Lawrence held the fluffies leg, the limb was dislocated by a nasty fall. He ran his other hand over the fluffies head. Tear stained eyes looked up at him, he felt his heart quiver at the poor creature.
“What happened little fella?”
“Mowo faww off twashie boxie.”
“Ouch. The good news is that I can fix you but its gonna hurt a bit. Can you be brave for me?”
Molo’s eyes widened. Lawrence popped the limb back in place, the male let out a hiss of pain. He clenched his teeth and breathed hard.
“There there. You’re gonna be fine. I want you not to walk too much until next morning. I’ll carry you home.” Lawrence lifted the male by the back.
“Mowo wive ova dewe.” Molo pointed to the darkest alleyway.
“Of course you do, little guy.” Lawrence sighed.
He was dressed like a robbery victim. Fair skinned, Bright colors, nice hair, and a tall slender build. “I don’t have much money to lose but I’d hate to lose my pin.”
He strode confidently into the alleyway, he gently stroked Molo as the stallion grumbled about getting injured. Molo pointed to a plastic bin that had been cut with a knife to a good nest for fluffies. A small brown foal with a white mane peeked out.
“Daddeh?” The mare said.
“Daddeh faww fwom trashie and huwt weggie.” Mowo grunted. “Nice shiny mistah hewp.”
He gently laid the male down in his nest as his worried over him. He felt a little strange seeing how kind the feral in this part of the city were.
“Do you have a smarty?”
Molo shook his head, “Nu but do have weawwy smawt nu-fwuffy and nice hoomins.”
Lawrence scratched his chin. “Interesting.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of pocky.
“Eat up and make sure to rest that leg until the next bright time.” Lawrence said as he left the Alleyway.
He only got a few steps out until he noticed a ratty green creature following him. He turned around and blinked, a fuckffie was behind him. He turned around with a dramatic flare and pointed an outstretched hand at her. “You’re next words will be: Hewwo nice Mistash.”
The green mare looked at him and tilted her head, “Nah. Gunna say, dank yew fo’ fixin’ Mowo.”
“One day, I’ll get it right.” He sighed at another failed Jojo reference. “No problem, he seemed a little nice and I could use the practice.”
“Am Mistah a doctah?” She walked alongside Lawrence with a cheshire grin on her face.
“You don’t have to play sly with me. I don’t have much experience with your kinda but I’m happy to help. What do you need?”
“Got a few fwuffies dat need hewp.” She said, “Mistah hab a cute face so da fwuffie wun be scawed.”
Lawrence nodded, “Sure.”
“Name am Hemphwy, what am pwetty mistah’s?” She asked with smile.
Lawrence turned to face her, he arched his back and let out a cry. “My name is Lawrence King, I’m a soon to be fluffy vet.”
Hemphry blinked at the pose, “Am yew backsie okay?”
Lawrence let out a chuckle as he placed his hand over, “Of course.”
The pair continued down to an overpass and found a small set of human tents, fluffies moved about without fear or a care in the world. Lawrence stepped into a tent after the bright green mare, the smell hit him like a punch. It was a combination of a brothel and a sewer, he held a hand over his nose and noticed several fluffies.
“Can mistah hewp any o’ dem?”
Lawrence placed his hands over a mare with a broken jaw, “My name is Lawrence King and my resolve shines like a golden wind!”
He removed a small sheet of sythskin and began to break it up. It was low quality but anything more advanced would do more harm than good. He placed the pink sheet under her chin and held her in place. She squirmed and cried but her jaw began to heal solidly, a wet pop reached his ear and he let her go.
“Don’t talk. Just give it a few hours.” He said to the mare.
He turned his attention to a pink stallion with a pus filled wound on his back. The source of the horrid sewer-like smell, the stallion smiled at him.
“Hewwo nice mistah.” The stallion said and looked at his hair. “Hab pwetty yellow mane.”
“Ah thank you. You have a pretty white mane yourself, little guy.” Lawrence petted the male before using a bit of hand sanitizer.
Lawrence readied a few tools he had, “This is going to hurt.”
“Otay.”
Lawrence sliced at the infested flesh releasing a scream of agony from the fluffy. He was so into his surgery that he didn’t even notice the homeless men behind him. One of them held a brick as Hemphry silently shook her head at them. The man nodded and the men behind him quickly dispersed to their tents. The large mass of flesh slid off and Lawrence tossed the bit of flesh behind him.
