FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

_ Faster... Faster... FASTER!_ Splicer was dripping sweat as he ran. He had gone about a marathon's distance at this point, but he needed more. He kicked up the pace, he wanted to go as long as possible, as hard as possible. He had been introduced to the manor's home gym and had barely left for much of anything since. The treadmill he was running on was linked to his nanites so he could control the speed with a thought, and he kept kicking it up a notch as he tried to burn off his energy. Despite working hard in the gardens and around the house, ever since leaving the facility full time, he felt a renewed energy inside his body, and when he didn't burn it off on a good run, he found it hard to sleep at night without being put down by the badger. He still had little control over his nanites, but he had enough to keep notching up his pace until he was running in full sprint, and just barely falling behind millimeter by millimeter.

Faster! He was failing behind, he wouldn't allow it. A growl rose in his throat between panting breaths as he kicked his pace up, digging his claws into the rubber mat for added grip to push off, spreading his legs as far as possible, he was gaining again.

"Enjoying yourself there?"

Splicer didn't hear anyone enter the room over the now struggling treadmill, trying to keep up with the wolf's demands. His head whipped back, the momentary loss of focus caused him to stumble as he fell flat down on his face, rapidly being launched off the back of the treadmill which ran out of control. Splicer skid across the floor a few meters coming to rest at the paws of the person who had distracted him in the first place.

"Aw, fuck me, that smarts..." Splicer looked up as he rubbed his nose.

"Why are you running so fast in the first place?" There was an otter Splicer had seen around the house before, mainly working in the garden occasionally with Joven. It wasn't Nate, but they did have a similar fur pattern, this one was more muscular from their daily duties though. Splicer decided to not quite approach them when he had multiple chances, still feeling a little odd around the manor where he didn't seem to have an exact role or responsibility, he just kind of, floated around doing whatever. He figured the otter was tired of the tip toeing of the wolf and came to corner him while he was distracted.

"I figure if I learn to run fast enough, I could just jump through the red barrier at night, or out run the nanite commands." Splicer said, only partially joking.

"You do know if you pass that barrier fully, you will die? Like, literally die, all the nanites in your body will shut down at once, I hear it's quick but also, very, very painful."

Splicer flashed back to his run caused by Orwell, he wondered if the terrier would have stopped the box if he tripped, he would have, surely?

"That's not ominous at all, nope, really makes me glad my body is full of instant-death bots..."

"Aw quit your whinging, they'll only kill you if you're stupid enough to disobey the sir after all."

"Well, that's fair, I'm glad he's so kind as to not shut me off then..."

"Look, pup, I know your situation isn't the best, but you have no idea how good you got it here, you could have been sold off to some sick master who just wanted a processed fuck hole."

"Been there, done that..." Splicer said with a flourished hand wave.

"Wait, actually?" The otter didn't hear everything about what occurred at the facility, only bits and pieces.

"Yeah, it was a whole thing, I'll tell you about it someday, my name is Splicer by the way, yours?"

"Nice to meet you, puppy..." The otter smiled at the wolf knowing his name already, it made Splicer squirm on his spot, he was really hoping to find someone else who wouldn't call him puppy. "Name's Callahan, I act as the head of house for the master."

"Well Callahan, what's a pet like you doing handling all the household responsibilities? Sounds like Laguna's slacking if you ask me."

"Watch your tone, pup." Callahan was itching to slap the wolf, but he restrained himself, barely. "Laguna has plenty of responsibilities within the company, so he doesn't always have time to manage the house. He graciously provided me with the task, and I readily accepted. Not that you know anything of responsibility, or respect it seems..."

"Whatever, can I get back to my run now?"

"No, actually, in fact I came here for a reason, I need a few extra paws on this grocery run because you find yourself worthy of eating our food, and since you seem to have nothing better to do..."

"You know I do work around here, right? I have wages and everything, I do a lot of work really..."

"Yes, of course you do. Now, I wasn't asking, get a quick shower and meet me out front. You have fifteen minutes."

...

