Friday, August 29th, 2042, Residence of the Davis family, Newport, Bellevue, Washington.

Jaelith was still tucked into the recliner as if it had become a cocoon of soft, enveloping fabric when Lisa approached and sat herself on the armrest of the nearby couch, facing her with a warm expression.

"You look comfortable in that dress," she began.

"You can tell?"

"Sure," she said, beaming. "If you could see yourself, with your little fins fluttering with each breath. It's adorably cute."

Jaelith lifted a hand to one side of her head. She did not need to touch to confirm Lisa was telling the truth. But as her fingertips brushed against her fins, the fluttering stopped; self-consciousness washed over her, and she felt her cheeks flush a deep crimson. She gently pulled her hand away, and the few golden scales on her fingers shimmered in the sunlight slipping past the curtains.

Lisa tilted her head. "You know… I bought more than just one dress."

"Are you suggesting we see if the rest fits now?"

"I picked plenty that might not. But I was aiming for options. You've got a changing body, an evolving identity, and a still-developing tail," she said, a warm smile spreading as she reached out to take her spouse's hand. "That's a moving target if I've ever seen one."

Still holding Jaelith's hand, Lisa stood, stretched her back, and gently beckoned Jaelith to stand. "Come on. Let's see what works. You can veto anything, laugh at whatever feels wrong, and if you hate all of it, we'll donate the lot and go for another round. Deal?"

Jaelith hesitated. Her fingers brushed over the hem of her dress. "You think that's a good idea?"

Lisa lowered herself to Jaelith's eye level. "It's something you'll have to face sooner or later. Had anything else in mind for the morning?"

"… No, not really," Jae whispered. "Alright, let's go."

"Good." Lisa squeezed her hand before letting go and reached down for the shopping bags full of clothes.

"No, Lisa, please—let me handle these."

She froze mid-motion, her hand inches away from the handles. She straightened, folded her arms across her chest like a teacher about to give detention. "Do I need to remind you how you fainted literally twenty minutes ago, princess?"

"Yes, exactly; I fainted. Just the once! I'm not disabled yet."

Lisa arched one eyebrow, unimpressed. "Okay. Let's assume—just for fun—that this isn't your ego talking. Indulge my simple curiosity?"

Jaelith sighed, already hearing the trapdoor creaking open beneath her. "Sure. I'll bite."

Lisa's tone turned flat. "Do you even know why you fainted?"

"Huh… I ran out of MP?"

Lisa's silence, heavy and drawn-out, spoke volumes about her profound dissatisfaction with that answer.

Jaelith shrugged weakly. "I burned too much energy holding the cookie tray in the air because I had no idea what I was doing?"

Lisa gestured vaguely in the air, as if she were presenting a prize on a game show. "My point. Exactly."

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Not until we've got a firmer grasp on the limits of your newfound powers." Lisa nudged the bags with one foot. "You haven't even climbed the stairs once in this body. We don't know if you'll be able to go up, let alone while juggling anything heavier than your own pride."

Jaelith raised her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. You carry the bags. I'll carry the vibe."

Lisa snorted. "Deal. Come now. You're cleared to ascend, Your Majesty. Please don't pass out halfway."

"At least let me try blinking to the top of the stairs…"

"I don't know what this means, but—no. Absolutely not!"

Jaelith leaned to one side and gently placed the bouquet of peonies on the armrest of another couch. She then stood up cautiously, grinning with pride. "See? I can walk on my own."

Lisa snickered. "Not something I expected to hear you celebrate for at least another thirty years."

"Instead of comparing me to the elderly, maybe compare me to someone going through rehab? I feel this is closer to what's happening here."

"Right… the hair colour's throwing me off, but you're actually getting younger…"

Jaelith grimaced. "I don't know how any of this will translate over here, but Vaelith is around twenty?"

"Just my luck. My spouse found the fabled fountain of youth but didn't think to share."

"Warnings include possible involuntary race, sex change and/or awakening of latent magical powers."

Lisa hoisted the bags with a theatrical grunt. "I suppose the side-effects might make some people reconsider. Imagine if we could actually offer this to people, though? Looking to spice up your life? Seeking transition? Want to reclaim your youth? Just plug yourself in VR, and use the character creator to make the new ideal you."

