grocery store looked different through the lens of her new gender. She'd never noticed that both men's and women's magazines usually had pretty women on the cover. And women's magazines were about guys far more than men's were about women. Or rather, women's periodicals wrote about relationships with men, their psychology. Guys magazines primarily discussed women in terms of their bodies.

She increasingly wondered if maybe guys really did tend to be that shallow. Eric hadn't been a dick, but he'd never really understood women... until he'd been forced to as Erica.

~~~~~

The post-dinner routine was in full swing. Erica was putting away the last of the dishes while Haylie sorted the silverware. Miranda wiped off the kitchen table. She spoke to Erica. "After you've got your homework done, I think we should have another look at your wardrobe. See if we can plan what else we'll need to buy."

A clang as spoons and knives clattered to the floor. Haylie was suddenly angry. "We were gonna work on my report!"

Miranda was taken aback. "We will, honey, I just need to spend some time with Erica first..."

"Everything is all about Erica now! She gets new clothes and makeup and shoes and everything. You're always showing her how to do her hair or how to dance or how to do Magic!"

"Haylie, please. It's okay. You know I love you!" Miranda was talking in soothing tones. "Erica needs a lot of support right now. She has to learn so many things you already know..."

Haylie just balled her hands into fists. "She gets everything, just like that! You use Magic and she's got that body and that face." She waved in Erica's direction. "Amy says her brother says all the boys at his school are talking about her. One month as a girl and she's a cheerleader!"

'All the boys' are after me? Erica tried to parse that. "I'm not on the squad yet," she started to say, sheepishly. But Haylie kept going.

"I don't get Magic like that. One night and she's beautiful! But I won't get Transformed! I'll never be as pretty as her!" she yelled, now crying.

Erica felt a stab of guilt. It had never occurred to her that she had things that other girls - that Haylie - really wanted, dreamed of. A lot of things had been just handed to her... and she suddenly wondered if she appreciated that as much as she should.

"No, you will be pretty like Haylie," Miranda said forcefully, reaching forward and seizing the girl in a hug. "You're already a beautiful girl, you're going to become a beautiful, Magical young woman. Sooner than you think, and sooner than I'm ready for."

Haylie was still sniffling, but she accepted Miranda's embrace. Erica stepped forward and hugged her, too.

"Haylie, don't worry, you're gonna be a knockout," she said. "It's... huh. I'm trying to figure out how to say this." She thought carefully as Haylie looked up curiously, starting to forget to cry. "Even when I was Eric I always knew you were gonna be a really pretty woman." At Haylie's sudden squint, she said quickly, "No, not in a creepy way! Eww!"

All the Jardin women had a good laugh, which cleared the air a little. "It actually made me, like, nervous when I thought about it. It's like, I was your big brother, and I thought it was my job to protect you. I mean, I knew what boys were like. I knew they'd be all over you."

Only a giggle this time, but it still was amusing. Haylie asked, "What do you think now?"

Erica stooped down and looked her sister in the eye and smiled, eyes watering a little. "Now, I'm worried you're going to be prettier than me." That got yet another giggle. "I'm still gonna have to protect you, though. Big sis is gonna have to beat the boys off with a stick."

Haylie finally returned the hugs in full measure. Erica reassured her some more. "Sorry I've been, like, monopolizing Mom so much. Honest, it's 'cause I'm scared," Erica said earnestly. "This being a girl stuff is hard." Haylie laughed again, involuntarily.

Hugs and a few tears all around, then Erica and Haylie cleaned up the silverware and went into the family room to do their homework. Miranda was relieved; she felt like she'd burst from love and pride for both her daughters. Erica was becoming such a lovely, and loving, young woman. An example for Haylie to follow.

~~~~~

Erica chugged almost half a bottle of water in one go. She'd found out yesterday, Friday, that she'd made it through the first round of cuts for cheerleading. The squad and remaining hopefuls had met this morning at a local park for an intense, weeding-out practice session. She was tired and sweaty and thirsty.

And a group of boys had parked themselves at a nearby picnic table, watching the proceedings with open - and hardly artistic - interest. The leers and occasional catcalls had been an irritant.

"Good job, everybody! See you on Monday! Make sure you know this routine!" Unlike the stereotypes, the coach of the squad was actually rather nice and encouraging.

The same could not be said of one clique of senior cheerleaders. Carrie, alpha female of the group, waited until the coach was out of earshot talking to the captain, then began complaining... in a voice pitched to carry. "Holy shit, can you believe these newbies?" Contempt saturated her words.

"Tru dat," Brianna, one of her entourage, agreed. Her eyes swept the nearest candidates, who studiously ignored them.

"Next week we can finally dump the suckiest ones." That was Nicole.

"And the wannabes," Carrie said, looking directly at Erica. "Nerds who think they matter all of a sudden."

Erica was irritated and tried hard not to let it show. This was a side of Carrie that Eric had never suspected; he'd even had a few fantasies about her. Erica, though, had long since stopped seeing anything attractive about the poisonous diva.

She gave up the struggle to hold her patience. "Lots of people think they matter when they don't, I guess," she said, looking directly into Carrie's eyes.

The girl's intensified scowl was gratifying, along with the couple of muffled snorts and giggles from bystanders. Carrie was silent for a moment, obviously searching for a comeback. Finally, she bit out, "Some of 'em need to be taught. 'I guess.'"

Erica was careful not to look Carrie's way as she and her friends left. The quip had probably been a mistake. Carrie would never have been a friend, but she'd just guaranteed the girl would now be a foe.

While she mulled over that, Erica noticed one of the current cheerleaders gazing at her thoughtfully. Trahn was a petite girl of Vietnamese descent; cute, and easy to support on one's shoulders.

Suddenly, she smiled Erica's way. "We were gonna go get some lunch. Wanna come?"

Erica pondered very briefly. Entirely aside from the fact that she could use some allies on the squad - especially if she were going to have Carrie for an enemy - she was feeling lonely. More friends were always a good thing. "Sure. Lemme pack up."

As she walked with Trahn, Shianti, and Melanie to the parking lot, she realized another good thing about their offer. It meant she was doing an adequate job concealing her wandering eyes. Apparently they didn't realize she was a 'giant lesbo'. Although that term might not be strictly accurate in her case...

At the restaurant, she followed the other three girls' lead and ordered a salad. It was really surprising just how much of their conversation was devoted to boys. Erica didn't have a great deal to contribute on that score. Or rather, she could have told them a lot about how a teenage boy thought and felt. But how could she explain how she knew?

Interestingly, though, her nascent suspicions were confirmed. Females seemed to have a better handle on males than vice versa. For boys, the motives and desires of girls were generally incomprehensible. Conversely, girls at least seemed to understand what motivated boys, even if they had a hard time grasping why boys cared about certain things so much.

Driving her Mom's car home afterward, she reflected on that. Philosophers said "the unexamined life is not worth living"; she wryly admitted that the Transformation had forced her to examine nearly everything about her life. Rubbed her nose in it, as a matter of fact.

Indeed, she felt she, as Erica, understood Eric now in ways he'd never known himself. She was faintly embarrassed about how little he'd grasped of the distaff persuasion. More, he hadn't even imagined how little he'd understood.

And the things Eric had cared about? Well, she still cared about girls, and sports, and games, and she even missed the models a little. But - except for girls - she had a hard time working up the same obsessive enthusiasm Eric had felt for those things.

~~~~~

"Figures I have two tests the day I start my period again," Erica groused, trying to eat some plain toast as she wincingly held her abdomen.

Miranda chuckled ruefully. "Get used to it, my dear. Most of the time, life doesn't wait for your cycle." She stood and came around the table. "But I think I can help you a little, this once. Stand up, honey."

Erica did so, cautiously. "What, Mom?"

"Shush. Just hold still, dear." She placed her hands on her daughter's stomach, rubbing gently, and closed her eyes. Erica gasped as the pain faded rapidly, dropping to a minor twinge far easier to deal with.

"Oh wow..." Erica realized she shouldn't have been so... flabbergasted. The Transformation had been far more dramatic and profound, after all. But that had been disconnected from her Mother in some ways; she hadn't seen her do anything. At the time, it had felt more like some impersonal, external event.

This, though, was something else. Having her Mom just... 'lay on hands' and suck the pain away... It drove home the idea of her Mother as someone powerful, in command of supernatural forces.

But then she noticed Miranda pressing her own stomach. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Healing Magic has its price, dear. Pain has to be absorbed to be processed."

"You mean, you're going to feel like... crap all day now?" She'd almost said 'shit' but Miranda was trying hard to de-coarsen Erica's vocabulary.

"Well, most of the day. But I have more experience than you, don't I?" Miranda said brightly. "And there are some concoctions I can whip up." Her Mother had told her that most witches had a talent, a special affinity for one branch or another of the Magical arts. Miranda was an herbalist, and a skilled one. The garden behind their house had purposes Eric had never imagined.

"Mind you do well on those tests now, dear."

"Thanks, Mom," Erica said, touched and feeling a little guilty. "I will."

~~~~~

In the end, Erica made the cheerleading squad, and decided to stay on, to her Mother's undisguised delight. Pleasing her Mother wasn't the reason she'd stuck with it, though. Nor was it the respect and admiration she saw in her sister's eyes when she'd announced the news over dinner; Haylie hadn't cared like that about baseball.

No, far more motivating had been the dislike she'd developed for Carrie and her crew. The snide jibes and not-so-muffled laughter had perversely urged her on. Erica steadfastly refused to give anyone an excuse to cut her, and then signed on partly to spite them. Besides, she definitely had some budding friendships with Trahn and the others.

And she had to concede, it forced her to get much more skilled at operating and balancing this new body. Heels were no problem anymore. She was nowhere close to the most talented, naturally - a standing back tuck wasn't going to be in her repertoire for a while. Though she could pull off a cartwheel or two now, and even got lifted into a Liberty on occasion, she was mostly a "base" supporting and catching other girls. She could live with that. She still was getting comfortable doing something so stereotypically 'girly' in public, anyway.

Finally, if nothing else, there was that view in the changing room... and the showers...

Did girls do everything for complicated reasons?

~~~~~

Erica tended to be one of the last girls done getting showered and dressed after gym. She just wasn't as practiced as the other girls at managing long hair. And with only two months under her straps, so to speak, she wasn't a speed demon at putting on a bra. Part of it, too, was that she had to fight the distraction of unclothed girls all around. She usually wound up rushing by the end to make it to Spanish class.

So she was surprised to find the girl who had the next locker over was still there, still getting dressed. She was usually pretty fast. Then Erica noticed what was wrong.

Kristina was crying.

She was trying not to show it, but a few tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and she was sniffling. She turned sharply away from Erica and pretended to arrange her things on the bench.

Erica nervously got her stuff out of the locker, pretending not to notice. Then she saw the girl's shoulders tremble. Hesitantly, she said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" was the barked reply. Erica flinched and turned away.

Moments later, though, an actual sob leaked out. Kristina took a deep breath and turned to face Erica. "Oh, fuck, I might as well tell you. Whole school's gonna know anyway. I'm late."

Erica frowned. "We can still make it to class."

Kristina's face wrinkled into a feral snarl. "It's not funny, you fucking bitch!"

Finally she understood. "Oh fuck, oh shit, I'm sorry, I swear, I'm just stupid, honest! I didn't realize, I was just being a total fuckhead!" She'd only had two periods in her life, after all. But she couldn't say that.

Kristina peered suspiciously at Erica, but apparently decided to believe her. "Whatever. Like getting to class matters anymore."

"Well, maybe you really are just late..."

"I've never been a week late. I'm gonna get a test tonight, but I already know. Fucking Jimmy said he'd pull out."

"Oh," Erica said. "I don't think that's supposed to work so well anyway," she added without thinking.

"Apparently fucking not!" Kristina said.

Erica shut her mouth for a minute. Then, curiosity forced her to ask. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm not getting an abortion. It's wrong."

Erica didn't contest that. She was becoming increasingly educated in the life-worshipping religion of the Goddess. "Do you think you'll keep it?"

"I don't know. I keep thinking about what my mom and dad are gonna look like when I tell them."

A sobering thought indeed. "Wow."

"And I gotta tell Jimmy."

Erica thought for a moment about how Eric would have reacted if Ashley had told him she'd gotten pregnant. Not much beyond blind panic came to mind. Mostly feeling resentful and trapped.

Suddenly, irrationally, she was irritated and ashamed of Eric for that imaginary resentment. It was hardly the girl's fault alone when pregnancy happened... but the girl got almost all the consequences.

Hopefully Jimmy would be made of sterner stuff.

~~~~~

"Mom, I have to ask you something."

"What, sweetie?"

"Did the... the Transformation do something to my brain?"

Miranda pursed her lips. "I don't quite follow. What do you mean?"

"It's just, I..." Her eyes furrowed. "It's so hard to focus now."

"Not that I've noticed. You still spend too much time working on that computer of yours."

That got a very unladylike snort in reply. "So you say." Then Erica frowned. "No, I mean... when I'm working, I can't just shut everything out. I used to be able to hold a... a whole map of a program in my head, lose myself in the problem." The frown and the way she tapped her heel in frustration were ladylike; so much so that Miranda had to hide her grin.

"Now, it's like... I kept getting..." she groped for words. "...jolted out of my flow last night. Once, I just knew Haylie was gonna come in and ask me something. And, like, a minute later she did!" She shrugged and spread her arms. Goddess, Miranda thought, she makes such a beautiful young woman. "How could I know that? I had my headphones on! These days, if I didn't, I'd hear every sound in the house. I can't ignore that stuff anymore!"

"Calm down, punkin," Miranda said, interrupting the incipient rant. "It's all right. Everything's fine."

"What do you mean? This is normal?"

"For Sisters, yes. Birth-girls find it more natural, I suspect." She cocked her head to the side. "And most Sisters aren't quite so upset about it."

"What, so girls really are ditzier than boys?"

Erica finally noticed Miranda's scowl and shut up. Her Mother spoke with deliberation. "Ditzy, no. Scatterbrained, no. But a... wider scope of awareness, yes." Erica scowled now, too, but in puzzlement.

Miranda spoke on. "Men tend to focus on things, they get obsessed. I think I read somewhere that autism is an exaggeration of male traits or something." Erica cocked her head now, thinking about what her Mother was saying. "Women aren't like that. They can't be. Women are physically weaker than men, and less physically aggressive." She held up her hand, forestalling an objection. "Yes, yes, that's only on average, that's not every woman. But as generalizations go, you've got to admit it's pretty solid."

Erica nodded, only a little grudgingly. She'd become a lot more sensitive than Eric to anything that smacked of denigrating women.

"So, you'd expect women to be more attuned to their surroundings. To have greater... what's the term? 'Situational awareness'. You recall Mr. Kryspecki?" Seeing Erica's slow nod, she continued. "Men can afford to 'shut out the world'. Really, they're under pressure to excel - concentrating on something to the exclusion of everything else can be a strength." She shrugged then. "Women, on the other hand, almost always have more than one role to play."

Erica thanked her Mother and went off to digest that. There was more that Miranda could have said; that "women's intuition" was far from a myth where Sisters were concerned, that the 'awareness' they possessed had a strong psychic component. But often it took experience to tell the difference between intuition and mere wishful thinking. Her daughter's understanding would grow with time; when she was ready to recognize those feelings, she wouldn't need Miranda to tell her.

~~~~~

"Oh crap!" Erica blurted. She made a desperate grab for the syringe but it rolled off the counter and fell to the floor.

She bent over to pick it up. The wolf whistle and chuckles suddenly reminded her that she'd worn her shortest skirt today. Bolting back upright, she turned to glare at the whistler, praying she wouldn't blush.

Before she could say anything, Mrs. Conyers, the science teacher, snapped, "Knock it off, Tyrone." Erica turned back to the lab bench and tried to maintain her composure. She handed the syringe - more attentively this time - to Linda.

"Five milliliters, right?" her friend asked. Erica grunted in confirmation. Linda dribbled out another dose into the beaker before them.

As they waited, Erica seethed in anger and chagrin. "Wish I could pop him one," she muttered sotto voce to Linda.

Linda snorted. "Hey, at least guys notice when you bend over," she muttered back.

"Oh, come on, I think you look great. I'm sure the boys check you out, too." Erica tried to make it convincing. She felt a little guilty; Eric had paid her no mind.

"Could you tell one of them to ask me out, then?" Linda retorted. The plaintiveness was almost masked by the humor. Almost.

"You know..." Erica began hesitantly. "Don't take this the wrong way, I think you look great, but... you could, well, present yourself better..."

Linda looked at her coldly. "What are you getting at, cheerleader?"

Oh Goddess, Erica thought, I stepped in it now. "Please don't be mad! I just mean... I don't think those clothes are right for you, that's all!"

Linda's frown remained for a moment; then she relaxed a little. "I know," she admitted ruefully. "My dad won't let me work, he says I need to study. But he's a cheapskate, he won't give me hardly any money for clothes!"

"Oh, wow," Erica breathed in genuine sympathy. Then she felt a moment of shock when she realized it was genuine. She'd been forced to learn how important appearance was to a girl's standing... but it was astonishing how far she'd internalized it. She suddenly had a weird appreciation for her Mother.

A few seconds of indecision, then she went for it. "What if we went to the mall after school? You know, see what's on sale?"

"I don't have a car..."

"I can borrow my Mom's, I bet." Linda's answering smile boosted Erica's courage.

~~~~~

"Oooh, he's cute!" Linda gushed.

The subject of her positive appraisal ambled across the food court, carrying a heavily-laden tray. Erica glanced and "hmmphed" noncommittally. A fairly typical boy, perhaps taller than average. Handsome enough if you went for that sort of thing, she supposed.

"Oh, come on," Linda protested. "You gotta admit he's hot!"

The girls had been bargain-hunting for a while. Erica was nervous about giving fashion advice, since she was far from an expert, but much of what she'd been saying was channeled from her Mother's tips. And she herself had been paying much closer attention to what girls wore lately...

"He's all right, I guess," Erica said. "I'm not really worrying about boys yet," she added. She'd appended the 'yet' for social cover... but she wondered if it were more true than she wanted to acknowledge. She had a disquieting hunch that appreciating boys might be part of 'adjusting' to being a girl.

"You don't have to get married just 'cause you look!" Linda laughed. One final glance at her lust object, and she returned to the cinnamon bun they were splitting. "How cute is this this top? And only five dollars!"

"It looks totally rockin' on you," Erica said, smiling. It was one of her finds, and she was inordinately proud of it. But Goddess, it had been weird being in the changing room with Linda some of the time...

"How 'bout we check out Hot Topic before we go? Look over the clearance rack?"

"Sounds good," Erica lied. Although she'd hit her shopping-enjoyment limit two stores ago, she didn't want to disappoint Linda. "But then I gotta get the car home, my Mom'll be pissed."

That was another lie. Miranda had been overjoyed to hear Erica was going out to do 'girl stuff' with a friend; she wouldn't protest if the two were to get home at midnight.

Sadly but unsurprisingly, Linda did not actually limit her attention to the discount clothes. The Transformee tried not to fidget. It didn't seem to bother girls to just look around without any particular object in mind, without even intending to buy anything. Since Erica was trying to mimic them - no, become one of them, she reminded herself - she needed to cultivate a similar attitude.

Being less focused, however, she noticed Carrie first. The leader of the clique she detested. She turned away.

But Carrie had seen them, too. "Looking for more granny-panties to flash?" she asked with doe-eyed insouciance. On cue, her 'attendant' Nicole tittered. "I would've figured you were a thong girl..."

"I didn't think you even wore panties," Erica snapped.

"Sure I do," she replied casually, "but I don't need to flash mine to get the boys to look."

"Even that wouldn't help you," Nicole sneered at Linda.

Erica froze, seething. She didn't care about attracting boys, but Linda did. There was no need to drag her into this! How did bullies always know where the weak points were?

Nicole's expression suddenly contained a little concern; Carrie squinted, too. Erica realized her hands were balled into fists. Her fingernails were digging into her palms. She was almost paralyzed with self-conflict and confusion. Of course she wanted to protect and defend her friend. Sure, Eric would've hit a boy... but Carrie and Nicole were girls. Eric would never have hit a girl. And yet some part of her didn't feel it would be quite so wrong. Why?

Because, she realized, deep down she really did think of herself as a girl. Or, at least, not a boy. On some level she saw herself on equal terms with them; no longer on the other side of an absolute barrier.

It was a revelation, in some ways disturbing. However, it also meant that getting into physical brawls wasn't something she should do. In this kind of battle, it would be an admission she'd lost.

She forced herself to think. "The boys you get, do they care five minutes after?"

That got a reaction. Nicole looked outraged. Carrie stepped in. "Good luck getting even five minutes. Come on, Nicole, we don't want their clearance-rack smell on us."

Nicole looked for a moment like she wanted to continue, but after a sharp glance from Carrie she submitted to the girl's authority and they strode away.

Erica and Linda shopped for a only a few minutes more, and didn't buy anything. Neither of their hearts were in it anymore.

~~~~~

Linda was very quiet, just gazing out the window as Erica drove her home. She didn't respond much to Erica's attempts to start a conversation.

She pulled up in front of the Fletcher home and parked. Linda stirred, got ready to get out, but Erica grabbed her arm. "Wait."

"What?" Linda asked, slightly more annoyed than apathetic.

"Don't let those, those douchebags get to you. You're better than them."

"No, I'm not," Linda said. "They're right, no boy's ever gonna want me."

"That's crap. What the fuck do they know?"

"Boys. They know boys."

Randomly, Erica pondered what people would have thought was happening in the car if Eric had been driving Linda home, if Linda had been lingering in the car with a boy.

Not the time. "Screw those bitches. Who cares what they think?"

Now Linda seemed angry, not depressed. "Easy for you to say. You're gorgeous, the boys all drool over you cheerleader types." Linda sniffled. "I'll never be pretty like you."

Erica thought frantically. How would her Mom handle this? What would she say? "No, you won't." She paused just long enough for the shock to show on Linda's face, to make sure the next words would have an impact. "You're gonna be pretty like you."

Linda looked angry. "Don't feed me that..."

Erica overrode her. "You want to change something? Then change it. You don't have to be a cheerleader to be hot." She grabbed Linda's hands. "I promise, I'll help you. You think I'm some perfect girl, you have no idea. Believe me, everything you see, I had to learn." And a lot more recently than you could ever imagine, she thought to herself.

Linda remained obstinate. "I'm fat, and I've got acne everywhere, my hair is stringy..."

Erica interrupted the litany. "You can change that, if you decide to. I know more than you think about making big changes." She ticked off on her fingers. "We just started on clothes already. I'll help you exercise, we can diet together. You're not that big anyway. My Mom knows a lot of, of herbal medicines, I'll bet we can fix that acne. Your hair's fine - a little conditioner, maybe the right style, that's all." She smiled a challenge. "What else you got? You can fix it, if you try."

Linda looked at her with wide eyes, slowly filling with hope. Erica's heart warmed to see it.

~~~~~

Three days later, Erica heard two girls gossiping in the bathroom to the effect that Kristina was "knocked up". Her heart sank.

An hour after that, in the lunch line, she saw the evidence. Kristina sat alone. Her friends were elsewhere. A glance toward the windows - Jimmy wasn't alone. He had his boys with him, and some girls too.

Erica felt irritation building. She worked to calm down. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked. Once she and Linda got their food she marched right over to Kristina's table, a puzzled Linda in tow.

Kristina gave her a resigned, sardonic once-over. "You've been talking, I see."

"I didn't say a thing. To anybody." Erica looked her right in the eye.

Kristina tilted her head to the side, appraising. "No, I guess you didn't." She seemed to deflate, as if the defiance had been keeping her going. "Didn't need you anyway." She glared in Jimmy's direction.

"Um, what's going on?" Linda asked quietly.

One look at Erica said so much. You really haven't been talking. Good. Thank you. But out loud, Kristina said, "Couple days ago I got to tell my parents I'm pregnant."

Linda gasped. "Oh, jeez..."

"Yeah, it was as fun as that. They weren't really mad, they were just so disappointed..." Her voice hitched a little, and she stopped to take a breath. When she continued, it was in a flat, emotionless tone. "They talked to the Penners." Jimmy's parents. "Check this out, they lawyered up. They want a DNA test."

Erica's jaw dropped. What an accusation, without coming out and saying it! She sat down next to the girl. Linda sat down more slowly across from them.

Kristina gave a wan smile. "They're not the only ones. That slut whore Prina always had a thing for Jimmy. Soon as she heard, she started telling everybody I just got knocked up so I could get at his money."

Erica was shaking her head, mouth still open. Kristina's family wasn't rich like the Penners. There'd be people who'd believe it. People who hadn't seen Kristina crying in a locker room, at least. She looked out the window. Prina was sitting right next to Jimmy. She glanced in their direction, such a smug look on her face...

Erica got hold of herself, turned back to Kristina. "Goddess, that sucks. Where are your friends?"

Kristina's eyes rolled. "They found other places to be today."

"That sucks," Erica repeated, genuinely angry now. "Well, guess we'll be sitting here for a while."

Linda had to think for a second, but then she sat up a little straighter. "Looks like it."

Kristina didn't actually say 'thank you', but her downcast smile carried the point.

~~~~~

Erica popped up out of the water. She sputtered for a few seconds. While she was starting to learn how to hold her head when she came up so that the hair fell away from her face, she'd forgotten this time. She brushed the strands off her nose and mouth and could breathe again.

She and Linda had come to visit Kristina at her house, and gone out for a swim in their pool. It was just a simple, above-ground, framed unit, but it felt good.

Swimming as a girl was different. She floated so easily; more fat, less dense muscle. The water flowed strangely over her breasts as she paddled, and her smaller feet didn't seem to generate as much thrust when she pumped her legs. There wasn't the same shock getting waist-deep into the water as a boy - no shrinkage to worry about. But cold water on feminine nipples could also wake you up.

She was the last one out of the pool, and she joined her friends sunning themselves on towels laid over the grass. She slipped her glasses on along the way. Kristina was actually pretty cute in a bikini, and even Linda looked all right in her one-piece. It was a shame she couldn't see them clearly when she was in the water.

Eric had never really hung out with Kristina, before. She'd just been a half-familiar face in the crowd. But they'd gotten acquainted over several lunches and she'd invited them over for a Sunday swim.

She settled onto her stomach and laid her head on crossed arms. Eyes closed, she enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her skin. The music from Kristina's iPod played in the background. She'd noticed that there was a lot of overlap in general music tastes between boys and girls, but there were differences, too. Girls tended to skew towards female artists, and away from crude or misogynistic lyrics. Mostly.

They talked for a little while. Nothing terribly heavy - the latest celebrity breakup, homework, a funny incident at the restaurant involving a tub of grease. The ACTs were coming up soon, and Linda was a little worried.

The topics were a bit different - girls tended to approach everything from a standpoint of relationships - and young women in particular tended to be rather animated. Aside from that, though, it was a lot like Eric slinging the shit with his bros.

And boy or girl, talking was thirsty work. "I'm gonna get a soda. Anybody else?" Both her friends agreed.

She stood and walked to the back door. Female fashions tended to expose more than boys; she'd gotten past the underdressed feeling long ago. Nevertheless, wearing a girls swimsuit was weird. Technically, Eric's trunks had covered up less skin than her one-piece; yet the swimsuit clung so tightly she felt almost naked. She'd shaved extra carefully last night, and even trimmed her bush back more than usual. Of course she'd tackled her pubic hair before - cheerleader skirts flipped up on a regular basis, it wouldn't do to have pubes showing. Still, she didn't shave everything off down there.

Not all of her fellow squadmates were as restrained, though. The memory made her nipples perk up. Fortunately, she could blame that on the cool, wet fabric.

Erica went into the house, and turned toward the kitchen. "Hey, Mrs. Weiss. Could we get some diets?"

"You bet!" Kristina's mom said, pulling open the refrigerator. "You want Diet Coke or Coke Zero?"

"Whatever is fine. I don't think Linda cares."

Mrs. Weiss pulled out three cans and handed them over. "Thank you so much for coming over. I know Kristina appreciates it."

The woman had a bit of a haunted look. She must have noticed that Kristina's old friends hadn't been coming by. Erica smiled as confidently as she could and said, "No problem, Mrs. Weiss. We're glad to be here."

"Come by anytime," Mrs. Weiss replied with perhaps a bit too much feeling for a simple pleasantry.

Erica felt good about that as she walked back outside. She'd learned that most girls needed the company of other girls about as much as they needed oxygen. Although, come to think of it - boys ran in packs, too. Yet for all that, boys seemed to be able to handle solitude better.

She cut her ruminations short as she passed the cans out and laid down on her towel. She couldn't spend all her time philosophizing! She resolved to chill and stop thinking about the heavy stuff for a while.

"I never noticed how many songs had 'baby' in them," Kristina said.

Erica struggled to switch gears back to 'serious'. "I guess you're right," she said, keeping her voice neutral.

"Have you thought any more... what you're gonna do?" Linda asked. "Like, the 'Juno' thing, or what?"

"I dunno. I'm thinking more and more like I might keep it." She said it casually, but Erica could see by the way her eyes searched the other girls' faces that she was intensely concerned how they'd react.

Erica waited, but Linda didn't say anything for a beat. So she stepped in. "That'd be tough..."

"I know that!" Kristina snapped.

Erica held up a hand. "Whoa, hey girlfriend, let me finish." She took a deep breath as Kristina backed down. "As I was saying, that'd be tough, but it's, like, doable. My Mom had me right after college, not high school. But, y'know... I think she did all right."

"Huh," Kristina mumbled.

"College would kinda suck with a baby, too." Linda pointed out.

Kristina bristled. "I wasn't planning to rush a sorority pushing a stroller!"

"I wasn't talking about parties!" Linda snapped back. "I mean classes and homework and feeding a baby at night!"

"Okay, everybody just chill," Erica interjected. "It's a big decision, either way." She looked at Kristina. "Would you want to maybe talk to my Mom? Get some, y'know, advice from someone who's been there?"

She looked so nervous and hopeful and guarded and scared... "Yeah. I think that might help."

They were all quiet for a few moments. Linda finally ventured to bring up an upcoming concert and they began to talk again, with relief. Erica got to give her brain a rest for a while after all.

~~~~~

The novice Sister lay in her bed, far more than vaguely frustrated. In fact, she was close to tears. It was remarkable how much fun she had cheerleading; not only was it genuinely challenging athletically and artistically, it also helped keep her in shape, plus she'd made some friends.

But that was also a trial. She didn't just like many of her squadmates... she was desperately attracted to them. And unlike most boys with a crush, she got to shower with the objects of her desire. She knew precisely what she was missing.

The pressure was becoming unbearable. Soon - very soon - she was going to make a pass at somebody. That couldn't end well... but her fingers just weren't enough anymore. Goddess, she was horny!

A knock came at the door. "Honey? Can I come in?"

"Sure, Mom," Erica called, sitting up.

Miranda walked in and sat on the bed next to Erica. "How are you doing, punkin?"

Erica sensed that the question was a little deeper than just the usual Motherly fussing - she was looking for a more in-depth status than just what the girl was feeling at the moment. Marveling that she could get so much out of a few words, a tone, she put some thought into her reply. "Mostly okay... but it's hard, Mom."

"You're tense," Miranda said knowingly.

"Well... yeah," Erica said, looking away. She didn't want to tell her Mom about the immediate reason for her tension. "I have to watch myself constantly. It's getting easier, but I still have to think about what I say or do a lot of the time."

Miranda nodded. "Lay down here, honey," she said, patting the bed. "I'll rub your back and we can talk."

Erica did as she was bid, and Miranda's hands went to work, kneading tight muscles. "If it helps, I think you're doing splendidly. I've never been more proud of you than these last few weeks." Motherly love drenched the words. "Especially how you handled things with Kristina."

Miranda had been very understanding when Erica had
discussed her new friend's situation. Kristina had been relieved, the
next day, to have someone to talk to who'd 'been there.' "Well, it does help some." Her Mother's hands were soothing.

"Here, let's take this teddy off. I can't get your shoulders properly." Erica complied, then lay back down, placing her face on her crossed forearms, turned away from her Mom. She'd have felt more uneasy about being in front of her Mother wearing just her panties if she hadn't gone through both 'Feminine Cleanliness 101' and 'Feminine Cleanliness 201 - Menstruation' so recently. The hands returned to their labors, stroking and squeezing shoulders and neck.

"I wonder if perhaps you're overthinking things a little," Miranda mused. "Part of the Transition is finding out what feels right to you." Spine and shoulderblades were rubbed now.

"But I'm supposed to adjust to being a girl," Erica objected meekly.

"Not just a girl," Miranda corrected. "Erica Jardin." She could hear the smile in her Mother's voice without looking.

She thought about that for a few moments. "So I don't have to be, y'know, just like all the other girls?"

"What girl is?" Miranda asked pointedly. Erica felt abashed. She kept quiet and focused on the hands running along her ribs.

Miranda continued. "Try out 'girlish' things, certainly. I daresay you've already found yourself enjoying things you never imagined, right?" Erica felt herself blushing a little, and was relieved Miranda couldn't see her face. "The Transition is about exploring and expressing parts of yourself that Eric may have neglected." A slight chuckle. "That he might not have had the courage to explore."

That was an interesting thought. But just then Erica discovered a new problem. She was getting turned on. There was something so sensual about a backrub!

Miranda spoke on, never pausing in her caresses. "All I ask is that you stay open to new things. If you find something is just not you, though... don't feel you need to keep doing it for my sake, or the Transition's sake. The goal is becoming someone you're comfortable with. Discovering who you are, not denying who you were."

That bore thoughtful consideration - which Erica was finding increasingly difficult to summon. However, Miranda wasn't finished. "Don't let what people expect of you drive that. You have a unique and extraordinary perspective on girlhood. Naturally you'll be a unique and extraordinary girl."

More thoughts she'd have to reflect on. Later. Despite the inappropriateness of the situation, the sensation of someone's hands on her body was definitely getting her wet. Goddess, she thought, I didn't realize I was that horny!

Unable to think what to do, she simply lay there and let her Mom continue the massage. The effect was perverse in more than one way. Her tension wasn't relieved so much as transmuted, redistributed. Entirely different kinds of aches had begun.

Suddenly Erica twitched, a sputtering laugh forced from her as her Mom tickled her side. "Sorry, honey, I couldn't resist." Miranda retreated to simple effluage. But Erica's heart rate refused to settle.

Miranda's hands slid lower, her fingers glided over her daughter's shapely, panty-clad rump. Erica almost said something then. But a lingering uncertainty held her back; maybe between women that wasn't inappropriate? They did hug more, but still...

And there was the other problem - her breath was getting hard to control. It was all she could do to breathe deeply and evenly. If she tried to talk it'd come out as a pant...

Ultimately it was that that kept her silent as Miranda took hold of the panties at both sides and drew them down and off.

Miranda was scrutinizing her daughter's emotions meticulously. If she'd sensed honest resistance or - Goddess forbid - any whiff of trauma, she'd have backed off instantly. Would never have proceeded this far to begin with. But Sisters, especially new ones, had outsized libidos...

Her Mom's hands worked one leg now. The sensation of fingers on her inner thigh was mesmerizing. Erica was deeply grateful that she was laying on her belly; her nipples were probably making dents in the mattress.

One leg was gently eased away from the other. Erica knew that her pussy - and the condition it was in - must have been visible then. She was paralyzed by lust and confusion and...

A hand settled on top of her rear. It kept her from twitching too far when the finger slid between her vulva.

A wordless, conflicted, yet passionate cry escaped her lips. Then: "M...Mom?" Erica blurted.

"Relax, honey. Everything's all right." Miranda's voice was serene and confident.

Erica was paralyzed, pierced with desires that contested with inhibitions which unexpectedly seemed inadequate. The probing digits gently stroked her clit, over the hood. Slowly, slowly... Erica let out a long, low, loud moan. It felt so good...

Then she snapped her mouth shut and froze. "Haylie..." she whispered in terror.

"Don't worry, sweetie," her Mother said back in reassurance, at a conversational volume. "No one can hear anything outside this room." A wicked chuckle. "Sisters have perfected that spell."

As it turned out, she was right.

~~~~~

Erica woke sharply. For just a moment, she was unsure if the images in her mind were dream or memory. She was alone in her bed. But the feelings in her own body, the faint odors in the room, the traces of sweat on her skin - the fact that she was naked - told her where the truth lay.

Haltingly, she pulled on a nightgown and slippers. Despite the fact that daylight filtered through the windows, she had a sense of déjà vu as she made her way downstairs, that only increased when she found her Mother seated at the kitchen table.

Erica just stood in the doorway, unsure. Unsure what to say, what to think, how she felt, how to respond.

"Good morning, honey." Miranda said gently. "How did you sleep?"

Erica stared for a few heartbeats, then shrugged slowly.

"Are you all right, dear?" Miranda asked carefully.

"I..." Erica began. She had no idea how to answer that. She shrugged again in confusion.

Her Mother sighed in understanding. After a pause, she spoke. "The Sisterhood's traditions are very old, punkin. Very, very old." She shrugged, hands spread. "And they fit. You need a sexual outlet - all new Sisters do. But you're not quite ready for a relationship with someone who doesn't understand your special situation... and who could understand better than another Sister?"

"But..." Erica couldn't even think of the words.

After a moment, Miranda spoke gently. "Erica, I would never force this on you. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, if you decide you don't want my help in that way, I will understand. It is your choice." She smiled; such maternal comfort shone on her face that Erica suddenly had to fight back tears. "Now and forever."

She looked away and swallowed hard. "I... I'll have to think about it."

"Of course. Don't feel you have to decide right now, or that you have to decide for all time." A smile with equal parts love and humor, now. "It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, after all."

Erica found she could chuckle a little at that. Then, awkwardly, she looked down at the floor. "I have to get some breakfast. I'm supposed to meet Linda and Kristina later."

Miranda stood, came over, and hugged Erica. "Go to it, punkin!" she said. Then, as she walked to the stairs, she called back over her shoulder. "I'm going to go wake Haylie."

~~~~~

Erica sprinted madly, then did a quick reverse. Aaron, eyes on Shianti, didn't see her switch direction in time, and kept moving right. Shianti took advantage and whipped the frisbee to Erica.

She caught it and pivoted gracefully on one foot. A bullet pass to Trahn and the girls scored again.

"Yes!" Erica gloated. She hadn't played Ultimate in a while, and she was using a new body to do it. But Eric had been a killer cutter, and she was doing well enough. She'd certainly surprised the boys.

Aaron gave her a strained smile and ran to the other end of the
field. Erica loped to join the other girls. She'd met with Trahn and
her crew in the park to hang for a while before the car wash. They'd brought a group of boys who were the kind of casual semi-boyfriends so common now, and a girls-vs-boys Ultimate game broke out. The girls had just enhanced their lead.

As they were lining up, Trahn tossed the disc to Erica. It was her turn to pull. She stared intently as the boys lined up, getting ready to launch the disc into play.

"Take it easy on the guys, Erica," Melanie said under her breath.

"Yeah, they get so pissy if we win," Trahn concurred.

Erica peered narrowly at her teammates. "They're not taking it easy on us!" she protested.

"Hey, you ain't going to a movie with them later," Shianti noted.

"C'mon, Erica. You know how guys are." Melanie sounded amused and resigned.

Erica turned back to the boys. They did seem unduly irritated. She tried to picture how Eric would have felt, losing to these girls.

Kyle signaled they were ready. She deliberately threw a brick.

It was a still a close game, but the boys won. Erica thought she could
see relief lurking in everyone's faces. The girls said their goodbyes and went home to change and get ready to go to work.

On the way, she pondered her latest unexpected lesson. How frequently had Eric been coddled? How many times had a girl let him win to protect his fragile male ego?

~~~~~

"Jeez, skanky much?" Shianti said quietly as she glanced toward Nicole. The girl was waving and yelling at the passing traffic in a string bikini, holding the "Car Wash" sign with another cheerleader. As fundraisers went it was almost cliché, but it was proving remunerative.

Erica nodded in unison with Trahn. She wasn't wearing anything too slutty. A tight-ish T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops. Some of the girls were really pushing it, though. And somehow the most-exposed ones seemed to get more time on advertising duty...

Their customers were almost all men. It wasn't even close, the ratio was easily ten to one. A fraction were fellow high-school students, but most were older.

The other girls seemed to find it funny the way the way the guys stared or ogled. Some men were more subtle than others about it, but there was no doubt what was going on. Erica was faintly shocked at how pragmatically, how matter-of-factly, her teammates exploited their looks. But then, how could girls not be aware of the power they had in that regard? It wasn't like boys weren't equally calculating in applying their own advantages. And she was learning that, for women, accomplishing things frequently required convincing men to allow or assist them.

She felt an unsettling, unfamiliar mix of emotions. Annoyed, discomfited... and yet flattered at the attention of the guys as she helped wash their cars. Maybe they didn't eye her as often as, say, Sierra or Nicole, who were barely clothed and seemed to be in some kind of bending-over competition. But she still got inspected. And she brought in customers when it was her turn to wave signs.

Of course, after the first few cars, the team got wet. And Erica hadn't had the experience to anticipate how translucent a white t-shirt could get once it got damp. Her bra was clearly visible for most of the fundraiser.

There were other things she learned that day. For example, a wet bra could be exceedingly uncomfortable. And for the first time in a while, she missed something Eric had been able to do - take his shirt off on a hot day.

She avoided Carrie in her Daisy Duke cutoffs and bikini top. The other girl seemed content to ignore her. She should have felt reassured... but instead she had a strange foreboding.

~~~~~

Linda huffed as Erica ran along next to her. Exercise had been a struggle, but she was getting there. A few pounds had been shed so far.

Linda didn't get along with the cheerleaders very well. Balancing the friendships sometimes took delicate effort. Erica had skipped out on a before-practice gathering to make sure the girl got out and ran.

Very soon, they were back in front of her house. They checked her pulse and did a little cooling-off. "Tomorrow, some weights," Erica said enthusiastically.

Her excitement was clearly not shared. "Oh, God, I can't believe you. I don't want to look like a boy."

Erica rolled her eyes. "I told you, those muscle-women have to work out like crazy to look like that. And I'm pretty sure most of 'em are on steroids or something." She shook her head. "The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn." She out her arm around Linda's shoulders. "That way, you won't have to diet as much."

"I'm never gonna forgive you for this," Linda muttered. But she was joking. Erica hoped, anyway.

~~~~~

Erica came up to the fence and waved to Cory. He was captain of the track team, and the boys were milling around doing stretches and warmups before practice.

He stared at her for a moment, then finished saying something to a couple of guys. He came over to where she stood, one of the guys tagging along.

"Hey, Erica. What's up?" Cory was one of the more popular boys in school. He could be charming and self-assured, and he was far from ugly. Dark hair and eyes, though his skin didn't take a tan well. That was noticeable here in southern California.

But he wasn't turning on the charm now. Or even good humor. He was all business. Not rude, but not inviting either.

She didn't let it discourage her. "I wanted to go over the project, as a group. Think we could maybe all get lunch somewhere? I was thinking Sunday?" The latest assignment in programming had come down and there was a lot to plan out.

He squinted. "Sorry, gonna be busy Sunday. We might have to just Skype it."

"Hey, man, we could meet up later if you got something going on," the other guy said.

Cory waved to indicate him, betraying annoyance for an instant. "You've met Brandon, right?"

"Yeah, once or twice. Hey." Erica had run into this a lot. Since her Mom had blurred everyone's memories, a lot of people knew her without quite remembering how. Eric had seen Brandon plenty; he was Cory's best friend. The two hung out together a lot. Brandon had even tagged along when the programming group met a couple times.

He was long and lean, two inches taller than Cory, with brown hair and a somewhat narrow but not unhandsome face. He hadn't interacted with Eric much - he wasn't into programming like Cory - but seemed like a decent-enough guy. He wasn't staring openly at her tits, which automatically put him above the 90th percentile among high-school boys.

Cory said, just a trifle brusquely, "We gotta get practice started. I'll let you know about Sunday."

"Okay, see you later," she said, and nodded to Brandon.

"See ya," Cory said, and Brandon said "Bye." The boys walked back to the group. Cory started yelling something.

It really seemed like Cory was avoiding her. She shook her head as she walked toward the parking lot. Her Mom had let her drive to school today.

~~~~~

Some of her underwear had a bit of lace on it. Most of it had colors or patterns. None of it could be mistaken for male briefs, let alone boxers. Still and all, despite the decorative touches, her collection was predominately functional.

This newest acquisition wasn't remotely utilitarian. Stockings, an actual garter belt, panties and a corset. All of it pink, all of it very lacy, filigreed and embroidered. Combined with the tall pink heels, it was more than a little uncomfortable. It restricted her movements somewhat - especially if she wanted to keep her breasts from spilling out of the cups - and would make awkward lumps under almost all her clothes.

She didn't care. Staring enraptured into the mirror, utility was the very furthest thing from her mind.

Procuring it had been a challenge. She didn't want anyone to know. Not her friends, nor her family. She'd left work early tonight and raced to the mall. The purchase had happened right at closing time; she'd been praying it would fit. Lingerie wasn't something that could be returned, for obvious reasons.

And then she'd gone home, and had to wait until it was her normal time to go to bed. She'd dawdled going up the stairs, when she'd wanted to run.

She turned and peeked over her shoulder at her backside. Thong panties were very strange. The term 'butt-floss' was entirely appropriate; perhaps one day she might get used to the feeling, but for now she was very aware of the strip up her crack. Although it certainly would eliminate panty lines, she mused.

Stockings were a new experience, too. The sensation of naked upper thighs vividly contrasted with the sheer fabric just below. Eric had always sneered at high heels, but Erica now could directly experiment and see the manner in which they shaped the calves, and the posture, and the walk. She was suddenly able to imagine circumstances where they'd be justified.

She turned again, examining her front in detail. She could see how the cut of the panties, the little flare at the base of the corset, all acted to emphasize the hips. Women's fashion had whole ranges of technique that men never really picked up on.

The corset wasn't a Victorian torture device. It held her torso in a firm embrace instead of a chokehold. It pulled her waist in just a bit, and the cups on top produced a remarkable amount of cleavage amplification. A cloth 'rose' between her boobs drew attention to the right spot.

The makeup she'd done was a shade or two more intense than what she wore to school. Darker eyes, redder lips, heavier blush; just short of trampy. Her favorite earrings dangled at either side of her face, and her hair had been brushed up and teased just a bit.

In some ways, it was like her first trip to the salon. She looked so different. Like an older, sexier sister. She turned just a bit more, reviewing her profile. The heels and the pressure of the fabric gave her an unusual - but very sexy - posture. Legs stretched lean, hips cocked at a rakish angle, tummy pulled in by the arch of her spine and the drawn-back shoulders - which made the pushed-up breasts stand out more - I'd do me, she thought.

She thought briefly of taking some pictures. Keeping such things private was always the problem. It wasn't something Eric had been into, but there were whole websites devoted to 'amateur' photos posted by vengeful ex-boyfriends. If her computer were hacked or stolen... no, better to keep it in her memory.

Well, maybe a couple photos just before she changed back. Would it be weird for Eric to be turned on by sexy photos of Erica?

Was it weird for her to be turned on now?

Weird or not, she definitely was. She adjusted her boobs a little, let her nipples peek over the edge of the cups. It was uncomfortable but so cute. She walked around in a circle, peeking at the mirror - Goddess, how her hips moved in these shoes!

She arranged herself at the end of the bed, in view of the mirror. The contrast between the adult clothes and the innocent stuffed animals was highly alluring. She got up on her hands and knees, taking in the curve of her rump.

Beyond being horny, she wasn't sure how to feel about all this. It was daunting and intriguing all at once, that she could look this way. Her Mother had developed her musical taste in the 80's, and a line from a Kate Bush song flickered through Erica's mind; Now I've powers o'er a woman's body...

That body had powers of its own in turn - the power to be sensual, sexy. Erica could invoke that power now, if she chose. But no geek could be unfamiliar with Spider-Man's saying, "With great power comes great responsibility." And risks.

Right now, though, that power could no longer be denied. She lay on her back, closed her eyes. The presence of the lingerie was no less pressing; she could feel it everywhere. Her hands tickled her nipples; then one glided lower, rubbing along the silken confection that encased her. The panties were so narrow that she easily slid them aside and probed between her vulva. She let out a little whimper...

~~~~~

Erica took deep, centering breaths - in, out. Halftime. This was the first chance for her to perform a full routine in front of a crowd.

They'd run a handful of short cheers in the first two quarters of the game, but nothing very elaborate. The girls had been kneeling on the sidelines for quite a while, and she was just trying to work the kinks out of her legs in the few moments before the music started.

Booming came from the speakers, and it was time. She caught the beat and began to count. This kind of dancing wasn't about feeling the music at all, she'd discovered - she barely heard the notes anymore. Instead it was one, two, kick, turn, three, four, dip, left, right, left, one, two, step, turn, up, left, right...

There was no warning. A row in front of her, Nicole spun, as she was supposed to. But a cloud of something left her hand as she twirled, washing into Erica's face. It took a moment for the effects to appear; Erica had already moved into her own spin. Tears filled her eyes and her nose was burning.

Pepper, she realized in panic.

Vision smeared, gasping, praying the tears wouldn't wash out a contact, she tried to keep going. But they'd reached the point where they had to march, and she rapidly lost her way. Someone bumped into her, and she staggered, nearly falling over.

It only lasted a few seconds, really. It wasn't like actual pepper spray or anything. Frantic blinking cleared her eyes before long; her nose was stuffed but she could breathe through her mouth. It was long enough, however. She was totally out of sync; chuckles sounded from the crowd as she fought to rejoin the formation.

"Go! Go! GO!" she shouted, then held her pose for a moment, one pom-pom in the air, one on her hip. The redness in her face had nothing to do with pepper. Intense mortification was starting to yield to fury. The squad walked off the field in unison; Erica clamped her hands together in the pom-poms to keep them from trembling.

Just as they made it to the sidelines, she saw Nicole glancing at Carrie. She turned her head to Carrie... and beheld the face of her enemy. Carrie was staring back.

The look from Carrie was venomously self-satisfied. Not that Erica had needed any confirmation who was ultimately responsible - Nicole hardly dared walk without Carrie's say-so. But the look said so much. I did it, I want you to know I did it, and there isn't a single thing you can do about it.

It was true, too, she realized. She couldn't prove Nicole had done anything. There'd been a row of cheerleaders in front of her, cameras wouldn't show anything. Even if pepper dust did show up on video, Nicole would never name Carrie. The puppetmistress was totally safe.

The captain came up to her. "Are you okay, Erica? What happened?" She sounded concerned. "Your eyes are so red!"

She hesitated a moment - specifically not glancing Carrie's way - then shrugged. "Guess my allergies were acting up."

"Are you okay to go on? Want to sit out the finale?"

"No!" She said quickly. "I can just take a pill. I'll be ready."

She sat well away from Carrie's clique. Trahn took a seat next her and gave her a quick hug. "It's no big deal. I fell off of Jennifer last year. Shit happens."

Erica glowered. "It wasn't allergies. Nicole threw pepper in my face."

Trahn absorbed that for a moment. "Shit. What are you gonna do?"

"I dunno. Stay away from them for now."

"I gotta go. See you later." Her friend hurried off. Erica realized that Trahn was scared. Carrie's hold on the squad had just been reinforced.

She made it through the finale. Her performance was hampered by needing to keep a vigilant watch on her surroundings, but nothing happened. In a way, that was worse. Not knowing what else Carrie might have planned.

Once the game was over and the captain had dismissed them she went to find her Mother and sister. Miranda almost radiated sympathy. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry it didn't go right this time, but you'll..."

Erica interrupted. "I just want to go h-home, Mom." The tears tried to come but she denied them. Not here, she thought. She almost lost it when Haylie touched her arm comfortingly, but instead she just grabbed her sister's hand and took a breath.

They got in the car, and set off toward home in silence. They made it a few blocks before she started bawling.

~~~~~

"Goddess, Mom, why did they have to be so mean?" Erica sat curled up on the couch, sniffling. "I never did anything to them!"

"You're still thinking like a boy, dear," Miranda chided gently. "You challenged her position. Just by talking back to her, you undermined her influence. She almost had to respond." She shook her head. "I wish you'd told me about her before."

The story had come spilling out on the ride home. Miranda had sent Haylie off to a friend's house for a time - over her protests - and now she comforted her eldest daughter.

"But that was so..." she trailed off. Adjectives failed her.

"This is one of the less savory aspects of womanhood. Especially at this age." Miranda shook her head. "Girls can be very cliquish. And very ruthless."

She moved closer, put her arm around Erica's shoulder. The way her daughter leaned into the embrace warmed her Mother's heart. "Boys trash-talk, but usually it isn't serious. With boys, you know it's serious when they fight." She smiled, then. "I won't say violence is a boy's first resort, but it's rarely further down than number three or four. Right?"

Erica's head bobbed, thoughtfully.

"Women handle these things differently, dear," Miranda said gently. "In a way, really, girls can be far more vicious. With boys, one fight and it's settled. But for girls, violence really is the last resort. Girls wage long, subtle, intricate campaigns." She sighed. "The battles are fought socially. With alliances and betrayals and sabotage and rumors and all those nonviolent, but often even more hurtful, weapons."

Erica recalled the incident at Hot Topic, and shrank in on herself. "What a wonderful world you introduced me to, Mom," she said dolefully. "So much to look forward to."

"Oh, come off it, young lady!" Miranda scolded. "I know things seem terrible right this moment, but what would Eric have told a cheerleader that got tripped up by a rival?"

Erica laughed a little hysterically. "He'd have said, 'Get over it!'"

Miranda smiled gently. "That's right, punkin." She tapped Erica's chin in a 'buck up' gesture. "It's not so bad as all that. So you screwed up one routine. You'll blow them away next time!"

She gave her daughter a Motherly squeeze. "And the future's not that bleak. Boys get in a lot of fights at this age, but most of them grow up. Likewise, girls tend to hit their Machiavellian peak in high school."

"Not a big help today," Erica muttered. But she'd recovered some composure. Her desolate expression had become a ferocious scowl. "I'm gonna get that bitch, I swear!"

Miranda clucked disapprovingly. "Peace and love are the guiding principles of the Sisterhood, dear." And yet her smile had a hint of mischief. "You know what they say. 'Living well is the best revenge.'"

"Screw that! I wanna kill her!" Erica fumed, only half serious.

"Mastering the ways women contest with each other is part of the Transition, you know. You don't have to be like Carrie - Goddess forbid! - but you do have to learn how to cope with the Carries of the world."

Erica shrugged then, in frustration. "But how?"

"I admit, she has more experience than you." Miranda said slowly. "Still, you do have resources other girls don't." She smiled. "No Mother likes seeing her daughter hurt... but most Mothers can't do Magic."

Erica stared at her Mother for a moment, eyebrows raised. Then she clasped her hands in front of her chest, bowed, and intoned, "Teach me, sensei." The kung-fu reference was more typical of a boy... but the grin on her face was all scheming girl, and Miranda was satisfied.

~~~~~

Kristina and Linda were full of sympathy at school the next day. "Be strong, sister. It'll be okay," Linda said with feeling. Erica had commiserated with both of them by text and voice earlier, and they were up to speed on the true source of her clumsiness.

She'd heard remarks all morning, some snickers, a few taunts. She refused to give anyone the satisfaction of reacting to them outwardly. Still, it rankled.

"It wasn't so bad, anyway. It was, like, thirty seconds, right?" Kristina said philosophically.

"You were there?" Erica asked, surprised. Neither Kristina nor Linda had any significant school spirit. Football games held little appeal, and while they didn't discourage Erica's cheerleading, neither did they endorse it.

Kristina hesitated. "Well... there's some videos. You know, cell phone vids. One of them's been going around Facebook."

Erica glared down at her food.

"Nobody's gonna care anyway, in a little while." Linda labored to reassure. "Wish we could do something about that whore Carrie, though."

"Don't worry, the Goddess will provide," Erica said with somewhat more faith than she actually felt. She and her Mother had brainstormed, discarding many concepts - acute yeast infections, Magically ferreting out Carrie's secrets, and so forth. Then, once Miranda had mentioned a particular concoction, an idea had sprung full-blown in her daughter's mind. A batch was brewing on Miranda's stove even now. They would finish preparations tonight. At the end of school tomorrow, she'd strike. Hopefully, Erica would be old news very soon.

~~~~~

She walked steadily down the hall, weaving through the other students. Keeping a sharp eye on her prey, and a firm rein on her anxiety. She'd been studiously avoiding Carrie. That hadn't been easy. Now, at last, it was time to go on the offensive.

She couldn't do any serious enchanting yet herself, but her technical skills had been brought into play. Though re-sealing the plastic top of the soda bottle with a heat gun was finicky work, Eric had assembled some fairly complex models in his time. And Erica's now-smaller fingers helped.

Poor Harry. He was a geek, and even less fortunate than most geeks consigned to high school, for he was hopelessly smitten with Carrie. When she'd needed math tutoring, Harry had offered. The position, however, amounted to doing her homework for her while she sat and texted. Erica marveled for a moment at the things boys would do for even the most remote chance at a girl. It looked kind of ridiculous from this side...

If this worked, though, Harry's luck was about to change for the better.

The moment had arrived. Carrie had set her backpack down as she rummaged in her locker. Erica pretended to trip over it, scattering its contents as she sprawled onto the floor.

Carrie whirled around, startled. "Oh, it's you. How fucking clumsy are you?"

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Erica said hurriedly. "Let me help..." She reached for some of the spilled books and sundries.

"Keep your stupid hands off my stuff!" Carrie shouted.

Erica stood and backed off quickly. "It was just an accident, I wasn't..."

Carrie continued to pack her things back up, and warded her off with a gesture. "Just get the fuck away from me, bitch!" Erica meekly sidled off.

As she rounded the corner, Erica sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess that the switch had gone so well. She clutched the soda bottle that had been in Carrie's bag. The replacement, with its special extra ingredients, would now accompany Carrie to her tutoring session.

She got outside and boarded the bus, fretting all the way home. It might not work. The potion would give Carrie a strong, temporary infatuation for the nearest male, but it wouldn't override her free will. She might choose not to act on the feeling...

~~~~~

Linda: omg gw?

Erica: wat?

Linda: tamika saw carrie mackin on harry yao!!!

Erica: gtfo!

Linda: srsly! harry n carrie!! tongue action!!! ;)

Erica: wtf?!?!

Linda: ikr? gtg cul8r gf

Erica: l8r <3

Erica snapped her phone shut with a loud whoop, startling Haylie as they did their homework at the kitchen table. Miranda called from the next room, "I take it your plan worked?"

Erica was beaming as her Mother walked in. "Yup, that takes care of her. Hooking up with Harry? She's gonna have to negotiate like hell just to keep from losing too much ground. She won't have time for vendettas."

Miranda was smiling, too. "Nicely done, dear. You even did someone a favor."

"Yeah. Who knows, maybe some of Harry'll rub off on her."

"Can I have some of that potion?" Haylie asked slyly. "Tabi Bregger could use a little."

"Haylie, if you ever get in as much trouble as Erica did, I promise to help you, too." She cocked her head. "I'm pretty sure you can handle Tabitha, though."

~~~~~

The gossip started before she even made it to school the next day. She eavesdropped on a pair of students behind her on the bus, as they marveled over Carrie's poor judgement. It was the main topic of conversation as she and Linda dished before classes started. It even had its own name; she'd committed "Harry-Carrie", social suicide.

At lunch she spotted Harry walking out to the picnic tables. Maybe it was her imagination, but she didn't think she'd ever seen him walk with such confidence, with his head held quite that high. Kristina and Linda eagerly confirmed that Erica's foibles had been quite forgotten in the wake of this new distraction.

It all came to a head in the locker room after school, as the cheerleaders got ready for practice. Titters and giggles and sidelong smirks whirled around the room, as before. For a refreshing change, it was Carrie at the center steadfastly ignoring them, not Erica. Finally Brianna said, "What are you doing with that dork?"

Carrie flushed. "He's not a dork! He's sweet, and he's smart, and..."

"Gonna join the math club now?" Brianna cut her off. "How do you say 'Do me!' in Klingon, anyway?"

"He's not like that," Carrie riposted weakly. "He's a nice guy, not a..."

Brianna wouldn't let her finish. "Remember when Louis gave him a swirly before finals? You laughed so hard."

"I didn't know him then..." she said lamely.

"What do you think, Erica?" Brianna probed. Erica finally realized what was going on. Brianna hoped to knock Carrie out of her leadership position in the clique. And she was looking for Erica's help, offering an alliance. The other girls were conspicuously quiet, listening.

She thought swiftly. Was the enemy of her enemy her friend? For just that first instant, she was tempted to really stick it to Carrie, to say something vicious. But she recalled what her Mother had said about peace and love, as clearly as if Miranda were speaking in her ear.

And that brought to mind sayings from Eric's vanished science fiction collection - "Leave your enemy a line of retreat, unless you want a fight to the death." And even more in the spirit of the Sisterhood - "Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Remember this; it may offer a way to make him your friend."

Friendship with Carrie didn't seem possible, or even desirable - but maybe she didn't have to fight to the death.

"Oh, whatever," she said casually. "I always thought Harry was kinda cute, anyway." That last would have an extra effect, she calculated. The shyness she'd displayed at the start of the year, her unapologetic braininess, and especially her regular refusal of propositions from boys had given her a reputation as something of a prude.

There was another moment of surprised silence. Brianna muttered, "Whatever."

Nicole interposed herself. "I hope we can run over the new cheer again. It's a real bitch." After a moment the subject change was accepted and the tension in the room dropped noticeably.

As they went out to the gym, Carrie gave Erica a look. There was respect in her eyes. No gratitude, unfortunately. But as before, the message came across. Okay. Truce, for now.

~~~~~

Erica's digital presence waxed over time. She had more Facebook friends now than Eric ever had, and spent more time IMing and commenting on posts. She had to upgrade her texting plan. It was funny; five hundred messages per month had seemed extravagant back when she was a boy.

Her gaming had taken a nosedive. It was fun as an occasional diversion, but she found herself getting bored after an hour or two of blasting digital enemies or jumping along virtual platforms. She'd start wondering what Linda or Kristina or Trahn or Melanie or Shianti were up to, and leave off to check their status.

The way she used technology had changed in other areas. Asking programming questions on technical forums was substantially less productive with a female name than a male one. It invited - or at least, the guys took it as an invitation for - flirting, sexist insults, and general pontificating to show off how smart they were. She had new accounts - that claimed to be male - for when she just needed a straightforward answer.

Continued in Part 3

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 3

~~~~~

Erica let out an exhausted sigh as she walked out of the restaurant where she worked. Her schedule had been rearranged to make room for cheerleading; late nights on Fridays were the usual now. And she had a morning practice tomorrow.

Hostessing wasn't as physically demanding as bussing or waitressing, but was draining anyway. She had to be friendly and courteous to everyone, no matter how they treated her, and it had forced her to become a lot better at makeup. And one of the waitresses that Eric had been friendly with now treated her very coldly. Eventually she'd gathered that the girl had hoped to be made a hostess but Erica's arrival had blocked that. Well, I am prettier than her, Erica thought, a little ashamed of how bitchy that sounded. But it was true.

She considered that for a moment, the feelings that knowledge evoked. There was satisfaction in it, a little like when Eric had been bigger or tougher or more skilled than another boy. But Eric hadn't been a bully, and she didn't want to be the female equivalent. Like Carrie. She resolved to try being nicer to Gretchen, and see if she could make a friend out of this enemy, at least.

Thus occupied, she failed to notice the guy lounging on the car parked next to her Mom's until she was almost on top of him. She'd made sure to park under a light (boys didn't think about things like that) and he was clearly watching her approach. A young man, college age... but he didn't look like college material. A sleeveless "wife-beater" tee exposed several tattoos and his close-cropped hair didn't hide the piercing in his eyebrow. He'd been one of her last customers of the night, part of a posse of similar guys. Her eyes darted about, but there was no sign of any of his crew nearby.

He hopped off the hood of his car. "Hey, baby! You lookin' fine!"

I should have some mace in my purse, she thought. "Thanks." She moved to the side, heading for her car.

"Why you in a big hurry? It's Friday night, babe, you should be out dancin'!"

"I'm just really tired." She put a hand in her purse, feeling for her keys. "I've gotta get home."

He didn't get in her way, and he stayed at the front of the car as she began to open it, but he was clearly disappointed. "Come on, chica, lemme give ya my digits. Call me when you get changed, I pick you up." He flashed what he clearly intended to be a winning smile. "You look like you need some fun."

"Not tonight, thanks." She got into the car swiftly and closed the door. The locks plunged down as she started the engine, and she relaxed a little. Her disappointed would-be swain went back to his car as she pulled away.

He probably hadn't even realized that he might scare her. Boys didn't usually understand how threatening they could come across. The ones who wouldn't dream of hurting a girl were often among the worst, simply because it didn't occur to them that they could be perceived as dangerous. But even Erica wasn't a mind-reader yet. A girl had to be cautious.

Now that she was on her way home - and could see he wasn't following her - she could settle down a little. It was kinda neat that a guy would let his buddies go on ahead, and wait for her shift to be over, just to ask her out. With the perspective from 'Eric', she knew she was pretty. But it was unexpectedly nice to get some confirmation from guys besides him...

~~~~~

The first few times she'd gone outside in a cheerleader uniform, she'd been intensely self-conscious. It had felt like all eyes were on her. She'd grown accustomed to wearing it by now - comfortable, even. Strolling through a crowded waterpark in a bikini brought the sensation back in full measure. Indeed, amplified.

Trahn and the rest showed no such concern, so she worked to ignore the feeling. Really, she wasn't drawing any more attention than could be expected. Of course, a gaggle of pretty girls in tight swimsuits could expect to attract a fair amount of attention.

For example, from the four boys who were following them in line for the big raft ride. The ones who were eager to strike up a conversation.

They succeeded. The boys were from far enough south that their school didn't even play against the girls'. They claimed not to be surprised the girls were cheerleaders, and avowed that no one at their school was remotely as hot. Erica's friends seemed to eat it up.

They moved as a group from the multiperson rafts to the singles, and raced down. Then to the lazy river, where they all spent time flipping each other's tubes over. She was glad she'd brought the strap to hold her glasses on. It looked kinda dorky, but she didn't want to lose a contact.

Idly, Erica wondered what Aaron and Kyle and the rest of that crew would think of the girls' flirting. Of course, these days 'boyfriends' and 'girlfriends' were the exception rather than the norm. Very often it was hard for anyone to determine if they were in a relationship. Not that there was much chance of anything serious happening; Trahn and the rest weren't sluts or anything. On the other hand, spending some time with cute boys was just the sort of thing Trahn and Melanie and Shianti would enjoy. And the boys could always hope.

Eric would have.

Erica couldn't come off as totally uninterested. She had to play along. As the afternoon progressed, things shook themselves out. The groups sorted into informal couples. Unsurprisingly, the least ardent pursuer wound up with the least ardent pursuee. Erica was left with Silas. A blond, skinny young man.

He bought her an Icee at the concession stand, following the lead of the other guys. She thanked him and sipped her drink, making polite noises as he strove to make conversation.

They didn't have a lot in common. His sport was tennis. He wasn't a big gamer - though neither was she, anymore. They didn't go for the same kind of music. But then they hit on movies. Erica surprised him with her knowledge of obscure horror and sci-fi flicks.

Surprised - and, she suddenly grasped, intrigued. He was smiling more, going for more eye contact. Oh, Goddess, how to handle this? He seemed a decent enough boy, and not ugly. Almost gentlemanly.

She finished her drink in one long gulp. Ignoring the incipient brain-freeze, she declared to the lounging teens, "Hey, we didn't come here to talk, we came here to get wet, right?" An instant later, she realized how those words could be twisted.

It was not lost on the crowd; they all laughed. "Bite me. I meant I want to hit the rides!" Sometimes it was irritating how girls couldn't act too angry.

The group got up and moved toward the towering slides readily enough. They hit the singles this time, organizing a set of boys-vs-girls races. After the long line on the stairs, she and Silas went to separate tubes. She grabbed the bar and waited.

"One, two, three, go!" he shouted; she shoved herself down the tube, racing in mirror-image. She took a bad tumble off the end of the slide, though, bumping her hand painfully.

She popped up to the surface and swam to the edge. Silas was already climbing up from the water. As she pulled herself out, she looked at her throbbing fingers.

"Oh, fuck!" Erica cried. "I broke a nail!" Silas didn't manage to fully suppress a snort of amusement. She glared at him.

Boys laughed at how girls pampered their hands. However, they seldom forked out upwards of $30 on a manicure. How could she not bemoan the waste of time and money involved?

She wasn't really hurt, though, so they waited for Shianti and her counterpart to emerge, shouting and/or squealing, from the tubes.

After a while they'd wound up in the wave pool, which was turned off for the moment. Trahn and Melanie were wrestling with each other, atop the shoulders of a pair of boys. Presently Trahn fell into the water.

Melanie let out a triumphant cry. "Come on, Erica, bet I can take you, too!"

She looked at Silas, who shrugged and smiled. "They're going down," he said.

So Erica found herself astride Silas, approaching Mel and her steed. Some part of her was surprised at how even a not-particularly-muscular boy could carry her; a corner of her subconscious still thought she weighed as much as Eric.

It was unexpectedly unsettling, being in such close physical contact with a boy. Aside from brushing encounters in hallways, she hadn't touched a male since her Transformation. She was distractingly aware that her crotch was pressed up against the back of his neck.

It didn't mean anything that her nipples were hard. She was excited by the wresting, and her bikini was wet, that was all. It wasn't like she was actually turned on or anything.

The battle was joined. She grabbed Mel's arms, and they jerked and yanked at each other, trying to knock their opponent off-balance.

She tried a fake-out, pulling Mel one way, and then, when the girl leaned against the force, pushing hard. Mel overcorrected and fell burbling into the water.

"Whooo!" she yelled, along with Silas. He turned his head up against her belly and grinned.

She smiled back, sharing their triumph. Then, suddenly, she looked away. Guys always read more into a smile than girls meant. And she hadn't meant... anything... by that smile. It had just sort of happened.

He was nice, and might be chill to hang with. There wasn't - would never be - a spark of romance, though. So she reminded herself, firmly, as she dismounted.

Silas' smile was still there, but it had gone a bit crooked. She could see that he knew. Knew he wasn't going to get very far with her. To her mild surprise, he was taking it well enough. He sure wasn't gay - not the way his eyes moved - but she revised her estimates. Truly gentlemanly, nothing 'almost' about it.

They did another round of rides, got some food, and then it was time to head for home. Trahn's suitor followed them all the way to the door of the women's changing area, pressing for a phone number or an email.

Sheltered from the boys, they changed.

"Mike's actually pretty hot. Maybe I should let him friend me. Give Aaron something to worry about." Trahn mused.

"Did you see the way Silas was following Erica around?" Shianti glanced her way. "Yo, you should totally give him your number. He'd be your own little lapdog."

"With his tongue hanging out!" Mel giggled.

"Jeez, guys, quit it!" Erica said, pulling on her top. "Not gonna happen."

"For fuck's sake, Erica, I didn't say you were gonna blow him. But c'mon, he seemed actually nice, y'know?"

"OK, fine, he was kinda nice." At Mel's eye-roll, she added, "And cute. Happy now?"

"That's, like, only the second boy she ever called cute! Better quit, Mel, or she'll, like, have a stroke or something." Shianti was laughing.

Erica turned up her nose and looked away. It would've worked better if she hadn't been blushing a little. She turned her face away to stow her glasses and put in her contacts.

On the way out of the lockers, she suddenly realized she hadn't snuck even one peek at her friends while they'd been changing. Weird, she thought.

The boys had already changed, of course. Simpler clothes, quicker bathroom stops. Erica kind of missed that, a little. They came over and accompanied the girls out to the parking lot.

They said their goodbyes. Trahn actually did end up letting Mike friend her. As the pair bent over the Facebook apps on their phones, Silas approached Erica. "Hey, wanna check out a movie sometime?"

Erica struggled to come up with a way to let him down easy. "I... That, uh, sounds tight, but..."

He didn't leave her floundering. "Oh, well." He smiled, a shade wanly, and shrugged. "Had to try."

Before she could think herself out of the impulse, she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I had fun today, Silas. Thank you." Amazed at herself, she turned and walked quickly to their car and hopped in, mostly to make sure no other impulses happened.

She didn't talk much on the drive back. She was too preoccupied. For some reason, she kept thinking about that unplanned kiss.

~~~~~

She hissed through her teeth as she pulled the pants up her legs.

Eric never had occasion to learn how unwise it was to try to squeeze freshly-shaved legs into tight jeans. It felt like sandpaper on raw skin.

It was kind of funny - boys had tight bodies and wore loose clothes. Girls had soft bodies and wore tight clothes. Everything was cut to be more form-fitting, and nothing more so than jeans. There was a sweet spot; right after shaving, jeans were a torture. Once stubble started coming in, they were torture again. The window was only a few days before she'd have to shave her legs again.

But she knew Trahn and the others would be wearing jeans today, and she didn't want to stand out with a skirt or leggings. Clothing had major social implications for girls. Even Eric had noticed, sort of, how girls tended to dress like their friends. He'd never suspected just how much it was like gang colors.

Another thing Eric had somehow never learned about putting on tight jeans - the 'stretch dance'. She squatted, stood, and squatted again. She grabbed an ankle and pulled her foot up to flex her right knee, then her left. Now the denim was stretched out a little and she'd actually be able to walk down the stairs.

She checked herself out in the mirror, frowned, swapped out her blouse, evaluated, and switched back. A few minutes of makeup work and she raced down to grab her backpack and dash for the bus. Mornings were a lot more stressful as a girl sometimes. Or at least more involved.

~~~~~

One night Miranda took Haylie out to see a movie, just the two of them. When Erica went up to her room, she found a small, gift-wrapped package on the bed. Opening it apprehensively - the last time this had happened, her entire life had been turned inside out - she found a present from her Mother even more surreal than lingerie.

The vibrator was modestly-sized and bright pink. For the longest time she sat there, having no clue what to do with it. Or rather, she had plenty of ideas about what she could do with it - she was just unsure about whether she should.

Her own fingers felt amazing inside herself. Her Mother's, possibly even better. (And wasn't it strange that she took that thought almost in stride.) But this was so... phallic. Vaginas were built to accommodate that sort of shape... and that had implications she wasn't sure she wanted to consider. A flash of Silas' face came to mind; she dismissed it firmly.

She switched it on. It buzzed quietly, tingling in her hand. It felt a little like the electric razor Eric had used. Sort of. She flicked it off and sat there, conflicted, for what felt like a long time. Finally, she gathered her determination. So many other things about girlhood had proven to be more enjoyable, or at least less fearsome, than she'd anticipated. Why stop now?

Erica slipped off her skirt and panties in one motion, then unbuttoned her blouse. Eric would have tossed the clothes on the floor, she reflected, but she laid them over her chair; no sense getting them wrinkled. She unhooked her bra and set it on top of the pile. Then she laid back on the bed, picked up the toy, and with a deep breath, flicked it back on.

Familiarity hadn't bred contempt for her new body by any means, but it had taken the edge off its ability to arouse her. She still liked looking at women's bodies, but by now she wasn't usually excited simply by the thought of being one or the sight of her own form. Holding the 'personal massager', though, reawakened that sensation of the exotic. Eric simply hadn't been equipped to really enjoy this... but she was Erica now.

Curious, she brought her buzzing hand to a nipple. Her breath hissed in between her teeth, her body stiffening; it felt good, but intense. She eased off, but she could feel herself getting wet - this thing had possibilities. As she brushed her fingertips along her vulva, the hand with the toy came to rest on her belly; she almost giggled, it tickled so. After a time, she lifted it to her breast again. By now everything was more prepared and the tickling of her nipple was quite erotic.

She ran a finger between her lips: not quite ready. Patience was a virtue when dealing with female parts. She played gently with her clit and used the vibrator on her other breast. Restraint didn't need to be maintained for long; soon she brought her humming hand to replace the other at her crotch.

Cautious nonetheless, she laid the shaft lengthwise along the vulva; the shivering even there was pleasant, and fostered anticipation. Experimentally, she tried the tip against her clit, knowing what would happen. Sure enough, it made her twitch and yipe and she pulled back immediately, but as a quick tease it was delightful. Her mind flashed a picture of doing that to Miranda, but she tried to dispel the image by focusing on the moment.

One thing left to do. The tip moved down, gently parted her lips, the now-plentiful lubrication letting it slip easily in. In... deeper... she cried out, feeling as though the vibration was shaking her whole body. It was fun on the way out too, but then she could push it in again...

Goddess, it was good! She moved it out and in, faster and faster, with constantly growing enthusiasm, bucking her hips on each stroke. No need for restraint now!

Or so she thought. In that spirit, she got carried away and ended up thrusting a bit too deeply. Erica yelped in pain as the tip of the shaft impacted her cervix. She had to stop briefly to recover her composure and enthusiasm. Still, a little speedbump could hardly dissuade her for long.

As she resumed pumping the vibrator one-handed - with due diligence - she brought the fingers of her other hand to bear on her clit, rubbing furiously. At the time she was quite beyond appreciating her Mother's foresight, but looking back later she was grateful to have had the house to herself. Even with the anti-eavesdropping spell, the walls must have rattled with her screams. Repeatedly; the time just flew by.

Much panting and resting followed. Her ears were ringing... no, wait, that was the phone. She fumbled for a few seconds, coordination shot, before she got it. "Hello?" she breathed.

"Hey, honey, we're on our way home," Miranda said brightly. "How did you hold up without us?" A snigger. "Sounds like you had fun, too."

"Bite me," Erica growled, struggling to regulate her gasps.

"Don't tempt me, young lady!"

Erica didn't bring it out with her Mother the next night. She just didn't think she could deal with that yet, if ever.

Miranda wasn't worried. The Transition moved at its own pace, and she was just planting seeds.

~~~~~

Trahn, already held in the air, leaped higher. Erica and Melanie made a swift basket with their arms and caught Trahn as she descended. They flipped her forward, turned away from each other, arms out an angle, and held the pose. The bleachers erupted with applause.

The cheerleaders collected their pom-poms and marched in a line to one side of the gymnasium. The men's coach took the microphone and, after a quick thank-you to the squad, commenced his speech about the upcoming weekend's game. Erica still thought pep rallies were a little silly, but she had a lot more respect for the effort and planning they took to organize.

Once they'd taken up their position by the wall, she snuck a quick wave to Kristina and Linda, sitting together in the bleachers. They smiled and waved back. When Erica turned away, though, her nearby squadmates were frowning.

"Why do you even hang with those losers anyway?" Melanie asked bluntly, if under her breath.

Erica was shocked. After a moment, she managed, "They're not losers. They're sweet, and smart..."

Shianti snickered. "Getting preggers ain't so smart."

Trahn, as was her wont, took charge. "Mel, Shianti, chill," she hissed. "You know Erica's a brain. She's gotta have a few nerds to hang with." As diplomacy went, it was a little wanting, but Erica decided to accept it. Besides, she'd become acquainted with just how casually vicious girls could be, especially when boys weren't listening.

"You're coming to the Halloween party, right?" Trahn said, making it almost a demand.

"You bet!" Erica said back, feigning confidence she didn't feel.

~~~~~

"What the fuck am I gonna wear?" she asked herself quietly.

Not quietly enough. "Language, dear," Miranda chided, peeking past the door.

"Moooom! Don't sneak up on me!"

Miranda stepped in. "If you want privacy, close your door all the way."

But they both were smiling. Erica's smile faded first. Her Mother noticed, and asked, "Where are you going? Do you want some suggestions?"

Erica shook her head. "Not that kind of outfit. I need a costume for the team Halloween party."

"Ah. I see."

"I can't not go. It'd be a social disaster." She pouted, very naturally. "It's so much more complicated for girls. Or maybe it's just for me."

Miranda suppressed her smile at her daughter's very feminine social consciousness. Instead, she advised. "As a personal favor to me - and your Transition - please, no dressing up as a boy."

Erica flipped her hair dismissively. "I already figured that." She shrugged. "I don't wanna suggest anything, y'know, masculine."

"I... strongly doubt anyone could ever think you were a boy. Not anymore."

"Thanks, I guess. But that's not what I'm worried about." She was frowning now. "I'm more worried about people guessing I'm a lesbian. Dressing like a guy doesn't seem, y'know, super-smart."

"Hmmm." Miranda carefully didn't commit to anything in regards to Erica's sexuality. "In any case... what are you thinking of?"

"I dunno!" she wailed. "A lot of girls dress kinda... you know."

Miranda cocked her head, mock-puzzled. "'Kinda' how?"

"You know. All... uh... 'reputationally problematic'."

"Oh! You mean slutty!" Miranda smiled wickedly. "You could do that very well if you chose," she teased.

"Not gonna happen." Erica didn't elaborate, because she didn't want to elaborate. She'd fantasized about going forth in a few of the ensembles she'd played with in her bedroom, sure. Doing so in reality was a whole different concept. Indeed, the fact that it was tempting became a strong argument against it. Getting too turned on might overly challenge her self-control.

Miranda didn't press. "I suppose you could go in the other direction. Something sweet, like a princess or a fairy or whatnot."

"Mooooom! I'm a senior in high school!" Miranda felt mixed exasperation and admiration at how perfectly Erica had captured teenage girl drama.

"Well, do you have any ideas?"

"I'm thinking maybe, like, hippie chick, zombie, something funny like that. I was looking at video game characters, but, uh... most of them are kinda in the 'slutty' category." She shrugged. "I'd dress up like Chell, or maybe a FemShep, but I don't have time to make a decent portal gun or anything." She frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe Alice... nah, too much sewing."

"I... suppose I'll have to take your word for that," Miranda said, lips quirked.

~~~~~

In the end, she went for safety in numbers. She and Trahn and Melanie and Shianti joined in a theme, all portraying characters from 'Vocal Adrenaline' (the arch-rival choir on 'Glee'). She'd had her doubts, but quite a few people caught the reference.

The parents whose house was hosting the party weren't impressively watchful, and a couple bottles of liquor were smuggled in.

She passed on the alcohol. A little of her resolve was guilt. But she knew that, alone, probably wouldn't have let her resist the peer pressure. No, her reluctance stemmed almost entirely from the fear that, drunk, she'd say or do something that would reveal her sexual proclivities if not her true former nature.

Parties - at least, these sorts of parties - were different now. Eric had been to a handful; that night with Ashley had been one. Guys talked and hung out, but were ever on the alert for an opening, some way to seize the attention of some girl. Erica's main goal was to avoid getting seized upon. She worked hard to never be alone, to always have a girlfriend handy. Safety in numbers again.

Of course, her girlfriends didn't always cooperate. They worked to either hold or attract the attention of particular boys. Trahn always had one eye out for Aaron, Shianti and Isaiah slipped off to a quiet corner before long, and Melanie - being recently detached - had her eyes fixed firmly on Fredrico. Erica was perforce dragged along into his orbit. And thus, his friends'.

She wound up getting moved on by a guy named Javier. He was known as a bit of a player - charming, and handsome. Maybe he viewed her as a challenge. She wished she could let him know he was wasting his time. At least she managed to direct the conversation in non-romantic directions. Before long, they were having a friendly debate about the merits of console and PC gaming.

"Sure, a Playstation or an Xbox is easier," she said. "But a PC can be upgraded. I'm on my second video card, I'm good for two more years, easy."

Javier smiled. Erica could see why he usually managed to have a girlfriend, even with the overdone afro wig he had on. His costume was a basketball player - his shorts actually showed off his legs well. It was kind of a joke, his buddy Leon was black, and they'd traded stereotypes. Leon was wearing a Mariachi player costume.

"But it costs so much. My boy Freddy here dropped almost a grand on his." He gave him a friendly knock on the shoulder. "That's why I always gotta drive his broke ass around."

Fredrico smiled. As well he should, he was clearly having fun with Melanie. "But my games look sweet!"

Javier was unimpressed. "But I can afford gas. I got more money for games, too."

Dammit, how did he get me this worked up? she wondered. "That's not true. Have you seen a Steam sale? And there's all the old games. On PC you can play 'em, but backward compatibility's gone with the new gen."

"Gimme a controller anyway." He mimed typing and waving his hand around. "None of this mouse-and-keyboard crap." It was a dis, but somehow he made it funny instead of irritating.

She grinned. "That's skill, sucker. There's a reason shooters don't do cross-play with PC. Console jockeys would get creamed." She waved her hand dismissively. "Aim assist, ha!"

Melanie spoke up, then. "C'mon, Erica, I want another drink." She took her arm and led her away. "Back soon, boys!"

As soon as they were out of earshot, she said, "Can you maybe tone it down a little? Or go hang with Shianti for a bit? Freddy's listening more to you two than to me."

Erica blinked. "Sure. Looked like you were doing all right."

"Think so? Maybe. But I wanna see if I can get him alone for a bit." She poured Erica some soda, then filled her own cup. "Just do me a solid for a little while?"

Erica smiled and said, "Sure, no prob. I'll circulate a little." It bothered her a little to abandon an argument. Still, Eric would probably rather have died than back down. She didn't care quite so much about dominating an opponent like that. For some reason, though, she wanted to head back to banter more with Javier anyway.

Melanie started back, and Erica went to see who was hanging in the dining room. Just as she turned the cornet, she looked back one last time at Javier. Why was he so interesting?

~~~~~

"How did I get talked into this?" Erica fretted as she finished packing her bag.

Haylie was exasperated as only an eleven-year-old girl could be. "It's just a sleepover!" she barked. "What's the big deal?"

"Now, honey, remember, Erica hasn't done this as a girl before," Miranda said, amused.

"I don't know what girls do at something like this," she muttered. She almost turned to her Mother, who'd been such a font of advice... but then she remembered Miranda hadn't been a girl until college. She looked at Haylie. "What do you do?"

Haylie squinted up at her big sister for a second. Then she seemed to soften a little, taking pity on the obviously-worried teenager. "Well, we talk, and watch movies, and play games. Sometimes we dress up or do our hair or something." She thought for a second. "Mrs. Lehnert let us try some of her makeup."

"What do you talk about?" Erica asked, curiosity sharpened by the circumstances.

"Mostly boys," Haylie said in a 'no-duh' tone. "Or we talk about the other girls, or tell secrets."

Erica wasn't exactly reassured by all this, but she gave her little sister a hug. "Thanks for being honest, sis," she said. She hefted her bag and they went downstairs to the car.

They talked on the way over, but not about anything important. Sometimes women talked simply to demonstrate that the lines of communication were open; it was different from guys, who usually had a point they wanted to make. It had taken a little getting used to, but she drew comfort from it now.

At least one kind of tension didn't plague her - much, anyway. She and Miranda had made quite a bit of love the night before, once Haylie went to bed. Erica had tried to wear out her sex drive as much as she could.

Once they turned onto Linda's street, though, Erica fell silent. "Just relax and be yourself, punkin," Miranda said reassuringly. "Just have fun. They're your friends, not a test!"

At that, Erica smiled a little. "I guess I am being kinda the drama queen," she admitted.

"Ya think?!" Haylie teased.

Miranda dropped her off in front of Linda's house. She and Haylie drove to catch a movie; they were going to have a Mother-Daughter night.

Linda pulled the door open before Erica made it up onto the porch, calling out "Hey girlfriend!"

She got introduced to Mr. Fletcher, then Linda hustled her upstairs to her room, past a messy bedroom with her fifteen-year-old brother typing away at his computer. He shot a glance at the girls as they passed by.

Kristina lounged on Linda's bed, reading a magazine. "So, what do you wanna do?" Erica asked, trying to hide her nervousness as she set her pack on the floor. "I kinda haven't slept over anywhere since I was, like, Haylie's age," she added in a sudden burst of inspiration.

"I dunno, what do you want to do?" Linda asked, unconcerned.

Erica was only stumped for a moment. She got her laptop hooked up to their router and showed them a couple of funny videos. Laughter helped relax her a little. It was nice that girls didn't have to fear being silly.

She looked up, suddenly having a feeling of being watched. The door had been pushed open a little bit, and about a quarter of a face peeked through. Linda followed her glance, and shrieked ferociously, "Mike! Get out of here, you asshole!" The boy disappeared.

"Sorry about my brother," Linda apologized. "He's such a creep. I found a sock next to his bed once," she confided. "It was crusty."

"Eeeeeeeew!" Erica cried in sync with Kristina, truly repulsed. She didn't miss having to deal with that mess every time she beat off. At least Eric had been more fastidious about it, even when he'd been Mike's age.

She did wind up having fun, and she didn't have to work at it. The girls split a pizza for dinner, and then had a little ice cream and watched a teen vampire movie. It wouldn't have been Erica's choice, but Linda went for them and Erica liked seeing her happy. Besides, it wasn't all that bad. The male lead was a much better actor than she'd expected. At least, later on, that's what she told herself was the reason for her close attention to his screen time.

Kristina's presence helped bring out the subtext. Vampires were symbolic to girls, Erica finally realized. Attractive; but let them do what they wanted to you and there was no turning back - you'd be forever changed. And they wouldn't be, not anything like the same way. The stakes were so much higher for girls, no wonder they valued commitment so much more than guys.

It felt like a major insight, one Eric could never have had. She spent the rest of the movie puzzling over how much more had changed than just her habits and outward behavior... when she wasn't inwardly chuckling about how the girl mooned over her undead swain. She'd never flip like that over a boy.

Once the flick was over, they went upstairs and looked over Linda's wardrobe; Kristina had some good suggestions for some inexpensive additions that would widen the options dramatically. The did a little playing around with hairstyles. Erica kind of liked how she looked with a few braids. They painted each other's toenails - those were hard to reach yourself. And they talked.

They talked about school. They talked about jobs - Linda was trying to convince her dad to let her get one, so she'd have a little spending money. They talked about friends and told stories of when they were little kids. (Erica had to do some translation there.) They talked about movies and music and books. And, eventually, they talked about guys.

It was very strange, and not for the reasons she would have thought. She understood teenage boys well enough, having been one. But trying to frame that understanding for girlish conversation forced her to realize that she had gone a long way toward viewing guys from the outside. As an observer, not a member of the tribe.

And yet, she couldn't honestly call herself a citizen of 'Girl Nation'. She was still betwixt and between, an alien working toward residency. It was disheartening to recognize how much 'acclimating' there was still to do. Not one hour ago she'd been thinking how far she'd come.

Linda put her hand on Erica's arm. She realized she'd trailed off in the middle of a sentence. "You okay?" Linda asked.

Erica put on a smile. "Yeah, sorry. I was just... thinking."

"You know, maybe you shouldn't be so picky about guys," Linda said. "You could at least give some of 'em a chance."

"Not too much of a chance," Kristina muttered.

Linda waved it off. "You know what I meant."

"Maybe someday. It's just... not time yet."

Linda shrugged, then smiled. "Okay, but I get the feeling when you do find a guy you like, you're gonna fall hard."

Erica didn't know what to say to that.

In the end, she had a good time. They were just hanging out, after all.

She had to break off texting with Trahn when it was time to go to sleep. Not that she hadn't been talking with Linda and Kristina at the same time, either. It seemed like these days she could keep up two conversations at once. She wasn't sure if becoming a girl had given her the skill, or if Eric could have done that if he'd practiced it more. Either way, it was sorta tight.

Erica made sure she was alone in the bathroom before they laid down. She masturbated quickly and quietly, then scrupulously washed up. Kristina got Linda's bed; the other two slept on a big inflatable mattress on the floor. Laying next to Linda was strange; Eric had never just slept next to a girl before. But, strange as it was, the intimacy she'd shared earlier with her Mom helped. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

~~~~~

The sleepover preyed on her mind for a few days. She waited until Haylie had left to meet a friend and she could be alone with her Mom.

"Mom, what does it mean to 'adjust' to being a girl? To 'acclimate'?" Erica was quite somber.

Miranda looked up. She had no doubt what her daughter was referring to. "I wondered when you'd ask that. Many Sisters do, sooner or later." She sighed and thought. "The short answer is that it's different for every Sister. Like I said before, it's about exploring who you are, who you could have been." She shrugged. "And who you want to be."

Erica's lips twisted. "That sure narrows it down."

Miranda shrugged broadly. "The idea is to become comfortable in your own skin. To... to incorporate the... the perceptions and instincts of being female into yourself."

"I've done that!" Erica declared.

"Really?" Miranda asked dryly. Erica couldn't meet her gaze. "When you are happy with who you are, when being a girl is a reward instead of a challenge, then you will be 'acclimated'."

Erica's head jerked up. "What, so I can only be Eric again if I don't want to be? You don't ever want him back!"

"No!" Miranda cried. "That's not it at all!" She took a deep breath.

But Erica spoke first. "Wasn't I good enough as Eric?" The tone was sharp, bordering on an accusation. There was clearly heavy emotion behind the question. Goddess, Miranda thought, I should have spotted this.

"Oh sweetie, of course you were!" She grabbed her daughter's hands and squeezed them almost painfully. "I loved Eric so much I gave him the gift of discovering you!" Erica was silent. "Honey, I loved you so much, I gave you a choice few people ever get. A choice about who you want to be that most people can't imagine!"

Erica still didn't speak. Miranda dipped into her emotions - the girl wasn't angry so much as scared and confused. She really didn't grasp why Miranda had done this to her. Miranda's heart ached.

She tried to explain. "Look, punkin, what if Eric had decided he wanted to be a soldier? Do you think I would have stopped him, despite my devotion to the Goddess?"

Erica hadn't expected this tangent. She gave it a moment's thought. "No, I guess not."

"I would have asked him to be sure. But if that was who he was, or who he wanted to be, I would have prayed for his safety, and his happiness, and I'd have harassed him with letters and care packages and phone calls."

Erica chortled a little at that. Boys hated to appear like they needed their Mothers. She didn't have to, and didn't, feel that way. And then she did a mental double-take at how naturally she'd rejected that male point of view.

Miranda spoke on. "Honey, you - only you - can decide who you want to one day be. I admit I have my hopes," she smiled apologetically, "but I want you to be as happy as you can be. I will help you find happiness as a girl... but if you decide that, in the end, you will be happiest as Eric, if he suits you better... I will love you just as fiercely as ever."

Tears leaked from the sides of Erica's eyes, which prompted Miranda to come around the table, drag Erica to her feet, and give her a hug. "I guess I know all that, deep down, Mom," Erica said into Miranda's shoulder, hugging back. "And I have learned a lot, and some of it's been really fun." She sagged a little. "But sometimes it's so hard!"

Miranda stroked Erica's hair. "Real freedom is always hard, dear." She muttered something under her breath and suddenly they were standing in Erica's room.

Erica jerked in surprise, but Miranda's insistent kiss calmed her down. In some ways, at least. What they did after that stirred her up much more, but ultimately, when they were done, she was very relaxed.

She still thought about the issues, of course. "It's like I'm on a trip, but I don't know exactly where I'm going. How will I know when I get there?"

Her Mother smiled. "Trust me, you'll know."

Erica pouted so naturally that Miranda had to stifle a laugh. "It's just, I don't understand. I just want to know what's coming."

"Besides you?" her Mother quipped. Erica's mouth twisted in irritation... but it was a mask that was swiftly pushed aside by her grin.

Miranda relented. "Punkin, part of the Transition involves experiences I can't tell you about. If I warn you ahead of time, you won't learn what you need to from them."

Erica cocked her head and frowned at Miranda. Her Mother shrugged. "Can you trust me on this?"

At that, the girl smiled. "Okay, Mom. I've trusted you this far."

"And has it worked out badly?"

Erica gave that honest reflection. In a slightly wondering tone, she said, "No. No, it hasn't." Despite the annoyances and general weirdness... it still felt like an adventure. Even being... that way with her Mom didn't bother her like part of her felt it should. As Miranda had said before, she was in a unique situation; why shouldn't her response be unique, too?

~~~~~

While it didn't have the frantic pace of the first weeks after the Transformation, Erica found that changes kept happening nonetheless. And they weren't necessarily minor ones, either.

She'd acquired at least a modicum of feminine enthusiasm for shopping. It was enjoyable sometimes to just 'forage' around the mall with her friends, see what was available. Particularly the clothes. She even had fun taking Haylie to stores like Justice and helping her pick things out.

Fashion and cosmetics were much more opportunity than difficulty anymore. Indeed, she often had fun trying on outfits and experimenting with different looks. Lately she'd even been intrigued by jewelry and its possibilities. As an experiment, she'd gotten her belly-button pierced. It was cute.

There was an unexpected advantage to being able to draw from a male perspective: she wasn't nearly as anxious and self-critical about her body as many girls. She knew boys would like the way she looked, because she liked the way she looked. There were prettier girls at school, of course - she wasn't flawless or anything - but not many.

Most unsettling, however, was the change that had crept up on her. A week ago, she'd been channel-surfing and hit on 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. It had always been one of her favorites, and she'd watched it for close to half an hour before realizing that she wasn't just feeling the old familiar thrill of the story and the stunts. Watching a young Harrison Ford in action was giving her an all-new kind of thrill. Off balance, she'd turned off the movie and gone for a jog.

The incident came back to mind that night in bed during her usual pre-sleep self-pleasuring, however. She had to go and pull up some lesbian porn to help focus her thoughts elsewhere. She very pointedly did not use the vibrator.

Then today, two of her squadmates had commented on how hot one of the basketball players was... and she'd caught herself mentally agreeing with them. Not in the abstract way Eric might have acknowledged strong competition, either. No, her thoughts could have been summed up as, 'yum!'

Looking back, she could see she hadn't recognized warning signs before. Silas, Javier. It had just grown to the point where she couldn't ignore it now.

She certainly hadn't lost any attraction to girls, but it was as though her sexual horizons were expanding. Broad shoulders and tight rears had aspects Eric had never recognized, or even imagined. She couldn't decide if it represented a homosexual or heterosexual tendency. That was debatable whichever gender she went for.

Of course, given what happened in her bedroom a couple times a week, homosexuality was kind of a run-of-the-mill perversion, wasn't it?

Still, what to do about boys had a certain urgency. Spencer, Trahn's boyfriend, was having a party at his house Saturday night. His parents would be out of town... and Lucas, the yummy basketball player, would be there.