Cocky god damn otters, it's always the fucking otters... Splicer saw a flash of Nate in his mind and immediately felt guilty. But despite that, he checked the timer counting down in his eyes, forced by Callahan. Zero, Splicer smiled, having won the game not listening to the otter's command as the hot shower water poured down on him. The shower water was getting even hotter though, it started to burn, Splicer put a paw to the knob and turned it ice cold, it was still scalding his skin. It felt like his fur was a bout to be singed off, he turned the water off the burning didn't stop though. Tears formed in his eyes as he ran through the halls, imagining his entire body was engulfed in flames, despite the fact he was just dripping water on the floor and nothing else. He nearly jumped out the door, coming to rest in a wet puddle at the feet of the otter.

"What did I tell you about the time, I do not like to be kept waiting... I run a busy schedule after all." He said grinning down at the wolf who was still trying to process the receding burning sensation in his body.

"Why?" Splicer whined out, drawing out the y sound for as long as possible.

"Your only have yourself to blame, sir Laguna may allow you to have your little rebellious motions, but I'm rather apathetic, if not annoyed by then."

A car drove up to them, despite not having any visible driver. Callahan opened the passenger side door and paused before waving the wolf in.

"On second thought, you should probably shake and dry off, I just had the car detained and refuse to have it smelling like wet dog..." He shut the door and grinned.

"Oh for..." Splicer shook himself off and began running a few sprints up and down the driveway, hoping to help speed up the air drying. Finally he was escorted into the front seat of the car, Callahan joined him at the wheel. Despite acting a little rough with the wolf, he liked him well enough, and he really wanted to know more of the facility stuff he mentioned.

"You were actually processed? What does it feel like?"

"Well... uh, It's definitely interesting..." Splicer began recounting the process of processing at Joseph's paws.

...

They were stopped at a red light, Callahan's jaw hadn't left the floor since the wolf told him about Vay's beating, and then he almost couldn't believe Dakota could do such things, he always seemed so innocent at the manor...

"Wait, you drowned? Over and over again?"

"Yeah, it was a few sixty-seven times, but I wasn't counting or anything..."

Maybe the wolf really did have some leeway to be bitter after all. Callahan's gripe tightened on the wheel the light was green and the car behind him honked. Callahan sped off.

...

They stepped out of the car at the front door of Callahan's usual spot, Splicer was in front of a large high end grocery store.

"Scratching a chalkboard for months? Why... didn't you go insane?" Callahan was almost beginning to think the wolf was making things up by now.

They walked though the doors, the car slid off to park itself.

Well..." Splicer paused, he never gave it much thought before, just accepted it for what it was. "I guess... I technically did go insane? At least the product me did? That's how I managed to break back through, maybe... I really still don't know the exact details of it all."

Callahan paused in the entryway, well his master did always have a knack for finding good pets for himself, seemed like the wolf was no different. Not that he'd ever dream of saying his owner made a good choice, but the wolf who was walking away, drinking ever sight and smell of the products around him, curious to see everything the store offered, took a little warming up to. Splicer had been idly wandering for less than ten seconds when he heard a barking order coming from behind.

"THAT'S FAR ENOUGH PUPPY! STAY!"

Splicer's ears flattened and he dipped behind the nearest display he could, looking back at the otter who was standing there with his arms crossed. The booming order had gotten the attention of most of the shoppers around, who looked at the pair with a mix of confusion and bemusement.

Splicer growled as Callahan pawed off a basket to him, he followed behind the otter, accepting the items that were placed into his basket while he heard people whispering and murmuring around him. He was sure they were pointing at him.

"Was that pet? Just given orders, by another pet?" He heard one fur ask their partner, louder than most of the other whispers he heard.

He felt his face redden again as his ears nearly pressed through his skull.

"Come on, that wasn't necessary man..." Splicer hissed as he fell in line with the otter who was picking up a head of cabbage and weighing it in his paw.

"Course it was! Can't have you wandering off when we need to get some fresh ingredients to Aurich now can we?" Callahan said indifferently, hiding his smug satisfaction as he dropped the best cabbage into the basket.

"I just wanted to get a lay of the land..." Splicer let his voice trail off, dying out as he raised his nose and gave a curious sniff.

No, it couldn't be... Here? Fresh? He placed the basket on the ground and started walking around, following the faint scent trail in his nose, it was getting stronger.

