This is an idea that was inspired from a talk on Reddit with a fellow fan. We wanted to explore the life of Michiru Kagemori before her transformation and her arrival to Anima City.

I do not own BNA: Brand New Animal, nor am I making any money in writing this. BNA: Brand New Animal is the property of Trigger studio and directed by Yoh Yoshinari. This is purely for fun and I hope you all enjoy it.


At first, there was complete utter silence; one could have heard a single drop of water splash upon a blade of grass. It felt like the whole world simply froze in place as Michiru stared up at her parents, who merely stared blankly in disbelief.

Her father recovered first, dropping her to the ground as a look of fury overtook him. Landing hard on her tail, Michiru only had time to wince in pain before she felt a powerful hand grab the back of her shirt. Frantically, she tried to turn to her father but he pulled her to her feet, almost tearing the fabric and taking a sizable clump of her fur with it.

"Who are you?!" her father demanded as he turned her to face him. "Why are you wearing our daughter's jersey?! Where is Michiru?!"

"I…" she stammered, trying to work past the pain. Blinking away the tears, she looked up and felt her heart sink at the look in her father's eyes. The fury and mistrust she saw in the man she trusted most was heartrending. She tried to respond, but her pain, physical and emotional, were like a vice-grip on her throat and the tears started streaking down her furry cheeks.

"Now now, Kaito dear," her mother interjected, much to her relief. Having recovered from the shock, she had laid a reassuring hand on her husband's shoulder trying to calm him. "We don't know if this…young girl had anything to do with what happened to Michiru."

"Then why's she wearing Michiru's jersey?!" Kaito retorted, turning Michiru around. "See?! How'd she get it?!"

"I don't know," her mother replied. "But how do you explain her voice being identical to our daughter's? And in any case, is ripping her fur out really going to help us? Please, let her go."

"No," he snapped, much to Michiru's dismay. "We have no way of knowing if she'll bolt or not."

"I won't!" Michiru cried out. "Mom, dad, I promise I won't!"

"There you go again!" Kaito yelled, his volume making Michiru's ears ring. "How can we be your parents?! You're a Beastman! We're human, as is our daughter! It's impossible for us to be your parents!"

"But you are and I can prove it!" Michiru yelled back, matching her father's volume. "I know it's supposed to be impossible but somehow I turned into a Beastman! If you'd give me a few minutes I can prove it!"

"Kaito dear," her mother said. "At least put the girl down so we can talk about this. The sooner we hear her out, the sooner we can get back to finding our daughter."

"Fine," he huffed, setting Michiru down but keeping a firm hold on her shirt. "You said you can prove you're our daughter. What proof do you have?"

"Well…" Michiru started, trying to get her thoughts in order. "Remember when we went to the Seto Inland Sea when I was six years old? I had a dark blue swimsuit while yours were a pair of black trunks and a two-piece green swimsuit. I was swimming with you two when I decided to dive down for a bit, but I suddenly came back up laughing my head off. Do you remember why?"

"You, that is to say, Michiru," Kaito started, his grip relaxing somewhat. "Had an ayu swim down the back of her swimsuit. It was tickling her and she…"

"Ripped off the swimsuit to let it go," Michiru finished, smiling sheepishly. "After I got the ayu out, I found myself standing half-naked at the beach and I jumped back into the water to hide. You stuck your arms out to obscure the view from the other visitors while mom helped me get my top back on."

At this both of her parents glanced at each other in surprise. Her mother let out a small laugh while her father broke out into a crooked smile at the memory. But before long, her father turned back to her and asked "How do we know you weren't simply there at the time? There were plenty of visitors so you might have simply been spying on us."

"I can tell you more," Michiru answered. "After that…wardrobe malfunction I was so embarrassed that I didn't want to leave for the Yosakoi festival. I was in my room, huddled on the bed when you two came in and tried to comfort me. I was holding my pillow tightly when you brought out…my capybara plush. Dad was doing his…Kabi-kabi voice to make me laugh. After a little back-and-forth, you asked me 'which lasts longer? A mistake at the beach, or a night of fun?' in that…high, squeaky voice that made me laugh so much."

"We were alone that night," her father said in confused awe. "How could you…?"

"Dad closed the door while mom shut the blinds," Michiru continued, a wistful look in her eyes. "You were wearing your bright red happi coat with a matching yukata. The coat and yukata had the kanji for 'joy' in gold on their backs, and mom's came with a gold sash that had soy sauce splattered across it. That soy spill was quite a scare, running all over the tablecloth after I knocked it over. I grabbed the first thing I could to blot it out, which was one of your business ties. When I realized my mistake, I was about to panic but you just grabbed it and kept going. Mom…rescued us when she showed up with hydrogen peroxide. We soaked the tablecloth, tie, and other clothes in the sink but we splashed some sauce on the sash in our haste and we never realized it until the night after with Kabi-Kabi. When mom saw it, she just shrugged and said she would take care of it after the festival."

Closing her eyes to relish the memories, she smiled fondly as her fear and confusion fell away.

"It was wonderful!" she sighed. "They were playing Little Date by Ribbon, while we danced with our red and gold clappers! Mom was in the lead, dad took up the rear, and I was in the middle! We joined up with a fellow team wearing dark blue with white, which happened to be Nazuna's family, the first time we met each other! We had a break for udon and abura-age, and we picked up some mikan for dessert. It was so delicious! And Nazuna and I met up the next day to see the Naruto Whirlpools over lunch with udon, kamaboko and kakiage. That kamaboko was so sweet Nazuna and I could not believe it was actually made from crab, and you said we looked like koi fish at feeding time…right after you snapped a picture of us! I ran after you, trying to get that phone and we turned it into a game of keep-away! Nazuna, mom, and Mrs. Hiwatashi were laughing their heads off while I was running around like a lunatic trying to grab a phone from two grown men! It was embarrassing but a lot of fun."

Hearing all this, Michiru felt her father release his grip on her shirt while her mother simply looked on in shock. Glancing at each other in silence, they slowly turned to her, realization dawning in their eyes.

"Michiru," her mother whispered, barely believing her own eyes. Her father glanced back and forth for a brief moment before he simply looked down at the floor.

"What…happened?" her mother whispered, looking her over. "You…I…how…" she stammered, stumbling over her thoughts as Kaito covered his face, breathing long and slow.

Seeing their reactions, Michiru felt incredibly self-conscious as she looked herself over.

'I look like a fugitive, or a runaway,' she thought sadly. Her shirt was still damp from her escape at sea and smelled strongly of saltwater. Rubbing her shoulders, she could feel the salt and muck embedded in her fur. Shuffling her feet, she felt the pavement under her bare paws, the sand and dirt rubbing between her toes and getting into her pads. Under the gaze of her parents' staring, she felt her tail wag slowly of its own accord, pulling her shorts too low for comfort.

Feeling this, she first tried pulling her shorts up but yelled out in pain as the upper band pulled on her tail. Hearing this, her mother rushed over and pulled her into a hug, hoping to comfort her. But once she closed the distance, she gagged as she took in the undertone of garbage mixed in with the seawater.

"Goodness!" she gasped out, pulling back. "Where have you been?!"

"I…" Michiru started, but her tail started wagging furiously, and she felt her shorts fall short once again. Embarrassed, she grabbed her shirt and pulled it down to try and cover her tail…only to freeze as a ripping sound came from her shoulders. Glancing down, she saw that her straps had torn, the left nearly clean through and was dangerously close to falling apart.

"Mom," she said, tears prickling at her eyes. "I…need to get inside."

"Right away!" her mother said. Turning to Kaito she said "Keep an eye out! I'll get some towels and a bucket of soap water."

Rushing to the door, she quickly made her way inside as Kaito, awkwardly and slowly, ambled up to their daughter. Looking toward the street, he angled himself to try and block Michiru from any onlookers while she shrunk down in her father's shadow. Holding her shoulders tightly, she felt the salt and muck crumble under her grip as she tried to pull her shirt up. Feeling the hem of her shirt lift above her waistline, her tail began wagging side-to-side as her face heated up in embarrassment. Desperate to maintain her modesty, she crumbled to the ground, trying to make herself as small as possible, her tail brushing against the pavement with a rustling sound that seemed far too loud.

"Eep!" she squeaked, embarrassed and ashamed.

"What?" her father asked, looking over his shoulder. From her position, his already solid frame seemed absolutely titanic, his head seeming too small for the size of his shoulders, and the light overhead made his hair shine brightly. For a moment, she imagined his head morphing into a long, broad muzzle lined with sharp teeth as white fur sprouted over his arms and neck and she recoiled in fear.

"Michiru, what's wrong?" he asked, but she could only tremble in his shadow. In her mind, his voice went from its usual soothing tone to a low rumble, like a volcano ready to erupt. Paralyzed in fear, she could only tremble and shake as he loomed over her.

"Michiru," he said, trying to sound calm but the rumble seemed to intensify. Trying to block it out, Michiru pulled her head into her knees and clapped her paws over her ears as tears pricked at her eyes as a shadow fell upon her.

'This is it!' she thought, her tears trailing down her cheeks as a pair of massive arms wrapped around her. 'I'm done for!'

But instead of crushing her like a grape, the arms began cradling her as she was rocked back-and-forth. Through her paws, she heard a low, rhythmic resonance that seemed to wrap around her like a warm blanket. Pulling her paws away, she recognized it as an old lullaby her parents used to sing when she was little.

Slowly but surely, Michiru let herself relax in her father's embrace as the humming drove out the image of the polar bear Beastman. Snuggling up against her father, she inhaled deeply as his scent, a strong, wood-like odor, filled her nostrils. His presence, once intimidating, now made her feel warm and safe as she wrapped her arms around his chest.

'Oh daddy,' she thought, savoring the moment.

"Michiru, Kaito!" her mother called out, breaking the moment. "We're all set here."

"Thank you, Ami," her father said. "We'll be there soon."

