Sam nervously fidgeted, playing with her hands as she kept an eye out for Anthony. He had sent her a message ten minutes ago that he was on his way. She was nursing a tea from the bookstore coffee shop in an attempt to calm her nerves. The nice lady commented on how pretty she was in her dress. Which she accepted with a smile, even though she felt nauseous. She came early because sitting around her house worrying was giving her a headache. Anthony was a good dude, always willing to go out of his way to help someone in need, but she was still nervous that he wouldn’t accept her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she awaited him.

     She saw his car come around the corner and park near the entrance to the bookstore. He got out of his car and walked over to the entrance before looking around for her. His eyes locked onto hers, and he smiled nervously before taking his phone from his back pocket.

     I’m here, where are you? He texted, the notification popping up in the corner of her vision. There’s this really cute girl here, but I don't see you. 

     Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she texted him back. He looked up from his phone and stared at her. His eyes wide, a slight blush on his face.

     “I wasn’t expecting this today,” he said, walking over to her. “You look wonderful, by the way,” he added, rubbing the back of his head.

     “I believe you said cute,” she teased. 

     “Which I stand by,” he responded matter-of-factly, making her blush again. “Man, Kenji is going to lose it.”

     “Why?”

     “Cause he was so convinced you were secretly a girl the entire time,” he replied, opening the door for her as the two of them headed inside.

     “I mean technically. Though I’m actually trans,” she frowned.

     “Still all girl to me,” he said proudly, “and a damn beautiful one.”

     “So I went from cute to beautiful?”

     “Hell yea, and I’m not afraid to admit I’m really liking your new look,” he said. Admiring her appearance, her neatly styled hair, the slight amount of makeup she wore, her dress, and complimenting shoes. She blushed as he looked her over, her eyes doing the same.

     He was taller than her, not by much, but it was enough that she had to look up slightly to look in his eyes. His close-cropped hair was slightly curly, his brown eyes warm and inviting. He was slightly muscled from helping out in his dad’s shop. He was the exact kind of manly she didn’t want to be. But on him, it looked good. The two teens realized what they were doing and both looked forward, their cheeks red.

     “So how was your vacation?” she asked, wanting to break the silence that had fallen between them.

     “Boring,” he said bluntly, “we just sat around the stupid boat. They said there was a lot to do, but there really wasn’t. I wish I had stayed behind, you look like you had a lot more fun.” He winked at her, making her heart flutter. “What about you?”

     “I started playing that new game, Loreth. It’s been super fun,” she answered excitedly, a grin playing across her face.

     “Oh, I heard about that one. It's super realistic, right?”

     “Yea, it’s been so fun. I’m a Flower Nymph, and I got a super unique start, I'm the daughter of a goddess” she bragged. 

     “So the game made you a girl?”

     “I was always a girl, I was just a little confused and only got halfway,” she pouted.

     “I suppose that's true,” he agreed with a laugh. “Maybe I should play that game too, as long as I have someone smart, cute, and funny to help me out,” he teased.

     “Now you’re hitting on me?” She asked jokingly. 

     “Maybe a little,” he murmured, his face slightly red.

     Her cheeks turned pink as she sputtered and looked at the ground. The pair walked in silence, both too flustered to speak.

     “Do you wanna watch a movie?” Sam asked, gesturing to the theater.

     “Sure, I’d love to,” he smiled.

 

*****

 

     “Now see, that just isn’t fair!” he cried.

     The movie they chose was about a magic academy where people who had the gift of magic but never were able to realize it, were given a second opportunity. Given the option to become a familiar for a young wizard, helping enhance their partner's magic with the untapped potential in their bodies. And in so doing gained limited amounts of magic themselves, necessary to assist their partner. 

     The school was assaulted by a former familiar who turned to dark arts to enact his revenge, and bring ‘justice’ for the students who were ‘forced’ to become familiars. The special effects were amazing, and were supplemented by an interactive CiD mode installed in the theater.

     “It's not my fault I brought my CiD,” she teased, patting his back comfortingly. Her best friend lamenting the fact he didn't have one and vowing to get one himself. 

     “So,” he began, rubbing his arm awkwardly, “do you wanna go somewhere else?”

     “Well,” she began, pressing her arms against her chest. She was immediately flooded with feelings of wrongness as her arms rested against her flat chest. Feelings that once again despite her wishes, and desires, despite the fact she was presenting femme. That she was just an imposter. After all, she had never had problems with her gender before. And honestly, she still enjoyed being androgynous outwardly. She never really felt bad wearing boy clothes, or being mistaken for one on the rare occasion.

     So why do I feel so wrong? She asked herself internally. She hadn’t felt this way until she became Myrra. 

     “Are you alright? You kind of drifted away there,” Anthony was looking at her with concern. 

     “Sorry, I'm just a little conflicted,” she apologized.

     “Do you wanna talk about it?”

     “I'm not sure if what I’m doing is right,” she whispered after a momentary hesitation. 

     “What do you mean?”

     “I was happy with my body before. But since I started playing Loreth I haven't been.”

     “Were you happy?”

     “I didn’t feel bad about it.”

     “But were you happy?”

     Was she happy? In reality, she was happier as Myrra, she felt more, right. But she didn’t dislike her old body.

     “I think I might be trans non-binary, if that's even possible,” she remarked.

     “Why wouldn’t it be?”

     “I dunno isn't that like, being an imposter or something? I don’t really mind what people refer to me as, I just want a female body.”

     “Says who? Some person you’ve never met nor ever will.”

     She stared at him, dumbfounded, before giggling.

