The first rays of the early morning sun peaked through the window. They landed on Nadia's bed, where Natalie slept alone sprawled out under the covers. Luthial and Nefri slept soundly on heavy blankets on the floor at both sides of the bed. One of the dresser drawers were open and clothes had been shuffled around. Running water hissed from the bathroom as light streamed from underneath the door.

A light blue polo shirt, a pair of denim shorts with a brown belt laced at the top, and flip-flops sat in a neatly folded pile on top of a bench near the tub. The dampness had fogged up the mirror and heated the windowless bathroom as Nadia scrubbed her head into a bubbly lather. Bubbles ran down her back and over her legs as she rinsed her long, thick hair. The hot water sprayed the top of her head until she had worked all the suds out. Water sprayed the front of her neck for a few minutes before she turned around to soak her back. It trickled to a drip and stopped altogether as she turned the silver knobs back.

A big fluffy green towel was used to rub her hair before she dressed. The damp hair hung heavily and soaked the back of her polo shirt, but she didn't notice. The front of her shirt gave her pause as she attempted to adjust the fabric so that her unrestrained bosom made the least possible impression. When a multitude of adjustments did little, she gave up with one last angry tug of her shirt. At least the shirt hung loose around her waist. Her shorts were loose, which helped to hide the now more curved shape. Though they were so loose they stayed put only due to the efforts of a belt that caught the top of her hips. Overall, the oversized outfit hid most of her figure as if it were a drape.

Nadia pulled a short pair of scissors with a plastic handle from the medicine cabinet. Looking in the mirror, she examined her reflection as she pulled her hair back. Her hands shook as the blades came between the first few strands. The scissors clinked against ceramic. Considering she had already washed her hair; it would be a phenomenal waste of shampoo. Long black collections of healthy strands fell behind her shoulders. She pulled some frontward and twirled them around her index finger as she continued debating what to do next. She combed it a little, then examined the sheen.

A knot caught the comb.

A startled yelp of pain echoed through the bathroom. She tried to force the comb past it only to yelp again. Luckily, her hair was still damp. With a sigh towards the mirror, she rinsed her comb, opened the medicine cabinet, and slipped it in a plastic case. Nadia stuck her tongue out at the mirror before she ran downstairs. Norman met her at the bottom of the steps, blocking her path into the living room.

"Going out today?"

"Shows how much you know. I was going to tell her I didn't have permission because I don't need to be pushed into buying woman's clothing."

"That would be a lie, you do have my permission," Norman plopped two hundred dollars in her hand. "That's for you. Clothes and lunch only, don't be irresponsible. You're going to need clothes that fit so have Jody help you measure. Don't forget to buy some bras and underpants, preferably plain white, no frills."

It took Nadia a minute to unfreeze, "Then I'll just tell her I have something better to do and I'll give the money back when I get home."

"Look, you need to at least relax a bit. You've been doing nothing but training, pacing, and sitting around since you've returned. Secondly, you need clothes that fit in order to function. You need socks. You need sneakers. You need clothes. And unfortunately, you need a bra."

"I do not!" Nadia yelled on her way out the door.

He kept her from slamming the door by standing at the doorway, "They'll sag you know."

Nadia picked up a small shiny rock and threw it at him for good measure. He dodged it. The next one was bigger; it knocked him back inside the house, where he would later discover a lump and the need for a few aspirin due to her improved aim.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

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Nadia walked slowly. It was a drier day; the bugs weren't so prevalent and her clothes weren't so stuffy. A few cars passed by on the avenue she walked. The trees swayed in the breeze. Her flip-flops did exactly that on the asphalt, which was still warming, as the sun had risen only recently. On coming across a pine cone, she kicked it along with only one concern, to keep it from falling over the hillside. Soon she achieved a full kilometer without sending the cone over the hill; though each time she kicked it came close. At times, she rushed toward the hill's edge to catch it with her foot.

