Pacing back and forth Maxine worked on her cover story. Eclair had one more leg than she was supposed to. Maxine herself had no identification, she still hadn’t gotten around to forging a new identity. If anyone asked why she was using Geoff’s credit cards she’d just say that he’s her boyfriend. Easy enough, simple solution and it’s not like Geoff was going to say otherwise.
Maxine pulled a medium pet carrier and one much smaller one from the closet. “Ok friendos, we got an appointment this afternoon. We’re all going to need to be on our best behavior, and I’ve got a few special instructions for each of you.”
Strawberry was first. He heaved as he felt Maxine’s protection leave his body. “Tha fwukies?” he sputtered.
“Can’t be breaking needles, too many annoying questions. Also, you’re gonna have to ride in the crate. Can’t afford you dying on me and I have no idea if they allow free roaming fluffies…” Maxine gestured to the open crate like a gameshow model, “Your chariot awaits.”
Strawberry grumbled but had no real choice. He walked into the carrier and settled down. Maxine at least set up a towel for him to rest on so it wasn’t bare plastic. It still wasn’t particularly comfortable.
“Miss Eclair.”
“Mummah?” Eclair asked with a fair bit of anxiety. She really did not like boxes.
Maxine kneeled down and wiggled Eclair’s little leggy. “If anyone asks you’ve always had your leg, okay?”
Eclair looked uncomfortable, “But dat ams wie? Onwy bad fluffies wies…”
Maxine looked Eclair straight in the eyes and said, “If mommy says to lie about something, it’s to help protect you and mommy. Many people would be asking for new leggies and mommy would get very sick from all the leggies.”
Eclair nodded slowly. She didn’t want her favoritest thing ever to get sickies… but she also didn’t want to lie. She was unsure what to do. “Ecwair ams twy…” She giggled as her mummah picked her up. Eclair loved uppies!
Maxine began to undo the velco holding Eclair to her mobility cart. “Sorry honey, but I have to make sure you can’t wander off on me. It’s dangerous for a brave girl like you.”
Eclair whimpered and sobbed. She loved her cart. She got to do walkies! “Mummah… huu… but wans kawt…”
“I’ll get you set up again when we get home. Promise.”
Eclair sighed and nodded. She’d have to trust mummah. It’s not like she had any choice. She never did. “Otay…”
Maxine moved to put Eclair in the carrier.
“SCREEEEEEEE!” Eclair screeched. She was trying to scamper away, her little leg flailing about as she tried to run from the box in vain. “Nuuuuu! Ecwaire gud babbeh! Nu wan! Nu wan!” The foal was in a state of absolute terror at the prospect of being locked in yet another sorry box.
Cherry started crying too. If Eclair was scared it must be bad!
Maxine held Eclair to her shoulder and embraced her tightly, “Shh, it’s ok. You’re not in trouble, we just need to make sure you’re safe on the trip. It’s not a sorry box, see? Lots of windows and lights and plenty of room for you.”
Eclair was still flailing about, sobbing and crying, “Nuh poopies! Nuh… huuuuuuhuuu”.
Maxine was tempted to take a peek into Eclair’s head to see what was making her so scared. The salesperson at fluffymart said fluffies were scared of sorry boxes but she didn’t think it would set off their fight or flight response. She sighed, couldn’t afford to spend the energy on a curiosity when she had so much to do today.
“Shhh, there’s no poopies. I’ll be right by you the whole time. Promise.” Maxine picked up Cherry who was still crying but clearly had no idea why. “And Cherry will be with you too. Look at her, she’s upset that you’re so scared.”
Eclair sniffled and raised her head from Maxine’s shoulder. Cherry was crying because of her? Because she cared about Eclair? “Ecwair… sowwy… huuhuuhuu… wiww be bwave fo sissy.” She sobbed and looked at Cherry with tears in her little eyes, “fwuffy ams otay. Nuh scawwies…”
Cherry stopped crying and bobbed her little head. If Eclair said it was ok, then it was ok!
Maxine placed Cherry in the crate first to show Eclair that it wasn’t so bad. Cherry snuggled onto a downy blanket and cheeped happily. She patted the spot next to her and shouted, “Cwair!”
Eclair looked from Cherry to Maxine and nodded. She was still trembling in fear but she didn’t want to make anyone worry. Nobody should have to worry about her. She was placed down next to Cherry who immediately glomped onto her. “Avv…avven-tah!” Cherry peeped cheerfully.
Cherry thankfully didn’t need any coaching. Her little head was full of fluff and love and nothing else.
