Opus Path II

Outside was fresh and sunny, and Dorothy, Toto and her small companion followed the road as it meandered gently through pleasant fields,  full of some sort of tall greeny-yellow crop that rippled in the breeze.  The sun drifted up through a primary blue sky, dotted with clouds too fluffy to believe.  It all seemed very peaceful and innocent, and she said as much.

"Oh well mistress," Chubby explained.  "This is still within the town limits.  Besides, this crop is for the city, and under the watchful eye of the Bitch and her minions." He paused, eyeing her boots again.  "At least, it was.  I suppose..." he tailed off, thinking unaccustomed thoughts no doubt.

"What will happen now she's dead?" Dorothy asked, watching Toto gambling through the long grass by the side of the road.

The midget scratched his head. "I'm not sure, but someone will probably notice at some point, and then... well, I suppose there will have to be a replacement appointed."  He shrugged.  "1 don't think it's ever happened before."

Dorothy raised an eyebrow.  "Never?"

"Not in my lifetime, no."

"In any case, it's all very nice.  I don't see what you were worried about."

"Oh, there's plenty of rough terrain ahead mistress," he assured her.  "Outside of the town limits, and the protected zone, with many a strange and twisted creature patiently waiting to waylay the innocent traveller."  He patted his sturdy walking stick.  "It's a good job you have me along to protect you."

"Mmm," Dorothy replied. She slipped one hand into her long coat for a moment, for reassurance.

They carried on, and soon the pleasant fields and greenery became monotonous. Extending as far as the eye could see, over flat or very gently rolling slopes.  The sun rose higher, and it became warmer too, though not unpleasantly so, and despite the apparently well maintained road, they encountered no other travellers.  There was the odd bird, tweeting from within the hedge that ran alongside their path, and once she thought she saw what could have been a rabbit, but other than that the only living things were her, Toto and Chubby.  It began to get on her nerves.

Despite her earlier worries, Chubby seemed to have no problem keeping up, striding steadily along under his massive backpack, and it was Dorothy who suggested a rest first.

Chubby looked around carefully, and then nodded. "1 think we're still in the safe zone, a small break could be a good idea," he said.
"Think?" Dorothy scanned the area afresh.  She'd spent the last half hour or so mulling all the recent, very odd, events over, and hadn't been paying much attention to the scenery.  Now she looked more closely, she saw that the still-unidentified crops were still prevalent, but they looked a little less uniform, a little more unkept.  For the first time clusters of dark trees could be seen here and there, squatting in groups, somehow looking like they were loitering with intent.

"You sit here," Chubby indicated an ancient, fallen tree trunk on the side of the road.  "I'll scout ahead a little more, see what's around the next bend."  He gestured ahead, where the road wound around into an area obscured by foliage.

"Very well then."  Dorothy slipped off her backpack and rummaged around for a chocolate bar she'd liberated from the fallen house. Chubby took off his own giant pack and set it down next to her.

"I'll be back," he stated, in an unconscious Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation, before marching off down the road.

"What a helpful chap," she said to herself.  "I must remember to thank him."  Perching on her seat, Dorothy munched on the slightly melted chocolate.

She'd just finished the last of her snack, and was wondering about local littering laws, when the little man came racing back around the corner at, what was for him, high speed.

"Run mistress!" he shouted in breathless tones.  "Run!  It will..." He stopped trying to shout and concentrated on increasing his speed.
Dorothy stood up as another form came into view, moving in strange, bounding gait, far faster than Chubby's.  It looked a little like a cross between a lanky zombie and a dishevelled hobo, dressed in rags as it was. What appeared to be small branches protruded from under its garb.

Toto was standing by her now, a low growl emanating from the large dog.

"Hold boy," she commanded, standing her ground and taking a grip of his collar.

"Run..." Chubby called out again, just as the zombie-hobo thing made a massive leap, landing squarely on the little man's back, ramming him into the stone bricks of the road.  Before Dorothy could react, it bent low and took a giant bite out of the midget's neck, sending blood and gore everywhere.  Chubby gave a last strangled cry, and went limp.

"Hey!" Dorothy cried. "That was my friend!"

The creature looked up, seemingly noticing her for the first time.  Its pasty face was splattered crimson, and flesh hung from wicked, oversized jaws.

With a growl, it leaped off the corpse of the dwarf and bounded towards her.

Dorothy waited only a moment before pulling out her Glock and shooting it in the leg.

