FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

4 years later

It was a hot, muggy day, and Layton was stuck watching over his parent's booth for the summer festival. He'd hoped that his parents would let him go out and maybe enjoy the festival properly for once, but no. He'd been told that he needed to watch the booth while they went out and got the supplies they'd need for the coming year.

It wasn't like he'd be needed here anyway. They usually made most of their sales in the morning and evening. Nobody wanted to lug around a heavy sword on a hot day.

Layton sighed and continued fiddling with a small contraption he'd been working on in his free time. He'd figured out how to make small gears out of a mix of copper and tin, and his interest had exploded from there. He'd managed to make some little toys for a few of the children that sometimes peeked into the workshop while he was working. Little things that you could wind up and then set down to allow them to walk around on their own. He'd loved hearing the delighted laughter they'd let out when the first one started moving.

Layton smiled. That was really why he kept doing this, even though he had to keep it secret from his father. It was proof that he could do something well. He could make people smile, even if his other work wasn't that good.

He slotted a small gear into place, then turned a knob a few times. The device began letting out a small ticking noise and the arms on the front of it began slowly moving.

Layton sighed. Not moving correctly though. They were moving the wrong direction and at the wrong pace. He removed the wound coil that made the device move after you turned the knob, and set it aside. This was more complicated than blacksmithing. You couldn't just make a thing as you went. You needed to plan ahead or you'd mess it all up.

Layton sighed again. He couldn't write things down though. His father would inevitably find any plans he made, and then he'd be banned from working on his projects, just like he'd been banned from other things his father had found him doing that wasn't what he was supposed to.

At least his mother supported him. She was the one who got him the materials to do all of this in the first place. There was no way his father would have gotten him the tin and copper he needed, much less the other bits of decoration. It was hard on her to have to go behind his back like that, but she wanted Layton to know that she supported his endeavors, even if his father didn't.

Layton gazed back out at the fair. There were other folks his age wandering about. A few came up and looked at the items on display in his booth, but nobody bought anything. They were mostly just going in and daydreaming about what it would be like to wield one. Their money was better spent elsewhere.

Layton wished he could join them. He didn't really have any friends. His father had a reputation for being a frightening person, and people tended to assume the same of Layton just because he was his son. Layton wished he could have a chance to go out and meet some people and show them that he wasn't as bad as his father, but he'd get in trouble if he left.

"Huh. Dragonforged steel."

Layton looked over to see a scruffy looking canine holding a sword in his hands, looking over the blade. He nodded.

"I've never been one for weaponry, but I've learned what good steel looks like, and this is some high quality stuff."

Must be one of his father's swords then. Nobody ever thought his steel was worthwhile.

"Did you make this?"

Layton looked over again, starting to shake his head, but stopped after getting a proper look at the sword the canine was holding.

That was his sword. Father didn't add any sort of embellishments, and this one had a small copper design on the pommel. He'd been yelled at for almost an hour for that. Why had his father decided to put it up for sale?

Wait. Was it really good steel? The canine must be mistaken. It couldn't be good steel if he was the one who made it.

The canine waved a hand in front of Layton's face, "Hello? Anybody in there?"

Layton flinched back, startled. The canine was looking at him, expectantly.

"Um.... I'm sorry, what did you say again?"

The canine gave an exasperated smile, "I asked if you were the one who made this. It's one of the best pieces here."

"I... uh..." Layton gulped. One of the best pieces here? That was impossible! "Y-you must be mistaken. There are plenty of higher quality pieces here."

The canine chuckled. "I didn't say the highest quality, I said best. Sure some of the other swords are made of slightly better steel, but they're all so boring and dull. This one catches the eye almost immediately, even though the embellishment is so small."

Layton didn't know how to respond. Nobody had ever complemented his work like that. Everyone just assumed that everything was made by his father, and most of the time it was. The few times his work had been deemed worthy of being sold, it was severely marked down compared to the works his father had made.

Why had that one been placed with the normal swords then?

The canine startled Layton out of his concentration by waving a hand in front of his face again.

"You really do get distracted easily don't you?" he chuckled.

Layton just looked away, embarrassed.

The canine just shook his head and put the sword back where it was. "Shame it's so expensive. Otherwise I'd absolutely buy it."

Layton let out a small chuckle. "You wouldn't be the first one to say something like that"

The canine chuckled as well. "Yeah. not exactly many people wandering through here with that kind of money, huh?"

Layton nodded. "We've had to pay our taxes with custom items the last few years because my dad is too stubborn to lower the price so we can actually sell anything."

The canine looked back at the many swords lining the walls. "It doesn't help that most of them are also ugly as sin."

Layton felt a little indignant at that. Sure, most of them were... bland, but they still worked just fine.

"My father says that ornamentation is useless in a weapon. It's meant for killing. Making it pretty just draws attention to it."

"Well sure, but these aren't exactly the kinds of swords a regular soldier would buy, are they? These cost more than any soldier would make in a year. You'd have to be nobility to afford any of these and no noble is going to buy something ugly and boring."

Layton sighed. The canine was right. There was no way any of this was going to be sold any time soon. He was going to just be stuck in the stall all day with nothing to do except wish it wasn't so hot.

