The Maiden Menagerie (2023) — Story

11th May 12014

The memories waited for her. Each day and night, they lurked within the dark expanse of the closet of her mind. They were dusty cobwebs smothered with regret, hushed reminders of times gone by, days and months to never be again. They were an all too real reminder of life's unerring capacity towards change.

Zeydaan grew to learn the dual-faced nature of others. The majority were receptive to her kind, warm-hearted antics, and yet others too engrossed in their own needs cast her aside with a barrage of slanderish words. As much as she wished otherwise, she was not immune to the harmful effects of hearing such vulgarity repeated at her over and over again. Given enough time, even the mightiest stone in the river finds its stalwart guard worn away to be cast adrift in the sea.

Now Zeydaan was thrust back into the hustle and bustle of her daily life. She managed to draw an occasionally satisfactory piece from time to time, and spent hours soaking up television and games to pull herself away from the rest of the world. Her roommate Zach, the half-human, half-kobold whose converted train carriage home she now resided in was amiable enough, constantly making efforts to draw Zeydaan out of her self-loathing shell; he even went as far as to invite her into the fledgling dimensional adventuring party he was developing there in Mailor. In those moments of offered connection, Zeydaan could conjure a hundred different excuses, if only to buy time to properly consider her prospects. Even time spent with Bean, her beloved pet poodle moth, barely brought Zeydaan the same joy as the simpler times.

She was unsure whether it had been a wise decision to go off of the magic medication she had taken since she was around 9. Her regiment was started for good reason. She was told powerful enemies of her father had cursed Zeydaan to fall into other universes in a manner similar to the use of dimensional rifts now prevalent across the planet, as well as warp and shift her form in wild ways. This bridleless power came with the unnerving possibility of others finding their way back to the source of the broadcasted activation of her magic. Like an unsecured network connection, the risk of Zeydaan’s magic being manipulated or hijacked for nefarious purposes was deemed too great by her guardian, Isabella Townsend to continue. Zeydaan was told the medical regiment would only be temporary until she was ready to direct the magical channels herself. She had grown tired of waiting.

At first she had considered weaning herself off of the stuff bit by bit. However, simply dipping her toes into the waters of her own magical autonomy left the door wide open to backing away, and so discarding the remaining contents of medicine was the only way she could guarantee she would follow through on her intention. Using it for so long, she couldn’t make heads or tails of what she was supposed to be feeling anymore.

The initial excited whirlwind surrounding her reclamation of herself was now utterly exhausted. Heartfelt intentions gave way to doubt. Glimpses of the dimensional rifts -possibility pathways as they were sometimes called by long-time Mailor residents, reminded Zeydaan that despite her best efforts, what lay ahead for her was still unclear. Kindlings of magic use were returning, but what was she meant to do with this building power?

Zeydaan sank into herself, feeling hollow and devoid of purpose once more. With effort, she could manage to cast pale reflections of the colors she once so willingly cultivated within her outside of her internal environment, leaving what remained murky and gray. Depression's grip latched on. Its all-encompassing aura always threatened to crater her down with a mighty swipe of its ethereal paw. Unemployed, unenthused, and barely managing daily affairs, Zeydaan trudged forward with heavy steps hoping to catch a glimpse of the light she believed lingered in the future beyond.

Same as always.

Her inspiration continued to wane, time previously allotted towards her creative pursuits gobbled up into different activities or otherwise forgotten altogether. Zeydaan's dreams ceased being landscapes of jubilant joy, and instead became elaborate portraits of frustrated fears.

One night, Zeydaan stared down at the blank sketchbook page in front of her, her sleepy head propped up by her hands, wishing she could will something...anything to have it move away from its empty state, but she was unable to fill the void on the page like the one that continued to swell within herself. Throwing the cracked, wooden drawer open, she stashed the page inside and went for an evening walk.

The night air helped Zeydaan calm down. Now away from the stresses faced back home at Zach’s place, she walked past familiar streetlights and listened to the quiet nighttime sounds of Mailor, the typically bustling coastal city settled into a tentative, restless slumber. The physical movement distracted her thoughts away from the stagnancy of her mind and spirit. Rounding a corner, the grip of an unfamiliar sensation clung to Zeydaan - an unease somehow twisted within the braided fibers of curiosity. She followed the tingling whim inside of her, exploring down one of the longer paths she hadn’t ever taken before, eventually spotting a warm glow shining within the nearly uniform darkness.

There, tucked up against a forgotten, disheveled corner of the street in the historic town district was an old, rectangular brick house. An aroma of freshly baked goods, strangely out of place juxtaposed against the dank corners of city life in these early morning hours, pervaded the area. Elaborate curved designs covered the front of the building, redirecting attention away from its comparatively drab sidings. Coated in a mix of swirling grays, whites, and lavenders, the whole place looked like a restoration project nearing the end of its construction. A neon-bright sign stretched across the top of the building flashed purples and golds reading: “Maiden Menagerie welcomes you!”

