To become Elite is to reach nirvana.

- Root, Serf King, 1851

Kyleigh didn’t hate her little sister.

Eleven years and seventeen days ago, they were born a few minutes apart, but Lesly had always been the littlest, both physically and intellectually. According to Mom, Ky had almost absorbed her sister in the womb. Yes — literally absorbed. As in gobbled up and swallowed whole, or so Ky imagined. Obviously Les had survived, a good thing since she would become Ky’s first vassal.

“Backpack, please.” Ky stood straight, arms out to her sides in a T-pose.

“Yes, Miss Ky.”

Les helped Ky into her pink and black striped backpack. The shade of pink (bubble gum, the kind you got from the gumball machine) perfectly matched the rose ribbon Ky wore in her light blonde hair. She’d planned it that way. Style meant everything on the first day of sixth grade.

Les shifted from foot to foot, her brown ponytail swaying from shoulder to shoulder. As always, given the nearly four inch height difference, she looked up at her big sister. “Can I get anything else for you, Miss Ky?”

Ky decided Miss sounded less formal than Master, yet still appropriate for an Elite, who could rightfully demand whatever title she wanted from her vassals. Ky wasn’t an Elite yet, but she’d certainly become one this weekend, just like her cousin and grandmother. Heck, she was already one of the tallest and smartest in her class. She could probably become an Elite all by herself, without the help of Dr. Coffey’s weird machine.

“You’ve fulfilled your duties, servant.” Ky used her most imperious tone, one she’d practiced innumerable times in front of her mirror, usually after watching an episode of Vassal Diaries.  Yes, she’d make an incredible Elite. Confident, yet kind. Wise, yet generous with her wisdom.

Lesly, on the other hand, exhibited none of these characteristics. In many ways, she was Ky’s polar opposite. This, in addition to their blood relationship, made her the perfect vassal.

Ky started toward her bedroom door, thinking on her bright future until a nervous sigh-groan interrupted her reverie. She turned to find Les picking her thumbnail, eyes downturned.

“C’mon. We gotta go.” Breaking character, Ky hefted her sister’s backpack and held it out.

“Miss Ky, do you think I’m pretty?” Les asked.

“Of course you’re pretty.” Ky practically forced the spindly girl into her backpack, straightened her side wisps, and picked a stray thread from her shoulder. “You’re wearing my cutest outfit from last year.”

“But Miss — ”

“We’re done with pretend. Don’t call me that at school until I’m actually an Elite.” Ky knew the forgetful girl would call her Miss or Master or Highness again in public, and it would be embarrassing, but it was a risk worth taking. Les did need practice. Besides, after this weekend, it wouldn’t matter since the title would be entirely appropriate.

“Ok...but...am I pretty by myself?” Les chewed on the corner of her lip. “I mean, without your clothes?”

“Duh!” Ky took hold of Lesly’s hand and dragged her along. “You’re the second prettiest girl in the whole school. You’re my sister!”

“Really?” Les asked, falling in step beside Ky.

“Without a doubt!” Ky lied, but only a little.

Ky was the prettiest in her class, or at least she had been in fifth grade. Les wasn’t a complete nerd, but nor had she developed much in the last year, and she still looked like an elementary schooler. Being nearsighted, twig-thin, and unnaturally pale didn’t help much either.

God had given Ky a double portion of genetic gifts, leaving nothing but scraps for her sister. What the hapless girl lacked most of all was self-confidence. This year, Ky decided she had enough confidence for both of them, and after accepting Les as her pretend vassal, she’d seen her sister’s courage (and contentment) grow. A much needed improvement — a vassal moping around all day wouldn’t be any good to anyone.

“Kyleigh Watts!” Mom met them at the front door, her arms crossed, an unlit cigarette dangling from her dry lips. “What did I tell you about wearing that shirt to school?”

“It’s fiiine, Mom.” Ky reached for the doorknob, but her mom blocked her.

What the heck!

She loved her Mom, duh, but Ky could hardly wait until she became the boss. Just one more week.

“It's not fine.” Mom pointed back toward the hallway. “Change into one of the nice shirts we bought last week.”

Ky placed her fists on her hips and glared up. Her mom wasn’t particularly tall, but she was an adult — another minor, soon-to-be-insignificant detail. “I already checked the dress code. It’s fine.”

It really was fine. Her t-shirt had a slight, smile-shaped opening under her collar but revealed nothing beyond her lower neck. Not that she had much to reveal. More than her flat-as-a-board sister but less than her friend Amanda. Unfortunately, becoming an Elite wouldn’t fix flat-chestedness, but time would.

“Listen here young — “

“No, you listen.” Ky stood on her tiptoes, nearly matching her Mom’s height. “Next week I’ll be an Elite, and you know it. So do you really want to fight about this? Now?”

At first Mom met Ky’s glare, but then she removed her cigarette and twisted it between her fingers. Ky didn’t need telepathy to know her thoughts. Next week, Ky would probably make her stop smoking, even though her Mom didn’t want to quit. Elites made the rules, and normals followed them, parental relationship notwithstanding.

It wasn’t the first time they’d had an argument over her clothing, but it would certainly be one of the last. A normal didn’t argue with an Elite, not if she valued her sanity. Normals served as vassals or, in less direct ways, as respectful citizens. In return, Elites helped maintain peace, prosperity and provided all sorts of other benefits, especially to immediate family — assuming said family didn’t piss off the Elite in question.

“We’re gonna be late.” Ky pressed sideways against her Mom’s hip, then smiled inwardly as her mom relented, giving access to the door. Had Ky’s strength already improved? Quite possibly.

“Just be careful, sweetie.” Mom kissed them both on the tops of their heads.

“Bye, Mom.” Ky waved as she raced with her sister toward the bus stop.

She didn’t look back because she didn’t want her mom to see her grin.

*****

Ky scowled as she marched toward the back of the bus. Someone, a freckle-faced girl with way too many bracelets (charms were so fifth grade), sat in the rear seat. The back bench had always been Ky’s, but apparently this newcomer didn’t know.

“Excuse me,” Ky said. “You’re in my seat.”

“I don’t think so.” The girl played with a silvery charm on her bracelet. “This seat is for Elites.”

“Duh,” Ky said. “That’s why — ”

The new girl looked up, her eyes glowing emerald. The illumination of her irises didn’t last long, but it was long enough to silence Ky, her breath catching in her throat.

“I’m sorry,” Ky said. “I didn’t know. C’mon Les.” She grabbed her sister’s hand and was about to turn away when bracelet girl spoke.

“You can sit here though.” The Elite patted the spot beside her. “There’s plenty of room. My ascension has only just begun.”

“Oh...ok.” Ky swallowed hard and she sat beside the girl who smelled faintly of wood and honeysuckle. Ky wished she could trade places with her sister. She’d nearly contradicted an Elite after all, an Elite on a bus for middle schoolers...

None of it made sense. How could this girl already be an Elite when testing for her grade didn’t begin for a few days? If she were in seventh grade and had tested positive the year prior, she would’ve already completed her growth sequence and transitioned to a school for Elites.

Ky’s mouth worked before she could stop it. “How…”

“The answer is obvious if you think about it.” The girl played with her bracelets, which, upon closer inspection, appeared to be encrusted with small gemstones. “Spontaneous ascension.” She sighed as if she were discussing the weather. “They say I’ll probably become a Mega, maybe even a Titan.”

A chill crystallized along Ky’s spine, making both thinking and breathing difficult. Elites were one thing, but Megas were on an entirely different level. And Titans! Well, she might as well be sitting next to God herself if it were true.

Titans didn’t interact with humans for a multitude of reasons. She’d never seen one, nor heard of anyone seeing one. Yet here she almost upset one? The potential of evolving from an Elite into a Mega was slim, and from a Mega into a Titan virtually non-existent, but if it were true...

Her life could be snuffed out, legally, in an instant.

The girl placed a warm hand on Ky’s exposed knee. “Titans don’t murder people.”

Shit. She had to be at least a Mega if she could already read thoughts. Elites had some empathic capabilities, but she’d never heard of one reading thoughts.

“I can’t read thoughts.” The Elite’s breath smelled like peppermint. “Well. Not usually. But you’re projecting, and our skin is touching. This is kind of cool though. Tell me your name, but don’t say it. Think it.”

Kyleigh...

“Kyleigh!” Bracelets said, not even waiting for confirmation. “My name’s Paisley.”

“Um.” Ky tried to move but her arm wouldn't listen. “This is my sister. Her name’s —”

“I don’t care about your dimwitted sister. You’re the one I’m interested in.”

“She’s not dimwitted.” Ky gathered her resolve and removed the Elite’s hand from her knee, like tugging a bowling ball from a pool of molasses.

Paisley blinked, her freckled nose scrunching as if she’d experienced an unpleasant odor. Then she smirked, and layered an arm over Ky’s shoulder, pulling Ky’s head against her wavy auburn hair.

“I like you. I want you to be my vassal, at least until I become a Mega. Then I’ll make you my Elite’s vassal.”

For a normal, an opportunity to serve an Elite came once, maybe twice in a lifetime. But to serve, even indirectly, a Mega! Most normals never met a Mega, much less served one. Heck, most Elites didn’t interact with Megas.

Still, it was not something Ky wanted for herself.

“I can’t.” She tried to extricate herself from Paisley’s embrace, but failed, her limbs turning to jelly as she fought against her own nervous system.

“Why not?” Paisley placed her free hand on Ky’s knee and Ky could feel her resistance fading. The girl had only barely begun her evolution, yet she pushed into Ky’s emotions like a bulldozer through a lake of warm butter.

“Because she’s going to become an Elite next week, and I’m going to be her vassal,” Les said.

Paisley’s arm jerked upward, and Ky regained control of her limbs. Les held the Elite’s hand in the air, a determined look on her bespectacled face. Ky had never seen her sister behave in such a direct manner, and she could only stare in confusion.

Ky caught a similar look of surprise on Paisley’s face as the Elite retracted her hand and folded it in her lap like a scolded puppy.

“You should’ve told me earlier.” Paisley looked away, staring out the window as they drove through a neighborhood.

Why hadn’t Paisley simply forced her will upon Les too? No human could stop an Elite from choosing vassalship. Paisley must’ve tried, but she’d likely extended herself too far on Ky, exhausting her abilities on someone who’d soon become an Elite herself.

That must’ve been it. Plus, Les was destined to be Ky’s vassal and everyone knew a claimed vassal couldn’t be stolen, not even by a Mega. Ky must’ve already been imparting some of her immunity onto Les.

Showed her, Ky thought, hoping Paisley heard it. Next week, this seat belongs to me and my sister. You may have a head start, bracelet girl, but I’ll grow twice as fast.

Just watch.

Elites don’t live forever, but they live twice as long as humans, and they age twice as slow. They cease aging altogether in ‘young adulthood’ or earlier, and remain in peak health until the day they die, usually unexpectedly, always in their sleep. They can be killed, but not easily. They heal quickly from all but the most mortal of wounds. Evolutionarily, they surpass humanity in every measurable way. Is it any wonder, in spite of their far fewer numbers, they dominate the world?

- Dr. Charles Alouf, 1935

Lesly squeezed her legs together under her desk. She had to go, but she didn’t want to raise her hand. She didn’t know many kids in her homeroom class, and embarrassing herself on the first day...well...it would be embarrassing.

Plus, it was her own fault. She’d drank way too much water from the fountain on her way to class. Paisley had walked by with a group of seventh grade girls, and Lesly had used the fountain to hide. If only Ky hadn’t been placed in a separate homeroom, Les wouldn’t have been afraid.

The bell rang, and Les was the first one out. She found the bathroom without much trouble, but all the stalls were taken. Worse, she identified the Converse shoes underneath one of the stalls as belonging to Paisley. Luckily, a stall opened up. A tall girl with her hair in a messy bun stepped out. They shared a glance but Les didn’t recognize the girl, and as soon as she started washing her hands, Les hurried into the stall.

Of course, it had to be the middle stall.

The seat was uncomfortably warm, and it smelled like someone had recently done number two and tried to mask the odor with spearmint breath spray. Les ignored the sweet acrid smell and tried to go, but stopped when she felt something. She might pass gas, and from prior experience, she’d have only a fifty percent chance of it being silent. Those weren’t good odds, not with an Elite one stall over, an Elite who’d surely identify her and make fun of her.

Her stomach had been acting up the last couple of days, and it didn't feel particularly calm today, even though she’d eaten her favorite cereal, Mini Wheats. Les talked to her sister about everything, but she’d neglected to mention her recent digestive problems. It simply wasn’t a big deal. Her sister laughed when she herself farted, so who cared if Les seemed to have extra gas lately?

Except Ky never farted in front of other people besides Les. Only boys did that. Not for the first time, Les found herself wishing to be a boy. They never had to worry about farting, or being pretty, or getting periods. Les hadn’t experienced the latter, but it was only a matter of time, and with her luck, it would happen in the middle of class or at lunch.

What’s she doing in there?

Les scrunched her toes inside her shoes as she waited, her lower abdomen throbbing in level seven pain. Could she die from holding her pee too long? Probably not, at least she’d never heard of such a thing, but her stomach felt like it might burst. And Paisley, whatever she was doing, wasn’t peeing or pooping. She was probably on her smartphone, something teachers didn’t allow normal students to use during class. As an Elite, however, she needn't follow such rules, so why hide in the bathroom?

Les cupped her hand over her privates and grit her teeth, breathing short and fast through her nose. The stall to her right opened, its occupant clomping out. After a few seconds, the sound of the sink reached her ears.

It was too much.

Pee exploded between her fingers and sprayed the lip of the toilet for a second before she withdrew her drenched hand and let the stream continue properly into the bowl. She stifled a mewl as aching relief spread from her groin down to her feet. She didn’t fart, but the sound of her urination rang in her ears, and her face flushed with heat while her stomach cooled with the chill of impending discovery.

Why couldn’t she just be cool like her sister?

Things like this always happened to Les. Seriously — here she was with her right hand dripping urine onto the floor, her left stuffed halfway up the toilet paper dispenser, reaching for a roll which refused to drop.

She managed to tease the paper from the dispenser and retrieved enough to dry herself, the seat, and the floor. Yes, it was disgusting, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t fathom leaving her mess for someone else to encounter, especially since her anonymity had likely been compromised. If Paisley couldn’t identify Les by her shoes yet, she certainly would eventually as Les lacked another pair.

She flushed the toilet, crept out of the stall, and cast nervous glances over her shoulder as she washed her hands. Thank goodness Paisley’s door didn’t open.

She hurried from the bathroom as the bell rang and slinked into her next class with merely a nod from the teacher. The only good thing about the first day of school — teachers didn’t care as much if you were late. She wasn’t even the last one seated. Jakob, one of her few friends from last year, sat down in the seat adjacent to hers near the front of the class.

His proximity calmed her nerves, similar to the way her sister did, but not quite. With Ky, Les felt protected and included, as if she could coast through life trailing Ky’s wake, the strength of Ky’s charisma alone more than enough for them both.

On the other hand, Jakob lacked popularity and coolness, but it made him relatable as an equal, someone around whom Les could practice being herself. Or finding herself. She could pretend to be cool like Ky, or geek out over a new anime, or anything really. Jakob might cast an odd look or two, but he never mocked her, and she could study his reactions to see if she was doing ‘it’ right without fear of him thinking negative thoughts. He’d always been friendly because he probably...

He wasn’t her boyfriend.

She didn’t even know for certain if he liked her that way, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. She’d never get a boyfriend before her sister even if she could. She’d seen enough teen movies to know how boys ruined relationships, even between siblings, and it wasn't worth it. Besides, as her sister’s vassal, she’d be busy with vassal stuff. No time for boys.

Jakob waved at her under his desk, his blue eyes looking even larger than they had last year. He was the only person she knew with glasses thicker than her own, and it’s what originally drew them together. He’d let her borrow his glasses one day after she’d lost hers, explaining he had an extra pair in his backpack. They weren’t her prescription, but they were close, allowing her to get through the rest of the day. Her own glasses eventually turned up in lost and found.

Funny thing — she never saw him wearing his spare glasses. He’d probably gone the whole day blind as a bat! Silly boy.

She waved back. He gave a thumbs up for no apparent reason, causing her to smile a little. She’d never been able to figure out his random gestures, but she secretly didn’t mind.

After the bell, he came over to her desk. “Have you picked your club yet?”

“No.” Les closed her history book. “I’m probably not going to join one.”

“Join my club. Please!” He lowered his voice. “I don’t want to be the only one in it.”

“What is it?” Les stood, swinging her backpack over one shoulder, then the other. Her head barely reached Jakob’s shoulder when, before, it had been at his chin. He’d done a lot of growing over the summer!

“The board game club,” he practically whispered. “It’s during seventh period and it counts as your elective. I know you don’t really wanna do music.”

He was right. She didn’t enjoy playing the clarinet. Never had. The instrument seemed built for kids with much bigger lungs than herself. Still…

“You mean chess, right?” she asked. “Isn’t that for nerds?”

“We are nerds,” he said. “We’ve got the glasses and grades to prove it.”

He obviously hadn’t seen her math and social studies grades from the last half of fifth grade.

He lifted her backpack from her shoulder and swung it over his own, then headed toward the door, motioning for her to follow.

“Hey!” She ran to catch up to him, still partially stunned from his boldness. Carrying books was something a boyfriend did!

