She wipes away her tears. She kinda wants to keep hugging because now she knows it’s something she can just… have, she craves it like nothing else. But the priestess probably has other things to do. “Just nobody has ever done that for me before… th-thanks. So uhm… Anything else I should know about this place?”

"Get a blood draw from the doctor before you leave the shrine, just in case you've got something we don't want to pass on to the general population. Dinner is at six, lunch at noon, breakfast at seven. Feel free to help yourself to the peaches from the trees, they're for anyone and they cure STDs and prevent pregnancy. There's a program for free phones at the ID clinic but, again, get the blood draw first. I'm sure there'll be something to do around the shrine before then." 

She smiles. "And if you have any cultural questions, don't hesitate to come to me."

“O-okay… thanks so much.”

And so, Andrea spends her first few days in another world. She gets her blood tested, she gets the appropriate medication to transition from the doctor, and apparently this world has the good stuff. She signs up for ID’s and gets a phone and deals with all the other government offices for new immigrants. And she shuts down and turns into a mess every time someone offers to do anything sexual with her. She asks Amaranthine for lots of hugs and hairpats because that is all she is comfortable asking her, but they are super nice. She even manages to stops crying during the hugs. She tries to eat the peaches but finds the fruit texture unpleasant, but finds the seed nuts are pretty tolerable.

With her new phone she can access the local internet but everything is a little… confusing. So she goes to Amaranthine.

”Uhm… can you tell me whats up with almost everyone having a title in front of their name?”

"Ah. Those are their pleats. They're... roles, you could say, that people prefer to occupy in their day to day life. So for example, my title, Subjecta, means 'one who worships.' They're... you could say this world's equivalent of gender from your world. They're not used officially on government forms or anything, but they're used in most casual conversation."

Amaranthine genders on being a priestess? She guessed that makes sense, It’s not like preforming gender isn’t just following a role stereotype anyway. They’ve got priestess genders and earth couldn’t even handle the existence of trans cat-girls. “What kinds of roles are normal?…” 

"You would probably call them... sexual roles. Docila, one who serves; Domina, one who commands; Mentara, one who teaches; Pupilla, one who learns; Dolorate, one who inflicts pain; Dolorin, one who suffers pain. All of these and more have their own... fashion styles and accoutrements."

Oh wow this got kinky fast, she squeaks. “Uh… wow.… y’all just made bdsm culture real huh…” Now theres whole new genres of expression she has to become familiar with and try to fit into? She barely knew what her style would be on earth, much less what her style would be in bdsm roles fashion.

She’s pretty sure shes submissive but that’s about it for knowing where she’d fit into that kinda thing.

"I mean, it's not at all... countercultural. It's just normal here. You can pleat just about anything, from the color blue to being a princess or a vampire."

“Heh, growing up there were a lot of girls who might have pleated vampire because of some popular books about vampires. It was a whole craze. People were getting in trouble bringing fake blood to screenings of the movie versions and everything.” Ah the Twilight craze, What a strange moment on the internet you were.

Being a princess sounds kinda fun and cute… if a bit childish.

”How do you like… know what you are?”

"Experimentation, generally. Seeing what you react to warmly. Trying on different fashion styles. That sort of thing."

“Well… I can rule out the inflicting pain one… or the command one… at least.” It might be normal here, but she still felt kinda ahhhhh when talking about such kink adjacent things. She has to fight to not just… go hide. Even if she felt much safer talking to Amaranthine about it than anyone else back home. “Do I give off any vibes for some kind of role?”

"Docila, perhaps? I'm not sure. Perhaps Pupilla since you're learning so much."

She shrugs. "You'll figure it out. Give it time."

She gets more used to how the culture is as time goes on, only becoming flustered rather than shutting down when someone offers sex. It especially becomes easier to see herself as someone who could, eventually, maybe, have sex as her body starts changing. Having tits, even if little tiny ones, makes it so much easier to imagine being sensual rather than just be disgusted with her own body. She gets so used to hugs and hairpats with Amaranthine that sometimes she will just lay her head in Amaranthine's lap and expect to have her hair played with. She might be developing a friend crush on her, the priestess is very nice and gentle and safe. Eventually she does feel she wants to try out at the very least the pleat part of the culture, since that isn’t inherently sexual. She goes to Amaranthine for advice as usual.

”If I… wanted to try pleat stuff… how would like… I go about doing that? Like how is one supposed to even experiment that stuff??” 

"Go out with people, I guess. I wouldn't know as a shrine keeper. I could maybe introduce you to some people who might be able to help? I know someone who owns a café downtown, maybe you could hang out there and meet people?"

“What like… try pleat stuff… at a cafe?” With how kinky a lot of the themes seemed… is that really the right place for that kind of thing? “I guess you could introduce me… I don’t know many people outside of the temple anyway.”

"Alright, I'll give you their number."

Amaranthine gets out her phone and transfers the number from her contacts to Andrea's.

“Thanks!”

It takes her a whiiiiiile to work up the courage to call a stranger. Calling people is the worst! Eventually she manages though. 

"HEY THERE CONCERTA BLUEBELL HERE WHAT CAN I DO YOU FOR?"

The voice on the other end of the phone is beyond boisterous, bright and bubbly and more than a little loud.

“Uhmm… Amaranthine gave me your number. I’m one of the earth rescues. She said you could help me like… figure this pleat stuff out?”

Andrea do not have a anxiety attack you JUST started this call. Just because you are talking to a stranger about kink-ish stuff does not mean you should panic and hang up. 

"Oh." Bluebell immediately lowers her tone. "Sorry, I thought you were one of my customers. If it's to help out one of Amaranthine's lost girls then I'll certainly help. Have you been out into broader society yet?"

“N-not yet… sorta just been getting used to things. But I should like… not let myself be cooped up?” She doesn’t want to end up like she did on earth, totally isolated and seeing nobody else for weeks at a time.

"Tell you what, I'll swing by and give you a little tour of the basics tomorrow morning, alright? Visit a thrift store, my café, and maybe a public park or similar? How does that sound?"

“Sure. That sounds good” These plans feel very going out with the girls tropes and eeeeee. Even if meeting new people was scary.

"Alright, see you then!" Andrea can hear Bluebell's smile through the phone.