FSE

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Special Delivery

Chapter One

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

25thApril, 2023

All Rights Reserved

Taylor folded the employment section of the paper flat on his cracked, chipped table and sighed. His brown eyes roamed the columns, a pen in his hand circling possible jobs that caught his eye. More were crossed out than circled and he sipped the luke warm coffee.

Suddenly, he paused, one job, catching his eye.

"Wanted: No experience necessary, good working conditions, short travel distance, excellent pay for right candidate."

"No experience necessary?" Taylor muttered as he put down his cup and looked around his dingy apartment. "Good working conditions, excellent pay...what could it hurt?"

Jotting down the number on his hand, Taylor left the building - not realising it'd be the last time he'd ever walk through that door...

*

"Mr. Lindsey?" Asked a young woman, as she looked up from the clipboard. "Mr. Lindsey?"

"Oh, sorry - that's me!" Taylor yelped nervously, as he climbed out of the seat and quivered, trying his best to straighten his clothes and present himself better.

"Right this way please, sir."

Taylor followed, gazing around at the impressive office he was ushered into, feeling hopelessly under-dressed and out of his class in social stature. Hanging from the walls were beautiful oil paintings of horses in full gallop across fields and meadows, their tails streaming behind them and at full stretch.

"Mr Lindsey? A pleasure to meet you, I'm Mr. Deelan, please, sit!"

His fingers feeling like they'd get crushed by the man in the expensive three piece suit, Taylor sank into a leather chair he swore would gobble him up whole.

"I see you were appreciating my art - " Mr. Deelan smiled, steepling his fingers on the blotter.

"Uh...yes...sir - originals, I would say - I'm not art expert - "

"A good eye!" Mr. Deelan nodded. "Yes, they are indeed. Past_success_ stories, you might say. Now, you're here about our job, I must confess, you're not our_usual_ applicant - "

I'm a failure already - Taylor's mind whispered to itself. I'm not what they're looking for.

Raising an eyebrow, the gentleman raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm sure after a period of_adjustment_ you'll make an excellent addition. Now, as you're no doubt curious, let me lay it all out for you.

"You'll be a delivery operative - we service many clients around this fine city, and across America and we're expanding abroad even as we sit here. This is merely a interim office, our main headquarters is still under construction. Oh, don't worry, trust me when I say its only a short trot to your delivery points. Opening salary is of course, commensurate with punctuality and promptness! Let's see, we'll start you off at thirty a year, hows that sound?"

Taylor almost had to pick his jaw up off the floor. "Sir...thirty..."

"Thousand... That's a starting salary, be swift, courteous and punctual? I'm sure a young colt like yourself could go far in this job. Now, if you'd like, we can get some formalities out of the way and you'll start first thing tomorrow. How's that sound?"

What's with the equine jokes? Sure, he obviously loves his horses - just look at the artwork - still - thirty thousand a year? That's more than I ever earned in my life, I'd be a fool not too...

"Excellent!" Mr Deelan smiled, once again nearly crushing Tyler's hand. "Right this way, just some paperwork and formalities, I'm sorry,but head office is quite strict - got to ensure our operatives are in peak physical condition - I hope you won't mind, nothing invasive, just a little blood sample."

"Wait...what?" Tyler squeaked suddenly, standing up.

"Easy," Mr. Deelan smiled, making a placating gesture with his hands. "Just a formality, nothing more! A minor thing, nothing to worry about! As I said, head office is pretty on my tail about ensuring our staff are in top performance."

Taylor leapt from the chair, then backed towards the door. Without moving a muscle, Mr. Deelan watched him through half lidded eyes.

"This is a one time offer Mr. Lindsey - " Mr, Deelan spoke quietly, yet his voice full of dominance and masculinity. "Walk out that door - what are you going back too? No job, employment prospects, minimal, you live in an apartment, even rats wouldn't touch..."

"Uh..." Taylor murmured, his eyes going wide.

Sliding open a desk drawer, Mr. Deelan pulled out a thick manilla envelope and dropped it with a thump on the table before him.

