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The Alsaran academy was housed in heart of the city. The city had grown up around it during the dark times, and the modern corporate government were the descendents of its faculty. It was still the main source of the research and education that kept the city going.

The campus had grown over the years beyond the simple tower it started as. Now smaller towers connected to it via reinforced bridges, and specialized habitats and laboratories sprouted from its sides wherever there was room.

One of the largest sections was housed right in the center of the primary tower. It seemed to bulge there, larger than the tower above and below it, and roadways connected directly to large bay doors, rather than the usual parking garages. This was the engineering bay, where airships and armored transports were made. And a part of it was the golem department.

***

The room clanked and hummed, the sounds of mechanical repair-work echoing about the large, hangar-like bay. Towards the back, twenty-foot tall utility golems were set up with scaffolding running around them, several engineers checking fluid levels and bolting on plates and runes. In another area, a set of abstract, armored reptiles were run through their paces, a golem Magus and her assistants testing speed, strength, and responsiveness. Closer to the entrance, a tall guardian golem stood, motionless. It was low-detail body, built of rune-etched stone with a faintly lupine shape. Clanks and whirrs were coming from within its sturdy frame. There was a final clank and then a smaller, furry body slipped out of the panel in the back, rubbing some dark fluid from his clothes as he did so.

Relan lifted his goggles with a frown, "Well, I can certainly fix it, but you're just gonna keep coming back if you don't take better care of him." The dusty brown canid scratched at one of his large ears as he spoke, his bushy tail swaying only very slightly, "Golems aren't meant to run forever on their own, even the best ones."

The golem's owner, a slender brown songbird with a perpetually annoyed beak, scowled at Relan, "You're saying that the tool I bought to make my life easier, requires more tools and effort to make its own life easier? I bought this golem direct from the academy, because I was assured that it would be high quality and low hassle."

Relan sighed. then took in a deep breath, "Look, they should have given you care instructions when you bought him. If they didn't, then I can see how you might have assumed that-"

"I assumed that I'd get what I pay for. If I want a golem I'll have to tinker with every month, I'll buy a cheap one at any shop in the city, and get a new one when it causes trouble. I came here expecting to get my money's worth." His beady little eyes squinted, feathers up and ruffled, "Bring me someone who can fix my golem, and someone who can explain to me why the supposed best of the best still needs mechanical maintenance! Mechanical of all things, that's a job for an engineer at best," he sneered, looking over Relan's stained utility outfit in obvious distaste.

The canine waited for the bird to stop. He was fuming, but he kept it in. It wasn't worth it, it just wasn't, "Runes and alchemy are far easier to keep going than the physical components, that's simply a fact. Since you're so upset though, I'll be sure to send over someone qualified to deal with your complaints. . . sir."

The avian eyed him a little, then nodded. He glanced at the silent golem, "Very well. And tell your boss I'm very upset." He crossed his wings in a self-satisfied huff.

Relan nodded quickly and headed off before he did something he'd regret. His tail lashed as he wound his way around other workers, growling to himself. A few gave him worried looks, but he paid them no mind. He'd been getting more of this sort of customer lately, though none quite this bad. This was the academy's golem bay, most of the people here were professors or graduate magi. They were being served by the smartest, most qualified people the city had to offer, and it was being done for below normal rate. How could they possibly justify anything but gratitude?

He'd nearly left the work floor when a small shape slipped in front of him, nearly causing a collision. Relan readied an angry bark, then deflated slightly as he made out Allie's smirking snout.

The desert lizard swayed her tail lazily, wiping her gloves off on her coveralls, "Off to find your boss again?" she asked innocently.

He chuckled dryly, "Yeah. Not quite sure who I should push it off on this time. Maybe someone nice and big. That rhino, what's his name? Krek or something, the one with the extra horn?" He imagined the ten foot grad magus glaring down at the five foot bird and felt a bit better.

Allie was cleaning off an oily wrench, "That's not even close to his name, unless there's a second rhino here who I'm forgetting. The engineering department's all pretty disposable to you, hmm?" she teased.

His ears folded for a moment, "Allie, don't do that, I'm not really in the best of moods. And it's Tasik, I remember now." He rubbed the back of his neck, "I wish I was better at dealing with these people, but I just don't understand them. It's like someone's sending them here just to aggravate me."

Allie hopped up to sit on a nearby workbench, her long toes dangling as she considered her co-worker, "You don't really have to do this if you don't want to. No one's really going to make a fuss if the star professor of the golem department decides to spend less time getting his paws dirty in here and more time in the lab."

Magus Relan shook his head, "I need to do this, a little dirty work helps keep me sane, and reminds me exactly what all the theoretical stuff is for. Now if it would only stop driving me crazy as well, we'd be in business."

Allie grinned, curling her long, striped tail up into her lap, "Well, just be glad you're not head of engineering. No one gives me any respect. It's lucky I'm so good at scavenging for scraps, or I'd never manage to find any compliments."

The canid's ears fell again, and he felt guilty, "He was insulting you as well, I'm sorry no one ever seems to care about what you do. It should be common sense that keeping a golem moving and together is important too." Feeling bad was doing a good job of bleeding off the rest of his anger.

The lizard shrugged, "You'd think that, but magic's so neat and flashy, everything else gets looked down upon." She grinned suddenly, a rather wicked-looking smile cracking her snout, "Mmm, you know what, I'll be your boss today. I think I can get a good streak of indignation going right now." She hopped down and brushed herself off a bit more, "Wish me luck, doggy!" she hissed, giving a cheerful wave as she walked back the way he'd come.

Relan chuckled as he watched her go, "Just keep it to verbal abuse!" he called out, wagging. He stuck his hands in a few of his many pockets and wandered off the work floor. She really knew him too well, but he was glad she did. It seemed like he'd been needing her support more and more these days.

***

Relan was a blend of many canid species. He usually referred to himself just as a wild canid, since saying that he was a mix of coyote, jackal, wolf, fox, and a few less related things wasn't really worth it. This also wasn't at all unusual; with so many species in existence it was rare to keep a bloodline down to just one without the aid of magic. He had large ears and a small frame, but otherwise a fairly lupine look to him beneath his dusty fur.

That evening he sat at his usual after-work hangout, a club in one of the border areas, along several unofficial species boundaries. The club, "Afterglow", straddled mammal, avian, and reptile areas, and tended to attract those interested in something a little different. It was actually run by a cricket named Veecha, who enjoyed the open attitudes and interesting discussions the location seemed to promote. He was manning bar as Relan sipped at his purple drink.

Veecha twitched his antennae and leaned forward, "You've been a little distracted lately. Something wrong at the academy?" He leaned two arms onto the counter, crossed, while his others cleaned out a glass.

Relan was idly watching the dancers out on the floor. He hadn't actually gone home to change today, so he was dressed in utility pants and his padded undershirt, though that still fit in pretty well here, "Hmm? Oh, just been a little off lately." He turned on his stool, paws swinging, "Work's been taking up most of my time, and it's getting harder to do the things I like there without getting annoyed. It's been making it hard to relax."

Veecha's mouthparts moved thoughtfully. Relan still wasn't completely comfortable around insects, but he'd grown used to Veecha. It also seemed to help the overall mood of the place that he was such an outsider, his very alienness making him almost comforting. The cricket spoke, "You should be dancing then, not drinking. You've never been a happy drinker."

The canid nodded, looking down at his drink. It was sweet but strong, and he was already feeling its effects, "You're right, drinking's only fun if you do something with it." He stretched a little, yawning after the long, trying day at work, and leaned back against the bar as he went back to scanning the crowd. He started to get up when something caught his eye.

The club was full of interesting people in interesting outfits, but one in particular stood out. The first thing Relan noticed were the otter's runes. While most people here had protective or enhancing runes of some sort, they were usually kept somewhat subtle. This otter, on the other hand, glowed a bright blue through his fur. The rune light also drew the canid's eye to something else though: a series of slender silver lines that trailed across the otter's body. They weren't just decoration, they were part of him. The handsome muzzle turned briefly towards Relan, and he caught sight of the silver glow to the eyes. Even from here he could tell this person wasn't normal. He was a golem, dancing, grinning, and swishing his tail out on the dance floor.

Relan turned quickly back to Veecha, "Is he here often? I've never seen him before. . ." He watched the golem out of the corner of his eye, that thick tail curling about his paws. He'd always had a thing for otters. . . and golems. He just hadn't seen them combined this way. As he watched the otter dance, his attention focused a little on the soft, likely webbed hindpaws. They were cute, soft-looking and a little big, something he'd always found sexy, but mostly in private.

"The golem? Once or twice, he hasn't come in much. People aren't quite sure what to make of him, but he attracts attention. And that's good for me."

Relan nodded and got up slowly. It was true, a lot of people were watching the otter golem, but they were also giving him more room than they needed to. He didn't seem to mind, as it was giving him more room to dance. Relan folded his ears a little, but the bit of drink in him helped him get up the nerve to walk out onto the floor towards this strange, handsome being.

He'd seen, and even studied plenty of intelligent golems before, as he could only assume this one was. The process involved in making one was fairly complex, and the results were often seen as being of limited value compared to a less intelligent programmable golem, so they remained fairly rare. Also, most he'd met hadn't seemed quite this. . . alive. Or this cute.

