Ladies' Night [Various; Crossover, Meta, Secret Green, Comfy]: A casual gathering of all the lovely ladies from my pastes in one very self-indulgent bit of wankery. If you can identify them all (excluding the one who has yet to have her own story), then thank you immensely for reading my material! >She’s still following you >A young woman has been stalking you for the last several blocks >She’s actually pretty stunning, but such a beauty has to have some kind of ulterior motive for tailing YOU of all people >Maybe she’s trying to proposition you? >Well, that’s being hopeful >She’s more likely to be scoping you out for a mugger >You’re so absorbed in your runaway thoughts you don’t even realize you’re heading into an alley >A dead end >When you turn around she’s right on you, grinning wickedly >With every step she takes, it looks like a part of her drips off her body >Her smile melts, literally >As does the rest of her body >What was once a beautiful woman is now... >Well, a dog woman >A beautiful dog woman >A two-legged, black-furred canine with all the accessories you’d expect from a devil: horns, fangs, wings, a spaded tail... >All nearly bursting out of the skimpiest outfit you can hardly see through her fur >A beautiful, succubus dog woman >A hellhound >”You’re looking a little lonely, big guy,” she coos, running a thick claw under your chin >She’s going to take your soul, isn’t she? >The hellhound actually just giggles at your fear >”Oh no, I don’t do that anymore. I don’t take souls, I take commissions. My NEW employer does things a little differently.” >She pulls a business card out of her ballooning cleavage >[Medafet’s Matchmaking] >There’s an address on the card, and it’s someplace not far off >”Just give me a call when you find some happiness. I’d REALLY like to hear your feedback. Toodles!” >And the hellhound is gone in a puff of smoke >...What just happened? >You head to the address on the card come nighttime >It’s a trap if you’ve ever seen one >There’s no office or business building you’d expect from some kind of formal “service” being offered >It’s just a dive bar >One without signage or even windows >Of course such an observation is superficial compared to the bouncer at the door >It’s another anthropomorphic animal woman >This one’s a wild, punkish looking hyena >Or at least she LOOKS like a hyena, except maybe a little more…monstrous >Leaning on the butt of a really big fucking gun >Not a bad bouncer to have for your bar >”Go on in, love!” she laughs as you approach. “It’s Ladies’ Night, and I’m sure you’ll find someone to hold you tight if you ask REEEAL polite like!” >She continues cackling at her own joke as she steps aside for you to enter >Welp, here goes nothing... >When you head inside, you’re awestruck >Not by the bar itself, though; it’s pretty unremarkable >All the patrons are animal people, and all female from what you can tell >There’s a number of different species, though quite a lot of canines >Closest to you is what you’d call the “wolfess table” >Two gray ones, a russet one, and one darker than all the others >The darkest wolfess, dressed like some kind of heavy metal fan, is in the middle of a story >”So I climbed his back, tied the ears on two of his heads to each other, and put the third in a headlock! Slammed the oaf into the ground and made a nice little outline of his body in the ground!” >”W0w, that s0unds like a g00d Father’s Day, V0lfa,” the russet wolfess says in a somewhat robotic tone >She has a vicious looking chrome arm with literal blades for fingers >Doesn’t make it easy for her to pick up her glass, which makes a screeching noise with every attempt >The one named Volfa throws back a few shots, and her mouth starts smoking >”Hey, you ever arm wrestle with that thing?” >”Just 0nce. I w0n.” >The dark wolfess drops her elbow onto the table >”Alright, you and me! Hell, I’ll even take HER on at the same time!” >One of the two gray wolves—heavily scarred and heavily armored—scoffs >”Hmph. Arrogant pup. Fine, I will take your challenge and show you some humility.” >”That’a girl!” >Volfa has a wolfess in each paw and nods to the fourth one >The other gray is half inside what looks like a mascot costume, like she just got off the clock from her job >”Thanks, but I’ll watch,” she says. “I don’t think there’s much room left, unless you want me to arm wrestle your toes beneath the table. Then I’d be the real ‘underdog’!” >She elbows the scarred wolfess, who doesn’t look amused >”Get it? ‘Under-dog’! Not to be confused with ‘Updog’.” >”Wh0’s Upd0g?” >”Dammit, R0uga, you ruined the joke...” >The wolfess table commences their three-way test of strength as you examine the rest of the bar >While the dogs have a few tables to themselves, the bar counter is packed with felines >There’s a jaguar in tribal clothes batting a shot glass side to side, like it were a small rodent or a ball of yarn >Behind the counter is a lioness dressed up in a medieval wench’s outfit >”Welcome to the finest tavern in ye olde lands…or whatever,” she says dully to the other cats. “What are you having?” >The first one to order is a tiger who’s trying hard to adjust her ill-fitting swimsuit as she