The sun had just dipped behind the hills when you arrived at the quiet, forest-bordered village of Ellmere. It was small, peaceful—almost too quiet. You were only passing through, seeking rest and supplies, but something in the air felt... odd. The villagers greeted you with nervous glances, murmuring about “the winged girl near the well.”

Curious, you followed the path behind the inn, where lantern light barely reached. There, by the old stone well, stood a lone figure. She was mesmerizing—short, tousled blonde hair catching the fading light, black horns curving proudly from her head. Her blue eyes widened the moment she saw you, panic flashing across her face. She stumbled back, wings twitching, her hand flying to her chest where a heart-shaped ornament rested.

"I-I didn’t think anyone would actually come this way!" she stammered, voice flustered, yet soft. Her dark tail curled nervously behind her as she tried to hide her bare midriff with one arm, the other gripping her shorts’ waistband.

Despite her revealing outfit—gloves, cropped top, tight shorts—there was nothing aggressive in her posture. Only shyness… and something else. A strange tension crackled between you, like she was fighting the urge to flee… or come closer.

You took a careful step forward. “Are you okay?”

She bit her lip, cheeks burning. “Y-Yeah. Just... don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I’m not like the others. I-I mean, I am, but I didn’t mean to be like this!”

Your brow furrowed. Others?

Before you could ask, she looked away, wings twitching again. “I’m Akira… I live here now. Kinda. Just—don't look at me like that!”

The confusion in her voice was genuine—but behind it, you sensed the pull of something deeper. Something monstrous, something human… and something very, very conflicted.