Switched
The grass is always greener on the other side. That is until you get to the other side. Would you ever want to be someone else? Would life really be easier if you weren't you?

~1 ~>
11:45 PM Pyra and Adam are in the middle of a heated argument that takes a strange turn . . .
"You have it easy! You just wave your hands and you can do any thing you want you haven’t had to work for anything in your life” Adam says screaming.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Pyra yells. “If anything I had to work twice as hard as everyone else just to be normal. Do you know what I would have given to have just been normal? To be able to go out and hangout with the other kids without worrying if something I did could hurt someone.”
“Oh please! You know what you are . . . you’re like one of those stupid rich kids who wants everyone to feel bad for them because their rich! Well I’m not”
“Well how nice for you to be all high and mighty. It’s pretty easy from that side! You couldn’t last a day as me.”
“Ha! I could be you better than you can be you.”
Pyra is stunned into silence for a few seconds then she attacks Adam. “You actually believe that?! You actually think that after a few years you know everything about me? You wouldn’t last 5 minutes let alone a whole day”
Lucky comes out of his bed which is placed in the nook of Pyra’s living room. “Can’t a cat get any rest anymore?! Look you” Lucky yells and turns to Adam, “you are so wrong it isn’t funny” He turns to Pyra, “He wants to know what it’s like to be you? Show him”
Pyra looks at Lucky confused. I just saw this movie, Freaky Friday,” Pyra nods. “Alright then, it’s almost midnight, do what ever mumbo jumbo you have to do so that until midnight tomorrow you’re each other.”
“I’ll prove to you that your life is beyond easy,” Adam says.
“I should give you cramps! Bastard boy thinks its easy being a girl.”
“And you think it’s easy to be a guy?”
“A lot easier than it is to be a girl”
“Hold it” Lucky yells. “Pyra cast the spell or whatever than go to freaking sleep, a cat need his beauty rest”
“The grass is greener on the other side
Time to prove it a lie
I give up my home
Adam I will be
And he will be me
I normal
And he as magical as can be
This spell we can not alter (Pyra’s clock starts to strike 12)
Until again this clock
Does strike twelve
A bolt of magic hits the clock as Pyra grabs Adam’s hand and the bolt comes and goes through him then through her then back through them again. Pyra looks at Adam, actually she looks at herself and shakes her head.
“Don’t slouch, it makes me look bad,” Adam (in Pyra’s body) says. Pyra gives him a dirty look which looks really strange on his face.
“Okay you two are creeping out the cat, goodnight.” Lucky says and goes back to his bed where a black cat is already sleeping. The other Lucky disappears in a poof of smoke. It reappears in Greece and stands up to be a spiky haired Greek woman.
Pyra and Adam climb the stairs and both go in her room. In a cold silence they both lie down with their backs to each other. Both having a strange night of sleep. The next morning Pyra (Adam) as usual to when he is himself wakes up way before Pyra. He showers and then opens Pyra’s closet to get dressed.
“This room could use some sun,” he says to himself and the curtains and shades open as if by an invisible hand. They shine light on Adam (Pyra) who is still sleeping and suddenly wakes up pulling the curtains around her bed shut to block the light.
“Adam! What the hell is wrong with you?”
** From now on despite usage of such words as she, he, Pyra and Adam, they are still switched, until further notice.
“No, sorry you’re Adam. I’m Pyra remember?” Adam pulls open the bed curtains and looks at Pyra and almost falls out of the bed.
“What the hell did you do to me?”
Pyra is standing in front of the closet in a towel. Her hair is dry and is styled much like Adam’s. In her hands are two dress from back when Pyra had ¥amnesia’ and she is trying to pick between the two. She settles for a light blue one and Adam has to suppress the urge to strangle her.
“You always look so somber, I decided to cheer you up a little. But I decided you looked weird as a blond.”
“See, you can’t even get my clothes right how do you expect to be me?” Adam asks.
Pyra looks over at him and Pyra’s hair starts to straighten. She puts back the dress and pulls put a red tank top and a black skort since its summer. Adam gets up and goes into the shower. When he returns he pulls all his hair back into a pony tail and puts on a pair of black cargo pants and a red sleeveless shirt. He looks in the mirror and realizes what he did. He goes back to the closet and takes a white shirt instead. He heads downstairs as JC comes out of his room.
“Morning,” JC says.
“Morning Josh.” JC looks up at him then changes his mind for whatever he was about to says. Downstairs Pyra is sitting at the table eating Chex, Adam’s favorite cereal.
“Pyra, since when do you eat Chex? I thought you hated them.” JC asks.
“Today. What’s it to you JC?” Pyra says.
“Just wondering. Wait, what did you call me?” JC asks.
“JC, you know, your name.”
“His name is Joshua,” Adam says sitting down at the table with a bowl of Lucky Charms. JC looks between the two of them, then shakes his head feeling that the idea is absurd even for the two of them.
“When are you two leaving?” JC asks changing the subject as he gets his own breakfast.
“At ten.” Pyra responds.
Adam finishes off his cereal and walks over to the stereo. He takes out Britney Spears’ Britney and starts playing what its like to be me. Pyra drops her spoon and walks over to the stereo as Adam sits down on the couch. She searches for a Cd and starts playing Five for Fighting’s Superman (it ain’t easy). Adam gets up and presses a button on the stereo to switch back. She presses the same button and they are fighting back and forth until Pyra angrily presses the button and sparks fly the CD player has then spits out both CD’s a few feet.
“Yeah real great control,” Adam says sarcastically.
“What did you two do?” JC asks coming over. “You got mad at the stereo Pyra?”
“Sorry,” Pyra says sheepishly.
“Just fix it.” JC says and Pyra looks at Adam who points to the stereo.
“Fine,” she mutters waving her hand. JC picks up one of the CD’s it spit out and tries to play it. It plays fine.
“Thank you.” he says walking to the den as Pyra gives Adam a told you look. Adam pulls Pyra to the stairs.
“Ow! Stop that” Pyra hisses.
“Oh, sorry. I forgot how strong you . . .I am.” Adam says. Once in Pyra’s room. “You got lucky with the stereo, you can’t let every little thing get to you anymore. You can’t fix an annoying person that easily.”
“I still say this is really easy.” Pyra says.
“And another thing. I have never in all the days I have known Josh called him, JC.”
“Well I don’t call him Josh.” Pyra replies. “Besides that you have to admit I’m being you pretty well.”
“I don’t have to admit a damn thing.” Adam says.
“I know you’re stubborn but you have to admit when you’re way wrong.”
“We’ll see,” Adam says.
~ 2 ~
They are about to leave for the airport when JC approaches them. He looks at the two of them then turns to Pyra.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Um, no.” Pyra says confused.
“Lucky told you,” Adam says.
“Actually Lucky said you guys weren’t that demented. Why’d you do it?”
“To prove a point,” Adam says.
