Despite the prospect of maybe getting my non-magical girl-me body to become permanent, in the end I decided not to do any more testing right away. I was actually kind of emotionally spent by that point, and it was getting te anyways so the three of us all agreed to just call it a night.

  Harper went upstairs to his bedroom while I crashed on the living-room sofa, and Ellie slept in the big leather recliner. Except despite my exhaustion I ended up not being able to sleep right away. So I picked up my phone and spent the next couple hours reading up on what it meant to be trans. I found stuff other trans girls had written, sharing their experiences and everything. And I also learned more about the legal and medical side of things too, stuff that was specific to trans people in our province.

  I was probably up way too te, it was between three and four in the morning when I finally drifted off. Then both Ellie and I were woken up at half past eight when Mrs. Hudson came downstairs and started making noise in the kitchen. Mr. Hudson was up a little after that, and Harper finally came downstairs by nine. Ellie and I were both wide awake and dressed by then, and the three of us ended up sitting together on the sofa while we talked some more.

  "I think I need to get home," I told them. "I want to talk to my mom, and maybe come out to her? Or at least tell her I'm questioning this stuff..."

  Ellie immediately volunteered, "If it helps, I can be there with you. Like to back you up, or just as morale support if you like."

  "Same," Harper agreed.

  I smiled at both of them, "Thanks you two, I really appreciate it."

  "So when do you want to go home? We can head out now if you like, or we can grab breakfast first?" he asked.

  "I think I'm a little too anxious to eat," I admitted. "But if you two want something then go for it."

  Harper was hungry, so he and Ellie both had some toast and juice. I accepted a gss of juice too, but I really wasn't up for any food.

  As the two of them ate my best friend asked, "Is there anything in particur making you stressed this morning? Or just, all the everything?"

  "I'm worried about how my mom will react," I sighed. "Like I'm pretty sure she won't freak out, but I'm not positive? And like, I guess the worst case scenario would be she flips and ends up kicking me out or something."

  Ellie frowned as she munched on a bite of toast. Then she shook her head, "I really can't see your mom doing that. But if that actually happened you could crash at my pce. We have a spare room, you wouldn't even have to sleep on the couch or anything."

  That made me smile, "Thanks Ellie. What about your folks though? They might not appreciate having me move in. Especially if they find out why."

  "Please," she rolled her eyes. "My folks are super open-minded. I mean, they raised me right? Look at me, see how I turned out?"

  She was grinning as she said that st part, but quickly became serious again. "Trust me Bke, my folks would be totally cool with you."

  "If your folks are so cool then how come we never hang out at your pce?" Harper asked.

  "I didn't say they were cool," the tomboy replied. "Only that they'd be cool with Bke."

  Then she made a face and said, "We don't hang out with my folks because they're boring strange and cringey. My mom's like half-hippie, and my dad only has two things he likes to talk about and he'll talk your ears off about both of them. Everything you never wanted to know about thermal sensors, and bees."

  Harper and I exchanged a confused look, then I asked, "Bees? Like bck and yellow stripey bois?"

  "Yeah," Ellie grimaced. "I guess I've never mentioned that? It's dad's big hobby, he got into beekeeping a while back. Now he's got like a dozen hives out in the backyard. So I guess that's another thing? If you're scared of bees or allergic to them, my pce isn't going to be a fun hang-out spot."

  "Huh," I frowned.

  By the time we were all done toast and juice and stuff it was around ten, and Harper let his folks know he was heading out with me and Ellie. The three of us got into the cab of his pick-up, and my heart-rate picked up as we pulled out for the short drive over to my pce.

  After we parked in front of my house I gulped then said, "I appreciate you two offering, but you don't have to come with me if you don't want. I don't know how this will go, and if it gets awkward..."

  "Then you'll appreciate having me and Harper there backing you up," Ellie stated. "So unless you don't actually want us with you, we're going to be there supporting you. Ok?"

  I grimaced, then took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok. Thanks you two."

  "Don't worry about it," Harper smiled. "So are we going in?"

  "Yeah I guess," I sighed.

  We all got out, Ellie and me were both carrying our bags as I led my friends up to the door then inside. Amelia was in the living-room, sitting on the sofa watching something on TV.

  I ignored her as I called, "Mom I'm home!"

  She called back, "Hello Bke, I'm in the kitchen. Can you please come here, I'd like to talk to you."

  "Hey I'm trying to watch this!" Amelia compined as she gred at me.

  "Sorry sis," I mumbled as I led my friends past her and into the kitchen.

  Mom was sitting at the table with her ptop in front of her and a mug of coffee next to that. She looked like she was about to say something else when she realized I wasn't alone, so instead she greeted my friends. "Good morning Ellie, Harper. I hope you three had fun st night?"

  "Hello Mrs. Palmer," Ellie replied.

  Harper nodded, "Hello ma'am."

  Meanwhile I was quietly grimacing. I wasn't sure I'd call st night fun, but it was definitely something. I motioned for Ellie and Harper to sit down as I moved to take a seat across from my mom.

  "What did you want to talk about mom?" I asked as I sat down.

  She looked awkward as she closed her ptop, "I'd prefer to speak with you in private, if you don't mind? Maybe your friends would like to go and sit with Amelia for a bit?"

  I hesitated, "Actually mom there was something I wanted to talk to you about too? Do you mind if Ellie and Harper stay with us for that? Then I guess they can go afterwards, and we can talk about your thing?"

  "All right," mom agreed. "What was it you wanted to discuss?"

  Suddenly my mouth was dry and my heart racing, and I realized I really hadn't prepared for this.

  "Um," I hesitated. "So I guess the thing is... Do you know anything about like, what it means when someone's trans?"

  Mom's eyes widened slightly then she gnced at Harper and Ellie, before looking back at me again. She asked softly, "Is that what you wanted to tell me hon?"

