My lungs were out of air, and I could feel my body curling up to fight the pressure. But it continued, coming down from all sides, and making me into a mush. All to get through the intense tightness of a tunnel.
I tried to fight, of course. My power flickered, burning around me all over. But it wasn't enough. She pushed me through, and I lost consciousness, just as I passed through the worst of it.
The last thing I heard though, was her whisper.
"I hope you enjoy our welcome, Starlight."
--
When I woke up again, I was no longer in my magical girl form. But that wasn't the most important thing. No, what was more important was the fact I was no longer in the city, and was inside some sort of forest.
Trees and shrubberies were everywhere, and as far as my eyes could see as well. I tried to sniff, and all I got was a noseful of saccharine sweet scent, all sharp and making me shudder a little bit. Even just that little whiff was enough to make me dizzy, and I couldn't help but grasp the tree next to me.
The bark felt soft against my skin, as I panted and tried my best to ignore the feeling the sweet scent was bringing to me. My stomach felt funny, but I tried to ignore it, suppressing it down until I wouldn't think of it.
This place was dangerous, that was what my thoughts immediately told me. A lapse of concentration could have ended up very dangerously, especially if I kept taking deep breaths. Right now I was more of breathing through my mouth, taking great care to not smelling the cloyingly sweet scent that felt like it was coating my tongue--
I slapped my cheeks. The sting helped me to focus on the present, and I tried to keep my concentration here. Not thinking of anything else dangerous... Maybe if I transformed, it would be better.
I let my eyes fall closed, and I quickly found the burning power in my chest. It was my own will, of what I needed to transform. For a moment, I let myself soak within the warmth, to trust in my own self to stay free. But it didn't take long before I had to shake my head, and grasp it properly.
The burst spread across my body, my head, chest, hands, stomach, legs... It spread through them all. Forming my outfit all over, and I smiled when I could feel the heaviness that had been forming all over my body was finally lifted up. This wasn't something I would realise, if I couldn't transform.
Clenching my fists a little, I stretched my body a little bit before taking a note of my surroundings. It was indeed a forest. Greeneries covered nearly everything, and I couldn't even see what could be outside of the forest thanks to the thick foliage up above. There were sources of light too from the sky, but I could mostly see shadows underneath.
This transformation, while safe for now, would eventually degrade the longer I was in it. So I should find a safe place. And finding out how I came here and why this forest was so silent. Despite me never going into one, I knew a forest should be noisy, full of life from insects to the animals that lived within.
But for now, as Shining Starlight, I decided to find a way to get out of here. Crouching down a little, I jumped up to one of the thicker branches I saw above me--before immediately letting go and getting back down. I stared at my glove, seeing sap and slime all over it. I shuddered at the sight, not wanting to know what would happen if I was grabbing it straight onto my hands.
Well, going up properly like that didn't work. And I didn't think a stronger jump would allow me to get through the foliage. I had no choice but to pick a direction and stick with it. I disliked that idea, and yet I had no better ones.
Letting out a sigh, I started my walk, hoping I would find something soon.
--
I didn't find anything. It was all the same thing over and over again, and I had transformed for hours, for sure. I was getting tired, and the sweet scent was once again, coming and spreading all over my nose and mouth.
I wished I could say I fight it without a problem. But with my head muddy no thanks to the atmosphere, and my tiredness from keeping up my transformations, I just... followed it. The sweetness seemed to get better with every step I gave.
It made me shudder. It caressed my cheeks, through my neck and onto my body. The scent wanted me to go somewhere, and I was happy enough to let it decide. My walk continued, nothing seemingly stopping me. No roots seemed to be up and made me trip. No branches growing onto the path I was walking through. Shrubberies seemingly leaned away, allowing me to walk through them to move forward.
I didn't know how long I walked, all I knew was that by the time I was half back onto the present, the transformation had long since undone itself. Saps and leaves were stuck all over my clothings, and wherever the sap touched my skin, I could feel a tingling feeling over there.
With half-lidded eyes, I looked around, to find out where I was now. It was a more open place, a clearing that was still surrounded by trees but had a field of flowers. Sweet flowers that made me want to kneel and put my face against it...
I shouldn't though. It was hard to keep that thought, but I somehow managed. I kept myself standing, despite my desire to just... I shook my head. Pinching my hands a little and using the pain to keep me in the present. The fog was still thick around my thoughts though.
But the scent of flowers... Fruits... the delectably sweet aroma of nectar... They were all combining into some sort of inviting scent that was growing ever stronger for every second that had passed.
Heat was spreading through my body, starting from where I inhaled the aromas, until it stopped within my stomach. Where it joined the warmth that had been growing there since the start, from when I woke up in this weird world I didn't really understand.
I whimpered softly at the swaying plants, upon the moving flowers and fruits. Fruits that seemingly looked like a certain phallic organ that made my cheeks flush. One of my hands reached forward, to one of the closest fruits.