Chapter 3: The New High

I was seriously considering killing Chris as slowly as possible, but she guessed that. "It'll wear off in a a while. More than a couple of hours, but I think you'll want more time when it's done". I wanted to respond to that, but my vocal cords didn't work right. Actually, as I looked at my paws, I think I wouldn't have said anything if I could have. I was already enjoying this new kind of high. The rush of all the new senses made me dizzy. Scents, sights, sounds, everything wasn't just better, it was entirely new. I walked around, feeling out my new body. I had the urge to jog around and try my new legs.

Chris was a veteran Raharu user, and that's the kind of person you want around when you try a new drug. You want someone who's done it before. This is true for any drug. Get stoned, and a veteran stoner knows just what music to play. Kind of like sex too. I walk near the door and she opens it. I leave the office and look around at the vast expanse of the factory. I think there's a reason the left it open like this. "You won't really like running on concrete at first. Too hard, hurts the pads, but trust me, this time of year, you do not want to run around outside with your fur on. You'll never cool down, but we have good air conditioning in here, so it's not bad." I start to jog on the concrete. Well, lope really, but I think of it like a jog, only not as tiring.

This body was made for a lot of things at once. I wondered how my brain fit in my new skull. But I was really as big as I'd been before. I'd lost no mass. "Hey, when you get done out there, come back to the office, I've got things to tell you." I turned and nodded my big doggy head. I tuned back to the open factory floor. I continued to jog, picking up speed, getting used to the legs and the hard feel of the concrete. When I felt ready, I went to one corner of the open floor. I set myself, picked out the the other corner. It was the longest straight line I could manage. I started running.

I ran as fast as I could, but I was too clumsy to pick up much speed. Still, I moved faster than I had ever even conceived of running. I turned back when I reached the opposite corner. I flipped around, or tried to. I slipped and fell, tripping over my own legs. Speedy maneuvering was still beyond me. But I was getting there, fast. I turned, set myself, and started sprinting. I was sure I hit the 40kph wolves are said to run at. I've gone faster in a car, but the sensation was... It was impossible to describe. This is the greatest high I have ever achieved, and I'm just running back and forth. I realized some of the workers were looking at me. Some of them smiled.

I sprinted back, and this time I stuck the turn. I sprinted back across, and turned once more. I was wearing myself out, but even that felt good. After two more passes, I decided it was high time I went back to the office. One of the workers touched the top of my head as a passed. I stopped and looked at him like he was crazy, apparently he understood. "Hey, you know a lot of people enjoy that". I cocked my head to the side. "Here, let me show you", he scratched behind my ears. My hair stood on end a bit, I was enjoying it. My tail wagged in approval. But I break the whole thing off and continue on.

I limped towards the office. Chris was right, concrete hurt. I had been too into my running to notice, but my paws were really aching. I limped into the office."What'd I tell you? Concrete was not designed for comfort. Come over and have a seat". She patted the empty side of the couch. The three men were gone. I hopped up and lay down. I kept my head up, and affected the most business-like manner I could. She said nothing. I realized I felt uncomfortable, so I stood up, turned a couple of times, the lay back down.

"Now, I'm going to come back to Sydney with you, and ensure you get everything set up with shipping. I'll give you a discount if you, say, give us warning for anything resembling a raid. But according to Dirk, you don't really do that. That's fine, I wish you would help on that front, but so long as you don't betray our trust, I'll be okay. Still, being a cop doesn't earn you much trust, knowing Dirk does. I would however, like your opinion on some things in a couple of weeks. Just your professional advice, help with my bosses trust issues. If you keep up that end, I'll keep up the shipments. And we make some good money".

I agreed with everything she said. Here I had been thinking myself some hotshit detective, but as always, I was easy to manipulate. I just wish I could see it when it's actually happening. "Come on Kale. I'll take you home. And don't worry about your car. I'll have one of our associates follow us with it."

She lead me out to the Rover. She got in the back, and I hopped in. I remembered my suit, just as I saw it in the back. Everything was going good I guess. Chris pats her leg, and I spend the drive in her thrall. I couldn't really understand why I was enjoying it so much. But then again, I didn't really bother with it. When we arrived back at Sydney, the driver went straight to my home. I wanted to ask how they knew, but again, I was a wolf, and lacked the proper equipment. Chris got out, I followed. I watched my continental slip into the car park. She asked me which apartment was mine. So, I obediently lead her right to it. She had grabbed my suit, and was now removing my key from its pocket. She let me in, put my stuff on the couch, and turned to leave. I whined a little, I didn't know I could do that."Don't worry, it'll wear off. Just wait, I'll come back tomorrow. Don't go anywhere, or I won't be able to find you". She left.

A little while later, I started feeling a pain in my gut. My gut expanded out to normal proportions. The fur began to recede. My face drew back in as my skull regained it's normal shape. My hands followed suit. The last was my tail. I was kind of sad to see it go. Now I'm human, and naked. So, I make at trip to the closet in order to get a pair of pants and a shirt. I return to the living room clothed. I look around, move my old body a little... I wish I was the wolf still. I go to the computer to check my mail. Shiro sent another letter. Apparently, Zeon Zum Diakun, the revolutionary, was killed in a car accident.

Some believe the death was not an accident, but a planned assassination by the federation. Shiro's worried, he doesn't know what's going to happen. I don't really remember Shiro being like this. He was always much more positive. I tell Shiro to stop listening to those morons down at the loading dock. They don't know what they're talking about. I tell him people aren't the blood thirsty wretches everyone makes them out to be. Most people are good at heart, and just want to live a good life. Even if the "new-type" morons think they're better, they're still just people. I can't believe they'd be evil enough to start a war. I send it and sign off. I have better things to do than worry about a war that will never come.