Chapter 3

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Once again, they made their way through the cavern system. It was rather eventless, as Sinea forbade any excursion to find possible treasure chests. Not while she was still overloaded as is. That, of course, didn't stop Debbie from teasing her every time the hallway branched off. Even Connie and Tiberius chimed in a few times.

Soon, they made their way through a Harem's Sprawl again. Tiberius couldn't tell if it was the same district as before or a new one. According to the map, this mini-district type was scattered a few times through the dungeon. One event hinted that it was the same through. They encountered the same gelatinous girl from before. Again, right in time for an orgy going on. Though it was a new group the monster girl had ambushed. Tiberius was a little disappointed as Sinea urged them on. He was quite fascinated by the facsimile transformation based on one of the deadliest monsters Tiberius knew.

As they once again left plush and silk behind, they soon encountered the first sign of a new district ahead. The faint smell of honey. Soon, Tiberius spotted more and more amber-colored mushrooms among the usual fungal flora of the dungeon.

"Ah! The smell of Hive Life," Sinea exclaimed. "Just the place for a crushing defeat. I am sure the drones will help a pal out."

A little confused, Tiberius let Sinea lead on. The prospect of this new district actually spurned the huntress on to quicken her pace. Tiberius was a little more cautious. He had no idea what to expect, but he dreaded it having something to do with insects. Those he hated, and the word hive in the name heavily implied his fears could come true.

A few moments later, a new kind of mushroom became apparent as it clung to the floor, ceiling, and walls. It soon pushed away all other kinds of shrooms. It was large and had roughly the shape of a hexagon. The denser its population became, the more they fit into each other perfectly. All too soon, they walked down a corridor that was made up of flawlessly tiled hexagons.

Just when Tiberius was about to comment on it, the hallway opened up to a big chamber. It reminded him of a beehive. Dozens of monstrous, yet sexy women milled around. Some carried baskets full of amber mushrooms while others ate the same one with abandon. The same shroom was also put into a six-sided container and sealed away.

All these details eluded Tiberius as he stared at the inhabitants of the Hive Life district. These women looked like a strange mix of humans and bees. Their waists might be waspish, but their colors were those of bumblebees. At first, Tiberius thought they wore armor, but then it dawned on him. Parts of them were covered in chitin. Walking around, the young mage noticed that they too wore those high heels Debbie seemed to like. Just made from a material that resembled chitin too. But then Tiberius took a closer look and grew confused. He couldn't tell where the high heels ended and the legs of the women started. Or if it even was separate at all.

"Greetings. Welcome to Hive-Life." One of the buzzing around women had walked over and now gracefully had bowed before them. "My name is Karina. We have plenty of drones available for service. How can we be of help?"

Involuntary, Tiberius stumbled a step back. The chitin he could endure. It even had some kind of sex appeal. But not her eyes. Not quite like a bug, her normal whites, iris, and pupils had been exchanged for something black with multiple facets. As if someone had polished obsidian and set it into her eye sockets.

"I'll take a room," Sinea said as she lowered her backpack to the ground. Apparently, she had no trouble with the alien appearance of their greeter. "And a half dozen of your finest drones."

"Certainly," Karina said with a motion halfway between curtsy and bow. "That will be sixty mushrooms."

"Thirty," Sinea countered. "And my body."

Karina flashed a smile. To Tiberius, it looked disturbingly predatory. "Nice. Someone who knows how to haggle. But our services don't come cheap. Thirty shrooms, your body, and twenty percent change."

"Ten percent. No more." To twist the truth of her own words, Sinea continued after a mischievous wink. "Unless you can sufficiently distract me."

"Challenge accepted." Karina gave a slight wave and another drone appeared. She took the thirty mushrooms Sinea promised and handed them over. Then, Karina offered her arm to Sinea. As the huntress complied, the drone turned to Tiberius. "And you? A little relaxation might do you good."

Looking into her dark eyes, Tiberius had to suppress a shudder. No, those drones of Hive-Life weren't for him. He needed a way out. "I already have another district for that in mind."

"That's good to hear," Karina practically cooed. Turning around, she led Sinea away. The last they could hear was: "Let's get you settled, shall we?"

Suddenly one short, the group made its way over into a lounge area. At least, Tiberius thought about it as such. A few upholstered benches were scattered around and in between some very low tables.

