I like to imagine the smoothness comes first. A coldness spreading over the skin, washing away the bumps and pores. The skin looks like metal, even feels like metal if you graze your fingers across it, but with the slightest pressure you feel it squish like any other flesh and you know its something that is neither and both.

But maybe the rigidity should come first, like tension taken to an extreme degree. It hurts more this way, it almost feels like death, like rigor mortis, but it comes with a feeling of stability and strength that your old body could never attain. Like after you get through this, nothing can hurt you ever again.

Even shapeshifter feels too specific, i like them best when they come with specific rules and sensations. I want my form to be solid and have static unchangeable truths but I also want to be able to pull away from it and be free from its restrictions.