Thursday, August 28th, 2042, Megan's private VR Chat room, Virtual Reality.

Megan's avatar materialised in a cosy, dimly lit bar—a virtual replica of her workplace. She had chosen this place as the setting for her conversation with Kaelyn, hoping it would feel familiar, grounding. She kept it casual: a tank top and high-waisted jeans. Megan wanted Ryan at ease, not caught in a competition with Kaelyn. Satisfied with her choice of attire, she summoned a virtual control panel and tweaked the lighting and audio mixer.

For the background music, she settled on a low volume. A catchy pop song started playing, just loud enough to add a sense of closeness to the space. The overall ambiance was enhanced by the sounds of glasses clinking, being carefully placed, or sometimes scraped across tables, creating a busy, lively atmosphere. Absolute silence existed in VR, but it was best avoided. Humans who grew up in the last century were used to a certain baseline level of auditory distractions. The lack of any such input proved remarkably uncomfortable and served as a continuous reminder of the artificiality of such environments.

Megan sat herself at the bar and poured herself a gin and tonic. She sipped at it and mentally went back over the phone call from earlier in the day. She focused on the way Ryan had described his experience; how he had so easily slipped into Kaelyn's skin when he was online. The way he had portrayed a lingering part of Kaelyn in his mind, even when he had logged off, had particularly caught Megan's interest. He had hinted how he could hear her voice, how she could whisper ideas and intrude in his own thoughts.

The details sounded achingly familiar to Megan, each word resonating with past conversations she had had with friends. Friends who had discovered hidden parts of themselves, thinking they had been simply playing a part. One such friend did so through roleplaying various characters in table-top games. The other did so through their acting career. In both cases, the discovery had crept up on them, sending them down a rabbit hole they had not seen coming. Neither of them had known such a thing was even possible, and they lacked the vocabulary to articulate what they had been going through. Now, thanks to her friends, Megan was familiar with some of the jargon. The concept itself was called plurality, or multiplicity; mental systems where more than one personality shared a single body. While "headmates" was the term most frequently used to discuss various facets of a system, those with a more defined sense of self often identify a central personality, typically referred to as the core.

Not every systems were the same; some could work off shared memories, others each had their own separate set of skills and experiences. While some headmates were antagonistic towards each other, others collaborated seamlessly, each watching out for the others and taking turns fronting based on their unique skill sets.

Did Ryan awaken a part of himself he didn't know existed? Let's not jump to conclusions too fast.

Had she ever glimpsed this side of him before? Had it been there, just beneath the surface?

First, she had to ascertain her theory. Only after she was sure could she help him navigate his new reality and help him learn to live with Kaelyn. Accept her as a part of himself, rather than something to bury or hide in shame; no good came from repressing a part of one's self for decades, especially not a significant one like this.

A message from Ryan appeared, shaking her out of her current line of thoughts. She smiled as she read the message. "I'm done handling the newslady. Ready for our head to head, cariño?"

It came from Ryan's account, but the writing style was bolder. She could bet this had to be Kaelyn's doing.

She reminded herself, however, to not jump to conclusions. It could all be an act; he had just finished giving an interview and had played the role of this famous, sexy and confident catgirl the entire world was watching. Ryan probably had dialled it up to eleven for the fans, and was likely still riding the wave.

She stared at the holographic keyboard in front of her, wondering how to respond. After a rewording her message a few times, she settled on a lighthearted message, something innocuous and unlikely to raise any suspicion. "I am, babe. Join me!"

So she waited for her boyfriend or Kaelyn to show up. If she was in a relationship with Ryan, what did it mean for her and Kaelyn? The thought made her uneasy, but she brushed it aside for now. She tried to convince herself no matter if Kaelyn was a role, a mask or one of his headmate, Ryan would still be there, and would need her support.

She mentally braced herself for his arrival. She had seen pictures of his character; it was impossible not to, given how ubiquitous she had been in the last twenty-four hours. When Ryan had just created her and sent her the screenshot of his sexy catgirl, a smile spread across her face.