She jerked her backpack from his shoulder. “You’re not my boyfriend!” she said, a little too loudly.

Jakob turned, the smile vanishing from his face. “I know, I just — “

“Rejected!” Tommy Ortiz, a popular sixth grader who’d been held back a year, slapped Jakob across the top of his head, causing his glasses to fall to the ground with a clatter. A smattering of laughter and giggles erupted across the various groups in the hallways. It was only the first day and kids were already forming cliques.

Les knelt to get Jakob’s glasses, but he snatched them away and took off down the hallway in a wobbly sprint. Kids turned to watch him, some pointing, others taking pictures with their phones.

God, she was an idiot. He was probably just trying to be nice, and she’d gone and embarrassed him on the first day of school! She knew it took a lot of courage for boys to ask a girl out for fear of rejection, and she’d openly rejected him before he’d even asked. Not that he would’ve asked.

He certainly wouldn’t now!

*****

Lesly chose the mashed potatoes and asparagus for lunch, skipping the chicken fried steak and nuggets. She wasn’t a vegetarian but somehow she knew the meat wouldn’t sit well with her. It was as if she could smell it, a vinegar-like odor as she passed the heated plate of fried food.

She sat at the far end of her sister’s table. The seats nearest Ky had already been occupied, as usual. Les expected no different — her sister had always been immensely popular. At least Les got to enjoy the some of the side benefits. For one, she never had to eat alone.

Still, the other girls at the table paid her little attention, the same as it had been the past two years. Even though they were in middle school now, their ‘friends’ were mostly the same. Les would probably get a little more popular once she became Ky’s official vassal, but she only wanted enough coolness to avoid embarrassing her sis.

Across the wide room, Jakob ate alone, pretending to type something on his flip phone. Les knew it was pretend because he’d told her one day, though she forgot exactly why he did it. Jakob, Les, and Ky had to be the only three people in middle school without a real smartphone.

Something bothered her though. Where was Marcus? Jakob and Marcus had eaten lunch together since first grade. In fact, they did everything together. When she’d been younger, she’d been jealous of Marcus, the chubby rich kid who monopolized most of Jakob’s time.

Had he moved away or something? Maybe that’s why Jakob was asking her to join his club. He had to be feeling lonely sitting all alone. Les didn’t like being alone. Of course as her sister’s vassal, she’d never have to be. But still...

She glanced at Ky who was unwrapping a rainbow fruit roll-up, likely given to her by Amanda, a big girl who always had the best sweets.

Standing and taking her tray, Les made her way across the cafeteria to Jakob. No one seemed to notice her departure.

“Can I sit here?” she asked.

Jakob glanced up, then back at his phone, angling the device so she couldn’t see the nonsense he typed.

Les sat across from him and twirled her potatoes with her fork.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

She waited, taking a bite of cold asparagus, watching him type something with both hands.

He showed his phone to her.

IM NEVER TALK TO U AGAIN

She scowled at him, then opened her own phone. It wasn’t a real text because she didn’t have his phone number. It was literally just typing a fake text to her mom and showing the screen to him:

FINE!!!

She didn’t send the message of course as her Mom would’ve been totally confused by it.

She grabbed the edges of her tray and prepared to leave, but something hit against her shin. What on earth! He’d kicked her in the shin!

She frowned and kicked back, catching his right sneaker against her toe. He smirked and she kicked again, this time landing one across his kneecap.

He burst into laughter. “You kick like a girl.”

“I am a girl, you idiot,” she said, as an unexpected giggle erupted from her mouth. She swung both her feet rapidly peppering his shins with kicks that infuriatingly seemed to do no damage whatsoever. Her sister had always complained about how weak she was, and honestly, she couldn’t deny it.

“Ok, ok,” he said, his laughter cooling down as apparently she’d hit something at least slightly painful.

“So much for your vow of silence,” she said, feeling slightly proud at her choice of phrasing. Reading sometimes paid off. She’d never heard another person her age say the word ‘vow’.

“Well, I’m still mad at you,” he said, wiping his glasses on his shirt.

“I said I was sorry.”

“If you’re really sorry, you’ll join my club.” He put his glasses on and looked at her. “Then I’ll forgive you.”

She sighed, but it was a fake sigh. She wanted him to think she couldn’t be bothered, but after thinking about it earlier, she did want to join his club.

“Fine,” she said, doing her best to sound put out, but unable to hide her slight smile. “I’ll join your club.”

“Even though you might get called a nerd?” he asked.

She squinted her eyes at him and pursed her lips, an expression she’d seen her sister make when irritated. She couldn’t hold it for long, however, not when he was making his own face look like a bug-eyed duck.

She giggled and he had his answer. She’d always been a bit of a nerd, and Jakob made her laugh darn it, so a little more nerdiness wouldn’t hurt.

Besides, she oddly felt loads of relief she hadn’t lost her best boy friend.

Boy. Friend. Not boyfriend.

Elite brains grow in proportion to their bodies. Elites measured both before and after ascension demonstrate a median increase of ten IQ points, each standard deviation up or down defined as three points greater or less. Elites also demonstrate vast improvement in computational mathematics, and projective empathy — the ability to influence both consciously and subconsciously the emotions of proximal humans (within ~10 feet) and distal vassals (within ~60 miles). Why male Elites exhibit this latter ability to a lesser degree is unknown. Furthermore, although it hasn’t been proven, a small percentage of female Elites claim receptive empathy with vassals, especially if of blood relation.

- Dr. Charles Alouf, 1936

Dr. Coffey spent most of his day examining Elite kids, many taller and larger than himself. He wasn’t exactly a small guy. His six foot three, two hundred pound frame dwarfed normal children, but the ones he saw were anything but normal. They were ascendants, mostly stage two and well on their way toward full Elite metastasis.

It was a crude system, based purely upon the physical height of the child. At onset of Elite metastasis, changes could be detected in eye color and brain function, but the patient would remain in ‘stage one’ until surpassing a height of six feet. Stage two ranged from six to eight feet, and stage three from eight feet to a height which usually represented a doubling of the child’s normal height. Only after reaching stage three would the Elite be allowed access to their benefits which included an optional transfer to the nearest Elite city.

This meant many of his younger patients, especially those aged seven and under, could become fully metastasized Elites, yet forced to coexist in normal cities purely because of their height. One might not think this as a problem. After all, normal cities already catered to stage two ascendants, so what harm could a few additional youngsters cause?

Turns out, a lot.

“I’m not too short!” The seven foot ten ‘little’ girl caused Dr. Coffey to stumble backwards, the volume of her voice exceeded only by the fierceness of her empathic projection. Breanna had only just turned seven years old, and like most female prepubescents, she lacked control over her mental abilities. When she got upset, she instinctively transmitted a short-range sense of fear that even someone as experienced as Dr. Coffey couldn’t fully resist.

He dropped his clipboard and stepped away, his hands held up in surrender. “W—well...you see…”

“Oh please, Dr. Coffey.” Breanna bent down, picked up his clipboard, and handed it to him. “Don’t start acting like my dad. I’m obviously not going to hurt you.”

Contradiction didn’t begin to describe the situation of the panty-clad, pigtailed girl, missing two front teeth, yet head only a foot from touching the ceiling, standing imperiously as if the world belonged to her and her alone. Her diction sometimes, as it did now, resembled that of an adult, especially when she succeeded in intimidating her target.

He took his clipboard from her hand, relaxing slightly as she sighed deeply, her cinnamon breath mixing with the faint odor of sandalwood emanating from her tanned skin. Most Elite smelled of nature, though the exact smell, similar to the exact manifestation of their empathic abilities, varied greatly. Perhaps it was why height, an easily measurable characteristic, had been chosen as the primary categorization factor, much to the dismay of his current patient.

Breanna slumped back onto the examination table, then pinched a fold of skin below her belly button. “So you’re sure there’s nothing wrong with me? I’m eating as much as Daddy can afford, but I’m not getting any bigger.”

“Well, you did grow an inch since your last visit. If the rate remains constant — ”

“Two months.” She glared at him as if it were all his fault. “I’m not stupid, Dr. Coffey. Do you know how boring math class is when you know all the answers without even trying? I can’t handle another two months of listening to my stupid teacher.”

“How about this.” Dr. Coffey made a few marks on his pad. “I’ll write you a note excusing you from math so long as you pass any tests your teacher gives you. I’ll advise the administration to let you play outside during that time.”

Her face brightened. She rose, then lifted him by his armpits, hugging him in a tight embrace repeating ‘thank you’ over and over. After setting him back down, she asked, “What about my other subjects?”

They both knew she didn’t have A’s in her other subjects, especially not in English. Her grades had actually declined in English, in spite of her tendency to occasionally speak like an adult. “Breanna…”

“Oooookaaay,” she said, doing a little pirouette, and nearlying colliding her knee with his stomach in the process. “I wish all my classes were outside.”

Dr. Coffey couldn’t blame her. The sun seemed to act as an accelerant for many Elites, though a direct relationship hadn’t been proven. While most Elites grew faster during the summer, a few experienced more rapid growth during the colder months — yet another factor which made Elites so difficult to classify.

“Now put on your clothes, and let’s go tell your dad the good news.”

Breanna eyed the pile she’d carelessly discarded on the floor. “I don’t wanna. They don’t fit me anymore.”

She appeared to be regressing back to her appropriate mental age, a phenomenon which seemed to wax and wane with her emotional state. From prior exams, he knew extreme emotional stress triggered her ‘enlightenment’ to manifest (advanced diction and logic — a less common trait even among Elites). Otherwise, when not stressed, her heightened intelligence seemed largely limited to mathematics, a ubiquitous Elite gift.

When prodded as to how they knew the answers to math questions, most Elite children described it as an imaginary friend giving them the answers. Even ‘adult’ Elites had trouble expounding upon it, some holding fast to the concept of a tulpa, essentially just a fancy word for an imaginary friend. Others described flash cards in their brain appearing with answers after hearing certain questions.

He picked up her Minnie Mouse t-shirt, which, though it seemed voluminous to him, had indeed been tight on her when she’d entered his office. “How about we trade your shirt for something larger?”

“Another Minnie Mouse?” she asked.

“Even better.” He dropped her shirt into a larger hamper and retrieved a purple monstrosity that appeared as if it could fit a couple of linebackers. “Elsa.”

She smiled from ear to ear, swiped the shirt from his hands and donned it in seconds. It was actually big on her, falling just past her underwear, but they both knew she’d grow into it. Clothing her size wasn’t cheap and her father was at his limit supporting her financially.

“I love it!” she said, prancing in front of the wall mirror. She pulled on her leggings without being asked, which, though also too small, were stretchy enough to serve as capris. She wore no shoes, but it was common for Elites in her stage to go without footwear. They lacked a stipend to buy new shoes every week or month, and their thicker skin afforded them enough protection to get by.

“Thank you, Dr. Coffey.” She knelt and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

In spite of her rare tantrums, she, like most Elite children, was sweet in their own way. It’s part of what made his job worthwhile. Getting to watch them grow, often literally before his eyes, both mentally and physically, into kind and caring superior beings.

Breanna rushed out of the office and down the hallway, dodging expertly around nurses and doctors who knew to remain still when an Elite child approached with speed. Breanna’s reflexes would prevent her from colliding with them, but it wasn’t smart to test the limits of those reflexes by moving in an unpredictable way. An impact with a four hundred pound child in motion wasn’t pretty.

“Daddy!” Breanna raced to her dad and spread her arms wide. “Look at my new shirt!”

The young man wore orange coveralls, scuffed and stained, likely from a construction or utility job. He wasn’t short, but he was on the thinner side, so it didn’t take much for Breanna to lift him into her arms and hug him to her chest. Obviously accustomed to such handling, he endured it with a smile, reassuring concerned looks from other patients.

Finally, she released him. “Can we get pancakes now daddy?!”

“Inside voice,” he said, leading her toward the exit, his hand wrapped around a couple of her fingers.

“Sorry, Daddy.” Breanna whispered, not really sounding all that much quieter, much to the amusement of the lobby. “Can we get pancakes now?”

She ducked under the exit, following her dad, the door closing before his response could be heard. Of course, everyone already knew the answer. If she wanted pancakes, she’d be getting pancakes. Not all Elites became vegans, especially not little girls with a sweet tooth. Some things, for better or worse, never changed.

“Kyleigh and Lesly Watts.” Dr. Coffey called out into the waiting room, a job his nurse, out sick today, usually performed.

Two small girls, one brown-haired the other blonde, hopped up from their seats and skipped toward him. Well, the blonde skipped. The brunette followed behind, eyes wide behind thick glasses, watching her sister.

An older woman, presumably their mom, kept pace with the girls though with her ear to her phone. She looked to be in her mid thirties, but the yellowish tinge to her fingernails and premature lines on her face hinted of a bad habit. Why folks smoked in 2017, when tobacco companies openly admitted it caused cancer (the bad kind), he’d never understand.

“That’s what I said! Uh huh. Right now. Yes, he just called our names. Ok. Bye.” The woman closed her flip phone and placed it into her jeans pocket.

“Fiona Watts?” Dr. Coffey extended his hand.

“Yes.” Fiona took the hand and gave it a weak shake. “Sorry, my husband’s freaking out because he wanted to be here when Ky became an Elite.”

“My name’s Fred Coffey,” he said. “Please follow me into the examination room.”

“Ok, but is there any way we could wait a few minutes?” Fiona asked.

“I’m afraid not.” Dr. Coffey waited for everyone to enter, then closed the door to the exam room. “Full schedule, but if you’d like to reschedule — ”

“No, that’s ok.” Fiona sat in the chair while the girls climbed onto the exam table. “The man’s always late. I swear he would’ve missed their birth if my water hadn’t broken in the car.”

“Mom, that’s gross!” The little blonde scrunched her face.

“So, let me guess.” Dr. Coffey retrieved his stethoscope. “You’re Kyleigh and you’re Lesly.”

“You can call me Ky,” the blonde said. “And when I’m an Elite, you can call me Miss Ky. I think it sounds cool, don’t you?”

“Alright then, Miss Ky, let’s have a listen to that heart of yours.”

He checked their vitals, then drew blood for lab tests. Ky flinched at the stick but didn’t cry, and Lesly didn’t even blink. None of this had anything to do with Elite identification, but as their pediatrician, he needed to ascertain their general health too.

He weighed and measured the girls. “Four foot eleven, ninety-two pounds.” He patted Ky on the head, and waited for Lesly to board the scale.

“Four foot seven, seventy-five pounds.” He jotted on his pad. “A little underweight, but nothing to be concerned about.”

“It’s better, actually,” Ky said. “She’ll be able to ride on my shoulders after I grow.” Ky gave her sister a hug and they spun around, laughing.

“You’ll have to be careful with her.” Fiona didn’t look up from her phone.

“Duh, Mom!” Ky said as they climbed back onto the table.

The visual and chlorophyll tests were next. The former involved looking into their eyes with a retinoscope, the latter dabbing a medicated cotton ball on their stomachs. They lifted their t-shirts partway up for this, both giggling at the touch of the cool cotton.

Dr. Coffey entered the diagnosis into his computer. He prefered using paper, but the final part of the process required his electronic signature. Next year would be worse — he’d have to do everything on the computer by Titan mandate.

“Congratulations Fiona,” he said. “You’re the mother of an Elite.”

“I knew it!” Ky jumped from the table and bounced around.

Lesly clapped her hands excitedly, eyes locked on her sister.

“I figured.” Fiona gave a lopsided smile. “She’s going to make me quit smoking, doctor. I’m still not sure how I feel about it.”

“Of course I am!” Ky said. “He’s a doctor. He agrees with me.”

“You shouldn’t smoke.” Dr. Coffey’s mind was elsewhere. Given the blonde child’s reaction to his vague announcement, he knew he should’ve been more specific.

“Can I accelerate today?” Ky asked. “Mom brought bigger clothes and everything.”

Wow, this kid new about the acceleration chamber. It was common knowledge, but still. Few kids knew or cared about such details.

“First, I want both of you to have a seat,” he said.

The sisters returned to their place on the table, and he stood in front of them. He’d given bad news before, devastating news, much worse than what he was about to say. However, he saw something in Ky’s eyes, something reminding him that kids had dreams and he didn’t like to be the one to crush them.

“Kyleigh, I’ll start by saying there’s still a chance for you to become an Elite.” The little girl’s smile faded, replaced by a slight wrinkling of her brow.

He didn’t mention her chances would lessen significantly over the next few years. Most Elites manifested before puberty. In spite of public opinion, there existed no biological difference between spontaneous and induced Elites. The latter merely ascended at younger ages, largely driven by parents wanting early access to the stipend.

Either way, one still needed the cancer and, though no one knew how to acquire it, the tests he’d performed on Ky would be less likely to result positive as time passed. Statistically, her chances would drop from one to half a percent during puberty, and less than a tenth of a percent in young adulthood. In her early twenties, her chances would approach zero. Becoming a vassal nearly doubled one’s chances, but the double of zero was still zero.

On the other hand, Lesly showed a strong positive in both retina hue and chlorophyll absorption. Why she tested negative the prior year, he and the medical community had no way of knowing, similar to how some smokers acquired lung cancer while others didn’t. If they could control it, there would likely be many, many more Elites.

“We’ll test you again next month, but for now, you’re sister’s going to need you. She’ll — ”

“Wait.” Fiona got up and walked over. “You’re saying Lesly’s the Elite?”

