Chapter 17

The next morning dawned, and the pink-tinged light began to spill through the bedroom window. Harlow rolled over to find an empty bed. His brain, still foggy and half asleep, assumed Lennard had run to the restroom and would return. With this thought in his head, he rolled back over and returned to his slumber.

When Harlow next opened his eyes, the room was fully bathed in the sun's yellow light, filtered only by the leaves of the plants in the window sill. Once again, he felt behind him and was disappointed to find only empty space.

He decided it must be time to wake up, so he threw the covers to the other side of the bed. He stood up and stretched, reaching his arms up high until they almost brushed the ceiling. He bent at the waist and brought his arms down until his palms were on the floor. Then, he brought his arms out to his sides and raised his upper body up. He twisted to each side a few times, limbering up his back and legs. He wasn't sure when or why he had started this morning stretch routine, but it always helped him wake up and feel centered.

After his stretches, he made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself and get dressed. Lennard was still nowhere to be found, but Harlow was fairly certain he had gone to the clinic to check on Marney.

The previous night had been amazing. They had both taken a post coital nap in each other’s arms, but then as the water lost its heat they quickly dried and curled up in bed. To Harlow, the cuddling afterward was as enjoyable as the sex itself.

Once he was dressed, Harlow made his way over to the clinic. He was in a good mood and looked forward to seeing Lennard again. As he opened the back door, he was greeted by a pungent yet pleasant smell. He moved forward and peered into the lab to see Lennard working on a concoction and sipping tea. The smell was coming from the tea more than the concoction.

"Good morning," Harlow said as he moved towards his partner.

"Oh, you're finally up," Lennard smiled at him and extended his arm to draw him close. They shared a quick kiss, and Lennard directed him to try his tea.

Harlow sipped the hot, aromatic liquid and immediately felt a warmth flow down his throat and into his belly. The flavor was sweet but slightly bitter as well. "Mmm... this is wonderful," he said. "What is it?"

"It's a new blend I made," Lennard replied excitedly. "I roasted some Kokona beans and added some Freenala bark. I let the brew steep for a few minutes, and it turned this dark color. The smell was amazing."

"It's very bitter by itself, but adding a little honey sweetened it up perfectly," Lennard continued. "I'm really happy with how it turned out."

Harlow took another sip, now knowing to taste the Freenala bark. "It really is great," he said. "The Freenala bark gives it an almost spicy flavor. Are you sure you don't want to switch professions and open a tea house?"

Lennard laughed and shook his head. "I am way too old and set in my ways for something like that," he said. "Just be glad I can pass all these inspired recipes down to you."

They continued to sip the tea and Lennard explained why he had gotten up so early. "I had to pee," he said, "but decided I had better check on Marney. Once I was over here, I realized it was almost dawn and wasn't worth trying to go back to sleep, so I've been working on some things here since then."

"I figured it was something like that," Harlow said. "It was kind of lonely without you though."

Lennard nodded. "Unfortunately, at my age, a full night's sleep is not always in the cards."

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They worked on the calming potion Lennard had already started, then moved on to an anesthetic draught. Lennard was starting to wonder if he had given Marney too much medicine last night, she should have woken up by now.

The morning was beginning to wane and they feared her mother would be arriving soon. If she didn't wake up soon, they would miss their opportunity to speak to her about the previous day more freely.

Finally, some stirring noises came from the recovery room and Lennard went in to check on his patient. She looked around groggily, her eyes unfocused, taking in the unusual room. She eventually brought her attention to Lennard, who had moved up near the bed.

"Good morning, Marney," Lennard asked in his low, smooth voice. "How are you feeling?"

She took a moment to focus on his voice and clear her head before answering. "I feel a little weird," she said. "What happened?"

Lennard decided to take advantage of the situation and asked, "I was hoping you could tell me." He took her injured hand in his and gently began unwrapping the bandages. "This wound was much too deep to be caused by accident. Who did this to you Marney?"

