Rina StarLai: Issue 006

11. INVITATION

The sun wasn't even fully up when Rin and Laia tiptoed toward the front door, dressed in oversized hoodies, sunglasses, and matching don't-look-at-me energy.

Laia carried her duffel like she was sneaking out of a one-night stand. Rin carried emotional damage.

They made it to the door - just one more step to freedom - when-

"Going somewhere?"

Rin flinched so hard he nearly faceplanted into the shoe rack.

His mom stood at the kitchen counter, still in her robe, sipping tea like she'd been waiting there for hours. She didn't even look up.

"Uh..." Rin blinked. "Just... out. Early walk. With Laia."

"Laia doesn't walk," she replied instantly.

"I do now," Laia said, forcing a cheery smile. "I walk... spiritually."

Rin's mom raised an eyebrow and finally turned to face them. Her gaze swept over their suspiciously coordinated athleisure, slightly damp hair (from the shower), and Rin's too-quick-to-look-casual posture.

There was a beat of silence.

Then she smiled.

"That's nice. It's good to have a routine. Keeps the body young."

Rin nodded slowly, unsure if he was being complimented or investigated.

She sipped her tea. "Just be safe. Lots of weird things happening in the city lately."

Laia nodded. "Weird is basically our entire brand."

"And Rin," his mom added, eyes narrowing just slightly. "If you are seeing someone... just remember, your father might be oblivious, but I have eyes. And TikTok."

Rin's soul briefly exited his body.

"BYE MOM," he blurted, yanking Laia out the door so fast she nearly lost her shoe.

As they scurried down the driveway, Laia leaned in and whispered, "So, like... she knows, right?"

"She doesn't know," Rin hissed.

"She definitely knows something."

"Shut up and walk faster."

Behind them, Rin's mom peered through the blinds with a slow sip of her tea and a soft smirk.

"I don't know who you are, 'Rina StarLai'," she muttered. "But my son is a terrible liar."

She tapped her mug against the counter and added with a quiet chuckle, "...And she looked fabulous."

The front door clicked shut behind them.

For a while, the only sound in the house was the soft tick of the kitchen clock and the gentle hum of the kettle still cooling on the stove.

Rin's mom stood at the window for a long time, staring out into the morning light. Her teacup had gone lukewarm in her hands, but she didn't seem to notice.

She sat down at the kitchen table and finally let out the sigh she'd been holding in.

"Heels," she murmured to herself. "In the middle of the night. Glitter on the floor. His voice cracking every time I mention that fire-girl."

She closed her eyes.

"I'm not stupid, you know," she whispered, as if Rin might still hear her through the walls.

For a moment, her expression softened - wistful, a little sad. Then proud.

"My son... my beautiful, confused, ridiculous boy. Always hiding the best parts of himself."

She reached for her phone, idly scrolling through the now-viral footage of Rina StarLai. She paused on a screenshot - Rina mid-spin, fire in her hands, hair flowing like silk.

She tilted her head.

"She even walks like you did when you were little... in my heels."

Her eyes welled, but she blinked it away with a soft laugh.

"I don't know how you expect me not to notice, Rin. You get that drama from me, after all."

She sipped her cold tea and stared at the photo a second longer.

"...She's beautiful."

Just then, the back door opened with a creak and Rin's dad wandered in, hair a mess, toothbrush still in his mouth.

"Morning," he mumbled.

"Mmhm," she replied, standing to pour him some coffee.

"Where's Rin?" he asked, sitting down and opening the sports section on his phone.

"Out with Laia. Early," she replied casually.

He grunted. "Good. He needs some air. Been acting strange ever since that flaming stripper hero showed up on the news."

She turned away to hide her expression.

"I think she's a superhero," she said carefully. "Not a stripper."

"Well," he shrugged, "She can be both. Equal opportunity and all that."

She stifled a smile and handed him his coffee. "You're ridiculous."

"Hey, I'm just saying, back in my day, if someone flew in with their cheeks out and saved a kid, we called it a miracle."

He sipped his coffee, none the wiser. "Bet she's got a boyfriend though. Or girlfriend. Or... whatever. Girls like that always have a secret."

His wife sat beside him, her gaze returning to her phone.

She smiled softly.

"Oh, she definitely has a secret."

-

The hidden temple shimmered into view as Rin pressed his lips to the enchanted wall, Laia standing behind him like she was about to be let into a VIP lounge.

The doorway pulsed open.

Laia stepped through first. "Honestly, this dramatic entrance never gets old. Like- where's the fog machine? The sexy announcer voice?"

"Sis is close enough," Rin muttered, following her inside.

