Going the Distance, Part 1: Jake

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Part 1: Jake, a socially inept okapi, finds himself celebrating his 23rd birthday with a gift from his friend and roommate, Lucas. The gift, however, has more in store for Jake than he had originally thought.


Going the Distance, Part 1: Jake

By Ta'kom Ironhoof

The drops of sweat began forming on his furrowed brow. This room was hot, so incredibly hot. And he was singularly focused on banging out as much as he could from the evening. Jake had waited for so long for this day to come and, as nervous as he was, he just knew that this was the culmination. His breathing was heavy, his heart was racing, and his mind was enraptured with the task at hand. He knew things were going the way he had wanted as his ears were filled with the cacophony of gratification at being so incredibly close to the climax. Jake and his three loving partners had been at their glorious task for several hours now, each taking turns supporting the others, heightening the thrill of the action with each passing second. For so long, the group of four had yearned to reach this point, and now that it was happening, Jake felt that his life was almost complete.

"HEY, NERD!"

The grating voice rang out from behind Jake and shattered his concentration on the MMO that he was completely engrossed in. This caused him to miss his ability rotation, the sweat from his hands making the keyboard slick. Before Jake could recover, the boss the group was fighting sent out a wave of hellfire, which Jake should have been able to protect the group against, killing each member of his party, one by one.

In utter disbelief, Jake stared deadpan through his screen as the voices in his headphones changed from joy and reverie to perplexed confusion, and then finally to screams of agony and accusatory vitriol. With as much calm and steadiness as a devoted monk, Jake dragged his headphones off and set them on the cluttered desk in front of him. Then, Jake's mounting rage burst forth as he spun around to face the disembodied voice that shattered his concentration.

"DOG DAMNIT! What do you want, Lucas?! You caused my group to wipe on the last boss, dude," the half-hunched okapi shouted. Jake's fury was palpable in the air and the sweat of his brow had run down, soaking the collar of his ragged graphic t-shirt.

Lucas, a fellow sophomore in Jake's dorm, stood in the bedroom's doorway, his biceps prominently flexed, showing off Lucas's physical prowess. The big horn ram had a smile plastered to his face that shifted to an almost scowl before responding. "Listen, Jake, you're incredibly lucky that we're friends cause, normally, I wouldn't hesitate to clobber anyone who spoke to me like that." Though Lucas was only a sophomore, he was a starting guard on the varsity football team. He had even received several awards for his performance last season, as well as his accomplishments in state-level body-building competitions. Lucas was built like a Herculean god.

Jake, the realization of his station washing over him, let his anger fade, and in its place, feelings of embarrassment and shame came over him. A sigh left Jake. "I'm sorry, Lucas. It's just a stupid game. We can always try again later."

The smile returned to Lucas's face and the lids around his rectangular pupils eased. "Good! I'm glad our years of friendship weren't about to be thrown out the window over a stupid game. Remember back in grade school? Last I saw Tommy, he still has that scar from where I rammed him." Lucas and Jake both chuckled before the statuesque ram continued. "Anyway, the reason I'm here is I wanted to give you an early birthday present. This week's game is an away game so I won't be here. Figured you weren't going to be doing anything anyway other than sitting around playing on your computer. I wanted to get you out of the house this weekend, but I can't control the team's schedule."

Lucas was right. Besides Lucas, Jake didn't have any friends in real life. Even calling Lucas a friend was tenuous. The pair didn't really hang out and we're probably as different as two people could be. Back in grade school, the two were friends because Lucas had defended Jake from bullies. It was a friendship of convenience back then. Now, they shared a dorm room because it seemed logical. Now, their differences caused a rift. Lucas was a popular guy, a rising star football jock, and a brick wall of maleness that was used as eye candy for most of the ladies, and even some guys, on campus. Jake, on the other hand, was a social outcast, a geeky nerd, and, while not obese, a not physically impressive and sort of pudgy owner of a pair of small-ish testicles and penis that identified as male.

"Oh... you didn't have to do that, Lucas. But you're right, I hadn't really planned anything for my 23rd. Family is too far away and I don't have any reason to go out. Figure I might go get some cookies or something..." his words trailed off as he fell into contemplation.

The big ram pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and reached forward to pass it over. The crimson paper was sealed fast with a pink heart-shaped sticker and, above that, the words 'Neighing Necessities' printed in bold, black lettering. Jake's eyes went wide and his cheeks went flush.

In a surprise, the okapi stuttered out, "Lu... Lu... cas! Isn't that the sex... sex shop next to the mall?!"

"Well, my original plan was to take you out to a bar and get you laid. Lord knows you need it," the ram retorted. "Just do me a favor and don't open it until this coming Saturday. I'm sure you can wait for three days, can't you?"

"LUCAS! I... I... I..."

"You what?" the ram teased.

"I... can't be seen going in there! People probably already think I'm a loser,"

The ram raised an eyebrow. "Probably?"

"The point stands. If I'm seen going in there, they'll think I'm some sort of creep too!" The okapi was visibly shaking from just the thought. Jake was, no surprise, a kiss-less virgin. The closest he had ever gotten to being shown any kind of romantic affection was at the high school prom. Jake's date, an albino moose named Mandy, only asked him because she didn't want to go alone. Her previous boyfriend had just moved to the other side of the continent. Jake hadn't even planned to go until then. As soon as the pair arrived, Mandy left him to be a wallflower, abandoning him to be with friends. In retrospect, that was also the night Jake discovered he hated wearing formal wear.

"My dude, you live on the internet WAY too much. Not even you are exempt from having sexual desires. Besides, more than once, you've left stuff up on your screen and I've seen it."

Horrified, Lucas nearly jumped up from his chair. "What?! How? When?"

"Relax my dude. Nothing I haven't seen a hundred times before. You're into some pretty vanilla stuff. Well, besides the..."

"Stop! You don't have to say it out loud," Jake cut him off.

"Cream pies..." Lucas' words hung in the air, and a smile spread wide across his muzzle. "Regardless, there's been a few times where I popped in just to check on you after a game. You are asleep or playing that game you're always going on about."

"It's called 'Fields of Forever' and my guild is top in the nation!" Jake exclaimed

"Whatever, dude. Just proves my point."

