Kelly stared into the darkness and heard the sounds growing ever closer. She had called out to the void but nothing responded. Images of possible horrors jumped out at her. She thought this a dream at first, some horrific form of torture for her continuous disrespectful manner toward the formalities of the kingdom. However, if this had been a dream she thought it would've ended long ago.

"Dammit! Show yourself!" She screamed.

A few moments went by soundless and quiet. She thought her sudden outburst had startled what ever was beyond her sight but then something came into view. A light. A soft glowing red light. The darkness that surrounded her looked like thick mists at dawn. Hovering just above the ground in clouded forms that drifted close to the surface.

Beyond the black mists was a red illumination. As it got closer the light grew brighter and the sound of the hard object on stone became one that she recognized. To Kelly it sounded as though a pair of heels were being walked on. After a few more moments she was rewarded with a blinding red light that she could barely see through.

Within that light stood a form. A curvaceous figure that reminded her, a little of herself. Wide hips, curved cheeks and sloping shoulders. The figure bathing in red light vanished for a moment and then it erupted into soft red flames. To Kelly's horror it was her, yet it wasn't her.

The face and stance mirrored her own. Even the body shape. But the dark black body with fire coming out from molten cracks in the skin was not her own. A pair of thick curled horns went over her scalp, under her pointed ears and back up along her jawline. Her bright orange eyes blazed like the fires that burned along her black hair.

The woman's feet had been molded into high stiletto heels that clacked sharply against the dark stone floor. A long black tail swished behind her as she walked seductively forward.

"Greeting Kelly. It is so good to finally meet you." The woman of molten fire moaned.

*****

Joona, Melanie and Brandi left the carriage and put up the flyers along the community posting board. A large twelve by twelve board stood in the center of the road bisecting the street. Brandi felt a surge of pride when she put up a flyer on the board. The other one would have to go on the other end of the city.

It was a long walk but they had decided it would be good for them all. Along the way they all talked and while Joona had not been forthcoming at the start, she grew more comfortable as minutes passed. By the time they reached the other board, Joona was actively engaging in conversations which had spanned a number of topics from relationships, clothes, food and even teetering on sex.

"I have never heard of such things." Joona replied. "Ramen...noodles?" She repeated the food.

"Tasty things, not the healthiest for you but delicious all the same." Brandi laughed.

"I know what you mean. I enjoy the pastries at a shop across the city. It is run by a human and his Mer-husband."

Brandi and Melanie shared a smile.

"How far from here is it?" Brandi asked.

Joona looked up at the street sign they were on and then down the road.

"Perhaps five blocks down. No more than a twenty minute walk. Though I fear that my lady's feet might-"

"Oh no worries. I'm used to walking for miles. C'mon. I could use a sweet."

Joona smirked and followed behind Brandi and Melanie.

"Tell me my lady. What was it like growing up in Terra?"

Melanie thought about it for awhile. Unsure of how the best way to explain it was.

"I grew up in a small town. Much smaller than this." She chuckled. "My parents worked for the forest rangers and spent lots of time outside so me and my siblings did too."

"Your parents were rangers?" Joona asked. "What an honor it is to meet the child of a ranger. Particularly one of the forest."

Brandi smiled to Melanie who looked up at Joona in confusion.

"Joona? What is a ranger in this world?"

The half-breed female looked down at Melanie and thought on how to describe it.

"The rangers are elite warriors who act as voices for the wilds. They protect the creatures and wild folk from deforestation and hunters. Plus they stop the orcs, goblins and trolls from spreading beyond their territories. Mostly. Don't the rangers do that on Terra?"

"Umm...sort of." Melanie shrugged.

*****

"Look at that face." The blazing eyed female said as she walked around Kelly. "You look absolutely perturbed." She chuckled.

"W-what are you?" Kelly stammered.

"Why, I am you of course. Well...the best version of you possible that is." She said, brushing a hand through her long flaming black hair.

