Shownotes
Now that Emily’s successfully emigrated to the Alliance of Sentients, far from the solar system she grew up in, she has more options. It feels scary, like falling, to think about becoming Eli. But it also feels strangely free...
Today’s story is the second and final part of “Coffee and Free-Fall” by S. Park, who has been writing queer, furry , and weird fiction since he was six, you can find more of his stories at Microcosm, and on Etsy.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/coffee-and-free-fall-by-s-park-part-2-of-2
Transcripts
You’re
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:Pride
Speaker:Month
Speaker:on
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:second
Speaker:and
Speaker:final
Speaker:part
Speaker:of “Coffee
Speaker:and
Speaker:Free-gall”
Speaker:by
Speaker:S.
Speaker:Park,
Speaker:who
Speaker:has
Speaker:been
Speaker:writing
Speaker:queer,
Speaker:furry , and
Speaker:weird
Speaker:fiction
Speaker:since
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:six,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:stories
Speaker:at
Speaker:Microcosm,
Speaker:and
Speaker:on
Speaker:Etsy.
Last
time,
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:arrived
Speaker:on
Speaker:Dromia VI,
Speaker:a
Speaker:strange,
Speaker:alien
Speaker:world
Speaker:where “human”
Speaker:is a
Speaker:way
Speaker:of
Speaker:thinking,
Speaker:not
Speaker:a
Speaker:type
Speaker:of
Speaker:body.
Speaker:She has
Speaker:settled
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:home
Speaker:there,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she still
Speaker:has
Speaker:much
Speaker:to
Speaker:learn
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:possibilities
Speaker:of
Speaker:this
Speaker:new
Speaker:world,
Speaker:and
Speaker:about
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:identity.
Please
enjoy
“Coffee
and
Speaker:Free-fall”
Speaker:by
Speaker:S.
Speaker:Park, Part 2 of 2
A soft chime
in
Speaker:Eli’s
Speaker:ear
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:reminder
Speaker:that
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:log
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:become
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:again.
Speaker:He—she
Speaker:rather—had
Speaker:arranged
Speaker:to
Speaker:meet Yin at
Speaker:a
Speaker:coffee
Speaker:shop
Speaker:and
Speaker:spend
Speaker:the
Speaker:afternoon
Speaker:playing
Speaker:tourist
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:city.
Speaker:He’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:on
Speaker:Dromia
Speaker:VI
Speaker:for
Speaker:just
Speaker:over
Speaker:two
Speaker:months
Speaker:now,
Speaker:and
Speaker:felt
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:settled
Speaker:in
Speaker:quite
Speaker:well.
Speaker:He had a
Speaker:group
Speaker:of
Speaker:friends
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:chat
Speaker:room,
Speaker:a
Speaker:part time
Speaker:job
Speaker:with
Speaker:opportunities
Speaker:for
Speaker:further
Speaker:advancement,
Speaker:and
Speaker:even
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:friends
Speaker:he
Speaker:met
Speaker:in
Speaker:person
Speaker:now
Speaker:and
Speaker:again,
Speaker:though
Speaker:of
Speaker:course
Speaker:those
Speaker:friends
Speaker:knew
Speaker:him
Speaker:as
Speaker:Emily,
Speaker:not
Speaker:Eli.
Speaker:Speaking
Speaker:of
Speaker:which...
He
Speaker:said
Speaker:his
Speaker:goodbyes
Speaker:and
Speaker:logged
Speaker:out,
Speaker:then
Speaker:removed
Speaker:the
Speaker:headset,
Speaker:blinking
Speaker:himself
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:his
Speaker:little
Speaker:apartment
Speaker:and
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world,
Speaker:into
Speaker:Emily’s
Speaker:world.
Speaker:He—she
Speaker:again—shook
Speaker:herself,
Speaker:shaking
Speaker:off
Speaker:the
Speaker:always
Speaker:slightly
Speaker:bizarre
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:of
Speaker:switching
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:headset’s
Speaker:transmissions
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:actual
Speaker:neurons.
Speaker:Almost
Speaker:as
Speaker:bizarre was
Speaker:settling
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:feminine
Speaker:body.
Speaker:It
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:all
Speaker:that
Speaker:different,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:still
Speaker:strange,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:sometimes
Speaker:wondered
Speaker:how
Speaker:people
Speaker:with
Speaker:more
Speaker:wildly
Speaker:divergent
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:selves
Speaker:managed.
He—no
she,
Speaker:for
Speaker:heaven’s
Speaker:sake,
Speaker:why
Speaker:was
Speaker:it
Speaker:so
Speaker:hard
Speaker:to
Speaker:settle
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:being
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:today?—glanced at
Speaker:the
Speaker:time
Speaker:display
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:computer.
Speaker:She
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:have
Speaker:much
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:herself
Speaker:together.
Speaker:Well, the
Speaker:coverall
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:now
Speaker:would
Speaker:do
Speaker:for
Speaker:going
Speaker:out,
Speaker:it
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:as
Speaker:though
Speaker:she
Speaker:owned
Speaker:any
Speaker:fancy
Speaker:outfits,
Speaker:or
Speaker:as
Speaker:if
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:cared
Speaker:about
Speaker:that
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:thing.
She
was
Speaker:nearly
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:when
Speaker:she
Speaker:realized
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:still
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:the
Speaker:binder
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:bra. It
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:really
Speaker:make
Speaker:her
Speaker:look
Speaker:male
Speaker:so
Speaker:much
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:made
Speaker:her
Speaker:look
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:very
Speaker:flat
Speaker:girl,
Speaker:but
Speaker:still,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:strange?
Speaker:She
Speaker:paused
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:doorway,
Speaker:then
Speaker:shrugged.
Speaker:Stopping
Speaker:to
Speaker:change
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:a bra would make her late, and it
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:like
Speaker:it
Speaker:really
Speaker:mattered.
So
with
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:shrug
Speaker:and
Speaker:an
Speaker:odd
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:of
Speaker:mixed
Speaker:nervousness
Speaker:and
Speaker:pleasure—why
Speaker:should
Speaker:going
Speaker:out "as"
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:seem
Speaker:nice?—Emily
Speaker:darted
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:and
Speaker:down
Speaker:the
Speaker:stairs
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:sidewalk
Speaker:outside.
