“1 and 2 and 3, don’t slow down and 1 and 2, Do! Not! Stop! 1 and 2 and 3. Stop!” Miss. Kervella’s high shrill voice echoed throughout the dance studio.
Izellah dropped to her knees panting. You would think she’d be used to this after a month or so of coming here but you would be wrong. Izellah Ivory was not like most minors you would see on tv, she kept up with a rather robust exercise routine even before she grew like an extra 5 feet so it’s not like she was lethargic or out of shape it’s just that the training regime was that hard and seemed to be getting harder.
“Tired?” Miss Kervella asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No, Izellah stood up to look down at her dance instructors “I can keep going.”
Looking into a MAJOR's eyes above the age of 8 was something Izellah never thought would happen and looking down at one never even crossed her mind but once her bone stopped aching and she could stop eating nutrient-rich paste because food could no longer cut it Izzy had found she was of a height with Mei based on how much taller she was than Sabrina a fact that Izellah very much enjoyed.
“No, I don’t think you can,” Miss Kervella's lips twisted into a half-smile “Tomorrow a new day we’ll pick up from where we left off then.”
Izellah felt the pit of her stomach coil as it lashed out at the MAJOR but she was able to quell it before it could strike. She was tired but so what? That didn’t mean she couldn’t still keep going. Rest was important but Izellah was tired of rest, she had rested for around a month. Not that she didn’t need it. It took about that much time to finish her transition and get used to her new body.
It was good news when Gloria had told her about Kervella’s dance studio. Izzy loved to dance but because so many activities on a serious level weren’t minor friendly she couldn’t take advantage till now and the minor group-friendly dance classes interested Izellah not one little bit.
“Don’t forget to shower before you leave.” Miss Kervella said briskly, turning around her heels clacked against the smooth hard surface of the floor as she walked away.
Sometimes Izzy hated that woman. Although she wasn’t sure if that was just her knew MAJOR brain affecting her outlook and viewing even their teacher-student relationship as one that needed to be conquered, dominated, and controlled or however else stupid MAJORS viewed every social interaction.
Doing as she was told Izellah moved to the small dressing room that hosted the showers. The dance studio was centered around a rather large rectangular room where all the actual dance practice took place, mirrors and handles were along one side of the rooms king walls while opposite that was the entrance to the front of the studio and on the other two sides there were entrance ways to Kervella’s office and the dressing room respectively. Miss Kervella took at most 14 students at any given time, devoting herself entirely to their development so the facilities could only accommodate a rather small number of students.
Quickly, Izellah stripped down in the empty dressing room and took her shower and put on a fresh outfit. A pair of black converse, black yoga pants, a white top with her new jacket made to be a reflection of her old one. Izellah missed it sometimes, she had always looked forward to driving her restored car with it but the prospect of finally being able to get her license now that as far as the world was concerned she was a normal MAJOR the disappointment was forgotten about with not even her papa being able to stop her from getting it now.
Deep in thought, Izellah rounded a corner to take the waiting room door when she bumped into something.
Confused, Izellah looked around to find herself staring at nothing but the empty air until she thought to look down at a small(what a word to say) MAJOR on her butt. It didn’t take a MAJOR's advanced brain functionality to deduce she had knocked this poor girl down to the ground.
“Are you okay?” Izellah asked bending down to offer the girl her hand.
The girl stopped rubbing her head to look up to Izellah. The girls’ soft brown eyes met Izellah's own jade green ones and tensed. Standing up on her own she sputtered out an apology and scampered away faster then Izellah could have imagined.
For a moment Izellah was dumbfounded, she did handle that quick exchange amicably right? Maybe the brown eyed girl was just naturally skittish. God knows Miss Kervella could turn anyone skittish if the girl wasn’t that way to begin with.
Electing to not drive to dance class Izellah had no choice but to walk home. A fact that didn’t bother her. Izzy was still at a stage where any moment where she could be alone without her papa or Sabrina and actually do something alone still felt fresh and she wanted to savor those moments.
