V is for Victim

Chapter 5
Chapter Five

Chapter Five

As they stepped through the Reception Area doors, Addison was at least grateful as a warming sense of familiarity washed over him. Though he loved the art and d?cor of #13 back on Earth, it’s Theran counterpart was even better. Built into the face of a mountain, the caf? shared a few similarities with the human variety, namely, good, hot coffee (something that caught on like wildfire here...the Theran couldn’t get enough of the stuff) friendly, smiling faces, and a piano seated next to the porter’s counter. Normally, Olin Kaistai played a mean old time melody, but the instrument was unmanned this afternoon. But in contrast, the walls were not old, fading oak, but rather stone granite, same as the floor. The Theran were notorious for making their buildings and structures as innocuous as possible, doing their best to blend them with the environment. Addison had done a series on a few of these ?cave buildings’, and wondered if it would be so hard to emulate them back home. Ah well.

The regressed artist snapped out of his reverie as Theresa flew him through the building, obviously trying to hasten through before any awkward questions were raised. Luckily, the station was nearly empty today, and they made it to the door marked ?Wardrobe’ unhindered.

As you can probably imagine, the wardrobe was, well, full of clothes of every shape, color, size and texture. Just looking around the room gave Addison a buzzing headache, who wasn’t used to taking in so much eccentric color. Purple tank tops, lime green jeans, fuchsia robes...it was like they had given coloring duties to a five year old.

“Wow,” was all he could muster as she set him down. He began to reach for one of the racks, but Theresa gently laid her hand on his questing paw.

“I’ll find something suitable for you, Addison. The garments here are actually assorted in a very particular way, and it’ll only take me a minute.”

Addison cast a look back up at the monstronsity that was the wardrobe selection, failed to see any sort of pattern or system of orginazation at all, but shrugged, stepping back to lean against the wall. She hmmed and fussed, pulling clothes aside, and after a while, he let himself slide to the ground, mindful of his tail. Peeking under the blanket for another look at his new body, he pulled one of his short legs forward to inspect his toes. They were far larger then before, in comparison to the rest of him, and the three black-furred digits ended in sharp little black claws.

Theresa watched him out of the corner of her eye with a little smile. He was very cute in this guise, she thought to herself, looking very much the part as he played with his foot. “Ah-ha,” she murmured, pulling a few items down to present to him.

Addison had been afraid she’d select something overwhelmingly juvenile, but instead, she proffered a blue long-sleeved sweater, and a pair of brown shorts. He gave her an odd look, then reached for the garments, but she pulled them out of his reach.

“Indulge a friend?” she asked innocently, the meaning clear in her slight smile.

He groaned and secured the towel around his hind parts, lifting his arms up. A part of him was mollified, embarrassed to be in this situation in front of Theresa, but by the same token, he was happy to have her attentions. She didn’t say anything as she stepped close, pulling the shirt over his head. “flex this muscle,” she whispered, tapping a spot on his shoulder. Doing so, he felt the little wings on his back go rigid, and she quickly pulled them gently through the holes on the back of the sweater.

“Those are weird...to have,” he said quickly, as she gave him a quizzical look. “Do you think I could...fly?”

She shook her head, and began pulling at the towel around his waist, which he held tightly to. “I’m afraid not. I think I remember telling you that our...er...my wings are vestigal, meaning they are mostly for show.” She gave up on the towel and handed him the shorts. Feeling himself blush (the Theran version of this is fur-fluffing) he turned, and tried to hop into them. The towel fell aside, and almost stumbling, Addison finally succeeded in pulling his pants up. He started to walk back towards the doorway, when Theresa swooped down again and busied herself with something above his tail. He eeped and danced away, feeling, and realized she had threaded his tail through a loop on the shorts.

She smiled. “Now, we’re ready.”

Addison had been right...the weather was beautiful this afternoon. It always seemed to be here. Even the rain, which fell from clear skies, was welcome and refreshing.

It was discovered early on that the geography of Thera almost mirrored Earth’s exactly, with the exception of a few hundred more little islands here and there, coloring the seas. When you used a Slider Portal, it would take you to that exact spot in Thera.

Addison’s hometown, King’s Canyon, was a dreary northern Californian city far enough inland to be distant from the beach, but not high enough to get into the really beautiful redwood forests. Instead, it was a mostly flat, ugly town devoid of culture or interesting sights, populated by tumbleweeds, old people, and dry grass. Long ago, it had been a bustling frontier town that had grew with the gold rush, but it had faded with the decline of said era.

The Theran equivalent was called Leoliana by the locals, an old word meaning ?Beginnings’. However more often, the town was called by it’s contemporary name, Prelude. Rather then being a direct copy of that shallow place, the village of Prelude was remarkable, incredible, and Addison had long since run out of awe-struck adjectives for it.

