Previous: Saximaphone's Fluffy RP (Part 10)
Looks like this path is a dead-end.
Hmmm… I’ll put a pin in this one for now.
There’s a lot of good tips here. Seems like it would be a great way to divert the smarty path into a leader one. Full-on smarties however wouldn’t take kindly to punishment like this one. I have a hard time believing that this is a real smarty. Either that or it wasn’t a full-on smarty to begin with. Maybe something like Tubby’s stage. Maybe I can use this.
This sounds promising but it seems almost… too normal. As much as I am looking to others for advice on fundamental things, I really want to raise these fluffies in my own unique way. Something in my brain looks at the dirty boring toys in the ad and makes me think about how much more interesting it would be to give them normal human toys. Things like action figures, hotwheels and trading cards; the kind of toys I grew up with! It brings me back to the television programs… why NOT give them stuff I find cool and fun instead of the boring standard fluffy things? Fluffies will play with literally anything that’s not edible so why not make them exciting? I’ll look for more garage sales and maybe a trip to the thrift store next week and try my luck!
That naughty rascal.
Scaring off rats is one thing but a raccoon can fuck you up. I’m not stepping in this time. Sorry little guys.
Good to see them bonding!
Noooooooo!
I walk in from my computer room and open the saferoom calling “What’s going on in here?”
From the look of the scene it’s pretty obvious what happened. A whimpering Squishy is being comforted by the two older foals and everyone is glaring at Tubby, who is still holding onto the stolen bottle while he throws his tantrum.
“Daddeh! Poopie meanie babbeh gib Tubbeh wowstes huwties! Gib sowwy box to bad babbeh! Bestes babbeh nee huggies an miwkies fo huwties!”
So much for that bonding earlier.
Truffle pipes up and nervously calls to me, “T-Tubbeh push Squishy an take Squishy miwkies! Tubbeh am bad babbeh! Twuffew hewp Squishy!”
“Nu faiw! Tubbeh am bestes babbeh! Tubbeh nee be fiwst fo miwkies bu meanie odah babbehs nu wet! Tubbeh nee miwkies NAO!” he screams as he frantically pounds all his limbs into the soft blanket.
Right now I’m very conflicted. I find Tubby’s behaviour INCREDIBLY funny and adorable that I’m REALLY tempted to encourage it. The problem is that it might give the other fluffies ideas about acting that way. I still want to be a good breeder but I do want to do this MY way. Dammnit this is a hard choice. I thought about turning him into a ‘reformed bestes babbeh’ or a ‘smarty friend’ but honestly I just like him better as a bratty little shit. Maybe this ‘natural course’ that’s developing would be fun to watch too.
“Nu faiw! Bestes babbeh nee mostes miwkies! Nee gwow big an stwong! Dummeh Daddeh nu faiw to bestes babbeh! Am onwy widdew babbeh!” he bawls.
“Poor Tubby!” I coo and pick him up. I hug and cuddle him and tickle is tummy as he giggles. “Doesn’t look like you’re hurt,” I turn to the other three, “Tubby is bestest baby, and gets to do whatever he wants,” I explain to them, “as long as he doesn’t seriously hurt anyone.”
I put Tubby down and check over the whimpering pillow, “Nothing is seriously hurt, so that’s fine. Tubby is going to be herd leader one day so he needs to practice making rules, as long as he follows mine,” I then pick up the fat brat and take him over to the big formula bottle. I gently pull a squirming Cheese away from it.
“B-bu Daddeh! Chee am dwinkin miwkies!”
“Bestest baby makes all the rules as long as they also follow mine. Tubby says he gets to drink first so he gets to do what he wants.”
Tubby’s legs are moving and mouth is sucking before I even set him down. He hits the ground running and plasters himself to the nipple.
“B-bu Tubbeh get go fiwst aww da time! Wai Tubbeh get to make wules?” whines Wimpy.
“Tubby was raised as a ‘bestest baby’. He’s used to getting everything he wants all the time. Letting him make the rules for now will help him adjust to being here and makes good leader practice.”