Dr. Coffey swallowed the lump in his throat. “She tested positive on both ascendancy measures. If you’d like, we can induce her today. She’ll grow about three or four inches, put on maybe twenty pounds, but it sounds like you have clothing — “

“Yes.” Fiona stared at Lesly, as if seeing her daughter for the first time. “I mean they might be too big, but...well I never expected...we always thought Ky...”

The woman seemed at a loss for words, leading to an awkward pause.

“It’s fine, Mom.” Ky’s face was unreadable, her smile returning though something about it seemed wrong. “They’ll fit her long enough to get home.”

“Good.” Dr. Coffey relaxed. “Lesly, please step into the acceleration chamber and we’ll — “

“I don’t wanna.” The brunette shook her head, arms crossed, eyes focused on the floor. “You can’t make me.”

“Les. Sweetie.” Fiona placed a hand on her daughter’s cheek. “It’s not going to hurt. It’ll probably feel good, right doc?”

“You might feel a tingling sensation, perhaps a bit warm, but it’s over in five minutes,” Dr. Coffey said. “You’ll come out feeling full, probably better than you have in your entire life. There’s no pain.”

“But I don’t wanna be an Elite.” Les looked up, her eyes glistening. “I’m gonna be Ky’s vassal, and she’s — “

“Shut up!” Ky spun on her sister. “I said it’s fine! I didn’t really want to be an Elite anyway. I did, but now I don’t. So you should become one. Mom’s already quit her job after all.”

“Kyleigh Watts!” Fiona raised her hand but held it there, then lowered it. “I can always go back to work —”

“No, Mom,” Ky said. “Les is going to ascend and you won’t have to work.”

“I won’t do it.” Les hopped down and strode toward the door.

Ky took off after her, grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around. “Yes you will! I’m tired of you acting like lost puppy, always following me around. You’re short, skinny, and you’re not the second prettiest girl in school. Not even close. You need this, you idiot. Finally, I won’t be embarrassed to call you my sister.”

Les clutched at her chest, her face ashen. She blinked, crocodile tears rolling down, some pooling on her left cheek where her glasses touched her skin. “Y—you said I was pretty.”

Ky turned around, refusing to face her sister.

“Oh my goodness.” Fiona removed Lesly’s glasses and wiped her face with a tissue. “You are pretty, sweetheart.”

“You don’t have to accelerate,” Dr. Coffey said. “But the process will happen on its own over the next year. You will become an Elite, one way or another. Acceleration just gives you a kickstart.”

Lesly sniffled, blinking at her sister’s back.

“Fine!” Les said, wiping the heel of her hand against her nose. “I’ll do it. And I’ll get bigger and prettier than you, Ky. And I’ll make you my vassal.”

“I’ll never be your vassal.” Ky spun around and glared down at her sister. “I don’t care if you become a flippin Titan.”

“Actually Ky, your chances of becoming an Elite increase slightly if you become a vassal.” Dr. Coffey said. “Statistically — ”

“I don’t care!” Ky stomped off toward the corner of the room. “I’ll never be her vassal, the stupid idiot.”

Dr. Coffey looked at his calendar. “How about I reschedule — ”

“No!” Les said. “I wanna do it. I can’t wait to be bigger and better than my stupid sister!”

By law, an Elite may own a maximum of two vassals. An Elite may not subjugate the vassal of another Elite. No free human, regardless of age or rank, may refuse an Elite request for vassalship. Extended touch, saliva, and blood are all acceptable means of empathic transfersion, to be renewed daily at a convenient time for the Elite, continuing until the Elite divests ownership or the vassal expires. Should the vassal attempt to escape, he or she forfeits all human rights, and the Elite may enforce any punishment up to and including the penalty of death.

- Lotus of the Fifth Council, Lesser Titan, Torment Breaker, 1943

Dr. Coffey flipped on the thermal imager as Lesly began removing her clothing. Though it was partly out of respect for the child’s privacy, thermal imaging also provided more data on the procedure’s progress when compared with unaided visual inspection.

“That’s her?” David Watts pointed to the colorful screen. “That’s my Les?”

The girls’ father had arrived only moments ago, bent over with hands on knees as he struggled to breathe. Visually, he appeared to be in good shape, a tanned and lightly muscled outdoorsman, but he obviously had the same bad habit as his wife, a habit which had reduced his lung capacity over the years.

“Yes,” Dr. Coffey said. “She’s preparing to accept the accelerant into her system. The thermals will let us know when the process starts and finishes.”

“I can’t believe it,” David said. “We figured Ky might become an Elite, but none of us guessed Les had it in her. And here I been walking on eggshells for the last week.”

He turned to find his daughter leaning against the far wall, arms folded tightly across her chest.

“C’mon, sweetie,” David said. “Don’t you want to watch your sister get bigger?”

No response.

“They got into a fight.” Fiona dug through her purse and pulled out some lip balm. “If you were here earlier, you’d know.”

“I got here as fast as I could.” He walked over to his petulant daughter and knelt before her. “Sweetheart, I need you to be strong for your sister. She’ll need you to be her rock.”

“Leave me alone.” Ky didn’t look up.

“Ya know...” David wiped his oil stained hands on his jeans. “I been hatin’ the thought a not bein’ able to carry my girl around anymore. Now, it looks I still can, at least a little while longer.”

“I’m not a baby anymore, Dad.”

“I know that.” He turned around, hands flat on the floor. “But how about a piggy back ride while we watch your sister. She’s gonna be bigger than both of us soon, and that means we need to stick together.”

Silence. Ky wasn’t moving, but her father remained in place.

“Fine.” She boarded her dad’s back, her face slightly less dismal after doing so. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder. “Dr. Coffey said I might test positive next month, so I’ll probably still grow bigger than you.”

“Oh boy.” David returned to his wife’s side, his hands under his daughter’s bent knees. “With two Elite girls running around, I’ll have to start deer huntin’ again.”

“Dear Lord.” Fiona applied chapstick to her lips. “Any excuse to go hunting.”

“If my babies are hungry, I ain't gonna let ‘em starve.”

“Food’s usually the expense which rises the least during the ascension phases,” Dr. Coffey said. “It’ll go up a bit, but most Elites are able to photosynthesize to some degree, especially if they take their chlorophyll pills regularly. And you’ll likely find she’s less interested in meat products.”

“Lesly?” David said. “That girl loves my deer jerky.”

“So do I, Dad.” Ky spoke insistently into her father’s ear.

“Don’t even try, doc,” Fiona said. “Nothing can stand between that man and his rifle.”

“Yes, well” — Dr. Coffey adjusted a few sliders on his iPad — “It looks like Lesly’s ready. How about we start the process?”

“Ready when you are, doc,” David said.

“Alright Lesly, it’s about to get very bright and humid in there.” Dr. Coffey said. “Feel free to close your eyes, but don’t hold your breath, ok?”

“Kay.” Lesly’s tinny voice emitted from the wall speaker.

“So.” Dr. Coffey touched buttons on his pad. “Right now I’m increasing the room’s humidity with a highly concentrated chlorophyll solution. See the bright spot on her stomach?”

“Right here.” David pointed to the bright yellow area on the thermal monitor.

“That’s the Elite cancer lining portions of her stomach. Keep an eye on it.” Dr. Coffey increased the wattage to five hundred and humidity to sixty percent. As many times as he’d done this, he still couldn’t fully contain his excitement. “Watch as it spreads into her lungs.”

After a few seconds, Fiona touched the screen. “I see it!”

It looked like an upside-down tree with its white trunk rising from stomach to sternum, and yellow roots branching out into the purple lungs, slow but steady, as if in time lapse.

“Doing alright in there?” Dr. Coffey asked.

“Yes,” Lesly said. “It’s warm in my chest.”

“Are you sure this isn’t hurting her?” Fiona asked.

“It doesn’t hurt, Mom,” Lesly said. “It feels kinda good.”

“Alright now Lesly,” Dr. Coffey said. “Whenever you’re ready, put on the oxygen mask and start breathing through it.”

“Kay.” They watched her indigo arm move, taking something from the wall, and holding it over her mouth and nose.

“It’s really quite ingenious,” Dr. Coffey said. “The cancer’s still feeding, but with the mask, it loses its access to chlorophyll and carbon dioxide, both of which are in high concentrations in the surrounding environment. Essentially we trick it to rapidly proliferate throughout the body, seeking the uppermost dermal layers of the skin where it can absorb both nutrients in abundance. At Lesly’s stage, this process would’ve happened naturally over the next few months. We’re just speeding things up a bit.”

“So you’re saying she would’ve become an Elite without all this rigmarole?” David asked.

“Of course,” Dr. Coffey said. “But she would’ve likely experienced stomach problems and breathing difficulties. Nothing serious, but enough to warrant a visit to the doctor. She would’ve been immediately identified as a pre-Elite and provided with the option to accelerate, which essentially let’s her skip over the symptomatic phases of initial metastasis.”

“Uh.” David, still holding Ky, shifted his weight to his other foot. “I guess as long as it’s natural and all.”

“He knows what he’s doing, babe,” Fiona said.

Dr. Coffey chuckled. “I can assure you, it’s completely natural. You could even say, it’s the most natural thing in the world.”

“Look!” Fiona pointed. “It’s getting bigger, moving into her arms and legs.”

Dr. Coffey watched as the cancer spread, wishing not for the first time they could find a way to let all humans become Elites. Not only were Elites immune to malignant cancers, they experienced so many other health benefits, doctors had almost given up trying to count them. They rarely got sick, and if injured, they healed quickly.

“Once her body turns white, the metastasis reaches completion.” Dr. Coffey said as the tips of Lesly’s toes brightened from purple to red to yellow. “Now the growth begins. We suspect the cancer learns it can feed more by increasing the surface area of its host.

“Miraculously, it works in perfect symbiosis with the body, increasing tissue and mass proportionally, without any negative systemic impact. Quite the opposite, in fact. Muscle and bone strengthen beyond human limitations, presumably to help support the increase in mass.”

“So she’s gonna be like what...a bodybuilder or somethin’?” David asked.

“Well, no, not unless she wants to be,” Dr. Coffey said. “But she’ll be proportionally stronger than someone of similar size. She’ll also feel lighter and more agile in spite of her increased weight. Interestingly, the effect tends to increase with growth, opposite of what one might assume. If you’ve ever seen a fully grown Elite, you’ll know they’re quite fast for their size and they can easily deadlift their own bodyweight, which, I’m sure you’re aware, is considerable.”

“You still ok in there, sweetie?” Fiona knocked on the door to the chamber.

“Yeh, it’s really warm.” Lesly’s voice sounded muffled.

“You can take off the mask now, Lesly,” Dr. Coffey said, increasing the wattage of the lights. “You might feel a little tingling sensation.”

“Ok.” Lesly placed the mask back on the wall, her form glowing white, making the air around her brighten.

“Her body has started to expand as you can see.” Dr. Coffey referenced the green numbers on the screen. “Her height, weight and BMI are all increasing.”

“Wow,” Fiona said. “It just went up to fifty-seven. How tall is that?

“Four foot nine,” Dr. Coffey said. “But she’s still going. You may find this hard to believe, but I’ve had some patients grow half a foot while in the chamber.”

“A couple more inches, and she’ll be as tall as her sister.” Fiona watched at the screen as fractions of an inch were added to Lesly’s height.

“More importantly, her brain is growing too,” Dr. Coffey said. “Most Elites gain approximately ten IQ points over the course of their ascendance. And, as you probably know, their abilities in most areas of mathematics exceed genius levels, even at stage one.”

“Guess we won’t be needin’ to buy anymore calculators,” David said.

“Always knew she had smarts,” Fiona said. “She don’t do as well as her sister in school, especially in math, but I guess this’ll fix it.”

“Looks like she’s reaching the saturation point,” Dr. Coffey said as Lesly’s thermals dimmed from white to yellow. “A little earlier than expected, but entirely within normal ranges. How you doing in there, Lesly?”

“I’m sweaty.” She panted. “Did I grow any? I feel taller.”

“Four foot ten, sweetheart,” David said. “Only an inch shorter than your sister.”

“Oh.” Lesly sounded disappointed. “Well, I can stay in longer.”

Dr. Coffey laughed. “I’m afraid it wouldn't help. Your body's cooling now. It’ll be several hours before you’re ready to grow again. Don’t worry though. In a week, you’ll be taller than your sister and your mother, and closing in on your father.”

“Really?” The excitement returned to Lesly’s voice. “I mean...that’s really cool.”

“She doesn’t sound any smarter,” Ky said, breaking her silence.

“I heard that,” Lesly said.

“Well, let’s test it out,” Dr. Coffey said. “Lesly, what’s 573 times 4891.”

“Um...two eight zero two five four three,” she said. “Did I do that?”

Dr. Coffey used the calculator on his ipad to confirm. “You did, and you’re correct.”

“I’m so proud of you sweetheart,” David said. “You’re like a genius now.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Lesly said, happiness apparent in her voice.

“This is stupid,” Kyleigh said. “Put me down.”

The little blonde didn’t wait for her dad to lower, instead opting to break from his arms and drop to the floor. She returned to her position against the far wall and flipped open her phone.

“You can get dressed now, Lesly.” Dr. Coffey turned off the thermal imager. “Come on out when you’re ready.”

“Kay,” Lesly said.

After a couple minutes, Lesly opened the door and stepped out, her old clothing bundled in her arms. She looked like a little girl raiding her mom’s closet. Her t-shirt hung down to her thighs and her leggings were rolled up and wrinkled, altogether giving the illusion that she hadn’t grown an inch.

“My baby!” Fiona embraced her daughter, squeezing the bundle of clothing between them, and effectively destroying the illusion — Lesly obviously now much closer to her mother in height. The top of Lesly’s head nearly reached Fiona’s eyes.

“Mooom!” Lesly squirmed until her mom finally released her, holding her at arm's length, inspecting her. “You look amazing. Doesn’t she look amazing, honey?”

“Yeh,” David said. “Got some muscle on her bones now.” He gave Lesly’s bicep a squeeze. “Gonna have to be careful arm wrestling. She might just break my arm.”

Lesly giggled and blushed, clearly not accustomed to getting so much attention.

“I’m not talking about her muscles, ya dolt,” Fiona said. “Look at her face. Her pimples are gone. And her eyes. Aren’t they pretty?”

“They look green.” David squinted. “Wait. Weren’t they brown before?”

“Of course they were brown!” Fiona punched David in the shoulder, causing him to wince. “Ain’t you never paid attention to your daughters’ looks before? I swear, this man wouldn’t notice a train if it be about to run him over.”

“Now hold on a minute,” David said. “I know she’s pretty, both of ‘em are. They got it from you, babe.”

Fiona rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.

“It’s why I keep a shotgun by the front door for when ‘dem boys start knockin’.” David spoke with a straight face, leaving Dr. Coffey confused as to truth of the statement.

“Well...yes.” Dr. Coffey cleared his throat. “Her eyes are green now, as are all Elites. You may notice them glowing at times. It’s nothing to be concerned about. Furthermore, she should no longer need vision correction.”

“Uh, you mean glasses?” David asked.

“Whoa!” Lesly blinked rapidly. “I not wearing my glasses and I can see!”

“Read the last line on that chart over there.” Dr. Coffey pointed to the eye chart.

“P E Z O L C F T D,” Lesly said. “I don’t even have to squint!”

“Very good.” Dr. Coffey checked the time. “Here’s a prescription for chlorophyll refills.” He handed the paper to David. “She should take one a day, but if she misses a day or takes too many, it doesn’t matter all that much. They’re like vitamins, and honestly, there’s debate on whether they’re even helpful. Still, I recommend them.”

“Uh, ok.” David pocketed the slip of paper. “How fast will she grow?”

“Expect an inch a day,” Dr. Coffey said. “Maybe more, maybe less. Sunlight seems to accelerate the growth in many Elites. Buy oversized clothing since she’ll grow into them, and don’t force her to eat anything she doesn’t want. Foods will taste different and she’ll probably find herself wanting more vegetables than anything else.”

“I’ve been eating more asparagus at lunch,” Lesly said.

“Great,” Ky said. “Now the bathroom is going to stink of her asparagus pee.”

Lesly frowned slightly and glanced over at her sister, but said nothing. Dr. Coffey considered saying something about how Lesly would smell better in most ways, more natural, but Fiona spoke first.

“If you're going to act like this, I’m taking your phone away.” Fiona extended her hand toward her eldest daughter, palm up.

“Fine.” Ky pocketed her phone. “I’ll be nice.” She marched over, then stood at nearly eye level with her sister. The tension between them seemed almost a visible force.

“You look pretty.” Ky reached out. “Can I carry your clothes, please?”

“Um.” Lesly looked to her mom, then back at Ky. “You don’t have to — ”

Ky snatched the clothes from her sister. A sock dropped, but Ky quickly bent and retrieved it.

“Kyleigh Ann, if you — ”

“No, it’s fine Mom,” Lesly said, then faced her sister. “Thanks.”

*****

Dr. Coffey checked the remainder of his schedule. Two boys, both in stage two, a breath of fresh air if ever there was one.

His scheduler had saved his easier patients for the end of the day, thankfully, and boys were indeed much, much easier. Though they were stronger and often better in math, they lacked the empathic abilities which made girls so...draining. Male Elites almost never experienced emotional highs or lows, most advancing toward a near stoic state, as if they’d joined the military under a particularly demanding drill sergeant.

