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A Few hours later.

Eventually, one's fun must come to an end. This certainly applies to big furry conventions, whether or not magic is involved. Late afternoon is slowly turning into evening as the setting sun bathes everything in orange glow. As people slowly leave the big convention building, Akari and Cindi are sitting at a park bench some distance away, the two furs having opted to not get into the crowds of any ending ceremonies. Nevermind the risk of being glimpsed for what they actually are now, both of their enhanced senses of smell told them that it would be pretty painful regardless.

Instead, they went for ice cream. After a bit of talk back and forth, they agreed that the slight risk of the vendor glimpsing them through the Bubble, was worth getting to try and taste ice cream in their current forms.

Overall, the two's mood has been on a rising curve since talking with Audie, getting to do all the posing and hugging and assorted fur camaderie they came to the con for, but with vastly greater freedom by not being hindered by technical difficulties of being a human in a fursuit. Which if Cindi thought about for any length of time should bother her, not being a human being at the moment, but she's been too happy to be bogged down by that.

Taking the first lick of her ice cream after the two sat down on the bench, Cindi blinks and looks down her snout. "Heh. Not... something I built for, but I'm pretty sure my tongue is bigger now."

Akari has let go of most of her fears for the moment, trusting Audie that all the feelings of change and discomfort being in her mind, at least for now. Rhe strange thoughts and feelings she's had can be embraces in the moment and pushed down later... Which she's pretty sure is what Audie meant... She certainly enjoyed letting go and just being Akari for the crowd, knowing there would be no repercussions, just as she's enjoying it now sitting alongside her best friend.

She tilts her head, looking at Cindi's tongue, then sticks hers out to check. It's certainly bigger, considering the size of the head, but not terribly different. After a moment of trying to stare down at her tongue, she lets out a giggle.

"I never would have thought to build a tongue into a fursuit. Not unless I wanted one with an opening mouth. Which... I guess i do have now!" She giggles again, then tries her ice cream.

Cindi giggles in mirror: "It's one of those... weirdnesses and I suspect we're going to be finding a lot of them in the near future." She concentrates on the ice cream for a couple of good licks. "Also this feels like we're breaking some rule of fursuiting, eating ice cream like this."

Akari shrugs, usually such a prim and proper rule follower, her mischievous side comes out just enough to make her 'crimes' a bit adorable in their tameness, "Let 'em come drag us away for it! After the weekend we've had, we deserve a little ice cream."

Cindi laughs: "Yeah, you got that right!" She gives an amused chortle: "Though if someone comes for us, it's probably not for the ice cream. Or really any reason. Barring another real fur spotting us, I guess."

Akari smirks, "They can get their own ice cream. I'm not sharing."

She laughs, but slowly looks down, growing a little serious. "I didn't really stop to think about how potentially weird this could be if someone on the outside of it really found out. I guess there's some risk not just to us, but to everyone in the group now. This is... Kind of a big thing we've been trusted with, huh?"

Cindi nods, musing. "Whatever my own uncertainties about this, I will do my best to not betray that trust. That just... no one wants that sort of outside attention."

Akari smiles, "Me too... Yeah. I was kinda confused when Rowena kept calling this a Gift. But maybe now I get it? I had a lot of fun this weekend. This will be such a treat in future conventions."

Cindi raises an eyebrow at her friend: "Guessing you have changed your mind about this. We're not walking away." Statement really more than a question, but it needs to be stated.

Akari giggles, "Nah... I guess not. I mean, as long as what Audie says is true, there's no reason to walk away... Not that I can see, at least."

Cindi smiles, licking at her ice cream again. "Yeah. We're already in this, and I'm not sure if it's worth spending energy on the what-ifs. Besides, getting to eat while in suit..." She pauses, frowning: "You know what, I'm gonna stop calling this a suit when it's just us. Feels wrong."

Akari ponders for a moment, quietly licking her ice cream, "... it's like... More 'us'. I keep going back to thinking about it, and it's not like I'm not Rowan. I still am... But Akari is so much more."

Cindi giggles softly: "Certainly in the physical sense. If I had to live with these hips for the rest of my life, I'm not sure I could deal. But occasionally... heck yeah. This feels so good, and today was awesome."

Akari wiggles on the bench, "Oh gosh, can you imagine? We were going to drive home Saturday morning like this. My poor car seats."

