FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Quietly making his way down the dimly lit sidewalk, a tall canine with deep red fur, multi-colored hair, and piercing green eyes was scanning the storefronts ahead. Randall clutched a crumpled piece of paper in his paws, where an address was scribbled hastily in black ink. As he walked, he could feel the familiar sensation of butterflies in his stomach - he just wanted to get this over and done with. Randall had been wanting to get a gift for his crush; a band member, named Shen. The two had really hit off ever since getting their ragtag band group together, playing gigs every other weekend and hanging out during the week when they weren't belting out tunes. A touch of blush crossed Randall's cheeks just thinking about Shen; everything about them was just perfect, and he wanted to get them a gift to show his appreciation - and maybe, just maybe, a confession could come out of it too in the meantime.

Shen loved puppeteering, and always showed an interest in it; it was adorable to see them get so excited about it whenever they talked about it - and one of Randall's friends had told him about a puppet shop in town. The place was apparently notable for its creations, and he hoped that he could find something Shen would like in there, and hopefully impress them too in the meantime. Randall continued to walk along the side of the street, scanning the storefronts for the one he was looking for. This part of town wasn't the greatest; it was just on the older side, judging from the modern buildings shifting to a much more vintage look with rusted signs and antique stores.

Eventually, Randall found the building he was looking for. His gaze flickered down to the crumpled address at his paws and then up at the shop in question. It looked terribly old, run down and not in the best of shape; with chips in the doorframe and dusty windows that made it looked as if it should've been shut down ages ago. A sign hung above the doorway, labeled "Samara's Oddities" in black paint that had seen better days judging from how it was starting to peel away from the surface.

Yep, this is the place. Looks more run down than I thought it'd be, though. Randall thought with a frown, admittedly not all that impressed; but he supposed that some of the old antique places could be hidden gems. Maybe this could be one of them. His gaze settled on the window for a moment, taking notice of a few puppets hung out for display of varying shapes and sizes - mice, dragons, cats, foxes, and more each with their own intricate designs and markings. They looked detailed, too - incredibly lifelike, and that was enough for Randall's spirits to perk up. Now that was quite promising as far as he was concerned; Shen would love a puppet like that. All Randall had to do now was find the right one.

Randall's tail wagged in a moment of excitement as he scurried up to the front door, giving it a knock before he entered. The door opened with a soft creak, betraying its age, as Randall stepped inside and carefully closed it behind him. There hadn't been any additional signs showing if they were open or closed, let alone their hours, but with the door being unlocked Randall figured it'd be fine - some of these smaller businesses had a knack for being too trusting with its potential patrons anyways.

Curiously, the canine glanced around the shop - it had the smell of wood and old books, signaling its age; not unpleasant, but admittedly relaxing to anyone who entered. He took a few steps forward, his paws making the floorboards creak softly underfoot - and he found himself mustering up the courage to speak up, wondering if anyone was tending to the shop today.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

He called out, gaze drifting ahead in search of any movement among the lifeless puppets around him. The shop was bigger than it looked on the inside, with many shelves, seats, and spots along the ceiling where puppets hung of varying sizes, quality, and quantity. Smaller ones were often clustered together, while others lay haphazardly in the shop in mixed groups. Randall's gaze searched the shelves as he walked, being careful not to knock anything over with his wagging tail while he searched for any occupants.

Surely someone was here, right? They wouldn't just leave the shop open without anyone watching it; but maybe these smaller shops were different in this part of town. Randall supposed he could just search for a puppet while he waited for someone to show up, and if no one did, he'd leave the payment at the cashier counter; Randall was no thief, after all - and he wanted to make sure he paid the crafter for their work above all else. These puppets were far too gorgeous to take advantage of; and he didn't exactly want to make an enemy of a shop owner, of all people. If Shen liked the puppet he picked out, he could go back and get another one for a future special occasion, too; if things went well, of course.