~~~~~

Erica nervously pushed the doorbell. Spencer's house was set back from the road a bit, unobtrusive. Perfect for a clandestine party. She was wearing a light blouse and a denim skirt that showed off her legs, and high pumps made sure her legs got maximum benefit from the exposure. Bracelets, simple earrings. A necklace placed just so to highlight her cleavage. Her hair was in a bit of an up-do - nothing too elaborate.

She'd even tweezed her eyebrows last night, something she normally put off as long as possible.

The door opened and Spencer waved her in. "Yo, Erica. Good to see you. Trahn's in the kitchen."

"Thanks," she said, and set off the way he'd pointed. Trahn and most of her posse were milling by the counter. Estrella, Shanti, and the rest.

"Hey, Erica! Lookin' good!" Trahn said, giving her a welcoming hug. A big change Erica had needed to get used to was how frequently women touched each other. Boys shook hands and punched shoulders, but rarely embraced; girls were much more physically demonstrative with each other. Boys tended to misinterpret hugs from girls, and Erica had needed to retrain herself somewhat on that front.

"Thanks. Love that skirt!" she said honestly. While part of her mind still had the usual lusty thoughts about girls - and doubtless always would - she was also able to appreciate clothes on the level of pure fashion now. It did go with Trahn's outfit and flatter her figure.

"I know," Trahn said smugly, but with humor. "Wanna cooler? Melanie scored some."

"Nah, thanks." She still was wary of what alcohol might unleash within her. Tonight more than ever.

A little gossiping, then she went off to explore the party. She peeked into the dining room and saw that a poker game was in progress. Cory had a good pile of chips gathered; his fabled good fortune was apparently still with him.

But Harry was putting up a determined fight. And Carrie stood behind him, lending moral support.

There was a development Erica hadn't expected at all. The potion's effects only lasted for a week; two at the most. But a month and a half later, Harry and Carrie were still an item. In the politics of high-school society, they had sort of averaged their status. Carrie wasn't one of the top social players anymore - but she was also far less of a bitch. Harry's social position, conversely, had risen noticeably; he wouldn't have been at the poker table otherwise.

They seemed, miracle of miracles, happy together. And if Carrie was telling the truth (girls locker-room talk covered a wider range of topics than boys, but did include the things boys discussed) he disproved the stereotype about the size of Asians' equipment.

Erica turned away. Carrie abided by the undeclared truce, but they weren't friends. She smiled as she pondered what Carrie would think if she knew who had set up her and Harry's romance. Oh, well. She recalled another quote - "There's no limit to the good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit."

She made her way to the basement and ended up playing a few rounds of Wii Sports. She was in no mood to go easy on the boys and did well. Even so, there were boys better than her and she was finally eliminated. It felt different as a girl. Boys had to - or at least, felt compelled to - show off. Winning those competitions wasn't so vital to most girls, and it was easy for her to shrug and let it go.

Up again, and she assembled a small plate of chips and salsa. Though the queso dip beckoned, she abstained. By now she'd learned the need for counting calories. She would not risk looking too plump in her uniform. She chattered with a few other girls who were on her squad about a funny tweet they'd seen. Then she wandered out of the kitchen to the family room and ended up by the sliding door to the backyard.

She looked through the glass. Lucas sat out there, alone for the moment. She focused on her own reflection in the glass, checking her hair, looking for stains or out-of-place clothing. And then she realized she was preening before she went out to see a boy.

Sliding the glass door, she stepped out. Lucas looked up and smiled. "Hey, Erica. How's it going?"

She sat in the chair next to his, not sure exactly what she was doing, or wanted to do. But she gave him a smile and said, "That was a sweet shot you pulled off against Harris."

His answering smile showed a little animation. "Yeah, I was really in the zone." He looked askance at her. "We always seem to be luckier when you guys are cheering us on."

"I didn't think you even noticed us," she giggled. Crap, she was giggling.

"I always notice you," he said.

She looked down, smiling in nervous confusion. Why did it feel so good to hear that he'd been checking her out? "Yeah, right," she said.

They talked a bit more about sports and school. Lucas was different from boys like Josh and Scott. Oh, he bragged about himself, semi-subtly... but he did give her some chances to talk. And his self-puffery was peppered with compliments on her looks. It was strangely endearing to realize he was, in his own way, preening for her.

"I can't figure out why we never got together," he finally said. "I should have noticed you a while ago."

Because I wasn't your type before, she thought, suppressing another giggle. "Must be the cheerleader uniform."

"Yeah, those things are dead sexy," he grinned. "But you don't need it to be a little hottie."

Damn it, this shouldn't be affecting me so much, she thought. He's playing me, I know it. Don't I? "Gimme a break," she muttered.

"Seriously. Who wouldn't want some of that?"

Before she even realized what she was saying, it slipped out. "Maybe you should get a taste."

"Maybe I should." His grin widened and he stood. There was a second when she could have stopped him... but she didn't. He loomed over her, leaned forward.

He kissed her.

Yes, she concluded, males did have possibilities. However her attraction to him might be classified, it was undeniably present. It was scary, and faintly disturbing to that part of herself that still thought like Eric. But it was exciting and intriguing, too. Without quite knowing how, she found she was standing, and they were off to the side, away from the window.

His arms encircled her torso, and she hugged his back. It felt big, and firm. Girls were so much softer... His tongue entered her mouth, and it wasn't gross or off-putting in the slightest. It was... good...

He was strong, she could tell. Much stronger than her. He wasn't using that strength, wasn't being remotely threatening, of course. Erica was simply aware that he could have been a lot more forceful, if he chose. The thought was somehow... intriguing?

His hand slipped up under her skirt, and brushed her panties. A faint alarm-bell rang in the back of her mind, but it wasn't loud enough to be more than a vague distraction. She pushed closer to him, and ran a hand along his rear. Tight and muscled, that rear was. Compact. She'd studied his tush more and more often recently with her eyes. Doing so with a hand was much better.

Suddenly she noticed that he was working his fingers under the side of her panties. He'd be pulling them off in another second. With instant clarity, she realized that she might well not be able to stop herself if he pressed on.

She wanted it. As much if not more than he did. No doubt about it, not right now, whatever that said about her sexuality. But the consequences for her were potentially so much greater. Certainly if her Mother were to be believed...

She grabbed his hand through her skirt. "Wait. Hold on."

"It's okay, babe." He flashed her his totally cute smile. "Just relax..." He didn't move to let her go.

"No," she said with more force than she truly felt. "I just... Not like this."

"You've gotta chill, babe. You never let yourself have any fun." He'd let go of her panties but his fingers slid over her rear, almost making her toes curl. Desperate, she pictured herself pregnant. It helped some, but her rebellious thoughts kept trying to wander over to the getting pregnant part. Besides, she didn't have to go all the way, right?

"Let's just... take it slow, okay?" Erica said, looking up at him. She licked her lips. Oh, Goddess, his shoulders...

He tightened his grip a fraction, and leaned in for another kiss. One hand stroked the outside of her thigh, under the skirt. It wasn't quite as direct as before, but he wasn't taking it slow. Mustering her will, she pulled back a bit. "Wait..."

He eased up. Marginally. "Come on, Erica. You get me all worked up, and then..." He had a pained expression. "You don't know what it's like for a guy."

That tipped the balance. She most certainly did know what it was like for a guy. 'Blue balls' were real... but they took longer than a five-minute petting session to develop. Stuffing down the parts of her mind that were considering giving him a handjob (or even a blowjob!) she extracted herself from his grasp and took a step back. She'd jumped into this too soon. If she went any farther she'd be at his mercy. And he didn't seem to have much mercy.

"No, Lucas. Not tonight. I'm not that easy." Just almost that easy, she thought, glad the dim light helped conceal the flush warming her face. Apparently there were circumstances that could interrupt her libido.

She pulled back further, holding his hands with her own, gazing up at his frown. "Look, just... not like this. Just take it easy, okay?" His lips quirked, but he nodded. She stepped back, much of her still wanting to step forward. "See you inside."

She went back into the house and made a beeline for the nearest bathroom. Thank the Goddess, it was unoccupied. Once safe behind a locked door, she checked out her face in the mirror. Her hair was mussed, some makeup smeared. But she couldn't focus on fixing her appearance. Her libido had only been interrupted, postponed. It had not been switched off.

She snaked a hand under her panties and found her clit, slick with moisture. Quickly, quietly, she tickled it through to some relief. A few strained grunts escaped her, but she didn't think they'd carry. Her fantasies weren't lesbian in the slightest degree. She wished fervently she'd brought her vibrator.

A few minutes later, washed and re-coiffed, she came out of the bathroom and went to the kitchen for a drink.

There was Lucas, lips locked with Kaitlin.

She just stood there for a moment, stunned. They weren't being as lascivious as he and Erica had been out on the patio. It wasn't that kind of high-school party. However, there was no mistaking that the identical feelings were involved. And would doubtless be consummated later.

She spun and retreated to the living room, seething, in turmoil. Trahn, lounging next to Spencer, looked up from the couch. "Hey, what's up?" she asked, concerned.

Erica struggled for words. "I... It's nothing. I'll be okay." She found a chair and was quiet for the rest of the night. She left the party early.

~~~~~

In bed that night she lay restless, upset.

Erica rolled over and threw off the covers. She just couldn't sleep yet, she was too keyed up. She unlocked the screen of her computer and went to the special collection, and opened the folder she'd avoided since the Transformation. Eric had generally been partial to (relatively) artistic shots of women alone, or in small groups. (For an instant, she wondered if that was a result of the respect for women her Mother had always worked to instill in her. Him.)

But he'd also had one folder of more spicy fare. Pictures and video clips with a mix of genders.

Blowjobs and penetration. Titty-fucking. Even a gangbang or two.

She started with pictures. The very first one was an extreme close-up of a reverse cowgirl. Legs and lips spread, the prick enveloped halfway. She studied the image intently, visualizing her own pussy so occupied. She'd had fingers and buzzing plastic inside herself. What would something supple and blood-warm feel like?

Some lingering reluctance or uncertainty had kept her from setting the stage completely. All by itself, that one image dispelled both. She stood and moved purposefully back to the drawer by her bed, got out the vibrator, and returned to her desk. On the edge of her seat - figuratively and literally - she reactivated both the vibrator and the slideshow.

She quickly discovered an aspect of the porn portfolio that Eric had never noticed. The women were uniformly attractive; the men varied wildly from overweight to muscular, from monstrously-endowed to more normal tooling. Eric hadn't paid much attention to the guys.

She stroked the vibrator in and out of herself, playing with her nipples with the other hand. The slideshow continued.

In her mind, there was a man between her legs, thrusting. She didn't picture a face, just the body. The biceps, the shoulders, the chest, the six-pack. Her hand moved the vibrator with determination as she moaned. He was strong, the man in her mind, powerful and focused. He wanted in deep, and her flexing hips were helping him get there.

Her orgasm blossomed, and she could not help picturing the prick ejaculating inside her. It seemed right, natural, wholly desirable. He lusted for her, after all.

~~~~~

Erica finally admitted that it wasn't her imagination. Cory was avoiding her. He didn't speak to her much in class and they did almost all their communicating anymore by email or text. The group had used to meet after school, maybe once a month, at some fast-food joint to hash over whatever the current project was. The couple times she'd tried to arrange such a get-together this year, though, Cory always had an excuse to beg off.

That wasn't all bad. Josh and Scott were almost too eager to spend time with her. Yet it was tiresome how frequently she had to repeat herself - when they accepted her input at all - because they were apparently listening to some urgent message from her breasts instead of her voice. Working with them by email was just fine with her.

Cory wasn't like that. He didn't act like he was undressing her with his eyes. He simply avoided her; impeccably civil, but keeping personal interaction to a bare minimum. She had the clear impression that he would have preferred switching to a different group if it could have been arranged.

In the end, she decided Haylie's theory must be right - that he harbored some prejudice against women, that he just didn't think they could handle programming. It was unexpected, and made her sad because she'd liked Cory, even admired his confidence and charisma. She rather thought she'd proven herself all over again this year, anyway.

Too bad. He was kinda cute.

~~~~~

An unexpected and ironic outcome of refusing Lucas at the party was how it cemented her reputation. Even though she'd made the first advances, pushing him away had marked her as a little frigid, or at least exceptionally picky.

If they only knew the thoughts that went through her mind just walking down the halls of her school. About quite a few of the boys now, too, as well as girls. However immature they might be, boys definitely had their charms.

Heck, there were even teachers she had little daydreams about. Mr. Stratton might be twice her age, but girls were supposed to be attracted to maturity, right? And then there was Ms. Escuela; when she talked in Spanish, it sometimes gave Erica chills. One night she'd even had a naughty little fantasy about herself between both teachers.

She made sure it didn't interfere with her schoolwork. But she shuddered to think of what she would have done, if she hadn't been able to bleed off pressure with her Mom.

For a while, she pondered calling up Silas. Having a boyfriend would soften her reputation somewhat, and a long-distance one - or, at least, a non-local one - would be easier for a Transformed Sister to manage. In the end, however, she decided it wouldn't be fair to him.

~~~~~

Erica and Linda were hanging at Kristina's after school. It wasn't uncomfortable, exactly, but it was a little weird. Kristina had taken Miranda's advice, and struck up a friendship with a teen mother from school, a senior named Renée.

She had brought her two-month-old daughter Lucy, and that was weird, too. Especially for Erica; she'd never actually held a baby before. It was... different than she'd thought. Not like picking up a cat or something. And she had to admit, the little baby girl was totally cute.

What what really weird was when Renée breastfed Lucy, giving Kristina some pointers. She'd almost gotten used to undressed girls in the locker room and stuff, but not in a living room. Watching little Lucy suck, she was unsettlingly reminded that breasts were functional as well as decorative.

"Homecoming's in a couple weeks." Erica shrugged. As a cheerleader, attendance was practically mandatory.

"Got a boyfriend?" Renée asked.

"Nah," Erica said. "We might go together, as friends." She waved toward Linda.

Kristina and Renée exchanged a glance. "I think I'll skip it this time around," Kristina said dryly.

"Me, too," Renée concurred.

Erica felt very embarrassed.

~~~~~

Homecoming was more fun than she'd expected.

It hadn't turned out that she was going with Linda. And for a wonderful reason - a boy had asked Linda out! Erica had literally squealed when she'd read the text announcing the news, and genuinely enjoyed - even insisted on - hearing every tiny detail when they'd gotten together after school.

She felt no small amount of pride about the whole thing, though she kept it to herself. And it was hardly all her handiwork. The "herbal" acne remedy - made under her Mother's watchful supervision - had doubtless been a factor. Erica's fashion advice and encouragement had surely helped her friend, too. But Linda had stuck with the diet and exercise on her own. Erica was nowhere near being able to plant such a Suggestion, anyway. Although Linda was still decidedly on the zaftig side, she filled out her dress now, instead of overfilling it.

Linda lacking a maternal figure, Erica and Miranda had helped her select that dress. And then pressured her father to provide a reasonable budget for it, and the needed accessories. Reasonable from a female standpoint, anyway; Linda's father obviously had his own opinion on that.

Not that Erica didn't find herself overwhelmed at the prospect of assembling her own ensemble. She was comfortable handling most day-to-day fashion choices by now, but formal couture was a whole different field. The programmer in her compared it to moving from writing scripts and small apps to writing device drivers and operating systems.

She kept that analogy to herself, of course.

Miranda had helped a great deal, offering guidance and the occasional warning. The girls had been allowed to express themselves in fashion; she had simply, so to speak, made sure they didn't send any unintended messages.

At the mandatory pre-dressing salon trip, Linda had chosen to add blonde highlights to her hair, with large loose curls. The blue of her dress went well with both. It was a not-quite-floor-length ball gown in an A-line style, on a gauzy fabric just stiff enough to hold the shape.

No, Erica had helped, but Linda had earned the joy plastered on her face as she shook her booty with her date. He seemed to be having a good time, too. Erica had made some discreet inquiries, and Paul appeared to be a nice-enough boy. Not a bad kisser, too, from Linda's perhaps-biased reports. He wasn't an awesome dancer, but being in marching band seemed to at least have given him a basic sense of rhythm.

Of course, it had made Erica's own escort situation more acute, but a replacement was found soon enough. Jacob, a gangly boy from the basketball team, who genially accepted that the pairing was political rather than romantic in nature. Not that he didn't look rather dashing in a tux, for all that. Handsome, even, as he hopped and gyrated next to Erica. Dancing in heels was a challenge, but she was having too much fun to worry overmuch as she added her booty to the general shaking. Somehow dancing was more enjoyable when you had a good booty to shake, anyway.

After the days of searching, she herself had on a peach-colored, flowing gown, with shoes dyed to match. She was looking forward to seeing all the pictures her Mom had took of her and Jacob when he'd come to pick her up, corsage in hand. Holding her clutch, wearing her finery, with Jacob's arm settled gently around her, she had felt... beautiful and elegant. It was a charming sensation.

Socially, it was complicated. She'd had to strike a balance even negotiating transportation. Kristina wasn't going, obviously, and Erica didn't want to leave Linda in the lurch. Trahn and her crew wanted to do things up right, with a limo and an after-party -but even Miranda couldn't persuade Linda's dad to spring for a share of that. Erica's compromise was to ride to the dance with Linda, but go with Trahn et al to their post-dance shindig. At the actual dance, though, she could circulate.

So she danced with her friends. She even did a couple of slow dances with Jacob, and if her pulse ran a little faster than could be justified by the physical exertion, she was careful to give no sign. It was fun.

Actually, it rocked.

Jacob was off talking with some of his buddies for a minute. She stepped up to the punch bowl and recognized Cory pouring a scoopful into a cup. He glanced her way and stiffened slightly for a moment. It was almost imperceptible, he recovered so quickly. "Hey, Erica," he said. "You look nice."

"Thanks. Can you get me a cup?" she asked. Yet again she wished he could just loosen up and be friendly with her.

"Sure thing," he replied, and poured another.

"Congrats on your win," she offered. Cory was on the track team and they'd been victorious on their last outing.

"Nothing to do with me. Good thing my bro here was on his game," Cory said as another boy walked up.

"Hey, Brandon," Erica said.

"Hey," Brandon replied amiably. "But we didn't need me to win. Cory's a lucky charm. That's why we made him captain," he smiled.

"Cory's Luck again? What happened this time?" Erica asked.

"I'm fucking embarrassed, to be honest. I almost lost my leg of the relay, but the other guy tripped."

This was more social interaction than she'd had with Cory all term. "You always get lucky," she replied, shaking her head and smiling.

"Maybe even tonight," came the voice from behind them. It was Danielle, his current girlfriend. She moved close to Cory, smiling warmly as he handed her a cup of punch. The smile she gave Erica was just a shade frosty.

Erica was amused. She was perfectly certain she was in no danger of stealing Cory's affections. She tried to convey her reassurance to Danielle with her own smile as she turned away. "TMI, TMI," she laughed. Even funnier was that Cory and Brandon probably hadn't even noticed the subtle territorial messages the girls had exchanged under their noses. Boys were so out-of-touch.

She caught a glimpse of Lucas and Kaitlin out of the corner of her eye, and moved resolutely on.

~~~~~

"See you tomorrow!" Erica said as she hugged Linda.

"Love you!" Linda said, hugging back.

She left Linda with Paul, grabbed a couple handfuls of skirt to lift it over her feet, and scurried over to the waiting limo. At least she managed to sidle in onto her seat in a ladylike manner. She found a place between Jacob and Mel.

Trahn tapped on the glass behind her, and the driver set off, slowly angling around the other cars and limousines.

Melanie and Shianti had rented a suite for the afterparty. Well, technically, all the girls had chipped in, but it was in their names. Erica and Trahn's parents wouldn't let them spend the whole night there. Trahn's curfew was more generous, but secretly Erica was glad she'd have to be home by midnight; it would help her avoid all kinds of temptation.

The ride was lively, everyone excited, pumped from the dancing. Erica felt just a little intimidated at first; she'd never been in a limo before. But it wasn't that amazing, really, and conversation certainly wasn't refined. There was quite a bit of ribald banter, in fact.

The ride didn't last all that long, anyway. They arrived at the hotel and went in the side door, taking the elevator up to the room.

"Hey, a toast!" Aaron shouted seconds after the door closed, waving around a bottle of vodka that had appeared as if by Magic. Shot glasses materialized, too, and Mel started playing bartender.

"Want some?" Mel said, holding out a half-full shot glass.

I'll only be here another hour, Erica thought. I can't get in too much trouble. And it's not that big a shot...

"Well, okay," she said. Mel's eyebrows lifted but she didn't say anything as she handed it over.

Aaron lifted his glass. "To the Hillman High Seniors - especially these fine ladies! L'Chaim!"

They all downed it in unison. "Whoooo!" the girls squealed. Guess I didn't avoid all kinds of temptation after all... Erica thought, throat and belly burning.

~~~~~

The hour passed pleasantly enough, and though it was clear that the beds were going to get some use later, it wasn't too out-of-control. At the appointed time, Jacob was nice enough to give her a ride home, even though it took him from the party. They talked a little on the way. "Thanks again for being my date. I had a really good time."

"That's the idea," he said. "Too bad you couldn't stay the whole night."

"My Mom would freak," she said. Erica thought she could probably have negotiated a later curfew... but she was glad she hadn't. That one little shot was giving her a buzz; Jacob was looking better and better.

Oh, Goddess, she thought. It's a good thing we're almost home, she noticed with relief.

"That's my house, up there," she said. She glanced at Jacob again, and suddenly her relief was a trifle muted.

"Got it," he said, and pulled in, coming to a smooth stop. She started to open her door, but Jacob waved a finger - "Ah ah ah!" - and leapt out of his side, scooting around to open it for her.

She stood up - it was so much easier to stand gracefully in a skirt if you had a guy's help - and let him escort her to the porch.

"Thanks again," Erica said as they made it to the door. "It was really fun." He stood there for a second, looking down at her. She had stood up on tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss before she was even aware of what she was doing.

She didn't pull her face back much. Hardly at all. So it was easy to kiss him again. And for a bit longer. She settled back onto her heels, but he'd leaned down to match. And then his arms were around her, so it would have been rude to just pull away, and then she was tasting his tongue, and...

The porch light flicked on. They had exactly enough time to separate and turn to face the door before it opened. She was startled and embarrassed and still distracted, but she instantly decided that hadn't been an accident.

"Right on time!" Miranda said cheerfully. "Thank you so much, Jacob." She stepped aside to invite Erica in. "She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

"No, ma'am!" he said, straightening his jacket, maybe just a hint of red on his cheeks.

"Well, say goodnight to the young man, punkin!" Miranda said to Erica.

"Goodnight, Jacob. Thanks again, for... for everything."

Miranda smiled, and put a hand on the doorknob. To Jacob, she said, "It was very nice meeting you!"

"It was nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Jardin," Jacob replied. "I really had a good time," he called to Erica as the door closed.

"How was it, honey?" Miranda instantly asked, almost bursting with curiosity.

"It was so much fun!" Erica squealed, grabbing her Mom for a hug.

"Especially just now?"

"Um..."

"I'm not opposed to you spending time with boys, dear. Or kissing them." She smirked. "I just felt that maybe when emotions are running a little high wasn't the best situation to get started."

Erica blushed, remembering one reason why she was feeling a little high. Her Mother suddenly squinted at her.

"What?" Erica asked.

Her Mother's voice and face had suddenly lost their humor. "You are too young to be drinking."

Erica's blood froze. "I... but..." Then, glaring, she snapped, "Hey, are you reading my mind?"

Miranda smiled sardonically. "Just a little, just surface thoughts. I wanted to make sure Jacob wasn't forcing himself on you." Then she frowned. "At least I'm glad you feel so guilty about that shot. I wouldn't have seen it, otherwise."

"I... I'm sorry, but..."

Miranda shook her head, torn between exasperation and amusement. "Don't bother putting a shield up now, silly girl!" A smile finally emerged - tempered with Motherly concern, but Erica felt a little relief that humor had carried the moment.

Miranda chuckled. "I hadn't gotten around to telling you - because it shouldn't have mattered yet - but alcohol makes it harder to maintain a mental shield."

Erica bit her lip.

"Well, it looks like you learned a few things tonight." The smile was entirely Motherly now. "I'm so glad you had a such a wonderful time. I hope you'll tell me all about it tomorrow?"

"You bet, Mom. I love you!" One more hug, and Erica went upstairs, slightly chastened. But her good mood couldn't be suppressed very far, or for very long. She was bubbling again before she even shut the door to her room.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Goddess, she looked good! Even after a night of dancing and sweating. Her lipstick was worn off, her hair was a little disheveled... but she looked pretty. There was a glow of simple satisfaction as she turned, taking it in from all angles. She felt a little sorry for Jacob, if this was what he'd been looking at all night, knowing he wouldn't be with her. Not that way.

She was still high from the whole experience. She'd been a little nervous at first, of course, but it had wound up being... fun. Just plain fun!

She hardly ever dwelled on the differences between her current life and Eric's anymore. This had been kind of a special night, however. What would it have been like if she were still him?

First off, he might well not have gone at all. He'd never been forward enough to get much in the way of dates. Secondly, even if he'd made it... it probably wouldn't have been as enjoyable. Eric hadn't known how to dance, and guys felt really awkward being inexpert in front of girls. While she'd never be on "So You Think You Can Dance", becoming a cheerleader had given Erica skills to draw on.

Goddess, did she really feel pity for her former self?

Well, when it came to clothes for sure. Boys wore suits to dances, and nothing else. The only self-expression they had was the choice of tie or corsage - and most of the time it was the girl who chose for them to make sure he'd match her dress. Boys' options were so limited! At least, when it came to outfits. Even day-to-day, they wore pants and shirts and... that was it. Plain, simple pants and shirts.

With a laugh, she left off considering poor Eric. She was in too good a mood to waste time cogitating and deliberating about might-have-beens. She admired herself in the mirror once more. She was pretty, and that was a wonderful thing.

She understood, much better than before, why Haylie and other young girls dreamed of being princesses.

~~~~~

Haylie wanted to hear all about it the next morning. Erica was able to put her off for a while.

She took her sister to soccer and watched from the sidelines. It was interesting; not just cheering for Haylie, but the fact that she could see more. The way the girls behaved on the sidelines told her much about the loyalties and rivalries in the group. She could see - fairly well, at least - which girls were friends, acquaintances, or enemies. It wasn't magical, it was just that she was paying more attention to such things now. Eric wouldn't have bothered to notice, but she had a newfound appreciation for social dynamics.

Afterward, over ice cream, she allowed Haylie to pump her for details about Homecoming. She sensibly left out the drinking part, but to her mild surprise was able to give a fairly complete account of what everyone had been wearing.

Haylie seemed to run out questions of fashion and music and dancing after half an hour or so. Then she paused for a last scraped spoonful of long-melted ice cream, and gave Erica a narrow look. "What was it like going with a guy?"

Erica paused to chase an imaginary trickle of sweetness and pondered that. But she didn't want to just brush Haylie off.

"I'm not sure," she finally admitted. "It wasn't like he was my boyfriend or anything. But it was kind of chill to be next to him. It kinda, I dunno..." She suddenly smiled. "...set off the outfit. Like the right shoes or a cute purse."

Haylie squinted. "Was it weird for you?" Haylie asked. "I mean you... well, used to be, y'know."

"Kinda, I guess." Erica shrugged a little helplessly. "It didn't feel wrong, y'know. Just... kinda new, kinda different."

Haylie was quiet for a bit. Then: "You gonna do more 'different'?"

"Why do you care?"

"I dunno. I just... you're my... Well, you're family, whatever happens. I love you, is all."

Erica was suddenly misty-eyed. "I love you, too!" She sniffed, getting control before she started bawling right there in the ice cream shop. She thought about Haylie's questions, including the implied ones. "I probably will do more 'different'. I'm thinking about it, anyway." More than thinking, she thought to herself, remembering Lucas and Jacob. "I dunno about forever. But no matter what, you'll be my sister!"

They got up, hugged, and went out to the car. Not talking so they wouldn't cry.

~~~~~

She opened up the 'special' folder, the one containing more 'hardcore' images. For quite some time, she browsed. Somehow, even though it was arousing, it wasn't right. Nothing suited her mood.

Unbidden, a flash of Lucas kissing Kaitlin arose in her mind. And that told her what was wrong.

She fired up her 'isolated surfing' virtual machine, designed to protect her computer from viruses while slumming in the disreputable parts of the net. Eric's porn collection just wasn't going to do it tonight. She wanted - needed - something new. Something specific. She had to use some search terms she'd never entered - indeed, actively avoided - before. It was rather unnerving how quickly they bore fruit.

A man pleasuring some other woman wasn't what she was after right now. No distractions, no... competition.

No women at all in these pictures. Just naked men. For a while, she explored, seeing what there was available. Before long, she found herself gravitating to two kinds of images.

Ones with a single man alone were fascinating. How had she lived in a body like that for so long and not appreciated its erotic potential? Shoulders and abs and biceps... and erect cocks. She remembered using one, marveling at how foreign the idea seemed now. Better than any other girl who'd never been intimate with a man, she knew what it would feel like in her hand. Much more provocative ideas flittered through her consciousness now. What would one smell like, taste like? What would it feel like inside her?

Gangbangs and orgies weren't particularly appealing. Two men together, though... that was interesting in a different way. Eric had heard vaguely of 'yaoi' fangirls, and 'slash' fiction, with dim incomprehension. How could such a thing be arousing? Erica understood it better now. She still loved girls; there was so much she wanted to try with them. But with guys, sexual arousal was so... externalized. It was right there, unmistakable. A guy couldn't fake it. Porn like this - you knew they were enjoying it.

She was looking at such a coupling when she finally came, explosively.

~~~~~

Erica sat down at the lunch table with what even she herself recognized as a flounce. "Grrr! That was so... so..."

"Infuriating?" Linda suggested, faintly amused.

"Yes!" Erica exclaimed.

"What up?" Kristina asked as she unpacked her lunch.

"Frickin' Georgio and Tyrone. We had to team up with them for an experiment. And they fucked it up, of course. We had to start over. I told 'em not to add the reagent first but..."

"Oh. Yeah." Kristina was not at all surprised.

Erica was still fuming. "I never had someone just... dismiss what I said like that! Like I was a little kid! They weren't even listening!"

Kristina rolled her eyes. "Come on, never? Be serious." She sniffed. "Wouldn't even be the first time this week for me."

Erica suddenly realized she had stumbled onto another difference between the lives of boys and girls. "Well... not never... but it's been a while."

Linda said, sardonically, "Maybe guys listen to cheerleaders more."

Erica changed the subject. But she realized she had some thinking to do, later.

~~~~~

"I'm glad I drew a summer birthday," Colleen said. "You don't have to arrange the parties around school."

The legal birthdates of the 'Brotherhood babies' had been spread throughout the year. Jacqui had insisted on it. "Bad enough there's going to be a wave of adoptions. Whatever's left of the Brotherhood couldn't miss it if they were all born on the same day," she had declared.

"Fall birthdays aren't so bad," Miranda said dismissively. Young girls ran and played and chattered in the backyard, hopped up on cake and ice cream and sugary drinks. Erica mixed among them, helping keep a rough approximation of order, shooing kids away from the garden, and the woods behind their lot. Miranda and five other ladies watched from the patio.

"She's so lovely," Laurie said, smiling. Murmurs of agreement came from the others. A minority of the women at the party were Sisters, and they'd gathered off to one side for a moment.

"She's adjusting so well. Better than I did, I think." Miranda bragged. "Practically a textbook Transition."

"Goddess grant me the same!" Bella prayed fervently.

"Fat chance!" Bronwyn laughed. The other Sisters giggled, too. Isabella's twin sons, Carlos and Juan, would be of age next summer. A double Transformation was a special challenge, of course. But identical twins had unique Magical advantages if the Transitions could be navigated... and besides, given the Sisterhood's traditions, not all the advantages would be Magical.

A short pause followed the laughter. "I didn't see Charlotte..." Laurie queried hesitantly.

"Charlotte... couldn't make it." Miranda replied softly.

The Sisters became somber.

Charlotte lived up in Oregon. She had performed the Transformation on her son Thomas months ago, in the spring... but he had panicked and demanded to become male again before the end of the first hour. Of course Charlotte had been crushed, but she'd complied. If his masculine self-image was that ingrained, he would never have managed a successful Transition, never have mastered the Power. And that would have left him trapped in a state he could neither escape nor adjust to.

No one could blame Charlotte for avoiding Erica, for not wanting her nose rubbed in Erica's far more successful Transition. What was yet more tragic was that the Gift of the Goddess, the Magic that came with the Transformation, was only given once. Even if Thomas were Transformed again, 'Tammi' would simply be an ordinary girl, without the Power.

Thankfully it was uncommon. The whole Sisterhood grieved when a Transformation was refused.

"At least she still has Samantha," Bronwyn murmured. Charlotte had adopted one of the Transformed infants, too. The gathered Sisters were subdued again, however; none quite voicing the worry that all of them felt. Being unique in Sisterhood history, nobody knew exactly how the adopted girls would respond to the truth about their origins - nor what they might choose to do with the Power when it began to manifest after their first period. They'd received the Birth Rites, and would never possess the Dark Power again... but would some choose to become men again anyway?

And if so, what might they then become?

Troubled, each Sister looked to her own special charge. Bella's Jessica was deep in discussion with Bronwyn's Lani. It was impossible to credit the notion they'd once been Dark sorcerers. Lani in particular was a picture of young femininity in the impractically frilly dress she'd insisted on wearing, pink butterfly clips in her hair. Who could imagine she'd once been the Brotherhood's 'High Leader'?

Colleen's Dara cheered with Miranda's Haylie, the birthday girl. Along with some of Haylie's normal friends, they watched Alice performing part of her gymnastics routine.

Alice was unique in a different way. Jacqui's natural-born daughter - yet another first in Sisterhood lore. When Jacqui had Transformed the attacking Brothers, she'd changed everything male in the immediate environs... including her own gestating son.

Jacqui wasn't troubled for the same reasons as the other Sisters... but she worried for her daughter just the same. Transforming a child at too early an age risked depriving them of the Power. It seemed that the special Magic empowering the Sisterhood depended in some way on the Transition. On successfully developing not just into a woman, but developing from male to female. The fear that she might have robbed her child of the Gift of the Goddess had kept her awake many a night.

She reflected on her own Transition, one so rough her Mother, Laurie, had actually contemplated dying to free Jacqui from the need to complete it. "Thank the Goddess Erica didn't go through what I did."

"Thank the Goddess," Laurie and Bronwyn echoed fervently. Then Laurie chuckled. "Those first few days..."

Jacqui shook her head, remembering. "I took it exactly the wrong way. It wasn't entirely my choice, so I was furious at you. But it had sort of been my fault, too, so I felt guilty and ashamed."

Miranda laid her hand on the young woman's shoulder. "But it worked out in the end. You had a hard road... but I hope Erica becomes like you one day."

Jacqui blushed at the compliment. "I think she will," she replied. "From what Bronwyn used to say, I always saw something of old Jack in Eric." Then she laughed. "But by the Goddess' mercy, not so much stupid stubbornness!"

All the Sisters laughed at that.

"Time for presents!" Erica announced from the patio. Squealing youngsters converged on the picnic table, their Mothers bringing up the rear.

~~~~~

Erica's progress with Magic had been steady, but slow. She could mix and enchant simple potions now. She and her Mother could exchange thoughts; well, so long as Miranda was cooperating. Reading other minds was hard; she could sometimes sense other people's general emotional tenor, but not a whole lot more effectively than just paying attention to their face and tone of voice.

This latest lesson was unusual, though. As before, they sat out on the back patio. A cool, comfortable breeze flowed; late November in southern California wasn't terribly brisk. "Erica, punkin, let's try something different today. I want you to focus, summon your power. Let me know when you're ready." Miranda sat back to wait.

Erica breathed, slowly and evenly. Working Magic required a detached, yet concentrated, frame of mind. Tension, anger, and fear could interfere terribly. After a minute or two, she nodded to indicate her readiness.

Her Mother pointed to the sky. "You see that cloud there? Looks a bit like a turtle?"

She searched the scudding forms for a moment. Again, Erica nodded.

"I want you to make it go away. Break it up, dissipate it. Banish it."

Erica was dubious. "How?"

"Focus on it, picture it fading away."

Doubtfully, she directed her attention at the unassuming cloud, gliding gently, and did as her Mother instructed.

Six minutes later, it had broken up. A few tattered remnants drifted out of sight behind the neighbor's house. Erica's shoulders slumped.

"Very good, dear. I thought you might have such a talent."

"It might've busted up on its own," Erica objected. "It took long enough. I'm not even sure I did anything."

"I am," Miranda replied serenely. "I felt the Power working, and I kept an eye on the other clouds. They didn't dissolve that way." She patted her daughter's hand. "The Goddess has given you a Gift for weather Magic. You'll get much better in time."

Erica thought that was an awful lot to conclude from one cloud. "So... I'm gonna be like Storm of the X-Men? Tossing lightning bolts from my hands?"

Her Mother smiled indulgently. "No, dear, not like that. But you'll be able to bring rain or sun, warm winds or cold. It's not as fast or flashy - or as localized - as the movies, but it's quite a powerful Gift, really."

Erica, a city-dweller since birth, was unimpressed. "At least your garden'll do great," she wryly declaimed.

Miranda frowned. "Don't knock weather spells, young lady; D-Day almost didn't happen. Three Sisters worked eighteen straight hours to break the storms." She watched her daughter's eyes widen. "And look up Washington's retreat to Manhattan sometime."

The novice's expression grew thoughtful. "Is that what Sisters use Magic for? Helping the right side win wars?"

Miranda looked startled, caught out. "Sometimes. That's a lesson for another day." She deflected her daughter's questions and drilled her on herbs.

~~~~~

The semester's final exams were on the horizon, just over a week away, but Erica wasn't too worried. She looked forward to winter vacation - her Mother had promised that all the Jardin women could go on a trip to a spa resort over the holidays.

By now, Erica had a completely different view of her school's social scene. Again, the people hadn't changed, the details weren't different. It was just that... they were in focus now. For example, Eric would probably have noticed - eventually - that Mindy and Soleil were avoiding each other. He would never have figured out that it was because Mindy and Michaela were both into Kyle, and they'd gotten in a big fight when Aaron had innocently remarked on Kyle's preference for blondes. Now they were forcing their mutual friends to pick sides. Soleil had tried to stay out of the whole thing, but Mindy had interpreted Soleil going to Michaela's birthday party as a declaration of war. And the whole thing was silly because everyone knew Kyle was hot for Sarah, who had dark brown hair anyway.

It felt as if the network of relationships she lived in were like a rug, and Eric had only ever looked at the surface pattern. Erica saw the weave underneath, the complex interconnections that held it all together. Not just the what, but the how and why.

And she noticed that the strongest weave, the tightest knots, were almost always between women. It wasn't that guys didn't ever form close relationships, but they tended to be in things like teams or organizations; comrades-in-arms. If the group stopped holding men together, they'd often - usually - drift apart.

Women maintained the long-term commitments. They planned the family get-togethers, tended the social ties. Men certainly added a lot of flash and color to the affair, but their roots were rarely very deep. The colored thread on top of the rug, not the thick strong cords that underlaid and bound it all.

Would becoming Eric again obscure that? Even if it didn't, there was much she'd miss about being a girl. What did life as Eric offer that was better than life as Erica, anyway?

The answers to that question no longer seemed quite so clear...

Continued in Part 4

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 4

~~~~~

"We should do this more often," Laurie declared happily, looking around the table at the other Sisters, who made noises of agreement around mouthfuls of food.

Bronwyn, Laurie, and Jacqui had come to meet Miranda for lunch, the official reason being reports and consultation on Erica's progress. That was almost an excuse, though, since she was doing so well. Mostly they were just catching up as friends.

"How's Rochelle?"

Bronwyn lit up at the chance to talk about her eldest daughter. "She's great. Her jewelry business is going well, and her travelling lets her keep tabs on Sisters around the world." She sighed. "I wish I saw her and little Colin more, but they're happy."

Gossip, stories, some salacious evaluation of their waiter, and even a few recipe tips were exchanged. In the end, very little Sisterhood business got done. By the time the waiter brought the check, the ladies were in a very good mood.

"Are you heading back right away?" Miranda asked.

Jacqui shook her head. "We're going to get some shopping done, I think," she replied. "No need to rush home. It's been a while since the three of us got out without Alice and Lani." A knowing exchange of smiles; children consumed so much of a Mother's time.

Miranda confirmed that with her own reply. "I have to get home and do some work. Haylie's got her last soccer game after school, and then there's a team party. I'll never get anything done tonight." The women laughed.

~~~~~

Erica had been home from school about half an hour, wrapping up her homework and looking over the schedule for finals next week, when the doorbell rang. She checked through the peephole first (reflecting that, as a boy, she probably wouldn't have been concerned) and saw Cory standing on her porch.

With some surprise, she opened the door and said, "Hey, what's up?"

He looked at her impassively. "Can I come in for a minute? I've got something I need to ask you about."

She debated a second, but despite his reticence of late Cory was fairly harmless. He and Eric had gotten into their share of trouble as kids, and then a few times later... but it had never been malicious. He just wasn't a violent guy. "Sure. Something about the project?" A milestone was due next Wednesday but things had seemed well in hand.

He came in without saying anything, just looking around. "Is your mom here?"

"No, she took my sister to soccer." As she said that, she had one of her new intuitions that something was wrong. Cory was acting... strange.

He went into the kitchen and she followed, standing back a step or two. He looked around, frowning, then put a hand in his jacket pocket and started speaking. "Something's been bothering me since school started. A few things. Y'know that time us guys snuck into Lincoln High, planted that backdoor in their computer lab?" She nodded cautiously. "We had a ladder to get on the roof, and got in through the courtyard, they don't lock the doors coming in. That was easy. But on the way back out..."

"I've heard you tell this before, you know," Erica said wryly. Actually, Eric had gone on that little expedition, too. But Cory told the story well, and enjoyed bragging about it.

Cory just peered at her. "Yeah, I know. Bear with me, I've got a point." He resumed. "We made it to the outside wall, and Scotty got down first, went around the corner. You know, to be a lookout. I dropped down, and I'm standing there waiting for the guys to hand down the ladder. Josh starts to lower it, and the security guard pops out of the door in front of me, all, "What are you doing here?"

"I give him some BS to hold his attention, 'I'm just walking, I'll leave.' That kind of stuff. And two feet over this guy's head, that ladder is hovering right there. Josh can't make a sound, or we're screwed. I got lucky again, calmed the guard down, walked away, and he goes back in, didn't see anything. No problem after that." Cory was glaring at Erica by now. "But somebody helped Josh hold that ladder up there. I know he couldn't have done it on his own. I even remember someone helping him... except I can't remember who."

His frown deepened. "I was telling this story a couple weeks back. And I got to that part... and I couldn't remember who was there. It was me, Scotty, Josh, and... who?" He shook his head jerkily, as if he were trying to jolt the memory loose. "Scotty said it was Derek. He said Derek was with us that night. But I don't remember him being there. I never even liked him much. Still, I couldn't think who it had been, and Scotty was so sure." He frowned at Erica. "I've told that story any number of times before. I even remember telling it at the beginning of the summer. Why the trouble now?"

Erica was feeling a chill. It had been Eric who'd helped Josh noiselessly suspend the ladder. Adjusting the memory had apparently not taken right. A girl wouldn't have been brought along on such a prank - not by high school boys, anyway - but four boys had to be involved. So some other boy had been substituted, evidently... but why didn't Cory remember the updated history?

"Then there's something else. Your programs in class."

Erica's chill intensified. She worked hard to keep it out of her face.

"Programmers have a style. You know it, anybody that's, like, collaborated on a program knows it." He looked her in the eye. "I always counted on you for the hairier parts of the code, but I knew I'd have to clean it up some." He shrugged. "No offense, but you always made your functions too big, and your comments were useless half the time. You could juggle a lot of things in your head; actually, you always ran too many things together in one block. But you never thought about how someone else would understand what you wrote."

Now he stared meaningfully. "Not this year. You break everything down into smaller steps, and your comments are much more... descriptive." His frown seemed permanent by now. "You're not exactly a superstar programmer anymore, not by yourself, but you're a much better team player."

Erica shrugged, noncommittally. "Thanks, I guess."

"Another thing. I looked at your Gamercard. You got three or four thousands last year. You even got two over the summer. Since school started, though, you've barely gotten any Achievements."

Erica shrugged again. "Kinda busy with cheerleading." She was starting to feel genuine nervousness.

"And there's something else. This is..." he trailed off. Then he squared his shoulders. "You're, like, attractive. At least, you should be. I remember thinking you were hot, last year." She started to reply, but he overrode her. "But this year...it's like... like the thought of kissing you is... disturbing."

Trying to defuse things, she smiled and joked, "Am I supposed to be crushed?" She couldn't keep all her unease out of her voice.

He just stared at her. Then he spoke. "Something about this is bothering you." She gasped as he pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at her.

"Here's the thing. Every time I think about that night at Lincoln High, I think of you. Why is that?"

Erica, petrified, could only see the barrel aimed at her chest. "Oh, Goddess, please, just put that away. Just, just go..." She was screaming for her Mom in the back of her mind, calling for help. She couldn't send concepts yet, just emotion, but she could feel her Mom reacting to the distress she was sending.

"No." He was firm, unshakable. "None of this makes sense... unless my own memories - everyone's memories - have been tampered with." He glared at her, daring her to deny it.

"I don't... Don't you hear how crazy that sounds?"

~~~~~

Miranda sat in her folding chair at the edge of the soccer field, watching Haylie run about with the other girls. Suddenly she bolted upright at the impact of Erica's empathic scream. She reached for her eldest daughter's mind and came close to panic herself at what she saw through Erica's eyes. Fumbling, she grabbed for her cell phone as she turned and strode over to one of the other mothers nearby, pretending to receive a call.

Holding the phone up to her ear, she braced a friend. "Connie? I need to run, Erica needs me at home. Can you take Haylie to the party for me after the game?"

"That's fine," the woman replied. Seeing Miranda's pallor, she asked, "I hope it's not serious?"

"I don't think so," Miranda called over her shoulder, jogging toward her car. As soon as she was inside, even as she was starting it up, she was 'calling' her Sisters.

Jacqui was driving the car, the three Sisters chatting idly, when Miranda's telepathic cry for help reached them. They had only just started home, having spent the afternoon shopping. Within seconds Jacqui was pulling to the side of the freeway.

"Oh, Goddess, we've got to get back there." Laurie was working to make a link to see what was happening with Erica as Bronwyn 'talked' to Miranda and Jacqui navigated the car to a stop.

"We'll meet up in her garage." Bronwyn was always cool and collected in a crisis. Not for her power alone was she High Priestess of the Sisterhood.

Miranda pulled off the road into a parking lot as soon as she was away from the game, and began to chant the teleportation spell. She had to get to Erica fast.

"I've 'seen' where we're going from Miranda," Bronwyn said. "Be careful; we can't startle the boy, he'll kill Erica."

All Sisters could manage teleportation of several hundred yards. Some could do a mile or more. The witches held hands, forming an awkward 'circle' in the car to share power - and Jacqui proved her almost unprecedented ability by teleporting all three witches over fifteen miles to the Jardin home.

~~~~~

"Tell me what the fuck is going on. Now." Cory's voice was level, the hand holding the gun was steady. Erica could see his eyes darting, the sweat forming on his brow, though. He was on the edge, his control - and her position - was very precarious.

"Please, just, just put that down. I, I, I don't know what you want to hear, but..."

"I want to hear why the fuck I know what your kitchen looks like if we've only ever seen each other at school!" he roared.

Erica's heart was racing, she felt faint. For the first time in weeks, she wished for Eric's strength back. Overpowering Cory was impossible, for Erica at least, and she'd barely started to learn Magic. Her mouth worked, unable to make a sound...

Suddenly she heard her Mother's voice in her mind, had a feeling she was close by. Stall him. Say whatever you have to. Help is coming. With the message came a sense of Miranda's intense fear. But also maternal rage, the fury of a mother bear whose cub was threatened. And a certain... confidence, a sense that this problem could be dealt with. That helped immeasurably.

"O... okay." Her tone was placating, submissive. Surrendering. "Just... wait." She held out her hands, warding him off.

"Talk fast." He practically growled.

Erica didn't need much prompting. "My Mom's a witch." Cory stiffened, and she rushed on. "I know, I didn't believe it either. I used to be Eric, a boy. One of your friends. Then my Mom changed me, made me a girl. A month before school, last summer." She drew a deep breath. "She changed everybody's memories, no one was supposed to remember."

Cory just glared, giving no outward reaction.

"She wanted to let me learn what it was like to be a girl, to see life from this side..."

~~~~~

The three Sisters materialized in the garage. Miranda was already there, straining her Magical senses to keep track of the dangerously unstable situation in the kitchen. She wasn't even paying attention to the words being spoken, she was watching the emotions of both the youngsters. Jacqui worked to collect herself - teleporting that many people that far was a strain.

Bronwyn snapped curt orders. "I'm going to conjure the gun from him. Miranda, Laurie, the second I do that, you two knock him out. Everyone clear?"

The two women nodded, clasping hands.

~~~~~

"So you fucked with my mind, my memories, my self - with everyone who knew you - so that you could get a look at the inside of the girl's locker room?" There was murder in Cory's glare.

"I didn't do it. My Mom did. It was supposed to be a gift."

"A gift that involved wandering around in my head, rearranging the furniture to suit you?" He wasn't anywhere near panic now. He was coldly furious, and it was even more frightening.

"I didn't..." she began, and then she felt the power being used. The gun was gone, and a surge of Magic slammed into Cory.

He grunted, staggered... but didn't go down. Unsteadily, he struggled to focus on Erica.

In the garage, Miranda screamed. "He's fighting it! Dark Power! He's a Brother!" The other Sisters were shocked. Nothing about this situation was expected, everything was happening so fast...

Cory took a step toward Erica, who was paralyzed with shock. The assault he felt intensified; it was nearly impossible to keep his eyes open. He turned and ran - or at least stumbled - to the back door, out into the backyard. Heedless, he trampled through the garden. The further he got from the house, the lower the force ebbed. With the same strange familiarity he'd felt about Erica's home, he recalled a trail through the woods at the back of their yard...

Miranda burst through the door into the house, racing to Erica. Bronwyn came in on her heels, shouting, "We have to stop him!" Jacqui and Laurie were not far behind.

Miranda was squeezing Erica in her arms, tears running freely. "Oh, my baby, thank the Goddess you're okay..."

Bronwyn gave commands to the Donovans in a low, firm voice. "We can't let him get away. We need to know what's going on. Get past him, back me up." She paused for a second. "And keep your senses open. Something about this setup isn't right."

Cory was running hard, keeping his breathing even. He wasn't the fastest on the track team but he knew how to cover ground. Not far now, he'd be out on a street in seconds. He hoped that being in public would make him a less vulnerable target. At that moment, a dozen yards up the trail, the air shimmered and twisted. A slim, older woman was suddenly blocking his way.

Physical assaults between Magic-users were pretty much unheard of, in both the Brotherhood and Sisterhood - for much the same reason that machine-gunners didn't bother with bayonets. Cory's attack nearly succeeded simply because it was so hopeless. By the time Bronwyn understood what was going on, his left hook was flying. She only just shifted her defenses from the Magical level to the physical before it landed.

He was rebuffed backward, landing flat on his ass. For a moment he gaped up at her. Then, with the speed of the fit teenage boy he was, he rolled over and charged off through the woods, angling away from her and the Jardin house.

He reached a small clearing and stopped short. A younger, athletic woman stood on the far side. Immediately, he felt the same kind of pressure he'd felt at the house. Stronger, even. In the half-instinctive way he'd come up with then, he pushed back, as hard as he could, trying to counterattack.

The woman might have smiled, slightly. "Is that all you got?" She gestured, and the force that had repelled him from the other woman seized him, from all directions. It was like being gripped in an invisible fist.

"Who sent you?" she demanded. "Who are you working for?"

"Fuck you," Cory spat. Still wriggling, fighting... though it made no difference.

"What is the Brotherhood up to? I won't ask again," Jacqui said.

"Whatever you are, fuck you!" he screamed, lashing out on that new level as hard as he could. It didn't even dent Jacqui's shields.

At that point, the other witches appeared in the clearing. Miranda brought Erica with her. The danger was past, now, and she wanted her daughter to see that. To know that she would be safe.

"Suit yourself," Jacqui was saying to Cory. "We'll find out one way or another."

She turned to the other witches and looked straight at Bronwyn. "You're right. Something's off about this whole situation. We need answers, fast, and he doesn't want to give 'em up."

Miranda was bristling, resembling nothing so much as a furious mother cat whose kittens had been threatened. "He doesn't have to give anything. We can take what we need."

Laurie spoke up, concerned. "Let's just... take a moment, everyone..."

Miranda practically growled. "Who else is coming? What do they know?" She waved at Cory, still struggling. "He was going after Erica! We can't afford to fight through his mind, breaking shield after shield. There's no time!"

Bronwyn pursed her lips, mulling that over. Miranda focused on her. "We let Brothers get away with attacking Novices right in front of us now?"

Erica had been standing to the side, dazed and numb. At that, she stirred. "Mom, wait. He wasn't..."

"Quiet, honey. There's more going on than you know," Miranda said absently. More firmly, she looked meaningfully at Bronwyn and said, "Much more."

Bronwyn stood up straight. "True. We need intel, and quickly." She turned to Laurie, making eye contact.

Laurie paused, then nodded reluctantly. Bronwyn nodded more decisively. Both grasped Jacqui's hands. Miranda reached out too, pulling Erica forward. Her daughter should be part of this. Jacqui began to chant.

Erica joined the circle, lending her power. The communion of the circle let her see the spell, perceive the forces flowing, feel the thoughts of her Sisters somewhat. The light gathered, and crashed into Cory like a wave.

The Sisters were focused, intent. Only Miranda possessed any real enthusiasm, though. The three senior Sisters were simply carrying out an unfortunate but necessary task, eliminating a demonstrated threat.

She could see in their minds what they were doing. Overwhelming and obliterating his power, cancelling it. They would remove it permanently, blot it out, taking all aggression, all will to harm from him. He'd be gentled; a passive, quiet man with no Magic, who wouldn't hurt a fly. It was a weapon they used against evil men, she could see memories of them using it on the... the 'Brotherhood'?

Erica was horrified. Cory had threatened her, but he wasn't evil. At most, he'd overreacted... though what would she have done if she'd discovered someone had covertly altered her memories? What would Eric have done?

Cory resisted frantically, but he was simply, completely outclassed. The light was shoving inward; compressing, consuming his will to fight. Erica saw it, felt it happening. Laurie noticed the girl's distress, and began to probe for the cause. But it was too late; Erica pulled back, withdrew from the circle.

Only a Novice would make such a mistake. Abruptly breaking the link caused the built-up energies circulating among the women to discharge wildly, dispersing. The pain was excruciating for all of them, and crippling for Jacqui, who'd been the focus of the circle. She fell on the ground, dazed. Bronwyn staggered and Laurie sank to her knees. They had been to either side of her, and were only marginally less impaired.

Cory shook his head, the attack fading. He thought as quickly as he could. It was obvious he couldn't win this fight. He barely knew how to wage this fight. Running from people who could teleport was useless. But an opportunity had opened - he had no idea why. Not for victory, but to cost his assailants as dearly as possible.

Taking all his rage, all his hate, all his terror and despair, he focused everything he had in the unfamiliar manner he only half-understood and blasted every bit of it... at Erica. She screamed, agonized, as darkness crept in from all directions, extinguishing her light. It was savage and unrelenting and powered with Cory's entire soul. She blocked as much as she could, instinctively, but she too had been stunned by the collapse of the circle.

One witch remained. Miranda had been away from the focus and hadn't broken the circle herself; she was shaken but able to think. She saw what was happening to her beloved daughter and she acted with all of a Mother's resolve - and fury. Perhaps if Jacqui hadn't been there to spark the idea, the form of her counterattack would have been different... but it was in any case effective. Her power swelled and exploded from her, enveloping Cory in light.

~~~~~

"Well, this is a fine mess." Jacqui was not happy.

The Jardin kitchen was a tense place again, and now crowded as well. Miranda and Laurie and Bronwyn sat at the table, sipping coffee. Erica hugged herself by the counter and Jacqui paced about. Several major decisions had to be made quickly.

"I'm sorry," Miranda said contritely. "It was the only way I could see. He was going to kill Erica!"

Bronwyn broke in sharply. "But you didn't have to add the subspell making it permanent!"

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I wasn't thinking clearly. He was killing my Daughter! All I wanted was to make sure he'd never be able to threaten her again."

"Well, she certainly won't be doing that anytime soon," Laurie muttered. Cory - now physically a young woman, looking slightly comical in ill-fitting male clothing - lay on the couch in the living room, held asleep by Laurie's Magic. He'd been unconscious when the witches had recovered.

Erica had stayed mute all the way back to the house, but now she spoke up. "What's the 'Brotherhood'?"

The other women fell silent, staring at her. "Goddess, what a fiasco," Bronwyn sighed. "This is much too soon for you to be hearing this, but I suppose there's no sense protecting you anymore." She took a sip of coffee. "I will have to summarize, there isn't time for the whole story right now."

"The Sisterhood has existed for tens of thousands of years. There have been people using Magic since we were human, I suppose. But there are two ways to power, via Light - the way of the Goddess we follow - or via Darkness."

"The Dark Power is not inherently evil, any more than aggression and conflict are necessarily evil. But like aggression and conflict, it can easily bring out the worst in men. And when it does, terrible things happen. Long before recorded history, the followers of Darkness betrayed and nearly destroyed the followers of Light."

She sighed. "Magic itself changed in that betrayal and the following struggle. Before, Light and Dark were in harmony, and available to all. After, the Dark Power was oriented to men and the Light to women. Men can no longer use the Light, women cannot use the Dark. Perhaps some terrible mistake was made, that caused that change and led to the betrayal. Perhaps that splintering was part of the betrayal itself. We cannot know, this far removed."

She went on. "Only a few men survived the battles, former followers of the Light, stripped of their power. In hiding, they found the Goddess. She gave them the power they needed to save humanity from the Dominion of the Brotherhood, but Her price was their masculinity. The Sisterhood of the Transformed was founded, granted new powers of Light to contest the Darkness."

"After a long struggle, the Brotherhood was defeated, though not destroyed. Nor should it have been. Just as most men - even in an invading army - are not truly evil, most Brothers do not desire conquest and destruction." Another sip. "But the Sisterhood remains to guard against the times when powerful Brothers turn evil. To protect humanity from another Dominion."

She looked at Erica. "One of these conflicts, you've heard of. World War II. Even the ordinary histories record that Hitler was deeply involved in the occult, and that he survived dozens of attempts on his life."

The novice absorbed that soberly. After a few moments, she asked, "So, there's men in the Brotherhood, and Transformed men in the Sisterhood. What about women? Birth-women, I mean? Don't they have any kind of Magic?"

"Yes they do, or can. Magic of Light, and powerful, but it is not a Magic suitable for direct struggle with the Brotherhood. Subtle, defensive, nurturing. The peaceful path of the Light, Wicca and similar ways."

Erica was speechless, processing what the High Priestess had said. Miranda spoke up. "What are we going to do if the Brotherhood knows where we are?"

"Nothing about this fits," groused Laurie. "The Brotherhood is sometimes evil, but rarely this stupid." She looked around at the other Sisters. "An attack like this is too clumsy. He had no idea what he was doing. He wasn't even using proper spells, just raw power."

"I've checked everywhere around here. There's no trace of Dark Magic, no sign of Brotherhood activity," Bronwyn concurred. She looked toward the form on the couch, musing. "Magically, not even that strong. Above average, perhaps, but not remarkably so."

"Erica." Jacqui said peremptorily, getting the girl's attention. She pointedly nodded toward Cory. "A classmate of yours?" She trusted her hunches.

"Yeah," Erica replied, abstractedly. "He was a friend of mine, before, y'know, I was Transformed. We went way back." She shook her head, hardly able to believe that Cory had tried to kill her. "Somehow, he knew something was wrong. He remembered what our house looked like, even though he shouldn't." She hugged herself. "He was so scared, so angry."

"For most men, being scared means being angry," Jacqui noted wryly. She reached for her shoulderbag and pulled out a laptop. "What's your wifi password? I need to check things out."

Erica was amazed all over again at the speed Jacqui gathered and correlated information. Some of it was Magic, which allowed exploits no ordinary computer security scheme could defend against. But much of it was Jacqui's extraordinary mind - the intuitive leaps she could make were dizzying, but almost always turned out to be well-founded.

The older Sisters couldn't even follow the bulk of what Jacqui was doing; computer literacy wasn't a common trait in the Sisterhood. It had only been about fifteen minutes when Jacqui sat back and said, "I think I know what's going on. Cory was adopted."

"Yeah, that's right. So?" Erica asked.

"So, from what I can gather from hints in some of these sealed records, his father was in the Brotherhood. I'll lay odds the 'fire' his birth parents died in was the result of some intra-Brotherhood power struggle. Maybe the other Brothers didn't know about Cory, or didn't care."

She sighed. "Either way, he was adopted by perfectly normal parents, I just scanned them. He was never trained, never knew anything about Magic."

"'Cory's Luck'!" Erica blurted. At the stares of the other women, she shrugged. "He was always lucky. Just little things. The teachers never called on him if he didn't know the answer. He was killer at poker, you didn't dare call his bluffs. Things like that."

Bronwyn nodded. "That fits. Unconsciously using his power, not even knowing what he was doing." She shook her head ruefully. "He's not a Brother."

"How come I wasn't lucky like that? As Eric, I mean?" Erica asked.

Miranda said gently, "When a Sister gives birth to her son, she performs the Birth Rites. It blocks off her son's access to the Dark Power." Erica frowned. A lot of unexpected information was coming at her fast.

Bronwyn looked at Miranda. "Still, this explains why your memory spells didn't take fully."

"I did everything..." Miranda started to object.

"That was not an indictment, Sister, simply an observation," Bronwyn broke in, her tone reminding everyone that - and why - she was High Priestess. "You were changing hundreds of minds at once. No one would expect you to sense just one mind among them, passively resisting, and only partially at that."

Miranda waved in the general direction of the sleeping girl in the next room. "But how could I have missed that? Someone with the Dark Power, in my house?" She looked to the other witches. "Eric and Cory played together all the time when they were little. He slept over here a few times!"

Jacqui shook her head. "He probably never used it here. Power really develops at puberty, kids don't do Magic. Not that kind, anyway. And why would you suspect anything? I got introduced to the High Leader of the Brotherhood and didn't have any sense he was more than a creep." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Water under the bridge. Right now, we have someone who is not going to accept a Transformation easily, if at all, and only she can undo it." As she said that, she stared at Miranda, who averted her eyes, abashed.

Erica sensed something being left unsaid, but Jacqui kept talking. "We have to figure out what we're going do, and fast. No matter what we do, it's going to be a very busy night, and we're already late to pick up our girls from the babysitter."

"We only have two options," Bronwyn stated flatly. "Either we somehow convince her to voluntarily join the Sisterhood, somehow get her to accept and work through her Transition - if she can - or we open her mind, change her into a girl and make her forget she was ever a boy."

Erica was more than appalled, she was dumbfounded. "You can't do that! We'd be doing exactly what he was afraid of!"

"It's not something I want to do, or even take lightly, my dear," Bronwyn said solemnly. "But the fact remains that she hates us and poses a definite threat, which we cannot ignore."

"But we struck first!" Erica protested. "How would you feel if you found out someone changed your memories?"

Jacqui cleared her throat. "Erica, listen. I've studied this more than any other Sister, I think. I had a very hard Transition." She sighed. "The sons of Sisters are raised with a positive view of women. Not disparaging of masculinity, but Sisters know in their hearts what's in store for their boys." Erica looked at her Mother, thinking about what that meant. But Jacqui put her hands on Erica's shoulders, forced her to pay attention. "Even then, and even when the Transformation is presented in the most positive and non-threatening way possible, better than one in ten boys don't go through with it. They just can't adjust."

Jacqui shook her head. "I can't even imagine a worse scenario than this. Transformed against her will - as an attack - by people she feels she has every reason to hate. People she was willing to kill - and came very close to killing." Erica shuddered involuntarily; the memory of consuming darkness was fresh. "I don't see how a successful Transition is even possible here."

She went on, inexorably. "And leaving her as she is? Stuck in a hateful body with no hope of going back? She'd be a threat to herself, and to the Sisterhood. She could expose you and your Mother, and probably us. Best case, we all go into hiding with new identities. Worst case, the Brotherhood finds us before we can." She sighed. "I have a daughter almost Haylie's age. I can't put her at hazard like that."

"I'm sorry, Erica," Bronwyn said. "It's a war. At least a cold one, and we never know when it might turn hot." She sighed. "And sometimes in war, innocent people get hurt."

"At least let me try," Erica pleaded. The witches exchanged long looks.

~~~~~

Cory woke slowly, looking groggy and sluggish to Erica. She could vaguely feel the power operating as Laurie removed her Healing sleep spell. Then, all at once he was totally awake, panicked and struggling. His arms were restrained, legs too. His eyes focused and he saw the ropes tying him to a chair. He looked up and saw Erica sitting in front of him, no one else around - and then his eyes shot back to his arms. His body. His breasts.

"What the fuck?!" he exclaimed, then a made a wordless horrified cry at his own voice.

Erica spoke urgently. "Please, wait. Please. Just listen to me."

Cory kept struggling. His desperate spasms failed to free his limbs.

"Please listen." Erica pleaded. "Just listen for a minute." Cory finally stopped thrashing around and glared balefully. For just a moment, Erica felt almost as if she were under Magical attack again, even though she knew that was impossible. The hate and anger in his expression was intense.

Halting, unsure, Erica began. "I'm sorry. This isn't anything we wanted, that anybody wanted. This is all a big misunderstanding." She trailed off.

Cory just glowered. Then he pointed his chin down at his body and snarled, "This is a 'misunderstanding'? My mind wasn't enough, you had to fuck up my body too?"

Erica spread her hands. "You were trying to kill me, and, well, my Mom did what she had to, to save me."

"You tried to kill me." His voice was terrible, soaked with hate and an undercurrent of terror. But the worst thing was the absolute lack of hope. It was obvious Cory felt he was facing his death, or worse.

"I didn't... They weren't..." Now she was wringing her hands. "Things just... got away from everybody." Pleadingly, she asked, "Look, just let me explain?"

He sat motionless, set in stone. Incongruously, Erica was struck by what a pretty girl Cory made. On the slender side, with slim hips and a modest bust. A little like Bronwyn. But she couldn't afford distractions right now, and Cory didn't need any reminders of his new status yet.

Falteringly, she began again. "I wasn't kidding about the Magic. Obviously. My Mom's really a witch. Along with a bunch of others, they call themselves the Sisterhood." She looked away. "They all started as men, becoming a girl is... sort of like an initiation. That's what my Mom did for me."

She paused. "I just found out a lot of this. There are men that they fight, men with Magic. They thought you were one of them."

"Oh, it's all just a big mistake." Goddess, he sounds bitter, Erica thought.

Eric had been, too, she realized, and with less reason.

"Unfortunately, yeah." She looked in his eyes. Despite the features, she couldn't think of Cory as a 'her'. "When you threatened me, they... well, they kinda went ballistic."

Once again he indicated his reshaped body. "This is 'ballistic'?" A faint tremor in his voice now; Erica felt a rush of sympathy, and shame. He must be so frightened!

"Mom sorta had to. Sisters can't kill."

"They were doing a good job before!" he snapped.

"No, even then, they were just going to sorta burn out your power, wipe out your aggression."

Anger was back, now, in full measure. "What? That's supposed to be better?"

"No!" she said forcefully. "Once I saw what they were doing, I stopped them."

He frowned and stared at her, exuding disbelief... but she could see he hadn't expected her to say that.

"Look, I understand why you attacked me. I think even they do, now." She sighed. "And now I'm trying to keep it from getting any worse."

"Change me back. Let me go." Suddenly he was shouting. "Leave me the fuck alone!"

"Um... we can't." She couldn't keep her hands still. "Goddess, we all wish we could, but we can't."

Resigned sarcasm now, but still shouting. "Of course. I know too much. So let me guess, you'll really fuck up my mind now?"

"Listen." She had to make him understand. "I mean we actually are not able to change you back now. Nobody can, except you."

For the first time, there was honest confusion on his face. "What?"

"The spell is permanent, unless the Transformed One undoes it."

He just scowled, trying to process that. "And how do I 'undo it'?" he spat.

"That's... um... that's the hard part. You have to learn the Transformation spell." Her eyes dropped. "But to do that, you, uh..." She squared her shoulders. No sense pussyfooting around it. "You have to acclimate. To being a girl."

She could actually watch the dumbfounded shock on his face shift to obstinate rejection. "Fix this, or I swear to God, the second I'm out of here I kill every fucking one of you or die trying!"

The other witches stepped into the room at that point. Cory's expression was poisonous. He was wriggling again, trying to work free from the ropes. Miranda held her daughter's shoulders. "Erica, this isn't going to work. She... he can't trust us."

"Why the fuck should I? Bitch?" Under other circumstances, the women might have found it amusing, how against his instincts it was to insult her like that. To use the word, despite his rage. But they had probed his mind, seen that he wasn't prone to such things... and it made the whole tangled predicament all the more tragic.

"No reason at all, from your perspective." Bronwyn was somehow authoritative even as she was apologizing. "We are all truly sorry it has come to this, but what Erica told you is the truth. It is now beyond our power to restore you to your male form."

"Bullshit!" he screamed. Then, he visibly restrained himself. In a quiet tone containing an impressive amount of menace for a soprano, he said, "Change me back now, or one of us dies."

"There is only one way to do that, as Erica told you. We can instruct you, help you, but you have to voluntarily adjust, adapt yourself to being female first." She spread her hands helplessly. "The only way out now is through."

"Buncha crap," Cory growled.

"How do you know? Are you an expert in Magic?" Jacqui asked pointedly.

Cory didn't concede the point. Instead he shifted ground. "How can I know anything? You screw with people's heads just for fun! There's no excuse for messing with somebody's mind!"

"I know it must seem that way to you, but it is a matter of survival for us." Bronwyn sighed. "I have no way to prove this to you, but..." She searched for words. "Changing merely peripheral memories, planting subtle and temporary Suggestions, is one thing. There is an unmistakable, almost tangible difference between that and fundamentally altering who someone is, damaging their free will. Once that line is crossed, it's irrevocable, they cannot be restored. We cross that line only in desperate circumstances, and I assure you, we have not done so with you."

He was unmoved. "Not yet. As you said, I've got no reason to trust you."

Jacqui piped in. "If we were the brain-eating monsters you think, why would we be talking to you?"

That stymied him for a moment.

Erica jumped in. "Honest, all my Mom did was change your memories of me." She paused, then continued thoughtfully. "It never really occurred to me, what that meant." Cory sneered, and she said, defensively, "She kinda tricked me into this whole girl thing, I've had my own stuff to deal with."

Miranda felt pierced to the heart to hear Erica say that. She hadn't been 'tricked'... well, not really. Well, not completely...

Jacqui tried to get things back on track. "If you accept our help, we can teach you the Magic you will need to Transform yourself back into a boy."

There was a brief pause. "How long would that take?" His voice had lost none of its hostility, granting nothing. It was an accusation far more than a request for information.

As an accusation, it struck home. "Ah. Unfortunately, that could take... a few years. Particularly in your case, there are... difficulties..." Jacqui's eyes weren't focused on the present, flashing back to earlier times.

"Years?" Erica remembered her own reaction to that news, how she'd squeaked. Cory delivered his line better; a hiss with clenched teeth. Her heart sank.

"I'm afraid so." Jacqui had recollected herself. "You'll need to live as a girl, learn women's Magic."

"For years." No change in his tone or delivery. The rejection was obvious.

Laurie sounded compassionate as always. "I know it doesn't sound appealing right now, but we can help. No one else would have to know. We can change memories, both now and when you become male again..."

Cory interrupted rudely. "I'm thinking my parents are going to remember adopting a boy." The sarcasm was thick, troweled on. "Can you change their whole life as parents without changing who they are?"

More exchanged glances. "No," Bronwyn conceded.

"Then fuck you. I'm not letting you turn them into zombies." He shrugged. "At least if I'm dead there's no point in screwing with their minds."

Erica looked horrified, realizing that Cory was right. Ruthlessly 'rearranging the furniture' in the minds of Cory's parents - at least - was unavoidable. Probably grandparents and other relatives, too. The other Sisters hadn't even mentioned that, just accepted it as given. The cost of doing business.

Laurie was speaking. "Sisters cannot kill. I'm afraid that, ah, reconciling you to the situation is the only available path." She spread her hands helplessly, worriedly. "But if we force you to accept being a girl, it will destroy any chance of you becoming a boy again. Only free minds can perform Magic." It was obvious to all she was troubled. Jacqui frowned herself.

Cory looked from her to glare directly at Bronwyn. "What if I just kill myself? No blood on your hands, right?"

Horrified silence reigned for long moments. Erica was dumbfounded to see the Sisters actually considering the idea...

But Bronwyn ultimately shook her head. "The Sisterhood has far more practice covering up a Transformation than a vanishing. We cannot afford to bring that kind of attention here."

Cory bunched in on himself and pointedly looked away. Clearly he had nothing more to say to them.

"We have our own families to protect. And through them, a world. You leave us no choice. I'm sorry." The witches, in silent accord, began forming a circle, though not even Miranda displayed any real enthusiasm this time. Laurie was particularly slow to join. Erica yanked her hands from her Mother's and hugged herself, face a study in distress.

"I promise, for what it's worth, you and your parents will be happy..." Bronwyn's eyes were sad as they took in the rigid statue the former boy made, saturated with hate and fear. The Magic began to gather...

And then, to everyone's surprise including her own, Erica placed herself between Cory and the Sisters, locking eyes with Miranda. "Mother, if you do this, you'd better just do it to me, too." She was suddenly shaking, not sure herself if it was in rage or fear or both. "I will do whatever I can to stop you, and I will never forgive you."

"Erica, honey, please..." Miranda's shock and grief were palpable. Bronwyn looked taken aback, and even Cory betrayed some uncertainty.

"No. You tell me the Sisterhood is meant to fight evil, to protect the innocent." She looked at everyone present, cold anger making her tremble a little. "Cory's not evil. He's the most innocent one here."

~~~~~

In the moment, Erica was surprised at how quickly the other Sisters realized she was serious. Only afterward did it occur to her that maybe the witches didn't need words to discern how she felt.

It threw things into confusion for a while. Bronwyn, Laurie, and Jacqui went off to confer alone. Miranda's few abortive attempts at persuasion were ruthlessly shot down.

In the other room, the witches spoke in low but urgent tones. "This is bad," Jacqui said.

"There has to be a way to get through this mess without permanently damaging anyone's mind..." Laurie said. It was almost a prayer.

"A false hope," said Bronwyn sadly. "We'd all love that, but there's no chance of success here. You saw Cory."

"Success might even be worse," Jacqui pointed out. "Say we talk him into going along for now. With the Goddess' blessing, say we even convince him to go through a Transition. But we'd be setting both of them up for heartbreak! To go back to being Cory, back to his parents, he - she - would have to give up her newborn son!" She shook her head. "And Erica will have been party to it."

"Are you seriously suggesting mindwiping Erica?" Laurie said.

Jacqui and Bronwyn exchanged glances. "No," Jacqui admitted.

Bronwyn spoke slowly, thinking out loud. "I don't think she understands how traumatic an unwelcome Transformation can be. She might change her mind once she sees..."

"But we'd have to deal with Cory until then. Who has every reason to expose us." Jacqui shook her head. "And the longer this spins out, the bigger the mess to clean up."

By the time the trio of Sisters returned, icy silence ruled the room.

"Erica," Bronwyn began, "you need to understand the danger we're in. Our enemies look for certain patterns, strange happenings. We've gotten much better at covering our tracks in the last few years, but we're not perfect. We already took a chance changing your records from boy to girl, instead of shifting you and your Mother to new identities." Erica's eyes widened. "We felt the risk was minimal, and that it would ease your Transition if you didn't need to uproot everything."

Jacqui's voice was clipped, clinical. "But whatever we do now, it'll be a rush job. We've never 'disappeared' someone, it's just not something we do. It'd be risky enough altering Cory's records without any prep work, but a criminal investigation into a disappearance would draw a lot of dangerous attention."

Erica looked back and forth. "Can't you set him up with a new identity?" She indicated Cory.

Jacqui shrugged. "That'd be even more risk. All the problems of both. Altered records, plus we'd still have to deal with a missing boy. We'd be scrambling to make sure it wasn't linked to you and your Mother."

"But could you do it?" Erica said intensely.

Jacqui threw her hands in the air, frustrated. "We have reserve identities we could adapt. I suppose it could be done. In theory." She took a deep breath. "Again, though..."

Cory interrupted. "You're all forgetting something. I don't want some other identity! I'm not going to be a fucking girl!"

Jacqui and Bronwyn nodded sadly, knowingly. Laurie stared at the floor, and Miranda just looked sick and frightened.

Erica wrung her hands, a few tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. She moved to Cory and begged. "Cory, please, it's not so bad. I really think they're telling the truth, eventually you can change back. I'll help you, I'll keep them honest. I won't let them mess with your head anymore. With anyone's! Please, Cory."

Cory looked taken aback, for just a moment. Then the walls slammed back down, the shields went up. "Fuck you. All of you."

"Cory, listen. Think for a second. I'll fight them if I have to, I mean it, they'll have to brainwash me. But..." She bit her lower lip, then whispered. "I can't beat them."

The witches now looked very uneasy; Miranda looked terrified. Cory squinted at her. Eager for any sign she might reach him, she rushed on.

"I'll fight, I swear it, but I'll lose. If you make them change us, they'll change your parents anyway and... and... and everybody loses." She took a deep, ragged breath, tried to control herself. "But we can make them set you up as somebody else for a while, let your mom and dad think you ran away." He twitched. "Cory can come back. Eventually. They won't need to brainwash anybody. You can protect your family, if you just try for a while."

He looked away, at the wall.

"Cory, please. Please. It's not... You can do it, I know it. You're smart and strong, you can get through it. It's not a death sentence."

She held her breath, searching the mask Cory's face had become. On a boy's face the expression would have been called 'flinty', but the unmistakably feminine features, the pale complexion - especially in contrast to the dark black hair - reminded Erica crazily of porcelain.

"Please, help me make this right," she whispered. Maybe it was his male reflexes reacting to a crying girl, but Cory turned from her and squinted searchingly at the Sisters. Then he looked at the wall.

Erica held her breath. Prayers to the Goddess she suddenly doubted poured forth in her head. He looked back at her.

The angry tone made it clear it wasn't a surrender. "What exactly would I have to do?" But Erica suddenly felt hope in her heart.

Jacqui stepped forward. "You'd need to live as a girl. Dress like one, act like one, learn how to be one. Some things we can't tell you about, you have to learn for yourself. For reasons of Magic. But we would promise to tell you everything that we can tell you."

"You leave my parents out of this." The Sisters tried not to show any signs of relief. It was a negotiation now, not a standoff.

Jacqui looked at Cory. "It would still be safer to adjust your history..."

"No fucking with my parents' heads. With anybody's," Cory snarled.

"Let her... him live here. It's our fault, we should take care of him!" Erica interjected. Cory glowered but made no comment.

It was Jacqui's turn to look away in thought. Finally she turned back, caught Cory's eyes. "If we do this, we'll need your cooperation. You'll need to help us make it look like you ran away. Even if it hurts your parents."

"So, you'll take a chance for her sake, but not some random civilian like me, huh?" Cory asked pointedly. Jacqui had the grace to look faintly embarrassed.

~~~~~

Negotiations took time, but eventually an agreement was hammered out. As reparation, and in exchange for keeping the Sisterhood's secret, Cory would receive their assistance and protection. The Sisterhood would cover basic living expenses. He'd be given the training needed to master the Transformation spell.

'Cora' would live with Erica and Miranda, and attend 'her' old school as a transfer student. Neither Jacqui nor the High Priestess - nor especially Miranda - liked the idea. Entirely aside from the security issues, they felt a clean break was best. Laurie, however, eventually agreed with Erica that the Sisterhood's new ward needed at least some familiar surroundings. And Erica was the only Sister that Cory would even provisionally trust. Or, at least, didn't mistrust quite as much.

None of this went very smoothly, of course.

"One more thing. The first thing you teach me is how to protect my mind from Magic." Cory had been unbound from the chair but there was always a Sister between him and the exits.

"That is rather advanced..." Laurie began.

"I don't give a fuck how you want to do it. I don't give a fuck how it's supposed to be done." Nothing in his body language was remotely feminine. It looked like an alien, male spirit - a furious, demonic one - had possessed a girl's body. "I have to know my mind is my own, or no fucking deal."

The witches exchanged glances, helplessly. "We can't," Jacqui said. "It'd be like... like... trying to teach you Fourier transforms before you'd learned algebra." She shook her head. "I just don't see any way to..."

Erica broke in. "Cory, they have binding oaths. I've seen it. They take them seriously. If they give you their word like that, they'll keep it." The emotionless tone wounded Miranda, but not nearly as much as the fact that her daughter had used the word 'they'; that her daughter felt a gulf between herself and the Sisterhood.

Cory stared at Erica for a time. "Shit. I guess I have to trust you on that one." He frowned, thinking furiously.

"We can swear not to observe or alter your thoughts..." Bronwyn began, reluctantly, ruing Erica's stand. This Transition would be incredibly hard as it was. If they couldn't peek at Cory's progress from time to time, perhaps even plant the occasional Suggestion, it would likely be impossible. Although - she considered - there might be ways around it. Laurie had sworn not to peek at Jacqui's journal during her Transition... so she'd had Bronwyn do it. They could bring in another Sister...

If she hadn't known Cory was Magicless right now, she'd have suspected him of reading her mind. He interrupted her. "No. You will all swear not to snoop on my thoughts and feelings, or change them, or let anyone else do it either."

Finally the Sisters swore their oaths, and Cory less-than-gracefully pledged to abide by the terms. He made it clear that if they failed to live up to their side, he would consider himself free to do as he saw fit.

Once it was done, they all fell silent for a moment. Bronwyn spoke first. "Cory, we have much to do over the next few days. We will honor our word. We all want this... imbroglio resolved as quickly as possible."

She instructed with all her considerable gravitas. "But this means you must start making adjustments, too. From now on, you must think of yourself as a girl. Your name will be 'Cora', and you must come to accept it as your own."

His hands clenched... but after a moment, 'she' nodded sharply.

Jacqui tended to pounce on problems once the strategy was clear. "We need you to write a note to your parents. Say you're going away, you can't tell them why, but you're safe and you'll call soon." Cora's clenched teeth made the witches tense up. It looked like he... she was about to scrap everything. But once again she made a single sharp nod.

~~~~~

Bronwyn, Laurie, and Jacqui were at long last on their way back home. First, Jacqui had to teleport back to the car and drive it in.

Apologies had been pouring into the phone from Laurie to their beleaguered babysitter as they'd walked out the door. Bronwyn had been on her phone with another Sister discussing legal and financial machinations. Jacqui had been awkwardly tapping at her laptop all the way to the car, juggling records. They'd been more than slightly ambivalent about leaving the Jardins alone with Cora. Still, they'd already extended their trust, at least provisionally. And they couldn't keep the girl under guard forever.

Miranda had been instructed to keep Cora out of sight, lay low, and await further orders. Haylie had been shuffled into bed as soon as she was dropped off, with her own strict instructions to remain in her room. Miranda's grim countenance had prompted a most uncharacteristic meek obedience.

The girl in question sat on the bed in the Jardin guest room, still swimming in Cory's too-large ensemble. Her legs dangled over the side; the bed was high and her feet didn't reach the floor. She didn't stir when Erica walked in.

"I, uh, got some pajamas for you," Erica said. She didn't add that they were Haylie's; Cora wasn't actually much bigger than the eleven-year-old.

The neophyte Sister didn't react. She just sat there, looking at nothing in particular. She didn't look angry, or depressed. To Erica's worried eyes, she looked dead. "Well... I guess we'll go shopping for you tomorrow," she offered.

"So I can get some dresses?" Cora quipped. But even her acid was diluted.

Erica fidgeted a little. "Well... some, maybe. But, I mean, you don't have to wear frilly stuff all the time. If you don't want to."

"I don't."

Erica suddenly realized that Cora hadn't even gotten a good look at her new body yet. It made her newly grateful for the gradual change she'd undergone. While it was happening, it had seemed bizarre and hasty. Nevertheless, it had subtly given her just enough time to adapt. Or avoid panic, at least.

Maybe the Sisterhood really was that old.

Something to think about later. Right now, she somehow had to help Cora begin coming to terms with what had happened. "C'mon, let's get you changed." She gently guided Cora to her feet and led her to the bathroom. The rookie girl offered no resistance, or indeed animation. Erica was struck again with how much tinier Cora was now. Cory had been nearly half a head taller than Erica; she was now half a head shorter, just under five feet.

They went in. Cora stared at her face in the mirror. The resemblance to Cory was clear - but the features were finer, the eyes wider, the lips fuller. "Huh. I think my eyes are lighter," she muttered.

Erica set the pajamas down, but before she could turn to leave, or even close the door, Cora was pulling her shirt off. "Hey, I don't... I mean, you can have some privacy..." she said, backing away.

Cora was looking at her reflection, no more than mild curiosity in evidence. "What does it matter?" she said almost casually. She reached up and ran her hand over a breast. There was no passion in the action; she might as well have been evaluating a swath of fabric. To Erica's eye, Cora's breasts looked to be a medium A-cup. She felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy when she noticed how symmetrical they were; Erica's own left breast was a tad larger than the right.

Erica stood paralyzed with uncertainty. Cora unbuckled her belt and the loose pants and briefs dropped to the floor. She stared for a long time at her crotch.

Just a bush, the dark hair made it hard to even see the lips. She stepped out of the pants, spread her legs slightly, and reached down to touch herself. Again she displayed no emotion as her fingers probed for a time. She turned to the side, examining her profile. Then she turned further, and looked over her shoulder at her back and derrière. Her hair was still black, but now went down to her shoulderblades; she pushed it aside and looked at her ears.

Erica could feel herself getting a little wet, and cursed her Transformed libido. Cora was very cute. Short, elfin, slender - she might well weigh half what Cory had. Yet there was enough female padding in the right places to make her gender unmistakable. The word "nubile" might have been coined to describe her.

Her wasp waist emphasized the feminine curve of her hips. She even had less leg and underarm hair than Erica did naturally. Her mind, desperate for a tangent, marveled for a moment about how accustomed she'd become to shaving her legs.

Cora looked down again at her crotch. Calmly, she asked, "How do I go to the bathroom with this thing?"

"It's, uh, not that big a deal." Erica managed to impart the requirements without having to get hands-on. Cora didn't blush or betray any outward signs of chagrin. She was utterly matter-of-fact about things. Once the situation was resolved, she simply washed her hands and donned the pajamas. Then she picked up her clothes and the girls went back to the guest bedroom. Cora resumed sitting on the edge of the bed, staring into space.

After the attack, the standoff, and the angry negotiations, Cora's lack of emotion was disconcerting. Erica wondered if she was starting to go catatonic. She couldn't let Cora just withdraw into a shell. She needed to figure a way to get the poor girl to at least acknowledge the strong feelings that must be roiling inside. If Cora didn't express them, she couldn't deal with them. Although Erica knew she hadn't completed her own Transition, she was already a firm convert to the healing power of a good cry.

But if she pushed too hard, would that be worse? She didn't know what to say. After a moment, she knelt on the floor in front of Cora and grabbed her limp hands. Although there was no outward response, at least she didn't pull away. "I'm so sorry this happened. I know you probably hate me, but I promise, I'll do what it takes to make it right."

There was a long silence. Erica came close to despair. Then, a whisper. "I still don't know if I can trust you."

She almost protested - hadn't she done enough, alienating her Mom, bucking the High Priestess? But she seized her tongue before it could lash out, wondering in the back of her mind if Eric would have been able to. If he would have recognized the need, how badly Cora was hurting. Instead, she simply asked, "Can you give me a chance to prove it?"

Cora considered that. "I guess so," she finally said.

Still holding one of Cora's hands, Erica got up and sat on the bed next to her. Although she didn't want to crowd the girl, she'd also become a firm believer in the comfort of physical contact. "What are you thinking?" she asked diffidently.

Cora considered that. For a moment, her eyes regained some wariness. Erica wasn't sure if that was progress or not. But Cora replied. "I don't know what I'm thinking. Like, five hours ago I was a computer geek on the guys track team. Now I'm a tiny little girl with a squeaky voice and I have to learn Magic! I don't even believe... I never believed in Magic."

"It was a big shocker for me, too," Erica said. "I always thought my Mom was, like, a little flaky. Then, one night..." The story of her Transformation came spilling out. She kept nothing back, even the embarrassing parts, encouraged by the interest Cora showed. Any engagement was better than those dead eyes. Besides, she'd never had anyone to talk to about it except her Mom.

She wrapped up with her Mother leaving her at the table holding the scrapbook. For an interval Cora was quiet, but - thank the Goddess - it was a thoughtful, meditative silence.

"So... what do you think about all this now?" she asked.

"I don't... Goddess, I don't know what to think either." Erica made a little squeak of frustration. When Cora cocked her head, she suddenly realized how girlishly she was acting. She couldn't remember when she'd last been so self-conscious about acting feminine.

With a little more dignity, she said, "It's just so confusing, you know?"

Cora looked away. "That's not the word I'd pick."

Erica mused that things were bad when biting sarcasm was an improvement. She put her hand on Cora's shoulder. "I know you're scared, and I don't blame you. I was terrified when I first realized I was stuck as a girl. But I'll be there to help. We can do this together." She smiled, hoping to cheer up the new girl. "And really, it's not all bad." It was her turn to look away. "Honestly? Before this... I'd almost decided to stay a girl."

She felt Cora stiffen, but the involuntary Transformee didn't pull away. "And now?" she asked quietly.

"Now I'm not so sure. I love my Mom, and I liked the other Sisters, but... seeing what they did..." She shook her head. "I don't think I want anything to do with that."

After a lull, Cora spoke. "Don't you miss being a boy?"

That stumped Erica for a bit. "I..." She searched her feelings, floundering. "Not really. Not usually. Not anymore. I mean, at first, sure. But after a while..." She shrugged. "Only once in a while, these days. Like when..." she abruptly cut herself off.

"What?" Cora asked.

"Well..." she began, reluctantly. "...when you had that gun on me. For a second I wished I was strong enough to try to grab it."

"Oh." Cora brooded for a while. Eventually, she said, "Sorry. I mean, I thought you were... I don't know what I thought. But if it really wasn't your fault..." she trailed off. "Sorry."

A conditional apology was probably all she'd get. "S'okay." She thought for a second, then asked, "Speaking of... if you knew something was up, I woulda thought you'd do something more, I dunno, subtle. You're usually pretty tricky."

Cora squinted sideways at her, then shrugged. "Game it out. I knew that somebody could change people's memories, change the internet, everything." She put up her hands. "So, something or somebody that could squash me like a bug if they knew I knew. And nobody else picked up on it. I watched for months, but nobody else seemed to think anything special about you."

Cory had been like this sometime, explaining some programming trick. "So I couldn't ask anybody for help. And even, like, investigating was risky. I couldn't even do much web searching on you, in case there were traps for people looking." She shrugged. "But I couldn't just let it go. Who'd get replaced next? Who'd already been replaced, but I didn't know to look?"

Erica felt terrible, imagining how scared and lonely Cory must have been.

"So, someone or something powerful and sneaky. I couldn't beat 'em on power, or probably on sneaky. Literally the only clue I had was you. So I picked when I hit, when you were alone. And yeah, I brought a gun. Wasn't sure it'd do any good, but... something I heard once. Some Chinese general, he said, 'On desperate ground, fight.' Maybe it won't do any good, but if you just sit there you automatically lose."

Erica tried to picture herself - or Eric - doing what Cory had. She shivered. For a while, nobody said anything.

In a calculated risk, she edged closer, pulled Cora into a gentle hug. For a moment, Cora pulled back, and Erica feared she'd made a mistake... but then the girl sagged closer.

"I don't have anything of mine anymore," Cora said despairingly. "Not even my body. I didn't know anyone could take that away."

"You've still got your mind," Erica said. "And it was always a really good one."

"And how long will I have that?" she whispered.

"I'm not some pod-person who replaced Eric, you know," Erica said with as much reassurance as she could muster. "I had to learn a lot, but I didn't die or anything."

At that, Cora began to weep, softly at first. Erica had been half aiming for this, but now that it had arrived it was unnerving. She just held her friend, stroking her hair as the tears increasingly flowed, as frightened and grieving sobs choked out. It was clear that Cora, or Cory, had little experience with crying.

Erica was hardly shocked when the grasps and gasps began to shift into strokes and moans. If her own experience was any guide, Transformed bodies were very easily aroused. She herself had felt some stirrings at their physical contact, though she never would have acted on them absent signs of reciprocation. So she let her hands move, kissed the top of the apprentice girl's head. Cora desperately needed to release some tension, and anything that would make her new form less terrifying would be a plus.

Cora tilted her head up, and their lips met. Seconds later their tongues slicked against each other. Erica sensed Cora's tears running along her own cheeks, and wondered if she'd ever have a 'first time' where she didn't feel guilty about something.

The new girl's arms pulled tight, forcing them together, clutching Erica like a life preserver. Erica sensed Cora wriggling her hips, understood the tension that drove the motions, even if Cora probably didn't yet. She ran a hand over Cora's ass, extracting a moan and some flexion.

Cora eased up on her hold and they lay back on the bed. It was strange making love to someone smaller than herself again. She snuck a hand up and started unbuttoning the pajamas Cora had just donned minutes ago.

She decided not to advance things until they were both naked. No matter how potent the hormones of her Transformed body, Cora was not remotely comfortable with being a girl. Having a pretty, nude female to look at, to touch, would likely help distract her.

Once they were properly unclothed, Erica got right to business. It would normally be madness to rush a girl's first time, but circumstances were hardly normal here. If she could get Cora to come quickly, her freshly multi-orgasmic nature would almost force her to keep going.

Her finger found Cora's clit almost instantly and provoked an involuntary yelp of shock and pleasure. Cora struggled in her embrace for a moment, until Erica realized what she was aiming for. She let go with her other arm and kept massaging Cora at her most sensitive point. The girl commenced licking and suckling at Erica's breasts.

Erica used the rapid thrumming technique that she'd found so effective on herself. For a few seconds she was unsure if it was working - she'd expected a moan or at least a whimper. Instead Cora panted faster. Erica felt moisture beading on her own pussy lips and squeezed her legs together.

Cora grunted, her breath hitched... and she started to buck. About the third pulse she finally cried out, unable to contain herself anymore. Even then she wasn't as loud as Erica had expected.

Erica held herself close, kept her finger moving between Cora's clenched legs. The orgasm and Cora's moans eventually subsided. She reclined, breathless. "Whoa," she said, stunned.

"I know," Erica said, appreciatively.

Presently they moved into a 69 with Cora on top. The girl was so slight that her weight was no problem. But Erica had to bend more than she'd have liked to get her tongue into Cora's pussy.

Even Cora's labia were beautiful. Eric's porn collection had always included fleshier pudenda that didn't quite conceal the delicate lips within, and Erica concurred. While probing between those inner lips, Erica confirmed that Cora lacked a hymen. She silently thanked the Goddess for small favors. She didn't want to think about how complicated things might have become, psychologically, if Cory had been a virgin.

There were further testimonies to Cory's carnal education. While Cora's technique on Erica's flesh understandably lacked subtlety, she was already better at cunnilingus than Eric had been. The naïveté was almost charming in a way.

They kept at it for over an hour. At the end Cora still couldn't be termed 'relaxed', but she was able to fall asleep, which was the best Erica had hoped for.

