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Chapter 1

Forms Of Obsession

A searing torrent of fire warmed my heart the moment I saw that Dragon... Literally. A dazzling Morning graced our lands with the shimmering incandescence of Plazár's rays. But the rising star's light held no comparison with this stunning Drake. Like the radiance of our seven Moon's, and there silvery glow fused with every glittering gold star.

My particular species is full of specifics, and abnormalities. As somebody who's half Draconic Elemental, and another half shapeshifter, I was burning internally with lust at the sight of him. A rapturing, handsome face, whom even without that caring smile, could make me melt with a mere glance. Those piercing rubescent red eyes defied ordinary description. His muscular stature was large, and imposingly attractive. I didn't want to waist the opportunity of boarding the same vessel, especially after getting a good look at that feral body. Every time he so much as moved, every elegant motion flooded my heart with feelings I couldn't describe. The feelings I could put into detail are typically the carnal type, usually full of daydreams of him mounting me, or of us having a wholesome domestic relationship full of romantic kisses, and sometimes me with a pregnant belly.

Hours had passed since I first saw him appear in an abrupt alien flash. Their craft had incredible technology, easily teleporting him to our Planet's surface, along with a sharply dressed anthropomorphic cervine who accompanied him. The bipedal creature wore something similar to a green suit for whatever reason. Wouldn't be my first fashion choice, but to each their own.

I hid inside a nearby bush after the crew settled down, watching as he and that tall cervine with branching antlers conversed with a stunning hybrid. The female was half chimera, and half manticore. A couple other denizens followed behind her, timidly using her strong presence to conceal their own. I remember listening from a distance, having transformed myself into something inconspicuous; A plain bundle of rocks. The strangers mentioned some things about space exploration, talking about spreading the art of good deeds across Galaxies and whatnot. The hybrid proudly informed them of her name. "I'm known across these lands as Zeta. Please, tell me your names, travelers." She said humbly, letting her tail curiously slither around. I had to admit, seeing those beady eyes along with that cute snoot, her Snake-tail counterpart was adorable. However, another barrier went up when I saw her offering her paw. My eyes widened with fear when Regalum took hold of it, smiling back at her seductive stare as he planted a gentle kiss. I angrily remembered the way she swooned, eying him in a semi-flirtatious haze, probably thinking nobody noticed the way she was ogling him every other moment he turned around. When their ship had taken off a Week after that, blaring a series of celestial whirrs. Regalum's departure left me feeling something similar to emptiness inside, as if a quarter of my Soul had been abducted by the vessel, only to float off into a cosmic sea of stars. I never really got to know that Dragon over the course of that Week, not in any orthodox way, I suppose. But I did eavesdrop on a number of conversations, especially the ones he had with his new friend.

It's not like I could help it. The curiosity that came with having never seen an alien visitor, mixed exotically with the surreal sensations of fantasy just by focusing a mere glance upon his visage. Each dreamy detail rode along every word he spoke, his angelic face sending shivers down my flames. It was every bit of that, and more, which would lead me to make such a rash decision later on. I couldn't explain the attachment I felt, especially without even fully knowing who he was. There were even vague tones of odd familiarity, sending me down a spiral of obsession I never knew lingered inside of me. I was, and still am somewhat confused towards how I could feel something as deep as love for someone I'd only known for a Week.

My anatomy may be something of an enigma, but at least I'm certain I have something equivalent to a physical beating heart. I know this, because when I look at him, or even bask in this Drake's peaceful presence, my organ flutters faster than the arcane depths of Planet Zenthim itself. No matter what, I'm hopelessly unable to escape that precious feeling. At times, I've reluctantly considered accepting this as love at first sight, if such a thing even exists.

Normally I'm a flirtatious and brazen type, so it still perplexes me as to why I've decided to keep myself hidden all this time. I'd spent a Week and a half getting to know him, without ever introducing myself. I suppose with this one, I was under the impression that the stakes were too high. Which meant I couldn't risk being politely turned down so soon. As I hung above a tree, disguised as the highest ripened fruit, I keenly listened to their conversation. The small circles shaped by the daylight against their shade swayed about, slowly dancing wherever his radiance didn't shine, creating a serene atmosphere. One I hoped didn't mean romantic.

"I'm so glad I wasn't raised on Plazár with my kind." He said laxly, curling up next to her, but not too close. I seared when she gave a sultry smile his way, pointing to all sorts of endless contingencies between them... At least that's what it looked like to me, anyways. "That's understandable. Too much freedom can be a burden, you know. Lately your kin have been getting slightly bored." She replied wisely. Her bizarre snake-tail glanced at him, baring a scorpion stinger as a horn on its forehead. Despite the grotesque nature of most arachnid body parts, her counterpart was gorgeous, even stunning. The majority of her tail was much more serpentine too, with elegant purplish-brown designs adorning its exterior, slithering languidly in ways that almost hypnotized me. Her fur was a simple brown, but beautiful, contrasted by a pair of reflective chrome Dragon horns protruding from the top of her head. Only adding to the gene pool's variety was a pair of Draconic feet, one red, and the other green. If she so pleased, this four-legger could've claimed to be an Empress, and nobody would've known the wiser.

