Chapter Text
The video finished loading in the blink of an eye. A gentle melodic jingle began playing as the screen faded from black. A humanoid Affini with large orange butterfly wings turns to face the camera. Fae were covered in leaves of bright, medium, and dark greens, with the occasional orange, or brown in between. A loose weave of leafy, and heavily flowered vines wrapped around torso and arms to cover faer in a big, botanical cardigan, more heavily covered in oranges and reds and yellows. The Affini pushes faer big, square glasses up on faer face before beginning to speak.
“Hello, Affini, florets, and sophonts in between. My name is Caeciadeae Monarchia, twelfth bloom, fae/faer. For over five blooms I have specialized in memory therapy. I understand many of you little humans have been struggling with leftover trauma from the days of the Accord, or your military service under it. If you are troubled by thoughts of the past, deceased loved ones, or other painful memories, you can find me and my services at the location below. Please send a message to start your treatment, or even just to chat for a while. I wish you cuties a wonderful, and happy life, and I can't wait to chat with all of you~”
Fae blow a kiss to a camera, and a puff of shiny, prismatic glitter flies from faer hands, and into the air as the video fades to black, and ends.
“Stars, I seriously cannot believe I'm doing this,” Alex muttered under his breath. He knew he was struggling, but altering his memories themselves did not feel like the right choice. Unfortunately for him, choices weren't exactly something he had an abundance of. He had already been under a wardship for the past six months, with little signs of improvement. When he did improve, it never lasted longer than a couple weeks before he was spiraling again. How could he not? He didn't have any friends, his family died years before the Affini arrived, and he hadn't had a partner in more than that long. The only meaningful social interaction he had in the past year was with his warden. He tried drug after drug, but the moment he came off them, he always went back to normal.
He turned the corner and entered the building elevator, pressing the button for the floor. The one where faer office was.
He truly, genuinely didn't want to do this. The idea of willingly letting his mind be toyed with by some Affini he didn't even know made him sick to the stomach. The thought of domestication made him feel even sicker. Every day, his warden drew closer and closer to signing that domestication paperwork. He was sure it was already prepared, and just needed a signature.
This really was his best chance at avoiding it.
The elevator opened as it arrived on his floor. There it was. The door to faer office. Directly in front of him. It was sized for Affini, nearly three times his height. It was so stars damned imposing. “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,” he imagined it reading above the doorway.
He stood still. He waited. He waited. He waited still. One would expect the elevator doors to close, but yet they remained open, seemingly refusing to let him leave without serving his penance. He took a deep breath, mustering every bit of courage he had in his frail, human body to step out, into the domain of the xeno; of the Affini.
Step after step took him closer, and closer, and close. He was standing at the door. He reached for the doorknob placed humiliatingly at his height. It looked so out of place, almost mocking him. Telling him this space was not for him. He held the doorknob. Paused. And turned it open. There was no turning back now. He was in too deep. The creature could probably already sense his presence. Smell his fear. He wanted to turn around. He wanted to run, but he knew if he did, he would be staring domestication in the face within the hour. Entering here, he at least had a chance. He opened the door.
Caecia looked over as the door began to creep open. This must be my 2:30 appointment, fae thought to faerself. Fae walked over, opening the door and letting the new patient inside.
“Good afternoon petal! How are you doing today?~”
Faer voice sounded almost sickly sweet. Fae spent years, basically since the discovery of humans, studying their mannerisms, their voices, their cultural habits, to perfect a welcoming and caring presentation. Memory modification was a touchy subject for most new floret species, and having a gentle appearance went light-years for making faer work more accepted. “Motherly” was the word Terrans would use to describe it. It was different for every species, but the words all meant the same things. Kind, nurturing, caring, helpful, the list goes on. It helps, of course, that fae spent equal amounts of time tuning faer biorhythms to the exact notes and frequencies to make whatever species fae were working with as open, and suggestible as possible.
Of course, fae loved faer profession, fae wouldn't still be doing it after five blooms otherwise, but after such a long time, things do get boring, and challenging oneself soon becomes the challenge. That was the reason fae began packing up shop and moving as soon as fae heard about the discovery of a new floret species. Fae wanted a challenge again. A new problem to solve. Unfortunately, having been there since the cotyledon days, faer challenge was already starting to run dry. Only 5 years into the human domestication project and fae were already beginning to lose interest. Stars above. Fae needed something new.
