FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The elevator rose and rose above the white gleaming city. Sun beamed off the buildings and slightly into my eyes. Shaping off the curved glass of the lift. The early evening made everything have just the yellowest of hues to them. Soon to be red as the evening grew on.

The party was at the Maxis Tower, one of the tallest buildings here in Ishtar. The view was magnificent, as I could see the bay and beachfront. Cars below zooming home and wherever. Some freighters in the sky, heading to Earth or Mars. Anywhere between.

With a ding, the lift stopped and the doors slide open. A long carpeted hallway was greeted with a door at the end, and a few maintenance closets. The odd thing about this place was it seemed older, if that's the right word. Ceramic walls, a rough carpet beneath my paws, a greeter by the ending door.

The human stood up straight, fancy clothing all and held a holopad in his hand.

"Name?" He asks me, all perky readying himself like it was his destiny to push names.

"Vex Kader." I reply, not so enthusiastically.

"I see you there, and done! Head on in!"

The doors behind him outlined in a lime green, and slide open as I approached them. A beautiful room with walls of windows appeared in front of me. Low beating music played, synths just enough to be heard beyond the talking. And truthfully I felt under dressed.

Everyone here was in some type of business attire. Sleek suits, cutting off into straight edges. Silver, black, white, some blue, some purple. You named it, all screaming importance over my just casualness.

I looked for the only familiar face I knew, but as I looked around I saw former clients. A few of which I hoped to never see again, and likewise to me. But I slinked around, looking for Friday. Even if she may not have been the happiest to see me, but as fate had it she found me first.

"Vex, guess you did show up." Her voice startled me, as I quickly turn around.

"Oh, there you are!" I say almost relieved. "Yeah yeah, I made it. Probably wont stay long though."

"Hm? Whys that?" She asks me curiously, a drink in her paw. Head tilting in a canine way.

"Ah, let's just say a few faces in here I didn't want to see again."

"I guess that's fair, but come on. Let me bring you to my dad, besides the business bit you have, hes hosting."

I nod and follow her, weaving through suits and ties, along with a couple skirts. Friday's paws clinking on the hard surface. Looking around it all felt odd. There was hardly any anthros here, almost everyone was human. Varying shades of humans that is.

I knew most high-profile business owners here on Venus were human, but at this rate it felt odd. I swear a few probably recognized me as well. Probably the cyan on my tail that set me off, but it wasnt something I could help.

After reaching the opposite end of the party, I saw another coyote. His muzzle starting to grey a bit around the edges, dark fur like Friday's. Deep brown almond eyes peered right at the two of us, meeting mine at the same height.

Next time him was another coyote, light in fur like your traditional ones. Cold icy eyes like Friday's, standing about the same height too. It was safe to assume these were her parents.

"Dad, this is Vex. He's the one I told you about that could take your job."

Gripping his drink, he swished it around a couple of times. Then took a sip of it, staining his lips red for a few seconds. "Vex.. I've heard your name before, not a small one in your line of work. As shown by a few of the guests here. Mine is Kim."

His voice was serious yet accented slightly, sounding like he was testing me. I did not feel like playing a game with him.

"Quite so, I know my stuff and I'll get your job done. What is it?" I ask, crossing my arms and leaning on a back paw. I wanted it as soon as possible to get out of here.

"After the party, I can't talk around prying ears. This matter is sensitive." He smirked, taking another sip. "Please please enjoy! There is plenty of food and drinks to go around."

I wasnt happy, I wante

d this job and out. "With all due respect, I'd rather just take the job and go. I didn't come to-" I was soon cut off by him.

"Your accent! It is unique, I don't think I've heard it before?" He questions me, bringing his wife in close.

"Welsh, my mother was from the isles. And yours?" Fine, I'll play this bullshite if it meant I got a job.

"My parents were from the East Asia-Pacifica cities, specifically Korea. They came to Venus to start our ship building company, on vacation back there is where I met my wife, Ara." He went on, talking about his wife and parents.