Connie dragged the backpack over and upheaved the contents over one of them. Together with Debbie, she started to sort through the many different kinds of mushrooms they had gathered. While it was fascinating to speculate what each does, Tiberius still grew bored fast. Yet, he reasoned this might take a while.

But from the top of his head, he had the solution. Literally. As Tiberius finally had the time to further inspect the circlet. There were definitely spells inscribed in it. All he had to do was channel mana into it and willed the spell forth. Hopefully, none were destructive, as Tiberius intended to find out what they did.

But try as he might, the spells wouldn't come out. It was as if the circlet was fighting him. That, or a barrier cut him off. Not to give up easily, Tiberius kept going. Ever so slowly, testing out different approaches. It took him over an hour until there was the first success. A tiny little vine sprouted from his wrist. Thankfully, it wasn't painful. With patience, he made the small plant climb along his arm.

"Impressive growth."

The shout by Debbie threw Tiberius off his concentration. Before he could stabilize its magic again, the vine vanished into thin air. Annoyed, he threw an angry look at the feminized rogue. "I know it wasn't much. Stop mocking me. There is something in the circlet fighting me."

Leaning over so she could be seen from behind Debbie, Connie made herself known. "The plant was cute, but not what Dabs was talking about."

The young mage took a deep breath and folded his arms over his chest. But the harsh reply died on his lips. Something was wrong. And it wasn't that he only now noticed the changes Connie and Debbie had gone through. Small horns poked through the warrior's hairline, while the rogue had a long prehensile tail swish behind her instead of her previous cute bunny tail. Her new one was just like the ones the Succubus at the Impish Armory had.

No, it was the feel of his chest underneath his arms. It was oddly cushioned. As if there was padding his arms rested on. Confused, Tiberius glanced down and blurted out a curse. He had breasts. Small ones, but he couldn't deny that they were there. While they weren't very visible under the tunic, the material had tears in it despite his best efforts to prevent that.

"Who did this to me?" the young mage demanded to know.

"I am no expert in magic," Debbie said with a shrug. "But I think you did. The magic of the mushroom and items made from it can only be accessed by those already transformed. I guess you tried to use the circlet, right?"

That surprisingly made sense. While forcing the circlet, some of its magic must have leaked into him. Tiberius had no one to blame other than himself. Before Tiberius could say anything more to it, a deep voice broke the quiet.

"Hey, guys. Missed me?"

In the blink of an eye, Debbie shot up and used her bench for a jump to catapult herself into a mountain of a man. He might even be bigger than Conway in his normal male form. The rogue then silenced the hunk with deep needy kisses.

While Tiberius was momentarily stunned, Connie came over. "Tiberius, meet Sindor."

That name sounded familiar. It only took a moment for Tiberius to click. "That's the guy from the story you told me. The one helped Debtar slash Debbie, to be honest with themselves."

"Tiber!" the mountain of a man bellowed. "I love what you started there." Sindor motioned with his left hand the curvature of a breast. Not with his right though. As his right arm was used up by Debbie sitting on it. Her prehensile tail also had wound itself around Sindor's biceps.

"How does he-" Tiberius cut himself off. His mind already provided the answer to how Sindor knew him. "You are Sinea!"

"Sinea isn't here right now. Only Sindor."

Puzzle pieces fell in place for Tiberius. That's how his group had met. Conway and Debtar had been part of an adventurer group that visited Shroom Dungeon. When Debtar first became Debbie, she stormed out of the dungeon while throwing a tantrum. But she never made it to the exit. She ran into Sindor, who then sexually enlightened her. That's when Connie ran into them. There was one last piece missing, but in the end, the three formed a new adventurer group together. It was no wonder that Shroom Dungeon held a special place in their hearts.

Taking a closer look at Sindor, Tiberius couldn't help that the former huntress didn't look completely human anymore. Parts of his hands, chest, and legs were covered in chitin. It gave him an odd look. Like he was haphazardly dressed in pieces of armor.

"Well then," Sindor said. "Time to get going. Unless you want to finish what you started, Tiber?" As the young mage shook his head, the hunter lifted his backpack with only the left arm on his shoulder. "Is it just me or was it heavier before?"

"We had a few snacks," Debbie said while drawing hearts on Sindor's chest.

"Anything for my little devil." With those words, Sindor gave her a passionate kiss.

