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Chris sat awkwardly on the edge of her tub, wearing only shorts and a tee-shirt. “I don’t need to strip down any farther, right?” She hesitantly asked.
Dr. Rowena smiled as she put her supplies on the sink ledge. “That should be fine! You might get wet, but you can just change, right?”
“Yeah-- right,” Chris agreed with a nod.
“Perfect” Elenor beamed, her fluffy white tail flicking about. She then blinked and glanced down at herself. “Oh yeah… Just a moment; stay right here. I brought something since I thought I might get wet myself.” With that, she stood and left the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Chris tilted her head, watching as the snow-white cat Demi left. “Huh.” She took a slow, deep breath and fidgeted with her hands in her lap, feeling more anxious than she thought she would. Why did she feel this way? What was there to be stressed about beyond the usual problems that arise when learning to deal with her case of transience? After a minute of pondering, she shook her head and sighed. Honestly, she wasn’t sure. She’d been learning so much lately, that she may have simply been overwhelmed. There were lessons about fashion and clothes, makeup, feminine needs, and more. On top of that, she had to deal with how her family and loved ones processed her transformation.
‘At least they’ve been awesome,’ she mused, thinking of Gretchen and Rodrick. She was mildly frustrated by the fact that the conjured image of either friend in her mind made her feel flustered. Her sexuality had been a strong point of personal contention, and it wasn’t something she’d figure out overnight.
“I’m back,” Dr. Rowena said warmly as she opened the door and stepped in.
Chris looked up and blushed suddenly upon seeing the doctor. She wore a blue bikini top and a small, form-fitting set of women’s swimming trunks, showing off the curves of her body and the luscious, glossy fur covering her supple, toned form. “Oh-- umm,” she stammered, averting her eyes. “Swimwear… Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
Elenor walked over and sat in the tub cross-legged, turning the water on as she started to adjust the temperature. “I hope this isn’t inappropriate,” she said softly. “I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“You’re fine,” Chris quickly replied, forcing a smile. “I mean-- err… We’re both women now, right?” Saying it out loud was still bizarre. They were both women, meaning Dr. Rowena and herself had the same anatomy. Admittedly, she found herself far more comfortable with the prospect of making new female friends over new male friends. She was well aware of the fact a large percentage of men would likely attempt to put moves on her if they interacted privately, and that was not something she wished to deal with. Honestly, Rodrick was probably the only male she’d feel comfortable and happy spending alone time with, not counting her brothers or father, which would be awkward for different reasons.
Elenor cast the vixen a sympathetic look. “I’m sure it still must be strange thinking that way. You’ve decided to live as a woman, right?”
After a few seconds, Chris hesitantly nodded. “Y-- Yeah,” she conceded. “I have nothing but respect for the trans community and those who deal with dysphoria, but I feel deep down that living as a female in the social sense would be best for me. It’s not like being a woman is some awful curse, after all.”
Dr. Rowena smiled. “Definitely not,” she agreed. “Personally, I consider it a blessing. I love dressing up, and the way people see and treat me as a woman. I can be cute, expressive, and as feminine as I want without anyone giving it a second thought.” She paused briefly and pursed her lips. “Don’t get me wrong. Women face a lot of danger in society, for sure. There are plenty with ill intentions, and you’ll run into men who aren’t good at accepting ‘I'm not interested’ as an answer,” she continued. “But, if I had to weigh the overall pros and cons of femininity, I wouldn’t give it up for anything. That’s just me, though.”
With that, Elenor started to gently pour warm water over Chris’s tail. “I’ll show you the ropes, so pay attention,” she beamed with a kind smile.
“Right,” Chris nodded, briefly shivering at the sensation of her sensitive tail getting wetted. The sensation was only a brief distraction before Dr. Rowena’s words came to her mind’s forefront. There were absolutely pros and cons of womanhood from what she’d experienced so far. She considered how nice strangers usually were to her, and the peculiar sense of satisfaction she felt when getting properly-fitted clothes and when getting preened by a hair stylist. The non gender-related boons like her youthful vigor, good health, and greatly enhanced senses helped as well. Then again, when she recalled that drunkard who essentially assaulted her, and the distressingly confusing emotions elicited by the raging hormones within her, it was hard to know exactly where she stood regarding her new existence. The soreness in her breasts and dull aching beneath her navel didn’t help matters.
“Make sure you fully lather it,” Elenor instructed. “The shampoo should coat every inch of your tail fur once dampened. Massage slowly and methodically…”
Chris nodded absently, catching enough of the doctor’s words to more or less understand what was required. At least the warm water and lathering of her tail felt pleasant; honestly, it was quite enjoyable. ‘What a pain.’ Why did she keep cycling through the same thoughts and lamentations? There was also the matter of her magic. How much more was there to learn? What was really going on around town with all the strange happenings? Why did she suddenly crave matcha so badly?
“Matcha…” Chris suddenly mumbled, her ears twitching.
Elenor offered a curious look. “Pardon?”
"Life is confusing and annoying, I think I’m going through some stupid freakin’ hormonal cycle, and I suddenly want matcha,” Chris grunted, hanging her head in defeat. “Like-- if I don’t get some today, I might literally go insane and start sobbing… I think I’m broken,” she whined.
“Oh, I see,” Elenor laughed. “Cravings during a cycle are quite normal. Even after years of experience, it can be hard to feel completely rational and in control during a particularly bad cycle, so don’t feel bad.”
“I don’t want to be irrational, though,” Chris huffed, turning her head away in frustration. “I want to be in control-- I want to have full control over myself. What a damned pain.”
The doctor shook her head. “If we had full control in life, transience wouldn’t be a thing. When we’re done here, let’s go to the matcha cafe that opened recently,” she insisted. “Gorge yourself on green goodness and let out as many emotions as needed.”
