With the bed all to herself, the Countess Rosalind Draco has spread out to cover as much of it as possible. Lying on her belly, with the covers pushed down to her hips so that her wings and spread out, she has her limbs spread out all akimbo, while her mouth his partially open as she drools a bit onto her pillow. This also causes her to snore slightly.

Alptraum, still clad in the skin of a dark elf, grins wickedly as he slinks over to the bed. The elf practically slides up onto the bed until his bare skin is draped over Rosalind's back and wings. "Oh Countess," he practically purrs into one of her large ears, "This is your morning breakfast call…

"Mmrfhagggle… " the woman mutters, cracking one glowing red eye to try and focus on the person interrupting her. And then both eyes go wide and she hisses, "I don't know how you got in here, but… " Then she blinks, and asks, "Alptraum? Is that you?"

"In the bare flesh, so to speak," Alptraum says and waggles his brow. "Kaira decided to have a little 'fun' while the dagger was slotted. Since you seemed to like Snow all smooth and tasty, I thought you might like me all smooth and tasty." Even as an elf, the way he grins does betray that it is Alptraum inside; it's the lopsided way he shows his fangs…

"Hmmm," the Countess muses. "Well… you do smell… minty? You'll have to get off my back though… "

"I don't know," Alptraum notes as he leans down and nibbles on Rosalind's ear. "I like you all helpless and in my power." That last bit ends with a soft 'Mwahahaha… "

"Oh, you think I'm helpless do you?" the Countess challenges, then coos at the nibbling. "Oooo… That's different. I guess a small mouth and funny teeth have some advantages… "

"All helpless and fuzzy," Alptraum teases right before he licks along Rosalind's ear-ride and then nibbles his way back down to its base.

The Eeee relaxes and make happy squeaks, before lamenting, "It's too bad I'm still feeling a bit… sore."

"And alas I cannot fix that in your current condition," Alptraum laments as well from where he lies on top of Rosalind. With a sigh, he slides himself back upright, then rolls to the side so that he's no longer pinning Rosalind down. "And after Melusine has her … way with me, I won't be able to tend to you quite as much as I used to. At least for a while."

Furling her wings, the Countess rolls to her side, and the cozies up the to dark elf and starts licking his neck. "Well, can't Kaira change you back for that? Or can only one transformation be applied without cancelling another?" she asks.

"She can revert me for periods, we're pretty sure. I'm not sure how long the duration will be, though," Alptraum admits as he actually half-slides into Rosalind's lap as she starts licking his neck. "You know, with fur that felt good. Without fur that feels amazing," he murmurs.

"That's good to know," Rose says. "I don't feel bad about biting now." And then the fangs sink into the disinfected-by-saliva skin.

Alptraum hisses as he feels the fangs sign into the smooth flesh of his neck. "You should never feel bad about biting me," the former Eeee murmurs as he settles into let Rosalind savor her breakfast. And of course he helps along by caressing over Rosalind's own muted curves, tracing out all her contours that are within reach.

Rose feeds for quite a while, although this seems to be more for pleasure than food since Alptraum doesn't quite get as lightheaded as he would if he was losing a lot of blood. But it's still enough to feel buzzy. He can almost imagine a miniature version of himself growing in Rose, sipping his father's blood through a convenient straw.

Alptraum encourages Rosalind to be slow about it, too. At one point his hand is cradling the back of her neck and holding her there so she doesn't even have to use much muscle to keep her current position. "Just enjoy," he even murmurs, the elf obviosuly enjoying it himself.

Eventually however, she has to stop. This is indicated by more licking, and the bite marks have actually puckered and whitened a bit from the prolonged feeding. "I wonder if I'll get weird cravings soon," she murmurs. "Well, weirder than vanilla girls and chocolate men. I wonder if humans come in strawberry flavor too?"

Alptraum laughs at that as he reaches up to rub softly at the puncture wounds. "So, did I taste different?" the former Eeee asks now, oddly curious as to how extensive Kaira was.

"You tasted familiar, but… minty," Rose notes, licking her lips. "That might have been your skin though. Did you marinade yourself first?"