The forest ruled here. Tall, dark brown oaks, and pale maples dotted the landscape, the trees so thick in places that you could not see the sky through them. Roads had never quite caught on, but well manicured trails got people from one place to another, though small conveyances (solar powered bicycles were very popular) could be purchased fairly reasonably.

The Thera lived in harmony with their surrounds, and this town proved that like none other. Like the Slider Station, many of the homes and buildings were either built into the tree tops, or fashioned from the trees themselves. A number of the Theran residents also built underground burrows whose entrances were marked only by a signpost and a mound of dirt in an odd place.

Despite this rather rustic outlook, this was not a backwards people. Though the forest ruled the land, Science ruled it’s people. For every grove of beautiful, perfect trees, a realistic replica stood, mechanically providing nutrients and water to the plants and trees around it. Each home, whether nestled underground or high in the trees, had a small greenish orb attached to the side, a source of a kind of ?wireless’ light that could make the inside of a house seem like day simply by clapping one’s hands. Addison had been privileged enough to have been invited into many of these homes near the Station, a compliment to the generosity and gentleness of the people here. He had found within several smaller worlds, nestled within this fantastic one, and some part of him longed to be a part of it...moreso then he was allowed. One dream at a time, though, he often told himself, and right now, though difficult and frustrating, a career in teaching seemed more likely then a residency on Thera.

Theresa had suggested lunch at one of the beautiful outdoor resteraunts that Prelude was known for. These seemed like any other food place, but instead of residing in a building, the food was served outside, and instead of tables and chairs, blankets and pillows were handed out at the ?entrance’, which was in this instance an elaborate but fun hedge maze. Addison saw it as a kind of picnic to go stop, and he loved the freedom of lounging in the sun. Also, these were very popular with locals and visitors alike, so if he kept his eyes open, there was a good chance he’d get some decent pictures. Only a few blocks (as the Theran reckon them) away, the two opted to walk, rather then hailing a cab. Though still a little unsure on his new legs, he was quickly getting the hang of it.

As they walked, Addison enjoyed the warm summery breeze as it played with his fur and loose-fitting clothes. Unbidden, his short little tail began swaying to an invisible tune. This did not escape his companion’s notice, who smiled as she watched him with a sideways glance. Unbidden, she was reminded of the first time they had met, now a little over a year ago.

She had been a lowly barista then, working out of the food and beverage portion of the Slider Station she currently helped to manage. Frusterated that her courses in Advanced Human Studies and Slider Tech had only landed her ?outside looking in’, but she was nevertheless grateful for the chance to work so close to her passions.

Still, back then she was mostly treated as a serving girl and go-for, and when the young human photographer had petitioned the Station for a guide on this, his first visit to Thera, Theresiani was readily volunteered.

Though attractivness of form is less important to the Thera then it is to humans, she nonetheless felt sorry for the boy’s Theran form. Oversized teeth held his rodent face in a fixed grimace, and though dressed in a dapper scholar’s uniform, his dark, mottled fur fave him the appreance of dishevled uncleanliness.

Introducing herself with a polite curtsey, the human goggled at her for a long moment before finally pulling himself into an awkward bow. Addison Wolf, he said his name was, and she had said it was a pleasure to meet him.

As she backed up, motioning for him to follow, he tripped over his now digigrade feet. She had jumped forward to catch him, and his face had ended up snuggly between her breasts.

Leaping back to his feet, the man rattled off a stream of apologies, but she (once the surprise had worn off) had laughed it off and proceeded to begin the tour. It was a moment straigt from a human teenage love drama, but he was no teenager, and she was no human.

Still, whatever the reason, she still held that memory of their first meeting as one of her most cherished, and watching him enjoy himself in that little form that mirrored her own, made her own tail begin to sway slightly, wagging in beat to his.

“What is the topic for this visit’s portfolio?” she asked suddenly, stopping as they pulled near an elaborate park bench.

“Well...um...in all truth, I didn’t have one picked out. My editor trusts me enough not to limit me to specific topics, just so long as the end result has some sort of theme to it,” he gazed up at her, “Why?”

“Don’t you always say that the best subject is the willing subject?”

His breath caught in his little throat. “Yes..are you saying...that you’ll...” Addison had been trying to get Theresa to allow him to photograph her for a long time, but the respect he felt for her (and his shyness) ensured that he never asked.

“Why don’t you do a piece on the children of Prelude? With the Human Mother’s Day, and our own Kin Celebrations beginning soon, it’d be topical and relevant.”

“Sure! I...wait,” he eyed her suspiously. “You’re not suggesting...”

She smiled innocently. “Behind us is a playground, perfectly suited for an individual your size. You always say that I’m a decent photographer...what would it hurt?”

He slowly turned and looked over his shoulder at a collection of structures he had previously missed. Taking them in, he grudgingly acknowledged to himself that it would make a perfect setting.

