FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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I zoomed the car around and through the blocks as I lay on my tummy, kicking my legs in the air. "Nyoom! Screech! Vroom! Pew Pew!"

It was kind of like Grand Theft Auto. Kind of. I blamed the fact that Daddy hadn't plugged my games console in to charge last night after I'd 'fallen asleep with it on my face', which was a complete and total lie, for why I was kind of playing with my blocks and a few toy cars.

Suzy was still on the phone, negotiating contracts with her replacements, and Archax was packing. I could get used to this not having responsibilities.

"Mo-- er, Suzy? Can I watch some television?"

"What's that? Umm, oh, yeah, the dragon's big cub," Suzy said into her phone, distracted. "Cutie, but a handful. Yeah, I know, griffons are the same... uh, it's fine by me, but, well I guess your daddy did leave you in my charge," she said, turning to me. "You know how to turn it on, I guess? Nothing daddy would not approve of. I'm trusting you, okay sweetie?"

"Thanks mo-- er, Suzy!" I said, rolling over and turning the television on. I stuck my bottle in my mouth again, water wasn't so tasty but I was a bit thirsty. It was hard work zooming cars across the mat.

I lay on my back, flicking through the channels happily, as the house around me almost buzzed with urgency. Before long, the bottle was empty. I pulled it out, stared at it, then burped.

"Pardon you," chuckled Archax. "At least I can take that bottle now," he said, as he loomed overhead. He took it from me, apologizing as I reached up for it. "Sorry, little one, I need to pack it if you're to have a bottle for the trip." He dropped the mostly non-descript diaper-bag next to my head then disappeared into the kitchen. He reappeared a moment later with the bottle in his claw, the clear plastic top fastened securely on the top. He flipped open the diaper-bag, then just dropped the bottle in.

"Wha'?" I asked, blinking.

"Ahh, you thought you were the only little magic user in this house, hmm? Go on, have a look."

I tilted my head at him as I lay on my back on the floor, then I rolled over and sat up, crinkling, as I peered into the diaper-bag. Something did look a little... odd. I peered closer, and suddenly felt the world twisting around me as I fell.

A swift claw around my tummy caught me before I was sucked all the way in, and then I was being lifted into the air and hugged by a belly-laughing dragon.

"I know we need to pack a lot for a diaper-butt like you, but we don't need to pack the entire pet, hmm?"

"What the hell was that?" I exclaimed, puffing my lips out with an exhale as my racing heart slowly calmed itself.

"Language, little one. And it is a diaper-bag of holding, a relatively minor -- for one such as myself -- spell that is going to make our lives a lot easier in the Realm. It was difficult to cast it this side of the Rift, but packing that side would have been so much more difficult."

He lay me down on my back, then continued speaking as he unsnapped my onesie and set to changing my already-soggy diapers right there on my playmat.

"It is quite capable of holding a good number of the diapers you will require, but I have also packed several changes of clothes and all your plastic pants and cloth diapers just in case, a new pack of wipes, the talc, rash cream, diaper cream and now your bottle."

"Uh, did you remember to leave some clothes for him?" called Suzy, I and Archax both looked over at her. I sucked my thumb idly as the dragon paused momentarily in changing me.

"Unless I got a bit overzealous in the rush, his clothes are on his bed. How about for you?" He asked, both of them oblivious as my bare bottom was hoisted up for all the world to see.

"Umm, I'd prefer to make a stop at my place for some gear, if you don't mind? Or I can hop on the bus? Shouldn't take more than an hour to get home, pack and get back." She put the phone down as she read one final text and sent a reply. "I can go right now, I've got everyone covered for... well, a while. Might have trouble getting some of my clients back if we're gone long enough." Suzy chuckled ruefully.

Archax looked rueful. "I did not intend to worsen your monetary status, Miss Suzy. If you--"

"Ohhh no," Suzy interrupted, holding up a finger. "You're not getting out of taking me that easily. Don't worry, I can smooth this all over afterwards, I'm sure. They're good guys. It's a pretty tight knit group that deals with Newcomer requirements, you don't get on well in it if you aren't willing to lend a hand."

"That is good to hear," Archax said slowly, smoothing over the creases of my diaper as he pulled it tight around my midsection. He looked up at her, his brow furrowing slightly in continued worry, "If there is any trouble though..."

Suzy strode past, giving Archax a punch on the side on her way to the door. "I'll let you know, okay, big guy? See you soon, Champ," she said to me. I took my thumb out of my mouth and waved, then stuck it back in.