"I took a bath, yes. Snow was teaching me how to be a human," Alptraum explains as he cuddles up in Rosalind's lap, then reaches around her and pulls her wings back around to cover himself with them. "I don't want to leave you and go to Babel," he admits. "That place … scares me."

"You need to reconcile with your father though, one way or another," Rose says, resting her forehead against Alptraum's throat. "He should know how you've turned out, and who you're involved with. And decide if he should be allowed to be a part of your life."

"I know. I have no fears that you would be able to deal with him; I'm more worried if I will be able to," Alptraum admits and sighs. "I also fear that he may see you as a political advantage for himself … where for me, I've never cared that you were the Countess of Draco County. I love the woman, not the title and expectations."

"Babel is a long way away, and unlike sky islands it stays that way all of the time," Rose notes with a grin. "Our politics couldn't be further apart as well. I'm not worried about any of that, only about the relationship between a father and son – soon to be a grandfather and son."

"I wish your father could be here to meet his grandchildren," Alptraum notes. "I wish I could have met him, though I do not know if he would approve of me or not."

Rose chuckles. "If my father were alive… well, I don't think he'd worry about who I married. He'd be the Count still, and likely outlive me and my children."

"I think he would still care. I've also been thinking, if our child is a male, would you want to name him after your father?" Alptraum asks.

"That would be nice," Rose says. "Edward is a good name."

"Good," Alptraum says. "And speaking back on Babel … I don't like the idea of being away from you that long, either. I'm … used to being around you."

"Well, didn't you plan on being me so that you won't get lonely?" the woman teases, and licks Alptraum's Adam's apple.

"Well, there is that," Alptraum admits, grinning. "I'll be too distracted to feel lonely. And plenty of time to learn how to make you squirm even more… "

"Oh? I don't know if you could handle feeling what I do," Rose says, almost as a challenge.

"Oh, we shall see," Alptraum counters and waggles his white brow. "Now, how would you like a new experience? I could have Kaira change me back to normal right now, while I'm in your lap… "

"Hmmmm, that might be… wait… " Rose says, suddenly sounding a bit alarmed. "Has she been watching us all this time?"

"Unlikely. She knows better and respects my privacy," Alptraum claims.

"How can you let her know you want to be changed back then?" Rose asks, a bit skeptically.

"I have to concentrate and contact her," Alptraum answers and closes his eyes to do just that. "/Kaira,/" he thinks, "/Time for me to shed the elf skin and go back to being Eeee. I have a long day ahead that will likely be pretty, ah, stressful."

It takes a few moments before there's a response. "Shed it? Literally? I can probably make your old body burst out of it, but it might be messy and uncomfortable… " the dragon finally replies.

"No, no, just … change me back. You don't have to be so literal. You're as bad as Melusine!" Alptraum thinks.

"Fine, no need to panic," Kaira notes. "I'm trying to keep things interesting for you. Cocooning you now!" The skin of Alptraum's right forearm begins to sag and liquefy, before spreading out over his body. Roses watches raptly, and lets go of Alptraum in case touching him interferes.

"See you in a bit," Alptraum tells Rosalind as the oil-like skin oozes across his body. As darkness descends, he does have to admit, Rosalind must love him if she puts up with this weirdness!

Time stands still for Alptraum, but when he opens his eyes once more he's back in his old body again, complete with flayed-looking right arm. Sunlight is streaming through the curtains now, and Rose is already up and dressed. "Oh! You're back!" she says with a smile. "Kaira is a lot slower than Melusine… but you may be low on power now from everything."

Alptraum nods as he sits up and stretches. "I plan to go down to the hog pens and feed the forearm," he says, "And then collect those four transformed ones to take to Melusine to revert. As agreed, she can devour those who are completely gone, the ones that are not will be returned to a cell and await your judgment." Alptraum slides himself off the bed now and works on getting dressed himself. "And oh, can you do me a favor?"

"What do you need?" Rose asks cheerfully – but then, she's already had breakfast.

"I can't believe I'm asking this, but can you pick out some of your clothing for me? I may ask Melusine to change me today and, well, I want to have something to wear when I leave her lair," Alptraum admits. His ears splay in embarrassment.

Rose can't help but laugh a little. She even asks, "I suppose you want something more substantial than a negligee then?"

