“So…” Astrea began slowly. “It was you who put that spell on me, then? Why?”

Amelia shrugged. “When we converted Lia’s siblings, her sister was rather hesitant to put out her true feelings due to not fully trusting us. We could get her something she was happy with because Lia knew her so well, but none of us know you, so I figured it would be best if I made sure you got what you really wanted.

“Yes, we can do conversions multiple times with some aid, but it’s less ideal than getting it right the first time, since it’ll reset your progress to your next evolution. Plus, you won’t have a good opportunity for that until you publicly declare that you’re one of us, so it’s better safe than sorry. Did I go too far? As far as I could see, you didn’t mind, but I’m not great with these sorts of things.”

“No, it’s fine.” Astrea replied. “Um…you had some suggestions for me?”

Amelia smiled that unsettling smile once again. It wasn’t the smile of someone trying to put someone else at ease or a friendly smile, but the smile of someone who was looking forward to something, the kind a merchant would wear when they found a prospective customer for an expensive item. “Ah, yes, the suggestions.” She said brightly. “So, I was looking around in your brain, and I couldn’t help but notice that you had some…deeper desires, too.”

“L-like?” Astrea asked. She knew what Amelia was getting at, but if Amelia was mistaken, she wasn’t going to volunteer that information.

“I’ve seen how you looked at the more…submissive catkin, the ones who were open about it. I didn’t make you say it, because I don’t think Lia or Rose would get it, not really, but…I think we can arrange that for you, pet.”

A strange thrill ran down Astrea’s spine as Amelia laid bare her deepest and most repressed desire. “B-but, I can’t…” She protested weakly. “Are you sure we s-shouldn’t consult with them?”

“Why?” Amelia asked. “You’re just afraid of admitting it to yourself, aren’t you?”

Amelia was right, but but Astrea kept trying anyway. “Well, I mean…you know, maybe they would have input?”

Amelia sighed. "They don’t understand what you’re getting at, they’d think you’re trying to debase yourself or show unnecessary servitude, but that’s not what this is about, is it?”

“Well, no, but…”

“But what?” Amelia prompted.

“But…but…” Astrea shot a glance over to Rose and Lia, who were looking over at them. “They, um, I think they can hear us.”

“I know.” Amelia replied. “If you don’t want it, all you have to do is say no and they’ll come running over and stop me from going any further. See? Look, Rose is nodding.”

Rose was indeed nodding, but…really, Astrea was just using them as an excuse. So, she hung her head and spoke. “I want it.” She whispered. “I want it bad.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Amelia replied. “I’ll start preparing, then.”

Amelia turned, and piles of stuff started appearing next to her, each item visible for a moment before being swallowed up by a cocoon. It was, by and large, what normally would be described as pet gear; collars, ribbons designed to be put on a tail, cat bells…the kind of stuff the catkin Astrea envied most would wear.

After a bit, Lia walked over. “We’ve finished over there.” She said. “And, sorry, I couldn’t help but hear your conversation, um…what exactly is it you’re wanting? I know Amelia said I wouldn’t get it, but I kind of have to know, since I’m going to be the one doing the conversion and all.”

Face burning, Astrea thought on that. “Well…” she said slowly, “how much do you know about catkin culture?”

“Not much, I’m afraid.” Lia admitted. “I’m always willing to learn, though.”

“Um…how do I explain this…” Astrea began, “well, it’s…you see, most catkin are independent and willful, like cats, but, there…are a few exceptions. In the past few decades, especially around the time when I was growing up, a subculture has emerged of catkin who, um, aren’t. They purposefully dress themselves like pets, and give themselves to their partner as a show of trust and affection. And, well…every single one of them that I saw just looked so…happy, so content and at ease.”

Astrea looked away, embarrassed. “And, essentially, Amelia was asking if I wanted to, uh, work that into my conversion. And…I do, I really, really, do, but, well, I’ve never said this desire out lout before, so it’s just…embarrassing. I protested, but…I have to admit it was mostly for show. I’ve always wanted to be in a similar relationship, it’s part of why I even got into religion in the first place. The idea of giving myself over to a higher power has always been attractive to me, and one thing led to another and…here I am, the Cardinal.” She paused, glancing back at Lia. “Um…does that make sense?”

Lia frowned. “I’ll be honest, it seems strange to me.” She said. “And…who would you even be submitting to as part of this culture? Do you have a romantic partner?”

Astrea shook her head, face growing red again. “No. And, well, it doesn’t have to be romantic, so I was sort of thinking I could…you know, find someone who was okay with it. I just…I just want to be part of the people I admired so much as a kid.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m fine if that ends up being us.” Amelia chimed in, still making and cocooning items as she spoke.

“It wouldn’t be weird!” Astrea blurted out. “It’d just…be little things, like being more respectful when I address you and being prompt about listening to your orders. From what I understand of conversion, that’s all stuff that’s would happen anyway, right?”

