Tom's Parallel World Pt. 08

Dear reader, this is a work of erotic adventure fiction, containing furry, anthropomorphic animals with human intelligence having sex with our human hero. If this isn't for you, please read my other stories.

Hopefully, you have read chapter 7, as it all leads up to this...

All characters, furry or otherwise, are over eighteen.

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Pisces, the mermaid princess and Tom, the super sex toy human, swam on to Mermaid's cove to find the canine Thomas, the fishing boat captain, still waiting for him in the torrential rain on the clifftop. His face lit up as Tom swam in, making it look a lot easier than when he left. Thomas ran down the cliff steps to greet Tom and Pisces on the tiny portion of beach left.

"Hi, Pisces, Tom, you survived?"

Thomas shouted, staying clear of the breakers.

"Captain Brown is safe. The Mermen are taking him to Fisherdog cottage beach. You need to meet them there."

"But... You couldn't have swum all the way out there and back in this weather?"

The impossibility of the feat surprised Thomas.

"Can you keep a secret?"

Tom laughed, as this seemed to be one of many today.

Thomas nodded, but wasn't sure what to expect. Tom looked at Pisces, then back at Thomas, as he flicked his tail up in the air... Doing a handstand underwater, waving his tail in the air, as breakers crashed over him. He flipped and saw Thomas with his mouth open, jaw on the floor.

"You've grown a tail?"

"Don't worry, it's temporary... I've done it before. Now go, you need help to get the Captain home. I'll catch up as soon as I can get my legs back."

Thomas shook his head, not sure of what he just witnessed, turned and ran back up the cliff, to disappear over the undergrowth to run along the coast, gathering fisherdogs along the way, to help the exhausted Captain Brown, the top dog of the village.

"You'll have to hurry before the tide cuts off your opportunity to dissolve that tail."

Pisces pointed at the waterfall streaming down the cliff, landing on what remained of the little beach, as the tide threatened to cover the beach with saltwater. Tom beached himself, then still clutching the sonar lantern, flopped himself over to sit under the icy stream of water that was now cascading down off the cliff.

Pisces remained in the sea, bobbing up and down, fighting the swell, but struggling to remain in the tiny cove.

"I'm going to have to go. I can't stay in this swell much longer."

She blew him a kiss and only had to move across for the current to pull her out into the foaming seas, giving one last flick of her tail as she disappeared into the foaming seas.

Tom sat patiently in the freshwater as it poured down on him, gradually getting colder and colder, whilst wishing for his tail to dissolve and fall off. The tide was still creeping up the rest of the beach, with larger waves now reaching the base of the waterfall.

Tom lay down and raised his tail, resting his fin on the cliff, so the freshwater ran along its length, as his shoulders caught the odd wave of saltwater. It wasn't a comfortable position to sit in whilst cold, but Tom tried to while away the time, wondering what we could do if his tail doesn't fall off.

Tom fought the freshwater stream pouring down on him from the cliff above and the washing seas across the beach. Frustrated, knowing his feet and legs remained trapped inside his tail. He hoped it would dissolve soon to release him. As Tom explored options, a wave crashed over him, submerging his head as he breathed in, causing him to cough and splutter as he gasped for air.

His automatic reaction was to leap to his feet so he could breathe. As he fought for breath, he realised he was standing on his bare feet. His tail had ripped, now falling off him, encouraged by him brushing the scales and skin off him, until he was standing naked on the pebbles, knee-deep in the sea.

Tom stubbed his toes more than once as he made his way to the cliff steps and climbed up, searching the undergrowth for the nook in the cliff. He found the deep gap and pulled his boots out, glad to get socks and boots on his feet.

He wished he had left his boots until last, as he threaded his boots through his boxers and then his shorts, trying not to get either wet, even though he was still wet through from the rain. His T-shirt was a relief then the coat Thomas had lent him. Rather than wander around with the sonar lantern, he stored it in the cliff alcove.

Now protected from the wind with his coat on, despite being wet underneath, he felt warmer and made his way further up the cliff. His instinct was to head for the fisherdog's cottage beach, but they would have landed and left by now, so he headed back to Dogwatch Cove.

Several fisherdogs were standing outside Captain Brown's house and were pleased to see Tom, patting him on the back and allowing him to enter. Once inside, he took his coat off, but was still wet. Margaret appeared and gave him a hug.