She's such an exaggerated—typical, really—boy fantasy made reality. Well, Virtual Reality.

Megan could feel his pride and joy in the way he had typed his messages back then. She could also feel the hurt in his replies when she failed to respond with the same enthusiasm. Megan had realised only later how this character might have been more than a simple experiment or an immature joke; Kaelyn was something special to him. Megan's stomach clenched, guilt coiling tight in her gut. She knew how painful outright dismissal felt, and she had not meant to hurt him.

Ryan rarely let her know when he was hurt. And even when he did, she had to read between the lines. He was like his father in this way—not emotionally blind, exactly, but somewhat stunted. In situations like this, his body language would express how he felt far louder than words ever could. This was one of the main reasons she had asked him to get into this VR Chat with her. Phone calls and text messages could not capture the full range of his responses to anything she would ask. However, if she were able to see him, it was as though a secondary, more nuanced dialogue was revealed to her, adding a complex layer to their communication. She would know if something was going on beneath the superficial confidence and playful exterior.

Kaelyn finally materialised near the entrance across the room, and Megan's breath caught. Kaelyn was beautiful—no doubt about it. She felt a little underdressed, and perhaps inadequate, in comparison. Kaelyn was the embodiment of allure, with a body seemingly made to command attention. Both women sported long, golden hair, styled in the same loose waves that cascaded down their backs. Megan smiled when she noticed as Kaelyn's feline ears, crowning on the top of her head, twitched at every little noise of the artificial ambiance. The catgirl strutted over at a leisurely pace, wearing a fitted leather jacket over a snug white t-shirt, and a slitted skirt that revealed just enough of her toned thigh to be tantalising without being obvious. She looked straight at Megan with her piercing emerald eyes, and it was almost like looking in a mirror.

She's like an idealised—and definitely fantastical—version of myself. Ry, babe, is this is how you see me? I'm flattered.

Kaelyn's eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as she took reached the bar, the sway of her hips exaggerated, deliberate, her tail flicking lazily behind her. She sat herself down and leaned casually against the bar, crossing her legs. She rested her chin on one hand with a smile that was equal parts charming and predatory.

Her eyes flickered to the glass in Megan's hands. "Started without me, cariño? I did not keep you waiting too long, I hope."

Megan dismissed the fake concern with one hand. "I just got here. Can I get you anything?"

Kaelyn's ears perked up at the suggestion and beamed a genuine smile. Her voice held the same unrestrained joy as a child's in a candy store, filled with the promise of sweet treats. "Oh! I'll have an Agua de Valencia, please!"

That's a new one. What's got her so excited about this drink?

Megan was familiar with it, of course. It was not a common request, but this was not the first time she heard about it. A first time for Ryan, certainly. It was a fitting drink, given his ancestry. She chuckled. "Good thing we're in VR, then. You have to pre-mix and chill those in the fridge, usually."

Leaning over the bar, she pulled out, one by one, a champagne glass and four bottles; cava, orange juice, gin, and vodka. With practiced ease, she poured the drink, and then opened up a floating window and instantly chilled it, the glass now frosty cold and covered with countless shining ice crystals. She slid it over to Kaelyn, returning to her own gin and tonic, taking a small sip as she pretended not to pay attention to Kaelyn's reaction.

The catgirl picked up the glass, beaming, and brought it to her lips. She took a tentative sample at first. Her face, initially shocked, quickly shifted to a look of curious fascination, then settled into a serene smile of contentment, as if the drink unlocked cherished memories.

Megan could almost picture how the first half was Ryan's genuine reaction, and the latter one belonged to Kaelyn. She knew her boyfriend had never had that drink before—he probably had never even heard of it, really.

Kaelyn downed half of her glass. She stared at the glass in her hand with a satisfied smile. Moments later, she arched an eyebrow, as if she was trying to puzzle out what she had just had. "It's… like a classy screwdriver with bubbles."