The fluffies were loaded into the cabin of Geoff’s truck and off they went. Strawberry took a short nap while Cherry kept Eclair from going insane.
“The Animal Hospital for Animals and Other Things”, named so because apparently a good chunk of the population didn’t think fluffies were animals. “What, are they fungi?” Maxine thought when she heard the story.
She pulled into the parking lot and called the vet to announce their arrival.
“Animal Hospital for Animals and Other Things.” The voice said, “How may I help you?”
“I’ve got three Fluffies with me for an appointment. The uh… Cream family.” Maxine sucked in air through her teeth. She panicked when they asked for her full name when setting up the visit. Maxine Cream. She’s had worse, but definitely better names.
“Wonderful. We’ll send out a tech to get you once the room is ready.”
Eclair’s little ear perked up at the words ‘cream family.’ “Mummah Maxeen? Ams Cweam fambwee?”
Maxine sighed. “Yes ma’am, we’re all Creams here.”
Eclair perked up a little. “Ecwaire Cweam wuvses new namsies…”
Maxine scrunched her face in annoyance, “Glad you like it, pastry.”
A male technician came out and offered to help carry in the fluffs. Maxine, being a tiny woman of around 5 feet on a good day, appreciated the assistance. She might have neat magical powers but it was still very awkward to carry two largish crates of fluff.
The group was led to an examination room. The smell was making Eclair nervous. It was the smell of forever sleepies and no more leggies. Her mummahs and Cherry were still perfectly calm. They wouldn’t let her go forever sleepies, right?
Maxine opened the crates. None of the fluffies left the boxes. Strawberry couldn’t be assed, Eclair couldn’t leave even though she desperately wanted to run away and Cherry had no idea what was going on.
There was a gentle knock on the door and a scruffy looking man walked in wearing a lab coat. He waved with a genuine smile,“Gooooood afternoon ladies. I’m Doctor Mike and I’ll be taking care of you all today. You must be Maxine. A pleasure.” He offered his hand for a handshake.
Maxine returned the gesture. “That’s me! Thanks for getting us in so quickly. I picked up two of these fine fluffs off the street two days ago and thought it would be a good idea to have them looked over.”
The vet nodded. These visits were some of his favorites. Fluffies going to a new home were always so excited and it made him happy to help lessen the amount of suffering in the world. They tended to be much less enthused to see him on later visits so it was good to enjoy it while it lasted. “One mare of unknown age, a foal of unknown age, and a foal of around 8 weeks, right?”
Maxine nodded. She didn’t know Eclair’s age but went with it…
Mike crouched down in front of the carriers and spoke softly, “So, who wants to go first? The first one gets a special treat!”
Strawberry had no interest in any special treats and him going first would likely make it easier on the foals. Therefore, he volunteered Eclair. “Ecwair shouwd be firstest. Babbeh fwuffy ams used da dis.”
Eclair shivered in her carrier. She was trying to be brave for her mummahs and her sister but the bad coat man was right in front of her! Did her mummahs not know how bad they are? They give hurties and forever sleepies! And now fluffy mummah wanted her to go first?
“Eclair, Strawberry makes a good point. Do you want to show them how it’s done?” Maxine asked, oblivious to Strawberry’s actual intentions, “I’ll be right here the whole time.”
“Hu… ecwair du foh mummahs and sissy…” She really didn’t want to, but someone had to face the bad coat man and it might as well be here. The first ones to go always got forever sleepies but she had just had the best day and a half of her life. If this was it, that was ok. She’d end on a note higher than she ever dreamed.
Maxine helped her out of the crate and onto the examination table. Maxine stroked her fluff and called her a good girl and so brave but eclair didn’t feel like any of that. She was so scared that she almost forgot to be scared.
“Alrighty, let me check miss Eclair’s file from the fluffymart first then” Doctor Mike said as he typed. He immediately grimaced. “Oh. Hmmm… Oh. Oh geez.” The Creams sat in uncomfortable silence as the doctor continued to read the surprisingly long file. Mike kept wincing and at one point appeared extremely nauseous.
The vet gestured for Maxine to join him in the corner to talk in private. “So… good news and bad news. Good news is, this is the most detailed medical history of any animal I’ve ever seen. Bad news is that someone at that fluffymart was keeping her alive just to torment her. Her file is freddy kruger’s diary if he haunted fluffies.”
