For this assignment, you will need to listen to the audio log of an accomplished Doctor at our school. Make sure to take notes as a small quiz will follow after.
Start audio log
The following is a transcript of the audio log
Hello, this is Doctor Victorian, of the Reformed American Biology Institute. As a part of an introductory course of Pre-Des. Bio. I will give an overview, history, behavior, subspecies, and mutations of Homunculus Equus or more commonly know as, Fluffies. After this point I will refer to them as such.
The Overview
Fluffies are a variety of small, furry, horse-like mammals that call almost every part of the world their habitat. They have a large variety of different features that distinguish them. They are a heavily social creature, mostly seen in heards, although they can be independent. The most intriguing thing about them is their sentience. They are able to feel complex emotions and some can aquire problem solving. All fluffies have some sort of “speech”. Mostly in a form of garbled English, to which has been called “Fluff speak”. Also peculiarly, they seem to have a biological connection with human interaction. Most will outright seek humans, for them to be their owners, oddly enough. This fact alone has cause them to be studied in great detail, allowing us to understand some of the past.
History
From the data extrapolated from scientists around the globe, we can put a rough estimate that fluffies have been around for 240~320 years. The only definitive facts we know is that they are Pre Desolation and are manufactured. Most believe a company called Hasbio created them as a pet substitute, for most artifacts for fluffy care has their logo on it. Several scientists, Me included, believe they were spliced together in a lab from several animals until a desired product was made. Sadly, any knowledge of an exact date or who was involved with thier creation is lost to time. Hopefully, those in the archeological fields are able to help us find this knowledge in the future. After the Desolation had happened, most Fluffies were believed to be abandoned, along with most pets, or were feral. During humanity’s recovery, their population exploded, scattering their numbers to anyplace remotely habitable. Now they can be found on any part of the planet, some having massive mutations to assist with extreme environments. Fluffies after this point were mostly seen as pest creatures, for their eating habits destroyed farms and gardens they came across. Treated much like rodents, they earned the name “Shitrats” from farmers due to the excessive amount of waste they leave. The were largely ignored by most, although some keep trained ones as pets. A large number of side show carnivals at the time had some form of fluffy that could do tricks. It wasnt until the Grand War that fluffies showed their uses. One notable example is a fluffy whos actions saved around 500,000 men from an ambush due to retrieving information from the Latman empire. After tales like this reached the mainland, this changed a lot of people’s perspective on the small ponies. It was during this time that researchers discovered that fluffies were manufactured, calling their “animal” designation into question. This lead them to be considered akin to a stuffed animal. They have no protection in law in any country. Nowadays it is believe that 27% of the population has a fluffy in their household, with 32% having owned one in the past. After coming into the modern zeitgeist, fluffies are often in films, memes, and other forms of media. From loving companion to a tool of abuse, they are know worldwide.
Behavior
Fluffies typically follow similar behaviors, with some changes based on factors such as intelligence, subspecies, or past experiences. This part will mainly focus on the intellectual changes, while subspecies changes will be discussed later. Typically, all exceptions exist, most Fluffies fall within 3 tiers of intelligence;
1st: Baseline
The majority of fluffies fall within this category, more than likely set as the default to their engineering. They are not very bright, often compared to a toddler or young child. Most can count to 5, know right from left, can tell genders apart, and most know the absolute basics of survival. They usually lack the ability to grip common concepts, acute decision making skills, and are naive to the dangers of the world. They have this largely misguided trust of any human that comes along their path. Often taking commands and instructions from human without much resistance. It seems their ingrained need to be a pet, or the simple fact they were manufactured to be one, makes them always eager to have someone become their “Mummah” or “Daddeh”, terms probably used to get humans to attach to them like a child. These fluffies have some beliefs that seem counter-intuitive to their survival; such as most injuries can be healed by hugging (or “huggies” as they call them), that most things must taste “pretty” for them to eat it, that desirable coats being in bright colors and darker “poopie” coats are bad, that a lot of animals are their friends, the strange adversion to “alicorns”, and ect. This is most definitely a fault in their genetic coding. Almost all of these traits are beneficial to a product, all are completely understandable when in an enclosed house or pen. This means that the act of fluffies being in the wild was never thought of, or intentionally made to have them perish.
2nd: smarty
Fluffies within this category are what are commonly called “Smarties”. These fluffies have some higher intelligence, but mostly having the courage to make decisions. They often have ways of procuring resources that others dont think of. Simple things such are remembering times trash is taken out or when to make a nest, things most animals would be able to do naturally. These fluffies are not excluded from the trouble of the previous tier, sometimes even elevating the superstitions or beliefs that trouble them. Fluffies like this are usually de facto leader of heards, as their “intelligence” allows them to convince other to listen to them. Due to them being in leader roles, theg often have large egos and some forms of narcissism. They often demand things from humans such as food and shelter. This tends to cause confrontation with humans, leading to their demise. Most are rude to everyone and will do things normal fluffies wont, such as foal murder, de-weggifacations, making “enfie” mares/stallions, and other actions that would cause discomfort to many. For this reason most that are caught are used for abuse toys or outright killed.
