While the FarmazooCo Boss, Director Sara, had been disciplining Emily Stanford in her favoured way, Diego had not been idle.
In some ways a prime example of youth and power, equivalent to a twenty-eight year old, thick muscles where the veins would sometimes be visible if he flexed a limb in just the right way, in just the right light. Chiselled Abs and Pecs that spoke strongly of his physical training.
And anywhere else he would deliver shock and awe.
Said muscles hidden beneath a short, yet thick coat of butterscotch-yellow fur, tufts of white by the wrists and ankles, matching tail, medium-length main and stripe down the front of his black-ended muzzle, and hard hooves for feet. For just as Emily had become, he too was a human-shaped horse. Tasked with subduing a panicked wolf-woman security spotted, seemingly unaffected by the Hypnosis.
Thankfully she hadn’t fled the building itself, since that would have required harsher methods of containment if they were to maintain their operations without drawing unwanted attention their way. Something they could ill-afford.
A simple ‘Out of Order’ sign and toolbox sufficient to keep questions and unwanted arrivals away, entering just as an increasingly-vulpine lady passed by, pants dropping before she stepped out of them.
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With the door shut, the only sounds were the vent fans, his own breathing, and quiet sobbing from one of the cubicles.
“Excuse me? Ma’am?” His deep, baritone voice rumbled softly, a small whimper his reply. “Could you open the door please?”
He had to wait a moment for her to pull herself together again, but the click of the lock signalled her leaving before he needed to ask again. Slowly, the wolf-woman was revealed, dark brown-black fur all over, much longer where the hair once was, a toned build, if not particularly muscular, decent-sized breasts, perhaps 34C, and a somewhat bushy tail swinging freely behind her. Since the wet denim was on the floor, and based on the tissue papers lying around, had made some effort to dry herself off.
And stopped when she got a good look at Diego, and in particular, his massive black-and-pink mottled horse cock hanging loose. Almost slamming the door shut again before he caught it.
“Don’t worry.” He spoke as soft as he could in an attempt to keep her from panicking. “I’m not here to hurt you. But I do need to speak with you.”
“Wha---what….?” She stammered, unable to quite finish her words, a slight husky accent on account of her new mouth.
“I’ll explain. But first, let’s sit somewhere else.” He offered his hand, and slowly, she took it, and let herself be led from her cubicle, and to the wall where they sat down, Diego keeping an arm around her, both for emotional comfort, and to keep her from running.
“I think I should start from the beginning.” Diego started, she nodded to indicate she was listening. “It was a few years back, when an upstart company named FarmazooCo made a genetics breakthrough.”
“I never heard of that.” She cut in, before stopping herself, slightly embarrassed .
“I don’t blame you, a lot of it’s activities have been kept under wraps. Now, I don’t know ALL the details, but what they accomplished, made me what I am. I might look late 20’s by human reckoning, but, I am a bit younger than that.”
“Wait. Are, are you saying…?”
“Yep, I used to be just a horse.” He admitted due to her working that much out herself. “What happened next, I don’t know all the details, but the simple version is that there was, in effect, a hostile takeover of sorts. And since then, FarmazooCo’s been on a new path.”
“And why would anyone here go along with it!?” She snapped at him.
“They don’t know all the details.” He explained. “Besides, with how close to collapse this Mall was, they were desperate enough to try anything to remain afloat. And besides, any of the staff here who try to go against the plans, they get removed from the picture.”
“You…you mean…?”
“No, they’re not killed if that’s what you’re worrying about. You saw what I meant outside.”
Silence reigned for the next several minutes. Shaking, knees to the chest, wave after wave of roiling emotion. Too much to take in all at once, and with so much still left unknown. For her, an eternity passed before she could finally pull herself back together, enough to ask the critical question.
“So…what will…what will happen…to me?”
“For now, there’s a special room set aside for situations such as this. As for what next? Play your cards right, go along with this, and you’ll at least be allowed to keep your mind, and not have this advanced further.” More long silence passed following Diego’s answer.
“I…I don’t have a choice at all. Do I.”
“No.” He admitted. “Just that, or worse.”
“It’s…it’s just…just…too much…”
“It’s okay. You don’t need to make a decision right now. But come on, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable, shall we?” He carefully helped her up, picking up the toolbox to maintain the illusion of work being done - even if these rooms wouldn’t be needed now - and guided her out of the bathroom and to the designated offices.
“By the way.” Diego added as they passed a pair of gazelle teens, one having lost her hands now and having trouble standing on two legs now. “I forgot to ask this. What’s your name?”
“Rrr-Rachel.” Rachel replied, grateful that she still had something on to remind her of her humanity, even if were just a pair of knee-height boots.
“Diego.” He gave his name in turn.