Hemphry watched in awe at the man’s hands, they seemed to flow rather than move. The skin that his fingers brushed against started to heal on its own ever so slightly. She looked at the sythskin still on the floor of the tent, sixteen fluffies were treated in less time than it would have taken her to eat a bowl of kibble. By the time he was working on the last one, she was sure that something was special about this human.
“Between the infections, the broken limbs, and the absolutely terrible fistula…” Lawrence stood up and threw up the horns in each hand. “I have outdone myself.”
“Mistah, dank yew suuu much.” Hemphry eyes started to water, “Nu wan su many fwuffies tu gu foevah-sweepies.”
“No problem. It was a golden experience for me.” Lawrence said.
Hemphry wiped a hoof over her face and brought her makeshift herd closer, she hugged and doted over them as Lawrence left. She knew his smell and would never forget his kindness.
“Dat human am the nicest mistah ebah.”
Lawrence was almost back to the main sidewalk when a man approached him in a black suit. The man looked him up and down with deep brown eyes, “Are you Mr. King. First name Lawrence, Address : 465 North Park?”
“Um. Why?”
The man smiled, showing far too many teeth, “You’ve come highly recommended to my employer. Your time as an intern in the Greater Hearts Fluffy Veterinary School will be transferred to our organization at a rate of two to one credit hours.”
“How did you find me?” Lawrence asked.
“I’m very good at my job, Mr. King. My job is finding people for the Sunflower Day care. We hire people from all walks of life and all skill sets. This is also a paid internship leading into a full time job if you are interested.” The man looked around Chicago with a sigh. “The venue is also much more pleasant to look at.”
Lawrence blinked, "What’s the catch?”
The man grimaced, “Not everything is a deal with the devil. The daycare has many interesting fluffies and…fuckffies. We are open twenty-four hours but we will be fine working around your schooling hours.”
“Okay. I’m willing to give it a try.”
“Wunderbar! Take this card and your first shift will begin after classes on Monday. Just go to the address on the card.”
Lawrence took the card, the logo was of a beautiful sunflower in a meadow with fluffies playing around it. It was wholesome and gave off the appearance of something more quaint and welcoming than the suited man standing before him.
“Thanks Mister-”
The man was gone.
“Thanks, Batman…”
Monday Afternoon…
Lawrence began his drive, the address on the cart lead him slightly out of Chicago. As he passed the city he felt his stomach drop as if he was on a roller coaster. What should have been a bunch of midsized towns became sprawling fields of green. He didn’t recognize any of the sights as he drove.
The building came into view, a large stone building with a connected nice chainlink fence. The building radiated an awareness, he felt like he was being watched as he pulled into the parking lot. He stepped out of his small car covered in anime stickers. He walked past the fence and noticed a few fluffies playing in the yard, some were the large fuckffies while others were normal species of fluffies.
A massive woman that would have looked more at home as a bouncer was watching the fluffies. She had hard eyes that made sweat bead on his head as he made his way inside.
He entered the facility and was greeted with an explosion of colors. Everything was bright and beautiful, to the side of the room was a bunch of Kennels ranging in size from micro to XXL. The desk was a crescent shape with a simple computer sitting on top. A chubby black woman with a head of fuzzy hair and gentle brown eyes looked up at him with a smile. She wore a name tag on her apron that marked her as ‘Jenny.’
“Hello. Welcome to the Sunflower Day Care. I’m Jenny.” She said. “Are you dropping off or picking up today?”
“Oh uh. I’m Lawrence, I was told that I got transferred to intern here?” He answered.
“Oh thank goodness. We’ve been needing a vet on nightshift.” The woman came around the desk to shake his hand. “Poor Mandy has been pulling swing shifts to cover for us and I think the poor girl isn’t sleeping too well.”
She brought him over to the computer, “When you start just click your name here, the manager has already put your name in here.”
Lawrence looked at his name: ‘Lawrence - Nerd.’
“Does your manager know me?” Lawrence asked.
Jenny shrugged, “You can change that, Mr. Warren put me down as ‘Cinnamon roll.’ He likes to think that he is funny, he is a nice guy when you get to meet him but he is so busy I never know when he comes in.”
“Is there a dress code?” Lawrence asked.
“No but I wouldn’t wear anything too precious. Fluffy do have a habit of being a little messy at the best of times.”
“Oi, is that the new guy?” A voice called from the glass door.
