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Chris enjoyed her lunch with Gretchen, becoming increasingly distracted from her inner turmoil. Despite her reservations about living the rest of her life with ovaries, she cracked smiles and giggled occasionally as she chatted and joked with Gretchen.

Amidst their banter, the fragrance of meat constantly overwhelmed her senses and stirred an incredible feeling of hunger. Every bite of delicious beef sent a wave of endorphins through her petite form.

"You must be enjoying yourself. I don't remember the last time you ate like this," Gretchen innocently stated before dropping a piece of cooked pork belly in her mouth.

Chris blinked, freezing mid-motion as she reached for her drink. When was the last time she ate this well? She recalled how carefully she had to watch her diet before transience kicked in; technically, she hadn't gone in for a physical yet, but it was all but certain she no longer had the same restrictions. "I guess I couldn't really eat much red meat until now. My stomach doesn't hurt at all." A minor sense of exhilaration welled within her. Sure, she had to deal with the weight of her breasts and her new, inverted genitals, but transience also came with boons.

"It's great to see you so lively outside of the bedroom," Gretchen teased, grabbing a mushroom from the grill with her chopsticks before holding it up for Chris.

Chris blushed, letting out a small sigh. "You're incorrigible," she huffed before opening her mouth and chomping down on the savory bite. "I spent so long freaking out over transience; if I don't try to enjoy the positives, I'll go insane," she insisted.

"Don't worry. The estrogen will drive you insane regardless; you'll get used to living with it."

Chris looked down at the shape of her breasts imprinted upon the fabric of her shirt. Everyone saw her as a woman now, didn't they? How long would it take to get used to the whole "Miss" and "Ma'am" thing?

A familiar and unwelcome pressure mounted between her legs as she dwelled on her fate. "I hope I'll manage as well as you. I'm going to use the bathroom real quick."

"Good luck," Gretchen smiled.

Chris stood and walked down the aisle, wincing as her round ass and perky breasts moved with each step. 'This is my body now. I have to get used to it.'

Lost in thought, she reached the restroom, pushed the door open, and walked toward the empty row of urinals. As soon as she slid her hands down to her pants button, her eyes widened in horror.

'I don't belong here.'

The weight of that realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She would never again use a urinal, and she certainly wouldn't use the men's room going forward. Her hands trembled as she stepped back and took slow, steady breaths. 'Calm down. It's fine. Everything is fine.' She thought about Gretchen and how supportive she had been. Her thoughts then shifted toward the numerous benefits of being ten years younger and healthier. After taking a moment to gather herself, she turned and went to leave.

 Upon opening the door, a large, middle-aged man stared at her and blinked. "Oh-- is this the wrong bathroom? My apologies, Miss!" he said red-faced.

Chris wished she could crawl into a hole and hide. 'Miss…' That was another facet of womanhood she'd have to adapt to. "Oh, it was my mistake! I walked into the men's room-- so sorry!" She weakly laughed before dodging around the man and barreling into the women's room, eager to disengage from the awkward encounter.

Her exhibition to the women's room went as well as expected. It wasn't particularly enjoyable having to urinate from a tiny opening nestled between the folds of her new sex. She was extra careful not to accidentally brush against her clitoris and stir unwanted sexual feelings.

After washing up and returning, she sat down and let out a sigh of decompression. "I think I'm ready to head out."

"Is everything okay?" Gretchen asked with a hint of concern.

"It's nothing awful. I just--" Chris hesitated mid-sentence, shifting her eyes to the corner as she folded her hands in her lap. "I accidentally went into the men's room. Nothing bad happened; I just feel dumb."

"Don't beat yourself up," Gretchen quickly replied, scooching over in the booth as she wrapped an arm around Chris's waist. "It's expected that you would run into a hiccup like this here and there while adjusting."

Chris was grateful for Gretchen's comfort. "I guess. It also puts me in a kinda bad mood when I have to, err-- relieve myself in this stupid body," she grunted, shamefully putting her hands over her face.

Gretchen gently ran her hand up and down Chris's side. "If it means anything, I'd be much more of a wreck than you are right now if I had to start passing through a dick, so I don't blame you." Her eyes widened. "I don't mean that you're a wreck, by the way. You're honestly handling everything incredibly."

Chris shook her head. "You're fine. I understand the intent behind your words," she promised.

"You're the best!" Gretchen kissed Chris on the cheek and nuzzled close to her. "What should we do now? Do you have any ideas or want me to decide?"

Chris felt a warm tingle spread through her when Gretchen lathered her with affection. Whenever her nipples hardened, or her nethers throbbed, she was unfortunately made aware that she had some form of sexual desire wrapped up in her supple, feminine frame. "That's a good question. Let me think for a moment." She focused on the day ahead, attempting to determine the best way to spend the day.

"Take your time," Gretchen assured, pulling away from Chris as she pulled out her phone. "I'm going to check a few things quickly while you do that."

Chris idly tapped her fingers on the table, examining the shape of her hand. 'My hands are so small.' It wasn't the right time to get hung up on trivial matters; she needed to focus.

