Ought Part 3

Rex the alchemist is a funny little man, barely 5 feet tall and skinny like the dead. His Most prominent features are his large slightly discolored eyes that seem to be a honey shade of yellow. A common side effect I'm told for alchemists and indeed anyone who works with and makes constant use of Potions, and His bulbous head that he keeps warm and hidden under a large formfitting velvet cap. He has a wispy beard and mustache that sag like much of the skin around his eyes. It would be safe to say Rex is an Ugly little man and he is a stark contrast to his wondrous shoppe.

From floor to ceiling, racks and shelves line the walls, even covering up the windows. Sunlight can dissipate the effects of so many magics that the windows are most likely even painted-over in lead paint. There is however ample light coming from the bottles themselves. Vials which glow. Beakers of luminescence, Phosphorous amoeba, Jars of moonlight and tightly sealed decanters of distilled radiance. All set on shelves, full of awakened potential. Just waiting.

By their light, I can see the ever moving contents of healing elixirs, restorative drafts and life giving feel-goods. There are pints of headache aways and muscles growers. Tankards of photosynthesizes and hair removers. Confidence boosters and sleep relaxers. Everything that any person might ever need. What I need is to be made into a woman. Most of what is on the shelves is lost upon me but I enjoy reading the names as I'm led deeper into the shoppe. Dragon-Yang. Goblin Brine. Yellow-bellyer, Mostly deadly poison, bottled annoyance, in lotion and a spray. Deeper in the shoppe there is even a section for “love” potions with clever titles. Deadbeat-beater, Magical-Knight, Love slug, the solidifier, and No regrets. I'm curious but mostly afraid of what each one must do. I take in the value of the shoppe, its astounding.

“Ah, aren't you worried about being robbed?”

the alchemist replies without looking back.

“ha me no! Half of what's in here is worthless without the know how of how to use it, and the other half will simply kill you or you'll have to come crawling back to me for the antidote. And the last half cant be found on this mortal plane, So no i'm not worried. I don't keep the really pricey stuff out front anyways, most of it is down in the basement and it's warded and protected”

“great” is all I can think of in reply.

The basement seems to be where we're headed, and indeed as soon as I pass the threshold of the door leading down I feel a strange weight settle on me.

“I think I Feel your wards, they feel heavy, like I just suddenly gained 20 pounds on my neck”

The alchemist squaks from down below.

“ Must have some magic down around about or in you. Most people don't feel a thing, now go and stand in the corner and lets see what we can do for you.”

“not so sure about that” I reply

I do as directed and go and stand in the corner. The basement is dark but for a single oil lamp the the charcoal from a small brazer set on the floor.

Rex turns to me looks at me straight in the face with his strange colored eyes and says

“turn around a second I need to do something, and I don't want you to see, its kind of a secret”

I'm too tired to argue, so I do as directed. From behind there is some shuffling as Rex goes about his mystical Alchemist secrets. Thats when I'm suddenly hit from behind. By a sudden shower of Icy water. I turn around wet and angry.

“for the smell” Rex says evenly. “ now stand up straight so I can get your front”

I stand there blinking and shivering stupidly, but I'm beaten. I simply raise my arms, resigned to my fate. Rex hits me again right in the face with his second fire-bucket of water.

“well you still look like hell, but at least you don't smell anymore, Best hang them clothes, and put this on”

Rex holds out a thick burlap sack that has the words “Giant Yams” stenciled on the front. I look at him skeptically as he cuts a head and arm holes.

“What? Giant yams are totally harmless, if not come back to me and We'll rub your skin in larva worm butter”

I put on the sack. Its thick, and I start to feel better as I go and huddle by the brazer and cover myself with another couple of sacks. I read their stencils carefully.

Rex watches me medically his every attention focused on me.

“ looks like you had a fight with your woman, sure you didn't come here for some healing?”

I growl in reply.

“no. you silly strange ferr...”

Rex continues without pause.

“yeah I know how it goes. I was with this girl once, she had big feet too. I know what you're all about” His eyes go back for a second and he cackles.

“ah, good times. Anyways. What can Emporium Rex do for you? Something about Feminization as I recall”

“ yeah, -shiver- I need to be turned into a a sultry woman from the east”

“what you got a costume party to go to or something or is this more of a private use type of thing? Well in any case lets talk duration. I assume you do want to turn back yes?

“yes” I growl

“just asking, not everyone does you know. I don't judge, Rex here has seen it all and done most of it too. Duration?”

“a night maybe”

“alright, easy enough, any special effects you want or certain features”

“effects?”

“Yeah you know frills, boosts, wazoos. How about some gills?”

“NO gills, I think just the regular sultry woman wazoos will do”

“ah ok, what about some allure, might help with your image, since my guess is that you don't have much experience as a woman, might help smooth things over a bit, make your appearance a little more natural”

“that actually sounds useful, ok so how much is this going to run me?”

“well, exotic hotness, with allure and appeal for a night...I'd say about 50' Eights.”

I cough, I'm not sure if its from the cold or not.

“That's insane, what about for an hour?”

“ah, on a budget are we, well an hour I think I could swing for a soft 15, ah, heck, I like you and your my first customer of the day and you seem like you might make a pretty hot eastern bird, tell you what, 10gold.”

“Done”

It's official, I'm broke.

“Done” Rex barks. “ok let me get to work here, you're welcome to stay around if you like while I do my thing. Just stay out of the way. Don't touch anything.”

I'm feeling the full effect of my long evening and now that the cold has left me I'm starting to feel very warm and comfy. I start to fall asleep next to the brazer almost at once like a big sack of giant yams and a bushel of spider turnips. I hear Rex stoking his fires, clinking his phials and cleaning his distillers, talking and laughing to himself the whole time.