Lilia: A New Dawn

"Yes, you're right. That's Alistair," Lilia explained, keeping her tone even as she tried to mask her unease about the impending conversation.

"And how did you come by this cat? Do you know James?" Mia inquired quickly, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Lilia sighed, realizing there was no point in denying it now that Mia had recognized Alistair. "James and I are... related," she said, hoping her vague explanation was enough to satisfy Mia's curiosity.

"Related? Like family or something?" Mia pressed, her posture relaxing as she assumed Lilia and James were family.

"Yeah, something like that," Lilia replied with a small laugh, letting Mia draw her own conclusions. She felt a twinge of guilt for being misleading, but she couldn't afford to disclose the whole truth, not just yet.

Mia seemed satisfied with the answer. "That's cool. Sorry for being abrasive; I was just concerned to see Alistair with someone else," she said, chuckling as she reached out to pet the cat.

By the way, I didn't catch your name. I can't just keep calling you James' cousin," she added.

"It's Lily," Lilia began, revealing her name. "But feel free to call me Lilia too."

"Alright, Lily, or Lilia," Mia responded.

The conversation then meandered between various topics, from travel ideas to favourite TV shows and. Lilia even learned that Mia was also a gamer, something she never shared with James before. By the time they stepped off the subway, Mia had noticeably warmed up to Lilia.

"Hey, would you want to grab a coffee?" Mia asked with a bright smile. "There's this great cafe nearby I think you'd love."

"Sure, I'd love to check out the cafe," Lilia accepted the invitation. Curious about the side of Mia she's never seen before.

 

Few minutes later, Lilia and Mia stepped into the cozy café, greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Lilia took in the simple charm of the place—rustic wooden tables, plants hanging from the ceiling, and exposed brick walls adorned with artwork from local artists. It had a welcoming, artsy feel.

They got in the short queue, making small talk as they inched forward. Mia gestured to her favourite treats behind the glass—buttery croissants, shiny fruit tarts, and chunky cookies.

"Everything looks great!" Lilia exclaimed. "What's your pick?"

Mia thought for a beat. "Their signature mochas are fail-safe. But if you're up for something spicy, the chai latte is out of this world."

Opting for the mocha, Lilia watched as Mia ordered her staple vanilla latte. They snagged a cozy table by the window, ideal for people-watching. Outside, a steady flow of pedestrians bustled by, wrapped up in their own little worlds.

"So, Lily, what's your story?" Mia asked, sipping her latte. "Are you new in town?"

Lilia scrambled to weave a plausible backstory. "Sort of. Moved here a couple of weeks ago." She stirred her mocha, making up the details on the fly. "I'm aiming to start my own business, eventually. Still have to finish school first, though."

Mia's face brightened. "An entrepreneur, huh? What kind of business?"

"Well, I haven't nailed it down just yet," Lilia confessed, her gaze wandering for inspiration.

"Maybe something to do with fashion. I'm still exploring options." She settled on that idea as her eyes landed on her handbag. Lilia had worn this bag only so Alistair could discreetly join her in places like this. Speaking of whom, Alistar's head was currently poking out the handbag taking in the environment.

"With your eye for style, fashion is perfect," Mia encouraged. "You should definitely pursue it."

Lilia smiled, knowing that in truth, it was Ren who deserved the whole credit, as she's the one who did all the picking and choosing. Besides Lilia wasn't really keen on becoming a fashionista.

Their conversation meandered for a while longer and before they knew it, their cups were emptied. When the check came, Lilia reached for her wallet, but Mia waved her off. "I've got this," she insisted.

"Are you sure?" Lilia asked. "We can split."

Mia waved it away. "It's on me, for a new friend," she said, smiling.

As Mia opened her purse to settle the bill, she was oblivious to the watchful young man nearby. In a moment, he snatched Mia's wallet and dashed towards the door.

"Hey, stop!" Mia shouted.

Lilia was up in a heartbeat, her instincts taking over. She reached out and clamped onto the thief's wrist just as he turned towards exit.

"This isn't yours," Lilia stated coolly, twisting the wallet from his grip.

"Let go!" he snapped, struggling fruitlessly against her vice-like hold.