Megan let out a laugh. "It certainly hits different from your usual Vodka Red Bull."

"Yeah…"

This response, this reaction? Ryan was in control, right at this moment. Megan pivoted on her stool to face Kaelyn and properly look at her. Kaelyn and Ryan were so distinct, it was like night and day. The voice, the way they held themselves, the facial expressions. She reached out, gently placing one hand on her knee. "Glad to see you're still in there, Ry."

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Startled by the sudden physical contact and mortified at being seen in such a state, Ryan blushed fiercely, shoulders curling inward in an attempt to disappear. Seeing him like this had not been on Megan's bingo card! She was a feeling a complicated mix of emotions at the sight. On one hand, she thought it was adorably cute, the way she had just flustered him, especially contrasting to Kaelyn's earlier confidence. On the other, she regretted making him uncomfortable, even if it had been entirely unintentional. Megan put her drink down and reached out with both hands, gently taking her doppelgänger's left hand between her own.

Immediately, she noticed how cold and soft Kaelyn's felt. This was a stark difference between Ryan's body and Kaelyn's. He had always run rather warm. Megan had not expected even body heat to change with the different avatar.

A tremor coming from within her grasp made Megan realised how Kaelyn was trembling under her touch. She started wondering what was hiding under all the façade and confidence.

Ryan, in Kaelyn's body, offered an apologetic, strained smile. "Am I, though?"

Is this a cry for help?

A wave of empathy washed over Megan; the sorrow in her friend's eyes constricted her throat. She squeezed her hand gently, trying to remind him she was right here with him, right now. "Of course you are."

She felt Ryan's hands tighten, and she noticed how Kaelyn was also staring at their hands. She glanced up just one moment. He spoke up, Kaelyn's voice trembling with fear and confusion. "Even this feels different now. Holding hands, I mean."

"Is it just different, or is it better or worse?"

Ryan met her gaze, his emerald eyes flickering with something raw, something desperate. He was searching—searching for meaning, for answers—deep within Megan's own. He gave up after a moment, and asked, stumped, "What?"

"Different doesn't have to be good or bad. It can be simply different. You said it felt different. Me touching you like this. Is it a good or a bad different?"

Kaelyn's brow furrowed, lips pressing into a faint line. Megan recognised the expression—it was unmistakably Ryan, lost in thought.

She studied the face in front of her, her mind spinning. Ryan inside Kaelyn's body. Megan had always known herself as pansexual, but this felt different—more layered, more complicated. Physical appearances mattered little to her; it was always the person underneath that drew her in.

The fact Kaelyn looked so much like herself gave her a momentary pause, but any hesitation soon faded. Kaelyn's usual bold, unwavering gaze had pulled her in—a confidence so foreign to the Ryan she knew. Was she equally attracted to both of them, and maybe… had been all along? But was she ready to say that out loud? How would Ryan react if he heard? He was already in such a fragile state; it felt like the wrong time to drop such a revelation right now.

After a moment, Ryan shook his head slowly. "It's not… bad," he whispered hesitantly. As if admitting something this small was already asking for a lot.

"We can work with that. After all, the opposite of distress isn't joy, it's lack of distress."

"What do you mean?"

Megan kept applying gentle pressure to Kaelyn's hand. "It means that there are more than only things that make you jump for joy, and things that make you sad and depressed. Many things exist somewhere between those two extremes. Some things simply are. Neither good nor bad. Just different." She slowly glanced up at her boyfriend, now transformed into a catgirl, her eyes lingering on her extraordinary features. "Earlier, you said that you didn't know how you felt about sometimes slipping in Kaelyn's persona. How things came easily when you just let them happen. How, when it was happening, it felt fine, but how when you thought about it afterwards, you weren't so sure anymore?"

Kaelyn's face nodded slowly. "It's just so easy to simply to just… Be her."