What fae really wanted was a new floret. Fae had been looking. By the stars fae has been looking, but these humans had so many attachments. Friends, family, partners, hobbies, interests, identity, you name it. Fae needed more. Fae needed someone who could be remade entirely at faer whim. It had been nearly half a bloom since faer last floret, and fae were getting very, very tired of looking. But now was not the time for reminiscing, fae had a patient.
“I'm, not doing great, frankly. That's why I'm here.”
“I see. I'm sorry to hear that, Mister Alex, have a seat and let's talk about it.” Fae gestured to the chair across from faers, and Alex obeyed the subtle order. Good start.
“Well-” he took a deep breath. “I've been under wardship for the last six months, I'm on the verge of domestication, and I'm showing no signs of improvement. My parents died pretty soon after the start of the war, in an industrial accident, my partner got injured during a transport run, and was deemed “not worth saving.” I was deemed 4F, so I wasn't even good enough to fight in that stupid war for her. The only thing keeping me together until you all arrived was my job, and when that went away I fell apart. I just feel so hopeless. I need a way out.”
Caecia “patted faerself on the back,” as a Terran would say, for coming up with the idea of Class D infused air fresheners. Faers was clearly working wonders. Fae pulled out a clipboard and began taking notes, and checking off a mental checklist as fae went.
No family, check.
No friends, check.
No partner, check.
“And have you already tried getting out, and getting a fresh start? It seems to me like what you really need is community. I'm certain we can help you find a group of people with similar hobbies, or interests that you would get along well with.”
“No, I don't really have hobbies. I spent every waking hour working, or with my partner, until that went out the window. I don't even know what I would enjoy anymore. I've tried to pick them up, but they never seem to stick.”
No hobbies, check.
Emotionally vulnerable, check.
Fae reasoned, the only person who would notice him changing would be his warden, who would almost certainly be in favor of his domestication at this point. Could this really be it? No, certainly not. After all, there were still three more boxes to check. History of abuse/neglect, willingness to obey, and lack of identity.
“I see. If I may ask, how was your relationship with your parents? Did they care for you the way you needed?”
“No, no. Not really. I mean they tried? I suppose? But it was never really enough. I always felt like I was disappointing them. Like no matter what I did to try and make them happy through my school, work, friends, they were never satisfied. It feels like everything I did was for their sake, and I feel like that's still the case now. It's like I don't know how to act for myself without considering their opinions.”
Lack of identity, check.
“I'm very sorry to hear that. And you mentioned your partner. Was she the only partner you've had, or have you had more? What is your relationship history like?”
“Well, not good, honestly. Each partner has been better than the last, but, I've kinda just. Bounced back and forth between abusive, neglectful, and controlling people. My last partner was better, but I still didn't really feel like my needs were met.”
History of abuse/neglect, check.
Stars this cannot be happening. There was only one item left on the list. Caecia hadn't had this happen since the cotyledon days. The human checked off every box, except its sense identity was too rotting strong. But no, Alex? All he had left was obedience. Out of faer seven thousand, eight hundred, and fifty three non floret patients, four thousand, nine hundred, and twenty one had checked the box for “willingness to obey.” Sixty three percent. One of the most likely traits, behind family, friends, and partners. All fae needed was one final test.
“Okay. Based on your preliminary questions, and what we've talked about here, I believe I know what method of treatment will be best for your case.” Excitement boiled up inside Caecia’s core, and rippled out through faer foliage. Despite faer best attempt to hide such intense emotions, fear vines shuddered. Pulling out a pill, and bottle of water from a drawer, before handing it to Alex, fae spoke. “Take this.”
Fae tried hard not to stare intently as the pill was taken in hand, brought to Alex's mouth, mixed with water, and swallowed. He was perfect.
Willingness to obey. Check.
“What now?”
Trying to suppress an obvious grin in faer voice, Caecia responded. “Well, given your condition, it's clear that you have some deeply ingrained trauma, that a simple class B won't fix. What I just gave you was a class H. They open your mind and make you more susceptible to hypnosis. I will use this hypnosis to gradually snip away at that damage that your parents and partners have caused, while still leaving an identity behind for your mind to work on. If I were to simply wipe away all of those memories, you would likely loose yourself completely, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.”
“Yeah. No. That doesn't sound good.”