While combing her mind for ideas, an image of a dark-furred wolf-like man popped into her head. How long had it been since she last saw Rodrick? She knew he was in town again but had been too wrapped up in her matters to follow up. Regardless of how embarrassing it was to have him see her like this, it wasn't as if she could avoid seeing one of her two best friends forever.

"I decided," Chris finally stated, turning toward her friend.

"Oh? What should we do?" Gretchen cheerfully inquired, tilting her head.

"Can you ask Rodrick if he wants to hang out? The sooner we get his initial reactions to my new body over with, the better."

Gretchen's eyes widened with excitement. "Yes! Oh my god, I've missed trolling around town as a group of three. Are you sure you don't mind?" She cautiously asked.

Chris could see Gretchen rapidly tapping her foot in anticipation and slightly laughing. "Yeah, I don't mind."

Shortly after, they left the restaurant while Gretchen made a call. It only took a couple of rings for Rodrick to pick up. She spoke with Rodrick briefly, and they decided where to meet up.

As they climbed into Gretchen's car, Chris buckled her seatbelt and shifted, trying to get comfortable. "So, we're meeting at Green Arbor Park?" It was a location the three had frequented in the past. Small streets with various shops lined the surrounding streets, making the area a hot spot for those looking to explore and have fun.

"Yup! Just like the good ol' days...  Well, it wasn't that long ago," Gretchen added as she reversed out of the parking spot and pulled onto the main road.

Chris nodded but remained silent. She fully understood that showing herself to Rodrick wasn't a big deal, but it was hard to stay logical after going through trauma and a massive life change. She peered out the window, listlessly gazing upon the urban landscape. The last time she hung out with Rodrick, they played frisbee golf at the park and went out for drinks while laughing the whole time. Would they continue to share experiences like that?

She winced as a slight, painful throb pulsed through her breasts. With a grimace, she adjusted her shoulder belt and tried not to dwell on the sensitivity of her feminine body. Returning to her thoughts, she considered how good of a time she was having with Gretchen. They laughed, ate, and trolled around together without an overwhelming haze of awkwardness polluting the air. "Of course, it will be fine," she mumbled.

"That's right. Rodrick is Rodrick, so you have nothing to worry about," Gretchen replied.

Chris turned red, slumping in her seat. "I didn't mean to say that out loud, but thank you."

"Any time!"

Twenty minutes later, the girls reached an overpriced parking lot and entered the park proper. Chris glanced around, admiring the finely laid brick walking paths, the greenery, and the various fixtures. Art pieces and water fountains also added to the ambiance.

They approached a tiered water fountain and sat next to one another on a wooden bench. This spot had been one of their meetup points for many years.

Chris rested her head back and stared at the fluffy clouds dotting the pale blue sky. "When do you think he'll show up?"

"I'd give him ten or fifteen minutes at most."

"Fair enough," replied Chris. She closed her eyes and listened to the gentle sounds of nature. A soft breeze wafted while the rustling of leaves and birds chirping filled her ears. When she relaxed this way, she could almost forget the astronomical transformation she had recently gone through. She absentmindedly brushed a fingertip over one of her fangs, noting its sharpness.

'What am I becoming?' She mused, pondering over the various options. Considering how insatiable her hunger for barbecue had been, she started to think she was developing some carnivorous animal traits. Dr. Rowena, for example, had flawless and beautiful cat traits. 'I hope I can at least turn out that cute.' After the thought entered her head, she immediately blushed, putting her hands over her face. It wasn't like she wanted to be a cute girl.

"Hey, Gretchen..." Chris murmured, letting her arms fall as she sat up and turned toward her friend.

"What's up, babe?" Gretchen asked, placing a hand on Chris's knee.

"I have a question, I guess. Well, umm..." She struggled to find the right words. "It's not like I want to be a girl, but..."

Gretchen raised an eyebrow. "I'm eager to hear the rest of that sentence, but you don't have to say anything you're uncomfortable with."

Chris puffed her cheeks and let out a slight huff of frustration. "If I have to be female, I would rather look-- well, cute and nice, I guess?"

"Of course!" Gretchen beamed, wrapping an arm around Chris as she pulled her close. "This is your body from now on. Male or female, it's natural to want your physical form to look aesthetically pleasing."

Was it that simple? "Shouldn't I be strapping my tits down and trying to look as much like a man as possible? I feel like I should be fighting for my manhood or whatever." Chris worried that she might be rambling or not making sense. "Sorry; I'm sure I sound dumb."

"You don't sound dumb at all," Gretchen insisted without missing a beat. She ran her hand over Chris's arm and smiled brightly. "You've been through a massive change. It's natural for you to feel confused and conflicted."

"What do you think I should do? How should I feel about this?" Chris weakly asked, shifting her eyes toward the ground.

"In my opinion, worrying about concepts like manhood or womanhood is mostly pointless. What matters is that you pursue whichever road leads to happiness."

Chris digested her words before speaking. "That makes sense, but I'm not completely sure what traveling the road to happiness entails."

Gretchen thought briefly. "I don't think the road to happiness is something you can map out in advance. You can't plug the destination into Google Maps and immediately get the most practical route." As she spoke, a man shouting could be faintly heard in the distance.

