-- Vivian POV, New Fairhagen --

  The electronics store was smaller than she had thought at first. Or maybe this was only a small section of the store with a separate entrance? There was a distinct smell of new plastic in the air and an ever present electric hum. The place was apparently specialized in handheld communication devices and the ones which one could strap to a forearm. While Tom discussed some details of a network contract for her with a saleswoman, she had decided to inspect some of the devices on display.

  "Hoi, you're a sweet one!" A voice woke her from her thoughts. Had she been addressed?

  She looked around and a man in apparently older and well worn clothes stood right besides her. He smelled stronger that the average person to her nose, "Excuse me?"

  "Don't get to see many like you in this part of town", he let her know.

  She needed to get Tom's attention, but she also didn't want to be rude.

  "Yeah. My partner brought me here".

  The man rose his eyebrows, "Oh, you are taken then?"

  "Can you please mind your own business? I'm here to buy a communicator", she tried to put more energy into her voice. Now she actually disliked to have such a pleasant sounding voice.

  "Can I feel your fur?" The man reached out towards her and she immediately took a step back and hissed, "Don't touch!"

  That had gotten both Tom's and the saleswoman's attention. "What's going on there?" The saleswoman inquired.

  She pointed to the man and declared loudly, "He asked to touch my fur. I don't want that!"

  The man rose both hands, "Calm down, calm down!"

  With a few quick steps Tom was by her side, "Let her be, man!"

  She took a step to hide halfway behind Tom.

  "Want her all for you, ha?" The man challenged Tom.

  "She is with me, and you better get lost!" Tom's voice had the power that hers lacked.

  Now the saleswoman had made her way over too, "Stop pestering her or I'll call the police!"

  Luckily the man retreated towards the door, "Didn't do anything."

  The saleswoman pointed to the door and shouted "Out, now!"

  That worked and the man left the shop. She took a deep breath, "Was he drunk or what?"

  Tom reached for her hand and she took his.

  "He's gone now. Come, let's see what offers they have for you", he pulled her gently towards the sales desk.

  "Sorry for that, Madam", the saleswoman let her know. She nodded, "Thank you. Wish I had such power in the voice like you."

  The other woman grinned, "If you work in a shop, you need some assertiveness." Then she pointed to the counter, "Let's go over there. Your partner explained that you need a special display because of your eyes. I think we have a few suitable models. Anything else that I should know?"

  "My claws scratch some touch screens", she replied.

  "Ah yes, that is a common problem. Not that hard to solve though. There are super scratch resistant display covers."

  Soon they had narrowed down the choices to three models. One of the strap on ones and two handheld devices, all with a suitable yellow-blue display. It was nice to finally see images in proper colors on a display. But now there was a tricky question, "Tom, I'd like one of the handheld ones, but I don't have a handbag to carry it with me."

  He rubbed her shoulder, "We'll get you a handbag then. Not today, we still need to go grocery shopping but soon, ok?"

  "Sounds good. The more expensive one has a nice camera, but I don't know if I'll take a lot of photos. Do you think it's worth the extra money?" She looked at him.

  "It's your first one, and you'll have to use it for a while. The more expensive one will receive updates for a longer time too, so that should be better", he explained.

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  She nodded, "Alright, then I want this one." She pointed a claw to the device. Claws were so suitable for pointing!

  The saleswoman picked it up, "Let me unlock and register it for you. Can I get your ID?"

  She had to show a pained grin, "Yes, just scan my transponder."

  The woman looked at her a moment, apparently confused, then scanned her tag, "Oh! I'm sorry."

  "It's fine. I'll get used to that everyone can see the status and all my, erm, crimes." Now her smile was a bit easier.

  "Just a few minutes and you'll have network access", the woman put the device onto some wireless connector, probably to program it with her ID.

  "Alright, now place you hand on the communicator for a moment so it can scan your biometrics. That will also be the way to unlock it later", the saleswoman informed her and she did so dutifully. The communicator beeped, probably to confirm the scan.

  The saleswoman checked some readings on her own display, "Alright, you're registered and have full solnet access now", and handed her the device. She put her hand onto it and it unlocked, showing a news feed and weather info for their location.

  "Finally a screen that shows the world in correct colors", she smiled at Tom.

  Tom laughed, "For you. For me this is a weird discolored black and white display."

  She hinted a curtsy, "I am special!"

  He hugged her in with one arm and put a finger on her nose, "Yes you are!", before he nodded to the saleswoman, "I think were done then?"