The open area allowed him to slip in fairly close to the otter without actually invading his space. Relan grinned shyly and the otter grinned back happily, weaving about, his rounded metal claws sparkling in the light from his own body. Relan joined in, dancing nearby, closer than any of the others, admiring the way the otter moved and flowed, his dance so natural, ever-moving like waves.

Relan quickly began to feel better, his paws on the dance floor making him worry less, push his concerns away, at least for a little while. He wagged and grinned, closing his eyes and moving his body, turning about before suddenly bumping into someone. His eyes fluttered open quickly, and he found himself staring into a set of swirling silver eyes.

The otter grinned as Relan stumbled slightly, and put out an arm to help steady the canid, "Heee, careful there. You were doing pretty well right up 'til then."

Relan grinned sheepishly, ears folding just a bit. The golem's paws had rubber pads, he could feel them against his fur. He felt a little tingle of arousal at being so close, touching. He felt nervous suddenly, and couldn't think of what to say.

The golem tilted his head, then gently led the canid over to a little seating area off to the side, "You okay? I hope I didn't break the cute dog somehow," he grinned, and the grin widened as he picked up on something else, "Oooh, no, not a dog are you?"

Relan perked his ears at that, momentarily confused. He sat down and looked up towards the unusual otter. It took a few moments for his mind to work out what he might mean. Golems like this were made by uplifting a normal animal spirit, giving it intellect and personality. Being spirits inside, they had an innate level of spirit magic, and could naturally view the spirits of others, as was likely happening now.

He smiled at that and shyly offered a seat. The golem seemed oddly surprised by that, but went ahead and slid in across from him. Relan nodded, "Oh, yeah. I've always sort of had a thing for otters, weasels, and the like. So it wasn't too surprising when I learned my spirit animal was an otter."

The golem grinned and leaned forward, nodding eagerly, "Yeah, I should've noticed it before. Oh, are you okay talking about it? I've been told people aren't used to having their spirits just brought up like that. . ."

Relan shook his head, "No, it's fine, just a little strange to have it come up so early. In, um, meeting you. I'm Relan," he said, feeling a bit socially off-balance as he offered a paw.

"You seem nice. I'm Tari, I'm a golem, if you couldn't tell." His face went slightly serious for a moment, and his swirling silver eyes studied Relan, "Most people are either a little uncertain around me, or just kind of curious. It seems like you're something else."

This wasn't really helping Relan. A spirit was going to have a few extra levels of perception, but he'd never really had to experience it like this before. He took a moment to sort himself out. He should probably just be honest, which would be easier if he'd had some time to work out his own thoughts, "Well, yeah, I think so. I mean, curious yes, and kind of. . . interested." That sounded weak. His ears folded, "Attracted," he revised, feeling the warm throb in his pants.

Tari grinned brighter at that, eyes whirling a bit faster, "I thought so. I keep coming here, and it's neat, but everyone's always all like 'are you a golem?' or 'can you talk?' or 'where's your owner?'. I'm here to meet people and have fun, but they always treat me so weird. Not bad, most of them, but. . ." he giggled, "Well, you're the first one to think I'm cute."

Relan had done research on sentient golems, and he'd even met a few, but the context here was so strange. They'd been pretty formal, and it had been more of an interview. And now he was flirting with one, or at least he was pretty sure he was.

"Well. . ." Relan looked around. He felt nervous, but he wasn't sure why. Tari seemed interested, at least on some level, and what else did he have to worry about? He relaxed and smiled, "Well, yeah. I've always really liked golem designs. Usually less, you know, in that way, but you're such a nice blend of, um, fur and things." He rubbed the back of his neck, "And I've never seen someone like you just acting normal, just having a good time."

Tari nodded, listening curiously, "We do kind of stick to ourselves, but there aren't that many of us, and I've been getting bored." He flashed a shiny grin, "You seem like you'd be interesting, even if you could stand to be more ottery, otterdog," he teased.

Relan took the tease and relaxed a little more. Back to the spirit subject, he could manage that, "Oh, I've thought about it now and then. I'm not sure I could really convince them I'm suffering from Species Incongruence though, and it's kind of a big step anyway. . ." The Alsara Corporation funded medical transformations for those whose spirit animals weren't a good match for their physical species. It was considered practical to offer this for those that needed it, as it led to a more functional society, but it was a significant cost to do so, and they'd only cover it once, "I guess it's never really seemed necessary."

Tari's ears shifted, and his head tilted, "But otter! You seem a little down, and otters make everything better. We're bouncy and fun," he said earnestly, though his face didn't look entirely serious.

The canid chuckled and nodded, "Well, that's true, and maybe I do need something like that. I need something, a little more fun in my life."

The golem curled his tail under the table, the thick, soft appendage pressing against Relan's leg. Relan's ears went up, then down, shy again. Tari grinned, "That's definitely an otter thing. You should come with me tomorrow, visit with some of the other golems. I think I need to help you be more ottery, Relan, it's important," he winked.

Relan grinned even more shyly, but his tail thumped harder. He nodded, "Well, if you want to, I'd love to. Just meeting you is making me feel better, and I'd like to spend more time, learn more about you. I'm, ah, I'm a golem specialist at the academy, I should probably mention that."

Tari leaned over and kissed Relan's nose gently. His fur was very soft, and he had no breath, just a soft, radiating heat. The otter's swirling eyes pulsed with light, "Mmm, well, maybe you can teach me a few things about myself then too. I think I'm going to like knowing you, otterdog."

***

Relan was in a much better mood when he went into his first class the next day. He'd talked with Tari for quite a while and it had left him feeling energized. They were planning to get together again after his classes were finished, and that thought kept him cheerful during his lectures. It also influenced his topic a little.

"Intelligent golems are created by coaxing a spirit into a specially prepared form. Everything has to be done just right so that the spirit will come willingly and inhabit the body. This is the reason they tend to be so much more detailed than other golems; they need enough features of the spirit species for the spirit to feel comfortable inside."

Most of the students were still only half paying attention, though Relan thought that his good mood had gotten a few more listening than usual.

"Once the spirit is fully housed in the golem body, special rituals are used to uplift it. A spirit is like the animal it represents, mentally, but has the capacity for more and that can be brought out much easier than in a normal animal. The spirit still retains its instincts and disposition, which is why intelligent golems act far more in line with their given form than any of us. They are pretty much perfect representations of whatever species they happen be."

He'd drifted from his original lesson plan, and decided he might as well excuse them all a bit early. The students were happy to leave, and as they filed out he began to pack up his alchemy supplies.

"Have some good sex last night?"

He looked up in surprise, then relaxed as he spotted Allie at the door. He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "No, just a nice night out, feeling a lot better after it."

She walked in, tail swaying, her coveralls cleaner than usual, "Mmm, that's pretty obvious. Was it with anyone?"

Relan carefully continued packing his things, though his ears felt warm, "Well, yes. Someone new. He's a, um, golem. An otter golem." He glanced up quickly to watch her reaction.

Her eyes widened for just a moment before her face went calm again, then she transitioned into a laugh, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've met a few sort of cute ones myself, but they never seemed interested enough in normal people for me to think about it much," her grin fell, "Be careful though. Most people here are going to find it strange. I doubt the academy has any real policies about professors dating golems, but. . ." she shrugged.

Relan nodded, putting the last of his equipment away, "I know, and I've given that a little thought. It's making me happy though, and I think I need that right now. I'll just worry about things as they come, you know?"

Allie grinned and walked closer. She gave the canid a hug, "Mmm, good for you. I look forward to meeting him sometime then," she winked.

He grinned back and returned the hug, wagging, "I'll see what I can do, Allie. I don't really know how any of this is going to go, but I intend to enjoy it."

***

Relan spent the next few hours impatient, excited, or worried, alternating between combinations of the three feelings. He hadn't gotten any other contact information for Tari, and regretted that, just a place to meet in a part of the city he wasn't really familiar with, closer to the ground level.

When the time to drive over finally came, he felt nervous. He felt at ease with Tari, but he was going to be meeting others as well, and he was less sure what to expect with them. He also wasn't sure how much of a date this really was. He'd been picking up some signals, but it was always possible he'd been reading the golem wrong.

He drove his small, boxy buggy down into the lower levels of the city. Traffic was pretty mild in this area, which he was thankful for. The less stress, the better right now. He looked around as he drove by parts of buildings he'd only seen from afar. Alsara was built as much vertically as it was horizontally, and the roads used giant elevators at various points to transfer between levels. Some of the buildings stretching up around him were ones he'd visited before, but every layer tended to be entirely different from the last, and nothing looked very familiar.

The actual location Tari had given seemed to be an expanded complex in a fairly cheap-looking building. While many of the buildings were roughly the same length from top to bottom, some had layers where they were expanded, the additions generally attached and supported by the roads as this one was. It was often a way to get more space cheaply, as the building wouldn't charge you much extra for that space as long as you could actually build it yourself. Sometimes they were a bit shabby, but this one looked solidly built. He parked in a nearby public garage and walked up to the front door. He rang the bell and waited.

The door opened up and a shiny metal figure appeared. Made of both black-lacquered and bare steel, the crow golem looked like a suit of armor more than anything, down to having what seemed to be weapon hardpoints on his shoulders. His swirling red eyes studied Relan, his metal beak impossible to read. He didn't speak, so Relan did so once he caught his breath, "Um, hi?"

