Lilia: A New Dawn

That evening, Mia lay in her bed, staring at the mysterious business card Akari had handed her. Her mind buzzed with curiosity and questions. Who was Akari, really? What did she mean by telling Mia she could become a sorcerer?

Mia had never seen herself as anything special, even though she was one of the top students in her class. The notion that this could be a prank—or worse, some kind of cult—flashed through her mind. Yet, there was something about Akari's interest in her and James that was captivating.

Throwing caution to the wind, Mia sat up, snatched her phone, and punched in the number from the card. It rang only twice before someone answered.

"Laura speaking, how can I help?" a professional voice answered.

Mia hesitated, unsure of what to say. "Um, hi. I'm Mia. Akari gave me this number."

"Ah, yes, Akari mentioned you might call," Laura responded smoothly. "What can I do for you, Mia?"

Mia took a breath. "I'm kind of lost here. Akari didn't explain much. N.A.B.C. ...This is all unfamiliar to me."

Laura didn't seem surprised by Mia's confusion. "That's to be expected. We maintain secrecy about our work. We handle supernatural affairs—it's not just a simple good versus evil scenario."

Mia's interest piqued. "What exactly does that involve?" she asked.

"It's not a conversation for the phone," Laura suggested. "Why not come in for a visit? I can give you a full briefing and address any concerns. The address is..."

As Laura listed the details, Mia pictured an ordinary office building, not the secretive lair she had imagined—no sign of a 'covert operation' like an old warehouse. While it sounded more legit than she expected, Mia wasn't ready to jump in just yet.

"I don't know; it feels a bit dodgy," Mia confessed, her voice tinged with caution. She was curious but not enough to meet a mysterious group on her own.

"It's your call," Laura replied. "But if you change your mind, just let us know."

Finding nothing else to discuss, they said their goodbyes and ended the call. Mia lay back down, but her mind refused to quiet down. She couldn't shake the feeling that all these events were linked. The creatures from the bar, the woman who came to their aid, and Akari's sudden appearance—it all tugged at her. As she pondered, a determination started to take shape within Mia, a strong desire to uncover the truth behind these mysteries.

 

A few days had passed, and the weekend had finally arrived—today was the day James had promised to visit his sister. He was hopeful that, as a scientist, she might be able to help him understand his transformations, or perhaps even prevent them from happening at random.

So far, the changes had taken place only when he was alone. Still, he couldn't help but wonder when his luck would run out. On the bright side, he was getting the hang of spotting the early signs. Every time, a peculiar tingling, like static, would spread through his body a few minutes before he changed, giving him a brief chance to get ready.

While he hadn't figured out how to transform back, he instead had noticed that his random shifts seemed to persist for one to three hours, while the one he intentionally triggered lasted for about four hours.

Upon reaching Ren's apartment, he knocked on the door. "Hey, sis, it's me, James!" he called out.

Ren often visited their family home, but at 23, she had her own place in the city, conveniently close to work and perfect for her experiments, away from the distraction of family life.

"Come in, James! It's open!" came her voice, slightly muffled through the door.

James pushed the door open and stepped into Ren's apartment, a hallway stretching out before him. It led to the living room, which was anchored by a glass coffee table neatly stacked with magazines, flanked by simple, stylish furniture.

LED lights bathed the room in a bright glow, while a hint of disinfectant hung in the air—a testament to Ren's love for cleanliness. The decor was sleek and modern, with every piece thoughtfully positioned.

The hum of equipment from the workshop meant Ren was deep into her latest project. Though a photon scientist by profession, her passion for engineering was just as intense. She thrived on the challenge of building and creating.

Drawn by the noise, James walked into the workshop. The room's large windows framed a stunning view of the New Atlantis skyline, the city stretching out below. Ren stood at the centre, a white lab coat thrown over her casual attire, engrossed in her work amid a web of wires and circuits. She fine-tuned a device that buzzed quietly beneath her fingers.

"Hey, James," she called without looking up, her focus steadfast. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I'll be with you in a sec."

Sounds good." James headed back to the living room and sank into the white sofa.

Soon after, Ren appeared in the living room, facing James with the trace of a grin. "What's up, little brother?"

