FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Woah boy. It has been a while since I last updated this story. Sorry about that. But I am excited to bring to you a new chapter! Once again, I would like to thank Trismegistus Shandy for proofreading the chapter. I hope that you enjoy it!

"What do you mean I'm getting fined?!" Daso demanded, frowning as she looked at Tietro. The elf, astride his mechanical horse, was looking uncomfortable.

"Well, Miss Daso," Tietro began, "all slime creatures, abominations, homunculi, and any non-naturally occurring fungi placed in the sewers beneath a citizen's property can only be allowed with a permit."

"What? I didn't put anything in the sewers!"

"Really? So the giant slime creature wasn't one of your shop's defenses?" Tietro asked, confused.

"Absolutely not. I mean, it's not like I haven't thought about making a slime monster, but all the paperwork and indigo tape involved just isn't worth it!"

The elf looked thoughtful for a moment, while Daso frowned and steered her cart. Zed was sitting next to her listening, already having heard from Daso about the previous attempts made on her shop.

"What color was the slime?" the Kymanian asked, having spoken very little since his initial greeting to Tietro.

"It's a green slime. Creature Control's got it in a special cell down at their headquarters," Tietro said, looking over at the man whom Daso had claimed to have hired for her shop.

"Hmm... you usually only find the greens out in forests, specifically in the oldest and most ancient part," Zed said.

"I've heard of cases where they enter big cities as a result of urban expansion into their territories... but Pharanx wasn't built anywhere near someplace like that," Tietro said.

"Regardless, I didn't put it there, so I don't see why I should be fined for it," Daso said with an annoyed huff.

"I'll see what I can do, Daso," Tietro promised. They continued onward in silence as the middle of the day drifted more towards the late afternoon. They were nearing dusk when the trio caught sight of Pharanx after cresting over a hill.

"I hope that Arono is alright," Tietro said, having grown worried for his cousin as he had yet to appear during their journey.

"I'm sure that he'll turn up soon. Probably at my shop with another marriage proposal." Daso noticed the elf in their company wince at the mention of that.

"Once again, I would like to apologize on his behalf," Tietro said, looking guilty.

"Well, it ain't like you control what he does," Daso said.

"Still..." Tietro trailed off, lamely. The sun had just met the tip of the mountains far off in the horizon, turning a reddish orange, as they made their way to the line at the front gate. There was a commotion at the gates holding everything up. As they got nearer, they saw that it was a series of miniature mechanical golems running around, making chattering noises, all the while making general nuisances of themselves. Daso looked and could see that they all appeared to be bronze, with glowing purple gears, each with a single mechanical eye in the center of their otherwise featureless faces. The designs were simple, Daso appraised, and the chittering coming from them suggested that they were of gnomish origin, which would also explain why they were around two feet tall.

One of the golems ran up to the cart ahead, which was filled with chickens in the back, and climbed up. It then started waving its arms around in a sort of screaming mania, thus riling up the chickens. It then started to jump up and down, saying snatches of strange phrases.

"Dancing with chickens makes them feel less lonely!" it said before the human driver of the cart finally made her way around back.

"Git outta there, you varmint!" The lady said.

"Okay!" the golem said, calming down... before immediately screaming in excitement, throwing its hands up into the air, and jumping down onto the ground, running around in small circles. The trio looked to one another in a combination of confusion and amusement. The guards did a quick scan, after retrieving one of the scanning orbs from another one of the golems who was trying to ride it, and set about scanning the cart with the chickens. The woman was waved through, and the harried guards waved for Daso to move forward. Tietro also urged his mechanical horse forward, pulling out and flashing his badge.

"What's going on here?" Tietro asked the nearest guard, another elf, whose hat was snatched off by another screaming golem that proceeded to wear it as it too began to run around in small circles.

"Some gnome businessman was bringing a carriage of these things into town, but it somehow got tipped over, and they all got loose! We're still waiting for Creature Control to get here!" the guard said, exasperated. Tietro nodded in understanding, spying whom he believed to be the gnome in question, gesticulating wildly with his arms as he spoke to the guards. He was wearing a pinstripe suit and had a handlebar moustache. The orbs finished their scan, and Daso's cart was waved on through, Tietro following close behind.

Zed looked around once they had cleared the gate and began traveling down the busy roads. He smiled as he took in all of the sights and sounds of the city.