The avian scanned him, then cocked his head to the side. A faint red glow pulsed through cracks in his metal, "Do you have the right door? You don't look like our usual sort of visitor."

Relan looked at the war bird a bit nervously. Technically any golem was much stronger than an organic person, but the obvious combat build was even more off-putting, "I'm supposed to meet Tari in here, he invited me."

The crow was silent for several seconds, "You can come in then, his room is down the hall there, third one. Don't try anything you'll regret, this place is a haven for those like us."

Relan couldn't imagine what he could possibly try in a building full of powerful golems, but nodded meekly just the same. He slipped in, fur brushing by the smooth metal form of the bird as he walked swiftly towards the directed door. He hesitated, counting again to make sure he had it right, then knocked.

After a few seconds, Tari opened the door, standing there in just some loose shorts and a big grin. He waves a webbed paw, then hugged Relan, "You came! Good, good. I want to introduce you to some of the others, and then we're going swimming."

Relan returned the hug in happy surprise, then raised his ears, "Swimming? Well, all right. . ."

Tari chuckled, stepping back and wagging, "Yeah, it'll be fun. Just relax and go with the flow, I'll make sure everything goes all right, okay? Just enjoy it." He smiled, then looked back, "Oh, wanna see my room? It's not much, but I like it."

Relan was having to get used to the otter's high energy. It was nice, just not really the pace of things that he was used to. Tari was right though, he should just relax. The golem knew what was going on, he'd make sure things went smoothly. Relan took a deep breath and stepped in.

Tari's room was filled with cheap magical light, mostly blues and silvers, flowing slowly around the walls. There was a little pool built into the floor in one corner, really only large enough for one or two people to lounge in, and a circular bed in the other corner. Bookshelves and dressers took up most of the rest of the small room, each with a small selection of assorted toys and art on their flat tops. Relan looked around, taking it in. It was much smaller than his own place, but comfy, and much more striking with the lights. Tari walked up behind him.

"I know it's kinda small, but that's what we get for having all the nice communal areas. We'll come back later if you want, for a better look." His tail swished gently against Relan's leg.

The canid turned with folded ears, his heart beating a little faster. It seemed like Tari was coming onto him again, but he felt so uncertain about reading the golem. He certainly didn't seem shy at least, "Yeah, I'd like that. I guess we'll go meet the others first though?" he asked, not quite looking forward to that, but keeping a smile just the same. It was pretty easy to around the otter.

Tari grinned and took his hand, nodding, "Yeah, this way. Don't worry if they're a little suspicious, I'm sure they'll grow used to you."

As he was dragged along behind Tari, Relan wondered why it felt like he'd known Tari far longer than a few hours. He was being treated like an old friend, or a boyfriend, rather than a brief acquaintance from last night. It was strange, but nice to be accepted so quickly.

Tari guided him into a large common room where several chairs and couches were set out. The crow from before was there, along with a rubbery looking alligator and an apparently female jaguar with a design much more like Tari's. The three golems looked up at the newcomers, and Relan felt the avian's eyes studying him again. It was uncomfortable, and he idly wondered if maybe those red eyes were actually generating heat.

"Hey everyone, I brought a friend tonight. This is Relan, he's an otter too, though he needs a bit of fixing up. He's a golemologist too, and a cute dancer." He turned to the suddenly embarrassed Relan again, "Relan, these are a few of the golems that live here. The battle crow is Ebon, he's a little surly, but a nice guy underneath. The gator is Alis, he's a bit quiet, though he's great to swim with and has a tail that's almost as cool as mine. And this is Neth, she's really nice, and smart too." The feline smiled at that, ears swiveling and perking.

Ebon stood slowly, his wingfeathers shifting and fanning precisely. Relan still felt very faintly unsafe around him, "A golem magus? What is he here for?"

"He's a friend, like I said. He just happens to like golems, which is fine with me too. You don't need to act so cautious, Ebon, he's harmless and cute." Tari grinned as Relan nodded quickly.

Neth smiled and reached over to gently tug on Ebon's metal tail, "Sit down, Ebon, we don't get many visitors. And we won't get any if you start chasing them off."

Ebon glanced down at her, then at Relan again, "I'm not concerned that he's a threat, but he makes me uncomfortable. I come here to get away from them. The looks of uncertainty and fear. Being treated as an object. Tell me, Relan, have you worked with any golems as colleagues? We're all naturally talented with spirit magic, and yet few of us can find decent work with it, because it's hard for us to pass your qualification exams. They test education, not skill, and we're created without the inherent right to teaching that you are." He pulled his tail free of the jaguar paw and stalked off, "I will be in my room."

Neth didn't allow the room to fall silent, "Don't worry about him, he's just cautious, it's a crow thing. And it is admittedly a little unusual to have someone like you here."

Relan sat down on a small couch and Tari flopped in next to him. Relan glanced after Ebon as Tari took hold of his paw, giving a squeeze. The canid's ears folded, "I guess I never thought much about how things are for you. I know that no one's allowed to own you, or hurt you, but. . ."

Neth nodded, "That's true, we do have the same basic rights as you do. No one's sure how to treat us though. We're usually made for a specific reason, and people have a hard time imagining that we can be just as versatile as organic borns. The appearance is a big part of that, I guess. Ebon was made to be, and still is, a sentry at a high security research facility. His caution and intelligence are assets there, and despite what you might think from his attitude, he's quite respected and well-payed, managing all of the normal security golems and surveillance systems there. However, it's left him with a body that looks like a war machine, and that's hard for some people to get over."

Relan closed his eyes, nodding, "Yeah, I can see that. I feel a little on edge around him myself, though I shouldn't. I'm used to working on combat golems." He shook his head, "I don't want to really judge anyone though. You're people, like me, I know that. And I get a little wary around tigers and sharks too, it's not just a golem thing, it's just a normal prey instinct. I'd like to get to know people here, and I'd like you all to feel comfortable around me too."

Alis smiled and rumbled softly. Tari grinned and leaned in against Relan, "Mmm, you came over to me on your own, and you agreed to come visit. I'm not too worried about you being anti-golem or something."

Neth grinned too, "Yeah, I'm not accusing you, just making sure you know where Ebon's coming from, and what others might think. They'll get over it, just give it time." Her eyes flicked from Relan to Tari, and her grin widened, "Tari, you know you can introduce your doggy to us anytime, but we're not really doing anything interesting right now. Go on and have some fun together, we'll be around."

Tari pressed closer to Relan, his faux fur body rubbing up against the mammal's real fur. Relan's ears folded again, warming rapidly as Tari spoke, "Mmm, yes ma'am. I was gonna take him to see the pool."

Relan smiled shyly at that, "Yeah, he mentioned a swim. . ."

Alis rumbled approvingly, as did Neth, "Oh, I'm sure you'll both have fun then, don't let us keep you." She grinned and shooed them both off, Tari giggling and Relan happily embarrassed.

***

The pool turned out to be deeper in the building. The way there led through quite a few modified hallways, each decorated in ways to appeal to a different class of species. The avian ones had doors in the walls to fly out from, and windows for a good view of the open sky. Others were more burrow-like, the corridors filled in some to feel tighter and the windows completely covered. They eventually arrived at a blue and green area with lights set to reflect off of moving metal decorations, giving a faint rippling feel all around.

Tari turned as they approached an airlock-like door, "I'd like to live closer to here, but as a river otter I don't really get priority. Most of us here are either more or less aquatic than I am," he said, sounding a little sad for the first time since Relan had met him. Relan realized something he should have before, that being golems only connected the people here in one way. They had the usual species differences that anyone else did. And no one aside from Tari was particularly ottery. He was lonely.

Thinking about this, Relan was too distracted to see the large, shiny orca who stood in the door Tari had just opened. He was made of something like vinyl, done in large patches with soft blue light filtering through the cracks between them. The cetacean smiled, not seeming to be embarrassed by his obvious nakedness. Then again, he seemed to be just as smooth between his legs as on the rest of him. Relan couldn't help staring, and suddenly wondered what Tari was like down there. His ears heated up again.

"Hey Tari, going for a swim? Who's this?" He peered at Relan.

Tari giggled, "Of course. And this is Relan, he has an unfortunate case of not being otter, and I'm trying to help with it." Relan giggled and nodded. He was certainly persistent about that, and it was kind of cute. Feeling a little daring, he reached out and grabbed Tari's paw firmly. Tari squeezed back.

The orca chuckled, a deep, rich sound, and nodded, "I see. Well, the pool's all clear for otters then." He slipped by them and waved his large tail as he headed off.

Tari glanced back, tail swishing happily as his webbed paw rubbed at Relan's pads. He leaned back and nuzzled gently, "I'm going to slip in. Get your suit on and come join me, otterdog," he chrrred. He gave a playful lick, then padded off towards the pool room.

There was a little waiting area before the actual pool with some benches for changing. They'd stopped to grab one of Tari's spare sets of swim shorts on the way, so Relan sat down to get those on, stripping down a little shyly, even though Tari didn't seem to be watching. Relan peeked around the door as he got dressed, to check out the pool and watch the otter.

