Aegis Online

(Whoo, chapter 15! Let’s goooo! Anyway, this chapter is going to have a bit of a focus I the real world, so be prepared to see what occurs! Alright, away we go!)

I chuckle shyly and run a hand through my long white hair. “Well, yeah… I couldn’t just… let her get away with insulting my friend. She had no right to say stuff like that. Sure, we’re playing a game, and yeah, we don’t HAVE to use an appearance that matches our IRL one, but a layer of anonymity doesn’t give you the right or privilege to be a complete… a c-complete… douchecastle!” I blurt, before covering my mouth in shock.

Ulged cracks up again, repeatedly sputtering the word I’d just used. Above me, I can hear a tinkling laugh, as Asteria descends, her translucent wings fluttering as she touches down softly. “My, my! What language, Kettrin! Why, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re not as innocent as you are!”

I splutter and flail in embarrassment, before she pats my head lightly, making me blush and zone out for a moment. “H-headpats…” while I’m distracted with the business of turning into a puddle of flustered girl, Asteria checks with the two players, asking about the stone alicorn. Ulged shrugs, shaking his head. “Sorry, I’ve not seen ought like that, but we’ve been to the North and West. That leaves the South and East to check.”

As the pair move on, chatting amicably, I finally come to my senses and un-puddle myself enough to function, Asteria raising an eyebrow at me and smirking, as I pout and huff at her, trying not to smile back. Checking my menu, I refresh myself on the date. Thursday 17^th, 8:26pm. Saturday isn’t far off, but…

With a sigh, I straighten up and turn to my camera, the hovering little ball of light shifting round to my front as I focus on it. “Well, I’m afraid I will not be able to log in tomorrow, since I have a looot of homework to do! But, I will be back on Saturday, so take care of yourselves, and be nice to each other! This is Sky-Queen Kettrin, taking off!” and, with that, I jet up into the air as I end my stream, shooting a quick message to Asteria, letting her know I have to log out for tonight.  As soon as I get a reply, I smile and place my tent by a tree, setting up a barrier crystal around it so I’m safe till I log back in. once my preparations are complete, I wave farewell to the Alv, and hit the log-out button.

Friday passes, and I spend the evening doing my homework, with a surprise waiting for me when I get home from college. Just as I’d been hoping, Houseworth had indeed ordered a full set of girl’s clothes in my size. I spend way too long staring at myself in the mirror. Cute black leather boots with silver buckles, long pink-and-white striped stockings, a knee-length pale blue skirt, and a pastel-pink sweater with a cat on the front. I’ve ignored the bra for now. Not like I have anything to fill it out, after all.

I can’t help myself. With my longer-than-average hair, I look… just like I always hoped. Despite my flat chest, I look like any other girl… for the first time I can remember; I can actually… tolerate my reflection…

The evening draws along as I finish my homework, before I hear the doorbell ring, and Houseworth chimes in, “Ah, it seems that Jeffrey is at the door. Would you like me to let him in, Mistress Kylie?”

Closing my notebook, I smile. “Is he alone? If he is, then please let him in! Tell him I’m here, okay?”

A few minutes later, I can hear the front door open and close, Jeffrey’s voice coming from the hallway. “Thanks, Houseworth! I’ll find her, no worries!” I can hear his footsteps heading up the stairs. His face pokes around the side of my bedroom doorway as I blush, biting my lip as he looks me up and down. “Well, that is a really cute look for you! And, I maaay have come here with an ulterior motive.  How would you like… a makeover?!”

I stare at him as he produces a bag from behind his back, grinning. From in its depths, he pulls a black case. Crossing to my desk, he gently places it down and opens it. Inside, there’s… an abundance of cosmetics. Lipsticks, nail polish in a rainbow of colours and shades, mascara, blush, eyeshadow, and countless products for the beautification process.  “Ta-da!” He grins at my obvious shock and awe.

With a trembling  hand, I reach out, picking up a tube of lipstick and turning it around in my fingers. “J-Jeffrey… why do you have something this… this incredible?” with a light chuckle, he perches on the edge of my bed and crosses his legs. “Well, it’s mine. I don’t see what’s wrong with making myself punky and hot when I go out to a club or something on the weekends!”

I pause, then shrug, scratching my cheek. “Ehehehehe…”  Jeffrey raises an eyebrow. “Well, while you went off ahead to hunt for that alicorn-shaped boulder, Asteria let me know what you’re doing on Saturday. Meeting a senior trans girl, huh?”

I blush and look down at my feet, digging the toe of one of my new boots into the carpet. “Y-yeah…sorry I didn’t tell you, but I just felt like it was something I shouldn’t share without asking Asteria first. I mean, this Dana is her friend, not mine…”

Jeffrey waves a hand in front of his face, smiling good-naturedly. “Aaah, you’re good, girl. Anyway, I propose… a deal! You let me sleep on your couch tonight and we play some old console games, and…” his voice becomes way more flamboyant than I’ve ever heard, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll make you look faaaabuuuulooouuuuus! How’s that sound?”

