When school ends and we make it to the infirmary, I flop down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling and waiting for Leona to get ready. “That bad?” the doctor asks from off to the side.

“Yeah, it wasn't that bad earlier, it's definitely getting worse. Have to figure out how to deal with it,” I mumble at the ceiling. I can't get back to my dorm soon enough. When Leona climbs up on the bed and presses her hands down, I let out a low, delighted 'mmmm' in response. God that pressure feels wonderful on my belly...

For the few moments that she gives me sweet relief, I feel like I'm going to melt into the bed. She leans down, filling my world with glowing power, and draws away. After a few more moments of crazy, universal clarity, it's back to just me and my cramps. Still, they actually don't hurt quite as much, maybe pressure and massage would be a good thing to try...

As soon as Leona's done, I fight through changing my tampon again. How many more days of this do I have...?

We stop at the school store so Leona can buy a box of tampons which I then covertly stash in my school bag. We trudge back to the dorms, and as soon as I'm in my room, I pull out my mobile and start searching. My shower can wait a few minutes. Ken gives me a little side eye when I sit on the floor to avoid getting bed dirty with my nasty clothes. “You alright, Sei?” he asks.

“I feel like shit,” I answer, most of my attention on my mobile screen. Methods of relieving period cramps... “Food, food, food...” I mumble under my breath. Why are there so many food related ones? “Heat, medication, reduce stress, hah.” I can't help but chuckle darkly at that. Stress is like, ninety percent of my life right now. It's why I feel so awful in the first place.

My eyes still scanning, I mumble, “Massage, there it is,” so that is known to work after all. Maybe I could ask Ken? “Exercise-” The doctor mentioned that one... “-diet supplements, sleep... uhh, shock therapy?” Isn't that a little... I shake my head and just try to ignore that one, but then my eyes land right on the next. “O-orgasm?!” I realize a moment late that I raised my voice in surprise at the absolute worst time.

I glance to Ken, who is of course, staring straight at me. There's a moment, just a single momentary pause, then her turns away. “Nnnnope.”

Despite his absolute refusal to react, I go completely tomato red, and quickly make my retreat to the wash room. Now that my research has crashed and burned so spectacularly, I grab my dirty clothes from today, hand washing them in the sink so they won't stain as bad. The pants are fine, besides, I won't even be wearing them again now that I think about it. My panties are definitely a bit worse for wear though.

Whatever... Scowling lightly, I get into the shower. Of course, that immediately brings that last method of relief back to mind...

Until I stand under the hot water.

“Of. Fucking. Course.” I growl. The hot water, while it feels good, doesn't get me the slightest bit aroused as I am now. It figures. I must be too stressed, that's always what pushed away any sexual feelings before. Obviously I'm stressed right now!

If my tiny amount of past experience is any indication, masturbation would help with that. So of course the stress stops me from being able to do it. God, women's bodies are so hard sometimes!

While I'm grumping at myself, I at least take down the shower head and press it to my belly. The hot water thankfully does help with my cramps, letting my muscles relax some. I sigh. It's better than nothing. That massage is looking better by the moment...

If Ken won't, I'm sure Leona will...

When I get out of the shower, toss my clothes over something to dry and flop onto my bed. After a long, tired groan, I raise an arm overhead. “Ken, I propose a trade.”

He chuckles, clearly amused by this. “I'm listening.”

“I'll make something good for dinner if you give me a massage.”

“O...kay...? Should I ask why?”

I eye him in my peripheral. It's Ken, why not? I shift a little to watch for his reaction. “To help with period cramps.” That gets a pretty awkward blush out of him, but as expected, it's Ken.

“I see... so you've started getting periods now?”

“Yeah, it's my first one, but I can already tell you they suck.”

He nods a few times. “Sure, of course I'll help.”

“You're a life saver.”

“Massage or food first?” he asks.

I bite my lip. “God, I want the massage, but I have a feeling I won't be doing anything after. Food,” I decide.

“Sounds like a plan.” We head to the kitchen, and I do my absolute best to ignore the pain as I pull out some chicken. I said I'd make something good... After digging around, I find some lemon. I only vaguely remember how Runa made that chicken a while back, but it definitely used a lot of butter and lemon. Besides chicken...

I eye the rice cooker. I remember my mom making rice in a pot a few times, but it was always hit and miss. I'd probably burn it. Grabbing the rice cooker, I frown at it. I tap at the little screen on it and soon enough get some instructions. Equal amounts of rice and water, and press the button to make it go?

Sounds doable, so I follow the directions, using the marks on the thing to determine the amounts, close the lid, and hit the button to cook. With that going I lean against a counter and take a few deep breaths. As long as I try to keep moving, I think I can manage. So I go back over to the chicken. It's tricky and I mess up a number of times, but I eventually get the chicken breasts cut in half so they're all similar thickness. Except for my numerous failures, of course.

Now, how do I do the rest of this...? I look up a recipe, eyeing the ingredients for a general idea for the amounts of butter and lemon, and find that it actually doesn't need all that much of the lemon for the flavor. I would have added way too much if I'd guessed...