Watching them from the sidelines, Tiberius grew more and more confused. "They act like-"

"Lovers?" Connie suggested from beside him. "All lovey-dovey? Like newlyweds on their honeymoon? You'd better get used to it. That's always how they behave in Shroom Dungeon. At least, in the beginning."

Shaking his head, Tiberius followed the strange pair out of the Hive-Life district. It was a wonder Sindor didn't run into a wall as Debbie did her best to distract him. While the young mage only saw their backside, the giggling and smooching sounds clued him in enough.

As the walls returned to their natural cave appearance, Tiberius felt the tension leave his body. The last district really hadn't been his cup of tea. He was glad to leave the insect-inspired area behind.

But soon a new distraction arose. The papery material of the tunic moved over his budding breasts with each step he took. It was distracting. Women probably wouldn't even notice it. For them, it was just normal. But for Tiberius, even his small chest was a new and unfamiliar experience.

And it wasn't like they would stay this small. Tiberius was under no illusions that soon he would turn into a complete woman. He wasn't completely sure how he felt about that. Yes, he could refuse this opportunity, but talking to Connie had given him perspective. It was a chance to expand his horizon. Gain an understanding of the women around him. But still, a small voice of concern was talking in the back of his head.

"We'll camp here for the night," Sindor said loud enough to pull Tiberius out of his thoughts. "Tomorrow, we'll reach The Barnyard. Knowing us, we'll probably spend the day there. Then, the day after, we can pass through the Kitten Basket district and the Curated Gallery. With luck, we should arrive at The Factory same time the day after tomorrow."

A little startled, Tiberius glanced at the bracelet he had gotten in the Impish Armory. Indeed, the crystal that told the time was dark as the night. Now, as the excitement ebbed off, Tiberius could feel the fatigue that had accumulated. Not just had they marched like possessed to the dungeon, but most of the time in Shroom Dungeon they had walked as well. He really could use a good night's sleep. Not that he would get it.

"Who takes which watch?" he asked aloud.

"No one takes none," Sindor said in response and got giggles in return.

At least Connie was helpful. "Remember, there are no real monsters or enemies inside. Go catch all the sleep you can get. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

Tiberius frowned a little. He spied a slight mischievous smirk on Connie at the end. One that was infectious as both, Debbie and Sindor, shared it for a moment. The young mage might not be as experienced as the rest of the group, but he knew they were up to something. Probably planning his transformation into a woman the next day.

Not giving them the satisfaction, Tiberius looked around for a sleeping spot. Only now he noticed that they had entered another Harem's Sprawl mini-district. He really had been lost in thought earlier. But he had to admit Sindor made a good choice for a resting place. The whole area was furnished with padded benches and daybeds. Today, Tiberius would not need to sleep on the hard ground.

Just as he laid down, he heard the grunting and moaning of Debbie and Sindor. It sounded like they had an intimate way to get reacquainted. Not that it mattered to him. Sleep came to him fast and easy. He didn't even get to witness when Connie joined in and made it officially a threesome.

---

Chapter 4

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Something awoke Tiberius. Without even opening his eyes he could feel a body slipping onto the daybed he had chosen for himself. It was a woman. Definitely not Connie. The body snuggling up to him wasn't big enough. That left only the rogue.

"I am not in the mood, Debbie," Tiberius said as he shifted away.

"But what if I ain't Debbie," a seductive voice said right beside his ear.

Shocked, Tiberius tried to get up but failed miserably. The person pushed him down easily. At least now, when Tiberius opened his eyes, he saw her. Just as she pushed herself up to straddle him.

"Foolish little adventurer," a raven-haired beauty said. "Taking a rest without having one on the watch."

"Connie said we don't-"

"Ah. Ah. Ahh." She chided him, by placing a delicate finger on his lip to shut him up. "Save your little lies and excuses. Nessa won't have it. I ambushed you fair and square. Now, how do you intend to pay me off?"

His heart quickened. Tiberius knew this was it. Yes, he could refuse her. Deny his consent. But did he want that? Nessa was a beauty for sure. He could already feel his mage staff below stirring. By the look of it, she had noticed too. A glance around him showed his companions sleeping. What better time to embrace the change than now? Without onlookers or commentary. No, Tiberius decided to be brave. To play along.

"Yes, you beat me." Once he had admitted it out aloud the rest of the words came easier. "But what can I give you to spare my life. I have a robe, but it would be a shame to cover up your beauty. I am afraid all I can offer is my body."

