Friday, August 29th, 2042, Residence of the Davis family, Newport, Bellevue, Washington.

Jaelith's body still ached from the sugar crash, but her mind was racing. One of her students was at the door? It would be a simple matter for any child of those privileged parents to determine her home, given their extensive resources.

She debated turning them away. It was far too soon. She was far from ready. Her transformation was not over. Could she bear being seen in this transient state?

Her heart leapt into her throat, fingers tightening on the soft fabric of the navy dress now draped across her legs. She was still curled in the recliner, half-recovered from performing a literal miracle.

Telekinesis.

Somehow, she had used Vaelith's telekinetic magic. Here. In the real world. It had drained her unconscious in seconds, but there were so many explanations for this. Her body was probably burning tens of thousands of calories, reconstructing itself at the rate it had been. She did not have Vaelith's body yet, either. Perhaps whatever reserve of power which allowed her to use magic would increase in power and efficiency as she kept transforming?

She also had panicked, possibly holding the tray in place with far more force than was necessary. Jaelith recalled how Lisa had tried, and failed, to pry it free from her invisible grasp. She clearly had no grasp of her limits yet and had to learn how to control her powers in this world. After all, Vaelith had gone to the magic academy for years before she became a level one mage. It only made sense Jaelith would need some time to learn the same.

Lisa, still waiting at the door, said softly, "She's holding flowers."

One of them had figured it out. Which one?

Jaelith tensed. She mentally recalled the time inside her classroom yesterday morning. The fact Lisa identified her as a girl narrowed it down somewhat. Out of all her students, she pictured three most likely candidates: Mia, who had spoken up first. Madison, who had studied her like a puzzle to be solved. And Anna, who had told her mother.

"What kind of flowers?"

Lisa hesitated before responding. "I don't really know their name, but… I've seen them a lot at the hospital. White, pale pink, some red. Big and fluffy? Rounder than roses and more ruffled, too. Like pompoms or clouds, almost. Why?"

Jaelith closed her eyes. That ruled out lilies, tulips, blue hyacinths—nothing about that said "apology". So not Anna.

It also was not bold. Not the kind of energy that came with sunflowers or yellow roses. Not Mia, either.

She exhaled slowly. "Peonies," she murmured. "It's a quiet message." She paused. "Something like 'I hope you're doing okay.'"

It could be someone else than Madison. But whoever was at the door had figured something out—and chosen thoughtfulness over confrontation.

"Let her in, please."

Lisa reached for the handle, then paused. "You sure, Jae?"

That got her a soft scoff. Every instinct told Jaelith to hide. To sink deeper into the chair. To disappear behind the soft folds of her new dress. Her limbs felt carved from lead, her arms weak, trembling from the earlier strain. And she did not want to be seen like this—fragile. Alien. New.

But beneath the fear, something stirred. Curiosity. A tiny, persistent voice inside her chest whispering, "Maybe it's okay."

Maybe this was the moment. Not to make a declaration, not to defend or explain—but simply to be. She would be hard-pressed to find a better place to do so than the safety of her own home. And even though she wore her new dress and new body, she was determined to face the unknown. She would let someone see her new self. "No," she whispered. "I'm not sure." She looked up at Lisa. "But she came all the way here. It must mean something to her." She nodded. "Let her in."

Lisa looked at her in silence, then nodded.

"—Oh," Jae interrupted. "Once she's in, could you help me stand? I want to be upright when I talk to her."

Lisa opened the door. The air outside spilled in with the sound of distant traffic and a gentle rustle of leaves. From where she sat, Jaelith could not see who was outside. But she could hear everything.

"Sorry, um… Mrs Davis? Or—" Jaelith recognised the voice instantly. It was Madison, after all. "Miss? I don't actually know your name."

"You can call me Lisa. I presume those are for my spouse? And you, you are miss…?"

"Ah yes! Here—" Madison nervously stuttered her answer as she trusted the bouquet forward. "Ah, sorry! I haven't introduced myself. Marchand. I'm Madison Marchand."

"Keep them. You can give them yourself. Come on in, please, Madison."

As soon as Madison stepped inside, Lisa closed the door behind her, then protectively headed to the recliner. She slid one arm under Jae's shoulder, the other bracing her back. Together, they rose—Jae's legs wobbly, but holding. She adjusted the dress, smoothing the fabric over her hips, willing her body to cooperate long enough to keep some shred of dignity..

And there, still standing by the doorway, stood Madison. "Oh… Wow."