James paused, then replied, "You asked me to swing by today."

"That I did." Ren's affirmative nod urged him on.

"I guess you want to help figure out what's going on. You're the scientist, after all," he ventured.

Ren laughed, her gaze alight with fraternal fondness and a scientist’s curiosity. "Absolutely. I've been hoping you'd ask. Hang tight, James. Today, we might just find out if you have superpowers."

James arched an eyebrow, his expression a mix of thrill and scepticism. "Superpowers? Didn't they check for that in primary school?"

Ren's grin was impish. "Who knows, perhaps they missed something. We could discover something amazing."

She gestured for him to join her at the workshop where the mysterious device was waiting. "All we need now is a drop of your blood," she paused, her grin widening. "From both of your forms."

"Ugh, are you sure that's necessary?" James asked, his voice tinged with unease. The last thing he wanted was to transform into Lilia.

"Not entirely, but it'll save time compared to waiting for results and then possibly having to do it all over again if we miss something, right?" she replied, her eyes locking with his. "Besides, I've got something else planned for my 'little sister'."

James sighed and smirked at Ren's teasing. Deep down, he knew she had a point—it made sense to knock out all the testing at once. "Alright," he agreed.

He accepted the needle she offered, pricked his finger, and smeared a drop of blood onto a glass slide. Once finished, he transformed into Lilia and repeated the procedure.

"Huh, never thought your blood would be black," Ren observed, as she collected the samples. "Though, given your blue skin, it kind of makes sense."

"It's been like this in the game," James replied with a shrug. "So, how long until we get the results?"

Ren's smile broadened, securing the blood samples. "We're looking at about two hours. Meanwhile, we can show you something else," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Lilia raised an eyebrow. "Something else? Like what?"

Ren walked over to a sleek drawer and swiped a keycard to unlock it. She pulled out a small, ornate box. "I called in a favour from an old contact," she began, barely containing her excitement. "Convinced him to assist me in enhancing a hero gadget for you."

"A hero gadget? What kind of enhancement?" Lilia's curiosity piqued.

Ren opened the box to unveil a sophisticated-looking watch. "This beauty is a special watch that changes your outfit instantly," she explained with gusto. "Ordinarily, it stores only one set of clothes, but with a little superpowered intervention, I've expanded its capacity to hold up to two hundred."

Lilia's eyes widened in amazement. "That's incredible! But why would I need that many? I doubt I even own that many outfits."

Ren chuckled. "Given your situation, it's about variety. Let's face it, you can't exactly have a bunch of dresses and lingerie lying around for Mom and Dad to find."

Lilia folded her arms and gave a defiant look. "I'm not about to start wearing dresses. I'm not even sure I want to keep these powers. I change into Lilia, sure, but my own clothes work just fine."

Ren let out a sigh, her tone becoming earnest. "James, you've got to come to terms with your reality, at least for now," she said, pausing before adding, "We don't know when, or even if, these transformations will end. Plus, a wider selection of clothes will help you fit in when you're Lilia."

Lilia bit her lip, torn, but Ren pressed on, "Think of it as a just-in-case thing. You don't have to wear them all the time, only when necessary."

After a moment, Lilia exhaled and nodded. "Okay, but only a few outfits, agreed?"

Ren's face lit up, thrilled with her small victory. "Deal! Let's hit the stores and make it back here after we get the results."

 

Ren hit the switch on the testing machine and, buzzing with excitement, guided Lilia to her favourite boutique nestled in the vibrant shopping district of New Atlantis. As they walked Ren raved about the boutique's exceptional service and its knack for marrying the modern with the classic. When they entered, the air was fragrant with the scent of new fabric, and the gentle clinking of hangers set the tone in the stylish, welcoming interior.

Lilia hung back; her excitement dimmed by the strangeness of it all. With each step deeper into the decidedly feminine space, her anxiety grew. Surrounded by colourful clothes, she couldn't focus, her mind drifting in the sea of doubts that came with her new circumstances.

A cheerful clerk with a polished smile and a sharp fashion sense came over. "Welcome! How can I help you both today?" she asked, eyeing Lilia closely.

Ren, the 'ever-attentive' sister, jumped in with excitement. "We're here to completely refresh my sister's wardrobe. We're looking for something versatile."

