Little Big Friend
Little Big Friend
A fantasy story
By Sharpfang '99
This story is dedicated to Charlyy and Chiquita:
the one who remembered and the remembered one.
Little Big Friend =================
1. Auction.
- Hi - said the horse.
I rubbed my eyes. I was awake. In front of me, on the floor next to my bed a horse was standing. Moreover the horse was about my thumb size.
Hi - I replied. - Who are you? Ehh... Moment! Let me guess! I've seen you yesterday in the stable on the show before the today auction! Only... you was a normal-sized horse.
Yes. You gave me a few sugar lumps.
Right... But what are you doing here? Why are you so small? Who are you really? That's... I'm glad you're here, but why?
I'm sorry, I can't answer your questions... yet. I risk enough appearing here in this size. I came to ask you to buy me on the auction today.
Really? Oh... but... I'd love to but... I have no stable, no pasture and I'm afraid I can't gather enough money!
Don't worry about the stable - In this size a single grain of oats is enough for me for a whole day. Only please, try to succeed buying me - I will try to help. I will appear as weak and worthless as I can, but then if some butcher outbids you, I'm doomed. You see, I could look as a proud, big stallion, but then I'll be bought by another soulless horse owner and kept whole days facing a wall. And you've been so friendly yesterday...
I see. I will try.
Try hard. Please! My life depends on it. Now I have to run back before anyone notices me missing in the stable. See you there!
The horsie turned around and galloped toward the slightly open window, then with a marvelous jump got outside.
Oh boy. What now? That was not a dream! I stood up, got my clothes on, ate a quick breakfast. Then I carried my old rucksack from the loft and began loading it with everything what had some value in my house. Then I took it all to a pawnshop and took as big loan as I could. I visited my bank yet and withdrew all my savings.
Then I hurried to the stables and arranged all the formal issues. I just came to the beginning of the auction. The horses were led in front of the buyers. I was mostly ignoring them looking for "my" horse. Another horse was led on the path. This one was lame, small, skinny, dirty and looked sick. No, this is not this one.
Five hundred - sounded somewhere.
Five hundred fifty
The horse stopped suddenly and looked nervously over the auctioneers. His eyes met mine. "It's you!" - I though - "Oh god, what have you done to yourself!"
Five hundred fifty going once!
Eight hundred - I shouted unconsciously.
Eight hundred fifty
Nine hundred - I repeated.
No reply.
Nine hundred going once!
Nine hundred going twice!
Sold! Next...
I didn't listen. I went to the barriers. The man led the horse to me. Its leg wasn't lame anymore, the sides filled and the horse looked quite healthy and worth four-five times more. The owner was mad.
- You lucky bastard. Here's your beast...
I finished signing all the papers shortly, paid the whole amount which was much lower than I gathered and took the horse away. We walked toward the nearby river, onto empty fields. I smiled to him and - guess what - gave him a sugar lump.
- Now will you explain me everything? Or was that just a dream?
The horse didn't react until we went far enough so nobody could hear us nor see what we do. The horse suddenly began speaking, with a pleasant, young voice.
Call me Arno. I'm a sizeshifter. A being that accidentally got to this world from... well... some magic place. And to activate my special abilities I need a very special kind of power: Friendship. Imprisoned in a stable, with no chance to get closer to people who would be friendly I was stuck there, among those who treated me like a thing.
For how long? - I was somewhat shocked.
Forty years so far. I can use the power of friendship to stay young. The papers you got with me, saying I'm twenty are false. I'm ninety eight years old, from which forty two I've spent in this world.
The horse told me his story. The world he comes from is located in other universe, parallel to our. There are methods of passing between worlds in some special places - and he accidentally stepped into a wrong one. He landed in a forest here, with no power to return. Some man caught him and forced to work on his farm. After twenty years Arno succeeded running away and hid back in the forest. A little boy found him there - and his friendship helped Arno getting back to full strength, but then unfortunately he was caught again and sold to the man who sold him to me today. And during all the years of prison he was treated like a thing.
We stood in front of each other. I came to him and hugged his neck strong. I felt his warm breath on my back. Strong, big, young body, soft brown fur against my face...
Suddenly he pulled back and retreated a few steps away abruptly.
I'm a stranger here, but who are YOU?! - he shouted.
What do you mean?!