The door open revealed a freckled amazonian threat, the woman he spotted from the fence was much bigger in person. Lawrence could almost see the words menacing floating off her like an anime villain. She let out a long sigh looking at him.
Lawrence turned away and dramatically held his hand over his face, “I. Am. Lawrence.”
Jenny and Mandy briefly exchanged looks, Jenny gave a good natured smile while clapping like an approving mom. Mandy rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath as she motioned for him to follow.
“Another nightshift weirdo. You’ll fit in with them just fine.”
Jenny let out a nervous chuckle, “Let’s not make him nervous on the first day.”
“Can’t be that nervous.” She pointed as Lawrence began to walk slouched with his hands in pockets. “He’s walking like a cartoon thug.”
“I can’t be only one who watches Jujitsu Kaisen.” Lawrence said defensively.
“I don’t know what that is.”
“Pretty sure that’s some kinda American slur.” Mandy said. “We don’t do that here.”
Lawrence sighed and stood up straight, “It’s an anime name. Fine fine. I won’t do another one for a while.”
Mandy’s eyes twitched as she led him into the hallway. “This place is broken up into two sides for the fluffies. The main play area is beyond that baby gate. It’s got blankets, pillows, a television, many toys and everything a fluffy would like.”
Lawrence looked over the gate and saw a beautiful window that reflected light in gentle cascading rays. Several fluffies were playing with blocks, a bowl fluffy was trying to balance a block on his back. He leaned in and looked at the television. An chubby XXL with blonde hair was watching a show on distilling liquor net to her sat a smaller fluffy with some of the most vibrant colors Lawrence has seen on a fluffy.
“Isn’t that a little mature for fluffies.” Lawrence asked.
“That one is being rewarded for good behavior and as long as she is watching television she isn’t trying to flirt with staff. Marigold is the big one and Daquiri is the small one, both are owned by two different sets of alcoholics. If they come in on your shift check the kennels it’s usually loaded with contraband.” Mandy sighed.
She pointed to a room across from the playroom, “The door on the left is cleaning supplies, the door on the right is the infirmary.”
She opened the infirmary, “Let me be crystal clear. If you use it, put it down on the log, I don’t mind sharing a work space but I don’t want to be out of alcohol or cotton swabs when I need it.”
“Are you always this intense?” Lawrence asked.
She gave him a look that could wilt plants, “Nightshift weirdos will do that too you. Present company included.”
“Jenny seems nice.”
“Jenny is usually dayshift.” Mandy pointed out several of the supplies while they spoke.
“Normally things don’t get too crazy but we do have some weird customers. Small fights can break out so it’s a good idea to keep your eyes peeled.” Mandy said.
Lawrence nodded as she led him further down the hallway, the feeling of being watched hit him like a bus. He looked at the large art of fluffies. He gazed at a picture of a bright yellow fluffy posed like a Jojo character, the sparkles coming off of it made him chuckle. He turned his attention to the other wall and noticed that another picture showed a beautiful rainbow mane fluffy standing stalwartly against a menacing looking kelpie.
“Oi!” Mandy’s words cut through his ears. “You get lost.”
“Oh sorry, I was looking at the drawing. Whoever did them is amazing.”
Mandy crossed her arms, “Drawings?”
“Yeah uh…”
Sheer pale walls greeted him like a bright light. None of the artwork was on either walls, he blinked. He touched the walls and felt nothing but warmth. The art was gone, he knew that he saw that art. That beautiful art.
“No going crazy until after I leave.” Mandy snorted, “Anyway, continuing forward.”
Lawrence shuddered but followed her. He turned around to see a smiling picture at the end of the hall with hundreds of smilings fluffies of all shapes and sizes. He blinked and the walls were just as blank as before.
“Breakroom is at the end of the hall, we don’t have set breaks just figure that out with your shift lead.” She stepped over a baby gate. “This is the mummah room.”
Lawrence looked at the pillow laden room with thick carpet. So many fluffies were mounted on the pillows, most were sleeping or just resting. Standing in the center of the room clashing with everything around him was a man that looked straight out of a mental band. Tall and imposing. Long dark hair and red eyes that looked like Satan himself owed the guy a favor. The man slowly turned his head to face Lawrence. If there was anyone in this place that was a stand user it would be this man. He held a little blue foal with a bottle, the man looked at Lawrence and his eyes narrowed.
“Quiet in the Mummah room.” The man’s voice rumbled like he was going to summon his stand.
“Yes, sir.” Lawrence whispered.