“Whoever it was that wrote this, I don’t think they ever expected Eclair to get adopted. I’m thinking that employee had the day off, otherwise there’s no way they’d have let her go. The stuff in here… I’m amazed she’s not catatonic. At one point they trained her to be a litter pal and then told her she wasn’t good enough for that. And that’s just one section. It just goes on and on…”
“Litterpal?” Maxine asked with trepidation. Given the vet’s tone she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
“Fluffies who have their legs removed and are trained to eat feces. For sanitation.” the doctor replied as neutrally as possible. There was a slight tinge of disgust in his voice but he did his best to remain professional.
“One more thing to note that is particularly relevant today. She kept being brought to euthanasias of other fluffies. She would then be injected with sedatives after the other fluffies were put down. She probably thinks we’re about to kill her.”
Maxine made a mental note to track down Eclair’s tormenter. One more for the to do list. At least it explained why Eclair freaked out earlier and why she was shouting about poopies.
"Pwease mistuh doktuh Mikies… gib ecwair da hurtie pokies nuh sissy ow mummah… " Eclair was trembling on the table and was on the verge of a full blown panic attack, “Ecwair wiww habs da hurties… huuuhuhuhu… nuh hurties fambly… nuh sweepies fuh chewwy…”
Strawberry smirked. This was why he said Eclair should go first, he knew she’d try some self sacrifice. He had genuinely begun to enjoy watching it. Her compulsion to be a little hero made for some decent if predictable entertainment.
"You’re a very brave fluffy miss Eclair, " Dr Mike said, “But you don’t need any hurtie pokies. You got so many that you’re all set for at least another year. I do need to examine you though. Do you mind if I touch you?”
“Nuh huwties?” Eclair asked. She was baffled. These people always gave hurties! Was this a trick? But mummah didn’t look scared and nobody is smarter than mummah… “huu… otay.”
Dr Mike walked around Eclair and observed as much as possible without having to touch the trembling foal. She looked surprisingly healthy given her treatment but was undersized for her age. Likely due to malnourishment. The thing that stood out the most was the leg that she definitely shouldn’t have. The file kept making note of how funny the fluffymart employee thought pillowing her was.
“Maxine, did she always have this leg?” The doctor asked, “Her file said she was pillowed. That involves removing all of a fluffy’s legs if you weren’t aware.”
Maxine twirled her hair around her finger. She really should have prepared something for this. “Y-yes? She’s just like how I got her, maybe with a fuller belly.” She turned on the charm which honestly, wasn’t very charming.
Dr Mike rubbed his chin in thought. It’s not like she regrew a leg, that’s absurd. “Well… if she sprouts any new legs let me know.” he laughed to play it off as a joke but he was baffled…
“Oh trust me you folks will be the first to know!” Maxine said with an over exaggerated double thumbs up.
The doctor turned to eclair and examined the leg, carefully extending it, “Miss Eclair, did you always have this leg? Does it hurt?”
Eclair stopped frozen. Mummah said that lying was ok if it was about her leggy but… lying was bad. But mummah was good? The grey morality was frustratingly complex for the fluffy. “Weggie… ams itchies.” she said declaratively. Just don’t answer!
Mike rubbed his chin again and nodded. Maybe it was some sick joke from the fluffy mart that he just wasn’t getting. He went behind eclair and lifted her tail.
“Nuuu… nu wook speshal peace…” She buried her head in her hooves out of embarrassment. She knew she was pushing things but this was all so horrible. She felt her mummah’s hand stroke her mane and cooed reflexively.
“You’re being a very good girl, my little pastry” Maxine said soothingly, “I’m proud of you.”
Eclair whined. She wasn’t being a good girl, but she wanted to be. She was just so scared and confused and didn’t deserve the love and wanted to go home.
“Everything looks good, some scarring that… I would prefer not to be there but she’s healed well.” Dr Mike put on his stethoscope and listened to Eclair’s lungs and heartbeat. Both were racing but appeared healthy. Her ears were fine too. "Eclair, can you open your mouth and go, “aaaaah?”
Eclair tilted her head but opened up. “Aaaah?” she said in confusion.
“Teeth are still coming in, a bit behind schedule but she should catch up with a full belly.” He took her temperature with a scanner. “For what she’s gone through she is an astonishingly healthy fluffy.” Mike took a treat from his pocket and offered it to Eclair, “And a very good girl. Her file managed to make me feel ill, I’m honestly amazed she’s not in the loop.”
Eclair nommed the treat. She was still suspicious of the man but… treats was treats. “Fank uwe mistah doktuh mike.”
