Shattering one's naive ideals

“London was very enjoyable, but it's good to be back,” I said as Dahl and I were waiting for our suitcases at the airport after finally landing back.

As passengers, the flight back wasn't as fun as when we wore Ishani and Helen, but it did allow us to sleep through most of it.

Dahl smiled. “I agree. I really grew to love this town after living here for almost two years.”

“What do you think Claire has prepared for us?” I asked.

“No idea. She seemed very enthusiastic about it, though.”

After grabbing our belongings, we called a taxi and returned to Dahl's flat, ready to meet with Claire.

“Claire, are you there?” I asked as we unlocked the door.

“In the living room,” she simply replied.

When we walked in, we saw her sitting on the couch, crossing her legs and smiling at us. And besides her was a purple-haired Asian woman, observing us curiously.

“Ah, I've really missed you.” Claire said as she got up and hugged me. “You have no idea how much I’ve been longing for you to come back~”

“I missed you too. But who's she?” I asked, pointing at the Asian girl.

“A friend I made while the two of you were away.” Claire replied with a smile. “Her name is Yumi.”

“Hey cuties~” Yumi said, waving at us, a flirtatious smirk on her face. “She didn't lie, you two are quite hot~”

Dahl blushed slightly. “Thanks.”

“Your surprise is in your bedroom, Dahlia.” Claire added. “I'm sure you'll like it~”

Dahl and I went to her room to check what she had prepared for us. As soon as we opened the door, we gasped as we saw Laura's deflated skin, laying on the bed.

“L-Laura?” Dahl muttered, gazing at the hollow skin of her best friend.

Yumi approached us, her smirk not leaving her face. “What do you think, do you like this surprise~?”

I immediately turned to face her, and saw Claire smirking at me from behind her. “Did you perhaps expect something else, Edward?”

“Skinwalkers…” Dahl whispered in shock as she stared at ‘Claire’.

‘Claire’ raised her hands, and spines popped up from her fingers. “Good guess, Dahlia~”

I stood there, stunned, as I tried to process the sight in front of me… Claire was being worn by a skinwalker… What I dreaded the most happened…

“Poor Laura,” ‘Claire’ continued while Yumi grabbed Laura's skin. “You became her friend and didn't even admit to her that you wore her twice. How heartless of you.”

“Leave her out of this.” Dahl said, gritting her teeth.

“I had a hard time believing Aga when she told me, but you really landed a hottie, Edward, hmm~?” Yumi commented as she looked at us with lustful and playful eyes. “Such a sexy skin to be in, I'm almost jealous~” She then turned to Dahl. “And yours isn't bad either, you both have great tastes~”

“I love the look on your face right now, Edward~” The skinwalker in Claire's skin commented with a smirk. “Although, I suppose that you gave up that name. Should I call you Yun instead?”

“Who… Who are you?” I muttered.

‘Claire’ snickered. “Can't you recognise your own mother? You hurt me so, my child.”

“My… mother?”

“Ah, but of course you can't recognise me, since I had to urgently give up my main skin of twenty-six years due to your little… stunt.”

My eyes widened as realization started to hit me. A realisation I tried my best to deny. Dahl was stunned as well.

“W-what… What do you mean…?”

She walked closer. “What I mean is that I'm the one who birthed and raised you, my dear child~ I've been living as Patricia for the last twenty-six years. I might have gone to thirty, but your little act of **** **** me to switch earlier than I would have originally wanted.”

“It can't be…”

“I assure you it is. Oh, how I was fuming when I heard about what happened with Victor, when I heard from an anonymous source that cops would soon pay me a visit. But then, I learnt that it was because of you.” Her grin became much more sinister and intimidating as she stared me in the eyes, grabbing my chin. “I spent so long looking for you. It wasn't easy to find where you and your sister settled in.”

I kept staring at her, I couldn't deny it any longer. My own mother… was a skinwalker who had been wearing her since before my birth… I was born from a skinwalker, and this same skinwalker was currently wearing Claire… My whole world crumbled before me, as if everything I believed as a child was just a lie.

“I should be mad, incredibly so. Livid even. You ruined the cozy life I worked so hard to build for myself and my family. But I can't help but feel some sort of motherly pride, too~”

“W-what?”

“The way you dealt with Victor, the terror he felt as you revealed yourself to him, it was delightful~ Masterfully done~” She said with an amused giggle as she clapped her hands. “And then I learnt that you embraced this new life as Seo-Yun, seeing your evolution through Laura and Claire's eyes. Honestly, I never expected you of all people to embrace your skinwalker nature so quickly. I am impressed.”

I… I need to keep it together, for Claire… I can't be this pathetic. I thought, gritting my teeth and clenching my fists.

As I tried to regain my composure, Dahl stepped forward, grabbing my mother in Claire's skin by the collar of her shirt. “I don't care if you're their mother, but restore Claire and Laura! They have nothing to do with all of that!”

From the way she spoke and acted, it was clear that Lia took over.

My mother chuckled, unfazed by Lia's action. “I will, do not worry. Even for me, it is strange to wear the skin of a human I gave birth to. I simply wanted to send a message to my dear rebellious child, and Laura just so happened to be a tool for that end~”

“What do you want?” I asked, using every single part of Seo-Yun's personality to boost my confidence despite how shaken I was internally.