The pool room was dimly lit, and the reflections of the water covered the tile walls. There was a little space for a few chairs by the side of the pool, but nearly all of the room was taken up by water. There was a diving board and a few inflatable toys and chairs in the pool itself, but otherwise it was just clear water. Tari walked up to the edge, turning with one paw partly lifted. Relan's gaze shifted to that paw, getting a good view of the soft rubber pads. His cock hardened, and he was reminded again how sexy the golem was. Tari grinned, then slipped in gracefully, making no splash. He came up again almost immediately, looking back towards Relan. Relan was in the middle of pulling his pants off, and grinned shyly, briefly revealing a fairly firm canid sheath. Tari grinned back, but didn't say anything.

Relan tugged the swim trunks on, "So, um, how many golems live here?" he asked, tucking his clothes away and walking to the pool.

Tari swam backwards slowly, looking up at the canid, "Hmm, twenty-something. Some come and go, and there are a few who might not count themselves as living here, but. . . twenty-five? About that?" He swished his tail, lightly splashing Relan. The water was pleasantly warm.

Relan arrived at the pool's edge, "Twenty-five of you? That's a lot more than I expected." The warmth of the water relaxed him about entering, so he hopped right in, hindpaws first. He made a big splash as he went in, then came up to find Tari only a few inches away from him.

The otter bumped noses, then swam away again, circling around lazily, "Golems tend to hear about the place now and we often get them just showing up here. It started to grow pretty quickly." He grinned, then slipped under the water. Relan looked around and swam out a little, paddling away from the wall. Tari popped up behind him and slid his arms around the canid's soft chest. He chittered, "You're the first otter since me though."

Relan wriggled in the hug and turned his head, "Mmm, you like calling me an otter."

Tari smiled, nosing, "It's what you are, whether you look like one or not. And that's what matters, even if you'd be a lot cuter with webbing." His thick tail swished and propelled them out into the center of the pool. Relan could feel some of the seams in the golem's fur and the warmth coming through the glowing cracks. It was strange to feel on someone who felt and acted so real otherwise, but nice too, exciting. Tari's paws slide down and closed over Relan's crotch. The rubber pads found his sheath and focused on the firmness already there.

Relan yelped in surprise, but Tari hushed him, "Mmm, don't tell me you don't want it, otter. And don't tell me we shouldn't go this fast, because that's what you want to say, and it's stupid." He squeezed again, and Relan firmed up more.

Relan's thoughts were a jumble. Tari was right, that was what he'd been thinking. . . but he couldn't think of why. Because that's what was expected. Because that's how people did things. Because he hadn't thought about if he should be in a relationship with a golem. Because he was worried. And yet. . . that did all seem pretty dumb. And it felt good to have an artificial otter playing with his swiftly hardening cock.

Tari chittered, rubbing under the canid's balls, "I can only read your emotions, by the way, if you're worried about me reading all your thoughts. And mmm, those emotions seem to be going in the right direction."

Relan grinned, ears hot, then reached back to grope the golem. He found something firm there as well, and his ears perked up, "Mmm, oooh, I think I might need a better look at you, you're obviously a bit different from that orca. . ."

Tari brightened at the more playful, aggressive behavior and nodded, tail thrashing, "Oooh, we're all different, and I'd love to let you explore." He kissed Relan's neck, then let go, launching backwards through the water. He spun once, and his shorts slid free, floating in the water behind him. He grinned over his shoulder, "Mmm, and explore you too."

Relan swam after, less graceful, but eager. Tari winked and slipped under again. Relan stopped, looking around, then yelped as he felt the otter grab his shorts. He laughed and kicked playfully as they were tugged off. A little moan escaped his muzzle as Tari found his firm shaft and sheath, stiffening further at the touch of synthetic paws and webbing. He looked down to see Tari seemingly fascinated by it, his muzzle up close. There was a gentle lick, sending another shiver of feeling through the canid.

Tari let go and surfaced once more, grinning, "Mmm, hee, most organics don't let me get close to their cocks for some reason. It's nice and warm." he said, swimming slowly around Relan.

Relan whimpered happily and turned too. He waited for an opening, then pounced, grabbing the golem who let out a happy chitter. They spun together in the water, then ended up with Tari floating beneath, grinning up. Relan licked his muzzle, and felt something rubbery brush against his shaft. He reached down and felt it, the golem's cock nice, slick rubber, with its own stitched sheath. He rubbed it against his own, organic and synthetic, and Tari's whirling eyes brightened.

Tari kissed again and chrrred as the canid slowly reached up caressed the seam that ran down Tari's chin. He could feel the heat radiating within, and the synthetic muscles housed just below a layer of padding there. The otter smiled and shifted, bucking his cock against Relan's fingers, "Mmm, do you like what you feel?" He spoke warmly, confidently.

Relan just nodded and kissed the neck seam, his tongue trailing along it. He worked his muzzle up Tari's neck, panting as he finally found his lips, and they kissed. The golem's mouth was smooth, but dry, wetted only by Relan's tongue. Tari wrapped his arms around his living friend and then pulled them both underwater with a deep chrrrr.

Relan kept himself from panicking, trusting Tari. He closed his eyes, bubbles releasing from his muzzle. He could feel the otter rubbing against him, sliding his slinky body around and over. That smooth, thick fur felt so nice against his own, each movement quick and graceful. And then Tari came up for a kiss, and a hot burst of air entered the canid's muzzle. He sucked it in happily. The golem had no need for oxygen, not to survive, but he could still store it, give it. Relan was safe in the warm water, as long as Tari wished. He opened his eyes to a fuzzy otter grin before Tari's head vanished again, bobbing down.

Tari chittered, the sound distorted through the water, and grabbed Relan's shaft again. His webbing wrapped it tightly and pumped it. His muzzle came forward, and Relan could feel the warm lips against it, close, soft. He couldn't help panting, his muzzle parting, letting a stream of bubbles free.

Tari took the length in slowly, tenderly, Relan whined, writhed, clenched fingers and toes against the otter's fur. The golem's muzzle was so perfectly, wonderfully slick, the heat generated by his internal alchemy warm and soothing. Relan bucked, pushed in, and swished his tail through the water as the heat of pleasure spread up through him. More bubbles released, and just as wooziness came, Tari swam up again for another deep, life-giving kiss.

The canid looked into Tari's whirling, glowing eyes as their lips locked. His cock pressed in against Tari's fuzzy thigh. They moaned together and the golem's tail wrapped around his lover, locking them in close, sharing air. Relan's breath came harder, and Tari reached down again, feeling his tip, squeezing it, then rubbing it with his.

Relan pulled from the kiss for a moment to gasp, to release air. His hindpaws found Tari's, rubbing, pressing against them in need, toes squeezed together, in against the webbing. He felt a swift, sharp pain in his neck, otter teeth biting in, marking, Tari's handpaw rubbing faster. His own paw slid down with need, his thoughts rapidly growing less and less distinct. He bucked and rubbed, spinning slowly beneath the surface with the wonderful, aggressive golem.

He wanted this otter, he wanted this passion and freedom, this wonderful, unplanned sexual play. He wanted it to continue, to become part of his life. He wanted, he wanted. . .

He sucked in water, barely managing not to splutter. He felt close, Tari so good with his paws, insistent, unrelenting. His whole body was tensing as the otter's magic warmed up, heat radiating out in soft pulses. So close, otters, golems, pressed together, growing, releasing.

Tari grabbed his head harshly, pulled it down for a deep kiss, air he didn't realize he'd needed. The timing was perfect, and pleasure hit him hard. He clutched his lover tightly as they shared orgasms, bodies drifting freely, held down by some mechanism of Tari's as clouds of cum dissipated into the pool, living and synthetic. Relan felt like he couldn't hold tight enough, couldn't kiss deep enough, for the pleasure he felt in those moments. When it passed, when the surge was spent, the kiss continued, both beings relaxed and happy, together in the water.

***

They were back in Tari's room, hours later. Relan felt he had too much to think about to just go home right now. He'd been fairly quiet, mostly just cuddling and close with Tari. The otter, in turn, had seemed to enjoy that, though he couldn't help the occasional bout of pouncing and playing. He was currently sitting on the ground with Relan's tail, poking and rubbing at it.

Relan hadn't done anything that spontaneous for a very long time. Part of him kept trying to demand that it was wrong, but it wasn't. He'd wanted Tari, he knew that, and clearly the reverse was true. So what would waiting have helped? There was no resulting problem to fix, he felt good. He needed to stop listening to social norms. He looked down at Tari, who seemed even cuter now. The otter giggled and looked back up, eyes whirling as he hugged Relan's tail. Relan smiled at him, "You like being a golem, hon? You don't ever wish you were organic?" he asked thoughtfully.

Tari cocked his head at the question, ears turning, "I prefer being a golem. There are a few problems, but I like what I am. I'm stronger and cuter," he grinned.

Relan nodded, and then slipped down to hug his arms around the otter. They kissed, and his tail wagged, "Mmm, just curious. I like you being a golem too. You are much cuter." He kissed again and pressed down onto Tari, who lay back happily, wriggling beneath.

The otter grinned and chrrred, wrapping his limbs around Relan. His whiskers twitched, metallic eyes whirled.

The canid nuzzled and looked at him, "You like golems more than organics, don't you?" He said it gently, with a small smile.