The Affini chose to omit a response to that statement. “Well then, let's get started.” Fae pulled a vine from faer wrist, covered in a variety of colorful flowers, spinning in a dazzling fractal pattern. “Look into the flowers, little one.”
Alex leaned forward, staring at the flowers. He squinted, and his eyebrows furrowed. He kept staring, and his eyebrows slowly relaxed, and his eyes worked their way open, until he was sitting, mesmerized by the flowers.
“Now. From this moment, and all moments going forward, when I say the word ‘sink,’ and snap my vines, you will lose control of your limbs. You will stop being able to speak, and your mind will be completely blank. During this time, your mind will be open to suggestion. What I say will become truth in your mind. These effects will remain until I snap my vines, and say the word, ‘wake.’ When you understand what I'm saying, and are ready to sink, say the words ‘yes goddess.’”
Alex remained staring into the flowers before him, a blank expression on his face. His mouth slowly, sluggishly began to move, forming the shapes necessary to make sounds in the blink of an eye, fifty times over.
“Yes… goddess…”
“Good~ now sink.” Caecia snapped faer vines, and what little strength Alex had left flooded out of his body as he collapsed into the attentive, possessive vines of his new curator.
Alex left the Caecias office, thinking to himself. Why did everything feel so daunting when he first arrived? Fae had been more than kind, and accommodating. Fae had been friendly, and helpful, and helped give him a new perspective on his issues. It must've just been the anticipation, and unfamiliarity. Humans are well known for fearing what they don't understand, after all.
He stood in the elevator as the doors closed behind him. His mind was unusually quiet at the moment. On the way here, he was filled with a plethora of anxieties ringing through his head, but now he felt content, if a little queasy. Though, he supposed that was just from the movement of the elevator itself.
They hadn't properly started Alex's treatment yet, that would be left for further sessions, but for the first time in a very, very long time, it felt like there was a path forward. Caeciadeae had laid out the options for him, and they both decided that the best path forward would be using a series of hypnosis sessions to change the way he perceived his parents, and his responsibility to them.
Having never been hypnotized before, he was skeptical that it would work. From everything he knew, it was basically sci Fi movie magic, not something practical. I mean, c'mon, how could you expect to fundamentally alter someone's sense of reality with just a few well placed words? Caecia however, insisted that it is real, and effective. That his mind would be open to it “sooner than you think,” whatever that means.
He exited the building, walking across the plaza through trees, over a mossy pathway, past Affini and florets. They seemed so stars damned happy. Their limited attention almost solely devoted to the creature holding their collar. He never understood the mindset of a floret. To allow another being complete control over his life sounded absolutely terrifying. Partnerships, from his perspective, were supposed to be balanced. One partner gives, one takes, then it reverses, and the other gives, and the other takes. Sometimes they both give, sometimes they both take, but ultimately, they always did it together. They covered their gaps, and they helped each other live a life that was greater than the sum of their parts. But for a floret, they always took. They demanded attention, and care, and guidance, without being able to provide the same in turn. The Affini always gave, making decisions, taking care of their florets needs, sometimes literally feeding them. He never understood it. It seemed so unbalanced to him. Yet, despite that, every Affini seemed just as happy as the floret beside them.
He continued past them, and checked the time on his communicator. It was getting close to dinner time. Wow, already? He must not have been paying much attention to the time. He decided to pick up food on the way home, choosing a comfortable, familiar, spaghetti and meatballs. He carried it from the restaurant in a to go container, and walked the rest of the way to the rail back to his hab. After a short wait, he entered the train, taking a window seat, and looking at the passing city as he went. Was it always this beautiful near sunset? A notification popped up on his communicator, it was his ward, Phyllium.
>>Chiefbigleaf: Good evening Alex, Caecia said you were on the way back. What would you like for dinner tonight? ::)
>>TheBigA: Good evening, Phyllium, i actually already picked up food, but thanks for asking
>>Chiefbigleaf: Woah! Good job! I assume your appointment with Caecia went well then, if you're taking care of yourself now! I expect to hear about it when you return.
Huh, it had been a while since he had been proactive in taking care of his needs. This was the first time in… stars, he couldn't even remember how long it had been. Clearly it was a good sign.
His first appointment with Caecia was most certainly successful. Therapy had never been particularly successful for him before, but he already felt so noticeably better after just a bit of conversation. Fae so clearly understood his problems, and so clearly put his desire for independence, and self sufficiency first when considering treatment options. Unlike many Affini, who it seemed simply wanted him to be turned into a blabbering thoughtless pet, Caecia understood him. And fae clearly had no desire to commit him to such a fate. He finally had something to look forward to; someone to trust. Things really were starting to change for the better.
