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Story Notes:

Done as a commission. Transformation within, at the very end.

Author's Chapter Notes:

Done as a commission, there is transformation, but not til the end.

"Is it President Theodore Roosevelt?"

"Yes! Yes it was, very good Elizabeth!"

"Thank you." She politely responded with big grin.

"Now, who can tell me what Theodore Roosevelt's greatest achievement was in office? Hm, anyone?" The Professor continued, politely ignoring  Elizabeth's still raised hand, as she had just answered a question. "Hmm, well how about you then, Johnny?"

A small kid in the back of the class flinched noticeably at hearing his name, and looked lost for a moment before shaking his head and making a strained expression, as if he were concentrating deeply. The entire classroom's eyes were on him, and the professor waited expectantly.

"H-His uh, his greatest achievement in office was the, uh, it was..." Johnny began, searching his memory for the answer. "It was, uh.."

A small groan and a few sighs started making their way around the room, only furthering his determination to answer the question. Mouthing the words to himself before he said them, he gathered up his courage and looked the professor square in the eye for an instant.

"Former President Theodore Roosevelt's greatest achievement in office was his pet while in office, a vicious Honey Badger! Generally regarded as one of the most vicious animals around, Roosevelt kept and raised it after it was thrown at him by a little girl, and it was named-"

Mercifully, before Johnny could continue, a bell interrupted him, and with a disappointed wave goodbye from the professor, the class gathered their belongings.

Blushing in embarrassment, Johnny sat down to pick up his things and tried to blend into the crowd as it exited. Keeping his eyes down to avoid eye contact, he made his way through the halls silently, trying to remember the correct answer to the question that had been asked as he did.

"YO! JOHNNY!"

Not wanting to be tormented any further, Johnny kept a low profile, quickening his pace.

"JOHNNY! WAIT FOR US!" A different voice called out.

Turning his head, Johnny scanned the crowd behind him, slowing his near-jog to a walk. The hallway behind him filled with more students, making it more difficult to spot who was calling out to him as he walked.

Too difficult, a fact he realized when he found himself bumping into someone he couldn't see, and hearing her squeal as they fell to the floor together.

Johnny's face grew red as he jumped to his feet almost as he quickly as he had fallen, and offered a hand to the girl he had knocked over.

Offering a warm smile in return, Elizabeth, the girl who he had knocked over graciously accepted his hand. Johnny's heart raced as he used all his strength to help her to her feet again, and watched her stand to her full, luxurious height. Though he kept his eyes down in humility, she gave him a pat on the back, and a quick wink.

"Thanks for helping me up, John-boy." She said, before leaving him where he stood, to catch up  to her own friends.

Johnny's face grew bright red at her words, and he was grateful that she wasn't looking at him anymore to see it. John-boy was a name he hadn't been called in awhile, not since, well, he and Elizabeth were children.

The world continued around him, but Johnny stood motionless, lost in thoughts. He watched as a younger version of himself and Elizabeth played in their front yard. He remembered how happy he had felt when she was around, rather than the nervous mess he became now. He remembered the secrets they had shared together. Finally, he remembered, now tinged with a wave of sadness, the day her parents had inherited a sizable sum of money, causing her entire family to pack up and leave.

"JOHNNY!" A voice nearly yelled in his ear, accompanied by a slap on the back.

"W-what?!" Johnny asked, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest at the surprise contact.

"Dude! You look totally out of it! What's wrong man?"

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all Shawn!" Johnny answered, forcing a bit of laughter and scratching the back of his head unconvincingly.

Squinting and examining his face with uncertainty, Shawn, one of Johnny's best friends eventually shrugged and pet his buddy on the back once more. Johnny flinched noticeably at the contact, a detail completely lost on Shawn.

"Well as long as you say so, so what are we gonna do for lunch today, man?" Shawn asked, punctuating it with another pat on Johnny's sore back.

"I dunno... I don't feel like going out to eat today. I think I'd rather just stay on campus." Johnny answered meekly.

"THEN STAY ON CAMPUS WE SHALL!" Another voice nearly shouted, making Johnny's heart skip a beat and drawing the attention of everyone nearby to the group.

"Jesus H. Christ! Did you really have to shout it that loud Adam?"  Shawn asked, rubbing his ear in discomfort.

"Oh you know it bro!" Adam, the third member of their little troupe responded happily.

"Yeah, well, if we wanna get something we should probably hurry up, you know as well as I do how prone the cafeteria is to running out of food." Shawn urged.

"DUDE! Bro's right bro, let's go bro!" Adam said while motioning for Johnny to follow him.

The three ran as fast as they could to the cafeteria, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of students loitering or simply talking. They were a rather odd bunch, to any onlookers. Johnny looking relatively normal, though rather short, while Shawn looked like a stereotypical nerd in every way. Somehow fitting in even less was Adam, who looked as if he had stepped right out of the 1960's with his messy hair and constantly bloodshot eyes.

Unlikely a group as they were, they were still the best of friends, and after picking something up in the cafeteria, they made their way back outside to enjoy their food. The area around the cafeteria was sparsely populated, most students choosing to actually enjoy their lunch by going off campus.

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