Her eyes glossed over for a moment and a look of concentration caused her brows to furrow. "I-I-I can't tell you," she stammered. She looked away from Lennard and tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

"Yes, you can, dear," he said, patting her hand gently. "No one should be allowed to do this to you. Nothing you could have done would justify this kind of punishment."

She stared at him, and he gave her the most serious, but concerned face he could. He didn't push anymore, but exposed the hand to look at the wound. It looked clean and should heal well, the surgery went better than he could have expected.

She turned away from Lennard's piercing blue eyes and sobbed. Through the tears and with a catch in her throat, she began. "I didn't mean to. I just counted wrong. They were supposed to get six coppers back and I only gave them five. It was just a mistake."

Lennard stayed silent, only patting her hand again. "They found me after my shift," she said, "grabbed me and covered my mouth and eyes, took me somewhere, somewhere dark and closed in." She steeled herself, the tears of fear and sadness temporarily giving way to anger and determination.

"They accused me of stealing, told me I had to pay for my sins. I told them it was a mistake, told them to take the money, that they could have it all. But they didn't care."

"The biggest one, the leader, called me a thief and said that thieves should lose their ability to steal by losing their hand. At first, I thought they were kidding, but they unbound my hand and held it out in front of me. They had a huge knife and I thought they were going to chop my hand off." She sniffed to clear her nostrils, the tears slowly beginning to form again.

"But one of them said it was only a copper and that I was too pretty to take a whole hand. So the leader took out a fire rune and heated up the knife, it glowed orange and I could see their faces. They all had dark eyes and wicked grins."

She paused for a moment, obviously hesitant to continue. "They put the hot knife in my hand and held it there," she said. "They put a cloth in my mouth when I started to scream." Tears openly streamed down her face.

"It hurt so bad," she said, her voice breaking. "They said they'd do worse to me if I told anyone." She was clearly finished with her story, but left out the detail as to who had done this.

Lennard listened to her story, his face grim. He could see the pain and fear in her eyes, and he knew that she had been through a terrible ordeal. Anger filled him, but he knew this was not the moment for such feelings, so he focused on tending to Marney's wound.

Lennard had a suspicion of who the real culprits were already, but he let her cry as he redressed the wound. He waited for her to calm down some, then asked the most important question. "Who did this to you, Marney?"

She still seemed hesitant, but turned back to look at Lennard, as if making sure he was real. Lennard was the town physician, and she knew that if anyone could keep her secret, it would be him. Her heart needed to unburden.

"Black and whites," she whispered.

Lennard nodded his head as if knowing this was going to be the answer the entire time. "Did you recognize them as being from Greenby?" he asked her.

"No," she said in a whisper of a voice. "I serve a lot of people, and know almost everyone in town. Those guys are not from here."

"Harlow, fetch me the purple vial marked with an upside-down F," Lennard said over his shoulder.

Marney, upon realizing she and Lennard were not alone, took a strangled gasp and her body winced.

"It's just Harlow," Lennard reassured the scared woman. "He is sworn to secrecy just as I am."

Harlow went into the laboratory and found the single vial with the strange marking. It did indeed appear like an upside-down F, with the two lines on the bottom and the longer line sticking up. He wasn't sure what this was for, as it was not something Lennard had used while he had been in his service.

As he picked up the vial and looked at the potion inside, he could see specks of gold floating through the purple liquid. The golden dots looked almost as if they gave off a small bit of light, illuminating the liquid surrounding them.

He carefully walked back to the recovery room, his posterior still a bit tender from last night's activities, and handed Lennard the vial. "Thank you, Harlow," he spoke without turning his head.

“Marney, I know how disturbing the events of yesterday were, so I have this for you if you want it,” Lennard held the vial out for her to look at. “This won’t erase the memories of yesterday, but it will help you deal with them and see them as being less scary. There are a couple of things to consider though.” He continued speaking to her in his soothing physician voice.

“First, this can be very addictive to some people, you might have some cravings afterward. I don’t want you to take it if you have any other addictions.” He paused, waiting for her to answer before continuing.