He opened the box, and began working away at his spaghetti, staring out into the beauty of the city before himself, truly appreciating it for the very first time.
Chapter 2
Notes:
Hey y'all !!! Thank you for being so patient with this next chapter. Usually, I like to write during my downtime at work, but we've been super busy lately :( things have been getting less bad though luckily, so expect the next one sooner ^^ hope you all enjoy!!!
Chapter Text
“Good morning sleepyhead~” The words called out to Alex, slowly reaching out and gently lifting him out of his sleep. His eyes opened with the pace of cold syrup rolling off a pancake. Once they arrived at their half open destination, his eyes fell on the figure of his wife to be; shrouded under blankets and the early morning sun, just barely peeking through the window blinds.
“Mmmmh, good morning bagel~” He fumbled off his half awake tongue. He and his partner, Emma, had been together for three years, and known each other for two longer than that. They had seen each other through some of the toughest parts of their lives. She helped him get out of one of the most toxic relationships of his life. He helped her get sober after years of addiction. She had seen some of the worst, most self destructive parts of his life, and he had seen the same from her. Like a flower finally seeing sunlight through the clouds after a long winter, he loved her. Effortlessly, naturally. Every day he woke up, he was happy to be alive. Every day he suffered, he pushed through. Because every day he lived, he did it for her.
Today was their third anniversary. Or rather, it was the day they would celebrate it. The actual date was four days prior. He had begged his boss for the day off for months beforehand, even down to the last day before, but they had said they “couldn't risk the loss in productivity.” Still, he was happy to spend his one day off a week focusing purely on the love of his life. It wasn't the day that mattered as much as the love.
Wordlessly, they both pulled themselves from the bed, and began getting dressed and ready. Words slipped gracefully from behind Emma's lips “I can't wait to see what you have planned. I know you have something very special in mind.”
“Oh yeah? What gave you that hint?” As he finished pulling up his pants, and pulling on his jacket, Emma stepped towards him. The skirt on her dress flowed behind her as she walked. Her hair gently swaying in time with her body with each step. She paused, standing before her most important. Her one and only. “Oh, what could it be… the late nights? The weekend overtime? The excessive saving?” She finished playfully, hanging her arms around his shoulders before placing a soft kiss on his lips.
“It's cute you think I'm trying to be subtle.” Alex sneakily tucked the ring box deeper in his pocket before returning the kiss.
She tried suppressing a chuckle before it forced its way out through a snort, and then full chested laughter. “Oh honey, cmon. I know you better than that.”
Before he had time to fully process, and respond to her words, he was laughing right along with her. Each time the giggling started to die down, the pair would make eye contact for a moment before bursting into a fit again. How lucky I am, he thought to himself, She makes it all worth it. Through years of working themselves tirelessly. Through 13 day workweeks, 10 hour days, and financial troubles, he was glad to do it all if he did it with her. If he could go back, he would do it again in an instant. Even through all the stress and all the struggle, she gave him the motivation to keep pushing.
“I-” he opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the sound of concrete stressing, and then cracking, and then crumbling. He looked to find the source of the sound, and the roof of their apartment was ripped off. Impossibly giant starships made of vines and flowers clouded the sky. Slithering green tendrils shot down from them as loudspeakers echoed from the stratosphere.
"Hello cuties! We are from the Affini Compact. Don't worry, you're being saved!"
He turned to run before the vines wormed their way around his limbs and began pulling him upwards. “I love you!” He managed to shout before he felt a pinprick in his neck and everything started to fade away. Just as the drugs filled him, he heard a faint knocking. The further he faded, the louder it grew, until-
The knocking became too loud to ignore, and Alex was torn out of his dream. Not that he wanted to stay much longer after that last bit. His eyes, already open from the forceful awakening, finally began to process his surroundings. He was in his apartment, or at least the new one the plants put him in. He was still wearing his sleeping clothes. Alena was still dead.
He tried not to think about that one too hard.
“Good morning Alex, it's Phyllium. I will be making breakfast soon. Do you have a request?”
