Leona stood at the edge of a narrow rooftop, gazing out over the sprawling, mostly gothic cityscape. She wore her tight bck t-shirt, a sports bra and her jogging shorts along with a pair of shoes with det tra. The ste tiles beh her shoes glistened with m dew, and the jagged spires of a buildings pierced the gray sky like the teeth of a great beast. The course stretched ahead—a dizzying byrinth of arches, ledges, and wrought iron feng.

  Devin, perched beside her with a roguish grin, adjusted his fingerless gloves. “First rule: don’t look down. Sed rule: if you fall, try to nd on something soft. Like Diana’s ego.” He fshed a wicked grin at the taller, more stoic Diana.

  Diana rolled her eyes, her arms crossed. “Keep talking, Devin. You’ll be the first to hit the ground when you slip.” She g Leona. “Ready? Don’t overthink the first jump. It’s closer than it looks.”

  Leona swallowed her nerves and g the first gap—a rooftop with a ey jutting out, just wide enough to force a leap but not wide enough to terrify. A rge gargoyle head loomed just beyond it.

  A third voice joihem, soft and light, from behind. It was Mia, the you of the group, small and agile like a cat. “You’ve got this, Leona,” she enced. “Just pretend you’re flying.”

  Devin snorted. “Or falling.”

  Leona took a deep breath, sprinting forward, her feet pounding oiles. The edge came fast, and with a burst of adrenaline, she leaped. For a moment, she hung in the air, her arms outstretched, the world a blur of gray and bck below her.

  She nded hard, rolling over the ey with a grunt but stig it. A triumphant grin lit her face.

  Devin whooped, already running to follow. “Not bad for a newbie!” He vaulted over the gap effortlessly, nding beside her with practiced ease. “But you keep up?”

  Diana followed , her movements sharp and precise, nding gracefully. “Don’t get cocky, Devin,” she said coolly. “There’s more ahead.”

  Mia brought up the rear, flipping over the gap with ease, stig the nding like a gymnast. “e on, we’re just getting started.”

  Ahead, the course twisted into a narrow path—stone ledges protruding from the side of a cathedral, uneven and slippery. Below, a drop into a deep alley loomed.

  Devin poi the ledges. “We call this ohe Devil’s Teeth.’ Fun, right?”

  Leona sighed. “What’s the trick?”

  Mia grinned. “Don’t fall.”

  Leona stared at the jagged stone ledges protruding from the cathedral’s side. They jutted unevenly, like the crooked teeth of some a beast, with slick moss creeping along the edges. Below, the alley gaped open—a cavernous drop into the city’s shadowy depths.

  Devin smirked, bang on the first ledge as if it were nothing more than a curb. “The trick,” he said, hopping effortlessly to the , “is not to hesitate.” He shot a wink over his shoulder. “Once you start, don’t stop.”

  Leona took a steadying breath. “Easier said than done.”

  Diana, standing calmly beside her, gnced down the alley with a faint frown. “You hesitate, you fall. But don’t think too much about it. Oep, then the .” She stepped forward onto the first ledge with perfect trol, nding softly before tinuing to the .

  “Like this,” Mia added, hopping down to a lower ledge, her light frame moving effortlessly. She crouched, leaning out over the edge for a moment to test her bance, before springing back up. “See? Easy.”

  Devin barked a ugh from farther along the course. “For you, maybe. You’re like a squirrel.”

  Leona wiped her palms on her pants and stepped forward, nding on the first ledge. The stone was cold and rough beh her shoes. She crouched to steady herself, thehe ledge, which jutted out at an awkward angle. She pushed off, nding with a slight wobble but steadying quickly.

  “Not bad!” Devin called, now several ledges ahead. “But try to keep up, yeah?” He unched himself to the ledge with a fmboyant twist midair, nding in a crouch. “See? Style points.”

  “Devin, stop showing off,” Diana muttered as she tinued with fluid precision.

  Leona ignored Devin’s theatrics, fog on her breath. One ledge to the . Each jump felt a little more stable, her fidence growing. The ledges became narrower as she he end of the stretch, eae feeling like a dare from gravity.

  A slip on the penultimate ledge made her heart lurch. Her foot skidded on the moss, but her fingers cwed at the stone, gripping it just in time.