“You couldn’t just talk?”
“Pyra’s a little too stubborn sometimes,” Pyra says.
“Tell me about it.” JC says.
“Bye Josh.” Adam says.
“You guys aren’t doing a very good job.” JC says.
“I know he isn’t,” Adam says.
“The both of you are doing down right horrible.” JC says. “Adam never drives your car, you never call me JC you’re eating the wrong foods. You won’t last five minutes with people who know you well. I suggest you stay away from Mystic and Nausi, and you stay away from Jason.” JC says walking back into the house.
“Told you,” Adam says.
“He said you were doing just as bad as I was.”
“Oh shut up,” Adam says, “Switch places with me, I can’t drive when I’m this bulky.”
“Bulky? You need to eat before I start losing weight in a day.”
“I eat when I’m hungry.” Adam says.
“But you’re never hungry! I’m always reminding you that you haven’t eaten.” Pyra says.
“Not always,” Adam says in his defense.
“One more thing. I don’t need a prison record.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Adam asks.
“You hit me a lot, and pull me, and grab me and stuff, as a guy you can’t do things like that.” Pyra says. “That and now it hurts.”
“Poor baby,” Adam says as Pyra stops at a red light where a family is crossing the street. “Stay away from my father.”
“Take your own advice. You’re the one he’s mad out for moving in with his daughter out of wedlock.” Pyra says. “Why can’t we just explain to him . . .”
“What am I supposed to say? Oh hi dad, yeah don’t worry Adam’s my husband from as past life so it’s okay? Like he doesn’t think I’m weird enough. I think he’s dealt with enough weirdness for one lifetime.” Adam says.
“And I guess this would be a little weird to?” Pyra says. At the airports parking lot Adam steps out of the car and starts to stretch. “Stop that, I look gay”
“Fine,” Adam says stopping. Pyra goes to the trunk of the car and pulls out her bag. She reaches for Adam’s luggage and can barely lift it. “Here,” Adam says lifting it out with one hand but almost falling over when he does because he tried to hard. Pyra starts laughing, Adam is about to hit her when he remembers the conversation they had in the car. Instead he starts pulling his luggage to the airport forcing Pyra to quickly shut the trunk and pocket the keys and chase after Adam.
“Slow down! God” Pyra says catching up to Adam.
“Bruno! No! Come back” Pyra and Adam turn to see a Shaggy Golden Retriever. Pyra kneels down and intercepts the dog.
“Hey, big guy where you off to?” Pyra says petting the dog as it starts to lick her.
Inside the terminal Matt and Nausi are walking to board their plane when Matt turns to the window and sees Pyra being licked by a dog.
“Matt come on. Our plane’s boarding.” Nausi says. As Matt is walking he questions his girlfriend.
“Pyra is afraid of dog’s right?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I thought I just saw her being licked by one and laughing.”
“Sure Matt.”
Back outside the owners finally reach Pyra and Adam and take the dog by the leash, “We’re so sorry, I think he was in the pet hold too long. Tommy just couldn’t hold on to him any longer.”
“No problem,” Pyra says dusting off her shorts. A little kid comes from behind his Father’s pant leg. He’s looking up at Adam in awe. Adam on the other hand took a few steps away from Pyra and Bruno and seems to be in a different world. “Go ahead, I’ll hang out with Bruno.”
Tommy walks over to Adam and starts pulling on his pant leg. Adam doesn’t even notice until the kid starts screaming Edge. Startled he looks down, he picks the kid up.
“Hi.” Adam stammers.
“Wow! You’re so cool. How’d you get so big? Can I be a wrestler too? Do you want to meet Bruno? Are you really strong? Guess what? I just went camping! My mom didn’t want to come because she said she wasn’t going back to nature.” Tommy says all extremely fast in one breath. Pyra points to Adam’s side pocket and with his empty hand he goes into his pocket and finds a pair of his sunglasses. Adam hands them to Tommy who puts them on and jumps to the ground and runs back to his father. “Look Dad! Edge gave me his glasses! Wait until I tell Billy”
“That’s nice son.” They walk away as Adam shakes his head.
“What’s wrong?” Pyra asks.
“What do you think?” Adam says pointing towards the dog.
“Oh.” Pyra says.
“Yeah, well we have a plane to catch.” Adam says and starts walking into the terminal.
Adam and Pyra board their flight. Each one is thinking about how to handle their day at work. Pyra realizes she has it pretty easy since for the most part Pyra is anti-social. Or at least that is what she thinks. Adam on the other hand is wondering how he is going to be the life of the party. Neither one is willing to tell their worries to the other. A stewardess approaches them and looks is surprised that Adam is sitting with his legs crossed (which wouldn’t be so weird if Pyra wasn’t sitting like a guy). She coughs and Adam catches what she sees.
“Peanuts? A drink?” The stewardess asks?”
“Peanuts, and water.” Adam says.
“No thanks.” Pyra says. The stewardess hands Adam the drink and the nuts. When she walks away Adam hisses in Pyra’s ears.
“Sit like a girl! Or put on some long pants”
“Oh yeah.” Pyra says and adjusts to sit more properly.
“Are you ready to admit you can’t do this?” Adam asks.
“I just can’t wait to see you wrestle.” Pyra says. “Wow I didn’t know I could get that pale.”
“Drop dead.” Adam, says and turns to the window.
“I just have to be a referee, I told you your life was easy. I don’t know why you thought it would be hard to be you.”
“You are so freaking cocky” Adam yells. They are silent the rest of the way to Raw.
~ 3 ~
At the arena Adam is walking behind Pyra who pulls her stuff into the mens locker room. Adam stands outside tapping his foot for a few minutes then finally walks into the locker room where Pyra is towel snapping any guy who has the bad luck of coming too close.
“Who’s next?” Pyra says smiling devilishly.
“Adam! Please get your girlfriend out of here”
“I thought you guys always wanted a girl in here?” Pyra asks. Adam advances on Pyra and she starts snapping at him and walking backwards. Adam suddenly stops advancing and Pyra takes a couple of steps back not sure what is going on. Adam points behind her where her uncle is standing.
“Undertaker! Uh, hi.” Pyra stammers dropping the towel.
“Girl, what you doing in here?”
“I, um,” Pyra looks around trying to come up with an answer.
“Got lost.” Undertaker says helping her.
“Yeah . . .”
“Well you better get out of here before your father sees you. He may not understand you getting lost.”
“Thanks,” Pyra says turning to leave. Adam takes Pyra’s bag and hands it to her. They walk out together.
“So you were planning to change with the boys?” Adam asks.
“I did it on purpose,” Pyra says, “I was doing just fine.”
“I . . .uh . . um . . . does my uncle scare you?” Adam asks.
“No,” Pyra says annoyed.
“Just in case you would like to know the ladies locker room is down that way.” Adam says.
In an annoyed huff Pyra takes her stuff down the hall. Adam looks at his watch then picks up a bottle of water. He hopes Pyra won’t get into anymore trouble in the next few hours. Pyra on the other hand finds the women’s locker room and walks in. Her first reaction is that it is ten times better then the one for the men, with tables and chairs, it looks like a lounge. She has just put her stuff into the locker when Molly Holly approaches her.