The sun gently kissed Izzy’s skin and a soft breeze brushed through her long dark brown hair.
Taking out her cell phone Izellah checked for missed calls and text messages. It seemed Sabrina had texted her asking how dance practice went, papa had replied to an earlier question about how work was, and oh- a text from Lisa asking about her day.
For the month Izellah had been in and out of the hospital Izellah had only really seen her papa, Sabrina, Gloria, and of course the hospital staff. The staff most of all. When her body was racked with growth pains the only ones really allowed around her were the staff including a gaggle of nurses, two doctors and of course Severus Osgood an award winning doctor known for his breakthroughs in MAJOR/minor genetics and genetic mapping. Papa would be there sometimes too and it was his company that Izellah had appreciated the most. It was a horribly painful process and her father being there made all the difference.
When that wasn’t happening Izzy spent her time flexing her new found MAJOR intelligence, keeping up with school and practically devouring books, a few of which being Doctor Osgood’s instructional material which there was many of in the man's 80+ year career. Physical rehab became a larger component of her time as the growth spurts started to wane.
All in all Izellah was left with little time to talk to anyone else, with her only able to text Lisa.
The message had reminded her of all that which made her feel guilty. Weeks going on a month out of the hospital completely means she should have made time to do this sooner but it was better late than never? Izellah decided to walk to the Watermiene household. It was quite a walk away without an Izzy car but that didn’t matter, might as well put these superior MAJOR muscles to work.
Even as a MAJOR the house seemed to loom large still although the door looked like a normal door to Izellah now and not the imposing structure it once was.
Three quick knocks, Izellah took a step back and waited. Thirty, forty-five seconds, one minute Izellah could hear movement on the other side of the door. The door opened to reveal the form of Romeo Watermein but not as tall as before. Still well muscled like all MAJORS were but not as overwhelmingly huge like in Izzy memory.
Romeo just seemed normal in his jeans and tight grey t-shirt.
He still looked hot though. Izellah thought, staring at the bulge of his biceps under his shirt. Izzy couldn’t wait to go to gym class.
“Fuck me.” Romeo said, astonished, he had to look up slightly, Izellah was around half a foot taller than him.
Sabrina was about as tall as him. She only had Romeo and Sabrina as reference but she figured their height was normal for freshmen, while Izellah herself must have been as tall as the upper class men.
Nice and adult sized, izzy concluded. Good she was glad she was no longer the shortest one in the room, eh minus Peter.
“Was that a request?“Izellah teased and Romeo blushed “ can you let me in?” She asked.
“Sure,” Romeo said, moving to one side of the door.
Yup, still a nice house, Izellah thought as she crossed the threshold.
“Where's your big sister?” Izellah asked.
“Lisa is with my mom and dad in the uhm kitchen.” Romeo said as he swept his fingers through his dark hair as if to comb it.
“How’s school?” Izellah asked politely.
“It’s still school,” Romeo replied dejectedly. “Everyone's just wondering when you’ll come back after they heard you were okay. Uhm I heard Sabrina’s trying out for volleyball?”
“Yeah, she seems ex-“
“God damn!” Izzelah and Romeo turned to see Lisa standing in the hallway flanked by her parents Linda and Richard Watermeine. “Aww look mom Roro’s has his first crush!“
“Language, honey,” Linda scolded her daughter, “don't pick on your younger brother.”
Izellah smiled “it’s good to see you again Lisa.”
Romeo had looked like a kid to Izellah. A far cry from what he used to look at her. The difference was as large but somehow much more jarring with Lisa. The halfsie had always seemed huge to Izzy, not MAJOR huge but still big.
With each step forward Lisa seemed to shrink before Izellah eyes. Being the first minor Izzy’s seen since release she couldn’t help but compare her best friend to her new size, the halfsie hardly came up to mid thigh and had to crane her neck up just to look her old minor peer in the eyes.
Quickly squatting down yet still towering considerably above her, Izellah wrapped her arms around her friend for a hug.
