Trans-Migration

Not for the first time, Bria nervously entered her own home. The rich scent of roasting meat filled the air and despite all the snacking, her stomach grumbled in anticipation. Right, that roasted hog had all day to cook and now it was being served to the guests. Naturally they kept some for the family, but it wasn’t as if the meal was anything better than what the guests were currently eating.

Neth pulled gently on her arm, gesturing deeper into the house. Oh, Bria was rambling in her own mind rather than confronting the coming situation. That was totally not like her, and this new introspective streak wasn’t helping matters! Well, nothing for it then.

Deep breaths, and into the den.

One foot slid forward, and then another. Each carrying Bria closer to the inevitable. Why was it less intense delving into crypts full of undead? Seriously, she’d rather fight another Basilisk than deal with explaining to her parents that she was a girl now. How did her own home feel so uninviting and dangerous as to prefer the embrace of undead and monstrous snakes?

Neth, thank her understanding soul, said nothing as she took Bria’s hand and squeezed. That presence helped Bria take those steps into the home and towards the dining room. As she rounded the corner, she was greeted by the sight of her father laughing at something Mom had said while she set out bowls of mashed potatoes to go with the roasted pork.

Father spotted them first, and his face instantly solidified into a mask as he looked anywhere but at Bria. Right, she was still wearing the sundress and there was no hiding that she looked like any other teen girl at the moment.

“There you two are!” Mom said cheerfully, sidestepping that particular bombshell set to go off. “I can see you both had fun.”

Right, they still had their hard won plushies.

Neth grinned as she held her bee up. “Bria valiantly fought a battle against a most dangerous foe to secure this prize for me.”

Father’s eyes flicked to Bria’s own slime-like plushie, his words coming out measured. “I suppose that your friend did the same for you?”

Bria grinned at the memory. “Not quite. She beat a cheater at their own game.”

“That explains the tale of the girl in pink that decimated some metal bottles,” Father said, chuckling slightly.

An awkward silence lingered after that, only for Neth to gently take the stuffed slime from Bria’s hands while giving her the kindest look of reassurance Bria had ever seen. “I’m going to run these up to your room. I’ll be back shortly.”

With that simple action, Bria was left alone with her parents. It was a kindness in a way, to let them have this conversation as a family, but at the same time? Neth being only a shout away still felt too far.

Nothing for it then, best to just rip the bandage off and grimace through the pain. Bria took a deep breath, and put the truth out there.

“Mom, Dad, I’d like to be called Bria going forward. That’s my name, and I think it has been for a while now.” Another breath. “If it wasn’t obvious by how I look… I’m a girl.”

She stood there with her eyes screwed shut as she gripped the hem of her dress tightly. This was it, everything was out there. The silence was almost worse than angry shouting. At least then she would have an outlet for all the tension.

“Honey,” Mom said, her voice soft and gentle. Hands came to rest on her shoulders. There was nothing hostile about the touch, but Bria still tensed from the contact. “I’ve known for a while now. You weren’t exactly subtle with that game of yours.”

Bria’s eyes snapped open. Mom had seen her playing Dungeon Heroes Three? When? She was always so careful to make sure that nobody saw her playing as the heroine! Then again, anyone starting the game and checking her saves would be able to see it. She wanted to slap herself for that one. Years with that being her only game and playing it often?

Yeah, her parents were going to at least check it out.

Bria let out a heavy sigh as the tension fled her all at once. Finally, she looked up and met her mother’s eyes. They were warm as always, and there wasn’t a hint of anger or disappointment. Given the dresses that had been set out, it should have been obvious that she wasn’t being rejected, but there was still one other factor that needed to be considered.

Her father hadn’t said anything, and unlike Mom, his eyes were tight and guarded. He had at least stood, moving to support Mom in some way. Well, she wasn’t sure what might be going through his mind, but she squared her shoulders as she stood tall.

“That offer to learn to fight still on the table?”

He blinked, then he seemed to almost deflate at the challenge. “Of course. You’re my…daughter. Christ that will take getting used to, but it changes nothing. I still love you, even if I haven’t been the best parent to you.”

At that, some guilt creeps onto his face.

There had been enough stress over this whole mess on all sides. Bria stepped forward and pulled the man into a hug. He tensed, then returned it gently. A moment later Mom joined in and made it a proper family affair. Bria didn’t care that the food might be getting cold, because her heart was warmer than it had been in years.

