“Did you hear?” One guy started with the locker room talk in a tense voice- as was quite normal in a high school. “That really was Biff wasn’t it? rRunning on the track…”
The changing room was abuzz with the news yet nobody quite sure how to talk about it or even if they should. Each of them had an opinion on Biff’s changed state. They had not seen her since- well- when she was Biff. The real Biff; Biff the quarterback and captain of the team… now she was.. Biff the Sphinx assistant couch?
“I don’t know if I can call her Biff,. A young looking teenager tensely spoke. He seemed the shortest with not the strongest build.. short black hair with an Asian face though was clearly of mixed heritage. “I mean… I know it is Biff but...” his voice trailed a bit as he let that thought hang in the air. There was confusion and pain in the words not exactly sure if what he said was offensive or not but- one can usually speak freely in the team right? However something like this happening to their captain… they were just supposed to move on?
There were mutters of sympathy in the team and the echoes of earned respect for their old captain but the situation was unsettling. “I don’t think I can handle this it’s kinda messing with my head.” Jason finally admitted. A more gangly looking teenager with long arms and who seemed to have a strong reach and known to have a long throw. His aim however needed improvement especially when the game got very tense.
James glanced up at that. He had been very quiet… Jason was a nice guy really though had been very unlucky with a couple of shots. He knew he was one of those people easily distracted by personal issues… and perhaps he was taking what happened to Biff with great sympathy and distraction- so of course he wouldn’t be able to play football at his best. He thought he might gain an ally. “I’m not comfortable either-” James replied back. “I certainly don’t want to take orders from her either.” He grumbled. “That change might have messed with his- her head.” If James could persuade them to get Biff out of their lives it would be easier and… in perhaps a ‘slightly’ good way it might put Biff away from whatever the prank was going to be. All this talk about Biff’s good days was getting to him too.
Steven put on a shirt with a grunt of annoyance. “Come on, Biff is still Biff.. we’ve been a team for all year. We owe him!” Steven was known to be optimistic even when the chips were down. He would keep spurring the team on regardless of score. “We should give him a chance and he is still be one of us right?”
There were muted silence as Jason cast an awkward look at that. “It’s not that I don’t respect him or don’t like him. Of course I do! It’s just… she kinda scares me,” He rubbed his hands together. “I don’t know why it’s unsettling. How am I supposed to play looking at that weird body she now has. She’s a head with a lion at the bottom!”
James shrugged. “You were always easily spooked. Didn’t you last time lose the shot because of a damn megaphone?”
Jason looked up in alarm being reminded of that. It cost them the game… his poor throw. Ever since then he has tried to focus and get better. The game was important to him. It was important to win. With Biff on the sidelines that was going to be impossible. He was often berated for not being good enough.. for being easily distracted.. and now this? Maybe he should just quit and claim personal issues. When Biff was captain he knew he could rely on him to make up for his own short comings.. he said it was teamwork- and Jason liked that about Biff. His strength was always so… inspirational. His simplicity view brought clarity… and it was something Jason liked to have. Now everything was complicated and he didn’t want to do this.
Steven folded his arms. “Let’s just have a few games with his as assistant couch okay? I believe in him. Biff has some good plays in her head. ”
“Yeah but you believe in fairies,” James remarked with a chuckle.
Steven rolled his eyes. “My great great grandfather turned into one!” he said. “It got him as a teenager- I was lucky he was able to have a kid before that happened.”
“What happened to him in the end?” Asked James curious.
“Well...” Steven thought about it. “To be honest he became a bit depressed I think. There wasn’t exactly a lot of support when these things happened back then. He said he was going to try and find other fairies. He boarded a ship and never returned. It’s possible he’s still alive-”
“yeah… probably with the fairies,” James sighed. “The problem is you don’t face reality. I’m sorry but you know what happened.. he was a small fairy on a 19th century ship. The crew either ate him or he fell off into the sea.”
“Merfolk are still found sometimes in the sea!” Steven protested.
“Huh? Oh- you mean that one time yeah.. some fringe group of them after not being able to work out how to get back to civilisation because they were just dumb.” James countered. “I’m sorry but the world is a big place.. if there were an island of fairies it would have been found by now. Stop thinking about things that are not real and get your head back in the game.” James had enough of this. “Going out, I’ll come up with some plays in case Biff loses her marbles.” He picked up his bag and left...