Tari eeped, caught a little off guard. He hesitated, then nodded, "Well, yeah. . . I meant, you're nice, and I'm having fun, but. . . um, yeah." He wriggled and licked uncertainly, "I was kinda made as a companion and lover. And I like that kind of thing, a lot, but it's a. . . preference thing. That's why I left. I guess that sort of thing is why golems like me never really work out well, why there aren't more of us. . ."

Relan hadn't seen Tari looking sad before, and didn't want to now. He nuzzled down and smiled, squeezing, "It's okay Tari, I know. I'm just thinking, that's all." He grinned, and nibbled along the otter's neck, "And it seems like you're enjoying things for now too."

Tari relaxed and nodded, giggling a bit and kissing again. As Relan kissed back and cuddled the otter, his thoughts whirled about, considering his options. He wanted to be with Tari, and he decided he didn't care what problems it caused, it was worth it. He just needed to visit a friend tomorrow, to see about taking the next step. With that settled, he let the thoughts slide from his mind and pressed into a deep kiss.

***

Relan took the next day off. It was a bit short notice, but he didn't care, they'd manage for one day without him. He'd have plenty of other things to worry about soon enough, one day wasn't going to make much difference.

He drove up to the affluent part of town. Though the academy was the heart of the city, it had been built fairly early on, before the need to build upwards had taken hold. It sat in that main business and residential area, the Middle District. It was a nice place, but it was no Sky District.

Only the wealthiest lived near the shield itself, in Sky. Some even had their own houses, built on the roofs of the usual tower buildings, and otherwise unconnected to the less fortunate people who lived below them. By the nature of space, few of the city's inhabitants were able to live there, but that was where Relan was heading now.

His buggy looked cheap compared to most of the ones that passed him here. He could have afforded better, but had never really been one for extravagance. It still left him feeling a bit self-conscious, especially as he pulled up to the golem-guarded gate he'd been driving towards.

An abstract lupine golem, similar to the one he'd worked on the other day, studied him. Relan leaned out the window slightly, "I'm a friend of Marthus, my name's Relan."

The golem had no true intelligence, but it had some basic programming, and seemed to respond to his name. It nodded, presumably sending a notice into the house before opening up the gate. Relan slid back into his seat and drove in. Good to see he was still considered interesting enough to be programmed in.

He pulled into the driveway in front of the elegant, two-story house. It wasn't huge, but the simple fact that it all belonged to one person was incredibly extravagant. The academy payed fairly well, but at times like these he did briefly regret not taking a different path. Relan stepped out of the car and up to the front door, which opened for him automatically.

Relan walked into the entrance room, golems bowing to him as he passed by. He knew the way, and headed into the next room, towards the staircase. Marthus was already on his way down the staircase and gave Relan a strange smile as he approached.

Marthus was a tall, athletic wolf with soft gray and white fur. He was currently dressed in a fluffy white robe, which he was just now in the process of tying closed. He descended the steps with his usual assured movements.

"Relan, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again any time soon. I've got a cute fox tied up upstairs if you want to join us." He reached the floor and grinned, tail wagging, "Though I'm guessing that's not why you're here, hmm?"

Relan felt his ears warm. He'd been close friends with Marthus back when they were students together, and an occasional lover. Marthus had always been very open about the things he did for fun. Mostly foxes.

"No, I didn't come for that. I need your help with a. . . project. Something quick, though a bit more in your area than mine."

Marthus was a genius, it had been obvious from the beginning. He held advanced degrees in all three fields of magic, but his true specialty was ritual work. He ran his own corporation these days, a small but highly profitable one, funded mostly by his own discoveries. Relan always felt a little flattered that the wolf still considered him intelligent enough to discuss magic with.

Marthus didn't look too enthused, though he nodded, "A project, yes, not surprising. I need specifics, puppy, if you want my time."

Relan took a breath, "Do you know how someone would go about becoming a golem?" He said it quickly, to get it out there. It was comforting to be through that, to have it out in the air now.

The wolf's expression changed. His tail swished as he growled softly, considering, "Interesting. Doable, certainly, but not something I've seen done myself. I've heard reference to something of that sort being tested in New Terosa, but they're not exactly likely to share it with me. . ." Relan recognized the wolf's sharp mind working, and he grinned. He knew he'd caught him now.

"My first thought was just to try a mental transfer. . ." Relan prompted.

Marthus shook his head quickly, "Not really safe. The sympathetic connection would be tenuous, and that requires some serious spiritual skill. I could possibly pull a few favors, but the results would still be unstable. No, a full physical shift would be the better option, very solid connection."

Relan nodded, smiling. He'd thought much the same, but trusted it more, hearing it from Marthus, "Do you foresee any major difficulties?"

There was a low moan from upstairs. Marthus glanced up, "Aside from whiny foxes? It would require some significant props, and I would need to flesh out a few ritual movements and runes, but no, not especially problematic." He cocked his head and grinned, "I am, however, wondering why you're asking."

Relan had figured that would be coming. He licked his lips, feeling a little dry, "I want to be an otter golem."

Marthus perked his ears, "That's not a full answer, Relan," he growled gently.

"I met an otter golem named Tari. We hit it off pretty well, and I went to his place last night, we. . ." he was about to be coy, but it really seemed pretty stupid with someone like Marthus, "We fooled around and pawed off in the pool together, then spent a long time just cuddled up after. It was. . . it was weird, and quick, I only just know him. I've never gotten even that involved with someone so early in a relationship before, and I know I'm rushing into things, but. . . it was fun. And it felt good, and right, and I'm an otter." Relan grinned, huffing as he finished his little speech.

Marthus chuckled, "That sounds like a perfectly good reason to me. If we can't act on passion, there's little meaning to life." The wolf padded closer, eyes roving slowly over the other canid's form, "This is rather unlike you though. You were always the careful one."

Relan was grateful that Marthus took things so in stride. He always had, "That's what I'm trying to get away from. I'm tired of it, my life's been getting dull. I like my work, but the rest of it has gotten too routine."

The wolf smirked, "You seem to be getting better then. It'll be a shame to see you grow less canine, but I think I'm going to prefer otter you." His tail flicked back and forth slowly, "Still, I should check. I assume you've considered the potential social problems?"

The hybrid nodded. Marthus was moving closer, and Relan could smell the musk on him now. He wondered exactly what he'd interrupted. The wolf turned and circled slowly as Relan answered, "As much as I could. I'm accepting most of them. I know I'll be treated different, and that I might even lose my job. I'll manage though, unlike most golems I am already a magus."

Marthus grinned, "Yes, and a very good one. You tell your administrators that if they're small-minded enough to fire you, it's their loss, and I'd be happy to snap you up instead."

Relan hadn't thought of that. Marthus had offered him a position when they'd both gotten of of the academy, but their desires had been different then. Marthus had had no interest in working under anyone, especially not the Alsara Corporation. Relan could understand that, just as he could back then, but he'd gotten the impression that working under the wolf would be worse. At the academy, even the senior professors respected him. He doubted his brilliant friend ever truly would. Still, it made a nice safety net, "I'll let them know. And thanks, Marthus."

The wolf chuckled and wrapped Relan in a warm, strong hug, "Mmm, anything for my old classmate, especially if it results in you being a little more interesting. Now, I don't suppose I can convince you to come up stairs for a while? I've still got a nice fresh fox to work on before I start on your project."

Relan declined Marthus's offer as politely as he could, and soon headed home. He was pretty sure the wolf hadn't really expected him to join him and his little vulpine toy, but he'd still looking slightly disappointed. Relan wondered, on the way home, if it would have been more ottery to say yes. He was pretty sure it would have just been sluttier.

***

Relan spent the night feeling restless. It was hard to concentrate on anything with so much on his mind, but there was little he could do to relieve it until the next day. He went to bed early and did his best to sleep.

The next day, he went in, nervously, to speak with the administrators about what he was planning. He was going through with it either way, but would rather have this particular unpleasantness taken care of so he could worry about other things. It didn't end up helping much, as they weren't prepared to give a final answer yet, but they did give him some time off to take care of things. Or perhaps because they figured he'd gone crazy and needed a break, he figured that was another likely reason.

He planned to meet Tari again in the evening. He needed to bring him into this before it got too far along. He normally would have offered to go to dinner, but that didn't seem appropriate with the golem, so instead he had them meet in the city park.

The park was a large, forested platform set near the center of Alsara. Relan drove to one of the more secluded lots, where he'd arranged to meet Tari. There were fountains and playgrounds in other parts of the park, but this area was mostly wild, aside from some carefully kept paths.

The otter was waiting for him. He was sitting on the entrance sign, tail and webbed paws dangling down. He grinned and waved as Relan approached, "Hey down there."

Relan chuckled, looking up at the perched otter, "Hey yourself. You'll have to come down if you want a hug."

Tari grinned and spread his webbed toes, "How about a paw rub first, otterdog? While you're done there." Relan's gaze settled on the soft, metal-clawed paws. The webbing was some sort of stretchy, elastic material. It made him stiff just looking at it, and he nodded quickly. He lifted his hands to take hold of the otter paws, stroking along the rubber pads, caressing the handsome webbing. Tari chittered and glowed, "I picked up on you noticing them before. . . it's kind of cute. Never had anyone like my paws before."

