Chapter 17: Chapter Fifteen: The Rest(less)room

After a couple of turns down several corridors, we arrived in front of yet another door. This was a lot less fancy than the Guildmaster’s office. 

‘Obviously…I’d be concerned if it wasn’t.’

“TADAH!” Mayari dramatically presented the room.

“We have arrived at the destination.” She said, kneeling in front of me and grabbing my hand.

She planted a kiss on it. “Your chivalrous and upstanding servant Mayari will stand steadfast at the door, protecting you from those who beseech your cuteness with ill intent.”

“Pfft...” I giggled at the girl’s exaggerated antics. 

I found myself enjoying the time I spent with her, she was already starting to feel like the sister I never had. 

“Whoa, that's so creepy!” She exclaimed, poking a finger at my cheek “You just giggled but your facial expression didn’t change it all. Well, it's fine. It was still cute.”

‘Wait a minute. I feel like something’s suspicious here. She said she’d stand at the door…but she didn’t say on which side. Don't tell me this girl is going to watch me. What a perv.’

Mayari’s eyes suddenly slanted as she looked me in the eyes.

“Maua~ You just thought something rude, didn’t you?” she asked with an eerily calm voice and smile.

“Uh…no?” I replied.

“How dare you think of this beautiful sister so lowly!” she shouted as she flicked me on my forehead.

“Ouch! “I rubbed the spot. “Then allow me to ask you a question. What side of the door were you planning on guarding from?”

“The inside of course!” she exclaimed shamelessly. “ How can I protect you if I’m not watching you? Hmmm?!”

“So you really are a pervert, huh?” I replied, my deadpan face dying some more. 

“Why you little!” She shouted as she leaped at me.

I nimbly dodged and rushed to the door. I quickly opened it and shut it close behind me. 

Fortunately for me, there was a lock on the door. I immediately locked it, breathing a sigh of relief.

The appearance of the lock had me feeling positive that a mirror would also be within the bathroom.

‘Well, maybe positive isn’t the right word.’

I found myself staring at the doorknob, unwilling to turn around. The truth was…I was scared. 

‘What if I don’t like how I look? What if I hate it?’

I began to fall down the rabbit hole that is my mind.

‘I know that Mayari thinks I’m cute, but she’s a weirdo. Plus, I’m short. Even if I am as cute as she says…I’m a guy. Guys are supposed to be tall, strong, and manly, right?’

I continued running around in mental circles until a certain promise popped up in my thoughts.

That promise being the one I made to my mom. I promised that I’d live this new life of mine to the fullest.

‘Who cares that I’m not the manliest man on the planet. I’ll make Mama proud this time.’

My mind resolute, I turned away from the door, taking a look at the bathroom. 

My initial thought was fancy.  Without a doubt, it was the fanciest bathroom I’ve ever been in. The entire thing looked as if it was made out of ivory and quartz.

It was blindly luxurious.

‘So much for my lack of concern. That door totally catfished me.’

Taking a few seconds to admire the room, I found what I was looking for, a mirror.

Shoving my anxiety to the side, I approached it.

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What I saw reflecting back at me blew away the numbness of both my brain and body.

The person in the reflection was undeniably the cutest person I had ever seen. If Helen of Troy could cause countries to go to war, this person could cause galaxies to do the same. 

Their skin shined with a caramel luster. 

They had the most adorable button nose, a pair of fluffy lips, and chubby cheeks. 

They had ‘hair’ that reached a bit past their shoulders. Said hair looked as if was made out of giant leaves. 

Their eyes shone a stark crimson. I also noticed the distinct lack of pupils within their eyes, a feature I saw only in the Guildmaster and Lady Amare so far. 

Under their left eye, there was a marking of some sort. It almost looked like an engraving on a rune or something. While it seemed like would take away from the attractiveness of their face, it only amplified it.

Their ears were long and sharp, alluding to their inhuman nature.

Hanging down next to their left ear, was a flower. It looked like a purple angel’s trumpet.

Moving downwards, the oversized robes cover much of the rest of their body. However, one could tell there wasn’t much in the chest department. The hips, however, seemed to have a nice shape to them. 

Looking over the entirety of the person, I pinched my own cheek. I felt the pain, and I saw the person mirror my movements. I attempted it again, only to get the same result.

‘Welp, there’s no doubt that’s me.’

No longer addled by the numbing of my brain, I honed in on the thing between my legs. Or rather the lack thereof. 

There was no needless groping. That confirmed it….

‘I’m a….girl?’

“AHHHH!” I screamed, reality crashing down on me.

Suddenly, the door flew off its hinges, wrapped in violet flames. 

A concerned-looking Mayari stepped in right after.

“Maua? Are you okay?” she asked.

“Geez, Mayari. Did you have to blow down the door? Would it kill you to knock first?” I retorted.

“I was getting worried. You’ve been in here for almost an hour. Then, you started screaming out of nowhere. What was I supposed to think?” she responded. 

She moved over to me, wrapping me in an embrace.

“When I finally decided to come in, the first thing I see is you crying. Was I supposed to just let that happen?” she said, wiping a tear off my cheeks. 

‘What? I-I’m crying?’ 

“For the love of the Tree, Mayari. This is not the time to be slacking off.” Kna’Ve sighed, walking into the room. "I told you to bring the little one as soon as they finished questioning her."

“Oh.”

Taking in the atmosphere, she let out a sound.  

“I’ll go talk to Rua and the Guildmaster. We’ll do the testing some other day,” she said, turning to leave.

“W-wait, Ms.Kna’Ve,” I mumbled, struggling to get the words out. “Please a-allow me to do it today.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, worry present in both sets of eyes.

“Yes. It would probably be better if I focus my mind on something else.”

Mayari released me from her hug, grabbing onto one of my hands. Kn’Ave took the other one and they began to lead me toward the testing area.