Cate Fox (The Series)

Lana

Lana Hyers squirmed restlessly on a bench on the PAA campus. She was growing increasingly agitated as she scanned the quad.. A heavy shroud of frustration had settled over her, more suffocating than anything she'd felt since the GB virus upended her world over the summer break. She watched girl after girl walk past, their easy laughter and feminine grace making something deep inside her claw at its cage. Each passing student only served to sharpen her mounting irritation.

She thought coming to this campus would help her. She needed to graduate, but returning to Weatherford High felt like a death trap; the hallways there would be rife with people who remembered her as Lonnie. Who knew what they’d do when they realized she had transitioned — regardless if it was involuntary. She’d be labeled a “freak,” she just knew it.

She remembered how her classmates talked about the people who went to “the freak school.” The degrading comments, the way they talked about them as if they were less than human. Now that she was officially one of “them,” she couldn't risk interacting with anyone from Weatherford High for her own safety.

But that voice in her head kept repeating the same phrase: “Where are the males?”

The voice in her head was becoming louder and hungrier. Why she was getting increasingly frustrated at the nearly all-girls campus, Lana didn’t know.

“Lana!” a bright, cheery voice called.

Lana looked up to see Sophia, the overly-exuberant girl who lived in her dorm, approaching her.

“I’m meeting up with some classmates for dinner. You wanna join us?”

While Lana found Sophia’s relentless perkiness exhausting, she had to admit that she had no other friends here. Sophia was her only bridge to a social life.

“Yeah,” Lana replied, and followed the cheerful girl to the dining hall.

Lana moved through the buffet line with practiced indifference, piling various unidentifiable foods onto her tray. When she eventually sat down with Sophia, she found the table already crowded with other girls.

“Lana, meet my classmates,” Sophia said. “Ashley, Brandi, and Julia.”

The three girls offered polite greetings.

“That’s a cute choker,” Ashley observed.

Lana looked at her with a curious expression. Choker? She reached up to her neck and felt the leather strap. That’s right, she thought, she’d been wearing this choker all summer. She had forgotten it was there. “Thank you,” she said, pulling her hand away, a moment of confusion shooting through her as she struggled to remember what it was they had just complimented her about.

“We’re all juniors,” Sophia added. Then turning to her friends, “Lana here is a senior.”

“Oh wow,” Ashley gushed. “So you only just got here —- and you’re going to leave in the spring?”

“Well…” Lana hesitated, “I kinda got held back. I should’ve graduated already.”

“Ashley, Sophia, and I know what that’s like,” Julia revealed. “We’re ARs.”

“ARs?” Lana asked.

“Age Regression. It means we’re older than we look,” Julia explained. “For example, I graduated high school over ten years ago and now I have to do it all over again.”

“I graduated twenty years ago!” Ashley giggled.

“Twelve years for me!” Sophia added. “I’m actually a local — I graduated from Weatherford High.”

“You went to Weatherford High?” Lana asked. “That’s where I went the past four years.”

“Yup! Class of 2011!” Sophia cheered. “Go Coyotes!”

Lana then looked at Brandi.

Brandi smiled, “Actually, I’m a real sixteen-year-old. Hopefully, I don’t have to do high school again. Switching schools is rough enough.”

Lana looked at the girls. “If you’ve already graduated and are decades older, why are you only juniors?”

“Your placement at PAA is based on your body's age,” Sophia replied. “It’s really just to hide the fact magic changed our ages.”

“Yeah,” Julia added, “God forbid a 16-year-old enters the job market and has more experience than the adults.”

“So Lana,” Ashley asked, “Have you done… the shopping trip yet?”“The shopping trip?” Lana cocked her head.

“Yeah,” Brandi added with a growing smile. “It’s a rite of passage for all TGs.”

“It’s where you go to the mall and learn to love women’s clothes.”

“Oh. Um, no,” Lana replied. “I mean, I only picked up a few things… with my dad.”