Below, a propped up chalkboard bulletin listed various upcoming events along with an urging to try their specialty hand-crafted Maiden Muffins. Zeydaan sought to recall the establishment in memory, but nothing came to mind. They must have moved in recently. Patrons inside the quaint cafe were enjoying an assortment of treats catered to them by dragon maids adorned in matching, frilled and elegant black and white garments. For as large and imposing their stature might make them appear, they each carried themselves with grace and style.Those that had wings had them folded tightly at their backs while their long, muscular tails wove between the tightly-packed seats like snakes navigating the jungle canopy.

The crowd inside was entranced listening to one of the dragon maids singing a song while strumming away at her guitar cradled across her lap. Zeydaan tracked her eyes from face to face gauging their reactions. They all leaned forward in their seats, enraptured by the enchanting melody filling the room. The performer finished her song, waving a large, clawed hand in the direction of her audience before blowing them an endearing kiss. The crowd clapped and cheered. The same invisible force that had compelled Zeydaan here was in full swing again. She had to know more. She opened the door and stepped inside.

The scent of baked goods intensified. Now she could audibly hear the tail-end of the crowd's cheering with one piercing whistle punctuating the rest of the crowd's admiration. For Zeydaan, stepping into that maid cafe and seeing those sparkling blue eyes of the dragon performer there, she knew she had finally arrived somewhere truly special.

Zeydaan took a seat at one of the few unoccupied spots near a corner at the back of the cafe and waited to be served. The dragon maids flowed back and forth carrying drinks and attending to human and anthro guests alike. The vibrant, playful gestures of the dragon maids paired with their sincere, toothy smiles gave them an otherworldly allure that drew Zeydaan in all the more.

“Welcome to Maiden Menagerie. Hope you've been having a great night. Thanks for sharing your time with us this evening. Would you like to hear about our specials?” a chipper pink valstrax dragon maid with beautiful scales that glinted the warm table light like polished metal asked.

Zeydaan was half-expecting a gruff, commanding quality to the dragon’s tone, having only spent small periods of time around her fey-dragon mother Cynthia. Instead, this dragon's voice was tender and sweet, kind and genuine. Zeydaan couldn't recall the last time someone had acknowledged her presence without asking something of her in return. Even well-meaning, Zach’s constant bids to join his team of ‘Hawkmoths’, review documents, or inform planning was to Zach’s benefit as much as her own. Although her words were simple, she already felt a connection with this other person slowly thawing away of the ice clumped over her heart.

“Actually, yeah. That would be really nice,” she answered while rubbing her thumbs on top of each other.

“Tonight we are having a combo deal where you can pair one of our specialty sandwiches with a soup and salad for only £13.95. Our house-made soup tonight is Creamy Tomato: seasoned with roasted onions, carrots, garlic, basil, and just a wee touch of cream to give it that ‘mmmm’ creamy-goodness. You can get that by the cup or the bowl. And of course we always have our signature Maiden Muffins for dessert, but we can get there when we get there,” she ended with a wink of one reptilian eye.

“Uh...that all sounds really good. Do you have any recommendations on which sandwich to get? It's my first time here,” Zeydaan answered, feeling more at ease the longer she stayed in this comfortable little nook of paradise. Tensions long-held within her being were finally finding the crevices needed to begin unraveling themselves, the buried potential of her magical genetics rising closer to a more readily accessed surface.

“I'll never pass up one of our Croque Americaine paninis: sliced egg, freshly grown bacon, pepper jack cheese, tomato and watercress all grilled on our Lemon Pugliese Bread. Hits the spot, even at this late an hour. It’s timeless.” The pink dragon finished her statement with a shake of her head and a sweet, rumbling murmur of a laugh.

“See, now you got me nearly drooling over here just thinking about it!”

Zeydaan chuckled.

“That sounds great. I'll have one of the combo specials then with the panini that you mentioned. Hold the salad though, and a green tea if you have that please. Oh, and one last thing....who was performing that song earlier on the stage?”

“Oh her? She's actually one of the other workers here. Name's Amrin. And can do sweet'ums. Will be back with that soup and drink to get you started in just a jiffy. My name's Blaze and I'm happy to serve you tonight. If you need anything else just ring the bell and I'll be right over.” Blaze said, turning with a controlled swish of her tail between the neighboring seats.

Zeydaan sank back into the backrest of her chair, eyes closed as she soaked in the pleasant muttering of the people around her. Only minutes before she had been seeking isolation from anyone and anything, but now invigorating waves of peace washed over her, taking away with them some of the corroded etchings built up by herself and the world.