It looked a lot like the human equivalent of such things, only constructed with natural elements instead of metal and plastic. Three trees bent their branches towards one another, swooping toward the ground, creating a set of monkey bars to crawl around on. Several of the other trees were carved out and hollow, and smooth, well-kept slides ran from the top of their trunks. A pair of little forts stood across from each other, presumably to provide some excellent cover for snowball fights, when the snow happened to fall. Today, though, it was clear and warm, and in place of snowflakes, multi-colored leaves of all hues swirled around him. He couldn’t have asked for a better shot, considering what she was suggesting.

“Um...well...I don’t know, Theresa,” he said, though his high, littling voice may have betrayed a slight essence of desire. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable...”

“Go,” she urged, “enjoy yourself.”

“But what if someone sees?” he persisted. “Isn’t there going to be some big fiasco over the slider misfire?”

She shook her head patiently, looking down at his digital camera. “Addison, remember that you currently inhabit the body of a child. No one will much fret about a young boy at play while his mothe...er...caretaker snaps pictures.”

She made a good point. “But...but...what about the time? Our...” he made one last attempt at protest. Despite his misgivings, something inside him was very anxious to go ?play’. It wasn’t a feeling he could readily explain. Theresa cast a non-committal glance at her time piece.

“Must you have a complaint for everything?” she chided lightly. “We have plenty of time,” she said, shooing him away.

Reluctantly, and...well...not reluctantly, he nodded and took a few steps into the soft pile of wood chips that ringed the playground’s floor. He was surprised at the light, springy texture of the ground beneath the leaves, and figured that as advanced as the Theran were, they would make sure that even at play, their children were safe. He could imagine a fall on this ground wouldn’t hurt as bad as perhaps falling elsewhere.

As he walked, pulling away from Theresa’s side, he took the chance to size up his new body. Small, chubby and round, it was a little much to completely assimilate for the formerly lean and tall young educator. The tail behind him kept rubbing at the back of his legs, and the wings on his back seemed, like his tail, to have a mind of their own.

Still, his little paws seemed perfectly apt to grasp the branches of the ?monkey bars’, and with an apprehensive glance back at Theresa, who waved, he began pulling himself up. In his real youth, Addison had loved these things, and would oftentimes be found at recess stuck at their highest point. Something about this place (well, it’s obvious) brought back the good memories of his childhood, and Addison could feel some of his shyness evaporating. His sharp ears, though rounded and small in adolescence, were better in this form then in his rodent one, and he could hear the click and whirl of his digital camera as Theresa helped herself to some choice shots.

He was loathe to admit it, but she was actually the better photographer, and he had used several of her pictures in his features, credited as an anonymous donator. His editor suspected that the modest young man took the fantastic pictures himself, but for whatever reason, did not attribute himself to them, so when he saw them included with the rest, he always paid just a bit more.

Before he knew it, Addison was standing on the highest rung, letting the wind gently howl around him. He closed his eyes, inhaling, enjoying the smells that his new nose was delivering to him. He could smell the earthy aromas of the wood and ground, the salty tang of rain on the horizon, even Theresa’s soft, velvety scent in the distance, but not too distant.

“Hey, please be careful up there, alright!”

He snapped from his reverie and looked down, suddenly realizing just how high up he was. Feeling a weakness in his knees, he quickly sat down, letting his legs and tail dangle from the bars. What was he thinking?

“Suddenly the concept of gravity occurs once more to him?” She called playfully, which might have struck Addison as odd in another time. Though kind and nice, Theresa had always been possessed of the strong quiet dignity of the majority of her race. It was one of the attributes Addison liked in her, but this newness was welcome too. “Come on, I know you can do better then that,” Theresa called, catching him in the viewfinder, “I need a real pose!”

“Hmmm...well...what about this?” he shouted impishly, setting his feet before leaning back to hang upside down. His shirt began to fall upward, but his wings, which also extended as they drooped, held it up.

“Too cute! That’s perfect,” she laughed musically, taking a few shots. She’d have to make a note to request duplicates of this particular set.

Hopping down, Addison looked around, breathing slightly hard from the exertion. ”So...um...what next?”

She pointed to the fort, and dutifully, with a grin, he marched over and made himself at home.

Click, click, click. She took pictures of him in the fort, on the swings, leaping into a pile of discarded leaves (many of which she had to pick out of his fur afterwards, an attention he gratefully enjoyed. Finally, after quite a bit of ?fun’, (which Addison still was slightly loathe to admit he was having in light of his true, ?grownup’ stature) she pointed to the largest slide in the part, a fifteen foot monstrosity that doubtless seemed a lot larger to his small form then it would probably was. His tail drooped a little as he sized it up, but looking at her eager, smiling face, he made up his mind to at least try it once. For her.