I know what you felt toward me while hugging me! Not only you're a human and I'm a horse, but also we both are males!
Ohh. You mean this... - I sighed - Well, I am like I am. People don't accept this so I hide it from them but I do feel sexually attracted to animals, even males. Please, if this disturbs you, let's just forget it and just be friends, will we?
The horse was seriously confused - I... I... eh, I'm not used to such idea... but... eh. - he came back to me and nuzzled my head friendly - I think I'll get used to that.
He stepped away from me again - Now watch.
He began shrinking. First looking like a smaller horse,then like a mini, then the smallest pony. He was walking around me on his smaller and smaller legs. I knelt and watched as he vanishes in the grass. I reached down and lifted him up on my hand to my eyes level. Now he could fit in a cigarette box.
Don't be afraid, is's not so easy to smash me. I'm still as strong as a full-sized horse. - he said. Then like a grasshopper he jumped onto my shoulder and slid down into the front pocket of my shirt.
Tell me one thing yet - I asked - Can you grow bigger than normal?
Yes! Almost without limits!
2. New friend.
I paid the loan back, bought some bird feeder in a pet shop and still had most of my savings left. Arno from time to time was looking curiously from my pocket and when we were alone he was telling me about his world as I asked him. Finally in the evening I got home. He grew a bit, then ate some of the food I gave him. I ate a supper too - I was hungry as a wolf. Then I sat in a comfortable armchair... watching him growing... In size of a bigger pony he stood in front of me looking into my eyes.
- Please, tell me - He began with a very serious voice. - Will you help me getting back home?
I had the answer ready. - Yes, under one condition.
Yes? - I saw fear in his eyes.
Don't worry, I won't misuse your situation. My condition is that if you can, take me with yourself.
What? - he seemed surprised with this answer. - oh, right, No problem!
And what did you expect?
I was worried you could request something I couldn't give you: Money, power, luck... I can't make miracles.
Then he came closer. We stood face to face.
And... - he continued - I was thinking about it for a few hours today. I really desire you - I saw a smile on his face - misuse my situation anyway.
Oohhh! - this was a surprise, but I didn't let him wait too long. I stroked his head and he kissed my lips. I rubbed my cheek against his silky nose. Without words we lied on the soft carpet. I was kissing and slightly nibbling his chest, while taking my clothes off and he was nibbling my head gently. I reached down to his maleness. Soft, thick shaft began sneaking out, into my hand. I began massaging it. The horse snorted and pushed his hung into my hand. I could feel the blood pulsating inside. I rolled him onto his back and straddled him, rubbing my ballsac against his cock. When I felt his balls against my back I lay forward, pushing his harder and harder shaft between his and my belly. Then I started moving, rubbing my belly against his, caressing the tip with my fingers. I was feeling the shaft growing... and growing... I realized I'm not kneeing anymore, but hardly reaching with my legs to the floor I'm sitting on the enormous shaft of a monster stallion taking up most of the place in the room. Now I could easily reach with my mouth to the tip. I began caressing it with my tongue. and both hands. It began swelling and soon got to the human head size. I pushed my tongue into its hole, and got it pushed off. I gagged with my mouth full of hot jism. It was flowing down my face, over my hair, leaking onto his belly. I swallowed a mouthfull, got another, swallowed again... I swallowed it I think four times yet before he ended.
He shrunk to his normal size.
I really loved it. - he said - I was silly I was afraid of it...
Wow, look what have we done! What a mess! I'll have to wash you, the carpet, my head... Everything's in horse cum!
3. Misshot.
Velvety touch with some pricking points, a blow of hot air on my face. What...? Before I open my eyes I smile widely as I already know. I reach up and stroke the soft nose. What an awakening... My lips find his and we kiss softly, my tongue touches his.
Good morning, my sweet - I whispered.
Good morning, oh, really good... I've never felt better before... Never ever. I was dreaming about yesterday evening. I'm not interested in mares anymore.
Hey, I like watching horses mating. I hoped you'll perform one for me with a mare?
Don't seduce me!
Eeh, no worries. I'm really looking forward to see your home world.
Oh, yes. In fact, since I've met you I'm not interested in going back so much anymore, only I'm stranger here, this world is dangerous for me and I'm dangerous for it. I really should go home and I don't mind it if you come with me.
