A pet for you? [Isabelle Dupont]

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Fluttershy was making her rounds around the pet store as she straightened items and tended to the various critters. She had just finished cleaning a fish tank full of bright tropical fish with colorful scales and was now heading towards the section with the reptiles. She always felt bad seeing all of the little frogs, lizards and snakes in glass boxes. If they had been at her home, she would let them roam around her yard wherever they pleased and would be sure to find them the perfect places to live. It must be very cramped to have to live in such a tight space, though the frogs and lizards didn’t seem to particularly mind it. She guessed it would make sense, as there didn’t seem to be much suitable places for them to wander around outside that wasn’t under the hooves- er, feet, of humans. "Oh, don't you worry little critters, I'll make sure that you like your homes, even if they are in glass boxes," She said softly as a few of them peered back at her.

The pink haired girl had lifted the screen tops and just began to refill their water dishes with fresh water, before the sudden chiming of the door opening startled her. She spun to face the door, eyes wide, before ducking a little behind a display rack as if to hide her from view. It wasn’t that she didn’t like customers, but here she just seemed to get so many strangers at once. At least at back home, she could see who was coming and could prepare for it long before they reached her doorstep. The girl peered around the corner of the rack hesitantly as she tried to get a good view of whoever the stranger was.

[Isabelle Dupont]

Belle had various animals back home on her farm, chickens for eggs and a horse for riding. It seemed only natural to have a pet here as well. She figured that a dog would be nice to have and hoped her roommates would be okay with that. She hasn’t really met her roommates yet, which was odd to her. She hoped to meet them soon. She had looked at various breeds of dogs and had found two she liked. She was going to start off with one for now and possibly get the other one later if her roommates were okay with the pets.

The minute she entered the pet store, a young pink haired girl ducked behind a rack. Must be nervous around people is what Belle thought. Maybe if Belle showed she wasn’t here to scare the girl, the girl would feel more comfortable around her. “Hello, is anyone here? I’m looking to get a dog.,” she said. She waited where she stood in hopes that the young girl would come out and help her find what she was looking for. She wanted a Australian Shepard as her first dog and possibly a Siberian husky later despite how much they reminded her of wolves.

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Fluttershy watched hesitantly as she saw the girl with long brown hair walk in. Well, she didn’t appear to be frightening, though she was a stranger all the same, and Fluttershy never did feel quite comfortable around strangers. She shifted her gaze and ducked down lower as the girl spoke up, but then blinked at the mention of a dog. As much as she felt uncomfortable around people, she just couldn’t let a person walk away who might find a friend to one of her critters. Yes, she had many pets who really needed good homes and people to stay with.

The girl quietly came out from behind the rack and made her way into view. She glanced up at the girl and then to the side to avoid meeting her gaze directly. “Oh, um- yes, I’m here,” She spoke in a nervous whisper. “We do have a good many dogs who need good, loving homes. Um- I can show you them if you’d like.” She shuffled a foot and then began walking towards the back, casting a shy glance every so often back to see if the other girl was following.

[Isabelle Dupont]

She was to turn around and walk away when the girl finally spoke up. She smiled when the young girl came up. She looked young and innocent with her pink hair and eager to help after she heard the mention of dogs. Belle was hoping to find the one she wanted and even had a picture of it with her to help.

"I'm looking for a particular dog. It is an Australian Shepherd. I have a picture if it'd help you out" she said smiling with the picture in her hand. The young girl moved away from her wanting to show her the dogs. She followed behind, but allowed the girl space. She could tell that other girl seemed shy. Quickly after, she saw the dogs in tiny glass cages and noticed how excited they looked after seeing her near them. All of them were so small and tiny as if they were babies still.

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Fluttershy paused as they neared the back, where the puppies were currently on display. Against the wall there was a door, which would lead back to the large kennels where the bigger dogs were kept safe. She normally would let the puppies out for most of the day, and even had a quiet playroom for them set off by the kennels. For now, however, she decided to wait to let them all out until she knew which one the girl was looking for.

