Chapter 168: The power of beauty
Chapter 168: The power of beauty
Luke had more than thirty minutes before returning to his male form, so he decided to train. If he went back to his room, he wouldn't be able to control himself and would end up examining the most intimate parts of his body-and he didn't want to become a pervert.
Moreover, he might end up falling in love with himself if he stared at his reflection in the mirror for too long.
'These clothes are way too loose, except in the chest area,' Luke thought as he arrived at one of the training rooms in the Addams mansion.
To his taste, this room was the best of them all: spacious, well-lit, and filled with many useful objects for training. It had thousands of kilograms in weights for practicing his telekinesis, sharp weapons, traps to train his reflexes and speed, and much more.
Luke noticed someone else using the training room. It was Pugsley, who was holding a sword and fighting against a moving mannequin that countered his attacks.
The boy with the dead-fish expression wasn't having a good time. He was drenched in sweat and was barely managing to defend himself from the blows of the mannequin, which was forcing him to retreat.
Finally, Pugsley couldn't keep up. He managed to block a thrust from the mannequin with his own sword, but the attack was so powerful that it knocked him onto his rear. His guard was completely broken, and he lay defenseless on the floor.
"Stop!" shouted Pugsley, and the sharp blade of the mannequin's sword halted just centimeters from his eyes.
The bright lights that had illuminated parts of the mannequin's body dimmed and went out completely, leaving it frozen in place.
Pugsley sighed in relief and stayed on the floor, catching his breath. Finally, after nearly a minute, he felt a gaze on him that made him turn his head.
When he saw a blonde girl with deep blue eyes staring at him, he couldn't help but slightly part his lips, stunned by her beauty. He noticed his heartbeat quicken-far more than it had moments ago during training.
The girl had gorgeous, long, golden hair. Her features could only be described as flawless. The only strange thing was her outfit: a simple, loose black hoodie and equally oversized pants of the same color. However, Pugsley didn't care about how people dressed.
Could someone this beautiful and perfect exist in the world? That was Pugsley's current thought as he clumsily stood up and moved a little closer to the girl to get a better look, searching for any imperfection.
'Oh boy...' thought Luke, holding back a sigh.
He hadn't expected his current appearance to be so controversial. Although, if he'd managed to surprise both Wednesday and Natasha-two heterosexual women and beauties themselves -the impact he'd have on a man would be twice as strong, if not more.
"Stop," said Luke, raising his hand. Pugsley immediately halted in his tracks, as though the command were an order he couldn't disobey.
'Should I knock him out and erase his memories?' Luke thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. If Wednesday found out, she wouldn't be happy about him erasing her brother's memories.
He should have placed Pugsley in an illusion, altered his senses so that he would see Luke in his male form. But he hadn't thought to do that, and he'd lost the chance when Pugsley turned his head.
'Even her voice is perfect,' thought Pugsley, feeling a nervous tingle run through his entire body.
"W-who are you...?" Pugsley stammered, staring directly into Luke's eyes.
Pugsley wanted to lower his gaze, embarrassed, but the urge to keep looking at the perfect face in front of him was stronger than his shame.
"I am... Galadriel," Luke answered hesitantly, though Pugsley didn't notice the doubt in his voice.
"A-a friend of my parents?" Pugsley asked, still stammering.
"No."Nôv(el)B\\jnn
"Of my sister?" Pugsley asked. In the past, he would've thought that impossible, but his sister had managed to get a boyfriend she was genuinely in love with.
"No."
"T-then what?" Pugsley asked, both confused and nervous.
"I'm... Luke's sister," Luke replied without changing his expression.
There was no way he'd admit to being Luke transformed into a woman. That would make things awkward, and he didn't want to give Pugsley ammunition for jokes at his expense.
"What? He has a sister?" Pugsley asked, his expression one of pure surprise. He hadn't expected that answer at all.
"Yes. Do you think I'm a liar?" asked Luke- or rather, Galadriel-frowning.
"N-no, no, of course not!" Pugsley said immediately, waving his hands around nervously as he felt his cheeks heat up.
Galadriel's frown only made her look more beautiful instead of intimidating. That's what Pugsley thought, and it made him blush even more.
Luke read Pugsley's thoughts and furrowed his brow even more. With this appearance, it was impossible to look scary. He felt like a perfect princess straight out of a Disney movie.
"I'm going to train, so get lost," Luke said with a dismissive wave of his delicate, elegant hand.
Pugsley didn't look indignant or angry at being thrown out of his own training room.
"P-please, train fencing with me!" Pugsley pleaded, bowing deeply. He didn't want to leave and stop looking at her.
"Fifteen minutes. Not a second more. Then you're out," Luke replied after thinking for a few seconds. He realized that kicking the owner out of the room didn't seem very fair.
A sword flew into Luke's right hand on its own. Since he'd be facing a beginner, he decided to give him a slight advantage by using his non-dominant hand.
"Thank you!" Pugsley said with a smile on his face. Morticia, Gomez, and the rest of the Addams family would've been shocked to see Pugsley smile like that since he usually wore a dead-fish expression.
The match began. Luke wasn't gentle with Pugsley, though compared to Gomez, he was a far better training partner.
At first, Pugsley hesitated to counterattack, as if hurting someone so perfect would be an unforgivable crime and an angel might descend to punish him for it.
But Luke wasn't about to let that continue.
"Hit harder, you idiot!" Luke shouted, thrusting his sword forward with a strike Pugsley managed to block at the last second. The force of the blow sent him stumbling back more than
five meters.
Even so, Luke had held back. He could've easily broken a bone if he'd added more power or aimed to strike his arm instead. He could've also increased the speed to make sure Pugsley couldn't defend himself in time.