'Oh, do we have to leave now?!' she groaned angrily to herself. 'It felt so good!'

"Michiru," her father whispered. "I felt your fur bristling. Are you angry? Upset? Excited?"

'Wait he felt that?!' she asked herself. 'I mean he is holding me but really?! Oh!'

"We don't have to go in right away," her father continued. "Just let me know when you're ready so I'll be in position for you."

'Would…five minutes be alright?' she wondered to herself. 'It felt so nice, just holding each other. But I do need a bath, and I'm so hungry!'

At this her stomach growled long and loud, making her parents jump in surprise. After some thought, Michiru inhaled deeply to collect herself. Leaning in close she said "Let's go inside."

Nodding, her father released her as she looked toward the door. Keeping low, she dashed over to the door, wrapping her arms around her waist to cover the gap in her clothes while her father covered her approach. Upon reaching the threshold, she saw her mother prepared with a bucket of warm water that smelled strongly of citrus soap and a set of dry towels on her arm.

Stepping into the bucket, she sighed in contentment as she wriggled her toes in the warm water. Leaning down, she rubbed at her paws to clean off the muck and salt, but then she felt a stinging pain in her palms. Holding them up, she found the bandages were soaking wet and stained a dark brown.

"Michiru!" her mother exclaimed, grabbing her paws. "What happened?!"

"I…it's a long story mom," she sighed. "Right now, I really need to get a bath and some food. I'll tell you everything over dinner."

"Well," her mother hesitated before sighing. "Alright, but I'll take care of this."

Before Michiru could respond, her mother leaned down and started vigorously rubbing her feet in the soapy water. Lifting up one paw, Ami rubbed strenuously to clean off the pads, but let out a gasp of pain before withdrawing from the water.

"Mom!" Michiru cried out. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine," she replied. Inspecting her hand, she saw a small cut in her middle finger. "I don't see any blood so I probably just poked it."

"Sorry," Michiru said. "I should have told you about my claws."

"No matter," her mother replied. "I'm almost done."

"But mom!" Michiru protested but to no avail. Ami reached down and finished cleaning Michiru's paws, leaving her with conflicting feelings. While she was happy her mother was not harmed and excited to be heading indoors soon, she felt somewhat embarrassed by the lengths her mother went to for this to happen.

"All done," her mother declared, handing Michiru a towel.

"Thanks mom," Michiru said. Taking the towel, she leaned on her mother's outstretched arm and began rubbing furiously to dry her paws. Pressing hard into her pads and heels, she sighed in pleasure as the tension in her ankles dissipated like heat from a radiator. Rotating her paws, she searched for any remaining grim or muck, and felt for cold or damp spots in her fur.

Satisfied with the results, she nodded to her mother and stepped inside, taking care to mind the bucket. Feeling the tile underneath her paws, she relaxed briefly before realizing she was supposed to wear slippers or indoor shoes. Clenching her jaw in shame, she frantically looked around for shoes or slippers but found the space empty. Looking to the side, she sighed in relief at the getabako, the cubby where they stored shoes and slippers. But before she could reach it, she felt a strong hand land on her shoulder, making her freeze in place.

"I got this," her father said from behind her. Turning slowly, she watched him lift the bucket and head outside, closing the door behind him.

"And I got this," her mother said, handing her a pair of slippers. "You go ahead and get a bath while your father and I take care of this."

"Thanks mom," Michiru said, slipping into her new footwear, the thick cotton canvas bristling against her fur. While she enjoyed the initial tickling, the fabric forced the fur back against the grain, irritating the skin beneath.

'Won't be for long,' she thought. Smiling to her parents, she raced for the staircase, bounding up every second step in her excitement.


'Bathtime!' she cheered as she closed the bathroom door. 'This is going to be great!'

Pulling her shirt off over her head, she heard a short rip near the shoulder straps. Inspecting the straps, she groaned at the enlarged tear in the left shoulder area, almost three-quarters of the way through. Looking over the shirt as a whole, she found the collar and hem were fraying and the front and back were covered in small cuts, rips, and tears all over. Carefully, she placed the sports jersey in the laundry basket before turning to her shorts.

Pulling on the cord, she discovered the knot was much tighter than she expected. Looking closely, she tried loosening the knot by twisting one of the arms, but the cord was tied too tightly. Grabbing the arm, she tried pushing it into the knot but to her dismay it refused to cooperate. She even tried twisting it in different directions before pushing it again, but the knot remained tight.

"Okay I need a long, thin object," she said to herself. Heading for the sink, she opened the cabinets but only found toothpaste, medicine bottles, and floss. Checking underneath, she found toilet paper, paper towels, and soap but nothing that could help her. Sighing in frustration, she closed the door and heard her claws nick the woodwork. Looking at her paws, she noted how long and sharp her claws looked, especially compared to her former nails.

"Maybe I should get these trimmed," she muttered, smiling as an image of a Beastman salon floated through her mind. "Wait a minute!" she realized, kicking herself.

Pulling herself up, she inserted her claws into the knot, twisting and wriggling to get inside. Once the cord was near her fingertip, she pulled and the knot, slowly but surely, loosened. Excited, she grabbed the freed arm and pulled the knot apart. The knot undone, she pulled her shorts down and placed them in the laundry basket as quickly as she could.

Turning to her paws, she inserted her claws into the knots and tried pulling them apart like she did with her shorts. But with a ripping sound, the knots fell apart under her claws, leaving her to watch the tattered bandages float down like autumn leaves. Sighing, she bent down to clean it up before peeling the bandages off her paws like citrus skins. Bundling the bandages together, she tossed them into the bin before looking at her paws.

"My goodness," she muttered to herself. The cuts were black from the clots and they felt very sensitive when poked or touched. Flexing her fingers, she winced slightly in discomfort but was relieved to see the clots held firm and did not reopen.

"That's a relief," she sighed. Reaching down her front, she unzipped her sports bra and yanked it off. She winced as the tight fabric pulled the fur against the grain, greatly irritating the underlying skin but the cool air made her sigh in relief. Reaching down, she gripped her underwear and pulled down, the fur protesting heavily against the friction but the tail relished its new freedom, wagging eagerly much to her dismay.

Adding her last articles to the laundry pile, Michiru headed into the shower and took a seat under the mobile shower-head. Turning the tab to 35 degrees, she felt the water spray onto her head and pour down her back. The water was initially quite cool but quickly warmed up and she sighed as the water soothed her irritated fur. Throwing her head back, she sighed in pleasure as the water cascaded down her front, the fur lying flat against her along its natural grain. Lifting her arms up, she leaned left and right, letting the water pour down her side while she savored the soothing warmth.

Once she felt sufficiently wet, she grabbed a bottle of her favorite shampoo and lathered up a handful. Almost immediately, the scent filled her nose and the sweet tropical scent sent a wave of dizziness over her. Swaying side-to-side, she felt like the shower was spinning all around her and her head seemed to float away, leaving her body behind.

Throwing her paws to her head, she vigorously rubbed the shampoo into her hair, the intense exercise helping her focus on the moment. As the shampoo lathered more and more, she picked up nuances in the scent she had never noticed before. Along with the sweet, tropical fruit, she smelt some sort of floral undertone, much like Mrs. Hiwatashi's perfume. It reminded her of roses at first, but after some time she picked up a musky undertone that complimented the sweet, fruity aroma.

'Jasmine perhaps?' she wondered, pausing for a moment. Feeling her light-headedness returning, she resumed her washing with renewed vigor. Once her lathering had finished, she flung herself under the stream of water, rubbing and pressing to get all the shampoo out. Flinging her head back, she gulped in a large breath and found the scent, while present, was weaker and tamer than before.

Smiling, she reached for the soap and started lathering up. Quickly, she smelled the bitter, alkaline scent of the soap which helped to counteract the sweet, tropical smell of the shampoo. Running her paws over her arms, she pressed the soap deep into her fur to try and reach the skin. To her annoyance, the fur deflected much of the soap and she had to lather up again. Shortly afterward, however, she felt her paws begin to itch and sting.

'Must be the cuts,' she figured. 'Can't be helped.' she shrugged and carried on, lathering up her neck and face.

To her shock, however, the itching sensation was not confined to the cuts but instead began to spread out over her paws and arms. Pausing in confusion, she felt the itching flare up on her face and neck while her paws felt hot, like they were being heated.

'Is it…the soap?' she wondered. 'Did we change it?'

Dunking her face in the water, she examined the bar of soap closely and found it was the same type she and her parents had always used. Realizing that could not be the cause, she thought hard and then realized what was going on.

'Right, I'm a Beastman,' she remembered, smacking herself in the face.

'So now shampoo makes me dizzy and soap makes me itch? Oh great!' she groaned, almost falling off her stool. 'Nothing for it I guess.'

Taking the soap, she lathered up her chest and stomach, trying to go as fast as she could to outpace the irritation. Digging deep into her fur, she was astonished to find it was much thicker than she had expected. Running her fingers through it, a wave of pleasure ran through her and a sound somewhere between a giggle and a purr escaped her lips, making her freeze in shock. Shortly afterward, the skin began to itch, prompting her to resume her lathering. Furiously, she racked her fingers through her fur down to the skin, even as the itching intensified into a low burning sensation.

Finishing up near her legs, she grabbed her back scrubber and lathered up for her back. Flinging it behind her, she pulled it back and forth as fast as she could to try and go quickly. But as she pulled up, her fur felt like it was burning from being pulled against the grain. The motion also pressed more soap against her skin, adding the chemical irritant to the friction from the back scrubber. Wincing in discomfort, she pressed on, making sure to get as much as she could even as the burning intensified.

As soon as her back was finished, Michiru flung herself under the water, twisting and turning like a ballet dancer while rubbing furiously to get the soap off her. Soon, the irritation was replaced by the soothing cascade of the water, the fur plastering flat along its normal grain and the skin being freed of its chemical torment.

'But we're not done yet,' she realized, groaning once again.

