A Season in Transition

The young figure sat in a tense position, back straight with fingers clenched, swiveling back and forth on the chair in the sterile, if cozy, doctor’s office. The walls were white with a couple painting adorning it; nothing particularly artful, the commercial kind featuring flowers or a landscape and a one word phrase that could be applied to any half-competent blend of colors and shapes.
The room was quiet save for the monotonous sound of the ceiling fan, the muffled conversations from the reception area, and the pleasant pattering of light rain against the window. The chair squeaked as the nervous figure spun slowly, hands nervously tugging at loose threads and playing with stray hairs.
It was almost a relief when the door opened and the doctor walked back in, holding the same metal clipboard he’d left with. The older man put a rectangular metal case on the counter near the sink and looked over the paperwork, pulling out his pen and looking at the patient.
“Kaoru, wasn’t it?”
The seated patient nodded lightly, “Y, yes sir.”
The doctor nodded and scratched something out on the clipboard and wrote over it, “We’ll be sure to get that fixed for your next appointment.”
A smile tugged at Kaoru’s lips, the first sense of relief since arriving nearly two hours ago for an hour of questions and an additional half hour of waiting.
“And your preference is,” the gray-haired doctor scribbled a few notes as he spoke, “non-gendered?”
Kaoru nodded again, their shoulders relaxing a bit.
“Excellent, Mx Greendrake.”
Kaoru’s breath caught in their throat and their heart jumped. The doctor’s voice was clinical and emotionless, but it was still the first time they’d heard someone say it out loud, let alone in direct reference to them.
A soft chuckle from the doctor pulled their attention back to him, warmth rippling through their cheeks.
“Haven’t been using the name long, have you?”
“I, I just,” they blushed deeper, “I mean, online, yeah, my friends there all know me as Kaoru, but I’ve never really had, you know,” they trailed off and turned away, cheeks burning.
There was another soft laugh and a hand on their shoulder. Kaoru turned back to see a warm smile on the doctor’s face.
“That’s fine, it’s why you’re here, right? So people can see the real you.”
Kaoru sighed softly.
“Alright. I have a few things to go over with you today, some process stuff, what to expect, some concerns about how things might go, mostly stuff you’ve read online, I’m sure.”
Kaoru sat up straight on the stool and nodded, folding their hands nervously in their lap.
“Looking at your blood work, age, and general health, the process should be without concerns or complications, but we’ve scheduled a follow-up each month just to be on the safe side, at least for now. The entire process will take about five months, give or take a couple weeks. We’re starting in spring, which is about the best time to start, as the warmer weather will be more comfortable for you. As your features develop, the new tissue will be very temperature sensitive, so keep that in mind.”
The doctor motioned to the metal case he’d put on the counter, “Today’s shot is mostly a prep. It metabolizes throughout your body and sort of,” he paused for a moment, “in layman’s terms, it softens the cells to allow the future shots to reform them, if that makes sense.”
Kaoru nodded.
“You may experience chills or hot flashes as a result, since your body’s homeostasis is thrown off balance by the reaction. This is perfectly normal, just be sure to stay hydrated and comfortable when possible. Additionally, some patients report psychosomatic effects. Things like ear and nose twitching, ghost appendages, and feeling like nails are growing sharper than before. These are perfectly normal, but this shot doesn’t carry any unique DNA, so none of the changes will start before the next injection.”
Kaoru patted their hands nervously on their legs.
“I realize you’re anxious to get started, but this is a slow process and you need to be a patient patient,” he chuckled.
Kaoru perked up and laughed a bit in response, tension dissipating with the chuckle.
“If you change your mind about this.”
“I won’t,” Kaoru interrupted.
The doctor met their gaze and nodded, “Most people don’t, but this is information you should know as an informed patient.” The doctor retained his smile as he continued, “If you change your mind before the next shot, then we don’t need to do anything. After a couple months, the injection is completely metabolized and your levels will return to normal. After the transition starts, however, there is some work involved with a reversion, and it’s unlikely you’d fully return to how you look now, but it is doable if that’s a path you want to explore.”
Kaoru took a deep breath and nodded.
The doctor put the clipboard down and picked up the clean metal case, “Alright, if you’re ready, roll up your sleeve for me and we’ll get started.”
Kaoru reached for the short sleeve of their t-shirt, then paused. This was it, this was really it. The months of planning after the years of contemplation; long talks with family and friends, most resulting in congratulatory affirmations but a few resulting in harsh goodbyes. Sleepless nights dreaming about this moment and what came next for them. The exams, the scheduling, and the consultations.
All of it leading to this one moment.
The soft tapping of pleather on polished tile pulled their attention back to the exam room. With a soft apology to the doctor, Kaoru quickly pulled their sleeve up.
“No worries,” the doctor chuckled, pulling a metal device similar to a vacutainer from the case, a small cup-like device with a long needle at the base. He set the case down on the counter again and started prep on Kaoru’s arm, talking as he cleaned the injection site. “The first injection is a short prep shot, then the second one is a longer injection that will take a few minutes and may start to feel sore. Just try to relax as best you can and it’ll be over before you know it.”
Kaoru’s breath caught in their throat as the doctor inserted the needle with practiced smoothness, quickly and nearly painlessly finding the correct position. The doctor pulled the first vial from the case and inserted it into the injector, the clear liquid within draining into their body, spreading a slight coolness down their arm, weakening as it coursed through the rest of their body.
The doctor removed the empty vial and dropped it into a receptacle before taking the second, larger vial from the case. The liquid in this one was more opaque; soft syrupy swirls within caused the even florescent light above to cascade softly against the walls and floor. The doctor verified the label on the vial before showing it to Kaoru to verify their information was accurate.
This one stung.
The doctor put his free hand on Kaoru’s shoulder as the liquid spread through their body; almost painfully chilly at first before biting warmth set in. It put them on edge and made their muscles twitch. Within a minute, their entire body felt uncomfortably warm.
“You’re doing fine, Kaoru,” the doctor reassured with a soft squeeze of their shoulder, “we’re halfway done, just stay calm for me and relax. Try counting backwards from one-hundred.”
Kaoru nodded, taking a deep breath and counted sharply between breaths.
“And we’re finished.”
Kaoru turned to the doctor in surprise, “W, wait, what? But you said-“
“Halfway?” the doctor chuckled as he carefully removed the empty vial and readied the bandage for the injection site, “yeah, I find it helps patients if they think it’ll take longer than it does.”
“Does that work?”
“Do you feel relieved now?”
Kaoru smiled softly, “Y, yeah, I guess so.”
“Then it worked,” the doctor removed the needle and taped a bandage over the site. “That should be fine to remove in a couple of hours. It’s normal for it to feel sore for a day or so, as well as some residual chills or brief cramps. All perfectly normal.”
Kaoru nodded, absently rubbing the bandage.
“Alright,” the doctor made a couple notes on his clipboard, “if you have no other questions, I’ll leave you to take a moment and then you can sign out at the front desk.” The doctor stood up and opened the door, then turned back to the youth, “oh, and Mx Greendrake, congratulations on starting your journey.”
Kaoru smiled and nodded as the doctor left. They sat silently, listening to the light rain as they rubbed the bandage softly, focused on their breathing.
This was it, it was really happening.
Kaoru stood up, grabbed their jacket and umbrella and headed for the front desk to sign out.

Even knowing the first shot was preparation, that it didn’t functionally change anything about their appearance, Kaoru’s spirits were already swelling. The next few days, despite feeling sore, tired, chilly, sweaty, sleepy, anxious, and exhausted, felt like they were walking on clouds.
After a couple days to make sure there were no major side effects, Kaoru returned to work, intent on keeping life as normal as possible until the next appointment when things would really start happening.