Despite her fears, Dorothy awoke from a restful and undisturbed slumber.  Toto was already awake, standing by the door looking back at her.

"Oh, very well then.  Just a minute boy."  She slid out of bed, dressed, clipped on her equipment, and pulled on the so-called magic boots.  Only when she felt sufficiently ready did she push the drawers out of the way, peer through the door to ensure she wasn't about to be ambushed, and allow the dog to trot out.  She followed him, wondering what the day held.

A loud rasping noise turned out to be Chubby, fast asleep on the sofa.  The dwarf woke abruptly, and with much spluttering when Dorothy scavenged some cereal and milk from the kitchen.

"Good sleep Chubs?" she enquired, spooning some rice-crispiness into her mouth.

Chubby rubbed his eyes and smacked his lips before answering.  "Truly mistress," he said, "Never before have I encountered such a luxurious sleeping mat.  This must me the abode of a king, or someone of the highest social order."

"1 doubt it.  Here."  Dorothy pushed a bowl of cereal towards him, "The most important meal of the day, allegedly."

The midget wandered over and peered cautiously at the contents. "Why does it make that sound?" he asked.  "Oh,I must make toilet."  So saying, he rushed outside.

Dorothy shrugged, and finished her breakfast before putting the bowl in the sink, out of habit.

Chubby eventually returned and picked up his bowl. Watched by Dorothy, he spooned down the food, cautiously at first, and then more enthusiastically, milk dribbling down his beard in the process.

"So, how far away is this fabled Emerald city?" she asked eventually.

Swallowing hurriedly, Chubby pointed out of the window with his spoon.  "It lies at the end of the road," he informed her.  "As do all roads."

"All roads eh?" she mused. "Sounds familiar somehow.  How far is it?"
"A goodly distance is all I know," Chubby replied. "Through some dark and dire lands mistress.  The journey will be fraught with danger."  He chewed reflectively on another mouthful of cereal. "I shall return to the village to gather supplies and weapons."

"Weapons?" Dorothy asked. "ls there no law and order in here then?"

"Yes, of course there is," he replied.  "The Bitch sets and enforces the laws."  He looked at her, and her new shoes, pointedly for a moment. "Travel is... was discouraged, and so remains highly dangerous.  We'll be lucky to survive the day."  With that happy comment, he jammed one last spoonful of breakfast into his mouth, stood up, and waddled out of the door, leaving Dorothy wondering exactly what she'd fallen into.

By the time Chubby returned, Dorothy had done some supply gathering of her own, packing as much food as she could find into a backpack that had been in a cupboard.  She'd also salvaged a number of other items, including a large torch.

"Are you ready mistress?" the midget leader asked.

Eyeing him up and down, she nodded.  "Yes, though not as much as you apparently."

The little man now carried his own backpack, although perhaps that word didn't do it justice, as the enormous pile of gear on his pack probably weighed more than he did. He was leaning on a walking stick, and was almost bent double under the mass of his equipment.

"I see you've decided to take the kitchen sink too," Dorothy said.  "Are you sure you'll be able to carry all that?"

"No problem mistress," Chubby beamed back.

Shrugging - it wasn't her problem - Dorothy put a red booted foot forward.

"Very well then, let's follow the yellow brick road," she said.

The unnatural wind slowly settled, and the dust began to die down.  Dorothy groaned as she rolled over and sat up, rubbing her head and various bruised portions of her anatomy.

"Well, that was a first," she said.  And then: "Ow."  Removing a twig that had lodged itself in her cleavage, she brushed her hair back and looked around.

"What the...?"  The place, wherever it was, was surely nowhere near the small farm she had just left.  "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."  She gasped.  "Toto!  Where are you boy?"

Struggling to her feet, she staggered to one side, lurching against one of the strange trees nearby.  The trunk felt strangely smooth, and the bark was a chocolate brown, like something from a child's painting.  In fact the whole place had a weird, surreal quality to it.  The grass, which was perfectly level, was greener than green, and the hills on the horizon had a "Lollipop land" look about them.  Closer to where she was standing, a bright yellow, almost luminous, road wound off towards a huddle of small, gaily coloured buildings.  To the left the road was blocked by a wooden house, one with a more familiar, Kansas-like, appearance.  Sitting in front of it was a familiar shape.

"Toto!  Come on boy!"  The giant wolfhound bounded over at her command, and she put her arms around his neck and vigorously stroked his fur.  "Good boy!  Good boy," she repeated.

