The next day, Jeff and Finn walked through the gates of the local school on the naval base, their heartbeats pounding in unison as they approached the campus. Jeff looked around curiously, taking in the sights of the naval base, while Finn kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone they passed.
Finn was wearing his normal wetsuit, his muscles prominently displayed by the thin fabric. Jeff, on the other hand, was wearing a very different style of wetsuit. It looked more like assless chaps and a few strips of fabric on his chest that might be called a shirt if someone were feeling generous. Not that it was giving him any special attention.
As Jeff and Finn made their way to their first class, they noticed something strange.
Despite the fact that they were now anthros, and Jeff was dressed in incredibly revealing clothes, no one seemed to be reacting to their appearance. Jeff had expected people to stare or make comments, but everyone seemed to be going about their business as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Students moved out of the way of the massive anthros on autopilot, not even giving them a second glance.
Finn, however, was more concerned with the fact that there were no other anthros his age at the school. He had been hoping that the reality shift would make anthropomorphization more common, but it seemed that they were still alone in their new forms. That was more than disappointing to him
He had wanted to see how the world had changed, now that he was aware of the reality shift. Finn hadn’t wanted to use the Chronivac and artificially skew the anthro/human numbers, but it was looking like he was going to have to. It felt like cheating.
But the worst part was a strange alien longing he had for others. Not just other anthros, but other whales. Any whales, not just orcas. He felt…lonely, even with his loving boyfriend at his side.
They entered their classroom and sat down.
“Hey boys!” A voice said from some seats in the back.
Jeff and Finn turned to see Sarah and Alexandra. They were girls they used to know back in their old school. Jeff had crushed on Sarah. She had basically ignored his overtures and friendzoned him. Finn, on the other hand, had dated Alexandra.
Sarah and Alexandra were both stunning in their own way. Sarah had long, curly brown hair that cascaded down her back in wild ringlets, and bright green eyes that shone in the sunlight. She had an infectious laugh and a bubbly personality that made everyone around her feel at ease.
Alexandra, on the other hand, had short, cropped blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She had a more serious demeanor, but there was a quiet intensity to her that was hard to ignore. Despite her reserved nature, she was fiercely competitive and always strove for excellence in everything she did.
But… why were they here at all?
“Wait, you guys go to the same school we do?” Jeff frowned, his sharp teeth poking from his lips. “That…doesn’t sound right…”
Which was true, as far as Jeff knew.
Reality had shifted. Somehow, despite all the odds, Alexandra and Sarah followed with them? It was very suspicious. Now he was wondering if, somehow, the girls had transformed himself and Finn into gay anthro boyfriends as a joke or something. It was a very unpleasant existential dread he found himself wallowing in.
“What does it matter,” Finn hissed and turned back to the two girls. “Glad to see some familiar faces.”
Finn was just happy to have two familiar faces to ground him in this reality. It took the edge off the vague loneliness he was being plagued with, a hollowness that the girls filled a little. However they ended up being with Jeff and himself in this reality, he was grateful for it.
“Well, we are champion swimmers. When we heard you two were coming here, we just had to follow you.” Sarah shrugged.
“It’s definitely not because anthros have a huge advantage and we want to be in a school that goes to Nationals for our scholarships.” Alexandra nodded with a smile.
Finn wasn’t too sure about that.
But at least they had an explanation that made some sort of sense. The two girls were very competitive, if swimming with anthros got heads to turn, then they’d probably do it. A cold dread filled him as he considered the possibility that Alexandra and Sarah were faking their friendliness and truly only wanted to be around Jeff and himself because of their inborn talent for swimming and not for themselves.
He shook it off, though a sense of unease continued to plague him.
“Oh! And if you want, you can come check out the swimming pool after school! We’re hosting tryouts for the Varsity team.” Sarah added.
“Uh, sure.” Jeff shrugged. “Sounds good, I guess.”
Finn nodded,eager to get out of his own head.
-=-=-=-=-=-===-=-=-=-
Classes were boring as always.
After class, they headed to the school's swimming pool to check out the swim team tryouts. Jeff had been on the swim team at his old school and was excited to see what kind of talent they had here.
Finn hung back, feeling a sense of unease as he watched the other students. He longed to be a part of their world, but he knew that it was impossible. He had never had a pod, but he had always felt a deep connection to the ocean and the creatures that lived there. Being an orca was a part of who he was, but he couldn't help feeling like an outsider in this new world.
As they watched the tryouts, they spotted Sarah and Alexandra again. Jeff couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia as he watched them swim, but Finn was focused on something else entirely.
"I wish there were more of us," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on the water. "More orcas, I mean. I feel like I'm missing a part of myself."
Jeff put a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder, understanding how he felt. "I know, Finn. But maybe this is just the beginning. Who knows what other changes the Chronivac will bring."
Finn nodded, but Jeff could tell that he wasn't convinced.
As they watched the swim team tryouts, Sarah and Alexandra noticed Jeff and Finn standing by the edge of the pool.
"Hey, guys!" Sarah called out, waving to Jeff and Finn. "Are you here to try out?"
Jeff smiled and shook his head. "No, we're just here to watch.."
Sarah nodded and looked at Jeff. “We should catch up sometime."
Jeff felt a pang of nostalgia at her words, but he knew that things were different now.
He was an anthro shark, and Sarah was a human girl. They could never be more than acquaintances. More than that, though. He was gay and in love with Finn now. Plus, he’d gotten friendzoned by her and he wasn’t exactly thrilled at still harboring feelings for her.
Finn, on the other hand, was having a harder time keeping up the facade.
"Hey, Finn! Long time no see," Alexandra said, grinning at him.
