Nathan was glad by the time they reached the department store. He'd managed to key his tongue in his mouth, and the handful of people they had passed, they all seemed to not pay any attention to him or Jodie. Finding this hard to believe, he felt certain that if he'd turned around fast enough, he seen them giving him and Jodie a backward glance that said they knew the two weren't human any longer, or that they knew the two were turning into a couple dogs. And if he had been able to ken the thoughts of those he passed, he felt certain they would back up what he believed.
A part of him didn't want this to be the truth, just as another part of him wanted it to be fact that he and Jodie weren't becoming a pair of dogs, but rather some weird human-canine hybrid. But he had some difficultly holding onto this notion, as with the way his tongue had morphed, the six teats he had, his acute sense of smell and hearing, and, when he thought back to the sex he and Jodie had had when their transformation had started, it seemed more and more plausible that the eventual outcome for him was that of a four legged bitch. Desiring nothing more than anything to avoid such a thing, knowing that they only way was to figure out why the Amulet of Zulo wouldn't change him back, Nathan was glad that they'd reached the department store, though, on a deeper level, he couldn't stop himself as he speculated that if it was crowded inside, it might lead to some embarrassing situations.
"Should we meet back here?" Jodie asked, breaking into his thoughts.
With a quick nod, Nathan glanced over at her and muttered, "Yeah," as he found the prospect of having to buy girl's clothing intimidating, even if his mind assured him it was what he wore.
Her arms circling around him and she drew him into a hug. Rubbing her head against him, Jodie looked down and licked his nose before she said, "Hey, it'll be all right. We'll each find a few outfits, then meet back here after we make out purchases. Afterward, we'll figure out what to do next, thought I suspect we'll both want to get to grandmama Patricija Lara's as fast as possible."
Nathan wanted to point out a number of things right then, including that Jodie's tongue was now like his, as well as what she'd just done. Instead, he kept all this to himself as he returned her signs of affection in the same way and replied, "I don't know about you, but I might use the fitting rooms whilst we are here. I don't know why, and no offence to you and what you chose for me to wear, but I want to put on something that fits."
She could see a point in this and with a nod, Jodie answered, "None taken," and taking a step away from Nathan, she said, "All right, we'll be back here after we've made out purchases and changed our clothes," before she turned and started in the direction of teenage boy's section.
From where he stood, Nathan watched her for a moment before he decided, "Might as well get this over," as he headed toward the section of the store where the clothes for teen girls were kept. Feeling conflicted about being in such an area, as a faint part of him insisted he was a pervert for being there, whilst another that was louder, more assured, told him there was nothing wrong with him being there as it was where he always got his clothes from, he headed toward a couple garment racks and began to browse.
Not sure what it was he was looking for, Nathan soon found the reason he was having some difficulty was that he was resisting. Disliking the idea of giving himself over to the feminine side that was growing more and more dominant, he swallowed his pride when it came to him that to fight against it was a losing battle. Sooner or later, he was going to have to accept it, as it was what he was becoming, what he'd be until he found a way to use the necklace to reverse what'd transpired. Sighing, he mentally stepped back and forced himself to relax. Thinking, "If I were a girl, which I guess I am, what would I wear?" and as if watching himself from outside his own body, yet totally aware of what he was doing, he turned away from the stuff on the rack and picked up a skirt from another.
Blue, multi-tiered, two hidden zippers, one of each side, Nathan knew what would go with it as he selected from a table a cute top that was white, short sleeve, and had adorable little buttons, and a matching baby blue coloured bra and thong from another table. Selecting next a maxi skirt that had an elastic waist, a medium blue pattern that made him think of fish scales, and a frill-like ruffle attached to the hem, he picked out a short-sleeve white top, a tight jean jacket and another matching bra and thong set, this one teal, to go with. Thinking one more outfit would do for the moment, he browsed until he decided on a long blue and white peasant skirt, that was, like the last two, full enough to twirl about in, if he felt so inclined, and had the top three tiers printed with white daisies on a blue background, whilst the bottom tier was blue with tiny white polka dots. Finding a short-sleeve top to go with it and a pinkish-white, floral patterned bra and thong set, Nathan felt he was he'd made the right choice as he left the clothes section.
His next stop the area were they kept backpacks. Finding one that was made of a durable material, yet also a cute shading of blues, whites, and purples, he made one final stop in the shoes section where, after some deliberation, choose a pair of boots that'd go well with each outfit, yet left him conflicted, as the size was a lot smaller than what he normally wore. Figuring his female mind knew what size he wore, he took his stuff up to the front to make his purchase. Keeping an eye out for Jodie as he went, he wondered where she was when he didn't see any sign of her as he stepped behind a couple other patrons and waited to put his stuff on the belt.