"I do have to walk through the castle," Alptraum points out, "So, yes, I will need something more proper. Now what is under it … a heh."

The Countess picks out a nice heavy cloak and sturdy clothes (in case Alptraum can't find his balance, she claims) and lays them out on the bed.

Alptraum folds up the clothing into a neat stack and uses a belt to cinch it all together. "Do you want to be present if it … happens today?" he asks.

"I have matters to attend to, unfortunately," Rose notes. "But you know what I look like from all angles by now, so there shouldn't be any surprises at least."

"That is very true," Alptraum agrees and even nods. "I guess this also means I'll be on the road soon and off to Babel. I really … I really need to quit stalling." He hefts the bundle of clothing and rests it on his shoulder. "Time to go deal with the hogs. I'll see you later tonight."

"I suppose I'll be seeing myself later then, maybe," Rose jokes, before blowing Alptraum a kiss and leaving the room.

"I love you, Rose," Alptraum says as Rosalind departs the room. "If you're still listening, Kaira," he comments as he heads towards the door now, "I feel doomed."

"You aren't even married yet," Kaira points out. "Don't waste all of your doom before the wedding. You'll need some for later."

"You are not very encouraging," Alptraum notes as he begins the long walk down to the hog pens (rather slowly, at that). "You are okay with letting Melusine adjust me physically, yes? I expect I'll have to remove the dagger before the shift, so I'm not sure you'll be able to watch."

"Oh, I don't mind not being able to watch," the dagger-dragon says. "I don't like to see you suffer."

"You think it will be painful?" Alptraum asks as his ears wilt even more than they already had.

"Well… has Melusine ever had a reason to transform someone painlessly?" Kaira posits. "It's something she does for amusement, after all. But maybe if you remember to ask her, she'll be gentle."

"But … if she wants me to be an ally I wouldn't think she would want me to suffer," Alptraum points out, "But … I should ask her to be gentle, yes. Anyway, I … guess we'll see. I'm going to disconnect the dagger now." And with that, and knowing the ensuing goo-mess that will follow, Alptraum extracts the dagger from his arm.

There's minimal spurting of goo, and no foul odor in the absence of the 'black' blood that no longer flows. The dagger blade absorbs any fluids that splash onto it as well.

The dagger finds itself back into the sheath on his belt and down, down, down the bat goes. As his ears pick up the squealing of hogs, his stomach sinks even further. "You can still back out. Just take her the hogs and … don't ask her about transforming you," he thinks to himself. "But … the disguise may be needed. Just … calm down. Think on it. Lots to do and she may not be ready, right? Hogs first… "

Hog-wrangling is a skill earned with many hours of practice and endless bruises and bites and probably a few lost digits. Alptraum is helped out a little thanks to special piggy blindfolds that the Khatta hog-keeper manages to get onto the four prisoner pigs without being trampled. After the bat has 'recharged' with a regular hog, he's shown how to guide the hairy brutes with a long wooden switch used as a whip and the sturdy ropes connected to the hogs' harnesses. Still, it takes quite a while to get his charges to Melusine's lair, and nobody who sees them approaching sticks around to offer any help.

Once inside, he finds the Shadow Dragon lazing around its glow-ring, with the occasional flicker of light from within her dark mass. The hogs become a bit more sedate, milling about uneasily despite not being able to see anything.

"Nothing like being thrown under the hog," Alptraum grumbles as he has to, once again, force one of the hogs back into the group as he guides them into the lair. "Melusine?" Alptraum calls out to the lounging shadow-mass as he spots her. "I hope today you are feeling better… ?"

"The pain has subsided to a tolerable level," Melusine replies, her voice sounding slightly strained. "Thank you for… not enslaving me."

"All things being equal, I like you as you are and not my slave. You're welcome," Alptraum says. "And are you up for a small task today? I have four hogs that the Countess wishes returned to their original forms if possible. Those that are mentally gone … will remain with you for a meal. The others will go to face her judgment."

"A strange request," the blob notes. "I can return them to the forms of Gallees, but they were not kenned prior to transformation. They will not have their original bodies, but close approximations."

"I think that will be enough," Alptraum says and bobs his head. "And may I ask you a question? If our roles were reverse and it was you who were working on me … would you have enslaved me?"

