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Wonderland

Chapter I

Heart to Heart

I sigh and slump down in the backseat of the taxi that I'm riding. "Where to?" the driver asks from up front. I could go home or... "The Den," I reply with yet another heavy sigh. I need to distract myself. "Sure thing," the driver responds, typing the location into his dashboard-mounted gps. After a few moments, the stereotypically yellow taxi cab shudders to life and begins to move. The cab ride is completely silent, which is good, because I don't really feel like talking.

I frustratedly fuss with my long sleeved black button down shirt before unfastening it, revealing my plain black undershirt. I run my crimson hands through my short snow white floof which I had just gotten styled. I spend the rest of the ride trying to think of anything but the events of the previous two hours.

About ten minutes pass as I stare out of the tinted window at the city. It's almost sunset, the waters of the Elludenne ocean sparkling in the sun's warm golden rays. Most would call this city paradise. The perfect mix of advanced technology and natural beauty. And I would agree. The city of Rhovea is indeed beautiful, but to me it's simply 'home'. Tourists have their breath stolen by the three towering skyscrapers in the city's heart, I pass by them almost every day. Newcomers gaze in wonder at the golden sand beaches at the shore of the Elludenne ocean, I spend my mornings jogging across them. However, there is one place in this city that never ceases to amaze me: the popular virtual reality center called 'The Den'.

The Den is my home away from home, especially since it's a short walk from the apartment building I live in. It's where I go to unwind, to relax. It's my glowing red 'exit' sign when I need to escape.

My tail thumps against the fake leather seat absentmindedly as the tall black stone walls of the center come into view. The cab comes to a stop before the magnificent yet unassuming building. I fish my grey smartphone out of the pocket of my black slacks and tap in my PIN. When the prompt appears for me to pay for my ride, I hit the accept option before pressing the power button and sliding the sleek device back into my right pocket. I mutter my thanks to the driver and step out of the cab, closing the door behind me.

As I'm walking to the black glass doors of the center, I pull out my phone again, once more inputting my PIN. I scroll through my applications until I find one labelled 'Skeleton Key'. In place of handles on the doors, there's a single black pad on the wall between them. I tap the correct option on my phone, then turn the screen to face the black pad. There's a gentle 'ding' as the pad flashes green and the right door begins to slide open.

I'm blasted by a gust of chilly air as I enter the center. The inside looks like the result of fusing a gym and an arcade, but from a retro-futuristic science fiction novel. The interior is crammed with various stalls, each featuring a different game. The first and second floors are all simple augmented and mixed reality games like golf and table tennis, which I walk past without a second thought. I climb the stairs at the back of the building until I reach the third floor, where the rest of the massive room is separated by a black glass wall with a stone grey pad similar to the one at the building's entrance. I tap on a different option on the Skeleton Key app on my phone and once again face the screen to the pad. It's awarded by another 'ding' and a green flash as the unseen door slides open.

On the other side of the glass wall, there are no stalls. Instead, the dimly lit room is packed with apparatuses that look like incredibly advanced full-body gym equipment. Not even half of the rigs are occupied. I find an empty rig and strap in. A holographic screen encases my head, to the point where I can see nothing but the black screen. A prompt appears, a blinking grey microphone. As I test the full mobility of the rig, I consider what reality I want to enter. "Load," I begin, weighing my options, "Fatal Chain." The microphone flashes green as the screen changes.

. . .

I groan as I come out of the game some hours later. I start unfastening the straps as the holographic screen fades. When I'm free, I rub my eyes and stretch. I shake my sore digitigrade legs and walk out of the VR center to the gym on the other side of the empty, moonlit street. I fish in my other pocket for my pair of specially designed wireless earbuds, pushing one into both of my tall, rounded ears. I tap the back of my right earbud and music begins to pour forth into my ears, perfectly drowning out the world around me as I enter the gym, again using my Skeleton Key app to unlock the door.

I strip my button down shirt and slacks in the adjoining dressing room, folding them and setting them neatly inside of an empty locker. I push the padlock closed and pull out the key, adorning the attached chain and letting the silver key slide under my shirt. I'm always dressed for the gym, no matter what I'm in. Today's workout attire includes my black undershirt and the thin, knee-length black basketball shorts I wear underneath pretty much everything. I walk back into the mostly empty gym and stretch before making my usual rounds on the various equipment.

I train mostly for endurance, pushing myself farther and farther each time I work out. My last stop is the treadmill. Reminding myself of my goal, I tap on the routine option that I usually select, and start jogging as the treadmill speeds up. I'm jogging for a while before I break into a full-on run, the intensity ramping up. I've already made it farther than last time, but I feel as though I can do more. I push onward as the intensity hits its maximum limit, panting but fiercely determined. After a while, a series of three short beeps interrupts my music. I stare at the screen in shock as the treadmill gradually slows. "Routine completed," I read between pants, smiling in accomplishment.