Cindi lets out a rather unladylike amused snort. "Pfft! Yeah, that wouldn't have really worked well, would it." She looks at the setting sun and gives a wistful sigh. "Overall though, pretty good. Pretty darn good."

Akari hums in affirmative, "A good con... Certainly one I'll remember forever for a Bunch of reasons. Good and bad. And other! Though... I imagine the post-con blues will suck for this one."

She leans slightly against Cindi.

Cindi blinks, but leans back just as slightly. "Yeah... maybe not looking forward to that one, but we do have one plus side... we have no shortage of topics to discuss on the road back. Big things and small." She glances at her friend, smiling.

Akari nods, "No shortage at all... I expect you to tell me everything you can find while I drive."

Cindi smirks: "That's a promise. We have a lot of resources and we'd be fools to not use them, that much I've understood. Much like-" She blinks, then gives an amused snort: "...like, to give a completely random example, building a fursuit."

Akari giggles, "Who's ever done a thing like that before, hmm?"

She licks her ice cream, looking out over the sunset. "It bears repeating... I'm glad you dragged me to that first con. And I'm glad you got me into suiting. If not for your enthusiasm, I wouldn't be here."

Cindi smirks, brushing her shoulder just slightly against Akari's: "Even glad I dragged you into this particular con, hmm?"

Akari nods, responding to the touch by leaning closer, "Even this one. Things might have gone differently, but... Yeah. Especially this one."

Cindi smiles warmly. "Whatever else this is... this is the biggest thing that has happened to us." She finishes up her ice cream, the relatively small dessert not really having a chance against the sweet-loving canine.

Akari: "Huh, I-..." Akari pauses, thinking back. "Yeah, huh. I guess so. I mean, certainly the strangest thing. Biggest... I guess so, huh?"

Cindi shrugs: "Nothing else in my life has really shaken things as much, at least."

Akari leans back, "Well, sure, but..." She trails off, not really having any argument or counter. "It's... Just for a few days a year, right... it'll make conventions way more fun. I guess I don't know what the discord group is like yet."

Cindi shrugs: "Me neither. But..." She trails off, suddenly feeling a bit awkward about finishing her thought. "Eh, nevermind. We'll see where things go, I guess."

Akari hums, "Yeah... I suppose so. There is a whole lot we don't know about this new world."

Cindi looks back at the sundown: "So much... like, how to deal with so few events and... maybe wanting to do this more often." She blushes a bit at the admission.

Akari glances at Cindi, not quite surprised at the admission, "Maybe... We'll have a little more money for the cons themselves if we're not spending it all on costume materials."

Cindi looks up at her friend and gives a timid smile: "Yeah... we do. As long as... you know. We learn how to do all this." She gives a small sigh. "It feels so good to be Cindi, there is nothing in previous costuming that even remotely compares to this degree of freedom."

Akari nods, finishing her own ice cream at last. "Ice cream tastes really good! I can see without having to worry about bumping into anyone. The hugs are way better like this, and... I just feel so happy. I... I get it Cindi."

Cindi smiles, leaning back. "As said, the post-con funk is going to be the worst. But maybe it's worth it." She gives a bit of a stretch. "Mm. This is so good."

Akari watches Cindi stretch and laughs, "And it's really nice being so squishy but also flexible at the same time... Mmmhhhh..." She does a similar stretch, arcing her back as her tail rises up behind her.

Cindi smiles at her friend. "And it's so much better with you, too. Akari... That is, Rowan." Her smile turns a bit warmer: "It matters a lot to me that you've stuck with me."

Akari reaches out a hand instinctively, "I couldn't leave you behind to deal with this alone. Besides, where else was I going to go? You're my best friend, as Jac' or as Cindi."

Cindi takes Akari's hand in hers... and then the other as well. "BFFs, as our fur-selves would probably put it." She pauses, then shrugs. "Guess that's a good term as any. Fur-self." She lets out a small giggle.

Akari giggles, "I like it~. BFF's, Besties, and Bae's! Yeah! Though, I would say it with less exclamation points if I wasn't my furself? Am I saying that right?"

Cindi giggles some more: "Sounds about right. Some or all of those, depending on mood." Her tail gives a little twitch. "...just, something that occurs to me... how do we want to call each other when like this? We both sorta respond to the character names when in s- when we're our fur-selves, anyway..."

Akari lowers her head bashfully, "I mean, Rowan is fine, but... I'd rather be called Akari when I'm like this. It sounds better to me, and really, I am Akari like this. Right?"

