She didn't try to fight it. She didn't scream. She didn't rage.
Instead, she stood in the black expanse of the Workshop in silence, looking around in awe. Her eyes were wide, but not with fear.
"Did you do something magic?"
"I did," I told her, surprised by her calm.
"Amazing," she breathed. "Where am I?"
"You're in the Neko Customization Workshop," I told her. "It's where I can give you your ears and tail. And select your breed."
"My breed?"
"I was thinking Russian Blue."
She rolled her eyes. "Because I am Russian. That's so lame. I would prefer you used something else, please."
"What would you like?"
"Something fluffy."
"Tippy is a white Persian," I said. "Do you have a colour you'd prefer?"
"Of the fur?"
"Yes."
"It's not going to cover my entire body, is it?"
"No. Just your ears and tail. I mean I can cover your whole body if you like, but it looks a bit weird. I can do your hands and feet. That's not so weird."
"No, thank you. Just my tail and ears." She blinked. "What am I saying? Is this really happening to me?"
"It is." I leaned back and brought up the sliders. "Just relax. It doesn't hurt."
"Alright," she said. "Just my ears and tail?"
"Well. I can change other things, too."
"What other things?"
"Everything, I guess."
"Was the lady I spoke to also a catgirl?"
"Caramel?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, she is."
"She was very beautiful. Her skin was very clean. I don't think she was wearing makeup." She squinted towards where she thought I was. "I want that. Nice skin. I have to work too hard to keep mine looking only half as smooth as hers."
I selected Persian. Then, because I couldn't get Russian Blue out of my head, I selected a smokey blue-grey colour for her fur. As her ears and tail popped onto her body, I couldn't stop a small gasp of appreciation.
She looked gorgeous.
I quickly turned her hair the same colour so it all matched.
So cute!
She looked down at her tail and snatched it, her eyes wide as she explored the length. "It feels… It feels incredible," she said. "It's so sensitive. Especially here, at the end."
I watched as she surprised herself even further by making it twitch in her hands.
"You'll get used to it," I told her.
"How many of you are there?"
"On this world, you'll be number nine."
"On this world?"
"I'll tell you all about it later," I promised. "But let's just say there's a lot more than you can imagine. And soon, the whole world will be populated with Nekos."
"Nekos?"
"Catgirls."
"Oh." She shook her head. "I feel so confused. I thought this was pretty magic, but it might be something like Lovecraft. I should be screaming, shouldn't I?"
"If you want to," I said. "I have a volume control."
"Alright." She reached up and touched her ears. "You sound different. Are my ears more sensitive now?"
"Yes."
"That's… cool."
"You're taking this very well," I told her.
"I can't escape here, can I? You're going to change me even if I don't want it."
My finger hovered over a slider and my mind went blank.
Would I?
If she told me she didn't want it, would I stop?
Had I ever stopped? Had anyone ever not wanted to be a Neko? How could they not want to be a Neko? Neko's are amazing.
Licorice had screamed. She'd screamed a lot. I had to mute her. Didn't I?
I think I did.
Now, I'm not sure. Maybe she was happy, too. Maybe when she saw her tail, she was delighted by it and danced around begging for the changes to be applied permanently.
Why wouldn't she?
She was so happy now.
Wasn't she?
I felt a brief stab of pain and turned back to the slider. Looking at the cosplayer, I didn't know what to change. I'd already made a few small tweaks she hadn't noticed yet.
"Did you want bigger boobs?"
She looked up at me. "What?"
"Boobs," I said. "Breasts. Lots of Nekos want bigger boobs."
"Because you like them big?"
"I like all boobs," I said, feeling my cheeks flush for some reason. I felt like a teenager caught staring by his crush.
"I am comfortable with this size," she said. "I am a bit small, but I like them. They don't bounce too much when I run around, and it is easier to fit my costumes."
"Okay," I said, moving away from the breast sliders.
She lifted her chin and stared in my direction, a small frown edging her forehead. "Are you going to hurt me?"
