Synopsis: Continuation of the story started in "Topsy-Turvy": Zeydaan has now experienced a wild and fun-filled journey as Sushi the Clown that has left him unfulfilled. After discovering a strangely quaint cafe late one night, can he find there what he needs to truly feel at home with others and himself?

*******

Maiden Menagerie

by K9Lupus

The memories were all there waiting for him. Each day and night they lurked within the dark expanse of his closet. They were dusty; a laden mix of cobwebs smothered with regret. It was with a terrible, gripping pain that Zeydaan would unfortunately stumble again upon the bright, hidden splashes of color at the back of his wardrobe. The suit had become a symbol of times gone by, days and months to never be again. It was an all too real reminder of life's unerring capacity towards change.

While traveling as Sushi, Zeydaan grew to learn the dual-faced nature of others. Many were receptive to his kind, warm-hearted antics, and yet others too engrossed in their own needs cast him aside at the best of times, or tried to hurl slanderish words in his direction. Even the mighty Sushi the Clown was not immune to the harmful effects of hearing such vulgarity repeated at him over and over again.

The final straw had been his last performance conducted on the grand stage of a wide arena, kin to the one he visited many times within his dreams. Many people had gathered, but only a few demonstrated that they had any interest at all. Mothers were busy quieting their children with tablets thrown in front of their faces, while others quietly stuffed their faces full of popcorn and other snacks. Even his grand finale barely managed to rouse the audience from their self-induced idleness.

Maybe I wasn't cut out for this after all.

If he thought hard enough about it he could recount his experiences with the dream therapy gone awry. that had altered his waking truth closer to what he always wished it could be. It had awakened latent feelings of mastery and control, but came at a grave cost. Although Zeydaan had been able to leave the job he despised to deliver joy to others as his sole passion, it was a temporary, fleeting uplifting away from reality.

Now Zeydaan was thrust back into the hustle and bustle of his daily life: stuck at the office after being let back on with probationary watch, managing to draw an occasionally satisfactory piece from time to time, and pouring hours soaking up television and games to pull himself away from the rest of the world.

Despite this fall from self-imposed grace, there were still times when Zeydaan donned the clown-suit, once more becoming the epitome of a life well-lived in his eyes. However, now that the initial rush of his fun that fueled the whirlwind of his care-free desires had been exhausted, Zeydaan saw they were incomplete. He grew frustrated at his inability to cater to the shifting and sometimes conflicting desires of other people. He sank into himself, feeling hollow and devoid of purpose once more. With effort he could manage to cast pale reflections of the colors he cultivated within him outside of his internal environment, leaving what remained murky and gray. Depression's grip latched on all-encompassing, always threatening to crater him down with a mighty swipe of its ethereal paw. With a sigh, Zeydaan picked out a clean and pressed blue dress-shirt and began his day.

Same as always.

*******

His inspiration continued to wane, time previously allotted towards his creative pursuits gobbled up into different activities or otherwise forgotten altogether. With a pang of sorrow, he found he couldn't even reach out to become Sushi anymore, the flowing material covering his fur feeling cold and stifling. Zeydaan's dreams ceased being landscapes of jubilant joy, and instead became elaborate portraits of frustrated fears.

One night, Zeydaan stared down at the blank sketchbook page in front of him, his sleepy head propped up by his hands, wishing he could will something...anything to have it move away from its empty state, but he was unable to fill the void on the page like the one that continued to swell within himself. Throwing the cracked, wooden drawer open, he stashed the page inside and went for an evening walk.

*******

The night air was beneficial in helping Zeydaan calm down. Now away from the stresses he was facing back home, he walked past familiar streetlights and listened to the quiet nighttime sounds of the sleeping town he was in. The physical movement distracted his thoughts away from the stagnancy of his mind and spirit. He became lost and immersed within his semi-urban environment. Rounding a corner, Zeydaan was gripped by an unfamiliar sensation – an unease somehow twisted within the braided fibers of curiosity. He followed the tingling whim inside of him, exploring down one of the longer paths he couldn't remember ever taking before and eventually spotted a warm glow shining within the nearly uniform darkness.

