The next few weeks went surprisingly fast. I expected to be on pins and needles about the countdown to the imitation devices but little distractions helped and presented new tensions as well. Plus, I had plenty of stuff to focus on in my other classes. I discretely made sure my professors were informed about my Kinrae-related class and what was going to happen.

Lissa took me home soon after we looked through her photo album. Once home, Allison leapt on me with wide eyes and excited questions. I told him the gist. He gave a little smile whenever I mentioned Quilla’s ninja outfit.

At the end, he immediately asked me, finger poised on his chin, “Sooo….why didn’t you kiss her?”

I coughed into the cup of water I’d been drinking. I had plenty to say about that. It was like a ‘rebound’ thing with Michael just recently gone. We were good friends. Quilla was right there. Everything that had gone through my head that evening till Lissa beeped my nose. I stammered all that out to Allison, who held his tongue and smirked.

He waited till I’d finished and taken another sip of water. Then, he asked, “Do you think she likes you as more than a friend?” It wasn’t something I thought about. Well, maybe I thought about it, but not with any seriousness. Allison had the most amused expression with his chin resting on both hands.

I could only answer, after a few attempts to change the subject, “I really don’t know. I mean…I mentioned how she scooted close on the couch. I mentioned how she talked to me about her worries as a mom. I can tell she’s really comfortable around me. I mean…I’m sure there are people you’re very comfortable around who you aren’t romantically interested in…”

Slowly, Allison cracked a Cheshire grin. “Oh dear, sweet Sean. I’ve told you this before but, even if just a tiny bit, I’m romantically interested…in everyone.” He fluttered his eyes.

He had said that before. I mostly took it for hyperbole. But the look in his eyes right then… I cleared my throat again and he couldn’t help but giggle and softly say, “Priceless. But, in all seriousness, if you’re ever interested or get tired of dancing around Lissa…” He gestured to himself with a wink.

All I told him was, “I’m good.” He kept a very pleased smile and then lamented that I’d already had breakfast. Before I left the room, he did add, “Just a personal request but on the day you’re finally able to consummate your love of anime girlness…I ask you to let me do just one thing. Call it an experiment.”

I had to ask him what the one thing was but he wagged his finger and told me, “Nope. Sorry. The experiment won’t work as well like that. Blind test. I assure you it’s nothing terrible. Just an experiment in…gender studies or something. You can even put it into your class paper if it turns out interesting.”

Now I was really eager to know but Allison’s lips were sealed. I told him, “I’ll think about it.”

A random topic that evening made my concerns about this “experiment” even greater when Allison mentioned, “Clayton and I have an agreement if I ever happen to turn into a girl.”

I’d heard this alluded to before: discussion of “If Allison was a chick”. But I figured it wasn’t meant to be serious. Apparently, according to Allison, Clayton and he had come to an agreement that, “If we’re ever turned into a girl, then we will totally jump each other’s bones…at least once.” Then, he swallowed a long string bean whole.

I sipped my sweet and sour soup and asked, “What about Malcolm?”

Allison gave a little sigh and said, “He doesn’t want to cheat on his girlfriend. But we do have a different agreement which involves…well….I’ll leave it to your imagination for now.”

Of course, this whole scenario would require me loaning the imitation device to Allison and that was frowned upon by the professor. However, it wasn’t specifically forbidden. In fact, I remembered hearing discussions with Kinrae who wanted the devices to be shared freely. But there were plenty of legal issues with the college possessing them and being responsible for them and all that. All that stuff we had to sign with the tiny print. And we had even more of it during our third class session.

After that, Allison didn’t pester me (as much) about the ‘experiment’. He did pester me to call my uncle though and he was right to do so. It’d been too long since I’d talked to him. I was lucky to catch him while he was home, even though the call went to his voice mail at first before he picked up.

“Sean! I was just thinking of calling you. You weren’t reading my mind…were you?”

I gave a half-chuckle and told him, “Not at all, Uncle Nolan. How are things?”

He snorted and, with that rich voice of his, laid out the ‘quandaries’ and ‘possibilities’ of his ‘recent past’. I leaned back on the couch and listened. I was glad he was doing well. I’d been worried about him when I moved out but he said he was having movie showings and was painting again.

At a lull in his account, he asked, “But enough about me. How goes the new year of classes?”

I told him about the prerequisites I was taking. I started to sidestep with the “anthropology” class but he caught my dodge and asked for more details. Allison was lingering about with a pleased expression…and randomly twirling. I couldn’t help but crack a smile despite the uncertainty I felt from what Allison had said.

The little flash of amusement gave me the smallest of boosts to help me admit without dodging, “It’s a class for studying the Kinrae.”

“Those colored ladies? That’s fantastic. I know how much you’ve been curious about them. Keep me updated about what you learn. I’m a little curious myself. Such enigmas.”

