The next morning.
“Wake up!” Zhāng called out to his fluff entourage. Some were reluctant to move but all were interested as he rarely addressed all of them at once.
“Today we do new tradition. When I walk out, I take you with.” Lèsè snapped awake. going for a walk! that was exactly what she was trying to get for her children! a chance to get out! to escape!
“No can take all you. need only few. Lóng you come with me.” He cheered as he was called.
He loved daddy all the more after he gave him a name. Lèsè had tried to warn him not to trust it but that only soured their relationship. She had been the one to want human names for them and now that he earned one she wanted to take it away from him!
Lèsè sighed and vowed to try to get the rest out. Priorities first she subtly pushed Goldie closer to daddy trying to make sure he was spotted. He was busy eyeing lime who was sniffling around the door as usual.
“Lime you follow and…” He scanned the room and noticed goldie staring up hopefully. He had been a bit of a problem child and now he actually seemed excited to get out. May as well just to keep him out of trouble. “Goldie you three. The rest, you behave.” He left and lèsè hoped her children would find their ways away.
while zhāng’s away
Tangerine looked out from over the pile of pillows concealing him. Just ahead he saw his favorite sister blue. She cantered along chasing a ball and trying to corral it into place.
It was wonderful watching her in motion. She was so pretty and every movement had a fluid grace to it. He watched her flank as she slowed circling around to push the ball the other way. His own haunches raised and his tail swished. His butt wiggled back and forth in an excited manner as he locked in. He saw the moment she’d move the slowest and pounced. In two strides he impacted and wrapped his forelimbs in a tight hug.
“Tag! Yu it!” He yelled and dashed off. Another set of padded hooves pitter pattered behind him. He weaved left and right trying to shake her but she was more nimble and it only closed the distance. He saw a wall ahead and slowed to a skid trying to turn tighter. As his hooves slid she pressed in faster and grabbed him back.
“Tag!” She yelled. Even at a run her hugs were gentle and soft. She doubled back and ran off. He took off after her and she laughed with excitement. This was what he lived for. That bright laugh, that heart pumping adrenaline, That sweet scent.
She darted left and right jukeing him with each twist. He found it hard to concentrate and focused in too much on her. She seemed to move on a dime and always held the same rapid pace. He found greater pace but had to fight his own inertia to keep on track. Each time she twisted away from some obstacle her tail flicked and that sweet scent overtook him. It was an intoxicating sacharine affair. It was like mothers milk set out to spoil. It churned his stomache in a way that left him hungry for more.
He ran headlong into the wall and bounced off paying no attention to the bruises. She looked back with a little squeal of terror as he overtook her and wrapped around her. They wound up tumbling and he struck the far wall with no small amount of force as he carried them both down. She took a moment to uncover her eyes after the impact. He savored it and the feeling of warmth between them.
“Yu ok?” He asked concerned.
“Yus.” She admitted.
“Gud. 'Cuz yu it!” He yelled breaking off to tear across the room. He had learned her tricks and was avoiding any obstacles. With only straight lines he outpaced her easily and she was running ragged to keep him in sight. He darted back and forth only doubling back when he made a mistake. She panted heavily and was getting exhausted. He slowed a little to let her catch up. She collapsed into him with an exhausted hug.
“huff TAG… huff huff Bwue… huff got… huff yu.” She said feeling proud and victorious. Tangerine returned the hug.
“Yu did! Gud job bwue! Yu best at huggie tag.” They lay down entwined and exhausted. He stared at her plot with desire. The plot was definitely one of the best parts of her. She looked so soft and warm he could imagine using her as a pillow. The scent grew around them and filled his mind like a storm. He pressed deeper into her neck to get to it as some unspoken need rose within him. She giggled at the feeling.
“Siwwy bwudda. Dat tickews!” She looked to him. He looked up slightly embarassed but the shame passed. He gave a quick lick up her lips. It was a taste worth living for, a taste to die for. “Eeew, wha’ dat fow?” She pawed at her muzzle a second and looked to him for an answer. He didn’t speak only staring into her eyes as their noses drifted closer together. A tension hung in the air as they sat milimeters apart. Her eyes unfocused searching his face for meaning until understanding suddenly crossed hers. She lept up trying to be away from him.
“Tangewine nu! wha’ ‘bout wha’ Daddeh say?” She said astonished.
