Part 3

Very much against my expectations, the three friends didn’t just show me where to find the bus stop, no they insisted on escorting me the entire way there. During the five minutes walk, I learned that the girl’s name was Katia but she preferred Katy. The tall guy, whose skin was so covered in colorful tattoos that I only now realized he was of Afro-American descent, was called Markus. And lastly, the puppy twink went by the name of Sil, which was apparently short for Sylvester.

I also learned that both Sil and Katy still went to school but Markus had finished last year and was now struggling to find a stable job to help out his family. I didn’t ask where they had gotten the money to pay for their mods but I could guess that it wasn’t something you’d talk about with a random stranger. When they had asked where I was going to school I had quickly come up with the story that I was a student from London on a trip to see Neo-York. To be fair most of that was only half of a lie. I had a British accent, I had actually gone to a private school in my teenage years and I had grown up in London too. It was after all best to incorporate as much truth into any cover story as possible.

Another thing that stood out as I walked with them was how a lot of people made an effort to stay out of the group's way. At other times though they were greeted with a wave and a smile. While I didn’t quite get the specific implications, it was very obvious that their little outfit had already gained some reputation. If it was a good or bad one, I could only guess; like with so many things, time would tell.

While the distance between the bazaar and the bus stop wasn’t actually that far, these did feel like some of the longest five minutes I had ever experienced. The entire time Katy was not missing a single second to ask me all kinds of questions. How old was I? Was I in a relationship? Were my claws really as sharp as they looked? Had I dyed my hair silver or was it a gene mod? How was my tail moving so incredibly realistically? I did my best to answer any question as vague as possible but this girl had a way of talking you into a mental stranglehold, that wasn’t at all funny! Thankfully I was saved from her interrogation by the very timely arrival of one of the driverless busses.

While the first part of this day had been a wild ride of experiences and situations, the actual ride on the bus was almost disturbingly boring. I paid the ticket with one of my none registered chits and walked down the car in search of a good seat. While some of the few people on the bus were staring at my appearance the only real trouble was in finding a seat I could actually use. It hadn’t been an issue at the bazaar but now I had to realize just how unsuited my body was for sitting in a chair.

The problem being in this case, my tail. While I could wrap it around my waist in some way, the length and lacking flexibility made sitting down a hassle. And so with a disappointed sigh, I had to accept to stand the entire time. ‘Seriously nothing in this world is made for people with bodies like mine! Before I start changing the human form, I should introduce species inclusivity first…’

When the bus finally stopped close to Kassandra’s district, I almost couldn’t bring myself to actually leave the vehicle. Just what was I going to tell her? Gathering what little courage I could muster I jumped out and began walking towards her apartment block. Yet, still, I couldn’t keep myself from pondering. How would she react to me having become not only another species but in part quite possibly even another person entirely? Even if I was still trying to convince myself that I was the same person as before, deep in me I had already understood the truth.

Dr. Janavar Foster had died yesterday, who I was now even if I still clung to my old name I truly couldn’t say. But the one thing I did know, was that I still wanted to be with Kassandra. Ironic wasn’t it, even after what basically counted as dying and being reborn I still clung to the one person that had ever truly received my own kindness. How would I even begin to explain this to anyone? ‘Hi, Kassandra! You might not recognize me but I am totally still the Janavar you knew. Even if I look like a teenage drake-girl I’m obviously the same forty-year-old woman you engaged in BDSM with… Yeah, like hell that is going to work.’

The closer I came to her apartment, the worse my anxiety flared up. When I went up the stairs of her building and reached the correct floor, I had lost all will to go on. What would I do if she didn’t recognize me? Worse even what if she was one of the people that died and I had no chance of ever seeing her again! ‘No! No, stop it right now Janavar. I am being irrational, there is no way of telling what will happen so agonizing over possibilities is not going to help! For the love of it, I am forty years old, I should stop acting like an angsty little girl already!’

I breathe once in and out again to calm my nerves then stepped forward the last few meters and pressed the bell. The sound it made was almost like death chimes to my ears and it didn’t help that the surroundings were just as silent as a graveyard. I waited for a minute before pressing the bell again but once more nothing happened. I glanced around the small floor and by now I was properly worried. Something odd was going on here, and the beast in me went from anxious to straight-up agitated.

There was a pressure in the air I only now noticed, it was as if something dark and intangible had taken a hold of the surrounding’s aura. Swallowing my growing worries I focused on the new sight my body had gifted me. The very moment I opened myself to the other side I would have almost recoiled from the sensation. A quick check told me that there was only one entity on this entire floor. No pulses came from the apartments to my left and right, but what came from Kassandra’s almost threatened to drown out even my normal senses.

If I had to describe the feeling in words I would have gone with malice. A powerful aura was coming from inside her apartment, an aura that was not even trying to hide. Instead, it practically radiated a promise of pain and suffering, it was so pronounced I wouldn’t have been surprised if even normal people could sense it. For me, it was both like a beacon calling out for me to come and take it and like a terrible effigy of barely contained dark intent that would just rip me apart if it noticed my existence.

A nervous chuckle escaped me as I took in the true scope of this aura. “Okay, maybe this is normal for Kassandra on a bad day? I mean who doesn’t turn into an overpowering edge lord when their girlfriend touches a magical rift... hahaha! I really don’t want to open this door anymore Kassy, you certainly made your point clear.” Even if my mouth was saying one thing and my mind screamed for me to turn around and leave, my body acted against it. Without even realizing it I had already taken out the spare key I had for the door and got closer. My tail nervously swaying behind me, I turned the lock and pressed the door open.

