I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, staring at my naked body with a critical eye.

I was wearing a brand new sports bra, a matching set of cute navy boy shorts underwear, and nothing else, arms loosely wrapped around me.

I wasn't the tallest girl for my age. I had to round up to 5'2", and my figure wasn't very feminine.

It wasn't that I was butt ugly, per se, it's just that I was skinny and unhealthy.

Skinny to the point that it made me look like a little kid, even though I wasn't a kid anymore. My legs were thin, and my hips were narrow and boyish. Even my butt was nonexistent. I wasn't unattractive, but my lack of feminine features definitely didn't do me any favors.

And then I looked to my side.

My sister, Stella, was 5'7", with the body of a pinup model, and a face to match.

She had an amazing, full, perfectly-proportioned chest that was probably a C-cup. She had long, thick black hair that flowed down to her midback, and her long eyelashes and full lips only highlighted her natural beauty.

Even now, as she leaned against the sink in a matching set of workout clothes, I could see how attractive she was. The way her curves moved under her clothes as she breathed, and how her hips swayed as she walked... It was no wonder some criminals could spot her out of a crowd.

I could already imagine all of the boys fawning over her at school, or the gym.

She'd probably get more than her fair share of unwanted attention, and it wouldn't be just from the boys either.

Stella could be an intimidating person when she wanted to be, and although we hadn't known each for very long yet, she already seemed protective of me.

I didn't mind, of course, because she was also so kind to me. But I could understand why some people would feel threatened by her.

She'd even gotten me this entire set of brand new workout clothes.

A navy blue pair of boyshorts, a matching navy blue sports bra that was much nicer and more comfortable than anything else I owned, a pair of black yoga pants with red stripes that felt like they'd been molded specifically for my body and accentuated the little curves I did have, and a cute, loose-fitting black tank top that matched the rest of my outfit perfectly. She'd gotten me two sets so I had an extra for later.

I frowned, looking over at the girl practically bouncing as she stretched her arms and folded up her glasses.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was somewhere between us, and was toned, lightly tanned, and looked like a typical sporty girl. Her thighs were thick, toned, and her abs were well defined.

She had a pretty face, and her eyes had a sparkle to them when she was excited or having fun. She wasn't a complete knockout like Stella, but she had a approachably-pretty type of look, with an innocent and energetic charm about her.

Ichigo wore a bright red, form fitting tank top with a sports bra underneath. Her lower half was covered in black and red compression shorts that reached just past her knees, with a thick waistband. The material hugged her skin, emphasizing the muscles underneath and giving her an athletic, yet feminine look. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and her eyes sparkled with anticipation for the day's workout.

She wasn't super duper muscular or anything like that, or 'jacked' as Al put it.

Instead, her body looked more like a boxer, or a gymnast. Lithe, toned, and flexible, but with an impressive amount of visible compact strength for a girl our age. Her legs were thick and powerful, and her arms were visibly strong, but not overly so. Stella was built more like a gymnast dancer, with toned arms and legs, and impressive flexibility. Ichigo was more top heavy, with strong shoulders and short, thick legs.

I looked down at myself, at my skinny frame.

"Hey, you guys look great. I'm feeling a little inadequate here," I said, chuckling nervously.

Ichigo glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. She looked me up and down and gave me a thumbs up.

"Uh, yeah! We look hot as fuck. I don't know why you're feeling insecure, you're adorable!"

"I don't know..." I murmured, looking at my flat chest.

"I mean, yeah you aren't big in the boob area, but that's okay!" she said cheerfully. "And besides, you have that whole innocent girl next door look going on, which is pretty hot too. You should embrace it!"

I sighed. "Maybe you're right... but it's just so frustrating to look at myself and not feel confident about it."

Ichigo nodded sympathetically. She reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "Well, let me tell you something, Sienna. These guns weren't built in a day."

Ichigo lifted up her shirt, showing off her abs and the toned muscles in her arms. "These puppies took work to get where they are today! But if you work hard enough and stay consistent with your training, then you can get them too."

She was so bubbly and energetic when she was comfortable. Ichigo had a positive attitude and a smile that made you want to smile along with her.

"See? Look at that, you're smiling now! You'll be fine. We're here to help, okay?"

Stella giggled, collecting her hair into a high ponytail. "Just try to keep an open mind. I've been in the same shoes you were in once before, Sienna. You'll be shocked at how quickly your body changes if you stick with it, and how fast you can grow," Stella assured.

"I guess... I just don't want to get my hopes up," I said. I wasn't trying to be a downer, but I didn't want to set my expectations too high. "It'll be a nice surprise if I see some muscle definition, but I'll be just fine with not having a super toned body like yours. I just want to be able to defend myself."

