it may have been a bit gatekeep-y to the feel, but the entry therapists asked life questions, making sure that you were supported and had thought about certain details.
Maybe that bit was funny to you
Of course you’d thought about every detail. Extensively.

The first few days were orientation and acclamation. You’re shown the facility & amenities. It oddly wasn’t until part of the way through orientation that you realized that every other patient here was like you.
It’s enough to calm your fears for the moment.

You see others in various stages of their transitions. Most amaze you, and others worry you, because there are those in pain and discomfort. It’s enough of a presence to remind you that it IS a medical facility, and the process is going to be difficult.

You meet your new roomate. A corvid. ‘Raven, to be specific’ they say. This time you stare. most of their body is patched with some degree of feathers. They walk scarcely with a crutch and smile despite the pain.
They like your staring, actually.
You can imagine why

They speak with an accent you can’t make out and are friendly. You mesh well, and are glad to not be alone.
Next stage is analytics. Before starting treatment, tedious amounts of data is needed to make sure everything is the way you will want it. Hybrids, nonstandard composition…

Within reason. New technology is always emerging, but you couldn’t wait.
It’s the best form-filling sessions you’ve went through.
You go to meet with ‘experience designers’ who’re the fancy geneticist directing your treatment.
You like them a lot.
In fact, neither of them are really human so it puts you at ease. The hyena and her assistant enjoy what they do, and it’s the highlight of your trip so far as you finalize things and move into the months of procedures.

The amenities and folks are nice. Over the course of your treatments, you have a few roomates. Getting to know new beings is a nice thing, and you form a group of friends before long and help each other when you can and need
Whatever your form, you take great pleasure seeing your humanity fade over the months, and your friends enjoy it just as much. You would marvel, the week your hide changes, at how it looks and feels in the sun and crisp summer air.

Each change an excitement as your senses shift, and body changed further and further. The pain is always there, but it’s the best kind of pain you’ve experienced. The painful road to freedom.
Your raven friend moves on to rehabilitation by now, learning to walk & use their wings. They stop being able to speak, so while they are in voice rehabilitation, you both learn sign language over the course of months.
You can’t wait to be there yourself, learning how to better use your own form.

There are bad days too. When the tears don’t stop & you worry about what comes next. How society will impact you.
You’ll deal with it.
You’ve been through a lot to get here, Your life is, and will be more difficult as a result of this.
But you love it all the same.
As you look at your friends, all in various stages of change, they give you strength and you feel like you can do this. Together.