Daymare
You realize that even though you are obviously bigger as a centaur, you are not quite as big as you would have expected a real life centaur to be. That is actually a good thing because the changing room is rather small. In fact it looks like there is no way you can get out of the room in your current form. Oh well, you were just trying it on anyway. You probably wouldn't be able to afford the fortune a costume like this has to cost. So, time to get out of it - if only you can figure out how.
Looking in the mirror for clues, you notice something that kind of explains your size. The changes aren't limited to below your old waist - your human part has changed beyond recognition too and now looks like a dark-skinned young girl. Wait a minute...
On a sudden impulse you bend over for a quick look between your new hind legs. Oops!
Before you have time to think about what to do next, the shopkeeper enters the room and looks you over.
"It looks good on you," he remarks. "Are you ready to make a purchase or would you like to try it on for a while?"
You can't help but notice that he didn't give you a third option there, but when you try to say so, all that comes out your transformed mouth is a shrill whinny.
"Tsk tsk, such language from a young lady!" the shopkeeper says shaking his head. "But of course you don't even know what you are saying. Don't worry, the... costume comes with a learning spell that enables you to speak Centaurese fluently."
Just what you were looking for, you think as you hold out your dainty hand in a "gimme" gesture. The shopkeeper shakes his head. "It's a oneshot," he explains. "You can't get one until you purchase the... costume."
Momentarily distracted by the way he keeps hesitating before saying 'costume', you realize you can't tell him you don't want it. Now what?
"Let's take it for a spin, shall we?" The question becomes pretty rhetorical as he grasps your outstretched hand, your vision blurs for a moment... and suddenly you don't have to worry about getting out of the changing room ("changing" room indeed!) any more.
Even before your eyes clear you can feel a chill breeze ruffling your fur. Yes, you can feel anything that touches your new body now...
You blink and look around. You are standing in the middle of a vast plain that stretches towards the horizon in two directions. A perfect place for running. What looks like a couple of miles in front of you is a long mountain range with one particularly tall peak.
"Here we are," the shopkeeper says as he lets go of your hand. "You have twenty four hours. If you're not back by then I'll close the gate and charge your card. The learning spell will be available in the grove by the river as soon as the transaction is cleared. Your PIN is six nine four eight, right?"
Your surprised gasp seems to be all the verification he needs. "Very well then," he says as he steps away behind you. "Be seeing you - or not. Have fun!"
As you turn around to look for him, you notice a strange shimmer in the air that hurts your eyes to look at. Must be the gate he was talking about. On the other side the plain stretches for a couple of miles before it gets interrupted by a line of trees. The river must be down there.
You notice a particularly tall tree in the distance, and after turning around a couple of times you realize that the gate is on a straight line between the tree and the peak you noticed earlier. Which means you could go to one of those places and find the gate by heading for the other. Or you could throw caution to the wind and run out on the plain. Or play it safe and stay close enough to see the gate. Of course, considering you didn't expect any of this the sensible thing to do would be to go back through the gate immediately and hope the shopkeeper understands that you want to change back. Then again, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime, and you could spend the rest of your life regretting the wrong choice...
You trot around a little while you think. Exercise has always made your thoughts flow easier, and you find that this is even more true with your new body.
From what the shopkeeper said, there must be other centaurs here, probably down by the river. You don't know what's up in the mountains, and not if there's anything at all out on the plain. You know what is here - the gate...
"Oh, by the way..." You almost jump out of your new skin at the sudden voice from the gate. You spin around and find that the shopkeeper has returned.
"Sorry I startled you," he says apologetically. "Just a little warning. Be careful around the young stallions. This form may seem young to you, but it's old enough to have a foal. And if you become pregnant, you can't change back without killing the foal. So if that happens, the trial period expires immediately."
He stands pondering for a moment before he adds thoughtfully: "Of course... there are people who make that choice deliberately... Well, see you! Or not." And with that, he is gone again.
Swell. Important information right there, and he almost forgot to tell you! And you still don't know if the change will be permanent after the trial period. Unless you meet someone who volunteers that information, you won't be able to ask before it's possibly too late.
And you thought this was going to be a dull day.
Written by Won-Tolla on 26 May 2007
The end (for now)