It seems like there should be little to vex a ghost. But for Casey Babilon, decades of living had resulted in one thing to constantly haunt (no pun intended) the ghostly mutant -- and that was the search for the perfect carne asada tacos. It may seem like a silly thing to obsess over, but when all one has is unlife and the landscape of eternity before you, there are some things that need to be obsessed over, lest you go insane.

Today, Casey had a hankering for some tacos. So, after completing a series of necessary message deliveries for the Syndicate, and clearing up a few personal matters that she would attend to later, it was decided that tonight was the night she would continue her ill-fated search.

There was just one thing she needed before she began her grand adventure -- the perfect body.

The park seemed like the best place to start looking. Though the ghostly woman was partially transparent thanks to her mutation, it would still set some people off to see one drifting aimless through the open air. But the park, oh that was the best place to pick up a body. There were loads of places to hide: high foliage for her to float through, thick bushes to peek from behind, and so many nooks and crannies that it should be simple enough to pick out a solitary soul for her to claim as her own. After all, this was New York and despite constant warning from authorities, there were still those people who were rip to be used as cautionary tales.

Dressed as she always was in her torn denim shorts, her loose gray top, and black leather jacket, the mostly transparent Casey drifted lazily from hiding nook to hiding nook. The park seemed fairly empty for this time of day, which was disappointing. She was looking to hit that taco trunk down the street before it left fairly soon. But, she didn’t want to pick just anyone. No, she needed someone she could feel good in.

Hrm, what was on the menu today? Drifting through a thick bramble of bushes, Casey surveyed her pickings: a fat guy in jogging clothes (and far too many sweat stains)? Nah, too smelly. An elite-type woman walking her yippy little dog? Nope, the dog would probably growl and yip at her the entire time. How about the tortured artist sitting under that tree and trying to draw the essence of a leaf? Hrm...nope, she’d want to slap the pretentious off his face. Hrm, there had to be…

”Ohhhh...hello gorgeous…” Casey whispered to herself. Through the thicket she spotted the perfect prey. She only needed to get close enough now...

Beneath a tree is a sheltered little copse, meters off the beaten path, the form of a fit young woman rested serenely. Her back was gently propped against the trunk of the tree and her hooded head reclined there as well. Jacketed arms crossed her stomach and her legs were straight and sure.

The woman’s eyes were shut, but had one endeavored to pry them open, they would have shown no recognition, for you see, the woman was not dead, nor was she sleeping. The lights were on, but nobody was home.

There was no cause for alarm, however. The body was just a shell, a vessel, currently unoccupied by its owner. At its side, standing vigil, was a young German shepherd, who was guarding his mistress’ body with fierce determination. He would maintain her trust in him - she could depend on him to keep her flesh safe while her spirit traveled. No human could get past his ears and nose, and even if they did, they’d have his teeth to contend with.

Meanwhile, the woman’s soul was carried along by another.

Up, down, up, down, left, right, jump, jump!

Singing from the cerebrum of one of the park’s resident gray squirrels, Elizabeth merrily clambered her way along bare branches of the trees, running about with the exuberance and freedom that only a squirrel could possess. And God knew Liz needed it. The semester had been rough and she’d volunteered to stick around at the mansion during the holiday break. But this was the weekend and she’d needed a break of her own.

Sometimes you really just had to get out of yourself, you know?

Oooooh, wasn’t this a treat. Casey looked through the bushes for a better glance and found a most delectable treat. A woman, blonde, was sleeping tenderly against the rough bark of a treat. Anyone asleep in the park was probably either homeless or after a death wish but to Casey it didn’t seem like the woman was either. Maybe she was some bohemian hipster trying to find artistic inspiration in the closest thing she could find to nature.

Silly girl. This will be a good lesson to not leave candy out for complete strangers to pluck.

For Cas, this couldn’t have been an easier score. Sleeping people were easiest for her to slip into. It was like sucking the meat clean off of a chicken wing. There was little to no resistance, just a continuation of a bad dream that they will wouldn’t wake up from unless she allowed it ( or 24 hours passed).

Mmm, the young blond certainly clicked off all the boxes of requirements that Cas had for body thieving: young, fit, and a pretty face. Those were her favorites to occupy as they tended to allow her to get what she wanted with minimal effort. Though she was not out to cause any mayhem, she was certain that with a face like that, she could get herself out of any trouble with but wink and smile.

Maybe a little upshirt surprise if she were truly desperate.

