I dashed to my room the moment we entered the house. The one I had back at the investigation centre was all right, but it lacked my personal touch. After looking around briefly to see everything as I left it, I placed my uniform on my bed and stared at it.

I never went to the graduation ceremony.

Guess I missed the party as well.

While I wasn’t what you would call ‘the heart of the party’, and rather avoided most of them, I was actually looking forward to this one. It marked the end of twelve long years of general education, after all.

Hearing steps coming closer, I turned to see Mom already standing by the door. “Why don’t you take a shower, sweetie? I’ll go get some PJ’s for you to change into while you do. You must be tired of wearing that… thing.”

“Okay, Mommy~.”

The sound of a scratched record played in my mind just then. Outside, however, there was silence. It was disturbing that it came out so naturally after years of simply calling her ‘Mom’.

“It’s been a while since you called me Mommy.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t know what happened there.”

Mom giggled and hugged me. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind it if you kept on doing it.”

She said that, but the suggestive tone she used made it clear to me.

‘Please, keep doing it.’

Just roll with it.

Aside from the awkward situation, this brought me back to what I was already suspecting. My transformation was still active; however, instead of changing my body, it was affecting my mind. I could only hope that, by being aware of it, I would put a stop to it.

After Mom let me go, I headed for the bathroom. The original idea was to take a shower like she said, but the moment I reached my destination, the tub called to me. It had been a very long time since I had the time to truly relax, and a warm bubble bath was a great way to do it.

My size made it harder to prepare everything, and I even stopped to think if it was a good idea to do so after all. The thought didn’t last long since I had already done most of the job and only needed to wait until the water reached high enough for me.

I undressed myself and looked at the mirror whilst the tub continued to fill up. All I could see was my face peeking over the sink. I had noticed it in the morning, but my eyes no longer intimidated me. I could stare at them normally, like I did when I was human. Not only my eyes; my entire body felt normal to me now. It was as if it had always been like that. A shiver ran down my spine. This only reinforced my previous theory.

As the water rose to an acceptable level, I felt the temperature with my hand to see if it needed any adjustments.

Perfect!

Satisfied, I climbed in and sank to the bottom of the tub until the bubbles reached my shoulders and covered most of my wings. Right after that, I heard the door open. Mom stared at me with wide eyes before shaking her head and placing a pink bundle of clothes on top of the cabinet.

She remained silent as she walked to me and only spoke once she was by my side. “You should’ve told me you were going to take a bath. I got worried when I didn’t hear the shower.”

“Sorry.”

Mom smiled and rubbed my cheek softly. “It’s fine, sweety. Just let me know next time, okay?”

I nodded, and she kneeled to kiss my forehead, but something interrupted her. She observed the bubbles and frowned before shoving a hand into the water. Her eyes widened once more. “Is the water fine for you?”

“Yeah. Is there something wrong?” I frowned and cocked my head in confusion.

“No, I just didn’t know you liked it... lukewarm. Anyway, don’t stay too long there. I’d hate it if you got sick right after coming back.”

Lukewarm?

I parted some bubbles and observed the surface. There was no steam coming out of it.

I could have sworn I checked it!

And why does it feel fine like this?

Another side effect?

“You’re getting distracted again. Did you hear what I said?”

I blinked quickly and snapped out of my thoughts. “Sorry, Mommy. Yes, I’ll get out soon.”

Somewhat satisfied with my reply, she got up and left the bathroom. Some time after that, I stepped out of the tub and dried myself with a towel. I then looked at the pyjamas Mom brought me. They were a simple set of pink shirt and pants with strawberries printed all over them. I remembered wearing them when I was much younger.

For once, I’m glad she kept all of my clothes.

They still felt soft and comfortable. I sniffed them, expecting them to smell old, but I was surprised to see that wasn’t the case. Those expensive airtight boxes Mom insisted on buying kept my clothes in perfect condition.

Being able to wear my old clothes again made me feel a bit nostalgic. Unfortunately, the moment was killed when I tried putting them on and remembered my body was quite different now. Apparently, my mother forgot about it as well.

“Mommy!”