"Thomas and Edgar told me what you've done... Thank you for bringing Edgar home to us."

She pulled Tom into a front room, where Thomas and Edgar sat in front of a fire, both with mugs of tea.

"Hi, how are you feeling, Captain?"

"Much better now I'm home and feeling my bones again."

He motioned for Tom to join them nearer the fire. Tom didn't need to be asked twice, moving forward to close in on the fire, hoping to dry his clothes. The fire was obviously some facsimile, but thankfully, it pumped heat out.

"Tom, I'll tell you what I've told Thomas... There is to be no retribution against Balthazar."

"You're mad. He sent you to your death."

"We don't know that. I hit something submerged."

"Wake up and smell the coffee... You were nowhere near the island rock... We know Brock has a submarine... That sonar lantern thing ensured you could not call for help from the Merpeople. They didn't want you to return. They have a plan, and you're not part of it."

From behind them, there was a gasp and Margaret ran to stand behind Captain Brown's chair, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

"Is that right Edgar?" She asked.

Edgar's mouth remained shut, so Tom spoke up.

"Yes... What is it with this world? It's all unicorns and rainbows and yet when things go to shit you can't see it for what it is."

"Now, now Tom, we don't have unicorns here, whatever they are."

Thomas now spoke up. "Edgar, I fear Tom is right... I think he has a perspective we lack... We have to be on our guard... All of us."

"Okay. I need to speak with the King, until then, no retribution against Balthazar, either of you."

Edgar glared at Tom and Thomas.

"Can you also tell him about what we talked about? There is more at stake here."

"I'll consider it."

"Edgar... Captain... I've not been wrong yet... You mammals of this world seem unable to consider what real, clear and present dangers face you. This is not paranoia; you've just never experienced what kinds of threat could come through a wormhole for you."

Thomas and Margaret glanced between Tom and Edgar, realising they were missing an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle here. Tom looked back at them, realising he needed to be transparent, so they all knew.

"Well, it's not just that... We now know what was in the genetic material that Triton found."

Tom ignored Edgar, shaking his head. He cleared his thoughts, and it all fell into place.

"There are two threats here... The first and closer to home is an internal threat. The genetic material contains nanobots that will turn any victim into a zombie."

He saw their blank looks.

"It removes their free will. Anyone injected would do someone else's bidding without question, which would be perfect for bureaucrats to take over the monarchy."

"The second threat is far more dangerous... It is an internally generated mistake, but the threat is external. Whoever is controlling these wormholes, which just appear in spring and autumn, doesn't realise that other, parallel worlds like mine, would interpret these wormholes as an aggressive action. They need to be shut down before you have an army marching through one to invade this world."

Even Captain Brown reeled back, shocked at this revelation, as they all looked at Tom, aghast at his summation.

"Are you sure Tom? I hadn't quite digested what you had said whilst I was clinging to a rock for my life."

"Despite Britain being a milder country in my world... They will only put up with losing a few citizens here and there for a while. If these wormholes affected, say, China, Russia or North Korea, then we would definitely face a threat from my world. I'm not saying this to shock. You are not prepared for their weapons or ingenuity. There is also the unknown threat from the lizard people. "

"But weapons can't travel between worlds," Thomas exclaimed, looking at Edgar for confirmation.

"Don't be a fool... They have scientists... Practical and theoretical, who could easily work this out. Even bows and arrows, spears, plastic weapons could transfer. If they send people, they will be experts in warfare... They will not come in peace. The countries of my world have a poor history of meeting new indigenous people and have even enslaved them."

Thomas looked a little hurt by Tom's words, but Tom wanted them to realise the enormity of their perilous situation. Tom was on a roll, so continued.

"If big business or the bureaucrats are involved, they will ignore any warning signs, claiming that there's no proof until it's too late and an interplanetary army is marching up Whitehall."

Margaret shot Edgar and Thomas a look that showed they knew more, but Edgar wasn't going to share anything. Tom threw his hands up in the air, frustrated...

"I give up... I'll get back to Kitty's as they will be busy. Thomas, if you're staying here, I'll walk Becky home to be sure she is safe tonight."

He glared at Captain Brown, who was about to open his mouth, but Tom cut him short.

"No, I will NOT confront Balthazar or harm him! Even though he deserves it... Talk to the King, preferably get him to agree to give me an audience. Maybe he will listen to reason."

