Time passed, days slowly becoming weeks. Just as predicted, Julian had taken to Philomena’s craft like a fish to water, spending hours every day learning from her and her extensive collection of books, trying to understand and commit to memory as much as he could.

Not only was he very dedicated to learning, but he was also pretty talented, much to his teacher’s delight. He rarely, if ever, made the same mistake twice and was very careful when working, moving around Philomena’s workspace with precision, always rigorously respecting the instructions he was given.

He and Philomena had also visited Leenora a few times since Julian’s arrival, and the young teen had already made a bit of a name for himself. With Philomena vouching for him, the small community had readily accepted him as one of their own, and he would sometimes go there alone, whenever his host and him were running low on groceries, or when they needed something in particular. He’d even gone a few times to deliver potions to people that needed them. People would greet him warmly, and he would always return the gesture.

Unfortunately, as happy as he looked to be while learning and working, Philomena knew better. While he seemed content most of the time, seeing him smile was rare, and his mood visibly plummeted whenever he wasn’t busy with something. His mood had overall improved a little bit since she’d fished him off that pond, thanks to his new occupation, but that wasn’t saying much. Whatever was plaguing him was still there.

Julian rarely ever talked about his world. In fact, he also barely ever talked about the pond, or about the progress Eldrin was making in trying to reproduce whatever magic had happened the day he’d landed in Philomena’s care. It seemed like going back wasn’t something that he even considered anymore.

The few times they’d talked about his previous home had been to compare their realms, which had very quickly allowed them to confirm what they’d already been almost certain of; Julian had landed in a completely different world from his own.

Meanwhile, Eldrin had taken a look at the mysterious pond. From what he’d told Philomena, there were indeed traces of magic surrounding it, but there wasn’t that much left, just enough for the phenomenon to be annoyingly tricky to understand. Still, the old man wasn’t one to give up so easily, and had dedicated part of his time to the study of the pond. He’d made progress, but it remained tedious, as he had to try to craft an entire spell mostly by trial and error. Philomena had told him he didn’t have to spend so much of his time on it, as Julien seemed to be adapting very well, but Eldrin was a stubborn individual, and he liked the challenge, apparently. Oh, well.

- - -

It was two and a half months after Julian’s arrival that Philomena finally decided to take on a more direct approach to Julian’s problem. Now that she’d known him for a little while, she had been able to pick up on some of his quirks and general behavior, as well as learn a bit more about him in general. He wasn’t a very talkative person, but he’d eventually shared some of his life story with her, once she’d gained more of his trust.

Over time, with some careful questions here and there, she’d managed to progressively get closer and closer to figuring out a way to help her young ward. In the end, she’d gotten a pretty good idea of what to do. She wasn’t certain of what his problem was, but she had narrowed it down enough that she was confident she would be able to help him.

The last step of her plan had been to pay a visit to Aldrin. When she’d explained her intentions to him, the old man had simply smiled before gathering a few instruments and getting to work, inviting Philomena to help him. A few hours later, she’d left with some very specific ingredients, ready to put everything in motion.

- - -

Julian was almost certain something wasn’t right. Well, nothing was exactly wrong, but Philomena seemed particularly giddy this morning, having quickly declared during breakfast that they were to work on “a special potion” together. Other than that, she’d been very tight-lipped about her mysterious project.

Julian, obviously, was becoming very curious. He’d been making potions and cultivating plants for several weeks now, and he’d seen some pretty incredible things in that time. Philomena had taught him to brew potions, using the correct ingredients and infusing them with magic, and had shown him what each and every one of them was capable of. Unnatural reflexes, night vision, improved strength and stamina, instant cures to illnesses and injuries, those were only a few of the more impressive examples he’d seen in action, some of them he even tested himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what deserved to be called “special” when compared to these.

Once breakfast was over, Philomena and Julian made their way to their little workspace, both very excited for very different reasons. Once they entered, it was obvious to Julian that everything had been prepared ahead of time. He could see a myriad of plants, ingredients and tools had been neatly aligned on a table, as well as a few books and parchments lying open here and there. Interestingly, Julian noted that he didn’t recognize most of what he could see on the table.

“What are we making?” he asked, looking between Philomena and the organized mess before him.

“I already told you, dear, it’s a surprise,” she answered, a mysterious smile on her face. “Here, take this and follow the instructions,” she quickly said, holding out a piece of parchment.

Figuring he wouldn’t get any answers for now, Julian wordlessly took the list out of her hands and got to work, Philomena doing the same. Together, they cut, crushed and mixed everything, Julian meticulously following the parchment’s and Philomena’s directions.

By the time noon was nearing, they’d made significant progress towards their goal. Because certain parts of the process required to let things simmer for a bit, Philomena decided now would be a good time to take a break and eat something. Together, they made their way to the living room, grabbing a basket of fruits along the way, fully intent on simply relaxing after a long morning of work.

