Your father is waiting for you to come home Miss Lucuques
Zeri pondered on those words, as she ate her breakfast. A short phone conversation she had with Ahris Uskaw last night. A simple conversation with no hints of aggression, yet behind this message, laid a reminder of underlying expectations and past promises that were waiting to be fulfilled. Her one year to find herself had already been completed and she had already been delaying it for a month.
Ariella had practically drilled it into her that Entepott was not worth passing this opportunity. An opportunity that most would dream of, and though Zeri knew that this opportunity would still be there no matter how much she delayed, she couldn’t help but feel that it would be disrespectful to both Ariella and her family to just keep delaying this. She knew that she would eventually have to leave Entepott sometime soon.
Yet at the same time that in itself filled her with guilt. Knowing that she would have to abandon boss and Emi. Leave them to run the shelter on their own. She knew they could handle it, but for how long, and how hard would they have to work to cover the missing manpower. The idea that they would be struggling with greater work loads, while she moved to greener pastures. It didn’t feel good.
It didn’t feel good to stay. It didn’t feel good to leave. So what was she supposed to do?
Zeri sighed.
She didn’t know.
What was right, as both options felt wrong.
Zeri made another frustrated sigh and looked at the clock, 07:22, she needed to get to work.
She took a quick shower and quickly changed, before heading down and catching the bus.
The bus ride was quiet, yet Zeri’s mind was anything but. A chaotic mess of clashing guilt, atop the stress of dealing with a shelter filled with noisy, whiny Shit Rats, and amidst all that a fear that Ariella and Emilia would be unable to deal with the extra workload. After all, they all had their roles.
Ariella was the boss. The one who took charge, did all the behind the scenes managerial tasks, the duties that needed to be done and such. Emilia was the Fluffy supporter. The one who cared and guided the Good Fluffies. She was the abuser. The one who did most of the hurting. Killing the Shit Rats. Skinning them. Cooking them up. Boss and Em did it from time to time, but could they handle it all the time when she left? The idea of Entepott collapsing from that, because Zeri had abandoned them. However, at the same time, Zeri found it hard to believe. Both of them were strong, tough and adaptable. There was no way something like that would bring them down, right?
Zeri grimaced.
The bus ride was only supposed to be ten minutes, but it felt so much longer, as Zeri mulled over the problem. She had to wonder if this was how Fluffies perceived time?
Eventually though, she reached Entepott Fluffy Shelter and she stared at the building that she practically spent most of her time in these past ten months. A large red-brick structure. Two-storeys high. Old yet sturdy. There was beauty in it. Something Zeri had never really learnt to appreciate until now. Behind those thick walls laid good memories, both good and bad, moments that Zeri would never forget. Or at least, she hoped she would never forget.
She would have spent more time admiring the exterior, but she noticed three people standing in front of the door. A man and two women. None of them looked familiar, but one of the women was staring at her intently.
Zeri gave her a weird look, and the woman approached with a smile.
“You’re one of the people working at Entepott, right?”
Zeri nodded hesitantly.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
The woman suddenly looked awe struck.
“Oh my god! Is it true? Entepott is only run by three people?”
The other woman stepped forward excitedly.
“Is it really true that you also have working Fluffies?”
Zeri looked at the two in confusion. Where were they getting this information? The man seemed to realize and he stepped forward with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, we’re not here to judge. It’s just that we heard about Entepott Fluffy Shelter from Shelter Mindset and he was talking about Entepott having Fluffies help around and still managing to run despite only having three people. We seriously thought he was being dramatic and since Entepott Shelter was nearby, we kind of wanted to verify”.
Zeri gave them another confused look. She had no idea what they were talking about.
“Um… sorry, but what exactly is Shelter Mindset?”
The three people gave her shocked looks, as though this was supposedly common knowledge and Zeri could do nothing but make a nervous smile.
“Wait so Shelter Mindset never visited your shelter?” One of the women asked.
“Um… not to my knowledge”.
The other woman got her phone out and suddenly showed her a picture of a man. Zeri stared at it carefully. The man looked familiar, and it only took a second for Zeri to realize why, after all, hardly anyone visited Entepott beyond the few regulars. This guy in particular came with Karen. Friend of a friend or something like that. Thinking about it, she did remember that boss had mentioned that the guy was touring the shelter for his channel. She had forgotten about that.
“Oh!” Zeri exclaimed “Him. Yeah he came by like a week ago or something. Ah, I didn’t realize that was his channel, I didn’t get a chance to talk to him”.
They all made understanding nods, before turning to each other with relieved looks and talking about how this Shelter Mindset was a legitimate Hugbox streamer. Zeri didn’t get it, but she did get that she had been standing here for five minutes, and currently three potential owners were standing in front of her.
“I don’t know much about this Shelter Mindset person, but you are more than free to tour Entepott and form your own opinion, as well as take a look at our Fluffies, as we have plenty of Good Fluffies looking for good homes”.
The three seemed embarrassed, before one of the women stepped forward.
“Sorry about that. We’d love to tour Entepott shelter”
“And see the Work Fluffies at work” The other woman added.
“If it’s not too much trouble” The man added.
Zeri smiled politely.
