Imagine a person who was born in a cave, who spent their entire life living underground, with their only source of illumination being candles and oil lamps. Imagine they’ve never been above ground; they don’t even know the surface exists. Then, one day, a cave-in happens in a side tunnel, and reveals an opening to the surface. Sunlight pours into the opening, and at first it is blinding and the person runs away in fear. Later, they return to the opening, and, as the person’s eyes adjust, they look out through the hole and see a bright and brilliant world full of colors they didn’t even know existed.
That world is scary, huge, and full of unknowns, so they crawl back into the cave for safety, but that hole is still there, and they see the light every time they pass it. Gradually, they peek out more and more frequently, and further and further from the opening. They start to want that light; they find reasons to visit it more often.
Eventually they realize that they don’t want to go back into the hole any more. They have to go back, because that is where their family and friends are, but this place is so much better, and they want to stay here. Going back into the hole feels wrong; it starts to hurt to be in the dark so much.
-Excerpt from the Euphoria section of The Gender Dysphoria Bible</a>, 2024
The quartet looked on from their chairs as the machine Spark bought whirred, and snapped with electricity. Evie was primarily concerned with just how much Spark wanted to change his form. She looked at the news and most of the time Samurai just bought something and injected it into their bodies or something. This was well beyond that, and the best way she had to find out more, simply was to ask the supplier.
“Pyri, why did Spark need such a big machine for this?”
[While I can not divulge much, this was the best way to achieve what their long term goals are. This accounts for price, duration of the sessions, and ease of use.]
Even more questions for only a pittance of actual answers.
“Are you sure this is safe and healthy for him?”
[Evelin,] Pyri spoke in a slightly chastising tone. [While I understand your concern. Please bear in mind that I would never put Spark at risk. This operation is not only to ensure their continued physical health, but improve their mental health as well. The full rationale for this operation is sensitive, and Spark has not given consent for me to share it.]
Evie glared down at the phone, thinking about AI overlords a bit more seriously than the jokes she traded with Spark earlier, when Autumn poked her in the side.
“Evie, Spark wouldn’t do something like this without a reason. We should trust Pyri.”
Evie raised an eyebrow as she squinted down at the auburn haired girl. Autumndefinitely knew more, but she was pretty much a lock box tossed into a lake when it came to secrets. There was no use attempting to pry it from her. Summer, on the other hand…
The girl in question was fidgeting with a bag holding something she had run into the house to get while the robot Spark had named Marian, like the dork he was, escorted her. She nervously looked up at Evie, who squinted at her menacingly, until Summer cracked, blurting out:
“Nope! Not telling! We’re spies!”
“Summer!” her twin groaned, “Good spies don’t say their spies!”
Benny took this moment to jump in, “I wanna be a spy! Do they get food?”
Summer rolled her eyes, “Our info is top secret! No telling anyone else! And you always want food!”
“So?” Benny crossed his arms indignantly, ”Food is tasty.”
Stopping the argument before it could start, Evie decided to give the kids a game to play.
“Alright!” Evie clapped her hands together, “Why don’t we talk about what kind of Samurai we would be!”
Getting nods from the others she continued, “For me I’d go with something where I could just punch the aliens really hard. Maybe I’d get a really cool baseball bat like what Spark made? I don’t know.”
“Ooh! Me next Me next!” Benny shouted with his hand waving in the air, “I want to be like a chef Samurai! So I can make people food so they won’t be hungry!”
Summer snorted and while Autumn was listening she was also whispering something into the Samurai phone.
“Is that an actual thing that can be done?” Evie wondered aloud.
[That is actually a possibility, not all Vanguard have to be good fighters, some specialize more in infrastructure, medical applications, and a few even cook meals for their fellow Vanguard. These meals can improve their healing rate, give them a large boost of energy, and many other helpful effects.]
Benny pumped his fist in the air. “I’ll be the best chef Samurai the world has ever seen! I’ll make food so good, whoever eats it will become a Samurai too!”
Evie giggled, “I don’t think it works like that Benny but ok.” She looked at Autumn to pick her next, only to find the girl still whispering into the phone. “Summer you’re next.”
“I wanna go fast!”
Evie looked at her quizzically, “That’s it? You just want to go fast?”
Summer nodded, “Yep! Just think about it! When you wanna hit something hard, you move faster! So I wanna move really fast so when I hit something it goes s-pewwwwww!!!”Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Summer further accentuated her point with explosion sound effects and waving her hands around.
Evie looked down at the phone and raised an eyebrow.
[While based on a very rudimentary grasp of physics, what Summer wants to do is possible with a great deal of body mods and equipment.]
Evie accepted that with a shrug, “So my punches, Benny’s world class cooking, and Summer’s very fast punches. What about you Autumn?”
The girl thought for a few moments, “I want to be like Shadowtag. Just being able to sneak around and kill the big monsters really fast before they know she’s there! Her shadow powers are cool, she tries to help others all the time. Also, she seems nice.” The girl glanced at the phone, “What do you think, Pyri?”
[Your’s is obviously achievable. While I can’t divulge information about Shadowtag without her consent, I will say that while yours is the most complex, it does have the most potential.]
“What about my big punches?” Evie demanded playfully.
Pyri’s tone turned teasing, [Evelin, I could achieve what you want by replacing your arms with heavy duty hydraulic pistons.The others at least offered somewhat of a challenge.]
Evie opened her mouth to protest, only to get interrupted by Summer. “Ooooooo you could be like, part transformer! We’d be related to Evelin Prime!”
