NMF Reunion: Coyote Dreams - Part 2 (ADULT)

Kickaha sat under the tree, legs folded, hands on knees. He smiled from ear to ear.

His eyes were closed, unnecessary. He was the park, and the park was him; he felt every part of it flow through him. The trees were his strength, the grass his vision, the earth his power. He pushed, just slightly, and he felt the tree at his back grow another foot, the bark rubbing gently against his back. He felt the flowers become a little brighter, the grass a little greener. He was mighty. He was invincible. That was good. He was horny. That was good too.

He felt a disturbance... someone walking on him. Uneasy footsteps, worn shoes lurching back and forth across his grass, the slow disharmony of an addled mind. Irritated, he sent the merest whisper of a thought in that direction. There was no resistance; the invader shrank, shoeprints becoming pawprints in the grass. A dog; still disordered, but smaller, more natural, less disturbing to the symmetry. That was good. He regathered his focus...

_Wait a minute._
_Haven't I done this before?_
_This seems familiar, somehow..._

"That's because you're dreaming, you silly 'yote," a fox said, walking by.

_Oh, shit, that's right..._ he thought, and woke up.

Kickaha blinked, looked around. He saw the new growth in the park, and the dog--so recently a cat--wandering off in the distance.

{We fell asleep in public again, didn't we?}

{Tell that to the dog. Talk about having a hard day... Should we change him back?}

{{Naah. Two changes that close together is enough; three might be pushing things. It's not as if he has a social schedule. Besides, he'll be fine soon enough. A week, tops.}}

Keith sighed. {We just don't get along well in groups, do we?}

{{Oh, sure, we do. We just make things a lot more intere--_hello..._}}

At the edge of the park, a cab had stopped. Kickaha saw the bunny-girl emerge. His mouth fell open, and his tongue lolled out, a drop of saliva dangling from the tip. He rose to attention, in more ways than one.

{{I'm in love. I know I've said it before, but I swear to God, I mean it this time...}}

It was times like this that made Keith wish they were wearing more than a cloak. He couldn't blame Kickaha; he couldn't stand anything more in fox form either. And the disguise spell meant that it didn't matter what he really looked like... in theory, anyway. But it still felt, you know, awkward...

{Down, tiger. She's taken. Look.}

Sure enough, an ordinary-looking man in a suit climbed out of the cab, pocketing a cellular phone. He took her hand, and they walked into the park, arm in arm.

{{You know, a monogamous relationship can stifle a couple... Can't we just ask nicely? Maybe he doesn't mind sharing...}}

{Kickaha. No.}

Kickaha fell glumly silent, hid behind the tree, and simply watched as they found a bench. They stared lovingly into each other's eyes. They held each other, and kissed...

{{Come on. One chance. I can take him. No magic. That's fair. Man to man...}}

{Kickaha. _No._}

Then the man started sprouting fur...

In a matter of seconds, a giant man-wolf sat next to the bunny-girl on the bench. She snuggled up next to him, and his hug enveloped her. They kissed again, drinking in each other's scents...

Kickaha wilted.

{Man to man, huh? No magic? You just go right ahead.}

Kickaha was too miserable to even come up with a witty retort. He sat down, put his head in his paws, and wished for the world to go away...

"Excuse me... Mr. Henderson, sir?"

Kickaha looked up. Someone had walked up to the wolfman; a normal-looking guy in a black sweater. He nervously held up a pad and pen. "IreallyhatetointerruptyousirbutIjusthavetosaythatI'marealadmirerofyoursandIwasjustwonderingifyoucouldsignthisplease?"

The wolfman looked irritated, but only mildly so. He shrugged, took the pen, and scrawled a quick signature.

"ThankyousomuchI_really_appreciatethishaveaverynicedaysir!" The man took back the pen, and quickly shook the wolfman's hand.

There was just a glimmer of magic...

Kickaha's ears perked up. He watched more closely. The wolfman massaged his hand with his other thumb for a moment, then turned his attention back to his companion. The man beat a hasty retreat.

Neither one was a mage, clearly. So where did...

He looked more closely at the man's hand. He was wearing a ring. It was perfectly ordinary-looking, but...

It took a few seconds longer to register with Keith. {Do we stop him?}

They reached out, gently touched the man's mind...

Barely a second later, they retreated back into their own skull, shivering. Kickaha hadn't seen a soul that _black_ since... since...

{Agreed,} Keith said, before Kickaha could even ask.

Kickaha nodded. He flicked a finger; a pulse of magic trickled around the ring. A second later, a bit of Keith's magic followed it.

{That should take care of that.} Keith felt cold; he still loathed what he had just done. But sometimes, it had to be done...

Kickaha nodded again. Then he walked towards the happy couple.

"Excuse me... Mr. Henderson?"

The wolfman looked up again, real irritation in his eyes this time. Then his eyes widened, as he saw that the source of the irritation was a humanoid coyote in a green cloak...

"I hate to interrupt; I can see that you two are occupied. But I just thought you should know... You should probably be careful about letting people wearing rings to shake your hand. The ring that young man was wearing is becoming a very popular model, in certain circles. It's magic, and activates on contact; I believe you may have felt it when you shook his hand, correct? It extracts samples of the blood and fluids; I believe that the gentleman was looking to share in your unique gift... Don't worry, please," he added quickly, as Kal started to get up. "I've already attended to it. I can assure you that he won't get what he's after."

Some hours later, a young man in a black sweater would crouch in the back of an alley. He would stare lovingly at the ring on his finger... then press gently on one of the stones, and feel the gentle pressure of the ring discharging its contents into his veins.

He would strip off his shirt, then his pants, waiting for the change to begin. He would feel his heart pounding, faster and faster. Yes. So many people who had wronged him. So many, for so long. Now, they would pay. Now it would all change. All change...

Some hours after that, the police would load the nearly-naked body into the coroner's van. The decedent would be found to have a history of drug use and mental problems, and amphetamines and cocaine would be found in the bloodstream. Cause of death: coronary arrest, due to drug overdose. The story would make the papers the next day, and acquaintances would all say the same thing: it was tragic, but probably unavoidable. He was such a troubled young man...

"But I'm terribly sorry; I've forgotten my manners--I've neglected to introduce myself. Kickaha, Master of the Art, at your service. Delighted to meet you."

Kickaha turned from Kal to his companion; he bowed his muzzle respectfully, flashed his most winning smile. "And you would be?"

"Coyote Dreams" 1

No More Fakes Index

"Recapture Reunion" Prelude