Flashes Of Light

Present Day

The presenter just laughs.

Poor old fool, Logar thinks, he thinks it's a good joke. They all think all of this was a joke.

In the meantime, Jonath tugs nervously at his shirt. It references an old movie. It's hot pink, and it says I am Kenough.

"This is why," he finally says. "I wanted to be called Jay. I am Sveta Metis and I've always been, but I do not wish to be perceived as merely a woman anymore. I would prefer feminine pronouns but neutral and masculine are good too. And my name is to be Jay Cincinnati."

Percie smacks a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, this is the worst thing that has happened on my channel," the presenter says. "It's not that Sveta Metis is also a boy... but that Jonath Cincinnati is also a girl."

"Holy misogyny," Logar says in a passable imitation of the Boy Wonder.

"My name is Jay Cincinnati," Jay finally says. Her voice is less deep than before, and it's easy to tell that some pill was masking it, now. "Because I researched my real family and I found out they were of Italian origin. The surname was something Logar and I decided together, way back then. And my name is simply Jay, it's not short for anything. I wish to be perceived and known this way from now on."

"Well, to be really honest," Logar says. "We've been naughty. It's just another one of our little secrets --- I've been calling her Jay for years."

That is true, and now that it is out in the open, Jay realizes that it will be no longer Logar's pet name for her. For some reason, this bothers her. But then she decides that she wouldn't have liked to be known as Sveta either way.

"This is making me want to ask a lot of questions," the presenter adds.

"Good," Logar replies. "That's your job."

"Yes... no. What I mean is, were you acting the whole time you were Jonath? Was Cincinnati's reckless attitude something you and the rest of the group decided?"

"In a way, Jonath was more me than Sveta was," Jay replied. "But I am both of them and I am complex. I really wanted to act out, and be a rebel and until I was Sveta something was holding me back. Not letting be my true self. But it's also the difference of how a girl and a boy are perceived... on our first night out, I was the one who punched the guy in the face."

"And it's also the media, they lapped it up, for some reason," Percie adds. "If Jonath had punched a guy in the face, and I think he has, well, there would be fake news about what important part of his features Cincinnati had wrecked forever."

The presenter nods, undoubtedly thinking that this means that every version of Jay is dangerous and that, really, it makes sense.

"But you lied to the people," he says.

"The Anti insisted Sveta couldn't present herself to the audience as Jay," Logar replies. "But we'll tell you everything in due time. Why not?"

"Will you let us know," the presenter asks. "What's behind Jonath Cincinnati joining the group as the Harmed Hand? Why did Ane Dioretsa quit, and how did Sveta handle being two things at once?"

"Well," Logar replies. "She handled it well."