“No trouble at all. Our Entepott Helpers will be running their class in the morning, but before that, please be aware that we are no longer a Hugbox shelter. We hold a significant portion of our… Fluffies in… uh…”
“We’re aware of the Shit Rats, Shelter Mindset did mention your ranking system and believe me, we have no love for those entitled pests”.
Zeri made an internal sigh of relief, and smiled as she ushered the trio in. Past the empty reception hall and into the housing area, where the Good Fluffies were already walking to the playroom for morning good Fluffy classes, Emilia was watching over them and looked at Zeri, or rather the trio behind her, in surprise.
“Uh… these folks want to see the Entepott Helpers teaching the Good Fluffies. Where’s boss?”
“Right here Ze” Ariella said, as she came in from the kitchen “I don’t see any problems with that, and if there are any Fluffies that catch your fancy, please feel free to interact with them and get a feel. Even if you’re not looking to adopt, I’m sure our Fluffies would love chatting to some new faces, and I’ll ask my staff to accompany you. Just to keep the Fluffies settled in case they become a little too excited. I hope you understand”.
“Of course of course” replied one of the women.
Ariella turned to Emilia, who nodded. She ushered the trio into the playroom as the last of the Fluffies entered, closing the door behind them.
Zeri turned back to Ariella, who held a small smile.
“Let me guess” Ariella suddenly said “Did they hear from us from Shelter Mindset?”
“Yup, apparently it was the Karen’s friend’s… friend or something?”
Ariella grinned.
“Ah fuck yeah” she muttered softly “His name is JJ, apparently quite famous”.
“Never heard of him”
Ariella chuckled “Me neither, but apparently he’s famous in the online Hugbox community”.
“Well now I know why I never heard of him, but how did he hear of us? Karen?”
“Nah. He said he only learnt of Entepott thanks to that video of Tar, and I don’t know how Karen got involved, but thanks to her he gave our shelter a visit”.
“And he made a video about us? I didn’t see him filming”.
“Kind of. He only filmed a bit of the playroom and the housing area. The video was mainly an analysis of the Tar… incident, like pointing out things we did right, like how quick all the Good Fluffies were to follow orders or how quickly we took control of the situation and the Entepott Helpers helping with clean up after”.
“Wait you’ve seen his video?”
“Yeah, it was posted three days ago. I’m pretty sure I mentioned it”
Zeri gave Ariella a blank look before changing to an embarrassed look. She didn’t remember that. Ariella just chuckled.
“It’s fine. I honestly didn’t expect anything to come out of it, but the trio is a good sign. Hopefully more good things are coming to Entepott”.
Zeri nodded in agreement, but again this feeling of guilt. The responsibility of fulfilling her commitments to her family in conflict to the responsibility she had to her friends. The guilt of abandoning boss and Em. Letting down the two, just when things might be starting to look up. More work. More responsibilities. More burdens.
She hated it. She hated thinking about this. She hated feeling like such an asshole. So she excused herself, heading towards the kitchen, but Ariella suddenly held her shoulder.
“No more kitchen duty for you Ze, Em and I need to get used to prepping the Shit Rats for meals now. Don’t think that I don’t remember that your free year is already up”.
A small smile crept from Zeri’s face. Of course boss would know. She was perfect that way, yet Zeri felt this small feeling of sadness. This idea that she was already been replaced so to speak. Forgotten, though she knew that boss was just being prepared. However, she must have been making a face, because Ariella looked at her with a sympathetic smile.
“Hey don’t be so glum, Ze. We can handle it, and besides the cooking process is a lot cleaner now that we have YOUR meat grinder”.
Zeri grinned.
“Think of it is a parting gift to you and Em”
“Hah! I very much appreciate that Ze, but please try not to give anymore gifts afterwards. I’d rather you focus on your future once you leave Entepott, okay?”
Zeri nodded. Not much out of agreement, but just to put Ariella at ease. However, it would seem that she could see through the facade.
“I’m serious, Ze. No more gifts, please. It’s not about making Entepott sustainable. I just don’t want you constantly focusing on us, when you should be focusing on yourself, okay?”
Ariella was giving Zeri a rather serious look. The kind that told Zeri that this was no joking matter, so Zeri just made a solemn nod.
“I… Okay boss”.
Ariella smiled and punched Zeri playfully on the shoulder.
“I’m gonna miss you calling me boss though. By the way, when exactly are you leaving? You said in a month, roughly a month ago”.
Zeri froze. She hadn’t expected that question, and looked around shiftily, causing Ariella to make a small sigh.
“You’re delaying it again?”
“Uh… kinda? But I don’t think I can for very long, Ahris talked to me about it last night”
“Ahris?”
“Oh!.. uh… Ahris Uskaw, he’s kinda like this guy who helps my family out with all sorts of things… I guess, he’s kind of the family butler… so to speak”.
Ariella grinned.
“Family butler huh. Sometimes I forget how rich you are”
“Wait, you mean you don’t have a family butler as well!?”
“No I do, my family butler is at home tending to my vineyard”
“Oh your vineyard huh? What do you grow?”
“Primarily bullshit but the occasional malnourished grape”
The two laughed, before Ariella made a small sigh.
“Seriously though Ze. If you need to go now, don’t hold back. Me and Em can handl-”
“I don’t… uh… I mean I don’t have to go right now. I’m not delaying. It’s just like… I’m moving, so I’ll need to pack and get my affairs in order and…”
“How long do you think?”