Zeydaan spent that evening treated to the wonderful meal brought out by Blaze while serenaded by Amrin's lovely melodies from the stage. Everything was beyond perfect. Even more impressive than the culinary delights she had thoroughly engulfed were the cafe workers’ diligence in getting to know each and every one of their guests. Some would ask how a patron's kids were doing and others would chat about the weather. One golden dragon excitedly squealed over the announcement over one's hard-fought job promotion. It was clear that many of those who visited Maiden Menagerie were regulars, and as Zeydaan neared the last scrumptious morsel of a strawberry-filled Maid Muffin she could easily understand why.

After the meal, Zeydaan needed to relieve herself , and was kindly directed over to the restrooms at the back by Blaze. She went to attend to the needs of another table heralded by a gently ringing bell there. Again, that feeling of curiosity seized her as she gazed down a long hallway winding back past the cafe's kitchen. Before her better sensibilities could convince her otherwise, she was walking down the hall, her fingers trailing over lacquered railings of polished wood back towards a large door at its end. No one was here. A peek and she'd be gone again. Zeydaan opened the door at the hallway's end with bated breath and what she saw inside changed her forever.

In a perfectly manicured room, its upscale boutique air running incongruous to the hidden lines of bricks comprising the walls, rows of different maid outfits ran in overlapping layers to nearly touch the ceiling. Opposite the grand wardrobe was a changing area that carried the perfumed scents of a renowned French boutique. This space held all the grace granted by a premier ballerina’s presence.

A peek grew to her stepping into the room entirely, and then hazarding a few steps forward to brush her knuckles across one of the dragon maid outfits at the end of one of the rows within the large room. It was soft, but slick and pliable, as if created through repurposing of a well-crafted rubber. She was so engrossed in examining the perplexing, exquisite material that she failed to notice the faint patter of boots behind her.

A lengthy, teal neck curled up over her head and fixated a pair of impossibly blue eyes in front of hers, rows of glistening white teeth appearing behind the creature's pulled-back lips. Zeydaan yelped in surprise, falling forward and tumbling forward to become thoroughly tangled in the dresses before her. Then the creature laughed, and in those particular breathy tones Zeydaan recognized the soothing melodies she had heard during her stay at Maiden Menagerie.”

“Amrin? I um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, well, I mean I got lost and then this happened, and then well...you happened and...uhhhhh..” Zeydaan stammered.

Amrin relaxed her hands at her hips and offered a scaly hand to help her back to standing.

“You know my name? One of the other girls must have mentioned it. I recognize you though. You were that guy with the sweet smile way in the back. Looked like you enjoyed my performance earlier tonight huh? It's a fun gig. Comes with a ton of added perks,” she said with a practiced wink.

“Do you want to give it a try on?” Amrin said with a grin creeping across her face. Her eyes were determined, any refusal to be countered in an instant. Zeydaan shuffled off the dress that had fallen on top of her, examining the hems draped over her ankles.

“No…I can’t. I mean, I shouldn’t. That would be wrong. I’m not supposed to-” Zeydaan said as her fingers trailed across the smooth material. Amrin’s grin broadened. She knew that look. Zeydaan already had a foot poking through the door of her own identity even if she wouldn’t admit it. She pressed on.

“Oh, now what makes you say something like that? You can't go around refusing a treat without at least giving it a taste to know what you’re missing. Here, I tell you what. I'm the only one still working later tonight as the other girls finish wrapping up. You stay here a little while longer and you give one of Blaze's outfits a try- you’re roughly the same size. Then you can let me know if it was worthwhile or not. How does that sound?”

“Uh, I guess that would be pretty good. Thanks Amrin.”

“Anytime sugar. Now go finish off your meal. I'll get to work finding something that will fit nice and proper on you.”

Zeydaan didn't have to wait long until the other patrons had begun leaving the store. Some of the other dragon maids began to leave then too, still wearing their monochromatic attire out the door. Blaze flashed a little wave of her hand tucked close to her side as she departed, and left Zeydaan as the only other person in the cafe besides Amrin. She stepped out from the kitchen, wiping her scaly brow with a soaked rag and tensing one of her arms in a mock bodybuilder stance.

“Those metal pots sure are heavier than they look. Now that everyone's gone, let's get you sorted out so you can be on your way. I don't usually close the cafe, but I decided to make a special exception for a certain wanderer,” Amrin said, beckoning Zeydaan over with a quick toss of her long, spiny neck.

Zeydaan followed her back down the hall and into the changing room. This time, a beautiful, flowing maid outfit with embroidered trim and a lace headpiece lay strewn over the back of one of the chairs.

“Is that one....for me?” Zeydaan tentatively asked.

Amrin voiced a satisfied hum.

“If you would like. But first try it on. I haven't had to find one that accommodates a non-dragon’s physique in quite some time.”