Miranda watched Erica's thoughts until the girls nestled together under the covers and dozed off. She was both incredibly proud of her daughter's compassion and courage and terribly frightened and frustrated about the situation those traits had landed them in.

~~~~~

While Miranda was rolling fretfully in an attempt at sleep, Jacqui sat in her home office, still working Magic both supernatural and technological. She had conjured the pistol back into Mr. Ellsworth's safe, and the note into Cory's old room. She had erased any traces of Cory on the Jardin's side of town, and created spurious indications of him taking a bus to San Francisco. More would need to be done, but the exact steps would depend on how the police pursued the case.

Now, Jacqui was laboring to arrange medical, academic, and custodial histories for the Sisterhood's newest member. It was frustrating how many shortcuts she'd had to take, each one a calculated risk. As a very minor consolation, the school transfer didn't need to be Magically rushed. It could proceed via normal channels and be ready in time for next semester.

She sighed, a nauseating mix of fatigue and tension swirling in her stomach, and looked at the clock. After three in the morning. She'd reached her limits for the night. If she didn't rest now she'd be useless tomorrow. She shut things down, locked her screen, and moved through the darkened house.

Every so often she had nightmares that she'd made a mistake, that the Brotherhood knew everything, that they had just been playing with her. Sometimes she was back again on that stone slab, Magically restrained, moments from being raped.

Worse, though, were the times when it was Alice there on the slab.

She crept up the stairs and silently opened a door, peeking in on Alice and Lani. (An impromptu sleepover had been called, it having been too late for Bronwyn to make the drive.) The girls lay in deep slumber, wrapped around the stuffed giraffe between them. Jacqui, tired, fought back sudden tears. The love she felt, the gratitude that their babies were safe, was overwhelming.

In the dreams, it was never Erich Lancaster threatening her; it was always some faceless dark figure. Even her subconscious saw no threat from little Lani anymore. Such a sweet girl. The Goddess' way, the way of love, was better than hate and fear. Jacqui had no doubt of that now.

She closed the door without a sound, and made her way down the hall to her Mother's room, going slowly to take a chance to compose herself.

Bronwyn and Laurie were sitting on the bed, talking in low murmurs. Jacqui stepped in and they looked up at her, questions in their eyes. Jacqui put off those queries, and said raggedly, "I don't know about you two, but I would really like to be held."

Their arms opened and Jacqui fell gratefully into a group hug. She squeezed her dear friend and mentor, and her Mother, both of whom squeezed back just as fiercely. When she kissed Laurie, she was a bit taken aback at the tongue that probed in return. Then, as she felt her body respond, the surprise faded. Naturally the Chief Healer of the Sisterhood had a sense for what people needed.

Bronwyn picked up the change in tenor and began to undress Jacqui from behind. The women, unhurried, took turns removing clothes from each other in a delightful slow dance. Bronwyn and Laurie had gotten older since they'd first played these games with Jacqui, but never lost their allure. Beautiful, both of them, in different ways. Bronwyn, slim and elegant, with an odd combination of dignified gravitas and a dirty mind. Laurie, voluptuous and so unselfishly giving. Around fifty they were now, sagging a little here and there, laugh lines on their faces. No less gorgeous for all that.

Jacqui wasn't a teenager anymore herself. Still in shape, still playing basketball - she'd come that close to trying out for the WNBA - but thirty was just a year away.

In the back of her mind she wondered; if she was going to have another child, it should be soon. Carrying babies was a young woman's game. She'd frolicked with men on occasion; Bronwyn had taught her the ways Sisters used to prevent conception. She'd never found a man whose child she wished to bear, though, and the mental reserve she had to maintain made sex with them substantially less pleasurable than it should be.

Not like with her beloved Marcus, the boy who'd given her Alice just before being killed by the Brotherhood. Goddess, that weekend with him had been so good...

She had long ago deduced that Marcus had been helped by Bronwyn and Laurie. He had been too good to be true in some ways.

What Bronwyn had said to Cora was the truth, though. Suggestions and planted dreams could only do so much. Her and Marcus' love had been tended and nurtured and encouraged, certainly. It had been no less real for that.

Could she love another man the way she'd loved Marcus? For Sisters, finding a mate was a matter of hard choices. Men who would be content with their sons being turned into girls - let alone their mates having been boys once - were practically nonexistent. The scattered exceptions in history were almost fairy tales, legends told by Sisters.

In real life, it came down to two alternatives. Many Sisters would find a lover, get pregnant, then fake their death and flee to raise the child alone. Others would use a divination to find a good man who was fated to die before long, and bear his child - Jacqui's father had been a soldier. Either way involved pain and grief.

Mind-controlling a man to accept the situation wasn't an option so much as a grim, distasteful necessity, only occasionally resorted to in their battle with the Brotherhood.

Laurie's lips between her legs, Bronwyn's hands on her breasts and tongue in her mouth, drove away all dark reflections for a time. They coaxed her into a relatively lengthy session; her fatigue had been largely mental and emotional, not physical, and lovemaking was better restorative for that than sleep. It was a rare passive interlude; Jacqui tended to be aggressive in bed.

Lounging decadently in the afterglow, gently stroking each other, did them all good. But duty called, and there were things to discuss before they could sleep. She rolled onto her belly, lifted her head, and softly filled the women in on what she'd been doing, the misdirections and refilings.

Bronwyn sighed. "After your Transformation, I thought we'd seen the worst case scenario," she lamented. "But this... Goddess, I never imagined such a debacle in my nightmares."

"No way around it, the odds are terrible here. We've got to come up with a fallback plan if Cora can't manage a Transition," Jacqui mused.

"One that doesn't cost us Erica," Laurie said with, for her, surprising sharpness. "Goddess, we could really use that kind of determination."

The other two nodded thoughtfully. "This is going to give us trouble no matter what happens," Bronwyn fretted.

Laurie sniffed. "You know, luv, we're not the only ones being inconvenienced. Miranda made a mistake, but we were about to make one just as terrible."

"How could we expect someone with the Dark Power who wasn't a Brother?" Jacqui said, defenses up.

Laurie's voice was that of Mother scolding daughter. "The point is, we didn't check, didn't ask, didn't think. We only reacted."

"Well, if he'd done something like that to the Brotherhood, they'd just have killed him," Jacqui riposted faintly.

"'Not as bad as the Brotherhood' isn't much to brag about." Laurie noted dryly. "We have wronged Cora. I hope the mistake isn't irrevocable, but we should learn from it in any case."

"No one shows the Goddess' Love more than you, Laurie. Thank you for being our conscience." Bronwyn's loving smile wasn't the least bit sarcastic.

"I have a feeling this Transformation is going to test the Sisterhood like never before. Goddess grant we're equal to the task." Jacqui hated to see Laurie's brow so troubled.

Silence reigned for a moment. Bronwyn broke it first. "What we owe her aside, I'm worried about someone who possesses the Gift of the Goddess and doesn't share our values. Cora could be very dangerous once she's got some training."

Jacqui shrugged. "We're safe for now. From that, at any rate. Women can't wield the Dark Power, and she can't manifest the power of the Goddess yet. Even after her First Flow... with her attitude, I'm not sure she can learn."

"Especially from Miranda. Cora has reason to hate all of us, but she's the one who Transformed her." Laurie hesitated. "Should we bring in another Sister?"

Jacqui and Bronwyn exchanged pained glances. Bronwyn took responsibility. "No. Not yet."

"But..." Laurie began.

Her friend, lover, and High Priestess overrode her. "For now, we still have to regard Cora as a threat. At least a potential one. The fewer Sisters she can expose, the better."

Laurie frowned. "How can she trust us if we don't trust her?"

Bronwyn shook her head. "Luv, for now we don't - can't - trust her. Not any more than we're doing right now." She sighed. "Perhaps in a few weeks..."

Troubled though they were, sleep was not long in coming once the light was switched off. It had been a long day.

~~~~~

Miranda sank into the bath, almost whimpering with exhaustion. She begrudged spending even the energy it took to keep her face above water. It had been another very rough day. Disastrous, in fact. The morning had started out rotten and things had only gotten worse from there.

Trying to explain the situation to Haylie had been draining all by itself. Deciding what her adopted daughter needed to know, versus what she had to be protected from, had taken serious thought. In the end, she told her most of the truth of who Cora had been, and that an unfortunate accident had occurred. They needed to show Cora the Love of the Goddess by keeping her secret and helping her learn Magic.

Most eleven-year-olds couldn't be trusted with such a situation. Yet Haylie had kept the Magic secret all this time, despite temptations. That was one of the few things Miranda wasn't worried about.

She'd hoped the girls' lovemaking last night would soften Cora's attitude, help turn her thoughts to fresh possibilities. Instead the new girl had woken in a venomous mood that made Miranda, half-ashamed, long for a little catatonia.

Maybe it had been having to brush out her tangled mane. She'd never had the opportunity to learn the tricks of long hair. You had to start from the ends and work in stages back to the scalp. Starting at the top - the way Cora had - was just an exercise in pain.

They had not, in fact, gone shopping at all. Aside from the issues of keeping Cora concealed for now - they were still waiting on word from the Sisterhood's leadership - by her behavior she would stand out too much. So they'd scavenged what clothing they could and started some classes on femininity. Miranda had softened her approach greatly; the haughty strictness that had served Erica so well would hardly be appropriate for an involuntary student.

Her adjustments had been in vain. Cora cooperated with the initial deportment lessons to the most minimal possible degree, hardly bothering to conceal her seething contempt and rage. That hadn't helped her performance. End-of-semester exams loomed close, but Erica had stayed home from school, attempting to act as a buffer between her Mother and her friend. With strictly limited results, unfortunately.

Things had come to a head after several hours. Everyone was wiped out, nerves frayed, and Cora had struck a pose... even now, in the tub, Miranda chortled involuntarily. Though beautiful like most Sisters, Cora was such a tiny girl. Striving to stand with ladylike dignity, wobbling on heels, scowling murderously... she'd resembled a cross between a pixie and a Valkyrie, a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes and a scorned woman.

Miranda, run as ragged as her charges, hadn't been able to stifle a chuckle. And that had set Erica off, and then Miranda had lost it, and they'd both tried to stop laughing, Goddess knew they'd tried, but...

Cora, livid, had to be physically restrained from attacking Miranda. Once she'd regained a measure of control, Cora had forcefully kicked the heels off her feet, stalked up the stairs without a word, and locked herself in her room. She hadn't come out for dinner and ignored Erica's plaintive requests to let her in. Miranda had kept her word and not intruded on Cora's mind, but several times tonight she'd felt for the girl's aura just to make sure she hadn't snuck out or hurt herself.

It didn't help that Miranda had work piled up. Planning for Erica's Transformation, she'd arranged for a couple months of light duty so she could devote herself to her daughter at the critical initial stages of her Transition. Since then, she'd been tackling the backlog, but she hadn't planned to take on another Transition so soon!

Dread in her heart, she looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was almost time for the progress report to the other Sisters. Bone weary, she heaved herself upright and began the slow climb out of the too-welcoming water.

~~~~~

Jacqui had set up a conference for the Sisters to discuss the situation. Miranda and Erica sat together in the dining room, looking at Erica's laptop. Jacqui and Laurie were visible by webcam, but Bronwyn was voice-only. Jacqui had been unable to talk her through the necessary computer setup.

Miranda was wrapping up the report. "...and I knew it was wrong, I knew it would hurt her, but we just couldn't help ourselves." Erica had nothing to add; she simply sighed, contrite and despondent.

Jacqui went over the actions she'd taken on Cora's behalf. "I'll drive down tomorrow with the paperwork. The cops aren't prioritizing the search; runaways don't get the resources kidnappings do." She shifted topics. "Erica, we need to strategize about Cora. We can't peek at her mind, so if we're going to find a workable approach we need you to tell us everything you know about who Cory was."

Erica's eyes went vague with thought. "Cory... huh. Smart, for one thing, really smart. Not just, y'know, brains. He's... was... I dunno, tricky. Sneaky. It's like he looks... looked at things from a different angle." She considered her words. "He wouldn't just take the obvious way to solve a problem. He'd come up with another way, usually a better way."

"I don't follow," Laurie admitted.

"We always had Cory check our programs for bugs. Especially security bugs. He just... saw the wrong way to do things, the case you didn't plan for." Her brow furrowed in frustration. "He could... Crap. I don't know how to say it. Sometimes programmers compete for how obscure they can be. They write a program where it's hard to figure out what it does, or that looks like it does one thing but actually does something else. Cory was awesome at that."

Jacqui looked thoughtful. "I think I get it." Bronwyn and Laurie made noncommittal noises.

She tried to think of salient points. "He wasn't religious. Kinda skeptical. He and I - well, Eric - used to make fun of 'New Age' types sometimes," she admitted. "I think finding out Magic is real was almost as big a shock as, well, you know."

Jacqui snorted. She understood that, too.

Erica thought more. "Responsible kinda guy. Mature, for a boy. He never turned in homework late that I remember. Made it to practice for track unless he was sick. Kept the rest of us on course with our group projects." She thought for a few more moments. "Was track captain. And he did debate for a while. I think until Junior year."

"What about his sexuality?" Miranda prompted. "How was he with girls?"

"Well, he wasn't gay, or even bi that I ever saw." Erica snorted. "Got more pussy than Eric did, that's for sure." The other Sisters chuckled a little. Mom had been right, girls and women were a lot less demure when guys weren't around.

"He was..." She searched for words. "Confident. Self-possessed. He knew who he was, y'know?" She cocked her head. "Maybe that's why he did well with girls." She could see how, from a girl's perspective, that might be attractive in a boy.

Miranda smiled inwardly, pleased to see her daughter growing in wisdom, to see a sign her daughter's Transition hadn't been totally derailed.

"But now she isn't that person anymore. Can't be," Bronwyn lamented. "And even if she manages to become male again, she won't be that Cory again. She'll have grown and changed too much." A pause. "Do you think she realizes that?"

"Not much got past Cory," Erica answered sadly.

There was a morose lull. Then Laurie spoke up. "What's she doing right now?"

Jacqui reached out of frame. There came a sound of keys tapping; she looked at a window they couldn't see. "She's on Miranda's netbook, looking up articles on witchcraft and psychology."

"You said you wouldn't spy on her!" Erica objected.

Jacqui rolled her eyes. "We swore we wouldn't spy on her mind, and we haven't. But Erica, come on! We need to have some insight into her thoughts and feelings! There's so much that can go wrong here. Frankly, I still doubt it can ever go right."

"Did you guys spy on my mind?" Erica suddenly asked.

The Sisters were silent. Miranda looked at her daughter, reflecting that she'd have been happier with the girl's growing intuition under other circumstances. "I have. Just a little, just to make sure you were okay."

Erica looked like she'd just bit down on a lemon. "Huh."

~~~~~

Erica knocked on Cora's door one last time. "Cora, please, let me in. I brought you a sandwich." No response. "I'm really sorry. I just... I just want to see you're okay." She waited, knocked again. "Please. I'm so sorry."

Noises, soft, on the other side of the door. Movement. "Go away."

More than she'd gotten all evening. "Cora, please. I feel terrible about... about everything. Can I come in, please?"

She almost gave up, again, when the door clicked. She reached out found the handle would turn. She opened the door and peeked in.

Cora stood at the corner of the bed, facing away. She was naked. The dress she'd been wearing, along with the panties, lay in scraps on the floor. Erica's jaw tightened, imagining the fury that must have fueled that outburst. To her relief, she saw no signs Cora had tried to take it out on her own body; that had been the dark fear haunting Erica's thoughts all evening. The netbook sat by the pillow, screen lit.

"Are you hungry?" Erica asked timidly.

She pondered that for a moment. "A little."

Cora was more than 'a little' hungry, judging from how she wolfed down the sandwich. Erica sat on the bed near her, keeping quiet. Once the meal was over, Cora seemed to be at a loss. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the rug on the floor, head turned slightly away.

After a while, Erica spoke. "Sorry, again."

"Why is there always something you have to apologize for?"

The words sank like a dagger into Erica's heart. "I'm sorry. We were all tired."

Cora was silent for a time. Then, quietly, "I know how I look. I hate it. Like a little fucking girl. I don't want to be cute!"

"It's not forever," Erica said, with as much conviction as she could muster.

Cora didn't say anything. She didn't have to.

Erica attempted to move on. "We can't do anything more tonight. You should just try to rest."

Cora replied - not challenging, just certain. "Not gonna happen." Erica could see how tightly Cora was wound.

It sparked an idea. "Look, lay down here. I'll give you a backrub."

Cora pursed her lips and regarded Erica with deep suspicion... but finally laid down on her belly.

Erica began with Cora's neck and shoulders. As anticipated, the muscles were knotted and stiff. Erica kneaded them slowly and gently, never taking her hands off the girl's skin. Miranda had taught her that breaking contact induced subtle tension, a subconscious confusion as to where they'd move to.

She patiently worked her thumbs and knuckles up and down along Cora's spine, then spread to the shoulderblades. Then effluage along her flanks.

It was so weird, a strange kind of inside-out déjà vu. Cora's skin was getting goosebumps, and her breath was coming faster. Goddess, she thought, are all Sisters this easy? She recalled her narrow escape from Lucas, which sharpened her own lusts. Maybe we are...

Down to her waist now, gentle pressure. Cora wriggled once, then held herself still.

Erica didn't need Magic to read Cora's mind. She slid a hand between Cora's legs, and was rewarded with a faint moan.

While she tickled and teased Cora's labia, Erica bent down and kissed Cora's rump. The girl shifted under her, groaning. She wanted to tell Cora she was beautiful. It didn't seem right that she could be so pretty, so sexy, and not appreciate it. A girl should know when she's beautiful, Erica thought.

But Cora hated the very thought of that. Probably hated her, too, for her part in it.

Erica's fingers slid deeper, tracing the new crevices. Last night she'd gotten her tongue in there, but not forcefully. She had a hunch that Cora was going to have to work up to much in the way of penetration. Still, as fingertips began to gently stimulate the clit, Erica let her thumb wander a little into Cora.

Cora was openly panting now, making little noises - they could scarcely be called moans - and she gripped handfuls of the bedspread tightly. Erica leaned down and kissed Cora's back. Cora's backside lurched and she climaxed, whining and whimpering.

Once it had passed, Cora rolled over and dragged her tormentor down beside her. In a bit of a frenzy, she almost attacked Erica with kisses and insistent fingers. Once Erica had to tell Cora to ease up, and she did so, though she remained urgent.

At last they were spent and lay beside each other. Erica knew that no problems were solved... but at least they could be put aside for a time.

They rested, intertwined. Then, "I don't really know you, y'know," said Cora out of the blue.

"Huh?" Erica asked, confused.

"I mean, I've really seen you this year at school, I guess. But what I remember from before, that never happened. It wasn't you, Erica, that I worked with on those programs. It was a guy named Eric, and I can't remember him."

"I guess that's right," Erica said, cautiously, unsure where Cora was going.

"Sometimes I feel like I can almost remember something. Like your kitchen. I must have come here before."

"A few times when we worked on assignments. And when we were kids, you used to come over here."

"Man, that's weird. We did used to live on Chesterton, didn't we?" She shook her head. "So, we were friends for a long time?"

"Well, when we were kids. Then you moved, and I didn't see you until high school."

"That's so fucked up." Cora sat, brooding. "What was Eric like?"

Erica was flummoxed. "I don't know... I mean, he was me, but..." She struggled. "Like me now, but..." A grunt. "A boy. A bit more geeky than you or Josh or Scott, kinda. Played baseball. Built models." She thought a moment. "Wore his glasses more often."

"I like the way you look with glasses," Cora said.

"Well, thanks," Erica said. She reflected a moment more, and smiled. "He thought about girls a lot. Jerked off a lot."

"TMI," Cora said, but didn't seem particularly offended. "I wish I could remember. You know, compare you now to you then."

"It's not that hard. I don't feel all that different..." she trailed off.

Cora gave her a funny look. "When I look at you, I see a girl. The way you move, act, talk. Was Eric, like... effeminate?"

"No!" Erica cried. "I don't... have I really changed that much?"

Cora frowned, staring up at the ceiling. "That's what I'd like to know."

"I guess I could see if my Mom could get your old memories back..." Erica offered.

Cora looked at her appraisingly. "Nah. Nobody's getting in my head again."

"I didn't mean..." Erica quickly began.

Cora cut her off. "Relax. I didn't think you were trying to trick me. No offense taken, or whatever." She shrugged. "If I learn Magic, maybe I'll learn enough to fix my own head. Until then... I guess if I know my head's been fucked with, then I know it hasn't been fucked with. More, I mean." She frowned. "Does that make sense?"

Erica thought about it. "As much as any of this does, I guess."

~~~~~

"Jewel Cora Pinto?" Cora cried disbelievingly. "What the fuck?" She waved the Social Security card in Jacqui's face.

The Sister shrugged. "You'll have to tell people you go by your middle name. It was the best I could do. I had to commandeer an identity that's been baking for a couple years. Altering the middle name was as far as I dared go."

The sour expression that seemed tattooed on Cora's face tightened even further as she examined the driver's licence. "So I'm from... Rochester, New York?"

"Your father got a job for a year in the Middle East. Your mother went with him, but they sent you to live with your cousins," Bronwyn waved at Erica, "so you could stay in U.S. schools."

"Right. 'Jewel'..." Cora was clearly underwhelmed.

"Well, I do have one other thing you'll probably like," Jacqui said. She pulled a wide flat box out of a plastic bag.

"A laptop!" Cora's face lit up for a moment before she remembered she was angry. "Got any spyware on it?"

Jacqui let the jibe pass. "Not unless Acer loaded it up at the factory." She prudently didn't bring up the fact that, with Magic, she could see anything she wanted on the laptop anyway.

Cora was checking the specs on the box. "I wonder..." she looked questioningly at the Sisterhood's 'Security Officer'. "Any chance you could pull some stuff from my box at home? My mp3s at least?"

Jacqui thought for a moment. "That should be safe enough. Give me a few days, though. I'm kinda busy just now." She was pulling out her own laptop. "Speaking of, I need you to record a message for your parents, let them know you're okay. We'll leave it on their voicemail. It'll take the heat off even more."

Cora frowned sullenly. "They're not gonna buy this voice."

"I can take care of that," Jacqui declared confidently.

And so it was. She cast a minor illusion spell and Cora's voice dropped at least two octaves. Once the recording program was up, she spoke into the microphone. "Mom, Dad, it's Cory. I'm sorry. Something happened and, and, I had to go. I'm safe, I promise, but... I won't be coming back soon. But I'm coming back, I promise. I... I love you. I'm sorry."

Erica fought back tears and even Jacqui swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. Bronwyn stared out the window, discomfited. The gender might be disguised, but the grief in that voice couldn't be hidden.

The chore done, Jacqui packed up to leave. "Whaddaya gonna use to get it to them? Skype? You don't want it traced," Cora asked, her new breathy soprano restored.

"Nah, I do want it traced. Disposable pay-as-you-go cell, in Seattle. We need all the false trail we can get."

Cora nodded slowly, and a bit sadly. "That'd work."

Miranda came into the dining room where the women milled. "Everything's in place for Cora," Bronwyn told her. She explained the cover story and told Miranda how to access the account Cora's 'parents' had 'set up to cover expenses'. Quick goodbyes and the two senior Sisters were on their way, saying only that they had "another stop to make".

Cora looked over her fresh bona fides once more. "What now? How can I amuse you today?" she challenged.

Miranda and Erica winced. "You need clothes, toiletries... everything, really," Miranda said in a level tone, "and now we have the funds to buy them."

"Dress-up, huh? Awesome," Cora said, with a tone that said 'so not awesome'.

Erica's phone sang. "Ergh, it's Trahn," she explained as she typed a return text. "I'm missing Saturday practice right now, she wants to know if I'm OK."

"I'm sorry your life is so disrupted," Cora sniped. Erica didn't know how to respond and just stayed bent over the phone.

~~~~~

The woman intoned softly in a tongue that predated Indo-European. The room was dark, the air heavy with incense.

Her eyes, unseeing, stared forward, gazing at nothing present. Her voice was altered, eerie and unearthly. In the language of the Sisters, her words rhymed, made several allusions to Sisterhood mythology, and had a musical lilt. In English, they might have been translated as:

darkness bound within light, deceiving shape
the hidden serpent coils, strikes to escape
power beyond memory, two souls unborn
to bridge a chasm, a chasm is formed

Her eyes closed, her head bowed, the words ceased. There was silence for a beat. Then she stirred, looked around as though she were waking from a dream. "Did it work?" she asked, curiously.

The two Sisters nodded in reassurance. "Yes, thank you, Daria," Bronwyn said.

The woman looked troubled. "I don't remember what happens in the trance. But sometimes I get feelings, images. This one... I just picture her at the... the focus, the balance point. A lot of forces swirling around her, a... moment of decision."

Bronwyn and Jacqui exchanged uneasy glances. "If anything more comes to mind, please don't hesitate to let us know," Bronwyn implored. "We can use all the help we can get with this one." Daria promised to meditate on the matter.

The two Sisters left the unassuming tract house soon after, blinking at the midday sun. They remained pensive in the car for several minutes. Finally, Jacqui spoke. "If only it could have been a little more specific."

"Oracular pronouncements seldom are," Bronwyn lamented.

"Do you have any idea how to interpret it?"

"Not yet," Bronwyn admitted. "I'm a bit concerned about a 'hidden serpent' 'striking' and 'escaping'. Let alone 'darkness'."

"'Two souls unborn'? And how does a chasm bridge a chasm?" Jacqui fretted. Logic puzzles she enjoyed, but this was a riddle with missing elements. "I know Cora has a lot of decisions to make, but the way Daria was talking... it sounds like she might become important."

"I know. I'd much rather she have a nice quiet Transition and go back to her life from before." Bronwyn sighed. "Well, maybe Laurie will have some insight."

Jacqui nodded. "Hope the girls are behaving for her."

~~~~~

Erica had been looking forward to shopping for Cora, at least a little. She'd expected to get some fun out of trying different looks out on the girl. Cora proved to be an emotional black hole, however, sucking joy from all she came across. They had tried for the longest time to engage her in the process, get her to make suggestions. She resolutely refused to volunteer any positive preferences, however; instead acting as a font of emphatic vetoes.

Cora stepped out of the changing room wearing a tunic dress, knee-high socks, and flat pumps. She came over to where Erica and Miranda were standing. By some dark, inverted miracle she managed to lumber instead of walk, despite being so petite. "I feel like I'm wearing a long shirt and no pants!" she hissed, face a little red.

"Well, you kinda are," Erica admitted. "But it looks good on you."

"That's so comforting," she snarked back. She glanced at Miranda, clearly asking for permission to retreat to the changing room for the dubious blessing of another potential outfit. Miranda nodded and she marched into the recesses of the back room.

The Jardin women sat in quiet commiseration for a beat. "Too bad she won't let us use some brighter colors on her," Erica said. "She'd could really pull off something all-pink." On a smaller girl, lots of pink could be sweet and pretty. Erica was too developed in the bust and hips; on her it would come across as either stupid or trampy, depending on the details of the outfit. Not that she minded the occasional pink accent, of course... And then she blinked at the "of course". Cora's presence was rubbing her nose in how much she'd changed in the past... was it really only five months?

Miranda was shaking her head. "Or, Goddess would she be cute in a sundress!" Erica bobbed her head and made a "hmm" of agreement.

Cora presented herself again. She seemed marginally less uncomfortable in trousers and a blouse. Miranda had an excellent eye, and the fit was good. Erica could tell that the outfit would need some jewelry or possibly a scarf to liven it up, but felt it would be unwise to point that out to the girl at this juncture.

A couple boys walked by in the main aisle. Erica would hardly have noticed them giving her the once-over if they hadn't moved on to Cora. One said something inaudible to the other and he sniggered. As they walked on they gave each other a fist bump.

Cora glared after them. Without asking, she stalked back to the changing room again.

An hour more of clothes, and they moved onto shoes. Footgear had been a revelation to Erica. Eric had possessed three pairs of shoes - sneakers, sandals, and one black formal - and a single pair of work boots. Erica owned eight pairs of shoes, and four pairs of boots useless for manual labor. She still felt a little restricted in her choices when putting together an ensemble.

Cora was not enthused. She was dismayed at how tiny her feet were, she was irritated at how off-balance she felt from even a one-inch heel, and she was a little stunned at how she could not find any sneakers with just one color. The closest she came were some white sneakers with a butterfly pattern on the toes. Another exhausting hour passed.

"All right, that's enough," Miranda declared. "Let's get all this together and go pay."

"We're done?" Cora said, such plaintive hope in her voice.

"With this store, yes. I'm afraid we have a few more stops to make." The hope visibly died in Cora, but she followed them up front. Miranda got in line at the registers and the girls went to 'freshen up'.

Erica pulled her hair back with one hand and sipped from the drinking fountain. Cora went ahead, around the corner to the bathrooms. After a few seconds, there came a muffled shriek. Erica bolted upright and sprinted in the direction Cora had gone.

She saw the girl emerging from the Men's room, a red flush blossoming on her face, underlining the enraged scowl she wore. She stalked right past Erica and plunged into the Women's restroom without looking to either side.

Erica stood mortified. Shit, she thought, I should have gone with her, just in case. Almost did that myself the first day.

Two young men emerged from the door Cora had fled, laughing loudly. Loudly enough to carry in to Cora, no doubt.

Of course, Erica thought. Naturally it would have to be the two fist-bumpers that had irritated Cora before. The Goddess wasn't showering them with mercy lately.

"Fuck, that was hilarious. She walked right past the urinals like she didn't even see 'em!"

His buddy was just as amused as they brushed past Erica. "Did you see her face when she finally spotted us? That was fucking epic!" He mimed Cora waving her head around in horror, jaw agape.

Erica, glaring at their backs, wished the Sisterhood believed in curses.

~~~~~

"Why do they call them 'boy-shorts'? No boy would wear these!" Cora groused as she held the panties up for inspection. They were going through the day's haul, finding homes for the clothes and other supplies.

"I dunno," Erica answered. "Just what they're called, I guess."

"Stupid name," Cora muttered. She moved on to hose, stuffing them angrily into a drawer. "Stupid clothes."

Erica thought quickly for a distraction; the frippery Cora was almost literally manhandling was too delicate for such treatment. Inspiration struck. "Not necessarily," she said slyly.

Cora didn't say anything; she just looked sharply at her novice mentor.

Erica had a smile on her face. "There're a few good things about girl's clothes. At least when you've got a girl's body to put them on."

Cora's squint remained, dubious. "What do you mean?"

"I was just remembering what I did after my first shopping trip," she said easily. "How about a little game?"

The doubt and caution filled Cora's entire demeanor now. "What?"

Erica pounced. "We go over to my room, and you can look through my stuff." Cora started to interrupt, and Erica kept talking as she put up a hand to silence her. "You can pick an outfit that I have to wear. Then we come back here and I choose some clothes for you to wear."

Cora digested that for a moment. Erica saw her nipples perk up under her t-shirt, and knew that the battle was won.

~~~~~

Erica's wardrobe had undergone enormous expansion over the course of her Transition. Amazingly, though, Cora managed to pick an outfit startlingly close to that 'naughty schoolgirl' look she'd assembled that first night. The wider selection admittedly had some impact. There was a much lacier bra on underneath, and Cora had unerringly zoomed in on Erica's sole thong. The skirt she wore was legitimately quite short, as well, and didn't need to be hiked. The resemblance felt uncanny nevertheless.

Back in Cora's room, Erica made a production of searching through the new clothes. Some of that was for show, to tease the girl a little - but mostly it was to hide the difficulty she had finding anything suitably sexy to dress Cora in. The reluctant Sister had almost exclusively gone for subdued and modest clothing. Fortunately, a little mixing and matching let her assemble something appropriately inappropriate.

Dark underwear showed behind light fabrics, for example. Even a sedate blouse could become rather sexy if a few buttons were deliberately undone. And she was perfectly willing to hike Cora's shortest skirt up a great deal.

Then she moved on to makeup. First, she did herself up, Cora watching with increasing fascination. No subtlety at all - dark eyes, flushed cheeks, bright red lips. While the outfit might have been schoolgirl-ish, from the neck up she looked like a streetwalker.

Cora's fascination collapsed when she realized it was her turn. She sat hesitantly and Erica got to work. Here she did use some subtlety, but she was pretty sure it was on a level Cora wouldn't notice. With Cora, she strove for the same thing her Mother had gone for on Erica's Transformation night - classy-sexy. It fit the outfit better anyway.

Blue-black eyeshadow to bring out the green of her eyes. A little blush - her skin was so fair it didn't take much - and red lipstick only slightly muted. Too intense for school, but not at all unusual for going out at night.

As she wrapped up, she felt a little disappointed - Miranda could have done a more refined job with the cosmetics. Erica just didn't have the lengthy practice her Mother had. Still and all, though, it looked good.

Indeed, watching Cora staring at her own reflection, she decided that going for a little elegance had been the right tactic. Cora was upset enough at being a girl; seeing herself as a slut might have proven traumatic. A sexy but sophisticated image probably wouldn't be as threatening. Hopefully it'd even be enticing. Erica sure thought she looked delectable.

"Come on, stand up, let's see the whole thing," Erica urged. Cora came slowly to her feet, still looking in the mirror. She reached up, and her fingers nearly touched her face, but she seemed to stop herself. Her eyes looked down at the polish on her nails, just finished drying. She stared at her clothes, and turned before the glass, acting stunned, almost scared.

"You look amazing," Erica gushed.

To Erica's surprise, Cora seemed so distracted by the image in the mirror she didn't automatically contradict or snap back. She didn't say anything.

Erica came up behind her. "See what I mean? Girl's clothes aren't all bad..."

Cora still didn't say anything. She just turned around and kissed Erica hard.

For several minutes, the two lay on Cora's bed, kissing and grabbing. All that fresh makeup was quickly smeared and worn away.

At last, Cora spoke, glancing down her belly. "It's still so weird, being all turned on and not having a boner."

Erica didn't want Cora dwelling on what she didn't have. "Let me show you something," Erica said. "Just lay still, okay?"

Cora frowned but complied. Erica unbuttoned Cora's blouse - only a fraction slowly, not quite teasing - then spread it apart, exposing her brassiere and belly. A moment's pause - as much to admire the view as to key Cora up - then she took on the bra. It was one that undid in the front. They'd justified it to Cora as being easier to don, but Erica proved it gave easy access to the breasts as well. The cups slipped to the sides and Cora's endowments were released.

Her nipples were rock-hard, as Erica had known they would be. Neither too large nor too small, surrounded by delicate areolae. She ran a hand along one breast, not touching the nipple yet. Her own body might have lost its ability to turn her on... but the bodies of other girls were still a wonder.

She bent down, lips parting, tongue moving forward...

Cora shifted, and began to speak. "Hey, wait, I -"

Erica paused and allowed a bit of irritation to show on her face, in her voice. "Look, just go with it for a minute? Please?" Cora's mouth quirked. "I'm not going to hurt you! Jeez!"

Cora looked away for a moment. Appearing as suspicious as if she thought Erica were hiding a knife behind her back, the new girl settled back down on the bed.

Not waiting for any more objections, Erica moved straight for Cora's right nipple and began to suckle and swirl her tongue.

Cora made a sharp hiss and stiffened. "Uhhh... fuck..." she muttered.

Erica, unflagging, continued to stimulate the bud in her mouth. After a few seconds, she gently, almost covertly brought her hand up to the nipple on the other side, softly rubbing. Their play up to now had focused on the vagina - and the relatively external portions, at that. Erica was a big fan of the clitoris, but figured it was time to introduce her friend to the wider horizons available to women.

She heard Cora's legs shift, felt her hips turn. She knew just what the girl was feeling. Breasts - nipples especially - could generate very erotic sensations. Somehow, too, the sensations seemed to echo down below. Right now, Cora would be feeling that her panties and her skirt were constricting, confining.

Cora's shoulders flexed. Her breath had become ragged. Erica's hand was squeezing the left nipple a little, her tongue flicking at the right. Cora let out a quiet groan.

Erica could feel - even partially see - how Cora's legs curled, her hips twitched slightly. A (very) few women could come from just nipple play, and Erica suspected Cora might be one, based on how she was responding. But the girl didn't know her own body yet. Women's reactions were more complicated than the straightforward - in Erica's view, almost crude - directness of male arousal.

She decided it was time to go for it. She carefully bit down, and pinched with her hand, and slipped her thigh between Cora's and pressed against the girl's crotch. As if a firing pin had been struck, Cora exploded. She cried out one long "Aaaaah!" and squirmed under Erica like a frantic animal trying to escape.

It was quite a while before the earthquake settled to aftershocks.

"Holy shit," Cora managed once she'd opened her eyes again.

Erica felt happy... and totally turned on. "Let's see if you can do that to me."

Cora smiled, and rose to take up the challenge.

~~~~~

Learning how to manage a fresh, untried body was a challenge. Erica remembered how much trouble she'd had, the first few days especially. So much of one's balance resided in the pelvis - which was shaped quite differently between men and women - and then there was the issue of breast weight. Cora didn't have quite as rounded a figure as Erica, but she was so much tinier than Cory had been that the difficulties were at least as great. Add in arm and leg bones of subtly different shapes - and radically different lengths - and things got even worse. Walking on level ground, or climbing stairs, was no real problem. But jumping, running, dancing, and so forth could be a challenge at first.

Cora proved that yet again as she tripped and sprawled onto the couch. "Graah!" she exclaimed, nearly in a rage. She got back up again and tried to get back into sync, but in her anger she moved too quickly and stumbled again, barely catching herself from falling once more.

Miranda paused the DVD. "Let's take a break, I think we're getting too worked up."

Cora scowled back over her shoulder. "'Easy beat' my ass! I can't just hop around like..." She stopped herself. "Fucking Zumba," she muttered, disgusted.

"It's a simple way to learn some coordination, and it's good exercise," Erica said in placation. "I can maybe get a Tai Chi or yoga one from the library in a few days. It's just, I used this to help get ready for cheerleading." Cora's gaze landed on her. "It's good exercise," she repeated doggedly.

"'Booty circles'," Cora quoted sarcastically. Erica remained silent. She and Miranda had picked the Latin-dance-inspired exercise because it was feminine and sexy. Giving Cora some reflexes and habits in that vein was at least as important as general coordination.

The rest of the session proceeded about the same way. In the end, Cora was so tense she was almost sending off sparks. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

Miranda said, "There's something I have to mention." She didn't look happy, but she kept on. "There's the matter of shaving..."

Cora glared. "Oh, for fuck's sake! I am not shaving my legs. I don't even want boys coming at me!"

Erica spoke up. "It's not just boys. It's everybody."

"What, like girls care?"

"That's just it. They do."

Cora stared under lowered eyes.

Erica felt a little annoyed. "Hello? You think girls don't notice other girls?" She shook her head. "Not in, like, a sex way. But come on! When you were Cory, you had to size up other guys, right? For competition, at, like, the very least."

Miranda was keeping quiet. She was relieved to let Erica take the lead, and happy with how she was handling it. Cora wouldn't accept reproof from anyone else.

Her daughter kept going. "It isn't just being all pretty or anything. It's how you want to come across to people." She gave Cora a look. "What do you think when you see a girl with hairy legs and pits? Like, what's your first guess about her personality?"

Cora's expression was one of intense thoughtfulness. The anger had been pressed aside.

Miranda stepped in. "Whatever you decide, most girls shave their legs. I'm afraid you need to try it, at least for a while." She paused. "Erica can give you some pointers."

Cora frowned, but it seemed she didn't want to make a stand on this particular point. She marched off to the stairs without a word, just a 'follow me' jerk of her head toward Erica.

She followed along, and into the spare bathroom. Before her Transformation, she'd sometimes wondered why Mom had gotten a house that had two full baths. With three females around - now, four - it was less of a mystery.

Cora had stopped, looking around uncertainly. Erica came forward. "Razors are under the sink. Gel's over here."

When Cora saw Erica was closing the drain, she spoke up. "I can just take a shower."

Erica shook her head as she turned on the spout. "Trust me, you want a bath for this."

Naturally, Cora wasn't unfamiliar with the mechanics of shaving. Erica just gave her some tips on avoiding cuts. She was glad long locker-room experience helped her come off uninterested. Goddess, Cora looked sexy in the water, one leg lifted in the air!

A difficulty presented itself as the process worked its way north.

"Where do I stop?" Cora finally asked.

Erica just shrugged. "Where you want, I guess. You don't have to shave it all off!"

"So I saw," Cora said, nodding vaguely at Erica's midsection.

Her innate honesty forced Erica to continue. "You don't have to go, y'know, as, uh, tight as I do. I mean, I got the cheerleader skirt to worry about."

Cora didn't say anything. But it was clear she was mentally comparing that miniskirt to the much lower hems she'd picked.

Erica went on. "But it looks a lot neater, if you just, y'know, shape it. A little."

"What? You don't want my bush if it's a bush?" Cora said, a little indignant, a little joking.

"I don't care," Erica averred, eighty-percent truthfully. "But you're gonna be in the girls locker room in less than a month."

Cora had very mixed feelings about that, to judge by her face.

~~~~~

It was late Sunday evening. The witches spoke quietly into the phones, fearful of waking the newest, most ornery Sister. Miranda finished going over the scarce signs of progress. "She's going to stand out in school. Three and a half weeks just isn't going to be enough time to soften her habits. Not at the rate she's willing to learn. But if we wait much longer she'd have too hard a time catching up academically."

"What about maybe homeschooling?" Erica asked hesitantly.

"No." Bronwyn's voice was emphatic. "She simply must have social interaction, and as soon as possible. Even if she's awkward and uncomfortable at first, it's the lesser evil. She needs to be with other people as a girl. Letting her retreat and hide now will delay her Transition, possibly stall it completely."

"School might really suck for her if people think she's too weird," Erica pointed out.

"Hopefully we can avoid that. But even in the worst case, it's one more semester, then she graduates," Jacqui replied. "College can be managed a little more carefully. Right now our options are limited." Everyone considered that sad truth.

Into the silence, Erica dropped her own bomb. "Why can't you take away the spell that forces her to undo the Transformation herself?"

"What? How did you..." Miranda trailed to a halt. She could see in Erica's eyes that she'd just inadvertently confirmed her daughter's theory.

"It took a while, but I suddenly realized something Bronwyn said. Making a Transformation permanent was a 'subspell'. Something deliberate. Something optional." Erica's voice was nearly toneless.

For a moment, no answer came. "You're right," Jacqui finally conceded. "It's a separate spell. But it can't be undone."

"Why not?" Erica asked pointedly. There was no answer. "Why not?" she demanded again, no longer concerned about volume.

Miranda stared at her daughter. "It's sealed with my life. The spell can only be dissolved by Cora... or by my death."

Erica felt petrified. "Oh, Goddess," she breathed. "Oh, no..."

"You can see why we didn't want to tell you. Cora mustn't find out." Bronwyn spoke urgently.

Erica could see it all clearly. Just the way Cora would. Killing Miranda - something she wanted to do anyway - would give up the power. But that wouldn't matter, if she could force the Sisters to change her back into Cory...

"Oh, Goddess," she repeated. "Why do you do that? What if things go wrong? Why can't you let us have a choice?"

Bronwyn sighed. "I know it's hard to understand, but our traditions have stood the test of time. More time than you can imagine." A pause. "We do not perform the final Transformation and the binding spell, unless we have seen the signs that the boy will be able to manage a Transition."

"But why do the binding spell at all?"

Laurie's gentle voice answered. "Would you have gone through the Transition if you had the choice then? Would you have given womanhood a fair chance?"

Erica was silent, thinking of that first night. Of course she wouldn't have. She hadn't.

Bronwyn continued. "We don't take the choice away forever. What we do is require that a Sister be fully informed before she makes the choice, that she gives Sisterhood a fair shake. But we have never prevented a Sister from Transforming herself back into a man if she so chooses."

"Until now," Erica said quietly.

Continued in Part 5

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 5

~~~~~

"Did you hear about Cory?" Linda asked breathlessly as the girls sat down for their usual lunchtime conversation.

"No, what?" Erica asked, trying to appear confused. She'd been wondering when this would come up. Skipping school Friday had only postponed it; it was Monday and couldn't be avoided any longer.

"He ran away from home last week!"

"What?!" Erica and Kristina both said; Kristina with more sincerity.

"Totally! Just took off! Left a note. He didn't even take any of his stuff!" Linda looked more excited than alarmed. Of course, it was juicy gossip.

"That's really weird," Erica essayed.

"Ya think?! Syndi says his parents are saying he musta been kidnapped. That the note's a fake."

"Huh," Erica said, noncommittal. "Well, whatever it is, it's weird."

"Tru dat," Kristina agreed.

Thankfully the girls moved on to more normal gossip after that. At the end of lunch, though, came the question Erica had been dreading.

"You wanna hang out after school?" Kristina asked.

"Sure," Linda said around a mouthful of sandwich.

Erica swallowed and shook her head. "Sorry, I can't. Gotta head straight home."

"You ditched us all weekend! What's up?"

Erica had thought carefully about what to say. "I just found out, my cousin is moving in with us for a year. I kinda gotta be there for her."

"Bring her along." The other girls were giving her strange looks. This was big news; why hadn't she brought it up before?

"Not right now." Erica mentally apologized to Cora. "She's being a total drama queen about it. Won't leave the house, for now. Mom says I gotta 'stick around until she gets settled'."

"Well, fine. I guess we could come over there..."

Erica struggled to keep any signs of alarm off her face. Striving mightily to sound casual, she said, "Nah, seriously, I think that'd make it worse. I'm pretty sure she'll calm down after a while." She paused. "Call you later?"

Both her friends were frowning, but Kristina shrugged. "Whatever. What's this cousin's name, anyway?"

Another mental apology. "Jewel." They'd just been talking about 'Cory'; bringing up a name like 'Cora' now would be... unwise.

~~~~~

The subject of Cory came up again while she was waiting for the bus. A boy walked up to her; she recognized him as Brandon, Cory's teammate, just as he opened his mouth. "Hey, Erica, right? I'm Brandon, we met at Homecoming?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"You heard anything... I mean, you heard about Cory, right?"

"Well, yeah. He wasn't in class today," Erica said cautiously. Suddenly, inspiration struck. "Have you heard from him? We've got our final project due next week."

He frowned. "That's what I was gonna ask you. It's bullshit, him running away. He was talking about regionals and everything, like, that day."

"Well, I haven't seen him or anything." Erica said, praying she sounded convincing. "Will you let me know if you hear something?"

"No prob. Same with you, okay?"

~~~~~

Erica let out a very tired sigh as her head sagged onto an open book. Finals commenced tomorrow and she was behind in her studies, thanks to the Cora Situation. At least they'd have a few weeks of vacation before the girl had to present herself at school.

Goddess, it was so weird seeing Cora struggle with all the little skills and techniques and assumptions that went with being female. The unwilling Sister's fuming about cosmetics recalled her own early frustrations with them; ones she'd half-forgotten. It made Erica conscious of how far she'd come since her Transformation. So many reflexes and attitudes were now - literally - second nature to her. She really was a different person by this point.

It was time for a break. She stood, stretched, and went downstairs to find a drink. She felt an instant's jealousy, as she passed the living room on the way to the kitchen, seeing Cora watching TV. She quashed it an instant later. She knew Cora would rather take finals for a month straight, in German, than skip them for the current reason.

The fridge was well-stocked with diet soda, and she grabbed one thankfully. For a moment, she gazed longingly at the pantry. There were chips and cookies in there.

She turned away. Eric had always been perplexed at how girls counted calories. But Eric had been a boy, carrying around pounds and pounds of calorie-hungry muscle.

Her body couldn't snack like that - or if she did, her body would look out-of-place among the other cheerleaders, and sooner than Eric could ever have imagined. Erica understood the complex relationship women often developed with food, now - being thin enough to be fashionably pretty meant that both food intake and activity had to be thoughtfully balanced. She grasped much more clearly why ice cream and chocolate were 'indulgences' to women and not just a casual treat.

Forcing sweet, salty, or buttery goodness out of her mind for now, she dropped bonelessly onto the couch and stared uncomprehendingly at whatever Cora had pulled up from the DVR.

"How's it coming?" Cora asked, not without sympathy.

"Okay, I guess. Math is gonna suck."

They were quiet for a few moments. Then Cora stirred. "What are people saying at school? About me, I mean?"

Rumors had been flying once the story got out about Cory running away from home. Erica had heard some pretty lurid - and fantastically unlikely - theories. She decided not to relay specifics. "There was a lot of talk. Nobody knows anything." She paused. "Brandon asked me if I'd heard anything."

"Huh." Cora didn't say anything, but she seemed a little pleased.

After a moment, Erica said, "Nobody can think why you'd run off like that."

"Not the real reason, that's for fucking sure," Cora muttered.

"Can't be helped for now. I'm sure it'll settle down pretty fast."

Cora made a ghost of a grin. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? 'You being gone won't make much difference?'"

"I didn't mean that! You know that!"

"Yeah, I know. I just..." She shook her head. "It just sucks, that's all."

Erica laid a hand on her shoulder. "Wanna help me review math?"

Cora sniffed, and made what might charitably be called a smile. "Guess I'm not totally useless."

~~~~~

Jacqui ran off a copy of Cory's desktop drive and dropped it off. Cora spent much of that night going through the files, grabbing things she cared about - music, videos, and so forth. Miranda made one request - that she not retain any pictures of her former male condition. So far as Erica could tell, Cora complied. In fact, save for a single shot of her parents, she didn't retain much that directly related to her former life.

After she'd transferred some games and utilities and a large assortment of source code and e-books, she paused. Her mouth quirked to one side in thought.

"What?" Erica asked.

"Nothing," Cora said after a pause. She moved to shut down the computer.

"No, wait, there was more - wasn't there?" Erica said, a little breathlessly.

"No," Cora said.

Erica decided to go for it. "You didn't have any porn?"

Cora stared at her for a few seconds. Erica said, "Look, you're gonna want some, in that body. Trust me."

Cora was almost glaring. "Would you like someone seeing your porn stash?"

"Not normally, I guess. But in this case... you can look at mine if you want." Erica was reluctant. But it seemed like a good way to get some insight into Cory's - and therefore Cora's - psychology, especially with regards to sex. That kind of intel was desperately needed.

Cora regarded Erica, wearing a hard-to-interpret expression. Erica had a strong intuition that the motives for her offer were clearly understood.

"Well, what the fuck," Cora mumbled, and opened up an obscure directory.

It turned out not to be quite as substantial a collection as Erica's. And nowhere near as varied, of course. Either Cora had more hidden caches she left unrevealed, or Cory had actually been pretty vanilla in his tastes. Erica was somewhat relieved that no serious S&M or genuinely degrading images were in evidence.

Erica spoke up after a little while, noticing common features of pictures and videos that didn't make the cut. "I'm sorta picking up on a theme, here."

"So I had kind of a thing for blowjobs." Cora sounded faintly defensive. "But now... there's only one way I could be involved in a beej. And that just ain't happening."

"I know what you mean," Erica replied diplomatically. For her part, Erica couldn't quite agree anymore.

Cora brought up a few pictures from another directory. A heterosexual couple at play. "Whoops, nope." She quickly closed the window and moved it to the 'discard pile'. "I can hang onto some of the lesbian stuff, I guess."

Given Cora's aggressive filtering, the job took less time than either girl would have expected. Of course, both of them had started to have difficulty concentrating, too. "Time to pay up," Cora said, voice only a trace husky.

They went over to Erica's room and brought up her collection, whereupon she helped guide Cora through it.

"Huh. She's really hot." Cora said. "It'd be fucked up having tits that big, though."

"Don't think they're real," Erica muttered.

"Fuck this is weird," Cora suddenly exclaimed. "Two boys changed into girls and looking at each other's porn collection!"

"You wanna stop?" Erica asked.

"No," Cora said. "Let's see what you got."

Cora was shifting on her chair even more before long, and Erica's breath was getting hard to regulate. Eventually she stopped trying, and she grabbed Cora's face and kissed her. If they went much further they'd get into the gay male porn anyway, and she did not want to have to explain that to Cora tonight.

They practically tore off each other's clothes on the way to the bed, and grappled with fingers and tongues and toes for quite a while.

Later, in the afterglow, Cora squinted at Erica and asked, "So, did you learn what you wanted about me?"

"It was that obvious, huh?" Erica sighed.

"Yeah." Then she shrugged. "So go ahead and tell your Mom and them whatever you want."

Erica froze. "I'm not being a spy for them." A Cora's sardonic smile, she went on. "I'm serious! I wouldn't tell them anything unless I thought it would wind up helping you. I swear!"

"I know." Erica was oddly relieved to hear Cora say that with casual certainty. "But I figured I could learn something about you, too." She grinned. "And I did."

"Like what?"

"I think you were a lesbian even before you were a girl."

Erica propped herself up on one elbow, half-annoyed, half-puzzled. "What the fuck does that mean?"

Cora didn't exactly back down, but she clearly realized she needed to speak carefully. "Did you, like, delete a bunch after you were changed?"

Erica frowned. "No..." She kept quiet about the ones she'd added.

"Your stuff was almost all girls. Barely even any parts of guys. And it was all... I dunno. Not romantic, exactly, but it sure as shit wasn't, like, nasty."

Erica just looked at Cora for a beat. "What exactly do you think is 'nasty'?"

Cora bit her lip. "Well... you know. Like, bukkake, I think it's called. Cum on face. Or even with the lesbians. Even that one with the one girl shoving that big dildo in the other one's ass, she wasn't being, I dunno, mean about it. They were, like, both having fun."

Erica was silent for a while. "I think what you meant was, there wasn't, like, a power imbalance."

Cora weighed that for a second, and nodded. "Maybe you're right."

"Do you think a guy has to have power over a girl?"

Cora frowned. She didn't seem annoyed, just concentrating. Finally she said, "I dunno. Never thought about it like that." A brief silence. Then she looked at Erica. "You saw my porn. What do you think?"

Erica had to ponder that for a few moments. "Well... maybe you weren't as, uh, respectful as me. But you weren't into rape and shit."

Cora shrugged. "Should be fun for everybody, or what's the point?"

Erica spoke slowly. "You, uh, didn't keep any of the guy stuff. But the ones I saw, well... it did kinda look like the man was, uh, kinda taking charge." She thought about Cora's style when she went down on Erica. She hesitated... but it was important. "Was that what you were like? When you were with girls?"

Cora stiffened. But after a moment, she settled down. "Sorta." Defensively: "I didn't force anybody. Ever. I mean it."

"I didn't say that! I swear, that wasn't what I was thinking!"

Cora squinted for a second, then calmed down further. "Good." Another pause. "I guess I did like to, uh, 'take charge', like you said. It felt good to, y'know... make a girl come."

Cora seemed willing to talk; Erica couldn't waste the chance. "And blowjobs?"

Cora's jaw clamped. But she spoke. "I wasn't... Look, I wasn't, like, degrading anybody."

Erica shifted closer. "I didn't say that," she said reassuringly.

Cora looked away... but didn't pull away. After a beat, she said, "I guess, yeah, I kinda got off on, like, the... power or whatever."

Erica said, carefully, "But going down on a girl wasn't, like, submission?"

Cora kept looking away.

It was time to back off. Gently, Erica said, "Thanks for, y'know, trusting me. Letting me see that stuff."

After a beat, Cora met her eyes again and smiled, a little sardonically. "It was an easy trade. Especially when it wasn't secret anymore anyway."

"Hey, I wouldn't peek unless you said!"

"I wasn't talking about you," Cora said, as if to a child. "Jacqui made that disc image. You think she didn't make one for herself? You think she isn't going over every byte of it right now?"

"Oh," Erica said, feeling stupid.

~~~~~

At the next Skype conference, Erica told the Sisters what Cora had deduced about her computer privacy.

"Shit." The uncouth oath was a mark of just how irritated Jacqui was. "She's too smart. I was wondering why there was hardly anything personal on her new laptop."

"Did you find anything useful in the files?" Miranda asked. The hope in her voice reminded Erica of Cora asking if they were done with shopping.

"I'm not sure." Jacqui's frustration was evident in her scowl. "I was able to track down a few things from the browser histories and such." She paused. "If he'd been the child of a Sister, I'd have been worried."

"What do you mean?" Erica asked, afraid she already knew what Jacqui meant.

"Looks to me like he was a classic na-raoithloch," Jacqui said, lapsing into the language of the Sisters.

"Uh... what?" Erica said.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting you're a Novice. It's sort of an old Sisterhood slang term."

Miranda pounced on an opportunity for a pop quiz. "Can you figure out what it means, dear?"

Erica puzzled at it, thinking aloud, trying to recall her lessons. "Well, raoithloch has gotta be a masculine noun. Um... active masculine. But na- means, um, like, 'of women'. So, uh... a guy who... does something to women?"

"Very good, Erica," Laurie said. "You wouldn't have learned raoithloch in your lessons yet. It means something like 'hunter'."

"More precisely, 'tracker', so it's 'tracker of women'," Bronwyn interjected. The author in her prized correct terminology.

"Like, a serial killer?" Erica asked doubtfully.

Bronwyn sat up straight. Jacqui had finally set up the woman's webcam, so Erica could watch her shift into 'teacher mode'. "No, no, it's slang. Not meant to be literal." She paused, searching for words. "Think of hunter-gatherers. The women gather the plants, care for the children. The men go hunt. But there's still specialization. Some men become trackers. They study animals, what their tracks look like, their droppings. Where they eat, drink, sleep. So the hunters can find prey."

"That's even worse!" Erica interjected.

Bronwyn laughed. "Let me finish. For Sisters, in this context, it's not about the hunting part. It's a word like déjà vu, it doesn't translate to one word in English. I suppose you could put it as, 'The kind of guy who studies women like they're another species.'"

"Ohhhh..." Erica murmured, the lightbulb going off.

"Yeah," Jacqui agreed. "A lot of guys - especially boys - think women are so different that men can't understand them. Half the time they're a little proud they can't understand girls."

"A na-raoithloch isn't necessarily a bad man." Laurie noted, chuckling a little. "If you train them right, they can make excellent boyfriend or even husband material." Then she went on, more soberly. "But they make terrible prospects for Sisterhood. A boy who can't or won't imagine a girl's mindset is just going to have trouble taking on that mindset for themselves."

Everyone was quiet for a stretch. Then Erica tentatively spoke up. "If you've got a word for it... do you have ways of, like, dealing with it?"

Miranda looked sad. "Not... after the fact. Sisters try to make sure their boys don't grow up that way. If it looks like a problem, they make sure their sons get some experience trying to understand girls."

Erica bit her lower lip, recalling little incidents from the past. Miranda refusing to help Eric pick out presents for female classmates. That time she'd dragged Eric along when her friend's daughter had picked out her wedding dress - because she 'couldn't find a babysitter'. Eric had been regularly asked for his opinion on fabric and trains and...

Whatever, she thought, putting that aside. The problem right now was how to help Cora. "So... what do we do?"

"For now... what we've been doing." Jacqui's tone didn't reassure Erica very much. Her worried expression, even less.

~~~~~

Erica walked in the door. "I'm home!" she called out. At last, finals were over. She was a little worried about her grade in Spanish. Having to learn the language of the Sisters at the same time was stressing the language center of her brain. Nothing more to do about it now, though.

"We're in here!" Miranda called from the living room. Erica peeked in from the hall.

She immediately recognized what was going on. Skirt practice. The hem on Cora's loose, light dress was only halfway down the thigh. Wearing something like that required particular skills if you didn't want to flash your panties while sitting or standing or picking something up off the floor. Not to mention the way you had to sit to keep it from wrinkling, and getting out of a car in one was a special trick, and heels upped the degree of difficulty...

Invariably, toward the end of these sessions, the participants became rather frazzled. She could see the slow burn on Cora's face. Miranda seized the opportunity and said, "That's enough for today, I suppose. Why don't you go help Erica decompress?"

Cora sighed with relief, and the girls went upstairs together. Miranda was careful to wait until they were out of earshot before she released her own equally-sincere sigh.

The girls went into Erica's room. Cora flopped onto the bed and watched Erica disrobe. Her skirt had flipped up but Erica wisely refrained from pointing that out.

"In the movies, somebody switches bodies and they don't have any trouble. Five minutes and they can do anything they could before."

"Yeah, it took me a while to, I dunno, 'recalibrate'." She paused, but it was true: "Cheerleading practice helped a lot."

Cora ignored her. "I don't even know what this body can do. I tried to open a jar of salsa today and I just couldn't do it. I had to get your mom to help."

Erica finished changing into sweats. She liked the way she looked in tight jeans, but it still felt good to finally peel them off. "I think we've still got some exercise stuff downstairs. I guess we could, y'know, 'run some tests'."

Cora's eyes showed a little enthusiasm. "Hey, yeah, let's do that!"

Erica followed Cora into her room, where she got out a t-shirt and shorts. "I can't get used to the buttons on the wrong side," she muttered as she undid her blouse.

Once changed, they went down into the basement, and got the weight bench away from the wall. Erica spotted as they set up the bar.

Sadly, Cora was discouraged in short order. "Jesus," she moaned. "Not even fifty pounds? That's horrible!"

"Well, I mean, it's not that bad..." For a petite girl, Erica left unspoken.

"I used to could bench four times that!" At the other girl's frown, she backed off slightly. "Right around that, anyway. But still!"

"Look, that's upper body. Girls just aren't the same as boys there," Erica said. "Let's try some squats. Girls have a lot more strength in their legs."

Cora was just too tiny, however. Her leg strength was excellent... for a small female. That still was nothing like even an average-sized high-school boy, let alone one that had gone out for a sport like track.

~~~~~

Even as Erica and Cora were performing their evaluations, Miranda was giving evaluations to the leadership of the Sisterhood.

"It's so much harder than with Erica," she said. "Even accounting for the fact that she hates me, she's learning very slowly. She's smart enough, but she just doesn't want to learn."

"Well, that's not exactly a surprise," Jacqui noted.

"It's easy for you to say that! You don't have to spend all day with her... her unending hostility."

"We know it's difficult," Bronwyn said in placation. "We'll help as much as we can, but Cora isn't going to respond well to any of us for a while yet."

"Erica will be home now that school's over. That will help some. A little." Miranda couldn't keep the doubt from her tone.

"Are they getting along together?" Laurie asked. "If Cora has no one to turn to..."

"Erica's been an angel about all of this. She feels so responsible, even though it wasn't her fault. I think Cora would have killed me by now, if it weren't for her." She sighed, then. "But Erica's taken a giant step backward," Miranda lamented. "She's no longer as sure of her womanhood, and it shows in her Magic."

"That should settle out, with time," Bronwyn said. "She's had rather a large shock."

"I think she's starting to trust me again, but that's been difficult, too. I'm so worried she'll... that she won't want to be a Sister."

"Don't get worked up about that," Jacqui said. "She was doing so well before. You could see how happy she was. Even this, I don't think, can totally derail that."

"Goddess, I hope not."

~~~~~

Erica heard Cora take a deep breath as they stepped into the mall.

It was just the two of them. The ostensible goal of the trip was to get Cora that modern accessory no one - especially no girl - could live without: a cell phone.

There were at least two other purposes, however. First, Cora had been growing increasingly restive, confined to the Jardin home. Being anywhere else would help her spirits immensely. Second, it was a chance to evaluate how Cora's feminine demeanor held up in public. Erica had a clear impression that Cora was fully aware of both reasons.

She could see that Cora was having second thoughts. The girl had been desperate to get going, but over the course of the drive, she'd become increasingly quiet and nervous.

Her eyes darted wildly as they walked to the escalator and rode it up. "Feels so weird, walking around dressed like this." Miranda had insisted on a casual, floral patterned dress, primarily white and dark blue, and white stockings. Cora had put her foot down - so to speak - when it came to heels, though. Miranda, knowing how much trouble Cora had with them, yielded the point. Cora wore flat - but open-toed - pumps. "It's not just skirts. Girl's clothes are all... thin, like pajamas or something."

"You get used to it," Erica said with a shrug.

"And I feel like a clown with all this gunk on my face."

Fighting a sigh, Erica said, neutrally, "That takes time to get used to, too."

"I can't even rub my eyes. It'd get all smeared."

Erica herself - at first - had often bemoaned the inconveniences of a painted face. But she'd gotten over it, learned how to deal. "You get used to it," she repeated.

Once they actually got to the store, Cora came out of her shell a little. Comparing specifications and options was familiar ground. She looked doubtful when Erica urged her to get the unlimited texting plan, but didn't fight over it.

A sales type appeared next to them. "Hi, I'm Nick. Can I help you ladies?"

He was about their age, and Erica saw trouble brewing long before Cora did. The way he kept staring at the girl indicated he was thinking about more than a commission.

For her part, Cora wouldn't meet his eyes. "Yeah. I think I want this one."

"Good choice. Android's really hot right now." He was smiling a lot. "Looks good with you. You should be a model." He waved at a placard with a cheerful girl holding a phone. "That'd sure look better with you up there."

Erica felt very strange about it. Cora was cute, sure... but Erica herself wasn't so bad. Why didn't he even try to hit on her? Was she really jealous of the attention paid to another girl?

Cora, flustered, stammered something unintelligible and looked away.

With rather more enthusiasm than the situation warranted, he took her through the service contract. "I put my number on the slip there. Call me if you need anything, I'll hook you up." He smiled and struck. "Heck, call me if you don't. You doing anything tonight?"

Cora was stunned mute.

After an awkward pause, Erica stepped in. "Sorry, we're just looking for a phone."

"That's too bad," Nick replied. "Well, if anything comes up, hang onto that number." The girls made a hasty retreat with the new phone.

Cora took a minute to speak again. "What the fuck? I didn't go in there to get fucking hit on!" She paused, suddenly doubtful. "I didn't, like, lead him on or some shit, did I?"

"No, no, that was all him," Erica said. "Some guys just... don't care, I guess."

"Whatever," Cora said. "Let's get out of here."

"No, wait, let's at least get a smoothie or something," Erica said, trying to lead Cora toward the food court. She had a feeling that Cora shouldn't be allowed to retreat the first time something unexpected happened.

She bristled. "I just want out of here."

"Come on, that's what you were saying about my house. It's just a frickin' smoothie."

Cora sniffed, sullen. "Okay, whatever. But then we're gone, got it?"

"Deal," Erica said firmly. She'd picked the time and place carefully. She was skipping out on a mid-vacation cheerleading practice, so she wouldn't have to see that set of girls. And neither Linda nor Kristina had a car, so they probably wouldn't be around either. She was not ready to introduce Cora to anybody yet.

Aside from forcing Cora 'back on the horse', the interlude in the food court was useful. It pointed out some definite problem areas in Cora's deportment, for one. Unless she was thinking about it, she tended to drift into boyish postures. She smeared her lipstick on the straw rather more than she needed to. And her body language was all over the place - by turns timid, furious, and indifferent.

For another, Cora wasn't as newly overwhelmed as when they'd gone to start up her wardrobe. She was more able to process the different ways people reacted to her.

"God, guys never let up, do they? They keep looking." As Erica opened her mouth, she snapped, "Don't say, 'You get used to it'."

In a corner of her mind, Erica thought, You even get to like it sometimes, but held her tongue.

The smoothie finished, they walked back out to the parking lot. Erica noticed Cora gazing with dread at various clothing and jewelry stores on the way out. Anticipating battles to come.

In the car, the girls were quiet for a time. But as they pulled onto the freeway, Cora spoke up. "I still can't believe all this. I feel like... like a ghost. Looking in from outside. No connection, you know?"

"Kinda. It's a big jump."

Cora shook her head in disbelief. Then she gave Erica a glance. "I'd been thinking about joining the Marines, you know. After graduation."

Erica's eyes widened. "Seriously? What about college?"

"That was the thing. I couldn't decide if I should go to college before or after." She shrugged. "Guess it's 'before' now. Can you imagine me showing up at the recruiting office like this?" She sneered, and lowered the pitch of her voice as far as she was able. "'Run along, little girl. This is man's work.'"

"Not if he didn't want to get sued."

"But he'd be thinking it," Cora said with certainty.

Erica didn't say anything. She figured Cora was probably right.

Cora broke the silence. "I woke up this morning, and realized it's been nine days. I've been a girl for nine days."

Unsure, Erica said no more than, "Uh... yeah?"

"It just kinda hit me. Right after, I couldn't really believe it. I mean, seriously? I'm a girl all of a sudden? I sorta expected... hoped... it couldn't be real, y'know?" She shook her head. "Shit like this doesn't happen, you know. How could it?"

"I guess..." Erica shrugged helplessly. "I don't understand," she admitted.

Cora sniffed. "Maybe not," she said, sounding unsurprised. She shrugged. "I guess I couldn't... internalize what it really meant. That I'd be a girl for, y'know, the foreseeable future." She looked at Erica. "Now, I can, sort of. I mean, it's not just going away."

"And?" She felt like a psychiatrist, leading a patient on. Except she didn't have any training. Or clue.

"Not even two weeks and I've never been so fucking depressed in my life." She took a deep breath. "All these 'girl classes' and having to watch my own thoughts and be someone I'm not and... and..." She trailed off.

At last, something concrete. "Look, it doesn't stay like this, I promise! It gets easier. You know what it's like when you start a new class, or a new job." Cora didn't look convinced. "It gets better. I swear. Easier, for sure."

"Not so far."

"You've gotta learn stuff birth-girls have their whole lives to learn. But you can do it."

"There's so much! All these clothes, and which colors go with what, and all that shit."

"Stuff," Erica corrected automatically. Cora glared a bit, but she hurried on. "Look, you know Leesa, right? Leesa Bronson?"

"Yeah, so?"

"She gets her clothes right for school every day, right?"

"I guess so..."

"How much smarter than her are you?"

Cora looked pensive. "If she can do it, I can do it, huh?"

"You got it." Erica was pleased. If it took turning into her Mother to help Cora, she'd do it.

Her pleasure was short-lived. "But she was born to it," Cora persisted, stubbornly. "I mean, she's a girl, always been."

Erica frowned. "And you're not a girl?"

Cora looked down at the dashboard. "Okay, fine, I'm a girl. Now."

Erica paused a beat. It wasn't just anger that made her say, "No, you're not."

Cora's head jerked up and she stared at Erica. "What?"

"That's what you want to hear, right?"

"I don't... What do you mean?" She looked very confused.

"You don't want to be a girl, I get that. But why not?"

Cora looked puzzled, suspicious. "I... it's just not me. I was forced into this..."

"All kicking and screaming, yeah yeah yeah. I got that. So... why is it so disgusting to you?"

"It's... it's not disgusting, it's... just..."

"Are girls, like, less human than boys? Worth less? Stupider? Inferior?"

Cora's eyes were wide. "No, I never said that!"

"What's the difference, then?"

"I... I dunno. They... want different things."

"Is that it? Then being a girl isn't so bad. Different, but not inferior. You should be able to handle it for a while." She looked Cora straight in the eye. "If you really believe that. Or at least decide to try."

Neither girl spoke the rest of the way home.

~~~~~

"That should do it," Cora said, saving a file on her laptop. "Shouldn't ever get below thirty frames per second now."

"Good. I'll email it all to Scotty and Josh to look over, and then we can send it in." Erica began archiving their project, the semester final.

"It was nice of Mr. Yigal to give you an extension," Cora said. Erica's team had been given some extra time after the end of the term to finish up their last project.

"Well, with you gone, he figured it'd be fair." Erica shrugged. "I guess it's kinda cheating to have you still here to help?" she said uncertainly.

"Um... neither of us have exactly been at a hundred percent. You've been kinda busy, I know."

Erica blinked, almost stunned to get even a partial acknowledgement that the situation affected more than just Cora. "Well, thanks for the help."

"No prob. I mean, it's nice to see that project running anyway."

Cora stretched and then shut down her laptop. She got up and paced aimlessly around the room for a few minutes, waiting for Erica to finish her email. As soon as Erica had shut down her laptop, Cora was kissing her.

The girls had sex every night before bed. They hadn't really talked about it. It had just developed that way. Erica didn't mind; it was hardly unenjoyable. Cora had to release her tension somehow, and afterward, she was as close to relaxed as she ever got.

In terms of variety, what they did wasn't terribly imaginative. Lots of oral, by turns or in a 69. And Erica noticed Cora never looked at her own body. She'd focus on Erica, or close her eyes. Especially when Erica did anything to her breasts.

~~~~~

"I'm sorry, Linda," Erica said into her phone. "It's just that I've been so busy. I told you my cousin's moved in. I'm kinda trying to get her adjusted here."

She listened. "Soon. You can meet her soon. She's sorta moody right now, she didn't want to come here, and..."

Another pause. "Okay. Love you, see you later!" Erica hung up and let out a deep sigh.

She hated lying to her friends. And she missed them. She missed talking with them, laughing with them, sharing with them, hanging with them. She'd come to need 'girl time', and she certainly didn't get that with Cora.

~~~~~

The girls were in Erica's room, gaming on her console. They were aware that Miranda frowned on it, regarding it as unfeminine - particularly the military simulation they were playing. Erica had decided to do it anyway, hoping it'd help her friend blow off steam. She was beginning to think she'd made a mistake, though.

"Ahh! Fuck! I'm better than this!" Cora growled as she died for the third time that round.

"I know, just chill a little." Erica tried to reassure her. "Same thing happened to me. The reflexes are in here," and she flicked the controller to indicate her head, "but they're trying to run smaller hands. The buttons aren't where you think they are." She dodged incoming rocket fire. "Just give it a little time. It's like getting used to a new controller."

"I'm getting used to a new everything."

"It'll get better. A little practice, that's all."

Just then Cora's avatar was blown to fragments by a missile strike. In a rage, she hit the button on her mic and bellowed, "Okay, fucker, I'm coming for you now!" At least, it was apparently intended as a bellow. Her high-pitched voice didn't carry the effect well.

"Wait, don't..." Erica blurted, but the damage was done.

A babble of overlapping voices clogged the channel. "Holy shit, the newb's a girl!" "Whoa, who was that?" "Hey, Vasquez1986 is a chick!"

Erica despaired. Just having an identifiably girlish handle could bring troubles online. On Erica's advice they'd chosen neutral names and male avatars, but now Cora's cover was blown. The sharks had scented blood.

Cora was staring openmouthed at Erica. Her freshly-spawned avatar died again, unseen.

"Hey, babe, where you at?" More overlapping voices. "You got a webcam?" Little tones chimed as a set of 'friend requests' appeared in Cora's inbox.

Cora turned back to the game and resumed control, keeping silent. She fought for a while longer. It quickly proved futile, however. She was now actively targeted by several players, and seldom lasted more than a few seconds after spawning before someone or another would blow her away.

"Bitches just can't game," came over the channel.

Cora lost control again, let out another outburst. "Get your asshole friends off my back and try saying that again!" Erica's heart sank. Should she abort the game, or would that make it worse?

"Geez, PMS much?" He sounded so tickled. "Wait, are you even old enough to bleed?"

That decided her. Erica shut down the console, though it made Cora sputter incoherently for a moment. Then the girl just sat there, looking away, breathing hard, hunched over in fury.

"I'm sorry," Erica said, laying a hand on her upper arm. "You think guys on the street are bad, the real assholes are online."

Cora fumed. "I know. I saw it sometimes. But..."

"Feels different when its happening to you, huh?"

"It sucks."

~~~~~

Usually Cora would sleep in a nightshirt and shorts. Occasionally they'd set out something slinkier like the panty-and-teddy sets Erica was partial to, and she didn't fight them about it. But no matter what she slept in, when she came out of her bedroom she always wore a thick bathrobe over it, hiding her figure.

It only came off when it was time to dress for the day. And it was almost always a dress. She was only permitted jeans - skin-tight ones - once or twice a week.

They hadn't gotten as far as the dress yet, though. "Uhhhh... errrr... mmmmmph... FUCK!" Cora screamed, ripping off the bra and hurling it across the bedroom.

Erica sympathized with the general emotion, even if she'd never gotten quite that worked-up over it. Hooking a bra clasp behind your back wasn't an easy trick to master. "Hey, chill out, it's okay. I'll help," she said, walking over to retrieve the huddled cloth from the floor.

"Shit, I thought they were hard to get off," Cora muttered.

Erica stood behind Cora and reached over her shoulders with the bra. Cora slid her arms under the shoulder straps and Erica fastened the clasp in back. Then they moved on to the dress. Erica tried not to think about what was in store when they would start on makeup.

~~~~~

The house was quiet. Erica was off at a cheerleading practice - about the only time she got out of the house these days. Mom was in the library, tackling her work backlog. Cora was up in her room, probably sulking as usual.

Haylie was a little bored and lonely. Neither her Mom nor her sister had much time for her - again. She was going to see a movie with a couple friends this afternoon, but that was hours away. There wasn't much to do besides watch TV or read or play games she'd already played. Or think.

And thinking wasn't something she was sure she wanted to do right now. She was upset. Having a big sister had started out weird, but become kinda neat and fun. Things had eased up a lot for a while, and she'd been able to just hang with both Mom and Erica in the last couple months. That had stopped cold once Cora came on the scene.

Cora was, frankly, a bitch. Crabby, nasty, mean. Haylie hated the pain and stress and fear she saw her family carrying around. But she really hated the guilt she could see in her Mom's eyes, or in Erica's slumped posture, anytime they talked about her.

The guilt troubled her. Back when Erica had been Transformed, her Mom had explained it as a wonderful gift. (To the extent she'd referred to it at all - grownups always gave frustrating half-explanations to kids about anything important.) And it had seemed that way. Erica had certainly acted pretty happy before long. Haylie had hoped - carefully, not too much - that maybe Erica wouldn't change back.

Cora, though... not so much. To her, girlhood was obviously a curse. Her Mom said there had been an 'accident'. What had happened? Why did Cora hate it so much?

For that matter, in those first weeks Erica had been like a scared little bunny rabbit. Unlike Cora, she'd been willing to try; but even Erica hadn't been exactly enthusiastic at first. Why? If the Transformation was a gift... why didn't the recipients seem to welcome it, at least at first? What did they miss about being a boy?

And why did Haylie have this weird feeling that she ought to know?

Movement. Cora coming down the stairs. Even though she was so small, she sounded heavier than Erica did. Some of Haylie's friends were bigger than Cora.

The dark-haired girl appeared in the living room, and did a quick double-take at Haylie. She seemed at a loss.

"Hey," Haylie said into the awkward silence.

"Hey," Cora replied cautiously.

A few moments elapsed, and Haylie tried again. "Are you looking for something? Can I help?" Her Mom had always taught her to be gracious to guests.

Cora stared a second longer, and shrugged. "I was just looking for a snack."

"Come on, I'll show you where everything is," Haylie said, getting up and leading her into the kitchen.

Cora decided to forego the fruit and nuked a small personal pizza. Haylie didn't say anything; Miranda discouraged unhealthy snacks. Suddenly Cora looked at her. "How old are you?"

Haylie blinked. "Eleven."

Cora looked her over and pursed her lips. Haylie finally realized that Cora was upset that they were nearly eye-to-eye. "I'm a little tall for my age," she said, not quite truthfully. Cora just frowned and watched the numbers count down on the microwave.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Haylie asked, trying to make conversation.

Cora shook her head. "Nah. My mom can't have kids, and adoption costs a lot."

"Oh." Haylie squinted back. "I was adopted, too."

Cora's eyes widened in surprise. "No shit?" She caught herself. "Sorry, I mean... uh... really?"

Haylie giggled. "Yeah. Really."

Cora looked chagrined for a beat, then smiled, too. "I guess you can tell I don't have any little sisters, huh?"

Haylie nodded solemnly. But she kept grinning.

The microwave beeped. Cora was startled. The moment was lost; Haylie saw the girl's nascent good humor evaporate. She retrieved her food and retreated toward the stairs. "Thanks," she called back.

"You're welcome," Haylie said quietly. She stood in the kitchen for several minutes afterward, thinking.

~~~~~

"Mom? I got a text from Trahn. They're going out dancing tonight, and she invited me. Think I should go?"

"Cora's not ready for anything like that."

Erica spoke carefully. "I know, but, y'know, it'd look really weird if I totally stopped doing anything social."

Miranda snickered. "Young lady, don't lie to me. I can see that's not the real reason you want to go."

Erica suddenly looked guilty.

But Miranda sighed. "However... your excuse is valid anyway. And you deserve a break from shepherding Cora every waking minute."

Erica looked, if anything, more guilty. But she didn't change her mind and stay.

~~~~~

There were some clubs that allowed the high-school set, at least earlier in the evening on weekdays. Trahn, Melanie, Shianti, and Erica were safely in one, sitting at a table and hydrating before they went out on the floor.

Erica couldn't help venting a little. She had to tone down and translate Cora's behavior somewhat, naturally. Still, she couldn't keep it all in or she'd explode! Besides, Cora would be going to school with these girls in a few weeks; some groundwork had to be laid down to help explain her quirks.

"...and, like, I've tried to help her find some nice outfits but she dresses like, like a Mormon or something."

"Sucks to be you. She sounds like a mega-bitch," Melanie said.

That brought Erica up short. "She's not really, like, a total bitch or anything. I mean, I understand why she's upset. She's been through a lot. Her parents gone, she has to move away from all her friends and go live with people she hardly met."

"I'd be pretty fuckin' depressed if I had to move away from all of you," Shianti said.

All the girls talked over each other, affirming how important they were to each other. When the outpouring of emotion settled down, Erica wrapped up. "I just wish she'd chill, y'know?" She smiled. "I think there are some pretty awesome friends around here."

"You know it, girlfriend!" Trahn exclaimed.

A pounding beat increased in volume as one song faded into another. "Ooh, I love this one!" Melanie cried. "Let's roll!" The girls jumped up and made towards the speakers.

So Erica danced. Just listening to the music, moving her body. She was pretty sure her and her friends were the cutest girls there. And even if they weren't, she felt like it - pretty, sexy, attractive. And it was a nice feeling. The boys who came to dance with them sure seemed to agree. A couple of them were real hotties, too. Flirting was fun sometimes, even if you didn't mean anything by it.

Dancing close was fun, too.

~~~~~

Erica got home before midnight. Once the club kicked out the underage patrons and started serving alcohol, there wasn't much point in staying out. She let herself in and crept quietly upstairs. She peeked in to see her Mother settling herself down for sleep. "'Night, Mom!" she called softly.

"Good night, sweetie. I hope you had fun," Miranda said.

"I did, thanks." She hesitated just a moment. "How was Cora?"

Miranda hesitated, too. Then: "Tolerable. You might check in on her."

"Okay, Mom. Sleep good!"

"You too, punkin."

Erica moved down the hall past her room. She could see faint light leaking from under Cora's door. She knocked gently.

"Come in," she heard. The voice was muffled by the door, but audible. The silence spell had been placed on Cora's room, too - but it had a loophole for sounds that were intended to carry.

She walked in, and saw Cora laying on her bed, laptop propped on her knees. When she came around, Cora was reading an article about sex hormones. Research was one of Cora's ways of coping since the Transformation.

"Didja have fun?" Cora asked, without a great deal of emotion - but at least without much rancor, either.

"Yeah," Erica said. "Getting dressed up and going out dancing can be fun, with the right attitude."

"Something wrong with my attitude?" Cora said, eyes narrowed.

Well, it was a risky thing to say, Erica admitted to herself. "No, but if you wanna Transition you gotta try to find something good about being a girl."

Cora scoffed. "What do you expect? I'm gonna sing with joy? 'California Gurlz, we're undeniable! Fine, fresh, fierce, we got it unlocked!'"

Erica was getting all too familiar with pangs of guilt. She'd been dancing to that very song earlier, thinking it fit her and her friends perfectly. She attempted a redirect. "Hey, that was pretty good. Did you, like, sing before?"

Cora shrugged. "In choir, back when my mom and dad still made me go to church. I got a couple solos."

"Do you maybe want to go out and do some karaoke sometime? We could go somewhere nobody knew us..."

Cora was shaking her head. "And get hit on by a bunch of horny guys? No thanks."

"Well, if you think of somewhere you do want to go, let me know."

Cora just rolled her eyes. Erica sat down on the bed. Before long, the laptop was shoved aside and they were kissing. At first, Erica had to pretend a little, doing it more out of duty and guilt than real passion. By the time Cora undressed her, though, she had worked up some honest enthusiasm.

~~~~~

The Jardins and Cora stood in the backyard, hand in hand, circling the fire that burned in a small stone altar. Miranda chanted the Solstice prayer in the ancient language of the Sisters. Cora listened curiously. Erica had witnessed such rituals all her life; even participated when she... er, he... had been younger. It was far more powerful and moving this time. Any religion that could produce miracles on demand was going to be pretty convincing.

The ceremony wrapped up. Cora mouthed the unfamiliar responsorial she'd learned only today, along with the other girls, and all four dropped hands.

"Cora, I know you didn't follow what I was saying there. In English, I basically thanked the Goddess for turning the sun back to us, for the coming spring, and for the Light we always have with us." Miranda was silently grateful for the Californian tolerance that let them practice their religion mostly openly. Her own Grandmother had told stories of having to spend hours at church on Sundays.

"So... what now? No dancing naked or anything, right?" Cora asked dubiously.

"No, nothing like that," Miranda said, choosing to be amused rather than insulted. "The ritual is the important thing. American Sisters usually exchange presents, but that's a bit of a local custom."

"Huh. Like Hannukah," Cora mused. "I heard it's not quite so big for most Jews. But around here it's got to compete with Christmas."

"Just so," Miranda agreed. Then, gently, "We had planned to wait to exchange presents on Christmas this year, in your honor."

Cora looked at her, nonplussed. "Well, that's a nice thought, I guess, but I didn't really believe, you know, religiously. And it's not like I got anything for anybody."

"Don't worry, we didn't expect anything."

Silence for a moment as all the women considered the unlikelihood of Cora ever buying a present for Miranda. They all made their way toward the house.

Cora was still curious, though. "It just seems so... simple. There's no more to it?"

Miranda shrugged. "I suppose male-dominated religions tend to accumulate ceremonies and traditions. But the religion of the Goddess has been mostly secret for thousands of years. There's not much room for elaborate observances in that situation." She watched Cora nod thoughtfully. "There is a tradition that the Goddess is most likely to grant prayers made on the night of a Solstice. It's not strictly part of the theology or anything, though."

"Huh. How do you pray to the Goddess?" Cora asked, waiting for Erica to slide open the glass door.

"Much like any other religion, I suppose. Silently, in your heart. Or out loud." Miranda smiled. "Of course, spells are another kind of prayer. The kind that are always answered."

"When do I start learning Magic?" Cora asked pointedly.

"Soon. We've a pretty full plate as it is, don't you think?"

Cora peered narrowly at Miranda, then muttered, "I'm going up to my room."

Erica watched to make sure Cora was on her way upstairs. Then she waited a bit longer, to be sure she wasn't coming back down. Satisfied, Erica walked quickly to the kitchen and braced her Mother, who had started washing dishes in the sink. "I just realized something. Cora was Transformed on the tenth." She paused. "I got my period two weeks after my Transformation..." Her voice trailed off.

Miranda nodded sadly. "I'm afraid you're right. Not every girl has the same cycle, but Sisters tend to be very regular. Cora is probably going to have a difficult Christmas."

"Well, crap," Erica said, shoulders sagging.

"There's something else," Miranda said softly. Erica looked her in the eyes, concerned. "By the Goddess's blessing, you've been spared any real PMS. I don't think Cora will prove to be so lucky," she almost whispered.

Erica's jaw dropped in horror. "Oh, Goddess, I figured her First Flow would be bad enough." She floundered. "Love of the Goddess, she's going to be even bitchier?"

"I have not spied on her mind, but I felt the signs in her body when we clasped hands in the ritual."

"Should we warn her? Would that help?"

Miranda shook her head. "I don't think so." She shrugged, and said with black humor, "I suggest we pray very hard she's a bit late, and hope the tradition about the Goddess granting Solstice prayers is correct."

~~~~~

The next day Cora woke in an even fouler mood than usual. She grumbled through her morning hairbrushing. She sulked through breakfast. She snarked through morning posture and grace lessons. She growled through lunch. She swore through afternoon makeup lessons.

Miranda ended classes early. Cora displayed no gratitude, however, and simply washed off her face and planted herself in front of the TV, where she remained for an hour, watching ESPN. Things came to a head when Haylie asked to watch "iCarly".

"Go watch it somewhere else," Cora snarled, not even looking her way.

"Hey, you don't own the TV! I get a turn, too!"

"Not unless you want to fight me for it."

"Hey, come on, Cora, give her a break..." Erica began.

"Fuck you."

"Hey!" Erica cried, startled. "I know this isn't fun for you, but we're all trying to help you. You could at least..."

"Fuck you."

"We all live here too, you know," Erica said deliberately, trying to remain calm. "We've made a lot of adjustments. We had plans, too."

"Yeah, because of you, we don't even get to go to the spa!" Haylie wailed.

Cora whirled on her, a predator lunging at prey. "Who gives a fuck? My whole life is screwed up! You think I give a shit about your stupid spa?"

"Stop it." It wasn't a yell, but Cora's eyes slewed to Erica, startled. She'd never heard that tone from her before. Angry, dangerous.

Erica leaned in close. Her tone stayed the same. "Be pissed at me. Be pissed at Mom. I understand that, we've got it coming. Some of it, anyway." She glared hard. "But leave Haylie the fuck out of this, got it? She didn't do shit to you, she's got nothing to do with this, and she's been pretty freakin' great about it anyway."

Cora reared back, eyes wide in shock. Her face started creeping back to its usual stubborn frown. Then it shifted, to a considering frown. Her eyes moved to stare down at the coffee table. All at once she looked back up. "You're right," she said to Erica. Turning to Haylie, she said, "I apologize. I shouldn't have taken that out on you."

She tossed the remote to Haylie. Then she stood, gave Erica a meaningful look, and said, "But I don't have to stay here with you." She marched upstairs, and they heard her door slam closed.

~~~~~

An hour should be long enough, Erica thought, gently knocking on Cora's door. After a beat, the door was pulled open a crack. "Go away."

"Come on. Let's just talk. I know you're upset, but yelling at me won't fix anything." It didn't even occur to her to press for an apology.

Another beat. "Fine. Whatever." Cora backed away. Erica pushed the door open a ways and slipped in.

"Feeling any better?" she asked diffidently.

"Yes. No. I don't know." Cora was pacing.

"What's wrong?" At Cora's pained glance, she quickly amended, "Or what's most wrong, right now?"

"It's... it's everything. I'm so tense, it feels like I'm gonna explode." She frowned. "No, it's like lightning. I've got this, this charge built up! And anything happens, out comes the lightning."

Erica said, soothingly, "I know it's been rough." But she was thinking that Cora sounded like she was describing PMS. Kristina had admitted once that she got it bad just before her period. 'It's like I need to be angry, then,' she'd said.

Add in a real reason to be mad, and it'd probably look a lot like this afternoon, she thought to herself. It made it easier to forgive Cora.

"I feel like somebody gave me a shot of adrenaline, y'know?" Cora got up and paced. "I wanna punch something. I wanna take an ax and chop something up." She stopped, facing away, fists curled. "And I can't!"

Erica got up and gently put her hands on Cora's shoulders. "Well, there's another way to let off some steam," she said slyly.

Cora didn't say anything, but she didn't shrug off Erica's hands. Erica stepped forward, pressing against Cora's back, and wrapped her in an easy hug.

~~~~~

Apparently the Goddess hadn't been in a prayer-granting mood on the Solstice.

Cora stalked down the stairs Christmas morning, arms wrapped around her belly... but not to hold the bathrobe closed. "My stomach feels funny. Kinda sick, kinda achy. I'm gonna need tampons today, am I right?"

Miranda raised her eyebrows slightly. Distracted by all the other pressing issues right after a Transformation, most new Sisters didn't put two and two together about menstruation. Of course, leave it to Cora to see any and all negatives, she thought wryly. "I suspect you are, though I would suggest pads for now. Would you like me to instruct you, or would you prefer Erica do it?"

Cora looked back and forth between them. "Erica."

They went upstairs, and Erica showed her the procedures and gave her the warnings. "Don't worry, I'll be joining you in about three days. We'll probably be pretty close, actually."

"Sharing this doesn't make it suck less," Cora grumbled.

~~~~~

Two hours later, Cora was back in her bed.

"Why does this hurt so much? What the fuck is going on in there?"

Erica sat on the bed, resting her hand on Cora's arm. "It's, well, your uterus. It's shedding its lining, and squeezing down."

Cora turned her face away, but Erica saw the grimace as another cramp started. She let out a soft grunt. "I know that, but... it feels like the frickin' thing is trying to climb out." A groan. "You'd think evolution would do something about it."

"I don't know. The first day is the worst, though. It'll get better."

Cora made a strange face all of a sudden. "What?" Erica asked, concerned.

She glared up. "I just felt a, a gush." Then she moaned as another cramp struck.

"Oh."

"Merry Christmas, I got you a bloody crotch." A snarl. "This isn't how I planned on spending today, you know."

"We were gonna have a big meal, and do our Solstice presents..."

"No, I mean, I had a great idea for what I was gonna get my mom. I was gonna get her a digital picture frame, and scan in all her old pictures and stuff." She sighed. "She would have loved it. And I was going in with her to get my dad a new cordless drill. His old one was dying, and never had much torque anyway. She gave me the money, and I was gonna buy it, but..." She waved her hand, indicating the whole situation.

Cora's head turned away. "Now they're gonna spend Christmas not knowing where I am." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What I am."

"I'm sorry," Erica said, feeling very small.

~~~~~

Cora remained in bed the next three days, except for baths. Erica was pretty sure the girl was milking it. Periods could be bad, sure, but the first day or so was the worst. They got progressively easier after that. She couldn't be sure, though; every girl was different.

She wished her Healing training were coming along better; she could have sensed how Cora was really feeling, then. They came very close to giving her a potion to ease things, but in the end they decided to stick with the First Flow tradition of having the rookie Sister tough it out.

The girls read and watched movies and talked. Erica negotiated on behalf of their guest, and at least at night they got to watch some action and horror movies. Cora even made the occasional joke. "Too bad I'm so horny. The horny girls never survive in a slasher movie."

~~~~~

Erica's own period started the day Cora's wrapped up. She was far more used to the symptoms, and had Miranda's potions to help, so they resumed 'classes' right away. Cora was very attentive and engaged when Miranda began the girl's Magic lessons. It was a stark contrast to the tense resentment with which Cora approached the education in the ways of femininity.

In some ways it was gratifying, but in other ways it was frustrating. Cora kept wanting to jump ahead, or else question some foundational aspect of Miranda's teaching. Unlike in the lessons on feminine behavior, though, it was pure curiosity and analysis that drove her challenges. And the girl did indeed have a quick and subtle intellect.

"Can you Transform yourself into a younger woman?" Cora asked probingly.

"Yes, I could," Miranda replied, cautious. "But it's not time for..."

"And retain your power?" Cora seemed to be aiming for something.

"Yes, that's true. So long as she remains female, a Sister can become almost anything living." She shrugged. "Transforming into a male would give up the power, though. Forever, even if another Sister Transformed them back."

Cora pounced. "So why aren't you all immortal? Just turn into a younger version of yourself every few decades!"

"Ah, I see." Miranda shook her head sadly. "There are laws of Magic. You could think of it as karma or fate, I suppose. Attempting to live beyond one's natural lifespan has... consequences. Very undesirable ones."

Cora frowned skeptically. "Like what, exactly?"

Miranda sighed. "Terrible accidents befall Sisters who try to take more Earthly life than the Goddess has granted them. If not to them... then worse, to their loved ones."

Cora made another deduction. "So... I've lost years as a man. When I can finally turn back - someday - if I turn back to Cory at age seventeen, I'll just die early in an accident."

"That doesn't follow, dear." She waggled a finger. "The Goddess is a Goddess of life. No spell of a Sister can steal life from anyone. You were Transformed to the same age... and women have longer lifespans than men. In a sense, you've actually gained life." Miranda gave silent thanks to the Goddess that her little Haylie wouldn't suffer such a fate, either. Her 'clock' had been 'reset' the moment Jacqui had Transformed the elderly Harold into the infant Haylie.

It took Cora bare seconds to turn that into a new line of attack. "You can't kill, right?"

"We can't kill," Miranda said, including Cora with her eyes.

Cora ignored the implied inclusion in the Sisterhood. "What if you Transformed a Brother into, like, a hundred-year-old guy? Like, with a bad heart condition? Couldn't you take 'em out like that?"

"A Sister could... once. Deliberately ending a human life costs a Sister her power forever, as I've told you."

"But you wouldn't be killing him. It'd be old age," Cora insisted.

"It's the intent that matters. The intent to kill forms a link with the victim."

"Why? I drive over someone on purpose, or it's an accident, they're just as dead."

"This is Magic, not science. Spells are the mind directly interacting with reality. Can you not imagine reality reaching back?"

Almost a snarl: "A car isn't Magic."

Weary yet firm: "But like it or not, you are. Now."

Cora's jaw was set, but she squinted, considering Miranda's words. The Sister didn't give Cora time to regroup for another assault. "This is a distraction. Let's practice breathing and meditation again. In, out..."

~~~~~

Two days after her First Flow was over, Cora demanded a haircut.

Her inaugural trip to the salon was not like Erica's. Cosmetics irritated and confused her, the vocabulary of women's hairstyling frustrated rather than intrigued, and the stylist's conversation and even compliments only aggravated the situation.

Erica and Miranda managed to talk her out of a bob. She wound up with a style that at least brushed the top of her shoulders. They even talked her into frosting the ends, quietly selling it as a way to make her resemble Cory even less. It actually looked good on her - not that she appreciated that fact.

Furthermore, Miranda was able to use it as a negotiating ploy. In exchange for shorter hair, Cora sullenly agreed to study fashion magazines and romance novels the way Erica had, long ago. At least, it suddenly seemed long ago to Erica, watching Cora struggle with them.

~~~~~

Erica was walking back to her Mom's car after cheerleading practice when her cell rang. She didn't recognize the number, but it was local so she answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, uh, is this Erica?" A boy's voice, half-familiar but she couldn't quite place it.

"Yes," she said, neutral. She'd hoped she wouldn't get hit on over break.

"This is Brandon Metcalfe. I... just was wondering, have you heard from Cory at all?"

Erica suddenly wished Brandon had merely been hitting on her. "No," she said, trying to make it convincing. "We didn't really talk much" - at all, she thought - "outside class."

He sighed. "I figured, but, you know."

"Have you heard from him?" she asked.

"Nothing."

Erica felt guilty about the obvious frustration in his voice. But this was an opportunity for intel. "Where do you think he went?"

"I don't know. But he wouldn't just take off like that. Somebody did something to him."

Erica didn't know what to say to that.

After a short pause, he said, "Sorry to bother you. Let me know if you hear anything, okay?"