The dog was annoying but she could probably just manage to tie him and walk away. No muss no fuss.

With another cautionary glance, just to make sure no one saw a ghost apparition slip into an unsuspecting body, and Cas made her move. Slipping around the perimeter of the bushes, she peered out and waited until the most opportune time. The dog looked away, the woman was still asleep, and no one else was around. Perfection.

Like a morning mist over a hill, Cas drifted in an ethereal cloud towards the sleeping woman. By the time the dog would sense anything, the the ghostly mutant had already drifted over and slipped into the woman’s sleeping body.

Once inside, she grew outward like a germinating plant, uncoiling and filling the empty crevices of the unconscious body. It was strange, even sleeping bodies offered some initial resistance but strangely there this body seemingly had the doors wide open and the red carpet laid out. Hrm, must be a true dullard to not deny her access. Oh well.

With a gasp Cas opened her newly acquired eyes and sighed with satisfaction. She could feel the refreshment of blood flowing through her awakening limbs. With a curl of her wrists and arms, she purred sensually, arching her back as she sat up.

”Mmm,” she rolled her neck and grinned. ”This feels totally yummy.”

Zorro’s ear twitched and he turned to the sound. Mistress was...getting up? And making words. But not the right words she always said after her guarded sleeps. Something was different. Off. Seemed different too. Words weren’t sounding like normal. He looked at her curiously, before turning back to face away. Still sentry duty. Protect Mistress while she slept. Even if not sleeping. Confusion.

But the only person who could feel the confusion was off gallivanting in the trees.

Elizasquirrel was perched on a branch, a scant yard above a woman’s head. The woman was wearing a hat and sunglasses, a tank top, and a brightly colored gypsy skirt, with attractive but subdued jewelry. In her hands she had a book that she seemed to be engrossed in. Elizasquirrel was actually trying to read over the woman’s shoulder when she caught wind of something.

Something delicious. Something salty. Something heavenly! The squirrel didn’t even have a concept of heaven but it was now a believer!

And the woman behind the brain focused in. The reading woman had an open bag inside her very open purse. Liz recognised the smaller bag. Freshly roasted peanuts from a nearby food truck. The perfect treat on this nippy day, for human and squirrel alike.

Elizasquirrel decided the woman was about to become a very charitable person.

Quieter than a mouse (come on, all that squeaking and pitter-pattering? Puh-lease!), they dropped on the back of the woodens park bench and froze. The woman didn’t move. Liz mentally wiped her forward. Of course, the woman was on the page where the musclebound, burly pirate captain who hadn’t seen a woman in months finally told the stowaway girl how she could earn her keep and stay on the boat.

So while the woman read about the stowaway’s interview in becoming an apprentice ot the ship’s carpenter, Elizasquirrel struck quick as a wink and yanked the bag of peanuts out of the woman’s back, snatched it up with her giant teeth, and leaped off the back of the bench with wild abandon, spilling most of the peanuts as she scampered back up her tree.

Sitting up, Casey sighed luxuriously as she stretched and ran her fingers through her now blonde hair. It was surprising the number of blondes she was inhabiting. First Juniper and now this little snack? Maybe she was developing a type in her sixty years of semi-life. Ridiculous, to be honest, but even as the thought of Juniper came to her, she mused as to whether or not she could find the young woman again.

Thoughts for another time. As much as she wanted to look up that piece of sweet phasing ***, there were far more important things to do right now -- like get to that taco truck before it left.

Her gaze fell to the dog at her side. Hrm, he clearly was noting that something was different but wasn't making any moves to come after her. Good. She didn't need this body's overprotective animal barking up a storm and making everything more difficult.

With a sigh Casey stood up, stretched and glanced down to the beast -- to which she quickly shot a finger gun at. "Keep my secret and I'll keep yours, babe." After taking a step she turned back around and smirked at the dog. "Stay." she said firmly "I'm sure someone will come for you. Or live your life free. I don't care. No one should live tied to a leash. Catch ya later, furball!"

With a turn on the ball of her foot, Casey marched off with her new body and a whistle on her lips. Life was certainly good. Leaving random bodies around. The person who it belonged to was probably in a deep sleep as Cas still couldn't sense resistance. Hrm, maybe after she claimed her coveted tacos she'll have a conversation with whomever is in the backseat, or trunk in this case.

But that would be after she fill her stomach to bust with greasy street food. A song on her lips, Cas didn't look to see if the dog followed and instead simply skipped on her way, going so far as to slap the shapely, firm backside of as passing male jogger. She waggled her eyebrows at him then bit her lip with a little purr before turning around and movin on.