The
coffee
Speaker:shop
Speaker:where
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:agreed
Speaker:to
Speaker:meet Yin
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:city,
Speaker:so
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:made
Speaker:her
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:public
Speaker:tube
Speaker:station
Speaker:and
Speaker:down
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:underground
Speaker:transit
Speaker:system.
Speaker:It
Speaker:felt
Speaker:strange,
Speaker:to
Speaker:have
Speaker:the
Speaker:faint
Speaker:constriction of
Speaker:the
Speaker:chest
Speaker:binder
Speaker:constantly
Speaker:with
Speaker:her,
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world.
Speaker:She
Speaker:kept
Speaker:looking
Speaker:at
Speaker:her
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:passengers,
Speaker:wondering
Speaker:if
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:them
Speaker:noticed
Speaker:anything
Speaker:different,
Speaker:if
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:them
Speaker:would
Speaker:care
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:did.
Speaker:The
Speaker:thought
Speaker:came
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:that
Speaker:probably
Speaker:they
Speaker:wouldn’t.
Speaker:In
Speaker:a
Speaker:place
Speaker:where "human"
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:do
Speaker:with
Speaker:what
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:your
Speaker:mind, and
Speaker:not
Speaker:your
Speaker:body,
Speaker:why
Speaker:would
Speaker:male
Speaker:or
Speaker:female
Speaker:be
Speaker:any
Speaker:different?
Speaker:If
Speaker:she
Speaker:decided
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:here,
Speaker:that
Speaker:would
Speaker:certainly
Speaker:be
Speaker:allowed,
Speaker:probably
Speaker:even
Speaker:encouraged.
That
was
Speaker:a
Speaker:nice
Speaker:thought.
Speaker:No
Speaker:more
Speaker:strict
Speaker:societal
Speaker:roles,
Speaker:no
Speaker:more
Speaker:judgment,
Speaker:no
Speaker:more
Speaker:oppressive
Speaker:expectations.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:lightness,
Speaker:a
Speaker:sense of
Speaker:possibility
Speaker:to
Speaker:it.
Speaker:She
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:anything
Speaker:at
Speaker:all,
Speaker:here!
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:even
Speaker:be
Speaker:transgender,
Speaker:if
Speaker:she
Speaker:decided
Speaker:she
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:be.
Emily
Speaker:frowned
Speaker:faintly
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:sat
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:seat,
Speaker:and
Speaker:tried
Speaker:to
Speaker:work
Speaker:her
Speaker:way
Speaker:through
Speaker:why
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:suddenly
Speaker:used
Speaker:that
Speaker:particular
Speaker:word.
Speaker:Why
Speaker:should
Speaker:she
Speaker:think
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:allowed
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:transgender
Speaker:here,
Speaker:specifically?
Speaker:Changing
Speaker:one’s
Speaker:legal
Speaker:gender
Speaker:was
Speaker:possible
Speaker:on
Speaker:Mars,
Speaker:after
Speaker:all.
Speaker:Trans
Speaker:rights
Speaker:were
Speaker:protected
Speaker:by
Speaker:law,
Speaker:as
Speaker:were
Speaker:morph
Speaker:rights
Speaker:and
Speaker:all
Speaker:sorts
Speaker:of
Speaker:other
Speaker:minority
Speaker:rights.
She
sighed
Speaker:and
Speaker:tipped
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:back
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:wall,
Speaker:closing
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes.
Speaker:The
Speaker:law
Speaker:allowed
Speaker:it,
Speaker:yes,
Speaker:but
Speaker:there
Speaker:were
Speaker:more
Speaker:subtle
Speaker:things
Speaker:than
Speaker:laws
Speaker:at
Speaker:work
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:Federation.
Speaker:Humans
Speaker:were
Speaker:humans,
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:were morphs,
Speaker:men
Speaker:were
Speaker:men,
Speaker:women
Speaker:were
Speaker:women.
Speaker:You
Speaker:stayed
Speaker:in
Speaker:your
Speaker:lane,
Speaker:did
Speaker:your
Speaker:part,
Speaker:played
Speaker:your
Speaker:role,
Speaker:and
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:the
Speaker:universe
Speaker:worked.
Speaker:Everyone
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:theory
Speaker:equal,
Speaker:everyone
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:theory
Speaker:free.
Speaker:The
Speaker:slavery-by-another
Speaker:name
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:morph
Speaker:ownership
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:genetic
Speaker:engineering of
Speaker:new
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:had
Speaker:both
Speaker:ended
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:a hundred
Speaker:years
Speaker:ago.
Speaker:That
Speaker:was a
Speaker:part
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:past,
Speaker:not
Speaker:the
Speaker:present.
Morphs
were
Speaker:treated
Speaker:differently,
Speaker:though.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:other
Speaker:than
Speaker:human,
Speaker:and
Speaker:sometimes
Speaker:that
Speaker:meant
Speaker:sub-human.
Speaker:People
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:gay,
Speaker:or
Speaker:transgender, or
Speaker:anything
Speaker:else
Speaker:they
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:human,
Speaker:especially
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:wealthy,
Speaker:and
Speaker:powerful.
Speaker:The
Speaker:poor
Speaker:though,
Speaker:and
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:were
Speaker:very
Speaker:often
Speaker:poor,
Speaker:lived
Speaker:more
Speaker:tightly
Speaker:constrained,
Speaker:more
Speaker:harshly
Speaker:judged
Speaker:lives.
Speaker:Not by
Speaker:any
Speaker:law,
Speaker:laws
Speaker:that
Speaker:treated
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:differently
Speaker:had
Speaker:mostly
Speaker:been
Speaker:removed
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:books,
Speaker:but
Speaker:just
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:ways
Speaker:in
Speaker:which
Speaker:other
Speaker:people
Speaker:acted
Speaker:around
Speaker:them.
