Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy mid-week to anyone not celebrating anything. I appreciate ya’ll being as kind in my comments as you always are, I hope to come back to posting regularly some time next year.
- Maple
The last few fluffies of the holiday season got adopted one by one, leaving the store rather quiet.
A lazy grey stallion left with a man who smelled strongly of weed, happily debating where they should go to get munchies.
A red and green mare excited to learn that her new mummah would let her be a mother of her own.
The last micro in the bin left cupped in the hands of a teenager, learning the names of his new siblings.
A strange, forgetful mare adopted by a busy mother to keep her kid company while she worked long hours through the holidays.
Even the colt that chewed on everything, to the point of needing an entirely empty kennel so he didn’t need bits of fabrics and wood chips pulled out of his throat constantly found a home.
And yet, Toby still sat in his cage.
The young manager of the store felt a little bad for him. He was a sweet fluffy, maybe a little too smart for his own good but kind and obedient. It just seemed like no one could get past his colors. Neon blue was good, but his yellow-brown coat was just too horrid. Out of pity or maybe a sense of duty to the poor biotoy she stayed open much later than usual on the days leading up to Christmas. Maybe someone among the few buying last minute supplies or gifts would see how he could fit into their lives.
Just before midnight on the 24th, she decided to call it. If no one was going to come for him before then he certainly wouldn’t get adopted into the new year. Especially not after the first shipment of new fluffies came in.
And so, as she flipped the OPEN sign over to CLOSED, Maya decided to call it. To get it over with and go home to celebrate.
“C’mon, Toby, time to go.”
“…Otay.” he barely lifted his head.
She scooped him up in her arms, giving him a last hug rather than setting him on the usual rolling cart. Into the back room went the two of them, and Toby was deposited onto a metal counter surrounded by basic medical supplies.
“Just stay here for a moment, I’ll get you ready to go.”
“Otay, nice wady.” Toby said softly. “Tank’oo.”
The woman paused. “…For what?”
“Yu am nicey to Toby. Twy get housie fo’ Toby. Toby sowwy fo’ ba’ cowwow. Sowwy fo’ nu be wowf munnies.”
Her hand hovered over the pre-loaded injectors. The blue handled ones carried a mixture of vaccines, the red microchips, the black a cocktail of pain relievers and muscle relaxers that would send a fluffy gently to their death. No more painful than falling asleep, she was told.
“Toby… you were a really good fluffy. It’s not your fault.”
Toby didn’t reply.
“Do you want another hug before…?”
The fluffy nodded, holding out his hooves and biting back tears.
Maya held him tightly to her chest, letting him sob into her uniform shirt. All his work, talking to the customers and keeping his neighbors in high spirits, had made her a lot of money. People took home fluffies they didn’t initially want because Toby convinced them they were a good fit. Maybe his dogshit coloration made other fluffies look good by comparison, like that grey and pink one. It was such a shame to just throw him away.
On the other hand, it wasn’t like she could bring him home with her. Even if her apartment didn’t have a strict no pets policy, she spent at least 8 hours a day with these whining bastards, if she had to come home to one she would lose her fucking mind. No, there needed to be a strict work/life separation for her to be able to keep this job and her mind intact.
Having made her decision, Maya grabbed one of the auto injectors and pressed it to his shoulder.
“A little poke, okay? Then it’ll be done.”
Toby nodded, face still pressed into her now snot-stained shirt.
“One, two, three-” Pssht! “There, all done.”
She set the blue handled injector down, stroking Toby a few more times before setting him back on the counter.
“You did a really good job getting all those other fluffies homes.”
Toby nodded. “Dey guud fwuffies, Toby nu wan’ dem be awone.”
“It made me lots of money.” she said, “And I’d like you to keep doing it.”
“…Wha’?”
“You understand that fluffies are worth money, correct?” Seeing him nod, she continued. “When people sell fluffies for me, they usually get a little bit of that money for themselves. I want to give you that.”
“Buh… wha’ Toby du wif’ munnies in skettiwand?”
Maya smiled. “Well, I could still send you to skettiland if you want, that poke was just some medicine to keep you from getting sick. Since you did so good earning money I’m going to let you choose what to do with it.”
“If you want a home, with a family you could go back and wait for them. You wouldn’t cost any money now, so people would be more likely to want you. Maybe if you make a friend you could go home with them, people like their fluffies having a friend to play with.”
“Or, since you were so good at selling fluffies you could stay here. I’ll find space for you to live back here, you work for me and help fluffies get a home and I’ll give you some of the money you make to buy toys and treats.”
“Toby… stay hewe?” He asked softly.
“If you want to.”
“Toby wan’ stay!” he shouted, jumping to his hooves. “Wub tawkin’ to nice hoomans! Wub!”
“Alright.” She helped Toby to the floor. “Why don’t you go pick out a bed while I find a spot in the break room for you?”
Toby turned and hugged his new manager’s leg. “Tank’oo.”
“Of course, little guy. You worked hard, you deserve a reward.”
Maya smiled, watching him scamper out to the sales floor, wondering if the company made branded vests for fluffies.
