Goldie seemed much happier lately. It was odd, I’d gotten used to seeing him as this moody quiet kid hanging around in the back of photos and classrooms. Like he was trying to look like an emo, but his blonde hair was destroying the illusion because his mum wouldn’t let him dye it. Over the last two weeks though, that had changed. He smiled occasionally. His eyes had life to them, and he had actually started talking in full sentences. It was astonishing to see someone change so fast. Even more impressive though was his dedication to training. He was always on time, always trying to get in a little more training, and always trying to help. Even if he remained a little bit distant, it was a lot of progress.

"Hey, Goldie, you ready for training tonight?" I asked. 

"Um, yeah, I should be."

"Blain, what about you?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Stella?"

"As always."

"Alex?"

"Yeah."

"Clay?"

"Sorry, I need a break." That wasn't like Clay. Usually they'd be the most gung-ho about diving into training.

"You okay?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, I'm just exhausted," they replied.

"Anything in particular?"

"Just dysphoria, you know?"

"Do you mean Dysphorus?" Goldie asked. I didn't expect him to ask that. He'd never misgendered Clay before so I assumed he knew about this stuff.

"No, like gender dysphoria, Justin."

"Please call me Goldie," he asked meekly. Why was he always so insistent about that? I thought it was because he didn't want people to know who he was, but he'd asked repeatedly since everyone found out. Maybe he just didn’t like his name. It was a douchey name, to be fair. 

"Basically, Goldie, I'm non-binary. I'm not a guy or a girl. I don't know what I am! I just don't want to be either." They were clearly frustrated. I didn't want to step in. It didn't seem like things would get bad.

"Is that why you use they/them instead of she or he?"

"See, how come you get it, without even having to be told, but people who I do tell still mess it up?"

"I'm sorry, Clay, that must suck," he said empathetically. He was a sweet guy. Like a guy version of Stella, if Stella was awkward and white.

"It's not your fault, Goldie."

"I know, but--"

"No buts, Goldielocks." They giggled. "Damn, did we seriously not make that joke yet."

Goldie blushed. It was cute. He was like a puppy.

"Even if you're exhausted, please come along, Clay. You don't have to train, but I'd like to at least remind you that we aren't gonna misgender you," Blain said.

"I'll see how I feel," they replied.

------

"It's confusing how so many species care so much about this gender thing, isn't it Loch?"

"It is, my king. I must say it is inefficient."

"Quite so. Clay seems to be struggling with it. Do we still have that body changing solution from the next galaxy over, Loch? The one they were using to fix people."

"We do, my king."

"How do you think these humans would react to their gender changing?"

"Based on Clay's reaction, not very well, my king."

"Find a way to distribute it around the city, and make sure the Euphora Rangers get some."

"I have just the thing, my king."

-----

It was hard to play basketball when one, you didn't know how to play, and two, you were wearing too many layers. Two weeks of hanging out with the group, training with them, and I still didn't know how to play or do most things properly, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. It was weird. I felt good. Better than I had since I was in primary school. 

"Goldie, catch!" Stella shouted.

I turned just in time and caught it. I tried to dribble the ball over to Joanne, who was closest to the goal. 

"Joanne! Heads up!"

I tossed the ball and surprisingly she caught it with ease before going for the final shot. If she made it, we won, and I would have helped.

"And she shoots," Clay shouted from the sidelines. 

I watched the ball with anticipation. If she made it, this would be the first time I won.

"And she scores. Red team wins!"

"It's not fair," Blain said. "You have an extra teammate."

"I mean, since Clay isn't playing, couldn't we do boys vs girls next?" Alex added. I shook my head. Stella and Joanne were much less scary than Blain and Alex. They weren’t bad guys, but they were still guys, and despite being one I never really got the handbook on how to act like one.

"Nope, he's on the girls team," Joanne responded. Why were they being so relaxed about this? Was it a joke? Did they see me as a girl? 

"What, why?" Alex asked.

"Cause he's cute." Did Stella actually say that? I had to be hearing things. Me? Cute?

"That doesn't answer anything!" Blain complained. "So what if he's cute, so's Alex and he's not on your team? Three versus two isn't fair."

Stella pointed her tongue out at him. Did Blain just agree with her assessment of me? 

"Hey, Clay, is it okay if I sit with you?" I asked, as loudly as I could. I didn't want to be in the middle of this anymore. I was not ready to be called cute.

"Yeah sure. Want a drink?"

"Clay can ya get one for all of us?" Joanne called.

They were all coming over to the table where Clay and I were sitting. I hoped they couldn't see the blushing through the redness from exercising. 

"Yeah, I'll get you some!"

