Finally getting used to things (Patreon)

Richard never imagined that he would be shopping for dresses and skirts. But after the Great Shift, the world had changed. Many people found themselves in different bodies, and there was no way to change back. Richard was one of those people. Instead of his tall, lanky frame, he now had a more petite and curvy figure. He had long, blonde hair that flowed down his back and a beautiful smile that could light up a room.

At first, Richard had been shocked. He tried to find a way to get back to his old self, just like everybody else who was unlucky (or lucky) enough to be affected. Richard had a cozy manager position at a factory that he’d been working at since he was 16. At age 63, he was getting ready to retire. But as time passed, he came to realize that the Great Shift had been a blessing. He was 20-year-old Penelope, and this new life was his now. He had a clean slate that couldn’t be reversed, so he decided to make the most of it. 

And today, he was on a mission to find some new clothes that would suit his new self. He had been so afraid of getting comfortable in his new body that he barely rewarded himself with trips like these. He always felt so bad for what had happened, especially since the Great Shift was outside of everybody’s control. Yet as he ventured into the world around him, he began to love the colors and intricacies of womanhood. He understood why fashion was such a big thing, and he also understood what it meant to truly be a woman.

It also helped that he was extremely pretty. Penelope was an unbelievably fit woman who was still trying to figure out what she wanted in life. While Penelope was being forced to enter retirement on a cozy pension in a few years, Richard would be figuring out if he wanted to start all over again at the factory, or if he wanted to go into a different field.

“I can think of that later,” he told himself while he ventured deeper into the mall. “I’ve got things to do…” The mall was a place of wonder for Richard now, and as he stepped into a chick store he’d always avoided as a man, the world of women's fashion opened up to him even further. The clothes looked different than the ones he spotted online. He felt each fabric and imagined how he’d look in the current body he inhabited now.

The first section he went to was the dresses, and there were so many to choose from. There was a bright red dress that was knee-length and had little white polka dots all over. Next to it was a beautiful blue dress with flowers printed on it. It had a V-neck and seemed perfect for summer days.

Moving on, he found himself looking at skirts. Some were short, and others were long. There was a black leather skirt that looked edgy. Beside it, a long flowing skirt with colors that reminded him of a sunset as he picked it out for himself. The oranges, pinks, and purples seemed to dance on the fabric.

As Richard picked out more clothes, he felt a mix of emotions. He was excited to try out these new styles. And as he moved to the changing room, he couldn't help but smile while some of the guys at the store checked him out. They were with their girlfriends, and some of them were even slapped when they noticed them staring. The world had changed, and so had he. He was determined to make the best of it. Just before he stepped into the nearest changing stall, he gave a wink and blew a kiss to the cutest guy there before disappearing inside.