A visit to Site Security followed by another trip to the mall. Marion discovers shoes.

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Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2009 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

After breakfast the following morning, they dressed carefully for their visit to the facility. Belle explained that because they were going 'inside the fence', as opposed to the publicly accessible parts of the building, their clothing had to follow certain rules. No underwires. No separate belts, no shoes with laces, no tights or stockings, no hand or shoulder bags. No datapads or communicators, not that Marion had any, but Belle had to leave hers behind.

They reached the front door of the facility just as breakfast was ending and their IDs admitted them with no problems. Belle thought that the best person to speak to was probably Site Security, and they were led to an office by one of the security staff.

"Service, citizens. I'm Site Security Director Donna Khiskov. Do have a seat, how can I help you?"

Belle explained what had happened, and had to follow it up with an explanation of Marion's connection to the facility.

"You're right, it could be said that the evidence is circumstantial, but that's no reason to ignore it. I think you're doing just the right thing, but it might be prudent to take some extra precautions. Now, I don't know if you realise, but all those apartments have video monitors installed." Both Marion and Belle looked shocked. Khiskov held up her hand. "They're not usually connected, I assure you. It's just that when the blocks were built, it was felt that it would be a good idea to keep an eye on detainees who had just been released, so the pickups were built in at the time. We might be able to remote-activate them and keep an eye on the apartment for you when you're not there. Would you mind if we did that?"

On the face of it, it sounded like a good offer, but Belle was concerned about privacy.

"Can I ask, are you two an item?" Khiskov asked.

Marion said, "We're giving it serious consideration."

Khiskov nodded. "I will give specific instructions to the monitoring staff, and I'll also give you some instructions on how to let them know when you want privacy. You can do that from a communicator. Satisfactory?"

They both nodded.

"In the meantime, I'll see if I can get our local Proctor to have a gentle look into Supervisor Hirsch's background, and see if we can find anything to explain his activities. I'm sorry, citizen," she said to Marion, "you've already been the object of one rogue's actions, I don't want to let you become the victim of another one."

"Thank you, citizen."

"You're starting work here, then, citizen?" Khiskov asked Marion.

"Yes, I'll probably come in tomorrow, although to start with I don't know that what I'll be doing could be classed as 'work' for the first few weeks. Oh. I'll be starting a new employment, won't I? Will that involve you?"

"Not me, no. My department, certainly. There's a certain amount of paperwork -" they still used the term even though most places had been paper-free for decades "- which needs to be done, and then there's some training." Khiskov frowned. "You're not going to be a Shepherd, then? I'm not certain how you fit into the organisation here if you aren't."

"Nobody's sure how I'm going to fit in yet, as this is a new post. It seems I'll be reporting to the Facility Medical Officer, if that helps. Perhaps you'd better have a word with Sophia, she may have more idea than I do at the moment."

"I'll do that. Thank you for coming, citizen, Shepherd."

Belle was quite happy to depart at that point. She was on leave, after all, and coming back to her place of work on one of her rare days off did not amuse her, even though it was in a good cause. Their exit from the building was halted, however, by the receptionist.

"Citizen Hillier?"

"Service, citizen?"

"I've had a call from Stores. They noticed you were on-site and asked if you could call in before you left."

Puzzled, the two women made their way through to the Stores desk. Marion remembered - just - her first visit here and breathed a sigh of relief that she was returning this time merely as an interested bystander.

"Citizen Hillier?"

"Service, citizen."

"Oh, service, Marion. How are you managing outside so far?"

"It was a shock to the system, yesterday. There's an awful lot to learn about this female business. I'm barely started. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. There was a delivery today with your name on it. Rather, your original male name on it. I was going to send it over, but as I discovered you were in the building I thought I'd give it to you personally. Just a minute."

The woman wandered off between the shelving and returned carrying Marlon's box. She opened it and withdrew a plastic bag.

"This is yours, I believe?"

"Oh, yes! It's the items I had in my pocket when I got taken to the Proctor's station. How did they get here?"

"They would have been released from storage when you were set free. Normally they would have been forwarded to a detainee who was released, but I knew you were coming back here, so I held on to them."

"Thanks. Is there anything to sign?"

"Yes, there's a tear-off strip. Here's a stylus."

Inside the bag were Marlon's datapad, communicator, timepiece and wallet.

"Don't open the bag till you get outside," the stores keeper cautioned. "Belle's told you about the rules in here?"

"Of course. Well, thank you again. I'll probably see you sometime tomorrow when I start work."