I blush, staring at Jeffrey in surprise. Before I can stop myself, I feel a huge smile breaking onto my face as he grins back. “Yes! Oh, SO much yes!” I whoop, twirling happily in place for a few seconds. He chuckles and teasingly responds, “hey look. Skirt go spinny.” While he pokes fun at me, I stick my tongue out and screw my eyes shut. It feels like we’re still as good friends as we were before, just… lighter, somehow, as if opening up about who I really am has lifted some invisible weight from my shoulders.

The evening kicks off with a pizza, shared between us, while we take turns playing an old indie game from the late 2010’s. Despite being a very old game by now, my dad’s been a collector of vintage and retro consoles and games for years. He’s often told me to go ahead and play whatever I like, as long as I don’t break it. It’s part of the reason I like games so much, having grown up watching him play Dark Souls and Dragon Quest, Harvest Moon, Skyrim, and dozens of other titles.

The game we’ve settled on is a console port of a game called Celeste, a pixel-art platformer with an extremely high difficulty curve and totally amazing soundtrack. It takes all the way up until bedtime for us to get past chapter four, before Houseworth chimes in to remind us that we have plans tomorrow. Saving the game, Jeffrey yawns and I fetch him a couple of blankets to make up a bed on the couch for him as he heads to brush his teeth.

As I return to my room, I pause. There’s a small, wrapped box on my desk, and I slowly approach, picking it up. It’s… heavy? Huh. With methodical precision, I unwrap it, feeling whatever’s inside shifting around weightily. The paper falls away, and I stare in amazement at the contents of the box as they spill out, bouncing and wobbling. They’re… oh my god, they’re…

“F-falsies?!” I splutter, picking them up and examining them closely. Formed from silicone, the false breasts jiggle slightly, firm and heavier than they look. I look down at my chest, then at my desk, my eyes finding the small folded pad of fabric, resting, slightly-concealed, behind a stack of books. Should I? Wait… could I?

A few minutes later, I emerge, blushing and clutching my arms to my chest. I’d spent a few minutes staring into the mirror after… fitting… myself. I can feel the heft shifting and settling, and a bubbling tidal wave of euphoria trickles throughout my whole body. This feels… perfectly natural. Right. Necessary.  I… I have boobs now! True, they might not be real, but they’re still boobs, and they’re mine.

Taking my new clothes off, I slip into my oversized flannel pyjamas, slipping between the sheets of my bed and tucking a single headphone in, queuing up a podcast that I’ve listened to a thousand times, as my usual sleep-aid. “Goodnight, Houseworth. Would you please turn … the lights off… for me?” I yawn, burrowing into my bed and closing my eyes. The A.I’s soothing, modulated voice comes from the speaker near the door. “Of course, Mistress Kylie. Sleep well, you have a big day tomorrow…” The lights flick out, and I nuzzle into my pillows, already drifting off…

 Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. As my 7am alarm clock goes off insistently, I yawn, slowly rolling onto my back. Something jiggles and sways, and my eyes snap open, swivelling down as I remember last night. Happiness fizzes up inside me, and I gently adjust my new boobs, sitting up and swinging my legs out of bed. Easing my feet into my fluffy slippers, I pad downstairs, yawning a good morning to Houseworth as he chimes a greeting. Shuffling into the kitchen, I blearily check the kettle, topping it up and starting the boiling process, digging out two mugs. “Jeffr’, wan’ coffee? Or tea?” I call out, barely able to make sounds that might one day become words.

Jeffrey wanders in, dressed in sleep-shorts and a tshirt, rubbing at his face. “Coffee, please. You know how I like it, Ky, thanks…” He stretches, his shoulders cracking softly. Filling one cup with a couple spoons of instant coffee grounds, I pour in boiling water, adding a teabag to my own mug, steam wreathing my face as I place the kettle back on its stand.  Stirring the contents of each mug with a separate spoon, I add milk and sugar to Jeffrey’s mug, letting my own tea steep a little longer. When I turn to place his drink on the kitchen table, he blinks, and then raises his eyebrows. “Damn, Kylie. You stacked, girl!” he snickers, and I blush, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

“Oh, shush, you! This was your doing, wasn’t it?” I turn to claim my tea, dumping the bag into the bin and sitting down opposite, sipping from my powder-blue mug. He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “Guilty as charged! Lock me up, Your Honour!” A deep, pleased grin covers his face, and he takes a long drink of caffeine, before hauling himself over to a cupboard, grabbing bowls, spoons, and a box of nutritionally-bankrupt breakfast cereal, snagging the carton of milk on his way past. As he sits down, he waggles his eyebrows cheekily. “Sooooo, ready for your big date with the wise elder of the Trans Council?”

I growl at him around my spoon, before responding. “It’s not a date, dummy. But yeah, I’m nervous, but excited too!” he grins and shovels several more spoonfuls of cereal down his face, swallowing another deep draught of coffee. “Alright, I’ll have a shower at home, so you go get ready while I set up my kit. Okay?” he doesn’t wait for an answer, disappearing into the living room while I blink. Wow, he is way more awake than I am right now. A shower should fix that…