"And that is?" Jake fumed out.

"That you NEED to get laid, or at the very least, get out and be more social. We're both 22 years old and I'm out here being successful, while you're in here wasting away. Look, I gotta get going, but I just want to see my friend be more than a lump in a chair."

Jake was stunned to silence. Lucas really cared about him. "I don't know what to say, Lucas."

Lucas fully entered the room, walked up to Jake's chair, and lifted him up and out in a hug. "I want you to promise me you'll wait until Saturday before opening that envelope. I want you to promise me you'll go to that store with your head held high. And finally, I want you to live, Jake. Besides, what's inside will send a notification to my phone when it's redeemed. I'll know if you follow through or not." With that, he placed Jake back in his chair and made to leave.

"Wait! Lucas..." Jake paused for a moment, the tumultuous swirl of emotions he felt paralyzing him. "I promise. Thank you. I promise I'll go. Good luck with your game this weekend."

Lucas only smiled and gave Jake a thumbs-up before disappearing behind the frame. Jake could only stare through the portal of the doorway, shocked with his mind racing. "What am I going to do?" he thought to himself, now a wreck from being suddenly thrown into a situation he never asked for. He gave his word to Lucas and if Jake was known for anything besides being a nerd, it was being reliable, loyal to a fault.

The next three exhaustible days were filled with a varied mixture of mindless gameplay, dull lectures, and sleepless nights as Jake's nerves continued to puncture his resolve. Within the game world of 'Fields of Forever', his teammates regarded his lack of attention and drop off in skill. In his classes, he was admonished repeatedly for his lack of regard to the materials being presented. One professor even pulled him aside to ask if he was feeling sick. Back in his dorm, after avoiding thoughts of his upcoming 'promise' by playing games, the quiet still of the night only helped to reinforce the barrage of worrisome futures.

Jake attempted to broach the topic with his buddies online, but none of them were of any help. They all gave him the worst possible advice that one could hope to receive from overly horny adults in an online space.

"You should get the Tail-tugger! You're an ass-man, right?"

"Nah man, Trolgador (Jake's character name) is probably a boob guy!. Get yourself one of those torso sleeves!"

"Both of you suck. Look dude, just go in there and get a stack of DVDs. Stores like that usually have some fantastic stuff you can't find online."

During their talk, Jake and his buddies all assumed that inside the envelope was a gift card. This made the most sense. What else could it be? The conversation played once again in his head for the umpteenth time. One moment, he was too hot from embarrassment. The next, he was too cold after throwing his blanket off. Tossing and turning, Jake was eventually able to fall asleep on Saturday morning just as the sun was coming over the horizon.

However, he wasn't safe in his dreamscape. His consciousness was whisked to a lecture hall full of people that he knew of on campus. Then, one after another, they all began laughing. And pointing. And throwing paper at him. It was then that he noticed he was completely naked. His knee-high white sock-like legs, his stripped rear, his solidly colored torso, and stripped arms, all exposed. As Luke scrambled to cover himself, the turmoil of embarrassment washing over him fully, Lucas appeared, pulling his head backward by his ossicones painfully.

With a tinge of hate on his face, Lucas exclaimed, "What a loser!" Then the crowd of people around Jake began chanting.

"Loser! Loser! Loser!"

Tears welled up in Jake's eyes. In this self-induced hell of his subconscious, it was the only thing he could do. All around him, the sounds of laughing and taunting were the totality of his life up to this point; never taking a chance out of fear, never being able to function socially. With resignation, he lay his head down on the desk in front of himself, closed his moisture-riddled eyes, and sobbed until he finally fell back into the waking world.

With a start, Jake bolted up in bed, head pouring with sweat, a bead running down his cheek before falling. Then his mental fog cleared and his mind reconciled the dream with his current reality. Still remembering his dream, he threw off the covers and got out of bed to start his day. Then he saw it, the ominous red envelope that Lucas had handed him earlier this week. In his half-awake state, something broke in him. Jake knew Lucas would check to make sure Jake kept his word. Jake narrowed his eyes before snatching the envelope from its place. His frustration and depression were now turning into anger; anger at his situation, at his station, and at his position. He realized the corner of the desk was pressing into the side of his leg and the pain had just occurred to him. With a huff, he sat back down on his bed, holding the red temptress that had been staring at him all week.

Trying not to tear the envelope, he carefully tore the sticker holding the folded paper container closed. Once it was flipped open, Jake slid the card out, opened it, and began to read.

"Hey Jake, I'm sorry that I couldn't be here for your birthday today. And on top of that, I really wanted to try and help you get out more and maybe make some new friends. Regardless, it would seem life has always taken us in different directions. That said, no matter what, I'll always be your friend. I know people think it's weird that I'm friends with you, but I don't care. I've always enjoyed your company, when we did hang out, and still fondly remember all of our days on the playgrounds so long ago. And I also know this is a bit strange as I've never given anyone a gift like the one here. I'll admit, it could be expensive, but I think you'll make the right choice. And maybe it might help you get out of your shell a bit more. Happy 23rd birthday Jake and may it be the best one you've ever had. Make sure to flip the card over. Your real present is there. Love, Lucas."

All of Jake's anger and frustrations melted away. Maybe subconsciously, Jake felt Lucas was only being nice to him by being his friend. Maybe, subconsciously, he felt Lucas was making fun of him behind his back. This letter, though, was something that Jake didn't even know he needed. Flipping the card over to finally reveal the supposed 'real gift', Jake was shocked by what he saw. It was the same size and shape as a credit card, the print displaying, "One Free Item + 16oz bottle of lube!"

Without thinking, Jake peeled the hard plastic card off the back, flipping it over to read the small print. Skimming through the text quickly, the card was apparently good for any single item that was in stock at "Neighing Necessities" and Lucas would be charged for whatever the item was. This was certainly an interesting spin on a gift card! His thoughts once again returned to the conversation he had with his online buddies, but none of them seemed appealing. Looking over to the clock, he only then realized what time it was; 2:18 pm. He had slept for a much longer time than he had imagined. He panicked for a moment, realizing that if he was going to fulfill his promise, he'd need to hurry. Jake didn't want to spend all day out in public. Besides, he supposed he should try out whatever he brought home. His heart raced, a mixture of nerves and horniness. Jake steeled his mind, gathered some clothes, and took a shower. Not wanting to draw out his responsibility any further than he needed, he showered and dressed quickly; his usual fair, jeans, and a graphic tee. However, to seem more socially acceptable, he combed his hair at least. After throwing on a pair of anti-slip shoes, the now twenty-three-year-old okapi left his apartment and stepped forward into an uncertain future.

