The Princess and the Plague : 1

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The Princess and the Plague
(Life after Camp Kumoni)

By Anistasia Allread
Edited by Nick B

They wandered over to the queue for the tickets and waited.

“Whoa, is that ‘The Plague’ interacting with our cheerleader?” a voice called.

Eric tried to control a chill that wracked his body as his mind screamed to make himself small and unnoticeable.

“Is this creep bothering you, Sam?”

“Greg, he’s not a creep, just leave us alone,” Samantha snapped back.

     

duckling.jpg

Author's Note: (Okay, you wanted a sequel and my arm hurts from the twisting. I’ve started this story as a continuation of Camp Kumoni, but I have to warn you all. I don’t know where it is going to lead, and unlike Camp Kumoni, I don’t know how it will end. I might walk away without ever finishing it, or I might end it ten years from now. So If you like the exploits of Erika and the Lavender Ladies, I hope you will enjoy what I put together here.)
 


 
 
“This was part of the deal,” Mrs. Martin scolded, “You promised me while in camp that you would go to counseling.”

“I know, mom.” Eric sighed, “It’s just, well, I don’t see what the big deal is?”

“The big deal is that you were dressed as and acting like a girl, Eric.”

“Whatever.” He opened the car door, “What is this shrink’s name?”

“Dr. Barts.”

“Dr. Farts?”

“Dr. Barts.” Mrs. Martin rolled her eyes, “Don’t embarrass yourself at your first appointment.”

Eric followed his mother into the building and checked in at the receptionist’s desk.

“Are you going in too?” His heart flip-flopped. He may as well bow out now if she was.

“Only if she asks for me. This is your doctor’s appointment.”

“What did you tell Dr. Farts about me?”

“Dr. Barts only knows a basic outline of the story behind why you’re here.” Mrs. Martin explained. “Stop sitting like that,” She referred to Eric’s legs crossed in a feminine manner.

“Sheesh, mom.” Eric uncrossed his legs and slouched a little bit in the chair. “Is this better?”

Mrs. Martin rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.

Eric looked around the waiting room, posters of various scenes, animals and people hung around the room. Each had an inspirational saying boldly written across the bottom. A central coffee table held a variety of magazines, a few coloring books and Highlights magazines.

The door opened. “Mrs. Martin?”

Eric got up with his mom. Please don’t let us be in this together. Please, please, please.”

“Are you Eric?” the woman asked.

Eric gave her a quick nod.

“I’ll come get you in just a few moments. I would like to speak with your mother first.”

Eric gave his mom a ‘don’t embarrass me’ look and went back to a chair to wait. Unconsciously he crossed his legs, picked up a National Geographic magazine and began thumbing through it. His mind was too occupied to do anything but look at the pictures.

Last week he had returned home from camp. His father picked him up from the busses and drove him home. Mr. Martin had asked a few questions about Eric’s time at camp, but after a few non-committal answers they drove the rest of the way home in silence. His mother wasn’t home when they arrived, so Eric lugged his suitcase and duffle up the stairs to his room, and began unpacking.

He wrapped the breast forms and gaffe in a T-shirt and looked around his room. He lifted his mattress but thought that it would be lumpy hiding them there. He looked closely at his bookshelves. There wasn't much room for them there, not without his mother or father spotting them. Then he considered his old, dust collecting stereo. Eric didn't use it much anymore, only every once in a while, when he would pull out some old worn vinyl records to play and go over memories of his friend Summer. He pulled the stereo forward on its shelf about an inch, then felt behind it to see how much space there was between it and the wall. He gently stuffed the shirt wrapped contraband behind the stereo and stood back considering it from all angles.

The skirts, tops and other feminine clothes, He boxed up and covered with a pile of his comic books. The little make up that he had, he concealed in a folded towel and placed it at the bottom of the stack of clean towels in his bathroom. Eric pulled the blue dress out of the suitcase and held it up wondering how he was going to hide it. He shrugged and hung it up in the back of his closet, behind a long overcoat he hardly ever wore. The panties that he had worn all summer, he stuffed into the back of his underwear drawer, under a few handkerchiefs that he had once used as part of his ‘Emo’ outfits.