Holding on to her dog, she took another look around the strange landscape.  "Where the hell are we?"  Her hand went to her jeans pocket, only to find it empty.  "Damn, I've dropped my phone."  Scanning the ground nearby failed to reveal the device.

"That's bloody annoying," she muttered.

She widened her search, spiralling out from her initial position.  Only when she moved nearer the house did she spot something, a bright red something, sticking out from under the building.  Toto padding alongside her, she went over for a closer look.

"Oh dear me."  Up close the splash of colour turned out to be a pair of - fairly cool looking - boots.  They were still being worn, but the owner, or most of her at least, was under the house.  A dark red puddle was congealing around the knees.

"That's pretty fucked up," Dorothy said, but even so, stepped forward and examined the shoes more closely.  There was something about them, something that...

A growl from Toto distracted her.

"What is it boy?" she asked, looking over to where the dog was facing, hackles raised. "Ah, company."

Marching along the road, presumably from the collection of huts, a small group of figures was slowly advancing upon her position.  Small was the operative word.  None of them seemed to be taller than waist height.

They were a sorry looking lot too, she saw, as they edged closer, dressed in drab rags and ragged tunics.  An elderly midget at the front seemed to be the leader. He wrapped in a faded blue robe of slightly higher quality than the rest.

"Who are you lot then?" Dorothy asked, deciding to take the initiative.

"Pardon Mistress?"  The leader spoke, looking puzzled at her question.

"Who are you?" she asked again.

"We're, er, the villagers," he replied, as if it should have been obvious.  Maybe it should have been.  "Is... is that your house?"

"It might be," she said, hedging her bets.  The owner of the fancy boots could have been a friend of theirs, plus who knew what the regulations were about parking houses in the middle of the local highway?

"And... the bitch?" the dwarf asked.

"Actually, Toto's a boy dog."  She put her hand on the animal's head.

"No, no, I mean the Wicked Bitch of the West."  He gestured at squashed and booted.

"Oh.  Her."  Dorothy crossed her arms.  "She's dead.  The bitch is dead."

There was a moment of silence, and then the group exploded in a great bout of cheering and dancing.  Obviously the deceased hadn't been very popular.

She raised an eyebrow as the celebrations continued, the midgets whirling around, hugging and kissing each other. Suddenly, the old man stopped and turned towards the house.

"The boots!" he said, and started forward, only to stop dead as he realised Dorothy was standing between himself and the house.

"What about the boots?" she asked, not moving.

"Er...  nothing.  Nothing at all," the man replied, glancing down quickly at the protruding legs, and then back up at her, a guilty look upon his face.

Dorothy took a step backwards and took another quick look at the footwear. As before, some undefinable quality seemed to pull at her. Glancing at the assembled crowd, who were now avidly watching her every move, she squatted down and started to untie the laces of one, keeping an eye on the midgets all the while.

The leader opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, then made half a step forward before changing his mind again.  As Dorothy pulled the boot off, he seemed to collapse in on himself.  "They're magic," he said, watching her inspect them.

"Magic?"  The boots were certainly clean, though there were a few scuff marks and signs of general use that all footwear eventually picked  up.

"Yes."  A slight pause, then: "They say they'll fit anyone who wears them."

"They?" asked Dorothy, comparing the boot next to her own shoe.  It was quite a bit larger.  The dead bitch had had fairly big feet it seemed.

The man shrugged, still captivated by the shoe.  "You know... they do."

"Oh, them."

"And they convey protection to the wearer too," another, younger, midget in yellow shorts piped up.

"Obviously not from falling houses," Dorothy remarked.  She made a decision and sat down on the lowest step of the porch, shucking off one her own shoes.

There was a collective intake of breath from the watching crowd as she pulled the salvaged boot on, and tied the laces up.
Somehow, it seemed to fit perfectly.

"It's certainly very comfortable," she commented, after a few moments of lopsided walking up and down.

The little people watched her dejectedly as she quickly donned the other one.  "Yes, definitely very comfortable, and good instep support too.  I could almost believe they were magic."

"They are," said the leader.

"Of course they are," Dorothy replied.  "Now, who can tell me where I am, exactly?"  She flashed her best sunny smile at them.

"This is the West," the leader informed her. "She," he pointed at the now bootless corpse, "was the ruler here.  She was the Wicked Bitch of the West."

