Soft Dragons
"I always wanted to be a dragon.."
Robert sighed inwardly at the young man standing before him in his shop. If only it where that easy.
Robert smiled at the boy in what he hoped was not interpreted in a mocking manner. People with feelings, beliefs, and desires that fell outside of "mainstream" society could be very easily alienated and hurt. Robert understood better than many, as he himself was a card-carrying, spell-casting sorcerer. Though he didn't wear a robe with arcane symbols embroidered on it. Well, not usually.
Robert stood up from his chair behind one of the counters in his modest little book, herbal medicine, and magic shop. Walking around the front, he clasped his hands behind his back, regarding the person standing beside a tall oak bookcase, filled with volumes on subjects ranging from philosophy to ritual magic (though he tried not to stock the flashier, comercialized books on magic).
The youth was not terribly younger than Robert; he guessed he was perhaps twenty years of age, standing six feet or so, thin build, narrow face with green eyes, blond hair a bit messy and at shoulder length. Dressed plain in black T-shirt and faded jeans, cheap sneakers.
Robert smiled again at the boy, who's name he'd learned a short while ago was Kevin. Kevin had wandered into Robert's shop that morning saying he had been referred to Robert by a common associate: Kelly Pavlavic, professor of Etheric Philosophy at the University of San Francisco's Center for Psychometric Research.
At first Robert had feared that Kevin was yet another person who wanted a magic bullet (literally) to cure some problem in their life. Strong, overt magic was still a new thing to the world at large in 2008. Although the initial flurry of research had already showed that real magic, while it could do some amazing things, was far from omnipotent, a good many people still either looked at magic with unease and tried to ignore it's existence. Or they flocked to it assuming anything could be accomplished with the "magic secret".
Robert worried even more when Kevin said he was interested magicks related to alteration of a person's physical form. After a time however, as he spoke with Kevin, carefully feeling him out, gauging his true understanding of those matters, Robert began to see that there was something more to the boy than he'd thought, and that Kelly had referred Kevin to him for a good reason.
"Look," Kevin had said, "I know that things like that -modifying living things- aren't simple.. I guess part of it is, I just want to know more.. Kelly told me a little bit of stuff, well, about you.. you sort of where interested in things I was, and with that, and you being a sorcerer too, you might be someone to talk about some of my ideas with.."
That was when Kevin had said "I always wanted to be a dragon.."
Robert pursed his lips.. "Well, Kevin, I take it Kelly has told you about some of the things I've done for people?"
A blush crept across Kevin's face.. "Yeah.. I was amazed.. I mean, not just that you did some magical things, but the kind of things.. they, well, where so much like what I had always wanted to try.."
Robert reached out to pat Kevin's shoulder reassuringly, "Well, I've found over the last few years that while society is still very repressed on a great many things, the presence of things like magic has caused a lot more people to come forward with what they really feel or want. Very little seems strange to me."
Robert clapped his hands softly and smiled wide, "Alright then. This is a slow week for me. I was actually kind of bored, so let's get to work."
"That's all? We just go?" Kevin asked. Robert grinned even wider.
"You will find that once a person takes a step into this world -magic- they gain a lot more freedom. I often think that's what people who fear magic are afraid of. Too much freedom for their tastes." Robert stepped around Kevin and motioned for him to follow into the back of the shop. "I have some things to show you."
Kevin followed Robert through a beaded curtain at the rear of the shop and into a small office. Robert opened a door on one side, and ushered Kevin down a stairwell, remarking as they descended, "We bought the building with the shop as well as the apartment next door. We had the basements of each building connected together to give us plenty of workspace."
As they reached the bottom and Robert opened the door leading into the basement, Kevin started to ask, "What do you work on..." and trailed off and stared.
Kevin stared because there was a dragon in the room. After a moment he relaxed as he realized it wasn't a real dragon.
Before him lying curled up on a large patchwork quilt on the floor was plush, stuffed dragon. Calling it a plushie dragon however, didn't describe it by half, as it was magnificent. Robert stepped to the side to allow Kevin to walk slowly up to the dragon.
Kevin gaped at the creation as he circled it slowly. 8 feet long, not counting it's tail, the dragon was made of a deep, rich blue fabric. Rather than having the short frizzled fuz that the typical stuffed animal was made of, the dragon's fabric hide was furred, with a full inch pile. As Kevin examined it, he began to see the level of detail. The dragon was not simplified like a typical manufactured plushie. It's features, while soft and plump, had real definition. The face and head where detailed, with rich, deep green Plexiglas eyes with actual fabric eyelids, large fanlike ears, and a detailed mouth. It's large feet where round and soft, but had individual toes.