I got up from my bed and naked got on Arno's back. - You don't mind it? - I leaned, rubbing my sex against his soft fur and began gently stroking his mane with my fingers.
- Sure... I'd mind if you stopped.
I continued for a while.
Tell me then, how does one travel between worlds?
There are places, where the space and the energy form invisible gates. You just need to find the right one and concentrate, use some of your inner energy and you can pass. In fact the gates are a common thing, the only question is to find the right one. And you need some basic knowledge on the energy control... you call it here "sorcery".
And? Do you know any gates to your world?
I know about one, there's only the problem that it's pretty far. It's some place in England, known for me because of its historical meaning. All the Fairies of your world escaped to my world through there. In fact I think it would be simpler for me to scan the vicinity to find a gate somewhere near here.
The same day in the early afternoon we were ready to go. With Arno in my pocket I got with a train to a small town, about 50km away from my city. There I walked off the city limits and in a small grove got Arno out. He rode me to the place. It was not distinguished in any way from the neighborhood. Arno just stopped somewhere near the middle of a field of cabbage and said "it's here".
I embraced his neck tightly. He jumped into air, in the direction of some far trees. I just saw him vanishing from head in a wall of nothing. Then I got into and through it and saw us landing on sand.
- Hey?! - I looked around - That's amazing!
I was standing in the middle of a desert of red sad on a road of yellow sand running from mountains behind us to the horizon opposite. Everything was enlightened with red brightness from the sky, which was dark over the horizon and bloody-red in the zenith. I got off Arno's back. Behind us the high mountains looked rather like a cliff over us. The road there was continuing through a gorge-like valley. Everywhere around bigger and smaller rocks were lying. I picked one from the road. It became transparent, like a glass sphere and began emitting waves. Literally, the reality around it began warping like waves on the water, my hands were blurred. I've put the rock into my pocket and it stopped. I came to the border of the road.
- I was imagining it different. And it's different from what you described.
Arno was silent for a while. Then he looked into my eyes
- I'm afraid I've made a fatal mistake. It's not my world.
I crouched by the clearly drawn border of the road and reached through it. Ice cold air bit my hand. I picked a handful of the red sand. I stood up. The sand was pouring through my fingers. In the place where it was falling on the yellow surface of the road, tiny sparks were flashing with a quiet crackle.
And this world is hostile - Added Arno.
It's damn cold out there - I said putting my freezing hand in my pocket
DEADLY cold. This road is somewhat safe place,, but not quite. Everything else is a lethal danger. I can sense a gate to my world not far in the mountains but I'm afraid of going there.
I walked toward the entrance of the valley. I stopped, took the stone from my pocket and threw it between the walls of the mountains. A metallic clang sounded. I saw nothing, only the stone turned into dust which was quickly sucked into the walls of the valley.
- It's not a mountain. It's an animal. A predator. - Arno came to me. - Let's get out of here, quick. If we choose a random gate there's little chance we get worse. I'll go down this road, maybe there's a gate located on it. I don't like the idea of stepping onto the red soil.
From a side I saw something like a wave, it was as wide as the horizon and was rolling quickly toward us. The ground was rising half a meter over its level all along it. It rolled under us, raising us up with the road and dropping a meter away.
- Let's better go - I got on Arno's back. The horse carefully moved down the road - luckily this thing wasn't really dangerous. The worst is invisible.
Just after a few steps the road in front of us suddenly vanished - Arno balanced on the edge, one hoof swung over the border and I saw something like a hole in the sand opening, with sharp black teeth all around. Arno sighed. Now it looked like we were standing on crossroads. The road from the mountain joined another one here, previously invisible, with one side to horizon, the other running to another crossroads; the branch going into the desert, the main road ending shortly with a wide patch of yellow.
- A gate! The nearest gate is located on this patch of sand there. I could sense it before but I didn't see the road to it.
Not far a fountain of red sand sprung into the sky. Arno hurried toward the isle. We just passed by through other crossroads when he suddenly stopped looking down. I looked there too. The sand under us was blurred, it was moving...
Run! - I shouted. Just in time. Everywhere on the road patches of red were appearing, surrounded with borders of bright flash. They were growing quickly. One jump. The hooves land on yellow. Next. From the patch of red under us a spiked tentacle springs and misses the hooves by centimeters. Third. One hoof lands on the red and finds no support - the leg sinks like in water. We need just one jump more, but Arno lost his balance and falls aside. Now there's more red than yellow around us and we're on a quickly shrinking patch.