I have to stop for another minute to sit down. I wanted to get the butter melted, but that will have to wait.

“You sure you're alright?” Ken asks uncertainly.

“No, but I'm trying,” I sigh.

“Want some help?”

I raise a brow. “Do you know how to cook?”

“Well, not really, but we did cover the basics in class? I'm sure there's something I could do.”

I consider it, then laugh a little and smile. “I would accept your help, if I didn't promise to make you food.”

“Pshh, what promise?” he waves it off and stands, circling around the counter. “All I remember is saying I'd help you out.”

I crack a smile. “Thanks, Ken.” With that, I direct him through taking butter and getting it into the pan. He turns the heat on, melts it, and gets the chicken in, then covers it with a lid, lowering the heat as I direct. I'm not even totally sure I have the steps right, but it'll have to do.

By this point, I manage to get up again and search around until I find a few more ingredients I remember seeing in the recipe I scanned before. I toss some of them into the pan with a little lemon, and set a timer for it to cook.

“There, that wasn't so bad,” Ken grins. “Teamwork.”

I smirk and slap the hand he raises. “Teamwork.” Eventually, the rice cooker starts beeping at us. I'm assuming that means it's done. When I open the top, it... looks good? I pull a little out and blow on it until it's cool enough to taste test.

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“Yeah, this works.” It's nothing special, but it's rice. Not soggy or burnt, it'll get the job done.

When the timer on the chicken goes off, I pull it from the heat and plate everything. After a long day of pain, the lemony butter smell finally gets my stomach to relax a little. I do my best eating, but still can't get much down. At least it's something. I drink a few extra glasses of water, then lie my head on the cool counter while Ken goes at the rest of the food with a big grin on his face. I think I'm getting a touch of headache again.

As soon as Ken finishes, we throw the rest of the food to the scavengers and return to our room.

“Alright, can't say I know how to do this, but I'll give it a shot,” he shrugs. After a couple quick searches on his mobile, he rolls his head a little like he thinks he has an idea.

Ken has me lie on my bed, on my front. He climbs up behind me and I gulp. This position is a little...

“Tell me if it hurts or anything, alright?”

“...Sure.” I can't actually see him, but I think I hear him rubbing his hands together quickly. Friction heat? Not a bad idea... Then he presses down on my lower back, pushing and rubbing. It might be a little much, but it still feels good. He keeps it up briefly, and I do think I'm relaxing a little, even if it hasn't done much of anything for the cramps themselves.

Once he's done with that, he pauses briefly, before pressing on one specific spot, right near my spine, all the way down near my tailbone. Instead of rubbing, he applies a steady pressure a few times. I'm not really sure what it's supposed to do, if he's even doing it right, but it feels alright I guess.

After that, Ken has me roll over onto my back. At least now I can see him as he squints at his mobile, trying to follow the directions.

“Like this...” he murmurs. After lining up his hands, he pushes down on my abdomen, just a little below my belly button.

“Ooh...” I groan. Yes, that one feels good. I close my eyes slowly as the pain starts to ease. “Yeah, definitely that spot...”

“Alright,” he sighs, relief in his voice. He maintains the pressure for a bit, and I can feel myself loosening up. That gives him a little more confidence. “Next is...” He moves down lower, and I can feel his fingers pressing lightly, experimentally. It feels like he can't find the right spot through the hem of my pants.

Grumbling, I pull my pants down some. I don't care, I've got underwear on. Ken coughs into his hand, but doesn't say anything. Instead, he finds the right spot, directly over the bone in my pelvis, and pushes down into it.

Again, I let out a pleased sound as my muscles finally start to relax. “Yeah, that's good...” I tell him quietly. Once he's done there, his hands move outward, and he gives another push. I flinch this time.

“Ow! Ow ow ow, too hard. Those spots are really sore.” I jerk, half sitting up, and have to settle myself again before he can continue. The next time is better. He's nice and gentle, the pressure on the sore spots slowly but surely relaxing all the muscles in that area. My stomach feels woozy after so long all clenched up. I think I've finally reached a point where I can relax...

Ken goes through a couple more spots, some working, some not so much. I tell him each time, harder, softer, just right, as I feel my body slowly turn into a happy puddle.

“God, thank you so much, Ken...” I sigh out as he's finishing up. “Best. Friend. Ever.”

“That's what I'm here for,” and he flashes a big, cocky grin that makes me chuckle tiredly.

I keep lying there for a little while, almost falling asleep before I remind myself that would be a really bad idea. I drag myself up out of bed, my body feeling like jelly as I head into the wash room and replace my tampon. It's so much easier when I'm not clenching up in pain...

I also grab a towel, because the doctor warned me about getting my sheets bloody. I don't really have full confidence in the tampons to work overnight, I guess I'll have to see... Once I put the towel down and set an alarm. I climb in, and that's it, out like a light.