"Well, that's a good goal too. But it doesn't have to be either or. Besides, Stella and I are here to help. I'll whip you into shape in no time!" Ichigo said, flexing her arms playfully. "Just do your best, and I'll have you looking like a badass warrior queen in no time!"

"I... I'll hold you to it," I agreed, feeling slightly more optimistic.

Ichigo smiled, satisfied with my answer.

I pulled my new pair of yoga pants on. I was shocked at how soft they felt and how well they hugged my legs. I tugged on the top, and it was similarly comfy. The whole outfit felt like it was custom made just for me, but it was just a brand I recognized as a higher-end one.

It fit perfectly and it made me look and feel better about myself, but it wasn't so nice that I was worried about ruining it.

I threw the tank top on over my head, and pulled my hair back, only to feel Stella's hands gently swat mine away.

"Let me handle this. It's a mess," Stella insisted, and I rolled my eyes.

I sat on the edge of the bench, and Stella got to work.

"By the way," Stella said as she started combing her fingers through my hair, gently tugging the knots free. "I know I can be a little much, especially since we haven't known each other long. So let me know if I'm crossing any boundaries."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ichigo and I exchanged glances, and I shrugged.

"Well, you're already helping me out so much, so it's not like I can complain," I said. "I'm grateful for your help."

Ichigo blinked, furrowing her brow as she looked between us.

"Wait, how did you guys even meet each other, anyway?"

Stella froze for a split second before quickly recovering and tying up my hair.

"Uhm, well, you were there. When she attacked the campus with a barbecue sauce cannon as Dark Princess Eris," I replied.

"Really?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow. She looked between us suspiciously. She looked like she wanted to say something, but instead just shrugged and shook her head. "I guess that's fair."

"What's wrong, Ichigo? You're not mad at me for that, are you?" Stella asked, a teasing grin on her face.

"I'm not," she answered. "I'm a little ticked off that you're so strong and fast and stuff, but I'm not mad."

"Ah," Stella replied. "Well, don't worry about it too much. We're all still in training, right?"

"I guess. But I want to beat you next time we fight!" Ichigo insisted, raising a fist in front of her with a devilish grin.

I chuckled, amused at her competitive streak. She really did remind me of Al, in the best ways. They both loved to push themselves to their limits and were determined to achieve their goals. I could respect that.

Stella reached for a red scrunchie, and I shook my head, stopping her. I wasn't really a big fan of how I looked in ponytails, but Stella had a gleam in her eyes.

"I'm not sure I like-" I started.

"Oh come on Sienna. It'll be a perfect little cute look. It'll go with the rest of your workout clothes. It'll be great. You'll love it, I promise."

Stella insisted. "It's just a little ponytail."

"Ponytails make my head look too big, and the scrunchie just highlights it," I complained.

"Nonsense!" Stella exclaimed. "C'mon, just trust me, okay? I promise you won't look silly."

"Okay, fine. But if I don't like it, you're getting rid of the scrunchie." I relented.

"Yay!"

I noticed her turning to get some sort of bottle out of her gym bag as I looked over at Ichigo, who was just watching our exchange with a curious expression. I rolled my eyes as Stella sprayed my hair down with some kind of sweet-smelling spray, and I jolted as I felt a brush run through my hair.

I gave Stella a confused glance, and she just shrugged. "You need a little extra love, okay?" She replied, and she quickly began running the brush through my hair.

"You have some split ends and it looks like your diet isn't great. You have a bit of a protein deficiency that I'm guessing is related to your eating habits," Stella explained.

Ichigo snickered, and I grumbled.

"I'm trying to eat more. I promise I am. But it's hard. I'm going from scrimping and saving to an all-you-can eat meal plan."

"Well, no harm in enjoying the buffet," Stella teased, but then she got serious. "But if you don't have enough protein, you can get some serious hair breakage. That's bad for a number of reasons, one of the more important ones being that it's harder for your hair to retain moisture and nutrients. So, you want to avoid that as much as possible. Your appetite is probably pretty small so try to cram what protein you can get in there."

I closed my eyes for a second, wincing as she brushed a particularly nasty knot out of my hair.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry!" She squealed as I flinched.

"It's fine," I grunted. "Keep going."

She nodded, working the knots out with her brush as Ichigo watched. Ichigo looked at us with a thoughtful expression, and then shrugged, turning away.

"What do you do to keep yours looking nice?" I asked her. She had beautiful, silky, shiny black hair.

Ichigo blushed a little and scratched her head.

"Umm, nothing special, really. I get my beauty sleep, plenty of protein like Stella said, and... Oh! Biotin, a lot of Biotin," She added, nodding eagerly.

"I... have no idea what that is," I admitted.

"It's a hair and nail supplement," Stella explained, humming as she worked the knots from my hair. "A type of B vitamin."

"Yup! I take a hair and nail multivitamin, which has Biotin and collagen and some other stuff. Works great, I guess, so I never really thought about it much."

