Chapter 25

Through the rest of that summer, I stepped up my patrols. Twice more I was one of the first on the scene, but I never again saw the man running away. And by October, his count had reached a dozen. Then, the killings just stopped.

Our new apartment was perfect! It overlooked Chinatown, and I could even see the back of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association from it. And they were still doing the work to put the elevator inside one of the structural supports that ran to the basement. And with some work added another floor to the elevator in the parking structure, so it went down another 20 feet with my ID card. So I could access the old subway from our apartment, then take it to either the parking structure or Dire Wolf’s place.

At least, when it was done. At this point, we had the apartment, but we only stayed there once or twice a week, as the tunnels and elevators were still being built or upgraded.

That November Doug and I were on the rooftop garden at night, I was enjoying the feel of the cool wind on my face, and he described the lights in the distance. And of course, I said yes when after finally building up his nerve, Doug proposed to me. The only thing he was hesitant about was finally resolved two weeks before, but I did not know that at the time.

He came up to my office one time to get me for lunch, and he found me as Dire. That was unusual, as I did 90% of my work as Di, and he asked why. I showed him what I was working on, the first compilation of all known data from greater chameleons.

By this time, they had changed classifications of some of our abilities into Greater and Lesser Chameleons. A “Lesser Chameleon” was anybody that had a change in their appearance due to their mutation. It could even be as minor as Glenda’s hair turning green. And basically, it covered anybody where their change was purely cosmetic. But for those that changed more significantly, that was “Greater Chameleon”, even if it was permanent like Clint.

Clint thought that was silly when I first told him, but I pointed out that he did change significantly once he became a mutant. “And honestly, we or you may find a way someday to resume your original form. So Control is not discounting that possibility as well.”

I asked Doug to take a seat and told him I was reading through it for the third time. “Honey, the things here are both frightening, and give me a lot of relief.” He asked me in what way, and I moved forward to the section about reproduction.

“Here, this is something I was worried about. But as of this time, ten women who are greater chameleons have had healthy babies. And two men who are greater chameleons have fathered children. And most shocking, at least one XX-XY has fathered a child.”

“Wait, what? XX-XY?”

“Well, I have yet to actually meet one, there is only one in this district and they are anonymous. I only see redacted reports of their abilities. There are three major classifications of Greater Chameleon. XX-XX and XY-XY are linked together. Both Clint and I fall into that group. Our host and guest forms are both of the same genders. However, the other two are XX-XY and XY-XX. In the first, it is a female that becomes male. In one of those cases, the female in their male form got another woman pregnant. So literally, she is now a father. In each case, the sperm were normal, and now we know for a fact can create a healthy baby. And the same with an XY-XX. Sperm remains potent, and can father children.”

I looked into his eyes and sighed after giving him a kiss. “But no XY-XX has become pregnant that we know of. And last month, an XX-XY suffered a kind of miscarriage. She was just over four weeks pregnant, and when she transformed the baby just, vanished. But we now have ten cases of XX-XX mothers having healthy babies. So that means I can have kids! This is one of the reasons why I took this position, and this is one of the most important questions of my abilities I have had. I am just glad I am not XX-XY.”

“Yea, you lose the baby if you change, that is horrible. How is she doing?”

“Actually, she is fine and accepting. According to the report, she is a college student, and not working as a Paladin. The pregnancy was unplanned, and after telling the boyfriend, he tried to push her into getting an abortion. She refused, he started smacking her around. And she changed and threw him through a wall. He got a concussion, and some pharmaceutical drugs gave him a blackout of that time. She is in another city now and is in therapy. In fact, one of her comments actually said that if nothing else, her changing would make for perfect birth control.”

Doug tried not to laugh, so I chuckled. “So that is one good thing, but I still need them, I can become pregnant in either form. And carry the baby just fine in either form.”

“So, there are men who become women that sleep with other men as women?”

“Uh-huh, and the reverse. One thing they are trying to figure out in fact. But this is a bit of a surprise, almost 75% of gender-changing greater chameleons report that their guest form is bisexual.”

“Wow, that’s kinda weird. But I guess I can understand to a degree. But so many of them?”

I looked at him and slowly nodded. “And yes, me too, I have to say. Dianne, she is straight. And as I said other than kissing another girl in school, I never had an attraction to other girls sexually. But like this as Dire? Well, let’s just say that I have had a few female lovers before I met you. Dire Wolf is bisexual.”

“Di, do you want a girlfriend as Dire?”

I turned and hugged him tight, then kissed. “No! Not at all, never! I love you, and only you. And they were all early after I changed, shortly after I moved back to Chinatown. I enjoyed it, but it had downsides as well.” And he laughed when I admitted that it was having to kick them out, as I could not let them see me fall asleep.