Randall made his way along, pausing at one of the shelves with a curious grin as he peeked at the puppets. This shelf had a collection of canines of various species; domestic dogs, hyenas, and more. Each one was distinctive with painted and carved features; some more realistic than others, while some were more cartoony in nature but still pristine and pointed with their details. Some of them even had handmade little outfits, much to Randall's surprise; it was precious, and it was clear that a lot of attention had been given to these puppets.

Randall was itching to meet their crafter, but he knew he had to be patient; there was a chance they weren't even here, which was disappointing - but a possibility nonetheless.

Turning away from the shelf, Randall searched some more, walking carefully around the stands and ducking to avoid whacking any puppets that dangled from the ceiling. As he passed the dusty cashier counter, his gaze flickered to a small hallway at the back of the shop. A rickety, wooden sign hung at the top of the archway of the hall; labeled "More this way" in scrawling black paint. Tilting his head curiously, Randall followed the sign and walked down the hallway. It led to a grand room with even more puppets; but these were even more detailed than the ones up front. These were on the more realistic side, with extra joints; signaling they were more for practical use than just display. Each limb was marked with joints and sockets for perfect articulation, with everything carved out - from the length of a snout to the tiny fingertips or even claws of each puppet's paws.

"Whoa...these are beautiful." Randall murmured to himself in awe; he knew better than to touch them, so he kept his paws to himself and stepped away.

But, he couldn't help admiring them from afar; these were probably expensive, but he was willing to pay top-dollar for one. Shen loved the really detailed ones, and these were beyond perfect. Now, all he had to do was find one that Shen would love. Randall was sure he'd appreciate anything, but he wanted to make sure he had the perfect gift.

Glancing around, the canine scoured the shop for a few more minutes; looking through the wide variety of dolls and puppets around him - and found himself feeling rather indecisive above all else. There were just too many, and they all seemed like great gifts. But there had to be one that stood above all the rest, surely?

A little frustrated, Randall turned back to search through another row of them - but stopped mid-step as he noticed something out of the corner of his eyes. Just up ahead, past the rows of puppets and dolls sat a glass case with a clasp keeping it shut tight.

The outer lining of the case was gold with intricate patterns in various swirls and markings, and sat on an antique table tucked in a far corner of the room. It was so out of the way; no wonder Randall had missed it. Tilting his head, Randall's eyes widened as he spotted what was inside the glass case; it was a puppet, but this one was unlike all the others comparatively. It stood upright like most of the puppets in the shop, and was the spitting image of a shark-like creature; with a feminine figure and long shark tail. Pointed ears with fur at the base stood on top of the puppet's head, along with beautiful purple hair; which was dyed a soft lavender at the top, and grew darker as the pretty locks hung past the puppet's shoulders and reached just above their thighs.

Randall met the puppet's magnificent golden eyes, shocked at the detail; but that wasn't even the half of it. The puppet was painted shades of dark gray and deep purple, with silver markings as well as additional soft pink markings and eyeshadow. The puppet sported an outfit as well; with a gorgeous pink and maroon dress, with dark red and gold tights, a black collar with a gold clasp, and a pink, witch-like hat on the puppet's head. This one sported joints like all the others, but somehow seemed more precise in their placement; and in a way, it looked a lot more lifelike. Awestruck at the stunning detail, Randall moved closer and peered into the glass case, studying the puppet from all sides.

This was the one; the perfect gift. He searched the table for any label or price tag, but found none. He knew it couldn't possibly be cheap, but he was prepared to pay as much as he needed for this gift; but would the owner of this place even want someone meddling with it, if it was locked away like this?

"Hello? Okay, seriously - is anyone here? I wanna buy something, but this looks valuable..."

Randall finally mustered the courage to call out again, keeping his eyes trained on the glass case; but of course, he got no response.

At least, not from anyone he expected.

"The owner isn't here."

Randall froze, stunned, as he realized who had spoken to him; the puppet's mouth had opened, and her head was turned toward him with a soft, welcoming smile to match the gentle voice. He stared for a long moment, shell-shocked. Was he dreaming? Puppets didn't talk.

"I know, puppets aren't supposed to talk. But I do. And I think we can help eachother, if you're willing. My name is Samara; may I have yours, so we can get acquainted?"