She shook her head. “No, I am not addicted to anything.”

“Okay, the second thing to consider is that your story isn’t going to feel as scary after you drink this. You were very courageous to let me know what happened, but you won’t have to be as courageous after you drink this.” Lennard explained to her. “You will be able to tell your story easier and when you do, the people who did this to you will stand accused. You’ll need to be ready for when that happens.”

Her hand, which had started to reach out for the vial, stopped mid-stretch. A look of fear and confusion came over her as she began contemplating the decision further. A small tremor passed through her hand and she dropped it back to the bed.

"Can I think about it?" She asked, her eyes looking up at the ceiling.

"Of course," Lennard replied. "I think we should administer this before your mother arrives. I'm not sure if she's an early riser, but I would imagine she will be along any time now."

Lennard stood up from the chair he had been occupying and turned to Harlow. "I'll leave you to think about things, Marney. Call me if you decide or need anything."

“Wait,” Marney said before Lennard could get out the door. She held up her injured hand and winced at the quick movement. “What will happen to them if I tell people?”

The question was a valid one, but not one Lennard really knew the answer to. “Well, they should be put on trial and punished for what they did, but since they’re part of the same organization that would do the judging… I really don't know.”

She nodded, Lennard's answer confirming her own supposition. "I want it," she spoke firmly, resolution entering her voice.

Lennard could see the courage she had displayed in telling him her story had returned. He hoped her courage would be enough to see her through her upcoming trials.

"Okay. If you're certain," Lennard told her. "I have to say that you are a very strong woman, Marney." He honestly didn't know if he would have the same strength if he were in her position. He knew that having Harlow take a peek into her subconscious was a gamble, but he thought maybe it had now proven to be a gamble worth taking. He just hoped this didn't turn out badly for this young woman.

The contents of the vial were poured into a small cup and mixed with an equal amount of water. "Here you go. Drink this down quickly," Lennard told her. "You'll feel a little weird, but know that we're here for you. Sleep when you feel like it, and talk when you need to. Just let the potion work and heal you."

Marney nodded and downed the liquid. “How long does it take to work?”

“Only a few minutes,” Lennard added. “You might want to relieve yourself and get comfortable beforehand.”

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“You could have mentioned that first,” she said with a touch of sarcasm and looked at him askance.

“Sorry, you’re right. I really should have,” Lennard smiled down at her.

Marney excused herself to the bathroom, and when she came back, she began feeling a strange tingling sensation in her body as the potion took effect. She felt lightheaded and a little bit dizzy, but also strangely calm. She knew that she was in good hands with Lennard and Harlow, and she felt confident that she would be okay.

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The next few hours were spent talking to Marney. The potion caused mild hallucinations along with some euphoria. The subjects varied, but hit on her trauma more than once.

Each time her brain went back to that moment, the experience became easier for her to talk about. Lennard and Harlow took turns at her side, listening and offering support. The one not with her would continue the chores of the clinic.

Marney's mother arrived around midday, much later than any of them had anticipated. When she found her daughter in a strange mental state, she was concerned to the point of getting angry at Lennard.

"What have you done to her?" she demanded. "She's not herself."

“Mrs. Thash, her mental state is temporary,” Lennard explained. “The medicine I gave her will greatly assist her in dealing with this trauma.”

“Trauma?” she shot back. “You believe the lies she’s telling? The Ailuropoda are the keepers of structure and spiritual well-being, they aren’t thugs and torturers.” Unfortunately, her point of view was typical of many of the people in this town.

She had sat with her daughter and blatantly told her she was lying. Telling her, “You are just remembering things wrong.”

Lennard sighed. He knew that it would be difficult to convince Mrs. Thash that her daughter was telling the truth. But he also knew that it was important to try.

To Marney's credit, her story didn't waver even as the potion began wearing off and her mood began to dip. She kept to the truth, even when her mother accused her of lying.

"Mother, I was the one they did this to, you weren't there. If you can't believe me then just leave, I'll make my own way home."

