“Okay.” Ken kept his face straight as she asked, “If you can create things, can’t you just recreate me again, this time on purpose, using your technology?”
Perkons settled down where she was standing and looked at Ken seriously. “We could do as you ask, but then the work the light did on you would be undone, and you would be rendered incapable of carrying out your duties and responsibilities.” With narrowed eyes, Perkons stretched his back. “We won’t change you back to the way you were until this war is over, assuming you still wish so.”
“Wha…” Ken shook her head in disbelief, but then nodded in acceptance. She had made a deal for the sake of saving his own life, that of the angel and her friends too. It was against her moral code to welch on a bargain she’d made, even if she’d agreed out of necessity. “Fair… A deal’s a deal, god… But what about my parents? They won’t recognize me... I could very well end up homeless because of all this.”
Thinking for a long moment, Perkons shrugged. “My apologies, Miss Aurora, for your distress, but don’t worry. While we can’t influence your parents, we can offer you shelter and provide everything else you require, even housing...”
Blinking in surprise, Ken took a deep breath, nearly collapsing. Were the Felicitas offering to give her everything she possibly could want in exchange for her services? Who wouldn't accept that offer? It wasn’t a bad offer, all things considered. Yet she hesitated, despite how tempting Perkon’s offer was.
“As soon as this war of yours… ours… is over. You’ll kick me to the curb, right?” Ken chuckled.
Perkons growled and drew back for a long moment and shook his… their head in disbelief. Despite what Perkons had said about the Felicitas not having a chosen gender or one assigned at birth, Ken preferred to think Perkons as a male, considering how he sounded and acted. They didn’t seem to mind either way.
“That is an incorrect assumption. We have infinite resources… except for our Lodestaran — these desperate days.”
“What do you mean?” Ken asked, thinking.
“Hmmm…” Perkons shrugged. “Once the Lodestaran were far more common throughout the universe, but few exist today. After this war is over, assuming the Lodestar won us the war, those who survive will have earned a lifetime of rich rewards. Your pension, assuming you survive, will be extremely generous.”
It was a fair deal and far more than Ken would have ever expected. That ‘assuming you survive’ was ominous, but that being a Lodestar meant mortal danger almost went without saying.
“... I need to convince my parents to accept me. Can you help me?”
Perkons fell silent and pressed a series of… something on his panel, and in moments the light in the room intensified, once again blinding Ken, but this time temporarily. She felt something warm clinging to her body. Her eyes cleared and regained sight, and she found herself wearing a blue dress. The skirt reached down to her feet and as she took a step with her crutches she felt the fabric tickling her ankles. The top was fastened at her shoulders with thin straps and pleated fabric at her chest, baring the skin above her breasts. Her arms were bare and her hair gathered behind her by something into a ponytail.
“Do you approve?” Perkons asked as he snapped his digits and another mirror appeared and Ken turned, examining herself. Elegant… me? Her hair was bound in a fluffy-looking blue elastic thing made out of the same colored fabric.
“It’s… lovely, but it’s not really me…” Ken finally managed to say. “Jeans and a shirt would be fine.”
“Hmmm…” Perkons chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”
“What?” Ken blinked at the open amusement Perkons wore.
Perkons looked at Ken thoughtfully. “I wonder what you will think about it in the future..”
Ken laughed aloud, jumping out of joy. He grinned broadly. The Felicitas were now gazing inwards at him from their reconvened circle. Soon after he had regained the ability to walk unassisted, he was summoned back. They were recalled to the top of the grassy hill, the first illusionary setting that Ken experienced after walking through Perkons’ portal.
He wasn’t sure about this, but guessed that this chamber might be the heart of their spaceship.
“Are you now satisfied, Lodestar Aurora? Will you serve us faithfully?” They intoned in unison, using their creepy telepathic synchronization.
“Yes! Thank you for fixing my body. I feel like I could do anything right now.” Ken laughed in relief, clenching his fist and flexing his arm. “I thought I’d be stuck as a girl for the rest of my life.”
The Felicitas fell silent, glancing momentarily at each other in a somewhat suspicious way.
One of Ken’s eyebrows raised. “What’s going on here?”
Wait… could it be?
Ken waved his hands in denial. “Perkons here said that you wouldn’t change me back, but here I am! I know this arm.” He held the one he flexed up. “And my body is back to normal,” he said firmly.
He was filled with relief for his transformation to have truly ended. With his body restored, even the idea of having to sometimes serve as a buxom angelic magical girl now and again couldn’t get him down at all. In fact, being a Lodestar might even bring some zest to his life.
