Zeydaan dashed across the terrain as fast as they could, hurrying towards their escape route. The androgynous wolf fey’s adventures had led them into some hot water, in the form of a rather large and destructive beast barreling towards them. A large, lizard-like creature that moved quick and possessed sharp fangs. And it had its sights set on Zey.
The wolf ran as fast as they could, their dimensional rift in sight. If they could just get to it, they and their friends could flee. But the creature was fast, gaining on Zey little by little, fangs extended and ready to bite…
It suddenly was knocked to the side, the force of impact causing the ground itself to terraform around it as it slid away. Zey’s ally Zach had landed where it once stood, weapon at the ready for when the creature stood up once more.
“Really cutting it close, mate,” Zach quipped, standing between the beast and Zey. “Best to get that doorway going as soon as possible. We’ll cover you.”
“Much obliged,” Zey waved his ally off, and continued rushing for their entry point. This would be the last time they would make a hole into the Xenoblade universe, they thought.
The beast began to thrash around, righting itself up. It was then distracted by a burst of light; Alvis, the mechanical force of the Hawkmoths, had activated a strobe effect to disorient the creature. He glanced back at Zach, an artificial eyebrow raised.
“May I remind you that we are supposed to not spill unrelated blood?” he asked. “There will be a time for that later.”
“The plan went south,” Zach commented. “So now we have to improvise.”
The creature eventually recovered, roaring in anger. It tried stomping forward, only to be halted by some strange force. Down below, Lilith the half-orc, half-lycanthrope mix was holding back the creature with raw strength alone.
“Oh sure, leave me ta save yer arses,” she grumbled in her Scottish dialect. “Nothin’ new there, methinks.”
“I’ll owe you another drink, then,” Zey called out, rushing towards the portal. They began to quickly weave their dimensional magic, focusing on recreating their way home. Just a few moments of unbroken concentration were needed, and they would be free.
The portal was already starting to open within Zey’s paws, tearing a hole in the fabric of space itself. Growing larger, enough to easily walk through. Or, in this case, dash through.
“We’re good!” Zey called out. “Quickly now!”
“About time…” Lilith said, pushing away the lizard once more to buy them all some additional time. Zach and Alvis started off towards the portal, backs to Zey so they could properly watch out for the beast. It was already starting to recover as they started to hasten themselves.
“Meet you on the other end, mate,” Zach patted Zey on the shoulder, before diving in. Alvis followed, as did Lilith. That left Zey alone in Alrest, and they were starting to slip inside themselves…
Suddenly they found themselves tugged upon from the Alrest side, and Zey gasped in shock and pain. The creature was refusing to give up its prey, gripping upon Zey’s body. They yelled, their body halfway between both worlds. They couldn’t give up yet, they couldn’t! Not when they were so close to safety. They…They…
There was a blast of energy, dimensional feedback coming directly from Zey themselves, and the creature was stunned long enough to let go. Zey toppled to the ground on the other side, the rift closing shut behind them. They struggled to stand, the residual energy exhausting them, but all they did was collapse.
They saw some feet running towards them, some concerned voices…and then silence.
?
Zey awoke with a start, panting heavily. The last thing they remembered was escaping the creature, and then…Nothing.
“Ah, there you are.”
Zach approached where Zey was laying, and it was only then that Zey could see where they were. Their own cottage, safe and sound.
“I was hoping you’d wake up soon,” Zach continued. “Quite the adventure though, eh?”
“Glad we made it out,” Zey said, uncertain. “It was looking pretty dicey out there, but…”
“Yeah, we had to drag you away from the rift at the end,” Zach nodded. “Good thing we had an extra hand nearby to help.”
Zey blinked. “An extra hand?”
Said “extra hand” peeked into the room next, shyly. It was Agent, a friend of Zey’s across dimensions.
“Guess I came to the right place at the right time,” Agent explained. “Good thing you pulled me over here before this whole adventure. You doing okay?”
“I think so,” Zey said. Yet their body felt…off. Outwardly, they looked fine, their usual wolfen-fey self. Not even any external injuries, surprisingly enough. But there was that small sense of unease, the sense that something just wasn’t right.
Zey’s fears were confirmed when Alvis barged into the room. “We have a problem,” he said.
?
The group had assembled upon the couch to listen to the resident scientists. Alvis was there, as well as Doctor Asriel, the optimistic goat medic of the Hawkmoths. The group mascot, Bean, was seated in the corner; the silent moth creature observing cautiously.
“Put simply, when Zey first escaped the rift, they possessed glowing blue veins across their body,” Asriel explained. “Like Bioshock, except very real and very, very bad.”
“How bad?” Zach asked, worried.
“We’ve run a diagnostic of Zey’s cellular makeup,” Asriel was explaining. “To ensure no damage to their structure. The problem is that their cells are currently in a consistent state of flux from their original state to a new default.”
“Could ye translate that?” Lilith asked, irritated.
“Simply put, Zey is shapeshifting on their own, gradually,” Alvis said. “And this new form is essentially locked down.”
Zach and Zey rested their heads down, paused in thought. “A permanent change,” Zach realized. “Zey, I’m so sorry…”
Zey was silent for longer, coming to terms with what was just described. “And there’s no fix for it?”