"We were extremely lucky to find her, you know," the red dragon said thoughtfully as the front door shut. I just nodded dumbly as he pulled my onesie on.

"Try to keep these dry for a while, when Suzy gets back we have some travelling to do. For now though, we must pack everything else you might need. You'll need your toothbrush for starters, so up you go! Fetch it for me!" He picked me up from the ground, dry pampers snug on my hips, then set me down and patted my backside as he pushed me towards the stairs. "Brush them whilst you're at it! You should have brushed them last night, but you were very tired."

I waddled towards the stairs then paused thoughtfully and looked back over my shoulder. "Are we packing lots of things for the trip? Can... may I take my console?"

Archax rumbled to himself for a moment, considering my request. Finally he nodded, although a little reluctantly. "You may, although I cannot guarantee it will last the whole time and if we are robbed it will most likely never be found, though seldom indeed has it been that anyone robs a dragon. Twice, at least. Charging it may be a little hard however, as magic and electronics don't mix, but you can at least have it whilst it lasts."

I decided I'd take my chances. "Thank you daddy!" I said, waddling up the stairs.

"Such a good boy," he murmured, as I went. "And fetch the clothes I put on your bed, little one! I don't think you want to travel all that way in just a onesie, hmm? We will get dressed and then you may play on your mat until it is time to leave."

---

Archax and Suzy stepped out behind me into the relative cold of the day. The dragon bid us two humans move a little further back, onto the street, then he... did something. I could feel it, somehow, like fingers brushing the back of my neck.

"There we go, safely secured," the dragon said, huffing a little as if he'd been working out, then he handed the diaper-bag to Suzy. "Come, we must head for the train station."

Archax leaned forwards and put all four limbs on the ground, walking like any quadruped. He moved slowly, wings half-furled as he made his way down the widened sidewalk. Even so, we humans had to hustle.

"Umm, I don't suppose if I whined about being tired, that you'd carry me?" I asked the dragon.

"Are you?" He asked, deep voice suspicious of my motives.

"No," I grumbled.

"Then no, I would not." He snorted, a little smoke rising from his nostrils in disdain.

"But you would when I am?" I asked hopefully.

"If you want into the baby-pouch carrier I also purchased, yes, but then I may just have to find the cutest outfit to make sure my little one is kept warm whilst he takes a nap, hmm?" The dragon chuckled as my face fell and I pouted. "The walk will do you good, and it is not far."

"Heh," laughed Suzy. "You really shouldn't sit around all day. I've been trying to get him to exercise."

"He'll be doing even less of that in the Realm," replied Archax a bit loudly, wind blowing away his words. "We do not have buses, and most everyone walks, rides, or perhaps if you are lucky takes a cart or a coach. Few indeed take airships or teleport."

"Riding, huh? At least your butt has extra padding," commented Suzy. "I didn't know I was signing up for hard labour."

"I didn't know I was signing up for this, either," I snarked. Riding? That was the interesting thing there? Not the airships or teleporting? Huh.

"And yet here we are, with my two charges already in revolt," grumbled the dragon good-naturedly. "And people wonder why dragons get a bad name."

We walked in relative silence for a while, broken by the odd bout of chatting and chuckling. The sun was shining through gaps in the clouds, though the sky was mostly grey and white. It was chilly, but not especially cold once I'd warmed up. I was wearing my faithful overalls once more, and my heavier coat. The omnipresent collar was actually warm and comfortable around my neck for once. My new 'normal' was still sinking in, in many ways, but I found myself not entirely unhappy for once, even with a lot of the odd and sometimes chafing restrictions put on me.

"Hey, uh, how come you stayed the night, Suzy?" I asked. "I-i-if that's not too rude a question. I mean, not that I mind. O-or that it matters if I mind. Umm. That probably sounds rude." I could feel myself blushing about such an impertinent question.

"Nah, it's okay. How much do you remember of yesterday?"

"It's a bit hazy," I said truthfully. "I remember the gnome, and being changed into a baby, that happened then, right? And then we... well you guys apparently went shopping whilst I napped. Then did we eat? And we got home and I played with my new game... not much after that, really."

