Hoard of Big Fluffs 12
Story by Tagenar on SoFurry
It's time to go home and try to pass as normal.
Hoard of Big Fluffs 12
by tagenar (https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tagenar | https://tagenar.sofurry.com/)
{It's time to go home and try to pass as normal.}
He had been gone for two years. The local bank still had his money, and the Swordsmith’s Guild hadn’t sent anyone to Apporo the whole time, so perhaps a Kobold really had explained his disappearance.
After having some new clothes made for him and his new proportions, Garreth decided to travel back to Perez and check in with the Guild. At first he was going to buy a horse, but a thought occurred to him. He wondered if a dragon’s heat gave him the endurance of a team of horses, as well. What about speed?
Eager to test himself, he set out on foot. Once outside of town, he removed his shoes and his slacks, letting everything swing freely. He wished he could see what this looked like to someone else. Already he missed the omniscient point of view Ethrix had given him in that cave. Being so aware of himself from every possible angle was something he took for granted. Garr started jogging. He barely felt the ground. After five minutes, he didn’t feel winded at all.
He gradually picked up the pace. His muscles boiled. His legs swelled. The sensation spread to his whole body. His abdominal muscles became tighter under the strain of running. His chest doubled in size, veins webbing every inch of it. His arms also puckered, and his shoulders pushed up against his neck.
He was now at a full run.
He ran until the sun went down.
He ran through the night, shoving a few trees out of his way, and they parted for him, roots flying from the soil.
Garr knew from the signposts he had covered a day’s journey in just a few hours. He slowed to a stop and rested, but he was not out of breath, and he didn’t feel tired. He paused on the path to feel his arms as they slowly returned to a size that would not draw attention.
He was hard again, and he shot enough seed to fill a bucket. He imagined he’d have to find an adventurous person to be able to use this cock of his. It was twice as thick as a typical man’s and three times longer, so he was sure he’d have to.
He walked until the sun came up, and now he began to feel out of breath. So he had reached his limit of endurance. Seemed everything had increased in proportion. He was ready to sleep, and now he wondered if he would have to eat more in proportion as well. He hadn’t been hungry since leaving the cave, but he was sure it was coming.
Hunger didn’t hit him until the third day, but he decided to push himself further. He began running again. By carriage, it would be another three-day journey. Garr crossed the distance in just one. By the time he saw the city, he was out of breath and starving. Tempted as he might have been to stop somewhere to eat, he wanted to check in with the Guild first. He slipped on his slacks and presented himself as a normal human being upon entering the gates.
*
Garreth wasn’t used to standing head and shoulders above the crowd. Hundreds of people lined the streets, and every single one of them looked up to him, which made him feel like Jixai, or rather the version of that blood red dragon he’d seen in his dreams so many times. He worried he’d get hard and burst out of his new clothes.
Whenever someone bumped him, that muscle flexed and threatened to expand, as if in self-defense. Even a careful nudge could toss someone about with little effort, so he had to make a concerned effort to limit the force his body exerted.
Guild headquarters was near the cathedral. No attendance today, but parishioners were still coming and going through the open doors. The building seemed unusual now. Out of place. It looked different, but Garr couldn’t put it in words. He promised to visit, if only to show face and reassure the Church he was still in good standing and available to make their weapons if need be. For now, Garreth veered toward the Perez’s Swordmaster Guild. He almost hit his head on the door frame. Stooping slightly to fit inside made blood rush to his crotch, and he felt it pushing against his slacks, smacking his right knee. Garreth thought about sermons instead, and it immediately shrank to something less noticeable.
Nothing had changed since the last time he set foot in here. High, vaulted ceiling, oil and fresco paintings lining the walls and arches all the way to the other end. It wasn’t unlike the cathedral, but it had no open space for sermons and instead plenty of side rooms for meetings. He was set to find Ulrich, the guildmaster who had sent him to Apporo, when someone on his left shouted.
“Garreth!”
All eyes in the hall turned to him. They rushed to meet him. Garr embraced the men, grateful he had learned how to measure the amount of force he exerted on them. He took the expected questions of where he had been and what happened and who cared for him (“Just south of Apporo” / “Some kind of fever. Took me down for months.” / “An herbalist took care of me, in exchange for helping her with her craft. I learned a few things about herbs, so maybe it was worth it.”), Garreth found Ulrich.
Satisfied with Garreth’s answers, the men separated and went about their days. Ulrich had a stern look on his face, and he gestured for Garr to follow him to one of the many side rooms. Garr had to stoop slightly so he wouldn’t bump his head.
Ulrich closed the door and latched it, still regarding Garreth with eyes that might have melted lead. Garr leaned on the table in the center of the room. He decided not to waste time.
“Ulrich, I’m sorry. I was close to establishing a place for the Guild, but... I’ve been bedridden for nearly a year. Took me another year to work off my debt to her.”
The old man stood firm, hand still on the latch, squinting at Garreth. “Two years ago, we were the same height. You never had to bend over to enter a room before.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Garreth, why did we hear about your illness from a Kobold?”
“I’m not sure. My host seemed to have a relationship with them.”
“What was her name?”
“She called herself Pear. Said magic wouldn’t help my fevers. I didn’t have much of a choice but to listen. I wasn’t very coherent for a while.”
Ulrich finally let his hand fall from the door latch. He looked away, at the wall, and sighed. “I’ve heard from a few others that they’ve seen more Kobolds around. Suddenly they all have potions and tonics for sale. Quality potions, I might add. How does a race of cave-dwellers suddenly have the means to move into cities? Makes me wonder, Garreth. Something strange is going on. Can you shed any light on this?”
Garreth was having a difficult time coming up with reasons he should conceal himself and what happened to him.
“Have you tried asking the Kobolds?”
“The story going around is that they met a friendly dragon who taught them magic.”
“Sounds plausible.”
“Any dragon that flies to human domains leaves a path of destruction. I promise I will find out what is going on. In the meantime, I am glad for your safe return.”
“I’m glad to be back. I promise not to fall ill for whatever assignment the Guild has next. Has someone been checking in on my flat?”
“Someone has. It is paid up and nothing has been disturbed.”
“Anyone in need of an assistant?”
“As a matter of fact one of the smiths has been missing for several weeks. You can help by taking over his shop and completing the orders he has.”
He handed Garreth a paper, which had the address and a list of orders. It would require a long walk, but it wouldn’t be a problem. It sounded like just the thing he needed to help him rejoin society. Once Garreth had agreed to it, Ulrich opened the door and held it for him.
Stooping again, Garr exited. He caught the old man’s narrow gaze, but Garr picked up the pace before he could mention it.
A quick check of his Guild account revealed his money was still there, and the bookkeeper told him a Kobold had made a few deposits to his account on his behalf to help cover rent. Garr asked for more about that, but the Kobold had told them very little else. Garr turned to leave, but paused at the sight of Ulrich by the door. Garr walked by.
“Since when do Kobolds look out for humans?” the old man said, barely above a whisper.
Garr paused mid-step. He whispered back. “Pear only told me she was on good terms with them. She saved my life. I didn’t pry.”
“Probably wise.”
Garr walked into the hall and out the front door. He paused and watched the parishioners for a moment. Now seemed like a good time, so he walked over to the cathedral. The closer he got, the less solid the stained glass seemed. The weaker the stone façade seemed. It looked faded.
He stepped onto the landing, and something pushed him backwards. Garr stood there for a moment. He felt winded, as if he’d been knocked flat on his back.
He turned away and marched straight across town, mumbling to himself that this could be a problem, but he’d handle it later.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4539730.James\_L\_Steele