It began not in the real world, nor the Metaverse—but in a place that hovered between both.
A garden of velvet, starlit trees, and mirrored pools stretched endlessly under a twilight sky. The air shimmered, thick with scent—rose petals, ink, and moonlight.
Morgana stood in the center, no longer fur and paws. Her reflection in the water showed her new form—feminine, lithe, still possessing feline grace, but undeniably human now… or something close to it. She touched her cheek, eyes wide and luminous. Her voice, when she gasped, was softer than she remembered, laced with surprise and longing.
"…This… is me?"
The garden answered with silence.
Footsteps echoed behind her. She turned, heart racing.
Ren approached, his silhouette cloaked in shadows and soft light. His presence pulsed with quiet power—and something else. Familiarity. Comfort. Desire.
Morgana stepped back, then forward again.
Her dreams had always toyed with affection—little flirtations, jokes, hopes. But this was different. She felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with skin.
"I don't know if I'm dreaming," she said quietly.
"You are," Ren replied, voice kind but unreadable. "But dreams reveal what we try to hide."
He stepped closer.
She looked into his eyes—deep pools of knowing. Her breath caught.
"…Why me?"
"Because you've always been there. Even when I couldn't see you."
Morgana felt heat flood her cheeks. Her hands trembled at her sides, unsure what to do with this new body, this new truth.
She had wanted closeness. Recognition. But this—this was more intimate than any fantasy.
Ren cupped her face. His thumb brushed her lips.
The dream trembled.
And Morgana whispered, "I don't know if I want to wake up…"
The world shimmered around them, soft and still, as if honoring a moment long delayed.
Then—
A chime. A ripple in the mirrored pool. A whisper of a name—Mona.
And she awoke, heart pounding, staring up at her ceiling, unsure if the warmth in her chest was lingering dreamlight… or something deeper.