"Well, your daddy was a little worried about you since you'd been so tired throughout the day after the gnome cast that spell, but he also told me he was surprised at your abilities. He wanted some advice on handling you once you were big again and some extra help whilst you were small, so we kept waiting for your to change back, and we chatted -- mostly about you, to be honest, he's very proud of being your owner, you know -- and, well, by the time the spell ran out, you were fast asleep and it was pretty late. I didn't want to go home alone, taxi ride or no, and Archax wasn't really willing to leave you alone incase you woke up and needed something, so generously offered to let me sleep over."

"Huh, I was tired from... what, the magic?"

"Quite," said Archax, still looking straight ahead. He hadn't given any real sign he'd been listening, but of course he had. "You were powering that spell put on you with your own mana reserves, which was a bit like running a marathon for you. You weren't in any danger, so I thought it best to leave you be until it dropped on its own, but you stayed transformed for a good deal longer than I expected. Which is why we're taking this trip."

"It's not normal?" I asked.

"It is, and it isn't," said the dragon.

"You said that before," I commented, scowling. "The binky?"

"Your world has stories and legends of witches and wizards, yes?"

"Um, yeah?"

"They normally have a magic focus on them, commonly but not always a wand."

"I guess? You're saying the binky is my wand?"

"Yes, and no." I swore the dragon was laughing under his breath. "In the case of a wand, often the wand itself is imbued with power, some are even charged with specific spells. Your binky, however, was merely used as a focal point by a mage... and subsequently by you as one this morning."

"So the binky isn't magic?"

"It both is, and is not. Magic leaves its mark on everything that it touches, and your binky is no different."

"But you said I'm not a wizard? You said I'm a sorcerer? What's the difference?"

"Well a wizard learns magic. A sorcerer... is born with it."

---

That particular nugget kept me thinking until the train station came into sight. I was still thinking about it, running the idea over in my head, when we pushed onto the crowded platform.

A few people that looked like they were about to start something suddenly found a lot of somewhere elses to be. I ignored them as we moved to the Newcomer section.

Like buses, it wasn't so much an echo of that time most people try to forget, it was just that some Newcomers needed so much space it didn't really make sense to alter every car to suit all their shapes and sizes, so they picked a bunch and made them as multi-purpose as possible. Most Newcomers had humans with them, or at least humanoids, so it all mostly worked out, but there were generally Newcomer friendly sections at least.

"Tickets, tickets please!" cried a conductor, striding purposefully closer. I narrowed my eyes as he appeared to ignore everyone else.

"I have mine," said Suzy, fishing out her mobile phone. He quickly scanned it, then strode to Archax.

"And, uh, y-your ticket, sir?"

I had to admire his gumption if not his moral fortitude.

"Here you are," rumbled Archax, handing over his oversized mobile phone.

"A-and thank you, a-and what about yours?" The man asked, finally turning to me.

"Umm, I, uh..." I looked up at Archax, who put a claw on my shoulder.

"Pets travel free. I have studied your bylaws, master conductor. This is my pet. He travels with me."

"Uh, um... th-that's n-not quite, uh..."

Archax' claw remained loosely on my shoulder, but it was clear that the order was to not move and do as I say. "I think you will find it is."

"A-all p-pets must have a licensed pet carrier," the man squeaked, determined to save at least some part of the conversation.

"Hmm, how silly of me. Wait right there."

I saw the conductor first look over to the nearby fare machine which was supposed to be used before entering the platform area, look down at his pad for giving out fines to those without tickets, then just stare bemused as the dragon routed around inside the diaper-bag that Suzy held on her shoulder. After much more routing around than should have been necessary, pulling out a few diapers that he handed to Suzy, he pulled out a complicated set of straps and pads. It took him a hot minute, but before I knew quite what was going on, he'd lifted me up into a papoose slung around his belly. My legs hung out each side, and I was pressed gently but securely to his underside -- or frontside, now that he was more or less standing on his hind legs -- by a thickly padded seat-type cover that rode up above my neck.

"There, I believe we are all set? Or do I need to get your supervisor on the line?"

"Oh, er, no, no, you..." the conductor stammered.

"Here you go," said Suzy, handing Archax her phone. "I know enough draconic to choose that option in the menu."

"Thank you, Mistress Suzy." Archax took the tiny, for him, phone and spoke into it in level tones, clearly eyeing and reading back the conductor's number. He handed the phone back politely, then turned to the man, who was now questioning his life choices. "Have a good day, sir." Archax said. He gestured with a claw, and the man turned around as if he were a marionette on strings, just as his phone started ringing. I almost felt sorry for him.