They seemed very content with the area, her youthful femininity emanating an attractive facial structure. "Regalum, was it? Do you only have a first name?" She questioned, tilting her arcane head. He nodded quietly. "Yes, only a first name. I have my reasons though." He replied humbly. She and her tail joined a simultaneous tilt in opposite directions, peering gracefully into his eyes. "Oh? And why is that? Do you not want to replace your future mate's last name, merely out of courtesy?" She guessed specifically, looking quite sure of herself. He leaned up, appearing meekly surprised. "How did you know?" He asked, confused. She chuckled. "You may have seniority over most of your crew, Regalum, but I've lived long enough to have raised many Drakes your age." She smiled gently, leveling her pink-tinted indigo eyes with his. "Most of mine were adopted, but I love and miss them greatly, no differently than my own. Like you, they travel the stars... And so, I rarely get to see them." Her beautiful expression fell a bit.

After hearing this, I felt a serious pause between them. The situation itself was much like me; Nothing was as it seemed. Over the period of one long Week, I had wrongly misjudged the nature of their love. After carefully discerning their tones, I realized this was entirely platonic, but endearing, almost as if a Mother was speaking with her long-lost Son. My unrealistic reality of a cougar preying on a male thousands of Years younger than herself, had shattered into a billion dusty pieces. Every ogling leer was really a memory flashing through the hybridess' mind, of Regalum's actions and behaviors manifesting into reminders of her cherished Motherhood. And her lecherous voice was really that of a playful Parent's, reminiscing on the times she'd tease her own cubs just for fun. Again, they'd gotten to know each other for a Week, while I've perversely misconstrued the scenario for the same amount of time, due to my own jealousy. Instead of just walking up to him and asking to be "friends", I instead peeked nosily through windows as a bird, transforming into small insects, and even taking on this female's appearance a few times in the process, even going as far as to act like her when she was absent. Yes, it's creepy. I know. But with this Dragon, I've fallen into the deepest forms of love and lust. And it's reshaped me in ways I cannot stop. Like seeing a deity descend from the sky, it was not merely this Drake's appearance that had so hopelessly ensnared me.

They talked in private, or at least what they thought was private. I listened intently, taking the form of some random red fruit, even stretching my makeshift stem like some freaky silkworm in order to close some needed distance. "If I had a Daughter, I'd raise her to be just like you, Zeta. Nothing pleases me more than altruism. -Looking out for others, even when they're so different." He said, resting his long tail over her shoulder, comforting her. "Maybe we can find them together. If you come onto our ship, we'll be covering a lot of worlds during our travels." He offered, giving rise to a hopeful tone. Head dipping into a pensive stare towards the ground, Zeta sighed aloud in a thoughtful "Hmmm..." Thinking on his proposal.

That fading part of me who wanted her gone was screaming. Though its protests finally ceased as I plunged it back into the void of my subconscious, eventually drowning it with what little discipline I had. "I've been to space, but not with a crew. I like to choose things I haven't done before." She remarked, easily coming to an answer in her mind. I could tell she'd already came to a decision, only faking her state of deep thought. "I'll do it. I will travel with your crew." She said conclusively, as if pushing herself to stop thinking. Judging by the look on Regalum's face, I could see he was pleased. I'd bet every one of my flames, that's why she accepted.

Later on, I couldn't find any legitimate openings on their ship. Given that I had taken the form of a Dragonlike species resembling a hummingbird, I was quick, but the vessel's size easily trumped my speed by at least a staggering ten miles. It took a massive portion of ground, to the point our sunset's horizon was blocked completely by the ludicrous size of this ship. And this thing was only standing there, like some giant intergalactic bird roosting across our great mountains, dwarfing them in size. Getting around this thing to look for an opening, or even a damn door was next to impossible, and resulted with no luck. All I saw was my reflection grimacing over its chrome exterior, enchanting landscapes gleaming behind me. I guess they built it so adamantly on purpose, for the sake of preventing against stealthy little intruders like me. Pretty clever.

Two Days later, Zeta had her stuff transported onto the ship, and was ready for departure by the time everything she wanted to bring was exhausted. I listened to her agree to some terms, mostly regarding that she'd have to adhere to certain roles on their ship. Apparently her ancient experience and Motherly seniority gave her an advantage, ranking her along some of their top crew members. The brief timespan it took for her to integrate into their techy civilization was astounding. She fit in, but also didn't... Just like everybody else who resided there. And they all got along well, for the most-part. By the time their ship revved up again, my chest sank. Panicked thoughts swarmed my mind like a bludgeoned hive. 'He's leaving... By the DemiGods, what should I do!?' I thought frantically, trying to think up some way to discover any passages or openings on their ship. Thoughts of turning into a small winged snake had crossed my mind, but I never got the chance to act before it was too late.