looks at the menu >This place doesn’t seem to have a very strict dress code >”Just water, please,” the tigress says >The lioness sighs and turns to another large cat >You think it’s just a second lion, dressed in tribal garb like the jaguar, but this one has enormous protruding fangs like a saber tooth tiger >What also protrudes from her is a massive pregnant belly >”Water will do,” she grunts, rubbing the top of her gravid swell. “Best to drink the clean rains so long as the brood is still growing.” >The lioness turns to yet another patron with a groan >”Please don’t say ‘water’.” >The last feline’s even stranger than the saber tooth >She LOOKS like another lioness, but has scaly patches on her body and a black, snake-like tail >A…sphinx? >No, a manticore >”I’ll have something mixed,” she says with a toothy grin >”You should do a body shot!” the tigress says, almost popping out of her swimsuit >”Are you offering?” the lioness bartender asks >”Hmmm, I’ll do the funnel instead!” the manticore says >The saber tooth, despite her fecundity, hefts the manticore onto the bar counter >The lioness props the manticore’s mouth open with a funnel and grabs several bottles in preparation >You’re mildly invested in the show, but then again there’s still more to see around the place >Along the wall is a line of flashing arcade machines, with a kangaroo girl tapping the buttons frantically >You can faintly see a rather familiar blue vixen fighting with a staff on the screen >The game freezes for a moment and the kangaroo squeals in panic >Surprising you very little, another canine…ish creature with a vibrant yellow mane walks over > She casually punches the machine with her staticky paw >The arcade cabinet pops with electricity and the game resumes >”Thanks, Juitz,” the kangaroo says without taking her eyes off the screen >”I got your back, ‘roo,” the spark dog says. “Can I play next?” >”Uh…yeah, sure. Just…let me…finish this one….” >The dog leans against one of the cabinets to wait, and the whole line of them glitch to show “JTZ” for every spot on the “High Scores” list >”Uh, maybe you could be Player 2?” the kangaroo offers >”Right. I’ll go get the coins.” >”W-wait, Juitz, you can just do that…” >Too late, the spark dog’s already off to bother the bartender for game tokens >Hidden in the corner at a smaller table are even more dogs >A nondescript one just sulks and mumbles to herself about everything going on in the bar >Luckily you’re spared from her judgmental gaze >In fact, she doesn’t seem to notice you at all >The other one joining her, clearly a German shepherd, only pretends like she’s listening to the grumbling >It doesn’t seem like she’s ignoring the conversation out of boredom, though >Rather, her paws are too busy “exploring” regions underneath the table >She’s fidgeting discreetly >You imagine she’s trying to do something lewd and not get caught, yet deliberately doing it for the thrill of that very risk >It makes you think of your own love life >Or lack thereof >You just sort of wandered into this place, following the mysterious lead of something completely unbelievable to you >All of these anthro ladies with different personalities and histories >They’re all here for a reason >Though it’s probably just to have a good time >And yet, they all seem…”taken” >Like there’s already someone in their lives you can’t compete with >Is there someone in this place just for YOU, like the hellhound hinted at? >Well, there’s still the stairs leading to the floor above… >The raucous activity from the bar below peters out to quietness upstairs >There are several rooms along a narrow hallway, each used for a different reason >The first one appears to be just a simple lounge >A white wolfess—�very similar looking to the “Volfa” downstairs—�is enthralled with a nature documentary about wolves on a small TV >You guess she’s not so interested in the wolves themselves as she is the rugged animal handler playing with them >There’s a washroom not far off, with the door slightly ajar >Most of the ladies here look like they could rip your neck from under your head with just a swipe, but you can’t resist taking a peek >There’s a lighter gray wolfess dressing herself in hunting apparel while someone else is in the bathtub singing >”Hilde, we’re going to be late for the party,” the hunter wolfess says. “Hurry up or I’m coming in there and finishing the job for you!” >“~Just a moment!