[ POV Kasumi ] 

It took three strong mages to carry Mio all the way to the Mages Guild, because for some inexplicable reason she's much heavier than she looks. 

At the moment she's still unconscious, even after all the healing she received. At this point I'm seriously starting to doubt whether she will wake up at all.

So far nobody seems to understand why she got hit by lightning, twice even. What exactly happened to her? Why did the Rift target her, and her alone? Goddess, it's so difficult to remain calm, but the Mages Guild is investigating the matter.....patience...patience.

 

Ever since I became an apprentice Mage-Knight, I've been taught over and over again to never underestimate the power of magic.....and still all of us have today. We were overconfident in our own magic skills and we underestimated nature's raw power to strike back at us....or rather at Mio. I'm sure all of us will again be lectured about the dangers of magic soon....can't say I'm looking forward to that.

The Healer is currently moving his hands over Mio's body, from head to toe while she lies on her back on the examination bed. They gave her one of those white examination gowns to wear, intended to make it easier for them to sense any hidden injuries.

Her clothes are neatly folded, waiting on a chair for her to wear once she regains consciousness. Well, assuming she wants to wear those odd clothes again now they have a few more holes in them.

 

By the goddess.....the Healer just told me there's nothing more he can do since she won't respond to his healing magic. If she's going to wake up, she'll have to do so on her own.
This doesn't make any sense...I healed her legs before, and that was just a basic healing lotion, so why won't she accept pure healing magic now?

And just when the Healer is reaching for the doorknob, we hear Mio making whimpering sounds. When I touch her forehead I instantly know she's running a fever. Little beads of sweat are slowly falling down her cheeks.

Suddenly I see something very wrong with her and that makes my stomach turn...she's bleeding.

"Healer!" I shout and point at the blood gathering on her legs.

"Oh goddess.....NURSE!!" The Healer just called for reinforcements and not even half a minute later they took her away from me.

[ POV Healer ]

I've never seen this kind of being before. She resembles one of us, and yet...she's still so...different. Could that be the reason why my healing magic won't work on her? At least I was able to rule out any poisons, although I only know of the cursed Brittlebush leaves that could make a person bleed like this. Luckily those are extremely rare and would cost a small fortune to get one's hands on.

She's now lying on her stomach in our emergency room on an examination bed. 
We removed her gown in order to pinpoint the location of her wound....but what we found is beyond belief.

Her fingernails are bleeding, but only a few drops, while the nails are slowly being pushed out of her body. New nails are clearly visible...slowly extending right before our own eyes. They're blue and pointy, not claws, but still seem very sharp.

The patient is moving her fingers, and judging by the sounds which her unconscious body is producing, she appears to be in a moderate pain.

"Healer! Look there!" My nurse, who is forbidden to speak informally during the examination, is pointing at a spot on the patient's lower back, her coccyx.

She was already bleeding from this spot, but only a few drops. We wrongly assumed she had bled profusely, but it was only the cumulation of many small drops that had alarmed us. If it really had been an open wound, there would have been little or nothing we could have done about it. Now she at least has a fighting chance. 

"My goddess, look at that....a lump is forming," Kayo, my nurse said.

"Yes, it also appears to be moving inside her body. Mmmm...could it perhaps be a parasite?" I have never heard of this happening before, but I remember all the horror stories from my training days. Stories......I guess some of them were true after all.
"Nurse, I need a primary cutter." 

She hands me the cutter which is a small but very sharp knife. Actually performing surgery on someone is extremely rare, but lucky for me we still practice basic healing techniques like the ones our ancestors used.

I slowly and very carefully make an incision to widen the wound where the moving object is located.

CRACK! Suddenly her skin cracks open as if I had cut a large area, but I haven't! The sound startled the both of us.

"Ahh! My goddess...what.....what IS that?" She has no words for what's going on....me either.

A white, pointy object is now visible inside the wound, appearing to be moving, trying to find a way outside...until it does.

"A parasite! Guards!" I shout. Goddess, this scared the heck out of me. Disgusting! But I have to remain calm....the guards are just a precaution.

The guards move closer and my nurse explains they should be ready for action, but not interfere just yet. The object keeps moving out of the wound...but very slowly.