“We’re still examining our options,” Asriel added. “But–“
“It’s not looking likely,” Alvis said. “We can’t even tap these new cells for your dimensional tearing abilities. If I had to guess, the stress of being caught between two realities sent your body into overdrive and forced it to match the world of Alrest.” Alvis shrugged. “Evidently, your new form would be that of a resident of that world. Namely, Nia. The equivalent of a catgirl.”
“There…could be worse things,” Zey said, trying to keep a brave face. “But you said I couldn’t tap my rift powers? How are we going to go on adventures and get Agent home?”
“We’ll worry about me later,” Agent said, equally as concerned as the rest of the team. “What do we need to do for you?”
“I mean…” Zey had to think about this carefully. A new body. A whole new identity. Maybe even a new personality, should the worst occur. “I guess we’d just have to transfer information. Bank accounts, the cottage deed, the sort.”
Zach nodded. “Good idea,” he said. “Least we can do is ensure you don’t have any stress once you’re done transitioning.”
Lilith groaned briefly. “Bloody ‘ell, the guv’ment,” she said. “Well…Best we get started sooner than later, eh?”
“Right,” Zey nodded. It was a slow process to come to terms with. But it was happening whether they liked it or not. May as well make the best of the time they had left as themselves.
…
Month 1
The initial scramble was a difficult one, in part due to the sheer volume of items left in Zey’s name prior to the incident. A significant chunk of time was spent merely categorizing it all, as well as probing Zey to ensure nothing was forgotten. The obvious, such as banking information, to the less obvious, such as various minor magazine subscriptions and at least one “meal of the month” shipment.
Priority one, however, was the cottage. A small one nestled between two skyscrapers, yes, but one that Zey took pride in. It also helped that the cottage rested upon a dimensional instability, one that was regularly harnessed by the Hawkmoths in order to traverse across space. The destruction of said cottage would most likely cause some chaos. And it just wouldn’t be polite, either.
The bulldozers were already in place when the other Hawkmoths came outside to negotiate. The head foreman was waiting, bored, as they approached.
“News spreads quickly around here,” he remarked. “The owner’s gone and turned themselves into something else, eh?”
“We’re working on it,” Alvis said. He pulled out the deed, showing it. “We’ll be getting this revised shortly, upon which we’ll be protected.”
“But, ah, you understand the predicament I’m in,” the foreman said, with a sarcastic grin. “These boys came here, ready to bulldoze something. Can’t let them down, right?”
“You can and you will,” added Zach. “Need I remind you we have a protection order on the house? Unless you’d like to speak with the local ordinance, plus the collected shapeshifters alliances?”
The foreman stood in place, debating his choices. Then he scoffed, gesturing to the drivers to turn around. “Whatever,” he said. “We’ll have this place someday.”
He wandered off as the bulldozers drove away, the Hawkmoths watching in irritation.
“Cheeky,” Lilith commented. “Ink’s nae dry an’ he comes to rob us?”
“Eh, just his job,” Zach reminded the group. “We can stall for a bit, but until we get the formal documents changed, we’ll have them hounding us.”
Around then, Zey was being led outside by Agent, both dressed in more modest faire. “Glad you mentioned that,” Agent explained. “I can take Zey to get their license changed, ideally. Get the ball rolling on the bureaucracy while you all find the rest of what we need.”
“We do have strength in numbers,” Alvis remarked, nodding. “Very well. I also suggest we speak with S.E.A.”
Agent blinked. “S.E.A.?”
“The Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency,” Zach explained, with some mild distaste. “I mean, if we have to, I suppose we can go see them. If nothing else they can provide some essential documents to make all this official.”
“I’ll bring along a tissue sample,” Asriel suggested, earning a glance from Zey. Asriel merely shrugged. “For research purposes.”
“We had originally requested a piece of Zey from a rather?unfortunate mission,” Alvis said. “It would work well if we ever had to kill you-“
A sharp glare from Zey.
“-Or regenerate or clone you,” Alvis added, miffed. “Poor wording, I suppose. But it would have been a major ‘if’, I can assure you.”
“Well, nothing else for it now,” Zach nodded. “They’ll be our best bet. I just hope they don’t try and get us to register with them.”
…
The Department of Motor Vehicles wasn’t far away, thankfully. Zey had even nabbed a “dimensional visitor” lanyard for Agent to wear as they waited in a government office. Better safe than sorry, after all.
They registered at the front desk for an appointment, and were instructed to sit down in the waiting area amongst other visitors, such as jittery office staff and equally jittery teenage drivers. They examined their ticket number: seven.
“Oh, that’s not bad,” Zey commented. “We’ll make good time.”
“Yeah, hopefully within the next half hour,” Agent agreed.
Four hours later, the exhausted wolf and human were finally given their turn. Zey sat down in front of the bored DMV attendant and explained the situation.
“…So essentially it’s a slow-burn transition,” they finished. “I was hoping to transfer my license name and registration to reflect my future identity.”
The clerk slid over a large stack of paperwork. “Please fill these documents out and return them to me after.”
Both Zey and Agent blinked. “All of this?” they asked. “I mean, I know this is a big ask, but…”
“That’s protocol,” the clerk merely said. They resumed their game of solitaire on their computer while Zey began their paperwork. Agent observed idly, acting as support.