I didn’t have to say anything more. I could’ve left it like that and I was sure my uncle would be satisfied. But I liked speaking my mind to him and he would probably find out anyway.

I held the conversation with half a sound followed by quiet. Just a moment to compose what I wanted to say. I managed, “It’ll be more than just book study. We’ll be visiting where they live and everything. And…we’ll be using those imitation devices they sometimes talk about in the news to kinda…you know…get into…to get a sense of what they’re like…experience of what they’re like.” My face felt hot and I could feel my heartbeat against the phone.

I was held prisoner in a long spell of silence on the line before my uncle dispatched all tension by saying, “Well, that sounds marvelous! Never heard of a class like that before. What do I tell you about trying new things?”

I recited, “I really need to do it more often.”

“Not only that. It broadens your mind and it changes your entire perspective on life. I hope you enjoy this class and I want you to know right now that you must send me photos online. I won’t take no for an answer. In fact, send me some as soon as you can anyway. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you or any of your roommates.”

I made a promise to send plenty of photos, which earned a quick wink from Allison as he dashed back to the kitchen. Uncle Nolan sounded satisfied with this and we began wrapping things up.

He finished the call by telling me, “Till next you remember I’m just a phone call away and with all my deep and heartfelt love, my dear nephew….and niece.”

“Uncle Nolan…” I muttered with a groan as he chuckled.

“Apologies. Just a small indulgence on my part. And so…and so…”

I narrowed my eyes and asked, “What is it?”

His mood changed a little. He softly assured me, “Just memories sometimes. A virtue of age and a bane to hold such a reservoir of the past. It’s nothing…especially nothing I want to sour your lovely weekend with.”

I pried a bit, “You’re sure it’s nothing? I don’t want to find out you’re dying of some horrible disease.”

He assured me that wasn’t the case and offered, “And even if I were, I would make sure everyone I loved knew…but only to make sure the living is all the sweeter for all to share. For happiness is only real when shared.”

“Uhhh…”

My uncle gave a chuckle and finished, “Forgive me a bit of saccharine sentiment. I’ve been considering a visual poem. But to remind you, please don’t spare me any of the details of the journeys ahead of you. And have a wonderful day.”

I expressed the same to my uncle as I finally hung up. Our calls usually came to ends which were actually new beginnings with goodbyes said at least half a dozen times before we recalled something else. Still, I knew there was something on his mind which he wasn’t telling me but I reassured myself that he would tell me when he was ready and it wouldn’t be as bad as I feared.

Looking up from my phone, I discovered Allison curled up near my feet. He leaned up at me and said, “See? That was easy!”

I gave a nod and settled back on the couch. After a moment, Allison asked, “You’re not upset at me because of what I said before…right?”

I didn’t have any words to offer, which Allison immediately took for the worst. He seized my legs with a gasp, exclaiming, “Oh no! You are upset! Forsooth! This is a sorrow of sorrows! Never did I imagine that sadness would come of my words.”

Softly, I muttered to myself, “Forsooth?”

Allison continued even more dramatically, “If only I could take back the unintended meaning of my words. My love for all is meant only for joy and not for harm! And my plans are of the kindest sort, seeking only a playful moment and not fear! If only I could travel back in time to give you better words, truer words, so you may know and not feel anything bad! Lament! LAMENT! I beg…nay!…beseech you…look kindly upon me. I offer up my whole heart that you may forgive my impertinence. Forgive me! Pleeeeeease!”

The only thing which could be added was a lonely violin playing in the background to accentuate Allison’s performance. His face was curled like the tragedy mask on theater posters as he clung to my ankles like his hands were holding the edge of a cliff.

What could I say? I offered a smile and told him sincerely that I wasn’t upset and that he was forgiven.

Immediately, a swell of joy burst through Allison as he leapt to his feet and pranced around the floor. He embraced me with a rush of his floral aroma enveloping me and celebrated with the most ecstatic of dances. This would be fine with a full choir behind him.

I still was curious about what he had in mind for this experiment, same as I wondered what my uncle might be keeping from me but I resigned myself to patience and their assurances.

That was all before a meal, an email to my uncle with what few new photos I’d taken lately, a walk around the neighborhood in the evening fog, learning from Allison that the tragedy mask on theater posters represented the muse Melpomene, and another mediocre movie gave the day its anticlimax.

Saturday started with a bang though, a loud bang from the garage which rattled the windows. We feared the worst till Clayton emerged, without any body parts missing, only gray grime on his hands and face, to announce the herb garden box was done.

He wheeled the finished product out on a dolly lift I never knew he had. Allison delighted in Clayton’s painting choice of pink together with blue and yellow trim. He staggered, like he’d been standing around the paint fumes for too long, and gave Allison a thumbs-up. Together, they set the box in the backyard.