Despite some long days and uniformly slow weekends, the plan mostly worked. Even before the next visit, Kaoru could swear their body felt different, that their proportions were shifting, that their shoulders felt sore and their tailbone was more sensitive, as though their will alone had started the changes ahead of schedule.
It was all phantom sensations and wishful thinking of course, but soon enough, they’d get to experience those sensations, and so much more, for real.
The second appointment was in early June. Its arrival felt sudden after such an anxious wait. It went much as the first had, with the same doctor checking in to make sure Kaoru felt fine and was still intent on their transition.
They felt great and were as ready as ever.
Part of them expected to sprout wings and a tail right there in the exam room after the second shot, as though their true self had simply been waiting for the proper cue to burst free.
In reality it was just Kaoru’s wishful imagination getting the better of them once again.
As the doctor had so intently informed them, it would be about a week before there were any visible changes.
And so Kaoru checked every morning when they woke up, standing before the mirror in their loose boxers, searching from head to toe, front and back, for any signs of changes. It was on the ninth day after the shot that the routine brought about its first real discovery.

Kaoru grunted softly as they rose from bed, a shock of soreness rolling down their back as muscles woke up. They pushed to a seated position, gasping as a sensitive spot in their lower back pressed uncomfortably against the mattress. Instinctive concern gave them a momentary pause before realization set in and a soft smile played across their face.
This was it; today was the day.
Kaoru bounced to their feet with a second grunt as another wave of dull pain rippled through their back.
“Alright,” they sighed, nodding to themselves, “gonna have to take it easy, got it.”
In nothing more than their boxers, they walked gently down the hall to the bathroom, the only illumination coming from the dull gray of a cloudy morning. As Kaoru flicked on the bathroom lights and turned to the mirror, they half expected to see a green-scaled dragon staring back.
They were disappointed to see a bland softly-masculine face reflected in the dingy glass.
Kaoru sighed, “Right, don’t be disappointed, the doctor said it would be slow, just take it day by day and be a patient patient.”
They set about their morning routine, starting with brushing their teeth. Kaoru was reminded of their sore back when they reached into the medicine cabinet for their toothpaste, and could have sworn their fingernails were darker than last they’d checked, but in the weak incandescent light, they couldn’t be sure. With a disappointed sigh, they started brushing their teeth.
Kaoru tensed as a shock of pain radiated through their teeth.
They stood crumpled over the sink for several seconds as the pain dwindled in pulses. Cautiously, they ran their tongue over their teeth. No pain, everything felt fine. With a deep breath, they put the toothbrush back in their mouth, gently brushing. No pain, no sensitivity.
It wasn’t until Kaoru applied pressure that they realized the problem.
The pain wasn’t the same sensitivity as a cavity or gum infection; it was like pushing against a bruise, mostly dull but spiking in intensity beyond a certain threshold of pressure. With this discovery in mind, Kaoru took their time to softly brush their teeth, avoiding agitating the gums as much as possible and applying only the lightest pressure to their teeth.
Prompted by the pain in their jaw, Kaoru examined themselves in more detail. They looked closely in the mirror at their facial features and ran their fingers over their face and body to find any tactile details that might be too small to notice visually. Despite knowing exactly how they wanted to look, they had very little idea how the physical transition would actually progress.
It’s odd how one can miss some of the most practical and obvious details at times.
In addition to their teeth being more sensitive, there were two hard bumps, similar to bug bites, at their hairline, on either side of their forehead. They felt odd, not exactly sensitive, but the sensation of touching them was different than touching human skin.
Kaoru’s ears also felt different. Though they looked the same, the skin felt rougher than before and the fine fuzz that normally covered them was gone, leaving only bare skin.
The smile on Kaoru’s face grew with each small change they found. Though nearly invisible, they were the first physical signs of actual change. Things were really happening, and it put a spring in their step.
Though not that much spring, as bouncing made their back hurt.
After brushing their hair and washing their face, Kaoru returned to their room to get dressed for the day. They changed into a clean pair of boxers and a still clean enough pair of black jeans, then sat on the bed to put on their shoes, where they were once more reminded of the sensitive spot in their lower back.
Their footwear revealed another change; their feet were changing too. It wasn’t outright painful, but their socks rubbed uncomfortably against sensitive skin, and their sneakers, though worn in and pliable from years of jogging, felt constricting and wrong around their feet.
Kaoru managed to lace them up for today, but realized they’d need to switch over to something looser in the next couple days, depending on how fast their feet changed and how sensitive things got.
Pulling their loose black shirt on revealed two more mildly sensitive spots in their upper back. Kaoru spent some time rotating their shoulders and neck and pulling the shirt against their shoulder blades to tease and tickle the spots. Unlike their teeth and feet, they weren’t pain points, at least not yet, and felt more like rubbing a tired muscle or scratching a faint itch. The mild pleasant sensation allowed Kaoru to enjoy the indication of real change without having to be overly gentle with their actions.
Bolstered by the pleasant massage and apparent changes, Kaoru had a soft smile and bright cheeks as they set out to start their day.
Ten minutes later, with fresh brewed coffee and a cherry scone in hand, they plopped down in in front of their home computer to start their day, where they were again reminded to be gentle with their lower back.
Freelance graphic design wasn’t the most glamorous or consistent profession, but it did allow for a few welcome perks in relation to Kaoru’s transition; not only were they able to work from home, as they did in a majority of cases anyway, they could plan to take fewer jobs as time went on, giving them more free time to focus on taking care of their medical needs.
Additionally, the employers they had contracted with were all very accommodating, if not outright congratulatory. Their current Outsourcing Manager became especially excited, talking about how their nephew had recently finished their own transition, and how much brighter and optimistic they’d become since growing their tail.
The well wishes and warm stories only added to Kaoru’s excitement for their own changes over the next few months.

Day over day, the changes came both too fast and too slow. Sore spots swelled into lumps, lumps took on soft shapes as muscle and bone replaced fat. After only a couple additional weeks from noticing the first few changes, their sandals had become too uncomfortable to wear; the straps rubbed at their rough skin and the weight distribution was wrong for their shifting soles. Though only marginally better, loose flip-flops were at least comfortable enough to wear for quick trips to the grocery store and other small errands.
Shirt selection became the next concern. As their wings took shape, they formed into soft flaps of skin that were quickly irritated when folded incorrectly and painfully sore after an hour or so of being held against their back. Once the bone structure started forming, bending them wouldn’t just be uncomfortable, it would risk breaking the soft bones and causing Kaoru’s wings to become malformed. For the time being, their selection of looser shirts from tradeshows and product launches were comfortable enough to let their wings stretch and grow as unhindered as possible.

Kaoru stepped in front of the foggy mirror, warm water dripping down their body. They dried their face and pushed their thinning hair out of their eyes. Freshly showered, they wiped the steam from the mirror and set about getting ready for their doctor’s visit.
Kaoru wrapped the towel around their waist, pausing for a moment to enjoy the sensation of the soft terrycloth rubbing against their short tail. It was several inches long now, but still soft and sensitive. As it gained size, the sensitivity dulled below outright uncomfortable, allowing them to be a bit less gentle with clothing and tactile activities, though forgetting about it long enough to flop down in a chair or on the couch was still an issue every couple days.
Brushing their teeth had, thankfully, gotten much less painful. There were still patches of sensitivity, especially in the canines, and working around a swelling face and jaw was less than ideal, but day over day, Kaoru got more comfortable with the activity. Their lips, like most of their skin, had taken on a somewhat greenish tint and gotten rough, almost dry. It wasn’t painful like blistering or chapping, but it made speaking, whistling, and spitting out a mouthful of toothpaste more difficult.