There, tucked up against a forgotten, disheveled corner of the street in the historic town district was an old, rectangular brick house. An aroma of freshly baked goods, strangely out of place juxtaposed in these early hours pervaded the area. The front of the building was elaborately designed compared to its drab sidings, coated in a mix of swirling grays, whites, and lavenders. The whole place looked like a restoration project nearing the end of its construction. A sign stretching across the top of the building read: “Maiden Menagerie welcomes you!”

Below, a propped up chalkboard bulletin listed a host of various upcoming events along with an urging to try their specialty hand-crafted Maiden Muffins. Zeydaan quirked his brow having never remembered a place like this in his town before, but then again he had been away for quite some time. Patrons inside the quaint cafe were enjoying an assortment of treats catered to them by dragon maids adorned in various, frilled, and elegant black and white garments. For as large and imposing their stature might make them appear, they each carried themselves with grace and style. Their wings were folded tightly at their backs while their long, muscular tails wove between the tightly-packed seats like snakes navigating the jungle canopy.

The crowd inside was entranced listening to one of the dragon maids singing a song while strumming away at her guitar cradled across her lap. Zeydaan couldn't help but track his eyes from face to face to gauge their reactions. They were all leaning forward in their seats smiling the same smile Zeydaan would see people have at the peak of his performances when he was Sushi the Clown. The performer finished her song, waving a large, clawed hand in the direction of her audience before blowing them an endearing kiss. The crowd clapped and cheered. The same invisible force that had compelled Zeydaan here was in full swing again. He opened the door and stepped inside.

The scent of baked goods intensified and now he could audibly hear the tail-end of the crowd's cheering with one piercing whistle punctuating the rest of the crowd's admiration. Some might have called what happened next destiny; others fate. For Zeydaan, stepping into that maid-cafe and seeing those sparkling blue eyes of the dragon performer there, a part of him knew he had finally arrived somewhere truly special.

*******

Zeydaan took a seat at one of the few unoccupied spots near a corner at the back of the cafe and waited to be served. Outside of the dragon maids flowing back and forth carrying drinks Zeydaan was most eager to try, no one else in attendance at the cafe appeared altered like they were. They were regular people like him, humdrum and ordinary. The vibrant, playful gestures of the dragon maids paired with their sincere, toothy smiles gave them an otherworldly allure that drew Zeydaan in all the more.

“Welcome to Maiden Menagerie. Hope you've been having a great night. Thanks for sharing your time with us this evening. Would you like to hear about our specials?” a chipper green dragon maid said.

Zeydaan wasn't sure what he had been expecting to hear. In most stories he was familiar with the dragons usually had a gruff bellow to their voice, if not forsaking words altogether for bestial snarls. Instead this dragon's voice was tender and sweet, kind and genuine. Zeydaan couldn't recall the last time someone had acknowledged his presence without asking something of him in return. Her words were simple, but he could already feel a slow thawing away of the ice that had formed over his heart.

“Actually, yeah. That would be really nice.” he answered while rubbing his thumbs on top of each other.

“Tonight we are having a combo deal where you can pair one of our specialty sandwiches with a soup and salad for only £13.95. Our housemade soup tonight is Creamy Tomato: seasoned with roasted onions, carrots, garlic, basil, and just a wee touch of cream to give it that mmmm creamy-goodness. You can get that by the cup or the bowl. And of course we always have our signature Maiden Muffins for dessert, but we can get there when we get there.” the green dragon ended with a wink of one reptilian eye.

“Uh...that all sounds really good. Do you have any recommendations on which sandwich to get? It's my first time here.” Zeydaan answered, feeling more at ease the longer he stayed in this comfortable little nook of paradise.

“I know it's late and all right now, but I'll never pass up one of our Croque Americaine paninis: sliced egg, crisp bacon, pepper jack cheese, tomato and watercress all grilled on our Lemon Pugliese Bread.”

The green dragon shook her head a little and then laughed a sweet, rumbling hum.

“See, now you got me nearly drooling over here just thinking about it!”

Zeydaan chuckled. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened neither.

“That sounds great. I'll have one of the combo specials then with the panini that you mentioned. Hold the salad though, and a green tea if you have that please. Oh, and one last thing....who was performing that song earlier on the stage?”

“Oh her? She's actually one of the other workers here. Name's Amrin. And can do sweet'ums. Will be back with that soup and drink to get you started in just a jiffy. My name's Blaze and I'm happy to serve you tonight. If you need anything else just ring the bell and I'll be right over.” Blaze said, turning with a controlled swish of her tail between the neighboring seats.

