

Pleased To Meat You
a cub preparation tale
by Alex Reynard

NOTE: This story takes place in the same world as "Jason's New Home", so the concepts of cubslaves (and the Rejuvenator) are heavily present.
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	Jessica Veronica Nytski kept nearly sliding off the chair in the Starkite Cubmeats head office. The combination of a plastic seat and her petite nylon-covered tush did not result in much friction. She held on to Kevin's hand as much for physical support as emotional.
	She wasn't scared, she told herself. She'd been vored before. She'd been in a Rejuvenator before. She knew it wasn't scary. But she'd never been in a place like this before. 'Anything's a little scary if you don't know what to expect from it,' Mr. Harring had told her.
	Her thumbclaw squeezed Kevin's paw a little tighter.
	"You doin' okay, lullabye?" the grey fox asked. He knew she liked that nickname.
	Jessica smiled for him. "I'm fine."
	"Really?" He could see traces of nervousness in her body language.
	She sighed. "Okay, well, maybe I am a little nervous. I'm not scared though!" she quickly denied. "But it's a meat factory! I mean... I like the idea that I'll get turned into yummy meat for people to enjoy. But what's it gonna be like actually living here? Will the other cubs like me? Will the staff be nice?"
	Kevin leaned over to nuzzle between her ears reassuringly. "You know if there's any problems, you can always call me."
	"But what could you do? I mean, I love you 'n trust you forever. But I'm *sold* to here."
	"I'm sure I could find a way to arrange a transfer if there's any problems. But that's assuming there'll *be* any." He 'boop'ed her on the nose. "Most likely, you'll like it here just as much as Rent-A-Girl."
	She nodded. "I hope so. Mr. Harring did say this place had good cub satisfaction ratings. I really do want to like it here."
	"I'm sure you will. Though I've been meaning to ask... You haven't said much about Rent-A-Girl selling you here. I mean, it seems like it would feel weird being bought like a... an appliance or something."
	Jessica giggled. "It's not like that at all! And even if it is, I don't mind. I'm a cubslave; I'm proud of that. I kinda like knowing I'm..." she searched for the right word, "...purchasable. I dunno why, but it feels fun. And plus, the longer I stay here, the more money you can save up."
	He nodded. "And then you're coming home with me, where you belong," he said, giving her a kiss. "How long do you-"
	At that moment the office door rattled open and a very thin squirrel stepped briskly in, looking at an inventory pad. "Miss Veronica?" he asked.
	She giggled cutely. "No, that's my middle name!"
	The squirrel adjusted his glasses. "Right, right." He sat down at his desk like liquid pouring into a mold. Then he got his first good look at Jessica and was a little startled.
	Jessica didn't mind; she knew bats were rare. Besides, all the surprised stares in the world didn't matter a bit when she thought about how Kevin looked at her. Like she was the most beautiful girl in the world.
	Jessica had shiny short black fur over most of her body, except for her furless muzzle and feet. Her hair was chocolate brown, like her eyes, and she never bothered to comb it. Her ears and nostrils were both triangle-shaped, and in her opinion they both stuck out too far. Today she was wearing her favorite pink leotard. She liked it best not just because of the color, but because it was specially bat-made with wide slots for her wings to fit through (She could wear T-shirts, but they were pinchy and got uncomfortable after a while). She also had on a shiny violet miniskirt, four gold earrings and a pink beret.
	"Well Jessica," the squirrel said, "welcome to Starkite. You are our first bat. I'm looking forward to working with you." He reached across the desk for a handshake.
	She held his paw between her folded wing and thumbclaw. "Me too! I hope I'll be very tasty!"
	The squirrel was a very professional man who didn't display much emotion, but his eyes smiled. He liked when new purchases showed enthusiasm. "My name is Salvatore Camp. I'm the boss. Your file says we bought you from Rent-A-Girl. Impressive. May I ask why they wanted to let you go?"
	Jessica blushed and fidgeted a bit. "Well... It's a little embarrassing, but... I just wasn't making them enough money. I really did try though! Most furs just don't think bats are cute, I guess. I'm not angry about it or anything. Rent-A-Girl was a really nice place and they took good care of me and did everything they could to help me sell. I even made the catalog a few times. That's where Kevin first saw me."
	Mr. Camp blinked for a second, seeming to realize for the first time there was someone else in the room.
	"Kevin Waterstreet. Pleased to meet you." The grey fox held out his hand for a shake too.
	Mr Camp accepted it, a little embarrassed. "Ahem. Yes. Mr. Waterstreet. You are... Jessica's guardian? I'm a little confused. I thought we owned Miss Nytski cleanly."
	"Oh, I'm not her guardian," he said. "I want to be though. When I first saw Jessica in the catalog, I fell in love with her. I've got a newspaper job and don't make much money, but I rented Jessica at least once a month for about a year. I'm hoping to adopt her. Unfortunately, I just don't have the financial stability necessary yet. Rent-A-Girl was kind enough to suggest that, since I couldn't buy her, they could sell her to you folks, and she'd have a place to stay for a while."
	Mr. Camp nodded, understanding now. "Yes, we have a clean, comfortable dormitory onsite, along with a 24-hour staff. Complaints are rare and are quickly taken care of. It's simply good business to keep our livestock happy."
	"Livestock!" Jessica said. "Jeeze, it's weird to think of myself like that!"
	"You kinda are though, kiddo," Kevin said. "At least for now."
	The squirrel looked concerned. "I'm very sorry if I offended you!" he told Jessica sincerely.
	"You're not gonna brand me, are you?" she kidded.
	Mr. Camp shook his head. "Not at all. You'll be very comfortable here. It's scientifically proven that happy volunteers produce the best-tasting product."
	Jessica smiled, imagining herself on store shelves. "And I get paid too?"
	"Well, possibly. Our current arrangement is that, since you'll be living on-premises, you'll forego a paycheck. After all, it does cost money to feed and care for our cubs. This facility is for girlcubs only, by the way. Our boy factory is across town. Here, all girls are required to be butchered once per day. Although since you're new, you can stay tonight, get a feel for things, and start work tomorrow. If you were living with Mr Waterstreet and commuted to the factory daily, then you would receive a paycheck every other Friday. Or, if you choose to participate in a second shift in the evenings, then we'd total up the extra profit and you'd receive payment then also."
	"Okay, I get it. Simple. And I don't think I'll have a problem with doing extra shifts. I've been snuffed before. Kevin even tried cooking me once! It was kind of a disaster." Kevin blushed. "But it wasn't scary and I'm used to the Rejuvenator by now."
	"Excellent!" said Camp. "So many girls come in who are scared stiff of the process. It's a shame. I deeply dislike seeing a new girl cry when it's her first time through the machines."
	"Um... I was a little worried about that. I don't like pain or rough stuff," Jessica said, shifting in her seat.
	"Not to worry. Any licensed processing plant is required by law to be pain-free. We even use top-of-the-line neural anesthetics. You'll have the option of feeling nothing at all, or having pain swapped for pleasure."
	Jessica perked up. "Really?"
	Mr. Camp chuckled. "Of course. We want the process to be as enjoyable as possible. The more you girls want to go through the machines, the more profits we all make!"
	"Cool!" Jessica was feeling much better now. She still wanted to see the factory itself before she could let herself completely relax, but Mr. Camp was doing a good job of reassuring her. This place seemed just as professional as Rent-A-Girl. She'd loved being there. They genuinely cared about all the girls' happiness and safety. It made sense they wouldn't sell her to someplace disreputable.
	"If you're ready, Miss Nytski, we can sign the last of the paperwork now and you can begin the factory tour."
	"I'm ready," she chirped. Mr. Camp handed her a clipboard containing a standard cubslave contract. She read it over nonetheless, while Kevin peeked over her shoulder and read it too. It basically said that she would be the company's property, but she'd have the right to request a transfer or emancipation if the company mistreated her. It also explained in greater detail some of the things Mr. Camp had already told her about how she'd be paid.
	Reading the contract got her a little horny, she had to admit to herself. Her only real regret about being sold to Starkite was not being a yiffcub anymore. Being owned by Rent-A-Girl had been wonderful. She'd felt like a pampered princess. She didn't know how being a meatcub would be different. All in all, she would have preferred to have become a furcub and go to work making pretty coats and things. But bat fur was too coarse for that, they'd said (Though Kevin had told her she was as soft as a cotton ball). Hopefully, being a meatcub wouldn't be too bad. She'd still feel the fulfillment of people enjoying her, but now they'd be enjoying her taste instead of her looks. That was okay by her.
	Jessica's wings made pens not exactly easy to use, but she managed to sign the contract anyway.
	'There,' she thought, 'They own me now. I'm gonna be food!' She wriggled in happy anticipation.
	Then she slid off the plastic chair onto her bum.


