Cory lied on the sofa with his cat on his chest, watching a rented video in the 3-D tank. It was raining, and water dripped from the hole in his roof to the kitchen floor, forming a widening puddle. Hearing the steady drip, he cursed to himself aloud, "Damn, living in a time when cold fusion supplies each house with energy, and you still can’t buy a house with a decent roof."

The movie was mediocre at best, but supplied a much needed diversion. Cory’s life had not been what he would call 'fun', in a long time. His so-called girlfriend, Debbie, had not returned any of his messages in a week. Being dumped was no big deal; he was used to it. But to just be blown off like that really put a kink in his emotional state. Reaching with up his hand, he scratched behind the ears of his cat, Flint. She was a full black cat of normal size, and had been a part of his household for over four years. He never scolded her, and never had reason to do so. Flint was a constant source of companionship, and truly helped Cory make it through difficult times. Her purring resonated through Cory's chest with an almost hypnotic effect, and soon he was asleep.

At the tremendous explosive sound of lightning striking his house, Cory was thrown to the floor as sparks flew about the interior of his home. He lied in an unconscious state for several hours before managing to drag his singed body into a sitting position. There was no light, save for what was entering through a large hole in his roof. "Crap. Well, at least the insurance company should fix my roof now." Cory stood on unsteady legs, and went to his bedroom in search of a flashlight. After tripping over a section of broken two-by-four, he opened the drawer of his night stand, and found his flashlight. As he surveyed the damage to his home, he called out for Flint. There was no replying meow as was normal. After making a search of the interior and finding nothing, Cory assumed Flint must either be too afraid to respond or had somehow managed to get outside.

Giving up the search for Flint for the moment, Cory examined his power supply. The surface of the unit was charred, and had several panels blown off. "No wonder there are no lights. This thing must have taken a direct hit. I hope Flint is okay." Fortunately, the rain had stopped. All there was to do at the moment was to clean up the mess as best he could. With luck, he could have a new fusion generator installed in a day or two, he thought. After mopping up gallons of water, Cory went to his bedroom and lied down for a couple hours of sleep.

Things didn't look much better in the light of morning. If anything, the damage to his home was all the more evident. Since there was no power for cooking or to warm water to bathe, Cory changed his clothes and drove to the corner store. After a couple of phone calls to the insurance company and repairman, he bought a breakfast burrito and an orange juice. Before leaving the store, he called his boss at the software company he worked for, and explained why he would not be in. With the poor excuse of a breakfast in his stomach, Cory returned home.

As soon as he arrived, Cory started looking for Flint. After a thorough search of the neighborhood, he decided to go home and wait for the repairman. Depression gnawed at him as he merely sat and waited. "What else can go wrong?", he wondered aloud.

Cory was quite surprised when the repairman and his crew arrived. Although they could not fix everything in one day, his home was now watertight and had power. The day was shot, and there was still a lot of cleaning to be done. He decided cleaning up everything would not only be prudent, but would help take his mind off things. After several hours of cleaning, Cory prepared a meal of pasta and shrimp, with a salad on the side. Though he had little appetite, there was an emptiness that needed filling, and he finished his meal before going to bed.

Cory awoke the next morning feeling stiff as he sat up in bed and swung his feet over to the floor. He stood and tried to stretch out the stiffness, but as he reached his arms above his head, he felt a hot pain shoot through his joints. Sitting back down, he began trying to relax and let the pain pass. After a couple of minutes, the pain subsided, and he went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Cory was surprised at how hungry he was after such a large meal before going to bed. He prepared a meal of four scrambled eggs, a thick slice of honey-cured ham, two slices of buttered toast, hash browns, and an orange. After eating and cleaning his eating and cooking utensils, Cory began to get ready for work. It seemed the more he moved around, the less his joints hurt. His warm shower seemed to help also. After donning his work attire, he tried putting on his shoes, but they seemed too small. Thinking he must be coming down with the flue or something, and his feet were swollen from the night's ordeal, he forced them into his shoes. "Damn, this is just great. I can't afford another sick day."

When Cory got to work, he was called to his boss's office. His stomach instantly knotted at the summons, and his mind raced through all possible explanations why he was being called to stand before the man. His boss, Mr. Sneed, wasn't a bad guy. After rapping softly on the doorjamb, Cory stuck his head inside.