I walk with shaky legs to a nearby bench and collapse onto the cushioned seat, panting heavily. As I go to pause my music, an unfamiliar advertisement makes me stop. For some unknown reason, I find myself listening to it. "Not everyone can get it right. And we get it, dating is complicated. But, it doesn't have to be. Introducing Wonderland, a totally free dating app for those tired of the bullshit. Forget about swiping nameless, and likely exaggerated, pictures or scouring through thousands of potential 'matches'. Wonderland features a unique algorithm that recommends user pairings based on compatibility, not similarity. Quit looking for people like you and look for the ones who like you. Wonderland, where dreams come true."

As I gather my clothes and leave the gym after a quick shower, I can't get the words of the ad out of my mind. I've tried over a dozen different dating apps. Now that I'm thinking about it, they all have been matches based on either similarity or vain interest. I make the short walk to my apartment building, taking the stairs though my legs scream in protest. I use my phone to unlock my door before walking into my apartment. I don't even bother flicking on the lights. I walk straight to my bed and collapse.

I open my phone's app store and tap on the search bar. I rapidly type in 'Wonderland' and hit enter. Only one result appears, an icon featuring a white rabbit holding a pocket watch with a cartoony red heart in the place of a clock. I tap it and read the simple description. "Where dreams come true," I read aloud. I hover my finger above the download option, hesitating. I close my eyes and press it. After that, I pull out my earbuds, set my phone face down on my nightstand, and crawl under my crimson sheets. Sleep takes me almost instantly.

. . .

I stir when my phone's alarm starts beeping. I roll over and grab my phone, tapping the screen with my thumb to silence the alarm. I yawn toothily and sit up, sore muscles aching in protest. I double-tap the notification that reads that Wonderland has finished downloading, then enter my PIN. The icon of the app pops up on my screen as it loads. The next screen features a welcome message that also tells about the information required. I scroll through the prompts when they appear, filling each with the information it asks for. To my surprise, there's no bio, no preferences, no description. When I'm satisfied, I tap the green 'confirm' option at the bottom of the screen. "You're all set!" the screen reads in big red text. "Wonderland will send you a notification when it finds your first pairing."

"Find my..." I ponder. I shrug, setting my phone back on my nightstand before sliding out of bed. I open the door to my closet and pause for a moment, taking in my reflection in the mirror on the back of the closet door. Toned muscles ripple under my black chest, white pelt, and crimson forearms. I'm a tall and fit wolf, resembling a marathon runner more than a bodybuilder. I pull on a white tank top and a pair of red basketball shorts. I stretch before grabbing my phone, pushing in my earbuds, and leaving my apartment. Once again, I take the stairs. Once I'm out of the building, I make my way to the nearby stretch of golden sand. I start jogging, bare feetpaws pounding against the soft sand.

As I slow to take a short break, a soft chime interrupts my music. I pull out my phone and check the notifications. There's one from Wonderland that has no description. I open it curiously and read the screen silently. "The first step is often the hardest, but you will never reach your goal if you never take it." The message fades with a tap, replaced with a chat layout. A prompt at the bottom blinks, waiting for me to type. I gather my nerves and type a simple 'hello' and hit send before I think too much about what I'm doing. My heart starts pounding nervously. I start second-guessing myself.

But that all stops when a reply appears on the screen. "Hey there," it reads. I wrack my brain for something to chat about. Suddenly, a message in red text appears on the screen. "First topic: names. Get to know each other!"

I stare at it curiously, realizing that there's not even a username to identify who I'm chatting with. Huh, is it strange that there's no username?

C'mon, just do it. If it makes you feel better, I'll go first. My name is Lucille.

I sigh. What could be the harm? Karma. Pleasure to meet you, Lucille.

My, how formal. Hey! Check the top of the screen, something cool happened!

I look at the top of the screen. The name Lucille is at the top of the message thread. I can't tell if that's cool or creepy.

It could be both.

Another red message appears. Next topic: current activity!

Lucille goes first again. That's...different. Something that eliminates the awkwardness of coming up with stuff to talk about. Anyways, I'm getting ready for work. You?

Morning jog on the beach.

Hey, can I ask a random question before it suggests a topic?

Sure, go ahead.

Is this your first time using a dating app?

Not by a long shot, why?

You seem very nervous.

And you don't.

What's the point of it? Being nervous only makes you expect possibilities. Isn't it more fun just to let things happen? Because that way, worries can't stand in your way. "Just do it and never look back" is what I've always said.

While I ponder Lucille's words, yet another red message appears. Alright, time for questions! Each person gets three questions to ask, and the other must respond truthfully. First turn goes to...Lucille!

