Stray Days - Original Story (Patreon)

“So, you’re saying I have cancer?” The young man stares dumbfounded at his doctor. Both are uncomfortable and who would not be? Just a normal check-up suddenly turned into hours of testing, only to come out to the worse result anyone could have. The man was still processing it, was he supposed to cry or just shrug it off. Any good day can be a bad one, any bad day can be a good one. What would a day like this be?

Less than a year to live and Charlie still barely even lived at all. Given the country he is in, he did not get medical care for free. Paying for cancer treatment will just make him a burden to family and friends assuming they would even help. It is too expensive to live. What other choices does he have then? “Alright… well I guess we can talk about this later.” The doctor stares at him a bit stunned. Charlie did not care to explain himself further. Taking his coat, he walks right on out the door and outside back to his car. Opening the door up he tosses his coat inside and sits down in the driver’s seat. Shutting the door, he grabs his keys and starts the engine. The soft purr of the motor was relaxing, his finger hovers over the radio but he instead places the hand back to the wheel staring out to the snowfall in front of him. “What am I supposed to do… I’m only twenty-five. That’s not even middle-aged.” Squeezing his hand at the wheel Charlie takes a long sigh and releases his foot off the break and puts pressure on the gas. The car moves him forward but his body felt stagnant. “What. What do I do? I ju—”

Skkkr

Charlie in his absent-minded thoughts slides against the snowy ground. His car spins on the road out of control. Charlie tries to turn into the slide, and he manages to slow down but his car pushes right against a snowbank. A few people honk as they go past, but luckily he did not take damage, the car did not either, and he hurt no one else either. “Hahaha.” Charlie laughs his hands still gripping the wheel. “First thing I do is almost cause a car wreck… haha. I’m a joke.” A few cars keep passing now and again. The street was luckily not that busy. Still getting out of his car to go shovel it out of the snowbank would prove dangerous. “If I got out right now… a car could hit me. I could die.” Charlie’s hand hovers over the door handle his eyes staring off into space thinking so many thoughts. “What. What am supposed to do?” Charlie grips the door handle and takes a breath.

Beep, beep

A truck honks at Charlie pulling in behind him with hazard lights on. A person steps out of the truck right away, an older man wearing a hat. Charlie instantly feels bad because the man steps out of the driver's seat with a cane in hand. Yet the man is kind enough to place traffic cones down right away. It was odd though; the older man was not a tow truck. It was just someone with a box-like truck that looked to be a food vendor. The truck had one of those large metal shutters to bring up and then hand out items.

With a deep sigh, Charlie steps out of the car and gives the older man a wave. “Excuse me, sir. Um, thank you very much. You, you really didn’t have to do any of that for me.”

The older man scoffs and his cane clacks against the ground. “It’s no problem at all.” Charlie could barely believe it but the man’s voice was very deep. “I run a magic shop out of this truck. It’d be rude for me to not help a potential customer.” Charlie could not believe what he was hearing and the man wanted to say more. Looking at the side of the truck, Charlie reads the name along it. “Magical Truck Shop in Another World”. The name made no sense at all. “Hah, how rude of me though. I can see your disbelief. But I assure you this is the real deal. Here, my card.”

The man takes from his coat pocket a black and white checkered colored business card. Charlie takes it and looks over it. It had a phone number and a website. The name of the company as well as the owner. “Are you… Are you supposed to be this so-called Switch? It doesn’t even list your last name.”

Sighing the old man shakes his head and finally lifts his head so Charlie could get a proper look at him. The man however is wearing a ski mask over his face, only his eyes, and nose show. Charlie could not say he saw many ski masks with no mouth though. “Yes, I’m Switch. And come now, if you want to see something magical. Just look into my eyes.”

Charlie rubs at his cheek and sighs; he was already worried this man was some hitchhiker murderer. Though at this point Charlie had little to lose so he looks into the man’s eyes. “W-wow…” The man's eyes are checkerboard colored. Constantly they swirl. “That’s… I’ve never seen anything like— No… That has to just be fancy contacts, right?”

