"She Shines" (Nudity, Implied Vore/Unbirth)

(Story contains Smoking, Positive/Gentle Hypnosis, mentions of Depression/Fatigue/Weeping)

You didn't really have anywhere else to go, did you?

There's a weariness that isn't easy to shake, a fatigue that can't be chased away with a few hours of sleep - not that you got much of that in the first place. The tedious loop of working, studying, eating & repeating had just about reached its limit in your mind, and out of desperation, you found yourself accepting an invite to a house party. You weren't really in the mood for big crowds, but you needed an excuse to get out of your apartment and, in a way, out of your own head.

The party itself was nothing to really write home about. The music was loud, the temperature was high, and the large crowd had imbibed enough substances to make an already chaotic situation nearly unbearable. Your head was pounding, your cup was empty, and you felt like you could barely breathe.

The patio was a mercy.

The night was cool, a gentle breeze helping to wash away the heat & smoke that followed you through the sliding door. Deep breaths, closed eyes, your body weight now leaning comfortably against the railing. The heavy bass of the party seemed to drift further behind you, as you carved out a small measure of peace from the fracas you had so recklessly agreed to join.

"Needed a second?"

Your eyes shoot open when you heard the voice beside you - a little deeper, softer, with a sympathetic edge that drew a chuckle, before you turned your head to glance at the speaker.

They were the largest bear you had ever seen. DVU is known for hosting people of all sizes, but nothing could have prepared you for the absolute mass of the opulent ursine beside you. Heavy curves pressed out against her tank top, the lower few inches of her belly failing to remain under the tightly stretched fabric. Her hips, which sat a little over your eye level (a realization that made you blush) confidently filled out a pair of dark jeans, a simple pair of sandals on her feet. Her hair was a dark grey, curled & piled atop her head, a pair of round silver glasses framing a pair of icy blue eyes - whose gaze was fixed warmly upon you.

"Parties can be fun, but there will always be moments where you need some quiet." she said thoughtfully, a chubby paw moving to pull something out of her pocket, "sometimes, we keep ourselves so deeply submerged in noise that it's easy to ignore our own cries for help."

You moved to make a polite remark, something dismissive, before she held up what appeared to be a carton of cigarettes. "Got a light?" she asked casually, a comparatively small cigarette carefully clutched between her chubby index & middle finger. As much as you weren't in the mood to be downwind of tobacco at the moment, you obliged, and the bountiful bear took a long, slow drag before continuing.

"Do you ever feel as if...you never have enough time? As if, ironically, the very life you're leading is keeping you from actually living your life?"

You weren't in the mood for this level of conversation. Truthfully, you had already had a drink or two, and your head was beginning to swim a little. You were about to make a remark about how you needed to go, before her free hand reached out and gently took yours. Her grasp was gentle, lacking urgency, but with a firmness that stymied your desire to flee.

"Is this where you want to be, _____?"

The question was almost as jarring as the use of your actual name. Your eyes widened at the sound, your mind frantically racing to remember if you'd ever actually met this bear before. Your head was hurting, and you must have needed to sit down, as you could have sworn the bear's eyes had begun to glow in the dark of the night...

...but somehow, in some way, that wasn't what surprised you the most. Despite the smoke that was beginning to billow around you, the rank aroma of burning tobacco wasn't on the wind. In fact, as you began to breathe more deeply to steady yourself, you found that the smoke was almost...sweet? It was an earthy sweetness, less like a piece of candy & closer to that of a well-ripened piece of fruit. It was thick, but not oppressive, and with each deep breathe you found yourself more at ease. It wasn't like any drug you'd ever had, which hit hard and took the reigns on your mind.

This felt more like a warm, soothing bath for your soul, a sensation that nearly made you fall to your knees as your whole body relaxed. Thankfully, you caught yourself, finding yourself highly aware of your breathing, before you felt a blunt claw underneath your chin. Your neck felt like rubber, your head slowly nodding before the claw brought your gaze back to hers.

The bear...the bear... wreathed in cobalt smoke, her eyes smoldering a shimmering blue in the night, a gentle smile on her painted lips. She spoke once more for you, just once, her words seemingly filling the air around you, yet remaining calm and gentle.

"Tell me, _____... what is it that you want?"

It was a simple question. A half dozen words, arranged in a way that wouldn't really draw ones' attention. In this moment, frozen in the night, immersed in the soft, powdery smoke, the world having seemingly fallen away around you...you knew exactly what she meant.

In the moment, you could feel your mind open, just a little - caked on cynicism, anger, apathy, depression, dismissal, and the creeping numbness of an exhausted existence all seemed to fall away and let a little light into your mind. You burst into tears. You couldn't help it - when was the last time you had let yourself cry? Why did you ever stop yourself from crying in the first place?

As your mind was slowly peeled of these walls, your focus turned inward, you didn't notice your world shift & fully dissolve into a cloudy blue landscape, filled with the soft, sweet miasma that had brought you peace in the first place. The bear before you was somehow larger, dressed not in the simple street clothing you had noticed before, but an ornate arrangement of silks, ribbons, and shimmering silver chains - which matched the simple crown she now wore upon her head. You were on your knees, weeping softly, yet through the tears you could see her floating a few inches off the ground.

"Do not fear, little one."

Her words weren't coming from her lips, but rather manifesting in your mind. You nearly didn't recognize the language, but there was something so universal in the pronunciation that you knew on instinct what she was saying.

"You are, and always will be, safe with me."

In that moment, she moved closer to you and swept you up in a gentle embrace, your tear-streaked face pressed snugly into her chubby neck. Her warmth, her scent, her softness...you could feel your body melt against her, the gentle humming from within her chest bringing you further peace as her arms wrapped around you.

•

You don't know how you ended up back in your bed. The dream you had last night felt like it took either aeons, or scarcely a moment, but it ended in the same way they all had - with you staring at the morning sun shining against your wall.

You must have had a little too much last night - you'd have to interrogate your friends about who slipped you something stronger - but with a glass of water and some breakfast you'd be fine. With a groan, you went to rub your face with your hands...only to realize your fist had been clenched.

As your fingers peeled away, your eyes widened.

Nestled between your fingers was a small, silver charm...one of hundreds that dangled off the shimmering silk of the bear from your dreams.

The memories returned, slowly. The truths you unlocked talking to this deity, these feeling you've been hiding, these desires you've ignored...you felt as if you could ignore them no longer.

It might have been time to learn what it was you truly wanted.

---

I've always wanted to draw Bailey in her deity form, and I wanted to take some time to show that off a little this week. She is, in many ways, an embodiment of self-discovery, self-creation, and self-love, and I hope I get to do more work like this very soon <3

---

Thank you all again for your incredible support!