*****


	Jessica found herself crying a little when Kevin said goodbye. She wasn't sure why. She knew he could come and visit her at any time. In fact, they could see each other more often now. But still, being by yourself in a new place for the first time is hard. It's even harder watching someone you love get smaller and smaller as they walk away from you.
	'No,' Jessica thought to herself. 'Dry your eyes. Get brave! You're a cubslave and you are a professional! This is a new adventure and you are going to face it-'
	Jessica jumped and yelped when something tapped her arm.
	"OH! I'm sorry!" said a female voice.
	Jessica swiveled around, breathing fast, and felt silly. "No, I'm sorry! I was just thinking real hard and I didn't hear you. I usually hear everything," she pointed to her bat ears, "so when I don't it really frazzles me!"
	The woman chuckled. "That's understandable." She held out a hoofed paw for a shake. "My name's Mrs. Aaronsen."
	Jessica wasn't sure if Mrs. Aaronsen was an antelope or a gazelle. She had pretty horns though, and smooth stripey fur. She was dressed conservatively in a sharp purple outfit. Jessica hadn't shook many hands like hers. It was mostly normal, but with the first knuckle replaced by little hoof-bits.
	She smiled kindly at the little bat. "I'll be showing you around the place. Are you ready to go or do you still need a moment? It looked like you were having kind of a hard goodbye there."
	Jessica blushed that she'd seen that. "No, um. Well. Kinda. Rent-A-Girl let me stay with Kevin the past two weeks while they did all the paperwork 'n stuff to sell me to you guys. It was the longest time we've been able to be together, since he usually only had enough money to rent me once a month. I was getting used to sleeping beside him, in his bed, with his tail wrapped around me. I wish I could do that again tonight..."
	"...Instead of being here?" Mrs. Aaronsen finished. "I'm sorry you two have to be apart. There's nothing like being with someone you love. But hopefully, you'll make some new friends here and like the place enough that it won't be too bad, hm?"
	Jessica nodded.
	"Shall we go?"
	Jessica nodded again.
	With hoof in wing, Mrs. Aaronsen led her through the main lobby of Starkite Cubmeats to a door marked: EMPLOYEES ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT.
	'That's me now,' Jessica thought. 'I'm both an employee and a product!'
	They walked down a long, clean hallway full of offices. Jessica saw lots of furs busy at desks answering phones or typing on computers. 'Looks boring so far.'
	"Don't worry; it gets good soon," Mrs. Aaronsen said, as if reading her mind.
	Jessica was impressed.
	Finally they came to an elevator and Mrs. Aaronsen selected the top button. "I thought I'd show you everything at once. Most cubs usually get a kick out of it. You're not afraid of heights are you?"
	This brought a giggle. "I'm a *bat*!" Jessica said, spreading her wings.
	Mrs. Aaronsen smiled. "Ah, of course. By the way, how old are you, Jessica?"
	"Technically twelve."
	"Technically?" Mrs. Aaronsen said, surprised. "You look younger."
	"Exactly!"
	"Oh, right!" She got it now. "So how old are you and for how long?"
	At Rent-A-Girl, they had told Jessica about a procedure which could keep her as a cub for as long as she wanted. She would go to a nearby hospital for a few treatments, and then she would simply stop aging for a while. This way, she could remain at her "peak cuteness". Jessica liked this idea very much. She loved being a cub, and a cubslave, and had no desire to grow up anytime soon. Mrs. Aaronsen had obviously heard about this procedure. "They did it when I was ten, and they said I'd still be ten for the next decade. It's kinda weird thinking about it. I'll be twenty before I look eleven!"
	Mrs. Aaronsen chuckled. "Do you think you'll decide to grow up after that?"
	"I don't know. I really don't know. I mean... Some people stay cubs their whole lives, right? I dunno if I *never* want to grow up. But Kevin likes me this way. And I like me this way. And if I end up liking it here, staying little would let me stay here longer too."
	"There are other facilities for adults," Mrs. Aaronsen said. "If you like being livestock, that is. I do. I was a meatcub when I was your age. I loved it! Very fulfilling work. After I grew up, I spent a while in another factory downriver, then I came back here to get a job on staff and help other girls enjoy the exciting world of food preparation."
	"That's cool!" Jessica said, and gave her a hug.
	The elevator had long since reached its destination. Mrs. Aaronsen took Jessica by the wing and led her down a short hall to a set of double doors leading to a balcony. "Ready to see everything?"
	"You bet!"
	When they stepped through the doors, Jessica was struck speechless. In her mind, she'd been picturing a grimy, rusty, dark factory full of noisy machines and oily smoke. The balcony they were on ran along the entire perimeter of the facility. Above them was a domed glass roof that let in the warm sunshine. Below was a mind-bogglingly complicated factory floor jammed with gleaming technology. Jessica couldn't tell exactly what everything did, but she could see girls riding on conveyor belts, being taken apart by all sorts of machines. She heard no frightened screams; only laughter, conversation and sounds of pleasure. The air didn't even smell unpleasant. A bit like lilacs, actually.
	"WOWIE!" she finally said.
	Mrs. Aaronsen chuckled happily. "I'm glad you like it! Not what you were expecting, I'm guessing?"
	"Totally! For starters, I expected it to stink a bit. Like, well, meat."
	"Some places still do. But see those little beige boxes on the walls? Nanotech deodorant sprayers. Clouds of programmed molecules search the air and replace unpleasant smells with pleasant ones. We change them periodically. This month it's lilacs."
	"So it's an air freshener that's kinda like 'search and replace' on a computer. Sweet!" Jessica hung onto the railing and stared down at the machinery. "What's all that stuff do down there?"
	"You'll get to see soon. Actually, since it's your first day, you can just relax and get settled in. Tomorrow we'll run you through our first-timer's track. Normally the girls all ride the disassembly line together. But it's made for efficiency more than anything else, so it can be a little fast and scary if you're new to it. That's why we have our first-timer's track. It's the same process, but it's slower and you'll ride it all by yourself. Someone will be there at all times to let you know what's happening and what everything does."
	Jessica felt herself getting excited. "Sweet! Could I do that today if I wanted to?"
	Mrs. Aaronsen appreciated her initaitive. "Certainly! Usually, most new girls are apprehensive. But if you want to dive right in, that's wonderful!"
	The phrase 'dive right in' sparked an idea. "Um... Mrs. Aaronsen? What part of the factory were you gonna show me next?"
	"Actually, not the factory but the dorms." She leaned over the silver railing and pointed across the open space. "See over there? There's a big area with lots of girls playing. Just near there are the dorm rooms. We'll set you up with some roommates for tonight." Mrs. Aaronsen glanced over Jessica's wings. "Will a bed be okay? I'm sure we could find somewhere on the ceiling to install a perch if you need-"
	Jessica burst out laughing. "No, it's okay! I'm totally used to beds by now." She hugged the nice antelope again. "Thanks for asking though."
	"You're very welcome."
	Jessica had another thought. "Did Rent-A-Girl ship my clothes and things over by now?"
	"I don't know for sure, but probably. Even if they didn't, we have plenty of clothes that you can choose from. Toys too. We take in donations from the community, and we also go on shopping trips every week."
	"Cool! There's a store at the mall that sells bat stuff. Like, clothes made for furs with wings. They also sell stuff for porcupines and lizards and birds too."
	"The mall's one of our usual stops, so that shouldn't be a problem."
	"Excellent." Then Jessica re-remembered her idea. With a grin, she hopped up onto the railing.
	With a frightened gasp, Mrs. Aaronsen reached out to grab her arm.
	"Don't worry!" said Jessica. "I thought I'd race you to the bottom!" She spread her wings to their full span.
	Mrs. Aaronsen was a little uneasy at the idea, but Jessica seemed confident. "Well... allright. Just don't bump into any cables or beams or anything."
	Jessica snickered. "You haven't met a lot of bats before, have you?"
	Mrs. Aaronsen blushed a bit. "Well, no."
	"Watch and learn," Jessica said in her best action movie voice, and leaped off.


*****


	More than anything else, this amazing, wide, sunny, open space convinced Jessica that she was going to be happy here. Of course, the Rent-A-Girl staff had let her soar around outside as much as she wanted. Flying free in the open air was wonderful. But this place was different. It was a perfect unintentional flight training course! There was plenty of open space for her to circle or dive as fast as she liked. There were roof supports to dodge, plenty of ledges to perch on when she got tired, she even spotted some insects she could chase if she felt like a quick snack.
	She wondered if this place had a problem with flies. They certainly wouldn't anymore! 'Insectivore to the rescue!' she thought.
	Jessica was having so much fun darting and diving about that she forgot she was supposed to be getting somewhere. She remembered the big open area where Mrs. Aaronsen said they'd meet up. Jessica oriented herself and made a beeline for it.
	Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of girls who'd been watching her. She attracted quite a crowd when she landed.
	"Who's she?" "It's a bat!" "Lookit that nose!" "Did you see the way she flew up there?" "Is she new?" "Do bats have rabies?" "Her wings look weird." "That was incredible!"
	Jessica heard it all, and none of it surprised her. It was like this everywhere. Some people thought she was cool, others thought she was weird. It was all part of being a rare species. She simply took a bow.
	This made her beret fall off. She blushed, picked it up and slapped it back on again. Everyone giggled. She felt her cheeks flush. 'Darn! I kept it on while I was flying! Why'm I so clumsy on the ground?'
	Jessica looked over the cluster of girls. They were all pretty close to her age, with a few looking maybe thirteen or maybe eight. Lots of different species. A bit more diversity than Rent-A-Girl, which concerned itself more with cute, cuddly girls people would want to take home and yiff. Here there were girls of all sizes and shapes. Definitely more prey species than preds. Quite a few rodents, some cows and pigs, even a giraffe girl in the back. Nearly everyone was wearing what Jessica guessed was the factory's uniform; a pink jumpsuit which looked a bit like pajamas. Some girls were nude though, which no one seemed to mind, and a few wore their own outfits.
	An extremely stocky honey-colored mouse girl slid through the crowd. She was big all over, but clearly with muscle, not fat. The way the other girls got out of her way suggested that she was someone important.
	The mousegirl put her hands on her hips and looked Jessica over. Sizing her up. "A bat, huh? What's bat meat taste like?"
	Jessica shrugged. "I dunno. Kevin tried to cook me once, but he just ended up burning me. Next thing I knew I was waking up in the Rejuvenator. I didn't get a chance to try any of me."
	The mousegirl snorted derisively. "So you're a total food noob."
	Jessica folded her wings around herself. "I guess...?"
	The mouse took a step closer and narrowed her eyes. "My steaks are the most delicious of anyone in the whole factory. *You* probably taste like gnawing on a leather wallet!"
	Jessica had no idea if that was true or not, but she could tell it was an insult. "I do not! And... and I may not know what I taste like, but if I'm not tastier than you, I don't care! You go be the best! As long as at least one furson likes how I taste, then I'm happy!"
	The mousegirl was caught a bit off guard, having expected a more defensive response.
	Jessica wasn't going to get in a fight. She'd already been through all this at Rent-A-Girl, where a few of the girls were snobs who'd do anything to make sure they got chosen more than anyone else. Jessica had learned to let them stress themselves out on their stupid games. Being the best by someone else's standards wasn't anywhere as important as being the best by her own.
	Once more the mouse looked Jessica up and down. "Good luck finding that one furson then," she sneered, and strutted off.
	Jessica's cheeks felt hot. She didn't like having enemies, so she'd simply avoid that girl from now on. "...Jerk," she muttered under her breath.
	"Don't listen to her. She's queen of her own little princess-planet."
	Jessica had heard someone approaching this time, so she wasn't surprised by the voice or the sudden arm that was plopped across her shoulders. "Excuse me?"
	"She's so stuck up her tail starts right below her ears," the possum girl said. She was a little taller than Jessica, with a long snout that had freckles on it. She was skinny on top but plump around her caboose. Her uniform shirt was tied in front, though she didn't have much of a bust to show off. "Becky Jean Mymble," she said, thrusting out a paw for a shake.
	Jessica shook. "Is that your name or hers?"
	The possum laughed a little too loudly. "Mine, duh! Over there, Miss 'I'm the tastiest in the land' is Daisy Elton. Just ignore her."
	"I plan to."
	"So anyway, you were _flying_ a second ago! That's pretty damn awesome!"
	Jessica giggled. "Thanks."
	"Couldja teach me?" Becky kidded.
	"I could teach you how to fall and go splat!" Jessica kidded.
	Becky guffawed again. Jessica saw, and smelled, what flavor of gum her new friend was chewing.
	"There you are, you naughty flyaway bat!" Mrs. Aaronsen said with a 'tsk tsk'. She hurried over to pat Jessica on the head. "You took off and I had no idea where you were going to land!"
	"Well, you said we were heading over here."
	"Of course. And thank you for obeying. You were just doing so many loops and circles, I kept checking on you as I went down each floor and you were someplace completely different every time!"
	Jessica smiled proudly.
	"Yeah! She's fast as a little comet with fur and a big nose!" Becky teased.
	"Hey!"
	"Well, I've got one too," Becky said, poking her considerable honker. "Welcome to the club. Your nostrils trump mine any day though."
	Mrs. Aaronsen rolled her eyes. "I see you've met Miss Mymble. As you can see, she's quite the chatterbox."
	"I never shut up!" Becky said, beaming with pride.
	Jessica snickered.
	"Actually," Mrs. Aaronsen said to Miss Mymble, "Jessica's new here and I was giving her the tour. You're welcome to come along since we both know you'll have a lot to say about the place."
	Becky grinned. She enjoyed being teased. "Sure! I'd love to help. I already got my daily slaughterin' out of the way this morning, so I'm free till dinner."
	"What was it like?" Jessica asked with wide eyes.
	"Gettin' axed? Heck, it's almost boring by now I've done it so much. You lie on the belt, the clamps hold you in place, off comes your fur, then chop chop chop and you're done! You die for a bit, then you wake up feeling all new 'n shiny and you go about your business."
	"It's that easy?"
	"Sure! Only takes, what, maybe half an hour? And most of that's Rejuvenation time. Plus if you're smart you'll do an evening shift too. Get some dough."
	"I was thinking I might."
	"Do you still want to try out the first-timer's track today?" Mrs. Aaronsen asked.
	Jessica nodded. "Absolutely!"
	Becky gently punched the batgirl's arm. "Kickass! Jumping right in! No lazing around for you!"
	Jessica chuckled and rubbed her arm.
	Mrs. Aaronsen patted both girls on the shoulder. "How about we do a quick tour of the facilities first, then we'll get Jessica started."
	"Sounds good," the eager bat said.
	"And don't worry about anything," Becky assured. "It's the easiest job in the world. You let them cut you up a bit, then the whole day's yours to just screw around as much as you want." Becky got a shrewd look. "And I do mean 'screw around' literally."
	Becky had expected the new girl to be shocked. But instead, Jessica's face spread into a sly grin. "You have *no* idea where I used to work, do you?"


