FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Laguna was looking down at his vibrating phone. This couldn't be right, why was he getting a call from Joseph now? His shaking finger hit the answer button.

"Laguna!" The excited voice at the end of the line cried before he cleared his throat and continued. "I mean, how's my favourite employee doing?"

"Joseph!" Laguna said back. "Uh what's going on, my progress report isn't due for another few months at least, what's do you need?"

"True, true. But I was thinking of checking up on your progress personally, you wouldn't mind I hope~"

"You can cut the act, Joe... You just want me to fuck you like those toys of yours can't. I assume the call means you're already on the way?"

"I'm hurt, that you would think I would do anything without your express permission. With that being said, I'll see you soon~"

Joseph hung up the phone before the badger could give another sarcastic response. Leaning back into the seat of his private jet, he knew he wouldn't be rejected so he didn't see any reason on delaying the trip. He closed his eyes and pictured the face of the badger he was so enamored with.

"What makes your other otter so special?" The otter absent-mindedly mused.

"FUCK YOU! LET ME GO!" Came a screaming voice from somewhere much further back in the plane.

Joseph sighed and pressed a button on his chair, why did they have to interrupt him?

"Could someone silence that thing? It's become rather annoying..."

...

Laguna wasn't exactly enthused about the unexpected visit, but at the same time he wasn't entirely against it. He was sure Joseph would be pleased with his progress and admittedly, he'd relish the company of someone that wasn't one of his pets. Perhaps this visit could be pleasant?

The next morning was the same as any other for Splicer, wake up, eat breakfast before waiting for instructions to tell him to get on the elevator. It had been about 2 hours by his count since the usual time, today was one of the days he was feeling particularly rebellious. The wolf was sure he would break his old record but as he waited with bated breath no directives were given. This was something new, what was going on with the badger?

The elevator door slid open but still not orders showed up in his eyes. Curious to the strange pattern, Splicer walked in, wanting to know why the pattern had been broken after what felt like ages of the same morning routine. The elevator took him to one of the few familiar areas he knew, the lobby. He walked up to the front door and pulled on it, no luck still. Sighing he walked to the back, opening the door to the garden, ready for whatever might be waiting for him. But when he saw the pink badger talking and laughing with a strange brown otter, he knew nothing good would come of it. His body grew numb, maybe he could just slip back into the office and just-

"Ah is that your new project over there Laguna?' The otter called out.

Apparently, the super spy's skills were shot after so long out of the field, he sighed and approached the group.

"Yes this is my newest pet, his name was Splicer. Actually, this little wolf been a thorn in the company's side for a long time, I'm surprised he flew under the radar so long! Remember the intern three years back that made us burn that entire false front to the ground? You're looking at him." Laguna admitted with a chuckle.

"Is that so... if I recall that little stunt cost us a pretty penny..." The otter's face was a mask of cold fury, as he adjusted the tie to his suit.

Splicer gulped, feeling quite uncomfortable. Trying to break the tension he stammered.

"H-hey that's a nice s-suit you have. Also let the record show I never did any internship anywhere..." He wasn't lying about how nice the suit was, if Laguna suit was expensive, the otter's suit was downright ludicrous. The lie was about the internship, he quite vividly recalled the time three years back, where he was hired to investigate an office that seemed to have some behind the scenes ties to some seriously shady shit. Mainly reports of missing people, he did his best to skim any intel he could but one night when he was starting to dig up some serious dirt, the entire building burst into flame. He couldn't save any of the information he uncovered from burning to a crisp, he barely made it out of that place alive, opting to jump out of the second story window because the entire lobby was engulfed in flames. The memory stung the wolf, it was a big red stain on what had been his mostly successful career.

The otter looked him in the eye, just who was this guy and what was his deal flashed across the wolf's mind.

"My name is Mr. Lockwood, My friends may call me Joseph, not that a worthless thing like you should ever let those names grace your lips. My deal is that I'm trying to figure out what Laguna here sees in you." Joseph spat out with venom.

What the hell? Splicer thought. It was almost like the otter could-

"Read your mind?" Joseph said with a raised eyebrow. "In a way you could say I was, although it's more like I'm reading the nanites in your body."

So that meant there was no use lying about the office thing then. The otter grabbed the wolf's muzzle and stared him deep in the eyes, Splicer felt everything in his body stop moving as the rhythmic whirring of machines in his veins came to a halt.