"Well, at least you'll be able to come enjoy the fair soon, right?" The canine was leaning against the counter, looking up at Layton.

Layton sighed again and shook his head. "I'm here all day. My father is out getting the materials he needs from other vendors, and my mom always goes with him. I'm the only one left to watch the shop."

The canine's eyes went wide from disbelief. "You don't get to go have fun in the fair? Please tell me you've at least tried some of Mrs. Oakley's honey buns."

Layton warily shook his head. Was it a bad thing that he hadn't?

The canine looked at him for a moment, stunned. Then he grabbed Layton's arm and started dragging him out of the stall. "That's it. You're gonna get to experience this fair, whether your dad wants you to or not."

The canine didn't have much success in getting Layton out of the stall, but he certainly put in the effort. Layton pulled his hand back. "I can't. What if someone comes to buy something while I'm gone? What if my father comes back and finds out?"

The canine scoffed. "Has anyone come in to buy anything in the last few hours?"

Layton didn't have to think much about his answer. "No."

"Did anyone buy anything last time either?"

"No."

"Then close up shop! Nobody's going to care if you're gone for an hour or two!"

Layton looked around at the rows of equipment. Much of it had been hung up several years in a row. He looked back out at the fair. People were walking around, eating things that smelled amazing. Having fun while he was stuck in this hot, sweaty stall.

Layton looked at his new friend.

He untied the ropes keeping the cloth doors open so people could wander in and look at the merchandise, then stepped out into the sunlight.

The canine waved towards the fair dramatically. "Shall we go then?"

Layton nodded, and began walking down the road with his guide.

For the first time in many years, Layton felt genuinely excited to be out and about. No longer was he confined behind the counter of that musty stall, or bound to the shadow of his father. He was out and about on his own, able to experience the joys of what the world had to offer.

And what it had to offer was a friend, who's name was Clint. And honey buns.

Clint took Layton to what seemed like every possible stall, somehow convincing every single one to give them a free sample. Layton gorged himself on candied fruits, pastries, meat on a stick, and of course, the celebrated honey buns. Everything was good. The candies were sweet and flavorful in ways Layton hadn't known was possible. The meat sticks were flavorful and juicy, even if one of them felt a little dubious going down. And the honey buns were even better than he'd been promised. After what felt like both hours of eating, and only a few minutes of tasty bliss, Layton felt like he was going to burst.

Clint just kept going though. There was still so much to see. Layton got to try several of the games that were scattered around the fair. Most of them were beyond his capabilities, however, he did manage to win one game where you had to ring a bell by hitting a seesaw with a hammer. The prize wasn't anything special, just a stuffed toy, but to Layton, it was the most amazing thing in the world.

Layton tried his best to savor every moment of the day. The games, the food, the amazing displays spread out among the other stalls, but time seemed to be going at a faster pace than normal, and before he knew it, it was sunset.

Layton was watching the stalls close with Clint at the time, and a cold shiver ran down his spine as he realized how long he'd been gone. He'd meant to go back after only an hour or two, and now it was too late. He'd spent the entire day away from the stall. Now he'd have to go back and face the inevitable wrath of his father.

Layton's chest began to feel like it was caving in. there was no way his father hadn't found the closed stall yet. He was going to be madder than he ever had before. Layton hadn't ever done something so blatantly disobedient before.

what was his father going to do to him? would he just do the usual shouting and berating, or would he go further like all the times he'd ruined a sword or other piece of metal? would he kick him out of the house?

Layton began to hyperventilate. was there any way he could avoid going back? Going out of the stall was a mistake. Maybe he could say he was-

"Hey, are you ok?" Clint's voice cut through the worry and anxiety, shaking him just enough to bring a little bit of clarity.

Layton shook his head, and then cradled it in his hands as the anxiety returned once more. tears began to stream down his face as he contemplated what his father would do to him once he returned.

Layton felt a hand placed on his shoulder. "what's going on Layton?"

All he could do was let out a small moan of despair. everything was racing at a million miles an hour inside his head. images of the inevitable punishment awaiting him racing through his head, constantly being replaced by something more horrific.

"is it because we stayed out later than we planned?"

Layton nodded.

"hey, it'll be alright. yeah, you might get in some trouble with your folks, but you got to come out and have a good time, and I'd say that's worth a little bit of trouble."

Layton's heart slowly dropped into his stomach. Clint didn't know. but then again, how could he? everyone knew Hawthorn was a strict man, but nobody ever saw what he was like at home.

Layton just nodded.

Clint stood up and offered his hand to Layton. "come on. let's get you home. I'll take the blame if they get on your case."

Layton shakily took the offered hand, and used it to pull himself up. Clint then used the opportunity to pull him into a hug.

"It'll be alright, you don't have anything to worry about."

Layton just sat there for a moment, stunned. Then, slowly, he returned the hug. This was nice. he wished he could stay in this moment forever. then he wouldn't have to go and face his father's wrath.

But the moment had to end.

Clint let go of Layton, and grabbed his hand again, slowly pulling him away from the closing stalls towards where Layton's parents were waiting.

Layton held onto the small bit of hope that things would be ok, that his parents would understand why he left and be merciful.

if only things were that simple.