POV Narrator:
Croix was found out by her parents about her being trans and a big mess started to form around the Meridies' house, which the girl ran away from, arriving at her best friend Giovanna's house, where she could finally feel safer, revealing to her what had happened until then, knowing that she could be in huge danger, since the threats about what was going to happen could be a forced conversion therapy and she didn't want that, she just wanted to be herself without that bother.
POV Croix:
Giovanna let me in her house, where I could breathe a little, I am with bandages on my legs and arms after the fall from the window, also a little sore, well at least it is relieving the pain with some of the potions, I am just afraid of what can happen, I am sure my parents will come here with everything.
I am finishing eating here a little bit, but I think I have no choice, I can't stay here, I have to leave as soon as possible, I get up from the table, still very sore, Gio's parents look at me very worried.
"[Deadname] Don't you want to stay here for the rest of the day until your parents reassure you?" Gio's mother asks and I shake my head in denial.
"I can't go back there anymore, not in the situation I'm in" I say to both of them.
"What did you get up to this time?" asks Gio's father.
"I told them about who I really am, but I don't think you would understand that, I don't even know if you would support such a thing" he replies.
"You told them you're gay? Well I already thought you were and that's why we trust you and Gio so much" my friend's father said and I shook my head in denial.
"I don't like men, Mr. Agostini, I don't even like the idea that I'm going to be one, in fact, I... I... I found out that I am a girl, and I will be one from now on" I tell them confidently now and they shrug.
"Oh so that's it, well I suspected when you were wearing Gio's clothes around here, it's okay [Deadname] we'll support you no matter what, have you decided what you want to be called? Or called?" Mrs. Agostini asks.
"From now on I want to be called Croix, a girl, her, I am Croix Meridies!" I tell them who flash a big smile.
"Well anyway you know well that your parents didn't react well to the news of your sister taking over for them, and this is the same thing for them, I've seen that they said that your older sister is not welcome in their house anymore and I imagine that with you it's the same thing, well... I don't know how long we'll be able to hold it together for you, especially since your parents might come here to find you, it's too dangerous" her father said and I shook my head.
"I know that's why I'm leaving, I want to thank you for the support you've given me and how you've been the coolest parents in the world" I say smiling at them both.
"We also thank [Almost deadname] means Croix, but where are you going? The world out there is dangerous for a girl of your age" Mrs Agostini said.
"Well, I'll try to manage as best I can, I'll find somewhere that will take me in, but for now I have to try as best I can, now I'm going to talk to Gio" I tell them who are very worried about me.
I walk around the house, up the stairs, where I reach the bedroom and see that Giovanna was playing on her Nintendo 64, she even wanted to call me to join her, but I shake my head denying myself, she was playing Mario Kart, skipping the Rainbow Road shortcut that we discovered a while ago, it would be fun to play, but this is no time for that, it's a matter of time until my parents knock on the door.
"What is it Croix? Still feeling scared? Rest assured that with me here you will be practically like our sister" She said and I shook my head in denial.
"I can't stay here Giovanna, I don't want to disturb your lives and I also have to get away from my parents, unfortunately I have to get out of here as soon as possible, sorry for being so sudden like this, but if I don't do it, things can get worse for you" I say with my hand over her shoulder.
"Croix... Don't go away, stay here, you don't have to fear, I'll fight with justice if I have to, we'll leave you safe here" Said Gio who stands up and I go to her giving her a hug.
"I can't really Gio, I hope you understand, but I will find my place, I just came here to say goodbye to you personally, I found a place that I can maybe be safe, from what some people said it was, don't worry, I'll be fine" I tell her with my hand on her shoulder.
"Croix... I'll miss you, we grew up together and I won't even be able to see your evolution as the girl you always wanted to be, but it's ok I understand, before you go at least take some of my clothes, you can get changed too, I'll just give you this first" At that moment she pulls me by the collar of her shirt making me kiss her, I go feeling what was my first kiss, those lips of hers, so that's what kissing a girl is.
I even feel her tears coming down her face and touching mine, I'm holding her much stronger, continuing the kiss until she made me lie down on the bed, was taking my hand kind of making me give in a little more, only at the time she separates the kiss and looks at me blushing and I too, some tears dripped down my face and I was crying too.