"If Laguna didn't see anything in you, I'd kill you where you stand. Do you know how lucky you are? How easily it would be for me to just throw you aside like the trash you are?" Joseph growled to the wolf.

Splicer couldn't say anything with the hand holding his jaw shut but he knew he didn't need to say anything. His vision was fading, his mind was going dark, but he mustered up every ounce of joy within his heart knowing he hurt Evertech, even if it was a small drop in the bucket compared to what he was currently going through. He projected that all into one thought and looked the otter in the eye, his vision was swimming and it felt like he was looking at Joseph from a kilometer away.

G-good...

Splicer collapsed to the ground, feeling the nanites in his body return to life.

"I really don't agree with this choice Laguna..." Joseph started, sneering down at the wolf on the ground.

"I promise, he won't be an issue! I take it you've read my reports and looked at the data. Even if he wants to, the nanites`" Laguna's reply was cut short.

"I don't care about that, usually I don't let product get under my fur, but this is a special case..." Joseph said, trying his best not to raise his voice.

"Ha... I really thought I was gonna die there for a second..." Splicer said, honestly surprised he wasn't, that otter's stare was full of genuine bloodlust.

"I propose, a compromise..." Joseph said, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Bring out, the sample"

Joseph seemed to have a certain tone of voice when talking about things he viewed as lesser than him, he'd never dream of speaking of Laguna that way but when it came to the 'people' he processed on a near daily basis, he couldn't help himself. They were all so, beneath the otter, even acknowledging their presence was more than they deserve, the otter thought this as he watched the newest piece being brought out. A squirming fox with his wrists and ankles tied was roughly pushed to the ground by a familiar midnight black otter.

"Hey. How's the cage?" Vay said, flipping the wolf over on his back with a paw kick, admiring his handiwork.

Splicer let out a groan, God anyone but him he complained in his mind. But then a realization hit him when he saw the fox's face closer.

"You!" Splicer hissed out seeing the familiar face of the pilot who brought him to the office how ever long ago it was. His pilot let out a muffled scream through his gag. Splicer felt this had to be some sick form of justice, but no matter how badly his once friend betrayed him, he couldn't wish for him to be in the predicament they currently found themselves in. Yet, there they both were, laying in the dirt all the same.

"Stand it up..." Joseph ordered Vay, who quickly complied, pulling the fox up to his feet and carried the fox over to the otter. "And you , come here, I want you to see this for yourself."

Splicer jumped to his feet almost out of pure fear, he wasn't sure what was about to happen but as he joined the line of himself, Laguna, Joseph and Vay, all staring at the fox whose eyes were currently darting back and forth, not sure of exactly what was about to happen.

It looked like there was some unseen connection forming as the fox's eyes came to a rest in the otter's. A sense of peace came upon their face, before it contorted to a look of pained confusion, then pure panic, then, nothing. It almost looked like the fox's eyes were glazed over as their body stopped shaking in fear, frozen in place.

They weren't the only one who was frozen, Splicer couldn't move. It had been a long time since his body wouldn't respond due to fear and not due to the machines in his body.

"Take the restraints off, it won't be an issue anymore..." Joseph commanded, waiting to see the full results of his work. Vay walked over to the fox and took the muzzle off, then cut the ropes tying him limbs together. The fox fell to his knees, panting like a dog. "Speak..."

The fox responded with a dull yap, face devoid of emotion.

"This one needs a bit more processing, but I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this..." Joseph side eyed the wolf, licking his lips. He hated those who thought of themselves as something more than product, but he relished those final moments, when their façade finally broke and they accepted their place, the one thing they were good for. The hatred he felt for the wolf made him sure this would be an extra sweet moment, all he needed was permission from Laguna...

Laguna sat there, frozen in place as well. He knew what Joseph was insinuating, while he wasn't exactly keen of the implications, he also couldn't argue with results. On the other paw he looked over at the trembling Splicer, who despite the nanites in his veins, pure adrenaline was somehow forcing its way through, causing the wolf to break out in a heavy sweat. The sight of that was rather intriguing how the wolf's body was able to occasionally resist the nanites, it also set the badger's mind on edge. Thoughts flashed in his mind of the impossible possibility of the wolf breaking free of the nanites' control, and then what? Would he come after the Badger, or some of his pets? Could the wolf become a nanite powered avatar of vengeance? No, the badger shook his head, it would never happen.