"Oh, my! What a way with words," Nessa said while standing up. Now Tiberius saw her in all her naked glory. To his surprise, even towering over him, her raven hair was long enough to still tickle his skin. She eyed him critically. "Let's see if your body is as fine as your words."

Tiberius was momentarily stunned as Nessa's hair came alive. Strands of it became animate and moved like tentacles around. They started to roam over his body. Caressing it. Cherishing his contours. But with a sudden violent spur, they tangled with his cloth and ripped them apart.

"I think I like what I see," Nessa said with a hungry smile. "And I know you too."

Slowly, she lowered herself down again. But while her already wet sex brushed against his throbbing member, she didn't claim it yet. Instead, her hands and strands of hair caressed Tiberius' budding breasts. "What's these? So small. Let me help you with that."

Knowing what would happen, Tiberius was still stunned into watching as Nessa started her work. Strands of animated hair started to cup his budding breasts. When fully covered, the mess of hair started to grow, but Tiberius felt the truth. His chest was pushing outward. Swelling until it reached the preferred size of the ambusher.

Nessa didn't stop there. Her hair started to caress his whole body. Thick strands of robe wound around his waist. Constricting it and with magic, slimming it down. Contrary, Tiberius could feel his butt and hips expand. How much, he couldn't tell, as Nessa leaned over and kissed him deeply.

Lost in a haze of needy kissing and caressing of myriads of soft strands of hair, Tiberius nearly missed Nessa pushing herself on his member. At least this part of his male anatomy she hadn't rend down yet. He enjoyed a few thrusts by her, but then focused on the present again. He knew sex was a dance for two and he wasn't without knowledge of dance moves.

His hands reached for her hips.

Felt them.

Trailed along them.

Cherished them.

Then Tiberius moved up. Step by step in the rhythm of Nessa riding him. Cupping her waspish waist. Feeling the first over her rips. Then the perfect mounts of flesh beneath his fingers.

She smiled at him. Cherished his attention to her needs. But not for long. She gently grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands from her chest to his. Now Tiberius cupped his own breasts. It was an alien sensation. Feeling his budding breasts before hadn't prepared him for the delight these full-bodied orbs of flesh gave him. In a split second, Tiberius decided he liked the feeling and much of his hesitation fell away.

It was a turn-on for Nessa. Watching him play. That much Tiberius could tell. Watching him experiment. Twisting, pinching, and groping. Finding out what he liked and loved. He knew, intellectually, that every woman liked different things. And now he could hardly deny it. He was nearly a woman too. Would he be one that didn't like attention to her breasts or one who loved it as much as the act of sex itself? Judging by the first impression, Tiberius would bet the latter.

When Nessa's rhythm increased, Tiberius knew she was close. Her hands sought out his, and once intertwined, she leaned forward. As they shared another passionate kiss, Tiberius was introduced to another new sensation. Nessa was so close that with each thrust her nipples brushed past Tiberius' own. It was delightful but didn't last long. The shift in position made his dick grind harder against her vaginal walls. He grunted as came and was rewarded with moans breathed into his own as Nessa came too.

As always, the climax didn't last. A few seconds later, Tiberius could feel his manhood shrinking. Spent for now. Yet this time, it did go further. Withdrawing out of Nessa's netherly confines and dwindling further. He could feel the magic at work, and Tiberius knew that this was it. The last vestige of being a man would vanish. Ironic, yet humorous, that it was his manhood itself.

Nessa rolled off him. Giving Tiberius an unobstructed view. Not that it mattered for long. There was soon nothing to see, but a virgin slit. This was it. Tiberius was now a woman. Hesitantly, he reached out to touch his new sex but stopped short.

"Your first time as a woman?" Nessa asked as she settled beside him.

When he nodded, she reached out too. Cupping Tiberius' hand with her own, she guided it downward. It wasn't the first time that his hand touched a vagina. But it was the first time feeling the touch on his own.

She let him explore for a moment, before pushing her - his own - middle finger into the needy sex. And it was indeed wanting. Tiberius could feel it. The eroticism of the situation. It made his netherly grotto slick with anticipation. But it was different than usual. It was difficult for him to describe. More dispersed than the usual focus.