Hell,
the
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:spaces
Speaker:where
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:for
Speaker:so
Speaker:many
Speaker:years
Speaker:growing
Speaker:up
Speaker:had
Speaker:all
Speaker:been
Speaker:morph-only
Speaker:spaces,
Speaker:because
Speaker:they
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:be,
Speaker:because
Speaker:the
Speaker:Martian
Speaker:net
Speaker:was
Speaker:de-facto
Speaker:segregated,
Speaker:and
Speaker:places
Speaker:that
Speaker:allowed
Speaker:humans
Speaker:tended
Speaker:to
Speaker:become
Speaker:taken
Speaker:over
Speaker:by
Speaker:humans,
Speaker:with
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:driven
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:banned
Speaker:in
Speaker:practice
Speaker:even
Speaker:if
Speaker:not
Speaker:on
Speaker:paper.
She
hadn’t
Speaker:even
Speaker:really
Speaker:thought
Speaker:about
Speaker:that
Speaker:while
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:lived
Speaker:there.
Speaker:Morphs
Speaker:had
Speaker:morph
Speaker:things
Speaker:and
Speaker:humans
Speaker:had
Speaker:human
Speaker:things,
Speaker:and
Speaker:being
Speaker:transgender
Speaker:was
Speaker:mostly
Speaker:a
Speaker:human
Speaker:thing.
Speaker:But
Speaker:then
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:Alliance
Speaker:space,
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:was
Speaker:considered
Speaker:human...
Why
am
Speaker:I
Speaker:thinking
Speaker:about
Speaker:being
Speaker:transgender
Speaker:just
Speaker:because
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:finding it
Speaker:a
Speaker:bit
Speaker:hard
Speaker:to
Speaker:shake
Speaker:off
Speaker:being
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:today?
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:transgender.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:feel
Speaker:awful
Speaker:about
Speaker:being
Speaker:female.
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:flicked her
Speaker:ears,
Speaker:shifting,
Speaker:tipping
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:down and
Speaker:looking
Speaker:down
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:lap.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:her
Speaker:real
Speaker:self. Eli
Speaker:was
Speaker:just...comfortable,
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:all.
Speaker:But
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:belonged
Speaker:to
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:reality,
Speaker:not
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:world.
But
I’m
Speaker:out
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:binder
Speaker:today,
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world.
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:him,
Speaker:if
Speaker:I
Speaker:really
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to,
Speaker:she
Speaker:answered
Speaker:herself.
Emily
laid her ears
Speaker:back.
Speaker:That
Speaker:thought
Speaker:was
Speaker:absolute
Speaker:nonsense
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:no
Speaker:business
Speaker:thinking
Speaker:it.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:content
Speaker:enough
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:things
Speaker:were,
Speaker:with
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:space,
Speaker:with
Speaker:herself
Speaker:as
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:satisfactory
Speaker:life.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:point
Speaker:in
Speaker:changing
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:that.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:could
Speaker:never
Speaker:be
Speaker:fully
Speaker:real,
Speaker:so
Speaker:why
Speaker:even
Speaker:think
Speaker:about
Speaker:trying
Speaker:some
Speaker:half-baked
Speaker:attempt
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:him?
The
tube
Speaker:car
Speaker:arrived
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:rose,
Speaker:following
Speaker:the the
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:of
Speaker:humans
Speaker:and
Speaker:morphs—humans
Speaker:all,
Speaker:she
Speaker:mentally
Speaker:corrected
Speaker:herself—out
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:station
Speaker:and
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:street
Speaker:above.
Speaker:A
Speaker:few
Speaker:blocks’
Speaker:worth
Speaker:of
Speaker:brisk
Speaker:walking
Speaker:brought
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:coffee
Speaker:shop.
Speaker:She
Speaker:looked
Speaker:around,
Speaker:but
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:see Yin
Speaker:yet,
Speaker:so
Speaker:she
Speaker:went
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:counter
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:something
Speaker:to
Speaker:drink
Speaker:while
Speaker:she
Speaker:waited.
"What
name
Speaker:shall
Speaker:I
Speaker:shout?"
Speaker:asked
Speaker:the
Speaker:fox
Speaker:behind
Speaker:the
Speaker:counter
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:toothy
Speaker:grin,
Speaker:and
Speaker:acting
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:sudden,
Speaker:strange
Speaker:impulse,
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:said "Eli."
Speaker:She
Speaker:felt
Speaker:absurd
Speaker:almost
Speaker:before
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:finished
Speaker:speaking
Speaker:the
Speaker:two
Speaker:short
Speaker:syllables.
Speaker:The
Speaker:card
Speaker:she
Speaker:handed
Speaker:over
Speaker:to
Speaker:pay
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:drink
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:say
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:on it,
Speaker:it
Speaker:said
Speaker:Emily.
Speaker:And
Speaker:despite
Speaker:her
Speaker:flat
Speaker:chest,
Speaker:her
Speaker:wide
Speaker:hips,
Speaker:short
Speaker:stature
Speaker:and
Speaker:high
Speaker:voice
Speaker:meant
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:way
Speaker:anyone
Speaker:could
Speaker:think
Speaker:a
Speaker:male
Speaker:name
Speaker:like
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:belonged
Speaker:to
Speaker:her.
Speaker:But
Speaker:the
Speaker:fox
Speaker:just
Speaker:nodded,
Speaker:still
Speaker:smiling,
Speaker:and
Speaker:took
Speaker:her
Speaker:card.
Emily
sat
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:wait
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:drink,
Speaker:and
Speaker:for Yin.
Speaker:The
Speaker:latter
Speaker:arrived
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:former.
Speaker:With
Speaker:a
Speaker:cheerful
Speaker:wave,
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:dropped
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:sit
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:Emily. "Hey
Speaker:there!"
It
seemed
Speaker:oddly
Speaker:nice that Yin
Speaker:hadn’t
Speaker:greeted
Speaker:him—her?
Speaker:Things
Speaker:were
Speaker:being
Speaker:so
Speaker:strangely
Speaker:confusing
Speaker:today—by
Speaker:name,
Speaker:since
Speaker:that
Speaker:meant
Speaker:that there
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:reason
Speaker:for
Speaker:him
Speaker:to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:like
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment,
Speaker:at
Speaker:least.