Stella finished with my hair, and quickly pulled it back in a neat ponytail, wrapping it up with a bright red scrunchie that matched the stripes on my pants. She beamed, looking at me and clapping her hands. "See, that wasn't so bad."

She gently guided me back front of the mirror, hands on my shoulder as I took in my appearance.

My face was still the same, I hadn't gotten any new features or anything, and yet...

The girl in the mirror looked completely different from the skinny, malnourished girl I'd seen in my reflection before. Whatever Stella had put in my hair gave it some volume and a silky sheen. She had tied it up into a neat ponytail, and the red of the scrunchie actually did compliment the red on the pants nicely.

She looked healthier, stronger. Just from the change in my hair and clothes, my cheeks seemed a bit rosier.

And the outfit Stella had given me fit perfectly, too. It was snug enough that I could feel the support it offered but not so tight that I felt constricted.

Ichigo slowly walked behind us eyes furrowed in concentration. I noticed she was staring at us with a thoughtful, almost critical expression on her face. Stella followed her gaze, frowning slightly as she did so.

"What's up?" Stella asked, her tone curious but cautious.

Ichigo shook her head, as if coming out of a trance. She looked up, and gave us a reassuring smile.

"Oh, nothing," she replied, brushing it off. "You guys just look... so alike now that you've done Sienna's hair. Like, it's actually uncanny with the matching outfits and ponytails."

Stella blinked, glancing over at me as I tilted my head at Ichigo in confusion. I knew that she was mixed and I was Caucasian, and I knew we had different body types, different hair color, and different skin tones. And of course, she was a total knockout. Even I could tell.

But...

With our hair tied up and with matching clothes, we really did share a visible resemblance.

Our facial structures weren't that dissimilar when you looked at them close enough. We both had hazel eyes and round, expressive faces. The shape of our lips and noses were nearly identical. If you ignored the different complexions and body types, and well, our ethnic makeups, you could see the resemblance between us. Even the way our cheeks curved and dimples formed when we smiled.

It wasn't obvious. But it was there if you squinted. Stella and I really didn't want to open that can of worms in front of Ichigo though. Not that I wasn't sure if we could trust her or anything. But what we could piece together was already insane. And we still didn't understand our own history. We were in no rush to bring in outsiders.

"Huh," I muttered. I couldn't think of anything else to say.

I mean, what do you even say in this situation?

'Gee, thanks for noticing, Ichigo. By the way, Stella and I are long lost half-sisters, and the products of the most legendary Magical Girl rivalry of all time! We just didn't know about it because my mother faked her death and Stella was given over to a trusted family friend for adoption 16 years ago! Wanna get coffee sometime and I can explain?'

Yeah, that'd go over well. I'm pretty sure that was the kind of story you eased someone into. Like maybe after you'd known them for a few years or something. Not a week after you'd met them and after having a near-death experience.

"Uh, well, I think it's safe to say that you both look cute as hell in your ponytails." She paused and glanced at me. "And the matching fits, of course. You guys coordinate them on purpose or something...?"

I blushed and Stella smiled sheepishly, both of us avoiding eye contact with each other as Ichigo stared at us, brow furrowed in suspicion. She opened her mouth, closed it again, shook her head, and shrugged. "Whatever, I'm just happy we're all training together today and that you don't look so mopey, Sienna."

She turned around halfway, and gave us both a playful grin.

"Now, you ladies ready? Let's head on over!" she called, walking out the locker room. "Al and Suguru probably already waiting on us!"

I chuckled as we both watched her leave the room, and Stella let out a small giggle.

"Shall we go then?" Stella asked me, raising an eyebrow expectantly. "Or do you wanna hang out in the locker room for a while longer?"

"Nah, let's get outta here. It smells like sweaty feet and bad decisions." I said, scrunching up my nose.

We both chuckled and headed for the exit of the locker room.

"Hey, uh, thanks," I said to her quietly.

She smiled, bumping my shoulder gently as we left.

"I know we're new at this whole thing, but you don't need to thank me every time I do something nice for you."

She looked me in the eye, before whispering in my ear as we walked. "It's what sisters are for."

I smiled. I still had to process all of this, but she wasn't wrong. It was what sisters were for. And it's what friends were for. It's what family was for. I was still learning to navigate our relationship and how far we could go before we stepped over lines or crossed boundaries.

But it was clear to me that Stella wanted me to lean on her, to rely on her, to trust her, to love her. She wanted me to know she would be there for me, that I wasn't alone anymore.

It was overwhelming in the best ways, and I was grateful for it. Grateful to have a sister. To have someone who would look after me, support me, protect me, care for me.

I could only hope that I could become the sister that she deserved, that I could live up to those expectations brimming beneath the surface.

I didn't know if I was capable of that, but I wanted to try. I owed it to her and myself to at least give it a shot, right?