FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Bovine Parents"

CHAPTER 24

Preparations for Tommy's departure took several days. He would make the journey without Jen, who was staying behind for another week to finish her work at Frank's behest. Living arrangements on the expanded farmland for the pair were a work-in-progress, so Tommy would have to 'bunk' with the herd when he got there.

For Tommy, this was his moment of truth. The day he finds out if his decision was a wise one. That this was what he truly wanted to do, that he hadn't made a terrible mistake. Since the gene therapy he'd been running on an optimistic high, but that failed to last more than a couple of days. Understandably, he was apprehensive.

He was not due to leave for an hour yet, so he had time to spend with Jen. Small talk ensued while she cleaned the laboratory with help from the young bull.

"Hand me the duster."

"Sure," Tommy obeyed. The place was a mess, a testament to the stretched funding the agri-genetics programme received. No staff on hand to assist, so Frank made do with press-ganging his test subjects.

"Are you as nervous as I am right now?" he ventured, hoping not to be alone in his worry.

Jen studied his face, taking a break from her labour. The cheery-faced_do-or-die_attitude Tommy had so strongly broadcast when they first met was absent. He had time to mull over his choices, and second-guess them. Doubt was gnawing.

"Depends," she answered, "I have always been scared that I made a wrong choice. I dived into the deep end, that is the expression yes? I agreed out of boredom...emptiness..." Jen tried to hide her embarrassment, ashamed she could've made such a life-changing decision in the fog of ennui.

"Mooh. I know your reasons, Jen. Not my place to judge 'em. All I can say to help ya is: would you prefer none of this happened?"

"No. No, it was scary, but exciting. I would not want to go back to my old life, alone in the middle of nowhere." Jen cheered up. "Your words make me feel much better, Tommy."

"Thanks." Now if he could only turn that talent inwards. He spoke up again: "for the last couple of days, my head was a mess. Excitement about my new body took over. Now, I feel like I've sobered up, but--"

"There are doubts."

"Yup. Big ones. Thought I put those to rest before I came here."

"We have gone through the same worry, Tommy. The transformation was not long ago, the last of the serum has left you by now. You are having_withdrell_...withdra-wal symptoms -- excuse me -- according to Dr. Trimble. I was the same."

Tommy reflected upon Jen's words. She was correct in that the last vestiges of the gene serum were gone. It was like Dr. Trimble said -- it'd affected his brain chemistry. Preventing the transformation from driving him insane. No wonder he felt good about it afterwards, he was effectively drunk. Well...tipsy from it at least.

"All that giddiness after I changed...gone, that's for sure."

He'd returned to his serious self, but that taste of contentedness lingered. That enticing comfort. He had -- for a brief period -- understood his parents' peace of mind. Happy with his body, his future, secure in his intentions; that's how they felt in all this. He could see the allure.

It's possible he could enjoy the path he'd chosen, more so than previously reckoned. The deciding factor would be life with his parents, how he'd feel then. Integration? Or alienation?

With half-an-hour left to go, Jen struck up conversation once more.

"Tommy, apologies if this is too personal. You have shared plenty about yourself. Though...you have not told me why_exactly_ you are going back."

"No, I haven't."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Y--Yeah," he stammered, "I'm of two minds 'bout it. Drivin' me nuts! Gotta stop overthinking this shit."

She watched him ease up, deciding rightly to leave the matter be. "Moo. It is okay if you don't tell me."

"Appreciate it Jen." He'd tell her when they were settled in. No sense piling more on anyone's plate.

Tommy sat down, rubbing his head while Jen continued dusting the table-tops. He watched her move. Delicate, precise motions compared to her increased size. She retained a strong feminine dignity even in her naked, fur-clad appearance. His attraction to her hadn't wavered. Now was not the time for any advances, but seeing as they'd be living together soon, he hoped they would naturally end up in each other's arms. Tommy suspected Jen had feelings for him she was hiding too.

If I were to -- say -- ask you out on a date? Hmm...what would we even do? A bull and a cow on a farm. Not exactly the Ancien riviera...countryside is beautiful though...

He thought more about Jen. She was in her mid-twenties.Twenty-five? Was that what she'd said? And she bore an air of endearing youthfulness, revitalised by her transformation. Similar to himself (eighteen going on nineteen), who now sported a powerful, well-honed form. Tommy couldn't help but appreciate the physical improvements.

"Our transformations were kinda like a reset button for our bodies."

"Huh?" Jen's ear flicked.