"Does it feel nice?" Nessa whispered into his ear. "I bet it does. New girls always are like musical instruments. If I give a gentle rub here- What a nice moan. Let's try a bit deeper. Oh, you like that."

Instrument indeed. She played Tiberius like a fiddle. He hadn't known how sensitive a vagina could be. All he ever heard was how filling or deep a girl wanted. Never how different areas gave different pleasures. But now he found out. And in spades.

Her administration already made his heart beat faster. Flooding his system with arousal. Tiberius wasn't used to it. As a man, he needed some time for a new round. But now he was a woman and the old rules he lived by were chucked out of the window.

"Do you want more?"

Tiberius nodded. Not trusting his voice to form words instead of moans. Nessa guided his own and her second digit into the needy snatch. It filled him up well, but not good enough. Without prompt, he inserted a third finger.

"Oh, I see how it is. Wait a moment for me. Keep yourself entertained."

As Nessa slipped out of his daybed, Tiberius let out a small moan of disappointment. He already missed her expert fingers. As a conciliatory price, he got to see her gorgeous body in full detail again. She didn't go far. Close by was a bundle of discarded clothes and a small leather satchel. From the latter, she withdrew something that made him gasp.

It was some kind of reinforced pantie. With belts and buckles. And it needed to be sturdy as someone had stuck two phalli to it. One on the outside and one on the inside. Astonished, Tiberius watched as Nessa shimmied into the garment. At least until the internal phallus touched her netherly lips. She made a show for him. Grabbing the dildo and slowly inserting it into herself. She was very verbal about it too.

At last, it was all in, and she buckled it tight. Nessa posed for him just a moment, before stalking back to the daybed. There, she once again climbed onto it. The tip of her fake dick bumped into him. Brushing here and there against his legs, until it came to a rest just above his hand still buried half in his snatch. Eagerly, he moved it aside.

His view was shifted when Nessa pushed his chin up with two fingers. Her deep dark eyes caught his own. Holding his attention, Nessa asked: "Are you ready?"

The implications were clear. Was he? Only recently sex as a woman had been theoretical. While coming to terms that he would shift into a woman the next day, the midnight encounter had thrown a wrench into Tiberius' plans. But despite that, knowing Nessa for less than a half-hour, he was sure to trust her. It might be the arousal burning like a fever through his veins, but he was more than ready. He was eager for it. Tiberius gave her a strong nod.

"Sorry, but that won't do," Nessa said while holding his gaze. "I need to hear it."

Tiberius swallowed. He already gave her his consent, but finding and uttering the words was harder. His throat was suddenly dry. And while he gathered his courage, Nessa waited patiently. Even teasingly. As Tiberius could feel her strapped-on dick just gently brushing his skin.

"Yes." That one word opened the float gates. "Please take me. I want you to-"

She silenced him with a kiss. A little forceful - even domineering - but exactly what Tiberius craved. And while his tongue was intertwined with hers, he could feel it. Slowly Nessa guided her member into him. The tip gradually pushed apart his vaginal lips.

Steadily, Nessa lowered herself deeper. Surprising Tiberius just how thick her member was. The fake phallus hadn't even been that large. Tiberius had sported larger. Thanks to magic. But as it displaced needy flesh, it certainly felt bigger. Fulfilling. Now he knew what exactly woman meant by it. A theoretical understanding wasn't even worth mentioning compared to feeling it himself.

Once Tiberius had swallowed up most of the dick, Nessa started to grind into him at a slow - maddeningly - pace. With each stroke, Tiberius' arousal grew. Reaching heights he thought impossible. Moans escaped his throat and, even muffled by the locked lips, they couldn't be denied. Announcing to the world how close he was.

Desperate, Tiberius drew Nessa closer to himself. Raking her back when his fingers couldn't find purchase. But it had the desired intent. Nessa increased her pace. It was all that Tiberius needed. At last, his arousal peeked, and a sudden wave blossomed through his whole body. For a few endless seconds, Tiberius couldn't control either limbs or throat. Thrashing and arching, while moaning in delight.

As the wave ebbed away, Tiberius breathed hard. As if he had run a marathon. With her goal achieved, Nessa slipped out of him. Resting her slick member - covered with his juices - on his tight, while snuggling against him.

He enjoyed the warmth of her body against his own, while slowly Tiberius breathing normalization. He could have fallen asleep like that, but Nessa suddenly pushed up.

