Fast Forward

“I don’t know how I can thank you Jesse!” Overwhelmed with joy Elsie kisses you full and hard on the lips before jerking back again. She wipes her lips and blushes as she realizes what she had done. “Sorry!”

You chuckle and feel your own cheeks warm with blush, that tasted good! “Ahem! Uh…yeah, happy to do it. So it’s a yes?”

“YES!” She cries out. “Oh my God, YES!!!” Birds take flight, startled at loud outburst, and a local peeks over his back fence into the park to see what the commotion was about.

You laugh together and hug and smile, feeling that old connection you had as children pick right up where it left off. You motion to the mess on the ground. “So…you want to go for a bubble tea?”

She giggles and hugs you. “Yeah!”

One wonderful week later, probably the happiest of your entire life, and you and Elsie are at Peg’s house getting ready for the big moment. The pair of you had reforged the bond you’d shared in your youth and all seemed right with the world once more. El opened up and laughed again like you hadn’t seen in years. It was wonderful. You told your mom that you and your sister would be here staying overnight but the truth of the matter was that you’d be in the lab all night. In the morning Peggy would bring the pair of you back here to rest and recuperate.

Peg was taking a hell of a risk here, but like you she was willing to do anything to see Elsie at peace with herself. But, like you, this wasn’t pure altruism on her part. Speaking with you and El plainly, as adults and as equals, she made you understand that every bit of data she could get from this procedure would further her research by leaps and bounds. Working within the rules of medical ethics with altered mice or other animals was severely limiting her advances and this sort of opportunity was a welcome boon for her on a scientific level. She told you about how the Bailey mutation had the potential to unlock cures to diseases and expand possibilities in genetic manipulation that could change the world. She told you about how, in the distant future, your family’s genetics, homo futanaris she called you, would inevitably win out over existing homo sapiens. And she told you openly how she imagined her name going down in history as the lone pioneer of a whole new branch of science.

Strangely, her blunt honesty was comforting to you and Elsie. Each of you had something to gain from this arrangement. Elsie got the body and the normal life she always wanted, Peg got precious data for her ambitious legacy, and you…you got a big dick. The whole thing was…refreshing. Peggy didn’t treat you like children, like your mom did, or look down at you, like Fiona did. She respected you enough to educate you first then speak seriously about your decision second, eyes wide open.

While the risks were greatest for your aunt, who would surely face public disgrace and jail time if any of this was discovered, you were accepting your own hazards in this endeavor. The biggest of which was the very real possibility that you would have permanent erectile dysfunction and impotency. Knowing this was a risk you had made good use of the past week and spent as much time as you could getting frisky with Allison. You knew it wasn’t fair to do this without warning your girlfriend yet…you also knew you didn’t truly love her. Breaking up with her after the procedure would let you avoid a lot of unanswerable questions and you were definitely leaning that way.

The only one not facing any dire risks was Elsie herself, and that was just fine by you and Peggy. El deserved happiness and it made your heart feel good knowing that no matter what happened she would get what she needed to feel right in her flesh. Your sister thanked the pair of you a thousand times each at least and swore that she would be forever in your debt.

As a bonus Peg did say that there was a small suite of tweaks she’d be able to do to the pair of you that entailed no risk at all. A bunch of small things that she said wouldn’t be life altering though improve your overall quality of life. Senses sharpened, immune system bolstered, increased capacity for your lungs and heart, faster healing, cognitive functions improved, a slight resistance against the effects of aging, and a few other things. As amazing as that sounded she told you not to get your hopes up, that you wouldn’t become a super hero, but she did say that these things were just the tip of the iceberg. With further research the Bailey gene would unlock wonders beyond the current potential of humankind and in the years to come anything might be possible for the members your family.

It was all so exciting. You truly felt like trailblazers into an amazing new future.

You just had to wait for your aunt’s lab to clear out for the day so that she could sneak you in. She would call when the time was right. Sitting side by side, hand in hand, on Peggy’s sofa you and Elsie watch the minutes slowly tick by.

It is just past 7 pm when the call comes. You answer, say a few words, then hang up.

Looking to you sister you ask. “Are you ready for this?”

She nods. “You?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Your hands still clamped tight together, holding to each other for strength and bravery, you and your little sister head out of the house and toward a brand new future.