“Maybe… I think Ahris… well I guess my dad would be okay with… at least two more weeks”
Ariella nodded with a small smile.
“Good. Then we’ll hold a goodbye party in two week, okay?”
Zeri made a grateful nod, though the feelings of guilt still racked her heart. Ariella just smiled.
“Now, back to work. I’m kitchen, you help Wimpy, Tanner and Buggy with cage clean up”.
“Aye boss”.
The two split ways. It was time to go back to work.
Emilia was in the office, munching on fast food with Zeri and Ariella. Just another one of their usual dinners / end of day meetings, but it felt different. So many things were happening today that it was hard to know whether to be happy or sad.
That video by Shelter Mindset was really doing amazing work promoting Entepott, because they had gotten so many visitors today. The trio in the morning, followed by a couple at noon, then a family later in the afternoon, and finally two separate people near closing time. It was the most visitors she had ever seen in Entepott in a single day and luckily none had come to criticize Entepott and their new practices. In fact, she had seen nothing but respect and understanding.
Better yet, three Good Fluffy foals had managed to find a good home. The couple had adopted two foals and the family had adopted one. It was honestly astounding. She had always known about influencers, but to actually see how powerful the words of one individual could be. How it was able to affect the perspective of so many people. It was both amazing yet concerning, but in the end, Emilia was grateful.
Hearing such kind words from other people was honestly refreshing after weeks of those Fluffy lovers calling her, Ella and Ze monsters and psychopaths. Calling Entepott an abuser shelter amongst more harsher things. It really did hurt. The insults. The way these people would ignore their struggle and show more sympathy to all the Fluffies. If it was just the Good Fluffies, then maybe that was okay, but even the Shit Rats? That really hurt. Still, a part of her knew that she could not truly criticize. If it weren’t for Entepott, she probably would have been the same. It made her feel ashamed, and it was not the only thing she was ashamed about.
Ella and Ze had been talking about it. Ze’s imminent departure. Two weeks at least? Ze was being vague about that, but it was clear that she was leaving soon. Very soon. Emilia didn’t like it. In fact, she hated it. She didn’t want Zeri leaving at all, and that was what made her so ashamed. She knew that Zeri had to leave. Better opportunities awaited. Zeri had a bright future, but not here, not in Entepott Fluffy Shelter. Yet a big part of her wanted Zeri to say, but she knew that she was being selfish.
Emilia took a big bite of her burger as she listened to Zeri and Ariella converse. They were talking about Harrison. After he left Entepott, he apparently started working at a farm and he heard what Entepott was doing. He wanted to help and said that the farm owner was willing to buy Fluffy feces as fertiliser. The question was what to trade the feces for.
Ze felt cash was best, but Ella was thinking grass clipping and near expired farm produce. The two were discussing merits and demerits, when both suddenly turned to her.
“What do you think Em?” Ella asked
Emilia thought about the matter carefully.
“Fresh farm food for our Good Fluffies would be nice” she replied
“Yeah but money would give us more options” Zeri countered.
Us? That word irked Emilia slightly. Us?! How could Ze say us when she was soon leaving. Soon abab-
That feeling of annoyance quickly turned to shame, as Emilia felt a wave of guilt wash over her. How could she think that? She took another bite of the burger, trying to reflect on the taste in a bid to get rid of her discomfort, but it did little to staunch her self-loathing. This hatred for thinking so selfishly, when she should only be wishing Zeri good luck, yet at the same time, she really didn’t want Zeri to go. She didn’t like talking about this, so she just focused
“Won’t we just end up spending the money on food anyways?” Emilia replied “Plus isn’t the kibble deal temporary? Wouldn’t it be better to secure a new source of food supply?”
Ariella nodded in agreement.
“Em has a point. We need to secure a new food source and trading Fluffy feces for grass trimmings and food produce instead of cash, might work in our favor. Instead of spending money on kibbles, the farm can just give us the greenery and farm food that they were planning to get rid of”.
Zeri looked up in thought before nodding.
“Yeah actually that’s a fair point. I guess trading for food would be the better option. Did Harrison say if they also sold animals?”
“Huh? He didn’t mention… Why?”
“Well like if they, maybe they can give us some animal fat or something, stuff to really plump up the Shit Rats before they go into the meat grinder”
Ariella raised an eyebrow and nod slightly.
“That… actually isn’t a bad suggestion”.
Zeri grinned triumphantly before munching her burger, and Ariella chuckled before doing the same. Emilia watched with a small smile, as she ate some of her fries, but that smile soon faded. She really didn’t want Zeri to go. Moments like these were the reasons why. This feeling of comfort. Solidarity. The three of them against the world. Running Entepott completely in sync with three different perspectives. Emilia with the Hugbox mindset, Ariella with the more neutral take, and Zeri with the Abuse perspective. It really felt like Entepott could not survive without all three of them.
Emilia had to wonder if they could really make it work. Just Ella and her, and a thought occurred.
“Can we even handle it though?” She asked allowed “Like we’ll have so much work, and adding waste collection. Can two people even handle it”.
An awkward silence prevailed and Emilia noticed the guilty look on Zeri’s face. It made her feel horrible. It felt like she was guilt tripping Zeri when she should have been seeing Zeri off with a smile.