The old man’s lips curve into a smile under the mask. “Well. Who can say less you rip my eyes out? Haha, kidding of course that’d hurt a bit wouldn’t it?” Switch laughs at his own joke but Charlie does not exactly see the humor in it. “Charlie. I can help you. Cancer does not have to be the end for you. Crippling debt and medical bills? A thing of the past.”

Backing up slowly Charlie rubs at his cheek nervously. “How… how do you know my name, that- You shouldn’t know any of that. Have you been following me?”

Switch sighs and walks to the back of his truck. It only takes a few moments for him to lift the metal side showing the inside as he plays the part of the vendor. “Boy, instead of getting afraid you should say. What exactly do you have to lose? Your life? You can see my truck's plates, we’re on a road with traffic. If I wanted to kidnap or kill you. You’d be dead and I’d be held accountable would I not? Not that it would be very fun to kill a dying man anyway.”

Though nothing of what Switch said so far was reassuring. He was right about one thing. Charlie had nothing to lose. Swallowing back spit he walks up to the trunk's large vendor window and looks up to Switch. The inside of the truck looked like some cliché fantasy potion shop. Somehow the inside was also made of wood. Or at least looked like wood. “Um… that’s a lot of bottles… green, blue, red… is, is that one rainbow? I. I don’t know what you are, but you certainly put on a good show for this stuff don’t you?” Switch snaps his fingers and lowers behind the window to a point that seemed far lower than possible. Within seconds he pops back up placing a glass bottle down with pink liquid swirling in it. “Drink this. And all your problems go away. You’ll be new, just the same age with no medical issues to speak of. I’ll give it to you, free of charge. You, just have to promise to be my daughters’ friend.”

Charlie was unsure what to say. A strange man asks you to drink a strange liquid and be their daughter’s friend. What exactly is anyone supposed to say? “I mean… how old is she?” Of course, that is the main concern.

Switch looks up and down Charlie’s body. “About your age give or take a few thousand years! Hahaha, it’ll be fine, she’s pretty much your age exactly, you’ll get along just fine.” Holding a hand to his chin Switch nods to himself a few times. “Oh and I’ll throw in things like money, a home, etc for free. So don’t worry about that. The least I can do.”

Now it really does sound far too good to be true. Charlie takes the potion anyway. Uncorking the bottle he gives the liquid a small sniff, it smells like peaches. “Well… you’re right. I don’t have anything to lose. The worse that happens is you torture me in a dungeon, right?”

Switch smiles and nods. “That’s the spirit! Drink up!”

Gulp, gulp, gulp

Charlie chugs down the contents like a glass of chocolate milk till not a drop is left. Taking a short breath, he feels a stirring in his stomach. Then his feet suddenly get light, his body gets light. Then his eyes feel heavy, Switch waves his hand, and Charlie flies up into the air asleep.

Rustle

Heavy blankets press against Charlie, he was not outside anymore. “U-ugh… come on if this is really a dungeon, I’m gonna be so pi—” Pushing the blankets off himself, first he notes he is not tied down. Swinging his legs off the bed he can stand, no limbs detached. The room he is in looks like a master bedroom. The bed is in the middle of the room, a walk-in closet, a private bathroom. It looked like a room most people would want if given the chance. “Okay… I was brought… to a fancy hotel? Was it dream…?” Walking over to the closet Charlie swings open the doors. It was rather large inside, though the whole closet is filled with female clothing. Different shoes on rackets. Bags with tights, drawers with socks, hangers holding dresses, or having skirts hung over them. Different short tops hanging up on manikins. It was strange to see because it meant the house was lived in. Walking to the bedroom door he opens it. It leads out to a hall, two other rooms on the floor, and then a staircase going down. It leads right to the front door and has a turn on right and left into other rooms. “Well, this is weird… That guy said he’d included a house… he didn’t like break into someone’s house and put me in it. Did he?” Charlie turns back toward the bedroom and sees his coat is laid on a chair beside the bed. Walking over to it he shuffles into his pockets taking out his wallet and phone. Flipping his wallet open first his body freezes up. “W-wait what? My ID… this. Who the heck is this?” Staring at the ID shows Charlie an image of a girl, the name on the card reading Claire Fullerton. The name acts as some kind of trigger. As soon as Charlie reads it his body begins to ache.