The clerk nodded, clipboard in hand, and asked the critical question that turned Lilia red with embarrassment. "Could you tell me your measurements?"

Lilia, unprepared, struggled to speak. She had no clue what her measurements were.

Noticing her discomfort, Ren quickly said with a laugh, "She's had a bit of a growth spurt. Would you mind measuring her again?"

"Of course, right this way," the clerk said, guiding Lilia to the fitting room as Ren hid her amusement.

In the privacy of the fitting room, Lilia stood there while the clerk took her measurements, each one earning a nod of approval. "You have perfect proportions! Absolutely stunning!" she said professionally.

It only made Lilia felt more self-conscious. "Thanks," she replied quietly, all too aware that her 'perfect proportions' were the result of her meticulous customization in the game. Something she spent too much time on.

With Lilia's measurements in hand, Ren and the clerk put together a wide selection of clothes, laying them out for her to try. Lilia felt a wave of awkwardness at the sight of feminine underwear, something entirely new to her.

Seeing her pause, Ren stepped in. "These will be comfortable and give you the support you need," she said, offering Lilia a few bras.

Inside the fitting room, Lilia faced her reflection, her character's physique gazing back. It felt alien yet natural; her mind had seemingly accepted this new body as her own, unphased by her nude image in the mirror.

She hesitantly tried on the delicate pieces with Ren there to help with the bra and keeping things light to help Lilia relax. "Finding the right fit is key," she reassured her.

As time went on, Lilia's resistance began to fade. Each new outfit was a pleasant surprise, eliciting quiet joy from both Ren and the clerk, who freely offered their praise. The clothes were comfortable and surprisingly flattering, and Lilia found herself feeling a confidence she hadn't expected.

Yet, she was still cautious, unsure about enjoying this experience. It was one thing to like how her avatar looked in the game; it was quite another to actually wear these clothes and feel them move with her. She was afraid she might become too comfortable with Lilia's body.

By the time they finished shopping, they had collected a diverse range of styles for various occasions. Lilia felt twinge of embarrassment, for letting herself go and purchasing too many different outfits, but also a small sense of achievement that she actually managed to do it, while Ren was visibly excited, happy to have shared this moment with her sibling, no matter what shape they were in.

 

As they stepped into Ren's apartment, the dying sunlight bathed the room in a cozy glow. Ren dropped the bags onto the coffee table's glossy surface, and Lilia sank into the crisp white sofa. Ren, still riding a wave of excitement, plopped down next to her.

"Today was fun, wasn't it?" Ren asked, eyes sparkling with happiness.

Lilia offered a tentative smile, acknowledging Ren's efforts. "Yeah, it was... interesting."

Ren laughed. "I can tell you're still adjusting. But hey, life's all about change, and you're taking it like a pro."

"Yeah, yeah. Just hoping this change isn't permanent," Lilia responded with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh, that reminds me," Ren sprang to her feet, "Use that watch to tuck away the clothes, will you? I'm going to check the results."

Ren darted to her lab equipment and began rifling through the printouts. Her eager smile quickly turned to a frown.

"That's odd," she murmured, eyes skimming the paper.

"What's up? What do the results show?" Lilia asked, getting up to stand beside Ren at the workbench.

Ren shook her head in dismay. "Your blood sample shows nothing out of the ordinary—no mutations, nothing."

"But I've been changing!" Lilia protested. "There's got to be something."

Ren nodded slowly. "I thought we'd find something strange to explain your abilities. But your blood looks completely normal." She held up a second page. "Now, this one—from your Lilia form..."

Ren's voice trailed off as she presented a page filled with chaotic lines and symbols. The machine's output was a jumble of nonsensical figures, as if it couldn't process the data.

"It's full of errors," Ren said, stunned. "It's like... Lilia's blood refuses to be analysed."

Lilia inhaled sharply. "What does that mean?"

Ren shook her head, her face mirroring Lilia's concern. "I don't know. But there's clearly something more to your transformations."

Curiosity mingled with worry as Ren pondered the peculiar biology that defied explanation. The siblings stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the garbled lab report in silence, their minds swirling with the profound mysteries left unsolved.