I was back in the world of Lior, stuck in this godforsaken cave fighting off all sorts of nasty Noor monsters and creatures. Don't get me wrong; I love animals, but these things? They were like the universe's way of reminding me that some creatures are better off dead.
So, there I was, knee-deep in muck and blood, doing my thing when suddenly—bam! Pain exploded in my heart like someone had decided to throw a grenade in my chest. I gasped, feeling Noor surge and escape my body at an alarming rate, rushing in and out like a hyperactive child in a candy store.
My vision blurred, and I could feel myself teetering on the brink of unconsciousness. I swayed, clutching the cave wall to steady myself. That's when it happened. An explosion of energy erupted from within me, washing over me in a way that felt eerily familiar. It was the same sensation I'd had the first time I awakened my Noor—intense, electrifying, and just a little terrifying.
With half-closed eyes, I glanced down at my hands and froze. They looked softer, daintier—almost like a girl's hands. What the hell? I could barely register the change before my body felt impossibly light, like I could float away at any moment.
Before I could make sense of what was happening, everything faded to black, and I lost consciousness.
When I finally came to, I found myself sprawled on the cave floor, the echo of a recent explosion still ringing in my ears. As I tried to shake off the dizziness, a peculiar sensation washed over me, making my heart race. Panic seized me as I caught sight of my hands—dainty and delicate, softer than I remembered. What the hell? Had I just turned into a girl?
Staring at my transformed body in disbelief, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks: this was my shapeshifter awakening. But that wasn't the only shocking part. I had read that only one out of a hundred shapeshifters had the ability to change gender. Most could control it at will, while for others, it was tied to their emotions. I was only one-fifth shapeshifter—how was this even possible?
"No, no, no!" I mumbled, frantically shaking my head as if that could reverse whatever just happened. "This can't be real. I need to be a boy again!"
The echoes of the cave seemed to mock me as I paced back and forth, processing the enormity of the situation. I felt like I was in some kind of bizarre dream. The monsters I had been fighting? They had run off during the explosion, leaving me alone with this new reality.
"What am I supposed to do now?" I muttered to myself, grappling with the implications. "Will I even be able to turn back into a boy?"
The weight of the change settled in, and I realized I had to accept this unexpected twist. After all, if I was going to embrace my new identity, I needed to understand it first. But for now, I was left with more questions than answers, and I had a feeling I would be wrestling with this reality for a long time to come.
As I finally regained my bearings and took in my surroundings, the reality of my transformation hit me hard. Not only had my gender changed, but my entire appearance had morphed as well. The light blonde hair that used to fall just above my shoulders had transformed into a cascade of dark blue locks, flowing past my back in soft waves. It was stunning yet jarring.
I instinctively ran my fingers through the new hair, feeling the silky texture against my skin. My eyes, once a dull hazel, now sparkled with a striking light blue hue that seemed to glow in the dim light of the cave. I blinked, half-expecting everything to revert to normal with the movement, but it remained the same.
"What the hell?" I muttered, staring at my reflection in a nearby puddle. The girl looking back at me was unrecognizable, yet there was something undeniably familiar about her. A spark of defiance flickered within me, mingling with the confusion.
The features of my new face were delicate yet strong; high cheekbones, a soft jawline, and lips that looked invitingly full. My heart raced at the thought of how much I had changed, inside and out. How would I face the world now? Would I still be the same Lior, or had I truly become someone else entirely?
With each passing moment, I felt a surge of emotions—excitement, fear, and a strange sense of freedom. This was a new beginning, a chance to explore an identity I had never imagined. But deep down, a nagging worry lingered: would I still be able to shift back to my original form?
I stood up, brushing the dirt off my clothes. The cave felt eerily quiet now, the monsters long gone, leaving me to wrestle with my thoughts. "Okay, Lior," I whispered to myself, "let's figure this out. One step at a time."
I decided to sit down, cross-legged, and attempt to meditate. Maybe, just maybe, clearing my head would help me make sense of this insanity. My heart was still racing, and the strange new sensations of my body didn't help. Every time I closed my eyes, the unfamiliar feeling of my long hair brushing against my shoulders distracted me.
"Come on, calm down...," I whispered, breathing deeply, in and out, trying to focus.
