Trust Machines - Welcome to the Carnival, pt 3

Keri drove the Taurus back to their place as best she could, truly worried about
Kyle.  In the back, Tasha was doing her best to try and keep him calm and from
panicking too much, reassuring him as best she could that everything would be
ok.

Kyle was partially curled into a ball, still in shock at the changes that had
occurred.  His mental state kept flipping back and forth, staring at his... his
paws, thinking it can't be real, this all can't really be happening.  But
everything about him felt normal, the sensations of a tail twitching, an ear
flicking, his senses being sharper in some respects.  A soft sound escaped his
throat, a sound of fear that he hadn't experienced in years.

"Keri, how much longer?" Tasha asked, her own arms reaching out to try and
cuddle and comfort Kyle.  "We need to get him home.  I've never seen anyone
react this way from a change before."

"If it wasn't for the traffic, we'd already be there," Keri replied, wishing
that the light would turn green.  "Three, four minutes, tops."

Tasha turned her attention back to Kyle.  "It's ok, you'll be ok, really.
Just... don't think about it."

"But it's real, isn't it?" Kyle whimpered.  "I mean, I'm a wolf, kind of, right?
Why does this feel so right and so wrong at the same time?"

"You're trying to think too hard.  Just relax.  Let yourself be what you are
now."

Kyle whimpered again, as Tasha looked up.  She saw the familiar landmarks that
said they were almost there.

"Almost there," Keri said, turning onto Woodhill and the short run to the house.
She pulled into the driveway, jumped out of the car and tore around to the other
side, where she opened the door and helped Tasha guide Kyle inside.  "Let's get
him into the bedroom," Keri said, and together they managed to get Kyle on the
bed.  They both got onto the bed as well, stretching out on both sides of him to
hold him close.

Kyle's whimpers slowly subsided, and eventually he started to relax.  Neither of
the girls moved from him, holding him close in a comfortable, almost intimate
fashion.  Soon they felt his body slump in acceptance, his breathing becoming
steady.

"How long did you set it for?" Tasha asked.

"Just for a day," Keri replied.  "It's not like we can't revert back to normal,
we could go over to the Santa Fe Station and use a machine there."

"No."  Both gals blinked as Kyle's voice finally spoke, sounding more like
himself.  "No, don't have to do that.  I'm... starting to adjust to this."  He
sighed softly, trying to turn his body into a more comfortable position on his
back, each arm gently cradling both Keri and Tasha.  They stayed silent as he
slowly spoke, letting his thoughts flow.

"Guess I wasn't really prepared for what happened," he said softly.  "I've read
about it, knew about it somewhat, but never had a chance to try it myself.
Living in a rural area, well, it's like being back 50, 100 years in the past
sometimes.

"Not that I didn't want to try it," he continued.  "But I guess a part of me...
was still stuck in that rural mind set.  Like going from the 1940's to today in
one massive rush.  Part of me shouldn't have been so surprised, but... it's hard
to break some habits."

He went on for a while, just letting his thoughts flow out.  The more he opened
up, the more Tasha and Keri both responded to him, his need to learn what life
was like outside of the bubble he had grown up in.  But they knew it would be a
slow process, as if they were sharing the same thoughts.  From time to time
they'd look at each other, as if reading the other's mind, then would go back to
cuddling up against him.

At no time did they try to do anything more intimate in nature, nor did he try
to start anything.  That alone was the most amazing thing about him that
surprised Tasha and Keri, that he could lay there in bed with both of them and
maintain his decency.

But exhaustion finally caught up with the trio, and they fell asleep snuggled
together, holding on to each other.

---

The smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted Keri's senses, and she took a deep
breath, savoring that smell.  Being part animal had its benefits, and one of
them being wolf-like was that her sense of smell was much sharper.

She stirred a bit in the bed, then suddenly came to full wakefulness.  She
looked and saw that Kyle wasn't in the bed, just herself and Tasha.  Tasha
stirred slightly then drifted back to sleep.

Slipping out of the bed, Keri walked to the kitchen, where the smell of coffee
grew stronger.  There, she found Kyle working on fixing breakfast.

"Morning," he said, sounding much more like himself.  "Thought you two would
like to have breakfast waiting, so I decided to fix some things.  The bacon
tastes better uncooked, and whatever you do, don't try to drink anything with
citrus, like orange juice.  It tastes horrible this way."