With one breath to firm herself, she lathered the soap up against her thighs, running all over before turning to her shins and feet. As expected, her legs began to itch once the soap made contact but she refused to let it stop her. Turning to one side, she held her left paw outside the cascading water, letting it rinse off her legs while she vigorously washed her foot. Once or twice, she winced when she nicked herself on her claws, but thankfully the water stayed clear and white.

'Okay, now for the right,' she thought, turning 180 degrees. Picking up her right foot, she tried using her palms rather than her fingers to wash them off. But while this avoided nicking herself, she found it was not as thorough as she would have liked. Gritting her teeth, she used her proximal fingers for the last spaces between her toes, keeping her claws a fair distance from herself. To her relief, this worked quite well, but as she was setting her foot down she forgot that her feet also had claws and nicked herself on the hand.

"Ow!" she yelped. Looking over her hand, she searched for any sign of damage but relaxed when she found no obvious clues.

"Okay, one last thing." she said. Turning behind her, she saw her tail hanging limp, a welcome break from the earlier wagging. Turning to the stand, she reached out to grab the soap, but hesitated mere centimeters from it.

"Do I use soap or shampoo?" she wondered, her eyes darting back and forth between them. "I mean it is mostly hair so I guess shampoo. But that scent was so…powerful. Ugh! Why do we use shampoo for hair and not soap anyway?!"

Shrugging her shoulders, she grabbed the soap and started lathering it up, her paws itching from the chemicals. Ignoring her protesting paws, she reached behind her for her tail…

…only for her paw to grasp empty air. Turning, she saw that her tail had jerked to the other side.

"Oh, what now?!" she groaned. Twisting in her stool, she tried her other paw but the tail jerked in the opposite direction. Twisting again, she tried to grab the tail but the appendage stubbornly refused to cooperate. When she went low, it jerked upward. When she aimed high, it ducked. It was always one step ahead, like it was reading her mind.

"What's going on?!" she yelled out, slumping forward. "How am I…?! Okay, let's try this!"

Turning in place, she positioned her back to the cascading water and let it run over her and soak into her stubborn tail. Slowly, the tail grew heavier and heavier from the water, and Michiru groaned as her backside protested the extra weight. Still, she refused to budge and waited, and waited, and waited until the tail was thoroughly soaked.

Feeling her backside nearly falling off the edge, Michiru reached back to grab her tail. To her delight, she felt water gush out from between her fingers as she clasped onto a wet, furry mass. Confirming her suspicions, she felt her fingers squeezing on the bony center of her tail and while she winced at the pain, she felt a moment of triumph at having outsmarted the stubborn appendage.

Holding her tail in one paw, she twisted around and grabbed the soap. Reaching back, she lathered it up in her tail, rubbing it up and down before switching the soap between her paws. Running it down the length of her tail, she sighed in unexpected pleasure as she stroked the fur along its natural path but gasped in pain when she pulled the soap back which forced the fur against the grain.

'Right, gotta remember not to do that,' she thought to herself. After waiting a moment, she transferred the soap to her other paw to wash the other side. Taking care to respect the grain, she ran her fingers through the fur to press the soap as deep into the tail as she could. But when she lifted the tail to wash the underside, she accidentally pressed some soap bubbles under the base of her tail, making her yelp in shock and embarrassment.

"Oh man!" she exclaimed as she tensed up. Taking a moment to collect herself, she turned so the water could rinse out her tail. Running her fingers through her tail, she rinsed and squeezed out as much of the soap as she could. To finish the job, she lifted the tail up and leaned forward so the water could rinse out the base of the tail much to her embarrassment.

Feeling her tail free of soap, she turned and switched off the water before heading for the bathtub. Closing the drain, she turned on the tab and watched the water fill the tub, the steam making her smile as the heat washed over her face. Testing the water with her paw, she jerked it back in pain before turning the cold water tab. Periodically testing the water, she switched the tabs on and off to adjust the temperature, looking for that optimal mix of warm water and hot steam.

As the water reached the three-quarter mark, Michiru turned off the water and tested the temperature. Sighing in contentment, she waved her paw in the water, making eddies and currents that tickled her as it brushed against her fur. Stepping into the tub, she felt the water engulf her up to her shoulders, gently pushing on her fur and tickling the skin underneath.

"How wonderful!" she said, leaning against the back of the tub. Submerging into the water, she felt her hair float up toward the surface like when she was human. But then a new sensation came over her; her fur stood on end in the water and began to wave in the dwindling currents. The swaying follicles gently pulled at the roots, making her feel like a low, electric current was running through her body. This sensation was most acutely felt in her tail, which not only had the longest follicles but was also uncomfortably close to her…sensitive areas.

Realizing what she was feeling, Michiru felt her face heat up in embarrassment before she pulled her head out of the water. Her hair flopped all over her face and neck under gravity, and her ears seemed to droop down on the top of her head. Focusing on her ears, she felt fluid pressing down on her drums, muffling her hearing and making her feel heavy headed. Shaking her head side-to-side, she tried to drain the water out of her ears, but the fluid stubbornly remained.

"Nothing I haven't handled before," she shrugged before leaning against the side. Staring up at the ceiling, she let the water settle as her mind wandered over the day's events.

"Quite a day," she muttered to herself. "Turned into a Beastman, ran all over town, dove into garbage cans, swam under docks, ran into a Beastman, ran into angry humans, had a…visually impaired man heal my hands. It's just been…crazy."

Sighing in tired contentment, Michiru turned over so her stomach lay against the side. Her motion brushed the water against her fur, and she felt the tail follicles swirl all over the base of her spine.

"Oh I should have known better!" she groaned, waiting for the water to settle. Once she felt her fur settle in the water, she turned her attention to what she would do next. "Can I…go back to school? I mean my bag and my clothes are there, but would they let me? Would they believe me if I told them what happened? I'm sure Ren, Mina, and Chika would, but the others? Or would they follow Tsuku's example?"

The memory of Tsuku and his cohort chasing her made her shiver despite the warm water and her fur. The look in his eyes upon seeing her, the shock and disgust, and his pursuit of her at the school, the fury in his voice. It was terrifying back then, but now it seemed far more disturbing.

"Was he…always like that?" she asked herself. "I mean he could be a jerk at times, but for the most part he just seemed like a stickler for the rules. And could he have known that was me? That I had turned into a Beastman? Beastmen are not allowed at the school without permission, so it must have been a shock to him. Was he just following the rules? Or…was it more? And how do I find out?"

Sighing, she stared at the wall, racking her brain for answers.

"I could try calling him," she said, before she realized one problem. "Oh right! My phone's back at the school, as is my I.D., my wallet, and everything else! Oh, how am I going to get those?! Wait, Ren! She could get them for me! But how do I…? I could pay her a visit tomorrow, or just call her tonight. She can drop them off at my house, or I can grab it from hers, or we can meet up at the park. But what then? How do I get back to normal? How did this happen in the first place? Who can help me? Sylvesta Pharmaceuticals? Dr. Takahari? Who can I turn to? How long will it take? Oh, so many questions!"

Taking a deep breath, she dunked herself into the water, hoping the heat would soothe the tension in her head. In the water, she felt her hair and fur swirl around her, creating that tingling, electric sensation again though thankfully her tail was more cooperative this time. After a moment, she raised her head above the surface, feeling the water pour down her head and neck as she gulped in fresh air.

To her frustration, however, her mind remained in disarray; just too many questions and not enough answers. She groaned and turned over in the water, but all she could feel was her fur moving in the tub.

"No use getting all worked up here," she decided with a sigh. "I'll just have to ask my parents. They'll know more than I do."

Just then, she heard a knock at the door. "Michiru? Can you hear me?"

"Yes mom," Michiru called out. "What's going on?"

"I just wanted to check in on you," her mother replied. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little yes," Michiru said. "I love a hot bath after a long day."

"Wonderful," her mother exclaimed in joy. "Well, dinner should be ready in about half an hour or so. I made us a little treat tonight, something I'm sure you'll love."

"Really?!" Michiru exclaimed. Excited, she pressed "What are we having?!"

"I'd love to tell you," her mother said, stalling for a moment. "But I gotta check on it. Be right back!"

"Mom!" Michiru called out, but all she heard was her mother's footfalls fading down the hallway. "Well, half an hour. That should be plenty of time to get ready. No need to rush."

Sighing, she leaned against the wall and tried to relax, but her mind refused to cooperate. Frustrated, she took in a deep breath and dunked into the water, hoping to perhaps drown her worries for a moment or two. Once submerged, she felt that same tingling from her fur swirling in the water, which helped distract her from the distress in her head. After a moment of silent relaxation, she pulled herself out of the water and felt something on her nose. It was long, thin, and ticklish, almost making her sneeze. Patting at the end of her nose, she felt the object come away in her paw and almost fall into the water. Holding it close, she looked it over and realized what it was.

It was a long, dark-blue follicle, likely from her tail.

"I'm shedding fur?" she asked, dreading the answer. Pulling herself to the other side, she looked over the shower area and saw the floor was so covered in fur follicles that the drain was almost completely blocked up. Moreover, she saw a small puddle of water near the drain, so while it was draining away it was not doing so as quickly as it should.

"Wonderful," she groaned, frustrated and ashamed. Pulling herself out of the water, she headed for the cabinet, her wet paws smacking against the floor. Grabbing the paper towels, she ripped one off and started wadding up her shed fur in the shower area. After bundling up a clump, she squeezed the water from the paper towel and tossed it into the trash, but found that that one clump barely made a dent in the whole.

"And I have the tub to worry about," she muttered. "Well, nothing for it." she sighed and resumed her work.


"At last!" Michiru sighed, watching the water drain away. Pitching the towels in the trash, she couldn't help but notice the sheer quantity of fur she had cleaned up. Embarrassed by the sight, she moved toward the bin but heard someone knock at the door.

"Michiru, are you ready?" they asked.

