With Rimar now gone to work, I grab my jacket, put my oversized shoes on, and head out, making sure to lock the door behind me. I don't want to spend any more time than necessary outside while my body is like this, so I'll simply get to the store, grab the first cheap pair of shoes at my size I can find, and come back here. I don't need to get something that will work well with my outfits or last for more than a few weeks at most, so I shouldn't have to think too hard about my purchase.

In the subway, I can tell that a lot of people are looking at me, probably because of the oversized clothes I'm wearing. I even spot two girls whispering to each other while regularly glancing in my direction. I do look like a complete mess, I guess I should have expected as much. I didn't notice yesterday, since I had Rimar with me, but going out while my body is like this is scary!

Thankfully, I manage to make it to my destination without anything worse happening. However, despite today being a week day, the mall is full of people, and the gazes soon resume. I try to make myself small as I walk the large hallways, even smaller than the transformation made me, but it only seems to attract more eyes. It's as if they can see my embarrassment!

Eventually, I make it to a small resting area where I decide to sit down and give me some time to breathe. As I close my eyes and let myself sink into my chair, someone calls out to me:

"Izei?"

I open my eyes and look in the direction of the voice, where I see Marie, a former colleague who left Spearhead a few years ago. She continues:

"I knew it, it really is you! You look so different, I wasn't sure."

"Ah, well, that's a recent development. It shouldn't last more than..."

She interrupts me by raising a hand, then squints as she circles around me, analyzing every little part of me.

"... Your voice, your face... And there, on your chest..."

Once she's back in front of me, still squinting, she bluntly asks:

"Did you become a woman?"

"Ah, yes. As I was trying to explain, I..."

"That's so cool! I hear these treatments can be pretty expensive, did you manage to properly save up for it? Oh, what about your family, how did they take it? And your friends? Do you have moments when you wish you wouldn't have done it?"

Under this onslaught of questions, I can't help but raise my hands until she finally gives me some room to speak.

"As I was trying to say, this was an accident. I activated a cursed item while delving, and it made me like this. They're working on undoing the transformation as we speak, so I should be able to go back to being a man soon."

"Oooh, I see... That explains why you're dressed like a hobo."

"Hey! What do you..."

"If you're going to only be a woman for a short while, you should try getting as much out of it as you can! How many men get to spend a couple weeks as one of us and learn from it? Not enough, I say! You should fully embrace the femininity you were granted and make the most out of that time. I'm sure it'll be a valuable lesson to you, even after you go back to being a man."

She nods proudly as she finishes sharing that idea.

"What? I don't know how I'd go about doing that, and I'm not looking to spend a bunch of money on girly things I'll have to get rid of in just a few weeks."

"Don't worry, I just got a huge cash bonus from taking down a dangerous monster, I'll pay for ninety... No, let's say seventy-five percent of the things you buy, okay? That way you don't have to worry about the money while still getting cute things that will make your feminine charms pop. Come, there's so much to do!"

She grabs my arm and pulls me out of the chair before dragging me along towards a clothing store.

"Here, try this out!"

She drops a pile of folded clothes in my arms, then pushes me into a changing room. I drop them on a chair, then sigh. How am I even going to get out of this situation? Marie has always been a bit overbearing, but at least she tried to keep things professional at work. Here, she has no filters or limiters. I guess my best bet is to just do as she says, buy a few things, and head back home once she's satisfied. While that wasn't the plan, it might be the path of least pain. What kind of luck do I have to end up in a situation like this?

I get undressed, then start unfolding the clothes she gave me. I can't deny that a lot of it is cute, but I can't see myself wearing any of it in an everyday context. There's dresses and skirts, shirts that don't cover my shoulders and others that don't cover my belly, shorts that seem way too short and pants that seem way too tight... Is that really what women normally wear?

With a strong feeling of discomfort, I get undressed, then put on the first two things I find: and off-the-shoulder shirt and a beige skirt. As I look at my reflection, I can't help but think that it doesn't look good at all. Still, I pull the curtain open with a sigh. I can tell from Marie's facial expression that I was right, but her focus immediately shifts elsewhere:

"Wait! Are you not wearing a bra?"

"No, of course not. Why would I?"

