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A Few Days Later - In the Afternoon.

Rebecca answers the big door, having just been closer while Courtney is busy elsewhere in the manor, and her girlfriend still being a little shy about just answering the door in her new form. A short exchange later, she carries in a rather large package, and unable to hold back her curiosity, she opens the crate and lets out an excited cry that echoes through the main hall.

"Books!"

Courtney jolts up from her tablet, the usage of which is painfully slow with claws anyway so as to not damage it. The maid smiles at the sound of her girlfriend being excited, and jumps down from her bed. Forgoing any clothes besides a bra, since her changed tail and hips make it all but impossible to wear human-designed pants.

She sighs slightly at all her lost height, but then opens the door even as the knob is at her chest height now. She makes her way towards the main hall, pretty much entirety changed now, the last bits of her human skin having vanished this morning, and her face growing a snout the previous one. Not human anymore but by now she's just happy to be completely one form and not something in between.

The kobold smiles as she sees Rebecca: "Good news?"

Rebecca grins wide, "I don't know! But books! I didn't even know there were any books from Home. But this is what asking around the family for any kind of history about our own world got me. My Uncle just sent me a crate full of history books about our home, about Dragons... about Kobolds! Books!" She grabs one of the books and practically hugs it against her chest, giggling as she rocks back and kicks her rear legs excitedly.

Courtney laughs, admittedly getting excited herself upon seeing Rebecca get this excited. "Well, if nothing else, should be interesting." She blinks, something occurring to her. She goes to pick up one of the books, then frowns. "Um, love?"

Rebecca rocks forward again, sitting a little more normally before tilting her head at Courtney, "Hm? What's wrong?"

Courtney opens the book a few pages to confirm her suspicion. "Um... I don't think I can read this. I never thought to ask, but... Dragons probably had their own language back then, right?"

Rebecca blinks, flipping through the book she's holding, "Oh yeah... draconic... guess that would make sense."

Courtney steps next to the dragon and touches her ankle: "You'll just have to read for me, then~".

If there was a time where being so small next to a huge dragon would have made her fear, that time seems like a distant memory now.

Rebecca looks down at Courtney with a grin. It's uncertain if the dragon could hurt a fly, but she would certainly never hurt Courtney. "Oh! That'll be fun! Though, uh, this is probably mostly history books? That might be a really dry way to spend a day together." She sets the book she was holding down near the others, and digs through the box a little, pulling out tome after tome, "In fact... are these all personal accounts of hoards and family histories...? Are all dragons so vain?"

Courtney blinks, then lets out a bit of a giggle. "I guess I'm not too surprised, considering the reputation." She looks at herself, a naked furry-scaly blue-turquoise kobold: "I have a feeling my changes are finished, anyway, so you can take your time. Read when you feel like, er... going through that stuff."

Rebecca tosses one book aside, then sticks her tongue out at another, "Blah, these might not be what we were after. But they might at leas-" She pauses picking up a rather plain looking book in a brown leather cover. "Whoa... um... 'An Account in Service to the Lady Am'ladia'."

She flips to the first page. "...it says it's written by 'Her Loyal Servant Glimmer, Head of the Household'. Courtney... I think this was written by a kobold?"

Courtney looks up at her girlfriend, then at the book in question. "Oh? Oh. That... might help us. Potentially a lot." Her tail swishes slightly as she steps closer the book. "Certainly worth a look, this one."

Rebecca is slightly distracted by Courtney's tail, reaching over to run a finger along her girlfriend's back, "You're worth more than just a look~. But yes!" She carefully hands Courtney the tome in question, then turns to put the other books back in the box. "I'm going to toss these in the study and start some research!" The dragon does seem rather excited to dig into some fresh books, especially ones that might help her lover.

Courtney purrs at the touch as she takes the book carefully. "O-oh. It's a big one, too. Huh." She hasn't really lost much strenght upon her change, really just had it more condenced to a shorter frame. She looks up at Rebecca with a smile: "Honestly I'm curious what this account looks like even if nothing of it helps us."

Rebecca leans down for Courtney to climb aboard, "Well then come along, 'Head of the Household', if you're not busy with anything else at the moment, then we can curl up and give it a look!"

Courtney winks a bit: "Keep saying that and I might start believing it." She climbs onto Rebecca's back fairly easily now, her body just better suited for it, it comes almost eerily naturally to her.

Rebecca giggles, lifting up the crate of books in one arm and carrying it along to the study. "Not sure if that would be such a bad thing, hm? But really... I like to think of us as more a... partnership, hm?"

Courtney nods, her paws wandering along Rebecca's neck: "Mmm indeed. No need to decide who gets to call the shots if we both agree on most anything~."

Rebecca chuckles, "Well that does make things easier, at least." She hums softly at Courtney's touch, her wings fluttering. She soon enters the study, finding a place to settle the books, then lowering herself down to help Courtney down. "There. I can sort through these later."