"Just thinking out loud."

"Oh, okay," she smiled, before going deep in thought, "now that you say it...I feel a lot healthier than before. And I look...nicer. How I see myself in the mirror..."

"Our brains have adapted to what's attractive for hybrids. I still see humans as appealing -- as far as I can see -- but we're a different species now."

"Moo," Jen agreed.

"For instance, you're very pretty. I find you attractive."

...

Oh shit...did I say that out loud?

"Moo! You do?" Jen was taken aback by his openness. She thanked him for expressing interest in her. "You are not too bad yourself," she added, scarlet-faced.

"I didn't mean to just come out and say that! I was, I was, uh...a bit distracted!"

"Distracted?" Jen place a finger on her muzzle in a thinking pose. She tilted her hips, angling her posture into a sexier form, firming up her butt. "Could this be the distraction?" she teased. Her animated tail swung happily.

Tommy looked away, bashful. "I, uh, I'm not the best with internal monologues sometimes," he joked, "I hope this isn't going to make living and working together weird."

"No, it is okay. Maybe some day we'll...be ready to think about that..."

"Mooh," he exhaled slowly, "you're right."

"We both have a lot of work to do."

"Yeah. I'll hold you to that offer though!"

Jen laughed. Tommy ran a hand along the back of his neck and made a few exasperated noises; half-chuckles, half-awkward-groans.

"Can I ask a favour Jen? Take a peek at that clock over there and tell me the time, could you?"

Jen walked over to the wall-mounted clock on the far side of the room as Tommy gathered up his things.

"12:30," Jen called out to him.

"I better see Carl, should be ready now," he stated as she returned.

They shared another glance, recent (inadvertent) revelations fresh in their minds. Jen smiled warmly, her soft features wearing a silly grin, infecting Tommy with the same gaitey.

"Go. Your parents are waiting."

* * *

The Reimond-Bovinex farm awaited his return.

Well...they didn't know_he_ would be coming along with Carl's usual pickup...

The twins were in the middle of an afternoon nap, so all three adult hybrids were out in front to greet Carl, who had sounded like he had something important to bring them.

His truck pulled up to their house/barn. Carl made his usual entreaties to Eric and co.

"What's the matter," Eric asked, "you seem a bit skittish today."

"I've got a special delivery for you."

All three bovines looked to each other for clues, a collective shoulder-shrugging left them waiting for more information. Lacey hid her foreknowledge skilfully, well aware of who was hiding in the back.

Carl walked around to the rear of his truck, the_snap, snap, snap_ of the door being unlocked and the_creak_ as it opened made its way to the patient herd. Then, a_thud._ Something landed on the ground. Something heavy. None of them could see clearly, but it appeared to be a...a...

...a person...

No wait! A...hybrid!

The stranger followed Carl back to the group. A male.

Eric's fur stood on end. His primal side warning him of trouble; here was a challenger to his authority as herd-leader. Those feelings, those adversarial notions, dissolved as soon as Carl spoke.

"Tommy," Carl revealed the identity of the newcomer, "welcome home."

Eric and Sandra's thoughts were ones of shock, and surprise:

Oh my God...

Tommy...he's...he's...

Their son was now a bull. A hybrid just like them.

Tommy approached. A solid mass could be felt inside him, pressing against his innards. Tightening his chest. A lump in his throat gone rogue, gorging on the tension in the air, sinking to the pit of his stomach. A phantom uneasiness coursing through his nascent constitution.

His mother broke the silence. "Hi Tommy."

"Hey mom."

"Son," Eric stepped forward, past the two flanking cowgirls he called his mates.

"Dad."

"And...uh...hello as well," Lacey added clumsily, eliciting a chuckle from Tommy.

"Hello to you too Ms. Cain. Keeping well?"

She nodded, eager to divert attention back away from herself. Tommy left her alone. He'd already spoken his mind to her over the phone.

He glanced back at his father. "I've been waiting way, way too long to talk to you, man-to-man. Or bull-to-bull, whatever the fuck you wanna call it." Sandra winced at his cursing, but resolved to let him say what he wanted. Her son needed to vent after all this time.

He steadied his breathing, trying to keep his cool. "I'm not overjoyed to be back here, y'know. I have my reasons, sure, and I can tell it's gonna be tough no matter what."

"I don't doubt it," Eric said. Much needed to be aired.

"Let's start shall we?"

He paused, wondering how best to phrase what followed.

