FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Okay sire, what do you want in a companion?", asked the young man seated in office chair across the desk from me as he pecked at his keyboard. The fellow was earily to mid twenties and wore a pair of those black square framed glasses that seemed to be trendy these days.

The simple nature of that question belied the true width and depth it really possessed. A moment's pause held me as the young man stopped his typing and looked at me questioningly. I floundered mentally for a minute longer then I looked up at him and gave the only honest answer that came to mind...

"I don't know..." I said in a offhanded sort of way. "I wasn't really sure what my options would be."

The man gave me a feigned smile, I noticed the hint of annoyance in his level gaze.

"I see, well then let me bring up the options program and you can view the DNA database of baseline organism templates." and he pecked at a few more keys on the virtual keyboard of red lights on his glass desktop. The transparent glass grew darker grey as a series of digital photographs appeared in its surface.

"Nature has supplied us with her grand design for life, but we focus on the mammalian and some avian lines for sake of compatibility between companion and client." he rattled off in a tone that hinted at too often repetition.

I looked from the consultant to the photos that where changing before me on the glass of the desk. Animals of a great many branches of the animal family tree flashed before me. Birds, different types of feline, herd animals, and more made brief appearances and I was lost in the possibilities.

"All of those are my options?" I asked as I became dazzled by my choices by

"Those are just a visual sampling, there is a greater diversity open to you." He assured me, " The only exclusion is the human animal, we don't work with cloning people or human DNA as is prohibited by law."

''Well how do you choose?" I looked over the photos and the lists of species divided up by classifications and genus.

"Do you have a particular animal you are fond of?" The consultant asked.

"Not really to be honest."

"Well then, tell me about your lifestyle and the kind of work you do and maybe we can find something that might fit in."

'Hmm, Well... let's see." I pondered my life up to that moment, it wasn't glamorous or thrilling but I had been very content with the overall scope of it. I was thirty three and I worked as a research scientist in the fields of astrophysics and cosmology. I was stationed in a remote region of the US Canadian border in Alaska . The research outpost was where I lived most of the year when I was not in Hawaii or in the lower states or down in Australia. I had long stretches of time spent in isolation by the environment, with quick trips to far off places for a short span of weeks. I summed up the general gist of this to the somewhat bored guy.

The whole reason I was interested in a companion is that my work kept me in places no one wants to be normally. I wasn't a family type of guy since I liked my career. I was just a big nerd and I got paid to do what I loved to do, and since I was willing to work in no man's land I was paid extra well. But I did get lonely often enough and wished for someone to talk to and enjoy the company of. Sure there was the occasional repair technician that came up via plane when something broke or needed installed and there was Pierre the pilot who flew in my provisions and supplies for the outpost but that had slowly began to not be enough contact. I did not like the visual phone, sure you could talk to friends and see their faces, but I needed presence not just a talking face... it lacked a personal feeling of being with anther living person.

"Well I might advise against the more popular sporty and fashionable species, something larger and more hearty might work better for you.", and he tapped some commands into the program that caused many groups of animal templates to disappear.

"Since your isolated a animal that is normally equipped to handle isolation and solitude would also be a factor to consider." And more templates disappears with more keystrokes.

After half a hour of questions and refinement of the search program a final few templates where left for consideration and one of the caught my eye and perked my interest. The family ursidea drew my eye and I asked the consultant to expand on the options in those templates.

"Not a popular set of templates, a few black bears have been created but that appears to be all." He commented.

Of the seven options I was interested to see the polar bear and brown bear options since I had encounter some feral ones in my years at the outpost and was impressed the animals.

A polar bear would be well suited for the environmental conditions but it would not do well in warmer climates and the opposite is true for the brown bear." The man explained as he reviewed the data in the files.

"The polar bear would be best but I would like for my companion to come with me on my other temperate postings.", I expressed my concern."

Well we can hybridize the templates so your companion can alter its diet to meet demands of temperature. crossing the brown bear and polar bear DNA along with improving digestive systems should work.

Now that brings up the next bit of required information and the fellow launched into another series of questions about biology, morphology, phenotype expressions, neurological traits and so on. I answered these based on the information that I had felt would be nice to have and would be key to a lasting friendship. Finally we reached the subset of questions.

"Male or Female?" The young man asked me.