Zeydaan sank back into the backrest of his chair, eyes closed as he soaked in the pleasant muttering of the people around him. Only minutes before he had been seeking isolation from anyone and anything, but now invigorating waves of peace washed over him, taking away with them some of the corroded etchings the world had struck upon him.

*******

Zeydaan spent that evening treated to the wonderful meal brought out by Blaze while serenaded by Amrin's lovely melodies from the stage. Everything was beyond perfect. He was surprised at the level of diligence the workers of the cafe spent getting to know their guests compared to other restaurants he had been at before. Some would ask how a patron's kids were doing and others would chat about the weather. One golden dragon excitedly squealed over the announcement over one's hard-fought job promotion. It was clear that many of the guests were regulars, and as Zeydaan neared the last scrumptious morsel of a strawberry-filled Maid Muffin he could heartily understand why.

Zeydaan had a need to relieve himself , and was kindly directed over to the restrooms at the back by Blaze as she went to attend to the needs of another table heralded by a gently ringing bell there. Again that feeling of curiosity seized him as he gazed down a long hallway winding back past the cafe's kitchen. Before his better sensibilities could convince him otherwise he was walking down the hall, his fingers trailing over lacquered railings of polished wood back towards a large door at its end. He was reminded of his travels down a similar hallway in his dreams during his time spent as Sushi. No one was here. A peek and he'd be gone again. Zeydaan opened the door at the hallway's end with bated breath and what he saw inside would change him forever.

In a perfectly manicured room, its upscale boutique air running incongruous to the hidden lines of bricks comprising the walls, rows of different maid outfits ran in overlapping layers to nearly touch the ceiling of the space. Opposite the grand wardrobe was a changing area that carried the perfumed scents of a renowned French boutique. While his changing room as Sushi the Clown had carried the essence of a manic tornado, this space held the grace of a premier ballerina.

A peek became him stepping into the room entirely, and then hazarding a few steps forward to brush his knuckles across one of the dragon maid outfits at the end of one of the rows within the large room. It was soft, but slick and pliable, as if created through re-purposing of a well-crafted rubber. So engrossed was he in examining the perplexing, exquisite material that he failed to notice the faint patter of boots behind him.

A lengthy teal neck curled up over his head and fixated a pair of impossibly blue eyes in front of his, rows of glistening white teeth appearing behind the creature's pulled-back lips. Zeydaan yelped in surprise, falling forward and tumbling forward to become thoroughly tangled in the dresses before him. Then the creature laughed, and in those particular breathy tones Zeydaan recognized the soothing melodies he had heard during his stay at Maiden Menagerie.”

“Amrin? I um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, well, I mean I got lost and then this happened, and then well...you happened and...uhhhhh..” Zeydaan stammered.

Amrin relaxed her hands at her hips and offered a scaly hand to his to help him back to standing.

“You know my name? One of the other girls must have mentioned it. I recognize you though. You were that guy with the sweet smile in the back. Looked like you enjoyed my performance earlier tonight huh? Can't blame someone for admiring how we look. It's a fun gig. Comes with a ton of perks.” she said with a wink. Zeydaan wondered if all of the dragon maids practiced it as part of the job.

“Do you want to give it a try on?” Amrin said with a grin creeping across her face. Her eyes were determined and already appeared to be preparing a counter against any potential refusal. Zeydaan shuffled off the dress that had fallen on top of him, examining the hems draped over his ankles.

“I really shouldn't. I'm not exactly the type. Besides I'm not sure any of this would end up looking good on me anyway?” Zeydaan said with a dismissive shrug. The gesture was kin to that made of retreating prey for Amrin, only inviting her all the further in.

“Oh, now what makes you say something like that? You can't go around refusing an experience before you've even tried it. Here, I tell you what. I'm the only one still working later tonight as the other girls finish wrapping up. You stay here a little while longer and you give one of the outfits a try, then you can let me know if it was worthwhile or not. How does that sound?”

“Uh, I guess that would be pretty good. Thanks Amrin.”

“Anytime sugar. Now go finish off your meal. I'll get to work finding something that will fit nice and proper on you.”