"Sorry Croix, I didn't mean to leave you like this, it was my impulse, knowing you're leaving hurts my heart" Gio said and I then pick up her face.
"It's okay, it was the spur of the moment, but seriously I really have to get out of here - It was nice living with you, I'll tell you where I'm going later, it's going to be a long trip" I tell my friend still a bit perplexed by the kiss.
"Get some of my clothes before you go, you will need them, I will also check with my parents for some money for you to buy food and have a place to sleep" She said and I gave a nice smile.
I went grabbing some clothes that I liked, I took a pair of her overalls and went into the bathroom and also with a long sleeve t-shirt, so I'll look prettier, at least from what I can look at, soon Gio also takes a pair of glasses and put on my face, shining a bit with magic and I could see normally again.
"I saw you were without glasses, they must have broken your old one, but keep these, I used to wear them for my headache, now they are adjusted to your degree of vision" Gio said.
As I took her clothes I went to the next bathroom to change, I guess it will have to be like this for the rest of my life, I'll have to run away, but I have no choice, it's this or else I'll suffer something worse at the hand of my parents and I honestly don't want to, I accept death, but I don't accept being forced to be something I'm not, as I left the bathroom I saw that Gio was putting her clothes in a bag and also smiling at me when she saw me.
"You look beautiful in this jumpsuit, I'll leave some of my clothes here for your journey, but tell me where are you going?" she asks, all curious.
"I heard about Ireland, the place that is paradise for transitions witches, I will try to get shelter in the Elisabeth McLaren house, that is where they shelter trans people on the street and thrown out of their homes, but I don't know if I will have chances there, I am a foreigner and I barely managed to get my documents before leaving, but I will try what I can - I say to Giovanna who smiles at me.
"Can you speak English at least? You know you can't go there speaking Italian because no one will understand you" Gio said and I nodded my head in agreement.
"I have learnt a lot, now let's finish packing" I tell her.
"Before you go get a radio, I'll tell you when your parents get here and then you can fly back to your house on a broomstick to get your things" said Giovanna giving me a walkie talkie and I even smiled at her.
Let's finish closing the things in the suitcase, here there are enough clothes, it's good that Gio has my size, even though she's one year older, she has everything that fits me, now it's time to get ready, because they are going to come here and I'm sure it won't be the best situation in the world, I'm sure, my parents are in a rage that will explode, I hope I can get out of this at least alive.
"Well all packed up, there's still room for the things I'm going to get at home, well anyway I'll try to get the rest of my allowance and a bit more to survive" I tell her.
"Here you have enough to spend the night in a hotel here in Italy, you know that afterwards you'll need Francs and then pounds to be able to buy something, since you'll be going a long way" And I shake my head and it's a lot of money.
"Wow that's a lot, are you sure you don't want to stay, this is enough to buy a Dreamcast and a few more games" I tell her shocked.
"It was supposed to be the money I was going to use to buy my Dreamcast, but it's more important that I see my friend alive, good luck on your journey Croix, I'll be rooting for you" She said smiling at me.
I finish packing and take the money, I go out of the house through the back doors accompanied by Gio and her parents, where I already test the radios and see that they are working very well, so I take the broom and go flying to a little far away where there is still signal and everything is working very well, hopefully now I will make it.
"Goodbye Giovanna..." I say half-emotionally.
"Te voglio bene Croix" I even cried some more, she even pronounced my name right this time.
10 Minutes later...
"Croix, they've arrived" Gio said over the radio.
"They came pretty fast even, as I imagined, I'm going now, hold them off as long as you can, pretend I'm hiding and try to reel them in any way you can" I tell her.
"Go and get what you need" said Giovanna.
I go with the broom towards the house, I see that it is quite safe even, I just have to reach the window and so I can get in, probably they locked everything, but I can fix it with magic, after all I am at home, I will be as safe as possible like this.
I arrived, as I imagined the doors are locked, but the window of my room is not, which I will take the opportunity to get the things here. I'm already disassembling my Playstation, getting my games too, I won't be without playing on it, I also take the chance to get the money I had in my reserve, it would be to buy a new PC, but survival is important, well I think this is enough to at least eat and have something to sleep on the way, I hope. Before leaving the house I'll leave a letter, to say goodbye and show how outraged I am by all this.
