Where. Am. I.

Finding One's True Self: Part 6

By Xan Steel

Daniel slowly started to wake up. At first, he only heard sounds, waves lapping at the shoreline, trees rustling in the breeze, ambient wildlife all around. Laying gently on what felt like warm sand and shifting softly to get a better feel. Slowly opened his eyes to look around and saw that he was not on the ship. He jerked awake and sat straight up to get a better look while rubbed his eyes.

The warm sand he had laid on, was almost solid white. The waters of what appeared to be an ocean were purple and smelled saltier than the beaches back on earth. The trees, while close to looking like Palm trees were different enough not to be. The sky was blue-green, and as he kept looking around, more and more he kept thinking. 'Where the hell am I?'

He went to stand up, and that's when he got a better look at himself. His feet were large split hooves, attached to long digi-grade legs covered in black fur with specks of silver. It comprised the whole of his body as he looked himself over. He saw a nearby puddle and went to look at himself in it. He stood over it and let the sunlight reflect back on him. Rubicant was staring back at him. He touched his face and antlers, and the reflection mimicked him.  The long tail he saw on him started wagging like crazy on its own. He was happy, scared, and intrigued all at the same time. Every sensation felt completely real, and yet he couldn't help but think he was dreaming. He wasn't in his suit, he was Rubicant. The scents, the touch, and the sounds around him. Told him he wasn't dreaming, but how did he get here, and more importantly where was here.

He began to look around to get a better understanding of where he was. For the most part, he appeared to be on a tropical beach. As the wind blew, he caught the scent of some food cooking.

'Alright, survival 101 would state that if I'm smelling food on the wind, then I'm downwind of it and should follow. Maybe actually meet someone that could help. At least that's the hope.' He thought as he began to walk down the beach.

He wished he had some way of knowing what his heading was. Not knowing north was quite disorienting, as he got closer to the source of the scent, it got stronger, and he started picking up the sounds of others. Though if he was Rubicant he wondered as to what their appearance or species might be.

As he turned a bend he saw a tall building, maybe twenty stories in height. On the shore area, he noticed others like him, which allowed him to relax a bit, at least now he wouldn't feel entirely out of place here. As he slowly approached a smaller one came up to him and blocked his path and spoke in a language, he didn't understand. He looked at them and noticed it was female. She spoke again while offering him what seemed like a towel. He just cocked his head to the side with a confused looked. She then made a motion that she wanted to touch his head. He nodded to her.

"Can you understand me now?" she asked.

"Yes, I can," he replied.

"Good, that will make things easier. Now would 'Mister Prances Around Naked' please wear this towel around your waist?" she said politely with a smile.

He gave an embarrassed look "Oh my, sorry about that." He wrapped the towel around him.

"You're new around here huh?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid I don't know where here is," he replied

"Ah, a newcomer happens to everyone. Stay here for a second," she said and left. He watched her walk over to a counter and put down her towels she was carrying and told a coworker something and came back over. "Well then, I'm going to be your official tour guide." She smiled up at him.

"Th, Thank you very much." He said in a somewhat nervous tone.

She brightened to him and spoke in a pleasant manner while smiling, "A male with manners. Mmm, I can see you're quite the keeper." A very embarrassed and confused look came over Rubicant's face while his ears folded back slightly. She laughed a bit, "Don't worry handsome, I'm just teasing you. By the way, my name is Julyna what's yours?" she said introducing herself.

"Tavar, Rubicant Tavar." He replied.

"My, what a usual name." She said as he smiled at her.

Throughout the day while traveling with her, he learned a lot about the area and planet itself. She told him that he was on Travaina IV, a planet in the Tarkeesian Belt. Also, that most of the society didn't use any currency, you essentially asked for what you needed. Where he showed up was a resort for telepaths. He didn't mention that he wasn't a telepath, but that did make him wonder why he would appear at such a place. They made their way back to the hotel, as he had managed to get a few sets of clothes to wear, while Julyna had gone inside for a minute.