Lucille replies first. Huh. Seems like fun. I'm not gonna go easy on you, so tell me if you wanna do this or not.

I think back to what Lucille said earlier. I guess I'll take your advice. Ask away.

Sweet! First question: What's your thoughts about me from how much you know right now? And don't hold back...

I tilt my head, taken by surprise by her question. I take a long while thinking of an excuse, so long that she sends another message. C'mon, it's just a question. Don't think about it, just do it.

I sigh and type the first thing that comes to mind. I think you're brave and confident, unaffected by what others think. You're always moving forward, never worrying about what might happen, just taking it as it comes. I search for the backspace, only to realize that it has mysteriously vanished. I wince and hit send.

You see, that wasn't hard. Only two more. Speaking of, here's my next question. Have you ever been in love?

I wanna say yes, but I'd be lying.

Poor thing. Final question: Which do you listen to, head or heart?

Head. Be smart, be cautious.

Otherwise known as the path of lies. If you never state how you truly feel, you are only lying to yourself. Anyways, it's your turn. Three questions, ask away.

If you had to always take the shortcut or the scenic route, which would you choose?

Easy. Shortcut. I'm far too impatient to take the long way every time.

Huh, I almost expected you to say 'the journey is as important as the destination'.

Nope. Next question?

Fight or flight?

I will always stand up for what I believe in. But I won't fight for stupid reasons.

Last question. Why Wonderland?

Ooh...there's a good one. Because I'm tired of guys just hitting on me because of my looks. When I learned that there were no pictures, I signed up in a heartbeat. Shit, I gotta go, it's time for work. Let's pick this up later, 'kay?

A smile crawls across my maw. Talk to you soon, then.

I close the app and rise from the bench, continuing my jog. I find myself unable to think of anything other than Lucille. I had never really been a confident person. I'm usually the one that no one ever notices, ever-polite, ever-calm. I'm never the first one to start a conversation, or introduce myself. Lucille seemed to be the complete opposite of me.

The day slips by during a game in The Den followed by a workout in the gym.The moment I make it into my apartment, my phone dings with a notification from Wonderland that reads "you have one unread message from Lucille". Against my better judgement, I smile and tap on it. Sure enough, the screen shows one message in blue text.

Hey, I know this is a little much to ask, but can I talk about something with you?

Suddenly, my wolf instincts kick in and I feel inexplicably protective. Of course, I'll listen...or read.

Haha. Anyways, my parents are great, bless their hearts, but I hate 'em. They're trying to set me up with this rich little shithead whose father owns a rather popular company which I shall not name. And they argue that "there's nobody else in my life, so what's the issue?" He's rich as shit, but he's a total prick. And he also has some contacts in yet another company I shall not name, and could get me a totally cush job doing exactly what I've always wanted. But the thing is...that I kinda see this thing with you as a thing, and I wanna see where it goes and oh God I'm rambling...

Lucille, are you interested in said "rich little shithead"?

...no, but it's the smart thing to do.

Then why would you even consider it? You told me that following your head was the path of lies. So follow your heart.

There's a long pause. The one time someone listens to me...Anyways, to even have a case against being basically sold to this brat, I need to have something...rather, someone in my life.

You're asking me on a date, aren't you?

Bingo. I wanted to chat for longer, but the sooner the better, lest my parents lose their shit again. I get off of work at about 7:30, so wanna meet somewhere at 8:00? Since I'm throwing you into all this, I might as well let you pick the place. Somewhere where you feel relaxed, because I wanna meet the one behind your walls, not the polite mask I'm assuming you put up in public.

Damn, you're good. But wait, I don't even know where you live.

Near the city of Rhovea.

No way! I live in Rhovea.

That's...insane. So, where to?

A place where I feel relaxed...Do you know where The Den is?

You mean the big black VR Center on the outskirts of downtown Rhovea?

Yeah, there.

Is that your final answer?

Yep.

It's a date then. And trust me, you'll know it when you see me. See you then!

Yeah, see you then.

It takes a moment for it to sink in. My eyes go wide and my heart starts pounding. But then I'm suddenly calm. And smiling like a dumbass.

. . .

8:00 p.m. could not take any longer to arrive. About an hour before, I decide to start getting ready. After a particularly hot shower, I fuss with my head floof and consider my clothing options. I pull on a pair of dark denim jeans and a black v-neck. I also don my long sleeve black button-up, but I roll up the sleeves to my elbows and fasten the buttons to keep them in place. I leave my head floof slightly frayed, where it resembles ruffled feathers. I brush and floss my sharp teeth, leaving them a bright pearly white. I take a deep breath before beginning the short walk to The Den. When I arrive, I lean against the wall.

