Astralyth Online

Chapter 8 – It’s Madelyn

Benjamin sat on the couch next to his mom, the warmth of her presence the only thing keeping him grounded in the whirlwind of thoughts spinning in his mind. Madelyn Fae Roth. The name echoed in his head, over and over. How could it be possible? The company had confirmed it—his account was registered under that name, the name he had blurted out in the game without thinking. But now it felt... different.

He hugged his knees to his chest, feeling small and overwhelmed. Why does it sound... kind of right? The thought unsettled him, but he couldn’t deny it. As much as he was confused and scared, the name didn’t feel as foreign as it should. It was like some part of him was slowly accepting it, even if he wasn’t ready to.

His mom sat close, her hand resting gently on his back, providing the steady comfort he needed. It was the only thing that felt stable in the storm of emotions swirling inside him. She hadn’t pushed him for answers, hadn’t demanded explanations. She was just there, holding him together when he felt like he was falling apart.

His dad entered the room, his expression troubled. “I couldn’t find anything online,” he said, shaking his head. “Not even close to what you’re going through. No one’s reporting anything like this.”

Benjamin looked up from where he sat on the couch, feeling the weight of those words. "Yeah," he murmured, "of course there was nothing." It wasn’t surprising, but still, the confirmation of it left him feeling even more isolated.

His dad sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We could have expected this, I guess. Your situation... it’s so far beyond anything we could have imagined.”

Benjamin nodded, the reality sinking in deeper. No one else was dealing with what he was. No online search could provide answers for something so impossible.

His dad sat down, his voice calm but uncertain. "The only place I think you may find answers is inside the game."

Benjamin didn’t know how to feel about that. The game. It felt like the source of all his problems. Ever since he logged in, everything had spiraled out of control. But then, were these really problems? His mind swirled with conflicting thoughts, unable to land on a clear answer. He hated how he couldn’t just decide how to feel about any of it.

The game had changed him, but what did that really mean? He sighed, running a hand through his fiery red hair, his fox ears twitching slightly at the movement.

No, Benjamin told himself firmly, trying to shake off the growing sense of helplessness. I can’t just keep wallowing in self-pity. A spark of determination flickered in his eyes, something he hadn’t felt since everything had started. If the game held the answers, then going back in was the only way to fix this—his predicament.

A plan started forming in his mind, and with it came a small sense of control. Yeah, he thought, I should go back into the game. That’s where I’ll figure this out. It was the only logical step, even if the idea still left him feeling uneasy.

But then the fire in his eyes dimmed just a little. Not today though... He wasn’t ready yet. His mind and body were still reeling from all the changes. Tomorrow, he told himself. Yeah, tomorrow for sure. He let out a sigh, comforted by the thought of having a plan, even if he wasn’t ready to act on it just yet.

His mom raised an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the shift in his expression. "What did you just think?"

Benjamin hesitated for a moment, then met her gaze. "I was thinking about going back into the game tomorrow... to see if I can find anything out. It seems like the only place where I might get answers."

His mom’s face softened, and she nodded slowly. "That makes sense," she said gently. "But make sure you’re ready, okay? Don’t push yourself too hard."

Benjamin nodded in return, appreciating her understanding. "Yeah, I’ll be ready tomorrow," he said, though he couldn’t help but feel a little uncertain, even as he spoke the words.

"Why don’t we do something completely different for a bit?" his father suggested, standing up with a sigh. "I guess this is stressful for all of us."

His mom nodded in agreement. "That’s a good idea. Let me make some tea," she said, her voice calm as she headed toward the kitchen.

Benjamin nodded quietly, making his way over to the couch. This was something they did often—just sitting together, drinking tea or something warm. It was one of those comforting daily routines that always helped them unwind. Even in the midst of all the chaos, the familiar habit of sitting down together brought him a small sense of normalcy.

His mom placed a steaming cup of tea in front of him before sitting down next to him. The warmth from the cup radiated up to his face, but the real comfort came from knowing his parents were there for him. Without thinking, Benjamin shifted closer, his body craving the familiar reassurance. He tucked himself against his mom, feeling a surge of relief as she gently wrapped her arm around him.

His mom held him close, and for that moment, everything felt calm. The world outside—the confusion, the fear, the uncertainty—faded away. Right now, all that mattered was the quiet, comforting presence of his family.

Benjamin had no idea how long he had been curled up against his mom, but at some point, he noticed the gentle motion of her fingers brushing through his hair and even his tail. The sensation was unexpectedly soothing, a simple comfort that made him feel a little more at ease despite everything that had happened. It felt... nice, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he relaxed.

The steady, rhythmic brushing had a calming effect on him, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy. The tension in his body slowly melted away, leaving him feeling warm and sleepy. He let out a soft sigh, feeling safe in that small moment of peace.

Benjamin had tuned out the soft conversation between his parents, lost in the soothing sensation of his mom’s fingers brushing through his hair and tail. He missed most of what they were saying, but when his father’s voice grew a little louder, something caught his attention.

"So, I checked his documents," his dad said, sounding cautious. "I grabbed his ID... and apparently, it hasn’t changed."

