Latex Lore Chapter 2: The Ranks Swell
Latex Lore Chapter 2: The Ranks Swell
By shadowlugia249
Author's Note: I've never done a mini-series before, so I'm working on developing a storyline behind it. This is the most amount of stories in one series that I had ever done before, so my ideas might dry up after a while, but if all goes well, I should have enough material to make it through the whole thing. Keep a lookout for a familiar scenario from a popular media icon. Enjoy!
When Karmen Aridos returned to his store one fine Monday morning, he immediately knew that something was wrong. He couldn't place it, but he knew that something was different about the place. He immediately started rooting around his store for some indication that his suspicions were correct.
But try as he might, he could not find a single product out of place. It was as if someone had broken in and not taken or even disturbed anything. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right here. He made his way to his back room and began to root around.
Everything was right where he had left it. Not one thing was out of place. But when he looked at his desk, he noticed the one thing he was looking for: There was a small, Number Two pencil lying on his desk that he knew had not been there when he had left. Picking it up by the eraser, he gave it a sniff. Years of magical meddlings had told him just how to detect intruders using primitive methods.
Sure enough, he detected the faint odor of magical latex on it. A Synthetic Balloonie had been in here just yesterday. It had thought it had pulled off the perfect crime, but it had unintentionally left this one clue.
But what was the perfect crime? This pencil had to be related to something. And Aridos had a way to find out. Taking out a piece of paper, he balanced the pencil point-down on it and muttered the word, "Write."
The pencil took off across the paper, rewriting the last thing it had been commanded to do. It was like an invisible hand was commanding it to write back the last thing it remembered. When it was all done, Aridos took the paper and examined it.
The text wasn't written in plain English text but was instead written in a font that he had only seen come from one other place. It consisted of symbols that depicted an ancient forgotten language belonging to the Guardians of the planet.
This confirmed two things. One: a Guardian had written this text. And Two: Aridos recognized enough of the lost language to realize that it had copied some notes straight out of one of his own notebooks. After locating said notebook, he realized that the content that the Synthetic had "stolen" could be used the wrong way and endanger anyone it came into contact with.
Aridos crumpled the paper in frustration. This was bad. If that knowledge came across the wrong Balloonie (and he had a pretty good idea who), it could to get real ugly real fast. He left the back room to make some calls. This was going to be a long day, but he started dialing anyway.
My name is Skyle Kelvin and I wish I had a girlfriend. I was never one to be lucky in my love life and so far, every opportunity I have had to be with a woman, I had been shot down in flames. I didn't have much time during the day to find a girlfriend with my job interfering all the time. I was pretty much on my own in the New York Water Treatment Plant. Yeah... not a real chick magnet if you ask me. But I get by with my life while still trying to find a girlfriend on the side.
But despite my disadvantage in the "ways of woo", I still had two very odd hobbies in my life - video games and latex. Yeah, you heard me right - latex. I seem to have a rare fetish for all things rubber and balloon and sometimes both. I would go out on my days off and see what kind of rubber items I could find on the market.
I would find things like rubber dishwashing gloves of all kinds, rubber cement that I would have a ball plastering all over stuff in my apartment before peeling off, liquid latex to create my own scenarios of being made of rubber and my all-time favorite item: balloons of all shapes and sizes. I would spend long hours of my weekends just rolling in a room full of balloons that I had inflated earlier, feeling the soft, rubbery texture brush against my skin. I admit I have a problem, but I feel that as long as it's not hurting anyone, I'm just fine with it. Sometimes, I wish my girlfriend would be made out of latex. I prefer the feel of rubber against my skin over fleshy skin any day. Alas, if it were only true.
That brings me back to my second favorite thing in the world - video games. I have a Gamecube and a Nintendo DS in my possession, giving me both a taste of this generation and last generation's top games. I would often spend entire weekends lying on a rubber-lined chair while playing countless hours of video games to my heart's content. It was fun to do in my free time and I would spend any money I had not already spent on latex on buying new games.
But out of all the video games I have played and owned, I would have to say that there is only one series that I never get tired of playing. It is the legendary Starfox series and for just one reason - Krystal.
Oh, how I wish that I would see her for myself in the Real World. That beautiful blue-furred vixen has captured my heart for the last few years ever since she debuted in "Starfox Adventures". She has all the grace and beauty of the most beautiful woman in the world. She's also feisty when she wants to be, adding to her personality. Not only that, but she was known to have Telepathic powers in "Starfox Assault", giving her a power unlike anything I had ever seen in a woman. I would spend some time on my missions on Starfox Assault to track down Krystal on foot to watch her go at the enemies like nobody's business. I would completely ignore my mission and watch her deal with the enemies by herself, barely keeping her out of my sight. The best place to do this was on the Sauria level where Fox got free-range of either his Arwing, Landmaster or on foot and Krystal was hanging around one of the temples on foot, taking it to the enemy.
(Author's Note: This is an actual scenario to those who have played "Starfox Assault".)
But there were only two things more beautiful than her appearance and fighting skills: her voice and her wardrobe. In Starfox Adventures, she had been wearing a simple leather attire: a bra, a loincloth, armlets, shoulder pads and sandals. But in Starfox Assault, she had donned a full-body suit of stretchy blue-and-black material that made her look absolutely - there was no other word for it - sexy. (Author's Note: Forgive me. It's very hard for me to write stuff like that.)
And if her wardrobe didn't get your attention, her voice certainly will. It sounded like... like... I can't describe it. It's just so beautiful that I cannot put it into words. You just have to play the games to find out.
(Author's Note: I can't describe it, either. All I can tell you is that it fits her persona to a "T". Sorry.)
But sadly, I fear that Krystal is already taken. Prince Tricky hinted that the two of them would get married in Starfox Assault, and while Fox tried to deny it, I knew that he had had feelings for her for some time. Krystal had merely smiled and said nothing.
To make matters worse, after their latest mission before "Starfox Command", Fox had asked Krystal to marry him. And wouldn't you know it; she accepted! Why can't I be that lucky?! The only woman that was perfect for me had had to be taken by a "man" who couldn't even spit out his true feelings about her! *sigh*...
(Author's Note: This was not in any of the games. You will have to read "Reflections of Krystal" and "Reflections of the Future" on FanFiction.net to find out what happened.)
But if Krystal had had a chance to come to my planet and meet me instead of Fox, I would have done everything I could to make her feel at home. Alas, if it were only true...
My story starts on night while I was asleep and yet another visitor to the Dream World. I was walking through one of the hallways of the Treatment Center that I had been down hundreds of times in the Real World. There was nothing out of the ordinary and I was about to continue on when I "saw" it.
A quartet of strange figures were standing in front of the door that led down into one of the access points of the sewers, talking amongst themselves. They seemed to be discussing how to get inside without setting off the alarm. The door was locked with an electronic keypad with two sets of steel doors blocking the access to the access point.
"Well... here we are," said one of them, wearing a black-and-white coat. "This is the first stop in our quest for domination."
"I'm aware of that, (...)," said a second, much darker voice. "The only problem is that we don't have two things."
"And those are...?"
"We don't have enough of the "cure" and this door is blocking our way to administer it into the water source. If we don't have either, we can't go ahead with the plan and everything will be all for naught."
One of the figures who was larger than the others cried out, "Then what did we come here for?! If we can't get inside, we can't start anything!"
The fourth figure put a hand on the larger one's shoulder and sighed. "Relax, (...). We'll get inside. We just have to find someone who can open it for us."
The first figure frowned. "And just how do you plan that we do that? The person who operates this door is gone for the weekend. And unless you plan to use your "feminine charm", we're screwed."
"Now, now, ladies. You will all get your chances to help out. In fact... (...), this is the perfect chance to test your (...) know-how. All you have to do is find the operator of this door and "convince" him to let you in. While we're busy with the "cure", you can see what makes him tick. If you're lucky, you could add him to our ranks with a little... persuasion."
The fourth figure chuckled to herself. "That's why you're the boss, (...). We can't even hold a candle to your intelligence."
But the leader's ego didn't seem to be as big as someone who had just gotten this kind of compliment. "We'll just have to make the circumstances match that of your Game World counterpart. He won't know what hit him."
Suddenly, the large figure looked behind her. "(...), I think we're being spied on!" The other three spun around, but I still couldn't get a decent look at them. It was like they were all see-through at the moment, limiting how "solid" they were. I noticed, though, that the leader had the most evil glowing-red eyes I had ever seen before.
The leader frowned at me and raised his arm. "You know too much. Allow me to remove anything you have learned at this time."
I tried to run, but it hit me with a force unlike any other, wiping my memories of this event completely clean, causing me to wake with a start.
