Beach Tour

By ScottyDM

Tyler plopped down on a barstool next to a white-haired woman in a pink blouse and thought back on his day: Conventions were fun, but he'd overslept and with the time it took to get into costume and makeup, he was almost late for Masquerade rehearsal. Then it was classes in visual creativity, writing, and a round-table discussion on advanced makeup techniques—which he chaired. During snatches of free time, he dashed in and out of the art gallery and dealers' room, so it wasn't until 6:30 that he had a chance to grab dinner, which he washed down with a couple of beers. He was running late again and almost missed his spot in the Masquerade.

Then his ex called. When she learned he was at Anthrocon, she launched into her usual rant against him and his friends. "Freaks!" she shrieked. "Furverts!" After almost a minute of this verbal abuse, he punched disconnect. Stupid harpy! Damned broken record. After that, he was mad as well as exhausted so he thought he'd blow off the rest of the evening, and that's how he ended up in the hotel's bar.

"I'm Lin, and that's an amazing costume. What can I get you?" The bartender was a slender woman with long dark hair, almond eyes, and a face as round as the moon.

He couldn't think of a single mixed drink. It was always his ex who'd ordered for them both. He glanced over in front of his silent companion, and noted she was drinking something pinkish. "I'll have whatever she's having."

Lin moved down to the end of the bar and came back a moment later, shaking his drink. She poured it out into a cocktail glass. "One Miami Beach."

Tyler took a sip and arched his eyebrow. "Some kick. Exactly what I needed."

"So how are you enjoying the convention?" she asked.

"Long days and too much to do." He took another sip. A wave of warmth washed over him.

Lin leaned toward him. "I hope you don't mind." She studied his face. "That's amazing. It's like the fur's actually growing out of your skin. What are you supposed to be?" She leaned back.

"I'm a black rat. Rattus rattus-hominis. Roof rat, house rat, ships rat, we go by many…" The woman to his left was staring at him. Her white fur and red eyes surprised him, and in the subdued light of the bar her eyes were the color of rubies. Those weren't painted contacts; they had to be tinted glass. Gold wire-rimed glasses framed her eyes and her pink silk blouse complemented their color. All he could think to say was, "Wow! You're beautiful."

She opened her mouth and questions poured out, "Who are you? Where are you from? How old are you? Who made…" She held a slender white paw in front of her mouth. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to be rude." Her voice had an amazing quality, a kind of throaty purr.

"Ahhh… Tyler. My name is Tyler, from Ohio."

"Well, Tyler from Ohio, I'm Cheri from Washington, D.C. and I'm a Rattus norvegicus." She laid her paw on the back of his and he was struck by the contrast between her coarse white fur and his silky black. "Of course I'm not a pure norvegicus, I've got quite a few human genes in me." She balanced her drink in her left paw and took a sip. "Forgive my outburst, I was blown away when I saw you. I thought I was the only one. Which lab are you from?"

"I don't quite get… Oh! You're LARPing*, right?" He smiled. "I'm from an alternate Earth. I popped in through a continuity rift. Been trying to get back home ever since." Live role-play was better than online, especially in costume.

"An alternate Earth?" Her long delicate whiskers quivered and she turned back to the bar, frowning at her near-empty cocktail glass. She glanced at the drink in Tyler's paw. "You're having what I'm having?"

"Sorry. I didn't know what to order."

"I'm doing a beach tour."

"A what?"

"Lin," she pointed her nose in the bartender's direction, "is an encyclopedia of mixology. She knows over a dozen drinks with 'beach' in the name. Since I felt a little low today, I thought I'd kill some time by trying to see how far I could get." Cheri turned back to Tyler. "I don't do this often, so how else to choose?"

He looked at the last of the pinkish stuff in his cocktail glass, and then gulped it down. "Where to next?"

"Lin," Cheri called out. The bartender came over. "Where to next?"

"How about South Beach?" She turned to Tyler. "What about you?"

"I'm with her."

"Okay, two South Beaches coming up."

"Oh Wait!" Cheri laid her paw on Lin's hand then turned back to Tyler. "We'll never get through a dozen drinks each. Maybe we should divide and conquer."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we each order something different, drink half, then switch." She smiled at him, her long incisors clearly visible.

"'Sokay." He turned to Lin. "Where do you suggest?"

"How does Venice Beach sound?"

