A TREASURE IN THE SAND

A relaxing breeze washed over the Red Panda's body and caused a sedate smile to appear on her face as she walked along the beach. The only sound to accompany the squish of her sandals against the damp sand was that of the gently rolling waves as they hit the shore.

She adjusted the modest-looking book bag and towel draped over her shoulder as she scanned the area for a place to set up for a day of whatever tickled her fancy. The young woman looked out toward the ocean and saw the first golden rays of dawn paint the sky. A smirk evolved on her face while she pondered the fate of some of her fellow Spring-breakers. 

In her mind, she imagined that some of them were suffering through a morning of hangovers and regrets or having a gentle afterglow "cuddle" with whomever they'd coaxed to their room that night. The smile slowly faded however as more worrisome thoughts popped up.

The red panda idly drug her foot across the ground as she flicked a speck of sand away from her wire-frame glasses, mumbling to herself, "Why'd I even bother waking up this early, let alone come out here for Spring Break?"  She had thought the break would do her good and maybe break the monotony of her studies and the feelings of loneliness.

However, a trip to the beach during spring break with no companion with her geeky tastes, let alone a lover, was probably not the best decision.

The trip so far had only served to remind her that she was single. Sadly, that little seed of unhappiness had grown in her mind during the week. It didn't help matters that the empty beach now reminded her of that fact. She kicked at the ground irritably and voiced an audible sigh while she shook her leg when some of the wet sand oozed between her sandal insole and her foot.

"I should have stayed home, there doesn't seem to be much need for ‘Big Panda Nerd’ girls here," she growled tersely and patted at her cheeks in a self-disciplining manner. "No. That's not it. I can’t go on beating myself up like this," the moment of self-pity was instantly mentally banished and her thoughts went to happier moments. A grin emerged as she thought back to her victory at the sandcastle-building contest.

"I guess it isn’t as bad as I’ve been making it out to be," she mused as her little self-esteem boosting monologue continued.

"I won’t let my being single ruin this," she resolved. She looked down at the absent-minded toe-drawn heart in the sand before continuing to walk, a happy skip evident in her step now. She dropped her towel on the white sands and laid on it with a sigh. A more perfect opportunity wouldn't provide itself; especially after the moment all the hung-over and partied-out masses woke. “Better enjoy the quiet while I can,” she said with a soft coo as her sandals were kicked off and she squealed a bit at the feel of the wet sand as it squished between her black-furred toes.

A hand fumbled around inside her small pack and produced a little, hand-held game system and soon the illuminated screen reflected off her lenses as she played with it in a half-hearted fashion. "Some way to spend a break, playing Super Macro Taisen, couldn't even afford the DLC with that cute Jackal girl," she sighed in a huff, shutting the game off as she tossed it on top of her pack before flopping on her back and running a hand through her short, auburn hair.

"I'm such a party animal, aren't I Shiori?" her tone was a bit sarcastic; The woman knew she had only come out because she couldn't sleep, her neighbors and their less than PG-13 antics and the noise that went with it hadn't helped.

Another grumble of restlessness left her lips as she settled on her side and stretched a leg.  Shiori turned her head which caused her bangs to droop into her field of vision. Through the shaggy curtain of hair, the Panda could make out a jogger as they vanished hazily over the horizon.

"I should at least *try* to be more social, like saying ‘hello’ to whomever that guy was," Shiori mused as she rested her head in her palm. Her attention turned from the retreating figure as her violet eyes narrowed when she saw something in the sand… something a bit out-of-place on the now empty beach.

"What in the name of Professor X’s pimped-out wheelchair is that?" Shiori squinted a bit and crawled from her towel towards the small, freshly-distinguishable humanoid figure, unsure of what it truly was. She gently pushed her hand under the small form and lifted it slowly; the wet sand fell away in muddy clumps as she brought the form to her face.  The figure was barely six inches tall, its body clad in a pair of wet, sand stained shorts.

Shiori examined her find with a jeweler’s eye, a somewhat surprised glint in them as she recognized what it was.

The popular name for it was a ‘Chibi’, a popular, new type of a fabricated “pet” she’d seen on television and in her various Anime and “geeky” magazines. There was a more proper term from the creators of the pet, but for now, it eluded her.

"Wow a male Chibi," Shiori brought her legs under her as she continued to examine her find in wonderment. The woman ran a finger along the tiny form as she thought and winced as her finger ran across a small cut clearly carved into his leg.

She scratched an ear with a free hand, a puzzled look on her face, ‘why was it here? and why was it alone?’

"Well, I can't just leave you like this. What if a Seagull sees you as a snack?" Shiori scooted back to her towel, being gentle with her movements, so as not to agitate her new find.

After she set the man in her lap, the Panda quietly rummaged around in her pack for anything she could use to bandage the cut, and came across a small kerchief which she tore and gently tied around his leg.