The smell of the food passing by him had made him suddenly remember that he hadn't eaten all day. There was a menu on the table, so he picked it up, and discovered that he couldn't read any of it. He had forgotten that she had done something to him to be able to talk with him. Lucky there where pictures. As he was looking it over a server came over and spoke. He couldn't understand him but assumed he asked if he wanted something. So, he pointed to one of the dishes that looked good and ordered two by holding up two finger-like pads, one for him and the other for Julyna.

Julyna came back out and sat at the table with him. "Well, I have you set up in a room here at the hotel for as long as you need," she said as she handed him a key to the door. It had 15321 printed on it. It caught his attention that he could easily read the number from their language, but not the words, perhaps numbers were a universal given like they were on Earth. "That's your room number. It's on the fifteenth floor," she finished as the food he had ordered came out. She looked at how much it was and commented. "Wow, you must be hungry," her tone was filled with surprise.

"I hope you don't mind as I did order dinner for you as well. I just didn't know what you liked." He responded to her politely.

Julyna was surprised by his kindness, causing her ears folded back cutely as she spoke, "I, I don't know what to say, thank you," she politely responded.

They both sat there eating together while having a light conversation until a commotion happened off to the side of them. Rubicant turned to look and was shocked to the point of being enraged to where his fur was standing on end. He watched a female being beaten publicly by a male. He didn't understand what was said, but he didn't need to. He started getting up to intervene when Julyna stepped in front of him and calmly but in earnest spook. "Rubi, please wait."

He looked at her and spoke angrily, "Why?"

"Because we females are treated differently in this world." She sensed he was becoming more and more upset by this. "Please let's just go to your room, and I'll explain in greater detail." She pleaded with him. He watched as the male started dragging her away by her tail as she cried out. Julyna could see he was having a hard time with it and pulled his face into her breasts to distract him from the scene. It worked as he relaxed and gently freed himself off of her. "Come let's talk about this in private," she said taking his handpaw in hers and walked him to his room.

He closed the door and turned to see her on her knees on the floor. He sighed a bit loudly, "Look; I don't know the customs of this world it's true. Hell, I don't even know what part of the galaxy I'm in, or if this is all just a dream, I'm having. But don't sit on the floor, please. Either take a chair or sit on the bed." His voice was still showing his irritation as he tried to calm down.

"I'm sorry." She spoke apologetically in reply while getting up to sit on the edge of the bed.

He took a couple of deep breaths to relax and sat in a chair. He spoke more calmly this time. "Now, why did you stop me?"

"Because, on this world, when a female enters a relationship with a male, she becomes his property." He gave a deep sigh while leaning back because that meant she had no say in the relationship and could be abused at will. Julyna continued, "You are a rare breed of male. You have treated me as an equal all day," she paused for a moment, as her voice softened a bit. "It's made me feel special," she said as she laid down on his bed.

He stared at her and watched her move. It was evident she wanted to repay him in that unique way. Sadly, he just wasn't into it after having witnessed that scene earlier. Instead, he went to her and just had her lean on him while he cuddled her. "Where I come from we treat our ladies with the same level of respect and care as we would want to be treated, both in and out of a relationship." He laid himself flat on the bed and looked up at the ceiling next to her and took a few more breaths to relax away the images trying to creep back into his mind again.

She could feel that he wasn't in the mood to have sex, so instead, she persuaded him to lie on his belly and began to give him a massage. She was very good at it as he melted under her touch, and it wasn't too long after he was sleeping deeply.

She gently smiled as he rested and was glad to have been able to stop him. The emotion she got from him earlier terrified her. She could feel that he wanted to tear that male apart. He had a sense of wanting to protect others if they couldn't defend themselves, but that sort of action here is the kind that could get you in trouble, either with authorities or worse.

She got off the bed and wrote him a small letter on how he could contact her if he wanted to meet up again. Then turned and licked his cheek gently and left him to sleep.