The Past

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An unwanted reunion leads to a new friend, lover, and pet.
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"Oooh! Uncle Mark! We've got to go to the ferris wheel, and then the bumper cars, and then I want a chocolate banana!"

"Don't they sell regular bananas?"

"But I wanna-"

"You'll just get hyperactive, and then you'll get giddy, and then you'll get tired, and then we'll have to go home early."

"But, but..."

"No buts. Now are you having fun, dear?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Then just enjoy yourself. Sometimes its best to just live in the present than fuss about the details. If you're having fun, and there's no reason why you shouldn't be having fun, just have fun. That's a bit of wisdom from your Uncle there."

"Pfft."

"Come on! There's still more of the fair to see."

Its a hot July day and the Northville County fair is in full swing. I, Mark Shapiro, am babysitting my excitable, impatient, and frequently smelly but otherwise adorable niece as my sister and brother in law are on vacation.

"Oh my god! Is that a gorilla?"

"What?"

"Look! Over there!"

Grabbing me by the hand, my niece dragged me through the throng to a small stage past the equestrian stalls. A tall, torrid looking brunette in a circus ringmaster costume was directing a rather large ape around to do tricks. Despite its shambolic gait it completed its tasks with suprising agility, and the assembled crowd grew. My niece tugged my sleeve and I lifted her up on my shoulders to get a good view.

Incredibly, once the tricks were done, the large ape gave a curtsy in sync with the ringmaster.

"Wow, they really trained him well."

"Uncle Mark! We've got to get his autograph!"

"We? And an autograph from an ape?"

"Come on! Pweez?"

A sigh. I relented. If I gave her another "no" here, I might suffer "no" inflation and she'll get pouty the rest of the afternoon. Besides I was a bit curious how they transported an ape all the way over to Northville, and asking for an "autograph" meant I could at least get a closer look at the rather attractive looking ringmaster.

We headed behind the stage, smiling at the fair staff. I've always noticed that if you smile and walk briskly like you know what you're doing, nowhere is off limits. A couple dozen meters in deep backstage I started to hear a familiar Texas accent. I followed it round a corner only to find, well, what I guess was the ringmaster.

At least, from the neck down. The ringmaster's pale, shapely form stood in great contrast to very tan, very cute face that now stood on top of it. What looked to be the face of the ringmaster on stage flopped in front of her chest, brown hair and all. She gave me a horrified stare.

"Your... face..?"

"What are you doing back here? Who are you?"

"Oh err, we really enjoyed the show, and my niece, she wanted an autograph..."

"Fans aren't allowed back here!"

Suddenly a hand tugged at my wrist.

"Uncle! Look! Its the gorilla!"

I gave the ringmaster a shrug, and she rolled her eyes as I went off to catch my niece. True enough, I spied the ape looking curiously at us a few meters away. A towel was hanging from its neck as it stood bent over, resting on its knuckles.

It looked friendly enough, but I realized I really shouldn't let a little girl that close to a several hundred pound gorilla. With dawning comprehension I dashed after her.

"Wow! A real ape!"

"Look, dear, don't come too close-"

"Mark...?"

Someone called out my name as I grabbed my niece back. I swung round to see the tutting face of the woman playing the ringmaster- but how would she know my name?

"Is it really you?"

It was definitely coming from.. the ape? Its realistic, I assume rubber face remained impassive as a familiar, feminine voice emanated from the mask.

"Uh?"

"Its... been a long time."

"Hollie? Is that you in there?"

"Hah, afraid so..."

Hollie Malone was, argh. A bad memory. How to put it succinctly- Mark Shapiro was not popular in high school. Mark Shapiro did not have a great time, in high school. Mark Shapiro had a massive crush on Hollie Malone all four years. To his surprise she said yes to his asking her out for prom. Only to show up in the arms of that smug fuck Julian, or Julien or whatever the fuck his name was.

Oh the laughing. That cackling laughter of all her girlfriends as they pointed. I ran out, didn't even bother going to grad night.

But hey, social contract! It had been, what, 7 years now? I was over it. Totally. After college I took over my dad's import/export business. I was a stable, respected member of Northville society, out here babysitting my niece, not going to... show my... rage...

"Oh hey. Hollie. Its ah, been a while."

"You got that right..."

"Wow... is that really a costume?"

"Yeah! Its animatronic, look!"

The mask suddenly made a range of exaggerated expressions, contorting into the archetypical faces of anger, happiness, and... sadness. I might have genuinely found this interesting if nearly all of my willpower wasn't focused on looking nonplussed at encountering someone I never, ever wanted to see again.