*****


	Since Becky's room was short one furson, and the two girls seemed to be getting along well, Mrs. Aaronsen made a note to set them up as roommates. Both girls reacted quite positively to the news.
	At the dorms, Becky didn't pause for breath as she pointed out all the highlights. The bathrooms, the dining hall, the laundry room, the gym, the showers, etc.. She stopped briefly in the game room to brag about how no one in the place could beat her at pool. Jessica had never tried it before, and doubted she could hold a cue properly in her wings. The game room had two tables, plus a variety of video games. Even some old arcade cabinets. Off to the side, a bunch of girls were playing poker and wagering snacks.
	Next Mrs. Aaronsen took them to the bedrooms. Jessica was a little surprised to see they were laid out like in a prison; one whole wall of the factory was an uncountable number of little bedrooms stacked atop each other up to the ceiling. There were metal balconies and staircases crawling around everything like scaffolding. "I'm on the fourth floor," Becky said. "Though I doubt that's a problem for you."
	"Race ya!" Jessica said with a grin.
	Becky bolted for the elevator as Jessica took off like a shot. Mrs. Aaronsen didn't know who to follow for a second.
	The possumgirl bypassed the elevator, as the door was already closing, and streaked up the stairs. She arrived on the fourth floor out of breath with her calves pulsing. Not surprisingly, Jessica was already there, smiling. She gave her new friend a smug little wingwave.
	"We are gonna do this every day until I beat you," Becky said, clearly relishing the idea of such a challenge.
	"You can try," said Jessica simply.
	Mrs. Aaronsen arrived a moment later to find the two girls laughing and hugging. 'That's a good sign.'
	Becky knocked once on the door to her room, then swung it open immediately. Two gasps were heard from within.
	"Becky!!" "Give us some more warning next time, okay!?"
	Peeking inside, Jessica giggled to see two girls nekkid and cuddling in one of the bunk beds. She didn't mind though. This was nothing compared to the stuff that went on at Rent-A-Girl.
	Becky was grinning ear to ear. "As if I didn't do that on purpose. You two make the best faces when I catch you!"
	The two girls, a pudgy polar bear and a glasses-wearing raccoon, looked both flustered and fidgety, but not too mad.
	Becky sashayed over to tickle the raccoon's ear. "Besides, you both love getting caught anyway, ya pervs."
	They both giggled.
	Jessica entered with a shy smile and nodded to them. "Hi."
	"Lissen up, cowgirls! This hot little flying mouse is our new roommate," Becky introduced.
	The polar bear rolled off her companion and toddled over for a hug. "Hi! I'm Natasha!"
	Jessica was breathless for a moment. Boy, could this girl squeeze! "*gasp!*"
	"Too hard?" the bear giggled.
	"A little."
	Jessica suddenly felt a tug on her left wing. The raccoon girl was leaning in close to examine it. "Fascinating! Your bones are so light! Like a bird's. Makes sense," she said with a trace of a lisp.
	"Um..."
	The raccoon looked up to Jessica's face and realized she'd been a bit rude. "Oh! Sorry! I got carried away. I haven't met a bat before, but I've wanted to! You guys are so neat!"
	Jessica smiled. "Thanks. That's a lot nicer than what some people have told me." She grinned and mouthed 'big nose' in Becky's direction. The possum 'tee hee'd.
	Natasha gave Jessica another, gentler, hug. "I've never met a bat before either. I can't wait to see how you taste!"
	"We probably can later at dinner, if she's okay with that," the raccoon said. Then, remembering, she shook hands with Jessica. "I'm Raina, by the way."
	"Hi Raina. What'd you mean about dinner? I thought all of me would get shipped out and sold after I'm processed."
	Mrs. Aaronsen stepped into the conversation. "Actually, every girl is entitled to one cut of their own meat per harvest, if you like. When your fox friend visits, you could serve him a nice steak."
	Jessica lit up. "That sounds great!"
	"We also let the girls volunteer in the kitchen, so we can save on ingredients," the antelope said.
	Becky murred. "The conveyer belt's cool, but it's nothing like getting personally cut up by the kitchen staff. They're really good!"
	"The food's great here too!" Natasha said. "They let us eat as much as we like so we'll get nice 'n plump!" She giggled and patted her tummy with both paws like a bongo.
	"There's even a game," Raina said. "If you're gonna be staying here for a while, a lot of us try to sample everyone else at least once. It can be done. Natasha's pretty close."
	The polar girl pointed out a checklist beside her bed. "You taste best though," she told Raina, and gave her a kiss. The raccoon reciprocated, and soon the two of them were making out. Their paws roamed over each other's plump, furry backsides.
	Jessica was a little surprised that they were doing this right in front of Mrs. Aaronsen. The antelope noticed Jessica's expression and just chuckled. "Don't worry, there's no taboos on that kind of thing here. We only ask that you keep it sanitary."
	"Don't hop in the food supply and have a screw," Becky elucidated.
	Jessica giggled.
	The possum came closer and wrapped her tail around the bat's waist. "It's not just the girls neither. Some of the staff will show you a good time too," she said with a saucy lick of her lips.
	Jessica looked to Mrs. Aaronsen with a raised eyebrow.
	"Me? No! Well, I mean... I don't have anything against that sort of thing. But it's not my style, let's say. I have a husband and we're happy together, just the two of us."
	Jessica nodded. Monogamy was getting rarer and rarer in society these days. She thought it sounded romantic, if a little impractical.
	"What's your 'style'?" Becky asked Jessica pointedly.
	She tossed the possum a flirty look. "I used to work at Rent-A-Girl. I've done everything."
	At this, the two other girls stopped kissing and perked up. "Rent-A-Girl?" "Really!?"
	Suddenly they were all over her. "That's so cool!" Raina gushed. "A lot of us here wanna be yiffcubs but, well, we're not pretty enough." She made a 'gag me' gesture. "How'd you manage it? And why are you *here* now!?"
	Jessica's cheeks felt hot again. "I just got lucky, pretty much. My mom couldn't afford me, so she gave me up when I was a baby and the state made me a cubslave. I lived in an orphanage until I was five. They taught us all about meatcubs, yiffcubs and furcubs, and asked us all what we wanted to be. I've always loved being held and touched, so I tried my best to be a yiffcub. One day, a man from Rent-A-Girl came by and picked some of us. He said I was "nontraditionally pretty", which pissed me off a little, but that I had the right energy. So that's it. I got hired."
	"Did you get yiffed by a lot of hot guys?" Natasha asked enviously.
	"Um, not too many. I usually stayed home while everyone else got rented. I did go out sometimes though. The people were usually nice. I made some new fetishes. Then this super-sweet, caring, awesome grey fox saw me in the catalog and started renting me once a month. He really loves me! We're gonna be together permanently soon!" Jessica went on to explain how she'd been sold to Starkite and her eventual plans with Kevin.
	"I really hope you make it," Natasha said sincerely, punctuating her sentence with another hug.
	"It shouldn't be too hard," Raina assessed. "There's always slots open to take an evening shift. You can't do more than two per day, but it does add up."
	Jessica nodded. "I'm gonna try out the first-timer's track today so I can get started as soon as possible!"
	The girls all congratulated her for being so eager.
	"How about a snack and then we can get started on that?" Mrs. Aaronsen asked Jessica.
	"Sounds good to me," she replied.
	Becky grinned strangely. "Do you like eggs?"
	"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"
	"I could lay one for you."
	Jessica felt her brain grind to a halt. "Wait... Marsupials don't lay eggs."
	Mrs. Aaronsen laughed. "Normally, no. But Becky's volunteered for a special surgery we offer. In addition to giving your meat, we can also change your biology so you'll lay eggs once a month."
	"It feels awwwwwwwesome," Becky said, with an incredibly lewd expression.
	Jessica blinked. "That's kinda weird. But I guess it makes sense. We are livestock, after all."
	Becky rubbed her pants where her eggs came out. "I'll try to make you a possum omelette one of these mornings."
	"They can also make us give milk too," Natasha said. She 'mmmm'ed as she squeezed her noticeably-developed young bosoms together, producing a trickle of creamy liquid at each nipple.
	Raina quickly swiped some up and licked her finger. She squinched her eyes shut in bliss at the taste.
	Jessica's pussy suddenly got really interested in this discussion. She flushed and asked, "May I try some...?"
	Natasha was more than happy to share. She thrust her chest forward and popped a nipple right between the bat's lips!
	Jessica's tongue snaked out to collect the precious white drops from her new friend's fur. Then she started to suckle. She couldn't help a moan at the rich, sweet flavor.
	"I'm good, aren't I?" Natasha asked proudly.
	"Mmm-hmmm!"
	Raina's eyes shone with envy. "I gotta sign up for that lactation surgery. Is there an opening this weekend, Mrs. Aaronsen?"
	"I'll see," the antelope told her with a smile.
	Natasha petted Jessica's head, cooing a soft tune. She definitely liked feeling like a mommy.
	Mrs. Aaronsen gently tapped Jessica's shoulder. "I'm guessing you'd like to stay here a while before we proceed?"
	"Mmm-hmmm..." was all she could say.


