FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Yo. How long are ya' gunna fuckin' read? We're here; you got company princess," Some new orange fox says. She's cute, scantily clad, and has eyes that would pierce daggers into me if they weren't so lazy. She's hovering above me with the book I was reading to pass the time of a sleepless night, and someone dressed nearly as scantily.

"Oh I apologize. Am I taking up too many seats?" I say, climbing out of my makeshift bed. I'd been waiting for Ophelia to pick me up from the hospital. I thought sleeping between the chairs and waiting for her to come in the morning would be best.

"What? No. We're here to take you home, dude." She says with an impatient flick of her eyes.

"I don't know you, who sent you?" I start, leaning up. "Are you my mom's friends? Wait did Ophelia tell my mom?!"

"Who?" She grunts, "No. Oh, O? Yeah, she did."

"She told my mom?!" I jump and hit my sore head on the corner of the book she grips. That fucking hurts! I grip my forehead and whimper.

"What? No. She's the one who told us to get you. Real fuckin' sorry we're late, too, dude. It's only... Oh, well. 2AM. Ah... Ah well." She starts, idly rambling and laughing while brandishing the book near my head.

While rubbing my sore-head I get a good look at the other fox. She's taller than this one by a hair. Her fur is deep red, the color of an expensive red wine. The closer one, has such natural summery orange fur that I can't tell which one I like more. I'm a sucker for other vixen. And Orangy here's dressed really scantily, enough that her thong's straps are visible and hugging her hips while her mini-shorts hide only her crotch. And she's not even wearing a top, just an admittedly cute bra. But, I wont lie. If I felt that comfortable with my body, and looked that sexy, I'd do that too.

The other vulpine is a bit stockier, though_much_more feminine than I could _ever_be,and dressed more classy than her counterpart. She, at least, has a tank top, checkered scarf, and _short_shorts on. She's quiet, and looks shy or at least reserved. Compared to this other one, it's like they're opposites. Her fur is loud and beautiful but she's silent and shy. Orangy's is more natural and subdued, but... No, yeah. Her demeanor, outfit, and looks scream she's the type to swear and yell a lot.

"Are you listening?" suddenly rings in my ear. I wasn't. I was dreaming about the red fox.

"Sorry, I was spacing out." I sigh, "I had a very rough day."

"Right... Well, enough lazing about Mel, let's go." She says.

"Oh okay. I guess Ophi told you my name. But wait I don't think I should go..." I really shouldn't, I think. "I don't know you." Would it hurt to? Anywhere might be better than here.

"You wanna come with us." She laughs, "Trust me."

I stare at her for a few seconds and roll my eyes while I get up with the red fox's help, and we start to leave.

"So," She starts, "why'd you come here?"

"Why did I come... to the hospital? Because I..." Wait. I don't have to explain myself. I don't even know these chicks. "Are you taking me home or not?"

"What? Uh... Sure. Let's go then," She says, stealing my hand and dragging me out the door. Red's as tall as I am, but orangy is as shorter, so it looks funny that she's leading me like this.

I don't typically come out this way at night. It's dark, scary, and cold. Also Orangy walks too quick, and Red walks even quicker. It's like they're on business and paid by the job, not by the time. "Okay, so my house is on the right here." I call to them, but they don't turn, let alone slow down. "Um? Guys?"

Orangy noncommittally grunts, "Sup?"

"Aren't you taking me home?"

"Yeah," she says, "sure."

"Well," I feign a smile, "we passed the turn."

"Don't wanna hang with us?" She winks, "It's such a perfect night."

"No. Not at all. I've had a rough day and I want to go home." I say, and Red glances back at me. I catch a glimpse of pout dripping from her face while she slows down to take my arm in hers.

"Poor thing. I'm really sorry you went through that." Red finally says something. Her voice is beautiful. But she's heavy, leaning against me. Isn't she supposed to support _me_right now?

"Ye-- you don't know what I went through!" I grunt, and fight her off of me. She's cinnamon gum in my white fur. My eyes roll out of my head, annoyed that they're stringing me along like this. I didn't even ask for their names and just agreed to leave with them. What about stranger danger?

"You're right, I don't. I'm sorry." We walk a few more feet, "My name's Labelle. That's Ash. What's your name?" Red, er, Labelle says.

