Snake and the new year

So it's Wednesday and here's your story. This one is also written by my friend Mei and is specially made for the Chinese/Lunar New Year. I hope you enjoy reading it and see you on Saturday^^

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It was Chinese New Year on the beautiful day of January 29, and Yuzé had decided to invite his friend Steve to celebrate with him.

Steve sensed that his friend was looking forward to the celebrations even more than usual, given that it was the Year of the Snake, his astrological sign, as well as his friend's. Yuzé kept explaining to you that it was the Year of the Snake.

Yuzé went on and on about what a great day it was, and how, since he'd only been born the same year as him, he could take advantage of the blessing given by his family's priestess.

- Come on, hurry up!
- Calm down, it's barely 8 o'clock in the morning.
- But it's New Year's Eve.
- Isn't that all day?
- Yes, but the earlier you take the blessing, the better you know.
- What do you mean, taking it isn't a rite?
- Yes, but my mother told me there was something to drink.
- What, but you didn't tell me that.
- I must have forgotten, so hurry up!
- Coming!

A few minutes later, they arrived at Yuzé's parents' home. Steve greeted them respectfully, then followed his friend into a small room they'd moved into as a temple.

Steve jumped back when he saw the snake on the table, a woman gently caressing it as she prepared a strange mixture.

- Come, children, I prepare the potion of rebirth.
- Good High Priestess.

Yuzé sat down a few feet from the table and invited his friend to do the same, but he couldn't move in front of the snake.

- Is something wrong, my young friend?
- Uh, it's just the snake makes me uneasy.
- Fear not, I brought him because I needed his venom to prepare your beverage.
- What's that?
- Don't worry, Steve, she's just kidding.
- I don't know about that!
- It's a Lycodon Laoenis, it's not venomous.
- Are you sure about that?
- I swear, now sit down.

Steve noticed a smile on the woman's face and knew he was mocking her, but he didn't take it the wrong way and moved over to sit next to his friend.

She continued to grind tree bark in a bowl, then infused it with water to produce a strange tea. She then passed the snake over to bless the tea and offered it to the two young men in front of her.

- The snake represents the rebirth of being, drink up and begin your journey.

They each looked down into their cups and then at each other.

- Do you think it's good?
- I have no idea, but it's time to get started.
- I'd hold you to your half-baked ideas.
- Ganbei!
- Ganbei!

They each drank the contents of their cups, then felt an immense heat leave their bodies, their vision blurred, but the priestess helped them to lie on their backs before they both passed out.

When Steve awoke, he noticed a lot of dead skin on the floor, like a snake shedding its skin. He rubbed his hands together, wondering what had just happened, but when he spanked it, he noticed that it was more finished and delicate.

He didn't understand what was going on and when he put his hands on his face, he noticed that his beard had disappeared. Panic-stricken, he headed for his things to see himself with his phone, dreading a tasteless joke from his friend.

- AHHHHH!!!

He saw himself in his phone and he had become a woman, which caused him to let out a scream that brought the priestess and a beautiful young girl to the door.

- But wasn't that supposed to affect her?
- It seemed she too was blessed by the serpent.
- What are you two talking about?
- I'll leave you with your friend.
- Yes, I'll explain.

The priestess left the room and the girl came and sat down nearby, taking a deep breath.

- Hi, I'm your friend Yuzé.

Steve approached and sat down next to her.

- I want to believe you, but you'd better explain more!
- This wasn't supposed to happen.
- That you'd be turned into a woman?
- Well, yes, but just for me.
- What was?
- You see, in my family, when you're born in the year of the snake, which is our family's sacred animal, you become a priestess.
- So you changed sex to become a priestess.
- Yeah, how cool is that?
- You've got a crazy family.
- I know it's complicated for you, but I didn't want to...
- So you turned me into a woman too, to be a serpent priestess.
- Actually, no, you should never have changed.
- Then why did you bring me here with you?
- Because I was afraid of losing you.
- Huh?
- Don't be like that, what would you have said if I'd come back to your apartment as a woman and said, hi, I'm your buddy Yuzé and don't lie to me.
- Okay, I wouldn't have believed it.

Steve stood up and began pacing back and forth across the room.

- I'm sorry.
- Don't worry about it, but what are we going to do now become priestesses.
- We could, but to do that, we'd have to give birth to a child sometime this year.

He turned back to his friend, stunned by what she'd just heard.

- I beg your pardon?
- Yes, actually, that's why...
- That you invited me, because you wanted me to be the father of your child.
- Phew, you understood it all by yourself, I didn't know how to explain it in real life.
- You've got to be kidding me!
- I wouldn't have forced you.
- fortunately, I sleep with my best friend.
- Oh, it's okay, I'm not ugly either.
- But that's not what I meant.

A door opened and the priestess entered, depositing two piles of clothes.

- There's no point in shouting, just get changed and join us at the New Year's Eve party.

She left and closed the door while the two new girls changed without saying a word, got dressed and Yuzé put on a little make-up.

- Are we still friends?
- Of course, but don't ever pull a stunt like that on me again.
- Okay, I won't turn you into a man without telling you.

She pushed her without too much violence.

- You're such an idiot.
- Yes, and that's what you like about me.
- I admit I can't stay mad at you for long.
- You see, I'd have you in my bed.

They laughed heartily.

- Yes, maybe, but don't dream, I wouldn't sleep with any man.
- We'll see about that.
- No, I'm serious.
- But I believe you.

They both left to celebrate the New Year and start a new life, Yuzé changing her name to Shuying and Steve choosing Lydia.

Although their friendship had taken a hit in the process, it didn't take long for the two friends to become inseparable again, and they spent a lot of time together, even when each ended up as a couple.

Shuying was the first to become a couple, with an arranged marriage planned by her parents to facilitate the completion of the second rite and become a serpent priestess.

Lydia avoided talking about it, but her resolve didn't last long, for she had also fallen in love with a man who promptly married her when she too was pregnant.

They both became priestesses and mothers to a beautiful boy each, knowing that one day during the Year of the Serpent, they too might become beautiful women, but that's another story for another year.

happy snake year