He had dated Alexandra back when they were both human, and he was having a hard time pretending like they were nothing more than old friends. They’d made love. Not nearly as good as the kind of sex he and Jeff engaged in, but it was romantic and real and flawed. Finn grit his teeth and tried to ignore the upwelling of feelings he’d accidentally dug up.
Finn tried to play it cool, but he couldn't help feeling awkward around her. "Yeah, it's been a while. How have you been?"
Alexandra shrugged. "I've been good. Just trying out for the swim team again this year."
Finn nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. He had been hoping that she would remember their past together, but it seemed like the reality shift had erased those memories. Maybe it was better this way, though.
Jeff could sense his friend's discomfort and stepped in to make excuses for him. "Sorry about Finn, Alexandra. He's just a bit jet-lagged. We traveled a long way to get here."
Alexandra nodded, looking a bit confused, but didn't press the issue. Sarah, meanwhile, seemed more interested in talking to Jeff.
"So, Jeff, what do you think of our school so far?" she asked, swimming over to him.
Jeff smiled, grateful for the distraction. "It's definitely different from what I'm used to, but I think I'm going to like it here."
As they chatted, Finn hung back, feeling like he didn't quite belong. He longed to be a part of their world again, but he knew that it was impossible now. He was an anthro orca, and his old life was gone forever. He huddled behind Jeff in a very un-Top-like manner.
"You two are such a cute couple," Alexandra said with a smile. “Sorry, I just couldn’t resist commenting on it.”
Jeff and Finn both blushed at her words, but for different reasons. Jeff was happy to be seen as Finn's boyfriend, but Finn was unsure about his feelings. Was he really attracted to Jeff, or was it just a side effect of the reality shift?
He tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on the conversation, but it was hard to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He didn't want to hurt Jeff, but he also didn't want to lead him on if his feelings weren't real.
"Yeah, we're really happy together," Jeff said, putting his arm around Finn's shoulders.
Finn smiled weakly. He wanted to believe that his feelings were genuine, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were a result of the reality shift.
Alexandra and Sarah exchanged knowing looks.
"You guys are both so fast in the water, you'd be amazing additions to the team!" Alexandra said enthusiastically.
Jeff and Finn exchanged a glance, not entirely sure how to respond. Neither of them had ever been on a swim team before, and they weren't sure if they wanted to start now.
“Yeah, absolutely, we could actually go to Nationals if you guys were on the team!” Sarah said.
But as they watched Sara and Alexandra dive into the pool and swim laps effortlessly, they couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. It was as if they remembered something, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.
"Come on, guys, give it a try," Sara said, beckoning them into the water.
Jeff and Finn looked at each other again before nodding in agreement. They both loved swimming, and it wouldn't hurt to try out for the team.
Shucking their suits, both anthros got into the water.
They swam laps together, Jeff and Finn couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. It was as if they had found their place in the world, even if it was a bit different than what they were used to.
As they continued swimming, Finn's mind wandered to thoughts of his pod. He couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness, despite the fact that he was surrounded by people.
His speed and agility in the water were impressive, but he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. He longed for the company of his fellow orcas, for the feeling of being part of a pod, a family. As he swam, he couldn't help but think that he would give anything to be able to communicate with his kind, to share experiences and emotions with them.
Jeff noticed that Finn seemed lost in thought and swam over to him. "You okay, Finn?"
Finn sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...I don't know. Swimming is great and all, but it's not the same as being with a pod."
Jeff nodded understandingly. "I get it. This reality shift has given us a lot, but it's also taken away a lot. We just have to make the most of what we have now."
Finn smiled at Jeff. "Yeah, you're right. And I'm lucky to have you."
Jeff grinned. "Of course you are. I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you."
Finn rolled his eyes but couldn't help but feel a warmth spreading through him at Jeff's words. As they continued swimming, he couldn't help but feel grateful for Jeff's companionship, even if it wasn't quite the same as being in a pod.
“Come on boys, hurry up!” Sarah called form the far side of the pool, her and Alexandra starting their second lap.
As they swam, Jeff couldn't help but notice how much Sarah had grown and changed since he had last seen her. She had always been beautiful, but now there was a confidence and poise about her that was undeniable.
Similarly, Finn couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with Alexandra, even though he barely remembered her from before the reality shift. Her sharp wit and competitive nature were things that he found himself drawn to, even as he struggled with his own conflicted emotions about this new reality.
“So,” Sarah smiled at them after the swim. “Join the team?”
Jeff and Finn exchanged glances.
“Yes.” Jeff said at the same time that Finn said, “No.”
The girls looked at each other, worried.
Jeff shot Finn a worried look. “Really?”
“I’m just… not feeling well.” Finn said, standing. “I think I’m gonna shower up and go home. See ya, Jeff.”
Jeff and the girls watched as Finn left.
“Think he’ll change his mind?” Sarah asked Jeff carefully.
“Yeah… he’s been out of it all day.” Jeff shot Finn’s hulking back a worried look. “Maybe he just needs some time to himself.”
“Hey, thanks for giving the team a chance,” Sarah said. “I mean it.”
“Yeah, and Finn seems the generally moody, conflicted type anyways,” Alexandra nodded. “I think if you talk to him, he might come around.”
“We don’t both need to be on the swim team. Just… I hope whatever he does, he’s happy.” Jeff said.
“Wow.” Sarah stared at Jeff. “Talk about relationship goals. Really mature.”
“He has my support in whatever he wants. You tell Finn that.” Alexandra said.
“I will,” Jeff said, though his mind was on the Chronivac that Finn was driving home to.
What could a depressed anthro orca do with a thing like that?
“You know,” Jeff said, standing. “Maybe I better go after him.”
He trotted off.