*******

Zeydaan didn't have to wait long until the other patrons had begun leaving the store. Some of the other dragon-maids began to leave then too, still wearing their monochromatic attire out the door. Blaze flashed a little wave of her hand tucked close to her side as she left, and then Zeydaan became the only other person in the cafe besides Amrin. She stepped out from the kitchen, wiping her scaly brow with a soaked rag and tensing one of her arms in a mock bodybuilder stance.

“Those metal pots sure are heavier than they look. Now that everyone's gone, let's get you sorted out so you can be on your way. I don't usually close the cafe, but I decided to make a special exception for a certain wanderer.” Amrin said, beckoning Zeydaan over with a quick toss of her long, spiny neck.

Zeydaan followed her back down the hall and into the changing room. This time, a beautiful, flowing maid-outfit with embroidered trim and a lace headpiece lay strewn over the back of one of the chairs.

“Is that one....for me?” Zeydaan managed to say.

Amrin voiced a satisfied hum.

“If you would like. But first to try on. I haven't had to find one to work for a non-dragon in quite some time.”

Zeydaan reached forward and picked up the garment, laying it flush in front of him as he looked at himself in the mirror. If he thought of this like his Sushi the Clown outfit, it wasn't so bad.

Amrin did go through all this trouble trying to humor me by finding something. Least I can do is try it like she said.

A few confused knots later and Zeydaan had managed to adorn himself in the maid-outfit. It was a snug fit, but the material was forgiving around his sides.

I look....kind of pretty.

“So what do you think?” Amrin asked, eyeing Zeydaan from head to toe.

“It's simple, but sleek too. I didn't think it would be so comfortable from feeling the outside; that's pretty surprising. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It doesn't feel all that different from something else I used to enjoy putting on.”

“Oh? You know, you can tell a lot about a person from what they choose to wear. That's why I make sure all of the girls have an outfit here that can suit any mood they might be feeling. They don't have to say it to any of the customers, but we'll know and we can be more mindful of each other that way. Clothes are an expression of our inner worlds, infinite and perfectly malleable. Let me stop myself before I get carried away. Take this one with you and feel free to drop by here at anytime now and I'll be sure to fix you up something special when we next meet.”

Zeydaan pulled the edges of the dress up in a faux curtsy. Amrin looked pleased, her vivid blue eyes sparkling within the surrounding teal of her iridescent scales. Zeydaan wished for nothing more than to have her feel that way as often as he could. If it was anything like how she helped make him feel, it was well worth it.

“I will. Thank you.”

*******

After his visit at the Maiden Menagerie, Zeydaan's inspirations came back to him in full force.

Vivid images and colors returned to the canvas of his life, and from sunrise to sunset he filled his sketchbooks with various dress designs to match Amrin's standards of quality. He wore the dress as he worked, experiencing a surge of creative insight the likes of which he never knew before.

Over the next few days Zeydaan began to notice his typical interests and habits altering; he now favored extended periods of clothes shopping served as research for his ample sketches, he had replaced his hours of video game play studying the motions of other actresses in romantic comedies, and even found himself practicing a softer lilt to his speech to copy Blaze's sweet-sounding tones. With enough practice, the deeper baritone of his voice had softened, and even his smile had changed in its quality to become closer to feeling you get when staring at your favorite flower. Life was feeling bright once more. The tight grip of sadness within him had loosened enough to let the light shine through again.

Even his physical appearance had begun to drift towards a more feminine stature. He found that wearing his maid outfit particularly accentuated the developing curvature of his body shape. Most strange was how his clothing would alter over the course of the day, invisibly shifting to garments more suiting of a feminine figure by nightfall, then return to their original shapes by morning when hung up in his closet. The world itself was calling to him to embrace this newfound identity with all the vigor he could muster. It was all so new and even exciting to experience something both unbelievable, yet undeniably real in front of him again. Whereas his previous changes to Sushi the Clown had initially been jarring and sudden, these new suite of changes occurred with all the fragile grace of a dandelion puff soaring through the sky.

Zeydaan had first noticed his nails lengthening out into longer, curled claws a few days prior. Then his attention had been drawn to the sore bump at his lower back that he initially attributed to his old mattress, but which now had projected out a short distance away from the rest of his body in a stumpy approximation of a proto-tail while his lengthy furred brush had shrunken considerably in turn. The area was hard and well-muscled, but still unable to be moved of his own volition. Newest still were the pair of tiny, rough horns pressing their way up near the back of his skull, still hidden beneath his voluminous hair and fur.