“Um…” Agent said suddenly. Zey was briefly startled when Agent pointed out a mistake. And a very clear one, at that. “Nation of birth”, the line said. “Alrest” was Zey’s answer.
Again, Zey blinked, as they scribbled it out. “Why did I just do that?” they asked in a whisper. “I know it’s England…”
“Maybe some mental changes are starting to creep up,” Agent suggested, wary. “We should definitely get moving on all this.”
Zey sighed, pen in hand as they continued writing. “I wonder how the others are holding up…”
?
The Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency’s scientists were surprisingly forthcoming for being such a bureaucratic system. They had nodded when Alvis and Asriel explained the problem, giving a helpful smile.
“Don’t worry, we’ve seen this happen before,” the associate explained. “This sort of thing is commonplace with shapeshifters, especially those first starting out or those with traumatic experiences. We intend to assist in a painless transition.”
“That’s a relief,” Zach said with his own smile. “Finally, some good news.”
“My only concern is ensuring that this transformation can’t, in fact, be reversed,” the S.E.A. representative added. “Crossing the “t” and dotting the “i”, you understand, I’m sure. But…”
“Is there a problem?” Alvis asked.
“Well, you mentioned that your friend is undergoing a shapeshift into a copywritten character,” the representative said. “There are laws to assist such an affair, of course. But it’s all relative to the copyright holder.”
Zach’s face turned pale. “Not them…” he groaned. The representative frowned briefly.
“I take it this is bad news?” he asked.
“They’re turning into a Xenoblade character,” Zach explained. Alvis and Asriel started to understand Zach’s point. “They’d be under copyright of Nintendo.”
?
Zach, upon arriving home, had elected to call Zey’s family to explain the situation. Zey would have done it themselves, but there had been some…strain on their relationship, as they described it. They still felt nervous ringing them up. Especially their father, Darius Jem.
It wasn’t that he was a bad father, just a stern man in general. Kept to himself mostly. The present situation certainly made for an awkward conversation.
“I understand,” Darius said on the other end, once Zach had explained what happened. “Dimensional magic…Always very temperamental. It’s a shame.”
“Is there anything you can do at all?” Zach asked. “To help Zey, I mean.”
A long pause. “I can’t,” Darius said. “I swore I wouldn’t interfere with Zey’s life. I can’t go back on this.”
“But–“
“You’re frustrated, I know,” Darius said. “As am I. Zey should have had a choice in this. But what’s done is done. We cannot change their fate.”
Zach nodded, despite this being a phone conversation. “Yeah, I get it,” he said. “I’ll send my regards for you then, just in case.”
He hung up, and then he sighed. “This is way beyond me,” he said. “What the hell have we gotten into, Zey?”
…
Month 2
With some effort, things were piecing together for the Hawkmoths. All paperwork submitted, all “i”s dotted and all “t”s crossed, as the expression went. The only thing to do now was to wait and see.
Zey, for their part, was starting to adapt a little to their form. They had noticed their fur beginning to recede into human-esque skin, though the grey seemed to have transferred to their hair. Their ears remained pointed, more feline than lupine, but it was still familiar nonetheless. Their tail, however, was shrinking to nonexistence, and the ensuing perpetual lack of balance took some time to get used to.
Further, their own voice was experiencing some adaption as well. Certainly, it was lighter than their original tones, but they had also conspicuously gained a Welsh accent when speaking. Better to fit who they were becoming, they supposed.
“So d’ya think they’ll give me a hard time?” Zey asked the assembled friends. “About the transition, I mean.”
“Guess it depends on our own luck and their own openness,” Zach said. “Of course, you may have to get a new adventurer’s license…We all know how much of a pain that is.”
“What do you mean?” Agent asked, confused. “When Zey took me to get mine, I had no trouble.”
“Yeah, ’cause ye were human, luv,” Lilith chimed in. “For the rest o’ us, it’s a fookin’ mess.”
“Maybe…” Agent said, not wanting to believe that anti-human bigotry could be that widespread a problem, for the sake of his friends.
“The Hawkmoths have their reputation on the line here,” Zach said. “But more importantly, our friend. Without their dimensional shifting, we’re either forced to take on a human–” Agent raised his hand. “–From our dimension, sorry, but thanks for the offer. Or we’ll have to make something artificial.”
“I’ve got some theories…” Asriel nodded in understanding. “I’ll need a bit of time to make them work, though, if I may.”
They were disrupted from their thoughts when Alvis came inside the cottage holding the mail.
“Anything for me?” Zey cheerfully asked. But Alvis looked grim, holding one letter in particular. “…Bad stuff, then?”
“Have you been taking photos of yourself?” Alvis asked. “For the internet?”
“Well…yeah,” Zey admitted. “I mean, I’ve been feeling right cute, ‘at.”
“That’s the problem,” Alvis said, as he handed Zey a formal document. A Cease and Desist letter. “Nintendo of Europe wants to talk to you.”
Zey read the letter carefully, cautiously. Their expression was grim upon completion.
“Oh no,” they said, simply.
?
