'Wake up...' 

“Mmmm?” With a groan, I pulled myself off the ground, my headfeeling as if there was a dense fog inside it as I sat up. Where was I?
Scanning the area, I soon found that whatever was inside my head hadmanaged to devour my vision as well. “Wha...?” 

'Good morning. Tell me...' 

“Who?” The voice was powerful, booming on all sides of me, clearlymale in nature. Something about it had a familiar tinge, as if I had heard itrecently, but trying to recall where just caused the fog to swirl even more. 

'Are you... a man or a woman?' 

“I... what?” Odd question. Feeling stronger now, I stood, a few futileattempts to look around once again. “I'm obviously a man. Always havebeen.” I flicked my tail a few times, noticing that it wasn't impeded by anyclothes for once. My paws began to survey myself, finding naught but acollar loosely wrapped around my neck. 

'No. You are a girl.' 

“...What was that?” With a low growl, my paws dropped to my side asI balled them into fists. “I know I can't see, but that won't save you if youkeep talking.” What the hell did I get myself into this time? 

'Shall I teach you how to play? Or perhaps not?' 

Play? Was this a game? “No thanks, no way in hell I'm playing 
anything with you.” Maybe he'll let me go if I rub him the wrong way. 

'...Then you will fail.' 


Quicker than I could respond, the fog lifted from my eyes. Lightflooding in almost like a bright flash as the world appeared before me. Yeteverything still seemed hazy, almost bland. The sky was white and theground was black, shadows moving as if I was stuck in some kind ofmonochromatic nightmare. 

“Where...” I looked down at my paws, seeing that they too had lost allcolour. Giving a once-over, I noticed that the only thing near me was thecollar around my neck, a hearty jingle sounding as I shook myself. Stillconfused, I reached for it, my paws struggling to find some kind of a latch. 

'No. You control nothing here.' 

“Grrr... Who are you?! What do you want from me?!” The voice wasstill powerful, seeming to echo from everywhere and yet almost feeling as ifit were only in my mind. It gnawed at the back of my conscience, somethingabout it made it feel... different. Empowering, maybe? 

'Find me. Then I shall answer.' 

I looked around the world, a large cliff behind me that was far toosteep to climb. Ahead I saw gentle slopes, a few large steps in the distance.
Confused, I started to make my way beyond the slopes, hopping up the stepswith relative ease. “Easy enough. Just get this done and I can get out o-” 

Skidding to a halt, a large pit showed itself in front of me. Another fog,
this one completely red, obscured my vision. I looked to the other side,
wondering if I could actually make the jump. It didn't... look too far, but I 
had my doubts. 

'Jump over the pit of barbs.' 


Empowering, definitely. Fear washed away as I took a few stepsforward and leapt across the pit, landing almost gracefully on the other side.
I blinked, looking back. Had there been a flash midway through that jump?
Looking down, I saw the barbs, same as they had always been. 

...Wait. 

'Good girl. I am further ahead.' 

“Dammit, I'm not a... Grrr...” Something wasn't qutie right. But thevoice was helping me, so I listened to it. Several more barbs appeared beforeme as I continued along the path... What path? Where am I going? Why isthis place so calming to me? ...No, I have to figure out what's going on. 
Fears later, knowledge now. 

The path stretched endlessly ahead, the ground rising upwards as Icontinued hopping up farther and farther. I came skidding to a halt as ablock of green fog swirled in front of me, hiding something within it... Aperson? I couldn't... quite tell. 

'Touch the statue. I'll forgive you.' 

Forgive me? For what? Wasn't he the one that stranded me here, in the 
middle of nowhere... Middle of nowhere? Are you that dense? You knowwhere you are, don't you? ...Shaking my head, I sighed and reached my pawslowly for the green fog, fearing the worst. 

Another flash of light as I let out a quick yelp, pulling my arm back asthe statue disintegrated, leaving behind only the outline of a feminine figure.
I felt... drawn to it? 

'Good girl. It's time to move on.' 