Splicer saw the subtle shake of Laguna's head, almost feeling like he could read the badger's mind. It had to be full of the ideas of what he could do with a complacent wolf like himself, ready to answer to his master's beck and call. He gulped hard and closed his eyes, everything was running in slow motion. He wasn't even sure what he was doing but he raised his left paw to his mouth and bit down with a firm but gentle pressure.

"Uh... what are you doing?" Laguna tried to pull the wolf's paw from his mouth, but it wouldn't budge.

Splicer's eyes were clamped shut, if he could overcome a tranquilizer with it, maybe he could do it again? Maybe it would work out, he didn't have time to theory craft right now, he had to act! He felt the familiar sensation of his own blood crackling and sparking with life, and electricity. As a valuable asset to many people, he was offered a wide selection of stuff most people wouldn't believe existed if they heard of them.

Plasmids they were called, made from some species of sea slugs from what he was told. He didn't really ask many questions just took the first one that struck his fancy, his fingers traced across the label mouthing the words, shock jockey. Before he knew it the oversized syringe was in his hand and he had stuck it into his left wrist, pressing down.

He didn't exactly know what being struck by lightning was, but in that moment he could imagine. White flashes of light coursed through his eyes, tears were streaming down his right cheek. He threw the empty syringe across the room, looking at the now neon blue running through the veins of his left arm. His vision faded and when he finally came to his, benefactor was gone, but the blue electricity running through his body remained, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, an odd pattern of neon blue extended out from the corner of his eye splitting down the middle and then curling back up and inward. He traced a claw along the mark, the electricity underneath responded, the spot he touched glowed bright for a moment before fading. He had never been able to shoot lightning from his fingers as the label advertised and over the years, the bright neon glow had gently faded to a muted blue.

Most people assumed it was a tattoo. Most people were wrong.

Splicer had had a good time reminiscing on his golden years as he felt the electric liquid of his nanite tainted blood run along his tongue. He wasn't sure how to answer Laguna's question but as he opened his eyes, they almost seemed to be shining a brighter blue than a minute ago. His body was pure adrenaline, he turned away from the curious onlookers and began to run, he didn't know where he was running, but he had to get away from them all. He was running as fast as he could, but he could hear footsteps chasing behind him, he didn't need to turn around to know it was Vay. He knew the feeling of dread being hunted by that otter all too well. Another thing he could feel were the nanites in his body working rapidly, neutralizing the adrenaline his electricity sparked in him. The footsteps were gaining, his body was growing sluggish. He didn't want to stop but his body was already still, once again obeying the commands of the machines. Despite the fact he had stopped, the heavy footsteps of Vay only got closer as he felt his still body flying through the air before crashing to the ground, Vay had tackled him and was currently grinding his cheek into the ground with a paw.

"How dare you... Try to escape with me standing right there! How's that ground taste you pathetic bitch?" Vay taunted.

"ENOUGH!" Laguna shouted at Vay. "He's been neutralized... That's a pointless gesture."

"Whatever..." Vay stood up, spitting down onto the wolf's cheek.

Laguna was divided even further, before Joseph's offer seemed like a joke, but, looking at the odd, crackling, glowing blood dripping onto the ground from the teeth marks on the wolf finger...

"Go for it..." Laguna felt him lips move on their own, he couldn't justify even the marginal risk.

"Perfect~" Joseph nearly sang out before hopping over to the wolf, ecstatic that Laguna might finally be seeing that his method of breaking product was much more efficient. He picked up the wolf's limp hand and touched the strange liquid that was still flowing out. It felt like touching a live wire, the otter was almost intrigued. "Congratulations, you just got upgrade from product to research specimen, I almost understand why Laguna picked you up..."

"No." Splicer's eye mark flared up and he looked up at the pink badger looking down at him, who turned his back to hide his pained expression. "Please, please please please please, PLEASE"

He was begging, he didn't care, he would say or do anything to avoid ending up like the seemingly brainless fox he once considered a friend.

"I'll do anything, I'll agree to your contract, please! SIR!" Splicer shouted at the badger who was retreating down the path, not wanting to see what was about to happen.

The offer caused him to pause for a second, it sounded genuine, but it was nothing more than the empty promise of a fur desperate for salvation. The real wolf Laguna had come to know would never give in like that. Certainly, he didn't want to accept an offer that was forced out by someone else, even if that someone else was Joseph. He swallowed hard and went back into the office. The wolf watched his last hope disappear from view.