Relan looked up at that, rubbing the pads with his thumbs. He dipped his muzzle to give the warm toes a kiss, "Mmm, that's a shame," he said, feeling his excitement grow. He panted a little, and realized that if he wasn't careful, he'd get himself off track. He squeezed Tari's paws, then reluctantly backed away slightly, "I'll give them more attention later, but I had something I needed to talk about tonight."

Tari tilted his head, swinging his paws a bit more. Then he grinned and practically pounced Relan with a strong hug. Relan hadn't quite felt how much power was in the slender-looking otter before, but he could feel it now, held back but eager to be used. He hugged back, "Care to walk a bit?" He didn't quite feel ready to bring up the topic so quickly, he wanted a bit of time to work up to it.

Tari nodded, and they held hands. They walked into the dark forest, chatting softly. Relan couldn't see very well, but Tari's magical eyes saw just fine through the dark, so he lead the way down the path.

After about fifteen minutes, they approached a small pond. Birds floated in the water, quacking quietly like the ducks of old. Relan turned then and took Tari's other hand. The golem stopped suddenly, ears perking as he looked more intently at his canid friend, "Relan? What did you need to tell me?" Relan's excitement must have been felt by the otter spirit, since Tari seemed to be glowing brighter suddenly.

Relan had no reason to think Tari wouldn't like his plan, but somehow it still wasn't quite easy to say. It seemed almost silly to say aloud, but once again he knew that was just him holding back, worrying. He smiled, bringing his muzzle, "Something important. I want to be with you Tari. And I want to become an otter golem, like you."

Tari's eyes widened comically, lighting up the small portion of the park. The birds quacked in annoyance. He squeaked, then laughed and hugged Relan tightly, with both arms and tail. He kissed, Relan several times, "Really? Can you do that? I didn't think you could do that? You really are an otter, I knew you were an otter," he chittered.

Relan giggled softly, hugging back more gently, "Yes, really. I have a friend working out the details right now, should only be another day or two, knowing him. I don't think it's been tried before by anyone here, but it should be doable."

Tari smiled at him, light shining from every seam. He stroked a paw over Relan's ears. He didn't question, or try to talk him out of it. He wanted another otter, and was more than happy to let Relan be that if he wished. Relan appreciated that, someone just accepting that he could make his own decisions.

They were both feeling excited, but Relan regretfully decided they shouldn't get into too much right then. It was a public place for one thing, and they'd have a lot of time to play as otters soon enough. He had a feeling that last time they hadn't done more due to Tari being worried about hurting the living canid, and his reaction now helped confirmed that. Relan was aware that things may not have gone much farther if he hadn't made this fairly drastic decision. The physical differences would have always been there.

"Tari. . ." Relan hesitated. He wanted to ask about that, but he didn't want to spoil anything. He didn't think Tari would mind a little curiosity though, in fact he'd probably encourage it, "What were you planning for us? I don't think we would have lasted long, the way we are. We're just not very. . . compatible. Physically."

Tari blinked, then giggled. He kissed Relan's cheek and tilted his head, "I didn't really have a plan, silly. I was just going to have fun, and hope things worked out. If not, at least it would have been nice while it lasted." He smiled and shrugged.

Relan nodded, realizing that should have been obvious. Tari was more otter than he'd ever be, and that was fine. That happy, carefree nature made him fun to be around, but it also made Relan realize that he'd have to adjust if they were really going to be together. He smiled back. They'd work things out, and enjoy doing it.

They parted ways before too long, as Relan would soon have work to do and wanted to be rested. The kiss they shared was a long one, and left Relan wondering what it would be like after the change.

***

He heard from Marthus the next day. He'd designed most of the rituals needed, and expected to be ready by the day after. He told Relan that they were going to require a partial golem body for the process, and it would be best if Relan made it himself. The wolf sent over the rough schematics, along with a few other instructions. The materials were a bit more than Relan had in his apartment workshop, so he made a visit to the academy golem bay to pick up what he needed.

Relan walked through the quiet golem bay during lunchtime, figuring it would be easier to grab what he needed with fewer people around. He was a little vague on exactly how much he was allowed to take freely, material-wise. They'd never many any complaints in the past, so he tried not to worry about it.

It was a little strange having the bay so quiet. Normally there were so many tools running, the sounds echoing, that there was a constant background hum. It sounded full of life and industry. Now, it sounded empty and bare.

He heard the click of claws approaching and ignored them. He hadn't expected to be completely alone, and wasn't going to bother someone else going about their business. It turned out the claws' owner didn't share that plan.

"Relan! Hey!" Allie came running over, her agile body closing the distance quicker than he could have.

He hadn't really expected to run into his friend here, though it wasn't exactly unusual. He smiled, though inwardly wondered how much she knew, and what she thought of what she did, "Oh, hey there. I was just grabbing a few things here."

She slowed as she walked up, tail swishing, "Yeah, well, I'd like to talk first. What's this about you being on leave? I hadn't heard anything about that before, are things okay?"

She'd have to know sooner or later. His tail swished slowly and nodded, "Things are fine. Great actually." He grinned, and then it faltered. She'd been fine with him thinking about dating a golem, but this was a little different, "I'm planning to get myself changed. Into an otter golem."

Her surprise was obvious. It was pretty hard to shock Marthus, but Allie was clearly not expecting anything like that, "An otter golem?" she repeated, trying to grasp some hidden, alternate meaning in the simple words.

Relan's ears fell, "Yeah. I've decided I'd rather be a golem." He rubbed his neck, glancing down, "The administrators seem a little unsure about the idea, but I've made up my mind about it. A friend of mine has worked out how to do it safely, and I'm just getting the parts for it now."

Allie looked uncertain still, "Is this because of the golem you met? It seems kind of sudden. How do you know he's going to remain interested in you? You'd be stuck. And everything would be different Relan, no one's going to look at you the same, or treat you the same. Well, I will, but. . ." She stopped, looking guilty.

He just smiled, if weakly, "I've thought about that. And yes, it is due to him, to Tari, but there's more than just that. I hope things work out with him, and I think we'll stay together, but even if we don't, I still want to be a golem. And certainly an otter, though I doubt you'd object if I'd only told you that part. Is it really that strange that I'd want to be something I love? I won't get sick or old, I'll live forever. It's. . . not really a huge price to pay, Allie."

She frowned, thinking. After a few moments she sighed, then hugged him rather suddenly, "I can't really stop you, or talk you out of it. I don't think you should be doing it so suddenly though, it's not like you. But it's not my choice," She paused, then nudged him with her snout, "I do get to poke around inside you sometime when you're done though." The joke sounded a little forced.

Relan sighed and hugged back, stroking her sides. He could really use her support, but this was for him. And at least she wasn't turning on him, "You're more than welcome to, Allie. I'll probably need regular maintenance, and I wouldn't trust anyone else."

She smiled, partially won over. They talked about it a bit more, the lizard's uncertainty showing through still, and then he gathered up the parts he needed. Things could have gone much worse, and he had more immediate concerns to deal with. He had a long night ahead assembling the proto-golem.

***

The assembly took a lot of careful concentration. The resulting proto-golem would be fairly simple, but it needed to be just right, and made entirely by Relan's hands. When he was finally finished, in the early hours of the morning, he flopped into bed, exhausted, and got what little rest he could.

When morning came, he put his creation carefully into the passenger seat of his buggy, and drove back to Marthus's house. He was let in again, and lugged the heavy, person-sized load in through the front door.

He'd arranged a time with Tari, who was waiting for him when he arrived. He wondered suddenly how Tari traveled. He hadn't seen a buggy, though there was never any time he would have. Or it could be public transportation. Or he might have some built in means. He'd have to ask later, right now he was just happy to see the otter. They hugged warmly and then Tari glanced around a little more, "You have some nice friends."

Relan chuckled, "I suppose I do. I'm pretty used to him, but I guess it is kind of impressive." He noticed that Tari was looking a bit antsy, "Come on, he should be in the workshop, it's just back here." Tari helped him with the proto-golem, giggling a little and admiring it. They walked down a hallway together, and the workshop door opened for them.

Marthus's workshop was equal to almost anything the academy had. Plenty of worktables rested against the walls, and a large ritual area dominated the center. Ritual implements and alchemical ingredients took up a large amount of wall space, along with a few suits of custom rune armor that stood at attention, one of them only half assembled.

Marthus himself was in the room, dressed in work gear. He wore a heavy coat over pocketed coveralls and a pair of thick goggles. He was putting a few finishing touches on a complicated runic pattern that spread across the floor, glowing in regular pulses. He glanced up at the sound of the door, "You came early. Let me see your proto-golem," he said, straightening. Marthus never was one for worrying too much about pleasantries when there was work to do. He did take a little time to notice Tari though, "Mmm, and your lover too. Haven't met a lover of yours for a while, puppy." He grinned and looked the golem over, "He's a handsome one too. I've slept with a few golems in my time, usually nice and rough."

Relan was surprised by that, though he really shouldn't have been. Tari grinned and nuzzled Relan, "I like this wolf," he said in a loud whisper.