“No offense honey,” Julia said, “But you need to go with some girls. That outfit you’re wearing…” She made a grossed out grin.

Lana looked down at the plain T-shirt and jeans she was wearing. After she caught GB and her body started shrinking, her Dad took her to the nearest Walmart and they quickly grabbed random stuff off of the clearance racks. Neither Lana nor her father wanted to dwell in the women’s clothing section one second longer than they had to.

“We should totally take you out shopping this weekend!” Sophia bubbled.

“And a makeover!” Brandi added.

Lana looked forlornly down at her food and back up at the girls. “I-I don’t have any money,” she whispered. Her dad had bought Lana only the bare necessities, but there was nothing left to give Lana any spending money. Any money she personally had was either tied up in Lonnie’s name, or used up on drugs in the months prior to the dealers getting busted.

“I can chip in!” Sophia offered.

“Me too!” Ashley added.

Julia put her hand on Lana’s arm. “How long have you been transforming?”

Lana thought back to the end of the school year. “Um… it started… the beginning of June.”

“And now it’s the end of August — almost three months — wait, you said you got GB?”

“That’s what the doctor said.”

“Usually GB lasts a week, tops.”

“Maybe it was a different strain,” Ashley shrugged. “All of the TG viruses act a little differently. The Bug. The Drift. A.C.R.S. Alpha Beta Gamma.”

“So, are you… still transforming?” Julia asked.

Lana tried to think. “I don’t know.”

“It's just… and I don’t want you taking this the wrong way… you’re kinda androgynous for a Viral. And I don’t mean the clothes. What cup size are you?”

“Cup size?”

“Your bra.”

Lana put her hands up to her chest. She wasn’t wearing one. She didn’t own one. “I um… don’t have one. I guess I haven’t really needed one.”

“OK, then we’ll add bra fitting to our shopping trip!” Sophia announced.

“How about tonight?” Ashley asked.

“Can’t tonight,” Sophia replied. “I have a date with Jamie. She just got back in town. We haven’t seen each other all summer.”

“Ooo,” Brandi cooed. “So, how is it dating a girl?”

Lana breathed a sigh of relief that the conversation had shifted away from her. She didn’t want to talk about her virus or girls’ clothes.

“It’s… different,” Sophia blushed. “I mean — my former self dated a few girls way back when — but it was I dunno, I was a boy. I have different needs now. I’m a girl,” she beamed. “Same with Jamie. Except her needs go back and forth. She’s different from James.”

Lana looked at her and cocked her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Sophia is dating a Wereman,” Julie explained.

“They’re Jamie right now, but James during the full moon,” Sophia added, pointing up for emphasis.

Suddenly, the fine hairs on Lana’s arms stood on end. A sharp, internal alert blared as a boy appeared behind Sophia. It was Cate’s boyfriend.

“Speaking of Weres,” Julie grumbled.

“Hey Sophia,” Brett nervously announced his presence.

“Hey Brett,” Sophia responded.

“Have you seen Cate?”

“Well, um, Cate went away for the weekend,” Sophia hesitantly answered.

“Really?” Brett asked in surprise. “Where’d she go?”

Sophia bit her lip and glanced around the table. “Umm, I’m not really at liberty to say.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back? I really want to talk to her.”

“She promised me Monday.”

Lana felt her gaze locking onto the boy. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from him, her focus narrowing until the rest of the room blurred. She began to salivate, licking her lips like a hungry animal seeing a bloody roast just beyond her grasp. As the drool hit her chin she woke from the daze. She inconspicuously wiped the drool off. What was wrong with her?

Brett sighed. “Did she say anything about me?

Sophia frowned. “Sorry, Brett.”

“Dump her,” Julia flatly interjected.

The rest of the table looked at her like she was a traitor to their friend.

“What? No!” Sophia protested.