Speaker:Though
Speaker:despite
Speaker:the
Speaker:lack
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:wrong—right?—name
Speaker:things
Speaker:really
Speaker:wouldn’t
Speaker:settle
Speaker:in
Speaker:her—or
Speaker:his?—mind
Speaker:at
Speaker:all
Speaker:now.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:belonged
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:space with his
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:friends,
Speaker:not
Speaker:here,
Speaker:talking
Speaker:to Yin. Yin was
Speaker:part
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world.
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:should
Speaker:make
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:an
Speaker:effort
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:way
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:Emily’s
Speaker:mindset.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:one
Speaker:who
Speaker:was
Speaker:real,
Speaker:after
Speaker:all,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:one
Speaker:who was
Speaker:friends
Speaker:with Yin.
He
didn’t
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:being
Speaker:himself
Speaker:just
Speaker:now,
Speaker:though.
Speaker:He
Speaker:remembered
Speaker:the
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:felt
Speaker:earlier
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:walked
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:tube
Speaker:among
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:of
Speaker:humans
Speaker:of
Speaker:all
Speaker:sorts;
Speaker:the
Speaker:free,
Speaker:almost
Speaker:weightless
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:that
Speaker:anything
Speaker:might
Speaker:be
Speaker:possible.
Maybe
a
Speaker:little
Speaker:space
Speaker:for
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:possible
Speaker:too?
"Large
mocha
Speaker:for
Speaker:Eli!"
Eli’s
ears
Speaker:swiveled
Speaker:towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:sound,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:felt
Speaker:a
Speaker:weird
Speaker:thrill
Speaker:at
Speaker:hearing
Speaker:the
Speaker:name.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:very
Speaker:used
Speaker:to
Speaker:answering
Speaker:to
Speaker:it,
Speaker:of
Speaker:course,
Speaker:given
Speaker:the
Speaker:amount
Speaker:of
Speaker:role-playing
Speaker:he
Speaker:did
Speaker:with
Speaker:it,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:sure
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:ever
Speaker:heard
Speaker:it
Speaker:with
Speaker:his
Speaker:real-world
Speaker:ears
Speaker:before.
Speaker:It
Speaker:felt
Speaker:nice.
Speaker:It
Speaker:felt
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:nice,
Speaker:really,
Speaker:and
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:so
Speaker:strange.
Speaker:Everything
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:strange today.
Speaker:Everything
Speaker:was
Speaker:off-balance,
Speaker:and
Speaker:it
Speaker:should
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:uncomfortable,
Speaker:yet
Speaker:somehow
Speaker:it
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:feel
Speaker:like
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:falling
Speaker:off
Speaker:his
Speaker:feet.
Speaker:More like
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:free-fall,
Speaker:tumbling,
Speaker:yet
Speaker:with
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:world,
Speaker:all of
Speaker:the
Speaker:galaxy
Speaker:itself
Speaker:spread
Speaker:out
Speaker:before
Speaker:him.
Eli
got
Speaker:up,
Speaker:giving
Speaker:up
Speaker:on
Speaker:fighting
Speaker:the
Speaker:odd
Speaker:mood
Speaker:for
Speaker:now,
Speaker:and
Speaker:picked
Speaker:up
Speaker:the
Speaker:cup
Speaker:of
Speaker:rich,
Speaker:steaming
Speaker:beverage.
Speaker:He
Speaker:sat
Speaker:down
Speaker:across
Speaker:from Yin at the
Speaker:little
Speaker:table
Speaker:again.
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:a curious
Speaker:look. "Eli,
Speaker:huh?"
He felt
his
Speaker:ears
Speaker:flick
Speaker:back
Speaker:against
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:took
Speaker:a
Speaker:sip
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:mocha,
Speaker:buying
Speaker:himself
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:decide
Speaker:how
Speaker:to
Speaker:explain. "Have
Speaker:I
Speaker:mentioned
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:to
Speaker:you
Speaker:before?"
"He’s
a
Speaker:character
Speaker:you
Speaker:play
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:net,
Speaker:right?"
Eli
nodded. "He’s...
Speaker:I
Speaker:can
Speaker:get
Speaker:very
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:mindset
Speaker:of
Speaker:being
Speaker:him.
Speaker:When
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:world
Speaker:I
Speaker:feel
Speaker:very
Speaker:much
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:am
Speaker:him,
Speaker:that
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:this
Speaker:other
Speaker:person
Speaker:entirely.
Speaker:I
Speaker:mean.
Speaker:Not
Speaker:entirely,
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess."
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:flicked
Speaker:his
Speaker:ears
Speaker:again,
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:awkward. "He’s
Speaker:still
Speaker:me.
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:him.
Speaker:He’s
Speaker:a
Speaker:male
Speaker:version
Speaker:of
Speaker:me,
Speaker:mostly?
Speaker:He’s
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:more...confident,
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess
Speaker:than
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:is.
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:being
Speaker:him
Speaker:very
Speaker:well
Speaker:right
Speaker:now."
Speaker:He
Speaker:felt
Speaker:his
Speaker:ears
Speaker:flushing
Speaker:hotly.
Yin
chuckled. "I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:understand."
"I
just
Speaker:felt
Speaker:like
Speaker:him
Speaker:today.
Speaker:So
Speaker:I
Speaker:gave
Speaker:them
Speaker:that
Speaker:name.
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:who
Speaker:I am
Speaker:right
Speaker:now?
Speaker:I
Speaker:never
Speaker:really
Speaker:thought
Speaker:being
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world
Speaker:was
Speaker:possible.
Speaker:But...maybe
Speaker:it
Speaker:is,
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:bit?"
"Of
course
Speaker:it
Speaker:is,"
Speaker:said Yin,
Speaker:smiling. "Hell,
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:full time,
Speaker:complete
Speaker:with
Speaker:fully
Speaker:male
Speaker:body,
Speaker:you
Speaker:could.
Speaker:Sex
Speaker:reassignment
Speaker:procedures
Speaker:these
Speaker:days
Speaker:are
Speaker:very
Speaker:good,
Speaker:it’s
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:much
Speaker:indistinguishable
Speaker:from
Speaker:having
Speaker:been
Speaker:born
Speaker:with
Speaker:an
Speaker:XY
Speaker:set
Speaker:of
Speaker:chromosomes.