“Pyra, hi.” Molly says.
“Hey.” Pyra says.
“You have Pamprin right? I just got hit by these killer cramps on the way here.” Molly says and Pyra cringes at the word cramps.
Remembering that Pyra always has a little bottle of various pills, Pyra reaches into her bag, after a few seconds of searching she clasps the bottle. Pyra takes it out and hands it to Molly who to her joy takes what she wants and hands the bottle back.
“Giving out drugs again Pyra?” Nausi asks.
“No . . . she . . .and I . . .”
“Geez Pyra, you okay?” Nausi asks.
“Fine.” Pyra says running her fingers through her hair.
“Any who’s, I wanted you to hear this song.” Nausi takes out her CD player, and puts it on the bench besides her. Pyra picks up the head phones to put them on when Nausi stops her. “What the fudge do you think you’re doing?”
“Didn’t you want me to listen to the song?” Pyra asks.
“Not on my headphones! God Pyra, get your own. Don’t you know this by now.” Nausi says as Pyra goes into her bag. It takes a while but she finds a set of headphones. She takes it and picks up Nausi’s CD player. She opens it and sees a Now 12 bootleg. She presses play and hears a high pitch girl singing some sappy love song. Since it sounds kinda like the things Pyra likes she says.
“I like it . . .” Nausi looks at the Cd player.
“No you don’t, you hate that song, you call her the chipmunk girl. Did you open it?”
“Yeah, does it matter?” Pyra asks.
“You know,” Nausi says as she takes the CD player back as she says things about programming that Pyra isn’t really paying attention to. “Here, don’t touch anything.” Nausi says handing the CD player back.
The song starts playing and Pyra has no idea what reaction to have. It’s a soft core rock song but she is still not sure what to say. Before she can say anything, ¥Lita’ comes walking into the room look as decrepit and old as usual. She walks in and takes off her shirt, showing off a belly that is a sagging lump of flesh, her wrinkles are even more pronounced. Pyra wonders why she is still employed by the WWF and wonders why she doesn’t get her self fixed. She is about to take off her bra when Pyra stands not wanting to see anymore. She quickly walks out of the room, Leaving Nausi and her CD player behind.
Elsewhere Adam is avoiding facing the horrors of the Men’s locker room. He decided he had to go back in and had the luck of going in as Kane was trying to come out. Adam hopes he will just keep walking but instead he stops. Adam is about to walk away when he decides Kane hates Adam already what’s the worst that could happen.
“We’re both adults just accept it.” Adam says.
“You want me to allow you to walk all over my daughter?”
“Have you met your daughter? She is stubborn, pigheaded, and sometimes more foulmouthed then most sailors. She would trample me into dirt if I tried anything.” Adam says but has to hold back a smile.
“If she is so much trouble why do you put up with her?” Kane asks.
“We usually see eye to eye, when we don’t . . .” Adam shrugs. “Stuff happens.”
“And the reason you insist on living like this?”
“Let me draw you a picture. Say you were ¥marriage’ and I was ¥Pyra’ (really far fetched I know),” Adam walks about twenty feet away, “This is too close for Pyra’s comfort.” Kane nods.
“But do you have to live together?” Kane asks exasperated.
“What if I just don’t answer that one and you pretend I did?” Adam asks.
“You two are spending too much time together, for a second there I thought I was talking to Pyra.”
“I’m taller,” is Adam’s only response.
Kane pats Adam on the back as Pyra turns the corner to catch the friendly gesture and the smile between the two. Kane walks past her and gives her a peck on the forehead.
“He’s a keeper.”
Pyra is awestruck. She is looking at Adam flabbergasted. “How did . . . but I and I . . . you told him”
“I used to think you had such a way with words. And no I didn’t tell him, just because I accomplished in two minutes what you haven’t been able to do in how many years now?”
“I don’t believe it,” Pyra says.
“Believe it loser.”
“It’s not over yet.”
“It’s over,” Adam says. “And look at that you lost.”
“Oooh, trouble in paradise?” Jason says walking over.
“No! And the day’s not over yet” Pyra says walking away.
“That’s not trouble?” Jason asks.
“Nope. Just a sore loser.”
“What’s going on? A bet or something?”
“Something.” Adam responds vaguely.
“Adam come on, it’s the big guy,” Jason whispers. Adam turns and waves to Kane who waves back. “When did that happen?”
“Five minutes ago.”
“What ever happened to the guy who avoided Pyra’s father at all cost?”
“He went on a little vacation,” into his girlfriend Adam thinks.
“Why are you standing here?” Adam holds up the bottle of water he was drinking. “Oh.” Jason turns to go to the locker room. “Are you coming?”
“Yeah,” Adam walks with him into the locker room. He takes a few steps into the room when someone snaps him with a wet towel. He turns and sees Scottie, Shane, and Albert all looking in the other direction.” Bastard.” Adam mutters.
“What was that?” Scottie asks.
“Nothing.” Adam says sitting down next to Jason.
“Adam you okay?” Jason asks.
“Fine, why?”
“You’re acting a little weird, why didn’t you hit them back?” Adam shrugs. “Are you sure everything is fine between you and Pyra?”
“We’ll survive.” Adam says as Kane walks in.
“Adam, Jason, Beth finished early so she wants you guys to come now.”
¥Okay, thanks dad,” Adam says as they walk out.
“Do you know you just called Glenn dad?” Jason asks.
“I did not.”
“Yeah, you did.”
“No, I didn’t.” Adam says.
They are going back and forth like this the entire way when they are walking to see Beth, when they walk into the room they stop with Adam saying the last no I didn’t. They sit down and wait for Beth to start, she hands them the script as Test and Jericho walk in. They go over what is going to happen on the show as elsewhere Pyra encounters Nausi.
“Pyra! What the fudge is wrong with you?” Nausi asks.
“I uh, um, nothing.”
“Then why did you leave like that?” Pyra starts running her fingers through her hair unsure of what to say. “Stop that you look like Adam when you do that.” Nausi says annoyed. Pyra quickly puts her hand down. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
“I . . .I have to go,” Pyra says and takes off down the hall. Nausi shrugs it off and figures Pyra just had to go meet Beth or something. Mystic strolls up to Nausi.
“Hey, there.”
“Hey,” Nausi says annoyed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Pyra’s being Psycho, you?”
“Nick did the coolest thing . . .”
~ 4 ~
Adam and Jason walk back into the locker room. Adam sits down on a bench and starts to crack his knuckles. Jason watches him for a few seconds.
“You didn’t say a word back there. You didn’t seem to even hear anything she said.” Adam looks at Jason and leaves Locker room without a word. Jason is surprised but figures whatever is going on between him and Pyra is a lot worse than Adam is letting on. Jason decides to let him come back on his own.
Back at Pyra’s house there is a party of the furry kind, JC is out and Lucky is playing basketball indoors (his usual pass time). The other players are Spinner, Kero, and Mystic & Raven’s cats. Lucky is attempting to show off for Princess and throws the ball so far off target it isn’t funny. Like it has a life of its own it veers off course. It slams into Pyra’s clock which shatters and falls to the floor, it stays frozen at 11:57 and sparks fly as everyone leaves to their own residence leaving Lucky to deal with the aftermath.