She looks astounded for a second before responding:

"Because you have boobs!? Do you think we're just wearing them for fun? You're on the larger side for your frame, so I'm sure they'll appreciate the support, and it'll help give a more uniform look under your clothes, which will help improve your appearance further. Anyway, what I'm saying is: you need a bra! Forget buying clothes until we get one for you."

Ehhh? After all the time she spent here picking up clothes, now we're leaving them all behind to go buy... a bra of all things? I'm a man, why would I wear one? Well, no point in protesting further, it's just a small detour before I'm finally free from her.

I can't help but mock my past self. A small detour, eh? We've now visited five different stores, two of which were for underwear, so now I not only have more than one bra, I even have panties! The two following shops didn't quite have what we, or rather Marie, were looking for, so now we're at the fifth one, and she's grabbing a pile of clothes for me again.

"I picked up a few more things for you to try, I think these ones will be more your style. Oh, I also had a great idea, so go to a changing room, and once you find something you like just keep it on until I come back."

"Wait, you're leaving me alone? Why?"

"It's a surprise! Just wait in the changing room, okay?"

She's already running off. Now could be my chance to get away, but I still don't have a new pair of shoes, and I'm certain she'd manage to come and find me if I did. Resigned, I close the curtain behind me and get undressed.

These clothes are a bit less outlandish than some of the ones she had me try earlier. I eventually settle on some jeans and a yellow t-shirt that goes well with my blonde hair. As I pull the curtain open to wait for Marie, I see her approaching, her arms behind her back.

"Oh nice! I like how that looks on you. Now, close your eyes, and do not open them until I tell you, okay?"

What could she possibly be planning? Whatever, we're almost done, and I know she's not going to do anything to harm me, so I do as she says. I feel her put something on my head before adjusting it. Something tickles my nose and neck, but I try my best to remain immobile. Soon enough, she says:

"Alright, open your eyes!"

As I do, I'm surprised to see a blonde woman with long hair and exactly the same clothes as me appear before my eyes. She looks just as surprised to see me. Wait...

As I realize that I'm looking at the mirror inside of the changing room, I become stunned for a moment. Marie put a wig on my head, and the longer hair makes me look like a perfectly normal woman. With those clothes, even I have to admit that I am very pretty.

I bring a hand to my face, as if to confirm that the reflection in the mirror really is me. I wonder what Rimar would think if he saw me like this. He'd probably say I lost my mind. And considering everything I'm feeling right now, he wouldn't be far from the truth.

How am I supposed to keep thinking of myself as a man if I go and do things like this?

I'm brought back to reality by Marie, who asks:

"So, still opposed to the idea of embracing being a woman for a bit?"

I take a moment to think about it, still staring at my reflection, before answering:

"Well, I... I'm still a man, okay? But... Maybe, just maybe, I'm not completely opposed to it. Only once in a while though, and only until I go back to normal."

She beams hearing my answer, then jumps on me and gives me a hug.

"I knew you'd understand! Well, I sure am glad all this shopping wasn't for nothing. Anyway, you can keep these clothes and a few extras, I'll pay for them. You can also keep the wig, but I wouldn't recommend wearing it for too long at a time, it'll get uncomfortable. I have to go back to work now, but call me if you need anything."

After paying for the few items I decided to keep and giving me her phone number, she runs towards the nearest exit as I wave goodbye to her. This was an unexpected experience, but she might be right about me learning new things from spending a bit of time living as a woman. I'm wearing my new clothes as well as the wig, and I intend to go back home like this. Of course, I'm not ready to let Rimar see me with that look, he would probably make fun of me and ask me when I got into crossdressing, but for now... For now, no one's looking at me weird.

As I start walking towards the exit, filled with both fear and apprehension, I remember something rather important. Critical, even: I still haven't bought a new pair of shoes.

The sun is getting close to the horizon by the time I come back to my apartment. My "quick trip" to the mall ended up lasting all day, but at least I got more than just a pair of shoes that fits out of it. I unlock the door in front of me, go drop my bags in my room, remove the wig and throw it on the bed, then let myself fall on the couch. I feel so drained, not just because I spent all day walking all over a mall, but also because Marie is just an exhausting person to be with. I could use a nap right now...

I know I don't want Rimar to see me dressed like this, but it'll still be a while before he comes back home. I can afford to... just close my eyes for a moment... and rest for... a few... minutes...