“Don’t scare the guy.” Mandy whispered, “He’s a little special.”
“Jonathan. I work the mummah room.”
“That’s it, mate?” Mandy sighed, “The mummah room is his place, he knows them all he is protective. Chainsmoker but is a good worker. You mess this room up and he might tear your ears off.”
Jonathan sighed, “What shift?”
“Night.” Lawrence answered as the foal let out a coo.
Jonathan gave him a look of pity, “Just a tip. Stick to Mary like glue, she is nice. The rest of them… Good luck.”
“T-Thank you.” Lawrence noticed that the baby pointed to him.
“Little one seems to like you. That’s a good sign.” Jonathan’s face became serene.
“See that. The metal head smile, that’s seven years of good luck in American.” Mandy teased.
“Get out.” Jonathan said as she returned the foal to its resting mother.
Mandy led Lawrence through the breakroom, the shower room, she explained everything quickly. They walked back into the playroom, Marigold approached them with Daiquiri in tow. She held up a mason jar with a bunch of marshmallows in it.
Mandy narrowed her eyes, “What is that.”
“Mawigow’ wan gib new hoomin-stawwion a gift.” She said.
Mandy turned to Lawrence, “This is what we mean. You start to get a feel for who did what. This cun- this fuckffie usually brings things in metal flasks, that one trying to peek under the covers over there usually uses mason jars.”
“Is that kool-aid?”
Mandy opened the jar with a pop, she held it under her Lawrence’s nose. The scent of alcohol hit him like an uppercut. He winced at the scent that matched a campfire toasted Marshmellow. It smelled good but so damn strong his eyes watered.
“OOOOH MY GOOOD. What is that?” Lawrence winced.
“Alcohol. I personally frisked this one and I checked that cun- one over there.” Mandy growled but handed him the jar. “No drinking on the job but keep it.”
“Keep it?”
“If you don’t she will just hand it to her humans and they’ll hand it to you. Fu- American hillbilly’s or something.” Mandy grunted before she whipped her attention to the pair.
“Sorry box, both of you.”
“But it am Mawigow’s fauwt.”
“It is.” Mandy pointed to Daiquiri, “your partner helped. Don’t lie.”
Marigold let out a cheeky grin, “Big stwong Miss Maaaaandy gonna put cute widdwe Daiquiwi in the sowwy box dats so meeeeean. Aww because she wanna make da hoomin feew happeh tu be hewe. Mandy no gib gifts.”
“Daiquiwi am su sowwie fo’ being fwiendwy.” Daiquiri said with a sniffle.
“Did you tell her to say that?” Mandy growled.
“Yus.”
“This is why I can’t stand XXLs.” Mandy groaned.
Lawrence leaned down and scratched behind Marigold’s ear, “Now that really nice of you to want to give me a gift. Both of you are wonderful fluffies but Miss Mandy is going to need all of the naughty stuff that you snuck in here.”
Marigold let out a dramatic sigh, she shook her mane and several flasks fell out. The clinking of metal rang out as she shook her tail and dropped twelve small shot-sized flasks into the ground. She placed a hoof against his leg and batted her eye lashes at Lawrence.
“Fo’ yew Dawwwwwwlin.” Marigold cooed and walked to the baby gate.
Daiquiri waved to Lawrence, “Dat wun’s fwee but mistah gonna hab monies for anotha wun. Bye Dawwwwwwlin.”
The pair stood at the baby gate, “MISS JENNY WE AM IN TWOUBWE ‘GAIN!”
They yelled in perfect unison before Jenny came to collect them. Lawrence watched them as they smiled with smug satisfaction. He was sure that he just witnessed the spirits of Jojo and Ceaser go with them.
“Moving on.” Mandy huffed.
She lead him to a room behind the playroom. The room was cooler with the sound of soft splashing water. Lawrence’s jaw dropped as he looked at the elegant little pool with a small sand bar. A unique seal like-fluffy whose strange fur pattern gave him the look of a clown played with a squeaky clamshell. The creature waved at them as he fussed with a innertube collar.
“Hewwo! Am Gwubby!”
“Hello Glubby!”
“Why am da cwownise sad?”
“Why?” Lawrence smiled.
“Because him bweak him funny bone.”
The creature giggled with such joy that Lawrence couldn’t help but give a little snort. Mandy tugged him gently to the glass. She pointed the large glass tank that lined the walls and began discussing many subspecies that Lawrence had only read about.
“The yard is that way. We aren’t going out there.”