I heard her rushing from the attic before entering the bathroom with clear concern stamped on her face. “What is it, sweetie?”

When Mom saw me, she relaxed and smiled in humour at my predicament. “I’ll be right back.”

She quickly returned with a disappearing ink pen and a measuring tape. Holding the clothes against me, she drew a few lines on them and hung them on her arm. “Go back to your room. I’ll fix these in no time.”

Not having any other choice, I wrapped myself in towels and did as she told me. I turned the computer on and tried to find the best position to sit. Once ready, I searched for news regarding the incident we saw back at the centre. The Internet had gone crazy over the matter.

There was an official report stating that the girl wasn’t actually a vampire. According to them, an autopsy showed she was merely an albino girl under the effects of a nasty new drug. I knew better than to believe such an obvious lie. I’d seen vampires before, even if only through a picture.

Her parents, kept anonymous by the media, were obviously furious when she was accused of taking drugs, but they didn’t give a clear answer when confronted about her nature as a vampire. For me, and many others, it served as confirmation of the truth. Although, if that was the case, this event meant that most of the other vampire sightings were probably real too. The simple cover up wouldn’t last long enough. I wondered how they planned on handling it.

Many others came to the same conclusion as me. Blogs all over the internet took no time in coming up with a number of conspiracy theories. Others didn’t limit themselves to only vampires, but ‘mythical beings’ as a whole. One guy even started uploading videos where he talked about some legends from the Old Era his great grandfather used to tell him when he was a kid. Mysterium’s chat and forum were a huge mess because of their article, too. I didn’t even bother reading most of it.

I decided to check my social media for a break, and a message appeared a couple of minutes after.

Mary: [Nora, you’re alive!]

Oh no…

Mary: [I got really worried when your parents told me you were taken to the hospital.]

Mary: [Are you okay noe?]

Mary: [now*]

I forgot to change my computer’s status to invisible!

I did it immediately, but the damage was already done. I had to reply.

Nora: [Yes, I’m fine. Don’t tell anyone yet, please!]

Mary: [What do you mean? Why not???]

Nora: [It’s complicated…]

Nora: [It has to do with my condition.]

Mary: [Hmm~]

Mary: [Okay~ Important things first then! I have your equipment safe in my bank.]

Nora: [Oh! That’s great! Thanks so much, Mary!]

Nora: [And what about the others?]

Mary: [Well, most corpses were easy to recover, but we had to hire one of the top guilds to get the boss room for us.]

Nora: [How much did you guys even pay for that!?]

Mary: [Our dear leader made a deal with them. They were quite interested in the new dungeon, so we just had to show them where it was and help them clear what we could.]

Mary: [They weren’t aware the rest of the dungeon was full of fodder, so we ended up paying less without effort.]

Mary: [We had to give up on all the legendary and epic loot, though.]

It was to be expected. Dungeons always had the best drop rates when they were beaten for the first time. It was a pity our guild didn’t get any of it, but it was better than losing all the high grade equipment we had on us when we died.

Nora: [I think that’s fair. How is everyone, then? Did I miss anything else?]

Mary: [Well, our party was disbanded.]

I sighed.

Nora: [Because of me, right? I’m sorry.]

Mary: [Nah, don’t worry. If it were only you, it wouldn't have been a problem.]

I raised an eyebrow.

Nora: [What happened?]

Mary: [Flex and Potato ragequitted, and Viper bought a new metal detector, so he went treasure hunting with a friend a week after.]

Mary: [He said he would be back in a few days, but I haven’t heard of him yet. Hope he’s having fun at least.]

Mary: [Anyway, I’m glad you’re back. When can you log in? I kinda need that space in my bank.]

Nora: [Most likely tomorrow. There are a few things I need to take care of now.]

I hope I can wear the headset with my horns.

Mary: [No problem, I can wait one more day.]

Mary: [Back to your sickness! Don’t think you’re getting away that easily! Spill the beans!]

Nora: [I’m not sure how to explain it…]

Mary: [Okay then! I just need to pay you a visit tomorrow and see it for myself!]

Shit! What should I do?

I can’t let her see me like this!