Speaker:I
Speaker:have
Speaker:a
Speaker:friend
Speaker:who
Speaker:was
Speaker:considering it
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:years
Speaker:back,
Speaker:I
Speaker:helped
Speaker:him
Speaker:do
Speaker:some
Speaker:research."
Eli
Speaker:put
Speaker:a
Speaker:fake-feeling
Speaker:smile
Speaker:on,
Speaker:tried
Speaker:to
Speaker:laugh. "That’s
Speaker:silly.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t have
Speaker:the
Speaker:money
Speaker:for
Speaker:that
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:thing.
Speaker:I
Speaker:doubt
Speaker:I
Speaker:ever
Speaker:will
Speaker:unless
Speaker:something
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:wild
Speaker:happens.
Speaker:And
Speaker:anyway,
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:transgender.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:is
Speaker:just...comfortable."
Yin
tilted
Speaker:her
Speaker:head,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:at
Speaker:him
Speaker:for
Speaker:a while. "Comfortable,
Speaker:huh?
Speaker:Does
Speaker:that
Speaker:mean
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:is
Speaker:uncomfortable?"
"I..."
Eli
Speaker:blinked. "I...
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t...
Speaker:I
Speaker:mean...
Speaker:Of
Speaker:course
Speaker:not."
"No?"
"Well,
maybe
Speaker:a
Speaker:little,
Speaker:sometimes.
Speaker:People
Speaker:treat
Speaker:women
Speaker:differently.
Speaker:But
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:just...
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know,
Speaker:sexism,
Speaker:or
Speaker:whatever.
Speaker:If
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:like
Speaker:getting
Speaker:hit
Speaker:on
Speaker:by
Speaker:random
Speaker:men,
Speaker:it
Speaker:doesn’t
Speaker:make
Speaker:me
Speaker:male.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:say
Speaker:that
Speaker:makes
Speaker:me
Speaker:stereotypically
Speaker:female,
Speaker:if
Speaker:anything!
Speaker:And
Speaker:nobody
Speaker:is
Speaker:telling
Speaker:me
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:like
Speaker:camping
Speaker:or
Speaker:have
Speaker:to
Speaker:paint
Speaker:my
Speaker:claws
Speaker:just
Speaker:because
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:female
Speaker:anymore."
Speaker:He
Speaker:made
Speaker:a
Speaker:face
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:memories
Speaker:of
Speaker:old
Speaker:stupidity.
"That’s
true
Speaker:enough."
Speaker:Yin’s
Speaker:calmly
Speaker:curious
Speaker:expression
Speaker:turned
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:sudden
Speaker:grin. "But
Speaker:is
Speaker:avoiding
Speaker:cat
Speaker:calls
Speaker:really
Speaker:the
Speaker:only
Speaker:reason
Speaker:why you’re
Speaker:currently
Speaker:as
Speaker:flat
Speaker:as a
Speaker:twelve
Speaker:year
Speaker:old
Speaker:boy?"
"Uh..."
Eli’s
Speaker:ears
Speaker:went
Speaker:flat.
"Is
that
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:too,
Speaker:whatever
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:you’re wearing?"
"Heh." Eli’s
ears
Speaker:flicked,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:managed
Speaker:a
Speaker:smile. "It
Speaker:itches
Speaker:like
Speaker:hell,
Speaker:actually.
Speaker:But
Speaker:yes.
Speaker:Very
Speaker:much
Speaker:so."
"What
if
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:afford
Speaker:the
Speaker:whole
Speaker:package,
Speaker:physical
Speaker:change
Speaker:and
Speaker:all?
Speaker:What
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:free?"
"I... I
don’t
Speaker:know." Eli felt his ears
Speaker:flattening
Speaker:back
Speaker:down.
Speaker:Why
Speaker:would
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:dangle
Speaker:something
Speaker:like
Speaker:that
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:him?
"Because
it
Speaker:is,
Speaker:you
Speaker:know."
Speaker:Yin’s
Speaker:smile was
Speaker:almost
Speaker:smug,
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:tail
Speaker:was
Speaker:waving
Speaker:back
Speaker:and
Speaker:forth
Speaker:only
Speaker:slightly
Speaker:too
Speaker:slowly
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:called
Speaker:a
Speaker:wag.
Eli
blinked at
Speaker:her. "What?"
"Sex
reassignment
Speaker:procedures
Speaker:are
Speaker:covered
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:state."
Eli
blinked some
Speaker:more. "But...
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:an
Speaker:immigrant.
Speaker:I
Speaker:know
Speaker:I
Speaker:have a
Speaker:basic
Speaker:healthcare
Speaker:plan as a
Speaker:resident..."
"Yep.
Which
Speaker:includes
Speaker:this
Speaker:sort
Speaker:of
Speaker:thing."
"Really?
But
Speaker:a
Speaker:sex
Speaker:change
Speaker:is
Speaker:so
Speaker:involved.
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked
Speaker:into
Speaker:costs
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:back
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:Federation.
Speaker:It
Speaker:costs
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:ever
Speaker:save
Speaker:up.
Speaker:How
Speaker:can
Speaker:that
Speaker:just
Speaker:be
Speaker:free?
Speaker:Wouldn’t
Speaker:it
Speaker:bankrupt
Speaker:the
Speaker:government?
Speaker:I
Speaker:mean,
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:even
Speaker:a
Speaker:citizen!"
Yin
chuckled. "Citizenship
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:bit
Speaker:more
Speaker:casual
Speaker:a
Speaker:thing
Speaker:here.
Speaker:There’s
Speaker:no
Speaker:such
Speaker:thing as an
Speaker:Alliance
Speaker:of
Speaker:Sentients
Speaker:native,
Speaker:you
Speaker:know.
Speaker:We
Speaker:all
Speaker:came
Speaker:here
Speaker:from
Speaker:somewhere
Speaker:else
Speaker:at
Speaker:some
Speaker:point.
Speaker:The
Speaker:alliance
Speaker:has
Speaker:barely
Speaker:existed
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:hundred
Speaker:years,
Speaker:and
Speaker:none
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:planets
Speaker:in it
Speaker:have
Speaker:native
Speaker:sentients,
Speaker:they’re
Speaker:all
Speaker:colonies
Speaker:from
Speaker:Earth. So
Speaker:you
Speaker:have
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:inherent
Speaker:right
Speaker:to
Speaker:citizenship
Speaker:here
Speaker:as
Speaker:anybody
Speaker:does.