As he climbed the narrow set of wooden stairs, he was dutifully reminded of how high he was by how small everything else was beginning to look. The forts, the rope tire swing set, Theresa herself, all fell away to look like ants. After an eternity, he sat himself under the hooded entrance to the slide itself, and closing his eyes tightly, he slid forward.

It wasn’t too bad at first, as the spiraling ride gave him a semblance of flight. Holding his hands above his head, he cheered, exhilarated, but as the ride took curve after curve, his speed continued to increase, until he was moving too fast to try and stop. His stomach fluttered away behind him, left on a higher plane, and his cry of elation was just about to become a shout of panic.

When abruptly, the ride came to a jarring end. Looking down at the new pressure on his chest, he could see one delicate, black furred paw holding him in place. Turning, he came eye to eye with Theresa, who gazed at him with an odd, warm look in her shining green gaze. Opening his mouth to say something, he was hushed as her other hand rose and gently pointed his face towards the park bench. “Say cheese, Addison.”

Unprepared, he didn’t, but there was no mistaking the click and flash of a picture well thought out. He turned back to her, questioning, but with a sweep, she gathered him up, pulling him off the slide to set him back on firm ground. Someone, previously unseen, came walking up.

The female tigress handed the camera back to Theresa, who thanked her for taking the picture of them.

“It was no trouble at all, Hun,” she said in a purring voice, looking down at the little artist. Suddenly overcome with a sense of exposure, his body took on a mind of it’s own and carried him behind Theresa’s shapely legs. He peeked out at the lady from this point, and she smiled. “Your son is very cute, miss.”

“Er...yes! Thank you, for the compliment,” Theresa came up with after a tense moment of silence. She tread ever so lightly on Addison’s exposed toes, warning him not to speak. The tigress continued.

“Those clothes do seem a might too big for him, don’t you think though? He’s almost swimming in that sweater.” She bent down to stand level with him, and he ducked back behind his friend. “Shouldn’t he be in school?”

“Oh...well...he’s just starting into the public schools...he had it kind of rough for the last few days, and I figured this would be a proper reward for a good try so far.”

“What a nice mother you are...you are very lucky, boya. My little boy goes to school very reluctantly, but it’s not like he has any say in the matter.” She stood and walked off. “Glad to be of help!”

The ?couple’ watched her go. “That was close,” Theresa finally said. “But I couldn’t help myself.”

Addison, who had yet to breath again, gasped. “Oh my god...that was scary.”

“But concluded. What next?”

“Oya,” he grinned, giving her a rueful look. He panted a bit, feeling winded. He motioned for his camera, and she gave it to him, still wearing that look. Though it was awkward with his new paws, Addison was able to trigger the review on his LCD screen. Quickly flipping through older shots, he came across the ones she had took, and had to admit, they were among some of her best yet.

“Care about your subject, and it will show in your pictures,” was the old adage from an old photography instructor, and it never failed him. Gazing at the pictures, the last one in particular, Addison felt warm, heady. If anything, this told him that though they could not share a love in the traditional human sense, she cared about him. Even though there was a nagging feeling of it not being his body, the picture of the two of them on the slide was something he knew he’d cherish. In his mind, it was already sitting on his computer desk at home in a nice deco red rust frame.

“Are you hungry?” she inquired, snapping him again from his thoughts. He turned an inward glance, and thinking about it, realized that he was not in the slightest. He said as much. “Well, then, how is your career going? The other one...as a teacher?”

His ears drooped. “Well, you know what we...er...discussed, right?”

“I do, and my opinion on it hasn’t changed.”

He sighed. “I know, I know. But that’s an indication of how well it’s going. Same old nonsense and denial.” Suddenly, the joy and elation he had only recently felt seemed to evaporate, leaving him a bit glum, and noting the slouch of his tail and ears, Theresa thought quickly.

“How would you like to see a Theran school? I mean, it might be...I’m sorry, as you humans saw, salt in the wounds, but you might find some good pictures there, and hopefully the visit might convince you to stay the course and persevere?”

At the notion of visiting a Theran school, Addison felt the cloud lift and grew excited. This was a realm he had never ventured into, always been held back by his shame and hardships in the human world with those intuitions.

It was said that the vast majority of Theran technology was poured into the school systems. Children were prized and cherished here beyond anything. With a society so bent towards the logical mind, it made sense that a beginning in such things was par for the course here. Addison’s excitement must have been obvious to his companion, because she smiled, pulling away to make a few phone calls. The first call was for a transport, as the school was outside of comfortable walking distance, and the other one was to a special friend. Watching the little kit fiddling with his camera, Theresa quietly stepped out of earshot. The phone picked up on the first ring, making it obvious that the call was intently anticipated.

“He’s ready,” was all she spoke into the receiver before hanging up. Replacing the mobile phone back to it’s place on her belt, she rejoined her friend, and motioned for the bench, a good place to recline until their transport arrived.

 

---