Zeydaan returned to Maiden Menagerie with hopes to find assistance in managing his gradual dragonification. His sketch book filled with new dress designs was clutched tightly at his chest as he walked in the door. Greeted with the same fresh scent of baked goods as his first visit, he even got a friendly tail flick from Blaze who recognized him before making her way to deliver a pair of Maiden Muffins to an elderly couple. He stood at the entrance, adjusting the hem of his maid dress awkwardly for a little while before finally the sight of Amrin's winding neck came into view. She voiced a pleased sound and beckoned him to the back.

“It seems you've taken quite a liking to your new attire.” Amrin said once the two were in the cafe's staff room. Her interest was particularly piqued seeing the closed sketchbook in front of Zeydaan.

“Yeah, you could say it's really grown on me.” Zeydaan answered, feeling the fabric of his dress brush over the top of his nubby tail.

Amrin leaned in, her head nearly snaking around Zeydaan's shoulder from where he was seated.

“Is that something you wish to continue? It hasn't been too...inconvenient?” she said with a wry grin.

“If I say yes....is that bad?” Zeydaan tentatively muttered, feeling a warm flush rush to his cheeks.

Amrin laughed her sweet melodic laugh.

“Certainly not you sweet fledgling. I'm impressed you've taken on to it so well.” she continued before leaning back into her seat and sipping at a large cup of lukewarm tea.

A question popped into Zeydaan's thoughts, and he rubbed his thumbs on top of themselves.

“Can you help me....be pretty? Like....more than just the dress.” Zeydaan managed to say, the heat on his face intensifying. Amrin hummed and lowered her gaze to match his.

“You're already beautiful hun. That's something that comes from the spark inside you. Remember? The inside world brought to the outside. And that's what you're doing right now in being here. You want to be pretty? I'll offer something even better than that. What say you to coming down to join the team here? You look like a quick learner, and we'd greatly appreciate an extra set of claws to get ready for our big performance soon.”

Zeydaan considered the offer, his eyes darting back and forth across the table.

A chance at a new life....and it wouldn't be alone.

“When do I start?” Zeydaan said with hope radiating from his eyes. Amrin patted one of his shoulders with one of her large, scaled hands.

“Right now if you'd like. Come on to the back and we'll get you settled in.”

*******

Zeydaan promptly left his job at the office a second time to become a full-time member of the Maiden Menagerie team. There he learned all the nuances and skills needed to be a successful worker at a maid-cafe: diligence, insight, and a warm smile from your heart for each and every guest. He learned how to discern the unique tone of his serving bell from all of the other dragon maids with his sharpening hearing, and by the end of a week's time he felt as if he was getting a good handle on the process.

While Zeydaan's employment at the cafe continued, his gradual transformation had amplified; his body becoming increasingly reptilian in nature. It continued as a slow, and steady burning of his old, wolven identity. Pale yellow scales now covered most of his body and apart from his maid outfit boots he had since abandoned wearing most shoes as his clawed toes ripped apart anything he would otherwise try and force on. What had started as short nubs had now grown to become sloped, curved horns rising at the top of his head. He was becoming adept at navigating the extended mass of his long, writhing tail that projected free from the end of his spine, his original one long recessed away into nothingness. Sometimes he longed for his soft covering of fur across his body he had, but being in this way was becoming easier for him with each day.

He had read that in some practices, people go through stages of growth as they figure out who they are and what they hope to accomplish in their lives. Maybe this uncomfortable feeling he had in his gut as he laid down at night was that process for him. Or it could have been the third Maiden Muffin that he had sneaked eating at the end of his shift at the cafe. Even as Sushi, he had been able to supply joy to others, but that was an independent venture. Now he felt a part of a team all working towards the same purpose, and that was much more fulfilling than anything else he could have imagined.

By this time Zeydaan had learned to leave behind the scraps of his more masculine mannerisms and gestures for when he was home. He lived a double life, one where grace and sweet attention were given freely compared to the grieving tension he found himself buried with at home. At times it was difficult for him to tell if he was the fearsome dragon ravaging the village below the mountain of his home, or the one who would grant gifts and wisdom to passersby.