Chris cast Elenor an incredulous look. “I just give into my emotions? Shouldn’t I try to fight to stay in control or whatever?”
“If your emotions were telling you to do bad things, then sure,” Dr. Rowena shrugged before starting to rinse off Chris’s tail. “But if your emotions are telling you to eat matcha, why not indulge? You’ve been through hell and your metabolism is likely through the roof anyways. Just indulge and enjoy yourself.”
Chris blinked. “Oh.” She had a point. “Maybe you’re right. Self-soothing isn’t a bad thing.”
“And, when you get the treat you want so badly, you’ll feel so much happiness and relief, you might almost be happy you’re going through a cycle,” Dr. Rowena teased.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Chris blushed, shivering again as Elenor rinsed the shampoo from her tail before applying conditioner.
“Not that far? Maybe just halfway, then,” the doctor quipped with a giggle.
Chris was happy to let Elenor drive, sitting in the passenger seat next to her. She hadn’t driven herself much lately, but with everything on her plate, she didn’t mind letting others chauffeur her around. Before they left, it struck Chris that she’d be going out while covered in fur. After putting up some resistance, the doctor reminded her that they’d be cute furry girls together. That prospect soon convinced her to take the plunge.
“And it took like three whole weeks for my huskies to stop freaking out! Oh my god, they’re already enough of a pain in the ass,” Dr. Rowena groaned, continuing on with the story of life after she became an adorable catgirl.
Chris laughed weakly in response. “I can imagine.” She was learning much about her doctor. She was undeniably smart, but could also be a little bit of an airhead at times. When sharing stories, she seemed to get into some kinda ‘zone’ where she excitedly shared as much as possible. Honestly, the fox was thankful for those qualities right now. With as often as she got lost in her own head, having someone who could carry on conversations without much prompting in response was something of a boon. Also, Elenor was really cute, and even more so when telling stories where ears and tail would react according to the emotions on display.
“They can be a handful, but I love them so much… When we’re sitting down, can I show you some pictures?” Elenor asked hopefully.
Chris saw how desperately Dr. Rowena wanted to talk about her pets and couldn’t help but let out a small laugh in response. “Of course; I’d be upset if you didn’t. You’ve hyped them up, so they’d better be cute,” she teased.
“They are!” Elenor insisted. “The cutest!”
As they drove down a city street, something caught Chris’s attention from the corner of her eyes. Upon glancing toward an alley way, she swore she saw-- something. A shadow that looked off-- or something moving within it. ‘It could be anything,’ she mused. So, why did it feel so off? A chill ran down her spine and a faint metallic scent hit her nostrils.
Soon after, they parked at a meter with Elenor exclaiming it would be a short walk from there. Chris nodded and got out with her, taking a slow breath as her heart rate picked up. Everyone would see her as a fluffy fox; what would they think? Would a lot of people stare? Also, what was that? She looked toward the opposite side of the street, gazing into the shadows cast into a small parking garage. For a brief moment, she swore she saw a blue, ring-like glow, but upon blinking it was gone.
“You okay?” The doctor asked softly, stopping her story as she looked back over her shoulder.
Chris realized she was a solid twenty steps behind Elenor. “N-- no, sorry! Just nervous being out like this,” she insisted, trotting to catch up.
“I understand,” the cat woman replied. “If it becomes too much at some point, just let me know.”
Chris caught a couple giving them looks. Not bad looks, but still. She glanced toward them before looking at Elenor. “R-- Right. Thanks,” she agreed as they walked off together.
The short trip to the matcha cafe was uneventful. The looks they got made her uncomfortable, but having the unphased kitty by her side helped immensely. She tried to get her mind away from all the concerning distractions. That scent was nothing, and the things she saw from the corner of her eye were just her imagination. She was stressed and this was merely a symptom of said stress. It was a nice day out, and she was with a vibrant, fun, and cute person.
‘Dr. Rowena and matcha…’ She forced herself to focus on those two things. The food she craved and the person she was with. Nothing else mattered.
Finally, they reached the cafe and were mutually impressed by the interior of ‘Matcha Maiden,’ which was a mix of traditional Japanese aesthetics and something more modern. Chris approached the counter and looked at the menu, feeling herself start to salivate. She could smell the matcha in the air-- it was all around her.
“Hello! How can I help you?” The woman behind the counter smiled, showing no outward signs of surprise at the nature of her customers.
“O-- oh, yes,” Chris nodded. “Can I get a large cold matcha latte float with matcha soft serve? And an order of the intense matcha tea cookies,” she added.
“I’ll try a hojicha latte float with hojicha softserve,” Dr. Rowena added. “And… Lets try the matcha tiramisu. This will all be on one check; it’s my treat today.”
As they approached a booth near the back, Chris looked at the doctor with red cheeks. “You don’t have to pay for me-- I can afford it,” she said quietly. She wasn’t great at accepting gifts and kindness.
"Nonsense. If you try to pay for yourself, I’ll turn feral and bite,” the doctor grinned slyly, taking her seat.
Chris sat across from her and merely nodded, sitting forward as she adjusted her tail. “Thank you, then. I appreciate it.”
“Any time!”
As Dr. Rowena shared another story, a feeling of icy dread crept through Chris. She wasn’t sure how, or why she felt this way, but she was almost confident something bad was going to happen. Not necessarily to her or Elenor, but nearby. A nondistinct boiling point was being reached and would lead only to bad things. ‘Am I losing my mind?’ She mused, clenching her knee while forcing a smile and nodding in response to the doctor’s story. She was afraid she’d have her answer very soon.
CHAPTER END
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