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Die Role, by SpectralWolf, October 2021

"She was an ordinary person... until she die'd."

Chapter 5: The tall, dark stranger

Karen Bright was a petite 18 year old timberwolf girl, just under five feet tall, with mostly white hair and fur. Her friend, Mia Chang, was a similarly small 27 year old Oriental Shorthair Cat girl, with black hair and fur. They had only known each other a few weeks, having met when Karen got a job working at the same store as Mia.

They both worked as sales associates and general assistants for an elderly red panda, Mister Chen. His store was called The Curiosity Shoppe, and it had been founded in 1908 by one of Mister Chen's ancestors, and passed down from generation to generation, usually with a nephew taking over from an elderly uncle. Oddly enough, each of the owners had also been known as 'Mister Chen', referring to them only by their family name. The shop sold a bewildering assortment of antiques, curios, and hard to find merchandise. Some of the rarest items which they sold were actually real magical artifacts. True, functional magic was considered a myth or a fantasy by most people. But when he hired Mia several years ago, and again later when he hired Karen, Mister Chen had proven to each girl that magic was a reality, by allowing her to try to use a magical bracelet, which granted the wearer the ability, with some mental effort, to change the color of their hair or fur. Unlike Mia, or even Mister Chen himself, Karen inexplicably could use the bracelet effortlessly, to do far more than anyone else had ever managed to do with it. Unfortunately, Karen had also recently encountered another magical artifact, strictly by accident - a cursed necklace that had been trapped in an old Chinese puzzle box, That necklace was causing all sorts of chaotic changes in her life - changes to both the size and gender of her body, as well as the gender identity of her mind and which gender she was attracted to. Most recently, it had made her switch from being a rather aesexual virgin with no real gender preference, to a definite lesbian who was feeling quite sexually attracted to her new friend, Mia! Mister Chen and Mia had been working with Karen every day since she was cursed, trying to help her to remove the curse, or at least learn how best to live with its effects. Around lunch time today, they would all meet at the shop, to continue working on Karen's magical problem.

On the previous day, Karen had seen some historic photographs from the 1920's, which appeared to show their employer as a thirty year old adult. But if that panda in the old photos really was the Mister Chen they knew, he must by now be over 130 years old!

Karen lived in a studio apartment on the same block as the store she worked at, above the kitchens of the Jade Dragon - a Chinese restaurant owned by Mia's family. Mia had a much nicer apartment, a few blocks away, on the far side of Chinatown. Karen had been Mia's house guest last night, after attending a late night gaming session with Mia's brothers, cousins, and one cousin's girlfriend. Now, having enjoyed a late breakfast cooked by Mia, the two girls walked from Mia's apartment to the Jade Dragon Chinese restaurant, which Mia's family owned, in hopes that some other old photographs there might shed some light on this mystery.

The Jade Dragon would open soon to serve lunch customers, but Mia's uncle and several of his employees were already there, supervising the delivery of fresh meats, seafood and vegetables for the kitchen. Mia greeted her uncle in Chinese, and then she and Karen slipped inside via the kitchen service entrance. They went to a small banquet room at the back of the restaurant. Most of the decorations were of the sort typically found in any Chinese restaurant in America. But in one corner of the banquet room, there was a collection of framed historical photographs and sketches, depicting the history of the restaurant, and of Chinatown. Mia believed a new clue regarding their employer's actual age could be found in those photographs.

Mia searched the old black and white pictures carefully, then pointed out two of them near the start of the display to Karen. "Here they are! That's my grandpa and grandma Zhou back in 1948, when they opened the restaurant. Most of the other people with them in that first picture would be family, or staff who worked for them. But their 'Mister Chen', who gave them a loan to help them to get started in business, is that red panda in the second row, on the left end. And here's another, closer photo of just the three of them - my grandparents and their Mister Chen - and you can see his face a lot better."

"Weird. He looks just like our boss, but just a little younger," Karen said.

Mia nodded and said, "yeah, but hear me out. So, this photo is from 1948. That was 67 years ago. From what I was told, our 'Mister Chen' took over the Curiosity Shop in 1970, when that guy in the photograph, his uncle, retired. Now, the panda guy in the picture you found at Shanghai Mikes looked like he was in his 30's in 1921. So he would be almost 60 in 1948, when these two photos were taken. Hummm... What do you think? This red panda looks like he might be 60, doesn't he? And in 1970, he would have been about 80, and more than ready to retire. So I think that works out right. I mean, yeah our Mister Chen and his uncle in 1948 sure do look a lot like each other. But the one in the old pictures has to be an ancestor. I mean, if it was all one guy - from the Prohibition era through today - he'd be at least 130 years old! And our Mister Chen, if he really was in his late 20's in 1970, like my grandparents say he was, then he'd be about 75 now? Isn't that about what you'd guess for our boss?"

"Oh, okay. I suppose that does work out," Karen agreed. The timberwolf girl still looked uncertain, but she added, "At least, it's much more plausible than our boss being 130 years old! But it still seems weird to me. That guy in the 1921 photo sure did look like our Mister Chen!"

Her feline coworker glanced at her watch, and said, "Well, let's go to the shop. He should be getting there soon. We could still ask him about it, if you want to. Come on."

===

Mia unlocked the front door to the shop, locking it again behind them. The shop was normally only open in the late afternoon on weekdays, and stayed open until near dawn. Although it was mid day, the only windows in the store area were at the very front of the shop, which left the deeper recesses of the store in deep shadows, unless someone turned on the lights. A dim light in the open doorway of the break room behind the cash register near the rear of the store indicated Mister Chen was probably already present, though they had expected to meet him downstairs, outside Mister Chen's magical workroom. Mister Chen was not a fully trained mage himself. He had studied the mystic arts, and he had great skill as a magical researcher, but he had apparently lacked some 'gift' essential to casting any sort of impressive spells on his own. His workroom was heavily protected with magical spells, cast for him by real mages who he sometimes worked with, to protect anyone outside of that secured room from any possible magical mishaps within it.