"Catchy title."  Dorothy eyed the legs and wondered if there was a charge of Death by House somewhere in her future. They'd have to catch her first.  "So, west of where?"

"Oz of course."  The man frowned.

Dorothy patted Toto's head and grimaced. "How far is it to Kansas from here then?"

"Kanvas?" Now the midget looked puzzled.

"Kansas," she repeated, speaking slowly.

"Never heard of it."

"What country is this then?"  Dorothy did a slow three hundred and sixty degree turn, taking in the strange scenery.  The bulbous yellow sun was sinking lower in the deep blue sky.

"1 told you, Oz!  West Oz." The midget shared a glance with  his neighbour.

"Australia?"

"Oz!  Orasamus Zelarabunia."


"Orasa...?"  Dorothy cocked an eyebrow.

"Which is why everyone just call it Oz.  Which everyone knows."  The man folded his arms.  "Oz."

"Fine, don't tell me then."  Dorothy scowled and pulled her long black coat a little tighter around her.  It was getting chilly. "Do you have a hotel in your village?"

"What's a hotel?"

"You're taking the piss right?"  Dorothy was getting annoyed. "You know, a place to stay for the night?"

"Nowhere big enough for you," the man replied.

"About that," she said.  "Why are you all litt... midg... dwarv... vertically challenged?"

"From where I'm standing I'm average height," the leader retorted.  "You're the freakish giant."

"Fair enough."  Dorothy nodded.  "So, no hotels."

"Why don't you just stay in your flying house?"  He gestured at the building behind her.

"Falling house," Dorothy corrected, but under her breath.  She had no idea whose house it was, in truth, though she wasn't going to tell them that.  It had likely been swept up in the freak tornado that had caught her. She shrugged.  "May as well I guess."

Toto at her heels, and with the midget villagers looking on, she climbed the steps and pushed at the front door, which was hanging ajar.

The interior was totally normal, Kansas normal anyway, not wherever she currently was normal.  The building and furnishings didn't seem to be affected by their transportation at all, as if being ripped from the foundations and being dumped god-knows-where wasn't really worth getting shaken up about.

Stepping over a child's toy, she wondered where the owners were.  Probably in a storm cellar, wondering where the draught was coming from.

Flicking the light switch did nothing, unsurprisingly, so she wandered through the abandoned abode in the ever encroaching gloom until she came to the rear door.  The midget leader had followed her in, looking around at the decor, eyes wide, keeping a respectable distance from Toto all the while.

"What kind of place is this?" he said, as she wandered in to the house's small kitchen.

"Some poor working-class family's I'd say," she said, pointing at a photo of a young couple with a child.

"Where are they then?" he pursued.  "Did you kill them too?"

"They were probably just not in," she replied, frowning at the casual implication of mass murder.  Pulling on the fridge door revealed a number of edible items.  The interior was still cool.

"Ice magic!" the midget exclaimed, touching a shelf with his finger.
"Electricity," she countered, helping herself to some cheese, a bowl of salad and a coke.  "Here, have a drink."  She passed the can to him, taking another for herself.

Whilst he worked out how to open it, she managed to locate some dog food, which she opened and dolled out to Toto before going back to her salad.

"Nectar!" the dwarf said, finally figuring out the ring pull and taking a sip, followed by another, longer drink.

"It's mostly sugar."  Dorothy sat herself at the breakfast bar and looked out of the window.  Most of the little people were still outside, huddled together as they waited for their leader to return.  It was almost totally dark now, and the absence of artificial light was noticeable.

She took another bite of tomato and frowned.  The night sky was ablaze with stars, far more dense than she's ever seen before.
"Where's the nearest town?" she asked.

The dwarf leader, still clutching his can, rubbed his beard for a moment before answering.  "I'm not well travelled," he said, "but Mechar is apparently a day or so down the road," he waved a hand, "though I've never been there, and Reflection isn't too far, so I've heard. Otherwise I only know of the city."

"The city?

"The Emerald city of course."  Again, he frowned at her ignorance.  "It's where they have all the emeralds."

"Of course it is," she said.  "Talking of names, what do they call you?"  She took a swig of soda.

"Me?  I'm Chubby.  What?  What's wrong?"  Dorothy had just sprayed a mouthful of fizzy drink over the table.

"Nothing, nothing," she said, mopping her mouth.  "That's a lovely name, er... I have a cousin called Chubby actually.  Very nice person.  Very nice."  She nodded and took a bite of cheese.