POP

Popping like a party popper all of Charlie’s clothes burst from his body. Rather than litter the ground they dissolve in the air. Charlie did not want to admit it, but apparently magic was very much real. “Wh-what’s happening to me? I-Is this really going to cure me?” Like someone was brushing an eraser over his body Charlie watches his leg hair vanish, his arm hair vanish. Pressing a hand to his cheek he no longer had a shadow of a beard, only smooth skin. Changes are rippling across his body, muscles tensing, pulsing. “M-my butt?” Grabbing at his rear Charlie instinctively leans forward keeping his back straight, and his butt bursts against his hands jiggling a little into them. His ass had gotten larger in just a few seconds. His posture even changes as well. “Th-this is… why is it doing that?” Against his chest, Charlie watches his nipples quiver and push forward a tad. His pectorals were not gaining muscle; they were becoming budding breasts before his eyes inflating like balloons. Grabbing his hands at them his eyes wince from the sensitive touch. His nipples were like saucers now and the new weight makes his center of gravity shift. “I-I’m becoming some chick? Th-the one on my ID?” It had to be a lie, could magic go so far? Charlie barely wanted to believe it, but seeing the handfuls of white hair suddenly brush over his bare shoulders he could not deny it. “N-No way! How?!” Running into the closet Charlie looks at himself in the mirror, his eye color changes to a scarlet red. “Th-that’s not even a color real people can have, is it?! Th-these things too…. My butt…” Charlie had no idea where to touch or what to do. A hand rests atop his breast and one on his butt. He looked like a normal girl posing in the mirror. His lips had gotten fuller, his checks a bit rounder, eyelashes longer, eyebrows trimmed and refined. Lovely white hair drapes over his body, reaching down to the middle of his plumper thighs. “This… everything changed. I mean I gu—”

Slurp

The force of magic wanted Claire to exist, so Charlie’s manhood responds in kind. It sucks right into itself balls and all leaving Charlie to groan. “A-argh th-that—” It becomes hard to speak, to breathe; Charlie’s throat hurts. The magic toils away, between Charlie’s legs become a near pair of lips. She was a girl now, the twisting in her stomach gave her that idea. Organs altering and shifting place perhaps? Charlie had no idea what to think, but as her throat finally relieves itself of pain her voice sounds far higher. A nice feminine tone leaps off her lips with just an exhale of air. “This…” Charlie holds a hand to her throat, just one word and she sounds completely different. “I sound like some streamer girl or something… this wow. I—” Charlie had thought that would be the last of it, her butt however begins to tense something at her tall bone hurt. Grabbing at her backside she tries to grab at it, and a tail unfurls out swaying back and forth, the same white color as her hair. “N-No way is th—” Grasping at her ears, Charlie notices the hair covering them, had no human ears under. The magic had a way of helping. A pair of fluffy ears sprout atop Charlie's head twitching a bit. Charlie grabs at them as she watches the mirror, they looked real, felt real. She could even hear better than she normally could. “A-A… no way. I’m.” Claire takes a long breath and looks down at herself and then back to the mirror. “I’m a girl… a cat girl. That guy changed me into a c—” Looking down at her smooth stomach Claire’s eyes soften her finger running along the smooth skin. “No scars… I’m Claire?”

Claire stares for a long while at her body. It is her body now after all. The little things about the original are gone now. Claire stares a long time at her stomach, her smaller slender hands running back and forth against the skin. If the scars could go away if her sex was able to change, did it really cure her as well? Grabbing a shirt from off the hangers Claire pulls it on over her head and puts her arms through the sleeves. It is a strappy shirt, with a strap around the neck. The shoulders are exposed but it has small mini short sleeves for style. The top however also keeps Claire’s midriff exposed. Her breasts push against the fabric of the shirt but the shirt’s tighter under the breast to keep it in place. Claire had no idea what to wear but the clothes provided had many choices. Not seeing any pants however she sighs, it was cold she wanted something to cover herself. Was her body going to be a girl forever, or was it a short time? Simple questions and complex ones pound in Claire’s head. For now, she grabs some black tights and panties. The panties feel nice against her skin and wrap around her butt. The tights take Claire a bit longer to put on. She jumps in place for a few minutes trying to pull them up all the way. They stop right below the belly button. Thinking she is ready Claire starts to walk out of the closet before noticing herself in the mirror. Looking in the mirror Claire can tell the difference between leggings and tights right away. Her panties are visible, the sheer fabric left little to modesty. They were warmer than nothing at least but she needed something else. Grabbing a dark blue pleated skirt off the racks she pulls the skirt up her legs and lets the waistband rest where the tights do just below the belly button.

