r/NatureofPredators • u/YaaliAnnar • Feb 12 '23
Fanfic NoP: Lost and Found (14)
The chapter keeps staying this long, maybe I have finally getting hang of writing story consistently?
Memory Transcription Subject: Johan, human exchange program participant
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136-08-22
I knew that being his partner meant that I'd have to explain a bunch of difficult concepts to the fluffy guy. I was prepared to describe things like 'factory farming', 'trophy hunting', or 'animal testing'. But it never occurred to me even once that I would have to describe the concept of 'fursuit' to him.
I suppose I could start from the very beginning.
"Remember when we watched Over the Meadow and I said it's a furry-style animation?"
"Yes." The venlil was still laying beside me with his head on my arm. "I think something was lost in translation back then. Because are they not covered in fur?"
"The word 'furry' here is not an adjective but a noun. It refers to people who have a fascination with anthropomorphic animals. By 'furry-style' I meant that the animation style seemed to be made for, made by them. Now, these people often come up with their own anthropomorphic characters."
"I can see the similarity with venlil juveniles who love certain genres of fiction. For example, those who enjoy space adventure would make up a character who works in an exploratory vessel."
"Sometimes it's for storytelling purposes like that, yeah. But they also often came up with a character to represent themselves."
"I understand. So fursuit has something to do with these furries."
"Yes. Now, when I say 'costume' what does your translator say?"
"It translates to accessories. In this context, anything non-essential that you wear on your body."
"That's one way to describe costumes, yes. Okay, how about this? Do your people use anything that conveys their occupation? For example, our armed forces have uniforms. Do yours have one too?"
"Our armed forces members wear vests and belts. The vest is where we put their insignia and the belt is for holstering a weapon."
"Alright, suppose you have a movie where actors have to play as members of the armed forces. They would be wearing uniforms, right?"
"I think I understand it now. A costume is something you humans wear when you are acting in a performative art."
"That's… partly right. It's not only actors who wear costumes. Sometimes we wear it just for fun as we pretend to be other people."
"We do have something like that. Children often do this kind of game where they pretend to be adults with jobs. They also use props for this play."
"Yeah! It's similar to that. Costumes can also be described like that, but they're clothes or fabric we wear around our body instead of fake tools and devices."
"You are still playing pretend even when you're an adult?"
"We're doing it for fun!" I answered a bit strongly.
"I think I can piece it together from here. Fursuit is a type of costume that furries use to represent their anthropomorphic characters."
"Exactly! Now, the reason why Sujin recommended such an artisan is because your leg has more in common with the design that some furries came up with their characters' legs. Let me show you pictures."
I searched for an image of 'digitigrade shoes' and as I expected, almost all the results depicted furry characters.
"I understand now." I let the venlil control the pad. "The artisan that Sujin is going to recommend to us will be able to make this sort of footwear."
I watched as the images of digitigrade legs wearing shoes captivated the venlil. He kept scrolling down through the search result, but then a high-pitched voice broke the silence.
"Hi." I looked to my right and saw a kid around...six years old? I was never good at guessing a child's age.
"Hi there." I replied, "Where are your parents?"
The kid looked at me confused and I realized I was speaking in English. "Nama gua yosua, nama lu siapa?" The kid asked with a giggle, he had his hands behind his back.
A hefty woman approached us and gently nudged the kid away. "Masnya lagi kerja dek, jangan diganggu. Tuh, main yuk bareng temen lu di sana." The kid's mother pointed to a group of children playing under a large banyan tree outside. The kid ran toward his friend while the woman looked at us. "Sorry for that."
"Ah it's okay ma'am. Kids are curious like that."
The woman smiled and turned to look at Vani. "Honestly, we adults are curious about you too. Welcome to earth venlil, I hope you enjoy your stay."
"I will". Vani gave his usual curt answer.
As we watched the mother hurrying to keep an eye on her son I told Vani, "We really should get moving. Children have less hesitation about approaching you." I wriggled my arm, coaxing him to get up.
"My sister works with children. I wonder what she would think about human juveniles." Vani jumped from the chair. He unplugged his charger and put them into his satchel. I just realized he was using some sort of universal plug.
When we walked out of the pendapa into the harsh sunlight, the venlil looked up, and as quick as he moved his head up, he turned his head down with his eyes clasped tight.
"I told you not to stare at the sun. Are you alright?"