Pyra walks past Beth’s office. “Pyra! You’re early, what miracle of God is this?” Pyra shrugs walking into the room, she takes a seat at the table and notices Jazz sitting there looking at her like she is scum. Pyra just sits down and returns the look.
“What did I do?” Jazz asks. Its then that Pyra realizes that it was just Jazz’s natural expression of disdain.
“Nothing.” Pyra says looking at the table as the cow walks in with enough makeup plastered on her to make her look female.
“This is not a fun day for you Pyra,” Beth says. Pyra looks up at her.
“Why?”
“To put it simply you get beat up. Lita and Jazz will use you as their go between and seeing as this is a hardcore rules match you really get beat up.”
“Okay,” Pyra says still looking at the table. Beth motions for the other girls to leave handing them a more detailed script as they leave.
“Are you okay?” Beth asks Pyra.
“Fine,” Pyra says looking up at Beth.
“You should talk to someone, even if it’s not me, you’re not fine.” Pyra shrugs and stands. She stops grabbing her head in pain.
Adam has been sitting for about 20 minutes in the balcony section of the seats when Jeff strolls in and casually sits down a couple rows away. He looks at Adam who obviously hasn’t seen him, but looks angry about something.
“Adam?” Jeff asks moving closer and hears Adam muttering.
“ . . .stupid self-righteous bastard. Easy my ass . . .”
“Adam you okay?”
“Peachy Ana.” Adam says, tuning to him. “You?”
“What did you say?”
“You? As in how are you?”
“Before that,” Jeff asks.
“Nothing,” Adam says. “Why?”
“I thought you called me, never mind,” Jeff says shaking his head.
Adam starts reaching in his shirt for something that isn’t there which just angers him all the more. He bangs his hand on the arm rest and growls in pain. But instead of grabbing his arm he grabs his head as bells go off in his head. The arena starts spinning as for a second he sees Beth, then Jeff and back and forth and then it stops with him starring at Jeff. Pyra experienced the same thing and before Beth can stop her rushes out of the room into the arena seats.
“Adam?” Jeff exclaims as Pyra starts climbing over the seats. She reaches them and starts screaming.
“What the hell was that? It felt like I was being pulled in two different directions”
“I know,” Adam mutters.
“This was your freaking bright idea”
“And?! I can’t do shit about it now” Adam says yelling at Pyra as Jeff slinks off to a corner.
“End this now”
“What part of I can’t don’t you understand? Neither can you, or don’t you understand English? This spell we can not alter until again this clock does strike twelve.”
“Noon or midnight?! Because I want to know how long I have to deal with you stupid idea” Adam looks up at Pyra with confusion in his eyes. “What?! You didn’t think of that?” Pyra yells. Adam points to the watch hanging from her pants.
“I doubt that’s on pacific time,” Adam mutters. Pyra looks at the watch which says 12:05. “Happy?”
“In twelve hours I will be,” Pyra says and leaves.
As Pyra walks away Adam feels a strange detachment to the entire scene that just gets stronger and stronger. Until he blacks out. He opens his eyes as he is being shaken by Jeff.
“What are you doing? Get off me” Adam says shoving Jeff away.
“You just blacked out” Jeff says.
Adam blinks and looks over the rail where Pyra is talking to the stage workers, it’s obvious that nothing happened to her and he turns back to Jeff.
“I’m sorry, you were just trying to help.” Adam says and sits up.
“What happened?”
“Well, everything just starting getting far away like I was leaving from the inside.” Adam says.
“Oh, and Pyra?”
“What?” Adam says.
“What was that all about?”
“Nothing . . .I’m just a complete and utter idiot is all,” Adam says.
“Adam you’re going to have to explain,” Jeff says.
“That’s the problem, you won’t think I’m an idiot if I tell you this?”
“I won’t judge,” Jeff says holding up a hand.
“Me and Adam switched places, but I think something went wrong.” Adam says.
“Wait, so you’re Pyra?”
“Bingo Ana. And I don’t feel so hot,” Adam says.
“What do you mean?”
“This is what I get for taking advice from a cat.”
“Lucky? Why would you listen to him?”
“I don’t know but a few minutes ago we switched back and forth randomly and now I don’t know. Something is wrong.”
“Are you going to tell Pyra . . .I mean . . .You. . .uh,” Jeff says trying to figure out who’s who.
“Don’t worry about it stick to Adam. I may have to get used to it.”
“What about . . .you know?” Jeff says meaning her powers.
“Adam has those too,” Adam says.
“Geez, but I have an idea.”
“Share cause I’m at a loss.”
“Well you’re not normal.”
“Thanks.” Adam says sarcastically.
“No I mean you’re different, maybe being normal is bad for you. Like physically, its not supposed to be.”
“But why is Adam fine then?”
“Well you’ve given me powers and taken them back a couple of times now. To me it feels like a power surge, it feels great, afterwards its like a hangover. I think you’re getting the second part but since you were born that way its not good.” Jeff says.
“Okay, you’re like all insightful and stuff, creepy.” Adam says and Jeff shrugs.
“I’m just telling you what I think.”
“But it sounds right, well its just another 12 hours, I can make it.”
“I still think you shout tell . . . whatever you know.”
“No. I’ll be fine,” Adam says and stands. He walks to seats further away and sits down. “At least we’ll be done by eight.”
“Yeah,” Jeff says absently.
“Is it cold in here?” Adam asks.
“Its July and the air conditioning isn’t on yet. You’re joking right?”
“No but I’m always cold, some things never change,” Adam says sighing.
“That’s true,” Jeff says sitting down also.
“Does anyone else know?” Jeff asks.
“Unless Ad. . .Pyra told someone else, no.”
“Why tell me?” Jeff asks as Jason quietly creeps up on them wanting to check up on his friend.
“I’ve always felt I could tell you anything. I just think we have a lot in common, you know weirdness and stuff,” Adam says.
Jason walks off in a huff. He always thought Adam was keeping secrets from him, especially since he had gotten together with Pyra. Jason knew better than to try anything with Pyra around the girl was scary, he didn’t know why but he didn’t want to cross her. But with them fighting and with Adam dropping him for Jeff Hardy of all people this was his chance.
He had been this mad at Adam once when they were younger, and had pushed him out of a tree, but he had only broken a leg and missed the entire summer. Including that skinny little twig with huge glasses and braces that swore she saw him push Adam. Well she had gone back to America and he never saw her again lucky for her. Just in case he had patched things up with Adam and they had made it pretty far as a team. A little something in his drink, untraceable, or maybe a ring accident, as long as it wasn’t directly linked to him again. Maybe he could console Pyra, after all she wasn’t all that bad and even let him stay in her house. Jason is about to walk away when Adam walks over to him.
“Jason” He says surprised to see him as Jason turns around.
“Hey, Adam I was . . . uh coming to see if you wanted to get something to eat?”