After each talon had lifted off the soil, the ship remained floating in place. Their hull slowly began to lift into the sky, steadily turning around for a better angle to take off. To my sheer dismay, they blasted across our atmosphere, the view of their vessel gradually shrinking away behind the clouds. I felt a flaming tear fall down my eyes as fire surrounded me, reverting to my true form, swirling in a navy blue stream tinctured with gleaming silver. My bluish silver horns accumulated back over my head in a wash of fire. I didn't even care to generate clothes, out of sheer depression, feeling too low to consider it. A light had been taken away from me, almost literally. My corneas illuminated through the droplets, magnifying the mixed radiance of blue and white light.

I gazed up longingly on my knees in sadness, hoping for him to come back. I hoped against hopelessness, that maybe Zeta or Regalum had forgotten something important and decided to turn around... But as I waited, that never happened. I could still barely see their vessel, now only visible as a distant gray dot. For illogical reasons, I kept watching, still holding onto that remaining shred of hope. That unrealistic off-chance of them adhering to my wishful thinking. Hell, I'd even join the crew, if it meant seeing his face again. For the first time in forever, I prayed. Prayed to the DemiGods that most Planets knew about, the ones I swore I'd never grow dependent enough to address. "Please... I want to see him! I want to find him again!" I shouted, trembling in desperation as I sat in the middle of a vast field of levitating purple flowers. They were a normal occurrence on my Planet.

Having not acknowledged why, I suddenly had the urge to squint and observe with more intensity at the silver dot, which I thought should've been long-gone by now. Instead of it disappearing, I was able to make out an unusual discrepancy. For a moment, I thought I spotted a faint orange glimmer around the metal. Something was off about the way the ship hadn't completely disappeared by now, and that couldn't have been unrelated to what I saw. Then it appeared again, flickering out like an ember. Now I knew I wasn't imagining things! I began to transform, flames rearranging rapidly through the air before imploding together into a crude creature I'd automatically improvised. It was small, and had a fleshy apparatus arching around its wings meant for aerodynamic stability. I knew they were barely passing the threshold to space, so I'd need the rotating arch as an inertial propelling force.

Creating only one largely grotesque eye, I efficiently viewed the ship like a telescope, my single pupil dilating in the process. To my surprise, I could barely see a fiery breach near the vessel's thrusters. Little smolders flickered around the metallic rip as I accelerated at extreme speeds. I had only a nose to breathe out of, and a bizarrely rotating tail which seemed to assist me somehow. The wings flapped hard, like you'd see with hummingbirds, though beating more times per second as I rushed upwards, approaching more than six-hundred miles per hour. This was the most energy I've ever exerted in my life, but I didn't give up. Before long, I reached speeds that terrified me, not knowing what I was doing to make myself go so fast. 'This isn't a stupid idea. This isn't a stupid idea. This isn't a stupid idea!' I thought to myself repeatedly, somehow forgetting my immortal nature as a half-Dragon.

I had to think faster than the speeds I was going, and thankfully by some fluke, I managed to stop myself right around the ship's wound. There was still some atmosphere left for the flames, but they were dying down. I was unlike those flames, forever burning, no matter what futile attempts the laws of physics had in store. I drew closer towards the tear, wasting no time as I dispersed into a series of rotating navy flames. My amorphous form charged, seeping into the smoldering mass of ravaged material. I tried not to think about how this situation resembled a germ entering an unattended wound, even as I pushed through a distorted set of conduits. After a while of snaking around and navigating what I could, I felt an odd link to the ship, starting to integrate my senses throughout a tiny portion of the walls. I wasn't too surprised, being so close with it and all. I often felt new sensations when coalescing with new objects. So far, this one was the strangest.

Concealed inside what I assumed to be some kind of fuel generator, I could somehow visually survey what I felt. Even the glowing white floors were clear enough to make out. If only I was part Lightning Elemental instead, in which case, I would've already been screwing around with some poor sap's mainframe hours ago. A major sense of accomplishment built up in my racing mind. I was so excited! 'Finally, finally, finally!' I thought, becoming thrilled like a giddy child. I seeped out of the machine, floating in a sporadic disarray of blue fire. This looming device seemed to process combustible fuel. Luckily, the fuel was deliberately emptied, most likely to prevent any explosions. Careless as I was, that could've been my flames destroying an entire segment of the ship. 'What a dumb streak of fortune.' I thought gratefully, gazing at the mechanism in my Elemental form.

