FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The interior of Cosmo-Fall Bar was completely decked from top to bottom in all manner of Holiday Cheer, mistletoe hung from little bands across the black panted ceiling, little lights twinkled between the larger black lights. Soft Christmas music flowed through the speakers as human's and uplifted animals mingled, large tables both low for quadrupeds and high for humans dotted the large room. The open area was already filled with a friendly vibe of community as more patrons filed in, the snow was already starting to fall outside to bring the final addition to the holiday charm of the bar.

Jerome stepped into the bar with his heart pounding, it's had been three weeks since he was told about the anime group that met at this bar but this was the first time that his schedule allowed him to meet the other members. Jerome made his way to the counter as he sat on a stool, the moment he sat down a tall woman stepped to meet him.

"Welcome! What can I get you to drink?" She said with a warm smile on her ruby red lips.

"I'm good for a drink I'm just looking to meet with some friends, Do you know where the club is meeting?" Jerome asked trying to avoid admired that he came to a bar to discuss anime with other fanboy.

"Club? We got several that meet on today, I doubt you are with the road side safety club unless you plan on sitting in the rafters?" She pointed up to the rafter where several squirrels in Christmas outfits served drinks to other squirrels.

Jerome leaned in trying to keep his voice low so that other patrons wouldn't hear him, "The anime club."

The woman grinned at him, "Yes just follow the wall at the far end and go into the door marked VIP two. A few of your group has already made it here before you, everything is reserved and you are paid up to five hundred dollars worth of drinks."

"Thanks." Jerome replied.

He made his way to the door before opening it, he found himself looking at a raccoon, a goat and a very chubby husky. The three looked at him at him before the husky started to wag her tail wildly, she walked around the ruby colored leather seats before sniffing Jerome. He forgot himself as he reached down to pet her, his hands stroked her ear feeling were she was missing a chunk of her ear. She hopped on her hind-legs before giving Jerome a lick on the face.

"You're Jerome right?" The Husky said while prancing in the leather seats.

"Yeah. Is Ellen going to be here?" Jerome asked feeling a nervous being the center of attention.

"Probably but it's snowing pretty badly out there. I wouldn't count on her arriving early but she pays the tab in advance so no need to worry much." The Goat spoke while looking at the television mounted on the wall, "So you are the mysterious human that wants to join us in our anime club, I'm guessing Ellen invited you because are a nerd like the rest of us."

Jerome smiled, "I'm a bit nerdy but I don't think I qualify as a nerd."

The husky huffed, "My favorite character is Shou Tucker from Full Metal Alchemist."

"Please tell me that you are joking, that guy is a monster. I would say he is the worst character in an-"

"Yep, he is nerd." The raccoon said nursing a glass of water.

"I could feel that anger starting to rise." The husky commented.

"Yep he is definitely one of us." The goat bleated in agreement.

Jerome sat next to the raccoon with a grin, "So I'm Jerome, I don't know much about you but I was sorted invited here by Ellen a few weeks ago."

The raccoon flipped through the pages of a hard cover manga on the table, she seemed to be reading some sort of boys love manga with while rubbing her ears, "I'm Pauline, it's a pleasure to meet you. The Husky is Pooka and our resident goat is named Sable, we are the regulars but you'll usually see many others. All together we have fifty uplifts and around ten humans, though the human's usually come as a plus one for the uplifts."

"You could at least look at him when you talk to him, I mean I doubt you haven't read every BL manga that has been created. Don't be a dick." The goat reprimanded Pauline.

"I'm not being a dick. Being a dick would be chewing on someone manga like it was grass, way to fit the goat stereotype Sable." The Raccoon laughed.

Jerome smiled at the playful banter between the two uplifted before he felt the weight of the Husky putting her head into his lap. "So you joined an uplift group and you were recommended to us by Ellen herself. What's the story for that?"

"Oh uh. We met at a party and she told me that I would meet a bunch of anime fans here." Jermone said carefully avoiding bring up the subject of her profession.

The door opened as a snow covered wolf stepped into the room, "Jerome is being very modest, we met as I was working. Jerome was a special customer of mine. I finally made it but I'm guessing none of you bothered to check your cellphone. It's a freaking nightmare out there, It snowing heavily. You should go home before we all get snowed in a bar and the humans get hungry."

Jermone noticed Ellen flicked a gaze at him, "Sorry to cancel the meeting on your first day but it's too dangerous to let everyone stay here. I can take Pauline and Sable home but I'm more worried about Pooka."