After a while, a sleek cherry red Ferrari pulls into the parking lot and purrs to a stop. The door glimmers in the light of the street lamps as it opens. Stepping out of the driver's seat is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

Gracefully sliding out of the car is a curvy vixen with a burnt orange pelt. Her digitigrade legs end in night blue feetpaws. Her forearms are the same color. Her pointed ears and fluffy tail are tipped in dark turquoise. She wears a short cherry red skirt and a sapphire v-neck that reveals a fair amount of her pale violet chest. Her hips sway as she walks away from the sports car, surveying the lot. She spots me and walks over. "Are you Karma?" she asks, her voice sweet and melodic.

My maw goes slack. "Y-you're Lucille?" I ask in shock. She nods in response. My heart starts fluttering faster than a hummingbird's wings. "What's the matter?" she asks me with a giggle.

"You-you're very pretty."

"Thank you. You're not too bad yourself." She takes notice of my semi-pained expression. "What's wrong?"

The genuine concern in her voice makes my walls crumble. "I don't have the best history with dating. It usually doesn't end well."

Suddenly her hand finds mine, sending a jolt down my spine. I look into her sapphire eyes in shock. She's so close to me that I can feel the warmth of her body, that I can smell the sweet scents of honeysuckle and roses. She stares into my eyes, her deep sapphire orbs a swirling mix of fierce determination and genuine concern. "If I didn't expect things to go well, I wouldn't have asked you," she says softly with a gentle smile. My worry evaporates and I smile as well, hope filling my heart. "Well we got all dressed up," she begins, "might as well do this 'date' thing, huh?" I chuckle. "Let's go then," I reply.

As I lead her to the doors of the center, I grow increasingly aware of her warm hand still tangled in mine. Her eyes light up as she takes in the various game stalls. "What do you want to do?" I ask her. She scans the stalls, her eyes landing on one of the augmented reality stalls. "Let's do this one!" she says excitedly, basically pulling me towards an AR dancing game. I gently tug on her hand, pulling her to a stop. "Wait, I know a better one," I tease.

I bring her into the third floor. "Are those VR rigs?" she asks in wonder. I smile and help her strap into one. I choose one right next to her. As the microphone prompt appears, I command it to link our rigs. Once a chime confirms the link, I look to my side, where I see Lucille looking around. "Pretty cool, huh?" I probe.

"This is awesome! It's like I'm not even in a rig, or looking at a screen!"

"Load Fatal Chain."

Her eyes go wide and she suppresses a giggle.

"What?"

"Okay, wanna know a cool thing about me?"

"Sure."

"I'm a videogame designer...and I helped make Fatal Chain."

My jaw drops. "No way."

"Way. Though I've never played it before."

"Really? You made an amazing game that you haven't even played?"

She shrugs. "Wait, isn't this an adventure game? I thought we were going dancing."

I smirk at her. "We are."

The game loads, a magnificent landscape appearing before me. Lucille looks around in wonder. I tap her shoulder. She turns and sees me, covered in my avatar's equipment. "Holy- Is that the Dark Elysium armor set?" she questions, walking around me to get a look at the sword sheathed on my back. "And the Dark Avenger? Isn't it near impossible to get those?" I nod in confirmation. "Yep. I was one of the few skilled enough to take on the quest when it was released. And I was the only one strong enough to complete it. But it's rather hard to dance in armor." I tap two fingers to my left hip and my bulky black and amethyst armor returns to my character's inventory, leaving me in an oak tunic and tan trousers.

I look over to Lucille, who has a floating blue keyboard in front of her, a dev console. She twirls a finger in the air. I chuckle and turn my back to her. There's a flash of blue light then a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see her dressed in a beautiful golden gown that brushes the tops of her feetpaws. "You look beautiful," I compliment. She smiles back at me, her sapphire eyes sparkling in the setting sun. "So where are we going to dance?" she asks. I smirk in response and look at my wrist as if I was checking the time. "You're not scared of heights, right?" I return.

"No, why?"

"3...2...1..."

Suddenly the ground begins to rumble, then shoots away from us as we rocket upward. Lucille shuts her eyes and stumbles but manages to stay upright as the ground beneath us ascends higher and higher until it bursts through the layer of clouds, then it slows and finally stops. "It's okay, we've stopped," I assure her. She opens her eyes then gasps, her fear evaporating and giving way to wonder. "Oh...it's beautiful," she exclaims. "Welcome to Starlight Tower. It rises higher than the clouds every night," I explain.

"Isn't Starlight Tower one of the most difficult dungeons in the game?"

"Yes. Two hundred and fifty floors of lethal encounters, topped with the most difficult boss yet: the Nova Dragon. But once a player defeats the Nova Dragon, they can choose to either spare it or end it. Should they spare it, it allows them to ascend to this floor, the Starlight Floor. It's the tallest reachable point in the entire map."

