Freaka’s Furry Freak Show Tobias’s Story

Act I

The young fox was panting heavily as he ran across the dark field, running as fast as his foot paws could carry him. Luckily, he was an excellent runner. But unfortunately for him, he was sadly use to this kind of thing. He would try so hard to fit in, to be helpful to others, only to be told to take a hike. To leave. And at worst, run out of town by the locals.

In his travels from town to town, he tried to go out of his way to be a friend to others and to be a helpful, happy soul, but in the end it all ended the same. Someone would laugh at his appearance. Or tease him for being different from them. And even some furs trying to ride him like a pony.

His latest efforts to try and fit in not only failed, but really put him in a pickle. For sadly, he had to defend himself against a fat, arrogant, stupid white rabbit bully who self-proclaimed to others that he was better than him because he was rich and that his daddy was the mayor of the town. One argument lead to another and the two eventually tussled. The young fox won the fight, but the bully used fear, hate and his precious “Daddy” to turn the people of the town against him.

This lead to him to literally be run out by the townspeople, who carried pitch forks, shovels and even torches. Like a scene out of the movie “Frankenstein,” the fox ran as fast as he could, eventually hiding behind a thicket of bushes by a small creek.

One of the villagers, the overweight rabbit mayor of the town himself, cried out into the darkness.

“…and stay out you four-legged freak!”

Tobias had heard those words so many times that they shouldn’t have bothered him. That those words shouldn’t have affected him the way they still do, but the sting of those words still pierced his heart deeply every time they were spoken.

He couldn’t help being born with four legs like a feral fox and the upper torso of an anthro fox.

He was a foxtaur after all.

Taurric furs have always existed alongside anthros since the dawn of civilization, like the rest of the known world. While anthros outnumber taurs 4-to-1, most anthros would see a taur in their lifetime. In most of the modern, civilized world, taurs and anthros exist peacefully. But sadly in some countries, societies, counties and towns, taurs are not welcomed by their anthro brethren. At worst, they are just down right discriminated against. All because they look different and have different needs.

This was sadly the case for Tobias and his parents as they tried to find a better life for their son. But tragically it was not meant to be. At the age of 16, Tobias’s parents were slain by a gang of anthros who hated taurs as they traveled to another town to find work. Tobias escaped, but knew in his heart that he couldn’t let this horrid incident taint his perception. He knew deep down in his heart that there were good anthros out there. He had known some in his travels from town to town when he was just a young kit. But he was unsure and scared as he continued his journey through life.

From that day onward, he only carried the cloths on his back and money in his saddle bags, hoping that one day he would find a place where he could belong. There were times when he almost found a friend and a place to call his own, but either his friends would turn on him or would be beaten up due to their association with a taur, they used him for their own personal gains, he was told to leave because they were not comfortable being around him or the town would fall onto hard times, forcing those who had enough sense to leave.

Now at the age of 26, he was wondering if it was all worth the trouble. Why keep living if no one would ever truly accept him. While some anthros were kind to him, others only wished death upon him, just for living. He needed a friend now more than ever in his life.

The humid air of early June hung heavy, even as full night cloaked the land in darkness.

In a clearing near a strange large tent glowing with the light of a carnival fair ground in the distance, he found respite from his pursuers.

Tobias then sat on a cut down tree stump, crying and sobbing like a little fox kit.

He had no one in the world to be his friend. He cried out to the night sky.

“Why am I such a freak!? What’s the point of living if I’m going to be treated like this every day for the rest of my life!? Why was I even born at all!? Why do I even exist!?”

As the young foxtaur continued to cry out into the night and sobbed to himself, putting his hand paws into his face, he was unaware that someone had been listening to his sad pleas. Ready to give him the answers he had been seeking for so long.

Like as if he had summoned a genie from a magical lamp, a twisted, yet somehow charming arctic blue fox was riding toward him from the darkness. On a scooter that matched the color of her outfit, she rolled up to Tobias and placed her right paw on his taur side barrel.

She turned to him and spoke sweetly and softly.

“Why are you crying my freaky little freak?” asked the harlequin blue fox, smiling a wicked grin from ear-to-ear.

It took Tobias a moment to realize that someone had placed a paw on his side before he yelped in fright and leaped off the stump as he turned to face the mysterious figure.

Staring before him was a blue arctic fox dressed in a harlequin outfit, wearing a jester’s hat. Her appearance was grotesque, but strangely charming. Even cute to those of a different mindset.

She had a big black nose, a blue, white & teal face, short black hair, a row of gnarled teeth and glowing orange and yellow eyes. On further inspection, her left eye’s pupil was that of a red strawberry. Very odd indeed to the startled young foxtaur.

Her left ear was tilted back; a scar could be seen coming down her right eye. Her tail was half white and half blue with a half black and half white tail tip. The right side of her mouth was that of a toothy, creepy grin, but her left was sad and droopy.

Her harlequin outfit was a mixture of deep reds, light reds, deep browns, tans, teals and goldenrod.

Her left leg had a traditional spat that was a deep brown with gold buttons. Along with a light red leg cover with yellow diamonds. Her right leg was a traditional legging with deep red and tan strips.

Her coat tails were a deep brown on one side and a deep red with tan lines running down on the other. Her pants were puffy, each with diamond patterns of either red or yellow diamonds.

Her vest was deep brown on her left side and deep red with goldenrod strips on the other. A cute little smiley face button with a single curl of black hair was proudly displaced on her left side vest. And a frilled collar around her neck with light red and goldenrod pedals. Even smaller yellow triangles could be seen right near her neck fluff.

Her arm cuffs were a deep brown with gold buttons and a teal line running down it, but only her left arm had a sleeve with deep red and tan lines. Her left paw was white while her right paw was blue.

And to top it all off what her fool’s hat: a traditional 3 loose peaks with gold bells attached to each one. One peak was a deep red, the second was a deep brown and the third was a diamond pattern of goldenrod and light red.

In all his 10 years of traveling the land, Tobias had never seen such a creature before him.

The foxtaur was about to run away in terror before the blue fox held up her paw to stop him.

The mysterious harlequin then used her other paw to begin pulling out a multi-colored handkerchief from her sleeve to the teary-eyed foxtaur. And like any good handkerchief trick from a harlequin jester, it continued on for a good solid minute as each one was tied to another, and another and another.

Tobias sniffed and found a little humor in what the blue fox was doing. He smiled a little and chuckled. He used the handkerchiefs to wipe his matted fur and blew his nose loudly like a trumpet.

The harlequin jester then began laughing. A chuckle at first, which then rolled into uncontrollable laughter as she literally fell to the ground and rolled around laughing.

Tobias was confused, but then laughed a little himself.

After they enjoyed a hardy laugh together, the blue fox picked herself up and then spoke.

“I know you’re afraid, but please don’t be. I’m a friend.”

Tobias stopped when she said those words.

“A…friend?” he thought to himself. “I’ve never been asked to be someone’s friend, just like that.”

The foxtaur turned to her and spoke.

“Is that so harlequin jester? Why would you want to be my friend? And why did you call me a ‘Freaky Little Freak’?”

The harlequin fox just smiled at him, giggling.

“I know that you’re all alone in this world. I can tell just by the look on your face. You’re sad, angry, confused and alone…without anyone to love and to be loved by. I’ve known those feelings all too well. I want to be your friend.”

Tobias was stunned. He had never been told outright so quickly that someone wanted to be his friend like that. His voice echoed with skepticism as he spoke.

“I’ll ask again. Why would you want to be my friend? I don’t even know you.”

He placed his paw on his chest before spreading his arms out.

“Look at me. I’m a foxtaur. I don’t belong with anthros. And I have yet to find a village or town that will truly accept me for who and what I am.”

He paused before he spoke again, in a sad tone as he frowned.

“I’ll never belong anywhere.”

The blue fox just shook her head, like she knew a deeper truth, and smiled as she leaped toward Tobias, wrapping her arm around him with excitement and poking at his fluffy chest.

“Come on now! Of course you belong! You belong with me and my Freaky Friends in our wonderful traveling band of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show! We’re all freaks there. And most important, we’re a family. We always stick together through thick and thin! No matter the odds. And trust me, you’ll be normal compared to our other acts!” she exclaimed with a snarky and copious laugh.

“You’ll never be alone as long as you’re with us. And I will always be your friend, no matter what happens. Now come on foxy, give me a smile.”

Comforted by the blue fox’s words and the prospect of a place to call home, Tobias began to smile a little. But the blue fox wanted more.

With a bit more snark in her voice, she once again spoke. “Really? That’s what you call a smile. Come on now, silly foxtaur. I want a REAL SMILE! Like THIS!” she exclaimed as she grabbed both sides of her mouth with her paws and really stretched it to make a creepy, happy smile.

Tobias was shocked and scared, but he knew this might be the only chance he would ever get to have place that wouldn’t chase him away like an animal. So he complied and gave the biggest smile he could give to her.

In a happy voice, the blue fox spoke.

“See? I told you that you could give me a BIG SMILE! I love you already!” she exclaimed as she hugged her new best friend.

Tobias was surprised. He had not been hugged by another in so long. But it felt so good. He returned her hug with a nice, hardy foxtaur hug, really using his upper body strength to squeeze the harlequin fox jester. She was a tad out of breath due to his taur strength, but she enjoyed every minute of his hug. She knew she had found a new friend…and a brand new act for their traveling Freak Show.

She then leapt down and spoke again.

“I knew you were a perfect candidate the very moment I first laid my Strawberry Eye on you! That’s because I know deep down that you do have a special talent. And I will personally bring it out of you myself. That and my magician friend told me how to do it anyway!”

She laughed a cackling laugh and then winked to the young foxtaur as she stuck out her long, deep pink tongue.

Tobias was freaked out for sure, but he was now more curious than ever. A magician who knew about a special gift he had deep inside himself? A freaky blue harlequin fox who actually wanted to be his friend? And the opportunity to finally have a place to call home that would treat him like family? It all seemed too good to be true. And with a possible mob still on his tail, he needed an escape.

He turned to his new “friend.”

“Okay, Miss…?”

“Oh! Where are my manners? I am Freaka.”

She reached out her paw and immediately shook Tobias’s with such force and vigor he almost felt his arm coming out of its socket.

“Right? Freaka. So…you’re the owner of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show?”

She then looked funny at Tobias.

“I don’t see anyone else around here named Freaka” she said with a snarky voice. “So yes. I am THE Freaka of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival.”

With that, Tobias smiled at her.

“Then I would be honored to join you and your traveling Freak Show, Freaka” said the foxtaur with a bow from his upper body, bending down using his fore legs.

With those words, Freaka jumped for joy and laughed like a mad woman.

She then turned to the foxtaur.

“And your name?”

“Tobias. Tobias Foxtail.”