Clayton mentioned all the features of the box, which was the most I’d heard him say in weeks. He mentioned the water drainage and the way the materials kept sensitive plants cool. He explained how the box angled to provide the best light via an internal gear which was set to season and time of day. Then he apologized for not including “animal deterrents”.

He’d apparently been considering a trap mechanism which “took care” of rabbits (which we got a lot of) and other small animals but, “the required batteries for electrocution would’ve drained too fast.” Instead, he offered to build a fence over the next few days, to my and Allison’s relief. The box looked nice in the backyard.

To buy seeds and everything else we needed, we drove in Allison’s PT Cruiser because there was no way we’d be able to haul everything back from the home improvement store by bus or on foot. Allison brought a book detailing what all he’d need for the garden. I followed him as he ruffled through racks of seeds and small pots with a mixture of focus and frowns till he finally found a dozen pack of the seeds he was looking for. He nearly gave a ‘squee’. Then he consulted which herbs to start growing in late winter and which to plant in spring.

They’d need to start out by the windowsill until the weather was warm enough. At least that’s what I could gather glancing over Allison’s shoulder as he paged through the book. We wouldn’t need any window sill planters because Allison had a plan for that but we got plenty of soil and Allison splurged on a “cute” watering can.

We wound up in line behind a stout old lady who looked like a retired teacher. She glanced back at us with a smile and suddenly said, “You two look lovely together.”

She must’ve noticed how close Allison lingered to me. Allison was wearing a favorite pale-pink top of his which was a snug, glossy fit from the small sleeves and broad neckline to where it clung all the way down to his hips. Glittery-white hearts decorated the front and blue butterflies covered his jeans.

I gave the old lady a nod and Allison offered a quick giggle he was able to make sound especially girlish. I cleared my throat and offered, “We’re just roommates.”

The old lady raised an eyebrow and watched as Allison leaned his head on my shoulder. All the old lady said to that was, “I see…”

Maybe some day when I was younger, early high school or before, I would’ve been annoyed or even upset. But I let Allison have his fun.

And have fun he did as we walked out of the store arm in arm. When we got to the car, I had to ask, “Enjoy that?”

He hoisted the heavy bag of potting soil with one arm and asked back, “How about you?”

I wasn’t sure what to say. The first time Allison had done this sort of thing in public I felt unnerved and unsure. While Allison’s words the previous day had left me off-balance and wondering what he meant by romance, his melodrama had convinced me not to take it too seriously. And I had the same approach to these sorts of things too.

And then another notion hit me. How people often saw Allison, as a girl, was exactly how people were going to see me in just a little over two weeks. Not including the even more attention-grabbing anime aspects. If I was hanging out with Allison or if I was somewhere with Malcolm then the attention now would be nothing compared to that kind of attention.

I had to wonder if it was some sort of plan on Allison’s part to prepare me. Then I noticed he was singing to the seeds as he placed them in the trunk of the car. I sighed and offered, “I have no idea.”

I earned a pat on the shoulder from Allison for that, as he noted, “Don’t you worry. Everyone will be looking at you instead of me when you become a lovely, busty anime girl.” He shut the trunk with a smirk. He couldn’t be reading my mind…

We settled into the car, put our belts on, and I was about to start the engine when I heard a strange, long sigh from Allison. I glanced over. He was leaning against the window with his legs tightly crossed and his hands folded in his lap.

Frowning, I asked, “You okay, Ally?”

He flashed a little smile and said, “I did enjoy that. It was fun.”

I raised an eyebrow and he pursed his lips together. He cleared his throat and asked softly, “Wanna stop at the frogurt place down the block before we head back?”

The weather was cool but we hadn’t been in a while. Allison got chocolate with banana pieces and strawberries. I got cheesecake with nuts. The place was quiet. We were the only ones seated but a group of people were buying to-go. Allison ate with intermittent smiles. I leaned with my chin held in my hands like he often did. He mimed me back and returned to eating.

After a spell of quiet, Allison softly asked, “There’s…something. I was wondering…”

I encouraged him but he took a big scoop in his mouth instead of answering right away. When he was ready, he asked, “If I happened to be turned into a girl…” He seemed to anticipate my immediate thought and added, “I’m not talking about that…I just. It’s just a thought.” I’d rarely seen Allison so reticent to say something. I leaned back a little.

Eventually, he spilled out, “If I were a girl…would you be up to going on a date with me in that situation? A fun date. Just…that.” She spooned more yogurt into her mouth. His mouth.

I blinked. I’d never quite seen Allison like this. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. He fidgeted a bit.

I took a breath and leaned forward. So many things were swirling in my head from everywhere. But I looked at Allison’s dipped head and I knew I wanted to see all those smiles of his which had gotten me through college so far. I wanted to see the smirks with breakfast served with surprising comments. I wanted Allison to be at ease like the ease he…she...Allison passed to me when I spilled out my love of anime girls.