"What?" I asked with a tired sigh.

"What gender do you want your companion to be?" He restated the question," Males are larger, stronger and built more sturdier but the females have other perks" he grinned at me with a weird little smirk and glint to his eyes.

I shuddered and stated I would prefer for a male. "He can help move big equipment and I don't need a female around causing feral bears to get curious."

"As you wish sir." The man shrugged and entered the related information. "But might I say that sexual entertainment is a popular feature with many companions and our records are held confidential."

"I understand, that is why I asked for male." I grinned back at the guy. He blinked suddenly at me then nodded with a bigger smirk.

"So is possible to make him gay?"

"Why yes it is actually sir and let's see what we can do to make sure everything is sized up right."

**************************

"Amazing.", I could only gape in wonder. " Is that really him?"

I looked upon the great hulking creature floating is a blue-green colored fluid in the great cylindrical glass tank. Hoses connected to a mask covering his muzzle and nose, tiny bubbles trickled upwards from the sides. He was suspended by a harness over his chest and torso which itself had wires running all around and throughout which finally fed into a machine display panel on the right side of the tank. Other thicker hoses and connections where attached at his pelvic area and ran downwards into the floor of the tank, their functions I didn't want to guess at.

A pretty middle aged woman in a business suite and lab coat was thumbing through a metal clipboard and reading from it. Without more than a moments glance up at me over her thin glasses and past a bit of copper hair that had worked its way free of its cage of pins, a simple and exact "Yes" was her only answer.

It had only been about 13 months since I had spoken with the consultant in his office and we had work out the details for my companion. Here now I stood before a creature nearly 10 feet tall and possessed of thick corded muscle visible through his fur, broad shoulders with a hump link mass of muscle just between his shoulder blades would grant him amazing strength and imposing claw tipped over sized ham hands and bulky feet. Shaggy white fur covered him from crown to sole save for the black of his nose, lips, and padding on hand and foot.

"All of this in thirteen months?"

"Thirteen months, two weeks, four days, thirteen hours and forty five minutes to be exact.", replied the technician, still reading the clipboard.

"Amazing."

"Well we did use advanced cellular replication and ageing to bring him to maturity."

"But he's built like a brick bunker."

"Electro-muscle stimulations to tone his muscle mass, and he won't lose it since he is derived from Ursidae." Setting down the clipboard, she walked over to stand beside me." Bears have the ability to retain muscle mass while they hibernate. It was rather helpful in his growth planning to not have to constantly rebuild his strength levels. And his hibernation abilities also helped in his training and education."

"Education?"

"Yes, he has been subjected to subconscious dream learning methods while he has grown."

Glancing at me with green eyes arched in curiosity, "Why did you choose this species for a companion?"

I looked away from the hulking ursine asleep in the tube and peered at here, "Why would you want to know?"

"Well, there are cheaper templates to be had and the normal popular selections are grown in less than half the time, aren't as huge and don't have the equivalent to eight years of college in mathematics and physical sciences."

Looking back to the tank and its contents, "Well I am a scientist and I wanted someone I could talk to about my work who could understand it." Running my hand threw my hair I sighed, "Also the location I work at has special environmental factors to consider."

Looking at the bear in the tank she shuddered, "Where do you work, the north pole?"

"Near enough to see the lights." I grinned.

Eyeing me skeptically she shrugs again then works at a computer terminal hooked up to the tank. "Well he is ready to be awaken, are you ready for the bonding process?"

"Very much so thank you."

Nodding, she pressed a final key on the panel and walked towards the door. "Remember what was covered in the lecture you attended . You will be alone with him and no one will enter until you are ready to leave." The door closes behind her and a electric buzz from the door alerts me to the magnetic lock securing.

Watching the timer counting down out of the corner of my eye, I watched with interest at the scene before me as the gel slowly drains from the tank. Minutes later it is gone and the glass cylinder withdraws into the housing base in the floor leaving the anthropomorphize bear hanging in his harness. I do as I was instructed in the seminar and begin to remove the hoses and monitoring connections. As I lastly remove the oxygen mask from his muzzle his eyes flutter open reluctantly and warm golden brown eyes focus for the first time in his life. They focus upon my face and lock onto my own blue eyes...

