FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The room's whispering fell to almost silence as eyes fixed on the man at the front. He nodded and depressed a button on a remote, dimming the lights and causing a white sheet to roll down from the ceiling.

"You are all intimately aware of the plague that has destroyed your city," he began, "The plague is actually a collection of diseases and maladies, each with its own symptoms and carriers." He raised a metal hand, "I received my own at the New York branch, which was lost to the plague. Disease strains seem to be geographically based."

One of those in the crowd, a centaur in a lab coat, raised a hand, "What is the source of the infections?"

The instructor cleared his throat, "We are not entirely sure what precipitated the plague, though that is under constant research, I assure. Please try to hold questions until the end of the session."

With a click of a remote, a projector hummed into life.

"The Promethean Virus AND YOU!" declared the screen in large bold white letters. The voice-over was the same heard in many a school documentary.

"Just another night for America. Tucked in tight in their beds, unaware that things were about to change forever," The display was like a cartoon with poor production values, showing a minimally detailed man in bed.

"Watch out, they're coming for you," said the announcer as the door to the cartoon man's bed fell over to reveal a bear on two legs roaring. The two got into a tussle in a great big dust cloud with flailing fists and claws and teeth seen emerging from the dust for brief moments.

"Inoculations are important if you want to combat the Promethean Virus. Without inoculations, any exposure to anyone or thing with the virus causes infection."

The dust cloud fades away and there were two bears now instead, shaking hands with big grins before they walked off the camera.

"Don't let this happen to you. Zephyr Incorporated has developed..." The image shifted to a laboratory filled with beakers and bubbling fluids. Two scientists were scribbling furiously with their primitively drawn cartoon fingers before one held up his pad, a shaft of light came down upon it and its holder, "A simple shot that prevents the virus from interacting with the human genome."

"The Promethean Virus comes in a dizzying variety of strains and offshoots."

The screen showed various animals. Horses, cats, dogs, elephants.

"Even things we would not normally consider alive."

Robots, furniture, puddles of goo, and even a car scrolled past the screen.

"It is important to remember this when combating the virus. Anyone, or thing, could be a carrier. Trust only fellow, inoculated, employees of Zephyr Incorporated."

Chris leaned over to whisper quietly to Carl, "How do they know so much about something that started last night?"

The video continued, unbothered by the whispering, "It is also important to remember that the vaccine does not undo genetic damage caused by the Promethean Virus. All genetic damage is permanent by current medical science. It is important to be inoculated before exposure."

The entire room filled with groans and boos. Quite a few crumpled up bits of paper bounced harmlessly off the dangling projection pad. The instructor gave a strong 'shh' and waved at the classroom and things quieted back down.

"Fore-warned is fore-armed. Be safe, travel in groups, and you can face the Promethean Virus safely."

The lighting of the room came back as the film faded off. The white sheet rolled back to its hiding place in the ceiling.

"We hope to use that video in locations not yet hit with the virus, though we haven't found any yet. As I mentioned before the video," spoke the instructor, "The strains of virus seem geographically oriented with few exceptions. Your city was predominantly animal based, with a few exceptions."

A few eyes wandered towards the centaurs in the room, but the instructor was still talking.

"Interestingly, the virus seems to occasionally mix and match characteristics of strains. For instance, some of you have encountered a strain that combined fox and rubber characteristics, and others a similar skunk strain. It is not known at this time what causes this mutation of the Promethean Virus, though we are thankful that it still responds to the vaccine."

He gestured with his metal hand towards the wall, where a map of the United States is laid out. "Back home," he pointed at New York, "We were overrun primarily by in-organics. Cars, robots, buses and household appliances. It was a... strange scene. Of course, there was less animal matter for the virus to work with in the city."

"Regardless. You are all now employees of Zephyr Incorporated. You will achieve your quota of pacified hosts through the training we provide. By meeting and exceeding your quota, you will qualify for special benefits, equipment, and perks. The strong and efficient will be rewarded and enabled to further success," he explained. "You will all be issued firearms and protective clothing and trained in their proper use and upkeep."

"Are there any questions?"

A small feline in the front row raised her hand, "What if we don't want to kill things?" A soft murmuring rose in the crowd in agreement.

The man put his hands together, "We are told from an early age that killing is wrong, and to harm others is bad. This is not a usual situation. Mankind's very survival hangs in the balance of regaining control from the Promethean Virus. If we don't pacify them, they will pacify us, and I assure you, they will not have any moral reservation in doing so."

With a press of a button, a section of the wall rolled up, revealing a small dark area with a curled up form. A series of lights flickered to life, illuminating the body of mutant within. It rose its human female like head and clambered quickly to hoofed feet. Shaggy black fur covered its shins, its long tufted tail, and its two long ears. Slender female arms terminated in hooves as well. Its breasts were bare and reasonably sized, but clashed dramatically with what dangled between its legs. Long and bestial, the creature had the stature of a stallion between its thighs, with a blunted tip and a thick sheath.

The creature seemed to see the collected classroom and snarled, suddenly charging forward. Many in the room made sounds of alarm, and one closest to the beast fainted on the spot. Fortunately, there was a plane of glass barring the creature access and it collided loudly.

Heavy hooves crashed against the glass, pounding wildly as the beast tried desperately to reach the shocked students only a few feet away.

With a soft click, the panel came down, separating the beast from the students.

"Any further questions? Sign up for classes in the hallway. Good luck and Godspeed."