Mouth clean and fresh, Kaoru turned their attention to the mirror to fix up their hair. Their horns had taken on a much more definite shape, short and pointed, standing at a curve just above their hairline. Or rather, where their hairline used to be. To either side of their slight widow’s peak their hairline had pulled back, leaving rough green-tinged skin up to the root of the horns. The rest of their head was showing signs of thinning, and their body hair had completely fallen out. Aside from a few quick swipes of their fingers, they didn’t commit much effort to what was left. Kaoru had considered simply shaving their head to get it over with, but a part of them enjoyed watching it fall out day over day as part of their transition.
A wiggle from one of their ears grabbed Kaoru’s attention. They’d extended into sharp points and had taken to twitching intermittently, either due to the ongoing muscle growth or just because it was cute. Kaoru could make them wiggle a bit, but still hadn’t learned enough control to make them move, or make them stay still. Fortunately, they hadn’t moved from their original orientation on Kaoru’s head, meaning they could still use their glasses and didn’t need to worry about temporary hearing loss as part of their transition.
Cleaned and dry, Kaoru gave one last wink to the mirror before heading back to their room to get dressed.
Fortunately, their loose boxers and a pair of sweatpants were able to give their tail a comfortable amount of space to stretch and flex. Unfortunately, their shirt selection had dwindled greatly; they were down to just two oversized shirts they’d been given as part of a product launch where their employer assumed they were two sizes larger than they were.
The bus ride to the clinic was uneventful, aside from a few curious glances from passengers and a few extra minutes in roadwork traffic. Kaoru still arrived at the doctor’s office in time for their appointment, though just barely. Once through reception paperwork, they were seated in the same room they’d been in a couple months ago for their first shot. It was only a short wait before the doctor strolled in, wearing the same warm smile he always did.
“Morning, Kaoru, how are you doing today?”
“Morning, Doctor Edwards,” Kaoru shrugged tensely, “feeling pretty good, I suppose.”
The doctor placed a metal case on the counter and sat on a short, wheeled stool. He rolled close to his young patient. He looked at Kaoru’s face for a moment before letting out a thoughtful grunt.
“How’s your vision?”
Kaoru’s head tilted softly, “My vision? It’s fine, why do you ask?”
The doctor smirked and picked up a hand mirror, “You hadn’t noticed?” He gave the mirror to Kaoru, “Your eye color’s changing.”
Silently, Kaoru took the mirror and looked at their reflected visage. Sure enough, their once plain brown eyes had taken on a burnt hue, with oranges and reds spreading through their irises like stylized veins of lava.
Kaoru mumbled in soft surprise, “I, I hadn’t even noticed.”
Doctor Edwards chuckled, “That’s not uncommon. You see your eyes every day and don’t really pay attention to them. Most patients don’t notice unless it causes problems.”
Kaoru looked up, “Problems?”
“Oh, nothing major. Usually just blurred vision, trouble focusing, or light sensitivity. It’s relatively rare, but a lot of patients don’t associate it with the transition, so they don’t bring it up unless we ask after it.”
Kaoru continued to stare at their brilliant eyes in the mirror, “I see.”
“Now, let’s go over the rest of you progress.” The doctor stood up and pulled a small tool from his pocket. It was a pencil length metal rod with a hooked piece of metal at one end, not unlike a dentist’s pick. He stepped to the side of Kaoru, “anything specific you want to ask about or that’s been giving you trouble?”
Doctor Edwards placed his free hand at the back of Kaoru’s head and softly tilted it towards him. There was soft pressure against one of their horns as the doctor prodded it with the metal tool, starting and the base and working up bit by bit.
“Well,” Kaoru mumbled, slightly distracted by the probing sensation against their horn. A smile tugged at their lips as the thought mulled about in their head.
Their horn.
A shock of pain pulled Kaoru back from their musing.
The doctor leaned into their line of sight, “Sorry about that. Some sensitivity is expected, though, that’s perfectly normal.”
Kaoru took a deep breath and closed their eyes as the pain subsided. Doctor Edwards moved to their other side and started up the other horn, prodding more cautiously this time.
Kaoru clutched their thighs in anticipation of another sting of pain as the doctor moved up the horn, “Well, I guess I’m just focused on making sure everything is going right. I’ve read books and blogs and done my own research on everything.”
The doctor chuckled, “I’ve noticed.”
Kaoru laughed nervously, “Y, yeah, sorry.”
Doctor Edwards stepped in front of them again, flopping back onto the rolling stool and sliding towards the counter, “I wasn’t complaining, Kaoru. I appreciate when patients take the time to educate themselves before going through something as life changing as a transition is.” He picked up a small metal rod and walked himself, still seated on the stool, back towards Kaoru, “Take off your shirt for me.”
Kaoru nodded and tugged at their shirt collar, pulling carefully to avoid disturbing the twin wings on their upper back. It took a few seconds to get the cloth up and around the still forming masses of skin and bone, and they eventually reached back to pull the material around them more effectively.
“I think you’ll be needing a new wardrobe sooner rather than later.”
The shirt finally over their back, Kaoru let out a sigh and tugged forward, grunting as the shirt snagged on their horns. Quickly pulling the shirt around them to finally free themselves from it, they turned to the doctor, a red tinge beneath the slightly green skin that covered their cheeks.
The doctor smiled warmly, “No worries, this kind of adjustment is common during transition. Despite it being the wrong body for you, you got used to the body you lived in for decades. It’s like working a job you hate. You spend every day wanting to leave, but you still learn all the tricks of the trade to get by.”
“Yeah,” Kaoru smiled softly, “I guess that makes sense.”
“I’m going to be testing the nerve response and sense of touch in your wings. Try to relax and let me know when you feel the metal against your skin. Here’s what it’ll feel like.”
Kaoru tensed a bit as cold metal pressed against their upper back between the wings.
“Alright,” the doctor let out a soft sigh, “ready?”
Kaoru nodded, wings flitting softly in anticipation.
They drew a sharp breath as the metal touched sensitive nerves at the base of one wing. It wasn’t painful, but it definitely wasn’t something Kaoru wanted to feel more than they had to. The doctor pulled the metal away and touched it against the wing a bit further up, waiting for Kaoru to nod that they’d felt that as well.
As the doctor moved further down the wing, the sensation grew less intense, and by the time Doctor Edwards was testing the tips of Kaoru’s wings, it was a very mild sensation of touch. The doctor moved to the other wing, with similar results.
The doctor rolled back around to the front of his patient with a smile. Before Kaoru could raise any questions, the doctor spoke up, “Perfectly normal nerve growth and blood flow, your wings are coming in great.”
Kaoru let out a sigh of relief.
“Now, if you’d stand up and drop your pants, I’ll check your tail and genitals.”
They blushed a little as they got to their feet, hesitant as they hooked their fingers in the elastic of their sweat pants.
Doctor Edwards pushed back a little and looked up to meet Kaoru’s gaze, “Is everything alright? Something you’re worried about?”
“N, no,” they mumbled. Kaoru cleared their throat a bit, “It’s just, y, you’re the first person to, to see my tail. I just,” they sniffled a bit.
The doctor smiled, “Take your time.”
Kaoru nodded and took a deep breath, holding it for several seconds before lowering their pants. They gasped softly as the air conditioning chilled breeze tickled the small stub at the base of their spine. The doctor waited a few seconds before moving around to Kaoru’s side.
“Looks good and healthy,” the doctor said, placing a gentle hand on Kaoru’s hip. “This is going to be a bit more intense than your wings. The tail is a direct extension of your spine, so there’re some very sensitive nerves being moved around here. If you need me to stop for any reason, just speak up, alright?”
Karou nodded softly.
