2017-11-05 - spike - The New Shop 37

Author: spike
Title: The New Shop 37
Date: 05 November 2017

Chapter 37
Back on all fours again, I began to get my paws back. I was walking, scampering, running, rolling about in no time.

Then, a difference. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but something… What was that? My tail shot up in surprise and the sensation… It was the plug. My suggestion to Q. The tail position, it was working.

Barely on the edge of consciousness, just enough to detect if I concentrated, I could feel it. My tail. I experimented again, trying to determine the sensations, to learn them, to know exactly what position my tail was in at any given time.

I knew I’d get it too. It might take a while but god it’s subtle.

The Sarge dismissed Dash, Slasher, Storm, Sleazy and me to the shop floor to take our positions as sentinels as the inexperienced dogs were taught how to walk.

Joel placed Sleazy and Storm on pedestals and froze them, Dash, Slasher and me, allowed to roam the shop. To resume our games of fetch and regain our doggy personas.

What surprised me was how quickly and easily I fell back into the role. How easy it was to put my human concerns, my higher brain, if you will, away.

We played for hours before Sarge spoke in our ears. “All dogs on the shop floor, come to B2.”

I went up to the desk and begged to Joel.

“What is it Tyson?”

I turned and walked a few steps towards the elevator and looked back.

“Want to go down?”

I nodded and padded over to Sleazy.

“Them too?”

A nod.

”Which level?”

I tapped twice.

“Hah. Go on then. I’ll press the button for you.”

He released them, we followed and entered the elevator. He pushed the button and I went into a beg to touch the panel. The sensations in my ass changed as we descended. I nudged Slasher and nosed his tail. It shot up in surprise and started to wag. He nodded.

When we arrived the other seven were waiting at the door.

We left the elevator, they entered, sarge hit first and the door closed behind us.

As I walked onto the basketball court, that sensation… It was still changing. Not growing in intensity. I could still sense the position of my tail but there seemed to be a deeper… something I could feel too. As if there were multiple levels to the signals sent to the plug.

I walked, it changed. I changed direction, it changed again in an incredibly difficult to describe way. I started walking in a wide circle. I… I don’t know why but I was sure… There… It was changing back as I walked back towards the elevator.

“What are you doing, Tyson?” I looked back to see an amused expression on sarge’s face.

I turned around and followed the feeling. It was… getting… I couldn’t describe what it was but it seemed to indicate a direction. I continued and a minute later, a tennis ball. I picked it up, padded over to sarge and dropped it at his feet.

“Good boy.” I shivered with pleasure.

“God, I’ve not even told you yet and you’ve already figured it out, haven’t you?”

I cocked my head a little.

“There’s a tracker hidden in that ball, boy. And you found it, just by feelings in your ass. Amazing! I thought I’d have to explain it.”

I sat and wagged my tail, delighting in that subtle tingle that came with it.

The other dogs gathered around him and sat.

“Yes, dogs. That is what that thing you’re feeling in your ass is. A suggestion by number eleven that Q ran with and enhanced. You can now feel the position of your tail. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll know exactly where it is but the feelings go deeper. The finish line will have a beacon, that beacon will trigger the sensation eleven felt there, a direction sense so you’ll always know where your target is.”

All their tails shot up at that, then began to wag.

“Only Slasher and Tyson can hear this now. You’ll use your sensations to locate your targets and the finish line. By the time you’re out in the field you’ll be able to locate each of the other dogs but that will cut off when you get within one hundred feet. You’ll have to rely on sight and sound to find them then. Yes, your collar will be fitted with a microphone.”

That was amazing! A true predator able to track his prey! Oh god this was going to be good.

“Now let’s get you all up to speed. Basketball court. Each of you has a pile of stuffed toys. Stand on the end opposite them.”

We all took up position.

“Now, race! First to get all toys into a similar pile on your side. Go.”

That’s what we did for the rest of the day… Well, until Omega joined us. When he did, sarge pulled us to one side. “You’re amazing. I don’t think you need more but I’ll fucking well make sure you do. You’re going to be fucking amazing by the time I’m done with you. For now though. Omega has a tracker somewhere in the complex. Find him in ten minutes.”

I nodded towards the elevator and mimed pushing something with my nose. Then went into a beg to indicate I couldn’t reach.

He nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that. Sorry, boy. I’ll think of something. Maybe we’ll do the hunt after closing once Joel’s available. He can act as elevator attendant.”

I nodded.

“Go up to the shop, the other dogs have been called. They’ve had enough time to rest. Time to get them running.”

For the next three days, exactly the same routine. The only things that changed were the locations of the tennis balls, the weight of the things we had to transfer from one place to another and the distances we had to run.