Nora: [Let me ask my mom first, okay? We’re kinda busy at the moment.]

Mary: [Pfft]

Mary: [Are you a little girl or something? Since when do you need to ask Emma if I can come over?]

If only you knew…

As if waiting for her queue, Mom knocked on the door and walked in. “Here they are, sweetie,” she said, handing me the altered pieces of clothing.

She made two slits for my wings at the back of the top. The holes opened from below the shoulders and went all the way down. They had a few buttons at the bottom so I could close the back of the shirt once I put it on. Regarding my pants and underwear, she only made a small hole for my tail to go through.

“Thanks, Mommy!” I said with a hug.

I tried my ‘new’ PJ’s on. It took me a few minutes of practice before I could finally do it by myself. I expected to feel cold at the back because of the openings, but I was surprised to discover that wasn’t the case. They closed very well around my wings. It was rather comfortable.

I spun once for Mom to see, and she smiled proudly at her work. “You look great! Let me take a picture!”

Mom quickly aimed her phone’s camera at me, not giving me the chance to refuse. I sighed in slight annoyance and smiled for her. I didn’t know how to pose, so I just stood still with my hands behind my back. She looked at the picture and gave me a thumbs up.

“I need to go now, sweetie. I’ll be in my workroom modifying the rest of your clothes. Allen ordered some takeaway, so don’t go down until they’ve brought it. You know, just in case.”

I tugged at her sleeve as she turned to leave. “Wait! Mary found out I’m back home and said she wants to come visit, even when I told her I am sick. We can’t let her see me like this! What should I say?”

“You could just tell her it’s contagious, right?”

Why didn’t I think of that!?

I facepalmed myself in regret. “That’s a good idea, but I don’t think she’ll buy it now. I told her I needed to ask for your permission.”

“Oh, I see.” She giggled and pondered on it briefly. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. She’s such a nice girl, after all.”

I knew she was. There was a reason our classmates often called her ‘The Loud Angel’. Given her northern appearance and kindness, all she needed was a pair of feathery wings attached to her back, and you pretty much had the real thing. That image, of course, disappeared whenever she opened her mouth. I just hoped she could understand my situation and kept it a secret from everyone else.

Whatever, what’s the worst that could happen?

I sat back and looked at the screen after Mom left.

Mary: [“Seen: 21:36”]

Nora: [Sorry, I was talking to her just now.]

Mary: [Okay! I’ll be coming around noon tomorrow.]

Nora: [Hey!]

Mary: [What!? Did she say no!?]

Nora: [No, but what if she did?]

Mary: [But she didn’t! See you tomorrow!]

Of course you logged out…

I couldn’t even tell her to expect some changes. I sent her a message telling her I’d look very different, but, knowing her, she wouldn’t log back in until she arrived.

After that, I added Anna to my contact lists and turned my computer off. I went to bed shortly after having dinner. It had been a long day, and the next didn’t look any better.

---<>----------<>----------<>---

I woke up to find Mom storing all of my clothes in a huge box and replacing them with the ones from my childhood. She had already altered everything to fit me.

Did she even sleep!?

She had also placed a plain yellow summer dress on my bed for me to wear. It was perfect for the heat, and wasn’t a problem since I wouldn’t be flying anytime soon. Still, I glared at her.

“I may be a kid again, but I’m still capable of choosing my own clothes, you know.”

She giggled, disregarding my comment. “Good morning to you too, grumpy.”

I groaned and grabbed the dress. Mom watched me with a sad expression as I carried it back to the dresser, and I stopped to frown at her. We stared at each other in a silent battle of wills until I sighed and walked back to my bed. I placed the dress on top while I removed my PJ’s.

Getting it on was a bigger challenge than I expected. Unlike the pyjamas, the slits didn’t reach all the way down, stopping around my waist instead. I had to shrink my wings as much as I could and find the best way to get them through the holes without tearing the seams.

Mom saw my struggle and pulled the dress down as I moved my arms down to my sides to decrease the pressure I exerted on the fabric. It was much easier after that, but I dreaded the moment I had to take it off. Something told me the dress wouldn’t survive that, even with Mom’s help.