"Of course I would have," Melusine answers honestly. "But now I would not, in honor of your choice to spare me."

"Thank you for being honest with me. Now … which hog do you want first?" Alptraum asks Melusine as he prods one of the porcine beasts with the long rod.

"The largest," answers the Shadow Dragon. "The excess mass will nourish me."

Alptraum grabs the rope of the largest hog and then uses the rod to poke and prod at the beast until it starts lumbering towards Melusine's mass. Alptraum isn't sure how he feels about this. On one level, these hogs were invaders. On anther, he's giving it to a Shadow Dragon. He has to wonder which is more evil.

Once the hog is close enough, Melusine wraps a pseudopod around it. She doesn't completely envelope it, and from the horrific screaming the beast is clearly aware – at least until the bones begin to break and reshape themselves. The hog looses consciousness at that point. The course hair becomes white and curly, the corkscrew tail straightens out and elongates while the trotters split and crack into fingers and toes. The head is all but lost within the hog-sized blindfold, but that eventually falls away. When Melusine releases it, a dazed and shaking Gallee poodle lays on the stone floor of the cavern.

Alptraum, who has seen horrors before, can't help but step back and wince as the poodle is recreated from the hog. Even after it is fully a poodle again, it takes Alptraum several minutes before he walks towards the shaking poodle. "Do you understand me?" he asks the Gallee.

The man struggles to its hands and knees, and makes several grunting noises as it looks up at Alptraum. The eyes have a hog-like fury to them, but not much to indicate intelligence.

"Tell me your name," Alptraum tells the Gallee from a few feet away, "If you don't … " When the answer doesn't come, the Eeee sighs softly and steps back. One last thing he tries to do … is see the Gallee through the eyes of the Barsunala; to see the shape of its spirit…

The result is… scrambled. Or perhaps tormented, as the creature's spirit seems to be at war with itself.

Alptraum sighs and rubs over his eyes. "He is yours to devour," Alptraum tells Melusine. Something about saying that makes the Eeee feel sick to his stomach; but less so than the way Snow looked at him the day she saw the hogs.

A black waves passes over the Gallee, and just like that the man is gone without a trace.

"The next largest, then?" Alptraum asks Melusine as he goes to fetch the next largest hog and guide it towards Melusine.

The next two hogs end up the same, with no signs of surviving intelligence. The fourth – the same one Alptraum turned into a Skreek before - begins to wail once it's back in the shape of a Gallee.

"You won't be a hog again," Alptraum tells the wailing Gallee as he goes to kneel beside it. "You will face judgment as you are now, in the court of Draco County. It is not much solace … but it may be a kinder fate than what you had."

The heavily breathing poodle gets into an upright kneeling position, but his eyes are filled with madness or terror. "I… I… " he chokes. "I can't… remember… "

"Give it time," Alptraum tells the Gallee as he tries to help him to his feet. "I will take you to the guards and they will escort you to a cell to recover."

The canine is unresisting and unsteady on his feet. The guards outside seem surprised to see him, but don't question the order to take him to a cell.

Alptraum watches the guards lead the man off and then runs his hands through his hair and breaths out a heavy sigh. "I'm not sure I could rule and make decisions like that," he says to himself. "Having to look in their eyes makes it worse." The Eeee shakes his head and then heads back into the lair of Melusine.

"You could change them into things that do not have eyes," Melusine suggests. "Remove their senses, and the mind turns on itself."

"Ah, no, but thank you for the suggestion," Alptraum says. "May I approach and sit with you?"

The blob flows back to give Alptraum room to sit next to the glowing circle, as if it were a campfire.

Alptraum heads to that spot and settles down next to the undulating flesh of Melusine's formless body near the light circle. "How is the heart? Is it … satisfactory?" he asks the Shadow Dragon. He reaches out with his right hand and 'pets' lightly along Melusine's … well, he assumes side.

"It feels small, but I have not grown weak," the blob replies. "It is healthy."

"I don't think I want to go through that again, even if I could repair the fractures in your old heart," Alptraum says and shrugs slightly. "I'm glad it all went well."

"It was immensely painful," Melusine notes. "I was paralyzed and burning, and even… dead… for the duration of the transfer. I would not wish to repeat it either."

