For Love of the Cake Ch3 TG-GB

Chapter 3

I ran out into the early spring streets of New York City. I knew I was on 7th avenue
near Penn station. But part of me found the city a strange place. It is amazing how
much height affects thinking. I was only a head taller went inside MSG, but coming
out of it the city seemed to be a much larger and scary place. I've lived here for
many years. I know where it is ok to go. I don't think that I was scared because I
was now a woman and therefore the city was now a big bad place. I think it was the
idea that in this form I didn't know anyone and they didn't know me. I was new to
the city all over again. With my new frame I had to keep holding my pants up. I
could feel the suspenders slipping around my slender shoulders when I ran. Better
safe than sorry so I held my pants. I had a bad feeling about all this. Not just
because I was not a man anymore and apparently that old lady is some kind of
Hogwarts dropout. I felt as though there was something larger at play here. I
shielded my eyes from the sun as I turned to run up 6th Ave towards Times Square.

Where am I going, I wondered.
Who cares? As long as I get away from here, commented a second voice in my head.
But what can you do you're a female now and have no idea what to do about anything, said the first voice.
Shit,you are right about that might as well get back to my apartment and get a belt at least, said the second voice wryly.

A convertible drove by, blaring the Dead Kennedys. "The sun shines down on a brand
new day," said Jello as the car passed me.

"Brother, you have no idea" I mumbled under my breath.

As I jogged down the busy streets of the city that never sleeps, I saw a diner/café
thing on the corner of one of the cross streets after several blocks. My stomach
growled. Well they probably won't find me in there. There was a hostess as I walked
in clutching my tuxedo pants.

"Table for one," I said with a smile that I hoped was at least cute enough so that she wouldn't ask me why I was wearing a tuxedo. She was probably 10 years younger than me putting her at some where in her mid to late teens. I guess you could call her cute. Suddenly I wondered what I looked like now. I wondered if she was prettier than I was. I shook my head in an attempt to dislodge the thought.

You're a man remember, I told myself.

She led me to a small booth. I sat down and a waitress came over a minute later. It
was late in the afternoon for lunch but too early for dinner. I was the only one
there. She was middle aged but still looked pretty good. She had a shirt on with the
name of the café/diner on it and black pants.

"What'll it be?" she asked.

"I'll have some grilled cheese and tomato soup," I ordered.

"And to drink," she asked.

"Water."

"Alright. If you don't mind me asking what's your name? I mean you are the only customer here and you are dressed so strangely"

Oh shit this is bad. And weird who asks for a customer's name? I'd better come up with something quick.

"It's Edg...uh Edda? Yep that's my name. Yeah my parents were really into uh...Norse Mythology..." I said unconvincingly enough to be convincing. Heh, nice one dude. I mentally patted myself on the back.

"Is that so? Well, it'll all be ready soon."

I looked out the window to make sure no one was watching. I also hoped to see what I
looked like now but there was no such luck. the mid afternoon glare only gave me a
shadowy impression of my appearance. I put my legs straight on the rest of the seat and my back against the wall. I started running my fingers through my new hair. I twisted it around my right index finger. My knees were shaking.

I decided to take stock of my situation. Ok so magic exists. That's interesting. Also I'm apparently a girl. Also interesting. How do I fix this? Can I? I don't know any wizards...Or do I? I mean crazy old ladies with lumpy faces are magic. Why not some blind guy on the corner asking for money? Or maybe the ticket taker at the movie theater. Do I just ask people? 'Hey I got turned in to a girl by this crazy woman. Are you a magic user who can help me?' Yeah that'll go over great when the cops haul me off to the loony bin. That food sure is taking a while. Yeah it is I'll take a look at the kitchen then.

I craned my neck to look at the kitchen. Suddenly something metallic flashed and a second later a large kitchen knife was in the wall next to me. I could see my eyes widen in the gleaming blade. Damn I have sexy eyes. Despite being in mortal peril this was my first thought.

"Well that probably isn't good," I mumbled.

I raised my voice and shouted towards the kitchen, "So that's a 'no' on the grilled cheese then," I asked.

The response I was given was another knife above my head I ducked under the table.

For a few moments there was no sound.

I poked my head out. "I'll take the soup to go then, ok?"

A knife quickly became imbedded in the table next to my ear. This time I could see my nose in the steel. It was cute as a button. No way am I letting myself get killed in a café. Especially without having eaten first. It just wouldn't be right.
Then I spotted it on the counter.

A slice of chocolate cake on a small plate.

"Awesome," I said. I'm going to have to get that cake. No sense in letting it go to waste in this mess right?