"That's really... cool. Come on Nicki, we've met the ape."

"Wow, I didn't know gorillas could talk! And you're a girl gorilla!"

"Its just a woman in a costume, dear."

I pulled her closer as we began to leave the backstage area. We had nearly got to the entrance when I heard my name shouted again.

"Mark wait!"

It was Hollie, still dressed completely as the ape.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"That's nice."

"No really, I-"

"It was a long time ago, I'm over it, really."

"But I'm not."

"What?"

"I never got an opportunity to apologize."

"Alright, I accept your apology."

"No, I mean properly. What I did to you was-"

"Horrible, but that's the past now and-"

"Look, can I... show you something?"

The "gorilla" took one of its nailed fingers and pressed down on its nipple, which apparently was a button, opening up a panel in its chest. From there, it removed a comparatively dainty phone.

"If we're going to have a conversation, why don't you remove the costume, and we'll talk like people?"

"I can't, I'm stuck in here all day, and the next show's going to start soon... here, what's your number?"

"Hollie..."

"Please?"

I rolled my eyes and gave her my number.

"Here, I've texted you an address. Could you meet me there, 8PM, on Saturday?"

"Is this some joke...?"

"This might be my last chance to get forgiveness from you, Mark. Please."

"You already have my-"

"I know you haven't forgiven me. Who would? What I did was terribly cruel. But... I've changed now. I promise. And I want to prove it to you."

With a sigh I took Nicki's arm and began to leave without a word to Hollie.

"Uncle Mark?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know that ape?"

———————————————————————————————————

237 Varian Street. I wasn't really going to go... was I? I mean believing in her intentions was how I got into that mess all those years ago.

But as I sat in my living room on Saturday I began to reconsider. What could she be planning? I thought it doubtful that she'd somehow get all of the people I hated from high school together to laugh at me another time.

And besides, if she did I wasn't afraid of them. I wasn't the shy, introverted kid I was in high school. I'd welcome an opportunity to confront them, shame them for their childish cruelty. I had too much going on in my life to worry about petty pranks.

But... was that the right thing to do? I prided myself on how much I had changed. How in control I was. I was callum, even keeled. The best revenge is living well. Accepting her apology and leaving was the right thing to do, and reflected the best on who I was now.

And... I didn't have anything better to do Saturday night.

———————————————————————————————————-

I parked my black sedan and walked towards 237 Varian. I had dressed in a nice jacket and slacks; not because I wanted to impress Hollie, but because if anything I was confronting my past. I wanted to look my best as I said goodbye to scrawny, skittish, geeky and sentimental Mark Shapiro of old.

To my surprise the address was a large stone building, somewhat dilapidated, all weathered masonry on the outside. Hollie came from money, which added to my surprise at seeing her working at a fair, but I still expected her to live in.. you know. A house. Or apartment. But that was making assumptions; did she even live here?

Gods, was this another fucking prank? I walked up to the door and found a gargoyle door knocker. I knocked twice, absolutely punctual, preparing my best look of utter contempt.

"Is it you Mark? Come in, its unlocked!"

I opened the door and walked into a cavernous looking building, dimly lit with electric candles but mostly illuminated with moonlight shining in from the glass ceiling. It looked like this building used to be some sort of arboretum, or church; it seemed rectangular in plan.

"It used to be the Chapel of Contemplation, before those scandals with the Universal Church. I bought it and fixed it up with my inheritance."

Hollie hove into view, almost completely covered up by a long rubber raincoat, somewhat like a mackintosh. In the moonlight she was just as beautiful as I remembered, red haired, dimpled smile... though her eyes were somewhat sadder than I had ever seen, a far cry from the cruel stare I remembered from prom night.

"I'm sorry to hear you parents died."

"Yeah... when my mother died I realized I lost all the real family I had. My dad didn't disown me but he only really loved my mom. Made me rethink a lot of things."

"Oh?"

"What I did to you... the most cruel thing I've ever done. There was no reason for it, I just felt like being horrible so I was. And I was horrible. You... considered me a friend, didn't you?"

I did. The pain of the humiliation blotted out anything prior to prom night, but I hadn't asked her out of the blue. We shared a number of art and language classes growing up. We did actually talk from time to time before she humiliated me.

"In a sense. That was a long time ago."

"I don't expect you to forgive me..."