Ooooh, tonight was going to be fun. She could feel it.

Perhaps it was mean. Perhaps it was unethical. It was definitely theft. But it was also a squirrel taking a bag of peanuts. And honestly there were only about a dozen or so left now, really, the complaining, surprised woman still had most of them at her feet. She was just too finicky to pick ‘em up and eat them.

Well that was her problem. Elizasquirrel had peanuts.

From her height of safety, the squirrel girl folded the bag in half and curled the end up, which is the part she ended up clamping her massive teeth on. That should keep the rest of the peanuts there. Of course, this was probably worthy of being filmed by the victim of the theft, but Elizsaquirrel didn’t care. Squirrels pretty much all looked alike to humans and psychic possessors were as invisible as cancer.

Also, they didn’t care. They had peanuts.

Elizasquirrel decided those would be better enjoyed elsewhere though, so they fixed an image of a woman lying against a tree with a scary-but-also-friendly dog-beast standing guard. Normally the squirrel would’ve been in ten kinds of panic even thinking of that image, but the human was smothering those fears with overwhelming peace.

<<Shhh, it’ll all be fine. The dog won’t hurt you.>> The words were functionally meaningless, but the impressions conveyed alongside them were powerful. It was enough that the squirrel didn’t balk as the woman directed it to return from whence they came.

They began racing along branches, an arboreal highway designed just for their nimble little feet and boundless energy. On and on and on and on until

<<Where on Earth is my dog? And where’s my body?!>>

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Zorro was confused. A lot. Mistress didn’t stop sentry mode, but was leaving. Sentry mode meant guard Mistress as she slept, not walk around. That was different. But Mistress didn’t say to stay. So maybe he still go with her?

Maybe she had the no-good feelings. She’d need him then. Oh yes. He’d make her feel happy even if her body felt bad.

And so he followed her, confused but vigilant.

Oh. My. GAWD. Casey was all smiles as she marched down the path of the park. Wafting through the air she could already smell that tantalizing aroma of grease, meat, and tortillas. She made it in time. Emergency Nine Juan-Juan Tacos was still here! Mmmm, the ghostly body thief did a little dance on the pavement as she marched onward and spied the distant ambulance-painted trunk with the taco insignia on the side.

”Ugh! Yes! Yes!” she said in relief. Happy that she hadn’t missed her opportunity, she continued on her trek.

That was the odd thing about her abilities. When she was in her ghostly form, she had no sense of smell, taste, or touch. She could see and hear just fine, strangely enough, but lacking the others made her unlife just so...dull. When she first experienced life like this, it had resulted in many a panic attack, but she was a ghost, what was there to worry about? But, over time, it was a state she gradually grew accustomed to.

But just because she was accustomed to it didn’t mean she liked it. That was what made body stealing such a thrill. It was like shaking off a persistent numb spot. There was a momentary discomfort from pins and needles but eventually those were replaced by the sharpest return of senses. And that was intoxicating.

Her mouth salivated at the idea of those greasy tacos. She was just about to get in line when the sound of padded feet following close behind drew her attention. Turning, she spied that same German Shepard from before, obediently following behind her. She rolled her eyes. Great. She told him to stay but apparently he no speaky da english. If only she knew how to say it in German.

”Oh, come on, dog,” she grumbled. She started to move up the line. She was only two people away from taco-y goodness. ”Scat and begone, mongrel,” she proclaimed. When still the dog didn’t move she shook her head. ”You can stand there all you want but you’re not getting one of my tacos. Bad dog.” she said firmly. ”Go live free or something. I’m sure whomever your master is doesn’t want you as a burden when she gets back.”

Speaking of...again, it had been awfully quiet. Normally she could hear the sounds of the other conscious sleeping peacefully or could feel their resistances building. But that wasn’t the case now. Truthfully...she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. She moved up another space and a smile pulled at her lips. An living, uninhabited body. Oooooh! OOOOOOHHHH!!!!! T-This was just…way too good!!!

“NEXT!!” a voice shouted.

Jumping, Casey smirked and she marched forward. She had to think about this but first thing first -- TACO TIME!!!

Zorro stopped and stared at Mistress when she stopped and made more sounds. He resisted a whine. Only two sounds he knew. Bad dog. But...he wasn’t a bad dog. He good dog. Doing his job. Still on sentry mode.