I transformed again, deciding to take the shape of that cervine I saw conversing with the earlier welcomers of my Planet. I was able to remember the green shirt he had on, decorated with a neat little insignia. 'Can't forget the black pants.' I thought, generating each article of clothing with an arcane fringe of fire moving down my naked waist. His hooves felt weird, but they were oddly satisfying to walk on. Roughly remembering his upper segments, his antlers seemed to subconsciously smolder into there correct forms atop my head. His black tail was actually pretty long, even horselike as I let it elongate to its proper extent. I also felt bigger in... Other areas. At least this one wore clothes, which meant no random boners for their crew to spot. I'll never know how males manage themselves with those nagging sensations. All the reason why I prefer female transformations.

Anyways, I adjusted my fake pants and walked out of the strange room, letting the door hiss apart as I walked through. I saw two corridors branch off on each side of me, so I picked one at random. With my perpetual luck, hopefully I'd find some female crewmates to shape into. I took the rightward hall. Everything was quiet, bringing me to assume that most of the crewmates were likely welcoming Zeta into their space-faring Family.

Unlike the ship at the moment, time does fly. After wandering aimlessly about the ship, totally unaware of whose appearance I'd assumed, I bumped into a stumbling black Wolf, who's entire body consisted of Midnight fur. His unevenly blinking hazel eyes stopped on me, then stared up. His expression suddenly shifted to one of terror, making me wonder if I'd done something with the body by accident. "Ooh... Ssshhit!" He said in a slurred voice, trying to posture himself to seem less drunk. "C-Captain! What a surprise seeing you here!" He unknowingly shouted, unable to regulate his volume. I looked down at him in shock, not only realizing how tall I was, but also struck by the fact that I'd impersonated a frickin' Captain! I stammered before speaking, hoping my nervousness didn't give me away. "Y.. Yeah, you too. Don't mind me, I'm just Captaining." I replied flagrantly, digits rubbing my eyes in shame of the stupid response I just gave.

This Wolf may've been drunk off his ass, but he wasn't stupid. He gave me a slight glance of disdain mixed with confusion, as if I casually wore a sign that said "Fuck you" with a little smile next to it. After correcting his expression, he was left with only confusion. "Captain? ...You okay? You uhh... Seem different." He replied, baring some feigned steadiness in his voice. I was quick on my feet, but not smart with my reaction. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little drunk too!" I lied, facepalming in my mind. The Wolf blinked a few times in a row, stumbling back in surprise. "Woah. Really? Damn, Cap! Can't say I expected this from you, of all people!" I shrugged, smiling in my own way. Since he thought I was drunk, I figured some slight behavioral leeway wouldn't hurt. "Captains have privileges nobody else has. But it's still frowned upon to be drunk while on duty. Think you can keep this a secret between us?" I asked, faking a stumble to my right.

He nodded silently, pinching his fingers across his muzzle in imitation of a zipper. "No problem, Cap'n! Wont hear a word from me!" He stumbled away anxiously. I could hear a muffled 'hiccup' as he disappeared around the hallway corner. I let go of my breath, not realizing I'd forgotten to breathe. 'Holy crud, that was too close!' I said internally to myself. For Pete's sake, who else could I turn into? That Wolf was drunk, so transforming into him would also mean pretending to be hammered for the next hour or so. Cleary the Captain was an ill-advised option. And if I shifted into Regalum, I probably wouldn't keep my hands off of myself. However, a lightbulb went off in my head when I remembered that hybrid chimera from a few Days ago.

A smile crept over my face as the flames began to crawl deviously over my features. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt." I whispered to myself, having minimal resistance to the temptation. Sure, it took longer to color in every exact detail, along with a ridiculous amount of focus my hyperactive brain wasn't meant to conform to. But regardless, I eventually filled every feature, down to the way her fuzzy chest-tuft waved when she walked. Her chrome horns were the easiest to imitate, while her tail was the most difficult. I'd have to split my attention between two functioning creatures, as if playing with puppets. Good thing I had chances to practice this form throughout a Weeks-worth of obsessive stalking. I tested my imitations of their personalities, trying to make the snake's behavior as cute as possible. I really do adore that snake.

Walking naked on all fours down those halls felt bizarre, yet strangely liberating in some eccentric way. I loved it, aside from having to consciously assert control over the snake whenever it slackened down to the floor. Constantly reminding myself to metaphorically keep my hand in the puppet was a tedious task, so I generated a small brain in the base of my tail, reserved solely for independently compelling the serpent's motion. While I continued walking down endless halls for about five minutes, passing doors I wasn't sure I should enter, I heard the pitter-patter of four claws other than mine. Approaching around the curved corridor, I composed myself, ensuring my Zeta-impression was at its finest. Then again, what if this was Zeta herself? She'd be meeting face-to-face with her alleged doppelgänger. Something I'd like to avoid.

