The next morning Jade awoke to the sound of the shower turning on in her bathroom.
Her brows furrowed in confusion for a moment. Then she realized she could smell her brothers familiar scent on the sheets. She smiled gently when she realized he had slept with her the night before.
Then she remembered. Last night she had been drinking. She remembered Alex sitting beside her and could vaguely remember someone carrying her to bed. She was sure it wasn't Nova so it must have been Alex.
She couldn't quite say why she was so sure of this. It was just a feeling and her feelings we're almost never wrong.
She sleepily climbs out of bed and makes her way to the closet. Opening the door she suddenly realized. There was hardly anything to wear with her current identity.
Pursing her lips she began examining the clothing options. There were a lot of short skirts and dresses but she did have some more boyish outfits. If she really tried she was sure she could come up with something.
Now she was starting to regret her previous taste in clothes.
After a long search she found something she felt she could get away with.
Having grabbed her clothes and a towel she waited for a few minutes before Nova left the bathroom. He was wearing casual clothes. Semi- loose fitting jeans and a t-shirt. It was good for movability and helped block blood splatters from touching his skin. They weren't yet sure if the blood was harmful so it was better to be safe.
"Morning Jade." Nova says with a smile before planting a kiss on her forehead.
"Morning." Jade replys with an innocent smile before walking into the bathroom for a shower.
Stripping her clothes off she studied her upper body. She didn't pretty well for something that would be hidden under her clothes. That was all she had needed.
Now as she studies the bare skin she thought it didn't quite match what she was thinking. Moving the power through her body she focuses on the reflection in the mirror. With a bit of effort she had made her body like that of a male model. She hadn't changed her body mass but she had made defined abs and a more masculine chest.
She didn't touch the scar on her body. She always felt that scars were the mark of a survivor. They were signs of what had passed. What she had lived through. Signs that she was stronger.
Having decided on her new look Jade stepped in the shower and after about half an hour she got out and began dressing. She was hoping this would work and her brother wouldn't freak out too much.
Looking in the mirror she liked the look more than she thought she would. Although she would still prefer to be a woman.
She had found a pair of black ripped jeans. They were a little big but with her new figure imitating that of a man they fit almost perfectly. For the top she was originally a little nervous and unsure how it would look but it was perfect. She was wearing a black tight-fitting-sleeveless-high neck, cropped shirt exposing her fake abs that were actually replacing her real ones in an attempt to make herself more masculine without making it obvious. Over the top she was wearing a fishnet sweatshirt. Originally she would style it with cute dresses as the bottom rests just on her chest above her boobs but now it made her look like a male model.
To match her clothes and really sell the look Jade put in one dangling spike eating and one plain black stud. She even colored the ends of her short hair red and put on light eyeliner. She looked almost like a hot vampire.
Taking a deep breath to prepare herself Jade stepped out of the bathroom with a calm expression. The moment Nova spotted her his face changed. He didn't seem too happy but he also probably realized she didn't have many choices. Plus the outfit looked good on her. Not that he would admit it.
"I don't like it." Nova says with a sigh. He already knew there was no changing her mind.
The only other clothes left here were left by members of the Knights. It was hard enough finding clothes for the others and they didn't all fit. It was unrealistic to find clothing for Jade here. Plus it was her own base. If there were no clothes that fit her it would be suspicious. They already knew she had the ability to shapeshift and if they left anything that could raise suspicion it was only a matter of time before her identity was exposed.
Unbeknownst to the both of them they were incredibly close to having someone discover her secret last night. The next entry in her diary mentions how she was starting to wish she had been born a boy instead as her grandfather constantly would tell her she had to endure more as a girl so she could be ready for the future.
If Alex had read one more entry he would have found out.
Nova had knocked at just the right time.
After gathering all her things into her space Jade and Nova make their way out of the room together.
When they enter the main room where everyone had already gathered around the coffee table the room went quiet. Everyone was staring at Jade making her feel self-conscious.
Amidst the shocked faces was Alex who was looking at her with a heated gaze. He had to shift his body slightly to hide the bulge in his pants upon seeing her.
"I think it's about time we left." Nova says suddenly, getting the attention of everyone in the room.
Turning her head Jade notices Maya in the corner struggling with her hair. She had always struggled with it. She has naturally curly hair so it makes sense.
"Make sure everyone has what they need." Jade says walking over to stand behind Maya who's sitting at the bar.
Jade takes the brush from her hand and Maya lifts her head to look at her greatfully.
Jade starts to carefully brush out the curls leaving her hair frizzy. She then sprays water on it so it's damp before gently braiding her hair.
"Thanks." Maya says greatfully.
"Mn." Jade hums in acknowledgement as she leaves a kiss on Maya's forehead.
Maya was one of the more unfortunate cases.
She could be said to be one of the newer members but she was one of the most treasured by the older members.
She watched her neighbor, murder her entire family. She was young and couldn't do anything to stop him. She had hidden in a cabinet but she could see everything through the gap in the door.
She spent hours hiding even after the man had left as she was afraid before running away. Jade found her hiding in a bush at the closest park to Maya's house.
Jade is only a few years older than Maya and the girl sees her as a reliable older sister.
Many of the Snow Knights were in similar situations.
There are only three memebers who still have family. Lisa, Keira, and Molly. Lisa's brother is 9 and he is currently a Snow Knight in training. Her mother raised them on her own but she died last year. Lisa and the other Team Leaders were originally Jades friends.
They all met online. Originally they only spoke while gaming together. Over time they bonded due to their bad situations.
At the time Lisa had recently learned her only parent -her mother- was sick. Liam had been in the system for a few years. Dylan lived with his uncle who abused him. Rose's parents were murderers and had been arrested so she was living with an adoptive family who neglected her. Jake had found out his parents were really the people who kidnapped him as a baby, he didn't even know who his real family was.
Jade felt she could relate to them, having been abused by her grandfather as a kid.
When her parents died she stopped contacting them for weeks before calling them crying on the day of the funeral.
That was when they all agreed to their first in person meeting.
The group had all been learning martial arts since Jade told them it had helped her handle her emotions.
They were all fairly strong for preteens.
They knew she was from a wealthy family and they had heard her talk about the Snow Knights before. It didn't take long for them all to join. They were some of the only people she could trust and they helped her train the other members. It helped everyone move on from their past. They would never forget what happened but being around others who had suffered helped everyone heal.
Victims of abuse, orphans, runaways, kidnapping victims, criminals children, mentally hospital escapees.
They were a strange group but they worked well together.
"Let's go." Nova says having checked and found that there was nothing else they needed.
"Alright." Jade says as everyone makes their way to the door at the top of the stairs.
With a deep breath she pulls out a pair of daggers as she opens the door. Behind her the group holds their own weapons ready to fight.
Maya wears fingerless gloves with sharp spikes on the knuckles as she fights best in hand to hand.
"Are you and Jade dating?" Alex whispers to her curiously as they make their way out of the underground hideout.
"Huh? Of course not. Boss likes guys." Maya replys without thinking before realizing Jade is disgised as a boy.
"You didn't hear that from me!" She hurriesly adds with wide eyes. She didn't know if Jade was going to pretend to like girls.
"I'll keep your secret." Alex says casually. He didn't show his joy on his face as he walks outside joining the battle with the zombies.