A few weeks had passed since the ‘Lexi indecent’…
The first day back home, Clint and Oingo sat together on Clint’s recliner, crying. Clint held a half-filled bottle of Whisky in one hand, a small stick in the other…
But life goes on… Life needs to go on, for it to have any meaning. So Clint took some time back at home just taking care of his Fluffies,
Clint was finally allowed back after the cleaning crew finished and the scene was cleaned up, the house was surprisingly immaculate, besides the few repairs Clint had to deal with, broken window, the pens outside needing repairs, etc., etc. Clint had gone to a crematorium to help with the bodies of the departed, a large silver urn now sits on a table in the far corner of the living room, a special little place, just for them, all mixed together… Oingo likes to imagine Gwen and Brandy are hugging in the urn…
Clint wanted to bury them, but the police took a bit to long, forcing Clint to decide on the latter.
Clint decided to take care of each and every Fluffy he had. Giving baths, treats, the whole shebang. Marika was surprisingly tame during bath time, well, after Oliver joined her. The two were hitting it off pretty well. As Clint was suds-ing up Oliver, he noticed that Marika was staring at him.
“You wanna ask Oliver something Marika?” Clint said, a soft chuckle hiding behind his words.
Marika froze up as Oliver turned to her, his eye showing now that his mane was no longer a fluffy disaster, and slicked back for once, his single Golden eye looked back at the now sheepish Marika
“W-weww… M-mawika jus’ tink dat Owivah am g-gud fwuffy… A-an’ Mawika am gwad Owivah am bestes’ fwend…” The Usually stoic, now blushing Marika said, turning away from Oliver.
“Hehe~ Mawika wike Owivah, huh!” Oliver said bluntly, shocking Marika. “N-NU DUMMEH! Uh… Nu…” Marika replied, turning away from the Fluffalo.
“I don’t mid if you two like each other, and i don’t mind if you guys become special friends… But no babies right now, okay? Now is not a good time.” Clint said, his voice kind, yet somber at the same time.
“Otay daddeh… Owivah undastan’. Wite ‘Speshuw Fwend’?” Oliver said, wrapping a damp arm around the stuttering Marika. “N-N-N-N-NU EBEN SAY YUS! B-b-… Buh yus… Mawika undastan.” Marika said, the heavily scarred, Former Fem-Fluffy Fatal now reduced to a blushing mess… Cute.
After the baths Clint ordered food for himself, Donna, and the Fluffies. Pizza and Crazy-Bread for Clint and Donna, and Sketti for the Fluffies.
As Clint waited, the Fluffies all sat and talked, recounting memories of the departed, Marika closer to Oliver than normal. Donna showed up just after the food had arrived, bringing the now slightly larger white Unicorn foal with her, the same one from Clint and Donna’s first date…
“Hewwo nyu fwends! Name am Snowfwake! Su nice tu meechu! Heaw su muchies abou’ 'ou!” The little foal said, running up to play with the younger fluffies. “Shes been a sweetheart ever since our date… How you been Sug?” Donna said, bringing Clint in for a hug. “I’m… I’m okay. It’s just hard, Gwen and Chucks family were my first Fluffy family, well, the whole herd came home with me, but they said yes first. It’s… It hurts to see Chuck alone now, and the loss of Brandy has made Onyx, Oingo, Trotter all different, which… I don’t blame them.” As Clint finished his answer, he grabbed the nearest slice of Pizza and took a large bite.
“Listen, I know you have lost a lot, and that these last few weeks have been torture, I’m sure… But would it be a bad time to bring this up? I wanted to ask you about… Well, business.” Donna said, reaching behind her and grabbing a manila envelope.
“No it’s fine, keeps my mind off of things… What’s up, got an idea for the store?” Clint says, setting the pizza down and grabbing the envelope.
“Well, yes and no. I want to discuss the idea of… Well, a merger.” As Clint hears the word ‘merger’ he grabs and opens the envelope up revealing a large set of documents, all fastened to a Deed, for ‘Donna’s Done Deal Fluffies’.