*WELCOME BACK, MISS STARLAI. MISS LAIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACTIVATE GAYLIGHT MODE?*

Laia perked up. "Wait, that's real?"

A glittery rainbow spotlight sparkled briefly down from the ceiling.

"Noooope, not today," Rin snapped. "We're here to work."

They made their way to the control center. The floor glowed under their heels and boots, the holographic monitors coming to life around them like a digital sunrise.

*YOU HAVE ONE UNREAD TRANSMISSION.

ENCRYPTED.

SOURCE: CLASSIFIED.*

Laia squinted. "Is it spam? Or did a hot alien finally slide into your DMs?"

Rin stepped forward. "Sis, play it."

The center console spun once and displayed a flickering, static-filled image. Slowly, it focused.

A masked figure appeared--tall, elegant, draped in a uniform that pulsed faintly with cosmic light. The face was obscured in shadow, but the voice was smooth and authoritative.

*"Rina StarLai.

You are not unnoticed.

Your power has been observed. Your methods... are chaotic.

But your potential is undeniable."*

Rin tensed. Laia leaned in.

*"There are forces larger than your city. Your planet.

We are the Unity.

If you wish to understand what you carry- what you are-

Then come find us."*

The screen shifted. A glowing glyph appeared... coordinates, slowly rotating.

"But beware... not all eyes watching you are kind.

Choose wisely, StarLai.

We await your answer."

The message ended with a burst of static.

Silence.

Laia blinked first. "...That was the hottest threat I've ever heard."

"Sis," Rin said slowly. "Can you trace that signal?"

*ORIGIN: INTERDIMENSIONAL. SIGNAL WAS MASKED AND ROUTED THROUGH TEMPORAL SHIFTS. LOCATION MATCHES ENTRY POINT COORDINATES TO UNITY-ALIGNED BEACON.*

"So..." Laia leaned on the console. "Do we go? Is this like, a 'join the Avengers' moment or a 'get kidnapped and probed' situation?"

Rin chewed on his lip. "I don't know. But if this Unity has answers about the amulet-about me-I can't ignore it."

Laia gave him a long look.

"Then we get answers. Together."

*RECOMMENDATION: PREPARE FOR DIMENSIONAL TRAVEL. PACK SNACKS. MAYBE A PADDED THONG.*

Rin sighed. "I hate her."

"Love you too, Sis," Laia sang.

The base was quiet again, except for the low hum of the glowing glyph still spinning in the air.

Rin stared at it, brow furrowed, chest tight.

Laia watched him for a long moment, then nudged him gently with her elbow. "So... are we gonna talk about the fact that you're still scared to transform in front of me?"

Rin winced. "It's not like that-"

Laia raised both brows.

"Okay, it's kind of like that," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's... weird. The transformation is intimate. Like, intimate intimate. And it's not glamorous. It's just me... bent over... looking ridiculous."

Laia gave him a sly grin. "Oh no. Poor thing. How ever will you survive being hot and dramatic and sexy in front of your favorite cousin who literally just showered with you?"

"Ugh- please don't say it like that."

She stepped in closer. "Let me help, Rin. You always used to ask me to do your makeup when we were little. This is kind of the same thing, right?"

Rin hesitated.

Laia softened. "Let me be part of your magic. Even just once."

He swallowed, then nodded. "Okay. But... you're doing everything. I'm not reaching for that thing while you're looking."

Laia smirked. "Please, I've seen worse on Grindr."

She walked over to him and pulled out the transformation device from his bag. Rin had cleaned it, polished it, even put it in a silk pouch like it was the world's most powerful forbidden jewel.

She held it in her hands reverently.

"God, this thing really is magical," she muttered. "I can feel it humming."

Rin stood in the center of the Control Room, heart thudding, already tugging his pants down with a quiet grumble. "Do not comment on my ass."

"No promises."

He bent forward.

Laia crouched behind him, still grinning. "You know, I never thought my afternoon would involve inserting a mystical butt plug into my cousin to awaken a flame goddess, but here we are."

Rin glared over his shoulder. "Laia."

"Alright, alright." She pressed the gem into place.

Rin gasped as it slid in - just a little moan, bitten off at the end.

And then-

FWOOOOOSH.

The flames erupted around his body like a wave of silk and fire, licking up his thighs, spiraling around his arms, trailing like smoke through his hair as it grew out in waves of ink and starlight.

His body stretched, shimmered, reshaped.

And when the light faded...

Rina stood tall.

Glowing.

Radiant.

Breathless.

Laia slowly stood, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

"Holy shit."

Rina looked down at herself--already slipping into the posture, the sway, the power of it. She touched her hair, her waist, her lips. Then looked up at Laia.