The trip there was uneventful. This Saddleback™ driver was a middle-aged donkey, a solid black coat with white at the ear tips. The car wasn't fancy, but it would be better than walking. Climbing into the back seat, Jake's nerves got the better of him as he tried to speak, to tell the driver where it was he intended to go. Before he could, the driver spoke, looking back at Jake through the rear-view mirror.

"Man, I don't know what's got you all tensed up, but if you want a ride, ya gotta tell me where to go." The donkey driver continued to stare back at Jake, his eyes locked.

After only a moment longer, Jake would stammer out, "The...the...the mall...sir. I want to go...to the mall. You know, to meet...my friends."

The jack squinted his eyes, replying, "Alright. Take us about 20 minutes. Buckle up." As the driver cranked the car, he tapped a sign saying that all passengers must wear a seat belt. Jake, having ridden in a personal vehicle very little, forgot all about seat belts until that very moment.

"Oh, sorry, sir," the shaking okapi said.

The driver looked into the rear-view mirror again, looking Jake in the face. "Son, you must not get out very often. Is that why you didn't just take the"

"That's...that's right, sir."

"Ok, ok, I get it. Nothing wrong with that," the older donkey brayed, amused. He continued, "But going out to see friends will do you some good. Go, hang out at the mall, and have something to eat. I was young once too, ya know. Still remember when..." The white-ear-tipped donkey rambled about his life as a younger adult for the next twenty-five minutes straight. Had there not been that one street that was closed off for construction, the donkey probably wouldn't have been able to finish regaling Jake with his past exploits. By the time they arrive, however, Jake had forgotten about his task.

"Alright fella! It's been nice talking with you, but we're about here. What side of the mall you going to?"

"Oh, um," Jake had to think for a minute. He didn't want to make it obvious where he was really going, but he didn't want to have to walk forever to get there, either. "Drop me off at the movie theater entrance. I think that's where they said we'd meet."

"Alright, just a sec."

With little else, the driver took Jake there, stopped, and let him out. They exchanged fair wells, and the driver moved on to the next ride-share. Once again, Jake was alone, if you didn't count the people milling about, going in and out of the theater. And from where he stood, he could clearly see "Neighing Necessities" just across the road, only a hand full of cars sitting in its parking lot.

"Ok, all I must do is walk over there and go inside. That's the hardest part," he thought to himself. Steeling himself, he marched across the parking lot, almost mechanically. This continued crossing the street and still further until he reached the door. With a sigh, Jake, the now resolute okapi, pulled the door open. As he did so, the bottom of the door caught against his right hoof with a loud clang that sounded doubly loud on the quiet street, and embarrassment again washed over him. He couldn't have made it any more obvious that he had now arrived. With a pause, gritting his eyes against the imagined jeers, he skittered into the store and shut the door.

Luckily for Jake, the store was almost completely empty, save for three; behind the counter at the far end of the store, a giraffe and a deer, and a green-haired person on a far aisle. Jake could only see the back of their head. Loudly, the giraffe greeted Jake, but he could only throw his hand up shyly and mouth that he was sorry for causing so much noise with his hoof a minute ago.

Still loudly, the female giraffe in goth replied, "No worries. Just let us know if you need anything." The other cashier, a whitetail doe with a multitude of ear piercings, continued reading whatever magazine it was she held.

Jake milled about, seeing all the various items; dildos, vibrators, clamps, cuffs, masturbators, DVDs, outfits. This place had it all. And there wasn't a creature that wasn't represented. There were two aisles of dildos completely dedicated to all the various cock shapes throughout the various species. This was followed up by a further two aisles of masturbators shaped to match their respective species. Jake was overwhelmed and for a moment, he felt that the inner dimensions of the store didn't match the outer ones. His head reeled from the sheer audacious variety that he had never fully considered or comprehended. It was in this moment of enrapturement that Jake, the socially awkward okapi, had a moment of clarity.

"I bet the people working here see many people coming and going. Besides, look at these...things!" His thought helped to calm him and he was right. Here, in this store, there was no judgment, no worries. Sex was one thing that everyone had in common, and this place stood as a monument to that. A place filled to the brim, with not only the tools for any kink but the knowledge as well. This, at least to the twenty-three-year-old okapi, was the ultimate no-judgment zone, no matter what those franchise gym commercials said. Then another thought hit him, stuttering to his core. "The gift card! One item...free!" It was only then that his mind registered that the doe, once behind the counter, was now standing in front of him snapping her fingers and speaking, though his mind wasn't registering the sound.

"Hello?! Terra to dude!" The white-tail doe continued to snap while aggressively chewing some gum.

Jake quickly blinked, a look of surprise and guilt washed him, "Oh...yeah, sorry. I'm just... astonished."

The doe, now deadpan and slightly irritated, replied, "Yeah. Great. We got loads of dicks and pussies. All sorts of shit." Then, with a fake customer service voice, dripping with sarcasm, she continued, "What brings you into our fine establishment, my good sir?"

His mind, frazzled by the sarcastic shift in tone and sheer wonderment he still felt, he could only pull the card from his back pocket and present it, his eyes still star-struck. The doe unflinchingly took the card, opening it to see the gift card.

"Hey Rena!" the doe shouted back to her co-worker, "We've got another one of those gift cards." She turned and walked from around the counter, the goth giraffe now making her way over to Jake's presence. Dumbly, Jake just stood there, mind attempting desperately to come to grips with his situation. As the tall giraffe arrived, she smiled down at Jake before kneeling to get more on his level. Even on one knee, her head was at least a foot taller than Jake's stature.

The giraffe smiled gently, as her southern-twinged voice spoke, "Well ain't you just the cuootest lil thang!" Jake blushed hard at this, trying his best to keep his attention focused on the giraffe's face and not the cleavage only twelve inches in front of him. "You must have someone who really cares about you to give you one of our 'special' gift cards."