Once he had stashed everything, Eric went on to his computer and logged in. He took out the paper of info that he had received from the Columbine girls and entered their email addresses into his address book and shot off an email to each of them before going to his web comic site.

Eric looked through the last few comics that he had posted, read replies and comments to them then looked at his unfinished drawings and sighed. He really hadn’t the time to draw much all summer.

Eric sighed, flopped down on his bed and took a deep breath, taking in the familiar scent of home. The scent was a bit musky, and more faded than he remembered it being. “It needs a sweeter, scent to it. Orange blossoms maybe?”

The thought of sweeter scents reminded him of camp. He really was missing the friends that he had left only a few hours ago.

The door opened and his mom smiled at him from across the room.

“Eric, won’t you come in?” the woman behind his mother greeted.

Eric tossed the magazine on the coffee table as he passed it and followed the woman through the door and down a short hallway to an office.

“Eric, I’m Dr. Barts,” she said. She closed the door behind them and gestured Eric to a deep, comfortable leather chair. She sat in a tall backed office chair nearby.

Eric studied the woman as she looked through some paperwork. She was petite with dark hair that had been loosely pulled into a messy French twist and modest, but stylish clothing that was a bit conservative for Erika’s tastes. Her makeup appeared underdone behind the small wire framed glasses.

“First off, Eric, I just want to let you know, that anything said in this room, stays in this room. I’m kind of like Las Vegas in that way.” She smiled at her own joke. “So whatever you tell me in confidence here, I won’t go telling your mother, unless you give me the okay to do so.”

Eric nodded understanding.

“So, Eric, Why are you here today?” She inquired.

“Because my mom made me come.”

“So you don’t want to be here?”

“No, not really.”

“Have you ever been to a psychologist before?”

“Do school counselors count?”

“Some are psychologists, so I guess we could count them.”

“I’ve been to one and he was a waste of time.”

“What happened?” Dr. Barts inquired.

“I’d really rather not talk about it.” Eric was on guard. “He told me to stop being a wimp and grow up.”

“Oh my. I guess I can see why you are so defensive.” She gave Eric a long caring look, “I won’t tell you anything like that, Eric. I promise.”

Eric shrugged and looked around the room, anywhere but to meet this woman’s eyes.

“So, your mother tells me that you had a very interesting… unusual summer, can you tell me about it?”

“There’s not much to tell, I went to camp, made some friends and did camp things,” Eric stated, skirting the issue.

“Tell me about the friends you made?”

Eric casually but guardedly told her about the girls of Columbine cabin, as well as about Derek, Matt, and Phoenix.

“Well Eric, our time is up.” Dr. Barts announced. “I am going to ask you mom to have you come by in a couple of days, I want to hear more of your summer with your friends. It sounded like you experienced a lot of very cool things and made some very good friends.”

Dr. Barts walked him to the door and gestured to his mom to the receptionists’ desk to set up another appointment.

Eric stood over by the coffee table staring at the magazines and listening hard to the conversation between the two women to see if Dr. Barts would say anything about their talk. She didn’t mention a word.

Eric and his mom walked back out to the car. “How did it go?” She inquired.

“Okay, I guess.” Eric shrugged.

“I figured we could get some lunch and then go get your school supplies,” his mom suggested.

He shrugged. “Okay, whatever.”
 

–o0o–

 
When they returned home, Eric hauled his bags of school supplies upstairs and set them off to one side. He took up his cell phone and scanned through the missed calls.

“Hey mom?” he called as he sprinted downstairs.

“What is it?” his mom called from the kitchen.

“Tricia is having a sleepover party at her house Friday, and wants me to come.”

“To a sleep over with a bunch of girls?”

“It’s the same girls I’ve been sleeping with all summer, mom.”

“I don’t know, Eric. Let me think about it.”

Eric rolled his eyes and trudged back up the stairs to his room. He called Tricia and explained to her that he wasn’t sure yet about the sleepover.