Then it dawns on me....this is no parasite....we're perfectly safe!

I ask the guards to leave in a calm voice "it's alright...stand down guards. It's not a parasite......this looks like.....a newly forming tail."

CRACK.....CRACK....

Those awful sounds bring me back to my patient, focusing on her back.

"Healer!"

"Yes, yes, I see it....it's definitely some sort of lizard's tail. It seems she's shedding her skin....molting? Could it be so simple?"

"Simple?"

"Well, it might be a natural thing for her, for all we know. She's not like us, no doubt about it. Look there....the skin is rupturing across her entire back, all the way up to her neck."

"Yes....how strange. What should we do, Healer?"

"Let's try a bit of water to clean the blood first. I don't know what effect other materials will have on her. Water should be safe."

 

Moments later one of the guards brings us a glass of water. Great....but I can't blame them, it's not that I wanted to drink this....I need it for the patient.

The nurse nods and takes the glass from him, then dipping a small piece of cloth in it and gently rubbing it on the bloodied area where the tail erupted only moments earlier. 
"There! Did you see that?"

"What happened?"  Did I miss something?

"Look." She applied freshwater on the spot again. "See? It got sucked right into her skin!"

"Yes.....I see. That is....unusual at best. Perhaps her body needs water to shed the skin? I can't explain it otherwise, it must be something natural at work here. Use more water around the tail....carefully."

She carefully applies the water and immediately we're startled again. The moment the soaked cloth touches the area, the tail rushes further out of the wound.
"My goddess....look at it! It worked! The tail....it's growing! At least two feet now. Quickly, apply water on the crack near her neck."

She applies the water and the area immediately cracks wide open, flaking off the skin immediately.

"There....those are new! Those two lumps on her shoulder blades.....I'm not going to speculate....but I bet they're going to burst open soon. I've seen enough. Let's put her into the bathtub." I believe water is our best friend right now.

The "bathtub" is an emergency device we gave a pet name, but it's intended to be used in emergencies only, e.g. when someone is on fire. Believe me, it happened here in the past. 
We quickly put her in the tub and let lukewarm water release from a storage tank above us. The nurse is keeping her face above water by supporting her back with her hands. 

Then......everything happens at once. Her body is cracking all over the place.
CRACK....CRACK...CRACK..

She isn't bleeding anymore so we pick large pieces from her skin which easily separate now. First those parts were gooey, but since her skin came in contact with water, the process is very smooth.

When we put her in the tub I feared that her skin would be damaged, but the underlying skin seems perfectly healthy, albeit....in another color.

She seems so relaxed now, as if nothing had happened to her, the poor girl. But then again, it might just be a perfectly normal process for her.

"Mmm.....blue scaly legs...blue nails....dark blue scaly tail. I wonder what those lumps on her back are. Oh, look, two small lumps on her head as well. Truly remarkable. Definitely not seen that before." I'm trying to find out what she is.....but I can't. Her tail is growing wider too....I truly wonder what she is.

I look at my nurse and she blinks, waiting for my next instructions.
"Good, now let's get her back on the table. I want to have a closer look at those odd lumps on her back before we let her rest."

"Yes, Healer."

 

A few moments later the girl is lying on the table again. The nurse made sure to quickly clean the blood from the table so it won't come in contact with her skin anymore. Mmm.....her body temperature is low, I'm not sure if that's a good sign, but it can't be helped right now. I'll instruct the other nurses to monitor her skin temperature, just in case. She was warm-blooded before, so I must assume she still is.

I carefully use the blunt backside of my cutter to just lightly touch the lumps on her back. They're almost perfectly vertical, a few inches long and don't protrude too much. You really have to know what you are looking for, or you will miss seeing it.

CRACK...another crack and something almost explodes outwards of both lumps.

"Ahh!!"  We both exclaimed, only startled. Nothing happened to us.....but.....this girl really has blue wings now. They are fully extended on both sides. A bit of blood drips from them, probably from forcefully extending them.

"My god! This one is full of surprises!" The nurse said while trying to start breathing normally again. We both got an adrenaline rush from being startled.

Now I gently touch the small lumps on her head. They are barely visible between her hair, but I spotted them quite early during the initial observation. The lumps are placed somewhat towards the sides, so not directly on top of her head. I wonder what these things will turn into.