The words hung in the air, and Benjamin’s drowsiness faded as he processed what his dad had just said. His ID hadn’t changed. He didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, it was a relief—maybe he could still hold on to something from his old self. But on the other hand, it felt strange. Like another part of his life just hadn’t yet caught up to this new reality.

Once again, the confusing mix of emotions swirled in his chest. Part of him wanted to be relieved, but another part felt uncertain. Why doesn’t anything make sense anymore?

The thoughts kept swirling in his head, and at some point, the exhaustion of the day caught up to Benjamin, and he drifted off to sleep, still nestled in the comforting embrace of his mom. Her steady presence, along with the gentle rhythm of her fingers brushing through his hair and tail, had lulled him into a quiet slumber. For now, the confusion and swirling emotions faded into the background.

The implications of everything—his unchanged ID, his transformed body, the name Madelyn—hovered at the edge of his mind. But at that moment, he didn’t want to deal with any of it. And just enjoy the embrace of his mom.

Benjamin woke up with a strange, unsettling feeling gnawing at him. He didn’t know what it was at first, but it had pulled him out of his comfortable slumber. He blinked groggily, realizing he was still snuggled up against his mom, her arm wrapped protectively around him.

Then it hit him. Oh shit. His eyes widened in sudden panic, his body tensing up as he realized what the feeling was. He needed to pee. His heart started to race, and a wave of anxiety crashed over him. He hadn’t even thought about this yet—how his body had changed and how everything might be different.

His mom noticed the shift in his posture immediately. Her worried expression deepened as she looked at him. "What’s wrong?" she asked gently, her concern evident in her voice.

Benjamin stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... I need to go to the toilet."

His mom blinked in surprise, her face softening with understanding. "Oh, uh, okay," she replied, a bit caught off guard but trying to remain calm.

As Benjamin stood up, his face flushed with embarrassment. His heart raced, and the anxiety in his chest only grew as the reality of his situation set in. He really had to pee, but the thought of navigating his new body in such a basic, private act was terrifying.

His mom stayed seated, a bit speechless, watching him go, unsure of what to say next.

When Benjamin returned, his face was beet red, his embarrassment practically radiating off him. His mind was a chaotic mess of thoughts. I can’t believe I just did that. Why is everything so... different? And why does it, at the same time, feel so natural!? The awkwardness of using the bathroom with his new body had been overwhelming, the unfamiliarity leaving him rattled. I don’t even know how to handle something so basic anymore, he thought, cringing internally. It wasn’t painful, but the strangeness of it all made him feel disconnected from himself, as if his body wasn’t quite his own. At least not yet.

As he sat down next to his mom again, she looked at him briefly but didn’t say anything. He appreciated the silence, but his mind kept spinning. Is this my new normal? Am I ever going to get used to this? He could feel his face still burning, and the weight of all the changes pressed down on him once more.

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Benjamin. At some point, his mom left the house for some "business," leaving him and his dad to their own quiet routines. Benjamin found himself aimlessly wandering around the house, exchanging casual conversation with his dad but not really focusing on much. It was a strange, idle day, but he didn’t mind the quiet.

Despite his mind constantly spinning with thoughts, he couldn’t bring himself to check his phone. The idea of talking to his friends, of explaining everything that had happened, felt too overwhelming. He knew they were probably still worried, wondering what was going on, but the guilt of leaving them hanging weighed heavily on him. I’ll deal with it later, he kept telling himself, though he knew the avoidance only made things worse.

At some point, Benjamin’s mom returned, and soon after, his dad started preparing dinner. As they sat around the table, the atmosphere felt almost normal, like a brief return to the way things used to be. But Benjamin once more noticed how amazing food smelled and tasted to him now. Every bite was more vibrant, more intense. And he really liked it.

After dinner, Benjamin began getting ready for bed. He pulled on one of his old, now much too big shirts, wearing it like a makeshift nightgown. Once he lay in bed, his dad kissed him on the forehead before leaving the room, a gesture that felt both familiar and grounding. His mom stayed a moment longer, sitting on the edge of his bed, her presence comforting. She leaned down to kiss his forehead too, whispering, "Goodnight, Benjamin."

Without thinking, Benjamin muttered, “It’s Madelyn.”

His mom’s eyes widened slightly. "What?" she asked gently.

“You can call me Madelyn,” she repeated, her face burning with embarrassment. Then, quickly, he added, “Only for the moment though, when I’m still like this!”

His mom smiled warmly, brushing her hair back. “Goodnight, Madelyn,” she whispered, her voice filled with understanding.

As she stood to leave, Benjamin—no, Madelyn—felt a wave of emotions wash over her: relief, hesitation, and a quiet acceptance she hadn’t expected. It was a small moment, yet it felt monumental, like taking the first step onto unfamiliar but necessary ground. Hugging her tail close, she settled into the bed, a gentle smile playing on her lips. For the first time, she allowed herself to embrace the name, the change, and the confusing journey she was on. As she drifted off to sleep, wrapped in the warmth of her parent’s acceptance, the storm inside her seemed to calm, if only for a while.