A chill ran up their spine as the metal prodded their lower back, a twinge of discomfort running in both directions that caused Kaoru to tense from neck to tail. The doctor pulled the rod away and waited for the go ahead to continue. The next test was at the base of their spine, just above the top of the tail. The intense sensation made Kaoru weak in the knees, causing them to fall back. Doctor Edwards tightened his grip and braced himself against his patient, easing them back down on the exam room table.
“That’s perfectly fine,” the doctor spoke calmly, “it’s not uncommon for nerves to get jumbled during transition and for there to be sensitivity, numbness, and even a bit of pain. It’s nothing to worry about. Just relax and take a few deep breaths.”
Kaoru did as instructed, legs kicking softly as feeling returned just as quickly as it had gone. They took a long, deep breath, then another, waiting for the discomfort to fade completely.
“That’s it, Kaoru, just relax. We have all the time you need. Deep breaths and calm thoughts.”
They closed their eyes for a few seconds, letting the physical and emotional distress pass. After it did, Kaoru eased back up to their feet and nodded for the doctor to continue.
The next prod was about halfway down the tail, and was much duller than the sensations in their spine or wings had been. Despite it being less discomforting, it raised stronger concerns, as Kaoru had expected their tail to be incredibly sensitive as a new growth, and while it had responded to the air, the rod felt decidedly dull by comparison.
“It,” they stammered, “it feels sorta numb.”
The doctor paused, metal prod still held against the tail, “numb or dull?”
“Well, I can feel it, but it isn’t sensitive like my wings or my back or my teeth were.”
“Alright,” the doctor nodded softly, moving the prod to the tip of the tail and pressing down on it, “how does this feel?”
Kaoru braced, but again felt a very little in the way of sensitivity. They let out a worried sigh, “That also feels, um, dull.”
“That’s fine,” the doctor squeezed Kaoru’s shoulder reassuringly, “there’s a cycle to the growth. The tip of your tail is the oldest section, as it were. When the growth is new, as with your wings and the base of your tail, the skin is soft and the nerves are sensitive to pressure and tactile irritants. As they develop, those sensations diminish quite a bit as the outer tissue develops. It’ll remain sensitive to temperature variations until the scales develop, but you should feel less sensitivity to things touching them over the next few weeks.”
Kaoru nodded with a sigh of relief.
Doctor Edwards slid back around to Kaoru’s front and held his hands out, palms up, “Can I see your hands, please?”
They put their hands, palms down, in the doctor’s hands.
“Any odd sensations, stiff joints, or painful sensitivity?”
Kaoru looked down at their hands as they thought. Their fingers had stretched quite a bit over the past couple months. The green hue had covered their body almost completely, with only a few small spots here and there retaining a grayish-tan tint reminiscent of their old skin color. There had been some acute pain for a day or so as their fingers grew out, but nothing had lingered longer. Their fingernails were thick and gray, but Kaoru kept them blunt, still cutting them as they had their whole life; they’d dreamed of pointed draconic claws, but also had to face the real life practicality of typing and drawing for work.
Maybe once they retired and became an old wyrm. Kaoru chuckled at the thought of themselves, old and wizened, living in a cave away from the hustle and bustle of work and social life.
“Something amusing?” The doctor’s voice was playful as he turned Kaoru’s hands over to examine their palms.
Kaoru blushed, “Oh, n, nothing,” they chuckled a bit more, “and no, no pain or anything, aside from the occasional soreness for a day or so, nothing chronic.”
The doctor’s gaze rose, “Would you like something for the spot pain? I can give you a mild analgesic that should help.”
Kaoru flexed their fingers a bit, “I, I don’t think that’s necessary, it hasn’t been a problem for at least a few days now.”
Doctor Edwards studied Kaoru’s face for a few seconds.
“I think I’d rather give you the prescription, just in case.” He wheeled back a little and pulled out his pad, “you can take it to the pharmacy if you need it or just hang on to it. It expires in a month, so you’ve got time to decide.”
Kaoru took the small paper from the doctor and stuffed it in the pocket of their sweatpants, pulling them back up over their tail before sitting back down.
The doctor adjusted his chair and reached up, placing his hands on either side of Kaoru’s somewhat swollen face. He pressed his thumbs in against a few spots on their neck and cheeks, “Any trouble breathing, swallowing, or eating?”
“A little trouble breathing,” Kaoru relaxed their neck, allowing the doctor to tilt their head back, “feeling out of breath or like my sinuses are swollen, I guess. Like dry allergies.”
“Any pain or concerning discomfort?”
“Not really, aside from,” Kaoru trailed off, sniffling self-consciously.
“Aside from?”
“Well, um,” Kaoru cleared their throat, “digesting, I guess.”
“Ah, I see.” The doctor released their head and pushed back a little, meeting Kaoru’s gaze, “your digestive system is adjusting. I’ll prescribe a supplement to mellow things out as you transition to a more draconic diet. It’s a probiotic that’ll help adjust your gut bacteria and make things easier on you.” He pulled out his pad once more, “You know, years ago, we used to have to go through an entire adjustment cycle, with patients slowly adapting their diet over a few months. You’re pretty lucky, Kaoru, believe me.”
Kaoru laughed and nodded, “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Alright, let’s have a look at your feet.”
They nodded and pushed back on the exam table, careful to avoid putting pressure on their tail, until their feet were suspended comfortably. The doctor stood up from the stool and moved to the side of the table, adjusting the back so Kaoru could sit comfortably, adjusting the raised portion to create a gap for their tail to hang through.
Doctor Edwards dropped back onto the stool and wheeled back to Kaoru’s feet. They tensed slightly as the doctor took hold of them, looking over the shifting arches and reshaping toes. Unlike their fingernails, they’d made no effort to prevent their toenails from growing into rough points. The toenails had grown thick and gray, but weren’t exactly the curved dangers of a predator yet. Kaoru also took great pride in keeping them clean, and let out a sigh of gratification as the doctor looked over them without making a face of concern or a vocalization of repulsion.
Not that they really thought he would, Doctor Edwards hadn’t made so much as a grunt of displeasure in the months Kaoru had been coming in.
Their focus was pulled back as a knuckle pushed softly against the arch of their left foot, moving up it slowly towards their toes.
“Did that hurt?”
Kaoru shook their head, “N, no, it kinda tickled, actually.”
“Alright then,” the doctor moved on to the right foot, moving his knuckle up the arch to test whatever it was he was testing. He then ran his thumbs over the balls of their feet.
“You still wearing sandals or other footwear?”
“A, a bit, when I can.”
“How much time per day are you spending walking around barefoot? Especially outdoors.”
“I try to cover my feet up when I head outside, at least for the most part, sometimes I walk around the garden, but that’s about it.”
“I’d like you to walk barefoot a bit more often, especially on packed dirt or grass. The balls of your feet are a bit soft, and that will help roughen them up. Eventually you’re going to have really limited options for footwear, unless you plan to pay for custom shoes-“
“Custom shoes?” Kaoru interrupted.
The doctor chuckled, “Well, shoes is sort of a misnomer in my opinion. They’re decorative foot coverings that go over the top of your foot, for looks and not really for any kind of support or protection. The structure of your feet will make any kind of non-medical support impossible anyway.” He furrowed his brow, “Actually, most of my patients say they’re just plain uncomfortable. Overpriced and non-functional luxuries.”
“Yeah,” Kaoru chuckled at the soft digression. They took a deep breath to let the conversation settle, then nodded, “I wasn’t planning to keep on with footwear once it became unnecessary, so that’s not a concern.”
The doctor nodded, “Makes sense to me. I wish more of my patients were so practically minded.” He stood up again and walked to Kaoru’s side, “Alright, everything looks in order. We’ll just check your genitals real quick and you should be good to get your next shot and be on your way.”