But nothing happens.

"Mmmm....I guess there's nothing special going on......AH!" 

Suddenly her wings retracted without any warning.....completely integrated into her back. How does that even work? It went so fast!

"Okaaaaay....I think we've seen enough. The bleeding has stopped and she doesn't appear to be in any pain anymore. Please give her a good but gentle wash and then get her body temperature up."

"Yes, Healer."

 

[ POV Mio ]

When I wake up, I notice a few birds singing far away, but otherwise just silence.....total and complete silence. No air conditioning, no voices....just a peaceful silence. I'm feeling relaxed...and warm...very warm...so comfortable....

I can feel that I'm lying in a warm, soft bed, but...how? What happened? Right, I was in that marketplace when I collapsed.....but then what happened? Am I safe?

My head is still resting on a fluffy pillow when I finally manage to open my eyes.

Okay....that definitely wasn't a dream...I'm really here....wherever this place is. A white ceiling with dark brown wooden support beams in the corners suggest that this place probably used to be a barn a long time ago. The lights, which are currently off, are three big white spheres at the ceiling, hanging together on what looks like a cable.

To my right I see a partially opened window. The curtains are almost completely closed, leaving only the middle section open for the remaining daylight and fresh air. I guess it's evening already. The gentle summer breeze makes the curtains move a bit, it's really comforting to watch them for some reason.

The room smells fresh and clean, not humid or dusty if that makes any sense. A painting of a lady, wearing what looks like medieval clothes, adorns the wall in front of me and to my right I see a small bedside table with a flowerless vase and a chair.

 

A sleeping Kasumi is leaning her head against the wall. Her expression is so peaceful. She must have brought me here....wherever this place is. Probably a hotel, because it doesn't seem like a hospital to me. Then again....this might be their state of the art hospital....better stay polite and assume nothing.

My calf feels fine now and so does every other part of my body. Nothing aches anymore, nor do I feel sleepy. But still...being stabbed accidentally and then hit by lightning twice...seems a bit much. What in the world did I do to deserve that?

To my left is a door with a potted plant next to it. Now that I think about it....this room could very well be someone's guestroom, or just a regular bedroom if they really like a spartan lifestyle.

Should I wake her? Yes, let's do that! I gently whisper to her "Ka....su.....mi.....kasumiiiii.."

"Ugh............"

Ha ha ha...her neck is definitely going to hurt if she'll continue sleeping like that.
"Kasumi........wake up please..."

"Wha? Ugh..." Her eyelids open and she's quickly scanning the room, only then remembering that someone was whispering to her. Bingo....her neck seems to hurt already, she's massaging the lower part of her neck.
"Mio? Mio!" She says, but not too loud, afraid to startle me.

I give her a smile and say "hi Kasumi. Thank you." I know she understands that part. Of course she wants to ask me questions, but she has already learned not to ask, considering I don't understand anyway.

She gives me a warm, genuine smile and a thumbs up...followed by a quick but careful hug. But now what? I still can't understand her. Do I really need to learn their language? Do I even have a choice?

When she releases the hug I ask "Kasumi? Where is this place?" Sure, I know she can't understand, but still, I'd like to know where I am.

"Huh? This is my......wait.......I can understand you now?" She looks at me, her eyes go wide in amazement, her mouth agape.

My expression must be pretty similar. "Eh....seems like it. But...how?"

"Eh...wait! I'll get the Healer!" She ran away before I could have my first real conversation with her.

 

After a minute or two she ran back into the room with a big smile on her face.
She's out of breath, "he'll be....here.....soon. My goddess! You're awake! I still can't believe it!"

"Why? How long have I been asleep?"

"Asleep? You were unconscious, running a fever. You collapsed on the market yesterday, before I could bring you here. They brought you to the Guild for healing, and now you are here, recovering."

"Whaaa? That was yesterday? Oh.....eh....wow. Thank you, I guess? So...am I okay now?"

"You seem to be, yes. That's why the Healer should be here in a few minutes. He's anxiously waiting to see you."

"Anxiously? Why would he be?"

"Uh-huh, really." She stares at my eyes for a few moments, then blinks, but doesn't answer my question.

"Kasumi? Where am I?"