"Well, I guess your payment is done," she said with a knowing smirk. "I had your body in every way I wanted to imagine."

Tiberius was saddened. Was she leaving him? Just as they had enjoyed such an intimate moment. "Do you have to go?"

"Yes. The night is still young and there are others to ambush. I hoped you liked it."

"I loved it," Tiberius said. And he meant it too.

"Great," Nessa said before looking away from him. "And what does the jury say?"

"Ten points!" Sindor said in his low rumble, while Connie gave a more relaxed: "Same."

Shocked, Tiberius sat up. Looking over he saw that everyone was awake. More than that, they each held a sign up with a number. Just as they had said, Sindor's and Connie's signs displayed a ten. Debbie's only showed a three.

"You guys are awake?" The young mage was baffled.

"How could we not?" Sindor asked. "Even if we hadn't been awake before, you moaned loud enough to wake the dead."

"But I checked," Tiberius protested. "You were fast asleep."

"I think that's my cue to leave," Nessa said before making a quick retreat.

Debbie took it as a cue to walk over and plop down beside the young mage. "She tried to ambush us first, but we showed her a more worthwhile victim. All we had to do was to pretend for a few seconds to be asleep."

Tiberius groaned and sunk his head down. He should have known his group was up to no good. They had planned this. From the moment they had stopped for the night. He threw Sindor and Connie a dirty look to let them know what he thought about it. Debbie was about to be next when he spied the discarded sign that had a three on it.

"Glad to be of service in the pursuit of your entertainment." Then he gave Debbie a mock annoyed look. "But only three points from you? Really?"

Debbie gave him a nonchalant shrug. "It was the highest number I could find." Having a sudden epiphany, Debbie leaned forward until she could rummage head over what was under the bed. A moment later she threw a sign into Tiberius' lap. "Here. Now you have earned a nine."

Tiberius had barely time to roll his eyes when Sindor asked a question that caught him off-guard: "Well, how do you rate your first time? As a woman."

"It was-" Tiberius hunted for words, but his mind drew blanks. Instead, there was only one reaction. "Wow."

"Wow indeed," Debbie said as she slung her arms around him from behind. Pulling him so close that he could feel her breasts squishing against his back. "But don't let that get to your head. Let me tell you a secret. Orgasms in the Shroom Dungeon are enhanced."

"They are?"

"Think about it," Connie said to pick up the topic. "The original mushroom changed genders and a whole economy sprang forth from it. Many breeds were created artificially. Do you really think those dabbling in the modifications couldn't resist making it a little better?"

"We have more than just speculations," Sindor took over. "Some liked their changed gender so much that they sought out means to bend their gender outside of Shroom Dungeon. Only to find out that the orgasms they experienced outside aren't as powerful."

"Rumor is," Debbie said from behind him. "That there are people who bend their gender outside of Shroom Dungeon just so they can experience the enhanced orgasms in their original gender."

Tiberius scratched his head and found more hair than he had expected. Patting it down, he noticed it was now long enough to reach just past his shoulders. Having filed that information away, he returned to the topic at hand. "It sounds like someone could get addicted to it."

Debbie playfully slapped him on the head. "Duh! Why do you think so many volunteers run around in Shroom Dungeon?"

Tiberius' eyes darted to the one person he knew was a volunteer before. Sindor. The giant gave a bellowing laugh as he noticed the mage's attention. "Yes. That's right. I was a junkie. Still am, if I am honest. But listen, Tiber. Most of us realize something important. Gratification is temporary. Sexually even more so. There are other forms of pleasure one can hunt. I take the satisfaction of knowing that I saved a whole village from blood-frenzied orcs any time of the day over a hundred orgasms. Because even now, remembering my deed fills me with a warmth that can't be compared."

"As good as sex here is in Shroom Dungeon, it is best enjoyed in measures," Connie said sagely and a little aloof. "Why else do you think the Impish Armory confiscates equipment after seven days. Those who don't show up in time usually don't do for weeks or even months."

"So, enjoy it while it lasts," Tiberius concluded. "Treat it as a vacation."

Debbie gave him a squeezing hug from behind. "Exactly. But here is a little tidbit of information for a scholar like you. Orgasms aren't all the same. Yes, depending on the techniques used, they can differ. But, what many people don't know is, that the body one inhabits plays a big role too. Things like how muscular you are or general fitness. Size and weight. Many things. And guess what? In Shroom Dungeon all those things are malleable. Experimenting with different mushrooms doesn't just give you a new body. It also changes how our minds and souls interpret an orgasm. Isn't that neat?"

