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As it usually was, it was a dark and stormy night on the Island of perpetual dilemma.
The fog covered the surface of the land, limiting the sight and embracing the narrow streets in a cold, gloomy grasp; lightings were the only source of light.
The old town looked ghastly and surreal, definitely a spooky view for most people. Of course, Juls wasn't "most people", as a matter of fact she wasn't even a person.
Truth be told, she wasn't really sure what she was, she had been stranded on that weird island for years now and she could barely remember how she had landed there; all she could remember was an old and rusty ship and a crash, she probably had suffered some memory loss after that, but no one was left to help her remember.
She wiggle-waggled, ad she proceeded towards the dog door at the end of the narrow street, he tiny paw tippeted on the paved street, echoing in the dark night.
It was a matter of second, an unexpected hiss resounded along the walls of the empty houses: that was a new one.
«Is someone out there?» the small pup asked, slightly daunted.
She raised her fur in a subtle threat and growled softly.
«Well, well, well, what do we have here» the voice was not reassuring, worse, it was high and creepy, and Jules stepped back a bit «If it isn't a lost doggadoggo».
«I beg your pardon, what?» she frowned, slightly offended «I've never been more offended in my entire life», well, maybe a lot offended.
«A lost dog, a mutt, a stupid heccing bad boi».
«Darn cades, first of all I'm a pure blood royal corgerino, also I'm renown for being a good girl. In fact, I'm the best girl of this island».
A huge four pawed figure emerged from the shadow, in a way the corgi had been right as it was, in a way a sort of cat, except five times bigger.
«I'm going to eat you, whatever the heck you are, and I'm gonna enjoy it».
Jules whimpered, then she proceeded to do what every extremely clever pup would have done: she started to run.
«Stupid short stumpy bastard legs» she muttered to herself, wiggling away from the dangerous enemy.
The corgis were sleeping.
As a matter of fact, there was a very high probability that we would have find them sleeping the moment our story moved towards them, but as dogs that was part of their sacred duty. It had been a difficult day at the farm: they had barked to nothing twice, run in circles trying to get their own tail, rolled on a grass, chit chatted with that fascinating blonde cow in the barn, and many other amusing things that they had to do in order to prevent the end of the universe. The farm was of course magical, so different from the one they were used to when back in Kansas; it has huge towers and clock engines everywhere, there were purple crystals scattered around reflecting everything that was happening int he universe at once, everything that had ever happened and everything that could even ever happen.
Tabata was lying on the barn roof, she flew there to stay a bit with her beloved Pigeon friend - that weird duo was still going strong, somehow the pigeon had entered the rift in time a few moments after the corgis had and after a couple of centuries the two of them managed to find each other again - when she suddenly jumped on her short legs barking aggressively towards the void.
Alexiel and Shade run out of the main door, falling on one another as they were smart, but not so well coordinated.
«Did you feel it?» the corgi flew down the roof, landing in front of her friends with unexpected grace.
«We did» Shade frowned a little «There was a disturbance in time, something that shouldn't have happened».
«Yes» Alexiel nodded, falling on her large corgi butt «It's one of us, one of us it's lost».
«And it's in danger» they concluded at the same time.
Liz the pigeon rolled her eyes over, why did those corgis always have to be so dramatic?
«It's time» Tabata continued, ignoring blatantly her aviary wife.
«To call» continued Alexiel trying to get back up.
«The team» finished Shade, wiggling in excitement.
«TO THE HECCING RESCUE, FRENS».
The pups were thrilled.
Finally some action, it had been a while since the last time the flew together into the midst of time to save one of their very own kin.
They had been living in The Land for quite some centuries now and were eager for a new adventure, they were eager for action.
Somewhere in a faraway land Lacross shivered, something was happening, something dark, he looked Manila in the eyes, Vesper on her side slowly caressing her hair, then moved his glance to her pregnant belly and sighed. He had more pressing matters to attend than following a feeling.