“Hello? Anyone here? Kassandra?” I didn’t get an answer, but I could almost swear the presence was moving. Once I was actually in the apartment I was surprised both by the utter lack of light and by the fact that I could no longer pinpoint the origin of the aura around me. It was more like it was everywhere at the same time, which honestly was rather unnerving. I almost gave in to the consideration to change to my more powerful form but suppressed it for now in favour of trying the diplomatic approach. I did still clung very tightly to Mr. Fluffy Butt before I had the courage to speak up again.

“Kassy?” I stepped forward to where I knew the kitchen had to be and suddenly heard the door slamming close and being locked. “Okay, very creepy! I’m no longer sure if you are Kassandra but if you are, please stop this now!” In spite of my body practically yelling at me to change now, I stood strong and only a little scared. “So, I’m gonna turn on the lights now. If you’re a vampire please tell me beforehand!” I slowly reached for the closest switch still surveying the darkness for any kind of movement but before my hand could touch it something heavy slammed into my back.

“Don’t scream little lizard, and certainly do. Not. Move!” The last word was underlined by four sharp claws digging into my unprotected throat. I would have nodded but honestly, I was both short of either peeing myself or growing wet in another sense. So instead I just lay there waiting for the woman I hoped to be Kassandra to speak again. Thankfully it seemed as if my patience and submission seemed to pay off, for the pressure on my back receded slightly.

“This is odd. Normally your kind responds with more aggression. Say little one, did the courtiers tell you why you were sent here, what the purpose for it was, or did they just promise you something shiny and you happily jumped into this reality?” ‘What? I have no clue what she is talking about!’

When I didn’t immediately answer the woman dug her claws deeper into my skin. “Speak, worm!”

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what you mean! Are you Kassandra?” Her claws held in at that.

“I am. You’re not the first to know my name, but you are the first to speak it with such familiarity... such emotion. Why is this?”

“For fuck's sake! It’s me! Janavar!” Her grip tightened again almost painfully so.

“How do you know that name! I never told that bitch about her, I never let anyone know! SPEAK!”

“Oww! Stop twisting my arms like this! How are you even holding both my arms while having another hand on my throat? No matter, just turn on the fucking light already!”

“The lights don’t work dumbass, they are just an illusion conjured up from my mind. Like everything else in this damned cage...”

“Uhm, no they are not? How would that even work? You can’t touch an illusion, and I for sure touched the key I used to open your stupid door.”

“Wait, you did what? A key? Hold on, how do you even know the concept of a light switch? No other visitor understood technology... Maybe... no, this has to be a trick from that queen bitch. As soon as I buy into your words it will all turn out to be another test!” ‘Seriously if this was Kassandra how had she grown so dense and paranoid?’

“Okay, I don’t know how else to explain it to you, but there are no illusions! This is your actual apartment and if you don’t hit that fucking light switch right now, I will turn into my dumb as rocks beast form and let her deal with your shit!”

“Beast form? No sane drake would ever call their true form like that... alright, I will try it.”

I expected her to get off me, but she only shifted her weight and I heard the unmistakable click of a switch. Even knowing that it would happen, I still released an annoyed growl as I was suddenly blinded. I barely even registered the weight leaving my back and only turned around when I heard a shocked gasp.

“It can’t be? I’m... home?”

Having the colourful spots finally recede from my vision I took one look at the person in front of me and was immediately puzzled.

“What the fuck are you?”

Before me stood a sight as if straight out of an Alice in wonderland movie. It was humanoid with a torso, arms, legs, and a single pair of breasts. It also had a mostly human face if ignoring the sharp teeth and cat-like eyes and ears but that was basically where next to any human resemblance stopped. The most obvious feature where the four arms that where currently trying to hide both her secondary and primary sexual characteristics. In addition to being two more arms than was normal, the underarms and hands where more akin to a cat’s appendages than a human's. Or in other words, the woman before me had fluffy black paws, which honestly just seemed incredibly impractical in my opinion. When I looked down I saw that her legs too where covered in sleek fur and ended in paws. Aside from this, the next odd feature was a skin that was almost dark grey. But to be fair grey skin covering her athletic body was by far less weird, than the last thing my gaze fell upon. ‘Are those... tentacles sprouting from her back?’

“Uhm, could you please not stare at me like that? This the first time anyone but my queen has seen me clearly in this form.” ‘Queen? What the fuck happened in the last few hours that I was away!? Also, what’s with the subby reaction!’

“Are you really Kassandra? Because all I’m seeing is a blushing alien kitty cat...”

“Huh!? Of course, I am Kassandra! Anyone would be ashamed of showing off such a changed body to another person!”

“Is that... so?” I really wish that I had the power to only raise a single eyebrow because I was of the opinion that my face didn’t look disbelieving enough. Instead, I just motioned at my own body and even turned around to let her get a good look. “You know, you are kind of shouting into the void right now.”

“Wait a second, your voice and face... is that really you Jany?” ‘Ugh! I hated that nickname and only one person had ever used it before. This... this was awkward.’

“Yep, right here in the flesh.”

Even before this day, I had known to expect weird things from Kassandra at times but what I had never expected her to do, was her to tackle me to the ground and hug me like a stuffed animal. For a full minute, she didn't speak but just pressed me as tightly to her form as was possible. And let me tell you four arms have a lot of power, I almost feared she would suffocate me but after another extra strong hug, she released me with tears forming in her eyes.

“Oh, Janavar. You have no idea how happy I am to finally see you again!”

“And here I thought I was the bottom in our relationship... Kassy could you explain to me what the heck is going on and why you look like an alien cat girl?”

“Oh, true. This would be rather weird for most people. So, I guess technically I now count as a Fey from the Unseelie Court, but you are probably referring to the race my cunt of a queen turned me into. That would be a displacer beast!”

“Okay. That... sounded like it was supposed to be an explanation but honestly now I am more confused than before.”

“I guess I have some explaining to do?”

‘Hell yeah, you do Kassandra!!!’