*******

Amrin surprised Zeydaan one evening at the end of one of his shifts with a cup of fresh tea beside his favorite couch in the staff room. A small card was fastened to the bottom of the cup and read:

You've been working hard for our guests and with our staff. I want to treat you to something special. Come find me at the usual spot.

-Amrin

After enjoying the tea, Zeydaan wandered over to the dressing room and found Amrin removing some of the extra makeup from her face.

“Thanks for the drink. You said you wanted to talk about something?” Zeydaan said, sitting beside her.

“When this all started, did you think you would like something so different?” Amrin said with a uncharacteristically wistful depth to her expression.

“Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but it's kind of weird though...I've been through a lot, but now I'm really only focused on what comes next from here. I'm actually excited about the future, and... that hasn't been the case for a long time. I have you to thank for that.” Zeydaan said with a warm giggle.

“I used to be so consumed by my doubts, I couldn't do anything. I was frozen...stuck, and as much as I wanted to move forward I couldn't. I needed something to get me going. New friends were patient with me when I haven't been at my best, and all of your support has given me hope that things will only keep getting better from here. We all experience our own changes, our own transformations in life. I know that the only constant aspect of life to count on is change, but it's beautiful now...like me. There's dreams and a future there I wish to keep working at making happen.”

Amrin smiled in acknowledgment and Zeydaan continued.

“For a long time now I've had to take care of most of these things by myself. There hasn't ever been anyone like you before that's taken an interest in me and wanting to succeed.”

“You've always been worth it.” Amrin answered. “Ever since I saw you lurking there in the back of the cafe, I knew you were reaching out for something, so it makes me happy knowing that you've found that here with us. Something I've been thinking about...when you were going around doing all of your clown stuff, you were doing all of that for the sake of other people right?”

“Yeah.”

“But it wasn't one sided. You were getting something in return. Whatever good feeling you gave out came back to you many times bigger right?”

“When they were still laughing at my jokes.” Zeydaan said, dropping his eyes with a sigh. He felt a finger tilt his chin back up, and now the impossibly blue eyes were inches away from his.

“And they were laughing at your jokes...for a time at least. Each performance you could think of as an exchange; maybe not equal as time went on, but life is all about exchanges even when we're giving. You can't expect someone to take care of something for you, but you sure can still appreciate a fellow or fine lady taking the time out of what they have been doing to make your day better right?”

“That's true.” Zeydaan said with a nod and pulling back to his seat, uncertain where Amrin was taking this.

“I want to help give back to you since you've been working so hard for us. There's something special I want to make for you, but it will take some time. The fundraiser performance will be done by then, but in the meantime how would you feel about going away somewhere for the weekend to really relax and let that inner dragoness shine?”

“I'm not sure. I've still been changing more, but I don't know if I'm ever going to be anything like you are Amrin.”

Amrin roared with laughter.

“You keep doing that, comparing me to you...when really I think about the things that make you special. If it helps at all, it wouldn't just be us. Blaze would be coming too. It's always nice to have a third.”

“A third? For what?” Zeydaan asked with a perplexed quiver of the strong, moth-like wings at his back.

“To help break ties when we're not sure what to do of course.” Amrin said sticking out her tongue. Her smile was warm and inviting like the first rays of morning sunlight.

“Give it a chance and see what happens. It worked out before didn't it?”

Zeydaan leaned back in his seat and stared at the bright light illuminating the changing room.

Light where before it was only dark.

“Can't argue there.”

*******

The afternoon sun shined in glorious splendor upon the sandy beach in front of Zeydaan and made the ocean sparkle where crests of waves crashed down to join the sand. Amrin and Blaze were already waiting for him in the parking lot and had been open to allowing him to borrow a bikini to contain his newest developments at his chest. Zeydaan traveled down to a toasty corner of the beach with Blaze, enjoying the feeling of the warm sand beneath his clawed digits. Amrin was already up ahead mucking about near the surf, teasingly close to where the rolling waves lapped the heated grains of sand cool once more.

Zeydaan sat back on his haunches, allowing his feet to immerse themselves within the pleasantly warm sand. Even as large sand-fleas hopped about near the base of his tail causing an occasional itch, he relished in the scent of the ocean spray wafting up to his nose. Behind him, dry blades of grass swayed in tandem to the invisible melody of the breeze. A tan beach towel was draped across Zeydaan's hunched shoulders, propped up along the the base of his formidable wings at his back. Looking around him, creatures of all sorts were here enjoying this pleasant relief from the heat. Where before he had to be mindful to not overheat from his thick coarse fur, he found the exposed sunshine of the beach much more palatable given his current state.