----------------------------------------

I spend Saturday morning in bed after breakfast, watching TV and relaxing. Ken goes out to meet Runa, probably for a date or something, so it's just me, with some nice downtime, all to myself in the safety of my room. I'm sure I could text someone to hang out, but this is nice too. I drink water, take a nap, and my body thanks me for it. Guess I can relieve some stress after all...

I do take some time to research all my different body parts, like I should have done much earlier. Which one is where, what they're for, how they work, the kind of things I figure a normal girl would learn like, super young, probably.

“Haahh...” I sigh when I figure I'm done. Back to relaxing...

When the middle of the day comes and my stomach starts to growl at me, my appetite back now that my cramps aren't that bad, I text Leona. I'm way too uncomfortable with the men in the dorm to be around them without protection.

She comes over, immediately asking if I'm feeling better, and I tell her I am. Actually relaxing will do that. I make us some nice sandwiches, probably the thing I'm getting best at, and then we head outside.

“Sorry, but we have to get you enough exercise.”

“It's fine,” I wave the concern away, “I'm feeling better after some rest, and the exercise is always good.” We get to it. Now that it's hot and I'm not in my greatest condition, Leona makes sure I get plenty of water, and breaks whenever I need them. And there's a bag over her shoulder with anything I might need, just in case.

In the late afternoon, we return to my room briefly, and I'm just coming out of the wash room when I get a message. It's from the school? I sit with Leona so we can read through it.

“So, I'm getting my new room assignment... must move by noon, Sunday. That's actually not that bad.” I check the room number, but... “Huh? First floor?” There aren't any rooms on the first floor though.

Already fearing whatever bullshit the administration decided to pull, I leave with Leona. There's some commotion on the first floor of the guys' dorm, but I don't have the attention to spare for that now. We cross the front of the building to the women's side, and my heart is already sinking. There are a bunch of students gathered around, all looking in the same direction.

Leona, with a solid twenty centimeters on me, sees it first, her expression dark and foreboding, before we push far enough through the crowd that I can see past all the people taller than me.

What I see makes my whole body go cold.

There's a new section, automated construction bots chiseling it out from the poly-concrete wall that separates the building into male and female halves. There are a handful of construction workers too, with doors, signs, and a few other things while the bots rapidly buzz through the majority of the work.

I can't see most of the construction because the only visible part from here is a single doorway into another area with a security door leaning against the wall, not mounted into place yet. But above that... there's a sign marking the new area.

'Trannies'

I recognize the word. Even before I look it up to remember the exact meaning, I know it's bad. When I do look it up...

Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick. Trying not to cry outright, I look up at Leona and freeze.

I don't know what I expected. She's furious.

“Seiko, stay here.” I can already feel her building power, and it's just a moment more, before everyone turns to stare.

The horror is only beginning to register on their faces when Leona simply vanishes without a trace. Nothing but the faint trickle of indigo that fades away within moments.

...What is she doing?

That's about all I have time to question, before she pops into existence next to me again, right where everyone is still staring, so we all practically jump out of our skin.

And she's screaming. “-can't use slurs on official government signage!” That's when it registers - she's holding the school administrator, collar balled in her fist and the woman lifted up onto her toes.

“Unhand me this instant! I'll have you expelled for this!” Janice Monasta screams, and the crowd of girls begins backing away rapidly. A few of them scream. Even the construction workers are ducking for cover in front of the deadly, glowing psion.

Leona hisses back, heavy weight and power rolling off of her. “I told you I will remove any threats to Seiko's safety, and speech like this is dangerous. If you do not fix this, I will remove you.”

“Fuck you, brat,” the vile woman spits back, but her tone is resigned. I guess she at least values her own life over fucking with me...

Monasta waves a hand in the direction of the construction workers and raises her voice. “Hey, take down the sign.”

The men obey without questioning, unmounting the big faux wood sign from the wall and setting it down on the floor before backing away again.

“I see you're dead-set on abusing your power, but I will not allow you to humiliate Seiko. If something like this happens again, it'll be your head.”

“Piss off,” the woman sneers. So Leona throws her one handed, stumbling straight into the crowd. Of course, she flees, but can't resist hurling insults back at us. 'Queer,' 'faggot,' 'tranny.' I'm not even familiar with all the insults, but they hurt anyway.

Why is she so... so evil? Why does she hate me so much, just for being me?

One more swipe of Leona's hand, and the sign on the floor shreds apart, into a trillion tiny bits, like sawdust, and Leona pulls me away from the scene. Since it's clear that my new 'room,' whatever the hell it winds up being, isn't even made yet. We head back to the men's dorm, only to realize that commotion we passed by earlier was literally the same thing as the one in the women's dorm.

It looks like they're connecting my room to both sides. To show I don't belong to either. I start to tear up again. It's so unfair. I hate this...

With another wave of her hand, the sign on this side vanishes right off the wall. Then Leona brings me straight back up to my old room so I can cry my eyes out into her lap.

I don't get much of anything done the rest of the night. I'm stressed and sad and hurt and in pain again, and everything fucking sucks. Leona has to carry me to the infirmary for my daily check, and my stomach is all in knots again at dinner, right through until I go to bed.