"You know, this sucks." I couldn't help but complain bitterly to the unable-to-respond Vicky as we slowly worked our way down the path the guards were kind enough to point out to us. "Oh sure," I grumbled moodily, "*you* might be loving the chance to indulge freely in some lewd exhibitionistic bondage fantasy, but it sucks for *me*!"
"I thought I'd at least have someone to talk to and compare notes and ideas with, but nooooooo… Little Miss Vicky has to go and get ranked as a class four *shinta* -- whatever the hell that is!"
Not that any of it is really her fault, that is. Truthfully, I'm just nervous and running my mouth to myself, in an attempt to keep my courage up and to stop myself from turning around and rushing back into the forest and making a beeline back to our world.
As much as I'd absolutely love to do just that, I can't afford to waste this opportunity. I have no frigging idea why that sergeant thought I was some High Lord at first glance, but I've now got a registered visitor's permit which is good for thirty days.
No matter how nervous I am, I've got to make a stop by Silver's Smithy and swap out Vicky's shackles for a silver set, as I can't help but feel that them not having the proper type was probably nothing more than a test to see if I'm going to comply with their instructions. I imagine that private will be assigned to go check tomorrow evening, just to make sure I did as they told me to. Chances are, I'll end up fined or in jail, if I don't!
"It's a damn tourist trap," I muttered paranoid to myself, as the stone road and forest finally gave way and opened up to a massive wall, leading in…
…A damn bustling medieval city! My eyes couldn't believe the sight before me, as all I could do is stare in absolute shock at what I was seeing. Central park! The damn area – this *travel zone*, as the guards referred to it – was nothing more than something similar to Central Park, in the heart of New York city! Stone roads, brick buildings, and a wide assortment of naked or almost-naked people filled my view for as far as I could see.
Thirty day visitor pass, my ass! It'd take a lifetime to visit and explore everything laid out before us. Just how the hell was this side of the portal so grown up and urbanized, while our side was still mostly undeveloped? The landscape was the same, so natural human evolutionary habits should've meant that these people moved and migrated the same way we did. Right? Follow the water, and you can follow the spread of human colonization.
"Oh! Fancy Lord! I can be an escort for you. Take you wherever you want to go," some young girl promised me, running up as soon as she noticed me standing bewildered at the exit of the travel zone. "For just a little food or spare tin," she reminded me, sticking her hand out for a payment first.
"Umm… Sure?" Looking her up and down, there were several things that immediately stood out about this girl. First, and most obvious to me, was her tiny little boobs. Completely topless, she did nothing to try and hide her tiny little developing chest, nor did she seem to care as I ogled freely at it. From her size and build, I'd estimate her age at barely being a teen, and her breasts were barely developed, hardly ranking an A-cup. She was really just starting to grow them and show them!
The second thing I noticed was her ribs. This poor girl looked like she might've weighed as much as sixty pounds soaking wet! I don't think I've ever seen anyone in person as malnourished looking as she is. Honestly, she reminds me of one of those kids shown on the, "For twenty-nine cent a day, your generous donation could go to feed this starving child," commercials.
The third thing that caught my view was her clothes, since my eyes were being drawn from up to down as I inspected her. Apparently, this world is an early adopter of the new 'barely there' fashion. This girl's bottom was covered by nothing more than what we'd consider a g-string panty in our world.
No shoes. No skirt, shorts, or pants. No top. Just a thin little g-string and a tail…
A tail?!!
I hadn't noticed it at first, as it was hidden behind her from the way she was standing, but this girl had a tail! Furless, and smooth, it didn't quite remind me of what a rat's tail looks like. Perhaps it'd be best to describe it as a hairless cat's tail, with the rounded tip, rather than a pointed rat's tail?
"Umm… Sit with us in the shade here," I told her, moving to sit back against the wall in the shade, where we'd be unnoticed by other people. "We'll take a break to eat and drink first, and you can answer some of my questions before we go into the city."
"Sure!" Enthusiastically skipping over, the young girl sat cross-legged in front of me, almost drooling as I began rummaging around in our travel pack. Apparently, modesty doesn't exist in this world, as her posture and manners don't reflect even the slightest awareness of how risqué her posture is. You should be aware I'm a damn man, dammit!!
"Why don't you give these a try," I told her, holding out two energy bars and a lukewarm bottle of Gatoraid.
Quickly snatching them from my hand, the girl quizzically sniffed at them, before gingerly placing one of the energy bars in her mouth and biting it.
"You've got to unwrap them," I told her, laughing lightly as her face wrinkled up in confusion. "They're foil sealed," I told her gently, as I used the key the private gave me to unhook and remove the ball gag from Vicky's mouth.
"Thank you, Master," she whispered softly to me, before quietly asking, "Can you understand what these people are saying?"
"You can't?" I'd never considered that possibility. If Vicky couldn't understand them, then why the hell could I? Was it some sort of automatic translation magic involved due to this being my wish? Or was it something unknown else at play?
