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Sunday, January 4th, 2026

First entry in this journal, if you can count a Mogul Doc as a journal. I think the last time I tried keeping a journal was back in middle school. Now here I am halfway through my junior year of university starting one the day before classes begin for the semester. My name is Skye Taylor, and this is my journey.

I’m going to have to show a lot more dedication this time. I’ve done a lot of research over winter break into the Sapien community and there was an overwhelming consensus that keeping a journal of the journey was important. Not just for yourself, but to share with others considering going through the Chimera Protocol. I read a few and they helped me to come to my decision to go through with it.

Thinking back, for as long as I can remember the Sapiens have been a thing in the world, but in my little corner of Maine they were just something in the news or on MeTube. Even among the vacationers and tourists (who honestly accounted for half the homes in our little town) I think I was in high school before I saw a Sapien (I think he was a fox) in town during the summer.

It wasn’t until I started here at the University of Maine that I was really exposed to Sapiens. Although still a minority of the facility and students, there’s a lot more here in Orono than back home. I did my best not to stare, but when you’re sitting next to a husky in Math 180, it’s hard not too. At least Sean was understanding enough and we became friends. He’s actually a second generation Sapien, as both of his parents were early participants in the protocol.

The more Sapien’s I talked to over my first two plus years here, the more I realized it was a life I’ve always desired, even if I couldn’t put it into words. When the Fall semester ended I decided it was time to get the ball rolling and tell my parents. That talk went honestly better than I thought it would. You just make assumptions about your parents, especially if they act publicly like any other rural Maine small town citizen. It turns out my dad is actually an “old school furry”, his words. He even drove all the way down to Pennsylvania to go to a convention before he met my mom. Thankfully, he didn’t have one of those suits. Man, they are cringey as hell now in a world with Sapiens! Anyway, dad never really identified with a single animal, He just liked the concept, but he had lots of online friends who have gone through the Chimera Protocol, and I have his full support.

Mom was, well, worried. Then again she was worried about me going all the way out to Orono for university. I think worrying about me and my brother is just her hobby sometimes. Although she didn’t have any connection to the old furry community, she’s always been a strong believer that people should be able to fully embrace their true selves. Sometimes I forget she grew up in a hippy commune given how well she ran the family business.

With the support of my parents I put in to start the pre-screening and (hopefully) the compatibility tests. Maine Med is now offering access to the Chimera Protocol. That’s where I will be going for any in-person parts of the screening. It does mean getting myself out to Portland, but considering the next closest location is in Toronto, I’ll take it. I’ll be heading out there on Thursday after classes to officially kick things off. For now I’m going to enjoy some pizza with my roommates and then try to get to bed early for that eight AM class I ended up getting stuck with.

Thursday, January 8th, 2026

I’m back from my trip out to Portland. I thought I had already filled out the bulk of the forms and questionnaires ahead of time, but I was wrong. I spent about an hour with a nurse confirming my medical history, which I understand, they have to make sure everything is accurate before they can even begin to assess my physical and mental well being for the protocol. After that, I sat down at a terminal and I spent at least another hour going through a battery of psychological tests. By then I was feeling tired and hungry. All I had time for was a can of soda before I was meeting with Dr Jonathan Tassone, the man, or rather, the wolf who will be overseeing me through the process. It was a relief that he is a Sapien, I feel more comfortable with the fact that he’s already gone through everything for himself.

What I didn’t know about Maine Med is that it’s a teaching hospital, so as such there will be med students observing me and the other candidates for the Chimera Protocol. I’m not bothered by it, after all the best way for a student to learn is to be exposed to the real thing. Dr Tassone was able to schedule telehealth appointments for me to save on the number of trips I will have to make out to Portland, which I greatly appreciated. So far, everything looks good to continue forward, but Dr Tassone reminded me that the pre-screening takes half a year for a reason. I understand this, but it’s important to remain patient, this is the real world, I just don’t get zapped with a ray gun and become a pine marten version of myself.

Still, the first real step of my journey started today, and since it’s Thursday I think I’m going to go out and celebrate. Sean is apparently putting together a kick-off party for me. It’s really sweet of him, especially since he was born this way and didn’t have to go through all of this to get his fluffy butt. I better get going, I am the guest of honor after all.

