Being a star was hard.
You spent most of your time either on the set or in your kennel. You understood why Leon always whined when playtime was over, you would go many days without getting a chance to even look at the toys. Filming took a long time, you would have to do the same thing over and over and over… it didn’t make sense. Sometimes you would end up being so frustrated you wanted to cry!
And then Mister Nick, from behind the cameras, would point at his smile.
“Smile wide! There are friends all over the world that want to see you!” He always said.
So you smiled, for your friends you couldn’t see but also your soon-daddeh. You would make him proud! You even stopped being scared of Tyler! You couldn’t look him in the eye yet, but staring at his neck when you needed to speak to him let you pretend there was no horn on his forehead. As far as you were concerned, Tyler was a regular pegasus!
“Gooooood morning fluffies!” Mister Nick sang as he entered the saferoom. You shot awake, Mister Nick always added a few extra treats to everyone’s breakfast! “Let me get your food, and we’ll see if we have time to play before shooting!”
You made good poopies in your attached litter box, as you did every morning. Mister Nick came around to each of the kennels and set in the dish of soft food, the smell of the sketti treats making your mouth water.
“Hey… where’s Tyler?” He asked.
That was the kennel next to yours, so you couldn’t see him. Something you were really grateful for. The less you had to look at him, the nicer you could be.
“Mistah Adam take him ‘way!” Tricia said.
“When?”
“Dis bwite tiem, befow Mistah Nick cum.”
“Huh…” Mister Nick said, setting her bowl in the kennel. “There must be a reason. Eat up!”
You scarfed down breakfast, looking forward to some playtime. It was rare that you got morning play, usually it was straight to the set after breakfast.
“Wai Tywew awways gu fun pwaces?” Leon whined.
“Hey, we don’t know that it’s fun.” Mister Nick said as he washed out the bowls from last night’s dinner. “Maybe he had to go back to the vet.”
“Hmph.” Leon snorted. “Stoopid hoomans, nu take Weon pwaces.”
You wanted to scold him for talking to your daddeh like that, but you bit your tongue. You had to keep it a secret. Mister Nick wasn’t your daddeh yet, and if the other fluffies knew they would be even meaner to you. Maybe not Tricia, but it would break her heart.
“Oh, sorry fluffs.” Mister Nick said, looking down at his little black rectangle. “No playtime today, they need us on set.”
He opened the kennels for each of you to hop out and follow him down the hall. You were practiced at this by now, having done it every morning for more days than you could count. You would get to the set, Mister Nick would guide you through your lines and then you would all practice a few times while the camera crew set up. Then you would do it even more times while they recorded, and then a quick nap and you’d start all over. Monotonous, but familiar.
As Mister Nick opened the door to the set, Adam was sitting on one of the puffy chairs you were never allowed to sit in. Mister Nick paused in the doorway as you and the other fluffies trotted to your circle. “Oh… hey Adam. What’s going on?”
“And with you, that’s everyone!” He said, standing up. “Oh, you brought the fluffies. Perfect! They should hear this too.”
“Hear… what?” Miss Harley asked.
“Show’s canned.” Adam said.
“What?”
“Show’s canned. Canceled. Not going forward. Whatever you grunts like to use.” He said, waving his hand dismissively.
“But…” Mister Nick said quietly.
“We’re almost a full season in!” One of the camera crew shouted.
“I’m well aware, I lobbied for the production to go on as long as possible so you all would get paid.” Adam held up his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“Why cancel it?!” Miss Harley asked.
“See, the production company bought the rights to using “Fluffy” as a trademark in media a long time ago. Direct from HasBIO.” Adam said, walking aimlessly around the set as he spoke. “If they want to maintain the trademark, they need to keep making media using it. But, making that media is expensive.” He stopped, turning his back to the crew. “So they make just enough of it to prove they intend on using the trademark, but can the project before the editing and other expensive work goes through.”
“So… we’re fired?!” Another camera crew member said.
“I’m afraid so.” Adam shook his head sadly. “Really, I tried my best but I’m the only reason this went on as long as it did.”