Unfortunately, males were less common and, as a result, most of Dr. Coffey’s days were spent weathering emotional extremes. Today had been good, but most days treated him like a plastic bag in a hurricane, his nerves frayed by the time he returned home to his own daughter who (thankfully) wasn’t an Elite.

However, she was only six. If by some stroke of luck she became an Elite, he’d have to find something stronger than Cognac to get to sleep. He specialized in treating children, and people respected him for it, but the parents of Elites deserved the true respect, especially if those Elites were female.

He couldn’t imagine surviving as a parent in a family like the Watts’, with two competitive daughters, one of whom was in the early stages of ascension. Dr. Coffey wasn’t sure if God existed, but he made a mental note to pray for the Watts family.

They’d certainly need it.

When an Elite dies, so to do their vassals. For a human, there’s no greater honor than to die in the service of an Elite.

- Order-Chaos, Lesser Titan, 1817

Lesly didn’t feel any smarter.

Dr. Coffey had said she’d gain intelligence, but how would she know? Sure, she could solve math problems, but that didn't count. Furthermore, she could only see the solution after speaking the numbers out loud, or writing them on paper. If she merely thought of a multiplication problem, she couldn’t see the answer. And that’s exactly what it was — seeing, the answer magically appearing in her brain. She didn’t understand how she arrived at it, so really, it was no different than using a flippin’ calculator.

Sitting cross legged outside her house, head bowed to the afternoon light, she let the warmth of the sun’s rays seep into her skin, and willed it to somehow make her smarter. She also pressed her thumb on the head of a rusty nail which protruded from the weatherworn deck, half expecting to drive it back into place with her newfound ‘super strength’.

It didn’t move.

Of all the benefits granted to Elites, only heightened intelligence sparked her interest. In truth, she couldn’t care less about becoming bigger and stronger. Those gifts would likely annoy her more than anything. However, she needed to be smarter, if only to improve her ability to communicate with her sister. Ky had always been brilliant, and if Les couldn't find a way approach her sister’s intelligence, she’d be lost.

Perfect example — since they’d returned from the doctor’s office, Ky had secluded herself in their room, refusing to leave. The door had no lock, and Les had entered a couple of times only to find Ky in her bed, comforter pulled over her head. Twice, she’d been about to tickle her sister (a sneaky tactic Ky had often used on Les in the past), but just as her fingertips grazed the blanket, a sharp pain shot through her skull. The second time, the pain had been even more pronounced, like a magic wand poking through one ear and out the other.

Somehow, she knew the pain belonged to Ky and not to herself, but it didn’t make it any less real. Furthermore, though Les wasn’t an expert like her sister on the subject of Elites, she’d heard enough about their powers to remember feelings pushed out from the Elite, not in. Perhaps this meant her sister was becoming an Elite too! It would certainly be welcome relief. If Les could have a single wish, it would be for her sister to ascend.

Lesly closed her eyes. Please God, if you’re listening, please make my sister an Elite. I know you don’t make mistakes, but I think maybe these powers belong to her. Also, please let her talk to me again. I’m really sorry about the things I said…

Les opened her eyes. She had said some mean things in the doctor’s office. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, first with Jakob, now with her sister. Both times she’d been flustered, unable to think quickly enough to stop her mouth from saying hurtful lies. She couldn’t even remember exactly what she’d said to Ky, only how it felt, as if she were desperately trying to hurt her sister with words.

Les frowned deeply as tears welled up in her eyes. Would she become like them? Like the Elites she and her sister watched on tv? Sure, many were depicted as heroes, but others paraded around as big meanies. Maybe Les was becoming a meanie, and if she was, she’d drive her sister away for sure. Ky was definitely the hero type, and Les would give anything to trade places and become her loyal vassal. Instead, the universe had turned their relationship upside down. And it sucked!

The screen door opened then clapped shut as someone, likely Mom, stepped onto the creaking wooden boards. Les sniffled, then quickly wiped her face against the sleeve of her oversized t-shirt.

“Stop crying, you big baby.”

Les didn’t hear the words, only the voice — Ky’s voice!

“Mom told me to go check on you.” Ky’s footsteps padded to the edge of the deck. “You realize you’re projecting right? I could feel you crying all the way from the bedroom.”

“Oh.” Les squinted into the sun as she glanced up at her sister. “Sorry.”

“You can turn it off,” Ky said, her back turned as she faced the yard. “The projecting. It’ll just take practice.” She sighed. “I can probably help.”

“I’m sorry!” Les blurted before she could stop herself. “About the things I said earlier.” She could feel the moisture returning to her eyes as if siphoned upward from an unending supply in her frozen lake of a gut. “I didn’t mean any of it. I — I just — ”

“Chill, you idiot,” Ky said. “I know you didn’t mean it. Neither did I. Well, at least the part about you being ugly. You’re not ugly.”

Les had forgotten about that, but it seemed insignificant. Ky was talking to her again. Ky was talking to her again!

“Actually — ” Ky started.

Les jumped up, faster than she’d expected, and wrapped her arms around Ky before the blonde had a chance to turn around. She buried her face in Ky’s bedhead hair, loving the oily, fruity smells she found there. Given her newly acquired height, Les’s nose fit quite nicely in the nape of Ky’s neck.

“Off!” Ky squirmed, but she didn’t appear to be fighting too hard because normally she’d break free from one of Les’s surprise hugs in an instant. Unless…

Oh, right!

Les released her sister, fearing her own increased strength. “Sorry!” She’d never heard of an Elite harming a human by accident, but with her luck, she’d be the first, especially if she didn't learn to hold back.

Ky rolled her eyes, straightening her clothing. “Obviously you’re stronger now, but you’re not going to break me, so calm down. That doesn’t mean you can hug me whenever you want.”

Hmm, in Lesly’s mind, it kinda did mean that.

Ky always seemed to know what Les was thinking. Well, not always, but at important moments like this.

“Anyway, as I was saying.” Ky met Les’s eyes, no longer needing to look down. “I was angry with myself, and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have.”

“Oh.” Les chewed on the inside of her bottom lip.

“I was mad because I failed to become an Elite, and I was jealous of you.”

Les nodded her head, brain desperately trying to process the words. Ky being jealous of Les simply didn’t compute. Les had become an Elite, true, but Ky was Ky. She didn’t get jealous of anyone because she was already super-duper amazing. Les would have to think on it more later.

“Then, I realized I don’t need to become an Elite.” Ky’s eyes stared not at Les, but through her. “I’m already good enough to make a difference. You’ll see, Les. I’m going to change this world in a big way. I’m not sure how yet, but my life’s going to mean something. People will know me.”

Les nodded fervently. This was the Ky she knew and loved, the Ky everyone knew and loved.

“Becoming an Elite would’ve made it too easy,” Ky said. “This world has only begun to see what Kyleigh Watts is capable of.”

“I know — I mean — you’re awesome!” Les sounded like an idiot, even to herself, but as usual the words spilled out of her mouth. “I just wish I could still be your vassal.”

“Obviously, you can’t. An Elite has never been a human’s vassal...” Ky’s brows furrowed.

“Yeh.” Les let out a deep sigh.

“But, if you really wanted to be my vassal...it would be different,” Ky said. “Maybe even world changing.”

Lesly liked where this was heading. Ky was so smart! If she could find a way to make Les her vassal, it’d be like breaking the laws of physics or something. People would notice, Ky would be praised, and Les would be right there with her.

“Could I?” Les asked. “Really?”

“I’ll think about it,” Ky said.

“Kay.” Lesly tried not to sound too excited, fearful Ky might change her mind.

“But before I even consider it, I’ll have to train you.” Ky paced back and forth across the deck. “You don’t know anything about Elites even though you are one. We’ll need to work on your strength, your reflexes, and your brains. If you’re going to be my vassal, you’ll have to be the best you can be.”

Les nodded so hard and so fast, she almost broke her neck. She didn’t know if it was the sun exposure, or Ky’s words, or both, but everything about the moment seemed so perfect.

She still had a place in her sister’s plans. She only needed to work hard to maximize her abilities, and her sister would accept her —

Maybe she’d even need her!

Elites photosynthesize. Not only do they convert light into chemical energy, they absorb carbon dioxide through their skin and release oxygen. The latter occurs as needed, based upon the ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide in the air. In oxygen rich environments, they rely upon human-like respiration. In oxygen starved environments, a single Elite is capable of purifying the air for up to seven human adults, maintaining near-ideal oxygen levels without the need for external cleansing systems.

On Elite Biology, Second Edition, 1970

Lesly stretched in her bed until the tips of her toes slipped off the far end. Odd. Maybe she’d slid down during the night or… Wait! She was an Elite now, or at least she was fast on her way toward becoming one! She’d grown a full three inches yesterday so, duh, her bed should feel smaller.

She turned over, facing the window where the sun had only begun to peek through the blinds. She also faced her sister, eyes still shut and mouth partway open, a few strands of her straight hair falling across her lips, shifting slightly with each breath.

Ky usually woke first, but not this morning. Les doubted she could go back to sleep even if she wanted. The day held too much promise, too many things to think about and experience.

The air smelled different. Dirty laundry, clean leggings and t-shirts, and stale peach yogurt drying in it’s container on Ky’s desk. Ky herself had an odor, one of mild sweat, faint shampoo and others Les couldn’t identify. She probably needed a shower, but in truth, Les didn’t mind. Her nose seemed to be working differently, and in a good way. She wanted to get closer to her sister to smell her better even though it would be super weird.

If she concentrated, she could hear Ky’s lungs pumping air and, though it must be her imagination, Ky’s heartbeat - thuh-bump, thuh-bump, thuh-bump. Other sounds too, like the faint buzzing of electricity feeding into their old wall clock, birds singing their wake up songs, and a jet plane in the distance. However, she preferred to focus on Ky’s noises — so much more interesting.

She let her hand drift toward the lower part of her nightie, remembering once more how her bedsheets, clothing, and underwear felt different, more vibrant. She could easily distinguish between the materials used, the fibers brushing against her skin and hairs, each in their own unique ways.

Was it always like this? Becoming an Elite?

As long as she could remember, she enjoyed the comfort of touching her panties, but this morning, she found the circular rubbing of her fingers to be particularly invigorating. It mixed with the warmth of what she’d come to associate with growth, the heady feeling of slowly getting bigger. Though the latter wasn’t nearly as powerful as when she’d been in the chamber, it was still quite enjoyable, especially when combined with her own lower massage.

While reveling in buzzed relaxation, Ky’s words came back to her. Ky had mentioned she’d been jealous, and Les hadn’t understood. However, feeling as she felt now, perhaps it made a little sense. Les would continue to experience mechanical, sensory, and cognitive improvements, while her human sister wouldn’t, at least not at the same rate and scale. If her sister didn’t ascend, Les would eventually...almost inevitably...become superior.

Heat bloomed in her stomach and surged toward her extremities, blanking her mind, letting one thought through at a time.

I’ll finally get more praise than my sister...

Yes — the heat, the electric blood pumping ticklish glitter through her veins.

Because I’ll be better than my sister...

A torrent of warmth, roiling in her midsection, rising higher than ever before.

SO...MUCH...BETTER...

Her thighs clenched around her fingers, and her back went straight as a board. Though momentarily frightened she’d hurt herself, she quickly snapped her mouth shut as her throat hummed and her body tingled with fuzzy heat. She pulled her hand away, only vaguely registering it’s moistness, and curled into a tight ball.

Wow. Utterly shattered, her brain began picking itself up from the insides of her skull. That felt gooood.

She’d never felt so alive before. It wasn't as strong as it had been a few seconds ago, and it appeared to be lessening, but it left her floating to the point where she had to look and confirm she wasn’t actually floating. Hopefully Elites didn’t feel that good all the time or she’d go crazy.

Even more interesting, Ky’s face had reddened considerably and her rate of breathing had increased. Weird. Was Les projecting?

Embarrassment and shame flooded her gut. After all, she’d experienced the surge of euphoria by imagining herself as Ky’s superior. Elites often prided themselves on their superiority. Would she simply become another one of them, basking in her own superiority, even over her own sister?

Before this morning, such a possibility seemed remote. Ky was indomitable after all. But, she was also human, at least for now. If Les became superior and flaunted her abilities as an Elite, it might crush Ky. Yes — it had felt amazing, thinking those thoughts of superiority, savoring them like the most delicious of candies.

But it did not feel so amazing now. She’d rather die than become someone who killed her sister’s dreams, especially for her own… Her own what? Pleasure? The thoughts sickened her, and she vowed keep her distance from them in the future. If the Elite cancer could give answers to math problems, it could certainly put bad thoughts in her head, and she could certainly ignore them.

It was her head after all. If Ky was going to fight to reach her dreams, Les could fight too.

And she would, even if the fight was against her own brain.

*****

Kyleigh awoke well rested, but decidedly less than clean. The sheets clung to her body as if they’d dried there overnight, her hair lay plastered against her cheek, and her underwear —

She threw back the covers and examined the mattress, sighing audibly as the worst of her fears evaporated. She hadn’t wet her bed, thankfully, but her panties definitely needed changing. In fifth grade, she’d learned about the discharge girls received before the first period. Maybe it was a sign. Then again, maybe she had peed a little, just not enough to cause a scene. Either way, she needed a shower.

Noting the unusual absence of her sister, Ky hopped out of bed and stripped down, burying her nighttime clothes toward the bottom of the dirty pile. She scurried into the adjoining bathroom, closed the door, and examined her lower body in the mirror. Unable to see much down there, she wiped herself with toilet paper.

Whew! No trace of blood.

Is it possible to get your first period while sleeping? she thought.

She didn’t know the answer, but she’d google it later. Frankly, she couldn’t imagine many places, other than perhaps the shower, where she would like to get her first period. Any surprise involving blood dripping from that area...ugh! She didn’t want to think about it.

She let the hot water from the shower cascade over her hair and shoulders, but her mind returned to periods. She’d have to ask Mom to buy some liners for herself and Les.

Wait. Did Elite get periods? Yes, the girls did, but not until later because they aged twice as slow. That’s right! Les would age more slowly now that she was becoming an Elite. Ky wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She liked being the older sister, but Les was her twin. In three years, Ky would be fourteen, and Les would still appear twelve.

Ky cupped her budding breasts, which, though currently not much different from a boy’s chest, would certainly fill out over the next few years. Les might get jealous, but she’d be an Elite by then. It was only fair Ky gain a few advantages. Plus, Les never stayed jealous for long. Heck, Ky had never seen Les jealous in a bad way, not like Ky had been yesterday.

Ky had been extremely jealous. She’d thought and said mean things. But she’d apologized, and formulated a new goal to change the world. How exactly? She had one, specific possibility in mind.

What if she became Earth’s Prime? She’d be the first human to ever hold the position, and she’d have influence over everyone — humans, Elites, Megas, even Titans. The Prime had to be voted into office, and voting weights favored the superior races, but it wasn’t illegal for a human to run for office. They simply never tried, at least not since rise and fall of Torment nearly a century ago.

That settles it. She rinsed the Mango Mischief shampoo from her long hair. I’ll become Earth’s first human Prime.

*****

“Mom!” Ky stomped her foot. “You’re not even listening!”

“Hold still, honey.” Mom placed her hand on top of Ky’s head, measuring. “Yup, already an inch taller than you. Can you believe your sister grew another two inches since the doctor? It’s hardly been a day!”

Ky stepped away from her forced position of standing back to back with her sister. Les did seem taller, and two inches in twenty-four hours was impressive, but not more than Ky’s announcement she’d become the first human Prime. If anything, Ky should be receiving the praise, not her sister who could and would grow inches by merely existing.

“Okaaay, but what about me?” Ky asked. “Didn’t you even hear what I said?”

“Sweetie, I believe you can do anything you put your mind to.” Mom lit a cigarette, inhaled, and exhaled light, minty smoke. “But you should be happy for Les. At this rate, we’ll get the Elite stipend in...hmm…let’s see. Three feet, twelve inches per foot — ”

“Eighteen days,” Les said. “Right, Ky?”

“Duh,” Ky said, though she hadn’t yet arrived at the answer herself. “A Prime makes a lot more money than an Elite, by the way. Like tons more.”

“That’s nice, sweetie.” Mom returned to the couch where she flipped on the morning news. The human anchors discussed the weather, human sports, and the latest Elite acts of heroism. The latter included a drug bust, a single Elite cowing an entire household of armed meth addicts with nothing more than her kevlar suit and force of will.

“Les, maybe you’ll become like Miss Majestic.” Mom pointed two cigarette-clasping fingers toward the screen. “Bustin’ druggies and fightin’ crime. Whaddya think?”

“Maybe.” Les shrugged.

Ugh. Yep. Now that she’d begun her ascension, Les merely needed to exist.

Well, no one ever said becoming Prime would be easy. Ky shouldn’t expect praise before she’d even begun. In fact, it was better this way. When she finally did achieve her goal, it would mean so much more than having it handed to her. Probably. At least thinking about it this way made her feel better about being ignored.

“C’mon Les.” She grabbed her sister’s hand marched toward the front door.

“Where you two going?” Mom asked. “It’s not even ten.”

“We’re going to train,” Les said.

“Train?” Mom asked, her attention momentarily diverted from the television. “Whatever for?”