“W-what?” Clint asked, holding the paperwork and deed in his hands. “I want to offer this as an idea. You take over my store, convert it into a mill, buy out every fluffy I have. You sell em, I breed em. You take care of the store, i take care of the shelter, slash, soon-to-be breeding mill. Every Fluffy that we breed goes straight to you, no dealing with Smarties, no Bitch-Mares, I will take care of them. That way, you can get away from the bad parts of this kinda job and just focus on the store.” Donna explained, grabbing a slice of Pizza.
“Donna, we-I don’t-how would we even get the license to run a mill? It’s super risky due to animal safety laws!” Clint said, still in disbelief of this idea Donna was considering. “Well I was planing on shutting the Shelter down after the last few sales went out, since I got a man who can take care of me and what not.” Donna says, getting close to Clint. “But I do love Fluffies, and I want to take care of them, so with your help, i can run an up-to-code mill, clean and safe, none of that “The Mill” shit like on Netflix. Sug i think we can do a great thing here, ethically raised and cared for Fluffies, shipped right to the store, and sold to the public, just like that!” Donna says, finishing her slice of meat-lovers pizza.
“I-… Are you sure you could handle that kinda stress?” Clint ask, setting down the documents, and beginning to hug Donna. “Sug, I may be a lotta things, but stressed is never one of them. So, what do ya think?” Donna says, snuggling into Clint.
“… Only on one condition…” Clint says, keeping Donna close. “What’s that Sug?”
“The merger to be finalized after you say yes to-… T-to marrying me…”
“Sur- wait what!” Donna said, looking up at Clint, face flustered. “Y-you h-heard me…” Clint said, equally flustered, yet trying to keep calm and cool.
“I-I don’t-I mean, of- This was no-” Donna stammered, only to be stopped by Clint kissing her. After a few seconds, and hearing Giggling and choruses of “Nyu Mummah!” coming from the kitchen where the Fluffies were eating, finally brought the two back to reality.
“… Y-you drive a h-hard bargain Mr. O’Connor…” Donna says, taking up another slice of pizza.
“Well, I’ve come to really enjoy your company… Also you are an absolute ‘Baddie’.” Clint says, doing visual finger air quotations.
Donna took a few seconds to try and understand the compliment, only to begin laughing like a madwoman. Clint soon followed her lead, and began to laugh. The Fluffies who were watching became confused, trying to figure out what was so funny.
“sigh… Okay Sug… Deal.” Donna said, slowly getting up from her laughing fit, snuggling up close to Clint. “Well, any ideas on a name yet?” Donna said, resting under Clint’s arm.
“Well… I was kinda thinking about-”
Two workers finished the touches on a bright Neon sign, hanging above the now, newly finished Fluffy Store.
As the the sign lit up, the two workers stood there for a moment, admiring their work.
In neon Yellow and Blue the sign read out as…
Uptown Fluffies
“This place is gonna be another flunk, I can just tell.” The Older worker says, lighting up a cigarette.
“You sure? I hear they don’t just cater to Hugboxers and shit, that second level is gonna be filled with 'sowwy toys!” The Younger worker says, doing a very decent fluffy-speak impression.
“Eh… Maybe, but i don’t get paid to worry about all that.” The Older worker says, puffing out a ring of smoke.
“Yeah, same here… Besides, there shit-rats, who’s gonna buy all that shit for em?” The Younger worker says, looking away from the ring of smoke being puffed out at him.
“Eh, who cares.”
As the two workers leave the construction site, a Fluffalo appears out of the darkness of the night, some Fluffies behind her. “Dis am gud pwace… Nee’ tu wait tiww nice hoomin comes hewe, den ask to stay… Aww mawes an babbehs gu tu sweepies! Toughies keep watchies and take tuwns sweepin’!” The FLuffalo Mare ordered, her toughies following her commands to the letter.
“Soon… Be gud pwace fow hewd… Be safe pwace… Be… Home.” The Fluffalo Mare said, standing watch as the mares and foals hunkered down for the night.
Congrats to them 
