…Wake Up…
…Nao…
…Arthur…
…Alphon…
…Wake Up…
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHtJHPoZdI
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDFTh5jGOM
My eyes explode open and I feel fire boiling my flesh causing me to scream in agony. Blood pours out of my mouth and my lungs burst open only to reform again.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAffNAb9irP
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GLrMoo3rz
This pain is…too much. Why am I going through this? What is happening? Instantly, I feel bugs slithering on my legs and arms, holding me down. Forcing me into the flames.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy3ldUPaev
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dvas2XBtU
I fight back, struggle, and push away the bugs but their grip on me tightens. Not again, I don’t want to die again.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrp97oazdn9
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66ptk7krE2
“Nao!”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mrk7VeeRn
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtyeWKUGEB
*Door flings open*
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPaxCx5QUp
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP04y32Et0R
“What happened?!”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceu19DAtqK
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJHXOYstN2
“Sorry, he’s just having a really bad nightmare.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNCDVjf86U
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQol6ABqZh
More bugs crawl into my mouth eating up the blood flooding it. No, please don’t crawl in there! NO!
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn2Y5TDW4P
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7B04Sop7p
“Let me through!”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfiodYTlTO
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtObYDqclkm
No! Not another one! Get bac-
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rKoIOLkh6
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JLEE8PpbI
“Nao, wake up! Please honey, wake up.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tjzmhHeBO
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe60NYTY6go
Nao: “Huh?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2M7IEXkqvy
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TBQFa2RqO
Another bug consumes my form but it’s…warm. My body cools and the flames subside. The skin that was torn and burnt returns. My vision clears and I see bodies without faces.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaPLZfUIKP
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnMNpsHxd8
My eyes slide over to the girl hovering at the door with concern covering her face. For some reason, I feel something from this warmth and the girl. Their faces return and I try to breathe air that’s strangely not filled with smoke.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiwQNMUAEU
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fvDYuWCx4
Nao: “Where…am I?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w1M37FDIL
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPBDypxWYg
“You’re home, whatever happened in that dream is over. You’re okay.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzXdVIZXRq
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHDnwk3Mdg
Dream?
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDUPsgp1fc
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHC9Ib16NU
!!
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFhFX24DZq
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7rf1VgC9s
I return the hug and sigh in relief.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VnoKZUug8
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOq9J0KnWJx
Nao: “I am okay now, thank you…mom.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdZRjINDt0
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEBHEbH6Pf
Nell: “Are you sure? I never seen you like this before?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rx0cAAZPy
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEUSz8uFgI
Nao: “I’m sure. It was…just a dream.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnL21EXPyzZ
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYTLr9ijNc
Nell: “…Can everyone give me a minute with Nao.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwxQ8ezkPJ
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmnPdZs1Aw
Everyone leaves with worry still on their faces. Now I’m all alone with my mother, sitting on the bed soaked with my sweat.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkoRQR1GV3
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiPp4PFojp
Nell: “Nao, do you want to talk about the dream?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7eJk1Xze9
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGStXP9EtEX
Nao: “I…can’t remember it.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88EW74cUHA
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3lm1UsqZ0
Nell: “I see…maybe it’s for the best. Do you want me to stay with you?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLAe0Nmgtw
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFn9Uei8FW
Nao: “…Yes please.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP09sULoar
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq30m1U7EsC
I embraced the warmth once again and held onto it for dear life. We stayed like that for a while before the silence was broken once again.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP1sMxbSuV
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia2gxutnEC
Nell: “If there’s anything bothering you, at home or at school, please tell me. It won’t inconvenience me or this home.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQetwIajkX
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNilJTGPrg
Nao: “…I’ll tell you, I promise.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0FtDZynoo
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBfynucEZX
Nell: “Good, I’ll cook you and Alyson some food. Take as much time as you need to collect yourself.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iYfNOQjxD
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5oTerAK8u
And so the warmth leaves me in this cold room with the only light coming from the window overhead.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkNQqeHZhM
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpF9CL60dRk
I sit there in silence for an unknown amount of time. I…just sat there, staring at the wall. Eventually, I collected enough of my pieces to leave the room.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshWKDu5NXI
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEdnAxSqHT
Standing outside, leaning against the wall in front of me, was Alyson.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA0Ze10XSc
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3kSeL5ouC
Alyson: “Are you…okay?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoIyDWx9Eb
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGX44oJich
Nao: “Yeah, thanks for caring.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnb8tz05x8
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3cS9SW0Mw
Alyson: “…I want you to know, you’re off the Black List. I won’t be responsible if you…”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vsd3WaT2i
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79aLAOOydj
Alyson: “I’m going out, I hope you’re better by the time I get back.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGrvlBaPLM
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVar1cNnHQ
She left before I could say anything in response to her strange brand of….affection?
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iVe46ngFI
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pg9XA5SlC
I go downstairs to see the group looking with worry. They crowd me, asking me questions I have no answers to.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yfqieWy2T
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoTFINsR5W
That pain and…whatever happened before, that wasn’t all due to increasing my stats…right?