'Mom!' Michiru realized, eyes widening. 'Just how long did that take?!'

"Michiru, is something wrong?" her mother pressed. "Do you need assistance?"

"Um," Michiru stalled, not sure how to answer. 'Sure I could use her help, but this is so embarrassing!'

"Michiru, I'm coming in," her mother said. Before Michiru could react, she saw the door open and her mother step inside. Her eyes darted between her mother and the trash a few times before she realized she was still wet and naked. Squeaking, she wrapped her arms around her chest and pulled herself into a ball. As her mother looked her over, Michiru felt a furry mass wrap around her lower abdomen.

'My tail,' she realized, looking down. Smelling curry, she looked up and was mortified to see her mother had closed the distance. Closing in on herself, she tried to back away but slipped onto her back and slammed her head onto the tile floor. In that moment, she yelled in pain and tasted blood in her mouth. Running her tongue over her teeth, she discovered that her canines were now longer and sharper, and she tasted fresh blood from a cut on the inside of her cheek.

'So I've got fangs too?' she thought to herself. 'Where does it end?!'

"Michiru!" she heard her mother call out. Feeling her head being elevated, she looked up and found her mother staring down in worry. Realizing this, she tried to pull away but her mother pulled her into her lap.

"Michiru, what's wrong?" she asked, pressing one hand into the back of Michiru's head. "I don't feel a bump. Does that hurt badly?"

"Yeah, a little," Michiru replied. "But not like when my leg was broken. That was intense."

"That's a relief," her mother sighed. "Does anything hurt in particular?"

"My head, obviously," Michiru answered sheepishly. "And I bit the inside of my mouth."

"How badly?" her mother asked.

"I…I can taste blood," Michiru stammered. "My…teeth are…sharper."

"Really?!" her mother exclaimed. "How much sharper?"

"Not much," Michiru said. Running her tongue over her teeth, she got a more definite picture of her new situation. "My canines are only a few millimeters longer, but they have much more defined points. It must have happened when I bumped my head."

"Speaking of which," her mother said, letting her down. "Why did you shrink away? I mean it's not like I've never seen you naked before." she said with a small laugh.

"Yes but," Michiru stammered in shame. "You've only seen me naked as a human. But now…well…look at me."

Unable to speak further, she swept her arms out to highlight her new Beastman form, her fingers gesturing to her ears and tail. Feeling her mother's gaze, Michiru wanted to cover herself up, but her mother simply drew her into a hug.

"Michiru," her mother said. "No matter what, you'll always be my daughter, my little girl. And I'll always be here for you."

Hearing these words, Michiru pulled herself into her mother's embrace and returned it. Squeezing tightly, she wanted to lose herself in that moment, but a cool, damp feeling interrupted them. Pulling herself away, she looked down terrified at what she might see. A close examination of herself revealed nothing of concern, but when she looked at her mother's clothes, she found a dark imprint of herself from the hug.

'That's right! I didn't dry myself!' Michiru realized. Looking at her mother she squeaked out "I'm sorry! I got you all wet!"

"No worries," her mother reassured her, getting to her feet. "We can take care of that right now."

As her mother went to the closet for a towel, Michiru went to all fours and, without thinking, started shaking her head and shoulders side-to-side. Feeling the urge working its way down her spine, she tried to shake her waist but she threw herself off-balance and fell onto her side with a clatter.

"Michiru!" her mother cried out, rushing over with a large towel. "What happened?!"

"I was…shaking myself," Michiru started, but stammered as realization hit her. "Like a dog. I was shaking off the water, and I lost balance."

"Well I have a towel for you," her mother declared, spreading it wide before sweeping up her daughter. "We'll have you all dry in no time."

Starting with the back and shoulders, her mother rubbed furiously to dry out her fur. Taking a brief detour, she wrapped Michiru's head, leaving her blind and hard of hearing, and rubbed firmly but much more slowly.

'Must be for the ears,' Michiru thought, smiling. 'Speaking of which, did I get all the water out of them? Maybe I could ask mom about that?'

In the midst of her pondering, she felt the pressure move down to her neck, where the rubbing resumed its earlier vigor before moving down her arms. As her mother worked, Michiru opened her eyes and found a blurred outline near her nose. Curious, she focused her attention there, but the image remained an undefined blur. Thinking it was fuzz from the towel, she blinked several times to dislodge any irritants in her eyes, but the sight remained. Frustrated with the sight, she wriggled one arm out of the towel and reached for her nose…and froze upon catching a glimpse of her forearm.

'Oh great!' she thought, staring at her arm. The vigorous rubbing had generated a lot of static electricity, and as such her fur was standing on end. Looking at her arm, she was dismayed at her fluffy fur and realized what that blurry image was earlier.

And then she felt her mother go to her stomach and chest, rubbing ever more intensely to dry out the thick fur on her underside. Feeling that area growing hotter and hotter, Michiru groaned at what the fur would look like once her mother was done.

'At least it'll be dry by then,' she thought, trying to comfort herself. Almost immediately afterward, she felt the towel drop down to her legs as her mother stepped behind her. Looking down, she saw the fur on her underside was so poofy and thick that it reminded her of a Chow Chow dog's. Despite herself, she smiled at the thought and let a small laugh crack through her lips.

"What's so funny?" her mother asked, halting her work near her paws.

"Oh mom," Michiru stammered, looking behind her. "It's my fur. It…looks like a…Chow Chow dog's fur."

"Oh, I see," she replied, pulling the towel up. Stepping around, she looked Michiru over, her eyebrows rising when she saw Michiru's fur. Embarrassed, Michiru tried to cover herself when, much to Michiru's surprise, she felt her mother's arms wrap around her and she was pulled into a big hug.

"That's just so cute!" her mother gushed. "Your fur's so soft and fluffy, and your ears are so cute and perky!"

At this, Michiru felt a slight pressure on her left ear, tickling the fur inside, followed by a gentle rubbing sensation. Before she knew it, she felt herself go warm and fuzzy, relaxing into her mother's embrace as she rubbed her ear. Soon, she felt a firm yet gentle tickling on her stomach, distracting her as her mother walked around her and started massaging her right ear. Lost in her mother's caresses, Michiru moaned and sighed in contentment, leaning back into her mother's arms as she continued massaging her stomach and ears.

Then she heard her mother whisper into her ear "Well, your ears are all dry, as is your stomach. All that's left is your tail."

"Oh, right!" Michiru exclaimed, pulling herself away. "Um, before…" she started as her mother wrapped her tail.

"You seemed so upset about your fur," she replied with a small smile. "I thought that would help you feel better. Once we get this done, we'll brush down your fur, get you dressed, and have some dinner. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah, it sounds great," Michiru affirmed, smiling back. At that, her mother began rubbing her tail firmly but slowly, starting from the base and working her way down. Working her way around the tail, it felt like she was rolling it into a cylinder. Michiru felt the tail grow warm as her mother rubbed it dry, and as the warmth traveled up her spine she felt herself go limp. But then her mother checked the area underneath and she tensed as the towel came uncomfortably close to her…private areas.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" her mother called out. "Am I hurting you?"

"No! No," Michiru squeaked out. "It's just a little…too close for comfort." Pointing to her backside, her mother looked away sheepishly in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that," her mother replied. Pulling the towel away, she and Michiru saw that the tail seemed much larger, with the fur sticking out at all angles. Running a paw through the fur, Michiru felt a slight charge tingle in her pads as the follicles swayed with her paw's motion.

'I'm all fluffy,' she thought miserably. Sighing, she pulled her paw back and simply stood there, naked in her puffed-up fur, oblivious to her surroundings. 'I'm like a dog. I'm shedding fur, my canines are sharper and longer, I like getting my ears scratched and my tummy rubbed. Where will it end?!'

"Well, time for a brush," her mother said, breaking her thoughts. "I'm sure our standard brushes will work for your thicker fur, but we should probably use a comb for your thinner fur. Give me a minute."

Heading for the cabinet, her mother began rummaging through the drawers as Michiru came up beside her. Pulling out a brush, her mother then turned her attention back to the drawers just as Michiru tapped her on the shoulder.

"Mom," she started, making her jump. "While you're looking for a comb, I can start brushing out my hair."

"Michiru," her mother said as Michiru reached for the brush. After a moment, her mother nodded and handed the brush to her daughter before turning back to the drawers.

Stepping back slightly, Michiru began slowly, carefully brushing out her hair. To her frustration, her hair was full of tangles and knots from today's adventures. Wincing, she pulled on a rather large tangle and gasped in pain when she felt the steel-wire bristles rake her neck.

"Michiru!" her mother cried out.

"I'm fine, mom," Michiru reassured. "I just went too hard, too fast. I'll be fine."

Bringing the brush back to her head, Michiru grabbed a bundle of hair and worked her way up from the ends. This time, the knots were much smaller and much easier to untangle, so the brush did not snag or slip. Soon, she worked her way around the edges of her bob haircut and started working upwards. Brushing near the sides, she slowed considerably when she passed the place where her ears once stood. For a moment, she brushed the region again and again, slower and slower each time as the truth sunk in once again.

'That's right,' she sighed. 'They're up there, not down here.'

"Michiru, what's the matter?" her mother asked.

"It's just…taking all this in," Michiru answered. "All the changes. It feels so…much."

Sighing, her mother nodded in understanding. "Well, all I can say is you'll always have our support." she said before producing a comb and a second brush.

"Mom," Michiru started.

"I figured this brush would be for your tail," her mother explained, slipping behind her. "But for now, I'll focus on your back. Let me know if this hurts."

Before Michiru could reply, she felt the fur on her back part away while her skin underneath was pricked by metal teeth. Shortly afterward, the teeth began to scratch against her skin, but thankfully the teeth did not bite too hard or too deep. After a while it started to feel good, like scratching away an itch you had simply grown to live up. She felt the teeth rake down to the small of her back before it was pulled away to bite down on an area further to the right closer to her shoulder.