"This?" Her arms go wide, pointing at all the corners of the room we're in. When she sees me nod, she continues "this, Mio, is our guest room. You're in my parent's mansion......my home. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Anything I can do for you?"

But before I could reply, a man and a woman entered this room.

"Good evening, Kasumi, ah...and our mystery guest has awakened as well!"

My money is on him being the doctor.

"Healer Ragu, thank you so much for your help. Please, please, be welcome here." Kasumi gestured to him to approach me.

"Eh....hi? I'm Mio." 

"Greetings, young miss. It is good to see you finally awake. You gave us quite the scare. A few times actually. How are you feeling?"

"Eh...I did? Oh..not bad. Nothing hurts, but I'm hungry and thirsty."

"I bet you are. You haven't eaten in about a day." The healer said with a smile.

The lady behind him didn't introduce herself, but she smiles warmly at me all the time. How strange. He whispers something to her and she nods, then leaves the room. I think she's a nurse, yep, must be.

Doctor Ragu is like everyone else I have seen so far...cat-like. Except for the lizard lady, everyone else so far seems to have those fluffy cat appendages.

"Are you ready to hear what happened during our examination?" The Healer asked.

I nod, but before the doctor can explain, I feel something weird behind my back. It's....moving? My hand moves towards my lower back and feels something warm and scaly.....it's....a snake? "WAAAAHHH!" My eyes go wide and panic shows all over my face.

I jumped out of bed shouting "snake! snake! It's a snake! Help!" For some reason I ran to Kasumi, begging for help.

Everytime I turn around, trying to see the snake, it moves with me....it's just too damn fast! "Don't stand there! Help me" I beg her for help...but she seems perplexed ....frozen ....unable to help.

Then Kasumi blinks and rushes over to me, embracing me. "Mio! Stop! It's just your tail!"

"Wha???"  Now it's my turn to be perplexed. "My.....tail?" Did she really just say that? 

"Yes....you really have a tail now." Kasumi emphasizes the word now.

I carefully try to get a better view of the snake......what..the..heck??!

The doctor asks "I assume that part was unexpected?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm just a human! You know........without your, you know, fluffy stuff?" I point at his tail. "Please...please....please...please tell me I'm still human." I now look at Kasumi, begging her to confirm my sanity, but she simply shakes her head and points at a standing mirror.

I slowly walk over to the mirror, bracing myself for what I'm about to see. And what I see....is beyond my wildest expectations....I'm not human anymore...not at all.

Kasumi then says "emm........you have two lumps."

"Whaaa?" I look at her with bewilderment all over my face. Did she just refer to my breasts?

"No.....on your head."

"Oh....I see them. What the heck is that supposed to be?!"

 

The girl in the mirror looks different from the Mio I remember. This one has light blue hair, bright blue eyes, two small lumps on top of her head....they don't hurt, so they're not bruises. Wait...depending how the light hits my eyes, they're either blue or a very light shade of red. Sooo weird.

And that tail.....it's dark blue...definitely scaly and attached to my rear. When I let my finger slide across the scales, I feel each and every sensation.....it's real alright. The ears still look human.....mostly....just...longer. So far I see nothing fluffy on my body. My face still looks human...but that dark blue, scaly tail....

"It's HUGE!! Is that really a tail? My tail? But it's so.....fat?"

"Ha ha ha, so typical of a young lady, always worrying about her tail." The doctor said, making me blush a bit. I mean....it really IS long and fat, nothing like the cuddly fluffy tails of the others. Not that I even want a tail, mind you.

I touch the mirror....it's real. Every movement I make instantly shows in the mirror. I slowly sit down on the floor, on my knees. "My god.....what AM I?" Tears are slowly forming in my eyes. Slowly reality starts sinking in.

But instead of replying, Kasumi sits down next to me and hugs me. I cried...and cried for a few minutes, until I felt a bit better. "I'm sorry, Kasumi...<sniff>...it's not your fault."

"Yes, but I'm still sorry, I'll explain in a minute. Can you please forgive me?" Her eyes are begging me for forgiveness.

"<sniff> How can I say no to the owner of such cute fluffy ears?" 
I meant to make her feel better, not to make her blush....but it's too late. She's probably embarrassed. "Sorry Kasumi....I didn't..."