Jake could only nod, focusing with all his might. The juxtaposition of 'goth giraffe' and 'southern belle' also had him perplexed, but this was by far the least odd thing about today, at least in his own mind. He gulped audibly and attempted to speak, but Rena cut him off.

"No need to say anything, sugar. I already know everything. We deal with folks like you every day. You're lonely! Maybe even a virgin. No shame in that. We're here to help, sugar." Her saccharine voice dripped genuine concern and comfort, like a mother. Jake couldn't help but think of the now over used cliché of 'big titty goth girlfriend' and 'mommy milkers' at this exact moment, which unfortunately, didn't help to ease his, apparently, growing, nervous erection, seemingly of its own accord.

Jake nervously fidgeted before turning around to face away from Rena and speaking, "Yes...that's right. My friend...Lu...Lucas got me that. Today's my bir...birth..."

Rena stood up quickly and ejaculated (this is the only way to properly describe Rena's excitement) loudly, "BIRTHDAY?! My goodness, sugar. It's your birthday. How old are you?" The giraffe reached out and placed her hand on Jake's shoulders and felt his neck muscles tense at her touch. "Calm down, sugar. You got nothin' to worry about here." She lowered herself back down and put her mouth right next to his ear, her lower lip brushing slightly against his right ossicone, whispering sultry, "Why don't you turn around and tell Rena what it is you're looking for?"

As she finished speaking, the large bell on the door chimed and Jake watched as the one other patron of the store left. He had forgotten all about that patron, reality only now setting back in. Above him, he could feel the warmth emanating from Rena; possibly the closest he'd ever been to a woman intimately. The way she was dressed, her sultry voice, and her welcoming manner all culminated in Jake feeling like maybe he was desirable. His cock certainly thought so in the moment.

Finding his voice, nervous as it was, and turning slowly, attempting to conceal the tent in his pants, Jake finally replied, "I'm...I'm looking for...for a toy to..."

Rena interrupted Jake. "To what, sweetheart?" She eyed the nervous Okapi from top to bottom, intentionally presenting her bust and winking at the poor soul before her.

"To..." Jake stopped, took a deep breath, and sighed loudly before continuing with a modicum of confidence now. "I'm...I'm looking for a sex toy to fuck. To get my rocks off." Again, he paused, apparent frustration now tinging his small voice. "I can't seem to find a partner, so this...this is the next best thing, I suppose."

At Jake's admission, Rena shrank back, now standing in a much less suggestive manner and her voice, while still alluring, was more comforting than sexy. "Oh, you poor guy. Honey, I think we've got just the thing for you. Follow me."

Rena reached down and took Jake's hand into her own, now leading him toward the counter where the doe now sat, continuing to read from her magazine. The combined clacking of their hooves made a mild echo as they walked. Jake's mind was turbulent, a mix of frayed nerves and sudden confidence. Rena had got Jake to loosen the grip on the frustrations he felt, normally obscured by politeness or nervous stuttering.

The goth giraffe turned to face Jake now, placing a hand on his shoulder before smiling down at him and pointing a wordless command of "Stay here." Within a second, Rena had disappeared behind a beaded curtain that separated a clear stock room and the rest of the story. A shame washed over Jake for having admitted his feelings to a stranger, though, it felt good to just say it, to let go if even for a moment. The doe, separated by the counter, snickered a bit, loudly chewing her gum until she saw Jake staring at her.

The doe lifted her head and stared back, her deep brown eyes piercing through Jake. "Look dude, you're not the first virgin to walk through those doors and you're certainly not the first one to walk around in here with a boner either," she glanced down at Jake's nethers. "Since there's no one else around, let me give you some advice." At this, she closed her magazine and turned to face Jake. It was then that he really noticed how pretty she was. Heavier set for a deer but still a lithe face with a black nose at the tip.

"From a chick to a dude, confidence is the key. It's as simple as that."

Jake almost laughed at the suggestion. "Confidence?"

The doe could instantly see that Jake wasn't buying it. She continued. "Yeah, confidence. Not like bragging and shit or being super ripped or all the crap you see on the tv. Be comfortable with yourself. Most don't think twice about the vast majority of people they see each day. You're only nervous because you 'think' others are going to make fun of you. They're not. Just do your thing and stop giving a fuck."

Jake stared at the doe for a bit, letting the words sink into his meat space. He'd never considered such a simple thing. "But...what if..."

"Fuck your 'what if'!" the doe exclaimed. "Stop thinking about the 'what ifs' and just be you. There's not a single person out there that hasn't felt exactly like you at least a few times in their lives. The difference is they stopped letting those feelings define them. Also, stop worrying about getting laid. Nobody, besides you, gives a shit about that. All it's doing is causing you all sorts of stress you clearly don't need." The doe stopped her rant, allowing it Jake's brain let it sink in.

And sink in it did. Maybe it was because nobody had ever put it to him so bluntly. Maybe it was the fact it was coming from the type of person he desired sexually, but her words made something click within Jake. He considered his friend Lucas. While it was true that his body was like a statue, he had always had confidence in himself and made friends with almost everyone he came across. Lucas was genuine, nice, and had an easy-going personality. Maybe it was that simple.

Jake shook his head as if he was throwing off rain from his fur. "I know you're right, uh, what's your name?"

The doe's ear lifted to attention then folded back, "My name's Darlene, and I swear if you're even thinking'Deerlene', I'll," she growled

"Oh, no. I'd never."

"Good," Darlene cut in, ears going back up, "I wouldn't want to beat up another customer today."

Jake, a nervous grin crossing his lips, "I wasn't...I just didn't know your name is all. Is it a normal thing for you to have to beat up customers?"

"Only those that try to steal or make trouble for Rena and I!" Darlene smiled and balled her hand into a fist. "Rena owns the place and, being her wife, I've got to protect our investment, ya know?"

Jake hadn't considered this. He has just assumed they only worked here, much less that they were married. "Yeah, of course. I'm Jake, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Jake. You're already making progress just talking to me here. Keep it up."

Jake puzzled, "Does Rena usually act so...sexual...toward customers?"