  The saleswoman handed him a box, "The storage box and some utilities. Have fun!" That last part was directed at her.

  She smiled and nodded, ears lightly wagging, "Thank you!"

  She was connected to the world again, could see what happens and voice her opinion in all public channels. A first bit of freedom in this new life.

  She looked at Tom, "Food next?"

  He nodded to her, "Food next", then waved to the saleswoman, "Thank you for your help!"

  "Sure thing. Have a good day Madam, Sir."

  "Have a good day too", she replied, before they headed back to Tom's car. She bounced happily at Tom's side this time.

  It was just a short ride with the hovercar this time, and the destination was as shocking as their first stop during this shopping tour.

  "Tom please", she so wanted to sink into the ground.

  "What is the problem Vivian?", he looked at her.

  "This is a pet shop!" She wanted to shout.

  "They have the right food for you", Tom tried to calm her.

  She took a deep breath and counted to three.

  "Guess I am now officially a pet. Well, guess I was so since the test. Better pray they actually have proper meat or I'll have a hissy fit", she bared her fangs. He didn't even flinch.

  "Good, come one then, let's see if we find something to your taste", he pulled her towards the door which automatically opened for them.

  A bit hesitantly she followed but once the air wafted out of the open door, she was almost running, and Tom shouted behind her, "Vivian!"

  Now she stood trembling, and Tom held her as firmly as he could, both her arms pressed against her body. She let him, was happy that he had stopped her. She heard small animals, smelled small animals, very tasty small animals and plenty of meat, even if all seemed to be the dried variant.

  A voice reached her, "Are you alright Madam?"

  She nodded with closed eyes, "I'm ok. Almost", then looked up in surprise. That had not been a human voice! A person she would identify as human sized and very androgynous looking lizard stood in front of her.

  "Oh!" The temptations of the food were gone, "I had no idea they make lizard bodies now too!"

  Tom seemed to notice that she had regained some control, released her from his hold and she stood more upright.

  "Huh?" They seemed surprised, "They have been available since almost two hundred years."

  She slumped, "I was out four hundred ..."

  "Ah!", the person nodded, "So what brings you here?"

  Tom answered for her, "She needs meat like the big felines. Lions, panthers. With bone and sinew."

  To her annoyance the smell and noises of small living animals got to her again and she just nodded.

  The lizard person looked at her. She looked back, "What?"

  "You went all furry?"

  She frowned, her snout wrinkled and she hissed a little, "It was not my choice. It was Tom's idea."

  They lifted clawed hands, much like hers, just covered in white and green, shiny scales and with only four fingers, "Didn't mean to criticize the decision. But it helps to narrow down the right food for you."

  That person had to learn new hands with less fingers. Probably easier than her new legs, but still.

  "How are your hands?" She asked.

  "How are your legs?" They asked.

  "My legs are amazing", she replied.

  "My hands are amazing, too", they told her.

  She laughed, "Sorry, I'm stupid. New to all this."

  The person smiled a very toothy smile, "Don't worry if you were out four hundred years. Almost no one remembers how life was back then. Must be crazy for you."

  She shrugged, "Quite a lot of things are still the same. But at my time nonhuman bodies were really rare, and seldom any good."

  They nodded, "Now they are. So, any preferences for the meat?"

  She shrugged again, "I'm fresh from the medtech facility, left rehab training today. No idea what they served there. What do felines like me usually like?"

  "How about I throw together a mix of pork, beef and mutton so you can try? Bunny is an option too. Some felines are also into fish, but that depends."

  She nodded, "Lets try the mix. Next time I can tell what tasted best, or if I want to try some new taste."

  "How much?"

  This time it was Tom who answered, "Two and a half kilograms for today. We'll come again once she has decided. I don't want to throw away meat just because it's not her taste."

  "Makes sense, two and a half kilograms mixed meat, then."

  She watched how they walked to the back of the shop, the massive tail balancing each of their steps. Probably not such a good runner and jumper as she was, but that balance! The stability in the body! She was almost jealous. If she ever got into a fight with someone like that, they would throw her around like a doll, she was sure.

  A little while later, they returned with a transparent plastic bag that contained quite a lot of meat cuts, some with bone and sinew, just as she was used to them meanwhile. She smiled when the lizard person handed her the bag and Tom payed for the meat. Food!

  Now Tom drove the car while she kept sniffing the allegedly air tight bag of cooled meat. There was a very delicious smell of fresh meat on it. Her first meal at home was coming closer, and then the first night with Tom. She looked forward to the former and felt a bit anxious about the latter. Food first.