"Uh... My friends call me Mel." I say through a downtrodden sigh.

"That's a cute name. Happy to meet you Mel. Would you feel more content if we knew each other?" She hums into my shoulder.

"Uh. Maybe..." I sigh, "I'm still really stressed."

"That's okay, darling. Here, what would you like to know?" She offers with a smile. That's the face of a sales person. Is she selling friendship? I guess I'm in the market. Maybe for more than friends...

"How old are you two?"

"We're both 18, I think. Ash, when's my birthday?"

She wasn't paying attention, and snaps around, "Tsk, this a quiz? As if I'd forget my Cupcake's birthday!"

"And it is...?"

"Uhhh." She taps her temple, "June 6th."

"Yeah, I thought so. Thanks Ash. But so there you go, we're both 18 as of a few months." Labelle finishes.

"Okay. Well. What do you two do?"

"Mostly fuckin' odd jobs on the street." Ash says, jabbing her elbow into my arm, "Do you wanna talk about what happened now?"

"What? You've hardly told me anything. I don't know you." I shake, tears welling on my eyelids, "How could I... trust you...? I could hardly trust Ophelia with this..."

Labelle breaks me with the face I'd been giving her all night, dejected, sad, and empty. "I'm sorry. I want you to know that we've been there too. We understand how you feel."

"You've been there too? I... Just... Fine. I... I had a bad night with a guy I met. And I was raped." The two finally stop, look at each other and then hop up onto the nearby bench. We're at some sort of underpass with a shop built on one side, and a cutout area covered with a drape on the other. I can smell the coffee from here, so it might be a cafe we stopped at. The smell is strong and black, mixed with asphalt and gas of the endlessly passing cars all trying to get home to their loved ones.

I rest beside Labelle and she leans, head on my chest. I wrap my arms around her side and squeeze her tight. I feel like she should be comforting me though, why is she doing this? Did they hear me?

I feel heat boring into my skull. It's Ash. Her eyes pierce my visage. I return the gaze as I shift uncomfortable in my seat, yet she doesn't waver. It's unnerving. Resolute.

"It's impolite to stare."

Nothing. She doesn't look upset. Her unbreakable stare seems to come from concern and fear. But that doesn't matter, it's uncomfortable. Talk to me. Say something. I just trusted you with my heart by telling you that, with my body by following you, and you repay me with an uncomfortable stare.

"Stop."

"Please. . ."

Her eyes eventually skate off of me and she tucks her hands behind her head.

"So this morning, the first thing you did after being raped was go straight to the hospital, yeah?" Ash sighs, "How'd that go?" Both of us pass the time by running our paws over Labelle. She seems like she cares, but she can be really brash.

"It was a struggle. To get Ophi to take me there, to muster the courage to go, and even the kit was a struggle. And I did. And it was awful. Cold hands, cold tools, cold looks. They looked at me like it was my fault that the guy..." I shift in my seat, "Did that." Labelle's fur bundles between my fingers as I tense. Her silken fur slips through my fingers, the sensation puts me at ease.

"It's still so hard... I can't believe it happened, and to me? I just... I'm afraid. Afraid to say that it happened, I'm terrified to just be alive right now... And I hate myself for it. I'm awful. I'm weak." I cry, clenching tight onto Labelle.

Ash looks down, straightens her clothes, fixes a tense expression off her face and joins me in stroking Labelle's fur when she says, "Yeah. I've been there. I've fuckin' been there." Her cheeks smooth while we both focus on petting Labelle. I'm beginning to understand why she wants me to comfort her instead; Something about it is soothing. She has the softest fur I've ever felt.

"And they wanted to keep me there!" I growl through tears, "They saw me scratching an itch on my head and they thought it was serious. I'm glad I left. I couldn't stand it there. It's not like they believed me anyway."

"Oh yeah? Did you just walk out, 'Fuck you guys, I'm goin home' or what?" Ash says, half chuckling.

"No, no. Nothing like that. I simply said I wanted to go, and they let me go."