The shark-like puppet shifted in her box, placing a paw against the glass.

"It's Randall. My name is Randall." The canine choked the words out, eyes wide.

"But first, I must know; why do you want to buy one of us? I've never seen someone like you walk in here...usually we get collectors, and older folk." Samara mused, tilting her head while a distinct curiosity flickered in her golden eyes.

Randall felt her gaze burning into him, and he stammered his next few words out as quickly as he could.

"I-I'm buying one for my crush. He loves puppets, really pretty ones like you."

Randall glanced around, searching for any sign of the owner as if someone would swoop in and save him from this sudden predicament, then turned his attention back to Samara.

"Then perhaps we can make a deal, Randall. I want to be free; but the wretched owner of this place locked me away. If you open my case clasp, I can promise you one thing; your crush, the one your heart yearns for, will fall in love with you. As you know, puppets aren't supposed to speak; but I do, because I'm not like any of the rest. I was locked away because of the magic I hold; and I can use that magic to help you, Randall. All you have to do is help me first." As Samara explained, she pressed her paws pleadingly against the glass.

Randall hesitated for a moment, gazing at Samara. He weighed his options; he didn't have many to choose from. He could wait for the owner to show up, which could take far too long, or just let this puppet out of the case. Randall had never been one to believe in magic, but at this point, he was more than willing to, given the circumstance he was talking to a puppet. He glanced around, then returned his attention to Samara; before he nodded, reaching toward the case clasp.

"Okay, I'll get you out. I don't know how any of your magic could help with that, but...heh, it's worth a shot."

Randall smiled hopefully, fiddling with the clasp on the case door for a moment. It took a surprising amount of effort, before it finally popped open. Samara watched eagerly, tail swishing slowly back and forth as Randall used a claw to pry open the door - it didn't open as easily as the clasp, signaling that maybe it had been shut for a while. Why would anyone lock such a beautiful puppet away for so long?

With a little grunt, Randall finally got the door to budge - he gave a quick flick of his claw, and it swung open with a noisy squeak that made his ears twitch back against his head. Pulling his paw back for a second, the canine raised his head with a grin as he looked in at Samara - who's gaze was transfixed upon him, a pleased smile stretching along her face. One of joy, but with a touch of mischief that definitely threw Randall for a loop - but as long as this strange puppet kept their word, it really wasn't any of his business what they did in the aftermath of all this.

Samara inched forward, as if uneasy that Randall would shut the door in her face. But, the canine stood back, simply watching with a touch of curiosity in his gaze as the walking, talking puppet stepped out of the case. She wobbled a little at first, trying to adjust her footing after being stationary for so long. Her tail swished back and forth, ears perking as she placed a paw along the open door, closing it behind her. Samara's long purple hair cascaded down her shoulders, which she tried to brush away as she straightened up, seemingly taking in her newfound freedom before her gaze switched back to Randall with a grin.

"Well?"

Randall quirked a brow, tilting his head. Was she just going to stand there the whole time?

"You said if I let you out, that you could help me. I'm not sure how you could, anyway, but you promised." The canine reminded, earning an amused chuckle from the puppet below as she brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, I am going to help you. You just have to trust me."

A smirk curled at Samara's lips as she raised a hand, and a faint pink and purple glow began to shine from her palm. Before Randall could react beyond a gasp, little wisps of magic, matching the colors on Samara's palm, began to swirl around the canine.

"Hey, what gives? What are you doing? Get this stuff off me!" Randall yelped in surprise as the magic energy swirled and shifted around him, enveloping him a gentle embrace - it was ticklish almost, and his body felt as though it was numbing.

He wasn't in any pain by any means, but his body felt strange above all else. He couldn't see anything beyond the clouds and wisps of colors around him, Samara's form disappearing in the midst of it all as well as the surrounding walls of the antique shop. However, as the magic continued to spin around his body, a new feeling rushed over him - he began to feel stiff and sore, much to his surprise.

