Ash followed Seth slowly, not really hesitating until they approached the door to his old saferoom. Not looking up from the floor, Ash mumbled lightly to Seth. “…aSh nU wAn gU sAfEwOom…” Leaning down and stroking under his neck, Seth smiled at the stallion. “Come on buddy. It’s been ages since Starburst has seen you. I bet she’ll be really excited…”
Brushing away his touch, Ash laid down onto the floor in protest. “…nU wAn…” This was one of the reasons that Seth enjoyed Ash so much more than other fluffies. To an outside observer, it might just seem like a spoiled fluffy, or one throwing a tantrum, but Seth knew better. The stallion would always push against him, in small and subtle ways, testing the waters and seeing what would and wouldn’t garner a punishment. The key with him was always making others suffer for his mistakes.
“Well I guess I can’t make you go in…” Seth said, trying not to laugh at the obvious lie. But it’s a shame that Starburst is going to suffer, just because you don’t want to see her…" Looking up solemnly at Seth, Ash hesitated for a few moments before pleading with him. “…nU hUWtiEs sTaWBuwSt…aSh bE gUd…aSh gU tU saFeWoOm…” Seth gave him a light pat on the head. “Good boy…” Opening the door, Seth led Ash into the saferoom.
With the only light in the room coming from the tv, still playing the “Babies” show that Seth had set it to, he could only slightly see Starburst’s silhouette against her pillow. She was still crying, either from her earlier assault or the babies on the tv, possibly both. “*huuu…*huuu…*huuu…Nee’ huggies…*huuu…*huuu…*huuu…”
Flicking on the light, Starburst yelped, then looked to Seth, with the fencing blocking Ash from her sight. Instantly, she begged for Seth’s attention. *huuu…*huuu…*huuu…Daddeh…p’wease gib Stawbuwst huggies an’ wuv!..*huuu…*huuu…*huuu…Hab wowstest heawt huwties an’ saddies…" Seth gave her a big smile as he crossed over the fence and leaned down, petting her. “My poor girl…” He alternated from rubbing her flank to her stumps, causing Starburst to wiggle slightly as she sobbed. “I have a surprise for you Starburst…” Seth stood and went to the fence, unhinging the section that acted as a gate. "You’re going to have a guest for a while! Won’t that be fun?!
For a brief moment, Starburst got a big smile on her face, the thought of company elating her. Then her face changed, as she remembered this happening before, many times before. She looked sullenly at the now open gate, Ash trotted slowly through. “…hEwWo sTAwbUwSt…”
With a smile that belayed her sadness in seeing her old special friend, Starburst spoke to him for the first time in many forevers. “…Hew…hewwo Ash. Hao am yu?” While a part of her looked happy to see him, or really any other fluffy, there was a clear hesitation to her interaction with Ash, as though he made her uncomfortable. “…aSh aM…aSH Am oTay…iT…It aM gUd tU sEe sTaWBuwSt…”
It was almost heartwarming to watch. Seth could see how much they had truly missed each other. If not for the awful memories that the reunion had stirred in both of them, it would be a joyous occasion for the ex-couple. Starburst was torn between her desire for companionship and a living reminder of her lost foals. And looking at Starburst’s fluff was like a terrible reminder of Daffodil that Ash couldn’t ignore. Seth remained for a few more minutes, enjoying the absolute awkward hopelessness the pair brought out in each other before walking away, locking up the gate as he stepped out.
"Well, have fun you guys. I have a few more things to take care of before I go to sleep. Ash, you help Starburst eat before you go to bed, ok? Still looking uncomfortable, the stallion turned his head to Seth. “aSh…asH nU wAn gU sWEePiEs hEwe…” Shaking his head, Seth walked to the switches next to the door. “Now Ash, don’t be rude. This is a special occasion!” Flicking the lights off, Seth grinned. “After all, how often do you two get to see each other…”
As the light went out, the dull light of FluffTV the only illumination in the room, Ash laid down beside Starburst’s bed, wanting to hug his former special friend but feeling too scared to do so. They sat quietly for a long time before Starburst broke the silence. “…Hao…Hao wong tiww Ash gu way gain? Tiww Ash hab wast saddies gain?” It was the first thing she usually asked him. He had visited her many times before, with each eventually ending when the loop returned. Starburst always referred to it as last saddies, as she herself had not yet entered the loop and didn’t understand wanting forever sleepies yet. “…nU kNo…aSh neBAh kNo…” There was another long silence before Ash worked up the nerve to climb next to Starburst in her bed, slowly nuzzling her before putting his hooves around her. “aSh…aSh mISs dAfOw’Diw…”
Seth was ecstatic with how well things were going so far. Today had been fairly bloodless but the despair was palpable and that is what Seth thrived on when it came to fluffy torture. Any old Tom, Dick, or Jane could buy a pair pliers and go to town on a fluffy. That was easy. But making them go against their very nature…forcing them to push against the things that made them happy by design…this took effort. As his thoughts turned to the prep work he needed to start on tomorrow, Seth made his way to his closet, retrieving some fluffy kibble and a pair of bowls. “Wonder how my new fluffies are holding up…” He pondered as he made his way to the guest bathroom.