With a huff and a sideways glance at Lennard and Harlow, Marney's mother left the clinic after slamming some coins on the counter. "Filling her head with lies," Lennard heard her mutter under her breath right before slamming the front door.

"Well, that could have gone better," Lennard told Harlow.

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Marney slept through the rest of the afternoon. During her nap, there were a couple of other visitors to the clinic. One man had a broken foot from being stepped on by an Equinall. Lennard set his foot in a tight splint. He would be on crutches for a while, but would be okay.

The other patient was the mayor's son, Maka. He was all but being carried in by Mika Poldare.

As the two arrived, Mika hauled the barely conscious boy into the clinic. Harlow noticed that his feelings towards her were still somewhat confused. He had had a crush on Mika, so seeing her being so close to Maka in this setting stirred something inside him. He wasn't sure exactly how to interpret the strange feelings. There was still some attraction to her, but the thoughts of being actually interested in her seemed distant. Along with the attraction, they had been friends for quite a while. The dichotomy had always been there, but when he felt like he was going to date her one day, it seemed much less confusing.

Harlow's internal debate was quickly ended when he realized that Mika was looking frantic and having a difficult time holding Maka upright. She looked up at Lennard and began to speak rapidly.

"He was on the fence between his and his neighbor's house, showing off and making weird faces while balancing on one foot," Mika said a little too quickly, as though she had been practicing her story. "I was giggling at him, but he lost his balance and fell. His head hit a rock near the fence."

"Lennard, he's having trouble standing, and he said his eyes aren't working right," Mika said worriedly, handing Maka off to Lennard and Harlow.

Harlow lifted Maka's feet while Lennard grabbed him by the shoulders. They carried him into the examination room and set him onto the table. There was a large bump on his head and a small wound where the blood had dried. He was dirty, but no other signs of injury were present. Harlow fetched the cleaning bowl and began to clean the area gently while Lennard checked Maka's eyes.

"Harlow, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Mika asked worriedly from the side. "You're not a physician."

Harlow smiled at Mika's question. She obviously didn't know about his bonding with Lennard, and still saw him as just a fetcher. He assumed most people would still see him that way, since his apprenticeship had only just begun.

To most people, he was just the physician's errand boy. Little did they know about the unique way he had received his training the day before. The knowledge he had gained from accessing Lennard's knowledge in order to perform the surgery had not only allowed him to assist Lennard in the difficult task, but it had also stayed with him. He had essentially learned years' worth of university education in a matter of minutes.

"He's doing great," Lennard replied, nodding and smiling at Harlow to affirm his job well done.

Maka's eyes were darting around, unable to focus. His pupils were pinpoints, and the whites of his eyes were streaked with bloody broken capillaries.

"Mika, I need you to go get the Mayor," Lennard said in a stern yet commanding voice. "Tell him Maka hit his head, but don't tell him how. And don't make him feel worried. Can you do that for me?"

Mika looked at Maka, then back at Lennard. She obviously didn't want to leave, but she nodded her head and hurried out of the clinic.

After Mika left, Lennard turned to Harlow and said, "This is bad. He's bleeding in his brain." He moved to where Harlow had cleaned the head and palpated the ever-growing lump. "We're going to have to drain it."

This was well outside the knowledge Harlow had gained from their connection the day before. He wondered if Lennard wanted to connect and share again. The thought actually excited him.

As if reading his thoughts, Lennard's tail reached toward him. Harlow smiled up at his partner, but Lennard's face was rigid with concern. This was obviously not the time to be giddy and playful. This was much more serious than Lennard had let Mika know. So without further hesitation, he extended his tail and established the connection.

Rather than asking Lennard what he wanted to do in real-time, Harlow pulled him into his mindscape. The psychic place his mind created now mirrored the outside world his eyes still perceived. It was just as the twins had said it would get to, and he wasn't thrilled.

When Lennard joined him, he could see the world still wrapped around him, but from Harlow's point of view. He wasn't sure if he liked the new shape Harlow's powers had taken, but he remembered the twins telling him he could eventually make this place into whatever he chose.