"Probably. Oh, and like your outfit. Belle been teaching you the ropes?"

"Indeed she has."

Outside, Marion put the plastic bag into her shoulder bag and the two women made their way back to the apartment.

"Well, that solves a couple of problems," Marion said. "I was wondering if I needed to buy another datapad and communicator. I don't need to, now."

"You might want to think about that," Belle said as Marion pulled open the plastic bag and tipped the contents on the table. "These are fairly standard designs, but they're not recent models and they're solid and masculine-looking. You might think about replacing them with more modern, dainty, feminine models as time goes on."

"As always, you spot the most obvious things I miss. I really have to be single-minded about this business, don't I?"

"You will do to start with, but it should become automatic as you adjust to your new circumstances. Shall we have an early lunch and then go out? You still have things to get before you start work."

"Like what? I thought we got a lot done yesterday."

"Shoes is the main thing. Perhaps some underwear. You want a better nightdress than the ones you're wearing? Some basic cosmetics. Anything else we see. We can just go on a trawl through the smaller stores on that retail park and perhaps fill in some of the corners in your wardrobe."

"If you insist. Just don't keep me out too long, will you? I can only take so much of this at the moment."

"I'm sorry," Belle said contritely. "I keep forgetting you've just spent the last six months in a box. But, just like Talya, you do have to adjust to the wider world. Sandwiches, and a cooked meal this evening?"

After lunch, the two women adjusted their clothing, since they were no longer restricted by the requirements of the facility. Belle changed her facility-issue bra for a lacy one, and added a belt to her ensemble. Marion got out her bag and was going to put her datapad and communicator into it, but discovered that the power packs of both were discharged.

"That's that," she said when Belle returned to the living room. "The chargers for both of these were back at my old apartment. I've no idea where they are likely to be now, and I doubt I'll be able to find replacements any more. We'll have to find me some new gadgets while we're out, Belle."

Belle thought and said, "I'm not sure of the exact sequence of events, Talya may be able to help there, but usually a criminal's effects get boxed up and the apartment returned to the pool when they get convicted - assuming they don't have a partner or family, of course. I expect you'll get a notification some day soon when the release order trickles through the system, and someone will want you to take your belongings off the State's hands."

"Great. Something else to worry about. I hope I'm out of this dump by the time they catch up with me. There's no room for my things in here, that's for certain. Are we ready to go?"

The two women caught the tram, as they had done the previous day. Marion found it easier going, but still didn't particularly like going out into public places. Belle picked out one of several stores that sold shoes and headed for it.

"What sort of shoes are we looking for, then? Do I need shoes for work?"

"No, actually. The uniform which Stores issues for staff is of a decent quality, and includes footwear which is both robust and comfortable, so you shouldn't have to worry on that account. Today, we'll just look at what's available, and see if we can't get something to supplement those things you're wearing at the moment. You need something you can slip into in the evenings, at the very least."

"I hate shoe shopping," Marion muttered. "At least, Marlon did. All that standing around while thirty pairs of shoes got mulled over before all being rejected was not my idea of a good way of spending my time."

"I sympathise," said Belle. "But this time, you're not just a bystander, you have to choose for the woman you saw yesterday in the mirror. Again, like yesterday, we'll try to keep it simple."

In the shoe department of the selected shop, Marion ended up, after some trials and after some helpful discussion with the assistant, with a pair of bedroom slippers, a pair of trainer-like leisure shoes, a pair of slip-on shoes for day-to-day wear and a pair of fashion shoes with a 7 centimetre heel. This last proved to be the most difficult purchase, but also the most significant.

"I can't wear these," she said to Belle after trying on a pair of simple heeled court shoes. "My feet are going to fall out all the time. I'm just not used to wearing a shoe that fits this way. I think I need a style which either comes up over the arch or has a strap up there, to keep the shoe on. What do you think?"

"You're right, although it's a shame, because I think those look good on you. I understand your difficulty, though. I think the fact you have relatively large feet contributes to the problem. You might be able to wear styles like this once you've become comfortable with what we've bought today." Belle turned to the assistant. "What can you do for my friend that would involve a strap up closer to the ankle?"

"It's not going to be easy," that person replied, "because the range of styles tends to fall off at either end of the size chart. I'll go and see what we've got. Be seated, citizens."

She returned with three pairs of shoes, one of which was rejected immediately. Another was simply a heeled version of the slip-ons Marion had already chosen, so she tried on the last pair and was impressed. These were a polished black, but not patent, with a square heel, in a court style, but in addition there was a strap which started at the top of the instep and curled over the top of the foot to finish at the side of the heel on the outside of the foot. Marion looked down at her feet and had the strangest feeling.