The old fashioned brass bell on the shop's door rang as the girls entered. Mister Chen's voice immediately came from the break room. "Back here, ladies. Come! We have a most special guest!"

The small break room table was set up with an ancient Chinese teapot, four tea cups, and four chairs. The only light in the windowless back room came from a single candle on the table. At first, Mister Chen was the only person Karen and Mia saw in the darkened room. But then a tall, slender stranger stepped out of the shadows. She was a fox with pure black hair and fur, wearing a black silk cheongsam dress with black embroidered decorations on it. Even her eyes seemed to be solid black! She looked intently at Karen, nodded once, and then immediately started talking to the wolf girl in Chinese.

"Eeep! Oh! You startled me! Mia? Help me out here? What did she say? Can you please tell her that I am very sorry, but I can only barely tell she's speaking Chinese, and tell her that the only word I think I understood of what she just said was some sort of 'hello' type greeting? And please add that I think maybe she said her name, but that part sounded more like Japanese?"

"Yeah, she just introduced herself, in Cantonese. Said her name is Keiko," Mia replied. "She wants..."

But before Mia could say more, the fox woman spoke a sharp phrase in Chinese to her, then looked again at Karen and this time clearly spoke in Japanese. When she stopped speaking, she looked expectantly at Karen, as if clearly wanting a reply from her, and her alone.

Karen glanced at her friend and at her boss. Mia was wide eyed, hands cupped over her mouth, and she looked decidedly frightened. Mister Chen looked calm, and said simply, "If you understood anything at all, and think you can reply to her yourself, even badly, please do so. She is testing you. She could be a valuable mentor, if she chooses to offer her aid to you. But she came a long way, very rapidly, just to meet you. Try to make a good impression."

Karen took a deep breath, and replied in rather uncertain Japanese, "Hello? I am... honored... meet you? Uhhh... My name Karen Bright. So sorry, but I do not speak good Japanese." Then she tried in English, "Do you speak English? I think you said your name is Keiko-sensi. That means you are a teacher, right? My name is Karen Bright. I'm afraid all I know of Chinese is a few words I learned while studying martial arts, and words used on Chinese menus. My very limited Japanese vocabulary is better, but that's just from watching anime and reading Manga comics. I am sorry I can not offer better to you, honored teacher. My friend Mia speaks fluent Chinese. She could translate for me, if you will permit it?"

The vixen smiled, and replied in perfectly accented English, "Yes, I speak English, and quite well." She inclined her head to Mister Chen, and added, "Ru-chan claimed you have no proficiency in Chinese, or Japanese. I wanted to test that for myself, therefore your friend speaking for you was unacceptable. If you had been able to reply to me, you should have been compelled to do so. I find it quite curious that you could not understand more, or reply better than you did. And even more curious is that you did not immediately reply with what little Japanese you can speak! Yes, this is most curious, indeed! Well, here, as another test, please open this parcel, and tell me if you can understand the writing in the small book which is inside it. Be warned, I will know, if you attempt to lie to me." She produced a white, paper wrapped parcel, about the size of a paperback book and tied with colored silk cords, and she handed it to Karen.

"I promise that I have not lied to you, ma'am. You could fit my entire Chinese and Japanese vocabulary on a single page of notebook paper," Karen said, as she accepted the package and examined it. The tight knots on the silken cords tying it shut gave her a little difficulty, but she soon had the small, leather bound book unwrapped, and the wrappings lying on the table. Then she flipped through the book, handed it back, and said, "I can't read any of it, no. But from the format, I would guess it is a book of poetry? What sort of test was that?"

The vixen passed her hand over the discarded wrappings, and Chinese words and symbols became visible on them. "Yes, it is just a common book of Chinese poetry. The test was the wrappings, which were warded magically, to prevent it from being unwrapped. And that only barely deterred you, which is exceedingly unusual. Particularly as I saw no evidence of you intentionally using magic to defeat those protections. You see, I am the mage who wrapped the necklace that you wear now. It is I who had sealed its wrappings, similarly, in many layers of powerful wards, which should have only been possible for anyone to open if they could read the Cantonese inscriptions in the wards, and consciously accepted the risk of ignoring the warnings of dire peril in each inscription. This time, the wards were hidden, which should have made it impossible for you to open it, without first revealing the writings on the wards - or else by deliberately negating the magical spells which I cast to create them. That you could open this parcel just as easily as you unwrapped the puzzle box is... most intriguing indeed!"

She paused, and her black eyes began to shine brighter than the candle flame, illuminating the room with an intense, acid green glow! Then she said, "I command you to speak truly. What training do you have in magic yourself? Are you aware of any mages in your bloodline?"

"None, and no one!" Karen insisted, sounding a bit exasperated, and holding up her right wrist. "Mister Chen recently gave me this magic bracelet, as compensation for being cursed by the necklace that you say you sent to him for examination. I can use it to change any aspect of my coloration, but I don't have a clue why it is easy for me, yet difficult for everyone else. Before he showed me the bracelet, I thought magic was the stuff of fantasy novels and role playing games. I swear, that is the absolute truth! In the last few days I've learned that magical artifacts are unusually easy for me to use, and that if I try, I can instinctively sense the presence of magic on things. But you're the only real mage I have ever met, and I've certainly never heard of anyone in my family with unusual abilities. Though, well, I really don't know anything at all about my father, or his family. He died when I was an infant, and mom won't even tell me his name. And that glowy thing you're doing with your eyes is really creeping me out, okay? Who... or perhaps I should ask, 'what', are you? You're some sort of real mage, I guess? No ordinary person has eyes that glow like that. I might be able to make my eyes glow, thanks to the bracelet's magic. It's something I never thought to try, before this. Is it because you're using magic to try to control me? I don't feel any different."