"Does that hurt?" her mother asked.

"No, it feels fine," Michiru replied. "In fact, I kinda like it."

"Great," her mother said. "Well, we've got work to do."

Nodding, Michiru resumed her work, finishing the back of her head before turning to the crown. Fearing for her ears, she brought the brush as close as she could before brushing in short strokes, going slow at first but gradually picking up speed as she moved farther down. Finishing the sides of her head, she brushed the area ahead of her ears, pulling her hair over her eyes like a sheepdog's before splitting it to the side. Saving the most difficult for last, she brought the brush in-between her ears and, with extreme care, brushed toward the middle. Given the limited space for brushing, she had to work in short, slow strokes and felt the hair bundle up like a bird's nest.

"All done with your back," her mother called out. "Now for your tail. Oh my! Your hair!"

"It's the ears!" Michiru whined. "They're in the way so I don't know what to do!"

"Let's try the comb," her mother suggested before Michiru felt the teeth bite near her ears. Soon, she felt the teeth rake across her scalp before turning down the back, smoothing out the hair without harming her ears. "Well, that works pretty well."

"Great," Michiru said. "But we still have a lot to go through."

"Right," her mother said, holding out her comb. "You can use the comb for your arms and shoulders, while I brush out your tail."

"Thanks mom," Michiru said, taking the comb. Turning to her left arm, she pressed the comb into the fur above her shoulder and began working her way downward. After finishing the tricep, she lifted the arm upwards for the biceps, and almost doubled over when she caught a whiff of her armpit.

'Phew, the soap!' she realized. 'I thought I got it all out! How did it last this long?'

Putting that thought aside, Michiru held her breath while finishing up the biceps. Once done, she lowered her arm and held it out in front, parallel to the floor, and began working on her forearm. But before she could begin, she felt a firm grip squeeze her tail at the base, followed by a small reduction in pressure and a sliding motion downward. Realizing what was happening, she held herself still as she felt the fur part under pressure but did not feel the bristles of the brush against her skin. After a moment, she felt her mother making short, slow strokes, alternating between sides before slowly working her way down.

'I guess the fur is just that thick on my tail,' she guessed before turning back to her forearm. 'Well, back to work.'

Combing down and over the arm, she moved from the elbow to the wrist, working with the natural fur but then realized a problem. Looking underneath, she found the fur was wild and disheveled, as she had combed some of the underlying fur against its grain. Sighing, she flipped over the arm and combed toward the outer edge, stopping before she started going back over the upper side and producing a tapered effect on the outer edge.

'Not bad,' she thought with a smile before transferring the comb to her left hand. Turning to her right arm, she quickly combed the fur on her triceps before holding her breath and lifting it up for her biceps. Once that was done, she combed over the forearm, clumsily trying to replicate the tapered look from her left arm. After a few tries, she shrugged in resignation and turned to her chest.

"Mom, do you think I need a brush for this?" she asked.

"Yes, I do dear," her mother replied. "Are you done with the comb?"

"Yes, mom," she replied, and she handed her mother the comb. Pulling out the brush, she started on her left pectoral and brushed outward toward the side. At first, she could feel the teeth raking against her skin, but as the fur grew thicker, the teeth lost touch with the skin. As she brushed, she occasionally heard the crackle of static electricity as she flattened out her fur, which made her laugh slightly.

Finishing with her left pectoral, she started brushing downward…and yelled out in pain as the teeth bit into her nipple. Dropping the brush in shock, she curled into herself and clamped her paw over her chest as her mother jumped back in shock.

"Michiru, what happened?!" she called out from behind.

"I…I was brushing and," she stammered, embarrassed to go further. "And…"

"Yes?" her mother pressed, stepping to face her.

"I brushed over my…" Michiru stalled, fighting to break through her feelings. Taking a deep breath, she forced out "My…nipple."

"Oh dear!" her mother said, leaning down. "Let's take a look."

With great hesitation, Michiru lifted her paw and bared her chest. Looking away in embarrassment, she felt her mother pad down the affected area and gasped in shock. Her mother's fingers were surprisingly cold and the exposed area was more sensitive than she expected.

"Does that hurt?" her mother asked.

"No, no, it's just cold," Michiru replied. "Is it bleeding?"

Her mother, concerned for her well-being, gently rubbed over the nipple for a moment before pulling away. Looking up, she saw her mother scrutinizing her fingers before sighing in relief.

"I don't think you're bleeding," she said, greatly alleviating Michiru's distress. "We'll just have to be more careful." Bending down to retrieve the brush, she handed it to Michiru and said "Now, let's finish this."

Nodding, Michiru resumed brushing her fur, starting with her right pectoral to give her left side some time to recover. Meanwhile, her mother started combing her thighs, angling outward while working down to her knees. Finishing with her pectorals, Michiru skipped over her nipples and started brushing down her stomach, the crackle of static electricity slightly louder and more frequent as the fur thickened. The motion tickled her stomach underneath, much to Michiru's delight, who let out a small bout of laughter.

"Enjoying yourself?" her mother asked near her knees.

"Yes mom," Michiru replied, finishing up the last of her fur. "Almost done here."

"Same here," her mother said. "Just be careful."

Nodding, Michiru turned to the last, and most sensitive, area on her chest. Remembering her last attempt, she put two fingers over her left nipple before brushing down in short, slow strokes. Once the top was finished, she pushed the nipple up to expose the underside and began brushing down and outward, matching the grain of the fur. Angling her arm upward, she reached across her chest and, awkwardly, brushed down the area opposite her breastbone.

Finishing her left side, she swapped the brush to her left hand and began working on her right. Covering her nipple with her right hand, she slowly and carefully brushed her fur down. Once she finished there, she pushed her nipple upward to access the fur beneath it and began brushing her fur down. To her frustration, however, she found herself taking more time than before, likely because she was using her left arm instead of her right. Meanwhile, down below, she felt her mother comb out her fur near her ankles, meaning that she had to hurry.

Frantic to finish, she lifted her arm up and started brushing out the side fur, but in her haste her fingers slipped, leaving the nipple exposed. Feeling a tooth stray too close, she squeaked in panic and momentarily dropped the brush, but managed to grab it at the last second.

"Michiru, what happened?!" her mother asked, standing to face her. "Did you prick yourself again?!"

"No, but it was close!" Michiru gasped out, trying to catch her breath. "I had no idea just taking a bath would be this difficult. I miss being human!"

Groaning, she slumped up against her mother who simply held her in her arms as Michiru gave in to her emotions. Sobbing, she wrapped her arms around her mother, her only comfort as her shoulders convulsed sharply in her embrace. Slowly, her sobs died down and she pulled herself out and looked up at her mother, who simply nodded in understanding.

"I know sweetie," she said. "I know it's hard. But we'll always be here for you. And Ren. And the Hiwatashis. And Dr. Takahari. And others. No matter what, you can count on us."

"Thanks mom," Michiru said, hugging her tightly. But as she smiled, her stomach growled loud and long. Pulling away, she looked up sheepishly and said "Oh right, we haven't had dinner yet."

"No worries," her mother reassured, heading for the door. "It shouldn't take long to get dressed, but I wouldn't want to keep Kaito waiting long."

"No indeed," Michiru agreed, following her mother. "So what's for dinner?"

"A little treat," her mother replied. "But first things first; your clothes."


"Well, what do you think?" Michiru's mother asked, looking her over. "I think it looks lovely but how does it feel?"

Turning to a mirror, Michiru could not help but smile at what her mother had selected. It was a sundress, dark blue in color with forest green trim and lace. Twirling around, she laughed as the dress flared out like a flower in bloom and the breeze gently tickled her fur. Coming to a stop with her back to the mirror, she glanced over her shoulder and saw her fur casually and easily blending into the dress. The only thing that concerned her was the raised bump right above her posterior which made the dress seem shorter in the back compared to the front.

"Well, I love the color," she replied, turning to her mother. "And it does fit very well, though it does not seem to hide my tail very well."

"I understand," her mother replied, reaching down. "Not much we can do about that. How does the tail feel though?"

"It's not…hurting or anything," she admitted. "It's…comfortable, like it knows it won't get hurt or anything. Plus, it can't really move around or anything."

"Well, in the old days," her mother said, eyes furrowed in thought. "Women used to wear bustles under their dresses, which made their…back sides look larger and higher than they really were. I've seen girls wearing costumes with them at certain events and parties so your tail is not really that noticeable. And since it can't move under there, it shouldn't draw that much attention."

"Really?" Michiru asked, her eyes filled with hope. "It looks…human?"

"Yes it does," her mother affirmed, making Michiru smile widely. "Now how about some dinner? I'm sure your father's starving by now."

"My father?" Michiru exclaimed in mock outrage. "How about me? I've been running around all day!"

"I know sweetie," her mother smiled. "I'm just teasing you."

Huffing slightly, Michiru followed her mother out of her bedroom and towards the staircase. Wafting through the air, her nose twitched in response to the scent of food. Inhaling deeply, she caught the scent of curry roux and beef and her mouth started salivating. As they descended the stairs, she picked up the scent of steamed rice along with the curry roux and beef and her heart and stomach started speeding wildly in excitement. Crossing the bottom of the stairs, she picked up the undercurrent of vegetables, like carrots, peppers, mushrooms, peas, and zucchini.

'Oh that smells absolutely delicious!' she thought, a small bit of saliva trickling out of her mouth. Desperate to drink in that scent, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeper and deeper, letting the scent paint a wonderful picture in her mind. Unbeknownst to her, she trailed behind her mother, her pace slowing as she focused on her nose. After a while, her pace slowed to a crawl as the scent held an almost overwhelming grip on her and she started swaying in the air.

"Michiru? Michiru?!" a voice called out as a hand grabbed her. Opening her eyes, she saw her mother had turned back and was holding her by the shoulders. "Are you alright?! You looked really out of it!"

