[cashewmanz]

I stood in a long line of servicemen and women. Not soldiers like you might be thinking, but people here to serve a different duty. To replace what soldiers had taken from the world. Everyone was required to spend a portion of their lives birthing children to rebuild the broken society on Earth. And here I was, taking my first step into this chapter of my life.

[BubbleBelly321]

I looked at the various men and women standing in front of me, then glanced at the floor nervously. I really didn't want to be here too much, but there was no fighting it. This was everyone's duty after all, and everyone told me it'd be over before I knew it. Still, I was skeptical.

Every few minutes, the line would move ahead a few steps, and people would disappear behind the doors where they would be briefed, then impregnated and then their service would formally begin.

[cashewmanz]

I could never deny my own nerves. I had started shaking whenever I thought about this process. That had been going on for a few days before this one. And now that I was here, my own body was making excuses for me. Suddenly I needed to use the restroom, at least, I thought I did. I knew myself too well to think it was real. All I could do was take a deep breath and keep moving forward. But I still had a long way to go, so I did my best to scan the crowd for a friendly face--anything to distract me.

[BubbleBelly321]

As the line continued to move, I took a quick glance around the room itself. Unfortunately there really wasn't much to look at, simply some plain white walls. As I kept looking though I froze as my own eyes met with someone else's. He seemed just as nervous, and surprised by our unexpected eye contact as I was. Almost instinctively, I checked behind me just to make sure it was really me that this person was looking at, then gave him a nod and a small wave to be polite.

[cashewmanz]

My eye's locked with a girl's across the way, and I blushed and instinctively looked down. When I slowly lifted my head back she was waving at me. I gave a meek smile and waved back. Looking ahead I saw our lines would soon converge, thinking I might strike up a conversation with this face in the crowd.

[BubbleBelly321]

In no time at all, it seemed as if the two lines that we were in merged into one. A little strange, but I honestly wasn't going to complain. Though it did mean that I was now standing right next to the stranger I'd waved to. Not wanting to be rude or anything, and thinking that I might be able to talk to someone about how nervous I was, I decided to try and strike up a conversation.

"H-hello...I'm Dawn."

I spoke so quietly I wasn't even sure whether the stranger had even heard me or not. As the line continued to move towards the doors, the more nervous I was actually getting.

[cashewmanz]

As the lines converged I got slightly more nervous about talking to this girl than I was about my upcoming procedure. I felt odd about that, and slightly excited too. I heard her squeak behind me and turned around to look at her. I wasn't quite sure she had said anything, and I don't really think she thought she did either, and we were caught in an awkward silence. Finally, I decided to respond.

"Oh, uh, hi! I'm... I'm Jack. I uhhh, take it this is your first time too?"

[BubbleBelly321]

I nodded my head in reply to the stranger I now knew as Jack. Feeling a little embarrassed, I smiled a little. I was glad that he'd responded to me, and that upon closer inspection, he seemed just as nervous as I was.

"Y-yeah. It is. Not really sure what to expect. I mean, they tell you about it so much when you're younger, but it just doesn't prepare you for the real thing, you know?"

[cashewmanz]

"Yeah, I know what you mean...it's never seemed real to me until I was actually here...I'm still not sure I'm ready," I said as the line took several steps forward. I gulped audibly. "But there's no stopping it now."

[BubbleBelly321]

All I could really do was look as the line moved, and sure enough, it wasn't long at all until Jack and I were at the front, staring face to face with the imposing door. Before they could move us in though, I looked back at Jack and also let out a small gulp.

"Well, I guess we're next..." My thoughts trailed off, but I continued talking. "Do you think...um...maybe you and I could...I don't know...keep talking about this when we're finished? It's...kind of nice knowing I'm not the only nervous one here."

[cashewmanz]

"Yeah...sure thing," I said, "I'll meet up with you when we're done. See you on the other side, Dawn." And with that, I was rushed inside the door. Once inside they separated the men and women. After a few generations of failed breedings, the reproductive traits in men had stuck, so thankfully the process no longer involved a surgically inserted womb.

