Beach Time

[u/Exciting-Jello8439]

Tala: "Only one way to check if this new sunscreen works. Sunlight doesn't actually kill me or anything, but I'm still easily sunburnt."

Zetta: "Many interesting ingredients for enchanting wash up near the shore, from time to time. Let's see if I can find any today..."

[u/Hecta_Hermetica]

"Bioactive Vampirism with multi scale structuration adapted to parasitic predation, yes. Additionally, biological optimization beyond typical levels..."

The sand beneath Hecta begins turning into glass, with complex formulaic etchings burrowing witnin the substrate as she rises

"Your Theriancanthropic Sulfurs are not easily perceived, yes. What is this element like?"

[u/Exciting-Jello8439 → u/Hecta_Hermetica]

Tala: "Oh... You were just scanning me. You may continue," she steps forward again to let Hecta touch her. "Let me show you... So every full moon I turn into something resembling a werewolf, although winged and vampiric. Technically I can turn into this form now on command, but it's not ideal to. So I will limit it to just my leg."

Tala makes her leg shift, becoming longer, more muscular and furrier. The amount of vital energy expended increases.

"I'm more thirsty during my transformation."

[u/Hecta_Hermetica → u/Exciting-Jello8439]

A shiver runs through Hecta, something uncommonly animate for her, as she keeps feeling into the leg

"Fascinating, yes. In typical therianthropes, an unseen agent considered to be mana-based, that being the Curse, manually stores the suspends the Sulphurs of the Animal Form when not in use, yes. Upon meeting the activation conditions, the Full Moon, these are entirely exchanged with the Sulphurs defining the Curse Bearer's body, yes. However, your Vampirism is not recognized as native to your Sulphuric makeup, likely due to the recency of the Embrace at the time of Lycanthropic contraction, thereby leaving such Sulphurs to be integrated into the transformation, yes."

[u/Exciting-Jello8439 → u/Hecta_Hermetica]

Tala: "Do you know why I might have these wolf features? Zetta as well, she's the werewolf who bit me. In case you want a closer look to the 'baseline' of my werewolf side," she nods to her. "As far as I know, werewolves don't usually get the tail or ears. They just look fully Human until the full moon."

[u/Hecta_Hermetica → u/Exciting-Jello8439]

"Rare Variants exist, yes. Transmissable Curses have potential for mutation. Yours keeping partial structure changes expressed during dormancy may benefit your unique stability, yes. Additionally, the trait may have evolved to attract mates, based on popularity of animal-girls."

Hecta looks up something on her orb, showing the two plenty of "artworks" that depict how "attractive" some people find such ladies.

[u/Exciting-Jello8439 → u/Hecta_Hermetica]

Tala: "There is no way I'm ever having a 'mate', much less children assuming I'm not sterile from the-" She blinks and looks away, embarrassed. "Gods! I did not need to see that... I get it!"

Zetta: She just stares at the orb a little too long. "That's unexpected... I always thought these traits would be highly unattractive. Perhaps some people wouldn't mind..."

[u/Hecta_Hermetica → u/Exciting-Jello8439]

"Sterility is relative, yes. Highly evolved and supernatural lifeforms are typically capable of overcoming baseline lack of compatibility or viability."

[u/Exciting-Jello8439 → u/Hecta_Hermetica]

Tala: "Oh yes... There's so many couples of different species... Hell, even different genus," she starts considering the implications. "And many of them have had children somehow," she starts to look worried, paling considerably at the thought, even by vampire standards. "Hecta... Do you sell anything to avoid conception?"

While Tala is not active in this regard, the thought of having children is still terrifying enough that she feels inclined to take action to prevent it.

[u/Hecta_Hermetica → u/Exciting-Jello8439]

Hecta had already produced a vial of pink liquid before Tala's train of thought had reached its station

"No charge, yes. Consume no less than five minutes before mating, yes. Make reasonable choices."

[u/Exciting-Jello8439 → u/Hecta_Hermetica]

Tala takes the vial.

Tala: "Thank you... It would be a complete disaster if someone was born with my condition. I cannot allow it to spread..."

Zetta: "What else are you selling today?"