“I already told you, Mom,” Ky said. “If she’s going to be my vassal, she’s gotta train.”

“Ohhhh, ok.” Mom turned back to the tv. “Have fun and be careful.”

Ky rolled her eyes and stomped out of the house, her sister in tow. At least Dad would appreciate her actions, once he finally climbed out of bed. With Sunday his only full day off, he usually took full advantage by sleeping in.

“I think it’s super cool,” Les said as the front door slammed shut.

“What?” Ky asked.

“You becoming Prime,” Les said. “It’s awesome.”

“Of course it’s awesome,” Ky said.

Even before her ascension, Les, with all her faults, usually saw the awesomeness behind Ky’s ideas. Though Ky would never admit it openly, sometimes Les’s enthusiasm for said ideas made Ky fight even harder for them, long past the point when most would give up. Yes, Les was becoming an Elite, but she was still Ky’s sister.

“And you’re going to be Vice Prime.” Ky made the decision right then and there.

“I am?” Les appeared stunned.

“Obviously,” Ky said. “I’ll only get elected to Prime if I can prove my ability to work well with Elites. So, I’ll need your help. You’re going to help me, right?”

“Yes!” Les grinned and stepped forward, arms spread.

Ky held up her hands. “No more super hugs this morning.”

Les stopped, but bounced on the balls of her feet, awaiting further instruction.

The hug Les had given Ky in the bathroom earlier had caused Ky’s back to pop. It didn’t hurt...much...but Ky wasn’t ready for another one. The growing girl simply had way too much energy. Time to burn some of it off.

“First, let’s stretch.” Ky bent and touched her toes. “Then we’ll run around the block.”

Ky lunged forward with one foot, then the other. Les performed the same stretches in sync with her sister, not wobbling or falling over as she usually did. Good — improved balance, something Les could definitely use.

“Try and keep up. If you fall behind, I’m not waiting.” Ky inhaled the crisp morning air and took off at a medium pace, the pace she generally chose when running with her slower sister.

However, Les kept up with apparent ease, her newly lengthened legs matching Ky stride for stride. Ky increased her pace to her distance maximum, the fastest she could run for extended periods of time.

Les didn’t fall behind, but instead lengthened her own stride to maintain speed. The two continued this way, running side-by-side until they completed the first lap around the block.

“Another,” Ky said between puffs. “Run faster if you can.”

Les nodded, and jetted out ahead. But within seconds, Les slowed, returning to her spot beside her sister. “I can’t run any faster.”

“Yes you can,” Ky said. “I just saw you do it.”

“I’m too tired.” Les said, though she didn’t even appear to be breathing hard.

Ky stopped and placed her hands on her hips as she sucked air. Les stopped too, pretending to gasp.

“You’re lying,” Ky said.

“No I’m — ”

“If you’re going to lie to me, you’ll never become my vassal.” Ky poked her in the chest. “I can tell you’re holding back, which is stupid. In a few weeks, you’ll be over nine feet tall. What’ll you do then? Walk while I run?”

Les bowed her head and spoke softly. “I just don’t want to embarrass you or anything.”

Ky clenched her fists at her sides. “The only embarrassing thing is when you say stupid stuff like that!”

Les flinched and seemed about to cry.

Anger boiled in Ky’s chest, similar to yesterday, but less intense. Why it had returned now, Ky couldn’t explain. Les didn’t mean any harm. She was just an idiot sometimes.

“Look,” Ky said, willing herself to calm down. “You’ll obviously beat me at physical stuff like running. It’s part of becoming an Elite, but don’t worry. I’ll always be better at other stuff like...leading and motivating and…plenty more. If I’m going to try my best, you need to do the same, or I’ll just do this without you.”

Les didn’t seem convinced, still hesitating to make eye contact while she picked at her thumbnail.

“I can’t read your mind, Les,” Ky said, secretly grateful for the extra moment to rest. “Obviously something’s wrong. What is it?”

“This morning I…” Lesly’s face reddened perceptibly and she bit her bottom lip.

“Spit it out,” Ky said, growing impatient. For better or worse, Les told her everything, often making Ky feel like a confessional in a Catholic church. Les almost never lied successfully, and when she did, she always felt bad and told Ky the truth eventually. It was annoying, but Ky hated liars, so she respected her sister for her honesty.

“This morning, I was touching myself under the covers.” Les glanced up, then looked down again.

“Okaay,” Ky said. It wasn’t the first time they’d talked about the good feelings. Ky had explained it was normal, so long as it was kept private.

“I started thinking about becoming an Elite,” Les said. “Not just getting bigger and stronger. But about how I could see better, hear better, and smell better.” Les looked up, this time maintaining her gaze.

Ky swallowed and looked away, unsure of her feelings on the topic.

“Then...I thought about becoming better than you.” Les spoke, going into her zone of storytelling. “And...and it suddenly felt so good!”

Ky glanced around nervously, making sure no one was standing outside the neighboring houses.

“My body got all stiff and hot and...it was the best thing ever!” Les said, finally appearing to come back to earth.

“Okaaay.” Ky could feel the heat in her face. As usual, Les had no filter. “You done?”

“Yeh...but…”

“But what?” Ky wanted to start running again, anything to get away from what had to be one of the most humiliating conversations she’d ever had with her sister.

“Was it wrong?” Les asked. “For me to think about becoming better than you?”

Ky rolled her eyes and faced her sister again. “No, you idiot. Elites always think that way. It just means you’re becoming an Elite. You probably had a flippin’ orgasm. Wait...you said it was this morning?”

Les nodded, face solemn in attentiveness.

“Oh my god, no wonder,” Ky said. “You made me feel it too, you dolt.”

“Oh.” Les scrunched her brows together. “But it felt good, right?”

“I’m sure it did. It also makes you wet, if you hadn’t noticed.” Ky couldn’t believe she had to explain masturbation to her sister. The girl couldn’t look anything up for herself. If Ky didn’t teach her, she’d be utterly lost. “And since you projected the feelings, it made me wet too.”

“Oh,” Les said. “So I shouldn’t do it again?”

“Listen, I don’t care what you do,” Ky said. “If pretending to be superior helps you get off, go for it. Just wait till I teach you how to control your emotions first.”

Les nodded, seemingly relieved. “Kay.”

“Anything else?” Ky asked, then started running again without waiting for an answer.

Les jogged to keep pace. “I — I know it’s not true. I’ll never be better than you, not for reals.”

“I just said — ” Ky wanted to pound her head into the stone mailbox as they passed it, but she forced her frustration down, and her voice to a normal tone. “You will become better at lots of things, and it’s fine. If it makes you happy, fine. If you get off on it, fine. So long as you keep the feelings to yourself. I’ve got my own plans. I know exactly what Elites are capable of, but I also know myself. I don’t want you to worry about me. It’s incredibly annoying.”

They ran for several more seconds in silence.

“So, I can still be your vassal?” Les asked.

“Not if you keep holding yourself back,” Ky said. “If you don’t try your hardest because you’re afraid of embarrassing me, you’re lying to both of us, and you’ll never have what it takes to become my vassal.”

“Kay,” Les said, a slow smile forming on her face.

“So what are you waiting for?” Ky said. “Run as fast as you can and don’t look back. If you can lap me before I get home...I don’t know. You can give me a flippin’ hug, I guess.”

Les took off, running impressively fast, presumably at full speed.

She didn’t look back.

Since the earliest medical writings, the organism occupying Elite bodies has been mislabeled as cancer, primarily due to the replicative effect it has on cells. The organism itself is symbiotic, lacks sentience, and exists inside all types of cells, including male sperm and female ova. Mode of transmission from Elite to human is unknown.

Due to organism function, Elite tissue regeneration is measured in hours instead of days or weeks. In certain environments, especially those high in heat and humidity, regeneration can be measured in mere minutes.

Elites are unable to harbor viruses or bacteria (malignant or benign). Microbial flora inhabiting skin, gut, and mucous membranes are destroyed early in stage one of Elite ascension, though the exact method of destruction is, as of yet, unknown.

- Excerpts from On Elite Biology, Third Edition, 1974

Les chose a clean-looking seat in the middle of the sparsely populated bus. Since yesterday, she’d grown another couple of inches, matching her mom in height. As a result, her legs didn’t fit as easily as they had in the past. She shifted her knees up against the seat in front and reclined back. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but it would do.

Unfortunately, her sister wouldn’t be joining her at school today, not after puking her guts out this morning. Dad said it was probably just a stomach bug, a twenty-four hour thing, but Les didn’t buy it. She didn’t know how, but she suspected Ky was either faking or responsible for her own illness. And it was a strong suspicion too, as if Les could read her sister’s mind.

“So.” Paisley appeared to the left and sat down beside Les. The girl, towering nearly a head taller than Les, sat in a similar fashion, but with knees planted even higher against the seat ahead. “Where’s your big sister today?”

“She’s sick,” Les said. Why wouldn’t this creepy girl simply stay in the seat she’d claimed, the one at the back of the bus? Les had chosen the middle seat specifically to avoid her.

“Too bad,” Paisley said. “I was looking forward to congratulating her on becoming an Elite.”

“She didn’t become one, but I did,” Les said, wondering if she’d given away too much information.

“Clearly.” Paisley flicked a silver horse charm on her bracelet. “I was being facetious. Oh wait. I’m sorry. You probably don’t know what that word means, do you?”

“Leave me alone,” Les said. Paisley reminded her of the typical Elite, conceited and snobby and someone Les hoped never to emulate.

“It’s a free country,” Paisley said. “I can sit wherever I want, especially since I’m the ranking Elite here.”

Les turned her gaze toward the window and tried to focus on something else. Anything else. Anything aside from the rude redhead sitting adjacent.

“Anyway,” Paisley said. “Please inform your sister I intend to make her my first vassal. Since she’s not ascending, I assume she’ll have no problem with the arrangement.”

“She doesn’t want to be your vassal.” Les snapped, scowling at the condescending pre-Elite.

“What she wants is irrelevant, as I’m sure you’re aware,” Paisley said. “Or perhaps you’re not. Poor thing. In that case, let me educate you. By law, an Elite can claim any free human as a vassal, so long as he or she doesn’t exceed the maximum of two. And, as you can plainly see, I have no vassals yet.”

“It also says you can’t claim the vassal of another Elite,” Lesly said, somewhat proud she’d remembered the law. “She’s going to become my vassal, so you can forget about it.”

In reality, Les would become Ky’s vassal, but making such a statement to someone like Paisley would only result in ridicule. Ky could pull it off, but Les wasn’t Ky. Besides, the vassalship bond would be formed no matter what, and it would make Ky immune from predatory Elites like Paisley.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, the bond is meaningless if you’re not an Elite,” Paisley said. “And since I’ll be the first to attain full Elite status, I’ll be the one claiming Ky as my vassal. End of story.”

Les couldn’t think of anything witty to say in response. Unfortunately, Paisley was correct. Les could lose her sister to this girl, and in doing so, she’d lose her mind too. She loved her sister more than anyone or anything in the world.

Lesly’s chest constricted, making breathing difficult.

“Don’t worry,” Paisley said. “As I mentioned earlier, I’ll probably become a Mega. So, I’ll simply make you my vassal too, and you won’t have to be separated from your precious sister.”

“You’d do that?” Les asked, finally able to breathe again.

“Of course,” Paisley said. “In spite of what you may think, I’m not a cruel person. I have no desire to make your sister hate me, at least not for the long term. Quite the opposite. She’s the only person I’ve been able to read. She’s special to me. I want her to be happy, but at the same time, I want to own her.”

“So I'll be able to see her as much as I want?” Les asked, finding it difficult to believe. “What about our family, can we see them too?”

“Yes and yes,” Paisley said. “As a Mega, I intend to be very generous with my vassals and their families. I’m wealthy even without the Mega stipend, so it won’t be a problem. However, the less you resist, the happier you’ll be.”

Oh...ok,” Les said.

“You can start by sitting with me at lunch, instead of that pitiful boy I’ve seen you with,” Paisley said. “I simply cannot eat with free humans. They’re so feeble-minded. You’re not the brightest bulb either, but you’re ascending, so I assume you’ll become more interesting over time.”

“Jakob’s not stupid,” Les said.

“Perhaps,” Paisley said. “But he’s definitely not Elite, and there are other reasons I prefer not to sully myself with such peons. Honestly, I’m surprised you don’t feel the same way. You probably will soon.”

“What about my sister. She’s not Elite.”

“She’ll be my vassal, so it’s different,” Paisley said. “She’ll carry a small piece of myself with her, and it’ll elevate her above the rabble. She’ll never hold a candle to my greatness, nor yours, but she’ll be worthy of our presence and attention.”

Paisley exemplified all the things she hated about Elites, but Les locked onto one thing in particular. Ky would be ‘elevated’, if only by a small yet discernible amount. As far as Les knew, vassals gained no abilities beyond an enhanced empathic connection with their Elite, but it was still something normal humans lacked. Maybe it would help Ky feel more special. Les certainly hoped it would.

“Just wait,” Paisley said. “After we move to a city designed for the superior races, we’ll have the best time together. You may think I’m just another snobby Elite now, but you’ll come to enjoy my company. I can be quite fun and caring when you’re obedient. You’ll see.”

Les had no problems obeying, but it would be a stretch for Ky. Les would have to find a way to sell Paisley’s plan, perhaps make Ky think it came from herself. After all, they obeyed their parents to an extent, so obeying Paisley wouldn’t be much different. She’d be a new paternal figure in their lives, but they could still enjoy their lives as they did today.

It might work. It’d have to work. Les would find a way to make it work because the alternative, losing her sister, wasn’t an alternative she could live with.

Not now, not ever.

*****

Les bit into the celery stalk, marveling at how what had once been a tasteless vegetable now teemed with earthy flavors. While not flavors she could readily identify, they were delicious and varied nonetheless, similar to how oak bark differed from maple leaves.

Ok. Perhaps not the best analogy.

“I still can’t believe it.” Amanda sat across from Les at the lunch table, hardly touching her food, her eyes glued to Les. “What did she say? I have to know.”

“I bet she was gutted.” Harriet, the British transfer student, said. “I mean you grow up thinking you’re pre-Elite, then find out it’s your baby sis instead. Oh ya. Properly gutted is what I say.”

They, along with three other girls who claimed to be Ky’s friends, waited for Les to respond. It was nerve-racking. With her pre-Elite status, she’d stumbled upon unwanted popularity, and without Ky around, she didn’t know how to handle it.

“Um,” Les said. “She wasn’t happy at first, but she’s over it now. Mostly.”

“Poor Ky,” Amanda said. “Honestly I’d pretend to be sick too if it’d happened to me. Too embarrassing.”

“I know,” Harriet said. “I’d be — ”

“She’s not embarrassed!” Les said. “She’s sick. She threw up. Aren’t you supposed to be her friends?”

The girls bowed their heads, looking remorseful and no small amount nervous. Les realized she might have projected fear, but she couldn’t do anything about it now. Given their attitudes, they deserved it. Ky didn’t need friends gossiping behind her back.

Out of the corner of her eye, Les spotted Paisley sitting down at an empty table. After excusing herself from the still-stunned group of girls, Les got up and carried her tray toward Paisley. Along the way, she flashed a hesitant smile to Jakob, who, as usual, ate alone. She’d already explained she’d be unable to eat with him today and he’d said he understood, but she sensed he felt rejected. She’d have to make it up to him in seventh period.

Les plopped down across from Paisley, who, like herself, dined from a plate loaded with vegetables.

“Just ignore them,” Paisley said, taking a bite out of a yellow pepper.

“What?” Les asked.

“I heard it all.” Paisley pointed to her right ear. “If you concentrate, you can listen to conversations across the room.”

Les frowned. “They’re being inconsiderate. Ky really is sick..”

“They’re human, selfish creatures who take pleasure in the misfortune of others. You may not see it now, but you will as your brain evolves.” Paisley finished off her pepper, swallowing everything, including the stem.

“I don’t know,” Les said. “We were once human too, right? My brain doesn’t feel any more evolved than it did last week.”

“You’ve only just begun your ascension,” Paisley said. “You’ll get smarter and you’ll eventually understand — it’s not our role to be friends with them. Rather, we are to lead them, whether it be through vassalship or governance. If we don’t create the laws, no one would. Imagine a world without rules. A world where human nature, in all it’s spitefulness, was left unchecked.”

Les thought back to the news stories, the images of Elite heroes saving lives and throwing lawbreakers behind bars. She couldn’t deny Paisley’s words. Elites did have a responsibility as leaders, and she herself would soon belong to their ranks. Still…

“Ky’s different,” Les said. “She never gossips about anyone. She acts mean sometimes, but in her heart, she does the right thing. She’s nothing like those other girls.”

“Your sister’s different.” Paisley bit into a raw onion and Les prepared for the tears. However, they didn’t arrive. She found she could enjoy the fresh smell without tearing up, as could Paisley. “But she’s still human. As a vassal, under my guidance, she’ll accomplish a lot. For a human, that is.”

“She’s going to become Prime.” Les braced herself.

Paisley swallowed her latest bite, then set the onion down, a half smile forming on her face. “Is that what she said? She wants to become Prime?”

“She will become Prime,” Les said. “When my sister puts her mind to something, she makes it happen no matter what.”