“I… took care of a herd of shitrats… for nothing?!” Miss Harley snapped. You flinched at the bad words. She wasn’t ever all that nice to you but… you didn’t think she hated you or anything. “I can’t put a show that never got finished on my resume!!”
“I really am sorry.” With his back to the crew only you and the other fluffies could see the thin smile on his face. “Honest, the call came from higher up the chain. I did everything I could. You will get paid normal rates through the end of the week to pack the studio up, and a severance bonus.”
“And what are we supposed to do with these fucks, huh?!” Harley said, pointing at you and the other fluffies. “Bring them home with us?!”
“Oh! Yes, that’s something I managed to negotiate.” Adam turned around, smiling to the crew. “The head office doesn’t care what happens to them as long as they’re disposed of properly. Smash ‘em, bash ‘em, hell, grill them for all I care. I’ve taken the alicorn, I’ll see what I can get for him and get you all lunch. Should at least be able to get a few pizzas out of the golden shitrat.” He said, as he walked towards the door. “Have fun, make a mess, as long as it’s all clean and packed by Friday I don’t care what you do.”
The door clicked shut and there was a moment of silence. The crew looked around at each other with wide, confused eyes.
“What are we going to do?” One of the crew said.
“I… I need to call my husband.” Another mumbled, stepping out of the room.
One by one their eyes landed on you and the other fluffies. Tricia started to whine quietly.
There was the scrambling of hooves, and then everyone moved at once.
You saw Leon running towards the doors. One of the camera men stomped on his tail, abruptly halting his escape. Two other workers grabbed him by his legs, one on each side, and began to pull. Leon screeched, and as if you were watching in slow motion, the crew member holding his tail ripped it off, sending blood spraying off in an arc.
It hurt to see, but Leon was a bad fluffy, he left the circle without permission! The workers wouldn’t be so mad at him if he didn’t yell at everyone. You mostly felt sorry for him, but some small part of you was happy it finally happened. Bad fluffies got hurt, it was what had to happen.
You heard a scream from next to you and turned just in time to see Miss Harley slam her foot down onto Tricia’s back. You flinched back as blood sprayed out of her mouth, eyes bulging out of her skull.
Tricia was not a bad fluffy.
Tricia always followed the rules.
Tricia was nice. She was kind to you when none of the other fluffies were. She always got her lines perfect and loved Tyler more than anyone.
She didn’t deserve to hurt.
“Oh I am sooooo glad to be done with you, bitch.” Miss Harley said, yanking Tricia up by the mane. Her legs dangled limply below her as shit dripped down her tail. “Let’s see if I can teach you to shut the fuck up!”
“Huu! Twicia hab-”
“Biggest huwties!” Harley finished for her in a mocking tone. “You are always going on about something, it’s always Twicia wub, Twicia wan’, Twicia hab.” Every phrase was punctuated by a shake of her mane.
Tricia just sobbed in reply.
You sat, frozen, still in the circle painted on the floor. It didn’t make sense. None of this made sense.
You turned to see Penny dangling from a cable wrapped around her neck, crew members hoisting her higher and higher as she pawed at her neck. She couldn’t breathe! Didn’t they know they were hurting her?! They… must know.
It didn’t matter if you were good or bad.
Humans hurt fluffies because they wanted to.
You felt hands wrap tightly around you. You didn’t have it in you to resist, still frozen in shock. How could everything you knew be wrong? Why had you worked so hard at being good if there was just pain no matter what? How could Pearl be wrong?
Suddenly cold air blasted your face and you found yourself tumbling across rough pavement.
“Hope! Run!” Mister Nick shouted.
“Buh-” you said, getting your hooves under you.
“Just go! I’ll find you!” He said, pushing you down the alley. “Don’t look back, just go!”
“Someone grab the brown fuck!” Someone called from inside the building. Mister Nick grabbed Franky by the hind leg as he tried to dart out the door with you, yanking him up into the air.
“Go! I’ll be right behind you!!”
You turned and ran, tears streaming down your face as a wet crack rang out into the alley.
You knew he was lying.