"I like these," she said. She walked up and down to get a feel for them, and then stood and inspected herself in the full-length mirror. "I'll take them," she said, "and in fact, if it's permitted, I shall wear them out. Citizen?"

"Certainly, citizen. I'll put your old shoes in a bag. Is there anything more I can do for you? No? Then if you'll follow me to the payment desk, I can process your purchases."

Outside the store, Marion stopped and looked down at her feet again.

"It's very strange," she said, "for six months - seven, nearly - I've been wearing a bra. I've been wearing a dress. Had a nightdress to sleep in. Had my hair done like a woman. Looked at myself in the mirror and saw a woman looking back. None of it made me feel particularly feminine. Even the clothes we bought yesterday really didn't make that much difference. But today, when I put these shoes on, I felt a change. It's hard to describe. But seeing these on my feet made me feel as though I'd become a woman. They make me feel as though they're appropriate wear for my body, if you can understand what I mean. It's very difficult to describe my feelings."

Belle considered. "Some women have a special relationship with their shoes," she said finally. "I don't quite see the attraction myself, but I can understand how the right pair of shoes can make you feel so different. That's what's so important about female clothing in general, I think, and why there's so much of it. If you pick the right outfit, the right underpinnings, the right accessories, it can make a huge difference to how you feel. Most women spend a lot of their free time trying to find that elusive combination that makes them feel good."

"Seen from a male perspective, it all seems so shallow," Marion said, "but sitting on the fence I can see there's so much more going on here. Not that I understand much of it, yet. I just hope I can put what I've learned to good use in the future."

"It's teaching me things about women I hadn't realised, as well," admitted Belle. "And about the differences between men and women."

"What shall we shop for next, then?" asked Marion. "I think I have to find a replacement datapad and communicator. There's a store over there which might do, or the big one we went in yesterday if there's nothing suitable. What else might I want?"

"You mentioned hair. You've no brush or comb, or any of that sort of thing. You could probably use a dryer. You'll have to keep your hair short while you work in the facility, but that's not a huge restriction in style terms. I did wonder about a coat, but I think you can probably wait a month or two till the weather gets colder. An umbrella will do fine at the moment. You could probably do with a women's timepiece. Let's go and sort out your gadgets, and then we can just have a gentle browse. Tell me if those shoes start hurting, won't you? You've not worn heels before, and I'm sure your feet are going to object after an hour or two."

They found a store that 'upgraded' Marion's old gadgets into shiny new ones fit for a female to be seen in public with. A concession in the same store supplied her with a slender feminine timepiece with a matching bracelet to be worn on the other wrist. They then returned to the larger store they had visited the previous day and Belle found her an umbrella and some personal grooming kit. A stop for coffee followed, and then Belle led the way to the cosmetics counters.

"Do we have to do this today, Belle? This is a whole experience I could do without just at the moment."

"Not to worry," Belle replied. "I'm just going to scoop up some inexpensive basics, a selection we can experiment with in the comfort and privacy of your apartment. You won't have to sit out here getting painted up by the likes of these," and she waved her hand to indicate the attentive sales personnel, "who just want to sell you overpriced chemicals with dubious benefits."

"Glad to hear it," said Marion faintly.

Belle went ruthlessly through the area, picking up seeming random items from the different counters, together with a make-up box and a satin make-up bag for the essentials Marion might want to keep in her day bag. Marion's eyebrows rose when she saw how inexpensive the total was.

"Don't get too excited about the cost," Belle cautioned, "you have to remember that all of this is consumable. You're going to be replacing it on a regular basis as you use it up. Though because you'll be at work in the facility, where make-up's discouraged, it will last a while, I grant you."

Marion's feet finally decided that they had had enough of heels, and they found a seat where Marion could change back into her original shoes. She was beginning to tire, both physically and mentally, so they reluctantly decided that any further shopping would have to wait for another day. The two decided that they could return on the tram this time, the quantity of bags from today's expedition being less than yesterday's.

The return tram trip proved to be difficult. On their previous journeys the vehicles had been lightly loaded, but on this occasion they were full with day shift factory workers returning home. Marion and Belle did find seats, near the entrance, but this meant that everyone who boarded gave the pair the once-over as they passed, and Marion became disturbed by the level of scrutiny she received. Belle sensed her discomfort, and gently placed a hand on her knee.