Of course, with nothing busying his mind, Julian’s curiosity had come back in full force. He didn’t want to push too much and risk annoying Philomena, he respected her too much for that, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking at least one question.

“Could you at least tell me what we’re making this for?” he asked.

“Not what, who” She corrected, before hesitating. “And we’re making it for you, dear.”

“For me? Why would I need it?” he asked.

“So many questions, and so little patience,” she teased, smiling softly at him.

“Sorry,” he said, turning his head away. “I didn’t mean to bother you, it’s just that I can’t help it.”

“Don’t be ashamed of your questions, hon, curiosity is a great motivator to learn,” she said gently, pulling him into a hug, which he hesitantly returned with the tiniest of smiles. She’d been progressively showing more and more affection to him, and though he was a bit shy at first, he’d grown used to it.

“Alright,” she said a few moments later, breaking the hug. “Let’s get back to work, so we can finish this potion before your head bursts.”

And so they got back to it. The potion was nearly finished, only the final touches needing to be made, and to then put everything together. Before long, the fruit of their efforts sat in front of them.

Sitting on the table where all of their work had taken place was a big flask made of glass. Inside, Julian could see its content slowly swirling, various shades of pinks and blue gently moving and mixing together. It was beautiful, the vivid colors unlike any he had seen before.

Carefully, Philomena approached the flask before taking it in both hands, breaking Julian out of his trance. “Come on, let’s go somewhere more comfortable, and I’ll answer your questions,” she said softly, almost nervously, pushing the door open and making her way towards the couch.

Once Julian had joined her, sitting opposite of her on the other couch, she looked at him with a worried smile before taking a deep breath.

“This,” she started, carefully brushing the glass vial with her slender fingers, “is what we call a potion of True Form.”

“A potion of True Form?” Julian echoed, brow slightly furrowed. Why would he need it?

“Yes. It’s used to change one’s body so it fits closer to their ideal form. It’s very versatile, but pretty hard to make.”

“You said we brewed it for me,” at her nod, he continued, confused. “Why? I don’t understand.”

“Because I know you’re unhappy. Ever since you’ve arrived here, I’ve been able to see that something was bothering you. You’re in pain, and you don’t even seem to acknowledge it. I believe the potion should help.” She answered cryptically.

“But I’m okay with my body as it is, I’m fine with the way I am!” He protested.

“If that’s the case, the potion won’t do anything and I promise to never bring it up again,” she countered, keeping her tone gentle. “But please, Julian, take the time to really think about it. Is there absolutely nothing you’d like to change about yourself? Isn’t there anything about your appearance bothering you?” She almost pleaded.

“I…” Julian paused, looking down at the potion in thought. He tried to picture himself as he was, then imagined his body with different attributes he didn’t have. He tried to envision himself having more muscle, being taller, with a different hair color even, but nothing seemed to fit. In fact, the exercise revealed itself to be particularly distressing. Unbeknownst to him, his face had progressively taken a more and more pained expression during his introspection before he had to stop.

“No,” he finally answered, gazing back at Philomena, looking like a lost child. “There’s nothing I can think of, but… Why, I…I don’t…? ”

Seeing her young ward’s confusion and distress, Philomena immediately stood up and went to sit down next to Julian, embracing him into a tight hug.

“It’s alright, take deep breaths.” she soothed. “I won’t make you drink the potion if you don’t want to, but I can promise you that you won’t regret it if you do. The “worst” case scenario is that you’re right and nothing happens, but I don’t think that’s likely. I really think this could help. Please? Will you drink it?”

“I…”

“I know it’s scary, to have everything change, but I promise that no matter what happens, I’ll be there.” She continued, lightly rubbing his back.

“Okay…” Julian finally said, in a small voice, eyes fixed on the ground. Philomena’s face broke out into a smile, tightening her embrace for a few instants.

“Take your time,” Philomena said, slowly breaking the hug, her hand still resting on his back.

Julian took a deep breath, before looking at Philomena, who just stared back with an encouraging smile. Finally, he let his eyes wander towards, the flask. Carefully taking it with both hands, he uncorked it and drank half of its content.

- - -

There. He’d done it. Julian’s heart was beating fast in his chest, as he was anxiously waiting for something to happen. Philomena gently took the half-empty potion from his hands and set it back on the table, as he was too distracted to do so himself.

It didn’t take long before Julian started feeling something. Despite his agitated state, he could feel himself becoming sleepy, a wave of dizziness passing over him. As he was swaying slightly, Philomena caught him and laid him down on the couch.

“It’s alright, it’s just starting to take effect. Try to relax, okay?” she said reassuringly.

 Julian tried to answer, but he found that moving any part of his body proved to be extremely difficult. Soon enough, his vision got blurry, and he was out only moments later.