“Hmm.” Paisley steepled her fingers together in front of her mouth. “I’m fascinated by this sister of yours, which is saying a lot for a human. Judging from your expression and what I know of her mind, she honestly thinks she can become Prime. You, on the other hand, have your doubts, which means you’re starting to see things more clearly.”

“I don’t have doubts!” Les said.

“Ok, ok.” Paisley held up a hand by way of apology, but her irksome smile didn’t waver. “The good news is nothing about vassalship precludes one from becoming Prime, so you won’t have to worry about me standing in the way of her dreams.”

“Really?” Les asked. “So you’ll help her?”

“So long as she’s obedient, she may do whatever she wants with her life,” Paisley said. “The same goes for you. My demands will not be so extensive or complicated, and you’ll both have time to pursue your personal goals, as long as they don’t conflict with my orders.”

It sounded too good to be true, but nothing in Paisley’s face indicated she was lying. She seemed to have some respect for Ky, which was more than Les could say about Ky’s so-called friends. In fact, the longer she spoke with Paisley, the more Les came to see her as being a little like Ky. Confident, sometimes condescending, yet successful and refreshingly honest. To Les, the latter two qualities mattered more anyway.

“Are you going to eat that?” Paisley pointed to the radish on Lesly’s plate.

“You can have it.” Les handed it over, then watched the redhead bite off the bulb and swallow it whole.

“If you want to grow faster,” Paisley said as she lifted a raw potato to her mouth. “You should eat more.”

“Ky says it doesn’t really matter.” Lesly munched on another celery stick. She didn't feel particularly hungry, but she rarely did anymore.

“Ky’s wrong,” Paisley said. “Or maybe she’s just delaying the inevitable.”

“Ky wouldn't lie to me,” Les said.

“Perhaps she’s not lying,” Paisley said. “Perhaps she’s simply not telling you everything, trying to keep her ‘little’ sister around as long as she can. No one would blame her. Soon you’ll outmatch her in every possible way. You’ve felt it haven’t you? The power building inside you? I’m sure you’ve felt it. All Elite feel it eventually.”

Les flushed slightly at the way Paisley said the word feel, as if she’d witnessed Les touching herself that morning.

Eager to change the subject, Les asked, “Sometimes I notice you’re in the bathroom for a long time. What are you doing in there? If — if you don’t mind me asking.”

Paisley blinked, then smirked. “I’m not peeing all over the toilet seat, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Les blushed furiously, mortified at being called out and essentially outsmarted. She’d intended to throw Paisley off her stride with the question, but it had backfired.

“Don’t worry,” Paisley said. “It’s not like I’m going to run around telling the school about your little accident. I’m not human, remember.”

Les nodded, thankful none of Ky’s friends had discovered the incident. If they had, it would’ve surely made its way across all the grades by now.

“And, to answer your question, I think you know what I’m doing in the bathroom.” Paisley bit into her potato, skin included.

Les furrowed her brow...Oh!

She couldn’t be doing that, could she?

Paisley shrugged, not appearing the least bit embarrassed. “When you grow as fast as I do, you have to find release. It’s natural, and only humans find it embarrassing. As a member of a superior race, you’ll soon discover there’s nothing taboo about enjoying yourself. Some suggest it even helps accelerate growth.”

“I know!” Les said, hating feeling like a child being talked down to. “I do it too. Sometimes. Just not at school. And I know there’s nothing wrong with it.” Her face warmed, but she couldn’t do anything about it.

Thankfully, Paisley didn’t prod. “Any more questions about what it’s like to become Elite?”

“No.” Les started in on her food at a renewed pace, determined to eat everything on her plate. The school had loaded it with all kinds of veggies, and she’d planned on tossing away most of it, but not anymore.

Ky wouldn’t lie to her, but it couldn’t hurt to finish her food, could it? Besides, it gave her something to do besides talking to another Elite, one who clearly outclassed herself in almost every way possible.

Once she and Ky became Paisley’s vassals, she’d be able to learn more about how Elites should behave. Not everything about Elites was bad. She’d learn it all and, with Ky’s help, pick and choose the right attributes. She’d become the best Elite she could be, just like her sister wanted.

Just like she herself wanted.

*****

Lesly’s second game of chess ended in less than eight minutes, two minutes shorter than her first. She’d won both games, each time checkmating Jakob’s king with her queen. The first victory had been dismissed as a fluke, but not the second.

“Wow.” Jakob pushed his glasses up on his nose. “How are you doing this? You hardly won any games last week.”

“It’s like math.” Lesly touched her temple, feeling somewhat guilty. “Something in my brain shows me the answer.”

“Can you turn it off?” Jakob asked. “It won’t be any fun if you win every game without trying.”

“Um, I dunno.” Les had never considered turning the magic answers off, but something about the concept appealed to her. “I’ll try.”

Ok.” Jakob reset the board. “If you can’t, we’ll play a different game. Surely Elites aren’t better at everything.”

She honestly hoped he was right. She didn’t want to stop attending the club simply because the games had become too easy, and she didn’t want to stop seeing Jakob.

Of all the people at school, he was the only one who still treated her like a normal person. Granted, he still had an inch or two on her, an advantage which would likely disappear by tomorrow, but she doubted her increasing size would change his personality. Jakob would continue to be Jakob.

Fascinatingly, she found she could indeed block out the magic numbers by erecting a wall in the back of her mind. So long as she mentally faced away from the wall, she couldn’t see through it to the answers, nor was she tempted to do so.

The next game lasted a full twenty minutes, and she lost nearly as badly as she usually did, but she had to think once again, and it made all the difference for both of them. She could remember things a little better than last week, but not looking at the answers made an enormous difference in her performance, a difference which a extra memory did little to mitigate.

“I told ya you could do it,” Jakob said as he checkmated her.

“You’re just happy you’re winning again,” Les said, but with a smile. With his help, she’d found a way to keep some of her humanity. She didn’t give him enough credit sometimes, but Jakob was almost as smart as her sister.

Jakob checked his watch. “I think that’s the last one we have time for.”

“Awww.” She wanted a rematch, but he was right. The bell would ring in few minutes.

“I’m glad you’re still coming to the club.” Jakob picked up the pieces and placed them in the cloth bag. “I figured you’d stop coming since you’re practically an Elite now.”

“What?!” Les helped him with the cleanup. “Why would I do that?”

“Uh...well you sat with Paisley at lunch — ”

“I told you,” Les said. “She’s probably going to claim my sister and I. She insisted I eat lunch with her.”

Standing up from the table, Jakob scratched the back of his head. “So I guess you’ll eventually move away to an Elite city, right?”

“Um.” Les hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I guess.”

“Ok, well...” Jakob put the board back into its spot on the shelves. “You’ve got my number now, so don’t be a stranger.”

“Hey you can text me too,” Les said. “Anytime. I don’t think Paisley would care.”

Even in her own ears, the words rang hollow. She didn’t like the idea of moving, and she certainly didn’t want to abandon her best boy friend (not boyfriend) before the school year ended.

“Sure,” Jakob said, tossing his backpack over his shoulder. As usual, he picked up hers and tossed it over his other shoulder even though, with her new stature, she didn’t need the help.

“There is another way.” Les stood and met him nearly eye to eye. “You could become my vassal.”

His face went through more emotions than she could identify. “Seriously?” he asked. She couldn’t determine if the way he’d asked was good or bad.

“I mean — I’d never force you,” Les said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “And if you did, I’d never make you do stuff. You know I’m not like that.”

Jakob went straight faced for a moment then smirked in a way that told her he’d gotten her good.

“You jerk!” She laughed and shoved him on the shoulder, but caught him by the shirt as he toppled toward a nearby table.

“I dunno,” Jakob said after regaining his balance. “I’d finally worked up the courage...I was going to ask you out this year. But now, I guess it’s impossible. So, I don't think I could become your vassal. It would be too weird, ya know?”

Her heart literally stopped in her chest after the ‘ask you out’ part. Had he admitted he wanted to be her boyfriend? So unfair! How could he admit it like this, then hide behind the whole Elite thing?

Even more unsettling, if she was being honest, she liked him too. Once again, ascension seemed to be doing more harm than good in her relationships.

“You’re right.” She struggled with the words, each like an arrow torn from her chest, each leaving an open wound behind. “It would be weir— ”

His lips met hers in a flash of heat. She had no time to react, her muscles frozen as two words seared her brain: First kiss. First kiss. First kiss!

He didn’t grab her, and she didn’t grab him, but their faces pressed together as if drawn by opposing magnets. It was only a peck, close-lipped and awkward, but it was soft and lingering. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and their noses slid together like puzzle pieces. His heart thudded, as did hers, and in spite of her ‘super’ hearing, she couldn’t distinguish between the two beats. With hot blood rushing through her cheeks and ears, her lips began to part.

And the bell rang.

Their faces withdrew, his reddened and wide-eyed, hers likely the same. She pressed her lips together, tasting them, seeking proof the last few seconds had been real.

“Well, that happened.” Jakob donned his glasses and, with a forced smile, turned and walked toward the door.

Her mind awoke from its endorphine coma, and she hurried after him. “That better not have been a joke!”

“It wasn’t a joke.” He stopped at the door, turning to look at her with his serious, though still red, face.

“So, does this mean you’re my boyfriend?” Les asked, utterly confused.

“I dunno,” Jakob said. “Wanna be my girlfriend?”

“But...I’m an Elite.” Lesly winced as soon as she’d said it.

“I guess that’s a no.” Jakob reached for the door and pulled.

Lesly slammed it shut, and took a deep breath, then smiled wider than she’d ever smiled in her life.

“It’s a yes,” she said. “I’ll be your girlfriend.”

Elites don’t reproduce, at least not in the traditional sense. The symbiont reproduces asexually, prompting periods of rapid growth and tissue regeneration. Many Elites report feelings of sexual arousal during such periods, sometimes to the point of spontaneous orgasm. Others claim a reverse causal relationship, i.e., self-stimulation preceding growth. Regardless, nearly all Elites report a significant diminishment in feelings of shame and guilt associated with arousal and nudity, the latter supporting Alouf’s theory of photosynthetic biogenesis in relation to the amount of skin exposed to solar radiation.

- On Elite Biology, Second Edition, 1970

Les sat alone on the bus ride home. Paisley’s mom had picked her up from school, offering Les some much needed solitude. Given what she’d been through, part of her wanted to crawl into a tunnel and hibernate for a long time, at least until all the chaos in her life disappeared.

She simply couldn’t have a boyfriend. Non-vassal relationships between humans and Elites weren’t forbidden, but they certainly weren’t common. Furthermore, as Ky had explained on multiple occasions, the first rule of middle school was to avoid getting a boyfriend. They never lasted, and they distracted from important things like studying. She didn’t need any more distractions from the latter. Math might be easy now, but her other subjects were as hard as they’d always been.

Then there was the matter of her first kiss. She’d gone and given it away to Jakob, the first boy she’d ever really become friends with. In truth, he’d stolen it from her, though she hadn’t put up much of a fight. She remembered, quite vividly, the way his lips brushed against hers for that fraction of a second before they merged warmly with her own. She could’ve pushed him away, she had the strength to do so, but she’d remained still, even pressed back into him. Why?

Les drew her legs against her chest, and buried her face in her knees. She needed her sister. Hopefully Ky wasn’t still asleep, because Les would go crazy if she didn’t talk to someone soon, and her sister, as usual, had to be that someone.

The bus rolled to a stop at the street leading to her house. Les bolted up and strode off the bus. As soon as her feet touched pavement, she burst into a sprint, surprising herself with her own speed as her legs carried her across lawns and driveways.

She’d impressed herself yesterday too, at how easily she’d lapped her sister. During the day, it was as if her legs worked on autopilot, siphoning energy from the sun instead of from her own body. If the sun dipped behind a cloud, she could maintain her speed, but it required more conscious effort.

As promised, Ky had submitted herself to a victory hug, and Les had been extra careful not to squeeze too hard. She could use another one right now. It would calm her nerves, and put her mind at peace, making everything ok again for a little while.

“Mom, I’m home!” Les tore open the front door and flew into the living room.

“Welcome back, sweetie,” Mom said, not moving from her position on the couch. “How was school?”

“Good.” Les kissed her mom on the cheek. “Where’s Ky? Is she ok?”

“She’s fine, but she’s grounded.” Mom snubbed her cigarette out in the half-full tray. “She can’t go outside for the rest of the week.”

“Why?” Les asked.

“Ask her,” Mom said. “She’s in your room.”

It wasn’t her room, it was their room, but Mom knew that. She must still be upset at Ky. What had Ky done to deserve grounding?

Wasting no time, Les ran down the hallway and burst into their bedroom. Ky shut her laptop and swiveled her chair around. “Ever hear of knocking?”

Les knew she should knock when the door was closed, which it had been, but she couldn’t be expected to remember Ky’s rules when her brain was stuck on repeat.

“I kissed a boy.”

Ky blinked once, then twice more. “You idiot.”

Les belly-flopped onto Ky’s bed, instant relief calming her stomach. Somehow those were the words she’d desperately needed to hear. It meant her sister had, once again, accepted her stupidity and would now help in solving the problem.

Ky’s bed was unmade, and the sweet, oily smell of it filled Les’s nose. She resisted the urge to curl up in Ky’s sheets and hug her sister’s lingering essence. She’d only been gone a day, but she’d missed her sister.

“Who was it?” Ky asked. “Jakob?”

Les propped her chin on her hands and nodded.

“I should be surprised, but I’m not,” Ky said.

“You’re not?” How could she not be surprised? It’d surprised the heck out of Les!

“It’s obvious he likes you,” Ky said. “We thought he’d try to kiss you last year.”

“We?” Les asked.

“Amanda and Jennifer,” Ky said.

“You never told me!” Les couldn't believe her sister would hide such important information from her.

“Because I thought you’d be smart enough to stay in the friend zone,” Ky said. “I even made it the first rule of middle school.”

“I know but…” Les kicked her feet back against her butt, her mind racing. “Well now he’s my boyfriend.”

“Ugh.” Ky slapped her palm against her forehead. “He knows you’re ascending, right?”

“Duh!” Les said. “I’m practically as tall as him now.”

Ky sighed. “I can’t believe I’m jealous of my little sister for two reasons now.”

“You’re jealous?!” Les bit her bottom lip, but couldn’t stop the smile from creeping across her face.

Ky rolled her eyes, then turned to the side, hiding what appeared to be a smirk behind her hair.

Les crawled off the bed, rose, and angled to get a better view of Ky’s face.

Ky stood, her t-shirt straightening to cover her peach underwear. “Gotta use the bathroom.”

Les took the opportunity to grab her fleeing sister in a backward bear hug, then back slammed onto Ky’s bed. With her height advantage, the maneuver wasn’t difficult and Ky’s weight didn’t pose a challenge to Les’s enhanced strength.

"Hey!” Ky twisted ineffectively in Les’s embrace.

“Jealous?!” Les teased, brining one hand under Ky’s t-shirt and tickling the smaller girl’s stomach.

Giggles erupted from Ky as Les assaulted the flesh beneath Ky’s shirt. In the past, Ky had always escaped from ‘tickle torture’ within seconds. However, Les found she could now hold both Ky’s legs in place with one of her own, and single-handedly immobilize both Ky’s arms by binding them at the wrist, freeing one of her own hands to seek the vulnerabilities on Ky’s body.

“Stop, you idiot!” Ky squirmed, coughing and laughing hysterically. “I’m going to pee myself!”

“Kay.” Les stopped the tickling, but used both arms to lock Ky in place, refusing to let her get up. “Why are you jealous?”

The question was more of a delay tactic than anything else. She simply wanted to lay there, holding her sister tight against her own body, drinking in her body heat, and tasting the strands of blonde hair that fell into her mouth.

“It’s obvious,” Ky said, panting. “You’re almost an Elite, and you’ve already kissed a boy.”

“Are you trying to say I’m better than you?” Les maneuvered her right knee, using it to separate Ky’s legs, then slowly drove it upward.

“Idiot,” Ky said, but without spite. “You’re not controlling your emotions.”

“Do you want me to stop?” Les opened her emotional gates even further, passing her true feelings directly into Ky. Les’s leg slid further up, making contact with Ky’s panty-clad crotch. Electricity flowed through Les and into Ky, igniting the areas where their skin touched.

Ky inhaled sharply and straightened, her legs clamping down around Les’s thigh. The smaller girl spasmed multiple times in quick succession, each time Les pulling her tight against her own body, curling up, feeling the familiar fuzzy pressure build in her own lower abdomen.

In the back of her mind, she knew what she was doing to Ky, but she couldn't stop because it felt so incredibly right. Furthermore, she sensed Ky didn’t want Les to stop. For that moment, it was as if they’d become single person. Neither could be jealous of the other because nothing separated their souls.

Finally, Ky relaxed and Les unfurled her body.

“Idiot,” Ky said, but she made no attempt to move. She lay there, her legs still wrapped loosely around Les’s thigh. Les didn’t want to remove her thigh because she could feel some moisture, and she didn’t want to embarrass Ky any further. Plus, they were so warm together, Ky snuggled protectively in Les’s arms.

Unfortunately, the blissful heat in Les’s belly retreated before she could experience the same explosion of pleasure as the other night, perhaps what Ky herself had just experienced. But it didn’t matter. Les held her sister so close, and it was a hundred times better than some fleeting bliss.

Ky’s ragged breathing steadied. “You have to break up with him.”