Fuck. He tried to hide the pain in his voice, but it's hard to do that when you're talking to the physical representation of your life being completely upended. Fuck off you weed, he imagined saying to the only living thing trying to help him. Why don't you leave me alone forever? I don't want your help and I don't need it, He lied to himself. “No, I'm okay. Thank you,” he finally said.
“Alright, well let me know if you change your mind~” The plant, Phyllium, spoke, in a painfully playful voice. Did they not realize they made everything worse coming here? Just when he was finally starting to get used to operating in society, just when things started looking up for him, those stars damned weeds had to come and mess everything up. Emma would still be here if they never came. Just give me my fucking partner back!!!! he considered screaming. He held himself back. The sound of leafy footfalls grew further and further from his door until he eventually couldn't hear them any longer. The thought of getting manhandled by the thing disgusted him more than depression drew him into bed. He started getting dressed.
Starting with pants, he pulled off the impossibly comfortable pajamas, and replaced them with a similarly dull colored pair of jeans. He pulled off his shirt, and put on a nearly identical daytime T-shirt. He pulled on a hoodie, and finished the outfit with his glasses. He’d be damned if he wasn't going to take his cozyness with him.
He continued about his morning routine, going through every task he knew the plant would do for him if he left be. He made his bed, straightening the sheets, laying out the blankets, and pulling out any wrinkles. He brushed his teeth, scrubbing each tooth from every angle, and then flossing between each tooth. And he took a quick shower, scrubbing himself with soap, and fluffing a drop of shampoo through his hair. He dried, put his clothes back on, and sat at the foot of his bed, waiting for Phyllium to call him out for breakfast. Shortly after that, the door opened, and their head poked through.
“Hey Alex, breakfast is- Wow, you did all the morning stuff by yourself??? Good job!” They took two enthusiastic steps towards him, and offered a high five with an unreasonable large grin on their face. Alex considered refusing the high five, staring at Phyllium with a blank expression. After a moment, he gave in, slapping his hand against Phyllium’s with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, which wasn't a lot. Antisocial behavior would get him domesticated. Suffering through a high five was worth avoiding that. “Can I eat now?”
“Oh, yes, of course! Let's go do that!”
Alex sat at the table across from his warden, a steaming omelette filled with all his favorite toppings sat in front of him. For as much as he didn't enjoy the Affini presence on his world, or in his home, they sure knew how to cook. He took his fork, and sectioned off a piece, before taking the first bite. Stars. It never failed to impress him just how delicious it always was. The eggs were perfectly fluffy, the sausage inside was tender and juicy, and the blend of seasonings swirled together into a wonderful flavor. His blissful enjoyment of his breakfast was interrupted by the plant speaking up again.
“So, are you ready for your second appointment with Caecia?”
Oh! That was today. How did he forget? Fae were the one Affini he'd met who treated him like an individual person. The one Affini who didn't see him as a floret waiting to be claimed. The only one he could actually trust. “Yep, I'm ready to finally fix my issues. And you can finally put the domestication paperwork away.”
“Indeed! You've shown a lot of improvement since we first met. As much as I've enjoyed helping you, it will be rewarding to see you gain your independence back.” They sipped their nutrient juice through roots as they spoke. As much as Alex didn't particularly like Phyllium, or the concept of domestication as a whole, or the role they played in it, hearing their words of confidence in him was quite nice. It was good to hear that in time, he would heal, and he would gain his independence.
Two quick, gentle knocks hit the door. Ah! There must be my future floret, Caeciadeae thought to faerself. Fae had been waiting very patiently for his next appointment. As much as fae wanted to schedule him sooner, a week between appointments was standard, and appearance needed to be kept. What was that Terran saying? It's about the journey, not the destination. Fae were going to savor every step of that journey. The journey was already incredibly exciting. Fae had been nearly constantly bristling with excitement the entire week waiting for the follow up, and here it finally was.
“Come on in Alex! Have a seat.” Fae opened the door for him, and gestured to the chair across from faer desk. He sat down on faer command. “So how's the last week been?”
“Well, it's been okay. I've been taking better care of myself apparently, doing things without prompting. I hadn't really noticed a difference, but Phyllium mentioned it a couple times.”
“That's wonderful to hear!” Fae said. Clearly faer instructions were effective, not that fae had any doubts. “It sounds like talking everything out was really beneficial then!”
“Yeah,” His eyebrows scrunched and he looked at the floor, nervously playing with his hands. Adorable. “I don't think I've ever talked everything out like that before.”