The comment made Pugsley shudder, and finally, he stopped holding back. His expression grew more serious, as if he realized that disappointing her was the worst offense he could
commit.
Still, Luke maintained an overwhelming advantage. But now that Pugsley was fighting with full determination, it was at least better, and there was potential for improvement.
"Try harder, or I'll break your legs like my brother had to!" Luke snapped, frowning as he blocked a strike. Though better aimed, it was still weak.
Pugsley flinched, vividly recalling the day Luke had nearly broken his legs. Determined not to disappoint Galadriel, he intensified his efforts.
'Anything to earn even a shred of her recognition,' Pugsley thought, pouring every ounce of his being into this match as though it were the most important test of his life.
Luke picked up on the thought and couldn't help feeling a little... odd. Why was Pugsley acting
like such a simp?
Sure, Luke knew his appearance was flawless, but Pugsley's desperation bordered on ridiculous. Yet, a fleeting memory of Fester and Gomez crossed his mind. Both were infamous for their unconditional and passionate devotion.
Fester, in the movies, had always been quite the hopeless romantic-a simp in every sense of
the word.
The fight continued as Luke hurled insults at Pugsley and inflicted minor cuts to make him
suffer a bit.
Pugsley didn't mind the contrast between Galadriel's flawless appearance and her terrible personality. In fact, he found the contradiction sublime.
"Pay attention, you idiot!" Luke shouted, trying to be more unbearable than usual. But instead, it seemed to have the opposite effect.
Even Luke's angry voice was like music to Pugsley's ears. How could someone be so perfect?
Pugsley couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. That irritated expression, framed by her perfect features and ethereal aura, disarmed him more effectively than any blow. Finally, the agreed-upon time came to an end. With a fast motion, Luke disarmed Pugsley in a single, flawless move, sending his sword flying through the air to land with a loud clang.
Before Pugsley could react, Luke's sword was pointed at his throat.
"Time," Luke declared coldly, not bothering to lower the blade immediately. Pugsley, drenched in sweat and covered in minor cuts, wore a crestfallen expression. He
hadn't managed to land even a single hit on Galadriel, which meant he wouldn't earn her
approval.
"Why the long face?" Luke asked as he sent the sword flying back to its rack.
"I couldn't hit you even once... I'm just weak. My sister's right—I'm pathetic," Pugsley said, staring at the floor with a dejected look.
'I think Wednesday went too far,' Luke thought, watching Pugsley with a strange expression.
Although she always speaks her mind to everyone, perhaps Wednesday went too far, leaving Pugsley with less confidence in himself. And in just a few days, he would be starting at
Nevermore.
After a few seconds, Luke sighed. "You didn't do too badly," he said, his tone direct but
honest.
"For a kid your age, your strength and fencing technique are good. And considering you're a psychic, that's pretty impressive."
Pugsley looked up, visibly surprised. "Really?"
Luke nodded, keeping his expression serious. "Yes. You have an advantage most your age don't: you don't freeze in the face of pain or fear. That's not something you can teach. Growing up in a family like yours, where danger is part of everyday life, has made you strong
in ways other kids can't even imagine."
Those words, spoken in such a pleasing voice, revitalized Pugsley.
"And one more thing: don't say such pathetic things in front of a girl again. It's embarrassing.
You're lucky that I, unlike common mortals, consider everyone equally beneath me," Luke added, his tone dripping with narcissism.
Pugsley blinked, confused and slightly mesmerized.
Luke smiled inwardly. If he said that in its original form to a girl, she would slap him and
never talk to him again. But with this elven goddess appearance, she can get away with no
matter how many narcissistic comments she says.
"You should aspire to be more like my brother," Luke added, letting a faintly arrogant smile
curve his lips.
"Like Luke?" Pugsley asked, intrigued.
Luke nodded solemnly, as if speaking of a legend. "Yes, my brother. A true role model in many
ways. If only you were a little more like him, maybe you'd stop being so pathetic all the time."
"I'll do my best to be like him," Pugsley said with determination. If Galadriel deemed someone worthy, then that was someone worth learning from.
"Good," Luke concluded with a lofty gesture. "Now get out. Your fifteen minutes are up, and I
have more important things to do."
Pugsley gave a clumsy bow, thanking her once again before leaving the room. Luke watched as Pugsley's figure disappeared through the door. Slowly, his gaze dropped to
his own hand, as if he had just discovered something entirely new and unsettling.
The power of feminine beauty.
He had always known that in his male form, his appearance was attractive. But male beauty
was different. There was a limit to how much it could captivate others, a barrier of respect and distance that kept everything balanced.
But in his female form, it was different. In this guise, he wasn't just attractive-he was overwhelming, almost ethereal. There was something about the flawless symmetry of his face, the softness of his skin, the natural grace in every movement, that effortlessly captured everyone's attention. Her beauty didn't just draw glances; it had the power to disarm, to
subjugate, to inspire devotion.
Even Pugsley, an Addams boy accustomed to the macabre and the bizarre, showed devotion
just to be near her. Wednesday had also admitted she couldn't stop looking at him, despite not feeling any romantic attraction, and Natasha felt the same way.
If these people, so used to the eccentric and the unsettling, reacted like this.... what could
happen with someone normal?
Luke shook off the thought and began training in the large room. Since the last battle on
Raven Island, his powers had increased significantly. Death fights and difficult fights were the best way to improve.
Author's Note: I couldn't find a picture for Luke's female appearance. It's hard to find a
picture since I describe him/her as perfect and perfection can differ for each person.
You can read 15 chapters in advance on my patreon. Link: https://[email protected]/Nathe07