When I woke up, I remembered nothing about my previous night's experience. I was drawing a complete blank in my mind that nothing could fill. I tried for a few moments to remember what I was forgetting, but I came up with a big zero and finally gave up.
It was a Saturday morning and I didn't feel like playing my games just yet. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day, so after I got ready for the day, I decided to go out for a walk. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that what I wanted was in the park just waiting for me today.
While I was walking through the park, I noticed that it was rather deserted for some reason. I didn't understand it. The park was usually packed with people on days like this, but today, there was practically no one here. Not even the birds were singing on this beautiful day. It was as if a great storm was about to happen, but there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.
As I walked along the path, I saw just one other person walking in the other direction. For some reason, he was wearing a very heavy black-leather coat and hat, completely concealing his identity. He also had his hands in his pockets and the only part of him I could see was his bare feet.
But there was something different about his feet that I noticed. He seemed to balance himself on his toes, of which there were only three. They also looked like he had neglected to trim them and he was walking on his toenails. Not only that, but they were colored a deep violet - something I had never seen before in my life. I figured he must have been wearing slippers, but that didn't make any sense, either. He was covered from head to ankle and yet he was wearing slippers. Huh.
As the two of us walked past each other, I could have sworn that he reached out with his arm and shoved me! Within half a second, I was sitting on the grass as the man continued by.
"HEY!!!" I yelled at him. "What's the big idea?!"
The man completely ignored me and continued on. I wanted to go after him and teach him a lesson, but I was against such behavior and took it like a man. Getting up, I dusted myself off and made to start walking again, but something caught my eye.
A small, plastic package was sitting on the ground where the man had pushed me as if he had dropped it out of his pocket when he shoved me. I looked down the sidewalk to call after him, but he seemed to have vanished completely from view. There wasn't anything to hide behind for a long ways, so I could not understand where he had gone. I wanted to do the right thing and return it to him, but if he wasn't here, I guess it was finder's keepers.
The bag was just a plain unlabeled Ziploc bag with something that looked like a shriveled fruit inside of it. I was wondering where I had seen something like that before, but curiosity got the better of me. I opened the bag and tipped the item into my hand.
I immediately knew what this was just by the feel of it. I could recognize the feel of latex blindfolded and this was definitely one of them. But there was something different about this one. It looked like it contained more mass than a regular balloon and it was colored in various blue and white shades. I wondered if it could really be... I had to make sure. I made a beeline back to my apartment and went to go try it out.
Back in my apartment, I locked the door and closed all of the windows. I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but I didn't want any witnesses to see it. This was my balloon and I wasn't going to let anyone see it and take it away from me.
I located the mouth of the balloon and began to blow. It began to inflate all throughout its body, filling out and growing to a much bigger and.... Oh... my... god... It was her! The balloon was blowing out to match the shape and form of an sapphire-blue anthro fox resembling no one other than Krystal!
I recognized her details much easier as it grew larger. I was getting all excited as I pumped more and more air into it until I was standing up again with the full-form fox was standing at about my eye level. I couldn't believe that I was about to have a balloon animal friend that was the exact detail as Krystal herself. Just when I was about to run out of breath, I felt the balloon stop growing and stay level. I then closed its muzzle and stepped back admire my work.
Every detail of Krystal was completely accurate in this balloon form despite the fact that her "fur" was now made of balloon "skin". She was in her primitive form that she had been in in Starfox Adventures, including her brown "leather" clothing in the exact places as they always were. She had five slim, slender fingers with very white nails fused into the tips, her tail was the exact shape and scale as she did in the game, complete with the leather bands in the same places, but her footpaws were slightly different from the ones I had seen in the game. She had four clawed toes on her balloon feet instead of three like I had seen. But then again, her debut version had been a little rough. In Starfox Assault, she looked much better than she did in Starfox Adventures, but almost her whole body had been covered in a blue-and-black leather battle suit, so her "finer" details had been covered up. Still, I could never forget those soft, sea-green eyes. Her face was one that will never leave my mind, so it was an added bonus to see it in real life.
I let the balloon bob in place for a while while holding it up, but then I let it go and it fluttered down to the floor. That was normal balloon behavior, animal or otherwise, so I simply picked it back up and placed it on my couch, sitting down next to it.
"I don't know why that guy left you behind, Krystal," I told it. stroking its glossy shoulder. "But I'll take very good care of you while you're with me."
I decided to show it just how much I cared about her by giving her a small perk on her rubbery nose before turning on the TV and watching whatever was on.
(Author's Note: As of right now, forget everything you know about Krystal's past. I am rebuilding it for this particular story, but only for a while. Remember from the last story that Krystal works for Darkheart, so this will all make sense soon enough.)
While I was watching TV, I suddenly felt the call of nature and hurried off to the bathroom, leaving the balloon to sit on my couch while I was gone. When I got back, though, I stopped before even setting foot in the living room. I could hear something moaning in the next room. I was unsure what I was hearing, but I did hear someone mutter, "Ohh... Where am I? I don't feel like I should. What... what is this place?"
I hurried into the living room and stopped in front of the couch in shock. The Krystal balloon was moving! It was sitting on the couch like a normal person would and was trying to focus into its surroundings. I pinched myself to make sure I was still awake. It hurt very much and my sudden yelp alerted the balloon to my presence.
"Who... who are you? Why do I feel so strange? My fur doesn't feel like I should. What happened to me?"
Seeing her mouth move in the way it did in the game and the matching voice tone told me that this was Krystal's own. I was unsure as to what to do, but I crept forward to get near her anyway.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, sitting down next to her.
"I'm... not sure." Krystal put her paw on her temple and rubbed it for a moment, pausing when she heard it squeaking underneath her touch. She then held her paws in front of her face and flexed her fingers for a moment.
Just then, the expression on her face was that of pure shock when she put her paws over her face and felt her "fur".
"What...?! What happened to me?! What am I?! I... This doesn't make any sense! I'm made of rubber!" She then turned to face me, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please tell me, sir... am I... dead?"
I was unsure as to how to answer this. Would a living, breathing balloon count as being alive or just being an "animate" inanimate object? I knew that she was scared, but I couldn't leave her in the dark.
"No... you're not dead. You're..." I gulped. "A balloon."
"NOOO!!!" wailed Krystal burying her face in her paws. "This can't be! I can't be a balloon! I'm alive! I'm supposed to be on my home planet, but..." She quivered as she took a shuddering breath. "I can't remember anything. I was flying my shuttle through the stars and then... nothing! It's not fair! I don't understand!"
I let her have a few moments to herself before I tried to reassure her. "It's okay, Krystal. I don't know about your old life, but I can help you adapt to your new one."
Krystal looked up at me with watery eyes and sniffled. "You... you would? You don't mind me being a... a freak?"
I smiled and put my hand on her paw. "You're not a freak to me. In fact, you're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It doesn't matter if you're made of rubber; I will take care of you just like I would take care of my sister."
Krystal looked me up and down, tears still streaming from her eyes, but then she smiled and gave me a big hug. I balked when the balloonie suddenly embraced me.
"Thank you! I promise I will not be a burden! I'm just glad that there are still some decent people in the universe."
I hesitated before I slowly lifted my arm and put it around her back. She was all alone in her new life and I was all she had. It was a dream come true to have both a living balloon and Krystal herself in my life. I was so busy trying to comfort her that I completely missed a smug smile under a mischievous look on Krystal's face. But when we separated, all traces of it had vanished. (Author's Note: ...)
Krystal wiped the tears from her eyes with a dull squeak and looked at me. "Thank you for helping me, sir. I'll try my best to get used to this new life."
I smiled and held up my hand. "You don't have to call me "sir". Just call me Rye."
"Rye..." she said, rolling the name around. "I like it. It suits you."
I blushed. "Thank you. No one's ever told me that before."
Krystal smiled. "You shouldn't be ashamed of it. I've never met anyone named "Skyle" before, but I like the sound that the name brings to me."
I sighed. She really was as caring and as concerned as she was in the game series. It must have been really hard for her to wake up in a strange environment made of a completely different material. But I would do whatever it took to make her feel right at home here on earth.
I got up and offered my hand to Krystal. "Would you like something to eat? I bet you're probably starving by now."
Krystal blinked and then smiled, taking my hand and standing up. "Yes. I would like that very much. What do you have to eat?"
I shrugged and walked off towards the kitchen. "Let's see what I can whip up. You can go enjoy yourself for now."
Krystal did so, leaving me alone to browse the fridge to see what I could find to make a balloon fox.
While I was taking out a pot to make some noodles, I heard a small, muffled thump. It sounded like something had just exploded but the force of the explosion had been muffled. I shrugged and returned to filling the pot with water.