"You wanted to see me boss?"

"Oh, yeah-- come in Cory. Close the door and have a seat."

Cory hated it when Mr. Sneed said to close the door and have a seat. It meant he did not want anyone else to hear what transpired in the office, and it was probably going to take a good chunk of time. Both of these were not good signs. Gently closing the door, Cory took a seat before his boss's desk, and mentally prepared himself for the expected bad news.

"Sorry to hear about your house yesterday. I'm glad you weren't injured. You are okay, aren't you?"

Taken aback by his boss's concern, Cory hesitated before answering. "Uh… I guess I'm all right. I think I might have caught a cold or something from standing in all the water that night, but it's no big deal."

"I'm just glad you weren't electrocuted or blown up. Lightning strikes can really make a mess of things. I hope your computer wasn't fried."

"To tell you the truth, I haven't even checked it. I think my protections may have held. I have been busy getting my home in order, and looking for my cat. I haven't seen her since then."

"Oh? That's too bad. Well, she'll probably turn up. If there is any thing I can do to help, give me a holler." Mr. Sneed stood, and extended his hand. Cory grinned as he rose, and shook his boss's hand.

"Thanks a lot boss. That means a lot to me. I think everything is getting taken care of. Hopefully I can shake this cold, too."

Cory smiled with relief as he left Mr. Sneed's office, and thought to himself, 'Well what do you know, things are actually looking up a bit'. He returned to his cubicle, and began where he had left off Wednesday. The program he had been working on was not a complicated one, but was tedious and not very challenging. As he worked, his feet began to hurt intolerably. Loosening the fasteners provided only minor relief. It was as though his shoes were shrinking in length, or his feet were getting longer.

When Cory returned from lunch, he found a new email waiting for him. As he started reading it, a smile spread across his face. It was from Debbie, and she wanted to get together. 'Wow', he thought to himself. 'Maybe there really is such a thing as Karma'. Sitting back in his chair, Cory pondered how best to proceed. He decided to make his move as fast as possible, before she changed her mind. Cory signaled Debbie's computer, and was rewarded with her appearance on his screen.

"Hi there, Cory. I see you got my email."

"I sure did. I was beginning to think I wasn't going to hear from you again."

"Well, we can talk about that when we meet. I'm sorry for not returning your messages. Forgive me?"

"Only if you let me take you out to dinner tonight. I was thinking of this great Japanese restaurant over on eighth and Main. I've never been there, but I hear they do a really fine sushi platter. We can split an order."

"That sounds good to me. Why don't you pick me up at seven."

"I'll be there. See you then." Cory disconnected, and gave a happy sigh. The rest of the workday went well, but he was anxious for it to end.

As soon as Cory got home, he removed his shoes and rubbed his aching feet. Noticing his toenails were getting quite long, he decided to trim them. Using his usual nail clippers, Cory applied more and more pressure until there was a loud crack, as the clippers finally cut through. "Damn! What the hell is going on?" After deciding to forget about his toenails, he prepared for his date. Once cleaned and dressed, Cory put sandals on his feet instead of the shoes which hurt his feet so badly. When he got into his car to drive to Debbie's house, the seat of his car seemed strangely out of adjustment. No matter how he tried, he could not make the seat comfortable. Determined to make the evening work out, Cory put his pains out of mind and drove to Debbie's.

Debbie was waiting for Cory when he arrived, and seemed anxious for the date. Feeling a little apprehensive after the previous week, Cory held off on kissing her hello. They made small talk on the way to the restaurant, saying the typical pleasantries that two friends normally do.

Miyamoto's was a colorful looking place on the exterior, and the inside was even more so. Lively reds and gold colors gave the restaurant a festive atmosphere. Japanese lanterns and brass ornaments hung about the place, producing and reflecting light so that the entire area was well lit in an indirect way. Debbie approved of Cory's suggestion, and they ordered the sushi dinner for two. After sharing a bottle of sake, the food arrived, and the large platter of various delectable samples was set before them. Both seemed to be much more at ease now, and the conversation became easier. Halfway through the meal, Debbie let out a sigh, and set her chopsticks down.

"I really need to tell you about last week, Cory. You see-- an old boyfriend started trying to get back together with me. We were very involved before, and I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do."

