Sample chapter of future story- Transformation in the Reverse Wasteland

It was nearing noon on the third day of travelling through the wasteland when Nicole remarked to Jem, her enchanted meerkat companion, in a distressed manner "How much longer can this wasteland go on for? We've been walking for four days, nearly. There's got to be life somewhere soon. Look over there, a hut! Perhaps it's the outpost of a town, even a village would be good. I haven't seen another soul in days."

He answered, very sarcastically (it was his way, he'd always been like that, even before he could speak, she reflected, she'd occasionally caught him staring at her ironically whilst she was talking) "That? It's just a hut, no more, not worth bothering with. And 'not another soul'? What am I, a dust particle?" Jem was also possessed of intelligence and rather sharp-tongued, as you can see.

She answered mock-apologetically "Sorry, Jem. You know I meant another human being, and though you speak, think and, to an extent, act as though you are human, you aren't, are you?"

"Not good enough for you, am I? Well, I'm sorry, Miss High-and-Mighty, for that." he fumed.

"Come on, Jem, let's be honest, enchanted though you may be, you're still a meerkat, and I'm the king's niece, for crying out loud, a Duchesse of the highest rank and class. You're lucky to have me to keep you as a companion, without me you'd be in a zoo, and you know it!" she exclaimed and stormed off.

They continued walking, and Jem would occasionally catch her up, but some time later, as she passed the hut she'd mentioned originally, he lagged back so far she couldn't even see him, so she shouted back "Jem, Jem, hurry up, you know I never meant those things, it's just... this wasteland. It's endless... inescapable... and it's driving me crazy."

There was no answer so she called "Jem, I'm coming back. Are you all right?", sprinting back across the barren, rocky terrain (not an easy task, even in a loose-fitting riding dress).

He could be heard to yell "No! Nicole, Your Grace, you mustn't!"

"Whyever not, Jem? I certainly will now you've said that." she called back.

"Well, I suppose there isn't really a reason. I'm just worrying." he said, at an almost normal volume, still loud enough for her to hear as she came closer.

'Worrying?' she thought. 'What could Jem possibly need to worry about?'

And suddenly what she had short-sightedly taken to be a short stone pillar resolved itself into a man, barefoot and dressed in ragged sandy-brown clothes. As she came closer still, so that she was only a few feet away from him, she saw that those clothes didn't fit him particularly well, that the shirt, or waistcoat, given that it was sleeveless, was open to his waist because it wouldn't close (this she could tell because the man was clutching it half-closed over his clearly muscular bare chest with one hand), and that the trousers, or more accurately breeches, were tight, but only just about clung to his hips, possibly because the fastenings hung, untied and trailing, to his thighs (she idly wondered if he wore any underwear beneath the rather outlandish, but decent, garment). She also saw that he had an unruly shoulder-length shock of light brown hair, all shot through with gold, and a long, unkempt beard of the same colours, and she suspected that, beneath all that, he just might be the most good-looking young man she'd ever met, for though she couldn't quite tell, his features seemed to be fine but unmistakably masculine, and his eyes were certainly the most bewitching deep blue she'd ever seen.

The sudden appearance of such a gorgeous, half-naked man made her blush, and to cover her surprise, she snapped "Who are you? What have you done with Jem?"

In the familiar voice of her companion, the young man softly answered "Nicole, I am Jem. You must know that I've become more human-like progressively? That was all to a purpose, my eventual transformation. And, well, it's finally happened, just not quite as your Godmother said it would. I'm human to stay, and I'd quite like to see how I look, and to get some better clothes, because these aren't decent. So, Nicole, I'm going into the hut ('Never thought it'd be that useful.' he thought, privately amused.), to see if I can find a semi-decent outfit, and footwear of some description. It's surprising, all things considered, but I don't think I like being even this undressed."

She shrugged, "Okay then.", walked back with him, and watched as he disappeared into the small hut.

The hut was sparsely furnished but he found underwear and a shirt in a small chest-of-drawers, and a pair of brown boots in the corner: enough, with the clothes he was wearing, to make an outfit, which, though it would not be considered more than barely acceptable by Nicole's family or her class in general, would do for now, till they got out of the Reverse World, or to a place in this world where he could get other clothes. He stripped off the clothes he currently wore, and examined his new, human body in the looking-glass on one wall, and once satisfied with his inspection, dressed slowly, getting used to the feel of his new lengthened limbs. He appeared back outside, scruffy still, with the unbecoming beard and loose, messy hair, but presentable enough, somehow peculiarly attractive in her eyes, in the breeches from earlier, now properly fastened, and tucked into a pair of serviceable brown boots, with a billowing white shirt tucked into the breeches, and the waistcoat thing from earlier also on top.

Nicole breathed deeply and asked him "Ready?".

He replied, steeling himself, "As I'll ever be" and they walked on together.