The Proteus Virus
By Ordos Tsceri

Lyn hesitated at the door, nervously biting her lip. She'd made the appointment a week ago, when the virus was first reported on American soil. She'd been considering the procedure for months before hand, and quickly seized the proteus virus as a rational excuse to go through with it. It was something she'd thought about since she was a little girl, a fantasy that became tantalizingly and terrifyingly possible a few years ago, and which had just become all but necessary now.

But still, as she stood in front of the witch's clinic door she realized just how real it was. Could she really go through with it?

Minutes passed. Pedestrians walked by her, not noticing her as she stood just outside the ground level shop. She felt uncomfortable, fidgety in the skirt and loose grey t-shirt that alone covered her body. Along her shoulder she carried her nearly empty, simple purse. Her sandals were cheap; she didn't imagine bringing them back with her today. The bookish girl stared at the witch's door as the hour of her appointment drew near. She tried to conjure up images of the horrors she'd seen on GNN, the grotesque, unfortunate messes the proteus virus could leave in its wake. She tried to frighten herself through that door.

"No," she whispered to herself, "I have to do this. I want to do this. This is real. I am ready."

With that she opened the door and stepped into what proved to be a most agreeable and pleasant waiting room. Benches lined two walls with a check-in counter at the third. A flat-screen television hung in the corner, set to the Global News Network. It was muted, but captioning was on. There were a couple of tables with miscellaneous magazines by the benches.

"Lynette Valentine?" the receptionist asked from behind the counter.

Lyn blushed. "Yes… that's me. I have an appointment today…"

"Of course. Your online payment went through just fine, everything's set. Madam Jaclyn will see you shortly. Just make yourself comfortable for a few minutes."

Lyn nodded and took a seat. None of the magazines looked interesting, so her eyes wandered over to the television's news-feed. A reporter was standing in a hazmat suit, lined and insulated against magic no doubt, by the city of Guadalajara, down in Mexico. The rapid, blocky print on the screen announced that proteus had hit the city, with over six hundred confirmed cases in the past twenty-four hours. Behind the reporter Lynn could see something large move. At first it seemed woman-shaped, but after a moment it became apparent that its legs weren't moving. The camera zoomed in on the figure, revealing a beautiful Latina with shoulder length, glistening black hair that bounced with her sinuous movement. For an instant Lyn couldn't see her arms, only to realize that was because she had none. Her simple shirt was strained against her bountiful breasts, and below it the curves of her hips slipped into an emerald snake tail with diamond patterns in ruby scales that reached to the ground and trailed behind her. She cast a look at the camera mixed with fear and worry which turned into embarrassment as a serpent's tongue darted through her lips to taste the air. Turning quickly as she blushed she quickly moved out of the otherwise empty street, gliding as gracefully as a garden snake on her new tail. Lyn couldn't help notice that the beauty had un-pierced ears, and the shirt that hid her breasts and womanhood was both tightly buttoned and of a decidedly masculine cut.

Lyn shivered.

The reporter went on. The most common mutations thus far had been benign; various degrees of serpent, canine, feline, and avain mutations with a high number of gender changes and miscellaneous growths. People were flocking to the few magickers in the city, but people in this region drove off most of the people with any mystical talents when magic reemerged back in 2012. The region is in quarantine, but officials are unsure what vector brought the virus to the city in the first place, making it the eight such outbreak in North America, following Panama City, Havana, and Miami last week. Little rhyme or reason can be found in the virus' changes, although thus far there have not been any fatal transformations, like the ones in the initial break-out in Sudan.

No effective countermeasure has been discovered, but to deny the virus its preferred host; untransformed human beings.

Lyn turned away from the screen. Who knew, Lyn thought, maybe the virus would never work its way up here to Seattle. Maybe she'd be one of the 20% or so of the population that seemed naturally immune. Maybe she was doing this for nothing. Or, of course, maybe she'd contract the virus and randomly mutate into a slug-woman, or a genderless skunk-camel-hyena mongrel. Or maybe the virus would become fatal again, like it was in the earliest days, and she'd just melt away into a goo of organs and fluids…

Or maybe, she thought, I could become something beautiful.