She looked taller than Jaelith remembered. Which made sense, given she had lost almost one foot of height in two days. Madison's long brown hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and her uniform sweater hung a little crookedly off one shoulder. She held the bouquet with both hands, clutched tightly to her chest. She stood near the doorway, hesitant, uncertain, vulnerable, her eyes darting all over Jaelith's new body, capturing everything from her fins to her feet, hair, and even her blue dress.

Madison blinked at Lisa. Her breath caught when her eyes found Jaelith's.

The girl's lips parted, as if she was about to say more. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world shrank down to just the two of them, a quiet exchange held entirely in glances and breath.

Jaelith stood in the centre of the living room, still propped slightly against Lisa, the dress pooling gently around her knees. Her silver hair tumbled in soft waves past her shoulders. The golden fins at her temples fluttered faintly with each shaky inhale.

Madison did not run, gasp, or even flinch. Instead, her eyes softened and stepped forward, slowly, like approaching a deer about to bolt from a hunter.

"I—" she started, then stopped. Her cheeks flushed. She looked down at the flowers. "It's really real, then… Um. I know this is weird, but I sorta figured? When I heard the news last night. And then I… I recalled how different you looked yesterday morning, before the principal sent you away…" She swallowed, approached, then held out the bouquet like it was something sacred. "These are for you."

Jaelith stared. Her heart thudded in her chest, too loud. She could barely hear her own thoughts over the rush of blood in her fins. But her hands moved on their own, accepting the bouquet. The flowers were cool and soft against her skin.

Peonies. For her. She looked up, blinking quickly. "Hi Madison. Why did you pick these, specifically?"

Madison's shoulders hunched slightly, eyes dropping. "They're… they're kind of like you, I think." Then, after a beat: "Beautiful, but, like… strong. Even when they shouldn't be."

It was not elegant. And clearly not rehearsed, which made it feel all the more genuine.

Jaelith's throat tightened. "Thank you," she whispered. And she meant it.

Madison's eyes flicked back up, searching her face. "I don't… I don't want anything. I just—I wanted to say I'm sorry. For yesterday. In class. I didn't mean to—like—make it worse. I just didn't know. And now I do."

Jaelith smiled, small and tired, but warm. "You didn't make it worse," she said softly. "You noticed. That's all."

Madison nodded, as if still processing the enormity of the moment. "Still! We should have opposed the principal! You're our teacher, Mr Davis—" She stopped herself. "Oh... Should I still call you that?"

"Mrs Davis, when we're in class, if they let me back? But here, you can call me Jae," she smiled.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Jae? Okay…" Madison shifted her weight. "I could, um. Leave, now. If that's what you want?"

Jaelith shook her head. "No, no. You came all this way. Would you… stay for a few minutes?"

Madison clearly had not expected the invitation, and she remained stunned for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

Lisa waved towards the couches in the living room. "Have a seat."

Together, Lisa and Jaelith made their way back to the recliner.

Madison slowly entered the living room. She moved carefully, eyes wide, taking in the quiet domesticity of the space—the soft lighting, the cookies cooling on the rack in the kitchen; the dress hanging gently on Jaelith's frame. "Oh, something smells good?"

As she sat on the edge of the sofa, Jaelith lowered herself slowly back into the recliner, the bouquet still in her lap. She rested her cheek against the petals, letting the scent anchor her. She was still tired, still unsure of so many things.

Lisa headed to the kitchen. "Jae was baking raspberry swirl cookies earlier this morning. Want some? And something to drink? How does tea sound?"

Madison lit up. "Tea sounds great, actually. Thanks, Mrs—uh… Lisa."

Lisa smiled and gave her a gentle nod before turning back toward the kitchen, already reaching for the kettle.

Jaelith sank a little deeper into the recliner, the peonies resting lightly across her lap now, their soft fragrance still curling around her like a shield. Or a memory.

Madison fidgeted with her sleeves, then glanced across the room at her. "You really baked cookies?"

Jaelith offered a crooked smile. "Yeah. Almost ruined them, too. Lisa had to rescue them midair."

Madison blinked. "Mid—wait, like, you dropped them?"

Jaelith hesitated, eyes flicking toward the kitchen. "More like… caught them."

A pause.

Madison's brows drew together, thoughtful. "Like… caught them with your hands?"

Jaelith tilted her head slightly, golden fins flickering. "Not exactly."

—That's probably enough teasing.

Madison stared a second longer, then let it go. "I didn't know you could bake," she said.

"Ah, it came as part of the package? Fins, scales, tail, and cooking skills. Neat, huh?"

This earned a small, genuine smile from Madison.