Once I was changed, she thanked me with an affectionate hug and a kiss on the cheek. “ I knew you’d look great, sweetie.”

I rolled my eyes and returned the hug. I wore it for her, and I actually liked it, but it was clear this type of clothing was no longer an option for me. Mom probably thought the same since she separated all the remaining dresses and put them aside after that. Although, knowing her, she was probably going to find a solution for them.

With that done, I helped her place the rest of my new clothes in the dresser. Since demons were shorter than humans, I’d never be able to wear the ones in the box again, so I suggested selling or donating them.

She blatantly refused.

When we went downstairs, I saw Dad and Allen playing a fighting video game in the living room. It was lucky for me to come back in time for the weekend. That way I could enjoy two whole days with my family. I walked over to join them while Mom cooked breakfast.

“Good morning!”

“Morning!” They replied in unison, their eyes still glued to the screen. I sat on the couch between them and watched the game. Dad won the match and celebrated with an embarrassing victory dance.

I joined them for the next round. I was not a fan of fighting games since I found most of them boring and repetitive. The fact that I always lost didn’t help at all. I preferred to play fantasy themed mmorpg and adventure games, particularly those with a virtual reality feature like Danath Online. This one was different, though. I liked it because I could move freely around the map while using randomly spawned items. It added a fun luck factor to the fight. The character I chose reminded me of Anna, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I pictured her fighting in a dress like that.

What would she fight against anyway, a robber?

We have no goblins or dragons here.

I wonder if they ever existed like Dr. Blake said?

Oh… I walked off the stage…

I could no longer recover from it, and both Dad and Allen burst in laughter as my character fell to her death.

Once breakfast was ready, we paused the game and headed to the table. Mom was obviously tired from fixing my clothes since she only made bacon and eggs. She always did that when she wasn’t in the mood for something more demanding. We resumed the match after our food break, and it resulted in Allen’s victory.

We continued playing for a couple of hours before I decided to drop out and watch. Mary would arrive any minute and it would be better if I wasn’t busy when she showed up. Soon enough, the doorbell rang, and Mom came out of her workroom to answer the door. A tall blonde girl with grey eyes and a huge smile stood in front of her. Mom greeted Mary before letting her in and going back to her work. I stood up from the couch and cautiously walked towards her. I couldn’t find the words to greet her.

Mary had barely taken a few steps when she turned and let loose an ear-piercing scream. A reaction I probably should’ve expected, and that I needed to get used to. I flinched and covered my ears with my hands. My new hearing was far too sensitive.

“Mary, stop! It’s me, Nora!” I shouted.

She immediately went quiet and stared at my face. Finally able to recognize me, she stepped toward me with wide eyes.

“Nora!? Oh my gods, is that really you? Wow! You’re so small! Huh, you’re kinda cute, too.” She placed a finger on her lips and hummed. “Well, maybe more if you close your eyes… And your mouth… And-”

“Okay! Okay! I get it!” I yelled.

Mary chuckled. “So? What happened to you? You told me to expect changes, not a full on transformation! This isn’t a prank, is it?” She asked, clearly searching for a hidden camera.

I sighed tiredly, not wanting to explain it again. “Long story short, this is the result of my sickness.”

She grabbed one of my wings in awe. “Wow, they’re real! Can you actually fly with them? How do you deal with things like upskirt?”

I jerked it away from her grasp, earning a pout from her. “I should be able to, but I haven’t tried yet. You saw the news yesterday, right? If I go out, they might do the same to me. Just look at how you reacted when you saw me.”

Mary frowned. “Hey, I wasn't afraid! I was just taken by surprise! You know I’m not good with jumpscares! Anyway, I’m sure that if we explain, the neighbours won’t complain unless you go out at night and scare them to death... What do you mean by yesterday’s news?”

“Oh, I’m sure you know. I’m talking about the vampire girl someone killed on TV.”

Her eyes rolled before she looked at me with a smirk. “Oh that. I guess you haven’t heard then. I mean, it’s sad, but she was just an unfortunate junkie. Vampires aren’t real, silly.”

It perplexed me. “You really believe that? Even with me standing right in front of you, huh?”

