A taste of normalcy

You returned home later that day in Leo's car. While he noticed a slight change to Tori's demeanor and physique, Leo also lived by the "not my business" rule when it came to what other people did and acted as long as they weren't hostile or harmful. All he really knew was that Tori appeared to be going to the gym for a month.

Days passed, and most people seemed to think the same. "Looking great, Tori!" "Wow, working out much?" "I'd say she could defeat Pete in a wrestling match, but she could've done that even before." All of that was true, although you took things in stride. Tori, or rather Naomi to you only, reveled in the compliments. She did look amazing. The physique, even just the slight increase in tone, seemed to make her more easily able to keep up with the less cooperative animals during her on-site visits to the various ranches, where she still seemed to have quite a good handle on the various creatures in need of her care even if she wasn't using her channeling abilities.

Honestly, everything felt about as normal as you'd expected Tori's arrival back in your life to be, in those moments before seeing her channel Lucinda the first time. She wasn't waking up at night to chase down a needy squirrel, or jumping off bridges into harbors, or anything like that. Tori was living a life she'd hoped to get one day with the curse under her control; Naomi gained her new land-based perspectives where just about every new experience thrilled her. Still, at the moment, everything still felt like normal times with Tori.

It was the first trip to the lake, early in the morning before the sun had risen, when you noticed Tori and Naomi trying to change that perception. "Okay, nobody's around?" Tori asked, looking at you for confirmation.

"You're all clear," you replied. Tori held her hand out to the water, and Naomi's large orca body displaced a lot of water right off the edge of the docks. You sat down next to her, as she looked at her watch. "You said it took a minute last time, right?"

Tori nodded. "One minute and seventeen seconds, to be precise. I just need to push a little harder than usual slightly before my original record. If I do this a few times and can shave off ten seconds each time, then I'll be able to channel-loop like my dad, he just pulls someone in right as they're coming out and can re-negotiate a body shape at that point."

You nodded, looking at the stopwatch. "You're really into this, huh? Having Naomi a part of you."

"Oh yeah, absolutely!" Tori turned to you with a smile. "It hasn't been a burden on you or anything, right? I think we've been pretty level-headed so far, though I suppose Naomi is a little more flirty with you. She's been vying for a little more of a presence, though, I can feel it that she wants just a liiiiittle more control than she has each time. Well, by me letting her take on a slightly more athletic look, she's going to get just a little extra say in what we do anyway. I've never felt a channeled being push so hard for that, but I don't mind it." Tori bit her lip, and glanced to the stopwatch. "Would you have a problem if I let her have slightly more control than that? Like, maybe even a day where I just rest my mind, and it's just you and Naomi. It would be sort of like how things are when I involuntarily channel, but I can push back to the forefront after my mind relaxes."

With a shrug, you put an arm around Tori. "Your body and your mind is up to you. Well, and Naomi. But what I mean is, we haven't had any weird incidents or anything since Seatown, it's been peaceful around here. I'm getting work done, you're doing more stuff at the clinic since you aren't fearing a wayward channeling event, honestly it sounds like everything's great. So, just do what you find comfortable, and it'll work out."

Tori winked at you. "Well, since Naomi wants to make you very comfortable, perhaps then it makes sense to let her have more control then." Right near the minute mark, Tori held her hand out, closing her eyes tightly and focusing. The blue magic normally flared to life easily, but this time, it sputtered at first, flickering on and off rapidly at first. Eventually, with a grunt, the light burst forth steadily. She looked at the stopwatch. "One minute nine. Slightly behind my mark, but I haven't done this in a while. If we stick with this weekly, it'll get better."

Naomi had waited patiently by the docks. The fresh water wasn't ideal for an orca, but it didn't become hazardous until weeks, not minutes. Tori kissed your cheek. "Thanks for helping, Pete. You're better than just a best friend." Tori reached to the water, and touched Naomi's side with her blue palm, once again absorbing the creature into her.

Again, Tori sat next to you, but this time... the changes she'd made to herself were more notable. Her legs and arms were thicker, abs more visible. Shoulders slightly broadened, they supported a slightly enlarged chest, though the muscular pecs seemed to provide a frame for the squishier breasts to appear even more pronounced! She'd intentionally worn stretchy fabric for this outcome. She turned to you with a toothy smile, adjusting her glasses. Her eyes looked a little more... energetic? Aggressive? Determined? It was hard to say, something about the way she looked at you made it feel like she was leaning further into Naomi's assertive side. Her hair looked a little different, but not by much--it looked a little sportier, maybe slightly more asymmetrical.