Kevin noticed that the dragon was not all fabric. The dragon's mouth was studded with soft plastic teeth and fangs, and he could see a tongue made of what appeared to be molded latex lazily hanging out of one side. Along the top of the dragon's head, large scale plates along the V-shaped eyeridges where made of soft plastic as well, and the membranes that made up the flaps of the ears where a glossy vinyl. Further back along the dragon, Kevin saw the neck and belly plates where more soft plastic, and the wing membranes where vinyl like the ears. Long plastic talons tipped the toes of the feet, and on the bottom of the feet he could see vinyl panels had been sewn in for pads.
Kevin just stared at the dragon, as it lay in it's pose of being curled up, head resting on the tip of it's own tail, wings spread out and relaxed, eyes sleepy looking and half-closed.
Kevin looked back at Robert, "This is just plain awesome. You made this?" Robert just nodded, suppressing a grin.
As Kevin turned back to the dragon, Robert told him, "Go ahead and touch him." Kevin thought, him?, but reached out to lay a hand on dragon's snout. His brow furrowed, "It's warm." He ran his hand up the snout, and across the top of the dragon's head. Pulling his hand back, he flexed his fingers, looking at them in thought.
Robert was pleased to see the Kevin was not slow on the uptake, as Kevin looked at him with an eyebrow raised and asked "When I touched it, him, I got the same feeling you get when you're in the presence of another person.. is this alive?" Robert nodded.
"Yes, his name is Aurael and he is quite alive." Kevin opened his mouth as if to speak but said nothing. The look on his face asked how? though. Robert walked over and kneeled beside the living plushie and stroked along one of the vinyl ears with his right hand, and glanced up at Kevin.
Robert sighed slightly as he explained. "It's actually relatively easy to bind a soul to physical matter, if the soul is willing. It was possible even before strong physical magic manifested itself. Aurael was a living human male a few years ago. He died, is all. Cerebral tumor." Robert moved his hand to pet Aurael's snout.
"We where quite close to each other. Closer than brothers, I loved him dearly. He loved dragons, as do I, and he was a real fan of plush things, like the stuffed animals. I had experimented with binding small spirits to items to act as familiars before. We didn't want to lose each other's company, so we just made him another body. When he died, I bound his spirit to this form." Robert stood back up and faced Kevin.
Kevin looked down at the dragon. "Do you have any idea what it's like for him? To have that form, I mean. Can he move?"
Robert folded his arms across his chest and looked thoughtful. "Well, we had our ideas about what it would be like. Thankfully, with the stronger magic these days, it's much easier to communicate spiritually. Though it's still more like sensing emotions than the words-in-your-head telepathy you see in pop culture. But from the images Aurael has communicated to me, I've gathered that while he can't move physically, he can actually feel sensations like touch. He can see and hear, some sort of magical translation going on there."
Kevin leaned over to touch the dragon's face again. Hesitating, he asked Robert, "Umm.. does he like it?"
Robert smiled down at the plush dragon. "Yes, he does. He loves it, actually." Robert looked back to Kevin, "A plushie exists to accept love and provide it. To be with someone for the sake of being there. That is a extremely pure kind of existence, and there is a great attraction to it."
The boy smiled for the first time since entering Robert's shop. "I can understand it very well..."
Robert sighed quietly and walked over to sit down at a pine workbench. Kevin looked around the rest of the room for the first time, all his attention until then being focused on the dragon Aurael. The workshop had several benches, the walls lined with metal working tools, a sewing machine in one corner, several reams of fabric stacked with it. The walls had sketches pinned to them that looked to be design sketches, many for clothing and costumes.
Seeing Kevin taking it all in, Robert grinned a little. "We make costumes for people, it's extra money, which always helps. We also have done something else for a few people, which is why I suspect Kelly sent you here. There's no subtle way to bring this part up, so I'll be blunt: I gather you want to be a dragon?" Kevin nodded.
Robert narrowed his eyes in thought. "Well, shape changing is unfortunately, still something of a mystery. There have been a few randomized cases of it, but a lot of the old magical knowledge has been lost, and no researchers of magic that I know of have gotten to anything as advanced as that. There is, however, something of a loophole that a few people have discovered."