“Mmm, most of my patients have some trouble talking about their issues, most patients, actually. It's completely natural.” Caecia leaned forward, unraveling the vines weaved together in faer forearm, producing a tri petaled injector dripping with faer xenodrugs. “Are you ready to begin your treatment?”
Alex tensed up, staring at the injector in fear. He looked as if he would jump and run like a startled deer. Caeciadeae was a vicious huntress. Fae would catch him quickly. “I- uhm- y-yeah. I'm ready,” he stumbled out.
“Good, this won't hurt a bit.” Fae brought the injector to his neck much slower than fae could have, but fae couldn't help but savor the terrified expression. Oh how fae longed for this. Finally, it pierced skin, and a rush of drugs flooded into Alex's veins. “What I just gave you was a Class D,” fae lied. The class Ds were already circulating through the air, disguised as an air freshener. Fae really gave him the counter agent to the C blockers he was on. Faer biorhythms would be tearing his mind apart as soon as the drugs took effect. “It will prevent you from lying, to me, or to yourself. Now, I will ask you a few questions, whenever you're ready.”
As soon as the effects of the drugs he was supposedly given were explained, Alex relaxed. His shoulders slumped, and his jaw unclenched. He took a deep breath, before letting it out. “Okay. I'm ready.”
“Question one: have you ever wished you were, or thought about being a different gender than the one you present as now?”
“No.”
“Question two: have you ever had sexual, or otherwise intimate fantasies about an individual presenting as the same or similar gender as you?”
“No.”
“Question three: have you ever had your emotions taken advantage of by another person for their own gain?”
Alex paused, sinking into himself. Poor thing. He wouldn't have to feel that way much longer. “...Yes.”
“Question four: have you ever been hit, scratched, bit, or otherwise harmed by another person as the result of a disagreement?”
He sank further. Caeciadeae wanted to just wrap faer vines around him and never let go. Fae imagined taking him back to faer hab, injecting him with all manner of xenodrugs to take those pesky worries away, and pampering him to no end. He would never have to suffer like he had before. Fae stopped faerself from enveloping him then and there. The restraint caused faer vines to tense, and leaves to cling to faer body. After an even longer pause, he answered.
“... Yes …”
Fae had heard enough. Making Alex suffer through painful questions wouldn't do any good. His past wouldn't be something to worry about for too much longer anyway. Fae tossed the rest of the questions aside, holding faerself back from dosing him and taking his worries away permanently. Haste would serve neither of them well here.
“Okay then, those are all the answers I need," fae said, taking his hands in faers. “Alex, are you ready to begin your treatment?” Fae tried to quench the boiling worry and nurturing bubbling up in faer voice. Fae was too focused on keeping faer vines together to know for sure. After an eternity of long moments after long moments, Alex opened his mouth, and replied. “Yes. Let's get it over with.”
“Good. Now, I want you to look into my eyes.” Caecia unfurled faer wings, unfolding them from a pocket in faer back into a glorious shimmering wingspan, nearly as wide as fae was tall. In small, subtle movements, fae fluttered them, showering brilliant rainbow reflections and refractions across Alex's face, eyes, and mind. Fae imagined it was mesmerizing; knew it was. Fae had designed them specifically to be just that. In time with the subtle beats of faer wings, fae slowly began to let faer biorhythms, faer inner song, fall into time. Each instrument playing more and more in harmony as fae spoke each word.
“Let yourself be drawn into them,” fae continued. Alex obeyed, staring deep, deep into faer. “Look deep into my eyes. Notice the patterns, the small details. The swirling colors working their way into your mind. Let yourself relax as you stare deep. Let your shoulders slump, and your jaw unclench.”
Alex responded with compliance, letting his body follow the orders it had been given. His expression became blank, the space behind his eyes draining away like water in a sink. Stars, fae thought. She was meant to be mine. “Let yourself fall,” fae carried on. “Further, and further, and further, and further. Let your mind quiet. You don't need to worry about anything, just focus on my eyes, and their patterns. On my voice, and how you feel it spread through you. Every word ringing through your body and your mind.”
Just then, Caeciadeae let loose faer biorhythms. Pulling them into sync, letting them sing and harmonize, and combine all into a wonderful choir of calm and control. The low rumbling tune flowed from faer core, and into the air, and then into Alex. Whatever semblance of independent thought could be imagined in him vanished into nothingness. He sat, thoughtless, helpless. Wonderfully open, beautifully malleable. He was finally ready.
