For the Love of a Sea Lion

By grapehyacinth

 Don lay on the beach, the midday sun warming his blubbery belly. He swatted away a fly with one of his flippers. This was the life. He was one in a long line of sea lions lying on the glistening sand, and for once, he was accepted as one of the group. Not that there were many social events when one was a sea lion, but life was so comforting, and he had never felt so safe or content as he did now.

A seagull landed beside him and he eyed it lazily.

Instead of pecking around the sand for food, however, it merely gazed right back at him. “You're not a sea lion!” it suddenly cried.

Surprised, he turned towards it. He couldn't speak, but he lifted up a flipper in a “what are you talking about” gesture.

“Talk to me in your head. I can hear you!” the bird demanded.

Why would you say I'm not? he responded angrily. In annoyance, he turned away and rolled over onto his belly.  I am too a sea lion!

“Uh, I wouldn't be having a conversation with you like this if you were a real sea lion!”

I'm very real!  Grudgingly, he twisted back towards the bird. How do you know?

“Well, maybe the talking bird part should give it away, doesn't it?” The bird winked. “You found one of my kind to change you, obviously. Who did it, and how did you find them?”

There was more than one of these powerful beings? Don was shocked, then fearful. Was she going to change him back? No! He could never go back to being human! His human life was...middling, to say the least, and being a sea lion filled him with such joy...

“No, you cutie, I'd never take this happiness from you,” the bird was growing large, and soon a beautiful young woman lounged in its place. She had raven hair, and she wore a short, simple, blush-colored dress. She seemed to be near his age, somewhere in her twenties, but he couldn't be sure. The man who had changed him had admitted to being quite ancient.

The leftover male in him stirred. No, he couldn't be attracted to a human. He wasn't a man anymore! He was a sea lion! A real, true, sea lion!

The girl chuckled a musical laugh. “Well, you have a man's mind, so there's still some manliness to you, little guy,” she patted his head, and he made a mixture of an “oort” and an odd purr.

Can you not listen into my thoughts? he pleaded with her.  It's a bit uncomfortable.

“Oh, sorry. I'll stop. Only when we need to talk, of course. Then I have to. So how did you know about my kind? Who changed you, and what did they want in return?”

Don thought back to his college days. No matter who he met, no matter what friends he made, he still felt alone -- like something was missing from his life. He was an average student, and he had no lofty goals. He was considering a career in marine biology, which was about as close as he could get to his beloved sea creatures...

How he had always wished he could be a sea lion...

He turned to the pretty girl. Did you ever see an animal looking at you, and you could swear it could see into your very soul? Like they weren't just an animal?

“You saw an intelligence in their eyes, right?”

Yes. Just like you had when you were a seagull. See, I saw that, and I sensed from them that there was something...more... and I began to research shape-shifters...for years...

“Well, we're more than shape-shifters. We can change anyone's shape,” she corrected him. “And, so you found information about us?”

Hanging his head, Don glanced away. I even posted on a transformation board. 'Please change me. I'll give you my life.' And Julius found me.

Her face twisted into a sneer. “Oh, perfect. Julius? He's my great-uncle. You gave him a perfect 'in'. He likes to slip into someone's life and play human for a while. Doesn't it bother you that someone else is walking around with your face?”

Strangely, it had never bothered Don one bit. He didn't like his face, and was quite content with never having to view it again. Julius stepping in and becoming him simply tied up all the loose ends. His parents were both dead, he hadn't had a girlfriend for a while...  

He thought back to the day Julius had come to his apartment door...

Deep down, he worried that this man's promises were just that of another crazy looking to take advantage of him. But when he shut the door behind the older man, the man reached his arm towards Don, exclaiming, “Wow. Your very soul cries for it!”

Before he could ask what the man meant, the man nodded and uttered, “let's get past the pleasantries” and became a giant lion.

Don stepped back in thrilled, amazed shock. “You're real!” he stuttered.

The man quickly reverted to human form, and made a slight bow. “I'm Julius, and I'm willing to grant your request.”

“What can I give you in return? Money? My apartment?”

“I'd like to take over your life, if it's not too upsetting to you.”