Pooka huffed again before looking away from the much larger wolf, "I'm sure I can find a box or a soup kitchen."

"Don't play game, Pooka, where are you staying tonight. I can take you in but my family is all at the home and.... you know how my daughter is." Ellen replied.

"Tra la la la. It's a city someone will take me in." Pooka snorted.

"Is Pooka homeless?" Jerome asked.

"I prefer to be referred as an adventurer, I can sleep anywhere and I take odd jobs to keep fed."

"You mean that you rifle through trash and sleep in the bin behind Panera Bread." Pauline said closing her book and putting it into a small bag. "I would tell you that you can stay at my place but I'm in a small animal apartment, barely big enough to fit my whole body."

Sable yawned, "I can't take you because I live in an Herbivore only house hold, sneaking you in would probably get me kicked out and we would both be screwed."

Jerome raised a hand like he was in a school room, the uplifts looked at him curiously. "I have a place, I mean if it's just for the snow. I can take her in for a bit. I don't want to see her freeze out here, even if she is a fan of Shou Tucker."

Ellen turned her gaze to Pooka, "Well, you have a place. I suggest you bathe there if he allows it, if you cause any trouble then I will be upset."

Pooka turned to face Ellen and stepped till they were nose to nose. Ellen's fur bristle as a low growl came from her muzzle, Jerome nervously cleared his throat, "I think I still have some left over pizza at the house, if not I got pizza rolls for a month or so if we get snowed in."

Pooka head whirled around so fast that Jerome was worried that she would snap her own neck. "Pizza rolls? Pizza? Do you have kool-aid and soda too?"

"I have a few cases of sprite and coke but I'm not sharing any of my monster. It's for crunch time at my school."

Pooka turn to Jerome before bowing, "Of course! Dogs embody loyalty, they follow their master's commands above all else! Be a jerk to them and they don't complain, and they never once beg for a paycheck! Trust me Fuery, they're the great servants of man!"

"Are you Roy Mustang now, Pooka?" Jerome asked with a grin. "Long as you don't go around quoting Nina, then I won't kick you out in the snow."

"Ed-" Pooka started.

"Stooop." Jerome warned with a smile.

"Fiiiiine. Ok. Let's go before we get snowed in and Ellen decides to eat me. Bye everyone." Pooka said while her tail wagged madly.

~

Jerome lead the Husky out of the bar into the snow, the wind was vicious. Jerome noticed that Pooka seemed a little uncomfortable walking on the side walk, she stuck to the snow to keep herself from slipping on the ice. Her tan and white fur was almost coated in snow when they made it behind the building to Jerome's old Toyota, he turned on the heat as his car started. Jerome watched as Pooka curled up in the passanger side floor and rested her head on seat looking up at him.

"So you think you would have made it in a box out here?"

"Probably not but I might have found a group of other outies and just curled up with them."

"Outies?" Jerome asked while pulling out of the parking lot on the road.

"Never heard of them? Outies are uplifts that don't live in homes, some of them do it because it's just simpler while those like me just find it more fun to be able to sleep and play anywhere in the human cities without any real responsibilities. I mean just because I can talk doesn't mean I want to work much, My mother used to life in a house and she worked all the time. I remember a bit of sucking her teats as she worked in a call center."

"Wow she could type? How did she pull that off with paws?" Jerome asked.

"They have special key boards, she could type but there were a few buttons she could press to get things done. I did the same kind of job for while but I just didn't like it. So I put all my money into a savings and just became an outie." Pooka closed her eyes feeling the heat on her back.

"You don't like human society?"

"I love it. I just don't like working, I tried pretending being a grounded dog but I got found out. It weirded my owners out that I started talking. The second time was pretty funny, I got upset at an anime and started cursing at the television. Seriously I hated Shinji so much, I would love to be in a Giant Robot but noo I had to watch a big crybaby try to work out his daddy issues over saving the world." Pooka grumbled.

"We are here." Jerome said pulling into the parking garage, "You want me to carry you inside, there is probably a lot of ice."

"Sure."

Jerome stepped out his car, into the small parking lot for his apartment, he moved around before grabbing the canine. When he lifted the canine he could smell the scent of lemons on the canine as he brought her into the his apartment building before letting her down. She followed him but her noise continued to dart around picking up various scents of the nearby residents before Jerome opened his door to the small one bedroom apartment.