It did however involve several large injections and an uncomfortable exam of the groin and rectal region. Men were supposed to grow a birth canal over the course of the pregnancy, though occasionally it merged with the rectum. Whichever had happened to Jack would make itself apparent in the coming months.

[BubbleBelly321]

The women's side of things were fairly similar to those of the men. A thorough examination, several large injections, and a lot of poking and prodding from nurses. The key difference being of course that women already had a birth canal in place, so of course that didn't need to be checked. All in all, the process didn't take too long.

After I was finished, the nurses ushered me out another set of doors. I received some informational pamphlets about the process, and was told to return in a few weeks for a follow-up examination. I was then offered some small congratulations and thanks on my service, and was on my way. I kept an eye out for Jack though, wondering if he was finished as well.

[cashewmanz]

With the other men leaving the labs, I walked slowly and hunched. The process was nearly perfected, but it still hurt like hell. We were told that it would only take a few weeks to heal and feel normal again, at which time we were to return for our first examination. I dreaded the thought.

Spying that girl from before across the courtyard. I did my best to cross our paths once more, taking a few pained steps and trying to get your attention. "Dawn! Hey...ouch...how'd your, well, you know...thing go?"

[BubbleBelly321]

I heard a voice calling my name. When I turned around to check, I kind of felt somewhat relieved at seeing Jack exiting from the men's side. As he approached me, I smiled softly.

"I...think it went well." I answered his question as I absentmindedly traced my hand over my slightly sore middle. "I mean, it's pretty much guaranteed to work on the first try, and it did hurt, but not as badly as I thought it would." I still let out a small sigh. "I guess we'll find out more in a few weeks though."

I quickly glanced around the courtyard, feeling a little awkward given the circumstances. "So...do you...maybe, i don't know...want to go somewhere?"

[cashewmanz]

"Yeah, sure!" I said, trying to sound a little more optimistic. "I'm feeling pretty hungry to be honest, which is surprising considering how much my stomach hurts right now," I say, laughing and rubbing my sore middle, "how about we go down the street and find a place to sit down for a bit?"

[BubbleBelly321]

I just nodded my head in reply, and soon we were both walking down the street, passing by several other people who'd finished their procedures. After some quick talking and brief debate, we stop in at a small cafe of sorts and sit at a nearby table. My stomach began to growl a little, making me blush a bit.

"Sorry..." I spoke up as I glanced at the menu. "So...whereabouts do you live?" I try to make idle conversation.

[cashewmanz]

"It's fine," I laugh, letting you hear me own stomach rumbling. "I live not too far from here, actually. It's a high rise in the West District. It's a pretty nice place, if I do say so myself. What about you?" I respond, still a little nervous despite responding to the same question.

[BubbleBelly321]

After the waitress took our orders, and brought us each some water, I took a sip and smiled softly.

"It looks like we might live close by." I continued to grin. "I'm also in the West District. One of the smaller buildings though. It's a lot cheaper, but still pretty nice." My stomach continues to growl, but I feel a bit less embarrassed by this point. Soon our food arrives, and I hungrily dig in. "Maybe you should stop by sometime!"

[cashewmanz]

"I think may have to! It'd be nice to have someone to talk to so close by. And someone to experience this with," I say as I pat my stomach, wincing on contact, "ouch..." I continue to shovel food in my mouth, ordering seconds afterwards. It's not long before we've both had our fill.

[BubbleBelly321]

Soon we've both paid for our meals, and headed off down the street. As we each walk along, I stop in front of a small park. There I see a few heavily pregnant men and women sitting on benches, walking (or waddling) down the road and otherwise just relaxing. Several young children are also playing on some equipment. I instinctively place my hand over my middle, wincing a little at some sensitivity, and turn to face you.

"So, do you know how many times you have to...you know...go through this?" I gesture to my middle. The number of pregnancies one has to undergo differs from person to person, depending on their health. "I mean...I'm sorry I keep asking all these questions. This whole thing is just...kind of surreal, you know?"