"Debbie's unofficial motto is: 'gotta experience them all'", Sindor said sotto voce. Then snapping out of it, he addressed them all. "Anyways. All that detailed stuff you can explain to her in the morning. That's right. Her. Tiberius is no more. And this newly made lamb of a woman needs a name."

"Oh my gods, yes!" Debbie shouted. Nearly deafening Tiberius in turn.

"Uhh, that might be a challenge." Despite her words, Connie rubbed her in anticipation.

"Well, knowing it would come to this sooner or later I gave it some thought and-" Whatever else Tiberius wanted to say was muffled out as Debbie clamped her hands over his mouth.

"Sorry, honey," the rogue said with a shrug. "But tradition is that one gets named. You have no say in it."

The young mage gave a deep - muffled - sigh and gave a nod. But Debbie was having none of it. Her hands stayed put.

"What is the female form of Tiberius?" Sindor asked into the round. "Tiberia? Tiberine?"

"I am not even sure there is one," Connie said aloud. She appeared in thought for a moment, before keeling over and hugging a pillow. "Tiberna. Tiberta. Not sure we get something good just changing the end."

"I've got it!" Debbie shouted out and threw her hands in the air. Making Tiberius wince again. "What do we call Tiberius half the time? Tiber. And if you be generous with modifying it, you get- Tabby!"

Sindor and Connie gave themselves a look and nodded. The look on their faces said all. They were on board.

But before anyone could reaffirm it, Tiberius - finally unmuffled - took the initiative. "Why does it even have to be based on my name? I mean Tabby? Really? We had a cat at the academy's dormitories named like that."

Debbie jumped half up. Nearly pushing Tiberius off the daybed. "Sindor-"

"I am way ahead of you." The only remaining man in the group had heaved the backpack onto his lab. Rummaging in it and now and then pulling specific mushrooms. Those Connie scooted up and carried them over to Tiberius.

"I guess you want me to eat them," Tiberius concluded. Instead of an answer, they all stared at him expectantly. Knowing he was on lost ground, he began to eat.

With each mushroom he ate, Tiberius could feel the magic course through him. It started in his stomach and then rushed to his head. He knew something happened, but not what. Whatever transformation happened was too quick to decipher while eating. For a moment he could have sworn he lost hearing. But it soon returned. At last, he finished the last shroom.

"Awww. Not enough for a tail," Debbie exclaimed sadly. But then perked up. "May I present you: Tabby the catgirl!"

"Catgirl?" While the group went wild, the young mage reached up. What the hand felt was definitely not a human ear. Not to mention it was higher up and had fur. "I have cat ears."

"Yes!" Debbie said while jumping up and down. "Say it. What are you?"

A deep sigh. "A catgirl."

"And what is your name?" Sindor asked with a mischievous knowing grin.

"Tabby," the newly made catgirl said defeated. "My name is Tabby and I am a catgirl, nyah." Her new ears twitched in confusion. "Why did I say that? Nyah, I didn't mean to- Again."

"Those were Nyashroom after all" Sindor unnecessarily confirmed for the group.

"That 'speech impairment is part of the Nyashroom," Connie simply added.

"But why, nyah?" Tabby asked.

"Probably part of a fetish of the mage who made that shroom breed, to begin with," Debbie said with a shrug.

"I have a feeling - nyah - that this will get old really quick." Tabby gave the others a dirty look. "And I bet you knew that beforehand."

"Well, with Tabby named it is time for bed," Sindor quickly said to change the topic. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we'll hit The Barnyard. And knowing us, we'll spend a day there."

"But-"

Debbie was quick to cut Tabbie off. "Gladly." A moment later, the young catgirl got her ass massaged.

"That's not what I meant, nyah," Tabby sighed. She pointed to Sindor and Connie who both laid down again. "Don't you wanna join them?"

"I am fine where I am. Come on. Let's go to sleep."

With another sigh - a habit Tabby was quickly developing - the catgirl laid down. Only to find herself spooned by Debbie. And despite that the rogue rested possessively a hand on her tight, Tabby fell asleep in seconds. With all the excitement gone, her exhaustion clearly won out.