Lisa returned with a tray: three mugs of tea, and a small plate of still-warm raspberry swirls. She set it on the coffee table, then sat on the couch's armrest, her gaze gently fixed on their guest.

Madison took a cookie, careful, reverent. She bit into it, her eyes widening just a little. "Whoa! Okay. Those are good!"

Jaelith chuckled softly. "They're not as magical as the ones I made in the game..."

"How is it… the game, I mean?"

Jaelith was caught by surprise at the question. "What would you like to know…?"

"Oh, I don't really… It's just, I saw the way it made you smile just now? I don't think I've seen you smile like this before, mister—Jae. The game must be pretty special?"

Jaelith let out a sigh. "As far as game goes, I'm not an expert. It feels fine to me? The spells, the battles, and so on. But Vaelith—that's my character's name—feels at home, there. Like, everything falls in place."

Madison nodded slowly, her brain probably processing what this all meant. They sat in quiet for a moment—mugs clinking gently, the occasional soft hum of the kettle still cooling behind them. "We all miss you, you know," she finally said quietly.

Jaelith looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

Madison ran her thumb along the rim of her mug. "The sub they sent in is… awful. Like, weirdly awful? He treats us like we're in kindergarten or something. Talks to us like we don't understand basic concepts. And when Kevin asked one of his questions, he actually said 'that's not relevant' and moved on." She shook her head. "He didn't even look at him when he said it. It was so rude."

Jaelith frowned. "That doesn't sound like Mr Salazar…"

Madison blinked. "Oh, it wasn't him. They brought in someone else. Some guy named Langley? Tall, super pale, hair like a grease spill. Everybody's giving him hell. It's their way of protesting."

Lisa's turned to look at Jaelith's reaction. "Langley? Doesn't sound familiar."

It was not a name familiar to her, either.

"No one knows where he came from. Not even why the director picked him." Madison's voice had taken on a sharpness, subtle but unmistakable. "I want you back."

Jaelith's fingers curled slightly against the bouquet in her lap. "Is that why you're playing hooky this morning and visiting me? To try and convince me to return?"

Madison hesitated. "We don't want the school to replace you, teach." She looked up, her eyes fierce now. "But we'll make noise. The whole class loves you, you know. Everyone wants you to come back."

The words landed like a blow to the heart. Jaelith sat there, stunned. She had prepared herself for mockery, awkward stares, maybe even pity. But not this. Not loyalty. Not care. "You really… all of you?"

"Well, not everyone," Madison admitted, then grinned faintly. "But most of us. Even Kevin, and he usually hates everyone."

Lisa gave a short laugh. "That tracks."

"And Mia's been the most vocal about it. She gave Anna an earful, you know. For calling her mom about it. We're kind of… rallying." She paused, biting her lip. "You mattered to us—No. You still matter to us."

The silence that followed was thick with warmth and weight.

Jaelith felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. She blinked them back. "Even with me looking like this? By Monday, I'll probably be looking up at you."

"Aren't you the one who keeps telling us 'Good things come in small packages'?"

"She got you there, honey…"

"That means more than I can say."

Madison sipped her tea, her voice softer now. "You were the only teacher who ever asked if I was okay." She hesitated. "Not just academically, I mean. Like, me. I always felt like you saw me. Not just my grades."

Jaelith reached across the table, her hand trembling slightly, and laid it atop Madison's. "That's because I did."

"… Pretty." Madison looked down at their hands, fascinated by the golden sheen of Jaelith's scales. Then she looked up again, her voice breaking just slightly. "I just want to return the favour, you know?"

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Lisa rose quietly. "I think there's a second batch of cookies I need to throw in the oven," she murmured, and stepped away into the kitchen, giving them space.

Jaelith did not let go of Madison's hands.

Her student smiled. "I wasn't sure if I should come. I was scared what I'd find. Or if you'd even open the door."

"But you did."

"I remembered what you taught us. About the language of flowers. I figured," she said, nudging the bouquet with her thumb, "if I couldn't find the right words, maybe the flowers could say them better."

"They did," Jaelith said, her voice shaking.

Peonies. Flowers representing health and prosperity.

"Hey, I realise I haven't asked, but… Are you okay? With all of this? I mean, your character is nothing like the old you…"

Jaelith let out a slow breath. "It's not easy, I have to admit. I'm taking it one faint spell at a time."

Madison's eyes bulged. "Wait, what?"

Jaelith laughed, light and dry. "Yeah. Apparently, para-physical exertion isn't recommended when your body's already mid-transfiguration and hasn't discovered the concept of caloric reserves."