"We're not going far," she said, softly, "and it's not personal, I assure you. Just relax, and breathe slowly and easily."

When they got off, Belle discovered that the ordeal had shaken Marion so much that her face was white.

"Ah, damn," she said, "it's one of those things that's always been there, so I don't notice it. I hadn't appreciated what it must be like for you. Come on, it's two blocks to walk, and then I'll make you a cup of tea and you can relax. No more outings for a while." Belle reached out a hand. "Give me some of your bags. Now, we're just two women coming home after an afternoon's shopping. Perfectly normal, no-one's going to be giving you any special consideration. So, let's go home."

Back in the apartment, the day's purchases were dumped on the dining table and Belle went to fill the kettle. By the time she came back, with a cup of tea in each hand, Marion was fast asleep on the sofa. Belle shook her head, putting the cups down on a side table.

"How could I have been so stupid?" she muttered. "It's been too much for her. I should never have made her go out today, at least not shopping. Especially after having to go into the facility this morning. A short walk would probably have been enough." She sat in one of the two armchairs and sipped her tea.

Some while later, Marion roused, her neck stiff from the angle at which she'd fallen asleep. She stretched, and turned to see Belle watching her from the chair.

"Ow!" She winced, and tried to work the kinks out of her neck. "How long have I been asleep?"

"About forty minutes, I'd guess," replied Belle. "I'm sorry, it was obviously too soon for you to go out again. I shouldn't have put you through that ordeal. Please accept my apologies, I should have been taking more care of you."

"I don't think you meant to do it unkindly, Belle," Marion said. "I might have just got frustrated cooped up in here if you hadn't. There were things we had to get, so the time spent was worthwhile, but I suppose I did attempt to do too much too soon."

"Yes, but our timing could have been better. We'll be more careful in the future."

"Is that tea I see you drinking?"

"It was, forty minutes ago. Do you want me to make you a fresh pot? Daft question, I'll get on it." Belle rose and took the cups back to the kitchen. "Is the level of attention women get really that much different to the attention men get?" she asked. "Having only a woman's viewpoint and experiences, it seems strange to me."

"Men in the main tend to ignore one another," Marion said, stretching. "Oh, we notice whether we're wearing work clothes, or are dressed up, that sort of thing, but we don't do detail inspections the way women seem to. Men tend to inspect women, of course, but even then it's not the way a woman would look at another woman. It's an overall effect thing. A man could spend an hour having lunch with a woman and be unable to describe afterwards what she was wearing at all. I bet you could tell me exactly what various women wore when you met them years ago."

"Oh, yes," said Belle from the kitchen, "partly that's because we're doing comparisons with what we were wearing, or what we would have liked to have worn at the time. It's a competition thing, but women don't compete the same way men do."

"I get that. What I'm finding difficult is being on the receiving end of all that scrutiny, when I was essentially anonymous before. I'm not sure I like being in the glare of a searchlight all the time."

Belle rinsed the cups and dried them while the kettle boiled.

"Perhaps you should think of it like this," she said as she brought out fresh drinks. "You're a plump, tasty fish swimming in the sea. There's a bigger fish whose attention is fixed on you because you're just right for her next meal. But your safety lies in the fact that you're not alone. You're swimming as part of an enormous shoal of similar fish. So, sure, there's a chance you might get gobbled up, but it's a very small chance, because there's so many of you."

"So what you're saying," said Marion slowly as she took the offered cup, "is that there's safety in numbers."

Belle nodded. "Exactly right, although I'm not sure I could have put it exactly like that. That's why women generally tend to be gregarious, I think. It's the best way for them to deal with their common, hmm, I shouldn't use the word 'enemy', I suppose, adversary might be a better choice."

"It's an important point I'll have to remember in my own behaviour in the future," Marion said. "Any time you get a bunch of women together, they start talking. Men don't open up so easily."

"I don't remember you having such a problem up on E Deck," remarked Belle.

"Ah, but to start with, they all thought I was a woman anyway, so they treated me as one of them. Once they found out what I really was, the relationships had already been made and it didn't matter any longer."

"Still, you must have something, because of the way you seem to be able to fix things. Don't underestimate your own abilities. I think you'll do better letting it come naturally rather than trying hard to be a woman."

"Didn't work out too well on the tram, did it?" said Marion. "Still," she brightened, "I did really like those shoes. Perhaps there's hope for me yet. I know," she said, putting down her cup, "I'm going to put them on again. The more I wear them, the sooner I can get used to wearing that sort of shoe with a heel." She go up, went to the bags on the table, and swapped her shoes for the heeled ones. "They feel instantly comfortable," she said, "they still need to get broken in, like any new shoe, but I'm glad we found these."