Keiko's eyes ceased glowing, and she looked thoughtful. "Really? You feel no compulsion to obey me at all?"

"No ma'am, none. I mean, I want you to believe me, and I have no reason to lie to you anyway... but I don't feel like you're forcing me not to lie," Karen replied thoughtfully.

"Truly fascinating!" the vixen said softly. "I used the same compulsion spell which easily silenced Mia, and which is still preventing her from speaking for you. I will release her from that spell now." She made a casual gesture in Mia's direction, and the cat girl gasped and visibly relaxed, but remained respectfully silent, with eyes downcast.

"Seriously, ma'am, I'm as baffled by this as you are," Karen insisted. "Ummm... should I try to lie to you? As a test?"

Keiko nodded, and said, "My command that you speak only the truth to me should, under normal circumstances, still prevent you from telling me any lies. I am not removing that compulsion, but yes, I want to know if you can deliberately lie to me right now."

Karen shrugged, and said, "Ummm. I'm a pink poodle from China, and I'm 137 years old!" She was quiet for a moment, then added, "I'm not, obviously. But I had no problem saying that just now. Maybe the necklace or my bracelet are somehow interfering with what you tried to do to me?"

"No... You just seem... naturally resistant to some forms of magic. Or you are able to use magic instinctively, without thinking about doing so. Either case is very unusual. Very few people can resist my magic so effortlessly." Then Keiko asked Mister Chen, "Ru chan? You are certain you trust her completely? Enough to reveal the greater mysteries to? Even... enough for me to reveal my true form?"

Mister Chen nodded and said, "In the few weeks that I have known Karen, the only fault she has shown is a rather intense curiosity, which led her to unwrap and play with the puzzle box that was supposed to safely contain that cursed necklace. She seems to have an innate, unconscious talent for magic, the likes of which I have never seen. You just saw for yourself some of what she can do, without any training. I believe we should, in fact I feel we must, see to her education and training in magic. Her own safety, and that of everyone around her, may hang in the balance. Her talent is awakening, and she must learn to control it. I trust both of these girls. I have already spoken to them about many magical secrets. Mia has no magic that I can tell. Less than I have, certainly. But she is a good girl, who honestly wishes to help her friends, and she has dealt well with learning that magic is real, in her time in my employ. Mia's family have been my friends for decades, and have always respected and protected my privacy, even without knowing me fully. Yes, you can speak freely to both of them. I would not have asked you to consider aiding her, if I did not. They both know enough about magic and 'folklore' already, that your true nature, or mine, should not be too shocking to them."

The vixen nodded, her eyes glowed green again, and her tail, swishing sinuously from side to side behind her, seemed to leave several physical after images in its wake. Soon her eyes ceased glowing, and she had seven tails in all, each independently swaying behind her.

"A fox with many tails! You're a Kitsune?" Karen exclaimed. "I've heard of those fox Kami - fox spirits who serve the Kami Inari, or the Kami Amaratsu, in the Japanese Manga and Anime that I enjoy. They're associated with Shinto shrines dedicated to those two 'nature goddess' Kami, right? And seven tails... you're over 700 years old? But... I've never seen a solid black one portrayed. Most of 'em are white. Aren't they?"

Mia's reaction was quite different. She cowered behind Mister Chen, and whispered fearfully, "Huli Jing! Fox demon! Beware, Karen! They are often malicious!"

Keiko looked amused. "You are both right... and both wrong, as well. Some of what you both know from stories, fairy tales, and folklore is true, but not all of it. Yes, I am a Japanese Kitsune, a Fox-spirit Kami. Many Kitsune in Japan do serve Inari, or Amaratsu. Those two names are different aspects of what you might consider to be a minor Japanese nature goddess. Inari is the Kami of a fertile rice harvest - as well as other forms of fertility; while Amaratsu is the Kami of the Sun - essentially the goddess you give offerings to when you seek favorable weather to raise your crops. When I was very young, I faithfully served as a Miko - a shrine maiden - at a Shinto temple dedicated to Inari - just as my mother did. But now I am a Nogitsune - a wild, untamed sort of Kitsune, subservient to no one, not even Gods. In China, they would call a rebellious fox spirit Kami like myself a Huli Jing, and would expect me to be a mischievous and sometimes malevolent lesser demon. I will admit, that for some of my Nogitsune kindred, mortals are wise to fear them. But the fact that my head remains unbowed to power does not inherently make me evil. I adhere to my own very strict moral code, and as Mister Chen can attest, I always keep my promises. You have given me no reason to harm you, and I promise that I shall offer you no serious harm, while you remain friendly to me. But you, Karen, must understand that learning Magic is not without peril. If you want me to teach you to use Magic, I can not promise I shall never hurt you. I can only promise that I do not intend any lasting harm to come to you, and that if you are hurt because of my training and testing, I will do what I can to aid your swift recovery. Fair enough?"

"Ummm, yeah, I can accept that. My martial arts instructor said something similar - that you can't learn the fighting arts without risking some injuries - especially when you're just starting out," Karen said. She glanced suspiciously at Mister Chen, and asked, "But was I right about your age? Are you really more than 700 years old? Can anyone really live that long?"