Madison gawked. "Like, you actually fainted?"

"I did… Lisa took care of me and the cookies while I was out."

"Is that why she had to help you just to stay up earlier?" Madison muttered, half to herself.

Jaelith smiled fondly, glancing toward the kitchen. "Yeah… she's been a real lifesaver today."

From the kitchen, Lisa laughed. "Just today?"

"Lisa's been a real lifesaver, as always."

"And a dress? That's new. It suits you—don't get me wrong!"

Jaelith chuckled. She nodded at the shopping bags near the foot of the recliner. "Lisa's done a little bit of thrift shopping. None of my clothes really fit me anymore, and even her stuff tends to float on me today."

Lisa walked back into the living room, still close enough to chat while keeping an eye on the kitchen. "I got her more than dresses. But when I showed her this one, well… she wanted to try it."

Madison smiled, a little shy, a little teasing. "Well, you wear it better than most people wear their own skin."

Jaelith blinked at that. It was too sincere to deflect with humour. "…Thank you," she said quietly.

Madison hesitated. "Can I ask something else? It's kind of… nosy."

Jaelith tilted her head, and her fins gave a faint ripple. "You've come all this way and brought flowers. You get one nosy question."

Madison huffed a soft laugh. "Okay. Fair." She tapped her mug with her fingernail once, thinking. "Were you always her? Like… Vaelith? Even before the game?"

Jaelith's eyes widened at the precision of the question. She did not ask if the game changed her, or if she was afraid of being stuck like this. No, she asked if she had always been her. She took a long breath. "I think… I was always someone close to her. Someone trapped behind a lot of layers. Jason—he was real. But he was always pushing something down. Or aside." Her fingers brushed over the bouquet in her lap. "I had no idea, really. Not until Vaelith showed me. Gave me permission to stop pushing."

Madison nodded slowly. "So, this isn't the game messing with your head?"

"No," Jaelith said, shaking her head. "I'm fairly sure my head is still all mine."

They sat in the silence that followed, letting the weight of that thought settle. Deeper in the kitchen, the oven beeped. Lisa quietly set a fresh tray of swirls on the counter, staying out of the conversation.

Madison looked back at Jaelith. "If you had known ahead of time this would happen to you… Would you have done anything differently?"

I didn't exactly have a choice, actually. But I probably don't need to tell her that…

"I don't think so. It was like Vaelith picked this time to come out, instead of a conscious choice." Jaelith smiled softly. "You sound like you have something eating at you, though? What's wrong?"

Madison looked down, her cheeks tinged pink. "Maybe." She reached for another cookie, not meeting Jaelith's eyes. "I mean. It's not like I want a tail or fins. But… there are things about me I wish I could change, some days. But I'm… not comfortable talking about it with anyone yet."

"You don't have to," Jaelith said, her voice gentle. "Not until you want to. And not with anyone who hasn't earned it."

Madison looked up at that—and nodded, slowly. "I think… you just did."

They shared a quiet, private smile.

"Does any other student know? About what's happening to me?"

Madison seemed to think about it. "I don't know? Some might suspect something. Should I tell them?"

"I'm not sure. Hold on for now, maybe? We'll see what happens on Monday?"

Madison pulled out her phone, glanced down at the screen, and let out a short sigh. "I should probably go…"

Lisa stepped back in, drying her hands. "Want me to walk you out?"

Madison stood, brushing crumbs from her lap. "I think I remember the way," she replied, smiling.

She turned to Jaelith, hesitated for a second, then bent down and hugged her. Brief but tight. "Thank you for seeing me. And for letting me see you."

Jaelith hugged her back as best she could from the recliner. "I'm glad you came."

As Madison pulled away, she whispered, "I'm gonna keep bringing flowers. Until you're back."

Jaelith blinked. "That could get expensive."

"Please," Madison scoffed. "I've got to put all that family wealth to some use. I'll consider it an investment in my future."

And with that, she turned and made her way to the door, Lisa following behind her with a warm smile.

The door clicked shut, and the house fell quiet again.

Jaelith looked down at the peonies. Her fingers brushed one open bloom, still impossibly soft.

"She's nice." Lisa walked back close to her spouse, eyes tracking the car as it left their front yard.

"Yeah…"

"So…" Lisa tilted her head. "Going by Jae, then?"

"Ah… I noticed the way you avoided my full name all morning. Jae works. I like to think of it as short for Jaelith—just a temporary thing, while I'm trying to figure out who I really am."

"Of course, take your time. Whatever makes you comfortable, honey."

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