“What now?” Claire got dressed but, her body in the mirror still seemed unbelievable. “This magic stuff… Like this has to be some drug? Mind trick? VR?” Claire grabs at her ears and right away her tail stands on end a ripple of pain shooting through her. “ME-OW!” Instantly the girl's cheeks blush hearing her own reaction. “W-wait… what? D-did I just say Meow… like a pun? Me and… ow. Why- Why the heck would I say something so, corny.” Lowering her head in shame Claire tugs at the hem of her skirt. “How do girls that work at cafes and junk deal with saying stuff like that? Geez… The ears, they feel so real, I can even hear better.” Claire could not help but wonder what else may have changed. “What about my old life?” Claire’s ears sag down, watching it in the mirror she can only roll her eyes. “Hah… like I need my emotions on my sleeve that badly.”

Trying to think of her old life Claire was happy to realize her memories remain intact. Sitting down on a small bench in the closet met for putting on shoes she stretches out her arms and sighs. “This walk-in closet really does feel like its own room. These things are way too big… My memories are fine but my bodies a girls.” Standing right back up Claire jerks out her butt and looks in the mirror as her tail flings up her skirt. “A-ahah… this… this is a little silly, isn’t it? I guess looking at myself in the mirror isn’t bad, I do at least look cute.” Claire smiles softly at herself and places her hands on both her hips slowly starting to sway back and forth in front of the mirror. Her skirt is adorable, tights look great on her, her crop top is amazingly cute. She felt good looking at her own body, even if it was embarrassing to think such a thought. “I do look pretty good…” Her hips start swaying faster, her tail now swishing behind her much the same. Pressing her hands against her tummy, it felt good. Good to show off her bare skin before the mirror, to shake her hips. “Hehe, is this like a belly dance or something? Nya~ Nya~ Look at me go~” Claire’s voice becomes more energetic her body swaying faster. Her stomach squeezes in showing off how nice, flat, and smooth it was, even a little toned. Claire thought it perfect, not too much muscle to keep her dainty feminine looks, and not skin and bone. Watching herself sway was hypnotizing like she could keep her hands on her hips all day showing off her tummy to herself in the mirror. “One nya, two nya, we swing all day~ One nya, two nya, I’m super pretty okaaay~” Ears twitch, butt wiggles, and Claire jumps up like in a pounce. The girl lands back on her feet happily. “Hehe, the skirt flows out, my tummies all cute. Aaaah how come I’m so adorable?!”

Ding Dong

A doorbell rings, Claire’s doorbell. The sound however makes her wince her eyes shut and cover her ears. “Mya… Mmm wait what?” Claire looks to herself in the mirror once again and blushes seeing her butt still jutted out after having jumped in place. “Why… I was acting so weird. Whatever.” Someone was at the door, that mattered most. Though it was still hard to believe the home she was in belonged to her. “Who would be coming here though… I’m a girl. A cat girl.” Claire’s eyes twitch her tail switches back and forth lifting the back of her skirt up again. “Wouldn’t someone like… get weird if they saw me? These are real…” Carefully Claire walks out of the closet and bedroom and steps down the stairs. She could hear it already, someone behind the door. The breathing made it sound like a girl, around her own age. “Well… I made it this far by fumbling.” Opening the door Claire stares at those eyes again. Swirling black and white checkered boards. This time, however, it was not some old man. The person before her is a girl. A girl with bunny ears on her head as Claire glances over her body. “Y-you… you can’t really- You’re not Switch’s daughter, are you?”