"How many did you have in your party to take on the Tower?"

"Just me."

"You cleared the entire tower and the boss solo?"

"Are we gonna dance or what?"

She sighs. I tap the underside of my left wrist with two fingers. Gentle music starts to play, echoing in the silent night. Lucille walks up close to me. "Okay," I start, heart pounding, "I...have never danced with a girl." She pouts sympathetically. "Don't worry, I'll help you out," she says, gently grabbing my left hand and guiding it to the center of her back. "One hand there, the other on my waist." She guides my other hand to her right hip. Her arms wrap around my neck and she pulls me even closer before starting to rotate slowly. All my worries, my fears, my doubts, all vanish in an instant as I look into her sapphire eyes. I can once again feel my walls crumbling. I take a deep breath. "Lucille," I begin, "when I say that I haven't had the best history with dating, I don't mean that I met a few girls who just weren't my type. No, I've had truly awful dates. That is, if they ever showed up. My first date was at this really nice restaurant that I won't name, and I even bought this custom tailored three piece suit and a violet bowtie. My date showed up forty minutes late, with a hangover. And this was at night, now. She passed out at the table, and I was questioned and investigated because the waiter thought I drugged her."

Lucille pouts sympathetically, but remains silent.

"I've had countless bad dates. But then, for some reason, I agreed to a date with you, having only 'known' you for about a day. And for the first time in years, I wasn't scared. And here we are, dancing under the starlight thousands of feet above the ground in virtual reality, and I...I have never felt so happy."

She stops dancing to listen. I pull away and walk to the edge of the tower, looking out over the clouds. "You're so different from me, almost exactly opposite, and yet you're so amazing. You're brave, confident, and fearless. And beautiful."

Lucille walks up behind me and puts her hand on my shoulder. "Being confident isn't about being brave, it's about taking a leap of faith," she says. Suddenly, an idea forms in my mind. I turn, a breeze ruffling my fur dramatically, like a scene from an anime. "Then," I start, voice unwavering, "shall we take this leap together?" For the first time, I refuse to second-guess myself. She smiles and takes my hand. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Karma." My heart racing, I leap off of the tower, pulling her off with me. Her face fills with pure exhilaration as adrenaline sets in. I hold tight to her hand.

"I've never met anyone like you, Lucille!" I scream over the rushing wind.

"I can honestly say the same thing!"

We hurtle down the tower at breakneck speed. As the ground comes into view, I twist in the air to wrap my arms around her before yelling, "Care-Icarus, grant me thy might, so that I may rise and take flight!" White feathered wings sprout from my back and our fall turns into flight as I soar across the Starlight Field.

. . .

Some time later, we come out of the game. I unstrap and stretch before helping Lucille out of her rig. Her face is of pure childish joy as she pulls me into a hug, pressing me against her warm body. The scents of honeysuckle and roses once more find their way to my nose. We part and look deep into each other's eyes. As I see her sapphire eyes sparkling in the dim light of the apparatus room, my heart takes over and I press my lips against hers for but a moment. She stares at me with wide eyes, then wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me back in, locking her feather-soft lips against mine. My eyes flutter shut and my mind melts.

In those blissful moments that our lips are pressed together, nothing else matters. But I pull back. She looks at me with concern in her eyes. "What's wrong?" I feel a tear escape my eye as I try to collect my scattered thoughts. "Lucille, you are amazing. I-I just don't want things to go too far...and then regretting it."

"If you woke up next to me tomorrow morning, knowing that I wanted you to stay as much as you did, would you regret it? If I woke you up with a home-cooked meal and a kiss, would you regret it?"

"Lucille, you asked me if I had ever been in love. I said no, and at the time it was the truth. But now, I-."

"Karma, I don't care if you've only known me for a day. Listen to your heart for once."

"I'm in love with you."

Silence follows, though my heart pounds in my ears like a wardrum. She says nothing, but takes my hand and leads me out of the building. She gently pulls me to the parking lot, to her cherry red sports car. "Karma, would you regret it?" she asks simply. I look into her eyes, into the barely suppressed vulnerability, and answer "no." She fishes her keys out of her pocket and unlocks her car. I slide into the passenger seat as she turns the key in the ignition.

We ride hand-in-hand, but are silent. I slowly realize what I'm doing. I'm about to sleep with someone I've only just met. The thought should petrify me, especially considering that it'll be my first time, but I find myself welcoming the uncertainty. I want to be with Lucille.