The conversation with the team was tense to the Jock. James was the new quaterback.. the new captain.. the new leader. He knew how to face reality.. how could he do the same for them? Then again they didn’t have to face what he saw. He saw that.. ugly face- that weird creature that Sarah had become. Damn it- he still felt that bop on his lips when he tried to kiss her. He felt that disgust rise from his stomach again. He needed a drink and went to a fountain. He then started to lap up the water from the fountain, extending his tongue and bringing it back up. The liquid felt nice on his mouth feeling nice and clean-
“W-what the-” Why was he drinking from the fountain like that! He gulped in distress as he considered… had Sarah ‘infected’ him?! He looked at his hands but.. couldn’t see anything.. touching his face he didn’t feel anything wrong either.
… Maybe it was just a brief one off? Due to the contact with a changed? Yeah.. that could be it. He was strong and his immune system was probably fighting it…
Part of him was also wondering what Eliot had in mind to humiliate Biff… something during the game. It would happen tomorrow… whatever it was.
“Good night sweetie!” Andrews mother chimed in. “How was school today? Did you learn anything fun?”
Andrew looked at this with.. weird bemusement. “Well- we were learning about radiation today.” He said a small grin.
“Oh, science is interesting,” His mother nodded. “Any thoughts on what you want to be when you grow up?”
Andrew shrugged. “I.. dunno.” This was getting increasingly weird. His mother was never all that.. interested in his life. It was nice that she was now… even giving him advice on options but he did note that some of her mothers influence was different. Then one horrifying thought.. Did.. did his mother like him more as a girl?! Why was she so.. clingy and tucking him in at night and stuff- if not to be overly protective...
Then his mother smiled as if sensing Anne’s reluctance to sleep. “Oh it’s one of your friends birthdays tomorrow! I was thinking you could wear that lovely purple dress. It matches your green eyes well. It works well with your snake tail too.”
The thought of wearing a pretty dress- well- he had never done such things before but.. now that he had a few times it felt kind of nice? Why not just enjoy it… could he? “Mom? Uh.. can I ask you something a bit weird?”
“Sure honey.”
Andrew glanced to the mirror… the snake girl was there lying in bed. The end of her tail curled a little to the side given it was so long. That was him… or her? He looked back to his mother. “If I was a boy.. would you still… like me?”
Andrew’s mother furrowed into a brow. “Don’t be silly sweetie you’re a girl, my precious girl!” She gave a sudden embrace and hug.
Of course he was… reality had changed for her but not for him. “But- just- you know- if when I changed I had changed into a boy… would you still...”
“Of course I would,” his mother patted his head. “Silly snake.”
Andrew frowned. “.. but you act different...” Andrew whispered. He looked down guiltily. He liked it… he liked his mother doting on him like this but also- well- he suddenly realised how clingy she was to him like this too. She showed so much love.. so much more then she ever did as a boy. Maybe it was because she was a changed snake girl… it isn’t really a fair test to say she was now a boy turned girl- she was a human boy turned snake girl! Was she .. feeling a need to be more nurturing because of that? Did she feel guilty that she was a snake.. a girl with no real legs?
“I don’t know what’s in your head little missy,” Andrew’s mother ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’re a pretty girl regardless.. and I don’t think I would act that different- though maybe for the sake of argument, boys tend to grow quicker.. I suppose I would recognise that- that’s not to say I love one more then the other.. it’s just there are different challenges a boy has to go through.. a different nature. It’s not something I can fully understand so.. I might just let your father work that one out- is that really bad of me?”
Andrew gulped. His mother was saying it as if she could sense something was off about him. Did some part of her know of the change? Maybe it was in her subconscious… now that he thought about it his father seemed a little different too. Not in a bad way exactly but the way he spoke to her was different.. to him! Yet her father as a guy didn’t tend to display affection, guys didn’t do that… Why was it so hard… and why was it so difficult to say she hated this? ‘She shows so much love to me...’ Anne thought to herself. A blink and he saw her.. she.. she was a snake girl. She looked down at her body again, at the growing breasts that showed she would probably have an above average size when older. She held her breath as if to hold this reality for a moment...
“goodnight sweetie,” Her mother whispered.
“um.. goodnight,” Anne smiled back. She laid down… still confused but.. less troubled now as she exhaled… she stayed as she was. She was liked either way it was just… things were different. The question was… did she like this? If she had a choice is this the world she could accept? The horrible thing was how she wasn’t sure she should be allowed to choose… nobody got a choice usually- were her reasons even valid? That she simply.. liked to be liked?