“Well, I suppose…” Lia said, “but I don’t know how I feel about it being us. Still, there are plenty of people you can meet, so I guess as long as you really, truly do want this, then I don’t see a reason to deny you. Um, you…do know that your actual mindset won’t really change to align more with this, though, right?

“Personality changes beyond loyalty shifts and some changes to make you more accepting of others and removing your ability to see conversion as wrong are really rare. You basically have to be converted with something really, really strong in order for that to affect you mentally. Still, I guess you might get some abilities that relate to it, so…take that as you will, I guess.”

“Oh.” Astrea said. “Well, that’s fine, I don’t really need an extra push.”

“That everything, then?” Amelia asked. “We can get the process started now.”

“I…as long as you all are fine with this, then let’s get it done.” Astrea replied, shutting her eyes.

“Right. Well, we’ll leave some instructions and a way to disguise yourself, and we’ll come back around this time tomorrow to check in on you and answer any questions and whatnot.” Lia said. “Anything else you want to say before we cocoon you?”

“It won’t hurt, will it?” Astrea asked.

“You go unconscious the moment you’re about halfway cocooned.” Lia replied. “From what I understand, it’ll feel like you go from being awake to instantly being done with the conversion.”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Ah, good.” Astrea said. “Please, do it, then.”

Lia nodded, and she, Rose, and Amelia placed their hands on various parts of Astrea’s body, a smooth substance flowing from their palms. The sensation wasn’t bad, it was almost comforting in a weird way, like –

Astrea pushed herself off of the ground and onto all fours, taking a moment to stretch in a way not dissimilar to a cat before getting to her feet. She blinked, then a smile spread across her face as she realized what she had just done. The smile only grew wider as she reached back and felt a tail behind her, her tail, then up to her head to feel her new fuzzy ears.

She was in the same clothes she had been in before, but they had been modified to allow for her tail, which was the same blonde as her hair. As she looked it up and down, she took note of the ribbon that had been affixed to the end of it, as well as the collar around her neck. They were tasteful but unmistakable indicators of who she was trying to be, and she couldn’t be happier about them.

Furthermore, she could instinctually tell that they were not just magic items, but monster armor, meaning their defensive benefits and other effects would apply to her whole body. And, since they did, she didn’t have to worry about wearing any sort of regular armor, allowing her to dress herself however she liked.

When she had decided to surrender to the swarm, she hadn’t been sure what to expect; she knew it wouldn’t be becoming a mindless drone, the gods would never allow something like that, but she hadn’t expected to have a dream of hers fulfilled. Until she had become Cardinal, she had never had enough money or the right connections to get a permanent transformation, and after…well, it wasn’t the sort of thing Cardinal could do, not without drawing significant criticism.

She felt so…light on her feet, nimble and full of energy in a way she never had before, like she could run for hours and still not be tired. More than anything, though, it felt right, right in a way she simply had not been expecting. It wasn’t like she had disliked her old body, it was fine, but this felt like it was…made for her. Well, it was made for her, but that wasn’t the point; the point was that she was already in love with her new self, and she was already starting to see why half of the gods were supporting the swarm.

She gave herself a few moments more to bask in her new body before looking for the instructions the Queen and her lovers had left for her. And that thought itself gave her pause; she hadn’t even noticed the changes that had taken her mind, and she, like most rulers, had some training in identifying mind-altering effects.

Though Astrea knew she couldn’t do anything about it, out of curiosity she began rooting around in her mind. She tried to take note of what seemed different and what seemed the same, but the process was incredibly difficult, and this was mostly because she had to rely on pure logic; usually, magic was able to help locate changes to one’s mental state, but everything came back saying that there was no magic affecting her whatsoever.

That was consistent with everything she had heard regarding the swarm, but it was no less shocking to see in person…or would have been no less shocking to see in person, were her new instincts not telling her it was entirely normal. Whatever the case, she quickly concluded that there wasn’t much of a point to looking, and began perusing the instructions she had been given.

The first part of the instructions pertained to a small ring that was enclosed within the envelope that had contained the instructions. This was her ticket to appearing as her old self, and all she had to do for it to work was put it on. It would meld into her body, and transform her back into her old form, as well as put a mask on her status so normal analysis wouldn’t reveal that she was a member of the swarm. All she had to do to take it off was will it, and the ring would deactivate, emerging from her body and removing the transmogrification effect.

She put it on and, to her disappointment, found herself back in her old body, her ears, tail, and collar retreating into her. She could still feel the newfound strength her conversion had given her, but the lack of her tail and ears made it all feel…incomplete. It was unfortunate, but there really wasn’t a way around it; all it meant was that she had one more incentive to hurry along the conversion of the country.

That was what she was supposed to be doing anyway, so she eagerly began reading the rest of her instructions. The instructions stipulated that she would receive more detailed contact the next day, but for now, she was to mostly focus on planning; figuring out what influential figures could be converted without drawing attention, and how she could convert sections of the army without drawing suspicion.

