Now the head woman in charge, Noelle swiftly made sweeping quality of life changes for the girls at the Wish in the following days. They still wore maid uniforms to preserve the theme, as it kept the customers happy and pouring in, but the girls were now free to customize or adjust their outfits to their liking. Some girls kept the risqué look, as Noelle was allowing the girls their tips where Roscoe had confiscated them, but most adjusted skirt lengths and how much skin they showed. They also began customizing their uniforms with various colors and other frills to further enjoy their work.

I had always secretly wanted to flaunt a maid outfit to see what it would be like, but I never was confident enough in my previous body to do so. But now, I had some curves and wanted to strike while the iron was hot, so I joined the maidens myself. Catherine helped sew me a custom outfit and I went all in on the design, with cute ribbons and showing just the right amount of skin. I included garters that disappeared under the skirt at just the right moment, combining those with some sheer black leggings and cute shoes to complete the look. I wasn’t serving tea and cookies, but I wanted to make sure I got the outfit right!

Despite flaunting my figure a bit, I wasn’t concerned with anyone getting frisky with me. Even drunk, all the villagers in town knew better than to try something funny with the Amazon. That behavior at the Wish stopped within the first couple of days anyway, when Noelle had promptly, and aggressively, thrown some of the more handsy patrons out on their asses. Dorian was the only one who still seemed ballsy enough to try, but even he wisely adopted a “look, don’t touch” policy.

With the Wish now having a safer reputation for women, many more girls started working there, allowing the exhausted small staff some much needed relief, further increasing morale. Ash continued working as well but shifted to a tailored butler attire. He kept the long hair, but it was now in a gentlemen’s ponytail that Dorian assisted with. He and Noelle were also joined by half of their sisters. Catherine staunchly declared any girls younger than Ash too young, much to Anya’s displeasure.

Her adoration for me skyrocketed after the tournament, and she was finding any excuse to tag along with her newest big sister. Catherine hadn’t banned her from the tavern completely, so she became Noelle’s personal gopher to run errands across town. All these changes brought a huge lift to those working at Wish. The customers also noticed and were much more relaxed and cheerful when they visited. Life was swiftly getting better.

One afternoon at work, Anya handed me a notice: my outfit was finally ready! Not only that, but my other special order had also been delivered! Anya’s eyes sparkled with excitement as I read the note. After the tournament, she had started helping Catherine and me with the finishing touches on the clothes we had been working on since my training began. Getting all the material gathered had taken ages, but it was finally ready! I let Noelle know I was headed home for the day, and Anya and I trotted off excitedly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stepped out of the house and revealed my new look to Dorian, Chad, and Ash. The boys were banned from the house while Catherine and the younger sisters helped me dress. They knew I had been crafting a new outfit, but they didn’t know the particulars and I wanted it to be a surprise. Once I came into view, I watched eyes widen and jaws drop to the ground, completely speechless.

Mission accomplished!

I stretched in the sunlight and had never felt better! My outfit was tailor made for my body and fit like a glove. I felt whole for the first time since my arrival. Gone was the thick braid I had worn alongside the Magos sisters. My hair was now brushed out and flowed behind me, with three smaller tight braids sweeping down each side of my head.

I now wore a white sleeveless halter top, but it was crafted from a much more durable and comfortable fabric than my emergency shirts I had worn since arriving. I kept my onyx leather choker, and it covered the straps that tied around my neck.

Catherine had dyed and sewn me a dark royal purple leather corset with dark brown accents that wrapped around my torso and breasts and clasped with buckles in the front. I wore simple dark brown leather gauntlets my arms for additional protection.

I sported a thick buckled belt with pouches that rested on my hips and a nice functional pleated white skirt of the same durable fabric my top had been crafted from, with some royal purple trim at its edge. It fell to my lower thighs and swayed in the breeze.

To finish the look, I adopted the knee-high leather boots Noelle favored for leg protection. However, I was not going to have the patience for constantly lacing them, so these were designed to slip on with a snug fit. I loved my garters from my maid outfit, and they became a last-minute addition, snaking down my thighs to clasp the sides of the boots and made sure they stayed put. I now truly felt like the Amazon!

Dorian recovered first and gave a hearty wolf whistle.

“She can spank me anytime…” he muttered.

Chad snapped back to reality, “I’m sorry, care to say that again Dorian? I must have had something in my ears!”

Dorian started sputtering with the realization he had said that out loud, “What was that? Someone say someth—? I heard—! Care to comment, Ash?”