“Fine!” she suddenly said to .. nobody. “I’m okay with being treated as.. as a snake girl- just don’t make me regret it..”
Finally home, James was preparing for bed.
He put his gym bag away after removing the clothes for cleaning. He had a fresh set put in that was all pre-prepared. He was still a bit anxious about what had happened at the fountain and decided to get a quick drink of water in the kitchen. Nothing weird happened this time.. he drank it from a cup as normal.
He went back to his room… eventually dismissing it. “Yeah.. stupid thing.” He laid down in bed with the lights off- still.. spooked by it. The game was tomorrow though he didn’t want to deal with this fear! He laid down on his front when- something felt like it bit him? “Ow-” He winced as he rubbed his front. He reached out for the lamp at the beside.
“What the-” Looking down on his chest.. something very strange? He seemed to have four spots running down his front. They were fairly symmetrical and spread evenly but.. this.. couldn’t be right- he poked the tender flesh and.. it felt almost like a nipple?!
Maybe.. it was just a weird dream..
He blinked a few times and… yes it was gone.
.. just a hallucination.
A bright new dawn had begun and what promised to be a glorious day with a warm sun. People filtered into the Stadium bringing everyone who wanted to watch the sport directly.
Jon normally didn’t care for for sports but.. there were a few pressing reasons to go have a look today. First of all it was a nice change of pace and he could bring Mikey along. His brother turned sister was doing better in her harpy-girl form.. and he found himself ruffling her head with a grin.
“Hey stop that!” Mikey laughed blushing. She was dressed with a simple blue dress. It covered the majority of her body but the sleeves were cut to show her wings. Her talons were in full view as she walked using them around the town. A few people glanced to her but didn’t seem all that fussed. “I can’t wait to see what Biff does. What’s it mean anyway to be an assistant couch?”
“It means he gets to tell the players how to play. Football is a weird game, I have no idea how it all works.” It might be a good time to learn though.
Mikey then saw something.. interesting. A young snake-girl being walked by her parents. “A-Anne?!” She gasped.
Jon looked to the snake-girl and smiled. “Heya.”
Anne had a bit of a blush as she was also wearing a dress- a purple one with some black spots on it. Much like Mikey she couldn’t really use pants due to her snake-body but.. she gave a shy look to the harpy girl. “Yeah.. I decided I was.. okay with this.” She folded her arms and let her snake tail give a little wave.
“Really?!” The harpy girl gasped.
“Yeah- I have my reasons… I’m good. Really.” The snake-girl started to swiftly move to find her seat in the stadium. Mikey had to admit she looked to be moving quite. Naturally now? Anne seemed at peace as she held both her parents hands to take their seat. The family had such big smiles...
Jon sat down towards his assigned seat… the game stadium was actually state of the art. A ton of money was always thrown into it with a proper screen showing the plays. The scores were up.
“So who are we playing against?”
“Looks like it’s the Lakeside Marauders vs Red-forest Bears” Jon said as he looked to the program. “Hm.. Sarah’s going to be doing her show too.”
Soon enough Jon was quite surprised to see a wolf-girl- Sarah was in near full wolf mode as she began her procession to the center of the pitch. There were some surprises as she looked very lightly dressed in just her underwear and bra. Her fur completely covering herself.
“The bears think they can take our territory!” She said in a megaphone. “We are going to fight them and win!” Sarah of course felt really good- she felt as one between her two identities.. the wolf in her acknowledging the challenge.. and the human part explaining the context.
Music began to play as the cheerleaders performed their intricate movements. Jon was surprised to watch how Sarah used her tail to sway with the music- and found herself blushing. “God damn it- how can Sarah make being a wolf even more sexy..” He thought rubbing his hands. Indeed a lot of the crowd seemed to be enjoying it! Jon wasn’t even sure what it was about animal folk he liked so much. “I wish Karyn was here too...” Unfortunately the cat-girl had something else to do… but Jon had another cat in mind… Where was she? “Ah- there she is!”
The young sphinx was staying on the side… working quietly with the head-couch. The poor thing looked like she had been up all night working out strategies.
“Huddle up!” Biff shouted.