Kaoru’s breath caught at the mention of their genitals. Their heartrate increased as their focus was forcefully pulled to them. They shifted uncomfortably as they became aware of their male equipment. They let out a meek grunt as they stood up, feeling the sensation of it shifting within the confines of their clothes.
Kaoru felt a hand at their shoulder and a soft voice, “It’s okay, Kaoru, just breath. You’re on the path to being yourself. We’re just getting through rough spots along the way. Deep breath in, deep breath out.”
Kaoru closed their eyes and refocused, holding their breath as they slipped their fingers into the elastic waistbands of their trousers and boxers, pushing them down. Their body tensed as they felt the circulated air stung their nerves.
Doctor Edwards started his examination. Kaoru’s gut clenched and their legs felt weak, but it was over in only a few seconds.
“Finished,” the doctor stood up and put a hand to Kaoru’s shoulder once more, helping them maintain balance as they quickly pulled their pants up and sat back down, jabbing their tail stub painfully as they did.
“Everything is transitioning fine. The nullification profess is going as expected.”
Kaoru nodded absently and the doctor sat back down on his stool. He pushed back across the floor with a rusty squeak as he moved towards the metal case, drawing their attention to him.
“Sorry,” he let out a sheepish apology as he picked up the metal case and opened it.
“It’s fine, just a bit loud.”
“I’ll be sure to call someone to clean it up or hit it with some lubricant or something before your next visit.”
Kaoru glanced down at the stool as the doctor moved to their side, “Probably needs some rust remover or something.”
“You think so?” Doctor Edwards asked as he swabbed Kaoru’s shoulder.
“I mean, I’m not great with mechanics or anything,” Kaoru winced as the doctor inserted the needle, “it just sounds rusty to me, I guess?” They chuckled, “I guess I don’t really know.”
“No worries,” the doctor sang as he withdrew the needle and bandaged the site. “I’ve got a few weeks to figure it out, anyway.” The doctor stood up and silently moved the stool back to the counter, “Now then, if you’ve got no other questions, everything is in order and you’re good to go. Feel free to sit for a minute if you need to.”
“Thanks, doc.”
The doctor stopped at the door, “Oh, the candies at the front desk are made with probiotics, so you’ll have no trouble eating them if you’d like to take a few with you.”
Kaoru smiled and nodded, pushing to their feet as they grabbed their shirt, wings shivering their contentment. As they stepped down from the metal step at the foot of the patient table, their tail wiggled its agreement.

As the next few weeks passed, the pace of changes quickened. Kaoru’s wings and tail felt larger and more formed each day, a sensation somewhere between feeling bloated and muscular. They quickly realized they’d reached the limits of discomfort that even the loosest members of their existing wardrobe could provide.
Kaoru was simultaneously nervous and excited about shopping for proper clothing for themselves; they were excited to have something more comforting and reflective of themselves, but also had no idea what the process was like, how people would react, if they’d actually look good once they’d found something they liked.
Fortunately, their nerves were allayed quickly; the clothing store was quiet and welcoming, and the staff was encouraging and helpful. Particularly, Kaoru was helped by a charming young woman sporting pointed vulpine ears and her own fluffy fox brush. Her playful smile and bouncy demeanor was infectious, and Kaoru caught themselves giggling more than once when the young woman, Zorra, wagged her enthusiasm at helping Kaoru find their look.
Fully relaxed, Kaoru was able to explain their clothing needs openly, with Zorra dashing off frequently to procure different clothing styles for their consideration; from buttons to zippers to Velcro flaps to skirts and dresses, all designed with tails and wings in mind.
Between answering questions about functional clothing options, Kaoru found themselves at ease enough to talk about their respective transitions. Zorra was, as expected, super happy for them, and was even vocally jealous they didn’t have to shave any more.
With Zorra’s professional help, Kaoru picked out a few different styles to try, mainly between buttons and zippers. Zorra recommended zippers because they were pretty easy to manage and Kaoru wouldn’t have to worry about fur getting caught in them. Kaoru picked a few things with buttons because they liked the look of them; they felt more ordered and professional than zippers.
Finally, Kaoru bought a few pairs of elastic tops and bottoms for wear around the house, basically track clothing built for their body.
There was some adjustment to be made to wearing the clothing. At first, it felt as though they were exposed to have their tail and wings uncovered when they went out. Additionally, while the growth was no longer sensitive, the sensations of the outside world on them was a bit much at first. As the temperatures started dropping, Kaoru could sense it through the parts of their body still developing; cold felt colder and wind had a harsher bite against the new growth. Even so, it was still evidence of progression, and Kaoru relished the small discomforts, if only for as long as it took to get inside and warm.

It was a particularly stormy day late in August, during their morning shower, that Kaoru’s attention was drawn to the drain as the metal disk coughed and burbled in inanimate displeasure. After a few weak attempts to wipe the water from their eyes, Kaoru instead moved the shower head to the side and quickly toweled their face.
The source of the problem was a large clump of brown hair blocking the drain, shivering weakly as water swirled around it. Kaoru’s heart jumped as their clawed hand shot to the top of their head. Their hair had been thinning for months now, but it had been slow going so far, with only a few strands a day being lost to the shower or their hairbrush.
Kaoru’s fingers drifted over their scalp, navigating a now familiar central ridge of horns and the two larger ones that curled over their head. Pulling their hand back, they let out a shocked, but not displeased, gasp at the amount of loose hair clinging to their wet hand.
A dumb, giddy laugh echoed off the white tiled walls as they ran a hand over their head again, fingers digging more forcefully as more hair came free in their grasp.
Kaoru dunked their head under the rushing water, tail swishing forcefully as their wings twitched in mounting excitement. They rubbed and scratched, watching through the hot water fog as more of their hair sloughed off, the shower water pooling around the expanding clog.
Dripping wet and without bothering to turn off the faucet, Kaoru bounced from the shower to look in the mirror. They snatched a piece of tissue paper to wipe the mirror clear, only for it to disintegrate in their soaking wet hands. Undeterred, they snatched a hanging towel, nearly pulling down the shower rod in their enthusiasm.
Wiping away the frosted coating of condensation from the clean glass, Kaoru looked at themselves. A rough smile spread across their face, vision blurry with tears, as they took in their completely bald scalp almost entirely covered in beautiful green scales. Their breath caught as their heartrate climbed, tentative hands reaching up to once again explore the change, now guided by their eyes as they explored specific details. Their tail twitched and they bounced softly on raised heels as they ran their fingers over the smooth, wet surface. Their fingers slid over the layered scales, traced over the small ridge of horns, and moved in a line down to their neck.
Kaoru’s ears twitched at the sound of spattering water, snapping their attention back to their surroundings. Turning from the mirror as it fogged over again, they found a small waterfall had formed over the retention lip of the shower, water dribbling on to the bathroom floor and quickly soaking through the shower mat.
“Shit.”
Their wings tensed in surprise, extending reflexively. The right wing smacked the wall and sent a sharp shiver of nerve pain through the appendage, rippling weakly through their back. Kaoru dashed to the shower knobs, shutting off the water before they clumsily knelt down to the open the drain. Their wings and tail tried to help with balance, firing untrained signals chaotically through a jumble of transitioning nerves. Their wings flapped down and their tail whipped up, creating a wave of torque that launched them down and forward into the shower stall, splashing another wave of water out onto the bathroom floor.
Kaoru sat in silence for a moment, letting out a long breath that half burbled through their partially submerged proto-muzzle.
Then they laughed.