"Just like messing with my model kits," she said with a quiet, nervous giggle.

"Seriously, a Chibi...out here, I mean this is the big "it" thing for people like me, who'd throw one out like last night’s garbage?" She had read posts on various forums about the new fad pets and of rich brats who'd toss them aside when they got bored or when a new model hit the market. Shiori wondered if this was the case for this creature.

A sympathetic wince emerged as she saw a few bruises that marred the small being's astonishingly tan body.

Glancing around and she wondered if an owner might show up to claim him; However, there was not a soul to be seen along the span of the visible beach. While she knew the situation was a little heart-rending, secretly a part of her was glad for the company.

"Heh, the first guy I meet on break and he's unconscious and doll size.” Shiori mumbled to herself in bemusement, “I guess I can at least watch you until I figure out what I need to do to find your owner." Her mind idly made a note to check online and see just what kind of ‘pet’ he was.

"Let’s see if you’re even alive, that’d be a better starting point," she sighed and being as careful as possible, she shifted him from her lap to her palm. Shiori gently nudged the little guy with a finger and a worried gasp escaped as he coughed up a little water, “Come on little guy wake up," she said quietly.

*-*-*-*

His mind was a muddled mass of thoughts, his large ears picked up the crash of the sea and it sent a chill of absolute fear through his small body. The Chibi’s mind was filled with what he'd thought were his final moments, the look of disinterest on his master's face, the hurtful words that heralded his now useless state to him, the hurt and betrayal that filled his small heart.

All of these cruel memories returned to him like a bad penny: the vertigo of sailing end over end towards the ocean, the scream that left his mouth as he called out to his owner, the look of disdain dissolving into blurred scenery as his master coldly walked away as if he'd just thrown away a piece of trash.

A soft groan and a water-laced cough left his mouth. His body groaned in conscious protest, the impact of his fragile frame against the seemingly concrete-hard water still fresh in his mind. He felt that he should open his eyes and see what fate had befallen him, since somehow, against all odds, he was apparently alive. However, fear and injury, worry and exhaustion seemed to prevent this revelation.

He twitched a bit with a painful whimper as he heard the waves again and felt his body being lifted. His large, pointed ears picked up on the gentle, feminine voice that tried to call him back to the world of the conscious. The small figure’s eyelids opened slowly and the morning sun shone in his vibrant green eyes blinding and disorienting him. He let out another gurgling cough and a breathy gasp as the gentle prod forced more water from his lungs. A small hand wiped away the grit and errant strands of red hair from his vision.

He let out a small groan as he tried to get his bearings, what he knew so far was that his body rested on something warm and somewhat soft. He suppressed another groan as he forced himself to sit up while every part of his body ached and let him know its injury. He wiggled his toned rear on the warm surface as he noticed his bushy tail was wedged between something.

The Chibi had no time to collect his thoughts before a shadow covered him. His eyes gazed skyward and his jaw dropped; his body visibly trembled. A furry head loomed over his entire form looking down at him like a god from the heavens.

A shrill scream escaped his lips and an almost-primal fear instinct kicked in. His small body scrambled backwards along the warm, fleshy surface but the sharp pain in his leg caused him to topple over.

Before he realized it, he had tumbled over the edge of the Panda's hand and assessed far too late that the ground was coming up fast.

Shiori chided herself silently; why didn't she see this coming?  She could only guess at the terror that the little guy felt; however, she was pretty certain a big girl like herself didn’t help things.

Her free hand intercepted the falling male and she let out a breath of relief as he landed roughly in her upturned palm. The Panda’s ears drooped as she gave him a look of sympathy, this whole situation had to be pure hell for the little guy.

The Chibi let out a short cry of fear as he scooted across Shiori's hand; the woman's unwavering gaze did not help to enhance his calm. His breaths came in short, sharp gasps and he had to swallow a few times before he could breathe normally.

"Careful! You’re safe!" Shiori hoped her words and actions would at least quell the small being’s panicked state, sadly it didn't work.

"I said calm down!” Shiori snapped, but quickly changed her tone as she saw the terrified thing curl up in a fetal position.

“I’m not going to hurt you alright?” The woman’s tone was gentler and more welcoming this time as she remembered his situation.

This diplomatic change in voice paid off as he began to settle ever so slightly, although there was still a look of fear evident in his eyes. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as she placed the small one on the towel as gently as she could before moving away slowly. 

Shiori moved to sit lotus-style and she rested her hands in her lap. She absent-mindedly wiggled her sand-covered toes while wondering how to handle the current situation. 

As Shiori's massive form shadowed the small man, his mind all but screamed at him to flee with full speed. The poor man's body, however, was like a lead weight as exhaustion from his ordeal began to take hold.