"Hurt you? Why would I do that?"
She looked down at her body, which was naked. I don't even remember having swiped her clothes away.
"You have taken my clothes," she said. "You've changed my body to something you find more attractive. What is it for if not for your pleasure?"
"I'm freeing you."
"From what?"
I felt a little flustered by her question. What was I freeing her from again? The Demon Lord's influence. That's what I was freeing her from.
But he was dead.
I killed him, didn't I?
Why was I turning her into a Neko?
Pressure began to build and I could feel the blood pumping up my neck. Something… moved… inside… my… skull…
My ears popped as though the air pressure had changed.
"I'm freeing you from something bad," I said. "I have to."
"Why?"
"The System. It's… growing… Soon… everything…"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, wondering what she was worried about. Or what I'd been talking about. What had she asked? Oh. Why I was doing it.
"I need to protect my Nekos," I said. "I'll do anything for you, you know. I have to protect you. No one will ever hurt you. I promise."
"Alright," she said. She didn't seem to believe me.
I'd have to prove to her how much I loved her.
"Do you have a name you'd like to be known as?"
"No," she said. She seemed resigned to something. "You choose it."
"How about Susha?"
"That's sweet," she said with a wan smile. "Sure. Whatever."
Her change in mood made me frown. "Is everything okay, Susha?"
"When I leave here, I won't be me, will I? I will be like the other women? Your assistant. And the lady in the store. They had the same look. And they spoke the same way. I will be like them, won't I?"
"You'll be you," I assured her. "I only have sliders for your physical appearance."
"But it will change me."
It began as a ringing in my ear, which rose to a high pitch scream.
A scream which obliterated my thoughts and left me scratching at the floor. I howled with it, turning my hands into fists and smashing them against my head.
"No no no no!" I beat at my head, trying to break my skull open so the screaming could get out. "This… not… what… I… wanted… You… lied…"
The shrill scream pierced my brain right at the point where meat meets soul. I felt it rip right through me like a banshee wail.
Blinding me.
Deafening me.
Then?
Silence.
I lay on the ground, panting. A little bean bag was next to me, and I crawled into it with a groan.
"Bexley?" Susha called from within the dark space. "What is happening, Bexley?"
I smiled at her, feeling exhausted for some reason. Like I had just broken a fever. My fingers reached out and tapped a few sliders.
"Everything is great, Susha. I can't wait to introduce you to everyone."
Her shoulders slumped and she nodded. "Alright, Bexley." She looked down and sighed. Did she know something I didn't? She was acting very strange. "Well, I always wanted a tail, I guess. Mama was right. Nothing comes free, does it?"
My head throbbed, but I shook it off. "No," I agreed. "And some things… cost more than they should."
"Will you let me talk to her again, Bexley? Can I say goodbye to her?"
"Of course," I promised. "I won't stop you from talking to your family! I think family is the most important thing in the world. That's why all Nekos are part of mine. We call it a Pride."
She clenched her jaw. What did she know? "I see."
I felt I needed to reassure her somehow. Sweat slid down my forehead. My heart started to race even as my head felt tight. My stomach churned, and I wasn't even teleporting! I really needed her to know I only wanted the best for her. "I swear, Susha. I'll protect you and make you happy forever!"
Do you wish to make any changes?
"Goodbye, Bexley. Even for the tail, I won't thank you."
I was crying, though I don't know why, as I selected no.
Susha flickered, as though her body had been disintegrated and remade in the same way I did when I levelled.
She looked around the box, her eyes wide and alert.
Her tail fluffed up so thick and fat it made me want to grab it and bury my face in its fluffy softness.
"Master?" Her voice sounded high pitched and cute when she was frantic, I thought. "Master, where are you?"
"I'm right here, Susha," I said, unable to smile. "Everything… It will be okay now."
"Okay," she said, sighing in relief. "I was so scared. Can I come out now?"
"Sure," I said as I started to close the Workshop. "Let's go."