*****


	After getting her tummy full of sweet cubmilk, Jessica thanked Natasha with kisses and hugs. Raina got some too.
	Becky said she'd planned to come along and be with Jessica for her first harvesting, but the possum had gotten quite horny and wanted to play with her roommates. She asked if Jessica minded her staying behind. Jessica said that was totally okay, and hopefully she'd join them soon.
	It was finally time for Jessica's first snuff as a meatcub. Her heart was fluttering in excitement, nervousness and pride. Mrs. Aaronsen led the happy little bat back down to the ground floor and across the expansive factory to a semi-closed-off area in the back. Jessica could see a long stretch of conveyor belt with uncountable shiny machines surrounding it. They looked a bit ominous. But everything looked cleaner and more well-maintained than she'd expected.
	They also found an overweight mole in blue work coveralls tipped back and dozing in his swivel chair. In front of him was an expansive control panel. Behind him was a shelf full of gifts given to him by grateful cubs. Despite his resemblance to a giant pear, his short grey fur looked well groomed. Jessica thought he was kinda cute, in a silly way.
	Mrs. Aaronsen strolled forward and bent down with her mouth an inch away from her coworker's ear. "Scott?"
	Jessica had expected him to sputter and flail about. Instead, the mole simply opened one eye and said politely, "Yes, Mrs. Aaronsen? Am I needed?"
	She grinned. "Are we not giving you enough to do? You have time to nap at your workstation?"
	"Not at all," he said with a calm smile. "I find my work stimulating. But plenty of scientific studies prove that a midafternoon nap helps a furson's brain stay sharp for the rest of the day. By taking a siesta now, Mrs. Aaronsen, I am increasing my productivity overall, and thus increasing the company's profits."
	Jessica hid a snorting giggle behind her wing.
	"I'd be happy to show you several relevant internet articles about it if you like," he added sweetly.
	Mrs. Aaronsen rolled her eyes. Scott was one of those fursons with enough verbal charm and sheer technical skill to get away with basically anything. "I'll take your word for it. Right now, snoozytime's over. I have a young bat here who'd like to take her first ride."
	"Oh really?" Scott leaned over the massive control panel he was seated at to finally get a good look at Jessica. "I could only see your ears before, miss. I thought you were Amber." (Jessica immediately wondered what species Amber might be. What else had ears like hers?)
	Scott hefted his roly-poly self out of his chair and ambled around his workstation to meet the new girl. "Scott Carlton. I'm very pleased to meet you," he said gentlemanly.
	Jessica giggled and did a curtsey. "Same here. I'm Jessica Veronica Nytski."
	"What a pretty name."
	"Thanks!"
	"She's just arrived today," Mrs. Aaronsen said. "She's very eager to start learning the ropes."
	Scott perked up. "Ah! A bold and adventurous spirit!" He patted Jessica's shoulder encouragingly. "It's nice to see someone who wants to volunteer. A lot of girls are scared their first time. It's one of the hardest parts of the job, comforting and consoling them and getting them ready. But I do it proudly. Rarely do we ever get anyone who doesn't change their mind after their first time though." He paused to look right in Jessica's eyes. "If you do get scared and absolutely hate it, we can go ask Mr. Camp for a transfer afterwards. We want all our cubs to enjoy working here."
	Jessica could hear deep sincerity and caring in his voice. She gave him a big hug with all her wingspan. "That's really nice of you. I'm sure we won't have to though. I've done stuff like this before. Well, not *quite* like this. But close enough. I know I won't be scared." She looked over the big control panel he'd been sitting at. "I just wanna know how all this stuff works!"
	"That won't be a problem," Mrs. Aaronsen said with a smile. "Scott talks as much as Becky when the subject is machines or electronics."
	"I'm the guy they call on whenever anything in this place breaks," the mole said proudly. "Copy machines, robotic arms, light fixtures, Rejuvenators, cranial chip applicators, you name it!"
	"What's a cranial chip applicator?" Jessica asked.
	"An excellent and timely question!" Scott said. He rushed behind the control panel, rummaged in a cabinet for a moment, and returned with something that looked like it was meant for blasting enemy aliens.
	Mrs. Aaronsen explained, "We give all the girls a teensy organic microchip at the base of their neck." She patted hers. "I have one. So do all the other meatcubs and meatfurs everywhere. It's so the machines won't hurt when you go through them."
	Scott nodded. "Pain is nothing more than electronic signals anyway. It's easy to get the brain to ignore them."
	"Or turn them into pleasure?" Jessica asked coyly.
	Scott grinned. "Oho, my kind of girl." He made a change to the applicator. "If that's what you want, you won't regret it. There's a reason we have to prohibit some of the girls from taking triple shifts!"
	Jessica squirmed cutely in anticipation. She turned around and lifted her hair away from her neck. "Okay, do it!"
	"Fearless girl!" Scott said with admiration. She felt his big paw gently cup her shoulder. "Now I won't lie. This will hurt. But it'll only be for a few seconds before it kicks in. After that, you shouldn't even notice it."
	Jessica gulped. "Okay." She trembled a tiny bit.
	"Ready? One... Tw-"
	"OUCH!!"
	Jessica jumped away and rubbed the back of her neck. "That was like a bee sting!"
	Scott made an apologetic gesture. "The anticipation of pain is usually worse than the pain itself. If I do it when you're not expecting it, you don't tense up as much and it's over quicker."
	Jessica was about to reply, then paused. She rubbed her neck again. Nothing. No pain at all. "Wow, you're right. Cool!"
	Mrs. Aaronsen gave her a pat on the back. "Hopefully, that's the worst pain you'll ever feel here." The lady antelope then walked over to Scott's cabinet and pulled out something that looked like a cross between a pistol and a power tool. "Now, I have a feeling you'll want to be awake during your first preparation, but if not, we have these."
	"A gun?"
	"A bolt gun," Mrs. Aaronsen corrected. "We place it against your head, then pull the trigger and a little mushroom-shaped metal piece comes out very fast. It stuns you unconscious."
	Jessica winced. "It doesn't sound very nice."
	"Oh, don't worry. It's over so fast you can barely feel it." With a smile, she pressed the barrel to her temple and pulled the trigger.
	Scott had barely enough time to catch her as she fell over sideways with her tongue flopping out. It had happened so fast it startled Jessica quite a bit. Scott just laughed. "She sure does like that thing. Every time one goes missing, I find her slumped over somewhere after playing with it." He carefully placed her in his swivel chair.
	Coming closer, Jessica could see a dent in Mrs. Aaronsen's head and a smile of pure, dumb pleasure on her lips. She also noticed a spot on her dress. "Hey, she peed!"
	"Yeah, that happens. Your muscles all go limp at once, and that includes your sphincters. She always keeps an extra change of clothes in her office for when this happens. Oh, she blushes like crazy after we get her Rejuvenated, but I think she enjoys the embarrassment. Like, 'I'm such a naughty girl, I wee-weed myself!'"
	Jessica didn't find that hard to believe. There were plenty of girls, and clients, at Rent-A-Girl who liked pee or humiliation or both.
	Scott mashed a button on his panel for the intercom. "Upton, she's done it again with the bolt stunner."
	A laugh from the other end. "Where's she this time?"
	"Currently, she's in my swivel chair."
	"Allrighty. We'll be by in a moment."
	Scott turned to Jessica. "They'll pick her up and get her Rejuvenated. She'll be fine."
	"I know. I've been in a Rejuvenator before a few times."
	"Excellent! Though now I don't have to explain to you how they work, and I do so like that part."
	Jessica giggled. "So what now? Becky said I get on a conveyor belt and you clamp me down?"
	"Essentially, yes. Though the clamps are more to keep you from sliding off than to restrain you. Our belts are tilted at a thirty degree angle so all the fluids will run down into a collection gutter and not stick around gunking stuff up."
	The thought of 'fluids' was the one thing Jessica was not exactly looking forward to. "There's gonna be a lot of blood, isn't there?"
	"Yes and no," Scott said. "See, in the past we used blades and then lasers to do the cutting. Nowadays, pretty much everyone in the industry has switched to water."
	"Water!?" she said incredulously.
	Scott nodded. "Yup! Incredibly high-pressure water streams! Think about the force you feel when you put your finger over a garden hose. Now, imagine the kind of pressure you'd get from a fire hydrant, being channeled through a hole the size of a pen point."
	Jessica's eyebrows went up.
	"It's some seriously cool stuff! It makes an almost perfect cut, and the excess water washes away all the blood. It's both efficient and sanitary!"
	"Wow! I had no idea water could do that!"
	"I'll show you in a moment as soon as-" Scott stopped as he spotted two men in blue uniforms approaching. "Perfect timing, guys!"
	Upton nodded to him, then he and Gabe took Mrs. Aaronsen by the feet and shoulders and hauled her off.
	Scott sat back down in his chair. "Ahh, back in command!" He pushed a few buttons, then turned on a second intercom so his voice came from right above Jessica. "If you're ready to get started, just stand over there on the green circle. That's literally all you have to do. The rest is automated. Just relax and enjoy the ride. I'll be monitoring everything that goes on and you can ask me anything you like."
	"Okay," Jessica said. She scampered over to the big green circle painted on the concrete floor. "Now what?"
	"Now," said Scott, "we scan you into the system."
	A machine shaped like an enormous tuning fork came down from the ceiling with a whirr. Jessica jumped a little, but then kept still as the prongs of the fork circled her. She guessed there were sensors in it that were checking her out. All of a sudden, the machine made a loud, angry-sounding buzz and stopped moving. "What's that? Did I do something wrong?"
	She could see Scott in his booth jabbing buttons determinedly. "Not at all. You're fine. But we haven't had a bat before, so I need to do a quick update. It won't be long. I just need to connect to corporate HQ and download the correct bat butchering instructions."
	'Butchering!' Jessica thought. That was what was about to happen to her. Everyone had been so nice and friendly so far, it was easy to forget that her purpose here was to be cut up for meat. It was one thing to tell herself she was ready for this, and to know intellectually that she would be Rejuvenated afterwards, but on an emotional level... There was still the undeniable fact that these machines were going to Take Her Apart Into Tiny Little Pieces.
	But then, Jessica thought about it another way. She felt her fears replaced with pride. 'I'm a cubslave,' she reminded herself. 'I'm a meatcub. This company owns me, and it's time for me to do my job. They're going to sell me and people will go to the store and buy me and cook me for supper and enjoy me. I'll be making them happy. Just like I did at Rent-A-Girl. Their tummies will be full of tasty bat meat, and I will do my best to think happy thoughts so my meat will be the best it can be. Yes! I'm a meatcub and I'm proud! I am a product! I am delicious food for people to enjoy!!'
	The machine above her 'boop'ed. "It's ready now!" Scott said.
	"Allright!!"