"Lynette?" a soft voice asked from beside the counter. Lyn looked up to see the voice's owner. She was tall and slender with gentle blue eyes and an inviting aire about her. She wore her brown hair short in a tomboy cut that prominently displayed her five inch long, pointed ears. She had on a simple necklace, a golden ring through her left eyebrow, and made ample use of her extra ear-length with piercings, generally small studs of green stones. Her blouse was the dark brown of a summer forest, with a pattern of overlapping leaves contrasted by the jade buttons along its front. "If you're ready please come this way."

Lyn was beside her, walking down the hallway, before she knew it. Of course, Jaclyn was fey. She was naturally attuned to very powerful magics from birth, gifted so far as to straddle the line between human faerie. Glamours came easily, even subconsciously, to those like her. But Lyn knew her; they'd been roommates for a few semesters, she could trust her.

"I can't believe you finally decided to go through with it!" Jaclyn's voice had an infectious enthusiasm.

"Heh, neither can I. I really don't think I'd ever have worked up the nerve if it weren't for you."

"Aww, you're so sweet" Jaclyn leaned over and hugged her old roommate. "I have to admit, I've wanted to do this for a long time. You won't regret this, I promise."

They arrived at a room well away from the entrance. The inside is made of stone walls and floor, with light coming from a few clusters of crystals wired to the corners and ceiling. The room is decorated with furniture that looks as though it had been grown out of living wood. Lyn was one of the few to enter this room knowing it was all real, the smooth crystal orb held by the gnarled branches at the center of the room, the stone walls, the moss etching between the cracks, the… bed?

Jaclyn caught where Lyn was looking. "I use that after every job. This sort of thing can get awfully draining. You're lucky you came to me when you did; my schedule is filling up like you wouldn't believe."

The door they had used to enter the surprisingly large, circular room swung shut. It was almost impossible for Lyn to see its outline against the living stone of the walls. The room had no windows, only ambient light, shelves of oddities and books, mirrors wreathed in living branches and a small fountain that fed into an indoor pond on the far end of the room.

"So, how does this begin?"

Lyn's query was greeted by the sound of fabric falling on floor. She turned around to see Jaclyn in her nude glory, striding toward her. Those elegant, delicate arms touched hers, sending shivers down her back as they moved up to her shoulders. She leaned in and gently breezed her lips over Lyn's neck. Lyn could feel the telltale tingle of magic around her, but couldn't bring her mind off the feeling of Jaclyn's touch.

"Do… do you always do it like this?" she managed to whisper between gasping at the fey enchantress' kisses.

"Mmmm, only for the ones I like."

Jaclyn brought her finger slowly down the back of Lyn's spine. Lyn gasped in reaction, only to realize that her loose shirt had fallen on the floor too, having unraveled where her cohort and touched.

"Let's get those pesky things out of the way. I don't think you'll be needing them again." With a similar caressing of her ass Lyn's skirt fell away, useless on the floor. Somewhere along the way her sandals had vanished too, but Lyn couldn't care. She had never been into women before, but Jaclyn was beautiful. More than that, more than any lust, there was fey magic about, and Lyn knew better than to resist it.

Jaclyn's touch was magic in more ways than one. She had moved behind Lyn, still tormenting her neck jaw with those delightful lips, while her hands had moved on to take in her body. After a moment, she felt a sudden strangeness as the witch's left hand caressed her admittedly small breasts, while her right squeezed her firm ass.

The first real indication of the change came from the sensation above, and yet somehow below, her hips. It took only an instant for the strange sensation to feel Jaclyn's leg, to bat against as wondrously soft hairs felt every current, every vibration in the room. She tried to turn her head to see her new tail, but Jaclyn's tongue halted her progress, running up her neck and to her ears before she nibbled at Lyn's lobes. The whole affair left Lyn far more sensitive than she had ever been, and the feeling made her gasp before she became aware of an odd almost-itch. Flooded with other delights from her firm nipples, still being teased by Jaclyn's free hand, she could only squirm against her wonderful tormentor until the strange almost-itch had stopped. She could hear everything better now, and with an odd twitch found she could move sounds, or something to that effect. It didn't matter now, what Jaclyn whispered into those new ears was nothing compared to the fact that she did whisper into them, stroking her spine as she played with her breasts.