"Welcome back, Naomi," you said with a smile.

Naomi took the back of your head in her hand and pulled you into a deep kiss, holding you steady in her firm grip. When she let you go, she rest her forehead to yours. "Feels like I barely left, but talk about a boost in energy! One of these every week, I'll be back to my powerful form in no time." She adjusted her glasses a little as she stood up, holding a hand out to you to help you. "I'm still on the fence if I keep these. I didn't need them before, but a tough girl wearing glasses sounds pretty hot to me. Maybe once I figure out my hair, too, then I'll be set. Now... let's get home. I need to let off some steam," Naomi said with a wink.

The next two months or so followed the same pattern, mostly. Every week, you'd take her to the lake. She'd shave a few seconds off her channeling times, to under half a minute. And each time, she'd gain more muscle mass, getting notably stronger, taller, bulkier, and bolder with each pass! Every week, Naomi seemed to usurp more control over Tori, where at first you and she would still just cuddle on the couch and watch silly TV shows, while now Naomi would walk around the house topless and steal you away into the bedroom for more and more fun each time. Naomi's curiosity about the capabilities of the human form seemed insatiable, though she seemed still very patient and kind with you--just that she knew what she wanted, and knew you would give it to her.

Her attire and hair continued to change as well, mostly due to the size differences, where she had two very diverging philosophies to her wardrobe. Tori, on her own, seemed to value attire that wasn't very showy, not too feminine or masculine, things that just let her remain comfortable. Naomi, however, had one side with very tight flannel and jeans and athletic wear that she would use in public, but then some very extremely feminine dresses and lingerie that she saved for spending time indoors with you. Seeing her wear such delicate things on a muscular frame was certainly exciting, but it took a while for you to realize that she wanted the pendulum to swing from "big tough lady" to "sexy **** flower" and not try to mix the two together. She wanted to explore the more **** ends of her stylistic choices.

Four months in, Naomi was basically 'back', in that she was essentially the same size and heft as when you first met by the harbor bridge. Her hair now featured an undercut on one side, in a wavy asymmetrical bob that looked quite imposing with her frame! She still waffled on the glasses, but by then... she was able to channel-loop whenever she wanted. The critical time was under five seconds per channeling event to be able to loop a channeled being from one hand to the other in time, and Naomi had begun to get such a good grip on it that there was no longer a need to go to the lake.

There was also no longer a need for her to use the guest bedroom... you and Naomi spent your nights solely in your room now. While Naomi certainly got what she wanted, she only intimidated you in a playful way when in private. In public, everyone thought she was the same Tori they always knew, albeit with this rather shocking transformation journey that had the whole town talking, wondering if she was taking some sort of growth hormone supplements or something since they never saw her at the gym.

A new morning dawned, and you awoke first, looking down at Naomi from your spot atop her. She seemed to like it when you lay atop her now, hugging her arms around your waist while your head buried into her big chest. She sighed contently as her eyes burst open, looking at you as you squirmed around atop her, inadvertently pushing down on her breasts as you stretched out. "Oh, wanting to get started early today, huh?"

You smirked. "I'm lucky I still have anything in the tank after last night. I'm having difficulty keeping up with you, Naomi!"

Naomi giggled, she loved hearing you use that name with her. She'd even started going by it elsewhere in town, saying it was her middle name--which of course it wasn't, but nobody cared to verify--as her persona seemed to fully envelop Tori's by now. You used to have talks with Tori to confirm that as her control over herself lessened she was still okay with the outcome, but now with the channel-looping, you didn't even get that opportunity anymore. You assumed that Naomi herself couldn't use the magic, that had to still be Tori...

"I was thinking," Naomi said, as you sat up to look down at her. Her bare chest jiggled lightly as she sat up, grabbing her glasses and looking at you. "My ability to alter my form like this really depends on the mass of my channeled body. In theory, I could become a lot of things, with enough practice, even with only channeling my orca form. I was thinking, would you mind if we practiced more of that? For example, that shape my mom took when she was nine feet tall, you seemed to like that... the tail would be very good for swimming too. Or, maybe we try an orca-inspired mermaid form? Ooh, or a land-orca taur, I could make some big bear-sized legs or something! Or..."

You laughed a little, as you slipped off her body and grabbed your pants to pull them on. "I do like that mommy-orca shape, but I'll try whatever you like, you know that. I would like to see you in that lacy bra again later though, if I get a vote!"

Naomi grinned, and then suddenly frowned as she looked over at you. "Huh, something seems... strange."