  My stomach tightened up and it felt like my heart was pounding in my throat as I slowly nodded.

  The best I could do was a half whisper, "Yeah. It's um, I know this is probably really sudden and everything? But I've been thinking about it a lot the st few days. And I was up half the night reading stuff on my phone st night? Like research, learning about the legal and medical stuff..."

  I paused for a deep breath, then gulped again before finally saying the words. "So um, I guess that's what I'm trying to say? I think I'm trans. I'm a girl, and um, I want to try using she her pronouns."

  The whole time mom just quietly watched me. She didn't look angry or anything, and she didn't seem to be freaking out. Or at least, not too much anyways. She did look a little shocked though, maybe a bit worried or sad.

  After a second or two she finally nodded, "All right hon, I understand. Have you thought about a new name, is there something else you'd like to be called?"

  "No," I responded in another half-whisper. "I'm ok with still being Bke? It works for both guys and girls, right?"

  Mom gave me a compassionate smile as she nodded, "It does, yes."

  "All right then hon," she added a moment ter. "I'll try and remember to start using the right pronouns for you from now on. And I'll help you and support you with this however I can. You're my daughter, and I love you no matter what."

  Hearing her call me her daughter sent a wave of happiness through me. It was kind of an emotional overload though, and my eyes started to pool with tears.

  "Thanks mom," I mumbled as I smiled. Then I reached up and rubbed my eyes.

  She ended up moving closer so she could give me a hug, while Ellie and Harper just watched quietly.

  Mom finally let go again after a few seconds then moved to sit back down. She had a sip of her coffee then asked, "So you said you've done some research? Would you like to tell me about that? Can you tell me about some of the challenges we're going to be facing?"

  I wiped my eyes again then nodded, "Ok. Um, I guess the legal stuff isn't that bad? Like updating ID is the main thing. And since I don't want to change my name that means I can skip that step. I'll still need to update my documentation though, like to change the sex marker to female? But there's some other stuff I'll have to do first."

  "Which involves the medical stuff," I sighed. "Apparently there's a gender clinic down in Toronto, and I'd have to get a referral to go there. They'll want me to see some therapists or something, like psychologists or whatever? They'd be able to sign off on the ID change."

  My mother nodded slowly as she took all that in. Then she asked, "What about, I assume there'll be some sort of medication? And surgery?"

  That made me blush as I replied, "Yeah. I don't know how long it'll take but I'd have to get prescriptions, then I could get on hormones that would start making my body more feminine. And eventually there'd be surgery, but from what I read it looks like it'll be a while before I can do that. And it sounds expensive..."

  "I see," mom frowned. "So it sounds like our first step is to get you a referral to that clinic? So we need to book you an appointment with Dr. Harris."

  "Yeah," I nodded slowly.

  My heart was racing again as it hit me that all this had become really real in a hurry. I was grateful my mom was being so supportive, but I really hadn't mentally prepared myself for it. It also meant I'd have to tell all this stuff to my old family doctor, then I'd have to talk to some complete strangers at that clinic. And for someone shy and quiet and who liked to just blend into the background, it was a slightly scary prospect.

  Except I did have another option, something that none of the other trans girls I read about st night had. I wasn't sure at first if I'd tell my mom about it, but considering how well things had gone so far I decided it was ok to let her in on that secret.

  So I took another deep breath then said, "Actually mom, there's something else? It's kind of unbelievable though, so it might be better if I show you instead of trying to expin it. But um, it might let me skip all that medical stuff?"

  "I'd still probably have to deal with the legal stuff," I added with a frown. "Like to update my ID I mean."

  Mom frowned slightly, "What do you mean hon? How would you get around the need for hormones or surgery?"

  I gnced at my friends, and I saw that Harper had his phone out. He was ready to do the timer thing again, and he probably already had it set for five minutes since that's what we were talking about st night as the next test. Meanwhile Ellie just gave me a supportive smile and a little nodd, so I knew she was still there backing me up and everything.

  "Like I said," I told my mom as I stood up and took a couple steps back from the table, "It's easier to just show you."

  Then with mom and Ellie and Harper all watching, I moved my hands together and gave that ring a twist. Like before it suddenly glowed pink, while I felt that warm tingly sensation from it. My mom's eyebrows shot up and she opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but I already closed my hand into a fist then punched it upwards at the ceiling.

  Pink light fshed out over me, and just like that I was back in my magical girl form. I had a wide happy grin on my face as I stood there in the middle of the kitchen in front of my mother.

  Except the first reaction didn't come from mom. My sister excimed from the kitchen door behind me, "What the hell?!"

  "Uh-oh," I cringed as I turned around.

  My cheeks were suddenly bright red as I found Amelia staring at me with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open.

  "Hey sis," I grimaced. "It's me, Bke. Um, surprise? I'm trans, I'm actually a girl, and um, magic is real and all that?"

  Amelia just stared at me with a stunned look on her face, like she had no idea how to react or respond or whatever. Then my mom spoke up, but instead of being shocked or surprised she actually sounded stressed.

  "Bke?" she asked in a tight voice, like she was borderline angry. "Where did you get that ring?"

  Hearing her tone made me anxious as I turned to face her again. I probably sounded nervous as I expined, "I found it in the mailbox when I got home from exams on Friday? Someone must have left it there. It was in a pin white envelope, but there wasn't any note or anything."

  "The envelope was completely bnk Mrs. Palmer," Ellie added. "No name, no address, no return address, and no postage or postmark."

  Mom's eyes widened slightly before she frowned. She actually looked angry, which only made me even more uneasy. But before I could ask what was wrong mom suddenly facepalmed as she shook her head and muttered, "I'm going to kill her."

  PurpleCatGirl