"Well that's where you're wrong. I've changed. I'm not the Mark you knew. Whether or not you were looking for forgiveness I've decided to forgive you anyway. I've got too little time for grudges, and everyone deserves a second chance."

I even half meant it. I surged with pride as I took the moral high ground. I gave her a forced grin. But her sad eyes didn't shift.

"Not me. Not Hollie."

"What? Why not?"

"Sometimes... I wish she'd just go away forever."

Oh crap. This wasn't an apology. This was a cry for help.

"Wait, no, you haven't been thinking of-"

"Disappearing forever? Why not? Who'd miss me? All of my friends, "Julien" or whatever, they weren't my friends. I was a horrible bitch with money; its the only reason they ever hung out with me. Hollie might as well be dead."

"Don't do anything rash-"

She reached under her coat. I was getting ready to tackle her, worried that she maybe had a gun or a knife. I wasn't prepared for this but, who I was now, wasn't going to let her hurt herself.

"Hollie, no!"

I pushed her down on the hard stone floor, landing on her breasts. I pushed myself up, holding her arms down. For a moment, we just stared awkwardly at each other.

"Look, I admit I didn't find it easy to forgive you, but nothing is worth throwing your life away. There's lots of good people out there. You're a lovely young woman. Your life's hardly over."

"Mark..."

She motioned with her eyes for me to look down. Now that her coat was unbuttoned I noticed... something strange. Hollie had pale skin... yet her neck was... oddly tan. And... she was wearing a cheerleaders outfit?

"You're hurting me, Mark."

"Oh, sorry!"

I rolled off and helped her up. She tossed aside the raincoat with a flourish. From the neck down she was dressed in a Northville Panthers cheerleader outfit... except all the skin showing was a deep latte colour. She also seemed to have more defined muscles and larger breasts. After giving me a weak smile, she began walking towards what used to be the church podium.

"You messed up the reveal a bit but.."

"Wha?"

"After my dad died, I had a really bad self image. I mean, why wouldn't I? I hated myself and how callous and cruel I was to the few people who really cared about me, you and my mom included. I really did want to get rid of Hollie then. But after chickening out a couple times I found it easier to... wear a mask."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always liked... disguises. The more elaborate and all encompassing the better. They... excite me, and at the time being another person, or another creature, was... very appealing to me. I wanted to be anything but Hollie... even a slobbering beast."

"I don't understand..."

"I'm getting to it, Mark. You're the first person I've shown this place. Anyway, I took my inheiratance and bought this place, started fixing it up. I put my costumes here and started up a troupe of sorts. Its kinda kitschy but it pays the bills and I have a lot of fun, being someone, or something, else. You, sort of met Mandy, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"She's my roommate of sorts, but she's staying with her sister this weekend."

She reached underneath the lecturn and pulled out what looked to be the face of.. Ardwen? The leader of the Wood Elves in Saeheron Online?

I quickly realized as it flopped in her hand, staring at me with green eyes that it was a mask. Being an elf, Ardwen had knife shaped ears and an angular nose and high cheekbones. Her hair was cropped short and platinum blonde; elaborate twisting tattoos covered her face. All of this was reproduced perfectly on the mask.

"Mark... how about we start over?"

"Ardwen- I mean, Hollie, I haven't played Saeheron in ages..."

"Why, were you embarassed? I thought it was pretty nerdy too, but then I realized it was just like wearing a costume, but online... you become a different person."

"Look, Hollie..."

"I'll be Ardwen for you, Mark. I'll pull on this mask, and Hollie will be gone. I had a feeling you wanted to confront the past, and I respect that. But how about fixing it?"

"You can't fix what's already happened, Hollie."

"No, but you can have another memory, so strong that it made whatever came before irrelevant... You're a different person now Mark, strong and confident, nothing like how you used to be. You forgot we were friends once, all because of my cruel joke."

"I'm not sure I can do this with you Hollie..."

"You wouldn't be doing it with Hollie. You'd be doing it with Ardwen, head cheerleader at Northville High, who you've been friends with for years. You've been thinking about her like you did about Hollie, except Ardwen hadn't, and won't, fuck it up. Its two weeks before Prom. Its your chance."

She took the mask in hand and stretched it tightly over her own face, grunting as the rubber and silicone aligned. "Ardwen" looked a little off with the staring eyes, but... god she was beautiful. She gave me a cute smile and bounced over to one of the pews, patting the seat for me to sit with her.

Exasperated, I complied. She looked at me expectantly with fixed glass eyes.

