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Thirty eight. Thirty nine. Forty.

Liam relaxed and took a breather from another set of sit-ups, wiping his forehead with his wrist. He wished he had access to some weights, but being stuck in a cell doesn't give you many options. You either get stuck in your own head or you find ways to tire yourself out and just sleep. He didn't want to think, so he worked out as best he could. He had nothing but time and the cosmic-span of everything that had happened that day and it just made him anxious. There was too much he had no control over stuck in here and that annoyed him.

At first, when they threw him in here, he panicked. This was one of countless times he had been thrown in a cell, but this time the accusations were much stiffer than the mutual assault against yobs or trespassing. But that was it: the charge should have been levelled against him by now, which meant the police were dragging their heels and holding him out of spite thanks to his existing criminal record. His gut instinct was that he was in the clear for sexual assault, but his long history of dances with the cops meant they were probably trying to pin something else on him or just make him sweat.

He sighed and realised the police no doubt plundered his van, probably found his very illegal knife, his only semi-legal lock picks and easy to join-the-dots breaking and entering tools. Even if Heather called off the allegations, the police were no doubt performing forensics on the torn tatters of both his and Bernie's clothes which might have had traces of his or even Bernie's blood. Sure she had likely regenerated any wounds after her transformation, but from the fall?

That was now all Liam could think about. That some combination of his lesser crimes would mean he couldn't ever be able to even see Bernie any more by restraining order. Over than any charge or punishment, that was what terrified him the most. Enough to make him wonder about breaking out.

The cell door locks clattered and clicked, then the metal barricade squealed as it opened, with a male and female police officer entering.

Liam sat up, gave them a look, then lounged again. Quiet protest. Let them talk first. Assess, plan, act.

The male officer sighed. “Mr. Keeley. In spite of our concerns and with Mrs. Fothergill no longer wishing to press charges, alongside the superintendent needing cells open, you're free to go."

Liam laughed, flat and dry. “Oh, well, ain't that grand."

The female officer pursed her lips and ignored his sarcasm. “We were in contact with your local station in Southampton and there are some troublesome aspects to your record we feel it pertinent to bring up."

Emboldened, Liam stood and shrugged. “I'm not interested. If I'm free to go, then let's get to it."

The male officer narrowed his eyes. “I can't say I care for your attitude, Mr. Keeley. We could hold you under a number of antisocial behavioural offences and have you sent off to another station, not to mention the bevy of evidence you upload on the internet involving trespassing on private property that wouldn't look good if it crossed their desk ahead of time."

“I'm not being charged, yeah?" Liam folded his arms. “And I know you can't hold me for more than a few more hours. That's all there is to it. Go deal with some real crime, like people saying rude stuff online. That's what you guys do to get your jollies, right?"

The female officer scowled at him. “That sounds like an insult to me. We could book you-"

Her companion waved her down and got up in Liam's face. “Fine, but I suggest you shut up, get out and keep your nose clean, Mr. Keeley. Now."

Liam left the cell under escort, collected his possessions and left the station to another cold night. His phone was out of battery and he didn't have any cash, plus his van had been impounded. He checked the letter that had been given to him during his multi-day stay with the Dorset police about how his vehicle was ready to be collected, although the lot wasn't open now. He had nowhere to go, no way to get there and nothing left but to find something, anything to do until he could form a plan.

“Penny for your thoughts, me-boy?"

Liam turned and, despite the accent, had to focus on the speaker to recognise her.

Heather had her head high, yet for a woman of such profound will, she looked ashamed. “I hope they didn't treat ya too unfair, Liam."

“Not bad, all things considered." Liam knew he held a very potent moral blade here. He couldn't help but fence with it a little. “You know, the sexual assault allegations certainly had the lady cop giving me the evils."

Heather winced, but her pride kept her from looking sullen. “I'm sorry for the misunderstandin', Liam." With another micrometer of shame weighing on Heather's expression, she offered a smile. “But ye can thank Bernadette for that. I ne'er seen her so aflame with fightin' me about what I did. As a matter o'fact, I haven't seen her fightin' this hard since she were a wee mite."

“About that," Liam asked, freshly reminded. “How is she?"

The shame faded, and a sparkle formed in Heather's blue eyes. It wasn't just an energy or aura about her, but Liam realised there were tears struggling to free themselves from the resolute woman. “She's well." A trickle finally began to form from one of her eyes. “The cancer. It's... still early days yet, but they say it's in remission. And she's sprung back to life like nothin' anyone's ever seen! She's so hearty, the doctor's even say it might give her another shot at chemotherapy if it becomes worse again. And that's a mighty big 'if'. Lord Almighty be praised, it's a miracle!"