"I am, indeed. I was born in an insignificant village in Japan, in the late 13th century. In 1288, to be precise, as counted by your calendar. I still had only one tail in 1333, when Emperor Go-Daigo ascended to power, and went to war against the Kamakura Shogunate," Keiko admitted. "It was... at about that time when I ceased following Inari. Honestly, I would rather not discuss my reasons for leaving Inari's service. Suffice it to say that when I abruptly moved to China to study magic, I fell out of favor with Inari. I have seen many wars and revolutions, and had many friends die. Kitsune are not immortal, and we value the long lives we are blessed with. We normally do not involve ourselves in great conflicts, or in the affairs of normal mortals. But yes, there are a few magical species, such as dragons and Kitsune, who by their nature can live much more than a century. My own mentor in the magical arts was a Chinese dragon. She still lives today, and is over a thousand years old!"

Keiko quietly poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then continued speaking. "Most magical species naturally live much longer than the normal people you know. But we keep to ourselves, and try not to draw attention to ourselves. There are too many lesser beings who would crave to chain our power to work for them, or who would study and harm us, hoping to gain our power for themselves. That is why most people believe Magic is not real. We encourage that belief. It keeps us safe. And you would likewise be wise to remain cautious in who you allow to see you perform real magic!"

"I guess that makes a lot of sense," Karen said. She glanced suspiciously at Mister Chen, then asked, "But what about normal species, like the three of us? Can magic extend our lives as well?"

"Yes, it can. A mortal such as yourself can live far more than their normal lifespan, by certain magical means. But exceeding your normal lifespan usually has a cost which most people would not wish to pay, or you must do things which would not be acceptable in a civilized community," the Kitsune replied. "For example, most of what you probably have read about vampires or succubi can more accurately be ascribed to mages stealing excessive amounts of magical energies and / or life force from unwilling victims. And it does not have to be a wilfully malicious, intentional act. You have already been cautioned that if your use of instinctive magic draws too much power from someone near you, you could kill them. They would be your victim, just as surely as if killed by any vampire or succubus - even if you were not using that energy for self-rejuvenation. That is why you must be trained to use your magic safely."

"I see... Thank you, Keiko-sensi," Karen replied, bowing respectfully, as she would to her martial arts instructors. "I know that my cup is empty, when it comes to what I understand of real magic. I would be highly honored if you would agree to instruct me."

"I have not yet agreed to do so, but I am seriously considering it," Keiko replied. "You came here today, I believe, to further observe and study the changes the cursed necklace forces you to assume. I wish to observe these tests for a while, and to continue testing your innate talent levels myself. That will allow me to assess where you stand now, and your aptitude for learning from me. And it will give you time to make a more informed decision about tying your fate to mine. If we do not agree you are a suitable student for me, I can at least refer you to a few other mages who may be willing to train you, and whose methods and specialties may be better attuned to you. Shall we proceed?"

Mister Chen led them all to his basement workroom, and opened it for them. Once the door was closed, he offered Keiko a chair beside his own, and directly opposite where Karen would sit. Mia took the remaining seat, across from Mister Chen.

Karen stepped behind a screen, changed into an oversized silken robe, and joined the others at the central table. "No cot today?" she asked, as she took her place.

"We should not require it. I do not want you to force any of the numbers this time. Mia will stand behind you on the fourth roll, to steady you in your chair when you fall asleep and change," Mister Chen replied.

"So, the die can indeed be forced?" Keiko asked eagerly. "I suspected there must be a way to at least partially control it, but the few historical accounts I found of the artifact in use did not indicate any way to do so."

"Only to a limited degree," Mister Chen explained. "The necklace seems to allow some control, but it also mildly punishes the wearer if they do choose to avoid a fully random result. The person rolling the die can deliberately set it down with a specific number uppermost. The die then gives them a jolt similar to an electric shock, some sort of magical 'slap on the wrist', for trying to get a non-random result. But the result is accepted as valid. Do so a second time, however, and they get a much stronger jolt, any remaining rolls are skipped, and essentially null value, while the victim falls asleep, changes, and cannot be awakened again for half an hour. Their new form is also locked for the next 24 hours. No one can get the die out of its cage, to roll again. I have made copious notes, which I will, of course, share with you."

"We're approaching the time of day when I last changed yesterday," Karen said. "I feel no compulsion so far to uncage and roll the die, but we know I will soon, when we reach 24 hours since my last change. After that, the longer I try to fight the curse's effects, the stronger the compulsion becomes."

"This time, I wish to see if intentionally accepting chaotic results might be rewarded, in a similar measure to how the curse punishes forcing your desired results," Mister Chen instructed. "So, if you please, when you feel the compulsion and roll the die, I want you to focus your mind on some desirable aspect of the changes we have seen so far. Something that changes what you are now, yet is acceptable to you. Not a complete choice, where you try to force a specific and entire outcome, but just keeping well in mind one aspect that you would gladly accept as a change, while embracing that the rest of the changes shall be random."

Karen thought for a moment, then said, "Well, I kind of liked being big and strong, like when it first changed me into a guy. I wouldn't mind being Kraig again, but asking for that would be too specific, right? Still, I've always been smaller and weaker than most of my friends, and while being petite has its advantages as well, it kind of sucks to need help to move a heavy object that a bigger person could lift with ease. Come to think of it, the first night I rolled the cursed die, I had been thinking that when my break ended, I was probably going to need to ask Mia for help in moving a large packing crate that had arrived that day. But as Kraig, I could easily have done it myself."

"You may have influenced the previous changes without even realizing it," Mister Chen noted. "And you may wish to explain to Keiko-sama who Kraig is... as well as your other name."

