Outside and In

"Carla?"

"It's Carl now," I said.  I wanted to run up and hug him like I normally do.  But I knew from the tone of his voice that I shouldn't.  "I didn't realize you were home."

"Just for the summer."  His eyes gave me the once over before shifting to the window, refusing to look at me.  "So you finally did it."

"Babe, you knew I was going to."  I gestured down at my body, even though I knew he wasn't watching.  It was still thrilling to know that I could look down and actually see the masculine body I always thought should be there.  "Now I finally feel like my outside matches my insides."

I lightly touched his arm.  He flinched away, but I refused to let go.  "It's still me, babe.  Just now it's the real me."

"I'm sorry," he said after a long moment.  "I'm happy for you.  I really am.  But now, seeing you like this, I just...can't."

I stood there for a long moment.  And although it still pains me to this day, I dropped my hand from his arm.

July Quote

"We are not that different. We are not that changed. Though ages slip away, there are some things within one's being which do not change, which do not alter, no matter how many bodies one puts upon oneself" -Kali, Lord of Light pg 178 

Kali 2A by jubjubjedi.

Crushing the Rebellion

As her eyes adjusted to the gloom of the workshop, they widened in alarm.  “What are all those?”

He glanced idly to where she pointed, taking in the jars full of a smoke-like substance.  “Just revenants.”

She picked up one of the jars to examine it.  “You contained them?  How?”

“Through experimentation,” he said, removing the jar from her hand and placing it back on the shelf.  “I have to quickly fling the soul into the jar while it is still registering as ‘alive.’”

“How is that even possible?”

“Like this,” he said, turning to her and ripping her soul from her chest.  Her body had but a moment to register its shock before crumpling to the floor as he flung her soul into a waiting jar, deftly stoppering it.  Holding it up to the light, he was just able to make out the features of the girl who had moments before been standing beside him.

“It’s a shame we shan’t be speaking any longer, as I did enjoy our chats.”  He reverently placed the jar on the shelf.  “But no matter.  Now no one will be hearing your whispers of rebellion.”

A moment later, two of his guards entered the workshop.  "See that everyone knows what happened to their leader," he told them, nudging the body with his foot.  The guards nodded before dragging the body away to a cell where it would harm no one. 

No June Quote

It's my birthday this month, and I decided not to post a quote.  Instead anyone who contributes can write a story inspired by any of the previous quotes!  So if you missed one, want to write for one of the five that have no stories (March-August 2011), needed to finish an extended story, or just want to revisit one you liked, now's your chance!

A Bit of a Waste

“What have you done to me?” Caden held her hand up to the light; it shone right through her spectral form.  Her eyes widening, she turned to see her body lying on the ground next to Tzalmon’s kneeling form.  “Tzalmon?”

“I’d think it was pretty self explanatory.”  Tzalmon stood up after failing to find her pulse, disgust plastered on his face.  “Honestly a bit of a waste.  I mean, it’s not like you’re good to anyone now.”

“Not good to anyone?” Her voice cracked as she said it.  

“You’re right, that’s rather unfair.” There was a groan as her body heaved itself to its feet.  

Tzalmon took a quick step away from the moving corpse, his smile smug.  “You’ve given me knowledge.  And when word gets out, people will fear what I can do.”

“What good will that do when you get eaten?”

“By what?”  He snapped his fingers and two plants sprang to life, entangling her body in their branches, though it strained to reach him.  “Certainly not this.  I suppose I’ll have to find somewhere to put it though.  It’s not like you’ll have any use for it, now that you’re a revenant.”

His words were a second blow.  But he was right: her work, her life, everything was gone now, literally out of reach. She would have broken down in tears if that had still been possible.

"Be sure to stop by the tower sometime, Caden," Tzalmon called out.  "I look forward to hearing what 'life' as a revenant is like."  And with that he walked out of the laboratory, leaving her to pick up the pieces of her new unlife.

May Quote

"It's actually quite simple, but since you've only recently begun to walk upright, it may take some time to explain."
—Jace Beleren, to Garruk Wildspeaker, on Redirect

The Switch

“What, you think I just wait for you when you’re not by a mirror?”

Toshi’s grandmother had told her long ago that she shouldn’t talk to the reflections.  It had been an accident, one that she swore she would not repeat.  But of course the reflection’s words stayed with her, no matter how much she tried to forget them.

Three days later, Toshi found herself facing the mirror in her bathroom.
“Where do you go?”

The reflection smiled.  “Wherever I want.  In our world, the only rule is that you’re ready when your image is needed.”

Toshi went off to think about that.  Later that night though, she was back, once again facing the mirror.  The door was locked behind her.

“I’ll do it.”

With that, Toshi found herself on the opposite side of the glass.  And the reflection, now in Toshi’s body, smiled at her from the other side.