*****


	The first thing that happened was that the tuning fork machine retracted into the ceiling and a new one descended. It scooped her up like a ski-lift chair. "Whoa!"
	"Off you go!" Scott said jauntily. His voice came from just above the chair. "You're fully scanned in. The computer now knows you, your body and exactly how to put you back together again."
	The chair gently tipped Jessica out facedown onto a cushioned table with a bright light overhead. "What do I do now?"
	"Well, you can either lie still and let the machines do it for you, or you can take your clothes off yourself. I'd go with option B, since the robotic arms are better at disassembly than they are at removing clothing."
	Jessica imagined a bunch of metal arms with cartoon gloves on the ends, tossing her about and stripping her. That did not sound appealing. Jessica tugged her skirt down and slid it into a basket that was positioned nearby. "Are you watching me, Scott?" she asked in a soft, flirty voice.
	"Um, yes. Standard procedure."
	She giggled. "Good!" She tossed off her beret, then went to work on her leotard. Nice and slow. She slid it off her shoulders, peeling herself like a banana. She heard Scott gulp when her little bat nipples popped out. "You like them?"
	"They're very cute," Scott said. "Like little pink candies."
	She liked that idea. "Would you like to taste them sometime?"
	Scott sputtered a little. "Technically I'm not supposed to while I'm on the job. Once I clock out though, there's no rules against, erm, 'fraternizing amongst the employees'."
	"That's what Becky said. I'm glad. I used to be a yiffcub, so I need lots of touch and attention." She lifted her tush to pull the tight pink garment all the way down, exposing her fuzzy little strawberry.
	"I think," Scott said a little breathlessly, "I would be happy to accommodate you."
	Jessica 'tee hee'd. She had always been good about studying her seduction techniques for potential clients. It was fun putting them to use.
	"For now though, we still have work to do. Lie back down on your tummy, please."
	"Okay." She did so, and wiggled her perky bat booty for him.
	"Get ready for the water!"
	"EEK!" Jessica shouted. It was cold! It quickly got warmer though. Multiple nozzles were spraying her all over. She rocked side to side and enjoyed it. Soap was sprayed as well, so soon she was bubbly and sudsy all over. The nozzles rotated around, blasting at her fur like powerful tongues. She murred, then squeaked, as one got her right in the tailhole.
	The cushion she was on tilted and gently rolled her over so the nozzles could get at her front. She cried out at the intense feeling of her small titties being cleaned. The water tickled her tummy, sides and feet. Whoever had programmed this machine knew exactly what they were doing, as it saved her pussy for last. She squirmed in anticipation. When that hard jet of water blasted across her mound and clit, she shrieked and came.
	"Fun, huh?" came Scott's voice.
	Jessica was panting. "Do I get to do that *every* time!?"
	He chuckled. "Sadly, no. That was just a special treat to get you relaxed and happy for your first time on the conveyor. On the other hand, you're supposed to shower before every shift, and I have heard tales of what the girls get up to in the shower rooms..."
	"Oooh!" Jessica said. The showers at Rent-A-Girl had been the epicenter for some of the kinkiest stuff she'd ever seen! (And participated in!)
	Next, the table she was on started moving. It rolled her over to what she correctly guessed was the start of the conveyor belt. Again, it tilted to slide her off.
	The belt itself had a pleasant padded surface that felt like soft, smooth plastic. The whole thing raised up a few inches, then tilted back and forth, positioning her just right.
	Scott's voice now came from somewhere just above the belt. "Right now it's getting you in place so we can harvest your fur."
	Jessica was puzzled. "But they told me my fur was too rough for coats and stuff."
	"Well, that's not all we can do with fur. We need to get it off of you anyway, so we make sure it ends up becoming something useful."
	Clamps rose from under the machine to spread her legs and arms. She was surprised at how delicately they held her. From above, a new machine shot out two laser beams that encircled her neck before she could even react. "What was that?"
	"We keep your head intact during the whole process. Partly so you can see what happens, and partly because afterwards we can just chuck it in the Rejuvenator and bring you back. It's simpler than cutting up your ears and cheeks and brains and stuff. Not many people want to eat those."
	"I've heard fried bat ears are supposed to be very tasty," Jessica said, a little defensively.
	"Really? Tell the kitchen staff then. You'll probably be picked for mealtime duty in the next week or so. Or you can volunteer."
	Jessica suddenly felt a tiny prick in her bottom. "Oh!"
	"That's an injection. It's a chemical that will make the top layers of your skin loosen up so it'll basically fall right off of you."
	The belt began to vibrate. Jessica shouted in surprise, but that turned quickly into a moan of pleasure. This was like a massage chair! As the belt gave her a thorough wiggling, the laser machine returned and made several more quick cuts across her skin in various places. She didn't even feel it.
	When the belt stopped shaking, Jessica was smiling giddily. She felt melted. The belt tipped forward and, like Scott had said, her whole pelt slid off like a blanket. Jessica was left smooth and pink all over. Her wing membranes were gone, so it now looked like she had a normal furson's arms with ridiculously huge fingers.
	"That was nice," she purred.
	"Hopefully you'll enjoy the next bit just as much. It's time to get chopped up into yummy bat cutlets. Are you ready?"
	"Yup!" Jessica said happily. Right now she was so blissed-out she could hardly think. But her heart was pumping hard nevertheless. This was a little scary, no matter what else she thought and felt. But the fear was fun. It sent tingles up her spine. She was going to be taken apart, then put back together again. All to make other furs happy. The company would make money from her and the customers would make meals from her. Jessica sighed and relished the feeling of being so useful.
	"Don't fall asleep on me now," Scott kidded.
	"I'm not. I'm just thinking about what'll happen to my body. I really wish I could know who'll buy me and eat me."
	"Well, every time you get harvested you're entitled to keep one piece of yourself."
	"That's right! Raina said I could keep some of me and they'd make dinner from it. Can I do that? Make dinner for me and my roommates?"
	"Absolutely! That's a common request. Did you have a particular cut of meat in mind?"
	She shrugged. "Oh, I dunno anything about meat. Whatever's tasty."
	"Allright. How about your legs? They look firm and athletic."
	She giggled. "Thanks! That'll be fine."
	"Okey-dokey then. I've just told the computer to save some thigh meat, and to serve it to you, Becky, Raina and Natasha this evening."
	Jessica was impressed that the computer already knew what room she'd been assigned.
	"Here comes the first cut," Scott warned.
	The belt came to life and moved Jessica along sideways. She saw two gleaming silver nozzles pop up, similar to the ones that had showered her, but much more high tech looking. She gasped softly as the first one shot an incredibly thin stream of water at her ankle. It was over so quick she hardly felt it. She watched her neatly severed foot tumble off the belt into a collection tube. "Wow, there it goes..." The second nozzle neatly removed her other foot. Jessica could hear it thump all the way down the chute. She imagined it landing in a big pile of other little girls' feet.
	Scott asked, "That wasn't too scary, I hope?"
	Jessica looked down at her stumps. They were bleeding a bit, but the high-pressure water spray had become low-pressure to wash the wounds. It just looked like a lot of orangey water running off. "It's... kinda weird. It didn't hurt though."
	"Good to hear. Remember, we're taking this nice and slow so you can get used to it. If you want me to stop, I will right away. I'll even pick you up and carry you to the Rejuvenator myself."
	Jessica could hear in his voice how much he genuinely cared about her comfort. She thought about all the other girls who'd gone through the machine with him watching over them, helping them not be scared. "That's really nice of you. But I'm fine. Besides, if you did that, you'd get bat blood all over you!"
	She heard him shrug. "Occupational hazard."
	Jessica laughed and the belt moved her on to the next set of cutting nozzles. These ones began to slice up her lower legs. It took a little longer so she had more of a chance to experience the sensation. It was completely unfamiliar, though not unpleasant. It was like she was Jell-O and someone was running their finger along her surface, making a line through her. She thought she could easily come to enjoy it.
	Every minute or so, the belt would creep along and another part of Jessica would be removed. After her thighs, the machines took off her hands. She watched them slide down and disappear into the tubes too. This was starting to be fun.
	Suddenly she remembered a question she'd thought of on the drive over to the factory. "Scott?"
	"Still here, honey."
	"I've been trying to figure out... like, if you harvest me, and then bring me back with the Rejuvenator, where do you get the extra matter to build my body with? At Rent-A-Girl, we had some 'juvenators there and they told me they took meat that wasn't meant to be eaten and used it to rebuild us. I get that part. But how can a meat factory make money if it's using meat to make more meat?"
	Scott chuckled. "That, Miss Nytski, is a very smart question. But you're thinking of the kind of Rejuvenators hospitals and such tend to use. With those, yes, there has to be a supply of meat and bone put in to craft new body parts from. But we don't use those kind."
	Jessica listened intently as the machines disassembled her arms.
	"What we use is a type where *any* kind of organic matter can be used in reconstruction. These are more sophisticated, and way bigger, so they're usually only used for industrial applications. Like this here factory. It's complicated, but essentially there's a process whereby any kind of organic material is turned into 'blank cells'. Basically, they're like blank disks that you can write new information onto."
	Jessica's butt was now being chopped up. She squirmed at the enjoyable sensation but tried to focus on what Scott was saying. She'd never heard of this before and was really interested. "So what do you use instead of meat?"
	"Well, um..." The mole hesitated. "This part's kinda gross. Are you sure you really wanna know?"
	"I'm gonna find out eventually, aren't I?" she presumed.
	"Good point. Okay, so, basically we use waste matter. It's actually incredibly beneficial to the environment. Stuff that would normally go in landfills or be pumped into rivers gets shipped here, and we repurpose it."
	Jessica narrowed her eyes. "What *kind* of waste matter?"
	"Oh, you know... Stuff. Um. Leftover food. Oil and grease. Plants. ...Sewage."
	Jessica tried to point accusingly, but had nothing to point with. "Aha! I knew it! You're gonna turn me into poop!!!"
	Scott tried not to laugh. "Well, to be fair, it's no longer poop once we turn it into blank cells. Then it's just nothing. But think about it! Factories like this one used to be some of the most toxic, polluting cesspits in the world. Instead, now we're actually *helpful* to the environment!"
	Jessica couldn't argue with that rationally. It was still gross though. She made a sudden connection. "Wait... You use sewage, right? So, I'll bet every time someone goes to the bathroom here..."
	"Yup. 100% recycled."
	Jessica's brain boggled. "I can't help imagining all the other girls in this place pooping, then all the poop going down a tube, being squirted into a poop mold, then my head getting put on top of it."
	Scott laughed out loud. "I won't lie, that's almost accurate! But try not to dwell on it. Once we're done here and you get Rejuvenated, I promise you won't be able to tell the difference from your old body."
	Jessica remembered going through Rejuvenators before, which meant technically this wasn't even her original body anyway. She wondered what bits of what she'd been reconstructed from those other times.
	That thought quickly left her head as the belt moved her on to the next set of cutting nozzles. She'd already lost her limbs by now. Ditto her butt. Her tail had been taken sometime while she was talking and she hadn't even noticed. That left one very likely target.
	The current set of nozzles were pointed right at her crotch.
	She gulped in anticipation. 'Here goes my pussy!' she thought. She got the sudden mental image of her cute little cunt sitting on a plate. All roasted golden brown. She tried to imagine what it would smell like. It was too bad she didn't have any limbs at the moment, because that thought really made her want to paw off.
	Because she was more focused on the cutting instead of conversation this time, she really felt it. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt down there before. Two pulsating lines were drawn along her groin, perfectly carving out her cunny. She didn't know if Scott was taking his time intentionally or if it just seemed that way. She squealed with enjoyment, then suddenly it stopped. Perfect numbness. She opened her eyes to see her pussy tumble down the chute like the rest of her body parts.
	'There it goes. It's just meat now. Yummy meat for someone to cook and chew up.' She wished she could feel it happening.
	It was amazingly frustrating having it gone. Her mind was in full-on horny mode with no more physical outlet for it. Her only release now would be when the cutting nozzles took her head. The more she thought about it the more she couldn't wait for it.
	Scott had been noticeably quiet. She heard something in his breathing that made her grin. "Did watching my pussy go bye-bye make you hot?" she teased.
	He hesitated a bit. "Er... It would be unprofessional for me to say."
	"Ha! That's okay. I liked it too. I liked it a LOT actually! I can't believe I'm gonna get to do that every day!"
	"Okay, I didn't wanna say it and sound like a perv, but if you liked it, then I'll admit I liked it too. Watching your perfect little pink pussy go down the chute was, ah, 'very stimulating' to me."
	"And someone's gonna EAT it!" she said with gusto.
	"Lucky them!" Scott replied.
	"So, do I get snuffed now?"
	"Not yet. First we gotta clean out your internals."
	As he said this, Jessica (or rather, what was left of her) began to advance along the belt. She yelped as a blast of warm water shot up into her torso from the hole where her butt and genitals had been. 'I'm pretty much a big hand puppet now!' she realized. The water washed her out inside and the nozzles began cutting individual organs loose.
	"All that stuff goes to different places, depending on what can and can't be used. Some of it will make pet food. So, not just other fursons, but little nonevs will get to enjoy you too."
	Jessica giggled at the mental image of feeding a pet dog dinner from a can with her own face on it. 'Jessica Nytski flavored'.
	"Plus, some of it goes to the Rejuvenators. We try not to waste _anything_ here."
	"That's good," Jessica muttered. It was starting to get a little hard to concentrate, since her insides felt bizarrely empty. She wasn't sure what was left in her, but it wasn't much. Her heart and lungs obviously, since she was still breathing.
	At the next cutting station, the nozzles sliced away at her sides and back. She cooed happily. Her ribs went too, and she imagined some nice family cooking them on a backyard barbecue.
	Scott spoke up again. "Allright, here comes the last cut. The last one you'll feel anyway. Are you ready?"
	"Totally," Jessica sighed.
	The belt pulled her forwards and she saw one more nozzle loom into view. Right above her neck. 'This is it! Off with my head! I wonder if I'll black out or stay alive a little while aft-'
	Her thought was cut off quite literally.
	"Goodbye, Jessica," Scott said. "See you in a little while. I'll be there when you wake up."
	Jessica wanted to say something back, but her vocal chords were cut. Her voice was gone. The stream passed through her flesh so easily it was like her body was doing it by itself.
	Suddenly, everything below her neck had gone numb. The sensation was kind of frightening. 'I'm just a head!' she realized. She was surprised she was still conscious. She had no idea how long it would last.
	From up above, another machine descended and deftly picked up Jessica's head. She laughed soundlessly, realizing she must look exactly like a prize in a crane machine now.
	She saw the last bits of her body being cut up. Her heart tumbled off the belt into the waiting chute. She realized she had never actually seen a furson's heart before. It was quite pretty. Like a big, soft ruby.
	Her thoughts were getting fuzzy now. She felt sleepy and dizzy. Sparkly clouds started to invade her vision.
	The inevitability of it was frightening but exciting. There was nothing at all she could do now. Absolutely nothing. Her brain was losing oxygen. She was amazed she'd lasted this long. How many seconds had it been? A whole minute? She couldn't grasp time anymore.
	Her vision dimmed. She could still faintly hear the factory sounds. The machine carried her along and it felt like she was flying.
	That felt nice.
	Jessica dimmed peacefully, and died.