And then, I heard it again. It sounded like something had just popped and was muffled by something around it. I couldn't ignore it this time, so I left the water to boil and went to check out the source of the noise. A few more thump sounds were heard before I found what I was looking for.
Krystal was in the spare room with all of my balloons and was taking one at a time and putting it in her mouth. At least it explained where those noises were coming from. Every time she put a balloon in her mouth, she would bite down on the rubber, causing the air to blow out of her muzzle and cause the distinct thump noise. She would then swallow the shredded balloon scraps like it was a piece of candy and then immediately go after another.
"Krystal?" I asked, watching the Balloonie curiously. "What are you doing?"
Krystal gasped, nearly choking on the balloon she had just popped before coughing it back up. She spun around and looked at me with a frightened expression on her face.
"Skyle! I... This... I couldn't... help myself! Please forgive me!"
But I was not mad at all. In fact, I was curious to see a balloon eating another balloon. In a way, it was a form of cannibalism, but I guess balloons had to eat just like the rest of us. Their diets were just a little different than a human's.
"It's okay, Kryst. I actually figured that that's what you wanted to eat."
But Krystal was still surprised to see me sneak up on her. "I don't know what happened! I saw these balloons and they looked so appetizing somehow. I tried one out and it was so delicious that I couldn't stop! I'm so sorry! I knew they were yours, but I couldn't help myself!"
But I chuckled and shook my head. "It's perfectly fine. I've been wanting to do something with these party balloons for some time now. I never thought they would be a meal for another balloon. Go on. I want to see how you do it."
Krystal blinked and looked at the piles of balloons still in the room. "Uh... okay. If you say so..."
She took a green balloon and held it up to her muzzle. She sniffed it for a moment and then looked at me again. I smiled and nodded politely. Krystal took a deep breath and sank her rubbery teeth into the balloon, somehow enabling it to pop and be reduced to tatters. She then sniffed the scraps and stuck her tongue out to taste it. With a quick action of her tongue, she slurped up the balloon, chewed it for a moment and then swallowed it.
Curious, I walked over to her and sat down next to her so that I was facing her front. Even though most of her was a deep sapphire-blue color, I could still see what was going on inside of her. She followed my sight line and looked down at her belly. The green balloon scraps seemed to travel down an invisible path and then stopped at about the same place someone's stomach would be. It then started to dissolve and lose its color until it was reduced to a milky-white liquid. The liquid then spread out throughout her body, traveling along invisible blood vessels until it grew so thin that it vanished completely.
For someone who dabbled in balloons, seeing one digest its food for the first time was a strange experience. It normally took ten hours for a human to digest its food, but Krystal's system had taken less than two minutes to turn solid food into liquid energy.
I had to ask, though. "Where does it all come out?" I didn't mean for this to be an offensive question and Krystal didn't take it like that.
"I guess it goes to the rest of my body to make my skin stronger and more durable. I could feel my skin thicken slightly whenever I ate one of those balloons."
Well, that was one mystery solved. I didn't have to worry about any balloon "waste" appearing in my apartment because she converted it all into pure energy once it was digested.
I got up and helped Krystal get to her feet. She bobbed slightly when she stood up and toyed with her tail nervously.
"You're really nice to me, Skyle. I'll have to do something to pay you back someday."
I was just glad to care for her where no one else would. "It's alright, really. I don't need anything in return. Just the thought that I am spending my life with my ideal woman is all I need in return."
Krystal giggled and gave me a perk on the cheek before leaving the room. I was left standing in pure shock. I had barely met her and she had already given me an "X" and an "O". Could this get any better?!
While I was eating my noodles, I had found a box of disposable rubber gloves that I normally used while cleaning for Krystal. They were of the latex variety and she was more than happy to make a meal out of them. But like the woman that she was, she ate politely while in my presence, chewing her food several times and then pausing in-between bites. I couldn't help but smile at her. She was really someone who knew how to act in the presence of a "gentleman".
While I was eating, I happened to look up at her and spot a ball of white liquid inside of her that had not yet been digested. It looked slightly tube-shaped with a stopper in it, but it was hard to see through the distortion of her body.
"Hey, Krystal?"
"Hmm?" she said, pausing in the middle of her 12th glove.
"What's that?" I gave her a little poke to indicate where the liquid was suspended. "Didn't that digest yet?"
Krystal looked at the spot for a moment and I could have sworn that her eyes went wide for a moment. She did not answer right away, but instead took a moment to clean up her spot.
"Well?"
"It... It's a pocket of liquid that I can use for sudden energy later. I don't know why I didn't notice that, before."
She seemed slightly nervous about this subject, but she stood up and abruptly changed the topic.
"You said you had seen me before, didn't you?"
I blinked but ignored it. If she didn't want to talk about something, I guess I had to respect her wishes.
"Yeah..."
"Where exactly did you see me?"
I stood up and went into the living room to show her my Gamecube and games. I handed her my "Starfox Adventures" and watched as her eyes went wide again.
"This is... this is me! How can this be?"
"That's not all. Look at this one." I dug out my "Starfox Assault" case and traded her for it.
She stared at the cover and then at the group shot on the back with her, Fox, Slippy and Falco posing with their weapons. She took a moment to run her fingers over the case, taking in the details of her in her battle suit. She also put a hand on her belly, running it over her rubbery skin for a moment.
"I... I never knew. I look much different here."
I sighed and put my hand on her shoulder. "There's another Starfox Game out there with you in it, but it has you in pink and your details aren't as good as either of these.
Krystal stared extra-long at the differences between the Starfox Adventures case and the Starfox Assault Case. She seemed to be considering something, but she couldn't be sure.
"Should he be... him... or him?" she muttered under her breath, comparing the cases.
"Krystal?" I asked.
Krystal snapped out of it and shook her head. "Nothing. I was just thinking about my old life."
I took the cases from her and opened the Starfox Adventures case and removed the disc. "If you want, I can show you how you started out in this game. Maybe this will answer some of your questions."
Krystal's expression was blank before she answered me. "Sure. I would like that."
I patted her on the shoulder and fired up the game. It just so happened that I had a game saved at the part in the game where Krystal came into play the most - near the very end. But out of respect for the vixen, I decided to start at the very beginning where Krystal first arrived on Dinosaur Planet.
Krystal watched in awe as I played out the very beginning of the game with her and the Cloudrunner taking on General Scales' airship. She gasped in horror as she watched herself get thrown off the side of the ship but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Cloudrunner catch her and fly off to the Krazoa Palace.
I was "in control" of her as I navigated through the first part of the Krazoa Palace and ultimately ending up getting the first spirit. But when I went to release it, the Balloon Krystal could only watch in horror as something (and I knew what by now) knocked her into the energy stream and locked her in that crystal chamber, thus bringing her up to the machine that the presence had prepared to drain her life energy.
But when the scene shifted to the Great Fox and the Starfox Team, she suddenly started panicking and went up to the TV as if the answers were being taken from her.
"What?! What's going on?! What happened to me?! Who was that?! Skyle!" she whined, looking at me with a pouting expression. "Why did it do that?!"
I held up my hand. "That's the last time you were free until the end of the game. You see that person?" I added as Fox McCloud came into view during the cutscene.
Krystal nodded.
"Well, I play as him for the rest of the game, but here's what happened in a nutshell..."
I went on to explain how the planet was falling apart and how Fox discovers Krystal's staff and uses it with a young Earthwalker Prince to find the four Spellstones and return them to the Force Point Temples. He then realizes that the Spellstones aren't enough and he needs to finish what the Game Krystal started and return all the Krazoa Spirits to the Krazoa Palace as well.
When Fox arrives with the second spirit, he finally meets Krystal, although she was not awake to witness the meeting. He took a moment to admire her (Krystal blushed when I told her this) before Peppy brought him back to his senses and told him to get on with the mission.
Three more times, Fox returns to the Krazoa Palace to drop off three more spirits. Finally, it came to the point where I had had a saved game at the Krazoa Palace where Fox gets the last Spirit to help free Krystal.
I loaded the save slot and went about things as usual. I had done it many times before, but I was doing it special for my friend so that she knew what happened. She watched as Fox "defeated" General Scales only when the presence that had imprisoned her game self intervened and Scales dropped dead in front of him, releasing the final spirit.
When Fox finally released the sixth spirit, the power of all six spirits managed to overload the machine and free Krystal. But she was suspended over a hole and was about to fall to her death when Fox used her own staff to save her at the last second.
But right away, she was not so much worried about her life as she was about Andross', who had possessed a Krazoa statue and took off into the stars. Even though she had the right idea to try and attack it, her accuracy and strength were less than impressive.
