Friday, August 29th, 2042, Private NEURASphere VR Room.

After accepting Soraya's invitation to a private chat, Emmy found herself in a room with sparse furnishing, pastel-blue coloured walls and no way out—no windows or doors.

She tried to use the environment to determine who the other victim might be, but the space was so spartan, it could belong to anyone. Emmy walked over to an old-fashioned couch, let herself fall in and let out a long sigh.

Why did I agree to do this? Probably because Soraya thought it was a good idea for me to talk to someone else going through the same thing…

Emmy instinctively checked her current form, Elyssia's—the green-haired, freckled sylvani, still wearing NEURASphere's mandatory business suit. She quickly readjusted her position on the couch, remembering Priya's lesson about sitting with her knees together. She unfastened the collar of her blouse and tugged it looser. Even in virtual space, it otherwise felt like it threatened to strangle her.

Moments later, a tall burrovian female avatar materialised across from her. Emmy recognised him immediately—Elliot. The one who had approached Sandra to ask for time-off. The same person who had created the private support channel for other victims. Without hesitation, Emmy decided to stick with masculine pronouns, unless corrected.

She watched him as he settled in. He looked lost, his posture folding in on itself, sheepish in a way that made him look younger than he really was. He wore casual clothes—runners, blue jeans and a plain men's-cut t-shirt.

Emmy immediately recalled what Priya had said yesterday, seeing Emmy in the office's masculine attire. There was something utterly fascinating about seeing a woman dressed that way.

It was not Emmy's style—it was actually quite far from the image she had of herself.

But for some people, it worked. And Elliot's Noble burrovian body? Well, the system adjusted the measurements to match his feminine proportions perfectly—of course it would look great.

However, his posture and anxiety-ridden face were a poor match for his attire.

Before things got too awkward as both stared at each other, Emmy waved. "Hey."

Elliot did not answer, and instead just hovered there, arms folded, rubbing at his elbows like a person trying not to fall apart.

"Hey—" he eventually said in a timid, feminine voice. "I… Thanks for agreeing to meet with me like this, M-E."

Emmy felt her heart tighten as Elliot gritted his teeth—Emmy stopped herself, wondering which set of pronouns to use for Elliot—at the sound of his own voice. She noticed the way Elliot said "M-E" rather than "Emmy"—it was a subtle difference, but she noticed how Elliot separated the syllables with a deliberate pause.

Should I tell him? Most of my family already knows, many of my coworkers do, and apparently even HR does. Isn't it time to open up to someone else? The sylvani's already out of the bag at this point.

"Of course." Emmy tried to offer a sympathetic smile. "And… you can call me Emmy—short for Emmanuelle—while we're in here. I go by she/her pronouns, now."

Elliot blinked slowly, as if every word Emmy had spoken required more processing power than his brain could afford.

"You're Elliot, right? I saw you at the meeting yesterday."

The burrovian nodded and then pointed with one finger. "You're wearing a woman's uniform…"

"Mhm. Company policy." With a mischievous grin and a casual shrug, she let out a silent chuckle. "But you know that—you were there in the same meeting."

"But we're not at the office right now. You could change into anything you want."

Emmy raised an eyebrow, then asked, "Would it make you more comfortable if I changed into something else?"

"No, you don't have to…" A shake of the head. "Are you comfortable like this? These clothes? This body? With what's happening to you outside of the game?"

Emmy bit her lower lip, taking the time to sort her own feelings before answering. "It'll make things complicated, no doubt," she started. "Suddenly looking like I'm in my early twenties, not being totally human anymore—although some have it worse—and updating all the paperwork… It will all be a pain. But yeah, I'm comfortable with it, warts and all."

She let out a long sigh and scratched the nape of her neck. "This is like my worst nightmare and something I've wished for all my life together at the same time, all jammed in one tiny package."

"How can you want this, but also dread it at the same time?" Elliot asked with surprise clearly obvious on his face.