*****


	The next thing she knew, her eyes were opening. She was in a brightly lit yellow room, inside some kind of big, comfy tube with a glass front. There were faces beyond the glass, but it took a few moments to recognize them.
	With a pneumatic hiss, the front of the Rejuvenator opened.
	Immediately, Jessica heard, "CONGRATULATIONS!!!"
	Standing outside, clustered in tight, were Mrs. Aaronsen, Becky, Raina, Natasha, and behind them at the control panel, Scott too.
	Becky lunged in and hugged the startled bat. "Your first time! How was it? Mine was great!"
	"Becky, let her get up first!" Mrs. Aaronsen cautioned.
	Jessica smiled and sat up, feeling a bit woozy. But nothing too bad. She'd felt more groggy after a long night's sleep before. Though something did feel different. "That's weeeird... My body..."
	"It always feels weird the first time," Natasha said, giving her a comforting pat on the leg.
	Jessica realized she was still nude. Though she could see her clothes folded neatly on a nearby table. And the feel of the polar girl's fur against hers was quite nice.
	"You've probably never done a full-body reconstruction before, I'm guessing?" Scott said as he came closer.
	"Nuh-uh. Like, I've been snuffed? But there was always mostly me left. Even when Kevin tried to cook me," she said, still not quite awake enough for proper syntax.
	The mole nodded. "The blank cells were imprinted with your own DNA, so there's no risk of rejection. But still, you haven't used them before, so they're bound to be a little creaky. It goes away quick once you get up and start moving around again."
	"Up ya go," Becky said. She reached an arm around her bat friend to help her stand. Raina and Natasha helped too.
	The floor felt different under her bare paws. Every part of her was very sensitive. It was actually quite pleasant. She imagined this was what a piece of clothing must feel like when it's fresh out of the dryer.
	Mrs. Aaronsen leaned in to give Jessica a hug from behind. "How do you feel, sweetie?"
	"Everything's okay, I think. I feel pretty good. And getting all cut up into bits was actually a lot of fun!"
	Scott looked very pleased to hear this.
	"It didn't feel anything like I expected," Jessica continued, "but it did feel good. It was cool seeing all the pieces of me go away down the tubes. I could imagine what they'd look like on someone's table."
	"Well, I can show you what they'll look like on the shelf," Mrs. Aaronsen said. From a nearby table, she held out a plastic-sealed package of ground bat.
	"That's really me!?" Jessica said. Her meat looked fresh and juicy. She was delighted when she looked closer and saw that, in addition to a Starkite logo sticker, there was also a label with a name and a tiny picture of her! "That's awesome!"
	Mrs. Aaronsen was happy to see that she approved. "That's been a very popular idea ever since we started it last year. Now cubs can proudly point out their meat, and customers can get an idea of who they're eating. We actually get people calling in to request certain girls by name!"
	Jessica thought that she'd probably explode from happiness if that ever happened to her. Though naturally Kevin would want to buy her. She was glad that the label would make that easier. He'd just have to look for her looking back at him from the store shelf!
	Scott piped up, "Also, since you had so much fun losing it, I thought you'd like to see what it looked like afterwards." Jessica squeaked as he held up a clear plastic box with her little raw cunny sitting inside.
	"It's so cute!" she said.
	"It looks delicious," Natasha complimented.
	"Your clitty's really pretty," Raina said.
	Becky licked her lips. "If I had some chopsticks, I'd eat it sushi-style right now!"
	Scott held the plate away from her and scowled playfully. "Hey, I had my paycheck debited for this perfect morsel! I'm taking it home for supper tonight!"
	"Awwww!" said the three roommates.
	"You bought my pussy? That's so sweet!" Jessica said, giving Scott a hug. "I really hope it's tasty. Promise you'll tell me tomorrow how it was?"
	"I promise," he told her, and kissed between her ears.
	"And don't worry, you guys," Jessica said to her three friends. "I had some of me set aside for our dinner tonight, so we'll all get to taste me!"
	"Allright!" "Great!" "I can't wait!"
	"Speaking of food," Mrs. Aaronsen said, "You should probably get something in your system, Jessica. A lot of girls feel sleepy after a full Rejuvenation. Some food'll help. You missed lunch, but you can always stop by the cafeteria for snacks. Or you could take a nap for a while."
	"No way!" the little bat said with a smile. "I wanna have as much fun on my first day as I can!"
	Becky perked up. "Hey, wanna go to the gym? I'll bet you're great at basketball with those wings!"
	"Thanks, but not now. I do feel kinda sleepy, and my body still feels a little fuzzy. I dunno if I could even fly in a straight line right now."
	The possum looked disappointed for a second. Than abruptly, her face burst into an extremely naughty grin.
	"Race you back to the bedroom!" she shouted, then charged off at full speed.
	Jessica couldn't believe it. "Oh, you're *evil*!!"