I’m pulling all this information out of my ass at this point, trying to justify what is just me selfishly indulging in the adorable spoiled behaviour.
“Bu we nu wike Tubbeh wules! Tubbeh am meanie fwuffy!” Cheese protests.
“If you don’t like Tubby’s rules, you have to talk to Tubby about it. Part of being a leader is listening to your herd and making them happy too. Right Tubby?”
Tubby is too busy gorging himself to even hear me.
“If the herd is unhappy, then the leader is unhappy. He will figure that out himself and probably grow from it,” I smile nervously. I at least kind of convinced myself this is a good idea. Kind of.
I go over and see Squishy. The two alicorns are playing ball with her to cheer her up. I get down and and give her some more cuddles. I ask gently, “Are you okay now, Squishy?”
“Yes, Daddeh! N-nice poopie fwuffy gib miwkies back!” she chirps.
“Well Truffle isn’t a ‘poopie’ fluffy. She’s a ‘brown’ fluffy. Got it?”
She looks a little confused, this information brand new and contradictory for her, “O-otay Daddeh…” she doesn’t sound so sure.
“Truffle, that was a very good thing you did. You protected Squishy and that was VERY brave of you!” I reach out and give her a nice hug.
“T-tank ou Daddeh! T-Tubby am meanie fwuffy! Tubby wan aww miwkies an say Squishy is toysie an say we dummehs an poopies!!”
“Tubby is a spoiled ‘bestest baby’. He’s used to getting what he wants. Giving him the power to make the rules might help him be a good leader. If you have problems with his rules you need to talk to him. He’ll figure out what is good for the herd eventually. Here, for being a brave girl and protecting Squishy. You’ll be a good mummah one day!”
I hand her a little mini Oreo cookie and she gasps like it was a gold ring or something, “Ch-chocowate nummies fo Twuffew?!” She looks over to see if Tubby heard her. His face is still burried in milk, drinking more out of principle than hunger now. She lowers her voice, “Daddeh gib bestes nummies! Tank ou Daddeh! Twuffew be bestes fwuffy fo Daddeh an pwotect aww da babbehs!” She beams as she happily munches on the cookie.
I think this is going well! Right?
I ask the fluffies what they want for ‘Sketti Day’ on Friday. The talkies and baby can’t have sketti yet, but I do promise them some other appropriate treat if they want. Wimpy has been asking to lick burgers all week. Tubby will definitely want some kind of treat. I’m also REALLY tempted to give him that ‘chonky formula’ from Fluffy Mart as a treat. It PROBABLY tastes good and will keep (or most likely enhance) his nice round shape if given in moderation. Most likely I might just get some of the premium formula for them. Or maybe mix up some chocolate milk or pilk.
The next few days leading up to it is spent cuddling all the fluffies, playing with them, and giving them all attention. I personally love tickling their round little tummies and watching them giggle and giving them upsies. Hastur doesn’t like upsies though so he gets some special tummy rubs out of view of everyone else for their own safety. Tubby demands the most attention of course and I give it to him whenever he asks for it. I don’t neglect anyone though.
I also make a point to teach them to use the litter box (except Lemon who is still too young. She gets a diaper for now). In the case of Hastur, he knows how but needs help finding it. I put it against the wall so he can follow along it, and I ask the others to help him get there if he asks. This also involves trying to convince Hastur to actually approach others to ask for help, and the other babies to get near him and interact. They’re all still wary of him, but nobody is outright scared aside from Tubby. Tubby will actively avoid him and try to look tough from a distance, only to become a whimpering pile of scaredy-poopies if he ever catches him by surprise. Hastur moves very quietly and has no idea what is in front of him, so it’s not uncommon for him to surprise other fluffies when they suddenly hear his laboured breathing behind them. Seeing Tubby scream like a banshee and crash snoot-first into a wall is most amazing.
[Interactive portion: What do the babies ask for as a treat? The older ones get skettis and Wimpy is begging for burgers of course. What kind of human toys do I find at the thrift store and garage sales next week? What other events happen now that they are kind of used to living here? Not just events related to the babies either!]