I didn't think quick enough. Whoever it was had already appeared. My eyes widened when I saw a Dragon, except to my mild disappointment, this one wasn't Regalum. I stared as he walked gracefully the way most Dragons did, wowed by his physique, and the variety of colors that stood out separately in his eyes and horns. His whole body was covered in snow white fur. After a few moments of me being unable to rip my gaze off his body, he stopped alongside me when he realized I'd been ogling him for too long. "Well-well, Miss, why don't you take a picture. It'll last longer." He smiled charmingly down at me. I stammered as a literally scorching blush ran through my face, trying to decide which of his three eyes I should focus on. Two were relatively ordinary to me, aside from the heterochromic differences. One was green, and the other orange, while the sideways eye centered on his forehead displayed a vibrant purple.

"...I wish I could..." I mumbled nervously, accidentally switching thoughts with audible words. His ears twitched, that smug smile becoming more or less inquisitive. My eyes tightened shut at that little outburst. "I'm sorry, let me try that again." I corrected, letting go of my breath. He lifted a foreclaw, letting it hang down. "Please, don't stop on my account. You're a lovely hybrid with normal needs." He complimented, somewhat to my irritation. I knew it wasn't his fault, but some of that jealously for Zeta must've survived the murderous drowning I subjected it to. Even when she wasn't around, it seemed her identity was still the one hogging all of the sexy Dragons. I was a proud shapeshifter, and I wanted those compliments clinging to my true form. Not a body belonging to some glorified milf.

I felt his digitrades ruffle through the fuzz on my head. "Remember, I live just down this hall, so if you ever have any needs taken care of... Room 505." He offered, giving a brazen wink. Then he ambled away, leaving me speechless. Thankfully his back was turned when I made a mistake. For a split-second, I had to recalibrate my form. Embers began to sprout on certain areas of my fur, as I literally fell apart. While I was still mostly fixated on finding Regalum, this random Drake had charmed me so madly, I couldn't hold myself for a second longer. Maintaining this appearance was mentally tiring, so I turned into something simple. My flames contorted, shrinking into a harmless pollen collector from my homeworld, appearing similar to a bee with blue butterfly wings. 'Much better' I thought. Then I took off, easily zooming past multiple doors.

[...Five Hours Later...]

By the Gods, how fucking exhausting! It took me five full hours to find that sultry walking nightlight! You'd think with such a brilliant glow, he'd be easier to find. But thanks to this ship's unnecessary size, I could only find him after studying how the teleportation pads worked. It's these circular white stands you can find tucked away into cutouts of the wall. They're equipped with convenient digital maps that are operated by touch. I was confused at first, but got the hang of it after a while. Now I can access almost any part of the ship! With all the eavesdropping, endless forms to take, and my creeping around, I finally caught up with Regalum! That absolute saint was aiding some of the sick denizens who'd landed themselves in the infirmary. And with typical me, I took the perverse route as usual, too blinded by searing lust and besotted infatuation to realize it.

Strangely enough, mostly mammals seemed to make up the majority of their vast Hospital Floor. It was a spacious area, like looking at an entire hospital. Advanced equipment blinked in contrast with exotic alchemy ingredients adorning sleek countertops. I spied shamelessly, peeking from behind a flask of opalescent liquid set atop a hanging shelf, wracking my mind on how I'd court that glowy dreamboat. Everyone was currently concealed behind rows of white curtains, so I took the opportunity, quickly dispersing forward in a rush of flames. Unable to contain myself both literally and metaphorically, I shaped into a sickly-looking lioness, who looked about 17 or 18. I was certain a virtuous good boy like him couldn't resist such a pure and helpless girl who'd fallen ill. I faked the cutest sneeze I could muster, while holding my belly in fabricated agony. In a way, I did have an unnerving feeling in my gut, but it sure as Hell wasn't nausea.

My eyebrows parted, eyes widening into a pathetic frown that was sure to incite worry. I saw his light emanating from behind the curtains, brightening different areas as he moved. I was ready to put on my best performance. However, before I could take a measly two steps, a voice shouted from behind me, causing my new form to jump. "Why were you hiding up there just now?" A shrill voice questioned casually. Caught by surprise, I jolted around, hastily scanning the area, only to spot nothing but aligned gurneys and wheelchairs ranging through different sizes. Just before the silence lowered my guard, I heard it again. "Not the best at paying attention, are you? Down here, sweetie." I looked down in front of me where the equipment was, finding a colorful blob of transparent gel looking up at me with a single green eye. To my surprise, the genderless mass was something I've read about before in local bestiaries.

They're a peculiar slime species crossbred with slugs, known by many worlds as the Gulsa's. They come in many different varieties... But I've admittedly never witnessed anything like this one before. Unlike others of its type, I felt a sense of authority emanating from this creature's demeanor. "Look, I don't judge species, but we can't have shapeshifters just camping out in any nook or cranny... Alright?" He gave me a cyclopian look of anticipation, awaiting my answer as if I were a child. "I'm sick." I said, pouting innocently. "I wanna see Regalum." I confessed bluntly, trying to sound as ingenuously childlike as possible. I was already uncovered as a shapeshifter by a single crewmate, but that didn't mean I couldn't look younger. Best part is, my flagrant act seemed to work.