“Tobias. Such a beautiful name. And you’re pretty handsome to boot” said Freaka flirtingly as she winked at the foxtaur, before letting her long tongue out.

She did speak the truth in many respects.

Tobias was a pretty handsome foxtaur by all accounts. He had a traditional orangey-red and white fur coat that stretched from his muzzle all the way down to his chest and under his taur underbelly. Black foot and hand paws like a traditional red anthro fox and a big, long bushy foxtail with a white tip. His eyes were a charming and warm orange-amber and he had the most playful smile when he was happy. His black nose, black ears with white inside were all traditional fox colors and he had a cute little black mark on either side of his muzzle. And to top it all off was a beautiful head of deep red hair.

Freaka then picked up her scooter and waved to Tobias to come with her.

“You’re gonna LOVE our Freaky Family!” she exclaimed as she smiled and winked to Tobias.

Even though he was scared, he somehow felt excited as well. He had always heard about these traveling freak shows, but never attended one. And with the thought of a new friend and a new life, he felt like his life was finally changing for the better.

Tobias felt empowered.

“Lead the way Freaka!”

“With pleasure my freaky little freak!”

As she led the way, Tobias was easily able to keep pace, even outpacing her, giving her a playful wink as he began to outrun her. She liked the challenge and began to race faster on her scooter, trying to keep up with the foxtaur as they raced to the Berry Meat Carnival grounds.

And for the first time in a long time, Tobias felt happy and hopeful.

Act II

Both foxes finally made it to the entrance of The Magical Midway, a long stretch of ground at The Berry Meat Carnival. Freaka was a bit out of breath, but still kept smiling.

“WOW!” Freaka exclaimed as she continued out of breath. “What I heard was true. You taurs are the fastest runners in the world!”

Tobias felt proud to hear those words. With confidence, he spoke.

“That is true. In the days of the Greeks, the greatest marathon runners in all the known world were taurs.”

“I…can…see that…wow. Just…give me a moment.”

Tobias happily waited as Freaka finally caught her breath. And together, they began their walk toward The Magical Midway.

As they walked the fairgrounds, the lights, sights, sounds and smells of the carnival filled the humid June air. Children were laughing, crying and screaming as various freaks performed magic tricks, crazy stunts or selling refreshments.

As they walked toward The Main Tent, Tobias saw a blue and white fox with a dark blue nose and two red strips on his blue and white tail. Next to him was an ice cream cart and several eager children awaiting their frozen treats.

Cloaked in a bluish grey hood and a long blue ice staff hanging on his back, the fox grabbed several plastic cups from the cart and waived his blue paws. He had a twisted glint in his left eye, which was covered with a white patch of fur on his blue face. Like magic, several pillars of ice

formed to hold each cup. And with another wave of his paws, a mass of ice crystals and snow flurries began to swirl around, filling all the cups with frozen white ice crystals. Once it finished forming, he grabbed a big dispenser bottle and began pumping a red and yellow liquid syrup onto each one. Each of the children grabbed their treats and thanked him.

With his task completed, he then turned to Freaka and Tobias, his tuff of black hair sticking out from under his hood. He once again preformed the same task as before, creating two more treats with extra syrup this time and reached out to hand them to the two foxes with a wicked toothy grin.

“Care of a Strawberry Lemonda Snow Cone?”

With that, Freaka quickly reached out to devour the frozen treat in an instant. As she did, she than began to have a brain freeze as she staggered. Tobias tasted his snow cone carefully, enjoying the flavors that danced on his tongue.

After her brain freeze thawed, she shook it off and then introduced the chilly blue fox.

“This is Styphior Wilde. Our Sorcerer of Snow and Ice. And the maker of the best Strawberry Lemonda Snow Cone that you will ever have in your life! And Styph, this is Tobias, our newest family member.”

The snow fox shook Tobias’s paw. In a deep, creepy and yet soothing Irish-like accent, he spoke to the foxtaur.

“A pleasure to meet you. I have traveled to many lands in my lifetime and experienced the greatest wonders of the world, serving Presidents, Celebrities, Debutants, Tyrants, Ministers and Sultans with my culinary frozen delicacies. I have even met a taurric creature or two as well, but none as unique as you. There’s something…very special…about you. I think we will become the best of friends…and brothers…you and I.”

Tobias was beyond honored and humbled to hear such kind praise.

“Th…thank you Styphior. It truly is an honor to meet you as well. Thank you for your incredibly kind words. And thank you for the snow cone. It’s beyond excellent.”

Styphior smiled a creepy smile to Tobias.

“Think nothing of it my foxtaur friend. But I do have one request?” Styphior said with a creepy, toothy grin.

Tobias was hesitant, but knew he could not mess up his opportunity to make a good impression.

“Of course. I will do my best to answer. What do you need?”

“When we have a moment, I’d like to try every item at the local burger joint in the next town over. This is my first time in these United States since I joined Freaka’s traveling show and I’d been very curious to try the local cuisine. It will help me to create even better tasting treats for The Freak Show. And with a taur’s stomach, I’m sure you could use a good meal as well” said Styphior with a hardy laugh that resembled that of the famous Count Dracula.

Tobias was very surprised to hear that from the Sorcerer of Snow and Ice, but he complied regardless.

“Of course. Anything for…my new brother.”

Styphior laughed his Count Dracula laugh and then gave the foxtaur a hug.

“Then we shall go sometime later this week when you are fully settled here. But for now, I must return to my work. Have fun showing Tobias around Freaka” said Styphior as he playfully winked to the harlequin fox before returning to his cart.

As they continued to walk around down The Magical Midway, another freak was entertaining the children with what appeared to be two demonic, yet dopey looking hand puppets that strangely resembled two popular children’s cartoon characters. The red and white wolf was dressed in a camper’s uniform, complete with grey shorts, a muted red T-Shirt, a blue camper’s vest and a blue & white hat with a blue pine tree on the front. On his right paw was a deer puppet with the same exact hat that the young wolf wore, who also dressed in a similar camper’s uniform. On his left paw was a young female unicorn puppet with a pink head band, a pink horn and a thick pink sweater with a mysterious yellow pyramid eye on it. Both of the puppets began to glow as the wolf continued his tale.

“And then appeared before our heroes a mighty creature of myth and fantasy. For you see, Deerper & Mabelcorn had summoned…The Centaur-taur!”

And right as Tobias and Freaka walked up to him and the children at that exact moment, the children turned to Tobias and began to scream. With a jolt, they scattered away.

With big yellow demonic eyes and a massive toothy smile, he turned to the foxes.

“Oh, hi guys! You really scared the jeepers out of those kids, didn’t ya fella!?”

Tobias felt ashamed for unintendedly scaring the children.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to” he said with a sad frown.

The red wolf with red hair, two little horns on top of his head and little spikes on his red and white wolf tail just smiled and laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. If anything, you made our story even scarier! We love that!”

Freaka giggled greatly as she introduced the wolf.

“And this is out happy little camper Jipper. We found him wandering around an abandoned campsite in the middle of a small national park near a small town. I think it was called…Govity Falls? Gravy-ity Falls? Eh…it’s doesn’t matter. What’s important is that he loves to entertain the children with his demonic hand puppets.”

She then realized something.

“Oh, where are my manners. This is Tobias, our new member of our Freaky Family.”

Jipper then piped up.

“That’s right Freaka. Thanks again for finding me. I still wish we could have found that 3rd Journal though. But it beats eating squirrels for breakfast, lunch & dinner. And it’s a pleasure to meet you Tobias” he said, then looked down at his puppets and extended both paws.

“Say hi to my friends Deerper & Mabelcorn. I’d shake your hand personally Tobias, but I don’t think Deerper would appreciate that” said Jipper with a creepy giggle.

“It’s…wonderful to meet all 3 of you. And I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon.”

Jipper just smiled and laughed.

“Of course Tobias! We’d love you to help us more with our stories if possible.”

Freaka then interrupted.

“I need to help Tobias with his own performance first, but I’m sure once he is more comfortable, he’ll lend you a paw. Or four!”

And with that, the two just laughed hysterically, with Tobias eventually joining in.

“Okie dokey then Freaka! Thanks for stopping by. See ya Tobias!” said Jipper, waiving his two puppet friends arms in unison to say goodbye to their new friend.

As they continued their walk, Tobias then realized something and started to talk to Freaka.

“A performance? I’d thought being a foxtaur was freaky enough for a show like this.”

Freaka pondered for a moment before speaking.

“While that is true, you need to develop a proper act. Don’t worry though, I will help to train you every day to make it the very best act Freaka’s Furry Freak Show has ever seen!”

Tobias felt reassured as the two continued toward The Main Tent.

Soon they stopped as they came across a raised platform with two very funny looking furs on stage, both dressed in jester outfits that corresponded to their fur colors. One was a black female hyena with white facial spots and a tuff of red hair. The other was a bright strawberry red fox (who sometimes moonlights as a coyote) with white fur and a yellow outline that separated his belly fur from the sides. He had green stipes on his right thigh and purple strips on his left thigh, along with green and purple strips along his tail. A tuff of black, sparkling hair adorned his head. Along with a lime green nose.

Together, they were *drum roll please* “The Comedic Strawberry Duo: Majira and Echo!”

As the crowd gathered, with Freaka and Tobias within the crowd, the two immediately began to spring into action with their famed comedy act.

“Hey Majira!” said Echo with enthusiasm.

“Hi Echo!” said Majira with toothy grin.

“Do you want to hear a joke?”

“Sure Echo. What is it?”

“What’s red, white, grey and blue all over?”

Majira took a quick moment to answer his co-host.

“Um…a strawberry sundae being shared by Nick and Judy?”

The crowd giggled at Majira’s answer.

She then took a black and white striped mallet with a tuff of red fur to top and whacked Majira across the face with it, which caused the crowd to laugh hysterically at Majira’s misfortune.

Echo then turned to the audience, answering her joke.

“IT’S YOU SILLY!”

As Echo laughed like a mad woman, Majira picked himself up. He then retaliated with a mallet of his own, this one was colored red, green, purple and black like his fur pattern and smelled of strawberries.

“Hey Echo?”

“What Majira?”

“A screaming yeen.”

“A screaming yee…” but before she could finish, Majira hit Echo’s foot, which was met with the hyena girl’s scream.

“YEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!”

The crowd could not get enough of their crazy antics as they laughed at Echo’s misfortune as she hopped on her flattened foot, trying to console her smashed foot paw. Majira then retorted to the audience.

“So that’s what a screaming yeen sounds like” said Majira innocently, with a hint of snark and a playful wink. The crowd roared with laughter.

As Echo regained her footing and tried to charge at her co-host, swinging at him, Majira just placed his paw on top of her head as she furiously attempted to punch him. But she was clearly too short next to the tall Majira.