"It's… complicated," she started. "I'm afraid, of course. But not in the same way you are, I think. Ever since I found out who I was a few years ago… well, I hid it from everyone. It took me so long to realise who I was supposed to be, and I was afraid to reintroduce myself to my friends, my family. I was afraid to tell them… I don't know? I was afraid to admit I hadn't been honest with them for decades."

Elliot took one step closer. "But now, someone took that choice away from you…"

"A few people, actually," Emmy mumbled, remembering how Maya had let everyone know this morning. "Yeah. It's not just my avatar anymore—it's my body too. I can't really hide it anymore. And I don't really want to pretend it's making me miserable anymore. Even though that had been my plan yesterday."

"What made you change your mind?"

Soraya started it, but Maya cemented it.

"When people showed me they still cared. That they accept the new me."

Elliot walked up to the couch and sat at the opposite end. "I… I don't think it'll be this easy for me. It's different for me."

"Yeah. Soraya was hinting at it. This isn't something you wanted, right?"

Elliot nodded, then brought their heels up onto the couch and tightly hugged their knees. "It isn't. And even if it were, I don't think my family would accept me this way."

"You don't have to accept it, either, you know?"

Elliot lowered her forehead to her knees. "I don't feel like I have a choice?"

"You do. You absolutely have a choice."

"Really?"

"Transition works both ways, you know? You can talk to doctors. It's all over the news how players are turning into their characters. You let them know it's happening to you, and you want to undo it. You can tell people to still call you Elliot, and use he/his pronouns. It's up to you after that. You can have gynaecomastia surgery. You can dress however you want."

Elliot shook his head. "But I can't… Work says I have to dress according to my gender."

"That's a simple problem to solve, then. You just have to make sure HR knows what your gender is. You are far from the first transgender employee on staff. They have a bunch of processes established to help you affirm yourself, even in VR space. You just need to fill out the necessary forms."

"If it's that easy, why didn't you transition before the glitch?"

"Because I was afraid of people knowing. For them to realise I wanted to transition." Emmy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before continuing. "Many people are critical of trans women's journeys. In your case, however, I think most people would understand your desire to return to who you were before. People are way less judgmental about gender-affirming care than gender reassignment."

Elliot turned his head, just enough to glance sidelong at Emmy. "You think I'd actually get support for that? That people would take me seriously?"

Emmy nodded. "I do. But you don't have to believe that today. You just need to know it's an option. That this isn't the end of your story—it's just a weird, terrifying, and incredibly unfair chapter."

"You have a gift for understatement." Elliot gave a dry laugh. "Can you… keep calling me Elliot and use masculine pronouns, then?"

Emmy beamed and raised a thumbs up in approval. "Sure thing, mister."

Elliot smiled, perhaps for the first time in the meeting. "Thanks."

I hope I said the right thing... But… Why is it so much easier to know what to do when it's helping someone else?

Silence stretched out for a few awkward seconds. Emmy hesitated a little longer, but then dispelled the stillness with a question. "You have a party member who's changing, too, right?"

"Mhm," Elliot said, raising his head slowly. "Vanessa—she's at my place today. Came to check on me, since I ghosted her and my online friends yesterday. She's also turning into her character. I saw it with my own eyes."

A wistful look crossed Elliot's face as he murmured the next part, his voice soft and hesitant. "Luckily for her, it's not a big change—she's a homini."

How odd that both of our teams have more than one affected player. Is this a coincidence? Considering the sheer number of players, what are the odds of this randomly landing in the same groups?

Emmy leaned back on the couch. "I actually play with the girl from the news—Kaelyn. We're in the same group. So looks like we both have a transforming party member."

"Actually…" Elliot said, but the stopped talking.

"What is it?" Emmy asked delicately.

"One of my other party members is changing too. I haven't seen her, haven't talked to her..." He swallowed. "But Vanessa did. Ellie… She made a halfling character. She's apparently freaking out—"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Emmy could only imagine.

"—And we don't know about the fourth in our group yet. Rachel. She also made a halfling. But in her case, her character's a guy. Vanessa tells me she's been avoiding them and dodging any questions about it."