Darlene let out a hearty laugh. "Yeah, she has a keen eye for what customers are interested in just by looking at them. Helps when we get people like you walking in here. Or thieves. Just has an eye for folks and in the 9 years we've been running this place, she's only been wrong once."

Feeling more at ease, Jake chuckled. "What was she wrong about?"

From the back room, Rena shouted, "FOUND IT!!"

Darlene squinted her eyes and moved closer to whisper, "This dude walked in and Rena almost immediately said he wanted something big. She went out there, chatted him up, and took him over to our larger models. After a bit, he shouted, 'I don't want a dick in my ass' and stormed out."

"Oh no," Jake said, putting his hands up to his mouth.

"Heh, at the time, yeah, it was bad. The store was full of customers. Like a month later, the dude comes back, apologizes, and tells us it was the opening he needed to explore himself. Turns out Rena was right in the long run."

Right as Darlene finished, Rena came through the beaded curtain, a medium-sized box in hand. "You two seem to be getting chatty..."

Darlene picked up her magazine and started to read, replying, "Not really. At least he ain't pitching a tent anymore."

Rena quickly flicked her eyes down and back up. "Well, true. Not at the moment, at least. This should change that and I think this is exactly what you need, my Okapi friend."

The box was fairly plain. One half sported the image of a rather well-hung stallion, the chestnut of his coat only covered by a lime green thong. The other half was covered by a scantily clad, large-breasted caribou cow, her pink bathing suit leaving very little to the imagination. In the middle of the otherwise white box, "Going The Distance: For Men" was printed in large, bold, black letters. Jake shuddered at the size of the box. There was no way he was going to walk out of here with such an audacious display of his visit here.

"Rena, that is way too big! I was hoping for something smaller. I can't be seen..."

The doe closed her magazine, folded her ears back, and starred daggers into Jake without saying a word.

Jake continued, "I mean, it'll just be hard to get it home. I took a Saddleback™ to get here. I'd just rather keep my purchase private. Not ready to let the world see my sex toys."

Darlene relaxed her ears a bit and spoke, "At least you're not panicking anymore, and that's understandable. Outside of these walls, people aren't as open about things." Then Darlene looked over at the clock. "Hey, Rena, things should be pretty quiet for the rest of the night. How about you take him back home? Save him the embarrassment of walking around with a masturbator under his arm."

Rena smiled and sighed. "You're right, love. Yeah, I can take him home. Shouldn't take me too long." She turned to Jake, giving him a warm, reassuring smile. "Where do you live, sugar?" The drawl of her southern accent was still just as comforting as it was earlier.

"I live on campus, in the dorms. The Whiteshire building."

Rena turned back to Darlene to continue. "Sure you don't mind watching the place for a few?"

The doe flicked her head, throwing her hair to the side, and spoke playfully, "For you, anything you wish. Not expecting anyone else will come in tonight. Might just lock the door and make sure no one else comes in."

Rena's face shifted to disappointment. "Really?"

"Oh, come on, you know I'm kidding. Yes, I'll watch the place. Grab some food on the way back."

Jake just stood there, watching the two playfully interact. Is this how couples really were? They treated each other more like good friends instead of lovers, his preconception shattering in an instant. Whatever he imagined a relationship was like, this wasn't it. At the same time, it was comforting. If being in a relationship was just being great friends, then Jake felt like it might actually be possible for him, too.

Rena slapped Jake hard on the back, nearly knocking him over with his mind, preoccupied with thought. He stumbled forward a few steps but managed to stay upright. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"Oops! I don't know my strength sometimes," Rena said with a smile. "Come on, big guy. Take this bag, throw your new 'toy' in there and we'll go out the back door. Won't have to worry about anyone seeing you. Put some great lube in there for ya." Rena and Darlene gave each other a quick kiss while Jake gathered his things.

Through the back door, Rena and Jake exited before hopping into her car. Jake struggled to hold the box in his lap before Rena finally took it and set it in the back seat. All the way across town, the pair talked, mostly just inane chatter, nothing serious. Rena regaled him with how she and Darlene met, their adventures running the store, and how they'd only been married for a few years. Before long, they had arrived at the sidewalk in front of his building.

Rena pulled up to the sidewalk, putting the vehicle into park. "Well, Jake, we're here. If you hurry, you can get inside and no one will see you."

"Thanks, Rena," Jake said, much less nervous than he had been back at the shop.

"No worries, hun. Now hurry. I gotta get back. Really hope you enjoy that," Rena gestured to the back seat, "little present. And happy birthday. I'm sure it'll be the best you've ever had."

Jake chuckled but gave a little frown, "Yeah...I'm sure it will be. Certainly the most memorable one so far."

Jake opened the door, got out, and retrieved his package. The two shared their farewells, and Rena pulled away as Jake entered the building. Unfortunately for Jake, someone had seen him. Otis, a river otter and fellow student that lived in the dorms, was sitting in the dayroom as Jake attempted to pass through.

"Hey Jake, who's that milf that dropped you off?"

Jake, shocked, stumbled over his words, "Oh...um just a...friend."

Otis smiled wide and replied, "Just a friend, huh? I bet she is..."

"Yep. Just a friend. Nothing else."

"None of my business, dude, but she was smokin! How'd you land a lass like that?" the river otter inquired with a smirk.

Jake was feeling warm, and a tinge of embarrassment came over him. This was followed by annoyance made clear in Jake's reply. "Seriously, she's just a friend, that's all." He turned and continued to walk through to the stairs as Otis continued to probe for more information. The Okapi ignored him, more concerned with getting upstair and not worrying about the juvenile drivel coming from his classmate. As he opened his dorm room, Otis shouted from downstairs, "Lighten up, dude!"

Otis stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and pressed his back to the door and held the bag to his chest. Today had been a whirlwind, a far departure from anything that he'd done in years. However, the experience left him more confident. Though Rena had been very seductive toward him at first, she ended up just being a good person who wanted to help. The same goes for Darlene, except she started out like she was annoyed and less than friendly. And then there was the package.