I played through the final boss as Krystal watched on, mystified until I finally shot Andross down in flames and the ending cut scene played out. When the scene shifted back to the Great Fox and Fox's victory, she was about to ask what had happened to her when I pointed to the screen. Game Krystal's shuttle arrived and she boarded with the rest of them. The expression on Fox's face was priceless and she could see that she had had an effect on him. She could tell that he had never talked to a woman before and was even blushing when it went to the credits.
I turned off the Gamecube and looked at the Balloonie. "Well, Krystal... What did you think? Does that answer a few questions?"
Krystal looked off in one direction, unsure of what to say. She seemed to be thinking long and hard over what she had just seen. She was silent for the longest time before she shook her head sadly.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember any of that. I could distinctly remember being on my home planet, boarding a shuttle off of it. But I didn't make it far enough before my planet collapsed and I was drawn into that black hole. I can remember a strange crushing feeling... and then my fur felt strange for a moment... and then... I was here. That's it. That's all I can remember."
I sighed and sat down on the floor next to her, rubbing her rubbery body soothingly to comfort her. She had obviously been through a lot, but now she was stranded here, in a form that did not belong to her and with a person she had never met before. I could finally understand what she was feeling and what she had lost in her journey.
Krystal sighed and stood up. "I need some time to myself. May I sleep in your bed tonight?"
I blinked but then shrugged. "Go ahead. You deserve it. Sleep well."
Krystal did not return the thanks but instead went to my room, muttering under her breath all the way. I figured she just needed some time alone to think about what she had seen.
Since it was already past 9:00, I figured it was time for me to turn in as well. I was tired and I was looking forward to seeing Krystal for the second day of her new life. I figured that if she was still around after a good night's sleep, then that would confirm that she was real. I slid my socks and pants off and climbed onto the couch and threw a blanket over me. I was looking forward to tomorrow with great enthusiasm. Right now, I just wanted to sleep.
Meanwhile, Krystal had been waiting until Skyle had fallen asleep before she sighed and shook her head. "I'm glad that's over! I don't know how much longer I could keep up this act. He seems to know what he's doing, but he's doing it all for nothing. When I finally get my maw around him..." She chuckled darkly and licked her chops hungrily. "...we'll see. But still..." She suddenly looked melancholy. "There's just too many unanswered questions here. Why do I look exactly like that game version? How did he know everything about me already? I just... don't get it."
Krystal sighed and rubbed her temples squeakily. For some reason, all these questions were making her head hurt. She knew that she shouldn't have been able to feel pain like normal people did, but every time she thought about what she had seen, her head would hurt and she would draw a complete blank. It was like there was something missing that should have been there. She just didn't understand it. Who was she? Why did she look just like that video game vixen? It just didn't make any sense.
(Author's Note: Is there more to Krystal that what she knows? I'm not saying, but you'd better keep reading!)
Just then, Krystal heard a high-pitched note echoing in her head. She shook her head to try to rid herself of the noise, but when it persisted, she realized what it was.
He was here.
Krystal snuck out of the bedroom and levitated herself off the ground a few inches to keep her squeaking to a minimum. She didn't want to wake Skyle, but she had to answer the door quickly.
Finally reaching the door, she dropped back down to her feet and unlocked the door before pulling it open. Standing in the doorway was the form of her master, creator and fellow Synthetic, Darkheart.
Darkheart was a Synthetic Balloon in the form of a creature called a "Shadow Lugia". He normally took the form of a great bird of darkness, but at the moment, he had shifted his form to that of an anthro version of himself. He stood on two long digitigrade legs and had a pair of arms with five slim, slender, nail-less fingers on each hand. His torso had a large lavender-colored mark on it and he had ten similarly-colored plates on his back. His old wings, though, were not lost. They had simply moved to his shoulders like where a dragon's would be. His tail was long and thick and was tipped with two pointed lavender spikes. Finally, his head and face were unchanged from his true form. Two burning, silver-lined eyes looked out from behind a pair of pointed, dagger-shaped masks that were surrounded by a red mist that was normally white with most people and they were currently looking at Krystal with interest and a calmness that slightly scared her.
(Author's Note: This is just an abbreviated version of Anthro Shadow Lugia's form. You can get a better description in "Dreams Come True 4 and 5". I have to do this twice more in this series, so please forgive my haste and vagueness.)
Darkheart looked one of his creations up and down for a moment before folding his hands together and stepping inside, nudging Krystal to one side with a flick of his wing. He said nothing as he walked through the kitchen to the living room where Skyle slept. He stopped in front of him and stared at him with a frown. He despised these human creatures and was currently putting together a plan to rid the planet of them once and for all.
With Krystal watching in anticipation, Darkheart knelt down and placed his hand on Skyle's forehead, muttering something under his breath. Nothing noticeable happened, but Darkheart stood back up and looked back at Krystal.
"He will not hear us for the rest of the night. I have locked him in the Dream World until 9:00 tomorrow."
Krystal sighed. She felt better now that she didn't have to keep her voice down to talk to her master.
Darkheart went over to Skyle's spare chair and sat down on it, taking a glove from the box Krystal had been eating from that afternoon and tossing the latex into his mouth with a snap. When he was finally satisfied, he leaned forward and folded his hands together.
"So... tell me how it's been going so far."
Casting a quick look at Skyle to make sure he wouldn't hear her, Krystal started to tell her master everything that had happened to her today. She elaborated on the story she had told Skyle to keep him in the dark and even bragged about how she had "pretended" to show interest in his personal life.
All the while, Darkheart listened to her story, drinking in every word she told him. He would occasionally take another glove from the box and chew it while she continued on.
But when Krystal brought up the subject of the video game that she had seen herself on, Darkheart's expression became stone-like.
"You are forbidden to ask me about that, Krystal. Do you understand me?!"
He was projecting some of his psychic anger directly into her, threatening to implode her. Krystal whimpered and answered, "Yes, Master! I won't say a word!"
"Good." Darkheart released his hold on her and watched her gasp for breath. "I have more important things to worry about than trivial matters about your origins."
The sudden attack on her had left Krystal nearly breathless. She knew all too well what he could do with those powers of his and she didn't want to be on the wrong end of them. She tried to catch her breath as Darkheart asked her something important.
"Does he know?"
Krystal took a deep breath and sighed before shaking her head. "No, sir. I haven't proceeded with the plan yet." She braced herself for another attack, but Darkheart did no such thing.
"I understand. You needed a day to get Skyle's trust. But by tomorrow night, I expect results. I will be awaiting your confirmation that the cure has been planted. If you fail to report your status, I will be most displeased."
Krystal bowed. "Yes, sir. But..." She hesitated. "May I ask you one serious question about the mission?"
Darkheart nodded. "You may."
"Not a lot of people are going to like seeing a Synthetic walking around in their plant. Is there some way I can blend in with the rest of them?"
Darkheart thought about this for a while, trying to figure out how to answer this important question. He finally stood up and looked at Krystal.
"Stand still. I have a temporary solution."
Krystal stood as still as a balloon could as Darkheart's eyes glowed a bright red. She suddenly felt weightless as she was lifted a few inches off the ground. Her balloonie body felt as if it was turning hard and crystallizing. She felt tingly all over as she blacked out for a moment and then came to again. When it was all over, Krystal was back on her feet with a strange sensation washing all over her.
"This should do. This will get you inside without too many problems."
Krystal opened her eyes and looked at herself... and nearly screamed! Her rubbery, furry body had been turned into a fleshy, furry body! She now had skin like humans did that was covered in a coat of sapphire-blue and white fur just like her video game self did. She could feel like she was real and upon closer inspection, she felt solid flesh underneath.
"What... is this?"
Darkheart smiled and put his hand on Krystal's shoulder. "This is something that I was working on in event of this situation. Your outer form is that of your counterpart's body, but your insides are still latex-based. You are still immortal, but your internal system can now handle both Synthetic and Organic foods. In other words, you are a Bio-Balloon."
Krystal could hardly believe it. She was "real" in a way and she was about to cry from the pleasure of the feeling.
"But... if you can do this, why do you want to turn the rest of the world into Synthetics?" She immediately clapped a paw to her mouth.
But Darkheart understood her question. "This form is only for those that I believe deserve it. While they are still balloon-like in nature, it's something I thought I'd throw in the mix for those who have earned it. Do not ask why I think this - I cannot explain it with words."
Krystal bowed again. "Yes, Master. I can't wait until Skyle sees it."
Darkheart stepped forward and used his wing to pull Krystal dangerously close to him. He then whispered a warning in her ear. "Do not forget, my dear Krystal. You are still a Synthetic internally. If you do not follow through with my plan, I will detonate you and use your scraps to make a more "loyal" follower."
The vixen gulped. "Yes, Master. You won't be disappointed."