The crowd applauded and laughed hysterically as their zany antics on stage continued.

Echo then snuck up on Majira, bopping him on the head with her mallet. And what looked like something right out of a Tex Avery cartoon, little strawberries were circling around Majira’s head, along with a big bump. After shaking it off, he pounced on Echo as they tussled back and forth on stage, creating a puff of smoke around them with random items flying out.

Tobias was quite impressed by the display, but then realized something before turning to Freaka.

“Are they…what I think they are?”

Freaka then nodded to Tobias, continuing to watch their act.

“They’re both toons from a parallel dimension. They somehow landed in our world when that big atom smasher in Europe a few years ago caused a shockwave throughout the planet, causing a random time/space rift to open that literally caused Majira and Echo to come tumbling out of their world and into ours. Luckily for me, I came across them in Kansas City, Missouri just before they were taken off to be carved up in a laboratory. Now they have a new home in my Freak Show!”

Tobias admired what Freaka had done for them, now more at ease with his choice of joining her Freak Show.

To close their act, Echo then apologized to Majira, offering him a great big strawberry the size of his head. Majira gladly took the strawberry with both paws, hugging it like a child hugging his favorite stuffed animal. But what Majira didn’t notice was that it had a lit fuse that was about to go off, lighting like a firework sparkler.

Three…two…one…BAM! The strawberry bomb exploded in Majira’s face, covering his entire body with strawberry juice and pulp. Another tussle ensured until a steam whistle went off, which caused the two to stop in their tracks and face their audience.

“It looks like it’s time to go folks” said Echo sadly, the crowd going “Aww …” in disappointment.

But then Majira in a chipper voice spoke up with a great big cartoony smile.

“But we’ll be back before you know it my little strawberries, so stay tuned!”

After saying their goodbyes, they both took a bow, but not before they then began to chase each other around on stage before the curtail closed.

As Tobias and Freaka continued their walk down The Magical Midway, a grey and white wuffy dog with a checkered scarf, light blue teal markings and teal blue hair named Cosmic was performing a most unusual act for a group of children. With a paw reaching down his throat, he began to pull up a string of many socks tied together like a sword swallower. The children were equally grossed out and amazed as he finished his trick, with them applauding after he finished.

In the distance on the other side of The Magical Midway was a massive carousel, but one with various anthros morphed into ferals. Large wooden spikes pierced their backs, with elegant saddles and reigns gracing their backsides and mouths. It was considered by Freaka herself to be the crown jewel of The Magical Midway.

Another freak show performer was off to the side, preforming a unique illusion with nothing but a simple gold pocket watch.

With a careful hypnotic trance, he waved his paw and made the female tiger in front of him bark like a seal, making the audience laugh and applaud. And with a snap of his paws, she came too in an instant.

“Let’s give a big around of applause to my lovely volunteer” said the blue and white wolf with a big toothy grin.

As the crowd dispersed, both foxes approached the wolf. Wearing a black coat with a reverse green on the inside, he was truly a sight to behold. His eyes were that of orange and yellow swirls. His tail, a light shade of blue with a deep blue tip. His claws were jagged and a tad feral. And he sported a tuff of green hair on top of his head.

“And this is the Master of Hypnosis himself. Mr. Jack Linch.”

The wolf expended a paw of friendship to the foxtaur, speaking in a French accent.

“A pleasure to meet you, dear boy. It’s so nice to see a fresh face added to our ranks. Here, take this wallet that I conned from a young naïve gentleman earlier this evening. I think you could use a new saddle bag personally. And this.”

Mr. Linch then handed Tobias the wallet and a bottle of water that appeared to have an erupting volcano on it, with French text.

“It’s thirsty work at this Freak Show, so keep hydrated” said Mr. Linch.

“He’s right you know Tobias. Always stay hydrated” chimed in Freaka.

Tobias then thanked the Master of Hypnosis for his gifts before they continued their walk.

Just before the entrance to The Main Tent, Rika stopped Tobias dead in his tracks, dragging him off to the side to eagerly show him a very special person. Before them was a wooden box with a little red closed show curtain. With a proud introduction, Freaka spoke. As she did, a little red show curtain began to open before them.

“And this is one of my best friends in all of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show. The legendary Puppet Magician…Beagle in Red! He’s the one who helped me to find you out there in the field.”

As she finished, the curtain opened fully and emerged was a wooden puppet Beagle dog with a top hat.

Tobias gazed upon the wooden red and white beagle puppet, inspecting him further. With mysterious blue eyes staring back at him and holding a King of Hearts and a King of Diamonds playing card in each paw, he appeared to be quite old. He might have been as old as the Freak Show that surrounded him. Wearing a burgundy bow tie and a top hat with two Joker playing cards in the burgundy colored brim, he smiled back at the two.

“We can talk for hours about what’s going on around here. The weather, our horoscopes. Where to get the best strawberries and lemonda on Earth. Anything. He is quite the conversation partner” said Freaka with a big grin.

The mysterious puppet then moved up and down inside his wooden booth…with no strings pulling him whatsoever. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came from it.

Suddenly Freaka started to laugh uncontrollably.

“Oh yes! I remember when that guy lit himself on fire! Oh he was a real hot dog indeed!” laughed Freaka like a mad woman.

Tobias was beyond confused.

“This was the guy who deduced where I was and told Freaka how to release my ‘Special Talent?’” he thought. He did have some skepticism, but that too would soon disappear with the next thing that happened.

The puppet magician then began to move on his own accord.

The Beagle’s wooden puppet mouth then began move on its own, opening its mouth wide before…DING! A Fortune Card popped out in the front slot of his wooden booth.

Tobias then took out the Fortune Card and began to read aloud.

The fortune read as followed: “Expect to see two white shooting stars on October 13th.”

“What does that mean?” said Tobias aloud in a confused voice before Freaka responded.

“Well he likes to give fortunes to those who are either good of heart…or evil of heart. But I can tell that this is a very good fortune for you. He knows you’re good of heart!”

Tobias was reassured by Freaka’s words, trusting her and the mysterious Beagle in Red, even if he really didn’t know what it all meant. Tobias then thanked the Puppet Magician, who just nodded and winked at him before he pulled himself back as his red show curtain closed.

As the foxes finally approached The Main Tent, Tobias saw the main entrance to the tent. At over 20 feet tall, a 3D model of Freaka’s face was shown in all its full glory, with an open mouth and a long red carpet tongue leading to The Main Tent entrance.

“I still think they could have made my face creepier” said Freaka to Tobias as the two made their way to Thelo: The Ticket Taker. Dressed in a grim reaper cloak, the grey fox with a yellow highlight down his top muzzle peered at them. With a quick flash of her smile and a wink, Thelo: The Ticket Taker immediately knew that Freaka had a new recruit, letting both go without a hitch.

“I run this show, but I do have great help. Especially from my Emcee coming up” said Freaka with a smile.

“I can clearly see that” smiled Tobias as Freaka unfurled the tent flap and escorted Tobias into The Main Tent.

Inside the tent was a large circular arena with two separate tent poles and lights shining down. Trapeze and high wires adorned the canopy, with rows and rows of seats on either side at ground level. The mad, the macabre and the mysteriousness of the Freak Show electrified the air.

A new act was about to begin. The announcer took to the stage.

This was Momo, Freaka’s second-in-command and head Emcee to Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival.

He was a handsome Metaservian, a very rare anthro in all the world. With tall, thin ears like a fennec and lynx combined, he smiled and greeted the crowd with gusto.

His fur color was a shade of brownish grey with darker grey/black markings around his eyes like a bandit’s mask, stipes and spots on top of his head and along his backside, a grey/black ‘V’ mark on his chest with upper cream colored fluff and a cream colored belly and spots along the top of his enormously long tail.

He wore a royal blue ringmaster’s uniform with a gold and purple trim along the edges. With a traditional top hat, his long ears poked out via slits cut in the brim. His long ears were adorned with multiple earrings of every color of the rainbow.

And while he was short in height, he had a big and commanding presence that rallied the crowd as he introduced the next act.

“Now presenting, from the former Soviet Union, the greatest mad scientist to grace the grounds of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival. The Master of Evolutionary Alchemy: Mr. Lev Petrovich!”

And with a puff of green smoke and purple haze, a 6-foot-5-inch-tall thin lion emerged, spreading his arms as he greeted his adoring fans. He then bowed to his audience as they applauded wildly. His right eye glowed with a catlike black pupil in the center. His brown fur gleamed in the light of the stage. And light reflected off of his dirty white lab coat and black rubber gloves. On his belt, a complete set of test tube vials with toxins and various mutagens that vary every color you can imagine.

In a thick Russian accent, he spoke with a disturbing smile.

“Thank you, thank you, you are all too kind. Now before I begin, a brief story from my past. As a young lion cub, I LOVED science. And science loves me. She is my muse. She is my lover. She encourages me to make all anthro kind better through the POWER OF EVOLUTION! Why let nature make us more enhanced in several millennia when I can make it EVEN BETTER RIGTH NOW!”

And with those words the crowd was shocked and fell silent. With that cue, Petrovich began to drum them up again.

“So, I ask you. Are you ready to explore the possibilities of the world? To show nature that I can make her look foolish? Do you want to see something that will shock and make you tremble in pure fear!?”

With that, the audience roared with a resounding “YES!”

“Well then what are we waiting for!? Let’s get on with this show!”

The audience cheered and applauded wildly once more. As the crowd died down, Petrovich once again spoke in his thick, crazy Russian accent.

“I will need two volunteers from the audience. Who will they be…”

As Petrovich peered into the crowd he spotted two “volunteers” and then called them both down.

The first was a young husky woman, who looked like your typical stuck-up, fashion obsessed princess with traditional gray, black and white fur.

The second was a chilled out blue wolf with a green checkered scarf, a blue nose, a blue and white face, blue hair with green tips, blue eyes with green pupils, one blue paw on his left foot and a white fluffy chest with a blue “Peace” symbol pattern on it.

“So what is your name my beautiful little bowl of Borsch?” spoke Petrovich with a glint of madness and affection in his eyes.

The young husky woman seemed to scoff at Petrovich’s words as she answered him.

“It’s Olivia, you weird-o. Gosh. I always run into the weird-o’s around here.”

He then turned to the young blue wolf.

“And what is your name, boy.”

“It’s Smudger, sir. And I think you’re cool.”

Petrovich then turned to his audience smiling.

“Let’s hear it for Olivia and Smudger everyone!”

After the crowd cheered, Petrovich attended to his “volunteers.”

“I think it’s time to make both of these “Neanderthals” evolve into something greater! Wouldn’t you agree!?”