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026

I had my first telehealth appointment with Helen, a species dysphoria therapist. I think it went well. There were no hard hitting questions or ruthless interrogation. Why would I even worry about something like that? We spent a lot of time talking about how I first started to feel becoming a Sapien was the path for me. She seemed kind of surprised that my parents were supporting me, but I didn’t go into detail about my parent’s past. She did take it as a positive thing as even today families tensions can run high when it comes to this. And I can understand that, having a daughter who wants to become a Sapien pine marten is a lot to process. I just lucked out really, and I am so grateful for that.

Helen asked if I had a plan for going through the initial procedure. I explained that assuming everything in pre-screening went according to plan, I would have most of the summer break to recover from the initial sickness the retrovirus would cause. I was planning to isolate myself in a small cabin my family has on our land and just binge watch old DVDs while I recovered. She laughed at the last part, but seemed pleased I had given some thought to the “Chimera flu” aspect of the protocol. We scheduled another appointment in two weeks before ending the call. I think so far everything is going smoothly.

*Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 *

I had to go into Maine Med today for a battery of physical tests. I think they sampled just about every fluid they could out of my body. On top of that, I was scanned by multiple machines. Apparently, there are certain bone and organ defects that don’t affect your life as a baseline human, but can cause serious problems when transitioning to being a Sapien. There were no immediate red flags, so that’s good. Dr Tassone will get back to me with the more detailed results, but so far I am a very healthy woman, so at least I have that going for me.

*Monday, February 16th, 2026 *

Not much to update really. The initial tests all came back good. My sessions with Helen have gone well and she is signing off on her part of the pre-screening. I’m being recommended to a specialist, Dr Madilynn Harvey. Unfortunately she’s in New Hampshire. I will have to schedule a trip to her office for the initial interview, but after that I should be able to meet with her via telehealth. I don’t have an exact date yet, but it should be sometime in March.

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026

I’m writing this from my Aunt Theresa’s house. I am staying the night here before driving back to Maine tomorrow morning. It’s great timing because it’s her birthday. The session with Dr Harvey was intense. We spent a long time talking about my childhood. I think she couldn’t believe the most traumatizing thing that ever happened to me growing up was when my brother accidentally hit me with a baseball bat when I was eight. It wasn’t his fault, by the way, I walked up behind him while he was swinging. Anyway, as the session came to a close, she explained that undergoing the Chimera Protocol should not be done as a way to overcome repressed trauma, and it was important to identify if there were any lingering issues.

I get it, I really do, but man it felt at times like I was being interviewed as a murder suspect there. Thankfully, I can just relax tonight with Aunt Theresa and a couple bottles of wine before I head back to campus.

Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

I can’t believe what happened last night!

I was out at Donavin’s Pub in town celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a group of friends. There was a live band and Sean was trying to convince the rest of us to drink that disgusting stout beer. It was a great night, and then everything went to hell. I went to the bar to get a round of Irish Cream for me and the other girls and then these two huge guys came out of nowhere and grabbed Sean. They pulled him out of the bar and they beat the hell out of him.

There were cops nearby, probably just looking for any drunks causing problems, they weren’t expecting a hate crime. They pulled the bastards off of Sean before they could kill him, thankfully. I just got back from visiting him in the hospital. He’s bruised and cut from the fight, they had to shave away patches of his fur to stitch him up. What was even worse was seeing the looks on his parent’s faces. I know there will always be assholes out there who can’t help but hate anyone different, but there's a huge line between that, and pulling a guy out into the streets and beating him.

Looks like I do have some trauma to discuss with Dr Harvey now. Just great.

Friday, March 20th, 2026

Dr Harvey squeezed me in for an emergency telehealth appointment today. I admit I broke down on the call when I was telling the story. She was really great at helping me to get everything out, and then helping me to work through everything I was feeling. In the end though, it only made me want to do this more. I’m not about to allow a pair of bigots stop me from living the life I want.

Monday, March 23rd, 2026

Sean is out of the hospital. He’s still a little roughed up, and it will take a while for his fur to fully grow back, but it’s great to have him back in school. When we had some time alone, he asked if I was still going forward with my plans after what happened. I let him know after seeing that I’ll be glad to be less human. Sean laughed at that. I let him know it upset me, but seeing any of my friends dragged out into the street like that would have done the same thing. He said he understood where I was coming from, but he didn’t want me to feel obligated in any way on his behalf. He really is a great guy, I’m lucky to have him as a friend.