  “Leona!” Mia’s voice shot up, panicked, but Leona gritted her teeth.

  “I’ve got it,” Leona hissed, pulling herself back up.

  Devin, now at the far end, leaned casually on the final ledge. “Close call! That’s part of the fun.”

  Diana’s voice cut through. “Shut up, Devin. Keep going, Leona—you’ve got this.”

  Leona exhaled shakily, then pushed off the slippery stone. O leap, and she nded beside Devin with a heavy thud, rolling to absorb the impact.

  “Well, look at that,” Devin said, a hand to pull her up. “Not bad at all.”

  Leona brushed his hand away, standing on her own. “Still alive,” she panted. “Where’s ?”

  Mia hopped to the final ledge, her nding soft as a whisper. “That,” she said, pointing ahead, “is where it gets fun.”

  A wrought-iron feretched across the rooftop, separating them from the set of buildings. Beyond it, narrow beams and wooden walkways formed a precarious bridge across a deep pza below.

  Diana cracked her knuckles. “We call this part the Crosswalk.”

  Devin grinned. “Hope you like heights.”

  The wrought-iron fened ahead, bd foreboding, its decorative spikes curling like talons. Below, the pza stretched into the depths of the gothic city, the cobblestones worn smooth by turies. The wooden beams f the makeshift bridge across the gap were weathered and narrow, suspended by frayed ropes tied to a posts.

  Devin hopped up onto the fence, perg like a gargoyle. “It’s all about bance,” he said, wiggling his arms dramatically like a tightrope walker. “You wobble, you fall. So… don’t wobble.”

  Mia sighed and rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s your advice?”

  Devin grinned. “Best I’ve got.”

  Leona stared at the narrow beams, her heart thudding in her chest. “And if we do wobble?”

  Diana climbed the fence beside Devin, her movements slow and deliberate. “You won’t. Trust your body. Let it move without thinking.” She swung one leg over, dropping lightly onto the first beam, her steps smooth and sure. She moved as if the beam were a wide boulevard, not a narrow pnk hanging over a deadly drop. “See? Easy.”

  Mia followed, making the leap without hesitation. “The key is momentum,” she called back. “Keep moving.”

  Leona gripped the fence’s cold iron and pulled herself up. Her hands shook, but she climbed over, perg on the edge. Below, the ground yawned like a waiting mouth. She swallowed hard.

  Devin, already halfway across, looked over his shoulder. “, Leona! Think of it like skipping stones. Light feet, no fear.”

  Leona sucked in a breath a, nding on the first beam with a ctter. She wobbled, arms pinwheeling, but steadied herself.

  “Nice!” Mia called. “Keep going!”

  Leona pushed off again, f herself forward. Each step felt like walking on a thread, her bance precarious, but she moved faster, trusting her instincts. The wind tugged at her clothes, cool and sharp, but she pressed on.

  Devin reached the other side and turned, leaning against the railing. “Look at you! You’re practically flying.”

  Leona’s fidence grew with every step, the fear melting into exhiration. One final leap, and she nded beside Mia on the solid roof, breathless and grinning.

  Diana gave a rare smile. “Not bad. You’ve got potential.”

  Devin ughed, g her on the back. “Potential? She’s already killing it!”

  Leona doubled over, catg her breath. “I thought I was gonna die back there.”

  “Not on my watch,” Devin said, mock-serious.

  Mia leaned on the railing, gazing out over the city. “You’ll get better. We all did. You just have to keep pushing.”

  Leona ughed at the thought, her ill buzzing with adrenaline. “Oh, jeez!” she said, imagining herself running across rooftops every day, any time she wanted, pulling off moves like the pros. Maybe one day, she’d get there. She’d just taken her first steps. Maybe she’d get good enough to chase the impossible dream, just like Diana and Devin. Who knew? But for now, Leo something inside her stir—something new, somethiing. She could be heroi her own way.

  Leona attended East San Isidro Junih until she graduated. By fifteen, her life was ging profoundly. She had grown into her new self, adjusting to the body she had always dreamed of, sort of, but the world around her was evolving too. Her lessons had expanded beyobooks. She’d learned everything Quinn’s parkour friends could teach her—skills that seemed a world apart from the life she had known before.