Now that Jake was back in his domain, he made his way through the shared common room and into his bedroom, shutting the door for further privacy. Gently, he placed the bag on his bed and slid the box out. As before, other than the pictures of the stallion, ewe, and text, it was completely white all around. With the edge of his hooved fingertips, he split the clear plastic that wrapped it. And after a few more moments, the box was open and Jake began looking through the package.

Though the outside was fairly plain, the inside was far from it. On top, the first thing was a flyer the width of the box with the heading, "WORLDS GREATEST SEX TOY FOR MEN", followed a laundry list of features. Jake set this aside, ignoring all of it besides what his eyes gleaned in its removal. Next was a decently thick instruction manual, the front of which said that the "GOING THE DISTANCE" app would be needed to use the contents properly. Below that, a piece of foam followed by a plastic mold containing a tube, presumably the masturbator, and a small box labeled "accessories".

Nothing fancy inside the accessories box, just a charger, but the tube was interesting. Before exploring it, Jake got out his phone and began downloading the app. Setting his phone aside, Jake took it into his hands. It was honestly hefty; the shell was made of lightweight metal alloy, solidly constructed. On the larger end, there was a cap that could be unscrewed to reveal the interior. Once removed, Jake was surprised by what he said. He had expected to see a hole or some kind of molded silicon labia, but it was just flat. No hole, no indentation, no anything. The material was just smooth. Jake ran a finger across it and pressed. It felt cool and smooth, giving slightly to the pressure. Jake wondered if he received a defective unit, but as his mind contemplated calling the store, his phone gave a notification the app was done downloading. He decided the least he could do was look at the app and see what it was all about.

Jake tapped on the icon, the app opened, and an animation of various species, both male and female silhouetted, danced before merging on the screen, all running to the right. Then, the product title scrolled across the screen in giant letters. The screen then changed to a set of instructions on how to pair the device with a smartphone. Oddly, the picture of the masturbator on the screen also showed a smooth top inside. Jake now thought that this was how it was supposed to be and continued to follow along with the directions. After pairing the metallic tube to his smartphone, a long list of blue circles was listed on the app, each with a species name, all in alphabetical order. The list appeared to be impossibly long, taking several swipes up to get to the bottom; actual and mythical species listed alike. Completely overwhelmed with choices, Jake pressed his thumb into a random circle. Text flashed across the screen with a progress bar and the silicon core of the device in Jake's hand gave off a faint glow. To his astonishment, the once flat silicon now shifted and molded itself into a different shape. Within a few moments, the device had completed its transformation. Though it was still the same pink color, the silicon originally was, it was now perfectly shaped like the womanhood of a wolf. The lips were full and puffy as if it was a wolf in season. On his phone, the word 'complete' flashed before going back to the list. However, at the top now, there were a few options; scent, warmth, and movement.

Excitement stirred within Jake's manhood, his balls now churning with desire. As his curiosity grew at the same rate his cock did, he clicked on the 'scent' button. Within seconds, the pungent scent of canine heat emanated from the device, causing his muzzle to twist and his cock to throb. Jake's primal brain sent warning signals to his body; this was the scent of a predator. However, his logical mind knew this was the scent of a predator ready to mate. While he'd seen plenty of wolf porn actresses, this was on a whole new level of realism. With his curiosity not yet sated, he then clicked on the 'warmth' button. Same as before, in only a few moments, he could tell that the device was heating. Quickly, Jake set the device down, grabbed the bottle of lube, and released a few drops onto the swollen lips. With wonderment, Jake swirled the lubricant around before slowly pushing his finger inside. The heat and tightness thrilled him. It was as if the real thing was in his hands. Not wanting to miss anything, he then clicked the 'movement' button. At first, nothing happened. Puzzled, Jake reinserted his lubricated finger, and the change was now clear. With each touch, the vulva before he twitched and, upon inserting his finger, the inner walls squeezed against him.

Jake's prick beaded with pre-cum, absorbed by the fabric of his underwear, and the exhilaration he felt was beyond measure, each moment, his heart beating harder and faster. Setting the device down again, Jake moved to lock the door and strip nude.

As his shorts hit the floor, Jake breathed deeply, allowing the thick scent of wolf's heat to fill his nostrils completely; the room was completely saturated now. His cock throbbed, a string be translucent pre-cum stretched to the floor from his tip, and his balls rose before dropping back down into his sack. Jake's lust was at its peak and he could barely contain himself. Getting back to his desk, he grabbed the device and lube, thoroughly coating the silicon wolf cunt in his hand. With another lustful throb of his manhood, he turned the device over and slowly pressed it around his cock. Inch after slow inch, the device devoured his cock, pushing his sheath down as more of his flesh was exposed. Okapi, while not thick, were longer than most species and he was amazed that he hadn't hit the back of the device yet. He should have by now, but the curiosity only remained for a moment as Jake had pressed the puffy wolf's lips as far down as he could go.

The feeling was divine. He had used masturbators in the past, but...this felt real. The scent, the warmth, and the slight tightening and releasing of the 'vaginal muscles' were something he'd never experienced.

Jake relished the feeling but knew he should continue; not much fun if he just sat still. His cock throbbed once again as he pulled the device back, the sensations traveling along his shaft once again. When he finally pulled his tip free, a string of lubricant followed along and the wolf vulva twitched slightly, almost as if it wanted more. Jake didn't think he'd be satisfied just stroking himself with the device. No, he wanted to fuck. His animalistic desires told him he needed to mount, to mate, to breed his newfound lover. With some quick thinking, he could position the fuck-sleeve between his mattress and bed frame. It seemed to be the perfect height and, without hesitation, he slid his cock back into the warm, quivering wolf's pussy. With as much enthusiasm as Jake could muster, he fucked, slowly at first, before thrusting hard, the thumping of his headboard echoing through the room.

"This...this is, oooh, this is unreal!" Jake exclaimed quietly before his moan and grunts mixed with the continuing thump from the headboard. With each thrust, the smell of his musk mixed with the wolf's heat to produce the distinct scent of sex. This, coupled with various squishing and squelching sounds, filled the room. The only thing missing was the vocalizations of a partner. But now, Jake didn't give two fucks. The peak of his orgasm approached.