Zeydaan reached forward and picked up the garment, laying it flush in front of her as she looked in the mirror.

Amrin did go through all this trouble trying to humor me by finding something. Least I can do is try it like she said.

A few confused knots later and Zeydaan had managed to adorn herself in the outfit. It was a snug fit, but the material was forgiving around her sides.

I look....kind of pretty.

“So what do you think?” Amrin asked, eyeing Zeydaan from head to toe.

“It's simple, but sleek too. I didn't think it would be so comfortable from feeling the outside; that's pretty surprising. I... can't believe I'm actually doing this. I must look so silly.”

“Oh? You know, you can tell a lot about a person from what they choose to wear. That's why I make sure all of the girls have an outfit here that can suit any mood they might be feeling. They don't have to say it to any of the customers, but we'll know and we can be more mindful of each other that way. Clothes are an expression of our inner worlds, infinite and perfectly malleable. Let me stop myself before I get carried away. Take this one with you. Feel free to drop by anytime and I'll be sure to fix you up with something special when we next meet.”

Zeydaan pulled the edges of the dress up in a faux curtsy. Amrin looked pleased, her vivid blue eyes sparkling within the surrounding teal of her iridescent scales. In the ripples of fabric adorned across her body, visions of a new identity and a new future she could actually realize sparked into being.

“I will. Thank you.”

After her visit at the Maiden Menagerie, Zeydaan's inspirations came back to her in full force.

Vivid images and colors returned to the canvas of her life, and from sunrise to sunset she filled her sketchbooks with various dress and outfit designs to match Amrin's standards of quality. She wore the dress as she worked, experiencing a surge of creative insight the likes of which she never knew before. And with the mental barriers to such actions waning, more and more of her magical nature unraveled in tandem with the door opening on her new sense of self. Her imagination was flush with trying on more colourful of flowing outfits like Nia’s, or to shudder at the thought of having her own dress from the Menagerie. When Zach requested Zeydaan try out a new uniform for sizing for the Hawkmoths, she found herself with confusion and an uncanny dysphoria in selecting one for male versus female party members. With a shrug and a sunken expression, all Zeydaan could manage to say was, “It’s hard to pick. They both look just fine.”

Over the next few days, Zeydaan noticed her typical interests and habits altering; she now favored extended periods of clothes shopping served as research for her ample sketches, she had replaced her hours of video game play studying the motions of other actresses in romantic comedies, and even found herself practicing a softer lilt to her speech to copy Blaze's sweet-sounding tones. Synapses in her brain invoked themselves, hidden latent genetic factors driving Zeydaan’s instinctual compulsion to further her journey across the spectrum of gender expression. With enough practice, the deeper baritone of her voice softened, and even her smile changed in its quality to drift closer to the feeling you get when staring at your favourite flower. Life was feeling bright once more. The tight grip of sadness within her had loosened enough to let the light shine through again.

Even her physical appearance was drifting towards a more feminine stature. She found that wearing her maid outfit particularly accentuated the developing curvature of her body shape. Embracing this newfound identity with all the vigor she could muster was all so new and liberating. Before her eyes, she was growing to be whole and realized away from the past chains of expectation she and others had cast upon her.

Zeydaan first noticed her nails lengthening out into longer, curled claws a few days prior. Then her attention drew itself to the sore bump at her lower back that she initially attributed to her old mattress, but which now had projected out a short distance away from the rest of her body in a stumpy approximation of a proto-tail while her lengthy furred brush had shrunk considerably in turn. Its wolven characteristics had reconfigured themselves to a much more draconic shape. The area was hard and well-muscled, but still unable to be moved of her own volition. Newest still were the pair of tiny, rough horns pressing their way up near the back of her skull, still hidden beneath her voluminous hair and fur.

Zeydaan returned to Maiden Menagerie with hopes to find assistance in managing her gradual dragonification. She walked in the door, her sketchbook clutched tightly at her chest and brimming with new dress designs. Greeted with the same fresh scent of baked goods as her first visit, she even got a friendly tail flick from Blaze who recognized her before making her way to deliver a pair of Maiden Muffins to an elderly couple. She stood at the entrance, adjusting the hem of her maid dress awkwardly for a little while before finally the sight of Amrin's winding neck came into view. She voiced a pleased sound and beckoned her to the back.

“It seems you've taken quite a liking to your new attire,” Amrin said once the two were in the cafe's staff room. Her interest was particularly piqued seeing the closed sketchbook in front of Zeydaan.

“Yeah, you could say it's really grown on me,” Zeydaan answered, feeling the fabric of her dress brush over the top of her nubby tail.

Amrin leaned in, her head snaking around Zeydaan's shoulder where she was seated.

“Is that something you hope continues? It hasn't been too...inconvenient?” she said with a wry grin.