The girl grins and hops on her buckled black shoes toward Claire. “You’re so adorable!” Up close to the ears they looked real to Claire, just like the cat ones she now has. The girl wraps her arms around Claire in a tight embrace as soon as she takes a step forward. Claire gasps at the sudden squeeze, the girl realizing her rash behavior. “Oh but ahaha.” The girl nervously rubs at the back of her head taking her arms off Claire to give the new girl a breath. “Yes, I am. My name’s Elica. Please to meet you, Claire.” Elica’s ears twitch, her eyes shift to scan over the first floor of the house. “You’re probably wondering about a lot… Switch, he— He’s not good at telling people what’s going on.” Claire slowly nods in response, the catgirl very much was confused and filled with questions. “Well, what you drank… think of it like a layered magical spell that—” Elica’s eyes twitch seeing Claire’s reaction not change at all. “Oh right, I’m being silly you wouldn’t understand that stuff. So. Pretty much! You’re cured. You get this house. It’s paid for, we even made sure you have a bank account that has money constantly added to it from high-paying dividend stocks that are ensured to last. So pretty much; you’re cured, don’t need to work, and have your own home!” Claire slowly nods, Elica finally clicking some gears to the confusion. “Oh right. And um, you’re a cute catgirl… hehe.”

Claire takes a long deep breath and turns herself around. “Yeah, I think I’ll just go back to be—”

Snatch!

Elica grabs onto Claire’s arm her voice prattling off faster nervously. “No, no, no, wait, wait, wait!”

Trying to pull her arm from the bunny girl's grip proves a challenge. Claire tugs and pull but she just was not letting go. “J-just stop it already Elica. This… I mean. I’m glad I’m not gonna just drop dead suffering alright. But, just, just becoming some catgirl? Look at what I’m wearing too! If this was needed, I could least get some pants!”

Elica lets go, and sighs. “Just… calm down.” She was the one not calm still. “I-I. I know this is all a lot to take in! But we can be friends! We can work through this!.” Elica snaps her fingers and a pair of sweat pants pops into her hands. “Here.”

She hands the sweat pants to Claire, easy as that. “Really?” The catgirl could barely believe it, what was the point of having the closet full of girly clothes? “I mean thanks I guess… I can just throw um on now.” Elica nods her head eagerly, it seemed like she really did not want to lose the chance at friendship. Claire steps into the sweat pants and pulls them up her legs. The plan is simply to pull the skirt off overhead then so she did not have to go back upstairs to change.

POP

The sweat pants however suddenly pop away just as they had come leaving the skirt in place. “Huh…?”

Elica blinks a few times and snaps a baggy shirt into her hand. “No, no, no, he wouldn’t have… p-put this on quick!”

The situation was strange enough so Claire keeps playing along. Grabbing the baggy shirt she pulls it on over her head. “Alright it—”

POP

Claire’s original top vanishes completely and the baggy shirt changes to just a black crop top. This top was, even more, exposing than the last. It had no sleeves, it is just a solid black piece covering her breasts but exposing her arms, upper chest, and tummy. “R-really? It changed into another top like this? What the heck is this? Elica? The pants, the shirt, why did they do this?!”

The bunny-eared girl groans looking upset. “Dad! He! Gah! The spells he layered in the potion… ah. Geez, this. They’re not gonna let you wear any clothing; it has to be certain ones… if not. Well. This happens. They change to fit what you’re supposed to wear.”

It sounded ridiculous to Claire. “Supposed to w—” Then it begins to click in Claire’s mind. She is a pretty girl after all, should she not show off her cute tummy? Placing her nice slender fingers against her exposed belly she cannot help but brush her fingers along it. Smooth to the touch, a bit soft, not overly muscled. It was perfect for a cute girl like her. “I mean… There really shouldn’t be any issue.” If Claire had to be a girl to escape a sad fate, she may as well just enjoy the new life to the fullest. Exposing herself a bit, wearing cute clothing, feeling the sun hit against her tummy in a nice sunny spot. Such things just seemed nice to think about, Claire’s mind so easily fills with the ideas. “Mmmm, ya know Elica, maybe we should go lay by the sun all day. Why bother worrying about all this? I mean if I’m a girl anyway. So what right?”

The bunny-eared girl groans again and grabs onto Claire’s shoulders shaking her back and forth. “Wake up!” Pulling her head back Elica slams her forehead right into Claire’s own leaving a red mark on them. “Ow, ow, ow, ow!”