This continued, Lyn becoming gradually aware of the sensitiveness all around her, of the tiny hairs on her back becoming soft, fine, sensitive, delicate. She was on her knees, purring as Jaclyn crouched beside her, stroking her back and playing with her teasingly hard nipples. First the right, then the left, then the other right, the other left, and again before Lyn realized that didn't make sense. She was able to spare a look down to see her once tiny breasts had grown to a modest B cup, but just below were another pair, slightly smaller, and another below that, slightly smaller still, until just above her navel two tiny, gorgeous mounds of beautiful flesh formed the cushions for the nipples Jaclyn lavished with her attention now.

Now the less pleasant sensations came, the shifting of bones in her feet and legs. But even this, by Jaclyn's masterful touch, became more of an oddity than a discomfort, something in the back of a mind subjected to this wonderful lithe woman's artisan hands. The delicate fur was whispering things to her along most of her body now, across her back, her legs, her arms and hands. She arched her hands as Jacyln loving nibbled her neck, only to find new muscled in her fingers which extended and retracted the hard claws her nails had become.

Jacyln finally leaned over, laying on top of the squirming girl as her new tail batted around in delight. The sensation of her weight atop Lyn's eight breasts was unbelievable, nearly drowning her in pleasure as she brought her lips to lock Lyn's. She closes her eyes to savor the kiss, the gentle tongue of her long-time friend, the flavor, the scent of her. The scent is intense, deep, musky in a fascinating, intoxicating way she'd never before known. She can think of no word to describe the smell; sex, sweat, love, magic, gossamer kisses, musky rock, green moss, living wood, rubbing body, all muddled into one package that tickled her brain in amazing, enthralling ways.

She opened her eyes to see the fey enchantress pulling away. The room that was once so moodily dark is so clear, every gracious line on her lover's face so perfectly exact and soft. She notices a hint of a shape at the bottom of her vision, and feels it touch Jaclyn's throat with softness than filled her mind with smells beyond words once again. She lets her tongue emerge from her mouth to taste and touch, and finds it longer and more dexterous then she can imagine. Jaclyn giggles at the attention and does not resist as Lyn followers her up.

The poor women was spent, Lyn realized. The changes over, she delicately holds her former roommate and helps her to the treacherously soft bed, laying her down on the green satin sheets and climbing in with her. She giggles as Lyn laps her tongue finds its way back through those supple lips. Now Lyn caresses and strokes, rubbing the heat that had blossomed between her legs against Jaclyn, feeling and sensing and touching each other until the ecstasy erupted and sleep claimed them both, cuddled together.

&&&

"Are you awake?"

Lyn licked Jaclyn to drive home the message, causing the fey enchantress to rouse with a giggle. Lyn found she enjoyed her new tongue; it was longer and more flexible than her old one, but contracted just fine to allow her to speak. Perhaps more importantly, despite having feline shape it lacked feline roughness, making her affections with it more pleasant than irritable.

"Mmm… how long was I out?" Jaclyn mumbled as she slowly rose to full consciousness.

"About two hours. It's almost four."

"Oh… bother. I have another appointment in fifteen minutes. We need to talk about your body… what it can do, what it needs…"

Lyn helped her out of bed. It had taken her a little effort to get used to her new legs; they were shaped like a cat's, with her toes changed into a padded paw that she put all her weight on. After the initial uneasiness it felt great; there was so much more spring to her step, so much more power. She'd have to see how fast she could run later.

"How about you help your new appointment like you helped me, and later when you're refreshed we can get back together to chat about all this? I'm walking distance away."

"That… sounds great." Jaclyn smiled as she put on her long-ago discarded dress. "Hmm… I don't think people would respond well if you just waltzed home naked… I have some old clothes, a bit loose I'm afraid, but they should do the trick for now." She opened one of the raw-wood cupboards that seemed to blend in with the rest of the room and pulled out a guy's grey shirt, a few sizes too big for Lyn normally, and a pair of dark briefs.

