Once she got directions, it still took Alptraum some time to find the place – mainly because her first attempt at flying with a new center of gravity nearly made her 'trip' in the air. Still, she managed to find the house and get up the stairs to the upper landing without incident.

Alptraum cups her own chest, looks down, and tells it, "You two really mess up my balance, you know." The bat then blinks at the pleasant feeling of holding them and adds, "But you have side benefits. So, … heh." She lets them go, straightens out her flying dress, then heads to the door to knock. It's these times that she misses the gauntlet simply because it was easier to knock with it, she felt nothing.

It take a moment before there's an answer, as a little peep-hole slides open. "Hello?" comes Lilith's familiar voice. "Alptraum, is that you?" she asks, since she can probably only see her visitor's face.

"In the shape-changed flesh!" Alptraum quips in her decidedly female voice. She flashes her right hand in front of the peep-hole as proof.

The door flies open, and Lilith looks the bat up and down. "I'm going to assume you have a good reason, but I want the juicy details," she notes, before pulling Alptraum inside.

"I'm heading to Babel soon, and there is a certain sect of the Yodhsunala that would like to see me dead. That is if they still exist," Alptraum explains as she's dragged inside. She straightens out her clothing again as she continues, "So … I can't just walk to Babel. At least, not as an easily identified male. Since Rosalind also agreed that my powers would make me an excellent stand-in for her too … Melsuine shaped me into a physical match of her. I'm reprising my role of Yodhsunala Nicora, once I have my hair bleached. And even if I'm searched … they'll just find a woman."

"Granted, having real breasts and a fully, uh, functional, female reproductive system that's on overdrive right now thanks to Mave is making the current experience a bit overwhelming," she adds.

"Oh… so you don't need any of my Babel fashions?" Lilith asks, sounding almost disappointed as she sits Alptraum down in an overstuffed chair. She sits in an identical chair opposite, across a nice little coffee table. "So, what can I do to help you then?"

"Well, I might. I may have to adapt my disguise. I'm not ruling out anything," Alptraum admits as she crosses her legs … though not exactly in the way would be polite for a woman. "You're used to having to go in disguise, so I wanted to know when I should begin 'living' the new persona. Such as insisting I be called Nicora, and gathering all the right clothing I'll be needing. Like, er, well, I need something to hide a tail in. Melusine decided to give me one."

Lilith gets up, comes over, and fixes how Alptraum's legs are crossed. "Now, what's this about a tail?"

"And … maybe some lessons on how to act like a proper lady," Alptraum admits when her sitting posture is corrected. "The tail is … Melusine's idea of a joke, I think. Do you want to see my entirely reshaped body?"

"You know, I've never had the urge to look at a naked woman before now," Lilith admits with a smirk. "But having seen you naked as a man… I think I won't really believe it until I see it."

"Pity you never took advantage of me when I was male," Alptraum tries to joke as she stands up. Undressing is … a chore. The inverted buttons are still giving her issues with undoing them. It also doesn't help that the rubbing against her altered chest and lower areas tend to only accentuate the mild arousal she's been feeling since Mave got her to drink that potion. The shirt comes of first, of course, exposing her chest and the small star-scar in her cleavage. When her pants drop … well her front looks like any normal woman … but the scaled snake-tail draping down her butt is anything less. It also doesn't help that its contact feels nice, both from the tail and from her reshaped and larger rump. "See?" she says, holding her arms out to her sides so Lilith can get a good look.

Poke.  Poke.  "It's not that cold out, so I'm guess you're still being affected by… Wait, why did you let Mave give you something to make you sensitive?" Lilith asks. But she keeps poking.  Poke.

Alptraum can't help but dance this way and that. "Because Mave thought it would be best to reset my … uhm, cycle before I travel so that I'll know what to expect while I'm some place I'm comfortable. I'm … ovulating," she explains. The last part she says with the tone of someone inflicted with a terminal illness.

This elicits a pinch of Alptraum's side. "You don't seem to be retaining water yet. So… are you comfortable, to better deal with what's coming?"

"Not in the slightest," Alptraum admits and her ears splay to the sides. "Men are smelling good and make me feel all funny to be around; tingly. And my mind keeps wandering to certain things I shouldn't be thinking about."

"Ahhh, well… I guess if you never grew up with it it might be overwhelming," Lilith notes. "I'm sure that if I was turned into a man, I'd be grunting and mounting the furniture without any experience with restraint."