Kelly wondered what was happening. If all of this was truly in her head. Then a thought dawned upon her. Melanie had been asleep during the first couple days of her transition. 'Am I asleep?' She wondered. She looked at her flaming self and furrowed her even more confused brows. 'I thought I was going to become a dragon?'

As if her thoughts had summoned the very creature into existence, the sound of claws and scales skidding against the ground hit Kelly's ear drums. She tried to turn her head but she couldn't see over the high seat of the stone chair. The fiery figure in high heels stepped back a few paces just as an enormous serpentine head swung into view.

A tongue flashed out bright blue instead of red. Its forked tongue was nearly as long as Kelly's arm and as thick as her thumb. The rounded scales were a bright yellow that seemed to glow like the sun. The creature's eye was as big as her head with a red iris and an orange pupil which stared at the flaming Kelly.

As the nearly one hundred foot long yellow scaled creature came into full view, both Kelly and her flaming doppelganger got a solid look at it. A cross between a viper and a dragon, the beast had a long slender body with short legs thats ended in long hooked black talons. An extra fold of skin along its spine shifted where the wings were folded up tightly.

"Get away from her." The dragon hissed angrily. Long fangs folded down where they had been laying perfectly along its red gum lining. Each fang was nearly as long as Kelly's hand.

"You are not her chosen. Not yet." The flaming Kelly snapped in return. Her fiery black hair whipped around as both dragon and demon looked at Kelly, as though the balance rested upon her bound shoulders.

*****

As they crossed the city blocks and arrived at the shop. They found the store to be small but cute. In the windows were glazed versions of all the pastries available. Cookies, muffins, cakes and an assortment of many different delicious treats. As the door closed behind them, Joona pulled off her helmet and the large man behind the counter drew in a deep breath.

He had thick ginger hair that curled up in knots. On his face was a thick handlebar mustache just as red which turned up into a smile.

"Look who it is! My favorite customer!" He opened his large beefy arms and swaddled Joona in a hug that would've made an avalanche look comforting. Joona accepted it welcoming. He looked down at Brandi and then at Melanie.

"Who are your friends?" He asked, scratching his thick ginger eyebrows.

"Gerald." Joona whispered. "That is the Queen."

His bushy brows rose up and he slowly moved to bow though it was obvious his back did not bend so easily.

"My apologies my Queen. I have not had any time to look at the city update bulletin."

"Ah, please. Don't-" Melanie rushed over when he attempted to bow.

Gerald nodded his head snd straightened.

"Much obliged my lady. These bones don't bend the way they used to." He huffed, patting his large gut. "Tasted a few too many of my cooking you see." He winked. "Now, what can I get the three of you?"

Melanie and Brandi looked at Joona who looked a little flustered.

"You recommended this. You decide what is best." Melanie replied.

Gerald swung his large head around to look back at Joona.

"Perhaps the usual? I love those the best." She shrugged.

"Aye!" He chuckled. "There be truth to that. My stomach wouldn't lie about that fact."

He reached into the glass case and withdrew three cream filled crescent shaped pastries. While the outside was crusted and flaky, the inside was soft and doughy. Berries were scattered around both inside and outside. Melanie laid out two gold coins, unsure of how much the entire thing costed.

"M-my lady? Did you want more to go?" Gerald asked.

"I imagine this will be fine. Thank you though." She bit into the pastry and her eyes rolled back with delight.

"I think I just orgasmed." Brandi smirked.

Gerald let loose a laugh from his gut which infected the other three with more laughter.

"I've not heard that one before." He swiped away a tear. "Here ya go my lady. You be taking this back with ya." He handed the second gold coin to her. "My shop ain't so fancy as to need two gold for three pastries."

Melanie looked around the shop. It was small and some of the boards needed repairs. The stove looked like it had not seen a good repair in a few years. She pushed the gold coin back to him and smiled.

"Keep it Gerald. A token of my sincere appreciation for this delectable sweet."

She took another bite and sank into the creamy flavors of the treat. Gerald didn't know what to say. He glanced at Joona who was more than halfway through her pastry.