"Well?" she asked softly.

Laia just blinked. "You're... you're beautiful."

Rina blushed. "I feel like I'm on fire."

"You are on fire," Laia whispered.

They stood in silence for a moment, the glowing glyph still pulsing nearby.

Finally, Rina sat on the edge of the velvet platform, looking down at her long fingers.

"This league... The Unity... what if they want me to be some kind of galactic hero," she said quietly. "I just learned how to walk in heels without clenching like I'm holding in a sneeze."

Laia joined her, shoulder-to-shoulder. "You don't have to know everything right now. You just have to know what you want."

Rina sighed. "What if I don't want to be a hero? What if I just want to be... me? Maybe help some people, look good doing it, maybe flirt with hot guys at bars. I don't know if I'm ready for wars in space and magical conspiracies."

Laia smiled. "Then you don't have to be. You're not a superhero because they say so. You're a superhero because you are."

Rina looked at her, eyes soft. "Even if I'm just... a magical bottom with a trauma fire?"

"Especially then."

They laughed.

Then Rina leaned her head on Laia's shoulder.

"...Thanks for putting it in, by the way."

Laia patted her thigh. "You're welcome. 10/10 form. Definitely a bottom."

"Shut up."

12. THE INVITATION

The pair were off to face the coordinates that were given to them by The Unity.

But they decided to stop somewhere first.

-

The cemetery was quiet.

Dew clung to the edges of grass blades like tears not yet cried. A soft breeze rustled the trees overhead, and the world felt... still.

Rina stood beside Laia, hands folded in front of her, the long red coat she threw over her outfit fluttering gently in the wind. Her heels sank a little into the dirt, but she didn't care.

They stood in front of the gravestone:

'So-Young Lee

Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Keeper of Secrets'

Rina let out a shaky breath.

"I wonder if she knew."

Laia tilted her head. "About the temple?"

"No. About... me." Rina glanced down at her hands. "Us. When we used to play dress-up. When I always chose the dresses. The heels. The wigs."

Laia smiled softly. "She always smiled at you like she saw something you didn't. Maybe she knew before you did."

Rina knelt down and traced her fingers across the engraved name. "I wish I could tell her. Show her who I am now."

"I think she'd say what she always did," Laia said, crouching beside her. "That you're beautiful. And you're enough."

Rina let the silence sit for a moment, then whispered, "Thanks for never telling me to stop."

"I wouldn't dare," Laia said. "Watching you become Rina is like watching someone step into sunlight after living in shadow."

They placed a small bouquet of white lilies at the base of the stone. Rina stood, brushed off her coat, and took Laia's hand.

"You ready?" she asked.

Laia nodded. "Let's go see what the galaxy wants from you, StarLai."

And with that, they turned - heels crunching on gravel - and headed off toward the mysterious coordinates left behind by The Unity.

-

They stood before a towering structure tucked into the hills- a long-forgotten observatory, its dome cracked but still intact, overgrown with ivy and framed by distant mist. The coordinates had led them here, and now that they were standing in front of it, Rina could feel it.

Something hummed beneath her skin. Not the ache, but a different kind of pull. Like the air itself recognized her.

Laia pulled her jacket tighter. "This place is giving big 'first-contact' vibes."

Rina's heels clicked against the cracked concrete as they walked forward. "Feels like the set of a sci-fi horror movie."

"If I die here, I'm haunting your makeup drawer."

Rina raised a brow. "Joke's on you. I'd let you."

They reached the massive, rusted double doors. As soon as Rina touched the handle, a pulse of warm, golden light rippled across the metal like it had been waiting for her.

The door unlocked with a heavy click.

Rina and Laia exchanged glances.

Laia nodded. "Lead the way, Hot Wizard Dominatrix."

The doors creaked open, revealing a sleek, pristine interior that didn't match the building's exterior at all. Like stepping through a time portal.

The inside of the observatory had been completely transformed.

Gleaming black floors. Floating holographic panels. A long glowing runway that led toward a raised dais with a crescent-shaped console pulsing faintly with starlight.

A symbol hovered in the air behind it: a unified ring of seven constellations, spinning slowly.

Laia blinked. "Okay... this is giving Avengers."

Rina stepped forward slowly, heels echoing through the otherwise silent space. As she approached the dais, the console flickered to life. A soft, melodic voice rang out - neutral, but impossibly vast.

*Candidate Rina StarLai. Identity verified. Power signature: unstable but substantial. Emotional imprint: volatile. Style rating: exceptional.*

Laia snorted. "At least they have taste."

Rina stared at the console. "What is this?"