I’m serious,” Julia added. “I’ve had my share of really fucked up one-sided relationships. And clearly Cate isn’t really all-in in this relationship. Look — I love Cate too. She’s a dear friend who has saved everyone at this table — except the new girl.”

Lana frowned. If Julia only knew the truth about Cate’s involvement in Lana’s life.

“But Brett,” Julia continued, “you deserve better.”

“You deserve better,” Lana found herself repeating, not taking her eyes off Brett.

Brett looked at Lana and their eyes met. His eyes glazed over. “I deserve better,” Brett found himself agreeing.

Sophia and the other girls looked around, confused at what was happening.

“Brett, give it time,” Sophia stressed. “Wait ‘til Cate comes back. Have that chat with her.”

Brett shook his head to release himself from his trance. “Yeah, sure.” He looked confused, then then looked back at Lana. “I think I should go.”

“Bye Brett!” Sophia chirped as he walked away.

Lana continued to stare at Brett as he disappeared into the throng of students.

“OK — that was weird,” Ashley announced when Brett was out of earshot.

Brandi turned to Julia. “Why’d you tell him that?”

“What?” Julia retorted. “Tell me I’m not wrong. Cate is a lesbian. Brett is only a girl three days a month.”

Lana wasn’t listening and stood up. “I need to go.”

“It was nice meeting you, Lana,” Brandi said sweetly.

“Bye Lana,” Sophia said.

Lana took her tray and walked away from the table. She was unsure what she was doing or why. But she felt the impulse to follow the only male she knew on this campus. She was getting hungrier — but not for the uneaten food on her tray. She emptied her tray into the trash and followed Brett out the door.

* * *

Brett

Brett trudged back to his dorm, worried about his relationship with Cate — or rather Brittany’s relationship with Cate. But if he was being honest, Julia was kinda right. Cate kept her distance when he was Brett. And that was before the summer. Before she flat-out ignored both of them.

He also couldn’t shake the disappointment that washed over him after seeing Cate blow him off and ignore him this week. He’d spent the entire summer break excited for her to visit. He waited for a text or a call — anything to show that she’d thought of him — or Brittany — at all.

That part surprised him the most. He’d already accepted that when he was Brett, he was tucked away into the friendzone. But he thought Cate and Brittany were really getting serious. At least serious enough for Cate to reach out to her girlfriend during stressful times.

It sucked because Brett was literally the same person as Brittany.

Weres are genderfluid — and that fluidity is dependent on the moon. The lunar cycle only changes his physical form and his inner gender identity. Everything else is the same person.

He sighed. He wished just once Cate could see past the lunar cycle and accept Brittany for all of her — including Brett. When she hurt Brett, she was hurting Brittany as well.

He was almost to Colby Hall when he heard footsteps quickly walking behind him.

“Brett,” a voice called out.

He turned around. Lana was standing there a few steps behind. Since he had a part-time girlfriend, Brett tended to keep other girls at a distance — which was most of the campus. He’d seen Lana hang out with Cate, Sophia, and their friends, but he’d never really spoken to her. But up close, Lana was… intense.

He felt a weird buzzing sensation — like static electricity jumping from her to him.

“Oh… hey Lana,” Brett managed to say. He looked around to see if Sophia had followed her. Nope — just Lana.

She didn’t stop moving until she was right in front of him. With her intense stare.

“Is… is this your dorm?” she asked, not taking her eyes off of him.

“Yeah,” Brett replied, unable to look away from Lana’s intense gaze. “Did… did you need something?”

“I um… I was bored. And I noticed you… seemed bored too.” She put her hand on his chest.

Brett had a hard time thinking as he felt a fog form in his head. A part of him felt he should gently — but quickly — let this girl down. After all, he was in a quasi-committed relationship with Cate. But something kept pushing that concern aside. Something more primal. “Do you play video games?” he asked. “My roommate David has a PS5.”

“Yeah, I haven’t played in a few years though,” Lana replied, not taking her eyes off his. She also subconsciously noted the name David. Another male.