The Nintendo of Europe offices were deeper in the English cityside, far enough that it required a trip on the bus to arrive to. Fortunately, Zey’s bus pass was one of the easiest documents to transfer over, so the only concern was time restraints and keeping track of the route.
For simplicity’s sake, Zey went with Agent, who evidently had more experience with copyright law. “Publishing is a nightmare about it,” he sighed, wiping his brow. “But hey, better to have a guy on the inside, right?”
“If yer sure…” Zey said, growing increasingly nervous about the whole affair. A Cease and Desist! And for taking selfies, at that. What sort of insanity could this be?
They were escorted up to the higher offices, where their contact was waiting. A middle-aged management type with a pretend smile.
“Ah, there they are,” he greeted. “A pleasure for you to make it, Mr. Jem, was it?”
“Z-zey is fine,” Zey stammered a bit. “Or, well…I’m turning into Nia, so…”
“We’ll come to that part in due time,” the man said. “The name is Anderson. I’m the current acting chair of Nintendo of Europe. And of course, you know why you’re here.”
“Yes, you seemed to take issue with my friend and client wanting to take photos of themselves,” Agent said. Zey was briefly surprised by the inclusion of “client” in his description, but they shrugged it off. “Going as far as to send a C&D.”
“It’s business, you understand,” Anderson said. “We can’t have people passing themselves off as a character of ours, after all. It puts a bad stain on the marketing boys, not to mention there’s the risk of damage to our reputation should he do something risky.”
“Before we continue,” Agent said, sounding sterner. “I must ask that you use the pronoun ‘they’ to address my client.”
Anderson raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“We are here at your request because we anticipated at least some charitable will,” Agent continued. “However, it is sounding like you have no interest in their situation whatsoever, even to the point of refusing even customary respect. Respect, mind you, that I had requested in the return letter.”
After a pause, Anderson nodded. “Of course,” he said. “I apologize for that.” He may or may not have meant it.
“Thank you,” Agent said. “You are aware that Zey is the victim of a shapeshifting snafu, then?”
“A terrible tragedy, I’m sure,” Anderson said. “But it does leave our company in a bind all the same. Though perhaps we can come to an understanding and avoid a lawsuit?”
Zey did not like the sound of this, but listened nonetheless.
?
Month 3
“They wanted you to do WHAT?” Zach had shouted in surprise and indignation.
The Hawkmoths were currently observing Zey, who was now wearing the clothes that the canon Nia would have worn, clad in yellow. Their face was starting to warp, their snout having shrunk and their eyes changed color. The tail was gone, though with it was a more sizeable trunk. Some splotches of fur were still present, but nothing intense anymore.
“They said if I want the copyright whatjamacallit, I have to wear these clothes,” Zey explained. “‘Lest they sue us to the ground.”
“Unbelievable…” Zach grumbled in irritation. “Can’t we pull some strings? Surely Luna could say something.”
“She’s been busy on assignments, you know this,” Alvis said. “None of us enjoy this at all. But it is a temporary measure until they provide Zey with the ability to walk around as themselves.”
“They kinda had us in a bind,” Agent admitted, begrudgingly. “But I’m working on getting them off of their back, I promise.”
“I appreciate it,” Zey smiled and nodded. “Yer a real friend, uh…”
They paused in thought, and snapped their fingers twice, trying to jog their mind. They eventually gave up. “What was yer name again?” she asked.
Everyone in the room paused in shock, much to Zey’s confusion.
“What?” they asked. “Ye look like ye’ve seen a ghost, ye have.”
Alvis tapped on Agent’s shoulder, doing the same for Zach. “A moment?” he asked.
They nodded; Agent and Zach followed Alvis. The android did not sugarcoat anything, so they were bound to get the unsanitized version of events.
“That costume is the worst possible thing for them,” Alvis started. “Prolonged exposure to elements related to their new form will only instigate problems with their memory and personality. You just saw how they forgot your name.”
“I know, I know,” Agent said. “We’re really caught in between a rock and a hard place here…”
“I’m torn myself,” Zach said, uncertain. “I don’t want them wearing the clothes and being at the mercy of a company like this, but what else can we do?”
“What’s Zey’s take on all this?” Alvis asked. “That should be our concern. Making sure they’re aware of what’s happening and whether they have a choice in this is vital. Treat this like any other transition.”
The three mulled over the clothing situation, and the dangling threat of a video game company over their heads. A thought was raised.
“Should we just let it happen?” Zach asked, hesitant. The others looked to him in surprise. “Think about it. The agony they’d be feeling would be intense, their mind rebelling against their body. But with a new body and a new personality, it’d be a fresh start.”
“But their friendships–” Alvis protested.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Zach reassured the android. “None of us are. Zey is our friend, and if they decided to be Nia for real, regardless of what happens, we’ll be there.”
Alvis nodded, as did Agent. “We’d have to speak with them first about it,” Alvis said. “Not to mention how this does nothing about the problem of ownership.”
“Right,” Zach said. “But, uh…That wouldn’t impact what we’ve been doing any, right? It wouldn’t stop every transfer at once?”
Alvis didn’t answer. He couldn’t. And that scared Zach.
?