"Sure. Have a good break."

She stared at her phone for a while. She'd have to tell her Mom and the Sisters about this.

~~~~~

The nightly Cora Conference Call was in progress. As usual, only meager progress could be reported. The witches were disturbed by Erica's summary about Brandon, and agreed he would bear watching.

Once that was over, Erica posed some questions. "I hit up Wikipedia and stuff last

night," she began. "Trying to find things to help Cora. But all it did was confuse me more."

"What's bothering you, punkin?" Miranda asked.

"The Transformation... it seems like you're practically begging for what they call 'gender dysphoria', feeling like you're in the wrong kind of body. From what you all said, hardly any Sisters feel that way, but why not?"

Miranda looked at her sympathetically. "This is about more than Cora, isn't it?" It was almost a statement.

"Well... yeah." Erica twirled her fingers in her hair nervously, unconsciously. "I can understand why Cora's having such a hard time. But... why not me? Why didn't I fight this just as hard?"

"Does that bother you?" Miranda asked.

"I don't know. I didn't think much about it before, but with Cora..." She chewed her lower lip for a second. "Was Eric, like, less of a man or something?"

"Eric was very much a boy, punkin, I promise." Miranda's voice was warm with love. "There were moments as you grew up when I seriously wondered how your 'initiation' would go. Some boys do refuse, you know."

Bronwyn spoke up. "I can vouch for that. All those visits I made when you were growing up weren't just to see your Mother. I was also consulting with her about you. We both had our doubts a few times."

"Do you regret being Transformed?" Jacqui asked forthrightly, staring out of the laptop screen.

Put that baldly, Erica had to search her feelings for a moment. "I... no. Not really. I like being Erica, almost all the time. But... why? I mean, when I was Eric, I never wanted to be a girl or anything. I wondered sometimes what it was like, I guess, but I never wanted to be a girl. So why does this feel so right?"

"For one thing, your introduction to womanhood was much gentler," Laurie noted. "It wasn't a threat, it was an offer. You were given a choice." She chuckled. "Maybe all the consequences weren't spelled out for you, but you can't claim you were forced."

Erica chuckled ruefully herself. "No, I sure can't say that." Then, more soberly, "Not like Cora." She let out a sigh. "But even then... all that dysphoria stuff. They don't feel right in their bodies. It isn't just not liking girl stuff or boy stuff. It's not feeling, deep inside, like you are a boy, or a girl, or whatever." She looked at her Mom, and at the other Sister's faces on the screen. "I was a boy for seventeen years. I still like boy things, like shooters and action movies. But why don't I feel like a boy inside anymore?"

Jacqui answered first. "The Transformation isn't just a body thing. You know that, right?"

"I guess so..." she replied uncertainly.

"Oh, come on. A woman isn't just a man with tits and a pussy. You've learned that, right?" Erica blushed a little at the blunt language, but made an assenting sound.

Jacqui continued. "No, there are differences in the brain, too. They affect attitudes, aggressiveness, sexuality, and more. Everything that people call 'instinct'. It's not just socialization that makes men and women different. If little girls are only given trucks to play with, they play social games with 'mommy' and 'daddy' trucks. If little boys only get dolls, they turn them into rockets and guns."

"Not all of them," Erica protested.

"No, not all. Brains aren't all alike, and everybody has their own unique mix. But on average male and female brains are different. Gender dysphoria happens when the brain is too far out of sync with the body. Therapy usually doesn't work because rewiring brains on that level is hard."

The light dawned. "And for Sisters..."

"...the Transformation changes the brain, too. Your body feels right because your brain feels at home in it. Sisters usually find it natural to be a girl because, in their heart of hearts, they've become girls."

Erica would have to think about that. However... "But what about Cora? Why is it so hard for her, then?"

It was Jacqui's turn to sigh. "Instincts and tendencies are one thing. But habits and experience count for a lot. More than instinct, sometimes. A brand-new Sister is a lot like a girl who's been trained all her life to be a boy." Erica took in Jacqui's thoughtful frown. "People have free will, too. They can decide to fight their instincts. Heck, they have to, in some ways. If you killed everyone who annoyed you, you'd get locked up pretty fast." She made a face. "And there's a lot about being a girl in, y'know, a particular culture that isn't instinctive at all. There's a lot about gender that's performed. Expected socially. Instincts are no help there, not really."

Erica shook her head. "I still don't get it."

"You made a choice to try to be a girl. You decided to open yourself up to the possibility, and found your instincts supporting that choice. And you were willing to learn how to act like a girl's expected to act, at least some ways."

Another thing to reflect upon, later. Right now, Cora was the topic. "And you're saying Cora hasn't?"

"Not really, not at her core. She's fighting it. She's fighting her own hardware. It's tough, but doable." Jacqui sighed again. "Also painful."

Laurie sighed in agreement. Then she said, regretfully, "And in Cora's case... if she wins that battle, she loses the war."

~~~~~

Looking back, Erica wasn't honestly surprised at the blowup. She wasn't even surprised that the trigger was makeup practice.

Cora had managed, more or less, to reconcile herself to girl's clothes - though she avoided skirts unless ordered. Her movements were - slowly, so very slowly - softening, becoming more feminine. She'd even gotten used caring for her hair; the shorter style helped a lot.

But cosmetics remained a nonstarter. She showed no talent for applying makeup. She hated doing her face, abhorred re-doing her face, detested having her face done, loathed the process of removing makeup. She even reviled the names of the products.

Erica had stepped out of the guest room to call Linda; the first thing she heard was a loud crash. She raced to the door only to behold a disaster area. The dresser had been tipped over (for a moment Erica wondered where Cora had gotten the strength) and the mirror lay in fragments on the floor.

"Fuck this, fuck this, fuck this, fuck this, FUCK THIS!" The chant rose to a shriek as Cora grabbed up bottles and tubes and hurled them at the wall. Most bounced, some shattered, adding to the mess. There was blood leaking from one of her hands where she'd cut herself picking something up from the glass-strewn floor. She didn't seem to notice it, or the tears slicing trails in the despised substances on her cheeks.

Erica dashed forward and tackled Cora onto the bed, held her down as she screamed in now-wordless fury. The girl put up a vicious struggle but was simply too small to overpower Erica. She fought like a boy anyway, trying to use upper-body strength she no longer possessed.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's gonna be okay..." Erica crooned to no apparent effect. She looked about desperately and saw Haylie peeking, frightened, around the doorjamb. "Go get Mom!" she ordered, low and urgent. Haylie had barely turned to comply when Miranda appeared in the hall and brushed past her.

Her head jerked about as she took in the scene, saw Erica struggling. In great leaping strides she reached them both and took Cora's head in a firm grip. She chanted softly in the ancient tongue Erica was slowly learning in her Magic lessons. In bare seconds, Cora sagged limply and dropped into unconsciousness.

"Holy shit," Erica breathed, cautiously sitting up. For once Miranda didn't scold her for language.

~~~~~

The dresser had been stood back up, the floor cleaned, the wall washed. The mirror frame had been discreetly removed. The bedspread, which had picked up a bloodstain, was changed. Erica sat on the bed, stroking Cora's forehead; the girl's wounded hand had been Healed. Miranda was sensibly out of sight in the hall, but ready to pounce if Erica was in danger. She let the Healing sedation fade.

Cora stirred, turned her head. A few seconds later, her eyes fluttered open. She took a deep breath, started to sit up, and Erica took her in a gentle embrace.

The girl shivered in her arms for several minutes. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered. "I just... I can't do this anymore."

"It's okay," Erica almost sang. "It's okay."

Cora wasn't shouting. She sounded worn out, drained dry. "It's not okay. It's wrong, it's all wrong." She began to weep brokenly. "I can't do this. Not for years. Nothing fits. I walk around and everything feels wrong. I'm weak and small and I sound like a baby when I talk. It's not getting easier, it's getting harder."

"It's gonna be okay," Erica said, just holding her.

"How?" Cora asked. It wasn't an accusation, or even a protest. It was a soul-deep plea. "I'm not me, nothing is me anymore. I look in the mirror and it's somebody else. I can't do this." Erica gave no sign even as her hands were squeezed painfully. "I can't do makeup and dresses and periods and tomorrow I have to go to a fucking gynecologist. I can't do this."

"Please, Cora," Erica said. "Just hang on. We'll find a way. Please."

Cora didn't say anything. She just cried, something she hadn't done since her first night as a girl, not even in the throes of her period. Erica held her, feeling as lost as Cora.

~~~~~

Eventually their unwilling charge stopped sniffling. At her request, they left her alone upstairs - though Miranda kept a Magical eye on her aura, ready to intercede if she showed any sign of trying to hurt herself. Miranda and Erica had called up the Sisterhood's leadership early.

Jacqui looked very sad. "We're going to have to rethink this. It's clear our current approach isn't working."

It had to be faced. Erica put it out there. "No way is she gonna be ready for school next week."

That brought on a hush. Finally Bronwyn spoke. "I'm afraid I have to agree. Jacqui, I want you to look into alternatives. Perhaps a GED, then community college for a few terms."

Erica whimpered a little. She'd hoped the Sisters might pull a rabbit out of a hat, have some trick to help Cora along.

Laurie heard it, saw her anguish over the webcam, and rushed to reassure her. "Erica, we are by no means giving up here. But it's obvious that Cora is going to need more time. A slower, gentler learning curve." She paused. "We'd hoped that if we simply kept moving forward, didn't give her time to form a response, mount a resistance, it would... get her over the hump, I suppose. Give her momentum in the right direction."

"But that hasn't worked," Jacqui noted. "We're just going to have to give her time to come to terms with this herself." She dropped her voice into a lower register. "We can only show her the door, now. She's the one who has to walk through it." She sounded nothing like Lawrence Fishburne, but Erica got the 'Matrix' reference anyway.

"No more trying to push her through, huh?" Erica snorted. "So, what does that mean?"

"We'll have to think about it," Bronwyn admitted. "But for now, we'll just ease off. Don't push her."

~~~~~

For the first night since her period, Cora passed on sex with Erica. "I just... need to think about things," she said.

"Okay," Erica said, concealing her worries as best she could. "I'm here, y'know, if you want to talk."

"Thanks." The girl turned away, just staring out the window. Erica backed out and closed the door. She went back to her room, and it took her a long time to get to sleep that night.

~~~~~

The Jardins sat at the kitchen table, having a wordless breakfast. The sky was overcast, reflecting Erica's apprehension. Haylie played with her hair, a nervous habit; Miranda had despaired of breaking her of it, particularly when Erica seemed to be developing the same vice. Their Mother sipped tea and looked at a book. The word 'reading' didn't apply; she'd gone over the same paragraph four times now with no comprehension.

They heard steps on the stairs, and Cora came into the kitchen. The bathrobe was unexpectedly absent; all she had on were her pajamas. She gave every appearance of being calm and unruffled. "Morning," she said to the room.

"Good morning," Miranda replied carefully. "Would you like some toast?"

"Nah, just a little cereal." She had to stretch onto her toes to get a bowl down from the cabinet. The Jardins were quiet as the girl found a spoon and poured herself a bowlful.

Erica spoke up as Cora sat down at the table. "We, uh, canceled your gyno appointment. You don't really need one anyway, with the Sisterhood's Healers. It's just, it's something girls go through. They swap war stories sometimes, you know, so we figured you should..." She coughed, stopped babbling. "Well, anyway, maybe someday. But we canceled this one."

"I think I should go." The declaration startled everyone. Even Haylie looked puzzled.

"Really?" Erica asked, stumbling mentally. It was like leaning into a wind that suddenly vanished. "You sure?"

"Yeah. It would look pretty strange if I never went to one." She took a bite of her breakfast, swallowed. "Cory's totally pissed about it. But I figure, how bad can it be?"

Mother and daughter exchanged nervous glances. "I'll see if we can reschedule," Miranda said, no hint of uncertainty in her voice.

~~~~~

As it happened, the office hadn't filled the open slot so they were able to make the original appointment. Cora seemed far less nervous than they'd expected - than even Erica had been. Erica fretted about the risk of returning catatonia, unable to tell if Cora was acting withdrawn or merely subdued.

There was no sensible excuse for Erica to be there when Cora went back with the doctor - even Miranda's presence was a bit unusual - so she sat out in the waiting room, trying and failing to read a magazine.

Finally they came back out. Erica wasn't sure how to feel about Cora's expression. On the positive side there was some emotion in it; on the negative, it seemed to be suppressed agitation. She spoke only a few words on their way out, grimly agreeing to a followup visit in a year.

She didn't say anything when they got in the car. "Uh... whadja think?" Erica cautiously essayed.

Cora frowned. "Cory almost screamed when she put that, that speculum thing inside me," she noted. "But I guess it wasn't so bad. It was fucking weird, but it wasn't really painful." Miranda was startled, and didn't make a fuss about the curse word. "Except that Pap thing. That really stung. Cory was gonna punch her."

"I'm, uh, glad he didn't," Erica mumbled, uncomfortable.

"I told him no." She stared out the window. "It wasn't so bad," she repeated. Erica would have been more reassured if Cora hadn't sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

~~~~~

When they got home, Cora had - unbidden - asked for another romance novel to study. Hiding her shock, Miranda pulled a new paperback from her library, and Cora took it and went upstairs without a word.

Miranda and Erica were in the library, talking on the phone in low but urgent voices with the Sisterhood's leadership.

Erica finished her report on the latest developments. "Anyway, she talks about 'Cora' and 'Cory' like they're two different people. Like when she was getting dressed this morning. I showed her a skirt, and she said, 'I guess it's okay, but Cory thinks it's too short'. It's kinda creeping me out."

"Actually, this is not necessarily a bad thing," Jacqui said thoughtfully.

"What are you talking about?!" Erica protested. "I think she's going crazy!"

"I mentioned before that I had a really tough Transition." In the background, Erica heard Bronwyn and Laurie mutter emphatic agreement with Jacqui's words. "I don't know if I was quite as pissed as Cora, but I went pretty ballistic. Threatened to kill myself, get myself sterilized, and everything."

Erica made a low whistle. She certainly didn't want to get pregnant. That didn't mean she wanted to mutilate herself.

"Yeah, it was rough. In the first weeks and months after my Transformation, 'Jack' was a big presence in my mind. To cope, I pretended. I built some separation between who I'd been and who I needed to be. I let 'Jack' own a lot of the resentment and repulsion I felt about it all."

"So, you think her... dissociation is... healthy?" Miranda sounded rather dubious.

"I didn't say that! I just think it's... understandable, in these circumstances. Maybe unavoidable. And so long as we're really really careful, it might even be useful. As time went on, 'Jack' kind of... faded. Stopped bitching and moaning. Stopped being necessary." She paused. "I like to think I've still got his best features, but it's just Jacqueline in here now." Again, Erica could hear the smile in Jacqui's voice, almost picture her pointing at her head.

"Don't worry about 'Cory'," Jacqui continued. "Don't attack him, don't feed him attention, just ignore him. Encourage Cora to explore herself, learn what she needs to. Whatever 'Cory' might think about something, ask how Cora feels."

"I guess I can do that," Erica said, not fully convinced. "But what if she says something like that in front of other people?"

"I'm guessing that probably won't come up. It didn't at the gynecologist, right? She waited until after you left to let 'Cory' vent."

Erica and Miranda exchanged a glance. Her Mom made a 'hmph' of surprised assent.

"'Cory' is a coping mechanism," Jacqui continued confidently. "For me, 'Jack' was there in my mind, sort of, but I didn't even let 'him' write in my journal. At most, I would make notes of 'his' thoughts and feelings." Jacqui sounded faintly embarrassed - but only faintly.

"We'll keep an eye on this, but for now Jacqui's idea seems sensible," Bronwyn declared. "Over time, 'Cory' should pop up less and less. If that doesn't happen, or if - Goddess forbid - the frequency increases, we may need to take further steps." Erica suspected the High Priestess had the same worried frown she felt on her own face. "Though I'm not sure what those might be, with half our tools forbidden to us."

"And if Cora keeps asking for training?" Miranda asked.

"Give it to her." Bronwyn was firm, decisive.

"But... you just told us last night to give her a break!" Erica said, exasperated.

"We said not to force her," Jacqui noted. "If she volunteers, that's a whole 'nother story. Just maybe, Cora has decided to stop fighting things so much." She sniffed, an aborted laugh. "Whatever 'Cory' thinks about it."

~~~~~

Erica went upstairs to find Cora. As she climbed up the steps, she pondered Jacqui's words. Was 'Cory' really such a big part of Cora's mind?

Erica often thought about Eric. Sometimes with amusement, sometimes with pity, sometimes just for contrast. But she didn't really consider 'him' as separate from her; more like who she used to be. Like remembering her... himself as a little kid. She didn't think of herself now as a totally different person. Even through the Transformation, there had been a certain continuity... right?

Maybe for Cora it really was that huge a difference. Certainly her Transformation had been far more traumatic. Erica knocked on the door. "Come in!" she heard.

Upon entering, she found Cora reclining on the bed, reading the novel. She didn't seem thrilled about it. Still, she kept reading for a few seconds before marking her place and putting it down. The last one she'd dropped at any excuse, as if it were radioactive.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Well, there's something I need to tell you. About, uh, birth control." Erica gave Cora a concise summary of the 'Facts of Life (For Sisters)'.

Cora pondered for a few seconds when Erica finished. "I don't think that matters for me. No way am I having sex with a guy." Cora didn't even seem as upset as she'd expected.

Erica shrugged. "Well, I just figured you should know. If, someday, it comes up, you should know."

"Are you thinking about that?" Cora asked probingly.

Erica looked away. "I... maybe someday. It's not as impossible as I used to think."

Cora shrugged. "Well, I gotta agree with Cory about that. I'll stick with girls, thanks."

~~~~~

Remarkable progress was made over the next few days. To be sure, there was still an ample supply of bristling and fussing. Much of that got blamed on 'Cory', however. 'Cora', on the other hand, began volunteering the occasional opinion - or even suggestion - about clothing and hairstyle and so forth. She began to walk and move more like a girl, apparently not battling her own skeletal structure quite so fiercely.

'Cory' still loathed everything about the process. 'Cora' by contrast - while not exactly eager - seemed determined to force herself through the Transition. She even brought up getting her ears pierced, reasoning that she would stand out otherwise. Miranda clutched at the chance to foist some jewelry onto her new charge. After a few hours Cora decided that dangling earrings were not for her, though she made concessions for a necklace and bracelet.

One thing had not changed - both Cora and 'Cory' were unremittingly resentful of Miranda. While Cora would cooperate with, and accept directions from, her 'foster Mother'... there was never any doubt of her attitude. Sarcasm, snark, and sullen obedience remained the hallmarks of their interaction.

They had not mentioned the possibility to Cora of dropping out of school, and let the notion die.

~~~~~

"Can I come in yet?"

"Not yet! Jeez, wait a minute!"

Erica shuffled nervously outside Cora's room. Cora said she had an 'experiment' in mind, and wanted her opinion. The wait was getting unbearable.

Finally Cora called her in. Erica cracked the door and slipped through, eyes drawn to her friend.

Cora's skin was even more pale than usual, but her eyeshadow was dark and her lips were blood-red. A black ribbon encircled her neck as a choker. She wore a dark, knee-length skirt and black tights. An embroidered vest, black nails.

At first glance, she was a Goth princess. A second look found flaws - the skirt might be black, but was a bit too modern in style. The vest was a dark purple.

"Huh," Erica managed. "That's different."

Cora kept looking herself over in the mirror. "I know that. What do you think?"

"Is that the look you want to go for?" Erica asked, reflecting that maybe there were downsides to Cora experimenting with her appearance. After a moment, she went on. "You could pull it off, with a little work. We'd have to do some serious shopping, though, if that was gonna be, like, your style..."

"I just thought it might keep the boys off me some."

Erica tried not to show her relief. "Only the nicer ones, is the problem. The broody assholes would be all over you."

Cora gave herself one final once-over, and turned to Erica with a sniff. "Yeah, about what I figured. Might as well stick with a more normal look."

Erica nodded. "It'd be a hella good Halloween costume, though." She smiled. "It's dead sexy."

Cora didn't rise to the bait. She just looked in the mirror. "I kinda thought so."

Erica realized she'd just killed any chance of Cora going out in public done up that way. At least for the foreseeable future, 'sexy' wasn't an adjective Cora would seek out.

"Even 'normal' covers a lot, though," she said. "What kind of look do you want?"

Cora's brow furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed. The expression of fierce concentration went well with the goth makeup. Her girlish, high-pitched voice spoiled the effect when she spoke. "Something that'll ward off the boys, but doesn't make me look like a total freak." Erica thought the goals were nearly mutually exclusive - Cora was so cute she'd almost have to look mentally disturbed to scare guys off.

Erica gave it some thought. "Well, we mostly picked, um... conservative stuff. You'll already look kinda goody-goody."

"Huh. I don't really wanna hang with the Jesus freaks."

"You're not gonna be, like, a nun or something." Erica sat on Cora's bed. "I can give you some advice. Try to ignore everything you can. If they hint, just be, like, clueless." She shrugged. "Some of 'em are still gonna ask, straight up."

"I can shut that shit down." Cora radiated menace.

Erica tried not to show her alarm. "Don't, like, go nuclear, though. I mean, how are the boys supposed to know... how you feel?"

"I 'go nuclear' a couple times, they'll figure it out," Cora said with evident anticipation.

"Hey, come on," Erica protested, "think for a minute. You don't want a rep as a 'psycho bitch' or anything. It won't just be boys who avoid you, then."

Cora wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I mean, if they won't take a polite 'no', go ahead and, y'know, 'escalate'." She put her hand on Cora's shoulder. "But c'mon, boys are gonna ask. It's not, like, rude for them to just ask."

~~~~~

Cora emerged from the car. Her uncertain expression contrasted strongly with the barely-restrained energy of Haylie. Erica had a third demeanor yet, one of interest and curiosity.

Although school started in three days, Miranda had felt guilty about breaking her promise to her daughters about the spa trip. Cora's recent improvements in attitude and skills were so encouraging that she'd decided to arrange an overnight excursion.

It would give Cora some practice and experience handling a distinctly feminine environment, as well. The girl was clearly apprehensive about the prospect, staring at the entrance.

"Well, come on, let's go," Miranda chided, and they went to the front desk to check in. Prudently, Miranda had booked two rooms - one for her and Haylie, the other for Cora and Erica. They went up, found their suites, and unpacked a little.

Then they met in Miranda's room. "Cora, Erica, I've signed you up for the first massages. Haylie, you and I will get skin treatments."

Cora bit her lip. Miranda noticed, and said, "No need to fret, it's just a massage. The point is to relax!"

Cora made no reply. She silently followed Erica to the elevator. On the way down, she finally spoke. "I just... when you gave me that backrub, I got so wet I couldn't stand it. Won't the masseuse know?"

Erica shook her head. "I really don't think that'll be a problem," she said.

They changed in to robes in the locker room before going to the massage tables. This spa had separate men's and women's facilities, which was one reason Miranda had picked it. Cora nodded silently but ruefully at Erica when she saw who would be taking care of her. The thick, middle-aged asian woman proved to be no kind of lust object. While her hands were skilled, they were also efficient and businesslike.

Miranda had planned wisely. The massage drained much tension from the novice Sister, so that she didn't panic when they all met up for manicures and pedicures.

Cora was still passive and nervous through the exfoliation and painting. When they were done, she stared for a long time at the elaborate floral pattern at the ends of her fingers and toes. She refused to even consider long nails, but her hands looked completely girly anyway.

Lunch was next - a healthy salad, but delicious.

After lunch, they went up to their rooms, changed, and came back down to the pool for a while. Erica and Haylie held towels in their hands; Cora's towel was draped over her shoulders, hiding her body as they crossed the lobby and went into the women's spa area. Miranda reclined on a lounge chair while the girls made a beeline for the water.

All but Cora. She seemed to be searching the area for any male eyes, clearly uncomfortable in a bikini. Apparently satisfied that only women were allowed in this region, she stepped gingerly into the shallow end of the pool.

"Come on, Cora! You know how to swim, don't you?" Haylie called, paddling over and standing up.

"I did," Cora hissed under her breath. "Don't know if I do in this body."

Haylie rolled her eyes. "Oh, jeez, gimme a break."

Cora glared. Erica swam up, trying to defuse the situation. "Hey, this is hard enough for..."

Haylie interrupted by shoving Cora into the water.

She fell backwards with a splash and went under. The pool wasn't even three feet deep in that section, though, so she came up spluttering an instant later.

"You little - you -" she blustered, struggling to her feet. Haylie laughed in reply. Cora moved with surprising speed - bending low, grabbing Haylie's legs, and lifting. Haylie made a satisfying splash onto her back.

Erica stood up, alarmed. She squinted; you couldn't take glasses or contacts into a pool. "Take it easy, guys..." she started to say. Cora, an evil grin on her face, advanced on her. Erica put up her hands, warding her off. "Hey, I didn't..." But Cora moved again, hooking a leg behind Erica's as she pushed forward with her arms. Erica was put off-balance, and fell.

Cora lifted her arms in triumph. Then Haylie tackled her from behind.

Miranda had sat bolt upright in the lounge chair, a hairsbreadth from running forward to intervene. But when Cora came back up, she was laughing. She fought with Haylie, but it was a controlled, playful fight now. A game, not combat.

So the girls gamboled in the pool for a time, splashing and pushing and squealing. Perhaps they were a little too rambunctious, a little too loud. Certainly the squinting glares from a few of the women lounging around the deck implied as much. But Miranda made no move to interrupt. She had never seen such a simple, uncomplicated expression of enjoyment on Cora's face.

It might well be the first fun she's had since the Transformation, Miranda thought to herself. For just this moment, she's not angry or frightened. So screw you, you old crones. Her soul needs this.

It only lasted a few minutes. As soon as the fight was over, Cora's shell closed up once more, and she swam alone for a time. But Miranda found herself wishing she might see the girl happy again, eventually. And for a first, not because she feared Cora's wrath and depression, but simply because Cora had a beautiful smile.

~~~~~

Miranda stood behind Haylie, brushing the girl's hair before bed. She was trying hard to make sure her youngest daughter didn't feel neglected despite the trying times, making a point of spending some Mother-Daughter time every day. But an entire evening to themselves, if only in a hotel room, was a definite luxury.

Haylie had been quiet for a few minutes, but suddenly she spoke. "Mom - are Cora and Erica having sex?"

Miranda wasn't altogether surprised at the question. She and Erica had been exceedingly discreet, and she'd kept a Magical eye out to ensure Haylie never came across anything that might raise suspicions. Cora and Erica were understandably not as clandestine, at least at home. And the silence spell hadn't been placed on Cora's room until a couple days after her Transformation. "I rather suspect so."

Haylie's brow scrunched up. After a moment, she said, "So... they're lesbians?"

Miranda sighed. "That's a more difficult question." She cocked her head. "Would it bother you if they were?"

"I guess not," Haylie shrugged. "Erica went to Homecoming with a boy, though."

"Sexuality is more complicated than most people want to admit." She grinned. "And for boys turned into girls, it's going to be even more complicated."

Haylie didn't smile back. Miranda belatedly remembered that Haylie was a man turned into a girl, and didn't know it. How would that complicate things?

The girl asked again. "You think they're gonna stay lesbians?"

Miranda paused. "I don't know. That will depend on them... but I doubt it." She shrugged. "Many people will tell you many things about sexuality, but they are usually only telling part of the story."

Haylie was paying attention. Miranda spoke on. "It's not true that anyone chooses to be gay, or straight. There are people who hate homosexuals, who are convinced it's just a... a decision, a rebellion. That's simply not true."

"But then other people try to claim that it's all inborn, inevitable, that someone is born gay and that's that. And that's not true, either."

"So what is true?" Haylie asked, sounding frustrated.

"That everyone's different, dear." Haylie got the beginnings of a stubborn look on her face - for an instant, Miranda thought she saw an echo of Cora. "That's not just an expression! Let me finish, please!"

Haylie accepted the admonishment and sat back, allowing Miranda to brush some more as she spoke. "I'm sure there are people who are just gay, who never feel attracted to the other sex their whole lives. And other people who are simply straight, and that's all there is to it."

"But for most people, sexuality is a bit more fluid. Or can be, at least. Many young girls experiment with other girls at first, and go on to happily pursue boys. Boys often do the same thing with other boys, and become the biggest hornballs later." This was rewarded with a giggle from Haylie. "I think most people have the potential to respond to men or women, at different times and to different degrees."

Haylie considered that for a while. Miranda finished up and put down the brush. "Mom... what if I was a lesbian?"

Her brows lifted. "Is there something that makes you think that might be the case?"

"I don't... no, never mind."

Miranda sat on the room's queen-size bed and patted the spot next to her. "Get over here. Spill."

The girl almost scampered over and pressed close to her Mother. It took a few seconds before she started to talk in a faint voice.

"I've had this dream a couple times." She paused so long Miranda almost prompted her, but then she began to speak again. "I'm a guy, in the dream, y'know? And there's this girl. She's really pretty. Asian."

Miranda waited. Haylie continued, very quietly. "I was paying her. For, y'know, sex. In the dream." And I was just wondering how Haylie's past might complicate things for her, Miranda thought.

"I was... well, I had my thing. My guy-thing... in her butt. And I could tell it was hurting her, and she didn't want to do it, but she needed the money, and..."

Oh, Goddess. "Sweetie, all kinds of strange things happen in dreams..."

But Haylie wasn't calmed. "It didn't feel like a regular dream. More like something that was really happening." Haylie let out a sob. "You said dreams sometimes show the future. Mom, am I gonna turn into a guy like that?"

"Oh, dear." She thought quickly and carefully about what to say. "Dreams can be portents, certainly. Especially for Sisters. But even for Sisters, most dreams are just dreams."

"It was really scary. It was like I was watching what was going on, and I didn't like it. But... it was also me, doing those things. And that part of me... really liked it."

Miranda hugged her adopted daughter fiercely. Then she pulled back a little, looked Haylie in the eyes. "I don't think it was an omen of the future or anything like that." Goddess forbid! she thought. "I suppose the best way to take it, is as a warning."

"You mean, I might become someone like that someday?"

"That's not quite what I meant. What was wrong about what happened in the dream?"

"Well, I... he... was hurting her. He was being real rough."

Miranda smiled. "Actually, 'rough' isn't always a bad thing. Lots of girls - and plenty of boys, too - like to be treated roughly, sometimes." Miranda smiled gently. "Even - with permission - in the butt."

Haylie shook her head. "But he wasn't... he wasn't doing it 'cause she liked it. He wasn't even doing it because he liked it." She looked down at the floor. "He was doing that stuff 'cause she didn't like it."

"So there's two warnings to take from it." Haylie looked up at her. "First, don't be like that. Don't take pleasure in really hurting someone else."

"I wouldn't!" Haylie said, almost crying.

Miranda hugged her tenderly. "I know that, sweetie." She stroked the girl's hair. "That's why the second lesson is more important. Don't get involved with someone who does enjoy hurting you."

Haylie just held onto her Mother, face buried in her chest. Miranda held her back just as fiercely.

~~~~~

Erica sat on the hotel bed, half an eye on the TV, most of her attention on texting her friends. She'd insisted on getting in a shower first. Cora took long baths anymore.

She watched Cora amble out of the bathroom, rubbing at her hair with a towel. She tried to determine what was different. Something had changed; somehow Cora looked less... under siege. Her gait had become much more girlish in the last few days. Nevertheless, it hadn't become fully natural; somehow you could tell she was trying.

Even when she wasn't so self-conscious, she had a haunted air, never fully at ease. But less so tonight.

Cora came and sat next to her. Casually, they hugged, and kissed gently. It wasn't urgent like the first few times they'd done it. Cora had come to accept the greater sexual stamina that came with being a girl. "Like running a marathon instead of a sprint," she'd quipped once.

Cora leaned her head back, appreciating Erica's fingers on her back. "Mmmmmmm. I like this massage even better."

"Told you it'd be okay," Erica said, nuzzling Cora's neck.

The girl stopped rubbing a little, becoming serious for a moment. "I was actually kinda glad. I mean, this body" - Erica sadly noticed Cora still wouldn't say 'my body', but made no sign - "gets hot so easy. It was nice to know I can touch somebody without getting all wet."

"Unless you want to?" Erica said, curling one leg over the other.

Cora's kiss made clear that now, she wanted to.

Rather a while later, though, as they rested, Cora stirred. Distant stormclouds in her expression, she said, "Do you really think it's going to be okay?"

No need to guess what she was talking about. School loomed large in both their thoughts. "Yeah, I totally do," Erica said. She pulled Cora closer. "I can't promise it'll all be smiles and rainbows," - Cora snorted - "but yeah, you're gonna be okay."

"I'm still... I never get it all right. Even just walking."

"Nobody gets it all right. OK, yeah, you'll be... quirky. But you can still make friends."

"It's gonna be okay," Erica said, praying she spoke the truth.

Continued in Part 6

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 6

Cora was wearing ordinary, casual clothes - for a teenage girl. She was definitely not 'rocking the outfit', but she was clad appropriately. White sneakers with a few glittery accents. Her lightly embroidered jeans were tighter than a boy would wear, and so hugged her curves in the usual manner. Invisible for now under her hoodie were a knotted belt and a pale blouse with a modicum of ruffles on the border. Stud earrings, minimal makeup. Neither a girly-girl nor a tomboy.

She and Erica stood waiting for the bus. A few clouds scudded in the sky, products of Erica's tension. Yet if Erica was tense, Cora looked to be tied in knots.

"How you feeling?" Erica asked solicitously.

Cora took a second or two to answer. "Pissed and scared and confused. And that's just the top three."

"Just be chill. I promise, it'll be fine." Erica pulled Cora into a brief sideways hug. "It's still gonna be high school. You'll just have a different angle on it, that's all."

They stood in silence for a while. Then Cora spoke. "Feels like I'm a kid again. I haven't rode the bus in years."

"Not all of us can afford a car, you know." Erica smirked.

"Hey, I saved for mine."

"Oh? And you didn't get a deal on parts where you worked?" Erica asked with a smile.

Cora's lips pinched together, and she pointedly looked to see if the bus was coming.

~~~~~

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce Jewel Pinto. She'll be joining us for the rest of the term. I'm sure you all will help make her feel welcome, right?" Mr. Tasserant smiled around benignly.

"Actually, I go by my middle name, Cora," she corrected quickly.

"Cora, then. You can sit right over there." Introductions complete, the teacher went back to his desk and picked up the novel he'd been reading.

Jacqui had pulled some invisible strings to get Cora into Erica's homeroom. Erica waved her over and Cora uncertainly approached. "Hey, this is Melanie. She's with me on the squad."

Cora nodded, pretending she'd never seen the girl before. "Nice to meet you."

"Why do you want to be called Cora?" Melanie asked, inspecting the new student up and down.

Cora's eyes narrowed. "If your first name was 'Jewel', wouldn't you?"

"I think Jewel's a pretty name," she replied.

Cora looked nonplussed for a moment. "Whatever. I guess I just think Cora fits better."

"Hey, it's all good," Melanie said, offering a placating smile and a quizzical glance at Erica. "So you're from New York?"

"The state, not the city," Cora confirmed. "A lot closer to Canada than the Big Apple."

"Did you get snowed on a lot? I've never seen snow."

"Eh, some," Cora said evasively.

"Erica said your parents left the county?"

"Yeah. Saudi Arabia. Some year-long contract. I didn't wanna go there."

"Not as a girl, that's for sure," Melanie agreed. "So-Cal, you totally can wear better clothes."

Cora stared for just a second. "Uh, right. And drive."

They talked through homeroom, catching up. Melanie tried to give Cora some pointers about Hillman High. Cora paid polite attention but volunteered little.

Toward the end of the period, while Melanie was talking to one of her friends, Cora suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Crap. I have to adjust my fucking bra," she whispered urgently.

Erica shrugged slightly and whispered back. "What? You never had to shuffle your unit around?"

"That was under the desk!"

"Give it just a minute," Erica said, nodding toward the clock on the wall.

Shortly after that, the bell rang and the students moved to gather their things and head to their next classes. Cora managed to shift her bra as she stood. Not terribly suavely, but with acceptable discretion.

The pair of Sisters hung back slightly as the students moved out the door. Cora had English now, but Erica had science. Erica wanted to give Cora some encouragement and support before they separated. "See you at lunch. Just chill, I promise it'll be okay. No big deal, just school."

"'No big deal.' Everything's bigger. The desks, the lockers, even the pencils feel bigger."

Erica shrugged. "You'll adapt. It's gonna be fine."

"At least I don't have the same locker." Cora mused as they stepped out into the hall. "That'd be fucked up."

~~~~~

Erica fretted and worried all morning. Jacqui had made sure Erica and Cora had the same lunch period, but hadn't been able to put the girls in very many of the same classes.

She waved to Cora as the girl came out of the food line. Cora walked hesitantly over to the table where Erica sat with Linda and Kristina.

Erica had done a double-take when she'd seen Kristina. The difference between four-months-pregnant and five-months-pregnant wasn't enormous, but it was impossible to miss. The girl was starting to need maternity clothes now; Erica had a hard time imagining what Kristina would look like at nine months.

But that was a problem for another time. Once they'd all hugged, she'd immediately gotten busy abasing herself and begging forgiveness for not seeing them over the holidays.

She'd been extended a provisional pardon by the time Cora sidled up to the table. "Hey, everybody, this is my cousin, Cora," Erica announced.

A round of "Heys" followed. Erica introduced her friends.

"Did you skip a grade or something?" Linda asked once that was done, looking her over.

Cora managed to only squint instead of glare. "Nah, I'm just small."

"Where'd you move from?" Kristina asked.

"New York. Upstate."

"I bet you like SoCal better," Linda said with a smile.

Cora shrugged. "Uh... well, it's warmer than I'm used to for January."

Erica, hoping to shift the topic from Cora's past, turned to Kristina. "I can't get over how much bigger you got, in just one month! You've got, like, a real bump now!"

"Well, it looks bigger than usual, 'cause, well, I'm kinda smaller than most pregnant chicks you see." Kristina shrugged.

"Makes sense," Cora acknowledged. "Erica told me a little about it. Jimmy sounds like kind of a dick." 'Cory' had felt the same way, Erica had been informed. Even before the Transformation.

"Well, I know that now," Kristina griped. "Part of me hopes he doesn't want anything to to with Alec."

"You didn't tell me you found out what it was!" Erica exclaimed. "You're having a boy? And you picked out a name for him?"

"I tweeted it. Where have you been?" Kristina accused right back.

Cora spoke up. "Don't blame her. I... I really didn't want to be, y'know, here. I was pretty, uh, bitchy, at first."

The girls looked at her judiciously. Then Kristina snorted. "Well, it wasn't just that. She abandoned me, too." She jabbed a finger at Linda, but she had a slight smile.

"I'm sorry!" the girl exclaimed. "It's like, Paul. Boyfriends take up your time, y'know?"

Kristina nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I know. But make time for your friends, huh?"

"I will, I promise."

They talked over their meal, catching up. Cora didn't speak much, just absorbing things, looking around. Erica found herself having to split her attention between her old friends and her new duty.

"You know what really sucks about the second trimester?" Kristina said, leaning in and keeping her voice low. "I mean, besides having to pee all the time?"

"What?" Erica and Linda asked, almost in unison, leaning in. Cora followed along a beat later.

Kristina smiled, as girls did when imparting confidences. "I'm so friggin' horny I can't stand it."

"No shit?" Erica asked, surprised.

"Yeah, my hormones are going crazy. I had to 'roll the bean' last night just to get some sleep."

"Wow," Linda said, chortling. Erica and Cora kept quiet. Their nightly routine was almost always more involved than that. Erica wondered to herself if she'd get hornier were she to get pregnant. Was it even possible to be hornier than she usually was?

"Hey, you heard anything more about Cory?" Kristina asked Erica. "He really screwed you when he ran off."

"Well, we got an extension," Erica said. "And I'm sure he had a reason." She kept her eyes off Cora.

"It's so weird," Linda remarked. "You don't just take off like that unless you've got serious issues."

"What 'issues' do you think he had?" Cora asked, perhaps just a shade too sharply.

Linda didn't seem to notice. "I dunno. Drugs. Maybe he was gay." Her eyes took on a glint. "Soleil says his parents were abusing him!"

Cora was visibly restraining herself. Erica jumped in before she could lose her temper. "I met his parents once. I really doubt it." Eager for a topic change, she essayed, "So how's it going with Paul, anyway? What have you two been up to?" She leered. "Anything dirrrty?" she asked, drawling.

It worked. Linda, blushing, said, "Quit it!"

"I knew it! What did you do, you tramp?" Erica pressed. Kristina smiled, too.

"Nothing!" Linda cried. Kristina snorted. More quietly, Linda went on. "Okay, okay, I kinda let him feel me up a little last week." She paused; the other girls snickered. Then she drawled herself, though at a conspiratorial whisper. "And maybe I gave him a handjob."

"Shut up!" Kristina and Linda squealed in stereo.

Cora, unused to the pragmatic frankness of girls when boys weren't in earshot, just stared with very wide eyes.

~~~~~

Besides homeroom and lunch period, the only other slot Erica and Cora shared was AP Computers. The teacher naturally assigned Cora to Erica's group, since they were short after 'Cory' had disappeared.

"Funny. We go from Cory to Cora, huh?" Josh said.

Cora looked sour. "Maybe he'll come back."

"I hope not," Scotty remarked. "You sure look better than he did."

Cora, taken aback, didn't know what to say. Erica stepped in. "Give her a break, guys. We're here to write code."

"You even kinda look like his little sister," Scotty joked. The girls worked very hard not to react at all. The elder Sisters had warned them that having Cora attend her old school would be chancy. And this class was the most dangerous.

Josh squinted at her. "I guess. But Cory wasn't that cute."

Cora worked to change the subject. "So, what are you all working on now?"

"We wanted to do a physics simulation. But with Relativity. Don't worry," Josh said paternally. "We'll help you get up to speed."

"Huh." Cora smiled a nasty smile. "I was wondering if you could keep up with me."

Scotty laughed. "I like her!"

The teacher called the class to attention, to Erica's relief.

~~~~~

Erica didn't see Cora again until the bus ride home. The girl was rather subdued, but seemed relieved to see a familiar face. At least, a familiar face that recognized her. They didn't really talk until they got off at their bus stop.

"Man, Kristina's belly was freaking me out," Cora said as they walked home. "Yet another reason to stick with girls."

Erica made an agreeable "hmmph". No one said anything for a spell.

Cora broke the silence. "It was so fucked up. I mean, I knew everyone, but I couldn't let them know I knew, y'know? And they..." She stopped. "All the guys were checking me out. Even, like, my old friends."

"Boys do that," Erica said, amused and resigned.

"It's creepy."

"Was it creepy when Cory did it?" Erica asked pointedly.

"I... he didn't..." Cora was irritated and confused.

"Look, you'll get used to it. You're really pretty, would Cory not have looked at you?" Cora didn't say anything. "It's a compliment, really."

At that Cora snarled. "Is getting my ass rubbed a compliment?"

"What? When did that happen?" Erica probed, alarmed.

"Right after Programming, on my way to History. It was either Kyle or Louis, I couldn't tell which one did it."

"Oh, those fuckheads." Erica sighed. "Sorry about that. You're right, some boys are creepy."

Cora's "hmmph" was almost a growl. "And it was like being in the 'land of the giants'. I'm so small, half the people thought I was a freshman. Or I'd skipped some grades."

Erica was thoughtful. "You probably want to go for being a brainiac. Not so many guys will hit on you then."

"I don't want any of 'em hitting on me."

"It's gonna happen. Just, y'know, try to be gentle?"

Cora's next "hmmph" was not agreeable, either. She was quiet for a moment, then shrugged and changed the subject. "Anyway, Cory was glad to know not everyone's forgotten about him."

"What do you mean?" Erica asked cautiously.

"I heard Brandon asking a couple guys if they'd heard anything about him."

"When was that?"

"In AP Calc. I got the same seat as Cory, even." She glowered. "Right behind Danielle, and right next to Brandon."

Erica struggled to keep the apprehension off her face. The girls didn't say anything more as they turned into the driveway and headed for the door.

~~~~~

The women gathered around the table for dinner. All the girls were debriefed about their first days back, but naturally Cora needed the most coverage.

Academics didn't take too long. Just like Erica, she hadn't lost anything in that area from the Transformation. "I've got a couple of the same teachers, like Calc, but the rest are new. But it was all still, y'know, just classes."

"That's how it was for me, too." Erica said. Haylie was watching them, not saying much.

"It was weird with girls, too."

"What do you mean?" Miranda asked as diffidently as possible.

Cora chose not to ignore her question this time. "They talked to me different."

"Like, how?" Erica asked.

"More... casual? No, just..." She frowned. "Not even more relaxed, exactly, but..."

Erica thought she knew what Cora was getting at. "When a girl talks to a boy, there's things she has to watch for. Can't be too friendly, or he'll think she's hitting on him. Can't talk down to him, or she'll piss him off."

Cora nodded. "They sure weren't worried about that."

"But dealing with other girls can be complicated, too. They might be allies or neutrals or enemies, or frenemies, or... anything in between."

Cora usually forgot to be angry for a while when she was exploring a new idea. "Huh. That kinda fits. Still, well, cautious - just not about the same things."

~~~~~

"Oh, shit," Jacqui said when Erica reported that Cora was seated next to Brandon and Danielle. The Cora Situation was definitely coarsening her vocabulary at times.

Miranda looked just as appalled. "That's kind of a big thing to miss!"

"Oh, Goddess, I know," Jacqui lamented. "But do you have any idea all the things I had to do just to get her enrolled safely? There was only one AP Calc class open, I just... forgot."

"I guess it was kind of a rush job," Erica said consolingly.

Miranda apologized, too. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you did your best. I wouldn't have thought of it either."

"We'll just have to figure out how to help Cora deal with sitting next to her old girlfriend," Laurie said.

Erica nodded. "And the only one of her old friends who's still asking about Cory."

Bronwyn sounded fretful. "We may need to plant a Suggestion there, get him to let it go for a while."

"Whoa! You promised, no mind stuff!" Erica interjected.

Bronwyn was shaking her head at the webcam. "This doesn't just touch on Cora and her secret. This is a matter of the security of the Sisterhood."

Erica mentally reviewed the oaths that had been sworn. "You only swore not to mess with Cora's mind, and her parents," she said slowly. "You didn't swear not to... have you planted any other Suggestions? Like to teachers or cops?"

"No," Jacqui said immediately. "And that hasn't been easy. A couple times I was sure I'd have to push the police off the trail." She looked thoughtful. "We'll see about this Brandon."

~~~~~

Later that same night in bed, as they rested after sex, Cora admitted something else. She spoke softly, Erica had to pay close attention. "I was scared."

Erica frowned and turned. "What? When?"

"All day at school. But especially when whoever it was grabbed my ass."

"Nobody's gonna try anything. Not at school..."

"But what if they did? I mean, can you picture me trying to fight a guy like Alan?" Cora looked up into Erica's eyes. "I'm fucking tiny now." She shrugged. "A waif like Hit Girl can beat up a bunch of guys. But that's movies. Comics and shit. In real life..." She left the rest unspoken.

"We won't let that happen," Erica said with far more confidence than she suddenly felt.

~~~~~

The first week of school was a short one, only three days. Cora greeted the weekend with all-too-evident relief. Erica had returned from a morning practice, and the two girls were eating lunch on the couch, watching sports.

"Did you notice how weird Viagra commercials look from this side?" Cora asked Erica.

"Yeah, and the beer commercials."

A jangling, flashing ad for the latest shooter game blared out of the TV for fifteen seconds. Cora sighed. "I was really looking forward to that one," she said, almost wistfully. "Now I can't afford it." Cora hadn't negotiated an allowance; the Sisterhood was paying only for the necessities. What seemed to rankle her the most was that certain luxuries she didn't want - feminine luxuries like jewelry, perfume, and such - were counted as necessities, while video games were not.

Miranda had explained that, if she wanted such things, she'd have to earn some of her own money. The Sisterhood didn't have the funds to cater to Cora's every whim.

"For a secret society that's been around for thousands of years, the Sisterhood's pretty damn poor," Cora griped. It was a familiar refrain.

It was overly familiar - wearying - for Erica. But she'd thought about it. "You know, for most of that time women couldn't own property."

That gave Cora pause. Erica recalled the early days of her Transition, being forced to reinterpret so many things from a radically different vantage point. She could almost hear the gears turning in her companion's head.

As usual when Cora couldn't see a way to victory, she shifted ground. "I can't get my old job at the warehouse. Fuck, I bet I couldn't even lift half the cases now!"

"Think you could work up front? You know cars."

"I don't think most guys want to buy auto parts from a cute little chick." Her scowl deepened. "And I don't think I want to deal with the kind of guy who does."

Erica thought for a minute. "I could maybe get you a job at the restaurant."

Also as usual, it didn't take long for Cora to digest the implications. "A waitress? You're asking if I want to be a waitress?" Disdain dripped from her words.

"Calm the fuck down, okay?" Erica snapped, exasperated. It startled Cora. "You want money, so you need a job, but you don't have any references." She kept talking, overriding Cora's protests. "I know that's not your fault, but anyway, it's the truth!"

She let Cora fume for a second. No concession came, but Erica hadn't expected one. After a moment, she went on. "I think I can talk the managers into hiring you. If you can handle it," and here Erica paused again to savor Cora's annoyed expression, "in a couple months I bet you could be a hostess. You're cute enough, when you're not sulking like a fucking baby."

Now Cora was outraged. She didn't say anything, she just got up and stormed off.

Erica sat and watched TV. Maybe it had been a mistake.

But maybe they couldn't handle Cora like fragile crystal forever.

~~~~~

Cora didn't speak to Erica for most of the day - which meant she didn't speak much at all. She normally avoided Miranda as much as she possibly could. While she was now unfailingly polite to Haylie, Erica's little sister was off with her friends almost the whole day. The only friends Cora had were Erica's friends, and at this point they were, to her, little more than acquaintances.

She spent the afternoon on her laptop. At dinner, she was silent save for muttered thank-you's.

Only much later, after Haylie had gone to bed, did Cora open up again. She sat in a chair next to the loveseat Erica was draped on, and faced the TV. But she spoke. "I guess I don't have a lot of alternatives." There was no apology in the tone.

"Not that I can see," Erica said in her own flat inflection.

"I just don't... want to be... like that."

Erica couldn't decide whether to be annoyed or amused. Imagining how Eric would have responded to the same prospect settled it on the side of humor. But there was a note of irritation when she said, "It's not like I work at Hooters, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Cora said. "I'm gonna have to wear makeup, though."

Before long, they went up to bed. The sex afterward wasn't precisely make-up sex. But it helped settle more than just bodily tension.

~~~~~

Cora tried out for the soccer team. She didn't make it; she was small, and her control over her new body was still very much developing. Being determined and tireless and ruthless didn't make up for that - at least, not in the eyes of the coach.

Cora fulminated all that evening. She'd been Transformed from a fit and healthy boy, and retained an analogous level of physical conditioning. "Maybe I'm not all that great with footwork yet," she was saying. "But by the end of the game, when everyone's dragging, I'd still be running."

"I wonder if the coach thought it'd be too hard to, like, integrate you into the team," Erica said, trying to soften the blow. Or at least the blowback. "Besides, do you really want to see Danielle any more than you have to?"

It didn't work. "I'm a student, too! Even if they think I'm new, I have a right to be on the team!"

Erica shrugged helplessly. "Well, maybe you can do that in college."

Her Mother broke in. "I agree you should have some extracurricular activity." And not just for college prep. Social interaction! Miranda thought to herself. "Perhaps choir? You have a lovely singing voice. With some training, I think you could really shine."

For some reason, the idea seemed to irritate Cora more. She glowered. "Why can't I just go for track?"

Miranda had to stifle an urge to throw up her hands. "You know why. The fewer things Cora has in common with Cory, the better."

"I've gotta do something physical. I'll go crazy if I don't. I always think better on a long run."

"No one's saying you can't go out for a jog," Erica said soothingly. "But come on! A girl who looks like Cory's sister, has almost the same name, and is into computers and track?"

"Who's gonna figure it out?" Cora snapped. "Who'd even believe it?"

Miranda just looked her in the eye. She didn't say anything with Haylie in the room, but her thought was plain. You did. Enough, at least.

Cora got quiet then, though her thin lips and tensed shoulders spoke for her.

"You could play soccer with me," Haylie volunteered into the silence. "Coach says I need to practice more anyway."

Cora paused for a second, visibly restraining her habitual sarcasm. Ever since the TV argument, she was careful not to snap at Haylie. Indeed, she seemed to have developed an actual liking for the girl. "Huh. Why not?" She glared for a moment at Miranda and Erica, then said, "Wanna get started now?"

Haylie, taken aback, stammered, "Uh, well, I gotta change..."

Cora, mouth twisted, looked down at the dress she wore. "Me too. Meet you in five." She walked off without looking back.

The Jardin women exchanged helpless glances.

~~~~~

Brandon sat down at his desk. Calc wasn't his favorite thing in the world, but you needed math if you wanted to get into an engineering program in college.

He spared a glance to his right. The new girl, Cora, was looking down at her book. She was always so shy. Had barely said anything to him, or anybody else in class, since she'd been assigned here.

Danielle turned and smiled at him. "How's it going? Wasn't number four a bitch?"

"Eh, wasn't so bad." He hesitated, then asked, "Hear anything from Cory?"

Danielle looked irritated. "I already told you, no. Why do you keep asking?"

"Hey, sorry! It's just, I talked to his mom and dad last night. They got a letter from him, from Seattle." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the new girl turn away from them both and stare harder at her book.

"Why do you even care?" Danielle said. "He skipped out on you too."

"He was my bro. If he's in trouble, I want to help."

At that Cora gave him a quick look. Before he could even figure out what kind of look it was, though, she was back to her book. He wished she'd chill out a little. She was pretty decent-looking, in a buttoned-down way. So shy and quiet, like a scared little deer. You just naturally wanted to take care of her.

Then when he turned back at Danielle, she was frowning at Cora. But the next second she smiled at him. "So what did you get for four, anyway?"

Girls, he thought. Who knows what the fuck goes on in their heads?

~~~~~

"So just take it easy. No rush, y'know? Just, like, take your time."

"I'll be careful," Cora grumbled. While Erica was at cheerleading practice, Cora was going to head over to a nearby parking lot and 'calibrate her driving reflexes' for her new body.

Miranda had agreed not to come along. Had agreed to let Cora do it all by herself. No one had actually screamed, or even raised their voices. It had still been a fraught discussion. Not really because there was much concern about Cora's driving; rather, this would be the first time she would be entirely alone and unsupervised. With the means to run away, should she choose.

Erica got out of the driver's side. They were at the park again. "C'mon, I want you meet my girls."

Cora sighed but left of the car and followed her to the gathering crowd of girls. She had confessed to Erica that 'Cory' had the same mixed emotions about cheerleaders common to many boys. They admired the beauty and grace, and almost defensively looked down on their intellect. But Cora had seen Erica practicing and had rather more respect for the sport now.

A quick round of hugs ensued when she got to the milling girls, then she turned. "Hey. This is my cousin, Cora. Cora, this is Shianti, and Trahn."

"Hey," the girls all said, giving each other once-overs.

"Nice to finally meet you. Erica's said good things about you." Cora said, with all apparent sincerity.

"Were you in cheer back home?" Trahn asked.

"No!" Cora exclaimed, startled.

"Too bad. Somebody small like you, tumbling's easier. And I bet we could get you fifteen feet up!"

Cora was clearly at a loss. "That's, like, not really my thing."

"You couldn't really do much anyway for a while, I guess." Shianti grinned. "Took Erica this long just to get a forward flip down."

"You did not just say that!"

Minutes later, small talk completed, Erica stole a glance as Cora turned out onto the road. Smoothly enough. It wasn't particularly different, driving as a girl, not with power steering and such. But like game controllers, everything was in a slightly different place. Besides, Cora needed time alone. She was a Sister, not a prisoner.

She just had to trust Cora would come back to pick her up at the end of practice. Erica was positive she would.

Ninety-nine percent sure.

Well... maybe ninety-five.

~~~~~

Erica felt a little guilty for her doubts when Cora showed up a few minutes early. She hugged her friends goodbye at the end of practice and went over to the car.

Cora popped the locks on the doors and let her in. She was quiet as she pulled out onto the road for home.

"Everything chill?" Erica asked, quietly, after a minute.

Cora kept her eyes on the road. "I drove by Cory's house."

Erica didn't say anything. She swallowed, though.

"I know, I just... couldn't help it. I had to see." Her hands clenched the wheel. "I didn't slow down or anything. I just... wanted to see."

"What... did you see?"

"Just the house. It's not like Mom and Dad were sitting on the porch or anything." Then, very quietly, "I miss them."

"Oh, Goddess, Cora, I'm sorry." She put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You'll see them again. I promise."

Cora suppressed a sniffle, blinked fast, and took on a look of determination. "Fuckin' A I will."

"That's right," Erica said, encouraging, though she was a little sad Cora bottled everything up and wouldn't cry.

And in the back of her mind, she resolved to make sure Cora never found out about Miranda's binding spell.

~~~~~

Cora and Erica were walking home from the bus stop. "Another thing that sucks. I get to see Danielle naked before and after gym. Her locker's in my row."

"That does suck," Erica said sympathetically.

"Sure didn't take her long to get over Cory," Cora observed. "He's pissed. Even I think it's kinda shitty."

"Were you..." Erica caught herself. "Was Cory in love with her?"

Cora's mouth scrunched, her brow furrowed. Erica had to suppress a grin at the involuntary cuteness of her expression. "Not really. But he did, like, care for her, y'know? She wasn't just, like, a fuckbuddy or something." She shook her head. "He kinda thought that she had some feelings for him, too. Guess not."

Erica couldn't quite get used to the 'Cory' language. "Well, it's not like we let you send her a message or anything. She probably felt kinda abandoned."

"I guess."

~~~~~

Erica looked up from her homework at Cora. "Hey." The dark-haired beauty looked up. Erica had to ask her a question, and she honestly wasn't sure whether she wanted Cora to say 'yes' or 'no'.

"We're going to the see that Melissa McCarthy movie tomorrow night. Wanna come?" She was asking partly out of duty. Cora had to get out and be social. But it would make Erica's time with her friends more stressful. But maybe it'd help Cora loosen up a little. But she'd have to make sure Cora didn't act too weird. But if she could make friends with Kristina and Linda, things would get easier for Erica. But...

Cora's lips pursed. Erica knew she didn't like rom-coms much, but she was dutifully trying to be more girlish. "Well, what the hell. At least they won't hit on me."

"Okay, tight, I'll let 'em know you're coming." She tried to appear purely happy with Cora's choice.

~~~~~

Cora didn't talk a great deal in the car on the way to the movieplex, but that couldn't suppress a bunch of teenage girls from chattering anyway. Kristina had the front passenger seat, of course. Getting into and out of a car was just starting to become more difficult for her.

There was a bit of unpleasantness while they were getting drinks and popcorn before the movie. Erica was putting a little butter on her popcorn, debating just one more high-fat squirt, when Cora's voice rang out from the counter. "Hey, douchebag, my eyes are up here!"

Erica whirled around. The guy at the register looked almost as startled as she was. Cora was facing him, back to Erica, but the hunched fury was obvious. Others were craning their heads. A quick glance showed Kristina looking at Erica with an unreadable expression.

"I'm sorry, miss," the clerk said quietly, taken aback.

"Just gimme my drink!" Cora snapped.

Kristina and Linda gave Erica highly meaningful looks as Cora stalked over to get a straw. They had neutral expressions by the time the dark-haired girl with the dark expression joined them.

"Hey, you all right?" Erica asked, just as neutral.

"Fuck it. Let's go sit down." Without waiting for a reply, or checking to see if they followed, she set off for theater number 8.

"I'm sorry," Erica said to her friends, watching Cora march away. "I think she's a little PMS-y." Doing the math in her head, she realized that was very likely the truth.

Erica would have enjoyed the movie more if she hadn't had to keep half an eye on Cora, but the girl mostly just sat in her seat and watched the screen. Cora didn't come out of her shell all that much until afterward, when they were sitting at a table at Cold Stone. And even then it began with griping.

Cora brushed her hair back from her face and winced. "Gah, I hate the way your hair gets caught in earrings."

"It's worse if they're not studs," Kristina said, shrugging lightly.

"That's why I only wear studs," Cora said glumly.

"So you're going for choir?" Linda said to Cora, trying to include her in the conversation.

"Yeah. Gotta do something to look good on a college app."

"I don't have to worry about that. It's community college for me," Kristina said, looking a little sour now herself.

Cora spoke reassuringly. "Yeah, but hey, it's a lot cheaper. And maybe you can transfer after a couple years."

"If I don't get a scholarship, I'll be right there with you," said Linda.

"Are you gonna have a baby shower?" Erica asked Kristina.

"Yeah. I was thinking May." Her lips quirked. "And then a grad party a month later." Her hand went to her belly. "He's due graduation day. I just looked it up yesterday."

"Huh," Erica said. "Well, you'll let us help with the shower, though, right?"

"Sure," she said with a warm smile.

"Is your Mom gonna rent a room? Or just do it at your house?"

"Not sure yet," Kristina mumbled around a spoonful of ice cream. "Depends on how many people we invite."

Erica nudged Cora, trying to make it look accidental. She shouldn't be allowed to tune out when the topic was 'girl stuff', and her eyes had been getting a little vague again.

Surprisingly, Cora seemed to actually take the hint. "Why wouldn't you invite everybody you can?" she asked with a smirk. "More stuff, right?"

Kristina blinked. "Not all of my family's happy I'm having a baby, y'know."

"Oh," Cora said softly, smile gone. "Right." After a moment she added, "Sorry."

Kristina shrugged. "Not your fault."

"Well, we wanna help. Let us know what the deal is, okay?" Erica said.

They chatted a bit longer. Cora still didn't talk as much much as the others, so she kept her hands busy eating.

Linda and Kristina gave Erica a look as the girl scraped the bowl. It was remarkable how much ice cream fit into Cora, despite her size. They were all splitting a 'Love It' size, but Kristina and Cora had wound up getting more than half between them.

They left shortly after that. "I dunno if I'll ever get used to having diet soda all the time," Cora said as Erica drove the two of them home, having dropped off her friends.

"You pick the calories you want, I guess. Regular soda and ice cream would be kind of a lot, though."

~~~~~

Cora would have skipped school during her period if Miranda hadn't applied some Healing to obviate that excuse. Though from how green her Mother turned after absorbing the girl's pain, Erica doubted Cora's attempted malingering was entirely unjustified.

She still griped about pads. And at dinner that night, she complained that she'd been intensely embarrassed changing for gym.

"It's no big deal, seriously," Erica said. "Girls don't care. It's just life."

"I guess, but..."

Haylie spoke up. "In my school, the girls kinda want to get their periods. Y'know, be grown up."

Cora sneered. "Ain't missing much. Just a mess."

The Jardin women exchanged glances, but none of them pointed out that periods also meant one could conceive and bear children. Cora would not appreciate the idea.

"How are you getting along in your classes? Have you made any friends yet?" Miranda had to know.

Cora grimaced in irritation. "Classes are fine, but it's kinda hard to relate."

Miranda's head tilted. "It should be easier to talk to girls, at least."

"Yeah, but... it's so boring! All they want to talk about is clothes and makeup and who's going with who, where."

"That's all?" Miranda asked, giving the girl a "be honest" look.

Cora hesitated, then chose honesty. "Ok, not all. But tons. At least with Cory they'd talk about important stuff."

"Why do men get to decide what's 'really' important?" Miranda asked sweetly.

Cora looked very silly, frozen with her mouth open, trying to come up with an answer.

~~~~~

Cora and Erica always talked on the bus to and from school, naturally. It would have looked strange if they didn't, of course, but that wasn't the reason. They simply had things to talk about - and Erica was trying to subtly encourage Cora in developing a feminine attitude toward communicating, and keeping channels open.

Nevertheless, there were topics that had to be avoided around others. Cora had shared the news of her joining the choir while they sat together, but she waited until they were walking home from the bus stop to talk about her feelings about it.

Quite often, in fact, she'd talk about Transition-related things on those walks. Erica suspected she didn't want to be eavesdropped on at the house. It was somewhat gratifying that she seemed to trust Erica to keep at least a few secrets. But they didn't have time for much deep conversation on the block or so to her home.

"I used to love girl's voices." Cora shrugged. "I mean, singing especially."

"I read that, like, the really Orthodox Jews? They don't let men hear women singing. It's supposed to be too, like, stimulating." Erica had read a lot about relations between women and men in the last six months.

"Huh," Cora said, considering. "That's kinda what I meant. Not 'too stimulating', I mean, but... a pretty voice can be really sexy. It's fucking weird that I have a voice like that now. I sound like that chick from the 'Plants vs. Zombies' song."

"You turn yourself on?" Erica half-joked.

"Not... exactly. It's just, y'know, confusing." She shrugged again. "I got used to seeing this in the mirror, finally," she waved at herself. "And hearing me talk. Guess I'll get used to singing eventually." She frowned. "But it's weird thinking about how guys'll hear it, y'know?"

"Well, that's not new. Not really." Girls had to be aware of how boys would perceive what they did and wore and said.

"No. Just more of it."

~~~~~

Two-odd weeks into the school term, Erica wasn't as worried that someone would connect 'Cora' and 'Cory'. Despite the definite similarities in appearance and even mannerisms, the distinctions were too marked. The size change alone made a big psychological difference. Clothing and makeup helped, too. The relentless drills had softened her habits and gait considerably.

But there was a single primary reason no one made the connection. Cory had been self-assured and outgoing. PMS aside, Cora was increasingly neither.

She was hesitant, mistrustful, cautious. She didn't speak up in class unless called on. Even in conversation with her peers, she became reticent to the point of shyness.

For a couple days, she'd taken to wearing headphones whenever she could. Not even playing music, just giving herself an excuse not to get involved in conversations - and to pretend not to hear catcalls. Miranda had needed to make an explicit rule forbidding them at school. She wore them only on her daily runs.

Only when she was alone with Erica, lying together in post-coital langour, did she seem willing to speak freely and openly. Only then did Erica see glimpses of Cory's old humor and determination.

From the standpoint of the Sisterhood's security, that was all to the good. For Cora personally, Erica didn't think it was so desirable.

~~~~~

Cora dropped into her chair at programming class. Erica was in no way surprised to see the girl was irritated by something. Concealing her reluctance, she asked, "What's wrong?" in a low tone.

Cora shrugged and nodded toward another table. "Whatshisname over there, Colin. He opened the door for me."

"What's so bad about that?" Erica herself had come to appreciate the little courtesies that boys gave to girls. Some of them, anyway. Sometimes.

"I can open a fucking door on my own!" Cora fumed, a little louder than she should have. She drew a look from the next table.

"Come on. He was just being nice," Erica said in placation. "Goddess forbid a boy be nice to a girl." Cora was hunched in on herself. "Hey, what's really bothering you? It wasn't just a door." Erica did some quick math; it was far too early for PMS again...

Cora shrugged. "It's not just that. It's... Nobody takes me seriously. Not with this voice, and this face. I say something, and they just think, 'Well isn't that the cutest thing!'" Cora fumed. "Even the teachers call me 'sweetie' or 'cutie' or 'missy'."

"They're not trying to hurt your feelings..."

Cora's face scrunched up. Erica could guess what she was thinking - she didn't want to make it about her feelings, 'like a girl', but she didn't want to put it that way... and it actually was about her feelings. Finally, she said, "I just want some respect, is all!"

"Like opening doors for you?"

Cora's jaw tightened. She shifted complaints slightly. "Everybody wants to, like, protect me!"

"That can come in handy, sometimes," Erica began. But they had to cut their conversation short as Scotty and Josh sat down next to them.

~~~~~

The bus made the turn towards their stop, and Erica felt great relief. Soon they'd be dropped off and Cora could spill whatever was upsetting her. She could tell right away, the moment she sat down, that Cora had something she desperately wanted to discuss... but couldn't. They'd gone over assignments, and a little gossip, all the while Cora winding herself up tighter and tighter.

Cora almost bolted for the door as it opened. She stood waiting as Erica stepped down and the bus pulled away. "What's up?" Erica asked. "Something happen?"

"Kinda," Cora said. "You know Gabriela? In the choir? She invited me to a Mary Kay party. Her big sister's."

"Ah," Erica said knowingly. 'Direct marketing' was created with women and their social networks in mind. There were probably dozens of companies that offered rewards for women to invite their friends - and anyone else they could lean on - to a sales pitch.

"I told her I'd think about it," Cora said. "I wanted to talk to you first."

"Did you tell her that?" Erica asked sharply. It would look weird if Cora came across as asking permission from her 'cousin'...

"No! I'm not stupid. I just said I had to think about it, I'd tell her tomorrow."

"Oh, okay." Erica paused. "Do you want to go?"

"Fuck no. Like, nothing against Gabriela. She's chill enough. But you know how much I like makeup. And people selling things." She shrugged. "I'm supposed to be trying to be a girl, though, so... I dunno. Maybe I'm supposed to?"

Erica's mouth quirked. "I don't think marketing parties are a requirement for the Sisterhood," she deadpanned. "Although... it wouldn't hurt to hang with the choir girls some, I guess. Away from school, I mean."

"Kinda figured," Cora said, with perceptible resignation.

"You might even make some friends," Erica pointed out.

"Maybe." Cora didn't sound very convinced. She paused a beat. "I guess I'd go. If you come with?"

"When is it? I can't miss any more cheer practice for a while..."

~~~~~

Cora and Erica asked Miranda about it after dinner. She agreed that going to the party would be a good idea.

They did have some decisions to make, though. "Should I maybe invite Linda or Kristina? I dunno if they'd want to, really, but..." She trailed off.

Miranda shook her head. "I suspect this will be a little stressful for Cora..."

Cora nodded, scowling.

"...so perhaps we should keep it to just you and Cora's friends from the choir."

Cora's scowl was now merely thoughtful, not hostile. "Well, I dunno if they're 'friends' yet. But I guess if I start doing things with 'em, they could be."

Erica received a telepathic message from Miranda. Should anything go wrong, Cora can just let those relationships go. You shouldn't have to walk away from your friends.

~~~~~

Gabriela and her friend from choir, Jacinta, did what they could to make Cora and Erica feel welcome at the party. The girls nibbled chips and made small talk.

They were the youngest four at the party, except for the kids playing and watching TV in the basement. Gabriela's sister, Lupina, was in college and had invited several of her friends. And her mother had leaned on some of her circle as well.

It being Lupina's first party, she had another woman - Carmen, her recruiter - running the show and training her. She called them all into the front room and found everyone a seat. Then she got started.

"Okay, this is gonna be a memory game. Everybody take a look at Lupina." The young woman walked around carrying a little tray with small knicknacks - makeup, silverware, dice, odds and ends. Then, a little smile on her face, she walked out of the room.

"Okay, how many of you looked at what was on the tray?" Everybody raised their hands, even Cora, though she was suddenly squinting.

"Too bad. I told you to look at Lupina." Groans and laughing protests erupted, but Carmen started asking questions. "What was she wearing? Any rings? Necklace? Earrings? What color are her shoes?"

The two Sisters did the best at that game - they'd been drilled and quizzed on fashion and jewelry and makeup so much they almost couldn't help noticing details of how other girls presented themselves. Cora wound up winning some intense scarlet lipstick, which she accepted with mumbled thanks.

They did a few more games, then Carmen began describing some of the products for sale, passing catalogs around.

"But the best way to see what Mary Kay products can do for you is to put them in action." She clapped her hands. "It's makeover time! Who's up?"

Jacinta called out, "Cora!"

Gabriela immediately agreed. "She could be gorgeous if she'd do just a little makeup sometimes!"

Cora looked almost appalled. Erica felt adrenaline in her veins, though she kept it off her face. She could see at a glance that Corazon and Jacinta were just being sincere. But Cora would most probably regard this as an ambush.

"I'm not really..." Cora started to blurt.

Carmen was having none of it. "I'm not going to hurt you, girl! Come here." She was smiling, waving the girl urgently forward. "I can't think of a better showcase than a pretty thing like you." One more moment of hesitation, and Cora stood up.

Erica was relieved to see that Cora seemed to have herself under control as she sat down in the chair before Carmen. But she shot a quick flat glance at Erica as she did so. Promising future consequences?

"Dark hair and fair skin," Carmen muttered. "You're lucky. You can get away with just a little here and there. See, she doesn't even need foundation. I remember having skin like that." Many of the older ladies chuckled.

She kept going. "For school, we just do a little eyeliner - brown, not black, you've already got contrast between your skin and your hair..."

She matched deeds to words. Cora was quickly painted. "And here, just a tiny bit of brown shadow. And mascara."

Erica almost hissed. If there was one specific cosmetic Cora hated most, it was mascara. Even lipstick didn't bother her as much. But she submitted with no protest, if little visible enthusiasm. "Such pretty eyes. I widened them a bit, you can get away with an innocent look. Oh, my goodness, the boys'll be at your feet."

She switched to a brush. "Okay, now just a hint of peach on the cheeks. See how her cheekbones pop now?"

Finally, she selected two small tubes. "You don't want really strong colors for lipstick, especially for an everyday look. Here, this is close to your natural color. We just go for a little extra definition, like so. And once in a while, a touch of gloss."

She wrapped up and handed the girl a mirror. The crowd gave Cora much praise. Erica devoutly prayed they would mistake the pink in Cora's face for a blush of embarrassment instead of a flush of rage. But Cora did seem a little surprised as she checked her face out in the mirror.

"You see?" Cora started to rise, but Carmen put a hand to her shoulder to hold her down. "Wait! You have to see this. Picture, you come home from school, you want to get ready to go out dancing with your friends." She fished out another brush and started in again.

"You're almost there already. Just add a little bronze on the eyes." That done, she had Cora fish the lipstick she'd won out of her pocket. "Darker red, like this. And maybe just a shade darker on the blush."

"And now... Oh, Santa Maria, just look!" she gushed, and held up the mirror again.

Erica was tangled inside as the ladies whistled and laughed and made sly comments. Cora looked very sexy, even more than that night they'd played dressup. Partly Erica was impressed, even a little envious. But she was almost sick wondering how Cora would react.

Cora got a smile onto her face, but it didn't make it to her eyes. Carmen sent her off with a little bag of the shades she'd used, and one of Lupina's friends took Cora's place in the hotseat.

Cora came back to her chair with evident relief. Before she could say anything to Erica, Gabriela and Jacinta pounced.

"Ohmigod, you look amazing!" Gabriela gushed. "You could be a model!"

Jacinta backed her up. "Totally!"

"You look really good, Cora," Erica said. She managed to meet Cora's eyes, give her a quick pleading look before the girl turned to her choirmates.

Please, Cora, Erica prayed. Please see that they were trying to do something nice for you. That they were trying to be friends. That they couldn't know how you would feel about it. She wished she could have sent it telepathically, but she tried to project a flash of reassurance.

Cora took a beat too long to reply, but she mustered a wry smile. "Well, thanks, I guess." She even maintained the smile as she said, "Don't count on me using this stuff up too fast, though."

Cora kept out of the spotlight for the rest of the party. She even ordered sunblock and some eyebrow pencils. "What the fuck, the Sisterhood's paying for it," she muttered to Erica under her breath.

Erica thought, as they left, that it had gone about as well as anyone could have hoped.

~~~~~

The next day, another walking-home-from-the-bus conversation:

"Everyone always tells girls how good they look. All the time. It's always about how you look."

"Well, you're lucky. You look really good." Even in those clothes, Erica thought to herself.

"Are girls really that insecure, though? Like, they need to be told all the time?"

Erica sighed. How to explain it so Cora could understand? "You know that feeling you get when you, like, get an epic kill online? Or, like, if you're on a forum, y'know, arguing? And you totally destroy somebody's argument?"

Cora squinted. "I think so..."

"Or, better, when you got a really good time in a race? I guess I'm saying, like, when you feel kinda, y'know... badass."

"Okay, yeah." Cora cocked her head, curious where this was headed.

"Well... looking good gives girls a feeling sorta like that."

Cora's look of consternation might have been hilarious in other circumstances. But she didn't say anything.

Erica kept going. "Guys are supposed to be tough, y'know? Strong, smart... capable. But for girls, they're supposed to look good."

She gave Cora a meaningful look, daring her to dispute her next words. "That's totally what guys care about. At first, anyway. And usually second and third."

Cora had that look she got when actually applying her brain to something. "So... saying, 'nice dress' or 'I like your makeup' to a girl is kinda like saying, 'nice shot' or 'good run' to a guy?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Sounds hard on the girls who don't look so good."

"It ain't fair, but that's the way it is." She shrugged. "Life ain't all that fair for small, skinny guys, either."

Cora nodded, still thoughtful, acknowledging the point.

"Anyway, picture how tough all this would be if you weren't so pretty. You got, like, an automatic social buff, kinda, being so gorgeous. With other girls, even, not just guys."

"Plus five to all social interactions, huh?" Cora mused, half joking but obviously thinking about the metaphor.

"Mostly. Attack and defense. Plus eight with boys. Maybe ten."

Cora was quiet as they headed up the driveway, clearly having trouble accepting the idea that there was anything about her situation she should be grateful for.

~~~~~

Cora put the last of the dishes away and smacked the cupboard closed while Erica was finishing her homework at the kitchen table. "There! Now we gotta get going."

"What's up?" Erica asked.

"You forgot? Extra choir practice tonight. You gotta drop me off on the way to your practice."

"Oh, right." She closed the book and got up.

"Jacinta'll get me home," Cora noted as they headed for the front door.

Erica stopped, and put a hand on Cora's arm. "Did you wear those clothes outside? With Haylie?"

Cora looked down, examining her slightly baggy t-shirt and sweatpants. "Yeah. Why? They stained?" She twisted to look at her rear.

"No, but... they're kinda stinky."

Cora gave Erica a look, then raised her arm and sniffed the sleeve of her t-shirt. "A little, I guess. No big deal."

Erica bit her lower lip. "Boys don't have to care so much about that, but... girls do."

Cora rolled her eyes. "Screw that. I don't want any boys after me."

Erica sighed. "It's not just boys. Girls care, too. Other girls, I mean."

Cora just stared, confused.

"Seriously, women notice how other women smell. I'm not kidding." She could see Cora wasn't being receptive to the idea. "I don't mean... well, you already know that girls care more about what other girls are wearing, right?"

Cora nodded, frowning.

"I mean, like, most of what women wear, they wear for other women, not men." Cora's lips pursed at Erica's words. You couldn't be a girl for long without learning that. "Odor's a factor, too. Honest. Not as big as clothes, maybe, but..."

"I was playing soccer!" Cora insisted.

"I know. Right after, it's no big deal. But other girls will notice if you don't clean up as soon as you can."

"Whatever," Cora muttered, but went upstairs to change.

~~~~~

Erica flicked Cora's clit back and forth with the tip of her tongue. At the same time, she pumped two fingers in and out of Cora's vagina. Cora herself was moaning softly; she'd never been as vocal as Erica. Still, she was far gone now, not guarding her reactions or suppressing her passionate exclamations.

It was time, Erica decided.

She stealthily brought the dildo up with her other hand. When she changed position - grabbing a deep lungful of air, licking pussy was breathless work if you really committed - she swapped her fingers for the toy. She didn't go very deep yet, and kept watch for any sign Cora had noticed the substitution. The girl was extremely excited and wet, though, and wasn't processing much beyond waves of sensation.

Over the next minute Erica gradually increased the amplitude of those waves, increasing how far she moved the dildo by small increments. Cora moaned more loudly than usual.

The moment had arrived. Erica sucked hard on Cora's clit, flicking her tongue in a staccato rhythm, and stroked deeply with the toy. Cora convulsed, groaning - she never shouted - fingers clutching the sheets. Her hips jerked, over and over. After the third pulse Erica's mouth was jolted loose, but she kept the shaft moving in and out.

Presently Cora came down from the high. Erica wriggled up to give her a kiss, but maintained a very slow, gentle pumping.

"Oh, man, that felt good," Cora eventually breathed as she swapped leisurely smooches with her lover. "How'd you get so d..." Her eyes suddenly shot open wide and she tried to sit up. "What the hell?"

Erica pulled the dildo out and showed it to her. "Nice, isn't it?"

"What? You... God damn it, I..."

"Didn't you like it? Sure sounded like you had a good time."

Cora had shifted away and curled up against the headboard. "You should have asked!"

"Would you have let me?

Cora glared. "No. That's the point!"

Erica was unruffled. "Did it hurt?"

Cora looked away, grimacing.

"Did it hurt?" Erica pressed. Cora made no response. Erica waited patiently.

It took almost a minute, but Cora broke first. "Fine. No, it didn't hurt. But you still should have asked!"

"It's no big deal. I mean, you actually liked the Shocker!"

"That's different," Cora insisted. "That's you, not..."

"It was still me just now, too," Erica interrupted. "How is it different from me using scarves, or feathers, or oil?"

"That's..." Cora trailed off. She was looking anywhere but Erica's face.

"Different, I know. Those aren't like a dick, am I right?"

Cora stiffened and her jaw clenched. Erica sat patiently.

It didn't take as long this time for Cora to break. "You're right. I don't like dick, okay? Even fake ones."

"It's only a fake dick if you think it is." She put her hand on Cora's leg. "I just think of it as a way to make you feel good."

Cora peered at Erica very narrowly indeed. Then her lips quirked. "You probably wouldn't feel like a boy."

"I never had a cock on my hand, even when I was Eric," Erica said.

Cora shook her head. Erica could see it was at the whole situation, not Erica's words.

"But still..."

"Look at me. Do you really think of me as a boy?"

"No."

"Then this can't be a dick." She waggled it in the air.

"But..."

"I know what the problem really is."

Cora glared.

"It fits inside you. And it feels good."

Cora opened her mouth, but didn't get to say anything. Erica kept going. "It's not so much that this is like a dick. It's that you have a pussy. And this goes nice and deep into your pussy."

Cora's stare was fixed at the wall now.

"The problem is, it makes you feel more like a girl."

Cora never admitted anything. She didn't start then. She just kept her eyes on the wall.

Erica held her silence a moment longer. "Well, tell you what. I got something else for you." Erica stepped off the bed and dug around in her nightstand briefly. What she came up with made Cora gasp.

The strap-on was fairly pedestrian as such things went. A belt, a pair of straps that went between the legs. The phallus wasn't exceptionally sizeable, and was made of some clear plastic.

"Let's get you hooked up." Erica smiled saucily. "You can get your revenge on me."

Cora looked both fascinated and frightened. Still mute, but now she just stared at the toy. When Erica approached, she knelt up on the bed and spread her legs. She made no sound as Erica adjusted the buckles, just turning her head to watch the process.

Erica moved back to check her work. It passed muster. "OK. Ready to roll."

She wasn't worried about derailing Cora's progress. Using a strap-on was like having a penis; as a Sister, Erica was in a position to speak to that definitively. But as a Sister, she also knew all the ways it was unlike having an actual male member.

This particular kind, for example, didn't have any extensions to stimulate Cora's clitoris.

It would feel good. It would probably even awaken 'Cory' a little. It would be a turn-on. But it wouldn't create that delicious friction that sex did. Not for Cora, at least.

She laid down on her back, and saw that Cora's nipples were rock-hard. She had a fleeting, amusing thought - a boy Cora's size, with a prick that big, would be almost disproportionate.

Cora got between Erica's legs, and only fumbled for a handful of seconds before she managed a fruitful alignment.

Erica moaned in genuine pleasure as it slid in. Then Cora pulled out, and came back in...

Sometimes, the disadvantages for the wearer of a strap-on were advantages for the one it got used on. There were no conflicts of interest - the whole purpose was the pleasure of the receiver. Cora used it as a tool, searching for the angles and rhythms and depths that got the biggest responses.

She stopped even considering how Cora would feel in short order. Having your pussy filled was a very pleasant sensation. It didn't directly stimulate the clit, but women had deep-rooted erectile tissue. It was better than getting a rub on the shaft of a penis.

After coming twice, she took it off Cora - who was overexcited by that point - and licked her pussy through a couple climaxes. She didn't push Cora to let her use the strap-on in return. Not tonight. In a couple days, she'd bring it up. She suspected Cora would say yes. Especially if she got to use it on Erica first.

And then... vibrators. She could hardly wait.

~~~~~

Lots of little conversations were going on. Calc class was starting late. The teacher had taken two boys down to the office for getting into a shoving match.

Brandon said to Danielle, "Cory's mom got another letter from him a couple days ago."

She just looked annoyed. "So what?"

He squinted at her. "He was your boyfriend. Don't you give a crap?"

Danielle rolled her eyes. "He just takes off, no text, no calls, nothing. Apparently I'm not important enough to even say goodbye!"

Brandon said, slowly, "That's what bugs me. I just can't see him doing that. And the letters are real fuzzy about where he is or what he's doing."

Danielle scoffed. "He still coulda called."

"Maybe he's protecting you. All of us," Brandon said insistently.

"Oh, I am so sure. Now he's going to Hogwarts and can't tell us Muggles."

He flushed. "I don't mean..." He stopped, began again. "I just want to know. If I disappeared, he'd look for me."

All of a sudden, Cora spoke up. "What are you gonna do that the cops can't, anyway?" Danielle and Brandon were actually startled.

"Huh?" he managed, unable to come up with anything better.

The girl seemed to regret speaking up. "I just mean... cops can track cell phones and stuff. You're not... well..."

He squinted at her. "What's it to you, anyway?" he snapped. He felt bad right after he said it, though. It came out a lot more angry than he'd intended. Maybe I am a little defensive, huh? he thought.

She looked down at her desk. "I'm sorry... I didn't think you..."

"Hey, no, my bad. I didn't mean to jump all over you like that. Maybe I do need to take a break."

She looked at him again. "It's fine," she said softly as she stared back down at her desk, smiling a little.

Cora's relieved smile seemed to irritate Danielle. "Whatever," she broke in, looking at Brandon. "Can we please talk about something besides that freak?"

So he talked with Danielle about homework until the teacher got back and started class. Cora had gone back into her own world again.

Brandon found himself remembering that smile, though. Yeah, she could actually be pretty cute if she'd just open up a little.

~~~~~

Erica was not happy when Cora mentioned the incident with Brandon on their walk home from the bus. "You probably should just ignore him."

Cora shrugged, rather too nonchalantly for Erica's taste. "He's right, though. I am protecting him. I don't want the Sisters 0wnz0ring his brain. And I sure as shit don't think we need a fucking 'Brandi', either."

Erica felt a little uneasy, recalling Bronwyn's speculation about Suggestions. "I can't see that happening."

They just walked quietly for a couple houses. Then Cora said, "You know what sucks? I'm not sure if I'd be looking for him. If things were switched around, if he'd gone missing, y'know?"

Erica tried to think of how to respond. She didn't come up with anything before they got home.

~~~~~

"Man, I gotta get some new stuff," Cora said, rustling through her closet.

Erica sat on Cora's bed, texting. "I had to go buy more pretty fast, too."

"How's this?" Cora asked, leaning out of the door, holding up a blouse and a skirt.

"You wore those together a couple weeks ago. That really windy day, remember?"

Cora snarled. "So what? It was good enough then!"

"Yeah, but if you wear the same thing again so soon, the other girls'll talk." Cora was learning, just as Erica had, that repeating outfits on a regular basis was a major fashion faux pas. And she only had so many things to mix and match. "Maybe we can hit the mall on Saturday," Erica said.

The small girl whirled and plunged back into the closet, rummaging. Cora paid attention to fashion now, but it was no more than an intellectual attention. She didn't invest in her clothes like most girls. Picking an outfit for school was definitely work, not an opportunity to express herself. "Fucking fine. I haven't worn these together!" She held up the same blouse but a new skirt.

Erica winced. "Those don't go together. They're both prints, anyway, but green and red... nuh uh. Maybe for a Christmas party."

"Well I don't have anything else that goes with it."

Erica took pity and got up from the bed. "Let me take a look."

She examined the options. "Huh. We really need to get you more stuff."

"No shit. That's what I said."

Erica dug around a little. "All right, ditch the blouse, until we can hit the mall. You've only worn this skirt, like, twice. It'll go with this sweater."

Cora glowered. "It's the shortest one."

"Well, it's not all that short, and we're running low on combinations here."

Cora submitted to the inevitable. "Okay, fine, whatever." She asked plaintively, "Can I maybe get some more jeans when we go?"

"I'll check with Mom, but I think maybe." Erica paused. "They're still gonna have to be tight."

"I know," Cora said with infinite resignation as she zipped the skirt up over her rear.

Erica kept flicking through the wardrobe options, planning a shopping strategy as Cora finished adjusting her blouse. "A couple accessories would help, like, freshen this up. You know, belts, bracelets. A vest, even." She paused. "Hair clips or headbands..."

"Stay the fuck away from my hair," Cora snapped. She smiled, a little, to show she wasn't seriously offended. But she had one single minimally-maintained hairstyle - two, if you counted the ponytail she wore when running - and she steadfastly resisted elaboration.

Erica let it go. "Maybe we could splurge on a couple purses. You know, like, high-end."

Cora picked up her simple denim purse. "What's the point? Even if it's not my money. I'm not looking to get attention anyway."

"Expensive clothes aren't about impressing guys. You know they don't give a shit about that stuff. If they can even tell the difference, they're probably gay." She sighed. "Prada and Gucci and all that are about impressing other women."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to stand out." The girls went to the hallway and down the stairs.

"That's what I mean. A nice purse or some bling would draw attention from the rest of your outfit. Give you more variety."

Cora just said "huh" as they made for the door. Erica knew the time had come to drop the subject and let Cora ruminate on her own. She would usually - sooner or later - accept reason if she was allowed to argue herself into it.

~~~~~

Flashing lights appeared behind them. Both girls gasped in surprise and fear. "Oh shit!" Cora squealed, looking down at the speedometer. "I was doing eighty-five!"

There had been ups and downs all day, and they were apparently in for another down.

Shopping for clothes had gone much more smoothly than that first trip. Cora didn't sulk and snap like before. It still was nowhere near as much fun as shopping with her friends.

They'd found a few sweet deals, and Erica was pleased that she'd sold Cora on some shorter skirts and lower necklines and even two pair of tights. For her part, Cora still refused to wear stockings, but she'd been happy to get new jeans and a jean jacket.

As a semi-reward, they'd gone out to see an action, sci-fi movie, and it had been good. It had certainly lifted Cora's spirits... until their status as unaccompanied females at a male-skewed event had drawn the kind of attention Cora did not want.

Two boys had sat next to them, uninvited, and kept trying to strike up a whispered conversation until Cora had dissuaded them, in forceful and explicit terms.

After the boys sulked away, they'd been able to finish the movie in peace. They got hit on again on their way out of the multiplex, but it hadn't dampened Cora's spirits unduly.

Both she and Erica agreed she'd adjusted enough to her new body to safely drive on the freeway, and - after muttering about having to slide the seat all the way forward - she'd been enjoying the ride. Until now.

"Shit shit shit," she babbled as she pulled to the side of the road.

"It's okay, take it easy," Erica said. "No big deal, worst case it's just a ticket." She was trying to reassure herself, though, too. Keeping Cora as far away from police as possible was a standing order from the senior Sisters.

The cop came to the window, and Cora rolled it down. "What's wrong, officer?" she asked, sounding believably nervous.

"License and registration, miss. Do you know how fast you were going?"

Cora bit her lip as she rummaged in her purse. Erica had noticed her start to reach for a nonexistent back pocket, but it was just a split second and she was pretty sure the cop simply figured it was a nervous tic. "I... I'm not sure. I was just keeping up with traffic, I thought."

"Well, miss, I'm afraid I clocked you at 87."

Cora gulped. "I... Please, sir. I don't have any points on my license, and my, my mom'll kill me if I screw up her insurance!"

The officer looked at her for a second, glanced at an equally-apprehensive Erica, and gave a little smile. "Well... tell you what. You don't seem like the repeat offender type. So I suppose I can let you off with a warning this time. But slow down, right, miss?"

"Oh, yes, sir! I promise!" Cora said as she took back her documents. The girls were very quiet for a few moments as she got back underway.

As she merged, Cora frowned; Erica refrained from commenting on how cute she looked. "Did he... was that..."

"Yes," Erica smiled, "what you think happened just happened. A cute girl asked him for a favor, and he let her off."

"That's... so unfair!"

Erica almost sighed. Cora nearly always looked at things from a male perspective. Like now, not taking into account all the 'unfair' advantages men got. "You said you brought out everybody's protective side." Cora kept her eyes on the road. "Comes in handy sometimes, huh?"

"Whatever," Cora said, apparently not even realizing how girlish she sounded.

~~~~~

"Pffft." Cora blew some stray hairs off her lips, and brushed them back with her fingertips. A second later they fell forward again as she studied her textbook.

She made a wordless growl and looked to Erica. "You got a fuckin' scrunchie or something?"

"Nope, sorry."

Cora huffed, stood, and paced over to her purse on the counter. "Where the fuck do they disappear to?" A moment of rummaging turned up a hairband, which she applied with sure, practiced speed. Not many of her girlish skills were so polished, but keeping hair out of her face was one of Cora's passions.

She sat back down at the kitchen table with what could only be termed a flounce. "You know what else I hate? It gets in everything. Wrapped on my soap, stuck on my clothes, even in my shoes!" She didn't quite snort, but close. "It's like I shed as much as a dog now. After I shower, I have to pull hairs outa my buttcrack!"

"You just see them more when they're longer," Erica said.

"Maybe, but if I were still a guy I'd think I was going bald."

"It's not that big a deal," Erica said, letting some of her annoyance show. "And you look good with long hair." She was just irritated enough to say what she really thought. "Actually, you'd probably look older if you let it grow past your shoulders a little."

Cora's frown showed she'd thought of that, too. But she said, "Not worth it."

"You could at least try..."

Erica wasn't the only one feeling annoyance, it turned out. Cora snarled. "I've tried a lot of fucking things the last couple months, y'know. I thought I was allowed to actually not like some stuff!"

That took Erica aback. Especially under the circumstances, Cora had made a lot of progress. She wasn't even being unreasonable. After all, most birth-girls got attached to particular hairstyles. She was allowed to prefer shorter hair.

But Cora wasn't done. "I have to try every single girly thing, at, like, 'maximum girlyness'. Maybe you never saw a frilly sparkly whatever you didn't like, but... but I'm not that kind of girl!"

She seemed to wind down at that point. Erica hesitated, licked her lips, and said, "You're right. I do kinda like doing girl stuff, it's easier for me. But even I don't love all of it."

"Name one." Cora was squinting. A test, not an indignant challenge.

That wasn't too hard. "Having to be careful how you suggest things to guys, like in class and stuff."

To Erica's relief, Cora nodded thoughtfully. "I say the same things Cory did and I'm suddenly a bitch." Then she cocked her head and said, "From what I've seen, Sisters tend to be pretty enthusiastic about being feminine."

Not quite sure if it was a tangent or not, Erica said "Yeah?"

Cora didn't seem angry anymore. "Something my dad said once at church. 'Nobody's more zealous than a convert.'" She shook her head. "You all got the sales pitch, and signed up. I dunno if I'll ever be that 'devout'."

Erica took a deep breath. "I don't think you hafta be thrilled. Just... okay with it." She took Cora's hand. "My Mom said I could change back if I wanted. I don't think she was lying. Sounds like some Sisters do change back."

Cora's dark eyes peered into her own. Erica went on. "She said I could decide I'd be happiest as a boy. So far as I can tell, you don't have to think being a girl is the bestest thing ever. You just gotta... not hate it. Be okay with it."

Cora chewed her lip, a very cute mannerism Erica studiously ignored. "I still got work to do on not hating it." She inhaled, exhaled, gave Erica's hand a squeeze, then let go and turned back to her book. "Well, I got a quiz tomorrow."

Erica knew it was time to back off and let her process. She resumed her own studying with just an occasional glance Cora's way.

~~~~~

Jacqui let out a deep breath. She was centered, ready. Her cell sat lightly in her lap. She allowed her Magical attention to focus on it, as her finger tapped an icon.

Computers were not minds. They certainly were not alive. And yet, an adept with the right inclination could use them Magically, could allow spells and technology to interact in many ways. This was an app she'd written herself, and she channeled her power into it.

Jacqui would not betray her oath even so far as to Find her target mentally... but that was unnecessary. Sympathetic Magic and cell networks resonated together, and in seconds Jacqui knew precisely where Cora's phone was.

From that base, she searched outward. Her senses brushed past Cora's aura and settled on another nearby. Young, female as well. Jacqui probed further, skating along surface thoughts, getting a sense of the situation...

Jacinta squinted. "Nah. Try these," she said, handing a new pair of shoes to Cora. She'd finagled the girl into coming shoe shopping with her after choir practice instead of taking her straight home.

At first, she'd just planned on being nice to Cora, a little out of pity. She was so pretty, and yet so awkward and shy and cautious. And she had no idea how to present herself! Suggesting Gabriela should invite her to the Mary Kay party had been almost an act of mercy.

As she'd gotten to know her, though, she'd come to appreciate the quirky sense of humor hiding behind the suspicious eyes. And Cora refused to play many of the social games other girls did, shifting alliances almost on a whim. When she'd told Cora who her crush was, Jacinta had somehow known the girl would never use that information to embarrass her later.

And Cora was really smart. Not just geek-smart, although Jacinta's phone and netbook were running better than ever since Cora had cleaned them up. She was twisty, too - she'd managed to help Gabriela figure out which of her friends was talking to Soleil about her, by having her tell each one a different minor secret and seeing which one came back. A "barium meal test", she called it. Some kind of spy thing.