Shrink! - I shout. His leg is hurt bad. The skin looks like burnt. He shrinks quickly. I grab him in my arms and jump over the large area of red between us and the isle. Then I realize i can't make it! I'll land on the red! That's the end. The cold surrounds my body, my foot hits the ground... hits! I hear a scream, see a circle of moving sand closing around my foot, but I'm back in air, falling on the yellow sand, seeing a geyser in place where i stepped. I gasp hard, but I see, the red sand around us starts boiling... I can feel millions of tiny, hungry creatures rage under the surface. The edge of the island quickly pours into the boiling hell. reaches to my feet, I crawl desperately up to the middle of the island.
Arno!?
On my back! Quick!
He's big again. I get on him. He stands on his hind hooves as the edge crawls to him. The isle under us is one meter wide now... Half a meter. He jumps into the middle of the raging hell.
Darkness. I feel no weight, strong wind. I realize we made it... and we're falling.
Arno?
I have one chance before we hit the ground. I must concentrate.
I embrace his neck tighter. I see the shape of the ground far below us. Then I suddenly choke.
I'm in ocean. I see the surface far over me. I release Arno's neck and swim up, he too. It's so far yet! I wasn't prepared! I struggle lacking air. Pain. Madness. I clutch my teeth and against my body, with closed eyes just wave my hands. Up, up! My mind slowly fades away. AIR! I'm on the surface! I gasp hard. But Arno? I prepare to dive, when a massive wave pushes me under water. I look around there... Enormous bulk reaching from the surface, vanishing down below, beyond the limits of visiblity. It's... a horse! I swim back to the surface and see the horse head over me, big as a mountain. Hurricane of his breath blows around me. He levels his head just above the surface and like a cruiser quickly approaches. Then he slows down and gently lets me climb the head. His fur reach to my knees. I feel being lifted high and hear a thunder-like whisper below.
- Go between my ears, now I want to hear you.
I do it, realising that the water in this ocean is sweet. After a few minutes I shout - What now?
I've been once to this world. The shortest way from here to my world leads through your, I got trapped there while coming from here.
So... Let's go back, to my home.
Good. Then hold on, the site is far from here, to get better speed I'll grow seriously.
I hoped for a great view from incredible heights, instead I got lost in the forest of his hair. It took about a hour of a serious earthquake before i saw the tower-like hairs around me shrinking. Soon I was sitting between the ears and could reach both of them with my hands.
- Walking on the bottom is easier than swimming, but this leg hurts. Here we are.
While he was shrinking further, I lied on my belly and slid onto his neck.
- Hold tight. I'm opening it!
A whirlpool sucked us in and pulled under water. The water got in my eyes and when I opened them I saw myself in a forest, falling with a waterfall from not too high.
4. Fear
I've hit the ground pretty hard. The strong stream of water flushed me aside. The flow suddenly stopped. I saw Arno standing up nearby.
Deja vu. And so we are back. Hope, you didn't hurt yourself?
No, and you?
Luckily not too. may I ask you for something? My leg hurts. Under the water it wasn't so bad but it starts again. I'll not take you on my back, ok?
Sure. I'll carry you some if you want.
When he was of a cat size I've put him on my shoulder. - Where now? You know this forest.
- West from here there's a town.
I checked my pocket - the wallet and some soaked money was still there. Enough for a bus plus some more. Unfortunately it was late evening when we arrived to the town and the last bus had departed. We decided to stay overnight on top of a nearby hill. I went to the town to buy some bandage and something to disinfect the wound and took care of Arno's leg. A large part of skin was sore and there were some shallow wounds, but nothing more serious. While I was bandaging it Arno looked at me...
- I'm really sorry I've put you into this all. I hoped there will be no trouble, but...
I hugged him. You know, I wanted it myself - and i still want... so when do we try again?
- I'm afraid... what if I find the wrong gate again? And do I need to go there really? I just realised I don't want to risk our lives. I've found a friendship, or maybe love of my life. I don't want to lose it.
I realised I too. I kissed his cheek. I also realised I'm hungry like the hell.