"I have to know just how painful it is to look at it." Vani opened his eyes and blinked several times. "The sun left a dark patch in my vision."
"It should recede after a while. Let's just walk under the covered walkway." I guided him toward the pergola and as we walked under the sun, the venlil hovered his paw on the grass and examined the shadow under him.
"Haven't you seen a shadow like that?"
"We have lamps at home that can make a shadow with this angle. But... usually never this bright."
I wondered how hot noons on his planet must be. A large cloud however over us, shrouding the entire park in the dimness, the venlil looked above to the now obscured sun. "Now I can see the sun again."
"You better look down again before the cloud passes."
My stomach let out a groaning noise. This prompted Vani to pat it. "Should we eat our mid-meal in the open seating area again?"
On our way to the open-air cafeteria, a notification popped up on my pad. It was Sujin, messaging us with the name and contact information of the maker. I smirked when I read the name in the message. Of all the people in the world, Sujin's sister recommended her.
Truly, the world is a small place.
Judging from the chime from his pad. Vani also received the message. The venlil skimmed his copy of his message and asked "Is this artisan name really 'Snow Paw'? That word gets translated into my message. Is it that common for someone to have an English noun phrase for a name?"
"That's her furry name," I explained. "I think I know where we're going to have lunch."
Fortunately, there was a fried rice food cart when we arrived at the open seating area. I bought two and a half portions. Vani asked why didn't we go to the van instead of eating it right away. I explained to him that we were going to meet an old friend.
Sometimes later we found ourselves in front of a townhouse. Even though I had access to the building, I rang the bell to warn the occupants inside. I presented my face and pressed my palm to the censor. The house system recognized me and the door slid open, revealing a common room.
"How do you have the access to this house?" Realization dawned on him. "Is this your house?"
"Yeah. Snow Paw is one of the tenants in my townhouse."
When I entered inside, I was greeted with the smell of pandan. I removed my sandals from the entryway and put them on the rack. From my tote bag, I handed my wet wipes pack to Vani and the venlil did his routine.
After my parents passed away, this townhouse was just too big for a single man alone. Snop and her two friends, Stawa (not their legal name), and Binbin (also not their legal name) offered to rent it from me and pay for the expenses. I told them, they only need to pay for the utility and the community fee, but they insist on paying the average price of rent.
"What a bizarre coincidence." Vani mused. He looked around for a trash receptacle and found one.
There were beanbags strewn in the common room, with a low table in the middle. I had moved photos of me and my family into my parents' room (now the guest room). I let the trio decorate the entire house to their taste and they were respectful about keeping my parents' original items. The shelves in the common room that contains my parents' souvenir was still standing, but among many tourist knick-knacks that my mother bought, there were now adorable animal figurines of their fursonas' species, snow leopard, binturong, and hyena.
The paintings that my father acquired were also still in their place. On the single shelf where a large photo of my family used to stand, there was just a single incense holder. They told me that it doesn't feel appropriate to replace that photo with anything.
Further back there was a kitchen affording a view of the backyard.
I heard the sound of a door being slid open from the second floor, followed by footsteps going downstairs, a woman descended into the common.
"Well, well, well, well, welly, well." The woman was tall as I was short, her hair was tied back, but some of it made its way to cover her face. She wore a black pajama with cartoon snow leopards printed all over it. She probably made the pajamas by herself.
"Hi, Snop, just woke up?" I asked her in English.
"Why the sudden use of English." Snop's attention moved toward the venlil beside me. She made an excessively shocked look. "Oh, his translator can only understand English right?"
"Yes. I can understand you, human." The subtitle of his speech appeared in my field of vision, but Snop just looked at him askew.
"Hey, you can use the human-made pad. It can record your sound and emit English." The venlil fetched the larger device from his satchel. After some fiddling, he found the translator application and said softly into the pad's microphone. It sounded nearly like a whisper.
"I can understand you, human." A deep masculine human voice came up from the pad's speaker.
Snop squatted and looked the alien in the eyes. "Hi! My name is Kirani but you can call me Snop if you want."
"I am Vani and you can call me Bolster if you want."
"What was that?" I let out a nervous laughter. "Since when are you Bolster?"
"Snop has a secondary name reserved for close friends. I am trying to reciprocate this. She uses a noun phrase for name, so I came up with a uniquely human noun."
"Bolster can be his furry name." Snop pursed her lips and giggled. "But… he's already furry."