“Now, little Alex. Sink.”
Fae snapped faux fingers, and he went limp. He had only a moment to begin falling from his chair, before he was scooped into Caecias vines. They wrapped lovingly, possessively, around every limb, every finger, and every inch of his body. He was pulled into faer mass of vines. “Oh you poor, poor little thing,” fae cooed. If he was conscious to understand faer words, he would be melting away into them. “You've been hurt so badly. You never deserved that, little one.”
Fae sat there for long, indulgent minutes. Stroking him, holding him, brushing through his hair. He had suffered enough. He would simply lay still in faer vines for as long as Caecia let him. Fae wanted to leave him there forever. Letting his worries fall away into the gentle songs of faer biorhythms. Each thought sent scattering away into the touch of faer vines; into the sound of faer voice. He had struggled through life, unsure of what he wanted for far too long. It was long overdue he had someone to decide that for him. Agency, thought, movement, they would no longer be his burden to bear. Not for much longer anyway. But not now, not yet. Fae still had appearances to keep, and fae still had work to do.
“Now,” Caeciadeae spoke, pulling faerself out of the protective, worrying indulgence fae set upon Alex. “I will implant several truths into your mind. Each word I speak will dig itself deep into your head, becoming a permanent, fundamental part of yourself, just the same as any memory.”
Fae pulled him up from faer vines, setting his dull, vacant eyes to face faer own. Faer biorhythms beat down on him, keeping his mind nice and blank, save for what fae gave him.
“You have this feeling, deep down, everpresent. This sensation of things not quite being right. With your body, with how you're treated, with your gender. You have gender dysphoria. After a long discussion we came to the conclusion that you are transgender. This has been the cause of much of your suffering in life. You will tell Phyllium about this, after he asks about this appointment. You will tell him I helped you realize you want to be a girl. You will think about it, and eventually decide on the name ‘dolly’. You will ask to be put on a class G cocktail suiting your needs. You will ask for longer hair, dainty limbs, larger breasts, at about a B cup, and soft, smooth skin. You will have a taste for elaborate, frilly dresses, with intricate printing.”
Fae paused to gather faer thoughts and let faer core rest before continuing. Air rushed into faer body, and then out of it all the same. It was a distinctly Terran expression, but a comforting one nonetheless.
“When you wake,” fae continued, “You will have a new trigger. Whenever I say the words ‘forgetful dolly!’ you will forget what happened in the last few minutes. You will ask me what happened, and I will tell you. This will become your truth, implanted deep in your mind, and you will remember it all the same as your other memories. It will become your reality."
After waiting a couple moments to ensure the words would cement themselves into Alex's mind, Caeciadeae folded up faer wings, and pulled faer biorhythms from Harmony once again. Fae gave her the counteragent to the class H, and another dose of the C blockers he was on. Fae stared longingly at her as she slowly came back to reality. Fae spoke to Alex in Affini, but mostly spoke to faerself. “<I'm sorry I let you suffer so long, little one. It won't be long, I promise.>”
Fae snapped faer fingers, and gave the command: “Wake. Back with us now, Alex.”
“Whuh..? Woah, I must've spaced out, I'm sorry…”
“You are forgiven, Alex, it's a tough conversation, with a lot of emotions behind it.”
“Oh, uh,,, what were we talking about…?”
“You had just finished telling me about your underlying gender dysphoria. We are making wonderful progress here.”
Alex frowned just slightly. Anyone less fixated than Caecia wouldnt have noticed. She spoke with a sorrowful weight to his voice. “Does that mean we didn't do any proper treatment today?”
“Technically not, but we are making wonderful progress through conversation,” fae spoke, injecting a tone of hope into faer voice. “If anything, not requiring formal memory treatment would be a point in favor of you staying independent, especially coupled with such a major discovery.”
Fae extended a hand, placing it gently on Alex's shoulder, carefully watching her reaction. She leaned into it, letting the touch calm and comfort her. Faer leaves rippled with pride. Shes making such lovely progress already! Fae imagined she could feel the love as much as fae felt it. Alex looked up into faer eyes, hers welling with the beginning of tears. “T-thank you, Caeciadeae,” she sniffled. “Thank you for everything.”