Keri couldn't help but giggle at Kyle.  "Are you always this way?  Especially
this early in the morning?" she asked.

"What, fixing breakfast?  You learned to cook when you're young where I grew up,
helping out mother when she'd let you."  He gave a bit of a lupine grin.  "It
also helps when you're living on your own."

Keri nodded, then slowly asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Kyle took a sip of coffee before replying.  "I'm better, if that's what you're
asking.  Last night felt like I was having a mental war going on inside of me,
but I think... I think I'm able to handle things better."

"That's good," she said and meant it.  "Look, I want to apologize for last
night, I should have realized you really weren't ready for what Tasha and I did
to you."

"No, you don't need to apologize.  I willingly went along and accepted what
happened, I just didn't expect my reaction would be so bad for first time."  The
way he said 'first time' hinted that he would likely want to do it again, and be
better prepared for it.

"I still feel badly about it," she admitted.  "You did tell me you lived out
where there wasn't a Venn Machine, and didn't realize how serious you were about
that."

He nodded slowly.  "Every so often, you run into something you've never
experienced before, and you have to learn to deal with it."  He flicked an ear
almost unconsciously before his next words changed the topic completely.

"You and Tasha, you two are lovers, aren't you?"  He said it more as a statement
than a question, and Keri nodded.

"We are, yes.  Is that a problem?"

Kyle shook his head.  "I don't think it is.  I like you, and I like Tasha as
well.  If things happen, well, they happen."

"Did you ever have a girlfriend?"

Kyle shook his head.  "No, not really.  I mean, I had a few friends who were
female, but a relationship?  No.  Oh, and before you ask, no, I'm not a virgin.
But I'll also say that I'm not that experienced in lovemaking.  Not that I can't
learn," he added with a chuckle.

The blunt honesty made Keri laugh.  "What's so funny?" Tasha's voice came from
the doorway.

"Oh, just a little self-depreciation," Kyle said.

She made her way over to where they were sitting, and planted a long kiss on
Kyle's muzzle.  "I'm glad you're feeling better," she said.  "Otherwise I'd have
to find a way to ravish you to get you out of your funk."

Kyle looked a touch flustered, while Keri swatted Tasha.  "Down, you bitch."

Tasha grinned evilly.  "Just how far down would you like me to go?" she replied.

---

The rest of the day passed fairly quietly for all three, Kyle helping out in
various ways of cleaning up the house and doing more than his fair share of
chores.  Every so often one of the gals would 'check' on him, making sure he was
doing ok while taking time to give him reassuring hugs and kisses, attention
that Kyle sometimes found embarrassing.  But he returned that attention in his
own fashion, never once crossing a line into something more personal and
intimate.

Before any of them realized it, the evening hours had arrived, and all three
reverted back to their normal shape.  They talked out their feelings about what
had happened in the living room, relaxing on the couch with Kyle being the
center of the conversation.

"Think you could accept another change?" Keri asked, after Kyle had discussed
what he felt like after being transformed into the wolf morph.

Kyle nodded slowly.  "I think so, at least if it's a simple change.  Gradually
get used to that first, then maybe try something more unusual."  He glanced over
at Tasha, who grinned.  "Not sure if I'd enjoy being a vibrator though."

"Won't know until you try it," Tasha teased.  Keri tossed a small pillow at her,
making her duck in response.

"Actually, that's part of the fun of the Venn Machines, letting yourself be
changed into whatever the other person desires," Keri added.  "And that includes
being turned into objects like a dress, a bra, a piece of furniture..."

"An inflatable doll," Tasha piped up, making Keri toss another pillow.  "Come
on, you know you liked that time."

"Whoa, hold it, back up a bit."  Kyle blinked at Tasha.  "You're telling me you
turned Keri into an inflatable doll?  As in a sex doll?"

Tasha grinned widely.  "Mostly because she turned me into a well-hung male.
Figured if she was going to do that to me, I might as well put it to good use."

Kyle covered his face with his hands, sighing.  "Owww, too much again."

"Better get used to it," Keri giggled.  "Around us, we're a pair of
adventurers."  Tasha merely grinned, and starting singing.

"Off we go, into the wild yon bluer!"

*BAP!*

---