"Shoe victim," Belle said, with a grin.

"Oh, no, I'm not that empty-headed," Marion said, "At least I hope not. The only problem is the fact that my weight is thrown forward onto the balls of my feet. That hurts. I expect I'll adapt."

"It makes the shape of your legs better," Belle told her. "That's one of the reasons women wear heels, because it improves your legs."

Marion wandered off into the bedroom to look at herself in the mirror, returning after a few moments.

"I see what you mean. It changes my posture, and makes the clothes hang better, as well."

"Bingo! The girl gets it! Now you know why we do such things to ourselves."

Marion, now refreshed, put her purchases away while Belle started the evening meal. Marion sat at the kitchen table investigating the new features of her gadgets and making sure that they were up-to-date with her personal information, and that she knew how to use them properly. They had eaten their meal, and had piled the dishes into the sink, when the door chime went. Belle went to answer, wary that the supervisor had decided to call, and Marion heard an excited buzz of voices from the doorway.

"Visitors, Marion! Look who's dropped in!"

It was Elena, Kristina and Linda. Marion stared, since she had never seen any of them out of uniform until that moment.

"Hey! Look at you, girl! You're looking great! Give us a twirl, then!" said Kristina. Marion complied, with appreciative noises from her visitors.

"Did you leave anything in the shops for the rest of us?" asked Linda.

"You choose the outfits?" Elena asked Belle.

"We both did. She is shaping up nicely, isn't she? Tired her out, though. We'll have to take it easy for a bit now we've got the basics in. Find seats, all of you. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Sophia asked me to pass a message to Marion on my way home," explained Elena. "The girls decided that they'd accompany me since they wanted to know how she was getting on."

"We were just about to have after-meal drinks, so let me make some for everyone while you pass your message on," said Belle.

"Okay," replied Elena. She came towards Marion and took both of her hands in her own. "My dear, you're making this transition look easy," she said.

"It doesn't feel that way some times. I felt distinctly vulnerable this afternoon. Although you don't realise it, because you've been doing it all your lives, there's a lot of hard work involved in being a woman. Several times I've wondered if I made the right decision."

"Just being out of the can is hard enough," put in Belle from the kitchen, "I don't think I appreciated just how hard it is for a detainee once she's been released. With gender juggling on top of that, it's no wonder she's shattered." Linda walked into the kitchen to help Belle.

"Post-release procedure is perhaps something we ought to review," said Elena. "I'll mention it when I get in tomorrow. Meanwhile, Marion, what I have to talk to you about concerns tomorrow. Sophia heard you'd planned to come in for work. Is that right?"

"Yes, but how did you - oh, Khiskov. We dropped in this morning to make a report, and I mentioned I'd be working for Sophia."

Elena nodded. "Yes, I got a brief summary from her about your problem. I didn't quite understand it, care to elaborate?"

Marion grew cautious. "Not here, Elena. I'll tell you tomorrow. What did Sophia want, anyway?"

"If you're coming in, because of your odd position there's no formal induction procedure. So I've suggested that Belle can bring you in. When you come, she can take you to Site Security to get logged in, and from there directly to Stores to get your uniform. Then you can go with her to the locker room and she'll get you a locker assigned, and show you how to use it, after which she can take you up and leave you in Sophia's hands. I understand she's found an office you can use. We can manage without Belle until she gets to E Deck." Elena smiled. "It's been very quiet up there since you two left. Perhaps I ought to make Belle surplus to requirements." Belle pouted from the kitchen alcove, and the other two snickered. Elena led Marion over to the sofa, and indicated that they should sit.

"So," she said, changing the subject abruptly, "tell us about your shopping trips, then! What did you see, what did you buy? I need details, woman!"

The five women drank tea and discussed in fine detail Marion and Belle's visits to the shops, with all it's successes and problems. Marion discovered just how comforting a group of supportive women could be, and some of her anxieties from earlier that day seemed less threatening than they had at the time. She began to feel more positive about her future prospects.

The visitors had to leave, since Linda and Kristina had some distance to go, and they were all standing, still talking, when the door chime went again.

Belle looked at Marion, and then at Elena, but both looked back blankly. Belle went to the door to find the supervisor there. He invited himself into the apartment, which suddenly looked very crowded. Belle confronted the man.

"I told you what I'd do if you turned up here again," she said, forcefully.

