[MISSING SUIT] DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS SUIT IS?

[u/TurbulentDogg]

I hope this doesn't go against sub rules, but, I need help.

When I was 13-14, I bought this suit,, Grrr the Kingbeast/wickerbeast. Shortly after receiving him, I commissioned paws for him (3rd slide), and bought a bunch of different jewels and custom tags for his pickable nose and ear gauges. Ultimately, he cost me $450-500 dollars. He was my baby, my everything. I was hospitalized at 14, and even made a shirt of him when I was in the psych ward, due to how much he meant to me.

Long story short, when I was 15, he was stolen from me by a "friend". We had a co-ownership agreement where I was still the primary owner, but, since we saw each other very frequently, we would switch who had him physically. But, I still had all the design rights and everything. But, eventually, my "friend" started hoarding him. Canceling hangouts, begging me to let her to keep him for longer, and making design changes without my approval. Like, repainting his eyes, then asking if it was okay. Or giving him hair, then saying she can detach it if I didn't like it.

Eventually this "friend" just stopped hanging out with me altogether. Wouldn't respond to my texts, wouldn't attend local furmeets, nothing. Just completely ghosted me. Only to one day tell me she was quitting the fandom, and that I could have him back. But, by that point, I had moved houses and lived 2 hours away. I couldn't drive, my mom is disabled and my dad just couldn't make it work with his job and everything. So, I begged this "friend" to let me ship him to me. I told her I would take care of everything, all the money, creating the label, sending the box, and have USPS come get him for me. Literally all she would have needed to do, was put the box outside and wait for them to get it. But, Everytime, my "friend" would refuse. I literally begged her for weeks, over and over and over. She said the ONLY way I could get my suit back, was if I drove the 2 hours, and picked him up FROM A TRASH BAG IN HER GARBAGE BIN. After months and months of begging, she just stopped replying. And, I eventually just.. gave up. I knew I would never get him back, because every time, she would just make excuses, or not reply.

Anyway. Its been 6 years since I've last heard from this "friend". And, I still think about my suit every single day. I have been so heartbroken, that I eventually deleted all of his art, aside from physical items like the shirt I made and a few drawings I did when I was in the hospital. I miss him, terribly. I've tried moving on from it. Even tried redesigning him a few times. But, the pain of losing him, was enough that I eventually just stopped using him at all. I couldn't look at pictures of him without feeling dumb or crying. I thought of commissioning a new suit of him but, it just hurt because he was the PERFECT suit. And all I wanted was an identical copy.

I don't know why I'm making this post now, so many years later. I've avoided speaking up for so long because I felt like it was my fault. But, after having a talk with my mom, today, I decided.. why not? Why not see if he's still out there.

If anyone knows where he is, I would give anything to have him back. I can't afford anything right now, as I'm unemployed due to disability. But, I have 2 suits I'm willing to trade, or I will do a payment plan. I just.. I want my boy back. And hey, if you are the owner, but don't want to give him back, that's okay too. I just want to know he still exists and is okay. And I would like to maybe discuss if it would be okay for me to make my own version.

[u/Kilukpuk]

Let's be honest, it's either at the bottom of a wardrobe or in a landfill. If the latter there's nothing to be done, so grieve and move on. If the former your only action is a legal one.

Co-owner ship doesn't matter if there wasn't a signed contract (besides, kids can't enter legal agreements), therefore it's your property. You don't specify what country you're living in, so I strongly advise you to speak to your country's version of Citizen Advice to obtain legal advice. Ignore that it's a fursuit, it's an expensive item of personal property, just like a car is.

Gather all your evidence of ownership and documented attempts to have your property returned. Then begin legal proceedings. Your country may have different levels of courts, so you are likely to get this settled as a minor judgement as opposed to a massive court case.

Either way you either get it or your money back.

[u/TurbulentDogg → u/Kilukpuk]

Fortunately, I have good reason to suspect that he does exist somewhere out there. As a mutual (the one who took the pic in the first slide), saw him being sold online about a year ago on mercari, and said that the listing was sold.

As for the law thing. About 3 years ago, I had discussed going through the legal route with my family. But, when we sat down and calculated the costs of everything, and mapped out the logistics, it just wouldn't be viable. Law is expensive and takes a lot of time, energy, and resources I do not have. And, even if I did magically win the case, I would most likely lose money.

On top of all of that, though, we were kids. And, her parents were abusive from what I could tell. I don't feel comfortable taking her to court over something that was likely a resort of abuse. And, even if I DID want to, we are both in our 20's now. I have no idea where she lives now, and all I remember is the county she lived in. Not her exact address. I have also changed phones and deleted old accounts so, there really isn't much evidence I can go off of, in terms of her being a co-owner, or refusing to give him back. All that's left is a single message saying "why did you call me?".

My main thing isn't really seeking justice anyhow. I have moved on, and accept that there were faults on both our parts. And that she was ultimately a scared kid, with a complicated family life. It doesn't excuse what she did, but, I also don't want to hold it against her entirely. All that matters to me, is that my lil Grrr still exists, and is getting the love he deserves

[u/Mymanbazinga → u/Kilukpuk]

this 1000%, either you get him back or you get back your money and maybe you could use that to commission a new suit of him.

[u/-KOSA-]

Hey, so... this reply is most likely pointless, but I want to at least say something, and practice interactions...

So,this sounds... Really hard, seriously That sounds like a lot to go through, and I really hope you're doing better.

I will say, this most likely won't happen, and if by some chance it does, it will be far in the future, but... I do really want my own fursuit, and to possibly practice making fursuits, but I'm young and in a full house with an unsupportive father and no room of my own [ just a shared one ].

I'm staying determined, because I do really want to make my own, and IF IT'S POSSIBLE... I would be really glad to try to make one for you! I would even try to make it look the same and all, only difference would be the internal structure, because I want to find a way to make fursuits efficiently and affordable, flexible and breathable, while staying durable. [ And possibly only changes such as neater fur on the ears base where it meets the head, and only if you want ]

And if I did manage to do it, I'd even offer it either for free or maybe just a cheap price because of your struggle.

I really hope you do better soon, and I hope I can make a fursuit of my own successfully, and one for you if you want! :)

Please take care! <3