Lyn slipped into them. She ended up using her new claws to tear a hole into the briefs, just below the waist-band, so she could fit her tail through. It chafed a bit at the base, but held together fine. The shirt went over loose at her shoulders, but covered her down to her smallest breasts. Her nipples were so sensitive now, even the light fabric of the shirt teased them.

She chatted with Jaclyn as she guided her back out the hidden door and to the familiar waiting room. There was another woman there, young and nervous looking. She couldn't take her eyes off Lyn as she said her goodbyes and walked off, tail firm and aloft.

Everyone was looking at her outside. She couldn't blame them; an eight-breasted furred woman with a two foot tail would draw stares at the best of times, but now they were watching out of more than just curiosity, lust, or envy. They were afraid. Lyn smiled inwardly; she had made her choice, and she loved it. No one called out at her, mocked her as they might have done even a year ago, before the virus.

On a whim, she dropped to all fours on the sidewalk halfway home. Her proportions had changed, her arms were longer, her legs a bit shorter from their new design, something must had shifted because walking on all fours felt like the most natural thing in the world. Her breasts jiggled with every graceful stride, and the position brought air around her delightfully warm sex. As she neared her apartment she had to remind herself to get back to two feet again, to handle the doors and elevator.

When she finally got to her apartment she tore off her clothes as quickly as possible. It felt good to be alone again. The old Lyn would had wilted under the stares, but not anymore. She felt beautiful.

As soon as she had her hand-me-down clothes off, she darted to her bedroom and its full-length mirror. She had to see herself in full. The view did not disappoint.

The biggest change was doubtlessly her legs. They were bent along the lines of a cat, keeping her knees a bit out even when standing full, since her feet had grown to effectively add another joint to the legs. They were covered with fur, soft, light affair the color of morning mist. The fur was over her entire body but it faded out at places, becoming no more thick than normal human hair along her breasts, neck, and face. Her short hair had become silver, topping her head in dashing mane of curls. Her fully feline ears popped out from the silver hair, in the soft grey color of the rest of her body.

Her face had changed in smaller, subtle ways. Her nose was almost completely feline, explaining all the new and amazing smells she witnessed. It transitioned into a line that lead down to her lips, still fully human but on just the slightest of protrusions that hinted at a muzzle. Her smile showed off her larger canines, which flirted with becoming feline fangs now. Without visible fur, she could see her skin had changed color to a soft, almost white that meshed perfectly with her misty fur. Her large, almond-shaped eyes drew her attention; they had shifted from her original hazel into brilliant, serpent-scale green, surrounding pupils that had changed into a feline's vertical slit.

They captivated her. As she admired their depth and beauty, the beauty of her entire new, energetic, amazing body, her hands drifted to her tingling nipples and womanhood again. As she began caressing her breasts again, an idea struck her.

She jumped onto her bed, loving the sensation of its cotton sheets against her sensitive fur, and began to stretch. First she arched herself like she'd seen cats do, and then she tried to curl into a ball. Her spine could move so much more freely now, and it wasn't long until she found herself, tail wrapped around her head and upper back, and face by her legs and pussy. She couldn't help but let out a giggle as she brought her nose to her sex, drinking deeply of its musky scent. She let her tongue lap out from her gentle lips, and it found its way easily to her labia. She licked the inside of her thighs, ran her tongue along the lips of her sex, before bringing her attention to her aching clitoris. The exultant sensation was heightened by the flavor, like nothing she had ever witnessed before, until the exercise brought her to peak that flooded her thoughts with bliss.

Absent mindedly, awash in the glow of her orgasm, she ran her tongue over her nether lips again, this time cleaning up the juices her play had brought forth. The exercise had caught her by surprise, and it wasn't until her playful tongue began to stimulate her again that she realized what she was doing. She blushed in happy embarrassment as she uncoiled herself, stretching again atop her bed. Every inch of her lithe figure was alive with sensation, the scent of excitement, the tingle of air across sensitive fur, everything.

She laid down happily, resting on the softness of her bed. She had a few hours until she rendezvoused with Jaclyn again, and the prospect of a cat-nap was nibbling eagerly at her thoughts. In just one afternoon she had grown from a shy, bookish girl into this. She drifted contentedly into a dreamless slumber, because despite all the strangeness of the past day she couldn't remember a time when she'd been this happy.