The first time he'd discovered what he was, he was afraid, discombobulated by too long limbs and a height that wasn't normal for a 10 year old child.

His mom had comforted him, catching the tray of cookies in his hands before it hit the floor. She knelt down to meet his eyes, gently combing her fingers through his hair, her skin far too soft compared to the stone like flesh of his new body.

"You're ok Buddy, just a little new to you, isn't it? you're alright, I promise. All you need to do is breathe for Mommy, ok?" She guided him through soft and careful breaths, until he calmed down, his nerves still making his little body shake in her arms, he whined when he changed back, hiding his face in his mother's chest.

"W- What was that momma?" Barbara inhaled sharply, then let out a sigh.

"You can change, into a monster. But you're a good monster, and you'll always be my son." She kissed his head, her words soft and lulling him to sleep while she explained the first time she'd seen him change, when he couldn't remember. The day James, his father had left. It was too close to home, his emotions flaring and eyes shining a piercing color of orange and yellow from his anger.

"Y- You didn't tell me...Why?" His voice cracked, and Barbara pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.

"I knew you needed to see it yourself, baby. But now you know, and we can keep making those cookies if you'd like. How's that sound?"

Jim smiled, opening his eyes and tilting his head up to grin at his mom.

"Yeah! Let's go make cookies for Toby and Nana!" He'd launched himself from the couch where they sat, his mom laughing at his excitement and getting up to help him in the kitchen.

————

Jim was 15, how he'd managed to hide this part of him from Toby was something he marvelled in. But today, it finally happened.

They were playing across the street, sitting in Toby's room, playing video games and watching movies. Gun robot, horror movies, go go Sushi. It was perfect. He was enjoying himself, his emotions festering in his stomach until his body finally changed, he was laughing, nearly falling to the floor from the bed when he'd felt the change, the light too bright in the dark room. His eyes got used to the darkness easily, his nose smelled the cats downstairs and his teeth felt too large for his mouth, his tongue ran across them as panic bloomed in his chest. Then, His ears flattened at the loud scream from Toby.

"Oh my god, Jim you're a shapeshifter!" Toby jumped up, both terrified and in awe as he rushed to his best friend's side. Blue stone skin gently grabbed Toby's hand, the hand with four fingers, making it hard to intertwine them together.

"Y- You can't tell anyone, no one but my mom knows. Tobes, please don't tell anyone." Toby watched Jim, staring into blue eyes with a small frown. He heard his soft whimpers and saw his tears, he could feel his heart breaking.

"I won't tell, ok Jimbo?" Jim nodded, taking a deep breath in, his tail flicking about in the air behind him. He looked down at himself, growling in frustration at the sight of his favorite jacket, now ruined by his larger size. He took it off, struggling with it getting stuck in his horns. Then, he removed his binder, shaking, unhuman hands guided by Toby.

"C- Can we cuddle?" Jim asked, his voice soft despite the deeper alto and gentle growl of stone against stone.

Toby blushed, looking back at the game of Go Go Sushi, it ended, they'd both lost. He nodded and looked back at Jim, giving him a smile and climbing onto the bed with him. They got comfortable, laying carefully on the bed with Jim's head nuzzled against Toby's chest. Both were comfortable, closing their eyes as they laid there, eventually falling asleep.

————

The canal was large, the concrete burning like fire as it absorbed the sunlight. Jim rode across the ground, rocky earth underneath the wheels of his bike, which he'd outfitted to work for both forms, flew from the earth and into the air. He cheered, grinning and gripping the handle bars for dear life, until he landed, the bike squealing in protest when he moved for Toby to be launched into the air. He screamed, the other boy panicking as his bike hit the ground and he tumbled. Jim gasped, throwing his bike down to pick Toby up, easily helping him with his non-human strength. The two grinned at each other, glancing at their bikes. Both were wasted, Jim's less damaged than Toby's was. They'd have to walk to school, fine.

The two groaned, starting on their way to the end of the canal, until Jim heard a voice coming from underneath the canal's bridge.

"Toby, did you hear that?"

Toby frowned, looking at his friend in confusion as he shook his head. "What's up Jimbo?"

"Just... Someone called my name..." Jim stopped, trailing off as he heard the call again. In his other form, he would've had his ears twitching like crazy, his eyes squinting and he would've run on all fours to the thing that called his name. He reached it, having begun to run while thinking. His instincts begged him to reach the thing, to hold it, to summon it, whatever it was.

His hands grabbed it, and he gasped sharply, staring at the small clock like thing, it was quiet now, heavy and cold as if it had never turned on, but something felt right in his chest. He shoved it in his pocket, turning back to Toby, who had started climbing the canal walls.

Jim laughed to himself, shaking his head as he started climbing along side Toby. They were definitely going to be late to school.