Jon felt a.. weird emotion as all those footballers crowded around the sphinx blocking her from his view. What secrets would she tell them…
Biff was indeed tense. The eyes of the crowd watching- scrutinising her… in some ways she felt somehow in between the team and the crowd being the one to work out the plays. She wanted this to be a success… it felt good to be in the game in some capacity though. She glanced to Couch Curtis who seemed to give a nod. The sphinx-girl had full control over the team in this capacity. It would be down to her calls and strategies if they win or lose. The team were all around her in the huddle.. and being stared down at them like this was perhaps a bit unnerving- but she held her nerve with a flick of her lion-tail. “Okay.. the bears like to play aggressive. They think we’re weakened but they are not stupid. They will go in hard and take the ball probably go for the goal in as early time as possible...” He glanced to James. “You go on the left side- defend.”
“Defend?! The hell are you saying,” James growled. “No way- let’s attack them back!”
Biff looked at him reluctantly. “I’ve gone through this… they always go on an early game from the left. You can grab it and then pass the ball to Jason.”
“Jason?! He can’t pass it anywhere near accurate enough.” James continued to challenge.
“He will in this instance!” Biff tried to insist.
“Let me guess, clairvoyance?” James narrowed his eyes.. would she admit it? Would she admit to having some freaky power? He suspected it.. it had to be the case… admit it!
“I know his skill,” Biff replied curtly. “-and I know he can do it. Jason, you -can- do it.” The sphinx gazed at him.
Jason stared back and nodded. “I will- right.”
“Whatever,” James grumbled. Placing him in defence… when they had to have their best in front? Was Biff just nuts..
Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly) the ball came in James’s direction and he was able to grab it. He glanced to Jason on his right who was open and ready to receive it as part of the play- they could advance! It was just as Biff envisioned. However… it would be much better if James took the lead. He gestured forward abandoning the plan. He ran forward pushing past the players. “GRAAA!” he yelled. ‘this.. is exhilarating… I never felt like this before. Just a little more-’ He felt great! This was living-
Then he was tackled.. the ball was lost. It happened so quickly that he was at a loss as he turned back to try and reclaim the run. It was … so quick. The opponents scored the first goal! There crowd cheered and looked tense. The clock ticked and there was again a moment to pause and re-plan.
Biff looked in annoyance. “What the hell was that!” She gripped her paws into the ground. “James you are being retarded! I told you to pass the ball when that opening was made!”
“There was a way forward! They are hitting us hard we hit them hard!” James frowned “I’m not going to be ordered around by some freak-”
Biff suddenly released her claws. “If you can’t follow the plan then you’re out and I’ll get someone else.” The sphinx stated simply.
James frowned. He hated this situation! “Fine… alright...” He didn’t want to lose out on the scholarship. “So what’s it to be ‘great wise sphinx’, how do we win?” his voice dripped sarcasm.
Biff looked at the team and.. her eyes began to glow. Something.. strange- what was this? She could see it.. she could see what their plan was. The way the ball was moving- plans.. counter plans.. her breath quickened. “Use… the Sentry’s Swords play- modify with an extra pass” he commanded. “James.. you up front.”
James frowned but nodded. It was a plan he could at least get behind as it put him in front.
“However… right after” Biff whispered... “One pass to Jason.. Jason pass to Steven.. Steven back to Jason…” She drew the lines carefully. “Their team will attempt to counter... that’s when you score the goal James...” The future was clear to her. Yes.. they would score.
James wasn’t entirely sure he liked the plan. It seemed a bit convoluted… why so many passes? However the entire team seemed willing to go with it. “Fine.. alright.”
In mere moments the play was executed. James decided to do as he was told to.. pass the ball once- advance.. wait… in a less then ten seconds the ball was back in his hands. The plan seemed to be working! He ran to score-
The crowd went wild! James looked up and grinned. He did it! Well- the team did…
The next couple of plays went very similar. Every time the opponents tried to counter them for some reason Biff knew exactly how it was going to play. At one point the Sphinx was almost speaking to them in a trance-like state.
“Huddle...” She whispered. The team all looked to her like an oracle. “Plan.. to score the next goal.. Positions thirteen.. seven… nine… midfield, pass between five three… shoot...” Biff’s eyes glowed gently. The future was clear? This was how to win… yes.
The team followed the orders without question now. They were absolutely destroying the opponents! Goal- another goal- another.. and another… The Bears couldn’t get a single shot in. It was perhaps the most amazing single sided win they had ever had!
Jon started to clap and watched as Mikey clapped her wings together awkwardly making a bit of a woosh in front of her. “Wow- That’s just amazing… never thought we had such an awesome team.”
Mikey nodded. “Uh.. maybe...” Though she knew it was more. Some changed did have weird tricks after all...