"I… I imagine many would be jumping at the chance. If this were informed consent, instead of… you know… happening to people at random. Like the healer on my team, and some others…"

"You didn't consent to this, right?"

"Not that I know of, no…" Jaelith shook her head. "Unless it was part of the end-user license agreement. I didn't exactly read it through. Who does?"

Lisa frowned. "People who don't want to suddenly wake up half-dragon, perhaps?"

"Fair point." Jaelith giggled. She walked a few steps ahead of Lisa, headed toward the base of the stairs. One hand grazed the bannister for balance—her body still felt too light, too delicate—but not quite alien anymore. Progress.

Step by step, they climbed, Jaelith first, and Lisa right behind her.

"Y'know," Lisa said, peeking past her spouse's shoulder, "when you were talking to Madison… You mentioned how your character felt right."

"Mhm. More than my former body, more than this one, even…"

"So, honestly then. If the game had asked for your consent before doing this, would you have given it?"

Jaelith stopped, her right hand clutching the handrail tightly. "I… I think I would have checked with you first. But maybe? It's… not an easy hypothetical to answer, Lisa."

Lisa stopped and leaned a shoulder against the wall. "Okay, let me ask this differently, then. Don't think about me at all, and just tell me. How do you feel about tomorrow? How do you feel about next week?"

"I…" Jaelith blinked. She started climbing the stairs again. "I want this awkward phase over with, yeah… But if I get to keep my job, keep you, and just live as Vaelith? Then yeah. I think I'd be okay. Actually, no…" She paused. "I think I'd be happy."

Lisa slipped past Jaelith as they reached the second floor. "Well, sounds like we'll be going through your accelerated second puberty together, then."

That stopped Jaelith cold for half a second. Her cheeks flushed, and she smiled down at the floor, then glanced at Lisa. "You're really okay with this?"

"I married you, didn't I?" Lisa leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Don't think I expected to get a half-dragon mage-wife, but I'm not exactly mad about it."

They headed toward the bedroom. Jaelith's smile lingered. "Scales and all?"

Lisa bumped her hip. "The whole shebang."

They reached the bedroom, and Lisa emptied the contents of the bags over the bedsheets. She quickly found the scissors, needle and thread and set them aside on the vanity. Next, she grabbed two packs of underwear and handed them to Jaelith. "Go on, those should work perfectly for you."

Jaelith looked down at the plastic bags filled with simple cotton underwear; briefs and bralettes. Both packs contained half a dozen, in different colours—grey, black, nude and white.

She entered the bathroom and tore the plastic away. She picked the first article of clothing from both piles—the ones in white. "It's nothing special, just underwear," she said, trying to psych herself.

Without slipping out of the navy dress, she started with the briefs. Her tail forced her to keep the elastic band lower than she would have naturally gone for. "Okay, that's going to require some time getting used to… or maybe I need to cut a hole in them for the tail to slip through…"

Next, she took off the navy dress, making sure to turn her back to the mirror as she did. It was a silly thing to do, hiding from her own reflection, but she did it anyway. She felt far too embarrassed at the idea of staring at her bare chest. She slipped the bralette on without issue—it was almost like putting on a t-shirt or tank top.

Jaelith assumed Lisa had deliberately chosen something simple to help ease her into this new reality.

She folded her dress and gently placed it on the counter behind her, smoothing the fabric one last time with her fingertips. Then, barefoot on the cool floor, she padded back into the bedroom.

Lisa was already there, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed with a small mountain of folded clothes beside her. She perked up when Jaelith entered.

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"Alright," Lisa said, sifting through the pile. "Let's start with this one. Should be comfortable. Not too tight."

She held out a soft-looking blouse in a muted shade of teal, along with a pair of black drawstring sweatpants. Jaelith hesitated, but took them, her fingers brushing against Lisa's.

Jaelith nodded faintly, then sat down on the edge of the bed. She pulled the sweatpants up over her legs, wiggling them past her knees. The fabric bunched awkwardly at her hips, the waistband refusing to settle flat.

"The tail's a problem," she muttered. "Either the pants ride low, or we cut a hole…"

"Yeah. Pants are gonna be tricky," Lisa admitted, leaning forward to inspect. "But these are loose enough—you can probably just tuck the tail down one leg for now."