The sudden noise of the door opening caused the ferals in the tub to yelp in surprise, with Sassy frantically gathering her foals under her to hide them in her chest fluff. Seth walked up to the tub, the sound of Craven crying being prominent and unbearable. Kicking the side of the bathtub, he saw the unicorn jump suddenly. “Quiet down…or else!” As he leaned over to check on Sassy, Plucky, and the foals, Seth saw a large puddle of urine that had pooled near the drain of the tub.
Putting the food and bowls down on the floor, Seth crouched down so that the fluffies could easily see him without having to look up. “One of you made bad pee-pees in the bathtub! Whoever did it, tell me now! If you don’t…I’m going to punish you all!”
Craven and Plucky started to whimper, with the unicorn shaking violently. Sassy looked nervous but was trying to calm her chirping foals, the babies voicing their distress at the loud yelling. “Well if no-one is going to confess…” Seth reached down and pushed Sassy over, grabbing one of her foals. Sassy screamed as Seth held her gray foal in the air, now standing back up, looming over her. “NUUUUUUU!!! GUB MUMMAH BABBEH!!! GIB BABBEH TU MUMMAH NAO!!!”
Holding the foal in one hand, his arm outstretched in front of him, he dangled him by his scruff. He twitched at the end of Seth’s fingers, chirping in fear. "SIT DOWN NOW SASSY!" The desperate mare was still against the tub screaming for the monster to return her foal. Seth would have to make a point to snap her out of it. He dropped the gray foal, letting him fall a healthy distance before catching him with his other hand, with Sassy’s eyes going wide as she howled with dread. “NUUUUUUU!!! NU WET BABBEH FAWW!!!”
The foal was now shaking in his gloved hand, a small bit of urine and feces dribbling down from the chirping baby. Seth yelled again, hoping to make things clear to the mare. “NOW SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP SASSY! OR DO YOU WANT ME TO DROP HIM AGAIN?!?” The mare was now hysterical but she sat down, her one hoof holding her remaining foals against her chest. “Now…which one of you peed in the tub?”
The only response from the ferals were whimpers and sobs. Craven had backed his way to the far end of the bathtub, his belly to the porcelain bottom, and his hooves over his face. Plucky was crying on his side, still unable to use his back legs. His front hooves were in the air, as though he could somehow reach the foal in Seth’s hands. Of all of them, Sassy was clearly the most upset, her confrontational nature easily defeated by the potential loss of a child. Seth could also notice that as she watched the dangling foal, she would also turn her eyes to Craven, as though she wanted the cowardly unicorn to say something.
Seth knew of course. Of all the ferals, Craven was clearly the easiest to frighten and the most likely to have pissed himself. While many ferals would become toughened by outdoor life, there was no defeating their original Hasbio purposes. They were made emotional creatures and suffered for it, their dependence on humans being an eternal part of their bio-programming. And to a fluffy, there were many, many things to fear but a human was the worst. To a fluffy, there was no greater conundrum that a abusive human. On the one hand, their Hasbio implanted drive would tell them that all humans are to be trusted, that they will love them and shower them with affection, feed them and keep them safe. But their instincts, the part of their minds that develop on their own, over time, it knows that humans can hurt them, and that past abusers should’t be trusted. The sheer conflict between these two polarizing thoughts could be seen clearly in the look on Craven’s face. Cowering and covering his face, yet mumbling for Seth, the very threat to his existence, to save him.
This wasn’t about actually deducing who had relieved themselves in the tub. It was about how far Seth had to go to get one of them to betray another. As he wrapped his hand around the gray foal and began to squeeze, Seth would have his answer from Sassy.
“C’WAVEN! C’WAVEN MADE BA’ WAWA! NU GIB BABBEH HUWTIES! P’WEASE!” Seth leaned down and presented the gray foal to Sassy, not wanting her obedience to go unrewarded. Craven had began to shake, his mumbling and quiet begging now just a series of sobs and whimpers. “Very good girl Sassy.” As she snatched her foal back, Seth surprised her by slowly petting her side. Cooing and rubbing into the affections, she didn’t notice Seth’s other hand reaching for Craven.
