The Gamer

Two Years Ago

“I’m actually a guy…” Announced the 21-year-old Matthew Bauer to his friends on Accord, the VoIP app he and his friends used for gaming. For the last seven years, Matt pretended to be a girl in his online friend group and was too afraid to reveal the truth. What started off as a joke ended up cementing himself as a persona that wasn’t real. Now with apps to talk in and social media documenting every aspect of people's lives, it became a secret he couldn’t hide any longer.

The news that MaddyShot99 brought to the group shook them. Several members were hurt and betrayed while others felt angry. Those who felt like that would end up leaving the small community but only after condemning his actions with hateful messages. Only a few friends stayed behind to support Matt.

“I wasn’t trying to trick you I swear!” Matt pleaded. “It started off as a joke but then I made actual friends as a girl. Before I knew it I was in too deep. I’m so sorry for lying…”

“A friendship built on lies is only as strong as its foundations, Maddy.” Stated Holo, the admin of the group. “It may be best to leave the server for now, while their heads cool off.”

Dejectedly, Matt agreed. The young man's fears came true. Who would want to stay friends with someone they never really knew. As Matt began to sign out of Accord, a notification popped up in his messages.

‘Probably another hate message…’ Hesitantly Matt chose to open the tab, though rather than a message filled with hate it was one of support.

‘“Maddy, I’m sorry that the group wasn’t as accepting as you likely hoped them to be. I’m kinda pissed over what a few of them said but I hope you don’t dwell on it too hard. If they couldn’t accept you now, then maybe they weren’t friends, to begin with. Reach out if you ever need someone to talk to or play with because unlike them, I know the MaddyShot99 who loves spicy food and anime and who loves to play with their friends more than anything. So, keep your chin up.” - DaWhit’

Matt began to cry. ‘Thank you DaWhit… Thank you so much…’

**********

Present Day

It’s been about two years since Matt's former gaming group broke up over his announcement and, contrary to expectations, has since gotten more outgoing due to the support he received. Now that he could speak and show his face to those that remained he was able to forge even closer bonds with his friends. He was even able to be convinced to pick up streaming to show off his incredible game-play skills. And he has one person in particular who he can thank for being where he is now.

DaWhit, or Dan as Matt would come to learn, became something of a confidant to the younger man. If he needed advice or someone to vent to, he knew that DaWhit would be there for him. Though the two had never met in person due to distance, Dan was something of a mentor or a role model to him. However, there was a secret that even Dan hadn’t come to know yet about young Matt.

‘Hmm this blouse is pretty cute… it looks just like the one Elaine wears in Legends of Aloya! I have to get it.’ The undercover Matt thought to himself as he browsed the women's clothes. The store he was shopping at was open until late which made it perfect for him to visit when traffic was light. ‘I just need to stop at the wig shop and I should be good… I think I have all the make-up I need…’

As fate would have it, Matt had become enamored with cross-playing characters from his favorite anime and video games. The allure of feminine clothes and care products was too great for the impressionable young man who at this point is facing a crossroads in life. Though he still identified as a man, he couldn’t help but think back to the years that he “pretended” to be a woman. Something changed in him, but he was too afraid to face it, for now.

Nervously, Matt walked up to the checkout of the store where a young woman was scanning the clothes of the elder woman in line. ‘Relax Matt, you pretended to be a girl for years. You can fake it to buy clothes.’

“G-good evening, just buying some clothes,” Matt spoke with a practiced falsetto as the cashier scanned his products.

Contrary to what Matt thought, the cashier couldn’t care less about who was buying what, making the young man's plight humorous to outside observers.

“$46.59. Would you like your receipt?” The bored woman asked.

Matt vigorously shook his head. “Oh uh, no thank you.”

Taking his change and the bag full of clothes, he quickly made his escape to his car. Once seated in his SUV, he finally let out his breath.

“Oh god… See Matt, easy peasy.” Matt spoke as if to reassure himself. A few moments of calming down later, he began his trek back to his one-bedroom apartment on the other side of town. Matt lived in a relatively small city up in the mid-west where prices hadn’t exploded in price just yet. The relatively low cost of living made it easy for him to have a cheap apartment with the earnings he made from this part-time job as a waiter and through streaming. Though in the future he wants to become a big enough streamer to be able to afford to move to a larger city like Atlantica where Dan lived.

The thought of his confidant, mentor, best friend, and well… crush, always made him giddy. That’s right, after years of being so close to each other, the younger man developed a bit of a crush on the older one. Not that he’d ever confess to him. After all, Dan was straight and was constantly in on and off again relationships with women. There’s no way that a possibly gay, possibly transgender Matt would ever have a chance with him.

Sighing at the same conversation that he’s had in his head over these past two years, Matt finally arrived at his home. Once inside he quickly shed his oversized hoodie and took off his cap to reveal his thick dyed blue hair. Dan complimented the dye once so of course, he was going to keep it like that.

“Okay let’s try it on!” Matt giddily said as he reached for the outfit he purchased. A few minutes later, the thin frame of Matt would be standing in front of his full-body mirror, donned in a cute off-white blouse with a black thigh-high skirt. Completing the look were thigh-high black heeled boots that raised the shorter man up a few inches.

“Omg, just a bit of padding and some make-up and I’ll look just like Elain!” Matt cheered as he took many many photos on his smartphone. As he calmed down from the high of a new cross-play, he began to think. ‘What if I just went out in public like this…’

Moments later, the young man shook his head away from those thoughts and spoke. “No, no… I’m not ready for that. Let’s put this away and start the stream before I do something dumb.”

Yet, before young Matt could begin to undress, the world shifted and nausea overtook him.

**********

‘Harem!? Transformations!? What the hell is going on? Was I isekai’d or something?’ Matt's thoughts were in disarray after he skimmed through the hard-to-miss pamphlet and was on his way to the elevator after being called.

Matt attempted to relax. ‘Calm down Matt, this is all a dream. I just passed out. None of this is real, I mean what weirdo would want a guy like me in their Harem?’

As the elevators opened up and the jazz music completed their theme, Matt’s eyes widened in shock and horror.

“Dan!?” There, sitting on a loveseat with some girl he didn’t recognize, was the subject of his crush.

“Well, well, looks like someone came dressed to impress. Come on over, cutie, and take a seat.” Vanessa spoke and waved at the stunned newcomer.

“Dressed to impress…?” Matt muttered confused. It was then that Matt remembered what exactly he was wearing. In front of his crush and six people he didn’t know stood Matt in his blouse and skirt combo, complete with thigh-high heeled boots. Oh my God! No, no! Dan saw!’

Then, the femininely dressed young man lost consciousness for the second time today.