3rd: advanced
Very few fluffies make it into this category. Almost always a form of mutation, some are just naturally gifted. These fluffies are usually compared to a 12 year old human. They usually can count to 100 (although some can go further), have critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, acute threat assessment, and advanced survival skills. These fluffies are believed to have appeared after the Desolation as a result of mutations and selective breeding. They are highly sought after as companions, or working animals. Some places use them as service animals for those with disabilities, while other trace roots of history back to them such as the 3008th “Fighting Fluffies” company’s mascots is thought to be in this category. Any fluffy smarter than most is usually put in this category until proven otherwise.
Subspecies
For this section please refer to fig. 1
This list is a large collection of the most common “subspecies” of fluffies. All fall within the same scientific designated as they are able to crossbreed and produce offspring, but are separated into faux “subspecies” for easier understanding. All have the potential to be either an earthie, an unicorn, or a pegasus, rarely are they an alicorn. There are 3 main variations found
1, Standard
2, Equine
3, Stouts
Some other notable subspecies are
1, Sea variety
2, Micros
3, Sheepish
We shall first discuss the main variations.
1, Standard
These are your run-of-the-mill fluffies. Short legs, roundish bodies, the size of a small dog.They have a wide variety of colors from neons to matte to shiny coats. Manes and tails also have a large variety of shapes. They usually act closer to dogs, with loyalty and command following. This breed is the most popular with young kids.
2, Equine
These fluffies are different from standards due to the more “horse-like” nature to them. They have longer legs, slimmer bodies, and slightly harder hooves. Most have stonger muscles than standard fluffies, making them able to survive things most arent able to. They have been observed to act closer to cats than the normal dog like behavior normal fluffies have. Usually having personalities of independence or self sufficiency. This breed is mostly owned by adults.
3, Stouts
Short, chunky, and very furry. This breed is almost a parody of the standard fluffy. Their small legs and chunky bodies make them less inclined for physical activity, preferring to laze about. Their coats are abnormally soft, similar to a pile of fine fabric. Some cultures have used them as bodie warmers during the winter, this has made them popular in coldsr climates. Their personalities often are calm or laid back. They are often owned by those with a low activity lifestyle, or those in northern parts of the world.
Now we are going to talk about the more popular “subspecies”. Most of these are a niche or a low population fluffy species.
1.Sea variety
This is an aquatic version of fluffies. These fluffies have flippers and gills, makimg them a mix of fish and seal. Their adapted respiratory system allows them to breath in any form of water. Salty to fresh they can be found. They have a large range of sizes and different appearances. From those like a goldfish, to the one rumor of a “Whale” fluffy. We will save this discussion for another day. Most whom own these are previous or current fish owners.
2. Micros
A personal favorite of mine, Micro fluffies are hampster sized fluffies. They can come in the same variation as the regular sized ones. Their breed rate is much higher than normal fluffies, probably due to thier genetics being closer to rodents. They are usually classified as a pest due to this. They have the fewest ownership number within fluffies. Most who own them are poverty-stricken.
3. Sheepish
A rare subspecies of fluffies. This variation has wool-like fur and all have curled horns. Their main food is grass or hay. They are often kept a small livestock, as their fur can be spun into clothing material. This fluffy is natural to grassland areas such as the Midwest Reformed America. Their fur was used back in the day for winter warming clothes. Most owners are farmers or homesteader.
Mutations
There are w theorys about the origin of fluffy mutations. The first is that after the Desolation a combination of “adaptations” and selective breeding made them prominent. The other theory is the makers of fluffies never took into account of them lasting this long, as a consequence, their genetic coding is slowly “unraveling” causing certain characteristics to apper when they wouldnt. Whatever the cause, most researchers believe up to 40% of all fluffies have some form of mutation. We will discuss some common ones.
Sharp horns: unicorn or alicorn horns that are sharp, akin to a bulls. Can be used to defend self better.
Cloven hooves: hooves that are like a horses. Most use them to defend themselves. They can also walk on tough terrain with them.
Dense muscles: larger, more impressive muscle. Gives greater strength to the fluffy and allows it to take more than average amount of abuse. Most are toughies.
“Cannibalism”: despite common belief, cannibal fluffies dont just eat other fluffies. They have a mutation that allows them sharp teeth and a different gut biome. It allows them to predate small animals and other fluffies. They typically choose other fluffies due to the ease of capture for consuming.
Of course this is just a small list, as many exist. New ones being catalogued almost every year.
I truly hope this introduction has been a wonderful learning experience for you. The interesting world of biology is a marvel. Good luck with your studies.
This is Doctor Gabriel Victorian, signing off.
End audio tape.