In direct contact with Ky’s skin, Les could not only sense Ky’s feelings, but she could ‘hear’ Ky’s surface thoughts. For some reason it didn’t even come as a surprise, almost as natural as reading her own thoughts.

“You’re not saying it just because you’re jealous?” Les asked, though she already knew the answer. She could feel Ky’s jealousy, but it was the good kind, if there could be such a thing. It was mixed with pride for Les, and yes, even a weird sort of happiness….the sort Ky would never openly express.

“I can feel you in my head,” Ky said. “It’s annoying.”

“Sorry,” Ky imagined the wall, the same she’d used to block the magic numbers, and erected it between their minds. She could still feel Ky’s feelings, faintly, but the wall blocked Ky’s thoughts.

“No,” Ky said. “You’re not sorry.”

Les giggled and pressed her nose against the back of Ky’s head. “I’m out. I promise.”

Ky shifted, lifting her right leg slightly before dropping it back down with an exasperated sigh. “You know why you need to break up. I don’t need to explain it.”

“But I really like him.” Les inhaled her sister’s sweet scent of sweat. “A lot.”

“He’s not a puppy,” Ky said. “You can’t be with him as an equal. You can make him your vassal if you want, but remaining his girlfriend will only hurt him and you.”

“But...I’m going to be your vassal.”

“We both know how it works,” Ky said.

“What?” Les couldn’t believe her ears. “What do you mean?”

“If anything, you’ll pretend to be my vassal, just like we did as kids. But by law, I’ll be your vassal. There’s no avoiding it.”

“Not true!” Les said. “You’re going to become Prime. You’ll change the laws. I know you will.”

Ky’s breathing caught and Les relaxed her embrace so her sister could breathe more easily.

“I spent a lot of time reading today. I don’t think I can become Prime. There’s too many — “

“Liar!” Les said, thankful her mom had the tv turned up. “You can and you will become Prime. I know it.”

Ky’s breath stuttered with soft laughter. “You’re such a dork.”

“And I will be your vassal,” Les said. “You can’t stop me. I don’t care about the stupid laws.”

“Fine,” Ky said. “Then as your master, I command you to release me.”

Les frowned, but did as requested. However, her frown turned into a slight grin as Ky stood up and reached below her long t-shirt.

“Ew.” Ky scowled as she wiped her hand on her shirt. “I’m teaching you how to contain your emotions. This is ridiculous.”

“It felt good, didn’t it?” Les asked, genuinely curious. She knew she could project, but she didn’t know if the recipient always felt the exact same feelings as the Elite. For example, sometimes Elites could feel anger, and the target would feel fear.

Ky rolled her eyes. “Obviously. But I don’t want to make a habit of it.”

“Why not?” Les asked, remembering Paisley’s words. “Why stop doing what feels good?”

“Because it’s not right,” Ky said. “It’s something you do in private, by yourself, or not at all.”

Les wanted to argue further, but her mind had shifted to Paisley. Crap! She’d forgotten all about the redhead’s proposal. Les hated to burden Ky with yet another problem, but it wouldn’t wait for another day.

Ky shut the door to the bathroom. Moments later, the sound of shower water reached Les’s ears.

*****

Ky had locked the door the bathroom, leaving Les stuck outside. She considered changing her clothing, but found them to be surprisingly dry. Les needed to ask Ky more about the good feelings. She still didn’t understand why they sometimes made her panties wet, and sometimes not.

Her eyes drifted to where Ky had tossed her own panties on top of the dirty clothes pile. She inhaled and caught Ky’s scent of sweat, skin, and something else — the wet, non-pee stuff. Curious, she extracted the panties from the pile and smelled the area where Ky’s private parts had been. The aroma made her head floaty, and gave her tingles in her chest and groin. She felt the smell more than she smelled it. It was similar to the good feeling when she grew, or touched herself, or both.

But why? Perhaps because the smell belonged to Ky, a private smell, one only she could produce. Perhaps because it was a product of Ky’s happiness. After all, the explosive feelings had made Ky happy, right? Somehow making Ky happy seemed more important, and more rewarding, than doing the same for herself.

She returned the panties to the pile, arranging them the same so Ky wouldn’t notice. It would be awkward to explain she’d been smelling her sister’s underwear…

Goodness, was she becoming a weirdo? Maybe she should visit the doctor again. She’d touched herself in the past purely for comfort, but by involving Ky, things had escalated. Furthermore, it wasn’t easy to stop herself from thinking about Ky in weird ways. She would stop though. She’d respect her sister’s wishes, her sister’s wellbeing mattering the most.

Les left the room and headed into the kitchen, her hands seeking lettuce while her mind focused on Ky’s happiness. How could she make her sister happy? Better question — how could she make her sister happy without flooding her mind with the good feelings? Ky didn’t want the latter and, in a way, it seemed like cheating.

Whether or not to break up with Jakob was one thing, Paisley yet another, but Ky’s wellbeing outweighed them all by a significant margin. During the time when she’d held her sister, a deep rooted sorrow dwarfed the other emotions, bigger than jealousy, anger and pride combined. Except it wasn’t just sorrow, it was inadequacy, disappointment, defeat...so many negative emotions rolled into one.

Les didn’t think Ky knew of her own sadness or else Ky would be an entirely different person. Les couldn’t simply talk to Ky about the problem, thereby handing it off as she usually did. It was already Ky’s problem, and somehow, Les knew bringing it to light would be dangerous for Ky.

No, Les needed to solve this one for her sister, somehow. Fortunately, she already knew the solution. If Ky became Prime, the ball of negative emotion in her subconscious would wink out of existence, like a dying sun exhausting its fuel supply.

Les plopped onto the couch beside her mom and, using two hands, brought the lettuce to her mouth.

“I can make you a salad, sweetie,” Mom said, taking a puff of her half-burned cigarette.

“Itsf kaay,” Les said, her mouth full of crunchy lettuce.

“What were you and your sister doing back there?” Mom asked. “Fighting?”

“Um,” Les said, trying desperately not to blush. “Yeh.”

“Remember to be careful,” Mom said. “You’re stronger now, even though you still far from your full height.”

“I know, mom.” Geez. She didn’t need a reminder of her stupid increased strength.

“You’re going to be a fine, Elite,” Mom said, turning her attention back to home shopping network, where humans modeled the latest style of boot-cut jeans.

“So...why is Ky grounded?” Les asked.

“I told you to ask her,” Mom said.

“I forgot.” Les stuffed more lettuce into her mouth. “Jusff tell meef.”

Mom exhaled a plume of smoke. “She ate some of your pills.”

“What?!” Les almost choked on her food, but managed to swallow. “Why?”

Mom shrugged. “Ask her.”

Les scowled, already knowing the answer. Still…

“Ok, but why is she grounded though?” Les asked.

“She ate your pills.”

“I know but — “

“We almost had to take her to the hospital to have her stomach pumped,” Mom said. “Can you imagine the bill? We don’t have your stipend yet, so it would’ve been more than we could afford.”

Les frowned. “Yeh, but she threw up twice. She probably learned her lesson, right?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Mom said. “I grounded her, so she’s grounded. Period.”

“It does matter and” —  Les hesitated, struggling to swallow her nervousness — “and I’m ungrounding her. Period.” The last word barely audible.

Mom looked over, an eyebrow raised.

Les picked at her thumbnail with increased vigor. “I — I mean — if you think it’s ok…”

Both of Mom’s eyebrows raised, her lips a straight line until they parted to exhale a stream of smoke. Unlike Ky, Les couldn’t read Mom’s emotions directly, but she could guess.

“I’m — I’m not really an Elite yet, but — ”

“No,” Mom said. “You’re not.” She put out her half-finished cigarette in the ashtray. “And even when you are, don’t go gettin’ a big head. I raised you better than that.”

“Y — yes, ma’am.” Les could barely speak, her throat constricting as if choked by an invisible hand. All of the confidence she’d acquired over the last couple of days vanished in an instant, replaced a debilitating nervousness. The same nervousness she’d known all her life. The same nervousness Ky lacked.

Would her paralysing self-consciousness disappear after she’d fully ascended? Only time would tell, but she doubted it. With her luck, she’d be the first non-elite Elite in existence — too timid to accomplish anything of significance. She might grow in size, but if her mind didn’t accept her new status in society, what good would it be?

Not much, she decided. Not much at all.

We shot the males, but they kept coming. Some say they be too hard and too tough, but they be wrong. I seen the blood with my own eyes I did. I seen it running in streams from the bullet holes in their skin.

Then we shot the women, and things went bad. I shot one in the shoulder and my own arm went limp. Weren't no hole in my arm, I swear it, but felt like it ripped from my body.

Then the howitzers fired and the big women in the rear units were hit. A second or two later, my body lit up. Invisible flames burned my skin, burned the whole platoon. Everyone rolling around in the grass screaming. That's when we fell. That's when we lost the battle.

- Memoirs of the Fallen Soldier, 1942, The Last Great War

Lesly squirmed in her seat, but not because it had become too small. She hadn’t grown much last night and her clothing (which had originally been purchased for Ky) fit perfectly. No, she squirmed because of what would soon happen. It was her worst nightmare — one from which she couldn’t awaken no matter how hard she tried. She had to speak, out loud, in front of an entire class.

Her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Henry, doubled as her social studies teacher. During homeroom, she’d asked if Les would mind talking about her experience of ascension. It would be ‘an excellent social studies topic’. Les had tried to refuse, but found herself agreeing to the request before she could stop herself.

She’d spent the entirety of her first two periods worrying about it, creating a snowball of anxiety in her intestines, freezing them solid. The squirming was to make it go away, to make her heart slow down, to make anything better. It didn’t make it worse, but it didn’t make it better. She was about to make a fool of herself in front of the whole class, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Except...she could tell Mrs. Henry she’d changed her mind.

There it was. Such a simple solution, yet one so difficult for her to achieve. An Elite should be able to command a normal to do anything. At the very least, she should be able to say ‘no’. Yet the thought of saying ‘no’ frightened her nearly as much as the speaking itself.

Furthermore, if given the chance, Ky would speak to the class without batting an eye. Ky would do it without fear and without hesitation. If she couldn’t start being brave like Ky, she’d never —

“Lesly Watts.”

“Yes!” Les looked up quickly. Too quickly. Her entire body jerked, causing her desk to shift forward. This resulted in a few soft snickers from the boys.

“Are you sure you don’t mind speaking?” Mrs. Henry asked.

“Um…” Les picked at her nail. Her eyes darted toward the door and, for a split second, she considered how long it would take to reach it. The response appeared in her mind: 3.491 seconds — as if it would do any good.

“If you’ve changed your mind, it’s fine,” Mrs. Henry said.

“No.” Les said, her mouth moving of its own accord. Then, her body did the same, rising from her seat and walking on autopilot toward the front of the class. She was both herself and not herself, watching her body from the outside while simultaneously controlling it.

“My goodness.” Mrs. Henry placed a hand on top of Lesly’s head. “You’re already taller than me. I’m five-three so I guess that puts you at five-four?”

“Yes,” Les said. “W — we measured this morning.”

The eyes of everyone in the class were glued to her. Some of the faces she knew, but many she didn’t. After all, it was only the second week of school. A couple of the girls whispered to each other in the back, probably the cool girls, the ones she didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of. To take her mind off it, she found Jakob. He sent her a thumbs-up.

“Now,” Mrs. Henry said. “I’m sure you all have questions for Lesly, but let her talk first. Then you can ask questions.” She turned toward Les, her expression one of expectation.

“Oh. Um...my name’s Lesly Watts...and...uh…” Les knew how stupid she sounded. She could feel herself losing the respect of her classmates, assuming she had any to begin with. However, she couldn’t force herself to think of anything brilliant to say. She’d memorized a few things to talk about, but none of them appeared in her mind at the current moment, at least not like the answers to math problems.

“If they want to ask questions...” Les shifted her weight from foot to foot, desperately trying to stop her face from reddening.

“Alright,” Mrs. Henry said. “Does anyone have any questions for Lesly?”

For a heartstopping moment, no hands were raised and no mouths were opened. What would happen if no questions were asked? Would the entirety of her presentation consist of speaking her name?

Then, as if in response to an unspoken prayer, hands started rising into the air a few at a time. After a few seconds, nearly half the class had a hand raised, some waving them eagerly back and forth.

“Liana.” Mrs. Henry pointed to a tan-skinned girl with rainbow headband in her long hair. The girl appeared to be Asian, but Les had learned not to make such assumptions.

“When did you find out?” Liana asked. “Was it a surprise?”

“Last Saturday,” Les said, finding the answer to the question much easier than thinking of random things to say. “We all thought my sister would become an Elite. When the doctor said it was me, we were all surprised. Especially...well...yeh...we were all surprised.” She’d been about to mention how her sister had been the most surprised but she didn’t want to relive that particular memory, especially not in front of an audience.

“Darian.” Mrs. Henry pointed to a group of boys in the back. The one with the spiky hair spoke up.

“What’s it like to grow so fast?” He twirled his pencil as he spoke. “Do your bones crack and stuff? Does it hurt?”

“Ummm...no. It feels...good...I think.” She couldn’t possibly talk about her fantasies which had, embarrassingly, become more frequent. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell when I’m growing. I just wake up and notice little things like my pajamas stretching or my feet falling off the edge of the bed. This morning I could reach the top cabinet without standing on my tiptoes, and my Mom had to look up at me.”

“Ekko.” Mrs. Henry indicated a particularly pale girl with freckles and thick glasses, similar to the ones Les herself used to wear.

“Are you — are you going to become a superhero?”

Lesly giggled at this. “No.” Upon noticing a slight look of disappointment on the girl’s face, she continued. “I mean...I doubt it. But maybe. I haven’t thought about it much.” Superheroes were only in movies and television shows, or so she thought. She’d have to look into it.

“Are you going to stay at this school, or move to an Elite city?” A chubby boy asked. He had curly hair, a chin dimple, and reminded Lesly of a kid who had been picked on a lot last year. Perhaps it was the same kid.

“Raise your hand next time, George.” Mrs. Henry said, resulting in an earnest nod from George.

“Um. I don’t know,” Les said. “I suppose if I get too big for the seats, I’ll have to move.”

“Well, that won’t be a problem,” Mrs. Henry said. “We have accommodations for Elites at this school, and we welcome your attendance for as long as you wish to stay. If the standard coursework becomes too easy for you, we can tailor it to suit your needs. Unfortunately it’s still the most common reason Elites choose to leave. When you become smarter than your teachers, there’s only so much we can do.”

Mrs. Henry offered an apologetic smile, and Les felt an odd mixture of humility and pride. She couldn’t imagine becoming smarter than her teachers, even in math. For example, today they’d studied equivalent ratios. Although she could ‘see’ the answers immediately, she had difficulty explaining to herself why they were correct. When she looked at the ‘flashcards’ in her mind, it interrupted her attempt to work out the problem manually. As far as she was concerned, it made her dumber since it hid the actual process needed to reach the solution.

“Sebastian.” Mrs. Henry called on a brown-skinned boy with an earring in his left ear.

“What’s five thousand four hundred fifty-two times eight thousand three hundred ninety-five?”

“Um.” Les hesitated for what she hoped would be an appropriate amount of time. Half of her wanted to impress, but the other half didn’t want to distance herself from her current peers. “Four five seven six nine five four zero.”

Sebastian typed on his iPad then said, “Dude! She got it right! Look at that!” He held the pad up for the other boys to inspect. He hadn’t needed to because the entire class had typed the numbers into their own iPads. They all reached the same conclusion, a faint chorus of astonishment erupting from their mouths.

“Looks like she’s already smarter than you, Mrs. Henry,” Sebastian said.

Lesly’s eyes widened. “I’m not!” she blurted. “I — I just see the answer. I can’t even describe how I arrived at it. I’m really not that smart.”

Mrs. Henry, her own eyebrows raised, stared at her for an uncomfortable moment. Then she said with a chuckle, “Well. You’re certainly one of the most humble pre-Elites I’ve met.” She turned toward the class. “And for the record, Sebastian, teachers are happy when their students surpass them. It means we’ve done our job well.”

The rest of the questions were unremarkable. Someone asked about how much she ate. Another asked about her makeup (which, to the surprise of many, she wasn’t wearing). And more boring questions which she welcomed as they were easy to answer without requiring much thought, and without causing much embarrassment.

Everyone asked at least one question. Everyone except for Jakob. He sat and listened, his face difficult to read. She’d have to ask for his thoughts later.

She definitely couldn’t miss their club today.

***

“We have to break up.”

Lesly couldn’t believe her ears. They’d just begun their second game of chess (she’d won the first without cheating), and he’d blurted the statement from out of nowhere. A cacophony of emotions roiled inside her heart, so many she couldn’t begin identify them.

“What?” she managed to ask. “Why?”

“I read about it last night.” Jakob said, his face downcast, his eyes cloudy. “It’s impossible for an Elite and a normal to get married. In most states, there are laws against it.”

“But…” Marriage? Who said anything about marriage? Why couldn’t he just be her boyfriend? “Can’t we just — ”

“You’re already as tall as I am,” Jakob said. “Soon you’ll be over nine feet. I’ll be a little kid compared to you.”

“So!” Lesly gripped the table so hard her knuckles went white. “I don’t care how tall you are.”

“You would care,” Jakob said. “You just don’t know it yet.”