I put my hands forward and said softly but clearly, “Absolutely.”

The moment which followed surprised me. Allison looked up with wide eyes and mouth slightly open. What came wasn’t a smirk or a coy look but a pure and radiant expression of happiness. Allison smiled at me and bowed his head.

At that moment, I felt I’d truly made Allison happy. It felt like when Lissa told me that some old movies I’d given away to her were enjoyed by Quilla (one of them even a pirate movie). Before then we’d been two classmates sharing the same space. Sometimes I’d smile at a snarky comment of hers but I couldn’t tell you more than a few surface things about her. After that, we talked all the time. Seeing Allison smile like that gave me the same feeling as Lissa’s beautiful smiles.

A quiet spell followed until Allison suddenly started talking about the classical nine muses and how he liked the muse of comedy (Thalia) so much more than the muse of tragedy. From there it was just random discussion. I felt a little bit of tension remaining though, like Allison was laughing more at little things than usual but I joined in as we both finished our yogurt.

Milling about outside, we checked out the new pizza place which was a converted drug store with a massive amount of room, a whole hall full of games, and even an area for bumper cars. It might be a fun place for a date if not for the fact we’d each eaten there before and the food was mediocre (or burnt, in my case).

Stretching, Allison lamented that the nearest non-academic bookstore was too far away for a quick trip. I filed that away as we returned to the car and, eventually, the campus house.

Allison took care of prepping her windowsill herb garden and delighted in her watering can. The rest of the day passed uneventfully.

The next day was the first in a week that Malcolm’s girlfriend, Jessica, made it over to visit. Down went several of Malcolm’s posters.

The visit was a bit of a wash, at least for Malcolm, as most of Jessica’s time was spent hanging out with Allison like he was an old friend. Malcolm brooded a little but he still used only the feminine pronoun when referring to Allison.

There was something of a “girls vs. boys” gaming match later (Jessica was a brutal, newbie-crushing player. I knew all too well.). It was really no contest. I mainly got to watch how long Malcolm managed to survive after I was pummeled. He grumbled, “Duuude” to me each time. I could only shrug.

The weekend ended with me and Allison on the couch watching The Sound of Music. Allison bundled up and leaned against me. Halfway through, I could hear his soft snoring. I let him sleep.

The following week was only distinguished by a brief warming spell which renewed hope that the herb garden might soon be ready for outdoors. The first version of Clayton’s fence looked more like the world’s most impractical weapon. Ideas of a tiny greenhouse came up. We stopped him before that. One of my other professors mentioned the Kinrae thing in class but, fortunately, didn’t single anyone out.

Before I expected or felt ready for it, the day had come. It wasn’t quite like Christmas morning as a kid, which was good because none of those mornings were pleasant. Christmas with my uncle was a lot better but nothing like in the movies.

That morning, I fidgeted. I woke early, especially for me. Allison wasn’t even up. I idled in my room doing all the small distractions I could think of. I tidied up my area of the bathroom. I gazed at Allison’s area. Plenty of items from where he worked in a rainbow of soaps, lotions, and sprays.

I took an early shower and splashed my face more than a few times. The house finally slipped off its tranquility with Malcolm coughing and scuffing about in his room with the morning news on. Early rise for him too.

I dressed and considered using my phone before I realized again how early it was. I’d talked to my uncle the night before. All the Kinrae stuff to say had been said. It was in the air, so we mostly talked about the dog that used to live down the street which always ran into trees like they should get out of his way. That look of annoyance when they remained rooted in place. A little growl to scare them off with the last resort of rubbing his way against them to get past. The lady who used to own him told the most vivid and hilarious stories in the driest deadpan. And she could make cookies and sweets like no one else. Every Christmas she left bright blue and white cookies on our porch with some new sweet she was experimenting with. I still had some of them. I’d been rationing them in a spot under my bed, not trusting they would survive long in the house fridge.

My uncle ended the conversation with, “I hope you have a fantastic week” and nothing more.

Lissa seemed more anxious than me the last week or so. Both Thursday meet-ups were uneventful but there had been discussion of a meal out, especially in anime form. Lissa was leaning towards some strange color of hair not much longer than her regular hair, if it was available. Quilla drew mock-ups of her mom with green and purple hair and Quilla’s new favorite thing was a velvet cloak which worked for both a heroic pirate captain and the hiding method of a devious ninja. Quilla mentioned being “secretly undead” for the sake of new protection against her enemies of salt and now, Glutonians (wheat gluten). Lissa made her some little pale puff balls out of lint and cheapie materials at the fabric store so she could have enemy Glutonians to face down.

Neither movie was as bad as that first one so as to warrant the punishment of a running commentary but I also couldn’t remember either of them the next day. However, Quilla did stay to watch till she was fast asleep and Lissa had to put her to bed.