“Too tight,” Lisa wheezed.
Sorry,” Izellah blushed, breaking off the hug. “Ironically I’m not used to minors yet.”
“Don’t be down izzy, it takes time” Linda said, initiating a hug of her own.
“Thanks Mrs. Watermeine,” Izzelah said, as she stood up to hug the older MAJOR women, she could feel Linda’s much larger chest fighting for room against her more modest ones. A fight she was losing but Izzy didn’t mind all that much if she was being honest. “It’s good to see you, Mr. Watermeine,” Izzy told him as she was nuzzling against his wife's shoulder.”
“What no hug for the old man?” Richard Watermeine quipped.
On cue as soon as Izellah broke off her hug with Linda Izzy heard the happy bark of a certain slobbery beast. When Lisa’s English Mastiff appeared, Goober was a considerably less imposing slobbery monsters but it seemed like perspective was the only thing that had changed as the “big” dog tried to jump on her but seemed to think better of it at the last moment and just walked in circles around her happily wagging her tail all the while.
“Aw,” Lisa smiled, “he still recognizes you.”
“So did you?” Izzy said, bending down to pat the dog on the head. It was amazing, the once large mastiff seemed like such a big dog and now it was like Izzy had to bend down to pet a Chihuahua.
“You comparing me to a dog miss ivory?” Lisa snarked “a MAJOR for like a month and already got a chip on your shoulder do ya?“
“No,” Izellah replied more defensively than she intended.
“You better watch it miss Ivory I won’t let you off the hook so easily next time unless you put a collar on me,” Lisa said, before her mother could scold her he added “come on let’s go to my room and do some girl talk before dinner is ready.” And Lisa started to pull on her friend's arm.
Lisa could pull on Izellah arm all day and all night but she would never be able to move the new made MAJOR. It seemed like yesterday that Lisa could quite easily beat Izellah at an arm wrestling contest with Izzy trying her hardest but now standing still seemed enough to utterly overpower the half MAJOR.
Following the tug on her arm Izzellah found herself in Lisa’s expensive room. As well furnished as she remembered, the two girls, young women in truth, sat on Lisa’s MAJOR twin bed.
“The bed is a little smaller than I remember,” Izellah commented.
“No shit,” Lisa said
“Darn a little snippy arnt we?” Izellah asked
“Of course!“ Lisa complained. “My best friend gets attacked and makes history and doesn’t even give me a call after the dust settles! So yeah, I’m going to be a little upset.”
“I’m sorry,” Izellah told her friend, honestly remorseful.
“Good!” Lisa beamed. “I’ll forgive you, but only if you become my ticket to get out of the house.”
Izzellah smiled, “a small price to pay.”
“Right? I should charge you more.”
“I’ll gladly pay it and more if you help me like you did with Mei’s game of hide and seek.” Izzy said.
“Oh?” Lisa said, raising an eyebrow, obviously somewhat interested. “What is it this time?“
“Well…” Izellah paused thinking of the best way to explain it all “Papa, Sabrina, and Gloria have all been telling me how I’m probably going to be treated differently at school now that I’m a MAJOR and what to do about it. I’m not gonna be around Sabrina for a majority of the day anymore since I’ll have my own normal classes to go to. I have a plan but-“ Izellah took Lisa’s smaller hands into her own as she sat on the minors bed, lowering her down to be more eye level with the halfsie “I need my best friend Lisa Watermeines help, for I’d be a mess without. Even now. SuPeRiOR genes and all.”
Lisa couldn’t help but laugh “okay Ivory,” she said “but you owe me big time, I’m thinking an afternoon at McShakey’s, just the two of us and you buy me everything and anything I want.”
“Deal,” Izellah said happily.
Lisa had become one of Izellah's closest friends. An older sister of sorts that has helped her at every turn and has seemed to not want a thing in return. As a minor she helped navigate the strange volatile world of MAJORS while now she would help her become a part of that world. Joining was a foregone conclusion, Izellah knew that the moment she was told what was happening to her on a cellular level, the changes she was going through. Followed by a complex emotional cocktail of excitement and shame.