After he'd paid for the stuff, and collected his receipt, he stood around for a while and scanned the few people. Glad it wasn't overly crowded, yet still feeling like he was being judged for what he'd bought, what was happening to him, Nathan waited almost fifteen minutes before he decided, "I'll probably have to go look for her."
Not sure where he'd find her, but guessing he should try the area where clothes teenage boys were sold, he started in that direction. Finding no sign of Jodie anywhere in the area, or seeing her as he headed there, he resisted the urge to let his tongue loll out. Wondering if maybe she went to the rooms for trying on garments already, he stepped over a couple spilled piles of clothes and headed toward the section of the store where he'd find the fitting rooms. Arriving there, he was disappointed when it became clear that there was four sections, two for girls and women, two for men and boys, Nathan read a notice that claimed the section was under surveillance to prevent shoplifting and to keep the males out of the female area and the females out of the male section.
Tempted to call out Jodie's name, Nathan resisted the urge as he figured, whilst he waited, he might as well put on something that fit better. About to head into the men's section, it suddenly came to what he was going to wear as well as what he was transforming into. Altering his course, he instead headed to the female area and after a moment of deliberation, the booths for girls. Securing himself in one of the stalls, glad the partitions went all the way down to the floor, he peered at his reflection before he dropped his purchases on the bench and proceeded to undress.
Naked, he peered at his reflection and grimaced as he turned one way, then the other, then lifted up his leg. The fur that had started to cover his tail now covered his butt, which he noticed was flat and didn't appear to have butt cheeks. To top it off, the fur now ran down the insides of his thighs and covered his front, though not the pink gash between his legs. Finding he had no choice but to accept that he had a canine vulva, for the first time since his genitals had morphed, he used two fingers to touch and explore the area, finding the oddest bit was his clitoris, which he knew he now had an baubellum. Feeling he'd never get used to having such genitals, he eventually lowered his leg and peered at his chest. Finding the top two breasts were bigger, he knew that they'd reached their max size for his current age and looking at first the four extra nipples, still the same size as they'd been earlier, then at his overall reflection, it came as a start when he realised that not only had he shrunk at some point, but that he'd regressed in age.
"I look almost like how I looked when I was seventeen, only more female," he thought as he studied his reflection a moment longer, gradually coming to accept there was no point in denying it, and that he was younger.
Bothered by that he’d gone back ten years, even as his mind asserted that was what he'd wanted to do with the Amulet of Zulo, he found it hard to fathom. Reaching for the bra and thong set that was baby blue in colour, he pulled off the tags and removed the strip of paper from the crotch of the panties. Putting the bra on first, he took his time adjusting the shoulder straps and the way his breasts sat in the cups. When he was satisfied, he pulled on the underwear, which sat low in front, pressed comfortably into his privates, and sat just below his tail, yet still managed to cover up his exposed puckered anus. Moving about in front of the mirror, examining his appearance, Nathan found that he hated to admit it, but he actually looked good, even if he had four teats. Taking the tags off the rest of the garments, he stored everything but one outfit in the backpack. Unbuttoning the shirt, he pulled it on, noted how short the sleeves were, and how luxurious the soft cotton fabric felt as he buttoned the front, trying not to shiver in pleasure as it rubbed against his four exposed nipples in an exquisite way. Pulling on the skirt, he zipped it and twirled in place. Liking the way it flared out, he took a couple hesitant steps, turned around to see if there was an unsightly bulge in the back from his tail, and satisfied there wasn't and that he was able to walk comfortably, he pulled on the boots.
Dressed, he shouldered the backpack and gave his reflection one final look. Seeing for the most part a girl of seventeen, his face and hair the only thing making it not believable, he stepped out of the stall. Making sure he had the receipt in case he was stopped by any floor attendant, Nathan went in search of Jodie. Finding himself back up front almost a forty-five minutes later, he looked at those making their purchases. Watching as the cashier bagged their purchases, he toyed with the idea of seeing whether someone at the service counter might page her as he began to grow worried by her absence. Troubled, trying not to think something bad might have happened to her, it suddenly came with a start when he recalled what she was wearing. Starting to feel like he was close to panicking, he was unable to help himself as he let his tongue hang out. Still staring at the check-outs, he whimpered and thought, "Shit. She has the Amulet of Zulo on. If I can't find her, I'm trapped, condemned to slowly turn into a bitch."