“I am a very magnanimous person, so I am willing to forgive what you did. I did find it entertaining after all. Had you seeked my help, I might even have helped you myself. But let's make one thing clear.” She said, leaning closer and giving me a sadistic smirk. “If you ever come back and try to cause harm to me or my coven again, we will show no mercy.”

I had to act strong, I couldn't show any weakness anymore.

I crossed my arms and stared at her. “I have no intention of returning there, I give you my word. Now, restore Claire and Laura.”

“Hmm, you can look intimidating when you want to, even with such a pretty face.” Yumi mused. “Makes you even hotter~”

“Minh, don't flirt with her, it's neither the time nor the place for this.” My mother snickered before grabbing her neck and pulling on it.

Claire's face distorted until it became a mask, revealing the face of a woman I was briefly familiar with before being kicked out.

“I-is that-”

“Elise, my former secretary, yes.” My mother replied in a much softer voice, smirking as she removed her clothes. “I wore her fairly often since she started working for me. I grew quite fond of her skin, so I decided that she would become my new main skin after throwing away Patricia.”

She fully removed Claire, stepping out of her now empty skin. The girl, apparently named Minh instead of Yumi, immediately opened a bag and grabbed some clothes she gave to my mother.

“Thank you, Minh,” she said, starting to get dressed. “Now, I will take my leave and let you rest after such a long trip, my dear child, but we'll meet again. I intend to pay you another visit soon, we will hopefully be able to speak on better terms, hmm~? Oh, and do take better care of your poor sister, she feels a bit lonely and excluded at times, you know?” She added as she stabbed Claire's skin with her spines.

Her skin quickly reinflated, returning to normal. Minh did the same right after with Laura, restoring her. My mother grabbed her handbag and she and Minh started to walk towards the front door.

“See ya soon, cuties~” Minh spoke in a flirtatious tone as she waved and left the flat, followed by my mother.

“I wish you a good day~” She said before closing the door and leaving me and Dahlia alone with Claire and Laura, naked and ****.

I didn't care that they were currently naked; I rushed to check on them. “Claire! Laura! Wake up!”

Claire slowly opened her eyes first. “S-sis? What… What happened?”

Laura groggily started to rise up as well, and Dahl went by her side. “Laura, you're alright?!”

“Urg, my head…” She groaned. “Wait… Why am I naked?”

“A skinwalker got the two of you while we were away…” Dahl muttered as she crouched next to them. “But you're safe now.”

Laura froze while Claire immediately jolted up.

“A skin- Mother!” She exclaimed. “It was Mother!”

I looked down, gritting my teeth. “I know. We spoke… while she was wearing you…”

We both stayed silent. Learning that our mother was a skinwalker was a hard pill to swallow.

“Mother? What are you talking about?” Laura asked as she tried to stand up.

“One of the two skinwalkers… was wearing my mother's skin since even before our birth… They came because of the actions I took against my father…” I explained.

“She and the other skinwalker have been observing me for a while… ” Claire finally spoke. “They were wearing you, Laura, and my partner at the station…”

“They… wore me?” Laura repeated, visibly frightened.

“It's over now, Laura. You're safe. They left and shouldn't come back.” Dahl said as she hugged her.

We let Claire and Laura get dressed, since they were still naked. They were extremely shaken after that, understandably so. Without Seo-Yun's **** confidence, I myself wouldn't be in a much better state. It was a terrifying event.

“Your mother, she spoke about a coven. These two most likely aren't alone. She must be in contact with more skinwalkers… Yun, we really need to be careful.” Dahl said quietly. “We have no idea how many of them are part of her group. The one I was briefly a part of in London had thirteen skinwalkers, not including me…”

I gulped as I hugged Claire tightly. I didn't want to imagine that many skinwalkers coming at us… I sincerely hoped that we would be left alone after my mother's warnings.

“If you continue to pursue your original goal, it might happen again, Yun… Your fight against corruption will lead you to cross paths with other skinwalkers, it's inevitable. Like we said when we were near the London Eye, skinwalkers infest the higher spheres of society.”

I closed my eyes, defeated. I didn't want those close to us to be at risk because of me again…

“I'm sorry, Laura, Claire… All of this happened because of me…” I muttered.

“Sis… It's… It's not your fault.”

“It is… Mother came here and did this to you because I was blinded by my ideals and my lust for ****… None of this would have happened had I moved on like you did…”

Dahl caressed my shoulder and smiled weakly. “Yun, it's alright. You can still help people just the way you are. There's nothing wrong with living a more peaceful life.”

Living a tranquil life as Yun, with Dahl, Lia, Claire, and Laura by my side… It seemed appealing too. I could just enjoy life, have fun with my friends and my girlfriends, maybe even adopt a pet like I've always wanted.

I couldn't be a hero like I dreamt of. Not if it meant endangering Claire, Laura, and maybe even Dahl and her family.

I looked back at Dahl. “You're right… I should just keep living as Yun and try to stay a source of inspiration for many people. It's… the best I can do…” I spoke slowly. “It hasn't been for long, but I think… I'm done being a hero.”