With a nervous swallow he looked up at this person who seemed so intent on helping him. His large amber eyes took in the enormous, sand covered feet, the somewhat plump legs and torso then his gaze paused at those soft hands. They were the very same hands that had saved him from his own panic.

When his eyes locked with Shiori's, his thoughts immediately went to memories of his former owner. The panda watched in confusion as the smaller being whimpered and fell to his knees with a yelp.

"Please don't hurt me!" The Chibi cried out, his voice was pleading, almost pathetically so.  She watched him drop to his knees as if in worship to a deity; it was one of the first things he "learned" with his former owner. Shiori's face grimaced at the submissive motion.

After a moment, when no commands were given, when no punishment was levied he looked up and was amazed when she did nothing but stare down at him with a concerned gaze from behind those glasses.

At that moment, had Shiori’s heart been crafted of glass, it would have shattered instantly at the look he gave her. The signs of abuse were quite clear, every action and reaction of his made all of it slowly click together in her mind; it explained the bruises, the half-drowned state, his subservient posture, his submissive tone.

"Here we are, in a world that is so cool, yet we still treat those weaker than us like crap when it becomes convenient," she ran a pinky under the Chibi's chin and offered a warm smile. Able to finally observe his face, a closer look revealed a small diamond-shaped gem in his forehead which added to his odd, exotic appearance.

The small one jerked a little, as if he were going to run. Shiori could see that his cheeks had become stained with tears.

She moved the finger away slowly but not before she gave his chin a playful tickle.

"Shhh, it's okay," Shiori murmured as she wondered what else she could say.  She probably sounded like a broken record to this little guy, she was sure of it. A frown began to form as her leg began prickling. The uncomfortable tingle of it going to sleep was not a pleasant feeling.

 She moved her leg over him and extended it with a relaxed sigh. She hoped her change to a more relaxed position would be a bit more comforting as she scooted a hint closer.

Shiori gazed at her sand-covered feet and just realized how truly tiny he was, how helpless he was in his current state and how terrifying she must seem… not that she’d ever consider herself a threat to anything save a discount sale back at the local comic shop.

"This has to be a bit scary huh?" She wiggled her toes again, digging between them with a finger to dislodge some sand. While doing so, she didn’t realize she was giving him an inadvertent look at her modest cleavage. It wasn’t long before she finished and leaned back.

A warm smile surfaced as her small guest nodded in answer to her question, “Abandoned I bet. All alone out here with nothing but big people like me,” she swished her ringed tail a bit as she looked down at the little fellow on the towel.

The Chibi nodded again, his bushy tail flicked in a nervous fashion while his eyes remained locked on her every move.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise I won’t do anything to you,” Shiori placed a hand on her thigh as she waited for some form of response.

He looked up as she spoke; something in the Panda girl’s eyes and the tone of her words said to trust them.  The Chibi took a quick look at his bandaged leg and then to the smiling eyes of the woman who had done nothing but show him kindness; something he was unused to. He jumped back a bit when Shiori’s upturned hand settled gently on the towel, palm up.

“What choice do I have?” He thought quietly to himself as he inched forward and then climbed cautiously on to the palm. Soft was the only word on his mind as he felt the warmth exude from her palm under his legs and rear as he sat down. His body was finally starting to feel the exhaustion from his ordeal as his fear-driven adrenaline tapered off. He felt his stomach shift uncomfortably, slight nausea at the swift motion, as the hand slowly lifted from the ground. "See? No harm I mean," Shiori said in her best Yoda voice, and giggled a bit as she wiggled a finger playfully at him.

 "See it’s okay, no need to be scared," she cooed again as while gently curling her fingers to allow his back to rest against them. She rested her free hand in her lap and smiled while preventing herself from leaning in too much.

"Tell me what happened, maybe I can um, help? Do you belong to anyone? Were you abandoned?" It took a few moments for him to take in what was said, and the hurt was evident in his response.

"Abandoned?" He stammered after finding his voice, another shock of the painful memory of being tossed away like used Kleenex burned through his mind. It certainly didn’t assuage his fear that the Panda above him was larger than most humans or anthros.

 The wind picked up, whipping the water against the sand. The sound of waves washing over the beach prompted a twitch and a slow, nervous, rocking motion began from her palm-sized guest as he stammered in response, "I...Master wanted to go for a walk... Then...being thrown, told not… I was worthless. Then water....deep water...choking," the Chibi curled into a fetal ball as his journey from those memories to now went unremembered. Unable to lessen the pain from last night, Shiori could only watch his misery as her hand subconsciously reached out towards him to soothe but she consciously hesitated her movements. Eventually her heart won out and her fingertip gently brushed along his back, her voice cooed softly as sobs reached her ears.