"Oh! Sure thing!" Karen looked at Keiko and stated, "I've given names to each new form the necklace has changed me into, you see. 'Kraig Wilson' was what came to mind when I saw myself in a mirror as a big, muscular guy. And I used my bracelet to totally change his coloration to much darker than my own, so no one who saw me as a guy would suspect he was me. When it changed me into a petite femboy, my first thought was that I looked like my original self's twin brother, and I called him 'Kip Bright'. It occurred to me that no one in this town knew I was an only child, so pretending to be my own twin could explain the similar looks, without needing to change my coloring so much. And by then, I knew I didn't need to hide my transformation from Mister Chen, or from Mia. Oh! And here it comes, right on time! The compulsion is back, and pretty strong. Okay then, strong would be nice, but let the rest be random. And I won't force any one specific result. Let's do this."

They watched as Karen uncaged the die from the necklace and rolled it four times. Mia called out the results of each roll. "A seven. Another seven. This time, it's eight. And finally, a two. She's fallen asleep, and I can feel her getting bigger! It's working! She's getting stronger! Ohhhh, my! This is a new form! She's pretty hot looking, too!"

Karen was now a statuesque, muscular timberwolf woman. At least, her curves, which were clearly visible through the silken robe, implied that she was still female, just larger and more muscular. The necklace had reassembled itself as she transformed, and the caged die now rested between her ample breasts, in the open neckline of her robe.

Keiko noted the adoring look in the feline girl's eyes, and her own eyes began to glow, as she asked, "Mia? It seems you have feelings for her, beyond friendship? Are you mated to each other?"

The feline girl looked fondly at the timberwolf girl, shyly nodded, and said, "Well, kind of? We're still working out where we stand, but we... agree we do like each other, in a non-platonic way. We're certainly beyond being just friends, but we haven't done anything intimate... yet. In fact, she's... still a virgin. We... kind of want to wait, so we can resolve or understand her curse, first. In part, to be sure her feelings about me are real, and not just the curse screwing with her mind. You see, she... ummmm, she didn't say anything to me about how she felt about me, until after the necklace cursed her. But for my part? Yes, honored one, we have only known each other a few weeks, but I do have slowly growing romantic feelings toward her, regardless of which forms she assumes. And she knows this. And this new form? Yes, I find her very attractive."

"You may allay your concerns about the source of her affection for you. Her curse certainly can and does affect her gender preference inclinations and her libido. But it explicitly can not cause its victim to fall in love, nor can it cause anyone else to love them. If either of you are experiencing feelings for each other, beyond raw lust on her part, those feelings are genuine," Keiko stated. "Is your... potential... relationship expected to be monogamous?"

Mia began to look quite distressed, now fighting in futility against the compulsion to speak, as she suddenly realized she had no real control on how truthfully and openly she was speaking about her love life. "I... have... two other..."

Keiko immediately interrupted her and said, "You do not need to reveal to me who your other lovers are. I do not care about them. My question is specifically if either you or Karen would be bothered by the other taking on additional lovers. Continue, please."

Mia breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "I have already told her who my other lovers are, and she accepts that if we become a romantic couple, it will need to be an open relationship, so I can continue mating with those other lovers. How could I take offense, if she wished for additional lovers of her own?"

The Kitsune mage's eyes ceased glowing, and she said, "Thank you. I shall not embarrass you further, but I needed to know those things, as part of determining her suitability as a possible apprentice of mine. While I want to ensure she gets the training she needs, I do try not to disrupt the personal lives of my apprentices any more than necessary. You may awaken her now."

"Thank you, honored one," Mia replied respectfully, although she was clearly still quite afraid of how easily Keiko could control her. "Hey beautiful, wake up!"

Karen awakened easily when Mia spoke to her, and looked first at her hands and arms, and then at her chest. "Mummm hummm. That was actually a very refreshing nap! So, wow! I did get stronger, I see! Still female, in mind as well as body. Wait, let me check..." She slipped a hand inside her robe, below her waist, then grinned and said, "Yep! All girl down there, too!" As she spoke, the grey tones in her fur darkened, but only slightly. Her coloration patterns remained essentially the same, however. She stood up and stretched. Her size was close to what she became as Kraig, perhaps 5' 10' tall and 180 pounds, with pleasantly firm C-cup breasts and soft, feminine curves. Yet she was unquestionably strong and athletic in build. Not overly muscled, like an excessive bodybuilder, but definitely a statuesque Amazon of a woman.

"What is your name, in this new form?" Keiko asked abruptly.

"Kimberly Moonglow," Karen replied, without any hesitation. "I still know who I started out as, but that name feels right."

"And do you feel that is the right coloring for her?" Keiko asked.

"Have I changed my coloration too?" She glanced across the room to her reflection in the dressing mirror. "I... I guess so, yeah. Didn't intentionally change anything, though," Karen replied.

"So... you did not really give any thought to either the name or coloration, yet this is just what 'felt right'. You are certain you had not considered that name or appearance before? This form does not happen to resemble someone you already knew, does it?" Keiko asked. "Tell me, can you come up with any other name that you feel fits as well, or some different coloration?"

"Well, ummmm... Weird... I can think of lots of names, but no... nothing else feels right at all, other than maybe changing her hair color occasionally," Karen said slowly. "I... never really thought about the names or coloration I gave to my two male forms. But now that you mention it... Each name just sort of came to me, as did how they should be colored, and was the only thing that felt right! Is that significant?"