"Oh, why am I not surprised? The sick kids are always asking for Regalum! Nevermind the Assistant Nurse, let's zip right on over to the volunteer!" It said mockingly, tone tinctured with humor. "Fine. Come along now." It urged dismissively. The blob's body squirmed towards the glowing enclosure, curtains shimmering with Regalum's unmistakable white light. My heart thrummed ceaselessly, following the oddly mesmerizing slime that swirled around the Gulsa's gelatinous flesh. A hidden nub extended from the mass, grabbing the curtain and peaking through. I could hear Regalum's soothing voice conversing with someone inside. "Regalum! Another kid wants to see you!" It whispered loudly. "Honestly, you need to become a Dad or something." The Gulsa informed casually, rolling its eye.

An elegant bioluminescent tail curled in, peeling the curtain back further, letting out a flood of gentle light against my eyes. "Thank you, Sam." The Dragon smiled, coming off every bit as genuine. The curtain closed behind me as the slime grumbled to itself, resuming its duties. "Do we have another visitor? Or are you a patient, young lady?" Regalum's kind voice gave me a sense of rejuvenation somehow, while simultaneously filling me with contentment... As though he were scratching an itch just by talking to me. Clarity filled my mind, and I was ready to make a move. Or at least I felt that way for a moment, until I saw who was laying on the bed.

My eyes widened like saucers when I saw her. All of my obsessive emotions had gradually dispersed, rendering me a hollow shell of remorse. Laying on that lofty cot, was the cutest little Wolfess I had ever seen. So innocently gazing towards me, then back at Regalum, nicely tucked into layers of white bedding. She had to be about five or six, with silver-white fur and a pair of curious blue eyes. Her arm clung to a stuffed beaver on my left. Looking to my right, I saw most of Regalum's attention was focused on her, holding her hand, as if in comforting reassurance. She stared up at his soft angelic smile, too distracted and mesmerized to feel any pain. Waiting too long to answer, I shook off my reluctance, surrendering to the obvious option. "V-visitor..." I stammered regrettably, shoulders falling a bit as I internally cussed myself out. To my shame, I'd almost made another huge error in judgment. This obsession was starting to look bad, given the unexpected nature of the situation.

'You moron!' I thought, mad at myself for two contrasting reasons. A juxtaposition of different arguments waged war in my mind, but my guilt remained all the same. I could've shaped myself into the sickest patient here, but that wasn't going to happen anymore. I immediately aborted that plan when I glanced towards an internal view of her brain, displayed elaborately on a digital screen. The interface extended from a mechanical limb attached to her bed. A single tear almost caught in my eye, but I strained myself to keep it down.

"If you're here to check on her surgical results, then I have good news." He said to me, assuming I was either a friend or Family. "They finally treated Nia's growth. That tumor right there, what you see onscreen. It's slowly withering away." He moved his finger away from the glass, then booped her nose with his index claw, making the cub smile cutely. This situation was giving me cavities, and that had to be the sweetest thing I'd ever seen. He glanced at me, sending a wave of nervousness and infatuation through my form. "Are you a friend of hers?" He asked curiously. His head tilted inquisitively as he held the little one's hand. They both looked at me curiously. I nodded sidelong. "No, but I want to volunteer, if there's any help you need with her." I replied, unable to resist a virtuous opportunity that involved working alongside Regalum.

"I see. That's very kind of you... Umm.." He gave another glance. "-Grace." I finished for him, thereby giving a false name to my fictional persona. It was more or less improvised off of who was standing right in front of me, subconsciously enacting itself once I'd opened my mouth. "Well Grace, that makes me very happy. Our ship had to stop for a while due to a breach, and everyone's investigating an intruder. Staff is short, so our Head Nurse is out making sure nobody else crowds this Hospital." He turned towards the cub, caressing her paw-pads as she grew sleepy. "I'm going to make sure you're rewarded for this, Grace." I perked up, his last sentence owning my attention. What exactly did that mean? Would I get some sort of honor-trinket, or a job here? Maybe they gave certain treatment to those who helped out more.

"Rewarded?" I asked in confusion, my dirty mind finally wandering into lewder places. I saw him reach above my head. A blush ran over my face as he scratched me behind the ears. "Of course. As someone with fur, I know exactly where all the nice scratch-spots are." He replied jokingly. "Maybe I can do this for an hour or two." He replied as I impulsively nuzzled my head back into his claws. In any form, I'd be satisfied with this, as long as it stayed well within the reward boundary. By the time he took his hand off me, I was hyperventilating, cheeks hot with arousal as I swooned in a dopey state. My tail was hiked past my ears as I struggled to keep my mouth closed. His eyes widened a bit with concern, noticing my obvious infatuation. "I was just pulling your leg..." He said nervously, resuming the real nature of their reward system. "Our crew goes by a system called 'registered credibility', which allows favors to be exchanged."