Cory set his chopsticks down as well, now intent on her explanation. "Did you, uh-- come to a decision?"

"Yes. I told him it was over between us, and not to call me again. I shouldn't have ignored your calls. Well, I didn't really ignore them, I was just afraid to call you back. I'm sorry. That must have really made you feel like crap. I didn't want to hurt you, but I just couldn't make myself call you." Debbie stared down at the table, seemingly ashamed.

Cory reached across the table, placing his hand on hers. "It's okay, Debbie, I understand. I'm just glad you made the decision you did. So where does that leave us?

She raised her gaze with a smile, and looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes. "I'd like to explore our relationship in a bit more detail."

Cory returned her smile, as his thoughts tried to interpret the true meaning of what she said. "More detail, huh? Do you mean what I think you mean?"

With an enticing giggle, Debbie nodded her head. "Yes, Cory. That's exactly what I mean. We've known each other for a while now, and we've never had any real sex. Pawing each other doesn't count."

"That's wonderful, cute stuff. I guess the week was worth the wait." He leaned across the table, and gave Debbie a quick kiss. "My place or yours? Mine is kinda messed up right now. It was hit by lightning the other night, and the repairs and cleanup aren't quite completed."

"My place will be just fine. I've got a nice comfy bed, soft lighting, and a stereo to play some music to get us in the mood; not that I think that will be necessary."

"No, I won't need anything to get me in the mood. I'm in the mood right now."

The rest of the meal went well, as they played footsies under the table, and laughed over silly little things. They were hand in hand as they left the restaurant, and kissed each other deeply for several moments before getting into the car.

Fortunately, Debbie lived alone in her modest single story, two-bedroom house. They sat together on the couch with the lights turned low, sipping wine. She reached over and ran her hand along the side of Cory's face, then pulled it back with a puzzled expression on her face.

"You need a shave. That's funny. You didn't look like you needed a shave in the restaurant. Your whiskers are really soft, too. It kinda turns me on."

Cory felt his face, and was surprised to feel a soft fuzz. "I did shave right before leaving my house. Huh. Well, if you like it, I guess I won't bother shaving again. Come here sweet stuff."

They embraced as they kissed each other passionately. Soon their hands were exploring each other's bodies, and their tongues followed suit. Cory picked Debbie up, and carried her to her bedroom. After setting her on the bed, he turned off the lights and removed his clothes. Although the room was dark, Cory was able to see the bed clearly, and the waiting Debbie poised for action lying on top of the covers. Starting at the foot of the bed, he crawled along its length to lie next to his lover. He kissed her again, then helped her as she undressed. As she removed her bra, her breasts kept a firm appearance, showing no hint of sagging. They knelt facing each other, hands mutually exploring the others body. Taking each other in an embrace of lust and passion, they lied back still facing the other. As their bodies intermingled, Cory licked her face. He was surprised at the sensation it gave him, and his sexual arousal began to gain more control of his actions than he would have thought possible.

Springing to a kneeling position again, Cory rolled Debbie into a prone position. Straddling her legs, he grabbed Debbie at the waist, and roughly lifted her so that her buttocks met him. Without hesitation, he found her opening, and entered her with a voracity that held no romantic intentions.

"Ooo!!!"-- Debbie cried with just a touch of pain in her voice. "You are an animal! I've never done it doggie-style. Don't stop."

Cory had no intention of stopping, and continued his pumping with fervor. Bending over her body, he grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. Debbie never complained. Judging from the sounds emanating from her, she was having the time of her life.

Moving her hair aside, Cory took her neck in his mouth. At first he merely nibbled at her flesh, but something came over him, and he bit her. Debbie let out a startled cried as her body jerked in surprise, yet still she did not protest. The tensing of her body, and the slight taste of blood, stimulated Cory to the point he lost conscious thought. Debbie was also in a state of rapture as her body shook from the intense orgasm. Cory growled as he climaxed, his body stiffening. As he withdrew from her, he took her about the waist and fell to the bed, taking her with him.

They lied together, breathing heavily. Cory stroked her head, moving the hair from her face. "Are you okay? I've never had sex like that. I hope I wasn't too rough."

Debbie held a hand to her neck and looked at the small spots of red. "You really bit me. I mean, I knew you bit me, but you actually drew blood!" She rubbed her hand on Cory's face. "It's okay… I think I got off to it in a way. I've never had an orgasm like that before." She kissed him lightly on the lips, then smiled. "We'll have to do this again some time."