"You can let your pet down now, I think, since the tightwad is gone." Suzy chuckled. "There's doing your job, and then there's being an asshole."

"I think I shall keep the mommy-gear," rumbled Archax. "It makes me feel... nice." he wriggled his hips, showing off the large bulge from where I was ensconced against his tummy. He looked broody and proud of it.

"You look very pretty, very motherly." said Suzy.

"I do believe you are just saying that," snorted the dragon, his tail lashing playfully.

"Of course I am. You think I'm going to say it makes you look like an adorable big softy goofball? Nuh uh. I like my insides on the inside."

"You are lucky I like you," Archax replied, mock-growling, "or I would have you hold the baby."

"Oi!" I grumbled. In reply -- and I don't know where he got it, one second his claw was empty, the next it just wasn't -- he popped my binky in my maw. Suzy just chuckled again as the train drew into the station.

The train's doors whooshed open and suddenly the platform was full of squawking, neighing, clip-clopping and raucous talking and laughter in a plethora of languages. It was bedlam. I was suddenly very, very glad I was safe against daddy's chest as he waded through it, hoisting Suzy into his arms, to duck into the carriage.

Somehow, we had only two bags, one was Suzy's entirely normal and ever-present rucksack and the other was Archax' diaper-bag of holding. He'd put everything we'd need in there.

For us, therefore, finding a place to be was relatively simple. Mostly because nobody wanted to argue with a dragon, but also because Archax just needed to lie down and make space for Suzy within his coils. Adjusting the straps, I found my own seat shuffled around a bit until I wasn't pinned beneath him, although I was growing quite hot.

"Can I get out... or at least can I get my coat off? You're warm, you know, and this... thing is warmer."

"Just rest there, little one. I am... comfortable with you there."

I had been about to start complaining, but... being told by daddy he liked cuddling with me made me feel warm in the not-temperature fashion. "Oh, alright," I grumped, but I pulled off my coat and -- after struggling to free myself from its clutches -- handed it to daddy, who put it into the diaper-bag of holding along with everything else.

"How does that all fit in there?" I mused, feeling my body rock slowly as the train picked up speed. I yawned, as the ca-thunk-ca-thunk ca-thunk-ca-thunk of the train's passage became rhythmic and soothing.

"Well, you put things in, and then... wish for them as you reach in to take them out."

"Huh." I closed my eyes for a moment, settling myself down into a nook in the oversized baby carrier. Then I opened my eyes, scowling again. "Heeyyyy, then why were you waving around those diapers of mine?" I complained, pouting.

"Because I can't help but be concerned whether you're still dry, little one," Archax teased, booping my nose with a talon, "and in this world, the magic gets confused easily."

"That's no fair, daddy," I said, yawning again.

"Not fair, maybe, but accurate. Sleep a while, we've got nothing better to do and I can see you're comfortable. You are safe. Sleep."

As I drifted off, I dimly heard Archax and Suzy talking.

"He's been tired a lot since yesterday, and a bit... different."

"Yes, it is the magic. It gets in through the places inside, demands it be used. Makes one... itch, as if shedding scales. How he became a sorcerer is yet a mystery and the cause of our quest, but he is one, and his untrained skills are draining for him. They make him tired, especially in this world."

"I don't have scales, but I think I get what you mean," Suzy said, laughing but thoughtful. "It's... in his head? Changing him?"

"Head, no, not exactly. More... in him. Changing, no, but affecting, yes. I should have been more careful when I ordered him to obey you, and when I ordered him to obey me. He is..."

"Calling you 'daddy' for one, and calling me 'mommy', almost. It's kind of cute. I see it a lot with Newcomer pets actually, whatever species they are."

"There is a reason for that. He is under a geas, my geas, to please me. I desired a pet. This is how he seeks to be my pet. So this is how he is. I wonder should I release him."

"Maybe you--" Suzy began, but, half asleep, I interrupted.

"Nooo, don' tell me t'gooo. Please, I be good... wan' stay." I buried myself closer against Archax, unable to properly fight the suggestion to sleep, not that I really wanted to.

"You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to," rumbled Archax, putting a claw to the bundle held securely against his chest. I could hear his heart beating. I swear it skipped a beat. "You may stay as long as you choose."

"Stay wif daddy," I mumbled, yawning deeply, as my eyes finally closed.

"I guess that settles--" was the last I heard from Suzy before I fell into reassured slumber.

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