Poor Ash’s face looked like it had blown a fuse. Over the past months, I had seen moments of him attempting to show me affection, but in an adorable puppy dog kind of way, rather than loud and obnoxious flirtations Dorian and Chad were still convinced would have me collapse in their manly arms.

“…. You’re very pretty… I mean, you’re always pretty! It’s not like you weren’t pretty before! Now you’re… really, extra pretty?” He started flailing and struggling for words near the end before finally clamping his hands on his mouth, his face as beet red as I had ever seen.

Chad had turned back to me, a small frown now creasing his otherwise flawless face. He finally muttered an opinion, “But she’s not dressed like a lady…”

I twirled again and smiled playfully, “Why do you think I included a skirt?”

Dorian patted the distraught Ash on his head while I shook my own and smiled. I couldn’t blame his flustered reaction at all. He was just as bad as me at flirting. Too many of our interactions when he tried to be cute or flirt often ended with both our faces hot, pink color in our cheeks as we covered our faces and skittered away from each other. It hadn’t helped that Catherine, Edward, and all his sisters had attempted to shove us together frequently once they realized he had an interest.

I decided to tease and gave the boys a twirl. The outfit felt amazing. “Well, if you thought this was something, wait until you see my next surprise!” I winked.

It was time to unveil Minerva.

I reached behind me and grabbed my special arrival from inside the house. I had pushed Chad to give me some additional funds to craft myself a weapon. He complained at first, as I had spent all my winnings I was owed to get Noelle the tavern but relented when he learned the purpose. When he pressed on what the weapon was going to be, however, I told him it would also be a surprise.

I whirled around and brandished a beautiful two-handed great axe in my hands. Her shaft was laced with a stainless-steel lattice sheath that ran from her handle up to the head of the weapon. I purred a little to myself as I stroked it in admiration of the craftsmanship.

What made her special however was the head itself. I brought a bit of future engineering “know-how” to conspire a trick weapon, and the blacksmith had done an amazing job. There was not one axe blade at the top, but two, installed side by side. When I desired during combat, with a special twist of the weapon, one of the blades would rotate turning the axe into a double headed monstrosity.

She was beautiful, and that wasn’t all!

While the boys shrank back away from the terrifying weapon, I twisted at Minerva’s handle and pulled back to reveal a katana, as long as my arm, hidden inside the shaft.

And the boys lost their minds.

“What in the name of the Gods??”

“I’m not sure that was necessary…”

“Does she expect to use that in battle?”

They could barely form whole sentences as they watched me inspect the work of the blade now in my hand. It was a perfect weight and balance. The blacksmith had been beside himself as I described my unique requests and the process of creating this type of weapon.

In my time here, it was easy to gather that katanas were not a blade native to this world. Having a penchant for books and learning and having spent endless hours on frivolous hobbies and oddities back home finally worked in my favor. After receiving my instructions for crafting the blade, the blacksmith had been working on this for months and, through trial and error, had finished her: Hippolyta. The quality was, by no means, anywhere close to the master craftsmen of Earth, but she looked capable enough.

I spun her around in my hand a few times and then sheathed her back into Minerva with a satisfying click, as if she had never existed. I then swung the axe behind me, her head looping into a makeshift harness on the back of my belt.

I could no longer contain my excitement as I started excitedly jumping and clapping my hands together. Once my outburst of energy had stopped, I finally asked the big question.

“So? What do you think?!”

Dorian and Chad were at a loss for words.

“I love ya, girlie, but you keep getting weirder and weirder!” Dorian said as he scratched his head. “I’ve never seen anything like, well either of these before!”

Chad at least had the courage to walk up and circle me, looking the armor and weapon up and down. He looped a finger in my belt, and I felt a sharp tug, then he grabbed my wrist and looked over the craftsmanship of the gauntlet.

When it came to sewing, Catherine was a wizard. If women could have owned businesses, she could have given the leatherworkers and clothiers a run for their money. Combined with the quality of materials Chad’s pockets had helped acquire, and I was more than satisfied with my new duds.

Chad nodded in approval, “This should be adequate. The Lady Magos did some fine work.” Then, as if paying someone a compliment left him in agony, he added, “Better could be found amongst the master craftsmen in Monera, to be sure, but we don’t have that kind of time.”

I rolled my eyes and chose to ignore his snide remark.

“What do you think of Minerva!?” I insisted. He leaned away to observe it still strapped to my back, afraid it would come alive and bite him.