Cory's expression was one of sheer bliss. Never in his life had he experienced sex like he had just had. He hugged Debbie, then stretched his body fully as he yawned. "Knowing that I made you feel good, makes it all the better. You were incredible, Debbie." Once again he kissed her, then held her as they let sleep fulfill their needs of the days end.

Cory woke with a warm feeling, and the comfort of Debbie lying next to him. As he stirred, she woke as well. At first she made satisfying 'mmm' sounds. Then, with a start she jerked to an upright position. "Cory! What… What the hell?" She leapt from the bed without thinking. "Cory. What happened to you?"

Totally bewildered, Cory rose upon an elbow, and looked curiously at the woman he had spent the night with. "What's wrong, Debbie? I thought what we did was mutual."

"No! I mean, it was, but… You are, different. Oh God, Cory. You better take a look in the mirror."

Cory swung his legs over the side of the bed, but when he tried to stand, his legs buckled. He semi-crumpled as he cried out, and ended up a contorted mass on the floor. "Shit!" By first getting on all fours, then slowly rising, Cory managed to stand. He walked towards the full-length mirror on the door to Debbie's closet, but just barely. His legs did not seem to want to work. As he approached the mirror, he stretched out his arm to brace himself against the wall. The difference of hue caught his attention just before he turned his head to see an unknown creature starring back at him in the mirror.

Cory's mind swam as he held his arm before his face. With the lack of concentration, he fell again. With a look of shock staring back at him, Cory looked into the mirror as he sat on the floor. His nude body was completely covered in a fine pelt of black fur. As if this were not strange enough, his face gave an appearance of feline attributes. His eyes were larger than normal, and his pupils were large. Thinking how Flint's eyes used to change, he wondered if his pupils would slit in brighter light.

"What the FUCK?" He scrambled on the floor before gaining his footing, then stood before the mirror. His feet, if you could call them that, were extremely long, and did not support his weight. He stood with his weight balanced on the balls of his feet. It felt comfortable, and when he tried to stand as he knew how, his balance was nearly lost.

Looking over his shoulder at the voiceless Debbie, Cory sought some kind of explanation with his pleading eyes. She held back her immediate reaction, and did not scream. With a shaky voice, she managed to eek out a "Cory?" Her face seemed to melt as it went pale. "What happened to you?"

With a sudden sense of panic, Cory grabbed his pants and ran to his car. His stride was much larger than normal, but he didn't notice, as he was running on pure instinct. He was at the front door in only a few bounds, then through it and at his car. Fumbling through his pants pockets, he found his keys and unlocked his car. When Cory sat in his car, he discovered another abnormality. Feeling a shooting pain at the base of his spine, he exited the car and reached where the pain originated. Finding a long furry tail was no more of a shock than what he had already experienced. Holding his tail between his legs, Cory carefully sat down, and moved the seat to its most rearward position. His feet did not work well on the accelerator and brake, but he made his way home without being pulled over.

Remotely closing the garage door behind him, Cory literally ran from his car to the sanctity of his home. His joints still ached, but he seemed to becoming more accustomed to the way his new body worked. He was aware how easily he could move from one place to another with a minimal of effort and movement. Small consolation, he thought. How am I going to show myself in public?

Cory thought of going to the hospital, but quickly dismissed the idea. There was no way he was going to become someone's science experiment. Somehow he felt they would not be of much help anyway. Whatever had happened to him did not appear to be a medical problem. He was quite certain what had happened to Flint, but how they had merged was unexplainable. His mind was in overdrive, searching for a course of action. 'What am I going to do?' He thought to himself. Suddenly he remembered where he was when this strange transformation manifested. "Debbie. I've got to call her."

Prompting her home computer, Cory connected in voice only mode. Her heard her shaky voice, "H-- hello?"

"Debbie. It's me."

"Oh, Cory... Are you all right? I was so scared. What happened to you?"

"I don't know exactly, but I'm turning into a cat. Well, a cat-person, I guess. You remember I told you Flint was missing? I think we have been merged somehow."

"That's terrible. I'll be right over and drive you to the hospital."

"No! Don't do that. Please, Debbie, I don't want anyone to know about this. Swear to me you won't tell anybody."