"Welcome to Casa Jerome." Jerome said before letting the wolf sniff around his room. "I smell another canine's scent. Male.... possibly older."

"My parents came to visit a while back and brought my dog.over to have a pre-holiday meal. You probably smell him, I live alone so you don't have to worry about anything. I don't have a dog bowl but I have a few bowls that you can use." Jerome said peeling off his jacket and hanging it on a coat rack.

"I'm not hungry right now but I'll be game for sharing whatever you decide. Thanks for taking me in." Pooka immediately began sniffing around the rooming going around corners and checking the living room.

Jerome watched her as he sat down on the couch, he turned on the little flat screen television as he got himself comfortable on the cheap faux leather couch, he flicked through his netflix until he centered on Fate/Stay night. Jerome noticed that Pooka started to stare at him from the couch, she wagged her tail as her ears swiveled around the room, she grinned a bit.

"What's wrong?"

"Just ease dropping on your neighbors, I can hear the one to the left yelling at a game from the sounds of it. The one to the right seems to be singing Christmas Carols..... badly but I'm more curious about you, You were one of Ellen's customers." Pooka panted looking around the room.

"I noticed that for a stray that you smell pretty clean. Are you running a con or something, I don't really want to get blackmailed." Jerome said as he started to sweat, his friends might be okay with his wild night but if his parents found out he would be fucked.

"Not a con and I smell clean because I do take baths, there are public Gyms and what not that I can just stroll in and use their dog showers." Pooka answered.

"Okay, so why bring her up?" Jerome, his gazed focused on the television.

"Well... I kinda figured out you were one of her clients when we talked, she didn't give me your name but she told me to look out for a black guy. I'm kinda hoping that you might be able to help me out." Pooka said with a wide canine grin.

"You need a place to stay for the winter, If that the case then I can put you up then this place doesn't have a pet fee because of all the uplifts living here." Jerome shrugged, "I don't mind and I won't be a big increase to keep you fed, we can watch a load of anime together."

Pooka stepped closer before setting her head in Jerome's lap, her ears swiveled toward him as she sighed, "Would you like a pet?"

"I thought you were an outie, adventure and all the joys of living in city without limits? What happened?"

"Anime happened, I realize that I really really miss having place to curl up and watch something with someone who enjoys it as well." Pooka said looking up with the best puppy dog eyes she could manage.

"So since you know that I did something with Ellen you are then you are now seeing if you can just sneak in like a side bitch." Jerome chuckled rubbing her head.

"I am a bitch. Female dog, I know I might be a little big like a male but I'm one hundred percent female." Pooka chuckled.

"Har har. You are a talking dog, it's not like I can just put a leash on you and walk around town without people trying to kick my ass for being some kinda of bigot to uplifts." Jerome sighed, "Seriously, I get that you want to be a pet but that isn't a good look for me or you."

"I don't need you to do all the pet stuff, I can walk myself and I know how to use a toilet." Pooka said.

"I mean wouldn't you want to live with another uplift?" Jerome asked,

"They want me to work, I wanna be a dog. Like a normal dog, I've been uplifted since I was a puppy but damn is it sucky to play human. I don't wanna job, I don't wanna figure out taxes, I want sniff things, mark territory and back at cars." Pooka whined, "I mean I love television, human food and anime but it's too ridged for everything else."

"And I'm just a meal ticket." Jerome snorted, "You're cute but not free-ride-through-life cute."

"I'm well aware, I'm overweight and old but I'm not completely useless."

"Is this the part where you tell me that you are a magical dog that shit's money?"

"I can shit money. I once at a few dimes as a puppy and well, I had fifty cents after a squat in the bushes." Pooka said rolling her head in his lap while panting in good humor.

"Totally not what I meant but funny enough that I'll accept it. I'll keep you for the winter but I don't know about having a dog or a roommate that doesn't pay rent." Jerome admitted.

Pooka lowered her ears, "I guess I'll resort to option B."

Pooka removed her head from his lap before strolling around the couch, she stepped around his living room her noise keeping low to the ground until she entered his bathroom. She opened the cabinet beneath his sink before picking up a box in her muzzle. She pranced in front him into the room before dropping the box in front of him, She placed a paw on the bright blue box while puffing her fluffy chest out as she sat down, She waited until Jerome looked at the box.

"Merry Christmas."

"Uh... Merry Christmas but that is tomorrow."

"I'm your present."