"Oh men do not act like that," Alptraum insists and crosses her arms. Her fingers start tapping against the oozy shadow-flesh and she looks down at her forearm. "And hm, this should go otherwise well, at least the arm is identifiable." So … she concentrates, trying to bring forward Dar's body pattern and overlay his right arm on hers.

"And I could turn you into a man," Alptraum threatens distractedly.

The shadow-skin bulges and squirms, thick tentacles splitting over and over to become fur, leaving the arm looking much like the left… except for the glowing orb and the un-furred sheath.

Alptraum runs her hand over the shadow-fur, feeling it all along her forearm and to where it transitions into her real fur.

"Turn me into a man?" Lilith asks with an arched eyebrow. "Are you still trying to get me into bed, Nicora?

It feels like… fur. Eeee fur. There's no really discernible transition from shadow-fur to real fur.

"Would I do that?" Alptraum asks, her own brow arching. "Wait … you just called me Nicora. Should I, uh, start going by that name now?"

"Yes, it will help," Lilith says, as she grabs the wiggling tail. "Every time you grow a second head, it looks like a dragon. Did you ever notice that?"

"Yes, I have," Nicora (formerly Alptraum), says, and then squirms herself when the tail is grabbed. "And … careful with handling that. It's sensitive and … likes women. Melusine based it on, well, what I was formerly."

"What?" Lilith asks, looking up. "This thing has a purpose?"

"It's to remind me what it was like to be male so I can change back," Nicora explains, "It is my … maleness, changed and moved."

"I don't recall it being so big before," Lilith points out. "Nor did it try to lick my palm. So this has a mind of its own, pretty much?"

"Yes, I have no control over it," Nicora admits.

"Is it true that men really don't have control over it anyway?" Lilith asks, letting the tail go, despite its attempts to get her to pet it, including… big sad tail-dragon eyes.

"We have some control. Er, they," Nicora explains. "Lilith … I can't believe I'm asking you this … but can you help me transition into feeling, well, comfortably female? How to dress, walk, preen, and things like that? I've been told I need to learn how to feel pretty."

"Well, you've come to the right girl!" Lilith says, bouncing onto her toes. "Nobody is perkier and prettier than me in attitude! And… I have plenty of helpers. First thing, of course, will be your hair. It looks like you washed it by dumping a bucket of water over your head."

"I did," Nicora admits. "Is that bad?"

"Well, it's probably fine for a priestess," Lilith notes, "but not for feeling pretty. You need a proper shampoo and conditioning, and bleaching too, if you want to match Nicora's white hair."

"I need to. I can change the color myself, but that takes energy. Bleaching wouldn't," Nicora says. She reaches back and picks up her own tail, letting it curl around her wrist and its head sitting in her palm. "What else do I need to do?"

Lilith next takes Nicora's hands and examines the nails. "These'll need work too," she notes. "The earrings should be fine. Your fur in general needs a going over, and you'll probably need a full massage – both to get a feel for your muscles, and because you'll really need one once you start menstruating. Maybe some mudpack for skin, which is important to keep soft and elastic. I think a standard spy-belt can accommodate your tail, assuming it will remain calm if it can't see or smell any females."

"Oh, right. The belt sounds like a good idea. What about general underwear? With the way things rub … it's pretty distracting. Would underwear help with that?" Nicora asks and wiggles her fingers as Lilith holds her hand. "As for a full massage … uh, okay? I've never had that done before. I'm sure I've bathed in mud before … but not to be all elastic. I was poor!"

"This is expensive mud," Lilith notes. "This is Rose's body, and she never complained about underwear… well, aside from when she was at college. Stick with the plain stuff for now, because… well, you're likely to ruin it."

"Ruin it? How? Er, do you have any I cane … have?" Alptraum asks and grins weakly. "I don't own any that will fit this body."

"Rose has plenty of underwear you can wear," Lilith notes. "Or we can go shopping and get you some."

Nicora's ears perk. "Shopping … sounds fun. It never did before! Is that … normal?" she asks.

"It's fun, and I have no idea why men don't enjoy it," Lilith notes. "Didn't you have fun clothes shopping back in Gromit?"

"I mainly remember wanting to just get clothes and get out. Not … linger and try things," Nicora admits. "Which seems stupid now. How would I know what looks good if I don't try everything? What was I thinking?"