Ash pats Labelle's hip and lobs a halfhearted giggle at me. "Huh!" She fumbles in her pocket and slaps a $10 bill on my shoulder. "I'm thirsty, go get us something to drink." I have to grab it before the wind takes it. "What do you like? They make great coffee here." She says with a smirk.

"Uh. I'd say I like coffee, but I mostly like creamer, you know?" I giggle, taking her bait to joke and lighten my mood. It eases all of our tension, I think. I feel bad for bringing them down with this grim talk. That's all my fault. They didn't deserve my sadness.

She chuckles and nods, "Hah! I know exactly what you mean. I haven't had creamer in a while. Get me a lemonade. What do you want, Belle?"

"Hmm. Would you get me a raspberry tea, Mel?" She asks.

"Yeah, of course. I'll be right back with it." I start to get up, take one step and feel my stretchy clothing tugging me hard down. Ash's paw is the source.

She whispers, "Hey, we hang out here a lot so here's a tip: Try and do some sweet talking, and you _could,"_She winks, "get it for free." Labelle perks up and titters at the suggestion.

"Oh, uh, okay." I say as she lets me go, "Thanks for the tip." And I trod off.

As I open the oaken doors, I catch the wispy tail end of Ash saying, "Just a test, seeing if she can."

And Labelle, "You're so funny Ash."

I wonder if she was lying.

There are only three people in the cafe; two customers cuddled on a couch near a full bookshelf in the far corner, and the bar's barista, finishing a drink. Wonder who that's for. The barista is some sort of sleek black otter. Super cute, would he really give it to me for free?

Reflective mirrors secure both far corners, and I see a distorted view of me in them. Is it distorted though? I look awful in them. I forgot that I was wearing such oversized clothing. That looks super cute on some girls, but...not me. And furthermore, I look pale. I know I'm white but I look almost gray, disheveled. It wont work, no sweet talk will work on this guy coming from a chick like this. I'm bad at using sex appeal like that anyway.

I walk up to the counter, "Hi, what can I get for ya? We have a special..." I tune out what he says, I hate that marketing spiel. Looking over the menu I get a rough idea of what to order and how much it'll cost.

"Okay, handsome," I wink, his cheeks turning up in a smirk. Aww, he's really cute. He really appreciated that. "I want a lemonade, a raspberry tea, you, and a Snowy peak."

"Oh, um." He says, tabbing on the electronic register, "Okay. That'll be--"

"I want it free."

"Free? I dunno... if my manag--"

"Just give it to me free. I'm cute enough, right?" Maybe I'm pushing my luck. Freak. I always spazz under pressure. I hate when I do that.

"Okay." Is all he says. Walking away to make the drinks.

They were right! Seems a little easy, I feel bad for him. I'll come back another time and actually buy something.

He looks nonchalant, just fixing the drinks I asked for. He didn't enter them in the register, he cleared the entries and went to work. Before he finishes, the couple leave. The taller one of the pair drags along the shorter one on out the door. I can only guess what they're about to be up to.

"Here you go ma'am! Raspberry Tea, Lemonade, and a Snowy Peak." That didn't take long.

He sets them in a drink carrier, and hands it to me. He shirks back, his posture slumped and perked as if he wants me to say something. I try and draw it out of him, "Thanks, uh, I didn't catch your name?"

"It's Kyle." He says, tapping his name plate.

"Right! Sorry. My name's Mel. Thanks Kyle." I say while I wave and walk out. Maybe next time, cutie.

"I got the drinks!" I exclaim while passing drinks to my new acquaintances.

"Oh yeah? Did you do what I suggested? Did you take him to the back room and fuck him?" Ash chuckles.

"Whoa. No. You said to sweet talk him. I told him I wanted it for free and he just gave it to me. He kinda looked sad he didn't get anything in return, though," I say.

"So you sweet talked him, right?" She giggles.

"Yeah, I mean I think so. I did a little clumsy flirting and uh... Like I said, all I really did was ask to get it for free."

"Huh. I guess that's why we were told to come get you. You're our ticket to free coffee!" Ash says, finally uncapping laugher. Even Labelle gives an entertained chortle.

I look away with rosy cheeks and sip my coffee--er... I guess it's more creamer than coffee, according to the description it had. But that's the way I like it.

But that's not what it tastes like.