Robert motioned to the plush dragon on the floor. "Go ahead and sit down. He makes a great pillow, and he loves it." Kevin broke into a grin, and sat down against Aurael's flank, leaning back. The dragon felt wonderful, both because he was amazingly soft, and because of the sense of a living thing. It was warm and reassuring. Robert continued.
"After people met Aurael in his plush form, many became attracted to the idea. It turns out there are a lot of plushiphiles out there. To make a long story short, after some experimentation we figured out how to turn an person into a plushie." Robert grinned ruefully. "That does sound very silly, when you say it."
Kevin shook his head, "Actually, I think it sounds fascinating." He looked down at the plush dragon's face, then back up at Robert. "How though?"
The sorcerer looked thoughtful. "Well, to affect such a transformation on a still living person, we found a tricky method. It involves translating a person's physical body into a more simple material configuration.. in English, transmuting the complex organic body in a simpler form turned out to be far easier than changing it into an different, equally complex organic form." Robert stood up and went over to point out a few sketches pinned to the wall behind Aurael's spot.
"These are some design sketches." Kevin looked up at them. They appeared to costumes, one sketch of another dragon, green and more slender than Aurael, and the other of a somewhat anthropomorphic otter. The costume sketches looked vaguely exaggerated, giving them a plushie look like Aurael.
"These are made to be worn, but as more than costumes," Robert continued. "They are templates. The process we developed involves constructing one, and having the person to be changed wear it during the actual magical work. The physical body is merged with the costume, and the spirit says bonded with it." Kevin stared at the sketches on the wall.
"That's something, I mean, I.. hm.. what is it like? Umm, does it hurt?" Kevin asked.
Robert smiled slightly, "No. In fact, we've done this for ten other people since Aurael, and feedback on the experience has been rather positive."
Kevin looked over the plush dragon he was resting on, his gaze stopping at Aurael's eyes. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the dragon seemed to look right back. Kevin though the feeling the dragon's eyes gave was one of absolute contentment.
Kevin came to a conclusion at that point. If he couldn't be a flesh and blood dragon yet, he wanted to be a plush one. He blinked as his mind almost railed against that, throwing up question after question: What about college? Your parents? Your friends? A career?
What would happen to you if you where a big plush dragon and couldn't even move on your own?
Robert saw the inward focused look on Kevin's face, and knew what he was considering, and probably the questions he was asking himself. He had watched the same internal debate with the other ten people who he had provided this service for.
Kevin pulled himself to his feet and crossed his arms, walking slowly over to where Robert stood with a distant look on his face. He looked down at the floor and sighed.
"I find myself actually finding this attractive, even erotic," he said quietly, some part of himself amazed at how he was opening up to this mostly total stranger. "I've actually had dreams before about stuff similar to this. I'm a loner, you know.. I actually think I'd want to do something like this. The only thing I couldn't justify to myself is, well, what would happen to me afterward?" Kevin glanced back at the dragon on the floor. He then looked back up at the sorcerer out of the corner of his while chewing his lip, suddenly feeling deeply embarrassed by all he had said.
Robert saw the boy's face blush and quickly spoke, "It's quite alright, please. People seem to have way of opening up to me. And I understand what you're thinking quite well, actually. Do you have any friends or family that might understand something like this? A place for you to go, afterward?"
Kevin looked morose, "Not really.. I was just thinking, I'd actually like to try it, just because I'm pretty alone. But I also don't think I know anyone who would, erm, want me, after something like that.."
The sorcerer nodded, "There's always here, or the homes of any number of other mystically inclined people I am aquatinted with. Of the people who have chosen this sort of life for themselves, six did so because they really had no one, and we found places for them."
Kevin raised his hand a little. "Uh, you keep saying "we". Who do you do this kind of thing with? I was just suddenly curious.." Robert grinned.
The mage waved down at Aurael, "Aurael, of course. He might not be able to do anything physically, but he's quite capable as a magic worker, and is a great help on the purely magical aspects of creating forms like these, and on other things."
"I suddenly want to do this so bad," Kevin said. "I wonder if it's crazy to just drop everything and do something like this. It's like you read in those stories of people walking into voodoo shop or something and having all these magical things happen to them, for good or bad. No offense.."
Robert grinned widely, "None is taken. Gods know I compare my life to episodes of The Twilight Zone. Only the Rod Sterling originals, of course. None of the regurgitated attempts at a series."
The mage looked more serious then. "But I can tell you that, though I'm obviously biased, I don't think it's crazy to desire to act with that much freedom."
Kevin's face clouded with a new thought, "How much would something like this cost? I'm a college student, heh.."
