Zuk sneezed, and clutched his head with his left hand. Something felt off, but he couldn’t quite place what it was. He’d figured out how to draw… something… directly into his stats and skills that kept them from passively decreasing over time without constant training… but that was yesterday, when he’d unlocked the Monk class to the first level. He’d been reviewing some of the things Mistress Xiang had given him to study. They hadn’t had a written language before, but the memory-keeper was the first to adopt it, and encouraged everyone to do the same. So they had letters to learn now, along with numbers and the arts of combining both to make sense of the world and communicate nonverbally.
Guiying had come to mind, but he’d dismissed that. He had other responsibilities. His tribe, his people. They needed him as a defender, and he needed to be as strong and smart as possible to do so… no, that was only part of it, though an important part. Xiang had told him he had to strip away any lies he told himself if he wanted to reach the second level of Monk training, so he’d admitted to himself he wanted to be worthy of that rabbit-girl’s attentions. Even if she never saw him as a potential mate because of species differences, he could at least earn a spot in her life for… what? Strength? Cleverness? Dedication? He had all of those already and all he had to show for it was an empty bedchamber, however well-appointed.
So he’d given up. And suddenly, he heard a pinging noise and everything hurt.
When everything stopped hurting, he was on his back on the floor of his room, head throbbing and feeling… off. He still wasn’t sure why.
“Oh… oh wow.”
Zuk stood, but even that felt a bit off. And wait, why was Guiying suddenly so much shorter than he was?
“5’6” if he’s an inch, and very well-muscled for a stripling only a year older than you are. Congrats on reaching the second level of the Monk class, Zuk. I won’t ask what you learned, the core of one’s dao is often a private matter. Seems the transition of species is rather permanent in this world, or at least physical limits are an issue. I imagine you’re feeling a bit off right now? Look at your hand.”
Zuk did… and fell back to the floor in shock. His hand was… human!
Mistress Xiang laughed a little, and Zuk found himself annoyed by it. “Yeah, some shape-changing is normal once you hit the second level of Monk. By knowing what you want and why you fight for it, your body responds and reshapes to help you reach your goal. I was an ordinary rabbit before I got to your level, and that was when I first reached the shape you see before you.”
“Minus the constant pregnancy.”
Zuk stared in minor shock as Guiying was smacked upside the head by her mother. “Yes, that bit came a little later. But I can still be a rabbit whenever I’m not pregnant… well, sort of. I kind of evolved when I ascended, turning into a creature of myth. So I turn into that, instead of the ordinary rabbit I used to be. Unless I focus a little harder, of course.”
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Guiying just shook her head. “Rhys, we need a mirror up in this place. That aluminum stuff’s shiny enough, right?”
It was, and a full-length mirror materialized in front of Zuk, complete with stand. What he saw… huh. He had to agree with Guiying. Wow.
He wasn’t fully-grown yet, by his estimation. But while he was a touch lanky in the arm and leg, his musculature was already well-defined and heavy, with just enough fat padding over it to indicate good health. His skin was now a bronzish tone, reflective of his long hours spent in the sun when hunting or working. His eyes remained the same greenish tone, with the same slit pupil, but were now surrounded by visible whites. Claws on arms and legs became fingernails, and his tail was gone… but there were other things.
The wings, for example. They’d vanish at will, he realized, but stretched out well beyond his height when fully manifested and extended. Instinctively, he knew how to use them, and that he’d be capable of true flight. Also, his scales were still present in patches along his body, emphasizing his physique and skin tone, as well as protecting his vitals as a natural armor in places. His hair (and that would be a thing to get used to) was a slightly brighter shade than his scales, and curled in a way that he thought some humans might kill to emulate.
And his genitalia, well!
“Yeah, clothes please. I don’t want grandchildren from you two for at least another two years. Rhys! Pants!”
A pair of sturdy linen trousers dropped on Zuk’s head, along with a comfortable shirt in an unnaturally tight weave. These fit perfectly, hugging his skin in a way that made them feel like he wasn’t wearing anything at all… except between the legs. Just as well, his sheath didn’t make the transition, and the exposure of such parts to too much pressure was… uncomfortable.
“And Guiying still wants to eat you for lunch. Can’t blame her, the clothes are flattering. You’ll probably want some shoes as well, humanoid feet are a bit sensitive and vulnerable on the soles. Lack of fur underneath them. Rhys?”
A pair of boots dropped beside his right foot, and he pulled them on right away. They were made from something like the elk leather the tribe made, but far more refined… and the shape was weird.
“Cowboy boots? You’re just torturing me, Rhys.”
“That’s what they are? He seems to be a little too good at finding all that odd stuff that’s in your head and making it real.”
Huh. Well, that explained the oddity of the clothing, at least. Looking at himself in the mirror, he had to note that he looked rather nice.
“And to think I was worried you’d end up unmarried, once upon a time. Do try to wait until you’re eighteen, Guiying. You know what nearly happened with your oldest sister and her wife. Now, let’s go back to your pottery wheel, shall we? I don’t think you saw it while you were fuguing in your own breakthrough, and I want you to see your present. And keep the egg close and warm until it hatches, alright?”
Wait, breakthrough? Egg? Huh?
“How long have I been out? Who mated with Guiying?”
The two bunnies merely stared at him, before shaking their heads and teleporting off. Still confused, Zuk could only follow them to the workshops on foot.