---    Out Through the In Door

The crash of breaking furniture silenced the throng that had gathered outside Preston's.  The sudden evacuation of the building, and rumors that it might be related to the recent sightings of a dragon in the area, had generated much curiosity and even more rumor.  The grandiose stairway was empty, save for the employees who continued to pose enticingly and beckon to members of the crowd.  Only the striped feline on the bottom step was showing any sign that things were not normal.  While she managed to continue posing, she kept stealing glances back at the large double doors.  It was obvious that she was concerned and distracted by whatever might be going on inside.

She had nearly built up enough courage to ascend the stairs and make sure things were alright, when a girl's scream came from behind the doors.  The crowd, which had resumed its whispering gossip, fell silent again, and began to edge away from the stairs.  It wasn't a scream of fear or pain, it was a cry of raw unbridled rage.  The escorts on the stairs turned and looked at the doorway with indifference, except for Mira, whose eyes were wide with fear as one hand rose to cover her muzzle in worry.

The ebony doors were suddenly knocked open by the body of the dragon, coming out in reverse.  With wings half spread, he fell backwards down the steps, body shaking violently as his shoulders impacted each step like a washboard.  Finally coming to rest when his shoulders struck the sidewalk and slid off the curb.  It was only then that the crowd noticed the feral black and white creature he was holding at arm's length above his chest, flailing madly with its teeth and claws.

"Nice to see you, too", groaned the dragon.

"What have you put me in?", shrieked Shannon in a little girl's voice.

"It was the quickest way!", he replied, already returning to his calm demeanor, as her claws raked ineffectively along his arms.

"I don't want to think about where this has been!", she whined as her struggles began to slow.  "I'm going to take a bath and not come out for a week."

When she finally stopped flailing, he used her body weight to pivot himself into a sitting position, then set her on her feet.  The crowd in the street were maintaining a respectable distance, his normal social avoidance zone getting an added boost from this altercation.

"Its only temporary", he said, pulling his feet up until he was kneeling in front of her. "It is essentially the same age as the very first body you were put in.  Think of it as a reset."

"You are not helping", she complained.

"It will take over a year to grow you a new replacement body, and I know how much you hate synthetic models.  It was either this, or sit plugged into a wall socket for a year."

Shannon stood in the classic pose of a pouting teenager, "Hmph."

"You better take this", he said, holding out her new ident card. "Though I don't know where you are going to keep it."

"Maybe you should hold onto it for me", she growled, "I can think of a couple places where you could stick it."

"Now now, we have already done enough to entertain all of these fine people, we don't need to turn it into that kind of show", he replied, looking back up the stairs.  "Besides, I think act two is about to start."


---    Catch and Release


Preston tottered into view, looking stunned with his jacket tattered and hat missing.  He sat himself down on the top step and leaned back against one of the dislocated doors.

"Preston!", exclaimed Mira, as she vaulted the stairs, two at a time, rushing to his side.  "I was so worried", she said as she looked him over to make sure he was alright, fussing with his clothes, and brushing his fur back into place.

He looked up into her face and placed a hand on her cheek.  She leaned into it smiling, and their eyes met.  "I'm so sorry", he said sadly, "I didn't know."

Mira tilted her head in confusion as Preston bowed his head and began to weep.

"Mira, will you come down here please?", came a voice from the street.

Looking over her shoulder she saw the dragon standing at the base of the steps with one hand raised slightly, a tiny silver ring encircling the talon of one finger.  She spun on Preston, who now had his head buried in his hands, obviously sobbing.  "No.  No, Preston, you didn't!"

Preston's bawling increased, while repeating, "I didn't know", between racking sobs.

"Mira", the dragon called again.

She slowly stood, then haltingly descended the stairs to stand in front of the dragon, head bowed in a subservient posture, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"The moment you approached me, I knew there was something special about you", said the dragon in measured tones.  "You were different from the others, and I realized that I could not leave you here in this state."

Placing the talon with the ring under her chin, he slowly tilted her head up until she was looking at his face.  Her face was wet, and she sniffled repeatedly, trying to prevent more tears from forming.

"Now, now, no tears.  This should be a happy occasion", he soothed, "I am freeing you from this life of servitude and prostitution."

Her sniffling increased and her eyes pinched shut as more tears began to well up, and run down her cheeks.

Moving his hand slightly, he touched the ring to her collar, and it's clasp disengaged with a soft click.  The collar fell from her neck into the dragons hand as he withdrew it.  Mira's hands immediately went to her neck, running her fingers through fur unobstructed by a collar for the first time.  Her wet eyes opened wide with confusion and fear.

The dragon locked eyes with her as he spoke in much softer, happy tones, "You are free, Mira.  You are still the same person you have always been, except now, where you go, what you do...", he glanced over her shoulder at Preston, "and who you do it with is your choice.  Your choice, and yours alone.  No one else's.  Do you understand?"

Realization dawned on her face as the fear of being taken away was slowly replaced with elation and mild disbelief.  She sniffled again and wiped at her face. "I think so", she managed with a small nod.

Gently he placed the ring, the collar and her ownership receipt into her hands, and closed her fingers around it.  Addressing her directly again, he said, "You are now your new owner.  You belong only to you.  Your future is up to you and you alone."  He then released her hands, stood fully and stepped back a pace.   

Mira stood there for several seconds, looking at her hand and what it contained, then turned to see Preston's trembling form where she had left him.  Glancing back to face the dragon, she silently mouthed "Thank you" then slowly and deliberately climbed the stairs. Passing the other escorts, who were still posing and gyrating to the street music, she knelt down next to Preston and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it an assuring squeeze.

Preston lifted his head, his facial fur a disaster of tears and snot, confused to see her standing there again.  Before he could say anything, Mira stood and placed the collar back around her neck, the clasp locking it in place again.  She then took the ring, and slid it onto one of her own fingers, then held out her hand to the Raccan.

Still confused, Preston took the offered hand, wiping his face with the back of the other as she helped him to stand.  Walking before him, she led him back into the parlor.  After a few moments, the brightly lit marquee above Preston's Pleasure Palace went dark.  The other escorts left their positions, climbed the stairs and filed in through the doors.  Shortly after they had all entered, Rook appeared in the doorway, looking a bit disheveled.  He stepped outside and forced the bent door back into position, then pulled both doors shut as he retreated inside.

"That would not have been my first choice", said the diminutive skunk, now standing next to the dragon.

"You would have destroyed the collar", he replied.

"You're damn right", replied Shannon.

"And that is what makes you, you", he said before turning away and beginning the long walk back to the transport station, as the crowd parted before him.

"Hey wait up, these legs take shorter strides", said Shannon, catching up to him.  Looking down at the shredded remains of her shift she asked, "Do you think we can stop at one of the vendors and find some different clothes for me?"

"Certainly.  If I recall correctly, there is a leather shop just ahead on the left", he smirked.

She punched him.