“If I say yes....is that bad?” Zeydaan tentatively muttered, feeling a warm flush rush to her cheeks.

Amrin laughed her sweet melodic laugh.

“Certainly not you charming fledgling. I'm impressed you've taken on to it so well,” she continued before leaning back into her seat and sipping at a large cup of lukewarm tea.

A question popped into Zeydaan's thoughts, and she rubbed her thumbs on top of themselves.

“Can you help me....be pretty? Like....more than just the dress.” Zeydaan managed to say, the heat on her face intensifying. Amrin hummed and lowered her gaze to match hers.

“You're already beautiful hun. That's something that comes from the spark inside you. Remember? The inside world brought to the outside. And that's what you're doing right now in being here. You want to be pretty? I'll offer something even better than that. What do you say to coming down to join the team here? We'd greatly appreciate an extra set of claws to get ready for our big performance soon.”

Zeydaan considered the offer, her eyes darting back and forth across the table.

A chance at a new life...

“When do I start?” Zeydaan said with hope radiating from her eyes. Amrin patted one of her shoulders with one of her large, scaled hands.

“Right now if you'd like. Come on to the back and we'll get you settled in.”

Zeydaan promptly became a part time member of the Maiden Menagerie team, splitting her time between there and increasing duties with the Hawkmoths back at Zach’s. She learned all the nuances and skills needed to be a successful worker at a maid-cafe: diligence, insight, and a warm smile from your heart for each and every guest. Zeydaan learned how to discern the unique tone of her personal serving bell from all of the other dragon maids through use of her sharpening hearing, and by the end of a week's time she felt as if she was getting a good handle on the process.

While Zeydaan's employment at the cafe continued, her gradual transformation had amplified; her body becoming increasingly reptilian in nature. It continued as a slow, and steady burning of her old, wolven identity. Her fur had given away to glistening yellow scales, and she had since abandoned wearing most shoes apart from her maid outfit boots as her clawed toes ripped apart anything she would otherwise try and force on. Previously short nubs had now grown to become sloped, curved horns rising tall atop of her head. She was becoming increasingly adept at navigating the extended mass of her long, writhing tail projected free from the end of her spine. Sometimes she longed for her old self, getting a brief jolt in the mornings where she’d discover something new had come to be, but being in this way was becoming easier for her with each passing day.

She had read that in some practices, people go through uneven stages of growth as they figure out who they are and what they hope to accomplish in their lives. There were points- seemingly at random- that the changes reversed, leaving her as a wolf again. Though some traces remained, her fur was shorter and more velvetty. The horns they now bore remained as small nubs, and her figure looked far more lithe and curved. She looked on her form and smiled gently.

Somewhere in the course of the changes happening, she found she was beginning to like herself all the more. Maybe this uncomfortable feeling she had in her gut as she laid down at night was actually the awakening process of her abilities amplifying for her. Or it could have been the third Maiden Muffin she sneaked eating at the end of her shift at the cafe. She had been able to supply joy to others before, but nothing that had her feeling so connected. Between her time at the Menagerie and with Zach, she was finally feeling like part of a team all working towards a shared purpose. It fulfilled her more than anything else they could imagine… Though they still felt a twinge on the ‘him’ bit.

Amrin surprised Zeydaan one evening at the end of one of her shifts with a cup of fresh tea beside her favorite couch in the staff room. A small card was fastened to the bottom of the cup and read:

You've been working hard for our guests and with our staff. I want to treat you to something special. Come find me at the usual spot.

-Amrin

After enjoying the tea, Zeydaan wandered over to the dressing room and found Amrin removing some of the extra makeup from her face.

“Thanks for the drink. You said you wanted to talk about something?” Zeydaan said, sitting beside her.

“When this all started, did you think you would like something so different?” Amrin said with an uncharacteristically wistful depth to her expression.

“Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but it's kind of weird though...I've been through a lot, but now I'm really only focused on what comes next from here. I'm actually excited about the future, and... that hasn't been the case for a long time. I have you to thank for that,” Zeydaan said with a warm giggle.

“I used to be so consumed by my doubts, my body wasn’t in my control, as much from society and from myself. I was preventing my magic from flourishing and putting myself into a HORRIBLE box to confine to masculinity. New friends were patient with me when I haven't been at my best, and all of your support has given me hope that things will only keep getting better from here. We all experience our own changes, our own transformations in life. The only constant aspect of life you can really count on is change, but it's beautiful now...like me. I shouldn’t be afraid of my body, my powers, my identity. You’ve helped me realise that I can be myself, I can be ME.”

Amrin nodded in acknowledgment. Zeydaan continued.

