"Well..." Tommy swallowed to moisten her throat. "When you put it that way... being a stripper doesn't sound so bad."
"A splendid choice, my dear." From his tone and avuncular smile, Tommy never would have guessed that the man had just threatened to reduce her to a carnival freak, lying naked under the eyes of countless strangers. The vixen shivered, fur standing on end... and heat pooling in her nethers. She shook off the creeping suggestion that being so exposed might be fun.
"Now come." Master Az held out his hand. Tommy walked towards him, his socks -- the last vestige of his clothing -- tearing a little more around his hocks and thick pawpads. Tentatively she took his hand, and he helped her down out of the ring of mirrors. Immediately she caught the guard staring at her, and yelped, quickly moving her hands to -- rather ineffectively -- cover her pussy and large breasts.
"Now, Brutus, it's rude to state," the ringmaster chided. "Fetch the lady some clothes."
"Yes, Master Az." The guard lumbered off towards a series of lockers.
"And you, my dear -- I don't believe I caught your name."
"Tom- Tommy, M-Master."
Az laughed, the rich sound comforting -- almost intoxicating to the frazzled vixen. "I don't think 'Tommy' is suitable to a beautiful woman. You need something glamorous. Mysterious. Befitting a foxy femme fatale."
"Uhhh..." Tommy didn't feel very fatale at the moment. Or... did he? Deep down... He felt that pride, and that strange hunger, at once predatory and submissive. He shifted slightly, his posture becoming less awkward, more confident. That did not mean he could come up with an alluring female name on the fly, however.
"Carmen." It was difficult to tell if Master Az was offering the name as a suggestion, as Tommy dithered, or a decision. "A classic of passion, danger and unfulfilled desire. And perfect for your fiery fur."
"Carmen..." Carmen. The name rolled over his supple tongue. "Carmen." He shivered. With the feminine name came feminine identity, rolling over him like another feverish chill. Making his head pound and his stomach flutter. Again, it was frightening... and it was right. He --
No.
She nodded. "Yes. I... I like it, Master. I will... be Carmen."
"Good girl." At those simple words, Carmen blushed, but her pose became even more confident. She felt confused at her response to the condescending praise, but -- she was happy.
"Ah." Az turned to the guard as he came back, taking several garments from him. "Thank you Brutus. Now give the lady some privacy, hm?" The burly man looked away as the ringmaster turned back to Carmen, handing her what amounted to a black bikini with golden spangles. She pulled the bottom up, feeling it snug against her thighs and ass, but fumbled with the laces, that seemed to tie above her tail. Az had been prepared for this.
"Allow me to help." Az moved behind her, and deftly tied the black lace into a cute bow. "And now the top." He helped her fit the gaudy cups over her jiggly bust, and again tied it behind her. Carmen meanwhile reflected on how different she felt from being under the eyes of the hulking Brutus, to being handled by the ringmaster.
She still felt shy with Az, but also safe. His confident baritone was so soothing, making her feel like he knew what he doing. Like he knew what she was going through and empathised. Like he was helping her to be the best that she could be.
She shivered again as the glorified bra cinched around her chest. More mind games? Maybe. But she needed something to cling to with the terrifying prospect laying before her. The threatening avalanche of realization that she had lost everything -- friends, family, identity -- and the uncertainty of a new life in a new body amongst new, strange people.
Gently the ringmaster put on the last garment -- a light, royal purple bathrobe, which tied both around her waist and under her tail for both comfort and modesty. She smiled shyly at him as he came back around in front of her, grateful that she would not have to walk around in her skimpy costume.
"We'll have some more casual clothing fitted for you tomorrow," he assured her, patting her shoulder. "For now, why don't we get you some dinner?" Laying his arm across her shoulders, he guided her out of the tent. "You may go back to your rounds," he told the guard. "I don't think Carmen will bite."
"Heheh," the vixen laughed weakly. She could bite -- but what was the point? She had nowhere to go, now. And as she calmed down, Az didn't seem so bad? After all, he had to protect his secrets. It was her fault for poking her muzzle where it didn't belong.
What? She reached up, touching her wet nose. I... wasn't a fox then...? With renewed fear she realised the change was starting to affect her memories. Hurriedly thinking back over the day, the images of hanging out with Jordan featured a seductive feminine laugh, holding cotton candy in black-gloved handpaws, shifting her pillowy rear in the bleachers. Even holding her tail in her lap so the other spectators didn't sit on it.
"Cold, my dear?" Az pulled her a little closer as he felt the vixen trembling.
"Ah, uh... j-just a little scared, I guess."
"Of course. This is a big change for you. But I promise, you'll come to enjoy it. There is no thrill like hearing a crowd roaring for your act."
That wasn't what was bothering her at the moment, but she appreciated the reassurance, nonetheless.
She blinked, elliptic pupils drawing together as they left the evening shadows for a well-lit pavilion. The various performers and workers were seated around a number of tables, either on benches or on the floor.
"Everyone, may I have your attention?" Conversations died down as the voice of the ringmaster carried throughout the tent. "As many of you know, I have been planning a girl show as a side attraction. Tonight, I have found my first candidate for the role of erotic dancer. I would like you all to welcome Carmen the vixen! Please make her feel at home."
So saying, Master Az melted back into the outside shadows, leaving the newly minted fox girl alone with all eyes on her. She took a deep breath.
Okay, I guess I choose a table... Looking around, she almost forgot to be self-conscious at seeing just how truly wondrous this carnival was. In addition to the centaurs and the lion man, there were several other half-beasts -- a large, somewhat feral-looking wolfman; a lithe panther woman; an anthro crocodile. There was a woman with four arms sitting next to a dwarf --the high fantasy kind of dwarf. Across from them was another woman sporting a beard nearly as thick as the dwarf.
Most stunning of all was a unicorn, sharing the table with the wolfman and a man Carmen thought was the fire eater.
She also noticed the male centaur and acrobat she had noticed earlier, the centaur kneeling on the ground. The female knelt by herself at another table. Nearby, two human-looking women -- trapeze artists, Carmen thought -- looked at her with friendly interest.