She could feel the anger rising, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. Perhaps it was because of the element of truth involved. It would be weird to have a boyfriend who only came up to her waist. She’d never heard of an Elite with a normal boyfriend. But the ones with boyfriends prior to ascension...what happened to them?

“Fine.” Les glared at him. “Then I’ll make you my vassal.”

This caught him off guard, and his surprise felt good. So good, she decided to double down. “And I’ll make sure you never have a girlfriend.” This only caused a slight smirk from Jakob, so Les continued. “I’ll do it. You know I can do it.” She was overcome by a sudden wave of confidence, and she welcomed it.

“Good,” Jakob said, then glanced down at the board.

“W — what?” Lesly’s confidence waned.

“I said good.” Jakob moved his black pawn to e5. “Because I think I’m already your vassal.”

“What do you mean?” Les asked. “We haven’t —”

But they had. They’d kissed. Was it enough to make him her vassal? Surely not. She wasn’t even a full Elite yet.

“I don’t know.” Jakob sighed. “But ever since we...you know...I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And not just thinking. Feeling. Like when you were nervous today — “

“I was probably projecting,” Les said. “My sister says I do that. She’s going to show me how to control it.”

“I don’t mean during third period,” Jakob said. “I mean first and second periods. I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my skin even though the classes were boring. My stomach was ice cold.”

That was exactly how she had felt, but it made no sense. Jakob’s first two periods were held in an entirely separate building. There was no way she could’ve projected that far. Unless…

She swallowed, realization dawning. “W — well you’re the one who kissed me!”

“I know.” Jakob shrugged his shoulders.

Even though she’d threatened to make him her vassal, she hadn’t really intended to follow through on it. Had she? Her confidence had all but vanished and she had no idea how to handle the situation. Would she even want him as a vassal? How did Elites choose? She knew most opted for young vassals due to long Elite life expectancy, but that was about it.

“You don’t really want me as your vassal...do you?” Jakob seemed...sad. “Be honest.”

“I — I don’t know.” Les picked at her thumbnail. Thankfully, her nails repaired themselves each night now. If they hadn’t, she’d have worn it down to nothing over the last forty-eight hours. “Are...are you addicted? I mean...do you feel…”

Les knew vassalship eventually became a permanent relationship, but it usually required weeks or months. He couldn’t possibly have developed an addiction from a single kiss. Then again, if he’d felt her emotions from across the school grounds…

“I don’t think so,” Jakob said. “It’s been twenty-four hours, and I feel ok. I guess. Not like I’m going to die or anything. But...”

“But?” she asked, surprised at a surge of relief. Did she want him to become addicted?

He took a deep breath, then exhaled. “I’m glad you came to the club today.” He extended his arm forward, his hand reaching the middle of the table.

She stared at it for a while, then extended her own hand, allowing her forefinger to come into contact with his. As soon as their skin made contact, she heard a nearly inaudible sigh leave his lungs.

“We shouldn’t — ” She couldn’t finish her sentence because she felt it too. By touching, something had been made profoundly right. The outlet for her emotional energy had widened considerably, allowing her unburden herself by expelling it in an unrestricted fashion. She found she could release all of her emotions (both positive and negative), or limit it to what she wanted him to experience. She chose the former, sending both good and bad vibes so as not to cause him distress.

“I don’t want to kiss,” she said. Half of her did want to kiss, but only half. And neither half wanted to initiate it.

“Ok.” Jakob said, then intertwined his fingers with hers.

“If we keep doing this, you’ll get addicted,” she said.

“I know.” The way he said it made her think he’d come to the realization a while ago.

Slowly, she curled her fingers around his, marveling at how they were the same length. They wouldn’t be for much longer. She’d continue growing and growing. And he —

He’d become her vassal...

***

“But I grew an inch since yesterday,” Les said, annoyed she had to sit beside Paisley at the back of the bus while Ky sat alone near the front. They’d tried to sit together but Paisley had demanded they separate, claiming the need for ‘private time’ with her ‘vassal’.

Ky had glared, but hadn’t argued. Neither had Les. Perhaps it was because Paisley had surpassed the six-foot mark, and with it, had gained some intangible dominance neither sibling could fully comprehend or resist.

“It’s too slow,” Paisley said. “Are you sure you’re eating enough, getting enough sun? Are you masturbating enough?”

Les had been about to answer until the last question shattered her train of thought. Her mouth clamped shut and she turned to face the window. Luckily no one occupied the seats near them so Paisley’s question likely hadn’t been overheard.

“Well?” Paisley asked.

Hoping her face wasn’t too red, Les turned back toward the budding Elite. “I’ve been eating until I get full, and Ky makes me exercise outside. She — ”

“Wait.” Paisley glanced over, her green eyes piercing. “She makes you exercise?”

“Um...” Les didn’t know what to say.

Paisley let out a sigh and thumbed through a column of pictures on her phone. “You’re the one ascending, not her. She can’t make you do anything.”

“I know.” Les couldn’t help but feel guilty. It must be Paisley’s doing. Les wanted to argue, wanted to repeat how Ky would be Prime and she’d be Ky’s vassal, but it wouldn’t get her anywhere. At best Paisley would roll her eyes. At worst she’d get angry.

“Are you masturbating?” Paisley repeated the embarrassing question, not even bothering to lower the tone of her voice.

“Why do you care?” Les clapped her hand over her mouth, feeling immediate remorse at having snapped.

Paisley scoffed. “It’s obvious I’m going to become a Mega and it’s obvious you’re going to becoming my vassal. I can tell by your reaction. If I want you to feel ashamed, you feel ashamed, not the other way around.”

“So.” Les said, suddenly aware of how Paisley’s elbow rubbed up against her arm. Since they’d both grown, there wasn’t as much room on the bus seat.

“Starting tomorrow, you and your sister will no longer take the bus. I’ll pick you both up and drop you off.”

All at once, a million questions popped in Lesly’s mind. “How? You can’t drive.”

“Don’t ask silly questions.”

“But —”

“We’re Elites,” Paisley said. “We can do anything. Driving is mundane, so I’ll leave the task to my father, not that it should be of your concern.”

“Oh. Ok.” Lesly considered how her mom and dad would respond to the news.

“Now answer my earlier question. Are you — ”

“Yes!” Lesly ducked her head as a few faces turned in her direction. “Yes — I’m — doing it. Sometimes.”

“But is it enough?” Paisley cast a lazy glance at the onlookers who, in response, immediately turned their attention away.

“What’s...enough?” Les asked partly because she actually wanted to know.

“Whenever you feel the urge.”

“What?! No!” Les lowered her voice. “What if I’m in class? Or what if — ”

“If you’re in class, simply excuse yourself to visit the bathroom.” Paisley seemed bored. “It’s what I do.”

Lesly remained silent, considering. She had felt the urge a couple of times today, a tingling sensation in her groin which had persisted for several minutes. It hadn’t been an huge distraction, nor had she felt the need to...touch. It had just been a pleasant reminder she was still growing, and she’d left it at that.

“So you only do it at home?” Paisley asked.

“Yeh,” Les said, exasperated by the Elite’s boldness. “I guess. Unless Ky’s around. She asked me not to project because it makes her...you know…”

Paisley’s mouth dropped open slightly as she regarded Les. Then, she said, “You’re pathetic.”

The words were like a double punch directly to her gut, causing her to recoil, her knees to her chest. “It’s only until I can control myself better. Then — ”

“Who cares if you project?” Paisley said. ”You’re almost an Elite. No one can tell you what to do.”

“I know, but — ” Les could barely hear her own voice.

“Growing should be your number one priority. Control over your emotional aura is a distant second. Masturbation is proven to increase your rate of growth, so do it. If your sister feels weird, who cares? It’s not hurting her.”

Les hadn’t known about the tie between masturbation and growth. She’d have to research it. It seemed like something Ky would’ve mentioned if it were true.

“Why?” Les asked.

“Why what?”

“Why is it so important I grow faster?”

“Again,” Paisley said, her tone annoyed. “I’m going to become a Mega. If you want to become my vassal, you need to become a full Elite. If you stall out at seven feet, I’m not waiting around. I’ll take your sister as my vassal and move on with my life.”

No! She couldn’t do that. Could she?

Yes. She could do it and she would. If Les ‘stalled out’ at stage two for a few months (not exactly uncommon), she might have to watch her sister get taken away. Furthermore, Les herself might never get accepted into Paisley’s hierarchy of vassalship. She could still move to live near Ky, probably, but their relationship would never be the same.

“I’ll do — I’ll do whatever it takes,” Les said, blinking back the moisture in her eyes. “Don’t take my sister away. Please.”

***

“Slow down.” Ky sat on their backyard swing, but didn’t swing. She had enough to do listening to Lesly’s chattering while simultaneously searching the internet. “Start again — the part about Jakob.”

“I said” — Lesly exhaled in exasperation — “he broke up with me. But then he reached out, and our hands touched. I could feel him. Well, I could feel myself influencing him. Know what I mean?” She turned her head to look up at Ky, but it wasn’t easy given her position. She lay spread eagle in the grass, absorbing as much of the remaining sunlight as possible.

“How would I know what you mean?” Ky said. “You’re the Elite. Not me.”

“I knowww,” Lesly’s tone had a whiney quality. “But Paisley said you could do it too. Remember? When she picked up your thoughts?” Before Ky could respond, Les continued. “Anyway, we touched, and it was almost like...kissing. He’s not my boyfriend anymore, but it’s ok. If he becomes my second vassal, it’s better anyway, right?”

“Duh,” Ky said. “It’s what I told you yesterday. He can’t be your boyfriend. Vassal, sure, but you can only have two unless you become a Mega.”

“Okaaay, but...what about Paisley?” Les asked. “Are you sure I shouldn’t be...you know... “

“Found it.” Ky located the page on Elite sexuality. “‘There is no scientific evidence supporting a causal relation between masturbation and ascension. While ascension has been linked to arousal, it’s widely considered to be psychosomatic. No causative relation in either direction has been proven.’”

“Oh,” Les said, her voice with a tinged with disappointment.

“But again,” Ky said. “If you want to touch yourself, I couldn’t care less. Just save it for when you’re at least ten feet away from me.”

“Ok...but what about Paisley?” Les asked. “What if she keeps growing faster than me? She said — ”

“There’s no way I’m going to become her vassal.” Ky couldn’t bear to consider the possibility.

“But she can force you.” Les said. “Right?”

“She’s not growing much faster than you,” Ky said. “She was a head taller than you last week, and she’s still about a head taller now. She’s trying to make you think she’s getting further ahead, but she’s not.”

“Why would she do that?” Les asked.

“Who knows. Maybe she’s marking her territory, like a dog. Maybe she wants us to be her vassals and she’s trying to get into our heads. Or maybe she’s afraid of stalling out herself.”

“Ohhhh...yeh,” Les said. “You’re so smart!”

“There’s still a chance she becomes an Elite first,” Ky said, speaking more to herself. “Unless you have a major growth spurt in the next couple of weeks.” She looked at her sister who lay sprawled out on the ground. “Are you feeling anything?”

“Um,” Les said. “Not as much as usual. It’s cloudy though, so maybe that’s why.”

Les checked the weather on her phone. “Tomorrow it’s supposed to be sunny.”

“What if — what if I skip school tomorrow and sunbathe?” Les asked.

“That might work,” Ky said. “But you’d have to convince Mom and Dad. Mom told me you already tried to get her to quit smoking and it didn’t go so well.”

“I know.” Les sighed. “It’s like...I lose all my confidence when I’m under pressure. Maybe when I’m bigger, I’ll be more confident.”

“Probably,” Les said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t help us right now.”

“You’re not mad at me, then?”

“For what?”

“For not being confident?”

Ky forced a laugh. “You get to be better than me at literally everything. It’s what being Elite means. So what if you’re not as confident as me. Soon, you will be. If anything, I’m happy you still have some flaws.”

Les rolled over onto her elbows, her expression one of hopeful incredulence. “You really think I’ll be as confident as you?”

“Sure,” Ky said, trying to hide her annoyance. “Why not.”

Les gave a restrained smile. She tried to hide it, but in doing so, only caused further irritation to Ky.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” Ky said.

Finally, the smile vanished from Lesly’s face. Slowly she got to her feet and joined Ky on the adjacent swing. “You know...I’ll never think of myself as better than you. It’s impossible because — ”

“You say that now, but as an Elite, you will be better than me. It’s only a matter of time before you realize it.”

“Let me finish,” Les said. “It’s impossible because I compare everything I do to you. I ask myself: What would Ky do? Like when I presented to the class this morning. I knew you’d have done the same thing, and you’d have done it without fear.”

Ky battled with a mix of emotions. On one hand, she felt a pride and relief that her sister still looked up to her in some ways. On the other, she feared it would only be a matter of weeks, perhaps days, before any advantage she might still maintain would pale in comparison to Lesly’s capabilities. Of course as a natural competitor, Ky would push herself to improve, but what hope did she have of beating an Elite in any area?

“I think it’s why I have those fantasies,” Les said. “I feel myself growing in comparison to you, becoming your equal, and surpassing you in some ways. But they’re just fantasies. Even if I became a Titan, I’d still — ”

“Now you’re just being silly,” Ky said. “If you became a Titan, you’d practically be a god.”

Ky busied herself with her phone, googling ways to avoid becoming a Paisley’s vassal. Google returned four million results, so perhaps she’d find something. Unfortunately, she hadn’t read more than the first few entries before she heard sniffling.

Looking over, she saw Les wiping her forearm across her eyes.

“What is it this time?” Ky asked, annoyed she could feel her sister’s projected sorrow.

“Y — you said I’m silly.” Les sniffed, her eyes hidden by her arm.

“So?”

“P— Paisley called me s — silly too.”

Ky looked up in thought, then shut off her phone. She stood, side stepped to her sister, and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder. Les jumped slightly, as if surprised by the touch.

“Stand up,” Ky said.

A few seconds passed, but Les complied. She stood, wiped her face again, then turned toward Ky, red cheeks and all. Even though Les had become significantly taller than Ky, and Ky had to look up, she still seemed...fragile. Ky had always felt the need to protect Les, and that hadn’t changed, at least not yet.

Ky held out her hand, cupped palm up. “Spit.”

Lesly’s face scrunched in confusion. “What?”

“Spit.” Ky lifted her hand to Lesly’s mouth. “Hurry up before I lose my nerve.”

Les took a step back. “Why?”

Ky released a forceful sigh. “Because I made a decision. I’m going to become your vassal. Now spit.”

Lesly’s mouth dropped open. They’d discussed the possibility, but neither girl had imagined starting the process so soon. Obviously, Ky wanted to avoid becoming Paisley’s vassal. Also, she wouldn’t mind the increase in her chance to become an Elite. But there was another reason. A more important reason.

In response to the disbelief on Lesly’s face, Ky said, “When I call you silly, it’s different from Paisley. I call you silly because I’m your sister. I don’t hate it when you’re silly, when you give me annoying hugs, and when you share way-too-personal details about your life with me. Sometimes I pretend otherwise, but at the end of the day — ”

Les dashed forward and captured Ky in a tight hug before the smaller girl could react. She could only stand there and endure it as Les buried her face in Ky’s hair, presumably still crying. Ky returned the hug, though she did have a bit of a struggle to breathe.

“Lighten up there, Supergirl,” Ky said. “I’m not made of steel.”

Les giggled and sniffled in a way which Ky was sure would leave a nice wet spot in her hair. Les then pulled back with glistening eyes. “I love you, s — so much!”

“Obviously.” Ky said, not bothering to hide her smirk. “Now spit already. I’m not sure how long I’ll feel like doing this.”

Les bit her bottom lip, stepped back, and eyed Ky’s hand. “Should I brush my teeth first?”

“No bacteria, remember?” Ky said. “Just spit.” In the back of her mind, she was a bit concerned about the taste, but not enough to demand Les brush her teeth. The girl already had enough self-conscious quirks. No need to give her yet another.

“No loogies,” Ky said.

“Ewww.” Les scrunched her nose, but nodded with resolution. She closed her mouth, sucked on her tongue for a second, then spit into Ky’s hand. It wasn’t much liquid, but it was warm and somewhat bubbly, and definitely spit.

Without hesitation, Ky closed her eyes and licked her hand. She tried to swallow before her taste buds could react, but the aftertaste caught her by surprise. Carrots and celery and something salty. Pretty much what Les had eaten for her most recent snack. It didn't taste bad, which was a good thing. If she wanted to become Lesly’s vassal, she’d have to get used to it.

“Was it bad?” Les asked.

Ky looked up to find Lesly’s tears had dried. “Better than French kissing you.”

A hint of a smile dawned on Lesly’s face. “Now you have to obey me.”

“No, you’re pretending to be my vassal, remember?” Ky said. “So you have to obey me.”

“Awww.” Les said, but her smile didn’t waver. “Can we take turns? I obey you one day, and then you obey me the next?”

Ky rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being silly on purpose.”

Les giggled with joy that penetrated Ky’s bones. She supposed she’d have to get used to dealing with her sister’s emotions. As a vassal, they would be amplified, at least until Les learned to control herself better.

“C’mon,” Ky took Lesly’s larger hand and marched back toward the house. “Let’s get you measured.”

“Ok.” Les skipped alongside. “My clothes feel tighter. Maybe I grew another inch!”

“Maybe,” Ky said.