“Sorry” she said with a shameful look “I… I didn’t mean it like that”
“No!” Zeri replied “It’s fine. I get it”.
Emilia looked at Ariella, who had a serious look on her face.
“Boss” Zeri said “I can stay longer in En-”
“No” Ariella replied flatly
“Bu-”
“No, Ze. I’m serious about you needing to focus on your future and Em, I get your worries, but trust me, we will definitely figure something out”.
Emilia nodded silently, but she wasn’t exactly hopeful. She wanted to believe Ella, but a part of her remained skeptical. Part of her felt they wouldn’t be able to properly run Entepott, then what. What would happen to Entepott and what would happen to the Good Fluffies? She had her doubts, but waved them away as she noticed Ariella looking at her with a serious look.
“To be honest though Em, we need to talk about you as well” Ariella stated
Emilia looked at her in confusion.
“Talk about what?”
“Your plans. We’ve started making some money, but not enough to even give you min wage a-”
“You can’t seriously expect me to leave, especially now that Entepott is starting to do well”
Ella frowned slightly, shaking her head.
“Em that’s not we agreed upon, and how much do you have in savings exactly?”
Emilia thought about it. Not much honestly. Maybe enough to survive a few more months, but what about the Good Fluffies? There was no way Ella would be able to maintain Entepott just by herself. She would most likely have to shut down the shelter, but then what about the Good Fluffies and Entepott Helpers, were they gonna lose it all, just when things were looking brighter and Entepott was getting a lot of love and support.
Love and support? At least five people had just come in to watch the Entepott Helpers work today. Taken time to come here just to watch some Fluffies teaching. Could there be more? People willing to do more than watch?
“Wait!” Emilia exclaimed “Why can’t we advertise that we need volunteers?”
The look of surprise from both Ella and Ze, hinted that neither had even considered that and then Ariella broke into a smile.
“Em you’re a fucking genius!”
Ariella grabbed her phone and started texting someone while Zeri gave Emilia a high five. This feeling of hope, yet Emilia couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t going to be the same, not without Zeri. Still she should have been seeing her friend off happily, so Emilia tried her best to smile.
“I hope things go well for you at your… uh… new job” Emilia said softly.
Zeri stared at her blankly, then sat next to her with a grin.
“Ah geez Em. I can really feel your enthusiasm” Zeri replied in a teasing tone.
Emilia blushed and turned away, causing Zeri to chuckle. Ariella was on the phone now. Talking to someone. It seemed to be Karen. Emilia made a small smile and looked at Zeri sheepishly before scooting closer and resting her head on Zeri’s shoulder.
“I… I really do hope you do well… but I’m not gonna lie. I’m really gonna miss you”
Zeri made a small smile.
“I’m gonna miss you too Em” She replied “I’ll try t-”
Suddenly Zeri paused and her smile turned into a grin.
“Boss! I’m altering our deal” Zeri suddenly stated
“Huh?!”
“I won’t leave until you and Em have at least two volunteer staff”
“Huh!?… No!”
“Ey boss what do you mean no!?”
“I mean no. You should focu-”
“Don’t give me that, we should be focusing on Entepott. It was already hard with three people. How much more with two, right Em?”
Emilia looked at Zeri in surprise, then turned to Ariella, who was shaking her head in disapproval with a frown. She didn’t know what to say, so she remained silent, and Zeri pouted slightly.
“C’mon Em, you seriously don’t have anything to say? Zeri asked
“Zeri!” Ariella exclaimed in annoyance.
“Boss!” Zeri countered “Em should get a say too, after all Entepott only survived thanks to ALL THREE of us!”
A small feeling of elation. The realization that though Zeri was leaving, she had not truly abandoned Entepott, Ella and herself. A feeling of guilt. Joy. Agreement.
“Honestly, I agree with Ze” Emilia stated firmly “Three is already tough. Two will be extremely difficult, and if Ze leaves before we get volunteers, then we’ll also have to add training along with our workload. With Ze still here, training would be manageable at the very least”.
“Em, but…”
“Also like you said, we should address me in Entepott, like what happens if the government fund isn’t enough to cover a basic salary”
“Well you have to go then” Ella responded “You need to focus on yourself and…”
“Do you really think you can handle this all on your own?” Emilia countered.
“Well I’ll have volunteers… hopefully”
“Volunteers aren’t full time though”
“Plus I don’t think they can handle the gritty stuff we do” Zeri added “Do you really think these volunteers would be okay skinning and turning Shit Rats into Shit Rat feed?”
Ariella was silent. She looked annoyed and confused. She had a small frown and tapped the table slightly with her finger, in irritance.
“God help me, why are you two so stubborn about staying? This place is not worth ruining both of your futures over”
Zeri made a shrug, and Emilia could not help but grin. Truth was, she wasn’t so sure why she was so stubborn about staying. She could have said that it was for the Good Fluffies, but that wasn’t it, not fully. A feeling she could not quite explain. Satisfaction. Solidarity. Sincerity? She really wasn’t sure, but she felt happy, and she felt that if Entepott was gonna fall, they might as well take it in stride.
“I think… if we land in a situation where it’s only Ella. I think we… well I think we should all stay for one more month”.