As the crowd cheered yet again, Petrovich quickly removed a brown vial from his belt and threw it at the foot paws of Olivia. As the brown and black smoke consumed her, her body literally torn itself apart, forcing her to become larger, grow razor sharp teeth, long black horns and monstrous claws. Her new body forced her to stand up taller, as her once beautiful curly tail extended and became long and dino-like. Her fur fell off in clumps and her skin became scaly and brown. She began to resemble a Deathclaw from the Fallout series.

And with snap of his wrist, another potion vial smashed at Smudger’s foot paws, enveloping him in a cloud of blue and green gas. As it surrounded him, he began to transform into a monstrous beast with several more eyes, two tentacles springing out from his back, massive razor sharp

fangs and claws. His tail became long and dino-like as well, but he kept his beautiful blue, white and green fur, now looking more long and thick.

The crowd was mortified and screamed with terror.

Petrovich then spoke to his crowd.

“Now who wants to see a REAL War of The Monsters!? Let’s let them fight it out to see who is the better evolutionally superior!”

And with that, he motioned his paw to let then have at it. With claw swipes, bites, grabs and lunges at each other, it truly was a sight to behold. Each one trying to one-up the other for evolutionary supremacy. But with a carful opening, Smudger then grabbed at Olivia’s throat, biting hard into it and letting her blood ooze out. The blue monstrous wolf, Smudger, was the victor!

The crowd screamed and applauded, some poor ignorant souls even thinking that this was part of the act. Luckily for the management, all attendants of this performance had to sign a waiver for any damage and possible loss of life.

Tobias was beside himself as he witnessed this incredible display of madness.

Meanwhile, Freaka enjoyed a big box of strawberries, thanks to her blue husky vendor Wes, and turned to Tobias.

“I think she should have bit into one of his tentacles personally. Now THAT would have been a show!”

Tobias was in complete shock, mortified at what he was seeing…and beginning to think if this would be an act that he would be a part of. In a scared and timid voice, he spoke to Freaka.

“Am I…going to be a part of his act?”

Rika turned and grinned a wicked grin of satisfaction.

“Well…only if you want to…”

Tobias furiously shook his head and shouted.

“NO! NO! I don’t want any of that!”

Freaka turned to the foxtaur, teasing him.

“Are you REALLY SURE! I think you would make an AWESOME MONSTER!”

“Please Freaka. I’m already weird enough looking as is.”

“Oh nonsense! You can never be too weird at Freaka’s Furry Freak Show!”

Tobias then began tearing up a little, pleading to his new boss.

“Please Freaka, it’s bad enough to be called a freak by others and run out of town just for trying to help them. I don’t want to be eaten.”

Freaka then looked into the foxtaur’s eyes.

“Trust me on this Tobias, by the time we develop your act and you have gotten to know your new family members better, you will be PROUD to call you’re a freak! Besides, I’m just yanking your chain. Chill out and have a strawberry!”

And with that, Tobias took a strawberry from her box and ate it.

“It’s really good Freaka. And thank you.”

“Oh don’t think anything of it my freaky little freak. Besides, I got a lot more to show you!”

And with that, they took their leave from the Main Tent to continue walking into the back, where a secondary tent, The Practice Tent, was just nearby.

In the middle of the stage were four freak show acts practicing for the next show in the center ring.

The first up was the white, black and green cow Sadie. With long white claws, black and white striped horns, black and white striped arms and legs, green hair and multiple tongues coming for her split open mouth and the mouth on her belly with razor sharp teeth, she looked like something right out of the movie “Beetlejuice.” All while perfectly balancing on top of a big, red rubber ball.

The second was Kashi, a golden furred fennec juggler who had the most uniquely long bushy foxtail, which sported a full rainbow pattern. With beady eyes and a creepy grin, he was skillfully juggling multiple severed limbs up in the air.

The third was Azalea, a white and brown sabretooth cat whose entire body was completely chopped up, but floating in mid-air as ghostly green mist tethered them.

The fourth was Spyke Tyranno, a large, 8-foot-tall dragon/jackal hybrid in a cheetah print jungle leotard. Around his waist was a big black double prong powerlifting belt; complete with his favorite belt buckle of a white ghost with a big red ‘No’ symbol across it. He was a truly unique specimen among Freaka’s Freak Show. With blue eyes, brown fur, grey arms and legs, a large green dragon’s tail with a tuff of red hair at the end, a yellow dragon’s scaly belly and green & yellow dragon wings spread out from his backside, he was truly an amazing sight to behold. His

face was that of a jackal’s, but with small dragon horns coming out of the top of his head. He was muscular, but also had a bit of chubbiness in his face and belly.

As Freaka and Tobias were walking up to him, he was literally bending a large beam of pure steel like it was made of thin rubber.

He then looked over at Freaka and Tobias as they passed by and gave them both a big, gentle smile, closing his eyes and giving a friendly wave of his big grey paw to them while holding the enormous steel bar in his other paw with ease. Freaka and Tobias also responded in kind with friendly waves of their own.

Eventually, the two foxes came across a golden furred lion with a magnificent red mane and a tuff of red fur on the tip of his tail. His 1920’s styled outfit looked like it came right from pages of the novel “Heart of Darkness,” or an outfit worn by the animal trapper in the original “King Kong.” A tan button down shirt, cargo pants and a black leather belt with various knives held tight around his waist. He also wore a Newsies cap, an eye patch on his left eye and his shirt of opened, revealing a tuff of fur on his chest.

With a crazed red eye and a snarling grin, he carefully and skillfully threw his knives at his target, a lovely lioness that was spinning on a great big red-and-white bullseye.

Freaka called out to the master of blades.

“Hey Leon! I have new recruit to introduce you too!”

The lion finished throwing his second knife, which almost nicked the ear of his lovely lioness assistant. He then came over to the young foxtaur and shock his paw with vigor.

“A pleasure to meet you boy! It’s always nice to meet a new addition to our Freaky Family. And my, my, what an awesome freak you already are! Even in my journeys through the darkest jungles I have traveled with my mentor, I have never seen a foxtaur so beautiful and handsome!”

Tobias was quite flattered to hear such kind and generous words from someone like the lion.

Before Tobias could respond, Freaka interrupted.

“So this here is the greatest knife thrower in all of show business, Mr. Leon Sarambi.”

The lion turned red at hearing Freaka’s high praise.

“Oh, you’re gonna make me blush Freaka.”

“Oh think nothing of it. Hey Leon, why don’t you tell your tragic backstory to my new recruit Tobias.”

The lion then smiled a toothy grin and began to laugh.

“Of course Freaka! For my freaky little vixen, anything!”

With a hardy, boastful laugh, Leon placed a firm paw on Tobias’s shoulder. He then recounted his story to the two. Freaka listened while enjoying a bag of strawberries that she somehow acquired from out of thin air.

“At the age of 5, my horrid excuse of a step-mother left me at a local carnival. She probably wanted to dump me after my loving papa passed away. I wandered the carnival grounds for many hours, with no one listening to my pleas for help. I still remember crying by the train cars where they kept all the freaks. I wondered around there until I noticed something shiny out of the corner of my eye: a knife. I was so excited to pick up that beautiful knife, but then a scar riddled hand grasped at my arm, the arm that belonged to my future mentor. He had a toothy, grinning smile when he grabbed my arm. I struggled so much to get away, but he would have none of that. He insisted that I become his apprentice for grabbing one of his best knives. And ever since that day, I’ve been making my living as the greatest knife thrower in the world. Eventually finding Freaka and her traveling Freak Show.”

He then removed his cap and took a bow. Freaka applauded wildly, with Tobias following her lead.

Leon then eyed up the young foxtaur.

“Maybe you can be part of my act? I’ve never had a foxtaur as an assistant!” said Leon as he roared with laughter.

Tobias became quite unnerved, but then Freaka came in to keep him calm.

“Don’t worry, I have a much better act in mind for you my freaky little freak” she told Tobias before she then turned to Leon.

“I think young Tobias has another path he must follow first before he may cross paths with you again.”

Leon frowned a little, but then resumed his prideful smile.

“Alright Freaka. I’ll let you help him develop his own special performance first. But if he ever wants to partner with me, I’ll make sure to sharpen my best knives for the ACT!”

And with those words he once again threw another knife at his lovely lioness assistant, perfectly placing is near her other ear. And with his uproarious laughter, Freaka and Tobias took their leave.

Soon they came upon a grand stage with lights of reds, purples, yellows and greens, all shining onto the world renowned singer Galak Songster. With duel microphones, he sang a duet that would put even the greatest duet couples to shame.

With one head singing a swinger’s tune, and the other yelling out the lyrics of a punk rock ballad, the two seemed completely in sync with one another.

For you see, Galak was the only two-headed singing fox in the world, who had exclusive rights to be a part of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show.

His left side was dressed in a traditional Rat Pack outfit, fitting the 1950’s classic black pinstripe dress style, while his wilder punk right side was clad in a torn up black T-Shirt, ripped jeans and a black and white side belt. The Swinger’s hair was in a perfect green pompadour, while his Punk counterpart’s green hair was thick, ruffed and a mess. And if you looked carefully at his foot paws, his crooner left leg paw was perfectly neat and trimmed, but his right punk counterpart was sharpened, looking more feral.

You would not think that a duet of swing and punk rock could work, but Galak made it look so easy.

As Galak finished his number, Freaka cheered and whistled wildly, hitting herself in the head like she were like the Wolf character from the Tex Avery animated classic “Swing Shift Cinderella.” As Galak’s Sinatra-esque head winked at the lovely Freaka, the blue fox completely fell flat on her back, star stuck with little strawberries floating around her head.

After jumping up and shaking herself, she then ran up onto the stage, dragging Tobias in tow behind her.

“That was an incredible number Galak! You just know how to make a blue fox turn red!” she smiled as she literally turned red all over, before returning to normal. Tobias was beyond impressed.

“I’ve never seen an act like yours. You’re incredible!”

The Swinger Head smiled, speaking like The Chairman of The Board himself.

“Think nothing of it son. We’ve been doing this act for as long as we were kits” as he winked to his Punk side.

The Punk Head then spoke up.

“Speak for yourself old timer!” as he used his right paw to point to himself. “Our sound is a fresh, young, fist to the face! We’re the best at what we go! Down with the establishment!” as his right paw gave the famous “Devil’s Horns.”

Freaka could only giggle as the two had one of their famous back-and-forths between each other.

Freaka piped up with a great big whistle. The two heads simmered down as they turned to the two of them.

“I want to introduce our newest recruit, Tobias Foxtail. He’s going to be joining our Freaky Family. He doesn’t have an act yet, but I will find one for him myself.”

The Swinger Head then spoke to the foxtaur, placing a paw on his shoulder.

“Son, I know you’re gonna have an incredible act. You got the best teacher in the business right there” he said, winking to Freaka. And right on cue, Freaka spun around and fell straight onto her back, grinning and sighing like a star-struck fan.