“Daddeh nu hewe wight now.” He said trying to nuzzle her. She bristled at the feeling.
“Mummah say Daddeh a bad daddeh. Can huwt fwuffies if bweak wuwes. Daddeh say nu speciaw huggies!” He turned her to face him.
“Tangewine nu cawe wut daddeh say! Tangewine fight daddeh an anyone ewse who twy an stop him! Fwuffies am s’posed to hab speciaw fwiend and tangewine goin’ tu!” She looked to the ground with a worried expression. On some level she seemed to understand how suicidal that sounded.
“If wan’ speciaw fwiend why nu ask Daddeh? If yu gud fwuffy Bwue suwe he get yu one” He licked a stripe of fluff between her eyes making her look up.
“Tangewine nu wan Daddeh fin’ speciaw fwiend. Tangewine wan’ yu, Bwue. Onwy Bwue.” She looked at him with watery eyes.
“Weawwy?” She asked with a cracking voice.
“Ob couwse dummeh.” He laughed. “Wan gib huggies, and heawt happies, an babbehs, an shawe aww time wif yu.” She tackled him and held him desperately tight.
“Bwue wan wun way wif yu tuu!” She cried. “Wan ou’ an’ wan’ famiwy wif tangewine!” She burried her face in his fluff and they hugged closely. He felt a growing warmth between his legs and she suddenly tore away to look down having felt it too. He burned with embarassment as he muttered his apologies.
“S-sowwy.” She seemed to blush just as hard and was gentle about it.
“N-nu. It otay. Bwue an’ tangewine can stawt famiwy eawwy.” She repositioned herself carefuly and slid down onto him. He was enraptured with a warm sensation and tried to move slowly. Her breath hitched with every little thrust but little by little she warmed up to the feeling and he was free to move. They quickened to a more exciting pace and the sound of “enf enf enf” bounced off the walls and pierced the space where soundproofing should have been. It bothered the neighbors into making their own desperate noises until the whole street echoed with howling and caterwauling. Their shared cries rose to a stoccato together until they cried out “gud feews” in unison. They sat panting a worn out mess and delighted in the feeling of each others embrace in the afterglow. She kissed him shortly, saying
“Fank yu speciaw fwiend. Can’t wait tu meet babbehs.” His mind raced with new unknown thoughts as it sunk in. She really was his special friend, and now she even had his babies for both of them. ‘Our babies.’ He thought. ‘My family.’ He fell asleep happier than he’d ever been.
on the sidewalk below.
“Wow! Wha’s dat obew dewe daddeh?” Lóng was already rushing off to find trouble. Zhāng sighed and followed hoping to instruct them before they scattered and got lost.
“Hello young sir! Pag pag?” The kindly shop keeper asked him gesturing to his cart. Zhāng lived far enough away from poverty to not see these merchants, but not by much. They were rarely spotted in passing as their services weren’t needed by those who could afford to live there.
“Can we twy it daddeh? Can we? Can we? Pwease?” Zhāng had no intent on eating it but dropped a few ten yuan coins onto the keepers stall. You never knew where salesmen like this sourced their food from. The street vendor smiled and ladled out a sickening collection of chunks drowned in a bright red sauce. Zhāng looked at the bowl as he set it down for lóng and saw a few familiar chunks of horn and udon. At least he knew where one source was though it was a cold comfort.
“Wong wub pag pag!” His fluffy companion cheered between mouthfuls.
“Anyone else?” He called to the other two.
“Nu daddeh. Gowdie hab kibbwe at homesie.”
“Then follow.” He said heading down the road before lóng could finish licking the bowl clean. “Stay off street. No make eye contact. No walk up to people. Absolutely no falling behind.” He instructed as the trio followed him.
It was a day off and he had plenty of time with nothing planned so little could actually go wrong but he still didn’t want them starting trouble. To their benefit the three were all on their best behavior. While the three did remember their mothers warnings to try to find new homes this new fun activity being introduced ensured none of them would actually want to leave as she had hoped.
“Why dewe su many peopwe?” goldie asked.
“They live here. They just go on their day like any other. You do the same if you want home tonight.” They thought that was silly but had no reason to disobey. they kept walking in an uneventful manner until they came across a man laying in the street. Zhāng made no comment as he stepped onto him and continued as though nothing had happened. The man groaned intensely as he made contact. Red paid no attention as he stared up at daddy trusting him to watch for him. The other two slowed to move aroung him and had to run to catch up. Lime wanted answers as she did catch up.