"Mom...dad...I'm home," he uttered halfheartedly -- arms raised then falling back to his sides -- before he walked up to his father. They stood opposite each other, tense, the young bull sizing up his sire. Trying to anticipate where their talk will take them.

"I read your letter dad. Took me a while to, and even longer to decide what my response would be. Part of me feels like I've made a huge mistake, but...I'm sticking to my guns. I spent a long time thinking about what I was going to do with my life since I left."

"School was different. It felt empty. Hollow. It was slowly getting worse, each day since you signed on with Bovinex. I kept pushing and pushing and pushing things to one side. Sayin' to myself: 'get school over and done with' morning, noon and night. Wishing, praying that once I'd finished my exams, finished high school in general, I could relax for a minute. I could take my mind off things..."

Tommy uttered a weak laugh. "Didn't work out that way. Being away from y'all really took the wind outta my sails. I had my friend Nick by my side, my best bud, but was still lonely. And often I'd remember_that_day..."

Eric was blubbering. "Tommy, son, I can't apologise enough. I--I acted horribly."

He rubbed his eyes. "Mooh, I know, dad. I know. It wasn't just hitting me...that was the final straw...it was how everyone treated me. Ignored me. Stopped thinking of me as part of the family. You told me it was abuse in your letter, that it was negligence, you're god-damn right it was!"

"Really fucked with my head, y'know? I had all these anxieties, all these neuroses blowin' up inside my mind. I'd like to think I've overcome them, which is part of why I've come home...like this..."

"How can you be so, so calm about it?" Eric asked, his voice cracking.

"Sure, ya fucked up. Burst my nose, knocked me out cold right here," he gestured to the ground they stood upon, "but a single fuck-up on that scale in eighteen years -- not bad! Knowing myself how a hybrid body screws with your impulse control makes me a little more understanding. Not a lot, a little. A teeny-tiny ounce more understanding."

Tommy avoided his father's eyes, unsure of his place within the family, within the_herd._ "Still...it was enough for me to remember you as my father. A decent man. However flawed you may be."

He found his mother staring, the shock of him returned had yet to dissipate. He cautiously moved towards her, unsure of what to say...until he realised he should be making an apology himself.

"Mom...I--I--I...I'm sorry I called you a--"

"Whore?"

Jesus, she didn't baulk at that at all.

"Um...yeah," he answered sheepishly.

"Moo, it's okay sweetie. We know you were angry then, angry at us. A few swear words aren't the end of the world!"

They embraced tearfully. Sandra threw her arms around his trunk, holding on for dear life lest she lose her son again. Tommy held his mother, and for that moment everything was right in the world.

He'd never hugged anyone quite like this. Their fur meshed together, a new sensation for Tommy. It wasn't bristly, or itchy, or annoying. It was strangely warm. Comforting. He could hear Sandra's irregular breathing, silently mouthing the words:

My baby boy's home, our family's whole again.

The hug ended, and Sandra returned to Eric's side.

"I'm so glad you're back sweetie. I really, really am!" she sniffed. "What...ahem...what made you decide to return?"

"Ah...well...I could say I missed y'all, and there's a grain of truth in that. Not what really brought me back I'm afraid."

Eric spoke up: "So why did you?"

Tommy shut his eyes, listening to the breeze shake the trees. No-one wanted to interrupt him. They hung on his every word, desperate to learn more.

"Okay listen, I'm trying to be diplomatic here but...god-damn do you make it hard!"

There was a yearning for home, true, and that helped drive Tommy to make the decision to return. The pleasant afternoon sun shone on his back, heating his fur, flushes of warmth traversing his core out to the rest of his body.

He could be polite. He could patiently explain his reasoning. He could be the better man and let tact and honesty rule the conversation. What was there to be said? About reparation? About his new twin sisters? Daisy? Clara? How he wanted to see them. The fact he missed an important part of his family's development in his estrangement ate away at him.

He_could_ be polite. But there was a niggling anger deep down. Something he had to get off his chest. One last rant at the state of the world. Eric restarting his family was his cause for concern.

"Fine, ya know what? I'm done dancin' around the issue. What fucking possessed you to get mom pregnant, living like this!?"

There was no answer.

"It was as stupid decision dad. See, lately I've been laser-focused on doing something positive with my life, and lo and behold it has led me here, to support your sorry asses. I'm giving up a helluva lot of options out there in the world to be here, and I expect some god-damn respect for it!"

"I have sisters now, they just babies,for Chrissake! And you brought them into the world doomed to be outcasts, monsters!"