"So … " Alptraum says, feeling both awkward and uncomfortable. "Where do we go from here? You are still bound to the Countess' family, but you are not as vulnerable as you were."

"I am still bound," Melusine claims. "But my survival is no longer dependant on being linked to the spirit of this land. But I still feel… weak. Vulnerable."

"As long as you serve the Countess' family well, you will be treated well. You have a home and protection," Alptraum notes as he now gently leans back against Melusine as a show of 'trust'. "I intend to see to your well-being as well if you honor the pact."

"Thank you," Melusine says, growing softer behind Alptraum. "I will continue to ensure the Countess' youth in return. Is there nothing that you want from me, in exchange for saving me?"

"Well, many things," Alptraum admits as he looks towards the ceiling. "Part of me craves to feel your touch and skill at reshaping. I have … grown fond of you, in spite of everything I have seen. My shadow has shown me the possibilities there are with you."

The dark mass seems to crowd in closer, surrounding Alptraum. "Go on," Melusine urges.

"I … want to be reshaped by you, Melusine. I want to try new forms and what pleasures they may offer," Alptraum admits and swallows, "And perhaps find ways that both of us find enjoyment in it. I know you shape for pleasure too."

"What would you have me shape you into?" Melusine rumbles, stroking the bat's wings with what seem like a hundred boneless fingers.

"The first would … be one of practicality. I have a long journey to make through dangerous lands where I, as I am, may be hunted. I need a disguise that would keep me from being easily identified," Alptraum rambles on as twinges of terror bounce about in his stomach. "I spoke with Rosalind about this and we came to an idea that helps her too. If you used her imprint to shape me into her; a female Eeee, those looking for a male Alptraum would never find him. It would also help her in that during the later stages of her pregnancy, I can stand in her place. I can mimic her shadow powers already; so if I looked like her … Don't do it yet! Just tell me … is it possible?"

"Yes, it would be easy," Melusine says. "Although you would not be an exact copy of her. There are special physical aspects which I cannot change, as they are a reflection of your deeper identity."

"Which aspects are those and why can you not change them?" Alptraum asks as he leans his head back so that he can look up at Melusine's shadowy mass.

"Your eyes, your right arm, and your scar," Melusine notes, her 'face pod' hovering over Alptraum now. "Your eyes are part of your nature as the Barsunala. Your arm and chest scar are part of your Shadow aspect, and I have no power over another Shadow."

"So only I can shape my arm," Alptraum says and nods slightly at that. "If you had the choice, how would you reshape me, Melusine? What do you see me as?"

The dark flesh vibrates for a moment, and Melusine answers, "Many things. It is difficult to see you as being locked into a single, rigid form. You should be a blob, like me."

As much as Alptraum doesn't want to, his body rebels and a small shiver rolls through the Eeee; perhaps his shadow aspect liking that thought a great deal. "The most I could offer you at this time is that you will have the opportunity to shape me many times so long as the situation permits it," he says, "Does … that please you? Is that acceptable?"

"Of course. My pet does not seem to enjoy being shaped. She is only happy with food and sex," Melusine says, referring to her Rughrat. "Do you wish for me to change you into Rose now?"

"What are the risks to me if I willingly give my body to you to mold?" Alptraum now asks and swallows. The tips of his long ears tremble nervously.

"I don't know," Melusine admits. "I never had reason to consider that before. I suppose the longer you remain in a form, the more your mind will adapt to it."

"Can you shape slowly so that I can feel the changes? Or is it safer to do it quickly? Can you make it … not painful?" Alptraum asks next, his ears trembling even more.

"Hmmmm," the squishy dragon ponders. "Slow will be disturbing and painful. It is difficult to leave someone conscious and not cause pain. I can try if you wish, however."

Alptraum pushes himself to his feet. "I … want to know what it is like at least once. So … conscious the first time," he admits. "Give me a few minutes to remove my clothing so that it won't complicate the changes."

Melusine undulates patiently while Alptraum prepares himself.