“Oh, and I almost forgot your special treat for going first!” He opened a drawer and brought out a tiny teddy bear. It looked cheap, but not so cheap that a fluffy would notice. “You get a new friend!”
Eclair hugged the stuffy with her leg. “Fwiend!? Wubs friend!”
“She’s all good Maxine, ready for the next one.”
Maxine took Eclair back to her carrier along with her new friend. “Chewwy! Havses nyu fwiend!”
“Nyu… Fwie-?” Cherry acked as she was pulled out of the carrier. She was gently placed on the examination table.
“Cherry’s the one I’m most concerned about health wise. She was in rough shape when I found her.” Maxine said to Mike. She placed the talkey babbeh on the table and took a step back. To say that Cherry was in bad shape was an understatement. Maxine had to fix three legs, stuff an eye back in its socket, put up a mental block on the trauma, and make a milk maid out of the guy who tried to kill her. She was tired just thinking about it.
“For a foal this young we’ll just give her three shots. Some important fluffy vaccines. She’ll need to come back when she’s older for the rest.”
Cherry looked around the room with a dopey smile. It was very shiny! And there was a new mister that gave her sister a huggy thing! This was fun. “He-hewwo mis-mistuh.” Cherry stammered out happily.
“And hello to you too Miss Cherry. I need to give you some pinches so you don’t get sickies. Can you be a big fluffy and be good?” Mike asked.
“Yuh!” Cherry cheeped. Cherry liked to be a good fluffy.
It’s easy to be brave when you forgot what pain was. “Screeeeee! Hu-hutes! Huuu huuu” Cherry said as the first needle pierced her fluff. This wasn’t fun! This wasn’t fun at all! The little babbeh screeched again as another needle stabbed into her and then burnt her insides! And then another! Mummahs, why did you let hurties happen to babbeh!? “Huuu…huuuhuuu” And then the mean mister looked at her special place! This was bad times!
“She’s malnourished too. Signs of parasites as well. We’ll get you some anti-worm medication to take home.” He took out a fine metal comb and brushed Cherry’s mane. The comb hit Cherry’s horn with a quiet tink. “Ha. Sneaky little thing arn’t you? Hiding your horn in your fluff.” He checked the comb and smiled. “No signs of fleas. You’ve got some luck Maxine. Feral alicorns are a rare find.”
“An unweaned Fluffy needs a special treat.” Mike took out a tube from a drawer and squeezed a paste on the table. Cherry sniffed it cautiously and then scarfed it down. Cherry squinted at the doctor, unsure if he was good or bad. Ultimately the more recent treat won out and she cheeped in thanks.
Cherry was settled down next to Eclair and immediately went to hug the teddy bear along with her sister. “Fwien!” she cooed.
Strawberry got up and stretched. Time to practice his acting skills. “Ams Stawbewwy’s tuwn.” he said as he walked to his ‘mummah’.
Maxine hefted him onto the table and whispered into his ear, “Play it cool.”
“Yeah, duh.” Strawberry thought to himself. He turned to the doctor expectantly, “Ams weady. Pwoceed.”
There was an intelligence behind the eyes of this mare that unsettled Mike. He’d seen some bright fluffies but this one his hair stand on end. There was something about the way it composed itself. Not a single ounce of fear.
Maxine nudge Strawberry with her elbow. “Uh, hoo. Hoo.” The fake cry wasn’t particularly convincing. “Fwuffy am su scawwed. Nuh pokies pwease. Hoo.”
Mike had seen some odd families but this one was up there. A fluffy with a leg it shouldn’t have. Whatever this was. And Maxine, he couldn’t get a read on her. He was almost done, he wouldn’t have to deal with them for a few weeks. “Right. For Strawberry we’ll be giving the whole set of vaccinations.” He put a large tray of needles on the table. Strawberry yawned.
“You’ll feel a pinch, but nothing to worry about. Just bear with me.” Mike said as he gave the first shot. The fluffy didn’t even flinch.
Maxine elbowed Strawberry again. “Oh nooos. Hurties. Hoo.”
Mike eyed the fluffy. It was the most well behaved feral he had ever seen. So much wasn’t adding up with this family. And Maxine’s last name was Cream? Really? He continued to give shots and Strawberry continued to give an unconvincing performance. “Shots are done. You did very well.” Mike sighed and walked to the back of the mare. She had already lifted her tail and was tapping her hoof as if to say hurry it up.