"You...how..." Taylor moaned. "You..."

In my line of work, I like to keep a lead on potential's - you have been on my pasture, as it were, even since middle-school. I probably know more about you, than you know yourself. Now, please... sit. How about I make a one time offer? How does sixty five thousand a year sound?"

"I..." Taylor's eyes bulged and he swallowed a lump in his throat, looking down at the folder, then up at the man, who smiled warmly and held out his hands, palms facing each other.

"You'll find working for us, has its benefits... full health care, a much nicer place to live than that..."

Opening the folder, Mr. Deelan's eyes looked down, before he looked back up.

"That place - it should be condemned - maybe I'll make an offer for it - tear it down and build something better, more suitable for our loyal staff. I'm sure they'd get a kick out of it..."

"Sir, you are kidding me - right? This is all a joke, a prank, a..."

Mr. Deelan's smile vanished as he looked sternly across the desk. "I don't foal around son - one time offer - take it...or leave..."

Taylor wasted less than a heartbeat, crossing the carpet then holding out his hand, Mr. Deelan once more squeezing it with a crushing grip.

"Excellent, now, if you'll see the lovely Aleisha out side there, she'll get you the paperwork and we'll get our resident vet to give you a once-over - you understand, just a precaution and general check."

"Uh... a vet?"

Mr Deelan chuckled. "A joke son, our doctor is an ex-veteran, I don't ask why he asks to be called a Vet, I thank him for his services and so on..."

Before he knew what was happening, his mind reeling, Taylor found himself suddenly sitting on the chair in the reception room, a clipboard with a dozen sheets of fine paper attached.

"Just the standard non-disclosure agreement, saying how you'll never open a customers package, you'll be discreet, polite and respectful at all times, prompt of hoof and..."

Again with the equine jokes, I get it! Taylor wanted to shout, but kept glancing over the page after page of legalese he didn't comprehend. Finally he just flipped to the back and signed in a dozen places, marked with bright yellow tags.

"Excellent!" Smiled the receptionist, as she un-clipped it and filed it in a drawer in her desk.

Touching the intercom, she said two words into it.

"He's ready..."

A few moments passed, Taylor beside himself and nervous in equal measure, as he waited as patiently as he could. At last, an elderly man dressed in a spotless lab coat come out and with a gruff gesture, walked back into another room. Taylor rose and followed, curious and more than a little nervous, the door closing behind him.

*

"Latest inductee huh?" Groused the Doctor as he gestured offhandedly. "Well, step behind that screen, down to your briefs - or boxers - doesn't matter to me. Let's get this over with shall we?"

Taylor felt self conscious, shedding his clothes as requested and come out, his hands cupped before his boxers.

"Relax, I'm a Doctor..." Grumbled the old man. "You think you got something I haven't seen before? Pah - alright, sit yourself right down here..."

Taylor did as he was told, then felt a tight tourniquet tied around his arm. Tapping his inner elbow a few times, the doctor gave a quick wipe with a strong scented alcohol wipe then smiled.

"You probably know the drill, a little sting and..."

Before Taylor could speak, the doctor slid the fine gauge needle into his arm and affixed the vial. Taylor watched then shuddered and looked away.

"All done, there, now...hold this - " Grumbled the Doctor, as he held a cotton ball to the tiny wound.

"You can get dressed now..."

"Uh...that's... it?"

"Oh, one last thing... I almost forgot, silly of me, damn silly - one more test..."

"Great - " Taylor sighed. "What is it?"

He blinked, feeling a sharp sting in his upper arm, before darkness come down on him like a hoof between the eyes and he knew nothing more...

*

Where... what... Taylor's mind was foggy and vague. He felt something crackle and then poke him sharply. Scents, strange scents, sharper and clearer than he'd ever smelt in his life, assaulted his nostrils. Breathing in, he felt them wrinkle, before he sneezed and his ears twitched...

Wait... they _ twitched _... what the hell?