Brittany and Cate occasionally played together. Cate liked retro games and first-person shooters… and… what was he thinking about?

There was something wrong — nothing that he could pinpoint — but every time he put up resistance, he felt it slip away as he got pulled further into Lana’s gaze. “Do… do you want to come up?” he finally asked the enigmatic girl.

“Yeah,” she breathed. “I’d like that.”

Brett slid his keycard and opened the exterior entrance for Lana.

“So you’re one of the only guys on this campus?” she asked him as they walked down the hall.

“There’s a handful of us,” he replied. “That is until the full moon. Us Werewomen change into women.”

“Then this campus would be all female?”

“No - there’s Weremen as well. They change into men.”

“When is the next full moon?”

“The Harvest Moon is in two weeks.”

The walk to Brett’s room felt unusually long. He felt guilty for bringing another girl back to his room. What would Cate say? She really wasn’t the jealous type, and she really didn’t care what Brett did when the moon was not full. He imagined she would say… she… what was he thinking about again?

Every time her shoulders brushed against his, those thoughts and concerns sunk deeper and deeper.

When Brett arrived at his and David’s room, he fumbled nervously for the keys. Pure energy raced through him, but he couldn’t identify if it was excitement or fight-or-flight. No — it was definitely alarm bells in his head.

He was hoping David was home. Maybe he could talk some sense back into Brett. But as they pushed into the room, he was disappointed to find it was empty.

Lana closed the door and leaned with her back against it. She swallowed hard. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Done what?” he asked innocently. Maybe if he played coy—

“I was a guy three months ago,” Lana breathed.

“That’s common at this school.”

“But I was straight — I only dated girls.”

“That’s surprisingly common too.”

Brett thought back to Cate. Cate was the same. She only dated girls. She… the noise filled his head again. What was he thinking about? Brett cocked his head. There was a reason this was wrong. What was it? Oh right. “I have a girlfriend.”

Lana took a step towards him. “Oh? You should tell me to leave then.”

He went to open his mouth. But he couldn’t form the words. He could feel the sweat on his forehead, and a voice in the back of his own head telling him to make her go away.

A brief flash of concern flashed across her face. “Please,” she pleaded, desperation in her voice. “I’m being forced to do this.”

“What?” he asked. “By who?”

That concern quickly evaporated and was replaced by a mischievous grin. She closed the gap between them and reached out, placing a finger on his lips. “Shh. This will all be over soon.”

Brett didn’t move away. He couldn’t. The closer she got the less he could resist. He couldn’t even remember why he was resisting. No, he’s not going to move away. He didn’t want to. He got closer and bridged the gap between them, completely under whatever spell she had over him.

Lana leaned into him, and he watched her lean forward. His eyes flickered shut as their lips met.

That fading, faint voice in the back of his head, the one that was pleading for him to run, suddenly silenced. The world around him went dark.

* * *

Brett shifted beneath the weight of a pounding headache. His skull felt like it was being split open by a dull axe, prompting him to reach up and press his palms against his temples in an attempt to quiet the throbbing.

What did he do last night, he wondered?

The morning light slicing through the window blinds stung his eyes as he squinted them open. He lurched into a sitting position, but the world immediately began to tilt; he had to white-knuckle the bedsheets to keep from tumbling back onto the mattress.

Again — what did he do last night?

He looked down and noticed he was topless and his breasts were just hanging there. Even when the moon was full and he transitioned into Brittany, he usually had the sense to wear a nightshirt, but...wait. The moon wasn't full. Why am I Brittany, he thought?

He looked across the room at the sleeping figure. “David?” Brett cringed at the sound of Brittany’s voice coming from him.

David rolled over and opened his eyes. His eyes immediately opened wide. “Damn girl—” Then he sat up and grabbed his own chest, as if checking for his own transformation. “What the hell?”

“What day is it?” Brett asked.