For all that she liked spy novels and computers and sports, Cora wouldn't have anything to do with boys, though. Jacinta wondered if maybe she'd been abused, or assaulted, or something. It would explain her shyness, her trust issues. Why she almost seemed to wish she wasn't a girl, sometimes. But because of those trust issues, Jacinta didn't dare ask, yet. All she could do for now was be a good friend.

And maybe help her enjoy being a girl once in a while.

So, encouragement time. "Yeah, those work. They'll go sweet with that new blouse you wore yesterday."

Cora nodded but frowned, taking a few steps. "I dunno. The heels are pretty high."

Jacinta shrugged. "They give you a good walk. And they make you look taller."

That last seemed to get the girl's attention. "Huh," she muttered, eyes gauging her height as she walked over to a mirror. Jacinta suppressed a jealous sigh. Cora's gait was better than 'good' in those heels. How could such slim hips rock like that? That skinny waist must be part of it.

Jacinta let it go. "Put 'em in the cart. Maybe we should look at purses, too."

Out of nowhere, Cora gave her a sharp and suspicious glare. "Wait. Did Erica put you up to this?"

Jacinta said, quite honestly, "What? No! Put me up to what?"

Cora frowned for another second, then looked away and chewed her lip. After another second, she said, "Sorry. It's just, Erica said I needed a new purse too, last week."

It was Jacinta's turn to glare. "Like, I barely even know her! Maybe she said it 'cause you really do need a couple new fucking purses!"

Cora shrank in on herself. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! I know I'm kinda... y'know, prickly sometimes. I'm sorry."

It was weird. Most girls would be more... emphatic about an apology. More hand movements, an 'ohmigod' or two. But Cora just looked miserable. She wasn't overselling it... and that, ironically, convinced Jacinta she meant it.

"Oh, okay." She came up and gave Cora a quick hug. "But quit spazzing out, all right?" She smiled to soften the words.

"Hey," Cora began, then hesitated. After a second, she shouldered on. "Um, thanks for, y'know, helping me. With clothes and stuff."

"No prob."

"Just... gimme time, sometimes. I'm not, like... always comfortable with that stuff."

Jacinta was right on the verge of asking why, but pulled back. If she showed she wouldn't pry, Cora might eventually trust her not to spill, too. "Let's go find you a purse."

...the vision faded, Jacqui returned to herself. She wasn't thrilled about spying on those close to Cora, but she was forbidden to peek directly on her subject. And it was useful anyway to see how others perceived the Sister, particularly when she was away from the Jardins.

Jacqui was especially grateful she'd witnessed that scene. "Thank the Goddess," she breathed. Jacinta taking an interest in Cora was a huge blessing; unlooked-for good fortune. Perhaps the first sign the Goddess was working to make the situation right.

~~~~~

It was a good opportunity. Calc class was starting late, the teacher had to go re-print some handouts. And Brandon was excused for some Track thing for the afternoon. "Wow, you look good today!" Danielle said, with just the right amount of insincerity. "You musta spent time on your makeup this morning."

Cora looked up from her book, startled. She squinted at her, obviously confused. "Same as usual."

"Oh," Danielle said. "My mistake. Don't know what it is. Not like you got new clothes or anything." She shook her head.

Cora shrugged. "Well, thanks anyway." After a beat, she said, "You look good, too." She turned back to her book.

The girl was such a lameass she didn't even know when she was being dissed. Danielle decided she'd have to escalate. "I can see why you don't bother much with new clothes. Your tits are so small, you can't really do a lot with 'em."

Cora's eyes slewed back to Danielle. She actually looked surprised. At least she finally seemed to understand what was going on. The girl needed to be put in her place, before she got any ideas. Danielle had noticed the way Brandon had looked at her a couple times.

It took her a beat to answer. "Don't need to." The other girls nearby were watching and listening now.

Danielle wasn't sure Cora had spotted that. But she played to the audience. "Well, they match that skinny little butt," she said, not bothering with subtlety now.

Cora was frowning. The problem was, it was an annoyed frown, not an insulted one. For all her bluntness, Danielle hadn't managed to get under the girl's skin yet. It was infuriating. Like cutting fog. Nothing to get hold of, it was like Cora didn't even care if she looked good or not.

Or maybe it was that she knew she looked good, even just doing the bare minimum. Fuck, she was pretty hot even though she seemed to be trying to downplay her looks.

But Cora was paying attention now. "It's easier for me. Where do you find bras with two different cup sizes like that?"

Danielle's jaw tightened. Her breasts were not lopsided!

Angered now, she stabbed hard. "I bet it's easier. Not like you want boys to look, right?"

She was gratified to see Cora's jaw tighten. But then the teacher came back in, cutting things short. It wasn't a victory, but she hadn't lost.

~~~~~

The senior Sisters met in person for lunch again. It was even at the same café as that fateful day, but the women were much more somber.

"She questions everything, and she won't accept that some things need to be taught in order," Miranda groused.

"Some of that must be her anger talking." Jacqui looked at her Mother. "Even when I was the most hurt and angry, I still loved you. Deep down, I still wanted to trust you. That's why it hurt so much, because I wasn't sure if I still could." Frustration made her shake her head. "Cora doesn't even have that. Erica's the only Sister she halfway trusts."

Miranda nodded. "They make love every night. And Erica... we haven't shared a bed since Cora's Transformation." She looked forlorn.

"The relationship between Mothers and Daughters in the Sisterhood is a precious privilege," Bronwyn lectured sharply. "It can only be justified, be earned, if it is for the Daughter's good, and as she wills."

"I know that now is not the time, I know that," Miranda insisted. "But... I miss the intimacy. I feel so far from her these days."

"I understand," Laurie said in her comforting manner. "It was almost a year before Jacqui was ready to have that kind of relationship with me." Her eyes shot unspoken gratitude to Bronwyn for helping to bring about that rapprochement. "Give it time. Both girls have a lot to process, and Erica's tending to her friend right now."

"It's not just for my sake," Miranda pointed out. "Erica... I'm worried. She had just begun showing an interest in boys!"

"Cora needs a sexual outlet, and even more, a friend she can trust." Bronwyn shrugged. "I think we have to sacrifice Erica's forward progress to allow Cora the chance to progress at all." Responding to Miranda's alarmed expression, she put her hand on the witch's shoulder. "Only in some areas, and only for a while."

"Eventually, Cora will start being interested in boys, too. She's got a Transformed body, it's unavoidable." A bit of strained laughter broke out among the Sisters; each reminiscing about the ways they'd discovered that truth. Then Jacqui sighed. "It'll probably take her longer than most Sisters, though."

"Do you think we might need to set up a 'Bonnie'?" Bronwyn asked. "She certainly helped you," she added with a small grin on her face.

"Ah, yes, she did," Jacqui chuckled. "What, do you want to get your hands on Cora's tight little body, too?"

Bronwyn laughed herself. "I admit that wouldn't be all bad; she's such a beautiful little thing," the woman chuckled. Then she continued more seriously, "But leaving aside how Cora would react to such a deception on my part, I don't think I'm the right fit. We could try to find another Sister, a younger one who doesn't have a child to care for yet..."

Laurie tsked. "Perhaps later. I think Cora's a little fixated on Erica right now. And she's already helping Cora in so many other ways, adding boys on top of that would be too much," She cocked her head. "Might we be able to get this Jacinta girl to act as a 'Bonnie' for Cora, though, do you think? With respect to boys, I mean."

They gave that some thought. "Not yet." Jacqui concluded. "It's too soon anyway. We'd better keep both ideas in reserve, though."

"We need every idea we can get," Miranda agreed, dejected.

~~~~~

"Cora? Cora, where are you?" Erica called, worried. "Mom says we need to get going!" They were all going out to dinner to celebrate Haylie's soccer team winning their last game.

No answer came. She peeked in their room, and moved down the hall. She was sure Cora had come upstairs a while ago. She knocked on the next door, and tried the handle. Unlocked. She opened the door, and there was Cora.

The girl sat on the floor of the bathroom, sniffling. Though she wasn't bawling now, the lines in her makeup showed she'd been crying a river not too long ago.

"Goddess, Cora, what's wrong?" Erica cried out.

She looked up wearily. "I just wanted to pee real quick. So I came in here..." She looked at the window. "...and I lifted the seat up."

"Oh," Erica said. "Oh, Cora, I'm sorry..." She knelt down next to her friend and hugged her.

Cora's voice shook a little, but no more tears flowed. "It just all hit me, how everything's changed. Everything I've lost."

The girls just sat for a time, hugging.

"Isn't there anything you've gained?"

Cora just sat for several seconds. "A whole lot of experience, I guess." She laughed - weakly, but it gave Erica some hope - and said, "Cory'll probably be the perfect boyfriend when this is all over."

Erica remembered Eric thinking something like that, once. "C'mon, let's get up."

The two girls stood, and held hands for a second. Then Cora said, sounding a little embarrassed, "Well, I still gotta pee."

They both laughed. Erica went to the door, saying, "I'll go tell Mom you're fixing your makeup."

Cora, who'd been hiking up her skirt, turned and looked in the mirror. "Oh, yeah, that too."

~~~~~

Cora sagged into the passenger seat of the Jardin's car and closed the door. Erica waited until she fastened her seat belt, then she pulled out onto the road.

"I hereby apologize to all waitresses everywhere. Shit, I never knew how bad they had it." Cora sounded exhausted.

"Everybody should spend some time waiting on tables. Be a lot better tips, that's for sure," Erica commiserated.

"Those fucking asshole cocksucking douchebags in ten!" Cora shouted with a flicker of energy. "I brought them everything they wanted, I took care of them just fine, and for what? A two dollar tip?" She made a wordless growl of frustration. "Not even five percent!"

"That sucks," Erica said sympathetically. Cora was intelligent and had adapted with reasonable speed to the technical details of waiting on tables; the numbering system, the protocol for communicating orders to the cooks, and so forth. Her first day, she'd overestimated her strength and tried to carry too many orders at once, and dropped the whole tray. She'd reconciled herself to multiple trips since then. In any objective sense, Cora was a competent and dutiful waitress.

Her tips lagged anyway. It was in the subjective, interpersonal areas that Cora had trouble. To be sure, she was never rude or remotely impolite. Yet her appearance and personality came across as disjoint. People expected a young girl, especially a slighter one, to be a trifle more... chipper, bubbly. Cora's manner was too matter-of-fact and businesslike for many customers' liking.

And she simply could not process flirtatious banter. Ninety percent of that stuff was just meant in fun; a good-natured smile and roll of the eyes was all the response needed. But Cora just shut down in situations like that.

Then again, some people were plain old jerks. Erica agreed completely with Cora's estimate of the crowd in booth number ten. Waiters and waitresses made almost nothing directly; much less than minimum wage, in fact. Tips were their lifeblood, and few people understood that - or cared. Cora might not have earned a huge tip, but she had definitely deserved her fifteen percent.

~~~~~

"Fucking girl shoes." Cora groused as they waited for the bus. "My feet get cold. It's like wearing sandals!"

Erica was facing forward, and had her hoodie up, so she could safely roll her eyes. For Cora's benefit she gave a whatcha-gonna-do shrug.

Cora wasn't done. "And another thing. I hate all the clacking when I walk. You just can't be quiet in these stupid things!"

Erica had nothing to say.

Cora didn't take the hint. "The only time high heels don't bug me is going up stairs. But cripes, how the fuck do you go down stairs in them?"

She couldn't keep it in any longer. "So why'd you start wearing 'em?" Erica asked. Actually, she'd been wondering.

Cora snorted. "So I look more'n five foot tall!" A moment later, she conceded, "Jacinta said I should try 'em."

"You could wear pumps with some heel. I know you've got some," Erica said.

"I've been," Cora protested. "But I can't wear the same thing all the time. You said that."

Erica was relieved for once to see the bus coming.

~~~~~

Erica sat at a bench after practice, a little ice on her knee. It was just a precaution; she didn't think it was any more serious than a twinge. Still, she almost laughed at herself for her - for Eric's - old misconceptions that cheerleading wasn't a serious athletic endeavor.

She was just talking with her friends. "Hope Cora gets here soon," she said as she checked the time on her phone.

Trahn gave her a pensive look. "Your cousin is weird. Does she, like, have autism or something?"

"Nah. She's just... Cora."

"I've caught her looking at me in the locker room." Shianti said it flatly, with certainty.

"What?" Erica said, shocked. She tried very hard to make it look like it was for a different reason. "I can't believe that. She wouldn't... she never..."

"Sure looked like it."

"She never did anything like that with me," Erica lied boldly.

Trahn shrugged, unimpressed. "Well, you're her cousin."

Shianti scoffed. "Not that that matters to some bitches."

Erica peered at Shianti, foreboding growing. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

Shianti sighed, then admitted, "Rebecca made a joke about you two being 'scissor cousins'."

Erica's jaw dropped.

Trahn interposed quickly. "It wasn't really about you. Becca's friends with Danielle. You know she doesn't like Cora."

"What a bitch!" Erica exclaimed. "But it's stupid. Nobody'd believe it anyway," she went on, praying her friends would back that up.

"Hey, we know you." She shrugged helplessly. "But other girls... y'know, they talk. About how you've never had any boyfriends."

Erica's jaw flopped open again.

Melanie rushed to support her. "Like she said, we know you."

"Thanks," Erica said sincerely. Just as sincerely, she prayed her friends would never know her too well.

~~~~~

For once, Erica brought up the serious topic when they were alone in the car.

"You're gonna need to be careful," Erica said. "I heard today some girls have seen you checking them out."

Cora stiffened, jerked her head to look at Erica. "I wasn't... I wouldn't..." After a moment, she gave up and stared forward at the road, not even trying to deny it. "Danielle said something like that a couple days ago. I thought she was just making shit up." She inhaled, exhaled. "I did check her out, the first couple times in gym."

"Hey, I know. I still look, too. But..." She paused. "Look, you know when a guy's checking you out, right?"

A little more of Cora's embarrassment melted into anger. "Fuck yeah."

"Well, girls don't expect it from other girls, but they've got good reflexes. They have to, you know."

Cora's mouth thinned, but she nodded. "Okay, I'll watch it. I mean, I won't watch it."

Erica grinned. "Not as much, anyway. Or at least, as long."

Cora actually managed to smile back at that.

~~~~~

Cora retained far more of an interest in videogames than Erica had. She didn't play online as much, but she still racked up a few hours a week on Erica's console.

Miranda and Erica wondered sometimes. Of particular concern was the fact that she picked male avatars whenever possible.

~~~~~

Haylie was at soccer practice, Cora was at choir practice, and Miranda and Erica were in the kitchen, the heart of the Jardin home. They were sharing some herbal tea.

Erica began. "Mom, I'm worried about Cora."

Miranda sighed. "Is there something new to worry about, dear? Or just the ongoing problems?"

"Not new, exactly, but... I was thinking about what you told me about acclimating. How being a girl needs to be a reward instead of a challenge." She paused. "Do you really think Cora can ever get there?"

Miranda suppressed a groan. "I've had my doubts, sometimes. Lately, though... I think so. I think it will be a long, difficult road. At least for the next few years. But with the Goddess' help..." She ran down.

"She's working to Transition. You can see it. But..." Erica ran down, for a moment, too. Then she pressed on. "But it's work. She's trying to become a girl because she has to, not because she wants to."

Miranda searched for words. As usual, cooking metaphors leapt to mind. "She's just following the recipes we give her. A half cup of skirts, a teaspoon of makeup, strain out the curse words, stir in some talking about feelings." Erica nodded thoughtfully, eyes narrowed. "You can make a good meal by following a recipe. But you can't become a great cook that way. We need her to come up with her own combinations, find her own tastes, develop her own style."

"To learn how to follow her instincts," Erica said, thinking of Jacqui's words.

"Yes. Somehow, we need to get her to find something enjoyable in her new role." Erica looked away. "Besides sex, of course."

~~~~~

It was evening, and Erica sat on her bed, finishing the last of her homework. Cora stood looking in the mirror, idly posing and playing with her hair in different positions. It might have looked like something any girl might do... but Erica knew Cora was still learning what she looked like.

She turned and pursed her lips at her profile. "I get turned into a girl and I don't even get real boobs to play with. I'm a goddamn waif!"

"Oh, get over yourself. I think your tits look great. And I wish I knew where you put all the food you eat." Erica closed her laptop and put it aside.

She understood now how Haylie had felt. Cora had so many things girls longed for, which she resolutely failed to appreciate. She had strong black hair immune to frizz, that didn't really even need conditioner. She had smooth clean skin somehow both impervious to acne and yet not needing regular moisturizer. She had piercing bright eyes and full rosy lips. Even her nails grew strong, and fairly quickly. And, unkindest cut of all, she possessed a metabolism that would apparently let her eat as much as she liked while remaining slim.

Well, okay, she runs a lot. And she does have those crappy periods, I guess. Erica wasn't sure if that made up for the rest.

Cora walked slowly back to the bed, intentions transparent even before she opened her mouth. "Well, guess I'll have to settle for your boobs."

They kissed on Erica's bed, entwined with each other. Sometimes they'd get right down to business, sometimes they'd take it slow. This time, Cora nuzzled Erica and whispered, "Man, I don't know how you made it, before. I'd probably have got arrested for sexual assault if I didn't have you play with." She smiled and tweaked Erica's nipples through her t-shirt. "Maybe Shianti. Her tits are almost as good as yours."

Erica giggled and snuggled close. "Well, I didn't get along all on my own. Mom helped."

It took a moment. Erica's guts dropped over what she'd just said a split second before she felt Cora stiffen in her arms. "Your Mom?"

Cora pushed Erica away and sat up, eyes very wide indeed. "Your Mom? What the fuck! Your Mom?!"

"It's..." Erica began. "I... You know the Sisterhood is really old. Like, 'dawn of time' old." Cora kept staring. "She just... It wasn't forced. I was, uh, surprised, but she didn't..."

Cora was squinting now. "She seduced you?"

"It wasn't..." Erica paused. "Well, kinda. But it... She didn't force me or anything. I had a choice."

"Like when she asked if you wanted to stay a girl?"

Erica didn't know what to say.

Cora was staring at the wall. "It's a classic thing. For brainwashing, I mean. Get the new recruit to do something, like, taboo. Unspeakable." Erica drew breath to interrupt, but Cora kept going. "Makes them loyal. If they leave, if they decide the group's wrong, it means they were wrong too."

"It wasn't like that! Mom wouldn't do that!"

Cora didn't even turn. "Doesn't need to be a conscious thing. It can just be a tradition, not something anybody has to, like, plan out. It just has that effect."

"Mom wasn't trying brainwash me!" Erica was near tears.

Cora shrugged. "But if she didn't have sex with you, it'd mean her Mom made a mistake."

Erica felt sick. Cora had it all wrong, but she didn't know how to put it into words. Cora hadn't gone months with only her hands to help the pressure. Mom loved her, she knew that.

"How long has it been going on?" Cora sounded only a little curious.

"It's not 'going on'. We haven't done anything. Not since you were Transformed."

"Waiting for the right time to spring it on me?"

"We wouldn't... my Mom never forced me to do anything! And I know she wouldn't do that to you!" She shook her head. "I'd never let anyone do anything like that. Not to you, not to me."

Cora just sat there for a moment. Then she stood up slowly. "I think I need to be alone for a while."

"Okay," Erica said softly.

Cora walked out without looking back.

~~~~~

Erica snuck downstairs twenty minutes later, once she'd finished crying. As briefly and unemotionally as possible, she told her Mother what Cora had learned, and how she'd responded.

Miranda's face grew very grave. She closed her eyes for a few moments. When she opened them again, she said, "Let's go to the library."

In that room, Miranda unlocked the computer. A Skype invitation from Jacqui had already arrived. Erica supposed there'd been some telepathic coordination in the last minute or two.

Once the call was set up, equally somber Sisters appeared on the screen. Briefly, they questioned Erica and got the details of the conversation. A strained pause developed. Erica didn't look Miranda's way.

Finally Bronwyn spoke. "Since when did Cora get to be a brainwashing expert?"

"She's been studying psychology a lot." Jacqui would develop worry lines at this rate. "I thought maybe she was just trying, in her own way, to understand the Transition." Her frown had turned into a scowl. "But if she wanted to fight it, the same info would be just as useful..."

Erica spoke up. "So... was Cora right at all? I mean, about why Sisters and their Mothers... you know." She still couldn't look at her Mom. She sensed her stiffen, heard her muffled gasp anyway.

"No!" Jacqui and Laurie exploded, Bronwyn scarcely a moment later, overlapping.

After a brief pause, Bronwyn spoke. "The... tradition does have a... a bonding effect. Somewhat, I suppose. But it's not what it's for." She shook her head. "It's policed carefully, and you know we Sisters can be more certain of psychological effects than anyone."

"Policed?" Erica asked softly.

Bronwyn looked at her out of the screen, assessing. "Mothers are in charge of introducing their Daughters to the Sisterhood, and given wide latitude. But there are occasional... checkups. Especially in this area."

Erica did some assessing herself for a few moments. The Sisters waited silently. "So... which one of you has been checking out my... my sexual attitudes?"

"I took that responsibility," Bronwyn said immediately. "May I point something out, before we get too far off from Cora?" At Erica's nod, she continued. "Has your Mother put any pressure on you about this since Cora's Transformation? Even hinted at it?"

Erica finally looked at Miranda. "No," she said.

As Mother and Daughter regarded each other, Bronwyn spoke on. "Trust and choice are fundamental to sex in the Sisterhood. You know this, because of how you were raised. We know - and Miranda most especially knows - that others besides Cora have had their trust shaken by all of this." She sighed. "And now Cora's trust has suffered another blow. I hope yours has not been hurt too."

Erica's eyes dropped. "I'm gonna have to think about this." She turned back to the screen and the conferencing Sisters. "But Cora's more important right now. What are we gonna do?"

Laurie spoke gently. "The only way to build trust is to be trustworthy. We keep helping her."

~~~~~

The next morning was a very quiet one. The conversation over the breakfast table was almost monosyllabic. Haylie talked a little, but grew quiet, sensing the tension but in the dark about the reasons.

That night Cora and Miranda avoided each other until it was time for deportment lessons. Those had dropped to bi-weekly affairs that covered more advanced and rarefied etiquette and body language.

Cora had gradually become almost reconciled to them since the confrontation. That night she wasn't. She was cold and remote to Miranda, just short of overtly hostile.

Her mood was not helped by the raging yeast infection she suffered. The Magical concoction that Miranda provided cleared it up in a single day, yet Cora sulked for nearly a week. Even when Erica, exasperated, explained that the non-magical medications usually made the symptoms worse before they got better.

It certainly helped reinforce the hygiene lessons, at least. She'd been getting slightly lax in that area. But the relationship between Cora and Miranda had suffered a major setback.

~~~~~

"Get in there! If you're gonna block, block!" Cora shouted, turning back around.

Haylie panted. "This ain't... hockey... it's soccer!" With the large garden out back - almost a small farm - there wasn't room for a proper soccer practice in the Jardin's yard. The subdivision had a small park that they were using. Haylie's skills - and on-field aggression - had sharpened markedly under Cora's instruction.

Cora grinned. "I didn't say 'kill', I said 'block'."
She set up for another run past the girl.

Haylie hunched down. "You still play like a boy."

Cora shrugged, smiling, eyes on Haylie's feet as she tensed. "It's soccer. Ain't no 'boy soccer' or 'girl soccer'. Especially at your age."

Haylie stopped still, and gave Cora a Look. "What about later?"

Cora paused, looking up, confused. "What do you mean?" Under the girl's stare, she squinted. "Okay, yeah, boys get bigger and stronger... after, y'know, like, puberty. Most women... well, they can't..." She trailed off.

"How about brains?"

Cora looked completely confused now. "Wait, what the f... I mean, what did I say? I don't..."

Haylie said, very slowly, "You were always avoiding Erica before. Before you were Transformed, I mean."

Cora didn't say anything, and just stared blankly at Haylie.

Haylie went on, a little carefully now. "We thought you had something against girls. Like, girls doing boy stuff. Computers and sports and stuff."

Cora frowned and peered narrowly at Haylie, obviously choosing her words carefully. "Look, your Mom asked me not to... you should probably talk to her..." Haylie kept staring.

Cora sighed. "Oh, fuck it." She shrugged. "Look, I got nothing against girls 'doing boy stuff' or anything like that. What it was, was... I didn't quite figure everything out, but I knew something seriously, uh, screwy was going on. With her."

"You remembered her as Eric?" After she said it, Haylie realized the thought of her sibling as a Sister was far more natural than as a brother anymore. Like Eric had been Erica in disguise.

"No. I just, y'know, had a feeling something was off about her. But I wasn't ducking her just 'cause she was a girl, okay?"

Haylie was feeling very strange. She didn't like the idea that her Mom's Magic couldn't take care of everything. But she had to ask. "So girls are as good as boys, right?"

"Sure."

"So..." Haylie paused, then blurted it out. "So why are you so mad about being a girl? What's so bad about it?"

Cora had frozen before Haylie was halfway through asking. Her hands had curled into fists. After a few moments she seemed to deliberately open them, consciously breathe slowly.

Cora stared off at the horizon for a while. "It's like... like trying to wear shoes that don't fit. All the time, no matter how much it hurts." She sighed. "I gotta admit, some of it was, like, prejudice. At first, I mean. I found out that Cory does kinda look down on girls, a little. But..."

After a few seconds, Haylie said, "But what?"

Cora still didn't answer for a bit. Then she said, softly, "But I've been learning." She looked at Haylie. "Being a girl isn't bad, exactly. Not, like... in an absolute sense. I guess I can kinda see how somebody could be into that. But it's just... it feels wrong for me."

Haylie struggled for something to say. "Well... Mom and Erica say you can change back once you sorta get used to it."

Cora was shaking her head. "Yeah, but by then, it'll be like my feet grew into different shoes. When I change back... will my old shoes fit? Ever again?"

Haylie chewed her lip. "Oh," she said, as softly as Cora.

Cora looked at the ground for a few moments. "Ask your Mom if you want. I don't really wanna talk about it anymore." Then she looked up. Haylie could see that she was holding back tears. Haylie's eyes were getting a little red, too. But Cora squared her shoulders. "Anyway, we still gotta work on your blocks."

They quit shortly after that, though, and didn't speak on the way home.

~~~~~

"What the fuck?" Cora mumbled, looking down at the laundry she was folding.

Miranda and Erica traded a swift glance, their own clothes in hand. Cora's swearing had diminished from the early days, but was still quite a ways from 'ladylike'. Unfortunately she'd been so hostile to Miranda lately that confronting her about it right now would probably trigger another fight.

Instead, Erica asked, "What's wrong?"

"Check it out." Cora held up some dark blue panties, showing the inside of the crotch. The color was faded in an irregular blotch. "I swear, I didn't use any bleach on the darks."

Miranda shrugged. "It's probably just discharge."

"Hey! I wipe! Just like I'm supposed to!" Cora said, indignantly.

"A little leakage is natural. The vagina cleaning itself." Miranda spread her hands helplessly, a brassiere dangling from one.

"The pH in there is kinda low, actually," Erica put in. She'd Googled such things early in her Transition. "Helps keep the wrong stuff from growing."

Cora just stared. "Wait, what?" She looked down at the faded spot and back up to Miranda. "Are you saying my, my pussy juice did this?"

"It happens." Another shrug from Miranda. "You might consider a light liner if you're going to wear dark panties all day."

Cora looked stunned. "You mean... the goddamn thing drips acid, on the regular?"

Erica couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Oh, get over yourself! You're not a frickin' Xenomorph!" After a beat, she added, "Dicks leak too, y'know. Usually leftover pee. Or was yours magic?"

Somewhat to Erica's surprise, Cora didn't return fire. She just sullenly returned to folding her clothes, muttering to herself. "Liners, even when it's not my period. Fucking awesome."

Neither of the Jardins saw any use in pursuing the conversation.

~~~~~

For once, it was Erica who waited until after the bus ride to bring up a topic. "I heard you've been talking to Brandon."

Cora looked at her sideways. "Yeah, in calc. How'd you know?"

"Melanie heard it from Erin, heard it from Sunny."

Cora just shrugged. "It's not like I'm not allowed to talk to boys. Sometimes I think your Mom wants me to spend more time with guys."

"Well, yeah, but..." Erica paused, considering her words carefully. "He's, like, still wondering about Cory. I don't think it's such a hot idea to spend too much time with him."

Cora shrugged. "What's he gonna think? Even I didn't think you were a boy turned into a girl."

"But you don't remember Eric."

Cora grunted in frustration. "I look in a mirror, and I don't recognize me. Cory sure doesn't." She caught Erica's eyes, and held them with her own. "Maybe I'm not much of a girl yet, but you gotta admit, I don't much act like Cory anymore, either."

Cora looked sour now. "And there's another thing. All the guys Cory was friends with, there's three, only three, that haven't hit on me. Brandon, Tanor, and Luis." She sighed. "Tanor's gay, and Luis looks at me. He just doesn't have the guts to ask."

Erica scoffed. "I bet Brandon checks you out sometimes."

"Yeah, but he doesn't do it all, y'know, creeptastic." Cora's head shook. "If Cory hadn't known Luis, I'd be a little scared. But I know he ain't gonna attack me, so I'm just kinda grossed out."

Cora looked earnestly in Erica's eyes. "I'll go crazy if I can't talk to a boy once in a frickin' while. And Brandon... okay, he looks sometimes, but he's not a dick about it."

Erica couldn't dispute that. "Still, I dunno. It just seems kinda risky."

"Yeah, well, there's another thing. Because he's still wondering about Cory." Erica looked at her, puzzled. Cora spoke on, with a little irritation. "Maybe I can help, y'know, put him off-track. So he doesn't end up like me. Or worse."

Erica thought about Suggestions and couldn't come up with anything to say.
~~~~~

Bronwyn and the Donovans visited one Sunday for a time, looking to evaluate the situation in person. A joint Magic training session was held. Haylie, Lani, and Alice were sent to play outside, and the older girls were quizzed a bit, asked to demonstrate their progress. Cora wasn't friendly to any of them, but Miranda, as usual, came in for particular surliness and rudeness.

When the ladies took a drink break, Cora took the opportunity to quiz back. "While I've got you all here..." she began. The women looked at her expectantly. "Something's been bugging me. You said I'm 'the girl I would have been'. But what does that mean? It's not just one gene that makes you a girl, it's a whole chromosome, with tons of genes. If I'm double-X instead of XY... where'd that other X come from?"

Miranda and Laurie shrugged helplessly.

"I'll field this one," Jacqui interceded. "I wondered about that, too, and did some checking. Magic is Magic and science is science, but there are... intersections." She thought for a moment, trying to express things accurately. "You're partly right. In the Transformation, the Sister actually does keep all the other chromosomes constant. Only the Y gets, well, 'swapped out'."

"But what gets 'swapped in'?" Cora was dubious.

"I'm getting to that. It's the father's X chromosome. You're the girl you would have been if the sperm that went into making you had held an X instead of a Y."

"My father's dead. What, you reach back in time and snag an X from the guy?"

"In effect... yes."

Cora absorbed that for a moment, but the frown remained. "Still, there's more than genes involved. There's a whole, like, developmental history..."

Jacqui sighed. "Yes, but that's all worked out in the spell. Pathways, nutrition, gene activation - it seems like the best combination gets chosen."

"'Chosen'?" Cora pounced. "The spell chooses?"

"Well, we believe the Goddess chooses. Things always seem to work out for the best." She smiled. "It does explain why Sisters all tend to be above average in looks and brains and health." Along with horniness and fertility, she thought to herself. Best not to point that out at this juncture, though. "You're not exactly the girl you would've been. You're actually the best girl you could've been."

"'The best', huh?" Cora muttered darkly. "Whose idea of 'best'?"

"I beg your pardon?" Jacqui blinked.

Cora's gaze moved among the witches as she stood. "I was just wondering. I'm so fu... freaking tiny now I'd blow away in a strong wind. It occurs to me that maybe Miranda here stacked the deck a little, to make me less of a threat." She pointed at Erica's Mother.

It was obvious that Jacqui was reining in her annoyance. "Cora, please understand. All else being equal - and that is precisely the case here - women are naturally smaller than men. Genetics is complex and everything's intertwined and unpredictable. The same genes do different things in males and females. I used to be over six feet tall with pale skin."

The five-foot-six, olive-skinned beauty got up too, and began pacing. "I know this wasn't your choice, and I understand your anger. Better than you realize. But you don't need to invent new reasons to stay angry at Miranda." She sighed. "It's not fair..." She waved down Cora before the girl could object, "...and even if you don't care about that, you should care that it's getting in the way of your restoration."

Now there was no restraint at all, in expression or in tone of voice. Jacqui could project cold fury with the best of them. "And it's making your friend miserable."

Cora had been in the middle of a slow boil, winding up for a scathing retort. But her mouth snapped shut at that, and she glanced guiltily at Erica, who met her eyes and, after a second, nodded mournfully.

The involuntary Transformee jerked her eyes to the floor and seemed to shrink in on herself. In that moment she actually looked like the poor lost waif she always complained of resembling.

Erica stood and stepped to Cora's side. She put an arm around her shoulders. "When you hurt her, you hurt me, too. And you hurt yourself." It was a tenet of the Goddess's teachings Erica had come to believe fervently.

Cora didn't look up, just chewing her lower lip.

Miranda stood. "Cora, look here," she said, gently.

When the girl finally did, Miranda spoke with quiet passion. "I can't ask you to forgive me, but... can you at least accept that I wasn't trying to hurt you? That I was only trying to protect Erica? And that I'm doing everything I can to fix my mistake?"

"I'll try," Cora choked out after a beat, fighting off tears. Then Erica gave her a squeeze, her own eyes wet, and Cora gave up the battle for lost. She sobbed into her friend's shoulder, as the other Sisters quietly slipped away.

~~~~~

Later that evening, after returning to San Bernardino, the three Sisters talked in the Donovan kitchen. Alice and Lani were safely on the computer in the family room.

Bronwyn said, "It's a little early to tell, but I think Cora's going to have a real gift for shapeshifting and illusion."

"You'd know," Laurie said warmly. Jacqui nodded, grinning. Bronwyn could look like almost anyone; it made for some fun bedroom games, on occasion. "But what makes you think that?"

"Just... her attitude. To cast a good illusion, you have to see things clearly yourself. Understand what's real and what isn't."

"That's Cora, all right." Jacqui shook her head. "She gets some Sisterly intuition feeding into that brain of hers, she's gonna be dangerous."

"I just hope she really can find a way to forgive Miranda." She shook her head. "There's no way she can Transition, holding on to all that pain and hate."

"Before today, I never had any real hope she might let it go." Jacqui smiled reassuringly at her Mother. "But if she can truly do it, she might have the strength to Transition after all."

Bronwyn was thoughtful. "We'll just have to give her time. We were kind of rushed with you, we knew the Brotherhood was up to something. But they've been quiet for years now, thank the Goddess."

"Thank the Goddess!" the Donovan women echoed, with feeling.

~~~~~

To all appearances, David was untroubled as he stepped into the understatedly elegant office and waited for the man behind the desk to acknowledge him. He couldn't help feeling a modicum of tension, however. He knew of no reason he could have drawn the ire of his superiors, but this summons was, to say the least, unusual.

In moments, the man finished typing something on his laptop and turned to face David. He was a small man, at first glance unremarkable... and yet there was an aura about him, something that hinted at his immense personal power. At his raised eyebrow, David bowed low - the Brotherhood's traditions were quite ancient - and spoke. "Brother David Cartwright, High Leader. How may I be of service?"

At this, the man gave a surprisingly warm smile, and gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. "Quite so. Please, have a seat, Brother David. If you don't mind, I think we can dispense with the formalities."

"Thank you, sir." Though not exactly formal, he made sure his tone was respectful. This situation was strange enough - freshly-confirmed Brothers didn't meet with the High Leader - without adding any danger to the mix.

As he sat, the High Leader regarded him for a moment. David felt he was being studied, though he could not sense probing on a Magical level. Suddenly the man spoke. "You've recovered from your Ordeal, I trust?"

"Yes, sir. My Liege and the Judges confirm it."

"Good, good." He paused a moment. "I knew your father, you know. We were friends, we went through training together. Our Ordeals were within days of each other."

"I'd heard that, sir." David simply had no idea what was going on here.

"He would have been very proud of you. You've trained diligently, shown much aptitude - particularly in the mental sphere - and handled yourself well in the challenges we've thrown your way."

"Thank you, sir."

The High Leader nodded, as if something had been confirmed. His eyes narrowed. "Tell me about Brother Hitler," he commanded.

"Sir?" David asked, confused.

"I don't need a full history lesson. Just an outline. What he attempted, why he failed."

"I..." He took a breath. "Please excuse me, sir. I haven't studied that era beyond the standard coverage in our lessons." He squared his shoulders. "Hitler," David refused to give the man the title of Brother, "seized the leadership of the Circle of Thunor and used Dark Power to take control of Germany, as a stepping stone to world conquest. He was initially successful, but made several key errors. Most disastrous was the invasion of the Soviet Union before he'd consolidated his hold on Europe. Even with the assistance of..." He cleared his throat. "...necromancy on an unprecedented scale, he could not sustain a two-front war. He faced too much temporal power. The entry of the United States into the war made defeat inevitable."

The High Leader nodded, apparently satisfied. "A fair summary." The probing look was back. "What can you tell me about the Sisterhood?"

David frowned. The High Leader's motives were obscure. "Not a great deal, sir. Stories, legends almost. Men who are transformed into women capable of wielding Light Magic. Apparently they never kill, but they have some defenses and powerful ones can be dangerous to individual Brothers." He paused, considering. "They're not generally regarded as more than a nuisance. But I take it the rumors about their involvement in Hitler's defeat are true?"

The High Leader's face held no expression. "What if I told you good evidence indicates that Eva Braun successfully committed suicide in 1931? That the woman who passed herself off as Eva Braun subsequently was a Sister?"

David's own face went wooden as he considered the implications. At length, he said, "She would have been perfectly situated as a spy, and in a unique position to encourage his mistakes."

The High Leader nodded, pleased. "Just so. Believe it or not, in hindsight we've come to similar conclusions regarding Eleanor Roosevelt." He allowed himself a smile for a moment at the naked shock on the young man's face, but it soon collapsed into a frown. "The discovery of the Sisterhood's role in Hitler's destruction is the true reason why we of the Circle of Set - along with the other factions of the Brotherhood - pursued such a quiet course for the latter half of the 20th century." He sighed. "We did not dare draw attention to ourselves while a largely unknown - and unexpectedly potent - enemy lurked about."

David had his own frown on display. "But why conceal this from the rest of the... oh. Of course."

The High Leader found himself nodding his approval yet again. The boy was not stupid. "Precisely. It was obvious we had grossly underestimated the Sisterhood. If the Circle of Thunor could be so utterly compromised, how could we be certain of our own security?"

The next step was also logical. There was no sense dancing around it. "Sir, why are you telling me this?"

"I can trust your discretion, I presume?" There was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes... but there was also no doubt that it was a warning.

"Of course, sir."

The High Leader actually looked away at that point, as if unsure how to proceed. Eventually, he asked gently, "What can you tell me about Erich Lancaster?"

David stiffened and inhaled sharply, poker face shattered. He'd hoped someday to broach that subject - though he hadn't expected a chance for years to come. The direction of this whole conversation was unsettling. If the Sisters were tied in to that...

He realized that he'd been silent far too long when the High Leader prompted him again. "I recognize that your interest is more than academic..."

David spoke briskly. "He was the leader of the Circle of Ares in the western U.S. What I've been told is that Lancaster had issued ultimatums to the other Circles, demanding that they submit to his authority. My father was sent as an envoy to a meeting, and managed to destroy the entire Circle of Ares at the cost of his own life."

"As you've obviously suspected, what you were told before was, at best, incomplete." Again, the warning was like iron sheathed in rubber. "What I'm about to tell you requires your discretion, as well." Taking acceptance as a given, he spoke on. "Facing a common enemy has a way of facilitating cooperation. Relations between the Circles have been much less... fractious since the 1950's."

"Brother Lancaster had volunteered to lead the research into the Sisterhood. The other Circles agreed to let him take the most active role... though I've no doubt many Circles maintained their own private efforts, as did we." He smiled. "We didn't share all the information we'd gathered. And if the Sisterhood retaliated, we calculated that the Circle of Ares would draw the lightning."

But then his eyes narrowed in irritation. "Lancaster, however, was... even more ambitious than the rest of us anticipated. He really did issue an ultimatum. He claimed a breakthrough in dealing with the Sisterhood... and that he was in a position to exploit it, faster than the other Circles." He sighed. "I sent your father to that meeting, to evaluate those claims."

"He was among the first to arrive. The meeting itself hadn't even begun when I received a telepathic warning. Women - Sisters - were assaulting the facility. Your father sent me what data he could even as he fought them, but... I felt him get cut off." His shoulders slumped, just a fraction. "It took time to organize a response. Late the next day, the most powerful collection of Brothers in twelve centuries, drawn from every Circle, arrived in force at the building where the meeting had taken place."

The High Leader looked David in the eyes. "The facility was empty, wiped clean. Records erased, weapons and equipment missing, all personnel vanished."

He paused. David sensed that the High Leader was waiting for him to say something. "That's unexpected, isn't it? The missing Brothers? According to the stories, the most the Sisterhood ever did was a kind of... psychic castration, burning out the Dark Power. Leaving a meek, timid shadow instead of a man."

"The assault itself was without precedent. Direct battles between multiple Brothers and Sisters are the stuff of ancient legends. But yes, even in those myths, the Brothers were found afterward. Ruined, as you say, but alive."

"What happened, then?" David asked, half to himself.

"Unfortunately, we believe we know." The High Leader looked uncharacteristically sympathetic.

David felt a chill. "Unfortunately?"

"The transformation that these 'women' do is... unique. The Dark Power lets us cast illusions, of course. Too, it can destroy where the Light cannot. We can even alter a person physically. But only within limits, in a manner analogous to cosmetic surgery. We cannot change the essence of things as they do, change male to female." He permitted himself a wry smile. "They could not survive, otherwise. We know very little about them, all things considered, but everything we do know indicates that their children are always male."

"I don't follow, High Leader." But David was afraid that he did follow.

"Very shortly after the incident, the two Sisters that our Circle had identified suddenly adopted infant girls."

The young Brother remained silent for a long time, pondering that, squeezing the arms of his chair tighter and tighter. When he eventually spoke, his voice was cold as an Arctic wind. "So... my father isn't dead. He's alive, out there, somewhere... holding a My Little Pony doll, deciding which skirt to wear to school, calling some Sister 'Mommy'?"

The High Leader coughed gently. David realized his own power had gathered and manifested due to his rage; an almost electric charge had coalesced in the air of the office.

He spoke quickly, at the same time damping the forces his anger had called forth. "My abject apologies, High Leader." He'd committed a massive breach of protocol, like drawing a weapon in the presence of a king. The High Leader would be well within his rights - and reputation - to kill him on the spot.

But the High Leader waved his hand, dismissing the offense. "Easily forgiven. I would have been surprised - and disappointed - if you'd reacted otherwise." He held up a finger, a teacher imparting a lesson. "Anger is useful, of course... but take care that you use it, rather than vice versa."

"Thank you, High Leader," he said with unfeigned gratitude.

The High Leader moved on. "The Lancaster incident is why the Sisterhood has been the primary concern of our Circle for the last decade. They had apparently shifted to a much more aggressive posture, and we cannot fight an unknown enemy."

He regarded David soberly as he spoke. "Fortunately, we have made significant progress in the last few years. The data your father provided - in particular, the faces of his assailants - has been invaluable." A wry smile appeared. "Although the Sisterhood has become vastly better at computer security - we believe that's also a response to whatever Lancaster attempted - they..." He broke off.

After a moment, he continued. "They lack a certain... aptitude for espionage." He paused, frowning. "That's not quite right. Certainly their efforts against Hitler were long-term, and effective - strategy in depth. Say, rather, that they seem to be most naturally reactive and defensive in their operations. Even the Lancaster assault appears to have been essentially retaliatory. Dismayingly effective as reactions go, of course, but from what we've learned in the ensuing years it was an operation planned in haste, even desperation." He raised an eyebrow meaningfully. "They're dangerous in the endgame, but note that they allowed Brother Hitler rather too much freedom - from their point of view - for too long before they organized their response."

The High Leader's countenance shone with determination. "Coldbloodedness, aggressive strategic action, does not seem to be their forté."

"I take it we do have a long-term strategy?" David asked. He was being a bit presumptuous, but clearly the High Leader had a purpose in telling him all this.

"It is not fully developed even yet, but yes." The small yet imposing man frowned again. "Needless to say, novice Brothers would not ordinarily be involved in matters at this level, not even ones of your evident talent. However, circumstances have arisen..." He seemed to search for words. "We believe there may be an opportunity that you are particularly suited to exploit. Your specific talents and strengths, your motivation... even your youth is, in this case, an advantage."

The scowl had returned. "There is grave personal risk if you accept this task, and it will almost certainly require you to do things any Brother would find... distasteful. I will not order you to do this." His smile was a grim, wintry thing now. "But it could prove invaluable."

"How may I be of service, High Leader?" David was not smiling, and his voice was if anything even colder than before.

Continued in Part 7

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 7

Cora walked in the front door and went straight for the kitchen. She opened a bottle of water and took a long gulp.

Erica was looking over her weekend homework. "How'd it go?"

"I need a bath. Cory got me sweaty out there."

Cora often went for a run shortly after school. At least three times a week; more if she could.

"Well, it's hot..."

Cora snarled. "I know. Before, I used to love going out at sunset, or in the early morning. Or even at night. Now I can't."

Erica couldn't think of anything to say to that. It was the plain truth. Girls had to be careful about when and where they went out alone.

But then Erica frowned, and asked, against her better judgement, "Cory got you sweaty?"

Cora's lips quirked to the side. "He likes to think on a run. It's, like, the only alone time we... I ever get." She shrugged. "Anyway, we were both kinda... upset today."

"I thought so. You were kinda quiet on the bus."

Cora chugged the rest of the bottle before she spoke again, gazing out the window. "You probably didn't hear yet. Looks like Danielle and Brandon hooked up."

"What? Shut up!"

"Nuh-uh. She was all over him before class today." Cora did 'quiet fuming' very well. She'd had a lot of practice.

"Whoa. Not cool."

Cora shook her head. "Well, I kinda see it now, looking back I mean. The way she talked to him. The way she even tried to get him to forget about Cory."

Erica couldn't help but think this was good news for the Sisterhood. Clearly Danielle had moved on. And how hard would Brandon look for his new girlfriend's old boyfriend?

'Relief' didn't seem to be high on Cora's list of reactions, though. "All that shit he was talking, about 'Cory's my bro' and stuff." She sounded nearly calm, but Erica could see that Cora was hurt. "See how much he really meant it."

"Hey, c'mon, it's been almost three months. That's a long time with no feedback or progress or anything."

"Yeah, but... Danielle? Sure didn't take her long to get over Cory. And then she goes after my best friend?"

Erica wondered what it meant that Cora said 'my best friend' and not 'his best friend'. Maybe Cory wasn't as past, or as separate, as she claimed. Still, although Cora's question had probably been rhetorical, she decided to answer it. The girl needed to face some facts. "Brandon's pretty cute, y'know. You must have heard him come up when the girls are talking about the hot boys."

Cora waved it off. "I usually tune that shit out." Erica glared, and she backed down. "Okay, yeah, I guess he's cute enough. And he's not a dick or anything." Then she scowled. "Except about his 'best friend's' girl."

Erica suppressed an unhelpful sigh. Cora had to let this go, for any number of reasons. "Danielle looks pretty good too, y'know."

Cora didn't say anything. Erica gave her a narrow glance, and said, "Oh, what, Cory thought she was fugly?"

Cora wouldn't meet her eyes, and looked at the ground, sullen. Eventually she broke. "Fine, okay, she's pretty hot."

Cora stood silently for a bit longer. Finally she made one grudging shrug. "And you've got a point. I mean, he is a boy. They have a hard time running when a girl chases 'em."

Though she wished it could have come from better circumstances, Erica thought the way she talked was promising. Using the word 'they', looking at boys as kind of an outsider.

It emboldened her a little to take a risk when she changed the subject. "You haven't, uh, mentioned 'Cory' in a while."

"We mostly leave each other alone anymore." Cora shrugged. "He doesn't like me much."

Erica warred with herself for a few moments. She wasn't supposed to feed the whole 'Cory' thing. She'd hoped 'he' had faded away, like Jacqui had said. And yet, he still seemed relevant to Cora... "What do you think of him?"

The question hung there. Finally, Cora spoke. "He's not a lot of fun to be around. He's all... uptight. I enjoy something, he figures I'm surrendering. Y'know, like, if I'm not miserable like him, I must be brainwashed or something."

Erica swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "I thought you were doing better..."

Cora's smile was wan, but somehow genuine for all that. "I am. Less worse, anyway." Softly: "I don't think about killing myself all the time anymore."

Erica stood bolt upright. "Oh, Goddess, no!" Cora, startled, stepped forward and put her hand on Erica's shoulder. Erica grabbed her up in a fierce hug.

Cora put her arms around Erica, too. "I'm sorry! I really mean it! I wouldn't do that to you!" She gave Erica a squeeze. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Don't you fucking talk like that!" Erica said through her tears. "You promise me you won't ever do that!"

Cora was crying a little now, too. "I promise. I really am doing better," she said, reassuring her friend. She started to laugh, almost hysterically, then cut herself off.

Erica didn't come close to letting Cora go, but she pulled back enough to see Cora's face. "What?"

Cora kept herself to just a chuckle, this time. "I was just thinking, that's probably why Cory's so pissed all the time."

Erica laughed, too. "Well, fuck him, then!"

Cora's smile had a bit more life now, despite the tears. "Fuck him," she agreed.

~~~~~

"Oh, Goddess, look!" Erica exclaimed. "That one with the buttons!"

The Jardins and Cora were on a Saturday morning outing to the mall, adding some touches to everyone's wardrobe. Cora didn't fuss particularly; indeed, she seemed very subdued.

Now, thanks to Erica, they were all staring through a storefront window at a display of Gucci purses.

Miranda shook her head with finality. "No. Just, no." She marched determinedly forward, Haylie in tow. Cora stayed next to the window.

"But the tassels..." Erica whined. Miranda didn't slow down.

Erica reluctantly turned to follow, but stopped. Cora still wasn't moving. Instead she frowned at something with that abstract-yet-focused look she got when she was really pondering a topic. Erica followed her gaze, but didn't see anything beyond a woman walking the other way. She was wearing an Islamic headscarf. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Cora said. She stared a moment longer at the woman in the hajib, then followed Erica as the hurried to catch up to Miranda and Haylie. She seemed not just subdued but distracted for the rest of the trip.

~~~~~

Mid-afternoon, Erica was off at yet another practice. Haylie was visiting a friend, so Miranda was working on Magic lessons with Cora. They were always more involved than with her Daughter. The girl wouldn't just practice a spell, she insisted on understanding the theory behind it.

But this time, Cora went in another direction. "Can I ask you something?" She was frowning again.

Mentally bracing herself, Miranda replied. "Yes, Cora?" The girl had been far less argumentative since the big confrontation, and she'd certainly been more civil. Still, Miranda knew Cora well enough by now to recognize when she thought she'd found a problem or contradiction in Miranda's teaching.

But the witch was surprised by Cora's tone when she began to speak. Gone was the accusation, the challenge, the anger - or at least it was very well hidden. Instead, she simply sounded puzzled. "Are there Sisters in other parts of the world?"

"Yes, Cora. We're far from numerous, but there are Sisters in almost every country."

Cora paused, then asked another question. "Are all Sisters alike?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Miranda replied, now puzzled herself. "In some ways, I suppose... but I'm sure you'd agree that we're all different people, too. You've seen Jacqui and Laurie," she chuckled. Despite having reconciled herself to - even embraced - her female condition, Jacqueline definitely had her tomboy moments. Laurel, by contrast, was unfailingly ladylike.

Cora was silent for a moment, then shifted apparent topics again. "Do Sisters always..." - she searched for words - "...like... accommodate themselves to... the culture, the local conditions?"

"Once again, I'm not sure I follow."

"I mean, if this were, like, the 1800s, would I be all in petticoats and lace and stuff? If this were, I dunno, a village in Africa, would I be learning to make baskets?"

Miranda was both exasperated and amused. "Young lady, would you please just ask me what you want to know and not make me guess?" She waggled a finger. "I'm on to you, you know. You like to try to fence people in, get them to commit to things before you spring a trap on them." Cora gulped and looked guilty. "I'm not an opponent in a debate, I'm your teacher and I'm trying to help you."

"Sorry," Cora said. She took a breath, then rushed on. "It's just, why do I have to try to act so... so stereotypically feminine? I mean, lots of real girls..."

At Miranda's frown, she corrected herself. "I mean, birth-girls..." One of the things they'd tried to hammer into history's least-willing Sister was that she ought to - needed to - think of herself as a real girl. "...well, they don't have to be all-girly, all the time. And they count as girls, right?" She kept talking, barely stopping for breath. "I mean, what it means to be a girl is different in different cultures, and it's changed over time. Why can't I just, like, count as a boyish girl and be done with this?"

Miranda sighed. This was going to be a difficult conversation.

"One reason is that you don't believe you're a boyish girl. It's not about some absolute scale of femininity. To a large extent, it's what you feel about yourself."

"It's all about what I think? I'm already a lot more, more feminine than a couple girls I've known!"

Miranda raised her eyebrows. "Can you tell me you don't find yourself 'betwixt and between'? Honestly?"

Cora couldn't meet her eyes. "No," she finally admitted.

As usual, though, she wasn't stymied long. "But why do I have to be feminine by... well... 'local standards'? I mean, different cultures, they... they understand femininity in different ways, they define womanhood differently. Why do I have to learn to act like a 21st century American teenage girl?"

"Not just 'act like', dear - you have to become one."

"Fine, become one." Cora said it in the same manner so many girls said, 'What-ever'.

Miranda stifled a sharp rebuke about tone. It would not help.

She struggled for an approach, an avenue to explain it to Cora. "It's true that every girl is different... but you need to explore who Cora is. All of this is designed to help you find out what kind of girl you are, find the girl you could have been. It's unlikely she'd have been as masculine as Cory, no?"

Cora nodded, somehow managing to make it both grudging and sheepish.

"You need to explore what it means for you to be female, and that necessarily involves what the culture and time that you grew up in thinks is feminine." Miranda smiled gently. "You may well end up 'boyish' in many respects." Though I see hints it may be fewer respects than you think, if you could just let go more, Miranda thought to herself. "But you can't know what 'girly' things you will like until you try."

Cora was still frowning - but it was a frustrated frown, worrying at the problem Miranda had placed before her, not angry at anyone specifically. Miranda probed. "Surely you admit that there must be some good things about being female? I mean, billions of women have no desire to be male, right?"

Cora nodded thoughtfully.

Miranda decided to gamble big. "It may feel like we're pushing womanhood on you, but remember two things. First, you want this finished as quickly as possible, right?" Another considering nod. "And second, how much of your resistance is you actually disliking what you're learning, and how much is you thinking you should dislike it?"

The flow of expressions on the young Sister's face was rapid, almost spasmodic. The old Cora surfaced for an instant - cold, concentrated, nearly murderous anger twisted her features. But it was almost too quick to see. Immediately she seemed to catch herself, and almost visibly try to regain her composure and think about what Miranda had just said, instead of just reacting.

And then, a half-second later, it all collapsed into despair and confusion. "I don't know," she confessed.

"We are not trying to take anything from you, to make you 'less of a man'. We're trying to help you be more of a woman."

Cora was blinking fast, apparently fighting back tears. Miranda wished she wouldn't fight so hard... but decided that pushing for a good cry might not be the best approach. Honey, not vinegar this time.

"You're right that what it means to be a woman has changed over time, though." Miranda shook her head ruefully. "Womanhood has been a very tough sell at many points in history. Even today there are Sisters almost everywhere... but they tend to concentrate in the developed world. It's much easier to be a woman here."

"There isn't a single fu... friggin' thing about this that's easy," Cora sighed.

~~~~~

Cora quit the restaurant after barely a month. Even Erica had to admit that waitressing simply wasn't for her.

She quickly found a job at the local laser tag/arcade center. There wasn't a lot of heavy lifting involved, and while there were no tips, the wage was a lot better. She wound up getting assigned mostly to little kids birthdays because of her gender and size, but she didn't seem to mind.

"You know, there's one advantage to being my size. I'm a way smaller target," Cora said with a grin as they got off the bus.

Privately, Erica noted that she'd said 'my size', not 'this size'. She took it as a hopeful sign. In fact, she decided to press on a bit. "At last, one good thing!" she quipped, smiling herself to help forestall any angry retorts.

But Cora didn't snap back. In fact, she actually seemed to be seriously thinking as they walked home. "I dunno. I guess there's a few, like, compensations."

As casually as she could possibly inflect it, Erica said, "Like what?"

Cora slyly looked aside at her friend. "Multiple orgasms, for one."

Erica chuckled. "Yeah, that's a biggie." She paused. "Anything else?"

Cora shrugged, and waved at the handbag at her side. "I don't like having to haul around makeup and pads and stuff. But a purse is kinda convenient. I mean, I always have a flash drive or a charging cable on me now. I can carry a whole tablet around all the time if I want."

"Hmmm," Erica said.

Cora frowned a little. "'Course, you sorta hafta have a purse. No pockets on skirts. Shit, even when girl's clothes have pockets, half the time they're fake anyway."

She got more thoughtful then. "But, y'know, girls touch people more. Guys can't touch girls, but they can't touch other guys either."

Erica frowned. "I didn't think you wanted to touch guys."

Cora rolled her eyes. "I'm not talking sex, okay? That's actually kinda the point. For guys, touching is, like, automatically sexual." She paused, then added, "Or a fight, I guess." She sighed. "But girls can just hug or hold hands or whatever. Just to say, like, 'I'm here for you' or 'it's good to see you' or even 'I love you', but it doesn't have to mean it's about sex. Most of the time, it isn't."

She thought for a moment. "I wonder if that's, like, some of the reason guys are such hornballs. It's almost the only way they're allowed to, y'know, get some frickin' human contact."

"Huh. Maybe." Erica said. Goddess, she'd have a lot to report to Jacqui tonight! They only did full conferences about Cora a couple times a week nowadays. But she texted Jacqui when anything notable happened. This sure qualified.

~~~~~

The post-bus conversation got started as soon as Erica's feet hit the ground. "Jacinta asked me to go to a party with Gabriela and them," Cora announced.

Erica's eyes narrowed. "Another Mary Kay party, or..."

"No, a party-party," Cora said impatiently. "One of their friends. This Saturday." Her face was pinched. "They said there'd be a lot of people."

"Well, like... that's a good thing, right?"

Cora appeared rather sour. "I'm not such a big fan of crowds these days. Or strangers."

Erica decided to punt. "We should see what my Mom says. I'm pretty sure she'll say yes."

And, indeed, that was the case, the moment they got in and Cora explained the situation. "You should go." Miranda was firm. "You need to get out and interact with others."

"I'll get hit on." Cora had developed an exceptional sulk over the last months.

"All women get that. They all have to learn how to manage it. This will give you more practice." Miranda spread her hands. "Don't you think it's a good sign that Gabriela and Jacinta thought of you?"

Cora shrugged infinitesimally. "I guess. They even said I could bring Erica."

Miranda's brows rose. She wondered if Cora understood how generous her new friends were being. "Then it's settled." She paused. "Although, do you know what you're going to wear?"

Cora's eyes rolled majestically. But she didn't actually protest out loud.

~~~~~

Jacinta pounced upon them almost the moment they walked in the door. "Hey, Cora, you made it! Hi Erica!" She took up Cora in a big hug - to the small girl's briefly apparent surprise - and touched Erica on the arm. "Goodies are out back. Check it, I'm gonna go find Gabriela."

She swept away, leaving Cora at something of a loss. "Erica, help!" she whispered urgently. "I don't know what to do!"

Erica was now a mistress of the suppressed sigh. "It's a party. Have fun."

Cora seemed to be on the edge of panic, looking around. Erica knew she was feeling the eyes of several boys checking them out; it was instinctive by now. "But I don't know how to hang out with the girls. And if I try to hang with the boys, they get all... you know."

Erica's mastery didn't extend that far. She sighed, and said, more than a little testily, "Chill. The. Fuck. Out. Just be you. If guys get all 'you know' then tell them to back off." She touched Cora's shoulder. "This isn't a test, okay?"

Cora stuck close to Erica for the entire event. Jacinta and Gabriela circulated, but made sure to check in from time to time, and introduce them to several of their friends. Cora talked, but shied from the boys. Occasionally she resorted to checking her phone, once quite rudely when a particular guy kept pestering her.

They all ended up joining a karaoke game on the PS3 in the basement, and Cora kicked ass. She'd surprised her choir teacher - and herself, Erica suspected - with how far her voice had developed in just a few weeks. She even had fun, and when she pulled Erica into a duet contest with Jacinta and Gabriela, she didn't mind that they lost because of Erica's meager contributions.

They couldn't avoid boys entirely, of course. Nor did Erica want to; no reason to enhance her prudish reputation, nor - Goddess forbid - support the lesbian rumors.

But the game machine offered an option. After Singstar, some guys lobbied to fire up Call of Duty. They didn't mind Cora and Erica taking turns, and in that environment trash talking couldn't get completely out of hand. Cora had re-calibrated her gaming reflexes pretty thoroughly by now, so she did quite well.

Seeing Cora actually smile at a boy after a good round, Erica remembered what had happened with Lucas at Trahn's party. It was too early for Cora to feel that way - or at least, to acknowledge such feelings - but hopefully interacting with boys outside of school might plant seeds. The sexiness of boys had certainly snuck up on her.

~~~~~

Girls generally did post-game analyses after social events. Erica and Cora did so on the drive home, of course, though the content of theirs was fairly unique.

"I wanted to go hang with the guys, but I can't anymore. Just me being there changes everything. They stop talking and start running a game."

Erica understood, of course. She'd seen it that first day with Josh and Scotty.

"Felt like..." Cora sought the words. "Like I'm electronegative. And all these guys are around, just dying to slip me their extra electrons, y'know?"

It was a very Cora metaphor, but Erica got the idea. She couldn't help teasing her a little, though. "Hey, baby, lemme tap that sweet valence you got there. I'll get you so oxidized..."

Cora flipped her hair and scoffed, but couldn't hide a wry smile. A brief one, though. "So I hafta stay with the girls all the time now."

Not all the time, Erica thought. But out loud she said, "Well, but isn't it at least kinda interesting to see girls when they're not, y'know, hiding their valences from you?"

Erica was pleased to see Cora actually evaluate that for a moment. "Sometimes, I guess. I still have a hard time caring about who's mad at who and who said something bitchy and shit."

"Well, you better pay attention to whatever Jacinta and Gabriela have to say."

"Like, duh," Cora said, shrugging.

Maybe it hadn't been a roaring success, but Erica was glad Cora's first party hadn't been a disaster.

~~~~~

Kristina: u ok? how u doin?

Erica: ok. just crampin. :(

Kristina: dat sucks. not missin those

Erica: hard way 2 take a break :)

Kristina: :p u suck

Erica: omg! jk!

Kristina: i know! ;) gotcha!!!!

Erica: omg u bitch! :) thx 4 <3 attack!

Kristina: sorry. can't joke w/my mom
Kristina: not about getting knoked up

Erica: sorry. she'll chill sumday she luvs you

Kristina: ik.
Kristina: what u wear 2moro?

Erica: blk n red skirt mayb

Kristina: kk ill wear pink :)

Erica: kk nite. got 2 sleep.

Kristina: me 2 luv u!! <3

Erica: luv u2! <3

She muted her phone, plugged it into the charger, and laid down to rest. The cramps weren't too bad. She'd be able to get to sleep pretty quick.

She didn't feel like diddling herself. Maybe in a day or two. Even if you were bleeding you could still be horny, she had discovered. Cora never seemed to feel the same, though. Until her time was over, she acted like she didn't exist from the waist down. Denial, probably.

Erica snuggled into the covers, curled up on her side. She let herself drift, mind wandering...

Then suddenly her eyes opened and she stiffened in surprise. The hardest things to notice were those that didn't happen, but she'd just realized an absence.

It wasn't that she'd gone a whole first day of her period, when her symptoms were worst, without asking for one of her Mom's potions - she'd gotten by without them the last two months. And it wasn't that she'd had a mostly normal day of activities despite her period - that, too, had been the norm since December at least. Nor were the cramps and nausea and general tiredness any easier - they were about the same as ever.

No, what she just now noticed was a different non-event. She hadn't wished today, even once in the back of her mind, to be Eric again so she wouldn't have to deal with periods.

No longer were they a horrible curse. Annoying, yes. Unpleasant, sure. But a reason to flee into a whole other gender? Not so much. At least, not anymore.

She wasn't sure what it meant. If anything. But she suspected that another bit of acclimating might have been accomplished when she wasn't looking.

~~~~~

Valentine's Day was very low-stress. Neither Cora nor Erica had boyfriends, but their girlfriends did... except for Kristina. The Jardin's invited her over, and together the ladies had a homemade dinner, then some chocolates as they all watched romance movies.

Nobody felt much like going out anyway. Erica was in the middle of her period, and Cora's was just finishing up.

Kristina's pregnancy was going well, without complications. Not that an ordinary pregnancy didn't complicate things anyway. "I almost wish I was ralphing in the morning again. Better than having to go every twenty minutes all day. And night," she grumbled as she got up to hit the bathroom yet again. Erica paused the movie.

Haylie had been staring and asking a lot of questions. She seemed fascinated by the whole process of pregnancy. Erica noticed that Cora didn't ask any questions herself, but seemed to be paying attention to the answers. How she felt about those answers was anybody's guess.

They had time for two movies - "The Notebook", and Miranda's guilty pleasure, "Mannequin". The girls kept up a running MST3K-style commentary through the latter, helping to dispel the tears the first movie had brought on in most. (Cora hadn't even sniffled, though her face had gone rather blank at the end.)

Kristina got picked up by her mother, and the girls all went up to bed. Cora sat in Erica's room for a bit, though as she'd expected, no sexual overtures were made.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Erica said.

"Same to you." Cora didn't make any move to leave, appearing thoughtful. "Weird how girls get all cray-cray over it." She shrugged. "And they expect the guy to do something super special."

Erica spread her hands. "Girls have to care about commitment more. Kristina prob'ly should've. I know I would."

"You still thinking about boys?" Cora asked pointedly.

"Someday, maybe." She shrugged. "Gotta admit, some of those college boys are pretty hot." Then she smiled. "We got enough drama in our lives for now, though."

"Tru dat," Cora said. She gave Erica a quick kiss, and said, "Love you," as she headed off toward her own room.

"Love you, too," Erica said. She wondered about that. Girls said it more than guys. Guys only said it when it was a real commitment, with family, girlfriends and wives, and maybe close friends.

Cora didn't say it to anybody but Erica, and rarely. Did she mean friendship, or romance?

Erica cared deeply for Cora - and it wasn't because of guilt, certainly not anymore - but she wasn't going for romance anytime soon.

~~~~~

Mr. Tasserant spoke up from the front of homeroom. "Attention, everyone. We have another transfer student to welcome. This is David Burke."

Erica had far too much self-possession for her smile to become anything more than politely welcoming. But she didn't have to put any labor into smiling. David wasn't hard to look at.

Five-eleven, probably, with short dark hair and a strong face that had never even heard of razor burn, let alone acne. Broad shoulders, with a toned, athletic build. He was dressed in new jeans and a casual sweater. On some guys it would have come off as lame or uptight or metrosexual; but he had such an easy, open smile - with straight white teeth, no less - that it just seemed comfortable, confident.

"You can sit right over there, David. Dave?" The boy shook his head good-naturedly. "David, then." Duties completed, Mr. Tasserant went back to his book.

Melanie leaned in. "Whoa! Dat ass!" she whispered.

Cora didn't sound nearly as impressed with the new arrival. "Another jock. Awesome," she muttered under her breath.

"Be nice, Cora," Erica whispered back. "You know how hard it is to start over at a new school."

Melanie smiled. She said to Erica, not whispering anymore, but still quietly, "Too bad he's all the way over there."

Erica nodded, then looked away quickly as he turned to survey the room.

She and Melanie and Cora talked for a while, catching up on their weekends. After a few minutes, Mel squinted and said, barely moving her lips, "Don't look now, Erica, but I think he's checking you out!"

Despite the warning, she looked over for a second, then turned away quickly. He was staring at her. She had to fight a sudden wave of nervousness, hold her hands on the desk to keep from playing with her hair.

She worked very hard not to look his way again until homeroom was over. And then again when he turned up in her math class. At least then he sat behind her.

~~~~~

Erica was on her way to her locker to get her jacket and catch the bus home. She came around the corner and found a familiar and unpleasant tableau. Alan was a halfback on the football team, tall and huge even by high-school football standards. Ilya was almost as big, but had been cut from the team due to grades. It was pretty clear they'd been carrying on their hobby of pushing around someone smaller than themselves. Paulie was a perennial victim; effeminate and out, he didn't find high school to be a nurturing environment.

But there was a new element this time. David had a hand on Alan's arm, irritation showing in his expression.

"What the hell, man? He's, like, half your size. Why bother?" David sounded exasperated and puzzled... and not even a little bit scared.

"Oh, are you a faggot too?" Alan rumbled, glaring down at David.

"Huh?" David glanced at the cowering Paulie, comprehension dawning on his face. His head snapped back to Alan. "No, but I'm flattered you'd offer."

It took Alan a second to parse that. His grades were only just good enough to stay on the team.

"Asshole!" Alan cried. He leaped forward, going for a body-check. But David, lightning-quick, escaped to the side while leaving a leg in the way. Alan tripped and fell face-first into a locker.

Ilya, surprised, swung a haymaker toward the smaller boy. Again David was too fast. He ducked his head left, out of the way. At the same time his right hand flashed up; he grabbed Ilya's sleeve and gave a sharp tug, adding even more momentum to his assailant's arm. Ilya was jerked off-balance, and before he could recover David was behind him. In a twinkling Ilya's face was pressed against the lockers on the other wall and his left arm was locked up in the middle of his back.

Erica made a sharp inhalation. David was being stupid, Ilya had at least forty pounds on him. He could just jump back and knock David over...

Ilya started to try exactly that. But David jerked on the arm he was holding, and the bigger boy let out a pained yelp and stopped struggling. The sound joined Alan's stunned groan; the behemoth was curled up on the ground, holding an obviously-bloody nose.

David leaned in and spoke directly in Ilya's ear. "I will break this if I have to, so just shut up and listen, okay?" Ilya made one more attempt to free himself; his arm got wrenched in response and he let out a full-on yell. He became very still after that.

Erica saw David make a quick glance Alan's way, making sure he wasn't getting up. "I don't need trouble on my first fucking day here, but I don't like bullies." He shook his head. "I'm gonna let go of you in a second, and this will all be over, all right? You come after me, I'm gonna break something. I will end it."

He let go and took three fast steps back, away from both boys. Ilya glared at him for a moment, then went to help Alan up. "Gonna kill you, you little fuck!" Alan burbled, blood leaking through his hands.

David shook his head. "Be glad I don't believe you."

Ilya was pulling Alan down the hall, toward the nurse's office. "Come on, man, let's go, okay?" The hulking figures moved off into the crowd.

David turned to Paulie. "You okay?"

The slight young man nodded, wide-eyed. "Man, they're gonna be pissed at you."

David looked nonplussed, then shrugged. "Well, what the hell." He started to turn away, then stopped. "Let me know if they go after you, okay? I didn't mean to get you in worse trouble..."

Paulie smiled shyly. "Thanks, man. Will do."

David turned and walked off. Erica's wide eyes followed him down the hall.

~~~~~

As David walked briskly away, he kept his eyes front. Arranging the timing had been tricky there, but it had gone as well as could be expected. Subtle emotional pushes at the boys involved to goad them along, triggering the crisis just as Erica happened on the scene.

While his training as a field operative was far from complete, self-defense and martial arts were part of the foundations. You couldn't solve all the Brotherhood's problems with Magic.

He should look a bit heroic now, and the choice of Paulie as victim was a nice touch. A Sister would probably have some sympathy for gays, right?

Besides, he really didn't have much use for bullies.

~~~~~

She told the whole amazing story to Cora as soon as they met on the bus.

"...and Ilya actually looked scared. He was, like, dragging Alan away."

Cora let out a low whistle. "He looked like a jock, but... jeez. He took out both of 'em? They're fucking huge."

"He made it look easy," Erica marveled.

"Jeez," Cora repeated. "Well, we still gotta work on the timing problem. The physics engine isn't gonna be stable unless..."

Erica suppressed her annoyance. She couldn't expect Cora to appreciate how wicked tight David had looked, taking on two bigger guys.

And he'd looked pretty amazing to start with.

~~~~~

"You seen the new hottie?" Trahn asked breathlessly as she stretched.

"Huh?" Erica responded, coming up from her own stretch. Practice was getting ready to start and girls milled about on the grass. "You mean David?"

"So you did notice him." Trahn smiled, twisting to stretch her sides.

"He's in my homeroom," Erica replied. Even she realized she'd said it a bit too defensively.

"Uh-oh! Is there a boy who can warm the frosty maiden's... heart?"

"Tra-ahn!" Erica giggled a little, but she could feel a little color on her cheeks. David was cute. Hella cute.

"Mel says she saw him looking at you."

"What? Shut up!" She turned to look at Melanie.

"S'true," she shrugged. "Don't tell me you didn't see it. You were playing with your hair all through homeroom yesterday."

"I thought I was, like, imagining it..."

"I can picture him doing a lot more to me than just looking," Shianti breathed.

Erica caught her breath at the sudden spike of jealousy she felt. David was hot, of course girls would be into him. Had hearing that he might be interested in her suddenly turned all the other girls into rivals?

Maybe it had. She suddenly wanted to say something catty, something really mean. She only just managed to control her tongue. "I can believe it," was all she said.

The coach blew her whistle just then, and they all scrambled into formation. Erica was quiet and reflective through practice. She felt like maybe she'd just made a jump in her Transition. Up to now, she'd only witnessed the phenomenon of 'frenemies', only grasped it in the abstract. Now there was a new emotional appreciation of the idea. Like a big puzzle piece clicking into place.

~~~~~

When it was Cora's day to cook dinner, Erica usually came to the table with concealed reluctance. The girl's inexperience in the kitchen showed. Especially to the Jardins, who possessed fairly advanced culinary skills. Even Haylie was impressive for her age.

One minor issue was how meat-heavy Cora's dishes usually were. Sisters weren't necessarily vegetarian - though many were - but even the ones that ate meat tended to use it sparingly.

Tonight, however, Erica was almost salivating. She'd come home from that fraught practice to find a strange car in the driveway and the house smelling wonderful. Cora had shooed her away from the kitchen, and wouldn't let her see what she and Jacinta were up to.

Now, showered and changed, she sat at the dining room table. She glanced over the table setting - the good china, rarely used, was out. "What's going on?" she asked her Mom.

"Cora and her friend have been cooking since three!" Miranda said, grinning ear to ear. "They wouldn't let me do anything, they only let Haylie help."

"Huh," was all Erica could say.

"Come and get it!" Cora called, carrying a platter into the dining room. She and Jacinta and Haylie brought out a vegetarian tamales, rice, and salsa. Erica assembled a plate while greeting Jacinta. It all smelled heavenly, and when she took a bite she was pleasantly surprised.

"Hey, you guys, this is amazing. What'd you do?"

"You like?" Cora asked, halfway between shy and sly.

"Yeah."

"I love it, too," Miranda said. What's in it?"

The girl smiled. She tried to pass it off as a smirk... but Erica thought there was an undercurrent of genuine happiness she'd pleased them all. They'd tried to make her feel appreciated, but she was far from stupid. It was hard to miss the difference in sophistication of her meals versus the others.

"Jacinta gave me the recipe and showed me how. It's all veggies."

"She did it all herself," Jacinta declared proudly. "Haylie and I just cut things up and stirred."

Cora scoffed. "And you tasted, and kept me from burning stuff, and all the rest!"

Jacinta was shaking her head. "Nothin' much. She's a natural."

Probably everyone at the table knew that was an exaggeration. But the Sisters had been briefed on Jacinta's useful motivations, and voiced agreement.

"So what do you do when you're not singing in the choir, Jacinta?" Miranda asked.

"I help out a couple nights a week at my tia's taquería."

"Cooking?"

"Mostly waitressing. But sometimes I get to cook."

"She wants to go to culinary school," Cora piped in.

"Maybe," Jacinta said. "Either that or law school." She frowned. "My cousin Ernesto went to jail 'cause his public defender didn't do sh... um, didn't do his job." She blushed a little at her almost-slip.

Miranda nodded and smiled slightly, unperturbed. "If you do decide on the culinary arts, I could introduce you to some people."

"Well, either way I'm gonna get a couple years at the community college first."

"A good plan. And if you go the other way, I have a friend who's a lawyer."

"Well, thanks for the offer. Offers."

~~~~~

Erica shifted her book. The pen didn't fall. She moved the tome a bit more and knocked it off her desk. The excuse was ready.

As she leaned over to pick it up, she stole a glance behind her. David met her eyes for an instant, then looked sharply at the whiteboard where Mr. Stratton was going over integrals. She sat back up and put her pen away.

So. Her intuition was correct. He was watching her. It was like she could feel his eyes.

She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Actually, she'd identified about five different feelings - hope, fear, pride, curiosity, and a hint of lust. She just wasn't sure which predominated, or which she wanted to predominate. The pride was easy enough to trace - both Linda and Melanie had reported that David had been asking about her, whether she had a boyfriend. It was flattering to have someone - actually, him - interested in her. Likewise the lust was no mystery. She'd rubbed one off to his mental image last night.

The hope and curiosity she could understand, but didn't know what to do with. Fantasy was one thing, but did she want to date a boy? For real? What would that be like? She had a vision of herself on David's arm at the Prom. Going to a formal dance with a boyfriend, not just an escort. It was an intriguing notion, no denying it.

But then came the fear. There were good enough reasons for that. If she made out with him, could she keep from going all the way? Kristina helped make pregnancy a real concern. And how would Cora respond? Would she see it as a betrayal?

So, plenty of reasons to be afraid. And yet, she had a sense of some other reason to worry, something she couldn't isolate.

Trying to focus intuition, to force it to clarify itself, was futile. It wasn't a sense that there were dangers from David so much as that there was danger around him, bound up with him. She tried on different thoughts - she'd seen that he could fight. Would he hit her? Something told her no.

What was she going to do about him?

~~~~~

In terms of hands and tongues (and toes, etc.), Cora's lovemaking was playful and egalitarian. They explored each other's bodies happily, giving and receiving pleasure. Tickling, teasing, licking... the girls had few inhibitions.

But when it came to sex with a dildo or strap-on, Cora didn't seem to have a 'middle of the road' response. Introducing anything phallic induced a major shift in sexual attitudes in the girl. Paradoxically, two different shifts.

When Erica was using the tools, Cora became passive, even submissive. She even brought up the idea of restraints and seemed to come the hardest when she was tied up and Erica was pounding into her. Conversely, if Cora had a phallus in her hand or attached to her hips, she almost morphed into a dominatrix. She became quite aggressive, and seemed to particularly enjoy taking Erica doggy-style.

Tonight was one of the latter times. "Yeah, you like that, huh? You like that?" Cora thrust passionately, just shy of actual violence.

Erica panted. It sure did feel good. She arched her back into it, changing the angle.

A sudden flashing vision of her like this, on hands and knees, moaning. But it was David kneeling behind her, stroking confidently in and out, hands keeping grip on her hips. She came instantly, powerfully, in a screaming orgasm that seemed to last forever.

Cora acted very proud of herself, afterward, and Erica praised her lavishly. But inside she kept picturing David...

~~~~~

"Whatcha doin'?" Cora asked.

"Eeek!" Erica twitched and looked around. For a second, she didn't know what to say. Her first thought - 'You sound exactly like Isabella on Phineas and Ferb' - was violently suppressed as unhelpful. Cora still had, at best, mixed feelings about her high-pitched voice. Eventually, she just said, "Don't sneak up on me!"

Cora snorted. "All I did was walk in." Her eyes moved to Erica's netbook screen, as she said, "So what are you... oh." The last syllable carried a bit of contempt.

Erica felt herself start to blush. "It's not like that. I was just, y'know, curious."

David's Facebook page lay open for the girls' perusal.

"I didn't try to friend him or anything," she said quickly. "This is just his public stuff." For a moment, she wracked her brain for some kind of excuse that Jacqui would accept for breaking into his private data. It didn't take long to decide there just wasn't any.

Cora shrugged, expressing amused toleration of Erica's curiosity about boys. "Well, whatcha find out?"

Trying not to sound overly interested, she said, "Not a lot. He moved here from Virginia, near D.C. I think his dad was in the Army or something."

Cora scrolled through some pictures. "He dresses up a lot," she noted.

Erica rushed to his defense. "Not really. He mostly just wears clean clothes, and they're not saggy." After a moment's reflection, she added, "And mostly they actually match."

Cora grinned. "Maybe he's gay. Didn't you say that once, 'bout guys who know how to match clothes?"

"Cora!" she exclaimed, horrified at the thought. "He was checking me out in math!"

Cora's scowl told her she'd said too much. "Oh, reeeally?"

"Not creepster. Just, y'know, interested. Maybe."

"Don't talk to me about the 'male gaze'," Cora said. "Well, he doesn't look like a stoner, anyway."

Erica couldn't argue with that. "He even dresses up for sports, kinda. He's trying out for baseball."

Cora was apparently inclined to be philosophical. "Clothes are kinda like a language. You send messages about yourself. Guys don't pick up on most of 'em, though." She glanced aside at Erica. "So, what do his clothes say to you?"

"Um... smart. Motivated. Maybe polite? Has some money..." Hella cute, she kept to herself.

Cora shrugged, dismissing boys and their traits. "Well, you gotta drop me off for choir practice."

~~~~~

After-school cheerleading practice wasn't always fun, but it was sometimes required. Cora had taken the bus home already; Erica would get picked up after.

It had been a good day. She'd gotten scores back on a test and a quiz, and they were both over 90. Cora hadn't complained out loud about even one feminine thing all day long - not unheard of these days, but still not a treat you could count on - and Kristina had shown off some new ultrasounds of Alex at lunch.

She was bent low, stretching out her calves and thighs. She still felt a little embarrassed doing that in her uniform... but it was socially acceptable to flash your panties then. Today she was just in sweats, so it wasn't as big a deal.

"Erica. Look." Trahn suddenly whispered, quiet and intense. When she looked over at her teammate, the girl pointed with her head toward the edge of the field. So Erica straightened up and glanced that way. And there was David, standing by the chain-link fence.

He was waving. To her?

She looked around to make sure he really meant her, like some ditzy girl on a sitcom. But his eyes were actually locked on her. He was beckoning her to come over by the fence. She peeked at the captain but she was talking on her phone; there should be at least a couple more minutes before she blew the starting whistle.

So she walked over where he stood, feeling unsettlingly nervous and embarrassed. Here she was in grubby sweats, makeup worn off, hair pulled back in a messy low ponytail. So not the way she wanted anybody to see her.

Especially him?

When she got close, he spoke up. "Hey, uh, Erica? I'm David."

She nodded, not sure what to say.

"Look, uh, I know we haven't, like, talked much or anything. But, I was thinking... uh, well, hoping you and I could go out for dinner Friday night." David made the request with such directness, and yet she got the sense he was scared. That he really wanted her to say yes, that she could crush his ego with a 'no'. And yet, he had the courage to put himself out there anyway, in front of everybody. Most propositions these days were by text or Facebook.

She hadn't felt this flustered since... since Lucas. "I work Fridays," she said quietly.

"Oh," he said, some of the light going out of his face.

She couldn't be responsible for that. "But I'm off Saturday."

The light came back, just like that. "Oh. Awesome! I mean, what time... can I get your number..."

She giggled. Damn it, what was it about cute boys that made her giggle? They exchanged digits, then Erica said, "I really have to get back. Text me?"

"You bet," David said, a big grin on his face. Goddess, he was so cute...

She whirled away and walked back to the other cheerleaders. She fought with herself, denying the urge to turn and see if he looked back; she didn't want to seem too eager. It was okay, she could see Melanie and Trahn kept glancing in their direction. They'd be able to tell her.

As soon as she reached her crew, Melanie blurted, "What did he say? Dish!" Trahn and Shianti were right there backing her up.

"He asked me out," Erica said smugly.

"You said yes, right? Tell me you said yes!"

"Well duh! But I did tease him a little," she bragged. A whistle blew and they scrambled to get into formation.

All through practice, she kept catching herself smiling like a nutjob. On the way back to the lockers, she caught some of the girls frowning at her. Jealous that the new McDreamy had asked her out? That fit.

Could this day get any better?

~~~~~

As it turned out, the day could get a bit worse. And did, once she got in the car and shared the news.

"You're going out with him?" Cora said in a slow burn, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter.

"Cora, please. I kinda need to do this," Erica pleaded, keeping one cautious eye on the road.

"What's that supposed to mean?" her friend snapped.

Reluctantly: "You know people have been talking. Jokes about us being lesbians."

Cora blinked, then snarled. "Well... we pretty much are."

Erica looked away. "Even if... look, you've seen the crap Marrica goes through. We don't need that on top of all our other problems."

"Screw them. I don't care about that," Cora declared, all defiance.

"That's not all of it." Erica hesitated. "Cora, I... I think I'm bi." Then she shrugged. "Oh, fuck, I know I'm bi."

That stopped Cora cold. "What, I'm not good enough anymore? You need some dick now?"

"Cora, that's not it," she said, not sure herself if it was completely true. "You know I love you." Cora huffed. "But I... I think this is part of 'acclimating', y'know? At least, like, exploring this a little."

Cora didn't say anything. She just glared.

"Look, it's just a date. I'm not gonna fuck the guy. It'll take some heat off of both of us."

~~~~~

Miranda sensed instantly that something was up, the moment the girls came through the door. She'd come to expect some girlish chatter, but they were both silent.

Cora put down her handbag and stood with arms crossed. Erica looked... peculiar. Like she was excited, but didn't want to show it?

"How was your day, dear?" she asked neutrally.

Cora answered for her. "She's got a boyfriend now," she said... with rather more heat than most girls would have, when talking about a friend.

Miranda made sure not to sigh, grasping the difficulty immediately. Young girls often had a hard time balancing their friendships and their romances. A girl's first boyfriend frequently put a strain on her relationships with other girls.

And that held even if they weren't sleeping with those other girls. Goddess, Cora's mere existence made everything so complicated!

But still, Erica and a boy? How very interesting.

All this flashed through her head in bare moments. Erica finished putting down her own things, and began to explain. "He's not my boyfriend. He just asked me out, that's all."

Eyebrows raised, Miranda asked, "And did you say yes?"

"Well, yeah."

A very tiny part of Miranda, one she hadn't heard from in years - a part she suspected dated all the way back to Mark - woke up and protested. After all, she knew precisely how horny teenage boys were, how little self-control they sometimes - or rather, often - displayed.

But she was Erica's Mother. She also knew how girls felt about the situation. She had no illusions she could keep her Daughter innocent of boys forever. Fathers were such sentimental and impractical creatures about those things.

"There's this new guy, David. Just moved here, like, a week ago." Only a little embarrassed: "He's really cute."

Cora let out a derisive scoff.

"No doubt," Miranda drawled. "Smart and nice too, I hope?"

"He is!" Erica said with a passion Miranda found simultaneously amusing, gratifying, and slightly unsettling.

The story of David and the goliaths came bubbling out, along with David's excellent performance in (his first week of) math class, and finally a word-for-word account of how he'd propositioned Erica. It didn't take Miranda long to grasp her Daughter's attraction. The Mother in her filed away his potential for a violent streak for later investigation.

"Do I get to meet this paragon before he whisks you away?"

"Um." Erica stopped short. "I dunno exactly what we're doing. He was gonna text me..."

"Does he have a car? Will he be picking you up?"

"Um, like, I guess. I mean, he's got a car..."

"Then please include at least a 'hello' to your sweet old Mother in your plans."

"Okay."

"Maybe we could finish our homework while you keep checking your phone for texts?" Cora muttered.

"I wanna get on the web for a bit, first," Erica said.

"Oh, come on! You already checked out his Facebook stuff!"

Erica didn't deny it. "That was just a skim. I was, like, curious. Now..."

Cora interrupted. "Now you're gonna check out every single freaking album and post, right?" She shook her head. "Well, not until after we get the sound routine done, got it?"

The two girls went into the kitchen with their laptops. Miranda, watching them, shook her head.

~~~~~

"What am I gonna wear?" Erica cried, throwing a shirt to the ground.

"Panties, I hope," Cora drawled. "Maybe even a bra." She'd calmed down somewhat about the date over the past couple days. She wasn't happy about it, but the nightly sex had maybe convinced her she wasn't losing Erica entirely.

Erica, naked, tossed her head. "I gotta know what I'm wearing over, before I can pick what goes under."

Cora's mouth twisted, half amused, half bitter. "Maybe I am turning into a girl. I actually understood that." She shook her head. "'Can't wear dark under light' and all that crap."

"Not just that," Erica said, flicking through blouses, "If I wear tights, or a clingy skirt, I don't want VPLs." She turned to examine the next row. "But I might keep it cazsh, just stick with jeans." She nibbled her lip. "But maybe... I mean, we're not going, like, black tie or anything, but..."

Cora's eyes rolled. "Jeez, chill! You know he's not stressing out like this about his clothes. He prob'ly won't even notice what pants you're wearing." Again she couldn't decide between amusement or spite. "All he'll be thinking about is getting into 'em."

"Thinking's all he gets. Totes not gonna happen," Erica said with nearly perfect confidence.

"If your Mom is right about birth control, he better not get a hold of your panties. You know how worked up you get."

"We both get," Erica riposted.

Cora squinted. "Well, you better put something on or I'm gonna get 'worked up' again. And you don't have time for another shower."

~~~~~

"All right, let's have a look, dear." Miranda waved for Erica to turn and show her outfit. All the women except Haylie were in the front room waiting for David to arrive. The youngest Jardin, not finding the event that interesting, was in the den watching TV.

Looking a trifle embarrassed, Erica submitted to inspection. She had settled on dark brown tights, which set the tone for the rest of the outfit.

On top, an off-white blouse with a tan denim vest over it. Her hair was in an up-do that both Cory and Eric would probably have assumed was simple. Earrings with about an inch of dangle. Her makeup had just a hint of glitter in it. But she wore white sneakers that echoed the blouse. So, nice enough for a good restaurant, casual enough for a movieplex.

"You look very nice," Miranda said warmly. Cora kept her own counsel beyond a sniff.

The Mother in her couldn't resist a spot of teasing, though. "I will note that in my day the tradition was to make the boy wait."

"Moooom!" Erica wailed.

"Oh, get over yourself. I'm sure you don't want to waste a minute." She glanced out the window, and added, "Apparently he doesn't want to wait either. Unless I miss my guess, that's him pulling up now."

"Ohmigod!" Erica yelped. Cora's eyes rolled.

Miranda was bubbling inside to see her Daughter getting so excited over a boy. "Would you like me to greet him at the door, or will you do the honors?"

"Um..." Erica dithered. Cora and Miranda exchanged a glance.

The bell rang and she made her decision, stepping forward. She opened the door. Miranda was pleased by how the boy's eyes widened as he caught sight of Erica.

"Won't you come in?" Erica said. Cora didn't do much of a job suppressing an amused snort at her sudden ladylike formality.

He stepped in, and Miranda was not merely pleased but impressed. He was a good-looking specimen. He wore dark sneakers and blue jeans - clean, not distressed - along with a light sweater, a short turtleneck underneath. It was an unpretentious, just-classy-enough ensemble, well-suited to the occasion.

Politely, but with seemingly genuine warmth, he said, "Hi, Mrs. Jardin. My name's David Burke. I'm pleased to meet you."

Erica, to one side, suddenly looked embarrassed about her introduction fail.

"Pleased to meet you, too, David." As she shook his hand, Miranda probed David's mind quickly, judging his intentions. They were about what she'd expected. He would by no means refuse sexual activity with Erica, but he was a nice boy - he wasn't the kind to push her too hard on that front. Whatever he might hope for, all he expected from tonight was a good time with a pretty girl. And he was fine with that.

Enjoying the chance to mother her Daughter, she said, "And what sort of evening do you have planned for my Erica?"

Erica winced, and Miranda smiled inside. Teenagers were never so embarrassed at having parents as when those parents were meeting their dates.

David didn't seem the least discomfited as he said, "Nothing too fancy. Just dinner and a movie."

"You'll be back by eleven, I believe Erica said?"

"No problem, ma'am," David replied.

"Well, then, you two had best get going. Shoo, shoo! Have fun!"

Erica gave her Mom and Cora quick hugs, and stepped out with David.

The door closed with a soft click. Cora stared at it for a while, then went up to her room. Miranda gazed after her, troubled.

~~~~~

David parked the car at the restaurant and vaulted out quickly. As he was coming around to open the door for Erica, the subconscious trigger he'd arranged was flipped, and he froze for a moment. Memories and attitudes came rushing into his mind, dispelling the masking personality he'd overlaid on himself. He turned the pause into a deliberate stumble, then made it to her door and opened it up, flashing a smile.

He'd developed a grudging respect for 'Eva Braun'. Blocking mental probes was fairly straightforward; hiding from them was vastly more difficult. It really could only be done for a superficial scan. And yet she'd managed such a disguise for more than a decade, somehow never giving the Brothers any reason to probe too deeply.

Still, if she could do it, he could do it. His disguise wouldn't need to hold up that long, either. Furthermore, Erica wouldn't be able to probe him for some time yet, so for now he only needed to maintain psychic camouflage near her house. He reminded himself to keep an eye out for possible surveillance, though.

Even as he mused, Erica was taking his hand to be helped out of the car. "Are you okay? Did you trip?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, just bumped my foot on a stupid crack. No problem," he said, smiling. "Careful, there's a step here..."

~~~~~

Sitting next to David at the movie was distracting. She kept realizing she was on a date with a guy. And she had to be honest with herself - she was enjoying it. Dinner had been fun, and informative. She'd learned a great deal about him from their conversation over dinner. It had filled out the context of a bunch of his photos and posts on Facebook.

He didn't have an identifiable accent. "East Coast" was as close as she could place it. He was an only child. Growing up, David's dad had been in the Army and his family had moved a lot. Army life helped account for his skill in self-defense, though. Now, after an honorable discharge, his dad was in software. He'd been unexpectedly transferred out here, and along came David.

Why was he so fascinating? It wasn't like she was unfamiliar with teenage boys. She'd been one not so long ago, right? But something about the way he laughed... perspective mattered, as she'd learned the first day of school.

Having your date open doors and buy popcorn for you was oddly endearing. And when his arm settled across her shoulders, halfway through the movie... he carried it off so well. Gently enough that she could easily have shrugged it off; firmly enough to show his confidence that she wouldn't. And she did not, in fact, shrug it off. She even leaned into him a little.

Erica knew what David was thinking. Or at least, what Eric would have been contemplating, in David's position. Even if David struck her as more mature than Eric had been, boys always dwelled on certain topics, especially when next to a girl they were dating.

She was nowhere near ready to indulge David's desires in that respect. Still, snuggled in the crook of his arm, she discovered she wasn't particularly far from it, either. She was already looking forward to the good-bye kiss later. And she was even speculating about what might happen on subsequent dates...

~~~~~

As they pulled up to her house, she returned to her point. "You should've let me pay for the movie, at least."

"No way. I'm old-fashioned." He said it with that charming, cocky smile. And he proved it by jumping out of the car and coming around to open the door for her again.

It gave her time to come up with a proper reply. "Am I supposed to pay you back in the old-timey way?" Erica said, eyebrows arched as she stood up. Somehow she ended up closer to him than she'd intended. Consciously intended, at least.

David didn't move to reclaim any personal space. "It's not about paying back." He paused, and gave that knee-weakening smile again. "Although..."

He leaned forward. She could have dropped her chin, stepped away... but she didn't. Their lips met.

Better than Lucas. Definitely.

~~~~~

Miranda's Magical attention was divided. She kept tabs lightly on her daughter outside, but she also had to monitor Cora in the living room downstairs. Miranda wouldn't read her thoughts, but she could make some good guesses about the girl's frame of mind.

She hadn't been irritable, but she'd been terribly distracted through dinner, and had washed dishes afterward in silence. And when she settled down with her laptop, it hadn't been upstairs in her room. Instead, she'd set up on a couch in the living room, with a view of the driveway.

And now, just from her aura, Miranda could tell Cora was watching the couple intensely. Closely enough that she could move from the window the moment the couple broke off their kissing and moved for the house. Cora was sitting down in the kitchen before they'd made it to the front porch.

Sighing, Miranda did another quick probe of David, noting with amusement that a considerable chunk of his thoughts were devoted to not betraying his budding erection.

She shifted to her Daughter, another light surface scan. Erica, too, was concealing significant arousal, though it was naturally easier.

But both of them had more than just lustful thoughts, and it was clear that a second date was only a matter of time.

One last peek at Cora. She sympathized, of course, however much she approved of Erica dating boys. The natural solution to the problem was to find the girl her own suitable suitor. Ideally, a male one. But that wasn't going to be practical for... rather a while yet.