"Can I get a refund, My present is defective." Jerome snorted.

"I'm being serious, will you hear me out and not make fun of me." Pooka said, she waited for Jerome to roll his wrist for her to continue.

"I'm six years old, I'm pretty much at the middle of the road for my breed. I got six to eight years left, I don't really want to be old and slow out on my own. I've been looking for an owner but just like you, no human wants to be walking around with a uplift like a pet. I don't really have any useful skills to make much money so I heard from Ellen that there was a human that had his first canine experience, she can make money just shaking her tail at males but I'm not as cool as her. If I was human I would be screwed but I want to pitch this offer for you. Instead of paying for an overly expensive wolf's compan, I offer you all the joys of a friend with the added benefit of a pet." Pooka tilted her head.

"And you are stepping on my condom box.....why?" Jerome said.

"I don't work so I don't have a way to pay you but what I do have a is a saving, I'm willing to make you my beneficiary in my will so when I finally croak you'll get a payout," Pooka said with her ears drawn back, "since I'm going trying to be your dog and not your girl friends. I make no demand but let me watch anime and feed me. In exchange my body is your in ways that Ellen wouldn't be willing to do, I'm just asking for a home and a friend."

Jerome waited as Pooka stared at him, the silence stretched uncomfortably between them before Jerome spoke. "Don't you think that is of power to give over to someone you just met?"

"I'm desperate. I tried just offering myself as a dog but that isn't working because everyone is either dating dogs, killing dogs or avoiding dogs. I am having a very hard time finding pet owners. So.... well.... here we are." Pooka growled a bit.

"I don't mind taking care of you but I think I would feel a little guilty just fucking you just so you don't have to worry about your golden years. I'm not a monster and I'm not some sort of rapist." Jerome said.

"I don't think you are, I'm hoping to be someone you'll enjoy in time but if you refuse then I understand. I'll let it go." Pooka said turning to the television.

"You know this isn't the Unlimited Blade Works edition right?" The husky snorted, "The trash edition."

"Aw come on. It's not that bad." Jerome said pointing to the screen, " The animation is kinda poor but it's like a classic."

"I'm guessing you don't like Hellsing Ultimate either, you want the creepy gimp edition."

"Naw, Hellsing Ultimate is badass. It's good even in dub or sub."

"It's nice to know you have some tastes." Pooka panted, "So It's still snowing outside... if it stops tomorrow would you want to go on a walk, I know this area pretty well and there is a really nice diner a few blocks down. There is a polar bear waiter who gets really annoyed when I call him Shiro."

"Please tell me you don't just shout anime stuff at him because he happens to look like a character in a show."

"I'm a dirty dog weeb, what would you expect?"

"You dressed like a magical girl companion."

Jerome watched as Pooka stood up on the couch till she was only inches away from his face, Jerome leaned back a bit as she opened her mouth into a slight canine grin. Her body langauge was extremely unsettling to him as she smiled in a way only a canine could.

"Do you want to make a contract Madoka?" Pooka whispered in the creepiest voice she could manage.

Jerome tilted his head, "Pooka?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you celebrate Christmas?" Jerome glanced at his cellphone and noticed that the clock was ten minutes after midnight marking it as Christmas.

"Yep. Second favorite holiday to Thanksgiving."

"Then since it's Christmas now I'll take my gift."

Pooka's ears perked up, "I can stay?"

"Fetch my slippers, greet me at the door, and get my newspaper in the morning." Jerome said puffing out his chest, he was surprised as Pooka started licking his face happily.

"I can do those things." Pooka said bounding around the room happily, she barked a few times.

"Sort my anime, watch Hellsing, renounce Shou Tucker, Agree that fan service is the best service." Jerome said standing up going the kitchen area grab himself a soda.

"Ehhh....." Pooka tilted her head. "I guess I could agree there is some value in fan service."

"All jokes aside, I don't like being set up like this but I don't exactly see you trying to steal from me or kill me in my sleep. This is a bad enough neighborhood that having a dog could work in my favor and uh...." Jerome blushed, "I kinda came with the intention of meeting the husky Ellen told me about.... I guess we will have a chance to get to know one another if I'm going to be your guardian."

"Owner."

"Makes me sound like a slave owner."

"I'm not a human, completely different meaning. I hope that I make an adorable gift." Pooka said prancing around Jerome.

"Pretty cute, I probably won't refund you." Jerome sipped his soda.