Courtney pauses for a second, then easily hops down, surprising herself. "Oh. Yeah, guess we both want to start with this particular book." She taps at the book in her arms, then steps over to the table. "I'll just put this here and you got at your pace."

Rebecca pulls herself to the table and curls up around it. She smiles at Courtney, "Make yourself comfortable then. I really don't know how this will go, but I'm excited to find out."

Courtney smiles, sitting pretty comfortably in between Rebecca and the table. She giggles a bit. "It's kinda weird being this small, this short, but... now I can fit here." She looks at the book. "I'm going to at least try to figure out if I can understand a bit as you read."

Rebecca's tail curls around the table to rest against Courtney, and the dragon pets along her spine once more, "I just like you being close. Well, I can read aloud if you want, or just skim through and speak up if I see anything interesting." She opens the book, looking down at the very elegantly written script, a beautifully inked page of calligraphy. "Whoever Glimmer was they had beautiful pensmenship."

Courtney looks up with a smile, purring a bit: "Just say if you find anything interesting, I can occupy myself just trying to figure this out. A bit of a brain exercise, if you will."

Rebecca keeps her paw idly massaging her lover. "Let me know if you have any questions, dear." She starts to read, humming. "A bit of introduction... Glimmer is a kobold, it seems. Sounds like this is one half journal, one half... instruction manual? Like... this bit says the intent of this book is to pass on her knowledge and experiences in serving Am'ladia, her dragon."

Courtney muses: "Hmm. So was she of any particular importance in the, er, dragon hierarchy, or just one who happened to write this stuff up?"

Rebecca flips the page, "It doesn't say? She certainly doesn't give herself any big titles or any long list of deeds. She's just... here, 'Maid and Caretaker of the Keep'. Maybe this is really rare? Or maybe every kobold wrote down their experiences back Home? But this is the only book like that which we brought with us?"

Courtney shrugs: "I guess we won't really be able to tell." She touches her much smaller paw on Rebecca's arm. "Maybe we have something unique on our hands, or something... way less so. Ah well."

Rebecca hums, tilting her head to smile at Courtney, "What we have is certainly unique. The book is a good find too, though."

Courtney giggles, swatting Rebecca's arm: "You know what I meant, silly."

Rebecca giggles in turn, similarly bumping the tip of her tail against Courtney's side. "Hmm, maybe~." She goes back to reading for the moment, still grinning.

Courtney smirks, glancing at the 'offending' tail. "You're learning to tease me. Whatever shall I do."

Rebecca laughs, "You're teaching me so much, love~." She flips the page, then squints at the text, then over at Courtney, "...it says... she changed?" She leans in to read more closely.

Courtney feels her heart jump. She swallows. "She... she...?" She trails off, uncertain.

Rebecca nods, reading slowly to make sure she gets every word right, "'Growing closer to Am'ladia has felt amazing. We have talked more and more, and while we knew our connection was strong to begin with, the shift in my scales has proven our bond, the dull browns and blacks replaced by a golden hue just like my Dragon's.'"

Courtney opens her mouth, then can't quite stop herself from sighing in disappointment. "...oh. She changed, but not like, changed, like me."

Rebecca nods, "Guess so... she was always a kobold, but... it isn't unlike what happened to you. Just... less extreme?"

Courtney nods, glancing up at her dragon: "Y-yeah." She shakes her head, refocusing. "So... being... 'bonded' with a dragon causes one to... reform, change to more akin said dragon?"

Rebecca glances away, still a little guilt in the dragon over her potential fault in Courtney's changes, then pauses. "Wait... does that mean Glimmer and Am'ladia were in love too?" She leans back in towards the book, reading a little more quickly to try and find some evidence of such.

Courtney blinks a few times: "Well... huh. Maybe?"

Rebecca eyes another passage, "...'I chose to be Her Kobold, and she to be My Dragon. Am'ladia completes me, and I, her.'... I..." She glances at Courtney, feeling a swelling of emotions towards her, and nods in agreement with those feelings."

Courtney swallows, and nods. Her paw wanders to touch Rebecca's chest behind her: "W-well. Guess that settles that..." She sniffs, then whispers. "I love you."

Rebecca dips her head down to rest against Courtney's back, embracing her. "I love you. And I am yours."

Courtney mm's into the embrace, turning to hug Rebecca's head. She whispers: "Like I said, keep saying it~."

Rebecca hums deeply, "I'm sorry about the hardships it's caused... I'm not sorry about us becoming... Us."

Courtney nods, sniffling a bit onto Rebecca's cheek: "Y-yeah. I... c-changed, but I got you."

Rebecca takes a deep breath, "You have me, and will continue to have me. I love you, Courtney. I love you." She says it again and again at Courtney's request, sniffling slightly at the emotion welling up in her chest.