The voice continued.

*Welcome to the outer access node of Unity Watchtower 4. You have been flagged as a potential new candidate for the Unity Accord. Please proceed with caution. Observation in progress.*

Laia leaned close to Rina's ear. "We're being watched."

Rina tensed slightly, her eyes flicking to the floating panels above. "Sis, you picking up anything?"

*THESE SYSTEMS ARE ANCIENT. HIGHLY ENCRYPTED. UNABLE TO INTERFERE. HOWEVER, I SUGGEST NOT DOING ANYTHING EMBARRASSING.*

Laia crossed her arms. "So... what now? Do we wait for a recruiter? Take a test? Perform an interpretive dance?"

Rina stared at the console, voice soft. "Do I even want this?"

Laia blinked.

"I mean, I've barely gotten used to being Rina. Let alone a hero. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not like them - those polished, perfect, powerful icons. I'm a mess in heels who gets horny when I use my powers."

Laia stepped beside her.

"You're a hot mess in heels. And don't forget you literally stopped a super-drugged-up tank top from blowing up a nightclub. You may not have asked for this, but you showed up. You did it."

Rina sighed. "What if I screw it all up?"

"You will," Laia said with a shrug. "And you'll also get better. But if you don't want this? That's valid too. Just... make the choice you want. Not the one people expect of you."

Rina looked up at the glowing symbol of the Unity crest.

"...Then let them watch."

She turned on her heel, hips swaying as she walked past the dais.

"If they want me, they can ask nicely. And maybe buy me dinner first."

Laia cackled. "Just like that."

As they exited the observatory, the console pulsed one last time behind them.

"Candidate... intriguing."

-

Back in Rin's regular clothes, the duo returned to the house in time for dinner.

Rin's mom looked up from the stove. "You two smell like incense and trouble."

"Bonding time," Laia chirped. "Just like the old days."

His dad glanced over his newspaper. "You're still doing your little soul-searching stuff, Rin?"

Rin opened his mouth. Closed it. "I found... inner peace."

His mom narrowed her eyes. "And did inner peace come with bruises and glitter?"

Laia fake-coughed and muttered, "Pole dancing class."

"Excuse me?" Rin's dad blinked.

"Cultural appreciation," Rin added too quickly.

The silence that followed was legendary.

Rin grabbed a dumpling with trembling chopsticks. "So, uh, weather's been nice."

Laia stifled a laugh with her rice bowl.

Later, after dishes and half of a K-drama episode, they escaped to Rin's room. The door clicked shut.

Rin was lying belly-down on his bed, scrolling half-heartedly through his phone while Laia dug around in her overnight bag. The air still smelled faintly of temple incense and cherry blossom hair mist - a weirdly comforting combo.

"You've been quiet," Laia said, flopping onto his bed next to him.

"Just thinking," he mumbled. "About the grave. About her. About... this whole insane life."

Laia nudged his shoulder. "Wanna feel better?"

Rin glanced at her. "What did you do?"

She grinned devilishly and reached into her bag like it was Mary Poppins' secret dungeon.

"Ta-da!" she said, pulling out a sleek black box wrapped in metallic red ribbon.

Rin blinked. "What... is that?"

"Your early graduation present," she purred, wiggling her brows. "Custom-made. Premium silicone. Dual vibration. And look-" She flipped the lid open with a flourish. "It even has your name engraved on the base. 'To Rina, with love.'"

Rin's jaw dropped. "LAIA."

"You're welcome."

He turned beet red. "What am I supposed to do with... okay, that's a dumb question."

Laia stood and stretched. "I'm gonna hop in the shower. Try not to break the bed while I'm gone."

"Not funny."

"Wasn't a joke," she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the hallway with a towel and an evil smirk.

The door shut behind her.

Rin stared at the toy.

It was... beautiful.

Smooth. Elegant. Just the right shape to target everything he didn't want to admit he needed. His name gleamed on the side. The base shimmered with tiny embedded rubies in the shape of a flame.

His fingers twitched.

"...I'll just hold it," he muttered.

Famous last words.

He lay back, shimmied out of his shorts and hoodie, and slowly -- with trembling fingers -- reached for the lube hidden in his nightstand (Laia had refilled it. Of course she had).

Moments later, he was on his back, legs bent, the toy gliding in slow, deliberate inches inside of him. The ache melted into pleasure. His toes curled. His lashes fluttered.

And in his mind?

Not Laia. Not himself.

That guy.

The one from the bar. From the dance floor. With the curls and the eyes and the hands that gripped him like he knew.

"Oh my god," Rin whispered, rocking his hips gently. "If you were here... you'd ruin me."