Cindi nods, squeezing Akari's soft(ish) hoof-hands with her paws. "...about the same I was thinking. It feels a bit wrong to call myself Jacinto when like this, and... I'm pretty sure that's not Cindi talking. If that makes sense."

Akari squeezes back, "Yeah... I'm pretty sure I understand. I mean, Rowan is Rowan and Akari is Akari... It does sorta help to keep them separate in my head like this. Ha, as if that makes any sense either."

Cindi laughs softly: "Yeah... about as much as any of this does." She is quiet for a moment, before just flashing Akari another warm smile: "...probably could not have done any of this without you, you know."

Akari shakes her head, "Wh-wha? Me? Nah, I'm just your cheerleader. You can do anything, Cindi."

Cindi blinks and blushes: "Ah huh." She runs her mouth a time or two. "It uh, takes two to tango, if you pardon the expression. You helped along the way a lot, and your current form is a testament to that." She blinks despite her blush. "...that definitely sounded weird."

Akari blushes along, "S-so... It's both our fault?"

Cindi giggles nervously, still holding Akari's hands in hers. "Y-yeah. All evidence points to that."

Akari nods, "Oh-okay... That I'll accept. Equal parts credit and blame."

Cindi nods, hesitating for a second before letting go of Akari's hands, though the blush has not really gone anywhere. "B-besides cheerleading and keeping me sane and being a sounding board when my ideas took a turn for the stupid, and having some pretty cool ideas about how we did details..." She looks down for a second, but glancing back up: "...it's no fun being in the fur alone, is it."

Akari pouts slightly at the thought of it, reluctantly releasing Cindi's hand. "It wouldn't be any fun at all, no. But, thankfully we don't need to worry about that. If I was still undecided about any of this, that's really the only argument you'd need to make. If you need me... Rowan. Akari. Either of me... I'll be at your side!" Out of Akari's mouth it does sound like something of a vow, the doe is deadly serious.

Cindi blinks, but then a smile spreads on her snout again. "Yeah. I know that. Now, anyway. I don't think anything can separate us." She lifts her hands in front of her: "We'll go conquer all the furcons from here to... er, somewhere pretty far away." She finishes lamely.

Akari relaxes a little, her carefree grin returns, "Exactly! Conquest! And friendship! And fun!"

Cindi lowers her hands to her snout, giggling: "About the gist of it, yup." She attempts to take a serious look for a second: "The amount of conquest shall be negotiable, and maybe able to be exchanged for sufficient amounts of cookies and ice cream."

Akari blinks, "Is that how conquest works? We really should have gone this route before... But maybe a lot harder without being our furselves." She giggles. "I still like it~"

Cindi shrugs: "I don't know, but perhaps we should make it a goal to find out." She hums for a moment, smiling as she muses. "...you know, I think I want to look for a few more reasons to go out like this, besides the biggest cons. If we have the time and money."

Akari nods, "I... I don't think I'd mind either. I mean, if we can do this, it's kind of a waste not to... right?"

Cindi hums with an amused expression: "I also can't think of anything else I'd spend a lot of my weekends and holidays on..."

Akari nods, "Well, usually we just met up on those days to work on our suits anyways~"

Cindi blinks. "...touché."

Akari giggles, leaning into Cindi's shoulder, "One way or another, we'll find more to do. We've only really ever looked at fur cons, but there's always anime or comic cons that we could seek out. Maybe people in the RFC have ideas too!"

Cindi mm's: "I would imagine if this change brings anything remotely the same kind of desire in others, probably." She blinks. "Or... duh." She looks at Akari: "Wanna bet there are RFC-only events and for obvious reasons we don't know of them yet?"

Akari's eyes go wide, "Huh... well, yeah, that would make a ton of sense. Hopefully ones we can reach easily. It would be neat to get to know more folks like us."

Cindi nods: "Yeah, should do good for the ol' sanity to meet others." She hums: "And just maybe accidentally have an excuse to spend more time in fur."

Akari sticks her tongue out at Cindi, "Right. Accidentally."

Cindi lifts a paw to her chest: "I will have you know that I am the picture of innocence!" She looks down at her very fluffy and pastel-colored self: "... You know, looking like this the argument would even have some merit to it."

Akari giggles, "Well, I would usually believe it... so... oh well! I believe you!"