Tom turned and stormed out of the room into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him, and put his coat on. He was back out in the wind and rain before he knew it, the biting icy wind cooling his anger as he bid the fisherdogs outside good night. Not for the first time, Tom stomped away from the top dog's house, angrily kicking stones. The evening was still young and turning the corner onto the road, he could see Kitty's pub was busy.

He entered the pub and hung the coat up on what was an already full set of coat hooks. A whole flurry of canine paws patted him on the back, congratulating him with whispers of thanks. They couldn't know of his swim or tail, but maybe assumed he had contacted the merpeople directly in some way.

Looking across the crowded bar, he saw the feline bureaucrat Balthazar sitting at his barstool, back to the crowd, pretending nothing was unusual. He headed for the kitchen to find the canine Becky and caught a whiff of perfume that he recognised, but it didn't belong in Kitty's pub.

He searched around the lounge, saw the human guest, Roxy, waving, with obvious relief in her eyes. He waved back, but continued his search. Scanning back around behind him to the bar, he saw a red female form, squeezed in the far corner of the bar, surrounded by admiring fisherdogs.

This was no dog... Her pointed ears, snout, red fur and whitish belly fur, with a bushy tail curling around behind her, pointed at her being a vixen. There was no doubt about her being sexually attractive to both Tom and fisherdogs, but she had an air of menace in her gaze. She was definitely the source of the perfume that he recognised.

Tom noticed her eyes pass him by, almost ignoring him, which raised concern. All the tourists were curious to the human that had entered, especially to receive the attention from nearby fisherdogs, but not the vixen, which aroused Tom's suspicions.

He continued to the kitchen and entered to see Captain Brown's daughter, Becky, being comforted by Brenda. Seeing Tom, she ran to him, hugging him.

"Is it true, dad's safe?"

"Yes, he's safe. Thomas is with him, as are a few other fisherdogs."

"Thank heavens... I refused to believe it until I saw you were also safe."

She planted a few kisses on him, cheeks and mouth, to hug him as tight as she could, to reassure her he was safe.

"They said you contacted the Merpeople who rescued dad."

Tom nodded, not wanting to tell the full story in front of Brenda, as he didn't want the world to know his secrets. Although he was sure Thomas will explain to Becky later if her father didn't.

"Becky, can you remember that perfume we smelled at the beach the other day?"

She pulled back from her hug to wipe her tears dry and nod.

"Yes, and I can smell it again tonight."

"I'm still not a hundred percent sure of my sense of smell. Humour me. Who in the bar is wearing that perfume?"

"That's easy... It's that vixen. She arrived not long after you all left to search for dad. No one knows her, but she is vying for any fisherdog's attention."

"Is she asking any questions or trying to find anyone?"

"No, she barely talks, except to laugh at some suitor's jokes or to avoid any advances. They're all finding it a bit frustrating."

Tom found his apron on a hook, hooked it over his head, and tied it around his waist.

"Right, I'll get back to work. Becky, you're not to leave here without an escort of any type. I'll walk you home when you're ready to go."

"Thanks, now I know dad is safe. I'll finish my shift. If Thomas stays with dad, you can walk me home later, but I'll be alright on my own."

Tom held Becky's paws and looked her in the eye.

"Becky, after today I'd prefer to walk you home."

Becky saw the concern in his eyes and nodded. Tom left to head out and restart his work. Back out in the lounge, he cleared tables and empty glasses. Sarah, the head feline waitress, came over, her tray full of plates.

"Hi, you okay? We were all worried when the fisherdogs returned, but not you?"

"No, it's okay. I called into Captain Brown's house to dry off and warm back up."

"Well done. They say you contacted the Merpeople, who rescued the Captain."

Sarah echoed the common explanation.

He could see her eyes asking for more information, but again, the subject was not for public debate.

"Yeah..."

"Er... I think your new friend, Roxy, was a little concerned. She asked about you several times."

Tom glanced over at Roxy's table to see her watching him. Their eyes met, and she beamed with a wide smile, eager to talk. Tom went over to Roxy's table. As soon as he placed the tray on her table, her hand shot over to cover his with her cool hand and squeezed.

"You've been gone for hours. They said you had all gone to search for a missing boat... But when the others returned and you didn't, we were all worried."

"No, I was safe. I stayed with the rescued captain and his wife to warm up."

"I'm glad you're safe."

"Thanks... It means a lot to me... Would you like anything else?"

"Please. I'll have a cider, please?"

