Poodle

Woman: Fame Girls Ella
Poodle: bubupoodle

Perry loved animals. She didn't even mind when they were less than nice when she clipped their nails or hair. She worked at an animal grooming salon in a small strip mall and was the most popular groomer in the store. Most of her clients would wait days or even week to get on her schedule. Of course, liking her animals meant she also tended to work longer hours than was probably good for her. But what was she to do? The poor beasties needed her attention to look their best. How could she disappear at the end of her shift when there was still work to do? She also tended to spend longer than the others at each one, as well. Oddly enough, the owners didn't mind as the end result was always exceptional.

It was on one of these late nights that Perry found herself closing up shop (as was often the case) a full two hours after the stated closing time. Her last client had been a white standard poodle with a bit of a problem holding still. Perry was a little frazzled as the lock clicked home and she pulled the metal shutters down over the store front. She waved to the guard as she let herself out the side entrance. As expected, he's was nearly the only car left in the lot. The small cluster remaining were all over at the grocery store and would be there all night as they belonged to the night stocking crew. Her car's single beep when she pushed the button to unlock it seemed extraordinarily loud in the still night air. Perry slid into the seat and yawned. It had been a long day and tomorrow's shift was all too near.

She drove towards the ring road highway that was the fastest route home. All the headlights seemed painfully bright and she wished she could flip down the main windshield the same way she could her rear view mirror. Every time a car or truck passed, she felt a stab of pain in her eyes. It felt like there was dust in her eyes. Having done this drive after a long shift all too often, Perry knew that the only treatment would be to get home, get a quick supper, relax a little and then sleep. It was the getting home part though that would be the most difficult part. She knew she was tired but didn't really know how tired. Several times, she caught herself drifting off the road as sleep forced itself on her. She hoped she'd be able to hold on long enough to get to her turnoff and home.

The damned truck speeding up behind her shot spears into her eyes even through the night dimmed rear view mirror. It's headlights were so bright that they filled the car with bluish light. 'Halogen bulbs' growled Perry to herself. She slid over to the right side of the lane to give the trucker as much space as possible to get by her. She couldn't have been more shocked when the truck lifted from the roadway and flew up over her vehicle. It was then she realized it was no truck but then it was too late.
The brilliant glow of the flying saucer was all around her car making it impossible for Perry to see anything. Only the inside of her car was dark. Perry, in fear, floored the accelerator. Instead of picking up speed, though, the car merely roared a few seconds before it sputtered and was strangely silent. Perry felt as if she and her car were being lifted from the ground. For a few seconds the odd feeling persisted then the car faded around her and Perry lost consciousness.

Minutes or hours later, Perry awoke. She was in some kind of small room with a strangely glowing doorway. She'd seen enough science fiction to be less than surprised when an electric shock surged up her arm when she touched the doorway.

"Force field," she muttered to herself.
"Just so," came a strange voice from the other side of the doorway.

Perry struggled to see past the strange brilliant light that filled every nook and cranny of the room beyond her prison. The small creature walked towards her out of the brilliant nimbus. Small and grey, with unbelievably huge eyes, it stared back at her.

"We've a client looking for one such as you."
"Client?"
"Oh yes," it enthused. "A collector of unique animals. You'll make a fine addition the the collection, I'm sure."
"But you can't!"
"You didn't survive your car accident, you know."
"What?"
"Your body will be found in the burned out shell of your car. You were asleep at the wheel when we rescued you."
"But I saw you approach. I wasn't asleep."
"You were more asleep than awake and were already on the verge. Your car hit the concrete support of the bridge only two seconds after we beamed you out."
"But..."
"You are a replicant. The original you died nearly two days ago."
"Replicant?"
"We pulled your memory engrams and DNA from the car only a few seconds before you hit."
"I don't understand."
"Your people have yet to discover replicant technology. We created you as best we could from the rescued DNA. As a replicant, you belong to us now."
"Don't I get any say in this?"
"Hardly. There would be no replicant businesses left anywhere in the galaxy if the product had anything to say in the matter."
"Oh. Can I make a request then?"
"Please do. We want you comfortable and alert when we delivery you."
"Turn down the lights please. It hurts my eyes."
"You are tired. Sleep. We shall turn down the lights."

The lights faded and the doorway became opaque. Soon, there was only the faintest of glows. Perry discovered a flat raised area in one corner, assumed it to be a bed, and curled up on it. The surface quickly conformed to her form and she fell asleep.  When she awoke the next morning, she felt strange. She was still lying on her side on the strangely comfortable bed. But there was long white fur partially in her mouth. She spit it out. She recognized it, of course. It was poodle. The white colour and texture were identical to that of her last client. She brushed it away from her face and discovered it had a hard centre. It was an ear, a long poodle ear and it was her ear. She could feel it whenever she touched it. She came fully awake with a start and tried to get up. Her body though didn't respond as expected. Arms she had and, looking down, breasts, too. But below that was the soft fluffy fur of a poodle. Turning her head she discovered her back, too was covered by the soft white fur of a poodle. It was when she tried to move her legs to sit up that she discovered that things had changed. She now had four legs and, as she moved them, they were part of her. It took many minutes for her to really get the feel of them though. Finally, though, she got herself off the bed and onto the floor.

"Ah, you are awake again," the familiar voice of the alien came through the doorway. "We have changed you to meet our client's requirements."
"Requirements?"
"The collection is most unique. Every one is a mixture of two or more creatures from the world they came from. One part is always one of the native intelligences."
"I don't understand."

The lights came up slightly and one wall became a mirror. Perry found herself staring at a centaur of sorts -- part woman and part standard poodle. Perry's face, breasts, arms and part of her tummy were completely normal. Her brown hair, though, had been replaced by the fluffy white of the standard poodle. Her sides had short hair that became progressively longer until it merged with the long hair on the back of the poodle. The naked grey of her flanks and legs told her they knew of the correct way to clip a poodle. So too did the poof of fur at the end of her tail and at her feet. She looked, in fact, remarkably like the end result of her work on her last client.

"You will be an excellent addition to our client's collection."

Perry stroked the soft white fur, feeling her touch through the fur. She'd not be going into work tomorrow. Of that, she was certain.