Forcing his eyelids, which felt like they were glued closed, to open, his vision blurred, trebled, and finally cleared - he suddenly saw he had a much wider field of vision than what he ever expected. He stared _down_a muzzle - seeing the tips of flaring nostrils.

No, I'm dreaming, I got to be and... wait - I got hands, someone's playing a joke, put a mask on me and...

He held his hands up before his eyes, staring dumbfounded at the beautiful fine fur that covered them, the fingernails now short, blunt hooflets. Midway up, there were splashes of a light woodland brown that countered the white of his hands. His fingers walked up the muzzle - feeling the broad, leathery lips, the flaring nostrils - the bridge of the muzzle then finally, tugging at the ears.

"OW!" Taylor squealed, pain lancing through his skull. "What in the hell..."

As he sat up, he found his upper body was _well_humanoid - it too was covered in a fine fur of primarily off-white with a large brown splash from below the chest down the belly and...

ARE THOSE HORSE LEGS AND HOOVES?

His mind reeled, unable to make sense of what it was seeing. He moved one leg, stretching it out and seeing the fur and muscle bunch and move, before he stared wide eyed at the pale equine hoof. He did the same with the other leg, noticing how the leg bent at the knee and ankle, It too ended in a pale cream-coloured hoof.

"No..." Taylor moaned, slapping his hands against his long muzzle. "They drugged me, gave me LSD or something..."

Look again - His mind told him. Really look...Especially under your belly - feel anything - different -

"No, no, no, no!" Taylor wailed, his voice more a whinny than a cry.

What are you afraid of? What's done is done - you're not in Kansas anymore Toto, are you? Go on, look - you - know - you want to...

Tears welling in his chocolate brown eyes, Taylor awkwardly twisted his human body around, then lifted his powerfully muscled hind leg and _looked_at what he thought would be there - no longer was.

You're a mare... His mind told him. Pretty sure that's not a sheath and testicles back there anymore... interesting...

"_Interesting!"_Taylor whinnied again, then slapped his hands to his lips and looked around fearfully. "I'm human, a male..."

Doesn't look like it to me - His hind brain told him. I'm not sure - what - we are anymore - half...something, half horse? A... a freaking Centaur?

Again, Taylor shook his head from side to side, refusing to accept or believe what he felt and _knew_to be true. With supreme force of will, he tried to stand, but his knees wobbled and with a loud thud, he fell back onto the stray and his chest crushed, his air blasting from his nostrils. A click of a gate, then a low squeal reached his ears, before he heard the quiet footsteps that stopped outside what he now realized was a stall.

"A_paint_?" Mr. Deelan gasped in surprise, his eyes wide as he stared at Taylor who again struggled to stand, and fell back down. "I had no idea you'd throw to a paint..."

"Help me!" Taylor whinnied at him. "What did you do to me? I'm a... a..."

Mr. Deelan grinned, then unlatched the stall door and walked in, kneeling down on the straw behind Taylor, then lifting up his beautiful brown and white tail and whistling.

"A mare paint at that..." Mr. Deelan grunted. "Wow, how unexpected- we knew you'd throw to - well - this... we never expected a total reversal and..."

"What did you do you bastard!" Taylor squealed, trying to kick out with a hind leg, but all he did was flail his hind hoof across the straw.

With a sigh, Mr. Deelan smacked Taylor hard on the rump, making him whiny and squeal in pain and fright.

"_First_lesson, mare..." Mr. Deelan spoke quietly, his voice no longer cheerful and friendly. "I don't like lippy, kicking mares - or stallions - for that matter. The second lesson, learn your place in my organization, and you'll find the rewards are quite... pleasurable."

With a grin, he stood up, brushed off his pants, then walked out of the stables. After a few moments, he returned, carrying a leather harness that he looked at, then at the mare centaur before him.

"Might need a little adjustment... Now, about you..."

"You..." Taylor snorted, ears going flat, but when Mr. Deelan raised his hand, Taylor flinched and looked away.