He hadn't a clue what a Venice Beach might be. "Sounds great." He turned back to Cheri. "So what do you do?"

"I'm an ecotoxicologist. I've been studying the effects of the chemicals we put in our food supply." Lin delivered their drinks and Cheri took a sip. "Hmm, coffee flavored, thanks Lin."

"I guess I see. So where do you work?" He picked up his drink. It was bright pink this time.

"At an NIH lab south of D.C. I'm a lab rat."

He grinned. "Of course you are, and the most amazing lab rat I've seen." He took a second sip. "I deliver mail in Akron, Ohio."

"For the post office? How does that work, don't the dogs chase you?"

"'Sokay. I drive one of those little trucks. Hardly ever need to get out. If a dog threatens me I just…" Tyler pulled back his lips baring long incisors, shook his head, and growled. This set Cheri to giggling. They swapped drinks.

"You have no idea how pleased I am to see someone like me," she said. "I thought I was the only one. Although with today's technology I'm sure there are more of us in the labs right now. It's just that I'm the first."

"You didn't come for the convention?" Tyler asked. The coffee cocktail was good and he finished it off. It left him feeling light headed.

Cheri looked around. "There's a convention?"

"Anthrocon '31. If you didn't come for the convention, then why did you come?"

"I drove up to Philadelphia this morning to see my boyfriend… my human boyfriend." She sighed. "Another relationship headed nowhere. After we broke up I went shopping, then ended up here. I thought if I got bombed I could get a room." She looked at her empty cocktail glass and signaled Lin. They decided on a Beachcomber and A Day at the Beach.

"Mundanes." Tyler shook his head. "My wife left me two years ago. She said she couldn't understand me."

"Mundane, is that a variety of rat?"

"Humans," he said. Their drinks came. "We call ordinary humans, mundanes."

"We?"

"Furries like you and me, here at the convention."

"What?" Cheri looked around the room. At that moment two fursuiters decked out as a cat and a wolf walked past the bar and toward the escalators. They were wearing old-style fursuits made of poly-fur and foam rubber. Cheri's eyes went wide and she blinked several times, her whiskers twitching. "Whoa! That's not right." When she said "that's" her breath whistled through her teeth. She giggled and briefly covered the end of her muzzle with her paw. "Oops! I whisshtled."

She was so cute! He couldn't believe his luck. She was a girl who not only understood what it was to be furry, but who shared his dedication to detail. He'd noticed the front of her incisors were pale orange, just like a real Norway rat's would be, and whoever created her muzzle was a master at the craft.

"Well, humanshh certainly can be mundane," Cheri whistled. "Most humanshh are either pervertshh who'd do the neighbor's dog, or they freak at a little hair on the couch." She giggled.

The top two buttons of her blouse were undone. Perfect white fur… Tyler felt dizzy and shook his head to clear it. "What, me shed?" he said in mock seriousness. "Nooo!" This set them both to giggling. "There's a dance later. I would be honored, sweet Rattus, if you would accompany me."

"Well shhir, if I am to be your date thisshh evening, will you tell me your full name?" She leaned closer. "Isshh for the FBI's recordsshh." She winked at him.

"My name," he said, as he sat up straighter, "is Tyler Travis Troy, prince of postal workers and heir apparent to some throne somewhere, no doubt." This started a new round of giggling. When it died down he asked her, "And you, my most lovely of lab rats?"

"I am Doctor Cheri Avant. Princessshh… ahh, princesshh… umm, queen of the National Insshh… of Health." She patted her lips with her fingertips. "That ticklesshh!" She looked down at her empty highball glass. "Lin, more please."

Lin came over and eyed Cheri. "Are you sure you haven't had enough?"

"Isshh okay. My tongue ishh a little wobbly. Took me a long time to learn to talk human with these teeth."

"Ahh, so I see."

"I know," said Cheri. "How about sshhomething shhexy, for me and my new Rattus friend. We're going dancing."

"Sexy, hmmm. Well there's Sex on the Beach, one and two; Creamy Sex on the Beach; Orgasm on the Beach; Greek Sex on the Beach; and Sex on Malibu Beach."

Cheri cocked her head. "I wonder what Greek Sshhex is like?"

"Believe me, honey," said Lin. "If you don't know already, you probably don't want to find out." That got Tyler laughing.

"What's shho funny? What'd I sshhay?"

Tyler leaned toward Cheri and whispered, "She means Greek sex, not the drink."