Robert shook his head, "I make plenty of money to buy materials and such from the shop up there. I rarely charge for things like this. Some things shouldn't have a monetary price attached."
The boy before Robert stared down at the plush dragon, and back up at the sorcerer, and grinned abruptly. "Why the hell not. Where do we start?"
Hitching his thumbs in the pockets of his pants, the mage grinned back.. "I have to get some supplies together, and it's getting late today. Come back tomorrow morning, and we'll start by making you a body."
And so they began.
Kevin worked along the seam where his future body's ear and head joined with needle and nylon thread, painstakingly joining the fabric together.
Standing behind where Kevin sat at the workbench, Robert observed the artiform -his own term for bodies such as these- taking shape. The last three weeks had been hard work, since after initial planning, Kevin and the mage had agreed to try something that would create a unique effect, but be more labor intensive.
The body that was taking shape was that of a grey and black dragon, eight feet long from head to hindquarters, with an additional seven-foot of tail. The detail level was high; perhaps the most detailed and complex artiform Robert had ever had a hand in.
The head had a rounded snout, with triangular, flared eye ridges. The ears where large, of the folding-fan style, and the eyes where large and yellow, with round pupils. The body was rounded in the middle, giving the form a hint of the classic "big belly" dragon image. The dragon form's wings where large and soft looking, the wing-membranes a faint purple color.
The striking thing about the dragon form though, was the fabric hide that covered it. They had decided to try using vinyl fabric - the glossy sort of which raincoats where typically made. It had required extreme care with fitting the vinyl hide together, and much trial and error, but the final effect was unique. The dragon form was slick and shiny, and as Kevin had found as the form took shape, rather erotic because of it.
Unlike the plush form of Aurael however, this dragon form was not a stuffed plushie. The vinyl skin was fitted over foam padding that was in turn attached to a close fitting bodysuit, making the form like a costume. The bodysuit interior was itself hand-sewn from the same slick vinyl as the exterior surface. That was not a good choice for a conventional bodysuit, as the material didn't breath and would be too hot, but as Robert had explained, the idea was to let the wearer feel as much like the form as possible, because mindset was important to the spellwork.
And besides, the "costume" was only meant to be worn a single time.
Kevin finished the slow work of sewing the inside edge of the ear down and flexed cramped fingers. Once he had gotten into the project, he had really thrown himself in full force, as he rarely had done anything in his life. Over the last two weeks work had progressed even faster than Robert had anticipated because of Kevin's enthusiasm.
Kevin stepped back from the dragon form and admired it, while thinking again about what he was embarking on here. The longer he had worked on the form, the less he worried about it. He had come to be a part of the sorcerer's world, being in the shop over such long hours as much other business was carried out. He found it stimulating in a way that the educational environment of college had never been. He had never been sure what he wanted to do with a college degree anyway. It was just one of those things people where expected to do, and like many before him, he found himself wondering why he was there.
This though, was something different. Even if he wasn't going to make this (quite literal) change in his life, he thought he still would have either dropped college to work in a place like Robert's shop. Or at the very least shifted his college focus into mystical research field, even though at this point in time that field was still considered a "soft science" and just didn't receive the merits over fields did.
Kevin had by this point lost his feeling of deep embarrassment over the more sensitive and intimate reasons he desired this. It was one of the reasons he had decided to go with the vinyl fabric for the dragon form's surface. He had gotten comfortable with Aurael, and though he was no mage, he was getting sensitive to the plush dragon's emotions. Relaxing on him occasionally, Kevin was sensing real feelings of what it was like to exist in a form like that.
It was evening now, and Robert came downstairs from the shop having closed up for the day. He walked over to inspect the new dragon form. "It's beautiful. Best form I've ever worked with anyone on." The sorcerer grinned ruefully as he felt a sharp little emotion from the direction of Aurael. "The best besides yours love.." he said for the dragon.
Kevin looked at the sorcerer. "We're just about ready, I bet.." Robert smiled and nodded.
"What has to be done on the magical side of things, it feels like there should be preparations, and stuff.." Kevin wondered.
Robert smiled, "Yes, there are, though they're actually simple. Basically, we can perform the transformation tomorrow. What we need to do is to make sure you don't eat anything, drink only water, for the next 24 hours. Your system needs to be free of distractions, and the hunger will also work with the process, providing emotional focus. I have some prep work to do myself, so I can guide the work through."
Kevin walked over to the sleek grey and black form that was to be his, and ran his hand along the neck. The form was actually more humanoid than intended at the moment, to make it wearable. Robert had said that would change during the transformation.