You're right. We can always try again when we get in some kind of trouble. And now, I feel pretty hungry myself, and you? I've seen a 24h shop nearby, I'll buy some food for us.
Don't bother with me, I can graze here.
I went down the hill. It was a beautiful night. New moon, a lot of stars, a single cloud on the sky. The road to the town was pretty close. Suddenly I stopped. I was feeling as if i were watched. In the nearby forest I noticed a spark... or was that an illusion? I leaped over the ditch by the road. I heard a noise of splashed mud and water as if some big animal was there. I continued walking down the road. I looked into the sky. The stars were dull. The moon hid behind the cloud which had shape of a hand with claws. By the road I saw something that was like condensed darkness. I just couldn't look through this.... but it was dark anyway. "That's just my imagination. Nothing really happens" - I was telling myself... Damn, why am I so scared? I wasn't afraid of darkness ever before. Was that the effect of my trip?
A cold wind blew over my back... Terribly cold. The light of the shop window is close. I force myself not to run. I open the door and enter the bright room, closing the door behind me, leaving the fears outside.
The young shopkeeper's face was covered with sweat
- How... how can i help you?
I calmed down, choose some food items, and paid for them. As I turned to the door, the darkness behind the window was thick and seemed as it was moving
- Excuse me, sir...
I turned to the man. - Yes?
- I... I know, it will sound ridiculous - he giggled nervously - but... I'm afraid to stay alone... Could you stay here?
Damn it. I want it. I don't want to go into the darkness. But... Arno! He is there! I must go!
I'm sorry, but I've left someone out there. I can't leave him alone.
Oh, I see... or... would you mind if you both came here?
It's a horse, if you don't mind?
Oh, no problem. I'm sorry, this never happened to me before...
I'll leave this here - I put the bag with my shoppings by the door and dived outside.
The moon and the stars were red. I was feeling a presence of something evil just behind my back and whenever I turned it was still behind me. I ran up the road. When i got out from the light of the shop, it got really dark. I could hardly see the borders of the road... as if I was in a black fog. It was really cold. I was feeling my shoes sticking to the road slightly. Something touched my shoulder, but there was nothing there. Suddenly I heard Arno calling my name in the darkness.
Arno! - I shouted. I heard the hooves running toward me. Soon he appeared from the darkness, very close to me. I hugged his neck with relief.
Something wrong is going on - he said. - The darkness came to life. This all is an illusion but it's evil and the illusion is turning into reality.
I've found a place that feels safe. Let's go.
Holding my hand on his mane we ran down the road.
It's there! - Arno shouted. Yes, I was feeling this undescribed "it" behind us. - Get on my back - he commanded. I did so. He hurried in full gallop. In front of us the lights of the shop appeared. through the fog that appeared to be bloody-red. As Arno was stopping I jumped off his back - or at least tried. I fell down and hurt my knuckle. The door opened. We rushed in. The man closed and locked it behind us. I think I noticed something black sneaking out under the door but I could be mistaken. The man invited me behind the counter and gave me a chair. We were sitting for a while without a word. I looked at Arno. He nodded.
What a night - said the man. Ah. My name is Luke.
I introduced myself and added
The darkness came to life.
Yes. There's fear in the air.
We didn't speak for a moment. A loud scream of a woman tore the air. None of us moved. The silence lasted. Finally the man broke it.
You risked going outside to save a horse... - he said.
Arno is not a normal horse.
He can do circus tricks?
No, I can't do circus tricks - said Arno.
The man looked at me, at the horse, at me again.
- I came from other world. But I don't know what's going on outside and I'm not responsible for it, or at least I think so.
After half a hour of silence I stood up and came to the big window. I looked through it trying to see the stars. I failed to do so. Then I looked forward. Instead of me, reflecting in the glass I saw a monster face. I couldn't see details, only the big head... and two ugly hands reaching to grab me. They hit the glass which broke and I rushed back to avoid them. The noise of broken glass, two terrifying arms that close around me to yank me there and the pain in my side and back...
- What happened?! - shouted Luke.
I looked at the window. It was whole, no monster, no broken glass.
- An illusion. Very awful one.
I stood up. In the window I saw the big monster standing in front of me. I realised it's kind of distorted reflection. I waved my hand and saw it repeating my move. The monster's face morphed into mine. Now it was just a reflection. I went back to my chair.