*****************************

As long as I live I hope to never forget those eyes. The moment his met mine... click.. zap... whatever you want to call it, I felt something in that brief instant. A heartbeat passed and I snapped back to reality and moved quickly to help him stand. His hulking size left me not being of much help and yet together we got him to his shaky feet. I did my best to help hold him up as I guided him to a large bench and with every minor stumble he made setting him to lean on me as best he could. Finally we made it to the bench and he sat down on the floor in front of it and rested against it. I said nothing and watched him as I took a seat on the bench next to his elbow. I did not know what to say as I was lost in the moment, the bear sat there covered in a blue-green residue from the gel and coughed a little as he wiped at his eyes to clear some of the mess off.

Finally I found my nerve and my voice. A simple "Hello." was all I could think of to say. He stopped pawing at his eyes and his hand slowly lowered as he looked at me again. His ears twitched and swiveled towards me and he gave his head a half turn as some canines do when they hear a odd sound for the first time. I repeated my greetings again and he moved his mouth in effort to reply.

A deep bass voice rumbled from his chest at first and he managed a "Hulllooo." I smiled warmly and repeated the word once more for him. I knew he had a vault of information tucked away in that big mind of his, but putting learned knowledge into practice was going to take time for him. "Hello" he managed slowly as his ear stayed trained on me and his eyes searched my face and mouth while I spoke it.

More gel was sliding down his forehead and nearing his eyes again. Slowly I reached towards him to wipe it way. He did not flinch or move away from me, he only glanced at my hand and then looked back into my eyes once more. Gently I cleaned off the goo and marvel at the feeling of his thick white fur.

"Can you stand up?" I asked him and I stood up as if to demonstrate. The lecture had covered a lot of information on the mental capacities of companions fresh from the growing tank, his mind was very keen even more than standard companions, but human nature has us act certain ways when we encounter a new person for the first time who is not familiar with your language and customs. Long story short, I did not have to show him what I was asking, as time passed and he shook off the effects of prolong suspension sleep he would begin to react like any normal person would who possessed a lifetime of experience. Part of the learning method used was dream based and it took a little shifting of the mind to begin working in the awaken world. More easily than before he stood up and appeared less weak kneed. "Follow me and we will get you cleaned up." I assured him and walked towards the large chemical shower in one corner of the lab.

He looked at the shower skeptically then in under the shower head. I turned on the knobs and warm water flowed over his body. As the water worked to wash the left over goo from his fur, he just stood under the shower stream and peered at the water coming from the spout. I smirked at his intense curiosity he displayed and realized how everything would be new to him. He displayed an almost childlike quality and I was loath to interrupt his new experiences but we needed to clean him up. I decided to assist him along and so I removed my clothing and stepped into the shower with him. This new activity drew his attention away from the shower spout and he watched me intently again. I grew somewhat self-conscious and struggled in vain to repress a creeping blush. I stared by trying to start scrubbing at his back to help remove the goo, but my new companion turned towards me. This time he started to sniff the air about me and touched my bare chest with his large shaggy paw hands. The water had washed away the goo on his hands and the feel of his warm black padded palms on me sent a shiver up my spine. He began to rub me up and down my chest and torso as he explored this new bit of fact. He sniffed at my hair and my chest then his hands moved down lower and I started to stop him but caught myself at the last instance. Soon a warm furred palm had cupped my exposed manhood and he lowered himself to sniff that as well. Then he started to explore his own parts in some measure of comparing us. He ending up with fondling his own thickly endowed sheath and balls. After a few moments of consideration he looked to me and asked me his first question, "You are like me?"

I nodded, "Yes, I am a male the same as you are." he just nodded, "Male." and turned around again back under the water. I worked at rubbing the fur on his back and shoulders to help him clean up. He hunched down some so I could help reach the upper parts of his back and shoulders along which his thickly muscled neck. I enjoyed the feeling of his fur as my fingers worked their way through it. Finally, he was free of the blue-green muck and I was able to see the whiteness of his fur and the black skin beneath.

Finally clean but dripping wet, we exited the shower and I showed him to some massive towels and some type of nylon material clothing the company provided. Can't have naked companions running around in public I thought with mild amusement. He looked at me and then the clothing, with some work we got him into a body suit type getup that fastened shut with some large snaps in a simple blue color with silver trim. He took some experimental steps and flexed his bulk some, but the outfit held. I had dressed in the surgical scrubs once more. Once dressed I walked towards the door and he watched me with his ears turned towards me questioningly. I gave my best reassuring smile, "Follow me, lets get something to eat."