If ever, a part of her mind warned. A discomfitingly correct part, she feared. But it was time to head down and needle her Daughter a bit.

~~~~~

A day later, there was another visit from two of the senior Sisters, Laurie and Bronwyn. It had originally been scheduled for a week hence, but Miranda had requested it be bumped up, anticipating the need for some support. And sure enough, Cora was not in the best of moods. She had barely acknowledged when Erica had come in from her date, and gone to bed by herself. In the morning she had been almost comically sulky.

First, there was a Magic appraisal. The praise Cora received there was earned; while the amount of Power she could manifest wasn't great, she applied it very shrewdly. Her power lagged because her Transition was slow, yet her grasp of theory was far ahead of many full Sisters. The good feelings were short-lived, however. As before, Cora brought up a difficult subject. "I got a lot from Erica. But I want to hear it from you. What is the Brotherhood?"

Bronwyn covered, as dispassionately as possible, almost everything she'd explained to Erica on Cora's "birthday". Once she finished, Cora had a very sour expression on her face.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. We're up against black Magic, evil Nazi sorcerers bent on world domination, and to fight them, we've got... the power of love?" The sarcasm in the girl's tone was pure acid.

Laurie tried to reassure her. "It's not quite so bad as all that. Most members of the Brotherhood aren't evil themselves, and we aren't..."

Cora scoffed. "I'm not going up against some dark wizard straight out of Castle Wolfenstein armed with nothing but a fucking Care Bear Stare!"

"No, you're not," Bronwyn pronounced with her own corrosive tone. "We are working quite hard to avoid that. At the earliest opportunity, we will help you recover your male condition. As Cory, you will not be part of the Sisterhood and will not be involved in our struggle at all."

That gave Cora a moment's pause. But, as usual, only a moment. Her eyes flicked to her fellow Novice. "But Erica still will."

"If she chooses to remain a Sister," Laurie noted.

For various reasons, everyone chose to change the subject back to Magic then.

~~~~~

"Hey," Sunny said.

Erica looked at her quizzically. "Yeah?" They were getting ready to leave AP Programming. Almost everyone had left, in fact, on their way to last period. Cora was already out the door.

She didn't really know Sunny all that well. Eric had been too shy to talk to her, and she was in the same programming team as Mindy, who was friends with Danielle.

Sunny got right to the point. "You better tell your cousin to watch her back."

"What? Why?" Erica said with alarm.

"Well, Mindy says Danielle is pissed. Doesn't like the way Cora's been talking to Brandon."

Erica squinted, puzzled. "Brandon? You mean Metcalfe? They just have Calc together. Right next to Danielle, even!"

Sunny shook her head. "Mindy says Danielle said, 'She'd better quit pulling that shy-little-flower bullshit.'"

Erica rolled her eyes. "I promise, there is no way Cora would go after Brandon."

"Hey, I'm not the one you gotta sell that to." She shook her head. "Fair warning, is all. I'm staying out of it."

Erica stared, disturbed, at the back of Sunny's head as she walked out without another word.

~~~~~

"So to sum up, we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend now, and there are no signs she or her Mother or the other ones suspect anything." David finished bringing his handler up to date.

"The surveillance team agrees. Nothing they've overheard indicates you've rung any alarms," came the reply over the phone. "Good work. Continue observation, and don't risk exposure. That's all for now."

"Thank you, my Leige," he replied, and hung up.

The Sisters were good, he reflected, but they weren't perfect. They relied too much on their covers, and on their Magic.

From what he'd gathered in his briefings, the Sisterhood had become very slick at altering records and general data security. False trails, honeypots, blinds - they used all the tricks. And they'd gotten good fast. So fast, the theory was that a single Sister was responsible for the reorganization.

If Sisters were uncovered in some other way, though, they weren't especially effective at detecting surveillance. They still relied on the traditional means, the traditional spells. Those worked well against people actively watching, and against Magical eavesdropping. But you couldn't detect eyeballs, or Dark Power, if they weren't used.

Other options existed these days. Half a mile from the Jardin home, a sophisticated - and entirely non-Magical - device sat in a church tower. It bounced an infrared laser off various windows in the Jardin home, and relayed the reflections elsewhere for processing. A bit of signal analysis on the window vibrations, and they could hear a great deal of what went on inside. Except in the two older girls' rooms; some spell protected them. Even with that gap, though, they'd learned a great deal.

And how had they found the Jardins? As a field operative, subject to potential capture, he shouldn't have been told. The High Leader had made a special, personal exception, however. David supposed it had been intended to bolster his morale - and it had.

An exhaustive image search had put names to the faces sent by his father. Bronwyn Llewellyn and Laurel Donovan were authors whose photos graced a few hardcovers.

They had never been observed or directly eavesdropped on. Distant, cautious, and completely non-Magical monitoring of their movements over the last decade had identified several probable Sisters. Some of those candidates, like the Jardins, had received more direct investigation - but still without the use of Magic.

The Circle of Set had managed, for only the third time, to catch an actual Transformation almost as it happened with Eric Jardin. And then, the entirely unexpected, apparently unprecedented - but potentially invaluable - episode with Cory Ellsworth.

It created a situation that would demand regular attention from the inner circle of the Sisterhood. Nearly ideal circumstances to place an infiltrator - since the Sisters' would be focused on 'Cora', not 'Erica'. Let alone Erica's boyfriend.

The High Leader wasn't foolishly sentimental. David didn't know any details about whatever strategic purpose his presence here was intended to further... although he could make some guesses.

The required psychic discipline made this a tough assignment. David knew, with no false modesty, that he had a genuine talent for mental Magic. It was still a significant challenge. Plus he had to pretend to be attracted to someone who was only nominally a 'girl'. Like the High Leader had warned, the job had its distasteful side.

But these bitches had stolen his Father. He'd do a lot worse to balance those scales.

He'd do whatever it took.

~~~~~

Erica was dismayed when she got on the bus to head home. Cora's jaw was set, her eyes wrinkled, back stiff. She was angry - no, furious. It had been some time since Cora had gotten that pissed.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she sat down next to her.

"Later," Cora said. Then she shut up and stared out the window.

Erica worried all the way to their stop, Cora fuming beside her. The temperature actually dropped a few degrees and the wind picked up by the time they unloaded.

"So what's going on?"

"That fucking bitch Danielle." Cora seethed. "She was talking about Cory today before class."

"What'd she say?" Erica asked carefully.

"She was telling Brandon that he was weird, and maybe gay!" Cora fulminated. "That Cory never acted, y'know, interested in her."

"What the fuck?" Erica exclaimed, shocked.

"I know, right? It's fucking bullshit." Cora glowered. "She sure didn't have any goddamn complaints after Homecoming!"

"Why would she even bring it up?" Erica wondered out loud.

Cora shrugged, apparently not considering it a conundrum. "Michaela's parents know my mom and dad. She heard them say they still get notes and messages from me sometimes, so it came up."

Erica shook her head in wonder. "I still don't see why..."

Cora interrupted. "She's trying to keep Brandon from looking for Cory. He was saying yesterday he was gonna call about the postmarks on the letters. The ones Jacqui's been forwarding."

"Well, we kinda want that." At Cora's lowered brows, she tentatively added, "Right?"

Cora took a deep breath and stopped at the end of their driveway. After a second to compose herself, she bit out, "Yeah. But not like that." She took another deep breath - an angrier one - and said, "Why does she need to badmouth Cory that way?"

Erica had been considering that. "Maybe two birds with one stone. Shianti said she heard Danielle was kinda pissed Brandon didn't come watch her last game. Think maybe he's not quite as into her lately?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Cora shook her head. "You were right. I'm glad I didn't get on the soccer team. I'd prob'ly kick her ass if I had to be with her more than two classes a day. At least I can stay away from her in gym." She marched towards the house, ending the conversation firmly.

~~~~~

Mom was downstairs, Cora was studying in her room. Haylie and Erica brushed their teeth in front of the upstairs mirror. Haylie judged she probably wouldn't get time alone with her Sister for a while, so... "Hey, sis?"

"Yeah?" Erica kept watching herself in the mirror as she brushed out her hair.

"What's it like? Having a boyfriend?"

Erica's arm sagged. "Wow, that's... complicated."

Haylie just kept brushing her teeth. Erica was forced to speak.

"It's kinda neat. I have fun with him." She fell silent for a beat.

Haylie spit, and prompted, "Why do you like him?"

"I... Lots of things. He's cute. He's smart. And he's nice. He treats people well. But he's not, like, a wimp. I saw him get in a fight, with, like, two boys who were a lot bigger than him. He destroyed 'em."

"You were a boy, though. Doesn't that make it weird?"

"Jeez, don't hold back or anything." Erica frowned and shrugged. "I guess it does, a little. But... I don't really think of myself as a boy anymore. I like being a girl."

"You and Cora, though... aren't you..."

Erica blushed and looked away. "Well... yeah." After several seconds, she began again. "Cora," Erica said, but then paused.

Erica stood thinking a moment. Then she continued, slowly. "She needs me. Someone she knows, trusts."

"Do you want to, y'know, do things with her?"

Haylie thought Erica was going to cut things off, she looked so upset. But then she spoke. "Yeah. I do."

"Is that 'cause you were a boy?"

Erica frowned. "Maybe some, yes. That probably made it easier. But... it doesn't feel wrong. I think even if I'd been born Erica, I might have been bi."

Haylie didn't have any more questions after that. She left the bathroom looking pensive, almost troubled. Which didn't make Erica feel great.

~~~~~

"Catch ya later, brah," David called as they went out the front door. Brandon waved and headed for his motorcycle in the south parking lot.

David's car was parked in the west lot. He spotted Erica waiting for him by the curb, and aimed for her.

"How do you know Brandon?" she asked after some quick 'heys' and a hug. She looked somewhat nonplussed. He'd expected that; he was sure the Sisters had told Erica to avoid Brandon. But he was another avenue to information about Cory, who the Brotherhood was still catching up on.

"We got to talking about good places to run around here. Gotta get some sprints and some distance running in." They walked hand in hand.

Erica did a little lip quirk, a tiny shrug - it added up to a nonverbal 'okay, point'. She moved on quickly. "Where are they starting you at?"

"Coach says he might try me out as shortstop. He doesn't have a good one this year."

Erica bit her lip and looked away guiltily. David had to suppress a smile; he knew that Eric had been going to play shortstop, until the Transformation left a hole in the baseball team's roster. But he wasn't supposed to know that.

"Allow me, milady," he said, holding open the passenger door of his car. He'd taken to giving Erica a ride home after school.

"We're still on for Saturday right?" he asked as soon as he got in the driver's seat.

"You know it!" she said happily. She was a very open person; he seldom had to guess at her feelings. "But this time I'm paying for the movie."

"We'll see," he teased.

~~~~~

As they walked the short way to the theater, hand in hand, a large man in torn jeans and a t-shirt leered at her. Erica averted her gaze and instinctively moved a little closer to David.

It took a few seconds before she realized that her first thought had been to shy away from the confrontation, to look to David to protect her. That would not have been Eric's response.

Eric would have tried to figure out if he could take an opponent first, and resorted to running away if he had to. For Erica now it was flight, then fight as the fallback if she were cornered.

As David bought the tickets, she pondered that. It felt so natural, so obvious. Fighting in games was still fun. She even still enjoyed action movies, to David's relief. But the thought of actual violence was disquieting, upsetting.

It wasn't until the girl was tearing their tickets that she remembered her determination to pay. "Hey! No fair! I was distracted!"

"What can I say? I'm a tricksy bastard."

Damn that grin of his, Erica thought. It's not fair. "Whatever. I get the popcorn."

The grin never wavered. "If you insist, milady."

For some reason she couldn't pin down, she remembered that 'tricksy bastard' line while they were watching the movie. She was learning that there was something attractive about a boy who was a bit dangerous, a 'bad boy'.

Even if she couldn't quite pin down why she thought he was dangerous. He was always a gentleman, even when they made out. Amazingly, she sometimes wished he'd be a little more aggressive.

~~~~~

"So the doc says Alec is doing great. She said she likes his heartbeat." Kristina looked down and put her hands on her belly, smiling dreamily. "It's the most amazing sound..."

Erica tuned Kristina's gushing out for a second and glanced across the cafeteria. It was kind of bittersweet. Cora wasn't having lunch with her and Linda and Kristina anymore.

These days she sat with Jacinta and Gabriela and a few other choir girls. Overall, Erica was glad to see Cora getting acceptance from some peers. And it was major that she felt confident enough to handle regular conversation without Erica's help.

But it was partly that Cora was still a little pissed at her for being with David. Their relationship had been born in intense circumstances, and a part of her was sad they weren't as close anymore. Cora had tapered off on the sex; these days they only made love two or three times a week.

She stole a glance at David, who was talking with Paul and a couple other boys. Though they were seated in a group, the boys tended to drift off to their own topics when the girls talked about babies.

She stifled a smile. Boys - at least, high school boys - were so scared of pregnancy. They put the whole phenomenon out of their minds as much as they could.

Her attention returned to Kristina. Girls can't afford to ignore it, though, she thought. It might bite them pretty hard if they do.

"It is so totally trippy when he moves," Kristina was saying. If she was bitten, she was smitten, too.

And getting pregnant isn't supposed to be scary forever for girls. It's supposed to happen, someday. She wondered if she would ever want to get pregnant. She couldn't really picture it. But who knew? She could surely picture herself sucking David's cock, something totally inconceivable last year.

Not just picturing. Fantasizing. Maybe even this weekend. She'd been spending a lot of nights with her vibrator lately, absent Cora. It had only enhanced her fantasies about David.

~~~~~

Miranda had mixed feelings about Cora and Haylie's relationship. Cora seemed to regard Haylie as something close to a little sister, and they were getting along well. They'd been spending a little more time together now that Erica was focusing increasing attention on David.

In some ways, it was good for Cora. It encouraged her to act a little more girlish. And Haylie knew Cora's secret, Cora could be less guarded in her presence.

But Miranda wasn't sure if she was the best influence for Haylie. They did girlish things together, but Cora had gotten Haylie more interested in videogames and science fiction and other pastimes that were a little more boyish. Nothing inappropriate, Cora had good sense in that respect, but Haylie had developed some tomboy traits.

Although, given Haylie's history, was she developing them - or rediscovering them? Miranda felt the onset of Haylie's period, and the Magical awakening that would follow, racing closer every day. It wouldn't happen sooner than fall - her Healing senses told her that - but it could happen any time after that.

~~~~~

As they snuggled and caught their breath, Erica asked, softly, "Something bothering you?"

David had given her a ride home, so there had been no post-schoolbus chance to talk. But she'd sensed something off about Cora's behavior as they did homework.

So she'd maneuvered her way into Cora's bed after Haylie went to sleep, and made a good deal of love to her friend. It was very pleasant way to pump someone for information, in any case.

Cora shrugged one shoulder. "I caught Lucas checking me out on the way to English," she said.

Erica gave a little shrug herself. "So? You're hot!"

"I know," Cora half-grinned. "And, just for a second, I felt kinda good about it. But then Cory got all mad about it, and I remembered... everything. So for a second, I was pissed. And then, I remembered that I'm trying to be a girl. So I tried to feel good about it again, but it was all mixed up with guilt, and..." She sniffled. "...and fear, and..."

Erica held her tight. "Chillax. Even guys like to look good."

"Yeah, but... not to other guys." She shook her head, embarrassed. "I know it doesn't matter. Let 'em look, what the fuck. But I guess it's better than not looking good. Social buffs and all that."

Erica smiled encouragingly. "Besides, you don't have to do anything with Lucas. He's a player. A wannabe, at least."

"I can see why he gets away with it. I guess."

Erica didn't say anything. She was just glad that Cora was able to notice that some males were good-looking, even if she didn't feel any need to do anything about it.

~~~~~

Another game of Ultimate was in progress. It was a warm day, and Erica had on only shorts and a t-shirt. (And a sports bra, of course; she was too well-endowed to run around without some support.) The boys had mostly ditched their shirts.

Watching David run, clad only in sneakers and shorts, she was struck by how beautiful he was.

It wasn't all, or even primarily, a sexual thing. Needless to say, Eric had found women's bodies, the way they walked or ran or simply stood, to be sexy. In his nobler moments, though, he'd also been able to have a more abstract appreciation of them. Even when not contemplating sex with a pretty girl - even in the most chaste frame of mind possible for a teenage male - something about their shape pleased the soul, not just the senses.

But Eric had never appreciated the male form in that abstract manner. At least, not consciously. She suspected that he'd been too afraid of anything that smacked of homosexuality to even consider it. Michelangelo's "David" was just some naked guy - right?

Erica no longer feared enjoying men's bodies on a sexual level... and that freed her to appreciate them, to acknowledge that appreciation, on the level of pure form. To see them as objets d'art as well as hot and fuckable.

If she became Eric again, would he retain either capability? As she considered that, a very strange realization came to her. Eric had been snared into becoming Erica because he'd wanted to experiment with a female body. She herself, now, found the idea of occupying a male body to be strange and exotic. If she did become Eric again, the first thing she'd like to do would be to play with his anatomy - precisely because it would feel weird and alien.

So profound was her distraction that she completely missed the disc sailing past her.

"Erica, you ditz! Quit scoping your boyfriend and play!" Trahn called. Blushing, she jumped to block Aaron from passing.

~~~~~

The sedan pulled up by the front door. Brandon leaned over and gave Danielle a kiss. "See you tomorrow, babe."

She snorted derisively. "I can't believe you're gonna run around all night going 'pew! pew!' playing soldier."

Brandon's smile was a little strained. "It's a guy thing. You wouldn't understand."

"Whatever."

Brandon hopped out and closed the door, vaguely relieved. He almost wished he dared leave his bike out overnight, so he could have gotten here by himself.

That familiar sweet-sour smell hit him as he walked in the door, bringing back memories. Back in junior high, he and Cory had been regulars here. This was probably where Cory had gotten the idea of going military. Guiltily, he realized he hadn't thought about his friend for over a week. Kind of easy to slip your mind when you're getting blowjobs from his girl, huh? his conscience accused.

Hey, she went after me! he told himself. And it's not like he's been in touch.

He just didn't understand it. He saw how hurt and scared Mr. & Mrs. Ellsworth were. All they knew was he was alive. Probably. If the letters and phone messsages weren't faked.

Brandon was a big boy, he'd get over Cory ditching him. Danielle sure as shit had. But he liked Cory's parents. He'd stayed over whole weekends at their house before, they were good people. How the fuck could Cory do that to them?

He shook off the negative vibes as he looked past the flashing arcade games, searching out his friends from the track team. The Fun Warehouse was having a 'lock-in'. For thirty-five bucks, you got some pizza, and unlimited laser tag all night long. He'd done them before, but not for a couple years.

There they were. As he walked over, Tyrone called out. "Hey, homie, you ready?"

They all exchanged high-fives. "You know it. Time to represent." Jake slipped him a paper wristband that marked him paid up for the lock-in.

It was only a short wait before they were admitted to the first match of the night. He stood in the little staging area with his crew, getting pumped. The girl with the referee vest was turned away, looking over the little control panel, getting ready to start the match. She was pretty small.

When she turned to check the crowd, he suddenly recognized her. He called out. "Oh, hey, I didn't know you worked here!"

Cora focused on him. For a second, she looked startled and embarassed and even a little fearful.

"Hey," she said.

"What's the word?" he pressed. "Any advice?"

She looked up at him for a second with a furrowed brow. Then, with just a ghost of a smile, she said. "Stay away from the first three red team guns. They're not working so good."

"Thanks," he said. "Can we be on the blue team?"

She was still giving him a doubtful look. "Just don't give me any shit tonight, okay?"

"We'll be good boys, I promise." He smiled innocently.

She shook her head, but had her own smile on her face as she turned away and called out. "Okay, everybody, listen up! Anybody hasn't played with us before, raise your hand!" Her voice was still high-pitched and sweet, but he'd never suspected she could project like that.

Once the game got going, he focused on the business at hand.
Yet he thought of Cory a little, again, as he played. They'd been a killer duo back in the day. Cory the berserker, Brandon the support and covering-fire specialist. Racked up some big points.

It was a long night. Four times, as the younger kids got tired and sat out, Cora joined a game he was in. Twice she was an opponent, and twice she was on the same team as him.

He definitely preferred fighting with her than against her.

Part of that was that she was good. She was fast and sneaky and small. Even with the lights on the vest she was somehow hard to spot until she was zapping you. There was a serious killer instinct lurking there. Like her voice, he'd never imagined that, the way she practically hid away in class.

Playing on the same team as Cora was even better. She showed little of Cory's recklessness and bravado. She was at least as clever, but much more strategic and practical - and way more willing to share points, work as part of the team. Crap. Got Cory on my mind tonight, I guess.

The other reason he preferred being on her side was, if you played with her, you had an excuse to look at her more. That ass! Especially in motion. She was... lithe. He'd always liked toned girls.

He was glad Danielle wasn't around. Thankfully, Cora didn't seem to notice. She even gave him that smile of hers a few times. Killer smile, that was.

~~~~~

At the very same moment Brandon was thinking about Cora's smile, Erica was reflecting David's. He looked like he'd opened a tiny Christmas present and found it was actually keys to a new car.

After getting dinner, they'd gone out dancing, until really late. Dancing with David was awesomesauce. He had a smooth grace, and even knew some old-school couples moves. She'd seen a few other girls staring enviously and it had been a guilty but delicious pleasure.

After, they'd parked somewhere out of the way again, and started making out. Whatever her intuition said about his general riskiness, she somehow trusted him in that regard. Somehow knew he'd respect her boundaries.

Then again, she was just about to move those boundaries a long distance. She looked down from his smiling face to his prick, standing proud and free. Part of her amazed that she was actually going to do this.

Only a small part, though. The majority of her was anxious to get started. So she did.

Slowly, teasingly - she hoped seductively - she took the tip of his cock into her mouth. It felt strange; the softness around a stiff center. It tasted musky. Really not unlike vulva, to be honest, before you got your tongue inside the vagina itself.

Eric had never gotten a blowjob himself, but he'd imagined - and online, watched - plenty. Erica had a pretty good idea what to do. Not sure herself how far she'd be able to go, she dipped her head forward.

She didn't think testing her gag reflex here was a great idea. Note to self: maybe try something with the strap-on later? So she got him to the back of her tongue, but not further. Moving slowly enough for control, fast enough to stimulate - she hoped. David was making some interesting sounds...

A little sooner than she'd expected, he started to come. A gush of fluid - salty, bitter - filled her mouth. Then another, and another. A split second to decide, but between the second and third pulse she started swallowing.

Once she figured she'd gotten most of his issue, she sat up and slid up against his side. She felt rather pumped, and her panties were distinctly damp.

After half a minute of silence, she quietly volunteered, "I never did that before."

David stared in her eyes for a second. "You're kidding."

She squinted. "What? Just how many guys do you think I've blown?" she snapped, frostily.

He backpedaled frantically. "I didn't mean... I mean, it was just so good. I was just, like, um, it was like getting a perfect three-pointer on your first shot when you never picked up a basketball before, y'know?"

She decided to accept his amazement as a compliment. After all, she did know a lot more about what guys liked than most teenage girls should. "Well, it's not like I never imagined it," she said, more relaxed.

"Here's to visualization, then. Shee-it." He pulled her gently into a hug. Then a kiss.

After a few more kisses he said, quietly, with a little smile, "Y'know, I've kinda pictured doing something to you..."

She bit her lip, tempted, but a girl had to be cautious. "Like what?" she asked, trying to sound coy. She wasn't ready to fuck him yet. That meant getting pregnant. Way too huge a step. But, maybe, someday...

"Here, let's see if my imagination's as good as yours." David was guiding her seat back and lifting her skirt up.

Giving a blowjob in a car was easier than licking pussy in a car. Girl parts were lower down, you needed sharper angles. She reclined in the seat and tilted her hips up.

David got his head between her legs, leaning over the center console, one hand grabbing the handle on the passenger door. A very bent 69. It looked strenuous and acrobatic, but it felt so good she was losing her concern for his well-being.

What he lacked in finesse, he made up with intensity. He was actually a bit better than Cora had been, at the start. In a gratifyingly short time, she was whimpering.

~~~~~

Tuesday night was busy at Hillman High. Cora had choir practice, and Erica had cheerleading. David didn't have to stay, though, since almost the only sport that didn't have practice was baseball. So the girls borrowed Miranda's car that morning.

Erica and her cheerleader posse were coming out of the locker room after practice. "See ya later, ho-bag!" Trahn said. Naturally, Erica had confided to her close friends her recent sexual experiences. It brought on some good-natured teasing that, oddly enough, wasn't all that different from how boys handled it.

"Ciao, bitches!" Erica called back. She was already pulling out her phone. Choir practice would be done by now.

Erica: where u @?

Cora: bleachers outside

Erica: comin

She stepped outside, smiling at the fresh air. Sweaty girls didn't smell unpleasant, exactly, but she could certainly get her fill of the odor. She walked across the parking lot to the bleachers, feeling tired but happy.

A tunnel of sorts went under the bleachers themselves. She went through and came out into the sun. The track team was practicing directly in front; several boys dashed past, following the lanes on the asphalt ring.

When she turned, it didn't take long to spot Cora off by herself, looking up from her smartphone, beckoning her up. Erica waved and headed up the stairs to join her for a moment.

"Hey," she said as she sat down.

"Hey," Cora said back. "Gimme just a minute, they're almost done." She was watching the boys intently as they approached the finish line.

Erica bit her lip, unsure. Cora was supposed to avoid reminders of her old life, so far as possible. Watching the boys track team practice wasn't really in keeping with that.

Cora seemed to sense the direction of her thoughts. "Chill. I'm not gonna run down and join in. But it was my team, y'know? I kinda want 'em to do well and all."

"Yeah, okay," Erica said. After a moment, she asked, "Who's captain now?"

"Brandon."

"Huh." Struck by a sudden suspicion... "You ever talk to him about track in class?"

Cora kept her eyes on the track, avoiding Erica's. "A little. Boys wanna talk about what they do."

Erica let it go for now. She sat and watched as the boys made it over the finish line in small groups. Maybe looking at boys'll wake something up in her, she thought. Certainly she herself hadn't realized what responses she'd been having to certain males of the species. Not for quite a while.

The stragglers finished up, and the boys gathered by the coach. Cora had a little half-smile on her face, watching him gesticulate at Brandon in particular.

Erica idly glanced around the bleachers. So she noticed Danielle and Mindy looking at them both with flat, hostile stares.

Not the time for a confrontation. "Hey, c'mon, we gotta get going."

Cora sighed and gathered her stuff. "Whatever." She gathered her things, and muttered, "I dunno why they even put pockets on girls jeans. They're so tight you can't put anything in 'em anyway."

But as they were walking down the stairs, she too saw the angry glares. She stiffened and returned them with stony contempt. Erica wanted to sigh in relief when they made it under the bleachers.

She hadn't had one of their 'on the way home from the bus' talks with Cora in a while. David drove them home most days now. So she took advantage of their time in the car to remind Cora about the warning Sunny had relayed.

Cora was unimpressed. "I stopped giving a fuck what Danielle says a long time ago. What's she gonna do, anyway?"

"Girls can be nasty," Erica noted. "We already had problems with the lesbo talk."

"What's she gonna say that hasn't already gone around?"

Erica wasn't mollified. "Just... don't try to piss her off. I think she thought you were checking out Brandon."

"Well, I was. But just as a track captain, that's it!"

"I know, but Danielle doesn't know you used to be... on the team." Erica hesitated a second, then said, "And you shouldn't be thinking about track anyway."

Cora was staring fixedly out the window. "I know. It was just one fucking time! It was nice out." She fell silent for a second. "I miss it," she said, more subdued.

Erica chewed her lip, then said, "You maybe wanna go jogging with Linda and me?"

"Nah." She shrugged. "No offense, but you kinda can't keep up with me."

Erica couldn't deny that. For Cora, four miles was a typical day. Her chief complaint was that she had to stay on main, public streets now, for safety.

Cora broke the uncomfortable silence that had fallen, moving on to schoolwork. "Whatever. Did you figure out that flickering problem yet? I didn't see it on my laptop. And neither did Scotty."

"Might just be my video driver," Erica admitted.

~~~~~

Danielle turned back toward Brandon, tipping her head toward the desk up front, where Cora was talking with the teacher. "Oh, I'm so cute and shy and helpless, you should just give me a good grade!" she said in a mocking, squeaky, singsong voice.

Brandon couldn't help but notice that Danielle's voice wasn't as melodious as Cora's. "Hey, come on. She wasn't all 'shy and helpless' at the lock-in, I'll tell you that. She's a killer shot."

Danielle stiffened. "What? She was there? All night?" She was glaring.

"Whoa, hey, she just works there." He gave her a grin, trying to reassure her. "She hooked us all up with the good vests."

"I'll just bet she hooks up. With everybody," Danielle growled.

"Jeez, take it easy, okay?"

"Don't take her side!" Danielle snapped.

"I'm not. I just... what'd she ever do to you?"

Danielle glared at him for a second. "Check me out in the shower. Fucking dyke."

"Hold up, she's..."

"You didn't hear? Everybody knows." Her gaze should have burned the back of Cora's head. Indeed, she seemed to feel something and looked back at them both. "Her and her cousin, Erica. They live together, y'know."

He wanted to protest - Erica seemed to be satisfying David, from what he'd heard - but Cora was walking toward them now. She gave Brandon a quick smile, that faded when she focused on Danielle.

Man, I wish they'd just get along, Brandon thought as Cora sat down without a word. What the fuck is their problem, anyway?

Class started at that point, though, and it was a quiz day. He couldn't spend any more time thinking on girls and their unguessable purposes.

But he still found himself wondering. Is Cora really a carpet muncher? The thought made him sad. Hope not. That'd be a waste.

~~~~~

Cora, Linda, Kristina, and Erica all sat at a table in the food court at the mall. When they went out, they usually wound up splitting some sugary treat, 'sinning' together. This time it was a large Cinnabon they devoured while talking.

Kristina sounded worried. "Tomorrow's gonna suck. I already hated Mondays, Mr. Jackson had to add a social studies test."

"It'll be okay," Erica said. "His quizzes usually ain't so bad."

"Sez you, brainiac," Kristina snorted. "It wouldn't be so bad if I could just sleep through the night."

"I'll help you study later," Erica said.

"Your makeup looks really good today," Cora said to Linda. "What'd you do, change your foundation or something?"

"Yeah," Linda said, smiling happily. "I switched to a powder instead of a liquid. And I'm trying a little primer."

"It totes suits you," Erica said. She was surprised and pleased that Cora had (a) actually paid attention to makeup, and (b) managed to successfully identify something about it. "You still using Nars?"

"Nah, that costs too much. It's just MAC!"

Kristina had swallowed her bite. "Liquid's okay. All you gotta do is use a little setting powder. Sephora has a good one, no color at all."

Erica wasn't surprised to see a glaze coming over Cora's eyes. She'd reached a detente with cosmetics, but no more. Enthusiasm wasn't in the cards.

Baby steps, Erica thought. She was just happy she'd managed to steer Cora to buying a few more feminine versions of her usual clothing types. Cora wore a lot of jeans, but now she had one in pastel yellow with some rhinestone accents. It would liven up her wardrobe considerably by itself. And her new skirt was the shortest she'd ever bought.

Once they were done eating they got up and moved as a group back toward the stores. Cora was carrying the tray and went to the side to dump it in the trash.

A trio of passing boys followed her with their eyes. It was perfectly clear what they were doing. Certainly Cora didn't miss it when she turned back.

Both Linda and Kristina looked nervous for a brief moment, then put on carefully neutral expressions.

Cora noticed that too as she rejoined them, and rolled her eyes. "It's okay, chill. I'm not gonna freak, I promise." Cora actually sounded just a shade amused.

At that, the other girls smiled a little. All of them clearly remembered the first time they'd gone out to the movies with Cora.

So did she, apparently. She went on to say, "Boys're gonna look, I can deal. So long as they're not total douches about it."

"Well, anyway, let's hit Madewell," Kristina said. "I saw a top I think you'd look pretty good in."

"Thanks," Cora said, sincerely so far as Erica could tell.

~~~~~

Erica was doing homework at the kitchen table. Cora stood in the doorway, taking a call from Gabriela. They'd been talking for a while, like teenage girls did. Almost unconsciously, Erica was smiling at that.

Then, in the middle of taking a derivative, she paused. Something told her something was wrong.

She looked up. Cora's eyes were very wide.

She put her hand over the phone mic. "They wanna go scrapbooking," she hissed.

Erica struggled to keep the annoyance off her face. Cora was being a drama queen again.

Cora took her hand off the mic and went back to talking with Jacinta. "Well, it's just, I don't have a lot of pictures or anything. From home, I mean."

Erica had a flash of remorse for her snap judgement. It wasn't drama - or at least, not just drama. As usual, Cora had thought a few steps ahead. 'Jewel Cora Pinto' had little history.

"OK, I'll let you know." Cora hung up and looked at Erica, pained. "I don't have anything that's older than last December."

Erica shrugged helplessly. "You, uh, might have to skip this one."

"But... Jacinta and Gabriela have really been there for me." She looked forlorn. "I don't want 'em to think I'm blowing 'em off."

They hit Jacqui up on Skype. "...so it sounded like they really wanted me to come, and I don't wanna, like, disappoint 'em, but what am I supposeta bring, y'know?"

Jacqui frowned. It would be a good experience for Cora, and Goddess knew the friendships were important. The material problem was severe, however.

"How long do we have?" Jacqui asked.

"It's not 'til Saturday..." Cora said hesitantly.

Jacqui puffed out her cheeks. Photoshop plus Magic was a potent combination, but even so... "Four days is pretty tight."

"Please?" Cora asked, eyes wide.

The fact that Cora felt the friendships were important tipped the balance. Jacinta and Gabriela were already helping; Cora needed to be friends with other girls.

"All right. I'll get started tonight. But we're gonna have to work together on this, get our stories straight."

"You got it! Whatever you need!" They set up a time to conference, said their goodbyes, and disconnected.

Jacqui felt a little silly. She was used to applying her skills to official records and government databases. New Sisters didn't need elaborate histories. The more detailed the past, the more they'd have to keep straight.

~~~~~

Gabriela spotted Cora first, and bumped Jacinta's elbow. "She actually made it."

The girl was peering around, searching. It was a bright, sunny day outside, so it took her a few seconds for her eyes to adjust and spot them. She looked so furtive, like a trespasser hoping not to be noticed.

"Over here!" Jacinta called.

Cora squinted and came to their table. She had a small bag with her. "I had to run out and buy more photo paper and ink last night," she said.

"Well, whatcha got? Let's see!" Gabriela said. Cora flipped the bag over onto the space in front of her.

Jacinta looked over the meager collection of pictures and mementos. "We can make it work," she said reassuringly, though inside she wasn't so sure. "We can just do a mini-album."

"I got some shots on my phone we could maybe use," Gabriela added.

Cora chewed her lip. "Don't they charge to print stuff out?"

Jacinta stepped in. "It's not too bad. I only think we'll need a couple."

There was a brief, slightly uncomfortable pause. Cora blurted, "So, uh... how does this work." After a second, she added, "Scrapbooking wasn't a big thing where I was."

Jacinta and Gabriela exchanged a glance. "There isn't a, whadja call it, algorithm for it," Jacinta said. "It's about telling your story. Keeping memories."

Cora absorbed that for a few moments. "I don't wanna, like, dwell on New York and stuff," she said. "I might get too homesick."

Jacinta fought hard not to roll her eyes. "Okay, so we'll tell the story of you coming to Hillman High."

At that, Cora showed the first signs of any real interest. "Huh. Yeah, let's do that."

Picking the book and some supplies was fairly trouble-free, but Cora began to flounder as soon as the the time came to start decorating. Looking up from the first blank page, she looked every bit the helpless little girl. "I don't..." She trailed off.

Even Jacinta couldn't keep from rolling her eyes."It's about how you feel about it. Why is it important to you? What does it make you feel?"

Cora looked like no one had ever asked her what she felt before.

Over time, she got more into it, but the process was exhausting. Breaking for lunch was a relief for all three.

Although there was a little stress there too. Or at least jealousy. She wondered how Cora could possibly eat that much pizza and still have a flat panza. It just wasn't fair. Even with all the jogging she did.

~~~~~

They lay on Cora's bed. Hesitantly, almost shyly, Cora pulled her album out of the backpack. "Jacinta and Gabriela helped. I kinda had to guess how to do it, though."

Erica smiled and rubbed Cora's shoulder. "I'm sure you did fine. Let's check it out."

She was fascinated as she flipped through it. She knew the Sisters would be all over the scrapbook, looking for clues to Cora's frame of mind. But she was just plain curious, too.

The first two pages were pure fantasy. A baby picture that had been conjured from nowhere. Parents that didn't exist, a younger Cora that never was, playing in a snowdrift. A real high school on the other side of the country, that had records of Cora now - though she'd never set foot in it.

A page just of the fictional parents. One picture of a woman, another of a man, and a shot of them together in a vaguely middle-Eastern locale, sunburned but smiling.

But then, reality. An image of Cora with the Jardins. Hillman High, kids out front.

Four pages devoted to choir.

A two-page spread on the AP Programming group. Scotty and Josh looked almost respectable.

A page for just Erica. In the center, a photo of her in her cheerleader uniform, smiling and posing before a game. Other pictures - the programming team, even one from the spa trip after the salon - made a border around it.

An action shot of Haylie chasing a soccer ball.

Shots of Cora with Gabriela and Jacinta. One was taken at that Mary Kay party. Cooking those tamales. Just hanging out.

All the photos were surrounded by various decorations and trim, of course. Lace, ribbons, stickers, and so forth. If they had a level of sophistication more appropriate to a seven-year-old girl than a high school senior, they nevertheless seemed earnest.

Cora was quiet, watching Erica's face until she was done. Erica looked up. "It's really good. I love it!"

Cora smiled a fraction. "I never had to be sentimental before. I mean, like, a requirement, y'know?"

"Emotional boot camp?" Erica teased.

Cora took it surprisingly well. Just a wan smile. She turned and flipped through the early pages. "It's only been a couple months, but you can see, like... progress, kinda."

"You're smiling more, toward the end," Erica said neutrally.

"Guess so." Her smile went very crooked.. "It hasn't been... as bad, I guess. Lately." She hesitated a moment, then got serious. "I think, sometimes, I might actually make it." She sighed. "Sometimes. Without going totally crazy, I mean."

Erica gave her a hug. "I know you'll make it. Look how far you came already!" And she meant it. There was so much further to go, but Cora finally seemed to be heading in the proper direction.

"I know you're gonna need to show this to your Mom," Cora said when they separated a little. Then she smiled. "I mean, if Jacqui can't just read it from her house."

"You show it to her. She'll want to see it 'cause it's really good!"

They hugged. Before long they found another thing to do on Cora's bed.

~~~~~

Erica yawned as she came into the kitchen the next morning. Everyone was already up, eating breakfast, getting ready for the day. Haylie was almost done. Erica got some yogurt out of the fridge and joined the rest at the table.

"How did you sleep, honey?" Miranda asked.

"Pretty good." Erica suddenly realized that Cora was being unusually quiet. Her friend slumped in the chair, looking more depressed than she'd seemed in a couple months. "What's wrong?" she asked. Her period's been done for over a week...

Cora looked up from her cereal, and sighed. "I dunno. It's nothing." After a moment, she went on. "Like, the second I woke up... I got a bad feeling. Like something's gonna happen."

Out of the corner of her eye, Erica saw her Mom open her mouth, then close it. "Did you have bad dreams or something?"

Cora shook her head. "Nah, not that I remember."

"You're not worried about the concert or anything, right?" Erica asked. The first choir performance since Cora had joined was next week.

"Uh-uh. I dunno what's wrong, but it's not that. It's like... I feel like a storm is coming or something, y'know?"

"I'll try to keep it sunny," Erica joked, hoping to lighten her friend's mood.

Cora managed a wan smile.

~~~~~

The voice came from behind, insistent. "Erica."

Erica turned around from her locker. To her surprise, Kristina was there. That made no sense; she had class on the other side of the building. They only had five minutes between periods.

Kristina held out her phone. "You have to see this. Now." Her face had no expression. By the rules, phones were only supposed to be turned on in emergencies, but enforcing that was difficult in a high school.

Erica took the phone, looked at the screen... and stopped breathing. It was a picture of Cora, naked in the gym changing room after a shower. It wasn't a particularly erotic pose; she was just reaching up for her clothes. But her pubic hair and one breast was clearly visible.

"What the fuck?" she finally blurted, looking up at Kristina.

"It's going around the school," Kristina said evenly. Erica had noticed she tended to go wooden when she wanted to hide strong feelings, like shame... or anger. "Word is, Danielle or one of her friends took it."

"Oh, Goddess..." Erica felt horrified and terrified and infuriated. Cora was already negotiating incredible body issues, had barely started coming to terms with being attractive to boys. Becoming stroke material for all the boys in the school... that'd be traumatic for any girl, let alone a reluctant Sister.

She gave Kristina a quick, worried hug. "Thanks. I got programming with Cora next. We gotta scoot, talk to you later."

She made it through the door just as the bell rang. Her eyes locked with Cora's as she hustled to her seat. With a corner of her mind, she noted that Josh and Scotty weren't talking to Cora.

Cora looked up with a relieved smile. "Man, I'm glad to see you. It's been totally weird all afternoon. People keep looking at me like..."

Erica interrupted. "Cora, listen. I just found out..."

But suddenly the class got quiet as the school principal walked in. She went over to Mr. Yigal and spoke to him quietly. He looked with shock at Cora, then nodded.

Cora saw all of this. "What the fuck is going on?" she whispered.

Erica tried. "There's this picture, going around. It..."

But Mrs. Schimke came over to their desks. "Cora? Could you come with me to the office, please? You're not in trouble, but... there's a... a problem."

Cora looked wildly at Erica, and seemed disheartened by the fear and anguish she saw. But she quietly followed Mrs. Schimke out the door.

Just looking around the room, Erica could see meaningful glances and knowing smirks on about half the students. They knew what was going on, sure enough.

~~~~~

"What's this about, Mrs. Schimke?" Cora asked as she sat down.

Elena Schimke steeled herself. This had been an ordinary Tuesday with ordinary problems until twenty minutes ago. A teacher had caught two boys looking at their cell phones; as soon as he saw what was on it, he'd called the office.

The boys had broken almost immediately, turning in the friend who'd texted it to them. But it was also clear that (a) they had no idea who'd taken the picture, and (b) it had already spread beyond containment.

She felt bad for the girl. A new student, quiet, didn't cause any trouble. She wasn't in the popular cliques, but she'd been making some friends, from all reports.

And now, demonstrably, at least one nasty enemy.

But this would be bad for the school. She'd had to call the police already, and keeping it out of the evening news was only a faint hope at this point.

Right now, though, she had to break the very bad news. The girl was looking around nervously. "What's going on?" she asked again.

"I'm very sorry to have to tell you this. Just a few minutes ago, we discovered that someone has..." She cleared her throat. "...violated your privacy."

Cora just looked at her, frowning slightly.

Elena coughed. "It seems someone took a picture of you in the locker room." She held out a phone. "I'm holding this for evidence. The police are on the way, but..."

Cora took the phone in hand. She froze, and her eyes and mouth got wider and wider.

"The police are coming right now," Schimke repeated earnestly. "We'll track it down. But I'm afraid it's... spread pretty far already."

Cora tore her eyes up from the phone to look at her. "How... how far?"

Elena was mildly surprised at the anger creeping into the girl's tone. She'd expected Cora to get angry eventually - and rightfully so! But only after some wailing and tears. That had been her experience with girls facing public embarrassment.

Cora seemed to skip right past that, though. "How far?" she demanded anew, more steel creeping into her voice.

"We don't know for certain, but this came in a message that was sent to eight people. And then he... the owner forwarded it to seven more."

Cora's teeth were clenched tight now. She tapped on the phone quickly. "Kyle. Fucking perfect."

Elena tried to steer the girl to the most important question. "Can you think of anyone who'd want to do this to you?"

The girl frowned, concentrating intensely. "No, I... wait a minute." She looked up, hateful certainty all over her face. "Danielle. Danielle Oprisko. That fucking cunt."

"I... understand you're upset, but please... um, language..."

Cora didn't say anything. The whithering scowl said it all, anyway.

"Why do you think she might have done this?" Schimke asked after a moment.

"I don't think, I know. She's got this stupid fu... idea that I'm after her boyfriend. Brandon Metcalfe."

"Why does she think that?"

Cora snarled, indignant, waving the phone at her. "What, are you saying this'd be, like, justified if I was?"

"No!" Elena exclaimed. "I'm just trying to understand what happened here."

"My cousin Erica told me Sunny said she heard Mindy say that Danielle was mad for me talking to Brandon. We sit right next to each other in Calc, what am I supposed to do?"

Elena, long accustomed to high-school gossip, had no trouble following the chain. However... "Did Danielle ever say anything to you?"

"No, but she's been real snippy at me." Cora looked back down at the picture. "And her locker's in my row at gym, too!"

Elena thought quickly. None of this was proof, but clearly she needed to speak to Danielle right away. "Excuse me for a moment. I'll be right back."

She closed the door behind her. "Debra, find out where Danielle Oprisko is now and have her sent down." The secretary nodded and typed at her computer.

Elena had a fast decision to make. Interrogate Danielle alone or with Cora present? Assuming she was responsible, would being confronted by her victim increase her guilt or steel her resolve? On the other hand, Cora was clearly livid; would she be able to control herself?

Seeing a couple young men walk by the office chose for her. Cora wouldn't want to be seen by anybody in the school for a while. Having her wait in view of the hallway was out.

Danielle arrived looking nervous and confused. "What's going on, Mrs. Schimke?"

"I'll need your phone, please."

"What? Why?" Danielle said fearfully.

"Are you sure you don't know?" Sometimes that question and a stern look was all it took to prompt a confession.

Not this time, though. "No! I mean yes, I'm sure! What's going on?" The girl hesitated. "Do you really need my phone?"

"Yes. Unlock it, please." The girl handed it over.

Elena skimmed the array of icons. Android, iPhone, all the dumb phones - she wasn't a forensic technician! "Where are your IMs?" Danielle showed her, reluctantly.

A quick scan didn't turn up anything. Time for phase 2. "Come with me, please." She led Danielle to her office.

She kept an eye on Danielle as she came in and saw Cora. The young woman's eyes narrowed - yes, she didn't like Cora, that was obvious - but Elena couldn't spot any obvious gloating. Cora glared at Danielle with almost feral antipathy.

"Cora, can you hand me that phone, please?" The angry young woman handed it over with reluctance.

"Danielle, what do you know about this?" She showed her the picture.

Danielle's eyes widened a little, and Elena noted a quick flat glance at Cora. The girl said, "Whoa. What's going on?"

"That's been going around the school. I understand you have a locker in Cora's row at gym?"

"What? You think I took it?" Danielle gasped. "I don't like her, but I wouldn't do something like that!"

Elena squinted. She was half-convinced the girl was lying. But only half... and she had no solid evidence beyond the say-so of an enraged victim. Without a confession, this was going to be hard. Maybe the cops would find something on her phone.

But right now, she had to investigate herself. "Can you think of anyone else who might have done it?"

Danielle shrugged. "She doesn't exactly have a lot of friends." Then she flinched from Cora's glare as if it were causing her physical pain. Elena had seen many feuding girls, but had never felt hatred so tangibly before. It seemed to cloud the atmosphere of the room.

Just then came a knock on the door. Debra leaned in. "The police are here."

"Cora, please wait here. Danielle, you come with me." She didn't dare leave these two girls alone together.

~~~~~

Cora slipped out the back door with Erica, and the girls sprinted into Miranda's waiting car. Carefully, Erica's Mother eased away from the school - and the news vans parked out front.

As soon as she got in, Cora slumped down from the windows.

"Goddess, Cora, I'm so sorry!" Miranda said. "I can't believe anyone would do something like that!"

"Just get us home. Fast."

After they'd gone a mile or so, Cora told her story in clipped sentences. Danielle hadn't confessed, and a quick check of her phone hadn't turned up any proof. The police were taking it in to be analyzed, and contacting the cell companies for records.

"Goddess, I still can't believe it!"

"It's fucking real, all right."

Miranda didn't even consider chiding about swearing. "Well, we'll get our heads together when we get home. We'll figure this out."

"Think the Sisterhood would care about this?" Cora asked, with more cynicism than anyone her age should have been able to muster.

"Of course they care! I already contacted them. Jacqui's on the case."

"Hmph," Cora said, but let it go, and turned to a more reasonable target. "God damn that fucking cunt!"

"Good thing we believe in karma," Erica said. "She'll get hers."

"She'll 'get hers' from me. I'm gonna be the fucking karma delivery service, I swear." She looked at Erica. "Hey, I just Transitioned a bit. I am so ready to hit a girl now."

Erica didn't know how to respond to that. She recalled choosing not to attack Carrie that time, and just gave Cora's hand a squeeze.

~~~~~

The moment the Skype windows were open, Cora was talking. "We gotta get Danielle expelled for this shit," she said. Then she added, in a very dark tone, "For starters."

Jacqui shook her head sadly. "That won't be easy, not directly. Not yet."

"What do you mean, it won't be 'easy'?! You're fucking witches!"

"Please, listen." Jacqui took a deep breath. "I know who did it - Danielle, of course, and her friends Mindy and Rebecca helped. And I know exactly what they did." Her scowl rivaled Cora's. "The problem is, they were smart. They used a burner phone. Paid a homeless guy to go pay cash for it, so no video linking them to the phone. And they only ever turned it on at school, no location data to tie them to it. Even if the cops grab all the phone records, work their way back, it won't help."

Jacqui saw Cora opening her mouth, and overrode her. "Because then they actually burned it! Yanked the battery and cooked the phone in a bonfire when they were done. A big one. No fingerprints, the flash chips fried, everything."

"That sounds... rather well-thought-out for a pack of high school girls," Bronwyn mused doubtfully. Erica decided not to take offense.

"It was Mindy who came up with the plan." Jacqui frowned. "She was trying to keep her friend out of jail."

Erica clucked her tongue, then inhaled through her teeth, considering. "Mindy is pretty smart, I guess. And she knows computers."

Cora had been looking at Jacqui, appalled. "How do you know all this?"

"Magic." Her expression shifted from anger to apology. "Which isn't admissible in court. Or even to the principal."

Cora almost growled. "So use your Magic to fix this!" She waved at a startled Erica. "You changed her from boy to girl and made everybody forget. Can't you erase that fucking JPEG from, from history?"

"What happened to 'there's no excuse for messing with somebody's mind'?" Bronwyn asked pointedly. Laurie gasped and scowled at her lover. Bronwyn had the grace to look abashed. Slightly.

Cora just glared.

For her part, Jacqui sighed. "We couldn't do it anyway. Forty years ago, we could, but not today. It's on the Internet now. The story's on the five o'clock news, way beyond just one town. And it'll probably be on the late news, too. All over the place. Wiping it out would take an incredible amount of power, and we still probably couldn't pull it off." She looked at a window on her screen, presumably Bronwyn's. "And there's no chance at all our enemies could miss it. A spell like that would be like fireworks and searchlights and a marching band, singing 'here we are!'"

Cora had an inventive mind, however, undaunted by obstacles. "Conjure the phone back."

Bronwyn spoke again. "We could Magically, well, 'resurrect' the phone. Probably." Her lips pursed. "We're powerful, but as Jacqui just pointed out, there are limits."

"Conjuring DNA through time is no big deal for you!" Cora said.

"The power of the Sisters is much more oriented to life than to things and objects," Laurie interposed gently.

"And that's not even the real problem," Jacqui said quickly, before Cora could snap at her Mother. "Danielle and her friends know what happened to it." She stared out of the screen at Cora. "They'd know something was really wrong if that phone turned up again." She shook her head sadly. "And we just can not afford that, either."

Cora's face was flushed with anger. "So make 'em forget!"

Jacqui spoke. "Mindy and Rebecca, maybe. But Danielle has been planning this for a couple weeks. Obsessing over it, all day every day. It's... it's a formative memory now. Part of what makes her who she is. We can't wipe out a major chunk of it without changing her into a different person."

"Unlike me?" Cora hissed. The Sisters looked uncomfortable. She glared like a basilisk at their images, but she didn't say anything for a few seconds.

Erica had seen Cory when he was really motivated. Erica and Miranda had both seen Cora's imagination and creativity in their Magic lessons. So they weren't as surprised as the other Sisters at how quickly she invented alternatives. They were all equally dismayed at the content of the next idea, though.

"We can't get rid of that picture? Okay, fine. We give everyone something else to look at." Her eyes slewed to Jacqui's onscreen image. "How 'bout a picture of Danielle fucking a donkey or something? Or, hey, better yet - let's do three-girls-one-cup, with her and Mindy and Becca!"

Jacqui stared back, openmouthed. All the Sisters did.

Cora never stopped glaring at Jacqui. "Don't tell me you can't do it! You did all that scrapbook stuff in, like, a couple days."

Bronwyn recovered first. "We cannot afford any more attention on the students of Hillman High. Bad enough you're in the news at all. Making the situation more dramatic is much too dangerous. That's the kind of story that could go national! If it did, you'd all have to run just on general principles."

Cora's jaw was locked, her eyes pinched... but Bronwyn never wavered. Cora finally broke the silence, and spat, "She can't get away with this shit!"

"No, she can't. We will find a way to make this right." Laurie spoke with both urgency and empathy. "But our options are limited right now."

Cora sat hunched, struggling with her rage. There were a few heartbeats of anxious silence. Then she spoke, harshly. "What 'options' do you have?"

Bronwyn spoke up. "I can promise that they are going to start having nightmares. The kind that prick - no, stab - the conscience. Don't be surprised if one of them confesses, and pretty soon."

"Dreams? Fucking dreams?" Erica wanted to edge away from Cora's malevolent posture. "They send out naked pictures of me to every fuckhead pervert in the school and all you got is bad dreams?!"

Into the silence that followed, Laurie said, "You might be surprised how effective such things can be."

Cora's glare, as usual, replied for her.

Bronwyn sighed. "We can't risk security over this, or break someone's mind, even someone as loathsome as Danielle." She shook her head sadly. "I know it's no comfort right now, but ultimately this is just a vile prank. In a few months you'll graduate and never need see these people again. In fact, in a few weeks I doubt it will even be an issue."

"It's on the goddamn Internet now! It'll never go away!" She suddenly stopped. Then, slowly, she said, "Wait. If you can't erase it... what happens when I turn back to Cory?"

Jacqui answered. "Well, this incident won't have any ties to Cory. If someone investigates, the 'Jewel Cora Pinto' identity will have already been abandoned." She quirked her mouth, sheepishly. "We'll probably have to move the Jardins to new identities at that point. But there's no real connection between them and Cory, either."

Erica and Miranda traded dismayed gazes.

Cora saw them, and was quiet for a time, processing the future impact she would have on the Jardins. Then she frowned, and looked at Jacqui. "Did Brandon know about all this?"

Jacqui shook her head. "No. They kept him out of the loop."

Cora looked like she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not.

~~~~~

After final expressions of sympathy and support - which Cora gracelessly rebuffed - the senior Sisters disconnected.

Cora just sat in her chair for half a minute before she stirred and looked at Miranda and Erica. "If we can't pin Danielle for this shit, we find some other way to get her back."

Miranda nodded, but began, "We have to be careful..."

Cora cut her off. "I don't mean with a baseball bat." Her lip curled. "Though that'd be fun." She apparently gave up the mental image and refocused on the Sisters. "The High Priestess can screw up her nights, whatever. I want her days to suck hard."

Erica touched her shoulder. "Well, Sisters try not to do harm. We believe it echoes back. Karma and all."

Miranda tried not to let show any of her joy at the fact Erica was again calling herself a 'Sister'.

Cora looked up suddenly, eyes alight. "Wait a minute. This bullshit started when she thought I was going after Brandon, right? The whole reason she pulled this shit is because she's scared of losing him! So let's fucking do it!"

"Uh... what do you mean?" Erica asked doubtfully.

"We do the same thing to her that you did to Carrie, except worse. We make Brandon fall in love with some other girl! That'd really screw her over!"

"I don't think that's quite the best way..." Miranda began.

"You did it for her!" Cora shouted, pointing at Erica. "Show me how to mix up the potion. I bet I can get him to drink it. Get him to fall for one of the other soccer girls, maybe..."

"Brandon didn't do anything to you," Miranda noted.

"He gave up on Cory! And he'd be better off without a skanky bitch like Danielle anyway!"

Miranda said, very cautiously, "It's not in keeping with the spirit of the Sisterhood."

The care was wasted; Cora exploded. "You fucking bitch! You'll use Magic to help your daughter if she gets in trouble, but for me it's 'We gotta be careful'! Fucking bullshit!"

Miranda had faced Cora's derision, her sarcasm, her sulkiness, her snarling anger - though much less over the last month. Not since that first training day had Miranda been the focus of white-hot fury. She held her hands up - wondering if she'd have to physically defend herself again - and spoke urgently. "Goddess, Cora, I don't mean we won't help, we just have to think about what's the best approach..."

"The best approach is we kill that fucking cunt bitch whore!" Cora screamed. Then she said, more quietly though with the kind of malice they hadn't seen since the day she was Transformed, "But I can't do that and change back. So I gotta stick a metaphorical knife through her fucking heart." She was practically growling now. "I am going to fuck her up."

"I think maybe we should, like, calm down, take a break for a few minutes." Erica said, interposing herself between her Mother and the novice. "Come on, let's eat something." She guided Cora toward the kitchen. "My mom said something about a way to cause major B.O., back when Carrie was after me..."

~~~~~

Jacinta debated a minute longer, then hit 'call'. Cora hadn't answered her texts. She wasn't about to leave it at that.

The phone rang four times. Just before she figured it was going to voicemail, it picked up. "Hey," Cora said quietly.

"Ohmigod, Cora, I'm so sorry!"

"I don't really want to talk about it," Cora muttered.

Jacinta pressed on. "Come on! You can't just bottle everything in all the time. I'm here for you, y'know. We all are."

"I know, but..." The girl trailed off.

"Can I come over?"

Cora was silent. Then, "I think I need to be by myself tonight."

"Come on! Please! I want to help."

"I know." Then, with more than listlessness, with a hint of real emotion, she said, "I really appreciate it."

"I'll totally bring ice cream..." Jacinta wheedled.

That got a short choked laugh. "Thanks. Honest. But I just need to be alone tonight."

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Cora said, with another ghost of warmth.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay..."

"Bye."

"Bye. Love you."

Sounding surprised, Cora said, "Love you too."

~~~~~

They didn't have sex that night. When Cora finally stopped pacing and fuming, she sat down next to Erica on the bed. Almost the instant Erica put an arm on her shoulder, the girl burst into tears.

Cora sobbed and sobbed. Erica just held her friend and wished she knew how to make the pain go away.

Continued in Part 8

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 8

Erica stood in Cora's room, helping her choose an outfit for the day. She wasn't about to let her nervousness show in her mien. But Cora would probably notice that it was unusually cloudy outside for southern California.

Cora had been looking herself over in the mirror on her closet door. Then she turned to Erica. "I'm gonna need your help."

"You know I'll..."

Cora interrupted. "About Danielle."

Erica paused. "Well, sure, but..."

Again, Cora interrupted. "Your Mom's useless. But you know how to make that potion. The one you used on Carrie. We gotta give it to Brandon."

Erica bit her lip. "That won't work."

Cora's lip curled up in a snarl. "Why the fuck not? Look at Carrie!"

Erica put up her hands. "Love potions aren't, like, totally generic. I only know the one potion, and it only works one way."

Cora's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"If we give that one to Brandon, he'll get the hots for another guy."

Cora's eyes widened, staring off into the distance. Then she broke out a very evil smile at whatever internal vision she was contemplating. "Whoa. Can you imagine how that'll make Danielle feel?"

Erica took a moment to compose herself. "I guess, but imagine how Brandon'd feel. Even before it wore off!" She could hear her voice rising involuntarily. "I mean, how would Cory have handled it if he was suddenly crushing on, I dunno, Lucas?"

All of a sudden, Erica was profoundly grateful that Cora wasn't really looking at her. She couldn't keep the guilt and embarassment off her face. After being with David, she was positive now that Cora would have to eventually find guys attractive in order to Transition. Maybe even crush on one or two. Which she'd just portrayed as unacceptable to Cory...

Fortunately, Cora didn't seem to make that connection as she paused for a few seconds. "Huh." She slumped. "All right, fine, I'm not that mad at him. He's a fucking moron for being with her. But that's not a crime, I guess."

Erica was privately relieved to see that Cora would countenance at least a few limits on collateral damage. On the other hand, Erica totally agreed that revenge was called for. "Why don't we give it to Danielle?"

Cora didn't merely look upset. She appeared almost insulted. "Fuck that! I don't want her happy with someone else!"

"It wears off in, like, two weeks max. Carrie actually fell in love with Harry all on her own. Kinda grew in under the spell. Even Mom was surprised, I guess it hardly ever happens unless you pick the people involved really carefully."

Cora looked thoughtful, gaming it out in her head. "So... she suddenly starts panting after some other guy, and dumps Brandon... and then a couple weeks later 'she's lost that lovin' feeling' but Brandon's pissed at her?"

"Yup. That's about it."

Cora mulled it over for a minute. "Maybe."

"What's wrong? It's perfect!" Erica cried indignantly.

Cora held up a finger. "One, it might not work. You said yourself that Carrie could have chosen not to go after Harry."

Another finger came up, and Erica would have sworn it got darker in the room. Cora spoke quietly but with infinite malevolence. "And two - when I get her, I want her to know it. Know exactly who got her."

~~~~~

David walked up to Erica at her locker. The girl looked tired and drawn. She didn't give him the big smile he'd come to expect when she saw him, but she did stand up a little straighter.

He was doing some rapid risk estimation. His job was to be a very good boyfriend. Being an implausibly perfect boyfriend would be dangerous in its own way. So he started off with, "How's Cora doing? After that picture, I mean?"

"You saw it?" Erica asked frostily.

David shaded his expression carefully, with just the right amount of guilt and embarassment and apology. "It was, y'know, going around."

Erica glared at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes and shrugged with such a what-can-I-expect-you're-just-a-boy expression that David would have been sure she'd been born a girl if he hadn't known better.

"I deleted it," he said meekly. And truthfully. Though he left out the part about forwarding it, with a report, to his handler. "Where is she, anyway? I figured she'd be with you. If she came at all."

Erica waved down the hall distractedly. "She's talking to Gabriela and Jacinta. We'll see her in homeroom."

"Hey, y'know, anything I can do, just let me know. Was it really Danielle?"

He'd never seen Erica with an expression quite like that. Pure hatred. "Yes. But we can't prove it. Yet."

"Well, okay. Like, any support Cora needs..."

"You're fucking right we're gonna support her!" Erica snapped. Then she immediately looked apologetic. "Sorry. Just tired, and pissed."

"It's all right. I figured." He pulled her in for a quiet hug. She looked like she needed it. Plus, boyfriend points, right?

She looked up gratefully when they broke apart a second later. And she held his hand as they hurried to homeroom. Definitely boyfriend points.

~~~~~

Sitting with Linda, Kristina, David, and Paul at lunch, Erica was relieved that Danielle had a different lunch period than her and Cora. At least they'd be saved that particular drama.

Jacinta and Gabriela came over and sat with them. They usually sat just with Cora - not out of any enmity, rather because they were just mutual friends of Cora. But today Cora would need extra support.

"Is she coming?" Paul asked softly, looking around.

"Yeah," Jacinta said. "She's gotta come all the way from Mrs. Teller's class is all." That was on the far side of the school from the cafeteria. "Oh, there she is..."

Erica couldn't believe it. The sound of the cafeteria changed when Cora walked in. The whole tone of the conversations shifted. More whispers, more laughing, faster talking.

Cora stared straight ahead, rigid, ignoring everything as she went through the line. As she sat with her friends, Erica was reminder of the night of her Transformation, how her face had looked like porcelain. If Cora looked like a doll now, it was a darkly angry doll, like out of a horror movie.

They all looked at each other as Cora started eating her food. Nobody said anything for a few seconds, unsure how to deal with the elephant in the room.

Jacinta spoke up. "Did you all see that meatloaf? I swear it's the same..."

Cora interrupted. "Don't fucking bother. Pretending isn't gonna make it go away. Ain't gonna make me feel any better, either."

After a beat, Erica asked, "How you holding up?"

Cora said, "Hmph. Okay."

"Anybody giving you shit?" Gabriela asked, aggressively.

Unexpectedly, Cora smiled thinly. "Kyle and Louis, for one. Dumbfucks. I just pointed out that I knew they sent that picture out, and did they want me to press charges?"

Nobody laughed, but that got a few smiles.

Cora was shaking her head. "The guys I expected. But the girls are all looking at me, too. If they aren't totes ignoring me."

Kristina put a hand on Cora's. "Bet a lot are jealous." At Cora's start, she said quickly, "Not the picture! But you're one of the hottest girls at Hillman. And now their boyfriends know it for sure."

Erica wondered for a moment if Cora would take offense, but by her shrug she seemed to appreciate Kristina's honesty.

"It'll all blow over," Linda said. "Nobody even remembers Erica getting peppered."

Cora inhaled... but then let it out slowly. Comparing naked pictures to messing up a cheer wasn't going to go over well. Linda realized that, judging from her expression. Jacinta leapt in to help move the conversation along.

"The gym teacher was walking back and forth in the locker room, before and after. Just watching, making sure there weren't any phones." She had morning gym.

Cora sighed. "Woulda been nice a couple days ago." She shrugged. "Oh well."

"I guess there's gonna be an assembly later," David said.

Cora's eyes rolled. "Oh, that's gonna be a treat," she griped.

~~~~~

Mrs. Schimke stood at the podium in the gym, addressing the hastily-scheduled afternoon assembly. "Several recent incidents have shown that we need to go over the school policy on electronics." She paused, looking over the crowd. "Phones are permitted for emergencies only. They are to be switched off when not in use. Photos may be taken only with school equipment under supervision of faculty personnel."

Brandon kept his eyes firmly on the principal. He certainly didn't look Cora's way, where she was sitting with her friends. From the corners of his eyes he could see about half the crowd was looking at her.

The other half was looking at him, and Danielle.

The rumors about her being responsible, because of him, were everywhere. Last night, Danielle swore to him - up, down, and sideways - that she had nothing to do with the picture.

It sure didn't seem likely she'd done it. It didn't make sense that she'd do something so harsh, just to 'protect her turf'. Danielle was kinda jealous, and he knew she didn't like Cora, but that would be... fucked up.

Besides, Cora'd been kinda friendlier to him since that lock-in, but she sure as shit wasn't into him. He didn't have the secret girl codebook, but she never acted like... well, like Danielle.

Not that Danielle was acting much like Danielle today. She'd been pissy and grumbling when she met him before the assembly.

"Mrs. Schimke 'requested' that I switch my gym and calc classes." Danielle had said. "To 'defuse tension.' I told her, 'Why should I move? I didn't do anything!' But she said 'Cora'd had a shock and it wasn't fair to make her move!'"

To be honest, Brandon had to agree with Mrs. Schimke, though he couldn't tell Danielle that. He was seriously impressed Cora was there at all, really. Coming right back to school like that must have taken shitloads of guts. Whoever had taken that shot, he hoped they got what was coming to them.

He felt guilty thinking it, but if Danielle had done it to attack Cora, it had maybe backfired some. He'd deleted the picture when it came his way, and tried to get his friends to as well. But he had to admit, Cora was hot. Slim, yeah, but not skinny. Just... tight. He couldn't wipe his memories like a phone.

Calc was coming up next. It was gonna be a lot harder to ignore her when she was sitting right next to him. He hoped she didn't blame him for the whole mess. Best he just ignore her, not toss any more grief on her plate.

~~~~~

Cora hadn't backed down from going to school. But she'd asked to take a car instead of the bus. Miranda had, of course, agreed to let them borrow hers, and Erica rode with her. Cora didn't make even a token protest about Erica doing the driving home. She was too worked up to worry about incidentals.

She practically growled when she spoke. "Brandon didn't say a fucking thing. Kept ignoring me, like he was scared of me."

Erica waited to make sure she wasn't going to say anything further, then said, "I think maybe he is."

"But he didn't do anything! He doesn't even think Danielle did anything!" Cora scowled. "Fucking moron."

"Us Sisters know that, but he doesn't know that we know. You know?"

"Whatever." Cora didn't sound mollified. But Erica was pleased to note she followed the logic. Girls tended to grasp motivations, and the consequences of differential information, better than boys, and Cora was showing more awareness of such things.

Cora kept growling anyway. "He still could grow a pair and say something. 'Sorry that happened.' 'Are you okay?' Something."

"What if you thought he was acting guilty?"

"But I... He..." Cora apparently gamed it out in her head, for she finally said, "Fine. Whatever." As was her wont, it didn't take long for her to switch to another problem. "I still haven't come up with anything to destroy Danielle."

Erica wished, a little, that Cora wouldn't hold on to her hate like that. It wasn't Sisterly. On the other hand, she herself had a less-than-Sisterly attitude toward Danielle. "Karma's coming. The Goddess will provide." Somehow, she added to herself, hoping. "She looked pretty pissed to be in the same class as me."

Cora grunted contemptuously. "The Goddess got me into this fucking mess."

"Well, trust your Sisters, then. None of us are gonna give up."

Cora's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything for a moment. Then she shook her head and changed the subject. "A lot of girls were acting weird today. I know I heard Maya say 'slut' when I went by."

"Yeah, I figured there'd be some of that," Erica said sadly.

Confusion and anger warred for control of Cora's expression. "Hold the fuck up. Some bitch takes a picture of me and sends it all over... and that makes me a slut?"

Erica chewed her lip for a few seconds, searching for a way to explain. "You... well, you got noticed by a lot of people. In, y'know, like, a sexual context."

Cora obviously didn't follow. "What? They think I wanted this shit to happen?"

"They're not thinking at all. It's just... 'girl' plus 'sex' equals 'slut'. For a lot of people. Even girls."

"But I didn't..."

Erica waved her hand to slow Cora down. "A lot of people, they think that kind of shit doesn't happen to 'nice' girls. So if it does, it, like, automatically means she wasn't a 'nice' girl."

The dark-haired girl's hands had balled into fists. But she was paying close attention.

Erica went on. "I think some of it's... I dunno. Sort of wishful thinking. Almost like a defense mechanism." Cora just stood fuming, but didn't say anything. "If shit like that can happen even if you're careful and follow all the rules... it's scary. That would mean it could happen to them."

Understanding some new concept usually calmed Cora down, or at least distracted her. Not this time. She was icily furious as she hissed, "And that's too upsetting to think about. So if some girl gets fucked over, she must have been asking for it."

"Not everybody's that stupid," Erica hastened to say.

"Just enough to screw me over even more," Cora growled.

~~~~~

Cora said nothing at all during dinner. She'd looked at enough social media to see that Erica's words about reputation and blame were true. Cora had defenders, but they were not a clear majority.

It evolved into a very low-key evening after that. A quiet cleanup, homework, a little zoning in front of the TV. Cora seemed understandably preoccupied; no less angry, but deep in thought. Everyone gave her space but stayed close enough to let her know they were there for her.

It was while the two were getting ready for bed that Cora dropped her bombshell.

"So what does a girl do to get a boy to ask her out?"

Erica looked up, nearly in shock. After a second, she managed to speak. "Why... I mean, boys are still hitting on you, right?"

Cora sighed. "Not today. But yeah, in general. A girl just needs to exist for that." She paused. "I meant, if a girl wants a particular boy to ask her out. Like, let him know she's available."

Erica was in shock, now. She just stared, mouth open slightly.

"Goddammit, it's not like that!" Cora snarled.

Erica finally managed to speak. "What the fuck is going on?"

Cora stared at the wall for a while. "I've been trying to come up with a way to get Danielle. Really get her."

Erica had a sudden horrible suspicion.

Cora confirmed it. "I got the idea after the assembly. Danielle looked so totally pissed when Brandon went to my calc class and she had to go to gym." She glowered even more intensely. "The whole reason she went off on me was 'cause she thought I was trying to steal Brandon. Well, the absolute best way to hurt her is to make that come true."

Erica floundered. "But... but..."

"I am going to fucking get Danielle. I can't kill her, I can't even kick her ass. And the goddam Sisters won't give me any Magical help."

"Not like that. But they're..."

Cora shut her down brusquely. "If it doesn't cut Danielle's fucking heart out, I don't give a shit what help they want to give. So I'll just take Brandon away myself if that's what it takes."

Erica mulled it over for a moment. "Kinda hard on Brandon. Just using him to get back at Danielle."

"I sorta want to get back at him, too, some. Didn't take him long to hook up with her after... after Cory was gone. And he could have fucking said something yesterday."

Erica didn't know what to say. Finally, she just said, "Congratulations. That's a very girlish way to think about it."

With clenched teeth, Cora bit out, "I don't have any boyish options anymore. And besides, you said I shouldn't seem all lesbo."

"I didn't mean that!" To herself, though, Erica had to admit that going after a boy would combat those rumors pretty effectively...

But this was a bad idea every other way. "Y'know, he might not go for it."

Cora shrugged. "And if he doesn't, maybe that'll get Danielle to back the fuck off."

"Maybe," Erica said. "It might make her go all scorched earth, take no prisoners, though."

"She'd do something worse than take naked pictures of me and spread them all over school?"

Erica didn't know what to say to that either.

~~~~~

The three witches hung up their phones. They sat in silence for a time, digesting Miranda's latest report about Cora. Erica had telepathically alerted her Mother that something was up, and let her mind be read.

Then, Jacqui scowled. "What do you think?"

Bronwyn shrugged. "I don't see why you're even asking. Of course we allow it."

"Hold it. It's not that cut and dried! They were good friends before Cora's Transformation. Close enough for him to do some digging on Cory. And..."

Only Laurie could manage to interrupt so politely. "That's been true for Sisters all through history. For thousands of years, Sisters knew everyone in their village their whole lives. Everyone did." She smiled a little. "It wouldn't be the first time a Sister found herself feeling differently about a friend, after."

"That's not what's going on here." Jacqui was shaking her head. "Cora's not a typical Sister. To say the least. This isn't about feelings for him anyway. It's about how much she hates Danielle."

"Okay," Bronwyn conceded, "it's not the purest motivation in the world." Now she had her own scowl. "But any motivation at all is an improvement. What happened to Cora was horrible, but maybe the Goddess can bring some good out of it."

Jacqui was not mollified. "In the past, everyone in the village had their memories changed. What's-his-name, Brandon, still remembers Cory."

Bronwyn's lips were pursed. "It's a little risky, true..."

Jacqui got up to pace. "A little risky?! Goddess, we've cut so many corners here. Cory figured it out - and Erica was much further along than Cora is now, and Cory didn't even know her that well, and..."

Bronwyn put her hand on Jacqui's shoulder, holding her in place. "The Sisterhood has always taken refuge in audacity in this respect. It's just too unlikely. Even Cory wouldn't have noticed anything amiss if he hadn't been able to partially guard his memories."

Laurie, seeing Jacqui's obvious doubt, moved close and spoke up again. "Truly, luv, it's worked for many thousands of years. I know some things are different today, with technology. We're all grateful you understand that realm." She stood to touch Jacqui's other shoulder now. "But people haven't changed all that much. I think you know that, too."

Her daughter was silent, but the opposition was still clear. Laurie sighed. "Yes, we'd be taking a chance. But Cora's miserable. This might help her adjust, too." She tightened her grip on Jacqui's shoulder. "Consider, dear heart, that this is the first time she's shown any, any real agency since the Transformation. She's been doing what we told her, following directions. And that's all. She needs to start making choices and plans for herself."

Bronwyn spoke up. "And even if the plan itself is... questionable, you have to admit it has some useful aspects."

Jacqui nibbled her lower lip for a time, pondering. Then she looked back and forth at both witches. "I know, get her to act like a girl and her instincts should kick in. But..." She trailed off, shaking her head. The two senior Sisters waited, letting her mull it over some more.

Jacqui's frown deepened. "Okay, let's say I buy that this Brandon boy won't make any dangerous connections. So... do we help her? And in what ways?"

"Oh, there are things we can do." Bronwyn was grinning mischievously.

Jacqui pulled gently away to pace again. "You're not suggesting we encourage the boy's interest?"

"No, that is not what we mean." Laurie said sharply. "Danielle deserves every bit of this, and more. But Brandon hasn't done anything." She shook her head. "Ordinarily, I'd never consider breaking up a couple, but even I find it hard to feel much of the Goddess' Love for Danielle."

Jacqui spread her hands in placation. "I'm not thrilled about any of it! But if we go along with this at all, I have to admit I can't imagine anything else that'd get Cora on a date with a boy so soon. And apparently the reason Danielle's got it in for Cora is because Brandon's already thinking about her." Her frown came back. "At least, she thinks so. That's the first thing to check."

"No." Bronwyn was firm. "We don't use any kind of mental Magic - yet. Not just for moral reasons, either. Think! If Cora has to seduce him all on her own - read his feelings, plan out her strategy..."

Jacqui's smile suddenly matched Bronwyn's for mischief. "She'll have to develop her feminine wiles!"

"Then, if she succeeds, we might plant a few dreams and Suggestions to help guide Brandon in the most useful directions." Bronwyn said, her grin now positively dangerous.

"Ah," Jacqui breathed, enlightened. All three witches were smiling, now.

Jacqui even managed to be a little philosophical. "If this were some new boy she was actually into, I'd have to do some probing, vet him a little. But Brandon's been a 'person of interest' all along. I've seen enough of him to be pretty sure he won't assault her or anything, at least. If she succeeds." She shrugged. "It won't last, anyway."

"You're right, it probably won't last," Bronwyn agreed. "But how many high-school romances do?" An eyebrow rose. "And who knows? Sometimes lies become truth. I had to shove you at Marcus, remember?"

Laurie smiled in remembrance. "This Brandon sounds like a nice-enough specimen. I can commend his loyalty to his friend, even if it's been inconvenient for us."

"Well, I guess we'll have to pray this gives him something else to focus on."

~~~~~

"Whaddaya think?" Cora asked, as soon as Erica stepped back with her makeup brush.

Erica studied the girl's outfit carefully, from bottom to top, by the morning light leaking through Cora's bedroom window.

Pointed tan boots with a bit of heel; 'skinny jeans', tight all the way down to the calf, were tucked into them. The combination showed off her legs well.

The boots and jeans weren't unusual for Cora, though. She'd worn the tight knit shirt before, too. But she'd always worn it under something else, if only a vest. Not today.

The brown top clung to her closely, outlining her upper body. In some of the outfits Cora wore, it was hard to even gauge the shape and size of her breasts. That wouldn't be a problem today.

She'd borrowed a pair of attractive earrings from Erica - not just studs today, these dangled - which were visible because her hair was pulled back somewhat. And she had on a couple bracelets. Her cosmetics were just a shade more pronounced than usual; the tube of Mary Kay lipstick had finally been opened. Cora had even broken out the tweezers and shaped her eyebrows a bit, something she'd refused to do ever since her makeup breakdown.

It was all pretty typical, really. It wouldn't be anything special for at least half of the girls at school. For Cora, though, it was a marked step up. And she had the face and body to make such an ensemble really pop.

"If you're positive this is what you wanna do..." Erica paused and sighed. "Then I gotta admit, that totally oughta get his attention."

Cora inspected herself in the mirror, a pensive look on her face. "And all the other boys, too."

Erica shrugged. "Kinda the problem with sending out signals like that. Can't really, y'know, 'collimate the beam' much." More seriously, she continued. "I guess everybody's looking at you already."

Cora pondered for a few moments more, then squared her shoulders. "Ah, fuck it. I can pretend it's because of the clothes, and not... you know." Her lip curled up in a slight snarl. "And maybe it'll at least make Danielle sweat a little."

All the boys'll be sweating, too, for different reasons, Erica thought to herself. But there was more. "You realize a lot of girls ain't gonna be down with this. There's that whole 'slut' thing."

"They can blow me," Cora said, with more enthusiasm than strict anatomical accuracy.

They went downstairs, and Miranda looked convincingly surprised. Indeed, not all of her surprise was feigned. Cora had never done herself up so throughly outside of femininity lessons. Haylie stopped eating breakfast and just stared, openmouthed.

Erica spoke first, just as if she hadn't warned her Mother last night. "Cora's going to try to steal Brandon from Danielle."

Miranda appeared to think that over. "We'll need to run that idea past the senior Sisterhood. That might have, ah... security implications."

"Let 'em try to stop me," Cora said curtly.

Miranda's eyebrows raised, but she said, "In any case, you look beautiful, Cora."

Cora just scoffed, mouth quirked to one side.

~~~~~

Cora: check it <selfie.jpg>

Jacinta: whoa muy caliente!!!

Gabriela: hottt!

Cora: war now. makin play 4 brandon

[Jacinta private to Gabriela: bak me up]

Jacinta: omg thanks 4 telling us on way 2 school! :-( u shoulda called!

Cora: uh sorry. really

Gabriela: yeah seriously!!

Jacinta: gotta warn us. how we bak u up?

Cora: I dont no?

Jacinta: omg u can be so clueless!!! :p
Jacinta: u think just lookin fine will do it?!

Gabriela: yeah he's not a dick!!!

Cora: what could u do?

[Gabriela private to Jacinta: omg luv her but sumtimes aaaahhhhh!]

Jacinta: he aint gonna dump Dani just cuz some chica flirts w/him!

Cora: so... what?

[Jacinta private to Gabriela: ikr? grrr]

Gabriela: make Dani piss him off

Jacinta: yeah push&pull

Cora: how do i do that?

Jacinta: duh!!! u dont!! WE do!!!!!
Jacinta: start rumors B wants u say he called u last night

Cora: O.o?
Cora: but he didn't

Gabriela: will piss D off
Gabriela: she'll smother him

Cora: bitch already thinks he wants me

Jacinta: but now u dress up
Jacinta: shell wonder

Gabriela: every1 will
Gabriela: omg! we cn say Derek likes u too

Jacinta: perfect!! <3

Cora: i dont get it

Gabriela: mindys bae u ditz
Gabriela: every1 will WANT to buy it

Jacinta: right and m and d will wonder bout each other

Gabriela: u don't say shit tho
Gabriela: has to come from us

Cora: thx u guys!!
Cora: <3 u c u soon

~~~~~

Jacinta blinked when she caught sight of Cora at her locker. The girl was gorgeous.

With almost anybody else, she'd be at least a little jealous. Especially 'cause Cora knew she was gorgeous. But somehow she never acted like it made her better than anybody else. Like her beauty was something that had happened to her, a thing she had to deal with. Not a part of her.

But now she was using it. Weaponizing it. And it was some heavy artillery.

She hurried up and gave Cora a hug. "Daayum, girl!" she gushed, looking her up and down."You look amazing!"

Gabriela was right behind. "Ohmigod, you look awesome! Brandon's toast!"

Cora blushed just a little. "Thanks." Earnestly, she asked, "I was thinking. He'll know he wasn't going after me. He'll tell her."

"Doesn't matter." Gabriela's hands mimed waving away an irrelevancy. "Dani'll be worried, no matter what he says. She already is."

Cora had that million-miles-away look. She was in 'processing mode', where she was thinking about some new idea. Finally, Jacinta thought.

It was enough for now. "Shit, we gotta get to class. See you at lunch, okay? Hugs!"

"Stay strong, sister," Gabriela said, hugging her too.

~~~~~

Brandon was coming to regret his mistake. Massively.

Sitting next to Cora in math class, after the assembly yesterday, had been excruciating. He'd tried to pretend she wasn't even there, but he'd sensed how angry she was anyway. By the time the bell rang her face was all squinched and he had a good start on a headache just from being near all that tension. Like her anger was actually beaming at him.

He'd made the mistake then: rushing out of class. Only on the drive home did he realize what he should have done - gone and talked to Mr. Stratton, asked him to swap his seat somewhere away from Cora. Anywhere away from her. The hall would be fine.

There hadn't been time today before class. So here he was, right next to her again. And she was even harder to ignore.

He'd actually stared for just a second when she came in. She never wore shirts that tight. He didn't know much about clothes, but he was positive anyway... because he would have remembered seeing her shoulders, and waist, and most especially her breasts outlined like that.

And she wasn't acting mad at him! When she'd sat down, she'd casually said "Hey," and smiled that unsettling little Mona Lisa smile of hers. As if she did it every day.

He'd looked away and mumbled, feeling like a tool.

It was extremely confusing. It just confirmed his unofficial motto - 'bitches be crazy'. The reason people avoided lunatics was because you couldn't predict what they might do.

~~~~~

Erica and Cora got a ride home with David. They didn't talk much in the car - Erica was pleased he seemed to sense they needed space - so she pounced on Cora when they got up to her room.

Cora didn't have many specifics to report. "The locker room was pretty fucking quiet today, " she noted. After a beat, she said, "I think he noticed. I mean, he was even more quiet than yesterday."

Erica shrugged, in no doubt who 'he' was. "Look, I guarantee he noticed. He just doesn't know what to do about it."

Cora glowered at her mirror while she pulled out some hair clips. "How about asking me out?"

Erica managed not to sigh. "Hel-lo? You think it'd be that easy? He'd just dump his girlfriend because someone prettier started making eyes at him? I never heard he was a douchebag."

"That's what 'Cinta and Gabriela said," Cora grumbled, removing her earrings.

Erica's ears perked up. "Yeah? What else did she say?"

"They're spreading stories Brandon and Derek are hitting on me."

"Ooohh, Danielle and Mindy won't like that." Her lips pursed. "I better call her, keep our stories straight."

A knock came at the door. Miranda leaned in. "Cora, dear, the Sisters are on that Skype thing. They want to talk about your plan," she said, half-apologetically.

Cora took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Tell 'em five minutes. I gotta get this gunk off my face."

~~~~~

Cora laid out her case for Bronwyn and the others firmly. She was stating what was going to happen, not asking permission. And it was clear from her demeanor that she would not be dissuaded easily - if at all.

The Sisters were silent for a few moments. Jacqui cocked her head and said, "This is risky, you know. Brandon knew you as Cory, as well as anybody. He's already on our watch list because he's been making inquiries about what happened."

Cora was unfazed. "I can handle him."

"Perhaps," Bronwyn said, "but the potential problems are... substantial. As you know."

Laurie said, gently, "The safest thing is to have as little contact with him as possible."

"Tried that already. Didn't protect me from Danielle," Cora said, staring levelly at the screen.

The Sisters looked at each other for a few moments. Cora's gaze never wavered.

"We won't forbid it," Bronwyn finally pronounced, "but we can't provide any assistance."

"Yeah, so what else is new?" Cora muttered, perhaps a bit unfairly to Erica's mind. "So how's the Dream Police bit going?" she said with ill-concealed derision.

Bronwyn was unperturbed. "All three had a very unrestful night."

"Goody. Are we done?"

Bronwyn's eyebrows rose but her tone was level when she replied, "Yes, for now."

On her way out the door, Cora said, "Good. I gotta pick an outfit for tomorrow."

The other witches said more polite goodbyes, but everyone was definitely subdued.

~~~~~

Erica didn't precisely sneak away from Cora while they were studying that night. But she didn't announce her intentions either as she left the table. She was pretty sure Cora would need some sex to relax later and she had a call to make in private.

Jacinta got right to the point. "You gotta be in on what Cora's doing, right?"

"Yeah," Erica said, a shade cautiously.

"I gotta know. Is she at all in to him? Or is it just about Danielle?"

Erica paused. Jacqui had informed her about Jacinta's feelings about Cora, though, so she decided to trust her with as much truth as possible. "I... think it's mostly Danielle. She likes Brandon, but not, like, that way."

Jacinta processed that for a few moments. "Thought so," she said sadly. "D'ya think maybe she might get to like him, for real?"

Erica reflected on Silas, and Lucas, and Jacob. "Maybe. I kinda hope so."

There was another pause, then Jacinta asked, carefully, "Do you know why Cora's so... like... closed up all the time?"

Erica tried to decide how to answer that. "She's, um, had... tough experiences." Apologetically, "It's not my call, to tell you, I mean."

Long pauses were all over the conversation. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Erica sighed. "I dunno for sure. But Brandon's pretty cute, and he sounds like a decent guy. I think if Cora spends some time with him, she might notice that. Eventually."

Jacinta sighed herself. "So basically we try to get them together, and hope her hormones kick in?"

Thank the Goddess for Jacinta, Erica thought. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, okay. But if he hurts her, I'm gonna totally shred him."

Erica smiled. "If there's anything left after I'm done." She shifted to business. "So, what exactly are you saying about Brandon and Derek? I don't wanna mess that up."

Jacinta gave a summary of the salient points. Erica was glad she hadn't said anything to undermine the rumors. Both agreed that most wouldn't believe the claims, yet the story would be too juicy not to spread.

A last pause. "I'm really glad she has you and Gabriela for friends," Erica said.

"No biggie," Jacinta replied. They exchanged farewells and Erica went back to her homework with more to think about.

~~~~~

Cora had worn tights to school before. Plenty of times. But never without a skirt.

Many girls did, naturally. Hillman High's dress code classified "tight-fitting or spandex clothing" as "subject to correction", but sending students home was a headache and this was southern California, after all. Only really egregious instances were acted upon.

Cora was fairly deep into 'egregious' territory. The sheer, dark purple cloth so closely clung to her lower body that it might as well have been painted on. Every curve was on display, and no panty lines were visible. The thong betrayed its presence only by the lack of camel-toe.

The girls had calculated that she'd probably skate by. The teachers wouldn't want to single Cora out any further if they could help it. She couldn't get away with fashion murder - exposing forbidden skin like midriff or cleavage - but manslaughter should be fine if she didn't do it every day.

Below the tights were black ankle-boots with a two-inch heel. Above, she wore a bright, thin blouse under a short, black vest. There was a trick to that; the vest ended above the waist while the blouse made it to the top of the hips. The just-off-white bar of the shirt between the darker tights and vest emphasized the waistline; Cora's was quite slim and benefitted from the showcasing.

Her eyeshadow had hints of violet, as did her bracelets, complementing and accenting the color of the tights.

Erica smiled as she snapped a picture. "You look fantastic!"

Cora smiled absently, intently checking everything in the mirror on her closet door. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

Erica smiled. Seeing Cora really work at appearances had pushed her to step up her own game a bit. They'd both gotten up a half hour early again to work on their hair and makeup, and Erica had on her shortest school-legal skirt and highest school-legal heels. A light top speckled with tiny silvery studs completed the look.

~~~~~

Brandon swallowed when Cora came in the door. As she approached her desk - and thus, his desk - he tried to keep his eyes down.

It didn't matter. The image from this morning was too fresh, too easy to summon up. He'd noticed and admired the ass of the girl up ahead in the hall, for a few seconds. Then his guts had dropped as he'd realized he'd seen that ass before. Maybe not as clearly outlined, but much closer. He'd been impressed with Cora's behind since the lock-in.

When she'd turned up ahead, it had been anticlimactic to see the outline of her face confirming the ID. He'd been dreading this class ever since, and now here she was.

"Hey, Brandon, how's it going?" Her voice was warm and friendly, and she wore an inviting smile. It made it a little easier to keep from looking at what she was wearing below the waist.

He kept himself to a simple "Hey." That should be safe enough.

She was pulling out a sheet of homework. "What'd ya get for the last one?" she asked.

He kept himself from swallowing nervously again. "Um. Lemme check. X cubed plus x plus c, I think." Stick to business.

"Good," Cora said brightly, "me too." She cocked her head in curiosity. "Whatcha doing this weekend?"

This is gonna be a long class.

~~~~~

David was warming up, swinging a bat with some weights on it. He saw Brandon, changed into shorts and his running shoes, hurry out of the gym and jog toward the baseball diamond. When he got close, David set the bat on his shoulder. "Hey, man, what's up?"

Brandon looked harried. "Not much. Gotta be quick, gotta get back." His head jerked toward the rest of the track team warming up for sprints, over by the lanes. He paused, then said, quietly, "You ever see Cora?"

David squinted, but answered in similar low tones. "Not a hell of a lot."

"Does Erica ever talk about her?"

David gave him a long, skeptical glance. "Dude. She oughta be the last chick on Earth you pay any attention to."

"Hey," Brandon said, seriously. "It's not like that, okay? But I have to see her every day, and she hates my girlfriend's guts. But she doesn't..." He threw up his hands. "Does she hate me, or like me, or not give two shits one way or the other?"

David shrugged unhelpfully. "How the fuck would I know?"

"Like I said - Erica. Does she tell you anything?"

David shook his head. "Brah, do you think I'm fucking retarded? I do not talk about other girls with her! Even her cousin!"

Brandon looked so sad that David felt the need to further justify himself. "Half the time I dunno what Erica's thinking, and she actually talks to me."

Brandon sighed. "Fuck."

"Sorry, brah. Just be, like, polite, I guess."

Brandon snorted, and turned away to start loping toward the track. "Thanks anyway. See you later, brah!" he called over his shoulder.

David felt uneasy. Naturally he'd noticed the way Cora had dressed the last couple days, but as he'd said, he wasn't clueless enough to mention it to Erica. It probably didn't have any relevance to his mission, but he didn't like surprises when it came to Sisters. This would bear investigation.

~~~~~

The weekend brought a welcome respite from unwanted attention.

Mostly. Cora complained about the group of three boys she'd caught sniggering and pointing at her while she was working at the Fun Warehouse.

Scheming proceeded apace, however. Erica was at work when she got a surprise text from Jacinta. Later, on break, she called as asked.

Jacinta got right to business. "David hangs out with Brandon sometimes, right?"

"Um, yeah..." Erica said, noncommittal.

"Does he say anything about how Brandon's taking all this?"

"Not really. We kinda don't talk about it. I don't wanna put him in the middle if I can help it."

"Shit," Jacinta said, but she didn't sound surprised, or even upset. "Okay. Anyway. I was thinking you could say the police have some evidence on Danielle that they haven't talked about yet. That they told Cora that."

"Huh. That'd keep her jumping, yeah. Might even scare Becca or Mindy."

"At least it might keep them from trying anything else for a while."

"Yeah, good point. Okay, I'll say something at Sunday practice.

"Awesome! Catch ya later!"

"Bye!" Erica went back to work, happier than ever at Cora's luck with friends.

~~~~~

"Cora! We gotta get going! We're gonna miss the bus!" Erica sounded like any frantic teenage girl.

"Just getting my backpack," Cora called. Monday morning had come and Cora had gone right to the wire getting her hair ready. The girls shouted their goodbyes to Miranda and bolted out the door.

She watched the young ladies as they raced away to the bus stop, talking and laughing, dressed up and made up... and felt a stab of jealousy. It was petty, she knew it, but they were so young, so beautiful. She herself didn't look like that anymore.

Part of being a woman was accepting a different relationship with aging than men. Men had to come to terms with getting older, but it was a much gentler slope for them. And the field of competition changed over time, too. A middle-aged man could have more money than the young bucks, or more education, or more experience.

For women, looks were a bigger slice of the pie. The biggest, all too often, as far as men noticed. She wasn't an old crone by any means, but gravity and California sunshine were taking their toll.

It wasn't something she dwelled on, normally. And really, she wouldn't want to be a pretty young thing again if it meant she had to give up being a Mother. It was just, when Cora really tried, the girl looked amazing. She found herself hoping that Cora would learn to appreciate her beauty before it was gone, and not just as a tool.

~~~~~

"You gotta stop hanging out with David," Danielle said.

Brandon felt his jaw tighten, and made it relax. They didn't have a lot of time between lunch and afternoon classes as it was. He didn't want to spend it arguing. "Look, I know he's Erica's boyfriend. But we don't talk about you or her," he lied.

It was only a little lie; it had just been that once. And he'd only been doing research, not scoping a potential girlfriend. But Danielle wouldn't understand that, wouldn't believe him.

Shit, I wouldn't believe me, he thought. Cora's a dime.

Danielle wasn't mollified, and cried, "But it looks bad!"

"Hey, I can hang with him 'cause you didn't take that shot. Maybe if he sees we're cool he can get Erica and Cora off your back."

"Oh, like that's ever gonna happen," Danielle growled. "And now Cora's hitting on you!"

"She's not!" he said, almost trying to convince himself too. "It's just, she's not mad at me, that's all."

"Oh, right, and you haven't noticed how she dresses like a slut for you, and smiles at you, and..."

"I don't think she's doing it for me," he protested. He wanted to object to the 'slut' thing too, but that probably wouldn't be productive. "It's a miracle she doesn't hate my guts because she's all mad at you."

"So you have been looking at her!"

"What? That's not what I said!" Frantically, he backpedaled. "She sits next to me. But I don't talk to her any more than I have to."

"And that's another thing! You should tell Mr. Stratton to move her. Or you. Or something."

"I almost did, that first day. Now it's too late, it'd look like I was running away or something."

"I don't care! She's trying to get you!"

"How do you even know?" he said, a little more irritated than he should have.

"Girls know," Danielle said darkly.

"Well, you're my girl. I'm not gonna run off just 'cause people think you're, uh..."

"A bitch?" Danielle was suddenly almost crying. "That's what they say, right?"

"Not around me," he said. He left the other part unsaid: Not when they know I'm around, anyway. He'd overheard some unpleasant exchanges.

"Well, they say it to me."

He shrugged. "Don't let it get to you. Soon as they figure out who really took that pic everybody'll be on their knees apologizing." He took her in a gentle hug.

Danielle didn't seem comforted by the image, or his arms. "I know, just... I haven't been sleeping too good. I'm sorry."

He'd been pretty sure of that - she usually looked sick or hung over these days - but this was the first time she'd said something, given him an excuse to ask. "What's wrong, babe?"