“Should I have my mom call your mom?” Tricia offered.

“Not yet. My mom would feel manipulated, we need to give her a day or so, then we’ll have your mom call her.”

Eric and Tricia talked on the phone for a bit. Tricia told Eric about the different things in the town that she and her family have been discovering over the last week; Shops to frequent, restaurants to eat at and places to hang out.

“Have you checked out our new theater?” Eric asked.

“We drove by it, but I haven’t been there yet.”

“We should get the gang together and check out a movie.”

“Are you doing anything tonight?” Tricia asked, “I’ll call Samantha, Victoria, and Krystal.”

“I don’t think my parents have plans.”

“I’ll call you back.”

Eric went back downstairs to his mother. “Mom, can I go watch a movie with my friends?”

“What friends?”

“Samantha, Tricia, Krystal and Victoria.”

Mrs. Martin gave Eric a long measuring look.

“Come on, Mom, I went to see Dr. Farts today.”

“Dr. Barts.”

“Whatever,” Eric shrugged. “It’s just a movie.”

“Okay.” His mother nodded. “But no Erika.”

“Yes, mother.” Eric raced out the kitchen before his mother could change her mind and up the stairs to his room and waited for Tricia’s call.
 

–o0o–

 
“Give me a call when the movie gets out so that I can pick you up.” Eric’s mom pulled up to the curb.

“What if we want to get ice cream after?”

“Give me a call.”

“Yes, mom.” Eric got out and waved to Samantha who was smiling from the ticket window.

Eric went up to the blonde that he had crushed on for the past few years and smiled. Samantha stepped closer and threw her arms around him giving him a hard squeeze.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Okay. My mom had me go see a shrink today.”

Samantha pulled back, “How did that go?”

Eric shrugged.

“Oh good you’re here.” Tricia greeted walking with Krystal. “Victoria said that she’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Eric found himself in a tight embrace from Tricia. “I’ve missed you,” she said rubbing her hands up and down his back.

“I’ve missed you too.” Eric didn’t realize how true those words were until she had wrapped her arms around him and he inhaled her sweet scent.

Tricia released him from her bear hug, but her hand held possessively on to his.

“Krystal, what did your parents say when they saw you get off the camp bus?” Samantha inquired.

“They were in total shock. My mom started crying.” Krystal blushed.

“Are you staying with the diet?”

Krystal nodded. “Mom has decided to help. She has put the entire family on a weight loss program. We have a nutritionist visiting the house in a couple of nights.”

“That is awesome.” Victoria greeted from behind her.

They wandered over to the queue for the tickets and waited.

“Whoa, is that ‘The Plague’ interacting with our cheerleader?” a voice called.

Eric tried to control a chill that wracked his body as his mind screamed to make himself small and unnoticeable.

“Is this creep bothering you, Sam?”

“It’s Samantha, Greg, he’s not a creep, just leave us alone,” Samantha snapped back.

“Pity date, huh?” Greg snickered, “Just because he was a friend to your sister, doesn’t mean you are immune to his contamination.”

“Get lost, Greg,” Victoria sneered.

“Whoa, stand back Greg. I think the plague is spreading,” Greg’s friend Tyler chuckled.

“Big words for a guy that can’t read more than a scoreboard.” Victoria glared.

“The final score on that board is all I’ll need to get into a major University,” Greg laughed.

“Looks like we’re going to have to inoculate for the plague again this year,” Tyler grinned.

“Nice ‘hair band’ hair, plague, are you starting a band? The Plague and the Vomits?” Greg laughed.

“Yeah, an Emo band, the Killer Plagues.” Larry joined.

“Get out of here,” Samantha demanded.

“Okay, okay.” Greg put hands up as a warning, “We don’t want to risk contamination anyway.”

He and Tyler walked off laughing and high fiving.

“Who were they?” Tricia asked.

“Greg will be captain of the football team and the most popular guy in school,” Victoria explained.

Tricia shook her head. “What a jerk.”

“What’s worse is that Samantha used to have the hots for him.” Victoria shook her head.

“I did not,” Samantha defended.

