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Miss Kaur gave me some medicine a while ago, and I swear, it worked instantly. My stamina went through the roof. It was kind of like when you give characters in games a potion and suddenly they're faster, stronger, sharper. That's exactly how it felt. My body didn't ache anymore, and I could move without feeling like I was going to fall over. I could run laps, and I wouldn't even be out of breath.
For a bit, I actually thought maybe I was ready for anything. Like, I didn't need more training. I felt almost invincible.
But of course, that didn't last.
Miss Kaur gave me that look,the one that says "Don't get ahead of yourself." She reminded me I still had a long way to go. And she was right. I was stronger, yeah, but I wasn't ready. Not for what was coming.
One afternoon, while we were sitting near the window and she was going over some old notes, she looked up at me and said,
"Ojas, the place where your family hid that thread. The one in the mountains,where your ancestor fought Sallos. That place is pretty green now, you know what I mean?"
I thought for a second. "Yeah, I think I do. You mean it's full of plants and wild stuff now, right? Animals and all that."
"Correct, No one really goes up there anymore. It's been almost eighty years. The only people who've gone are survey teams, and even they don't stick around for long. They said the place gets really creepy at night. Especially if you're alone. And on cold, windy days? Even worse."
I imagined being up there,alone, in the dark, trees swaying in the wind, weird sounds echoing everywhere. Not the kind of place you'd want to visit for fun.
"So I'd need something for warmth. And light. Like… always with me?" I asked.
"Yes," she said, and then she paused.
Now, I've learned something about Miss Kaur. When she pauses like that, it usually means she's about to say something weird. Or at least unexpected.
Then she said, "You know what's interesting? The villages near that mountain… they're very kind to young women."
She leaned closer and poked my cheek.
"And you? You've already got a soft face. Kinda feminine. All you'd need is a wig and you'd blend right in."
Wait. What?
My brain needed a second to catch up.
I pointed at myself. "Are you talking about me?"
She nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST MEAN?"
She didn't even flinch. "I meant exactly what you think. I'll dress you up as a girl. You'll go to one of those villages, meet some locals, and join a group heading up the mountain. Just change your voice a little,make it sound higher. That's it."
I just stared at her. Was she serious? Dressing up as a woman and going undercover? That sounded insane.
And yet…
I won't lie. Deep down, I was kind of… excited?
Look, I've always thought women dress better. Their clothes are cooler, more colorful, more fun. I used to look at what they wore and think, Man, I wish I could pull that off. So now, someone was giving me the chance. And honestly? I didn't hate the idea. Not even a little.
So after five minutes of silence, where I just sat there thinking about everything that could go wrong,and maybe a few things that could go right,I finally nodded.
She didn't waste a second. Miss Kaur brought out a big box filled with makeup, brushes, tools I didn't recognize, and a mirror.
She handed me the whole thing. "We're starting now."
And that's how the next five days of my life became a crash course in becoming someone completely different.
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First, makeup. I had no idea how much effort went into it. There were layers. Foundation, concealer, powder, blush, and more. She taught me step-by-step. How to blend everything. How to draw eyeliner without stabbing myself. How to make my eyes pop with just the right shades. It was hard at first, but after a few tries, I started getting the hang of it.
Then came the wig. It was long, black, and super soft. It felt weird at first, but it suited me more than I expected. Like, I looked in the mirror and thought, That doesn't look bad. Miss Kaur agreed. She even said I looked "adorable." I wasn't sure how to take that, but it wasn't a bad thing.
After that, she gave me a whole bag of clothes. Dresses, skirts, cute tops, even accessories like earrings and hair clips. Stuff I'd never worn before, but when I put them on, I felt… different. Not in a bad way. Just new.
We didn't just focus on looks, either.
She trained me on how to talk,how to raise my voice a little, and how to soften it. We practiced every day. Reading out loud. Holding fake conversations. I'd mess up sometimes and slip back into my normal tone, but slowly, it got easier. She told me to picture who I wanted to be and talk like them. So I made up a name, a backstory, a little personality. It helped more than I thought it would.
We also went over cooking. She said I'd need to survive if I got separated from any group. So I learned how to make basic meals with limited supplies. I wasn't great, but I didn't burn anything down, so I counted that as a win.
She taught me how to keep warm, how to use a map, how to move in a way that wouldn't draw attention. Every little thing mattered. Every detail.
And every night, I'd stand in front of the mirror, dressed up, voice changed, makeup done, and just… look. It was strange seeing someone else in the reflection. Someone who wasn't Ojas. Someone brave, calm, ready.
Miss Kaur said I was perfecting it. She even smiled and said, "You're ready."
And the thing is, i believed her. After five days, everything was packed. I had the map. I had the supplies. I had my outfits, my new name, my new voice. Everything I'd need. I looked in the mirror one last time. Wig on. Makeup flawless. Outfit cute but practical. I took a deep breath.
This was it.
I was ready to step into a new role. Not just for fun. Not for disguise. But for something bigger,something my family started long before I was even born. Miss Kaur stood behind me, arms crossed, a proud smile on her face.
"Let's do this," I whispered.
And we did.
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