“Daddeh! Daddeh, daddeh, Daddeh! It bwyte tyme!” The bed shifted beneath him as little leathery hooves patted at his face gently, the voice ringing clear before his alarm had a chance to even go off.
“God- just a minute, Petunia-“
“But it BWYTE TYME! ‘Ou towd Toon’yuh to gib wakies dis tyme!!” Little hooves pawed at his face for emphasis. That’s right, how could he forget? He pulled himself up with a stretch, chuckling as his little pink Pegasus did circles on the bed, wings flapping. “Yay! Gud mownin, gud mownin!” She sang as he pulled himself out of bed, before pattering down the steps he kept by the mattress. It was Monday morning, and he worked at the local shelter. The reason his little fluffy was so excited was it was take your fluffy to work day. It was so the newer fluffies taken in could have something better to talk to than other shelter fluffies.
“Yeah yeah, cmon, silly thing.” He couldn’t help but smile as she pranced along, now humming with his phone in his mouth that she pulled from the nearby nightstand. Breakfast was uneventful, as was the ride to work. Petunia was very good, prancing along in circles around her bowl while she ate her food, only stopping to take another mouthful before prancing again. It was a miracle she could walk and eat at the same time. She didn’t do it often, really, only when excited. He took his time today, it was a long shift he was scheduled for, and he wasn’t particularly looking forward to that.
“Cmon now, box time.” He set the carrier down as he pulled on his jacket, kicking the door ajar
“YAY! Wub boxie!!” she trotted on in, nestling herself on the big pillow within. Normally he’d use a leash and harness but he didn’t quite feel like having to guide his wayward little mare along and risk her getting stuck somewhere today. She was good and patient to the ride to work, as she usually was, the only thing potentially grating was her excited singing over his radio, but she was just excited.
The shelter was a tizzy today, the shelter fluffies all riled up at the prospect of meeting new friends, the playgrounds outside open all day specifically to take advantage of the event. “Go along now sweetie, and be careful!”
“Otay Daddeh!!” and she was off, the little pink mare tottering onto the field eagerly to make some new friends.
“Toon’yuh gon hab Su much Fun!!” The day was bright and sunshiney and pretty, the grass bright bright green and the sky a beautiful blue, and Petunia was having the time of her life. She absolutely adored when her Daddeh brought her to his work. There were so many friends to make! big and small and nice and, well some mean, but that’s ok, not everyone could be nice, and sometimes not nice fluffies had their reasons. “Baww!!” She kicked the bright red ball that had tumbled at her feet, kicked her way by a big blue unicorn that almost too big to run, but she was having fun anyway. “Hewwo!”
“Hewwo! Sappy Wub ou’r fwuff!! vewy pwetty!!” she said without stopping, waddling along as fast as her heavy body could take her"
“tank 'ou! Toon’yuh Wub ou’r hown!” She complimented back without much thinking as she kept walking her own way, She just liked making other fluffies smile, especially “shelter Fluffies” as her daddeh called them. She wasn’t fully sure what the term meant, other than “special fluffies without mummas or daddehs” as her Daddeh had tried to explain. The thought of fluffies without mummas or daddehs made her sad, no fluffy should be without that! This is why she did her best to be nice even to the meanest fluffies. She looked around for any familiar faces this time around, wondering if any fluffies were still here from the last time she visited. She wanted to give them EXTRA love if that was the case, but there didn’t seem to be any familiar fluffies. She then decided to look for any fluffies not having any fun. It took her a while but eventually she found a little ruddy red earthie filly sitting in the grass by herself, quietly waving her hoof around a pretty flower idly. Her ears- or one ear, was low, seeming forlorn, and her eyes shifted about almost nervously from time to time, one of her back legs were missing.
“Hewwo?” Petunia started off quietly, remembering what her Daddeh told her about some Shelter fluffies. They needed to be treated kindly. The fluffy jumped with a start, hoof stamping down in the grass in surprise.
“Saffwon bein gud!!” came out of her mouth quickly as she sat bolt upright, ears to attention, before seeming to realize a fluffy was the one speaking to her “Oh, hewwo…” She was quiet again, eyes starting to tip down
“Ou’ Otay? nee’ Fwen?” Petunia lowered her head to the ground in attempts to keep a form of eyecontact, chin touching the grass softly. “huggies?” The filly shook her head, not particularly giving a strong answer. “oh, otay, den can Toon’yuh way hewe?” She stared, for a moment, before nodding. “tank 'ou!” Petunia laid down gently, the wind from her breath blowing the flowers about with every exhale.
“ou’ Wewcom.” The little filly seemed to calm a bit in her presence, after a time, quietly watching the flower waver back and forth with her. Petunia was ok with these kinds of fluffies, the shy ones. She didn’t have to talk so much to them, and they liked when she was quiet and calm, it was soothing. Petunia thought about what to say, or do, but sometimes the best one could do for another was just be, honestly, and the little filly seemed to at least appreciate her company in some capacity as she didn’t leave, only eventually laying beside her with a huff of her own.
“Saffwon miss Mummah.”
“Wha happun to ou’ mummah?” Petunia asked, not really thinking much on the question before it came out of her mouth. She really wished she did as Saffron bust into tears with little warning, covering her face.
“Huu! Bawkie Munstah Took Hewh!!” Well now she wanted to cry too, “D…Den Bawkie munstah Took Saffwon Eaw and Weggie! An- an Den Saffwon- Huuhuu!” Petunia wasn’t so sure if she wanted to hear more, her legs doing the one thing they were programed to do, hug
“sshHhh shhh, it otay, it otay, Toon’yuh hewe,” The poor little filly tried to stop bawling as she stuffed her face in her chest fluff, clinging on tight as her little arms could manage.
“h-Hhuu! T…Toon’yuh hewe…?”
“uh-huh! Toon’yuh hewe, it otay naow, ou’ otay, it gon be otay.” Petunia wasn’t sure exactly how she calmed down her little friend, but it seemed to work as she sniffled and sobbed, wiping her face with her hooves carefully. “ou’ wan sum Nummies?” this seemed to perk her up a bit more, still, thankfully.
“Nummies?”
“Yes!” She started to lead her new friend back to her daddeh. “Toon’yuh has Extwa Speciaw Nummies!”