“Oh you so did,” Eric agreed with Victoria.

“Is that how they treat you at school?” Tricia looked to Eric.

“That was them being nice,” Eric admitted. He glanced around. “Too many witnesses for anything else.”

“I think I may want to change schools,” she confessed.

A panic started Eric’s heart to pump from the adrenaline. She couldn’t change schools. He needed her at school with him, to help him be accepted.

Tricia sensed his panic and squeezed his hand. “I wasn’t serious, I won’t switch schools.” She assured him.

Relief washed over him.

“You can’t go to school as Eric.” Krystal asserted. “Not to be tortured like that. There must be a way for you to be Erika. Are you sure, your parents won’t allow you to be Erika?”

“My dad doesn’t know about Erika and my mother is against the idea. She has me going to a shrink now.” Eric explained.

“We’ve got to figure out a way.” Samantha agreed. “No offense Eric, but It would be a much better school year with Erika at school than having to defend Eric every time we walk through the halls.”

“Oh, none taken. I know better than you, the possibilities.” Eric agreed. “I just wish there was a way.”

Eric and the girls from Columbine cabin walked into the theater pondering other options.

 


 
To Be Continued...

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Comments

Thank You

I wasn't one of those who explicitly twisted your arm, but I definitely thought it to myself. I hoped for a continuation. You've done it. I gladly welcome it even with your "conditions." Thank you for bringing us more of Erica. She deserves to live whether it be as herself or as a part of Erik.

Thank you

Thanks for the start of the

KristineRead's picture

Thanks for the start of the new Sequel, though I'm sorry if you feel pressured. I for one loved your Camp story, and have been looking forward to the sequel, but I hope it does not become a burden for you.

I am glad to see the friends stood up to the football jocks, that is a great start for Eric or Erica.

I do hope that Eric will settle down and give Dr. Barts a chance, Eric could use the help of a competent therapist. Not only because of Erica, but because of everything else that he has been dealing with.

Hugs,

Kristy

Thank you

Your sequel or follow-up story is off to a good start. I am surprised & happy that you started it so soon. It makes me think you have some idea of the direction you would like to take the story. I am sure that we will all enjoy whatever twists & turns you offer us

Interesting beginning...

I look forward to discovering how things work out.

So far, the girls are standing by their friend... I hope they can continue to, once they face the building peer pressure. *sighs*

Thanks,
Annette

I think it would help if ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... his camp friends would urge him to give Dr. Barts a chance.

Thanks for continuing.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Good Point!

KristineRead's picture

Particularly Tricia as she should know how important a good psychologist can be from her sister.

Eric/Erika needs to get some of his surpressed issues out and he/she needs help at school. What he has suffered there is beyond child abuse and neglect and frankly the school should be held responsible for not taking appropriate action.

It is this kind of abuse which leads to the kind of actions that occurred at the school that shared a name with the camp cabin.

Hugs,

Kristy

The Psychologist

Is Dr. Brats qulified to help Gender Dysphoric patients, or did Eric's mom pick her figuring she would cure Eric from being Erica and the psych is a homophob? Not enough known yet to confirm or deny these charges. It seemed that eric was in there a very short time, and Eric didn't say a thing. I wonder if the mom told the psych everything and wants her to help her son be just that, her son ONLY.

Tricia should tell Eric the doctor that was used for her Brother/Sister. This obviously would be a better choice.

Thank you so much for doing a sequel. Erica was such a great character, I certinly hope Erica will become a real person at school. I hope the parents will become supportive, instead of combative. So far mom isn't helping, by curbing Eric(a)'s chance of having any outings. I do hope the columbine girls can come up with something to allow Erica a true chance at survival.

Great start on your sequal, looking forward to your next chapter.

Hugs
Joni W

I'm not worthy...

Anistasia, Thank you for bringing one of my favouriter characters back :D

Huggs

Sam

Enjoyed camp and I'm sure I'll enjoy the sequel

I understand that sometimes the end is the end and that's all there is to say but I'm sure happy that you decided to continue the story. I was always of the opinion that Samantha would go back to the jocks and ignore "the plague". This beginning looks good. Maybe she isn't as shallow as I'd expected. Hope Tricia and Eric do a little cuddling in the theater. Not like their companions don't know whats going on.