“And do what exactly?” Ariella asked with a displeased look.
“Well… we spend the month preparing for Entepott to shut down…
The surprised looks from Zeri and Ariella were amusing. She understood why, but she stood by her statement.
“… I think, if we land in that situation, then it’s better for us to shut down Entepott with our heads held up high, instead of Ella closing it down due to burnout or some other bullshit forcing closure”.
“What’s… what’s on your mind?” Ariella asked with a more neutral look.
“No more intake. Kill all the Shit Rats immediately. We put all our focus on the Good Fluffies we already have and try to find them good homes, the Entepott Helpers included”
“We do have a platform to advertise this” Zeri added “I’m sure people are more willing to adopt if they hear that Entepott is shutting down”.
Emilia nodded in agreement and noticed Zeri standing. She stood alongside her. The two of them stood tall in solidarity. Ariella didn’t look displeased anymore, she had a small smirk and was shaking her head in disbelief.
“Okay okay” Ariella said with a sigh “Sheesh you two, are acting like I’m the asshole. I’m just doing what I think is best for both of your girls, but… like you both said, it would be unrealistic of me to think can handle Entepott on my own… even if we get volunteers, so… if we get at least two volunteers and at least a basic salary for Em, then Zeri, you move on. Agreed?”
“Agreed” Zeri replied
“And if we cannot meet those requirements, Ze and I stay for one month and focus on preparing Entepott for shut down and find good homes for the remaining Good Fluffies” Emilia replied.
Ariella nodded in agreement, and stood up with the two.
“There. I’m standing. You two happy now?”.
Emilia broke into a grin and Zeri did too. The atmosphere felt lighter now. Happier, and Emilia felt at ease. They all sat back down, and three nodded at each other silently. A quiet agreement on plans for the future. Now they could focus on the present. Focus on their meals.
For Emilia, there was no more inner turmoil. No more struggles. Just calm and an acceptance for whatever would come.
She finally found peace.
“I can’t believe I’m having dinner with an online celebrity”.
Ariella looked at Frankie, the sales representative for the distributor that sold the shelter their Fluffy-related supplies, who was looking back at her with a cheeky grin. She stared back at him with an unamused look, before giving him the middle finger, causing him to laugh.
Online celebrity. God that made her cringe, and in the end it was just one video.
An interview with Ariella Orisa, owner of Entepott Fluffy Shelter, hosted by Shelter Mindset. His idea. Give his audience more insight as to why she was doing this and make her feel more relatable, as well as a message to the viewers, asking if anyone was willing to volunteer, as Entepott needed it.
It was crazy how quick it all went. She had asked Shelter Mindset for help. He came up with the idea. Next day, he was at the shelter. Set up a face to face interview at her office. It was intense, but it was no more than two hours. Two days later, he posted the interview on his channel. Now, one million views already. That classified as an online celebrity in Frankie’s books. God that word made her cringe.
She shook such thoughts aways. She should focus on the present. Focus on Frankie. He had invited her for dinner at this classy I-Taliean place. Typical sales protocol, meeting their clients for dinner. Or at least that was what he said. She had her doubts. After all, Entepott did not exactly seem like the kind of clients the distributor cared about. Still it was nice to catch up with an old friend.
“How you been Frankie?” Ariella asked with a small smile.
Frankie chuckled.
“Same as always. Work. Work. Work. My ma’s been on my case. When I’m gonna get married. Give her grandkids. Yadda yadda”.
Ariella grinned.
“Guess we’re on the same boat Franks. My mom’s been on the same case too”.
Frankie laughed.
“Ey times a changing, it ain’t cheap to raise a family and everything else is getting expensive… Ah, but they don’t get it”.
“Plus the time” Ariella added “Forget a family, don’t even have time to go on a date”.
“Hey, we’re on a date aren’t we Ells?”
“Oh? Is this what this is? I thought it was just a client catch up dinner” Ariella replied with a mischievous grin.
Frankie chuckled.
“Ouch Ells, you wound me, but I suppose I did dig my own hole when I said didn’t I?”
Ariella chuckled in response.
“That being said, I’m very much enjoying myself”
Frankie beamed, as the waiter arrived. Dinner was here. Spinach penne for Ariella. Seafood risotto for Frankie. A parma ham pizza to share. A glass of sparkling water each. No spaghetti. Never spaghetti. With the amount of Fluffies would demanding that particular pasta, it was essentially traumatic for Ariella at this point. Good thing there were so many other pastas out there.
Ariella took a bite of her penne and Frankie took a bite of risotto. It tasted good. It should be, after all this place was one of those restaurants rated highly by the tyres guy.
“I honestly can’t taste the difference” Ariella suddenly whispered.
“Me neither!” Frankie replied with a laugh “Fucking ay Ells, we’re just a pair of uncivilized bumpkins ain’t we?”
Ariella laughed, and the two continued their meals.
The pleasant sound of classical music filled the air. She might not have had the taste buds to properly appreciate the food, but she could definitely appreciate the decor. Not some gaudy gold restaurant, but one with a more humble, homely vibe. Orange bricks alongside beige painted walls. Photos of customers and traditional towns adorned the wall, with wine bottles and trinkets lined up on various shelves.
It was refreshing.