Heather threw herself at Liam and hugged him, and as he supported her in his arms, he felt a burden shatter. Years. Literal years of preparation for the worst, which had become all but a certainty, began to break from his soul. His closest friend, the girl whom he loved, that he had accepted he would lose and crush his hopes with it, would live.

His faith felt rewarded. His drive to do right in spite of his clashes with the world vindicated. His dreams being fulfilled be damned. The discovery of the barrow, the proof of the supernatural. It could all be irrelevant as far as he cared. All he had ever wanted was Bernie to live. To be a part of his life.

Now he had everything. His heart was full to bursting, and the only reason he didn't break down in full then and there was that Bernie wasn't with him. But he did afford himself wetted eyes, one rasping sob and a single tear down his cheek.

* * *

For the second time, Liam was left to stew with his thoughts. At least this time he kept finding himself smiling and actively wanted to start thinking of what this all meant. That Bernie's transformation and unnatural regeneration would also go to work on the metastasised horror in her body. He didn't know to what extent, but for the doctors to have a level of optimism like this when just a week ago they were only scanning her for research and not for any sort of cure, it must have been drastic.

It felt like another day was dawning. The slow night of his closest friend's life had reached its end, yet now there was a future. Everything had new meaning, everything had to be reevaluated with new plans and prospects. Liam usually liked planning things well in advance, but for once, he was glad for his life being flipped on its head.

The funniest part was that the root cause. The potential months, years or even decades Bernie had gained was still the mind-boggling fact that she had been turned into a bear woman, if she could still become it. Even if she couldn't, at least it bought them more time. Everything was up in the air. Mysteries tied to mysteries.

It was a long drive, yet Heather and Liam said little. Just small talk, the evening music segment on the radio, the occasional patter of rain on the windscreen punctuated with the rhythmic 'doof-doof' of the wiper blades. It was strange, yet felt right: an odd amalgam of the lingering shame Heather clearly felt for jumping to conclusions but also the slow mending of that fracture in what had been a good relationship.

Dorset now behind them, they drove home to Southampton. The countryside gave way to city streets the same time as the rain stopped, and it was only a short drive before they reached the Fothergill house.

Liam felt a pang of deja-vu. He remembered the trepidation of coming here the first time, back when he and Bernie were familiar online but strangers in person. He remembered the doubts of her being a girl due to her hobbies and habits. He even wondered if she was just a very thin boy, but the genuine trust sank in quick, followed by a deeper attraction.

He looked at her bedroom window, on the ground floor after some reshuffling after her diagnosis, and smiled at the light filtering around the curtains.

“I trust you'll be stayin' the night?" Heather asked as she turned off the engine. "I know it's a silly question, but still, I'm not one for imposin'."

“Please, and thank you. Just the sofa downstairs would do."

“As ye please." Heather led the way to the door and let them inside. The light and vibrant living room greeted them. “I'll go grab a blanket and a pillow for you and set them up." She glanced at the corridor to Bernie's room and cleared her throat. “I imagine you'll want to go see Bernadette, but there's plenty of food in the kitchen if ye need somethin' to eat. We had to do a major shop since she got home, she's been eatin' like a girl thrice her size and keepin' it down to boot!"

Liam resisted the urge to multiply the number as a joke, but he was relieved. They were all positive signs. “Thanks, Heather. I'll sort myself out."

They both removed their shoes before leaving the small, rougher carpeted square around the front door, where Heather headed straight upstairs. As Liam stepped onto the plusher section of the floor, he began to relax in the familiar space, but then the situation sank in.

It felt like it had been ages since he saw Bernie. It only being three days, but he felt desperate to see her. One foot moved in front of the other and he approached Bernie's door. The second he reached for the handle, the door opened.

“Hey, himbo."

His hand remained where it was. His whole body froze as he looked at Bernie. Her glowing smile, shining blue eyes and short, pixie-cut style copper-coloured hair. The thickness of it, even if it was tomboyishly short, sent him back to finding the once-again human Bernie in his van. He didn't have time to process everything he saw, but had a stronger reminder now.

Liam blushed as he remembered seeing her naked then, but even clad in a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt now, but it all came together. Far from a full reversion into her human self, Bernie was different in a way that made his spirit sing.

She had to have gained some twenty or thirty pounds of weight, normally a substantial gain, but on a girl as frail as Bernie, it made her look so full of vigour and life. So absolutely perfect for her petite build. The smooth contour of her cheeks instead of the sunken and gaunt. A fullness to her lips instead of them seeming stretched. The more rounded features of her face and smooth arms and slim but feminine legs. He couldn't stop himself noticing the swell of her pert breasts beneath the t-shirt before her hand pushed up on his chin.

“Eyes up here, Liam."

“R- right. Yeah. Sorry. I... I wasn't..."