"Do you know what sort of life they'll have five, ten, fifteen years from now? No? Didn't think so. It's that lack of forethought that just gets me right here! They won't be able to leave this little corner of the country. They can't go to a normal school, can't make friends with normal kids, can't do anything online because their home and their very existence is a god-damned secret!"

"Moo!" Eric raised his voice. "I can understand your anger, but don't you dare have a go at mine and Sandra's decision to have calves!"

He was put on the defensive, Tommy realised. Upset at being chastised about his family planning. Tommy switched gears to try and defuse the mutual tension, he wanted to resolve issues -- not create new ones.

"Dad, that's fine. I get it. I'm okay with the idea in the abstract. You and mom love each other enough to celebrate it with more kids. Great. Wonderful. I'm fine with y'all being closer than ever these days. But you and I both know that ain't the problem here."

He grumbled to himself, loud enough for them to hear: "I could be going mad instead, that crossed my mind, I don't even know if what I'm doing is feasible."

"What's feasible?" Sandra asked on behalf of her husband. A brief silence ensued as they waited for an answer.

It was Lacey's turn to speak: "Tommy...is...a hybrid now. Like everyone else here, he signed on to the corporate agri-genetics programme. That's not all however..."

"Right," Tommy said, "I'm joining the company proper. Full-time. Working directly with Ms. Cain."

"Seriously!?" Eric exclaimed.

"But, I thought you hated what Bovinex has done!?" Sandra asked with a hint of sadness.

"And_in spite_ of that I'm here. To give Daisy and Clara a chance at a happy life, an existence that isn't ruled by the fact we're all a bunch of genetically modified freaks. Becoming a hybrid myself was just about the only reason the company would agree to take me on," he glared at Lacey, "gotta love the incentives ya have goin' there."

"Hey, don't bitch at me, I'm not the one writing the cheques."

"Well you're my partner in crime for the foreseeable future. Promotions don't come easy, and I'll need every good word possible from you Ms. Cain."

Another pregnant pause. Tommy developed an incredulous look in the silence, as if sympathising with his parent's astonishment. "I mean, can you believe that?"

"I'm gunning towards control of the Bovinex agri-genetics programme, slowly but surely working my way higher and higher up the organisation -- to give us the power to keep ourselves safe. To steer the project's direction into a better life for us all. It's something I'll be fighting for forever, as I doubt they're fast on their feet when it comes to changes in management."

Tommy explained his cause. Both he and Lacey, in the run-up to his gene therapy, concocted a scheme to hasten his acceptance into Bovinex's corporate environment. She maintained her stranglehold on Director Evans' decision-making -- so on that front there was no issue. Meanwhile Tommy would demonstrate his talent as an administrator, running his part of the farm. Unlike his father who tended to be insular in his herd-dealings, only working when needed, Tommy would take the initiative and start whatever projects he and Lacey thought suitable as soon as the idea came to them. Building up a reputation with the board of directors as a hard-working hybrid, y'know...the one who didn't threaten their lives in a fit of bovine fury (looking at you Ms. Cain).

With enough support from the others (as the short-staffing of the programme was perpetually an issue) he could transition into management. Lacey's role becoming his own. From there it was up to the combined efforts of himself and Ms. Cain to push, and push, and push for advancement. Maybe she would be carried upwards with him, maybe his determination would light a fire 'neath her, encourage her ambitions? Maybe. Maybe Tommy would be alone in his rise? There were an awful lot of unknowns.

It was clear that being driven away all those years ago made Tommy angry; pissed-off at his lot in life. It was also clear that -- instead of stewing in his rage and misery -- Tommy turned his mind to repairing his broken-down relationships. Putting that energy towards helping his family.

He might burn out some day, he might not. That was a worry for another time. Future Tommy could deal with that, the handsome bastard.

"Fucking hell it sounds crazy just sayin' all that!"

"Moo, yeah you sound crazy. Sue me."

Eric was treated to a strange sight. His son staring him down. Tommy's gaze was intense. The black-furred bull's visage fearsome to one who crossed him.

"I...should've phrased that better," he mumbled. Eric backed down from his remark. Part of his mind screamed at him for acquiescing, for letting his son control the conversation. His son! The same brat who despised_his herd,_ who...no...

No, he's my son. He could control that voice in his head. That animal taunting. He was above it.He's my son, and I'm proud of him. I've always been proud of him! And look at him now!

"Apology accepted dad." Tommy snapped him out of his day-dream.