“Ahem…” One of the Felicitas finally spoke, this time alone, their higher pitched voice annoyed. “Lodestar Aurora, unfortunately your original gender will not be truly reverted.”
Ken’s eyes widened and he recoiled as though dealt a blow. “Wh-what…?” He looked around him, wanting to disbelieve that his apparent restoration wasn’t a nasty trick.
“You will serve as the light itself ordained. That is for the best, Lodestar Aurora, do you understand? This wasn’t done to you out of cruelty. Your current appearance was intended to be a test and based on your reaction to it, we now believe that with the use of a little of our technology, a clever illusion that makes you appear the same as you were, this will provide you a tool to resolve your identity issue with your family.” They looked at each other again thoughtfully.
Ken was dismayed. He didn’t want to believe what the Felicitas were telling him. “This is just fucking more fucking illusions? B-but just look at…! I-I’m…” His hand was clearly larger than before, answering questions that he had. His female build was truly smaller and more slight than his old body. How could an illusion placed on him have fooled him? That seemed highly unlikely. Surely he would feel something?
The moment he’d entered this room with Perkons at his side, he’d noticed one difference. The dress he was wearing had disappeared and when he looked down he saw the same clothes he was wearing while playing basketball with Oye and Beppu. Everything was finally as it should be as though he’d been asleep. He even thought he felt the change take place when the ‘illusion’ was placed on him, even though it came over him in a blink. He was momentarily heated up by something.
“As said, how you appear now is merely an illusion. I’m sorry for the confusion, but you must understand that this was done to help you,” Perkons said, “When you begged for our aid, everyone heard your plea and considered the matter amongst themselves. I was advised of their plan. In the end, it will be up to you what you choose to do, but this is the most we can do to aid with convincing your parents that you are their child.”
“... But… I…” Ken shook his head, licking his lips. It had to be a lie. Wasn’t it?
“Place your hands on your chest to confirm the truth of our words,” Perkons commanded.
Although Ken was afraid to follow Perkons’ suggestion, he did as told. His arms lifted and as his hands slapped against his chest, they bounced inches away from where his chest apparently was… and he felt a pair of breasts again. “Ahhhhhh!” They felt so natural and strangely light, because his new body felt so normal that when the illusion was placed on him, he didn’t feel any different than he always had. It was too easy to believe that they had taken mercy on him and restored him. Now feeling foolish, Ken’s head hung, but he smiled slightly in resignation.
The Felicitas intoned together, “We can provide you a portable device that you can wear outside the ship. The device would give you the full outward appearance of your old self to anyone looking at you from a distance or even up close. If you accept this offer, you can attend your school, clad in illusions. This way, you can be reunited with your parents, but there is a condition…” they trailed off and waited.
“A condition?” Ken asked, his lips twisting. “Another?”
“Obviously,” the Felicitas continued, “You must not come into physical contact with your family and friends. It would be fine to shake hands with them, but embracements would be ill-advised. What someone felt in the process would be as disturbing to them as yourself and your illusion would be compromised. Do you understand?”
To never touch his friends or family again. To live a lie while serving the Felicitas didn’t sit well with Ken. Something about that bothered him.
She was deeply disappointed, but resigned.
Ken had a difficult choice to make. What would she choose to do? Refuse the illusionary device that Felicitas offered him or pretend that he was the same Ken with the aid of their devices?
He must decide between living a lie, or confessing to his family and face the consequences.
What of his friends, Nick Oye, Jered Beppu and the poor Tommy Nichols, bedridden after his anti-light conversion experience.
How will his experience shape Tommy’s life?
Similarly, Ami Haruna was cocooned. Are there any lingering effects after a person is changed against their will into an anti-light creature, even partially?
Radiant Lodestar Aurora
Arc I - FIN
Arc 2 will cover Ken’s decision and how it will affect his… now her loved ones and school life...
It won’t be too long before another anti-light creature attacks...
How will the Lodestaran handle the escalating threat?
So in regards to the story, absolutely loving it, but there are a couple issues throughout the chapters I've noticed. I won't bother with the typos since they were rare, but sometimes you miss a word in a sentence. The other thing is, sometimes you'll give names to things that the current character POV shouldn't know. Nowhere are we told that purple God is named Perkins, and if it's a nickname, nowhere do we get told the character decided on that. Same just in this chapter, when did Ken learn it was Ami in the cocoon? He, now she, only knew her as Glacia.
Be careful with the repairs. Ideally have someone over that can hold the ladder and help with tool management. At the very least make sure the ladder is stable before climbing up.
I don't have anyone to rely on... so I'll have to make sure the ladder is stable. Maybe I can tie the ladder to something to make sure it doesn't fall away.