Tomorrow was the day then.
Kevin was hungry, but his mind felt clear and alert. He was with Robert in a small, wood paneled and wooden floored room that the sorcerer used for magical work. The room felt peaceful, and clean. The mage had worked hard to create a good environment for spiritual things.
The vinyl dragon form was laid out on the floor before Kevin. He bent down, running his fingers along the back, pulling apart the seam that was sealed with Velcro down to the base of the dragon's tail. Already naked himself, Kevin moved to step into the open dracoform, working his legs down into the legs of the vinyl bodysuit. Robert helped, holding open the entry flaps as Kevin worked his way in, the vinyl making squeaking noises and a very tight fit.
Once Kevin had worked his way in up to his waist, he reached forward into the upper body of the dragon to work his arms into the sleeves of the suit. Robert assisted, pulling on the back flaps until his arms where fully into the sleeves, and he flexed his fingers into the glovelike interior of the dragon's paws.
Robert moved down to Kevin's waist to fit the dracoform properly there. Kevin had decided to indulge his erotic side; the dragon form was fully equipped. Perhaps an exterior member was not entirely authentic to draconic physiology, but it was too good an opportunity to resist. Especially after he had discovered Aurael was also equipped in the same manner, showing he wasn't the first person to think of it.
The mage reached down between the dracoform's legs, maneuvering the molded latex member into place over Kevin's. The tight fit of the vinyl bodysuit had already caused Kevin to become aroused, making for a tight fit. Robert pulled back on the rear flaps at the waist as tight as possible, then fastened the Velcro seal. He worked his way up, sealing the suit as he went. At the head, he pulled the dragon head over Kevin's. Inside it was dark, as the dragon head had no eyeholes, only ventilation to allow the wearer to breathe. The mage had found it helped if the wearer couldn't see during the initial parts of the transformation. It seemed to help them concentrate on just being what they where becoming.
Kevin's muffled voice came from inside the suit, "Damn, I've got to say this is really erotic." He moved his limbs inside the dragon form: movement was stiff and restricted. Robert helped him to roll over to a more comfortable reclining position, legs spread, the long tail splayed out across the floor. He reached down with the suit's paws to feel the large and somewhat exaggerated rubber dragon member between his legs. It made him feel giddy.
Robert stood back up and went over to the small altar on the north wall of the workroom. Relaxing and concentrating, he started several processes in motion at that point. To a sensitive person, the room became subtly alive, no longer just wood and plaster. The mage when out into the main workshop to bring in the final element.
He returned gently pulling Aurael in his arms. Kevin heard the plush dragon's furry body rasping on the wooden floor, and grew even more aroused. This part had already been discussed in advance. One of most powerful focuses for spiritual energy was sex, when handled correctly. Mechanical sex was empty, but when there was meaning to it, feeling, it's arousal could focus energy like nothing else could.
Robert carefully helped Aurael into place atop the draco-suited Kevin. The plush dragon emitted a gentle, warm emotion; he had liked Kevin right from the start, and had grown very fond of him. Inside the suit, Kevin shivered as he felt Aurael's smooth, soft plastic belly plates rub across his aroused member. Even through the latex dragon cock, he could feel the vibration.
The sorcerer helped position Aurael so the dragon's tailbase was straddling Kevin's groin. Kevin could feel Aurael's molded latex member tickle the plastic entrance to his own anus that was built into the dragon form. The plush dragon's cock pushed up a bit more into his vent, past the bodysuit opening, and he felt it as warm and alive, even though made of latex. Robert helped Aurael into place for a while longer, then stepped back a bit as another part of the magic took hold.
Inside the dracoform, Kevin felt Aurael's forelegs move slowly and gently across his belly, drifting down to his groin.. without Robert's assistance. The mage had told him that the extreme amount of energies being released during a ceremony like this could allow Aurael to move his physical form, one of the instances in which I was possible. The plush dragon became more animate, his rear legs gripping Kevin's sides, as he pushed himself up further inside of him. Aurael's paws moved down to rest on Kevin's hardened member, and began to gently stroke it.
Kevin increasingly could feel sensation through the suit, it seemed. At first just vibrations on the surface of the dragonform, but as the plush dragon stroked along his member, he imagined he could feel the warm air of the room on his skin, and the furry hide of Aurael pressed to his belly and groin.