The man appeared honest and willing, and if he could truly give Don his heart's desire, he would be happy to let the man take over. The human world would mean nothing to him if he were to become a sea lion...

“Then it's agreed. Let's get you to the ocean.”

They immediately stood in the sand of a deserted beach. Julius placed his hand on Don's head, soaking up his memories while Julius' body slowly took on Don's features. His height adjusted to Don's, and soon, Don was face-to-face with his doppelganger.

“Cool, huh?” Julius smiled. “Now, are you ready to change?”

“Oh, God, yes!” Don squeaked.

“You want to keep your human mind, correct?”

“Please, if it's possible.”

“It's possible. Now brace yourself. Metamorphosis is truly amazing.”

A clasp of the powerful man's hand sent such an intense wave of pleasure through Don's body that he fell to the sand, rocking back and forth on his side in a fetal position. He could not utter a sound as he felt himself shrinking, his fingers joining into flippers, and his legs forming into hind flippers. He batted them back and forth as he felt himself bulking up and gaining weight...

“I have always relished the feeling of the weight gain,” remarked the man that now had Don's face.

Don could not make a sound. The pleasure was too intense.

“Okay, my friend. You're all done. You make a handsome sea lion.”

Still rocking, Don remained silent.

Julius laughed. “Okay, enjoy the feelings from transforming. I'll give you a second.” He watched Don, who, still quivering, finally found his voice.

He stared down at his new, glistening form, and flapped his flippers together in glee. “Oort!” he cried. How will I ever repay you?

“I hear you, Don. And you've paid me fine. I enjoy being part of the human world sometimes. It's amusing. I'll check on you from time to time, but you're pretty much on your own. Enjoy.”

You've made me the happiest person on the planet!

“Don,” the man shook his head in mock annoyance, “you're not a person anymore.”

Don regarded the girl in alarm. So was agreeing to this a mistake? Did Julius steal my soul or something? Is he a bad guy?

“Oh, not at all. But he likes to get something out of granting favors. Now I would have just changed you for free.” She poked at his blubber, and he swatted her with his flipper, which made her giggle.

No, it's good that he took over my life so no one notices I'm gone. I did all that schooling, so someone should get some use from it. And he deserves it – he gave me what I wanted most in the world. He rolled onto his back. Hey, could you give me a little tummy-rub? He winked at her.

She chuckled. “Sure!” she rubbed him, and he gave a contented yelp.

Mmm... feels so good. I'm really sensitive there.

She looked down the line of sea lions, which didn't seem to be bothered by her presence. “I guess none of your friends could rub your belly like this.”

No. He laughed. My friends...well, they don't bother much with me, but they don't drive me away either.

Her face reddened. “Have you ever...um...you know, with a girl sea lion?”

If he could have blushed, he would have. No, I haven't been able to allow myself to do that yet... I mean, it feels wrong.

“You are a sea lion, Don.”

I know, but I have a man's mind, and, like you said, there's still some humanity left in me. That part makes me feel like it's wrong.

“How long have you been a sea lion? Don't you feel all the sea lion instincts yet? I feel instincts pretty quickly when I change.”

Several months...I lost count. And yes, I feel all the instincts. But the instinct to mate...well, I'm still trying to ignore it.

She was silent for several minutes. He studied her as she stared out at the waves, and he wondered what her life was like, being a shape-shifter. What had she seen? What had she been?

“I've been so many things,” she whispered without looking at him.

I'd have liked that, and I did request that of Julius when we e-mailed each other. I volunteered to be anything he needed in return for occasionally allowing me a sea lion form. But he said he had no use for me, so we settled on him transforming me in exchange for my identity.

After another long silence, she murmured, “I've never been a sea lion.” And with that, her beautiful figure grew dumpy and gray, and as sad as Don was to see it go, the form she was acquiring was far more attractive to him.

You're a sea lion! You're beautiful! he cried, and cuddled up next to her.

Yes, and it's really quite lovely. I don't know why I never tried it.

He gazed at her adoringly. I can't believe you're doing this for me. I finally have a companion...How long can you stay with me?

Well, I would like to share my talents with you and allow you to try other forms if you wish to. But first, I wouldn't mind spending a year or so like this. I've never been a sea lion mommy.

With a joyful gasp, Don set to making this so.