Claire rubs at the sore spot and blinks slowly as if she had been sleeping. “U-uggh… that… That felt. So weird. I… thanks, I guess?”

Dragging her hands over her face Elica sighs deeply. “Okay… I am not as good at magic as my Dad. But, yeah, he does stuff like this to mess with people. But. You really are cured… so I hope you won’t worry over that.” Twirling her fingers over one another Elica looks to Claire’s left side and then right. “You do have a rather lovely midriff though. So um, there is that? But… I know you may not be the happiest about being a girl all a sudden. If I can help out at all, I want to.”

Claire was not exactly popular, so hanging out with people at her home was never common. “Hah… I mean, I guess you can tell me more about this. And maybe just treat it like a normal day? If, if this is what I gotta do to not die, and I get a free house and money out of it. It’s a better deal than most get.” Gliding her hand along the side of her hip Claire sighs. “There is a lot to adjust to though. I won’t just, accept it right away, I guess.”

With care, Elica takes Claire’s hand into her own. “Alright. That’s fine, let’s show you a bit more of the house. Then we can sit outside and chat.” Claire never felt many hands. Holding another girl's hand in her own, felt nice. Both walk through the left side of the house. A living room area is displayed for them and to Claire’s surprise, it has many of the features she would want. TV, gaming devices, comfortable couch, even blankets for when someone wishes to warm up. “Now, now don’t go gawking just yet, just wanted to take you to the yard.”

Elica keeps pulling at Claire but she stands firm standing in the middle of the living room. “I don’t know… I just feel a bit weird.”

Tentatively Elica lets go of Claire’s hand and turns her head slowly in question. “What’s wrong Claire? I mean you’ll probably feel a bit different but I made sure nothing bad was done to you. Everything is um, mostly silly.”

The words did nothing to comfort Claire, she even snorts at the comment. “Hah, it’s nothing like that. Yeah, it’s weird I have to apparently wear crop tops and stuff. If I have feline traits… I guess maybe it makes sense. I don’t know.” Walking over to the couch Claire sprawls herself across the cushions and stretches out her arms, tail swishing and ears perking. “Mmmm… I haven’t done a lot but I do feel pretty tired. Not sure if I can make it to the door.”

Grinning from ear to ear Elica hops to the side of the couch and falls to her knees in front of Claire. “Hehe, come on you gotta get up. If you’re gonna be lazy at least get some sun on this tummy.” Wiggling her fingers in the air Elica places her hands on Claire’s stomach and starts rubbing like one would pet a cat. A nice slow pace, hands brushing against the skin toward the top then Claire’s skirt's waistband. Back and forth is the tempo and Claire cannot hold back her reaction.

“N-nnya~!” Claire’s cheeks blush a bright red her back arching up. Her stomach was contracting like in a flex then relaxing.  Elica’s hands felt divine against her stomach. Was her tummy really exposed just so it could get pets? The muscles keep reacting to Elica’s hand, squeezing, relaxing, squeezing, relaxing. Claire was going crazy from the feeling, her body filling with desire. “M-mm k-keep rubbing.” Claire rubs her thighs together slow; her own hands grab at the couch cushions to brace. Elica keeps rubbing, the bunny girl keeping her grin but does not blush. “M-Meow it feels purrfect!” Claire’s speech slurs more into cliches as Elica’s hands keep stroking her smooth firm tummy.

Elica does not let up her petting. Her hands press against Claire's firm tummy and then strokes back nice and slow toward the belly button. Claire’s tummy is a little soft in places but mostly toned and tight. “Ooooh~ Little kitties getting all excited? Does my girl like her tummy being rubbed? Hehe, it seems you do even if you say no., I mean your little whines speak enough~ Soooo. Ready to go outside with me now?”

Blushing with shame Claire feels a bit of drool roll off her lips. Had she been panting and not even noticed? “I-I… Let’s just get outside okay!” Managing to blurt out the words gets Elica to stop, she scoots herself back and stands up holding out her hand. Claire however needed time to recover. Panting slowly her hands run across her tummy, it still felt tense. As her fingers lift away however a wave of tension releases itself off her. “A-aah… nya~” A small subtle moan leaves Claire’s lips and she quickly buries her face into her palms. She made so many embarrassing sounds in front of a guest. The worse part is she wanted more people to touch her tummy, Claire wanted Elica to keep petting her. “N-no… focus.” Trying to calm herself down, Claire carefully places her hand back in Elica’s own. “Let’s. Go outside.”