"Did I?" Michiru asked. Much to her embarrassment, she accidentally spit out some saliva onto her mother's shirt as the rest came dribbling all over her lips.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" she gasped out, wiping her mouth. Looking to her mother, she found her mother simply looking on, pressing her to continue. "It just smelled so good that I lost myself in it. I'm so sorry, mother."

"No worries," her mother reassured lovingly. "I made the curry weaker than usual but clearly it's very powerful. Will that be a problem for you?"

"I…I hope not," Michiru groaned. "It smells so marvelous!"

"Well I'm sure you can participate," her mother declared. "We kept out any problematic ingredients like onions, garlic, and fruit. We reduced the spice in the curry roux, and we made plenty of rice to absorb the spice."

"Sounds like everything's covered," Michiru said, hoping for the best.

"Only one way to find out," her mother said. "And if you start feeling uncomfortable or sick, let us know straight away."

"Okay," Michiru agreed and they continued into the kitchen. There they saw Kaito stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove. Nearby, they saw three dishes piled with steaming hot rice along with cups of water or tea.

"Oh, there you are!" he said, turning to face them. Upon seeing his attire, Michiru stifled a laugh as she approached. From behind, she could see he had changed into a pair of jeans and a dark red shirt, and for some reason he was wearing an apron with pink frills.

"Dad, what are you wearing?!" she asked, fighting back giggles.

"I'm wearing an apron," he replied, very matter-of-factly. "After all, I am working in the kitchen, so I might as well look the part. Speaking of which, have you seen my chef's hat? The tall one with red stripes?"

At this Michiru burst out laughing at the image flashing through her mind. The idea of her father in a red-striped, poofy hat and apron with pink frills was simply too much. Leaning against the wall, she covered her mouth to stifle her laughter as tears leaked from her eyes. Then she heard a louder, deeper voice join her. Looking up to the kitchen through her squinted eyelids, she saw her father was laughing alongside her, followed by her mother who let out a short giggle nearby. For a moment, the whole family simply laughed together, content to be in each other's company.

"Well," her father said, regaining his breath. "Shall we eat?"

"Yes dear," her mother said, Michiru following close behind. Seeing them approach, Michiru's father picked up a plate and piled a large scoop of curry beef and vegetables before presenting it to them. Her mother took the first plate and moved to the table, opening the way for Michiru to step up for the second plate. Reaching out with both paws, she eagerly brought the steaming dish close, inhaling deep to relish the aroma.

But she took in too much too fast. As soon as the spices hit her nose, a burning sensation flared up inside her nostrils. Heating up, she broke out into a profuse sweat, dampening her fur and plastering it to her face and arms. Worst of all, she felt a rush of mucus fill her nose and run down her muzzle as she staggered back, nearly dropping the plate.

"Michiru!" her father called out, reaching for her. Grabbing the plate in one hand, he held it at arm's length while holding his daughter close. "Are you alright?! Was it too much?!"

"No dad," Michiru said, sniffling. "It was just too much too fast. I should have known better."

"Do you need tissues sweetie?" her mother asked from behind. "I've got some in my purse."

"Yes please," Michiru replied. To try and avoid spraying snot everywhere, Michiru focused on breathing through her mouth, letting the spices waft in on her tongue rather than her nose. But despite her best efforts, mucus dripped out her nose and smeared over her upper lip much to her mortification. Before long, she heard her mother approach, tissues in hand and say "Here you go sweetie."

Nodding in thanks, Michiru took a few and held them to her nose. Almost as soon as the paper made contact, her nostrils began to itch fiercely, and she felt the urge to sneeze come upon her. Desperate to head it off, she blew hard, soaking the tissue and pressing it into her paw. Looking down, she grimaced in disgust at the drenched tissue but to her relief the urge to sneeze was gone.

"Better do some more," she muttered as her nose was still stuffed up. Pressing another tissue to her nose, she blew hard, trying to get as much out as she could. Replacing the tissue, she blew hard, almost clearing out her nose. With one last tissue, she blew out the remaining mucus. As a test, she inhaled deep and was immediately pleased to see that the fragrance did not send her nose into overdrive.

"I think I'm fine," she said, bundling the tissues. "Let me just wash my hands, and I'll be ready."

"I'll take your plate to the table," her mother volunteered.

"I'll handle the drinks," her father added. "Join us when you're ready."

Nodding, Michiru headed for the downstairs bathroom. Tossing the tissues into the bin, she turned on the tab and let the water run over her paws. Once sufficiently wet, she squeezed out some soap from the dispenser and lathered up. The scent of the soap, a bitter alkaline smell that hinted of roses, made her stagger slightly as the chemicals irritated and itched her skin, particularly the cuts from earlier. Grimacing, she powered through, gently rubbing her paws multiple times before placing them back under the stream of water. Wringing her paws, she waited patiently for the water to fully rinse her fur. After five or six times, she sniffed her paws and found the scent lingering in her fur.

In frustration, she thrust her paws back under the water, wringing her paws again and again. She wanted to go fast and furious, but she did not want to reopen the cuts so she forced herself to take her time. As the mirror began to fog up from the steam, she shut off the water and tested her paws again, and this time the scent was gone. Giddy, she grabbed the towel from the rack and dried off her paws, but her delight turned to frustration as she saw blue fur embedded in the fibers.

'Oh come on!' she thought to herself. 'Give me a break already!'

Huffing to herself, she flung the towel into the laundry hamper and made her way to the table. Smelling the curry, she slowed her advance, hoping to avoid another scene like before. Slowly, she made her way to the table, inhaling slowly to gauge her body's reaction. To her great relief, she found she could enjoy the fragrance without triggering a massive rush from her nose so long as she was slow and controlled. Looking at the table, she saw her parents patiently waiting for her, though seeing their raised legs she knew they were watching for signs of trouble.

"I'm okay," she reassured them as she reached her seat. "I was testing myself but I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" her mother asked.

"Yes, I am sure," Michiru affirmed, seating herself. "Now, let's eat."

"Itadakimasu," they said together before turning to their plates.

Taking a bite of rice, Michiru chewed slowly and carefully, mindful of her sharper canines. The rice was starchy and bland, but had a faint hint of the curry flavor which made her smile in delight. Following it up with a small piece of beef, she felt the juices flowing around her mouth, the curry flavor intensifying. Closing her eyes, she chewed slowly, letting the flavors mingle, the starchy rice mellowing out the curry into a still spicy but more mild burn.

'Worth it!' she decided, swallowing it. 'I wonder how the vegetables taste.'

Selecting a carrot piece, she placed it and a piece of zucchini on a small clump of rice before ingesting the package. The soggy zucchini released its fluids into the rice, while the carrot gave out in a loud crunch. The sudden sound gave her pause for a moment, but soon she delighted as the spicy curry picked up the sweet taste of the carrot before being mellowed by the rice.

Swallowing in delight, she tried out all different combinations, amazed by what her new senses could discern. Peppers had a sweet and slightly grassy taste to them and complimented the beef's umami flavor. Mushrooms had a slightly woody flavor with an earthy undertone that went very well with the carrots' sweet and crisp taste. The zucchini retained a slight sweet undertone beneath the spice from the curry that went very well with beef or mushrooms. But her favorite was when she piled a chunk of beef onto a slice of pepper, the sweet, grassy pepper enriched by the salty, umami meaty flavor, followed by the woody flavor of a mushroom, all infused with the spice of the curry.

'Wow! I had no idea!' she thought, reveling in the flavors. 'I never imagined food could have such variety!'

"I take it you like it, Michiru," her mother said.

"Oh yes!" she sighed. "I really love it!"

"I'm glad to hear sweetie," her mother said, smiling. "I was so worried this would be too much for you but it seems like I nailed it."

"Yes you did!" Michiru affirmed, taking a large scoop to prove it. Unfortunately, it had a large amount of curry sauce, the intense spice hitting her nose and tongue in full force. Immediately, she felt her face heat up, her forehead breaking out into a profuse sweat and her nose started running. To try and douse the heat, she grabbed a large clump of rice and jammed it into her mouth, chewing furiously. But there was simply too much curry and not enough rice and so her tongue continued to burn. Realizing she needed plain rice, she swallowed hard, and nearly broke out in tears as she nearly choked on the large block of food before gasping loudly for air.

"Michiru!" her parents called out, her mother ready to spring to her aid. "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Michiru replied hoarsely. "Just too much curry, and too much food all at once. I'll be alright."

Reaching for her cup, she took in a mid-size mouthful and felt the cold water relieve the burn. Swishing around, she could feel bits of rice floating in her mouth as the water slowly took on a curry flavor. Running her tongue over her teeth, she probed for remaining bits of food and nearly nicked herself on her canines. Feeling she had gotten everything out, she swallowed slowly and carefully. Feeling the burn return, she ingested a clump of plain rice and chewed slowly, the starch coating her tongue and greatly reducing the burn. As the curry spice soaked into the rice, she swallowed and ingested a new clump, followed by a few pieces of zucchini. While the curry initially hit hard, the rice soon absorbed and mellowed out the spice, allowing her to enjoy the flavor without burning her tongue or heating herself up.

'That's a relief,' she thought. Swallowing, she turned to her parents and said "I'm fine, I just need to take it slowly."

"Thank you sweetie," her mother said while her father simply sighed in relief. Turning back to their meal, the family slowly finished off dinner. After a moment of silence, Michiru's father loudly sighed and said "Michiru, I think it's time we talked about a few things"

"Like what, dad?" she asked, uncertain where he was going.

"Well, your…transformation for one," he replied, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "How did it happen? When and where did it happen? And what happened afterward?"

"Oh," Michiru stammered, looking down. "Well, it was like this. I was in the basketball court, thinking about Nazuna and everything that happened until today. I was holding a ball in my hands, when suddenly they transformed into paws right in front of my eyes. I simply looked on in shock as fur sprouted all over my arms, chest, neck, and stomach. As it neared my head, I felt my ears growing up at the top, followed by my nose and upper jaw forming into a muzzle. Then I felt my tail growing out of my backside, and the fur went all the way down my legs where my feet grew claws and pads like my hands."