“For a long time now, I've had to take care of most of these things by myself. At least, that’s what I told myself. I didn’t really let Zach in or even Bean get too close because I didn’t want to let either of them down. It’s already tough enough trying to meet expectations of this planet’s society and gender. There’s only ever been one person who helped put into words what I may be feeling- but you helped me explore this and realise this in my OWN body.”

“You've always been worth it,” Amrin answered back. “Ever since I saw you lurking there in the back of the cafe, poking your head up curious like a mouse seeing a tasty scrap in front of its hole, I knew you were reaching out for something, so it makes me happy knowing that you've found that here with us. Seems like most of what you’re up to is for the sake of other people. It’s hard to make room for yourself in a life like that.”

“Yeah.”

“But it wasn't one sided. You were getting something in return. Whatever good feeling you gave out came back to you many times bigger right?”

“I suppose that’s true. Maybe I’m finally getting closer to my potential. Finding my own voice I’ve kept silenced for way too long,” Zeydaan said, dropping their eyes with a sigh. She felt a finger tilt her chin back up, and now the impossibly blue eyes were inches away from hers.

“Each conversation you could think of as an exchange; maybe not equal as time went on, but life is all about exchanges even when we're giving. You can't expect someone to take care of something for you, but you sure can still appreciate a fellow or fine lady taking the time out of what they have been doing to make your day better right?”

“That's true,” Zeydaan said with a nod, pulling back to her seat, uncertain where Amrin was taking this.

“I want to help give back to you since you've been working so hard for us. There's something special I want to make for you, but it will take some time. The fundraiser performance will be done by then, but in the meantime how would you feel about going away somewhere for the weekend to really relax and let that inner dragoness shine?”

Zeydaan blushed and smiled, a pleasant warmth coursing through her being at being called that- dragoness. She toyed with the idea in her mind, letting it settle with ease into the crook carved out for it through her new experiences here at the Maiden Menagerie.

“I’d suspected as much. If it's alright Zeydaan, would you like for me to refer to you as a Dragoness- like one of us?" Amrin’s tone was genuine and sincere, lacking its usual sass and spice.

"One person who raised me was called that. I think…” She paused, her eyes darting back and forth as she fought to claim words to the feelings in her heart. “The wolven form I take I still see as the name I was given- Zeydaan. But this new self I'm becoming, this new part of me…it’s a new me that I choose. So, I want to name myself…Isabella."

“Isabella...” Amrin said, as if trying out the name for size. “Well Isabella, let's give it everything we've got.”

Isabella felt awash with relief. Even if Amrin was the only other person that understood, somehow that could be enough for now. Still, something didn’t sit quite right about the whole thing.

“Is it odd that when I thought about how I used to be called- not my other name, that part’s fine- but, actually all the off-the-cuff ‘Hey dude,’ and ‘How’s it going champ?’ type-remarks from others, most of them not meaning any harm at all, it just made me a bit sick in my stomach? I don’t know if I’m even making sense to you right now. Sometimes I wonder if I’m waking up from a lie of a life I used to have, and it’s all because I just didn’t have the confidence to face what I knew was already there the whole time.”

Amrin let out a lengthy sigh and nodded. “No, it isn't sugar. That’s the most normal thing I think I’ve heard you say the whole time I’ve known you. All that is is you just showing yourself that your voice has gotten loud enough to hear what it is you’ve actually been feeling inside without all the noise from anyone else causing interference.”

“I don't know if I'm ever going to be anything like you are Amrin,” Isabella added with a tinge of awe.

Amrin roared with laughter.

“You keep doing that- comparing me to you. If it helps sort your head out at all, the trip wouldn't just be us. Blaze would be coming too. It's always nice to have a third.”

“A third? For what?” Isabella asked with a perplexed quiver of the strong, moth-like wings at her back.

“To help break ties when we're not sure what to do of course.” Amrin said, sticking out her tongue. Her smile was warm and inviting like the first rays of morning sunlight.

“Give it a chance and see what happens. It worked out before didn't it?”

Isabella leaned back in her seat and stared at the bright light above illuminating the changing room.

Light where before it was only dark.

“I don’t want to be a ‘him’, or a ‘he’, anymore. The more I think about it, the more I never was. If I’m to be a new me- then I’m gonna correct that.”

“Preach, sister.”

The afternoon sun shone in glorious splendor upon the sandy beach in front of Isabella and made the ocean sparkle where crests of waves crashed down to join the sand. Amrin and Blaze were already waiting for her in the parking lot and had been open to allowing her to borrow a bikini to contain the newest developments at her chest. Isabella traveled down to a toasty corner of the beach with Blaze, enjoying the feeling of the warm sand beneath her clawed digits. Amrin was already up ahead mucking about near the surf, teasingly close to where the rolling waves lapped the heated grains of sand cool once more.