*********************************************************

I worked the control to unlock the door and he followed me out the set of double doors and down the hall to the conference room I had sat through the two hour long orientation. A large table had been covered with different types of fruits, pancakes, eggs and other breakfast meats. My companion sniffed the air and looked at the table, I noted the gurgling sound of his stomach.

I went to the table and took up a plate and offered him a larger platter that I guessed was meant for him. He took it and watched me as I used the different spoons to put food on my plate. "Help yourself and try a little of everything first to see what you like and don't like". He nodded then leaned down to smell different things, he took different fruits and some bits of honeydew and pineapple. He took only a small bit of scrambled eggs but a larger portion of bacon, ham and sausages. His sampling alone would have stuffed me but he would require double a human's meal to be full.

With plates loaded, we turn and made our way over to the only other table in the room, one side had a over sized metal stool and the other a taller bar stool seat, the table itself appeared to be elevated to provide a more comfortable seat for my new friend. I put my plate down then climbed the little extra height to sit down, he just sat down and watched me. Once settled I noted there was milk, different juices and water on the table along with some glasses. I poured myself some milk and my companion mimicked me with some grape juice. I took a sip of my milk and he watched me intently then looked at his own glass.

"I don't think I can do that." He stated after a moment. "My mouth is different, I remember I need a drinking tube."

I was confused a moment the understood. "Here", I said and offered him a straw from a stack by the water pitcher.

His ears perked up and he accepted the straw. "Thank you" he said.

I grabbed my fork and began eating, I was hungry after the many hours long drive to get here. My companion watched me eat a few bites then took his own fork and eat slowly with deliberate attention. I finished my plate and drink and pushed my dished to the side, he still ate and I took my turn to watch him.

Finally, he finished his meal to then pushed his dish aside as well, but he fill his glass with some apple juice and took some sips.

"How was your first meal?"

"Everything was good I think," he said, "can I have some more?"

I smiled and nodded, "Of course, but I wanted to talk for a bit first."

He looked at the table of food once then gave me his full attention. "Okay."

"Do you know what your name is?"

He scrunched up his thick eyebrows and his eyes tracked sided to side as if he wad reading something.

Then as if he had an epiffany he said, "My name is John."

"And do you know my name?"

He shook his head, "I know your face and smell, but I do not remember a name."

"Well my name is Scott."

"Scott" he repeated to himself then nodded.

And with that we talked for the next two hours and John learned about me. After his third helping finished and all the drinks gone i felt it was getting time for us to head home. We headed down the hall and up a elevator to the company's lobby. The place was empty and the lighting was dim, outside it was after midnight and a cold heavy rain was falling.

By the doors was a large flatbed troly loaded with some boxes with the company's logo on the side. Attached was a clipboard with a invoice listing the contents of the many boxes. Extra clothing of the type John already wore as well as some boots in his size and a grooming kit for his claws and fur. And a thick leather bound "owner's manual" was sealed away on top of it all.

"Okay my friend, lets load this mess up and head out.", John nodded and put the provided boots on, then took the bar that moved the troly and pulled it along behind us. I held the doors open and was thankful the drive in front was covered. John stepped outside causiously since everything was new to him and looked around. He made a funny face and covered his nose with his hand.

"Smells bad" he grunted.

I nod in agreement. "Yea, big cities like Seattle get too many people and they start to stink."

We loaded the van swiftly enough, as John's great strength made short work if the heavy cargo. Finally time had come fir us to leave and I was eager to be away from Seattle and get back to my home up North, we had a many hours drive ahead of us to reach the small town I resided in. I pulled open the sliding side door and showed John the seating setup I had rigged up. Due to his large size a harness system was set up for him to strap into like was found in some cargo planes. The roof of the cargo can was elevated and I hoped he would have enough room for his comfort. His seat was lower than normal but he climbed in and managed to get settled in quickly. After an attempt with the harness to get buckled in we managed to get it right.After i climbed into the driver seat and was buckled in as well I checked his comfort and he assured me he was fine. John looked out the front windshield since there was no passenger seat and I started the van and we started out for home.