Strawberry grunted as Mike squeezed a teat. First real reaction he’s gotten out of her. Looks healthy enough though. “She looks good. Signs of malnourishment but that’ll clean up with regular feedings.”
Strawberry opened his mouth and said, “Ah.”
“Teeth look good, and temperature’s normal. She’s all done.” And thank god for that. Creepiest fluffy he’s ever met.
"One last thing. You might want to consider spaying Eclair and Strawberry. Cherry is still too young to consider, but I recommend it for her as well.
I’d prefer to get their consent first." Maxine said as she looked back to her fluffies. Mike shrugged. Not like he was the doctor or anything.
She sat down next to Eclaire and looked her in the eyes. “Eclaire, the nice doctor wants to make it so you can’t make any babies.”
Eclair looked up at her mummah with a confused and sickened look on her face. No babies? She never had the chance to consider babies of her own. Eclair was too busy trying to survive hour to hour to even consider a future like that. But no babies ever? That seemed very mean. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she listened.
“I know that sounds awful so I have an offer. When you’re all grown up if and if you decide you want babies I’ll find foals for you to adopt. Just like I adopted you.” Maxine gave the filly a little boop on the nose, “But only if you let doctor Mike do his thing.”
Eclair’s eyes widened. She didn’t need babies of her own if… if. “Ecwaire can sabes babbehs wike mummah sabe ecwair? Ecwair wiww sabe aww da babbehs!”
“Is that a yes then?” Maxine asked.
Eclair nodded enthusiastically, “Ecwaire wiww do it ta sabe da babbehs.” Eclair had been surviving for so long. Now she had a reason to actually live.
Eclair cooed as Maxine scratched behind her ear. “Always the little hero.”
Maxine crouched down next to Strawberry and whispered into his ear, “Totally unsure what’ll happen if you get spayed and turn back. The parts are kind of the same so if and when you turn back…”
Strawberry squinted his eyes and glared at Maxine, “Dis am twap choosies.”
“Kind of? I genuinely don’t know. This hasn’t come up before.” Maxine replied.
“Maxeen can jus wegwow wumps, wight?” Strawberry whispered.
“If you’re counting on me doing you a favor that involves me holding your junk I would advise against it.” Maxine said
Strawberry grunted. “Stawbewwy keep wady wumps.”
Maxine got up and turned to the doctor, “Eclaire is willing to get spayed, Strawberry not so much.”
“We can get her in right now if you’re willing.” Mike said. “It’s a slow day.”
“Sure, rip off that bandaid”
“I’ll get everything ready then. Be back soon.” Mike waved as he left the examination room. He breathed in through his teeth. Why’d he recommend spaying? Now he had to spend more time with these weirdos.
Maxine took Eclair and placed her on her lap, “You did very good today little girl, I’m sorry it was so stressful.” Maxine stroked the foal fondly. She’d known the foal for a day and was already so attached that she had begun plotting revenge on her mystery tormentor.Dangerous planet, fluffy world.
“Ams… otay.” Eclair said tiredly. She was exhausted. From the terror to preparing herself for death to the excitement of saving lots of babies… she was just drained. “Ecwair ams sowwy foh bein bad fwuffy.”
Maxine ruffled the mare’s fluff, “No, no. I was being a bad mommy. I should have known that you had so many bad memories.” It would probably be worth the cost to sneak a peep in their little heads every once in a while.
Eclair tilted her head up and stared daggers at Maxine. “Nuh ams bad mummah. Ams bestest. Nevah sayses bad mummah. Nevah.”
Maxine was taken aback and then laughed hysterically. This was the first time she’d seen Eclair get angry and it was because she called herself a bad mommy? She sure was a sweetheart. She made another note to increase the level of retribution on the mystery fluffy mart employee another notch.
Taking a deep, deep breath Mike opened the door to the Cream family. “We’re all set. Eclair, I’ve got a treat for you.” He kneeled down infront of Maxine and Eclair and offered a tiny treat.
The treat was scarfed down with a yell of, “Nummies!”. It was very tasty. But… Eclair was suddenly getting very sleepy. She panicked. “Mummah! Ecwaire… sweepies…” She tried to force herself awake. She didn’t want to leave her family, she had to grow up and save all the babies! “Mu-…mummah… wubs ewe…” She said as she tearfully passed out.
As Eclair was carried out of the room, Cherry snuggled up to the teddy bear. “Ch-chewwy fwen nao.”
I realized that I’ve been drawing strawberry too big so I guess Maxine is tiny now vOv. She’s always been drawn that way but it was unintentional on my part :v