“Why nu hewp woad human? Hab huwties.” The answer was swift and uninformative.
“Do not help him. Do and you will find yourself without home.” Lime thought that was especially silly. Fluffies were always supposed to give hugs and help people! She doubled back to check on him. When she reached him she wrapped around him in a tight warm hug.
“What?” he asked suddenly dumbfounded.
“Fwuffy nu wan’ yu hab huwties. kno’ huggies make ebwyting bettew.” His arms slowly crossed over her holding her close. a smile slowly came to his lips.
“You… You admit guilt! I take you for everything you have! where you owner?” He demanded. She was confused and tried to let go. He grabbed her even tighter in a way that felt mean. He dragged her up the street as she tried to call for her daddy. When they caught up he refused to look at her.
“This you fluffy! She say it you!” The man screamed but he ignored him.
“Never seen her in my life.” he said without a glance. Goldie and lóng walked quietly, not sure what to make of it. Lime had broken the rules, but it seemed pointlessly mean to ignore her like this now. A pair of humans in blue uniforms approached from ahead.
“Aha now you see! you going to jail now!” He shouted with wild abandon and they looked to zhāng as he approached.
“What is troubling you?” they asked the hurt man.
“He fluffy run over me in truck! Admit to guilt!” He thrust the green fluff at them. The terrified girl stammered out a quiet “Sowwy.” as she still had no idea what was going on. They both put on expressions of pain at the paprwork about to land on them.
“Is this your fluffy?” they turned to zhāng.
“Can’t say it is.” He replied simply and cordially.
“I see you have two other fluffies. Is this yours?” They asked again. He looked at them and gave a charming smile.
“If I had two fluffies why would I take on even more? To go bankrupt?” He laughed. They seemed to think his logic sound.
“Sorry to take your time.” He apologized and turned to the injured man with fluffy in tow. “As for you, you no have owner. You can expect impeding justice charge in addition.” She was shocked. This couldn’t be how she found a new home. This was scary and hard to understand! She didn’t want this man for a daddy and he seemed worse than her old daddy!
“Wime hab daddeh! Come back daddeh!” She called after zhāng as he was rapidly fading into the crowd.
“Resisting arrest too!” The officer shouted as he struck her once knocking her out before she made the incident report even longer.
Zhāng kept walking, writing off lime as good as dead. A few minutes passed in blissful silence.
“Daddeh, am we gonna see Wime again?” Goldie asked. Zhāng decided he wasn’t taking whatever she’d gotten wrapped up in. On the slim chance she wasn’t found guilty he didn’t feel like going out looking for her either.
“No.” He said firmly. “Lime show weakness. Get hurt. Only hurt self helping her.”
Zhāng cut into an alleyway looking for a shortcut. He felt his hand tighten around the knife in his pocket as a shady man came out to greet him.
“Good work back there.” He sneered.
“No idea what you mean.” Zhāng lied. The man chuckled.
“Of course not. After all she’s not your fluffy is she? not to worry my lips are sealed.” Zhāng was feeling uneasy.
“what you want?” He demanded.
“If you don’t want to have to deal with such issues again I could register your pets under my holding company. We protect fluffies from any matter of legal trouble.” He gave a big shit eating grin and zhāng was suddenly struck with the thought that he looked like a greased weasel. This was no career criminal or desperate crook. He was a businessman.
Before zhāng even knew what was happening he had a fluffybaba contract laid out in front of him. He was no amatuer bullshit artist and rapidly found the obscure section where the salesman had hidden the great cost that made such contracts worthwhile. To his surprise it didn’t seem all that bad. Rights to take and sell any fluffy they choose to recuperate losses from defending you and your fluffs. He registered his remaining fluffs without fuss. you never knew when something small like that would come in handy.
back home
Lèsè paced in front of the front door. Despite wanting her babies to have a chance at leaving it still made her nervous not knowing exactly where they are. Minutes felt like days as she waited on them to return. By the time the door unlatched she felt like hugging her monster daddy. To her dissapointment goldie came back. He was still in danger.
Zhāng closed the door and lèsè realized only goldie and lóng had followed him in. She didn’t know numbers very well but she did know her colors.
“Daddeh whewe am wime?” She asked as he stepped over her. “Whewe am wime?” She repeated following after him.