“Thanks for inviting me” Ariella said with a warm smile “It’s honestly great catching up and I needed a break from just the shelter and home”.
Frankie grinned.
“Yeah I needed the break too. Fluffies I tell ya. The world’s already getting to be a pretty crazy place, but there’s just something about those things that makes everybody all the more crazy”.
“Tell me about it. You hear about the trend? Break into a house, kick the Fluffy hard and then fuck off. I get Shit Rat hate, but when did that justify home invasion?”
“Oh! I’ve seen a couple of those. Crazy bastards even filmed the whole thing… You hear about the lady who almost killed a guy because he hurt her Fluffy?”
“What the fuck? For real?”
“Yeah, smacked him right in the head with a shovel. Tied him up too from what I heard?”
“Jesus… Over a fucking Fluffy?”
“Well that’s what they say. Maybe there’s more to it, I dunno. Seems a bit much for a bio-toy, but like I said, Fluffies make people all the more crazy. Oh! Did you hear about Fluffy Haven going to shit?”
“What the heck is Fluffy Haven?”
“Huh!? You didn’t know about that, got unveiled like two months ago”
“What can I say? Running a shelter takes most of my time”.
“Ah… true true…”
“I’m interested though, what’s Fluffy Haven?”
“Hah! Money sink that was what it was. Gated community turned into Hugbox only town. No harming Fluffies and all that jazz. The project got scrapped after someone brought in a truck load of Hellgremlin ferals hah. Really showed those pricks at the Happy Hugbox fund…”
“Woah Frankie, I thought the Happy Hugbox fund was a big client of yours?”
“Hah hell no. Ah! I haven’t told you have I, arrogant assholes gave us an ultimatum a month ago. Hugbox shelter only or they would cancel us. Hah! Rich dicks had their heads so far up their ass that they thought that they were our biggest clients. Breeding farms are our biggest clients. Anyways, Paulie didn’t take it that well, so we cut off all Hugbox shelters. Told them we ain’t gonna renew their contract once it expired, so they had to find a new supplier”.
“Is that okay? Won’t that get you in trouble?”
“Nah. We can choose not to renew contract, and if they have any issues, we can just tell them to bring it up to the Hugbox fund, but from what I hear, they’re already in hot water”.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I heard a couple of ex-shelter owners were starting a petition against the Hugbox fund. Stuff about their shelter unfairly losing their Hugbox status. Hey! You should think about joining that petition too”.
Ariella shook her head.
“I don’t want that drama Frankie”.
“Ells you’re already involved. That video you made is definitely gonna put the Hugbox fund in hot water, I mean look at you, trying your best to help Fluffies without any support and they actually had the gal to call Entepott not a Hugbox shelter”.
“Nah Frankie. They’re right. We’re neutral at best, but honestly I really don’t want to be called a Hugbox shelter anymore. I’m done sticking to Hugbox rules and caring for Shit Rats”.
“Amen to that Ells. Amen, and…”
Frankie suddenly paused and looked around all shifty, before leaning in close.
“I ain’t supposed to tell you Ells” Frankie whispered “But Paulie saw your video and he’s been talking to Tommy. No guarantees, but we might be thinking of giving you better rates”.
“Huh? Why?”
“Paulie see potential Ells. Entepott as the model strategy for newer shelters, and he wants our name tied to Entepott. If Tommy agrees, we’re talking better quality products at cheaper rates”.
Ariella looked at Paulie in surprise.
“That’s… uh… great news”.
Paulie was now the one looking surprised.
“I know it ain’t certain, but I was expecting a little more enthusiasm. What’s up Ells?”
Ariella frowned slightly. She didn’t really wanna talk about this, especially on their date, but it was probably good for Frankie to know. For both him and his company.
“Ze needs to leave soon, and Em, well Em’s been working no pay all this time”.
Frankie gave her a shocked look, and Ariella couldn’t help but smile slightly in amusement.
“Wait? Emilia’s been working no pay for these past few months!?”
“Zeri too”
“For real?!?”
“I know… those girls are something else aren’;t they, but Ze needed to move on to take care of family matters and I didn’t want Em sticking around if I couldn’t pay her. Not anymore”.
“But then you’d be on your own… Oh! Is that why you made the video?”
“Yeah. Asking for volunteers and such, but… I… we don’t know if they’ll be enough”
“We?”
“Emilia, Zeri and I. The two girls gave me an ultimatum. If I end up having to run Entepott on my own, then better to shut it down. No more intake. Get rid of the Shit Rats. Spend a month finding homes for the remaining Good Fluffies”.
Frankie was silent. He looked perturbed. Ariella gave him a sympathetic look.
“I’m sorry Frankie. I didn’t want to ruin the dinner with this kind of talk”.
“What’s your plan with Emilia?” Frankie suddenly asked “How did you plan to get her a salary?”
“Huh?.. oh, the government fund. If I can get at least a ten k increase that would cover basic salary for Em”.
“And you? I’m assuming you’re working no pay as well, right?”
“Oh… I… I didn’t really think about that… hmm… I guess I can just get my cut from any sales. Fur pelts and Fluffy adoptions. Stuff like that”.
“How much would that get you?”
Ariella thought about it. She really hadn’t put much thought into this.
“Maybe a few hundred a week?”
