A spiritual successor to RedDawnRocker's 'Good Knight, Sweet Princess!'

Haganai

The Woman

The female members of The Neighbor's Club sat in total, awestruck silence as Yukimura stood before them, pink hair combed and neat, cheeks blushed and rosy, fingers nervously dancing around Kobato's stuffed bunny, and clad in the pretty, modest maid uniform Yozora had made all but mandatory. Rika began waving her left hand up and down to fan her face as it grew warmer, Sena quickly sized up her friend, Yozora turned and stared out the window, Maria stared shamelessly with her mouth agape, and Kobato clenched her stockings about her knees in anger.

"I'm so sorry I kept this a secret for so long," Yukimura confessed, no longer able to maintain eye contact. "I didn't mean to…I thought it was the right thing to do. I'm sorry." Light-brown eyes began to shed hot tears too sweet and pure for the world to bear, causing everyone in attendance to calm themselves and give the situation another glance.

"…So…you've been a girl, this whole time?" Sena finally spoke up, causing several sets of eyes to turn to her.

Yukimura sniffled and nodded her head, not knowing how her friends would react.

Her little cheeks glowing red with anger, Kobato sprung to her feet, stomped over to the one she once considered a second big brother, and snatched her stuffed friend back from the girl's grip. "You were just pretending so you could get close to my brother, weren't you?" she furiously demanded as she fought back hurt tears. "You big, dumb…idiot!" Unable to control herself, the blond little girl began bashing her doll into Yukimura's face before lowering to her breasts. "You ruined everything! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

Yukimura continued to fight back her tears, even as her former little sister lashed out at her. Kobato's roars turned into short shrieks, then into high-pitched grunts, before finally turning to sorrowful wailing as her energy finally faded. As the hurt and confused child began to let her tears flow openly, she felt gentle, thin, warm arms wrap around her and pull her close. As her face pressed just below the pink-haired girl's breasts, Kobato's cries quickly faded into quiet sobbing and sniffles as she began to smell her former big brother's perfume. Her embrace felt like a mother's, not like Sena's, and not like someone trying to steal her big brother away. "Kobato, I'm so sorry," Yukimura warmly declared as she ran her hand up and down the girl's long, blond hair. "I never meant to hurt you, and I don't want to take Kodaka away from you. All this time, I really did just want to learn to be a boy…I thought I'd be a better person if I was a man." At that, the blond little girl closed her eyes and began to settle herself.

Rika felt her heart begin to race as her cheeks began to glisten and turn red. Thousands of steamy stories and ideas began to race through her mind as one of her many Anime-inspired fantasies played out before her very eyes. Still, despite her carnal desires, she managed to control herself out of respect. She owed her friends at least that much.

"I'm totally confused," Sena declared as she stood up and walked over to the two. "Why did you want to be a boy so badly? Are you transgender or something?"

Kobato pulled herself back, dried her eyes, handed her bunny back to her friend, and took her seat.

"No, I'm not transgender," Yukimura explained as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "The truth is, I really didn't even want to be a boy…I thought I had to. My father…he hits me…and always used to tell me that he wanted a son he could be proud of…not a girl, like me."

"Oh, God," Sena exclaimed before tightly wrapping her arms around her friend. "Yukimura, I'm sorry. Look, I know you said you and Kodaka are a couple now, but…I'm not angry at you, and if you ever need a place to stay, my daddy has a guest bedroom, and Stella is really nice. You can be my other little sister."

"Thank you, Sena," Yukimura happily sighed as she hugged the young woman she never thought would forgive her. "Thank you so much. I'd be proud to be your little bro- um, little sister. I'm going to move into the Hasegawa guest house this afternoon, but I'd love to stay with you and your family overnight sometime."

"Ooh!" Maria joyously exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat. "Since you're a girl now, we can all have a sleepover! But without poopy Yozora."

At that, Yukimura, Sena, and Kobato looked over at the raven-haired girl as she continued to gaze out the window. Out of all the Neighbor's Club members, Yukimura knew Yozora's reaction would be the worst. Swallowing her fear, the pink-haired young woman slowly approached her former advisor. "Yozora…I'm sorry I never told you," she tried to speak up. "But…thank you, for not letting me turn into a boy…I understand if you don't want to be my advisor anymore…and I'll give back the maid's outfit."