Lilia tightened her grip just enough to make him grimace. She said fiercely, "Don't ever try this again. Got it?"

He paled. "Y-yes ma'am," he stuttered as Lilia let go of his wrist and he scrambled out of the café, throwing panicked looks over his shoulder.

Lilia took a deep breath, calming her pulse. She faced Mia, who was staring, stunned.

"That was awesome! You alright?" Mia asked, concern mixed with awe etching her face.

Handing back the wallet, Lilia nodded. "I'm fine. No worries."

Mia shook her head, still in disbelief. "Thank you so much. You were so quick; I could barely see you move."

"Just happy to help," Lilia said, smiling. "And you got your wallet back."

"Yeah, but I'm ready to head home. That was enough excitement for one day," Mia admitted, her cheeks tinged with colour. "But really, thank you. You were like a super or something!"

Lilia chuckled at the thought. If only Mia knew. "It was nothing. See you again soon?"

"Definitely!" Mia embraced her quickly. "Let's make plans to meet up again."

Mia left the café, clutching her belongings, she couldn't shake thoughts of the afternoon's events. Lily had certainly left an impression on her. She had an easy charm about her that Mia found instantly appealing, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was exactly. She felt very comfortable around her, as if they were longtime friends.

Reflecting further, Mia realized Lily reminded her somewhat of James. She had a certain refinement about her, yet some of their gestures were strikingly similar.

Mia smiled at herself, amused by her habit of comparing her newfound friend to her old companion. It was funny to think that.

With a soft chuckle at her whimsical thoughts, Mia decided she'd see if Lily might want to join their group. After all, she thought brightly, Alex and Nathan would likely enjoy meeting James' intriguing cousin – the more, the merrier.

 

Meanwhile, Lilia let the brisk autumn breeze clear her mind. She started walking, Alistair keeping pace beside her. It struck her as odd, how she’d befriended Mia twice—once as James, and now as Lilia.

Reflecting on their earlier conversation, Lilia noticed a different side of Mia. Her conversations with James were usually less about herself but today, Mia had shared more of her dreams and views. Lilia pondered whether Mia felt more at ease with her as a girl or if she was just different around James.

Lilia headed back to the secluded alleyway she often used to hide and wait out her transformation. Settling behind a dumpster, she leaned against the brick wall and sighed.

Usually, the transformation wore off around this time, returning her to James's appearance. But today, even after a long wait, she could still feel the flowing skirt around her legs and the weight of her ample chest.

Alistair sat nearby, having tagged along through the day's adventures. His eyes reflected the fading light of the sun.

"Guess we might be stuck like this a while longer tonight," Lilia remarked.

With time to spare, Lilia closed her eyes and focused inward. She could sense the thrum of mana running through her body. It invigorated her, making her skin tingle.

Curious, she willed the energy to flow to her fingertips. A soft violet glow emerged, casting dancing shadows. She flexed her hand open and closed, the light brightening and dimming.

A smile tugged at Lilia's lips. This mystic force was hers to command, waiting to be shaped through spells. She thought back to launching fire arrows earlier that day. Could she create something different from spells in the game?

Lilia glanced at Alistair, an idea forming. She stretched her palm toward him, willing the energy to extend from her hand. Gossamer strands of violet swirled and coiled around the cat, eliciting a surprised yelp. But Alistair relaxed into the embrace of mana, purring contently.

With a flick of her wrist, Lilia dispersed the spell, leaving Alistair's fur standing on end with static. He shot her a confused look, smoothing his ruffled coat with a few licks.

"Just testing things out," Lilia said with a smirk. She turned her palm upward and focused again. A small orb of soft light blossomed above her hand, casting a violet hue upon her face.

She continued channelling mana, her ability increasing bit by bit. The alley's dark corners retreated from the radiance of her conjured light.

Nearly two hours later, Lilia felt the telltale tingle signalling her transformation was fading. Limbs twisted, curves softened, and soon she was fully James once more.

"Back to normal," James said, rising and dusting himself off. The remaining wisps of mana evaporated from his fingertips.

Together with Alistair they slipped into the dusky streets and headed back home.