Megan let herself slip off of the stool and took a few steps back, still clasping Kaelyn's hand. She silently pulled her hand, inviting her to follow. Kaelyn left her half-finished drink on the counter and let Megan guide her away.

They were the same height, Megan realised.

Of course, we'd be.

"If that's that simple, would you mind introducing us properly?"

Kaelyn gave a small nod and blinked her eyes. Megan could tell instantly. It was all back. The predatorial smile on her face, the way she freed her hand and clutched one of Megan's hand with each of hers, asserting control. Her tail started swishing more energetically, and her ears twitched with excitement. "You called?"

Megan smiled, though she felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach. "Yes, I did. Can you blame me?" She kept her tone light, trying to match Kaelyn's energy. "Seems like everyone wants a piece of you today."

Kaelyn laughed, a low, sultry sound that made Megan's cheeks heat. "Oh, you noticed?" she teased, leaning in a little closer. "I almost feel bad for taking all the heat off of you or Ryan." She winked, her voice dripping with playful arrogance.

Megan raised an eyebrow at this. She had not really thought about it, but she now realised the possibility—someone might look at Kaelyn and see Megan. The resemblance was close enough that people could assume Kaelyn was her character. Had Kaelyn accepted the interview specifically to direct the attention away from her?

Megan shook her head. "I don't want that kind of attention, so thank you? But I'd like to get to know you better. And not the public face from your earlier interview."

Kaelyn's grin widened, a little more predatory now. "Oh?" Her voice dropped to a playful whisper. She was so close Megan could feel the heat escaping her mouth as she spoke. "Did you want to keep me all to yourself, cariño?"

Megan laughed, trying to play along even as her mind raced. What was happening to Ryan when Kaelyn fronted? Her presence felt almost too vivid, too… complete. She had to test the waters.

"Well, I mean…" Megan tilted her head, playing into the flirtation, yet choosing every word carefully. "If I have you here, maybe I should get to know you better." Her voice softened, just a hint of vulnerability slipping through. This was a delicate situation, and she wanted to handle it with all the care it deserved. "I want to know the real you, Kaelyn."

For the briefest moment, Kaelyn's confident mask faltered. Her eyes narrowed, as if she were trying to read Megan's intentions. Then, with a quick recovery, she leaned back and laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "Oh, honey, this is the real me. I'm just Ryan without all the hesitation, and a body to die for."

Megan's heart raced. She could feel she was getting closer, sensing something beneath Kaelyn's bold exterior. She leaned in, her voice low, intimate. "Is that what you really think?"

Kaelyn's eyes flickered, a momentary flash of something raw, something unsure. But then she leaned forward, her expression challenging. "Nothing about me didn't already exist in Ryan before yesterday. And if you meant whether I think we look good…" The smile plastered on her face and the way Kaelyn's gaze lingered over Megan's body left no doubts.

Megan's mind spun. She felt an intense mix of attraction and unease, torn between the thrill of Kaelyn's attention and her desire to understand what was really happening. She took a breath, choosing her words carefully.

"So you're saying that this was always a part of Ryan?" She held Kaelyn's gaze, her own expression softening. "Did you feel you always had to hide that part of yourself?"

Kaelyn's smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of irritation. "Does it matter? I'm here now." Her voice was a defensive growl. She pulled back slightly, her posture stiffening, as if Megan's words had struck a nerve.

Megan saw her opening. Gently, but insistently, she pressed on. "It matters. I want to understand who I'm talking to. I want to understand you better." She gently caressed Kaelyn's hands, grounding her, anchoring her. "It's okay, babe. I'm here. You don't have to hide any part of yourself around me."

Kaelyn's grip on Megan's hands tightened—just a fraction, as if holding onto an anchor. The confident mask wavered, eyes flickering with something fragile. Then, with a shudder, Kaelyn's face softened, her eyes wide and almost frightened. She looked down at their hands, her confident façade crumbling. Her entire posture changed—the flirtatious slouch straightened, and her head dipped as if in sudden discomfort. The confident spark in her eyes faded, replaced by an awkward, almost embarrassed glance.