“Unless you were expecting something else, like a bear or something." She jokingly winked. Her wink...

Liam's heart raced, his face burned hot. She had winked before. Cheeky, playful Bernie didn't get out much so she spent all her social strength with him. What was different? The hell if Liam knew. This was why she called him dumb, in her own way. The slow processing of his brain interfering when not dealing with danger. Something had changed. It was her health, maybe? Yes, but not in the way his head was reaching for, so he went plain. “You... look great."

“It's definitely an improvement. Now, get your arse in here. We've got a lot to catch up on." Bernie stepped aside, and Liam entered. The familiar space had grown a little messier since the time she had stopped her chemotherapy, but there was still a surgical element to things. The tidy plastic surfaces, the packs of antibacterial wipes and the aroma of medical chemicals, which had faded against the scent of a reed diffuser in the corner.

It was otherwise a museum of Bernie. A large bed, a small side cabinet still flush with assorted medications, wardrobes and large desk with a fancy computer, flush with gaudy RGB lights. Two pictures sat atop the desk too, one featuring Bernie with Heather and William, the father of the family. The other picture was of Bernie and Liam on a visit to Bodiam castle two years ago.

Elsewhere, a large poster of the UK with push-pins of locations Liam had explored and recorded, colour coded with the nature of the place, whether it was just a standard urban crawl or a paranormal exploration, each with a small number painted on the pin body itself. Next to it was a cork-board of like-numbered pieces of paper with the overview of said videos and a checklist of the video's progress, from the recording itself, research, editing, additional dialogue snippets and more. It always made Liam proud to see how dutiful she took her job as his editor and the real brains of the operation.

ParanormaLiam as a show lived and breathed on her hard work, but he took some pride in being the heart of it. He believed it was his life's work to find something, somewhere, where others might fear to tread. The only way to prove that was to just go and find it. That Bernie followed his goal despite her scepticism was just another reason they got along. A little opposites attract alongside his bravery and her wit.

Reminded of their once-severed romantic connection as he once more looked at their picture, Liam steeled himself and slicked back his hair. “Bernie, how have-"

Slim arms wrapped around his chest as she hugged against his back.

“Uh... Bernie?"

“Shh."

Her fingers gently traced over his chest for a moment before, after a long and indulgent moment, she let go and pulled his arm to turn him around. “I just... um..." Her cheeks burned red and she couldn't meet his look, but the smile on her lips said it all. Or at least he thought they did.

He rested his arms on her shoulders. Mostly to comfort her, but also to refamiliarise himself with the feel of her, and her healthier figure. She was still slender, but she had always been petite. “I get we need to figure out some stuff, but... right now, I just want to know you're okay. Both in the here and now but also what happened since I was arrested."

Bernie looked relieved. A logical topic for the bright spark of a girl floundering with her emotions. “Right! Good idea. One step at a time. C'mon, let's talk." She pulled his arm again and guided him to the bed, and they sat next to each other.

A deep desire as it was, the mystery of Bernie's two 'conditions', the good and the bad, did make him cool off. For now, sitting next to her like this and seeing her so nonchalant yet still embarrassed was as soothing as it was distracting. He got the ball rolling as he said, “I know I still saw you as a bear when I was heading for my van. I remember seeing the suspension ease off, so I guess that was when you changed back."

“Yeah, that was as much a surprise to me as I'm sure it was to you." Bernie chuckled, then nudged him with an elbow as a redness set into her cheeks. “Well, besides seeing me stark-bollock-naked and desperately trying to climb into your sleeping bag. But sure. I saw you approaching with ma and, despite believing I was ready, I basically had a panic attack. I closed my eyes and covered my face and just wished to fuck for the world to swallow me whole. Then... I felt everything shifting, like I was sliding. When I opened my eyes, the van seemed to be getting bigger, and I realised I'd just turned back into my old self."

“Well, not exactly your old self. Like I said, you look way healthier."

“Funny, because compared to being big and furry, I didn't feel better. I felt the old weakness, vulnerability and the cold especially. Well okay, in hindsight? I guess I do feel healthier now than I did before gaining a few thousand pounds, just... plain? Anyway, back on topic: that was when you found me, my ma panicked, the fuzz turned up, et cetera."

“Not exactly anyone's finest moment."

“As soon as she did that, I realised you'd be in deep shit. I stowed your knife and tools in the sleeping bag and smuggled it into the hospital. Speaking of which..." Bernie leaned down and felt beneath her bed, then pulled out Liam's military knife, still in its sheath, and his less legal tools. “Probably saved you a couple of possessions and intent charges right there."

He put his picks to the side but drew the blade and inspected it, feeling his eye twitch at the dried blood from when he cut Bernie. He sheathed it and tucked it with his tools for now. “Thanks, Bernie. You're a lifesaver. My old man may have been a cunt, but far be it from me to not keep something to remember him by."