After a bit of a drive, the car pulls into the lengthy paved driveway of a two-story modern masterpiece of a house. Lucille drives into a covered two-car garage and presses a button on the dashboard. The garage door silently slides shut behind us. We step out of the car after she turns off the ignition. There isn't a moment to look around before her hand is wrapped around my wrist and she is leading me somewhere inside the dark house. We waste no time wandering around, practically running up the stairs. She stops in front of a dark oak door and turns back to me with an uncertain look in her eyes. I smile reassuringly and she leads me through the door into her bedroom. The door barely has time to close behind me before my back is pressed into it, her lips dancing against mine.

Her hands find the hem of my shirt and we part for a moment so she can pull it over my head then pull off her own shirt, revealing a snug white tank top. I move from her lips and sensually nuzzle her neck as I unfasten the small button above her tail then the larger one in front. She pulls them down her digitigrade legs as much as possible without breaking contact, then maneuvers her legs so that she can step out of them as she works on my jeans. Soon, we're both left in our underwear. She brings me to the bed and gently lays me down before climbing over me. She sits back on my thighs and pulls off her undershirt, freeing her supple, full breasts.

She moans lightly as I bring my hand to one, gently massaging the firm yet soft tissue. Her own hands run under the elastic of my snug black boxer briefs and she takes care to avoid my plump sheath as she pulls them off of me before pulling off her own white lace undergarment. She presses her lips to mine, pushing her hips forward so that her slick entrance rubs across my sheath. A gentle moan escapes her lips as my red member pushes free of the sheath and rapidly stiffens. Her vulpine tongue seeks out mine as she starts rocking her hips back and forth. I can't help but moan into the passionate kiss as the warm folds of her womanhood travel across my sensitive length.

After what feels like an eternity of pleasure, Lucille moves so that the tip of my canine manhood presses against her slit. Our eyes meet before she pushes back, slowly pushing me inside of her. We both moan in bliss as my member fills her insides, her tight walls clenching rhythmically. She pulls off slowly until only the tip is left buried inside her, then pushes back a little harder until her plush rump meets my thighs. She repeats it, a slow rhythm developing that leaves us both breathless.

Nothing matters but her and I, together in the closest way possible. I've never been as content to stay in one moment as I am now. Buried deep inside her, her panting breaths hot on my neck, weight pinning me to the bed. Her hands grasp my shoulders for support, and my own go to her hips, gently clutching her rump. A pressure starts to build in my loins, a lump freeing itself from my sheath. As she presses down against it, she glances down at the steadily growing knot. She pauses to smile at me and give me a quick kiss, assuring me of her certainty. She pulls off slowly, like every time before, but she takes a moment to catch her breath before pushing back with force, gasping as my knot slowly pushes inside her and locks her in place. The pressure keeps building until a rush of pleasure overcomes me and I push even deeper into her and fill her with my warm seed. She moans loudly as her walls clench hard around my manhood.

It takes a while for my member to stop pulsing. After it finally does, Lucille collapses on top of me, panting heavily. "I uh...I hope you weren't planning to do anything for the next...half hour or so," I jest. She wiggles her hips, making me wince. "That long? Geez. Good thing I'm not in heat," she giggles.

"Also, try not to move too much, it's very sensitive."

"That was...amazing..."

"I agree. I've never felt so close to anyone."

She sighs and nuzzles my shoulder. "Was that your first time?"

I nod. "Yeah. Also, when I kissed you back at The Den, that was my first kiss."

"Really? Well, there's plenty to experience...my mate."

I suddenly feel weightless. I mean, it's not like I don't want to be her mate. I just didn't expect things to work so quickly. I guess I should get used to it. I smile genuinely and nuzzle her. She giggles as my cold nose brushes her neck. "Just...remind me next time to take a more comfortable position before," she says. I chuckle.

We spend a good half hour just cuddling as best we can and talking about our lives. "Okay," I warn, feeling myself loosen inside of her, "we might want to take this to the shower. Pulling out is gonna be pretty messy." She stops talking and nods. We manage to stand and somehow walk into the thankfully close adjoining bathroom. We step into her spacious walk-in shower and she closes the glass door behind us. Lucille braces herself against a wall and nods to me. I take a deep breath and pull. It takes a good bit of effort before my semi-swollen knot pops free. We take a long and much-needed shower after, then return to the bedroom. "You know," I begin, eyeing my clothes on the floor, "I have no clothing."

"Oh...yeah. I'll go throw these in the wash for you."

Lucille gathers the clothes scattered on her floor and blows me a kiss before exiting the room. Left to my own devices, I sit down on the bed and look around her room. Unlike my apartment, it's decorated with all sorts of cool stuff. Most of the decorations are launch posters of various video games, all of which I have played. I lean against the headboard and pull the forest green sheets over my lap.