Imagining what it would be like to have a modicum of independence and to not feel so overwhelmingly inferior for at least a few minutes was something Izzy was pretty sure all minors felt at least once in their lives, a caged bird sometimes dreams of the sky. For her it was a deeper spirit of competition that Izellah would never really be able to reveal in except in the kiddie pool and she always felt too smart for that. The shadow that clung to those emotions was the dark past that existed between MAJOR/minors. It really wasn’t an emotion Izellah could put into words yet but it felt suspiciously like shame which only compounded the debt she owed her best friend.
“Girrrrlfrieeeeeeend!” Lisa yelled.
“What? Ow, did you just grope me?”
“They looked the same from a distance but they’ve filled out a bit and gotten a little perkier,” Lisa said.
“Lisa!” Izellah yelled reddening.
“What? You’re sitting so close to me still I thought you were going in for a kiss and you just zoned out,” Lisa shrugged “had to occupy my time somehow.”
“Don’t occupy it with my chest!“
“You’re still a prude even after becoming a MAJOR?” Lisa made a tsk tsk noise “if you’re really that upset about it I’ll let you touch mine.”
Lise went to move closer to Izellah but before she could initiate whatever unholy act her perverted mind had intended Izzy was able to propel herself back from her halfsie friend. A rather impressive feat she believed since she mainly used the strength in her legs to rocket herself not on top of the bed but to land back into a crouching position to balance on the balls of her but to do all that and not even touch Lisa in the process.
“Don’t come any closer.” Izellah told Lisa.
“Come on! I know you’ve been looking. They might not be my moms but they’re still solid sevens in firm-“
“Lisa!“ Izellah shrieked again before Lisa hopped on the bed to chase after her.
“You can’t run forever,” Lisa told the MAJOR that very well could run forever as she leaped off on the side of the bed to get away from the halfsie grasping hands.
“Not forever, just until dinner is ready!” Izellah returned laughing.
———————————————————
“What In the world are they doing?”Richard asked his wife as she finished preparing dinner. Dull thuds could be heard in the background.
“Girl stuff,” Linda told him cryptically Rich raised an eyebrow and Linda playfully punched him in the arm “not like that! Lisa must get it from you.”
“It’s only fair,” Rich said grinning “the partying came from you so it’s only natural our miracle child got my sense of humor.”
Romeo walked in at that moment, a sign that he was done setting up the dining room. He looked a little morose as he stood there silently, hands in his pockets.
“What’s wrong sweetly?“ Linda asked her son.
“Nothing, mom.” His sulkiness intensified.
“Oh my poor baby!” Linda wailed leaving the embrace of her husband to embrace her son. “You have your first honest to god crush, my baby is growing up so fast!”
“Mom stop,” Romeo squirmed in her mothers tight embrace, his face shoved right into his mothers ample cleavage. “Don’t you think Izzy would go for anyone besides Lisa? She is a MAJOR now…”
Linda broke off her hug “they’ve been through a lot together sweetly I doubt our little miracle being a minor has anything to do with it IF that’s what she’s going to do. Follow your heart dear,” she paused “but under no circumstance will you mistreat your sister or else you’ll be grounded for the rest of your life.”
“I know mom,”
“Good now go get the girls dinner is almost ready.” Linda told her son, and he left to get the Lisa and Izellah.
It was good advice, Linda thought to herself. If maybe a little sad, she hoped the hidden lesson there didn’t hurt Roro too much if he was serious about pursuing Izellah beyond that of a crush. It might not end because of his sister, but in the end many roads lead to Rome. Linda found herself empathizing with Sabrina, as she finished dinner preparations, the poor child.
Dinner preparations took longer than Linda would have liked. While she was an adequate cook she might have bit off more than she could chew this time. Linda might have done so for a reason she dare not even think of more so now than ever, so she decided to settle on wanting to give the ex-minor a nice dinner instead.