"Isolating herself? Can you blame her?"

Elliot let out a dry chuckle, the sound brittle and humourless. "No. No, I really can't."

Three, maybe four, people in the same group? Does this mean it could also affect Jason or Leoric?

Emmy swallowed, realising she might have dragged her best friend into something much bigger than a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

She glanced at her hands—slim, freckled and now oddly familiar. It still amazed her how right they felt, somehow. She had only created Elyssia two days ago, but already felt so at home with this body and identity. Humans' capacity to adapt to change truly astonished her—how two days overwrote nearly forty years. Just like that.

Although she idly wondered just how much the game's calibration system, with its subtle adjustments and enigmatic design, had a hand behind her current degree of comfort.

Before Emmy could say anything, two chimes echoed through the room. She glanced up as a floating window blinked into existence in front of her face. Glancing at Elliot, she could tell he had also received a message.

FROM: NEURASphere HR department

SUBJECT: Transformation Policy Update: Immediate Action Required.

Due to the ongoing convergence event between in-game avatars and physical forms, all employees affected in the real world are instructed to refrain from entering shared physical or virtual workspaces until further notice. If you are affected in real-life and are currently in the office or connected to our network, please disconnect from your station, and head home immediately.

This is a preventative measure. Your employment is not at risk.

NEURASphere will continue to support all impacted staff with full pay and optional mental health resources.

Please confirm your status by completing the attached form, and remain in secure, isolated environments both in and out of VR until otherwise instructed.

— NEURASphere HR Compliance Office

Emmy glanced at Elliot. "You got that too?"

Elliot kept staring at the invisible screen in front of him, with a look of utter confusion visible on his face. "They're putting us in quarantine?" he finally uttered.

"Looks like it," Emmy replied. She leaned back on the couch and let the tension seep from her shoulders. She felt an odd mix of relief and resignation, wrapped in a blanket of clarity. "Welp! This makes things simpler."

The world felt like it had caught up to what she already knew, and would welcome her new self. She did not need to hide anymore. Things were falling into places like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

"You're going to tell the company, then?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll file the report. I'm done hiding." Emmy's fingers hovered in front of the reply button. "Honestly, I'm glad they're giving me the day off. I don't think I would have been very productive today unless I had checked in with my other party members first. If your entire team is affected, then maybe mine is, too."

"I hope they're all doing okay. Both your friends, and mine."

Emmy considered her three party members. Jason might need someone to talk to, but probably would handle it fine. She could still remember her conversation with Vaelith two days ago. The things she had said then, the way she had said things—calm, poised, almost eerie in how composed she was. If Jason was struggling, he was not showing it.

Leoric… she was not sure. He radiated confidence in-game, but that kind of certainty did not always translate across worlds. And if he was changing, would he embrace it, or resist it? Would he tell them or hide it? Emmy chewed her lip. Leoric appeared capable—but being capable did not mean being indestructible.

Kaelyn was the one who might need the most support. Her player appeared young. She wondered whether this would end up being a good or a bad thing. What worried Emmy the most, however, was how Kaelyn was very much at the centre of every big event surrounding the game. So she would get so much more attention than anyone else. Knowing her player was AMAB did not really factor too much in her calculations; Kaelyn employed her femininity so masterfully, Emmy had no doubts she was either transgender, or would take to womanhood like a fish to the sea.

"Yes, me too. I should check up on them soon."

Emmy opened her message interface, tapped Sandra's name, and began typing. "Hi Sandra. Just letting you know personally, I've also begun showing real-world changes from the avatar sync event. Consider this message as my formal declaration. I'll complete the form right away."

She paused, then added: "Thank you for treating us like people, and not just liabilities."

The window closed with a soft chime as she sent her reply. Emmy closed her eyes.

"Now what?" Elliot asked.

"I'm going to message my colleagues to wish them a good weekend, and then I'll check on my team. You?"

"I don't know. Where should I start?"

