Chapter 2

On Saturday morning, I drove Belinda to her home, about two hours north, where we picked up her guitar, and had lunch with her parents. They were happy that she had found someone to share her first week. We were able to tell them that we would be sharing the next two weeks, as we were helping two other guides, in separate coaches, but following the same general route from London to Rome, where we would be flown back for a week off before our next trip.

Absinthe and Roulette both go home for Christmas vacation, but events draw them and their friends together.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

Chapter 1

I should have known that I was too old to try to pull that dead stump. I wasn’t the young buck any longer, although it would have been hard to describe me as a buck in my youth. It was about the time of the third pull that I felt something was wrong, with my left arm and chest suddenly painful and my strength going, I fell onto my back and looked at the scudding spring clouds.

I saw the contest announcement and thought this would be just right for it. It isn't a holiday but it is transgender and it is set on an island.

This is a version of the first chapter of a story I began long ago in the Carboniferous when I was just a frond. The story was intended to be perhaps 6-8 chapters but, you know, life happened. Here's how it all began.

Life on the Beach

by Penny Lane

The Lucky One: Luck Be a Lady Chapter 3

I was appalled when I saw the leotard slip on a girl on the opposing girl gymnastics team. I glimpsed a penis! That's cheating! Of course I couldn’t just let that pass. However, I decided to give them the chance to withdraw quietly so I cornered the “girl” in question and told him their team had to forfeit or I’d tell the judges.

Part Eleven

Identifying the person behind the attacks on Aaron/Malak was one thing. Finding Molly Ironwood Sutter was proving to be very difficult. After the death of her husband several years before, mentions of her suddenly became sparse, for many years. More than once Aaron thought she might have even died, herself. However, each time he found later clues that she was still around.

Bennet asks if they can start doing the Tai Chi again, which naturally provokes questions. Ursula examines Larna's injured ankle before following Hanida down to the lower floor to assess how much the water level had risen.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

108 - Talk and Exercise

Chapter 7

We now had a couple of weeks before we met up with the Minister. I pulled out my old ‘Valkyries’ jacket and sewed my patches to the front. My electronics officer patch, and the ship name ribbon, my SAR patch, and my paratroopers badge were the start. Who knows what may be added to them.

Part Ten

"I checked with Insight," said Aaron, when Melody called from her office the next morning. She was at work, while he was still at home, enjoying a post-breakfast second cup of coffee. A rare luxury, even with his reduced schedule these days. "It agrees with my analysis. However, it can't find her."

"That's... surprising," said Melody. "As well as worrying. I suppose it's not because she's dead?"

"No. Somehow she's actively hiding. I guess it makes sense that someone with superhuman senses would be good at concealing herself."

The traffic had been awful all day. A journey of only 140 miles had taken six hours. The one saving grace was the booking at a roadside hotel that would give me a night's rest before the second 140 miles I had to do tomorrow. The staff at the hotel knew me from regular family visits.

Transgender coming of age story. Darcy has often been mistaken for a girl. In his first year at university, he joins a local highland dance team. He is (incorrectly?) assigned to the girls squad. After some months of training, Darcy joins three girls in performing a sword dance at the Inverness Highland Show. A life-changing experience.

Chapter 6

I almost passed out and he gave me some water, still grinning.

“You don’t expect the Minister to take you around the bases without you having the basic knowledge of military life, do you? This is going to be great.”

“Great, what do you mean, great! It will be me doing all these things!”

Part Nine

Aaron decided that he needed to speak with Abner Throne as quickly as possible. If nothing else, he wanted to correct whatever impression Mannequin had left him with. Therefore, instead of trying to make an appointment, he simply arrived in the man's office early the next day. Throne, busy poring over some documents, didn't even notice him until Aaron noisily cleared his throat. Throne's reaction then was one of annoyance.

"Who are you!? How did you get in here?!"

"I'm Aaron Labelle. I understand you've been trying to talk to me."

Rascal's First Halloween
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

-1-
Down the Transgender Fiction Rabbit Hole!

I fell down the transgender fiction rabbit hole late one summers evening between my junior and senior year in high school. I can still recall how it happened, it was simple enough, it was early in the evening and mom had been invited out to dine at a local restaurant by one of her co-workers. Leaving me alone, to fend for myself. Well not really fend for myself, she had slipped me three twenty dollars bills and told me to door-dash something.

Part Eight

"You don't seem very worried about the President denying some elements of modern science," said Melody, still on the phone with Aaron. "Aren't you afraid he'll influence researchers to post the wrong results?"

To the tune of “You Oughta Be in Pictures”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Oughta_Be_in_Pictures
Composed by Dana Suesse and Edward Heyman
Originally recorded by Rudy Vallee.

https://youtu.be/aYkO1Jwlue4?si=JakMphzejll6iOID

Chapter 4

I parked at the museum, beside the OB van, and went in. Matthew was organising the set, which didn’t take long with our morning preparation. Steve was in his official uniform and there had been a sign on the main door announcing that the museum was closed until five for a private function.

Part Seven

The gathering was held in a large, outdoor venue, one with a permanent stage. It currently also had folding chairs set on the concrete. Those seats nearest the stage had padding, for the comfort of honored guests (mainly donors). However, most of the chairs were unoccupied, padded or not. Over half the attendees for the event, "honored" or not, were actually in the padded chairs and still many were empty. The campaign organizers had seriously overbooked the facilities.

I woke early on Saturday, excited and terrified by the thoughts of the coming day. Probably more excited than terrified, yesterday’s excursion having done much to allay my fears. I checked the time; 5am. Still time for another snooze. I turned over, snuggled further into the duvet, closed my eyes, and stayed fully awake. After about 10 minutes or so, I decided I might as well get up and start to get ready. I wandered to the bathroom and was just about to step into the shower when I saw a small box on the shower tray with a note.

Wear this in the shower.