After another half a hour I took the bag with the food and began eating, sharing the bread with Arno.
In the morning, at the sunrise, will you help me? - suddenly Arno said. - I know a healing ritual, but I can't heal myself.
Energy control?
Yes. If the sun ever rises.
I noticed the atmosphere gets lighter. I scritched Arno's neck.
- It's... amazing - said Luke, still unbelieving. An extraterran being visited my shop.
I grinned. - This extraterran being lived near here over forty years.
More exactly the second house from the forest side. You can see it from here - added Arno.
This is the old Grenstein's house - said Luke.
Yes, that was his name. He called me Frog.
I've heard him mentioning this name... claiming you was a very stubborn and finally ran to the forest.
I simply didn't want to be his slave.
And why didn't you tell him that?
No power. - Arno looked at me. I smiled.
Arno needs friendship to activate his abilities.
I looked through the window, then opened the door and breathed with the fresh night air.
I think it's gone.
Yes? Then we really should go now.
Wait a moment! Take this from me! - Luke took a bag and began loading it with different items from the shelves. He handed it to me - Good luck.
We went outside and headed toward the hill. Then I've heard water splashing against the road.
- I knew you wanted to stay some longer but I really had to go out... oh, what a relief. - said Arno.
I chuckled. The morning light appeared to the east.
5. Run.
This was the first spell I ever casted. Arno told me how to open my mind to access his power ("as much mine as yours in fact" - he said). Then he shaped it in the healing form and I directed it on the wounds. They filled, the sore skin could be removed and under it the fresh, healthy skin with short hair could be found.
I was walking back to the bus, with Arno in my pocket and I was playing with the newly learned ability. It was easy to control the power and transform it into the most basic forms of energy. Electricity, warmth, field of acceleration (could be felt as light wind), light, pure strength (I broke a rock into dust, just throwing it against the road surface) but when I was trying to heal my knuckle, I just hurt myself and Arno asked me to avoid wasting the power and be careful or I can hurt myself bad. (Sure you failed! It's late after the sunrise! The power can't be shaped with the pattern of the rising sun so it can't heal only cause cancer in your wounds!) But I also learned to see things I didn't see before. I could sense all the live beings through the walls, I saw the lines of natural powers and the nodes where they joined. Some of them were the gates, but I couldn't distinguish them. (You can't? Well, I failed in it too, though I know this art somewhat longer than you do.) and what was really amazing I was explicitly feeling the time flow. I knew, that with enough power and skill I could stop it or turn it back. ("Yes, it's theoretically possible. But not only it's much more difficult than you think you feel, but it's also s t r i c t l y f o r b i d d e n. Even slight touching. Why? There are millions of mages and there's only one time line for all the worlds. Just imagine the mess if everyone put their finger in it.")
We just got to the first bus in the direction of my home. The trip took to the afternoon. Meantime in the moments when nobody could see us we talked about what happened tonight. We came to agreement that we have no idea, what was that but we should run if it repeats - and always keep together.
In the local news from the driver's radio I've heard a message: From unexplained reasons people of the town before midnight began feeling irrational, extreme fear. One of them was found hung - it was probably a suicide, one died from heart attack. The third death was the most mysterious one: the man's corpse was found on the middle of a side street torn in half. All the authorities refuse to comment the accident.
- This makes me worry - said Arno. - It means the illusions come true. We only have to hope it won't repeat.
Later at home, after a meal we spent the evening on cuddling and playing with each other... We were happy and we didn't want to spoil it with thinking about problems we can't solve, and when we finally got tired we went to sleep to my bed and slept in each other's lap.
In the dream I returned to the hostile red plains. This time there was no yellow roads... I was feeling the hungry life waking up around me. I began running toward the nearby rock to climb it, when I realised the rock just opened its jaws. I looked around. The circle of boiling sand was closing, it reached under my legs and I just sunk in it.
I got into another dream. It was night. I was lying on my bed. And all around me claw-like blades began growing. Bending over me they formed a cage and lowered slowly to slice me.