"Ah, Pharanx," he said wistfully, "how I have missed this city."

"You've visited before?" Tietro queried, prompting a nod from the Kymanian.

"A few times, all on business, so I only ever had time to sample Pharanx, each time leaving me wanting more."

Tietro nodded at that. "This is very much a fine city, filled with wonders. Of course, it also has its share of dangers."

"True, but then again, what city doesn't?" Zed asked.

They continued on, chatting amicably about various points of interest around the city as they traversed the labyrinthine streets. Daso, who was still finding her way around, made several mental notes of places to visit. Soon they were turning onto the street Daso's shop was located on, taking in the sight of road and construction crews working to repair the actual street itself and a few of the shops. Daso smiled at the sight of her shop, standing proud and largely untouched, aside from the cracked window at the top that she zeroed in on immediately before climbing down from her cart.

Hmmm, it looks like I'll have to mess around with the forcefield generator. Might just be a problem of uneven spacing or a thin spot in the sphere--

"MISS DASO!" Daso's thoughts were interrupted by her name being screamed just before a brown blur lightly slammed into her chest. Tietro and Zed smiled at the sight of the little oshel girl who had her arms wrapped around Daso's middle as she happily buried her muzzle in her chest.

"Soaria?" Daso asked, surprised, as the little oshel continued to hold on tight.

"I missed you so much!" Soaria said, her tail thumping lightly against Daso as she said it.

"So this little one is a friend of yours then?" Tietro asked, having recognized her from the day he had arrested the orc and the dwarf who had arrived with their "gifts". Soaria looked up at the speaker. Her eyes grew as large as saucers and she squeaked, burying her face in Daso's neck in fright.

"I-I'm not p-playin' hookey, I swear!" she said, slightly muffled while Daso gently stroked her headfur. Tietro chuckled while Zed looked on, mildly confused, but still smiling.

"I believe you, Miss Soaria," Tietro said, approaching slowly while Soaria lifted her head up.

"Y-you do?"

"Absolutely. It's far too late for you to be in school," Tietro assured her. He smiled as he saw Soaria visibly relax, still hugging Daso tight. Daso was glad to see the oshel calming down, and turned to give the elf a smile before she started to head towards the shop door, waving a glowing green crystal to make the garage door open. Zed was already at the controls on the cart, taking a few seconds to familiarize himself with them before guiding it inside.

"Thanks for seeing us home," Daso said to Tietro, blushing a little and not knowing why. The tips of Tietro's ears started to turn a light pink as he too blushed.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Daso," Tietro said.

"Would you like to come in?" Daso asked, unsure of just why she asked.

"Perhaps another time, Daso," Tietro said, the tips of his ears becoming a deeper shade of pink, "but there's still the matter of my wayward cousin. In all the chaos at the gate, I didn't have the opportunity to ask if he had returned."

"Understood," Daso said, still petting Soaria, "as annoying as he can be, I hope you find him."

"Oh, I shall. And I have a feeling that it's going to be in a holding cell, at least based on past experience. Good evening," Tietro said, before climbing back atop his mechanical steed and, giving one last wave, started to trot off back towards the gate. Daso watched him go, a grin on her face.

"Daso, was that your boyfriend?" Soaria innocently asked, making Daso sputter.

"Wh-wha?! Soaria, what gave you that idea?"

"... No reason?" Soaria said, smiling and giggling. Daso just rolled her eyes before waving the crystal again, signaling the garage door to start closing, and carried Soaria inside.

Elsewhere...

Arono slowly swam back towards consciousness. He looked up into a set of bright lights overhead, while blurry figures in white were rushing all around him. He heard snatches of what they were saying, not that he fully understood it at the time.

"--crashing! Nurse, we need three lumbra blooms, stat!"

Arono felt himself get sucked back into unconsciousness, faintly hearing a laughter that he soon forgot.

Back at the shop...

"Your shop is bigger than I was imagining, kiji," Zed said as he looked around. Daso had finally coaxed Soaria down from her arms, the little oshel resolving to stick by her side instead.

"It was a boutique when I bought it, but I made some alterations per my needs," Daso explained as she headed into the garage, grabbing the few packs left and setting them down, deciding to put everything away properly in a short while.

"I don't think I've ever heard of anything like most of the gadgets I see. The same for more than a few of these potions."