Asriel was not taking these events easily, though he tried to conceal his emotions for the sake of the group. It was more than just losing a friend, it was about his crush on Zey, a fairly-obvious emotional turnout that even Zey could see for themselves. They were flattered, yet their initial asexuality had kept them from being an official couple. But now? Asriel’s love would truly be unrequited, he felt. No more Zey. Just Nia.
To answer his thoughts as he worked on examining the cells Zey left behind, Zey themselves had wandered into his workshop. Their presence surprised the goat, who struggled to suppress his blush.
“Evenin’, doc,” Zey greeted. “You, ah…Your name escapes me.”
Asriel could feel his heart tearing a bit at that. Now Zey barely remembered him, it seemed. It wouldn’t be long before the mental overwrite would be dominant. Maybe some remnants of their past selves, but they’d be starting from scratch. “It’s…Asriel,” he finally said. “Asriel Reinsford.”
“Lovely name, ‘at,” Zey said with a smile. “I just wanted ta thank ye for the work ye’ve been doing, tryin’ ta keep me myself.”
“Oh, it’s nothing…” Asriel said; he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. “Though I’m not having much luck bringing back your old self, I’m afraid. This is far beyond even me.”
“But still,” Zey nodded, with a smile. “Gives me a break from all that paperwork. Sign this, initial that, bunch of bollocks if ye asked me, but the banks like that, I s’pose. Feels like it never ends, and we’ve not gone anywhere either.”
“Well, small victories,” Asriel said. “You’re doing everything you can here, and we’re all proud of you for that.”
“Tell that ta the gov’mint offices,” Zey was dismissive. “Slow-arses…Never had anything like that in Alrest, let me tell ye.”
“R-right,” Asriel stumbled briefly. Zey could at least tell the goat was flustered, it seemed.
“Anyway, thank ye,” Zey smiled gently. “And ye have a good night, eh? Get some rest.”
Zey had walked off, and Asriel slowly recovered from their minor shock. As they looked towards Zey, their love resumed…perhaps aided by something else. A sense of something different within Zey.
“Maybe,” they thought. “Maybe…”
…
Month 4
At this point, all progress had completely stalled out. Zey’s progression had intensified further, reducing her body into an exact copy of Nia-for all intents and purposes, Zey was now Nia outright. There was still the matter of her memories, which were slowly eroding from her physical form and the restrictions placed upon her. This was bad enough, but now all their remaining tasks required complete identification to see to the end. Until this happened, everything was in limbo.
Another letter had arrived from Nintendo eventually, addressed to Zey’s original name. Nia had moved to collect it, but Zach had beat her to it. She sat back down patiently.
“Allow me,” he said, tearing the envelope with a nail, not taking any precautions out of pure spite. They pulled out the letter, with Zach growing increasingly miffed the longer he read it.
“More stipulations,” he said. “No relationships, evidently. Further, she’s required to get ID.”
“We expected as much,” Asriel sighed. “But surely that can’t be hard to do?”
“It’s a fookin’ trap,” Lilith blurted out. “Ye read the copyright shite? The copyright keeps ‘er from nabbin’ the card!”
“But she can’t protest the copyright without ID either,” Alvis said. “Most infuriating.”
“Yeah, it’s bureaucracy making a loop,” Zach scoffed. “Need ID, can’t get ID due to requirement, can’t pass requirement without ID. There’s no way they don’t see this.”
They were caught off-guard when Nia suddenly stood up, storming off out of the room. Everyone grew silent in realization. Everyone stared.
“I should go after her,” Zach said, standing up in concern. “See if she needs anything.”
“I’ll help,” Agent agreed. He followed Zach out of the room carefully as they searched for their friend.
Nia was seated outside, staring up at the night sky wistfully. She was silent, even as Zach sat next to her. Agent took the other side.
“Ye all been workin’ hard for me?” Nia whispered. “So, so hard?And I can’t even repay ye.”
“You don’t have to,” Zach said, reassuring. “That’s what friends do.”
“Ye, ever since ye brought me from Alrest,” Nia said. “But all me memories stop there. All yer names are blurry to me, an’ yer faces too. I?” Tears started to form. “I know I used ta be someone else, but I can’t remember! Am I even meself still? Can ye even call me your friend like this if I’m replacin’ yer ol’ one?”
“Hey now-” Zach tried to protest.
“An’ these rules!” Nia was shouting. “All these rules from the driver’s place and the bank an’ the landlord and now this company that tells me they own me? Am I supposed ta just be their puppet, sendin’ out bloody catchphrases?”
It was a difficult question to ask and answer. Zach didn’t immediately respond, and when he did, he was uncertain.
“We’ll stick by you, no matter what,” he said. “No matter who you are now, we’re here.”
Nia sniffled, curling up amongst herself. “Bein’ a gormotti an’ dealin’ with this shite?” she muttered. “Ye have a saint’s patience with me?”
Zach had sat by Nia for a bit longer, to offer support. Eventually he had stood, allowing her some alone time to think and vent a tad more. Agent quietly followed, having let Zach do the work, as he was more knowledgeable in social matters.
“It really is a mess,” Zach admitted. “Dealing with Nintendo and all. If they own her-“
“We haven’t responded to their letter yet, right?” Agent suddenly asked. Zach blinked.
“Well, no,” he said. “Remember, we only just walked out to get it.”