Lennard took a moment to stare at his own body through Harlow's eyes. It was a strange feeling to see himself as others perceived him. "I really am overweight, aren't I?" he commented, tilting his head to the side to look from a different angle. "But I still think I'm handsome."

He knew this was neither the time nor the place for such frivolity, so he brought his stream of thought back to the issue at hand.

Harlow contemplated trying to change things now, but as Lennard's avatar arrived, his sense of urgency arrived with it. Now was not the time to go messing with aesthetics. He welcomed Lennard, who actually seemed relieved to be here.

Unlike before, the avatars that manifested in the mindscape now looked almost exactly as their physical bodies did. A slight glow radiated around them, still showing their auras, but they could gesture and move around just like they were standing in a room painted to mimic the world Harlow saw.

The entire feel of the psychic place was different as well. The colors were crisp and clear, and he could even still smell the antiseptics he used to clean the exam room. He hadn't been in his mindscape since yesterday, but with the changes, he felt as though it had progressed like he had been actively exercising and practicing this ability to make it feel more real.

"Thank you for bringing us here," Lennard said to Harlow. "I need the time to determine how to proceed."

This was not the response Harlow had expected. "Uh, yes. I'm glad I could help," he responded questioningly. "Is there anything else I can do?"

Lennard's avatar turned to him and moved in close. "Yes, love," he said quietly. "I'm sorry if I seem unduly stressed. I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to head wounds. This is a wonderful chance for both of us to take a moment to think things through."

Harlow understood and agreed. He realized that in situations like these, where seconds mattered and lives were at stake, this place was invaluable. It allowed them to take the time they needed to think and consider without actually taking up time in the real world.

He had come to think of this place as a useful way of connecting with Lennard and others, but now he realized just how powerful this ability could be. He could essentially freeze time, at least for the people connected to him.

"Can you access my knowledge again, but this time leave it open so I can access it as well?" Lennard asked.

Harlow had to think about that for a moment. He had been able to pull the knowledge from Lennard's memory last time because Lennard had shared the information needed. Harlow was then able to absorb the information and retain it as his own.

What Lennard was asking now would be different. Instead of just Harlow absorbing an amount of information, he wanted Harlow to keep the memories open so that both of them could access them.

Harlow could sense that Lennard wasn't confident in his assessment of the situation, nor what he actually remembered. This was why he wanted to be able to access his prior memories as well; as a refresher course.

An idea came to him then, along with an image: a pool filled with swirling memories.

"I guess it's time for a mental makeover after all," he mentally spoke, his voice seemingly coming from everywhere. This caused Lennard's avatar to raise an eyebrow.

Harlow looked at the mental space they occupied and tried to take control. He would change the scenery first. It was strange looking through his own eyes and also being able to see what was behind him. He saw all of this through his own "mental" eyes attached to his avatar. It was very confusing, especially since this was the first avatar that had working eyes.

He began thinking of where he would actually like to see. Of course, Lennard's bathroom and his beautiful bathtub were his first thoughts. He now had very fond memories of the room and looked forward to returning there this evening.

He searched through his memories for other possibilities, just in case there was somewhere better suited. In his short existence, he had been relatively sheltered. Other than other people's bathrooms and the ditches that ran through the farms, Harlow couldn't think of anywhere else he had seen water being.

He of course understood the terms for lakes and oceans, but had never actually seen any. The closest natural body of water he could think of was a pond that formed in one of the fields along his walk to town during the spring rains.

He needed a receptacle to fill with Lennard's memories, a place where they could both access and share them. He wanted a familiar place where he could relax while being in his mindscape. Lennard's bathtub and bathroom turned out to be the best location he could think of after all.

He made a mental note to go exploring and see more of the world. He was much too ignorant of his surroundings, and he really wanted to be able to know and see things for himself, not just read about them in books.

With his new surroundings chosen, he mentally pasted the images onto his mindscape. It felt almost like painting a new image over an existing painting.