I’d asked him to work us and work us hard. Oh god did he?

Hunting Omega was fun. At first he’d been commanded to just stand in one place, then later, to hide.

We searched all over and slowly we got better at finding him, whether he was hiding in a cell, in one of the boxes in the dungeon or on the shop floor under a pile of discounted stock.

By the end of the third day, he was moving and Slasher and I were racing each other to find him first.

I did. I even sensed him when he passed me in the elevator indicating that he was on the shop floor.

I was becoming an expert at reading those sensations in my ass. So much so I barely felt them consciously anymore, I was working purely off instinct. I just knew.

On the fourth day, I sensed another subtle change in my ass. Another sense?

All the dogs were lined up this time, I’d barely seen the others apart from swapping places in the elevator.

“Those who’ve become adept at reading their asses, step forward.”

Slasher and I did so. I looked across and saw four others had too. Sleazy was one of them. I couldn’t tell who the others were without looking at their tags.

“Those who’ve detected the change today. Step forward.”

I did again. Sleazy did too, as did Slasher. The rest didn’t.

“Very good. The new change is an important one. Food stations and shelter. You need to be able to locate them. As well as the finish line, you can also find those. In this complex there are hidden tennis balls. I’ll control the elevator this time, I’ll also only take you to the shop when no customers are present. The dog with the most balls wins a very good boy. Go.”

I immediately circled again, sensing this new feeling, how it changed compared to the others. I bolted. Under a weight set, a ball. I grabbed it, ran back to sarge, dropped it and ignoring the sensation that one gave off, bolted again.

Slasher was doing the same, as were Dash and Sleazy. I ran past Sleazy as he returned with a ball of his own and found another between the rowing machines. Pawing it out, I grabbed it and bolted back again.

Another circle and I… the distance seemed too great. Up or down I didn’t know, but I ran to the elevator, knelt into a beg and hit the panel. Seeing this, Slasher skidded to a halt just as the doors opened and bolted towards the elevator too.

I entered. “Which level boy?”

I shrugged and put my nose to the floor.

“Down?”

I nodded.

Just as he pressed the button, Slasher skidded to a halt in the elevator, the doors closed and we descended. I could sense something moving further away and something moving closer. Close enough in fact. There were balls hidden in the dungeon but there was something else entering my range, so, more in the cells or wet room too.

Oh god this hunt was fun. Each of us scoured the dungeon, some were very well hidden too, in boxes, even in the closets at the back. We got them all, every ball collected into two piles, we had three each as we awaited the elevator but I sensed something more. The balls downstairs… They were getting closer. I think they must’ve found them.

The door opened to reveal sarge carrying three balls. Two dogs were in the elevator with him.

“Good! Three balls each. No more in here?”

I shook my head. So did Slasher.

“Where to?”

I tapped once.

“Come on in then.”

We padded in and sat by his side as the elevator returned to the shop floor.

“When the mirror opened, my heart sank. Three dogs were already present. No idea who and I didn’t care. I walked the length of the wall, pawed at the back door, Joel opened it and I found another, dropping it at Joel’s feet.”

“Take it to sarge, boy.”

I sighed, picked it up and returned to the elevator, nudging the panel.

The moment the door slid open, I dropped the ball at his feet.

“All dogs, return to the Gym.”

Ten minutes later, we were all lined up.

“Here’s the final score in ascending order of number of balls.

Phantom. No balls.
Fry. No balls.
Bandit. No balls.
Butch. No balls.
Sleazy. One ball.
Max. One ball.
Rascal. One ball.
Storm. Two balls.
Dash. Two balls.
Slasher. Five balls.
Tyson. Six balls.

Tyson is the winner! Tyson, Slasher, Storm and Dash, return to your cages, you could probably do with a rest. The others, remain here ”

We padded over to the elevator.

“And Tyson...” I looked at him as he tapped something on the other band. “Very good boy!”
* * * * *
By the time Sunday dawned, I thought myself an expert in ass sense. I imagine Slasher did too.

It was time for our release from the suits. Mine was off in minutes. Slasher’s was a much longer process but with Joel and the Sarge assisting, we were all out in less than an hour.

This time, I could walk straight away. I didn’t even feel unstable or wobbly. I immediately leapt for the first of the exercises M had given me, the rowing machine and began. M joined me on the machine next to it.

“Oh god that was intense!”

My shoulders shook. “Never had so much fun. Oh god that was good. I’ve got it. I’ll tell you that. How those senses work.”

“I can feel a change but I’ve not got a grip on how yet. Any hints?”

“Best bet. Do what I did the first time, you didn’t see it but I circled. The sensations change and return to what they were, it’s distance and direction. Closer you get, the more… I can’t describe it but I got it.”

