Dream Emporium - Warming Up

"Wahh, it's cold." Shivering, I headed into the shopping strip along the road, holding my raincoat closer to myself.

The rain at coastal areas could get a little ridiculous at times, but that's part and parcel of living in a place called Port Town. I decided that it would be best for me to go find somewhere to relax a little, waiting for the rain to subside a bit.

Looking around, there were several stores open, but none with a place to sit down and wait out the rain. Continuing to walk, I spotted a table and chair set out in the corner of the alley.

Maya's Dream Emporium, eh? I guess anything's good at this point. I pushed the door open, the bell making a soft tinkling noise.

The lady of the house was in, and leaning over the countertop, as per usual. She looked up at me and grinned.

"Some weather, eh Trevor?"
"Yeah... you know, you're pretty amazing, being able to remember the names of everyone in town."
"I do my best." She stood up. "What can I do for you today?"

I told her I was just there to wait out the rain, but she insisted on getting me tea. On the house, she assured me.

"...where's your assistant?"
"Oh, she's at the university." Maya poured some Pecha tea into a cup adorned with the face of Vulpix. "She's only a part-time worker, after all."
"I see." I thanked her for the tea, as she set it down on the table.

"Are you cold?" Maya glanced at me.
"A little. Thanks for the tea." I picked up the cup and took a sip.
"Oh, the tea's not the only thing that's gonna warm you up~" She giggled.

"Eh?" I looked down at the cup again, then I noticed my hand. There was a reddish patch on the back of my hand, and it was fast spreading.

"What on earth..." I reached over with my other hand and touched it, and realized it felt... fuzzy. Almost like... fur?

Before I could register this, my hand further began to tingle, and I watched as my fingers began to pull back into my palm, becoming rounder and stubbier. My thumb and pinky completely disappeared into my palm, leaving me with three rounded fingers, covered in the red fur.

I glanced at the cup, then glanced at Maya. "No way... Am I... turning into a Vulpix?"
"Yep, you are~" Maya smiled at me.
I looked back at my other hand, now likewise sprouting red fur and fingers swelling. "That's... that's actually quite cool!"

The fur spread up my arms as I watched the underside of my palms and fingers swell up, leaving me with paw pads. I felt a similar squeezing sensation in my feet, as I looked down to see my shoes magically disappear, and my toes also becoming stubbier, though bigger in proportion to my foot this time. Soon, my pads came in, and I had four paws in total.

Now with my fur spreading everywhere, my hair turned orange and began to curl up, and I noticed that I was using less of the chair to sit on. I looked around and realized that I was already the same height as Maya, and fast becoming smaller. Another look confirmed that the rest of my clothes had also magically vanished.

My stance was shifting too, as my arms and legs began to shorten, becoming roughly the same length. Soon, I fell to all fours, the position feeling more natural for me. This made me even closer to the ground, and as I looked around, I marveled at how big the store looked now.

I felt my ears being tugged, moving up the side of my head and becoming pointed. They grew out, becoming larger, as I batted at them with my paws. Next to change was my nose, and as I reached up to touch my face with my paws, I felt my nose become rougher, and a little moist. Soon, I could feel my face pushing out underneath my paws, growing outwards into a muzzle.

As my canines sharpened to a point, I felt a pressure in my rear, and I braced myself. I gave a yelp as not one, not two, but six tails came tumbling out of me. Looking behind, I could see the six red tails, curled up together and waving slightly.

I gave a little stretch, and shook myself. "Wow... this is so cool, I'm a Vulpix!"
"Yep, and a real cute Vulpix at that~" Maya smiled, bending down to pet my head.

Maya was right, I mused, as I pulled my tails close to my body. I did feel a lot warmer now.