Kaoru pushed up to their knees, tail curling to the side. With a deep breath and another soft chuckle, they pulled their wings against their back, refocused and caught their breath. They leaned forward, bracing themselves on the tiled lip of the shower, intentionally tensing muscles to keep their wings from expanding, and grabbed hold of the clog. With a few sharp tugs, the mass of hair came free. The drain gurgled its thanks as the water quickly drained in a wide whirlpool. Kaoru tossed the mass of wet hair into the trash, letting out a sigh of relief at the thought that this was the last time they’d have to deal with hair.
They braced themselves again as they stood up, sore leg muscles tensing as they balanced on their toes. Kaoru tossed a towel on the ground and pushed it around with their foot, still leaning against the wall for balance. Every so often there was a ping of sensitivity from the sore nub of bone that had been their big toe, now a dense pocket of material about halfway through either foot, sitting somewhere between the ankle and what used to be the arch of their foot.
After a few concerted swipes and several less than enthusiastic ones, they managed to get most of the water up and decided to let nature handle the few pockets that remained.
Kaoru opened the window and door to let airflow help with evaporation. The ongoing heavy autumn rain would slow things down, but they were going to be out all day anyway, so it wouldn’t be a concern by the time they got back.
They turned back to the mirror, streaks of collected condensation creating canals through the fog as the small room cooled. Their mood elevated once more as they looked at their smooth, scaly head. They turned from side to side, admiring every detail of their face.
The word ‘unrecognizable’ came to mind, but that wasn’t right. Day by day, Kaoru felt more and more familiar with the face in the mirror. They weren’t turning into someone new, they were looking more like who they’d always been.
Even when they hadn’t realized it.
A relaxed smile exposed sharper canines. Aside from that, however, their teeth had largely remained the same, simply reforming to fit their expanding muzzle. Their muzzle was covered in muted green scales, two nostrils at the front of it above their mouth. While visually similar to the anatomy of a reptile, they still functioned in a mammalian fashion; Kaoru could take deep breaths, breathe quickly, and blow their nose.
Whistling wasn’t really an option anymore, but they were never great at it anyway.
The muted green scales covering their muzzle were similar to those currently covering much of the rest of their body. Their final scale color would be more vibrant, but that was one of the final parts of the transition. Kaoru’s gaze rose to their eyes, fiery and bright. They’d become more aware of the shifting color since Doctor Edwards had pointed it out, and now they watched in anticipation as the colors got sharper and deeper every day.
Their ears had grown into sharp points, standing slightly out from and reaching slightly above their head. What the transition would do to their ears was a bit of a mystery; the more mythical options always carried a bit of randomness to them. Things like horn pattern and ear shape were changes that only became apparent once you were already months deep in transition. They had some idea of what they envisioned it would be, but daydreams don’t control reality.
Kaoru did, however, really like their ears.
They sat for a moment, just staring at the attractive draconic face staring back at them. The smile on their muzzle grew slightly wider and they chuckled softly.
“Hey there, cutie, come here often?”
Their tail swished and their wings flexed. Kaoru sighed and stepped back, turning towards the door, “Alright, I’m done.”
There was one more glance back before they left the bathroom.
Back in their bedroom, Kaoru set about getting dressed. Most of their old clothes had been gotten rid of, either because they didn’t fit anymore or felt too reminiscent of their previous life. Few things had been outright thrown away, though; a majority of it went to shelters, charities, or friends.
Their current wardrobe wasn’t their final one, either; they were still growing and changing, and in the next couple months would outgrow their current options. At that point, however, they’d be able to make more permanent decisions and really solidify their new look.
From the top dresser drawer, they pulled out a simple looking garment consisting of a waistband, a couple straps, and three lengths of cloth, one in the front, two in the back. Kaoru glanced down as they held the waistband in front of their bare front. A soft smile spread across their face as they looked down over the smooth, lightly scaled surface between their legs. Buried between their legs was a small slit, a reptilian orifice that housed what remained of their once human genitalia. Kaoru’s tail twitched and they hissed proudly at the thought of the dwindling cluster of cells dissolving completely in the next couple weeks.
They wrapped the waistband around their front and fastened it above their tail. They pulled the front flap between their legs, where it folded smoothly through a strap connecting to the two pieces of cloth that hung on either side of their tail. Once secured, the garment was roughly as loose as a pair of boxers, though it hung more loosely around their tail. Kaoru slipped a hand over their front once more before reaching for a pair of pants.
Though they looked basically like a pair of black jeans, the material was made to stretch and give extra comfort to an expanding frame. Though it was rip resistant, Kaoru was still careful as they pulled the garment around their legs, curling their clawed toes in as much as they could as they stretched the cuff of the pants wide around them. They pulled the garment up, grunting softly as the material deformed around their legs and hips, both of which were still expanding day by day. They’d only had these jeans a couple weeks and they were already feeling too small. Kaoru made a mental note to pick up a pair the next size up during the day’s errands, a thought that made their tail twitch excitedly.
Progress was always gratifying.
The seat of the pants had a hole stitched in for their tail to fit through, and a simple strap along the waistband to fasten them in place. It lacked any kind of style, but was comfortably functional. Front and back fastened, Kaoru reached into the drawer and pulled out a top.
It was a simple t-shirt, save for two buttoned flaps in the back for their wings to fit through. Much like the pants, the material was stretchy and plain, made to fit a form in transition. Starting from their wings, Kaoru slipped the shirt over both appendages at the same time, the sensation of them feeling trapped making their muscles instinctively tense. The first time this had happened, they’d nearly split a shirt in two, and as a result quickly learned to prepare for the sensation and the instinctive response.
Draconic instincts tamed, Kaoru pulled the shirt against their back, wings slipping fully through the slits and back into the open air, flapping a few times before relaxing again. They pulled the shirt over their head, tilting back a bit to slip their muzzle through the collar. Arms through the sleeves and a couple tugs to pull the shirt down to a comfortable resting position and they were good to go.
Kaoru stopped by the front door to slip into their flip-flops. Or more accurately, to hang the worn straps of cloth and cork over their draconic feet. They’d been getting more worn out and less necessary with each passing week, but there was no specific point in the transition where they were supposed to just throw them out and start going properly barefoot.
Their final piece of clothing, given the weather, was an oversized raincoat, split with folds and flaps for their wings. Kaoru had originally gotten a poncho they could drape over their wings, but soon discovered they enjoyed the sensation of rain falling on their wings. Something about the sensation of soft drops pelting their still somewhat sensitive wings was comforting, reassuring even. It was like nature itself was recognizing them as a part of Kaoru’s being, the pitter-patter of rain a soft applause congratulating them on their ongoing progress.
The bus ride to the store was a short one, with few passengers other than Kaoru. Gray clouds hung thick in the air and heavy winds pushed at the side of the bus as it navigated the small streets. They sat near the front of the bus, positioned perpendicular to the seatback so their tail and wings wouldn’t accidentally get crushed if there were any sudden bumps or stops.
It was altogether a somewhat uncomfortable experience. Kaoru wanted to go by foot or bike, as the route was a lovely one, even in the rain, but the current sensitivity of their changes wouldn’t allow for it; while it was energizing and wondrous to experience for a few minutes at a time, it eventually become uncomfortable, aggravating, and slightly painful. It was also moot, however, as by the time the sensitivity of their changes had passed, they’d be able to fly anyway. The thought alone made Kaoru’s wings buffet slightly, snapping against the worn seatbacks of the bus.
Kaoru had already tried, naturally. A few times, in fact. Every week or so since their wings were large enough to flap. At first it had been a clear mistake, the new nerves and underdeveloped muscles were painful to move, and left Kaoru feeling sore for a couple days after each impatient experiment. Their most recent attempt, just a couple days prior, had managed to get them off the ground, if only for a second or so before they started feeling the muscle strain and stopped, not wanting to hurt themselves so close to success.