     “You’re right,” she beamed.

     “There, you’re much prettier when you smile. Now how about we get some food. And you can tell me all about this cool game you’ve been playing.”

 

*****

 

     “I’m home,” Sam cried as she walked through the door.

     “Welcome home,” Kat said from the living room.

     “Oh, I wasn't expecting you back already.”

     “Come here,” her sister said, patting the cushion next to her.

     “How come you’re not in game?” she asked, sitting next to her.

     Kat didn't reply, instead pulling her sister close and hugging her. “I just wanted to be here when you got back. So how was your date?” 

     “Ugh, it wasn’t a date,” she replied with a slight frown. “But it was fun, we hung out and played some games, saw a movie and had dinner at a nice restaurant. He said he's going to get himself a CiD, so we can play Loreth together.”

     “So you hung out all day, watched a movie, made plans to hang out in a virtual world, and had dinner, and you don’t consider that a date? I wonder how steamy a ‘date’ is for you.” 

     Sam pouted as her sister teased her.

     “Kay now you’re just being cute on purpose. Anyway, since you ate, I'm assuming you don’t want dinner?”

     “I’ll eat it tomorrow for lunch,” she replied.

     “Ok, let's jump in game,” Kat said, holding her sister tight.

     “Alright, but you have to let me go first.”

     “Fine,” she pouted, releasing the girl. “Don’t take too long getting on.” Kat stood up and walked into her room, looking back at her sister before closing the door.

     Sam shook her head and made her way to the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of juice and downed it before going to her room. After deciding which pair of pajamas to wear, she lied down and jumped into game. 

     Her vision flashed white, and she found herself staring up at the ceiling. She took in the sight for a moment before her sister appeared overhead. The small girl lying in her big sister's lap.

     “Morning, sleepy head,” Kat said, looking down with a smile.

     “Hi…” she trailed off. “Can I get down?” 

     “Awww why? Let's just snuggle for a little bit.”

     “Ok,” she sighed, resigning herself to her fate.

 

 

     She pulled up her status since she was trapped by her sister and saw a new title, as well as her weird garbled ones. She thought that hitting level ten might have revealed them. On a whim, she decided to appraise one.

 

 G𝙹↸ sᒷᒷ↸ꖎ╎リ⊣

T⍑ᒷ ᓭᒷᒷ↸ 𝙹⎓ ↸╎⍊╎リ╎ℸ ̣ || ↸∴ᒷꖎꖎᓭ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ ||𝙹⚍. Mᔑ∷ꖌ╎リ⊣ ||𝙹⚍ ᔑᓭ ᔑ ⎓⚍ℸ ̣ ⚍∷ᒷ g𝙹↸. Y𝙹⚍∷ ↸𝙹ᒲᔑ╎リ ╎ᓭ ʖᔑᓭᒷ↸ 𝙹リ ||𝙹⚍∷ ᓭ!¡𝙹リᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ, ʖ⚍ℸ ̣  ||𝙹⚍∷ リᔑℸ ̣ ⚍∷ᒷ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ʖᒷ ↸ᒷᓵ╎↸ᒷ↸ ʖ|| ||𝙹⚍∷ ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ╎𝙹リᓭ. G╎⍊ᒷᓭ ╎リᓵ∷ᒷᔑᓭᒷ↸ ⊣∷𝙹∴ℸ ̣ ⍑, ᔑリ↸ !¡∷𝙹ℸ ̣ ᒷᓵℸ ̣ ╎𝙹リᓭ ⎓∷𝙹ᒲ ᔑꖎꖎ リᒷ⊣ᔑℸ ̣ ╎⍊ᒷ ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑℸ ̣ ⚍ᓭ ᔑ╎ꖎᒲᒷリℸ ̣ ᓭ.

 

     Just like she thought, the description was also garbled. She turned her attention to her new title.

 

Daughter of Two Worlds

This child bears a strong love for her mother, one that is powerful enough to transcend reality. A bond that can pierce the veil between worlds. The bond is so strong that her mother is able to bestow her blessing unto the child. Providing a bonus to growth and experience.

 

     “Whatcha doing?” Kat asked.

     “I'm reading a new title I got,” the small girl replied.

     “Another one? What is it?”

     She thought for a moment about telling her, but she knew it wouldn’t go well. “I don’t know, it's messed up,” she said, referring to her other title.

     “What do you mean?” 

     “It's in some weird text. I can’t read it.”

     “Huh…” she drifted off, running her hands through the Nymphs hair.

     “Sissy?” the older girl continued to run her hands through her hair, her tail swishing slowly behind her. “Sissy?” she said louder.

     “Hmm?”

     “Are we going to go adventuring?”

     “Do we have to?” she asked softly.

     “We have to get stronger,” the small girl replied.

     “I suppose,” she murmured, a look of worry crossing her face.

     “What happened with the cave?”

     “I returned the backpack, and reported our findings,” she explained, pulling the small girl up to sit in her lap. “They informed me that an investigation will be done on the cave and the necromancer tome we retrieved.”

     “That's good,” she sighed, wiggling to a more comfortable position. “Are we going to go adventuring?”

     “Let's just relax for now,” she replied.

     “If that's what you want,” she sighed. She settled into her sister's arms and planned out her next plan. It was obvious to her that she needed to get stronger. If it wasn’t for Kat severely weakening that enemy, she wouldn’t have been able to beat it. And in the end she still died, though she did get to meet her aunt, so it wasn't an entire loss. 

     They sat for over an hour before Kat spoke. 

     “Ok, let's go get a job from the guild.”