“Good,” Agent said. “What I want you to do is to write them back and tell them to fuck off.”
Zach was caught off-guard-not by the emotional outburst, as he too would have happily said the same thing in better circumstances-but primarily shocked at hearing the shy, quiet and mild-mannered Agent cuss so strongly. “Beg your pardon?”
“Sure, they may sue,” Agent continued. “In fact, I’m counting on that. Maybe they’ll listen better in a courtroom, and then I can verbally rip them a new-“
“What’s with the sudden shift here?” Zach asked. “I mean, yeah, I’d love to take the fight to them, but-“
“They made Nia cry,” Agent simply said. “No one makes my friends cry.”
They stood silent for a moment, to let their emotions linger. Their frustration on their friend’s behalf. For all the bureaucratic hell they had to endure for a shapeshifter to receive some semblance of piece and mind.
It would all be over soon. They would swear on it.
?
Month 5
It was an uncomfortable situation for the Hawkmoths, being in an actual judicial court. But it was both necessary and moral, if they were to provide their support for their friend.
They had Alvis to thank for pissing off Nintendo of Europe enough to drag the Hawkmoths to court in the first place, namely for manipulating social media algorithms on Splutter. The “#FreeNia” tag went viral overnight, putting the story directly in the spotlight across the world. If Nia’s need for independence was going to tarnish the company’s reputation, being the butt of a social media campaign would be far worse for them.
“I did nothing,” Alvis would deny coyly. “This was all the algorithm here. I merely…gave it a nudge.”
Nia especially felt uncomfortable, with members of the court inspecting her. The judge, the gallery, and especially the plaintiffs. Anderson dryly observed the scene, emotionally absent, and Nia visibly cringed at the sight.
She was calmed when Agent patted her on the shoulder. “We’ve got this,” he said, reassuring. “Just sit tight, and we’ll get you out of this mess.”
Nia nodded. “Alright,” she said. “I trust you.”
Somehow, Agent had managed to act as Nia’s lawyer. Evidently, he claimed he had a degree in law and “spent an unhealthy amount of time writing Ace Attorney fanfiction”, in his words. Whether the former was true was another story-but it was enough to act as Nia’s council, exactly where he needed to be to give her justice.
“We’ll have order,” the judge said; he rapped the stand with his gavel. “Court is now in session for the civil suit of Nintendo of America against Zeydaan Jem and the Hawkmoths.”
Nia wasn’t paying too much attention to the initial proceedings. She just watched as the prosecutor talked about his side, about how if she would be prancing about in the skin of someone Nintendo owned, then Nintendo had a claim on her. Agent stood up and said his piece, about how Nia was in fact a victim, not a perpetrator, and how she deserved understanding for her predicament.
Then the doctor goat stood as a witness.
“Doctor Reinsford, it is your expert opinion that this transformation is irreversible, correct?” Agent asked.
“It is,” Asriel nodded.
“This would naturally be verified by conclusive data?”
“It is indeed, and I submitted that to the court this morning,” Asriel added.
“But of course, this would naturally need a second opinion beyond someone who was friends with the defendant,” Agent said. “Did you source this information elsewhere as well?”
“I did,” Asriel said. “An associate of mine and myself have both received verification from the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency with their findings. Their search for a reversal was inconclusive as well.”
Agent nodded. “No further questions.”
“Very well,” the judge said. “Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine?”
Upon hearing about the S.E.A., the prosecution shook his head. “No, that’s not neccesary,” he said.
Agent silently fist-pumped, and Nia started to breathe a little bit more.
?
Taking to the stand next was Darius Jem himself. His very presence had silenced everyone, even the judge and gallery, far too taken in with his imposing demeanor.
Not even Agent was prepared. “I didn’t realize he would be here,” he told Zach, who shrugged.
“I mentioned the court date but he was noncommittal,” Zach explained. “Guess he committed now.”
Darius was sworn in without delay, the prosecutor stepping forward for his examination. “Mister Jem, would you say your relationship with your child is strained?” he asked.
“It is,” Darius said, simply.
“And would such factors relating to this be his shapeshifting-“
“THEIR shapeshifting,” Darius quickly snapped. Even the prosecutor stepped back. “Although at this point, she is a her and will be addressed as such.”
He folded his hands; Nia stared in awe, without recognition of Darius’s relation to herself. For his part, Darius looked back with a mixture of sadness and paternal love.
“For context, your honor,” Agent added helpfully. “Zey, in their prior state of being, identified as nonbinary. Their prior alter-ego, Isabella, identified herself as she/her, and we have been respecting the current Zey, now Nia’s, wishes and we shall continue to refer to her in feminine pronouns.” Zey’s prior dragoness form, too, was damaged in the incident, else they would have shifted prior. There would be no healing from any front, it seemed.
“Noted, defense,” the judge nodded. “Continue, witness.”
“No, our strain was not due to her shapeshifting,” Darius explained. “It was due to an old man’s fears and worries, and his own difficulty in understanding who their daughter was becoming. Nothing more. And nothing she had done.” He paused. “The reason why I decided to come-to see her face to face in court-is because I had sworn to not intervene in her affairs. But she has done everything in her power to remake her identity, and is now being stonewalled by convoluted bureaucracy and damnable corporate overlords who are blinded by their own greed. Now, I am here to assist.”