That wasn’t that big of an ask, either. Astrum had never had any discrimination because of gender, and Astrea was a well-loved Cardinal, with many of her subordinates having great trust in her and her decisions. In fact, she was certain that, if she sat down and explained her findings to certain individuals, they would willingly join the swarm, just because of their trust in her.

Of course, she wasn’t so foolish as to risk the entire operation on that; she’d make sure that, when she tried it, she was in a position where the other party couldn’t escape. So, with that in mind, she left the hidden chamber and called for her personal maid. She was the ideal first person to convert; she had been with Astrea for almost Astrea’s entire career, having become friends when Astrea was just an acolyte, and they both had always requested that she be transferred with her whenever Astrea had a promotion or change of station.

A few short minutes later, Mira, the maid, walked into the room. “You needed me, Astrea?”

Astrea nodded. “Lock the door then come sit over here, please.”

Mira locked the door, then came and sat on the bed next to Astrea. “What’s up?” She asked.

Astrea sighed. “I have had to make a really hard decision.” She said quietly. “I decided to surrender to the swarm.”

Mira laid a comforting hand on Astrea’s thigh. “If you think it’s for the best, I’ll trust you. May I ask why?”

“The Goddess of Law visited me recently, and gave me a list of gods who support the swarm and those who are against them, in an attempt to inform me whom I could pray to and receive actual help. Upon review…I found that more than half the gods support them.” Astrea replied. “As a servant of the gods…I couldn’t ignore that. I thought long and hard and consulted the thoughts of the past Cardinals, and came to this conclusion.”

“I understand.” Mira replied. “When are you going to contact the swarm?”

Astrea gave another sigh, then deactivated her ring. “I already have. It’s done.”

For her part, Mira took it well, only raising an eyebrow. “So…they made you a catkin? Why?”

Astrea blushed. “I requested it.” She said. “It was…a longstanding, but unfeasible dream of mine.”

“And the ribbons and collar?” Mira asked.

“Ah, uh, that’s…a bit more embarrassing, but also my request.” Astrea replied, blushing even harder. “I’ve, well, always had a bit of a submissive streak.”

“Well, that’s…not actually that surprising, now that I think about it.” Mira replied. “I assume you revealing this to me means that I’m not making it out of here without becoming part of the swarm?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Astrea replied. “I…want to give you the option to pick what you become. The options are really endless. But, if you refuse, I’ll have to just pick for you.”

There was a moment of silence. “Can I become a catkin like you?” She asked.

“Why?” Astrea replied. “I mean, I’m not one to talk, but I’m curious.”

The faintest hint of a blush lined Mira’s face as she looked away. “Well, I came with you this far, it only feels right to follow you in this, too. I would hate to grow more distant from you.”

A thought occurred to Astrea that had previously never entered her mind. “Do you…love me?” She asked slowly. It was a bit of a shot in the dark, but if it was true, it would make a lot of things make more sense.

Mira’s blush grew in intensity. “Yes.” She whispered. “But I know you don’t like women that way, so I never acted on it.”

“Um…I do now.” Astrea replied. “It’s…part of becoming part of the swarm, I think. And…if you want to try something, then I’m open to it. We just…can’t be public until the country is officially part of the swarm and we don’t need to worry about social status.”

Mira turned back to Astrea, a hopeful expression on her face. “Really?”

“Really.” Astrea confirmed. “It was just a matter of orientation. Um…but, about being a catkin, I’m not personally against it, but we need to make sure you can pass for your old self. And…no, we can discuss that after, for now we just need to worry about your appearance.”

“Do you have another one of those rings?” Mira asked.

“No.” Astrea replied, shaking her head. “Mistress Amelia made it, I think. I could ask for another, but I won’t be guaranteed it.”

“How about making me an illusionist, then?” Mira suggested. “That would solve that issue.”

“Good idea.” Astrea said. “That being said, we need to find a cat and items related to illusions if we want it to work, so…that’s a bit of a problem, seeing as how we’re trying to be stealthy about this. Do you think you can get those things?”

“I can, but…are you sure you should be letting me go alone?” Mira asked. “It’s a security risk, isn’t it?”

“I suppose it is, but I trust you.” Astrea replied. “But…I suppose the two of us haven’t gone for one of our walks since everything started, perhaps we could frame it as that?”

“Yes, I think I’d like that.” Mira said. “Shall we?”

An idea popped into Astrea’s mind. “I think so, but…perhaps there’s a display that would cement my trust in you?” She suggested, a finger outlining her lips. “That might put both of our minds at ease regarding the situation.”

Mira burned an even brighter red, but leaned in for a kiss. And, as the two girls’ lips met, Astrea let herself relax and enjoy the moment; the gloom that had been over her since she the swarm had gone public had been dispelled, and everything was, finally, looking up.