The conversation only derailed further from there after Evie demanded a better transformer name.
***
I was dreaming about sprinting around a running track when I floated up and away. My surroundings bled away into watercolors and gravity completely ceased to have meaning.
‘I swear to fuck, this better not mean I’m dying or I’ll be really pissed.’
You’re not dying. Just waking up.
The watercolors soon faded into darkness as my eyes flitted open. I was slowly being set back onto the floor of the chamber.
‘Was I floating?’
The Bioshifter line of machines makes use of a small antigravity field generator to ensure the patient’s body does not collapse during the operation.
I giggled, “Sure, guess you can’t have a blob of Spark pudding after…” I trailed off.
My voice…
It felt…
Good?
“Pyri, my voice is different!!!”
It had a light quality to it, as if my voice was made of nothing but air- Wait. Aren’t all voices technically made of air? Nevermind, not important. Frowning I also realized something else, it felt slightly off. Like I wasn’t using it right.
“Pyri, is my voice busted?”
No. You are just using masculine speaking patterns with it. This can be fixed with either manual voice training, or with another Dream Learning Lesson.
“Hmmm, maybe during the foxification. I have things to do right now,” I crouched down and retrieved my glasses which shifted into a better shape to match my face. Then I looked down and saw myself in my full naked glory.
I had boobs.
The dysphoria noodle was gone.
Most of my body hair was gone.
Light cyan hair fell past my eyes.
IT WORKED!!!!
The chamber was filled with the sounds of my glee.
I was a girl!
All of me!
Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!
It was like years of weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Breathing was easier, my jumps were lighter and went higher, and I just felt so much more energized!
Some of it probably had to do with the fact that I now had abs and other various muscles, but I didn’t care! I felt free after so long!
The nightmare was finally over.
Finally settling down, I leaned against the side of the chamber, “Pyri I need new clothes.”
Indeed.
“What should I get?”
Autumn has requested I buy you something in particular without letting you know. It is not humiliating though, and she will understand if you decline.
I grinned, and actually felt the smile reach my eyes, “Sure! I’ll wear it! It’s not too difficult to get into though is it?”
I made sure she kept it simple dear.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 36.0595%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 30.101%">New Purchase!</td>
<td style="width: 5.95961%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 30.101%">Simple Garment and Underwear Set</td>
<td style="width: 5.95961%; text-align: right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 30.101%">Points Reduced To:</td>
<td style="width: 5.95961%; text-align: right">279</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
A small flat box plopped onto the floor next to me. Opening it had my eyes watering with tears. It was a powder blue dress with a lot of frills.
She wanted to make sure your first steps outside of the BioShifter were as a princess like the rest of them are.
“That was so thoughtful of her!” I said through my now crying eyes. “She deserves a hug. Pyri, how do I put this thing on?”
This dress is able to be slipped on over your head. It will stretch to make things easier as well.
True to her word, the dress slipped right over my shoulders, and settled nicely. It was sinfully comfortable, and fit perfectly. The skirt of the dress was ruffled and went down to my knees. The sleeves were short, and the shoulders slightly poofy.
Wanting to try something I saw on the website I had viewed only a few hours ago, I did a quick spin in place.
Oh.
My.
Goddess.
Pure bliss.
I might have then proceeded to make myself dizzy enough to fall over while giggling… once or twice.
Not to interrupt your self exploration Spark, but Evie is getting worried.
Smoothing out my dress I realized something, “Pyri, my boots won’t fit me.”
Indeed. Would you like boots that will be future proofed for when you use the BioShifter again?
I nodded, “Yes please! Nothing too expensive! I still need to buy a new jumpsuit and helmet right?”
Yes for both.
I breathed out to calm down slightly, “Okay, boots first, jumpsuit and helmet later.”
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 42.222%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.6566%">New Purchase!</td>
<td style="width: 6.56562%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.6566%">Vulgoran Open-Claw Combat Boots</td>
<td style="width: 6.56562%; text-align: right">35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.6566%">Points Reduced To:</td>
<td style="width: 6.56562%; text-align: right">244</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Another box dropped down in front of me. Opening it revealed a pair of black mid-calf boots with metal plating all over it. The front end was the same color, but was much more gelatinous feeling.
Your future claws will pierce through the gel and close when retracted with ease. They are also designed to be nearly as resistant to outside forces as the rest of your boot. I still don’t advise trying to shove a Model Five quill through it.
Putting them on was a bit more of a hassle due the awkwardness of not knowing how I should sit while putting boots on. The awkwardness was worth it once I felt how comfortable these boots were.
Standing up and testing the toes of the boots to find them just as durable as Pyri said confirmed it for me.
Pyri made for an amazing personal tailor.
The raw excitement and gender euphoria was quickly replaced by nerves as I stood in front of the hatch. Would Evie and Benny accept me? Would they make fun of me, or worse say that Pyri was lying to me about the trans stuff?”
Spark you need to calm down. Even if they don’t accept you, the twins still do, and you have more than the ability to convince them otherwise, even if it takes time. Believe in your family, Spark.
I breathed slowly and let the anxiety die down to a muffled roar. “I’m ready Pyri. Open the door.”
You’ll do great, dear.
The door hissed open and I stepped out to find a relieved looking Evie, a pair of twins grinning ear to ear, and a blur of child running up to me.
Benny impacted me and instantly wrapped his arms around my legs in a hug, “Spark you’re done microwaving!” He looked up at me, “And you’re wearing a dress?” My face seemed to register to him at that moment.
“And you’re a girl?!”