Darkheart released her and added one more thing. "I have left you a small gift in the bedroom for your loyalty. I hope you try it on before Skyle awakens this morning. Until next we meet, I wish you a good night."
Krystal blinked and watched Darkheart walk back to the door and open it. With one more look at her, he left the apartment and vanished before the door closed behind him. She sighed and sat down in the same chair. She knew she had been given a great gift, but she had to use it effectively or Darkheart would destroy her anyway. She was so tired that she fell asleep in the chair without even getting out of it.
While the two had been conversing, a spy had been watching and listening in on their every action. Hovering outside Skyle's apartment, a Balloon Lugia by the name of Rye had been sent by his mate to follow up on a hunch involving the Synthetics. He had heard every word and had even watched Krystal's conversion into a Bio-Balloon. If Darkheart could do that without even trying, then it was just as Sirius had predicted. His powers were growing and something had to be done before things got out of their control.
With a sigh, Rye turned in the air and flew back to his hideout. Sirius was going to be very concerned when she heard this news, but right now, that was all he could do for them.
I woke up at 9:00 on the dot. I couldn't remember the last time that had happened, but the fact that I had slept like a rock made it worth my time and energy. When I got up, I felt nice and refreshed like I had never slept before.
My first task this morning was to find out if yesterday was all for real or if it was all a fake. I had to find Krystal. Thankfully, I did not have to look far; she was sleeping on the chair right next to my couch.
At first, I thought I was still dreaming. There was no way that this could be real! And yet, when I pinched myself to make sure I was still awake, it hurt very much, ruling out the possibility that I was still asleep.
A full-fledged, flesh-and-blood, furred vixen Krystal was fast asleep on my chair just a few feet from where my feet were. She didn't look like she was made of latex at all. In fact, I had to feel it for myself. I sat up and crept closer to the sleeping vixen. I tried not to make any noise, but I couldn't control my shallow breathing. I wanted to feel her just to confirm that she was real.
I was just a few inches away when I saw Krystal's ears twitch and she slowly opened her eyes. I froze in place, dangerously close to touching her furry belly.
The two of us looked at each other for a moment before Krystal smiled and chuckled lightly. "Yeah... It's real. Go ahead and feel."
I paused for a moment before finishing my advance. Sure enough, her fur was soft and warm just like a living animal. I started with a finger stroke and then placed my whole hand on her belly. I couldn't help myself. She was just so soft!
Finally, I got the sense to back off, looking at Krystal in shock. "How is that possible? You were made of rubber last night!"
Krystal smiled and stood up, stretching and yawning. "I guess you could call it a wish come true. I was up late last night and I saw a shooting star. I guess I wished that I was real once again and it came true. But..." She hesitated and looked at her body in disappointment.
"What?"
"I don't feel... complete... somehow. It's like I'm real, but my insides don't feel real. It's like I'm still part-balloon inside of me."
My expression fell slightly but recovered quickly. "That's not so bad. At least you can feel and walk like a normal person now. At least something's better than nothing."
Krystal had been in the process of checking her new body's flexibility by poking her belly when she looked up. "Yeah... I guess it's okay. At least it's a start. But... I still have a big craving for some latex. You... wouldn't mind... would you?"
I smiled and patted her on the back. "Sure. Whatever you want."
I went to my rubber room and dug around in the closet for something special for her. I had an old rubber raincoat hanging in there that I knew would keep her fed for a while. When I brought it out, I showed it to her and watched her lick her chops hungrily.
"That looks good! I can't wait to try it!"
She made a grab for it but halted in mid-grab, her expression falling.
"It's just as I thought. I'm still a balloon inside. It... It's not fair!"
She started to cry, but I came to the rescue. "Relax, Kryst. We'll find something to do about it sometime. Until then, I think I have something you'd like." I handed her the coat and she held it in her paws uncertainly.
I went to one of my cupboards and pulled out a half-loaf of bread. Digging out two slices, I brought them over to her.
"How about a rubber raincoat sandwich? I think your new form lets you have regular food along with latex. Try it out!"
Krystal looked at me for a minute and then handed the coat back to me. "Why don't you do the honors?"
A few snips of a scissors later and I had a nice chunk of the raincoat cut out and slapped between the two slices of bread. I figured that it was going to a good cause, so waste not, want not. Krystal took it in-between her paws and sniffed it before taking a test bite. Both rubber and bread were consumed easily and she chewed it for a moment before swallowing.
A moment's pause and then...
"This isn't so bad! It's been so long since I've tasted real food. And the latex still tastes as delicious as ever. Thank you, Skyle."
I blushed and nervously scratched my head. "Anything for a friend."
Krystal went into the rubber sandwich like she hadn't eaten in days and before long, she was picking crumbs off of her muzzle. "That was good! I can't wait to try more!"
I smiled and went to my kitchen to see what else I could make for her. "I'll whip you up something special. I'm pretty good in the kitchen."
Krystal smiled in return and went to my room. "I'll just be in here while I wait."
I nodded and went about preparing her a nice Bio-Balloon meal.
(Author's Note: He called her that on a hunch. He has no idea that that's what Darkheart actually called her.)
While Skyle prepared her a proper breakfast, Krystal had gone to his room to check on the "special gift" that Darkheart had given her. She was looking forward to what her master had made for her.
When she got there, she found a treat lying on Skyle's bed. It was a full-sized replica of the battle suit that her digital counterpart had been wearing in "Starfox Assault". It was covered in what looked like treated leather and rubber. And while this piece was not as appetizing as any other rubber items, she knew that this was just for looks. It must have been part of his plan, so she decided to try it on.
Unstrapping what little clothes she had on, she blushed once she was fully undressed. She felt embarrassed. She hadn't been in the nude for quite some time, but she still chuckled when she saw what was underneath.
Trying not to look at herself, Krystal unzipped the back of the battle outfit and slipped a leg into it. It was a rather nice and snug fit. It felt like she was putting on a suit made of her fellow Synthetics. It was nice and warm and it fit her exactly right so that it wasn't sagging in any places.
She then slipped her arms into their sleeves and pulled her paws into their full sockets, fitting her fingers around the leather strap that held the sleeves in place via her palms. There was even a nice little hole for her furry tail to fit through.
Once she was all dressed, Krystal reached behind her back and pulled the zipper all the way up. The collar wrapped all the way around her neck and she felt her body fit into the built-in bra. She then hooked the two metal belts together that came attached to her waist and stood up to look at herself in the mirror.
She didn't look half-bad. She looked more like a warrior than anything else. It made her feel lithe and lovely. She could grow to like this in time. She also figured out why Darkheart had sent her this suit in the first place. Other than making a decent fashion statement, this suit would help her disguise herself when she finally infiltrated the water treatment center to dump the cure for her master.
After posing for herself, she left the room to see what Skyle would think.
I was putting the finishing touches on Krystal's first breakfast as a Bio-Balloon: pancakes with rubber cement instead of syrup. Yummy! Well... maybe for her. I was just setting the table when she came out to eat.
Oh... Oh! Oh! Oh! Hommina! Hommina-hommina-hommina-hommina-hommina! Someone please kill me, for I am not worthy of this sight! I swear I was finally dead and gone to a place better than Heaven!
A perfect match to the Krystal on "Starfox Assault" had just walked out to stand in the doorway to the kitchen, complete with her suit and everything that came with it. Not even the Gamecube version could compare to this much detail!
"K... K... Krystal?!?!" I could hardly believe what I was seeing! I was not worthy to see such a magnificent fox!
Krystal looked herself over like there was something on her suit. "What? Too tacky?"
I muttered to myself and shook my head rapidly. "N-N-N-No! Not at all! I just think... you're... you're..." I gulped and finally spit it out. But what came out was not what I had intended. "Booty-ful!"
I wish I could have died on the spot. I couldn't believe what I had just said! I... I...
However, Krystal seemed to understand. She walked up to me and wrapped her tail around my waist. With a smirk, she put a paw on my cheek and turned my head to look at her.
"I figured you would be overwhelmed, so here's something to think about."
Without hesitating she planted her muzzle directly on my lips, holding it there to give me a nice, long kiss. I could hardly believe my luck! I had just scored a kiss from a creature that wasn't supposed to exist and yet is more beautiful than the gods themselves. I WAS NOT WORTHY!!!
The kiss continued for about ten long, pleasurable seconds before she finally detached from me and went to eat her pancakes.
I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. My nerves were shot and I was about to collapse on the spot. I had just been given a kiss by the most beautiful woman in my life and I was going to crash and burn here and now.
Outside the apartment window, Darkheart was getting annoyed with Skyle's shaking and sweating. Krystal was never going to get anywhere if he didn't get a grip on himself, he was going to be late for work and Krystal was going to miss her deadline.