But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept drifting back to the changes, the questions. Could I turn back into myself? Was this permanent? And what did it mean to have an ability that only pure shapeshifters were supposed to possess?
Minutes turned into hours, and eventually, my mind, exhausted from the chaos of the day, began to quiet. My muscles loosened, my breathing evened out. The rhythmic sounds of my breaths lulled me into a sense of calm, and without realizing it, I drifted off to sleep right there on the cave floor.
In the back of my mind, I hoped that by the time I woke up, everything would be normal again... though I knew deep down that might not be the case.
I found myself in the familiar soul chamber of Orpheus, the place I always ended up whenever I switched back from my life as Lior. Normally, I'd chat with Orphie, telling him about my day, even though mere seconds passed in this realm. But today? Today, I just stood there, staring at my reflection.
I looked... different. A woman in her twenties stared back at me, her long, dark blue hair cascading down her back, eyes wide and vibrant light blue. My facial features were sharper, more detailed, and yet, strangely familiar. It was like I was looking at my own twin—if I'd been born a girl, that is.
"Damn," I muttered, running my fingers through my new hair. I turned my face this way and that, trying to get used to the fact that this was still... me.
Usually, I'd be excited to fill Orphie in on whatever happened during my day as Lior. But today, I hesitated. I didn't want him to see me like this. He would absolutely roast me. I could practically hear him already, laughing at how "the great Lior" was stuck in a woman's body.
Nope. Not today.
So, I sat down quietly, trying to be as invisible as possible, watching him from a distance. Normally, it was our thing to catch up when I got back, but today? Today I just needed a moment to process... to figure out what the hell I'd do next.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. This was going to be a long day.
Of course, my life couldn't let me off easy. I was sitting there, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters with Orphie, especially in my current state. But just as I turned around—there he was, right behind me.
Panic hit me instantly. How was I going to explain this? My face turned red in seconds.
"Who are you, and where is Lior?" Orphie demanded, his voice sharp as he took a defensive stance.
I swallowed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and dread. "Uh… funny story, actually."
He frowned, his guard still up. "You've got five seconds."
"Wait, wait—it's me! Lior!" I blurted out, waving my hands. "I just… look a little different right now."
He blinked, confusion spreading across his face. "What? How is that even possible?"
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's the shapeshifter blood. Apparently, some can change genders. And, well, surprise—I'm one of them."
Orphie's eyes narrowed. "Shapeshifter blood? How do you even have shapeshifter blood?"
That was a question I still didn't fully understand myself. "I… don't really know, honestly. I mean, I knew I was a mix of species, but this—" I gestured to myself, still baffled. "I didn't expect this at all."
Orphie crossed his arms, clearly still processing. "And you didn't know about this until now?"
"Yeah," I sighed, feeling the weight of it all. "I didn't even know I had enough shapeshifter in me for this kind of thing to happen. It's... a lot to take in."
Orphie raised an eyebrow, still not entirely convinced but less tense now. "So you're telling me you've been walking around with shapeshifter blood this whole time and never knew?"
"Pretty much. Welcome to my life," I muttered, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all.
I sighed, knowing I had to explain the whole mess to him. "Okay, Orphie, remember when I told you about being kidnapped as a kid?"
He nodded slowly, still trying to wrap his head around everything.
"Well, that's when I found out I'm not just an ordinary human… or elf… or whatever. Turns out, I'm a little bit of everything. Half elf, half human, half shapeshifter, half mermaid, and half angel."
Orphie blinked at me, clearly taken aback. "That's... a lot of halves."
"Yeah, no kidding," I said, rubbing my temples. "It's like someone couldn't make up their mind and just threw all the species into a blender."
He looked me up and down, then awkwardly shifted his weight, clearly out of his depth. Orphie was always shy around girls, and now that I looked like one, his usual confidence vanished. He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.
"So, uh… you're... all that?" He glanced at me, then quickly looked away, clearly uncomfortable.
"Yup," I replied, trying not to laugh at his awkwardness. "Pretty crazy, huh?"
"Yeah… crazy," he mumbled, still looking anywhere but at me.
I couldn't resist teasing him a little, seeing him so flustered. "I mean, I'm pretty good-looking, right? Even as a girl?" I said, stepping closer, raising an eyebrow playfully.