“You're welcome! But yeah, once I got inside I asked for some privacy to get changed and moved your things into my bag. So once I was in the hospital, I-"

“Hold on," Liam interrupted. “So you changed back into a human, but can you..."

“Change back into a bear?" Bernie bit her lip to stop herself grinning. “We'll get to that in good time. So they took me for a CT scan. They already knew where my absolutely-fuck-load-of-tumours were so they just wanted to see how they'd changed since last time. I was keeping still in the scanner when the doctors started looking... panicked. They called each other over to the screens, pointed and compared the current scan to a clipboard copy and all sorts.

“They made me take the scan a bunch more times after restarting the computers, running diagnostics and whatever. I was freaking the fuck out, thought maybe they found something tied to my whole bear situation, or somehow my cancer had grown worse, but I didn't want to ask too many questions. I was left there for a bit until they called in the specialist from the Poundbury institute."

“Right, the cancer specialist clinic. And that was when they found the tumours in remission?"

“Kinda. Some were drastically smaller, some had completely vanished. They did keyhole biopsy on one of the lumps on my kidney and said I should stay a few more days to have it heal, only, you know..." Bernie shrugged, coy and smug. “It maybe, kinda regenerated that night."

Liam's brow furrowed. “... huh?"

She laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder. “You're so dense, it's cute, That night when I was left alone to get some sleep, I changed back into a bear! The hole healed in seconds. It wasn't entirely by choice either. I felt it when I was in the scanner but the panic pushed the feeling aside, and with all the talking with the doctors that happened afterwards and the keyhole surgery, I wasn't able to really focus on anything, but when I was left to get some sleep, that was when I felt it. This... gnawing. My skin was crawling, I felt like everything was wrong, like I was crammed into something too small. I gave in to the feeling and, yep, ripped right out of my hospital gown and became a bear again."

Bernie stood up and walked to her door, slowly turned the handle and listened outside for a few moments. She nodded to herself before closing it.

Liam asked, “something wrong?"

Bernie sat back down beside him. “Nah, just making sure ma had gone to bed. The rest, besides the freaking out of the hospital staff when I'd healed so fast, was they need time for the biopsy, so they sent me home. I'm due back next week, but I know, no matter what, it'll be good news."

Liam watched as Bernie removed her t-shirt, utterly unashamed, revealing her small but perfectly pert bust. She then looked Liam in the eyes as she dropped her shorts, leaving her in just a pair of plain panties. Liam was naturally frozen and staring.

Bernie lifted her arms and looked at her hands. She looked deeply concerned, then shook her head. “The truth is, the longer I've thought about all that's happened to me, the more I realise this change? This... this gift? It's the real me now. The girl you see before you is like... a ghost, I guess. Like the Bernie you know should and would be dead, if not already then soon."

“What, like disassociation?"

“I guess," Bernie answered. “And this constant pull I feel when I'm human exacerbates it. More like a utility. I'll use it when I have to, like in public or with my parents, or even using my computer. At least until I find a way to be truly free." She froze and trembled, grunting gently under her breath and her breathing quickening. “Yeah... this feeling. It's like relaxing a muscle I never knew I had. And every time, I've had to do it fast, but I'm going to savour this... draw it out."

“Bernie?" He reached for her, only for her to stand and step away to the middle of the room and hold her hands out, as if to keep him back.

The trembling Bernie suffered shifted, becoming less of a shiver and more of a rippling beneath the skin. She gasped and let loose a stammered moan as every muscle under her skin seemed to flex. They then all relaxed, only for an aftershock that made Liam's mouth to open in surprise

Bernie's skin, classically fair for a redhead, darkened as if experiencing a rapid tan. The ultra-fine, once near-imperceivable hairs across her body stood on end and multiplied as more emerged. The copper hair on her head grew paler, almost turning platinum blonde for a moment before Liam realised that white hairs were growing amongst the others. Bernie's eyes then glowed softly with a pale blue light, and she moaned again with an almost feverous whine.

“It feels so good... so fucking right!"

Liam could only watch in awe as another flex spasmed across her now dark skinned body, but this time left substance in its wake. Her slim arms thickening as a layer of muscle formed and flexed, or her thighs fattened and bulged. She cupped her modest breasts, only to have the flesh overflow them as the soft proof of her womanhood surged and strained against her fingers, eliciting another, even more sultry gasp. A sudden hiss broke the waves of pleasure as her nails, both on her hands and feet, cracked and split, giving way to long, dark claws, but the tiny traces of blood that oozed from the damage rapidly vanished as Bernie's regeneration took hold.