With the end of the game Biff still seemed in a daze. What was happening… she was on the field now? Cheerleaders around them.. or is that what is going to happen? Wait- where was the present… she couldn’t quite understand-
“Thanks to our Assistant couch with her brilliant plays we got a hundred points!” Biff how do you feel?” Couch Curtis grinned.
Biff was still.. at a daze. Was this happening now? She was still looking at the game and the way it was going. Make more scores.. more positions. “Seven.. to.. twelve.. pass...” She muttered.
“Biff?” The couch tried to tap her.
“Advance to secondary position-”
“BIFF!” The couch tried again.
“Huh.. what...” She blinked. “What’s happening...” Biff never felt so lost. Something wasn’t right. She couldn’t hold onto… where she was- no WHEN she was. The present.. this was when she was now? Slowly reality began to shift together in her mind. She still felt strange though… vague impressions of things yet to be playing in her mind- things that could be?
in so many echoes of the distant future… why was Jon there?
Elliot decided now was the best time to act. The game had got everyone nuts- somehow their team had scored over a hundred? Elliot didn’t care much about football though and didn’t even know what to make of it but.. this was it. He had to sneak inside the broadcasting station- an easy thing since nobody was here. They seemed to have gone on an extended lunch break thanks to the crazy game.
“Here we go,” he started to connect a video and the radio system up. It was pretty easy, the system was designed take any input. A quick test signal on the main game screen was shown as the switch was made. “Heh… okay Biff, your highest moment is about to become your lowest...”
“Game’s over kid,” Couch Curtis smiled as Biff had come out of.. whatever happened to her.
“I.. I..” Biff stared in confusion. “I can still- I mean- I could still see the game being played...” She frowned. “I think I’m going nuts...” It made sense. She was in the wrong body in some lion creature and completely the wrong gender. Her sanity had to be going… or was this body slowly eating away at her brain? Why was she seeing all these weird things!
“It’s okay Biff,” Couch Curtis tried to keep her focused. “You did well lets- huh?” He looked towards the screen. It had changed now to.. some kind of documentary?
“Lions are very aggressive creatures...” It began- showing a picture of a lion running through the savannah- however it had Biff’s face super imposed upon it. “Sometimes they can not get their pray- as a result they are required to eat the excrement instead as you can see here.”The picture shifted and…
Couch Curtis winced. “Oh for the love of...”
The documentary continued. “Now we look at the mating practices of the lion. When it huffs in this manner it is signalling a desire to mate...” again the image was shown of Biff-
The crowd looked at the altered documentary as it showed Biff’s face and the lion doing.. well- all the normal things a lion would do of course, but with his superimposed face on it. They started to erupt in laughter.
“Now watch as it marks its territory on this tree-”
“Biff?” Couch Curtis gently touched her shoulder
Biff stared.. and looked at all the laughing people. She looked down too shocked and.. hurt. “I.. just want to be alone now… excuse me.” She suddenly spread her wings and took off… leaving the stadium as she heard all the laughter following her.
James watched the prank and was actually quite horrified. This was way too far- but he was having another problem of his own. He was now with his team mates taking his shower. He carefully wrapped his towel but..
“Hey- you okay?” Steven asked.
James looked down in confusion. “What- what the heck-?” Nipples- four of them had suddenly formed on his torso. He looked confused as his towel suddenly pushed away. A curious brown curled tail completely blew away what modesty he could hold onto as the entire team stared at their changing quarterback.
“Oh crap he’s changing!” Steven pointed.
James gasped as soon breasts began to push out from his chest. His body becoming slender as it did so and.. younger? He wanted to cry out as everyone started to run out from the locker room.. some not even fully clothed. he could barely notice it though as he was focused on his own changing body. “Help!” He gasped as his voice started to turn rather..feminine? Girly…
he reached out a hand seeing it turn into something a lot more paw-like. Thickening skin growing around it as fur enveloped the nails. He winced as he clutched his torso with them. Small breasts began to push out- but not just the first two… the new additions on his torso- they all formed into breasts! Soon he had six breasts blooming on his front. A sudden shock on his groin as it became feminine- the fur began to grow all around him, a light brown colour..
Short brown fur with a splash of white on his front which only drew more attention to the many additions of her new body.
James felt her feet rise up a little as her feet became digigrade much like a wolf. Her ears turning into points at the top of her increasingly animal looking face. The eyes though still looked fairly human perhaps strangely bigger and wider… her nose pushing outward into a vaguely heart-shaped nose.
“Nooo!” He- now a girl howled in the empty locker...