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

Next week is spring break. I’m not planning on going anywhere this year. Instead I’m going to work on the cabin. Dad says it really needs a new roof, so we’re going to take care of that and then do any other clean up or maintenance it needs. That way when summer rolls around I can just convalesce there in peace and not worry about anything. My brother, Eliot, said he found some newer electronics and appliances, and even if I don’t want them, he’ll want them in the cabin for himself.

I’m looking forward to spending the time home with my family. I’ve got the rest of my life to hang out on the beach somewhere warm after everything is completed. Anyway, I have a paper I need to finish before the end of the night.

Sunday, April 12th, 2026

I’m back from home. It was a great week actually. Not only is the roof replaced and other repairs made, the old cabin got a bit of a face-lift courtesy of Eliot and me. We spent a lot of time talking, and he said he’s actually proud of me for what I’m going through. He’s perfectly happy in his own skin, but if he wasn’t he doubted he could go through with it. Eliot was confident he’d crack before they even got to the physical. I’d say he was over exaggerating, but having to fill out forms for college is the big reason he went into a trade instead of higher education. He made it clear that he would always be my big brother, no matter what I ended up becoming. It was at that point I realized I never told him what animal I was choosing for myself. When I told Eliot it was a pine marten, he just nodded and said, “that makes sense, you always loved those little weasels.” We then had a stupid sibling argument over the differences between pine martens and weasels.

He’s a dork, but I love my brother.

Tuesday, April 28th, 2026

I had my last session with Dr Harvey yesterday, and today I got word her recommendation to proceed was received. All my medical screening has passed with flying colors as well. I will have one more meeting with Dr Tassone before I head back home for the summer. After that I’ll really just be waiting to schedule for the retrovirus procedure. I’m so excited right now, but I have final projects coming up, not to mention finals to study for. That will keep me distracted until the end of the semester at least.

Thursday, May 21th, 2026

I just finished my last exam today. I think I did well enough. Of course now that finals are done, I’ve got nothing to distract me from the wait until I can actually begin the Chimera Protocol. I think I’ve been patient since I got the ball rolling back in January, but now it’s in the so close yet so far territory that I’m really feeling the wait. I really should be more patient, I know. Especially given that the full process will take at least a year, most likely more. But at least then I’ll be seeing changes, unlike the pre-screening process.

Monday, June 1st, 2026

I HAVE MY PROCEDURE DATE!!!!

Oh my god! This is so exciting, after six months I have an actual scheduled time set on the calendar. June 16th is the day, just two more weeks. Sean and his parents have offered to drive me to Portland and back. Since they are already Sapiens I don’t have to worry about being contagious around them. I know it’s only through fluid transfer, but a sneeze in a confined car can do just that. Mom is out shopping, getting all kinds of food to stock the cabin with. At least she’s managing her worry in a productive way. Dad’s been like a rock for me, keeping calm and cool as everyone else gets excited.

I brought a box full of DVDs up to the cabin today and when I was pulling them out of the back of my car, I turned and saw a pine marten watching me from a stump. I stared back and smiled until he ran away back into the brush. I took that little interaction as a good omen.

Tuesday, June 16th, 2026

I’m writing this from the Chimera Infusion Center at Maine Med. That sounds pretty intense, but in reality it’s not. It’s not a futuristic sterile white room with holographic monitors, or a giant tank that I’m supposed to be suspended in. No, it’s a boring little room with a comfortable reclining chair, an IV pump, and a television. I’m not even in a hospital gown, though I am wearing a pair of the grippy socks. So far it’s just saline dripping into my arm and I had to take a course of oral medications before the retrovirus is administered. So far I’m just flipping through the channels and figuring out what I want to order for dinner (hospital food, yay).

Here comes Dr Tassone, looks like it’s starting

I’m back. It was so strange after all this time and buildup it was just another bag hooked up to the IV pump and a few button presses to start the drip. Something so utterly life changing can look so mundanely boring. I don’t feel any different, not even any tingling where the needle goes into my vein. I know I shouldn’t feel anything, not even sickness for like another day or so, but still.

The first bit of waiting is over, now comes the next bit. For now I’m just going to put on the retro-station and zone out with some old sitcoms until dinner time.