Speaker:If
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:apply,
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:sure
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:accepted,
Speaker:in
Speaker:fact.
Speaker:As
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:cost,
Speaker:transgender
Speaker:people
Speaker:are
Speaker:less
Speaker:than
Speaker:one
Speaker:percent
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:population.
Speaker:It’s
Speaker:not
Speaker:as
Speaker:big of
Speaker:an
Speaker:expense
Speaker:as
Speaker:you
Speaker:might
Speaker:think,
Speaker:compared
Speaker:to
Speaker:life-saving
Speaker:medicine.
Speaker:And..." Yin
Speaker:reached
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:touched
Speaker:Eli’s
Speaker:hand
Speaker:gently, "I
Speaker:know
Speaker:it
Speaker:can
Speaker:be
Speaker:life-saving
Speaker:for
Speaker:some
Speaker:people."
Eli
shook
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:instantly. "I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:hurt
Speaker:myself
Speaker:because
Speaker:I
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:be
Speaker:male."
"Maybe
not
Speaker:physically,
Speaker:but
Speaker:what
Speaker:about
Speaker:mentally?"
"I... It’s
not
Speaker:like
Speaker:that.
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:is
Speaker:fine,
Speaker:really.
Speaker:Being
Speaker:her
Speaker:isn’t
Speaker:hurting
Speaker:me."
"Would
Eli
Speaker:be
Speaker:more
Speaker:fine,
Speaker:though?"
"I...don’t
know."
Speaker:He
Speaker:thought
Speaker:about
Speaker:how
Speaker:good
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:felt
Speaker:just
Speaker:now, to
Speaker:hear
Speaker:some
Speaker:random
Speaker:fox
Speaker:call
Speaker:his
Speaker:name
Speaker:out
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world.
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:would
Speaker:be
Speaker:more
Speaker:fine.
Speaker:His
Speaker:ears
Speaker:splayed
Speaker:out
Speaker:flat,
Speaker:then
Speaker:pricked
Speaker:up
Speaker:again,
Speaker:then
Speaker:went
Speaker:down.
Speaker:Being
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:was
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:in
Speaker:one
Speaker:sense,
Speaker:but
Speaker:terrifying
Speaker:in
Speaker:another.
Speaker:Could
Speaker:he
Speaker:really
Speaker:live
Speaker:life
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:male?
Speaker:What
Speaker:might
Speaker:he
Speaker:be
Speaker:giving
Speaker:up?
Speaker:But
Speaker:what
Speaker:might
Speaker:he
Speaker:be
Speaker:gaining?
Speaker:He
Speaker:remembered,
Speaker:suddenly,
Speaker:the thought
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:once
Speaker:had,
Speaker:that
Speaker:he
Speaker:envied
Speaker:how
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:skin.
Speaker:If
Speaker:he
Speaker:really
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:time,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:someday
Speaker:feel
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:own
Speaker:skin
Speaker:like
Speaker:that.
Speaker:It
Speaker:still
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:ridiculous,
Speaker:though.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:fictional
Speaker:character,
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:was
Speaker:who
Speaker:he
Speaker:really
Speaker:was.
Speaker:How
Speaker:could
Speaker:he
Speaker:be
Speaker:Eli?
Speaker:He
Speaker:might
Speaker:as
Speaker:well
Speaker:be
Speaker:Bilbo
Speaker:Baggins
Speaker:or
Speaker:Leto
Speaker:Atreides if he wanted to be
Speaker:male.
Speaker:It was
Speaker:absurd.
"It
looks
Speaker:like
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:having
Speaker:some
Speaker:thoughts
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:subject,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Yin,
Speaker:her
Speaker:tail
Speaker:still
Speaker:wagging
Speaker:in
Speaker:amusement.
"You
could
Speaker:say
Speaker:that,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Eli,
Speaker:his
Speaker:ears
Speaker:finally
Speaker:coming
Speaker:back
Speaker:up
Speaker:again, a
Speaker:small
Speaker:smile
Speaker:quirking the
Speaker:corner
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:mouth.
"Think
about
Speaker:it,
Speaker:then.
Speaker:Look
Speaker:into
Speaker:all
Speaker:your
Speaker:options,
Speaker:maybe.
Speaker:Gender
Speaker:and
Speaker:sex
Speaker:aren’t
Speaker:binary,
Speaker:I
Speaker:know
Speaker:that
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:well
Speaker:myself." Yin
Speaker:grinned
Speaker:even
Speaker:more
Speaker:broadly,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:laughed
Speaker:and
Speaker:smiled
Speaker:back. "There
Speaker:are
Speaker:things
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:do
Speaker:besides
Speaker:just ’be
Speaker:male’
Speaker:or ’be
Speaker:female.’
Speaker:But
Speaker:if
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:is
Speaker:comfortable,
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t see
Speaker:any reason why you
Speaker:shouldn’t
Speaker:be
Speaker:Eli."
"Maybe
I’ll
Speaker:try
Speaker:it
Speaker:out
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:while,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Eli.
"Well, I’m
going
Speaker:to
Speaker:try
Speaker:out
Speaker:ordering
Speaker:a
Speaker:cup
Speaker:of
Speaker:coffee.
Speaker:Be
Speaker:back
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment."
As
Eli
Speaker:sat and
Speaker:watched
Speaker:Yin
Speaker:head to
Speaker:the
Speaker:counter,
Speaker:he
Speaker:felt
Speaker:another
Speaker:rush of
Speaker:that
Speaker:strange,
Speaker:light,
Speaker:free
Speaker:feeling.
Speaker:It
Speaker:felt
Speaker:good.
Speaker:He
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:if
Speaker:he
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:be,
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:literally
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:at
Speaker:all
Speaker:stopping
Speaker:him.
-----
"Wait,
so
Speaker:you’ve
Speaker:been
Speaker:spending
Speaker:all
Speaker:this
Speaker:time
Speaker:in
Speaker:here,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:like
Speaker:that,
Speaker:and
Speaker:you
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:of
Speaker:yourself
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:guy?"