"I know!" Lilith agrees, and then pats Nicora on the butt and says, "But you need to get dressed first before we do anything else. I want to see how you do it."

"With what I brought or something you think I should try on?" Nicora asks as she lets her tail slip from her hand.

"What you wore in, so I can see if I have a belt that will work with your tail," Lilith notes.

Nicora nods and steps into her pants. She bends over to grab them, which exposes a lot, including the fact certain places are slightly swollen due to hormonal changes and ovulation wanting her to appear 'receptive'. As she straightens up, she pulls her pants up and has to dance a bit to get her tail to go down one pant leg. The reversed button gives her issues again … and the buttons on the shirt that follows fair no better as she slips them through their holes. She shimmies her upper body to get her shirt and upper 'additions' to settle themselves out comfortably. Her star-burst scar just barely shows between her cleavage in the v-neck of the blouse.

Lilith hmmms. "This could take some time. First though, let me get you a belt," she says, and gestures for Nicora to follow her.

"I'm that bad?" Nicora asks as her ears wilt. She follows along behind Lilith.

"A woman your age should not be shimmying and jumping," Lilith notes. "I'll teach you how to use a chair as a dressing aid, but first… " The next room isn't a bedroom… it's a closet. A big closet. A big full closet, including a dressing table. And more hanging outfits than even Rosalind has.

"My age," Nicora asks in a huff, "I'm not old!" The size of the closet, though, leaves the woman speechless.

"Your body is, and so you need to be a bit more dignified," Lilith notes, as she picks something that looks like a sash, made of black Zolk and having tassels and some sort of internal support. "Let's try this."

Nicora adjusts her pans so that they rise just on the tops of her hips. This allows her to fish out her tail and drape it outside. "Do you want to put it on, or have me?" she asks.

"I'd better do it first," Lilith says, as she shows how the belt has various pockets and compartments on the inner side, along with a long tube-like inner lining. She gently takes the dragon-head and slides it through, an ties off the belt behind Nicora's back. It looks a little thick, but the dangling tassels obscure it.

Nicora goes up on her toes and tilts her head slightly to the side as her tail slides into the soft, and disturbingly comfortable, belt-sash. "Wow," she says, "That felt … rather nice." She shivers to 'burn off' the sensation, then feels around on the belt. "I think this looks okay," she admits, "It just feels … thick."

"The tail should be happy once it warms up in there," Lilith says with a grin. "And you'll be feeling thick without the belt soon enough. I might be able to get you an appointment with Pierre today though, to get your hair done."

"Thick? Oh, right. Rosalind said sometimes her body retained water and made her feel pudgy when she menstruated," Nicora says as she pats the belt. "And an appointment with Pierre? Who is that? Should we go see if we can now? Or … is there more you want to show me in here?" she asks.

"If I show you too much in here… you won't want to go shopping later!" Lilith notes. "Right now I want to focus on things that make you comfortable. So… yes, let's see if Pierre can squeeze you in and do something about your hair."

"Thanks!" Nicora says. She then blinks a few times, then remarks, "Why does it feel like we'll be better friends now that I'm a woman?"

"Because, you don't have to worry about lusting after me," Lilith notes. "And we'll have fun!"

Nicora checks her clothing and makes her hew low-riding pants won't fall, then nods towards the door. "Well, let's go have some fun, then!" she practically chirps and waves towards the door.

Pierre's Salon is a bit of a trek, and not even in the business district. It's the lower floor of a converted townhouse, in a slightly less upscale neighborhood, with little more than a hanging shingle to identify itself. Still, Lilith takes Nicora through the door, and announces, "Pierre! I have a new client for you."

"A new client?" Nicora whispers to Lilith, "That makes it sound like you expect me to stay like this." She sniffs, then her ears splay, "This place is … pungent."

A tall, lean Skreek that seems to move entirely too sinuously for someone wearing a smock slinks over, and looks Nicora up and down with one naked finger tapping his lips. His hair is… impressive. There must be four or more colors, and yet they all blend in and somehow work. "Jes, Lilith!" he coos, and air-kisses Lilith's cheeks. "My my, I see why you brought this one to moi. That hair… it just does not… sing."

"Hair sings?" Nicora asks, blinking. "That is beyond my … experience. I am Yodhsunala Nicora," she says by way of introduction. "I have hopes of looking like my Mother by bleaching my hair to her sacred white."

There are several other women in the sitting room; a well-to-do looking human woman, and a Khatta. Both are glaring daggers at Nicora – apparently for distracting Pierre.

