It was a so-so day, not clear, but not really threatening rain either. The temperature was a bit on the hot side, and the humidity had risen with it. Bob had decided to go walking in the woods as it usually felt at least a bit better in there. Besides, he needed to get away from everyone again for a while. As he ambled on a game path through the green dimness, he thought about how unfair life was. He had a body that many men would do almost anything to have. And not only did he not have to work out or take any 'supplements' to get it, he didn't want it!

He had always felt that he should have been born a girl. He had been to a therapist to get cleared for HRT. But when he started going to an endocrinologist, he had a nasty shock. When the doctor had heard that Bob had never done anything at all to get the almost over muscled body that he had, the doctor had ordered a series of tests. And the results of those tests had led to the ordering of even more tests. The final finding was that Bob had two rare genetic conditions. On resulted in a much higher muscle mass than normal. The other resulted in a complete insensitivity to estrogen! There was no way that HRT would help him become as he needed to be.

That had crushed Bob. He had actually considered doing something desperate, but couldn't bring himself to that point. Every once in awhile he would just take a long walk away from everybody else. He didn't take his depression and disappointment out on anyone else, but instead was as kind, gentle, and helpful as he could possibly be.

As he continued his walk, he came to realize that he didn't recognize these woods. He hadn't turned off onto a different path, so he couldn't be lost, could he? He kept walking, as he still hadn't walked off his latest load of loathing for his body. He saw a lighter area ahead, which meant that he must be coming to a clearing of some kind.

He emerged from the woods into a large clearing around a small lake full of crystal clear water. The rest of the clearing was full of beautiful flowers. As he gazed out over the scene, Bob saw what he first thought was a flight of large dragonflies coming towards him. But as they drew up and hovered in front of him, he realized that they were actually … fairies?

One of them, who seemed neither male or female, flew up a bit closer to him. They said "Your soul has been crying out to us. It has taken a while, for your world is bereft of magic, but we have finally managed to craft this between place. We can give you part of what you so dearly want. But! Magic such as that requires a price. For you, the price would be that, while you would become female, you would no longer be human. You would be a magical being, who would look only partly human. And you would be tasked with starting to bring magic into your world. This place would remain, connected to both worlds, and would be your new home."

Bob was still feeling a bit rattled by encountering a real fairy. But he concentrated and managed to clear his mind. No longer human? Having the task to bring magic to the world? That seemed daunting. But … to be female … to no longer be a man in body … that … that would be worth it.

"I agree." said Bob.

The fairies flew up into the air, high above his head. Then they descended in a glittering circle, drawing visible threads of Power in the air. They started weaving those treads back and forth as they flew around him.

Bob felt his massive muscles softening, melting into new shapes. He didn't seem to be getting shorter, but actually taller. But his shoulders were slimming. He felt his facial bones rearranging themselves, and the skin over them softening. He felt his hair growing out a lot. His ears felt odd, like they were getting longer and becoming more mobile. His once masculine chest narrowed and his pectorals were replaced by the growth of what were definitely female breasts. All this was accompanied by unusual but pleasant sensations that he didn't have terms for. Then this was accentuated by the feeling of something growing out of his forehead.

At the same time, his lower body was rearranging dramatically. From a bit below his navel his body elongated from the hips backwards. It was an odd sensation. Not like being stretched, but not unlike it either. As it lengthened, he could feel his manhood being moved back towards the rearmost part of the new length, and also becoming ... less. Pulling into his body, and being replaced by something else. Something that had a part internal to his body also. His legs changed, becoming longer and thinner. His feet changed also, becoming split hooves. Another pair of legs with similar hooves grew out of the rear part of the new length of (his? her? definitely her by now) body as it grew. When the length reached slightly less than that of a Quarter Horse's body the lengthening stopped. But then a tail started growing from the base of the spine that was between the back legs. It was a long slender tail with an end that looked rather like an exaggerated lion's tail puff, if that puff was lilac.

The fairies stopped their weaving flight and drew up in front of her. She blinked, and walked forwards to where she could see her new self in the water of the lake. Some of the fairies flew over, picked a large flower, and then flew it up to her. She took it and placed it in her hair. The one that had talked to her when she had been Bob said "It is done, my lady. We must withdraw back to our world for awhile to recover the magic that we have used. This between place is as far as we will be able to come even when we are fully restored. But you will be able to enter both worlds freely from this place. What shall we call you, my lady?"

She thought for a moment. "I think that I like the name Asteria. It just popped into my mind."

"And a fitting name it is, my lady Asteria. For you are as bright and as beautiful as any star in the heavens." they said. Then they rejoined the rest of the fairies and they all flew back to their world.

Asteria looked around her new home, and thought of the joy she would have in bringing magic to the world that she had originally been from.