- - -

The first thing Julian felt when he woke up was warmth. Opening his eyes, he could see the now familiar ceiling of his room. Slowly, as he got progressively more aware of himself and his surrounding, he could tell that something was different. His body felt weird, as if everything was quite not where it should be. Weakly, he pulled at his blanket, realizing it seemed bigger than before.

Regaining his senses, Julian sat up, looking down at his body as he did so. Everything was coming back to him, the potion, the discussion with Philomena, and him passing out. Once upright, he was surprised by locks of ash brown hair appearing in his field of view. Heart racing, he pulled them away, frantically trying to get a better look at the rest of himself. He was only wearing a baggy shirt, and was struck by the sight of his arms and legs. They were entirely smooth, and had gotten a very slender shape.

Now full on panicking, Julian shakily tried to get out of bet, only to get his feet tangled in the sheets, leading him to fall flat on the ground, a painful “ow” escaping his mouth. With a start, he realized his voice was completely different, sounding high and breathy.

It didn’t take long for Philomena to barge into the room, having heard Julian’s body hitting the floor. When she saw he was unharmed, she let out a sigh of relief, before quickly approaching the confused teen. She pulled his blanket around him before embracing him into a hug.

“Deep breaths, it’s okay, I’m here,” she said quietly, rocking him back and forth.

“I’m-I-I’m,” he stammered, trying to regain control of his erratic breathing.

“You’re a girl,” she finished for him. “How are you feeling?”

“I-I don’t-I-I”

“Deep breaths, dear, take your time,” she said soothingly.

Julian took a minute to calm down, before he tried speaking again. “Why?” he asked, blushing when he realized how whiny he’d sounded.

“I can’t answer that for you, as much as I wish I could,” she replied absentmindedly stroking his back. “What I can tell you, however, is that I started to suspect you weren’t comfortable in your body a few weeks ago, when I saw the mirror in your room was facing the wall.” She continued, pointing at said mirror. “Other than that, there was your preference for baggy clothes that tipped me off, and after I got to know you a bit better, I decided the potion was the best way to try it out, since it wouldn’t do anything to you that you didn’t want.”

Julian contemplated her words silently, looking down at his hands. Could she be right? Is this what he really wanted?

“Come on, let’s get off the floor, I’ll make us some tea,” she said, breaking the hug and standing up.

Julian followed her, still lost in his thoughts. Now that he’d calmed down a little, he realized that he was feeling oddly light. He’d been surprised by the change, of course, and was still feeling a little bit nervous about everything, but at the same time it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his heart. More than that, he felt happy.

Julian was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of teacups being placed on the table. He’d been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t even realized he’d gone and sat down in the living room. Glancing up, he could see Philomena, smiling knowingly at him.

“What?” he asked, confused.

“You were smiling,” she answered, her own expression remaining unchanged. “You’re practically glowing, actually, it’s really heartening to see. Does that mean you like the change?”

“I don’t know…Isn’t it wrong for me to want this? I’m a guy!” she exclaimed confusedly.

“Oh, sweetie…” She said softly, before sitting down next to Julian. “Of course it isn’t wrong, you’re allowed to be yourself. I know it’s a big change, but give it some time, I don’t think you’ll regret it.”

 “Tell you what,” she continued, seeing Julian remain silent. “Why don’t you think of a new name? It doesn’t have to be anything permanent, and we can stop at anyt-“

“Flora,” he said, suddenly looking up and cutting her off.

Taken aback, it took a second for Philomena to understand, before she smiled at her ward. “Flora it is then, that’s a nice name. You came up with it really quickly, though.”

Flora blushed. “I don’t know, it just came naturally…” she mumbled.

“You don’t have to justify yourself, Flora, especially not to me.”

Flora’s heart soared at hearing her new name, which confused her to no end. Nonetheless, she smiled happily and quickly hugged Philomena. Before long, tears of happiness were rolling down her cheeks.

“Thank you so much, thank you,” she repeated again and again, sobs wracking her body.

“You’re very much welcome, hon. I’ll always be there when you need me. I promise,” she answered, slowly rocking Flora back and forth, tears of her own pooling around her eyes.

- - -

In the following months, many things changed. Leenora and its inhabitants became reacquainted with Flora, which was of course readily accepted by the whole community. It was obvious to everyone around her she was happier this way and the reputation she’d previously built helped immensely.

About 9 months after Flora’s transformation, Eldrin finally managed to piece together a spell that allowed the pond’s portal to function once again. Even though both Philomena and Flora had insisted he didn’t need to bother, he’d become captivated with the project and decided to pursue it to its end. Even if he knew Flora would never step through it again, there was still the possibility of another poor soul being transported to their world, after all.

Philomena and Flora’s continued their work together, until Flora asked her one day if she would adopt her. Philomena instantly accepted, both of them ending in a tearful embrace. Thanks to the bond that had developed between them, they would never be lonely again.

In the end, everything had indeed gone right.