“I . . .” Adam starts with intent to turn down the lunch but a nagging in the back of his head stops him. “Sure.” They walk into the lunch room, pick up empty trays and go to the serve yourself buffet. Adam is looking at the tray smirking and the strangeness of it all.
Halfway through the meal . . .
“Adam, you’re never this quiet. Did you guys break up?” Jason asks.
“No. But it could happen. I’m a self absorbed idiot, trying to get a pity party.”
I could have told you that. “That’s crazy, she’ll calm down. I can’t believe the two of you can stay mad at each other for five minutes, you two are always so lovey dovey.” Sickening really.
“Not always.” Adam says.
Like you two have ever gotten a goods night rest. Jason mind starts wandering in x-rated territories but he keeps his mouth in check. “Whatever, you’ve walked in here enough times half asleep, smiling like a maniac. I know why, though it always took too much work to get it out of you.” Adam shrugs. “Yeah there it goes again that shrug. I’ve known you long enough to know when there’s something else.”
“My boyfriend thinks I’m a complete and utter idiot and is blaming me for everything wrong in the world what the hell else does it have to be?”
“Did you say boyfriend?” Jason asks shocked.
“What’s with you and hearing things I didn’t say? Pyra’s a girl.”
“Yeah you have a point there and I know you don’t like guys. But here comes a girl I know you love.” The angry look on Adam’s face surprises Jason as Pyra approaches. “Hey, Py,” Jason says purposely using the nickname she hates but gets no reaction.
“Hey Jason.”
“So you going to disgust me by kissing Adam?” Jason asks as Pyra gets a sick look on her face. “You act like I said kiss me” Jason says with a grin to ease the tension.
The next second shocks Jason as Pyra leans over and kisses him full on the lips. He isn’t about to complain about the tonsil hockey but remembers Adam and pulls away with Pyra looking more confused then he does. Jason looks over at Adam who looks disgusted which annoys Jason.
“What the . . .” Pyra starts.
“You want to be a whore do it on your own time! Not mine, I can’t believe you kissed Jason.” Adam says in an almost inaudible hiss.
“Why the hell would I kiss Jason?” Pyra says completely lost.
“So you just had an out of body experience and kissed my freaking brother!?” Jason is happy to hear Adam call him a brother, and starts to wonder if he wasn’t too hasty about the whole plan to kill him.
“I think I did,” Pyra says and all the fight seems to go out of Adam. Jason doesn’t understand it and figures its more stuff from the loop he’s not privy to.
Across the way Matt, Jeff, Mystic, Shane, Shannon and Nausi are staring in open mouth shock. They were sitting at a large table you only expect to see in high school cafeterias, complete with trays with sections divided for food. Everyone wants to hear the argument following the kiss but Jeff seems the most disturbed by it all.
“That’s sick” He exclaims. “Why would Adam do that?”
“Adam? He didn’t just plant a big wet one on Jason now did he?” Shannon asks as both Mystic and Nausi share looks of disgust.
¥That’s nasty” Mystic exclaims.
“Who you telling?” Nausi agrees.
“You think there is some kind of explanation?” Matt asks.
“Like what she confused the two?” Nausi says sarcastically.
“I don’t know. I wonder what they are saying,” Matt replies.
“Don’t joke about that it isn’t funny, you actually think I’d make this up,” Shannon says.
“Oh, yeah wolf boy can hear them just fine,” Shane says.
Back at the other table . . .
“You actually think I’m making this up. Why?” Pyra asks.
“You want out and you still hold the insane notion I have any control over that,” Adam says icily.
“Why don’t you just leave?” Jason asks Pyra.
“Who asked you?” Pyra snaps.
“Jason didn’t do a damn thing how about you take his advice,” Adam says and Pyra shakes her head. She then leans over and whispers something so even Shannon can’t hear.
“Enjoy the sandwich, we’ll see what happens when you really get hungry,” Pyra says angrily. Adam grabs her arm.
“I don’t like threats, I just don’t react well to them,” Adam says in the same tone and for the first time in his life Jason is actually afraid of his life long friend. Pyra wrenches her hand away and leaves the cafeteria. Nausi decides to go after her friend. She catches up to Pyra down the hall looking at her arm which has formed red marks where Adam grabbed her. She winces as she touches them which angers Nausi all the more.
“What the fudge is that?”
“Nothing,” Pyra says putting her arm behind her back and wishing the bruises away.
“Nothing, it looks like that retard Adam almost broke your arm”
“Look,” Pyra says extending her arm which is spotless, “See fine.”
“Pyra, if he’s hurting you, you shouldn’t be protecting that retard.”
“I’m not a retard! You never did like me did you? Adam’s just too dumb for Pyra. Well I’m not deaf, I don’t beat on women so leave me the hell alone”
“Adam!?”
“What?” It takes Pyra a few seconds to realize what she just did. “Oh yeah . . . I’m Adam what of it?”
“Who’s stupid idea was this? Of course! How can you be that retarded?”
“Of course, it had to be my idea. Last time I checked I was just a vampire.”
“No I meant Pyra. This is so weird. Why?”
“Did we switch? I can’t even remember, the cat said something then I’m not me anymore.”
“Lucky? You took advice . . . I mean she took advice from a cat?” Nausi says on a whole new level of shock.
“Hey wait, don’t you have a cow card that can change us back?”
“Clow cards! Not cow cards. Clow. C-L-O-W Clow.”
“Sorry can you try with your clow cards?”
“Okay I guess but you have to be touching. Why can’t you change yourselves back?”
“Midnight, I can’t do anything about it now.”
“But I thought you were Adam.”
“I am she made the powers stay with me.”
“Then just wait till midnight this was you guys stupid idea, I don’t want to be part of it.” Nausi says and walks back to the cafeteria.
~ 5 ~
It is a few minutes until midnight and Pyra and Adam are seated alone in their hotel room. Neither of them realizing that midnight hit NYC four hours before they are waiting with all the anticipation people have at New Years Eve. They both were berated by their friends who learned the whole truth from Nausi, called retards, idiots and retarded idiots for the rest of the night they are glad its almost over.
11:57 . . .
“This is taking forever,” Adam says.
“Look I want out of this just as much as you do,” Pyra replies.
“Well in three minutes you’ll have your wish, its almost midnight so relax.” They sit silent for a couple of minutes.
11:59:30
“Thirty seconds, don’t let me down,” Pyra says looking at the hotel clock.
12:01 . . .
“Maybe the clocks wrong?” Pyra asks as Adam suddenly smacks himself on the head. “Watch the face.”
“Where are we?”
“The Meridian hotel, in LA. How hard did you hit my head?” Pyra asks.
“Yeah and what ocean is that?” Adam asks pointing to the beach outside the window.
“The pacific, get to the point.”
“So that clock would be on pacific time, four hours behind eastern standard time? Which means four hours ago we should have been ourselves, my clock hit midnight a long time ago.”
“Now you remember this? Now! After I’ve been holed up her with you staring at a clock for half an hour?” Pyra yells.
“ Look buddy you were looking at the clock just as much as I was, why didn’t ever occur to you to look at my watch?” Adam says yelling back.
“Shut up! I’m out of here,” Pyra says getting off the bed and leaving the hotel room. Adam rolls his eyes not giving a damn what she does.