The Punk Head then chimed in.

“Yeah, you’ll be fine. But you gotta remember that rules are for losers! Break em’ all and never look back. Pure Anarchy BABY!” he cried out, taking a lighter from his jean pocket and blowing on the flame, making a small fireball appear.

“I’ll keep both of your suggestions in mind as I develop my act” said Tobias. “Thank you very much you two.”

“Anytime, son.”

“Smell ya later!”

As Freaka and Tobias took their leave to allow Galak to continue his singing, they continued their walk to the end of The Practice Tent. But before they did, they saw another act in practice. A young orange and white fox with blue cyan markings on his body and ear tips ghosted back and forth at incredible speeds. He was literally juggling orange and purple sewn pumpkin balls back and forth across the stage…to himself. For you see, the young speedster Vulken was the greatest Super Speed Juggler in all the known world.

The fox, with an insane hyperactive look across his muzzle, then looked out of the corner of his eye to see his friend Freaka and a new face next to her. He immediately stopped and then zipped up to the two. He then spoke like a fast talking salesman on a sugar high and childlike wonder in his voice.

“Hey Freaka what’s up? Who’s you’re friend. He seems really cool. Hi I’m Vulken. Nice to meet you?”

Vulken then rapidly shot out his arm and shook Tobias’s paw so quickly that he felt like his arm was about to fly off.

“You seem like a really cool guy. I think we’re gonna be the best of friends you and I” said the speedy Vulken.

He then looked at Tobias’s foxtaur body.

“OH WOW!” the speedy fox exclaimed as he literally zipped around Tobias to observe every angle of his taurric frame.

“What are you? Oh wait I should know this. Oh that’s right. A foxtaur! It’s so rare to see one around these parts. Let alone in a crazy Freak Show like ours! I think you’re the first taur we’ve ever had whose joined us. Welcome to our Freaky Family my Brother in Legs!”

Vulken then gave Tobias a great big hug.

Tobias was surprised, but he loved what Vulken had said: his Brother in Legs. He never had a brother before, and it brought comfort and happiness to him. Tobias then responded in turn, feeling the friendship from his new fox brother and returned his hug with an even stronger foxtaur hug.

Freaka then clasped her paws together.

“Ah, I knew you would make a new friend here my freaky little freak. And you even have a new brother too! And the fastest one in our Freak Show. You’re very lucky.”

Tobias and Freaka then waved goodbye to the speedy fox juggler as they made their way out of the tent.

To get to the housing quarters, they had to walk past the various train cars that held more of the “feral” freaks of the circus. One contained a hysterical hyena in a frilled collar and cuffs, laughing as he clutched the bars of his cage. Another contained a crocodile who was so large, that his massive tail stuck out of the bars of his cage. And as they passed another cage, Tobias jumped away as a sharp clawed paw reached out of its cage. A crazed blue and white stitched plush sabretooth cat with teal claws stared back as Tobias with multicolored eyes. From its center pupil outward, yellow, green, purple, orange and yellow spread out, with a solid black slit. But those eyes were not just in her head. But one was on each of her arms and one on her tail too.

Freaka then came up to the blue sabretooth cat, playfully scratching under her chin and rubbing behind her ears. She closed all of her eyes and purred happily as she did so.

“Don’t let Ersatz scare you Tobias. She’s quite a big sweetie cat once you get on her good side.”

Tobias was still shaken, but composed himself. He then noticed a big zipper on her chest.

“Why does she have a big zipper on her chest?”

Freaka took a moment to think, then answered.

“I don’t know. I’ve always been curious myself. Let’s find out!”

Before Freaka continued to reach for her teal colored zipper, Tobias yelled out “STOP!”

Freaka paused, then turned to him.

“Oh, come on Tobias! I wanna know now!”

Tobias then thought up of a quick response.

“But I thought you were going to show me my ‘Inner Talent’ O’ Great Freaka” spoke the foxtaur as he bowed and then curtsied her.

Freaka then finished petting the big cat’s head and then continued walking with him.

“You have a point Tobias, but I still wanna know what’s under there on of these days” pouted Freaka as they continued to walk to the housing quarters.

As they entered The Housing Tent, they saw a group of freaks at a large table playing a round of poker.

Each one was just as unique and deranged as the next.

The first up was Rengi, a world famous brawler turned gambler, dressed in a dapper pinstriped outfit. He was a black wolf with blue hair and a blue tipped tail and hand paws. He grinned with a Joker like grin, filled with a mouthful of sharp teeth as he called a raise.

The second was an otter/weasel hybrid named Raziel, whose fur was a deep shade of ocean blue, and deeper blue wave stripes. His eyes emitted a green glowing aura that seemed to slightly feed off of every living soul in the room. Only a brown, mysterious scarf covered him mouth. He then checked his cards and folded his hand.

The third card player was Nova, a mysterious female half angel dragon/Cheshire cat hybrid with black, lavender and neon green patterns, who made parts of her body invisible, like the famous cat in “Alice Through The Looking Glass.” She had used her gift of invisibility to successfully escape from her Freak Show Cage to join one of Rengi’s famous poker games. With a twisted look in her eyes, she called Rengi’s raise.

The fourth card player was the lovely Luna, a white feral wolf with grey wrists, blue eyes, a pink scar along her right side face, a grey tipped tail and strip on her back and a brown feather behind her left ear. Wearing a purple scarf with gold stars and silver moons around her neck, she was the Freak Show’s resident psychic. With her telekinetic powers, she used the power of her mind to hold her cards in front of her. To the others, she appeared to be arguing with nothing next to her, but in Luna’s mind’s eye, she saw a little chipmunk named Margaret. “Okay Margret, I’ll raise, but only to prove how wrong you really are!” While Luna was powerful, she was also prone to fits of rage, insanity, and crazy laughter due to her hallucinations.

The fifth card player was Striker, a legendary Lunatic Diviner magician. He was a dapperly clad blue and white fox with a yellow lightning bolt pattern on his wrists and foxtail. Tilting his hat forward, he called Rengi’s raise, with lightning pulsing from his fingertips and yellow eyes.

The sixth and final card player was ironically enough the speedy Vulken, who Luna contacted via telepathy to see if he was interested in playing a quick round. With a rush he darted in, looked at his cards, check to see who raised, folded his hand, waved to Tobias and Freaka and then ran right back out the room to continue practicing.

Rengi then checked his hand and laid his cards right out on the table.

“Full House Gang! Gimmie those chips!”

As Rengi reached out to grab his chips, Raziel stood up and slammed his fist on the table, almost breaking it. He then pointed his finger to Rengi.

“I know you cheated somehow Rengi!”

Rengi twisted his muzzle.

“Oh come on Razzy. Why would I cheat the guy who could punch me right out this tent, lasso me back, suck up my soul and torture it for all eternity? Now that’s just crazy…even for me!” and laughed a familiar, Joker-like laugh.

“That’s just not fair Raziel” piped up Nova. “Even if he did cheat, how could you prove it?”

“I’m with Raziel on this one Nova” shouted Striker. “He’s been having too much good luck this game.”

Zipping in from the tent flap again was the speedy Vulken. “I don’t think he cheated. Rengi’s a stand-up guy. He even let me borrow his lucky coin one time. It helped me to get through that one act with Leon. Man that guy can be scary. He can throw knives like the devil when he’s angry. Oh hi again Freaka and my Brother in Legs!” And with that, he returned to the other tent to continue practicing.

“He cheated” spoke Luna calmly.

Everyone looked at her and exclaimed “WHAT!?”

Luna then spoke again, but sounded a tad crazier this time.

“I knew it the very moment when he dealt the first hand. He’s been cheating the whole time with that special deck of cards he’s been using since the start and making us all look like fools. Or maybe he’s the greatest genius the world has ever known and made us all look stupid. What do you think Carrie?” as Luna turned to look at a squirrel that no one else could see, laughing.

Raziel then tackled Rengi, with the others getting in on the action. But being the best brawler in the world gave Rengi a unique advantage as he laughed and punched his way through with a fury of fisticuffs. As the battle ensued, Nova became partly invisible, stealing the poker chips and

grinning. As Striker was readying an electric charge attack and Raziel began to unwrap his scarf to begin sucking Regni’s soul, the great and powerful Freaka then let out a mighty blaze of blue flame from her muzzle, almost torching the entire group.

“YO!!!” she exclaimed with furious anger, but then calmly spoke like as if nothing had happened several seconds ago.

“I want you all to meet Tobias, our newest member to out Freaky Family.”

Without a second thought, the group stopped dead in their tracks and gave Tobias a hardy round of handshakes and salutations all around.

Freaka then turned to Tobias.

“I think we’ve had enough fun for one night Tobias. You need some rest. We got a LOT of training ahead of us in the morning.”

With a nod and a wave goodbye, Freaka escorted Tobias further back into The Housing Tent, where the various beds were located.

“Our newest recruits usually sleep in hammocks until they prove themselves to be worthy of joining our Freak Show performance. I…might make an exception with you since you’re a foxtaur.”

Tobias then chimed in.

“You don’t have to go through the trouble. I don’t want any special treatment. I’ve slept in tighter spots myself. I might even like a hammock actually, as long as it’s big enough.”

Freaka then hugged Tobias.

“That’s the spirit my freaky little freak! I knew I found the right recruit!”

With a bit of effort and adjustment between two bedposts, Tobias and Freaka managed to get the hammock up and running. Tobias placed his saddle bags at the foot of the bedpost, then carefully positioned himself into the hammock. With motherly eyes, Freaka then kissed Tobias on the forehead, giving him a blanket with strawberries on it.

“Nighty night my freaky little freak. We have a…BIG DAY tomorrow, so rest up.”

And with that, Freaka then left the tent. As she did, the speedy fox Vulken then entered the room, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“OH WOW! You’re right next to my bed. I guess were bunk buddies then my Brother in Legs!”

Vulken then gave Tobias a big hug, almost tipping the hammock.

“Thank you Vulken. I really appreciate you and everyone going out of their way to make me feel welcomed.”

Vulken smiled.

“Think nothing of it Tobias. You’re my brother now. And brothers stick together! You’re part of The Greatest Freaky Family on Earth! You’ll love it here in no time flat!”

And with those words, the speedy Vulken quickly tucked Tobias in with the blanket Freaka provided, hugged him, gave him a stuffed red fox plush from Vulken’s own bed and then curled up into a little fox ball and began to sleep. With that cue, Tobias snuggled into his new ‘bed’ and hugged the red fox plush, slowly closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Act III

“Wake up my freaky little freak! It’s morning! Time to discover your new act!!!” exclaimed Freaka as she literally was in Tobias’s face, scaring him out of his hammock and tumbling out of it with her.

As Tobias picked himself up and shook himself off, Freaka was jumping around like a jumping bean.