Frankie looked at her in disbelief, making Ariella feel somewhat embarrassed, before she gave him a reassuring smile.
“Hey, it’s alright Frankie. If things keep up, I’ll be ma-”
“Give me a few days”
“Huh?”
“I’ll talk to Paulie, and he’ll talk to Tommy. We’ll work something out. I promise Ells”.
Ariella gave him a thankful smile, but shook her head.
“Thanks Frankie. I really appreciate it. I really do… but can we stop talking about Fluffies and Entepott? It’s practically been the only thing in my life these past few months and I honestly need a break”.
The two of them laughed and enjoyed the rest of the meal, spending the rest of the dinner conversing about anything in their lives that was unrelated to Fluffies or Entepott. A wonderful dinner and a lovely date, ending with Frankie dropping Ariella off at her apartment.
“That was a very nice client sales rep dinner” Ariella said in a teasing tone.
Frankie chuckled.
“Ey, your breaking my heart Ells”
Ariella chuckled.
“It really was nice though Frankie. Really”.
“Nice enough to have another one?”
“Definitely. Give me a call sometime”.
“Wonderful… Oh! I’ll call you in a few days about supply deals. I’ll try to work something out with Paulie and Tommy”.
“Thanks Frankie. Really. Even if doesn’t work out, I really appreciate you doing this for me”.
“It’s nothing Ells”.
An awkward silence. Neither knew what more to say. The looked around for a few seconds, before Frankie cleared his throat.
“Ah…well I guess this is good night”
Ariella suddenly kissed him on the cheek, causing Frankie to blush.
“Good night Frankie”
He continued staring at her with a stunned look, before he broke into a grin. Making a brief nod, he got into his car.
“See ya later Ells”.
“See ya later Frankie”.
She watched as he drove off. A part of her had wanted to invite him over, but a part of her just wanted to rest. It was hard to have a social life when you spend most of your waking moments working. She just wanted to go home and sleep.
Into her flat, she took a nice warm shower and soon she was in bed.
She pulled out her phone. Some late night web surfing just before bed. That was when she noticed it. A notification that she had received an email from the Health and Environmental department.
A feeling of nervousness.
She was tempted to ignore it and read it tomorrow, but at the same time, she was eager to know the result.
Curiosity came
Dear Miss Orisa,
We have reviewed your request regarding a subsidy increase for Entepott Fluffy shelter. We have found that your shelter has been able to meet both the 2nd tier and 3rd tier quota (+40 free slots a week) these past three months, and therefore find you eligible for a subsidy increase.
We are pleased to announce that your subsidy allocation has been increased from $10,000 a month to $20,000.00 a month, and…
Ariella put down her phone in disbelief.
She pinched herself to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming, then she looked at her phone again. She wasn’t dreaming. Entepott had moved from basic quota to 2nd tier, and from 2nd tier to 3rd tier. Each garnering a $5,000 subsidy increase.
$10,000.00
That was enough to pay Emilia a basic salary.
Ariella broke into a smile and practically leapt out of bed.
She couldn’t believe it.
“Oh my fucking god! Yes! Yes! Yes!”
A feeling of elation.
A sense of relief.
A realization that there was indeed hope for Entepott Fluffy Shelter.
Ariella quickly relayed the good news to everyone she knew.
“To Entepott!” Cried an assortment of people in union.
“Tu Ntepwott” A unison of Fluffies responded.
Zeri found herself in a very crowded playroom. Over dozen people mingling with a small crowd of Good Fluffies.
A party to celebrate good fortune.
Everything was coming up Entepott.
She looked at all the party goers.
There was Karen and her husband Brad. Shelter Mindset. Frankie. Mark, Harrison and Carrie, and four new volunteers.
It was crazy how quickly their luck changed.
First the government raised the subsidy up by 10k
Then the volunteers started coming in, thanks to Areilla’s interview video.
Then Harrison managed to secure a deal with his farm: Feces for grass timmings, feed scraps and animal fat. Pound for pound.
Finally Frankie managed to get the distributor to alter the current arrangement in Entepott’s favor. The near-expired kibble and cleaning supplies now came free, the only thing was that Entepott could not get another distributor for all Fluffy supplies, and the distributor was now an official partner or something. Zeri wasn’t quite sure on the details, but it sounded like a win-win.
To add to this, Karen said that all the attention that Entepott had gotten, had raised the demand for Entepott fur pelts.
It seemed there were many who wanted to support Entepott.
It was all going well.
Yet Zeri had mixed feelings. On one hand she was happy. Happy for boss and happy for Em. Happy that it was all working out for Entepott and that the shelter could survive, but at the same time, she realized that this was it. She had no more excuses to rely on. It was time to leave. It was time to move on.
She leaned against a wall, trying her best to hide her frown, and silently observing the room. She found herself watching the Entepott Helpers.
Petal and Reeses were at the back of the room, with two of the volunteers, all of them playing with a small group of foals.
Sunflower, Coco and Hip Hop were yet again in the midst of another dance off, dancing their hearts off to a crowd of cheering Fluffy and human fans.
Buggy was with Brad, playing with Candy and her foals, while the two women talked.
Noodles was having the time of his life, being coddled by another volunteer.
Tanner and Nanna were chilling with Mark and Brad. The two, just resting on their laps.