It worked, although Jaelith was not a fan of how it restricted the tail's movement and affected her sense of balance.

"It works in a pinch, but…" She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, tail dragging stiffly behind her thigh. "It's like walking with one foot in a cast."

Lisa winced in sympathy. "Okay, yeah. Not ideal. We'll keep an eye out for stuff with tail slits or maybe try adapting a pair."

Jaelith nodded absently, tugging at the waistband to try and find a more forgiving position. "Or skirts," she muttered.

"Ooh, yes. Flow. Freedom. Plus, you'd rock a maxi."

That earned Lisa a side-eye, but not a real protest.

Lisa passed her the blouse next and helped guide it over her arms, taking care not to make it feel clinical or rushed.

As Jaelith adjusted the fabric over her torso, Lisa kept up a stream of commentary.

"There was this one jacket," she said, grinning. "Hot pink, sequined shoulders, smelled like bubblegum. I almost bought it for the comedy."

Jaelith raised an eyebrow. "You didn't?"

Lisa laughed. "I have some dignity. But I can grab it if it's still there next time…"

The blouse hugged Jaelith's frame a little tighter than expected, but not uncomfortably. When she stood and looked down at herself, it felt… plausible. Not like a costume. Not like she was borrowing someone else's life. Just clothes.

Lisa gave her a once-over, then a firm nod. "Honestly? You pull it off. Is it comfy?"

Jaelith flexed her fingers, rolled one shoulder, and tested the waistband again. "It almost feels like pyjamas?"

Lisa's smile softened. "Perfect. Not everything has to be a transformation scene."

Next came a muted green t-shirt and a pair of high-waisted jeans. Lisa handed them over with a bit more hesitation this time.

"This one's a little more structured," she warned. "But the colour? Total winner."

Jaelith slipped the t-shirt on first. The fabric was soft and forgiving, draping nicely over her shoulders and chest. She glanced at herself in the mirror—this one, she liked. It felt… grounded. Like a real outfit someone might wear on a lazy Saturday.

"Cute," Lisa said, admiring the fit. "Now for the scary part."

"The pants?" Jaelith guessed.

Lisa nodded solemnly. "The denim gauntlet."

Jaelith took the jeans and stepped into them cautiously. They were snug, and even with the zipper down, getting them up past her thighs took effort. She paused, breathing out as she worked them over her hips—which had absolutely widened since yesterday. A little awkward tug, a grunt, and then—

"Tail's caught," Jaelith muttered, shimmying the waistband higher with a grimace.

Lisa crouched to help, gently lifting the back of the jeans. "Yeah, this'll need a custom tail hole."

"Even if it had one," Jaelith grunted, "I'd still have to squeeze it through the waistband…"

She twisted awkwardly, trying to thread the tail through without folding herself in half. "I am… one hundred percent not ready for jeans," she gasped, one leg bent, her tail hopelessly trapped in denim purgatory.

Lisa snorted. "Okay. Retreat. Hard veto. High-waisted was a mistake. We'll have to tailor them to your lizard bits."

"Rude," Jae muttered. "I am barely reptilian."

"'Barely' is doing a lot of work there, sweetie."

Jaelith let herself giggle, peeling out of the jeans. "Freedom…"

Lisa reached for the next outfit, a pale lavender sundress. Soft cotton. Sleeveless. A gentle flare at the hem. A tiny, fabric-covered button behind the neck. Lisa held it up, letting the light catch its subtle sheen.

Jaelith's hand hovered, not quite taking it. She hesitated.

Lisa tilted her head. "You alright?"

Jaelith exhaled through her nose. "Just… this one feels different. Like I'm crossing some kind of line."

Her voice was not defensive—just quiet, vulnerable. As if naming the feeling might give it too much power.

Lisa did not press. She simply stepped forward and offered the dress again, her voice low. "Okay. So let's cross it gently."

She helped Jaelith slide the dress over her head, careful not to tug too hard. The cotton whispered against skin and scale. Lisa moved behind her and fastened the small button at the nape of her neck, fingers barely brushing.

"No lines here," she said, her words a whisper against the quiet. "Just choices. If it feels wrong, we take it off. No questions asked."