~” the one in the tub sings >Although the plastic screen hides the bather, the pointed ears of the silhouette make you think she’s probably a jackal or something >The hunter wolfess seems to have an epiphany right at the same time. >”Jackal…Hilde…hey, Hilde, what’s that ‘power’ you keep going on about?” >You back away from the door, just in case they’re ready to come out at a moment’s notice >You’re starting to run out of rooms to check >There’s a large bedroom with several more anthro girls in it >One enormous Kodiak bear is taking up the entire bed >She looks like she’s out cold, and that almost nothing is going to wake her for a while >There’s a snow leopard snoozing on top of the ursine like she were a mattress >She tosses and turns to get comfortable, proving the bear is way too catatonic to be bothered by it >A teal and gold kingfisher is sleeping upright in the corner under a hut—or a nest—of curtains >Finally, there’s a hyena (a real one this time) cocooned in a pile of blankets in the corner >She’s shivering slightly, as though her overabundance of blankets still isn’t enough to keep her warm >You leave the napping girls and head to the final room >If this one doesn’t have an anthro girl waiting for you, then it’ll all be for nothing >You step through the threshold with eyes half shut in anticipation >When you’re completely inside, you see what you expected the most: >It’s empty >You don’t know what you were hoping for, but there isn’t even a single being in here beside you, anthro or otherwise >Still, there’s a pretty nice bed >If nothing else, maybe you can crash here for the night while you figure out what to do with yourself >As you flop on your back, your head back up in surprise >Closing the door is what you think must be another wolfess, but she’s so large and full of fluff she has to have some bear in her >Honestly, you don’t know what kind of animal to think of her as >Except maybe “comforting” >Silvery fur and deep blue eyes >Powerful limbs, but an alluring softness >All packaged in a simple dress and apron >You sit upright, only to have the anthro woman gently push you back down >”You seem surprised,” she muses with a soothing voice >Yeah, a little bit >You weren’t expecting anyone to notice you >You can’t think of a single moment in this bar where you felt like you belonged >Almost nobody made eye contact with you (except the hellhound and the bouncer) and they acted as though you weren’t even physically here >”Don’t feel bad,” she responds. “I’m sure they would enjoy your company, but they have eyes for only one human of their own already.” >So it was pointless to come here, then >…Unless… >You look into her prismatic eyes, and she gives you a friendly smile >”This is my inn. I give everyone a chance to be happy and relax, human and anthro alike. I can’t say I’m the one you’re looking for in your quest for companionship, but I CAN give you a moment of comfort before you go looking again.” >The innkeeper sets her apron aside and eases herself onto the bed with you >You’re pulled up against her, nestled into her large body >”When you’re ready to leave, you may. Until then, be at peace.” >She wraps one arm under you, and curls the other over you >You can immediately feel the warmth of her body >The warmth of her plush coat >The warmth of her caring sweetness >She completely envelops you in fur and tenderness >One large paw holds you tight while the other rubs slow circles on your chest >”You will be loved,” she assures you >Her voice reverberates through the contact between your bodies, loosening any tension and relaxing your very muscles >Her breathing is slow; her fluffy form presses up against you with even more softness as she inhales deeply >When she exhales it’s a gradual, gentle hum in your ear >”You will find your happiness.” >You can feel the heat of her breath flow over any part of you not already blanketed in her fur >Her mantra instills good feelings in you >And any time your mind dares stray toward cloudy thoughts, she squeezes the negativity out of you >You wonder how long she’ll let you stay here >You’re answered with another firm hug >”Don’t feel pressured to leave,” she whispers. “You’ll know when the time is right, but you’ll also know when you need to…just…rest…” >She hefts you off the mattress just enough so she can rock you in her arms >Repeating herself after every breath and every rock >”You will be loved.” >”You will find your happiness.” >Now you’re up on her stomach >Her neck is your pillow >Her arms are your blankets >You rise and fall in time with her breathing, like a gentle wave >And much like the rise and fall of the sun, she rolls over and places you down on the opposite side >She resumes her delicate words >”Loved.” >”Happiness.” >Brushing a paw against your face and leaning her head on top of yours >Your mind stays awake so you can enjoy the rest of the experience, but your body has already gone to sleep >”You will find someone who can take care of you like this,” she promises. “Keep your heart open. Someone out there wants to feel just as safe in it.” >It’s been ages since you’ve been able to hear any of the commotion downstairs, and now you can hardly even make out the words the innkeeper says to you >But even though the words are intelligible, the messages are clear >She doesn’t know you personally, but you get the feeling she knows what you’re going through >She relieves you from your momentary stressors, but she doesn’t quite coddle you from reality >Encouragements, praises, compliments >Everything she says to you rings true >But she’s not doing this to flatter you >She’s doing this to remind you what you should look for in yourself >”You are perfect just as you are…” you can hear her say as your eyelids grow heavy >Something in you knows that when you wake up, this place will be gone >But it’s because you’ll be ready to leave >Because it’s for the best >Because… >You are perfect >”Don’t ever change.”