Fortress Blues

Lesbian Deer Cinderella adjusted her blue mask as she landed softly on the polished floor of Fortress 69. The giant blue numbers glowed above the entrance, casting an electric shimmer across the futuristic walls. Sappho City stretched beyond the windows, its mix of humans, foxes, and llamas bustling through the streets below.

"Another quiet day," she muttered, her orange cape settling behind her.

A crash echoed from the lower levels, followed by what sounded like sobbing. She tilted her head, listening carefully. The fortress usually stayed peaceful during afternoon hours.

"Hello?" she called, her voice bouncing off the metallic corridors. "Is someone down there?"

More sniffling drifted upward, accompanied by the clatter of scattered metal pieces. Someone was definitely upset, and from the sound of it, they'd broken something important. She flexed her gloved fingers and started toward the stairwell, her boots clicking against the floor.

Tears and Gears

She descended the metal staircase, her boots echoing softly. The sobbing grew louder with each step. At the bottom, she found a workshop filled with scattered metal pieces, twisted wires, and what looked like the remains of a complicated machine.

A young llama sat hunched over the wreckage, his fuzzy ears drooped low. Tears streamed down his furry cheeks as he picked up a broken gear and held it close to his chest. His wool was cream-colored with brown spots, and he wore thick glasses that kept sliding down his nose.

"Oh no," he whispered. "They took it. They actually took it."

"Hey there," she said gently, stepping closer. "I'm Cinderella. What happened here?"

The llama looked up, startled. His eyes were red from crying. "I'm Oliver," he sniffled. "I invented a friendship machine. It could help anyone become best friends instantly. But some foxes broke in and stole the main power core. Now they're planning to use it backwards."

"Backwards?"

"To make everyone hate each other instead." Oliver's voice cracked. "They said they'd test it at the music festival tomorrow. Hundreds of people will be there."