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbT4qHFej8D
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczZfVxz00X
Anthony: “Maybe we should postpone our plans for a while.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDPFn7peFp
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1ENvbArXt
Nao: “No, I’m good. I can do it. Alyson will leave after eating breakfast which will give me an opportunity to see her outside the house.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKbrIDDgbK
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY47PkLmmoM
Anthony: “…I guess. Fine, we’ll see you later today for the magic items.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglj8gGk1sP
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDo8Ps9oVr
Nao: “Oh yeah….got it.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtq5kpUCzK
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aG5Mnt9QS
The group said their goodbyes and left our home. I went to the kitchen to eat my first meal of the day with mom. Alyson seems to have taken her food to go so it was just mom and me.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWbiO5gKcq
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oGcMqeyvd
We said nothing but that was okay. Just being near her was putting me back together. I thanked her for the food and went into the bathroom. Time to find my ideal form for Alyson.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYpyKmWuV4
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UwxlDNBZ2
I look into the mirror and Nao stares back. I breathe in and out, thinking of what to change myself into. Someone else, someone not Nao. The answer came easily and so I closed my eyes.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiISaePt3o
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8h4DzpIbzU
The next time I opened them, someone else stared back. Tall, handsome with a clean shave, well built, and a different facial structure. This person looked nothing like me but the form…it felt right.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOsqPSVNW7
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtHiBiNmeA
Even the size of my clothes seem to change to fit my new body. I don’t know how exactly this spell changes my clothes too but I don’t question it. It’s too convenient to be suspicious.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzII5VFHJ4
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeSvTGSFGN
I regretfully revert back and leave the bathroom. I still need to leave here as Nao, as me. I’ll transform somewhere safe and try to find Alyson at her usual hideouts.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hI3cmCEoq
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnwApFnNDb
I go to my room and grab the best clothes I can. They have to be nice but generic enough to not give anything away. The best I could find was a form-fitting black t-shirt and jeans. I go downstairs and to the front door while hoping this is enough.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46WdZ0nKpX
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1n54op3HLq
Nell: “Where are you going Nao?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuli495rxAk
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79fF0XDKzF
Nao: “I’m going to the bookstore, I need something to relax my mind.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOxMHzs4SJ
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsWzqZJOu1
Nell: “O-Of course, I’ll see you later. Right, Nao?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiOWpq5yFm
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKNOIabe8K
Nao: “Don’t worry mom, I will be back. You won’t stay here alone for long.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ869Jc5q4SC
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx12zj8V4cq
I open the front door and head towards the local cafe. It’s a humble little store with white round tables out front. Alyson may be queen but she doesn’t really have friends. Too busy studying to care about such things.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcTYhSJ45d
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQvIAeo3v5
This is one of those spots she goes to relax while working on school work or just studying. Luckily, I picked right. She sitting at the middle table drinking a smoothie while studying.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi3hwiJjSF
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydPq1ybwQO
I stay out of sight and sneak into the store bathroom. I find an empty stall and close my eyes once again.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHzz58Aeb7
*Breathe In*
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTisf6gSSMy
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEKYWTGITp
*Breathe Out*
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOeC5CRhXc
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN40C1eyOY
I exit the bathroom a new man with clothes really fitting my muscular build. I stride out of the bathroom with confidence that only builds with the glances I get.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtetRjhd06
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS8qSObsF1
The girl at the counter and some with boyfriends take in my body. Yes, this is what I wanted. I soak in their attention and go back outside towards Alyson.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifIZu43BQg
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrhUlezul2
Nao: “Hey, is this seat taken?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJHu5ivhva
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rk21PneTg
Alyson: “…No.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGti482oXXm
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8Cw5VdwY5
I ignore her dismissive glare and set down with a casual smile. Now, let’s see what’s in that head sis.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqklu69D3O
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLdN6g1bFt
Mind reading.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VfnmOJFX8
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEoIFuMTgQ
Alyson: (Great, another try hard desperate to get with me. At least this one is cute.)
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWLAJ7hsZ2
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC7WCW9gwL
At least I’m cute, it’s a start.
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9FUSbH8E8
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhs4w8af6c
Nao: “So what are you working on?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOydvGlPl1x
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZRBvgL4w4
Alyson: “Paperwork that doesn’t really concern you.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlucv3uwH8
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbBO0vbxQR
Nao: “Ouch, I can see that I’m not the first guy to hit on you. So I won’t, I’m new in town and just looking for a friend.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CLqdvFl7S
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8JeX2U8A5
Alyson: “And out of everyone, you choose me to be your first friend?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix5U9MSd02
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95r7TJMGUK
Nao: “Yeah, you’re the most interesting person I’ve seen so far. A pretty girl hard at work, that I assume is school-related, on a Saturday. As soon as I saw that I thought, this girl has a story to tell.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwuKTGkTQC
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr5BAEI9hk
Nao: “Besides, I like hard workers. They’re the ones that can go the distance in life.”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKSH4gL3am
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddMGeZgEZM
Alyson: “…Okay, you got my attention. My name is Alyson, what’s yours?”
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaQDbEuGQY
387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom0gE06mXA
Nao: “Hm….my name is….Alphon. Nice to meet you Alyson, I hope this is the start of a beautiful relationship.”
ns216.73.216.12da2