I could feel sparks of embers permeate my fur coat, threatening to pick apart my form. Oh, how I desperately wish I could just pounce him, pin his physique under my true body! The problem though, was revealing my real identity, which would throw obvious hints towards my illegal trespassing. I replied with a shaky voice, filled with noticeable hints of lust. "So if I do something for you, you'll owe me something back?" I asked, tone tinctured with excitement. He nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I should clarify some important details, ones very crucial to remember." Regalum paused, making sure I was paying attention. My eyes stayed fixated on his, body leaning closer as he continued. "You can only get Registered Credibility with permission from Elite Crewmates. Anyone below our ranks can't make it illegal to disobey a Registered Currency either." He reached over and adjusted the stuffed beaver in Nia's arms, making sure it wouldn't fall.

"In other words, passengers like Nia don't owe us a thing, if that wasn't already obvious." He turned to look at me, seeing that I'd gathered all the information he wanted me to know. While I can't even begin to emphasize how smitten I'd become, looking up at him wantonly, I was also curious as to how Nia was unfortunate enough to land herself in critical care. Thankfully, cancer isn't much of a threat in our Universe, unless inflicted by extremely hazardous forces. So Nia's condition had me wondering... I set aside my horndog-self for a moment, my expression starting to grow solemn as I stared worriedly at the child. "What was it?" I asked. We tacitly knew the underlying implications of the question, with it being universal knowledge. "There's a lot to explain..." His head hung sadly, then looked at me. "We rescued her from the forbidden world. I assume you've heard the stories."

My ears ramped down a bit, but my eyes were visibly wide with fear. "You mean Planet Krusk?" He nodded silently, making my expression only graver. "I've only heard horror stories. Even the MMC won't touch them." I wrapped my mind around it, only to become stuck in my own web of confusion. I knew it wasn't possible to interact with Kruscian's without breaking any laws. Our Planetary System's government was very strict about leaving them alone. Notwithstanding the facts, I wanted to hear the story. "How was she rescued? What happened?" I asked with concern. Regalum thought back on it for a moment, then paused. His neck craned, reaching past the top of the curtains, unknowingly giving me a regal view of his proud feral chest. His eyes shifted suspiciously back and forth, as if ready to break a rule. Then he leaned back down, speaking in a hushed tone. "Blake. Our Lieutenant of Security, and Investigations Officer. We helped him save her."

I nodded, staring with ears and eyes wider than before, tacitly encouraging him to continue. So he resumed. "Unfortunately I couldn't help much. My fur was too bright, and it would've given me away." He frowned slightly, as if regretting something. "They've turned their Moon into a prison, as I'm sure you've heard." I nodded attentively, having remembered the times I've overheard whispers and rumors of the topic on my home-Planet. Just awful... "We received a transmission from that Moon a couple Months ago. Apparently Blake, who was one of the prisoners, had accidentally exposed Nia to radiation-poisoning. He didn't know there was a nuclear meltdown, since the Kruscian Government never took responsibility for their penitentiary's reactors." My eyebrows rose. Hearing this sickened me, while I wondered how anyone could send an innocent child to an isolated prison like that, especially one plagued by such conditions.

"We teleported them directly to this Hospital. When we did, we noticed they had gnarled flesh, both inside and out. Unfortunately poor Nia got the brunt of the affliction. So recovery has taken much longer, even after Blake recovered." I looked up at him, giving an expression of genuine worry. "Why isn't this 'Blake' here right now?" I asked, flicking my tail. Regalum frowned lightly with concern. "Ever since Blake's recovery, he hasn't been able to face her. The shame of exposing her to that radiation became too much for him. Luckily, we gave him a job here. But now he only slacks off and drinks alcohol, until he collapses." My ears perked up, recalling the drunken Wolf I met shortly after trespassing. "Is he the bipedal Wolf, with the black fur?" I asked him.

"You've seen him then? Likely drunk, I presume?" I nodded casually, losing focus as I started to lose myself in his deeply glowing red eyes. "Yeah..." I replied absently, my voice laced with a sigh. The distraction was entirely random. I wasn't built to retain my diligence for this long, especially when subjected to withstanding the presence of the hottest damn Dragon I've ever seen. Moments went by as I stared at him awkwardly. When his ruby eyes panned nervously to the side, only then did I notice how weird I was being. I shook my head skittishly. "Uhm, I mean... Yeah." I said more plainly this time, correcting my tone. He gave me a sweet smile in return, internally laughing at how obvious my infatuation was. I assumed feral Dragons must get this a lot.