“Come on lazy taur! I can feel your act flowing out of you! Follow me!”

And with that, Freaka picked up her parked scooter and wheeled off, with Tobias quickly running after her.

They eventually came into The Practice Tent from earlier last night. In one of the corners, there was an enormous, old, leathery brown steamer trunk, with various stickers that covered it from the freak show’s worldly travels.

“Let me see what I can find!” said Freaka excitedly as she went through the enormous steamer truck. Bowling pins, metal rings, hula hoops and all matter of circus props flew through the air as Freaka feverously sought to find the perfect act for her new recruit.

“A-HA!” exclaimed the harlequin fox as she pulled out a beautiful red unicycle. She eagerly pointed at it.

“This…will be your act.”

She then threw the unicycle to Tobias, who then quickly caught it with his paws. The young foxtaur looked confused as he talked to Freaka.

“But…I’ve never ridden on a unicycle before. Plus…I’m a foxtaur. How on Earth can a tauric creature like myself ride of unicycle?”

Freaka began to laugh like a mad woman and then flashed a twisted grin across her muzzle.

“Don’t you see? This was meant for you! Why let a biped have all the fun? A taur as big and strong and handsome as you should have no problem riding this little beauty.”

Tobias looked at the shiny red metallic paint job as it gleamed in the light. His face reflected in it…and something more. He began to imagine himself in front of an entire crowd, using his forepaws to ride on it. His legs sticking up behind him, dangling, his ‘brisket’ pressed against the bike seat, and his arms spread out. With his paws in the air, he saw himself playfully winking to the audience, smiling a smile greater than he had ever done with his tongue hanging out.

Tobias realized that this was his calling.

“I’ll do it Freaka. Teach me everything about how to ride and what to do, and I will practice every day until I master my new act.”

Freaka came over and hugged the young foxtaur.

“I knew you would see the potential for this act my freaky little freak. I will work hard with you every day until I am ready to reveal your new act for all the world to see!”

Tobias hugged her back in return, feeling a breath of new confidence flow within him. It empowered him and made him realize that he could accomplish anything he put his mind to.

With that sentiment firmly in place, Tobias began to practice on the unicycle. First using his front fore paws, and then eventually working his way up to using his hind paws. He stumbled and fell several times, but Freaka was there to help him up each time.

After a bit of practice, Tobias could easily ride it with his fore and hind paws on his own. It soon became second nature to him. He felt accomplished.

Over the next several weeks, Tobias practiced with discipline and diligence under Freaka’s watchful Strawberry eye. He learned a great deal about showmanship, performance, tricks of the trade, tricks he could perform and how to drum up the crowd. Every freak he had encountered the first night helped him in some way, shape or form to develop his new act. Some even offering to be there to assist him during his first night’s performance.

Freaka soon ordered the circus’s tailor to come out to do measurements for Tobias’s outfit. Tobias was given several choices, but in the end, none of them worked for his taurric body or his unicycle act. But then Tobias looked at Freaka’s outfit over carefully. He really loved how she and her harlequin outfit brought out so much happiness to so many in the Freak Show.

He then asked if he could have his outfit similar to the harlequin blue fox’s. After a bit of work, Tobias finally saw himself in the mirror. He had a beautiful blue & red diamond patterned jester’s hat, with three golden bells attached to each peak. His hat had a gold trim that adorned his brow, with his red hair sticking out perfectly. His neck was adorned with a red and blue frilled collar with small gold circles at the end. His arm wrists, fore legs (lower wrists) and hind legs (hocks) were wrapped with red and blue tassels with small gold circles at the end of each one.

And for the first time in a long time, Tobias really began to smile. He smiled a great, big foxy smile as he let his tongue hang out, which seemed longer than usual and his teeth looking more…toothy.

As he did, the lovely Freaka also returned with a big grin.

“You smile so beautifully my freaky little freak. You should keep that up. The crowd is going to love you!”

Tobias nodded to Freaka and turned to her.

“I will Freaka. You can count on it” he said to her with a playful wink.

Four months quickly passed as Tobias rigorously trained everyday with Freaka and her Freaky Family. The time had finally come. The first night of Tobias’s Freak Show Act was upon him. Tobias had traveled to several places with them during the Summer Season, but returned to the same village where he had once been chased out by that dumb rabbit bully and his arrogant father the mayor.

The chill of the October air filled Tobias’s lungs as he looked upon his audience from the curtain in The Main Tent, fully dressed in his wonderful jester outfit.

Tobias was beyond nervous. Butterflies were parading in his large taur stomach as he looked upon the expecting crowd.

In a hesitant voice, he spoke to his mentor Freaka.

“I’m…not sure if I can do this Freaka. What if I trip? What if I fall on my face? What if I…” and with that Freaka grabbed Tobias by the arms and pulled him toward her uncomfortably close, placing a finger on the young foxtaur’s muzzle.

“You’re gonna be great my freaky little freak. The crowd will love you by the end of your performance. I have full faith in you. You are a foxtaur among foxtaurs! Always be proud of that! Now go out there and show them what kind of foxtaur freak you really are!”

Freaka’s words of inspiration spurred the young foxtaur onward and filled his being with full confidence as he then grabbed his unicycle and rolled onto the stage using his fore paws as the Emcee Momo began his introduction to Tobias.

Momo stirred the crowd with An-Tici-Pation.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to have a brand new act for all of you to enjoy. He was a sad, lonely little foxtaur who had no one left in the world. But thanks to the lovely Freaka, he is ready to join our Freaky Little Family with a performance unlike anything you have ever seen in your lives. We at Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival proudly present to you…the one…the only…TOBIAS FOXTAIL!!!”

And with that the young foxtaur opened his arms and greeted his audience as he rode around a few circles in the center stage, with cheers and amazement as he then spun in place for a moment before stopping to see the audience…his audience.

They were stunned. Most had never seen a taurric creature before in the flesh.

“Are you ready to have your minds blown tonight!? Are you ready for a show!?” cried out Tobias as he pointed toward the crowd.

The crowd shouted with a resounding “YEAH!”

But Tobias was not impressed. He then stepped off his unicycle, coming down on all fours and grabbing it with his right hand paw.

“Come on now. I know you really want a show! I mean look at me” as he pressed his other hand paw into his chest before extended his arms outward “I’m already half the act!” he exclaimed as he winked and smiled at a cute little orange Krattcat feline in the front row. The crowd laughed with Tobias. He could feel them laugh with him instead of at him. Something he never had in his previous life.

Tobias then used his unicycle like a stage microphone.

“Now let me ask again folks. ARE YOU READY FOR A SHOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!”

The crowd rallied with a resounding and even louder “YEAH!”

And with that, Tobias pointed to Galak Songster to cue up the music.

Like magic, the speakers fired up and Tobias was beginning his 1st Act. He got back onto the unicycle with his hind paws, carefully balancing himself on top of it. He looked down at his audience who he now towered over.

They were agape with pure wonder.

The lovely Freaka, riding around on her scooter, assisted her foxtaur friend by tossing 5 metal rings to him. Three he caught in his hand paws, one on his right fore paw and one on his left hind paw. With his right hind paw on the pedal for balance, he then began juggling the three rings, with the two on his legs spinning.

The crowd cheered and applauded.

With the 1st Act done and the 2nd Act to begin, he tossed the rings back to Freaka, who then tossed him three juggling pins lit on fire. The light from the flames illuminated the stage and the crowd as he juggled them with his hand paws, keeping both hind paws on the pedals. As he juggled, he then saw his friend Styphior Wilde making some snow cones for a family of otters. He called out to him.

“Hey Styph. I think my act needs something to keep things from heating up too much. Can you toss me some of your famous snowballs?!”

The Sorcerer of Snow and Ice nodded, forming 3 snow balls of solid ice using his paws and tossing each one carefully to Tobias as he continued to juggle the flaming pins.

“Here you are my fox brother!”

One by one the snow balls were perfectly in sync with the juggling act as Tobias’s hand paws included each one. Now he was juggling 6 items of fire and ice, creating a beautiful effect of reds, oranges, blues and whites. The crowd cheered and applauded.

Eventually, Tobias then threw up all of the flaming juggling pins and snow balls. And right on cue, Styphior then took his magical ice staff hanging from his back and banged it on the bleachers. He then held it into the air. And like magic, the staff glowed and shot out a bright blue beam of snow and ice, which hit all of the tossed items, causing a huge fireworks explosion of snow and fire to parade down around the crowd, dancing in the air as they formed fire breathing red dragons and howling white wolves.

“Now THAT’S what I call a Song of Ice & Fire!” exclaimed Tobias. “Because dear friends, Winter Is Coming!”

The crowd applauded wildly at such a beautiful display.

Tobias then motioned his right hand paw to Styphior, thanking him for an excellent job. The blue and white fox Ice Sorcerer then took a bow as the crowd applauded for him.

With his 2nd Act complete, he was ready for his 3rd. He had Freaka toss him a very long rope. Carefully positioning himself, he then used the jump rope to jump in place as he turned, delighting the crowd as he did so.

As Tobias did his jump rope act, a familiar blue and white husky was calling out to the crowd.

“POPCORN! GET YOUR HOT AND BUTTERY POPCORN HERE! AND HOT DOGS! FRESH AND JUICY HOT DOGS! AND DON’T FORGET OUR FAMOUS POP-TATOES! BEST IN ALL THE COUNTY! HOT AND DELICIOUS!”

The husky vendor Wes had been with Freaka’s show as long as he could remember, helping her sell snacks and to be a part of the experience of her show. Due to his booming voice, he was shunned by others. But in Freaka’s eyes, he was the snack vendor she was looking for.

“AND FRESH SQUEEZED STRAWBERRY LEMONDA! THE BEST REFRESMENT IN ALL THE WORLD! AND FREAKA’S PERSONAL DRINK OF CHOICE!”

As Tobias finished with his jump rope act, he spoke to Wes playfully.

“How about you toss up one of those Strawberry Lemonda’s to me Wes!”

“SURE THING TOBIAS!” shouted Wes as he threw up a can of the precious Strawberry Lemonda.

The taur chugged the drink completely before he continued, tossing the can to Vulken as he sped by.

As Tobias was preparing for his 4th Act, he noticed a young dark brown and smoky grey furred wolf/kangaroo hybrid male with an orange bandanna with black paw prints around his neck. He also sported wolf-like ears that were slightly longer due to his roo heritage. In his grey hoodie with dark brown pants with dark knee patches, he was chilling with a classic black and silver boom box partly sticking out of his pouch.

It looked like Tobias had an idea across his muzzle.

“Hey you!” he called to the wolf-roo. “That’s a nice boom box you got there! Can I use it for a little bit!”

The wolf-roo was at first confused, but then he realized what was going on.