"Yes, just a minute."

Tom picked up the tray and made his way to deposit the tray in the hatch for Becky. Returning to the bar, he asked the feline pub owner, Kitty, for Roxy's cider. Balthazar had now turned and watched the fisherdogs in the bar, most notably the ones around the vixen.

Whilst waiting for Kitty to pour the cider, Tom watched Balthazar, taking in the bar activity, noticing Balthazar had a smug look on his face... The hair on the back of Tom's neck stood on end as he linked the dots... Both Balthazar and the perfume were on the beach a few days back. They both worked with or for Brock, the villainous badger...

Tom avoided staring at either, trying to look as if he were just enjoying the atmosphere. Kitty nudged him as she passed him Roxy's cider. He picked up a cardboard beer mat and carried it with the cider back to Roxy's table. He placed the beer mat down at Roxy's table and placed the cider on it.

"Thanks, Tom... Can you sit for a while?"

Tom saw her inviting eyes... He glanced around. Sarah had cleared the tables and was collecting glasses in the bar, so he could sit for a while. He smiled back at Roxy and sat facing her and the bar area. He could keep a glancing eye on Balthazar and the vixen. Roxy placed her hand on his as she sipped her drink.

"Don't pay any attention to that vixen. She won't do you any good."

Roxy alerted Tom. Did she know the Vixen?

"Oh, she has certainly attracted the affections of the fisherdogs."

"I'm sure..."

"Do you know her?"

"Oh, no... I know her type, though, Tom."

"Oh... Maybe you're right... they seem to enjoy her company."

Tom grinned at Roxy, to look back and saw Balthazar looking at him, giving him a smug, knowing smile... At the same instant Tom caught the vixen glance from Balthazar to Tom, her face not showing any recognition, but her eyes gave her away, as they returned to Balthazar briefly.

They were certainly working together... Tom's mind pondered on why the Vixen was here, to see if their plan worked or failed, or to monitor Balthazar?

"Tom, don't pay her any attention. I'm the guest here... I want my waiter to talk to me."

Roxy pulled Tom's thoughts back.

"I'm sorry... I've never seen the fisherdogs on heat like this."

Roxy laughed and stroked his hand. Tom turned his attention back to Roxy and tried to focus back on her. His mind couldn't... He remembered his literary hero... Jack Reacher! It was the one book he had been reading on his walk around the coastal paths of Britain before the worm hole transported him to this parallel world.

Jack wouldn't sit back if anyone threatened his friends. What would Jack Reacher do in this situation? How could he get a reaction from the Vixen and pull her out into the open?

"You seem a million miles away, Tom? Are you tired from this afternoon?"

"No, I'm fine... Thanks... If you don't mind, I'll be back in a minute."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to poke a stick into a hornet's nest."

Tom got up and walked to the bar. No one paid any attention to the waiter crossing into the bar and ask for a beer. Balthazar was not ready for Tom when he walked up to him and grabbed his hand in a firm handshake. Frozen in his surprise, Balthazar watched Tom lean forward and whisper in his ear.

"I know what you are, Mr. Snake in the grass... And I know who she is and why she is watching us both..."

Tom leaned back and patted him on the shoulder, as if he were thanking an old friend. With one final yank of the handshake, Tom released his hand. Balthazar pulled his hand back as if electrocuted and looked terrified at the Vixen. Tom saw the Vixen's face change, briefly giving her thoughts away... He saw betrayal, just the look he expected.

Tom turned back to Kitty, who passed him his beer, unsure of why he would talk with Balthazar. He thanked her for the drink and returned to Roxy's table. As he walked, the hair on the back of his neck prickled, and he could feel two pairs of eyes on him.

Sitting back down at the table, he asked Roxy.

"Are both the white cat and the vixen watching me?"

She bent her head down to her meet her drink, rising to take a sip, trying to hide her lips.

"Yes... They both look as if they want to kill you. The white cat is now looking at the vixen, mouthing something to her, but she doesn't look convinced. The white cat is leaving, but he's not finished his drink."

"Haha, I bet he is. Is the vixen following him?"

"No... She's returned to chatting with the fisherdogs. What kind of hornet's nest are you trying to poke?"

"Hopefully, a very dangerous one."

Tom felt a little vindicated, as this was the reaction he had hoped to provoke. Now, all he had to do was think up a way to maximise the effect and maybe the vixen could do them all a favour.