After a bit, Lucille walks back in and turns to close the door behind her. I notice a marking placed directly above the base of her tail, a scarlet heart with a golden tiara seated at its widest point. She catches me staring and tilts her head. "Okay, I have a marking. So?" she prompts somewhat nervously. "I think it's very pretty," I compliment. She visibly relaxes and walks back to the bed, sitting beside me. She lays her head on my shoulder and sighs pleasantly. After a good bit of idle chat and snuggling, we lay down. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close to me, her back pressing against my chest. The warmth of her bare body and the rhythm of her heart lull me to sleep.

. . .

The sound of the door opening pulls me from sleep. I sit up slightly and rub my eyes, squinting to see two older foxes walk into the room. The yawn building in my chest stops dead as the leftover drowsiness evaporates as I unintentionally make eye contact with the older male. The female, who looks drastically similar to Lucille, looks around nervously. "Umm...Lucille?" I begin, gently shaking the shoulder of the sleeping vixen. She stirs slowly and yawns. "Good morning," she greets me, turning over. She notices the couple and stops dead, her eyes going wide. She sits up quickly, pulling the sheets up to cover her still-bare body. "Seriously? I don't even get a call to warn me?"

The woman turns to the man. "I told you we should've called."

But the man's attention is focused on me. "Never took you for the playboy type, Michael." He spits out the name with contempt.

Lucille tilts her head at me.

I collect my nerves and try my best not to stutter. "It's not what you think. I can explain everything."

"I assisted you, and this is how I'm repaid?"

Lucille speaks up. "Dad, come on! Just give us a chance to explain!"

The woman steps in. "Come on Thomas, let's go make tea. You two, I expect you both downstairs with decent clothes and a perfectly reasonable explanation." She leads the man out and closes the door behind them.

Realization hits me like a brick wall. "Michael? What was he talking about?" Lucille asks as we both start getting dressed. I take a deep breath. "Luce, what's your last name?" I return.

"Renne." she says slowly.

I sigh heavily. "You're the daughter of Thomas Renne. The heiress to the Renne family."

"Wait, how do you and my dad know each other?"

"Your dad has known me since I was born. Your family has been friends with mine since before I was born."

"What are you talking about?"

"My name isn't Karma. Well, it's not my full name. My name...my name is Michael Karma Blake. Son of Thalius and Morgan Blake."

Her jaw drops. "M-Michael Blake? The heir to the Blake family? The same Michael Blake that I used to play with as a kid?"

I nod.

"Why...why didn't you just tell me?"

"The same reason you don't like using pictures on dating apps. I didn't want to be treated differently. And also I had no idea who you were."

"You didn't? Lucille isn't a very common name."

"When we were kids, I always called you Lucy. I never knew your full name was Lucille."

"Okay, but that leaves one question...if you are truly Michael Blake, what happened to you? You basically vanished."

"Six, almost seven years ago, I got tired of the life of a celebrity. I got tired of being treated differently. So I got my parents' help and dropped out of the public eye. I've spent six years in the shadows, the background."

"That...that explains a lot. But we should go down and explain to my parents."

I pull on my shirt and sigh. "Yeah. Let's get this over with."

We finish dressing and walk downstairs hand-in-hand. Her parents are seated on a plush smoke grey sofa, with four steaming mugs of fresh-brewed tea sitting on ceramic saucers on the glass-topped coffee table that sits between the two matching sofas.

Lucille and I sit down across from her parents. There's a very awkward moment of silence before her mom clears her throat. "Well, I think introductions would be a good first step, though we all know each other," she begins, "I'm Barbera Renne, this is Thomas."

"Karma...er, Michael Blake," I reply. Thomas Renne taps his foot impatiently. I take a deep breath and collect myself. "In all honesty, I had no idea it was your daughter until..." I clear my throat. "We met anonymously over a dating app. I also told her that my name was Karma." Mr. Renne turns to Lucille. "Did he pressure you?" he asks her. "Not at all," she says, shaking her head, "In fact, I asked him over." He relaxes a good bit and sips from his tea. "So, you and my daughter are..." It takes me a moment to realize that he's expecting a response.

My thoughts scatter as I try to think of what to reply. Lucille's hand squeezes mine reassuringly and the answer becomes clear. "Mates," I say with certainty. I feel Lucille's heart flutter excitedly. Her mom smiles broadly at the both of us. "Of course, you know what a relationship with my daughter entails, right?" Mr. Renne prompts. I nod slowly. "Yeah. But I don't care. Lucille is everything to me."

Lucille chimes in. "Okay, but why are you here?"

Her mom prepares to explain. "Well, we came to talk to you about Rylan's offer. But since you have a mate, we'll break the news to him."

Mr. Renne interjects. "On one condition. Michael needs to announce his return and his relationship with you."