Alptraum steps away from Melusine and begins disrobing, starting with his shirt. "You can still run, you know," he thinks as he folds up the shirt and sets it next to the stack of clothing Rosalind gave him, "But … Kaira can change me back when needed and if I'm unconscious I don't have to worry about a disguise reverting at a bad time." As he starts easing his pants off next, he asks, "You can always restore me to normal, correct? You have my current pattern? Or … should you ken me right now, before shaping me?"

"I will ken you first," Melusine says. "I enjoy that."

"You enjoy shaping too, I thought," Alptraum comments as he folds up his pants and then undergarments before setting them on the stack of his clothing. Alptraum rubs his ands together nervously, then bends over and feels up along his legs, midsection, and then chest, trying to commit how his body feels right now before it is gone for some time.

"I will combine them this time, so that you will not feel pain," the dragon announces, and forms a nice little dimple in her flesh for Alptraum to sit in.

"This will leave me completely female, right?" Alptraum asks nervously as he eyes the dimple, not approaching it quite yet.

"Does that worry you?" Melusine asks. "I recall that removing your male reproductive system disturbed you before."

"Just … setting expectations. I'll have a … reproductive cycle to deal with I guess. Phlagaea or Rosalind can teach me how to manage it," Alptraum says as he walks slowly towards Melusine now. "I think I'm okay with you removing my … male reproductive system this time. It is what will disguise me well, after all." Again Alptraum swallows as he eyes the dimple in Melusine's body. With a deep breath the Eeee turns around. His ears and legs are trembling as the Eeee finally sits down slowly onto Melusine's warm surface.

"I will make sure you do not forget that you had one," the dragon promises in, before engulfing Alptraum in the familiar, saturating feeling of kenning. But this time it seems to go deeper, not just filling his veins and arteries but pressing between his very cells, until he feels practically dissolved in a warm, womb-like ocean, where his mind seems somewhat detached from it all.

Alptraum feels a sudden panic; he had a chance to run and gave it up. There is no turning back now, he is within Melusine's grasp now and she can do whatever she desires now. It is only her word that promises any sort of direction for this. He doesn't need to breathe, though the urge to do so deeply is there. All he can do now is … relax. Not fighting it will help keep it from hurting, he tells himself. So … he tries to just that, relax, and focus on what he feels as Melusine works.

Waves and ripples of change move through him. Tissues are relocated, altered and re-purposed. Bones change, both in density and length, and even his pelvis is altered. Nothing feels hugely different though, until the activity focuses on the abdomen. Organs can shuffled around to make room for new ones, while others seem to be turned inside out. There's no physical pain… but it isn't entirely pleasant either.

"Okay, that, that," Alptraum finds himself thinking as his lower abdomen feels squirmy as things move and other things take their place. "Oh Gods, that's a womb," the Eeee realizes in the shadowy darkness when there's a new, slight heaviness, in the lower abdomen.  "And what just felt like it turned inside out was … Oh Gods, what have I agreed to?!"

The tides of change level out, and the ocean seems to drain away and pull the Eeee's body back together. It's slightly more delicate now, with narrower shoulders and slightly wider hips, unfamiliar weight on the chest and… something… attached to the base of the spine that Alptraum can't seem to control.

Alptraum keeps … her eyes closed as he remains seated where she is as ripples of odd sensations continue for a couple minutes. The first thing she does is bring her hands up and run them slowly up her stomach to chest, feeling out the … curves. As for the spine, she tries not to think on it too much … yet. She will … get to it when the panic subsides…

Aside from the star shaped scar (much reduced in size from the original) between her breasts, Alptraum's body certain feels like Rosalind's, as far as her hands are concerned. Even if those hands feel smaller and more delicate now.

Alptraum therefore finally opens her eyes and blinks them a few times as if seeing with them for the first time. Her hands slide down now and feel over the broader hips and where her sides now pinch in, giving them more definition. They follow in and there her right hand cups where the male reproductive system was, verifying that it is, indeed, gone and that what was put in its place is quite … female.

Something slaps against the back of the woman's thigh for a moment, and she can feel something like a tail back there, moving on its own.

"Melusine," Alptraum says then immediately inhales as the voice that came out was higher and decidedly feminine. "What did you do?" she asks as she unsteadily gets to her feet and wobbles, the center of balance very different now. She staggers forward on uncertain, new, legs and finally reaches around to feel at the base of her spine.