"Well, I have a theory about that, and yes, it may be," Keiko said. "As you changed, I was using a true sight spell to observe you. Now normally, whether a person is a shapeshifter, an illusionist, or a lycanthrope, true sight will still reveal what they originally looked like, before magic or any other action changed them. It should still show their 'at rest' condition, as it were. Then there are some species which have multiple 'true' forms, such as my own. I have this form, as well as a quadrupedal feral fox form, both of which are equally true as 'me'. So truesight shows both forms as true, for me, but if used on me when you first met me - while I was using shapeshifting to appear to be a normal, mortal fox - my additional tails would have been visible as a shadowy double image. What makes this relevant is that my true sight showed your previous form as 'true', but this form seems equally 'true'! Combined with you having such firm opinions about what name and coloring was 'right' for each form... Well, I believe what the necklace is doing is to change you into a form you naturally have in some alternate reality. As Kraig, you were born male, probably grew up with two parents, and retained your father's surname. As Kimberly, you were born female, but probably with a different father, whose surname you bear. While as Kip, I think he was a very close parallel to you, differing only in gender - the only son, or perhaps indeed one half of a pair of fraternal twins, born of the same single mother, growing up with her surname, as you did, and with his father quite possibly also being the same as yours. And in each of those alternate possibilities, you had the names and colorations you chose to give them here. Thus each of them is a 'true form' - true to the reality where that was how you exist! You see, a spell like that is actually somewhat easier to enforce on an unwilling subject, since, in a sense, it does not force them to become something they are not. For example, forcing you to be equine would require a much more complex spell, with a much higher rate of failure."

"So... does that mean when I change into Kraig here, that in some alternate universe, a 'Kraig' becomes a petite Karen?" Karen asked. "I've read fiction stories which had alternate universes, with different versions of a person in both, and somehow linked, so that idea isn't any more strange to me than the idea that magic is real, or that I am conversing with a real Kitsune."

"Perhaps. But more likely, the spells on the necklace may simply reference alternate versions of the wearer," Keiko said. "We would need to study the spells in greater detail, to be sure."

Karen went to the dressing room mirror which had been set up beside her privacy screen, and cautiously opened her robes to look at her new body. "Damn! I do look pretty good, don't I? Oh, and Mia? Yeah, my inclinations are still very much lesbian, and my desire for sex is even stronger than before. Not feeling like a nymphomaniac, exactly, but damn, girl! If we hadn't already promised each other to take it slow, until I get my situation figured out, well... let's just say my first impulse is to hug you and give you a really passionate kiss. And I wouldn't want to stop there, if you were willing!"

Mia looked dreadfully embarrassed, but admitted, "I... I'm glad you still feel so strongly about me, ummm... Kimberly. And I really like how you look in this form. But, please, do we have to discuss that right now?"

"Oh! Sorry! Of course not! Just, well, how the curse affects my sexual preferences and sex drive is part of what we are trying to figure out, right? So I had to say something," Karen replied. She looked back at Keiko, and said, "Looks like I am about as tall and strong as when I was Kraig, but female this time. Built like a buff amazon, but definitely feminine. So, did your observations so far help you to figure anything else out?"

"Your randomized changes in physical stature and gender are certainly caused by the necklace. What I observed was what I expected, aside from the twist I mentioned earlier, that the new forms seem to be versions of you from alternate realities. But the necklace can not be the reason for how easily you control the bracelet, as you initially showed that ability well before the necklace arrived here. Then there is the way you swept past warding spells that you did not even suspect were there, and your resistance to my compulsion spells. The most likely explanation is that you possess a very strong natural talent as a mage, coupled with a very strong sense of willpower and determination. While some individuals are precocious, and develop much earlier in life, mage talent most often does become apparent at about your age - somewhere between the start of puberty and achieving physical maturity. And sometimes an external event or magical exposure can be the initial trigger. I believe that your bracelet was the first real magic you came into contact with, and that it triggered something within you."

"But why me? No one in my family even believes in magic, let alone being good at it," Karen asked.

"But you never knew your father. And your mother can't tell you very much about him. Correct? Then for all you know, he could have been a mage, and you could have inherited his level of talent. Or perhaps you surpassed him already, echoing an earlier ancestor's abilities. And certainly, what I have been told of your life before you worked for Ru chan implies a strong sense of willpower and dedication to your chosen goals. You wanted to open both parcels, and you cared little for the consequences. That may have enabled you to bypass wards which required you to understand and accept the consequences of bypassing them. Likewise, a strong willpower and a strong ability to envision a desired outcome are key elements in making any sort of magic work. Magic is literally often defined as making changes to the pyysical, observable world by entirely non-physical means - by tge force of your will alone to make it so," the Kitsune mage patiently explained. "Regardless of how you attained magical gifts, you must still be properly trained to control your abilities. Most of the magic you did tonight on your own was purely instinctive, done without regard for the method of achieving your desired results, and more importantly, without regard for where the power would come from to achieve it. That is why I accepted Ru chan's request to consider you as an apprentice."

"I understand, sensi," Karen replied. "Ummmm... You keep using that very familiar "pet name" for Mister Chen - 'Ru chan'. Are... you two... related, somehow? Or in a relationship with each other?"

Keiko looked quite amused at the question. "Ru chan and I? He isn't secretly another Kitsune, if that was what you suspected. It is just that we have known each other for much longer than you might imagine, and he was once subservient to me. I am the mage he apprenticed himself to, when he hoped to become a mage himself. And he worked exclusively for me as a magical researcher after he failed at mage training, for many years. But he and I? As a couple? Oh, no, my dear, I can assure you, he has absolutely nothing to offer me as an intimate companion." She looked at Mister Chen and added, "I have not intruded on their personal thoughts, but they clearly have other suspicions about you. They are your employees, so it is for you to address that, or not, as you see fit."