"No...it's okay. I know how you meant it." She's still blushing...okaaaay...good. But now what?

"Doctor...eh...Healer....what am I supposed to be? My god....I feel it....my tail....I actually feel it. So strange."  Suddenly my tail starts swaying from side to side, banging on a closet a few times. BAM BAM BAM BAM.

"Sorry.....did I really do that?"

"Yes, you sure did. Now try to relax for a moment and sit here." The doctor points at the bed, probably trying to reassure me that all is fine....except for the fact that it's NOT!

 

I sit down on the bed and only now notice what I'm wearing. Some sort of minimalistic dress, definitely not fashionable. "Eh...what am I even wearing?"

"It's an examination gown, don't worry, we bathed you after...eh...your changes happened."

"Oh." Is all I could utter. My eyes scan my body for more abnormalities...and I've found a few more that I missed a minute ago. First of all....my chest....it's bigger.

When I look at Kasumi, I see she was staring at those as well.....probably just following my gaze.

Then I notice my blue nails....wow...those are new. My legs and arms have a few patches with light blue scales, but they are barely noticeable.
"Can anyone please tell me what happened? What am I supposed to be? Is this temporary?" I think I've lost it now.

"Mmmmmm...eh Mio? I think I know what's going on here," Kasumi said.

"You do?" Everyone else said at the same time.

"Yes..but first you should share your findings, Healer. I mean....weren't you about to tell us what happened?" Kasumi seems to be the only one who's still able to think clearly at the moment.

I enter the not so warm bed anymore and try to relax, but that's difficult when you suddenly see that your legs are bluer than usual. Is this really happening? And lying on your back with a fat tail attached to you, isn't so easy either. Why didn't I notice it sooner?

 

"Ah...right...then allow me."

The doctor then explained everything in gruesome detail. Great...just great. Now it's official....I'm a freak.

Now it's Kasumi's time to shed some light onto the matter.
"Mio...remember when your leg was injured?"

"Yeah? When that sword somehow hit me, yes, I remember?"

"Right, I made you drink a potion right after that happened."

"What potion? Was it herbal based?" The doctor demanded to know.

Kasumi is grimacing....oh boy..this can't be good. "Not....quite....you see, it was a level 3 healing potion. Considering the urgency, I just chose the most expensive one. One of the ingredients....I just realized...is blood."

"Ewwwww! You made me drink blood?" I shivered.

"No! Well, only a little bit. But hear me out! I know the potion maker very well, she's a Healer as well, and a close friend too. She's able to mix her blood with herbs to create healing potions....that's what I gave you."

"Ahhh.....I think I know where you're going with this." The Healer pauses for a moment when the nurse enters the room with a glass of water. Well, it took her long enough.

She helps me sit upright, with a few pillows stuffed behind my back. I was fine sitting the way I was, but I have to admit....this is nice.

She then lets me drink a glass of cold water, which somehow tasted amazing. A bit sweet perhaps. "Thank you, that feels really good."

"It should, dear, Ponloo Essence will help you recover faster." The nurse said.

"P...Ponloo?" What is that supposed to be? Can everyone please just start making some sense?

"Yes, don't worry. It's just a flower extract, nothing to worry about. Can I get you anything else?" Wow, she really has all the time in the world. Back on the station I would have been released already...on the other hand...I wouldn't have had a tail there.

"I'm hungry, but that can wait. Doc..eh, I meant Healer....would you please continue?"

He smiles and nods. "Of course." He then looks at Kasumi. "You think she drank the potion and somehow the blood mixed with hers and changed her into a lizard-kin?" The doctor is obviously hallucinating, because he's not making any sense!

"Yes, that's exactly what I think happened to her. Trust me, Mio....that's NOT supposed to happen. But then again...Mio, do you remember when you got hit by lightning?"

"Eh...duh! Nobody can forget being electrocuted! Twice even."

She suddenly hugs me, probably misunderstanding my reaction. "I'm so sorry, Mio. It was only an accident."

I return the hug and whisper "It's okay. It's not your fault this happened."

"No.....but still....you look....very different," she said, sounding very apologetic.

"Yes, you do appear to have a Lizard-kin appearance now." The healer replied matter of factly.

