"But… Is that really all of it? Surely, you have a reason to want all this, outside of your life story."

 

"I don't think you fully understand." The terran shook her head. "All I've been doing until now? It's pretend. I can't fully relax. Ever. Even when I try, the best I can muster is always having that… speck, at the back of my head, making it impossible to let go. Always keeping me tense just in case something happens. Every time I even try and let go, even for a little bit, this speck makes my entire body spasm to force me to stay conscious. And I'm sick of it, okay?!" Tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm just sick of existing like this. And at this point… Being a floret sounds much more preferable to whatever I've had to endure until now…"

 

At that point, the Affini reached forward. She wiped away the tears, and pulled the terran into a close hug. "I'm sorry it had to be so hard. But it's going to be okay now. I'll… I'll make sure it does."

When the Little One woke up next, she was in the same flowery bed that her Mama slept in. But… This time she wasn't there. And when she tried to move her arms, she realized that she was bandaged up to her shoulders, so she couldn't even move her arms.

 

That actually made her pout. At least if her Mama was there, she could get some pats and forget all about it, but she wasn't…

 

At least the nice smell and music were here. It was better than nothing.

 

She tried to curl in place, and fall asleep, but she just… Couldn't. She got so used to the affection and pats that without them, it just wasn't complete. She wasn't complete.

 

Soon enough, the lack of her pretty plant caretaker in the room started to cause her to look around desperately. So much so that she started scouring the same room, again and again, unsure where to look next. 

 

After that she tried to move, but as always, the xenodrugs in her system made her even more clumsy than usual, making it practically impossible to coordinate herself proper. Maybe it was on purpose? Who cares her Mama isn't here and she needs her here.

 

A series of mewls and moans came next. Maybe if she'd call hard enough, her Mama would show up? She really really tried, putting all her voice into it. At some point she even managed to get to sitting on her knees, crying out more and more and more to no avail. But just when it seemed like all was lost, and she curled into a ball of desperation, crying about being abandoned again, the door quickly opened.

 

"Oh Roots I'm so sorry little one, I'm so sorry." Magnolia quickly rushed in. She didn't expect her floret to wake up so soon, and thus, elected to work in her lab in the meantime. "I should've taken you with me to the lab, I'm so sorry…" She quickly picked the Little One to her arms, cradling her with both arms and vines, trying to wipe the tears away. "Shh… It's okay…"

 

It took the Little One a few moments to realize that she wasn't alone anymore, crying and curling in and begging without words to never be alone again. She didn't like being alone. She just wanted love and affection forever and ever. And she mewled when her Mama kissed the top of her head, promising her just that. "It's okay now, flower. I'm here. I was always here, so don't worry your little head about it anymore, okay?"

 

As she began to calm down, and take deep breaths, just like her Mama taught her when she was stressed out, she began purring. Which is when she was completely caught by surprise when she was actually purring. She could feel the sounds of her own purrs resonate through her entire body, not to mention she could keep the purrs going even after exhaling air. It wasn't even tied to her breathing anymore. It's like… Something was changed in her internally to make her able to do this. Which, in turn, made her purr even more, nuzzling and mewling and purring happily like the kitty she knew she was inside all along.

 

"There we go. See? I told you you'd be able to purr like you wanted. I'm so proud of you, my little floret~"

 

The praise and snuggles only made her purr more and more, she couldn't get enough of it. Even when the hype died down, she kept purring, just practicing this newfound change to her throat all the same.

 

"But wait my dear. We're not just done yet~"

 

She looked at her Mama a little confused. Was there something else?

 

"Initially I was told to let them set a bit before undoing the bandages, but I think by now it should be fine. Just be careful for the start, sweetheart." She then felt the Affini start to undo the wraps that bound her arms completely. And what she saw under them made her flutter with so much joy that she almost jumped from her Mama's lap all the way to her face to kiss her.

 

She had four arms now too!

 

And they were nice and fluffy, and she even had toe beans against her fingers! Not to mention they were this beautiful hue of golden orange, just like her Mama. Though she tried to move them and it felt… really weird. "Oh, of course. I was given this to teach you how to use them. Sit tight, okay?"

 

It was then that her Mama put something against her eyes. A deep blue flower that connected to her pad, allowing her to tap and upload the sub-hypnotic training program to it. From there, she felt as if she was a passenger in her own body, instructions and commands being written into her mind, further reinforcing her love for her Mama, as well as replacing all the knowledge she knew about arms with her new ones. Teaching her how to move them, bit by bit, teaching her how to undo them into a tangle of vines and other plantech viscera, and reforming them. How to handle them, clean them if need be. She could even rotate her new shoulders, allowing her to reconfigure her arms from sitting vertical to one another to horizontal, as convenience dictates.