Wimpy and Mustard were playing ball with a couple of adult Fluffies.
And Oakley was at the side. The Fluffy being carried by Em, as she chatted with boss.
Entepott Helpers. They weren’t bad… for Fluffies. She was actually gonna miss them. Kinda. However, there were two she was definitely gonna miss.
She looked back at Ariella and Emilia. Karen, Frankie, Shelter Mindset and Harrison had joined them. The six of them, chatting about something. Maybe work. Maybe social. Zeri wasn’t sure, but she did find it amusing. Seeing the six chatting. It was like watching a meeting between the top brass of Entepott. The big boss and her right hand woman, marketing, supplier, PR and a second supplier. The Entepott Fluffy Shelter council. Or something like that.
She wasn’t a part of them. Not anymore. That thought made her glum, but rather than bring down the mood, she decided to go out for some fresh air.
Out the play area and through the housing area. She would immediately be greeted by the whinging of many Shit Rats, along with their slight stench. The sight of them pouting with angry eyes or crying and pleading as though the victim of the greatest of injustice, and knowing them they probably thought that way as well. Yet it brought Zeri nothing but comfort. She could not help but smile and approached one of the cages. Staring at the mare and her Bestest babbehs.
“No sketti” she said with a cruel grin.
The mare and the Bestest babbeh looked at her in confusion, then the confusion turned into horror. Soon the two were batting their hooves against the glass door.
“Nu! Nu! Nu!” The mare cried “Mummah wan sketti! Wan sketti!”
“Gib sketti nao dummeh hooman!” The bestest babbeh screamed “Dummeh hooman”
Zeri chuckled, and ignored them as they screeched.
Through the housing area and out the back door. Right into the alleyway. The dirty cement floor, stained with untold filth, and the boring brick wall of the building opposite, as an old vending machine stood against the wall. She was going to miss this. All of this.
She bought a can of coffee and sat down by the steps. The sweetness richness serving as a reminder of days she would no longer experience.
She couldn’t help but sigh.
“You know for someone who dislikes Fluffies, you sure seem to be sad leaving a somewhat Hugbox fluffy shelter like Entepott”.
Zeri grinned and turned around. Ariella and Emilia were by the door, both smiling cheekily.
“Well our Fluffies are rather lovely” Emilia replied “Who’re you gonna miss the most? Petal? Wimpy? Tanner?”
“Bestest baby twenty two” Zeri retorted.
Ariella and Emilia chuckled, as they walked down the step. Ariella grabbing a smoke from her pocket and lighting it up, as she leaned against the wall, while Emilia bought a bottle of tea. Zeri took a sip of her own, staring at the two with a small smile.
“You really gotta quit smoking boss” Zeri stated
Ariella chuckled “Karen told me the same thing, I think I might try out those patches when things get stable”.
“Guess you’ll have to keep an eye on her, Em”
“Of course! Ella’s keeps pushing us about our future, only fair we do the same”.
Ariella muttered something indecipherable, but she did look a bit embarrassed, causing both Zeri and Emilia to laugh.
Zeri had to admit. She did feel a little better.
“Aghhh… I’m so gonna miss you two!”
“We’ll definitely miss you too Ze” Emilia replied.
Ariella nodded in agreement “I am really gonna miss you calling me boss”
“I can call you boss!” Emilia replied
Zeri and Ariella laughed, both of them playfully punching a grinning Emilia, then Emilia suddenly ambushed Zeri in a hug.
“I know you’ll be busy with your new job, but come visit when you have free time. It doesn’t even have to be at the shelter. Like just dinner or stuff”.
“Of course! Of course!”
Ariella nodded with a smile “Oh, and if you decide that running a company really isn’t for you, feel free to come back. We’ll always have space for our brutal Shit Rat abuser”.
Zeri gave Ariella a grateful look, nodding slightly, and she felt bold. She suddenly ambushed Ariella in a tight hug.
“I’m really gonna miss you boss”.
“I’ll miss you too… rich bitch”.
Zeri grinned, and noticed Emilia making a fake pout.
“I’m really gonna miss you too Fluffy lover. Now come on and get in here”.
Emilia smiled and joined the hug, The warmth of these two women. It put Zeri at ease.
Separating, she stared at the two gratefully. Both looking at her with warm smiles, when suddenly Emilia snapped her fingers.
“Why don’t we take a selfie! Something for you to remember us by”.
Zeri grinned. That was a good idea. She whipped out her phone, as both Emilia and Ariella scooted up close. The three stuck together and smiled, as they stared at the phone.
The phone would flash, and lo and behold, a lovely selfie.
One she would never delete.
“Ah we better get back inside, they’re all probably wondering where we went” Zeri stated.
“Good idea” Ariella replied.
Ariella and Emilia would go back in and Zeri followed closely behind.
Those feelings of sadness and uncertainty were now all gone.
The knowledge that she would always be welcomed back.
She finally felt relieved.
She finally felt a sense of ease.
She was finally ready to leave Entepott Fluffy Shelter.
Sorry for the delay fellas. New job, so I need to put more focus on that, plus a little bit of a writer’s block.
Still what a journey.
It ain’t the end though. One more chapter. A reunion chapter of sorts. This last chapter is very important for my future stories. So stick around.