Randall attempted to call out again, but couldn't seem to find his words, let alone the voice to go along with them as the rush of colors began to fade - dissipating into thin air as the disoriented canine struggled to recompose himself, blinking away the new sense of tiredness from his eyes. He tried to rub at them, but his arm felt heavy; confused, Randall tried to shake off the odd sensations as he opened his eyes - but much to his shock, he noticed something was quite different.

Everything around him was much bigger.

Looking up, Randall spotted Samara - but this time, she didn't exactly look like a puppet. Her doll joints were missing, and she was a lot bigger; towering above him. She looked like any other person walking along the street - no longer bound by the stiffness of joints and the swing of puppet strings. Samara was still grinning ear to ear, the glow from her palm fading as she giggled softly, crossing her arms over her chest. Still disoriented, Randall looked down at himself; and that's when it sunk in.

He was a puppet - from the joints the creak of his limbs, he looked just like Samara had earlier. Each limb and body part was articulated beautifully, from the joints on his fingers where his knuckles ought to be, to the sectioned tail, arms, and legs. Even his ears were sectioned, split down the middle to be bent or to expressively fall into place as needed. His outfit remained intact along with most of his fur, while the rest of him looked painted and intricate - much like the stunning puppet that had once been trapped in that case only minutes before. Randall opened his mouth to speak, stunned and his mind racing - but he was cut off by a pleased little chuckle from Samara.