I woke up and could feel the atmosphere of fear again. I slowly reached to the light switch. Something slippery touched my hand. I ignored it, found the switch and pressed it. The light of the bulb was wrestling with the darkness, and finally gave up, turning red like the light over the alien desert and covered the room with long, deep shadows. I slowly stood up. Something wrestled and wriggled a while under my foot but I pressed stronger and it petrified. I rose my foot and there was nothing there. I walked slowly out from the sleeping room. The living room was dark, but there was the evil red light coming from the vestibule. I walked slowly there... I saw the red sand pouring through the door into the living room. I looked inside. From the side pocket of my jacket there was flowing a stream of the sand, onto the big pile which was covering the whole vestibule and extending to my room. I realised that in the moment I had put my hand in my pocket in the alien world I must have put some of the sand in it.
Arno! Where is he?! I quickly turned the light on. As i turned back from the sand I felt a presence behind me and turned around immediately. Some big, blurred shape was standing out from the sand, . Anger appeared in my mind. I punched the shape twice and it fell with its back onto the sand, splashing it around like water. The lamp in the room finally filled it with the strange, but bright red light. I felt my hands very cold. In the middle of the room, there was a small metal cage on the table. The cage was shrinking slowly. Arno was inside. Suddenly a metal wall appeared from the floor in front of me. "It's an illusion" I said loudly and tore it with my hands like paper. A hole in the floor appeared at my feet. I just stepped over it. Then I picked the cage. It was made of real, but strange... living metal. Inside Arno, shrinking slowly in panic was pushing against its wall. I recalled the new powers and with whole my strength pulled the top. My hands hurted, but the metal bent and broke, wriggling in my hands. The inside was covered with spikes, in the middle there was the horse, small and helpless. I picked him, pushed the table aside, picked up a heavy cup with cold tea, it wriggled in my hand but I squeezed it, and it yelped and stopped. I threw a chair aside, it roared angrily while falling. I threw the cup at the big window which was opening onto the garden. It broke with a blood-freezing scream. I heard a crackle and looked up. The ceiling was breaking. Two quick steps forward, jump, roll with bare back over the broken glass, noise of collapsing roof behind me. I put Arno down. He started growing immediately. Without a word I got on his back and he began running. I just wanted to shout 'watch the fence' when he just stepped over it. 'Watch the electric line' - but he walked over it too. I climbed onto his head and sat behind his ear, holding the hair and looked down and forward. He was still growing. The ground was vanishing quickly. Small houses, roads far below me.
Arno was watching his steps to avoid smashing people and things but his hooves were leaving deep holes in the roads.
Now we must go to my world to get help to save your. None of your technology can destroy this kind of enemy.
Good, so we go to England now? - I shouted to his ear.
Yes, don't fall down.
Arno, what happened to my house?
He stopped and looked back. I saw the spark of evil red behind.
- It's destroyed. Time to think about a new home for you.
I snuggled up to his ear. I was cold as I was naked. I reached to my back to remove a piece of glass from it. and threw it aside. We left the city and Arno warned me before he began galloping so I held two bigger hairs and watched. Strong wind was blowing. Each hit of the hoof was a loud rumble. The villages were vanishing quickly behind. Once I heard a crackle - the hoof landed in a forest and broke many trees. I tried to recognise the cities in the distance. We were moving really fast. I though the army must have detected Arno on their radars already and wondered when the first scout planes will appear. Arno was running along a road for some time. Then from a side I saw lights of planes, but far forward the buildings of customs control and country line guards appeared. The far quickly became close and before the pilots could see us in the darkness, we were abroad... but then I saw other lights in front of us. The lights quickly turned into two fighters that passed with noise by us and began turning. Suddenly Arno stopped (yes, it was dangerous for me!) and began shrinking quickly.
- I'm sure! It's somewhere here! I felt it!
The jets with a rumble flew over us again.
What?
The gate! The right one! Not to my world but to one that's inhabited by creatures like me, something like a colony. And there's active and frequently used door to my homeworld from there. Yes. Here it is.
Now Arno was now of size of a house. I slid down onto his back and tried to see the gate with my new abilities. In front of us I saw a node like all the others on crossroads of two lines of natural energy flow. Arno concentrated and i saw an empty plain area through it. Arno shrunk a bit more and jumped through it. We landed on the other side.
6. The other side.
I looked around. Empty desert of slightly blue-gray sand under a dark-blue sky. A bright star was shining low over the horizon. It was cold and the air was thin - I had to breathe deep to get enough oxygen. The gravity was a bit weaker than normal.