  Leona breezed through their more demanding challenges, running circuits that pushed her to the limit. Her newfound agility made her a natural, easily leaping her the brownstones, sg walls with precision and grace. It wasn’t just about strength—it was about finding the rhythm, seeking the way ever upwards. She would jump from one rooftop to the , feeling the cool air against her skin, her heart rag not from fear, but from the thrill of it. This, she realized, was freedom.

  "Eastside," as it was affeately known, was far enough from her old elementary school that no one really knew her. For those three years, rumors occasionally buzzed around about her because of the special treatment she got, but none of it carried much weight. While some rumors about Leona sprouted up now and again nothing was ever proven.

  The special treatment fym css was odd to some, but Leona didn’t mind. She had grown into her body, her chest swelling, her figure being more delicate. Life as a girl had its challenges, but it was also easier now, in a way. She likely would never be cheerleader material—she didn’t have that kind of polished look—but she could be peppy enough to make a good showing for a while.

  As time passed, she became more fortable in her new skin. But she also began to think more about her father, about his views on women, and about the way he had subtly treated her mother. She started asking questions—questions about the things Goonie had shared with her when she was youhings that didn’t make sehen but did now.

  Her hormones raged.

  They were raging furiously some days.

  Over those three years, emotions that had been distant and tucked away now bubbled to the surface. Leona cried more than she ever had, not just from the physical ges, but from the emotional ooo, not to mention old memories that would sometimes resurface to torment her dreams or invade her day to day thoughts.

  She would think about her actual parents and what they meant to her—what her father’s absence had meant. Goonie had kept the harder details to herself for when Leona was actually ready. Even Quinn had held back, letting her process everything in her own time.

  Leona cried more than she ever had, but it wasn’t the same as before. This time, the tears were a mix of sadness and release. And, despite it all, she was still happier than she had been when she first moved in with Goonie.

  Theernoon, as Leona y curled up on her bed, tears soaking her pillow, Quinn barged into her room.

  “Whatcha g all alone for, squirt?” Quinn’s voice was teasing, but there was something softer underh— that she couldn’t hide. She had a habit of rubbing it in, but Leona didn’t have the energy tue. She just sobbed.

  Quinn had tureen now, and though Leona had grown a bit taller at fifteen, Quinn still stood a good half a head above her. Leona still felt like she was faking it, even though no one openly questioned her gender. Unlike what most trans girls might think about, paring herself with Quine how her old cssmates teased her when she gave going back to school with them a shot, in the back of her mind, she wished she could grow taller, but also more beautiful—all to be more like Quinn.

  “Ah, damn it—cheer up,” Quinn said, sitting on the edge of Leona’s bed, brushing Leona’s hair out of her face with her fingers. “I have good news.” She winked, clearly excited. “Goonie finally agreed to let me take you to one of my raves. She trusts me enough to pull it off safely now.”

  “To one of your raves?” Leona looked at her sister bnkly, blinking away the st of her tears.

  “Yeah, they're crazy—loud, a big mess sometimes—but what you're missing right now is some fun. And you know... I’ll be moving out soonishly, so we should have some sister bonding time while we still . That’s mostly why Ma agreed to it—finally.” Quinn emphasized the word with a pyful smirk. “I’ve got friends to meet, and I want them to meet my adorable little sister. Trust me, okay? I promise not to spill anything too... awkward. You’re my sister, and that’s the end of it.”

  Before Leona could protest, Quinn threw her arms around her and started tig her mercilessly.

  Leona gasped, squirming as she tried to push Quinn off, but after a moment, she succumbed to the ughter. She hadn’t ughed like this in what felt like forever. It had been so long since she’d let go of everything—the burden of all the painful memories—and just ughed.

  The truth about her parents had made her grow up faster than she might’ve liked. But in this moment, with Quinn’s arms around her, she felt lighter. She could almost hear the distant echo of her childhood in her own ughter.

  Across the room, her a figures—heroes frozen in exaggerated poses—stood on a shelf, as if waiting for her to relive the epic battles she’d py-acted as a child. But now, she was tent with murals, dispys, and memories.

  Quinn pulled back, grinning, her tone shifting back to the anding one Leona had grown aced to. “So? Let’s do this! You’re more than ready! You’ve got everything you need, and you even protect yourself in a pinch! So, get dressed, girl!”