This damn world! It doesn't give answers – only more questions!
Vicky simply shook her head negatively, while smiling slightly watching the strange girl before us struggle with a wrapper.
"Here, like this," I chuckled gently, illustrating how to tear along the proper section with my own energy bar. "Rip at the indenture," I taught her softly, "and then just push it up from the bottom." Taking a bite, I tried not to wrinkle my nose at the taste. Oats, chocolate chips, and honey – it might be somebody's favorite food, but it certainly wasn't mine. I prefer a good old-fashioned peanuts and caramel bar myself.
"Oh!" Eyes wide from the taste, the tail-girl shoved the whole thing in her mouth all at once, as if it was the tastiest thing she'd ever experienced in her life.
"Woah! Slow down there! You're going to choke," I told her worriedly, reaching out to twist the top off her Gatoraid bottle. Sniffing it, the girl eyed my wearily, almost as if she was afraid I was going to take it away from her.
"It's fine. That's yours now," I assured her, holding up my hands innocently. "I'm Michael," I told her, assuming my friendliest smile. "What's your name?"
"Tabitha," the girl finally answered after a moment. "I'm Cat-Kin," she added proudly, her tail twitching from side to side.
Tabitha the Cat-Kin? You've got to be kidding me! Right? Right? Who the hell would name their child after a tabby cat?
"So whatcha want to know, Lord Tastysnack? This Tabitha knows the city as good as anyone! Born and raised here all my life," she stated proudly, a wide smile beaming across her face.
"I suppose my first question is, 'Do you know of a shop that caters to the wealthy?' Luxury goods or antiques are what I'm really looking for, I suppose," I told her uncertainly. Honestly, I had no idea of what to try and trade in this world. Between the girls and me, we'd purchased a boatload of crap to try and barter, if we ever got a chance, but I hadn't brought any of it. This was just supposed to be a quick day-long visit to grab some water and forest samples, not an exploratory mission into a foreign city!
"Certainly," Tabitha assured me confidently. "It's not in a section of town where I usually visit much, but we won't have any problems going there with you, I'm certain!" Turning up the bottle, she curiously sipped at the lemon-lime Gatoraid inside, before finally turning it up and drinking it.
"That's good too, Lord Tastysnacks! Odd," she praised honestly, "but good!"
"I'm glad you like it." Chuckling lightly, I found the twitching of her tail almost hypnotic. "Can I tough it," I asked, pointing to her tail, unable to resist despite myself. The cat-fu is strong in this one!
"For another tasty," she agreed, flipping her tail around to guard it protectively in her arms.
"How about for something like this?" Digging into our pack, I held over two slightly smooshed looking bars to her again. "Those look like they've completely melted though," I warned her, looking at the distorted shape of my poor Three Musketeers candy bars.
"Nuhnn!" Grunting happily, Tabitha tore open the wrapper and quickly proceeded to smear chocolate all between her fingers as she grabbed the melted bar too tightly and squished it flat.
I couldn't help but laugh merrily as she licked and sucked on both her fingers and the wrapper, making certain to savor even the minutest little flavor. "Sorry," she apologized bashfully after downing one completely. Getting up and moving closer to me, Tabitha turned so she could relax her tail in my lap. "Don't be too rough," she requested shyly, warning me, "It's sensitive."
"No worries," I assured her, picking her tail up slightly in my hands. Stroking it, it was warmer than I expected, and perfectly smooth. Rubbing it, it twitched slightly, but didn't seem to cause her any discomfort or embarrassment. Whatever fantasy writer decided that beastgirl's tails are an erogenous zone, had apparently never actually touched one before! Tabitha reacted much more like I was stroking her leg, than as if I was caressing her breast or genitals.
"Nuhnn… nuhnn…" Tabitha was making contented sounds as she licked repeatedly on the second wrapper, determined to clean it completely from any remanent of any chocolate which it might contain, as I playfully played with her tail.
"All done," she declared finally, twitching her tail back out of my reach. Whether her people see them as something personal to protect, or if she was just taking it away to have something to barter with again later, I wasn't really certain. It didn't seem like she really minded me stroking and playing with it, but she certainly wasn't going to let me do it for nothing!
"We can go whenever you want," Tabitha assured me, smiling brightly.
"Sure. Sure," I agreed. "I've just got to put this back on first…" Turning my attention back to Vicky, who had remained peacefully quiet this whole time even with the gag out, I apologized lightly. "Sorry. They have some law here that says you have to wear this," I told her, holding the copper ball gag back up for her to see.
"It's okay, Master. I trust you," Vicky assured me, opening her mouth wide so I could place the gag back in place.
Sighing deeply, I just wish I could trust myself as easily as she does. Clicking the strap back into the lock, unfortunately, I was stuck back with having no one to rely on but myself in this world again.