"Yuck! Eugh. I think I know why it was free. What a dickbag." I say, spitting the acrid mess at the road.

Ash resumes her raucous laughter, and starts slapping her thigh. "That's fucking gold!"

"What? What's so funny?" I groan. Her laugh, while cute, is shrill. And really stings when directed at you. "Oh." I realize, furrowing my brow "You knew he'd make something bad for free!"

"Aaaashhhh," Labelle playfully draws out while pushing on Ash's side. "we're supposed to help her out I think."

"Help me out?"

"Yeah. Ash, go on." She says, taking the loud fox's hand in hers and kneading it till she calms down.

"Okay, okay." She waits a bit, giggle fits keep bubbling to the surface until she takes a few breaths. The first thing she asks, "Are you horny yet?" And then she breaks out laughing again, falling to the sidewalk and chuckling like mad.

This is so annoying. She's such a kid. She can't stop laughing for a second. She looks like she's 16, and acts like it too. Is she talking about last night, am I supposed to be horny again after that? Her laughs echo again and again, until it overwhelms me. Tearing into the feelings I had closed up.

I'm heavy. I can't support myself. I'm awful. My knees hit the concrete floor, followed by my hands, and then my tears. "I'm... I'm sorry."

Paws sink into my back, "Ash... You took it too far. Again." Labelle hums, her arms shield me from the orange fox. "It's not your fault, sweetie."

My body's weak and cold on the concrete floor. My lungs tremble and struggle against the current of air I gasp in harshly. Labelle's warm silken embrace tries to comfort me. "Shh, you're fine. He's not here anymore. It wasn't your fault. Come back to us, Mel." She says.

I heft my gaze from the floor onto Ash, she looks grim and hurt. "Look, I'm sorry Mel," Ash says, "Laughing is just how I relieve stress. Sorry you got caught in it. Labelle's right, if you're not upset with me we can help you out. Or we can go bunker up at our hideout across the street!" She says, half grimace, half smile.

"I just want to sleep and not wake up." I say, dropping the half of a smile from Ash's face.

"Yeah," ash whispers, "I've been there. Lets go rest."

They take me across the divide to their hideout.

"This is hardly hidden, for a hideout." I gripe, "It's just a nook behind a tarp."

"Yeah. But it's our home."

"Home? It's cold, damp, dirty... There's nothing that screams _home_to me here."

I look around while they settle in. There's a half dusty futon in distress and a sink, as well as a door to who knows where in the far corner that Ash digs in. Oh, and a small end table that's in the middle of the room.

I wouldn't have noticed the end table had Labelle not set her scarf and purse on it. But it's unnaturally elegant compared to the rest of the room. They could use more furniture though, so I won't complain. Ash vanishes behind the back door while Labelle comes close and wraps her arms around me, making me support her weight again.

She's supposed to be supporting me.

I hear is some knocking around, then a flash of white and a pillar of dust fills the room. "Oka--cough, cough!-- You. Sleep here." Ash says, amongst her kin. The white light was actually a twin sized mattress, laid next to the now less dusty futon. It doesn't look uncomfortable, it also looks just as new as the end table.

I fall onto the mattress to test it, and Labelle comes with me just to fall off onto the futon. She crawls back over to me and puts her head under my paw while brushing them together. I steal my paw from her. "Please. If you want to comfort me..." I cry, "comfort me. Don't make me comfort you."

She sighs while she tries harder, but I ball up and clutch tight onto my baggy clothes. Ash pads over and drapes a cover around me with a sincere expression. "Look Mel, you will feel better if you pet her." Instead of responding, I groan and hide my head. They shift around, fumbling and getting ready for bed while I try to cut myself off from the world.

I'm nearly asleep before Ash says anything more, "We are here for you. Sorry for the crassness earlier, dude. Really, I am." I peak through the cover to see them, and they're just wearing panties, sitting near me, using the edge of the mattress as a pillow for their futon. Sprawled on their back, holding onto each other while naked and without a cover. I guess they have hardly any decency left. They didn't have to give me the only cover, I'm not worth it.

"You know, it's for a reason." Labelle says like a kid in trouble, "It's not like I was doing that out of spite or something, Mel! Ash says that it always makes her feel better to touch it. I'm sorry that it didn't work that way for you."

