My cat Urus - 10

The empty storage room near the science labs was Brad’s only safe zone lately, dimly lit, quiet, and untouched by teachers or janitors. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him with a sigh of relief.

Urus was already floating in the air, legs crossed like a meditating monk, his form glowing faintly under the flickering ceiling light.

“You're late,” he said, casually tossing a floating pencil in lazy circles. “I was preparing a speech on emotional receptiveness and modern gender identity.”

Brad rolled his eyes. “Can we not today? I just wanted ten minutes without being stared at like I’m some magical Barbie doll.”

“But you are, Brad. Well… a reluctant one.”

Before Brad could retort, the door suddenly slammed open.

“Dude! Hide me! I swear Mr. Tyson’s gonna murder me for..”

It was Josh.

Brad’s best friend.

He skidded into the room, panting, then froze.

Dead silence.

His eyes moved from Brad to Urus, the glowing, floating figure currently upside-down and still talking like nothing was strange.

“...I find Barbie to be a limited archetype, by the way.”

Josh’s mouth fell open. “What... the... actual... WHAT?!”

Brad stepped forward, hands up. “Josh, wait! I can explain..!”

“DUDE WHAT IS THAT THING?!”

Josh backed up, tripped over a stool, scrambled up again, then, somehow, began floating three feet off the ground while running in place, legs kicking air.

“HELP I’M HAUNTED!!”

Urus sighed dramatically. “Human reactions are so predictable. Panic, scream, deny. You disappoint me, spiky-haired one.”

Brad reached out to try to catch him. “Josh, calm down! He’s not gonna hurt..!”

“I KNEW YOU WERE ACTING WEIRD! YOU GOT A FLOATING DEMON FAIRY?!” Josh cried, spinning midair like a panicked balloon.

Then, suddenly, he stopped flailing.

Josh’s eyes narrowed.

“You know what? This is perfect. You’re hiding a freaking alien spirit or something. That’s blackmail material.”

Brad froze. “Wait, what?”

Josh grinned, finally getting the hang of hovering. “You don’t want this secret out? Well, maybe I want some favors. New kicks. A weekend of no chores. Maybe you clean my room. Or else... maybe I go tell everyone their cute new girl classmate is actually.."

A deep silence fell.

Then Urus spoke, voice calm but cold.

“You find this humorous?”

Josh looked up at him, still smug. “I find it leverage.”

Urus blinked once.

Then snapped his fingers.

There was a blinding shimmer. Josh gasped, and the air filled with pink mist.

When it cleared, a different figure stood wobbling on uncertain legs.

Hair long and dark, eyes wide, cheeks soft and lips plush. Josh.. no, she now stumbled back, looking down.

Small hands.

Thin arms.

Curves.

A skirt?

A SKIRT?!

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” she shrieked, her voice now high, cracking, utterly foreign.

Urus tilted his head. “I thought you’d enjoy the perspective.”

Brad's jaw dropped. “Urus! You can’t just..!”

But the girl, Josh, was already backing toward the door, eyes wide and wet.

“Y-you’re both freaks! I—I—”

And then she ran. Tripping over her own feet, nearly pulling the door off its hinges as she vanished down the hall, half-sobbing.

Back in the room, silence lingered.

Brad turned slowly to Urus. “You realize this is the exact opposite of keeping a low profile, right?”

“She was rude.”

Brad groaned, sinking into a chair. “She’s gonna tell someone. Cry in the hallway. Go viral on TikTok or something. We’re doomed.”

Urus shrugged. “Or perhaps she’ll learn to appreciate her new self. Adaptation is, after all, the key to human evolution.”

Brad threw his head back with a groan.

“We are so screwed.”