"This is... really awkward."

"Asking a girl out for prom is always awkward. Now hold my hands."

Her voice was a bit muffled under the mask. I took her hand in mine. Was I really going to do this?

"Hollie, I mean Ardwen... I've been meaning to ask you a question..."

"What is it sweetie?"

"Would you... mindgoingouttopromwithme?"

Theatrically she clasped her hands in excitement and hugged me tightly. She whispered yes, in a voice that was considerably higher pitched than Hollie's, even muffled under the mask. I reluctantly put my arms around her as well.

Eventually she removed herself from our embrace and looked at me expectantly.

"Hmm?"

"Well?"

"Aren't you going to give me a kiss?"

"I don't know you, Ardwen-"

Hollie returned with a frown.

"Mark, you've been with Ardwen for years... she loves you. She'd have asked you out herself if that was the convention. Look, sometimes its best to just live in the present instead of worrying constantly about the details. If you're enjoying yourself, and I know you are, and there's no reason why you shouldn't..."

"That.. sounds familiar..."

"I remember your father would always give kitschy nuggets of wisdom like that... I've actually come to believe them..."

She smiled, and Ardwen returned.

"I love you Mark."

"Err, I love you too Ardwen."

Taking that as a yes, she pressed her rubber lips against mine as she fell over me, Hollie's hot wet tongue exploring my mouth.

"Mmmphf"

She took hold of my arm as she kissed me. Though Ardwen's glass eyes were open, I could see Hollie had closed hers underneath. She pulled my hand over to her breasts, and I obliged, my left hand moving over to her skirted ass.

Eventually we detached and "Ardwen" gave me a warm smile- but it was Hollie's voice that first spoke.

"Mark...?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you have any girlfriends in college?"

"Uhh, a few-"

"Liar."

"I did too! Denise and... Emily."

"Did you ever... make love to Denise or Emily?"

"I was, uh, more a wait till marriage kind of guy."

"Hmm... I have to admit, so is Ardwen... at least, in this form..."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how in the Battle of Errenwood, Ardwen changed into a wolf to sneak past the goblins?"

"Its been a really long time since I played Saeheron, Hollie."

"Well, anyway, lets just say... she can make use of that transformation for pleasure as well..."

My elven cheerleader girlfriend stepped off the pew and walked off to one of the alcoves of the converted church, where a Chinese silk dressing screen obscured a section of the room. Ardwen disappeared behind... and then a hand held up the rubber mask of her face. In Ardwen's girlish voice, the obscured figure shouted out.

"No peeking!"

I sat anxiously on the pews for what seemed like ten minutes before I heard a low growl emanate from behind the screen. Slowly a large grey wolf emerged, red eyes glaring at me as it drooled over the stone floor. It moved menacingly towards me, its sharp teeth bared.

A part of me suspected this was probably Hollie, but the realism of the suit made me nervous. I stood up and cautiously approached it.

"Good doggie...?"

"ggrrr"

"is that... you Ardwen?"

"RAWR"

Suddenly the "wolf" pounched on me, pinning me down with its heavy furred body, I shut my eyes as I braced for whatever came next. Yet, instead of my throat being torn out, I felt a slobbery tongue move up and down my face. Opening my eyes again, I saw the wolf panting merrily, before nuzzling my face with its nose. Briefly I could see Hollie's blue eyes beneath the wolf's lenses.

I stood up, and hatching an idea, picked up a candle from a candlestick holder and tossed it down the hall. Dutifully, the wolf bounded after it, grabbing it in its mouth for retrieval.

It was agile, but I could tell by its rather thick haunches and slightly wobbly gait that it wasn't quite a wolf. When it returned and deposited the candle at my feet I petted it tenderly.

"Good boy.. or.. good girl..?"

"Ruff!"

"Girl then. I see."

Its task complete, the she-wolf began to circle around me playfully, before walking in front of me and kneeling down, exhibiting its tail.

For a time, I just sort of stood there, confused, as the she wolf occaisonally looked at me before returning to position. Eventually I heard a familiar sigh emanate from inside the suit.

"Mark..."

"What?"

"Fuck me, Mark. Fuck me deep. Don't worry if you didn't bring a condom, its all rubber in there anyway..."

"I'm not really... into bestiality.."

"Its not, Mark. Its me, Hollie, underneath. You liked me, right?"

"Its my tits underneath this fur, its my face in this mask, its my pussy you'll be fucking. Come on Mark. I want you. I want you bad. Grrr...."

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