They were pulled from their fancy of flight as the bus turned into the parking area and slowed as it approached the bus stop. Kaoru stepped out of the bus and directly into a puddle. Their wings flared and their tail swished as they stumbled to regain their balance, thankfully managing to remain upright and off the wet concrete. With a deep breath, a brush down their front, and a snap of their wings, they took a step towards the storefront, and stopped when they felt a chill run through their foot. Looking down, Kaoru realized they’d lost one of their flip-flops in the stumble. Turning back, they cast their gaze over the ground to see where it had gone, just managing to spot it as it slipped into a storm drain and vanished from sight.
Kaoru stood motionless for a several seconds, clawed toes tapping against the ground. With a smile and a nod, they made their decision. Kaoru stepped back out of their remaining flip-flop and, locking a toe through the straps, kicked it into the air high enough to snatch it with one hand. They walked the remaining distance to the store, hissing softly at the sensation of the cool wet concrete against their bare feet. They stopped under the colorful awning hanging over the automatic doors, snapping their wings a couple times to cast away the extra water. They turned to a trash can and, with one more solemn breath, tossed the remaining flip-flop into the bin. They pivoted back, twisting their feet against the metal drainage grate near the door, the metallic strips feeling cooler against the balls of their feet than the concrete had.
Kaoru entered the store, taking their time to enjoy the dense, short brush of the welcome mat as they wiped their feet, before moving on to the sensation of the shop’s worn tile flooring. They could feel the small dents and scuffs beneath their toes as they walked. They’d previously been somewhat dismayed the store didn’t clean and polish their floors more often, but Kaoru was now rather thankful to be able to enjoy such unique and varied textures as they moved.
They were so distracted by the simple pleasures of being barefoot they failed to notice the clerk who had approached them, looking them over tentatively before speaking up.
“Um, c, can I help you,” Kaoru’s attention snapped to the speaker, “s, sir?”
The expression that shot across Kaoru’s face must have been clear, as they young man became flustered.
“Oh, m, madam. I’m sorry.”
Kaoru’s expression eased a bit, their wings relaxing from a tension they hadn’t realized they were holding, “Mx is fine,” they paused, holding the young man’s gaze, “or, Kaoru, that’s my name.”
The young man still seemed a bit out of sorts, but nodded and forced a smile, “Right, how can I help you, Mx Kaoru?”
Kaoru let out a snorting laugh, “No, just Kaoru is fine. Mx is like mister or missus, but agender.”
The man nodded slowly, then lit up and nodded with more understanding, “Ah, okay. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”
“Think nothing of it,” Kaoru waved him off, “thank you for understanding.”
“No problem,” the clerk gave a genuine smile, “thank you for correcting me.”
Kaoru nodded, heavy tail swishing softly.
“So,” the young man’s shoulders relaxed, “what can I help you with today, Kaoru?”
Kaoru matched the clerk’s smile, “Aside from groceries, I need to know where supplements and dietary aids are.”
“Of course,” the man nodded, “You’ll find over the counter medicine, food additives, and supplements on Aisle Eight. Do you need help finding any specific groceries?”
“No, I think I can handle that, thank you.”
“Of course,” the man nodded again, “let me know if you need anything else.”
Kaoru thanked the young man and headed along the aisles to their destination. Every few steps, their focus was drawn back to their bare feet as something new teased their attention; a few motes of dust, a discarded receipt, a crumpled twist tie. It was all so new and interesting, and served as a pleasant reminder they were done with shoes.
Though Kaoru still needed some vegetables and grains, the majority of their diet would be protein based. The supplements they needed were designed to help those transitioning bridge the gap between a normal human diet and whatever their new diet would be. They picked up a bottle of culture tablets to aid in adapting their gut flora as well as some digestion tablets to prevent, or at least reduce, the level of discomfort they’d have after eating; not only was Kaoru’s diet changing, they were also eating a lot more, the mass added to their body had to come from somewhere, after all.
Moving on to the actual foods, Kaoru stocked up on a numerous proteins; tofu, sausages, a few steaks, eggs, and mushrooms. A lot of people who had transitioned shared stories about how excited they were to be enjoying an all meat diet, but Kaoru had always been interested in a bit more variety than simply having a pile of steaks every day.
After obtaining a few more ingredients; fruit, herbs, seasonings, and a few treats for afternoon coffee, Kaoru headed for the checkout line, spotting the same clerk as before. With a smile, they approached the register and unloaded their groceries.
The clerk quickly scanned the items, eyes on the register as he spoke, “Did you find everything you needed?”
Kaoru nodded, “I did, thanks.”
“Excellent,” he let out a sigh, “sorry about earlier, I really didn’t mean to offend-“
Kaoru raised a hand to cut him off, “Like I said, think nothing of it. You didn’t know and now you do,” their muzzle parted in a warm smile, “that’s what matters.”
“Right, thank you.”
Kaoru nodded and handed the clerk several bills and packed their purchases into their canvas bag while the clerk counted out their change.
Groceries in hand and with a warm goodbye, they headed out of the shop and into the midday rain. Despite the chill wind and downpour, the sun was visible between the clouds, casting rays of light across the gray sky, a translucent rainbow visible amongst the billowing rainclouds.
Kaoru folded the canvas bag over and tucked it under their coat before standing up straight with a deep breath. They closed their eyes and tilted their head back, letting the water pelt their scaly face. With some focus, they slowly unfurled their wings, enjoying the sensation of more and more of them being exposed to the sun and rain. A shiver ran up their spine as cool rainwater streamed down their tail, streaks of water that grew in intensity the further down the tail they went.
With a sharp gasp, Kaoru leaned against the glass wall of the bus stop. They hunched over slightly, the combined sensations pelting them from so many still new sources coalesced into a soft headache, a not completely unwelcome level of sensory overload. It was a bit much, but like soreness after a good workout, it was a sign of progress, of moving on towards what they were meant to be.
Kaoru was nearly the dragon they should always have been.
With a soft grumble and a flex of their abs, Kaoru kindled a warmth within them. Like an internal bellows, it spread a wave of heat through their body, warming them from throat to tail tip. With another snap of their wings, they cast the gathering droplets from them. Though less dramatic, a good shake of the tail got as much water off of it as they could.
The bus pulled up a short time later, and Kaoru climbed on, eager to continue their day, feeling more themselves than ever before.

The final few weeks of transition were a mirror of the first few, with changes seeming to come slowly, nearly imperceptibly. If Kaoru hadn’t been measuring, they wouldn’t have noticed the last few centimeters of tail length, or how the scales on their muzzle grew thicker and more durable.
As the changes slowed, Kaoru started making the final preparations for their new life. They’d set aside some budget to really splurge at this point, to celebrate their changed world. New furniture was first on the list; things better suited to supporting a larger frame, massive wings, and a thick tail. A good computing chair, a taller dining room table, and a slightly larger couch were all well-researched and long considered purchases, among other things.
The other big thing was clothing. Since Kaoru wasn’t expecting any more major changes, they could finally settle into some permanent wardrobe decisions. Naturally, this meant a few good pairs of jeans and some wing-fit t-shirts for lounging around the house, doing yardwork, and other daily chores. They did, however, invest in a few more formal things; custom made to not only fit around their wings and tail, but to accentuate them, designer flair that drew attention to the tail, that complimented Kaoru’s deep green scales, and really showed how proud they were of their form.
Their older things were not thrown out, however. Kaoru washed and cleaned their old human things, boxed up what fit in boxes and called services to haul away the old furniture, all with charities in mind as the final recipients. By the time September rolled around, Kaoru had an organized set of boxes ready to give away, a new wardrobe, and one final appointment to keep to finalize their new life.