Ryan's fronting again.

"Sorry…" The voice was softer now, unsure. Kaelyn's gaze shifting to the floor and her hands attempted to withdraw, but Megan did not let them go. "It's like I said… it's very easy to slip into the role…"

Megan's heart swelled with a strange relief and a pang of sympathy. "You okay?" she asked gently, leaning in to catch his eyes. "You remember everything?"

Megan wanted to know what kind of system she was dealing with. Did Kaelyn and Ryan share memories, or only remembered what they saw or did when they fronted?

Ryan nodded, looking almost sheepish. In Kaelyn's body, feline ears, her amazing eyelashes and perfect eyeshadow, the effect was both endearing and heartbreaking—a clash between the bravado of the avatar and the vulnerability of the person behind it.

"I'm okay… It's an odd feeling. Both being a spectator, but also suddenly being in control again. But even when I can't really do anything, I'm there all along, and I can hear everything." He broke eye contact, cat ears drooping, clearly not as comfortable in Kaelyn's form. "I keep forgetting how easily she can simply take over sometimes, in here."

Megan did not want to label things for him, but she was getting a clearer picture now. But the most important part, she felt, was how the two of them did not appear antagonistic of each other. She gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay. You don't have to fight her, you know. She's a part of you. You two just need to learn to get along."

Ryan shook his head, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of gratitude and apology. "It's… weird. I know she's me, but sometimes it's like she's thinking ahead of me. Like I'm catching up to my own thoughts, instead of leading them." He looked down at his hands, Kaelyn's fingers held by Megan's almost identical hands. "I thought it was just an act, but… I don't know anymore."

Megan squeezed her hands gently. "She's more than just an act. She's a part of you. One that wants to be heard."

By this point, Megan was ready to conclude Kaelyn was a fully realised headmate. What would that mean for her relationship with them? From what she could tell, the two were aware of everything the others knew or did, so would they compete for her love or attention in the future?

Ryan looked away, visibly conflicted. "Are you sure? Isn't she something I just… made up?"

Megan's voice was soft but firm. "You might feel you made her up, but she was just waiting for a chance to surface. Don't feel you have to choose between the two of you, Ryan. You're allowed to have all your parts, even if they're complicated. And I'm here. I want to be here… for both of you."

He glanced up, a flicker of relief in his eyes. "Really? You're… okay with all this?"

Megan smiled, feeling her own uncertainty melt away. "Yeah. I'm okay with it. And… I'm still attracted to you, no matter what form you take."

Ryan's cheeks flushed—a reaction that seemed strange on Kaelyn's face, but it made Megan smile. He looked down, visibly relieved, but there was a hint of worry still lingering in his expression. "Thanks," he said, his voice barely a whisper. He gave her a small, grateful smile, and Megan felt a sense of balance, something they could navigate together.

They both returned to their seats. Just as Ryan was about to take his drink, Megan stopped him. She took both of their glasses and pushed them off the counter into a virtual dishwasher. "Life lesson, Ry, babe. If you ever let a drink unattended? You throw it away and get a new one."

He waved around the room. "But there's only the two of us here..?"

Megan's expression remained as serious. "You throw it away, and get a new one. It's not worth the risk, and you don't want to build bad habits."

He looked at her incredulously, but after studying her facial expression, decided to not argue further. Megan worked in a bar. If anyone knew about rules like that, it would be her. "Yes, ma'am."

Megan handed Ryan another cool glass of Agua de Valencia. "Good girl," she teased.

Ryan accepted the drink and gave her a mock glare, but the blush ruined the effect. "Don't get used to it," he said, his voice soft and affectionate, contradicting himself.

Megan smiled and winked. "And you too, Kaelyn. Don't think I'm forgetting about you."

Kaelyn's lips curled into something faint, something real. Not the sultry smirk she had worn earlier, but a softer, quieter kind of smile. "Oh, I won't let you."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.