Should Eric or Erica go to school? I'm not sure. Wish it could be whoever feels like it on a particular day but that's too much to ask for. Probably need to discuss a little Erica time with the doctor.

Anyway, Thanks for the sequel. I'm sure it will be one of the highlights of hte site.

I did not twist your arm, AA

and P.S. the combination to remove and disarm the thermonuclear BVD's we slipped on you in your sleep is four turns counter clockwise to 34, three turns clockwise to 2, one turn counter clockwise to 17 and clockwise until it clicks. If you get a blinking red light, you did something wrong, sorry. And who's to say radiation is all bad for you, look at the HULKTM.

Um, you haven’t moved anywhere near or upwind from Wauwatosa since then, have you?

I wonder for your picture could you crop together Death or an angel of death or a skeletal *plague angel* and a generic princess? Sort of Cinderella at the ball meets the third sprit of Christmas from the Charles Dickens Christmas classic.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

Camp Kumoni Continuation

I am glad to see that you are starting a continuation to the story.

Eric doesn’t know what to do. There is no need for the author to know at this point. Is he truly transgendered, and if so how much? Could simply having friends transform his life as a male, with limited cross dressing? The readers may have expectations, but don’t let that drive the story development.

Admittedly for too many stories, the entire plot is not known by the author at the first chapter. Often they wander, so I quickly stop reading the later chapters. You created a basic setting at Camp Kumoni. The characters are in place. Take your time and let the plot develop. Don’t get trapped into posting simply because your readers are impatient.

Having said that, please hurry up and post the next chapter.

DJ

Doctor 'Who'?

"Eric doesn’t know what to do. There is no need for the author to know at this point."

DeeJay, that's an important point if I've ever heard one. Like the others, I appreciate AA continuing this story, but for it to be fun an adventure of self-discovery and conflict will be basic ingredients. As for reader expectations, I agree, let the story write itself. Self-discovery comes from conflict, but let's hope there is not too many trials that they overwhelm Eric/Erica. It would be a shame if he/she had to face something like Summer's plight. I wonder if Samantha would recognize it when she failed to catch it before. Oh, I better stop. I'm not the author here. And, good luck to its author as I'm sure the story will continued to be interesting.

I am a grain of sand on a near beach; a nova in the sky, distant and long.
In my footprints wash the sea; from my hands flow our universe.
Fact and fiction sing a legendary song.
Trickster/Creator are its divine verse.

--Old Man CoyotePuma

I am a grain of sand on a near beach; a nova in the sky, distant and long.
In my footprints wash the sea; from my hands flow our universe.
Fact and fiction sing a legendary song.
Trickster/Creator are its divine verse.

--Old Man CoyotePuma

Problem with Camp Kumoni

My biggest problem with Camp Kumoni was that it ended.
Thanks for continuing.

Continuing

When I read the last chapter of this story it was kind of a let down,I was looking for more. Thankyou for continuing this story. You have written this story very well and at the end of each chapter I know that I'm really looking forward to the next. This takes alot of your time to write and I feel lucky to read each chapter when you have them completed.

Yay!

Michelle Trudeau's picture

Thanks! This story has brightened my day a lot.

-- Michelle

Chills

A little too well written. The scene with the creepy macho guys from Eric's high school was truly chill-inducing.

Welcome Back, Erika

terrynaut's picture

I missed Erika. It's nice to see her impending arrival. I'm assuming she'll be arriving soon anyway. So many options to ponder, so little time. :)

I like how Eric is holding on to all of his accessories. That should help with the options. I wonder if Dr. Barts can help too. We shall see.

It's a shame Eric can't be accepted, but Eric's loss is Erika's gain. I'll take whatever I can get in fantasy land. :)

Thanks and please keep up the good work. *sigh*

- Terry

Great Start

Anistasia,
Great start to a new story. I loved your Camp Kumoni story and I for one am glad to see you continue with the characters. You did a very good job of creating them, and it is great to see them in a new set of adventures. Excellent!