*****


	Jessica had a little bit of evil in her too. She decided to stay right where she was and let Becky wait on her fruitlessly when she got to their bedroom. She let Raina and Natasha know she'd be by later. They giggled at the idea of their competitive possum pal standing up on the fourth floor, getting increasingly confused as she waited on a nonexistent bat.
	Jessica also politely declined Mrs. Aaronsen's offer to join her in the cafeteria. She said they could meet back up in a little while, but right now she had some important business to attend to. Then she looked at Scott with a very predatory smile.
	The antelope chuckled, getting the message. She gave Jessica a pat on the head and a kiss and said she'd probably be in her office later, and the little bat could come by whenever she was finished. She walked off then, leaving Jessica and Scott alone.
	Jessica daintily closed the door behind her.
	Scott had been lost in his thoughts for the past few moments, but now looked at Jessica with an expression of hopeful uncertainty. "Um..."
	The young bat put a wiggle in her walk as she stalked closer to her prey. "I really appreciated how you talked with me and explained everything about me gettin' food-ified. I thought maybe I could show you a little gratitude...?"
	Scott grinned, but stammered out, "I c-can't. I mean, I want to. Ohhhh boy, do I want to. But I'm still on company time."
	Jessica fluttered over to the table and perched like an adorably sexy gargoyle. "Can't you take a lunch break?"
	"Already took one."
	She pouted. "How about you just vanish for a little while?"
	Scott hesitantly stepped a little closer. His cheeks were getting warm. "Um... Someone might need me to repair something."
	Jessica looked him right in the eyes, utilizing every ounce of seduction training she'd practiced at Rent-A-Girl. She licked her lips with her fantastically long tongue. "How about, my new body's all tingly, and I'm super horny right now thinking about me getting all chopped up into nummy food, and I wanna yiff something Right Now!!"
	Scott unzipped his coveralls. "You are gonna get me in so much trouble."
	She grinned in triumph. "I'm worth it though."
	"You certainly are." He took a deep breath, inhaling her eager, lusty scent. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her hard.
	Jessica was impressed with how big those arms were. She felt tiny and weightless in his hug. Fragile. She liked it. She danced her tongue into the gentle mole's mouth and teased his with it.
	Scott set Jessica down on the table and motioned for her to turn around.
	"Not yet. We've gotta get you lubricated!" she said.
	The table was at just the right height for her to lie down on her tummy and send his pants down to the floor. She tugged his boxer shorts down his chubby thighs, breathing in his scent. Sweaty but savory. She'd gotten very used to people's personal smells over the years. Nothing bothered her anymore. By the hint of fur shampoo, Jessica could tell he'd showered the night before anyway. His penis, when she freed it from its silk confines, was nice and clean.
	And thick too! Not very long, but still certainly a mouthful. Good! Jessica liked oral and she liked a challenge. Looking up to Scott's eyes, she opened her mouth as wide as she could, letting her long tongue flop out, and took all of him in with one gulp.
	Scott clutched the edge of the table tightly and made a humorous grunting sound.
	She giggled. "Didja like that?" she asked, after letting his cock slide out of her mouth like a lollipop.
	"You are wonderful, Jessica. Thank you so much," he panted.
	"No, thank YOU! I'm doing this 'cause I really am grateful for how nice you were before. I was a little scared when I first came here. I feel much, much better now. It helps a lot that I've already met so many nice furs so I know I'll enjoy living here for a while." She gave the mole's cock a big lick. "Plus, you bet your fur I'm gonna do something like this for all my new roommates too. And Mrs. Aaronsen if I can convince her!" She giggled.
	"You're quite the little minx, Jessica. And with those wings, you make a very good succubus."
	"That's a sex demon? A incubus is a male one, right?"
	He nodded. "Smart girl."
	"You'd be surprised what you can learn bein' a cubslave," she replied, and plunged down on his stiff cock again.
	There would be no more talk. Time for business. Jessica slobbered freely on Scott's cock, getting it as wet as she could. Meanwhile, she was stimulating herself with her tail, getting herself wet too. The tingle from her newly-reformed body was beginning to fade, and she wanted to get in one good solid fuck before it did. And Scott really did deserve it for being such a sweetie.
	Sensing that he might cum too soon, she abruptly pulled away, letting the air give his wet cock a sudden chill. He 'Eep!'ed cutely. She spun around on the table, presenting her trim little tush to him.
	"Squeeze my ass like you're making bread and stick that hard sausage up in me this instant!" she barked.
	"Yes ma'am!!" Scott was overwhelmed by how forceful she'd suddenly become. He didn't mind it at all. He'd always been a bit subby, and the very idea of this skinny little girl ordering him around was hot all by itself anyway.
	He did as he was told. He clutched big handfuls of bat butt. Her fur was short and a bit bristly. He pulled her closer and sunk his red meat exactly where she wanted it.
	"MmmmMMMMM!!" said Jessica. She rubbed her cheek against the table and drooled a little bit on it. Grownup's cocks were so much fun! She hated to admit it, but Scott's thickness filled her up much more tightly than Kevin's.
	Scott took deep breaths. His heart was racing. His instincts wanted him to lose his mind and just pound away for all he was worth. But no, he was a gentleman, and he would never hurt a cub. He pushed into her a little more, testing her depth. She seemed to accommodate him quite well. 'Of course,' he thought, 'she's a professional. She's probably had plenty of other dicks in there.'
	That thought set him off. He imagined Jessica grinning and taking all sorts of cocks from all sorts of males of different ages and species. And loving it! Looking down, he could see the satisfaction in her smile. She ground her hips back against him, wanting more.
	Scott pulled out slowly, teasingly. Then stuffed it back in hard.
	Now Jessica 'Eep!'ed. "Again!"
	Scott slammed it in like a jackhammer.
	She bit her lip. "Yikes. A little too hard. Somewhere in between that one and the last one, please?"
	"Oh, I'm sorry!" His next thrust was more gentle, but not too much.
	"Great!"
	Soon he had a good rhythm. He panted hard as he pumped into the little bat. She held onto the table with both wings and urged him on. The table's legs squeaked as it gradually scooted across the floor.
	Her folded clothes were nearby, so Jessica snatched up her beret and bit into it. She always liked to have something in her mouth when she made love. She chewed the familiar fabric like a puppy. She moaned into it, the sound muffled. She basked in the happiness at hearing the sound's of Scott's pleasure. Her bat ears picked up everything. His quick breathing, his pounding heartbeat, his little murmurs with every thrust. She loved being able to make him so happy. Especially doing something that felt so good! Their bodies were hot and their sweaty fur smells grew stronger. Jessica loved it.
	"I'm... I'm..." Scott husked, trying to warn her.
	"Yes! Do it! Fill my little pussy with all your hot, tasty cum!!"
	Scott was only too happy to oblige. He squeezed her ass hard and drove in as deep as he could. His mind went blank as he pumped all the semen he could into the beautiful, affectionate, adventurous young bat below him.
	Jessica moaned in satisfaction. She adored the feeling of cum splashing inside her. It meant she'd given someone the ultimate pleasure she could give. She hadn't cum yet, but this was about Scott after all. To thank him for being so nice to her. After this, she'd find a quiet place to curl up and lick out her pussy until it exploded.
	Scott's mind was blissfully blown. He leaned over to hug Jessica lovingly. He kissed up and down her leafy soft ears. "You are a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful little bat. I can't thank you enough."
	She rolled over to kiss his nose. "You're welcome. And thank you too. That was really fun! I think we're a good fit," she teased, wiggling her cunny muscles around his cock.
	"You're a flatterer too," he said. He pulled out gently and looked around for something to wipe off with.
	Jessica sat up and dipped a thumbclaw in her cleft to get a taste. Mole cum turned out to be pretty tasty. Strong at first but not much aftertaste. 'Three and a half stars out of five,' she thought.
	"I hope you don't really get in trouble for this," she told Scott sincerely.
	He was wincing as he tried to clean up his incredibly sensitive soft dick with a paper towel. "Heck, this kind of thing goes on all the time. Maintenance guys like me, cafeteria staff, office staff, management... Not many can resist having some fun with all these adorable cuddly little girls runnin' around all over the place. There's an unspoken policy of, 'Just don't get caught and don't do it too often and we won't look too close'."
	Jessica chuckled. She was glad to hear that. She remembered how the orphanage she'd stayed at had very strict 'no touching the cubs' rules. That just made it more difficult to get around them though.
	Scott was getting himself zipped up. "Say, did you want to get something to eat? I just remembered what Mrs. Aaronsen said about that. Would you like me to show you the cafeteria?"
	"I already know where it is. And I am sorta starving, now that I think of it. But, um..." She blushed, looking down at her cream-frosted cupcake and loving the sight. "There's something I gotta take care of first."
	"I see," Scott said. "Well, how 'bout I go and save us a table? You can fly on over whenever you're ready?"
	"Sure! Thanks again. I'll see you in a bit. I don't think this'll take long," she told him, licking her lips.
	"Gotcha." He walked over to give her one more kiss, then headed out the door. "Should I close it behind me or...?"
	"Leave it open," Jessica said with a naughty grin. It might be fun if someone caught her having a pre-meal snack!