"What is a Lizard-kin? Does that mean I'll end up looking like a lizard?"

"Huh? No no, not at all. Mio....may I call you Mio?" The Healer asked.

"Huh? Sure."

"Well then, Mio. Most people in this city are cat-kin. There are still small animals in our world with whom we share these traits. So that's why we refer to ourselves as cat-kin. The lizard lady, as you called her earlier, is a Lizard-kin. Same for her, her people also resemble certain animals. But you.....while you do share traits with the Lizard-kin, you are too different to be called that. I'm not sure what you are exactly, but I'm sure the Mages Guild will look into the matter shortly."

"They already are, Mio, so please don't worry. They will find out what happened to you and then we'll try to find your people," Kasumi said, trying to reassure me.

"My people? Why would I want to meet them? My people are humans, not....this." I pointed at my tail which is currently placed flat between my legs. A very, very weird feeling, like a third leg, let me tell you that!

"Mio....your body might need certain care that we are not aware of. Like how water reacted to your body. Perhaps you need lots of water, we just don't know yet." The Healer suggested I reconsider.

"Oh....I think I understand. But....what if I'm alone? Nobody else who looks like me?"

"First we'll ask the lady who made that potion for advice....then we'll see what happens." The Healer made it all sound so simple.

"Mmm...okay, sounds like a plan." BRRRRRRRR  "Oops....excuse me." My stomach rumbled, but loud! Very loud.

 

 

The doctor and his nurse left us alone so I could have something to eat, but not before they asked me if I really felt fine. My god, they are so nice! They really care for my well being.

"Mio?" Kasumi asked.

"Kasumi? He he he......"

"Yep, we don't have to play that game anymore. Goddess, so amazing we can finally understand each other. I have so many things to ask you about. But first.....would you please get dressed? You're right on time for our evening meal, and my parents are very anxious to hear your story....as am I. It's better to tell everything just once, right?"

"Sure, I'd love to. But...what am I going to wear? What if those wings suddenly..."  FLAP.   

"Ahhh!!" I startled Kasumi.

"Sorry....me and my big mouth.....but my god.....wings.....I really do have wings!" I slowly get out of bed, carefully maneuvering around the room, to get a closer view of them in the mirror.

2 rather sizable dark blue bat-like wings are on my back.

"Kasumi....is this really happening? Are those....real?"

"I'm afraid so, Mio."  

FLAP

"Ahh!!" This time we both were startled. My wings suddenly retracted, leaving no visible trace of them.

"Emmm....yeah....definitely wings. Mio, I don't know what will fit you...so...we bought some eh...Lizard-kin underwear for you earlier. It's the only kind that should fit that....enormous tail of yours."

"See? I knew it. It's really huge and fat, isn't it?"

"Ha ha ha....it sure is. But it's kind of cute too."

"It is? What part? I mean, it's kinda heavy." I'm still looking at my reflection in the mirror.

"I don't know, it looks..fancy...regal....I can't explain it. So...eh...do you want me to help you with that?" She shows me rather small garments, panties. They look normal, except for a few cords at the back. Ah...I guess I need to bind that around the tail? Weird.

Then she shows me what I believe to be a bra. It seems I really arrived in the stone age....bras were banned and replaced with more civilized supporting undershirts at least a century ago.
I keep staring at her...feeling a blush forming on my cheeks. But the sad part is, I really need the help. No way I can understand that underwear. So I nod....yes, I definitely need help with those.

Now it's her turn to blush, but only moments later we're laughing, until my stomach starts making those loud noises again. I know...food...just a minute.

Kasumi changed into a more casual look before we met today, no longer wearing those knight-like clothes when we first met. I wonder what kind of clothes she has in mind for me to wear.

 

She helped me get dressed and after a few awkward moments, I'm wearing a dark red tartan skirt and a white, frilly blouse that's probably a size too small for me. A red belt keeps my too-large-for-comfort skirt from sliding down. Well......it sure is different, but still quite nice. Except for those weird dark-brown glossy socks...or "ardors" as she calls them. They are hugging my legs from my feet until just below my knees. They'd better not be cutting off my circulation, or else....  But I guess this style is just their way, and I can't refuse the hospitality, so I'll cooperate for now.