Mom squeezed, then pulled back, looking off towards the stairs. “Neth, I know you’re being polite, but you can join us again.”

Hesitantly, the pink-haired Shrine Priestess stepped in, a faint blush visible on her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but there were only so many places for me to wait…”

“And your girlfriend’s bedroom is hardly the place,” Mom said with a firm nod.

Bria sputtered, choking on air.

“We aren’t,” Neth-amii said calmly, her eyes closed. “Though I might be tempted to steal her away from time to time.”

Father laughed at that, even as Bria was left gaping. Neth-amii had denied it, but at the same time, did it not sound as if she was open to the idea? More than that, was Bria? Obviously her parents didn’t seem to mind the concept, but there was just so much to it that she wasn’t even sure where to begin unpacking things.

“Dinner?” Bria asked, expertly changing the subject.

Laughter followed from the traitors as Bria sat down at the table with a grumble that wasn’t petulant. Honest! Neth took the seat right beside Bria, giving her a quick wink before she focused on the plate being set before her.

Neth took the first bite, and then immediately squealed in excitement. “The food you have is simply divine. We have nothing like it in my world. Not even Kro-ahnk’s cooking can compare.”

Mom huffed. “Well, if you’re up for it, I can show you how I prepare things tomorrow. It’s a bit of an all day thing around here, so there will be plenty of time.”

“That sounds lovely, thank you,” Neth said, returning to her plate.

Father had watched the exchange with a smile, then turned back to Bria. “Sounds like tomorrow might be a good day for some lessons then. I’m sure the tourists wouldn’t mind the show either.”

The thought of it was nice, and it would be a chance to bond with him in a way they really hadn’t before. Bria had always skived off to play games rather than do things with her father. She knew it had hurt him, and now, it was almost ironic that she wanted to be around him after becoming a girl physically.

“Sounds great, Dad,” Bria said.

The tension that had been hanging over her ever since coming back that morning rolled off her and soon exhaustion was replacing it. Bria had stayed awake for nearly a full day, and would be getting up early in the morning besides. She knew that sleep was a priority, but there was one more thing she needed to do first.

Neth offered to help Mom with the dishes, and even refrained from using magic to do so! The pair settled into a hushed conversation as they worked in tandem. Father showed her the training swords they would be using; apparently he had asked the Harpers to rush order them after their earlier conversation. They were simple carved wood, but close enough to her actual blade that it would work well enough.

Father went off to shower after that, and Bria retreated to her room. As she entered, her gaze fell upon the old console and cartridge that had shaped her life so drastically. The system turned on with a chime and the whine of the CRT filled the room as she loaded her most recent save file.

The Heroine Bria looked back at her in full pixelated glory. Her hand brushed over the screen, static snapping and cracking underneath her fingertips. Everything that she was now could be traced back to that fateful day she bought the console and TV off her neighbor when he moved. The aged strategy guide sat beside the TV; long since memorized. The glitch that allowed her to marry a girl as the Heroine was something that Bria would remain forever thankful for, because that curiosity had led her to that first fateful playthrough.

Because that really was an option, wasn’t it? Bria was free to be a girl now, and none could deny her that truth. And who would argue if she wanted to marry another girl? If they had a problem, they could talk to her sword!

“Thank you,” she whispered to the heroine, tears rolling down her cheeks. “For guiding me to the person I am today. For helping me find my name. And for showing me that anything is possible.”

Rather than sit down and play as she might have in the past, Bria shut the console off and fell back onto the bed. The dress fluttered a bit before falling still, and it brought a warmth to her heart. This was something she could do any day now; just decide she wanted to put on something cute and girly and just go have fun.

Life was changing, and she had no idea how it might continue to shift in the future. The other side promised more conflict in the future. Ri-durak would remain a thorn in their side and his level made it difficult to just ignore him. He’d outright tried to kill her, and something like that couldn’t be left unanswered.

For now, that was a problem to be addressed later, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t start working towards that end right then. Training with her father was just one step of many. Could she get a gun from Mister Ruiz? Would they even be effective on the other side? Something to test out eventually, but also a concern for another day.

Rest was what she needed, and her eyelids were quite heavy…

“Hey,” Neth said. Bria jumped slightly, having dozed a bit. She quickly sat up, rubbing at her eyes. Neth smiled at her with fondness, leaning against the doorframe. “I know you’re tired, but your mom mentioned that it was a full moon tonight and I was hoping you might want to go see it with me?”