He winced as he then heard a series of pops, cracks and visceral creaks. Bernie's body began to stretch and strain against itself, yet her expression betrayed a rapturous high she was experiencing as she grew taller, broader and bigger in all ways. Her panties ripped and flittered to the floor as more waves of muscle, overlapped with blubber and fat wrapped around her form as the skinny girl became a full figured and brawny one, yet Liam knew the destination her body was drawing toward. He knew it was all just a fraction of the mass she was developing and enjoying every extra pound. He was horrified in a visceral level, and yet he knew how this would culminate. The rebirth of the girl he loved. The reason she now had a life to live.

More than anything, he knew he would have to get used to this and support her. And therefore, he watched with full attention and indulged, empathically, in her bliss.

“More... oh, fuck, more!!" Bernie bared her teeth, which horrifically spread apart as new teeth sprouted through the old, human set. The broadening of her jaw and gums then gave to an extending of her face as a bear-like muzzle began to grow and become more natural once more, and her nose turned upward and the already darkened skin grew black and slick. Bernie's ears slowly creeped higher on her head as, spreading from her main hair, a cascade of fur began to flow across her face, down her neck and along her body. She was now almost entirely in her full were-bear guise, but far smaller than he remembered her being. As if to challenge that thought, Bernie's body began to grow at a rapid pace.

Limbs extended, her torso bulged and swelled and her fur grew full and lush. Bernie's rapidly increasing weight caused the floorboards beneath her feet to groan and protest with every adjusted step she made as she changed. Her already enlarged breasts fattened and wobbled as they expanded, full and heavy on her chest. Bernie even giggled as she felt them, only to gasp as her head bumped into the ceiling. She fell to her knees, and Liam felt the room shake, the lamp shudder, the hanging light swing. He felt the vibration of the impact through both his legs and even the bed on which he still sat, but it was a minor point to the overwhelming display as Bernie's transformation began to slow. A few more waves of muscle and ursine thickness filled out her body, bringing her to the enormous, powerful and wholly feminine form he remembered from the barrow.

Finally, Bernie ran her hands over her face as she panted, as if out of breath. “Holy fuck, that's such a rush! I always just let it happen before instead of feeling it out. Just savouring the sensations." She recovered her focus and looked at Liam, his jaw still slack and his stare both awestricken yet also fearful. She winked again, the same cheeky girl hiding beneath the massive and surreal. “Ah, don't worry. You'll get used to it."

“I... hope so, but I kinda doubt it," Liam mumbled and stood. The fact she was still taller than him while kneeling continued to catch him off guard, but he approached nonetheless as Bernie grinned at him, her sharp and lethal teeth still disconcerting in spite of the vibrancy and softness of her gorgeous blue eyes. They were captivating.

So captivated was Liam that the second he was within arms reach, though still far sooner than he expected, Bernie latched her huge hands on his shoulders and pulled him against her. The scale of her playing tricks on his mind, or the absolute strength she possessed compared to how soft her fur and plush, soft layers played together. Liam had never felt anything like it, and at first instilled a sense of panic of smothering, but his heart hammered. This was Bernie. By her own admission, this was what she saw was her true self. He gave in to the sensation and and tried to return the hug, raising his arms. Only they bumped into two especially heavy masses.

“Oh? Getting a bit familiar, eh?" Bernie laughed as Liam realised his arms had collided with her breasts. “It's okay... you can touch them if you want."

“W-what do- uh..."

Bernie leaned back and rested her huge hands on his back, looking down at him with a winsome smile. “I mean it. I hated pushing you away like I did when I knew... I thought I was dying. But now that I have life ahead? All this new life, and joy, and these amazing feelings. I want to experience it all. And you to experience it all with me, every step of the way."

She pressed her muzzle against his face... no, a kiss. As best as she could muster with her new form, at least. Her wet nose squished against the bridge of his, and her lips pursed and wriggled and tried to get some purchase which tickled his cheeks with the finer hairs on the tip of her snout.

They didn't have much experience before, let alone with her new shape, but it didn't matter. Liam met her intensity with his own, finally slipping his arms over her chest and and running his hands them across her fluffy cheeks. They just experimented with the feelings, inside and out. The actual and emotional. The physical barrier was going to take some work, but everything else locked into place. Liam's heart fired up like an engine running for the first time in years, yet not missing a beat. Had he the strength he would have hoisted her into his arms.