Relan heated up at both comments, then hefted the rubbery golem figure and held it in front of himself for Marthus to see. It didn't look much like a golem yet, more like rubber armor. It was black, and sized to fit Relan, though the shape was as ottery as he could make it. The muzzle was shorter than his, a partial muzzle that only had its top portion, and the small ears were just in front of the holes for his much larger ones. The tail was a full otter tail, which he'd found he could stuff his own into. The whole thing was covered with simple runes, and all fit together as one piece, which had made it significantly more complicated to form.

Marthus pried his gaze from Tari, and nodded after a brief inspection, "All right, bring it to the center while I finish this up, and let's see if it's compatible." Tari easily took over maneuvering the sort of floppy proto-golem, carrying it to the indicated spot. Marthus grinned, "It'll look a lot sexier once we're done with you. Okay, now hold it here for a few minutes." He returned to working on the floor array.

Relan watched and waited. The first part of this was going to take a while, but there was nothing to be done about that. And each stage would have its own potential for failure. The first moment of truth came when the array was completed. It was designed to interact with the rubber suit, and they'd need to make adjustments if it didn't take. Fortunately it did, the magic lighting up and lifting the otter form up into the air, out of Tari's grip. It hung there, bobbing slowly, the runes etched in it lighting up as well. Relan wagged, looking up at the floating figure, "Okay, what's next?"

Marthus smiled, lifting up his rune tool. It was a simple magic device that could apply lines to any surface without damaging it, whether it be metal or flesh. It still felt a little strange as it depressed the skin, but most grew used to it, "Now we strip you down and paint you up."

Relan surprised himself by not feeling his ears heat up. He nodded and glanced at Tari, then back at Marthus, "I didn't think I'd be getting naked with you again any time soon," he teased.

Both otter and wolf seemed pleased to have Relan playing along for once. He grinned, and Tari helped get the clothes off. He teased only a little, not wanting to delay the ritual, but Relan could feel his excitement. They touched hindpaws. Marthus wagged, "Mmm, you really are improving."

Relan rolled up his clothes and put them on a table, then gave Tari a hug and a kiss in thanks. He stood naked. His sheath was only a little firm, something which Marthus let pass without comment. There was little chance for teasing once the rune application began. It was detailed work, and a fully body application took some time. It seemed to pass slowly to Relan, the soft tingle of the tool as he watched the rubber otter bob in the air. Tari was surprisingly quiet through the whole process, and Relan appreciated his restraint.

"Done," Marthus announced eventually. Relan shook himself out of the daze he'd fallen into. He looked down at himself. Like most people, he normally had a basic protective array on himself, the glow only very faintly visible beneath his fur. This new one blazed all over him, bright purple showing everywhere in elaborate patterns. It didn't feel like anything, as in many ways its effects were more subtle even than his usual array, but that didn't stop it from being blatant visually.

Relan looked again at the floating suit. Marthus circled around to the other side, "All right, walk under it now and relax. I'll need concentration now, so I'll be speaking as little as I can." Relan stepped forward, his heart pounding. The array beneath his paws made his fur stick up, almost sparking.

"Good luck hon," Tari called, glowing almost as brightly as the array.

Relan glanced back at him with a warm look, then settled in below the proto-golem. He drew in a breath and stretched out his arms. Marthus had taken out an ornate, rune-etched sword, and was muttering as he traced it in the air. The suit lowered over Relan, settling over his bare body, then tightening down. He felt the rubber press against his fur, still tingling.

"Concentrate on being an otter, let it flow into you, summon it." Marthus spoke in a deep, serious voice, one Relan found easy to follow and obey.

He closed his eyes. The magic flowed around him and the sigils directed it inside. Trails of power ran through his body, through his bones, tingling through his flesh. His thoughts turned to otter. He let his worries drift away, his concerns, his hesitations. And the magic responded.

Deep within, Relan felt a spark. It was his spirit, the little otter he'd been born with. And it felt like it was growing, spreading out through his body. He shivered and felt the suit pressing down, melding with his flesh. He held his concentration, focusing on the otter.

The otter stretched out happily, flowing into every part of him. He could feel warmth grab his heart, his lungs, caressing them, holding them. His breathing grew harder, heavier, and it felt like he was glowing inside, swelling with energy. He flexed fingers and toes. His bones felt different, growing harder, sleeker. Metal.

It should have hurt, but the runes took away any pain. Even as his skeleton converted to a simpler metal frame, there was no pain, only a strange twisting, shifting sensation through every part of him. And through it he remained relaxed and open. Calm, watery thoughts, playful, happy. His hold on it was delicate, but stable.

He felt an odd prickle on the back of his wrists, and couldn't help opening his eyes to look. The suit was spreading, the rubber flowing like liquid to cover the parts it hadn't. It curled around his fingers and toes, and spread over his muzzle and ears. He stared at it in eager pleasure. He could feel it crawling up his face, and shut his eyes as blackness came.

The spirit spread out from his bones. Muscles were hardening. With his vision blocked, his internal awareness felt stronger. It was amazing how deeply he could feel his changes, his organic muscles smoothing, losing the soft, squishy meat form to become more rubber. He ached painlessly, his body only held together by magic right now, unable to function without it. It wasn't scary, it felt comforting to be in the magic's grip, just letting it come, flow through him.

His eyes spun open suddenly, whirling. There was a jolt as his fluids changed, water and blood filling with power, changing to flowing alchemical energy. His eyes lit up, and he could see again, see Marthus chanting, etching fiery symbols in the air.

Relan lifted his rubber-clad hand. The smoothness was gone and a fuzzy coating was now spreading across it and thickening. Dark brown fur, darker and more dense than what he'd had. It excited the otter in him, strengthened its hold. He felt inside himself again, where the changes were still pulsing through in waves. His old fur was melting to a connecting layer, his body reforming into a new, slinkier shape.

He lifted his paw further to his face. His pads were rubberizing now too. The fur felt so soft, so warm, and he could feel his long muzzle shrinking. It softened out, as did his ears, the long canine ears rounding down. The change was more sensual than he'd expected, the constant flow of otterness burning inside him. His tail began to flick, then sway, growing thick and strong. Power radiated through him as heartbeats turned to pumps of alchemical fluid. It filled his cock, pulsing in it, and he gasped as it turned to rubber too.

Relan was feeling free, full of energy, and he glowed brighter with each change. The otter overwhelmed his form, happy as flexible webbing spread between fingers and toes, all the little details filling out, overwriting what he'd been born as, making him what he was. He stared down at the glowing joints of his body and tested them. They moved easily, assisted by the magic that gave him life now. He felt complete and improved, his body no longer held back by the limits of flesh.

The soft chanting subsided, and the glow fled inside him. The array peeled off from the floor, all of the magical energy that Marthus had created was sucked into the new golem. It surged within him, powering him, giving him new life. He turned his head, looked to Tari. Tari's eyes whirled with joy and desire. Relan flashed a grin, and he was complete.

"You seem to still be alive, excellent," Marthus said casually. Relan stretched, feeling metal bones and rubber muscles move and flex perfectly. He started to turn towards the wolf, but Tari tackled him from the side. He didn't hold back this time, and even Relan's new golem body couldn't help getting bowled over. He squirmed beneath the weight of his fellow otter and looked up with a giggle, "Mmm, guess you like it. I feel great."

Tari nodded and pressed him down. Relan hadn't seen him quite this eager before. Tari chittered and glowed, then pressed muzzle to muzzle. Relan relaxed, and wrapped his arms around his lover, kissing back. Smooth, dry tongues met and embraced, short muzzles locking together as both wrapped up their tails and squeezed with pressure that would crush any mortal. Relan pushed his tongue in deeper, and felt Tari rubbing his thigh again the new rubber cock, teasing it. Relan felt a surge of desire, and wished they were somewhere private. Then he laughed at that thought, startling Tari from the kiss. Tari tilted his head as Relan glanced towards Marthus with a grin, "Mmm, can we borrow a room?"

The wolf was watching rather intently, "Of course, I had a feeling you'd ask. Though. . . take the one at the end of the hall, there's less for you to break in there." His gaze roved over Relan, "I'll miss those ears, but you do make a handsome otter."

Tari grinned, nodding and squeezing him again, his tail swishing in anticipation. He let Relan up. The former canid turned to his lupine friend, "Mmm, thank you Marthus, you've really done a lot for me. If there's ever anything I can do-"

Marthus cut him off with a barked laugh, "There's already plenty you can do." He waved a paw, "Go on though, time for that later, you have other things to do right now." They shared a grin, then Tari grabbed Relan's arm and led him out of the workshop.

***

The room was a simple bedroom, about as bare as it possibly could be. There was light and a bed, and that was about it. Relan had a feeling it got dressed up for various sorts of play, but he didn't have time to dwell on that thought. Tari was eager and insistent.

Tari's tail swished as he pressed Relan up against the wall. Relan felt the other otter's paws all over him, feeling his magically created fur, exploring his new form. He shivered as Tari worked his way down his neck and chest, then over his belly. He chittered happily as he poked and prodded at glowing seams. Relan's rubber cock remained nice and hard.

"Rrrrr, I like how he did your fur, really nice and thick. And mmm, good stitching on you too," Tari commented. Relan just nodded, amazed how energetic his friend was. He barely had time to react, but it all felt so good. He looked down, and saw how the light from his eyes shifted downwards with his gaze.