Taking a sip of water, she continued "At first, I was just frozen but soon I panicked and ran out of the court, knocking over Tsuku before running down the hall. Tsuku and a few others started chasing me, but Ren hid me and misled them. I ran back into the court and escaped into the parking lot. When Tsuku tried following me, Shiranui-sensei intercepted him and forced him to see the headmaster. There I realized that I somehow did the impossible; I turned into a Beastman. I screamed and drew the attention of the janitor, Machi-san. I managed to hide behind the cars before bolting into an alley where I hid in a garbage can."

"Oh my goodness!" her mother exclaimed with a grimace. "That's disgusting!"

"Yeah, I know," Michiru agreed. "I tried waiting it out, but Machi-san was just…too persistent. So I threw some trash to distract her and I ran down the alleyway. After that, I ran through much of the town, sometimes on two legs, sometimes on four. To avoid attention, I went through back alleys and side-streets, but I still ran into a few people on occasion. Usually they smelled me coming so they had enough time to get away, or I heard them and I could change my course. But there were a few times that didn't happen."

Remembering the encounters, Michiru sighed and took a sip of water. Feeling the cold liquid swish around her mouth helped take the edge off the memories. Swallowing, she turned back to her parents.

"How did that go?" her mother asked.

"Nothing major," she replied.

"Major?" her father pressed.

"All I got were hurtful words," she answered. "A pair of businessmen were talking about me like I was an animal, wondering if I was a 'cub' or 'pup' or if I licked myself like a cat. I also remember a lady airing out her laundry who remarked that a Beastman must be close based on the smell."

"I…" her father trailed off, unsure how to answer. "I'm glad it didn't go beyond that. I've heard cases of Beastmen being attacked or getting into fights, or worse. So what happened next?"

"I ended up near a row of warehouses," Michiru continued. "I didn't know where I was so I tried heading for the roof but I cut my hands trying to clamber up a gutter pipe and drove metal shards into my palms. Thankfully, I met someone with a first-aid kit that got the shards out and bandaged my hands."

"My goodness!" her mother gasped. "We gotta get you to a doctor as soon as possible! I wonder if Dr. Takahari could help."

"Who helped you?" her father asked, cutting off her mother.

"Minato Suzuki," she replied. "He told me where I was and how I could get back home. He said I was close to the back country and I could try going along the sea. Do you know him?"

"Not off the top of my head," her father replied, eyes furrowed in thought. "But maybe I could look him up. Do you remember anything about him?"

"He said he had…corneal infection," Michiru answered. "He said he had an appointment coming soon and offered to call the hospital but I…turned him down."

"Why?" her mother asked. "If he was offering to get you to a hospital, then why wouldn't you take it?"

"Because of what happened to Nazuna!" Michiru snapped, surprising her parents. Her fear and frustration rising, her voice grew faster and louder as she continued "I still remember her getting kidnapped, and I have no idea how it happened. How did they find her? How did they catch her? Where did they take her? Why? Just…so many questions and so few answers. I was scared the same thing would happen to me so I wanted to avoid attracting attention."

"Oh sweetie!" her mother exclaimed, rising to her feet. Moving quickly, she crossed over and embraced Michiru, rubbing her back to calm her down. Shortly after, her father embraced the both of them, his large arms acting as a shield for his family.

"We'll do everything we can to help," her mother said.

"Everything," her father repeated. "No matter what, we won't let what happened to Nazuna happen to you. No one will take you away from us."

"No one," her mother said.

Wrapped in her parents' arms, Michiru focused on her parents' heartbeats, her heart soon synchronizing with theirs as her anxiety drained away. Her mother's warmth and her father's strength renewed her confidence and filled her with hope that things would be different, that she would be cured and that in no time her life would return to normal.

"Thanks," she whispered, leaning into their embrace. For a moment they simply held each other, content to be in each other's company. Then her mother said "When you're ready…"

"Okay," Michiru replied. Hearing this, they pulled away and resumed their seats. Breathing deeply, Michiru continued "When I got to the beach, I saw a supply ship coming up to the dock with a party of men walking out to meet it. I…I think Alan Sylvesta was among them."

"Alan Sylvesta?!" her father exclaimed, making Michiru and her mother jump. "What would he be doing there?!"

"I don't know," Michiru shrugged. "I don't even know if it WAS him or just someone who looked like him. Before I could look into it further, a motorcycle came barreling down the street toward me. I climbed up a lamppost to escape before running into a local store to hide. I ran into the guard just as the motorcycle crew, a man and a woman, barged in and tried to grab me. The guard blocked them and when they called me a…a freak he transformed into a Beastman, a polar bear Beastman,"

"That must have been terrifying," her mother said, eyes wide in terror. "Was it as big as a regular bear?"

"Not quite," Michiru replied, shivering slightly. "I think…he was about…two and a half meters high, and incredibly fast for his size. He caught them when they tried to escape and asked me to come along to give testimony but I…I just couldn't. His teeth, claws, and sheer size terrified me so…so I ran."

For a moment, there was complete silence. Michiru found herself grappling with flashes of the Beastman guard, her blood growing cold in fear and dread. In response, her ears pulled down tightly against her head and her fur bristled, making her face and arms look larger and more disheveled. Her greatest reaction, however, was in her tail, which pulled itself up over her back, hitching up her dress slightly before it stretched taut underneath her. The tail pressed up against her dress, straining her new muscles just as she heard an ominous ripping sound.

'Oh no!' she thought and bolted upright, surprising her parents. Her tail, now freed, pulled itself up until it was nearly flat against her back, leaving her knees, calves, and half her thighs exposed from behind. Turning behind her, she saw the mess her tail left her in and tried pushing it down at the tip, but the tail simply slipped out from under her paws. Frustrated, she tried pushing down at the base…only to yell out as the pain ran up her spine. She had no idea tails could be so sensitive; the pressure felt like her tail was being pressed under a boulder. Blinded by the pain, she staggered back to her seat as her mother ran to her.

"Michiru, what happened?!" she asked.

"My tail," she replied, wincing. "I tried pushing it down but…it was just so…sensitive."

Hearing this, her mother looked down and saw the tail bounce up as Michiru released her grip. Feeling her dress hitching up, Michiru grabbed the hem and tried pulling it down but her tail kept getting in the way. Frustrated, she yanked the dress down but froze when she felt something give out under her grip. Eyes wide and heart racing, she frantically looked over her dress, checking for the smallest rip or tear but to her surprise she found nothing. Looking up to her mother, she reached out for her but her thumb was caught on something, jerking her hand back into her dress. Startled, she inspected her paw and found her thumb had punctured her dress and was stuck on the fibers.

"Hold on sweetie," her mother said, leaning in close. Gently taking her paw, she wriggled the thumb around, slowly but surely pulling it free from the dress.

"Thanks mom," Michiru said. Looking over her dress, she found a small hole just big enough for her thumb. "That…was probably my claw." she said glumly. "And I loved this dress."

"It's no worry sweetie," her mom said, taking her paw into her hand. "It can be mended, or replaced. And we'll have you back in no time."

"I hope so," Michiru said, a small smile on her face.

"We know so," her father said, smiling wide. "So where did you run?"

"The beach," Michiru replied, breathing deep. "I jumped into the sea and swam beneath the piers. I don't know how long I was swimming for, or how far, but it was enough that the sun was halfway beneath the horizon. I came up near the last pier, all but exhausted and I just collapsed onto the beach. I lay there for some time, too tired to stand, walk, or run, just listening to the waves and the seagulls. After a moment, I pulled myself up and walked off the beach, brushing the sand off me as I went. I checked where I was and just started running home, straight home. When I got there, I tried the door but I realized I lost my key at school."

"Oh that reminds me!" her father interjected. "We need to get your stuff from school, as well as your homework and your lesson materials. We can't have you falling behind, can we?"

"Come on, dad!" Michiru groaned.

"Now, now Michiru," her mother reassured. "Kaito brings up a great point; what to do tomorrow. Top of the list is a doctor's appointment, both for your cuts and for your…transformation. But for that we'll need your student ID to prove you're actually a human, not a Beastman. So we'll have to go to your school to retrieve it."

"I don't think that's such a great idea," Michiru said. "Tsuku and his friends would recognize me in a heartbeat. And without my ID I won't be able to get past the gates in the first place."

"Well, your father and I can go instead," her mother suggested. "We'll just ask the staff if they have your things. But if not, we'll need to know where to look."

"Ren can help!" Michiru said. "She knows where my stuff is, and she'll definitely help! I'll call her tonight before I go to bed."

"Well, there's that I guess," her father said. "It's too late to call a doctor, but I'll call Dr. Takahari first thing tomorrow and see if we can get an appointment with him."

"And I'll call the school tomorrow," her mother added. "Let them know you…came down with something and need to stay home. I can home-school you for the time being."

"Sounds like a plan!" Michiru said, turning toward the clock. "Okay, it's about quarter to eight, so I'm sure Ren will be available for a quick call." Rising from the table, she took a few steps but quickly turned back to her parents and sheepishly added "If you don't mind."

"Of course not," her mother replied.

"By all means," her father said.

"Thanks," she said and bolted for the kitchen. Grabbing the kitchen phone, she dialed in Ren's number and held it to her ear, or rather the side of her head. Wincing in realization, she raised it so it was level with her new ear. Just then, she heard someone reply "Moshi moshi?" and winced in pain at the volume. Sharp and loud, like someone had yelled straight into her ear at point-blank range. Quickly pulling the phone away, she rubbed her ears to mitigate the pain from a sharp point to a dull throbbing as the voice repeated "Moshi moshi?".

"Moshi moshi, Ren-chan," she replied quickly, holding the phone against the side of her head. "It's Michiru."