"You alright, Goldie?" Joanne asked. What was I meant to say? Was I meant to ask if she found me cute too? Was I meant to just say I'm fine? That was my usual go-to but Stella had told me to try and be more honest.

"Just not very used to being called cute."

"I mean, you are. Not my type, but you definitely have the makings of a cutie." 

"What is your type?" Was that weird to ask? I hoped it wasn't. I might like her, but she'd been such a good friend. I didn't want to lose that by weirding her out.

"Girls." Oh.

"Oh."

"Sorry, I thought everyone knew."

"I didn't really talk to many people before all this." 

"That's fair," she chuckled. Gosh it was a pretty chuckle. 

Clay returned to the group with six cans of an orange soda.

"Everyone down for trying something new? The machine to take them said something about product testing."

"I am!" I exclaimed, eager to get out of Joanne's hair. 

Clownfish Orange Soda, I hadn't even heard of it. You'd think a new company would try to advertise as much as possible. It looked fine though, and all that exercising had made me tired. I cracked open the can. God, I was thirsty.

"This is good, Clay." I said. The taste of a sweet orange coated the inside of my mouth. It felt odd but not in a bad way. There were worse things than slightly syrupy, like pulp. I hated pulp.

"I know, right? I had a can earlier."

"It's all right, a little too sweet for me," said Joanne before she collapsed.

"Joanne are you al--" Stella was about to ask, before she collapsed too. 

"Alex, Blain don't drink the soda!" Clay shouted. But it was too late: the guys were on the floor.

"Kepler, we have a situation," Clay spoke into their communicator. 

"Clay? Is that you? Your voice sounds deeper," Kepler replied. That had to be it. Not to mention they looked taller. What was in those drinks? 

"Never mind that, teleport us to the command center."

"Will do."

A bright light surrounded my body as I was beamed to the command center. It felt weirder than usual. A lot gentler, in a way. The command center appeared around me and I was shocked to find how big everything looked.

"Ay yi yi, Clay what happened to you?"

"They were playing basketball, and then I got them some drinks. I thought they were fine because I was fine, but then everyone but Goldie passed out." Clay definitely sounded different. Their voice was deep and husky, and they were definitely taller now. They seemed to tower over Kepler and I. 

"I'm assuming that girl behind you is Goldie?"

Girl behind them? There was no girl behind Clay. I was behind Clay?

"What girl--" They turned to look at me. "Oh."

"Oh? What's oh?" Something was wrong with my voice. "What's happened to my voice!"

"I don't want to alarm you, Goldie." Clay approached me carefully, like I was a prey animal that could run away at any second. How had they gotten so tall? They put their hands on my shoulders. "I need you to trust me."

"Okay," I whimpered. Something weird was going on. They were trying to keep me calm, I could tell, but their new height was intimidating. 

"I need you to look down."

"Why?" I asked. I could hear the shaking in my voice. It was high and squeaky, and I weirdly didn't hate it. Did the drink mess with our voice, and height?

"I need you to trust me. I'm right here if you freak out." Their careful wording was scaring me. What could have happened for Clay to suddenly be treating me so gently?

"Okay…"

I followed their instructions. As far as I could tell there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. It was just my body, a scrawny and maybe slightly smaller version of my body.

"Are you okay?" they asked.

"I think so. Why are you freaking out so much? There must have been something that messes with our voices in the drinks, that's all."

"Goldie. You have boobs." All of that tactfulness was gone. 

"What?" 

"You have boobs, Goldie." 

"Wha-- No I don't?"

"Can you not see them?"

I looked down at my body again. There were definitely boobs there. Why was I not freaking out? I should have been freaking out.

"I do!" That came out way too excited. Clay was going to think I was a pervert.

"Did you not see them?"

"I didn't know what I was looking for."

"How can you miss your own boobs? You just grew them!"

"I was more worried about my voice!" I was starting to feel really stupid now. 

"It seems like I was worried about your reaction for no reason." Were they making fun of me?

"How am I meant to react?"

"I don't know? Fear, disgust. I didn't think a cis guy would be so calm about being turned into a girl." A girl. 

"I'm a girl?" I asked. I tried not to sound too hopeful. Was this about what Joanne said earlier? Did I wanna be a girl to date her? I mean, she'd still be way out of my league. Clay raised an eyebrow at me. What were they thinking?

"Well your body looks female." There sounded like there was going to be a but. I hoped there wasn't one

"But?"

"If you are a guy, you're still a guy on the inside. Don't worry." I didn't want to feel disappointed by that. 

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but we need to get everyone to the med bay. Their temperatures are rising."

"What's happening, Kepler?" Clay asked. 

"They are changing, like you two. But their bodies aren't handling it well."

"You mean they are gonna change sex?" 

"Exactly, Clay."