Orphie stiffened like someone had cast a freezing spell on him. His face turned bright red, and he just stood there, completely paralyzed. I could practically hear his brain short-circuiting.
I leaned in a bit more, grinning. "What do you think, Orphie? Still shy around girls?"
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. His eyes darted around, trying desperately to look anywhere but at me. Honestly, it was hilarious. He was like a deer caught in headlights, frozen in his own embarrassment.
"Wow, you really are hopeless, aren't you?" I teased, patting his shoulder lightly. He was still as stiff as a board, his face burning red.
"I'm still your Lio, don't worry," I said, trying to ease the tension. "I guess I'll turn back into a boy in some time."
And just as I said that, like clockwork, I felt the shift in my body. Within seconds, I was back to my normal self—no long hair, no soft features. I was a boy again.
Orphie blinked, visibly relaxing as soon as I changed back. His face gradually returned to its normal color, and the stiffness in his posture eased.
"See? No big deal," I said, smirking.
He exhaled slowly, rubbing his face as if trying to erase the last few awkward minutes. "You... seriously have the worst timing, Lio."
"Yeah, yeah. At least you can stop freaking out now," I chuckled. He shot me a look that said, 'You have no idea.'
Orphie reached out to pat my shoulder, trying to regain his usual cool. But the second his hand made contact, I felt that familiar shift again.
"Nooo," I groaned, feeling my body morph back into the girl form.
Orphie froze in place, hand still awkwardly hovering near my now much more delicate shoulder, his face turning crimson once again. "Are you serious?" he muttered, clearly regretting every decision leading to this moment.
"Yep. Looks like we're both cursed," I said, half-joking, trying to ignore how my new blue hair was now falling into my face.
Orphie stepped back so fast you'd think I'd sprouted fangs. "I... I think I'll just... give you space," he stammered, clearly struggling to process the situation.
"Yeah, probably for the best," I sighed, looking down at myself again. "This might take some getting used to."
Days dragged on, and I had no choice but to get used to this ridiculous new reality. Most of the time, I was still myself—a boy—but whenever I got excited or experienced strong emotions, boom! I'd turn into a girl. And if that wasn't bad enough, the moment Orpheus touched me or even talked to me for more than 30 minutes? You guessed it—I'd shift right back into girl mode.
It became a running joke, but only for me. Orphie, though? He was practically living in a constant state of quiet panic. Every time he approached me, there was this awkward pause, like he was trying to calculate how much time he had left before my hair would turn blue and I'd be flipping genders again.
"I swear, if you turn into a girl one more time while we're sparring, I'm done," he groaned one day, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Trust me, man, I'm not doing this on purpose," I shot back, already feeling that familiar shift as his gaze lingered just a second too long. My voice softened as I spoke again. "You think I want this?"
Orphie took a step back, hands in the air. "Right. Well... see you after your nap, Lior."
"Hey, wait, you dumbass!" I called out, frustration bubbling up as I watched him start to walk away. "I have something serious to talk about!"
He froze mid-step, turning slowly with an expression that was a mix of concern and confusion. "What is it?" His tone was cautious, as if I might spontaneously change right in front of him.
"Look, Orphie," I said, gathering my thoughts. "I think it's time for you to face your family. I mean, we should go back to your homeland and show them you're still alive. I know they're all jerks, but you're a prince. They need to know you're not just some ghost wandering around."
He blinked, the seriousness of my words sinking in. "You want me to go back? After everything?"
"Yeah! You've got to confront them at some point. They're your family, no matter how messed up they are. Plus, you need to claim your place. It's part of who you are."
Orphie looked conflicted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "But what if they—"
"They'll probably be shocked or whatever, but you can handle it. And I'll be there with you. Just imagine their faces when they see you. You're alive and stronger than ever."
He let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, I'll think about it. But no promises."
I grinned, relieved. "That's all I'm asking. Just think about it, okay?"
He nodded slowly,
"Thanks for being so chill about all this," I said, genuinely grateful.
Orphie furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why are you thanking me?"
I shrugged, a teasing grin on my face. "It's for your sake, you know? Who else would put up with all my gender-swapping antics? You should be grateful I'm not pranking you more often."
He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "I guess I should count my blessings then. What would I do without you?"