Once finished, Harlow stepped back to admire his work. The walls of the exam room vanished, replaced by a never-ending jungle so dense that it was impossible to see through. The ceiling followed suit, a canopy of trees and plant life looming so far above that it was unknowably tall. Light filtered through the leaves, filling the space with a soft whitish-green luminescence.

Harlow was reminded of the place where he had encountered the dark morphing creature, but this place was different. It was bright and airy, with a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. The only thing that remained familiar was the bathtub, which was now set into the ground rather than being elevated. The bludwood surrounding the tub was the only thing separating it from the dense layer of leaves that covered the ground.

He looked at Lennard's avatar, who was agape as he watched the transformation occur. Harlow twirled in place, taking in the new surroundings. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's amazing," Lennard said.

"I needed a place to keep the memories so we could both access them," Harlow explained. "So the first thing I thought of was your tub."

"Good choice," Lennard said.

Now it was time to find the memories he needed. He closed the distance between his and Lennard's avatars and looked into his lover's eyes. He had always liked Lennard's eyes, even when he was just the physician's fetcher. Their icy blue color seemed to have a depth to them, like a pool of water above a mountain of ice.

He wanted to keep staring into those eyes, but he knew he should get to work. Having done this before, he knew how to access Lennard's memories. He had an inherent idea of how to extract them and bring them to the tub. It all started with sending his mental self into Lennard.

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Lennard knew as soon as Harlow appeared before him and looked into his eyes what was happening. He tried desperately to think of anything medically relevant to the situation, but it was difficult. Not only did he have a few gaps in his memory about this subject, but he was also gazing into Harlow's eyes.

Lennard had seen many different enchanting eyes, and he felt his own were some of the most so. Brown eyes weren't necessarily his favorite, and Harlow's eyes weren't a particularly unique brown. But there was something about them that drew Lennard in. Whether it was the depth he could see into them, or the silver flecks he could just barely make out buried deep beneath the dark earthy color, he was enchanted and stared unabashedly into those loving brown eyes.

He could sort of mentally feel his lover searching through his memories. It was like having the name of something on the tip of your tongue but not quite being able to get the word out. It was a strange sensation, but not unpleasant.

He pushed himself to think of everything he knew about head trauma. The way the swelling could be either outside of the skull or inside, the different methods for determining a person's mental capacity, the multiple parts of the brain, and their functions. The ideas and thoughts began to pour out of him.

Memories from his time at university resurfaced: the faces of different people he had known, the professors, the parties, the studying. He saw himself opening up cadavers, treating patients, and watching surgeries. It was as if the entirety of his life spent learning about the body and how to treat it was pouring out of him. Which it literally was.

Like a flood of multicolored blood, the memories, the knowledge, and the experiences he had gained all exited his body. It seeped from his pores, the slippery liquid came up out of his mouth and nose. Every orifice bled the rainbow-colored mercury, it even leaked from his anus, which was not a clean feeling.

Had this been a physical manifestation, he would have been left a dry, emaciated husk, devoid of all liquid. But in this psychic place, the blood-like memories flowed of their own accord and into the tub.

Once finished, the eye contact broke and they both tumbled to the floor. The process had been mentally exhausting for both of them, and they lay next to each other, panting and drained. It took a while for them to recover. When they did, their avatars sat next to each other, and Harlow explained how the pool of memories would work.

"Since it is just us here, we will be able to submerge our avatars into the tub, which will give us access to all the memories I withdrew from your time at university." The statement confirmed Lennard's guess as to the extent of the memories included.

"I couldn't isolate the memories specific to head wounds because they affect the entire body," Harlow explained.

"But this way, we both have access to your entire education whenever we need it. Whenever you need me to assist you, all we have to do is touch tails."

Lennard was still recovering from the experience, but asked, "But this is your mind place, so can't you just access it anytime you need?"

"Mindscape," Harlow corrected. "And no, I don't know how to get here without you."