"Look for gender-affirming clinics and trans-support groups in your area?"

"That's it?" he asked.

"It's a start. You probably should read up more on dysphoria and what it means to be trans online." She opened a new email window and attached multiple files and folders. "Here, let me send you this. I've got a few dozen links and some documents I've accrued over the years."

"… Thanks," Elliot said, visibly puzzled. "I'm a bit surprised you have all this ready to send off like that."

Emmy chuckled. "Trans topics have been a special interest of mine for a few decades. I've accumulated and curated a lot of information on the subject."

"Didn't you just realise you were trans a few years ago? You just admitted you've been collecting that information for years?"

Emmy laughed. Indeed, the statement appeared contradictory. "Look, I was a really thick egg, okay?"

"Egg?"

"Ah, just some jargon for a trans person before they realise they are. When you finally understand what's happening, you hatch like a chick by cracking the shell—thus the egg metaphor," Emmy said. "Not everyone ascribes to the stereotype of having known since they were five. Some actually figure it out in their late thirties or forties after living miserably dull and grey lives. I'm one of the latter group."

"That sounds horrible…"

"Mhm. Zero out of five; would not recommend," she said in a voice filled with regret. Emmy let the words linger for a second, then she blinked, shook her head slightly, and straightened her posture. "Which is why you should do something about it. If your character—if this burrovian you've built—isn't who you really are, then you shouldn't just force yourself to become her. You're the only arbiter of who you truly are."

Elliot smiled weakly. "Thanks. I'll try to remember that. Time to go, I guess?"

"Looks that way." Emmy nodded. "Oh. But before you go—Soraya told me your friend was there, and might want to speak to me. I can stay here for a few minutes while you check if she wants to hop in?"

Elliot tilted his head. "Mmm. I'm not sure. Let me ask her. I'll send you a direct message."

"Alright."

"Thanks for the chat, and the links, Emmy."

She smiled warmly. "Anytime, Elliot. Be safe."

Elliot nodded with gratitude in her direction as his avatar blinked and disappeared.

Alone in the pastel-blue room, Emmy let herself slump back into the couch cushions. The silence pressed in, but it did not feel hostile—just quiet. A waiting room between one version of her life and the next.

She opened her VR interface again, this time hovering over Jason's contact. Her finger hovered over the "Call" button. But he was not online.

So she tapped the "Compose Message" button instead.

TO: Jason Davis

SUBJECT: Checking in…

Hey friend,

I know it's early. Maybe you're at work right now? But just on the off-chance I'm right, maybe you're stuck at home and dealing with some kind of impossible situation. Hopefuly Lisa's there and helping you. Taking care of you.

I just… wanted to check in. You might have heard the news surrounding the game. If not, things are getting weird.

There's been cases of players changing into their avatars. And I don't mean the glitch in VR. I mean, in the real world. Kaelyn was on the news yesterday, because it's happening to her. Or is it him? I don't know; we never asked about their gender.

Anyway, it's not just Kaelyn. Earlier, I spoke to another person who's changing.

The thing is… at least two of their party members are changing too. That can't be a coincidence.

And… Well, I'm changing too—I didn't really notice anything yesterday. But with hindsight? I can see it now.

Yeah. So. Apparently, since I'm changing. And Kaelyn is, too… Well, I'm worried you might be. And if I'm right, I'm concerned about how well you and Lisa are dealing all of that.

I know this probably feels like a nightmare right now. For me, it still does. But part of me… is also starting to feel okay. If you're feeling anything close to that, you're not alone.

So I guess I'm writing to ask if you're okay. Not just game-mechanics okay. You okay.

I know you hate relying on others, but if anything's going on, or if you just want to talk—I'm here. No pressure, no judgment. Just… here.

Oh, and… well, if I'm going to turn into a green-haired sylvani in the real world, you can call me Emmy from now on. It's short for Emmanuelle.

Be safe, — Emmy (She/Her)

She hit the send button and wondered how long it would take before she got a reply.