We made our final arrangement the last time we talked that I would decide on a form once I started using my device and I would come over to show it to Lissa at the same time she showed me hers. And then we threw out that notion and just figured we would “wing it”.

I ate breakfast quicker than usual, especially since Allison seemed preoccupied with house chores and a conversation with Clayton I only heard bits of. When the time came, I checked everything I was taking with me multiple times.

Before I left, Allison snuck up on me and gave my arm a quick hug before saying, “See you soon.”

I barely reacted to the hug, giving him an automatic smile before I made my way out the door. The day was cool but the rain had definitely passed and I could already feel it might be headed for a really warm day.

Entering campus was like any other day. The traffic was the same. Same people milling about. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to distinguish this from the start of any other week. But then I came to the hall with our classroom. I noticed several of the other students from class were hanging out as the previous class was still in session. They weren’t talking much and I noticed there were a few students who’d missed the last few sessions but had made this one. No Lissa to be seen yet.

I spent some time chatting with Elizabeth Mendoza about everything but class. She talked about her family back in the Philippines. She spoke about her cousin, who was a violinist aspiring to join the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Then we both went quiet for a bit as she fiddled with her backpack and I looked around at the group. People exiting other classes just finishing up were much more talkative than us and I could tell they noticed and slowed when they walked by. The typical muttering was, “Must be a test.”

I considered sampling the fossilized vending machine offerings just so I could have something to distract myself but I hadn’t brought nearly enough change with me and the machine had a sign on it saying that it returned incorrect change and was being fixed (eventually).

Fortunately, Lissa showed up in a sleeveless, narrow strapped tie-dyed top and what looked like a leather hat and snug fit cotton pants. She wiggled her eyebrows at me and said, “Almost go time. You ready?”

I could only offer a shrug followed by a quick nod. She quipped, “Don’t be too excited…and remember…photos.” Soon after this, the previous class made their way out and we started to file in. The next few minutes slogged by to the point I took to looking at the random campus postings on the board to the side of the room. Something about a casino night. Some club I’d never join. Salsa dancing. Improv night…Allison was a big part of that last quarter but hadn’t been involved yet. Bingo night. All the usual things.

I got a jolt when Lissa traded a couple of seats and managed to get a spot next to me. She leaned back and noted, “I hope you know how big a sacrifice this is…” I smirked and told her if it was fine if she wanted to be in the back but she waved me off and said, “You look nervous. I’m even worse. So, let’s be nervous together and screw around to kill some time.”

She brought out her phone and showed off a goofy game involving drunk porcupines and a cannon. I played a little two-player with her and almost got into some serious discussion about what was about to happen but she directed it back to talking about what sort of alternate scenes our last Thursday movie should’ve had. A mispronunciation of a long-winded name. A horse that suddenly took off and didn’t stop.

“He’s naked and covered in shit! Must be a writer.”

I offered a few too but they weren’t as good as my usual ones. We were cut short by the appearance of what looked to be a Kinrae sitting in place of the professor. Everyone focused their attention and the anime girl greeted both campuses. So far as she showed on the screen, I could tell she had dark brown hair in a long ponytail and wide, lavender eyes with oval-shaped irises. Her color tones were like the vast majority of Kinrae I’d seen. She wore a warm, pastel pink sweater and had her hands folded in front of her. The faint line of pink at her mouth showed a smile.

“You may notice I’m a little different this time…” With a small, clicking sound, she shifted like a rough edit between images in a film to the professor’s usual face and form. And so class began.

We got a lot of the preparation and warnings of before but even sharper. Don’t abuse the device or you will have it taken from you and wind up on academic probation or worse. Otherwise, it was like any of the previous class sessions, minus the theorists about the Kinrae which had been introduced last week.

It was all leading to the end though. The professor gave the word and one of the faculty staff came in with a lockbox and called us up alphabetically. Lissa came before me and she showed it off. All the expected parts.

The main component was like a weight belt for exercise, only without the weight. It was very light and off-white in color. Despite some warnings on the side (Example, do not put in the washing machine. Only wear as instructed.), it looked like any nylon wrap you might put around your arm or an undersized back brace. The secondary component was the main control. It was linked to the imitation device. If it was ever separated from it by a big enough distance then it would start to chime and then the imitation device would deactivate a minute later as a security feature in case of those who happened to lose that component. They were kept separate because the belt would essentially vanish while in use (‘phased’ was the technical term).

One of the recommendations was to keep the control with you at all times. The control itself looked like an old digital music player. The display was small and similar to an e-book ink display (which gave it enough battery life that it wouldn’t need to be recharged for months). It displayed a couple of settings one could scroll through with a finger press on one side of the screen or the other.

Lissa fiddled a bit and I finally got called up. I gave and signed all the forms and received both pieces. To my quick surprise, I didn’t have a white one. Mine was a pale color of lavender. I looked around and noticed some of them did have different colors. Lissa pouted a bit when I sat down, noting how much prettier mine was.