Wednesday, June 17th, 2026

I slept better than I thought I would in that chair. Pushed all the way back it was pretty comfy. Sean was there as I checked out and he walked me to the car. I wasn’t feeling sick just yet, but he told me he could already smell the cold coming on. Heh, I wonder if my nose will be half as good as his this time next year. His parents, Mr and Ms O'Rilley asked how I was feeling, no surprise as they had gone through it. Apparently it was a lot rougher on them the day after than it is now, that’s what the meds I was given apparently help with.

The O'Rilley’s had a cooler full of water and sports drinks to keep me hydrated, which also meant a few pit stops on the way back home. As we were getting close to home, I was starting to feel a little less than great. I didn’t throw up, but I was feeling queasy. Thankfully we got to my home before things got worse. Sean helped me into the cabin while his parents went to go talk to mine. By the time I was sitting on the couch, I was starting to feel a chill, even though it was a pretty warm day, at least by Maine standards.

Sean was a total sweetheart, he got me wrapped up in a blanket and brewed a huge mug of tea for me to sip on. I had to stop him from making me a sandwich, I wanted to make sure my stomach was fully settled, though I know I have to keep up my calorie intake for when things really start to kick in.

I passed out watching a movie with Sean, but when I woke up the “Chimera Flu” was in full effect. I was sneezing, coughing, and my nose was practically oozing mucus. Sean did his best to make me comfortable before he had to leave with his parents. Mom and Dad video called me to check in on me. Mom was worried, and I couldn’t blame her, I felt like shit. I knew this was coming, and I knew what was waiting on the other side. For now I’m just going to snuggle up on the couch with a big mug full of chicken noodle soup, a carton of orange juice, and start making my way through the Lord of the Rings extended edition.

Thursday, June 25th, 2026

I just realized it’s been over a week since I updated. Things have not been fun in the cabin. I thought I had things under control for the first twenty four hours, then the double whammy of vomiting and diarrhea kicked in. I couldn’t keep anything solid down for three days straight. It was miserable, and the worst part was being alone. All I could do was try to stay hydrated and keep my electrolytes up. Eventually, it shifted to just diarrhea. Not great, but at least I could eat something remotely solid again.

Then the muscle aches and pains started to kick in, along with the headaches. Some over the counter medicine helps take the edge off of it, but it’s still there, even laying down still on the bed. I moved the hot water kettle to the coffee table so I could make cup-ramen without having to get up to the kitchen. Even shifting my legs hurts.

For anyone reading this, you really have to prepare yourself for this, it sucks so bad! It’s not just “oh, it’s like the flu,” it’s more like, “the worst flu ever and week one is just the beginning of hell.”

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

I don’t know if the pain is actually less, or I’ve just gotten used to it. At least I can actually prepare food in the kitchen again, as long as I’m quick. After everything, a frozen pizza is like heaven, even if I can barely taste it with my nose all stuffed up. I think I can get through this, but the next few weeks are going to be the longest in my life.

Saturday, July 4th, 2026

No barbecue by the lake for me this year. My brother did leave a little care package for me on the porch. He even included a couple of fireworks. I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t think I have the energy to set them off. Maybe when this fever breaks I’ll light them up to celebrate.

Thursday, July 23rd, 2026

I didn’t feel like writing for a while because one day just bled into the next in the haze of illness and discomfort. The only thing that changed was what DVDs I watched that day. When I woke up today though, things felt different. I was just pouring cereal into my bowl when I realized I didn’t feel any chill, in fact I felt warm in my heavy fleece robe. A quick check with the thermometer confirmed the fever had broken. I celebrated by taking a long hot shower and getting myself cleaned up. I really felt better, there was still a bit of a lingering cough and some joint discomfort, but overall I felt relieved.

Of course now comes the next part of my journey. I already noticed a few things that have changed. I’m definitely a lot fuzzier than I was back in the beginning of June, and it’s not just from me abandoning my razor. It’s far from a fur coat, but it feels like things are actually starting to change.

Since it’s safe for me to be around people again, I’ll be heading down to the main house for dinner with my family. I’m excited, not just for the company, but Eliot is going to introduce me to his boyfriend tonight.