And for some reason Nicora lifts her chin slightly, tilting her nose upward. Her eyes merely flick to the other women and then turn away as if they are unimportant.

"Blee… blah… " the Skreek says, making something like a repressed vomiting sound as he tries to say the word. "We do not… drain away… color here. We will tease it out, jes? You will like it."

"It needs to be white," Nicora says firmly, though not unkindly. She then offers her hand to Pierre, palm down. "I will leave my fate in your hands; Lilith speaks highly of you," she notes, "So shall we?"

"Of course," the man says, taking the offered hand and kissing the back of it. "Dagny will finish Lady Tanaquila; come," he says, leading Nicora into what was probably once a kitchen, but has been transformed into a cross between a barber shop and a mad-scientist's lab. Two interrogation chairs, complete with straps, sit in front of a pair of sinks. A rather large Khatta woman dozes in one, her head tilted back over a sink while a female Skreek looking similar to Pierre washes her hair.

"Why do you have such restraining chairs? Is the process painful?" Nicora asks as she eyes said torture devices. Still, she allows herself to be lead over to the open one. There she turns around and lowers herself gently into it, mindful to not compress her belt too much. She almost crosses her legs, but remembers at the last minute and stops herself.

"The chairs have many uses," Pierre insists, making no move to strap Nicora down. "Lilith, you shall assist," he states, and tosses a smock to the Eeee woman, who hurries to catch it. Next, Nicora finds a Skreek nose brushing past her ear to sniff deeply at her hair… and she's pretty sure Pierre is tasting a few strands as well.

Nicora's ear twitches when the Skreek nose grazes it. "What is he doing?" she has to wonder, "And worse, it's making me feel tingly again. I'm going to get Mave for this!"

"Type four, some oily residue," Pierre remarks, and starts running water in the sink. "Lilith: rosehip oil, essence of duckwort and… hmm… bone marrow gel. Quickly!"

Lilith blinks, and then hurries to bring the requested supplies from one of the many shelves in the room… only to be sent back to fetch more things, including some sort of milk and what might be wine.

"When did hair care get so … complicated" Nicora wonders as she looks between the Skreek and Lilith. "I just used boiled lard growing up… "

"First, we will relax the hair… it is far too tense," the rat notes, and kicks a lever on the side of Nicora's chair that causes it tip back until her head is hanging over the sink. "Now, you are a woman of the cloth, jes? You can restrain yourself, or do I need to use the straps?"

"I have never had such done before," Nicora says, "So best be safe and use the straps. I do not wish to accidentally bless you on behalf of my Mother." She then tries to relax, letting her neck rest against the edge of the sink.

Lilith uses the straps on Nicora's ankles and wrists, and then Pierre begins to work. While Nicora can't see what's happening, and can only feel it indirectly… the way the man washes her hair triggers an innate mammalian grooming response, and does make her relax. The aroma of the herbs and wine help as well… right up until the scalp massage begins. She's very glad for the restraints, but going from relaxed to aroused so quickly causes twitches.

"Oooooh," Nicora murmurs as she seemingly melts under the touch of the Skreek, even her eyes droop mostly closed as the soap and water flow. This quickly ends when the massage stimulates more than her scalp though … and her fingers and toes splay wide. Her ears even begin to twitch as she actually gasps, "Oooh!"

Lilith just grins and winks – implying that this reaction isn't wholly due to Mave's potion or Nicora's hormones. It does feel like the wine and other elements are somehow infusing her body through her scalp. Pierre is quiet through it all, aside from sort of tune that he whistles softly.

Nicora's eyes crack and she tries to glare at Lilith … but the Eeee can only manage looking quite … satisfied by the touch upon her scalp and the feeling of strong fingers tenderly working the skin beneath her hair. She ever so wants to complain … and yet all she can manage to 'say' is a contented and pleased sigh.

The sensation fades slowly, such that Nicora doesn't immediately notice when the massage ends. Other things are happening though; fine combs and brushes being applied, while Lilith continues to fetch thing, all of it seeming to happen in a dream-like state where one can easily lose track of time.

Nicora's hands by this point are stroking the ends of the arm rests upon which they rest. Every now and then she makes some sort of contented-sounding noise as Pierre works. Part of her wants to be horrified how much she's enjoying this … but it seems like the other part of her, the female side, is overpowering the remnants of her male thought processes and making sue she enjoys this … and perhaps even desires it.