The class basically wrapped up there with the advisement not to first activate the devices unless we were in private. Someone in the back already had hers on her leg but hadn’t turned it on yet. I skimmed through the settings.

The central groupings were by hair color with a couple variations which brought the color selections to a total of seventeen. The settings allowed some variation between each recorded form, mostly by re-coloring hair forms. There were no visuals and some of the descriptions were plain. “Curly lime green hair”. Sometimes heights were given but it depended on whether the volunteers provided them.

It was a bit daunting but exciting as well. There was a “random” option and I felt like just putting it on and pressing it the first time. Lissa had the same idea and remarked with a smile, “So? My place or yours?”

Lissa didn’t have a later class but I had to take mine into consideration, as well as lunch. But all that was filed in the back of my mind. I’d considered skipping my later class since I’d already done and turned in the work and I would be distracted through the entire session no matter if I went as a human or a Kinrae.

And then there was Allison to consider. I told this to Lissa, who stroked her chin a little and decided, “Alright, but once his little experiment is over, it’s our time.”

I nodded. We were again amongst the last people out of the room as all the other students had presumably gone off to test their devices. The walk to the house felt so long, so Lissa filled it by singing random melodies and getting me to guess them.

Eventually, the front door was just a few steps in front of me. I opened it and stepped inside. Allison was up, alert, and smiling. He waved to Lissa, who entered just behind me, and gave her a big hug then one for me as well.

After a declined offer of food, Lissa camped out on the couch and beckoned me with the words, “You should go first.” The bathroom down the hall was empty. Clayton and Malcolm were both out. I held my strap and controller tightly. They felt warm.

“Wait!” Allison called from behind and hurried to catch up to me. I turned around and took a breath. He reminded me of the experiment. I gave a nod and fidgeted.

He gave a teasing wave and assured me it would be fine. Then he scooted a little deeper into the hallway. I cleared my throat and waited. He told me to close my eyes. I did as he said.

All my muscles were tense, especially on my hands. Then, without warning, I felt a warm and wet touch on my lips. My eyes automatically blinked open as I saw Allison’s lips pressed against mine and his arms stretched out behind me.

I stood there until he released my lips and said softly, with a wink, “Gotcha first.” Despite his coy look, I could see a bright blush on his cheeks. I put a hand to my lips and tried to speak. I turned around to check if Lissa was looking. At least she wasn’t there.

Turning back, I was still aghast. Is this what Allison had been planning all this time? He gave a little nod and said, “Part one of the experiment. Now you go in there and see what kind of anime girl you are and we can do part two.”

My automatic question was, “You’re gonna….do that again when I come out, right?”

That got a little pout from Allison. “See…this is why I didn’t want to tell you what it was. Now you’re expecting it.”

And now Lissa started to peek around the corner. She asked in a far louder voice than I expected, “Did he kiss you yet?”

I whirled around and found myself looking back and forth between Allison and Lissa, both with their arms folded and smiles on their faces. I slumped at the shoulders and made my way into the bathroom because there was nothing else I could think to say.

With the door closed and locked behind me, I felt like I had a moment to assess all that. With what Allison had been saying before he asked about the experiment, a kiss was the most expected result. But then I never expected he would actually give me one. But then he had asked about a date and everything.

It was perhaps a bit more than just Allison being Allison and professed panamourous feeling. I batted at my hair. And here I figured dealing with turning into a living work of art of the opposite sex would be the biggest quandary on my mind for the day. And Lissa. Did she know what Ally was up to? What did she feel about it? Had Allison told her what we’d said to one another? So much. I took a breath and coughed out a bit of dusty feeling from the overhead air vent, which felt like it hadn’t been cleaned out in a long time.

I slipped the imitation device on my left ankle so it was snug enough to feel secure without being too tight. It clung comfortably. Then I pulled up the interface and went right for the random button.

First choice, long light-blue hair. I tried to pull up other details but that was all it gave me so far as the selection. My legs were starting to tremble a little. I thought for sure I would have pounding arousal as well but it seemed like everything was too confused to know what to do with all my feelings.

A blinking section of the controller simply said “Activate?” followed by YES/NO. I pressed YES and another screen popped up that said “Confirm?” followed by a brief explanation of what was about to happen. If I pressed YES again then I would…I would…be someone else. Almost instantly.

I had to sit on the toilet for a moment because of my legs. I took some time to clear out my bladder and wash my hands before I returned to the device. I kept reminding myself this was only the first go and I could turn back as soon as I turned it on if I wanted and if I didn’t know if this was the form I wanted to wear.

I leaned out the door and noticed Allison and Lissa were on either side of the hall with their heads poking out. Lissa was the first to frown and say, “Hey! You don’t have boobs yet. What gives?!”