Wendy Marie

Whether or not...

A finite length or not is not really an issue...

If its not a finite length you won't need to worry about a sequel...

And if it is a finite length we'll just twist your arms some more to get another sequel...

Yes your only option is to kill them all off now. :(

Great to see any sort of continuation.

JC

The Legendary Lost Ninja

What a cruel suggestion...

JC - please don't let the author see that suggestion!

But then, A. Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes - only to have to resurect him. So, perhaps your solution isn't good enough.

Annette

Twisted the arm

A.A. I did twist your ARM and reads to a good start, and I'm sure you'll do a really good job if this start is anything like you have shown with Camp. Love It! Richard

Richard

Thanks

Glad to see the story cotinues :) Hope we'll have Erika back soon. And, really, I think Eric/Erika should be ;ore open to Dr Barts as she can help with Eric's parents. I was just a bit disappointed that the appointment went that fast. I like when I can say everything during an appointment w/o running out of time.

I was thinking that perhaps Erika could be introduced at school, it should be interesting to tell that story. But I don't think I have to worry as this is bound to happen at some point if Eric still likes being Erika.

I'm eager to read the next chapter :)
The sory's great, continue. And thank you so much.

Mildred

Timed it just right :)

I had been avoiding starting Camp Kumoni for a long time--not because it didn't look interesting, but because it looked to be addictive, and the last thing I needed in my life was something sucking away more of my time. Well, when the holidays rolled around this year, it provided the perfect way to unwind after a long and stressful day with family; I finally got caught up New Year's Eve. And lo and behold, almost before I've had a chance to bemoan the fact that the series has ended, you've started the sequel.

Thank you! Both for Camp Kumoni, one of my favorite stories here, and for giving in to the begging and pleading for a sequel before I even had to add my voice to the din.

Solid Start...

So Dad IS that far out of the loop...not sure what it says about the marriage if Mom hasn't confronted him with even the information that there's a crisis brewing. I realize she'd like the whole thing to just go away -- or at least to turn it over to the shrink and let HER worry about it -- but there's the "plague" part of the equation looming too, as Mom learned from Samantha and Victoria at camp. I have trouble believing she's willing to accept the status quo there, and I don't know what she can do about it without involving Dad, beyond inconsequential things like picking Eric up at the movies.

This first chapter could of course lead in any number of directions, especially since we don't know whether the title princess is Erika, Samantha or Tricia. (Or none of the above, I suppose.) Living a double life at school itself (and doing so without Eric's parents knowing, and probably with Dr Barts in the dark as well) would be tough to accomplish believably, though A.A. is welcome to prove me wrong on that. And of course Eric is still uncertain how optimal a solution that would be, since he hasn't figured out whether Erika is a real inner reflection or just a coping mechanism for Eric's plague status. Going to school as Erika probably won't change that unless Erika starts getting attracted to boys.

Eric

Thanks,

This a verry prommising start, if you want a clue for for some plots, i have a few already in my mind.
Keep up the writhing, God bless You,
Belinda-28

awsome

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

this has really made my Xmass break

hugs from jenny

BookWorm

Yay!

It's great to have the sequel! Camp Kumoni was wonderful, and I for one hope you'll keep this one going for quite a while :)
Don't worry about where it is going - the Characters you have created will lead you down their own paths. And you have already given yourself enough to work with from this first episode - Eric/Erika's building of trust with Dr Bart, the integration of Eric into the gorup of friends from camp, and how they are going to cope with Eric's reputation once back at school. Just let it flow.

Keep them coming!

Thank You...

sonai67's picture

Greetings Anastasia;

First off Thank You for aquessing for a continuation of Erick/a and the gang.

I will eagerly awaite any chapters you post for this new story. And, Respectfully and Gratefully say Thanks for All your Hard work in writing the now "Book" Camp Kumoni....

I truly love your storyline, plot for the story, and the characters you have created.

May your Heart Guide your feelings in the "Princess and the Plague", and may it be as Great Success as well.