So against his better judgment, he targeted Skyle with his mind and sent a psychic wave at him to get him to snap out of it. He did not understand what made human males so susceptible to a woman's charm. He figured it would all iron out in the end.
Finally, I seemed to get my emotions under control. It was as if some divine intervention had allowed me to get my head on straight. I realized that Krystal was beautiful, but I couldn't let that go to my head. She was my friend and I had to respect that.
I watched Krystal eat her pancakes in silence, taking note of her expression when she tasted the rubber cement. At least I knew she still liked her sticky sweets. When she was done eating, she pushed the plate in front of her and patted her lithe belly.
"That was good, dear. I really enjoyed it."
I nodded. "Thanks, Kryst. I was glad to make it." I put the plate in the sink and cleaned up after her.
She then asked me an important question. "Can I come with you to work?"
I froze and looked at the clock. It was nearly 10:00. I had a half-hour to get ready for work! If I didn't get a move on, I was going to be late!
"Yeah, alright. I just need to get a move on! Could you get me something to drink so that I can grab something when I get out?"
Krystal nodded and smiled at me. "No problem. I'll make you some nice hot chocolate."
"Thanks, love." I then went to take a shower and get ready to go to work.
While Skyle was getting ready to go to work, Krystal got up and got a cup of water to boil in the microwave. She then measured out enough of the chocolate mix to make it especially chocolaty. She didn't want to disappoint him when she was so close.
But while Skyle was in the shower, Krystal decided to go ahead with her plan ahead of schedule. She knew that her new form would not be as suited to converting Skyle's body into what she wanted, so she had to soften him up a little.
Standing over Skyle's hot chocolate, she worked up her balloon-like insides to draw from the vial that Darkheart had stored away inside of her before her mission had started. This was the perfect time to try out his new mixture. Her insides gurgled a little as she forced some of the liquid up her throat and into her mouth.
To the naked, eye, it looked like she was vomiting in his drink, but what she was actually doing was drawing some of the "cure" from the vial in her belly and pouring it into his chocolate. The liquid contained a pure latex mixture that was supposed to liquefy a human's insides and make him or her more susceptible to when it was finally converted.
Krystal wiped her muzzle with her sleeve and used a spoon to stir the liquid into Skyle's hot chocolate. She couldn't help containing a small chuckle to herself. He wouldn't taste a thing, but his body would hopefully react to it before too long. Then to cover her tracks, she went into the fridge and pulled out the ingredients to make him a bologna sandwich with cheese just how he liked it.
When she was all done, she sat patiently in the living room, waiting for Skyle to come out of the shower.
When I was finally squeaky clean, I put on some new clothes and finished getting ready for work. When I was done, I came out to find Krystal sitting on the couch, a fresh, hot cup of hot chocolate and a bologna and cheese sandwich waiting for me on the table in the kitchen. I smiled and grabbed a bag to put the sandwich in.
"Krystal... you didn't have to go this far."
Krystal shrugged. "I guess that's how I am - always giving."
I nodded and took a drink of the chocolate. It had cooled off just enough that I wouldn't end up burning my tongue. What's more, it tasted slightly better than it was supposed to somehow. I chuckled and looked at Krystal without saying a word. It was something about a woman's touch that always seemed to bring out the true flavor in something.
Krystal did not take her eyes off of me as I downed the entire cup in just three long draws. When I put the cup in the sink, I missed a small smirk stretching across her muzzle.
"Well, love..." I said, grabbing my things. "Shall we?"
Krystal nodded and followed me out of the apartment.
When I finally got to work, I went about things as usual. I checked the water sanity level, tested the mineral level of the purified water and everything else that I normally did. Krystal simply followed me around, not saying much and doing as she was told whenever I needed her help.
Speaking of Krystal, she was getting a fairly decent amount of stares and glances in her direction. The men working here had all taken their girlfriends to work at one point or another and I guess it was just my turn this time. They would often become so distracted by watching her watching me that they would occasionally trip over themselves or run into each other in the hallways. My female co-workers all had the same expression on their faces: jealousy. Not a single one of them could compare to her in looks and beauty and they knew it. They would give her looks of loathing that Krystal seemed to tune out after a while. Some of the employees also seemed to be trying to decide whether to stare at her or call Animal Control. She was just that beautiful and unusual.
I can't remember when work had ever been so quiet. Every time Krystal and I entered a room, the volume would suddenly drop and be replaced by an uncomfortable silence. I figured that they were all as awestruck as I was when I first saw her in her blue battle suit. It would eventually pass and they would be chatting away without a single worry.
Krystal, meanwhile, was on her best behavior. She ignored all of the funny looks she was getting and was always willing to help me out by handing me a tool that I needed or would help me confirm a reading on a valve that I would ask her to examine. And even though her nose was more sensitive than mine, not once did she complain about the smell. I guess as a Balloonie, she can choose when her senses wanted to work. We were working together like a well-oiled machine and I was getting my work done much faster than even on a good day.
Finally, there was just one more area I had to check - the water output room. It was the last stop on my route throughout the plant and thanks to Krystal, I was an hour ahead of schedule. I noticed for the first time that Krystal was growing nervous and excited. The instant I had used my keycard to gain access to the room, she had suddenly started bouncing on her heels and going a little haywire in her mutterings.
"What's eating you?" I asked when I closed and locked the door behind us. "I've never seen you so jittery."
"I guess it's the heat of the moment." That was all she said. I didn't understand it, but she refused to say anything more. I shrugged and went around the corner to do a few tests to check the water cleanliness, leaving Krystal by herself, looking over the sides of the railing at the treated water down below.
While I was taking my final notes for the day, I suddenly felt a little ill. My stomach was acting up and making noises similar to someone with diarrhea. But I didn't feel like I had to go to the bathroom. It was more like my insides were turning into jelly. I felt violently sick and quickly threw up my lunch into a garbage can. Everything I had eaten that day, including the hot chocolate came up and I dropped to my hands and knees, gagging and gasping for air. I could not understand why I was so sick, but right now, I just needed a little air.
But what I walked into seemed to cast doubts on what was really wrong with me.
I had just run into Krystal in the middle of dumping a large container full of milky-white liquid into the treated water. She had just emptied one whole beaker and was ready to take a second one from a second figure that appeared out of nowhere.
Unlike Krystal's current state, her "friend" was sill in its balloon-based state. But it was rather hard to tell because its shadowy-violet body was almost completely solid. (Author's Note: Long story short, it's Darkheart in his anthro form!) I thought I was hallucinating, but when the humanoid balloon looked at me, I could have sworn that Death itself was looking at me.
"Krystal, what...? What's this? What are you doing? Who is this?" I was so weak and shocked that I could barely get above a whisper.
The second creature looked at me with piercing sliver-lined eyes for a moment. Then before I could react, it made a twisting motion with its wrist and I keeled over forwards, my mind completely blank and unconscious.
Krystal couldn't help herself. She had let out a small, almost inaudible gasp when Skyle's eyes suddenly rolled up in his head and he fell to the ground. She knew that Darkheart would know how she felt towards him and it could be her invitation to death.
Darkheart sighed once Skyle was unconscious and then turned to look at Krystal. "Do not tell me that you have developed feelings for this human fleshie?"
Krystal continued to stare at Skyle before she snapped out of it. "Of course not! I answer to you and no one else! How could you think that?"
An unseen nerve in Darkheart's temple twitched at this last comment but he said nothing to retaliate. "Then you won't mind if you convert him right in front of me, will you?"
Krystal looked like she had seen a ghost. She looked at Skyle's spread-eagled form in shock and then back at her master.
"But... why?"
Darkheart frowned at her. "Do you not remember what you swore to do when I brought you into this life? You swore your loyalty to me and I expect loyal followers to follow my every command. Do it."
Krystal looked at Skyle again and her courage failed. She just didn't have the heart to do what her master wanted to the only person who had shown her true kindness.
"I... I won't."
Darkheart's temper was rising. "What did you say?" His voice was dangerously calm.
"I won't do it! He's been the only one who's ever treated me better than you have! He understands me and treats me with kindness and understanding! I won't swallow him and you can't make me!"
Darkheart's look could have split steel. He was literally swelling up with rage. His rubbery body was growing in size and his form was changing from his anthro one to his true one. Within 30 seconds, he was more than double his original size and in his true bird-like form. Krystal trembled with fear and seemed to deflate slightly, even though she was still in her Bio-Balloon form.
"How dare you disobey my direct orders! Perhaps you've forgotten who it was that brought you into this world and gave you this form! Well, let's see if I can jog your memory!"
Darkheart's eyes flashed and Krystal suddenly felt numb all over. When she looked at herself, she was shocked to see that he had transformed her back into her balloon form. Her fur had disappeared, leaving only a flat color where it all was. Her body suit had vanished, too, along with what little clothes she had started with, leaving the frightened vixen naked and vulnerable in the wake of her frightening master.