“Any reason?”
“Brute is out there and since he has been so good today, I gave him a little extra time outside.” Mandy said while leading him to the front. As they crossed the playroom Lawrence glanced out the glass and noticed a massive maroon colored stallion stamping on freshly dug dirt.
“I think he is injured!” Lawrence hissed.
Mandy didn’t even turn, “His owner lets him hunt strays, occasionally ferals happen to make their way inside. I fixed the entrance but his victim was already gone.”
“Excuse me?”
“Eccentric owners come with the territory.”
The moment they stepped into the hallway, the walls were black with the exception of a grey mare that was frighteningly tall. Several fluffy gathered around her, each of them staring into his soul. Sweat beaded down his head as he stood there waiting for Mandy to notice. The more he stared the more the fluffies seemed to have realistic details, he nearly screamed when the grey mare winked at him.
He followed Mandy and didn’t take his eyes off the painting, he wanted to blink but he didn’t want to take his eyes off the terrifying yet regal mare. Two of the smaller fluffies unrolled a large bit of parchment between them.
‘Intern pay $36.50. Good luck pretty boy.’ The message was written in a fine Victorian print.
He could scream. He could run. He could act normal but he asked himself a question.
What would a main character do?
Thousands of episodes of anime prepared him for this moment, his encounter with something that he could explain. He knew what he had to do.
As he passed near the picture, he reached out his hand and passed through the wall like it was never there. He scratched under her chin and she saw her eyes widened alongside her companions. He gave her a dramatic bow and and continued toward the door, he brought his hand up to see a few smokey gray furs clinging to it. He stepped into the lobby and fought the shudder threatening to shake his resolve.
“What did you think?” Mandy asked.
“Oh uh. This is probably one of the most impressive daycares I’ve seen.” Lawrence said.
“Good. Good.” Jenny cheered.
Mandy smirked, “Okay. You have a new vet and I need some sleep. Good luck, new guy.”
The amazonian women left with leaden footsteps as a man dressed in a fancy red shirt entered right after her. Bronzed skin and teeth that would look more at home on a shark.Piercings dotted his face, his smile felt at the borders of malice and mischievousness. He crossed the room and stood before Lawrence.
“Greetings Mr. King.”
Lawrence felt the shift in the room the moment the man spoke to him. The feeling was so intense that Lawrence could barely stand from the physical pressure. This was Warren, it couldn’t be any one else running this strange daycare.
“Hello, Mr. Warren.” Lawrence said.
“I wanted to greet you myself.” Warren held out his hand, “So will you join us? There are so many fluffies that could use your services.”
“Why me?”
“Because, you care.” Warren chuckled, “Not many would help a homeless mare help her friends.”
“You’ve been watching me?”
“Not just anyone can work here. I mean have you seen Johnathan? Man looks like he eats tinfoil and shit for breakfast. Yet he is a wonderful addition to the Mummah Room.” Warren pointed at Jenny, “Look at that cinnamon roll in human form. The fluffies love her.”
“Is my pay going to be thirty-six dollars and fifty cents?” Lawrence asked.
Warren winked, “Now how would you know that?”
“So I’m not crazy?”
Warren rolled his eyes, “I’m a manager, not a therapist. You might be crazy.”
“Is it real?” Lawrence hissed.
“Depends, Neo, are you gonna shake my hand and take the job?”
Lawrence looked at the hand. All the adult common sense told him to run screaming. The little boy. The little boy that dreamed of a world of special things and strange happenings. He hoped that he wasn’t crazy after all. He clasped the man’s hand.
“Good.”
“I kinda expected something to happen…” Lawrence admitted.
“You still have a shift to work.” Warren smiled, “But I’m feeling sporting. Would you like something special to happen?”
“Kinda I-”
Lawrence blinked and he was face down in a ditch. He stood up and shook glitter off of his clothing, a party hat was strapped to his head. His car was parked nearby. Sticky notes spelled out ‘Something Special Ta-da’ on the windshield. He wandered to the car and found a note in the door. There was a crudely drawn picture of him with thick nerdy glasses and a naruto headband.
‘Welcome to the Sunflower Daycare. Tuesday is a full shift. - Warren.’
Art by @FluffyChimera
Characters: Johnathan, Jenny, Glubby, Daiquiri are @FluffyChimera
Characters: Warren, The Gray Mare, Brute are @Swift
Characters: Mandy are @Poopiest_of_bebbehs