A chime almost immediately let her know of an incoming message. She hurriedly opened it, surprised at how swiftly it had come.

Was Jason just waiting for me to message?

But the message was from Elliot. "Vanessa's going to pop online in a few seconds. We're sharing my rig right now."

Just as Emmy closed the message, the room shimmered with a faint pulse of light.

A new avatar materialised—tall, striking, and immediately eye-catching. Her windswept crimson hair cascaded past a sharply tailored black leather coat, every detail oozing effortless elegance. Emmy could not help but think of Rose Leslie in The Last Witch Hunter, especially with the purposeful way she moved.

"Vanessa?" she asked, sitting up straighter.

The woman smiled. "In the flesh! Actually, no, not at all. Fully digital. Sorry—I ramble. Hi!"

Well, that shattered the illusion fast. Emmy's eyes crinkled at the corners as she tried to hold back a smile that threatened to break free. "Elliot mentioned you were logging in."

Vanessa's smirk tilted sideways. "Yeah, I was babysitting the rig while he talked to you. Couldn't eavesdrop or anything—privacy filters and all—but from what he said, you really helped." She folded her arms, then added more softly, "Thanks for meeting with him. He really needed help from someone going through the same."

Emmy nodded, brushing a wrinkle out of her skirt. "Yeah, well. He's going through a lot."

Vanessa stepped further into the room and took a seat at the far edge of the couch, leaving a respectful amount of space between them. "Not just him—all of us."

They sat in silence for a moment—two strangers with too much in common.

"I'm Emmy, by the way," she added. "Emmanuelle. She/her."

"Vanessa Alvarez. Also she/her. No fancy new name yet—I don't think I'll need one just because my hair changed colour, my face and body changed to a top model's, and I rewound the clock over ten years…"

She let out a dry laugh.

"You know, saying it like that? I feel like once I'm all Callidora, there's not going to be much of the old me left. Sorry—rambling again."

"No worries." Emmy hesitated, then chuckled. "The chance to pick your own name shouldn't be a privilege reserved for trans folks. If you want to be someone else, maybe it's time to let go of Vanessa and embrace Callidora."

Vanessa laughed, a full-bodied, clear sound. "Hey, if this is going to happen regardless of what I decided, might as well lean into it."

Their eyes met—equal parts amusement and understanding.

"Anyway," Vanessa continued, "Want to exchange notes? Maybe we can find something in common between our teams?"

"Sure. Let me think." Emmy's brow furrowed. "I don't know the status of two of my party members, but I just messaged one. The others I don't have their contact info. I only truly know one party member outside of the game. We're around level 18-19, still on the beginner classes, and we just cleared the first dungeon for the second time. We formed a registered party on the first day."

"The registered party thing is in common," Vanessa said. "But other than that, the rest might be dead ends. The four of us have gamed together for years. We're all above level 30. I changed class to crusader, and we've got a captain. The other two are mage and priest. We did clear dungeons, but more than CSC."

"We got a mage and priest, too." Emmy paused, then added, "I don't think class selection has anything to do with it, though. This is probably just a coincidence. We should probably keep in touch. In case we figure out more."

"Agreed." Vanessa pulled up her interface and gestured an invite toward Emmy. A simple message request blinked in.

"Vanessa Alvarez wants to exchange contact information."

Emmy tapped "Accept" and smiled.

Vanessa stood. "I should log off and make sure to keep an eye out on Elliot; make sure he's not accidentally stepping on broken glass. It was nice e-meeting you."

"Yeah," Emmy said. "Likewise."

As the red-headed avatar shimmered and blinked out, Emmy found herself smiling. She was no closer to an explanation. But knowing others were also dealing with this made her feel less alone.

Before she could log out of the private room, Emmy heard the familiar chime letting her know about a new message.

Jason's reply. Emmy opened the message. It immediately confirmed her fears.

"You're right about everything—I stayed home, Lisa's here with me, and I'm transforming too. I'm sorry I didn't say anything yesterday. Until I saw the news, I thought I was the only one."

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