"What do you mean", Annie asked, "you cannot evolve? Your level is high enough for the first one."
"No, itīs not", Belle insisted, at the verge of pouting. "Too low."
"After you soloed the goldfish-girl? No way."
"Well ... well ... what does it matter?", Belle shot back. "Even better, then? I will not slow down the merge then, right?"
"But we might be a little girl", Annie scoffed, crossing her arms and emphasizing her bust. "I wanna keep these, or get better ones. And I wonīt wear those baby-pants of yours."
Belle huffed, putting her balled fists into the kangaroo-bag of her overall. "Itīs comfy."
Annie rolled her eyes. "The life of a beautiful girl is not about comfyness, sadly, but the hardships of looking perfect every minute, every day!"
"Oh, great herder in heavens ... fricking Schönheitswahn", Belle said.
As for you, you were on Belleīs side, even if somehow ... well, you bought a game about monstergirls and -boys transforming into stronger and prettier forms, right?
"Look", you tried to intervene, "We should not bring real life into this one, right?" You turned at Annie. "You can be proud of your looks, yes, but come on. You fight and gain levels and just transform into the beauty of standards which are way too high for any normal person to reach. You donīt have to lay on make-up every day, you donīt work out ... You can even eat whatever you want. Just a minute ago, you had cake! Two pieces!"
"Uuuuh ... you too?"
"And for you", you turned at Belle, "Letīs be real. Higher evolutions have better stats. Believe me, our first arc was all about that."
"Arc?"
"Everyone of us has to pull his or her weight, we are pretty much a mess of a team, and we must do this together or we will just lose", you spoke further. "So, please, could you evolve for me? - If you donīt like it, I will devolve you after we won the Brawl at the Arena."
The sheep-girl thought about that. "Hff ... Okay. By the next level, I will not suppress it."
"Jay!" You hugged the cuddly sheep, swinging her around like a plush toy. "Then letīs find some weaklings for you to destroy!"
As Phil asked what your sudden bloodlust was all about, you explained it to him.
"Oh? I might have something for that." Shortly after, he gave you a cookie. "Rare Cookie. Raises a level just by getting consumed."
"Woah", you spoke in awe, "this ... this is way too much for you to give away!"
Phil laughed warmly. "You think? Itīs really not of much worth for someone like me."
"What a helpful NPC", Annie purred behind you.
You took the Rare Cookie, but rummaged into your bag. "No no no, we use your house, eat your meals, use your crest even ... You take this!" And as you brought it out, Annie gave a muffled scream, because it was the golden nugget-price from the bridge. "Here!"
"Oh my", Phil stepped back. "You go overboard here, Lucy. I gave you all nothing that might be of the same worth, not even in the slightest. Also, you saved my life, remember?"
"That was by chance, I was just there."
"Yes, and that was all what was needed." He placed his hand on the nugget, still in your hand, and pushed it gently back. "Please. Use it for your journey."
"Awww ..."
Annie snapped the cookie out of your hand. "Heartwarming, yes, but can we please go to the level-up? - Besides, *Lucy*", she called you by your female name, which was a little unusual for her, "you can thank Phil later in a little better way, after winning. And, you know, growing up. You *are also* part of the gaining-levels-gaining-sexiness-club, remember?"
As your face reddened, you were thankful for the language barrier between your Heatdraka and Phil. You could never, you were a man! A boy. A young man, and straight. Not a girl, or female of any kind! Even - even - e ... "To the evolving, yes!"