Now Zeydaan had become transformed, a modified image of the reptilian legends of old. Although he was still essentially anthropomorphic in shape, his body had continued to undergo fantastic alterations over the past few weeks. His fur had given way to become completely covered by pale yellow scales, lightening to a pale cream at his belly and underside. His jaw and face had broadened and elongated into a sizable muzzle filled with rows of sharpened teeth. Two warm, crimson-colored eyes now looked out at the world with new perspectives behind them.

A part of Zeydaan questioned whether the extra coverings over his body were even necessary for him at this point. His thickened hide served him well to keep his body insulated, and furthermore removed what could typically be described as a nude appearance even without any clothing on his person. Still, Zeydaan enjoyed still going out with some kind of covering over his body. More than it being an expression of his old life, his clothes and outfits were more chances to customize and take control of his daily experience of life. He would be hard-pressed to miss out on that.

Zeydaan's senses had all dramatically sharpened as well. His eyesight was sharper than it had ever been in his former life, and his senses of smell and hearing were all as developed and acute as his vision. Even underwater the improvement of his senses maintained himself, and with the glittering waves still rolling on into the beach he would answer the ocean's call today.

Zeydaan stood, the beach towel sliding off his back as he flashed a quick glance to Blaze who was contentedly soaking up some of the sun's rays laying flush on her belly in the sand. She grumbled a sleepy, incoherent message for him to enjoy himself and then off he was.

Zeydaan outstretched the wings he kept neatly folded at his back to their maximum. The wind teased at his wingtips, resisted against them with a firm pressure, and buoyed him up the rest of the way as he launched off the ground with his powerful legs. Low-hanging clouds passed by. Birds scattered in squawking cries. Zeydaan's shadow weaved and flitted over the sand and onlookers below to the amazement and awe of many.

Each powerful thrust of his wings drove him higher and higher still until he felt like Icarus beholding the splendor of the sun, except his wings were permanent. Zeydaan hadn't tested his flight capabilities much, and maneuvers which required a greater deal of finesse would take more time to master. Still, time is the gift that had been granted to him this weekend..

From his perch nestled within a drifting cloud, Zeydaan peered down and spotted Amrin gazing up at him. He grinned, then tucked his wings back in against his back and pointed his nose downward. Down and down he plummeted until he pierced through the surface of the water in a near-silent crash. Immersed in this watery world was in many ways the same as flying in the sky above. As he coursed, flexing his body from side to side like a snake to propel him back closer to shore, strands of Zeydaan's hair began to flow about his face. Longer and longer they grew at his head and sprouting from the tip of his tail, a bubblegum pink to match the sweetness of his spirit.

When he emerged, drenched from his ocean foray, his scales glittered like those of the ocean waves behind him, and his long, flowing hair danced about his shoulders with every step. Zeydaan was radiant with joy, and seeing him so happily engrossed in the thrills of life Amrin knew she had done well to extend this chance to him.

*******

After the weekend together, Zeydaan and Amrin continued to grow closer. Amrin often came to him for advice on various happenings at the cafe. Zeydaan was beloved by both patrons and staff, and soon Maiden Managerie had grown to become a second home. However, tensions were up with the cafe's fundraiser performance looming only days away. Both were at a loss on what to try to make this event stick out until Zeydaan had an idea come to him.

“A new item? We've kept the same menu since we've opened. Our customers know what they can expect from us, and everything is well-received. At this point we'd be risking more than I think we could possibly gain by that. What were you hoping that we would make anyway?”

“Well I was thinking that we could try making a chilled lemon and lavender pie to go with the Maiden Muffins. They're kind of my specialty and I thought they could really round out the flavors from the sweet tartness of the muffins.”

Amrin caught an intensity in Zeydaan's eyes that she hadn't seen before, an intensity that desired to prove itself.

“I tell you what; if you can cook up one of these pies yourself at home and bring it in tomorrow I'll have the customers sample it as part of a survey. We'll go from there.”

“Thank you, thank you!” Zeydaan shouted in delight.