"Hey? Puppy? Hello? What's wrong?" Callahan was genuinely concerned by the wolf's change of posture, instead of the timid embarrassment it looked like the wolf was hunting something down, instead of stopping him in place he decided to watch and see what happened next.

No way... Splicer was in a refrigerated produce section, he looked around, it was right around here. His eyes locked onto his prey. He picked up the large, spiked fruit in his paws and gave it a deep sniff. Most furs hated the smell of durian, but for some reason Splicer was enamoured with it when he first smelt one cracked open by a side street vendor while he was trailing a lead. He let the trail go cold, instead opting to get a piece of the intensely scented fruit. It must have been years since he had this fresh scent in his nose, the closest he could ever find was frozen or dried, but this smelt like is was just plucked from the tree.

No, no, no, no, no, yes! Splicer began picking up the durians one by one, nearly impaling his nose on the spikes, he brought them to his muzzle so quickly. He wanted to find the right one, and here it was, right in his paws.

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaase?" Splicer begged stuffing the fruit towards the otter's nose, which wrinkled reactively.

"Not on my list..." Callahan had no idea how the wolf could stand such a smell, it wasn't even open and yet it was still so potent.

"But... I-I want it..."

"No."

Splicer's wagging tail shot down, he put the durian back and picked up the basket.

"F-fine, whatever."

"What are you, a fucking puppy?" Callahan stopped himself before he could continue making a fool of himself, swiping in the air a few times, turning his nose off with a quick command to his nanites. "God, just, keep it away from me, please."

Splicer grabbed the fruit and dropped it into the basket, tail wagging twice as hard as before.

"Sweet!"

...

The groceries were paid for, and Callahan ordered the wolf to put the bags in the back of the car. They both hoped into the car which had been waiting for them as they exited the store right up front with the engine running.

God, I can't even smell anything, why does it feel like the durian is right here? The otter's eyes widened as he saw the spiky fruit sitting it the wolf's lap like it was their prized possession.

"NO!" Callahan cried out, screaming as the wolf tore it in half with two bare paws. "OH FUCK! The car..."

Splicer was happily slurping down the yellow inside flesh of the fruit, eating around the seed. The smell was so strong, the wolf loved it, Callahan's eyes watered imagining the lingering scent that would be stuck in the car for weeks. His fur bristled as he promised himself to make the wolf scrub the upholstery until his paws bled.

"Want some?" Splicer asked as he pushed some of the durian towards the otter.

"NO! No, thank you though..." Callahan was seconds away from slapping the disgusting fruit from the wolf, but that would get all over the inside of his car and it would be even harder to get the smell out.

Splicer shrugged, more for himself he supposed. Callahan sighed and rolled down the windows.

...

They arrived at the manor shortly after, Callahan practically jumped from the open window of the car, deciding to wait a while before forcing the wolf to deep clean the car. He ran away with the barking order to bring all the groceries to the kitchen. Splicer happily obliged, full of his favourite fruit. He brought the bags in and Aurich was waiting for him to bring the ingredients, he picked up the obvious scent the wolf brought in.

"Hm, been a while since I've found someone else who likes durian..." The skunk almost whispered to himself. "Want to learn a few ways to bake with it? After you're done putting everything away of course..."

Splicer left the half of the durian he saved on the counter, before rushing to put away everything, not wanting to miss out on one of Aurich's lessons, especially considering the subject matter.

...

"Now if you prepare it like this, it'll taper the smell off." Aurich said, the wolf was hanging off every word.

"But why would you want to do that? The smell is half of the taste to me..." Splicer really didn't know why everyone seemed to hate it so much.

"Well I'm indifferent to it, but anytime I every cook with it for Laguna, he prefers the scent not be overpowering."

...

Faster, faster, FASTER! Splicer was running on the treadmill, Callahan cleared his throat, somehow the otter always knew the exact moment to interrupt the wolf to get the best result. He crashed to the floor, looking up at the otter who was smiling.

"Care for another shopping trip puppy?"

Splicer nodded, he was looking forward to it. This time he made sure to be out of the shower and standing on the front porch before the timer hit zero.