Eventually, the multitude of odd caresses ends, and Nicora finds her chair upright once more, and Lilith loosening the straps.

"Mmm?" Nicora says groggily, and even with hints of disappointment, "Is it over already?"

"It's been nearly two hours," Lilith points out. Nicora notices that her hair feels… lighter? Fluffier? It certainly isn't falling flatly against her scalp anymore.

Nicora reaches up with her hands now free and pulls around a few strands to peer at.

"Tut!" Pierre clicks, and swats at Nicora's hand. "No plucking! You go to the mirror room to see," he insists.

Nicora glares briefly at Pierre and almost threatens him for daring to swat a Yodhsunala. But … she's still felling quite good and the Skreek does look attractive right now.  So, she forgives him and gets to her feet.  This is a mistake as she still feels a bit unsteady after the wash and sways back and forth a bit.

"Here," Lilith says, taking hold of Nicora's shoulder and helping her to an adjacent room. This one has windows overlooking a well tended garden, and lots of mirrors – some for looking at the reflection, and others for making sure plenty of natural light is bouncing around the room. Lilith props Nicora up in front of one, showing her hair to be bigger, somehow. It isn't purely white, but has a mix of silver and also gray in places, and even some black strands preserved in the front, forming an odd pattern. It doesn't make sense until she looks straight on – and her hair turns into a skull. It's subtle: the few black strands delineate the teeth, the lighter gray areas hint at eye sockets, and the silver seems to outline and highlight other features to suggest shading. If not for her new sensitivity to shadings of color, she might have missed it entirely.

Nicora blinks a few times as if she doesn't believe what she is seeing. She turns right, then left, looking at her head from many angles and marveling over the subtle pattern and how much it does look like a skull. And the feel … it's incredible when she finally reaches up to run her fingers through it. It feels almost liquid or perhaps zolk-like. It certainly feels softer and more delicate than it ever did when she was still male. "That is amazing," she finally admits in shock. "A true tribute to my Mother." It's also then she really starts noticing how delicate and fine her jaw is. Sure, she saw it on Rosalind all the time; but now it hits her that she's looking at herself. And more to the point, she likes how she looks, particularly when she imagines donning the robes once more.

"Well, it cost five-hundred shekels," Lilith says, offhandedly. "Pierre is worth it, a true artiste. Now… do you feel… pretty?" she asks, looking over Nicora's shoulder from behind.

"I … yes. I think I do feel pretty. With the right clothes I will look amazing," Nicora admits. "I will be envied."

"That's the spirit!" Lilith says, then pauses and notes, "Just don't let Rosalind be the one who feels envious."

"Well, I could never be prettier than her," Nicora claims. She's still tilting her head from side to side and marveling. She's even trying different facial gestures, such as smiling, glaring, and even batting her eyelashes. "I bet my facial fur could be shaded to really accentuate my features," she notes.

"A few highlights here and there, to make you look a bit more severe?" Lilith asks. "And I wonder… well, will have to see later."

"Yes, making my face look slightly more … gaunt?" Nicora suggests. "And you wonder what… ?"

"What the Wraith would look like now," Lilith replies.

"I … have no idea. I'm worried to even try," Nicora admits.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't try then," Lilith notes. "It's not like you'll be needing it, right?"

"I'm … not sure. We should find out … but someplace safe. Maybe where I could be restrained, such as in the castle itself," Nicora offers, "Such as in one of those chairs. I'm guessing you would wish to be there?"

"Well, the Wraith always creeped me out," Lilith admits. "I'd rather not see it, really. It just occurred to me when I noticed the skull effect."

"So … should I have Pierre do some highlighting, then perhaps a bit of shopping?" Nicora asks, changing the subject. Even worse, she looks hopeful.

"Oh, I'll show you how to do the highlighting," Lilith says. "Pierre is a hair artist, not makeup. We can go back to my place and I'll show you how to use the brush!"

"Deal," Nicora says, disturbingly all smiles. She pats Lilith lightly on the arm and then saunters out of the mirror room. Her hips roll gently as she walks, one foot in front of the other, back and shoulders held straight. It makes her look proud, confident, and with that hair intimidating. What's perhaps the truly scary part is … for the moment she is looking, moving, and acting completely female. Of course once she realizes it she'll panic and ruin it all … but it's progress of a sort. And more is yet to come in a day or so … and most of it will not be pleasant.