The elderly red panda nodded, and said to the two younger girls, "You may ask what you wish of me. You have both earned my trust."

"And we trust you as well, sir," Karen replied. "But, well, there are some photos we have seen, at Shanghai Mike's restaurant, and at the restaurant Mia's family owns, which seem to depict you when you were younger. But the dates for those photos don't make sense! You'd... well, you'd have to be a lot older now than ought to be possible, if they really are you. They were, like, during the prohibition era!"

"I thought they must be an ancestor, like, the old uncle who ran your shop before you. My parents and grandparents have known you since you were a young man." Mia added. Then she glanced nervously at Keiko and said, "But that was before I met a 700 year old Huli Jing, who says she knows you as an old friend! Sir, if you are... If you're really over 130 years old... we won't tell a soul. But we sure would like to understand."

"At Shanghai Mikes, you say? And at the Jade Dragon? I thought I had obtained and destroyed all of those. They must have put others on display," the red panda replied calmly. "But yes, you may have found prohibition era photographs of me, appearing to be in my early 30's. I supplied whisky to the speakeasies back then, and I am also the same Mister Chen who aided your grandfather Zhou, when the Jade Dragon restaurant was founded in the 1940's. I am also the same Mister Chen who founded the Curiosity Shoppe, in 1908. Long before your grandparents were born, Keiko-sama provided me with a magical means of prolonging my life, and restoring my youth."

"So... you're as immortal as she is?" Karen asked.

"Not immortal, no," Mister Chen insisted. "Most of the time, I age and am subject to injury, illness and even death, just as you are. But as I approach old age, or if I become badly injured, or if I become terminally ill, I begin to set the stage for a 'younger relative' to take my place. Then I use an artifact which Keiko created exclusively for me, which allows me to restore my body to exactly as it was when I was 27 years old. But establishing a new identity each time I renew my life is difficult, without arousing suspicion. So I do it as infrequently as possible. And the initial cost to me, personally, to gain that ability to renew my life, was... quite high."

Keiko nodded, and said, "Ru chan tried for eight years to learn the magical arts from me. His scholarship was commendable, but he lacks an essential part of the mage gift - the ability to draw upon his own energies or other energy sources at sufficient levels to power useful as magical spells. He could master basic cantrips, such as igniting small flames at a distance, or creating light in the darkness. But he could not channel a sufficient amount of energy for more useful spells. Eventually he almost killed himself, attempting to please me with his progress, when he ended up inadvertently draining his own life force rather than admitting failure while trying to summon a minor elemental. I kept him on as a magical research assistant, and after a few years, having swiftly become unwilling to lose his valued services when age eventually would take him from me, I offered him a boon. I could create an amulet, which he could use to summon a demon which would be willing, occasionally, to restore his youth and health. In return, Ru chan would owe me 200 years of dedicated service as my research assistant. But he would also have to agree to whatever terms the demon required of him, payable the first time he actually used the amulet."

"I heard her terms, and the demon's terms, and I agreed, though I delayed using tge amulet for as long as I could. When I was nearing death for the first time, I used the amulet and became young again," Mister Chen continued. Then he stood, and opened the front of his robes as he said, "Keiko spoke literally when she said I had nothing to offer her as an intimate companion. The demon took from me my libido, and my genitals. Nothing I could once do, sexually, has any appeal for me now. I suppose he had some other hellish agreement with another mortal to fulfill, to restore a man''s sexual abilities. It was a fair trade, I suppose, for nearly eternal life. To be honest, my love life had never been noteworthy. And it certainly removed a distraction from my research efforts! It has allowed me to live for over 460 years, and to amass a fortune in physical assets, and untold wealth in terms of knowledge."

Karen and Mia stared in mute surprise at their employer's groin. Where his genitals should have been, there was merely smooth, furless flesh, with a tiny slit for his urethra. Neither male nor female attributes were present.

"Wow... yeah, I guess most people would not have agreed to that!" Karen replied. "Thank you, sir, for entrusting us with this knowledge. I will do all I can to protect your secret."

"As will I," Mia said, bowing and averting her eyes. "That goes for both of you, of course. Honored ones, please do what you can, to help my friend."

Keiko nodded, looked at Karen, and said. "If I accept you as my apprentice, you would be bound to serve me for your mortal lifetime. Once you learn to control your magic properly, that service will most likely be as a field agent for me, living your own life as you see fit, but occasionally going on various quests as I see fit to assign for you. How long your training will take will depend on your aptitude, which seems quite promising. I would allow you some time each week to live your normal life, with your companion Mia, if that pleases you. And Mia, or some other companion of your choosing, would be able to visit you most of the time while you're with me. I would even require them to visit, on some occasions."

"That sounds good, so far. So would I have to go with you to China? I just signed a long term lease..." Karen asked.

"Much of the training could take place in this room. But some of it certainly will require you to travel to distant places with me," Keiko replied.

"And you may take as much time off as you require, from your duties here in the shop," Mister Chen added. "Your pay will remain the same. I will consider your training time to be a large benefit to me, as well. When you complete your training, your skills will certainly prove useful."

"Okay, I was wondering how I would be able to pay my rent and other bills, while doing mage training too," Karen said. "I guess I am good with all of that, so far."

"Then I have only one other question to ask you, Kimberly," Keiko said with a grin. "You are currently a virgin, I understand. Yet you are, for now at least, clearly attracted to another woman, your friend, Mia. You should know that sex magic is a powerful tool for any mage, but especially for us women. Would you accept occasionally being my lover, and also mating with others as I direct? And you, Mia, will you accept occasionally participating sexually with both of us, as Kimberly or her other forms learn sex magic during their training?"