And if it was packing as much attitude as it looked, it just might.

“It does looks menacing.” he finally acknowledged. “Are you sure an axe should be your weapon of choice?” He looked sidelong over at Dorian. “We all remember how your last encounter with an axe went!”

I punched him in the shoulder playfully.

“I oversaw a lot of the work on this myself, and I’ve had lots of training since then! I’m more than confident I can wield Minerva properly!”

Chad cocked an eyebrow when I said her name out loud for the first time.

“We’re naming things now?”

I raised my own eyebrow and looked him dead in the face.

“And none of your weapons are named?” I smirked.

He flushed at that and let the subject be.

Dorian and Ash finally got closer to take in the new look.

“An axe is one thing, but are you sure you can wield this thing in battle?” Dorian asked, tapping at the katana handle that doubled as a grip for Minerva’s shaft. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you aren’t abandoning your sword play. It would be a shame to have seen that all go to waste.”

“Not every situation will call for Minerva,” I agreed, as I twisted myself to call attention to Hippolyta’s beautifully wrapped handle, which was also done in a purple. Catherine and the sisters had decided that was my color, as if there was any doubt. “That was why I included Hippolyta here!”

Chad threw up his hands in desperation, eyes turned skyward to any God that might hear his complaints.

“And she’s named the sword! Why am I surprised?!”

“Katana,” I corrected him.

“What in the Gods’ name is that?” he asked with exasperation.

“It’s the style of the blade. It’s from my old world.”

“Whatever…” Chad muttered under his breath, as he stalked off.

“Don’t worry, Amelia,” Ash had finally found his voice. “I like it! And Chad will come around!”

I smiled at him and tousled his hair lovingly.

“Thanks Ash. Your mom and sisters did great work on the clothes! I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Ash grinned sheepishly and Dorian clapped me on the shoulder.

“So, now that you’re all set, I guess that means it’s time?”

I reached up and wrapped my hand on his as I nodded.

“Yeah, it’s time.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well Goddess, I guess this is it!”

I paced back and forth in front of the altar and stained-glass window, as I had grown accustomed to doing while making my now futile attempts to talk to her.

“Not going to pop in to wish me good luck?”

It had been like this for months. Ever since my meltdown on that first day, the Goddess had not spoken to me again. I didn’t know if it was because of self-doubt, or that I had hinted at wishing to go back home and abandon the task she had given me. Whatever Her divine reason, I hadn’t heard Her soothing voice in my head on any return visits, even after it had been completely rebuilt in the recent weeks.

I puffed up my cheeks and exhaled exaggeratedly.

“Alright then,” I exclaimed loudly, to no one. “You know where to find me if you need me!”

I had already informed Her, assuming She was listening in the first place, that we were moving on to Torzoa to talk with the king and determine our next steps regarding the monster forces growing by the day.

I spun on my fancy new leather heels and marched off towards where Noelle and Ash were waiting by the entrance. They always accompanied me on my temple runs, which we made late at night to give us higher odds the temple would be empty, and had always waited just outside, praying or meditating. They felt unworthy of accompanying me further into the Goddess’ holy place when there was a chance She might also descend into it.

I explained to them numerous times that I was positive the Goddess was not going to care if they followed me. I even told them how cheeky and laid back the Goddess had been, and how she had even giggled and laughed at me! They were speechless at my insistence on this and almost accused me of blasphemy that their heavenly deity could ever act in such a manner!

Unfortunately, the longer the Goddess went not picking up the phone, the more convinced they were that either I had offended her with my insistence she was anything less than regal OR that their presence was not the misperceived slight I assured them of. Recently, they even began making excuses to not come at all. It took all I had to convince them to continue to join me anyway.

They both rose to greet me as I exited.

“Any luck?” Ash asked.

I shook my head and looked back inside with my hands on my hips, frustrated.

“I don’t understand it.” I said, exasperated. I felt like I had let her down and had let self-doubt eat at me for quite a while after we last spoke, but this didn’t feel right.

If She hadn’t been so insistent last time on why I was the one chosen, that it was me or no one, I would have assumed She had given up on me.

“I just had this feeling in my gut, on my last night, she would finally answer me. She’s got to know I’m not coming back anytime soon...”

To be fair, my assumption that we wouldn’t be able to communicate away from Bronzemead and Her temple leaned heavily on an assumption that this was the only place she could actually speak to me. I had no evidence to support this, only that we had only spoken here.

The whole, whopping twice that had happened…

Noelle rubbed my back reassuringly.