Amazed, I shook my head and began correcting her assumption. “That’s the government’s attempt to keep it a secret, Mary. That girl was definitely a vampire. I’ve seen pictures of them.”

“You’ve uh… seen pictures?”

I sighed and explained it better. “There is a virus that can transform people into mythical beings. I am a good example of that since it turned me into a demon.”

“A virus!?” She immediately took a step back. “I-is it contagious? You won’t turn me into a zombie, will you?”

Ignoring the fact that my family had been casually sitting right next to me without risk of contracting anything, I couldn’t say I blamed her for her reaction. I would have probably done the same in her place. For the most part…

“A zombie? Really?”

She shrugged, still keeping her distance. “Hey, you never know! Well? Is it safe or not?”

“Yeah, it’s safe. Don’t worry, someone who has already transformed won’t infect you. I’d be extra careful with animals or people gagging if I were you, though.

Her shoulders dropped in relief. “Noted. That’s good then. I’m glad you’re fine, Nora. You know, it’s quite cool having a demon friend. Just keep in mind that my soul isn’t for sale, okay?” She looked at me with concern once more. “So? What are you going to do now? You can’t stay hidden your whole life, can you?”

I shrugged. “We’ll see. Yesterday’s incident might make it harder for me to rejoin society.”

“Speaking of which, why did she do that? Do vampires really need blood?” She gasped. “Should I wear a garlic necklace from now on?”

“I doubt the garlic will work, and I was told they didn’t need blood, but there is no other explanation. From what I read on Mysterium, a few other vampires are acting the same way. Maybe they are driven by their instincts or something. In any case, it’s not safe for me to go outside yet. Can you promise me you really won’t tell anyone?”

“Hey! Who do you think I am?”

“Well…”

She ruffled my hair with an honest smile. “Yeah, I promise. Glad to have you back, Nora.”

After our exchange, Allen cleared his throat to get our attention and handed us each a controller. “Good! Now that you’re done filling her in, why don’t you come and join us?”

I took the controller and raised an eyebrow at his odd behaviour.

Dad laughed. “He’s just tired of losing to me.”

Allen rolled his eyes in exasperation. “It’s not my fault the game loves you and places random bombs in front of me all the time!”

We all laughed, earning us a glare from my brother. While we played, I gave Mary a summary of my stay at the centre. I did leave out some unimportant details, though. I knew she didn’t care for the scientific details, and no one present needed to know about my feral moment.

Time flew by, and lunchtime arrived. Mom invited Mary to join us, but she declined by saying she already had plans, and that she only came to make sure I was fine. She promised to come back the next day, so I could tell her about the whole thing in more detail and left shortly after that. Ignoring her initial reaction, I was glad she took it as well as she did.

As the door closed, I followed Mom into the kitchen. Both of my parents were great cooks, so they took daily turns preparing the meals. I usually helped them and learned all I could in the process. I even took care of everything myself sometimes.

Mom stopped when she noticed me walking behind her. “Why don’t you go back and play with Dad while Allen and I prepare the food, sweetie?”

Since when does he even help in the kitchen?

I shook my head, declining the offer. “I want to help you, Mommy!”

She lowered herself to meet my eyes with hers and placed a hand on my cheek. “I know, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

That shocked me. “I’m eighteen years old, Mom!”

Allen, who was listening to our argument, placed a hand on my shoulder. His grip was a little too tight for my taste. He was probably used to me being bigger. “Come on, Mom, let her do it. She knows what she’s doing.”

I was surprised he vouched for me like that.

She sighed in defeat. “You’re right, Ali. Come on, Nora. Wash your hands and help me peel some potatoes.”

“Yes, Mommy~!” I looked up to Allen with a smile and whispered, “Thanks!”

“Anything for my little sister,” he responded, patting my head.

I stuck my tongue out to him in response. He had to go there and ruin it. He did help me out, so I let him have his way. It was better to just go along with it and pretend to be the younger sister for now. It wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Yeah, sure. Having to help us every day while she was gone has nothing to do with it,” Dad intervened from the couch.