"Father and mother, if you are reading this it's because I'm not here anymore and neither will I come back, you who chose not to accept me as the girl I really am, when will you understand that you are causing more damage in this family, the Meridies were never like that, remember our history and please, understand that even despite everything I still care about you, I just wish I could be safe in a place like this, but if not even my own family gives me that security, then I'll just leave and I never want to know your presence again, goodbye, I'll go to a better place without you forcing me to be what I'm not, with all the affection... Croix, the daughter you did not accept"
"Goodbye home..." I say looking at my room through the window and then leaving.
POV Narrator;
Croix was following her trip with the destination of Dublin in Ireland where she would distance herself as much as possible from her abusive parents, with the little money she took 2 million Italian Lire, which she also managed to find and steal from home, which would be the equivalent to a thousand Euros today, which would serve to support her for the whole trip. She also took another bag with her, where she would have a bit of a food reserve so as not to spend all the money.
Her first stop was in the city of Parma still in Italy, where she made a quick trip there to spend the night, leaving early in the morning and headed to Turin, Croix's parents have already started to go try to run after their daughter, but without knowing that she was already 450 km away from them, in Turin she gave a beautiful rest, In Turin she took the chance to convert the 1,7 million Italian Lire in 5750 French Francs to cross the border and continue the way to another country, but it would be a long journey, even more because she was at the beginning of learning to fly with a fast broomstick and the weight was still wearing out the girl's body.
Arriving in France, Croix stopped in the city of Lyon, where she would be safer, since her parents have already started to use the police to go get their daughter, on the other side of the border she had no fear, especially because the police only searched in the city of Florence, there Croix was already using her English in practice, since she barely knew French. Her next stop was the city of Nevers and there she could rest from a long journey since she would be going to the capital Paris the next day and it was at this point where the food was starting to run out and she would have to start spending her money on food at some local market. The next day was another long trip and this one was to definitely get to the tip of France, arriving in Calais and that was the day that she took the opportunity to use up all the food from the reserve that she got at her house, taking the chance to change the 3 thousand French Francs in 400 pounds that were left over, what was already tightening the girl's balance that had little money and the food had just finished.
When the time to cross the English Channel arrived, she managed to cross it for free with the help of her broom and from there she continued her journey to London where she was already far away, enough for her parents to start searching outside the city of Florence, as Giovanna was the only one who knew where Meridies would run away to. After resting in London and doing the shopping, the money was getting short, it was all or nothing practically, Croix continued the trip to Birmingham, with only 150 pounds left of the money she had spent to run away from home, there she got a very cheap hotel and spent the night for another long part of the journey, this time to the final destination in Great Britain, where she decided she would spend it all at once and celebrate that she was getting close, in Liverpool, one step away from her destination and already more than 2 thousand kilometres away from home.
10 days of travelling across Europe until arriving at the destination, Dublin, Ireland, after travelling far away, where in Italy, Croix's parents have already spread missing person posters there trying to find their daughter at all costs, it was already starting to spread more news there, the local newspaper was already saying about "the missing boy" and how the parents pretended to be very emotional and worried about the state of their daughter, but they didn't even respect how she was wanting to be treated with respect.
Monday 28 February 2000, Dublin, Ireland
10 days of a trip that took 2300 kilometers by broom, with an average of 230 km of flight per day was what Croix could handle flying on the broom, since she could not fly so fast yet, reaching almost 80 km/h when she could get enough speed while carrying the heavy bags, she arrives at the Elisabeth McLaren welcome house that she so much wanted to arrive, already with the things in hands, landing there, she was already entering by the reception and saw a blond girl with her daughter and they were talking with the receptionist, but stopped when she saw the panting Croix arriving.
POV Croix:
I thought that eating to my heart's content in Liverpool and even ordering a pizza to enjoy would give me the energy to get here, but apparently even then I was dead tired, I see that there is a mother with a daughter here, I walk with difficulty to the reception, I hope they don't ask me to hand over my documents.
"Hello can I help you little girl?" asks the receptionist.