A toast to your efforts, and Happy New Year too you as well.

With Love, and may the Goddess Bless...

Your Fan

Sonai67

Sonai67

Thank You...

sonai67's picture

Greetings Anastasia;

Oops, it posted twice... sorry Anastasia... I have edited the second posting with this appology... and

Thank You again for Making a Sequel..

your fan

sonai

Sonai67

Thank You.

I did not make a comment when i read all of Camp Kumoni.
But i wanted to say thank you for doing a sequel.

Melinda

A possible plague solution

Samantha can tell all her cheerleader (and other) buddies, in glowing terms, how Eric risked himself to save her from a rapist. That should bring his stock up among the popular girls, and most everyone else who hears the story.

What girl is going to date someone who harasses the hero who saved Sam from a rapist?

- also -

Mom seems a bit reluctant to let Eric hang out with his new friends. After seeing what a sad loner he used to be, she should be absolutely ecstatic that he has new friends.

Ray Drouillard

So Glad

I am so glad that you continued with this story. I hope it doesn't become one that will end up being unfinished. I wish I had something similiar like this happen to me. You have your way with words your chapters are a bit short at times in my opinion but that doesn't take away from your abilities to write, unlike many others that do. I noticed a few suggestion that seem like wonderful ideas for the story, I also think that when Eric met Dr. Bart that he should have been sitting in a manner that he was in the waiting room that his mother hated. I also think that we should have heard just a little bit on what is going on in Eric's mother head if he has to see the shrink.

We Don't Know, Actually,,,

...how Eric's posture and mannerisms stacked up while talking to Dr Barts. It wouldn't surprise me at all, considering that he was talking about the friends he made during the summer, if he had taken on a more feminine sitting position and speech pattern while discussing them. And (as we saw in the waiting room) Eric probably wouldn't have noticed it himself. Dr Barts most likely would have spotted it, since she would have been looking for that kind of thing after talking to Eric's mother, but the doctor wouldn't know Eric well enough to be certain and wouldn't make a "gotcha" comment at a first meeting with an unwilling patient in any case.

Eric

Lots of hurdles ahead

... to say the least. To go full-time as Erika will be a difficult task but it hinges on Erika whether she can convince the good doctor that she is interested in transitioning. Problem is, we do not know if she is TS bound. I cannot see how she will get much support to go full-time without the need to transition. If Erika is TS bound ( at minimal live full time - surgery optional ) then she really will want to prevent male puberty from progressing even further - voice changing - beard - so she can buy time to make a real choice.

I confess that I have only finished the first twenty-one parts of the original series and started it only after reading this episode accidentally. I am not usually a fan of crossdressing-only stories so I had ignored this series until now when I read this chapter. But now I I am as hooked as the rest of the commentators. The cast of characters are diverse, non-trivial and creatively used and shows sisterhood at its best. At its worst, women can be back-stabbing and socially power hungry - queen bee syndrome - and petty and nasty too but I am glad so far ( up to chapter twenty-one ) that has not been the case.

Finally, I, as much as anyone else am curious if Eric is slipping into feminine mannerisms ( beyond the aforementioned feminine way of sitting. ) It is very hard to change back when you have finally found your place. I am sure I will gain more insight as to how Erika has come to this place in her life and what her choice will be.

I am thankful for the author for continuing the series also.

Kim

Camp Kumoni is one of the

Zoe Taylor's picture

Camp Kumoni is one of the big catalysts for my getting back into writing. Eric reminds me so much of myself when I was his age, and it was only by the grace of a small group of mostly female friends that I got through the rough patches.

I never got to be Zoe at school, even though a number of oppurtunities presented themselves, buuuut I won't get into that. It's nice to see the Lavender Ladies continuing to support their friend even after the return; I'm looking forward to seeing what happens!

~* Queen of Sweetness *~

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Rubber arm

WillowD's picture

I am a good eight years to late to twist your rubber arm. Thank you for writing this sequel anyways.

Acceptance

I thought her mom was more accepting, I still hope she can go to school as Erika.

hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna