Transgender Jay : A Ninjago Story

43 - Fan

The walk to town was incredibly tense, it didn't need to be said.

It was around 11:00 am, meaning that the daily errands of the greater population had started. People were out and about, on ways to work, buying shopping, out with their children.

It didn't matter.

What mattered was, Jay was far from alone on the city streets. As soon as he hit the populated areas, the odd stares started. Staring, grimacing, mouths gaping open as if he was some sort of alien.

It didn't do any good for his already jittery state.

He just walked forward, knowing his location, but still periodically checking his phone to see if he had been taking the correct turnings. This was not something he wanted to be late for.

Winding streets, left and right, it seemed to take so much longer than it should have, which was odd, since people literally parted to let him through without trouble.

They were that scared of trans people, were they? So scared they couldn't even bare to touch them?

Jay kept his head at the ground, but could still feel the eyes burning into his skin. Trying to figure out what they had missed before, trying to seek out any telltale signs of his... birth sex.

Jawline, eye shape, body distribution.

Being judged so deeply by complete strangers would usually have sent him turning around and going straight back to the Bounty, but, he carried on.

Luckily, nobody actually stopped him or talked to him. He heard a couple of whispers on two occasions, surprised disgust, though, no actual conflict came upon him during his whole hurried walk.

He was glad of that.

He would have taken the bus, but didn't for two different reasons. First of all, the bus cost money, and he couldn't say that he actually had any money of his own at that point, and... he would much rather be cornered by a transphobe on a street, than in an enclosed moving vehicle.

At last, checking the digital map on his phone, he was certain that he'd reached his final location.

It was a small park, enclosed with layers of houses. The domestic and solemn environment all around brought the atmosphere to a still. Jay could relax at last.

Paranoia snapped at him, so to reassure himself, he opened up the messages he had read only an hour prior.

Well... listened to.

'Hey... I, I t-tried to just write a message but, I, I... I could hardly type anymore, I was s-shaking too much! S-So... I'm sorry about this I... I just... have to get it out! You might not even see it, if you do, you can just ignore it i-if you want... but... I... I had no idea that you were trans and... I'm trans too! The people on TV... they read out my name as well... a-and I don't know what to do! The moment I have to write my name down for a-anything, any forms, or letters... a-anything like that, p-people will know! I-I... I'm sorry! You've been my hero for such a long time... coming from a p-poor background and all and, turning out to be the b-b-blue ninja! And, t-to know that, you're... trans, too? I... I've never looked up to you m-more! And I... I guess I also wanted to say that... no matter what... you'll always have people supporting you. You'll probably be having a way... way worse time than I am right now, but I just... I just wanted to tell you... yeah... I'm sorry... you d-don't need to reply...'

The sorrow and panic in her voice was painstakingly real, and as soon as Jay had listened through her message, he got back to her straight away. Promising to try and help out however he could.