"I think I should tell the others to go back to the village," Chubby said after a few minutes of watching her eat.  She nodded, but said nothing in return, and then watched as he waddled out of the house, still holding the can of coke.

Toto, who had settled himself down on the sofa after eating his meal, wandered over and put his giant head upon her knee.  Sighing, she split the remaining cheese in half and gave one piece to him, whilst stuffing the rest into her mouth.

"Well, boy, wherever we are, it looks like we're on our own. Maybe we should turn in for the night."

The dog whined in reply, and then turned his head towards the door.  Dorothy followed his gaze, and saw Chubby re-enter the room.

"What will you do mistress?" he asked.

"I'm going to get some sleep," she replied, standing up and brushing crumbs off her lap.

"Oh."  The midget stood there for a moment, seeming uncertain. "And what about tomorrow?"

"I think I'll head over to this Emerald place that everyone's talking about."

"Oh," he said again.  "What about the house then?"

"When I go, you ca..."  She paused as a train of thought wound its way through her mind.  "...look after it for me," she concluded.
"Look after it?"  Chubby's eyes widened.

"You know, keep it clean, dust the shelves and so on."  She waved a hand in royal fashion.

"Thank-you mistress!" he cried.  "Thank-you, thank-you!"

"Think nothing of it."  Dorothy raised an eyebrow.

"I'll put my cousin, Lumpy, in charge of the task, whilst we travel to the city.

"You want to come with me?" she asked. "Why?"

"It would be rude to do anything else mistress, you must have an escort.

"Well, if you insist I guess," she said.  "but you'll have to keep up with me."

"I'm very fit for my age mistress."

"Okay then.  And it's Dorothy, not mistress."

"Yes mistress."

Dorothy took a deep breath and, shaking her head, wandered off towards the bedroom she'd previously discovered.  At the door she turned to Chubby, who had followed her.  "You can find your own place to sleep," she said.  "I suggest the sofa."

Chubby went bright red and nodded frantically.  "Of course mistress! Good night to you.  I'll see you in the morning."  So saying, he retreated back towards the living room.

Nudging Toto in before her, Dorothy entered the bedroom and closed the door firmly.  After a moments thought, she wedged a chair under the handle.  A minute later she changed her mind and removed the chair and replaced it, with some difficulty, with a large, heavy, chest of drawers.  That task complete, she checked the window making sure it was secure, and then used the en-suite bathroom, taking care to use as little water left in the tank as possible.

Her ablutions finished, she stripped off in the, by now, very dark room, and fell into the bed.  Toto climbed up beside her.

Within minutes she was fast asleep.

Here's one I'm currently working on...