“Ah,” the prosecution said, at a loss. He quickly tried to reassemble his line of questioning. But Darius had easily taken control of his own testimony, and the prosecutor stammered. Darius raised an eyebrow.
“Is that all?”
“Y?Yes, the prosecution rests,” he said, deciding not to chance it. Agent, meanwhile, stood up to really cement their status. Plus, Nia could use a small boost. The truth.
“Mister Jem, you continue to assert Zeydaan, or Nia as she prefers to be known by now, is your daughter, correct?” he asked.
Darius nodded. “She is, and she always will be.”
Agent nodded back. “As you described, you would willingly testify on her behalf to aid in her transition, despite your history. Would it be safe to say that you love her, then?”
It was obvious what Agent was doing, and a sharp man like Darius easily picked up on it. He was not unappreciative, however.
”I do, as any father would,” Darius said. “She may not remember me like this, but she’ll always have a home should she need it. And a family with a stronger bond than any known material.”
Nia almost teared up from the speech, even though she scarcely remembered Darius. Something was familiar about him, deep inside?Locked, overwritten memories stirred slightly, fragments reacting to the sympathetic vibrations. It felt nice to hear.
“Thank you,” Agent said. “No further questions.”
?
A brief recess was in order. Agent quickly downed a bottle of water, nerves fried. Nia seemed calmer by comparison.
“I think ye got ’em on the ropes,” she cheerfully said.
“Almost,” Agent reminded her. “We won the sympathy play. But the legal play is another story.”
“Eh?” Nia asked. “How’re we gonna do that? Tell a company that’n they don’t own me?”
“Well, if we were to prove that they knew about your condition ahead of time and illegally tried to suppress it to their ends…” Agent said. “We could force their hands.”
“Can we do that?” Nia asked, curious. Agent merely smiled in response.
…
It was finally Anderson’s turn on the stand, the Nintendo of Europe’s representative calmly asserting his, and their company’s, stance on the whole affair. He spoke of duty and requirements of a shapeshifter taking the form of another company’s intellectual property. Under the prosecution’s questioning, he reiterated the need for order, even though he too felt saddened by the situation.
Agent’s blood boiled just listening to him, and he glanced back at Nia once more, a reminder of what he was here for. She seemed calmer now, the support of her friends keeping her collected. She trusted them. She trusted HIM.
He wouldn’t let her down.
“No further questions,” the prosecution eventually said, taking his seat. Agent stood now, prepared for his own cross-examination. His own counter-attack.
“Mr. Anderson, as the representative to Nintendo, you of course are fully aware of my client’s unique properties, correct?” Agent asked.
“I am,” Anderson nodded.
“And you’re aware of the Creative Commons of Existence Act of 2014?”
Anderson blinked. “I vaguely recall something like that.”
“‘If a shapeshifter has permanently become a character within copywrite, they may petition the copywrite holder for a copywrite bypass’,” Agent explained. “Has this petition crossed your desk?”
Anderson shrugged. “A lot of things cross my desk.”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Agent said. “Have you physically seen this document requesting a copywrite bypass for yourself?”
Anderson was silent. “I don’t know,” he said.
“You don’t know,” Agent repeated. “So, then you would have completely missed the special exemptions applied for my client thanks to the efforts of the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency, correct?”
“It’s…possible.”
“Said document details how prolonged exposure to elements of the original character’s clothing or mannerisms would continue to deteriorate a shapeshifter’s memories and personality.” Agent raised an eyebrow. “Ring any bells?”
“I don’t recall.”
“So, this isn’t your signature?”
Agent waved his evidence in Anderson’s face. The representative paled once he recognized just what he was seeing. “Where did you-This is a breach of security. They must have gotten that robot to hack into my emails–“
“Formally requested from Nintendo of Europe’s offices through my capacity as Nia’s lawyer through the court,” Agent answered. “Thank you for clarifying you had indeed written this email. This document details how both the petition and S.E.A.’s validation had, in fact, ‘crossed your desk’. And you had signed them. Is that not true?”
“Objection,” the prosecution protested.
“Overruled,” the judge said. “Answer the question, witness.”
Anderson began to stammer. “I-it’s not like I read them–“
“Do you typically sign things you don’t read in your line of work?” Agent asked; the gallery briefly chuckled until the judge lightly rapped his gavel. “The fact is, your name is on the sign-off, confirming that Nintendo of Europe was aware of the mental risks associated with exacerbating Nia’s conditions. Nevertheless, it was still pushed through.”
“Th-That’s not–“
“Was this decision related to financial opportunities?” Agent asked. “Was this decision created explicitly so you would have a free marketing campaign at the risk of my client’s mental well-being?”
Anderson was starting to sweat now. “I…I can’t say for certain.”
Agent nodded. He then pulled out another paper, and Anderson turned deathly white. “You seemed very certain in your email paperwork in which you explicitly stated as such. And I quote: ‘This event, while unfortunate, will provide attention to our franchises far better than any commercial ever could’.” He stared directly at Anderson. “Were these not your words?”
Anderson stammered, unable to speak for fear of self-incrimination. “I exercise my right to remain silent.”