"…Keep it," Yozora decided, still not turning away from the window. "…If you're going to be a girl, you might as well be a cute one." Hearing her friend's kind words, Yukimura's heart and stomach settled as a warmth and lightness came over her. "And…even though I'm jealous…I don't hate you."

"Aw," Sena exclaimed with a hint of sarcasm, knowing that was as close as Yozora came to being sweet.

"Thank you so much, Yozora," the pink-haired young woman joyously exclaimed. "It means a lot to have your blessing." Returning to her chair, Yozora forced herself to smile, crossed her arms over her chest, and sat back down.

"So, Yukimura, does this mean you're not gonna wear boy's clothes anymore?" Maria asked while adjusting her coif. "You look nice as a maid, but you can't wear it all the time, can you?"

"I was thinking about that," Yukimura answered. "And, um, I was wondering, could you girls help me look more…like a girl? It's not because I'm dating Kodaka. It's for me… It's just, I think I really want to be…pretty." Having shared her secret, the very secret she attempted to keep from herself, the young woman felt her heart flutter as she blushed slightly and felt a weight drop from her shoulders.

"Hells yeah!" Rika excitedly exclaimed, no longer able to contain her raw excitement. "Rika will go first!" Yukimura suddenly felt a great and terrible fear welling up inside of her, but forced herself to stay positive. The brunette young woman pulled up a chair, sat her friend down, and began to undress her.

"Um, don't you think we should go into another room, Rika?" Yukimura asked as she began to blush heavily. "You know I'm easily embarrassed." The pink-haired girl returned Kobato's bunny to her before her makeover began.

"Hey, we're all girls here," Rika replied, clearly unwilling to listen to reason. "There's no need to be modest." Despite Rika's insistence, Kobato walked over to the window and closed its blinds.

Maria jumped onto the couch next to Sena, and the two began watching intently as Kobato returned to her chair and Yozora shifted her gaze between her friends and the wall. Soon, Yukimura's uniform began to fly into the air one piece at a time as Rika furiously let her creativity and sexual energy flow.

"Um, you don't need to take my underwear off, do you, Rika?" the pink-haired girl began to resist once she was down to her sports bra and panties.

"Rika guesses you can keep your panties, but that frumpy bra has to go," the bespectacled young woman decided, barely slowing down. Yukimura let out a high-pitched "eep" and instinctively crossed her arms over her breasts as Rika slit the side of her top and discarded it.

Yozora looked away from the wall for a brief glance at her friend's soft, smooth back as neck-length pink tresses graced it, as Sena and Maria stared shamelessly and Kobato merely watched the process.

"Kobato, can you hand Rika her hair-color spray from her purse?" Rika called out as she brushed Yukimura's hair. As the blond girl searched through her strange friend's purse, the brunette rifled through her backpack.

The hissing of hairspray, the squeaking of latex, zipping, and clipping sounds filled the air as Rika's hands moved at the speed of a lightning bolt with the mastery of a sculptor. Once the mist of spray faded, Rika stood her friend up and turned her around. "Rika presents, the new and improved girl Yukimura!" the brunette happily exclaimed.

Her hair a warm red color, lengthened by hair extensions forming twintails topped with red clips resembling cat ears, body clad from the neck down in skin-tight red and black latex too snug to allow for a bra, and standing on high-heeled boots, Yukimura smiled nervously as her peers stared at her, mouths agape. The darker colors of the bodysuit brought out the girl's naturally fair, pale complexion, while its material displayed her petite, feminine form. "Um…how do I look?" she asked sheepishly. The young woman adjusted her stance, causing her outfit to squeak as it rubbed against her bottom. Though she was sure her friend meant well, the experience left Yukimura feeling terribly naked.

"Rika thought Yukimura would look perfect in an Asuka Soryu cosplay," the bespectacled girl proudly declared. "The hair was the hardest part, but as she grows it out, she'll be the spitting image of Evangelion's favorite tsundere. Okay, say the thing we talked about."

Yukimura adjusted the gloves of her one-piece outfit, looked off to the side, placed her hands on her hips, and exclaimed, "Um, what are you, stupid?!"

While the others found themselves confused or awestruck, Sena jumped up, ran over to her friend and tightly hugged her, causing even more squeaking from the latex. "So cute!" she happily cried out. "Yukimura, you look so adorable. Let me see your back, please." Blushing heavily, Yukimura turned around and allowed the others to see her lightly pronounced, round buttocks hugged in tight red and black spandex. "Wow, I just wanna pinch them!"