I vividly remember the first day I met Nuba, at The School of course.  I was about seventeen at the time.  Up until that day I had lived like a drone almost.  Well, I can say that looking back at it.  I didn't realise whilst I was actually living like that of course, as The School was pretty much the only environment I could remember. 
Let me tell you a bit about The School.  It's full name is something like: Sisters of Chaste Mercy Private School for Privileged Young Ladies of Decorum and Refinement.  That's why everyone just calls it 'The School'.  It sits on a desert planet named Scarab's World, for no reason anyone had ever explained, and the only structures on the whole planet are The School ones.  The rest of the place, literally everything else, is pretty much lifeless desert.  The only water of any note is an ancient ocean, deep underground, under The School. 
It was run by a sisterhood of robots, who advertised the school for a place that the very, very, very rich could send their girls (or adjusted boys, or neuters on occasion) to grow up well educated and extremely ignorant of certain matters - mostly regarding sex.  In fact, their main selling point was to keep the 'ladies' pure.  That way they are more desirable when they come of age, to marry off for strategic advantage.  It's a cruel galaxy.
I had been sent there when I was about ten, and since then had only ever seen my family through holo letters.  As you may have surmised, my family was massively wealthy.  We owned at least three planets and a dozen moons that I knew of.  I had three older brothers.  I was the only girl.
The day of meeting Nuba then, started like any other.  I woke up in my small but well furnished room (the sisterhood called them cells, from some ancient religious meaning I think), and slipped out of bed. 
Immediately my synth servant activated.  I made toilet, and allowed it to wipe me afterwards.  The fact that this was normal to me may tell you something about my life.  A pampered prisoner really.
Then I walked into the shower, and allowed the synth to wash me.  Like I said, normal. 
When the thing washed my hoo-ha though, I felt a small tingle, which it immediately registered. 
"You will report to medical today for a supplement tablet," it said.  I nodded.  This was fairly normal, we were given one about once a month.
The servant dried and dressed me, and then handed me my pad.  There was a chime, and the door slid open. 
As usual, I stepped out and joined the other girls on the way to breakfast.  Whilst some chatted quietly, I had no special friends that lived near me, so I walked alone, sliding into my regular seat on table fifty for the meal.  Table fifty was a small table, with only two seats.  The other one had been empty for about a month, as the previous occupant had left for some reason.
That day was different thought.  Sitting across from me, with skin as dark as space, was a new face.  She was about the same age as me, but taller and thinner.  She wore the school uniform of course, which was a white blouse, dark navy blazer and skirt. 
"Hey there," she said, as soon as I sat.
"Er, hello," I responded.  I had always been a little shy and formal, so this casual greeting took me by surprise.
"I'm Nuba, what do they call you?" my new friend carried on.
"I'm Alice," I replied.  "We shouldn't talk before the food gets here really, they don't like it."  I glanced at the head table where the robot called Mother Superior was sitting.  Of course, the sisters, as they called themselves, didn't eat, but they liked to oversee us at mealtimes.
"Oh poo, don't mind them, the old rust buckets," Nuba said, making a dismissive gesture.
I gasped at such irreverence.
"Hey, you're cute, you know that?" the new girl went on, although she did say this in a much lower tone, a whisper almost.  At the same time she covered my hand with hers.  I couldn't help but notice her nails were painted even.  Scandalous!
I went bright red.  I had been called pretty before, but never in such a fashion, and such wanton contact! 
I pulled my hand away, and started to open my mouth to chastise her, but then the words of my etiquette teacher came to me: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."
I didn't want to say nothing though, that would have been rude, and I had been taught manners.  Oh, how I had been taught manners!  Endlessly taught them!
"I'm very glad to meet you," I simply said. 
"Oh!  Ho ho!" she smiled, not at all perturbed by my short response.  "How long have you been here Alice?"
"Seven years now, thank you for asking," I replied.
"Indeed," she said, nodding to herself.  "Well, I've been transferred here from another school for my final year.  They may have taught you many things my pretty, but I'm going to make it my mission to teach you how to have fun.  And I'm going to have fun with you doing it."  She giggled, and only then was hushed by a passing sister.
My head was spinning.  Who was this girl?  What did she mean?
It was only after we had finished breakfast that Nuba spoke, in a whisper, again.  "Do they give you any pills here?" she asked.
I nodded.  "Sometimes we have supplement tablets," I replied, also quietly.  "I have one today."
"Don't take it!" Nuba hissed as we stood up, ready to go to class.  "Pretend, but don't!"
Then the chime went for lessons, and we both walked off, but my head still spinning at the encounter.   What did she mean?  What was wrong with the supplements?
Shaking, I went to class on the first day of the rest of my life.


I finished my porridge, and put the bowl in the cleaner.  Then I looked around and wondered what to do.  Well, I know what I wanted to do!  However, it was too risky to get intimate with Nuba whilst Adail was fully awake. 
Even so, I found myself wandering off to Nuba's cabin.  When I got there, the door was open.  I peered in, to find her lying on her bed, reading something.
"Come in swe... Alice," she said, patting the bed next to her.  I blushed as a memory came back to me, of her patting a bed in a similar way.  It seemed a long time ago now.
So I sauntered in, trying to remain casual and calm, but, yes, I did sit, then lie on the bed next to her, peering at her pad to see what she was reading.
"Oh dear," I said, after a few moments.  I sat up again. 
"What?"
"I... can't be near you like that."  The close contact with her body, even just lying there, had started me breathing harder.  "Oh dear.  I need to... take a shower!"
I heard Nuba's amused laugh as I ran from her cabin towards my own. 
I tore my jumpsuit off and hurled myself into my shower, which would mask my actions at least.  Turning the spray on, I pushed myself into the corner and rubbed at my pussy, quickly arousing myself. 
As I sank down to the floor though, a shadow appeared outside the translucent door of the cubical.  I gave a little shout of alarm as it slid open, but it was just Nuba.
"Don't do that!" I said, my hand remaining where it was.  "I thought you were Adail!"
"I just wanted to watch," she replied, leaning against the wall.
"Oh, you bitch!" I replied, but even as I spoke, I was rubbing myself again.
With her watching I was even more turned on, and it was barely thirty seconds later that I was squirming under the jets of water, making little whimpering noises as a brought myself to a juddering climax.
"I'd forgotten how horny you are without any suppressants," Nuba simply commented, as I relaxed, breathing hard.  "Come on, you'd better get dressed before Adail wonders what's going on."  She turned the shower off and helped me up, careful not to touch me too much.  She knew that would set me off again.
Still, she watched me, mischievously grinning all the while, as I towelled myself off, teasing her by rubbing my hands up and down my body and boobs.
"I've ruined you," she said, but was smiling anyway.  "Stop it, or I'll have to take a shower myself."
I burst into laughter, and threw my towel at her.