Isabella sat back on her haunches, allowing her feet to immerse themselves within the pleasantly warm sand. Even as large sand fleas hopped about near the base of her tail causing an occasional itch, she relished in the scent of the ocean spray wafting up to her nose. Behind her, dry blades of grass swayed in tandem to the invisible melody of the breeze. A tan beach towel was draped across Isabella’'s hunched shoulders, propped up along the base of her formidable wings at her back. Looking around her, creatures of all sorts were here enjoying this pleasant relief from the heat. Where before she had to be mindful to not overheat from her thick, coarse fur, she now found the exposed sunshine of the beach much more palatable.

Isabella had become a modified image of the reptilian creature of legend. Although she was still essentially anthropomorphic in shape, her body had continued to undergo fantastic alterations over the past few weeks. Her changes back into her wolf form on occasion has caused a ‘hybridisation’ of appearances. Her fur had reappeared, and had given way to become a vivid yellow color, lightening to a pale cream at her belly and underside. Her jaw and face had broadened and elongated into a sizable muzzle filled with rows of sharpened teeth. Through the process, her eyes had remained unchanged- still that warm, crimson color, but now ready to face the world’s myriad of challenges head-on.

A part of Isabella questioned whether the extra coverings over her body were even necessary for her at this point. Her thickened hide served her well to keep her body insulated, and furthermore removed what could typically be described as a nude appearance even without any clothing on her person. However, Isabella still enjoyed at least having some kind of covering over her body. Her clothes and outfits were gateways and portals to customizing and taking control of her day, and she wasn’t ready to let go of that for the sake of practicality.

Isabella’'s senses had all dramatically sharpened as well. Her eyesight was sharper than it had ever been in her former life, and her senses of smell and hearing were all as developed and acute as her vision. Even underwater, her senses all brought into being a vivid and previously unrealized realm of existence to her scaly form. With the glittering waves still rolling onto the beach, she would answer the ocean's call today.

Isabella stood, the beach towel sliding off her back as she flashed a quick glance to Blaze who contentedly soaked up some of the sun's rays laying flush on her belly in the sand. She grumbled a sleepy, incoherent message for her to enjoy herself. And without a second to waste, she was off.

Isabella outstretched the wings she kept neatly folded at her back to their maximum. The wind teased at her wingtips, resisted against them with a firm pressure, and buoyed her up the rest of the way as she launched off the ground with her powerful legs. Low-hanging clouds drifted by. Birds scattered with squawking cries. Isabella’s shadow weaved and flitted over the sand and onlookers below to the amazement and awe of many.

Each powerful thrust of her wings drove her higher and higher still. Like fabled Icarus, she beheld the splendor of the sun, except her wings were permanent. Isabella hadn't tested her flight capabilities much, and maneuvers which required a greater deal of finesse would take more time to master. Still, time was a gift she had this weekend in ample supply.

From her suspended perch nestled against a drifting cloud, Isabella peered down and spotted Amrin gazing up at her. She grinned, then tucked her wings back in against her back and pointed her nose downward. Down and down she plummeted until she pierced through the surface of the water in a near-silent crash. Immersed in this watery world was in many ways the same as flying in the sky above. As she coursed through the surf, flexing her body from side to side like a snake to propel her back closer to shore, strands of Isabella's hair began to flow about her face. Longer and longer they grew at her head and sprouted from the tip of her tail colored a bubblegum pink to match the sweetness of her spirit.

When she emerged drenched from her ocean foray, her trim, tidy fur glittered like the ocean waves behind her, and her long, flowing hair danced about her shoulders with every step. Isabella’s joy was radiant. Seeing her so happily engrossed in the thrills of life, Amrin couldn’t help but brighten further herself, holding close that only more good memories together would be made from here.

After the fun weekend together, Isabella and Amrin continued to grow closer. Amrin often came to her for advice on various happenings at the cafe. Isabella was beloved by both patrons and staff, and soon Maiden Menagerie had grown to become a second home. However, tensions were high with the cafe's fundraiser performance looming only days away. Both were at a loss on what to try to make this event stick out until Isabella had an idea come to her.

“A new item? We've kept the same menu since we've opened. Our customers know what they can expect from us. At this point we'd be risking more than I think we could possibly gain by that. What were you hoping we would make anyway?”

“Well I was thinking we could try making a chilled lemon and lavender pie to go with the Maiden Muffins. They're kind of my specialty, and I thought they could really round out the flavors from the sweet tartness of the muffins.”

Amrin caught an intensity in Isabella’s eyes that she hadn't seen before.

“I tell you what. If you can cook up one of these pies yourself at home and bring it in tomorrow I'll have the customers sample it as part of a survey. We'll go from there.”

“Thank you, thank you!” Isabella shouted in delight.