Her hands clench around something thick and… scaly. It isn't cold like a snake, but feels very snakelike. And it extends out another eighteen or more inches before ending in a hard, odd shape. And then it licks the fingers.

Alptraum's eyes go wide as she staggers in a circle, squealing, near to shrieking, as her hand is licked. "You have me a tail," she accuses as the circle dance continues. "Oh Gods, oh Gods," she continues on in a wobbly circle with her hands feeling at her backside and the now very obvious feeling of the scaled weight hanging down between her rump cheeks. The circle eventually stops and she takes several deep breaths before she tries to, well, bend over and look between her legs.

"I did not want you to worry about losing your masculinity," Melusine explains. "So I moved it to where it would not be affected by the changes."

A pair of tiny, silver cat-slit eyes look back from the blunted head of a miniature dragon. The long ping tongue appears as it licks its lips.

Alptraum's eyes go wide. Her hands come up and clamp down hard on her moth to stop the scream that was about to come. Several deep breaths pass and Alptraum tries to get a better look at it and see how long this tail is … and if has any limbs or not.

It doesn't have any limbs, horns or ridges. Fully extended it might reach twenty-two inches. The dragon-head on the end is also streamlined and more serpentine, but with a blunt muzzle. It has lips, but so far hasn't opened its mouth to reveal any teeth.

"Don't you just adore him?" Melusine coos. "I call him 'Little Alptraum'."

Alptraum can't believe she's doing this … but she reaches between her own legs to cup the head in her hand to see is she feels the contact … and then to see if she can nudge the mouth open and look for teeth. "That … that means you won't remove it, doesn't it?" Alptraum asks, ears splaying again at the odd sound of her own voice.

It can be felt, certainly, and she can tell that it likes to be touched. After a bit of prying, she finds a mouth full of somewhat blunt little peg-like teeth, which feel more like hardened gums than anything else.

"I like it," Melusine replies with a tone of finality.

Alptraum's brow furrows and she tries to move it herself, testing if she has any control over it at all.

It might wiggle a bit, but she finds she has no more control over it than he had over the previous Little Alptraum.

"How am I expected to … hide this?" Alptraum asks as she finally turns to look at Melusine. Her hands have returned to feeling around on her back, starting at the base of her spine and feeling upwards to see how far the scaling goes.

The scales stop right where the thing attaches, at least. "I suppose you could curl it up," Melusine suggests. "Or tuck it inside. It does not need to breath, after all. I am not very familiar with clothing."

"Tuck it … inside?" Alptraum asks, blinking. The Eeee considers this, then reaches down and gently takes hold of the serpentine head. She peers at it, then brings it between her legs to see if it is long enough that it could be tucked away.

This results in the thing licking at sensitive parts of Alptraum's new body. It more than tickles.

Alptraum goes up on her tiptoes and squeaks. "Mave would love this," she realizes. Still, she does actually try to 'tuck it inside' to see if that would actually work and if it would go … willingly.

It takes awhile. Alptraum learns that things aren't very welcome in there without a bit of preparation either, and the scales are just weird.

Alptraum's expression may be quite amusing as the next few minutes are slow and in some cases, painful as most of the tail is tucked into a place she has never had before. Once in place, she tries to actually walk like that.

It is almost exactly like walking with something shoved up between the legs.

"Ah, yeah, this is really, really, strange," Alptraum admits as she reaches back down and gently eases the serpent back out without causing pain. The expressions return and the sound it makes is … well, amusing.

Once free, the snake-tail wraps itself around Alptraum's right thigh.

"It may require some training," Melusine admits.

"Eek, I think it likes me," Alptraum squeaks and clamps her hands over her mouth. Melusine's comment causes her to blink and she has to ask, "How do I train it… ?"

"How did you train it before?" the dragon replies. "Perhaps you could consult an expert."

"You're enjoying this," Alptraum accuses the Shadow Dragon and marches up to her. That's when another aspect makes itself known, with the way the broader hips sway, the snake-tail swings back and forth rather noticeably.

"This form is slightly more pleasing," Melusine admits. "You are still mostly hard, but at least some parts of you jiggle like a proper blob."