Couldn’t she see he was good boy? There were even all these delicious, wonderful meat and food smells and he wasn’t even panting or barking. Just drooling, but mouth shut. He good boy! He prove it!

He stayed sentry, but now leaving more distance. Mistress not want him close by maybe?

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Elizasquirrel deposited her packet of purloined peanuts in the crook of a branch and the trunk of the tree and stared at where her body and dog had been. Concern fell upon her.

This was the right spot. It matched the squirrel’s memories perfectly from when Liz had first possessed it. Only two things were missing from it. Two very important things. Had somebody kidnapped her and Zorro?

Liz directed the squirrel to take them on a quick perimeter scout. Maybe this was a trick, or even a trap. She wasn’t willing to spring such a thing just yet

But her search turned up nothing. No people hiding closeby. No unusual sounds. She could hear far better than her human body could but the background noises of the park was all there was. No rapidly fleeing feet, nothing.

<<It’s not like I was gone long.>> At most it had been five? Ten minutes? And why hadn’t she heard Zorro barking? She had definitely remained in earshot for that exact purpose.

Nothing to do now but inspect the scene of the crime.

Elizasquirrel scampered down the trunk of the tree her abandoned body had lain against. They began sniffing around. They smelled the bark, the tree, the dirt, the clumps of snow still hanging around. They could smell the dog, and a couple of dogs that had been through earlier that day. And a fox, even. But no other people-like smells.

They scampered back up the tree to get a higher viewpoint.

There were tracks on the ground. The earth was still wet in places so there had still been mud. That’s why Liz had parked her body on a tree root just jutting off the ground itself. And she could see her and Zorro’s tracks leading there.

And then leaving.

She sniffed again.

Her body had just gotten up and walked away?

Okay, so things weren’t going exactly as planned. That was both a good and a bad thing. The good thing was that she was met with an unprecedented circumstance; this body was unoccupied. Cas had never run into this kind of issue before. There had been some bodies she had taken over where the mind was just so dimwitted that it was a simple enough affair knocking them out of place. However even in those instances she could feel their lingering presence.

But this was different. There was nothing here. It was like she walked into a house that was completely devoid of any furniture or any signs of another living person. The fact was that Cas had never run into a situation like this before so it was a little confusing on what she could expect. Would her timelimit still stand? Would she be kicked out after 24 hours? Or...was this it? Was this her new body now? She didn’t want to get excited at the prospect, but…what if this was it?

However, there was also the bad thing: that being that the ****ing dog wouldn’t leave her alone! The rest of her time in the line for the taco truck, Cas was annoyed to see that the dog was still faithfull there. He wasn’t barking or biting at her, which was good, but his constant vigilance was getting on her nerves. The last thing she needed was a tag along, especially if this was going to be her new body.

At least he wasn’t breathing down her neck anymore. After she had placed her order and managed to wrangle a free taco plate with a smile, a wink, and a promise of something more gratifying than money as payment, Cas stepped off to the side and towards a small brick wall where she could eat her tacos in peace. She had to hurry or she would have to make good on her promise to Alberto (ew).

Finally, she had her coveted carne asada tacos with onions, garlic, and hot sauce. But before she could even get one bite in, out of the corner of her eye she spied that dog. Still he was standing. Still he was watching. And she was getting peeved. Ugh. This is why she disliked dogs so much. Annoying buggers.

Plucking up one of her sacred tacos, she marched over to the dog, knelt down, and plopped it at his feet. ”There. Eat. Don’t say I didn’t give you anything.” she grumbled. ”At least you can enjoy this meal before I call the pound on you. Annoying dog.” Standing back up, she returned to her post, leaned against the wall, and finally took that coveted bite.

Orgasmic. It was the only way to describe it. Eyes crossed, a lewd groan on her lips, and Cas sighed through the mouth of this young blonde she was inhabiting. Really, this had to be one of the best tacos, like, ever. And she was going to savor it -- at least until that dog irritated her enough to find a phone and make do on her promise to call the pound. This was a one woman show after all!

Zorro kept checking on his Mistress, one ear continually tuned to her movements and sounds, occasionally glancing back with worried eyes. The confusion only deepend but a little bit of heartbreak was seeping in as well. This was new. He never felt these things around Mistress.

The Good Boy followed Mistress out of the crowd. Good. Easier to guard. And she made mad-sounding sounds at him. She dropped delicious smelling food and told him to eat. But...he couldn’t eat. Sentry mode. On the job. She knew that. She...knew that. Was this...test?