Jaelith took the time to gather her feelings before answering. She stood still, hands smoothing down the fabric along her sides. Then she shifted, slowly, like trying to feel the air move differently around her body. She turned, just enough to meet her reflection in the mirror.

Her arms folded over her stomach—reflex, habit—but then loosened slightly.

"It's light," she murmured, voice thick. "I didn't think I could feel like this. Like…"

She blinked, hard, then swallowed. "Like I belong in a dress."

Lisa stood quietly. Her voice came soft, grounded, steady as earth. "You do."

Jaelith stood there for a long moment, hands clutching the fabric like it might vanish if she let go. The mirror showed her a shape she recognised but debated if she was allowed to claim. Her throat tightened.

"I feel like I'm stealing something," she whispered.

Lisa stepped in, slow and sure, and cupped her cheek with a hand that was warm and real and steady. Her thumb brushed gently just below Jaelith's eye, not quite catching the unshed tears.

"You're not stealing anything," Lisa said. "You're reclaiming it."

The words cracked something open—not all at once, not dramatic, just a soft give, like thawing ice. Jae leaned forward, her forehead pressing against Lisa's collarbone, her breath hitching.

"I didn't think I was allowed to want this," she said, barely above a breath.

Lisa reached for a soft knit jacket folded nearby and gently draped it over Jae's shoulders, her movements as careful as a closing hug.

"Then let me be the one to say it," she murmured, her voice steady as stone. "You're allowed."

They stayed like that for a while—quiet, grounded. No pressure to speak. No need to explain. Just the echo of a long-withheld truth being offered back.

The sudden chime of Jaelith's phone startled both of them. Jaelith walked up to the nightstand and looked down at the screen. "It's a message from M-E…"

"What is it about?"

Jaelith picked up the phone, unlocked the screen, and started reading. Her brow furrowed as she scanned through the message. "They're checking on me. Somehow they guessed I'd be stuck home with you helping me?"

Lisa walked up behind her. "You think they know?"

"Maybe?" Jaelith scrolled to the next part of the message. "They're talking about the news and how people are changing. More than just Kaelyn—a colleague from work, too. And all of their party members are, as well."

Lisa took Jaelith's left hand into both of hers and squeezed gently.

"Ah." Jaelith thumb froze, and the scrolling stopped. "M-E's changing too…"

Lisa stepped closer. "Ah, so, that's why… They assumed this might be happening to you, too."

"Yeah. She goes by Emmanuelle now. Emmy for short. And… she's asking if I'm okay."

"She, huh? You want to call her, then? Tell her how you're doing?"

"I probably should." Jaelith's thumb hovered over the call button. "But I think I'll just message her first."

"Going to tell her everything?"

"Of course. She's my best friend." Jaelith pressed the reply button and quickly typed her response.

She barely had enough time to set the phone down when it rang again—this time with an incoming call.

Jaelith hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen. She glanced at Lisa, who nodded gently. "It's okay. You can do this."

Jaelith swallowed and tapped accept, setting it to speakerphone. "Hello?" Her voice cracked—half from nerves, half from the unfamiliar softness in her own tone.

"Hey. You sound different."

The voice on the other end was not Elyssia's, nor was it M-E's, but somewhere in between. Something gentler. Lighter.

"Hey Emmy. You sound different, too." Jae sat down on the edge of the bed. "Guess we both won the transformation lottery?"

"Ah, yeah. I guess we have! But reading your reply… You didn't actually answer my question," Emmy breathed. "Are you okay?"

Jaelith chuckled, nerves still fluttering in her chest. "Ah, right, sorry? I thought it was implicit… Yeah, things are okay. Lisa's been a huge help, of course. I would be way over my head without her around."

"Oof. Good. I'm relieved she's there," Emmy said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, you know?"

"Sorry? What for?"

"This! Everything?" Emmy rushed. "It's my fault you joined the game. It's my fault your life was just turned upside down."

The outburst made Jaelith go still. A long breath escaped her, almost involuntarily. "It's not your fault, Emmy. You couldn't have known. Plus, there's nothing to be sorry about. I think… I think I'm actually okay with this, you know?"

From the other end, there was a soft rustling—Emmy moving, maybe sitting down.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have messaged you about this," Jaelith said. "I should have told you yesterday. But yesterday was a lot."

"How long had you known?" Emmy asked.