“This is a civil case, Mister Anderson, not a criminal case,” Agent reminded his witness. “Although based on the evidence provided, it would certainly be warranted. Is it true, given the evidence, that you used this situation to unfairly and illegally discriminate against a shapeshifter?”
“You know how they are,” Anderson said. Then he clasped his mouth, shocked at himself. His prosecutor cupped his hands in his face, and Agent metaphorically leapt at the jugular.
“Can we take that as an admission of discrimination?” he asked. No answer came. “Interesting choice of words, witness. ‘You know how they are’. Care to elaborate?” Again, no answer. He didn’t need one.
“Your honor, prosecution, members of the gallery,” Agent explained. “The defense has ample reason to believe the plaintiff has acted against my client maliciously and with disregard for shapeshifter law. It is my belief that my client is well within her rights to counter-sue the plaintiffs accordingly, which we WILL be filing upon completion of today’s trial.”
“That remains to be seen, defense,” the judge reminded Agent. He looked to the prosecution. “Any objections to the defense’s claims?”
The prosecution had frozen up at the mention of “counter-sue”. “Your honor,” he said. “The prosecution is willing to withdraw the case and waive all legal discourse in return for the defense waiving the counter-suit.”
“Smart move, councilor,” the judge remarked. Agent merely gave a nod in response, smirking. “Then if the prosecution has withdrawn their suit and the defense agrees with the terms provided, the court hereby recognizes the new identity of the defense as Nia, with all the independent legal ownership it entails.” He banged his gavel once. “Court is adjourned.”
Agent barely started to gather his paperwork, passing glances at Anderson about to burst a vein at his lawyer, when Nia suddenly divebombed him with a fierce hug.
“Thank you!” she said, hugging Agent tight. Appreciative, Agent blushed. “Ye saved me identity, you did!”
“I hardly did anything,” Agent said. He could see Zach, Alvis, Asriel and Lilith approaching, smiling and offering their support. “It was a team effort. You have friends, Nia. Even if you hardly remember them anymore. Doesn’t mean you can’t restart new memories with them, right? And they’ll always have your back, no matter what.”
Nia nodded, tears in her eyes and the widest smile on her face. “And I’ll have theirs,” she promised. “Now I guess I ought to make introductions again, then?”
?
Month 6
Once all had settled down in the Hawkmoth’s base of operations, they had begun to pack up for a future adventure. Interdimensional bounties, sightseeing, the works. The sky was only the baseline for the group, and thanks to Asriel’s experiments related to Bean’s physiology, it was possible to create artificial portals disconnected from any one body. No more mishaps, far safer for all involved.
Everyone was in the midst of packing up when Nia burst into the house, clutching a wad of mail. “Post came!” she called, far more excited than she otherwise would have been. “Some of it’s for me! And it’s got my bloody name on it!”
The Hawkmoths happily clapped for Nia, recognizing how merely having one’s preferred name on legal documents that weren’t subpoenas could mean the world. They also happily admired Nia’s new clothing, a mixture between the clothing she was forced to wear-the “canon” appearance-and a new sort of adventurer’s wear akin to Zey’s original design. An adorable compromise between two worlds.
She began to tear open one of the envelopes carefully, inspecting it with glee.
“Jury duty,” she said, with a happy sigh. “The courts know me name now. Me true name.”
And then she tossed the letter into the bin.
“Glad for you, Nia,” Zach smiled. “And now you get to join us for a venture.”
Nia blinked. “Oh, didja get that dimension skipper working?”
“It took a lot of work,” Asriel explained. “But Bean was a courteous research subject. And we need one more for the trek, after all.”
“You’d really have me, then?” Nia asked, uncertain. The other Hawkmoths looked bemused.
“Of course we do,” Alvis nodded. “You are part of our team. Our friend. Why wouldn’t we?”
“Wouldn’t be the same without ya, lass,” Lilith quipped, affectionately giving Nia a jostling of the hair. She giggled gently.
“I thank ye,” Nia said. “I thank ye plenty.”
She glanced over to Agent, who was currently lounging on the couch. “Are ye coming too?” she asked.
“I wish I could,” Agent explained. “But I’ve gotta get back to my own dimension. Get back to the prime versions of everyone else.” He shrugged. “I’m just hitching a ride midway with you all. But I’ll come and visit, and you can do the same.”
Nia nodded with a smile. “I think we could do that,” she said. “Shall we then?”
“Of course,” Zach agreed. “Alvis?”
Alvis held a small device, clicking several buttons on it. It began to light up, a beam shooting through the air and cutting through space itself. A new rift formed, large enough for the entire team to walk through with ease.
Silently, Asriel admired Nia and her new optimism and sense of self. She caught him looking, and he blushed, but she merely giggled in appreciation and…was that a tinge of attraction? The doctor fought to avoid fainting in excitement. Nia was still Zey, deep down, and he still loved them, and her, unequivocally. New beginnings, perhaps, could lead to new relationships.
“Together?” Nia asked, looking over her simultaneously old and new friends alike.
“Hawkmoths forever, no matter what shape we take,” Zach chuckled.
Nia giggled as well, pleased with his kind words. Then the team and their guest walked through the rift, for new adventures.
Into the Vanessaverse 
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