“I’ll try that. I was just going by trial and error.”

“You’re a lot less used to the suit, it’ll come. Did you find him? Your inner dog?”

“I certainly enjoyed it. I can’t say I’ve managed to shove myself to one side the way you describe though.”

“Try. Just let go completely. I was working off instinct by the end, when I collected those balls. I just know what direction they’re in now when I’m on the same level.”

I resumed my exercise, keeping an eye on M.

“I’ll try. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to go so deep into it as you two can though. But I’ll try.”

I just nodded.

Once the exercises were done, it was time for our longer washes. All of us this time, even the bar tender.

Once that and the stock taking were done… Free time and god it was welcome.

I sought out the brothers. They were sitting playing cards again. I sat opposite them.

“Want us to deal you in again, sir?”

“I think I will, yeah. So, dog training. Opinion.”

“Oh fucking hell he’s hard on us.”

“No harder than he needs to be. We’re going to be out in the wild, remember. Got to be able to run. Got to be able to find those shelters and food stations.”

It nodded. “How did you do it? I’ve asked him but he can’t explain it.”

“It’s difficult to explain. It’s a new sensation for all of us, that butt sense. I just got a good grasp of the changes and what they meant. I sensed it the moment I got down there that first day, something changing that wasn’t related to the position of my tail. When I walked around in the gym, I realised, it was changing based on direction or proximity or something. I just followed it.”

“Yeah, but now we’ve got feelings piled on feelings piled on feelings. It’s fucking complicated, sir.”

“I think it helps if you don’t try to think about it. Don’t try to analyse it. Just feel. Let your instincts take over.”

Slasher nodded. “Exactly how it is with me, sir. Turn off your brain and become the dog. Never happier when I’m Slasher, these days. I love it.”

“You’re still new to it blank. You’ll get there. I hope you will anyway, it’s truly the best thing I’ve ever felt. Losing myself to Tyson. I think I even think like a dog when I’m him now. Or at least what a person thinks a real dog thinks like.”

“Errr…”

“Where’s the ball? When’s the next good boy coming? Got to please my Master. Simple commands, fun and frolics. Nothing else matters. Now I’ve got hunting those balls to look forward to also. Awake the predator. Suppose we’ll need that when we’re chasing after you.”

It nodded. “Can’t wait.”

“You need a lot more practice with that ass of yours. The feelings are subtle, true, but you do need them. Not just for the finish line which is the easiest to find, those shelters could be a life saver. It’s fall. It’ll get cold at night. It’ll almost certainly rain and you do need to eat.”

It nodded again. “Imagine we’ll get more of the same tomorrow.”

“Oh, I’m sure of it. Might even get more complicated. Able to distinguish between food and shelter would be a useful one. Who knows how many more levels can be added before it becomes impossible to work out.”

A few games, a porn, more mixing. I located twelve.

“Opinions so far?”

“I don’t know how you do it, sir.”

“You’re probably concentrating on your movements more than your ass. You’re still new to walking like that. Once it becomes natural you’ll be free to think about other things. Make sure you study those feelings down there. Once you get a handle on it, for me at least, pretty much instinct now.”

It nodded. “Makes sense. Oh god it’s fun though. I can’t wait.”

“Well, you do need those feelings. If you don’t get it by the time we start they might get you out and have you assisting. Not safe to be out there unless you can find the things you need.”

“Shit! Really?”

“Just what I think. I’ve got no idea on the organisation of this thing, just thought I’d warn you. Q doesn’t want anyone to die out there and in a heavy storm without shelter, even in that suit you could suffer so I want you to get used to walking, stop thinking about that and start putting everything into studying those sensations.”

“Thanks, sir.”

It was mildly worrying. I found Dash and Storm too but they confirmed what I suspected. They’d got it. They just weren’t quite as good at it as we were so we’d beaten them to most of the balls.

The sarge was sitting in the rec room so I walked over.

“I have a suggestion, sir. Well, a couple.”

“Go on.”

“Next time… Me and Slasher, out and seeking the balls, but not to return to you. We’ve both got it. We can make it harder for them by moving the balls around. They need to learn this skill, sir. If they don’t it could be nasty.”

“Totally agree. And your other suggestion?”

“If they can’t get a grip on all those sensations by midweek, sir… Make it simpler for the ones who can’t. Just tail position and one sense.”

“But then they’ll only know where one thing is. One type anyway...”

“Yeah. Use the tail as a selector switch. Excited, seek the finish line. Happy, seek the food. Upset, seek us. Tail up, tail wagging, tail down.”

He nodded. “Pretty good idea. I’ll be sure to pass it on to Master Q because the sensations aren’t finished with their additions yet. You’ll find out tomorrow. The next sensation will not be switchable though.”