Aurael pushed himself further into Kevin and held there. Kevin thought he could feel the dragon purring against him. Aurael began to massage his member more firmly, causing a relaxing feeling as well as arousal to spread through him, starting at his groin, and moving outward through his body. As the pressure in his member built, the electric tingle of orgasm seemed to spread beyond just his groin. The tingle spread through his limbs, along his skin.
Kevin could feel warm emotion radiating from the plush dragon for him. Aurael worked Kevin's member slowly and carefully, delaying an orgasm as long as possible. The electric feeling grew more intense as Kevin could not contain himself any longer. His groin bucked, but no seed came forth. The tingle of orgasm spread through his body as he wondered at the feeling; his member did not relax and the tingle didn't fade. There was not the expected post orgasm pain and sensitivity in his member either. As he lay there, he realized he the tingling had made him feel numb, and weak. All he could feel was his skin, the tingling running along it.
He realized then that he felt the air of the room on his skin through the tingle, as if the vinyl dragon form had become his own skin. He opened his eyes inside the suit, or tried to, and saw the dim light of the room. He head was tilted forward so he could see the plush dragon straddling him. His mind felt comfortable with thought that he could somehow see through the plastic eyes of the dragon form. He gazed up at Aurael on him, and felt warmth for the dragon. He raised his arms to embrace the plush dragon weakly, as his arms felt rubbery and weak.
He could feel the dragon's fur. It felt as if his own skin was slick and glossy. He thought it felt wonderful, like fantasies he used to have from time to time. Aurael moved one of his paws to squeeze Kevin's member gently. Not only did he feel it as if it was his own flesh, it felt as if it really was a hollow latex piece, molded into a permanent state of arousal. Kevin found the sensation indescribably exciting.
Aurael lowered his head over Kevin to nuzzle his snout along Kevin's belly. He saw the dragon look up at him and smile.
The dragon moved himself back, preparing for the final act. Now he gripped Kevin's hips, and moved his tailbase to push his large dragon member into Kevin. It felt stimulating and a bit painful. Aurael backed out again, and began to pump himself, building a slow rhythm.
On each cycle, it felt as if Kevin's vent resisted less. Soon, the plush dragon's member was reaching fully inside him. Kevin felt the inside of his anus stretch, as if the flesh had become vinyl. It sent growing arousal through him that he wouldn't have expected to feel, given that he was male.
As Aurael pumped into him, Kevin felt increasingly numb. Aurael seemed to press down into him more, his body growing softer. His arms still embraced the plush dragon, and they began to feel more and more molded into place, as if they where nothing but the vinyl shell of the dragon form he wore. A strange stiffness had crept through his body. Yet he felt more relaxed and comfortable than he ever had in his life.
Kevin felt as if Aurael's member was growing hotter inside of him. On each thrust, the warm feeling spread through his body. After a timeless interval, Kevin felt as if he where a hollow vinyl shell, filled with the plush dragon's warmth to give him form and substance.
The plush dragon orgasmed then, in his own way. Physical seed was not spilled from his member, but a rush of heat filled Kevin. His mind swam, and he felt like the heat was baking him, cleansing him. The heat washed away all his feelings of being anything other than a plush, vinyl dragon filled with the core, the essence, of his personality, none of the baggage he had accumulated over the course of his life.
Aurael relaxed, the heat fading. Kevin felt the heat drain from him, and as it did, things seemed to crystallize. He felt himself lying on the floor under Aurael. His sense of touch included wings and tail now as well. He could feel the smooth, vinyl contours of his now draconic form. Aurael slid off of him to lie beside him. Kevin tried to move, and felt not weak, exactly, but like he was filled with stuffing and foam padding, which indeed he now was. He almost instinctively curled up with the plush dragon, resting his head on Aurael's forelegs, his wings drooping to either side, as he felt the smooth vinyl of his hide press into the other dragon's fur. He felt what little strength he had draining fast, but the feeling of being paralyzed did not disturb him.
Robert stood up from where he had been crouching to observe and keep the energies flowing through the room properly.
Walking over to the two plush dragons curled up, he stroked a hand along each of their backs in turn. He would leave them here overnight to sleep and recover. He was genuinely happy that he'd been able to help Kevin find what he was looking for. Most people in the world would not be able to understand what had happened here. But there where stories in legend of people who had traded the life of the human world-at-large for a sometimes simpler existence, or what was for them a more pure one. In myth, people had become everything from birds and otters to trees and rocks.
In the present, if it was a plush dragon, so be it.
And a plush dragon was a lot more huggable than a tree or a rock, he had to admit.