"Ever since I woke up? The changes were obvious. I think Kaelyn might have known, too. We almost talked about it, but then she shut me out. Probably didn't want to involve a stranger with something so private."

"Wow… to think… You stayed in the game, ran dungeons, grinded levels and crafting professions… all while you knew this was happening to your body outside of the game?"

Lisa shook her head, a look of disbelief mixed with amusement on her face.

"I don't know about you, but staying in the real world did not sit well with me yesterday. I was extremely ill. Being online really helped, believe it or not."

"Well, sure. But that's avoiding the problem. Problems don't go away just because you turn your back on them."

"Actually, in this case, it actually did. I'm feeling much better today." Jaelith chuckled. "I know avoidance's not a recommended strategy. But it was much better than the alternative."

"Look, I'm not your head doctor. You can have a chat with Lisa about your coping strategies later."

With a firm, silent nod, Lisa emphasised her agreement with Emmy's suggestion.

"But enough about the past. You're turning into Vaelith, then? What are you going to do about your job? Your marriage? Your name?"

"For now, I'm on medical leave from work—"

"—Ah, you too? Work has put me in quarantine. They're afraid my avatar might be contagious."

"Huh. Since it seems to affect party members, maybe there is some validity to this concern…"

"Oh, sorry, I kinda interrupted. What about the rest?"

"Right. Lisa's sticking with me. For now, at least? As for my name, I'm undecided. Going with Jae or Jaelith for the time being, since that's easy."

"Works for me. Nice to meet you, Jae."

"… Thanks." Jaelith felt her cheeks burn. "And likewise, Emmy."

"You mind if I ask a personal question?"

"Huh? I don't mind, but Lisa's right here beside me…."

"Hey Emmy." Lisa leaned closer to the phone. "I can leave if it makes you two more comfortable?"

"Oh? I don't mind. Jae might. You can decide if you want to answer or not… It's just that. If you're okay with turning into Vaelith and changing your name like that… Are you trans?"

Jaelith blinked, unsure how to answer the question. "Huh. I don't know. Am I? Do I have to be trans to be okay with this?"

"Perhaps some flavour of it…" Lisa replied first.

"Look, nobody can put a label on you if you don't want it. You don't have to call yourself transgender if you don't want to. But if turning into a dracan girl isn't freaking you out, then you know, maybe you are. And maybe you have always been."

"Okay, sure. But you're not freaking out about turning into Elyssia. Does that mean you're trans, then?"

"As I said, whether or not I'm freaked out doesn't have to mean anything. But, yes. I am. I haven't been transitioning or anything, though. Sorry, I never actually told you. Or anyone, for that matter. That… was a secret I convinced myself I'd take to the grave."

"Oh… I'm so sorry! I never noticed. Does this make me an awful friend?"

Lisa shook her head, chuckling. "… More like the oblivious and accidentally perfect ally."

"Like Lisa says. Actually, it could have strained our relationship, if you had realised earlier and called me out on it. Trust me, it's better this way."

"Hey… This makes me wonder. We know Kaelyn's affected, but we don't know how she's dealing with this. And we don't know what's going on with Leoric at all. Should we check on them? We probably should?"

"You're right. I think I could get Kaelyn's contact info if I ask a friend of mine—she got her details yesterday. As for Leoric, we'd have to check if they're online. Maybe we'll catch Kaelyn online too, then."

"Wait—you want us to log back in?"

"Not only is it the only way to contact him, but it's our best bet to figure out why this is happening in the first place?"

"Figure out why? Does it matter?"

"I'd like to know if this is temporary, if it can be undone, or if it can be done to others. Don't you?"

"I…" Jaelith hesitated. "I don't know what I would do with that information."

"I know a community who'd love to get their hands on that, believe me."

Once again, Lisa nodded in agreement.

"But mostly, I want to make sure nobody stops this, or reverse the process…"

"Reverse...?" Jaelith whispered back, tasting the dread in the word.

Lisa noticed Vaelith trembling and caught her in a gentle hug. "It's okay…"

Jaelith reached up with one hand and clasped it over Lisa's. "Yeah. Let's make sure nobody takes this way from either of us."

"See you online, then?"

Jaelith silently asked permission with her gaze, and Lisa gave her an approving nod.

"Sure. I'll be there in a minute."

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