Lightnings turned purple, the universe fractured as an unexpected energy convey over the ley lines that connected it all over time and space. There was a thunder and a crack opened in the middle of the night sky, echoes of old nightmares, of endless wars, ancient blood and death slithered out of the crack, infecting the sky, turning it into a mess of purple shaded. There was a rumble, a growl, and then the Vanguard of the Corgis of Time flew out of the rift, majestic as a majestic pupperino, fluffy and adorable, yet terrifying. Her name was Tabata, and after her they came through: the curse of the universe, the vampires of time and space, those who owned the very essence and energy of time itself, the majestic, not so bright yet absolutely adorable, Corgis of Time.
«We do a protec» shouted Alexiel.
«We do an attac» screamed Shade.
«But most important we have each other’s bacc» finished Tabata.
«Can you identify the threat» Smile looked over the small island with an inquisitive look.
Akemi jumped on her four short paws, looking intently towards the small streets: «It must be one of those damned giant cades, maldidos».
«You really are the smartest of us» Yellow looked at her with little stars in her eyes, while floating the air «Can we do them a boop?»
«No, no fren, no bop has to be done here» Shika interrupted her friend, growling aggressively «Only monch and bork and much fuss to be done».
«Much terror, much chaos» added Venom, followed by her quiet friend Zee.
«I'mma gonna do a sniff snoff» shouted Steno, wiggling like crazy, she had the tendency to get very excited about everything
«No, fren, nopety, nope, nope, we shoulda do a snek, snek, so that we can do the cades a bamboozle» hissed Gala from her position right next to Shade.
«Let's go do them a rescue and, do not forget, let's do them a big scare».
The borks fell from the skies like thunderstorm.
Juls had been running for the last twenty minutes and the cades had been following no stop, they were mean, and they had no intention to stop. She was starting to get tired; she couldn't keep up because of her short, stumpy legs, all she wanted was to do a sleep in that solitary island, waiting for time to pass. She whimpered and turned a corner, and they were there.
Standing still, growling and jumping on the all four paws the corgis of time were waiting for here.
«Come, quickly» shouted Hermes, she moved to the left, opening a slight passage for the corgi to jump in.
As she landed in the middle of them Sakurai approached her, and did many kisses to the newcomer, to let her understand she was very much safe now.
«Huggo makes puppo snuggo» muttered Jules, finally safe amongst the other corgerinis.
«Cads make puppo mads» snarled Katiusha and Dance at the same time, starting to aggressively borking towards the cades.
The giant catto stopped and snapped in irritation.
«I see, the Vanguard is here. No more hunterino for today. But this is not the end, do not believe we gonna give up on you, we aren't gonna recede, nor gonna stop. The Narcotic Cades are never giving up. NEVER, YOU HEAR ME?»
«Well, yes, no need to scream, we are literally at four meters from you» muttered Alexiel, falling once again on her bum.
«I like to scream» muttered the Catterino, raising the head and hissing before jumping over the top of a roof «Let's go, squad, before those filthy doggo pass us their fleas».
«Rude».
«Ignore them, my Canadair» Shade shrugged her puffy shoulders «Let's fly home».
«Fly? But I'm just a corgi, I can't fly, I don't have wings» Juls teared up, afraid of being left in that desolated and foggy island.
«Don't be silly, puppo, you are a Corgi of Time, of course you can fly» Tabata smiled to her.
«You are bolder than your fears, stronger than your insecurities» continued Shade, booping her.
«Let your fears guide you, treat them as a compass. Your fears will show you where you need to go. Remember fren, the things that scare you most are usually the things that matter the most to you, not those that are impossible» finished Alexiel.
«Besides» said Tabata, once again «The limit is only in your mind, impossible is nothing as you are one of us, always were, always have been».
«You were just a bit lost» muttered Akemi, helping Jules getting up.
«And a bit alone» continued Yellow.
«But you have us now» finished Katiusha.
«Let's go home, pupperini!» shouted Tabata «Flying formation! The last to arrive is a smelly glittery fart and will be the last to sniff snoff butts!»
«Treatos?» asked Shika unsure of the answer.
«Of course, those are for everyone» finished the Vanguard smiling «Are you ready to go? Gonna be a long journey home».
«Around seven weeks» said Shade, wiggling while thinking of what was in front of them, the excitement was real.
«Let's go boop some snoot!» concluded Alexiel as they al jumped into the air, disappearing into mists of the island, leaving behind a thunder of purple light and a glittery pink fog.
In the blink of an eye, the island was empty again.