For a moment, she forgot her troubles. Nadia smirked at the hapless cone like a cocky little kid. It rolled until she sent it into the air with more force. She would have kicked it all the way to Jody's; but, as it is common practice for thoughts and memories to sneak into prominence at any time they desire, she suddenly remembered what Natalie had said last. Her own sister preferred her to stay the way she was right now. Nadia turned a bit red at the thought of her traitorous sibling and kicked the pine cone down the hill. Nadia clutched her chest as if in pain; there had to be a way reverse this curse soon.

The sound of leaves and twigs crushed underfoot mixed with the rustling of leaves just behind the guard rail. Other memories sunk in. Bad memories. Nadia held her forehead and turned pale, but she didn't want to think about what she had seen. She had spent all week trying to block it from her mind. There was nothing she could do or could've done to make it better than it had turned out. It wasn't her fault!

Nadia looked in the direction of the sound as a young man burst forth from the forest. He bounced from the guard rail as he lunged for her neck, his lips curling victoriously. Nadia dodged to the side in reaction, but fell on her rump in the process. As he landed on his feet and crouched, she rolled up and retreated with a full backwards somersault to put some distance between them. As Josh pivoted to face her, she assumed a fighting stance. There was a pause as they appraised each other.

"What's the big idea- Hey!" she yelled, "You're not my dad!"

Josh smiled, "If you would've let me hit you the first time, I would've let you alone. But since you can dodge like that, it's on!"

He dashed forward, a blur, and struck her stomach twice with a closed fist. While she was stunned, he twirled behind her and smacked her in the back, knocking her to the roadside. Loose gravel skinned her palms as she caught herself. Stones scratched her forehead as she rolled over on her back. Josh knelt and pushed the back of her head into the pavement with her palm.

"All you can really do is dodge, and you suck at it. No fun at all."

"I'll show you!"

She clutched the hand pressing her forehead, pushing it away so forcefully he fell backwards, but as she scrambled to her feet, he managed a solid grip on her long hair.

"Help!"

"Only the weak cry for help!"

The distraction worked, she turned and landed a solid punch in the center of the gut. Josh's grip on her hair weakened, she took hold of his arm and slung his body over the guard rail. He fell down the hill backwards until he hit the rotten trunk of an old tree. The trunk stopped his fall, but it also splintered. The dead tree would have fallen atop of him if he had not rolled sideways into a pool of thick mud. The wizard was right about her, Josh thought as he leapt back up the hill, she was a live one. Now he wanted to make it clear he was stronger. He jumped on the guard rail and leapt again, this time bending his knees in the air.

"You want some more!" Nadia yelled.

His hands caught her shoulders as his knees slammed into her waist. Nadia hit the ground forcefully with knees pressing into her gut. A single hand gripped her neck, pressing it so she could neither move nor speak but not blocking her breath. Yet her arms went limp, as did her legs. Was it some kind of pressure point technique?

"Sorry, it's not nothing personal. I'll kill you painless because I'm a good guy. It's good you were perfectly capable of defending yourself. I'd hate to feel guilty about killing a girl."

As he aimed his fist, his grip on her neck relaxed slightly. A moment's hesitation as he caught her eyes gave her the ability to block his death blow. His hand slipped from her neck as the force of the attack landed in her palms. A left hook dislocated his jaw before a swift uppercut jammed it back in place. The back of his head drummed the guard rails into vibrating audibly. He was disoriented enough for her to get back on her feet. A dagger shone as it was pulled from his belt. However, the dull roar of an approaching automobile induced him to bolt into the woods. A station wagon pulled alongside the road. Jody jumped from the passenger side while Nadia brushed minute bits of gravel from her clothing.

"Nadia, your forehead's all cut. Are you okay?"

"It was nothing," Nadia lied, still dazed, "I tripped over a pine cone and almost slid down the mountain, clumsy me. How bout we get going?"

This was as good an opportunity to escape as any, so she hurried to get in the car.

The station wagon pulled away and drove out of the assassin's sight.