"Moo. You're too good for me son. Don't get me wrong, your plan does sound a little...far-fetched..."

"I know. I know," he laughed, "of course it sounds crazy. It was Nick's idea!" Nothing ventured, nothing gained after all.

Eric grew concerned. "Your friend, huh. He...he knows about everything?"

"No no. Just family trouble. None of the hybrid stuff."

"Oh, oh okay. Was worried there for a sec."

They were warming up to one another. Tommy felt the gap close between them. Bridges burned no longer.

Could he risk what he was about to do?

"There's one last thing," he told them, stepping towards his father.

"And what's tha--"

Eric was caught off-guard by Tommy's punch. Struck square in the jaw. Blinding pain left him speechless.

Sandra shrieked: "TOMMY!"

What had her son done!?

Eric toppled over, landing with an 'oof' on his rear. Tommy strolled ever-closer, towering over him. An unspoken display of dominance.

The young bull stretched his arm, rotating his shoulder. His sire lay on the ground, stirring, dust and dirt marring his brown fur.

"Now we're even."

"Gaagh," Eric spat blood, the pain of his son slugging him wormed through his nerves as a host of pins and needles, "I deserved that."

He scrambled to his feet.

"I put ya through some bad shit, son. You have every right to be pissed, forever."

He grinned. "I chose not to be."

Eric hugged his wayward son, rubbing his head affectionately. Tommy felt a hand slap his back in a fatherly gesture of love.

He did it! He buried the hatchet! Sandra and Lacey breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Here here, let's get a look at ya proper." Eric stepped back to admire his son's new form.

To Eric's eyes, nothing made him happier seeing his progeny powerful. Tommy stood a foot shorter, leaving Eric as the tallest bovine among them. That was offset by his bulk, as he was broader than his old man. Eric lacked the extra muscle that Tommy's width gave him.Well, I have a gym partner now it seems.

Nice colour too._Tommy had a striking black coat, which really set him apart from everyone else. Huge 'fuck-off' horns, which Eric compared to his own. They were about the same size, but looked far sturdier._Remind me never to get headbutted! he joked to himself.

Horns, hooves, yep. Everything seems to be in the right place, including...

"You've got quite a piece on you there," he nodded in the direction of Tommy's crotch, "would make some cow very happy some day."

"Sorry, hold on...are you complementing my--"

"Can't a man/bull be proud of his son's assets? Got it all from my side of the family of course."

"Somehow I doubt you'd be sayin' that if we never transformed," Sandra quipped from afar, "genetic modification is cheating."

"Hey now! I won't have you being so pass-remarkable about such things in front of our son."

Hello 'awkward awareness that my parents and the concept of sex aren't mutually exclusive'. Didn't expect you to visit so soon.

"Could you make this any more unsettling? Geez..." Tommy gasped. His parents shared a look that said: 'you're an adult, you should be able to handle adult things'.

"Here," Lacey walked up to him, "I'll distract you from that pair."

"How?"

She crossed her arms, squishing her boobs. "Everyone else got hugs. Where's mine?"

"Oh alright then!"

She threw herself into their embrace.

Mmmmm...this is nice. Three hugs in one sitting.

The feeling of her warm fur brushing against his was wonderful. Gradually, Tommy began to realise she was squeezing tighter and tighter.

"I tried to say sorry before. I don't think you believed me, you probably still don't," she whispered her apology, Tommy picking up on her genuine sincerity, taken aback by it. "It's--it's--it's all my fault! All mine..."

She buried her face against his neck to hide her oncoming tears. Stammering, she made him a promise: "I'm gonna help you fix things. I'm gonna help you work with the company. I am...I am..."

Squeezing harder now, making it a bear hug, she sobbed. "Moo. I'm a horrible person! To have done this to living, breathing people!"

Tommy winced.Oh God that's starting to hurt.

Where did she get this kinda strength?

"We stick with the plan yeah? We stick with the plan and make it all better." Regaining her composure, she pulled away from him. Still dew-eyed, but the others wouldn't notice.

"Remind me never to accept a hug from you again. I might break a rib."

That made her smile.Good, Tommy thought, there's no reason to stay sad today.

He glanced over at his parents, who enveloped the two in a four-way cuddle.Hug no. 4 apparently.

"And what are you so smug about?" he asked, noticing their cheesy expression.

Sandra, with glee, offered to escort Tommy inside, and make introductions.

"Would you like to meet your sisters?"