Arno looked at me without a word.
- Another mistake? - I said disappointed.
Arno lowered his head and was quiet for a moment. - and then he rolled over dropping me down on the sand and lied on top of me laughing madly.
- I've tricked you, haven't I? It's here! We did it! In no time we will get to the base!
I crawled from under him and hugged him.
- Yes, you did it! You bastard! You... - I kissed his nose.
He stood up and began running around. - Catch me if you can!
I will! - I shouted, though I had no chances really. Finally gasping hard we stopped and he took me on his back and galloped toward the setting bright star.
Should I get some clothes from somewhere? - I noticed I'm naked.
No way. We never use clothes!
I looked at the ground and noticed we're on a path of many pawprints and some tire tracks. Soon, far in front of us I saw a few gigantic domes. The star got behind one and was shining through its transparent surface. I saw the shapes of the exotic trees inside.
I can't wait to see your world!
I too! I wonder what has changed in the last 40 years! Ah! The language! I'll have to teach you our languages before we get there!
Are you going to teach me your language in fifteen minutes? - I grinned.
Arno chuckled. He explained me the method and I understood it easily: in the society of thousands of species no one learns others' languages. Instead you just read in someone's mind area about the language and vocabulary and you can understand what the other person says and even use their language within the limits of your body.
For a try Arno said to me something in horse language and I slapped his ass for nasty thoughts.
We arrived to the door of the airlock. It opened sliding into the floor. We entered a short tunnel. The door behind us closed, the pressure rose to normal level, it got warmer and the door in front of us opened revealing a beautiful garden.
I walked inside and looked around amazed. White paths made of soft rubber-like material, a lot of plants everywhere and many, many different animals and other beings walking there, some on two legs, some on four, talking and sometimes playing with each other. I noticed the objects I first took for mountains were high, with almost vertical walls, pyramid-like buildings whole covered with plants, trees, bushes and ivy hanging from the big balconies. In front of us there was a small square and on its opposite side there was one of the buildings. On its base there was a cave-like opening, only bright and clean. We walked to it - it was an office. We walked to a low counter. Arno stood in front of a big jaguar sitting on the opposite side. I touched the bigcat's mind to understand what they say.
- Hi Loran - said Arno to the Jaguar in his language.
The bigcat looked at him, at me, at him again, put his forepaws on the counter, sniffed at the horse's nose and whispered.
- Arno? You are Arno?
Arno smiled and confirmed.
The jaguar exploded with joy and hugged his neck - My old, good Arno! That's really you! We were seeking for you but we failed. That was a really big case! We mourned assuming you died and now...! And what is this soulless doing here? - he looked at me.
Arno smiled. - This one isn't soulless. Without him I wouldn't survive there.
Loran looked puzzled. - A human as your partner? You must have had a very limited power to get here.
- Want to try?
I saw a beam of energy between them It had two parts - much thinner on Arno's side, thicker on the jaguar's. Arno smiled and his tiny ray just smashed the other one. Loran looked unbelieving at him, then laughed loudly and licked Arno's nose.
- You bastard! I always knew you have strange preferences! Well, then introduce me to your mate!
I chuckled and greeted Loran in his language introducing myself - So I'm your mate you say? I asked Arno.
And aren't you? This is my old friend, Loran. When I was here last time he was helping the newcomers in the base and now...?
Well, I'm solving worse problems of the base and... sometimes helping the newcomers. So now I'll just re-activate your entry in the central database, create a new one for our new creature (you're gonna stay here I hope? Sure you can, if you only want!) and...
And call the emergency assault team. Gateworld I215+ L7823- endangered, intrusion from world I0+ R2662+
Plus? Ah... - the jaguar chuckled. You never listened to old Elster on the navigation classes. You got to 2662 plus instead of minus? Lucky you survived. Ok, I'll let the emergency team know. 7823- is an important passage, even though inhabited by the soulless. No offense meant.
I grinned. - You're right. Few of them is worth being saved, but there are some I really liked and would like to survive.
- And - Loran continued - now let me finish... And I'll assign you a temporary apartment. What about a honeymoon room?
I looked at Arno... Do we think about the same thing?
- Why not? - we both said at the same time.
. . . . By Sharpfang Thu Feb 11 19:02:18 CET 1999