His thrusting became more and more erratic. His unpracticed body attempted in vain to find the right angle and rhythm. Before he could find it, his body clenched hard, his cock throbbed and pulsed, and, with a last thrust deep into the soft canine cunt, Jake let out a loud moan. His body convulsed and shook with each pulse of his cock. Jets of virile cum being deposited deep inside. It was like nothing Jake had ever experienced. Though he felt weak, Jake remained hilted deep inside, his natural instincts telling him to make sure he impregnates whatever his cock had found its way inside of. Before long, Jake could feel his cock beginning to soften, to withdraw, his body still lightly convulsing. Before long, his cock had mostly returned to his sheath, and the tip fell free, his milky, pearlescent jizz dribbling from the still-quivering canine cunt.

At this, Jake's knees finally buckled and he fall back onto his rear, slamming hard into the wall next to his closet. At this moment, Jake did not care. He stared at the device still wedged between his mattress, his mind swirling in the afterglow. It felt as if he had transcended time and space, transcended his existence to something beyond the mundane. Shivers covered his body and Jake breathed heavily, attempting to bring himself back to normality. Time meant nothing to Jake, but after a time, he picked himself up, legs still shaky from the exertion. As he then sat down in his chair, his phone dinged, the notification sound of a new text message. He reached for his phone and saw it was a text message from Lucas.

"Hey my dude. Game is over and we're on our way back. Another big victory for us! Saw you picked up your gift. Really not happy with how much it was, but we can talk about that later. It better be good!"

Jake stared at his phone, now worried he'd done something wrong. Jake quickly replied. "Oh yeah, it's good, but they didn't tell me a price. They just gave it to me. How much was it?" Jake then got up, removed the metal and silicon sleeve from between his mattress, and brought it over to his desk. On his phone, he clicked over to the app. As it opened, the scene changed to a huge 'Congratulations!' with a use counter that moved from 0 to 1. Below the comically displayed numbers, three buttons were present, with a fourth smaller button at the bottom; from left to right, 'Clean', 'Clean & Store', and 'Store'. At the bottom, the smaller button displayed, 'Return to List'. Pressing his finger to the 'Clean and Store' button, his phone displayed a new message: Attach cap to proceed. As the device hummed, the scent of wolf heat dissipated from the room and the indicator light flashed blue on the side. Another ding shouted from his phone and Jake switched back to his messages.

"The charge on my card was almost $700, my dude."

Jake's jaw nearly fell off of his face. This sex toy, which he had just finished pumping full of hot cum, was nearly as expensive as the laptop that his parents had purchased for him when he started college. He could not believe what Lucas had said and replied in kind. "No way, dude! I really didn't know. The lady handed this to me and said it's what I needed."

With almost no delay, Lucas replied, "You must mean Rena. And if it's what I think it is, yeah, I agree. Don't worry, bro. Have fun with it. I'll be back in a few days and we can talk about it more. Happy b-day!"

"Thanks, bro. See you in a few."

Jake sat his phone down. Today had been a wild ride, one that he certainly didn't foresee. As the humming of his new toy wound down, his phone chimed, a sign that the cleaning had finished. Pheromones, heat, realistic movement, and even a built-in cleaning function. It's no wonder this thing cost so much! His curiosity not quite sated, he returned to the app on his phone. As it opened, a new banner at the top was now there.

"Fill out your user profile now for even more fun!"

Considering Jake had just pounded this masturbator for all he was worth, he doubted he wouldn't be taking it back now. Indulging the app, he filled out his profile: name, age, sex, all the usual fair. It even had a section that asked him some rather detailed questions; specific kinks, specie preferences, sexual orientation, and a myriad of other questions. It was almost like the questionnaires that he'd filled out on dating sites. After he was all done, a new message popped up.

"Thanks! We'll take your answers and match you up with users local to you!"

"What?!" Jake said aloud, surprised and a bit worried. What did it mean it would 'match' him to local users? He bought a sex toy, not sign up for a hookup app!

Jake picked up the metallic cylinder, taking off the cap once again. Again, the silicon was flat with the only sign of use being a few stray hairs still in the threads of the cap. It looked so simple, but the technology inside this thing is beyond anything he'd ever encountered or heard of. In his other hand, he still held his phone. The banner at the bottom now changed to read, "Click here to 'try' a random local." A swell of curiosity and wonder spread over Jake. What if? Without further internal debate, Jake tapped the banner. The app changed to an image of a green swirl, text overlay spelling out, "Attempting to find partner..."

The ellipses began appearing and disappearing in the same motion as a progress bar. To Jake's further surprise, the exposed silicone shifted, itself turning into a green swirl equal to the one on his phone's screen. The glow from the swirling green vortex inside the metallic tube illuminated the room in an eerie shade. As Jake stared with rapt interest, his phone chimed again, this time displaying, 'Connected!' Looking back to his fuck toy, the swirling green vortex shifted again, now changing to a very realistic-looking canine vulva, fur and all.

"What...the...fuck..." Jake questioned in surprise.

Jake just stared. This appeared to be real. It was identical to the things he'd seen in porn, just not as puffy as the canine womanhood he had ravished earlier. And it glistened with moisture, evidently self-lubricated. With some hesitation, he reached a finger out to touch this newfound sex before him. As he made contact, it twitched and contorted, as if it was alive! This was realistic beyond anything Jake had thought possible. Could this actually be another person? Maybe even someone local to him?

While this thread of thought sifted through the mesh of his mind, another thread, one perpetuated by the cock and balls attached to him, also weaved its way through. He knew what the app said, and the thought certainly made him horny. But was this alright? He supposed that whoever they were, had the app and an equivalent device. He continued to suppose they wanted this; sex without a face. His curiosity finally got the better of him and he let his long tongue reach out to taste of the flesh presented before him. That was the last barrier of proof he needed. This was actual flesh. This was real fur. This was the taste of a horny female canine, her labia, and asshole on full display. Whoever this was, they were certainly smaller than the wolf from earlier. The 'model' from earlier was probably an enlarged representation. His tongue reinforced to him this was actual flesh.

