#*old*

The auburn haired woman takes a deep inhale before opening the door, the little bell jiggling loudly and announcing her presence. Immediately she’s hit with the smell of animals and the sounds of birds squawking, puppies barking and whining, and squeaks from the smaller animals.

“Hello! Welcome to the Playpen!” greets a bubbly woman with a wave and a big smile. It made her a bit uncomfortable- her bright energy- but she ignores it.

“Hello,” she greets, her heterochromia eyes looking around the brightly colored building. There’s so much in here, where to even start?

“Would you like some help?” the bubbly worker asks, walking around the bird cages to get to her. “Something tells me you’re getting either a gift, or it’s your first time!”

Cecelia’s eyes go to her breast of her apron to find her name tag: Jewel. “Not really a first time, but it’s been some years,” Blue explains. “I’m here to get a pet. My uh.. Therapist suggests that I get one that will keep me distracted, and that it’s probably good for me..”

Jewel’s honey eyes brighten, clasping her warm brown hands together. “Awesome! Well, are you typically at home for the most part? Some animals need daily attention and can die or be unfriendly to you if you don’t. Do you also have a preference for any animal?

“I’m not a dog person,” the demon responds instantly. “Too much mess..” ‘Oh the irony..’ “But I’m usually at home.”

“Okay so you’re not interested in dogs. Cats can be nice, but they’re usually independent,” Jewel suggests, showing the tall woman around.

She hums as she thinks about it for a moment. ‘I’m more of a cat person, but something is telling me to look for something different this time..’ The abnormally pale woman clenches her jaw as a bird screeches near her ear. ‘Definitely not a bird..’

“I think I’ll get something different than a cat.. No to a bird though,” she explains to Jewels, looking down at the guinea pigs. She reaches in to stick her finger through the cage, but all of them run away.

“Alright! There’s a few bunnies, hamsters, guinea pigs, and ferrets! These animals need attention everyday and need to be let out of their cages,” Jewel explains, putting some stray curls behind her ears. “If you want you can hold some of the ferrets right beside you, but their claws might hurt. Also hope you don’t mind the stink.”

The soft chittering from beside her draws her attention as soon as Jewel mentions the ferrets. There’s a handful of them, five from what she sees. They were so adorable, but the smell… “Is the smell normal, or do they just need a wash..?”

“It’s natural for them to smell like that. Washing them constantly will make it worse, and it’s not good for them.”

‘That’s something I’ll have to get used to then..’ Cecelia reaches both her hands down into the open cage. Two ferrets come bounding over, one pure white one with black spots on its face and body, looking like a panda that was turned into a furry noodle, and the other is dark in comparison to the other, a mixture of chocolate and caramel. They eagerly scramble onto her arms, chittering loudly. The woman makes sure to stable them, not wanting either of them to hit the floor if they fall. Their nails cling onto the fabric of her red turtleneck and soon she feels their cold wet noses touching her, one at her cheek and the other at her neck. The sour smell of them is strong and she forces herself to relax. ‘It’s normal. They’re not dirty.. Well..’

“Aww looks like they like you! They’re both girls and they usually-.”

Jewel’s voice muffles and Cecelia’s focus is on the two little ferrets in her arms. She holds them almost as if they’re babies and a happy smile appears on her beautiful, marble face. ‘Them.. I want them..,’ she thinks earnestly. ‘And they want me..’

“I’ll take them,” Blue suddenly says, interrupting Jewel.

“Huh? Oh! Well let’s get you set up with things you need!”

The demon continues to stare down at the two young ferrets in her covered arms, her smile remaining. ‘Maybe you’re right Doc.. I don’t think I’m going to regret this.’