Speaker:The
Speaker:person
Speaker:asking
Speaker:the
Speaker:question
Speaker:appeared
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:a
Speaker:baseline
Speaker:human
Speaker:woman,
Speaker:who
Speaker:sat
Speaker:sprawled
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:picnic
Speaker:blanket
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:park.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:an
Speaker:elaborate
Speaker:Elizabethan
Speaker:gown,
Speaker:complete
Speaker:with
Speaker:ridiculous
Speaker:neck ruff.
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:sat
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:her, dressed
Speaker:in
Speaker:an
Speaker:eighteenth
Speaker:century
Speaker:suit
Speaker:coat
Speaker:in
Speaker:chocolate
Speaker:brown,
Speaker:trimmed
Speaker:heavily
Speaker:with
Speaker:gold
Speaker:embroidery
Speaker:and
Speaker:topped
Speaker:with a
Speaker:matching
Speaker:tricorn
Speaker:hat.
Speaker:He’d "sculpted"
Speaker:it
Speaker:himself,
Speaker:based
Speaker:on
Speaker:several
Speaker:historical
Speaker:suits,
Speaker:and he
Speaker:was
Speaker:quite
Speaker:proud
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:the
Speaker:fabric
Speaker:draped
Speaker:and
Speaker:the sheen
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:gold
Speaker:thread.
Speaker:The
Speaker:play-picnicking
Speaker:group
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:historical
Speaker:writer’s
Speaker:society,
Speaker:but
Speaker:though
Speaker:he
Speaker:mostly
Speaker:wrote
Speaker:fantasy,
Speaker:and had
Speaker:only
Speaker:just
Speaker:begun
Speaker:to
Speaker:dabble
Speaker:in
Speaker:modeling
Speaker:historical
Speaker:clothing,
Speaker:they’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:delighted
Speaker:to
Speaker:welcome
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:when
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:joined
Speaker:two
Speaker:months
Speaker:ago.
"Now,
now,
Speaker:now,
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:not
Speaker:all
Speaker:that
Speaker:absurd,
Speaker:Susanna,"
Speaker:chimed
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:second
Speaker:speaker.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:dragon,
Speaker:which
Speaker:as
Speaker:far
Speaker:as
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:knew
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:that
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:exist
Speaker:in
Speaker:reality,
Speaker:though
Speaker:some
Speaker:people
Speaker:called
Speaker:Ssifith "star dragons". But Telixith
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:look at all
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:Ssifith,
Speaker:he
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:something
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:an
Speaker:illustration
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:particularly
Speaker:odd
Speaker:children’s
Speaker:book,
Speaker:for he
Speaker:was
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:a
Speaker:late
Speaker:Victorian
Speaker:dress,
Speaker:complete
Speaker:with
Speaker:bonnet
Speaker:and
Speaker:parasol.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:also
Speaker:sitting
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:cloud
Speaker:that
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:floated
Speaker:just
Speaker:above
Speaker:the
Speaker:picnic
Speaker:blanket.
Many
of
Speaker:the
Speaker:inhabitants
Speaker:of
Speaker:virtual
Speaker:reality
Speaker:chose
Speaker:to
Speaker:abide
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:usual
Speaker:laws
Speaker:of
Speaker:physics,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Telixith
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:like
Speaker:flouting
Speaker:them
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:liked
Speaker:flouting
Speaker:the
Speaker:usual
Speaker:laws
Speaker:of
Speaker:fashion. "We all know I’m
Speaker:male
Speaker:out
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world,
Speaker:and
Speaker:here
Speaker:too
Speaker:as
Speaker:far
Speaker:as
Speaker:that
Speaker:goes.
Speaker:I
Speaker:only
Speaker:do
Speaker:the
Speaker:dresses
Speaker:because
Speaker:men’s
Speaker:fashion
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:favorite
Speaker:writing
Speaker:era is
Speaker:comparatively
Speaker:boring.
Speaker:Well,
Speaker:that and
Speaker:I
Speaker:have
Speaker:fun
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:absurdity
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:dragon
Speaker:in a dress,
Speaker:whatever
Speaker:the
Speaker:gender."
Speaker:He
Speaker:grinned. "Also,
Speaker:we
Speaker:all
Speaker:know
Speaker:that
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:not
Speaker:actually
Speaker:a
Speaker:baseline,
Speaker:Susana."
Susanna
rolled
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes. "I
Speaker:assume
Speaker:you’ve
Speaker:heard of
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:thing
Speaker:called
Speaker:historical
Speaker:accuracy?
Speaker:There
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:any
Speaker:morphs
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:fifteen
Speaker:hundreds.
Speaker:It
Speaker:just
Speaker:seems
Speaker:odd
Speaker:to
Speaker:me,
Speaker:that
Speaker:somebody
Speaker:could
Speaker:spend
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:time
Speaker:as
Speaker:possible
Speaker:being
Speaker:a
Speaker:man
Speaker:and
Speaker:never
Speaker:even
Speaker:consider
Speaker:the
Speaker:possibility
Speaker:that
Speaker:they
Speaker:might
Speaker:be
Speaker:transgender."
"It
probably
Speaker:is
Speaker:odd,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:shrug
Speaker:and a
Speaker:smile. "But
Speaker:I
Speaker:thought
Speaker:of
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:as
Speaker:fictional, as
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:character
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:play.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:somebody
Speaker:I
Speaker:wrote
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:connected
Speaker:with,
Speaker:sure,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:possibly
Speaker:be
Speaker:real."
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:sighed. "To
Speaker:be
Speaker:honest,
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:lived
Speaker:back
Speaker:on
Speaker:Mars
Speaker:the
Speaker:idea
Speaker:of
Speaker:being
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:was
Speaker:almost
Speaker:literally
Speaker:unthinkable.
Speaker:So
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Morphs
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:trans,
Speaker:surgery
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:fairy tale
Speaker:dream
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:never
Speaker:be
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:afford,
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:about
Speaker:being
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:was
Speaker:realistic or
Speaker:possible,
Speaker:so
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:just...safer,
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess,
Speaker:to
Speaker:regard
Speaker:him as fictional, as
Speaker:not
Speaker:really
Speaker:me.