"Okay, Cory, I swear. But please let me help you."

"Thanks, Debbie, but I really don't know what you can do." Cory sighed as he held a hand to his head. Feeling the pointed feline ears there, he lied his head on his arms and began to cry.

"Cory, wasn't Flint a female cat?"

The implication of her last statement hit Cory like a sobering slap in the face. "Debbie, I'll have to call you back." He disconnected, then sat with his legs spread. Exploring his genitalia with his hand, he was shocked to find his change there as well. Then he realized the difference of the feline anatomy, and realized he was sheathed. Reaching lower, he was relieved to find his testicles still there. Something was definitely different, however. Reaching still lower, Cory felt unfamiliar folds of flesh. "Oh shit." Taking a small mirror from the bathroom, he spread his legs and examined himself in more detail. The sight of a vagina was alarming at first, yet somehow intriguing. Carefully, shi explored himself with probing fingers. The sensation was strange, and even a little exciting. 'Wait a minute', shi thought. 'Let's not get carried away'. Shi sat up and began to explore hir body in detail, using hir hands and mirror. Hir chest was larger and softer than before. 'Oh my God, am I growing boobs'?

Feeling the need for an escape from this new reality, Cory opened the kitchen cabinet where shi kept hir booze. Shi pulled out a bottle of 12 year old single malt Scotch, and poured a generous serving over the ice in hir glass. Moving to the living room, Cory tried to get comfortable in a sitting position. It took a few tries, but shi managed to find comfort by curling hir legs on the sofa, and resting hir body on the arm of it. As shi sipped the whisky, shi watched hir tail as it moved about, just barely under control. About halfway through the second drink, this struck hir as quite funny. After two more drinks, Cory was soon snoring while shi slept in a dreamless sleep on the sofa.

It was dark when Cory was awakened by the insistent noise of the doorbell. As shi staggered upright, hir head began to throb. Without bothering to dress hirself, shi made hir way to the front door. Squinting as shi looked through the peephole, Cory recognized Debbie's face, then opened the door. "Uh, hi Debbie."

"Can I come inside? I don't think you want to stand around in the doorway."

Making hir way back to the sofa, Cory left Debbie to enter and lock the door. "Were you standing out there long? I was sleeping." Shi resumed hir previous position, and held hir head in hir hands.

"Yeah, for a few minutes. You had me worried; are you all right?"

"Other than being some kind of cat person with a hangover, I'm just dandy. I had a few drinks, and fell asleep." Cory raised hir head to look at Debbie with feline eyes. "You must think I'm such a freak. I don't know how you can even look at me."

"Oh Cory… I don't think you are a freak, just different." Sitting next to hir, she reached over to place a hand on hir shoulder. "I'll stick with you through this, Cory. I promise." Debbie leaned over and kissed hir furry cheek, then started giggling. "I'm sorry, but your whiskers tickle."

With a sudden flush of embarrassment, Cory turned away. Debbie sensed hir unease, and turned Cory to face her. "Don't worry, I just wasn't expecting that. Here, let me try again." Holding hir face with both hands, she kissed Cory on the lips, letting the moment linger. As Debbie pulled away, a smile spread across her face. "That was nice. I think I could get to like the new you." With even more intensity, she kissed hir, forcing Cory back into a reclined position. She lied upon hir body, feeling the furry body under her.

As unexpected as this was, it was welcomed by Cory. Hir tail rose from between hir legs, and twitched involuntarily. Cory's tail was not the only thing to rise, as shi became unsheathed. Feeling this, Debbie giggled again, saying, "I'm glad to see there are some parts that still work the same." Sitting up, she straddled Cory over hir knees, and examined hir erect member. "Well, well. I can't have this getting in the way. I'd better do something to take care of this new problem that's popped up."

Cory watched as Debbie stood next to the sofa, and removed her clothing. Her face showed a mischievous smile that seemed genuine and inviting. Taking hir tail in her hand, she playfully nipped the end, causing Cory to jump. For the first time since the change, shi laughed. Debbie straddled hir again; this time she positioned her body at a more appropriate location. She could feel his rough member as she slid her body onto hir. At first it was more sensation than she thought she could handle, but soon found it incredibly satisfying. Running her hands over hir body, she could feel the developing breast beneath hir fur. For some unknown reason, she was not displeased with this. She let her hands linger there as she moved her body up and down the length of his male anatomy.