Kaoru hissed softly as they walked up the cobblestone path to the clinic. The small, bulbous stones poked bluntly at their feet. The smooth yet porous rock had a similar texture to concrete, but felt more elegant and intentional, as far as stonework and pathways were concerned. Not wanting to be late, and not wanting to block foot traffic, they hurried on, pulling their wings in as they opened the double glass doors and entered the building.
“Kaoru, welcome. So good to see you again.”
Kaoru smiled and waved to the nurse at the desk as they walked up, wings in close, tail swishing gracefully as they walked along the soft tiled floor.
“You’re just in time for your appointment, as usual. Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes before Doctor Edwards is finished with his current patient,” the young woman motioned to a section of larger cushioned chairs, “please have a seat.”
The dragon nodded, turning with practiced confidence, tail pivoting to balance their increased weight, and found themselves an empty chair to relax in while they waited.
Only a few minutes passed before the doctor exited one of the rooms, followed shortly by a younger patient, maybe in their early twenties. They wore an oversized hoodie and baggy cargo pants. Though they pulled the hood up as they left the room, Kaoru caught a quick glimpse of gray furred ears and short whiskers. They approached the nurse slowly, speaking in a lower, somewhat forced register. They were slumped slightly, pulled in as if bundled up. The only time this posture changed was after the nurse referred to them as ‘sir’, their body relaxing in response as two points on either side of their head twitched against their hood from within.
“Kaoru, my friend, welcome.”
Their focus was snapped from the patient to the doctor now standing at their side, his smile as warm as ever. Kaoru rose to greet the doctor, shaking his hand before they turned towards the exam room.
Doctor Edwards held the door open as he motioned Kaoru through, “So, how have you been?”
“Pretty great, actually,” Kaoru bounced onto the exam table, wings spreading slightly to guide their movement as their tail swished up and gracefully fell over the back of the table. The metallic structure gave a soft squeak of distress under their weight, but held firm as they got comfortable.
The doctor chuckled at the energetic performance, “You certainly seem to be in better spirits these last few visits. I take it nothing feels odd? No soreness or pain?”
“Nope. Well,” Kaoru drummed the padded table with clawed fingers, “no, not really.”
Doctor Edwards paused as he picked up a metal rod with a soft hook at one end, “not really?”
“Oh, it, it’s nothing,” they stammered, “no, I’m sure.”
The doctor sighed as he walked around the side of the dragon, “If you don’t tell me, I can’t make good medical decisions, Kaoru.”
“R, right,” Kaoru took a deep breath, “I, I guess it’s just, well, not soreness, but like, I feel, big sometimes.”
“Big?” The doctor prodded as he ran the tool over Kaoru’s horns, watching for a reaction from his patient.
“I dunno, just,” Kaoru leaned their head toward the doctor absently, “sometimes I feel like I’m too big, I guess.”
The doctor nodded, rotating the tool in his hand, running the soft hook over Kaoru’s scales and then picking gently between them, “Like you’re too big, even as a dragon?”
“Maybe,” Kaoru sighed, tensing a bit at the sensation of the soft metal between their scales. It wasn’t as intense as it had been months ago, having shifted to something akin to a really nice massage.
“That’s pretty normal,” the doctor dropped the prod in a sterilization box. He stepped further around the table to move behind Kaoru, “any transition that comes with a size change, especially as dramatic as yours, can develop a type of minor dysphoria or unease. You’re looking at the world from a different perspective than you’ve had your whole life, and that’s bound to feel a little off at first. Please flex your left wing for me.”
It took a moment for Kaoru to respond, but he dutifully complied, wing stretching out with practiced ease. Doctor Edwards ran his gloved fingers along the top of it as he continued, “Let me ask you, do you feel happier now?”
“Yeah,” Kaoru answered without hesitation, their tail twitching a bit, “without a doubt, yeah.”
The doctor nodded as he put his hand flatly against the membrane of the wing, pushing firmly against it as he ran it down the wing. He stepped to the left, repeating the process for each section of wing between bones.
“Then I would say it’s probably just a little mental adjustment; your mind needs to readjust to the way the world looks and feels now. You can pull your wing back in.”
Kaoru nodded as the doctor moved further around behind them.
“Lift your tail for me, as high as you can, please.”
Kaoru leaned forward a bit, back muscles new and old flexing to lift their thick scaled tail. The heavy appendage rose to a little over waist height, curling more towards the tip. Kaoru grunted a bit, pulling as hard as possible, managing to get the end to curl back in a very loose curl.
“G, good enough?” They asked.
Doctor Edwards chuckled a bit, “There’s no high water mark for tail musculature, I’m afraid. I’m just making sure everything is working properly before we finalize things. To the left now, if you would.”
The dragon nodded, still leaning forward. They shifted a bit, body moving to the right as their tail swished slowly to the left.
“And to the right.”
Back the other way, their entire body shifting left as they did.
“Very good, you can relax.”
Kaoru sighed and slumped forward, tail falling down, not entirely at the whim of gravity, but with only minor resistance from tired muscles.
There was a familiar squeak as the doctor sat down on his stool and wheeled around in front of Kaoru, clipboard in hand.
“Well, everything looks good, Kaoru, so unless you’ve got any further concerns, I can give you your final injection and a prescription for some stabilizers and you can be on your way.”
Kaoru sighed, “W, wow, really? Like, that’s it?”
The doctor chuckled, “I’ll miss you too.”
The dragon blushed slightly, “I, I mean, it just, it feels like it went so fast.”
“That’s a pretty common feeling, yeah. It seems like there’s so much to do and so many things that need to change, and then, before you know it, you’re there, living the life you always knew you should be.”
A reflexive smile tugged at Kaoru’s muzzle, “Yeah, I, I guess that makes sense.”
The doctor slid back towards the counter and picked up a familiar metal case, then slide back towards the dragon, rolling to a stop at their side and popping to his feet. Kaoru nodded and rolled up a sleeve.
The injection was quick and painless, lacking any kind of poetic note or theatrical finality. It was just another injection in a long line of them.
It was just the final one.
“Well, Kaoru, this is our last scheduled appointment, but you have our number. If anything comes up or you have any questions or concerns, we’re here every day and you have the twenty-four hour emergency line as well.”
“Y, yeah, thanks,” Kaoru stood up slowly, pausing to take a look around the exam room before heading to the door. With a brief stop for paperwork and another goodbye to the nurse at the front desk, Kaoru left the clinic. They stood on the cobblestone path, rubbing their feet against the stonework as their wings twitched back and forth under the broken sunlight of an otherwise nondescript cloudy midmorning in September.
They were lost in thought as they headed home to collect a few boxes of things to give away; old clothes and odds and ends. By early afternoon, they were at the charity donation site, boxes in hand. As they approached the outdoor collection area, located under a thick awning to prevent the donations from getting wet in the sudden autumn showers, a young woman working the center glanced up at them.
She looked from the boxes in their hands to their face, “Good afternoon, mx, I take it from those boxes you have a donation today?”
“I do,” Kaoru spoke warmly, a giggle tinging their voce as they stepped under the awning. The woman guided the dragon through the paperwork and recording of the clothing donations, as well as complimenting the way their outfit accentuated the green in their scales.
Much like the visit to the clinic, the process was over quicker than it felt like it should be, with the last of Kaoru’s old life passed on to be part of someone else’s new life. The dragon said their goodbyes and stepped out from under the awning. The clouds were breaking up, a rare dry day that gave Kaoru the perfect opportunity to have some fun.
They took in a deep breath, flexed their wings, and started flapping. In short order, they had gone airborne, lifting higher and higher in short bounces as heavy wings lifted a heavier form. Though not the most aerodynamic or graceful sight, the dragon moved through the air with confidence, style, and purpose.
but above all, happiness.