“Awwww, of course, Alex! You're making wonderful progress.” Fae gave her a squeeze, and gently rubbed his arm. “At this rate, you'll be independent in no time at all,” fae lied, not that she needed to know. “Our meeting time is coming to an end, however, and I wouldn't want to keep Phyllium worrying. Would you like a hug before you go?”
“N-no, I'm okay. But thank you, I really appreciate it.” She wiped her eyes before standing, and looked up at Caecia with a wonderful, cathartic smile on her face. Seeing her happy made the refusal sting much less in faer core. Be patient. Fae told faerself. She will be yours soon.
“Alright then I'll let you on your way,” fae said, guiding her towards the door. “If you have any questions, or need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I'm only a text away, okay?”
She nodded, swiping away one last tear as she walked out.
“Oh!” Caecia added, “don't forget to update me on your new name!”
Alex looked back as she walked away. “I won't! Bye!”
As the door closed after her, Caecia stood, staring at it. “<Everbloom, Caeciadeae. Pull yourself together.>” Fae fell to the floor, faer form unraveling into a disjointed pile of vines and branches and leaves. Fae wrapped faer foliage around faer core, trying to soothe faerself as best as possible. “<You've waited this long, you can hold out a bit longer.>”
Dolly opened the door to her hab. She felt lighter and happier than she had in years. Stars, when did it start feeling so good to talk about your feelings? She never imagined being able to be so vulnerable around someone else, let alone an Affini. Phyllium turned to look at her as she entered the doorway.
“Hello Alex! Welcome back! How was the appointment?” Phyllium nearly shook the leaves from their branches in excitement as they rushed over to Dolly. She couldn't help but burst out giggling.
“Oh my stars Phyllium, calm down it's just me! I was just gonna tell you.”
“Oh? Tell me quicker!” They kneeled down to her level and leaned forward.
“I'm actually trans! Me and Caeciadeae talked it out and I discovered that most of my issues were being caused by not being able to be myself.”
“Oh my goodness!!! This is so exciting!!!!” Phyllium practically jumped to the ceiling, doing an extravagant twirl that sent their branches rustling and shaking all around. They sounded like a forest in a windstorm. They finished their spin, and landed back in a crouching position facing Dolly. “Have you picked a name and pronouns yet??”
“Yup! Dolly, she/her!”
“That's a lovely name! Nice to meet you, Dolly!” Phyllium shot their hand out, pulling hers into a firm, energetic handshake. She got sent giggling all over again. Phyllium was such a massive cornball. “But!” They continued, “enough introductions! You must be hungry. I just got done making laseg knee!”
“Laseg knee?” Dolly repeated, getting up into the dinner chair. She saw Phyllium cut away a piece of the food for her, set it on a plate, and put it in front of her. Layers of flat noodles surrounded meat chunks, marina sauce, and a variety of cheeses. The smell of the seasonings, and the beef, and the cheese all mixed and wafted into her nose. It smelled wonderful. She looked at Phyllium in confusion. “Uh, do you mean lasagne?”
“Bahhhh whatever. Terrans and their pronunciation.” Phyllium waved their hand dismissively as Dolly took a bite. It was Good. Her warden might not be good at pronouncing words, but they sure could cook.
“So, uh, about the trans thing…”
“Oh? What's up Dolly?”
“Well. I wanted to get on class Gs. Caecia said they would help with the dysphoria.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea! We could go to the vet tomorrow and get you a specialized selection! What do you have in mind?”
“Well, I kinda thought about this actually. I want longer hair, dainty limbs, boobs, probably about a B cup, and super soft skin.”
“Wonderful! I'll send the message right now!” Phyllium pulled a datapad from his chest cavity and began typing away. For a weed, they weren't half bad. Dolly was almost starting to like them. Almost. Still, not quite as much as she liked Caeciadeae.
goddessofgoblins on Chapter 1 Sun 20 Jul 2025 06:07PM UTC
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mona_monarch on Chapter 1 Mon 21 Jul 2025 04:00PM UTC
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Mercurieee on Chapter 1 Sat 26 Jul 2025 11:48AM UTC
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EvolvedSeaSparrow on Chapter 2 Thu 18 Sep 2025 06:14AM UTC
Last Edited Thu 18 Sep 2025 06:14AM UTC
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Tactical_Dollgirl on Chapter 2 Thu 18 Sep 2025 06:16AM UTC
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NikkiRaisedByValaya on Chapter 2 Thu 18 Sep 2025 08:49PM UTC
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