Speaker:The really
Speaker:funny
Speaker:thing
Speaker:is that
Speaker:I
Speaker:read
Speaker:a
Speaker:lot
Speaker:about
Speaker:trans
Speaker:things,
Speaker:I
Speaker:did
Speaker:research
Speaker:into
Speaker:what
Speaker:was
Speaker:possible
Speaker:and
Speaker:everything.
Speaker:I
Speaker:just
Speaker:kept
Speaker:it
Speaker:all
Speaker:at
Speaker:a safe
Speaker:mental
Speaker:distance.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:all
Speaker:hypothetical,
Speaker:just
Speaker:satisfying
Speaker:my
Speaker:curiosity."
Speaker:He
Speaker:paused
Speaker:then
Speaker:laughed
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:realized. "Just
Speaker:satisfying
Speaker:my
Speaker:curiosity,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:hardly
Speaker:looked
Speaker:into
Speaker:male-to-female
Speaker:surgery
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:doing
Speaker:it,
Speaker:just
Speaker:female-to-male!"
There
was
Speaker:a
Speaker:cascade
Speaker:of
Speaker:laughter
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:others,
Speaker:and Telixith reached
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:patted
Speaker:Eli’s shoulder. "It’s
Speaker:safe
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:whoever
Speaker:you
Speaker:really
Speaker:are
Speaker:here,
Speaker:though."
"Indeed!"
Eli’s smiled
Speaker:broadened. "It
Speaker:was
Speaker:being
Speaker:here,
Speaker:and
Speaker:seeing
Speaker:that it’s
Speaker:really
Speaker:true
Speaker:that
Speaker:people
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:Alliance
Speaker:are
Speaker:defined
Speaker:by
Speaker:how
Speaker:they
Speaker:think,
Speaker:not
Speaker:how
Speaker:they
Speaker:look,
Speaker:that
Speaker:eventually
Speaker:opened
Speaker:me
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:truth.
Speaker:It
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:take
Speaker:very
Speaker:long,
Speaker:really.
Speaker:I’ve
Speaker:only
Speaker:been
Speaker:here
Speaker:two
Speaker:months!
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:obvious
Speaker:truth."
"So,
sorry
Speaker:if
Speaker:we’re
Speaker:all
Speaker:asking
Speaker:personal
Speaker:questions
Speaker:here,
Speaker:but
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:surgery
Speaker:and
Speaker:all
Speaker:that,
Speaker:then?"
Speaker:That
Speaker:question
Speaker:came
Speaker:from
Speaker:Roberto,
Speaker:a
Speaker:tiger
Speaker:sitting
Speaker:with
Speaker:his
Speaker:tail
Speaker:neatly
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:around
Speaker:him.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:person
Speaker:present
Speaker:in
Speaker:male
Speaker:dress,
Speaker:but "male
Speaker:dress"
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:case
Speaker:meant
Speaker:a
Speaker:Scottish
Speaker:kilt,
Speaker:complete
Speaker:with
Speaker:sporran.
Eli
shrugged. "I still haven’t decided
Speaker:for
Speaker:certain.
Speaker:There
Speaker:are
Speaker:things
Speaker:about
Speaker:being
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:I
Speaker:kinda
Speaker:like,
Speaker:even
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:seem
Speaker:few
Speaker:and
Speaker:far
Speaker:between
Speaker:now.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:if
Speaker:I
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:give
Speaker:her
Speaker:up
Speaker:entirely.
Speaker:But
Speaker:I
Speaker:certainly
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:at least take
Speaker:some
Speaker:steps
Speaker:in
Speaker:that
Speaker:direction.
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:going
Speaker:by
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:go
Speaker:out
Speaker:a
Speaker:lot
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:time,
Speaker:at
Speaker:least.
Speaker:Nobody has
Speaker:bothered
Speaker:me
Speaker:about
Speaker:it
Speaker:so
Speaker:far."
"That’s
just
Speaker:great,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Susana,
Speaker:and
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:murmur
Speaker:of
Speaker:agreement
Speaker:from
Speaker:everyone
Speaker:else.
"It
is
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:great,
Speaker:yeah,"
Speaker:said
Speaker:Eli,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:found
Speaker:that
Speaker:somewhat
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:astonishment,
Speaker:there
Speaker:were
Speaker:tears
Speaker:gathering
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:eyes.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:good
Speaker:tears,
Speaker:though,
Speaker:welling
Speaker:up
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:immense
Speaker:sense
Speaker:of
Speaker:lightness,
Speaker:freedom,
Speaker:even
Speaker:relief
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:realization
Speaker:that
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:himself,
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:exist,
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:place
Speaker:out
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:world and
Speaker:not
Speaker:just
Speaker:here
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:virtual.
Speaker:That
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:Eli,
Speaker:and
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:too,
Speaker:but
Speaker:that
Speaker:Eli
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:any
Speaker:less
Speaker:a
Speaker:person,
Speaker:and
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:was
Speaker:even
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:one, that
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:Emily
Speaker:who
Speaker:had
Speaker:never
Speaker:been
Speaker:real.
Speaker:It was
Speaker:still
Speaker:all
Speaker:a
Speaker:jumble
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:mind,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:sure
Speaker:how
Speaker:things
Speaker:would
Speaker:fall
Speaker:out
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:end,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:said, "I
Speaker:never
Speaker:thought
Speaker:anything
Speaker:like
Speaker:this
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:possible.
Speaker:It’s
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:great,
Speaker:it’s
Speaker:amazing
Speaker:that I
Speaker:have
Speaker:the
Speaker:choice
Speaker:to
Speaker:actually
Speaker:be
Speaker:myself,
Speaker:whoever
Speaker:that
Speaker:self
Speaker:may
Speaker:turn
Speaker:out
Speaker:to
Speaker:be."
This
was
Speaker:the
Speaker:second
Speaker:and
Speaker:final
Speaker:part
Speaker:of “Coffee
Speaker:and
Speaker:Free-fall”
Speaker:by
Speaker:S.
Speaker:Park,
Speaker:read for you
Speaker:by
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
As
always,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at
Speaker:thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:show wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get
Speaker:your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Happy
Speaker:Pride
Speaker:and
Speaker:Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.