Currently I was at a dead-end, unsure of what to do now that we were virtually alone. Like moths fluttering around a glowing crystal, I felt like I'd reduced to annoyingly bumping into the focus of my passion without ever obtaining it. I feared this could be a problem if not taken care of, so I remedied the issue with a bold question. I looked up at him, trying to make myself appear more mature. "Date me." I said bluntly. Regalum blinked at me, at least four times as he stared back blankly. "P-pardon?" He asked, unsure of what to say. Shocked at myself, I held my head in humiliation. 'That wasn't a question!' I thought angrily. It only took two seconds for me to completely fuck this up, and now I was frantically scratching my head, stammering nonsensically for a valid sentence to explain my unfortunate slip-up.

"I-I mean... Do you WANT to.. Uh.." Emotions were about to pour out of me. I felt like crying out of embarrassment, but not in front of him. He tilted his head calmly. From the patient way he looked at me, I could tell he was giving me another chance to do this over again. I kept correcting myself, digging a deeper pit with every passing second, until I felt a single claw press lightly against my muzzle. My ceaseless struggle for composure came to a halt. The touch wasn't commanding, but still sent a lovely shiver down my spine, which fluently zapped through my tail. Lowering his glowing head, he looked into me directly, giving contact with his cosmic red eyes. "When?" He asked, pulling a charming smirk. His tail waved behind him weightlessly with anticipation. The weight of worry began to lift off my face. I beamed up at him, my heart fluttering fast.

"Any time you want!" I said excitedly, wagging my tail uncharacteristically of a feline. A flame suddenly sprouted from the brush of my tail. The moment I heard the sound of its flare, I automatically whipped my tail down behind my back to put it out. Regalum saw the curtain billow behind me as my tail jerked back. Nia's eyes cracked open, barely awakened by my antics. "How about when Nia recovers? That's somewhere around Noon Tomorrow." He offered. My heart was screaming with joy, but I lowered my voice for the cub's sake. "So it's a date?" I whispered, gaining the sudden confidence to step closer to his side. He playfully reciprocated with an equally quiet whisper. "It is. But where do you want to go?" He offered. I had to think about it, lowering my ears as I pondered cluelessly. I wasn't familiar enough with the ship yet, so I had nothing. "Wherever you prefer." I insisted coquettishly.

"Then I'll be at the Hyperchamber, Tomorrow at Noon." He declared. "But for now, we tend to Nia's hourly pain meds and anti-inflammatories, until the Head Nurse comes back. That little lump is not to be underestimated, even as it shrinks. Part of it is still pressed up against her middle cerebral artery." He gazed with worry towards the cub. I shared his concern, eyeing her like a disquieted Parent. Whatever he said about arteries, it sounded painful.

...

Hours had passed, and neither of us grew tired. I had to act the part of being exhausted, so Regalum didn't suspect me as some shapeshifting Dragon entity. When it comes to Dragons, eating, sleeping, and even breathing are only optional, due to our immortal natures. But that didn't mean weariness of the mind wasn't a thing. Every minute felt like hours, all because I knew what came after this. I cared for Nia, making sure she received each dosage of pain meds and anti-inflammatories. They were strange opalescent tablets, much like the color I saw on that shelf. Every three hours or so, Regalum would have to fetch something from the storage. In that time, Nia would beg me to lead him back, which led me to take improvisational measures. I'd walk behind the curtain, and pretend that Regalum had just gotten back. Then I'd saunter back inside, wearing the Dragon's form. To her joy, she would hug my snout, I'd even nuzzle her affectionately. How lucky Parents are to have these blessings.

Once Regalum returned, I'd hear his claws tapping. That's when I'd revert back into this 'Grace' character. This alias I was stuck posing as. I'll admit, it felt strangely wrong, mostly in ways that made me feel dishonest with myself and others. As the digital clock ticked, and time tocked away towards the end, it felt difficult for me to pry myself from Nia's vicinity. There I was, in that final moment. My heart pounded with anxiousness, alongside multiple varieties of elation. Little precious Nia was healed, without a trace of the tumor, and I was due for a date with a Draconic dream-hunk. What could be better?

When the Head Nurse arrived, I was caught mesmerized. She was a gorgeous Vixen with grayish-lime fur all over. A silver mane covered a portion of her exposed chest area. That same color traveled up her glove-pattern hands, frontal torso, and below her knees. She looked at me funny, in a way that teasingly implied 'Like what you see?' I wasn't even into females, and was already having trouble looking away. She had the Doctor's uniform on, but seemed to bend the dress code a bit. Before she could passively bend over to pick something up, I was out of there. I waved my goodbyes to Nia, pecking a kiss on her head, and handing her to staff. I don't know where they escorted her, but I was happy her pain was averted.

I promised myself that after my date, I'd check on her, to see how she's doing. As I read the teleportation maps, I felt an expanding heat of excitement growing within my belly and chest. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I searched the glass panels, figuring out where to teleport from here. When the device lit up, my surroundings changed in a blink. I postured and composed myself, thinking of Regalum and his comforting smile. Flutters in my belly turned into searing fireballs, and I was so nervous. But knowing what I had accomplished earlier, I knew I was more than ready.

(End Of Chapter 1)