Opus Path II is now open for registrations!

I've added the basic forums already, and will add more (graphic stuff etc) when/if needed.

If you have any requests, please register and send me a message.

Apologies, all the old stuff from OP1 has not be moved.  The old OP is still there though, until about Oct 2022, so if there's something you want from it, please let me know.

Innocent.

People sometimes ask me when my story really started. Many think it's when I was taken, but I
think it was earlier than that, back when I finally left Scarab's world, and The School. I even have a
specific point in time that I believe it really began...


I was standing naked in front of the mirror in my cabin, finally free of The School's constant
oversight – well, most of it at least – trying to give myself an honest evaluation.
I was cute, I had to admit that. Even in a school full of attractive girls, everyone had said I was the
pretty one.
About eighteen and a half galactic years old, I wasn't very tall, standing only about one and a half
metres. On the other hand, I was nicely proportioned. I jumped up and down a bit, and my boobs
jiggled, which made me giggle for some reason. They were big enough to catch people's eye, but
not too big. Maybe the fact that I was generally slim and petite made them stand out more. I
know Nuba liked them. That thought made me giggle again.
My hair was still dark brown, the colour the The School had demanded I keep it. Time that
changed. I frowned and concentrated, and it turned blue.
"No, not blue," I said. I tried again. Pink. "Yes, better!" I shook my locks, which came down to my
shoulders. "I should grow my hair longer I think, and get some earrings. I can do those later. Now.
Eyes. Mmm. Yellow?" I thought about it, and my eyes changed colour.
"Ug, I don't think so!" Yellow eyes made me look sick. "Blue, let's get back to basics." After a
moment I was looking at my reflection through bright blue eyes. "Much better. I think Nuba will
like them."
That done, I was about to turn away and put some clothes on, when there was a knock at the door.
"You awake babe?"
It was Nuba. Think of the devil.
"I'm not dressed," I called back.
"Perfect." The door slid open and she strode in, grinning widely.
She was dressed in a simple tan jumpsuit, undone at the top. Her hair, cropped short as she liked
it, seemed to be an even more shocking white than normal under the ship's lighting. As usual it
contrasted starkly against her skin, which was as black as the night.
"Oh, I'm just in time it seems," she said, taking in my naked form. She swept forward and pulled
my arms around her waist as she drew me in for a kiss.
I melted against her. She was taller, slim, athletic with an almost muscular frame, and much
stronger than me, unless I Boosted of course. But I didn't even think of resisting as she pulled me
close and snogged me hard.
"Wait," I pulled away, gasping for breath. "What about Adail?"
Nuba grinned, her white teeth matching her hair. "I hacked into the ship's system and put her in
self-diagnostic mode," she giggled. "She'll be out for at least half an hour."
"Nuba!" I said. "You're so naughty!"
"Isn't that what you like about me?" She pulled me in again for another kiss, and this time her
hands slid over my exposed flesh, making me moan.
"Ohhh, babe," I said, as our lips parted again.
"What do you want?" she whispered to me, stroking my newly pink hair.
"I want to be naughty too!"
"I think we can arrange that," she grinned, her hands roaming down to my pert, tight, ass. Then
with no warning other than a wide smile, she pushed me back, throwing me onto my bunk. I
squealed as she dived down between my legs, and busied herself on my hoo-ha.
I couldn't believe that I had been missing out on this, all those years down on the planet, before I'd
met her! I squealed and moaned, and even cried as she used her tongue on me, working me into a
frenzy.
"Fuuuucckkk!" I screamed as she explored my mound. I was sensitive down there, despite the
time we'd spent together at The School. It still didn't take much to get me going.
Indeed, it didn't take long at all. I screamed as my body tensed, and a massive orgasm swept
through me. I clenched my thighs so hard that I nearly Boosted, which forced Nuba to pull out
before I crushed her skull.
"Shit! Dangerous work getting you off," she said, panting hard.
I slumped back, sweating. "Sorry Nuba, it's just..."
"I know, it's okay." She slid herself up my body, making me moan again, and kissed me gently.
"You should get dressed, Adail will be coming out of her diagnostic soon enough. I can't fool her
internal clock and put her out longer, because she's linked to the ship's AI, she'd notice the
discrepancy. You'd better be up and ready."
"I suppose," I said, allowing Nuba to pull me up off the bunk.
"I like the hair by the way," she said, as she pulled herself close again. One hand cupped my
breast, then tweaked my nipple.
"No! Don't!" I said, "I'll get started again."
In way of response, Nuba kissed both my tits, and then skipped back. "Later," she said, and danced
out of the door.
"Bitch," I said, but I was smiling.