"Don't you worry, Randall. I'll take care of everything."

~~~~

A sigh escaped Shen's lips as he sat in his living room, watching television as he ran a hand through the orange mane cascading along his shoulders. Unlike Randall, Shen was an Eastern Dragon; sporting a green long tail with orange fur along the top and tip, long whiskers, and horns. He had gotten dressed up in a sporty red and yellow jacket, black shirt, and ripped jeans, hoping to head out - but much to his dismay, things hadn't been as lively today as he had hoped. Shen had been texting Randall for hours - and his beloved companion hadn't replied to him at all. Normally, Randall got back to him decently fast; he didn't mind if the canine was busy, but something about the whole thing felt strange.

It wasn't like Randall to disappear without a word; and honestly, Shen had hoped to ask him to hang out later. Being home alone was lonely, and even more so without Randall. Tiredly, the dragon rubbed at his eyes and turned the television off, then laid his head back against the couch cushion. His gaze drifted down to his phone to his left, seeing the lack of notifications on the touchscreen. He was worried; but he didn't want to seem needy or pushy, so he hadn't really messaged Randall that much.

He's just busy. I'm sure he's fine.

Shen brushed aside any troubled thoughts as he pulled his gaze away from the phone, laying back again. He had been about to close his eyes, when a knock at his front door sounded. Startled, he promptly leapt to his feet. Instinctively, he wondered if it was Randall - but usually the canine would ask first if he wanted to come over. Unsure, Shen made his way to the front door with a curious look on his face as he glanced through the peephole. However, he didn't see anyone standing outside.

Oh, come on. I thought kids were too old to ding-dong-ditch nowadays.

Rolling his eyes, Shen huffed in annoyance and reached over to unlock and open the door. If someone was just messing with him, he figured sending them off in a warning would be enough. But, much to his surprise, as he swung the door open he still couldn't see anyone. He glanced out at the driveway, neighboring street, and sidewalk for any signs of some rebellious kids running off in the distance, or a solicitor of some kind. Not a single soul was out there, leaving Shen more confused than anything else. With a sigh, Shen shook his head as if to clear it; maybe he had just imagined the knock. He moved to close the door, but his gaze drifted downwards and he stopped, startled as he spotted a small wrapped box on the doormat. He blinked, confused. He hadn't ordered any packages, and no one had said anything about mailing him something - but perhaps there was a delivery he missed. Trying to work out the reasoning for it being the source of the knock; maybe it was just some skittish delivery driver; Shen bent down and picked up the box, shutting and locking the door behind him as he headed out of the living room and up into his cozy bedroom.

Shen got to work opening the box, which was wrapped in purple and pink paper and had a fancy pink bow on top. Once he managed to open it, his jaw dropped at the contents inside.

Protected in a bundle of soft cloth and padding was a beautiful puppet...but this one was nothing like any he had ever laid eyes on before.

It looked exactly like Randall.

Shocked, Shen reached down into the box and pulled out the puppet; each detail was precise, down to the painted brush strokes and snippets of fur attached to the body. It even had the outfit that Randall loved so much; a sewn denim jacket, black spiked collar, and black spiked belt with gold chains to match. Grinning ear to ear, Shen held the puppet out to examine it, whoever had made it even got Randall's hair right - with soft material threaded into each shade - yellow, red, green, and purple among other snippets of color.

"No way..."

Shen's eyes widened as he gazed at the intricate piece; and in a way, it seemed to gaze right back at him. Something about the puppet's eyes were mesmerizing, as if they belonged to the very soul it seemed to have been inspired by; and it made it all the more beautiful.

But yet, unbeknownst to Shen, the puppet did have a soul; and as far as Randall was concerned, he'd never truly know it actually was the companion he had known for years. Randall felt stiff, unable to move now; ever since Samara had stuffed him into the box and carried him off, he had practically felt paralyzed.

At best, his eyes could shift from side to side, but minimally - nothing was painful, but felt as strange as when his body had gone through the initial transformation. Yet, something about this was sending Randall's mind reeling as he found himself held by his crush; with such care and love that even he felt like melting at the touch alone.

Shen's gaze drifted back to the box, where he reached out and pulled a note from it, reading it aloud to himself absently in awe as his smile broadened.

"I know how much you like puppets, so I had this one custom made. I really care about you, Shen. This is a gift - cherish it, as I hope you would cherish me. Love, Randall."

As Shen read the note, blush spread across his cheeks. He set it down, refocusing on the puppet in his paws; and before could stop himself, he pulled Randall close to his chest, embracing the little puppet with warmth and love.

Randall knew he couldn't move; he couldn't hug Shen back, nor could he speak - but all the same, he felt that rush of joy, which overshadowed everything that had happened to him within the past few hours of searching for the perfect present, the best thing he could possibly give to Shen to showcase his love. He was finally being held by the person he loved most; and it seemed his deal with Samara had paid off, no matter how deceptive it had been initially.

"Gosh...That's why he wasn't texting me. He was planning a surprise; he's so sweet.."

Shen bent his head, gently planting a soft kiss to the puppet's head. For the first time in a while, he truly felt happy - he felt like someone had noticed him, felt him, heard him; and this little gesture was all it took to realize that Randall actually cared about him as more than just a friend. Shifting positions, Shen laid on his side in the bed and curled up with Randall in his arms, hugging the little puppet close and planting soft kisses to his head and delicate face. With a soft smile, Shen gently began to toy with the mechanisms - using a small lever on the back to shift Randall's mouth into a grin that popped open, then shut closed. He gently moved the puppet from side to side, twirling it and easing into a silly dance - every little movement it made sent a jolt of joy into the dragon as he gazed at the intricate puppet. If Randall couldn't be around all the time, that was okay; but this was the perfect way to have a piece of him here, always.

He loves me.

The thought settled in Randall's mind as he felt the warmth of Shen's embrace, not at all bothered as the dragon played with him. While he still couldn't control his body, he felt less trapped - in a way, he felt free despite the constraints of this new form. He felt loved as he twirled and moved, each little joint and mechanism being tested and toyed with - and even more so as he felt Shen's lips against him, reminding him with affection that he was adored even as a puppet.

"Thanks, Randall." Shen murmured the words softly to himself as he planted a kiss on Randall's cheek.

He shifted a bit where he lay, wrapping his arms around the puppet to cuddle him as he closed his eyes, tail curling around the two of them in an additional warm, fluffy embrace.

"I love you."

Randall was nestled against his chest, head beneath the dragon's chin - and for the first time, the canine felt closer to Shen than ever. His wish had been granted, and Samara had done her part of the bargain.

If this really was how love felt like, Randall didn't ever want to lose it. He wanted this feeling, this warmth, to stay with him for the rest of this new life.

No matter what.

I love you too, Shen.