“Wime gone mummah.” Goldie said quietly. She looked to him. He didn’t match her gaze.
“Wha mean gone?” He sniffled.
“Bad human take Wime away.” ‘From one bad human to another? How could this happen!?’ She thought. She steeled her nerves as she hugged her favored child. “Is ok gowdie. Mummah kno yu nu want Wime get huwties.” Lóng scoffed.
“Dummeh Wime desewbe huwties! Nu wisten tu daddeh an hug human. If human huwties human desewbe huwties fo’ bein’ dummeh. Bwue fwuff human gonna punish wime gud!” Lèsè blinked. ‘A blue fluff human? They did punish bad fluffies, and people too. They were supposed to be good humans though.’ She smiled more hopeful than she’d felt in days. ‘Lime is probably fine. What trouble could a fluffy get into for giving huggies?’
elsewhere
Lime was held in proccessing for a very short time. The severity of the case and the open admission of guilt in front of police made it a priority for completion. When faced with the concept of criminal charges Lime argued her case eloquently, at least by fluffy standards. She had apologized for any misgivings from her completely innocent attempt to help and evoked the concept of human decency asking if we should look down on our fellow man for their good will. This testemoney was largely struck from the record as nonesense and the apology was admitted as an admission of guilt.
For the injuries given to the man it was found he had been run over by a car, a moped, and a bus. As such she was charged with three counts of vehicular assault. For each of these counts she recieved an additional charge of operating a motor vehicle without a licence. As no sign of a helmet was found in the area she was charged with riding a motor vehicle without prerequisite safety equipment.
Given the widest track could only have been left by a public transit bus she was charged with impersonation of a public worker on her commercial licence and operating a commercial vehicle without a commercial licence. Once it was determined that they could not find registration to any vehicle in her name she was also charged with three counts of grand theft auto. When questioned on her past of thievery she once again apologized not understanding. She admitted to having stolen milk from her brother within days of being born hoping honesty would be rewarded.
They added a milk bottle theft worth 50 yuan from the corner store accross the street and a nearly priceless oil painting of leader Mao ze dong that dissappeared from the museum on that street six months prior valued 50,000,000 yuan, though the curator demanded death.
By the time sentencing was to be given she had inadvertantly admitted to a further count of impeding justice, resisting arrest, public defecation, six counts of contempt of court, mopery, and gross misuse of public resources for the time taken by the trial. She was sentenced to financial recuperation where she was taken in by fluffybaba. She was to serve as a breeder in their pens. Each of her male children were to be sold, and each of her female children were to be put into the breeder pens to work away the debt.
Her days were spent laid spread eagle on a wire rack. They were stacked nearly as tight as was physically possible pressed into from above and below. Her joints screamed in pain but as days wore on she lost all feeling as the nerves slowly died. She became a regular part of the wall one side only showing a sobbing head that could only beg as a putrid slurry was piped into her mouth for dietary and hydration needs, the other a brickwork of exposed genitals worked in a cold unfeeling manner by humans with turkey basters. The area was a hotbed of vinerial disease and before her first litter had been delivered she had each save the ones that would kill her and release her from this hell.
The employees were fair and just in their treatment. Each of her family members were recorded as was the debt. Though at first the debt only went up from standard interest, her victims lifestyle, and her own cost of living being added to it, the exponential nature of the setup soon overpowered her greivous debt and her remaining survivors were released.
When they were dropped outside on the contrete they screamed in the blinding light of the sun. Their eyes were adapted to the dark of the concrete structure with only minimal light peeking out from the few areas requiring human supervision. Those old enough they should walk soon found their limbs to be weak and useless. For some the endless pregnancy had balloned them into a seemingly impossible weight. For others the muscles and ligaments atrophed to nothing. Many of them suffered nerve damage and the new freedom they were afforded only informed them of their paralysis. Worst among them were the newborns who alone had no deformities to speak of and had a chance at normal fluffy life, if only they had a mother to care for them until they could see or chew solid food.
Scattered about the entrance like colorful shrubbery they were resigned to a terrible fate as they held no knowledge, no idea what real food was supposed to be, no ability to hide, to find shelter, to run. One by one they were carried off by wild dogs, hawks, or abusers.
Lime had died years before she was officially let go but her wishes of a better life for her children would only be afforded to those cute enough to make a profit. Though she was the first of her siblings to succumb to her fate she was one of the longest lived, her prison a relative mercy.