She ran all the way home that evening after work. There wasn't a minute to waste if this was going to be perfect. Zach greeted an exhausted Isabella at the door, Bean close at her heels with a curious expression on her face as she tossed herself against Isabella’s legs. Isabella bent down to give Bean a cursory scritch across the poodle moth’s fuzzy carapace.

“Sorry, no time to talk. Need to work. Leave dinner by the door, and oh, I was thinking over what you had said before, Zach, and I think you should go purple for the uniforms. We can put it to a vote or something when we have more time, ok bye!!!” Isabella said as she disappeared into the hall, leaving the other two standing there bewildered.

Isabella spent the remainder of the night slaving over the oven, and by the end of her time in the kitchen, had amassed a staggering wreckage of used bowls that were piled up in the sink, but at last her creation was completed.

Isabella kept tugging at the hem of her maid outfit as the inquisitive, calculating eyes of one of the cafe patrons glazed over her dish. Peeking through the small viewport leading into the kitchen, she saw the man inhale, long and drawn-out before furrowing his brows. His gaze lingered over the plate in front of him, gauging its texture with a twist of his fork. A good sign. This customer was a picky one. The man grabbed his fork, twisted off a sizable portion and planted it into his mouth. The fork dropped onto the side of the plate with a shrill clang.

Oh no. He hates it.

“Bring me another fork, and another plate of this masterpiece. There is no way I could possibly experience this once.”

Isabella's pie became a sensational hit, and helped to drive further interest in the cafe up just in time for the fundraiser. The staff could hardly keep ingredients in stock, and all applauded her efforts. The stage had been set. Now would come the hard part.

It was time for the big performance at the cafe. Isabella hadn’t slept much the night before. This event would be pivotal in securing additional funding to allow the cafe to continue operating and finish its repairs. Tonight was Isabella’s chance to help repay the place that had encouraged her life-changing transformation. Peeking past the on-stage curtain, Isabella could make out the distinct faces of Zach, and beside him on either side, the newest members of the Hawkmoths: Ashley the omni-elemental dragon, and Lilith the half anthro-wolf, half-orc, all together to celebrate and support her efforts.

Backstage, nervous jitters ran along her spine. Amrin placed a hand at her shoulder. The confidence radiating from her face could melt back any fears.

“Time to shine Isabella.”

The spotlight was hot against her skin and fur, much different from the comforting rays of laying sprawled out on the beach. She knew this feeling well. A calm before the storm. Isabella took a deep breath, silently sent a wish for the best, and then stepped out onto the stage at Amrin's side.

Hours upon countless hours of hard work between her shifts had finally paid off and Isabella moved across the floor with grace. From the tip of her snout to each twirling curl of her tail, Isabella was an object of beauty and captivated the entire audience into stunned silence. Amrin's gorgeous vocals reached their peak, her guitar strumming with a fierce intensity as Isabella's steps grew more precise and punctuated. Isabella prepared herself for her big maneuver, tensing one arm planted to the ground before arching her tail high up over her body in a twisting C, framing Amrin for her solo. She strummed away like unencumbered lightning, and by the end of it, Isabella finally loosed the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Then came the roar of applause, recognition, validation, and confirmation that there would be a continued place for her to continue inspiring joy in others.

The next day, Isabella and the other girls counted their earnings from the show. They were amazed to see that they had not only met their goal, but vastly shot above the total they had needed. A great clamoring of cheerful wails and woops sounded out. Amrin held Isabella's hand, and squeezed it with a firm pressure.

“Good job partner,” Amrin said with a wide grin.

“You too,” Isabella answered back with the wink she had practiced.

“Here...let's sneak back. Now's a good time for me to show you something,” Amrin said in between her still-cheering co-workers.

The two made their way back to the changing room, crouching behind one of the back rows of dresses. Amrin produced a large chest hidden among the array of other belongings stashed there.

“Open it.”

Isabella knelt down, flicking open the latches and held her mouth agape at what was before her. A stunningly gorgeous maid outfit complete with boots and matching headpiece was stashed inside. The material shined with its rubbery texture and delicately ornate trim.

“This is the one that...but how did you make this? I… It’s for me??” Isabella asked, sitting back stunned.

“You put the most heart into it. Anyone could see that. Now don't keep me waiting. Try it on already!”

Isabella quickly changed into the new outfit, and felt its cling over her short fur, fitting almost like a second skin. Her wings flexed uncontrollably, and she wiggled from side to side in sheer excitement.

“You're one of us now, so it's the least I can do to say thank you.”

Isabella turned to hug her friend tight, and felt an equal pressure back. Sitting there with her, the world had once more come into its full cycle: loss, joy, loss, hope renewed once more. Such peaks and valleys constituted the fabric of a life well-lived, and for Isabella seated nestled beside one who had become so dear to her, she wished with all her might that for at least a little while - long enough to savor the moment, life's inherent capacity for change could leave things be just as they were this one time.