I muttered a bit before spitting out, “I’m getting there. It’s a big deal.” Allison flashed her own frown and said, “Come on! I want to kiss a girl today too!” Lissa snickered and gestured at me with her hand before saying, “So yeah! Get the lead out. How many have you tried?”

With a frown, I tried to come up with an answer. Lissa sighed and looked at Allison. “He hasn’t even started…”

Allison quipped, “Girls prefer decisiveness in a man, especially when he decides to reality-alter himself into a cute anime girl.” They were enjoying this way too much.

I shut the door and went back to the controller. It was still on the same screen. All I had to do was touch it. I bent a finger down and almost caught it but I pulled my finger back right before touching. I took a breath.

I muttered to myself, “Oh for…geez. Come on…”

I wanted this. I’d said I was in love with this. So why wasn’t I leaping on the button with reckless abandon? Someone can love the idea of jumping out of a plane with a parachute for so many reasons…but then there was no way this was going to possibly kill me. Hopefully.

I paced a bit. Eventually, it was the knowledge I was holding up Lissa’s turn which finally did it for me. I closed my eyes and brought my finger down on the YES.

The moment which followed felt like a combination of a moment of vertigo and an electric rush through my entire body. It was too quick to point to anything in particular shifting or changing. But, when it was over, everything felt different.

I had to open my eyes. When I did, my immediate reaction was to stagger back in surprise. A girl, a Kinrae, looked back at me in the mirror.

Her mouth hung open with a flattened, dark-pink mark. Her eyes were huge, classical style with a C-tracing around the outside edge. Her hair and eyes were both a light, icy blue which glimmered like jewels even in the dim glow of the bathroom. And hair…there was so much of it that some even reached my…her legs. Her nose was so light that it barely showed up, even with a turn of her face.

She had on what looked like a warm, professional outfit with a dark-blue jacket and a white, collared blouse. Her dark blue, pleated skirt had a white section which showed from under it. Her legs were covered in dark-toned stockings with black boots at her feet. Her arms were narrow, more so than mine with thin hands and longer fingers. She had prominent, joined spirals in the center of her palms, the standard sign of an imitation. These spirals seemed a little lighter than the ones I’d seen in photos but that could just be because of the light in the room. And her chest…

It swelled outwards. A little bigger than Lissa’s. It curved the shirt and the jacket too. I felt it. I felt all of it. I stood there with the weights, the shapes, the softness, the forms, the feelings, the everything. She stood there with a blank look on her face as her hand roamed without touching. She stared at herself. I looked out.

She was me. I could’ve fainted right then. I could’ve tapped the device and undone it. So many things could’ve happened. But as I stood there and she stood there looking back at me, I felt a warmth all through myself which wasn’t just her attire. I felt what I had said in words.

I loved her. She was beautiful. She was so cute. She looked amazing. She looked mysterious. She was me.

I couldn’t resist smiling and the image in the mirror, my image in the mirror, smiled back, turning that little blob of dark pink into a warm crescent.

Then, I started posing. I leaned to one side and brushed my hair back. I tilted my head up with a smile. I held a leg up. I folded my arms in front of me. I narrowed my eyes a little. And, all these gestures, my partner in the mirror reflected.

Despite my icy hair, I had a warm blush on my cheeks. My head seemed large for my body but not unnatural for a Kinrae. My ears felt so warm with all that hair.

I looked at the door and clenched my hands. Surely Allison was about to knock and offer some witty quip which might make me blush even more. I unlocked the door and pulled it open. Neither of them were in the hallway, not even peeking around the wall.

I took a few steps. It felt different but not unnatural. Things felt shifted about, moved, fuller, softer, different. But none of it felt bad. Well, the hair was more unwieldy than I would’ve preferred but it was kinda neat.

I crept into the living room and bent the edge of my massive eye over the wall. Unfortunately, the new balance of my hair had me stumbling away my ninja skills. Sorry, Quilla.

Both Lissa and Allison were looking at me. Allison gave a little clap and a wide grin before whipping out a digital camera. Lissa folded her arms and leaned back with a pleasant expression. She took out a digital camera as well and they snapped a photo at the same time before I had time to even consider a pose.

Allison’s first comment was, “After the experiment, it’s brushing and braiding time!” Lissa’s was, “Someone likes long locks. And excellent choice of boobs.”

I braced myself as Allison jumped up from the couch. He slipped the camera in his pocket. I knew what was coming. I could’ve closed my eyes and waited for it but I felt a sudden notion. I wanted to have a little fun.

As Allison got close to me, I suddenly leaned forward, reached my hands around him, and stole a kiss from Allison’s lips. I was a little shorter than him now but not so much that I had to stretch up to kiss him.

Inside my head, there were flashes of panic and confusion. But the kiss, the touch of it, the warmth, felt so nice. I held it for a little longer than Allison had held the first one then finally released him with a little dip of my head and a coy smirk of the sort he typically wore.