*****


	The day continued on into night, leaving Jessica nearly exhausted with joy at the end of it.
	Now it was almost bedtime. The factory lights had been dimmed hours ago and most of the girls were in their rooms, changing into their pajamas or curling up together with a friend. Jessica had one more important thing to do before she slept though.
	Near the game room was a room full of computers for the cubs to use. Raina had told Jessica about it earlier (She'd also mentioned that Starkite had their own website, with lots of downloadable content featuring cubs looking sexy and edible. Jessica immediately asked how to volunteer.) Bedtimes were not strictly enforced, so the room was still about half-full. Mostly girls chatting, looking at porn or playing video games with muffled explosions coming from their headphones. None of that was what interested Jessica. She needed to make a video call.
	Computer keyboards are not typically designed with bats in mind. Though Jessica had long gotten used to typing with her thumbs. She keyed in Kevin's number and fidgeted with anticipation for him to pick up.
	"Hello? Jessica?"
	It took all her effort to keep from squealing at the top of her lungs with bliss and covering the screen in kiss-prints. "Kevin! I had the funnest day EVER!!"
	On the screen, her favorite grey fox grinned. "That's wonderful! I was worried all day about you! Tell me everything!"
	And she did. She'd felt like an overfilled balloon all evening, full of things to share with her fox. Now it all came rushing out. She told him about how Mrs. Aaronsen had given her a tour of the place (and about the antelope's fondness for stun guns). She told him about her new yiffy roommates. About Becky's nonstop mouth, Raina's cute nerdishness and how much of a cuddle-teddy Natasha was. She told him every last detail about being butchered for the first time. How all the machines worked, what it felt like, the joy of knowing her meat would make other furs happy. She told him about Scott the mole too. She described her yiff with him in luscious detail, even throwing in a few teasing comments about penis width. She knew it turned Kevin on terribly to think of her yiffing other furs. It was fun to watch him squirm and blush as she told him how nicely Scott's cock had filled her up.
	She told him about having lunch afterwards and getting to meet the girl who'd become that day's hotdogs. She told about encountering the stuck-up Daisy Elton again as she looked for Scott's table. The mousegirl had tossed off a sly, sharp insult at her and, despite her earlier vow to leave it alone, Jessica responded back. They spat venom at each other for a bit before Jessica happened to mention Rent-A-Girl. That stopped Daisy cold. Jessica saw an intense jealousy flame in the other girl's eyes, and behind it, an incredible sadness. So she changed tactics, saying that Daisy was certainly pretty enough to have gotten a job there too. Soon after, the mouse and bat were sitting together with Scott, and Daisy was telling them how she'd tried and tried to be a yiffcub but kept being told that her body shape was all wrong. Jessica understood now why she was so fierce about being the best at Starkite. By the end of her meal, she had one less enemy.
	Jessica told Kevin about meeting up with her roommates after lunch and going to the gym to play. When Becky organized a basketball game, the other team quickly started complaining about how Jessica could simply fly over the court with the ball in her feet and make all the baskets she wanted. As a compromise, the other team got two more players and Becky told Jessica not to fly any higher than the basket rims. That worked out pretty well.
	Jessica told Kevin about watching Becky whoop ass at pool for a while in the game room, playing some cards with Raina and Natasha, then going to dinner with the three of them. The kitchen staff had turned her thigh into a scrumptious roast that smelled divine and was complimented nicely with sauteed mushrooms and onions. The other girls enjoyed it too. This led to a discussion on the differences between different species' meat. Jessica learned that she was a bit more chewy than the others, more bitter than Natasha, not as gamy as Becky, and more moist than Raina.
	Jessica told Kevin about how, after the meal, her three new friends got the idea to show off the regular factory machines by taking an evening shift together and letting Jessica watch. She asked to join them, but Becky suggested she take advantage of the fact that she was the only one of them who could get a bat's-eye view of it. Jessica found a comfy perch high enough above the factory floor to get a good, panoramic view. The other three girls waved to her and put on a little show as they stripped down. Two grownup workers were more than happy to hose them down and get their fur all soapy. When they were squeaky clean, they hopped up onto the belt. It reminded Jessica a lot of furs getting on an amusement park ride. Which was an apt comparison. She'd had no idea the regular conveyor would be so fast! Once the girls got their fur off, the belt zipped them down the line with the water blades slicing through them faster than the eye could follow. Natasha giggled the whole time, while Raina and Becky chatted casually. It was hard for Jessica to believe they'd gotten so used to being flung around and diced to bits. The possum and 'coon did perk up when their pussies got taken though! When it was time to get beheaded, Natasha looked up at the cutting nozzles in rapt anticipation, and the smile on her face afterwards was so joyful it nearly sparkled. Raina had gotten hot watching her bear friend lose her head, and cried out in a lusty moan, which was cut off by the water stream just as cleanly as her head. When it was Becky's turn, she winked up at Jessica and stuck her tongue out. A second later, she lost the tip of it.
	Jessica told Kevin about following the machines afterwards as they took her friends' heads to a different Rejuvenator room. The one she'd woken up in had been small and cozy. Obviously, it was intended to be reassuring for first-timers. The regular room was enormous and noisy. She could hear machines churning deep below. There were dozens of Rejuvenators lined up in so many rows, more than anything else it gave Jessica an impression of just how many cubs Starkite turned into food every day. Plenty of other girls were getting revived too. As she waited for her roommates' new bodies to be regrown (which took a lot longer when you were the one outside the glass), she talked with some other girls as they emerged. She made a few new friends. Tiffany was a golden retriever who cautioned her that she'd quickly grow used to that tingly, super-sensitive feeling she got from a new body, so she'd better enjoy it as much as possible while she could. Jasmine, a donkey, said she'd seen the basketball game earlier and thought Jessica looked really cool soaring around above the others. Nicole, a pudgy beaver, suggested some good hidden spots in the factory for a quick clandestine yiff. Her most surprising new friend was Sammy, a water rat. Jessica had been extremely confused to see a Rejuvenator open up and a cub with a penis walk out! Sammy laughed out loud at her bug-eyed expression and explained. He said that she'd been born a girl, but was always a boy inside, and had been working at Starkite to get money for a reassignment surgery. She'd liked it so much here, they'd let him stay afterwards.
	Finally, Jessica told Kevin, as bluntly as she could, to finally stop worrying. Ever since the first time they'd met, Jessica had seen how embarrassed Kevin was to be on the low end of the economic spectrum. He was always apologizing to her about something they couldn't do or something he couldn't give her because he didn't have enough money. Even when she wasn't disappointed at all, he was. Even when she was understanding and forgiving of him, he wasn't. Jessica told him that she knew he was working as hard as he could, and if it was at all possible for him to make more or save more, he'd already be doing it. She told him that she worried about him worrying so much. She told him she had seen him tearing himself up inside over her being sold to Starkite. She told him that she'd rather have a happy fox who loved her, than a fox who was always distracted by worry.
	Kevin got rather quiet.
	Jessica had rehearsed some of this in her head before calling. She wanted to sound as grownup and persuasive as she could. She said that Starkite was better than she'd ever hoped, and she was perfectly content to live here for a while. She said that Kevin could take all the time he wanted to save up money so she could move in. She even instructed him not to act so guilty about buying things for himself now and then. (Kevin blushed hard at that.)
	She told him she was happy. It was only her first day and she had new friends to keep her company and an exciting job that she loved doing. She said that if the regular conveyor belt was even half as fun as it looked, she'd be delighted to do double shifts every single day. She said she'd give part of her paycheck to Kevin each payday. He initially refused that. But she brought forth twice the dominance she'd used on Scott earlier and *commanded* Kevin to let her. Unsurprisingly, he agreed.
	When she asked him how he felt about this, Kevin said he would try to be better. He said it was hard not to let his self-doubt eat him up sometimes, but that he wasn't aware how much it affected Jessica. He _promised_ he would try to be better.
	Jessica beamed and said she wished she could hug him through the screen.
	They talked a bit more, then Mrs. Aaronsen's voice softly filled the factory, letting everyone know that it was bedtime. Jessica said she should probably go. She still planned to do some incredibly naughty things to her roommates to thank them for all the fun she'd had today. Kevin said he'd paw himself to sleep thinking about it. This pleased Jessica greatly.
	"Goodbye, Kevvie. I'll see you soon. In fact, how 'bout you show up for dinner tomorrow?"
	"That sounds wonderful!" he said. "I'll drive right over after work. D'you think we could try your ribs? When you told me about imagining them in barbecue sauce, I kinda got a food boner."
	Jessica 'tee hee'ed. "Sure! You can meet my friends, and if you want you can stay and watch me do my second shift. I *think* Raina said something about there being a visitors' booth on the third floor, where you can see the whole factory and watch the girls go 'round on the conveyor belts."
	"Sounds fun."
	"I can even introduce you to Scott. You can shake his hand and imagine him sticking his big, thick weenie in my bat bun." She giggled evilly.
	Kevin clutched at his pants. "Stop that," he said, not meaning it.
	"Anyway, yeah, I really do wanna have some playtime with Becky, Raina and Natasha before they fall asleep, so I better get going. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight and sweet dreams, my favorite fox."
	"Hey, I'm supposed to be the one who wishes *you* goodnight and sweet dreams."
	"Well, I can if I want to," she said, sticking out her tongue.
	He laughed. "Get to bed you silly bat. Goodnight and sweet dreams too. I'll see you tomorrow."
	"See you tomorrow," Jessica said.
	She hung up the call and thought about her fox. She thought about his visit tomorrow. She thought about taking him to one of those hidden spots Nicole had mentioned and yiffing him until his nose lit up. She thought maybe she could even get her roommates involved.
	She could just imagine them: Raina and Natasha would be going at it in bed by now, maybe 69ing, with Becky watching and fingering herself raw. Jessica squealed softly, wondering how she'd fit into that picture, and wanting to try every possible way over the following days.
	Then suddenly, she remembered something. Something about Natasha in particular.
	She looked down at her boobs and grinned.
	She quickly called up Kevin again.
	"Jessica? What's up? I thought you were going to bed."
	"Just one quick question..." she purred.
	She had the most devilish expression he'd ever seen. "What's that?"
	"Do you like fresh milk...?"



THE END
for now...




*****
AUTHOR'S NOTES

This was a lot of fun to write. It's short, I know, but I was in the mood to pump out something unashamedly yiffy and fetishy about cute little cubs getting turned into food. If that makes me a weirdo perv, so be it. I'm also happy that the title for this one came super-easily this time, and I didn't have to struggle over it for months like usual.

One of my earliest vore influences was an episode of Rocko's Modern Life, where Rocko and Heifer go out for lunch and Heifer ends up choking on his food, unknowingly swallowing Rocko, then going to Heck and being tormented by a lord of darkness named Peaches. That's not what got to me though. What got to me was two little bits that bookended the episode. There was a cute chicken lady named Karen, applying for a job at Chokey Chicken. The interviewer, also a chicken, says she's hired. They exchange some pleasantries and she steps out of the office. The next thing we see is a package of processed chicken going down a conveyor belt with Karen's nametag on it. It gets put on a truck and taken to the same restaurant Rocko and Heifer end up at. As a kid, this rather horrified me. The pleasantness of the job interview contrasted with the idea that Karen was then killed and eaten, and it made my brain boggle. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed inescapable that Karen must've known exactly what she was getting into and *wanted* to be turned into food. I found this idea rather interesting. And later on when puberty finally showed up, I found the idea *very* interesting. So, that little bit of cartoony weirdness is probably responsible for a hell of a lot of the stuff that winds up in my stories. (And parents worry that violent video games are what's warping their children!)

Acknowledgements and thanks go to Poe the Ether Bunny, Kanada and Relee. After I finished this, we read the whole thing together over Skype. It was fun, I got a lot of constructive criticism, and many puns were made. Thanks also to Alfador for another peerless proofreading, plus additional ideas. :)

BTW, cutting things with water is REAL. I first saw it on the Discovery Cannel. And they were cutting METAL with it. I shat bricks.



"Pleased To Meat You"
Started 8/22/11, Finished 9/4/11, Editing completed 10/6/11