Having Debbie fondle hir in this manner caused Cory to wonder, but the sensation was pleasant, so shi decided to just enjoy it. "That feels good, Debbie; though I am a little surprised you seem to enjoy it also."

"Yeah, it kinda surprises me too. I don't think I've ever had any lesbian urges, but you don't really seem feminine to me. Well, not totally anyway." She laughed as she continued moving along his member, becoming more and more aroused.

The sensations soon overwhelmed Cory. Hir body tensed as shi climaxed with a loud feline growl. Debbie found herself so turned on by this, she shivered as an orgasm gripped her in a sensual embrace. Lying along the length of Cory's body, she gently rubbed hir head as she enjoyed the feel of hir fur against her nude self. With a sigh of contentment, she tried imitating a purr.

Cory grinned at the sound. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No, not at all. I think I'm in love."

******

The next week had its highs and lows. Cory was using vacation time, but did not know how shi was ever going to keep his job. Debbie came by from time to time, bringing hir food and supplies. Her visits were always welcomed, and Cory's acceptance of hir new form grew greater each time. Debbie was turning into more than just a friend and lover. With every visit, Cory felt closer and closer to her.

At the beginning of the following week, Cory was out of just about everything edible. The thought of calling Debbie was the first thing that flashed through hir mind. Hesitating as shi reached for the keyboard, shi thought better of the idea. 'Sooner or later, I will have to learn how to fend for myself. I can't live like this forever, like some kind of invalid.' With hir mind made up, Cory dressed in some loose pants that shi had not yet modified with a cutout for hir tail. Debbie had been kind enough to leave hir a few blouses and bras that shi now felt comfortable wearing. After fully dressed, shi loosely wrapped a scarf around hir face, definitely giving a feminine appearance. A full length coat helped to conceal hir feet, as the problem of foot gear had not been overcome.

Once at the grocery store, Cory tied to act as normal as possible. Hir stride was not quite that of a human, being longer, more agile, and graceful, but the coat hid it well. As the cart wobbled through the aisles with it's one wheel that wouldn't track, Cory noticed a man that seemed to keep popping into view. Paranoia instantly enveloped hir. Feelings of flight began to overwhelm Cory, and hir eyes dilated as shi could feel the fur under hir clothing stand on end. Trying to get a sense of control, shi tightened the scarf around hir face, and moved to the vegetable counter. While picking out a couple of choice cucumbers, Cory caught the sight of an unfamiliar face in hir peripheral vision.

With a start, shi turned to face the stranger, trying to conceal hir face with the scarf. This was not well thought out, as hir hands were covered with fur.

The stranger smiled as he leaned forward. "Whoa… That's an awesome fursuit. Did you make it yourself?"

Taken aback by this man's strange attitude and statement, Cory was momentarily speechless. After a moment hir natural curiosity overcame hir hesitation. "Uh-- excuse me?"

"Your fursuit. It fits so well, and looks so natural. Geez, I've never had the guts to wear mine in public unless I was with some other fursuiters. I guess you're going to the con this weekend, aren't you?"

With hir confusion growing, Cory tried to play it off. "Yeah, I guess so. Where is it again?"

"You know, the Regent Hotel, downtown. It's going to be great. I'm Stealthmire, by the way. I sure hope to see you there."

The strange yet friendly man held out his hand with an obvious expectation of receiving a handshake. Cory looked at the outstretched hand, and hesitated before taking it in hir own. It felt strangely comforting to have contact with someone other than Debbie. It gave hir a sense of normalcy. As shi released his hand, Cory reached up and undid the scarf from around hir face. "Thanks. I'll be sure to be at the con. Hope I see you there," shi said with a wink.

The man had a look of astonishment on his face as Cory turned and left. This only heightened hir sense of amusement and curiosity.

After shi got home and put away the groceries, shi accessed the local city network, and looked up the information on the 43^rd annual anthropomorphic convention. Some of the terminology was unclear, but if sounded like a place where shi could at least blend in, and maybe even have some fun. Some of the pictures on the site had people she assumed to be fursuiters. Most were obviously costumes, but some were difficult to tell if they were or not. "The hell with it. I'm going."