Bernie took his thoughts for her own. Her eyes grew wet and tears began to trickle and saturate the almost glowing fur of her cheeks, and she lifted him off his feet and held him as tight as she dared. “I love you," she whispered, her voice cracking. “I loved you for so fucking long. I'm so sorry I pushed you away, I just-"

“No, enough," Liam replied rubbing his face against her wet cheeks. “Forget about it. I would have given you every last shred of everything I am until the bitter end if you'd let me in, but fuck it. It doesn't matter any more. We're here now. We have each other and fuck everything that ever thought it could keep us apart. I loved you the moment you picked me back up after I got disowned by my dad. I didn't even know who you truly were, but you cared, you were there for me. I love your energy and how hard you've always fought for me. And all I've ever wanted to do is give you back all the joy you've given me. And I love you now just as much."

They just held each other, bathed in each other's energy, emotions as years of turmoil and uncertainty was washed away. Neither was sure for how long they just fed on the vibe, but the slow and gentle parting happened, yet it was just so they could look into each other's eyes.

Bernie spoke first. “I feel like there's so much we still need to work out but right now all I care about is just... um..."

Liam gave her time to answer, but she went silent and awkwardly looked aside, so he tried to help. He gave her neck a gentle caress and whispered, “it's fine. Take your time."

“It's- um..." she stammered, then cleared her throat. Then once more before grinning as she looked down at herself, then him. “It's just that I'm... just wondering how a huge girl like me and a normal sized guy like you..."

Liam knew a tease when he heard it. “Ah, thinking I'm not packing enough to please you, eh?"

At first, Bernie went to say yes, then looked mortified. “What!? No! Shit, that's not what... I didn't mean to take the piss like that. I'm just fucking you."

It was Liam's turn to go quiet as Bernie's already panicked expression went to a full horror and her muscles locked into full flex as if someone had just stuck a taser in her. Somehow, through the dense, translucent fur, her cheeks and even the insides of her ears burned red.

“I meant fucking with you!! Honest! I mean- that said, I would... we... I..."

Liam laughed as the fiery, spirited and now intimidatingly huge and powerful werebear girl of his dreams fractured into a stammering, awkward geeky mess that he knew was always at her core. He reached up and scritched behind her ear, and not only did she soften, but a low, feral rumble merged with a soft moan.

“That feels soooo good."

“I don't doubt there'll be some adjusting. I mean, I'm sure at some point we could try things out with you as a human, but I get the feeling you want to, I dunno, fully explore this body of yours?"

Bernie perked up and looked deep into his eyes, and then bit her lip. “K-kinda. I haven't even had a chance to just relax and live like this."

“I need to get used to the new you too, so while I guess we couldn't go all out, plus I'm a little worried about not having enough room in here. Still, I'm definitely curious."

Bernie's blush deepened and she leaned back. The floorboards creaked and strained under her weight as she slowly unravelled her legs from beneath her and sat, resting her back on the wall. “T-then have a feel. And be honest... how high on your list of 'cryptids you want to fuck' am I?"

“Oh, I don't need to do any exploration to answer that," Liam said. “Although I guess it would be rude to not put you at number one."

Bernie winked at him and reclined a little more, and gave Liam full access to the scope of her form. Without the dim light, mud and panic that whole barrow situation inflicted, it was nice to finally see Bernadette Fothergill in her full splendour, an opportunity he gladly accepted as he studied her in full. She was a perfectly peculiar marriage of a mostly human figure with bestial and alluringly exotic. Just a decadent mix of immense fluffy fur, round curves and soft, healthy padding and fat but always those telltale signs of the still-terrifying strength he knew she possessed.

The proud smirk on Bernie's muzzle was fuelled by his wandering eyes. She couldn't help but run her hands over her form, though like Liam had just moments ago, her hands gently bumped and caught against her breasts. She snorted and struggled not to laugh. It wasn't a momentary jiggle but a weighty, pendulous swing. “Fucking hell, I can't get over how big these things are!"

“No kidding," Liam said and, while hesitant at first, slowly reached in. The way Bernie pushed her chest out removed any doubt as he cupped one breast and felt the heft. His hand sank into the soft outer fluff, then the firmer flesh beneath until his hand almost vanished from view. Besides some subtle lift, he wasn't anywhere near actually supporting its full weight. “Holy shit, they're heavy." He used his other hand to get a similar grip, earning a low chuckle from Bernie, and putting his back into it, he lifted her breast. It was like lifting a yoga ball filled with water.

Liam worked out a couple of times a week. It was necessary since he had to sometimes manhandle larger, salvageable pieces of furniture from his urban crawls to help garnish his video channel's income. He'd drag them to his van, take them to a rented storage locker to restore, and he'd sell them on. Liam had become good at estimating mass by his hands, and the weight in his hands boggled his mind again. His girlfriend's breast had to be close to eighty pounds. About what her whole body weighed just before her transformation, just condensed in one lusciously weighty, sexy package.