Ah, so that was it…

Allen placed a hand on his chest as he replied, “How can you say such a thing, Dad! It hurts my feelings. You know I love helping you both.”

Dad raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Great! Then you won’t mind-”

“Cleaning my room? Absolutely! Let me know when the food is ready, Mom!”

He dashed upstairs and closed his door. Dad snorted and laid back to watch TV.

---<>----------<>----------<>---

Peeling potatoes. It was obvious that Mom picked this task for me since it was relatively safe. I knew Allison only knew me as a small girl, so her motherly behaviour, while strange and sudden, especially from someone who looked sixteen, was somewhat understandable. It bothered me at first, but it wasn’t that hard to get used to it.

During the last week at the centre, she hugged me when I needed it, praised my achievements, stopped me from being reckless, and even scolded me when she thought I deserved it. However, there was one thing she never did, and that was belittle me.

I might be a kid now, but I’m still as capable as before!

“Owie!”

I got distracted and ended up cutting myself with the peeler. Mom was instantly on top of me, holding out my hand to check the insignificant cut on my finger. She tended to my wound with a bandaid we had in our first aid drawer and kissed it before letting me go. I rolled my eyes, but smiled at her.

“Thanks, Mommy!”

The moment she saw me walk back to the peeler, she grabbed it and held it high. “Just what do you think you’re doing!?”

I knew exactly what she meant; I couldn’t accept it. “I’ll finish peeling the potatoes. Can I have the peeler back, please~?”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t let you hurt yourself again.”

I glared at her in disgust. I knew she cared for me, but ever since I came back she had been extremely annoying.

“It was an accident!” I yelled.

“Yes, it was. And it’s my fault for letting it happen in the first place.”

Oh, come on!

“Did you just growl at me!?”

My eyes widened in realisation of what I had done. In a panic, I covered my mouth with my hands and ran straight to my room, slamming the door shut. I locked it and threw myself to my bed. I was angry, scared, and confused. I couldn’t believe it happened again; this time towards my own mother. I heard Allen’s door open, and he knocked on my door soon after.

My claws punctured my pillow as I gripped it. “Leave me alone!”

I couldn’t let him in. Not until I made sure I was in control. He tried opening the door, unsuccessfully, then walked away. A few minutes silently passed before I heard the knocking again.

“I said I’m not opening! Just leave!” I let another growl into the pillow, followed by a muffled scream at the top of my lungs.

Why me!? Why?

“I understand, honey.” Hearing Dad’s voice, my eyes widened.

There was a brief jingle, followed by clicking coming from the doorknob. The sound stopped, and he entered the room all smug. “Which is why I brought the key.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. I could tell his mere presence helped me calm down somewhat. Still, I scowled at him and sprawled back on my bed. Dad walked to my bed and sat beside me. Then, he patted his leg as an invitation, knowing I couldn’t resist. I took a deep breath and crawled over to place my head on his lap. He ran his fingers through my hair once I stopped moving.

“How’s Mom?” I asked out of concern.

“She’s fine, just a bit upset about what happened,” Dad responded calmly.

I groaned in response.

“You know she’s only worried about you.”

I exhaled heavily. Honestly, it was the least of my worries after what I did. I didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk about my behaviour, though.

“She cares about my safety, but what about my feelings? I know I have the body of a child. I can accept that, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten everything I know.” I rolled over to look at him. “Yes, I cut myself. Big deal! Accidents happen all the time. It’s not like I never got hurt when I was, well, older.”

That sounds really weird.

He chuckled and pulled the strands of hair that covered my face. “Let me tell you something. You know how parents on TV always complain about kids growing up too fast?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, it may sound like a cliché to you, yet for us, it’s nothing but the truth. Your mother and I love you very much, and we enjoy every single phase you go through. Waking up in the middle of the night to feed you, seeing you take your first steps, go to school, adopt new hobbies, even your antics…

“Your mother once told me that if she could, she would have one of you for each stage of your lives. Imagine what she felt when she saw her baby girl again, especially after a month without communication. Just give her time to adjust, I’m sure things will go back to normal after a while.”

I closed my eyes and nodded. “I’ll try. Thanks, Daddy.”