"Oh Michiru!" Ren called out. Thankfully, the distance from her ears made the volume much less painful. Now, it sounded like someone yelling from across the house rather than right at her side. Sighing, Michiru smiled as Ren continued "You're home so that must mean you got back safely. I'm so relieved."

"Yeah, I'm home," Michiru said, rolling her eyes. "I had a shower and dinner and I told my parents all about today. I wanted to call and reassure you that I'm…safe at home. And I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask me what?" Ren inquired.

"My things," Michiru clarified. "I left everything back at school so…do you know where it is? Or if I should ask the staff about it?"

"Oh, no problem!" Ren said. "I picked up everything at your desk. Your shoes are still in the geta bako though."

"Really?!" Michiru said, smiling excitedly. "Could I get them at your house tomorrow morning? Say right before you leave for class?"

"I think that'll be fine," Ren answered. "And your shoes?"

"Uhhh," Michiru stuttered, eyes darting back and forth. "I…would get them myself but…I don't know if Tsuku is still looking for me."

"Oh right!" Ren replied. "I forgot about him! I still can't believe his behavior today! I mean the way he was acting…I knew he could be a stuck-up jerk at times but that?! That just seems so…out of line to me."

"I know!" Michiru agreed, making a fist in anger. Wincing as the claws poked her pads, she added "And he followed me out of the building and it was only Shiranui-sensei's interruption that made him stop! So…how far would he go?"

"I'd rather not find out," Ren said. Sighing, she asked "How about I pick them up after school and drop them off at your place?"

"That would be great," Michiru said, excited at first but then uncertainty crept in. "But I don't want to inconvenience you. Plus, I'm not sure what my schedule will be for tomorrow. My dad wants to set up a doctor's appointment but I have no idea when that will be."

"I doubt they'll have an opening tomorrow," Ren offered. "And if you have your phone you can always call me with the details. It's no trouble at all."

"Thanks," Michiru said. "So I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"

"Definitely," Ren affirmed. "And perhaps tomorrow afternoon too. And not just for the shoes. How's your schoolwork?"

"Yeah about that," Michiru said, trying to put her thoughts together. "My mom is thinking of having me home-schooled until we get this sorted out so I would appreciate a study partner so I don't fall behind."

"Well, count me in!" Ren chimed in. "And soon we'll count Mina and Chika as part of our study group. It'll be like old times, right?"

"Yeah, like old times," Michiru said, smiling a little. "Can you think of anything else?"

"No, I think we got everything sorted out," Ren replied. "So, good night then?"

"Yeah, good night," Michiru said, hanging up. Turning to her parents, she said "We can pick up my stuff at Ren's house tomorrow morning before school, and she can drop off my shoes in the afternoon."

"Well that's one thing down," her father said. "If I go early I can take you to Ren's place to pick up your things."

"Really?" Michiru replied, unsure how to proceed. "I…I don't want to take up your time dad." she stammered, but her father simply waved it off.

"Nonsense," he reassured. "It's no bother at all. I just need an extra ten, fifteen minutes."

"But…" Michiru stammered, trying to put her thoughts together. "I…"

"What is it?" her parents asked. "Do you think you've asked too much of us?"

"Well…" she trailed off before nodding. "Yeah, I kinda do. I mean you've put on such a lovely dinner, and you've helped me brush my…my fur and…yeah. Not to mention I've…I've…"

"Michiru," her father interjected. "No matter what, you'll always be our daughter, and we'll always be your parents. All we want is for you to be happy, healthy, and safe, no matter what, and we'll do all we can to ensure that happens."

At that, Michiru looked down briefly before she ran over to her father and wrapped her arms around him. Squeezing tightly, she nuzzled into him, his scent washing over her like a protective aura. Soon, she felt his strong arms wrap around her, a hand rubbing her back like when she was younger.

"Thanks dad," she said, smiling widely as a few tears trickled down her furry cheeks. "I…I think I needed to hear that."

"Any time," he said, leaning in close. "And no matter what, we'll get to the bottom of this."

"No matter what," her mother repeated from behind her.

"That being said," her father said in a more serious tone. "I think you should get an early night in."

"What?! But dad…" Michiru objected, but he held up a hand to forestall an argument.

"You've had a very long day," he said. Then, pointing to the clock, he continued "And we have a busy day coming up, so we'll need to be well-rested tomorrow. Tonight, it'll be lights out at 9."

"But…" Michiru started, but then saw the look in his eyes. Realizing he would brook no arguments, she nodded and said "Okay dad. I'll get ready soon."

"That's my girl," he said, hugging her tightly. "Good night."

"Good night, Michiru," her mother said. "I hope you sleep well."

"Good night," Michiru returned. Pulling out of her father's embrace, she made for the staircase, but stopped and turned back. "Oh about dinner…"

"It's all right," her mother said. "I'll take care of it. You just get your rest."

"All right," Michiru said. Turning back, she ascended the stairs and quickly made her way to the bathroom. Switching on the lights, she made her way to the sink and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Seeing the blue-furred muzzle, teal eyes, and triangular ears, she reached out and saw a furry paw rise to the image. Glancing at the paw, she flexed the fingers in and out, forming a fist and pressing her claws into her palm.

"Still can't quite believe it," she said to herself. "This morning I was a human girl, and now I'm a Beastman."

Her ears drooping, she asked "How could this happen? This is supposed to be impossible. Humans are humans, and Beastmen are Beastmen. You can't just suddenly change."

'But what about Nazuna?' a part of her brain asked, making her pause. 'You saw Nazuna, remember? She turned into a Beastman right before your eyes, just like you did. Why do you keep denying it happened?'

"Because it's impossible!" she snapped back. "Nothing like this has ever happened before Nazuna. And even then I couldn't quite believe it actually happened. How could I expect it to happen to me?"

'But why are you still denying it?' she heard herself ask. 'What good will that do?'

"Well not much," she admitted. "But it's still supposed to be impossible!" she insisted, balling her paws into fists.

'How are you helping by doing this?,' she heard herself asking. 'What good will it do to deny it? Think about what you can do instead.'

"I have," she replied. "I'll get a doctor's appointment, pick up my things, keep up with school-work, and I'll be back to normal soon."

'How soon?' she heard herself ask. 'A week? A month? A year?'

"Oh come on!" she exclaimed. "It won't be nearly that long! Once I get this…condition sorted out it'll be like nothing happened."

'Well, if you're sure,' her mind replied. 'Then you better get to bed soon.'

"Yeah," she thought, reaching for the cabinet for the floss. "A good night's sleep for a hard day's work will do wonders!"


'Darn this tail!' she thought in frustration. 'It keeps moving around and getting in the way!'

Pulling up her pajama pants, she felt the tail brush up against her paws, pushing them down slightly. Groaning, she switched to her shirt and pulled it over her head. Sticking her arms into the sleeves, she carefully worked her paws out so she could grab the hem to pull it down. Pulling down, she winced as her ears were pressed against her head, the collar rubbing hard against them. Thankfully, the shirt came down quickly so the experience was short-lived, but the burn was slow to pass.

'Well, at least no holes this time,' she thought in relief. Turning to the bed, she pulled back the covers and sat down gingerly to mind her tail. Pulling her legs under the covers, she tried laying back…and winced as her tail flared in pain from the pressure. Rolling to her side, she felt immediate relief as her tail wagged and swung in place, as though in celebration.

'I'm so glad that's happy at any rate,' she muttered to herself. Curling her arm under her pillow, she closed her eyes and waited to fall asleep. Before long she started feeling a low-level but persistent itching under her shirt. Instinctively she scratched at the itch, relieving the irritation…only for it to spread across her stomach and up into her arms. Shortly afterward, she began to feel hot and sweaty, like she was in a sauna or a hot spring. In response, she turned over to a cooler part of the bed, but as she shifted her weight onto her tail, she jumped up in pain as the appendage flailed about behind her.

'Mental note: don't do that,' she thought to herself. Slowly, the pain ebbed away and she turned onto her other side, sighing at the lower temperature. Settling down, she tried to fall asleep but soon felt the same heat as before. Throwing off the covers she felt a wave of cool air wash over her, though her relief was short-lived as the heat returned.

'Am I sick?' she wondered, pressing her paw to her forehead and felt the fur underneath. 'Oh that explains it!'. Exasperated, she pulled her legs out from under the covers and laid on her side. Slowly, she began to feel a bit cooler and the itching lowered in intensity…but did not completely ebb away. Instead, it hovered at a low level just above conscious awareness, annoying but noticeable. Pressing into her stomach, she felt her pajama shirt sink beneath her paws as the fur on her underside tickled her.

'Well, let's try this,' she thought. Sticking a paw under her shirt, she winced as the fur was pushed against the grain before carefully brushing herself. Pulling her shirt away from her fur, she slowly brushed the fur down so it lay with the grain, the itch fading underneath her paw. Turning to her arm, she pressed the sleeve down the way her mother had brushed her fur after her bath. After a few moments, she stopped and waited to see the results.

Shortly afterward, she felt a tingling shoot through her stomach and arm, like having goosebumps but more intense and pronounced. But as she was about to scream in frustration, the tingling stopped and faded into a more soothing feeling, almost like a tickle but more subtle and pleasant.

'Still better than the itching,' she decided. Turning her attention to the other side, she pulled the shirt up and brushed the fur down the grain, sighing as the itching gave way to this new set of sensations.

Curling onto her side, she settled down and soon found herself drifting off. Before long, her breathing slowed, her heartbeat faded, and the stirrings of dreams formed before her eyes. These dreams started off as disjointed, random images but soon coalesced into a more coherent picture, a scene that made her smile.

Her friends gather around her after a hard-won game of basketball, a table full of food ready for them. Her parents beaming at her while Ren, Chika, and Mina all cheer their victory.

And completing the picture was her best friend, Nazuna, seated beside her, smiling warmly at her.

'Oh, will I ever get those days back?' she asked before answering with a resolving 'Yes, I will have those days back.