Even though his brain hadn't caught up yet, his cock had already started its ascent to full erection. The primal parts of his brain knew what this was and what he tasted. A female was presenting herself to him, and the only proper reaction was to mate. Jake felt the rise of pre-cum from within, his balls shifting and his tongue continued to explore his mystery partner. First, around the outside, Jake now probed the inside of the outer folds. The taste of the moisture from before was much stronger here, as it should be. Whomever this was, his instincts told him they were ready for breeding. It wasn't long before Jake was standing at full mast, his erection proud against his white-furred belly. Jake, worried he might still be inside his refractory period, decided the best course of action was to heighten the action, spreading his mystery partner's sex wide as he began to tongue-fuck the delectable pussy before him. Being an Okapi certainly had its advantages. It's not commonly known that okapi have long tongues, but the canine on the other end of this device was about to find out.

Pushing in, lapping, withdrawing, and pushing in further each time, it didn't take long for Jake's tongue to reach the end of the canine's rippling canal. It didn't take long for the mixture of his saliva and her natural lube to drip and leak around the edges, long strings reaching down, pooling on Jake's naked thighs. As he swirled his tongue around the deepest parts of his mystery partner, he could feel the muscles clenching and shifting. And while the scent wasn't as strong as his earlier trist, namely because of this partner not being in heat, the act of tongue fucking was enough to make the air filled with lust. At last, Jake withdrew his tongue, slowly and swirling the whole time, back into his thoroughly coated mouth. He took a moment to savor the taste, swallowing hard several times to fully appreciate his partner's taste. Pulled away from his face now, Jake could see the entire area being presented shifting around, almost as if whoever it belonged to were getting themselves into a more comfortable position. Teasingly, Jake flicked his tongue out, rimming the tight tail hole. This caused the person on the other end to wriggle comedically as if his partner wasn't expecting that kind of attention.

Jake was thoroughly riled up at this point. He stared a moment long, debating if he was ready for this or not. It did not take long. His balls overruled his brain.

"I can't believe this is happening..." Jake thought to himself.

With no further debate, Jake once again stuffed the metal tube between his mattress and lined up his cock with his mystery lover's snatch, the tip beading with more pre-cum. He then teased the entrance, smearing his liquid lust around to mix with her own. His partner visibly squirmed. After a moment, however, it appeared as if the lady parts before him, pressed outwards toward him, as if they yearned to be stuffed.

Jake obliged the gesture.

With a slow push forward, Jake's cock entered the pulsing canal, each inch widening the lips that surrounded his tapered cock. It didn't take long before Jake had reached the depths of his partner. His cock hit a solid wall, and he was only slightly more than half buried. However, Jake knew enough to not be rough like before. He had no intention of potentially hurting whoever his cock was deep inside of. So he took things slowly, first withdrawing to the tip before pushing forward again, the previous mixture of saliva and natural lube coating him thoroughly. With each agonizingly slow push, the partner shifted and clinched, flexed, and strained. The tempo ramped up at a snail's pace, but Jake could tell that each thrust allowed him further passage into his lover. The natural expansion of her tunnel was clear. Before long, he had hilted her, the frosty edges of the cylinder making their presence known against his pubic fur. Jake waited then, allowing his lover's body to adjust to the thickness of his base, her asshole flexing with each passing second. He chuckled to himself, a naughty thought crossing his mind. He bent his head down and allowed a glob of his spit out, landing it squarely on her tight tail hole. Still not moving his hips, he took his thumb and positioned it on the spit, moving it back and forth, spreading it thin. He then put some pressure on it, his partner squirming and flexing. It didn't take long for his thumb to enter her asshole; the flesh shaping around the middle knuckle. In Jake's mind, it was like an improvised buttplug, and he enjoyed the thought of giving his partner a taste of double penetration.

With no further delay, Jake held his thumb steady inside his partner as he pulled his hips back and started fucking his partner properly, the pace starting slow; it was not long before Jake was rapidly pistoning half-in, half-out. Though he couldn't hear anything besides the juicy slaps between the two bodies, and it was surely just his imagination, Jake swore he could hear the moans and praises to the deities coming from his invisible lover. Between this, the natural warmth, and his sinuses full of the scent of sex, Jake was once again humping with ravenous lust. Though he'd just emptied his balls only an hour ago, it didn't take long before the chills of orgasm filled his body.

"Oh, fucking...hell. She's...sooooo...good..."

One, two, three more thrusts and he pushed forward for his last time, buried to the hilt once again. Each wave of orgasm lined up perfectly with the flexing of his prostate and each jet of cum being dumped into his lover.

Jake breathed hard. Besides just doing this earlier, his physical prowess was lacking, and it was evident now. His lungs burned and his heart pounded hard. Just as quickly as his orgasm came on, he was now feeling lightheaded and, once again, he fell backward. This time, however, he passed out, exhaustion overtaking him.

It was sometime later when Jake awoke. While he wasn't aware of the time before, the alarm clock on his bed now read 5:19 am. Straight ahead of him, the metal tube protruded out from his mattress, and the silicone returned to its flat appearance. Jake's head pounded now, and he felt like throwing up as his body came back into full consciousness. He knew he hadn't been drinking water like he should and it had caught up with him. As the digits flipped over to 5:20 am, Jake forced himself to get up from the floor. Briefly, he questioned if the events playing back in his mind now had even occurred. He was still in a fugue, forcing his body to listen to his motor commands, to get to the bathroom before...

The sickly mess landed directly on his bed and Jake could only push on to the bathroom. There, he stayed for hours, nursing his headache and drinking from the tap to get his body right. Eventually, he could turn the shower on and get himself cleaned up and dressed. As the sun rose above the horizon, Jake put the cap back on his new toy, set it to clean, and bundled his blanket and bed sheets, preparing to take them down to the laundry room. As he mentally prepared himself to face going out of his room at the crack of dawn, he picked up his phone and saw a notification from the sex toy app. With a swipe and a click, he saw it was a new message. Jake didn't give it much thought, assuming it to be some inane marketing from the 'Going the Distance' makers. However, it was not. He pressed a finger to the message. The text displayed a message, surprising Jake completely.

"Hi...I don't know what to say here, but I enjoyed tonight."

Jake's heart nearly came out of his chest, the realization finally set in completely. He'd had sex with a real person, and now they wanted to talk. Quickly, Jake took his stuff to the laundry room, got the load started, and rushed back upstairs, his headache not quite as bad as he'd once thought.