He ran all the way home that evening after work, knowing there wasn't a minute to waste if this was going to be perfect. Zeydaan spent the remainder of the night slaving over the oven and by the end of his time in the kitchen had amassed a staggering wreckage of used bowls that were piled up in the sink, but at last his creation was completed.

********

Zeydaan kept tugging at the hem of his maid outfit as the inquisitive calculating eyes of one of the cafe patrons glazed over his dish. Peeking through the small viewport leading into the kitchen, he could see the man inhale, long and drawn-out before furrowing his brows. He didn't immediately dismiss what was in front of him. A good sign. This customer was a picky one. The man grabbed his fork, twisted off a sizable portion and planted it into his mouth. The fork dropped onto the side of the plate with a shrill clang.

Oh no. He hates it.

“Bring me another fork, and another plate of this masterpiece. There is no way I could possibly experience this once.”

Zeydaan's pie became a sensational hit, and helped to drive further interest in the cafe up just in time for the fundraiser. The staff could hardly keep ingredients in stock, and all applauded his efforts. The stage had been set. Now would come the hard part.

*******

It was time for the big performance at the cafe. This event would be pivotal in securing additional funding to allow the cafe to continue operating and finish its repairs. Tonight was Zeydaan's chance to help repay the place that had allowed his life-changing transformation. Backstage, nervous jitters ran along his spine. Amrin placed a hand at his shoulder. Her smile could melt back any fears.

“Time to shine Zeydaan.”

“Actually....can you call me Isabella? It's something I've been thinking of for a while now. I'm different now, so my name should be different too.”

“Isabella...” Amrin said, as if trying out the name for size. “Well Isabella, let's give it everything we've got.”

The spotlight was hot against his scaled skin, much different from the comforting rays of laying sprawled out on the beach. He knew this feeling well. A calm before the storm. Isabella took a deep breath, silently sent a wish for the best, and then stepped out onto the stage at Amrin's side.

Hours upon countless hours of hard work between his shifts had finally paid off and Isabella moved across the floor with grace. From the tip of his snout to each twirling curl of his tail, Isabella was an object of beauty and captivated the entire audience into stunned silence. Amrin's gorgeous vocals reached their peak, her guitar strumming with a fierce intensity as Isabella's steps grew more precise and punctuated. Isabella prepped himself for his big maneuver, tensing one arm planted to the ground before arcing his tail high up over his body in a twisting C, framing Amrin for her solo. She strummed away a million miles a second and by the end of it Isabella finally loosed the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Then came the roar of applause, recognition, validation, and confirmation that here would be a continued place for him to continue inspiring joy in others.

*******

The next day, Isabella and the other girls counted their earnings from the show. They were amazed to see that they had not only met their goal, but vastly shot above the total they had needed. A great clamoring of cheerful wails and woops sounded then. Amrin held Isabella's hand, and they both squeezed.

“Good job partner.” Amrin said with a wide grin.

“You too.” Isabella answered back with the wink he had practiced.

“Here...let's sneak back. Now's a good time for me to show you something.” Amrin said in between her still-cheering co-workers.

The two sneaked back to the changing room and crouching behind one of the back rows of dresses Amrin produced a large chest hidden among the array of other belongings stashed there.

“Open it.”

Isabella knelt down, flicking open the latches and held his mouth agape at what was before him. A stunningly gorgeous maid outfit complete with boots and matching headpiece was stashed inside. The material shined with its rubbery texture and delicately ornate trim.

“This is the one that...but how did you make this? I never really showed you the sketch for long. How did you know this one was the one I wanted?” Isabella asked, sitting back stunned.

“You put the most heart into it. Anyone could see that. Now don't keep me waiting. Try it on already!”

Isabella quickly changed into the new outfit, and felt its cling over his scales, fitting almost like a second skin. His wings flexed uncontrollable and he wiggled from side to side in sheer excitement.

“You're one of us now, so it's the least I can do to say thank you.”

Isabella turned to hug his friend tight, and felt an equal pressure back. Sitting there with her, the world had once more come into its full-cycle: loss, joy, loss, hope renewed once more. Such peaks and valleys indeed constituted the fabric of a life well-lived, and for Isabella seated beside one who had become so dear to him, he wished with all his might that for at least this, life's inherent capacity for change could leave things be just this one time.

END

Read the first part of commission here: Topsy-Turvy

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