"Cool down, Meat," Yozora replied once her blush faded. "There's no way she'd keep this look. Why don't we try something different?"

Rika happily complied, undressed Yukimura, supplied her with a frilly, pink push-up bra, and proceeded to place her in a grade-schoolgirl's uniform complete with a blue plaid skirt and a top that left nothing to the imagination. Blushing heavily, Yukimura glanced down at her exposed midriff and cleavage as Rika used her spray to return the girl's natural pink hair and put it up into pigtails parted along the middle.

Maria giggled, Kobato turned away, Yozora found herself blushing yet again, and Sena continued to swoon.

"Um, I don't think I like this one," Yukimura squeaked out as she tugged at her tiny skirt to make sure her panties were covered.

Happy to oblige, Rika quickly transformed her friend into uncharacteristically sleazy and revealing versions of Ladybug, Sailor Mercury, Cybersix, and Velma Dinkley, all of which inspired similar reactions from Yukimura and her peers.

"Jinkies, um…" the formerly pink-haired girl instinctively exclaimed as she adjusted her faux glasses. "I don't know…None of these really feel like me, Rika. Thank you so much for trying, though."

"Rika is the one who should be thanking you, Yuki," the brunette girl replied while taking her glasses back. "Sorry we couldn't find a look you liked, though."

"Ooh, I wanna try next!" Maria excitedly cried out. "Yukimura, you can borrow one of my bras for this one."

"Um…thank you, Sister Maria," Yukimura replied as her adoptive little sister walked her out of the room.

After a few minutes, Maria reentered the Neighbor's Club room. "Tah-dah!" she cried out, prompting Yukimura to enter. "Mother Yukimura!"

Gently pushing open the door, Yukimura walked into the room in one of St. Chronica's elegant yet passively alluring habits, her hands cupped together in prayer and her cheeks rosy as she wore a genuine smile upon her sweet face. "Blessings be, my friends," she exclaimed in her naturally sweet, soft voice.

"Aw," Sena beamed. "Talk about moe!"

Kobato, however, hissed at the sight. "No big sister of mine is going to belong to the same order as you!" she cried out, pointing a sharp finger at Maria. "Take it off! Right now!"

Yukimura's eyes began to twinkle as her heart began to flutter. "Kobato," she joyously exclaimed. "You called me your big sister…Thank you."

"…It is customary to address a member of my clan properly," the blond little girl tried to make up an excuse.

The pink-haired young woman lifted up her gown as she made her way over to her adoptive sister, bent down to eye-level with her, and warmly hugged her. "That means so much to me, Baby Sister."

"I want a hug too!" Maria cried as she jumped on Yukimura's back and wrapped her little arms around her. Sena continued to swoon in awe at the adorable sight before her.

"Why don't we try something else?" Yozora broke up the moment. "Maybe something more original?"

"Ooh, I'll help this time!" Sena all too enthusiastically yelled. "Come on, Little Sis!" The blond young woman took her pink-haired friend's hand and walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

The rest of the club sat by and listened, having no idea what to expect. Over the course of about ten minutes, the four heard various sets of hissing from spray bottles, Sena's frequent squeals and declarations of Yukimura's cuteness, some apologies that caused concern, and various zippers coming done and undone. Soon after the noises ceased, Sena excitedly threw open the door and invited her beloved subject to enter.

Stepping forward, one foot in front of the other, Yukimura slowly entered the room, clearly somewhere between frightened and embarrassed, and allowed her peers to gave at her newest transformation: Every inch of her skin was artificially tanned, her fingers were crowned with long, pink faux nails, arms coated with jewelry and accessories, standing shakily on pink high heels, clad in a snug mini-skirt, a dress-shirt with its sleeves rolled up and its torso rolled up and tied into a knot to expose her tummy, hair slicked back and dyed blond by Rika's spray, eyes now blue due to colored contacts, lips painted a glittery pink, ears glistening with clip-on earrings, and eyes glowing with pink eye-shadow and glitter powder. Though it was not her intention, Sena had turned the modest and respectable young woman into a Gyaru.