"Times like this, I wish psychology was my major," she thought quietly as she let him cry. Her finger rubbed gently along his back eventually leading up to between his fennec-like ears. The little male looked up at her, finally having worked the shock and terror from his body. “You're safe now, no one’s going to toss you away again, I promise," her words were true, but why, she couldn't say. Maybe, in a way, she saw her own social life in this one's eyes. She couldn't count the number of times she'd been ditched by friends and had had outings called off because of her bookish nature.

“So, what’s your name little guy? I have to call you something…right?”

The small male looked up, “A…ai is my..my name,” his body language was definitely calmer now, his gaze felt more trusting and she swore she saw what may have been a hopeful smile on that tiny face. She smiled down in response. It was a lovely name to her, “Well Ai, my name is Shiori. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll do all I can to help,” the smile faltered a little, but it was honest.

She sighed, could she really help? Maybe it'd be best to just drop him off at one of the Kumori stores, let them deal with it. After all, they’re the ones who make the little cuties. When she looked down at him and saw the trusting look he now gave and shook her head in response to her mental argument. No, she couldn't do that. It would make her no better than the one who tossed him aside.

Her train of thought derailed as she was startled by a gentle nuzzling against her finger. "So....you'll take me from here?" Ai's voice was uncertain and trusting, far too trusting, maybe it was a conditioned response when around his larger human and anthro masters.

As he looked around, Shiori could tell he'd probably never been outside… so lost looking, unsure. It twisted the already deeply lodged knife just a little more. "Promise," she offered her pinky and felt his small hand grip it. Her cheeks flushed a bit as she looked over his features. If he were her size, she might have tried to ask him out, or at the very least, attempt to engage him in a less-limited conversation. His overall exotic look, the odd little crystalline node on his head, the human hybrid appearance was the look she’d fallen in love with in all the Anime and Manga and games she owned. Essentially every little geeky thing she adored and desired was right here in her palm. It was as if someone had brought the characters she’d wrote many fanfics about, even the naughty ones, to life right before her eyes.

Crushing those budding, erotic thoughts, Ai’s safety was first, and she’d have time to think on such things later.

Ai looked up, relief spreading on his face at his new situation. The look he possessed was gracious to an almost fanatical level. He knew being alone out here was death to his kind and this person was willing to save him. He had to admit, this one was nicer, as well as more attractive than his former owner. The blush on his face expressed his inner dialogue. They stared at each other for a moment, both with nervous smiles on their faces.

Shiori jumped with a start as Ai shook himself, small bits of sand and dirt coming off his person. "I..Well I think I need a bath, well not that it's my biggest problem Mistress Shiori." his tone was polite and the suddenness of the added title caught the Panda off guard.

Shiori flushed crimson under that deep autumn-toned fur, "M..Mistress!" it felt weird, empowering, but a little weird. "P..Please, Shiori is fine," she stood, careful of Ai’s position in her palm as she placed her feet in her sandals. The flushed look lingered on her face as she hurriedly shook her towel off and shouldered her pack, totally aware of the look of total admiration and budding devotion Ai was giving her. She began a slow walk, still concerned for the comfort of her passenger, "I have a room to myself while I'm here. I mean, well, if you want to go with me that is. I could let you have a decent bath, maybe a snack or something," She rubbed the tip of her nose shyly with a nervous laugh.

Ai laughed quietly, despite her awkwardness, she seemed genuine in her offer and worry. A small hand patted her pad, "I. I’d like that mis...err Shiori,” this was somewhat new, but it was also a part of what he was; however, something felt different. Here he was, just disposed of by an owner who desired to be called master, an owner who had him do many degrading things. Now? Now he was with a person who was the total opposite, a somewhat meek, yet Amazonian and bookish anthro who was trying her best to treat him as an equal.

It was odd but at the same time a welcome change in his short existence. Shiori looked down at Ai and the naïve, confiding look on his face. He was small, vulnerable, the look was so trusting. She frowned as more and more people began to fill the beach, and worried a bit. She knew that soon it'd be elbow to elbow with students and vacationers jockeying for position.

"Ai I know we just met. But I need to put you somewhere," she laughed a bit nervously as she thought of placing him in her cleavage but thought better of it.

"I don't want you getting knocked out my hand, or getting hurt you know?" She tried to sound logical in her statement, but it really was worry, the thought of him being crunched under foot due to a stumble or accidental bump scared her.

Ai nodded as if it wasn't anything new, "its fine and it might be safer until um, well you can get inside." Shiori paused long enough to place the little guy into one of the empty pockets on her pack and left the flap undone so air could filter in.

Her pace adjusted again, her stride became slightly less urgent so as not to accidentally hurt her new companion. "Okay, no more complaining about being bored Shiori, weird things seem to happen now when you do," she sighed ruefully as she finished that bit of mental dialogue. "Whoa, a jelly bean!" his voice from her pocket exclaimed. She couldn't help but laugh a bit.