Truthfully I hadn't a care in my heart over the Pacifica cities. Most were split up between old cultural boundaries anyways. What were they, Korean? Japanese? Chinese? I hardly kept track of my own! Welsh, English, Scottish? I didn't care, all I knew is it made my voice sound funny.

Kim and Ara kept me distracted for a while, Kim mostly trying to pry into my life. As I did the same to him, each of us budging with small tidbits we deemed unimportant. Waiting for someone to give some leverage.

By this point on, few stars glistened in the night sky. Neon lights and traffic whites shined below, a city of night life humming and buzzing. The last of the guests left, slightly intoxicated and heading to their lifts home. Kim looked to me and breathed in, the music dying out as now nothing remained except the lights of the tower, the smell of hours old food, Friday, Kim, Ara, and me.

"So," he begins. "You're looking for a job aren't you?" I nod slowly, looking to his face. "She told you about the ruins?" He motioned his drink to Friday, as she stood motionless. Watching how this played out.

"Aye." Is all I said.

"Good. Now listen closely." He begins to speak of the job. "Theres an artifact buried under Iceland, I believe its inside the glaciers there. However, I havent been able to get in close." His voice trailed off and was low at the end, peaking my curiosity.

"How come?" I ask him, stepping forward with my right paw.

"The natives have proven.. trouble some. Resistant to those who go there."

Natives? I was not aware of any native populations.

"What.. what do mean by natives?"

"A small group, should be easy to avoid. But my last hires messed with them too much, and could've even get the damn ruins open. So I've heard you can though."

Well that was a quick topic change.

"That's besides the point, are they armed?" I was worried for my safety, I havent been in a firefight in over a year. I was probably getting rusty, and I had no plans to visit the jovians after it almost costed me my life.

"Yes, but again. Easily avoidable. I will be paying you in cash, if that makes it better." Mhm, that it did. That always sweetens a deal.

"How much are we talking? If I'm going to 'possibly'" I mocked slightly, "be dealing with dangerous natives with guns. It needs to be worth it."

He huffs, setting down his drink with a clink. Red wine staining the clear glass. "Two hundred thousand. In cash."

That.. wasnt bad, certainly wasnt my highest paying job, but this is no jovian raid.

"Fine, I'll do it. I'll set off tomorrow." With a smile, he shakes my paw, giving a tight grip. "I will send you everything else." He tells me.

With that I set off, leaving the family behind. Leaving the ballroom, I could see the door boy had go home. Leaving me alone and down this empty hall. As I reached the lift down, I could hear the door open behind me and close again. Paws running along the carpeted floor.

"Vex, hold on a minute!" Friday calls out, turning around I could see her. Struggling to run in the business skirt.

"Yes?" I asked, wondering what she had to say.

Huffing and puffing, she looks up to me. "About the other night."

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it." I tell her.

"It's whatever, I just wanna say I'm sorry." An apology? This surprised me, making my ears perk.

"I thought you were angry." I lean against a nearby wall, almost amused by this.

"Well I was, but after thinking abo

ut it." She pauses. "We were both drunk things escalated and-"

"I get it, no need to go on." I cut her off, raising a paw and getting off the wall. "These things happen, not like you'll have a cub."

Rolling her eyes, she sassily crossing her arms at me. "Okay, they happen for you. Not for me, I never really done that before."

"Oh? Well, if you wish to remember it next time." I say giving a sly smile, trying to add some comedy this.

"What? No you.. mhnrrg." She growls a bit in frustration, pretending to air choke me with her paws. "Listen jackass, you're decent enough when you're not trying to be smart or drunk. Just please don't screw this job up."

I sigh, looking down with my own arms loosely crossed now. "Yeah.. yeah I get it. I'll apologize too, it was our faults. Sorry it couldn't happen under better circumstances."

"Its fine, just again don't screw this up. Then maybe I'll see you around." See you around? Did she really say that? I didn't know what to say, just awkwardly nod and duck away. Heading into the lift and trying get away from this. It started to feel a bit too personal now, which I had enough of. I was just ready to get to Iceland.