Zorro stayed vigilant, turning his back to her and staring out of the alley. Why was Mistress like this?


----------------------


Elizasquirrel crawled down the tree and stepped into her own footprint. Which was now large enough in comparison to fit her entire current body in. She inhaled deeply and let the smells suffuse her.

There. She smelled herself. It matched the squirrel’s memory banks from when Liz had lulled him in the first place. And Zorro’s scent matched as well. Squirrel were not as renowned as trackers as dogs, but they still had a sharp sense of smell. So now Liz’s only option was to follow.

Elizasquirrel sprang into action, bounding along the invisible scent lines, directing the squirrel to follow the trail above all else even as Liz monitored all incoming visual and aural data. It wouldn’t do to get picked up by a hawk, at least not yet. Liz wouldn’t risk a bird’s-eye view as long as the scent trail was working.

To many bystanders in the park, seeing a squirrel running around was something to ignore. Grey squirrels were everywhere, after all. To the few squirrel watchers, they would’ve noticed this squirrel was acting odd, running in its cute series of hops in typical squirrel fashion, but away from all cover and heading directly out of the park.

But nobody would hear what was coming from within that squirrel’s head.

<<Curse these tiny squirrel legs! Why do you have to be so much smaller than a human or a dog and have to run so fast just to keep up with a walking pace! Ugggghhhh!>>

Cas was done talking to the dog. Not only was she irritated that it kept following her but now it had the unmitigated gall to ignore a freely offered taco! Did that fleabag know what she had to do to get that taco? The things that she promised? The vile, depraved sins she said she would commit just for a free plate? She wasn’t going to do any of them but still! It was sacrilege to let a perfectly good and greasy carne asada taco go to waste on the ground!

But still, the dog persisted. As she leaned against the wall, starting on the second meat-packed corn tortilla, she could feel his eyes boring into her. And boy how much she despised him for it. How date that dog make her uncomfortable for stealing a free body that was just lying around unoccupied. Didn’t it understand the concept of ‘finders keepers’?

Bite! Unf. Stare.

She wasn’t going to let this dog ruin her night. Nope. Now when there was the very distinct possibility that she found an actual body to inhabit from here on out. She was going to finish her taco, walk back into that park, and find that fine-assed jogger and convince him to take her home to batter dip the corndog until dawn!

Yup. That was the plan. Nothing was going to deviate her from it.

It only took a few more bites to devour the taco. It was amazingly good. She half-considered going back for anothering one but when she raised her head, she caught sight of the cook in the food truck again. The sweaty, rotund man was picking his nose and, when he caught her look, blew a kiss and made a lewd, possibly illegal, gesture for what she promised to do. Urk. The taco almost came back up.

”Okay, time to go.” she said, crumpling up the plate and the foil. As waved and winked to the cook and, when he turned, she slipped away and tossed the trash into a nearby can. As stepped back into the park, ready to initiate phase two and find that jogger, her eyes settled back on the dog. She rolled her eyes. ”No. Stay.” she said firmly. ”Follow me again, I’m calling the pound.”

She nodded firmly, sucked the grease from her fingers and wiped them on her jeans. Now, where was Mr. Sexy Shorts? She had a workout in mind for him...

Zorro followed his mistress despite his breaking heart. He couldn’t stay. He had to follow, to protect. Sentry was top of everything. Nothing else. She didn’t make correct sounds!

He had to follow her out of the alley.

And Liz had to find her body.

Elizasquirrel made it to the street and sniffed around to catch her bearings. At least her body had not left anything behind, so Liz wouldn’t have to worry about going back for anything later. Unfortunately, her body hadn’t been left behind either.

And unfortunately being out of the park proper meant more people.

Dodge, scamper, scurry, sniff, flinch! Leap over the foot, sidestep that ankle, stay waaaay away from that dogwalker and send a blast of panic at the dogs just to be safe. The street was busy for the cold they were experiencing and it was ever so much more difficult for Liz to make her way toward her unknown destination. Fortunately the squirrel’s nose was keen enough to not lose track of the two-fold scent. From what they could tell, Zorro was right there with her body still.

Which still didn’t explain anything, but at least she wouldn’t need to track him down separately.

And then she ended up at a taco truck. The smell was strong there. Like a lot of time had been spent. It was also a much fresher scent. Liz rubbed the squirrel’s hands with glee. They were getting closer.

Liz was about to try breaking into the truck though when she realized the scent trail took off. And so once again, Elizasquirrel was off to find herself.