I awoke in some kind of black void, with barely an idea of what happened, besides simply knowing I was dead. Just some intrinsically known fact, like how you can always feel where your body parts are, even when you can’t see them, though that fact doesn’t apply to me anymore, I don’t seem to have a body! 

I say awoke, but it was more like when you doze off for a moment and then someone snaps you back to awareness of your surroundings. One moment I was having quite possibly the best morning of my life and now it’s gone, replaced by nothingness. I can’t even cry over it… just as my life begins, it ends? Really? 

It doesn’t have to be over yet, young girl.

What? Am I overthinking things? That sounded like a different voice in my head.

You’re not overthinking Aria, I’m really here.

Who are you? I would speak out loud, but I don’t have a mouth.

Do you really want me to restore your old body here? I will if you do, but you and I both know that you didn’t have much attachment to it.

I- yeah you have a point there. I suppose this conversation can continue like this. So are you like… a god or something?

Goddess actually, of another realm. The Goddess of Humanity. I would have been your Goddess from the beginning, but there was a… complication in your birth.

A complication? Like a complication on the level of gods? How the hell does that work?

You were meant to be one of the few chosen heroes of my realm, to protect the world from any disasters that would plague us in our times of need. But the God of demons, a trickster, stole your soul from my realm’s version of what your christians call heaven, what we call paradise, and brought it down to Earth, a godless realm, to live out your days in a body that doesn’t match your soul. 

Wait, so that’s why I’m trans? Because of this trickster god? Is that the same for all trans people on Earth?

To be honest, I don’t know. The gods of our realm don’t have omnipotence over Earth, only the ability to observe from afar. To be honest, we aren’t supposed to interfere in its matters at all, but he decided to break that rule so that he could unleash a calamity in what would’ve been your original time of protection. If I had to guess, there might be a few other humans who have similar experiences on Earth, but not many. 

That makes sense. There are plenty of reasons why people are queer besides being shoved into a body that doesn’t match their soul, after all. So, why are you here now? Why talk to me after I’m dead?

Well, as I said, gods can’t interfere with Earth. I had to wait until your soul returned to the place between realms to speak with you again. My daughter, you have been through so much through your time on Earth, but I wish to offer you something. A chance to live the life you were meant to in the first place, as the girl you are.

My life was far from over, I’d hate for it to just end now. If you’re telling me I can live as me, as Aria, have the childhood that was stolen from me, I’ll take it in a heartbeat. I am sensing a “but” though…

Yes, there is a… but. A great disaster the likes of which no realm has ever seen is going to plague the world in 18 years. I need you and the friends and family you meet along the way to stop it together. 

So you’re telling me I get to live out my entire childhood and then fight a huge disaster and then have my entire life afterwards? Hell yeah I’ll take you up on that! I mean uh, I will most humbly take you up on your divine offer, o’ Goddess of Humanity. 

No need for formalities Aria, I know you’re excited. Do you have any more questions?

Just one: Do you know what this disaster will entail?

I’ll know more as the event gets closer, but my foresight is fuzzy beyond a decade of time. The fact that I can even see it this far out is a sign of how dangerous it will be. 

If I had a mouth, I would gulp right now. Ok, well whatever it is, I’ll take it as it comes. Train as I live my life. No reason to panic yet! 

That’s a good attitude to have, little one. Are you ready to be reborn?

Yes, just one thing though. Could you keep an eye on Troy for me? I don’t really care for my parents or many other people all that much, but he was the reason I could power through that time in college when my egg cracked. 

I will. 

Whenever you need me Aria, just send me a prayer. Though knowing you, I doubt you’ll need me too much.

Are you calling me self sufficient~? How nice of you! 

I think anyone would be, living their life in a body that doesn’t match their soul. 

Oh. Yeah, you uh… make a good point. Alright, let’s go then!

Good luck Aria!

And with that sendoff, I once again dozed off for a moment, and was awoken by the sounds of my mother in labor.

Authors note:
Thanks for reading the first two chapters everyone! I'm really feeling this story right now so expect me to write the first few chapters pretty quickly, and then I'll likely slow down my pace as time goes. Have a good day, and look forward to the next chapter in Aria's adventures!