Ethan colpsed into his bed like a ragdoll, limbs tangled, backpack still slung over one shoulder, hoodie bunched around his waist. The world felt heavy, blurry, and meaningless except for one pressing truth: sleep. Sleep now, or die.

  His eyelids drooped, his fingers curled into the sheets, and within seconds, his consciousness melted into darkness.

  Dream or Reality?He was vaguely aware of softness.

  Not his sheets.Not the pillows.Something alive and warm, surrounding him, breathing with him.

  A faint shimmer of silver drifted at the edges of his vision.

  He muttered in his sleep, a tiny, disjointed whisper:“…tails… fluffy… me…”

  The words felt natural, familiar, and comforting. Something inside him hummed. Something clicked.

  The exhaustion of being Ethan—the ft, heavy, human boy—began to dissolve.

  The AwakeningLight filtered gently through the curtains. The world smelled… different.Warmer. Softer. Something alive and magical, like the first breath of spring.

  Ethan’s body felt… wrong. Too heavy. Too ft. Too rigid.

  “…ugh…” he mumbled, opening his eyes.

  Then it hit him.

  Warmth.Softness.Movement.

  His arms brushed against… tails.

  Silver hair tickled his face.Fox ears twitched.

  He bolted upright, tails swaying like ten banners behind him. He blinked — her reflection in the window.

  Her silver eyes stared back. Eyes that were his but not his; delicate, vibrant, shimmering with life. The soft contours of her cheeks, the gentle curve of her waist, the soft fluff of her ears… all real.

  Eri.

  She gasped — tiny, breathless, pure joy.“…It's me . I’m… me.”

  Her tails wagged enthusiastically, brushing against her legs and arms. She squealed softly, spinning around on the bed, tails fanning outward like a snowy halo. The sensation of them wrapping and tangling around her, brushing her face, her neck, was overwhelming — warm, soft, and perfect.

  “…I’m really her. I… I’m really me.”

  Eri hugged herself tightly, burying her face into her tails. Her ears flicked in delight. Her heart thudded in pure, unfiltered happiness.

  She wiggled on the bed, tails swishing. Every movement sent a small wave of fluff brushing over her skin. It felt right. Perfect. Magical. Complete.

  She giggled — the soft, airy kind that made her feel weightless.

  “…I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my life.”

  Eri rolled onto her back, tails wrapping around her like a warm, fluffy bnket. She stared at the ceiling, silver eyes wide and sparkling, ears twitching with contentment.

  The exhaustion from being Ethan, the drained human version, faded entirely, repced by vibrant energy coursing through her.

  Her own body. Her own form. Her own self.

  And for the first time since the neckce appeared, she allowed herself to simply exist — fully, utterly, beautifully herself.

  “…I love this. I love me.”

  A soft smile spread across her lips as she stretched, ears flicking, tails curling zily around her shoulders.

  The day outside could wait.Homework could wait.Even her family could wait.

  Because right now, she was Eri.

  And Eri was finally home.