“Saturday,” David replied, sounded dazed.

“No — I mean — why am I Brittany?”

“We’re two weeks away from the full moon, man… I mean Britt.”

“What did I do last night?”

“How should I know? You were already out cold when I came in last night. I figured you just called it an early night.”

“You didn’t notice I was a girl?”

“No — I don’t gaze at my sleeping roommate. Besides, you were under the covers.”

Brett grimaced and grabbed one of her breasts. “I don’t remember….”

“For the love of God, Brittany, put some clothes on!” David snapped, looking away. “This is making me seriously uncomfortable.”

Being called Brittany didn’t sit well with him. “You’ve seen me naked,” Brett replied.

“Yeah, but that’s when I’m Dianna — and when I can’t pop a boner looking at my roommate!”

“Sorry,” Brett said, jumping up out of bed, only to feel the cold air of the room across his skin..

“Girl, you're literally naked!”

“I realize that now, David! Turn around then!”

David turned his head and covered his eyes.

Brett opened up the drawer he kept Brittany’s clothes in, and pulled out underwear and shorts, quickly pulling them on, then pulling out a t-shirt and throwing that on as well. “I’m decent, now.”

“Alright, what’s the last thing you remember?” David asked, returning his attention to his roommate.

Brett sat on the bed. “I went to find Cate.”

“And?”

“I remember stepping into the dining hall.”

“And?”

“There’s nothing after that.” Brett crossed his arms over his chest. Typically Weres didn’t experience dysphoria as their gender identity and physical forms were tied together. But there were times, like right before the transformation when they could feel the tug of the other gender pulling at them. Which is why many Weres transform in private. It wasn’t just about privacy. That’s how Brett felt right now. He felt like — no he knew — he was in the wrong body.

“Maybe you should go see Cate,” David suggested. “Maybe she’ll know what happened last night.”

“Cate’s not even talking to me.”

“Well—” David said, looking his roommate up and down. “She wasn’t talking to Brett. Maybe she’ll talk to Brittany?”

“I guess. But I think I should talk to another Were about this first.”

* * *

Brett walked up to the top floor of Colby and found the door labeled “Jamie/James.” He knocked on the door, hoping it wasn’t too early.

He didn’t know who else to go to. Jamie was a Wereman and a senior and the most knowledgeable person about Weres aside from professors.

She was cute, but didn’t date other Weres, and had instead been dating Sophia since last year.

The door opened, and a tired Jamie in a cropped tank top and flannel pajama bottoms opened up. She looked Brett up and down.

“Brittany?” she asked. “But… how is this possible?”

“I don’t know,” Brett replied. “I thought maybe you’d know.”

“I’m not aware of any lunar anomalies this week,” she mumbled. “The new moon is next week. Here, come in.”

Brett walked into Jamie’s room. It was single occupancy so it was smaller than the room he shared with David. Seniors were lucky enough to request singles.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Dysphoria?”

“Yes,” he replied, still holding his arms around his chest. “Very much. I’ve never felt anything like this.”

“Do you have a binder?”

“No.”

Jamie opened up a drawer and pulled out a cloth wrap and tossed it to him. She then pulled out a book, and sat down on the bed.

“What’s that?” he asked, peering at the book.

“Celestial events. Eclipses. Meteor showers, conjunctions, retrogrades. That sort of thing.”

“Was there anything last night?”

Jamie scanned the pages. “No. Nothing.”

Brett had a thought and frowned. “Is this a repeat of last year?” Last year, the Freshman Science Teacher, Mr. Sanders, had devised a way to extract transformational magic from Magics in order to detransform himself.

Jamie closed the book. “I’m not familiar with how that worked. That was never tested on Weres. You’d want to ask someone who was familiar with it.”

Aside from the late Mr. Sanders, the only people who know how it actually worked were Sophia’s friends Ashley and Brandi. And of course, Cate.

Brett stood up. “I’ll ask.”