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Chapter 3: Roommates

Chris descended the stairs down approximately a floor and a half below ground level into the transit station. He was surprised by how small the station was. It was much smaller than a typical subway station like those you'd find in New York and other large cities. The subway train itself was only a single car, which was approximately forty feet long with enough seats for two dozen riders. The station wasn't as busy as Chris had expected, either. There were only a couple of Hybrids and one other human, who Chris presumed was one of the university's instructors, waiting in the station when a train arrived. A smooth feminine voice, though obviously one that had been recorded, sounded over the intercom in the station waiting area to announce the arriving train was headed for the factory district. The recording continued to announce the next arrival would be for the University. The two hybrids in the station boarded the train to the factory district, while a bald and aged human wearing black slacks and white laboratory coat of a scientist or professor remained behind with him.

Chris sat down on a bench across from the man, while extending a greeting to him in the process.

"I am Professor Meyers," Professor Meyers introduced himself as he studied the young man. "You're wearing generics. New to the city I presume?" he observed in a gravelly voice.

"I just got into the city less than an hour ago. I'm a new student at the University," Chris confirmed with a nod, while he grinned foolishly in his excitement.

"Ah, I'm an instructor there myself. What is your major?" Professor Meyers inquired as he brightened up slightly.

"Genetics... I've been fascinated by the hybrids ever since I watched the news feed of their first creation. I've been looking forward to coming here for years to learn how they are created," Chris answered proudly.

"Well then, I suppose I'll see you in my class tomorrow. Genetic engineering and hybrid biology are the courses of study, which are my responsibility," Professor Meyers announced once he recovered from the surprise answer. He lifted and cocked his head a bit as a tone sounded down the subway tunnel. After a moment, the recorded voice signaled the arrival of the next train. "Well here we are. Do you know where you're headed? I can show you to the dormitories once we arrive at the University, if you like," he offered generously.

"That'd be helpful. This place is pretty confusing so far and they didn't send me a map with my information packet," Chris accepted eagerly.

"It's not as big as it looks," Professor Meyers explained with a knowing grin. He beckoned Chris onto the train and sat down before he continued. "The city is divided into a few sections. The sections are basically maintenance, factories, residential, service, and the University and the labs. Maintenance contains water purification plants, recycling facilities, and the air circulation equipment, which keeps the dome inhabitable. The factories are where the majority of the needed items are made for the city's residents. Everything from school supplies to furniture and appliances can be made there. The factory district also contains the import docks. Anything that can't be made here is shipped in from the outside. They try to keep deliveries of that nature to a minimum due to the security issues major deliveries can cause. Most of the hybrids living in Furton work in the factories," he explained before he paused to take a drink from his coffee mug. "The residential district contains housing for all of the Hybrids and most of the humans, who live in the city. Not too many humans actually live here. Even some of the University instructors prefer to live outside the dome and make the trip in through security and decontamination every morning. I can't imagine why. It's such a hassle. For the most part, all of the houses are identical in layout according to their sub-section. However, they're nice regardless. Some of them are specially modified to suit the needs of the hybrids. A good example would be the housing for the aquatic hybrids who can't breathe outside water. The aquatics don't leave their homes often. When they do, they have to wear breathing equipment that keeps water running past their gills. Then there's the service district. That's where you'll find any shopping venues or other service industries such as salons, restaurants, and the like. It's relatively small, but it contributes to the feel of an actual city rather than a dome shaped cage. It gives the Hybrids, or ourselves, somewhere to go other than home after a day at work. Lastly, of course, is the University and labs, at the center of the city. The university isn't just a college. It's also, where the Kaspersky foundation laboratories are located, where new Hybrids are made. I'll be lecturing about that tomorrow, so I won't go over it just yet. There is a lot of new construction...," he was explaining until the train slowed as they neared the University transit station. "Looks like we're here," he declared as he disregarded talking about some of the new construction projects.

As Meyers stood, a pager went off at his belt. He glanced at it before he shook his head in frustration. "I know I told you I'd show you to the dormitories but I'm needed elsewhere," he explained apologetically as they left the station and entered a garden like plaza at the center of the university. Meyers hollered at a hybrid sitting on a bench as he waved for him to come over. "Marcus, how are you?" he greeted with familiarity.

"Good, professor!" the hybrid answered as he approached.

Chris studied the Hybrid or Marcus as he approached them. He judged the man was roughly six foot tall and powerfully built. He was a canine, with sleek fur and coloring resembling that of a German shepherd. Chris also noticed he smiled once he got within conversation distance to show off a giddy but toothy grin.

"Ready for classes to begin tomorrow, Marcus?" Meyers inquired as he returned a friendly smile.

The Canine nodded excitedly. "I can't wait. Who's this?" he asked while motioning toward Chris.

"This is Chris. He's a new student to the University," Meyers introduced as he turned toward Chris.

Marcus' eyes brightened as he shook Chris' hand. "Human, too! There are not too many human students here. Just the professors and scientists...," he continued excitedly until interrupted.