I gave myself a quick wash in the cabin's basin, and slipped into a jumpsuit of my own, not even
bothering to put any underwear on. My decorum teacher at The School would have had a fit, and
no doubt would have spanked me hard. It wouldn't have been the first spanking I'd been given,
and the just the thought of it made me a little juicy. It had been a little while since we'd left now,
and I'd not taken any suppressants, wanting to be at my horniest for my remaining time with Nuba.
I shook my head. The School was behind me now. Of course, what was ahead of me was also a
little frightening. Once we arrived at Terminal, in the centre of the galaxy, I'd switch to one of my
family's spaceships and head to my homeworld and my parents and brothers, neither of which I'd
seen in person for a decade. I'd also have to leave Nuba there, at least until she found a way for us
to be together again, which she assured me, would be the case. I smiled. Nuba had been the only
bright spot in my life for... well, for ever I guess.
"Come on Alice, how bad could it get?" I asked myself.
Of course I'm older and wiser now, otherwise I'd have realised that was a stupid thing to say.
Blissfully ignorant of what was to come, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way along to
the mess hall, as the dining area was called on the ship. It wasn't a big ship, as they go, but it was
pretty fast. The onboard AI, along with Adail of course, looked after the running of the thing. I
suppose I could have flown it, even back then. We'd all taken basic space flight training in The
School of course, but I'd not really had any practical experience. 'Besides,' I thought. 'Who flies
spaceships manually?'
 I arrived at the communal area to see Nuba sitting at the single, large table in the middle of the
room, finishing up some kind of soup.
"Hey Alice," she said, waving her spoon at me. I noticed she was careful to call me by my name, so
I guess Adail had woken up from her forced hibernation.
"Nuba," I nodded back, all formality.
"There you are girl." Adail walked into the room. She was wearing a ship jumpsuit too, although I
was never sure why a level three synth bothered with clothes. She didn't have anything to cover
up underneath, and surely she didn't have issues with modesty.
"Adail," I replied. "May I have some breakfast please?"
"I shall fetch you some now. Sanitise your hands and take a seat."
"Understood," I said. Adail was a The School synth, sent to accompany us on our journey, and so
still followed all the protocols we had lived with for years, and were now leaving behind, much to
my relief.
I sat opposite Nuba, who grinned at me. Moments later Adail put a bowl of porridge in front of
me, along with a bowl of mixed berries, some honey and a spoon. A cup of tea arrived moments
later.
"Thank you," I replied primly. Adail nodded and left to do, well, whatever synths do.
I mixed the berries into the porridge and poured some honey on, whilst Nuba sat and looked on.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing." She shrugged her shoulders, picked her bowl up and walked over to the cleaning area.
"How long until we get to Terminal?" I asked, taking a mouthful of breakfast.
"About a month more I think." Nuba looked up. "Ship, how long until we reach Terminal?"
"Destination will be in approximately five weeks, two days, three hours, four minutes and ten
seconds, depending upon space currents."
"There you go," she said.
I swallowed a mouthful of porridge and smiled to myself. I knew what Nuba was thinking. I was
thinking it too. My pussy itched as I looked at her, and I started to breathe harder.
Oh my universe! I think I had become a nymphomaniac!

Trying this out then...

Right, I've tested a few things, and hopefully the forum is now accessible!  (Didn't have some settings done correctly).

If you have any issues registering etc (and I need to sort that out a bit, to avoid spammers) then please email me at opuspath at gmail.

I've still a fair amount to do re the mods etc, but the basics should be here now.

Hello there!  Woo.