As I crossed the threshold I heard Rita mutter behind me, "He's got nova colors now, the girls are going to love him. I hope he can deal... " I think she was messaging someone in the club.

At the front counter, let out an involuntary grunt. My senses were full of the the provocative nature of the place. With everything about my new form jacked up to eleven, I was suddenly drowning in sex. The sights, the smells, and the sounds. Thank fuck no one was touching me; I'd probably turn savage immediately.

"Hey input, you okay?" I looked up to see Kimmie, she looked much the same, as the first time I had seen her. Her outfit tonight was a green 'Bitch' halter top with a way too short purple miniskirt. She made sure to show me her assets, however something was different about her.

I slapped a smile on, ignoring the part of me that wanted to reach over the counter and pull her to me. Primal Heart indeed.

"Yes, just have to adjust to my new condition. I see you are still working the front, are you still having fun?" Something was off about her. What could it be?

"Oh I'm having a preem time. Soon you will be too." She frowned and brushed her neon pink hair back. She was trying to place me, but couldn't. I guess Rita wasn't messaging her.

As I handed over my weapon, I thought back to the first time I ever walked in here. Ah, that's it.

She had toned it down, no blatant leer and her cheerful demeaner from that encounter was gone. Maybe she had seen too much. Long nights full of messed up people had likely worn away the glamor of the place for her.

Now it was just a job.

"I hope you have a better night, Kimmie." I nodded to her and was about to leave when Mith stood on his hind legs to see over the counter. He planted his front paws by the catalogue and exuded the canine charm. His eye's gleamed with mischief and his grin brought a smile to all that beheld him. His tail was blurring in excitement at all the new things going on around him.

'What are all these smells? So, interesting!' His nostrils were rapidity taking in all the air they could.

There was comfort in knowing that having a human level intellect didn't in any way diminish Mith's canine behaviors. I ruffled his ears.

"OH! Who's this adorable guy?" Kimmie squealed. She came around the counter and proceeded to molest my dog, her attentions quickly started to resemble the behaviors I first encountered from her. All it took was something truly interesting.

A bouncer on the other side of the curtains leading to the main section of the club, leaned through, "Kimmie, you okay? Somebody giving you troub- Is that a dog?!" Soon enough the bouncer was on her knees in front of the the furball trying to him him all the scratches.

Soon enough, a few dozen people were joining the Mith Appreciation Society that had just formed. Even the folks who came in after us seemed content to let it continue, some even joined in.

I just stood there letting them have all the doggo therapy they could stand. Mith was in heaven at all the attention, I could feel his joy at being the center of a storm of praise and pets.

I broke down laughing. I couldn't help it it was so silly. This is what these people were missing. The nonjudgement fluffy companions. I didn't have the heart to stop it quickly.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

After a few more minutes Susie Q came in and established some order with her usual attitude. She started ordering her folks back to work and tell the customers to have fun. By have fun she obviously meant get in the club and spend some Eddies.

'Aw.' Mith said as his ears drooped. He returned to my side and leaned up against my leg. My left hand just naturally rested on his head. Like he planned it that way. Crafty, fuzzball.

When the Mox had returned to their posts and the customers had entered the club she turned to me.

"Anyways making trouble Ryan." She glared at me.

I heard Kimie's intake of breath, from off to the the side. Yup, Rita hadn't told her. Heh.

I started to edge away from the fierce lady. "Would you look at the time, I best get to the ba-oof." Sudden all the air was knocked out of me.

Next thing I knew, my arms were full of the Mox's leader. She hugged me with genuine affection. "We missed you, you Gonk. Where have you been? What happened?"

I would've responded but my brain was still trying to process Susie hugging me. What the fuck?

"Would you believe I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque?" I had to joke, my mind couldn't handle anything else right now. (AN: Does anyone even get Looney Tunes references anymore?)

"Huh?" She pulled back while not letting me escape. Mith followed along.

"Sorry, old joke. Let hit the bar or something and I'll tell you all about it."

Instead of the bar, she latched on to my arm and practically dragged me into her office. It was tidy and clean. Her workstation was neatly organized her last task still sitting on her monitor's screen.

"George will be thrilled to know you are back. We can't begin to thank you enough for what you have done for us." She guided me to a small loveseat. Mith laid down beside an end table, trying to follow the conversation.

I sat down and started to give here the rundown of my situation. It was Mith's first time hearing it too. He interjected with soft whines here and there.

"So the people that sent you here, screwed you over with no warning. Then tried to steal your memories and stuck you in a new body, and are holding your crew for ransom." She shook her head, "That's some glitched shit."

"Yeah, so now I'm looking for allies. I'm going to get my people back and then I'm going to find some way to tear the asshole responsible for this a new asshole."

"How can we help?" That right there, made my day. Hell, made my fricking year. No hesitation. Funny how if you help people, sometimes they help you when you need it. though I was about to abuse that help.

I gave it to her straight, I didn't sugarcoat what I was looking for.

"You need an experimental subject. Really you'd need more than one." She frowned, "That comes dangerously close to what we try to stop Ryan. I'm sure you have the best intentions, but what happens if things go wrong." She look toward a window on her office wall overseeing the main floor of the club. I knew, without a doubt, she was running thoughts of her gang in her mind, sorting out their interests versus mine.

Yeah, I didn't like the idea either. But I knew I could do so much more to help people, if only I learned how everything worked. I already seemed to be able to delay the encroachment of Cyberpsychosis, what if I could cure it altogether? Not that I wanted a bunch of Borgs running around, but more people would have that choice, safely. There are a few dozen diseases and syndromes that can occur from the integration of Chrome, I should at some point be able to fix them all. Instead of the patch job I could manage now.

Also, even if no one else could ever use mana, any data collected would help the current medical professionals, the ones who still actually cared anyway. A healthy baseline of tissue and chrome interaction, could provide models that pave the way for future innovations.

"I'm not interested in screwing anyone over here. All I can promise is that I will do my best to both prevent accidents, and if they do occur, put anyone I'm working on back together. Once I have full control and understanding of my abilities, I'm sure I can improve what people already have going on." My hands were gesturing wildly trying to convey my sincerity, "I'm willing to both pay, and offer future favors, because I understand what a terrible thing I'm asking. If you want, you can have someone monitor everything from step one. So I can't go all Corpo."

She nodded. I could see it left a sour taste in her mouth, but she could see the benefits.

"Alright, but I have a few conditions... "