Then to add injury to insult, Darkheart spread his wings wide and looked directly at Krystal with burning eyes. She suddenly felt like she was choking. It was strange to see a balloon unable to breathe even though it was full of air. She put her rubbery paws to her neck and tried to pull the invisible noose from around her throat. Also, to make matters worse, the air that was already inside of her began to burn and sting, torturing her from the inside. It was agony unlike anything she had ever felt before. She was dying and Darkheart was showing little if any mercy.
Just when it felt like she was going to burst from the pain... it stopped. Krystal dropped to her hands and knees, gasping for breath and hurting all over from Darkheart's attack. She couldn't help herself anymore. Tears began to appear in her eyes and she wept freely, not caring if her master saw her crying.
Darkheart, meanwhile, had lowered his wings and was now looking down at the weeping balloon. He had absolutely no remorse for what he had just done and proved it by giving a sinister smirk across his beak.
"Do you understand it now, Krystal? I brought you into this world and I am the only one who can take you out. You are full of my breath and therefore, you belong to me. You seem to forget the most important rule of Synthetics: Only the one who first breathed life into a Synthetic can fully destroy it. Since you are under my power, I can destroy you without getting my wings dirty. You have no power over me, my dear vixen. If you wish to survive in this world, you would do well to follow my orders. Now..." He put a "feather" under her chin to get her to look at him. "Who do you serve?"
Krystal continued to sob, liquid latex tears dripping at her paws. "I serve Darkheart. You are my master. I serve no other." She had said this in a toneless voice, as if she was being manipulated to say it.
Darkheart grinned. "Good. Now... finish your mission. Consume the human and convert him for your master."
Krystal knew that she had no choice. She had to do it or else Darkheart would kill both her and Skyle. At least she could give him a new life as a Synthetic. She couldn't keep him in his human form, but she knew just the form to give him. Darkheart had no say in the matter, regardless of what he said. It was the last good deed that she could do for her first true love.
Krystal slowly got to her feet, walking slowly over to Skyle's unconscious body. She could not believe that she was going to betray a friend, but she knew that the alternative choice was much more dreadful.
Sitting down on the floor in front of Skyle, she picked him up and looked at him for a moment. Only two words escaped her lips - "I'm sorry." - before they opened wide and she stuffed him inside.
He tasted wonderful, but Krystal forced herself to hate it. She was consuming her best friend in front of her cold-hearted master and she felt absolutely rotten for it. She would never get his taste out of her mouth, no matter how long it took. It was just part of her shame for this cold-blooded act.
As Krystal stuffed more and more of Skyle's body into her mouth, she felt him sliding down her throat that had been created after consuming all of that latex in her short relationship with him. Not only that, but an entire digestive system had formed from the pounds of rubber she had consumed. Skyle would be coming to rest inside her stomach, which functioned slightly different that a human stomach.
As Skyle's feet disappeared into her muzzle, her jaw returned to normal and she felt him slide all the way into her stomach. At least he would not be witness to what was going to happen to him. That thought gave her some slight comfort in what she had just done.
Most unfortunately, Darkheart heard this particular thought loud and clear. "Now, why should he miss out on the biggest change of his life? I think he should experience this for himself."
Krystal suddenly looked horrorstruck. "No... Please, master. Let him die in peace. I can't stand to bear the thought of him suffering inside me. Don't do this."
But she might as well have begged the sun to stop shining for all the sympathy she got. Darkheart shook his head and sighed.
"You brought this on yourself, Krystal. You should have consumed him without arguing the point. Now you will have the honor of listening to his final words as he dissolves inside your gut."
Krystal's tears started to flow again. She was blinded by such injustice and unfairness that she couldn't keep her face straight. She could only watch as Darkheart gave his tail a quick flick and she felt Skyle awaken deep inside her.
Before Skyle fully came to, Darkheart shifted back to his anthro form and smiled mischievously. "Turn him into something worthwhile. I look forward to seeing the two of you serving me in the near future." He then spread his wings wide, causing them to grow in size until they were able to fully cover him. Once he covered himself with his wings, he glowed a bright blue before disappearing from the room altogether, leaving Krystal alone in the room with the dying Skyle.
I did not recognize my surroundings when I finally woke up. I was curled up in a small space and it smelled strongly of latex in here. Not only that, but there was a gross liquid splashing all over me in this confined space.
I tried to move, but I couldn't break out of the chamber. I was unsure what to do but I suddenly panicked when I saw that I was surrounded by a familiar blue color.
"What...?! Where...?! Where am I?! What happened to me?! Krystal!!! Where are you?!"
To my enormous surprise, I heard her all around me. "I... I'm here... my love... I'm here for you." It sounded like she was crying.
"Krystal! Where am I? What were you doing out there. And... who was that next to you? Please tell me, Krystal! I'm scared in here!"
Krystal took a deep breath and spilled it all. "I ate you, Skyle. You are inside my belly. You are going to dissolve into living latex in just few minutes." Without waiting for me to respond, she continued. "That was my master, Darkheart the Shadow Lugia Synthetic. I was pouring a chemical called "Latex Lore" into the water. It's all part of his plan to turn the country into Balloonies like me. I didn't mean for this to happen, Skyle! I can't tell you how sorry I am! Please forgive me!"
I could live with the tainting of the water supply; it would probably clear out before it his the nation's water supply. But the fact that Krystal had eaten me and I was going to dissolve was unspeakable!
"Why did you do that, Kryst?! I thought there was something between us! I don't want to die in here! I don't want to turn into liquid rubber! Please get me out of here!"
Krystal let out a wail of sorrow and rubbed her belly to try and try and make me more comfortable. "I'm so sorry, my love! I had no choice! I had to eat you or Darkheart would have killed me!"
This didn't make any sense. "You sacrificed me for you?! How could you?!?! I thought we would sacrifice ourselves for each other, not the other way around!"
Krystal patted her belly, causing the liquid around me to splash on me. It tasted like rubber cement and I spit it out and gagged on it. "Please listen to me, Skyle. I can't save you now, but listen to me before you speak."
I sighed and crossed my arms in frustration. "This had better be good!"
Krystal whimpered and took a slow breath before she started speaking again. "In a way, you are dying, but your human body is simply dissolving into a special rubber material. Your mind and soul will still be alive, but they won't function in this life anymore. Once you have been fully converted, I can bring you back to life from your fluids, but..." She broke off.
"But? But what?!"
Krystal whimpered again. "You will be a balloon like me."
The shock of what she had just said made yelling and screaming completely pointless. I simply sighed and tried to keep my legs out of the goo that was splashing around my death chamber.
"It's really not that bad, Skyle. You will be completely immortal like me. You will be able to manipulate your body into different forms. Even though your body won't be human, I can turn you into something that will make the two of us more... "compatible", so to speak."
"And what might that be?" I couldn't see how the two of us could be "compatible" if I wasn't a human balloon.
"I can turn you into an anthro fox just like me. We can live out our lives together, even though Darkheart will control us. The fact that we will be together will be much more bearable than serving Darkheart alone. Do you understand, my love?"
I thought about this for a moment. She had a point. I could no longer escape my fate, but if I was going to be a fox just like Krystal, I was just fine with that. I could feel my legs going numb from rubbery goo that was consuming me. I watched them lose their color and become a thin, milky-white liquid. I was being "converted" and there was nothing I could do about it.
"I understand, my love. I may not be able to escape this, but the fact that I'll be spending eternity with you makes me feel much more confident."
From up above me, Krystal smiled and slowly rubbed her belly. "Thank you, Skyle. I knew you would understand. I'm sorry that this had to happen, but at least we'll be together now."
My legs were gone and now my torso was starting to liquefy. "You're very welcome. Now if only this would hurry up, then we could get on with it. Besides, Death this way doesn't seem so bad."
Krystal chuckled hopefully and finally stood up. "Well then, let's speed up the process, shall we?"
I nodded. "Go for it. I'm ready for this."
Krystal nodded and started bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, sending my "bodily fluids" splashing all over the rest of me. In a way, it felt like I was getting a bath, but I was pretty sure that normal baths did not end with you dissolving in the end. By now, my arms and torso had both been reduced to rubbery goo, leaving just my head and neck soaking in myself.
Krystal stopped bouncing and looked down at her belly. "Skyle...?"
"Yes?" I said, my vision starting to fail.
"I... I love you."
I smiled at her comment. She had said it and she really meant it! Finally, my human life felt like it was well worth living. I sighed as my vision went black.
"I love you, too. See you on the other side!"