"Please take me in, I have nowhere to stay, I came from so far away so that I could have a home" I say to her tiredly.
"Hm, are you by any chance a trans child who has run away from home? It's a very delicate situation... Your accent really shows you're not from around here, I don't know how I can do it" said the receptionist.
"Please I beg you, let me have a bed, a roof, food, I'll even work for you to help me, I just don't want to go back to Italy with my parents, let me stay" I beg to her.
"Oh, it seems my destiny 'as already brought someone who needs a home" Said the blonde lady and I was confused, will she adopt me? I hope so.
"Mrs Jordan, I don't know about the legal implications of this, well that's something for you to sort out for yourself anyway" said the receptionist.
"I don't care about de legal implications, dis Italian girl will be my trans daughter dat I will adopt and give a chance, tell me what's your name and how old are you?" I start to cry all emotional, she even crouches in front of me with a look all sympathetic and wiping my tears.
"I... My name is Croix Meridies, I am from Florence in Italy, I am 11 years old, but I will be 12 this year" I answer the blonde who smiles at me.
"I am April I am 28 years old and dis is your 3 year old sister Megan, she is going to love meeting you" Said the lady stroking me and I see the little girl smiling at me.
"You... You're going to adopt me for real! You will welcome me into your home! I'll be..." I was already bursting into tears, I can't believe I did it.
"Come with me, you are welcome at home, dat's exactly what I wanted, a transgender child who ran away from home, don't worry I'll do everything to 'ave you with me, now let's go home, dese bags must be weighing you down, on de way I'll buy you a McDonald's" she said hugging me and I was crying all emotional.
"What a beautiful thing, I hope you guys make it, good luck to you April" Said the receptionist and I got up more excited.
And with that we walked to the outside, I hope she at least accept me as a witch, when we arrived at the car I noticed that she was the owner of the BMW that was outside, she's not someone so poor by the way, she was opening the boot putting my things and also putting her daughter in the back seat, I was still a little confused trying to understand what just happened.
"Do you want to sit in de front? Dere's plenty of room Croix" She pronounces my name correctly still and I'm happily getting into the car.
It's so comfortable, this is another level, it's not like my father's Fiat 500 that he never changed and says it's a relic, but it only disturbs my ear, this is another level for me, I'm even shocked, there are so many buttons, I'm afraid to press.
"You've never been in a car like this before?" She asks and I justly nod my head in agreement.
"I never had a mother like that" I say smiling at her who strokes my head.
"Did you know that I am also a trans woman? I've spent years transitioning myself, I understand what you're going through, I wanted to adopt a child like you to give 'er all de support in de world and give 'er what she can never 'ave, you were very lucky to come on de day I was visiting de shelter, at 'ome you'll be free to express yourself" she said and I was even more surprised.
"And how did you have her? Your daughter is your face" I say shocked.
"Meg. Dat's things magic can do, I 'ad de surgery and I was also already using magic, when I was fully recovered I started to produce eggs and menstruate, it was den dat with my late wife I 'ad your sister, we used de fertility stone for dat, since Scarlet was sterile from birth for being intersex, she herself dedn't intend to 'ave the surgery, unfortunately she left before she met Megan" Mrs Jordan said.
"Dank you for really taking me in... I already thought dat I would 'ave to live on de stre et" I tell her.
"The house would take you in, but if your parents knocked on the door there would be no legal way to get you out of his clutches, since they already have several lawsuits to go through behind their backs, but I can handle it alone" said my future mother.
Arriving at April's house...
I arrive there and I see that the house is quite spacious too, until quite comfortable, I notice that there was a redheaded girl there and she waves to us, I see that she seems quite friendly, when she gets off the chair and reaches us it shocks me, she is shorter than me. I've seen these faces before, it's quite familiar.
"So dat's de girl you're adopting, what's your name?" she asks me.
"I am Croix, I come from Florence in Italy and I am 11 years old, I will be 12 on the 13th of October" she answers and strokes my head.
"Welcome to de family Croix, I'm Laura, you were very lucky to 'ave April Jordan as your mother" said the redhead.
"And she's my other mom"I ask April who keeps laughing and so does the redhead.