Cheri's mouth fell open then she covered it with her paw. "Oh god! Umm, I guesshh I've led a sshheltered life." She looked at Lin. "Hit me with your best sshhot."

Lin turned to Tyler. "And for you?"

He tried to focus. "Ahh, Creamy Sex, maybe?"

"Creamy Sex on the Beach?"

"Yea, that's the one." He looked over at Cheri, such lovely eyes, white lashes too. Amazing costume.

Lin was back with their drinks. A Mason jar for Cheri and a shot glass for Tyler.

Cheri started to make silly comments about the relative sizes of their drinks and giggling. "It's sshho small," and, "How will it fit?" She was making eyes at him and licked the edge of her lip.

Dear lord, she's flirting with me. He was definitely buzzed. "Ahh, maybe if we took turns?" He picked up the shot glass. She watched him. He tipped it back and half the contents slid down his throat. Creamy, smooth, a flush of heat rose in him. He handed her the shot glass.

She sniffed it before tossing it back. "Whoooo, isshh good shhtuff." She picked up the Mason jar and took a sip, then set it on the bar between them. "Know what I want?"

"What?" He took a sip from the jar. Holy…! What's in this?

"To be undershhtood." She picked up the jar, took a drink, and dribbled, which set them to giggling again.

Tyler caught his breath. "Sweet Rattus, understanding is what we all need." He took a sip from the jar. "Wow! No wonder they call this Greek sex. This stuff would curl anybody's whiskers."

"Isshh that good, or bad?" She took another sip from the jar, but slopped some when she set it down.

He felt like he was floating. "I think we've both had enough. Care to hit the dance floor, my most lovely queen of rats?"

"Umm, okeydokey."

He waved Lin over and she came with their tabs. He paid then tried to stand. "Whoa, the floor's moving."

"No it ishhn't." Cheri tried to stand. "Oopsshhie! The floor isshh moving." She leaned on the bar and straightened up.

Tyler found himself looking up at her. Damn, but she was tall. He wondered if she were a man under the makeup and facial prosthesis, but then he realized no man could hide inside that figure. She must just be a tall woman. He stood unsteadily for a moment before taking Cheri's paw in his.

Together they wobbled across the floor and out of the bar area.

"I have to shhtop. This floor ishh making me sick." Cheri leaned against a pillar.

"Ohh, That sneaks up on me." He swayed a bit.

"I need to rest. I sshhould get a room. I had too much tonight."

"I have a rooom."

"You do? Where isshh it?"

He pointed at the ceiling then pawed around in his pants pocket until he found his card key. "See?"

"Oh, thatshh lucky. We sshhould go there. I need to lie down."

Tyler steadied himself and offered his arm to Cheri. "My bootiful white lady, yon castle awaits." She took his arm and they staggered over to the elevators.

Tyler woke. He was sprawled across the rumpled bed, still in his clothes. The sunlight that came in at the edges of the curtains hurt his eyes. He tried to roll over. Cripes! My head. That was some bender. He managed to rise up on his hands and knees and look around. There was a pink silk blouse on the back of a chair, and a dark skirt on the seat. Cheri… where has my beautiful white Rattus gone?

His question was answered when he realized the sound he heard was running water. He crawled backwards off the bed, got both feet on the floor, and then stood. He stumbled over to the bathroom. She'd left the door ajar.

He knocked. "Cheri?"

"Please, not so loud. My head."

"May I?"

"It's your hotel room."

He entered the bathroom and stepped toward the sink. "Umm, we didn't…"

"I don't think so, I woke up in my clothes. I hope you don't mind me using your shower."

"'Sokay." In the mirror, the face of a black rat looked back at him. Good lord! He'd slept in his prosthesis and makeup. He opened his makeup case and took out a jar of custom formulated remover. He worked it along the edges of the netting glued to the back of his hands and started peeling away the "fur". The prosthetic fingertips and claws were next. His fur pieces and other prosthesis had taken him a long time to make and he didn't want them ruined.

"I'm glad we didn't," he said.

"Oh?"

"Because I don't remember a thing after we left the bar. I'd want to remember something like that."

"You're sweet."