  Leona hopped to as Quinn moved to stahe bed, her eyes sing the room before she flung open the closet door. “Hey, get out while I ge, idiot!” Leona snapped, her face flushing a deep red.

  Quinn raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “We’re sisters!” she teased with a grin. “Ain’t nothing I haven’t seen before. Do I have to e over there and help you?”

  Leona, already flustered, rushed to pick out her clothes from the closet, ign her sister’s teasing. Quinn, however, was relentless, ughing as she stalked closer, fingers outstretched, ready to tickle.

  Leona’s eyes widened in panid she leapt into the closet to escape, but as she paused, aruck. For a moment, she sidered staying hidden, but Quinn’s antics quickly ered her again. She wasn’t about to let her pyful older sister trap her inside a closet, not like this.

  Quinn didn’t stare as Leona stripped—well, not directly—but she did whistle appreciatively as she dug through Leona’s clothes, pig out an outfit she deemed just right. “These oughta do. Just the right amount of titiltion...” she remarked with a wink, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Have I mentioned you’ve really filled out over the years?”

  Leona groaned, her face burning even brighter, and quickly turned her back to Quinn, c herself. "Stop it," she muttered, but Quinn was relentless ieasing.

  Leona had grown into a high B cup, and though she had started hormone rept therapy at a young age, it still felt like a lot to adjust to. The years of estrogen shots had made the ahases bearable, and she often tried not to think about what might have happened had she not started so early. She could have cut her hair short and passed—she khat—but it was her insecurity about her body bined with the simple joy of having long hair that made her keep it that way.

  Quinn held up a tube top and a pair of running shorts Leona loved. She raised an eyebrow, grinning wickedly. “Ready for this?” Then, after a moment’s pause, Quinn added a pair of iionally ripped red stogs and a set of fish gloves—ones Leona had been gifted but hadn’t worn out yet because they seemed too fshy.

  The makeover had officially begun.

  Once dressed, Quinn led Leona to the bathroom, where she set to work, expertly applying temporary hair c spray. By the end, Leona’s formerly sandy blonde locks had transformed to a strikiric blue—just like Quinn’s. It was often difficult for others to tell if they were cousins or twins, given their simir features. Quinn had her hair professionally done every couple of months, but Leona’s new color would wash out after a shower.

  Ohe hair was done, Quinn moved on to the makeup, expertly yering a light foundation that plemented Leona’s striking blue eyes. She accessorized with a few choice baubles—a leather string with metal cogs, some gss beads, and LED ors that sparkled when the light hit them. The finishing touch air of well-worn, dirty pink shoes covered in holes and patches of cute anime characters.

  Quinn stepped back, her hands on her hips, and grinned. “What do you think? Wild, but we match.” She wi Leona, who smiled back, her face flushed with a mix of excitement and embarrassment.

  Seeing Leona like this made Quinn’s heart tighten a little. It reminded her of another reason Leona had been g earlier—soon enough, Quinn would leave, off to that Media College of hers down south. Leona still had a year to go before she graduated, but Quinn was certain her little sister would catch up, even if Quinn had been a bit of a mess herself.

  But there was no denying it: despite her id-back attitude, Quinn had always been serious when it mattered.

  “You’re a real heart-breaker, my dear,” Quinn murmured as she admired her handiwork. “I hope you're ready for the onsught of unwele advances. Don’t fet what Gooaught you. I won’t always be there to shield you, but I’ll definitely find a way to look out for you.”

  Leona gulped, her nerves visible in the way she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

  When they left the bathroom, they found Laguna waiting downstairs, her usual calm smile on her face. “You’d best foore than your music, Quinn,” she advised, her voice serious. “Always keep an eye on your sister. Even if it’s ‘safe,’ you ever be too sure.”

  Quinn he pyful edge to her demeanor momentarily fading. Goooo, gave a long sigh before putting a hand on each of their shoulders, her smile both affeate and exasperated. “Get on with it, then! Go have some fun!”

  Her broad grin showed the faint wrinkles f around her eyes and mouth—time was ing for them all.

  A couple of hours ter, the sisters arrived at their destination: an abandoned grocery store in the Dead End District. This part of San Isidro had been wrecked ten years ago iermath of Gravitas’ destru, and still, it stood in disrepair, a crumbling shell of what it had once been.