File:Joysweeper--Illus2.jpg

In his horror, Anj looks up and breaks the fourth wall, asking, "Why did you do this to me?"

Several answers come to mind, including "Because female to male never freaking happens" and "Because it's so much fun". I tell him, "You knew this was going to happen."

He lets go of the waistband of his bodysuit, flinching as it snaps back. "Uh, no. No, I didn't. Cosplayer, remember?"

"You're already breaking the fourth wall. We might as well be totally meta. I told you what I wanted. You knew this was a TF story."

He folds his arms, looking pained, and says, "You just told me 'Be a woman. A cosplayer who likes stormtroopers. Part of the 501st. Pick a costume from this list.' Then you handed me a backstory. I'm your projection, but you've written female stormtroopers before."

"That's right, you're my projection. You know I've been wanting to do a TG. You knew a female Red Guard wasn't in the cards. Look, Anj, being meta, you knew this was going to happen. Don't delude yourself."

"Oh, I knew. It's just that I much prefer to blame you." He frowns. "Being meta, why do I look at all like you?"

Caught! "I needed a photoreference for your expression. There was a mirror."

"...You couldn't have just tried Google Image Search?"

"I forgot. Anyway, you looked totally different as a woman. You're not supposed to be me at all. That's another character."

His eyebrows shoot up. "You don't mean-"

"No! No. Gods, no. A character you didn't even really see, not named in this story, not important to the plot. I just put her in so I have something to work from and reference later."

"Eh, if you say so. Guess I should get back to the story."