He moved on to the fur piece covering his face, softening the glue and carefully lifting it away from his skin. He peeled the last of the netting from his throat and started working the remover along the edges of the latex prosthesis glued to the lower part of his face. Removing the muzzle, he studied it; it seemed no worse for the wear. Next he started on the edges of the latex cap that covered his natural hair. His cousin worked for a big-name Hollywood makeup artist, which came in handy. With the cap removed he smeared cold cream on his face and hands, then washed it off.

This time, when Tyler peered into the mirror, the face of a black man looked back at him. His head still hurt. "I'm going to call room service for some aspirin and breakfast. Want any?"

"Yes please, but make sure it's real aspirin, not ibuprofen. Oh, and some fruit would be nice, and juice, any kind, I'm not picky, organic if they have it."

He shuffled out of the bathroom, flicked on the light and called room service. After ordering he peeled off his shirt and loosened his pants to remove his tail. He refastened his pants and started back toward the bathroom.

Cheri came out holding a towel against herself and using the end of it to dry her hair. "Tyler I…" She glanced up and about jumped out of her skin as the towel hit the floor. "Holy shit! You're human?"

Tyler's mouth fell open. A pair of red eyes looked back at him. He had an impression of a pink nose, long whiskers, rounded pink ears, and short white fur everywhere: her face, shoulders, and arms; the curve of her breasts, tummy, and hips; her thighs… He felt tingly and hot, then dizzy.

There was a buzzing in Tyler's ears and his head throbbed. A white blob moved around in his visual field.

"Tyler, are you okay?" Cheri's throaty purr sounded in his ears.

"What happened?"

"You passed out. I guess we both made assumptions about the other that turned out to be untrue." He was flat on the floor, on his back. She helped him sit up.

"Whoa, you're still naked!" She was wearing only her glasses.

"Oh silly, don't be such a prude. We're friends, right?" There was a knock at the door and she got up.

Tyler was fascinated by the sight of her pink tail. The tip moved from side-to-side and it seemed to have a mind of its own.

The door opened wider and she came back, pushing the cart into the room. "Look, genuine aspirin!" She tore open the packet and popped the pills in her mouth, then washed them down with grapefruit juice. "Oh, I needed that." She handed him the second packet of aspirin. "Tyler, what happened last night?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Why were you made up as a rat? Very convincing by the way, but I wondered why your scent was off. I didn't know if it was the genes or the alcohol."

"Are you disappointed?"

"Yes. I mean, when I saw you I was so hopeful… I guess I should have known better." She seemed to deflate.

"Oh, Cheri. I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to fool you."

"I know. But why do you do this? Put on the makeup and all."

"I guess you could say it's so what's on the outside matches what's on the inside."

"I don't get it."

"I'm a furry, Cheri, a human who feels a deep connection to his animal side. Mine is the black rat, Rattus rattus. That's why I came here from Ohio, to be at this convention and meet with people who feel as I do. That's why I created the elaborate makeup and prosthetics. To become what is in my heart and mind."

"And the talk of an alternate Earth?"

"I thought we were role playing." He felt terrible; he hadn't meant to hurt her. "Are you mad?"

"No. Are you disappointed?"

"No." He couldn't help but notice she still wore only her glasses. "Uhh, Cheri, I think you are just about the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. To have you sitting there like that is very distracting."

The corner of her mouth curved upward. "Sorry." She got up and went over to the chair, pulled on her panties and skirt, then her bra. She scowled at her blouse. "Wrinkled! Looks like hell." She tossed it aside then came back over to the cart and picked up a piece of melon. "So what do you want to do today? How long does your convention last?"

Tyler had gotten up off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. "Until six tonight, but some people hang out till late."

"What time do you need to check out?"

"Well, I was staying till Wednesday. I was going to make this a mini vacation, tour the city and see some sights."

Cheri tilted her head. "Hmm, you know, I've got some sick time coming. I could call in tomorrow morning."

"Cheri, why?"

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to leave?"

"No, no. I'd love for you to stay, but why?"

She knelt in front of him. "Tyler Travis Troy, I'm a unique girl with simple needs." She looked so serious he couldn't help but smile. "Of all the men in this world, how often will I meet one who's funny, charming, and a gentleman, plus has the soul of a rat? And if we're going to that convention of yours, you should put your makeup back on." She tapped the end of his nose with her fingertip. Then she kissed him, lingering and sweet.

Their lips parted and his heart skipped a beat as he found he was gazing into her ruby eyes….

"Besides," she added, smiling, "it makes you look kind of hot."

<end>