Living in the city, Chris was used to people yelling in the distance, so she paid the commotion no mind. "What should I do then? Just follow the signs?" She snorted.

"Basically!" Gretchen beamed. "Your goal is a state of mind, not a physical place. All you can do is read the signs at each fork in the road and pick whichever path makes you happier at that exact moment. You'll eventually reach your destination if you follow happiness one sign at a time."

Chris dwelled on Gretchen's proposal. If she worried about whether certain choices made her more or less of a man, she would drive herself crazy, wouldn't she? "In other words, if I find that something makes me happy, I should enjoy it and not worry about whether it makes me more of a man or a woman?"

"Yup! And you should go with the flow. Imagine lazily drifting down a river while occasionally picking which side of the fork to take," Gretchen suggested animatedly.

Chris furrowed her brow and considered Gretchen's advice. Did that mean if she ended up liking a purse or a cute skirt at some point, she should just go with the flow and embrace it? The full scope of her life changes were hard to fully grasp. "When I found out I was going to become-- well," she gestured toward her body. "I decided I'm not going to live in denial. I'm going to do my best."

"You're doing better than I would in the same scenario," Gretchen chuckled in response.

"HEY!!" An energized male voice suddenly sounded from off to the bench's left.

Chris's eyes widened as she froze in place. Her blood ran cold while her heart simultaneously pounded in her chest. There was only one person that voice could belong to.

"Rodrick!" Gretchen bolted to her feet, running over as she wrapped her arms around her dear friend.

"Oh my god, it's so damn good to see you," Rodrick replied, embracing Gretchen with a warm hug. The tall, well-muscled wolf-man wore a fitted red tee shirt and jeans. His muscle definition clearly showed through the fabric. "How are you? Where's Chris?" He asked as his ears perked and his tail wildly flicked about.

Chris clenched and unclenched her hands, taking a slow breath. 'Everything is fine,' she reminded herself. She stood to her feet and turned toward Rodrick, who was about ten yards away and still hugging Gretchen. "H-- Hey! Yeah, that's me."

Rodrick looked wide-eyed toward Chris. As Gretchen pulled back from the hug, Rodrick took several steps forward, scanning Chris with his eyes. "Chris??"

Chris couldn't remember the last time she felt so anxious, probably a couple of days prior, when she finished changing. "Yeah-- wild, huh? I understand if this is weird for you."

"What!? Weird?" Rodrick balked, closing the distance between them until they were only a few feet away. "You-- how do I say this," Rodrick rapidly blinked, trying to keep himself focused. "You look absolutely amazing, and your voice is like silk. I can't imagine what you've been through, but-- man. You're completely gorgeous."

Chris's face flushed a deep crimson. When Rodrick complimented her in such a way, her anxiety melted away and was replaced by a different feeling. What was it? Was she flustered?

Gretchen sighed and gently punched Rodrick in the arm. "Dial it back a little. I know your heart's in the right place."

Rodrick scratched his head, his tail drooping. "Oh, yeah. Sorry-- I guess I'm being a little dumb. Can I still hug you?" He asked hopefully. Male or female, Rodrick was one to offer hugs and affection to those he cared for.

Chris noticed Rodrick's musculature, feeling a slight pang of envy that she would never have a masculine physique like that. There was another feeling, though. But what? She felt like she had to re-learn how to handle emotions now that estrogen ravaged her body.

"Yeah...  I suppose that's fine," Chris replied. Without any delay, she watched as Rodrick stepped forward and gently pulled her to his chest, wrapping her up into a warm hug.   Her eyes widened as a torrent of emotion ripped through her. He was so warm-- so kind, and he hadn't rejected her in any way. She buried her face against his chest, reaching up as she gripped his chest with a trembling hand.

Rodrick tilted his head slightly, still holding Chris. "Is everything okay? I missed you, and I was so worried about you." He wanted to fawn over how amazing his dear friend's new body was, but he knew this wasn't the place or time.

Tears fell from Chris's face, her body trembling as she slowly shook her head. Where did these emotions come from? What was she even feeling right now? A strange combination of overwhelming relief, grief, and confusion. "I-- I know it's stupid...  I thought you would treat me weird-- or, I don't know. I don't even understand what I'm trying to say. I can't make words." Chris struggled to coherently string her thoughts together into a sentence.

"It's okay. I understand you loud and clear," Rodrick warmly responded. "All I want is to have a movie night with you and Gretchen as soon as possible. Besides, you'll be way more fun since you can eat and do much more! Err-- not that you weren't fun before. Do you know what I'm trying to say?"

Chris's lips curled into a slight smile. "I feel your intent...  Thank you." She sighed as she finally started to calm down. With Rodrick here, she felt like she had finally picked up enough pieces of her life to trudge forward and into the unknown.

In the distance, a skinny, filthy man with stringy, greasy brown hair and a long beard shambled through the park, holding a sign. "SEGREGATE THE MUTANTS! MAKE WITCHCRAFT ILLEGAL!" The man screamed while spitting through his half-missing teeth. On his sign, read the words 'VOTE YES FOR REGULATION!'.













CHAPTER END

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