“Sure dude! I’ll lend it to you! Just don’t trash it on that crazy thing you’re riding!”

The crowd laughed.

“What’s your name kid?”

“My friends call me Mocha.”

Tobias then motioned the crowd.

“Lets give it up for Mocha ladies and gentlemen!” he said as he winked to the crowd, who applauded.

Tobias then spoke proudly to his wolf-roo friend.

“Hey Mocha, give me a beat that’s gonna fire up this crowd. I think we need to get their FREAK ON!”

“You got it you freaky foxtaur!” explained Mocha before he took out a mix tape, placed it in the cassette slot, hit play and tossed the boom box with a high roo jump to Tobias, who successfully caught it.

Tobias then began to balance the boom box on top of his nose, perfectly keeping it balanced and in-sync with the music as he motioned Freaka to toss him 3 regular jugging pins. With grace and precision, he juggled the pins in tune with the rhythm of the song. For you see, unknown to the audience, Mocha was already in on the act, having been selected weeks prior to the show by Tobias himself to help him out. An old, but good carney trick.

As the music played, he kept motioning Freaka to keep adding more pins. Soon 4, 5, and 6 pins were all being juggled as the foxtaur balanced the boom box on top of his black nose perfectly.

The crowd just went wild as he continued his act.

He then tossed the pins to Vulken, who caught each and every one of them as he threw them into the crowd, who were terrified, yet in awe at this reckless stunt.

“Thanks for the jam Mocha! I think our crowd is finally awake!”

Tobias then threw the boom box high into the air as it too was caught by Vulken and given back to Mocha safe and sound.

For his 5th and final Act, Tobias then asked for a volunteer from the audience. Eyeing the cute little orange and white Krattcat feline with black strips and black spots from earlier, he then pointed to her and asked her to come to the stage. She happily did.

The Krattcat was dressed in long black skinny jeans with an orange T-Shirt of a cute little pumpkin on it winking as she walked to Tobias, who was climbing off his unicycle.

“Thank you very much for volunteering, Ms.?”

“Christina.”

With a playful smile, Tobias spoke.

“That’s a lovely name Christina.”

Tobias then turned to the crowd.

“Let’s give it up for Christina ladies and gentlemen!”

The audience applauded and shouted with glee. As the crowd died down, Tobias then spoke.

“Now Christina. I need you to do one very special thing for me” as he turned to her.

“Sure Tobias. What is it?”

“I need you to be very still when I do this finishing performance. So can you please not squirm, okay?”

Christina took a moment before committing to her answer.

“OKAY!”

“Splendid!” exclaimed Tobias as he then cued his speedy little brother Vulken, who tied up a steel tight rope wire that hung 30 feet in the air from the two tent poles.

Tobias then turned to his lovely volunteer.

“I hope you’re not afraid of heights Christina?” winked the foxtaur with a playfully foxy smile to her and the audience, who laughed with him.

Christina gulped hard, as she was feeling a little nervous, but she gathered her courage.

“As long as you don’t drop me, I’ll be okay.”

Tobias then playfully answered her back.

“As long as you don’t squirm, you won’t fall” winked the foxtaur to the audience as they laughed once more.

And with that, he asked Vulken to bring him and Christina up. In a flash of orange and cyan, Tobias was on his unicycle, using his hind paws to power it and holding a long balancing pole in his hand paws. And resting on his fore legs and paws like a fluffy cushion was Christina. She was beyond terrified, but also excited as she saw the crowd below them.

Tobias then talked to her in a calm whisper.

“Just keep your eyes looking at me and don’t move. We’re going to peddle forward now. Are you ready?”

Christina breathed and calmed her mind.

“I’m ready Tobias!”

And with those words, Tobias then began to peddle forward, carefully balancing on the wire as he used the balancing pole to steady himself. The crowd could only gasp as they saw the foxtaur literally carrying someone on his extra set of legs above them.

As they approached the middle, Tobias then began peddling backwards, causing the crowd to cheer. He then moved forward again after the crowd’s cheer died down, moving forward and finally making it to the other side. Once again, the crowd when mad with applause. After crossing over to the other side, Tobias turned his body to once again to go over to the center of the wire, where he turned his body to face the crowd. And the audience almost lost it as Tobias with Christina in tow were literally in the center of the entire Freak Show crowd. Tobias had never experienced such a rush before in his life, but he savored every second of it.

He then turned back and carefully peddled to the other end of the pole, where Vulken took his balancing pole and then proceeded to carry Tobias, Christina and the unicycle down via his incredible speed.

Tobias then peddled to the center of the ring, where he and Christina were met with a standing ovation!

Tobias took a bow from his upper body, and Christina just looking dumbfounded at what had just happened. But she enjoyed the experience regardless and waved to the crowd.

With a careful stretch, he helped Christina down off of his fore legs.

“Let’s give it up for Christina ladies and gentlemen!” exclaimed the fantastic foxtaur as the audience continued to applaud and whistle wildly for his final performance.

The jovial jester foxtaur then wowed audiences once more when he stood on top of his unicycle with only his one hind paw, towering over them with his long taur body.

Some even say that the applause was so loud, that even people in the next two town’s over could hear them cheer.

The foxtaur then hopped onto the stage with all four paws, giving a proper bow to his audience.

As the crowd’s applause continued wildly, a fat, stupid, arrogant white rabbit kid busted in from the tent’s exit, yelling “IT’S HIM DADDY! IT’S THAT FOUR-LEGGED FREAK WE’RE LOOKING FOR!”

No sooner than he yelled those words that an overweight rabbit in a mayor’s outfit and 40 villagers with pitch forks, shovels and torches trailed behind him. The crowd was now confused and scared.

“Was this part of the act?” They thought.

The fat mayor approached a startled Tobias, who was ready to run off like he would sadly do. But then his harlequin jester friend and mentor Freaka rode up like a rocket and stood in front of him on her scooter.

“Stop right there you tub of bunny blubber! That’s my freaky little friend you’re talking to. And no one calls him a four-legged freak other than me!” she exclaimed, pointing to herself.

The mayor was stunned and disgusted by the arctic blue fox jester that stood before him. In a dignified, but disgusted tone, he spoke.

“Look, Miss…”

“Freaka. Owner and Ringmaster of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival.”

“Yes…Freaka. I can see that you’re the owner of this…establishment. So I’ll make you an offer.”

The mayor then reached into his blazer, and took out a solid gold pen and a document. For you see, like his stupid spoiled son, his daddy believed that everything had a price.

“I will buy that…foxtaur from you legally. You get a nice profit and I get my revenge for that…thing…fighting my poor, sweet little boy.”

The little rabbit sneered at them, hoping to gain pity from the crowd, which failed.

Freaka just looked at the mayor with her Strawberry eye for a solid minute, then she started to laugh. Slowly at first, but soon roared into uncontrollable laughter.

The mayor was not impressed.

“What’s so funny?” he said in a confused and annoyed tone.

Freaka then stopped laughing suddenly, looking at the hare, acting snarky.

“Oh nothing. I just wanted to see you looking stupid at me with your stupid fat face for a whole minute!” she grinned and continued laughing like a mad woman.

The mayor was beyond furious.

“Stop that DAMNED LAUGHTER! I am trying to make you an offer! Now either sign it or don’t!”

Freaka then stopped and looked coldly at him.

“My freaky little foxtaur friend is not for sale. None of my freaky friends are for sale. And I will now ask you to leave now and never return.”

The mayor had never been told no before in such a manner. And those who told him no usually wound up dead. He knew he could never reason with a mad woman like Freaka. Now he was ready to take her on with his men.

“If that’s how you want to play, then fine. Say goodbye to that four-legged freak you call a friend! Charge men!”

And with his command, the villagers attacked, the crowd panicked and began running away in terror.

As one of the villagers with a shovel was about to knock Tobias’s block off, a familiar speedy orange fox punched the villager square in the jaw and sent him flying across the ring. He then turned to his foxtaur friend.

“Don’t worry my Brother in Legs. Your little bro is here to help you out the best he can!”

Another villager tried to attack the two, but was enveloped by a green aura that stopped him dead in his tracks. Raziel was here.

“Don’t worry Tobias. We got your back. Family always comes first here.”

Raziel coldly stared into the villager’s eyes.

“You shouldn’t have come here friend. Now it’s my time to feed ON YOUR SOUL!”

And with that, he uncovered his scarfed mouth and began to suck the very life essence from him, before he dropped him to the ground, now aged into a 90-year-old grey muzzle.

The Sorcerer of Snow and Ice Styphior Wilde’s eyes began to glow a deep, menacing shade of blue. In a demonic voice he looked upon a group of 8 villagers.

“NO ONE WILL EVER HURT MY FOX BROTHER AS LONG AS I DRAW BREATH! NOW ENJOY YOUR ICY TOMB!”

And with that, he used his ice staff to slam against the ground, sending a towering pillar of ice toward the villagers, completely encasing them in a solid block of ice that then began to resemble a family mausoleum.

As another villager was about to strike with his pitchfork, a shining blade hit his paw, forcing the dog to drop it. No sooner did it drop that a flurry of knives whizzed past the dog as parts of his own clothing became caught on them, literally hurling him back onto a wooden post behind where he became stuck.

The great knife thrower Leon growled with a chuckle.

“Never mess with a REAL professional mate.”

Luna was preoccupied with several villagers that she was keeping in the air using her psychic abilities, but was struggling with her hallucinations of a chipmunk named Margaret, a squirrel named Carrie, a bat named Abby, a black cat named Irena, a red wolf dog named Ginger, a silver fox named Annie and a rabbit named Pamela as she argued with them all on how to dispose of the meddlesome party crashers.

“I know Margret! I want to throw him into the cotton candy maker too, but we need to dunk him into the caramel maker like Carrie suggested. Alright Pamela! I’m throw him into the lake, but I’m not drowning him! That’s just being mean. No Abby, I’m not going to bite this guy’s head off. I’m a wolf, but I’m not a weirdo. Yes Irena! I’ll roar in his face and frighten him like a scared little puppy. Yes, yes Annie. I know you want me to tell me how much I love his cute little face. He’ll be told that. Okay, okay Ginger! I’ll nibble on his ear and lick his face! Boy you’re a weird one!”

As Luna was being driven with madness as she determined their bizarre fates, the other freaks came to Tobias’s aid, each using their special talents and abilities to send the villagers running in the other direction.

With the help of his fellow freaks, Skype Tyranno, the Strongman of the Freak Show, then used his immense strength to tie up the remaining villagers with a massive steel beam, towering over them. He then looked at them with a sad, but gentle smile as he spoke.

“That’s what happens when you try and hurt our family. We’ll deal with you all soon enough.”