His eyes were wide and there was red on his cheeks for only a moment before he cracked a coy look of his own and said, “Well well, this is definitely a new side to Sean.”

Lissa gave a chuckle and added, “Aww and here I feel all left out.”

I looked to Lissa and told her, before a voice in my head could scream anything in protest, “I’d love to kiss you too, Lissa.” The voice I spoke with was so different in tone and feeling despite speaking in my own words.

Now it was Lissa’s turn for a look of surprise. She cleared her throat gently and offered, “I guess I deserve that...for messing with you lately.”

I shook my head, which had to be a much more careful act with all this hair, and told her, “I mean it without kidding. You’re my friend. You’re one of my best friends. And you’re beautiful. And for so long I’ve had the biggest, shyest crush on you. And and…eep…there goes my boldness…”

I cupped my mouth and crouched a little as my brain caught up to the words I’d said. I’d just wanted to kinda surprise the two of them in turn. But that much honesty... All my fears I’d said to Allison about what might happen. I was staring them in the face.

Lissa didn’t show the surprise I expected. Her expression was solemn and strangely calm. She gave a little sigh through her nose and said, “Oh Sean, even a blind llama without any legs could tell you had a crush on me. Sorry, that probably sounded super random. It is. Just a random discussion between me and Allison while you were picking a form. By the way, if this is what you wanted Allison to keep super secret about, then Allison is a secret ninja to make Quilla proud because he didn’t give me a peep.”

For emphasis, Allison made what I assumed was some sort of ninja pose. Then he crept out of the room and into the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone.

I looked around at the couch and then out the window before returning my vast eyes to Lissa, who laid her hand on the place next to her on the couch to beckon me over. I sat right where she gestured with my legs pressed against each other, a pose which told me just how much my body had changed.

Setting her hands in her lap, Lissa began, “You are my friend, Sean. And you’ve also got a sexy ass as a man.”

From the kitchen, Allison yelled, “Hear hear!”

Lissa continued, “Bouncing quarters off it. And wishing you wore more tight pants. And your hair? Gorgeous. Those warm eyes. The scruff on your chin. Your words. The way you lean back in a chair in class…” She cleared her throat again.

She gave a pause to all that as I felt myself blushing. “But Michael stirred many of the same feelings for me too. I loved him and our love created Quilla. For that, I am so deeply grateful we had our time together. But you’re not Michael. And I really suck at explaining this kind of thing…” Lissa dropped her head back against the couch cushion for a moment.

I tried not to read into her words. The voice in my head was begging me to make her drop this, out of fear of what would happen to our friendship. But I kept silent and just listened to her.

After a quiet moment, Lissa finished, “You are my friend, Sean….I could bring up our Thursdays, our fun chats, you and Quilla playing, class, everything. But for me, the happiest thing I could imagine is Quilla in my arms and you and me just enjoying a movie as we fall asleep.”

Allison peered in to watch. I wasn’t sure what to make of her expression. I reiterated to Lissa that she was my friend. I delighted on all the same things she did and I gave her my own accounting of her looks, “You have the most amazing hair I can imagine a woman having. You make all of what you call ‘cheapie clothes’ look so sexy. You’re so clever and smart and you’re a great mom no matter what you’re afraid of. I really mean it. Also, your ass gets no complaints from me and you have amazing boobs.”

It was out there with my heart pounding in my ears. Lissa shifted in her seat and leaned her head. She kept a calm expression as she said, “Well, you know how I feel about your boobs….” She glanced at my chest, which sent a strange feeling through me on top of so many strange feelings from my body.

She continued, “Actually, you look about the size I was back when I was nursing Quilla. I should have some old bras you can borrow.”

Her words immediately made me self-conscious of the fact I was right then wearing a bra under that white top. Although the top was thick enough that nothing showed through. Lissa also mentioned sharing other clothes for photos before she paused to blink and realized, “Oh, I should probably change now too. Gonna see if I can best you.”

I leaned towards Lissa, my screaming, internal voice starting to mount again as I said, “I’m sorry to ask for a kiss. Can’t wait to see how you look as a Kinrae.”

Lissa was starting to get up. She leaned towards me a little as well. She bent forward, gave a warm kiss on my cheek, and told me, “Don’t be sorry. And don’t worry. And I will be back in just a little bit.” She picked up both pieces of her device and walked towards the bathroom.

Halfway across the room, Allison peered out again and Lissa turned back.

Lissa noted, “By the way, I dunno if it was a random pick or not but I think that form looks nice on you.” And with that, she left.

I got a moment to glance down at the Kinrae body I had with all its crisp colors, artistic shading, and living lines before Allison used all his ninja skill to sneak over beside me with an enormous brush and a pink plastic tool with many points.

With a wink, he told me, “Brushie brushie time!”