“It will be ok, Amelia. My pilgrimages in your stead will continue, and I will pray to the Goddess for your protection. I will even provide her updates on your progress and health!”

“Hopefully, as a deity, she has awareness enough regarding her realm that updates shouldn’t be necessary.” I muttered.

Noelle smiled a small smile. “Nevertheless…” she drifted off, both of us knowing what her reassurances were to be. Noelle had informed Ash and me she would keep us in her prayers to the Goddess weeks ago, after we had informed the family we were leaving.

Catherine was beside herself at the thought of her only son leaving home, but Edward convinced her it was time. He also tossed in some extra reasoning by stating it was surely the Goddess’ will that he accompanied the star. She wasn’t happy with his dirty tactic but knew her husband was right.

Taking one last look at the Goddess in the far window, I turned away and we walked back down the hill towards home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, it was so early the roosters weren’t even awake by the time Dorian, Chad, Ash and I met together in front of the Magos house. Ash and I enjoyed long tearful goodbyes from the family. Each of the sisters had attempted to convince Ash to wear his maid uniform for traveling, as they thought he would look adorable as the group mascot, but he stubbornly insisted on something more practical.

Ash now donned some robes with a hood, the same light blue as the Goddess’ hair, that Catherine had helped him craft alongside my outfit. It was lined with dark blue trim, much like the night sky, and his sash belt was of the same color. One thing that set his belt apart from the rest was that Catherine had done something to the fabric and it sparkled when the light hit it just right, almost like stars in the night sky.

Once Dorian had assisted him with combing out his braid and styling his ponytail, he had taken great pride in that look and it had stuck around. His hair was still long and pretty however, and that, combined with his short stature and soft features, still made it easy to mistake him for a girl.

“Before you go, son,” Catherine said, “your father and I want you to have this.”

Catherine procured a long, slender object wrapped in old, musty brown paper and tied together with thin rope. He hesitantly reached out and took it from her outstretched hands, then began to unwrap the gift.

The ancient paper practically disintegrated as it fell away and revealed an intricate staff, taller than me. It looked like it was carved from a rare type of grayish blue marble, but at its cool touch, I could tell it was still some sort of metal. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before, even in one of my video games, and I couldn’t have begun to guess what it was made from. The staff was of solid craftsmanship, but it had no intricate pattern or casting to it, save the natural odd whirls and lines in the material itself. The patterns were so odd and randomly placed that I could have sworn the metal was alive!

At the top of the staff, embedded in the head as if it was part of the metal rod itself, was an intricately carved moonstone. It was carved in the shape of a swirling rough cone, with a wide base where it jutted out from the staff as it slowly grew outward, tapering into a point at its end. The stone itself was a deep milky white and, upon closer inspection, the core of the stone contained a faint swirling cloud, almost like there was energy trapped inside. Everyone gathered around Ash and the staff, mesmerized by its beauty and raw, untapped power.

“This is a family heirloom that has been passed down through the ancestors of the Goddess since she birthed us onto this world,” Catherine explained. “The staff is made of a star that fell from the Heavens themselves, and the stone from one of our very moons. Ancestral legend holds that it was a gift given to the First of all her children, crafted by the Goddess herself, for no craftsmen of Man could have created something so beautiful.”

At this, Chad scoffed loudly. Catherine didn’t so much as flinch but gave him a look that made him choke on some spit.

Catherine again addressed Ash and the rest of us, “As I was saying, the craftsmanship for this staff is unlike any other seen in all of Monera. I doubt Amelia, even with all of her gifts, could put a scratch on it with her new blade!” She playfully winked at me, but I could tell she was absolutely serious. “If you can master wielding this staff, you will be able to empower your already incredible gifts. I know the Goddess would want you to have this for assisting Amelia’s journey.”

Ash concentrated, channeling his abilities into the staff to gauge its reaction. The stone at the top of the staff lightly shimmered for just a moment before winking back out. Those few seconds of effort from Ash had already made him break out in a cold sweat.

“It may take some practice dear, but I know this will be a great asset for you and your friends.” Catherine sniffled at this, brushed Ash’s hair away and kissed him lovingly on his forehead.

Edward clasped his son’s wrist in a strong handshake.

“Be safe son. And know that our love, and that of the Goddess, goes with you.”

He nodded at the rest of us, “That goes for all of you.”

We all nodded back, received one last hug from everyone in the family, then made our way to the southernmost gate of Bronzemead.

It was time for our journey to begin.