"You're making a lot of noise," the man said, quickly. "I've had complaints."

This stopped Belle, since the five had indeed been making a fair amount of noise between them.

"It's not likely to happen again," she said, grudgingly. "My work colleagues are just leaving, in any case," she added, making sure the man got the point, "so out you go. You pissed off one Shepherd, you don't want to piss off four, I can assure you. Leave," she said, pointing to the door. The man backed away, unhappy at being out-bullied.

Elena raised an eyebrow as the man disappeared. "Is that what you went to Khiskov about?" she asked Marion quietly. "Who's he anyway?"

"He's the building supervisor," replied Marion. "He tried to browbeat me just after I took over the apartment. We also think he went through our things while we were out yesterday." Elena looked concerned. "Khiskov is looking after it, Elena. I know you want to help, but we have to go by the book with this one. Thank you for your concern, anyway."

Elena nodded. "We'll have a talk about it tomorrow if we get time. I don't like the idea of one of my girls being threatened." It was Marion's turn to raise an eyebrow. Elena chuckled, and put her hand on Marion's shoulder. "You've made us all broody, dear. We can be quite fierce when we're broody." She turned to the others. "Come on, girls, let's leave these two in peace."

Belle and Marion both got hugged by the other three, and then suddenly they had gone and it was quiet again. They washed up and put away all the meal and drink things, and then decided to retire for an early night, as the next day was going to be fairly full for Marion. She had taken off all her clothes, and had picked up her nightdress ready to put on, when Belle stopped her.

"Leave that off for a while," she said, at the same time grabbing the duvet with one hand and whisking it off the bed. She dumped it in a pile on the single bed. Marion looked a question.

"On the bed, dear, on your front."

Marion climbed onto the bed, and eased herself down, cautious about Belle's intentions.

"This is not a position I've ever been in before for intimacy," she said. "I'm not sure how far you'll get, I'm quite tired."

"Oh, silly," Belle put a reassuring hand on Marion's shoulder, "I just want to give you a quick rub to try and relax you. I realise it's too soon to get some action together," she added, with the strong implication that future 'action' was definitely in her plans, "but I've been running you a bit hard the last couple of days and I want to give something back. Now, raise your arms and put your hands together, and then you can rest your head on them. Comfortable?"

Marion shiggled on the mattress to make her breasts more comfortable under her, and then rested her head on her hands.

Belle continued, "It's been a number of years since I've done this, so squeal out if I get too rough for you. I haven't any suitable oils, so I'll have to use moisturiser. Ready?"

Belle poured a pool of moisturiser on Marion's back and then started to work it in, kneading the muscles as she did so. She found that her previous experience soon came back, and she worked away at arms, shoulders, neck, back, buttocks and legs. After a time she became warm from the effort and stopped to wipe sweat from her face.

"There! Does that feel better?" she asked, but there was no reply, because Marion had fallen asleep under the treatment.

"Poor thing," she said, softly. "I guess the last few days have been rough on you." She looked down at the figure lying in front of her. It was almost, but not quite, female. The shoulders were a little wide, and sloped differently. The waist was okay, but the hips, while satisfyingly wide, were again not quite right, since the male bone structure underneath them didn't support the muscle and fat quite the same. Good enough, she thought. Within the usual range of female sizes, and practically unnoticeable under clothing. She looked at the testicles poking out from between the slightly spread legs, and wondered what might have been and what might be.

When she had first met Marlon, she had, like the other Shepherds, assumed that whatever mistake had got him sent to them would be rectified in short order and that he would be released. She had considered following him up at that point, and the others were aware of her mild interest in him even then. But he hadn't been released, and they had all slipped into the normal routine, and they had adjusted, even as Marlon had, to his changing shape without consciously realising what was happening and why.

When he had finally realised the truth, the four Shepherds had immediately leapt to his defence. Belle had come to realise that she cared for him, and even though he was likely to become a 'pseudo-woman', she understood that the person inside was the same, and was vulnerable as never before, and needed her care and support. So she had put her case to Elena, and Elena had seen no problem with it.

Now she didn't know whether she would be getting a man, or a woman, or something else. She would have quite liked a husband, even though that term was officially taboo. She'd dabbled with girlfriends in her teens, so a female partner would not upset her either. Children might be nice, in the future, but that depended on a number of things she couldn't control. Only time would tell.

She spread the duvet over the sleeping Marion, switched off the light, and climbed into the bed beside her. Marion shifted in her sleep, her arms came out, and Belle folded her own around her.