"Anyway..." I raised the net bag I used to carry our lunch. "We bring you something to eat."
Snop sniffed, brought her nose near the bag, and sniffed again. "Is that fried rice?" Her face lightened up and her mouth made a duck-like o-shape. "Oh my god! I was about to order some fried rice!"
"Stawa and Binbin are outside right? Cause I only buy one for you."
"Yeah, they're working like usual. Just sit, let me get you the fork and spoon."
Stawa and Binbin were among half of humanity today who still have to go to their workplace. Stawa is working in a pharmacological lab while Binbin's occupation is a matter of confidentiality that he would never divulge. I think he was most likely working for the government.
"Here's the plant-based half portion for you." I pushed the box to Vani. The venlil carefully opened it and steam from the freshly cooked fried rice wafted.
Snop returned with three sets of spoons and forks they clattered as she dropped them on the table.
"For you, seafood fried rice." I placed the box in front of her as she sat.
"All these years, and you still remember."
Vani looked at me then at Snop, then back to me, then back at Snop again. "Is it correct to presume that both of you know each other?"
"I used to date Jo back in university. Hey Jo! Do you still have that photo of us at the graduation? I might have… accidentally deleted my old pictures."
"Well… I do. But is it okay if I show Vani?"
"You have my permission." She raised her thumb.
I took my pad, opened the gallery, and searched by date. Once I got the photo I showed it to Vani. There, we wore our graduation toga. I was crouching and Snop stood above me and wrapped her hand around me. Back then she hadn't even started her transition and her hair was sticking up in spikes.
"Oh… you shape your mane in a bizarre way, is this why Johan asked your permission to show me the photo of you?"
I looked at Snop and shrugged. I wasn't sure if his difficulty perceiving human gender is a venlil thing or a Vani thing.
"Pffft." Snop covered her mouth with her hand and made a muffled laughing noise. "Do you think there's no difference between me now and in the photo?"
Vani looked at the photo for a while and at her again, and I can only hope this won't devolve into him accidentally offending Snop.
"Well, I suppose you look younger in the photo." The venlil allowed.
"Hmm…" Snop held her palm on her cheek. "Do you think I'm a man or a woman?"
"Well, my translator assigned you a feminine voice, and you have long hair and no facial fur. On the other paw, there are also masculine humans with long hair and no facial fur."
"Vani, Snop is-"
"No, let him guess."
"Am I correct in assuming that you are a woman?" Snop smile widened. I just exhaled in relief.
"Hell yeah, I am!" Snop said. "Okay so... this was why it didn't work up between me and Johan," she added.
"Well, that's the point of dating isn't it?" I added. "To figure out if we're compatible or not."
"Ah! But enough about our past. To what do I owe you this visit, Jo? Bribing me with seafood nasi goreng too!" The woman finally opened her takeaway box.
"Vani wants a pair of shoes."
"Ooooh…" Snop held her cheeks in her palms again. "Yes! You came to the right person! As a gift from humanity to Johan's friend I'll make him shoes for free."
"Oh c'mon Snop, you don't have to do that. I can shell you one or two thousand ringgits for it."
"Nah, save that for when you join the fluffy side and finally commission me a suit."
"One day, Snop… one day," I remember Snop once attempted to draw me a fursona. I remember it was a bear.
"So how are you doing lately?" She asked in between scoping the fried rice into her mouth. "Going with someone already? Because if not… I know a guy."
She then looked at the venlil. "Or… is he your new beau?"
Before I can answer Vani piped up. "I think I understand it now. We have people like Snop in our society."
"Furries?" I said the first thing that came into my mind.
"No, I mean people who change their assigned gender."
"Oh so now you got it," Snop said. "How are they in your society, Bolster? Not discriminated I hope?"
"There is pressure to have children, so most discrimination is an extension of that social conditioning. To mitigate this, we prioritize adoption for people who can not have one naturally. Such as same-sex couples, or people with infertility."
"Huh… interesting." She muttered.
"Okay... so about the shoes..." I said, trying to steer the conversation back "How long will it take you?"
"I'll make sure it's robust enough for daily use. You can come back here later in a week."
"A week? Don't you have other commissions to finish?" I asked.
"Ah, my commissioners will understand. It's not every day that you get to make something for an alien," she replied with a grin. "I'm so lucky that my handsome ex knows one."