Another villager tried to slip away from the chaos, realizing that he couldn’t win this fight. So he ran, only to be stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a wooden booth before him. A familiar red curtain within the booth drew back to show the Beagle in Red. The villager had no idea what he was looking at. But soon an inner madness seized him. And no matter where he turned, the booth reappeared before him. Getting closer to him. Closer…and closer…and closer…AND CLOSER STILL! He then stood right in front of the Beagle in Red’s wooden puppet face. The Beagle’s wooden mouth opened and DING! a Fortune Card popped out in the front slot of his booth.

The villager’s paw trembled as he reached for it. As he read his fortune, he began to scream in pure terror like a mad man before collapsing to the ground, whimpering like a scared little puppy, fulling and mentally broken.

The Beagle in Red then returned to his regular position as the curtain closed upon him.

Only the arrogant mayor and his spoiled son were left. All of his men were properly dealt with and they had nowhere to run.

Trembling on the ground like cowards, they looked up at Freaka, being surrounded by all of her freaky little friends.

“I think it’s time for you to leave…permanently” said Freaka before she drew two large hammers from behind her back.

Each hammer was colored and patterned like her outfit. Each flat surface had a big smiley face. On the handles of each hammer read in an ironic twist “This is a Hammer.” She then cued up her swing.

“FOUR!” she exclaimed as she teed up and whacked both white rabbit’s into the sky with each hammer. In the distance, they looked like two shooting stars, just as the Beagle in Red had foretold several months earlier.

As the two disappeared into the distance, Tobias remained speechless.

For the first time in his life, someone not only stood up for him, but saved his life as well. But more than that, he finally felt like he was part of a real family again.

Freaka turned to Tobias, smiling.

“I don’t think those two will be bothering you ever again my freaky little freak. We’re a family who stands by our own, you know?” she said as she playfully winked at him.

Tobias then ran over and gave Freaka the biggest, fluffiest foxtaur hug he had ever given to another soul, tearing up as he spoke.

“Thank you Freaka, for everything. You’ve saved my life and given me new hope. You’ve given me so much in such a short amount of time. A new home, a new purpose, but importantly, a new family.”

The harlequin fox then grinned a twisted grin.

“Think nothing of it my freaky little freak. You belong with us!” she exclaimed as she turned and extended her arm out to showcase all those who helped the foxtaur stand his ground.

“You belong here with all of us!”

Epilogue

As 5 years quickly passed by, Tobias’s act only continued to improve and became even grander, taking on new elements. Elements such as juggling with both his hand and fore paws, telling stories and jokes during his performance, breathing fire, stretching his long foxtaur body into new freaky positions as he rode on his unicycle and balancing audience members on top of him as he did his now famous high wire act. He even began combining his acts with the other freaks, including Leon, Vulken, Styphior and even a special once a year performance with Freaka herself.

His face also changed as well. It became more twisted, happy and jovial, a reminder from his mentor that it was always important to put a smile on another’s face, even if he had to force it on them.

And every night, he would sleep with his fellow freaks in The Housing Tent. He slept in the same extra-large hammock that hung from the two bedposts where his buddy Vulken slept. Some would think that a taurric creature would need an extra-large traditional bed, and you would be right, but not Tobias. In fact, he actually preferred the hammock, for it allowed him to be more nimble in his balancing acts.

As Freaka’s Furry Freak Show eventually traveled to lands in the far North, Tobias then met the love of his life when his troop encountered a most enormous attraction.

At over 1,000 pounds, the lovely and overly obese arctic foxtaur Erurainon Eveningfall was quite the sight to behold. Also known as Rain, her fur was a beautiful shade of arctic white. Her long hair was also a shade of arctic white, with her hair tips being a beautiful shade of sea green teal. A shade of pink colored her cute little nose and paw pads. Her fat digits were a teal-gray, with a pair of light gray-blue colored eyes that could make even the coldest heart warm up.

She had been worshipped as a goddess by a small fishing village when she happened to stumble upon them a few years ago via a camping trip up North. Believing that she was their great goddess reincarnated, the villagers delighted in feeding her, believing that the larger she became, the more wealthy and prosperous their village would become.

But when a sudden and massive blizzard hit, it sadly froze the villagers to death, with only Rain remaining as the sole survivor due to her blubbery taur belly and body keeping her warm. She would have literally starved to death without the aid of Freaka’s Furry Freak Show.

Thankfully for her, they had braved the storm, hearing rumors of a creature that was truly titanic in size. Tobias was immediately interested to see another of his kind. Freaka needed a Fat Lady for her show, feeling that it would make her Freak Show more robust. Together, they made a deal with the fat foxtaur, who knew that she could never go back to a normal life, and Rain became the newest member of their Freaky Family.

Over the years that followed, Tobias and Rain became very close friends. Since both were foxtaurs, they had much in common and shared their various stories with one another. And as one might suspect, they even began to fall in love and started dating.

Tobias even went out of his way to find ways of incorporating Rain into his act, like riding on top of her fat foxtaur body with his unicycle and having her lift him up on his unicycle with her flabby fore paws.

Soon another date night was upon Tobias. As the 31 year old foxtaur strapped on two giant barrels of vanilla milkshakes to his taurric sides, courtesy of his Ice Sorcerer friend Styphior, he began to make his trek to his big, blubbery and beautiful Rain.

Why vanilla milkshakes you ask?

For you see, Tobias discovered during one of his date nights that Rain loved sweets. And the one thing she had always loved as a little foxtaur kit that made her go wild was a great vanilla milkshake. With that knowledge, Tobias asked for the aid of Styphior, who was looking for a unique challenge in creating something different to sell to the customers at The Freak Show. With his help, Styphior made the greatest vanilla milkshakes on Earth.

Vulken then sped up to his friend, helping him to finish securing the straps to his sides and continuing to walk alongside him, speeding around to keep from being bored.

“Anything else I can do you my Brother in Legs? You just say the word. I’ll get you a whole tanker truck full of vanilla milkshakes to make you and your big, beautiful gal pal happy.”

Tobias just smiled as he continued to lug the barrels.

“That’s okay Vulken, but I’ll let you know when that will happen” he said, playfully winking and chuckling to his speedy friend. “Some things you just need to develop over time. And this is one of them.”

As Tobias walked down The Magical Midway, he encountered Styphior and the Beagle in Red, sharing a conversation between each other.

Styphior turned to his foxtaur brother and smiled.

“I hope those milkshakes are to your girlfriend’s liking my brother. I’ve been working on that recipe for a while now. I really think I perfected it now. Those are the best damned vanilla milkshakes in the entire world. I hope your large and lovely lady taur enjoys them as much as I did making them.”

Tobias smiled and thanked his ice fox brother.

“I know she will absolutely love them Styphior. She couldn’t thank you enough for that last batch. And thank you again for everything you have done to help us become closer together.”

Styphior then laughed a creepy laugh as he spoke.

“At the rate you’re feeding her those milkshakes, she’ll be a lot closer to you. Now if you excuse me, I’d like to get to know my friend Beagle a little better” he said with a sly wink as he came closer to his booth, playfully placing his paw on top of the booth’s glass top as it began form a frost pattern that caused Styphior to jump slightly and frantically clear it off.

As Tobias continued to Rain’s trailer, three familiar faces could be seen in the distance talking to each other. Raziel, Leon and Spyke were talking with one another, with Raziel being the first to speak up.

“Tobias my brother, looking spiffy tonight! You got another date with that big cutie down the way?”

“You know it Razzy. She’s the most beautiful foxtaur in the whole world, isn’t she?”

“She certainly is. And a gamer to boot. We were talking about the idea of doing a game stream next week on the classic PlayStation title Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. We’d love for you to join us.”

“That sounds like a plan Razzy. Count me it!” exclaimed Tobias enthusiastically, giving a big thumbs up with his right paw.

Spyke then gave Tobias a massive hug, easily picking him and the barrels that he was carrying with ease before setting him down gently. In a kind and gentle voice, he spoke.

“I’m very happy for you my foxtaur friend. Treasure every moment that you’re with her.”

Tobias looked at Spyke with admiration.

“I will my Drakkal friend.”

Leon then chimed in, eager to impart his wisdom on the young lover.

“You are very lucky to have the girl of your dreams mate. Make sure you both treat each other well. And may your sharped arrows of love strike her so quick and fast that she cannot resist you and your foxy charm. Now go get ‘em foxtaur!”

Tobias nodded to Leon and thanked all three of his friends, waving goodbye as he continued to walk down The Magical Midway, walking past the famous carousel.

Eventually, Tobias came to Rain’s trailer, which was extra-large to accommodate the enormous arctic foxtaur that resided within. With an extra wide door in the back of the trailer that opened up completely, the foxtaur stepped through with his precious cargo.

On the floor of Rain’s trailer were plush burgundy floor pillows and teal blue body pillows around her as she rested, reading one of her favorite books. A silver bucket of Bon-Bon’s was placed next to her as she ate one by one after each paragraph. With a playful wink, she beckoned Tobias into her bedroom, motioning him in with a wag of her fat, chubby paw digit.

“Oh, hello Tobias. Did you get those two big barrels of milkshakes for lil’ old me?”

Tobias nodded with a big, boyish grin and blushed across his muzzle.

“All for you my big, beautiful, blubbery goddess” he said with a playful wink.

Rain just laughed and chuckled at his comment.

“Oh Tobias, that part of my life is done with. I’m just a 1,500 pound foxtaur working a Freak Show act with you and our Freaky Family.”

Tobias would not be swayed from his previous statement.

“That doesn’t matter to me. In my crazy orangey-gold and amber eyes, you are the most beautiful goddess to me. You have made me so happy ever since you joined our Freaky Family several years ago. And I truly do love you.”

Rain was touched by Tobias’s words, blushing a deep shade of red and feeling loved by the jovial jester that stood before her.

And with those words, Tobias readied the milkshakes and attached a long plastic tube to be given to her. Rain quickly went to work consuming the precious vanilla shakes within the barrels, as Tobias made himself comfy on Rain’s enormously soft foxtaur belly.

As he laid next to Rain, she grabbed him in her massive arms. Smiling before she removed the tube from her muzzle with her free paw, she kissed him on his fluffy cheek. She then began cuddling and snuggling with him, like he was a big plush toy. Tobias returned the kiss in turn, nuzzling her plump, beautiful face. They soon hugged each other back sweetly, each one smiling back at one another and feeling loved.

Outside of the trailer, Freaka peered into the window and smiled as the foxtaur lovers continued their cuddle session, happy to see her freaky little freak finally having a home, a family and someone to love.

She then hopped onto her scooter and rode off into the night, looking for new and potential up-and-coming acts for her freak show.

So if you notice a scent of strawberries in the air and see pitched up tents in the distance with a beautiful shimmering light, be sure to head to The Greatest Freak Show on Earth: Freaka’s Furry Freak Show at The Berry Meat Carnival!