Karen took a deep breath, then said, "I can't speak for Mia, but as long as I don't have to get pregnant, I will accept your requirements, and I would enjoy Mia's participation, as well, if she is willing"

Mia hesitated only for a moment before stepping beside Karen, placing an arm affectionately around her friend's waist, and saying, "I also accept, with the same restriction about refraining from pregnancy. For my part, I do need to spend enough time here to keep up appearances with my family that my life is continuing as normal. As for the sex you propose... I... well, my own sexual tastes are pretty flexible. And I already have had a lot of unusual sexual experiences. I can't imagine what sex magic will be like, but I appreciate you allowing us to explore this together." She looked shyly at Karen and said, "Keiko-sama has assured me that in spite of any other stuff the necklace does to you, it can't make you love someone. If you feel like you really want to date me romantically, and not just be your fuck buddy, then that feeling is real."

"Yeah, I don't just want to get laid. I want to try being a real lover to you, with... all of my forms!" Karen assured her friend. She returned her friend's embrace, kissed the feline girl passionately on the mouth, and said, "Then I guess us being intimate girlfriends is an official thing, as of now? No more hesitation? I'm good with that, if you are."

"Yeah, I guess so," Mia replied breathlessly. "Though we have to decide which one of your forms will publicly be recognized as my girlfriend or boyfriend."

"We"ll work that out, somehow. Most likely, the next time I look like Karen again, we can announce it to our friends and family. She's the only one with a legal identity, so far, right? No one but us knows Kraig, Kip or Kimberly exist," Karen replied. Then she turned to the Kitsune, and said, "Okay then! Keiko sensi, we place ourselves in your care. Let's discuss the fine details."

"Your formal induction into my service, and your first lessons, can wait until tomorrow," Keiko replied with a grin. "Tonight, I think you two need to explore the new aspects of your relationship with each other. I shall return tomorrow, at midday. And Kimberly? I will not be at all disappointed if you are no longer a virgin, when next we meet!"

===

Mia led Kimberly back to her apartment. They had about three hours to kill before they had to return to the Curiosity Shoppe to work, and there was much to discuss in private, between them.

Once in the apartment Kimberly was eager to kiss Mia again, and more. But after another deep, passionate kiss, Mia insisted, "Simmer down, girl! We don't have to jump right into bed, do we?"

"Well, no, of course not," Kimberly replied, looking embarrassed. "But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to."

"And what about your promise to your mother?" Mia asked chidingly.

"Well... I never promised to be celebate. Just to not rush into heavy relationships, where I might get knocked up and abandoned, like she did," Kimberly stated. "You're certainly not going to get me pregnant! And mating with me as Kraig or Kip, your birth control would keep you safe from that as well."

"True. But do you want to lose your virginity to me, or to a guy?" Mia asked. "I do have a good canine strap-on, which even has an inflatable knot. Karl bought it for me, to fuck Jung's ass with. And I always clean it afterwards with antiseptic soap. Or either you or I could do it with one of my other dildos. But it would probably be a more pleasant memory for you, if you let a guy fuck you. A real cock feels a lot better than any dildo, and you've usually not been strictly a lesbian, when you are a woman. Mister Chen could get you on a birth control implant, like he did for me. I guess that would stay with you through any changes, since the stud earrings in your ears stay with you when you change. But you'd still need to take other birth control measures for about a week, to give the hormones time to make you infertile."

"Oh? Well I guess that makes sense. I just wish there was a faster way," Kimberly said, with a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe there is?" Mia replied. "Don't you think that it is likely that some of that 'sex magic' that Keiko mentioned includes birth control spells? Didn't she say Inari was a fertility goddess? Even if she no longer serves Inari, I bet she knows magic to control fertility."

"Oh! Good idea!" Kimberly replied enthusiastically. "I bet you're right about that. But she's almost certainly left the shop by now, and I have no idea how we could find her before she meets us there, tomorrow. Oh well! Who knows what I will be after the next change? I guess if I can manage to wait until the die makes me a straight or bisexual version of either Karen or this Kimberly form. It probably would be more fun to lose it with a guy. Hey! Do you think your brother, Karl, would be willing to 'do the deed for me, either as Kimberly or as Karen? He seemed quite smitten with me as Karen."

"Karl will fuck almost anyone, as long as it is consensual. And he'd damned good in bed," Mia said with a laugh. "If I explain to him that you're my girlfriend now - either as you are, or as Karen - he could easily be talked into joining us for a threesome, and not be expecting to keep you on his string. Jung would likely also be happy to oblige you. He doesn't currently have a girlfriend, and he was flirting with Karen as much as Karl was. But of course, he has a barbed feline cock, which you might not enjoy as much as I do."

"Oh, right, I forgot that you mentioned that barbed stuff! I... suppose I could give that a try, eventually. But I'm a wolf, so some sort of canine cock would probably feel best for me. So we will talk to Keiko and Mister Chen, and probably your brother Karl, before we try to pop my cherry. But meanwhile, girlfriend..." Kimberly hugged Mia and gave her another passionate kiss, then said breathlessly, "Why don't you show me how well a girl like you can get a girl like me off? I know from the bodice ripper novels I have read that it involves licking each other's pussies, but I don't know any details about techniques."

Mia's submissive nature responded well to Kimberly's rather forceful request. She could feel her crotch already starting to get wet in anticipation, as she slipped out of her dress, assisted her virgin girlfriend to remove her clothes, and lead the statuesque timberwolf girl to her bedroom. "That will be my pleasure... 'Mistress'! Come to bed with me for a few hours, then, and we'll have fun together until it is time to get dressed again and go to work!"

To be continued...