"Yes, look Marcus... I have to be somewhere and Chris needs someone to show him to the dormitories. Think you could help him out?" Meyers interrupted impatiently.

"Sure, no problem," Marcus agreed with a nod.

Meyers thanked him and left in a hurry, which left Chris with the six foot walking, talking German shepherd to show him the way. Nevertheless, Marcus seemed friendly enough to Chris.

"It's pretty easy to find your way around here. The transit station is right here in the middle of the plaza. Over there...," Markus explained until he paused to motion with his paw towards the northern buildings. "...are the classrooms. Right next to them to the east where that new construction is, which you can see from here, are the labs. They are making some additions to them. We dont get to go in there without permission though. To the west, over there...," he continued until he pointed in the new direction as he explained carefully. "...is the commissary. You can get food any time of the day. And this direction are the dorm rooms," he finished as he put his arm around Chris' shoulder and walked south. "Do you know what room you're in?" he asked as they continued to walk together.

Chris nodded before he retrieved the paperwork from the University out of his back pocket. He scanned through it until he came to the housing page, "Dorm 73...," he answered once he refreshed his memory.

Marcus stopped suddenly from the surprise. "Really? That's my dorm room. You sure about that?" he questioned before snatching the paper out of Chris' hands to see for himself. "Huh... guess that makes us roomies. I was wondering' who they'd stick me with. Didn't expect it to be a human but I suppose that's cool," he teased with another toothy grin. As they walked to Dorm 73 Marcus pointed out a few things around the campus. "The Gym is over there near the commissary. There isn't any required PE classes or any actual athletics programs for that matter. However, a lot of us like to go there to hang out before or after school. There's the new dormitory, which is still under construction. I think it has been under construction forever. There must be funding problems or something," he declared as they proceeded down the walkway.

As they came up on another fur walking the opposite direction Chris did his best not to stare. He had no doubt this one was a female and quite short. He didn't believe she could be any more than four feet tall. He thought she had an interesting bounce in her step. He liked the way her long floppy ears sprouting from her head would slightly curl forward with each bounce. She was skinny, but had wide, fuzzy white cheeks separated by a pink button nose and two oddly cute buckteeth. Chris knew this was clearly a rabbit hybrid despite the fact that he hadn't heard of or seen any rabbit hybrids previously. He watched intently as she greeted Marcus as if she knew him pretty well, and he waved at her as they passed. Chris could help looking at Marcus questioningly after they had moved past her.

"Oh, that's Maya. She was here last year too, cute huh?" Markus informed Chris once he caught the hint. He decided to wink at Chris and nudge him with his elbow in an attempt to elicit a response.

"Yea... cute...," Chris agreed with his assessment with a blush and a sheepish nod.

Marcus' laughs sounded like an odd mix of gurgling and barking coming from his canine muzzle. "I think you're gonna fit in real well around here. As long as you're not like those humans that think, we're just animals. We're all the same regardless of how different we may look," he said once he managed to stifle his laughter.

At last, they arrived at their dorm room. Chris followed Marcus in and took note of the layout. The room was relatively small, though larger than his room had been back home. On each side of the room, there were identical beds with accompanying dressers and desks. A single bathroom door sat in the center of the far wall between the beds. There was little, if any, privacy to the room. There wasn't a separated changing area or any kind of partitions between the beds themselves.

"That's your side. All my stuff is already unpacked and put away over here," Marcus declared as he moved to the other side of the room.

"Little exposed isn't it? Not a lot of privacy," Chris observed nervously as he sat at the desk on his side of the room and looked back at Marcus.

Marcus shook his head. "Dont worry about it. All the dorms are like this. The new one they are building may be different when they finish the inside. I don't know anyone who has been in it yet. Besides, furs aren't as insecure as most humans seem to be. Privacy doesn't mean a lot to us," he explained with a mischievious grin.

Chris noticed Marcus began stripping off his clothes until he was stark naked as if he was trying to prove a point. He knew Marcus was still fully covered by fur as he lay back to relax on his bed, but he was still completely nude.

"I'm gonna go ahead and get some rest. I've been up since yesterday and it's almost dark out anyhow," Markus announced nonchalantly.

Chris nodded as set his paperwork down on the desk before nervously removing his own clothes. However, he left on his boxers. He was not quite comfortable with the idea of being naked right next to his roommate. He lay down and glanced up out the window at the head of the bed. He watched as the sun set to the side of the dome, which cast the entire city in a fiery orange light. He couldn't help but glance at Marcus, as the man lay naked and on top of the covers. His eyes were drawn to the thick sheath stretching from between the canine's legs up to a few inches below his bellybutton. As the sunset, the retreating light glistened off the red tip of Marcus' member, which was poking slightly out of the sheath.

Chris rolled over to pull his eyes away from the view and the unwanted, but not at all unpleasant thoughts invading his mind. He could feel his own member hardening slightly to press against his boxers, while his imagination ran wild with thoughts of the canine lying across the room.