With an incredulous shake of his head, he let the massive mammary in his hands rest back on Bernie's chest again, and it jiggled as her breathing quickened with a hint of a laugh, with a light tremble that betrayed her enjoyment. Liam then stroked the fur and pressed her bosom like a massage, and the low hum on her voice grew. He swept away the fur around one of her nipples. It was black, befitting a polar bear, and the nipple was bigger than his thumb. Inspired by her enjoyment of his touch, he wrapped his fingers around the stiffening nub and gave it a firmer tug.

“Oh..." Bernie breathed. She reached up and hefted her other breast, and her thumb joined in the teasing and squeezing to match Liam's efforts as he hefted, massaged the mass. Bernie's breathing grew in pace. Excitement and pleasure giving her voice a sultry, purr-like tone, almost a rumble like impassioned thunder deep in her expansive chest. “Y-you know, a girl could get used to this. B-but maybe we could save that for now."

Agreeing, and not wanting to over indulge when there was just so much of her yet to explore, Liam let go of the nipple and admired how long all that mass took to come to rest, not to mention just how perky they were despite their size and weight. Liam then glanced up at her. “I could have done that all night but I want to enjoy every inch of you."

Bernie giggled and a gentle blush persisted on her cheeks through the pale fur. “True, and I've got a hell of a lot of inches. We could be here all week, but I wouldn't complain."

“I intend to spend months on you. My entire life, actually, until I know your 'new you' perfectly but let's see... what next?"

Bernie's budding excitement slipped as she seemed intrigued. “That's a good point. Could you take some pictures?"

Liam gave her an odd look.

Bernie rolled her eyes. “It's not like I've had a chance to really see what I look like. Yeah, sure, I know I'm big, furry, thick and buff, but I've got no idea how the whole package comes together, you know?"

He nodded. “Ah, sure. I guess I never thought of that. Only seems fair since I'm getting an eye and a handful." He chuckled and took out his phone, then tutted. “Right. I forgot. It needs charging."

“No problem. You can charge it there." She pointed a clawed finger at her nightstand with a wireless dock. “And look in the top drawer on my desk, I've got a really swanky digital camera in there that'll do the trick."

Liam followed as directed, finally getting his phone on charge, earning a low 'buzz' from the dock as it received the device, then he retrieved the camera. He had used several similar devices in his years urban exploring, so he gave this one a once over to learn where the buttons were before switching it on and pointing it at Bernie.

She pulled a double peace sign with her hands and stuck out her tongue. He checked the viewfinder and had to do a double-take. “You had blue raspberry sweets or a slush or something?"

Bernie's ears wiggled and she stared for a baffled moment. “Huh?"

“Your tongue. It's blue. Or purple?"

“The hell? Really? Hurry, take a shot." She resumed her pose, and Liam took a picture. “And just a few more." She grinned and stretched her arms over her head and made the bear equivalent, if an unconvincing, version of duck-lips. “Paint me like one of your furry, Irish girls!"

Liam chuckled and took more photos from various angles, some up close of her face for good measure. He turned the viewfinder to her and showed her what he had so far.

“Dude," she whispered and squinted at the tiny screen. “Tsk, guess that's the trade-off of being big: everything else seems small. I can barely see it. Never mind, just carry on for now." Bernie bit her lip and slowly shifted position, with both of them wincing as the floorboards creaked and protested under her weight. “Damn it. Just a sec, I need to get into place."

“In what way?" Liam asked.

Bernie paused. Her mouth opened, then closed. She cleared her throat, then finally answered, “... I need a photo of my arse."

With a snort, Liam said, “you know, I wondered for a sec when you wanted these pics whether you were getting off on your new form, but now I'm convinced that's actually the case. I've heard of loving yourself, but-"

“Oh, bugger off!" She pouted in response. “Not like that, himbo. I've got some idea what I look like from the front, but I need to see my back and... well, I need to see my tail."

“Really? Your tail?"

“Yuh-huh."

“Really really?"

Bernie pouted. “... okay, fine, I do want to see just how big my bum is too. It's really damn comfortable to sit on. Shit, my whole body probably makes a great bed."

“Now that could be worth testing," Liam said and gave her a smirk.

She winked back. “In good time, my himbo."

“Alright." Liam checked the camera again, then glanced at Bernie's hip as if craning to see her rump. “Shit, is there an ultra, ultra wide angle lens attachment for this thing?"

“Cheeky bastard," Bernie laughed, then playfully swatted her posterior, earning a deep thud and ripple across her softer parts. “Now hurry up before I give you an extreme close up and just sit on you."

“Don't threaten me with a good time," Liam snickered, but didn't need telling twice. This was everything he could have ever dreamed in a singularity that still didn't feel real. The continued indulgence in exploring an increasingly amorous relationship with his closest friend and skipping even a friends with benefits had him feeling like a kid at Christmas. Here Bernie was, offering herself in a way that didn't feel desperate or sleazy, just playful and earnest.