Lucille tilts her head. "Why? Is it for the damn press coverage?"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "No. It's because people will find out. It's better to tell someone than for them to find out. That way, the truth can be heard. I'll call Dad and set up an interview later today."

We all finish our tea in silence. Lucille's parents say their goodbyes and leave as I prepare to make what is rationally the most stressful call of my life. I collect my nerves and press the 'call' button next to my father's contact. It barely starts ringing before a familiar voice greets with "Michael?"

"Hey, Dad. I, uh, have a favor to ask."

"Ugh. Come on Michael. I haven't heard from you in months and you call me for a favor? Relax, I'm just joking. What's up?"

"I need to schedule an interview. To...to announce my return to the public."

There's a long moment of silence. "And here I thought you were gonna ask for dating advice."

Lucille giggles at the face I make.

"Wait, is that a girl I hear? Put the phone on speaker. I wanna talk to the lucky lady."

"Dad!...Okay, fine." I put the phone on speaker and set it on the table. I prod Lucille in the side.

She giggles more. "Hello?"

I swear I can hear my dad grinning. "Might I get a name to match the lovely voice?"

I facepalm hard and sigh, withdrawing myself from the conversation for now.

"Lucille Renne."

"I knew you sounded familiar. So my son managed to steal the heart of the daughter of my business partner. Quite the feat, honestly."

"Dad! Could you stop flirting with my mate!"

He chuckles. "Mate, eh? I'm just being friendly. If you're sure about the interview, I'll set it up on one condition."

"Ugh, what's the catch?"

"You have to tell your mom. About you and Lucille."

I groan as the prompt for accepting use of my phone's camera during the call. I hit 'allow' and begin the video call. My mom slides up next to my dad and looks at me curiously. "Hey Mom. I...I have news."

She smiles. "Ooh, do tell!"

I slide over so that my mate can slide into view.

My mom gasps and smiles broadly. "Oh my! A girl! And a beautiful one...wait, is that you, Lucy?"

Lucille giggles and nods. "Yeah. Hi Mrs. Blake!"

"My my, you've grown up! Michael, you better keep this one."

I cringe but smile. "I plan on it. I'll bring her home one day soon, promise."

My dad speaks up. "Okay, I've got you booked with the local news in Rhovea for noon. See you soon, Michael."

"Bye! Love you!"

. . .

Noon comes sooner than I would've liked. Lucille and I dress in formal attire. Even though I helped her put it on, my breath is still stolen from my lungs when she walks out of the bathroom in a floor-length scarlet dress fit for a ball. Her fluffy tail remains uncovered, the dark turquoise tip raised elegantly. "Wow," I manage. She smiles at me. "We better hurry. Wouldn't wanna be late to your own ceremony!" she says. I smile back at her and take her hand.

After we arrive at the location of the conference, I walk out in front of the news crew and begin the conference. I answer question after question as I've done many times before years earlier. Finally the crew signals for one last question. I motion to a female leopard in the back. She clears her throat and asks "I'm sure many young women, including myself, are very interested to know if you're single." I chuckle, having just been handed the perfect opportunity. "Well," I begin, grinning, "I regret to inform you that I am taken. On that note, I would like to introduce my mate, Lucille Renne!"

The cameras adjust as Lucille walks into view. She has a practiced, elegant smile that results from experience. Pictures are taken of us together, and more questions are asked. Though I'm not required to answer, I do.

After the conference, Lucille brings me to my apartment. "Seriously? The heir to the Blake family lives in an apartment?" she asks in shock as I open the door. "Yep," I sigh.

"Hey, Karma?"

"Hm?"

"If you wanted to, you could come live with me."

I freeze in shock. "R-really?"

She nods. "Yeah. I mean, we are mates, after all."

"I-I would love to."

She pulls me into a kiss. I close my eyes and let the world melt away. She was right. It didn't matter how long we had known each other. I was hopelessly, helplessly, completely in love with her. I pull away just long enough to say "I love you, Lucille." She smiles genuinely as I kiss her again, wrapping my arms around her. "Oh," she says, pulling back, "Forgot to do something." She pulls out her phone and taps on the icon for Wonderland. I follow suit. When I open the app, a prompt appears for me to rate my experience. Without a second thought, I hit five stars. My camera opens with a prompt that reads care to share the happy couple? I pull Lucille into another kiss and take a photo. I then hit upload. The app suddenly closes, then vanishes from my applications list. "It just...deleted itself," I state in confusion. My mate tells me hers did the same. We lose ourselves in another kiss before beginning to pack my belongings.

. . .

And so, the dreams of Michael Blake and Lucille Renne came true. Love doesn't have to be a fairy tale. It can happen in an instant. Keep on dreaming. Maybe yours will come true as well.

-Wonderland, where dreams come true-