Courtney closes her eyes as she leans onto the dragon, the kobold feeling jolt go through her... but differently than the one that preceded her changes. For a brief moment, her spine crest, elbows, and her hair glow, first golden, then dimming towards the blue and turquoise that she is now.

Rebecca blinks, "Did..." She pauses to examine Courtney, raising an eyebrow. "I could have sworn something just... but you look the same to me."

Courtney is a bit stunned for a moment, after which she shakes her head. "Brrh! That... huh. That was something. Like I just... well, like before a few times but... stronger, and actually felt oddly good?" She shrugs: "I don't know."

Rebecca pokes at Courtney's back gently, "I thought I saw you... glow? But it wasn't for long. It might have just been my imagination, if not for... everything else that's happened."

Courtney looks at herself all over: "I don't feel different, except kind of... maybe this is a bit crazy, but I feel like that was the end of my changes."

Rebecca sits back to look over Courtney. "That's... the last of it? A relief, at least, in that sense."

Courtney shrugs: "Just a feeling. But like... this is me, now, for better or for worse. I hope you like what you're seeing, I guess." She smirks, knowing full well Rebecca has been liking what she's been seeing regarding these changes all this time, basically.

Rebecca laughs with a bit of strange relief, "Courtney... I always liked what I saw. Skin or scales, hair black or turquoise. Everything you are... you are beautiful to me."

Courtney smiles brightly: "I certainly won't get tired of you saying that anytime soon, love~. And of course you are beautiful as well, whether or not you admit it."

Rebecca stammers a little, but then brings her head back down to nuzzle Courtney, "I'll take the compliment from you, love~"

Courtney mm's into the nuzzle, finally being able to return it with a snout of her own. "Fair enough. So... shall we continue finding out what Glimmer knew?"

Rebecca hums, "Just a moment..." She nuzzles against Courtney for a little longer, giggling. "Okay. That'll hold me for now. Let's see what else we can learn."

Courtney giggles: "Fine. But only this once." She pauses. "Or until we deem it necessary again."

Rebecca laughs, "Well, you're the boss in that regard."

Courtney winks: "Only because I have your permission to be."

Rebecca smirks, "Oh? Well, I wonder when I'll get permission from you?" She grins as she turns back to the book, flipping back to before she skimmed ahead to resume her reading.

Courtney giggles a bit, but refrains from commenting further and also turns her focus to the book.

Rebecca's tail idle rests against Courtney while she reads. "There's a lot of general information here... I almost have to wonder who she was writing this for? Here she's just writing about enjoying the taste of fish. And this bit is just about what fabrics she likes. I feel like there's something I'm not quite getting here."

Courtney shrugs: "Maybe just writing because it's enjoyable? I could see that."

Rebecca hums softly, "Well, I can relate to that, at least. And her handwriting is so good. And oh she does talk about the Am'ladia again, calls her 'beautiful and noble, serene in voice, swift to defend the downtrodden', so definitely no one in my family."

Courtney hums: "Well you're quick to defend me. And you're beautiful." She crosses her arms. "So there."

Rebecca blinks, bashful nodding, "S-so maybe some one I take after?" She continues to read, "...'A powerful, kind dragon. But a dragon nonetheless. That's why it's my job to'..." Rebecca pauses, raising an eyebrow, "...'keep her in check'?"

Courtney blinks: "Wait, what? She really said that?"

Rebecca reads intently for a moment before speaking back up, "...'That is the most important part of being bonded to someone such as her. You should know that a strong dragon would be lost without a good kobold to keep her together. Though the dragons do love to pretend they're in charge, the smart ones know...'..." Rebecca peers at Courtney, "'that this is a partnership neither of us could exist without.'"

Courtney blinks again. She swallows. "Oh. Um... oh. So..." She looks up at Rebecca: "...partnership indeed. I transformed because we're partners, I guess then." She doesn't seem all that perturbed about it anymore.

Rebecca droops her head down, "I never know if I should keep apologizing or... or..." She laughs, "I don't know! I mean... we are partners. But if I had known it would cause these changes like this... I..."

Courtney touches her hand upon Rebecca's cheek. "I know, love." She stands up to kiss Rebecca's snout from the side: "I know, and I do not fault you. Maybe early on I did, but... not now."

Rebecca hums, "Did you change because of our love? Or is our love because of your change? Did I cause this, or did something about you trigger when you saw me? I guess we could ask those questions forever without it actually ever helping us."

Courtney giggles: "I think after a point, it just becomes more prudent to ask more relevant-to-present questions, like figuring out where we agree and disagree on food tastes."

Rebecca's smile grows, "I just want you to be happy. With us, with your place here, and with yourself... Glimmer is right about that at least, we should look out for each other."