He skirted around Bernie's legs, even as he still couldn't believe they were around three quarters as long as his full height, but seeing her arse in full, straight on and unobstructed, was something else entirely. Liam had expectations, even fleeting memories of seeing it before back when she first transformed or even climbed into his van, but in the clear light of Bernie's bedroom, uncontested and relaxed, he was awestruck.

It was the balance more than anything. Such absolute perfect balance. Fat and muscle in perfect harmony. Fitting for a woman twice the size of a human, Liam was greeted by two huge, thick, round, juicy, furry cheeks, each the size of a luxury sofa seat cushion. The soft weight gave a grand enormity while the slabs of hard meat underneath structure. He should have been amused by the short, stubby little tail at the top of the crack of her rear, but the majesty of the scene struck him the most. The voluminousness. He felt his soul stir. Words of poetic gravitas rose within him, bubbling through the subconsciousness and given voice.

“Jesus fucking Christ..." Liam gasped. He was never much of a poet and all the stirring amounted to was the slow tenting in his trousers as he grew harder by the moment.

Bernie glanced at him over her shoulder, at first confused but it was obvious she caught him staring. And still staring to the point it was funny. Then maybe a little annoying, before it became hilarious. “Earth to Liam?" She snapped her fingers. Or tried to. The fur and pad setup of her hands just created a dull 'paff' sound from the effort. “C'mon, if you're going to enjoy the view, at least let me in on the action. Get some posterior for posterity, already."

“R- right. Sure." Liam finally had the sense to raise the camera and take a few photos. “You can relax again. But only if you really have to."

With a sigh, Bernie rolled back over to an orchestra of straining wood. “Sorry to cull your fun but yeah, I really do. I could feel my elbow almost go through a floorboard there. Now, plug it into my computer so I can properly see!"

Liam did as instructed, waking her PC from its sleeping state. With the session restored, he plugged in the camera and accessed the pictures, expanding them to the full size of her monitor as Bernie leaned forward and stared at the screen. He showed her the first of the set, with her cute, V for victory pose and purple tongue poking out, then went to click to move on to the next, only for Bernie to raise her hand to make him wait, to which Liam couldn't help but look at her, concerned. He needn't have been, but he once more got to feel the gravity, but in a far more sober way.

“That's... really me?" she whispered, leaning forward until her nose was an inch away from the screen. Her blue eyes reflected the picture of herself.

“Sure is. It's weird. Not in a bad way, I mean, but the whole situation. The fact you're something that nobody ever thought actually exists."

She stared for a long while, and Liam didn't want to usher her on until she was ready. Thankfully, she finally said, “I thought I was disassociating with who I was, but it's difficult accepting this is me now too. You know, what with not wanting to be a sick, scrawny dead girl walking, but now I've got this whole new life as this?" She gestured down to herself again. “But I guess it's a little of both now, huh? Like an out of body experience, like neither is really me, but... shit, I don't know if I have the words."

Liam stroked Bernie's cheek. It was still a little wet from her earlier heartfelt tears, but he knew she needed some comfort. He said, “this is a huge milestone in your life. Nothing'll ever really be the same. But I know that if we stick together, and you use that big ol' brain of yours, we'll work it out."

“You're right," Bernie said, leaning into his touch. “It's probably really stupid. I had no life left, and now I do. Even if I had an extension to my life where I was stuck in a bed forever, I could make it work, because I always loved seeing the world through your eyes. Hearing your beliefs in every video I edited, you always added so much wonder to everything while I was just this stubborn realist. Death looming just over the hill and still just wanting to find something new for you to boost your career, rather than something actually wonderful."

“And you kept me grounded," Liam said, continuing to stroke and caress her as he now leaned against her body, enjoying the softness of her figure as much as the warmth. “It's why we worked so well together."

“And yet here I am, an actual monster of legend... a literal magical beast? Some grounding."

Liam wondered if he should challenge her in calling herself a monster or a beast, but he knew what she meant. It wasn't derogatory, just analytical. “I think I know where our future lies... if we found one real piece of magic, and it's given you a life to once more live, what's to say there isn't more out there?"

“Yeah," Bernie said, barely audible. “You're right. I can't just be the only one like me. There's all sorts of tall tales that might just be based on the truth. I don't know if my transformation will help, but you have to figure being this way might open some doors to finding more."

They both fell silent for a few moments, contemplating the future, then shared both a look and a smile. “It's funny," Liam said, breaking the quiet. “The more I think about this new future, the more I realise we're not changing too much about what we've already been doing. We always were seeking something beyond the norm, but proof just makes me more determined to find more."

“And that's in no way a bad thing. But come on, let's take a few more pics before we really have some fun..."