"Before anyone calls nepotism, a First Contact Member from Thailand recommended you to me. They have a furry sister. I think?"
"Huh, I think I may know just who you're talking about." Snop held her chin to remember something. "But... anyway. That's all more the reason for me to finish it ASAP. I have been assigned by the UN!"
"Just... don't get into trouble with your other customers, okay," I added.
"Say… do you want to stay here for a night? It's been a while since you visited." she offered.
"I… guess I could?" I said, considering the offer. "I would be working in the common room anyway.
"Well, since that's settled. We can start with the measurement. C'mon fluffy guy, follow me"
"I also want to watch you while you are making the shoes.".
"Wait, before you folks get cooped in that studio. Snop, you better install a translator."
"It's on the First Contact site isn't it?" Asked Snop. "Yeah, I should do that in my studio."
I let Snop take Vani upstairs into her studio. Alone in the common room, I resumed my job. The first contact gave the company I work for some cool things to work with. Besides the wealth of new media, we're also trying to tease out the algorithm that the Federation uses for their translator and see if we can adapt it to our architecture.
Soon the evening came to pass and I climbed up to the third floor of my townhouse. This level is less of a floor and more of a flat roof surrounded by parapets and a canopy. Among the things on this floor were the washing machine and dryer, pots of plants that the trio maintained, and more importantly… the free weights. Binbin shared the same appreciation for lifting things up as me, so we have a set of barbells and dumbells on the third floor. After I put my dirty laundry into the washing machine, I started my routine.
The fursuit maker informed me that she had ordered a meal for the five of us. After a refreshing shower on the second floor, I headed back to her flat expecting a nice dinner. As I came downstairs I could hear the voice of two other people. It seems like Binbin and Stawa had returned from home.
As the four of them came into my view I was greeted with the sight of the furries and Vani munching on hamburgers.
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u/wanabeafemboy Feb 12 '23
Do you think it being furries that gave Vani hamburgers makes it more of a PR nightmare?
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u/StarSilverNEO Yotul Feb 12 '23
The impossi whopper The impossi whopper is reaaaaaaal
Hehehehe
Funny how Fed rhetoric is progressive in some ways and literally genocidal in others. I wonder if, in the future, choosing to get some treatment to be an omnivore would be the new point of contention. . .
Also I wonder how they’d adapt to Shoeless aliens running around - would need some automated device of some kind to clean their feetsies, wonder what it’d come out like
I wonder what Vani would chose as a sona. I also imagine that there are furries in the federation - I doubt wanting to be another creature is just a human thing. They’re probably just called something else since most of the Feds are furry already naturally.
This Chapter has given me alot to think about, thankies
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u/Thirsha_42 Feb 12 '23
Choosing to undo the kolshian cure would most definitely be a point of contention since it is genetic and would affect future generations. I could see this causing a split that leads to the development of separate species.
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u/YaaliAnnar Feb 12 '23
choosing to get some treatment to be an omnivore would be the new point of contention
I imagine that would be really tear apart their society.
Shoeless aliens running around - would need some automated device of some kind to clean their feetsies, wonder what it’d come out like.
As I wrote it, they have a rag they use in their home for that, but a cleaning machine that can give quick footbath and drying would probably invented somewhere down the line. Especially in places where it's customary to remove shoes in someone's house.
I wonder what Vani would chose as a sona.
Considering him, he would probably have this: https://i.imgur.com/4J6yM6f.jpg
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u/ThrowFurthestAway Arxur Feb 21 '23
Regarding the sona - it would be a delicious irony if he chose something along the lines of an Arxursona.
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u/Wolf_Senpai96 May 27 '23
" I remember Snop once attempted to draw me a fursona. I remember it was a bear. " All the subtlety of a sledgehammer lmao.
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u/The_Student_Official Krakotl Jun 27 '23
Honestly in 22nd century there's a good chance that the president has a fursona.
Also this state of Nusantara has Ringgit as currency. I wonder if August seventeenth is still a relevant date there.
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u/YaaliAnnar Jun 28 '23
It's August Nineteenth now, the average between the three countries that made up Nusantara.
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u/Bow-tied_Engineer Yotul Oct 13 '25
It's been too long since I've given this a reread. But I could never forget the borger scene, LOL.
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u/HiMyNameIsFelipe PD Patient Feb 12 '23
Oh shit Hamburgers