"I keep dreaming that..." She swallowed. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, very quietly. "Could you just keep hugging me, please?"

"Sure, babe," he said, and gave her a squeeze. "Want a ride home?"

Danielle made a little moue of irritation. "Not on your stupid bike. I told you, helmets mess up my hair."

"Just trying to help," he murmured, concealing his own irritation.

~~~~~

Brandon relaxed into the couch. David passed him a controller. "Zombie mode?"

Brandon nodded. "Fuckin' a." He needed a break from worrying about Danielle and Cora and all that shit. Danielle might not like him hanging with David, but the guy was all right. He was one of those rare types who got along with almost all the various high-school cliques and tribes, sort of floating above the games and sparring. He could hang with the popular crowd or the goths or the nerds and nobody minded.

So it was pretty annoying when, between rounds, he asked, "So how's Danielle doing?"

Brandon glared at him. "Fuck, man, just yesterday she wanted me to stop hanging with you." He bristled. "I told her it was cool 'cause we don't talk about this bullshit."

David looked a little annoyed himself. "Brah, I'm not, like, spying on you. Or her. I just know it's kinda rough right now."

And there was one reason why David was so popular. He could make jokes - good ones - but you knew when he was being serious, too. He actually seemed to want to listen to people. Not quite sure how or when he'd decided, Brandon talked. "She said she's having bad dreams."

David mused. "Feeling guilty, maybe?"

"Or maybe everyone's accusing her for something she didn't do!" he replied hotly.

David looked alarmed, clearly realizing he'd overstepped. "Hey, my bad. Erica's, uh, 'highly agitated'. I guess it kinda leaked. Sorry." He spread his hands. "I know Danielle's under a lot of stress."

Brandon accepted the apology, but then his face crunched up. "Doesn't help she thinks Cora's hitting on me."

David tilted his head to the side. "Is she?"

He exploded. "I don't fucking know!" He took a deep breath. "She was fucking near psycho, the day after that picture. Now she smiles at me. And she's doing herself up more, but that might just be 'cause of the picture. Not letting them shut her down."

David's eyebrows were raised, but he just said, "Maybe." Then: "So how are you doing?"

Brandon threw up his hands. "Danielle's pissed all the time, and everybody looks at me at school. I never wanted to be a big deal. Not like this!" He sighed. "And if I'm tired of it, can you even imagine what Cora's thinking?" He looked up at David. "I swear, I found out who did it, I'm gonna kick their ass."

David shrugged. "Pretty much had to be a girl."

"I don't think I care anymore." He knew David would understand he was just venting. He wouldn't really beat up a chick. But he'd totally love to hand 'em over to the cops. "Look, can we talk about something else, please?"

"Okay, fine." David gave in easily. "Maybe we can find your chill on Bus Depot?" He was already firing up the map.

~~~~~

Jacinta spotted Cora coming backstage. The choir girls were supposed to wear a red blouse, along with either a black skirt and leggings or black trousers. A month ago, Cora would have been in pants, no question. Today, she was in a knee-length pencil skirt. It looked just as good on her as everything else did - although she seemed to have a little trouble walking in it. "Hey, girlfriend! How's it goin'?"

Cora smiled. "Hey! You look great!" They hugged quickly, both careful not to smear their makeup. She said, under her breath, "Gettin' tired of waiting for him to make a move."

Jacinta had no doubt who 'him' was. "Just chill. It'll happen. I seen the way he looks at you," she said with confidence. "You're getting to him."

She changed to a happier subject. "You hear about Mindy and Michaela? Got in a big fight at lunch. Michaela said something about her purse and Mindy just went off."

"I thought they were friends again," Cora said.

"Yeah, not so much now." She grinned vindictively. "Her and Becca and Danielle have a lot less people to hang with anymore."

Cora's grin was sharp, too.

~~~~~

Naturally the Jardins were attending the concert for support. They didn't go to all of Erica's outings as a cheerleader, but those were rather more frequent than concerts.

As they moved with the crowd toward the auditorium doors, she caught Aaron's dad checking out her boobs. He turned his head quickly, embarrassed. She kept her contemptuous sniff sub-audible. It was ridonkulous how many old men couldn't control their eyes around high school girls.

They found some good seats together and sat down. Haylie chattered a bit about her school. It seemed more and more of her classmates were getting to wear makeup to school. Miranda steadfastly declined to rise to the bait.

The choir filed in and took their places on the stage risers. As they did, Erica heard two ladies behind her whispering.

"That's the one. The little dark-haired one in front."

"She's no bigger than my niece! Did she skip grades?"

"No, Piper says she's her age. She's old enough to be in high school, that's for sure. I saw the picture."

Out of the corners of her eyes, Erica could see that Haylie and her Mom were sitting up stiffly, too. None of the Jardins said anything.

"What did she do to get someone so mad at her?"

"Apparently she was making eyes at Ellen Oprisko's daughter's boyfriend."

"Huh. Well, she had to expect some kind of reaction."

"If she dresses like that, I can't think she minds the attention that much. Look at that skirt."

Erica realized she was grinding her teeth in fury. She was right on the edge of turning and blurting something when the lights dimmed. The two women stopped talking. Erica took a long, slow, calming breath and tried to just focus on the concert.

~~~~~

"It's all backwards," Cora lamented, staring at herself in the mirror.

"What do you mean?" Erica said. She was quietly relieved that Cora wasn't quite so prickly about makeup lessons anymore.

"Before, when..." She stopped. "Cory always went after a girl he wanted. You know, asked her, made the approach."

Erica reflected Eric had seldom had that kind of courage.

"A girl has to, I dunno, entice. Attract." She shrugged. "It's like... I dunno... like fishing instead of hunting. Putting out the bait and waiting." Cora's tone made 'waiting' almost an epithet.

"Hey, lots of girls ask guys out!"

Cora shook her head. "Yeah, but... I know him. Enough for that. He just, like... wouldn't take that well. A girl going right after him."

"Danielle did," Erica noted.

"And how's that working out for her?" Cora shook her head. "Anyway, that's only part of it."

"What's the other part?"

"It... it doesn't work right if I take him. I mean, like, Danielle'd be pissed, sure, but..." She trailed off, obviously struggling to put her thoughts into words. "It's better if he leaves her. If he chooses, like, all by himself." Her grin was so full of female malice that Erica was taken aback.

"He's still got a choice, like, if you ask him," Erica pointed out.

Cora frowned. "Yeah, but... then it's me making an offer, and him taking it. It works better if he comes after me." That grin was back. "That way it really sticks it to her."

Erica was silent for a few moments. Cora's grasp of the psychology of the situation was surprisingly astute.

"All right. Nothing to do but keep on, then."

Cora scoffed, clearly judging her permitted tools insufficient to the task.

~~~~~

"She keeps looking back," Cora whispered happily, leaning in. "This is so tight!"

"I think Brandon's trying real hard not to look at you," Jacinta whispered back.

Even as she said it, Danielle stole a quick, murderous glance at them. Her grip tightened on Brandon's arm.

Lincoln High was the perennial rival of Hillman's. The football game drew almost as many alumni as homecoming, and a big chunk of the students. Cory and Brandon had made it every year; Cora had known Brandon would be there. So she'd maneuvered to go with Jacinta and Gabriela. The girls had chosen seats as close as possible to him and Danielle.

As a tactic to annoy Danielle, it had obviously been successful. Even David, who was sitting with them because he couldn't be down with Erica and the cheerleaders, seemed to pick up on it. "You guys wanna move?" he asked quietly, the angle of his head indicating Danielle and her small crew.

"Let her move," Cora spat.

"OK, no worries," David said equitably.

The rest of the game passed relatively uneventfully. Hillman even won. Danielle almost dragged Brandon away once it was over, Mindy and Becca in tow.

~~~~~

"Fuck!" Cora shouted. "This seducing shit sucks!"

Cora might very well have spent more time in front of her mirror this last week testing out different looks than in all the months since the Transformation. As soon as she'd gotten back from choir practice she'd bounded up to her room to evaluate combinations.

Right now she was borrowing and testing one of Erica's belts. It was long and thin, but she'd knotted up the excess artistically. It added some style to an outfit - and emphasized how thin her waist was. Of course, it mostly sent that latter message to other girls; boys wouldn't consciously pick it up.

It secretly pleased Erica that Cora kept up a conversation while she explored fashion. Although the topic was too familiar. "Got hit on two more times today. Even fucking Lucas again, can you believe it?"

"Boys can be pretty frickin' dense." Erica sat on the bed, idly texting Kristina.

Cora absently nodded in agreement. Turning her head and holding her hair up in a ponytail, she watched herself and said, "I was hoping it wasn't gonna take this long."

It was all Erica could do not to stare in exasperation. "It's only been two weeks! Not even! You're trying to get him to dump his girlfriend, and you only get to see him in one class a day."

Cora nodded again. "I know. I got an idea, about that. But I need your help."

Erica squinted, cautious. "Whatcha thinking?"

Cora took a deep breath, then plunged on. "The girls soccer team has an away game Friday night. So Danielle'll be gone. But Brandon's got track practice right after school, and he'll still be here." She looked at Erica. "David knows Brandon, right?"

"Um... yeah, sorta. Why?" Erica said, suddenly experiencing more foreboding.

"I know you two were gonna check out that new superhero movie. Could you have David invite him along?"

Erica just stared. Her phone dinged a new text, but she didn't look down.

Cora pressed on. "You gotta help me! I need to, like, interact with him some, y'know? He won't go to a movie with just me and no Danielle. So he goes with David, and you're there, and then I just happen to come along. Like, at the last minute and all."

Erica sat there, dithering.

Cora kept pleading. "Look, even if it doesn't work with Brandon, it'll totes make Danielle lose her shit. I know, karma and good feelings and stuff..." - Cora's tone conveyed how much she cared about the Sisterhood's solicitude - "...but come the fuck on! This is Danielle!" She stared in Erica's eyes. "Are you gonna try to tell me she doesn't deserve it?"

Erica looked at her friend. She remembered telling Jacinta she didn't want to bring David into the drama. She also remembered Cora raging... and then, that night, bawling in her arms.

She squared her shoulders. "Fuck Danielle."

Cora's triumphant smile warmed Erica's heart. "Fuck yeah!"

~~~~~

"Is Cora coming?" David asked, as Erica slid into the seat next to him. She frequently rode with them to school, but she hadn't come out with Erica this morning. He was a little surprised; he'd have bet on her avoiding the bus for a while.

"No," Erica said quietly. She seemed pensive.

"Is there something going on?" David asked. He wouldn't dare do any mental probing, but he didn't need to use Dark Power to see she was troubled.

"I need to ask you something," Erica said. And then shut up.

He carefully damped his irritation. Girls. Instead he calmly asked, "What's up? Is it something with Cora?"

"You know the movie this weekend? Would it be okay if some other people came along?"

He blinked. "I guess." He blinked again. "You mean Cora?"

Erica fidgeted for a moment. "She's... there's somebody she, um, likes, but... anyway, she wants us to bring him along."

"Who?" he asked, almost certain of the answer.

Erica squared her shoulders. "Brandon."

Now he had to stay quiet for a while. It was hardly a surprise, after the football game, and the way Cora had been dressing. But it was like solving a complicated integral in his head, balancing the Brotherhood's interests against everything he knew of Erica, and Cora, and Brandon, and Danielle... He picked an approach and committed.

He spoke cautiously. "Look, I mean... fuck Danielle, y'know?" He wasn't just going on Erica's word. The Brotherhood's forensics had confirmed the identity of Cora's tormentor. But even if he'd known it had been someone else, he'd never have disputed it with Erica. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be her boyfriend anymore if he did.

He went on. "But, well, it doesn't sound like Cora's really into him. She just wants to get Danielle." Erica opened her mouth, but he held up his hand. "Like I said, fuck Danielle. But Brandon's not, y'know, just a way to get back at her. I'm positive he didn't have anything to do with that picture."

From the look in Erica's eyes, he suspected he wasn't saying anything she hadn't already thought about. He wrapped up. "I just... let's, y'know, minimize the civilian casualties?"

It was a calculated risk. He couldn't just be pussy-whipped, blindly doing anything Erica asked. It might raise suspicion, and besides, David had the feeling she didn't want a doormat. Anyway, he actually liked Brandon. He wouldn't toss him under the bus without need.

Erica bit her lower lip for a moment, not meeting his eyes. "Okay, fine. I think that's probably a lot of it." He was practiced in reading her cues, though, and he could tell she was damn sure that was a lot of it. "But... look, there's two things. One, Brandon's a big boy. He can make his own decisions. And don't you think he'd be better off without Danielle? However it happens?"

David shrugged and nodded, conceding the point but not the argument. He was pleased to see that she picked up on the nuances. She went on, "And two, I think... look, this might not make sense to you, but I think Cora kinda needs a boyfriend. And you're right, Brandon's a good guy. I think..."

She paused and looked down. "Well, okay, I hope they might make a good couple. I hope she might change her mind if they actually get together."

David stared out the windshield for a while, at the Jardins garage door, mulling it over. Then he turned back to Erica. "He doesn't... I think she scares him," he said carefully.

Again, she understood him. He was on board, but pointing out potential problems. "Maybe." She sighed. "Look, it's gonna be a little complicated," she said in warning.

He shrugged. "Hey, it's all good. I'll do what I can. That was a seriously heinous move. A little competition is the fucking least Danielle's got coming."

Erica's pleased smile showed he'd just done his cover a good turn. But somehow he was gratified more than he should be as he finally backed the car out and took her to school.

Only that night, as he lay in bed, did it occur to him that her ability to read him so clearly was at least as much a risk as an advantage.

~~~~~

"Thanks for picking me up, man," Brandon said. He would've taken his chopper to the movie but it had looked like it might rain. Which was weird, since the forecast had been clear.

"No problemo," David said, handing the two tickets over.

"Theater 5, on the left," said the ticket-taker. Brandon followed David toward the concessions.

"She texted me that she was here already," David said. "Oh, there she... um."

The 'um' sounded ominous. He saw where David was staring, followed his gaze, and found Erica... with another girl.

Cora.

He turned to David, who gave the tiniest shake of his head. I didn't know.

The girls were looking a little surprised and dismayed, too. After a ghastly pause, David started walking again. Brandon hesitated another moment, then, unable to think of anything else to do yet, followed.

"Yo," Cora said carefully to Brandon as he came up. "Didn't know you'd be here."

He didn't know what to say to that. "I thought there was gonna be more people." In faint hope, he said, "Who else is coming?"

David shrugged. "Jose and Lupe were gonna, but he got called in."

"Kristina and Linda were supposed to come, but they backed out," Erica offered.

"Yeah," Cora said, "'Cinta and Gabriela were gonna come, too. But they had to work too."

The silence grew long and uncomfortable. Especially when Brandon saw some guys from Hillman in the crowd, looking their way.

"Oh, screw it. I wanna see the movie," Cora said. "Let's just go." She and Erica started moving.

David gave him a helpless shrug, and went to follow. Brandon hesitated, praying for some miracle to deliver him. None appeared, so he started walking too.

The theater was hella full, but they managed to track down four seats in a row. He never quite figured out how it happened, but the two girls wound up in the middle, so he was sitting right next to Cora.

Well, shit, was all he could think. Of course.

The movie wasn't bad, but he couldn't really enjoy it. Her shoulder was rubbing up against his most of the time.

~~~~~

"I'm hungry," Erica said when they got to the car.

"I could go for a burger," David said thoughtfully.

"I gotta get home," Brandon said, hinting with all his might. At least he got shotgun, with the girls in the back.

David didn't pick up on it. "C'mon, we'll hit In-N-Out. It's on the way. You don't have a meet tomorrow or anything, do you?"

"No, but..." He couldn't say, but I can't be seen with Cora.

"I'm hungry, too," Cora piped up from behind him.

"There we go," David said, closing the subject. Somehow he was firm without being rude or arrogant about it. Brandon wondered how he did that.

Oh, well, I'm fucked anyway, he thought in morose resignation.

The conversation after they sat down was at least interesting. David's dad had been in the Army, and he had a lot of military stories. Brandon was surprised at the interest Cora showed in that kind of stuff. And even more by how much she already knew.

"The Barrett's sick, yeah. But the Tac-50's right up there, been deployed just as long. Anything less than tank armor, it'll ruin your day too." She took a sip of her drink with a smile.

How the fuck does she know about sniper rifles? Brandon, recalling how good a shot she was at laser tag, was obscurely relieved she didn't seem to blame him for the picture. Then again, I wouldn't want to be Danielle...

"My dad never went on the front lines or anything. He was a REMF." David raised an eyebrow, but Cora and Erica seemed familiar with that term too, so he went on. "But he talked to the snipers. They said that most of the time you don't need to shoot somebody from a mile away. Fifty-cal sniper rifles are really for taking out buildings and vehicles, not people."

From there, the topic moved to shooter games, and David put Brandon on the spot, making him tell a story about a particularly epic kill he'd pulled off a couple weeks back. Cora seemed impressed, and Brandon was impressed by the knowledgeable questions she asked about yet another surprising topic. For all that Cora had said she was hungry, she didn't seem to be eating much. She was talking... and looking at him.

And then she caught Erica's eye and stood up. "Be right back," she said. Erica gave David a quick peck on the cheek and the girls went off to the bathroom, smiling and talking too low to be overheard.

He looked at David, chagrined. "Man, what do girls do in there, anyway?"

"Make fun of us, I bet," David said glumly.

~~~~~

"I hope they don't know what we're doing in here," Cora said worriedly as she wrapped up a bloody pad in some toilet paper.

"No way," Erica said with confidence, standing outside the stall. "Guys never even think about periods and stuff. You know that."

"Tru dat," Cora acknowledged, sounding a little philosophical. "Cory must've gone on at least a couple dates where the girl had her period. He never noticed." She stood and held the 'package' over the stall door. "Pitch this for me?" You weren't supposed to flush that stuff down the toilet. Even a lot of girls didn't seem to know that, judging by how often you found clogged ones in public ladies rooms.

Once she'd readied a new necessity and they'd washed their hands, they spent a few moments checklisting their clothes and hair and makeup in the mirrors. While they fine-tuned, Cora said, "Thank the Goddess for your Mom. If she hadn't helped out, I don't think I coulda even stood up." It had taken a little pleading and bargaining, but Miranda's Healing and potions had managed to insulate Cora from the bulk of her usual first-day symptoms.

"I don't think you ever did that before," Erica noted. "Thanked the Goddess, I mean."

Cora was quiet for a moment, brushing imaginary tangles from her hair. "I don't know if I, like, really believe in Her. But I'm trying to be a Sister."

Erica was quiet in turn. Now was not the time for somberness, though. "I think it's going pretty well. With Brandon, y'know. He woulda fought more if this were, like, super against his will or whatever."

"Man, David should be in fucking Drama. He was perfect. I almost thought you really hadn't told him." Cora was smiling.

"Yeah, he was great," Erica said smugly. Then she almost frowned. Something about David being good at fooling people nagged at her. But Cora was talking.

"We better get back."

~~~~~

It was another half hour before David finally agreed to drive him home. Brandon tried not to look like he was jumping out of the car as fast as he possibly could. He waved as David and the girls rode off. "Well, that was fucked-up," he muttered to himself. Danielle was going to be apocalyptic when she found out. Thankfully, that was a problem for tomorrow.

His phone buzzed.

Danielle: Mindy sez u went on d8 w/Cora?? WTF!!!!!

Well, of course, he thought numbly.

~~~~~

The girls had already washed off their makeup and were changing into pajamas. Cora was understandably preoccupied, processing the night in her head.

Erica gave her a minute, then couldn't wait anymore. "So, whadjya think?"

"I think it went okay." A pause. "He was just so... big."

Several 'that's what she said' jokes came to mind, but Erica ruthlessly repressed them. "It's just, you're smaller, that's all. You gotta be used to that by now! You sit right next to him in math!"

"I know, but that's not, like, touching shoulders!" Cora shook her head. "I used to be the same size as him. Now he could pick me up and throw me." She looked a bit puzzled. "And I could smell him."

Erica squinted.

"Maybe girls do have more sensitive noses or something," Cora said, a touch defensive. "He didn't, like, stink. But Cory never noticed it."

Erica spread her hands. "Well, I think you did a decent job of flirting with him."

Cora made a noncommittal 'hmph'. "I thought it would be harder. Y'know, to, like, pretend."

Erica felt her head tilt. "Pretend to be into him?"

"Yeah," Cora said. Erica's hopes raised; maybe Cora was starting to get actual feelings for Brandon.

But the girl's next words dashed those hopes. "I realized I could just act the way, uh, Cory did. Girls hafta be more, like... reserved with boys, y'know? Even a smile might give the wrong idea."

Erica nodded ruefully. She hadn't thought of it quite that way.

"I just had to, like, drop the filter a little. Smile and laugh at his jokes, look him in the eye more." She paused. "I tried to mirror his moves a little, too."

"There's other flirty stuff, though. Touching his hand, or playing with your hair."

Cora shrugged, a little nonplussed. "Maybe next time." She nodded to herself, though. "He went along with it, at least. Didn't make David take him home or anything. All by itself that's gonna drive Danielle psycho."

Erica couldn't help but agree.

~~~~~

"I always used to think it was, like, cute when girls would lay on their stomachs like this. It's easier when you don't have a unit to get pressed down." Cora and Erica were side-by-side on Cora's bed, heads together as they studied one of Miranda's spellbooks.

Erica smiled a little. "But there's boobs."

Cora shrugged. "Yeah, but if you're up on an elbow they don't really rub much."

"Easy for you to say." Erica had two cup sizes on Cora.

Cora turned back to the spell they were planning to cast. "Anyway, this looks pretty straightforward."

"You sure?" Erica said, nervous. Her Mom hadn't forbidden them from reading her spellbooks. They had been moved out to the home office shortly after Erica had been Transformed, secrecy no longer being a factor. Still, the girls were supposed to be careful about Magic. The rules were: (1) they couldn't draw attention to themselves, or (2) attempt any spell they weren't utterly certain they could handle.

"Yeah." Cora sounded completely confident. "Straight Sympathy with a couple elements of Similarity and Healing. I could almost have worked it out on my own."

Erica nodded, half to herself. She was a little embarrassed, but despite having a head start she and Cora were now at least even in Magical skill. Cora was smart and had motivation Erica couldn't match.

"Fuck it. Let's do this." Cora rolled off the bed and walked around to the area of the floor they'd cleared. "I love you for this. You know that, right?" she said with deep emotion, as Erica joined her.

That made Erica feel a lot better. She still wasn't sure this was the best idea ever. But it was pretty much irresistible anyway.

The key ingredient of the yeast infection curse was menstrual blood from the target. A thousand years ago - maybe even a hundred - it had probably been easier to come by. Modern sanitation worked against it nowadays.

It had just happened anyway. She'd walked in to the girl's room right when Danielle was coming out of her stall with a bundle of toilet paper and tossing it into the trash. They'd glared and sniffed and pointedly ignored each other as Danielle washed her hands and huffed out. But then Erica had realized what Danielle must have disposed of...

She'd gotten a funny look from Michaela while rooting through the trash, but oh well. She had taken the opportunity as a sign from the Goddess.

Well, mostly. She'd told Cora, but hadn't quite had the courage to involve her Mother.

Cora wrapped up the preparations. The girls sat on the floor at the foot of Cora's bed, a lit candle and the relic of Danielle between them.

Cora frowned. "What I'd like to do is shapeshift into Danielle and hit on Derek. Brandon'd drop her, and Mindy'd kill her." Her frown had turned into a scowl. "I can still barely change my hair color, though."

Erica nodded. Illusion spells were a bitch. Cora was selling herself short, though; hair color was more than Erica could manage yet.

Cora sighed, then brightened up. "Whatevs, this'll do for now." One more look around, checking their preparations, then she said, "You ready?"

Erica nodded again, gathering her resolution. "Uh huh."

"Okay, here we go." To most observers, it would have looked like Cora wasn't doing anything, but Erica could sense the power gathering. After a few seconds, Cora reached down, picked up the relic, and held it over the candle. "Ajuna canoa rethingu gnon..." Fire to the loins, I send... Erica silently lent her energy to the spell.

Not even a minute and a half later, it was all over. The two girls sat in silence for a moment, looking doubtfully in each other's eyes.

"Felt like it did something," Cora finally muttered. Another pause, then she shook herself and blew out the candle. "Whatever. I'm gonna get rid of this," she picked up the bundle and stood, "and then we'd better get started on dinner."

~~~~~

"I told you, it wasn't a fucking date, okay? Can you let it the fuck go?"

Jacinta's eyes widened. That was Brandon's voice, coming from around the corner. She stopped short, letting other students pass around her on their way between classes.

"You know everyone's saying I took that picture. You gotta stay away from her!" Danielle sounded pissed.

Now so did Brandon. "Shit, I didn't know she was gonna be there. And I didn't have my bike. What was I supposed to do? Tell David to miss the flick and drive me home?"

"Yes! Something! You gotta stay away from that bitch!"

Jacinta heard Brandon take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I figured if we hung out it might take some heat off you. I mean, no grudges, no hard feelings, right?"

Danielle wasn't mollified. "That doesn't mean you go have dinner with her after!"

Brandon suddenly sounded a little cautious. "David had to drive them home, too. He's the one who stopped..."

Danielle interrupted. "I'll bet they set it up that way! Erica too, they're all in on it..."

She heard Brandon's snort. "Oh, sure, it's all a big conspiracy. Look, I gotta get to class."

Angry footsteps, heading away. Not exactly a loving goodbye. Jacinta couldn't help but smile.

Then Danielle marched around the corner, tears starting to smear her makeup. She was wearing a lot of makeup lately. It didn't quite hide the dark circles under her eyes. Mindy and Becca looked hung over most of the time now, too. And all three of them were falling asleep in class these days.

Danielle had it together enough to recognize Jacinta, however - and her smile. She stopped and stood there, frustration temporarily shifting towards pure fury.

Jacinta maintained her smile and walked away. She heard Danielle shriek in rage behind her, and flee down the hall.

She could not wait to tell Cora.

~~~~~

Erica sat on the side of the field, keeping her poms on her bare legs. It was exceptionally cool tonight and her uniform - girl's clothes in general, really - didn't make insulation a priority.

"Becca didn't sit with Mindy and Danielle today. Just sat in the corner, had lunch all by herself." Trahn was smiling.

"What'd she look like? I need deets!" Erica asked.

"I ain't got deets," Trahn said. "Heard it from Ayesha." Erica's cheerleader friends didn't have a stake in the whole Danielle-Cora Thing - girls had lots of overlapping loyalties like that - but gossip was gossip.

"Oh well." Erica let it drop. "Glad this's a home game." Football had a lot of downtime between plays. It was easier to notice when you had to hang by the field, in skimpy clothes, without actually playing.

"Shit, I kinda wish it was an away game. Tyrone's gonna be all over me tonight," Shianti said. "All he wants is my ass anymore."

Trahn sighed. "We win, Aaron's gonna ask for a victory beej."

"Well... they're cute," Erica noted doubtfully.

Shianti scoffed. "Cute ain't enough. Does David actually text you back? Even when it ain't a booty call?"

"Well, yeah," Erica admitted, surprised. "Tyrone doesn't?"

Melanie laughed. "You got no clue what boys are really like. Your first-ever boyfriend's a fucking dream come true." She sighed. "He'll even hold your hand or kiss you in front of his friends."

"Tru dat," Trahn said flatly. "Don't fuck it up with him. Half the girls in the school'd be on him by the end of the day." She chuckled. "Including me."

It was mostly a joke, Erica could tell. But not entirely, to her mixed disquiet and guilty pleasure.

The game finally wrapped up - not a victory for Hillman, to Aaron's probable sorrow - and she was able to text Cora to come pick her up. She had to wait by the edge of the lot in the chilly breeze. But Cora pulled up soon through the traffic and she hopped into the car, not quite shivering.

She passed on the intel about Becca right away. "Cracks in the alliance, you think?"

Cora looked thoughtful. "I dunno. But I gotta feeling something's gonna break soon."

"Your psychic powers kicking in?" said Erica, joking.

Cora gave Erica a meaningful look. "I wonder, yeah. I had a bad feeling the day Danielle took that picture, remember."

Erica chewed her lip quietly, examining the idea.

Cora shrugged. "It sure as fuck wouldn't be the weirdest thing we had to deal with."

Erica couldn't think of anything to say.

~~~~~

Danielle wanted to cry, but couldn't yet - not until she made it home from school and got up to her room.

Still, she whimpered a little as she scratched furiously at her vag. She'd only ever had a couple yeast infections before but this one was horrendous. And the fucking cream didn't seem to be doing anything! Like she needed more trouble sleeping.

She was one of the last girls out of the locker room. She'd sucked ass at soccer practice and drifted through the post-scrimmage shower, laboring to keep her eyes open. Fatigue was another symptom of yeast infections. It just wasn't fair.

Danielle plodded out the front door of school and made her way to the benches to wait for Brandon. All she wanted was for him to drive her home so she could cry and try to take a nap. If she could ignore the itching and burning.

And the dreams.

She was so out of it she almost sat down on a bench before she realized who was already perched at the other end. Her eyes flew wide and she gasped, only a second later kicking herself for reacting so visibly.

But she couldn't help it. "What the fuck are you doing here, whore?" Danielle shrieked.

Cora scoffed and tossed her hair. "None of your business. Bitch."

Danielle could feel everyone starting to look their way. She knew she was too frazzled to safely handle this situation. But it was all too much, Cora sneering at her like that... "You're waiting for Brandon! You knew he was gonna meet me here!"

Cora scoffed. "I'm getting a ride with Erica and her boyfriend."

"Quit lying!" She was freaking out, she knew she was, she could hear it in her own voice. But she was so tired; she hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in weeks. "And quit sniffing after my boyfriend, you fucking cunt!"

Danielle wished Brandon could have seen the malicious smile that appeared on Cora's face then as she stood up. So different from that I'm-so-sweet-and-shy-and-innocent-yet-just-enough-of-a-tomboy-to-be-cute disguise she always wore. It took her a second to process Cora's words, she was so flushed with anger at the smile: "He getting sick of kissing a raccoon?"

Danielle froze, hissing in rage. The bags under her eyes had gone well beyond anything that makeup could conceal. "Fuck you, you bitch!"

Everyone was staring at her, it was just like all the dreams where she was naked at school and everyone was staring at her, and judging her, and she knew they all knew everything bad she'd done to anyone ever, and they knew she knew, and if she didn't confess, all those things were going to happen to her, only worse, and...

Cora's grin gathered even more venom. "Oooh, that one hurt! How long's he gonna..."

In dreams, she couldn't fight back. But this wasn't a dream. Cora got no further, because Danielle screamed in rage and punched her right in her bitch whore face.

Danielle had never experienced such soul-deep satisfaction as she did seeing Cora fall back, face twisted in an expression of shock and pain. It still wasn't enough. She pounced down and started whaling on her. Cora curled up and held her arms to block the rain of blows.

And then she felt strong arms pulling her off Cora, a grown-up voice shouting things like 'get off her' and 'stop this instant'. Someone was holding her, yelling at her. It was Mrs. Escuela, the Language Arts teacher.

Danielle suddenly didn't feel quite as good. This was going to be tricky.

Some other girls were helping Cora up. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she was saying. But she looked shaky, and she was holding her left eye, where that first punch had landed.

"She hit me first!" Danielle blurted.

Mrs. Escuela hadn't let go of her arm. She looked Danielle right in the eye and said, "No she didn't. I saw the whole thing."

The righteous high she'd just been enjoying was completely gone now.

~~~~~

"Danielle, honey? Brandon's here." Mrs. Oprisko led him into the den. Danielle sat on the couch watching TV, clutching a pillow to her chest. She looked up with too-red eyes and gave a weak, relieved smile.

"I'll leave you two alone for a bit," Mrs. Oprisko said gently, and stepped back into the kitchen. Brandon sat down on the couch beside Danielle. She sagged into him and he put an arm around her shoulders.

"What the hell, babe? I thought we were gonna stay away from all of them." He tried to say it in a joking tone, but it came out a little harsher than he'd planned.

"I wasn't looking for her! She just showed up and started talking shit."

That wasn't the way he'd heard it. And it wasn't Cora who'd been held in the principal's office until her parents came to pick her up.

He held her for a few seconds, one hand stroking her back. Then, knowing it was inviting trouble but compelled by a need to understand, he leaned back so he could see her face and asked, "Why'd you hit her, though? No matter what she said..."

"She deserved it," Danielle hissed. "She deserved all of it."

His hand stopped moving. She didn't just look pissed, and spiteful. She looked crazy, like the killer in a slasher movie. The tone and content of her words was almost redundant.

She felt him tense up, and looked in his face. Her expression instantly became tense and guarded and apprehensive. The kind of face a person had when they were trying to figure out how badly they'd screwed up, if they'd let out a secret or not.

He pulled back, let go of her, just staring in her eyes. "Oh my fucking God. You really did it, didn't you? You took that picture!"

"I didn't," she said quickly. "I didn't, I wouldn't do that, come on baby, you know I wouldn't..." She was talking frantically, panicked.

He jumped to his feet, backing away. "Oh, fuck, I don't fucking believe this! How could you... what the fuck?!"

She pleaded, begged. "Please, baby! Please!" She grabbed at his hand, but he jerked it away. "I can't lose you, too!"

He glared for a moment, then moved for the door. "You just did."

Danielle stood, took a step after him. "Wait! Brandon, please!" He turned and didn't look back again.

Mrs. Oprisko had come from the kitchen, alarmed at the shouting. Brandon brushed past her without a word.

Before he slammed the front door, though, he heard Danielle burst into tears.

~~~~~

"Cora, honey? Brandon's here." Brandon had a flash of déjà vu at the words as Mrs. Jardin led him into their den. Cora was sitting on a couch watching TV too. She looked up in surprise, mouth opened in a little 'o' for a second.

He couldn't help wincing when he saw the bruise on her cheek. "Oh, Jesus..."

Cora self-consciously touched her face. "It's okay," she said. "Just a little sore. I've had worse." Suddenly she looked nervous, like she'd said too much, the way Danielle had. It should have been another little bit of déjà vu. Somehow, though, he didn't think she looked guilty, like Danielle. More like it was something Cora'd wanted to keep private.

But he didn't get much chance to wonder how many fights she'd been in; she wasn't stopped for more than a split second. She stood up and said, "Why are you here?" She immediately softened her tone. "I mean, it's okay, I just don't..."

He held up a hand. She stopped talking. He forced himself to speak. "I'm sorry. I was just... I went to Danielle's house. To talk to her. And she... She did take that picture. I could tell. I'm sorry, I swear I didn't know."

Cora suddenly looked cold and calculating, startlingly predatory. "Did she say that? Could you testify?"

He shook his head apologetically. "No, she didn't admit it. Not in, y'know, words." His lips thinned in anger. "She wouldn't. Her mom and stepdad are both lawyers. But I knew. I could see it."

Then he felt ashamed, and spread his hands, shoulders slumped. "Finally." He forced himself to meet her eyes. "I'm really sorry. I just didn't..."

Cora was shaking her head. "It's okay. I didn't figure out she was that much of a bitch either, until... um, until that picture."

They stood there for a second, awkwardly. Then Brandon said, "Look, um, all I wanted was to apologize in person. To your face. I'll stop bothering you."

Cora grinned impishly. "Bothering me? This is the best thing that's happened all day."

"Oh. Um." Brandon said. "Well, I'll let everyone know what she did. You can count on that."

Cora was frowning thoughtfully, a distractingly cute expression. Slowly, thinking out loud, she said, "Maybe you should be a little careful. Y'know, lawyers and all. They might sue you for, like, libel or slander or something."

"Oh. Um." For fuck's sake. Say something smarter than 'um', huh? "That... uh... that might make sense." He shook his head. "But she can't get away with this shit! Uh, sorry."

Cora's mouth was halfway between a grin and a grimace, like she couldn't decide whether to be amused or annoyed. "No worries. It is bullshit." She sighed. "I gotta look some stuff up. But I bet you could say you think she did it. That's, like, your opinion."

"Oh. Okay, I'll do that."

Again, the conversation stalled for a spell. Cora broke the silence. "Well, at least she can't give you any shit about hanging with David anymore, right?" She paused for a second, then added, "Maybe now we can all hang together sometime."

He shrugged carefully. "Maybe." Apologetically, he said, "I really gotta go. Sorry for... for believing her. I was an idiot." Hoping it didn't look as much like fleeing as it felt, he started for the door.

But Cora followed him down the hall. "Yeah, you were." She hesitated briefly, then blurted, "Better pick a better girlfriend next time, huh?" But she was smiling.

"Right," he said, opening the front door. "Um, later. Sorry again."

She still had that smile. "See you tomorrow."

On the way to his car, he shook his head. Why did girls always keep you on your toes? Although, with Danielle, it was about watching his mouth, not saying something to annoy her. Cora - she was smart. He didn't want her to think he was stupid.

Didn't help that she was fucking hot. By reflex, he started to suppress that thought... and then realized he didn't have to. He didn't have a girlfriend anymore, he didn't owe anyone any loyalty.

~~~~~

"Fuck yes!" Cora crowed, pacing - almost dancing - in circles in her room. "Not gonna look good for Danielle, Brandon dumping her. And everyone's gonna know why. He promised."

"And you don't have to keep dressing up all the time anymore," Erica pointed out. "She sure lost Brandon."

Cora was shaking her head. "No way. I ain't done yet. She doesn't just lose him. She gets to see him with me."

"So he's just, like, a means to an end?"

Cora stopped pacing and looked at Erica. "He really feels like shit about it. Name a better way to show I'm not pissed at him?"

Erica's head tipped down as her eyebrows went up. Skepticism personified. "I thought you were pissed at him. For trusting Danielle."

That took Cora aback for a moment or two. "Yeah, but... he apologized. For that. Just now." She waved a hand, dismissing all confusion. "I'll be nice enough to him. We can break up later. Either way, name something that'll piss Danielle off more?"

Erica put up a hand herself, granting the point. "So, whatcha gonna wear tomorrow?"

Cora's smile was positively wicked. "It's time for those tights again, I'm thinking."

A little modeling and clothing experimentation segued into some playful lovemaking in due course. After, as they lay curled in each other's arms, however, Cora became somber.

"It's a good thing Mrs. Escuela was there."

"Yeah. Hard to beat a teacher backing up your story."

"That's not it." Cora's fingers brushed the bruise on her face. "That first punch took me by surprise. And then she was on top of me, and I kinda curled up, got my arms up."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I was just starting to think about, y'know, a counterattack." She paused. "But I couldn't think what would work. Fat cow outweighs me by twenty pounds."

Danielle certainly wasn't 'fat', and couldn't be more than fifteen pounds more than Cora. Not for worlds would Erica correct her, though. Now was hardly the time, and she agreed with the sentiment in any case.

"I couldn't push her off, not with these arms. And I couldn't get my legs up between us." She wasn't looking into Erica's eyes. Her gaze was distant, focused on that moment. "If Mrs. Escuela hadn't been there, Danielle might've really fucked me up."

"Well, thank the Goddess she was there."

Cora didn't say anything for a while. Then, still whispering: "I hate feeling helpless." She shifted, and her words melted into sobs. "Cory's disgusted at me..."

Erica just held her, for a long time.

~~~~~

In the end, Danielle wasn't expelled. Even her lawyer parents couldn't prevent a week's suspension, however; not when a teacher was one of the eyewitnesses. They did file for a restraining order against Cora, however.

That was ultimately a mistake. The whole school had heard the story already, and Danielle didn't have many defenders left. Even the people who didn't like Cora - girls put off by her beauty, or her sometimes abrasive personality, or boys she'd rejected - couldn't picture her as a physical aggressor. It just cemented the judgement of Danielle as 'bully' and 'bitch' in most people's minds.

Especially since Brandon was true to his word. No one was in the slightest doubt that he'd broken off with Danielle... or the reason why.

The Sisterhood produced a lawyer for Cora - nobody said so, but both Cora and Erica were sure she was a Sister herself - and the order was quashed anyway. Cora didn't even have to go to court.

~~~~~

Crack!

"Whooooooooo!" Erica yelled, joined by the other girls. Brandon's "Aw yeah!" got pretty much drowned out.

David bolted around first, then second... he stopped at third, well ahead of the ball thrown in from the outfield.

"Thought that was gonna be a homer," said Cora.

"Only one out, he'll get there," Brandon replied confidently.

Erica was still beaming. David was better for the team than she - well, Eric - had been. He'd been as good a shortstop, but David could really hit, too.

She peered sideways. The sight had a measure of humor. David had invited Brandon to meet him after tonight's baseball game, knowing he'd catch at least the last few innings. So Cora had come, naturally.

And thus, so had Gabriela, Jacinta, Linda, and even Kristina. Hoping to watch a different game.

Their hopes were being rewarded, of course. For Cora, it was 'game on'. Of course he'd wound up sitting next to her, and they'd been deep in conversation ever since. "Shoulda put him on clean-up."

"He runs fast, though. Duane's too big to book like that, but he hits even harder."

"Okay, point," Cora granted with a smile. "You'd know running. When you guys got your next meet?"

"Week from Sunday."

Brandon hadn't noticed, but Erica was fighting laughter. None of the other girls were talking, all listening intently to the byplay while striving to look casual.

"Wish I had your stride. I can go a long ways, but not as fast as you guys."

"Yeah, I think I've seen you out running."

Cora looked almost sly. "I'm sick of running roads. Could you show me some trails or something?"

Brandon spread one hand, palm up. "There's the path at the park..."

"That's, like, half a mile tops. I mean some distance, y'know?"

Brandon's head tilted a bit to the side. "What kind of distance?"

"Four, five miles. Y'know, some real cardio."

"Well, up past Spicer road - y'know, off Josephson - there's a path in the woods. Some good hills, but you gotta watch for the mountain-bikers sometimes." He shrugged. "We go there to practice once in a while. Two laps and you'll get five miles easy."

"Can you show me sometime?"

Brandon paused. Erica suspected half the girls held their breath. "How about Saturday?"

"I'm in. What time?"

The details were sorted out in short order. Erica reflected that it was hardly a traditional seduction ploy. On the other hand, Cora wasn't a typical girl. And Brandon seemed a cut above the typical boy. Maybe it'd work.

~~~~~

Hillman won, and Brandon went over to the dugout to join David as the coach did some post-game analysis with the team. Erica gave David a goodbye kiss, and the girls went to the food court at the mall for their own extensive after-action breakdown. But it was Cora's game that got dissected.

Kristina was blunt. "You really think you're gonna turn him on when you're dripping sweat?"

"Well, sometimes guys like to see girls all panting and wet..." Jacinta had a sly smile.

Cora rolled her eyes at the general sniggering. "I ain't gonna be a wreck. I can handle a five mile run, no prob. I won't be a noodle at the end."

"You can't wear too much makeup. Maybe some eyeliner and lip gloss, anything else'd melt off," Gabriela warned.

Cora looked offended. "I'm a for-realz runner, guys. Five miles is no bigs, even with hills."

"Don't be too good," Linda warned. "He prob'ly won't be too happy getting beat by a girl."

Now Cora was rueful. "No chance. He's, like, a foot and a half taller'n me. Can't match a stride like that with these legs."

Erica was glad none of the girls seemed to notice how Cora had worded that. But it was time to shift to less fraught ground. "What are you gonna wear?"

That triggered a lengthy and in-depth treatment of Cora's options, but Erica was pleased to note that Cora participated fully.

~~~~~

"I've been wanting to do this trail again," Cora remarked, stretching, one leg stuck out. She was wearing athletic shorts - tight shorts - and a spaghetti-strapped cami over a sports bra. Naturally the cami ended several inches above the shorts. Her hair was pulled back into her traditional running ponytail. Her shoes had some kind of rainbow on the side, but to Brandon's mild surprise looked to be decent for running.

"Again?" Brandon said, standing up from a stretch of his own. "When did you run it before? I thought you didn't know about it."

Cora bent over, folding nearly in half. He couldn't see her face, but that meant she couldn't see his. So he stole a peek at her ass as she said, "Um, I did it once when I first got here. I didn't know it went so far from the roads." She came back up and looked him in the eye, a bit of a challenge. "A girl can't just run anywhere by herself."

He'd never thought of it like that. "Well, you ready?"

"Let's rock," Cora said, grinning. Without warning, she started down the trail.

Brandon didn't have any trouble catching up, or keeping up, not with the stride difference. She set a faster pace than he'd expected, though. While it wasn't a major workout, it definitely turned out to be a real run, not just a stroll in the park.

He let her take the lead whenever the trail narrowed. It seemed gentlemanly anyway, but he got away with some more un-gentlemanly ass-ogling, too.

They wound up doing two full laps, unquestionably hitting the five mile target. And she totally sprinted at the end!

After, they walked slowly for a minute or so, panting, cooling off and checking their heart rates. He had the feeling she was a bit more winded than she let on. He was impressed anyway.

"You should totally be on the girls track team," he said.

Cora looked away, apparently shy. "Nah, I run for fun." After a beat, she added, "I tried out for soccer, but they didn't want me."

"That was a mistake."

"Whatevs. I can still run on my own." Her eyebrows quirked up. "Know any other good spots?"

He ventured a few more suggestions and they made tentative plans. She said her thanks and goodbyes, and drove off while he was getting his helmet and jacket on. He revved the engine once and peeled out.

A solid run always made him feel good. Doing one with a girl was even more fun. And a motorcycle ride after was another bonus.

He and Cory had run that trail a few times, with the track team. At that thought, he felt guilty again. It had been close to a month since he'd done anything at all about looking for Cory. The whole picture thing with Danielle had overshadowed everything.

Weird the way things went sometimes. Cory had gone away, and a few weeks later there appeared a girl who looked like she could be his sister. She was into computers and running, too. And now that he really thought about it, they had kind of the same sense of humor. Even their names - though 'Cora' was actually her middle name...

Fuck, I'm a fucking idiot. It should have been obvious from the start! No way was it all just coincidence - Cory and Cora were too much alike. It was crazy, it was something out of a bad movie, but there was only one explanation that made any sense.

She had to be an actual blood relative. He knew Cory had been adopted. So she was at least a cousin, maybe even a half sister. He'd have guessed she was his twin sister, but they had different birthdays - hers in December, Cory's in September. Couldn't be from the same mother.

Cory had never said anything about his birth family, or shown any interest in looking them up. He'd loved his adoptive parents. It was one reason why Brandon knew he hadn't run away.

In fact, Cora just happening to show up so soon after Cory ran off was a stretch. She had kind of encouraged him to give up looking, too. Maybe Cory's birth family was Mafia or something?

He mulled that over as he buzzed down the road. Perhaps he wasn't exactly objective, but he just couldn't see Cora involved in some sinister conspiracy. She was sort of... standoffish, yeah. But it wasn't like she was hiding something from everyone. More like she was just hiding from everyone, period. He thought maybe she'd been hurt sometime. Before that fucking picture, even.

Maybe I can ask Cora about her family... he thought to himself. At least he should eliminate her having anything to do with Cory disappearing. It wasn't like he had any other leads.

And finding out more about Cora was almost its own reward.

~~~~~

Cora wrapped up her report on the not-exactly-date with a summary. "Went pretty good. I showed him I'm no wannabe, and he wants to do it again." She paused then, but before Erica could ask anything she said, half to herself, "Cory's a little pissed. I said he likes to think on a run. He sure didn't want to think about seducing Brandon."

Erica almost put her immediate concern on hold. She was supposed to report to the Sisters any mentions of Cory, but she was curious anyway. Cora's Transition was so different from her own. To her, Eric was just a memory, not a presence.

The thing was, she couldn't avoid it any longer. When it had all been just potential, certain implications could be put off. But now it looked like Cora might actually succeed. And that could be a disaster unless things went just right.

She'd thought a lot about how to bring it up. She hadn't come up with a better way to put it: "Scotty once told me about his dog," she said.

Cora squinted at her change of subject but waited to see where she was going.

"She'd always bark at the mail guy. Every day, like a psycho. She'd growl and bark at the front window, and then she'd run to the door and go nuts as the mail came through the slot. Sounded like a killer beast."

Cora was frowning. After a second, she said, "So?"

"One day she came around the corner and the front door was open." Erica gave a very wry smile. "And she was looking right at the mailman."

Erica gave Cora a Look. "She stopped barking. She just stared for a couple seconds, then ran away whining."

Cora spread her hands and shrugged. "And you're telling me this because...."

"Whatcha gonna do if you really do catch Brandon?"

Cora looked down, mouth open just slightly. Erica didn't pause. "Boyfriends like to do things with girlfriends. You remember, right?" Cora started to turn away but Erica moved over into her line of sight again. She locked her eyes on Cora. "Boy-girl things. Holding hands... hugging.... making out..."

Cora didn't say anything.

"You better decide if you wanna be his girl friend" - separating the words with an unmistakable pause - "or his girlfriend." She shook her head. "You better know what you're gonna do if he tries to kiss you. 'Cause, like, screaming and jumping back might bother him a little." She shook her head. "Have you thought about that stuff at all?"

Cora still wouldn't meet her eyes. But her voice, while quiet, didn't waver. "I've thought about it. I'm not a total dipshit."

Erica cocked her head, but didn't reply.

Cora sighed. "I can fake it for a while, okay? I mean, below the waist is gonna be a no-go zone, but I'm pretty sure I can kiss him without gagging or anything."

"Oh, he'll be so happy! 'My girlfriend didn't actually hurl when I gave her the tongue!'" Erica was more comfortable giving Cora tough love these days.

"Wouldn't be the first time a girl's faked it, y'know," Cora muttered.

Erica didn't dignify that with a reply.

~~~~~

Cora: AWWW FUCK 2 THE YEAH!
Cora: FLAWLESS MOTHERFUCKIN VICTORY!!

Erica: what up?!?

Cora: brandon officially askd me out!!
Cora: goin 2 flea market Sat!

Erica: flea market?

Cora: yup! :-)

Erica: u sure thats date?

Cora: no its for realz
Cora: he always takes girls there on 1st date

Erica: y???

Cora: cuz its cheap! ;-)
Cora: diffrent too i guess

Erica: u wud kno...

Cora: trust me. Ds gonna shit herself u watch

Erica: GTG practice starting luv u
Erica: congrats

Cora: luv u 2 thanks!

~~~~~

"So what made you pick the flea market?" Cora was wearing some sort of shorts/skirt combo, flats, and a loose red long-sleeved blouse. It was just warm enough for a motorcycle ride in an outfit like that. Especially since Brandon could see some cleavage.

"What? Not having fun?" He said with a smile.

Cora smirked. "Didn't say that. It's not exactly standard, though."

"That's the deal. It's different. You get to look at all this weird stuff, and once in a while, you find something awesome you never knew you needed." He smiled. "And we can talk. I mean, a movie's all right, but you're both just sitting there, y'know? And we're not eating. This way we can talk, without food in our mouths." Plus, it's cheaper, he thought to himself.

Cora had a funny little grin. Somehow he got the idea that she knew about the 'cheaper' part.

So they talked as they walked. He didn't get much of a handle on her family, beyond her parents. They sounded a little distant. Of course, they had left her and gone to the other side of the world.

She actually wound up learning more about his family. "My dad's in construction. I always got to go into building sites, even when I was a kid. I got to see how they made buildings and bridges and even a stadium once." He smiled. "I always wanted to know more. That's why I'm going for civil engineering."

Cora seemed honestly interested. "I never knew that."

"Well, you never asked."

She got flustered. Cora was amazingly cute when she was flustered, but he didn't want to upset her. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that! We haven't known each other too long."

Somehow that didn't help. She almost looked guilty.

A little desperately, he rushed on. "So, any big story for you? Why you're into computers and stuff?"

Cora pondered for a few moments, taking the question seriously. "It's like... you can almost make thoughts real, with programs. If you can plan it out, get it right, if you're clever enough... It's almost like magic. A whole world that does what you told it."

That reminded him a bit of Cory. "Good thing magic isn't real. I don't want the world to crash when there's a bug."

She gave him a Look, and he remembered with dismay that she was Wiccan. It was easy to forget, most of them were granola types who didn't go for computers or math. She let it slide, however.

It helped that they found the electronics section shortly after. "Oh my God! Look!"

She went up to a table with a bunch of ancient junk, so far as he could tell. But she seemed pretty excited.

"It's a Commodore 64! With floppies! And an accelerator cartridge!" Her head tilted. "And is that an ethernet hookup?" She looked at the dealer behind the table. "Why so cheap? Does it work?"

"No, a couple caps failed in the power supply. No monitor, and only one of the floppy drives spins."

Cora mulled it over. "I can solder some new capacitors, that's no prob. And I know Erica's monitor has composite..."

"Do you really want it?" Brandon asked, curious.

"Kinda," she said, sounding just a little embarrassed.

"Why?" he asked in honest confusion.

She gave him a sharp glance; it looked like it took her a second to decide he wasn't mocking her. "It's old and slow, yeah. But you could understand every part of these things. The whole system would fit in your head, y'know?" She was getting more excited. "And it was, like, incredible what some guys got it to do. I've seen demos on YouTube, music and sound and graphics. A 3D card can do it better, but it's kind of a black box. You aren't allowed to know exactly what's going on inside. But this," she touched the manual, "even has the circuit diagrams!"

Seeing her excited, not angry - passionate - was kind of a turn on.

The guy behind the table sensed a potential sale. "I got an old modem here somewhere...."

But Cora was faltering. "I don't really need it," she said, shaking her head. "I can get an emulator."

Brandon hesitated for a moment, then went with his impulse. "I'll buy it. I kinda cheaped out on you anyway, not taking you to dinner and all."

He couldn't figure out what her expression meant. She seemed surprised, pleased, and annoyed all at the same time. "You don't have to buy me stuff. I can pay for it."

"Okay, halfsies?" he offered.

She smiled her high-power smile for a second - even the vendor blinked - but then her happiness fell away. "We can't fit it on the bike!"

Both Brandon and the vendor frowned. Perhaps under the lingering influence of her disarming smile, the guy offered, "I can ship it, if you gimme an address." Recovering a little business sense, he added, "Weighs a bit, though. I gotta charge extra."

And here I wanted a cheap date. "How much?" Brandon asked.

The sale concluded, they explored and talked more, and he reconciled himself to the unanticipated expense. He was having fun, anyway.

And when they rode home, he was glad she hadn't worn jeans. He liked having her bare legs next to him. He still didn't know what to call what she was wearing, but she could spread her legs without showing anything critical.

He caught himself wondering what the critical bits looked like. They couldn't talk much while riding so he had plenty of time.

~~~~~

When they pulled into her driveway, Cora slid off the bike as soon as he'd parked. "Thanks," she said, sounding nervous. "That was really fun."

"Yeah," he said, wishing he could come up with something cooler. He decided to just go ahead. "Wanna do something next week?" He smirked. "We can go all traditional if you want. Dinner, movie..."

Even her shy, eyes-lowered smile was cute. "Sounds chill. I get off work at six." She was leading him toward the porch.

"So does this mean we set our Facebook statuses to 'in a relationship'?" he quipped. They were at the door. She was acting kinda... unsettled.

"Guess so." She darted in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "See ya later." Almost before he realized it, she slipped away through the door. It was far from the best 'end of date' experience he'd ever had.

What, you were expecting a rimjob? a sarcastic inner voice asked. It wasn't like she owed him something, just 'cause he'd taken her out. He was courting her, not paying a hooker. How she responded was up to her. And yet... if a girl went on a date, not as just friends, it was a sign she was willing to get at least a little physical with a guy.

Well, fuck it. Danielle threw herself at me, and look how that turned out. Cora wasn't like any girl he'd been with before. Maybe she was worth cultivating a little patience.

So he told himself as he walked back and got on his bike.

~~~~~

"Fuck that was trippy," Cora breathed as soon as the door closed. She stepped over near the window and peeked out as Brandon got on his bike and rode off.

Erica waited as long as she could, but she was almost vibrating with eagerness. "So how'd it go? Did you kiss him? How'd he act? Did he..."

"Dial it back, chica," Cora broke in. Once Erica shut her mouth, she went on. "I think it went pretty good. Yeah, I kissed him, just now."

"That's good, I guess," Erica said judiciously.

Cora's eye-roll was almost audible. "You wanna watch next time?" More seriously, she gave Erica a reasonably complete account of their excursion as the girls went upstairs to Cora's room. She finished about when she was done removing her makeup.

"Sometimes I almost forgot it was a date. Like, it was just him and me, hangin' like before. It was chill." She shook her head. "And that's sayin' something 'cause I was wearing mascara and earrings and a frickin' skort. When did I get so used to all that?"

Her lips pursed. "Anyway, then he'd smile all weird or his eyes would be all over my tits and I'd remember."

"You been trying to get him to look at your tits for the last month," Erica noted.

Cora gave her a sour look. "Yeah, I know, but it's different when it's an actual, like, boyfriend." She spread her hands, searching for words. "He's kinda, y'know, allowed. Not to be an asshole about it, but, like..." She trailed off.

Erica thought about her and David. "But the line between 'whatever' and 'asshole' gets moved."

"Yeah! He gets... some kinda default permissions, I guess."

"It's not the same for every girl, though. You get to, I dunno, negotiate," Erica pointed out.

Cora shook her head slowly. "That's the thing. I don't know where the fuck to draw the line with him."

Erica pondered that for a moment. "Then I guess you got some thinking to do."

~~~~~

He was in armor, and Cora was in an old-timey dress, all the way to the floor. But it was thin and... and gauzy, almost like a nightgown or something, he could see the outlines of her body. She had a crown or something on. Not big and heavy. He thought maybe it was called a tiara. It was thin and elegant. Like her.

He had to be... honorable. Worthy of her. She was a princess, a real one. Royalty. And he was just a regular guy. She liked him, for whatever crazy reason - but what she deserved was a prince. A hero. A guy who would treat her like the amazing, beautiful, precious... everything she was.

Somehow, by some massive stroke of luck, she liked him. He sensed a chance for... something amazing with her, something he only dimly understood. Some awesome... destiny was possible; but he knew he could hurt her if he screwed up, hurt her badly. He had to play it just right, bring his "A" game, the very best he had in himself.

She drove him crazy at times, playing with him. It wasn't her fault, she didn't really understand how sexy she was. There was a fundamental innocence about her, something he felt duty-bound to protect.

If he hurt her, he'd never forgive himself.

The armor was gone, and they were holding each other, kissing. He was so careful, he'd die before he pushed her further than she was willing to go... she was so incredible, those eyes, those lips, those hips pressed against him, even through their clothes... he felt her hand brush his hardon, and...

"Uh! Uh!" Brandon woke up in the middle of an intense orgasm. He was gasping, his hips jerking, it seemed like every muscle in his body was tensing and relaxing in waves. Finally it passed, and he sat panting in bed for a minute or two, recovering.

"Well, that was fucked up," he whispered to himself. Then he got out of bed to go find a new pair of shorts, feeling very strange.

~~~~~

"Brandon's a really sweet boy." Laurie said, sipping her coffee and stifling a yawn.

"Young man," Bronwyn corrected. "More a man than a lot of 'adults' I've dated." She smiled with Motherly approval. "I'm half convinced we won't have to do anything but visit him with dreams."

It was possible to send dreams 'on a delay'; a Sister wasn't required to actively guide them at the moment their subject received them. A good thing, too, or the Sisters would have been just as exhausted as Danielle and Becca and Mindy had become over the past weeks. By now they'd worked out a schedule. One or another of the witches would cast the spells before they went to bed, leaving the nightmares to wake the girls deep in the dark.

But especially the first time, it was best to make direct contact, get a feel for the recipient and evaluate how they were responding. So they'd arranged for Lani to sleep over with Alice again, and Bronwyn had come along. The alarm had woken the two Sisters in the middle of the night and they'd set about encouraging some useful attitudes in Cora's new boyfriend.

They probably should have gone back to sleep then, but they'd spent some time in gentle lovemaking first. A little more than they'd intended, in fact. Hence the strong coffees both were nursing, and neither were on their first cup of the morning.

Their girls were at school, so the two senior Sisters were in Laurie's kitchen, going over Sisterhood business. Jacqui was at the gym and would join them later.

The Cora Situation was never far down the agenda at such times. They were both grateful there was promising news to go over.

"Jacqui's not going to be thrilled about his theories on Cora's resemblance to Cory," Laurie noted.

"Now that we know about it, we can warn Cora. We'll let Jacqui decide whether to encourage or disprove it." Bronwyn smiled. "But either way, it'll keep him from even suspecting the truth."

Laurie took another big sip of coffee, nodding. "While we're at it, what about Erica's boyfriend? David something?" she asked.

Bronwyn swallowed her own gulp and answered, "Miranda's handling him. Apparently, he's another budding Marcus! Gallant and devoted."

Both women exchanged bittersweet smiles at that. They had schemed, using all of their considerable matchmaking prowess to find a boy who'd help Jacqui through her traumatic Transition. Even they had been surprised at the depth of the romance that had blossomed between the two. Jacqui wasn't the only one who still grieved for him.

Bronwyn took a deep breath. "So. Bella's boys. Any fresh ideas?" Transformations tended to be meticulously planned affairs, and for twins it would be more than doubly so.

"Well, only in the broad outlines. It's good that they have separate bedrooms." Laurie took a breath. "How's this? They change separately, and only see each other when they're both fully female. Then we somehow get them in different rooms again before the final question."

"It'll be tough if only one of them accepts..."

~~~~~

Jacinta watched Cora as she walked into the cafeteria. Actually, 'strutted' might have been a more accurate term. She was looking pretty confident today.

As Cora got into line, the three girls in front of her sniffed and pointedly turned their heads away. The news that Brandon and Cora were officially together was all over the school. A sizeable portion of the student body took that to mean that Cora had been pursuing Brandon all along. Which somehow justified what Danielle had done, to some.

Most people seemed to remember Danielle beating her up, though.

Cora wasn't even slightly fazed. The only sign she'd even noticed them was a brief eye roll. She sauntered through the line and joined Jacinta and Gabriela at their table.

Of course, there was only one reasonable topic of conversation. "Piper says Becca's still not sitting with Mindy and Danielle at lunch. And none of 'em were smiling." Danielle's suspension was over, though of course she was under orders to stay away from Cora.

"I just wish Brandon had the same lunch period as me. He'd be sittin' here, for sure." Cora was beaming. "Can you imagine how much that'd piss 'em all off?"

"How is Brandon, anyway? Seen him since yesterday?" Jacinta still had hopes for the actual relationship.

"Yeah, we said hi right before school." Cora frowned; not unhappily, just thoughtfully. "He was acting kinda weird."

"Weird how?" Gabriela asked. She and Jacinta exchanged a quick nervous glance.

"I dunno. He was all... I dunno. He was looking at me like I was a princess or something." Cora seemed confused.

"Doesn't sound so bad," Gabriela said.

"It wasn't bad. I just... I guess I ain't used to it."

Jacinta sighed. "I'd like the chance to get used to it."

Cora snorted and smiled ruefully.

~~~~~

David was keeping a low profile. Danielle was still in his and Erica's calc class, of course.

Erica and Danielle didn't say anything to each other. But the little sniffs and glares said it all anyway. He simply tried not to attract any attention.

Class ended without major incident. But Erica didn't get up at the sound of the bell, waiting so that Danielle would have to pass. And when she did, Erica held up something for Danielle to see.

Danielle tensed and aimed a look of fury at Erica's smirking face. He looked down at what Erica had drawn in thick marker on the back of her folder.

"Brandon + Cora" it said, surrounded by a large, elaborately-bordered heart. He didn't quite manage to keep the laugh down; a guffaw escaped. Danielle's snarl at him was scarcely less venomous. She rushed out into the hall as David gave Erica a golf clap.

~~~~~

Even when Trahn was dropping Erica off after practice, Cora was a topic. More precisely, the gossip about her.

Trahn was bemused. "Can't believe Carrie was actually human about it."

"Yeah, that was pretty funny."

A clique of girls had been digging at Erica a little right after practice, as they were all heading for the lockers. Nobody could accuse Erica of being a lesbian anymore, not when she was dating one of the hottest boys in the whole school. Even Cora was no longer vulnerable to such accusations now that she was with Brandon.

So, naturally, she was now the direct opposite - a cockhound, a slut. The climax came when the clique's alpha, Monet, said, "She probably framed Danielle. Took that pic herself and sent it to him."

Erica didn't quite have time to lose her cool. Carrie had broken in. "You'd know. Dashawn told me about all those shots of your twat you kept sending him."

That got a big reaction - squeals and giggles and catcalls. Cut off at the metaphorical knees, Monet and her friends had sullenly kept to themselves as everyone changed.

Erica had quietly acknowledged Carrie with a brief nod. Friends they'd never be, but thanks to the Goddess' ways they didn't have to be enemies.

Trahn pulled in to Erica's driveway. She gave Trahn a quick hug and popped out of the car, waving at the other girls. "See ya tomorrow!"

She came in and put down her purse. Cora sat at the kitchen table, tackling her homework, looking pensive. Erica put her hand on Cora's, and said, "Something wrong? What'cha working on, French?"

"Nah, it's not the homework. Something else." She sat up and stretched. "Today, coming back from the bus stop? There was this guy, maybe thirty or something, coming up the sidewalk toward me." At the sudden alarm in Erica's expression, she held up a reassuring hand. "No, no, it wasn't a problem. Kinda the opposite. He just saw me, like five houses away, and he crossed the street."

Erica nodded. Guys - at least, the ones who had any awareness that women had minds, too - did that. Gave strange women extra space, so as not to needlessly alarm them. But Cora was speaking. "I - well, Cory, anyway - did that before. Especially at night." Then she fell silent.

"So... no problem?"

The girl sighed. "It's just... I was, like, glad that he did it. I wasn't really worried or anything, y'know. But it was nice to see. I was almost grateful."

Erica thought she understood. "But you wouldn't have been, before."

"Cory... he'd be mad. Like it was, I dunno, condescending or something. Implying he couldn't take care of himself."

Erica nodded judiciously. She could see Eric feeling that way.

Cora sighed. "Thing is, I really can't take care of myself like that. I'm so small. I mean, there are ten-year-old boys who could probably take me."

Then she gave a little smile. "Good thing I have a boyfriend to run with now, I guess."

Erica smiled too. "Does kinda work out."

~~~~~

"I gotta get some new clothes," Cora said, rustling through her closet. She and Brandon were going on a more traditional dinner-and-a-movie date tomorrow night and the girls were planning her look.

Erica lay on Cora's bed, texting. She had a sense of déjà vu, remembering Cora saying nearly the same thing two months ago. The tone was totally different now, though.

Cora actually sighed. "We can't even trade pants or shoes or anything." She shook her head, looking herself over in the mirror as she draped a dress across her front. "Like, this would look totally sweet with those buckle-boots you've got, but they won't fit me. I've only got some ankle-boots, and they're fur."

A part of Erica was wondering if Cora was putting her on. The words - and the motivation behind them - were so feminine it was hard to believe they came from Cora. She'd come a long way in three months.

"We'll just have to hit the mall again this weekend," Erica said.

"Maybe we can go tonight. Maybe get a couple new skirts or something. It's getting embarrassing."

Erica marveled in her head. A long way. She even knew what those little hooks on some hangers were for.

"Plus, girls stuff is so thin! I ripped that gray sweater yesterday on my locker."

Okay, that sounded more like Cora.

~~~~~

Brandon thought the night had gone pretty well. Cora had enjoyed dinner - she ate more than any girlfriend he'd ever had, even though she was smaller than any of them. More than she had that night with David and Erica, come to think of it.

The conversation had been chill, too. She was smart and funny, and had an almost tomboyish knowledge of sports and video games and movies. And she'd seemed just as happy as him to take in an action movie instead of some romantic comedy.

He'd tried to find out more about her family, just with general questions. Nothing she said sounded like organized crime or anything. Pretty ordinary, really. Well, he'd keep his eyes open. He wasn't stupid enough to bring up Cory, not on their second date.

So he was pretty satisfied as he pulled into the Jardin's driveway. Now it was time to test her level of satisfaction.

They got out of the car together; she never waited for him to open the door or stuff like that. But he could still walk her to the door.

"That was chill," he said as they got to her porch.

"I had a good time, too," she said a touch formally. But she waited at the door, looking up at him.

He sensed a little hesitation as he leaned in. Or maybe it was shyness. Either way, a kiss on the second date shouldn't be a big deal, so he still went for it. Just carefully. She didn't seem surprised or shy away.

Their lips met. After a moment, he darted his tongue to press against her lips, just a quick probe.

She didn't break off immediately; but after a second she pulled her head back off a bit, swallowed, and looked at him with very wide eyes.

He smiled with a little more confidence than he actually felt. Her answering smile was small and less confident. But she leaned in and gave him another quick peck.

She stayed close, but said softly, "Just... take it easy with me. For a while. I... I'm not used to this."

"S' cool. We're still, like, getting to know each other." He had to front some; it was annoying, a little. Or at least confusing. She'd been sending messages like she was interested in him, before. He couldn't quite figure her out.

She squeezed close for a full-body hug, and said, "See you tomorrow." Then she slipped away into the house.

He strolled back to his dad's car, walking normally just in case anybody was watching. He shifted his pants after he got in the car. Maybe she hadn't meant it that way, who the fuck knew. But that hug, her whole body up against his, had been dead sexy.

~~~~~

Cora was simultaneously debriefed by both Erica and Jacinta - the former in person, the latter by text.

Erica noted to herself that Cora seemed to have developed some proficiency in maintaining two conversations at once. She wasn't unduly distracted by typing. Nor did Erica worry about finding out what Cora might be sending; she felt sure Jacqui would have that line tapped.

"What'd you guys talk about, anyway?"

"Just stuff. Movies and class and games and stuff," Cora said. "I like talking with him. It's nice to talk like a boy again, mostly."

Erica squinted. "What do you mean?"

"Talking with girls is, like, work. A lot of the time, anyway."

Erica sat down at the table while Cora sent something to Jacinta. Her frown invited elaboration, which Cora provided.

"It's not what they talk about. Well, okay, most of the time." That was said with a rueful half-grin. Cora could talk confidently about things like clothes and makeup now, but seldom chose to. "More like... girls are never just talking about what they're talking about, y'know?"

Erica thought she did understand, but she tilted her head in an invitation for Cora to clarify. Silence seemed to work best on Cora; it didn't feed energy into her verbal judo. She couldn't twist words if you didn't say them.

"I mean, if Brandon tells me 'bout what some guy did at his last meet, I don't have to worry that he's trying to send me a hidden message or shit."

Erica half-shrugged. "Okay, but you gotta talk about feelings sometimes too, right?"

"I bet I can wait another couple dates for that. He's a boy." Cora's smile let on that she was mostly joking. "Don't worry, I'm, like, 'tending the relationship' and shit."

She spread her hands. "And I'm getting better at the girl stuff. Sometimes it's actually kinda cool. Saying one thing and sending three different messages to two different people, or, like, decrypting a message like that." She sighed. "I'm mostly up to the challenge now. I think. But sometimes it's nice not to have to handle a challenge, y'know?"

Erica made a brushing motion with her hand, dismissing that topic. "Didja kiss him?"

Cora looked to the heavens. "Yeah, just now outside. And a hug, too."

"Wow, a hug, too! Did he jizz right there?" Erica said, laying the sarcasm on with a trowel.

"Fuck you," Cora said, without much heat. "I'm getting there. He seemed cool enough, he wasn't pushy." She frowned. "Besides, the way some girls talk I already sucked him off with a finger up my ass."

Erica covered Cora's hand with her own. "Don't worry about the haters. Just make sure you know how Brandon feels."

~~~~~

David pulled up to where Erica was standing. Giving her rides home from school was a regular thing now. Boyfriend points, of course; but frequently Cora would come along, too, and gathering data on her was a sub-priority of his mission. Not that she talked a lot.

Today, though, Erica was alone. She slid gracefully into the passenger seat and gave him a quick smooch. "Should I wait for Cora?" he asked.

Erica beamed. "Nope! Check it, Brandon gave her a ride home on his bike!"

Eyebrows raised, he pulled forward, toward the lot exit. "Gotta admit, I wasn't sure if getting them together was all that good an idea, but it seems to be working out."

"Yeah," Erica said, almost in a sigh. After a second, she gave him a Look. "What's Brandon say about her?"

David took a few beats to answer her. "He likes her. But he, um, finds her a maybe a little confusing." He held up a hand as Erica opened her mouth to say something. "Don't even. She doesn't act like other girls. You know it."

Erica paused herself. "Yeah, okay, she's a little... quirky. But she likes him. Honest."

You are so easy to read, David thought with amusement. She hoped Cora liked him. Or would like him. Erica's guilelessness made his mission a lot simpler at times, and it was actually kind of charming.

But he didn't want her to know just how transparent she could be. "Okay, if you say so." He paused, then, as if the idea had just occurred to him, said, "How 'bout we all get together sometime? Maybe some COD or Halo or something at my place?" He put on a sly grin. "I never have seen the mistress at work..."

Erica hit his shoulder playfully. "Sounds tight. We'll show you some girl power. I'll bring my controllers."

~~~~~

The gaming session took place Saturday around lunchtime - Cora had to work in the evening, and Erica would be with the squad at a game that night.

The girls didn't want to play online, and the boys had silently agreed they didn't want to go up against the girls directly, at least not at first. So the foursome wound up spending some quality time with GOW's Horde mode.

Eventually they all took a break. The girls went to the kitchen to assemble some snacks, and David took the chance to talk to Brandon. "They're pretty good, huh?"

"Hell yeah," Brandon said quietly. "They ain't pros, but neither are we. They sure as shit ain't posers!" He shook his head. "Cora, I've seen her at laser tag. Shooters ain't a stretch." Then he looked at David. "But Erica... she's so, y'know, girly. When did she put in the hours?"

"I dunno," he lied.

When the girls came back the group moved on to more casual games. They settled on Geometry Wars, and took turns playing co-op mode and competing for score. The boys made sure they got teamed up with their girlfriends. Brandon and Cora got the highest score; she proved to be an adept shooter, while Brandon piloted the ship to evade the waves of enemies.

Brandon left for work - Cora gave him a reasonably enthusiastic goodbye kiss, in David's estimation - and the girls went home shortly thereafter. David reflected on what he'd observed, mentally composing a report. Cora was definitely more tomboyish than Erica, but still made a surprisingly convincing girl. It was hard to tell how much of her affection for Brandon was residual friendship, or actual romantic feeling.

~~~~~

"Hey, girlfriend, bet your cousin's happy, right?" Melanie's voice rose above the hubbub of the locker room.

Erica, just pulling off her shirt for gym, turned to look at her friend. "Huh?" she managed, perplexed.

Trahn appeared behind Melanie. "You didn't hear?" Trahn said. "Rebecca cracked! She went in and confessed!"

Erica's eyes widened. "Wait, what? It was Danielle that..."

Trahn interrupted. "She shopped Danielle out! And Mindy! Word is they're all gonna get expelled!"

Erica wished she could send actual thoughts to Cora. She'd have to wait until Programming to tell her.

~~~~~

Brandon had never been so nervous about math class, not even for a final. His buddy Savion had passed on the dirt about Rebecca just a couple minutes ago. And now he had to face Cora.

No one was talking to her, though it was pretty clear almost everyone was whispering about her. She looked... triumphant, so happy she was almost glowing. When she saw him coming, her smile became dazzling.

She'd heard, obviously. He couldn't look her in the eye. "I still can't believe I didn't... I just never realized she..."

Cora cut him off. "Sure, you were a complete tool." Incredibly, she was still smiling. "You need me to keep you out of trouble."

He shrugged, not disputing her. "I checked my phone in my locker. There was a voicemail from her." He licked his lips. "She was crying, and she wanted me to call her back."

Cora's smile transformed into something unsettlingly malevolent. "Save it. I wanna hear it."

Class started up, so they couldn't talk more then, but Brandon found himself dwelling on both smiles. Remember not to piss her off. On the other hand, he wouldn't mind seeing her more pleasant smile again.

By the time the bell rang, though, she didn't look quite so happy. When they got up, she seemed to have trouble meeting his eyes. "Call me later?"

"Sure. Can I give you a ride home with me again?"

She sure had a lot of different smiles. This one was strained. "No, I...I'm just gonna take the bus."

Then, nervous, he said, "Everything chill? You okay?"

Her smile got a little more genuine, but only for a second. "Yeah, I just... gotta think about stuff."

She gave him a quick hug before walking out the door, at least.

Continued in Part 9

A Change of Perspective

by Optimizer

Part 9

Erica was a little surprised to see Cora on the bus home. She'd expected her to get another ride home with Brandon. For that matter, it was unusual for Erica to be on the bus, too, but David had baseball practice so she couldn't go in his car.

They chattered on the drive, as usual, but something was very off. She would have expected Cora to be bouncing off the walls, to be ecstatic. Instead she seemed preoccupied. So Erica braced her as soon as they were out and on foot. "What's wrong?"

Cora didn't dissemble. She walked slowly for several seconds, staring at the ground. "I was gonna break up with him. Once Danielle got hers, I mean." After another pause, she continued. "I wanted to get him back, too, for being so fucking stupid."

Erica waited as long as she could, then probed. "You were gonna?"

Cora took a while to speak again. "If I break up with him now, he'll think I just went after him to get at Danielle."

"Uh... you did."

Cora flinched. "Okay, yeah, but he apologized. And he feels bad about it." She was talking fast. "I don't hafta make it any worse, y'know? He's not a bad guy. I don't wanna, like, mess him up for later. Y'know, when he finds a real girlfriend." Her voice had run down somewhat. More quietly, she said, "He should be able to trust somebody, someday."

Erica wobbled, uncertain. She had been ordered not to pay any attention to Cory. But the poor girl looked so troubled...

She couldn't help herself. "What does Cory think?"

Cora's voice was very soft, now, almost inaudible. "He's decided Brandon deserves to be tricked."

Erica pondered that for a moment. "Is that what you think? That you're tricking him?"

"I dunno," Cora replied, sounding haunted.

~~~~~

The evening was a busy one. The police were talking to the lawyers that Danielle and Mindy's families had retained. Becca was willing to testify, and hadn't even pressed for immunity.

Jacqui had managed to supernaturally procure copies of Becca's confession, and drove down with Bronwyn to confer; Laurie stayed home with the girls. Cora cackled all through the transcript, reading aloud her favorite bits. But she paused with rising eyebrows when she came to:

Detective: So, why are you telling us this now? Why change your story?

Rebecca: I just wanna sleep through the night again. And Brandon's with Cora anyway.

Jacqui met the girl's eyes steadily, with a confident smile. "My Mom said dreams could do the job."

"Huh," Cora had said, not disagreeing. The discussion moved on to legal strategy. The lawyer who'd helped with the restraining order was there, a woman named Adelle. She was young for a lawyer, only in her mid-twenties, but seemed very competent. Again no one actually admitted she was a Sister, but the girls weren't stupid. She'd been allowed to see the confession.

While Adelle covered a fine point of evidence law, Erica took Jacqui aside, into the kitchen. "Um, like... how long did... how long was, uh, y'know, 'Jack' like... hanging around? "

Jacqui nodded, a wry little half-grin twisting her lips. "Right," she said knowingly, stealing a glance through the door at Cora. The girl was focused on what Adelle was saying, with all the sharp intensity she was capable of.

Jacqui turned back to Erica, but her eyes were distant, remembering. "With me, it was at least a year. I don't remember exactly when 'he' left. One day I just realized I hadn't heard from him for a while." She smiled, back in the present. "I won't be worried about 'Cory' - well, more worried - until maybe early next year."

That made Erica feel a lot better. The pair came back into the den, where Cora was learning about testimony.

~~~~~

Danielle, Mindy, and Rebecca didn't show up at school the next day. Rumors were flying even more frantically and Cora was a center of attention again, naturally; even more than after dating Brandon. She was far less disconcerted this time, though. Erica would have sworn the girl's smile hadn't faltered once since she woke up this morning.

Maybe she'd decided to ignore 'Cory'. In any case, Cora's friends were just as excited and immediately pounced on her for details.

To Jacinta and the rest, they couldn't share everything. But the public information was juicy enough. "Our lawyer says it probably won't go to trial. It'll be a plea bargain."

"Why?" Gabriela asked, looking confused.

Erica jumped in. "She says you never know what might happen in court, so most of the time it's better not to take the chance."

Cora shrugged agreement. "It's still my and Becca and Brandon's word against theirs," she pointed out. "The phone's gone. A jury might not buy it."

Jacinta was almost sulking. "So that puta gets away with it?"

"Nobody said that," Cora said with a feline grin. "Danielle's parents are almost pissing themselves thinking what could happen if she did get convicted on the full charges." She caught the meaning of Erica's sudden sharp glance, and backtracked. No need to reveal telepathic surveillance. "That's what our lawyer thinks, anyway. Probably jail, and she might even go on the sex offender list. And that means she'd have to move out of her neighborhood, and a lot of schools wouldn't accept her."

Jacinta now had a smile scarcely less satisfied than Cora's own. "That's more like it!"

"She fucking deserves it, yeah, but... I don't really wanna have to testify, anyway," Cora admitted, looking somber for the first time that day. "So they'll probably settle for criminal harassment. Only probation and community service, but a record." Her smile was back. "Which still makes it harder for her to get a job or get into a good college."

"What about Mindy? What happens to her?"

"Accessory. Maybe just community service." Before Jacinta could ask, Cora went on. "I'm not pressing charges on Becca. Getting expelled is enough. She didn't really do anything but keep quiet anyways."

Gabriela broke in. "They gonna get expelled? Like, for sure?"

"Oh, yeah. Mrs. Schimke called me last night. She's already suspended them. And she's, like, starting the expulsion process first thing today. Doesn't need charges for that."

"Told you the Goddess would provide," Erica said, smug.

"Hey, we were praying for you too!" Jacinta noted. But she was smiling too.

The warning bell rang, cutting short any religious debate. The girls hugged and said their until-lunch goodbyes, heading off to class.

~~~~~

Cora came out of the door and headed toward him. Seeing her from a distance, next to other girls, Brandon was struck by how she walked. Some girls strutted, some bounced, some even sashayed. Prancing, almost, like they were on a runway.

Cora just... walked. Covered the ground.

She didn't walk like a boy, of course. Her hips swung and all that; she was unmistakably female. But there was nothing practiced or exaggerated or stylized about it. It was all her. Just how her body was put together.

It was put together very nicely, too. He liked her gait.

"Hey," she said as she stepped up to the bike. "Give a girl a ride?" She'd worn jeans again today. The first time he'd invited her, she'd had to explain that skirts didn't really work on the back of a bike with all the wind. He'd felt pretty stupid. Thankfully, she'd seemed more amused than annoyed. And the next day she'd worn jeans.

"Certainly, milady! Allow me to present your riding bonnet," he said, grinning as he pulled out his spare helmet. She'd seemed so preoccupied when she'd begged off riding home with him yesterday. But today in calc class she'd asked him. He still couldn't quite figure her out sometimes. Of course, I never had that good a handle on any girls before.

She scoffed and punched his arm, but she grinned, too, as she swept her hair back with a hand and slipped the helmet on.

Danielle had only ridden with him a couple times. A helmet screwed up her hair, she said. Cora didn't seem to give a fuck. She jumped up behind him and pulled in close.

Oh, well, they can't predict the weather that great either. Just gotta enjoy it when it's sunny. He gunned the engine a little more than he had to and aimed for the street, still smiling.

~~~~~

Jacinta concentrated, determined to focus and write down the customer's order correctly. She couldn't afford to turn and stare, no matter how much she wanted to.

Only when she was sure she had it right did she glance at Cora and Brandon. Cora had brought him to the taquería for dinner. Cora smiled and gave a little wave, and she smiled back.

She turned and navigated around tables to the kitchen. They made such a cute couple. And Cora seemed to have gotten more comfortable with him. If Jacinta was right and the girl had been assaulted or maybe even raped, that was no small thing. She still worried that Brandon might not have the patience to let Cora come around at her own pace, though.

She handed in the order and peeked at them past the door. She couldn't hear anything of what they were saying from across the room. All she could see was body language.

Cora smiled and laughed at something Brandon had said. She had a killer smile, but she didn't seem to know just how powerful it was. Or she'd use it more. Brandon gave her hand a quick squeeze, then stood and headed towards the restrooms in back.

Cora watched him as he walked away, a relaxed grin on her face. And Jacinta was ninety percent sure she saw Cora's eyes track that tight runner butt for a couple seconds.

Jacinta felt her mouth curving into a sly grin. Brandon was hella cute. And maybe Cora was finally noticing it.

~~~~~

"So, an extra-large meat-lovers and a small veggie," David told the waitress.

"You got it," she said, and went to place the order.

"I get one of your slices," Cora told Brandon. Erica sighed.

It wasn't quite a double date, but close. A bunch of guys from the baseball team had gone to play Whirlyball and needed to fill out the field. So friends and girlfriends could come, too. They'd had fun with the group, and that weird cross of polo and basketball and bumper cars, then the four of them went out for pizza.

Brandon said, "I don't owe you anything. Miss an easy pass like that, you don't deserve meat lovers."

Cora scoffed and threw in an eye-roll. "We ain't all six foot one, y'know. I don't exactly have your reach."

They went over a little more post-game analysis, bit then the conversation lulled for a moment.

"Good thing that whole cluster with the movie went down, or we might not have hooked up," Brandon mused. "It totally pissed Danielle off."

"The Goddess provides," Cora said with a haughty grin. "Wish it coulda been a better movie, though. Usually they save the sequel hook for after the credits," she went on, not missing a beat. David couldn't show it, but he was a little impressed. She'd wrangled that redirection like a pro, no hint in her face or tone she was avoiding anything.

Erica didn't handle it quite as gracefully. She was sounding a little too bright and cheerful as she seized on the topic change. "At least they aren't rebooting the whole franchise again!" David suppressed a smirk; Erica was fundamentally honest, a terrible liar.

Brandon didn't pick up on it, though. "Gonna be enough of those. You see that timeline Savion posted? Ten superhero movies a year, for the next five years!"

"Of course they're gonna make super flicks. They can finally do the special effects, that's all," David said. "You ever check out the first Superman? That's the only half-decent one. All the others look totally fake."

"Man of Steel had good effects, but the story sucked. That Justice League thing ain't gonna work."

Cora swallowed a sip of diet. "DC's been doing OK on TV. Those animated movies are pretty decent. And Flash and Arrow."

David spoke up. "Haven't done much of anything good besides the Batman stuff."

Erica backed him up. "Green Lantern." They smiled at each other. "Marvel's the opposite. They do the movies right but Agents of Shield got old fast." She frowned. "'Cept now, on Netflix. Those shows were good."

"I dunno if they can keep it up, with the movies I mean. Only so many guys work for a movie. I mean, Ant-Man was barely hooked into anything else," Brandon said, shaking his head.

"Can't fuckin' believe there was an Ant-Man movie before a Wonder Woman movie," Cora said darkly. "Howard the fucking Duck has been in more movies than her."

David shrugged. "Well, only one of them was good..."

Cora was on a rant, though. "There's only ever been one female super hero that got any attention outside us comic geeks," Cora said. "Wonder Woman. She's more famous than frickin' Iron Man or Thor, that's for sure. Or Green Lantern. But they all got movies, and none for her."

"Just a couple more years," Brandon said soothingly. Erica was astonished to see Cora smile, instead of snarl at him.

"Superman, Batman, Spider-Man - they can be superheroes, but they don't have to represent all men, everywhere," Erica pointed out. "But no matter how they make her, somebody's gonna be pissed."

"Well, looks like she's gonna be the first one in the Justice League after Batman and Superman. A founding member, like in the comics."

"Founding member," Cora muttered. "In the comics, when she joined, she was the secretary."

"Well, anyway, at least Marvel's doing good. Jessica Jones was bangin'. And the Wasp is coming." Brandon gave her a smile, and that seemed to calm Cora down a little. Shortly after, the girls went off on one of their joint trips to the bathroom. The boys sat and ate, bemused.

"What's Cora like, anyway?" David asked. "She's always so quiet at school." Brandon was a necessary intel channel.

"She's a little, I dunno, shy sometimes I guess." Brandon spread his hands, palms up. "But how many hot girls actually know anything about comics? And like action movies, and play shooters?"

David reflected that Brandon was the only one of the four who was entirely who he appeared to be. I guess what he doesn't know won't hurt him. And David really hoped he was the only one who knew who everyone really was. "They're a rare breed," he agreed.

"Yeah, Wiccan chicks are usually so fucking granola they don't even shave their pits."

The girls came back and Cora managed not to give any more speeches. It was actually a lot of fun, and the only thing remotely resembling conflict came when it was time to pay. The boys insisted on buying the food.

"Fine, but we'll get the tip," Cora said. She and Erica were already pulling out their purses. They left a generous gratuity; David wasn't surprised since both of them had experienced the restaurant world.

~~~~~

He'd been steeling himself the whole ride home from school, but he almost wimped out at the last second. He forced himself to speak up right when Cora handed him the spare helmet.

"Um, I was wondering..." Brandon said, then fell silent. "I know you're, like, Wiccan and all, but..."

Cora just looked at him, expectantly. Finally she said, "Yeah, what?"

He gathered his courage. "For Easter, my church... well, we take shifts over the weekend, making big meals for homeless shelters." He shrugged. "We're supposed to invite someone who hasn't come before. And, um..."

She tilted her head and squinted. "And you want me to come?"

"Well, yeah." He spoke quickly. "It's not a hard sell or anything. Our pastor's actually big on that. You're not supposed to even talk religion unless they ask. 'Show you're Christian by what you do, not what you say,' and all."

"Trying to save the pagans?" But she was joking. He was almost positive.

"We're Episcopalian. Super liberal. Talk to the Catholics or the Baptists, they'll tell you we're pretty much pagan too."

Cora smiled but didn't say anything.

"I'd just... like you there. I think you'd have fun. You know I'm not super-religious." He waved a hand. "I believe in God, but I think God cares more about trying to do good than which church you go to." He looked in her eye. "And you're a good person. So's Erica and her mom."

She looked down and actually blushed a little. "Even if we dance naked in the woods for the Spring Solstice?"

"Okay, that's a dealbreaker." Her head popped up and she looked at him, startled. "You didn't invite me?"

She laughed. Thank God. Then she pursed her lips, considering. "What time are we talking about?"

"Saturday. Um. Pretty early, we're doing breakfast."

~~~~~

Saturday afternoon, when Brandon dropped Cora off at home, Miranda was out doing the grocery shopping with Haylie. So Erica was the only one home. This was not entirely an accident; she was eager to know how Cora had gotten on.

"So. How'd it go?" she asked as she followed Cora upstairs to change.

Cora's head canted as she considered the question. "Brandon really enjoyed it. I mean, you could see it. Just... helping people."

"What about you?" Erica probed.

Cora waved a hand. "I did too, mostly. After a while."

Erica peered at Cora uncertainly, inviting elaboration.

Cora shrugged. "I was a little scared, at first. Strangers, maybe crazy. And I'm pretty small." She saw Erica nod slowly, and went on. "I mostly stuck close to Brandon. It was weird. I finally realized that, like, if, y'know, any shit started... I was counting on him to protect me."

Erica nodded again, remembering that night at the movies with David.

"Cory wouldn't'a even thought about it. But he was a foot taller and had, oh, at least sixty more pounds of muscle and bone." She shrugged. "But nothing happened except some creepy looks."

The two girls sat down on Cora's bed. She continued. "Anyway, that was later. The ride down was okay. It was a little weird. I mean, I met his parents already, for a minute. But it was, like, an hour with just me, him, and them. Cory met parents before, but I never had to figure out how to act like a girl that won't scare her boyfriend's parents."

Erica was suddenly glad that David's parents seemed pretty hands-off. She'd only met them a couple times, checking in or out for dates. But Cora was still talking.

"So I just tried to act, like, totally non-sexy." She grinned. "I can still do that."

Erica smiled too. "You got a lot of practice," she teased.

Cora shook her head and mock-glared. "Anyway we got there and carried a bunch of stuff in and started cooking." It warmed Erica's heart to see Cora's smile when she said, "Brandon and I got put on the waffle maker. Spent about an hour making a big pile." It was the smile of a girl happy to spend time with her boyfriend.

"And it actually was sorta chill when we served the food. It wasn't all street crazies, like I'd kinda been imagining. It was just... people, y'know? They were just unlucky, most of 'em."

Cora looked somewhat pensive. "Cory's sorta, like, Libertarian. But it's easier to believe in 'level playing fields' when you're a guy. Especially a straight white guy." She touched Erica's hand. "Did you see that thing I linked to on Facebook? How if life was an RPG, 'straight white male' would be the easiest setting?"

Cora half-shrugged. "Anyways. Brandon looked 'em all right in the eye, and smiled. A real smile. A couple older people, he carried their food for 'em."

Erica had seldom seen Cora gush before. "Even the kids liked him! Have you noticed how little kids trust strange girls more than boys, mostly?" Erica nodded firmly. That was hard to miss. "There was this one little girl." Cora's eyes got vague - almost dreamy - as she reminisced. "We were out serving, and it was almost over. This one family came up, and she asked for another cookie, but her mom said no. But she came over by herself just a minute or two later, and she asked again."

"And Brandon got this grin, like he was six years old too. And he slipped her three cookies and said 'I won't tell if you don't.'"

"She giggled and ran off to the corner. And I saw her looking at him a couple times while she was eating them."

Oddly, Cora turned somber. Then she began to speak, and Erica understood. "He invited Cory once. When they were both freshmen. Cory blew it off, and he never asked again." She gently shook her head. "Cory never thought about it after that. I only remembered 'cause he asked me now." She looked at Erica. "Was Cory a dick? Or does he just look that way to me anymore 'cause he hates me so much?"

Erica took Cora in a hug, responding to the pain she saw in those eyes. "Oh, Cora, you weren't a dick. He wasn't a dick." She swallowed a lump in her throat, holding back tears.

Cora didn't cry either. But she didn't say anything.

"I liked Cory. I was sad when he was avoiding me." She gave Cora a squeeze. "So he wasn't perfect. He could be a little... arrogant, I guess. And maybe he focused a little too much on his own goals. But I never saw him go out of his way to hurt anyone."

"But he never went out of his way to help anybody. Not like Brandon."

"That's not true!" Erica said, pulling back and taking Cora by the shoulders. "I saw him help Josh and Derek and Sunny with programming stuff. And he was good with the track team, from what I heard."

Cora seemed to feel a little better then. "Okay, yeah, that's true." Her smile after that was wan and wry, but genuine. "So he never went out of his way to help a stranger. Brandon's got him on that one."

"Brandon's a good guy," Erica agreed.

They talked a bit more, and then, Erica being half naked, they wound up releasing some tension in their accustomed way. Cora seemed a lot more at ease when she went to her room.

~~~~~

Linda and Kristina were over at Erica's house for a little visit and study session. Cora was hanging with them; Erica had a moment of pleased reflection on how Cora didn't mind female conversation so much anymore.

"Paul's stepdad has a cabin way up north, near Redding. They go, like, one weekend a month. And he said he could invite me in April."

"Sounds tight," Cora offered. "Supposed to be good hiking up around there."

"Maybe for you!" Linda laughed. "I don't run miles and miles every day! Paul marches around all the time. He'll think I'm a flabby cow."

Cora scoffed, but smiled. "If you can run a mile with Erica, you can walk a bunch more."

"Maybe we can go for some walks next week instead of jogging," Erica said. She was glad Cora picked up on how Linda was partly fishing for encouragement. "David's got an away game Thursday night."

"Brandon and I were gonna go run that trail again that night. You two could walk it."

"Huh," Linda said. She and Erica negotiated schedules for a few seconds.

Then Cora's foot brushed Erica's. She glanced over, and Cora nodded subtly toward Kristina. Erica realized her friend had been quiet for a while now. And she was looking down at the table sadly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.

"'s nothing," Kristina said. Her face had gone wooden again.

"Oh, come on," Linda said, reaching for Kristina's hand. "Something's bugging you."

The girl's reserve was cracking a little, but she pulled her hands away. "It doesn't matter. Just leave me alone, okay?"

Cora was clearly unsure what, if anything, to say. Erica shifted a little closer and said, "Come on, we're your friends. Let us help."

"Nobody can 'help'!" It came out in a rush. Kristina had real tears flowing now. "You've all got boyfriends and I'm never gonna have one again!" she wailed.

Cora looked to be at a complete loss. Erica was dismayed, too, but couldn't afford to be silent. She moved to hug Kristina and said, "That's not true!"

Linda was moving in, too. "Look at Natasha's sister! She's got two baby daddies and she's getting married in September!"

Cora spoke up from the other side of the table. "Lots of girls with kids get boyfriends," she said. "Especially these days. I knew, like, three back in New York." Her tone was perhaps a shade too practical - Erica thought about guys who tried to solve problems rather than just be supportive - but there was no doubt she was sincerely trying to help.

"And there's some good bits," Erica volunteered. "At least you won't waste any time with the immature assholes."

"Yeah, you'll just get a better class of guy," Linda agreed. "Only guys who can handle it will stick around."

Kristina snorted her derision. "And how many really good guys are there?"

Cora seemed taken aback, thinking about it.

"They're out there," Erica insisted. She looked around the table, and realized the other two were thinking about the same thing she was - Could my guy handle it? It gave her pause. What if she got pregnant? Would David skip out like Jimmy had? She'd have to reflect on it later - now was not the time, not when her friend was hurting. "Maybe not in high school, but there's college and work. It'll happen."

They managed to calm Kristina down, after a while, and made plans to spend some more time with her. Once Linda and Kristina went home, Erica said, "Whew!" She looked at Cora. "Sorry, she's not usually so high-maintenance."