"Well, I like to think outside the box," Daso explained with a shrug, "and that's led me to a lot of fun projects."

Daso then reached down to pet Soaria's headfur once more. "Now, Soaria, this is Zed, my new assistant. Zed, this is Soaria... uh... I rescued her on my way here."

Soaria stood a little bit behind Daso, peeking out.

"Hello there, little one," Zed said in a soft and friendly voice.

"H-hi," Soaria squeaked out before hiding once again behind Daso.

"Now, c'mon, let me show you to your room, Zed," Daso said, breaking the slight awkward tension, and led them upstairs. Soaria was right behind her, with Zed holding back a chuckle at the sight. Once upstairs, Daso led them down the left hall and opened a spare bedroom.

"Here you go," Daso said, leading them both into the sparsely furnished room. There was a single bed, a desk, an open closet, and a bedside table.

"Sorry if it's a little bare, I wasn't planning on taking on an assistant so soon," Daso said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly.

"It is just fine, kiji," Zed said, shrugging off his pack and setting it at the foot of his bed. "As I make new memories, I am certain that this room shall reflect that as it begins to fill."

Soaria smiled a little at that, before ducking behind Daso when Zed smiled at her.

"Besides, kiji, this room is much larger than the one I had back at the company's housing. So I consider this to be an upgrade," he said, addressing Daso.

"Good to hear," Daso said with a smile. "We'll get started with your training tomorrow. I was planning on ordering out tonight. You're more than welcome to join us for dinner tonight before I get a certain little oshel all squared away."

Soaria grumbled at that, but didn't argue.

"Thank you for the offer, kiji," Zed said, "however, I was planning on going out to a restaurant I had wanted to try the last few times I was here, but never got the opportunity."

"Alright then." Daso nodded, leading Soaria out and downstairs, pulling out her telecommunications cube. Soaria looked at the different gadgets near the register, prodding a few of them curiously. She did have to jump back in fright once when a purple flame appeared in the center of a hollow hovering sphere made of bronze chains. She squeaked and looked to Daso in panic. Daso smiled and snapped her fingers, the flame immediately going out.

"S-sorry, Daso," Soaria said, looking at her shuffling feet.

"Don't worry, Soaria," Daso said, "that's what it's supposed to do." Daso then resumed calling up the restaurant she had in mind, nodding to Zed as he exited out the front door. They only had to wait ten minutes before there was a knock on the shop door. Daso went to open it while Soaria rushed upstairs to go wash her paws.

"Red Lotus delivery," said the chipper teenaged human boy who stood there, his smile widening at the sight of Daso.

"Thanks," Daso said, appreciating the speedy delivery. She grabbed her money pouch and counted out the appropriate amount of shelt, well aware of the boy's eyes staring at her chest. She rolled her eyes before nodding at him and closing the door. Daso smiled at Soaria as she excitedly scampered down the stairs, her tail starting to thump as she took in the scents of the spices coming from the bags Daso was holding, the Red Lotus' logo on the side of each one. Daso led her to the counter, pulling up a stool for the oshel to sit on.

"Mmmmm," Soaria said as she sniffed each of the white take-out boxes as Daso removed them. Her tail continued to thump, this time against her stool as she eagerly waiting to open her own boxes. They had just opened each of their own when there was another knock at the door.

"You get started, Soaria," Daso said, figuring that it was Zed having returned. Instead, she was mildly surprised to find a mature oshel woman standing there, wearing a light blue sundress.

"Can I help you?"

"Hello, Miss Daso," the oshel said. Soaria, who had already started in on the nearest box to her froze, recognizing the voice.

"I'm Tiliana Hanni, and I'm from the shelter. We met, briefly, when you dropped little Soaria off with us."

"Oh yes," Daso said, her memory sparking.

"Well, as you are probably very aware, she has a tendency to wander off," Mrs. Hanni said, looking over Daso's shoulder and spotting Soaria attempting to sneak away, with a box of food in paw.

"Soaria!" Mrs. Hanni said, making Soaria stop in her tracks and turn to look. She had a guilty look on her muzzle and Mrs. Hanni stood there, her paws on her hips.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Daso offered, starting to feel awkward and unsure of what else to do or say.

And there you have it, dear readers! Please feel free to leave a review!