The news took Lennard by surprise. He had assumed, especially with how much the place had changed and improved, that Harlow spent his time here frequently.

"So the times we connect are the only times you are able to come to this place? How has it gotten so much better then?" he asked.

"I'm not really sure. It's like every time I'm here, it has vastly improved and I know how to use it better. I have been wanting to bring the twins here again to see what they think."

"That's not a bad idea," Lennard agreed.

They both moved their avatars into the tub of swirling memories. Thankfully, the contents had lost their blood-like characteristics.

The liquid they stepped into was clear but swirled around with cloudy wisp-like images. It was thicker than water but didn't hinder their movement in the slightest. While not hot like the water they usually filled the tub with, it wasn't cold either. It felt like stepping into a tub of room-temperature jelly.

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In Harlow's mindscape, there were some physical sensations that occurred, but the sense of touch was not manifested well. When their avatars touched, the sensation didn't translate to a physical feel, but rather to a closeness, like how you can sort of feel when someone you know is staring at you.

This was different when they entered the tub. The memories swirled around them, begging to be remembered. The thousands of memories acted like little fish swimming and encircling their avatars. The movement and slipperiness were interestingly the first time they had encountered physical touch in this place.

It wasn't unpleasant in the least. The memories were generally good memories that Lennard had, and the feelings they exhibited were like a faint tickling all over their bodies.

"So, when you need to remember something, just think about what it is you're looking to remember and it will be able to enter your consciousness," Harlow continued explaining.

Lennard did as Harlow had said and thought about a certain night when he met someone special. He had almost thought she would be his mate. Her name was Elzbeta.

As the name entered his thoughts, the night in question unfolded before him. He had been in the library studying when she asked if he was using a book she needed. He was reading it at the time but offered to share it with her. They sat next to each other, and he once again could smell the floral soap she used.

Their hands touched, and they looked into each other's eyes. She had beautiful green eyes and dark brown fur covering her face. The contrast was strikingly beautiful. They began talking and then touching. The night ended up with them together in her apartment. They dated for several weeks, but the initial spark was only a spark, and they eventually moved on.

Lennard shook his head and came back from the memory. It had been so vivid and clear, like he had just relived the night in question. He even thought he could feel his body responding in the typical male way.

"Wow, that was intense," Lennard said and shook his head clear. "Are all of these memories going to be like that?"

"I don't know," Harlow said. "But I'm pretty sure that while we're here in the mindscape, they'll be easier to access and therefore stronger. But once we're back in our bodies and the connection is just with our tails, they should be more like a normal memory."

"So we'll both be able to use these without having to be in this mindscape?" Lennard asked.

"Yes, it'll be like we're both here and not here, I think," Harlow said, scrunching up his face. It had all seemed so clear and easy to him when he had thought of this idea.

"Okay," he continued. "While we have our tails linked, it's like having a part of us remaining here. We can still access the tub of memories, but we will also still be in our bodies like normal." He shook his head. "I knew exactly how it worked when I thought of it. Now it's hard to explain."

Lennard wasn't sure how this place worked or how Harlow's ability functioned, so he was somewhat concerned, but he trusted his partner. "Well, then maybe we should get back and save Maka," he said.

Harlow agreed. "Yes, we should. Let's give this a try."

Without removing their avatars from the tub, Harlow released the mindscape connection. They both returned to their physical bodies, but their connection from their tails remained.

After a moment of reorienting, they could both understand better how they could be here physically, but also in the psychic area as well.

Their tails acted like an attachment to their subconscious. As long as they were connected, their mental avatars remained within the mindscape.

Their higher-functioning part of their brains occupied their bodies and allowed them full function. Using the telepathy which came when they joined tails, they could communicate with each other as well as send information to each other, including Lennard's memories.

They looked at each other briefly and smiled. Harlow's trick had worked. They wasted no more time and began working. Their actions coordinated seamlessly, as if they had been working together for decades and knew exactly what the other was going to do. The link between them carried the information instantaneously, and the pair worked as one.