A part of Bria didn’t want to get up, but at the same time, she knew how much Neth wanted to see the Earth’s night sky. Reluctantly, she sat up and let out a yawn as she stretched. When Bria’s arms dropped, Neth turned her head quickly. Had she been watching?

Ugh, Bria hated being too tired to really think.

As they passed through the living room, she spied her parents sitting on the couch together watching some movie. The rental store must have gotten some new films from the mainland while she was gone, and this one looked rather interesting, if a bit similar to her new life on the other side.

They emerged into the gardens to an active party. Dozens of guests were milling together with drinks flowing liberally enough that people were starting to get handsy with one another. Bria didn’t want to deal with any of that, especially after her last experience, so she pulled Neth away, taking her towards the woods.

“Have someplace in mind?” Neth asked.

“There’s a clearing atop the hill near the Pyramid,” Bria explained, moving along the maintained trail. “We should have it all to ourselves.”

A giggle trailed from Neth as she was pulled along, and soon they were looking up at the Pyramid. Best of all, they were at just the right angle for the moon to be sitting right atop the point of the structure. Neth let out a gasp, her hands coming up to cover her mouth as she simply stared at the sight. Much as Bria had done with the ringed planet that framed the sky of Neth’s home world.

Stars stretched across the sky as the band of the Milky Way covered the expanse above. Supposedly larger cities couldn’t see the sky like they could on the island due to how much light there was. It was their loss, because she couldn’t imagine anything being worth losing the sky for.

“It’s beautiful,” Neth said.

Bria guided her over to a fallen log strategically placed to look natural despite it being put there to act as a bench. It was meant to let people sit and admire the ruins, but for tonight it would work for watching the stars. Bria took a seat, miming the way that Neth sat down, making sure her skirt didn’t bunch up or get in the way. It didn’t take long for Bria to have a head gently resting against her shoulder.

No words were said for some time as the pair simply watched the moon drift through the heavens, the occasional shooting star breaking up the otherwise placid scene. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen, which was rare enough that Bria counted her blessings to share such a special night with her best friend. It was magical, without anything of the sort.

Despite how tired she might have been, the close contact kept Bria from drifting off, no matter how tempting it might have been. With Neth at her side, she felt both safe and protective. They had fought at each other’s side often enough that the instincts were honed. Just because it might have been safe to sleep didn’t mean she would.

“Still awake?” Neth whispered.

“Yeah,” Bria said, keeping her voice just as low. “Kinda tired, but I’m managing.”

“Sorry about that,” Neth said, her eyes never leaving the celestial body high above. “And thank you for doing this with me. It means a lot.”

“Always,” Bria said, then clarified, “you’re my best friend, Neth. I’d be a crummy friend if I wasn’t there for you when asked.”

A soft chuckle reverberated from her friend. “This is a bit more than what mere friends do for one another. I know we only met a month ago, but I’ve come to value the time we spend with one another. Especially when it is just the two of us.”

A month? It felt like a lifetime.

Rustling had Bria adjusting as they both shifted, Neth now turned so that she was facing Bria. A hitch in her breathing went almost unnoticed as the moonlight framed Neth’s face, casting shadows and softening her pink hair. She was ethereal and majestic. A force of magic that could make the very ground tremble when she cut loose.

“You are simply amazing, Bria,” Neth said, shifting closer. “Despite everything, you stand tall in the face of your fears and worries. Be it powerful men or those you hold dear. I admire that about you.”

Bria chuckled nervously. “I think you’re giving me too much credit.”

Neth leaned closer, and Bria held her breath.

“I don’t think so at all. If anything, I do not give you enough.”

The space between them shortened, and a jackhammer began to work within Bria’s chest. Was this actually happening? Were they about to kiss? Neither had said much, but it certainly felt that way to her. Bria’s eyes fell shut and she let herself drift towards Neth, inch by inch the distance closed until—

“Well, isn’t this a surprise?”

Bria jumped up, reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. The man who had spoken laughed, looking between the pair as it became clear that Neth was quite ready to cast something deadly. Standing at the edge of the clearing with his hands raised was Mister Ruiz, looking completely unbothered by either of them.

“I almost didn’t recognize you, but I suppose this explains a few things. Come, you owe me some artifacts from the other side.”

Without waiting for an answer the man turned, heading back down the path as if she had no choice but to follow. Neth was glaring daggers at the man’s retreating form, and Bria found herself echoing the sentiment.

The question was, did she have a choice, or was it just an illusion?