“You are the only man to ever make love to Dire, you and no other man. As for myself, in school I did have one girlfriend, I guess. I told you about how I set up that boy in school, Freddie. Well, one of the girls who I had feel my boob to show they were not the size of cantaloupes was Jill. Remember, boys and girls were watched closely there. They were not allowed in our dorms, and we could not go to theirs. We could get in some kissing, but that was about it. Well, after that, Jill and I kind of became secret lovers in a way.”

I sighed and described how every few weeks, we would go to one of our rooms and spend anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour making out. “And, ahhh, well, feeling each other’s boobs. But always through clothes. I was still a B then, I would guess she was a small C. We would lie down on one of our beds, and just make out and play with each other’s boobs. In fact, the last time she went into the bathroom and removed her bra. We knew it was the last time, and I copied her so that time we did it without our bras, but still kept our shirts on. But it was never really a sexual thing, more like two lonely and slightly horny girls having a little fun.”

“Well, is not like that is really all that unusual in such cases. And nothing since?”

“Nope, as Dianne I have no interest at all in other girls. But Dire? Oh yes, fairly quickly I found out she likes girls. Very much so.”

“So, how exactly does that work? I mean, it sounds kind of strange.”

“I know, it puzzles me too sometimes. God, I wish I had another like me I could talk to. But for obvious reasons, most of us Greater Chameleons are highly secretive. Our host form is our secret identity, and we like it that way. I really want to talk to an XX-XY or an XY-XX, see how it is with them. But to be honest, I have a feeling that many who are XY-XX may be a mess.”

“Why is that? And more so than an XX-XY?”

By this time we were in a small corner of the cafeteria, and talking quietly. “Think about it. It’s a simple fact, women tend to be more likely to be bisexual than men are. We also touch more and think nothing of hugging another woman, even non-sexually. You guys are more hung up about it. Seeing two women in a movie kissing, that’s hot. Two guys, that’s gross. I have a suspicion that a lot of XY-XX may have problems accepting that in their female form, they could take a man into them. I know that if I was able to grow a penis, it would seem strange. I am not attracted to other women, but Dire can be. Such does not revolt me as Dianne, but it does not interest me really either.”

“You know, I never thought of it like that, but I can see exactly what you mean. And you are probably right. I will admit, I am probably like most guys, and the idea of being with another guy is something I find somewhat revolting. But I am not so homophobic that I can not hug a male friend, or find two guys together to be a problem. But it interests me in no way either.”

“And take it a step farther. You are a man, have been all your life. And now suddenly, you find out you can become female. And not only that, you have a desire to feel a man inside of you. Because of the penetration aspect, I think the guys who become women would have a lot harder time accepting that than the women who become men.” And to Doug’s credit, he looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.

And that night after we went to bed, we made love again when I was Dire. And this time I came! In fact, I asked and we looked at each other as we did, and it was so fucking sexy, looking into Doug’s eyes as I reached my peak, then a moment later the look in his eyes as he did. And I felt so relaxed as we held each other afterward, it was like I was floating on a cloud.

And another first, I drifted off just enough and heard Doug squawk. And I realized he was still inside of me, and I was now Di. I giggled softly, and he said that was freaky. “You are, I don’t know how to describe it. As Di, you are smaller but looser. Dire, is looser but more snug. I know that sounds crazy, but that is the sense I get inside.”

“Well, I have had some lovers in the past, but am smaller. And I bet that inside, I am bigger as Dire. In fact, I wonder now if it might be easier for me if when I eventually have babies, I give birth as Dire. Her hips are certainly wider, it might make things easier.”

“Well, I love you either way. And I would love to see the doctors writing that up afterward.” We both laughed, and I cuddled onto Doug’s chest and we fell asleep.

We had Thanksgiving at mom and dad’s place, and John and Janice were there also. It was a great meal, and even mom accepted that shortly after we got there I changed into Dire. Afterward we sat in the living room and talked until late into the evening, and Doug drove us home.

For Christmas, we had it at our place. I even gave everybody a tour of Dire’s apartment, and the garage. Dad was especially impressed as he looked over my van. And I realized he had likely only seen it on the news, as obviously I never took it to their house.

“Di, how exactly were you getting between the apartments?” my mom finally asked.

“Oh, that’s simple. For thee two, Uncle Don had false walls added to Auntie Liling’s apartment. Both of the buildings connect to there, the corridor was built by taking some of her spare bedroom away, and a little of her living room. And there is a secret door I can still use to get in there. Sometimes at night I still go visit her, or she comes and joins us here. It is still being worked out, but when we fully move to the new place next year, Dire’s will remain as it is, but this will be converted to use for visiting Paladins or others who need it.”

“So the one above the garage remains hers?”

“Yes, that will remain as Dire’s. Officially, she will live there, but it will be able to be used by those who stay here. Control is working out a way for me to move from one to the other underground. I will of course live with Doug in our place, but Dire will have that for official meetings as herself with others. And I can see a need, say if I want to conduct an interview from my home. That is a good way to disassociate one from the other.”