 

And from there… her Mama left the program on, to make sure all the knowledge was set. Sitting next to her and patting her hair as she watched the Little One move her arms about, give herself a vertical handshake, and a whole slew of other patterns of movement, going from the basics to more complex functions. By the time it was done, the Little One couldn't even find herself. Lost to the mind numbing bliss of the Xenodrugs given to her for being such a good girl, she idled about, playing mindlessly and feeling how everything felt against her new toe beans. From her Mama's lap to the bed they were on, to the wall next to them. Everything felt so exciting and new. The hypnosis training couldn't give her the new experiences to cherish after all. And cherish them she did, one by one.

 

She gave out a happy mewl. Somewhere in her addled mind, she wanted to thank her Mama, from the bottom of her heart too. And she really really tried, but all she could muster were just happy whines and purrs of pure joy. But to her elated revelation, she saw her Mama look down at her with those brilliant, radiant eyes of gold, taking each of her new hands and crossing their fingers together. Staying like that for just a smidge longer, it felt so divine. So safe and warm.

 

'Awawa…' She tried to express her love for her Mama, only able to give out some incoherent yowling noise that only vaguely sounded like what she meant. Magnolia however, didn't care.

 

"I love you too, my precious flower~"

 

She felt herself being picked up, as her Mama let go from some of her new fingers to lift her into her arms. She sat there, snuggled up close, staring her Mama face to face, brimming with love and adoration. Though before long, another urge crept up inside her. She.. Leaned in, testing at first. She didn't want to be bad, and do something her Mama wouldn't like. "Aww… C'mere, you little kitty~" Before she could do much else though, she felt her lips meet another's. Her precious Mama was giving her a kiss! And she melted into it and just let go, concentrating her entire universe into this one, wonderful moment. wishing, begging, it would never end.

 

It took several minutes for the kiss to separate, but even when it did, she was already begging for more. Kissing her Mama felt really, really good. It got her stomach all tingly and her head was running circles, or rather, crawling around in drug fueled circles, about how good it felt.

 

Magnolia stared at her beloved pet, mewling incoherently and looking at her with a glazed expression. She looked so vulnerable. And fragile. But she also looked happy. Happy to be able to let her guard down. To finally let go of the need to protect herself all the time. To just be an animal, without a care in the world for anything but where the next pats and ear scritches would come from. She leaned in, and kissed the Little One's forehead. "Good girl~"

 

That really riled the Little One up. She was a good girl! It made her so happy that she bounced around in her Mama's lap, and kept begging for more, which her owner was more than happy to oblige her for.

 

"You're a very very good girl and deserve all the love in this universe."

 

There it was again! She was both excited and paralyzed from bliss at the same time. She just enjoyed hearing how loved and cared for she was, and her Mama knew that. All too well, at that. "I love you, and you're such a good girl for being an docile kitty and letting me take care of you. And you'll always be a good good girl, my precious kitten~" She got another forehead kiss.

 

At that point the Little One was just drooling on her Mama's lap, unable to contain her excitement to the point that the only option left for her was to just lay there and take all the kind words that were bestowed upon her. She began to nuzzle her own arms. They were so soft, and fun. And her Mama gave her those arms, and she'd cherish them forever and ever. "Such a good girl..." Clearly, her owner loved seeing her like this, cause she kept telling her that she was a good girl and it made her stim gently with her entire body, rocking herself ever so softly to the tune of her Mama's kind words.

 

She could hear it in everything Magnolia did. In her music, that emanated from her body, filling the Little One with warmth and safety. In her eyes, that danced with those amazing hues and vibrant colors that always drew her in and left nothing else noticeable from the world around her. From her body, that mass of flowers, wood and fuzz that kept patting her and giving her lots and lots of attention every day. Even the way her voice gently fit itself into a sort of melody, harmonizing with her own inherit tune. All of them told her how much of a good girl she was, and it overwhelmed her with love. But in the best way possible. She couldn't contain all this love, but she didn't need to. Her Mama was here to contain her, because self care was really hard and she wanted to just let go and be free of everything.

 

Eventually, Magnolia noticed how her Little One tuckered herself out from being blissed out, both on affection and xenodrugs. She was drooling with a vacant smile that only further exemplified how happy she was. Lifting her tired form into her arms, the Affini hugged her close. Whispering in her ear words that only the Little One would be privvy to hear. About how much she was a good girl. About how all the bad stuff is over now. How she was going to take all the bad memories away and leave her with nothing but happiness and joy.

 

And with that... The Little One fell asleep. With a wide smile on her face. Purring loudly like she always wanted.