The girls had chosen an excellent time to show up with Romeo in toe. The food was laid out on the table, hot and ready to be eaten.
“Sit down wherever you like,” Lind told the children as they congregated towards one of the many chairs surrounding the large rounded table. The dining room they were in was more traditionally used for family gatherings so it was large in order to accommodate both a bunch of MAJORS and the food required to feed them. Lisa had some initial trouble with getting on the chair until Izzy extended a hand and gently pulled Lisa up onto, where she could pull a lever here and there to lower part of the table for her use. A part of Linda hoped that Lisa would bring Izzy home instead of one of those brutes, who better than an ex minor to protect and cherish Linda's little miracle. “There’s plenty of food Izellah so eat as much as you want! Little girls need food to grow big and strong.”
It was a force of habit that made Linda call Izellah “little”. Whatever she was as a minor she was a tall young woman now, with long slender, but strong looking legs, wide hips, small waist and modest bust. Linda did not have to wonder why Izellah had attracted so many suitors, just off of her looks alone she’d have a steady stream of admirers and Linda had doubts that becoming a MAJOR would change that. There was just something appealing to her respectable hourglass figure that seemed soft but which still held well developed muscles and strength underneath. Her long silky black hair that occasionally covered one of her bright green eyes as she looked or talked with you, the full red lips that had once kissed Linda’s own….
“So Izzy, are you excited for school? Did you get your uniform yet?” Linda asked hastily.
Izellah took a few MAJOR sized rolls before passing the plate over to Lisa who sat to her left. “I received the uniform when papa and I went to talk to the principal about the classes I’ll be taking.”
“What would those be?” Richard asked, taking a whole leg of lamb.
“Some freshmen classes, some sophomore classes. There was a period of time that I couldn’t even do physical therapy so I asked for school material to work on while I was bored.” Izzy took a bite of the roll she had grabbed out of the basket, chewed, swallowed.”Long story short, when I told the principal how far I made it in some subjects he decided to test me right then and there. I passed, and now I have some classes with the sophomores.”
Linda and Richard were honestly impressed. Izellah hasn’t been a MAJOR for half a year and she was already skipping a grade.
“So that’s what you were doing? Instead of spending time with me you went and took a nerd test?” Lisa snarked
“You’re not gonna let me live this down?“
“Give me a few days, I'll think about it.”
“Are you thinking of doing any sports?” Romeo inquired.
Izellah screwed up her face “probably. Haven’t given it much thought, but I understand that having a few extra curricular activities on your record looks good for university applications so I’ll probably do something.”
“Jessica wanted us for wrestling.” Lisa reminded them.
“Jessica wanted two minors.” Izellah corrected.
“You could still probably join if you wanted. It might be a great way for us to hangout if you won’t be there for minor classes.”
“I could, and for your information I’ll still be going to minor classes for the time being when they’re available. At least for the remainder of the school year.” Izellah informed them.
“What why? Does the school want to treat you like a minor?“ Romeo asked.
Izellah paused for a moment. She seemed almost perplexed by the question.
“No.” She started slowly “it’s because of bonding.”
“Bonding?“ Lisa asked confused “what the fuck does that mean?“
“Language.” Linda sang
“I’m not so sure myself,” Izellah admitted. “The long and short of what they told me is that I’m something between a tier 3 and a minor with traits of both and traits of neither. They’re not quite sure and neither am I. The equipment they used to tune in with my brian arnt exactly high accuracy machines or even that old to begin with.”
Romeo’s mouth was agape and Lisa looked just as stunned. To be honest Linda wasn’t quite sure what to make of this herself. Tier 3’s were as rare as minors or cyclopeans. In the entire state of California there were maybe around a hundred tier 3’s including Brenda Hawthrone, and they had one of the highest concentrations in the United States.
The silence that met Izellah announcement went on for an almost uncomfortable amount of time until Richard spoke up and said.