"Good girl, you're a fast learner! Now, oh, come now, you _believed_that story about how you'd be paid? _Really_believed that? Well, you'll be _paid_right here in board and lodging. Fed twice daily, a nutritious mix of oats, and other things - morning and night. You'll be expected to deliver your parcels that'll be strapped to you, on time and with courtesy and politeness - oh, don't worry little one - you _are_a bit on the small side - only about 14 hands..."

"I'm a fucking Centaur...how the..."

Another sharp slap made Taylor's jaws snap shut and he whickered in fear and pain.

"No, well, yes, yes you are, a beautiful American Paint Horse Centaur... Now, thanks to your harness here - "

He held it up, showing the leather and strapping of the buckle. "You'll_appear_very human - look, scent, and sound. Our clients- have special rings, that let them see through the illusion of what you _really_are. You will deliver your packages, in two saddlebags strapped across your sides - oh, don't worry little one, you'll be able to reach them with those beautiful hands of yours. Get them to sign for the packages and _if_a client expresses an _interest_in you - well..."

Taylor's eyes widened in fear, his ears flattening backward.

"An interest... I'm a...a..."

"Yes, an interest_in you, you would be _very_well inclined to make sure the client is very happy with you - and your _services... do I make myself clear?"

"I..." Taylor nickered, then a tremble ran from neck to ankles. "Yes... sir..."

"Excellent, I can see this will be a most _fulfilling_career ahead of you! Now - get up..."

Slapping him on the rump, Mr. Deelan forced Taylor to stand, then he glared balefully at the mare, who dropped her gaze and hung her head in submission.

"Good girl, now, stand still..."

Mr Deelan slipped the chest strap around Taylor's broad chest, buckling it just on the right shoulder. Another strap went over just behind the upper body, also buckled just above in a T shape. A long strap led all the way back to about the middle of the hip - measured carefully; before he stopped.

"Oh, one last thing... I almost forgot!"

Leaving the stable and the quivering Centaur, who twitched and scratched at the tight straps then squealed as he reappeared and walked over behind her.

"Don't..." Mr. Deelan growled, seeing Taylor cock a rear hoof. "You won't_like what your punishment will be... Now, be a good girl and _up..."

Taylor shuddered, balancing on three hooves, as he felt then saw, tight Lycra pants being slid up his shin, then thighs, then tugged up as high as they'd go.

"Other...good girl- " He smiled and pet her rump as Taylor understood what was expected and lifted the opposing leg.

Tugging them up into position, Taylor could _feel_his tail hanging freely, his rump almost fully covered - but beneath the tail, his anus and labia were exposed by the crotch-less Lycra pants that were pulled even higher and over the broad hips.

They were a dark navy blue, with a lighter blue hem, then a shirt with a collar was thrown at him, Taylor catching it awkwardly and holding it up. It too was dark navy, with light blue bands around the arms bottom, and collar.

"Put that on..."

Taylor struggled at first, awkwardly pulling the shirt down his long arms, then wrestling it over the chest so it sat just above the belly.

"Now, the last of your harness, stand still for a moment..."

Straps ran up over his hips, buckled either side and a thigh strap encircled the upper leg and was also buckled, once again forming a T shape. Again, he left, then returned with two large, empty, saddle bags. Placing an embroidered saddle cloth over Taylor's back, the saddlebags were slung and buckled to the long leather strap that ran from front legs to back legs.

"Hmm, reach the saddle bags..."

Obediently, Taylor twisted his human-like torso, awkwardly, before he could unbuckle the two straps that held it closed, then flipped them open.

"Excellent, I knew you were a quick learner, alright, secure them - your first customer awaits."

"You_sure..._" Taylor gestured at himself.

"I've been doing this_for forty-five years Mare, trust me, nobody who isn't one of our clientele, will _ever_see you - _as- you are... You will pass amongst them looking and acting_like a everyday delivery person. Now, come with me, I'll get your first packages... Oh, relax, it's a short trot, really, a few blocks...come, they're expecting you sooner, rather than later - as I said young one - _punctuality- will earn rewards... generous... rewards...Oh, one last thing - welcome to the Pony Express...

TO BE CONTINUED...