November 27th, 2019.
It's a very special day for me.
Lily's Anthem: John Doe on a John Deere

On this day, 2 years ago, my character Lily wen't from being a background character to being one I "shift" into regularly. You see, I switch characters depending on my mood. While Valcyrie is my main, I often switch into my alter ego Lily, and occsionally my doe Tacicala.

Thing is, I grew up a country girl, a farmers daughter. Lily was who I was for the longest part of my life. A homey handy Christian girl who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. From an early age I was taught how to fish, shoot, taking care of the crops and animals, even driving tractors and harvesters. I still remember the first time I saw the brand new John Deere, the double-mounted wheels so big that I could sit inside them and roll around as it moved. And then climbing up and sitting down in the springy comfy seat, feeling the power of the engine making the entire machine vibrate.

As I grew older I moved into a bigger city to take on high school and later University. My school time and higher education changed me a lot. I left Christianity and became a pagan. I went from rather conservative values to become a center-left liberal. I went from a white top and blue jeans to black dresses and a gothic style. I went from country and rock'n'roll to metal. Slowly but surely Lily, the girl I grew up as, faded into memory. I was Val now; the black gothic dragoness. I stayed that way for a very long time. Until 2019.

After meeting  dracosolis in 2016 we became a couple in 2017. He came to visit me in 2018 and in 2019 I came to Florida to visit him. It was one of the best experiences of my life with so many wonderful memories. More than anything that this was a guy who didn't mind having a "strong woman" around him. In fact, he encouraged it. I had struggled a lot with guys who didn't like tomboys for girlfriends. Guys who felt "out-manned" when their girlfriend could switch tires faster than them and repair things around the house. Fragile masculinity. Shakes head. But this guy didn't mind it at all, in fact he just seemed quite happy to have someone who could fix stuff he couldn't. He didn't feel like any less of a man.

That, as well as getting addicted to caffeine and living a southern lifestyle unlocked something in me. Something long forgotten. Someone long forgotten. Lily the country girl bloomed again. And that bloom happened today. November 27th, 2019. Solis had taken me out on a little trip that was just wonderful, took me places and bought me gifts like no one had really done for me before. It's written down in more detail in the image upload A date in Florida. I was so goddamn happy that day. I loved Solis, I loved Florida and more than anything, I loved myself for the first time in a very long time. I could finally be myself.

USA can be a really awesome place to live in, at least Florida. I loved the people there. Everyone was always happy and chatty, it felt like everyone was a friend or family; which was a huge change from the cold north I came from where everyone was a secluded grump. I just felt so alive. So after that day, I decided that Lily's (who technically is a Caribbean ness) anthro form should be a Floridian country girl in her lore. Florida Lily, my little sunshine dragoness, so happy, pretty and bubbly.

And here is something not seen before, the actual image that inspired the drawn image. Solis on the left and little goth me on the right, rediscovering myself. Behind us is Madeira Beach, Boca Ciega Bay just west of Tampa. Bright sunlight, iced coffee in our hands. I wouldn't mind going back and living my life there~ Just like in the song I linked in the beginning, the country girl who moved away and into the big city came back, and today I live on the countryside again, working in the garden and taking care of horses~ And while I still mostly am a gothic ness, sometimes - depending on my mood - I return to the blue country ness. And when I do, I love swinging around to my country music, singing along while taking care of my home and family. After all, Lily is a happy, bubbly and charming ness who loves a cozy home, sunshine and drinking some Southern Comfort while stretched out on the hood of her John Deere. Hence why the sunshine state fits her so well; and why she most often "comes out" when I fix stuff around the house, cook/bake or during warm bright summer days.

2 whole years since one of the best days of my life...
... I will never forget that day.
And I'm working to experience it again, but perhaps this time with even more friends~

The artpiece was made by my friend and artist  icy-marth
Photo by  dracosolis