He could see Tari better now. His eyes gave him more information about the shape and substance of everything around him. Without even trying, he was picking up basic working information about Tari's power levels, which were currently operating well above standard. He grinned at that, amazed at how different everything felt.

"I feel like I can see inside you, Tari. You're so full of energy. . ."

Tari looked up, down on his knees now, by Relan's smooth shaft. He giggled, and kissed it. Relan felt a surge of fluid in him, and something like lube dribbled out. Tari grinned, "Mmm, you are too. You look more alive to me now, you were so empty before." Tari got a playful look. He got down even lower and lifted up one of Relan's new hindpaws. He held it up in his hands, rubber pads against rubber pads. He licked his lips and slowly spread the toes, "Oooh, what cute toes you have too. Let's see if your webbing's as nice as mine. . ."

Relan gasped as Tari slowly spread his digits, exposing stretchy webbing. Tari pushed his nose close, nuzzling at the new material, making it press and fold. Relan whimpered, curling his thick toes down just as his lover opened his muzzle and bit down gently. Relan moaned, and Tari grinned, "Yep, feels like they are."

He lifted a paw up and ran the rubbery pads along Relan's cock. It lacked the veins of a normal cock, but was otherwise just about the right shape.

Relan hissed in pleasure, nodding. His hips bucked at the touch, "I feel more alive. . . and that feels wonderful." His body was shifting fluid around, releasing more lube to coat the other golem's paw, making the stroking easier. His thick new tail curled down around his ankle and Tari, feeling warm and strong. He felt Tari release his paw to focus on other things for now. Relan moved it back, pressing the pads against the wall and letting the webbed toes splay. It felt so nice, and the rubber gripped so well.

Tari licked his lips and stood up. His tail slid down and the two tails met. They curled and twisted together automatically. Tari grinned wider, "Mmm, I wanna feel the life inside you," he said, paw slipping down to begin undoing his baggy pants. They slid free, pooling over his hindpaws, and his shaft pressed against Relan's. The newer otter gasped and raised his chin. Tari pressed closer and nibbled at his exposed throat, "Still more to teach you about bein' an otter. Like where to put your tail," he teased.

Relan could feel his body glowing brighter as his arousal escalated. His fluid pump was working overtime now, and he felt breathless without needing to breathe. He just nodded with a chittering whimper, assaulted by need and new feelings. This felt so right. His spirit was a true part of him now, and through it he could feel Tari's emotions. Waves of eager pleasure washed into him, mixing with his own. He didn't need to respond with words, his willingness flowed out of him.

Tari took the unspoken offer and grabbed the base of Relan's tail. His firm fingers stroked it, then shifted it to the side, out of the way. Relan closed his eyes, sucking in air to cool his overheated systems. Tari's cock slid under his, his own getting buried in otter chestfur. He could feel the rubber tip moving through his fur, sliding into position under his tail. He groaned as Tari lifted him up, magical strength easily lifting his remaining paw from the ground. The pads squeaked against the wall, and his arms tightened around his lover.

Tari nipped at his neck again, "Rrrr, good otter. . ." Relan felt the wet, slick tip poking at his hole, and realized it wasn't opening on its own. He released the valve, then cried out as Tari penetrated him. His body sank down along the length as his soft passage was filled.

Relan pushed his paws from the wall and wrapped his legs around Tari, wrapping around just above his tail. The cock throbbed inside him, the feeling far more pronounced than with a living shaft, a slow, obvious pulse against his walls. He whimpered and his own responded in kind, wetting Tari's belly further.

Tari shivered, heating up more, "Yesss, you feel so good. Such a sexy otter," he said, kissing, then thrusting. Both otters moaned with the first thrust, "My otter."

Relan was happy to be his otter right then. He pressed back against the wall and humped into Tari's fur, feeling how soft the synthetic material was, leaving a line of pre through it. His toes curled as Tari thrust again, then again, speed increasing with each one. There was no pain, no need for anything more that a wonderfully intense tightness deeper and deeper within.

Chemicals swirled and bodies heated, fluid pumps hammered and runes glowed as both otters felt each other, physically and mentally. With each movement thoughts drifted further, mixed more tightly. Pleasure rose, again, again, harder, faster. Relan squeezed his eyes shut, but could still see Tari. The beautiful glowing spirit twined with him, locked with him, taking him. Their connection reached its peak.

His eyes jolted open as Tari let out a happy squeak, a high-pitched note of joy as he released his fluid. Relan felt it jet into him, and his mind bled free of everything but the moment. For an instant he could feel everything of himself. The way each muscle moved and strained, the weight of his metal frame, the fluid from Tari being sucked in, mixed with his own, and the pressure in his heavy sac eager to let go. His small muzzle gaped and he released as well.

Thick glowing chemicals shot out, splattering both otters up to their faces. The pleasure inside him made no sound, his mouth caught open, unmoving, eyes wide and bright with swirling energy. He felt nothing but pleasure, pure, wonderful pleasure, shared with his new mate. Spirits joined as they basked in the mutual orgasm, barely moving until it reluctantly subsided.

The fall was gentle and pleasant, bodies winding down, heat dissipating as emotions retreated from their height. Relan panted for more air to cool down his interior and gazed down at Tari. The golem met his gaze with a playful grin, "Mmm, you passed you first lesson, lover."

Relan grinned back, then pushed his muzzle down for a kiss. Tari parted his lips willingly, and their tongues met again. Relan savored the closeness, the feeling of connection he'd never had with a boyfriend before, and the pure sexiness of Tari's synthetic form. When they both pulled away, Tari set him down and licked his lips, "Rrrr, maybe more than just one test."

Relan's tail stroked with Tari's, then he padded over to the bed, flopping down on it heavily. It creaked under his weight, protesting. He didn't feel tired, but it was nice to lie down. Relan set his paws behind his head and stared upwards, thinking, "I was worried that we might not really been meant for each other, Tari. That once I was an otter, and a golem too, we'd realize we were still pretty different. I knew I wanted this anyway, but. . ." he rolled onto his side, and found Tari smiling at him.

Tari walked over and reached down to play with Relan's tail, "Hee, still worried about that? I'm a pretty simple golem, you know. Spirits aren't actually that complicated. I like being happy, playful, and sexual. And I like being with someone who cares about me, and who I can be myself with."

Relan could feel his sincerity, and sighed happily. He reached over to casually play with Tari's dripping cock, "No, I'm not worried now, love. Not at all."

***

They arrived back at the golem complex later that evening after thanking Marthus again. The wolf had asked for some more physical thanks sometime later, and Relan had found himself happy to agree to that, even if Tari hadn't been encouraging him. It was another thing to look forward to, he'd almost forgotten how nice it was to actually enjoy himself with people like that.

Relan parked in much the same spot as before and walked with Tari up to the door, "I'll have to see about getting a bigger room for us. Things are a bit full, but I might be able to convince someone with a few favors." Tari opened up the door and they headed through towards the hall.

Relan felt strange, returning here so soon, and in such a different state. He was a little nervous, but mostly eager about telling the other golems what had happened. He was already wondering if other people would be interested in the process too, Marthus had expressed some interest in trying to market it. It was an exciting thought.

They didn't run into anyone at first, most of the others apparently out for the evening, working or having fun. Just as they were approaching Tari's room, however, Relan caught sight of a familiar metallic figure approaching from the other direction.

Ebon's talons clicked loudly as he walked. Relan could see him more clearly this time, read a little more about his form. He was an older model, powerful in its time but not very advanced, and in need of maintenance. He no longer seemed the least bit frightening. The avian's eyes flicked quickly to Relan, and he realized that Ebon recognized him despite the different form. The surprise was impossible to miss as it radiated out from him. Relan giggled, amused by its strength, "Hello Ebon."

The crow cocked his head, "Relan. You have upgraded," he said, studying the new otter.

Tari nodded quickly, "I told you he was special. Now he's all sexy and he's going to stay with me."

Ebon considered, beak clacking, "I may have misjudged then. You have thrown your lot in with us, that shows that you are serious. I hope you do not come to regret it." His voice softened, "I'm sorry if I've been stiff, it's just my nature to be cautious, and I have usually been right about these things. It's nice to be wrong sometimes though. Welcome to our strange little family."

Relan smiled at the bird, then moved forward to hug him. Ebon cawed, surprised again, then embraced back, metal wings folding, "Thanks Ebon. And if you want me to take a look at you sometime, I'd be happy to tune you up a bit."

He worried for a moment he'd gone too far, as he felt the security golem bristling, but then he relaxed, nodding, "I would appreciate that, thank you." His smooth beak rubbed against the otter's soft muzzle, "I will leave you both for now, but come introduce yourself to the others properly sometime soon. I'm sure many of us will be curious to hear the details of how you managed this."

Relan nodded, tail swishing, "I'd love that." He waved as they walked on. He noticed Tari looking at him again with a happy expression.

"Mmm, you're going to fit in so well here, and everyone's going to be happy to have a real golemologist around. Everything feels wonderful," Tari chittered, slipping an arm around his fellow otter.

Relan thought about it and nodded, hugging back with a silly smile. Everything was looking up, and while there was a lot of uncertainty in the near future for him, he was sure he'd found his place. He let out as happy sigh as he stepped into his new room and new life.