Chapter 1: “Shocking Twist”

It was just another lazy Sunday evening. I was chilling with my cat, Nyaa, like usual. I found her a year ago, abandoned in a soggy cardboard box at the park. 

No way I could leave her there, so I brought her home. Since then, she’s been my only real company. My best buddy. My fluffy ray of sunshine.

Her fur was soft as a cloud, and she was curled up on my lap, purring like a tiny motor. I ran my fingers along her back, totally zoned out. Honestly, it was the best kind of moment.

My parents? They’re loaded. Like, way too rich. They’re always jetting off to some fancy business meeting or swanky party across the country. 

They barely have time to remember I exist. So, yeah… Nyaa’s pretty much my only family. I’m just your average second-year high schooler. Name’s Aeya. 

I know, I know it sounds like a girl’s name. I’ve heard all the jokes, so don’t even try. We’d just finished lunch, and I was sipping some tangy lemon juice when sleep hit me like a truck. 

Before I knew it, I was out cold, Nyaa still snoozing on my lap. Then the dream happened. I was standing on a fluffy cloud, surrounded by an endless sea of blue sky. 

In front of me was a girl. She was far away but somehow glowed, like the world itself was bowing to her. When I got closer, she spoke in a voice that felt… divine. Soft, but powerful.

“I am the goddess of the very world you live in. And I choose you. I’ll stay with you.” Her words sank into me, echoing in my chest. Then.... 

I snapped awake. Weird dream, huh? But nothing nothing could’ve prepared me for what I saw next. Nyaa was glowing. Like, full-on sparkling like a disco ball.

Her tiny body lit up the room, and then boom! A soft, chiming sound echoed everywhere. When the light faded, there was… a girl.

A gorgeous girl, sitting right on my bed. She had the same golden eyes as Nyaa. The exact same. My brain crashed. Hard.

My cat… had just turned into a girl. I pinched my arm. Ouch. Not a dream. This was real.“ Why’re you freaking out?” the girl asked, tilting her head like Nyaa always did. 

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m staying with you.”Her voice was gentle but had this teasing edge. It sent a shiver down my spine.“…Wait. WHAT?!” I yelled.

If she wasn’t lying, then she was the goddess from my dream. And now… she was crashing at my place. 

Oh, man. What did I do to deserve this?! My chill Sunday was officially trashed.“ 

Wow… so this is what being human feels like,” she said, stretching her arms and staring at her hands like they were the coolest thing ever.

I just stood there, brain still buffering like a bad Wi-Fi connection.Finally, I choked out the only question that made sense “What happened to my cat!?”

Her face went stone-cold. “I killed her." “WHAT?!” She held the serious look for, like, two seconds before bursting into laughter.

“Kidding! I’m Ayaa. What, Master forgot me already? You’re the worst.”I nearly collapsed. 

First the goddess dream, now my cat was cracking murder jokes? This was not how I planned my weekend.

But I still wasn’t sold.“…Prove it. If you’re really Nyaa, tell me something only she’d know.” She smirked, and I swear I saw a flicker of mischief in those golden eyes.

“You sneak-read those mushy shoujo manga when you think no one’s watching.”My soul left my body.

“SHUT UP!” I shouted. That was it. No one else knew my embarrassing secret. Not even my parents.

“Fufu~ So it is you, Master,” she said, leaning closer with a sly grin. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed… unless you skip making my favorite fish dinner tonight.”

I froze. My own cat was blackmailing me.“…You’re pure evil.” “Nope!” she chirped, puffing out her chest. “Just starving.”

And just like that, I knew my quiet life was gone for good. New Scene: A Snack Mishap Ayaa hopped off the bed, wobbling a bit like she wasn’t used to walking on two legs. 

“Okay, Master, where’s the kitchen? I’m dying for a snack.” I blinked. “You just ate lunch an hour ago.”

“Yeah, but human stomachs are tiny,” she whined, poking at her belly. “C’mon, don’t be stingy.”

I sighed and led her to the kitchen, still trying to process that my cat was now a girl who could talk. And walk. And apparently complain about portion sizes.

She plopped onto a stool and started rummaging through the fridge like she owned the place. “Ooh, what’s this?” she asked, pulling out a jar of pickles.

“Uh, those are pickles. You won’t like them.” She ignored me, popped the lid, and took a big bite. Her face scrunched up like she’d just tasted betrayal.

“BLEGH!” she spat, flailing her arms. “What is this?! It’s like eating sour sadness!” I couldn’t help it I cracked up. “Told you. Stick to fish, weirdo.”

She glared, but her pout was more cute than scary. “Fine, but you owe me something tasty to make up for this. Being human is hard.”

As I grabbed some tuna from the pantry, I realized this was just the start. My life was about to get a whole lot weirder.