Friday, July 24th, 2026

So at dinner last night Eliot swore I looked shorter than he remembered. I at first blamed it on my shoes, but he didn’t let it go. Eventually I ended up against the wall with a tape measure. Turns out I was a little more than an inch shorter than when I went in. Height change is expected, I’m more surprised he noticed such a small difference. His boyfriend, Roland, found the entire thing funny and just kept giggling as we went back and forth about my height.

Anyway, I’m going to spend one more night in the cabin, then move back into my room for what’s left of summer break.

Thursday, July 30th, 2026

The last week has been interesting. Although the flu-like symptoms are all gone, I don’t exactly feel “right,” for lack of a better word. There’s a stiffness in my joints and muscles. I feel it more after exerting myself physically, like when I was helping mom at the shop the other day moving some inventory around. So far it’s nothing I can’t deal with, but I am a little worried given what I’ve heard about bodily integration. I hope nothing is bad enough to keep me out of classes, I don’t want to end up having to make things up and miss out on my graduation next June. Speaking of which, I need to start to pack things up to move back in next month.

Saturday, August 8th, 2026

I decided to move into the dorm today, even though classes don’t start until the twelfth. It gives me time to settle into things, time I find myself needing. Eliot came down with me to help move me in, and I’m grateful for it. The aches and pains from the integration can really hold me back if I’m not careful. But I’m starting to notice some changes in the mirror. I now have actual patches of fur on my body, and they are slowly spreading. My clothing hides it from any prying eyes, but I find myself marveling over it when I get changed or step out of the shower. I run my hands over the patches and wonder what it will feel like when my body is completely covered. I’ve also lost about another inch of height, I had to start rolling the cuffs on my jeans. My roommate Stacy has offered her cosplay sewing knowledge to help tailor my clothes as I change to save on me replacing my wardrobe every month or so. I really appreciate the support from her and my other friends, I’m going to need it to get through this year and still graduate on time.

Thursday, August 13th, 2026

I’m not the only person who started the Chimera Protocol over Summer break. I found a support group on campus, there’s about a dozen of us. It’s a relief to have people to talk about what we’re all going through, and not trauma dumping on our friends for the rest of the school year. Right now we plan to meet up every Thursday. For now, I’m going to take a long hot shower to relax my muscles. I really wish there was a tub in the dorm I could soak in, but I’ll have to just make due.

Wednesday, August 26th, 2026

I’ve been too busy with classes and friends to write in my journal. Everyday is a grind and I’ve gotten used to the discomfort for the most part. I found out about the hot tub at the student fitness center from the support group, and that has been a help in relieving the discomfort, at least for a little while.

yet. The fur is still growing, and it has started to develop a sheen from natural oils my body is now producing. I’m consulting with a veterinarian on changing my soap and shampoo, but in the meantime I’m just rinsing off with hot water daily.

Now that I’m more than two months in, I’m starting to notice some physical changes. There's a little bump on my rear just above my anus that has to be my budding tail. That’s exciting, if sometimes annoying, I have to be careful how I sit. I lost a nail the other day, it didn’t hurt, it just sort of fell off. Pushing up through the skin was the very tip of a claw. I put a bandage over it, just to be safe, but it probably won’t be long for the other nine fingernails.

Stacy has this cheap full-length mirror she hung on her closet door. Standing in front of it this morning I noticed a change in my proportions. I wasn’t just shorter overall, my body seemed to be longer and my legs shorter proportionately. In your mind you think about the big things, like growing a tail or a muzzle, so this hits a little differently. Not bad, just different. I’ll have to talk about it during the group meeting tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026

I had my first quarterly examination today at Maine Med. That’s what reminded me to open up the journal on my phone. Sorry, I keep getting distracted by everything going on in my life. Everything seems to be going well. No red flags or anything regrowing in an inconsistent matter. Dr Tassone seems pleased with my progress. Talking with him about the daily annoyances of going through the integration, he told me he wished he had thought of using a hot tub, and will be recommending it to future patients. It feels good that I’m already helping our community in a small way.

Looking back at my last entry, I’ve now got a full set of claws on both my hands and feet. I love how they look. Stacy has brought up wanting to paint them, but for now I’m happy with the natural color. My tail-bump has gotten noticeably bigger, but not to the point where I’m cutting a hole in my pants for it just

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Characters and setting belong to Ski Sharp

Writing by Syntaxerror37

FA: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/sevencrown37/

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