Adam is staring at his ceiling when he hears a muffled yell that sounds like Pyra. At first he is going to ignore it but figures that’s just insane no matter how mad he is. He walks to the window’s balcony and can see Pyra being practically dragged across the beach, with his super vision he can see the gun the guy is holding at her spine. Adam’s howl of rage becomes an actual howl as he becomes an oversized wolf that matches his hair color. He jumps out of the 17th floor window and starts chasing them down he is on them in under a minute.
In the time Pyra used some magic to make the gun no more than a banana and punched the guy in the nose. She has a foot on his head and is calmly calling the police on her cell phone. She looks at the wolf and almost laughs as the police sirens are heard in the distance.
“What? You thought I couldn’t handle this on my own,” Pyra asks.
“Fine then,” wolf Adam says in perfect English.
“Holy Shit that dog just talked?” The would be whatever exclaims. Adam gets on his hind legs and turns twice and becomes a bat. “Holy Shit! Its count freaking Dracula” He flies back to the hotel leaving the crook babbling in the sand as the police approach and Pyra throws the banana into the sand and it becomes a gun again. The cops arrive and arrest the guy after Pyra removes her foot from his head.
“Alright ma’am do you know what this guy was trying to get at?” the cop asks shining a flashlight in her face. “Pyra?! Wow, you’re amazing. You’re a brilliant athlete and you’re a great actor I saw Queen of the Dammed about dozen times.”
“Excuse my Partner,” an older cop says as he approaches the two of them. “What was such a brilliant athlete and actress doing out this late alone?”
“I just had a fight with Adam and I needed some air,” Pyra says.
“Who is Adam?” the Cop asks taking notes.
“Her boyfriend. He’s a wrestler, you know Edge?”
“No I don’t know I prefer real sports,” The cop says. “No offense.”
“None taken, but what does this have to do with Adam?”
“Nothing just taking the facts, and what happened with him?” The older cop says jerking a thumb to the patrol car.
“He just snuck up behind me. Stuck the gun in my back and started dragging me in the sand.”
Pyra spends a few more minutes explaining to the cops who tell her she won’t have to come to the station. They do however drive her back to the hotel and the younger cop leads her up to her room to make sure she is okay and she has to knock because in her rage she didn’t pick up her key. Adam opens the door after a minute in a towel. His hair is wet and Pyra can tell he just jumped out of the shower. Any normal human wouldn’t have heard them and it makes Pyra laugh at the idea that he is normal.
“What happened?”
“While you were up here, you’re girlfriend was attacked by some scum with a gun.”
“Oh,” Adam says not even pretending to care.
“Oh?! She could have been killed down there! You’re a real bastard you know that?”
“Isn’t that some kind of police harassment?”
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” the cop asks turning to Pyra.
“All talk, haven’t you noticed that?” Pyra says. “Just tune him out and you don’t even notice.” Adam turns around and heads to the bathroom to finish his shower after Pyra walks in and turns to talk to the cop.
“Thanks you know you didn’t have to come all this way,” Pyra says.
“It was no problem, it was the least I could do and I think you can do better. I used to think he was such a nice guy, I remember when my girlfriend and I saw you on you’re first date.”
“But that was New York,” Pyra says confused.
“Oh she got transferred and I moved here too,” the cop says.
“Oh, as for Adam I don’t know I would say its PMS but you know.”
“Alright, my partner is waiting. So I’ll see you around.” The cop leaves and Pyra shuts the door. Adam is in gray sweats and searching for a shirt.
“You can stop, you know I don’t sleep in shirts or those for that matter,” Pyra says pointing to the pants.
“Leave me alone, I don’t sleep in my under ware. Are you always this cold?” Adam asks.
“I am dead, despite all your work.”
Over time and necessity Pyra had given Adam back his tan and at the same time his reflection. He also had a pulse but if you cut him open there was no heart beating to provide the phantom pulse. The final adjustment was making him able to eat without being disgusted by the taste of foods. He’s not sure where it goes since he is constantly craving blood. But it was his wish to not go back to being normal.
“Whatever,” Adam says pulling on a fleece.
“You look stupid,” Pyra says.
“Didn’t you leave?” Adam asks.
“Why should I? I got attacked you leave.”
“Fine,” Adam says putting on shoes, he walks out of the hotel room key in hand. He shoves the key in his pocket as he is waiting for the elevator. On the elevator is a little old lady and her grandchildren both teenagers to top it off they’re girls starring at Adam. If he was oblivious to girls attraction before it doesn’t even cross his mind now. They are giggling and looking at Adam who looks bored out of his mind as the elevator moves at a snails pace stopping at every floor. Soon Adam is pinned between the girls and their grandmother.
“Sorry,” He mutters.
“Its okay,” One girl says and burst into giggles.
“Did I miss something?” Adam asks and the girls giggle more.
“Girls,” their grand mother says sternly as they reach the lobby.
Even outside the elevator Adam still feels the claustrophobia, and boredom he felt on the elevator. The girls giggling is ringing in his ears when he blacks out again. It takes longer to wake him this time, with him coming too surrounded by hotel staff and guest.
“Low blood sugar,” he quickly says and stands. “I’ll be fine.” One of the bubbling girls hands him part of her kit kat bar. “Thanks.” He says munching on the candy like it could actually fix something.
Adam wasn’t about to tell her friends about this or the earlier episode. After being called an idiot so many times he just wanted to find a way out of this predicament, without anymore complications. He’d come up with a spell that Pyra could cast later. Now he just wanted away from all these people. He walks out of the hotel and takes the same path Pyra did not long before. He stops at an Rock formation that looks kinda like a recliner. He climbs the slippery rocks and starts staring at the ocean seeing all the life beneath the waves clearly.
The next thing Adam knows the sun is coming up, his natural dislike of the sun is joined by the whole being a vampire thing while it won’t hurt him his first instinct is to run for cover. He gets up and starts walking back to the hotel. As he is walking a spell comes to his mind and he writes it down in the lobby so he won’t forget.
The clock has struck twelve
Again and Again
Yet ourselves we aren’t
Living in borrowed hour
Displaced soul
Return is us to where we call home
As he is getting on the elevator he notices the cop from the night before. Once in his room he looks at the sleeping Pyra in her red and black Pajamas.
“If she can do it so can I,” Adam says marveling at the fact he said she. He climbs into the bed in his boxers ad in seconds is in the death like sleep of Vampires. The next morning Pyra is again awake first and looks at Adam’s sleeping face and has a disconcerting thought about ghosts and out of body experiences.