Cora shrugged. "She's got a fuck of a lot to deal with. I'd be a total basket case if I got preggers."

"Thanks for understanding," Erica said, with feeling.

They went to the kitchen to start dinner. "Least I don't have to worry about it," Cora mused. "Brandon ain't gettin' where Jimmy got."

Erica shouldn't have doubted that. For the most part, she didn't - she knew Cora wasn't into guys. And yet, somehow... some tiny corner of her mind stubbornly, against all reason, kept its own counsel. Erica didn't even bother arguing with herself. If anyone was going to get pregnant, it'd be her. Sometimes, next to David... if Kristina hadn't been her friend, she might have gone all the way already.

~~~~~

Erica was in the middle of two texting conversations at once, with Kristina and Trahn, enjoying a rare Friday night off. Cora came through the door, a bit earlier than she'd been expecting. She and Brandon had gone off on his bike after school for a longer ride.

She looked up and said, "So, how'd it..." But she got no further. Cora's teeth were grinding and her eyebrows were practically touching, so pinched were her features. The girl seemed to radiate anger... and confusion. It was not a mix often seen on that face. Cora usually knew exactly what she was angry about.

Erica bolted up out of her chair and rushed to her friend. "Oh, Goddess, what happened?! Are you okay?! What did he -"

But Cora just threw a hand up. "It's not him. Get your Mom into the library. Now. I'm calling the Sisters."

By the time Erica rounded up Miranda and met Cora, the girl had fired up the desktop and initiated a Skype conference. Jacqui and Laurie were just appearing. "What's up, Cora?" Jacqui asked, concerned.

Cora didn't answer for a second, giving the Mother and Daughter a very considering glance. Then she just said, "Not until Bronwyn's on."

That took only a couple more minutes, which passed in uncomfortable silence. Goddess, what happened? Erica wondered. She hasn't been this tense in forever. Suddenly, with a horrible sinking feeling, she wondered if somehow Cora knew about the binding spell.

Finally, Bronwyn's image appeared in a new window. "Yes, Cora, what's wrong?" she said quickly.

Cora breathed very deeply. "I think you know," she said. It should have sounded flat and solid. But she wasn't pulling off cold anger as well as usual. Erica sensed a certain hesitation lurking as an undertone.

At that, the Sisters rapidly exchanged glances. "I assure you, we don't," Bronwyn said. Her tone suggested caution with a hint of controlled irritation.

"Fine," Cora said. "Let me set the scene. Brandon took me for a ride on his bike. We stopped by the park, and sat on a bench. And..." She paused for a second, then soldiered on. "And he got his arms around me."

Her lip had curled up in a snarl. "We were kissing. Frenching. And he was moving his hands on my back, and he kinda rubbed my ass, just, like, testing." She was almost growling, hard to do with her high-pitched voice. "And I didn't want him to stop!"

The Sisters absorbed this, with some puzzlement, a dash of amusement, and a marked lack of surprise. Cora just glared, her hands clenching to fists. Finally, Jacqui said, "So?"

The dark-haired girl seemed to explode, standing and screaming at the webcam. "SO YOU'VE BEEN FUCKING WITH MY HEAD!"

All the women flinched, even the ones watching remotely. Cora kept right on going, shouting instead of roaring. "I've been reading those spellbooks," she waved at Miranda's bookshelf, eyes still locked on the screen and the senior Sisters, "and I know what a motherfucking Suggestion is! I can't do 'em or defend against 'em yet, but I know how they work!"

Every Sister but Cora had equally dumbfounded expressions, Erica noted to herself. She was sure she looked the same.

Jacqui was the first to recover. "You weren't raised in the faith of the Goddess, so I'm going to assume you don't understand exactly how serious an insult you just handed us." Cora started to say something, but it turned out Jacqui could yell, too. "Nor how stupid you sound! When we swear that level of oath, it's Magically binding! You have no idea what the cost of breaking such a covenant is!" She might have kept going, but Laurie placed a hand on her arm.

Bronwyn looked exasperated rather than angry, now, and her face showed maybe a trace of amusement, too. "Young lady, we have not touched your mind at all. Or let anyone do a thing to it. Our vow is unbroken."

It was Cora's turn to look disbelieving. Bronwyn shrugged. "If you liked what he was doing... I'm afraid you liked it all on your own."

Though there was a brief pause, Cora was seldom stymied for long. "Bullshit! I'm not gay!" Yet her voice was hoarse. And were her eyes getting wet?

Bronwyn was unfazed, though her eyebrows lifted. "No one said you were. Of course, you have a female body now, and a female brain. They have been known to respond to males in particular ways..." She shrugged.

Cora looked deeply horrified. "But I... I've been checking out girls! Ask Erica! They caught me once!" She took a shuddering breath. "I never..."

Jacqui wasn't quite as matter-of-fact as Bronwyn. There were clear signs of amusement as she said, "Never what? Never got right up close to a boy like that, for very long?"

Laurie stepped in. "Jacqui, hush." She looked earnestly at Cora out of the screen. "I'm afraid this is an occupational hazard of being a girlfriend. Sometimes you wind up actually liking the boy. Especially if he's cute."

None of them could recall Cora ever looking so thoroughly stunned. She just sat there, mouth slightly open, eyes darting from face to face. For a few seconds Erica was sure she really would burst into tears. But then she stiffened. "You set this up! You knew this was gonna happen, you pushed me -"

It was the first time Erica had ever heard Laurie interrupt anybody. "Actually, if you recall, we advised you not to interact with him any more than you had to."

Cora had finally run out of things to say. She stood, looking from Sister to Sister, shaking with emotion, normally pale face flushed with rage and embarrassment... and then she fled from the library. Erica stood, but she heard Cora running upstairs instead of out the door. She would have sworn she heard at least one sob, too.

Miranda sighed behind her. "I think this is going to be a difficult few days. At least."

~~~~~

The Sisters talked for a little while after that, but no one would dare predict Cora's responses any more precisely than Miranda had.

After they signed off, Erica steeled herself and went upstairs, her footsteps slowed by trepidation. All too soon she came to Cora's door and knocked gently.

"Go away!" The voice was hoarse.

"It's me," Erica said. "Just me."

No response. That was better than another shout, actually.

She waited nervously. She was just on the verge of knocking again when the lock gave a click and the door opened.

She stepped in and closed the door behind her. Cora wouldn't meet her eyes; she went and sat dejectedly on the bed, sniffling. After a moment, Erica sat at her side and put an arm around her shoulder.

She didn't say anything, making a snap decision to try outwaiting Cora again. It just felt like the right thing to do.

Still, she almost broke first, holding Cora as she wept. But the tears slowed, and Cora started talking."I'm sorry about... downstairs. Losing my shit." Cora sounded miserable. Erica managed to keep from showing her shock. Cora didn't back down like that. Not that soon, anyway.

"I wanted it to be a Suggestion. I almost convinced myself. But I couldn't."

She sighed. "It's just, I really haven't been checking out boys." It wasn't a defiant declaration; she sounded defeated, almost.

Erica held her tongue but gave Cora a little hug. Cora's arm snaked around her and squeezed back.

Cora sighed. "Right after I got Transformed, I kinda... checked. In my head. I thought about guys and, like, kept an eye on how I felt about 'em. And there was nothing. Not even that; dicks were, like, totally yuck!"

She hunched in on herself. "But now, today, with Brandon? It's like that thing about frogs getting boiled slow. I think it's been going on for a while."

Erica couldn't hold herself back anymore from comforting her friend. "It kinda snuck up on me, too." Though I wasn't so scared when I realized it. "Feels weird, huh?"

Cora made no response for a while, but she didn't pull away or anything. She was looking at the floor. "Suggestions... they're planted. Makes a thought or a feeling pop up, in some particular condition." She inhaled, exhaled. "Later, though, you might wonder, 'What the fuck was I thinking?' You'll see that it was strange. Heck, if it's too out of line, you'll notice it right then. 'I should do so-and-so. Wait, what?'"

After a thoughtful pause, she said, "And that's how I knew it wasn't a Suggestion. Like, intellectually, in my head, I think liking guys should be weird and wrong. I remember it being gross."

Her arm pulled Erica close again. "But today with Brandon... it didn't feel weird. Or wrong." She shook her head slowly. "It's like... not liking guys, that feels weird. Unnatural."

Erica's eyebrows went up. That drew a genuine, if strained, smile from Cora.

"No shit. It's like, now that... now that I really noticed how cute Brandon is, I can't unsee it, y'know?" She sighed. "It's like those pictures. Y'know, a bunch of blotches, and you squint, and suddenly it's an outline of a dog or a boat or a face. And you think, 'How did I miss that?'"

Erica nodded slowly, understanding. "Good way to put it."

"And it's not just Brandon, now. It's Lucas. Javier. Or that guy who works at Cinnabon." A sly, careful look at Erica. "David." She couldn't completely stifle a strained giggle. "Fuck, all of a sudden I'm replaying Thor in my head and I'm getting a lady-boner!"

Erica giggled too, and gave another squeeze. "I think for me it was Harrison Ford."

Cora stared in doubt. "Seriously?"

"Not, like, now! Eeew!" she protested. "Like, young Harrison Ford! Raiders Ford."

"Ohhhhhh," Cora said, and then they both burst out laughing. It went on a little too long, and Cora sounded borderline hysterical at first... but by the end she seemed to have recovered a little.

"Jacqui was right. Him getting all up in my business, that's what did it. I was all, 'Wait, why am I getting wet?' And then I looked in his eyes and I knew."

Erica remembered wrestling with Silas at the waterpark, gave Cora a firm hug, and said, "Well, Brandon's a hottie. Hard to miss."

Cora wasn't laughing anymore. "Cory missed it. He never thought about kissing Brandon." She shook her head. "God, he's pissed right now," she whispered.

Erica had no clue what to say to that. But she'd fallen silent several times now, so she hoped it wouldn't show.

Cora didn't elaborate. She just shook herself and changed the subject. "And now I gotta be careful around Brandon." She waved one hand, dismissing some mental image. "I mean, he's a good guy. I can't see him, like, forcing me. To do... anything." She paused at whatever mental image she was picturing, then shook herself and forged on. "But you know how hot we get. Now I gotta worry about me attacking him. And I don't wanna end up like Kristina."

Erica smiled, and changed how she was rubbing Cora's back. "Guess I'll just have to get you so sprung all the time, you're too tired for him."

It was Cora's turn to get wide eyes. Then her hands shifted too, and she said, a little sly, "Yeah, that might work."

Erica was forcibly undressed shortly after that. No sooner had her panties been ripped off but Cora was licking furiously, almost desperately, at her pussy.

That was okay. Cora had gotten very good at that stuff.

~~~~~

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Miranda looked up from her work, surprised. Cora usually was on her laptop or on the phone with one of her girlfriends this time of night. She could hear Erica doing exactly that, chatting on her cell in the family room.

Cora looked as anxious as she'd been in the first weeks of the Transformation, or the first weeks of school. Miranda said, "Of course," and put down her notes. Cora shut the door behind her and sat on the couch.

But she didn't say anything, she just sat there looking miserable. The silence stretched out, until Miranda said, gently, "How can I help?"

Her voice was very quiet, nearly a whisper. "If I... y'know, like boys now... I mean, now, as Cora..." She paused. "Does that mean when I change back, I..."

Miranda's expression didn't change; the topic was hardly a surprise, though the fact that Cora would talk to her about it was a shock. She realized just how carefully, how delicately, she'd have to handle this. Normally, Sisters would quietly ignore or gently downplay talk from novices of 'turning back one day'. But that simply wouldn't do here. "It's possible, yes. But that is something you'll have to decide for yourself, when the time comes."

"Cory wants to kill me for even thinking about it," she confessed.

Miranda decided not to confront that directly. Still, she thought she saw a possible avenue to address the girl's tension.

"Is there something wrong with gay people?" she probed.

Cora looked away, thinking. "Uh... no, I don't have a problem like that. Cory had a friend who's gay." She chuckled, her laughter lightly sprinkled with hysteria. "And I sure understand what lesbians go through now!"

"So you haven't stopped liking girls, correct?"

A wry grin lingered, which lifted Miranda's hopes considerably. "Not even a tiny bit!"

"As I'm willing to bet you proved with Erica last night." Cora looked a little embarrassed, and Miranda smiled, grateful the girl would allow occasional teasing. But it was time to be serious. "Would it be such a problem if you did turn out to like boys as well as girls when you're male again?" It almost killed Miranda to say 'when' again instead of 'if'; it went against all her training, millenia of Sisterhood tradition. In Cora's case, though, the hope of becoming Cory again was the only handle they had to motivate her. Seeding any doubt it might happen would almost certainly prove catastrophic.

Cora's nascent hilarity had vanished. She didn't answer for a while. "Thing is... Cory's straight. All the way straight."

"So, Cory knew everything about himself already? Life all planned out?"

Cora bit her lip, a heartwarmingly girlish sight. "No, but... he knows that for sure. A bisexual Cory isn't a Cory at all."

Miranda almost laughed. Sisters were more familiar with the unexpected ways life could turn than most. Blithe teenage certainty could be difficult to dislodge, however. "Do you really think Cory would never have changed, grown in surprising - unimaginable - ways? Even if the Transformation had never happened?"

Cora was showing signs of her wonted obstinance. "In math - topology - you can take a shape and twist and turn it, grow it and shrink it. But there are invariants. You can stretch a sphere into a cube, but you can't turn it into a torus. Uh, donut." Her mulish frown had definitely resurfaced now. "Not without cutting it."

Miranda was silent for a few moments, digesting the idea. Mathematical metaphors weren't her forté. Eventually, she said, "I think I see. But I think... perhaps you're holding onto some things that aren't necessarily 'invariants'?"

"I... didn't think so," Cora said, with less surety than before. "Cory's sure. About that, at least."

An idea occurred to Miranda. "If someone lived in the desert all their lives, they might never see ice. They might not believe that water could freeze." She smiled. "But water doesn't stop being water when it's cold."

Cora got the focused, concentrated expression she displayed when absorbing a new concept, examining it from all angles. "Huh. A phase change."

"If that's the term, yes."

Cora stared at nothing, teasing out implications. "The same substance behaving totally differently, depending on the conditions."

Miranda spread her hands. "And you certainly find yourself in new conditions, now."

"So when I'm a boy again..."

"Your conditions will have changed. Again. And if you're right about Cory... well, water can melt, and then freeze later."

Cora sat in silence for a while. Miranda let her ponder. Eventually the girl looked up. "I guess I'll hafta think about it." She stood, turned for the door... but then turned back. She reached out and squeezed Miranda's hand for a second, and said, "Thanks."

Cora wasn't smiling when she left. She didn't even look less troubled. But she didn't look quite as... lost, either. Miranda said, "You're welcome, dear," as Cora opened the door and left.

Miranda turned back to her work, but just for a moment she rubbed her hand where Cora had touched her, feeling more hopeful than she had in many weeks.

~~~~~

Cora wandered into Erica's room as she was changing out of her hostess clothes. Erica, curious, asked, "So what'd he think?"

Cora didn't quite manage to stifle a laugh. "It had the desired effect."

"You mean, to make you desired?" Erica drawled as she wriggled off her slacks. Cora had gone out on a ride with Brandon, and had dressed to impress. Dark leather boots - a very recent purchase - exceedingly tight denim jeans, a white strap shirt under a denim jacket. Hair teased some, dark sunglasses, red lips. The only way she could have looked more like a biker chick stereotype would have been actual chaps, an investment she hadn't quite dared broach to Miranda.

Cora didn't even try to suppress her laughter this time. "I thought he was gonna howl like a wolf in an old-timey cartoon. It was stupid funny, I wish you coulda seen."

Erica had helped with the clothes, but had to leave for work before Brandon arrived. "I saw the selfie he put up on Facebook." He had, indeed, looked proud to have Cora perched behind him on the bike.

"Probably made him feel like a stud. You know, riding around with a hot girl wrapped around him."

"'Hot', huh? Getting a big head there?"

Cora punched her on the shoulder, playfully. "Shut up! You know we look good. We both know exactly what guys are looking for."

Erica couldn't dispute that. For that matter, she wanted to make out with 'biker Cora' herself. But... "Did you have fun?"

Cora sighed. "It felt... good. I mean, I like him. I was kinda, like, eye candy... but I was sorta okay with it."

"Seriously?" Erica blurted in surprise. Then she realized that questioning Cora's feelings might be taken amiss.

But Cora's lips just curled up a fraction. "Seriously. Fuck, I was even wondering what I'd look like in leathers."

The notion was appealing... and Erica noticed she was pondering some additions to her own wardrobe. "I bet if we both asked, we might pull some money out of Mom."

Cora shrugged, taking it under advisement. She seemed to be in a philosophical mood. "It used to bug me a little that the Sisterhood isn't gonna erase me - y'know, Cora - after Cory's back." She sighed "I didn't, like, want there to be any trace this shit ever happened."

Erica was pulling on some forgiving sweats. This made her pause. "But not now?"

"Not so much, the last couple weeks. I mean, I started wanting Danielle to know for the rest of her life how totally she got fucked, and who by." For a moment, the smug malice was so evident that Erica was inwardly grateful that Cora had accepted the Sisterhood's words on the inadvisability of homicide.

And just a moment later, Cora's expression wasn't malicious at all. Rather, it was simply happy. "But today, Brandon was smiling at me. And I got to thinking... I was glad. That he'd still remember me, I mean, more than just in a dream every so often." She shrugged in confusion. "I make him happy, sometimes. You can see it. He deserves to remember riding around like a boss with that crazy chick he dated while Cory was gone away."

Erica wasn't sure what to think about all that. It was certainly something to reflect on, and possibly to report. For now, she would just be glad Cora had a good time enjoying being an attractive girl.

~~~~~

The senior Sisters and Miranda were having a little afternoon Skype conclave while their children were at school. Overall, the news was good.

"So Cora's become quite the little gamine!" Bronwyn marveled.

"If I hadn't done all that training with her myself, I'd be frightened," Miranda said. "I'm still surprised. The way she fought me every step of the way, it's amazing how much she actually retained."

Bronwyn nodded. "And now that she's making such progress in womanhood, it shows in her Magic. She definitely has a Gift for illusion. Frankly, Jacqui, in that one area she's actually learning faster than you did."

"It won't do to underestimate her," Laurie said quietly. "She doesn't have anything like your sheer power, Jacqui, but she's dangerously clever." The other witches were frowning with her now. "The more she accepts being female, the stronger her intuition will become." Miranda and Bronwyn saw her turn to Jacqui. "You figured out the binding spell on intuition alone. What if Cora does, too?"

A shadow had definitely been cast on all the women's moods. Miranda said, hesitantly, "We have a much better relationship now. I don't think she'd be, er, murderous at this point..."

"We can hope," Bronwyn said. After a moment she took a deep breath. "Well, all we can do for now is keep monitoring the situation." She looked up.. "Speaking of which... Miranda, how's Erica doing?"

"As well as can be expected, given how much she's had to deal with." Miranda said, Motherly concern showing. "No Novice should have to confront every aspect of Sisterhood at once. And caring for Cora, too..."

"She's okay, though, right?" Jacqui asked quickly.

"Oh, yes, I just worry." Miranda brightened. "She's quite happy being a girlfriend, now."

"What's his name? David?" Bronwyn said, smiling herself.

"He's such a nice young man. Almost gallant. I wish there'd been one like him around when I was Transformed." Miranda grinned impishly. "And they are so cute together!"

"You checked him out, I hope?" Laurie's own Motherly instincts were aroused.

"Of course." She sniffed in amusement. "I think Erica suspects that I've peeked in his mind, but she hasn't asked." She spread her hands. "Anyway, he's not going to force himself on Erica, if that's what you're worried about."

"What if Erica forces herself on him?" Jacqui asked, only half joking.

Miranda didn't look worried. "She understands what that entails. I think we can trust her that far." She chuckled. "She's certainly explored a few other outlets with her beau."

"Outlets? Is that what the kids are calling them now?" Bronwyn drawled. The ladies shared some ribald laughter.

Miranda sighed. "So long as she waits to use her main inlet. Even if she got pregnant now, I think she could probably finish her training in time, Goddess be praised. But I'd like to wait just a bit longer to be a Grandmother."

"I thought so too," Laurie said, smiling at a sheepish Jacqui, "but it's not all bad."

~~~~~

One of the upsides of macking with a small girl was you could both fit in the back seat of a car, even his dad's sedan. Well, nearly. Brandon's neck was cricked and one leg had to be kinda curled up in the footwell, but they could get a lot of contact. He could taste a little lip gloss or something as they kissed. Cora barely used any perfume, unlike other girls he'd made out with. She just smelled like... girl.

The time had come for an experiment. He rubbed a couple fingers on the outside of her panties. She wasn't a screamer like in the pornos, but she made a soft, low moan. It was almost reassuring now to see how quiet she was even when she got into it. He'd been wondering if she really was a lesbo. Especially the first couple times, she hadn't exactly seemed all that enthusiastic. So he hadn't dared try much.

Lately, though, she'd been acting a bit more into him. Touching him more, not shying away or stiffening up if he put an arm on her shoulder or leaned in for a kiss.

He didn't like to think about it, but he was more and more sure that she'd been abused or something. If so, she was giving him a shitload of trust. He resolved - again - not to hurt her. But fuck it was hard sometimes. Particularly when they got close. That tight little body...

Her hips adjusted under his fingers. He pulled back, cautious.

But she looked in his eye for a second and whispered, "No, it's... it's okay." Apparently sensing his doubt, her lips curved up at the corners and she reached for her waist. In a single sinuous movement, her panties were yanked down past her knees. Her legs opened again.

She settled back onto her side and gently grasped his wrist. Then she pulled his hand toward her exposed pussy. She didn't shave it clean, another difference from the porn girls.

But then, Cora wasn't quite like any girl he'd ever known.

He hesitated, even still. But she scoffed - almost snorted - and moved his hand up and down. Trying to be gentle, he started using his fingers.

Her breath caught, her hips flexed a bit, her eyes closed. But that half-smile hadn't gone away, so he kept at it.

The smile did go away after a bit. Since it was replaced by a lick of her lips and faster breathing, he didn't worry overmuch. He added a touch more force to his movement.

Another quiet moan for reward. He'd take it. Plenty of juices; didn't seem likely she was faking.

Soon after that, she put one hand over his. He froze, but she quickly pushed on it again and got him moving. Gently guiding, she made him move faster. Her eyes never opened, but she bit her lip.

Still no screams. Just an "Uhhhhhhhhhhh..." and some shudders. Then she took a deep breath and gave him a look.

A strange look. Like she was amazed that he could make her come. Maybe even disturbed.

He ventured a grin and leaned in to kiss her. That, she accepted, even returned. Her hand brushed his crotch, in passing, and he couldn't keep his breath from hitching a little. He'd been pretty damn hard for a while now.

Cora's hand pulled back for a moment, her eyebrows went up. They both kind of froze; he wasn't sure, after, how long. He had a sense that she was at a cusp, trying to decide...

And then her hand moved again. Rubbing his pants, deliberately.

He groaned. She swallowed but her fingers moved to his belt. "Fair's fair," she said in a low voice. Her light tone didn't quite mask apprehension. But she wasn't stopping.

Getting his pants down wound up being a team effort, in the cramped space. And during the rearrangement, he noticed her panties wound up back in their starting position. Then she had him dig through her bag for some tissues.

He didn't get limp at all, though. And then her hand wrapped around his cock and got to work.

Some part of him had room to be impressed. A couple previous girlfriends had given him handjobs before. One had been decent, one had been frightening. Girls didn't always understand how much pressure to use, or when.

Cora seemed to know.

It was a little embarrassing how quickly he shot off. She anticipated it, though, and caught all of his cum in the tissues without spilling a drop.

She acted kinda embarrassed, after. Still willing to mack for a few minutes more, though. They composed their clothes and he drove her home. The final kiss by her door was long and lingering, at least. He thought about it all the way home. She was such a weird mix of bold and shy, confident and skittish. Just when he thought he had some idea what to expect, she surprised him.

Which wasn't all bad, though. And he didn't think she was jerking him around on purpose. It was simply that... well, Cora was special.

~~~~~

The Cora Conferences had become weekly affairs now. Bronwyn dropped a bomb right at the start. "Cora gave Brandon a handjob last night." At Erica's gasp, she said, "She didn't tell you about it?"

Erica nibbled her lip. "Well, she never wanted to hear about what I did with David. And later when she started with Brandon, I... I never knew how..." She stopped. Started over. "We don't really talk about, um, sexy stuff. Not with boys."

Jacqui let out a little shriek of frustration. "I think I'd cut out my own left ovary, with a rusty scalpel, for just five minutes looking around in her head!"

Bronwyn sighed. "Well, I suppose it's confirmed that dating a boy has had an impact..."

"But without being able to check, we can't be sure how she's taking it. Not really!" Jacqui looked from one window to another on her screen. "She's still studying psychology. She could practically get a degree in it by now. How much of what we see is just an act? And how do we tell?"

She took a deep breath to calm down. "Sorry, I'm gonna get my Flow soon. It's not helping."

"We don't know exactly what she's thinking, but she's making quite an impression on Brandon," Bronwyn said, changing the subject slightly. "He's almost falling in love with her."

Erica squinted, interrupting. "You sound pretty sure."

In the window on the screen, Jacqui's image shrugged. "We've been keeping an eye on things."

"On his mind, you mean," Erica said flatly.

Jacqui was unrepentant. "We haven't made any changes, if that's what you're worried about. Just observing, looking out for potential problems." At Erica's continued frown, Jacqui's own brow furrowed. "Look, can you imagine what it'd do to Cora if she got assaulted?"

That took Erica aback. "Okay, yeah, I guess I see what you mean." She squinted quickly. "You mucking with David's head?"

The senior Sisters were briefly silent. Then Jacqui said, carefully not looking at Miranda, "Just a little light surveillance. We haven't messed with his mind either."

Erica had a pretty sour look on her face, but didn't argue the point.

Laurie changed the subject back. "Overall, it seems a positive sign. I'd never have imagined she'd do something like that so soon." She sounded hopeful.

"That's for sure," Miranda said with feeling.

Bronwyn had an expression of concentration that rivaled the ones Cora had at times. "Well, Erica. Keep us appraised, please, whatever you do hear."

"Will do." The Sisters went over a few other things, then Erica and Miranda said their goodbyes and signed off.

The senior witches kept Skyping. "We have to put in some failsafes now. Tonight." Laurie was intent, even as she shook her head in astonishment.

Bronwyn and Jacqui nodded. "Absolutely. You wanna do it, or should I?" Jacqui said.

Bronwyn held up a hand. "I'll do it." The High Priestess sighed. "We did that with Marcus, you know."

"I figured, later." Jacqui said, smiling. "Thanks. A couple times there, we came that close..."

Laurie shivered. "Can you imagine trying to explain to Cora that she got pregnant too soon? And that she'd have to do it again, later, after she'd Transitioned some more?"

Bronwyn and Jacqui shivered, too. Then Bronwyn spoke. "Well, if they decide to go all the way, and Brandon becomes impotent, it would be hard on both of them..."

"Or, more to the point, not hard," Jacqui quipped with forced humor.

Bronwyn's chuckle was just as forced. "...but Cora isn't ready to carry a child yet." There was a pause, as all three Sisters made a voiceless prayer to the Goddess that she would someday be ready.

The trio said their own goodbyes and logged out. Bronwyn went off to the altar in her den to cast spells on Brandon. It was tricky to ensure that he would still be able to perform every way but vaginally...

~~~~~

Jacinta rolled over the speed bump and pulled out onto the road. Gabriela, sitting next to her, winced and breathed, "Unh. Take it easy."

Cora, from the back seat, said, "What's wrong? You okay?" They were all heading home from school after choir practice, enjoying some girl time together.

Gabriela, with a little regret, said, "Ricardo got a little too excited last night."

It took Cora a second to get it. When she did, she looked away uncomfortably. Gabriela had to fight not to roll her eyes.

All three girls were at least technical virgins. Jacinta and Gabriela had been raised Catholic, in a Latino subculture that was less accepting of teen pregnancy than the general run of Americans. Vaginal sex was going to wait until later. College at least.

Gabriela was sometimes willing to use a different hole, though. For special occasions. She had gone out with her boyfriend last night; but only to dinner, not a movie after as she'd told her parents. Ricardo's mom was out for the evening, so they'd gone back to his place and taken advantage of the empty apartment. The occasion had become intensely special, as she related it to her friends.

Jacinta hadn't gone that far herself, but she understood. Cora... Cora might as well have been still in middle school, so far as they could tell. Barely past holding hands. Indeed, frank discussion of sexual details, even among friends, seemed to embarrass Cora. Her eyes were downcast for the whole story, though she listened carefully. And she was getting better - as she proved by turning back when Gabriela was done and asking, "Does that really feel good?"

Gabriela scoffed, but she had a grin. "Most times, yeah." She shrugged. "I guess not for everybody."

Jacinta snorted. Cora shrugged, and said, "I guess."

"Forget about anal. You ever gonna do more than kiss Brandon?" Gabriela asked pointedly.

Jacinta kept her eyes on the road but Gabriela saw them widen at her bluntness. Gabriela liked Cora, but they'd been pretty fucking gentle with her for a while now. Maybe it was time to push some.

Cora looked startled, too... but, thank God, only a little upset. Maybe even a contrite. "I jerked him off last week," she admitted. Was there a hint of defiance in her tone, too?

"No shit?" Gabriela said, surprised. "You've been holding out on us!"

Jacinta looked into the rearview mirror. "Deets, sister. Now." But she was smiling.

With her pale skin, it was obvious when Cora was blushing. But she told them the story with reasonable detail. It came out that she'd let him get an actual hand on her pussy, too.

"You slut!" Jacinta laughed. She exchanged a glance with Gabriela - whether or not Cora had been assaulted, which they both suspected, this was major progress. "Didja come?"

Her face burning, she said, very quietly, "Yeah."

Gabriela squealed, and Jacinta joined her. Cora seemed to accept the teasing that followed in the spirit of fun, thankfully.

~~~~~

Snuggled up against Erica after some lovemaking, Cora told Erica about the conversation with her friends. Erica couldn't help but notice that she avoided most specifics, and part of her actually felt a little hurt. She was almost jealous that Cora would talk more frankly about sex - well, boy sex - with her friends than with Erica.

But Jacinta and Gabriela doubtless put more pressure on her in that regard. And
there were enough particulars that she got the gist. Some background part of Erica's mind wondered about letting David imitate Ricardo. But that was an idle thought. Cora was more important right now. "Sharing secrets is, y'know, a bonding thing with girls. It shows you trust them." She frowned. Partly it was because of the implication that Cora didn't trust her fully. But mostly it was because she had to put out a warning. "Though you gotta be careful. Passing on secrets is almost like... like social currency. If you piss somebody off..."

Cora was thoughtfully nodding, recognizing what Erica was talking about. "Is that why they..." She paused, and embarrassedly changed pronouns, "we trade secrets so much? Like, 'mutually assured destruction', kinda?"

"Partly. I think grown-up women are a little more careful than girls our age." She shrugged. "I think. Remember, I'm only a few months ahead of you on this whole girl thing."

~~~~~

David changed his clothes slowly. By chance track practice and baseball practice had ended at the same time, so the locker room was crowded. And he was trying to monitor what was going on the next lane over.

He had to balance things. He was supposed to gather intel about Cora when possible, but do nothing to jeopardize his relationship with Erica. And especially nothing to risk exposure.

He wished he could just put Brandon in a trance and suck the information out of him. It wouldn't do him any actual harm. That was completely off-limits, however. Subtle emotional pushes were the very most he could hazard. Anything beyond that might leave traces the Sisterhood could pick up on. Just passively, he'd sensed indications that they'd sent Brandon some dreams. Probably not Suggestions... though either way, Brandon's mind was too conspicuous to dare manipulate.

He couldn't hear everything with his ears, but with his mental talents ears weren't necessary. He could hear and see through their senses... and he could pick up surface thoughts and emotions clearly.

Few of those emotions were positive right now. Some idiot sprinter named Carter was annoyed at Brandon - David could see memories of a recent, well-deserved chewing out - and had chosen this venue to retaliate.

The guys had been discussing girls - parts of girls, at least. Who had the best ass, or face, or legs, or whatever. Then Carter'd brought Cora into it.

"Hey," he'd said loudly, catching Brandon's eye, "which one's got the better tits, Danielle or Cora? We've all seen Cora's, but..." He trailed off with a smirk.

Brandon had stiffened for a second, then snorted and turned away, just shaking his head.

Carter was undeterred. "C'mon, she's got a sweet little body. I like 'em shaved, though. She started doing that?"

Brandon's anger was so clear and close to the surface that David was amazed it didn't show in his voice when he said, "A gentleman never tells." He even sounded a little amused. "And you sure as shit ain't gonna find out."

Carter wasn't happy with that response. So he escalated. "Did you? Or is she really a dyke?"

David was impressed again. Brandon was even more pissed now. But there were undertones... he felt protective of Cora. He wasn't worried about his own rep much at all. Damn, I think that boy might actually be falling for her...

He blew off what Carter had just said, with his own contemptuous smirk. "You'll never find out 'cause you couldn't catch her. Like, physically." Then he just sounded bored. "You better start showing up for practice if you ever want to outrun her." Brandon gathered up his bag and walked out, leaving Carter to hear a few chuckles from the crowd.

David had mixed feelings about the whole incident. On the one hand, that had been fairly smooth. Brandon'd served Carter, while reminding everyone of the real reason he was sniping at the team captain.

But David knew who and what Cora really was, and he couldn't be happy about Brandon getting so attached. Of course, how would I feel about Erica if I didn't know what I knew?

Then a little voice inside asked, And how do you feel now? He didn't answer.

~~~~~

Cora put her lunch tray down and sat at the table next to Jacinta. Gabriela spoke up immediately. "Didja hear about Brandon after track yesterday?"

Cora looked very surprised. "No, what?"

Jacinta took Cora's nearer hand. "Carter was being an asshole. Talking about your tits and stuff. That picture again."

Cora inhaled sharply but didn't look horribly shocked. "In front of Brandon?"

"Right in his face," Gabriela said, clearly annoyed. "Trying to piss him off."

"Who says?" Cora asked. Evaluating the reliability of the reports, no doubt.

Jacinta piped in. "Gavin told Cheyenne about it. And Trinity got it from Mason."

That was reasonable confirmation. Cora frowned. "He didn't say anything last night when he called." Her scowl deepened and added some concern. "Maybe he sounded a little weird..."

"He didn't lose it," Gabriela assured her. She went over the confrontation, repeating the slightly different versions she'd been told; the reports were fairly congruent.

"That's bullshit about me running faster than Carter," Cora said, though she didn't sound unhappy about Brandon's spirited defense. "But fuck him." She was noticeably less happy when she went on. "Brandon doesn't need any more shit 'cause of me."

"It's okay, he's not gonna ditch you 'cause some asshole throws him shade." Jacinta said, squeezing Cora's hand. "He really is a fucking gentleman."

"We're gonna hook up tomorrow night," Cora mused. She looked a little abashed. "Not, like, hook up hook up, but we didn't make any plans."

Jacinta and Gabriela exchanged a glance. "You might wanna think about some," Jacinta said.

~~~~~

They were parked in the lot of the community college. It was late and there weren't any cars within a hundred yards.

Brandon was really happy Cora had insisted on borrowing Erica's mom's car. A motorcycle was fine and all, but it didn't hide your lower body. Right now, somebody would have been able to see they were kissing. But nobody could see his pants were down around his ankles, or that Cora was stroking his dick.

She was so tiny, she fit in front of him even in the front seat, if it was all the way back. She was straddling his left knee, humping it almost. Her left hand moved smoothly up and down, her right held his shoulder for balance. Her mouth and tongue frolicked with his.

Fuck she was doing a number on his cock.

And then she pulled her face away, and stared in his eyes. She looked so serious all of a sudden, and he had just a moment to get concerned.

Then she looked down at her hand, still gliding on his prick. And she moved to get off his leg.

"Is everything cool?" he asked, voice husky.

She had a look of intense concentration on her face as she shifted over to the passenger seat. Still holding him with her hand. "Yeah. Just chill. Stay there."

~~~~~

The only thing Erica liked about the end of a date with David was the goodbye kiss. Kisses. As many as she could get.

"See you tomorrow," she said, giving him one last hug. If she kissed him again it would just start another round and she was all stirred up as it was.

"See you," he said, stepping away slowly, letting her fingers slip from his hand.

She leaned back on the door as it closed, sighing and smiling. She'd long ago gotten used to feeling like a girl. She was becoming accustomed to feeling like a girlfriend. But David completely disarmed her every time he made her feel like a lady.

He had taken her to a very expensive restaurant, and then to an actual live play, on stage. Just community theater, but still. The play was 'Arcadia', sophisticated and fascinating. She was pretty sure they had been the youngest people there.

Hot, smart, funny, and a gentleman, too, she thought smugly. And he's mine. Almost too good to be true.

At that, her thoughts seemed to trip a little. She remembered her early intuitions and misgivings. Danger alongside him, attached to him. There was something she was missing.

Although, the Sisters had gone poking around in his head and cleared him. How bad could it be, really? Besides, she still didn't have a real handle on this intuition thing anyway.

She saw the light in the study, and swung by. Her Mother didn't always stay up to make sure she or Cora got home at the appointed time. So Erica made sure to check in when she did.

"Hey, Mom," she said. Miranda was working on some kind of recipe layout on the desktop.

"Hello, dear. Did you have a good time?" A little knowing Motherly smile crinkled the corners of her mouth and eyes.

"Yeah, it was great. He spent a lot of money."

Her Mother's voice had definite sardonic overtones. "And that's the measure of a good boyfriend."

Erica smiled. "Moooom, gimme a break. It's just, like, nice that he thinks I'm, y'know, worth the investment."

Miranda's smile showed she was mostly teasing. "Just be careful what dividends you pay out."

"For sure," she said. Then, after a beat, "Well, I'm gonna head up to bed." She'd meditate on David in private. Her intuition was so vague - and somehow she still couldn't picture him harming her voluntarily. Indeed, she could visualize him making her feel very good, too... it was just a niggling little concern, almost buried in the contentment she felt from the evening.

Miranda said, "Cora got in a few minutes ago. You might want to stop by her room. She seemed a little... distracted."

Erica squinted. "Something wrong?" She couldn't help but think of Cora's blowup almost a month ago... but she refused to let go of her good mood without a fight.

Miranda shook her head slowly. "I don't think so. I just got the sense that something was on her mind."

"Okay. I'll check on her. Good night," she said, giving her Mom's arm a squeeze.

"Good night," Miranda replied, turning back to her computer. "I'll be up in just a few."

Erica made her way up the stairs, savoring thoughts of the date and the kisses at the end. She'd never gotten any indication that David was bi. It was almost a crime that he couldn't see how sexy he was.

She tapped lightly on Cora's door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," came Cora's voice from inside. Erica stepped in and closed the door.

She saw immediately what Miranda had been on about. Cora was distracted, in 'deep think' mode.

She came over and sat on the bed. Cora was laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She laid a hand companionably on hers and said, "Did you guys have fun? What did you do?"

Cora shrugged just slightly. "I sucked his dick."

Erica felt her mouth open in a little 'o'. She could tell her eyes were open very wide.

And here I told Bronwyn we don't talk about that stuff. Until now, apparently. After only a brief pause, Erica got her expression under control and said, "Shut up! Seriously?"

"For real," Cora said. "I swallowed and everything."

"Wow," Erica said. She had a hard time coming up with something to say beyond that. "What... um... what'd'ja think?"

Cora licked her lips, still examining the ceiling. "It got me wet," she whispered.

"Oh," was all Erica could manage.

"It was so fucked up. I... Cory used to love getting blowjobs. Half the time he jerked off, he was imagining getting sucked by some girl."

Erica stayed quiet, just holding her arm, being there.

After a pause, Cora spoke again, still in a quiet voice. "But he never wanted to suck another guy's dick. I mean, not ever."

She sat up, now staring at the foot of the bed. "Thing is, Brandon... he left Danielle for me. He's been getting by with just sucking my tits and handjobs and me letting him rub me off. And now he's getting shit from other guys about me. He's been... he's been a fucking prince. And I... I..." She paused, then rushed on, "I can't let him fuck me. I think I might actually get pregnant."

Erica couldn't have said anything if she'd wanted to. If she'd been able to think of anything to say.

Cora was shaking her head gently, and swallowed hard. "It's not fair. This isn't just 'girl meets cute guy' or anything. Cory was friends with him for years. But now I have to look at him in a totally different way. Every day. With this body and its stupid hormones."

She took a deep breath, let it out. "So I can't totally say I'd hate to have his baby. Well, I mean, I would. It's just..." Another deep breath, then she talked faster. "It's like, if I got knocked up, and I totally don't want to and it'd suck epically, but if it happened... I'd want it to be his." She swallowed again, close to unaccustomed tears. "'Cause I couldn't get an abortion and he'd do the right thing and be a totes amazing dad. He could actually handle it. How many guys around here could? Look at Kristina."

Her breath hitched, but stabilized quickly. "So is that enough to get pregnant? I dunno."

Cora's voice had become eerily calm, but the tears were leaking now. "This all scares the fucking shit out of me, bee tee dub. And if you think I'm scared, Cory's ready to..."

She fell silent for a while, then. Erica fought not to swallow the lump in her own throat. This was huge; she sensed she was swimming in deep waters indeed, with dangerous undercurrents. She was on the verge of saying something when Cora started up again.

"Anyway, a blowjob's the best I can do for him." She shook her head again, wonderingly. "I'd thought about it a couple times, but I couldn't... I was scared. But it was right there, and I just started in." Even as the tears kept slipping down her cheeks, she smiled and made a brief sound that might have been a laugh. "Would you believe he actually tried to stop me? Said I 'didn't have to'."

Erica was still too frightened to say anything, but her eyes were wide again.

Cora saw, and gave an honest laugh. "He sure didn't try very hard! I told him to shut the fuck up and he got real quiet."

She wasn't laughing anymore. She sounded faintly amazed. "I was all determined to do it right. I was psyching myself up, trying to remember all the slutty tricks from all those videos Cory used to watch. And then, like, a minute in it suddenly hit me."

Erica dared a quizzical look.

"It wasn't disgusting! It was sorta weird, I guess. But..." She paused, searching for words. After a second, she found them. "I was working at it, but I didn't have to work through it, y'know?"

Erica nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, you slut, I just bet you know!" She gave Erica a quick hug, finally, astonishingly, smiling. "We gotta start comparing notes sometime." But she got serious again quickly.

"And pretty soon it wasn't work at all, y'know? Like, it was totally hot." She shook her head. "Remember back when we were looking at all of Cory's porn? You said something about power dynamics and shit."

Erica knew she looked embarrassed, and opened her mouth to say something, but Cora didn't let her start. "No, you were right! Cory really does look at a beej as... not degrading the girl, I guess, but dominating her."

"But there I was, gobbling his crank like a goddamn ho, and I just felt... proud, and glad I could do something nice for him!" She shifted her hips and smiled her own embarrassed smile. "And fucking horny. I'm getting all wet now just thinking about it."

She kept going. "And when he came, I didn't care! I swallowed it all, and I almost creamed too!" She snorted. "It was actually kinda awesome. Not like he could fake it. Pretty direct feedback, y'know?"

Erica recalled her own similar thoughts about gay porn. She summoned her courage and tried a joke. "Achievement Unlocked?"

To her intense relief, Cora laughed with her. The tears had stopped. "He looked like he got kicked in the head. Just all... amazed. He started to thank me and I said he deserved it, for putting up with all my shit. Something like that."

Erica pulled Cora into a hug. She suspected she was nearly as amazed as Brandon had been.

Cora was still analyzing like always, even as she hugged back. "I think if he had been like Cory it wouldn't have worked. But to him, it wasn't... it was a present. Not something he was making me do." She didn't let go of Erica as she pulled back. "He's a better guy than Cory. More grown up, sorta."

Erica didn't know what to say to that. She just shrugged in Cora's arms. The girl smiled a little and Erica realized that Cora had some idea how 'Cory' talk was received. But she didn't push it. "So how was the play?" she asked, as brightly as any gossipy girlfriend.

Erica laughed then, and Cora joined her. When they'd settled some, she said, "Well, I didn't blow him after. But it was actually really boss. There was this girl math prodigy..."

They just talked. They didn't make love, just dishing together. Later, Erica went to her own bed, thoughts of David completely forgotten for the moment.

~~~~~

Erica called for a full conference the next night, the earliest moment she dared. Which turned out to be while Cora was at choir practice.

When she told them what Cora had said, the senior Sisters were surprised, and that surprised her. Laurie noticed, and said, with mixed rue and amusement, "I think both you girls have rather lofty ideas about our surveillance. We don't watch Cora all the time."

Bronwyn nodded. "We'd have found out next time we checked in on Brandon. But we do try to respect their privacy as much as possible."

The conversation lulled, then, as the witches processed her news. Erica had the distinct impression at least a couple of them were reminiscing, too. At last Erica prompted them with, "So... whatcha think?"

Miranda spoke first. "I hardly know what to think. I'd almost despaired of her ever getting this far."

Jacqui was nodding. "Though I'm still waiting for Brandon to figure out who she was. Or at least, what she was."

"She's still, er, tomboyish, but she's softened a lot. Around him, especially," Bronwyn noted, eyes narrowed in thought.

Erica spoke in defense of her friend. "Don't forget, she's smart. We taught her a lot in the past few months. You all thought she wasn't really listening, learning. Even I kinda wondered, but... I used to see Cory in class. He never forgot much, even when you thought he wasn't paying attention."

Jacqui said, slowly, "Usually, sexual activity with a guy is... kind of a milestone in a Transition." The screen showed her squinting. "Erica, we wouldn't normally talk about these kind of details with a Novice, but..."

Erica squared her shoulders and waved a hand dismissingly. "I just want to help Cora." She shrugged, slightly embarrassed, and said, "It's, um... a milestone I passed a while back anyway."

That didn't seem to take anyone by surprise, not even her Mom. And, well, so what? It wasn't like she was hiding her relationship with David, and she hadn't been kidding about wanting to help Cora either.

With only a brief hint of a grin, Jacqui kept going. "Normally it's a sign the Novice has really started to come to terms with being a girl. Or at least that she's not holding on to old male attitudes." She tossed her head. "Doesn't mean she's done Transitioning or anything, but... well, I think you understand."

Erica did. Even if she hadn't had quite as much anxiety as Cora - and the process had been more gradual - she'd had to adjust to wanting to be sexual with boys. She'd had to decide how she felt about such feelings, and what to do about them. It had been a significant accommodation.

Jacqui went on. "The thing is, almost all the time, they think about it a lot before doing anything about it. Very few Sisters wind up getting physical with a guy before they've, y'know, decided they want to."

Erica bit her lip.

Jacqui noticed. "Yeah, right. Cora got that backwards. Sometimes it can... Well, once in a while there's a backlash. Or backslide, maybe."

"She already has a tendency to fight her new instincts." Laurie sounded both sad and concerned.

Their worry was contagious. Nevertheless... "She didn't act, like, traumatized or anything."

Bronwyn stepped in. "We'll watch, but I don't think we should borrow trouble. She already exploded over this once. If she were going to break up with Brandon and retreat from the Transition, I think she'd have done it then."

That made Erica feel a lot better.

Her Mom wasn't entirely convinced. "Very little about her Transition has been typical. I hope you're right."

That made Erica feel less better.

~~~~~

Erica walked into Cora's room, grateful for a Saturday where she only had a practice. "Hey, can I borrow that scarf with the..." She trailed to a halt. Cora had slammed down the cover of her laptop before Erica could glimpse the screen.

"Can't you friggin' knock?" she wailed.

"What?" Erica said, laughing. "You playing a boys-love eroge or something?"

Cora glared. "It's not that!" Grudgingly: "I'm working on something."

Erica tilted her head dubiously. "Extra credit?" she hazarded.

"It's a surprise," Cora said defensively. "For Brandon."

Possessed by curiosity, Erica switched immediately to 'wheedle' mode. "Oh, c'mon, let me see!"

Cora's hand pressed down on the laptop. "No. He sees it first."

Reminded of the conclave the night before, Erica backed off and went on a tangent. "You're really getting into the whole girlfriend experience."

She'd expected Cora to look away, to evade. Instead she held Erica's gaze and said, "Fuck it. I gotta become a girl, right? This's gotta be part of it. Exploring it." Cora shook her head in wonder. "I like being his girlfriend. I make him happy, you can see it. I like that."

She actually smiled. "So if I gotta do it anyway, might as well have fun with it."

Erica resolved to pass this hopeful tidbit on to her Mother tonight.

~~~~~

It was Wednesday night, and Erica was out with David yet again. On a school night, they couldn't go far, but that was no problem. They wound up playing minigolf.

Erica was doing surprisingly well. She wasn't even sure why; she didn't remember Eric having any special putting talent. Nevertheless, for some reason she was getting par or close to it on most of the holes.

David, on the other hand, proved unexpectedly inept. The easy grace with which he'd taken to Ultimate was nowhere in evidence when a golf club was in his hands.

She sighted, swung, and connected. Her yellow ball rolled smoothly into a pipe and emerged one level down, coming to rest less than two feet from the hole. She stepped back. David took his place, peered back and forth a few times, swung... and the green ball pocked off the cement edge and rolled back to him.

He snorted and smiled self-deprecatingly, glancing in her eyes for a moment. His face hardened the moment he lowered it, however, losing its humor. He made a second attempt on the ball. Again it rebounded, off to the side this time. He tacked on an unconvincing wry smile and stalked over for another try.

For the first five holes or so it had been kind of funny. By now she could tell David was getting frustrated. She had a strong intuition that he wanted to impress her, that he wanted to show his competence. She wished she could tell him that his golf skills didn't matter to her, though she didn't actually do so. Boys didn't react well to perceived condescension from girls. She could just imagine how Eric would have felt if his date took pity on him like that.

It was pretty silly. She didn't expect David to be some ultracompetent James Bond type! She didn't even want a guy like that. For some reason she couldn't quite fathom, though, she found it was hard to shake the idea of David trying to be a spy. Perhaps it was the definitely-intriguing mental image of him in a tux.

So she held her tongue while, after two more tries, David finally got his ball down to the section with the hole... and it rolled off into an awkward corner.

What could she do? Could she throw the game without being obvious about it? Not now, she reluctantly decided, not when she'd been doing so well already. David might be acting a little stupid about his ego, but he wasn't generally stupid.

So, if she couldn't mute her own competence, and she couldn't gracefully abort the game, there was only one other avenue open to her.

She dithered about taking that avenue for another hole. David needed eight swings to finish that one, however, and she decided to go for it. They went to the next hole. She let David go first.

"You should take my keys, come back and get me tomorrow," he said, trying to joke. She could sense the tension and anger anyway as he set up.

She focused and relaxed, summoning her power. It was harder when you couldn't vocalize, gesture - when you had to do it all in your mind - but not impossible. David swung, and she let the energy flow.

The ball took a strange curve. Unerringly it looped over the ridge, bounced off an edge, missed the concrete obstacles, and rolled straight into the hole. David stared, mouth open slightly.

"Dang. You really put some spin on that one!" Erica gushed.

For just a moment - less than a second - David frowned suspiciously. It was so fast Erica couldn't be certain she'd seen it. In any case, the very next instant he was smiling. "All in the wrist," he said, shrugging modestly.

She helped him a few more times, and flubbed two of her own shots. They joked about 'trading luck'. He actually got a few shots on his own, now that he'd calmed down. David seemed to be in a much better mood as they turned in their clubs.

And he didn't seem even the slightest bit angry as they kissed rather hungrily in his car before she went in that night. Possibly a little frustrated - which made her grin as she closed the door, blowing him a final kiss - but not angry.

~~~~~

Later, in bed, David wrestled with two dilemmas.

He wasn't supposed to call his handler every night. That was a general security protocol - the fewer traceable contacts, the better. Still, he was supposed to promptly report anything significant.

Now he just had to figure out if the fact that Erica had used Magic to help him win at minigolf was 'significant'. The first time, he hadn't been sure, and he could hardly engage in Magical forensics right in front of her. Two holes later, though, he'd summoned just enough power to passively sense the Light working. The moment he'd been certain, he'd shut down all Magical operations and put all his efforts into a plausible front of satisfied machismo.

It bothered him. In some ways, it was embarrassing. He had allowed his anger to get the better of him. His assignment was to be her boyfriend, and she wasn't into boys who acted like spoiled brats.

On the other hand, she hadn't dumped him or otherwise expressed displeasure. No, she'd gone to some trouble to make him feel better and build up his ego. That implied some emotional investment, that she cared about him, right? If so, that was a good sign.

He decided he'd report it. While it might not show him in his best light, you never knew what nuggets of data would prove crucial.

He wouldn't report the other dilemma, a problem that was common to teenaged boys everywhere. He was horny and having a difficult time falling asleep. The petting session in front of her house kept coming to mind. He had to remind himself - repeatedly - that Erica wasn't really a girl. A few months ago she'd had the same equipment he had.

His body - his equipment in particular - didn't seem to entirely believe that. Those breasts sure felt real...

~~~~~

Brandon walked with Cora toward his bike, a pleasant burn in his lungs and legs. It had been a good run, at another spot he knew. Cora had enjoyed it, too.

As they stepped up to the bike, he went with a whim. "Wanna drive a bit?"

Cora looked startled. "You mean, your bike?"

What else would I mean? he thought, but kept to himself. "Give it a try. Sit right up here."

"I dunno," she said. "I'm kinda small, I don't think I can reach." But he thought she sounded like she wanted to be persuaded.

It actually worked out pretty well. Sitting behind her, he could reach around and guide her without much stretching. A bonus to be pressed right up against her back, distraction though it was. For a few minutes they tooled around the parking lot.

She didn't feel up to taking the road, but when they switched places he saw her smile, and the excited look in her eyes. Yes, it had been a good idea.

They stopped by a Sonic on the way and got slushes. Of course they'd worked up a thirst.

She kinda snuggled into him as they sat on a bench and talked. He was a little surprised. She really wasn't shy anymore in private, but she tended to be standoffish in public, except for a couple of memorable macking sessions in the park.

~~~~~

Erica walked into her bedroom and almost tripped over herself. Scarlett Johansen, model and actress and fantasy of millions of boys, stood there regarding herself in the full-length mirror. She was clad in the iconic 'Black Widow' skintight catsuit from "The Avengers". A poster of that image had graced this room, back when it had been Eric's.

She turned to look Erica's way, and said - in Cora's voice - "Whaddaya think? Not bad, huh?"

"Cora?" Erica gasped, trying to pierce the illusion.

The vision rolled her eyes. "No, Scarlett Johansen drove up from Hollywood to surprise you in your bedroom. Of course it's me." She passed her hands in front of her face and down her front, and the illusion faded. The catsuit became black leggings and a tight, thin, long-sleeved sweater. The utility belt morphed into a regular belt - one of Erica's, which explained why Cora was in her bedroom. The boots seemed to slide down her calves, becoming much shorter.

"Wow, that was trippy," Erica breathed. "You looked just like her."

"It helps my hair's right around the same length. And the clothes weren't super hard. Was hella rough getting my boobs looking that big, though." She turned and looked at herself sideways in the mirror. "My hips didn't need as much," she said, sounding a little surprised.

Erica had to shake her head. "I can't believe you've gotten so good! And in only five months!"

"Bronwyn says that's my special talent, my 'Gift'. Glamours and tricks and illusions." She looked pensively out the window. "Real Transformations are harder."

Erica didn't want her friend to dwell on the negatives, so she sidled closer. "Can you do that for me?" she asked.

"What, you mean shapeshift you?" She frowned, considering. "Maybe. Other people can be harder. Why?"

"Obviously you memorized what Miss Johansen looks like." Her grin was quite saucy. "How'd you like to fuck her?"

Cora's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Well, you've got the tits for it, at least..." she drawled.

"You little bitch!" Erica cried, not quite hiding her smile.

~~~~~

"Sucks Brandon's on the other lunch hour." Cora actually sounded a little wistful.

Overall Jacinta felt very satisfied. She and Gabriela had finally gotten more than just a précis of Cora's momentous parking-lot date with Brandon. She had at last been persuaded to part with details. Juicy details.

They'd both noticed Cora being more openly affectionate around him in the last week or two. And this morning, before school, she'd given him what they could only see as a heartfelt kiss.

Indeed, Cora was much more willing to discuss her boyfriend with her girlfriends now. Almost to the point of tedium, but she'd listened to them do the same thing so allowances had to be made. "Y'know what he said, right before the first bell? He said he likes it when I don't wear makeup."

All three girls rolled their eyes. Cora had on eyeliner, lipstick, and blush. Not much of any, of course - Cora very seldom went all-out. Still, no girl would fail to see the extra definition.

"Guys just don't get it, do they?" Gabriela muttered.

Cora nodded firmly. "Word."

~~~~~

"Be careful," Cora said uncertainly.

"It'll be okay," Erica said, trying to sound chill and unconcerned. "He's a good guy."

Cora's lips quirked as she gave her a quick hug. "I mean make sure you don't stuff it in yourself!"

Erica groaned, but didn't otherwise protest. She took a deep breath and did one last check to make sure Haylie was still watching a show in the den. Then she flashed Cora a nervous, excited smile, picked up her purse and a small overnight bag, and stepped out the door.

Her hair was in an up-do. It included a ponytail, along with braids and other elaborations. She'd dropped a good chunk of change at the hairdresser. She wore a khaki dress that went with the pink stockings and heels she wore. Her makeup was applied in 'night on the town' style and quantity.

David waited in the driveway, leaning against his car. A collared shirt, slacks, combed hair, loafers. Boys 'night on the town' attire was far less trouble - and expense - than for girls. She couldn't hold that against him, though.

He stood up and opened the door for her. "Hey, babe," he said as she gave him a quick kiss and slid in. He closed the door, came around, jumped in, and backed out onto the road. "Everything still chill?"

She smiled, suppressing the butterflies in her stomach. "All good!" Circumstances had aligned. Miranda did most of her work from home, but once or twice a year she had to fly to New York for meetings at the publisher's headquarters. In years past she'd taken the girls and they'd stayed at hotels, or she'd left them with a babysitter. Now Erica was old enough to watch Haylie, for a few days at least. So Miranda had set off during the day Friday, and would be back Tuesday.

She had planned on having David visit, but then he'd said his parents would be gone the same weekend. And Cora was available to watch Haylie...

Miranda and Haylie believed - or at least, had been told - that Erica was going to sleep over at Kristina's. Instead she and David were going to get an entire night together. An overnight.

~~~~~

All evening she'd been waiting for and wondering about this moment. They had gone to dinner first, as upscale as high school students could manage, then come to his house. They'd hung out for a while in the living room, playing games. And now they were at the door of his bedroom. She'd never actually seen it except in the background of Skype chats.

He opened the door and led her in. She immediately deduced that he'd straightened up a bunch. However mature he was in some ways, she refused to believe that any teenage boy kept his room that neat.

Two steps in, she felt something very strange, a feeling she didn't have a word for. It was like... the opposite of déjà vu. Something that should be familiar somehow wasn't.

It was the smell, she realized. The smell of a teen boy's room. It was perfectly recognizable; Eric knew it well, had slept in it every night for years. Not overpowering here - David wasn't a slob - but even daily showers and weekly laundry couldn't eradicate it.

Yet it was peculiar at the same time. She hadn't whiffed it in months, but that was only part of the strangeness. A small part. The really strange thing was her own reaction to it. Eric would probably not even have noticed it. If he had, he might have found it mildly unpleasant at most. To Erica, though, it was... not unpleasant. Maybe even... interesting.

The walls were blue and gray, with a few action-movie and game posters on the wall. She noticed Black Widow on the Avengers one, with mixed feelings. A computer occupied a desk by the window - it didn't look as powerful as hers, actually. A bookshelf against one wall; she'd definitely have to look that over in detail sometime. A dresser, closet, hamper. And the bed - queen-sized, she judged, with a navy blue comforter.

"So, uh, welcome to my boudoir," he said, waving a hand to indicate his domain.

She grinned. "That actually means a woman's bedroom."

"Oh." He gave a little discomfited shrug. "Well, uh, 'be it ever so humble' and all." Erica suddenly realized that he was nervous, too. Confident, unflappable David was worried about how she thought of him. It threw her back to that first day when he'd asked her out.

She couldn't resist teasing him a little. "So is this your bed?" she said, archly.

That wrung an ever-so-slightly pained smile from him. But he soldiered on. "Yeah, this is where the magic happens."

She smiled. "Promises, promises." She was too excited - and, by now, too uncomfortable - to draw things out much longer. "Well, let me show you a magic trick then." She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him toward the bed. "Sit down and close your eyes."

He squinted in sudden doubt, but let himself be pushed down. After a moment, he said, "All right," and his lids came down.

Erica stepped back, tracking his eyes carefully. "No peeking! I mean it!" She unzipped the back and carefully pulled the dress up and over, going slow to make sure she didn't mess up her hair or her face. Underneath she was wearing her fancy, sexy lingerie. Anticipation for this moment had been building all day long. The undergarments had proven quite as impractical and uncomfortable as she'd expected... but she had hopes they'd prove worth it. She struck what she hoped was a sultry pose and said, "Okay, now you can look."

He opened his eyes and stared. Unexpectedly, out of nowhere, she felt shy and uncertain and very vulnerable. She didn't have the body-image issues of a lot of girls; she knew she looked good, thanks to the perspective lent by her former life as Eric. But looking good in general is different from being attractive to a particular individual. It was suddenly very important that David would find her sexy...

He was just staring. Staring. She bit her lower lip slightly, unbearably tense. She remembered how her breasts were slightly different sizes, and wondered if he'd noticed. She'd only been undressed with him in cars, all bent over and cramped...

David shook himself. "Oh my God, you're beautiful, Erica," he exclaimed in evident wonder.

She smiled a goofy smile. She knew it was goofy, could feel how silly and undignified it was.

She didn't care.

He stood up, leaned in, and kissed the smile off her face. It moved into her heart instead.

~~~~~

Cora and Haylie were lounging on the couch, eating popcorn and watching Toy Story 2, still in their sweats from kicking around a soccer ball earlier.

They were almost out of popcorn when they got to the scene of Emily growing up and abandoning Jessie. Haylie watched the compressed, sped-up version of a girl maturing into a young woman. She recognized it, felt it coming soon. For the most part she was excited to grow up. And yet... and yet...

This opportunity would not come again soon. She paused the movie. "What's it like? Being a boy?" she asked Cora.

Cora blinked. She took a few seconds to answer. Haylie was relieved she took the question seriously.

"I... look, I can't tell you what it's like for every boy. Just me. Or, what it was like for Cory."

"No, I get that," Haylie said.

Cora frowned. "Well... fish don't think about water. There's a whole lot guys don't have to think about. They really don't have a clue what girls do or think or go through a lot of the time. Guys are kinda... kinda the 'default', y'know? Socially."

Haylie nodded. She'd seen some of that already. People took what boys said more seriously than girls a lot of the time.

"Girls hormones go crazy around their period, right? You'll find out about that pretty soon," she said with a rueful grimace. "But, like, looking back... guys ain't so different." She paused. "When puberty kicks in, guys go just as crazy as girls do around their period. But it's all the time."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, you've seen me or Erica or your Mom. Getting weepy or angry or whatever." She spread her hands. "Boys get horny."

Haylie giggled, a little nervously.

Cora shrugged, grinning herself. "It's true. You can't even imagine how much guys think about, about girls." Her brow furrowed. "I... well, I kinda researched, like, transsexual stuff after I got Transformed."

Haylie wasn't surprised. She gestured for Cora to continue.

Cora did, carefully. "I remember this thing I found on NPR, a woman who became a man. When she... he started taking hormones he was totally shocked at how horny he got. Couldn't stop staring at chicks." She chuckled. "Said it gave him more sympathy for teenage boys."

Cora cocked her head, her hair shifting. "I guess it's supposed to settle down some, eventually. But Cory sure as heck had plenty of, like, testosterone and stuff."

Haylie hesitated, then said, "So it's different for you now? As Cora?"

Cora thought about it for several seconds, looking around the room as if she'd find the right words hiding somewhere. "I don't wanna... I mean, I dunno how much your Mom wants me talking to you about that kinda stuff." She squared her shoulders. "For me, it's not so different, I guess. The, um, level. But I don't think Transformees are, y'know, typical." She put up a hand. "And that's all I'll say about that."

"No prob," Haylie said, ready to give up that topic herself. "What else?"

"They're not as... I dunno... like, 'socially aware', I guess." She was frowning. "Not all of 'em, but... girls have BFFs and all, but they know more people. Boys mostly are tight with their bros, and don't really, like... bond with anyone else." She shrugged. "I'm not explaining this so great. Boys just don't notice or care so much about how other people feel. Except for some."

She looked at Haylie. "I bet there are girls in your class that you don't hang with, barely even talk to. Right?"

"Yeah..." Haylie said, not sure where Cora was going.

"But you know something about them, right? Just from talking? What they're like, who they're friends with, who they hate. Maybe a story about something funny they did or said. Right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Boys... if someone's not in one of their, y'know, circles, they don't care. They don't pay any attention." She sighed. "I can't remember where I saw it, but somebody said that stories for guys are about bodies in motion, what people do. Stories for girls are about how people feel, what they think about stuff."

"I guess I see. I think." Haylie shook her head. "What else?"

Cora was looking up at the ceiling. "I think... well, a lot of things are easier for guys. But it's not like they don't have their own problems. There's a lot of pressure on 'em. They've gotta be strong and smart. They're supposed to be important. Better than anybody at something." She shook her head, still not looking at anything in the room. "And they can't cry. Most of the time they can't even admit something hurts."

The girls sat in silence for a while. Then Haylie asked the main question. "So why do you want to go back?"

Cora, eyes wide, just sat there.

She pressed on. "Erica wanted to be Eric again, for a while. I think sometimes she still does. You can't freakin' wait to be Cory again." She shook her head, uncomprehending. "Why? What's so great about being a boy?"

Cora breathed in through her teeth. "It's... hard to explain." Then she fell silent again.

Haylie shook her head. "You know what the weird thing is? I feel like I do know, somehow."

Cora looked more focused. "Huh. Really?"

Haylie shrugged. "Sometimes. I guess."

Cora pondered that. "Maybe you should talk to your Mom about it."

"Maybe." Haylie couldn't explain why that made her feel uncomfortable, almost scared.

On that ambiguous note, Cora started the movie back up. They didn't speak to each other until it was over. Then they had a little ice cream and didn't talk about anything important before going to bed.

~~~~~

It was morning. Waking up next to David was an amazing thing. For just a little while she wondered if she were still dreaming. But his big strong sleeping body was too real. Even if the view was fuzzy without glasses or contacts.

So was her arousal. It was a very near thing; she almost woke him up. But she had something she needed to do while he was still sleeping, something she hadn't even told Cora about. Therefore, gently and covertly, she rubbed herself to a quick orgasm to take the edge off. Keeping quiet and still was difficult, but David barely stirred.

Now able to think a bit more clearly, she used her rudimentary Healing training to shift him into a deeper slumber. It was harder than it should have been, even accounting for her novice skill. She decided that she must be even more tense about what she'd planned than she thought. Finally satisfied, she crept out of bed.

Purses were amazingly useful. A boy's wallet wouldn't have stored extra contacts and her glasses. Plus, there were hairbands. Erica pulled her hair back away from her face and tucked it up behind her head. She peeked in the mirror; it didn't look like she had short hair, exactly, but it'd do. She began a search of his closet and dresser. Before long she'd assembled a reasonable outfit.

Wearing boys clothes once more was completely different from what she'd expected.

She had hoped to catch a glimpse of Eric again in her reflection. Goddess, it was so confusing! She'd seesawed back and forth over whether she'd Transform back one day. By now, though, it was hard to even remember what she'd been like before. Miranda had saved a few pictures of Eric for a special scrapbook, she knew, but wouldn't let Erica see them. It would "interfere with her progress."

Cora made it look easy, but shapeshifting spells were tricky. It was taking her so long to learn them! Right now she could barely manage to alter her skin tone or shift the color of her hair. She'd thought that maybe, dressed up as a boy, it might help her remember what it was like. Or at least what Eric had looked like.

It just didn't work, though. The clothes didn't make her feel masculine in the least; all they did was emphasize how womanly she was now. She was too small for them to fit - where she didn't stick out too much. Her face, her shape was too obviously girly. The 'cute librarian' glasses didn't help. She looked exactly like what she was: a teenage girl trying on her boyfriend's clothes. Sexy, even, from a certain perspective... but utterly female.

Confused, she slowly disrobed and, with exacting care, placed the clothes back precisely where she'd found them. She slipped her t-shirt back on, then slipped into bed next to David, and withdrew the Healing push that held him asleep.

Sooner than she'd expected, almost at once, he was awake. He jerked and sat up, acting startled. I must be clumsier than I thought. He shouldn't have sensed anything.

For just a couple heartbeats he seemed confused, and then frightened-slash-angry. She had one instant to be scared before he suddenly was calming down. He even smiled. "Sorry. Not used to waking up with anybody." His smile got wider. "Especially a cute half-naked girl."

Her own heartbeat slowing - David had looked very scary there, she could see how he'd intimidated Alan and Illya - she teased him a little. "Only 'cute'? Not 'gorgeous'? Or 'stunning'? Or 'incredible'?"

He snorted. "You want, like... eloquence, you're gonna have to wait til my brain finishes booting up."

Her hands moved under the covers. "Feels like some of you is initialized..."

She'd played wake-up games in bed before, but only with girls. David turned out to be pretty good at them.

~~~~~

David turned onto the main avenue, and the masking personality dropped away. It was like storm clouds suddenly blowing in over a sunny day. The real David was far more troubled than the false one.

He was returning to 'his' house, having dropped off Erica after their little overnight tryst. He truly didn't know what to make of her. She was so much the teenage girl. The way she moved, talked, thought about things - so very feminine. It was hard to remember she was really a boy.

Or was she? That was a question that bothered him a great deal. More and more, as time went on.

One could easily argue that a typical transsexual wasn't 'really' female. Surgery and supplementary hormones weren't enough to change sex, as far as David was concerned. The problem was, the Transformation these witches did was far more fundamental.

He knew that better than he should have. Even as he'd done it, he'd known it was a mistake, known that it could expose his cover. But he'd needed to do it, needed to know. It hadn't been necessary to fake attraction to Erica for weeks now. His attitude toward her reluctance to 'go all the way' was far more like that of typical boys to their girlfriends. He had to take care to behave more chivalrously than he actually felt, many times.

So he had Magically probed her last night. It had been carefully timed, when he was as sure as a male can be that his girl wasn't faking an orgasm. It had worked - of that he was certain. She was far too distracted at the time to notice the scan; her pleasure had been real.

It had been unnerving, partly for what it revealed but mostly for what it had not. Aside from the wellspring of Light within her, Erica was an entirely normal girl. He sensed nothing whatsoever indicating she had ever been anything else. The Transformation wasn't an ongoing spell; it really did change the essence. This form was now her natural form, on a physical and Magical level.

More surprising, there was a spell on her... but it wasn't maintaining the Transformation. So far as he could tell - and he couldn't be sure, Light Magic was strange - it actually prevented further Transformation. It was tied to the life of another, and - again, if he guessed right - it could be broken only from within.

He was also a little disturbed by the fact that she'd used Magic on him. Not much, and not for long... but he'd review the recordings from the concealed cameras as soon as he got back, to find out what she'd been doing while he'd been subdued.

That wasn't the main worry, though. The real problem was that central question: was Erica 'really' a girl, or not?

It was a philosophical question, true. The thing was, philosophical questions could have uncomfortably pragmatic and real-world consequences for practitioners of Magic.

Adding to his conflicts, he suspected that the existence of the binding spell represented important intelligence. And he could hardly report it to his handler without revealing that he had done something stupid, and against explicit orders, to uncover it. Certain levels of initiative and independence were encouraged in field operatives. Lapses in judgement were not.

~~~~~

Erica felt a little frustrated most of Saturday.

She and David had ended up having quite the leisurely morning. Almost too languorous; he'd dropped her off at home right when Cora had to head to work. The girl had barely enough time for a good-natured snarky remark about the disheveled condition of Erica's expensive hairstyle.

She couldn't talk to Haylie about the experience. She couldn't even talk in front of Haylie about it, to keep her Mom from finding out. So she spent a good deal of time texting with her friends.

And then when Cora came home from the arcade, it was time for Erica to head in to the restaurant for her shift. So they really didn't get a chance to dish until Sunday morning.

She didn't bring up her little cross-dressing experiment with her friends or Cora, for differing reasons. Cora acted gratifyingly interested in the sleepover, though, and probed for details. In the afternoon, they took Haylie out to a movie, then came home and cooked a big dinner together. It was really fun.

Erica wouldn't have dreamed that life could be going so well, back when Cora had first appeared. What a difference a few months made.

~~~~~

Brandon made a gentle turn off the main road into a subdivision.

"Hey, what..." Cora yelled in his ear, gripping him tighter and leaning forward. She sounded confused. Almost alarmed.

"Just wanna swing by Cory's place for a second. Just real quick, see if his parents heard anything," he called out, turning the bike left again.

Cora's grip around his chest tensed up. But she didn't say anything.

"It's on the way," he yelled, a little defensive.

"Whatever," Cora said. But he barely heard her.

He pulled up in the Ellsworth driveway, dropped the stand and started pulling off his helmet. "You don't hafta come in. I'll only be a minute."

Cora paused, then carefully slid to the ground, unclipping her helmet too. "No, I'll come in."

She acted almost skittish as they went up and rang the doorbell. It wasn't long before a tall man opened the front door.

"Hello, Brandon. Good to see you."

"Hey, Mr. Ellsworth." He put a hand on Cora's shoulder. "This is my girlfriend, Cora."

"Well, aren't you the lucky one," the man said. "Very nice to meet you," he said to her, smiling.

"Nice to meet you, too," she said, very softly. Abruptly she looked away.

A woman's voice from inside, approaching. "Who's that, hon?"

"Brandon came by," the man called. He moved to the side to allow her to see.

Her eyes lit up when she got to the door and saw Cora. "Oh, is this Cora?" she cooed.

Cora was staring. Brandon stepped in quickly. "Yup, this is her."

"She's just as pretty as you said!" said Mrs. Ellsworth. "Come on in for a minute," she urged.

"Well, okay," he said. Cora followed him in, looking around. She was acting shy and nervous again. He could never quite predict how she'd respond to something new. Girls, he thought ruefully to himself. Why even try?

If she was uncomfortable, though, he'd better get through it quickly. "I just wanted to check, heard anything from Cory?"

"No, nothing since that letter. We should get another one next week." Her shoulders slumped. "Maybe a phone call. It's almost like he knows when we're out, so he can leave a message."

"I'm sure he wants to talk to you," Cora blurted. Then, she looked down at the floor.

"I hope so," Mrs. Ellsworth said. Her husband laid a comforting hand on her arm, but he looked troubled too.

Mrs. Ellsworth changed the subject slightly. "Did Brandon ever show you a picture of him?" she said to Cora, leading the girl into the front room. On the wall was a large, framed picture of Cory - his school photo from last year.

"No," Cora said, inspecting it intently. "I saw a couple shots on Facebook..."

Mrs. Ellsworth waited a bit while Cora stared. "Cora's not a common name. Like Cory, I guess," she mused, examining Cora almost as sharply. Brandon saw her flash him an approving smile.

"It's my middle name," Cora said quietly. "My first name is Jewel." She finally turned from examining the photo and looked at Mrs. Ellsworth. Intent still, almost searching for something.

"Now that's a pretty name. It suits you," Mrs. Ellsworth said, turning to meet Cora's eyes.

Cora bit her lip and stared at the floor again.

Brandon watched all this curiously. He compared Cora to the picture of Cory. There sure looked like some kind of family resemblance. He naturally hadn't said anything to the Ellsworths, of course, and they didn't seem to pick up on it, though.

Cora's eyes darted between the two adults. "Why... why do you think he left?" she asked.

Now it was the Ellsworths who weren't looking anyone in the eye. Mr. Ellsworth said, "I don't know. I just... don't know."

"It wasn't drugs," Mrs. Ellsworth said, insistently. "We searched his room, his locker. Nothing. His grades were great."

Cora swallowed.

Mr. Ellsworth was shaking his head. "It doesn't make any sense. We wouldn't have cared if he had been on drugs. Or gay. Or... or anything."

"I didn't... I don't think he..." Cora stammered, then trailed off.

There was silence for a moment. Suddenly Mrs. Ellsworth said, "For a while I wondered if maybe... I don't know. If he'd converted to Islam and gone off to be a terrorist or something. But those letters... Maybe he is gay. But we wouldn't care. We just want him home."

Cora looked devastated. She stepped forward and took Mrs. Ellsworth into a hug. "I hope he can come back soon," she said, on the verge of tears.

Mrs. Ellsworth had actual tears in the corners of her eyes, and hugged back. "Well, you really are a precious jewel." She looked at Brandon. "You treat her right, now. Don't let this one get away!"

He smiled, a little uncomfortable. He had a little lump in his throat. Women always got so emotional. Mr. Ellsworth looked uncomfortable too. "No worries. I know how lucky I am," he said.

They said their goodbyes and left. As he got back on the bike, he said, "Sorry 'bout that. I didn't know it was gonna be a scene."

Cora gave him a sharp, irritated look. "They're hurting," she declared, and then got on the bike without another word. He sensed he'd just make some kind of mistake, though he didn't know what. Girls. Dammit.

~~~~~

Miranda checked the screen on her phone, then answered. "Hello, Jacqui. What's up?"

"Brandon took Cora by her old house. She saw her parents, saw a picture of herself as a boy."

"Oh... dear." So far as possible, the Sisterhood tried to keep novices from reminders of their former state and life.

"Right. She was pretty upset, from what I saw."

Miranda's eyes pinched shut. "How did you find out?"

"After that incident with driving practice, I put a simple alarm spell on their house. Just in case. Honestly, I'd forgotten about it." She paused. "I got to remote viewing almost immediately. It really wasn't her idea. Brandon was checking for Cory news and brought her along."

"Goddess, I can't imagine... what happened?"

"She handled herself as well as could be expected. But she got to see how much her parents miss their son. And I think... picture talking to your own parents and they don't even recognize you."

"Goddess," Miranda repeated, appalled.

"She stared at that old headshot for quite a while. I think it all rubbed her nose in how much she's changed already."

Miranda sighed. "Exactly what we always try to avoid. Especially with her."

Jacqui sighed too. "I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I've got no idea how she'll be when she gets home."

Miranda thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll take all the girls out for surprise ice cream tonight."

"And hope she's girly enough to respond to ice cream therapy," Jacqui said.

"Heh," Miranda said, with limited mirth.

"How's Erica doing?" Jacqui asked.

"Heh," Miranda said again, much more sincerely. "She hasn't even alluded to her little sleepover. But I noticed her Magic was quite a bit stronger during our latest lesson." She smiled. "I think her Transition is entirely back on track."

"I'm very glad for her, and you," Jacqui said with feeling.

~~~~~

Erica was glad her Mom had taken them out for a treat that night. Cora was acting down when Brandon dropped her off and it had helped cheer her up a little.

She stayed introspective though. Haylie made up for it, when she dropped a bomb into the conversation. "I think I wanna get my hair cut short."

Their Mom betrayed some alarm. "Haylie, no! Not your pretty hair!"

"I was talking to Georgia. She says she's glad she got hers chopped."

Miranda was definitely upset. "Oh, Haylie, not that short! Please!"

Erica wasn't sure what to think. Haylie's friend rocked a pixie cut pretty well, but it was hard to picture how it'd look on Haylie. Maybe that was just 'cause her little sister had always had long hair. She squinted, trying to visualize it.

"What, you think anyone's gonna think I'm a boy?" Haylie said.

Erica kept squinting. It had been a joke, but there was some kind of undertone... well, gender identity would be more on Haylie's mind than other girls her age.

Maybe Mom picked up on it, too. She looked worried. "I just don't think it'd be the best look for you, honey. And if you didn't like it, it would take forever to grow back..."

Cora spoke up. "We could try it out. We get home, I bet I could Glamour up some looks to test. Hair's pretty easy for me now."

Haylie squealed. "OMG, yes! Please!"

Miranda hesitated. She looked really upset. Erica couldn't grasp why it was such a big deal. But then she said, "Well, we'll see when we get home."

~~~~~

Cora stared at herself in the mirror, dubiously.

"You look awesome! Goddess, chillax!" Erica said.

Cora turned to the side, looking even more doubtful. "I got underwear covers more than this."

Erica gave her a quick side-hug. "First time I went out in a bikini was weird for me, too. But it's cool. Totally. Socially, I mean." She saw Cora steal a glance at her bed, and moved to block her view. "Nuh-uh! I shouldn'ta even let you buy that stupid one-piece!"

"Not sure I can do this," Cora muttered. The navy blue of the material set well against her fair skin, and there was actually a decent amount of it. Rump and crotch and breasts were covered, there was no risk of any critical exposure. But it was tied with strings, not straps, so her back and the sides of her hips were effectively bare.

"It'll be fine. Wear a t-shirt until we actually go in the water." She smirked. "And poor Brandon'll be drooling. He'll get a boner at some point, you watch."

Cora snorted and went to grab her flip-flops. The idea didn't seem to be particularly uncomfortable.

A whole pack of kids were going on a Sunday roadtrip to the beach. The nucleus was a subset of the girls from the cheer squad and their boyfriends, but acquaintances were coming, as well. It was an all day thing; Moreno Valley was sixty miles from the ocean. Sixty California highway miles.

Cora had a long t-shirt on as they went downstairs, hanging so low it was pretty much a miniskirt. Erica thought it wound up being more titillating than the plain bathing suit, but wasn't about to let Cora know.

~~~~~

The ride down was indeed long, but chill. She and Cora and David and Brandon rode with Shianti and her boyfriend Tyrone in her dad's minivan. The boys had come to the Jardin house and all four were picked up from there.

Trahn and Melanie were with their guys in another vehicle. Tyrone drove, with David next to him and Brandon behind him. Shianti was in the middle passenger seat, with Cora and Erica in the back. As happened frequently, the boys and girls had parallel conversations, with only occasionally overlapping subjects. Erica caught Cora glancing at the boys on occasion, when the topic turned to things like gossip or clothes, as if pining to talk about sports. But she didn't make a fuss. She even had a few pertinent comments.

As soon as the convoy arrived, the girls got together for a group picture. Cora used to join in such things reluctantly, but these days she seemed fine with them, posing and smiling. She'd talked it over once with Erica, and they'd both concluded that they served a social, bonding function - visibly signifying friendship, while also a certain amount of (mostly) friendly competition.

Anyway, Cora had reconciled herself to the necessity. She never did 'duck face', though. Ever. With her smile, it was unnecessary anyway.

The weather was fine, and the beach wasn't crowded enough to be a problem. A couple dozen high schoolers could still find room to spread out. As they got ready to go in the water, Erica kept one eye on Cora. After a brief hesitation, she shed the t-shirt. And then cheekily asked Brandon to help her with the sunscreen. Of course, with her fair skin she actually needed a thick coating.

They splashed and swam. A few of the girls only waded, not wanting to get their hair wet.

"Ffffft." Cora blew hairs out of her mouth. "I hate windy days."

Trahn scoffed. "Ever get your hair caught in a car door? That's super fun."

They had a big picnic lunch, supplemented with icy drinks from a vending stand. After that, everyone laid around, digesting and relaxing through the hottest part of the afternoon. Several couples paired off on their own towels. Erica noticed Brandon and Cora engaged in some fairly flagrant cuddling, but she paid more attention to her own cuddling with David.

Before long, though, a beach volleyball game got going. Cora and Erica sat out, sending their gentlemen in to be their champions. Erica took another opportunity to enjoy the male form in motion.

Although, she also noticed a couple of women walk by, glad she had sunglasses on so she could do it without being obvious. They were very attractive, which pleased her in a way that survived intact from her days as Eric. But they were older, mature - at least twenty-five. They had a few tattoos. Women, not girls. It made her feel weird; lots of complex emotions.

They projected a confidence that high-school girls just couldn't match. Not even a Transformed boy who knew she looked good. Part of her wanted to be like that - but that would also mean growing in womanhood. If she became a woman like that - one who knew who she was and what she wanted - wouldn't that mean she wouldn't want to be Eric again? And honestly - did she ever want to be male again now? Or was she only keeping that option alive for Cora's sake, to give the girl a sense of solidarity she seemed to need desperately?

Speaking of Cora... her eyes slewed right, and she caught Cora looking at them, too. What was she thinking? How did she feel about them? Erica understood Jacqui's frustration at not being able to peek.

But the volleyball game was over now, and the boys were headed their way. It was time to go back into the water.

~~~~~

Seeing Cora snuggle up next to Brandon on the drive back had been humorous. To keep the seat from getting wet, she had her t-shirt under her, and Brandon had a hard time keeping his eyes off her body. Pretty sure he's having a hard time in more than one way, she thought with a smile. Her prediction about boners had come true. Maybe it was a little mean, but it could sometimes be fun to tease boys a little.

They got dropped off and gave their respective boyfriends goodby smooches, then went in to clean off and change.

"Fuck," Cora swore as she walked into Erica's room wrapped in a towel after her shower. "Remember that one photoset on the beach I showed you that one time? The naked redhead all in the sand?"

"Yeah?" Erica said, not sure where she was going. They'd only compared porn that once.

"I'm gonna delete 'em. I never want to even think about sand down there ever again. I finally understand that phrase." They both laughed in agreement.

Cora sat on the bed, watching Erica dress. She slipped the towel off and took another pass at drying her hair. Erica didn't completely ignore a naked girl in her room, but it was clear that Cora wasn't flirting; they were just comfortable together.

Cora had turned thoughtful. "Girl hormones are weird. Like, did you see when Ramilah was talking to Brandon?"

"No. When was that?"

"After the Slurpees. I don't think she knew I was back. And she was all smiling at him."

"So, she's got working glands. Brandon's cute." Then her eyes narrowed. "Hey, Brandon wouldn't..."

Cora laughed and waved her hand. "I know, he's not a dog. Took me long enough to pry him away from Danielle." Then she shrugged. "I wasn't talking about her hormones."

"What do you mean?"

"For just a second... I mean, like, I know I can trust Brandon. She wasn't gonna get anywhere. But even so. I was so pissed I was gonna Glamour giant zits all over her face." She squinted at nothing, going into 'thinking mode'. "I wonder if you could make it so only guys saw it? She'd be running around with her face like bacon, but none of her friends could warn her..."

~~~~~

The Wednesday morning alarm came all too soon. Erica got up and took a quick shower. The water no longer felt too warm on her back and face; the mild sunburn from the beach trip had healed. Still, that wasn't good for the skin. Aloe and other moisturizers were called into play before she got dressed. She was mildly surprised to find Cora already at the breakfast table when she came down.

Haylie and Miranda were bustling about, eating breakfast and putting together lunch for school. Miranda nodded quietly toward Cora. Erica looked and saw that the girl was extremely subdued. Almost haunted. She casually got a bowl for cereal, sat down next to her, and said, "Hey, how ya doing?"

Cora didn't turn to her. "Eh. Tired." After a moment, she added, "Didn't sleep good."

"Everything okay?"

"'s fine," Cora muttered. Well, if she wasn't ready to talk, there was no point in pushing her. She poured some milk on her granola and ate.

Cora's phone beeped. She looked at it and sighed.

"What's up?" Erica asked as unpressingly as she could manage.

"Canceled with Brandon. Gonna ride the bus."

Her eyebrows lifted, but she said, "David could take us both."

"Nah, you go ahead. Thanks," Cora murmured, still not looking at anyone.

"Oh. Okay," Erica said, shooting an inquiring glance at her Mom. Miranda shook her head unobtrusively, just as puzzled.

~~~~~

Erica checked her phone on the way to lunch; there was a text from Jacinta: u kno why C is freaking out? The moment she got into the lunchroom, she could see Cora was still upset. Standing in line for food, she looked like a dazed refugee.

Erica sidled up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, can we talk? Like, outside?"

"I don't..." Cora began.

Erica cut her off. "We need to talk. No drama, just let's talk, okay?"

Cora hesitated, then nodded and stepped out of line. As they headed for the doors, over Cora's shoulder, Erica gave the table a look. It conveyed a great deal - Sorry, gotta deal with Cora alone, tell you about it later - but only Kristina and Linda seemed to get it. David and Paul just looked confused. Goddess, boys can be dense, she thought absently.

Once they'd gotten a little ways from the crowd, Erica said, low and intense, "You're not fine. What's going on? What's wrong?"

"It's... I don't wanna talk about..."

"Fuck that. I love you and you're hurting and I want to help. Spill it."

Cora just shook her head. "It's not like that. Nothing you can do."

"You know how far I'll go for my friends," Erica said flatly.

"That's the thing," Cora sighed. "It's no big deal. I just had a bad dream."

"Oh." Even leaving aside the possibility of a prophetic dream, Cora was clearly more upset than even a nightmare could explain.

Waiting out Cory probably wouldn't have worked. Cora, though, seemed to have some of the female need to talk. "Me and Brandon were making out. I mean, really going to town. We were, like, all over each other."

She shivered. "I could feel his cock through his pants. That's what did it. It was, like, time. I was a hundred and ten percent dee tee eff. I was gonna 'eff' the living shit outta him."

Erica was silent, trying to absorb everything. On the one hand, it might be progress. Erica didn't know details herself, but they'd both intuited that being attracted to boys had to be part of the Transition. Yet that had to be especially hard for Cora.

"So he helped me undo my pants and get 'em down." She paused for a second. "Huh. I don't think I was wearing pants before. Yeah, I remember, he had a hand up my skirt before." A pause. "Anyway. We got my pants off."

She'd curled in on herself, back hunched, arms wrapped around her torso, looking down at the ground as they walked.

"Suddenly he was yelling at me. And I looked down and I had a dick and balls again. And I felt so ashamed, I was saying I was sorry over and over but he kept, like screaming at me. I can't even remember what he was saying, but he was so totally, like, disgusted. And then Cory was there too, and he was all pissed at me too. And he was all, 'What the fuck are you doing?'"

"Oh, Goddess," Erica breathed. She grabbed Cora and squeezed her, trying to express all the support and comfort she couldn't put into words. Cora broke down then, crying onto Erica's chest.

"It's not fair. I didn't ask for this. And I never should have gone after Brandon. He really would feel that way, if he knew." She let out a huge sob. "I really did betray him!"

Erica held her for several heartbeats. Then she spoke gently into Cora's ear. "Look, the whole point of this is for you to be a girl, right? So if you are a girl, then you are okay for him."

"And when I turn back? What then?" Her breath hitched. "Cory can't be friends with a guy that I sucked off! He won't be able to look at Brandon! He'll push him away!" She looked miserable. "I don't want him hurt like that. After he tried to find Cory."

"It's gonna be okay," Erica crooned, hoping she was telling the truth. "We'll figure it out."

"I thought it was getting better, but I just keep making things worse. I should have left him alone. I'm even worse for him than Danielle!"

"Oh, now fuck that!" Erica exclaimed. "He's happy with you. I see the way he looks at you. Not just at your booty." She held Cora's shoulders at arms length. "And Cory's just as mature as you are. By definition. If you can handle getting busy with Brandon now, you can figure it out as Cory."

It was hard to tell what Cora was thinking. She wasn't sure she was getting through. She wasn't supposed to talk about Cory anyway. So she pivoted. "Anyway, let the future take care of itself. Nobody knows what'll happen. He could break up with you tomorrow."

She saw two distinct emotions in Cora's mien; an amused dismissal of the very concept of Brandon dumping her somehow combined with pain at contemplating that very idea. Erica stopped talking and just hugged her friend.

It felt like a while, but was probably less than a minute before Cora spoke again. "The thing is, I was freaked out and ashamed and pissed and upset. I mean, I was, like, inside out, y'know? I still kinda am." She made a sound that might have been history's least joyful laugh. "But you know what else?"

"What?"

"I was frustrated, too. 'Cause I really did want to fuck him. Like, majorly." Her eyes were tearing up again. "I wanted his cock in my pussy as much as Cory ever wanted inside a girl. More, maybe. I can't even think about that first part of it without getting wet."

For a few moments she just shook in Erica's arms. They'd drawn attention from several of the students in the area. Finally, Cora whispered, "I still totally do. Goddess, it'd almost be worth getting knocked up."

Erica reflected on all it would take to make Cora feel that, much less say it out loud. "Are you, like... in love with him?"

"I dunno." She was shaking her head, still trembling. "But what scares me the most is, I'm not sure I don't love him."

After that, Erica just held Cora for a few more minutes. Then they made their silent way back inside, equally subdued now.

~~~~~

Erica usually felt very conflicted, talking to the senior Sisters about things Cora had told her. She knew the Sisters wanted the best for Cora - at least by their lights. She even knew that Cora knew she was making reports. It felt like betraying a confidence anyway.

Cora's dream, and reaction, were too important to elide; maybe even vital. She still felt guilty that night as she relayed their conversation.

"Oh, Goddess," Laurie said, very softly, when Erica was done. All the witches looked very pensive, especially Jacqui.

"Jacqui, you... you have the best hope of... of seeing into this," Bronwyn said. "What do you think?"

Jacqui still was focused inward, going over things in her mind. "It bothered me to make out with boys. It really bothered me to enjoy it. But... my introduction was gentler." She finally looked up, with a crooked grin toward Bronwyn. "I was pushed into it, like Cora." The grin dissolved. "I didn't do it out of anger, though, and it wasn't as calculated. On my part, anyway."

She sighed. "And I didn't know the guy before. Cora had a really unfair head start on knowing Brandon. Unfair for both of them." She looked very grim now. "Cora says she doesn't know if she loves Brandon. The thing is, Brandon does love her. The way a teenage boy loves a girl, anyway."

Erica clamped down on a sudden intense desire for intel on David's feelings toward her. That wasn't important right now. To anyone else at least. "Do you think... Cory really would push Brandon away? When she changes back?"

Jacqui was staring at the floor again. "I... maybe. I remember thinking something similar about 'Jack' at one point."

Bronwyn was speculative now. "Cora's coming along. I think this dream shows she's on the path to complete her Transition, eventually."

Erica sensed something going unsaid. It was very like that intuition she'd had shortly after Cora's Transformation, that had led her to deduce the binding spell. Something about vaginal sex was important to the Transition.

Her Mom and the other Sisters had said that there were things they couldn't tell Novices, because it would disrupt, maybe even derail their progress. Cora was still a little skeptical about that, but Erica had more trust. She hoped. She decided to let that go for now.

The High Priestess was still talking. "Ordinarily, worries about adjustments after changing back aren't so important. In this case... a reversal is pretty much inevitable. Even if Cora wanted to stay a girl, there's her parents. She wouldn't deprive them of their son any longer than she had to."

"Yes," Laurie said, concerned. "That's not a problem Novices have to face."

Jacqui shook her head, slowly. "All we can do is hope she doesn't do anything... rash."

~~~~~

Brandon pulled his bike up to the curb. Cora was waiting there. He was a little worried; it was like she'd been avoiding him the last couple days. She'd taken the bus Thursday, and this morning, and she wasn't answering most of his texts. At least she'd agreed to meet him now. He could give her a ride home from school, find out what was going on.

Yet now he was even more worried, because she looked seriously depressed. "Hey, babe, what's wrong?" he called as he dropped the kickstand.

Cora licked her lips, then said loudly over the motor, "Can you shut it off? I need to tell you something!"

He shut off the engine and pulled off his helmet. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

She took a deep breath, and said, "I think you should see other people."

He stiffened in surprise. "Are you kidding? What... what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

She swallowed. She wasn't meeting his eyes, she just stared at the asphalt under her feet. "What I said. You should find another girl."

He frowned. "Wait. You think I should? What about you?"

She still just watched the pavement not move. "I'm... taking a break from boys for a while."

Confused, he said, "I don't want 'another girl'. I want you. I thought we were doing pretty good..."

Not moving, she said, "I'm... not who you think I am. I'm no good for you. You deserve... someone else." He almost didn't hear her whispered addendum. "Someone real."

"What the shit is this? You think you're 'not worthy' or something? Of me?"

She was curled up on herself. "Come on. You can find somebody better. I'm weird and moody and I barely let you touch me."

He was really getting angry. People were starting to pay attention; nobody close enough to hear. "I figure a blowjob probably counts for three bases easy." He started to reach for her shoulders, but stopped. He didn't want to scare her - or worse, hurt her - and she was tiny and he was fairly strong. "Look at me, dammit." Her head came up, and there were tears on her cheeks. "Believe it or not, some boys can think with more than one head." He waved at his crotch and his face. "You think I only want your body?"

"Oh, Goddess. I'm fifty thousand shades of fucked up." She sounded creepily calm, for all the wetness of her face. "I'm really not what you want. Just... You don't know..."

He did take hold of her then, firmly controlled. "I'm not a fucking moron, y'know. I figured something happened to you, sometime. I don't know what, and I don't care. I care about you." He realized he was about to say 'I love you'. His shock made him hesitate for a second, which gave Cora the chance to step back out of his grip.

She was shaking her head, slowly, still leaking tears. "I'm sorry. It's over."

He sat up straight, set his shoulders. "Well, I'm not going away. Not until you convince me you really don't want me around."

"I don't. I really don't." As declarations went, it lacked conviction. She was firmer with the next line: "I gotta catch the bus."

Brandon just sat there, and watched her walk away.

"Well, fuck." Pussy. You should have said you loved her.

Continued in part 10