“So there was a rally in town”
—-/////—————————/////———————
Ignacio’s eyes felt heavy as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Nice, dark, and bitter just the way he liked it. The taste always seemed to help him wake up and he wanted to be up this morning.
It would be his only daughter's first day at school. MAJOR school at that, the culture surrounding minors while intrusive was by and large gentle. Minors were not subject to the same competition and attitudes that a MAJOR gave a MAJOR.
It was worrying to say the least. Izellah had a competitive spirit and god only knew what that would be like now with her miraculous transformation into a MAJOR.
At the very least all she had to worry about for now was living as a MAJOR. They didn’t know how long this world altering event could stay anonymous but at least it gave his precious little girl some time to adjust before a deluge of media personal, scientific personal and other interest groups wanting to get ahold of the Miracle of California.
Highschool would remain a time of growth for Izzy Ignacio hoped and believed. If Izzy needed more time to adjust, Ignacio had resolved to stand behind her no matter how long it took and thankfully there was now more of that. An anxiety that Ignacio chose to ignore more than not and gave a sigh of relief when he learned Izzy would live as long as any MAJOR, an anxiety that could now be forgotten.
A far off series of dull thuds could be heard. Izellah came running into the kitchen wearing the Winton Academy uniform, a dark green mini skirt with black thigh high, and a dark green blazer with a white emblazoned “W” on the chest, with a white dress shirt and tie of the same dark green color underneath.
“Isn’t that skirt a little too short?” Ignacio asked his daughter.
“What?” Izellah’s face looked shocked as she stood on her tiptoes to take out a slice of bread. An action that only a little while ago she would have needed a ladder to achieve “papa it was part of the set I could choose from.”
“Well okay then,” Ignacio said, throwing up his hands.
Izellah busily worked around the kitchen as she grabbed supplies needed for a quick breakfast of toast with condiments.
“You look excited,” Ignacio noted, his eyes darting back and forth as Izellah moved about.
“Duh,” Izellah looked back only briefly before going about her work “I get to finally go to my own classes without a shadow dogging my heels and if someone gropes me I can just punch them instead of needing to apologize for not being placid enough.”
“Izzy,” a bass quality coming into Ignacio’s voice “if something happens you need to tell me or the faculty so adults can handle it.”
Izellah took a bite out of a piece of toast and turned to look at her father.
“And Sabrina right?”
“Eh,” he paused. “Yes, you should ask her for help as well, you should use her experience.”
Izellah put her toast down and walked up to Ignacio and threw her arms around him for a hug. She came up to his chest now and Ignacio couldn’t help but think that if his wife was alive and a MAJOR she would have looked exactly as Izellah looked now.
“Please don’t be mad at her,” Izellah pleaded “if you should be angry at anyone it should be me.”
“I am angry with you,” he felt pained, and the face Izellah made looked as anguished as he felt “but you’ve been through a lot and I have no wish to make it worse for you. Please take your safety more seriously?” Ignacio tilted her chin up so her eyes would look into his “I know you know this but I will say it anyways, you are special Izellah, the number of people that would be saddened by your injury or god forbid death has increased since you’ve left the roost. Not because you were a minor but because of who you are and I hope being a MAJOR will prove that to you.”
“Papa, I'm going to be late for school.” Izellah squirmed.
Ignacio let his daughter go but kept her at arm's length.
“One more thing Izzy, I still have to be a father sometimes and I don’t want this to go unsaid. Your happiness is important to Sabrina, myself and yes even Gloria so please keep that in mind.”
“I’m sorry papa,” Izellah kissed her father on the cheek after he let go of her. “I have to go now”
Ignacio watched as his daughter grabbed her breakfast and proceeded to run out the back door. While not a particularly religious man, Ignacio has prayed from time to time and he did so now. He prayed for his daughter's happiness, her health and hoped that the school she so looked forward to finally joining in full force wouldn’t be as terrible as he imagined it might be.
“Don’t forget about work papa.” Izellah popped back to tell her father before leaving again.
Ignacio swore under his breath. Maybe he needed prayers more than Izellah.