“An Australian Shepherd? Oh… I’ve never heard of one of those before,” She took the picture carefully and glimpsed down at the image. “Oh, yes, I’ve been taking care of dogs just like these.” She replied with a small nod. “Over this way-“ She walked over to one of the glass boxes, where two multicolored puppies were sitting by a soft bed and a bowl of food and water. One of them was a bit smaller than the other, and was playfully yipping and pawing at the other’s tail while the other puppy tried to grasp a squeaky ball in its mouth.
“They are brother and sister,” Fluttershy said quietly as she approached the window. The backside of the cage could only be accessed around back by the staff and was useful and open when feeding, but the glass in the front could only be opened with the right key to prevent people from stealing or otherwise harming the pups. She put the key in and slide the window open, before stepping back to let the other girl see them if she wanted to.

[Isabelle Dupont]

She had followed the girl and made it to the cages where the puppies were located and saw the breed she was looking for. One seemed to be playing with the other puppy while the other was content chewing a ball. Belle wanted a calm dog because she had no idea how her roommates would feel about an animal in the house, so that ruled the playful puppy out. She couldn’t tell the sex of the puppy in question but sex didn’t matter to her all that much. She just wanted a pet again like she had when she was back home. True, the dog would never be as big as the horse she had, but it would still be a pet for her to take care of.

“I wish I could have them both, but I think I’ll take the one playing with the ball. I am not sure how my roommates will feel about a pet so I think one who is quite might be a good choice,” she said to the girl. She was hoping she’d get to play with the dog and see how they would bond, but was ready to pay for it right away too if needed. She smiled at the puppies and then back at the girl with pink hair. She had an idea of what else she would need, but hoped this girl had more information on what would be needed for her dog. It made her chuckle in her head because she recalled how Gaston had wanted six children laying the floor with the dogs and here she was buying a dog.

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Fluttershy nodded slightly as she glanced down at the puppy who was holding the ball in its jaws. “Oh, she’s very sweet, I think you’ll like her. Stand back just a little bit and I’ll take her out to meet you.” The girl slid open the door and reached in, gently picking up the female pup. The brother pup in the display leaped around excitedly at the prospect of possibly playtime, but Fluttershy slid the door closed for the moment and let him scrabble his claws on the glass before he turned to occupy himself with playing tug of war with an old towel. She would take him out to play later, and usually let them run around when she was in the store, but for right now she figured that the girl would have an easier time with meeting one rather than both, even if she did change her mind.

She set the puppy down on the floor and then crouched down so that she was closer to the puppy’s eye level. It was always much easier to interact with animals when you weren’t towering over them like some sort of giant, or looming tree. “Alright little one, come and meet a new friend,” She smiled and gestured her hand towards Belle, letting the puppy know that she was free to roam. The puppy seemed to perk her ears up and dropped the squeaky ball on the floor before wagging her tail.

[Isabelle Dupont]

She watched the girl pull out the female puppy for her to see and play with. Belle felt bad for the little boy who was locked back up in the cage. She saw him scratching at the glass wanting out to play with his sister and herself. She wanted both of them and depending on the price she may just cave in and buy them both and forget the other breed she was looking at. The other breed, from what she had read, would need to be placed in a fenced in area due to the fact that the breed enjoys escaping and running around unlike the Australian Shepard. She watched the girl talk to the puppy who got excited over the fact that there was someone new to play with.

The puppy seemed to drop the ball and wag her tail before coming over to Belle. Belle laughed as the puppy started to lick and nibble on her fingers. She played with the puppy for what felt like was hours but was really only about ten or fifteen minutes. She wanted this one and if the price was reasonable she would take the brother as well so they could grow up together. “How much for these puppies ma’am?” she asked. She really hoped she could get both because the male puppy looked sad being separated from his sister and Belle knew how it felt to be separated from someone you love and not getting the chance to say good bye.

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"Oh! Um-" Fluttershy quickly turned in search of the pricing sign. She bit her lip as she examined the circled numbers. She hated charging people anything for taking an animal home; you shouldn't have to purchase a friend. And, there were already so many animals that needed homes here. If it were up to her, she would just hand over the dogs to good homes for free, but… well, she had gotten into trouble for that already shortly after working here, and Fluttershy really was afraid of getting yelled at once more. "Seventy dollars each. But, you will also get a few toys, a leash and collar for free when you take them home," the girl answered as she turned back to Belle. 

She smiled a little as she saw the puppy playing with Belle. "She really seems to like you; I think you'll be great friends." She nodded slowly.