Alptraum actually puts her hands on her hips and asks, "Did you change anything else? I'm not going to lay eggs or something, am I?"

"You sound… ungrateful, Alptraum," the dragon says, sounding a bit… pouty?

"No, no, don't feel that way," Alptraum says quickly and pats Melusine's side. "I just need to know if there are any other differences I need to be aware of."

"You are Rosalind in body now, save for the preserved part that resides in your tail," Melusine assures.

Alptraum tries placing her right hand on Melusine's side and extruding Shadow Tendrils to caress Melusine's side to perhaps placate her. "I think I like it. It is just … it will take a lot of getting used to," she admits.

"I am certain you will come to love him," Melusine purrs.

Alptraum tries to establish a shadow link to further make Melusine feel better. "I'm afraid it might decide it likes making love to me," she admits.

"Would that even count?" the blob rumbles, and nearly swallows Alptraum's shadow-hand.

Alptraum pushes her arm a bit further, burying the most shadow-flesh part of her forearm into the shadow dragon and for a few minutes, enjoying the flashes and tingles of pleasure from the shadow diffusion. "The enjoyable part probably would count," she admits, ears splaying. "I … I will use the restroom the same as Rosalind, yes? It doesn't come out of my tail, does it?"

"Mmmmmm… what?" Melusine goes. "Oh, its throat is not connected to anything. If it swallows something, just squeeze it out."

Alptraum blinks at that. "Ah, okay," she says as her face skews up, looking a bit disturbed by the thought. She uses her left hand to reach back and try to bring the tail up and curl it about her waist as much as she can.

It still wiggles every so often, but apparently likes to hug things. It also leaves the head pointing behind her, so Alptraum doesn't have to worry about glancing down to see it glancing back up.

"With your old heart, do you want me to try and repair it if the opportunity arises? Will you have use of it in ways other than being your heart?" Alptraum asks.

"We could create a child," Melusine purrs suggestively, and gives Alptraum's fingers an extra-tingly squeeze.

"I … I'm not adverse to the idea," Alptraum claims and shivers. "But … who would carry it to term?" she asks, grinning fangily for the moment. The current situation is quite strange.

"Are you volunteering?" Melusine asks… scarily.

"Yes," Alptraum counters, grinning still, calling the shadow dragon's bluff.

"It is a noble sacrifice to make!" Melusine enthuses. "I will name the child after you."

"Now I know you are trying to scare me," Alptraum counters as she tries to slowly extract her right and and separate the bond. "Will you need to check me later to ensure there are no complications from the changes?"

"If you are having problems, then I will check you again," Melusine says, clearly confident in her work.

"And the tail stays?" Alptraum clarifies, just to be sure, as her arms comes free with a squelchy sound.

"I like the tail," Melusine reiterates. "Without it, you may forget how to be a man later after spending so much time as a woman."

"Okay, okay, it stays," Alptraum says as she holds up her hands placatingly. "Thank you again, Melusine. You have been very helpful. I also have to admit … when you changed me I … enjoyed it. A lot." It's now that she goes to the clothing Rosalind have her earlier and she unstraps it and goes about dressing again. The underwear has to stay off, she realizes. So … the tail will just have to go down a pant leg.

At least it isn't afraid of the dark, although it does lick the back of Alptraum's knee a few times.

"I look forward to exploring new shapes with you in the future," Alptraum tells Melusine as she pulls the cloak on and then the hood up. The licking does cause the occasional squeak, but she manages to mostly ignore it for the time being.

"I will start thinking up some new, interesting forms," Melusine promises.

"Good," Alptraum says as she gathers up her former clothing and then wraps the dagger-belt around her waist. She finally heads out of the layer and as she walks, everything feels strange. The lack of anything between her front legs is odd enough; it feels so … vacant. Then the sensation trailing down from her spine, nearly between her cheeks, then down one of the pant legs is even stranger. "This is like a dream of being 'hung like a Rhian' gone horribly wrong," she thinks as she makes the slow ascent and decides to visit the countess, then Mave for a full physical to insure that everything looks proper. Of course there's a matter of explaining the tail … and the thought of that means Alptraum is going to take the long way … as in several laps around the castle before she visits the Countess … much less the nefarious white Eeee!