Courtney nods, her paw wandering on Rebecca's neck and cheek: "You know I could spend my time bemoaning my fate, and I don't deny some part of me is screaming at what injustice against my free will this change is... but all that won't change me back."

Rebecca nuzzles softly against her lover, purring quietly. "It sounds like Glimmer knew about this beforehand... I wish we had known. Enough to understand what would happen if we pushed ahead. Maybe we would have anyways? I wouldn't want to push this feeling away. I... I couldn't do it, even I was terrified you would hate me if the changes continued. I couldn't make myself push you away."

Courtney leans onto Rebecca, purring in mirror. "Mmm, I couldn't bring myself to run away. And... well, where would I have gone to? The changes were already underway, by the time we realized I already had things I would have had to hide for the rest of my life."

Rebecca chuckles, "We both dug in, didn't we? But you're right... look where it got us?"

Courtney hums as she touches the dragon's cheek: "It got me to realize I'm into scales. I'm pretty sure for that I get to blame you~."

Rebecca smirks, her paw coming alongside Rebecca to ruffle her fluff, "Well, me too, I guess~. And the fur too."

Courtney giggles, purring more at the touch: "Mm, that too I guess. Never would have thought I'd like this but... I do." She glances at Rebecca: "Like, a lot of the doubt I had before just... isn't, anymore. This is who I am, now."

Rebecca runs her finger down to the tip of Courtney's tail, "At least there's a confidence in that, hm? Better than the doubt being in between being 'anything'."

Courtney shivers: "Mmm! Indeed." Her tail sways slightly at the touch. "Even if we're still learning new stuff for a while."

Rebecca glances back at the book, "Well, I do like learning. This... is strangely insightful about both kobolds and my own history. And honestly, any excuse to be close to you, I will take."

Courtney shrugs: "Yeah, no disagreement there." She grins: "Onwards!"

Rebecca giggles, keeping a hand against Courtney as she lifts her head back up to the book. "Onwards. I almost feel like... is it weird to think Glimmer wrote this exactly for us? For someone else in our situation, maybe? It's sounds odd to say aloud..."

Courtney hums: "Maybe not that weird. For all we know, we aren't the only ones in this situation." She looks at Rebecca: "Think about it. We don't really care to shout this out to the world, why would anyone else, if this happened?"

Rebecca hums, "...there were those online posts we found early on... maybe they put out initial cries for help, only to go silent when they actually learned what was happening. Or when they reached the point that we have."

Courtney smiles: "Maybe." She hesitates. "Though I guess even if they were, reaching out would prove... difficult, without outing ourselves as well. Hmm."

Rebecca nods, flipping the page as she continues to read through, "I think back to the messages I sent then... if someone else sent us similar questions now, I don't think I'd answer them..."

Courtney leans towards the book again, considering. Shen then hums: "...why not, though? At least, if they seem to be looking for help, instead of picking for other, more devious reasons?"

Rebecca blinks, "Because I... err... well... I don't know... other than just wanting to keep this secret?"

Courtney nods. "When I think about how I felt upon... during all this, I would have appreciated some knowing, helpful words. Wouldn't you?"

Rebecca nods, "I... yes. I was pushing pretty hard to find anything that could help or confirm... well... anything. You're right... even just knowledge that this happened to someone else..."

Courtney hums: "If we find there are others, I would... maybe want to coordinate. Learn. Help others if I can." She looks aside: "Or just, you know, even just having others to talk with about all this."

Rebecca leans back to watch Courtney, "So... do you want to do something more then? I... I wouldn't do anything without you being okay with it, but whatever you wish to do... I will support you."

Courtney shrugs: "Perhaps. I don't know, but... yeah, really, if I can help someone in similar situation, if someone is in a similar situation... I do want to help."

Rebecca hums in thought for a moment, "Well... something to keep that in mind. If we do find a way to help someone else..." She leans back in to the book, "Maybe that's all Glimmer was doing to."

Courtney smiles as she also leans forward: "Yeah. Doing what she could to help... even if her situation wasn't the same, it was similar in some senses."

Courtney shrugs: "Perhaps. I don't know, but... yeah, really, if I can help someone in similar situation, if someone is in a similar situation... I do want to help."

Rebecca: "She surely didn't foresee this crossing species...I mean... probably not..." Rebecca settles in to keep reading. "...well, there is a bit here on her daily routine."

Courtney smiles: "Well, let's find out."

Rebecca continues to read through the points of the book that may be interesting, a bit of daily routine, which does talk about the things that Glimmer cooks for herself, and a few bits about hygiene, scale care and fur grooming. "...'and spending the night resting alongside or atop Am'ladia.'"

Courtney listens intently on the parts about daily routine, making some mental notes about her new body. She blushes and smiles upon that last part. "...well, imagine so. Not that I mind, exactly."

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