And with one more bounce, the goo had completely consumed me, removing my human existence from this world. I had a few moments to bask in the glory that Krystal really loved me before everything went black and I knew no more in this life.
Krystal closed her eyes and gave her now-bloated belly a soft pat. "Sleep tight, my love. I'll make sure we meet again somewhere nice." She knew that Skyle could no longer hear her, but it made her feel confident that she had done Good by making Skyle's last moments worth living to their fullest.
Now all she had to do was find a way out of here without being seen. She no longer had her Bio-Balloon advantage and people were likely to ask questions if they saw a balloon with a liquid-filled belly walking through their facility.
But try as she might, she could not find a rational way of escaping this room undetected. The door was locked via key card and Skyle had been wearing it when he had gone in. There was no way to escape through the now-tainted water, either. The vixen had a good ten gallons of human latex inside of her and she couldn't afford to waste a single drop trying to squeeze through the pipes. She was really at an impasse.
But just as she was about to give up hope, Krystal smelled something that reminded her of vanilla. She hadn't smelled it in a while, but it was awfully familiar.
She turned around and suddenly, it all made sense.
"Hello, Seryn."
One of Darkheart's fellow Balloonie henchbeasts and Krystal's close friend, Seryn the Balloon Flammie, was standing in front on the door to the rest of the facility. She was unlike any other balloon Krystal had seen so far. Instead of taut, rubbery skin, Seryn's body was covered in a glossy, liquid-like "fur" that felt like she was made of water. She was a strange creation and Krystal could not understand how Darkheart could have created a Synthetic like this.
Thankfully, Seryn and Krystal were on the same page and both believed that Darkheart was a cold-hearted mastermind.
"Need some help, Kryst?" said Seryn, offering her paw to her. "Darkheart sent me to get you out of here."
Krystal nodded. "I do, actually. But... you're not going to report me to him, are you?"
Seryn blew a modified raspberry in mock annoyance. "You know I would never do that. You're lucky that he chose me instead of that tightwad Shannon."
Krystal nodded. "She wouldn't have given me any space. I'm glad he chose you. So, shall we get out of here?"
Seryn nodded and the Krystal turned around to press her back against Seryn's front. Seryn wrapped her front paws around her and whispered in her ear. "Hold on; this might be a little strange."
Krystal smiled and Seryn repeated the method Darkheart had used to disappear, but with all four wings. Krystal suddenly felt weightless and empty for a moment before she felt solid earth under her footpaws once again.
The two of them separated and Krystal saw that they had teleported to a forest clearing just outside of town.
"Thanks, Seryn. I owe you one."
Seryn nodded and spun around in place before her body seemed to collapse into a small wormhole with a little POP! She had probably gone back to Darkheart to tell him she had completed her task. This gave Krystal about a two-hour window before Darkheart would be wondering where she was. It was just enough time to rebirth Skyle and get everything ironed out before she had to report back to him.
Not wasting any time, Krystal shook her belly a few times, listening to the liquid sloshing around inside of her. She took a deep breath in through her nose and then out through her stomach, reducing the amount of air in her belly and forcing some of Skyle's fluids up through her throat. Like what she had done in his apartment, she "vomited" into her mouth and coated her tongue with the liquid. Mixing it with some of her own saliva to create a binding agent, Krystal pursed her lips and began to blow.
At first, it simply looked like she was blowing a bubble from bubble gum, but this bubble began to grow and grow, far exceeding any regular bubble that any human could blow. Krystal kept up a constant supply of liquid into her mouth, adding to the bubble's size and thickness. It took about 20 minutes to fully empty her belly, but Krystal finally managed to produce a 10-foot-diameter creation that looked just like a massive milk bubble.
Once she had fully expended her fluids, Krystal bit down on the end that was still in her mouth, following up with a little dancing of her tongue and then another bite. She then took the nozzle of the balloon in her fingers and pulled it out of her mouth. She was only half as tall in physical size as her creation.
Now that she had something to work with, Krystal had to figure out what she was going to turn this balloon into. She knew what animal she was going to make it; that part spoke for itself. But she had to get the image right in her head, otherwise it would come out wrong and she would have to start over again.
A few minutes later, she thought she had the right picture. She opened her mouth to blow again... and stopped. For some reason, that form wasn't quite what she was looking for. It just didn't seem... appropriate. Skyle had given his life to be reborn in style. And since she was not one to disappoint, she figured she might as well give him his wish.
With a new picture in her mind, Krystal took a deep breath and began to blow into the bubble again. But this time, she was not breathing air into it. This time, she was breathing life and definition into it. It began to take shape and form, still colored a milky-white. But once it had shrunk to her appropriate requirements, it began to change color.
However, unlike the fox form that Krystal had promised Skyle, this one was more draconic than anything else. It turned a deep, jet-black with various points of crimson dotted around it. It took the form of a handsome yet dark anthro dragon that could have rivaled Darkheart in terms of a threatening appearance.
When she had finally breathed every last bit of definition into the new dragon balloonie, she took the stopper out of her mouth and pushed it into the back of Skyle's new throat. After taking a moment to admire her handiwork, she gave the new dragon a firm, wet kiss, injecting Skyle's mind and soul into the form to complete the conversion.
The next thing I knew, I was taking my first breath as a Balloonie, but what I first saw was not what I had expected.
I was not in the form of a fox at all. Instead, I had the form of a lean, muscular black dragon. I stood on a pair of digitigrade feet with three "sharp" crimson-red talons on each on. It was a little different to change from plantigrade to digitigrade, but I figured I would get used to it. All the way down my front was a series of crimson plates like a dragon's chest.
My arms were thick, lean and muscular and there was a series of red stripes running along the tops of them all the way to my five-crimson-clawed hands. I put one of those hands up to my face and felt a pointed draconic muzzle that made up my face with two pointed ears sticking out of the back of my head. I also had a "pre-molded" crop of crimson hair like a dragon's mane. The hair wasn't detail, but I knew that it was there, so I left it alone.
Blowing out of my backside was a long, thick, black tail with a series of similar crimson stripes all the way to the tip. But the main event was the pair of thick, black wings growing out of my back. They looked bat-like in appearance and I found that I could furl them and unfurl them by letting air in and out of them.
When I was finally done, I spotted Krystal and looked at her, my face full of confusion. Only one word escaped my muzzle: "Why?"
Krystal smiled and gave me a squeaky hug, our bodies making music as they rubbed against each other. "I have my reasons. Let's just leave it at that."
Even after what she did to me, I still trusted her more than I trusted myself. If she had a reason for turning me into a rubber dragon, I had to trust her judgment and go along with it.
Listening to the noises our rubbing bodies were making, I whispered in her ear, "I guess the squeaking will never stop, will it?"
Krystal chuckled and put a paw on the side of my face. "No. We'll be making music forever. I guess you get used to it after a while, huh, Vexx?"
"Vexx? But... I thought... I was..." For the life of me, I could not remember my birth name. It was like it had died back when I did. I suppose it made sense now. I had been given a new life and therefore, I deserved a new name.
"Yeah... Vexx... Say, Krystal..."
"Hmm?"
"I've got these new wings." I indicated them. "Would you like to go for a little flight?"
Krystal couldn't have looked more pleased. "Sure, why not? Let's enjoy our last free hour together. Take me away, my noble dragon."
I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her front. "Hold on. This might get a little bumpy."
Krystal said nothing as I flapped my wings and gained altitude faster than a bird could on a windy day. I was going to enjoy my freedom with Krystal before I had to go back to Darkheart with every ounce of my being. This was something that I wanted to embrace for myself before I went back to reality. Krystal had given me a new life and I planned on taking in every wonder that it had to offer.
From their hideout, Darkheart was alone with Seryn and Shannon. He had just been informed of Krystal's whereabouts and was savoring his latest victory. He was sitting in silence, his wings fully extended to help him meditate. The Flammie and the skunkie said nothing as they awaited their master's next orders.
Darkheart said nothing for the longest time. He was deep in thought and no one dared disturb him. Finally, he folded his wings in but did not open his eyes.
"The cure has been delivered. Now we need the means to distribute it. Shannon..." The skunk stood bolt up-right.
"Sir?"
"You are to find out where the device is headed and intercept it before it can be passed on. Your mission takes place far from here on the other side of the country. Find the device and bring it to me. You have your orders."
Shannon nodded and left the hideout without a word. Out of the three of them, Shannon the Synthetic Skunk was the most loyal to Darkheart and she intended to prove it. Already, she knew just who she wanted to help her get to her master's goal. She would show Krystal and Seryn just who was the superior Synthetic here. They were too soft at heart and tended to mess up. But with Shannon's determination, she was going to be the one to help her master triumph over the fleshies.
It was just a matter of time...
To be continued...