Plucky noticed and flailed helplessly towards him, trying to warn the oblivious unicorn. “C’WAVEN!!! WUN!!!” By the time the fluffy was aware of the threat, it was too late. Seth grabbed him by his mane and lifted him up, slowly standing up and allowing the frightened unicorn to see how high up he truly was.
“I asked you to stay clean Craven…” Seth stared through the shivering fluffy. “I offered you food…shelter…even love, and all you had to do was obey my simple instructions.”
That was all a lie of course. He had no intentions of giving any affection to these ferals, except maybe Plucky and Candyfloss. Seth almost respected how the little pegasus had sacrificed his own freedom to try and protect his family and his friend. Granted it was probably the biggest mistake of his life and he wouldn’t live a long or happy life as a result, but still…it was admirable. And Seth was just enamored with Candyfloss. Her colors were adorable and he was even thinking of keeping her long term. Besides, after the fourth, he might just have a a few openings for new fluffies…
Craven was shaking, the scared unicorn struggling against Seth’s grip, not daring to meet his eyes. “*huuu…*huuu…*huuu…Wet C’waven gu! P’wease!..*huuu…*huuu…*huuu…Wan ow’t! Wan ow’t!” Seth used his free hand to slap the pathetic creature, eliciting a loud yelp from the unicorn, followed by softer crying. He walked over to the toilet, raising the lid and held Craven over the bowl, his rear pointed down. Seth lowered him until his haunches were almost touching the surface of the water, with Craven kicking and whimpering as he did. Using his free hand, Seth pressed hard onto his stomach and then pulled his hand down, forcing the fluffy to defecate, screaming as his face belayed how painful the forced evacuation was.
“*SCREEEEEEE!!! OWIES!!! TUMMEH HAB WOWSTEST HUWTIES!!! *huuu…*huuu…*huuu…WAI NYU DADDEH MAKE C’WAVEN GU HUWTIE BA” POOPIES?!? NU WIKE!!!"
“Is that all?” Was Seth’s only response to the cowering unicorn’s question. He held him up higher, Seth’s face inches away from Craven’s. “If you have any more shit or piss in you, I’d get it out right now!” Quivering, Craven only responded by shaking his head back and forth, his eyes shut tight. “Good…”
Seth carefully placed Craven into the sink, the terrified fluffy not daring to open his eyes. He grabbed the bowls and filled them with kibble, placing them in the tub for Sassy and Plucky, the suspicious fluffies now realizing just how hungry they truly were.
Using the sink to fill another bowl, he also fetched them some water, with Craven’s legs shaking harder and harder as he heard the water falling near him. Seth ignored him for the moment, walking back to the bathtub. “Once you’ve finished eating, if you have to go poopies or peepee, tell me…because if you don’t and I find that you’ve went in the tub, you will regret it. Understood?”
Sassy simply nodded, the trembling mare trying her best to cover her foals from the monster’s sight. Plucky looked to Seth, his eyes wet with tears. “…P’wease nu gib huwties tu C’waven…” Tempering his need for extreme punitive measures, Seth looked to the brave pegasus, a genuine smile on his face. “I have to punish him Plucky, but just for you, I won’t give him forever sleepies…”
Holding his front hooves upward, Plucky looked to Seth. “Upsies…” Seth leaned over and scooped up the injured pegasus, petting him lightly as he cradled him. “You need to poop or pee buddy?” Not answering which, Plucky simply nodded, with Seth holding him low enough to the bowl for him to relieve himself, the answer being both. After he finished, Seth stroked his mane and held him over his shoulder, showering him with praise. “Good boy, Plucky.” Placing him carefully back into the tub, he looked to Sassy. “How about you girl? If you need to go, now’s the time to tell me.”
The fluffy mother just looked away, only slightly shaking her head no. Clearly it would take some time and a little manipulation to get her to trust him, Seth pondered. Well if she went in the bathtub, it would at least be amusing to see how she’d try to hide or deny it tomorrow…
Looking back to Craven, Seth walked to the still whimpering fluffy, his eyes still shut tight. “As for you, this is where I’m leaving you till bright time. You will get no nummies or water tonight. And before you get any tomorrow, I’m going to punish you for peeing in the bathtub.” Leaving the hungry, horrified unicorn to ponder his fate, Seth left the bathroom, opting to leave the light on as he did.
Hopping in the shower to rinse off and wash up after the feral hunting and handling, Seth started a mental checklist for tomorrow. He’d have to hit the hardware store briefly but beyond that, he had everything else he needed. Donning some fresh boxers, he slid into bed, setting his alarm for five A.M.
End of July 2nd