"I just want to be comforted..." I whimper, "I've had a really bad day."

"We've been there," they both sigh, "I'm sorry it happened."

I want to be angry with them, but it's hard to. Most of my emotions slip through my fingers until I'm left with sullen eyes and limp muscles.

I hear them scuffle around to the table, and then flop back onto the futon. "Mel, do you want me to read you a bed time story?"

"I can read it..." I groan.

I hear fumbling pages before suddenly I feel something hard hit my head. "Here, read Belly a bedtime story."

"Ow! What? Okay..." I say, peaking my head out from my cocoon of covers. I fumble with the book and set it upright on my thighs. "Oh. It's To Give Nine. Is this your copy? I was reading one at the library."

"Yeah, it's one of the first off the printer actually," Ash says, "We know a guy and he fuckin' hooks us up."

Flipping pages, I really don't see how this was a children's book. It's rather dark. I guess all fairy tales are if you look into them too much... But it certainly wasn't this bleak when I was young.

"Well," She scoffs. "go on."

"I started reading it at the hospital, mind if I start on that page?"

"Go ahead, it's not like we haven't heard this a billion times before. It's just nice, your voice is soothing, you know." Ash says with a wink while she tangles herself into Labelle.

"I guess everyone has..." I hum. "Or at lease vulpine folk."

I clear my throat.

Ahem

The young kitsune watches as the reaper comes for Calico. "Please, reaper! Please do not take my love!" Snow begs and pleads, "If only I was honest with them this wouldn't have happened! In return for their life, I will give you one of my tails."

"Kitsune tails are more valuable than gold," The reaper says, "Beautiful, massive, fur smooth as water..." He hesitates, "And cures any illness."

The reaper thinks for a minute, and instead of taking the cat's head, he trims a tail from the kitsune and adds it to his pouch, "I'll be back for the rest," he murmurs, before disappearing.

I flip the page...

The kitsune is so happy, and hugs the cat. But Calico denies Snow with a push, "You're not who I want to be with."

"But I brought you back!"

"You are the one who killed me."

"I traded my tail..."

"I did not ask for that."

Distraught and annoyed, the kitsune uses their power to posses Calico so that they have no choice in the matter, and loves Snow with all of their heart. For weeks, Snow and Calico are together. When they take a date to the river in the middle of the forest, Snow thinks, "After all this time, Calico must love me back." So they undo control.

I fold to the next page.

As soon as they do, Calico cries, "I don't want to be told what to do anymore. I don't love you, this isn't my heart!" so the cat dives down into the river and swims until the bubbles stop.

Reaper appears behind the couple beside the river, scythe readied, "I have come for the cat."

Snow cries, "No, Reaper! Please. If only I let Calico choose to love me of their free will this wouldn't have happened. I offer you another one of my tails for their life."

Onto the next page...

And so Reaper claims another tail. "I will be back for the rest."

Cold, shivering, wet Calico cries while Snow tries to help them. "Here," Snow says, "I can use my fire to dry you off and keep you safe." And Snow produces a white flame which doesn't burn and warms Calico up from the inside.

"I don't want your warmth," Calico whimpers.

Calico refuses to love Snow, but Snow cannot love anyone else. Snow tries fire, illusions, making fantastical gifts out of leaves, and on until he's out of tricks. Time after time again, Calico refuses Snow's love and kills themself to escape the bonds. Then Snow trades another tail for their life back. All until the kitsune has two left.

Is this next one the last page?

I don't think this is how the story ends... Part the page. There's only the back of the previous page, all of the pages to the right have been torn out...

Ash and Labelle are asleep.

I continue,

Snow devises a plan, "If you will not love me, then you will love me for our child." And thus forces Calico to give them a child.

I stare at the cardboard, the insulating page is stripped free and the brown board is visible. There's something written here, but I can't see in this light. I crawl out of my bunker.

There's only one source of light. But it's outside. I slip backwards through the tarp door, fumbling the wide open book around in the streetlight.

Who gave this book to them?

Engraved into the brown board.

One word.

One letter.

Two names.

A heart that reaches all four margins encapsulates the couple.

A highschooler's crush proclaimed in a hardcover book...

"D & Melody"