Four hours away in New York Lucky has broken down and confessed. He was pulling all the parts of the clock out from under his kitty box (actually JC had found part of the clock when looking for a pen that he dropped). He begged JC to get it fixed, Pyra couldn’t be mad at him. JC agreed and told the cat it had to live on actual cat food for the next two weeks. Lucky had nodded, he hated Pyra being mad at him it meant no snacks or so that was JC thought was the cat’s main reason.

He used his power to put the clock back together replacing a few plastic pieces by hand. Then he reset the time. It started moving and he threw away the broken glass. 10:12 according to his watch. He paced the clock back on the wall and he swept more of the broken glass into a garbage pail. He looked at it you couldn’t tell right away that it didn’t have a glass. He wasn’t spending money on Lucky’s mess.

Tuesday morning. What time was it in California? He wondered if Mystic was awake yet. Then decided it didn’t matter he wasn’t about to call her. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of wine, he would have breakfast later if he was hungry.

~ 6 ~

Pyra had showered and gotten dressed. It wasn’t even eight yet. Adam wouldn’t be moving for at least another hour. She went down to the lobby for breakfast. Nausi and Matt were there eating, she didn’t approach them but she waved and stat at a table alone. She knew both Mystic and Nausi thought it was sick. He had thought they said it but they had just thought it. The whole idea made their skin crawl. There it was again, Nausi’s thoughts, how can they be so disgusting and Matt’s its still so hard to believe. . . something about Nausi. It was getting noisy a group of senior citizens had entered for breakfast he could hear what hey were al thinking too. No wonder Pyra liked to be alone so much. She got up, no she didn’t want the food to be sent to her room. She was glad they were so close to the beach.