******

As the day of the con approached, Cory became more comfortable with the idea of attending, even slightly excited. The night before, shi set out some clothes to wear, consisting simply of some extremely cut-off jeans, and a tight fitting red T-shirt, also cut off. The ensemble showed off hir new furry body in a quite flattering way, and shi was now looking forward to showing it off.

The next morning, Cory woke with a happiness shi had not experienced in such a long time, shi couldn't remember ever feeling this way. Shi drove hirself to the con, and was surprised at the treatment shi received. Maybe it was the furry body that was hir new self, or the sexy attire that barely covered strategic areas. Cory was escorted past the registration line, and given a special badge to wear, which shi clipped to the bottom fringes of hir cut-off jean shorts.

Wondering about through the different areas of the con, Cory could not help but notice the eyes following hir. This made hir feel even better than shi could imagine. Instead of a freak, shi was something special here. People always seemed to gather around hir, yet seemed almost afraid to approach too closely. After a while this became a bit frustrating, but then shi heard a familiar voice.

"Hi again. I was hoping I would see you here."

Even before turning around, Cory knew Stealthmire was behind hir. With a genuinely warm smile, shi turned to face the man that had made this experience possible. Without hesitation, shi wrapped hir arms around him in a very tight embrace.

"I'm glad you found me. I was hoping we'd meet again."

Stealthmire was not shocked, but still taken by surprise as this beautiful person held him. Shi felt so real. Not like the typical fursuiter felt when hugged. He wasn't entirely sure which sex Cory was, but really did not care. There was something about this person that just screamed at his senses, 'follow up on this.'

"You know, Cory, there is a drawing class starting in a few minutes. I'd bet my favorite plush that they would just love to have you model."

"Me… Model? I-- I've never thought of doing that. Do you really think so?"

"Cory, I bet you could charge money to have people draw you."

His flattery did not go unnoticed, and Cory blushed beneath her fur. "Okay, I'll do it. Where do we go? You are going to be there, aren't you?"

Stealthmire chuckled as he shifted uneasily. "Cory, you couldn't drag me away from there."

"Good. Let's go." Shi grabbed his hand in hirs, and they made their way through the crowd to the reserved room for the drawing class. There was already a session in progress, so they sat back and observed. The person in charge of the class had obviously taken notice of Cory when shi entered, but remained focused on the session until its completion.

As soon as allowable by etiquette, the instructor approached Cory. "Excuse me miss, but could I talk you into posing for our next session?"

Cory was now reveling in hir newfound sense of importance, hir old fears and self doubts a thing of the past. "Would you prefer clothes on, or off?"

Personally, I would prefer clothes off, but I think the students may be able to concentrate more on their skills if you left your clothes on."

The instructor was somewhat jovial as he said this, and gave the impression of it being his natural way. Cory nodded in agreement, then sat upon the platform provided for modeling.

After an encore sitting, the con began to wind down for the night. The instructor finally introduced himself by name, which turned out to be Sedric.

"Have you ever thought of being a touring model, Cory? I think you could make a bit of money at it." He gave her a look that seemed to transfer the thought, 'Is this fur for real?'

At first, Cory started to feel the familiar tendrils of paranoia reaching about her. Yet, the more she thought about what he said, and looked into his eyes, there was something right about what he was suggesting. This was a way to make a living with what shi was. Not only that, it had the merit of being fun. This certainly sounded better than the mundane existence of writing software, which was hir life before.

"Sedric, I think we may be able to come to an agreement. I'll definitely see you tomorrow. However, I have something planned for the remainder of the night."

Turning to Stealthmire, who had stayed the entire time, Cory walked over to him, and kissed him gently on the lips. "I really appreciate all you've done for me. Can I show my appreciation in a more, personal way?"

Stealthmire may not have been expecting any recompense, but he showed no surprise as he heard the enticing words from the person he had become so infatuated with. "Cory. I can think of nothing I want more than to just be with you."

"I'll take that as a yes." Shi took his hand in hirs, and bade him take hir to his room.

The feminine part of Cory was definitely being dominant now. As they stood at his hotel room door, shi told him of hir true self, and the sexual anatomy involved. Stealthmire said nothing, as he smiled while unlocked and opening the door. He made a slight bow as he waved his arm in an inviting gesture towards his room. "So much the better."