Elica gives a soft grin and pulls her catgirl friend along. The backyard has a sliding door connected to the living room. Stepping out it the girls are greeted with a fair sun warming their lighter skin. Lawn chairs, reclining lawn chairs, a few tables, a grill even. The porch had what anyone would need, and the size of the grassy yard was about the size of a football field. “We wanted to give you some space, you can make a few gardens, relax under a tree. Whatever ya like. For now though.” Elica lets go of Claire’s hand and plops her butt down on one of the reclining lawn chairs. “Ah yeah… this is the stuff. Come on, sit, sit. I’m guessing you may still be a little wobbly after that.”

Carefully Claire sits herself down and lays back. Hitting her head against the soft headrest, feeling the sun beat against her. A new feeling started to take hold. Maybe something along the lines of content. Feeling the warmth bathe her tummy is nice. The girl’s ears twitch and her tail wiggles a bit so it pokes through the bottom of the lawn chair. “This… this is pretty nice. I think… I think I calmed down now.” Claire could still feel a bit of pleasure, her legs even still feel weak. Her mind though had at least calmed, thoughts now churning in her mind about other matters. “Heh, when.” Claire pauses for a long moment and brushes her fingers across her nice smooth tummy. It was not just pleasure she was thinking about now. “When I was a guy. I’d never feel like I could show off my skin like this. I know… I know the stupid spell thing is making me wear clothes like this. But, sitting out here, feeling the sun against my skin. I guess in my mind, I’m not thinking about gender or anything… just I like it. Feeling comfortable.”

Turning onto her side Elica looks at Claire her voice softer than before. “Well, are you comfortable because you’re a girl? Or because you’ve been cured?”

Claire thinks hard about the question. Her mind wanted to speak for her; some of the magical influence? She does feel nice right now. The magic wanted to express it more, how much of it was her though? “I don’t know…” The words putter out of Claire’s mouth softly her fingers brushing over her bare tummy. The sunlight felt nice, even on the pale skin. Maybe the cat likeness carried over for things like enjoying the warmth. “I had scars all across my stomach before.” Claire pauses for a short time, her eyes watching the clouds blotch out the sun now and again. “Not all of them were just stretch marks either. I… I always hated a part of myself. It’s stupid to say out loud, I know it would be hard for a lot to just understand.” Elica sinks back into her chair her bunny ears crooking down, but Claire continues. “I would hurt people I cared about without even understanding what I did wrong. They’d say how I’m terrible, but not what I did, I wasn’t sure how to change. I guess… it made me think I needed to hurt myself?”

Biting at her lip Elica scoots herself up draping her legs over the side of her chair. “Claire… you don’t hav—”

Claire shakes her head her cat ears perking up. “No, no. Let me finish. — I. I got this fresh start if I want it. I could go talk to my friends and say what happened and see if they believe me. Or I could just completely start over if I really wanted to. Whatever my choice. I’m a girl now, body cleaned. Hah… maybe I’ll actually use this new start to stop being such a depressive stick in the mud.”

Taking a deep breath Elica stands up her hand held out to Claire. “Alright. Then, if you’ll let me. I’ll be with you to help experience plenty of new things. If you wanna reconnect, if you wanna hideaway. Whatever it is, I wanna help you through things, and experience them with you. It’s the least I can do.”

Once again Claire’s hand grasps Elica’s and the two girls begin walking back into the house together. Stepping in through the screen doorway Claire glances back toward the warm sun. Only her hand is touched by it, yet it still feels so warm. Breathing slowly Claire gives Elica’s hand a firm squeeze. “Well.” Claire’s cheeks turn a little red, a soft smile forming on her lips. “You could pet my tummy again too.”

Elica giggles and so too does Claire. The girls walk inside and close the door shut. The sun would set, and night would start. A new day would come, and who knows what it would bring?