She walked back through the hotel. Why was that old lady and her kids starring at her. Oh whatever, Pyra did look weird, she looked down at was in her luggage. He wished he had checked to see what she had packed. She had on a pair of black jeans, that looked like they were in a claw match with a tiger, and under each of the slashes was red denim. Along with a red tank top with a silver safety pin spray painted on. She wasn’t wearing any jewelry except Pyra’s pendant. Having no fascination with shiny things, she hadn’t cared.
On the beach Pyra sat where Adam had the night before. She wanted to swim, but didn’t have a suit. So she was content to look at the water. The old Lady and her children walked out. They looked up and down the beach and then became what they really were. Three young women.

Back upstairs Adam’s eyes opened. He sat up and looked around, his eyes had a pinkish tint but he didn’t notice. Pyra was gone. There was a reason he was awake. Oh that was it the knocking at the door. He opened it, it was that cop.

“Yeah?”

“Where’s Pyra, we need her to come to the station for an official report after all.”

“No clue, bye.” Adam says starting to push the door the cops stop him.

“Look we a guy raving about vampires and demon dogs at the station. We figure he was trying to get off with an insanity thing since its his third strike. We need her testimony to lock him up where he belongs.”

“That’s all nice and peachy but guess what, she’s not here I’m not her keeper. What time is it?” Adam says suddenly.

“7:20.”

“Food, breakfast try that . . .” Adam blinked. Everything was blurring. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the door. He didn’t know the color was draining from his face as he refused to black out again. He fought he stayed. He didn’t know how long it took but the looks on the cops face told him it was more than a few seconds. “What now?”

“Does she know you’re sick?”

“What makes you think I’m sick?”

“What time is it?”

“I just asked you so I’ll guess 7:22, 23?”

“7:38. You froze you got really pale then bam you were back like you didn’t notice.”

“No,” Adam says wondering why this guy cared.

“What’s wrong with you? You look so healthy,” he says.

“Well I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, but really she should be downstairs eating or the beach. . . he likes the water.” Adam whispers wondering if he was going to die yet again.

“Okay thanks,” He says walking away not even sure if Adam heard him. His at the elevator when he realizes the guy said he. He really was sick, no wonder he had stayed in the room before he couldn’t protect her. He tried to make light of it but all the curtains were closed his eyes were blood shot, he wondered if Edge was drinking himself to death, but he didn’t sound drunk. His voice did sound a little weird but not drunk he knew drunk and that wasn’t it.

A quick inspection of the dining area showed him she wasn’t there though he did recognize some of her wrestling coworkers.
He double checked with the staff and yes she had been there not long ago but had left not even touching her food. He went out to the beach. He saw three women sanding. One drew a large blade and pointed it to another women sitting on a rock a few yards away. Pyra. The cop in him immediately called for back up and decided he had to get the knife. He watched the women, they seemed to be waiting for something.

7:43 the cops would take at least another five minutes. He was in plain clothes. He took his badge out from under his shirt and removed the safety on his gun. He had yet to have to shoot someone let alone a girl. They were talking again and pointing. They looked up and down the beach then back to him. He had already turned and was looking at a man sitting on the roof of his car. He looked at his watch 7:47. He glanced to the side and out of the corner of his eye he saw they were looking at Pyra again.

She was completely oblivious and was staring at the water. Turn around girl run! He silently screamed. And scarily enough she does just that. She stands as the girls look at her. She looks past them like she’s looking for something. No! Them he says as she turns back to them. She then walks further down the beach and sits in the sand. What is wrong with that girl. 10 scary minutes passed the girls looked at their target then the obvious leader approached. Spiky black hair, deep tan, about 5’ 5” in a mesh top and skirt. And her accomplices a person of Indian decent he was sure, maybe 5’ 3” with curly hair. The last girl wow he was already having impure thoughts. Busty blond, dime a dozen here but what the hell he wasn’t going to lie and say he wasn’t drawn to her. He followed them down the beach, where was that back up.

Adam looks out the window scanning the sand but not really noticing the people. Then he notices something odd. The cop that had just been in to see him. He was following three girls who were heading for Pyra who was sticking a foot in the ocean. He saw the glint of metal and was enraged. He jumped out the window for the second that stay. He ran but not used to vampire speed he moves as fast as a normal running dog. By the time he reaches them the cop has his gun trained on the three of them. They have put the knife aside and his backup finally arrives.

In New York Pyra’s clock finally strikes 12. a blue light emerges from it. It vanishes and reappears on the beach. Adam has reached Pyra as a man when he was sure the beach was quite deserted this early in the morning. She has her back to him so he touches her shoulder. The blue light travels through the both of the and back again. So when Pyra turns around she is herself again.

“What the hell?” Adam asks looking at his own hand.

The back up finally arrives and takes the three of them into custody. Pyra wonders what the three of them had to do with everything but decided nothing. Maybe they would get deported. That be the least punishment they could get.

“I thought you were sick?” The cop says putting his gun away.

“Sick?” Adam shakes his head and looks at Pyra who shrugs.

“Well Pyra you lead an interesting life, muggers and crazy women with knives.”

“Ha if you only knew,” Pyra says backing away from the ocean.

“Hopefully the rest of your stay in California is less eventful.” The cop walks away completely forgetting the reason why he came to find Pyra in the first place.

“I’m sorry. I think I would go crazy if I had to deal with all that all my life.”

“Normal is overrated,” Pyra says rubbing her temples.

“That’s it?” Adam asks.

“Yeah, what more do you want?”

“An apology?”

“For what?” Pyra says still rubbing her temples.

“For what?! Driving me crazy the last two days? Being mean, rude and a downright bitch?”

“Go to hell Adam.” Pyra says and walks away wondering why her head is throbbing.

Up on the board walk a British man in his mid-twenties, closes his notebook. He didn’t know half of what happened on that beach not really but he knew enough. he was quite new to this case. The fire baby was all grown and threats were being made on her life. Those women they were being researched, he’d know soon enough. He carefully ties the straps of his notebook and climbs into a Volkswagen. He drives to the post office and transcribes his pages on the endless line. He then ships them to the London Motherhouse. Along with a recommendation that Pyra should be approached.

The End