“Alright.” A fleeting glance as I moved on, wondering why the voicehad wanted me to destroy the statue. Carefully navigating through the barbsahead, I made my way to a small-Not going to object this time? Are you 
giving up? ...What? 

I stood on a small platform now, a board sitting above me withinleaping distance and a pathway in front of me. Hearing a strange whirahead, I wondered if it might be safer to travel above... though I couldn't see 
anything there. “Still... it sounds dangerous up ahead, and I really just wantto get through here.” 

'Travel the lower path.' 

“What? Are you sure it's ok?” With only a small quiver of fear, I beginto follow the path, a few barbs easily passed. The whirring grows everlouder, and just as the path looks as if it will open up and meet with itsoffshoot branch, I look upwards, spying a large object obscured in red foghurtling towards me. 

Barely diving out of the way, shivering from how close I was, I look tothe area above the path I'd just exited. The top path looks relativelypeaceful... Is he toying with me? Why would he do that, though? He's usuallyso caring... Who? Who is he? Still feeling fearful, I move a few steps alongthe way when another flash blinds me. 

'Good girl.' 

“Ehehe, of course! If it's for you, I can do anything!” A bounce in mystep as I continued on my way, hopping over the barbs and dissolvingstatues. Through the traps and obstacles, I can only think of how he's 
praising me, telling me that I'm a 'good' pet. I can only think of how much I-
need to get out of here and figure out what he's doing to me. What was goingon? One moment I was myself... but after those strange flashes, I almost felt 


like... he was my owner? 


'No way. No!' Something had to be going on in the real world. He wasmessing with me somehow. Shaking my head as I looked around andbanished the thought from my mind, I looked around the landscape again,
spying a deep pit ahead. Something was bothering me... what had I just beenthinking of? It must not have mattered much... I was almost to the pit, now. 

'...Throw yourself into the barbs.' 

...What? I slid to a stop, just barely avoiding the edge of the pit. Had hereally just said... “W... what? No way. I've been avoiding these things thiswhole time! You must be cra-...Erm... I mean... Is it safe?” I glanced overthe edge, frightened, though curious. They were so far down... I'd be falling 
so fast by the time I reached them if I really did it... 

'Have I steered you wrong yet?' 

“No, Master, you'd never hurt me.” My ears drooped, my shoulderssagged, my tail slumped. Had I always doubted him so? I shivered a bit as Istood at the edge, looking down again. Without hesitating, my ears perkedagain and I returned to my cheery self. 'Well, there's only one way to make it 
up to him!' 

...I was plummeting. Headfirst. As I saw the barbs approaching, I squeezedmy eyes shut as tight as I could. For a brief moment, it felt as if my entirebody had shattered into pieces on impact... yet, oddly, it was painless. 

'Good girl.' 

As I clenched my eyes still, I felt the ground on my fur again.
Cautiously taking a peek, I found myself at the edge of the pit. I looked back,
recognizing the path I had taken and realizing that somehow... I had made it 


to the other side. He must've saved me somehow, just like I thought he 
would! 

Rising to my feet, I stumbled forward a bit, the fall having weakenedme more than I expected it to. 'Still, it must be better than the alternative, 
right?' Giggling a bit, I fell over, landing next to a large tower. “A break,
then. Is that okay with you, Master?” I leaned against the tower as mystrength slowly returned, waiting to hear from him. 

'Tell me... Do I control your body... or your mind?' 

“Huh? What an odd question...” I glanced around the landscape,
letting the familiarity wash over me again. He had sent me to cleanse mymind of my past self, after all... but I had to do all the inner-running myself,
right? So why would he ask that? Still, it was best to answer him... No oneliked a pet who couldn't answer when prompted, right? 

“Easy! You control my mind, obviously!” ...I blinked. What was thatodd feeling just now? ...Almost as if I split. 

'Good... Beg for me, then.' 

Smiling still, I looked towards the sky... knowing that he wasn't there, 
but still wanting to show where he stood to me. “Anytime you want,
Master!”