• So divine this life you live with
    shattered lies,
    It's all the price you pay when you're
    living for the night.
    --Cry of the Gypsy, Axel Rudi Pell (lyrics by Soto)

    "Gypsy girl!" I smiled. I loved it when she called me that. My person smiled back. "Gypsy girl! Mwah!" A kiss on the head. I closed my eyes, blinked. "Go, Gypsy, go! Go, go, go!" I ran, caught the walrus, turned. Gone...

    A whistle.

    "Gypsy girl...!"

    "Gypsy girl!" I blinked. I was curled up on my bed, the walrus toy, Dr. Phil, held tight against my chest. It was beaten up from hours, days of play. "Gypsy!" I glanced up. Sighed. A show call. I squeezed the toy, feeling the soft fur around the hard tenis ball innards. Set my chin on my pillow and sighed.

    I didn't look like I had then, in my dreams. I was still tan and black, but in different places... No tail...

    "C'mon, Gypsy!" I miss you...

    * * *


    I sat up, shivering. Why was I sleeping in a bath? I looked around. Lockers. I clambered out of the tub and pattered over the chilly floor, began rummaging in the lockers. I jerked on the clothes I found. The pants and shoes were too large--mens' wear--and the shirt pinched around my chest.

    I climbed up the stairs, pushing open the door and stumbling out. Sunlight lanced through my eyes. I staggered. Gravel crunched under my shoes. I blinked, dragging my eyes open. A town came into view. I picked up my pace, hurrying into the solid streets.

    It looked like they were made of cobbles.

    People walked by, turning their heads and staring as I passed.

    Weird...

    Music lilted into the air. I looked. A man with shaggy hair was blowing through a harmonica. A second man was in a chair, strumming a guitar with his thumb. They both looked like hobos.

    Between them was a box of coins and a woman dancing. Her long navy skirt billowed around her ankles as she spun and twirled on bare feet. Her short sleeved, low cut, white shirt shone in the sunlight. Gold hoops glinted on her ears. her hair, long and black, was pinned back from her face by a red, plain bandana. Her skin showed up tan against her clothes.

    "What are you doing?" I jumped. The dancer was in front of me. She smiled. "You look lost." I stumbled back as she put her hand against the wall over my shoulder and leaned forward some. Her eyes stared at me, glancing away when I tried to hold her look. Long, hot chocolate eyes.

    "Well, little lost one, what's your name?" I blinked at the clink of metal--she had dog tags.

    "Kali," I managed, finally working my overstimulated brain. She blinked, looked me over again. Leaned a little closer, took in a long breath.

    "You're wet. Dripping wet." I fingered my wet red-streaked hair. "Come on. Get dry." She turned, started walking.

    "Wait!" She stopped. "What's--"

    "Gypsy." She looked over her shoulder at me and grinned. "Come on. I won't bite." I chewed my lip and followed.

    I went down the stairs through the door, Gypsy behind me. We went down another flight, rounded a corner, then descended a small step-ladder case into a basement like wooden room.

    Thick beams crisscrossed slightly below the ceiling in large Hs. The beams stopped in front of a round, rumpled bed lit up by a small, narrow window.

    "Don't you remember me?" I turned, about to say something intelligent like "Huh?", and froze. When did she...? Her clothes were in a small pile on the floor, except her tags, still on, hanging between her... I felt my face heat up and looked away, or tried to.

    She moved closer, swinging her hips. "Don't you, Kali?" I backed up. "You wouldn't forget your pet, would you?" Her eyes were harder now, almost accusing.

    "M-my pet?" I stammered, wracking my pounding brain. "My--my dog?" I couldn't help glancing up and down in a onceover. She raised a brow.

    "Were you expecting someone less--"

    "Busty?" I blurted. She snorted. More of a low-throated, seemingly annoyed grunt than a snort.

    "Soldierly." She pursed her lips. "Speaking of busts, however..." She grabbed my wrist and pressed my hand up against her breast. I stared, gulped, tried to pull free. A low sound came from her throat, a feral chuckle no human throat could know how to perform. "What's the matter?" She blinked slightly as she moved my hand downward, moving my fingers aside to push my thumb and forefinger into tweaking her n****e. I looked at the wall.

    "You did that before." I jumped as her voice whispered in my ear. "When I had fur and paws, you did that. Why not now?" My hand was moved down again, rubbing her stomach. Her leg twitched when it brushed a certain spot below her ribs.

    "B-because..." I licked my lips.

    "Because I look too human?" She moved closer. I stumbled, toppling down on the bed with her. She stared at me. "Because it feels good now, to you?" I bit the insides of my cheeks. She let her weight down on me. I winced as her leg dug into my crotch. Ow. She put her nose in my hair. "Heh. You smell like a Dog in heat. I'm surprised you're not going for my throat."

    I swallowed, wetted my lips.

    "What are you going to do to me?"

    "Do? To you?" She looked genuinely surprised. For a moment. "That depends on you."