Maria, Rika, and Sena shared their approval and ran up to admire the new Yukimura. Maria praised how shiny she was, though she had mixed feelings about her "toasty" skin tone, while Rika admired how exposed her now-blond friend was, and Sena continued to swoon over her good work. Kobato, however, was shocked and utterly speechless, if not disgusted. Having lost her voice, she turned to Yozora, who seemed to share her feelings despite blushing slightly. Yukimura observed how most of her peers were reacting, but couldn't join in their enthusiasm. Everything about the girl she had become felt wrong, and when she glanced at one of the full-body mirrors, she couldn't even recognize herself.

Seeing the sadness welling up in her friend's artificially blue eyes, Yozora finally let out a sharp, disgusted scoff, silently stormed over to Yukimura, took her hand, and promptly walked her out of the room.

"What's her problem?" Sena asked. "It figures someone like her would get jealous. I just hope she doesn't give Yukimura bad advice. Maria and Rika nodded their heads, but Kobato wasn't sure what to think.

"Come on," Yozora said in a gentler, warmer voice than Yukimura was used to as she pushed open the door to the girls' locker room. Once the two were inside, the raven-haired girl locked the door and began removing her friend's jewelry. "I can't believe she did this to you." Removing the false nails was easier than the spray-blond girl expected, thanks to Yozora. "I'm sorry, Yukimura. I shouldn't have made a scene, but I couldn't stand seeing you like this. Are you okay?"

"…Thanks, Yozora," the tanned girl exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her friend. "Thanks for hearing me. You really are a great friend." At first, the raven-haired girl's instincts told her to pull back and refuse such an embrace, but her heart demanded otherwise, and she put her arms around her friend and just held her for a moment. "I didn't wanna say anything after they all worked so hard, but… But none of those looks were me, and all that makeup…I felt, I don't know, cheap? And it felt so wrong."

"That's because you're not that kind of woman," Yozora explained. "What works for others doesn't work for you…You're sweet, you're modest, and you've got a good heart. Your looks should reflect you, and nobody else."

"But…what if I'm stuck like this?" Yukimura sniffled, looking down at her heavily altered appearance.

"Relax, Yuki," the raven-haired young woman replied. "I've seen this kind of spray-on tan before. It'll come off in hot water, same with that hair dye. I was about to take a shower, myself. Would you like to join me? It'll be like going to the bath-house together."

Yukimura nodded sheepishly and began undressing. Though she was still nervous and not used to her body, she placed her trust in her friend and confidant. She knew that there was no judgment or danger to fear from Yozora. She had faith in her, as she always had. "…Yozora," she finally spoke up. "Thank you." Yozora smiled and nodded her head while unbuttoning her shirt.

The showers let out a loud hiss as hot water began spraying down upon the two young women. Looking over at her friend, Yukimura took a deep breath and lowered her arms from her chest. Noticing this, Yozora gave a warm smile. "Thanks for trusting me," she half-whispered.

That night, Kodaka sat at his kitchen table, waiting for his girlfriend and little sister to arrive. They had said their meeting would run late, but he was growing concerned. All of Yukimura's things had been moved in and arranged the way she wanted them, so all that was left was her 'Welcome Home' dinner. "If I'd known they'd be this late, I would've kept it in the oven longer," the blond and black-haired young man told himself. "Maybe I should call again."

"We are home, brother," Kobato called out as she walked through the front door. Yukimura followed close behind, though the night's shadows covered her.

That afternoon, Yozora had walked into the club room with Yukimura close behind her. Once the pink-haired girl entered, the entire room fell silent for a moment.

"Hey, welcome back, guys," Kodaka happily greeted the two as he stood up. "I was getting worried about…"

"Yukimura, you look beautiful!" Sena and Kobato had cried out in joyous harmony. At that, the rest of the club ran up and warmly embraced her.

Stepping out of the shadows and into the warm light of the Hasegawa home, Yukimura looked at her beloved and smiled a warm, confident smile. Her pure, pale skin seemed to glisten under the kitchen's lights, her loving light-brown eyes sparkled with warmth, shining with the help of a very light gloss of pink eye-shadow and some mascara, her soft lips brightened by a gentle kiss of pink, her supple pink hair was lightly pulled back and resting lower on her neck in a feminine style, her finger and toenails colored pink with white Japanese characters at their center, her body clad in a modest yet form-fitting pink and white-laced dress that made her slender figure shine, and her feet standing in practical, pink sandals.

Kodaka felt his heart begin to float as it continued to beat faster, his stomach filled with butterflies that warmed his entire body, and his hands lightly trembling. He was truly awestruck, and found himself frozen before a vision of pure, radiant beauty.