Cindi gigglesnorts: "F-fair enough." She looks at her paw and arm: "Though really, we are if possible even softer than fluffier than we designed the suits as. I suppose I did kind of cultivate that sort of mental image of Cindi..."

Akari reaches out to pet Cindi's side, "Well, there's only so much one can do with fabric and fake fur... but this feels so real. I uh, I guess I'm a bit guilty of thinking of Akari is fluffier too."

Cindi feels the back of one of her paws with the other, brushing paw pads against fur: "It's also just... so soft. Although I imagine in time a need to have a shower as fur-self would be needed..." She blinks, imagining herself in shower as Cindi and blushes a touch: "...o-okay, that is a bit exciting as a concept."

Akari sees Cindi blush, causing her to blush as well, "C-Cindi! Be good!"

She takes a moment to recover, "I- I guess we don't really know how to um... clean these... us."

Cindi attempts to minorly choke on her breath for a second. "Ah-EM! Um. I didn't... I meant..." She blushes fiercely, looking aside: "Just, uh... curiosity. A-and not to p-put a point to it, but technically we have been without clothes almost all weekend..."

Akari blushes further, wrapping her hooves around her snout in embarrassment, "Ah! B-but you're not supposed to say it!"

Cindi puts her paws around her chest, feels infinitely more embarrassed by the brief anknowledgement of what she's hiding, and finally puts her paws to her knees: "S-sorry! I've tried really hard to not think about it but I did and now I said it and jeez I'm just making it worse."

Akari shakes her head, lowering a hand to playfully shove Cindi, as she giggles, "Y-you're so bad!"

Cindi nods and giggles a bit, but now it's shadowed by something, her expression not entirely of mirth now. "Y-yeah, the, uh... worst. Maybe."

Akari frowns, watching Cindi's expression, "Oh gosh, I didn't actually hurt your feelings did I? I was just teasing! Y-you know how I... err, how Akari gets about that kind of stuff."

Cindi shakes her head: "No, I... it's not..." She looks down at something she's pointedly ignored all weekend. Under all that fluff are two decidedly feminine, definitely real mounds that she's dead certain by now aren't just stuffed socks. Two glands that are generally only blessed (or Gifted) to only around half of the population, fur or not. Two tear-shapes that outside of costuming he's definitely not supposed to have...

Her mouth runs a couple of times, before she whispers, her voice a bit broken. "...we're fe-eh... ladies for real, Akari."

Akari tilts her head in confusion, "Well... y-yeah...? That's how we wrote these characters, and designed the costumes... but, I mean, it's just-" She runs a hand up her belly, cupping one of her boobs, brain ceasing to work for a moment afterwards.

Cindi swallows: "I k-know that! But we're not...! We're not supposed to...!" She trails off, shuddering, lifting her tail from her side to hug it: "We're not..."

Akari's eyes go wide at last as she stammers out, "B-b-but we didn't design THOSE! N-not like that!" She swallows, slowly lowering her hand from her breast, feeling suddenly very vulnerable, "W-we... should get back to hotel..."

Cindi nods numbly. "W-we... maybe we s-should." She hesitates, then offers her hand to Akari as she gets up: "I just... just... I don't..." She shakes her head and just gives Akari the weakest of weak smiles. Too much of everything all of a sudden.

Akari takes Cindi's hand, squeezing it tight. "It... it's just in-character, Cindi. Our furselfs... it'll be okay. Let's... let's go..."

Cindi swallows and nods: "M-maybe that's e-enough, uh... furselves, for today, anyway." Her mind is racing, and not in the fun 'figure out problems' kind of way either.

Akari waits a moment for Cindi to start walking, but ends up pulling the canine forward along with her, moving them both back to the hotel. "Yeah... c'mon. Let's leave Cindi and Akari to their own devices and we can go get dinner. No worries."

Her own questions about this are put aside for the moment, helping her friend taking priority, and Rowan's own explicit attempts to seperate himsel from Akari in his own mind helping as well.

Cindi follows Akari, her mind a mess right now. "Y-yeah, we can... do that... a-and think about this... later. Way later." She gives Akari a look of fear that rather mirrors the ones they had upon initially discovering the change, even if reasons are currently somewhat different.

Akari gives Cindi her best supportive smile, having clarity of mind enough to refrain from giving her a hug for the moment. "Way later. C'mon Jac'."

Cindi... Jacinto follows her friend, but manages a small smile regardless. "Y-yeah."

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