"Hahahaha, what 've you been telling ds girl April? But no, I'm April's best friend, I've been married for eight years and my wife and I will be dating for almost 13 years, dt's your age, practically, little girl, you will see me around here a lot, besides other friends of ours, be welcome"Laura said and I smiled a lot, she seems to be a good person.
"Do you like videogames? Dere are plenty 'ere, not to mention dat we are both game producers" said my mother and I was amazed.
"What? I knew your faces were familiar" I say shocked.
"Laura McLaren and April Jordan, de duo from Saoirse games" Now I know who they are, I can't believe I met them in person how wonderful.
"It's you guys I can't believe it, you are the creators of Witchtale, I love that game" I say smiling.
"Scarlet and my wife also took part in dis one, well dis is your new home, introduce 'er to de new place, I'll look after Meg" Mrs McLaren said.
"You and babies is de kind of thing I still hope to see, are you really going to wait to be 30 to 'ave your first child with Bernadette?" April said and she only nodded in agreement.
POV Narrator:
Croix was extremely lucky to meet April who ended up adopting her and help her to go through all of this, after a very tiring 10 days escape, she could have her rest in a place where Jordan even left prepared for the coming of the girl, in the room she had not only one, but several videogames for her to have fun, SNES, PS1. Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Mega Drive and even a rare Sega Saturn, full of games for her to have fun, besides a computer where she could venture and have her privacy guaranteed, besides that April would teach her how to program and work better with computers, what excited Meridies' curiosity a lot.
The first days in Jordan's house were very calm, this while April already solved with some of her contacts the legal situation of Croix, getting the necessary documentation and even she already got an approval from the witches' council to recognize Croix as female as her name already registered as Croix Meridies, this in less than two weeks, Then in a month already came also the document that recognizes the custody of the girl, besides recognizing the citizenship both Italian and by the adoptive mother she has the Irish citizenship which would give her access to school, that she could start studying again in a short time and by being extremely intelligent Croix ended up not having to fail the year, keeping the same year that she was in Italy.
In Italy the news of [Deadname]'s disappearance were already at national level, at the most they could trace her to Turin, with the information given by the receptionist of the hotel where she stayed, besides the exchange office had said that she went there to change the Italian lire for French francs, and so they started to start a more detailed investigation, It wasn't something inside Italy anymore, her parents had the notion that she crossed the border and with that they spent a lot of money with a private detective that was starting to go running after Meridies' trail faster, but it was already May, by that time Croix was already legally with April's custody and recognized as Croix.
She wasn't called by her deadname when she was there nor at school, and she was already making some friends, besides some training or other of magic that was given with the constant visits that Laura gave, becoming the magic teacher of the Italian girl who was becoming more and more enchanted with the place where she was, she was already awakening the interest in something else, when she saw that April was assembling several machines that used magic and worked much better than the normal machines.
It was there that Meridies' interest for magitronics was born, from where she was starting to have classes with April about, besides the programming classes, she was learning how to build the same machines as April and she showed that not only she was interested but she was practically a prodigy when she simply reverse engineered a power generator using magic and that worked as well as Jordan's original, It was there that the blonde saw the potential in her adopted daughter, she started to teach her more in depth and she was also getting more knowledge, discovering a new world where magic and technology mix, it was like a playground for Croix.
The relationship between Megan and Croix was also something very healthy, since the younger sister was enjoying the affectionate way in which Croix treated her and even from time to time receiving some lessons from April on how to take care of a child, especially when Jordan needed to go out and this was one of the
big problems she had, since she always took the 3 year old girl everywhere, but with Croix there, in a short time she was learning how to take care of a child and maturing more.
The summer arrived and Croix passed the year, the school was full of compliments for the girl that was demonstrating not only talent in magic, but also in other human knowledge, even with only 11 years old Meridies was improving more and more, to the point of being the favourite of the teachers, nobody disrespected her identity and many people didn't even know that she was trans, Meridies was finally having a chance to start her life next to a new family that welcomed her and received a lot of love, it only got complicated that Croix couldn't talk to Giovanna anymore since that could facilitate the investigation by the detective and that was already starting to get closer to the day, the day that Croix didn't want to happen.
See you, adopted witches...