"Hi, Kodaka," Yukimura lovingly greeted her boyfriend with confidence and natural grace.

"Y-Yukimura?" the blond young man stuttered, unable to look away or even blink. "I, um… Y-you look…You look beautiful. I-I don't know what to…" Although his words escaped him, Yukimura heard everything her beloved had to say: "You look like you're finally free, and happy. Everything about this new you is true to your blessed life, your kind and sensitive personality, your gorgeous mind, your devotion to Japanese tradition, and the beauty you've always been but never set free, until now."

"Thank you," the pink-haired girl purred, feeling her cheeks blushing as butterflies began fluttering about her belly too. Her words were genuine and loving, filled with a deep sense of satisfaction and relief. "I had some help finding the real me…Thanks to you, to Kobato, to Yozora, and even Sena, Maria, and Rika. Thank you two, for loving who I really am." Yukimura leaned over to Kobato and kissed her cheek before standing back up and approaching Kodaka, still frozen in place. The young man placed his arm gently above her waist as she placed hers lovingly around his neck. Once they were together, the two held one another with both hands, closed their eyes, and kissed one another without fear or doubt.

Kobato smiled and took her seat. Even though feelings of jealousy still existed in her heart, she let it pass, and let the ones she loved have their precious moment with her silent approval. If her big brother had to be with a woman, she was glad it was her new big sister.

Several years went by, and Kodaka found himself standing at the front of a church in the finest jet-black tuxedo he could buy, waiting on the altar, and looking out at the congregation gathered before him: Kobato, now taller, calmer, and dressed in a beautiful white dress, waited in the back of the church, while Yozora, Sena, Rika, and Maria walked one-by-one in a row, each dressed in lovely blush-pink dresses and made up for the occasion. Suddenly, the all-too familiar and yet new music began to sound from a grand organ, and all eyes turned to the back of the church. Dressed in a black tuxedo, Hayato Hasegawa held out his hand. A slim hand covered by elbow-length white satin gloves reached out to be received, and the two made their way down the aisle. Her shoulder-length pink hair flawlessly curled and styled, Yukimura smiled warmly beneath her veil, clad in the purest, most elegant and intricate white wedding gown anyone in attendance had ever seen. Floral patterns were woven into the gown with great care and mastery beyond that of the highest acclaimed designers, not one stitch was out of place, and the skirt and train flowed seamlessly into one another, all at the demand of Pegasus Kashiwazaki.

Kobato stood at her sister's side as she faced Kodaka. Yukimura felt tears streaming down her face, but tears of joy never bothered her. After their vows, Kodaka and Yukimura kissed one another for the first time as husband and wife.

At the reception, the bride, groom, bridesmaids, and best man donned their finest kimonos as per the bride's request, and made their way up the steps of a grand shrine. There, Kodaka and Yukimura's mothers made their blessings known. However, the final blessing came from none other than Yukimura's father, who never got around to formally accepting his invitation. For the first time in his life, the aged man apologized for all he had done, and confessed that he was so deeply proud to have such a wonderful and beautiful daughter as well as a kind and strong son.

Time passed by, and Yukimura found herself living in a beautiful home with her beloved husband. The pink-haired woman sat upon a couch in an otherwise traditional Japanese building, gently rubbing her round, extruding belly beneath her summer-dress. Kodaka placed a hot, hearty meal before his beloved wife, kissed her tummy, and knelt down beside her.

"I can't believe I'm going to be a mother," Yukimura joyfully declared, though her voice was hushed from natural fatigue.

"And I still can't believe I get to be your husband and the father of our child," Kodaka warmly replied.

Sometime after the birth of their first child, a beautiful baby boy with fair blond hair, Yukimura held her sweet son in her thin, loving arms as he nursed from her soft, tender breast, while Kodaka watched in adoration and gently stroked his wife's pregnant belly as their daughter rested inside.

"To think, a girl who wanted nothing more than to be a boy," Kodaka declared one night as he lay next to his beloved. "Now a loving wife, a doting mother, and a proud woman."

"And all it took was a few loving words and good people," Yukimura warmly replied. "And a kind, loving boy." The two kissed one another and settled under their sheets. "I love you, Kodaka."

"I love you too, Yukimura," the man whispered before his eyes grew heavy. "I love you for who you are, and who you've always been."