“So how exactly does all that work, Tang-Tang?” my mother asked. “You speak of Dire as if she is another person sometimes.”

“Well, in most ways she actually is. Dire can drive, she can do almost anything as a person except vote. She has her own Social Security Number, the money she collects for her and Fang are separate, and she pays taxes on them, in the same way Di does on her income. Think of her as her own living LLC, with her own identity legally, but both inhabiting the same body.”

“So, are you Dire sitting there, or Dianne?”

“Both, really. Dire has her own thoughts, and things are different. Di loves sweet, Dire loves sour. Di loves jazz and classical, Dire loves hard rock. Fang and Mister Jangles, that is just as confusing. He is smarter as Fang, so much smarter. But for each of us, our original mind is predominantly in control. Mostly, it is little things. If Di wants a snack, she is likely to grab a chocolate bar. Yet as Dire, I am more likely to grab something like vinegar potato chips or pretzels. Di loves relaxing and reading, Dire will binge watch 8 hours of TV and movies at a time. I am sitting here, interacting with you as if I am Di, because this is who you know. But if it is just me alone, I can see other things I would do differently. Think of it like this. Being here with you all, Di is in charge and Dire is sitting quietly in the background. If I relax and let Dire take over, she is a bit blunter. More, primal. You all know Star Trek, think of Di as a Vulcan, and Dire as a Romulan.”

“Well sis, at least she is not a Klingon. That would be very weird.”

“Oh, I know. The difference is really subtle most times. Music tastes, movies, and things like TV shows. To give an idea, I find it strange to watch movies and TV when I let Dire pick the shows. Dire likes violent shows, like Game of Thrones. Di, I would rather watch some RomCom or comedy. In fact, I think the first movie we both really liked is Lucan. But as Di, I get the ending more than Dire does.”

“Yea sis, that is subtle. But I think I see what you mean. You see the same thing but through different lenses.”

“That is a good comparison. But in fact, as Dire, things are more different than that. I actually do taste things different, not just my opinion of them. I also hear differently, I can hear sounds lower and higher as Dire than I can as Di. And it is almost impossible to tell as they are so old, but I think I see things different also.”

“You see things differently? Like, what do you mean?”

“Well, let’s say colors. I have in my mind what ‘red’ is for example. And for years in my mind, it was this bright color, gave me a hot feeling. But as Dire, red just does not look like the red I remember. It’s like it is more muted. And purple, in my mind it had been cool, dark, relaxing. It was always my favorite color, and I could look at something purple forever, it was calming to me. But as Dire, it is a bright color, it’s weird. Those are the extremes, but it is like every color Dianne remembers, Dire sees in a different way.”

“Wow, that’s weird. And you are sure it is those eyes and not just your memory of what colors were like?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I want to talk to another like me, a Greater Chameleon that can still change forms.” And of course, then I had to explain the differences between Greater and Lesser Chameleon, and Active and Static Chameleon.

“It’s funny, as it is probably the most common mutation and the one we understand the least. I know all kinds, but I am the only Active Greater Chameleon I know. And that is simply because most are like me. We change so radically, that the entire guest form is our disguise. And we are a bit paranoid about people connecting them to our host forms.”

“Have you asked the others?”

“Yes, but that is a problem. Lesser Chameleons seem to have no changes other than cosmetic. And then I have Clint, who I have talked to about this. He is a Greater Chameleon, but static. He also told me things like colors and taste seem different, but he can not go back and forth like I can to verify if it is true or not. In fact, for over a year he has been doing drills and exercises, in the hopes he can find a way to revert to his old form.”

“What, he does not like being who he is now?” my dad asked.

“Dad, he does, and also does not. Think about it, he is one of the most amazing men I know, and I love him dearly. But he is forever cursed to remain alone.”

“What? Why is that?” Janice asked.

I sighed. “OK, you all know the Mutant Secrecy Act, this is only between us 6 and never to be repeated elsewhere. But look at him, first, a woman would have to get over the fact that he is over 8 feet tall, has fingernails and hands that can rip through quarter-inch steel siding, and weighs in excess of 500 pounds. He has dated a couple of girls since then, none could handle that. Although I feel bad because one was just a Paladin Groupie, and she wanted to be able to say she got nailed by him.”

“Did not happen?”

“Janice, it can’t happen!” I sighed sadly. “OK, look at how big he is, his head, his hands, how long his arms and legs are. OK, I saw once, he was changing and I came in. His yinjing is almost literally the size of my forearm. As in, from elbow to fingertips, and as big around as near my elbow for all of it. And, well, I found out more from his medical report. It, well, it’s like a dog or most mammals. Most of it is inside of his body until it is erect. Then it comes outside to play. I actually ache for him, because no human female could ever handle that inside of her.”